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Finally!
Finally back to his old stomping grounds Mr. L thought as he looked down at a defeated Mario. The spectators of this month’s tennis championships no longer cheer with excitement, they instead scream and panic as Mr. L’s latest creation takes center stage. The villain laughs manically at it all, basking in the attention and fear. That is, until…The sight of a bomb-omb barreling right toward his face made him squawk like a coward and duck for his life.
A few more of the explosives actually manage to hit his robotic masterpiece, knocking him forcefully out of his driver’s seat.
In only a few minutes is his contraption completely blown to smithereens and destroyed. When looking up to see who had the balls to make enemies with the great Mr. L, the villain finds that it’s that stupid turtle! Bowser had never been a such pain in his hindquarters up until now. Sure, L wanted his throne- along with all the other power and fame in the world- but a guy’s gotta make his way up the food chain and all. However, it seems this half-shelled halfwit wants to move up on his list.
The koopa stomped toward him with a dangerous scowl on his muzzle. Some folks in the crowd audibly gasp.
“Hey, greenbean!The only guy that gets to terrorize these people- and especially Mario- is me! You got that?! You let me catch you causing trouble around here again and I’ll hang you out to dry along with that stupid lookin’ costume!” Bowser pointed the end of his racket at the man, managing to look dangerous even in his visor.
Mr. L simply laughed obnoxiously, “Ooooh, I’m so afraid of the talking tortoise!” He began, “Seems to-a me that your time as neighborhood terror is over!"
Give the new talent a turn, huh? The whole “kidnapping” bit is getting old anyway.” L teased, standing up and making a run for the nearest exist.
He didn’t leave without first striking his signature and “veery” intimidating evil pose.
And just like that. It was all over.
Bowser sighs, looking around at all the trouble that green little weirdo had gone and caused. What was up with him? Bowser knew the general stuff. Green ‘Stache had turned up missing and Mario was losing his mind. He even stormed up to Bowser’s palace assuming he’d kidnapped the scaredy-cat, but when Bowser told Mario that he hadn’t seen the little wimp he’d gone and put missing posters everywhere.
The guy turned up eventually! Just not in the way anyone expected. They found him in Toad Town, harassing fruit vendors for fun and yelling something about being great and mighty. Bowser stopped caring shortly after Mario told him the goober was missing, the green nuisance must’ve just finally lost it. Hey, if Bowser had to deal with King Boo’s bullshit like every four months he’d go crazy too.
With that, Bowser deems it not his job to clean any of this up and begins a casual walk back to the locker rooms…
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It’s really not often a king gets a day off. They’re rare and usually reserved specifically to spend time with the kiddos. However today was different…
The kids were all at their studies. Bowser’s massive pile of paperwork and read-throughs had finally been lessened- at least enough to where he could take a break for a day or two. It all lined up so perfectly.
A day off with some actual “me time” for the monarch, what a dream!…Oooor at least what would be nice to experience if he wasn’t currently tied up in some musty old cave right now.
The koopa had finally regained consciousness before glancing around the room. When he realized his predicament he only became more and more furious. Who in their right mind had the balls to kidnap The King of The Koopas? The fearsome leader known for his-…Well, kidnapping mostly but also being very fearsome! Bowser tried to move but soon realized his hands and feet were tied up good in some kind of metal chain.
Tch. Amateur. Bowser is a fire breathing koopa, escaping will be a breeze. He holds up his wrists and spits a good fireball at the metal around them.
He expected them to melt off immediately but maybe it’ll take a little more heat than that. He tries again, and then a third time but no dice! Are these..enchanted?
“Are you done?” A voice calls out.
“Whuh?! Who are you?! When I get outta here I’m gonna bruise you worse than a bullet bill!” The king threatened as his scarlet red eyes searched for the source of the voice. The mysterious kidnapper simply gives a triumphant laugh before the lights(…of the cave apparently) cut on to reveal Mr. L in all his green glory!
Bowser sounds a loud roar, causing the cave to shake. “You?!” The koopa was seeing red for sure now. This little green onion comes into his home and interrupts his day off?! How dare he?! Oh as soon as he’s free from these chains he’s gonna grab that little jerk by the neck and-
“Shhh, tartaruga reale!” L’s gloved finger finds itself over Bowser’s lips as he gazes dramatically to the side. It’s like Bowser had been hit with an ice flower! He’s completely frozen and just staring this weirdo in the face. His instincts tell him to bite down on this little losers finger as hard as he can but…but he just can’t bring himself to do it.
“It is not-a war I want! It is a partnership!”
Bowser cocks his head to the side in complete confusion while the little weirdo keeps going. “Imagine it! The king of the koopas and the world’s greatest villain ruling everything as far as the eye can-a see!” Mr. L smiles wide, the image burns itself into Bowser’s mind.
“Of-a course, I would have to betray you eventually in a shocking plot twist in-a order to fulfill my own plan of world domination…but you’ll still be there!” Mr. L rubs his chin, smirking as he seems to admire his own plan in his head. The king gives an unimpressed look…
This guy was a complete moron.
Not only is he attempting world domination with no functioning weapons, no power, no military force and seemingly not a single ally, but he also just laid out a plan of betrayal to the one person he wants to recruit as said ally.
“You want me…to be your ally…so you can betray me…and take over my kingdom…and then the world?” Bowser gravely voice lacks its typical boom, it’s instead been replaced with unabashed puzzlement.
“Yes.” L replies plainly.
“Why in a million stars would I ever agree to that? And why are you askin’ me anyway?”
Mr. L simply chuckles, “Good question, bello!” L backed away finally, now pacing back and forth as he spoke. “When you defeated me at the tennis final it-a showed me how powerful you could really be! You defeated the great and powerful Mr. L! Who-a knows what else you could do if you worked for me instead of against me! It was a no brainer!” The green opportunist shook his head with a proud smirk.
"A "no-brainer" is right..." The koopa grumbled.
As dumb as this guy was Bowser could still tell that the younger plumber was still in there somewhere. Mr. L still had his mannerisms, his way of speaking, that stupid pretty glint in his sapphire eyes. He was just more confident now, more...put together. If he wasn't such a bird brain the king thought he might actually make a good conquerer, or at least be charismatic enough to create a cult of personality.
It was almost appealing. It was almost..attractive somehow. Ugh, he'd spent too much time around this guy already!
"Okay, okay shut your trap!" Bowser called, grunting as he moved to sit in a better position. "Look if I..agree to uh...help you on this crazy mission of yours will ya let me go? I got things to do today."
Mr. L tapped his foot while he seemed to make up him mind. He was flamboyant in his "thinking pose".
"Hmmmm....Yes!" He then held out a gloved finger, "But only if you bring me to your castle! Only there cab we begin our conquest!" That demand made Bowser take another survey at their surroundings. He finds rotten fruit and empty snack wrappers all around them.
"You wanna come to my castle cause you're outta food and water, right?" The koopa asked, deadpan.
"Corretto."
What choice did the king have really?
After being freed from his enchanted shackles the king immediately regrets the deal. The annoying little greenbean follows him all the way home, every step of the way. Yapping and blabbing on until Bowser threatens to punch his lights out. He's not sure which version of Luigi is more annoying...but this one is only a little bit cuter.
