//------------------------------// // The Search for the Machine Parts // Story: Video Game Journeys: Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle // by CrashGuy41 //------------------------------// Sunset looked over at Donkey Kong as she put her phone away. Smiling, she spoke to him. "Thanks for helping us," she said. "We're glad you showed up when you did." "Don't mention it," D.K. chuckled. "But uh, I didn't catch you name." "Oh, right. My name's Sunset Shimmer. This is BEEP-0, Rabbid Peach and Sonata Dusk." "Pleased to meet you. I'm--" "I know who you are. You're Donkey Kong! The big, strong ape with a walnut-sized brain." Sonata couldn't help but snicker at Sunset's comment on D.K.'s low intelligence. "Wouldn't be the first time someone's called me dumb. Cranky does it all the time." "Ouch. Yeah. That's got to be harsh coming from your own family." "Eh... I'm used to it." Just then, Rabbid Cranky started rambling about the machine parts that broke off from the Time Washing Machine. "Dang blasted machine fell apart in the dang blasted sky! It scattered those dang parts everywhere!" Rabbid Cranky said. "Is that so? Well, WE need to find that Washing Machine and its scattered parts to get the four of us back to the Mushroom Kingdom," BEEP-0 said. "Can you draw us a map?" Instead of drawing a map, Rabbid Cranky noticed something and pointed with his cane. Everyone looked towards the right, where he was pointing, but didn't see anything. "Wrong way, Rabbid Cranky," D.K. chuckled, turning him the other way. "See that Barrel Cannon there? That can get us to the main island where those dang blasted machine parts landed!" Rabbid Cranky said. "We?" Sonata asked warily. "We, as in, you, as well?" "We'll be here all day if we take him with us. I'll handle this," BEEP-0 sighed. "Thank you for offering us your advice, but I do believe that we can handle things ourselves from here. Besides, I'm sure you have your hands full er... waving your cane angrily at rowdy teenagers, not counting our friends, of course." Angry at his comment, Rabbid Cranky retaliated by smacking his cane at BEEP-0. "You kids today! You don't have any respect for your elders!" he ranted. "Look, I'm not trying to be rude. I believe you're a great fighter and all, but I suspect you may slow us down a bit and..." Before BEEP-0 could even so much as make his way towards the cannon, Rabbid Cranky gave him a good smack with his cane. The force of which caused him to tilt on his side and spin like a top. Rabbid Cranky then stopped him and adjusted his ears before getting on him like a self-balancing scooter. Sonata tried her best to contain her laughter at the sheer ridiculousness of seeing Rabbid Cranky on top of BEEP-0. "What's so funny?" Sunset asked. "That," Sonata snickered, pointing to Rabbid Cranky on top of BEEP-0 before finally bursting out into a fit of laughter. After that was over, the five of them and BEEP-0 made their way into the Barrel Cannon and blasted off to the main island. Upon making it there, both Sunset and Sonata were amazed at how beautiful it looked. "I don't believe it!" Sonata gasped. "All of this... Is beautiful." "Really makes you think about how everything in any world is special, am I right?" Sunset said. "Well... Yeah. All of these years, I was under the impression that my sisters and I were the only important beings to ever exist. I mean, we were the most powerful beings in Equestria, after all." "Until Starswirl banished the three of you to the human world for pretty much all of eternity." Before Sonata could make a snappy comeback, she stopped herself. So many conflicting thoughts went through her mind. "Is being adored as the most powerful beings through Equestrian magic really all that necessary? Is it really worth holding a grudge against the Rainbooms after our defeat during the Battle of the Bands? I mean, Sunset once tried to gain power and she failed. We almost succeeded, but, was it really worth it? Did we learn nothing? What is it that makes this pony so special? And why is it so hard for me to stand up to Dagi and tell her that it's just not worth it, anymore?! CRAP!" Sonata fell to her knees on the beach and slammed her fist down as tears trickled down her face. "Gosh darnit! Why, Adagio?! Why do you have to be so persistent in your hunger for vengeance and power? Is it really that hard for you to realize that it's just not worth doing that anymore?! UNGH!" Anger... Pain... Frustration... and most surprisingly of all, the admission of defeat. That's what Sonata was feeling right now. And it hurt. It was deep stabbing pain in her chest. All she could do was cry. It was the only way to let out her emotions. Sunset put a hand on her left shoulder and smiled. "It'll be alright. You know I've walked down that path before and the regret I felt for doing so." Sonata wiped the tears away from her eyes and gave a Sunset a big hug. "From now on, Sonata, you're one of us." "But... what will the others think when they see me with you?" "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it." The two of them fist-bumped each other and chuckled. "I hate to interrupt a tender moment, but you two girls might want to look straight ahead," BEEP-0 said. Right in front of everyone was a piece of the Time Washing Machine. It was just sitting there in the sand... waiting for someone, or something, to grab it. Sure enough, before anyone in the group could get to it, a lone Rabbid with a large, brownish-black sack swiped it. This was a Rabbid called a Collector. True to its name, they'd swipe anything important from the heroes. Before a fight could engage, however, Sunet and Sonata heard a familiar voice nearby. "You give that back, ya sneaky little varmit!" the voice said. "Applejack!" Sunset exclaimed. Sure enough, there was the farm girl herself up in one of the nearby trees. She immediately got out her weapon, the Hard Truth, which was an orange pistol with black grip handlings on it. On the the barrel was a picture of a red apple, the symbol of her family. On the top was what looked like orange hair and at the end is what looked like an orange tail. She fired her weapon, which shot out an iron apple. Upon hitting its target, the Collector was instantly defeated and dropped the machine part it stole. D.K. grabbed it and instantly noticed another Collector on the battlefield. "Hey! That one's got a piece, as well!" he said. Sonata got out her pistols and aimed them at the Collector. "Hey, ugly little Rabbid!" she called. "I guess you could say that THIS BITES!" She fired at the Collector and instantly poisoned it. "That ought to slow it down." Everyone made their move towards the Collector as Sunset observed everything. On the Collector's chance to escape, it found itself unable to move as it took poison damage. It was only moments away from being defeated. "I'll get the part, you finish it off, Sonata." "Got it." Sonata fired at the Collector using her normal attack and defeated the Collector. Donkey Kong then grabbed the machine part and the battle was won. This time, even Applejack got in on the victory pose by tipping her Stetson hat. Once more, the group got another gold ranking and a bunch of bananas to spend on weapons for D.K., Rabbid Cranky and Rabbid Peach, since the girls only had one weapon that they wielded. After the battle, Sonata came forth to explain herself. Before she could say anything, Applejack put up her hand. "No need to say anything, sugarcube. I heard everything," she said. Sonata was dumbstruck. "How did you--?" "It'd be hard not to hear someone screaming like a rodeo crowd from clear across this here island." "Oh. Sorry." "Ah, don't mention it. Ah'm just glad you admitted yer mistakes. In fact, this could be the start of something of a whole new experience for you." Sonata cracked a smile at Applejack as everyone continued onward to find more of the machine parts. Little did they know that they would be encountering a familiar face again really soon.