Mushroom Kingdom Anew - Book 1

Chapter Nineteen

"Terry... You came." Ace breathed.

The Yoshi was so happy. He'd be happier if he didn't have to cran his neck to look up at Terry, however. The blonde was huge. She had grown to the size of Vincent, which explained how she took him down with just one punch. She towered over the town, a sweet smile on her face. She looked happy to be there and to see her friends again. She nods to the cape, where Mario's dinky speed boat sat in port. The blonde then thumbed the larger ship Vincent rode previously, now nothing more than a couple of splinters and bent metallic poles. A plethora of Power-Ups, Mega Mushrooms included, poured out of a gaping hole from the side.

"I got here via boat and used one of those to get myself on par with the titan. I doubt I can defeat Vincent as is, but I can at most stall him out." Terry explains. Ace nods, but as he's standing up, he can't help but call out to the blonde. A meaty, scaly fist slugged Terry at the back of the skull, causing her to reel forwards.

"Go! Get Xavier, now! I'll hold him off while you two make a plan!" The blonde called out, putting up a guard as a second fist attempted to collide with her face.

The fight above felt like slow motion. Ace dashed through the legs of the two giants, dodging with airy feet whenever a gigantic foot got a little too close. He quickly cleared the giants and ran over to the spotting tower where Xavier had just woken up. He leaned over the edge of the window, eyes wide at the sight ahead. Ace saw that Xavier was awake, and ran his arm low to grab the sack of powers. Running up the spiral staircase, the Yoshi watched from whatever window he passed as the fight went on. Despite Terry's equal size to Vincent, the Koopa was hitting much harder and faster. So Mario didn't hold her back for no reason... Terry was still technically the weakest in the group. She was fighting a losing battle, and time was running out.

"Xavier!" Ace called as he rounded to the top floor, huffing and puffing. The teenager looked to his friend, a look of relief on his face. "You're okay. Thank god..."

Xavier's head turned to face the giant battle nearby, a now calm expression painted on his maw. "So... Terry's back."

"I told Mario to pick her up just as the airships started to attack. He was fast..." Ace replied, leaning on the windowsill to catch his breath. His azure eyes gazed tiredly at the ruins of his home. Corpses of the people he once knew were strewn about the area. Cannonballs and wreaked airships littered the places where houses used to be. The once fortified wall was now nothing more than dust, crushed by cannon fire, wrecked ships or the brawl of the giants happening right in front of him. Ace sighed, gripping the strap of the backpack harder.

"This was my home... that bastard ruined everything..." A hand was placed on his scaly shoulder, making him turn to a smiling Xavier.

"Ace..." He spoke softly. Something about him was different. Different from when he was first saved from that pack of Goomba. He was brighter, more willing to help out, confident, but not so much so that it's arrogance. Xavier's changed so much in the past few months since he fell into the Mushroom Kingdom's borders. And he's changed definitely for the better. "I made a promise." He began, that smile only broadening. "I made a promise that I would help out, didn't I? I haven't yet made that a reality, but I can now. Right here, with you. And with Terry. We'll save the Mushroom Kingdom, and all of your people."

"I don't understand..." Ace replied, his eyes watery once more. "I don't understand why you'd dedicate yourself to our cause like this... These aren't even your people, and you've been through so much... guys like you don't get empathy..."

"Well, to be honest, the reason I even bothered doing this was to become stronger. I was a total fitness nut back then, focused on my strength alone, and empathy was not one of my characteristics.... But as we began to get closer, defeat more enemies that backed us into corners... even when we got beat by Vincent and met Mario... all of it taught me that this wasn't some video game where the main goal is to become the strongest. This is a real place with real people, despite my beliefs beforehand... So, I'm sorry I was using you guys like that... But now my eyes have been opened; this is the final fight. It's either gold or go home, we don't have the option to lose. So I'm refurbishing my promise right here. I, Xavier Tenson, will protect this kingdom with everything I have, t' il my final days. I won't let up, constantly getting stronger and furthering the security of this Kingdom! This is my promise, and I'd rather die than break it."