Super Mario Bros. 3 - The Subspace Emissary

Chapter 31: The Ruins

The Ruins - Universe-30503020503

Lucas and Red gazed upon the enormous temple from a cliff and suddenly heard a menacing growl. Startled, they looked up to behold a massive dragon-like creature with vibrant orange skin and a cream-colored underside that extended from its belly to the tip of its tail, where a blazing flame flickered. The creature had a long neck, two enormous fangs, small blue eyes, two small horns on the back of its head, and large wings with blue-green undersides. Its arms were short and skinny, each ending in three white claws, and its legs were stocky.

Red smirked. "That's Charizard." he showed Lucas two photos of both Charizard and a quadrupedal amphibian Pokémon with blue-green skin with darker patches, pointed ears on top of its head with black insides, narrow red eyes, a short, rounded snout, a wide mouth, two pointed teeth in its upper jaw, feet with three claws on them, a large pink bud with a short brown trunk surrounded by leafy green fronds supporting the bud. "And that's Ivysaur."

"Wow..." Lucas pointed to the picture of Charizard. "...Are you after Charizard?"

"I'm after both Ivysaur and Charizard. Especially Charizard."

"Oh, I remember now."

"Just make sure to stay close to me and...be brave."

Red and Lucas walked down the cliff and fought to the temple against stag beetle-like creatures named Shellpods, Primids, Armights, puppet-like creatures called Puppits, and tower-like monsters called Gamygas. After the long journey to the temple, the two made it to the entrance and Lucas asked, "Are your Pokemon in there?"

"Seems like it..." Red replied.

"HEY! PREPARE FOR WARIO!!" the two suddenly noticed Wario and got out of the way of Wario's jump.

"Oh, no!" Red took out his Pokeball.

Wario grinned and chuckled. Lucas panted and started to get scared. He remembered Ness being taken and remembered Red's words. He also pictured Ness in his head and Ness repeatedly said, "Stay strong. Stay strong. Stay strong."

Lucas' fist clenched and his finger glowed as he flashed it to Wario and Red threw his Poke Ball, summoning Squirtle. Wario scoffed and said, "Well! Time for you to end up like your little friend did, little boy!!"

"Hah!" Lucas threw a PK Fire at Wario but the man dodged it.

"Squirtle, use Water Gun!" Red commanded.

Squirtle obeyed and Wario was hit by the sudden beam of water. Wario quickly recovered and prepared to attack but Lucas quickly used a PK Freeze on him and he froze for a single second. Wario growled and broke free from the ice.

"PK Thunder!" Lucas released a lightning ball and attacked Wario with it.

Red ran to the Dark Cannon that Wario had lying around. He had struggled to carry it since it was heavy but he and Squirtle worked together to aim it at Wario. Red pressed the button on the Dark Cannon and it charged up.

Lucas struggled to deal with Wario until he heard Red's voice shout, "Lucas! Out of the way!" and saw that Red fired the Dark Cannon.

He dodged out of the way and Wario noticed the arrow heading right toward him...and Wario was transformed into a trophy. Red and Squirtle dropped the Dark Cannon and Red withdrew his Pokemon. Lucas and Red high-fived and Lucas looked at Wario's petrified gaping mouth. He suddenly remembered Ness back at the zoo and realized that he wasn't there with Wario. Lucas looked his head around for Ness but...he wasn't there. He sighed and Red said, "Don't worry, Lucas. We're gonna save him."

The two looked at the cave entrance and Red smirked. "But first...Let's save my Pokemon."

The two entered the cave and saw a mine cart. They entered it and rode it. Lucas sighed and Red asked, "What's wrong with you?"