Super Mario Bros: The Fan-Adapted Novelization

Chapter 2-7: Bowser's Last Stand

"And THAT," Toad grunted as he helped Mario and Luigi pull down the gate, "is how you go bowling with buzzy beetles."

The key was still lodged inside a slot near where he stood. A quick turn clockwise locked the gate in place before he tucked it away inside his vest pocket. "So..." he began, staring ahead into the hallowed halls of the fortress. "I never thought I'd be back here again."

"And I never imagined we'd find this place," Luigi added. "Now that we did...I'm almost disappointed."

"Why?"

He sighed. "Just when I finally got used to all the surprises...it's all going to end."

"But when Bowser is finished and Peach is rescued, it will all be worth it!" Mario offered a reassuring smile to his twin. "Chin up, Weegee. Victory is near!"

"Okay, okay." He nodded down to the little fungus. "You first...Captain."

He lead them down the first flight of stairs, a little more pep in his step as the word "Captain" replayed in his head. Before he knew it, images of himself traversing the great unknown with a team of his fellow fungi flashed before his eyes. He pictured himself brandishing a headlamp, effortlessly sporting a heavy backpack, a red bandanna tied around his neck to complete the ensemble of this new persona. Captain Toad...

Well, it definitely had a nice ring to it!

***

Navigating the fortress was much more difficult than the watch tower. The latter was more linear in design, with lots of branching paths, relying mostly on warp holes for traps. Conversely, the former grouped everything into different rooms, utilizing the twists and turns of the connecting corridors to confuse its wanderers. While Toad could easily recall how to return to Bowser, it was still enough to question his memory.

Upon reaching the ground floor, they took the first pipe into the first room, where three Goombas were stationed. Each hero stomped one before leaping over a fire pit in the middle. Toad, with his stubby legs, could not jump that far, and had to be thrown across, instead. The second half of the room contained two other pipes. The one housing a piranha plant transported them into the next room.

When they entered, the three were met with considerably more enemies and a much smaller fire pit (one that Toad could actually jump over). After incinerating another piranha plant, Luigi bounced down to handle the Buzzy Beetles lying in wait while Mario handled the next pest ahead. "Don't take that pipe, though!" Toad warned him. "It will take you back to the first room!"

"Hey, Mario!" Luigi called. "See any more enemies from up there?"

The man in red looked down from his vantage point, finding two koopas pacing back and forth. "Yeah!"

"Then catch!"

He held his arms out and in came a buzzy beetle shell, which he used to send the reptiles flying before taking out a third piranha plant. Once his brother and their mushroom companion caught up to him, they crossed over the fire pit. The last pipe in the room was stationed in the corner, easily towering over the rest. Once again, Toad's poor jumping abilities lead to throwing him upwards to the pipe for the room ahead.

This was one easily the most unpredictable of what they encountered in the fortress so far. While there were far less creatures and carnivorous plants, it was a minefield of Cheep Cheeps. Everywhere the friends stepped, there was always a fish flying out of nowhere trying to attack.

"I think the third pipe is what we take next," Toad cried, shielding himself with his little arms as he sped through the room with his human friends.