//------------------------------// // Catalogue of Crabby Crazy Castle Creatures // Story: Super Mare-io Odyssey: A Story Untold // by Cool_Quick //------------------------------// (alternate P.O.V.) Bowser paced back and forth in his throne room restlessly, his feet causing a minor disruption in the Richter scale. A few feet away sat a few nervous Koopas awaiting his final reaction to the news they had just given him. Bowser suddenly stopped, his eyes crossing slightly as his brain turned thoughts around over and over again. The Koopas began sweating profusely as they knew this might not end well. Finally, the YouTube loading signal you could almost see floating in the air above Bowser finished processing, and Bowser suddenly and very quietly said "Mario's still alive." And then much louder. "MARIO'S STILL ALIVE!" He sent a burst of fire at the Koopas, who quickly dodged out of the way and watched as the fire toasted a table nearby. "WHY DOES THAT INFERNAL PLUMBER ALWAYS NEVER LEAVE ME ALONE!?!?" Bowser roared as the Koopas felt their eardrums begin to complain of a slight decibel overload. Then, Bowser started to try to compose himself. "But..." he sighed as he began to pace again. "All is not lost yet. As long as he doesn't make it to the castle, then no real harm is done." The Koopas relaxed as well and one of them said "So... you're not mad at us?" Big mistake. Bowser eyed them from under his bushy firebrows (fire eyebrows. They're the color of... never mind) and said "Mad? Well, I am a bit disappointed that you failed. Again. I told you and that Magikoopa to just make a stupid hat, and to do one stupid task. And yet... you still mess it up." "Lord Bowser... where is that Magikoopa?" one of the other Koopas inquired. "Him?" Bowser shrugged. "Let's just say he won't be coming back to see us anymore." The Koopas sensed the ominous undertone, and shuddered. "As for you screw-ups... I'll let you live. But with one consequence." The Koopas looked up at Bowser quizzically. "You've been demoted until you can prove competence." The Koopas looked at the floor with sudden interest. "UNDERSTAND?!" "Yes, Lord Bowser!" all of them shrieked as they quickly saluted and fled from the room. Bowser gave a heavy sigh as he collapsed into his throne. I'm surrounded by incompetent idiots. I really need to consider sending out an email or something asking for new employees. He turned his head to look out the window, and saw the rest of his kingdom. It filled him with pride to look at, since it had been the hardest kingdom he had ever built. But, something in the back of his mind told him that a certain red plumber would destroy another one of his beautiful creations. Destroy his chances of having a true home. Destroy... having a true family. Bowser sighed again as he looked away from the window, and towards Peach, who was sleeping inside of her luxury cell. He had been trying to give his children a mother for so long... but destiny seemed to rule him unable to have one. Mario he thought to himself in a sudden rush of despair. Why can't you understand... Bowser got up and began to pace again. This time... he wouldn't let Mario take away what he wanted. It was time... to make this Mario's last day alive. Several floors below, four bunnies sat around a table, playing their fifteenth game of poker for the evening. All of them looked very unenthused to be cooped up. The tall lanky bunny suddenly had another migraine. "Ow... that dumb plumber." "You're one to talk Rango," said the one female bunny. Rango stared blanky back at her, not understanding the insult. "Hariet, don't try makin' fancy comparisons at him," said the fattest bunny. "He can't even count his fingers right." "Now Spewart," said the leader of the group, Topper. "Let's not have another useless fight." "That rhymed..." Rango beamed as if he had just won the spelling bee. "Yeah," Hariet thundered, banging the table with her gloved fist and drowning out Rango's astute observation. "We should be out there fighting that stupid red wearing plumber and his... bizarre friends." "Those ponies are cute..." Rango observed. "Rango, shut up!" the rest exclaimed in aggravation. "She has a point," Spewart declared, throwing his cards down on the table (both literally and figuratively). "We need to get out there and find that plumber. We'll see how he feels when we stomp on his head. Suddenly, a knock came at their door. "Jenkins, we're getting tired of playing Simon Says," Hariet yelled without looking up. "It's not Jenkins, it's me," came a high but scratchy voice. The bunnies all immediately had a race to see who could open the door first. Topper won, and opened the door. "To what can I owe the honor of welcoming you to our humble abode?" he gallantly asked, to which the other bunnies rolled their eyes. Bowser Jr. gave a grimacing kind of smile. "My dad sent me here on business." "And what does your royal father wish for us to do?" Topper inquired. "He told me to get you ready to welcome an... unwelcome guest." Hariet suddenly chimed in. "Could it be a certain Italian plumber, with a red shirt and blue overalls?" Bowser Jr. gave her an even look. "That's the one." Hariet gave a snarl of approval. "I can't wait to blow him into the next galaxy." "You're to guard the entrance to the castle." Hariet's face fell. "We're... not going out to search for him?" "Your job is to guard the castle. My dad said he'd give you a severe punishment if you were found outside of your post." Hariet opened her mouth, but quickly shut it again and simply resorted to fiddling angrily with her pigtail. Topper sighed and turned back to Bowser Jr. "When do we start?" "Immediately," the Koopa Kid responded. "Be at your post in twenty minutes, or else..." The undertone wasn't as threatening as his father, but the Broodals understood that his dad was more than serious about this. So as soon as Bowser Jr. left the room, it was a mad dash to gather weapons and supplies. “Bowser Jr. said one more thing,” Topper said after he came back in the room. “What’s that?” Spewart asked. “He says that if we fail at getting Mario this time… we’re screwed.” The Broodals all gulped. They knew full well what that meant. Which was why this time, they wouldn’t let Mario get away. This time, they would have their revenge.