episode13

Episode 13: All Hands on Deck

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The seven heroes froze in horror contemplating their next move for a few seconds, then sprung into action.

�You two get the gunship ready!� shouted Link to Ganondorf and Samus. �We�ll take care of things in here.�

�Oh shoot, Grodus has the auto-defense turrets,� stated Samus in frustration. �I guess I�ll have to take them out first.� After a few plasma shots, the turrets were no more.

�Peach-a won�t come out-a,� whined Luigi. �She�s-a stuck!�

�Help!� cried Peach. �Get me out!�

�Just jump-a!� Mario called out to Zelda on her water-surrounded pedestal. �You should-a be able to make it-a!�

�It�s too far,� stated Zelda.

�Just jump,� ordered Mario. �Either you die here-a, or at least-a you take a shot-a at survival by-a jumping.�

�Alright, what the heck,� replied Zelda, as she took a leap of faith across the water, sharks leaping up to bite her at every moment. She managed to grab onto the floor on which Mario stood, but she could not pull herself up. With a little help from Mario, she was able to.

�We must save the world!� thought Yoshi aloud all of a sudden. �Someone better go disarm that warhead because I�m a little busy.� He was dodging security drones left and right, laser beam shots passing him on all sides. Some of the drones even used electricity when Yoshi was close to disarming them in a suicide attempt to blow up in his face.
�Alright, I�ll do it!� Yoshi leapt across the room and pressed a round red button that on which the words �Abort Mission� were printed. Yoshi pressed the button rapidly and leapt back into the center of the room to help the others in their efforts to escape on time. The missile stopped in its tracks and detonated instantly in the midst of space not hurting a fly.

�Nice job dude,� applauded Link. He and Yoshi then hopped into the gunship, ready to take off.

�One minute until detonation!� stated an X-Naut in the announcer booth of the intercom system. �One minute?!� he repeated. �Oh shoot I�m screwed!� he shouted, jumping into an escape pod.

�The world is safe at least,� said Ganon. �Zelda�s free and she and Mario are entering the ship. Samus just got in. That leaves Bowser, Luigi and Peach. Hurry up guys. Get in quick!� he called out.

Luigi could still not pull Peach out from the chair that restrained her and moved towards the flames.

�Hurry up Luigi,� she cried. � HELP!!!!�

Bowser tried to yank her free, but even he did not have the strength to do so. �Locked,� he said dully. �We don�t have a key!�

�We�ve gotta leave her,� stated Link. �There isn�t enough time. She�s dead in thirty seconds and this place is gonna blow in forty-five.�

�Nooo-a!� protested the Mario Bros.

�Sorry dudes, but that�s the way it goes!� said Ganon firmly. �I�m leaving now and if you two don�t join me, you�re dead too.�

The Mario Bros. looked at each other and at Peach.

�So, what will it be boys?� asked Ganon. �I�m taking this thing out of here now and I need to know.�

�We�re-a coming,� said the Mario Bros. They took one last look at Peach and apologized to her shocked and terrified appearance, and hopped into Samus�s gunship. Time was nearly up for Peach and the group shrieked in horror as they watched her chair vanish into the flames. But no one had screamed as loudly as she. The screams echoed and pierced the stillness of the otherwise silent room. Then the group realized they only had fifteen seconds left and took off into space, leaving the Moon Base and Peach�s burning corpse to blow up.

�.

�Status report,� requested Grodus.

�Everything is going to plan, sir Grodus,� stated Lord Crump. �You were correct, sir, those pests actually succeeded in destroying our warhead. Unfortunately, they escaped the explosion.�

�What?!�

�Only Princess Peach was killed. The others must�ve rescued Zelda and escaped.�

�You don�t think they know what we�re up to, do you Lord Crump?�

�Not a chance,� replied Crump confidently. �They were too preoccupied stopping my plan, rescuing the hostages and escaping the explosion. They can�t possibly be ready for more. There�s no way they�re going to follow us to Mushroom Bank. No way!�

�I wouldn�t be surprised if they did,� remarked Grodus. �Everyone knows the Hand of Glory is locked up in a safe there. Do you remember when Bowser broke into the bank?�

�Yes,� replied Lord Crump.

�Well I think his motive was to steal that hand.�

�Very well. But even if you are right, I don�t think those fools will arrive at the bank so soon. They will most likely be tired and recuperating from that difficult mission. Which we failed at. Why�d we have to let them win sir? Why?�

�To get their confidence up so they could relax and think we were beaten while we get to the real prize: The Hand of Glory.�

�But but�..�

�But nothing, you fool,� snickered Grodus. �The first plan was a worthless diversion. This is the masterpiece.�

�But the first plan was my plan,� sniveled Crump.

�Well it was good, but now we�re using my back-up plan.�

�Very well sir, whatever you say.�

�Excellent thinking man. You seem to know your place after all. I can�t believe I�d doubted you.�

Grodus�s ship had just cruised through Earth�s atmosphere and landed in Toad Town. The two emerged from the ship and headed fro Mushroom Bank. It was late at night and the bank was closed and the doors were locked.

�Darn it,� said Crump. �How are we going to get in?�

�We should be fortunate it is night,� responded Grodus. �That fool Bowser was apprehended for attempting this in broad daylight. Easier for us to sneak in.�

�I have but one more question: Are you positive that you will be invincible once wielding the Hand of Glory?� queried Lord Crump.

�I am sure of it,� replied Grodus. �Nothing will stand in our way. The Earth will quake in fear of me!�

�And me!�

�Silence fool!�
�.

Samus piloted her gunship into Earh�s atmosphere and descended right at Toad Town Square. She dropped off the rest of the group and said her goodbyes.

�Sorry I couldn�t stay,� she apologized. �But I must return to the Galactic Federation Headquarters to let them know that everything�s alright.�

�It�s ok-a,� replied Mario. �Grodus is-a no longer at large-a.�

�At least not that we know of,� amended Yoshi.

�Hmm,� thought Samus. �Maybe I should stay back. Might as well finish what I started. You may need my help more than you think.�

�Good point,� agreed Link. �We�re in this together.�

�Hey it�s the Mario Bros.,� shouted a large crowd of Toad Town residents. �Glad to see you�ve returned safely. But where�s Princess Peach?�

�Umm-a,� they stammered.

�Surely you brought her back!� a Toad demanded.

�Back-a?� queried Mario.

�From where-a?� added Luigi, playing along with his brother to keep the townspeople content.

�That Grodus dude took her prisoner,� stated a woman from the crowd. �You rescued her, right?�

�Umm-a,� the brothers said again.

�We hate to break it to you, but Peach has met with an untimely demise,� stated Ganon in his most solemn voice. �We tried to our greatest efforts to bring her back, but we were unfortunately unsuccessful.�

�BOO!!!� shouted the crowd.

�Where-a?� asked Mario, moving his head around as if looking for a small white ghost.

�We expected better from Mario,� shouted a Toad from the back of the crowd.

�I�ve prepared a coming home party for the princess!� yelled a Toad Mario recognized as Tayce T., the town cook. �I�ve spent many hours preparing these festivities and now they will all go to waste!!!�

�But-a�.,� stuttered Mario. �We-a tried our best-a�..�

�Your best wasn�t good enough!� yelled the Toad from the back of the crowd.

�We may not experience the joy of welcoming the princess back, but at least we can lynch the Mario Bros. and their pals for fun,� suggested Tayce T.

�I�m out of here,� remarked Samus.

�Get �em,� shouted a Toad, raising a torch and a pitchfork. The rest of the crowd did the same and began to yell and chant in a freakish demonic tone.

�Why are they doing this?� asked Yoshi in a state of panic. He found the answer in their bluish complexions and their glowing red eyes.

�The dark infusion has yet to wear off!� shouted Link. �They�re still dangerous!�

�We gotta get outta here,� stated Bowser.

�Attack!� cried the Toad in back of the crowd. �This�ll be fun!�

�.

�Those fools will never track us down,� muttered Grodus. �They�ll be a little preoccupied.�

�Muahahaha!� laughed Lord Crump. �You didn�t?�

�I did,� replied Grodus.

�Really?� asked Crump.

�What?� queried Grodus.

�Never mind,� sighed Lord Crump. �You took control of the darklings and sent them on our enemies.�

�How did you know?� Grodus asked.

�Great minds think alike,� Crump responded. �High-five.�

�Very well,� said Grodus, extending his hand. �Those creatures shall keep them busy long enough.�

�And now, we rob the bank,� Crump said.

�You got it,� responded Grodus, whipping out a digging drill. He drilled a hole in the ground large enough for himself and Lord Crump to squeeze through, then tunneled underground to the inside of the bank and resurfaced.

�Nice job sir,� praised Crump. �Where�s the hand?�

�It must be in here somewhere,� muttered Grodus vibrating as if under the control of a powerful invisible force, sensing the object.

�No dice,� said Lord Crump dismayed. He had looked everywhere in every corner in every room of the small bank. He turned over tables and chairs and broke down some doors that were locked, turning the place inside-out and upside-down.

�Ah ha,� said Grodus delighted.

�What?� Crump queried, slightly confused.

�The safe,� he repeated.

�Oh of course,� remarked Crump. �How silly of me. Where else do people keep valuables. In a safe.�

�It�s locked,� stated Grodus, trying to yank it open with all his might, but it would not budge.

�No problem,� replied Lord Crump, pulling out a stethoscope. Crump put it up against the cold metal of the safe. He listened to it intently, as if he was a doctor listening to the thumping of a patient�s heart.

�What the heck are you doing?� queried Grodus.

�Trying to figure out the combination,� responded Lord Crump. �Duh!�

�Of course,� muttered Grodus sarcastically. �How could I not know?�

�Gotcha!� shouted Crump. He entered the newly-discovered combination and the safe opened for some reason. Lord Crump�s bizarre safe-cracking techniques actually worked, Grodus thought to himself.

�Excellent,� Grodus said aloud, as the door to the safe shot open. But there was nothing beyond the door, except for a dark tunnel that led nowhere. Or so you would think.

�The hand must be concealed within,� reasoned Crump.

�No clue how you figured that out,� remarked Grodus, the usual sarcasm in place. �Now go retrieve it!�

�No way!� protested Crump. �I�m not going in there. We�ve got no clue how far in that goes.�

�Good point,� replied Grodus. �Tie a rope around your waist. I�ll hold onto it. That way, we won�t lose each other.�

�Ok,� said Crump.

�Good now go in,� Grodus commanded.

Lord Crump began his journey into the dark tunnel beyond the safe. Ashe quickly found out, the tunnel was simply a long hallway that led into aisles and aisles of filing cabinets, all a sort of secret stash kept by the bank. Crump called out to Grodus that it was safe and beckoned for him to come along. The two villains pocketed many of the articles, ranging from rubies and other priceless gems to high-tech schematics of lethal weaponry.

�The hand is among these items,� stated Grodus.

�Which ones?� queried Lord Crump. �There must be millions of files on this floor alone. I looked at the floor plan and there are ten basement floors. We have a ways to go.�

�That�s not a problem,� remarked Grodus. �I can sense the hand. Plus we will be unopposed in our search. You know what our enemies are up against and it�s time their luck runs out!�

�.

�Dark Toads,� said Yoshi. �No problem. We handled these guys before and we can take them again.�

�Kill them!� chanted the group of mindless zombie Toads. �We shall feast on their brains afterwards.�

�Ah,� shouted Bowser. �We can�t let these guys win!� He breathed fire and encircled his foes in flames. They emerged unharmed, however, looking stronger than before the assault. The fire seemed to strengthen them, breathe life into their demonic bodies. �What have I done?� panicked Bowser.

�Don�t worry, we�ve got this,� cried Link, slashing a few Toads in the gut with his sword. �Take that!� He slashed again, inflicting more pain on his foes, blood spilling everywhere uncontrollably. These dark mutant zombies seemed to bleed a lot more than regular people, thought Link, as more and more blood splattered all over.

It seemed as if these darklings increased in power when wounded, however. Although it seemed to be an easy victory for the heroes, they found themselves fighting revived Toads that posed a greater threat than they had before they had died.

�I guess I�ll have to purify them,� said Samus resourcefully.

�No way,� said Ganon. �We can take them.�

�Ganondorf, this is for your own good,� shouted Samus. �These fiends will kill you the first chance they get, plus they�re invincible unless exposed to light energy.�

�Ok,� surrendered Ganondorf. �I�ll let you take them.�

Samus drew here Light Beam and began firing at the mob of Toads. Each shot did not hurt the Toads as one might expect. Instead, the blasts simply purified each Toad, freeing him or her from the darkness that had claimed each victim as its host. When Samus was done, she put her Light Beam away and listened to the Mario Bros. for instructions regarding their next move.

�Where�d Grodus run off too?� she asked.

�He mentioned something about a Hand of Glory,� replied Zelda.

�Hand of Glory-a?� asked the Mario Bros. in disbelief. �Oh-a no!�

�What is it?� queried Link.

�The Hand of Glory-a is an object-a of great and terrible power-a,� recited Mario. �Grodus must not-a get his hands on it-a!�

�Do you know where we can find this hand?� asked Link.

�Mushroom Bank-a,� stated Luigi.

�That�s right here,� Ganon said. �We�d better hurry.�

Mario, Luigi, Link, Yoshi, Samus and Zelda rushed off in the direction of Mushroom Bank. Bowser and Ganondorf stayed behind and talked a bit.

�Everything�s going to plan right?� asked Ganon curiously.

�Yup,� replied Bowser. He pulled out a cell phone and called his general: �Send over some troops to Mushroom Bank. I�m here to finish what I started,� he said coolly.

�What do you mean?� asked Ganon.

�The day I went to jail, before this whole mess with Grodus started, I was robbing Mushroom Bank to find this very same Hand of Glory,� stated Bowser. �But I allowed myself to be captured that time. This is a different story though. It is the perfect opportunity to strike. The others will think we are on their side, but in actuality, we are working against them. They�ll never suspect a thing until it�s too late.�

�Excellent Bowser,� remarked Ganon. �I never counted you high on brains but it seems I was mistaken. That is a very well-orchestrated plan and it will definitely work.�

�I know,� Bowser replied, grinning stupidly.

�Hey guys,� called Yoshi from up ahead.

�You-a coming?� asked Mario.

�Yeah sure,� said Bowser. �I twisted my ankle a while back, so I�ll be behind you guys walking a little slow.�

�Back problems,� groaned ganon. �I�m not what I used to be, that�s for sure.�

Yoshi eyed them suspiciously, but turned around and marched toward the bank with the others. A hole was already dug, allowing them to enter. When they crawled through the previously-dug tunnel to enter the bank, they noticed everything was a mess inside the bank and a large safe on the back wall had been opened earlier.

�Grodus was here,� remarked Link. �I know it!�

�He�s already gotten in?� asked Bowser angrily, cell phone still turned on to maintain contact with his troops. �We�d better hurry.�

The real heroes started down the path that Grodus had headed down minutes ago and ended up inside the underground safe beneath the bank. Bowser and Ganondorf trailed behind them for a few seconds before running into the hallway excitedly, evil grins forming on their almost triumphant faces.

Last time................
Grodus and his minions captured Peach and Zelda and placed them in as he refers to them "easily escapable situations involving overly elaborate deaths". Meanwhile, the heroes reunite, stomp Metal Sonic and invade the main chamber of Grodus's lair. Grodus activates the self-destruct mechanism and flees the lair, also launching a nuclear warhead at the Earth. The heroes must rescue Peach and Zelda, stop a nuclear warhead from destroying the world, and escape the explosion themselves. Can they do it or will their efforts be in vain?