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duckapus · 10 months

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Koopa Concert Reunion Tour: Part 2

After everyone's mostly managed to recover from the shock of seeing what converted Sage is like, Kamek explains why they're here, prompting Junior to bring him, SMG4, Mario, Lil Coding (because there's no fucking way he's getting separated from his dad if he doesn't have to be) and Meggy (because she and Mario are still reeling from losing Luigi and each need to Know that their other sibling is still there) up to a place where they can comfortably talk to Bowser in his current state, while Sage gives the others a tour of the castle.

Junior leads his group up to what seems to be the top of the castle's tallest tower, only stopping when they reach a large set of black-and-silver metal double doors, with spiked studs lining the edges and a massive Bowser Emblem etched across both, "Here we are! Fair warning, Papa's Wonder Form can be pretty overwhelming up close. Now, if you guys are okay on your own from here, I'm gonna go take over the tour so Sage can have some time with her dad."

"We'll be fine, young prince. Thank you for your help," Kamek smiles and ruffles Junior's fire...hair...stuff, with the kid predictably growling in (mostly) feigned annoyance and waving him off.

"Kamek, I'm supposed to be cool around here!" he huffs and rolls his eyes, "Anyway, see you guys later." He starts to run back down the stairs, then stops and turns back to where SMG4 and Lil Coding are, "An' don't worry, 3 and Lily are tough! I bet they're doing just fine in that dumb puddle!" And off he goes.

With a fondly exasperated headshake, Kamek turns to face the doors, "Well, everyone ready?" there's generally affirmative answers all around, and he opens the door, revealing a balcony that puts them directly at eye level with Castle Bowser.

As expected, the group looks upon his absolutely massive form in awe...and then Mario busts a gut laughing, prompting everyone, including Bowser, to deadpan at him as he rolls all over the balcony in hysterics for far too long.

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Meanwhile with the Tour group, a poster catches Tari's eye, "Hm? Doctor Teeth and the Electric Mayhem playing their new album live in collaboration with...SAIKO BICHITARU!?"

She checks where and when they're playing, then frantically turns towards their current guide, "Sage! Do you know how to get to 23-G from here?"

"Uh, I'm plugged into the kingdom's systems, so I can look it up?" she's initially confused about why Tari sounds so urgent, until she finds out who's playing and gasps, OH SH- okay, I'm sending a map with the shortest route from here to there and there to the ship to your arm now."

"Oh, thank you thank you!" she wraps the little AI in a short hug before letting go and running off.

Everyone else is shocked and a little confused by this, before Root remembers something and chases after her, "Wait, we're not supposed to go off on our own!"

Toadsworth of all people is the next to run (at least as much as a guy who needs a cane and has no legs can run), realizing that there should probably be at least one rational adult in that particular group, "Hold on there, lasses! *huff, huff* Oh stars, what a day."

"...Well that happened."

Tari eventually makes it to the concert, just in time to catch the end of the opening act. Even from back at the entrance, she can see that despite absolutely fitting this Zone's theme, somehow none of the Muppets that make up Electric Mayhem are converted yet, "Please be okay please be okay please be okay..."

As the song draws to a close and Dr. Teeth starts talking to the audience, Root and Toadsworth finally catch up, both needing to catch their breath, "how...are you...so fast?"

Toadsworth's exhaustion is bad enough he has to sit down against the wall, "Ohhh, these old bones aren't what they used to be..."

Tari keeps her eyes locked on the stage, seemingly not even noticing them, and Root walks over right next to her looks up at her with clear worry, "Tari?"

That seems to almost snap her out of the trance she's in, until she hears Dr. Teeth say, "And now, without further ado, I am absolutely jazzed to present our very special guest; the one, the only, SAIKO!!!"

The crowd goes wild as out of an artificial fog bank steps Saiko, in all her...neon green haired...purple eyed...spiked-leather-covered...glory. Holding a...Bowser Emblem-shaped guitar...

Oh...

Root winces, "Wow, those are really not her colors, huh Tari?" when she doesn't get an answer she looks up again, and is shocked by just how devastated Tari looks, "Are...are you alright?"

Tari shakes herself off and tries to smile down at her, "Yeah, I just-I hoped- I thought maybe...well. At least she's somewhere safe, a-and doing what she loves, right?"

Root and Toadsworth share a concerned glance, then look back up to see that Tari's watching the concert again, tears in her eyes, "Do you...want to go talk to her?"

"..." She finally manages to tear herself away, "Nah, the concert runs to long for that. Besides, it's not like we cAn- like we can take her with us anyway."

She slowly starts to walk away, checking the map on her arm, "I... I think I just want to wait in the ship."

And so, the three of them head back to the ship in silence, leaving Converted Saiko and her screaming fans in their wake.

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Back with Kamek's group, Mario's still laughing at Bowser, "L-look at the size of his head!"

After a few more seconds, it finally starts to die down, and Bowser gives him a Look, "You finally get all that out of your system?"

He gets back up, shaking off the remaining giggles and catching his breath, "Y-yeah. Sorry, I just, I really needed that. It's... It's been a Day."

"Eh, I've had worse reactions. Now, what're you all up here for?"

Kamek takes the floor, "Well you see Lord Bowser, we believe we've discovered a way to fix all this chaos."

"Go on..."

And so Kamek tells Bowser of what they know so far about the situation, and their quest to obtain the seven Wonder Seeds.

"Hmm...welp, it's not much of a plan, but we've worked with less. Here." He sends down one of his Cloud Piranhas, which deposits the green Wonder Seed on the balcony.

Kamek picks the seed up and stores it away in his robes, "Thank you, my lord. We won't let this go to waste."

"I'm holding you to that. Also, before you head out get Egghead to set up a comms channel with Sage. I want updates on your progress so we're prepared over here when the barriers go down."

"Of course. Now, with your permission, we'll take our leave. The sooner we go, the sooner this will all be over...aaaand the less likely it is that we end up as more of your ravers."

"Yeah, yeah, don't let the doors hit ya on the way out." as the group is leaving, he calls out again, "And hey! I'm glad to see you're all right, old timer."

Kamek smiles back at him, "Likewise, son."

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As everyone's getting back on the ship, Eggman, Sage and Cubot are putting the finishing touches on the communications channel, which was moderately tricky to set up since they're currently disconnected from the Eggnet.

"And...that should do it! We're fully linked."

"Sweet! Now you guys can tell me all about whatever cool adventures you get caught up in."

"I'll be sure to include every detail!" he grins his usual Eggmany grin and ruffles her already-messy hair, "I wish we could take you with us, but hopefully this should tide you over."

"Oh, that reminds me," she shifts her attention to Cubot, "Since I'm out of commission, it's your job to make sure dad takes care of himself, alright?"

"Hey!"

"Don't worry little sis, I'll do my best to keep the boss's all-nighters to a minimum."

" I can't believe this..."

The two eggbots can't help but snicker at their creator's frustration, "And uh, If you get the chance, give Metal a smack from me for being a moron and grabbing a foreign power source without safety checking, alright?"

"Um...I'll try, I guess."

He floats up onto the deck after that, and then there were two.

"Well...I suppose this is goodbye for now."

"Yeah..." seemingly out of nowhere, she starts fiddling with her shirt, unable to maintain eye contact, face full of guilt.

"Is something wrong?"

"I...I'm sorry. I know I'm not the version of myself you were hoping to find...like, at all."

"Oh, Sage," He pulls her in closer, then cups her cheek in his hand and lifts her face so she sees his face, "I'll admit, this isn't what I would have expected from you, but I promise that you did not disappoint me. So you're acting a bit strange, so what? You're safe, you're happy, and you're in the care of someone I trust. That's as much as I'd ever really ask for on a good day, let alone under these circumstances."

Thankfully his reassurances seem to work, and while she's still more emotional than usual she's at least no longer guilty. She closes the remaining gap between them and wraps her arms around his neck (such as it us), and he of course immediately returns the hug, "I love you Dad."

"And I love you, dear daughter."

After a few moments, they pull apart, knowing he still has to go, "Now, you be good. Don't you and Junior go causing too much trouble for Bowser."

She gives him a toothy, lopsided grin, "No promises."

"Oh ho ho, that's my girl!" and then he's up the gangplank and the Airship's on its way to Lily's Zone.

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