Mario's hunt

Chap. 6: Mario's POV

I cannot believe Bowsie would do this to me! After all I've done for him...

I was now in Jungle city, but there was no sign of Donkey Kong. In fact, there wasn't even any sign of life (other that a few mice or a cat).

Someone must've told them that I was coming and they're all cowering in their houses! I bet Peach was the one who tipped them off...

I looked at all the buildings and saw that all the windows were down and there was no lights on anywhere.

"They haven't left, you know," my friend told me.

"I know," I replied. "I just don't see why they're so afraid, especially Donkey. If he would just give me the little atrocity, I wouldn't even need to use force! Argh, why do they make it so much harder than it is?!"

"That's just the way the world is, Mario. You can't help them."

"I know! It's just, I don't understand why my own friends have to make things so difficult. I thought they would be smarter than that..."

"Well, now you know better. Some people just can't be helped. They are, how do I say, beyond repair."

This sparked something inside me. He's right! Some people are beyond repair...

"Hey, what about Dai...Dianthus?"

"What do you mean?"

"She's alone back at home. You know, she told me everything. She trusted me."

"Oh, her! She's got...someone watching her, keeping her company and keeping her out of trouble."

"Who?"

"Wait, hang on!"

"What?"

I saw someone—or something—watching me from a distance, and its eyes were glowing a very faint red. Was it a cat, or perhaps something more unnerving? I never found out, and that was because it darted off, and when I tried to chase it, I tripped over a wire and activated some alarm. My friend was already hiding, but I had no place to hide, so I just stood by and waited, knife in hand.

Minutes went by, and nobody came. I stood and waited some more.

At least an hour went by, and still nobody was responding to the alarm. I got tired of waiting and decided to make my way to Donkey's house. It, along with all the others, looked abandoned, but I knew better. I broke into it and looked for him, but I couldn't find him. I had to put my knife down to look thoroughly, but even so, I couldn't find him.

"You can't hide from me," I said, trying to creep him out of his hiding place. "I will find you, so you might as well come out."

"He's not here," my friend said. "I've checked this house from the very top of the ceiling to the very undersides of the floors."

"Well, he's somewhere in this town, I know it," I replied. "I'll turn the whole city upside down if I must. Now where's my knife?"