Other Fan Fiction ❯ Mario: It's all in the Hat ❯ Victory! ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4 - Victory!

 

Halfway to Bowser, Mario has to leap aside dodging one of Koopa's blasts, but this time something's not quite right. That fire was much closer than it should have been. Bowser's aim must be getting better. Shrugging it off he prepares to leap over his adversary for a chance at getting behind him. Coming up for the jump something happens that hasn't happened in all the time he's spent in the Mushroom Kingdom. As Mario prepares to leap, he realizes, it's not there. What? There's no real answer to that, but whatever it is, it's just not there. The realization comes seconds too late because he actually tries the jump, even as his, body? mind? something else altogether? tells him that this time he's not going to make it. This time his jump isn't going to carry him.

Leaping not over but into Bowser, Mario's mind begins reeling. What's going on!? What happened there? Bowser was also in a state of semi shock. Mario had just leapt into his arms. This was a new one, and for a brief moment neither of them could do more than stare at each other in surprise as Peach, also in shock was left unable to even shout. The shock lasted only a second and then Mario fell back and scrambled away from King Koopa. Bowser, realizing he had lost a golden opportunity, roars in anger and charges after Mario.

 

His mind racing, the Mustachioed hero slowly begins to see that things are very dire indeed. Not only is he suddenly unable to leap King Koopa, something he's done more times in his life than he can count, but now as he's running from Koopa(Which in itself is bad enough) he begins to notice other things. His body feels much heavier than ever before, and he's slowly starting to tire. This was insane! After a trip through all of Bowser's kingdom anyone would have been tired, but not Mario. He's made this journey on several occasions, and not once has he felt as tired as he was beginning to feel now. It must have been Koopa's punch, it must have taken more out of him than he initially realized. And now that the rush of anger(And surge of embarrassment) was gone, his body was beginning to feel the effects of the blow. That had to be it.

So what did he do now? Fall back and regather himself. He'd never been in a situation like this before. Mario was honestly considering making a run for it. And that fact alone was enough to shame him deeper than getting knocked across the room by Bowser. But the decision, it turned out was not one he would have to make. For as he contemplated his next move, Bowser, moving faster than Mario had ever seen, overtook him.

King Koopa caught up in his wild rush to catch Mario mowed right through Toadstool's would be rescuer. And as he reached Mario not only didn't he stop, but he plowed the plumber clear across the room into the wall before he realized what had happened. Looking down Koopa saw that Mario was laying at his feet. Wildly he leapt back and stumbled a few steps before he took in a breath to breathe flames towards Mario in the hopes of keeping him away. But when Mario didn't leap up Bowser choked on the flames he had been about to expel and stood looking dumbly down at his opponent. For much longer than it should have taken to assure his foe was not getting right back up King Koopa just stood there looking stupidly down at Mario.

 

Was it possible? Had he finally defeated Mario? Slowly Bowser approached the crumpled form of his long time rival. Still not entirely convinced something wasn't up, he continued to be on his guard. As he neared Mario's body a sense of euphoric disbelief started to fill him. Had he done it? After all these years could he truly have taken down the one enemy that he could never beat? Standing right beside Mario, Bowser turned him over with his foot. He wasn't dead, but he was definitely out.

“I've done it...” quietly at first but then louder, “I've done it! I've finally beaten him!” A maniacal laughter bellowed out and he was filled with the sudden urge to do something. Run, Jump, Take down the Mushroom Kingdom Single Handedly. He was invincible, he King Bowser Koopa was now unstoppable. He had taken down the one person capable of thwarting him and now nothing could stand in his way. So filled with the intoxicating euphoria of his victory Bowser leapt into a backwards somersault without thinking and came crashing down in the center of the room shaking in laughter and shaking the room with him. Princess Peach finally realizing that Mario really wasn't getting up began to wail uncontrollably. Looking over at her brought Koopa back to reality.

“Don't you worry my little Peach,” Bowser said to her as he returned to Mario's body, “He's not dead,... yet.” But now what? And that was a truly sobering thought. He had never been here before. Did he want to kill Mario? No, that was too easy. He wanted Mario to see everything he had spent his life fighting for, fall before Bowser's might. But what would he do with him until then?

Walking back to his throne(Keeping himself from skipping, he was filled with energy, if this was how it felt to win no wonder Mario was so unbeatable) Bowser pressed a stone behind his seat and and the wall opened up across the room admitting a small group of his elite Koopa Troop. Two Hammer Brothers and a MagiKoopa . They were there awaiting Bowser's possible(Inevitable as far as they were concerned) defeat at Mario's hand. The Koopas came in fully expecting to help their King back to his room to mope about his most recent loss. So it took a few moments for them to re orientate themselves when instead of Bowser laying beside his throne and Mario gone with the Princess, they found Bowser standing smugly beside Peach's still occupied cage and a limp form across the room. For a moment they did nothing but gape in open mouthed surprise at Mario's still form.

 

“Is, is he...” the MagiKoopa began.

 

“No,” Bowser replied still smiling quite full of himself.

 

“You beat him!” one of the Hammer Bros said in obvious awe.

 

“Of course I beat him!” The Koopa King Bellowed, causing the three koopas to back up a step. “I am the King of all Koopa's am I not? No one alive is more powerful than I! And today is the day that I've proven that! With the fall of Mario, nothing shall stand in the way of the Koopa Troop's progression through the Mushroom Kingdom! Now comes the day that we show the Toad who the true rulers of this land are!” The three koopas began cheering. “What are you fools waiting for!” Koopa roared breaking their cheers. “Take Mario to the lower dungeons and place him in our strongest cell. I'll take no chance of his escape while we're gone. And send in the other guard on your way.”

 

The Hammer Brothers rushed over to Mario's body and carefully lifted him from the chamber's floor. With the MagiKoopa watching for any sign of movement they carried him from the room, still coming to grips with the fact that it was Mario, that they were carrying through the halls defeated. On their way to the dungeons one of the Hammer Brother's remembered something. “Hey guys,” he started, “was it just me or was King Koopa wearing Mario's hat?”

 

“What does it matter,” the other replied.

 

“Yeah,” the MagiKoopa began, “I noticed that too. He must have taken it as a trophy after beating Mario. Why?”

 

“Just asking,” the first Brother replied, “I just wanted to make sure I wasn't seeing things.”

 

After the Koopas left Bowser once again turned to the Princess. “Well, well, now Princess. Your hero has been defeated and there's no one to save you. Will you willingly turn over your kingdom now or do we have to do this the hard way? You know your subjects are no match for mine. If it wasn't for Mario's interference I would've taken over long ago. Do you accept the inevitable?” Peach said nothing, still haunted by Mario's still form. And even if she were able to speak she would never just give up. It must of shown in her eyes, because as soon as the second guard showed up Bowser ordered them to lock her in the North Tower. “And if she escapes then her guards had better leave with her,” he threatened.

Alone at last after his victory Bowser sat in his throne as his thoughts began replaying the entire fight. He was so caught up in savoring the feeling of his triumph that it wasn't until much later that night, when he remembered somersaulting across his room after defeating Mario, that he began to question not only how he did that, but what had happened in that fight to turn things around in his favor. And it would be some time yet until he figured it out.