(no subject)
Last chapter, they got the abilities to control fire and electricity. And with their first major enemy staring them in the face, can they harness both the elemental and Star forces to escape alive?
"Who is that?" Brandon whispered to his girlfriend, unsure of who he was currently staring down.
Dani squinted through anxious green eyes. "Looks like we've got Ludwig here."
An eight-foot Koopa with untamed blue hair and menacing dark eyes stepped forward, laughing. "Smart girl for someone who disappeared for fifteen years. Don't worry... King Dad told me to make your demise as painful as possible."
Dani smirked as her body began to glow. On her left wrist, the imprint of a white Star appeared. "Let's see you try it."
Oh great, Brandon thought with a spot of anxiety. Another fight and I still don't know what to do. He decided to stand back and wait. Maybe his new psychic ability would trigger him when he was needed.
Dani was quick to spring into the battle, however, jumping over the fireball Ludwig hurled her way. In mid-jump, she decided to become airborne. She tightened her left hand into a fist and began to charge another blast of electricity.
Brandon closed his eyes and tightened his right fist. Not sure of what else to do, he concentrated on the sounds of the battle around him. When he blinked again, his body flickered blue and the Star imprint on his own wrist filled in with a pale sapphire color. "Okay, so I guess I'm battle-ready. But what the hell do I do now?"
Ludwig narrowly avoided the dangerous shock of thunder and hurled another fireball. Dani kicked off the wall and dodged it. Without thinking about it, Brandon grabbed the ball of flames and seemed to smile when his enemy looked frightened by it.
So that's how all this works... He thought to himself. He tossed the fiery missile back at its creator, making contact.
"Nice shot," Dani grinned. "You're catching on."
"How do you know all this?" The boyfriend asked.
"Think about it like a video game, Brandon. Think about it that way, and this is all second-nature."
Ludwig withdrew his wand and began to charge a darkness spell. The young couple regrouped.
"I'll short out his wand," Dani said. "You launch as much fire at him as possible."
"Are you sure?"
"Would I lie?"
She launched a small bolt of lightning through the gem of Ludwig's wand. The spell, however, was released before the stone was shattered. She stepped back. "Oh geez..."
I think some sort of shield would work for this, right? Brandon thought to himself. No quicker had he said this, a large barrier surrounded him and his girlfriend. The spell bounced off it, then the barrier disappeared.
"How'd I do that?" He asked nobody.
"You're the creative energies. Think it and it's yours to use." Dani explained while standing straight. "I've had enough of this, though." Her hair and eyes turned white. "Make yourself a shield."
"What are--"
"Now!"
He stepped away from her and managed to create a shield of energy around himself. She levitated and the world began to pulsate with a strange force. The world began to distort around him and the sight made him dizzy. He closed his eyes and poured more energy into his shield, scared for himself.
Dani held both hands out before herself. "Star Spirits bestow me the Star Beam," she began to speak softly.
Ludwig stepped back in horror.
"From the forces of the Stars above, I wish to be granted the energy of this finishing attack..."
Brandon found himself fascinated by this. By now, the shield pulsed with his heartrate, so much energy had been channeled into it.
She spun gracefully through the air, throwing her fists forward. A mighty beam of many colors flew from her wrists and chest, shattering the earth below them. The walls disintegrated into dust. Brandon managed to separate the magma before it pierced too far into his shield, and he stood in a small crater in which no lava flowed.
Dani snapped her hands to either side of herself and the energy abruptly ceased to flow. Her eyes returned to their normal green hue. Brandon jumped from his hiding place and released his shield.
"What the hell did you do?" He asked, completely awestruck.
"My final spell," she explained, breathing heavily. "Each Star crystal comes with an ultimate spell. And if you and I ever were to use ours as the same time, we'd cause what's called Supernova. But it's never been done before and potentially lethal."
"That was both awesome and frightening as hell, Dani." He was shuddering.
She was looking at the spot where Ludwig had been standing, growling softly. "Damnit! He warped before the spell hit. That figures..."
"Why would he bother coming down here?"
"I don't know. Regardless, we should probably get back up to the surface."
"Dani, I don't think I'm cut out for this."
She smiled. "Neither do I think I'm fit for this. But you never know."
***
"King Dad," Ludwig bowed his head as he kneeled before his father. "Dani and her partner managed to get the orbs of Firebrand and Thunderhand."
Bowser roared in anger. "I told you to eliminate them! They're a pair of kids!"
"But, King Dad, she has the Crystal Star... She nearly incinerated me with the Star Beam! And her partner... I think he's a Star child, too. He has a blue marking on his right hand... looks like a star."
"Hm. Consider yourself lucky. I think your brush with death is due punishment enough, for now. Get out of my sight!" Bowser watched as his eldest son quickly retreated from the room. "Kammy!"
An elderly Koopa made her way to his side. "Yes, Your Highness?"
"Find out everything you can about Danielle's little associate. Ludwig claims we've got another Star child to destroy."
"Dead or alive, sir?"
Bowser narrowed his eyes and smiled evilly. "Let's test him." He turned to the hallway. "Roy!"
Bowser's third son, a muscular and rough looking Koopa, stomped into the room. "Yeah, King Dad?" His voice boomed through the room when he spoke. He had inherited his father's brawn.
"I've got a task for you, son. As you are, by far, the strongest of your siblings, I think you are more than capable of handling the capture of a twenty-year-old girl?"
"You know it, King Dad." The son smirked evilly and flexed his muscular arms.
"Good. Late tonight, I want you to find Danielle. I want you to capture her. Make a scene of it, and rough her partner up if he gives you grief, but let him live. Then take her to Forever Forest and lock her in the Boo Mansion."
"Yes, sir! But why?"
"Do you question me, son?"
"No, King Dad," Roy stepped back a bit. Only one person in this world scared him, and that was his father. "I'm just wonderin'."
"Your brother Ludwig thinks we've got another Star crystal active... and he believes Dani's new friend wields it. Only a true Star child would dare venture into Forever Forest... And if he is a Star child, he'd have to use his abilities to get through the forest alive."
"Brilliant, King Dad. I'll get her tonight." The son smirked and excused himself.
Kammy nodded her head. "Mm, sir. Shall we kidnap Princess Peach when we take Danielle?"
Bowser shook his head. "No. Not yet. The plans won't be able to be finished until we know how many Star crystals are active. Once we know how many are active... we'll be able to disarm them all at once."
"You are a genius, Your Highness. A true genius."
"Get to the field, Kammy. Find out everything there is to know about him."
***
The night had become both an exciting and frightening time for the newest citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom.
They'd been given wristbands to harness their new techniques, and had spent the entire day practicing with them. But now the night had fallen, laying a new set of obstacles before them. If any metaphysical presence past anywhere close, they could hear it speak. It was rather unnerving, especially for Brandon, who'd never had the ability before.
Presently, the two were sitting in the Mario brothers' home, watching the television. Programming in the Mushroom Kingdom was far better than that of home--the censors were fewer and the comedy more intense. They'd dipped into music trends earlier and found the quality of music to be far better than anything they'd heard back home.
Just as both were about to fall asleep, a huge crack of lightning shattered through the roof of the house. They both yelped in surprise before Dani was able to channel the lightning back up to its source.
"Who's there?" She shouted, demanding. Brandon wondered where her courage came from, and hoped it would come to him with time.
Roy grinned as he jumped down. "I'm here to cause a shake-up."
"You wish," she replied, her left hand crackling with electricity. "You'll leave. You'll leave my parents, my uncle, and my boyfriend alone. Be gone!"
"I'm not here for them."
Oh great, we drop into this place and already everyone knows where we are, Brandon thought worriedly. How long will these guys keep bothering us?
Roy stepped forward, throwing a Thunder Rage at the two of them. She threw a bolt of negative lightning, effectively canceling the Koopa's attack. "I'm here for you, girl."
"No damn way," she growled. "I'll die first."
The burly Koopa stepped forward, another item in his hand. She looked a bit worried when she heard the familiar click of the Stopwatch.
"No," she breathed. She began to charge up another blast of electric power before the Stopwatch could affect her.
Little watches of various shapes and lights began to form around her, causing her body to shudder. Brandon sprang forward and took her hand in his. The orb in her hand began to pulse a fiery gold, and they both began to channel.
"What the hell?" He asked.
"I don't know! What did you do?" She saw the watch tightening its grip around both of them. "The hell with it! On three!"
Surprisingly, he seemed to understand. In a strange unison neither could explain, their voices came out in perfect harmony.
"One..."
Roy held his position steady, fascinated by the sight.
"Two..." The energy they had created was so powerful the air rippled around them. Both seemed to struggle to stand up.
Roy stepped back and began to retreat.
"Three!"
An eruption of lightning and fire poured from her hand, a bomb so massive the entire house was engulfed. Both shot backwards from the sheer force of the attack, bouncing off the wall and onto the floor. However, both seemed back on their feet instantly, each shining with the shields of their individual colors.
"Incineration," she murmured softly, the orb exploding into a billion bolts of flame-licked electricity. Even shielded, the two fell backward quite a bit.
When it all subsided, both were trembling from the immense amount of energy drained.
"What... was that?" She asked nobody, looking at the destroyed building before them.
"I don't know," he replied, looking awestruck.
They both looked up at the sky, noticing the Stars above looking quite dim.
"That doesn't look right, Dani..."
She nodded, shuddering even more. "That's because it isn't."
They were both far too exhausted to figure it out. In the middle of the devastated abode, the two crumbled to the ground and fell to sleep.
"Who is that?" Brandon whispered to his girlfriend, unsure of who he was currently staring down.
Dani squinted through anxious green eyes. "Looks like we've got Ludwig here."
An eight-foot Koopa with untamed blue hair and menacing dark eyes stepped forward, laughing. "Smart girl for someone who disappeared for fifteen years. Don't worry... King Dad told me to make your demise as painful as possible."
Dani smirked as her body began to glow. On her left wrist, the imprint of a white Star appeared. "Let's see you try it."
Oh great, Brandon thought with a spot of anxiety. Another fight and I still don't know what to do. He decided to stand back and wait. Maybe his new psychic ability would trigger him when he was needed.
Dani was quick to spring into the battle, however, jumping over the fireball Ludwig hurled her way. In mid-jump, she decided to become airborne. She tightened her left hand into a fist and began to charge another blast of electricity.
Brandon closed his eyes and tightened his right fist. Not sure of what else to do, he concentrated on the sounds of the battle around him. When he blinked again, his body flickered blue and the Star imprint on his own wrist filled in with a pale sapphire color. "Okay, so I guess I'm battle-ready. But what the hell do I do now?"
Ludwig narrowly avoided the dangerous shock of thunder and hurled another fireball. Dani kicked off the wall and dodged it. Without thinking about it, Brandon grabbed the ball of flames and seemed to smile when his enemy looked frightened by it.
So that's how all this works... He thought to himself. He tossed the fiery missile back at its creator, making contact.
"Nice shot," Dani grinned. "You're catching on."
"How do you know all this?" The boyfriend asked.
"Think about it like a video game, Brandon. Think about it that way, and this is all second-nature."
Ludwig withdrew his wand and began to charge a darkness spell. The young couple regrouped.
"I'll short out his wand," Dani said. "You launch as much fire at him as possible."
"Are you sure?"
"Would I lie?"
She launched a small bolt of lightning through the gem of Ludwig's wand. The spell, however, was released before the stone was shattered. She stepped back. "Oh geez..."
I think some sort of shield would work for this, right? Brandon thought to himself. No quicker had he said this, a large barrier surrounded him and his girlfriend. The spell bounced off it, then the barrier disappeared.
"How'd I do that?" He asked nobody.
"You're the creative energies. Think it and it's yours to use." Dani explained while standing straight. "I've had enough of this, though." Her hair and eyes turned white. "Make yourself a shield."
"What are--"
"Now!"
He stepped away from her and managed to create a shield of energy around himself. She levitated and the world began to pulsate with a strange force. The world began to distort around him and the sight made him dizzy. He closed his eyes and poured more energy into his shield, scared for himself.
Dani held both hands out before herself. "Star Spirits bestow me the Star Beam," she began to speak softly.
Ludwig stepped back in horror.
"From the forces of the Stars above, I wish to be granted the energy of this finishing attack..."
Brandon found himself fascinated by this. By now, the shield pulsed with his heartrate, so much energy had been channeled into it.
She spun gracefully through the air, throwing her fists forward. A mighty beam of many colors flew from her wrists and chest, shattering the earth below them. The walls disintegrated into dust. Brandon managed to separate the magma before it pierced too far into his shield, and he stood in a small crater in which no lava flowed.
Dani snapped her hands to either side of herself and the energy abruptly ceased to flow. Her eyes returned to their normal green hue. Brandon jumped from his hiding place and released his shield.
"What the hell did you do?" He asked, completely awestruck.
"My final spell," she explained, breathing heavily. "Each Star crystal comes with an ultimate spell. And if you and I ever were to use ours as the same time, we'd cause what's called Supernova. But it's never been done before and potentially lethal."
"That was both awesome and frightening as hell, Dani." He was shuddering.
She was looking at the spot where Ludwig had been standing, growling softly. "Damnit! He warped before the spell hit. That figures..."
"Why would he bother coming down here?"
"I don't know. Regardless, we should probably get back up to the surface."
"Dani, I don't think I'm cut out for this."
She smiled. "Neither do I think I'm fit for this. But you never know."
***
"King Dad," Ludwig bowed his head as he kneeled before his father. "Dani and her partner managed to get the orbs of Firebrand and Thunderhand."
Bowser roared in anger. "I told you to eliminate them! They're a pair of kids!"
"But, King Dad, she has the Crystal Star... She nearly incinerated me with the Star Beam! And her partner... I think he's a Star child, too. He has a blue marking on his right hand... looks like a star."
"Hm. Consider yourself lucky. I think your brush with death is due punishment enough, for now. Get out of my sight!" Bowser watched as his eldest son quickly retreated from the room. "Kammy!"
An elderly Koopa made her way to his side. "Yes, Your Highness?"
"Find out everything you can about Danielle's little associate. Ludwig claims we've got another Star child to destroy."
"Dead or alive, sir?"
Bowser narrowed his eyes and smiled evilly. "Let's test him." He turned to the hallway. "Roy!"
Bowser's third son, a muscular and rough looking Koopa, stomped into the room. "Yeah, King Dad?" His voice boomed through the room when he spoke. He had inherited his father's brawn.
"I've got a task for you, son. As you are, by far, the strongest of your siblings, I think you are more than capable of handling the capture of a twenty-year-old girl?"
"You know it, King Dad." The son smirked evilly and flexed his muscular arms.
"Good. Late tonight, I want you to find Danielle. I want you to capture her. Make a scene of it, and rough her partner up if he gives you grief, but let him live. Then take her to Forever Forest and lock her in the Boo Mansion."
"Yes, sir! But why?"
"Do you question me, son?"
"No, King Dad," Roy stepped back a bit. Only one person in this world scared him, and that was his father. "I'm just wonderin'."
"Your brother Ludwig thinks we've got another Star crystal active... and he believes Dani's new friend wields it. Only a true Star child would dare venture into Forever Forest... And if he is a Star child, he'd have to use his abilities to get through the forest alive."
"Brilliant, King Dad. I'll get her tonight." The son smirked and excused himself.
Kammy nodded her head. "Mm, sir. Shall we kidnap Princess Peach when we take Danielle?"
Bowser shook his head. "No. Not yet. The plans won't be able to be finished until we know how many Star crystals are active. Once we know how many are active... we'll be able to disarm them all at once."
"You are a genius, Your Highness. A true genius."
"Get to the field, Kammy. Find out everything there is to know about him."
***
The night had become both an exciting and frightening time for the newest citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom.
They'd been given wristbands to harness their new techniques, and had spent the entire day practicing with them. But now the night had fallen, laying a new set of obstacles before them. If any metaphysical presence past anywhere close, they could hear it speak. It was rather unnerving, especially for Brandon, who'd never had the ability before.
Presently, the two were sitting in the Mario brothers' home, watching the television. Programming in the Mushroom Kingdom was far better than that of home--the censors were fewer and the comedy more intense. They'd dipped into music trends earlier and found the quality of music to be far better than anything they'd heard back home.
Just as both were about to fall asleep, a huge crack of lightning shattered through the roof of the house. They both yelped in surprise before Dani was able to channel the lightning back up to its source.
"Who's there?" She shouted, demanding. Brandon wondered where her courage came from, and hoped it would come to him with time.
Roy grinned as he jumped down. "I'm here to cause a shake-up."
"You wish," she replied, her left hand crackling with electricity. "You'll leave. You'll leave my parents, my uncle, and my boyfriend alone. Be gone!"
"I'm not here for them."
Oh great, we drop into this place and already everyone knows where we are, Brandon thought worriedly. How long will these guys keep bothering us?
Roy stepped forward, throwing a Thunder Rage at the two of them. She threw a bolt of negative lightning, effectively canceling the Koopa's attack. "I'm here for you, girl."
"No damn way," she growled. "I'll die first."
The burly Koopa stepped forward, another item in his hand. She looked a bit worried when she heard the familiar click of the Stopwatch.
"No," she breathed. She began to charge up another blast of electric power before the Stopwatch could affect her.
Little watches of various shapes and lights began to form around her, causing her body to shudder. Brandon sprang forward and took her hand in his. The orb in her hand began to pulse a fiery gold, and they both began to channel.
"What the hell?" He asked.
"I don't know! What did you do?" She saw the watch tightening its grip around both of them. "The hell with it! On three!"
Surprisingly, he seemed to understand. In a strange unison neither could explain, their voices came out in perfect harmony.
"One..."
Roy held his position steady, fascinated by the sight.
"Two..." The energy they had created was so powerful the air rippled around them. Both seemed to struggle to stand up.
Roy stepped back and began to retreat.
"Three!"
An eruption of lightning and fire poured from her hand, a bomb so massive the entire house was engulfed. Both shot backwards from the sheer force of the attack, bouncing off the wall and onto the floor. However, both seemed back on their feet instantly, each shining with the shields of their individual colors.
"Incineration," she murmured softly, the orb exploding into a billion bolts of flame-licked electricity. Even shielded, the two fell backward quite a bit.
When it all subsided, both were trembling from the immense amount of energy drained.
"What... was that?" She asked nobody, looking at the destroyed building before them.
"I don't know," he replied, looking awestruck.
They both looked up at the sky, noticing the Stars above looking quite dim.
"That doesn't look right, Dani..."
She nodded, shuddering even more. "That's because it isn't."
They were both far too exhausted to figure it out. In the middle of the devastated abode, the two crumbled to the ground and fell to sleep.