Super Mario Continuance (REITERATED)

Chapter 9: Fun in the Mushroom Kingdom

Riba ran, jumped, and rolled through the perilous wasteland, with everyone else in tow on their way to Peachette's Castle. They could not let Bowser get away with the Memory Fragment!

As they got closer to the castle, they noticed something... life was slowly, bit by bit, returning to the land around them. Perhaps it had been because they shut down the vim plant. Mushrooms are parasitic, and maybe that was what was killing the plant life. With the plant pumping out the smog gone, it was blue skies and green grass ahead. Peachette's Castle was visible in the distance already. They were going to make it!

"Now what is this doing here?" Riba asked, stopping to examine a huge green pipe. He looked all around it. Where could it lead? What was it doing just out in the open? Mario had told darn near horror stories of these and the places they could lead. Riba had seen these before but never dared go in. What if it was a bottomless pit? A cavern full of lava? Or worse... somewhere they would be trapped for the rest of their lives?

"It could be a shortcut..." Bucken-Berry answered.

"...Or maybe it will lead us to something that can help us!" Ala-Gold followed up.

Riba weighed the options. Hesitantly, he climbed up onto the pipe, and fell right in! Len hopped in, followed by E. Gadd and the Toads. They felt a rush of wind and felt like they were flying through the pipeline. When they reached the end of the pipe, they appeared to be above the clouds. On a very tall mushroom platform.

And through the skies they went. They bounced off of Spin Blocks, going high into the air, and spinning and descending lighty like a feather. Making leaps from platform to platform. It was terrifying... but fun! Like a rollercoaster that goes upside-down.

Riba caught sight of a Question Mark Block. Riba had also seen these before. But usually they just dispensed coins or Super Hearts if you were lucky. Everybody but Len just ogled the block. "Well, I do say... hit it!" E. Gadd instructed. "You never know what goodies might be inside."

"Like this?" Riba walked up to the block, and hit it with his fist. Instantly, the block turned from bright yellow, to just any other brick. Something flew out of the brick. They looked like mushrooms... but orange with propellors! Riba grabbed one instinctively, and took a bite. Mario had said you could gain powers from these if you ate them. Everybody grabbed their own as well.

The mushrooms tasted metallic, but it gave them a flight suit and a propellor, so they could fly through the skies easily. They smiled, even laughed from joy despite the stakes. Even Len looked like she was enjoying herself a little. Sometimes it's just healthy to take your mind off things. If only for a little bit.

Still, they continued towards their goal. And by the time the sun was beginning to set, they had reached land once more, parting with their propellor suits. They were nearing the castle entrance

"Riba?" Len asked. Riba turned around to face her. "Can we have a moment?"

"Sure," Riba replied. "E. Gadd, Toads, you can keep going. We'll catch up with you." Riba sat down next to Len on the grass. "What is it?"

"I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier... I just wanted to let you know..." Len spoke, smiling. Riba almost fell over violently. He had never seen her smile joyously. Usually she just smiled mockingly. He was happy for her, of course, just a little surprised. "... I'm having fun. I don't remember the last time I've had this many emotions swirling around in my head. This adventure is really bringing something out in me. I don't know what--- I don't know why. But... thank you."

Len paused. "I didn't think I could feel emotion anymore..." She mumbled. "I think... I think you saved me, Riba..." Riba smiled too. This reminded him of escaping Evangeline with Mario all those years ago. How Mario had taught him to show compassion. How Mario had changed him for the better.

He decided, he was going to be to Len what Mario was to him. He would at least try. He had to. And he wanted to. "I'm glad," Riba replied. Despite the happiness Len was displaying, Riba was a little worried. He always thought Len just kept a stoic face to hide her true personality. Perhaps out of shame or common shyness. But to not feel any emotion at all... "It must be scary."

"What?" Len asked.

"You know, not feeling emotion," Riba said. "Do you have any idea why you couldn't?"

Len looked like she choked on the air she was breathing. She blushed angrily and turned away. "N-no!" She shouted. "Even if I did, how is that any of your business?!" Len looked back to Riba, who looked like he knew he had accidentally struck a nerve. She scooched over in the grass and hugged him. "There are so many things about me you shouldn't know. So many things nobody should know." Riba heard her sniffling, and her voice shaking. He decided he shouldn't push any further.

"Well, we should get moving," Riba stated. He got up and walked forward. "C'mon." He gestured for Len to get up, but he felt her hand grip his tightly. "Eh?" Len ran forward towards the castle, dragging Riba along. "Hey! Slow down! Leeeen!"