Flipped (Super Paper Mario SWAP AU)

A Battle Against Royalty (15)

Bleck and the three heroes had been climbing a grand, spectacular tree in search of the next Chaos Heart fragment. The hot, seething sunlight burned into their skin as they continued to climb, sweat dripping from their foreheads. The air somehow felt warmer than the air in Sarasaland, though it was heavier as well. The humidity made Peach's hair frizz slightly, though she didn't mind much. She tied it up with an elastic band so it could stay out of her face.

"I hate this," Prince Mario huffed as he started falling behind. "This is taking forever, and I can't stand the heat. There's a reason I never go to Sarasaland, you know!"

"If you used more of your arm strength you could get up faster," Bleck suggested cheerfully. The pixl was staying close to the prince, just to make sure no one got left behind.

Prince Mario shot the pixl a brief glare, then rolled his eyes.

"Awww, someone seems upset," King Boo teased, floating next to Mario and smirking as if his pain was amusing.

"Shut up," Prince Mario snapped back. "If you can just float, then why not take us to the top?!"

"Your suffering is fun to me," King Boo answered. "You know... this reminds me of a long-forgotten story of the vine-spirit! Have you heard the tale?"

"No, nor do I want to—"

"Oh, great! Well, once upon a time," King Boo started. "There was a young girl whose father had done the most cruel and heartless things to her mother. Seeing this, the young girl grew to fear men and their violence, so when she was forced into an arranged marriage with one of her father's friends, she ran to the woods, screaming 'I won't do it! You can't make me do it!' Her father gave chase after her, ready to drag the young girl, who was no older than fourteen, back by the ear when the lush and deep forest seemed to thicken. It grew so thick with vines and leaves that all he could sense from her was her echoing voice and the occasional moving shadows. Determined to find her, he started to climb, up through the vines. He climbed, higher and higher, pushing through all the ropes when he finally found her, sitting in the heart of the forest on a swing made of vines. He grinned and reached out for her when there was suddenly a snap, and the vines supporting him fell, but not before a few of the vines from above wrapped around his neck. It is said the vine spirit was the one to blame for his demise, and legend tells that the girl stayed in the forest to serve her savior—"

"Oh my Jaydes, please shut up," Prince Mario begged. "That story was even more trashy than the last."

"If you keep speaking like that, you'll surely be the vine spirit's next victim," King Boo teased. "Now quit complaining and climb faster, prince boy."

"Don't worry, Your Highness! You're almost there!" Peach chimed, swiftly jumping from branch to branch, then gracefully landing at the top of the tree. "See?"

Mario let out a short breath, noting how much further he still had to climb. How did she get up there so quickly?

"Take all the time you need, Mario," King Boo laughed. "It's not like the end of all worlds is at stake or anything."

"I'd go faster if you'd just shut up for once!" Prince Mario cried.

"Alright, alright, I'll go bother your beautiful wife then. Get to know her, if you know what I mean," the ghost king grinned.

"Don't you dare," Prince Mario hissed. "And she's not my wife—"

"Too late, bye Mario!"

The ghost king floated to the top of the tree, making Prince Mario grit his teeth and climb faster. Still, it took him about thirty more minutes to make it to the top, where King Boo and Peach were waiting. The prince couldn't hear what they were talking about over the sound of his own heavy breathing, but knowing King Boo it was probably just stupid ghost stories. Despite his teasing, Peach wasn't the ghost king's type. Prince Mario knew that much. Or, at least he hoped.