Feeling Better? (Ludwig x Iggy)

Chapter 1: Ready to Strike!

(Hey everyone! This is my first Wattpad fanfic, I hope you enjoy it! It's a little boring right now but it will get better, I promise. If something is unclear to you please let me know in the comments or something and I will get back to you. I will try to have a new chapter up by next week!)

"Everything's ready, Sir!" Kamek reported to Bowser. "I just did a final inspection. All the castles and ships are set up for battle."

"Heard that, kids?" Bowser said to the Koopalings, who were eagerly standing behind him. "Get in your ships, 'cuz we're about to get Mama Peach!"

The Koopa kids cheered in delight and headed down the long corridors of the Koopa Kastle and out the back doors to where their airships awaited them. Kamek had specially crafted these ships with his magic. Each one had been built to look like the Koopaling that was to control it.

Ludwig von Koopa ran a claw through the ends of his royal blue locks, making sure that not one hair was out of place. His mind raced with possible outcomes of the upcoming fight. Suddenly, an annoyingly familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Ready to fly your own ship, Luddy?"

It was Iggy Koopa, one of Ludwig's brothers. Despite only being three years younger than Ludwig, Iggy was incredibly smart. While Iggy wasn't the most annoying out of Ludwig's siblings, he sure knew how to get on Ludwig's nerves sometimes!

"I told you not to call me that," Ludwig retorted. "And these ships are magic. They fly themselves. All we have to do is stand in them."

"Jeez, ya don't have to bite my head off! I just think it's cool!" Iggy replied. He shot Ludwig his standard psychotic smile, showing off his sharp fangs.

Ludwig couldn't help himself from smiling back. He and Iggy had gotten closer over the time between their last battle with the Mario Brothers (in which Ludwig had noted that falling off rising platforms is quite painful). They had spent a lot more time together practicing their magic and playing games. Sometimes, when Iggy was in one of his "lower" moods, he would come into Ludwig's room, sit at the foot of Ludwig's bed, and listen to Ludwig play his symphonies. They often lulled him to sleep, which was something Iggy seldom did. And Ludwig wouldn't disturb him, he would simply pull a blanket over Iggy and sleep besides him, protecting him from any troubled dreams Iggy might have. He liked it when Iggy was like that. He preferred calm. It didn't happen often, as Iggy's maniacal side prevailed most of the time, but when it did, Ludwig felt an indescribable feeling and felt compelled to stay by Iggy's side and protect him from any harm. And despite Iggy's craziness, Ludwig had been starting to see him a little differently.

Damn it, he's so cute...

Wait, what am I thinking? Ludwig snapped out of his thoughts. Iggy was still looking at him through his thick, oval-shaped spectacles. He was probably trying to psychoanalyze Ludwig. Iggy was surprisingly good at that. Ludwig let out a sigh to clear his mind.

"Well, good luck out there. Don't underestimate them and let them hurt you."

Iggy's fanged, crazy grin widened. "I'd like to see them try!" He cackled.

"Tch." Ludwig smiled, then leapt into his ship.

"Why's he so happy?" Roy Koopa said to his younger sister, Wendy O. Koopa, who had both noticed Ludwig smiling.

"No idea. He's a weirdo." Wendy responded, jumping into her ship.

"Everyone ready to go?" Bowser yelled. The Koopalings gave their approvals.

"We're all set, Sir!" announced Kamek.

"Alright then, let's--"

"Wait, I gotta pee," interrupted Bowser's only biological child, Bowser Jr.

All the Koopalings groaned in annoyance. Bowser slapped his big, scaly hand against his forehead. "You couldn't have done that earlier, Junior?"

"Sorry Papa! I got excited!" He flew off to the bathroom in the Koopa clown.

Soon Bowser Jr. returned, and Bowser gave the command to go. Kamek waved his wand, and the Koopalings' ships took off, following Bowser's ship to Princess Peach's castle.

Meanwhile, Peach's friends Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Toadette had joined Peach at her castle for some tea and cake. The five were sharing stories about adventures they went on. Peach politely laughed and listened. What's taking Bowser so long? He should be here by now...

The stories were interrupted by the sound of a cannon being fired and hitting the castle. Peach's four friends jumped out of their seats.

"What was that?" asked Toadette. Mario and Luigi peered outside and saw Bowser's fleet.

"Oh no! It's Bowser and his kids!" exclaimed Mario. Peach pretended to look shocked and upset.

Suddenly, a large mechanical hand reached into Peach's castle. It pulled out Peach's chair, then knocked her four friends off balance, scooped them up, and threw them far, far away into the land known as Acorn Plains. After a hard landing, the four dusted themselves off, and ran towards the castle, determined to rescue the Princess, unaware of the many obstacles they were going to face.

Peach walked out to the balcony of her castle. "Bowser!" she cried happily.

Bowser leapt off his ship and onto the balcony, and drew Peach into a big hug. "I've missed you, darling."

Peach planted a kiss on his cheek. "It's been so long! How have you been?" she asked him lovingly.

"I've been alright, just tryna strengthen the kids. It's been strenuous, but let's just say your four friends might have a harder time rescuing you." Bowser chuckled.

Peach grinned and waved fondly to the Koopalings. "Have fun out there! Love you all!"

"This is your cue, kids," Bowser then told the Koopalings. "You'll be able to see the status of everyone's ship through your wands. Make sure to contact me using your magic if anything goes wrong."

Kamek waved his wand again, and the ships all took off in different directions, and circled around large castles in separate worlds surrounding Peach's castle: Lemmy Koopa in Acorn Plains, Morton Koopa Jr. in Layer Cake Desert, Larry Koopa in Sparkling Waters, Wendy in Frosted Glacier, Iggy in Soda Jungle, Roy in Rock Candy Mines, and Ludwig in Meringue Clouds. The final battle would take place in Peach's castle, where Bowser had a surprise for the four friends. That is, if they all managed to make it there alive.

Bowser Jr. greeted his mama, then went for a fly out in the surrounding worlds in his Koopa clown. Bowser and Peach went to Peach's bedroom to catch up. Kamek flew out to find wild Boom Booms to torment the four with in each world.

Ludwig's eyes were greeted with the familiarity of Meringue Clouds. He had spent many nights here, stealthily building his clockwork castle in the darkness. Peach frequently had royal guests come to her castle in the evening, so Ludwig had to be careful to not be seen or heard by the guests, as Meringue Clouds was very close to Peach's castle. Peach, of course, did not mind. She often helped Ludwig with his castle if no one was around. She seemed perfectly fine with keeping her relationship with Bowser private (as people would disapprove if they were to go public), and enjoyed the schemes that he would come up with where the two could spend time together while his Koopalings trained their abilities by fighting the famous Mario Brothers. They had fought many times in the past, but this time, however, things were looking better for Bowser. These worlds were hard to navigate, and the Koopalings had all grown exceptionally strong. But the force of the Mario Brothers was not something to be reckoned with, so anything could happen.

A voice crackled through Ludwig's wand.

"Is this workin? Can y'all hear me? Well I hope so. Dis is Roy speakin. I figured out how dis shit works. Ya wand will show ya the status of da ship dat's gonna get attacked first. So right now y'all are seein Lemmy's ship status. I got no clue what happens if dey take im down, but imma just think dat it'll show da next one. And if ya need to contact King Dad, just press and hold da lil button under da big part of ya wand. Good luck to y'all, don't let those pesky plumbas take ya down. Peace."

Roy's message was followed by a smattering of "thank you"s and "good luck"s from his siblings, but Ludwig was too worried to respond. And for once, it wasn't about himself.