Author�s Notes: ::looks up from where she�s lazing about:: Oh! Uh... Hi... Was I suppose to be writing? Er, hehe... I don�t know what you�re talking about, of course I wasn�t being a lazy bum. How dare you try to insult me?! I�ll have to get... almost offended by that. You were on the verge of wounding me.

But, yeah, anyway, sorry it�s kinda late, and kinda... short. I�ll do better next time, I swear! ...Yeah, right.

Warnings: None, that I know of. And I should know, if anybody does. I wrote the thing. Okay, there might be a grand total of, like, four fucking swears in this part, but no killing. Well, if you add in that other piece of shit sentence before, it makes in a total of five. And now with that stupid, fucking sentence before this one, it�s a total of six. And with that damned sentence before this, it makes in seven. MWAHAHA!! The cussing toll steadily rises!

"Are we there yet?"

A sigh. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"Does it look like we�re there?"

"Well... No, but-"

"So we�re not there."

The trio continued their trek in silence, plodding through the tall olive grass just as they had been doing for the past hour. And the hour before that. And possibly the hour before that, but none of them where too sure about the passage of time. And for those past hours, the castle tip that Luigi had seen when he had first awakened hadn�t gotten any closer. It was a very disheartening experience, trudging along and yet not seeming to get anywhere. With no landmarks other than the far-away, phantom-like premonition of the Royal Mushroom Castle, distance was almost impossible to judge.

"...Are you sure we�re not there yet?"

Fed up, Mario finally stopped walking for the first time since they started, throwing his hands in the air and rounding on his brother. Luigi pulled an obviously fake cringe and unsuccessfully hid his snicker behind a hand, which caused Mario�s temper to flare up even more.

"I said we weren�t there, now didn�t I? Are you deaf as well as blind? It is so plainly obvious we are not there and even an idiot could tell we won�t even get remotely close anytime soon!"

And Mario continued on in the same manner, building up speed the more he got in to it. Captain Stephen just watched in amazement. He had seen Luigi fall into one of his tiffs many a time, but never had he seen Mario get mad. And when the older Mario Brother did get mad, it was sight to see. He advanced on his victim, large hand clenched in a threatening fist, face turning as red as the infamous overalls he was accustom to wearing. Even though Luigi out distanced his brother greatly in height, Mario was still able to pull off the same effect as if he was towering over his sibling, beating him down to the ground without laying a finger on him. Sol wondered dazedly if ranting was a genetic trait.

While Luigi was on the verge of cowering before his brother�s wrath, Mario finished up with a very dramatic flare, waving his hands about as if summoning God. "I�m hot, I�m sweaty, I�m tired and this fucking perfect day is getting on my nerves!" He suddenly threw back his head and yelled at the clear, azure sky and Luigi was looking like he was decidedly sure he brother had gone mad. "Can�t we ever have one, shitty little day of rain?! Huh?! Is that too hard to ask?! Bring clouds down upon me, show me your rage and fury! Goddamn it, why can�t I have any respite?!" Throwing a few more choice curse words up at the innocent heavens, Mario started stomping off towards the Castle once again.

Luigi finally let himself plop fully on the ground, watching Mario�s retreating back warily and whistling lowly between his teeth. "Jeez, somebody�s moody today."

The mushroom Captain leaned down and offered a hand up. "He does have a lot on his mind. And rightfully so."

The slender plumber glared, but sighed and gave up, grabbing the offered hand and hauling himself up. "I guess your right."

Peach Toadstool slumped in her chair, staring sullenly into the dresser mirror in front of her. The pretty little mushroom chatted away cheerily behind her, carefully brushing out any and all tangles in her Princess�s long, golden hair, oblivious of the other�s mood. But when Peach heard her name being called, she finally snapped out of her glum daze and met the mushroom�s eyes in the mirror. "Yes, Clara? I�m sorry, I wasn�t paying attention."

The young woman just smiled brightly. "No need to be sorry, Miss. If anything, I should be sorry for disturbing you. I was just going to tell you you�re ready for bed. Hair all nicely brushed and bed covers pulled back and everything."

Peach couldn�t resist smiling back, Clara�s naturally cheerful attitude too infectious to withstand. "Thank you, Clara." This praise seemed to make the girl�s smile even larger. "You know, I can brush my own hair. It�s not that hard."

"Oh, but Miss," Clara exclaimed, hands clasping together tightly. "It�s my pleasure. Anything to serve my Princess."

Peach smiled once more at her, kindly, before standing gracefully from her chair, carefully setting her silk night gown in place. Dainty feet covered with soft slippers to protect from the cold stone floor, the Princess made her way across her room, Clara trailing close behind, ready to please.

Sitting down on the soft mattress, Peach made as if to get under the covers, but stopped instead, gazing out the window into the darkness. It was a clear night, like most where, with the stars twinkling brightly and the crescent moon casting it�s silvery glow over the lands. Sighing softly, the petite woman, so quietly Clara almost missed it, asked, "Do you think the Marios are alright?"

Clara blinked. "Of course they are! They�re the Mario Brothers! They can handle anything!"

"I know, but.... But it�s been a while since we�ve heard from them an-and this isn�t exactly what their use to..."

The little mushroom was distressed about the catch in her mistress�s voice and tried her best to comfort her. "That is true, but what could possibly happen that they couldn�t take on? Have confidence, Miss, they�ll be back any day now."

"I hope you�re right..."

Clara frowned, but realizing there was nothing she could do, back out of the room and gently closed the door behind her.

Peach stared at the floor a moment long, then slowly removed her feet from the slippers and slipped beneath the thick blankets. Though she knew shouldn�t worry so, she could shake the horrible feeling that something, anything, was going to go wrong.

When the news of there being yet another murder in the Mushroom Kingdom finally reached the Koopas, Bowser�s enraged bellow shook the castle, causing many of the troops to dive for some sort of cover. Their King was on the war path and anyone was fair game if caught in his way.

Koopa slammed on giant fist against the arm rest of his throne, a solid crack resounding through the large hall. "Just who does he think he is?! He can�t just going around killing who he pleases! This is my kingdom to terrorize and pillage and burn and take over, no one else is suppose to cause trouble but me!" The massive dragon pushed himself off the stone chair and paced about the room, making himself look rather impressive and menacing in his agitation. After a few minutes of this, he whirled around and marched out the door, heavy steps echoing loudly in the silence. Taking a deep breath, he roared, "You little maggots, get your asses over here!"

A sudden scurry of motion, and at least twenty koopas were lined up in front of him, tripping over each other�s feet to be there first. Bowser growled deeply and glower. "Prepare my helicopter! I�m gong out."

Pisces: ::pacing in front of Mario, Luigi and Bowser, all lined up in a row in the middle of the room:: Now, repeat after me: I do not touch Pisces� stuff.

Mario, Luigi and Bowser: ::sullenly:: I do not touch Pisces� stuff.

Pisces: ::stops in front of Mario and glares, waving a mangled mass of plastic and wires in his face:: I do not break Pisces� stuff.

Mario, Luigi and Bowser: ::Mario glaring back Pisces:: I do not break Pisces� stuff.

Pisces: ::stops in front of Luigi, once again gesturing wildly with the jumbled heap:: I do not try to strangle fellow members of my community with game controller wires.

Mario, Luigi and Bowser: ::Luigi joining his brother in glaring:: I do not try to strangle fellow members of my community with game controller wires.

Pisces: ::frowns at Bowser:: And I do not throw said strangler into Pisces� walls.

Mario, Luigi and Bowser: ::all three glaring at Pisces:: And I do not throw said strangler into Pisces� walls.

Pisces: ::glares back::

::Princess Toadstool wanders in, munching merrily on her food. Gives smashed in wall a curious look before detouring around it daintily and meandering up to the four, watching them glare at each other. After about four minutes of just watching them glare and chewing on her bag full of food, she finally speaks up, breaking the silence:: What are you guys doing?

Pisces: ::blinks:: Oh, uh, nothing...

Bowser: ::sidles up to Peach, as well as a giant dragon can sidle:: Soooo, Peachy-poo, whatcha doin� tonight?

Peach: ::pops another piece of food into her mouth:: Nothing with you, disgusting reptile. Unless you�re gonna kidnap me again. And don�t call me Peachy-poo.

Bowser: ::places a hand over his heart and tries to give puppy dog eyes:: Princess, I�m hurt!

Pisces: Whatcha eating Peach?

Peach: ::fishes around in bag:: Mushrooms. ::pulls one out to show them proudly::

Bowser: ::eyes widening:: Oh, I think I�m gonna be sick... ::claps hand over mouth and rushes out of room::

Luigi: You sick freak! How could you?! ::storms out after Bowser::

Mario: ::shakes head sadly:: Oh Peach, why didn�t you tell me? ::drifts off, muttering to himself:: I�m in love with a cannibal...

Pisces: ::gives Peach a freaked look:: Soylent green is people... ::shudders, and follows Mario::

Peach: ::looks down at bag and raises eyebrow. Sniffs it a bit, then shrugs:: Whatever. ::pops another in her mouth and chews happily::