Mario regarded the "?" Block with sudden realization. This was the same block that he would come hit later on, leading to his meeting with Yoshi that would cement their friendship. His brother was right- they were making the past happen! Did this mean that they were always supposed to be here? It was unsettling imagining Yoshi trapped in a block he had placed, but what could he do until the other Mario came?
"C'mon, Bro!" Luigi interrupted his thoughts again. "We need to get going!"
"Can't this thing go any faster?" complained Waluigi as Wendy's car struggled towards Bowser's stronghold.
"The two of you weigh a lot more than you think!" snapped Wendy.
"Then why don't we lighten the load?" asked Wario, smirking.
"You try to throw me out of this car and I promise I'll blow it up with you in it!"
"Eh. Not what I expected you to say."
Bowser's stronghold appeared on the horizon. With it's lava pits and neon sign repeatedly flashing "BOWSER" it seemed fairly formidable, even from a distance.
"Sure you wanna go through with this?" Wendy asked, snickering.
"Sure we're sure. Take us there NOW!" Waluigi, who disliked the height at which the car was traveling, practically barked.
Wendy shook her head and stayed on course. Within a few minutes she had reached the front gate. The massive entrance swung open and the car edged it's way inside.
It quickly became apparent that the castle was a work in progress, at least internally. Goombas and Koopas were scrambling about, trying to build a competently difficult obstacle course for Mario to deal with in case he ever came remotely close.
The trio exited the car and Wendy pointed towards a long hallway. "Follow me if you dare," she said, and began making her way towards the end. The two followed her to where a large door stood and she opened it. "Just step inside," she indicated.
They fell for it. The second they were inside the floor caved in and the two began free-falling. The castle seemed to have an endless basement as they kept falling and falling. Although they started out screaming, Wario quickly got his wits about him and squinted to see if he could spot the bottom and perhaps soften his fall. Suddenly a bright light seemed to appear before his eyes, and the duo found themselves being pulled to it. Without knowing exactly how or why, they landed harmlessly in front of a rather old red Yoshi who had a glowing orb of some kind.
"I see you got my summons," he remarked.
"WAH?" was all Waluigi could get out. Wario kept silent.
"The letter. You know, the one where I told you to meet at Mario and Luigi's house. Yes," he continued as the light of understanding dawned in their eyes, "I wrote it. Pretty good forgery, don't you think? Anyways, I brought you and the Mario Bros. here because a few little events needed to take place in order to keep a timeline intact. I can't explain it to you all right now, but if you don't want the future- your present- destroyed, you'd better listen up."
Wario stamped his feet angrily. "You mean YOU brought us back in time? We've been shipwrecked, attacked by Koopalings, and had all of our plans thwarted! Of all the rotten, lousy, stinking-"
"QUIET PLEASE," interrupted the Red Yoshi in his native language. Yet there was such a ring of authority in that foreign tongue that the two became instantly silent.
"The Mario Bros. have fulfilled their task. Yoshi will meet them at the proper time and place. Now it's your turn. Listen very carefully..."
(Continued this week)
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