(no subject)
Chapter 5 brought the beginning of the Kingdom's plight. The Star children tried valiantly to stop the world from plunging into evil's dark fist but failed. They fell from the sky, losing their lives. Has the Star legend finally died?
The fallen defenders lay in an isolated, faraway clearing. Neither had moved since their horrid landing. They had died upon impact into the soil, and nobody had bothered to look for them.
Suddenly, seven Star-shaped clouds of mist formed around the lifeless duo, nearly transparent and hard to see. It was the energies of the Star Spirits.
Mamar floated closely to their faces and chests, then spoke in a crackling, tearful voice. "Oh, Eldstar. They are..."
"The Star children were defeated," Klevar spoke in quiet sorrow. "Two young lives, cut so tragically short."
"No one could have survived such a brutal attack and fall," Skolar nodded in an emotionless voice. "The odds of survival were impossible."
Eldstar floated forward. "Now, now. Calm down everyone. They are Star children, after all. If we send them our remaining energy, they may pull through."
The images turned to rainbow-colored mist, seeping into the bodies of the deceased couple.
Two Toad children were laughing and teasing one another as they chased after a soccer ball. It rolled into a clearing. The older child went in first, horrified at what he saw. His little brother was quick to catch up.
"Dane!" The little brother gasped in horror. "Wh-what..."
Dane walked over to them. "I think they're dead..."
"Don't touch 'em! They could be ghosts!"
"Shush! Hmm." He walked over to examine them closely. "Wait a minute." He gasped. "Fice! They're alive!"
Fice wandered over, his eyes wide. "Are you sure? I don't wan' a ghost to chase me!"
Dane prodded them gently, but neither one responded. He stood up and stared at them closely. "Wait... the girl looks kinda familiar. Sorta like the Princess, only younger."
Fice looked at his brother. "Maybe it's her daughter. Maybe it's Lady Danielle!"
"Who's the guy, though?"
"I dunno, Dane... but he has to be important... he's with Lady Danielle!"
"Wow." Dane couldn't quell his excitement and morbid curiosity. "I wonder what happened to them. They're, like, barely alive."
"Dane, we gotta do somethin'! We hafta get them help." He tugged on his brother's sleeve. "Dane..."
Dane nodded, coming back to reality. He pushed his brother ahead. "C'mon... we gotta go tell Mom and Dad."
The two boys ran through the clearing as fast as they could, shouting for their parents.
***
The two had been rushed into a medical facility. At the moment they rested in their beds, barely clinging to life.
Another misty form appeared in the room. "Danielle...? Brandon...? Children... can you hear me?"
The misty form manifested itself into the form of Eldstar.
A nurse walked by and saw no change on the charts, but saw the heartrate monitors begin to elevate. She monitored these machines closely.
"Children... I am Eldstar. I am the elder of the Star Spirits. Children, please. You must wake up."
The beeping began to grow louder and faster.
"You must get to Shooting Star Summit, children. The fate of the world rests in your recovery. I cannot speak here, but your psychic connections to the Star world will allow me to show you this..."
The nurse began to show concern at the rate the monitors began to squeal. She called for another doctor.
An image of the castle's courtyard appeared into view. The castle was uprooted, a massive crater in the place of the capital city's shining building. People flocked there in droves; crying, mourning, panicking.
"We need you," the voices whispered.
There was a sign of life. Both squirmed slightly. The machines were going haywire.
The nighttime sky had no Stars to speak of. The sky seemed to cry in misery.
"We need you," the voices spoke louder.
"What's happening?" A male voice demanded. The machines were squealing and screeching. They were writhing.
Dark Land shown before them. Bowser's menacing laugh roared in the background. "It's mine," he laughed. "Finally all mine..."
The castle was zoomed in upon.
"We... need... you..."
"I don't know, Doctor. What do we do?" The entire room was erupted into chaos as they writhed in their unconscious states, trying to escape.
The Princess was trapped alone in her uprooted castle, mourning the loss of her daughter. She paced about her room, sobbing.
"We need you..." The voices were yelling now.
"The machines! It's all going beserk!"
A horrible image awaited them last. A battered Mario and his beaten brother lay, bound, at the bottom of the dungeon of Bowser's castle. A Thwomp fell from the roof.
"We need you!" The voices screamed.
"Need you!"
"We need you!"
The echoing of the voices and the Thwomp's landing roared like a tornado's gale.
***
The machines malfunctioned as the two abruptly stopped writhing and returned to their eerily calm state of unconsciousness.
"I think they're okay now," the nurse spoke with a shaky voice. "What was that, Doctor?"
The dumbfounded doctor shook his head. "I have no idea... whatever it was seems to have ceased... but all the machines have died." He began to leave the room to find a technician. "Monitor them closely. They may act out violently again."
The nurse looked horrified to be left alone with them.
***
"Sir! King Bowser!" Kammy Koopa flew into the view, landing on the balcony her king was standing upon.
"Yes, what is it?" Bowser seemed mildly annoyed. "Can't you see I'm trying to enjoy my victory?" He began to walk back into his onyx castle. "The Princess' castle is atop mine, and there's no way she can possibly escape." He nodded at some of his minions as they closed the balcony. "Mario was soundly handled." Kammy followed quickly behind Bowser as he walked down another hall. "And Danielle and her little associate were disposed of. It's a glorious day, Kammy!"
"Not quite, sir," Kammy mumbled nervously as they entered a room with a large map of the entire world on the wall. A globe was in the middle of the room, followed by another map of the entire Mushroom Kingdom on a large desk. "The scouters have returned."
"Yes, yes. They're going to tell me the brats are dead. I know, Kammy, I know."
"Incorrect, sir. According to the recon squad, Lady Danielle and her partner were transported to a hospital just outside of Toad Town. It's a small medical facility. Apparently the two survived, but barely. They've been in intensive care for days."
Bowser growled, then calmed himself. "No matter. Their powers were drained completely away. Even if they survive, there's no way they'll get their powers back." He looked at the globe and spun it idly. "So tell me, Kammy. Who is Danielle's mysterious associate?"
"Well, his name is Brandon," Kammy began, pausing to look at her notes. "He's nineteen and seems to be from some other universe entirely. I know it sounds odd, but it's true. Records show nothing about this boy. No birth certificate, family, anything. It's as if he simply appeared."
"As did Danielle after being gone for fifteen years. Hmm. Tell me more."
"He's the mythical fourth Star child, child of the Sapphire Star, meaning the source of his powers comes from his own imagination. If he manages to get a grasp on it, he could be just as unstoppable as Danielle. He has a peculiar ability to handle and control fire, and he seems to be bound to Danielle through some sort of psychic connection."
"Then he's just a strong a threat as Danielle. I see." Bowser closed his eyes, thinking.
"The boy's recovery and overall health seems to be better than hers. It's been said that he's recovering at a better rate than Lady Danielle. They believe he should regain consciousness within the next few hours."
Bowser looked at his elderly associate. "Well, I suppose he'll have to be neutralized. I had intended on capturing him and imprisoning him in the dungeon until he swore his loyalty to me, but if he's a Star child who has a strong tie to his precious heiress friend... they both must be eliminated. Thank you Kammy, you are dismissed."
"Yes, Your Highness." Kammy mounted her broom and fluttered out to return to the field.
***
The nurse was more than surprised when she saw Brandon stir and open his eyes halfway. He was talking, but incoherently, seeming to be still waking from his state of sleep.
"Are you alright?" She asked, walking over.
"Who are you?" He asked, seeming dazed.
"I'm a nurse, hon. A family of Toads found you and the Lady in a large clearing outside of town. They couldn't have gotten you two at a better time, too! You were just about dead."
He closed his eyes and for a moment, recalled the fireball, the explosion, and falling from the sky. He shuddered. "Oh. Yeah."
"You two have been laying here for days without so much as moving! We were all becoming hopeless that you'd ever recover."
"How is she?"
"She's recovering well enough. See, your recovery is much higher than hers. As such, you recover at a much faster pace than she does. I wouldn't worry myself overmuch about her. She's in good hands."
He let it go for now. "Can I at least walk around? I hate these places."
"You probably won't be able to move much before you get tired, but I suppose it's alright. Just don't wander too far."
He climbed out of his bed and wobbled unsteadily for a moment, suddenly realizing just how weary he still felt. However, he stood up and made his way out into a hallway. As long as Dani was here, there was no way she could get harmed. After all, she was apparently still unconscious. Comforted slightly, he made his way towards the lobby. As he walked by one of the rooms, he overheard whispering. The door said No Entry/Authorized Personnel Only, and something was telling him they weren't authorized.
"Hm." He thought to himself, then spied a vent. He knew that if he'd walked in on these people, he'd probably get overwhelmed. He removed the vent's cover and jumped into it. He fell at least eight feet, then crouched and slowly made his way down the makeshift tunnel. He found the other vent and stood directly beneath it. The voices were speaking again, hushed.
"Last I checked, they were still unconscious," one of them, a soft and young voice, spoke. It sounded shaky and nervous.
"Who, us?" Brandon whispered to himself. He stood up as straight as possible, not wanting to miss anything.
"Well, their current nurse gets off her shift in two hours. That's when you'll take over as their monitor. You dress up like one of these people and bingo! You're in. And with them unconscious, there's no way they'll raise a stink..." The second voice sounded more professional and calm.
"I guess so."
"Kammy's counting on us to do this. Mix a bit of Poison Shroom powder into the medications and that's all she wrote! They'll be out of our hair! It's a snap!"
"Damnit," Brandon shuddered. "They don't quit." The second voice began again, and he silenced.
"Once Bowser forces Princess Peach into marriage, he'll be the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom by wedlock! And the kingdom's bylaws state that if the Princess were to marry, her husband would become the King, and anything he said would go into effect."
"That'll be a great day," the younger voice said, laughing a little. "We'll all have what we've wanted for so long. King Bowser is the smartest Koopa ever."
Brandon shivered hard and made his way back up to the lobby again. He went back down the hallway, but the door that had caught his attention flung open, and the more professional minion grabbed him.
"Going somewhere?" The burly Koopa asked, grinning. "You thought we didn't hear you down there mumbling to yourself?"
The younger Koopa smirked. "What do we do with him, X?"
"We keep him quiet, of course." They tossed their captive into the forbidden room and released a slow-working sleeping spell. "Get cozy, buddy. We'll give you some time to think about what you've done before you get a nice nap." They shut the door and locked it from the outside.
Brandon tried to make a shield but remembered his powers were gone. He looked up at the shadowy blue mist making its way towards the floor, then got up and tried to twist the doorknob.
"Damnit, no. I have to get out of here..." He spoke in a growl before the mist lowered somewhat, and his mind began to get hazy.
***
"Damnit, can't sleep. Have to get out." The drowsy voice flooded into the far corners of her mind. A pale blue cloud swarmed behind her eyes. A forbidden room was visualized. The room was full of blue haze.
Dani stirred and shook off the drowsiness, perplexed by what she'd seen. "What was that..." She looked to the bed next to her. "Brandon?" She looked around the room but didn't see him. This was unusual; he'd never leave her side if he knew she was injured. Where had he gone?
She got up and nearly buckled back to the floor but got up again. She put her left hand to her head to straighten her vision when another image clouded her mind.
No Entry. Forbidden. Unauthorized. Invaders.
She unsteadily made her way into the hall, her vision still unclear. Passersby were asking her various questions. "Lady Danielle, can we get you something?" She pushed them all away. As she walked past one room, she spied a strange bluish mist coming out from under the door. The sign on it read No Entry/Authorized Personnel Only.
"Why on earth..." She turned the knob, but it wouldn't budge. Growling, she kicked on the door until it finally gave way. She found him, unconscious, in the arms of two brutish creatures.
"He was easy to handle, wasn't he?" The younger Koopa asked.
Dani gasped softly. "Move away from him!" She demanded. "Get the hell out of here!"
"And who plans to make us?" The bully Koopa asked with a smirk. "Your little friend? He's sound asleep, and soon you'll be." The fog was still evident in the room.
Count on Bowser to train his minions to be immune. She smirked. "You forget one thing. His recovery is better than mine; but my tolerance far surpasses his." The fog floated all around her but had yet to faze her. "Now let him go or it won't be the haze that makes you 'sleep.'"
"Big words from such a royal girl."
She growled, charging a small lightning orb. "You're about to eat those words."
The younger Koopa shuddered. "Ohhh X! She's gonna beat us up good!"
The meaner Koopa withdrew into his shell and rushed across the floor, knocking her right off her feet. The younger Koopa followed suit, and the two proceeded to pummel the fallen girl.
"Get up, damnit," a male voice shouted into her mind. "I know you better than this..." She looked over and saw the unconscious form of her boyfriend and knew it was him. She released her lightning orb, shocking the younger Koopa with such force he was paralyzed.
"X!" He screeched in fright. "Help me!"
X looked at the girl with bitterness. "Make this easy on yourself, Danielle."
"You wish," she growled, charging again. Suddenly she felt an overwhelming drowsiness and wobbled slightly, moaning sleepily.
X grinned. "Your resistance is failing..."
"Stay with it, Dani..."
In desperation, she fired her lightning bomb at the wall. It cracked and collapsed, revealing a large hole.
"Your aim is miserable," X taunted. He didn't notice the haze filtering out of the room, nor did he see Brandon begin to stir, his high recovery levels kicking in. X grabbed Dani as she swayed. "Time to take you on a field trip, girl..."
A fireball sent X crumbling to the floor. "Not today," Brandon said quietly before hugging his girlfriend for a moment, thankful she was alive. "We have to get the hell outta here."
"Why?" She asked.
"They've got this place crawling with people out to get us. Those guys were sent here to poison us."
She shuddered. "Let's go try to find Uncle Luigi. Stars above, I hope he's okay..."
"He's the only person who stood a chance of not being taken up into the sky."
The young couple left the hospital and quickly ran for Toad Town.
The fallen defenders lay in an isolated, faraway clearing. Neither had moved since their horrid landing. They had died upon impact into the soil, and nobody had bothered to look for them.
Suddenly, seven Star-shaped clouds of mist formed around the lifeless duo, nearly transparent and hard to see. It was the energies of the Star Spirits.
Mamar floated closely to their faces and chests, then spoke in a crackling, tearful voice. "Oh, Eldstar. They are..."
"The Star children were defeated," Klevar spoke in quiet sorrow. "Two young lives, cut so tragically short."
"No one could have survived such a brutal attack and fall," Skolar nodded in an emotionless voice. "The odds of survival were impossible."
Eldstar floated forward. "Now, now. Calm down everyone. They are Star children, after all. If we send them our remaining energy, they may pull through."
The images turned to rainbow-colored mist, seeping into the bodies of the deceased couple.
Two Toad children were laughing and teasing one another as they chased after a soccer ball. It rolled into a clearing. The older child went in first, horrified at what he saw. His little brother was quick to catch up.
"Dane!" The little brother gasped in horror. "Wh-what..."
Dane walked over to them. "I think they're dead..."
"Don't touch 'em! They could be ghosts!"
"Shush! Hmm." He walked over to examine them closely. "Wait a minute." He gasped. "Fice! They're alive!"
Fice wandered over, his eyes wide. "Are you sure? I don't wan' a ghost to chase me!"
Dane prodded them gently, but neither one responded. He stood up and stared at them closely. "Wait... the girl looks kinda familiar. Sorta like the Princess, only younger."
Fice looked at his brother. "Maybe it's her daughter. Maybe it's Lady Danielle!"
"Who's the guy, though?"
"I dunno, Dane... but he has to be important... he's with Lady Danielle!"
"Wow." Dane couldn't quell his excitement and morbid curiosity. "I wonder what happened to them. They're, like, barely alive."
"Dane, we gotta do somethin'! We hafta get them help." He tugged on his brother's sleeve. "Dane..."
Dane nodded, coming back to reality. He pushed his brother ahead. "C'mon... we gotta go tell Mom and Dad."
The two boys ran through the clearing as fast as they could, shouting for their parents.
***
The two had been rushed into a medical facility. At the moment they rested in their beds, barely clinging to life.
Another misty form appeared in the room. "Danielle...? Brandon...? Children... can you hear me?"
The misty form manifested itself into the form of Eldstar.
A nurse walked by and saw no change on the charts, but saw the heartrate monitors begin to elevate. She monitored these machines closely.
"Children... I am Eldstar. I am the elder of the Star Spirits. Children, please. You must wake up."
The beeping began to grow louder and faster.
"You must get to Shooting Star Summit, children. The fate of the world rests in your recovery. I cannot speak here, but your psychic connections to the Star world will allow me to show you this..."
The nurse began to show concern at the rate the monitors began to squeal. She called for another doctor.
An image of the castle's courtyard appeared into view. The castle was uprooted, a massive crater in the place of the capital city's shining building. People flocked there in droves; crying, mourning, panicking.
"We need you," the voices whispered.
There was a sign of life. Both squirmed slightly. The machines were going haywire.
The nighttime sky had no Stars to speak of. The sky seemed to cry in misery.
"We need you," the voices spoke louder.
"What's happening?" A male voice demanded. The machines were squealing and screeching. They were writhing.
Dark Land shown before them. Bowser's menacing laugh roared in the background. "It's mine," he laughed. "Finally all mine..."
The castle was zoomed in upon.
"We... need... you..."
"I don't know, Doctor. What do we do?" The entire room was erupted into chaos as they writhed in their unconscious states, trying to escape.
The Princess was trapped alone in her uprooted castle, mourning the loss of her daughter. She paced about her room, sobbing.
"We need you..." The voices were yelling now.
"The machines! It's all going beserk!"
A horrible image awaited them last. A battered Mario and his beaten brother lay, bound, at the bottom of the dungeon of Bowser's castle. A Thwomp fell from the roof.
"We need you!" The voices screamed.
"Need you!"
"We need you!"
The echoing of the voices and the Thwomp's landing roared like a tornado's gale.
***
The machines malfunctioned as the two abruptly stopped writhing and returned to their eerily calm state of unconsciousness.
"I think they're okay now," the nurse spoke with a shaky voice. "What was that, Doctor?"
The dumbfounded doctor shook his head. "I have no idea... whatever it was seems to have ceased... but all the machines have died." He began to leave the room to find a technician. "Monitor them closely. They may act out violently again."
The nurse looked horrified to be left alone with them.
***
"Sir! King Bowser!" Kammy Koopa flew into the view, landing on the balcony her king was standing upon.
"Yes, what is it?" Bowser seemed mildly annoyed. "Can't you see I'm trying to enjoy my victory?" He began to walk back into his onyx castle. "The Princess' castle is atop mine, and there's no way she can possibly escape." He nodded at some of his minions as they closed the balcony. "Mario was soundly handled." Kammy followed quickly behind Bowser as he walked down another hall. "And Danielle and her little associate were disposed of. It's a glorious day, Kammy!"
"Not quite, sir," Kammy mumbled nervously as they entered a room with a large map of the entire world on the wall. A globe was in the middle of the room, followed by another map of the entire Mushroom Kingdom on a large desk. "The scouters have returned."
"Yes, yes. They're going to tell me the brats are dead. I know, Kammy, I know."
"Incorrect, sir. According to the recon squad, Lady Danielle and her partner were transported to a hospital just outside of Toad Town. It's a small medical facility. Apparently the two survived, but barely. They've been in intensive care for days."
Bowser growled, then calmed himself. "No matter. Their powers were drained completely away. Even if they survive, there's no way they'll get their powers back." He looked at the globe and spun it idly. "So tell me, Kammy. Who is Danielle's mysterious associate?"
"Well, his name is Brandon," Kammy began, pausing to look at her notes. "He's nineteen and seems to be from some other universe entirely. I know it sounds odd, but it's true. Records show nothing about this boy. No birth certificate, family, anything. It's as if he simply appeared."
"As did Danielle after being gone for fifteen years. Hmm. Tell me more."
"He's the mythical fourth Star child, child of the Sapphire Star, meaning the source of his powers comes from his own imagination. If he manages to get a grasp on it, he could be just as unstoppable as Danielle. He has a peculiar ability to handle and control fire, and he seems to be bound to Danielle through some sort of psychic connection."
"Then he's just a strong a threat as Danielle. I see." Bowser closed his eyes, thinking.
"The boy's recovery and overall health seems to be better than hers. It's been said that he's recovering at a better rate than Lady Danielle. They believe he should regain consciousness within the next few hours."
Bowser looked at his elderly associate. "Well, I suppose he'll have to be neutralized. I had intended on capturing him and imprisoning him in the dungeon until he swore his loyalty to me, but if he's a Star child who has a strong tie to his precious heiress friend... they both must be eliminated. Thank you Kammy, you are dismissed."
"Yes, Your Highness." Kammy mounted her broom and fluttered out to return to the field.
***
The nurse was more than surprised when she saw Brandon stir and open his eyes halfway. He was talking, but incoherently, seeming to be still waking from his state of sleep.
"Are you alright?" She asked, walking over.
"Who are you?" He asked, seeming dazed.
"I'm a nurse, hon. A family of Toads found you and the Lady in a large clearing outside of town. They couldn't have gotten you two at a better time, too! You were just about dead."
He closed his eyes and for a moment, recalled the fireball, the explosion, and falling from the sky. He shuddered. "Oh. Yeah."
"You two have been laying here for days without so much as moving! We were all becoming hopeless that you'd ever recover."
"How is she?"
"She's recovering well enough. See, your recovery is much higher than hers. As such, you recover at a much faster pace than she does. I wouldn't worry myself overmuch about her. She's in good hands."
He let it go for now. "Can I at least walk around? I hate these places."
"You probably won't be able to move much before you get tired, but I suppose it's alright. Just don't wander too far."
He climbed out of his bed and wobbled unsteadily for a moment, suddenly realizing just how weary he still felt. However, he stood up and made his way out into a hallway. As long as Dani was here, there was no way she could get harmed. After all, she was apparently still unconscious. Comforted slightly, he made his way towards the lobby. As he walked by one of the rooms, he overheard whispering. The door said No Entry/Authorized Personnel Only, and something was telling him they weren't authorized.
"Hm." He thought to himself, then spied a vent. He knew that if he'd walked in on these people, he'd probably get overwhelmed. He removed the vent's cover and jumped into it. He fell at least eight feet, then crouched and slowly made his way down the makeshift tunnel. He found the other vent and stood directly beneath it. The voices were speaking again, hushed.
"Last I checked, they were still unconscious," one of them, a soft and young voice, spoke. It sounded shaky and nervous.
"Who, us?" Brandon whispered to himself. He stood up as straight as possible, not wanting to miss anything.
"Well, their current nurse gets off her shift in two hours. That's when you'll take over as their monitor. You dress up like one of these people and bingo! You're in. And with them unconscious, there's no way they'll raise a stink..." The second voice sounded more professional and calm.
"I guess so."
"Kammy's counting on us to do this. Mix a bit of Poison Shroom powder into the medications and that's all she wrote! They'll be out of our hair! It's a snap!"
"Damnit," Brandon shuddered. "They don't quit." The second voice began again, and he silenced.
"Once Bowser forces Princess Peach into marriage, he'll be the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom by wedlock! And the kingdom's bylaws state that if the Princess were to marry, her husband would become the King, and anything he said would go into effect."
"That'll be a great day," the younger voice said, laughing a little. "We'll all have what we've wanted for so long. King Bowser is the smartest Koopa ever."
Brandon shivered hard and made his way back up to the lobby again. He went back down the hallway, but the door that had caught his attention flung open, and the more professional minion grabbed him.
"Going somewhere?" The burly Koopa asked, grinning. "You thought we didn't hear you down there mumbling to yourself?"
The younger Koopa smirked. "What do we do with him, X?"
"We keep him quiet, of course." They tossed their captive into the forbidden room and released a slow-working sleeping spell. "Get cozy, buddy. We'll give you some time to think about what you've done before you get a nice nap." They shut the door and locked it from the outside.
Brandon tried to make a shield but remembered his powers were gone. He looked up at the shadowy blue mist making its way towards the floor, then got up and tried to twist the doorknob.
"Damnit, no. I have to get out of here..." He spoke in a growl before the mist lowered somewhat, and his mind began to get hazy.
***
"Damnit, can't sleep. Have to get out." The drowsy voice flooded into the far corners of her mind. A pale blue cloud swarmed behind her eyes. A forbidden room was visualized. The room was full of blue haze.
Dani stirred and shook off the drowsiness, perplexed by what she'd seen. "What was that..." She looked to the bed next to her. "Brandon?" She looked around the room but didn't see him. This was unusual; he'd never leave her side if he knew she was injured. Where had he gone?
She got up and nearly buckled back to the floor but got up again. She put her left hand to her head to straighten her vision when another image clouded her mind.
No Entry. Forbidden. Unauthorized. Invaders.
She unsteadily made her way into the hall, her vision still unclear. Passersby were asking her various questions. "Lady Danielle, can we get you something?" She pushed them all away. As she walked past one room, she spied a strange bluish mist coming out from under the door. The sign on it read No Entry/Authorized Personnel Only.
"Why on earth..." She turned the knob, but it wouldn't budge. Growling, she kicked on the door until it finally gave way. She found him, unconscious, in the arms of two brutish creatures.
"He was easy to handle, wasn't he?" The younger Koopa asked.
Dani gasped softly. "Move away from him!" She demanded. "Get the hell out of here!"
"And who plans to make us?" The bully Koopa asked with a smirk. "Your little friend? He's sound asleep, and soon you'll be." The fog was still evident in the room.
Count on Bowser to train his minions to be immune. She smirked. "You forget one thing. His recovery is better than mine; but my tolerance far surpasses his." The fog floated all around her but had yet to faze her. "Now let him go or it won't be the haze that makes you 'sleep.'"
"Big words from such a royal girl."
She growled, charging a small lightning orb. "You're about to eat those words."
The younger Koopa shuddered. "Ohhh X! She's gonna beat us up good!"
The meaner Koopa withdrew into his shell and rushed across the floor, knocking her right off her feet. The younger Koopa followed suit, and the two proceeded to pummel the fallen girl.
"Get up, damnit," a male voice shouted into her mind. "I know you better than this..." She looked over and saw the unconscious form of her boyfriend and knew it was him. She released her lightning orb, shocking the younger Koopa with such force he was paralyzed.
"X!" He screeched in fright. "Help me!"
X looked at the girl with bitterness. "Make this easy on yourself, Danielle."
"You wish," she growled, charging again. Suddenly she felt an overwhelming drowsiness and wobbled slightly, moaning sleepily.
X grinned. "Your resistance is failing..."
"Stay with it, Dani..."
In desperation, she fired her lightning bomb at the wall. It cracked and collapsed, revealing a large hole.
"Your aim is miserable," X taunted. He didn't notice the haze filtering out of the room, nor did he see Brandon begin to stir, his high recovery levels kicking in. X grabbed Dani as she swayed. "Time to take you on a field trip, girl..."
A fireball sent X crumbling to the floor. "Not today," Brandon said quietly before hugging his girlfriend for a moment, thankful she was alive. "We have to get the hell outta here."
"Why?" She asked.
"They've got this place crawling with people out to get us. Those guys were sent here to poison us."
She shuddered. "Let's go try to find Uncle Luigi. Stars above, I hope he's okay..."
"He's the only person who stood a chance of not being taken up into the sky."
The young couple left the hospital and quickly ran for Toad Town.