Super Mario Bros: Star Heroes (Book 1)

Chapter 11: The Familar Unknown

(Pan's Labyrinth Lullaby-Music Box Cover by The Wild Conductor)

The ominous dark sky of Dark Land was empty, only the black clouds were what filled the sky. The last of Bowser's Airships fleet came crashing down into the dark grass floor, leaving a violent trembling wave in its wake. The dark forest landscape was scattered with the broken remains of the damaged ships in every direction. Parts of the airships were mostly on the ground, some on the trees. In the very center of the airship graveyard was none other than the main airship, Bowser's Airship, split in half.

" Gah!" Duke bolted his eyes open. He looked up to see a pile of wood on top of him, and with a hefty push, he broke free from the rubble's grasp and jumped into the dark grassy opening.

Duke looked around and saw a familiar figure underneath one of the airship's pillars. He walked up to Mack, and pushed up the pillar, allowing his comrade to escape.

" Haaah...thanks, man." Mack said. " The more I stayed there I felt myself being flattened like a Goomba pancake."

" You owe me. But anyways, where the heck are we?" Duke asked.

" We're in Dark Dimble Woods, the kinda nearby entrance to King Bowser's Castle." Mack responded.

Duke's eyes widened. " Speaking of...where is King Bowser?!" Duke exclaimed.

He desperately began whipping his head in every direction, hoping to find his leader.

" We gotta find him! Quick!" Mack said.

The two dashed right...into each other. They fell to the ground, dizzy. They dashed up and scrambled all around the place, looking for any signs of Bowser. But nothing.

" He's not anywhere!" Duke exclaimed.

" What are we gonna do?!" Mack wailed.

" Huuuh...urrrgghh..."

" That voice! It sounded like-!" Duke began, before Mack turned at the large wreckage of the main airship.

" Right here!" The goomba said, and Duke rushed towards him.

The koopa right away dug through the rubble frantically, his eyes wide. He paused for a short second and whipped over at Mack.

" Hey! Don't stand there and give me a hand, would ya?!" Duke snapped.

(End BGM)

Mack stayed silent for a long moment, before raising a brow at him.

" Uh...I don't have any hands..." He replied, puzzled.

(Fairy Tail OST-Don't Mess Around)

" Oh yeah..." Duke responded, rolling his eyes. " I keep forgetting."

Duke crossed his arms at Mack. " Use your feet! They're like hands, right?"

" Not really. And head bonking won't work either." Mack said.

" Yeah it does! That sounds much better than digging up this crap like dogs! Go get bonking!"