The Luigi Story

Chapter 9: The Bowser Express part 1

It took a moment for us to register, but soon enough a panic broke out among the crowd. People started gathering whatever supplies they had and ran in all directions.

I looked around me and saw people being pushed over or greedily grabbing supplies for their own, children crying and others shaking in fear. It was a sight similar to the one I saw on the first day of the attack: people too scared to think, acting out their true selves. If Mario was here, he would have had the charm and respect to calm them down, but I was not him.

Suddenly, I felt someone shaking my shoulder.

'I said, what are we going to do, Luigi?', Johnny asked with fear in his eyes as he shook me harder. This made snap back to reality and see clearly again.

'What should we do, Luigi?', Johnny asked again.

'I....I don't know', I replied.

'We have to do something!', Johnny said as he pointed towards the end of the station. 'Those people will for sure get captured if we don't do something now'.

I looked at the people on the platform running towards the exit with food and kids in their hands - a blind, panicking stampede trying to get out of a tunnel with no exit.

Then, I had an idea. I quickly put down my backpack and went through its content. I took a star out of it and used it on myself. The rainbow-coloured glow of the star shone brightly in the dark train platform, illuminating everything around me.

'Captain Toad!', I said loudly. 'Get the train running! Johnny, you get everyone who is still down here on board. I will try to stop the people trying to get away and bring them down.'

I ran as fast as I could towards the staircase that led up and out into the train station above. With the extra speed that the star brought, I made it in time before the first people could make it to the top. When I stood before them in my bright, flashing colours, the people backed down, not knowing what to expect.

'Stop!', I screamed. 'You cannot go any further!'

The people were hesitant to respond, too confused and scared on what to do next.

'Everybody must go into the train right now!', I demanded. 'If you want to escape these robots, you won't make it far out there.'

'But the robots will break down the door before we can make it out with the train', someone in the crowd responded.

'That is why I need your assistance', I replied. 'All those who can should come with me and, together, we can set-up barricades. Those with children should get into the train and remain safe'.

'But what will we...?'

Suddenly, there was a loud banging in the passageway. It was a constant pounding of metal on metal.

'The robots are here!', I yelled. 'Quickly, there is no time! Those who are strong, please follow me!'.

I ran into the hallway before they could even respond. My star power had run out half-way through my run in the passageway. I reached the fire door at the end and I could already see dents forming in the strong metal door. There were several dents, indicating at least three robots at the doors and perhaps more behind them. I looked around and the only things I saw were suitcases, benches and small stores. Without thinking much about it, I started moving everything against the door. It might have not held too long or at all, but I hoped it would at least hinder them in their way in.

I was about to move my second bench when a Koopa came and stood on the other side, lifting the bench on his side. Together we threw it against the wall. Looking back into the hallway, I saw maybe ten or more people moving all sorts of furniture and obstacles and stacking them in front of the door. It didn't take long before our barrier had grown quite sizable. As we were barricading, the banging of the robots became louder and louder. First it was out of sync, but suddenly it changed into being coordinated and much harder. The noise became unbearable as the metal of the doors finally began to tear and break. Light began to shine through one of the holes and, from it, a robotic arm appeared. We quickly moved back as the arm was moving about. Then, the arm moved back out and the face of the robot appeared in the hole.