As Bowser and Chrysalis continued their journey, they went down some stone steps and into the next area, what they saw next was giant Goombas, they looked chubby with fattened cheeks and huge lollipops on their backs.
One of them sees the villains and huffed as it stood up, “Itsh Bowsher!” it said, it then charges at them.
“Please, this will be easy!” Bowser said as he prepared to fight, Chrysalis watched him from the sidelines for now.
“Showtime!”
Bowser decided to start the fight by throwing a punch at the enemy.
“Take that you...Chuboomba!” Bowser said, naming the enemy type.
The Chuboomba huffs before started to run, Bowser prepared to throw a punch, then the Chuboomba stopped and huffed again, throwing Bowser off as it charged and tackled him.
“H-hey! Cheap move!” Bowser said, getting angry as he let loose another punch, taking down the Chuboomba
[Bowser gained +15 XP]
Bowser growled, he wasn’t upset about winning, more so on the fact that the Chuboomba pulled a trick on him.
Deciding to blow off some steam, he found another Brick Block and broke it, gaining 10 coins from it.
Chrysalis sees another Chuboomba as it spotted them, it charged at them.
“My turn!” Chrysalis said as she got ready to attack.
“Bow to your queen!”
Chrysalis decided to let out a physical attack, she proceeds to let loose a strong buck to the face on the Cuboomba.
The Chuboomba got angry and charged straight at her, however she made a magical copy of Bowsers fist, it punched the Chuboomba back, defeating it.
[Chrysalis gained +15 XP]
After she finished her battle, she let out a sigh of relief.
“That felt good” she said as Bowser walked to another brick block, punching it and getting more drumsticks
[Bowser obtained x 2 Hot Drumsticks]
“Tell me about it, punching these Chuboombas are like hitting the gym!” Bowser sai as the 2 continued their journey.
They continued heading down stone stairs while facing 3 more Chuboombas and gaining 5 coins from another brick block.
Bowser and Chrysalis walked down the cliff's path, , the Changeling Queen then looked to the Koopa King.
“I’m going to search around, see if we can find somewhere to make camp, its getting dark soon, and I’d rather not want to keep fighting till the next day, I need rest after today's troubles” she said.
“Fine, I’ll search for some food” Bowser said, he wasn’t tired, sleep wise for now, especially after his “nap”, no thanks to Fawful, but his body still ached.
Chrysalis had gone ahead to see if there was a place where they could camp for the night.
Bowser hated to admit it, but with Chrysalis's help they had actually made it towards the bottom of the cliff in less than an hour, even if they had been attacked by a swarm of Chuboombas, no doubt they had been sent by Fawful.
It sickened him to have to rely on the help of others just to defeat a couple of fat goombas, he had just about had enough of it. His body screamed at him to lie down and rest, but he wouldn't have any of it, not until he beat Fawful and his pig. He was the king of the Koopas, he will not give up! Even if it kills him.
"A great beast slouches by."
Bowser stopped in his tracks, he quickly turned around trying to locate the source of the voice, he was sure that they had beaten all the Chuboombas back at the top of the cliff.
"It is you, who is he,"
“What? What is this?” he asked himself as he looked around for the new voice, before scowling to himself, "Great just what I need, another voice in my head!" he said to himself.
"Ah. search not, for I am not there." The voice said, confirming his suspicions. "How would one describe me?" the voice continued, "I... I am the voice within, I am your consciousness.... I am above, and all around. I am all that is you. A consciousness bound to you, as you are to me. Shall we travel together?"
Bowser had enough of this, at least the 'attitude girl' didn't try to pass herself as his inner voice. "Stop talking!" he snapped, quickly turning to walk away from the area as fast as possible and maybe search for Chrysalis.
"Ah. So very unenlightened. Anger will get you nowhere. It matters not where you go, for I will speak my piece."
"GAH! SHUT UP!!" Bowser yelled, knocking his head in desperation to shut it up.
"I bear you no ill will. Our minds have bonded. This is a rare thing, so rare, that I will teach you."
"Teach me what?" Bowser growled impatiently, "Hurry up!"
"Smash that boulder to see. Use your inner strength." The voice instructed.
Bowser looked around. The clearing he was in was pretty bare- except for a large hole in the ground, and true to the voice's words, one lone boulder. Bowser supposed he had nothing to lose- at least this voice wants to help him out, unlike that female voice from earlier. He walked over to the rock and smashed it in one punch, revealing a strange, swirling portal hidden beneath it.
"And so it springs to life," The voice spoke, "That is a Chakroad, a conduit for energy waves that bond this planet and space."
Bowser snorted, "Hey buddy, you are making NO SENSE!!! Enough with the crazy talk!"
"Fret not with the details, touch the Chakroad..."
Bowser hesitated. He had already gotten himself into trouble for accepting a gift today, but there was something inviting about the swirling vortex, he reached out towards the Chakroad, it felt weird.
“Be still in body and mind. Be one with immobility.” the voice said as Bowser felt something in his head, like this voice, was looking through his mind, his memories maybe.
“This place is nice…” and instantly he was sucked in.
"Now we travel....WITH OUR MIIINDS!!!"
The large koopa looked around his new surroundings, seeing he was back in the cave, "Hey! I was JUST HERE!" he yelled.
"Wondrous. Thrilling. Yes. Such is the power of this planet and space. Our journey took us to a place etched in your mind, do you understand? No. For you are unenlightened."
Bowser gritted his teeth, "Quit messing with me! TAKE ME BACK NOW!!!"
The voice sighed sadly, "Anger benefits you not. Touch the Chakroad again."
Chrysalis gritted her teeth in rage, "Where is he!?"
'If he ditched me here, then I am going to make sure he pays.'
Chrysalis continued to lay in the spot she had agreed to meet the koopa in, for about 30 minutes. She continued to replay the event in her mind over and over again, in case she landed in the wrong spot. They both decided to split up, Bowser would search for food and she would look for shelter. Chrysalis snorted, "If he isn't here in 5 mintues-!"
Suddenly a large purple swirling vortex opened up, and out came out the very Koopa she had been waiting for.
Bowser looked around the clearing he had appeared in approvingly, ignoring the shocked and angry changeling.
"How amusing. Yes...You are surprised"
"Not too shabby brain guy," the Koopa yelled, "Take me to the Darklands! Straight to my castle, and make it snappy!"
"That is beyond even me, one can only travel Chakroads one has found. If an areas Chakroad is hidden, you go there not, it is the way of the mind..." the voice said, “When you find a Chackroad, your mind bonds to it… then you can travel” the voice continued.
“TOO MANY WORDS!” Bowser yelled at the voice, “You are unenlightened… when you find Chakroads on your travels, touch them. You cannot find Chakroads by merely walking around...they hide their waves, their energy, their very essence. Break things to find them.”
“Not that I care or anything, but who are you, really?” Bowser asked.
“Who am I… I exist somewhere in this kingdom, and that is all, find chakroads and you shall travel...Besides, I do not think your companion would be very happy, if you suddenly left her here."
Bowser suddenly remembered about Chrysalis, and noticed her looking at him, with an angry yet confused expression. "Uhh... Hey can you teleport me out of here? Just for a few minutes?" he asked with a nervous tone.
"I am sorry, but I am needed else where for now.... until we meet again."
"HEY WAIT!!!" Bowser waited for a few moments for the voice to return, but no such luck.
Suddenly Bowser's train of thought was interrupted when he heard a loud scream, "AND JUST WHERE WERE YOU!?"
"*Sigh* Forget about it, did you find any place where we can sleep?"
Chrysalis gritted her teeth, "Yes I did, did you find any food?"
Bowser took out a brown bag from his shell, "Found some hot drumsticks, and a mushroom."
Chrysalis sighed, “Come on let's go." Chrysalis got up and started to stretch her wings, after a few failed attempts at flying, she decided to just stick to walking. 'Looks like me love energy is running a bit low, I need to find a new source of love fast!'.
As they walked, there was an awkward silence between them, so Bowser decided to bring up a subject.
“So, I never seen a species like you before in this kingdom, why are you here?” he asked.
Chrysalis growled as she remembered how she was here, “I was merely following a group of ponies who have ruined my life, I was a queen of an entire hive of Changelings, until those ponies took EVERYTHING from me! I had to build a new army and my newest plot was almost complete!” she said, before gritting her teeth in anger, “if it wasn’t for those idiots in red and green!”.
The last part caught Bowsers attention.
“Red and green?” he said before looking to her, “Was one of them short and fat and the other tall and stupid looking, both with stupid mustaches?” he asked.
Chrysalis looked shocked at the description she would say was accurate, “You know of them?” she asked.
“Heck yeah I do! That was Mario and his stupid brother, those 2 have completely stopped my plans on conquering the Mushroom Kingdom over and over again! I even went through the lengths of conquering Galaxies! And they still BEAT ME!” Bowser yelled with anger as he clenched his fists and teeth in anger.
Chrysalis looked shocked at the mention of one of his feats, “You took over GALAXIES?!” she asked.
“Yeah! I could have rule an entire galaxy and made my own worlds, if it wasn’t for Mario and his stupid brother!” Bowser said.
Chrysalis was impressed by his accomplishments, even with his defeats, she felt something familiar about Bowser as they interacted.
“So Bowser, I heard you talking earlier, something about your children?” she asked him.
“Yeah, I got kids, thought not all of them are “Mine” mine” Bowser said, confusing Chrysalis.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I have 8 kids, 1 is mine by blood and 7 are adopted” Bowser explained.
“Adopted?” Chrysalis questioned, “Your wife couldn’t handle birthing another child?” she asked.
At the mention of wife, Bowser got angry and stomped on the ground hard enough to leave an imprint on the ground, “Don’t. Ever. say. That. Again!” Bowser said through clenched teeth.
Chrysalis was surprised at this, as a changeling she can feel emotions in the air and where it originates, she focused on love mostly but her difference in being a queen changeling lets her feel more emotions, she could feel Bowsers anger overflowing, as well as a lingering love that wouldn’t satisfy her and, sadness.
“What do you mean?” she questioned.
Bowser growled before sighing in sadness as they continued walking.
“I’m not married, the woman I had my son with, she left as soon as he was born and left him with me, she didn’t care about him or me, just about herself, I knew that when I found half of my treasure missing...not long after that I had found my other children, the Koopalings as everyone calls them, I adopted them after they became my top generals in my army, now I try my best to make sure they become just as awesome as me!” Bowser said.
Chrysalis was now interested in this relationship he had, for some unknown reason, she felt a building hatred to this woman that left Bowser, but she couldn't figure out why she was feeling this way.
“Hey, is that it?” Bowser asked as they approached a cave.
“Yes, this will be our camp for tonight, then we continue on” Chrysalis said as they entered the cave.
After they sat down and Bowser gave Chrysalis one of the hot drumsticks, they ate their food and prepared for sleep.
“First thing in the morning, we find our way to my castle” Bowser said.
“Got it” Chrysalis said as she laid down.
“Night” Bowser said as he laid on the ground, his head on his arms as a makeshift pillow.
“Night” Chrysalis said as she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep, neither of them knowing they thought the same thing.
‘Where have I seen you before?’