#6: Confrontation
By Emerson Kluge

Mario rode deep in Bowser's territory. Here the lush, green vegetation was still like that in the Mushroom Kingdom and many of the same wild creatures watched from just beyond the tree line. From his previous visits Mario knew that was to change. The tyrannical Koopa king sacrificed everything for his goals and the destruction of the ecosystem was directly proportional to the Koopa King's influence over the land. The terrain would change, gradually losing its life until it was nothing more than barren rock and pools of bubbling lava.

Crossing the border hadn't been a problem. Only two Koopa Troopers had stood guard near a wooden gate across the road and the yoshi had greedily consumed both. The first had signaled Mario to stop before being eaten while the second, still in shock had looked Mario in the eyes with pleading panic before a sticky tongue pulled him in.

The yoshi didn’t miss a step and Mario rode past, leaving behind only a trundled down shack and a loudspeaker on a pole bleating propaganda above a portrait of Bowser.

The next attack caught Mario off guard. His thoughts had turned to his designs for Bowser's fate and memories of the few fleeting happy moment's he'd shared with Peach. He remembered the first time he'd saved her. Bowser had escaped but her soft lips pressed lightly against his cheek had driven everything else from his mind. He had found peace for a moment, but now it was only a memory.

A single Koopa Trooper burst from the forest bushes nearby and charged, screaming and flailing. The yoshi, surprised by the sudden movement and noise bucked and threw Mario before running headlong into the woods.

The trooper kept at the attack, charging Mario while he was prone and off balance.

Avoiding the Trooper's attack Mairo rolled off the road and into the bush, coming to his feet and running to distance himself from the experienced attacker. Up close the troopers could do damage, but at any other distance the were easy prey. After a few dozen paces he turned to face his enemy, but saw nothing but empty woods.

"Come out of there, Mario," a voice to his left called.

Beyond the next shrubs the trees cleared. Mario peeked through and saw a full platoon of Koopa Troopers.

"Don’t' make me send them in there," the voice called from the rear.

Mario grit his teeth. They wanted him in the open where they could easily surround him, but the woods would also provide cover for them to get close. There would be no way to avoid a fight this time.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted something on the forest floor. A patch slightly off color from the brown leaves and young green growths. A thousand-petaled fire-flower poked through the detritus to show its brilliant red, gold and orange bloom.

Losing his yoshi was something Mario hadn't expected. This fire-flower was something they hadn't. It would even the odds. Mario carefully pulled it up by the stem.

Each petal was a miniature firebomb. Once plucked, a racing catalytic reaction would ignite and burn with an angry flame. It took skill to lob the fireballs properly, but Bowser's earlier escapades had given him all the practice he needed.

Flower in hand, Mario emerged from the brush.

The Koopa Troopers formed a semi-circle to attack but hesitated when they saw the flower. In a single, swift motion Mario plucked a petal and tossed it, feeling the heat a split second before it left his fingers.

The broiling ball of fire arched and caught a Trooper square in the face. He screamed and tried to hide from the heat, but retracting into his shell only cooked him from the inside as well. He died slowly.

The other Troopers nervously glanced at each other, Mario and the flower. The blackened remains of their former comrade smoldered amongst them.

Wind rustled through the treetops as each party waited for the other to move.

A single Trooper took a step back, then with a spasm dropped limp. From a hole in his skull free flowing blood bubbled and darkened the light brown earth. A spiked throwing hammer lay beside him.

Two hammer brothers, the lieutenants of the Koopa Army, stood at the rear, casually spinning their weapons of choice. They reinforced discipline and made absolutely sure the common rabble of Bowser's army followed orders. It was common knowledge that in the Koopa Army it took more courage to retreat than it did to advance. Pairs of hammer brothers in each unit made sure of that.

The Koopa Troopers stood for a second more, nervous tension filling the air until one screamed a battle cry, his voice cracking with adolescence, and the whole unit attacked at once.

Mario dodged left, roasting two Troopers and creating an opening through which he could maneuver. Tossing fireballs as he backpeddled against the onrushing swarm the closest Troopers were incinerated next. With deadly precision Mario set the platoon aflame. With barely half the unit and two Hammer Brothers to continue the attack the platoon's will slackened.

Hammers flew and missed while Mario continued to maneuver, keeping the remaining troopers at this front all the while more and more Troopers lying burnt on the ground.

In an offensive rush Mario tossed a fireball deliberately high. The foremost Trooper ducked but the fireball caught the one behind, releasing a small cloud of black, sooty smoke.

Simultaneously, Mario planted his boot square on the first Trooper's shell. He stomped hard, bearing down with his full weight on the enemy until he heard the wet, irregular cracking of bone and shell. The trooper cried a strange 'whoop' as its lungs compressed and the fractures in its carapace propagated along its length. With its spine severed the trooper reflexively pulled into its shell.

With the last burning Trooper flailing on the ground Mario kicked the contracted trooper, catching another in the face. They both settled motionless a few meters away.

Mario glanced around to find his next target but saw only dead and dying Koopa Troopers scattered in the clearing. Looking farther he spotted the hammer brothers retreating down the road, using the last remaining Troopers as living shields. He watched them leave, catching his breath. The first battle was over it seemed.

Following his yoshi's ear-piercing cries, Mario retrieved it from between two trees where it had wedged, still running furiously. He calmed and mounted it, riding past the remains of the Koopa Trooper unit.

Contrary to the Koopa Army's intentions he had decimated a unit and gained a fire flower. This had been a good fight he was stronger by it.

The road continued, Mario saw, twisting through a few low hills and then straightening toward the grey stone tower looming on the horizon.

Mairo's thoughts returned to Bowser and Peach. He rode on, gripping the fire-flower tightly.