Love in the Oddest Places (bowuigi story)

Chapter 28: Onward

"Can I come along? I'd like to see the pups!" Luigi asked.

The king sprang up from his chair and motioned the two to follow him, his pout disappearing just as quickly. The trio left his captain's quarters and exited the airship. The beach surrounding the airships was now devoid of its tents and carts; soldiers were hard at work, loading the last of their supplies onto the ships.

Idaten was struggling to hold one of the pups, who was nearly dragging them across the sand. A few soldiers were trying to get the mother Chomp into the cargo hold, but she refused, snapping her metal jaws at them; meanwhile, the other pups were rolling in circles, cheerfully barking.

Bowser burst into laughter when he saw Idaten getting dragged (much to the Koopa general's disdain) and picked up the chaotic Chain Chomp. He turned to Luigi, "Aren't they adorable?" he asked.

Luigi couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Bowser struggling to handle the energetic Chain Chomp pup. "Well, they certainly have a unique charm," Luigi replied with a grin as he patted the little menace.

Idaten stood up and dusted their shell. "Yeah. I'm okay, thanks for asking," they signed.

As Bowser disregarded Idaten's remark, he proceeded to place the Chain Chomp on the ground and nudged it toward its mother. The little pup scampered off to join its siblings in their playful game of rolling around in circles.

Upon taking a closer look at the litter, the king couldn't help but notice how unique they all were. While two of them resembled Clawdia, with their metallic blue bodies, the other three stood out with their distinct colors. One puppy had a rose gold body with striking teal eyes, another had a silver sheen and fiery red eyes, and the third one was bronze with captivating green eyes. All in all, it was quite an interesting litter to behold.

Luigi and some of the soldiers helped herd the pups into the cargo hold; following her pups, Clawdia rolled right behind them, much to the relief of everyone. Kamek sighed in relief. "We are ready for take-off, sire," he said.

Luigi adjusted his bags, "I guess I should get going," he said.

The Koopa King turned to Luigi and rubbed his neck anxiously, unsure of how to approach him. The green-clad hero beamed at Bowser, oblivious to his unease, and cheerfully exclaimed, "Well, I'll see you in Sarasaland!" before waving goodbye and walking away. The soldiers, as well as Kamek, bid him goodbye; meanwhile, Bowser silently chastised himself for his cowardice. He should have asked Luigi when he had the chance!

»--•--«

"Do you have everything?" Luigi asked.

"I think so," Mario replied.

"Whatever y'all leave behind is mine," DK commented.

Luigi stifled his giggling as Mario glared at DK, who just smirked at him. Candy shoulder-bumped him and told him to stop his antics. The Super brothers double-checked that they had all their belongings before leaving it for good. As they walked through the village, the citizens bid them goodbye with cheers.

Luigi couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as they made their way through the village. It had been their home for so long, filled with memories and friendships that they would now have to leave behind. They even fought and won a battle here. It was somewhat bittersweet, but it's not like they couldn't come back some other day. Also, being back in the Mushroom Kingdom will let him... find some information without his brother knowing.

The group crossed the golden gates protecting the village. As they passed through the golden gates, Luigi couldn't help but glance back at the village one last time. The familiar sights and sounds that once brought him comfort now seemed distant and fading. Mario called his name further up the road; the human smiled at the city before continuing.

After a few minutes of travel, they made it to the temple. Cranky and several members of the Royal Guard stood there to see them go. The leaders of the Kongs gave them a few parting words, thanking them for their help in protecting and rebuilding their homes. Mario and Luigi stood proudly, happy to be of service to the kingdom.

Cranky stepped forward with a stern expression on his face. He cleared his throat, "Well, well, you two managed to prove yourselves to be strong warriors. I must admit, I had my doubts about you plumbers."

Mario and Luigi exchanged glances, slightly taken aback by Cranky's somewhat backhanded compliment. Cranky continued, his tone softening just a bit, "But I suppose even old apes like me can learn a thing or two. You've shown bravery and determination in protecting our kingdom from those vile invaders. For that, you have my respect."

The brothers smiled at that. Chief Cranky bid them safe travels before letting them approach the painting. They waved their friends goodbye before jumping through. The Kongs sighed as they left and went about their business. Candy gazed up at the airships taking off towards Sarasaland. She sighed, "I hope those two can get it together," she said.

"Who?" asked DK.

"No one," Candy quickly replied.

She quickly walked out of the temple. DK followed her, pressing for answers but to no avail; his girlfriend just ignored his questions.