The Show Must Go On! (6)

    “Do you think we're getting closer, Iggy?” Larry asked. The two Koopalings had left the town and were now in the woods that ran along the edge of the Supa Koopa Highway.
    “Yeah,” Iggy replied, “I can feel it.”
    The two continued on a little longer. Suddenly, Iggy's foot fell on something strange. He looked down to see a pen lying on the ground.
    "What in the world is that doing here?" Larry asked. Iggy reached down and picked up the pen, turning it over in his hands. That's when he noticed bite marks toward the center of the pen's plastic barrel. He had a hunch he knew where those marks might have come from.
    “We have to be getting close now.” he muttered.

~~

    “This is *** ridiculous,” Dagger spat, “We've been walking around for hours.”
    Lemmy was feeling more tired than ever. He found himself stumbling more than once as he walked alongside Chaos. His vision was also beginning to cloud. He felt like he just couldn't stay awake any longer. Just then, he tripped.

~~

    Iggy and Larry continued on. Iggy knew that they had to be getting closer. Just then, they heard a voice. They immediately ducked behind some bushes
    “You little ***. We're just as tired as you are. Get up,” the voice said in a commanding tone.
    “Who is that?” Larry whispered. Iggy said nothing, but motioned for Larry to follow as the two began to crawl closer to where the voice was coming from.

~~

    Lemmy tried to get up. Dagger loomed over him, glaring at him with a menacing look. Just then, Lemmy's arms gave out and he fell back down to the ground.
    “I gave you your warning,” Dagger growled, “And I'm not going to say it again.”
Lemmy tried once more to get up, but he just couldn't. Once again, he fell back down.
    “That's it,” Dagger said, “I tried to give you a chance, but you just won't listen.”

~~

    “I gave you your warning and I'm not going to say it again,” the voice continued. Iggy and Larry continued on toward it.
    “That's it,” the voice said, “I tried to give you a chance, but you just won't listen.”
    It was at that moment that a piercing shriek rang through the forest. Iggy suddenly shot up and broke into a hard run.
    “No! Where are you going?! Come back!” Larry cried.

~~

    “What was that?” Chaos inquired. Lemmy took the opportunity while Dagger wasn't looking to rub the spot on his arm where Dagger had kicked him. It was a hard kick and it was certainly going to leave a particularly painful bruise. He wondered what exactly Chaos had heard.
    “Whatever,” Dagger said eventually, “It was probably just some bird.” He then turned back to Lemmy, who shrank back immediately. Dagger than grabbed Lemmy by his neck and lifted him into the air.
    “Now, you little ***, I don't want you playing this whole 'I'm-too-tired-to-walk' game anymore. Got it?”
    “GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY BROTHER!!!” a familiar cry ripped through the forest.
    “Is it?...” Lemmy wondered, “No...it can't be...can it?”
    All of a sudden, something tore through the brush and attacked Dagger. Lemmy fell to the ground. When he sat up, he saw something he never thought he'd see. His own twin brother, Iggy, was right there in front of him fighting off his captors. Chaos pulled out a syringe to try to subdue Iggy, but Lemmy quickly vaulted himself up and lunged straight for Chaos, knocking her to the ground and causing her to drop her weapon. Just then, Lemmy noticed Dagger reach for something.
    “Iggy!!! Look out!!!”
    It was too late. Dagger grabbed his pistol and pressed the barrel to Iggy's forehead.
    “Don't move or I'll shoot.”

~~

    “Don't move or I'll shoot”
    Iggy stayed as still as possible. He was breathing heavily.
    “Don't hurt him!” Lemmy screamed. Iggy glanced over at his twin brother. Lemmy was covered in various bruises, including one very painful-looking black eye. The usual glow in his eyes was gone and his cheerful demeanor had been replaced with one of gloomy desperation.
    “It's too late for that,” the man said, shoving Iggy back with the gun. Iggy was trembling and there was sweat running down his forehead.
    “Can I at least talk to him first?” Lemmy begged.
    “...Fine,” the man said, “I'll allow for that. You have two minutes starting now.”
~~

    “Why?”
    Lemmy asked the one question he really wanted to know the answer to, “Why did you come all the way out here?”
    “I...” Iggy began, tears welling up in his eyes, “I thought I could save you.”
    “Even though King Dad told us to stay put...” another voice said. Just then, Larry emerged from his hiding place in the bushes.
    “You too, Larry?” Lemmy asked.
    “I just came along for the ride...” Larry said.
    “You stay put too!” Dagger barked at Larry. Larry jumped, but quickly calmed down.
    “Please don't hurt them,” Lemmy begged once more, “It's me you want, not them.”
    “Don't give up like this, Lemmy,” Iggy said. He then slowly placed his hands on his shoulders. Immediately, Lemmy knew what was going on.
    “I-I'm sorry I never finished those errands, Iggy. I kind of forgot.”
    “It's okay, Lemmy. It's not your fault.” Iggy's right hand slowly slid back until it was inside his shell.
    “Because of me, we'll never be able to finish that--” Lemmy paused, then glanced over at Larry.
    “Invisibility serum?” Iggy said with a smile, “It's okay. Larry knows.”
    “Thirty seconds,” Dagger growled, placing his finger on the trigger. Lemmy watched as, behind Dagger, small vines began to grow up out of the ground.
    “Dagger...” Chaos muttered. She must have noticed as well.
    “What?” Dagger snapped. The vines were beginning to grow larger.
    “Dagger! Behind you!” Chaos shouted. One of the vines shot out and grabbed Dagger's gun.
    “***!” Dagger cried as he leaped out of the way of another vine that tried to attack him. Iggy stood, a crazed grin on his face.
    “This will teach you what happens when you mess with a Koopaling!” Iggy said, pulling out his magic wand. Larry whipped out his magic wand as well.
    “***! Chaos! Grab the kid!” Dagger yelled. Chaos immediately did as she was told and yanked Lemmy up off the ground, throwing him over her shoulder as the two criminals started on a mad dash through the forest. Lemmy saw Iggy just behind them in hot pursuit.
    “Come on, Iggy!!! You can do it!!!” Lemmy cried. Iggy held his wand out at the two criminals and it started to glow as it collected power. Just then, there was a shot as Iggy's wand was knocked out of his hand and another as Iggy fell to the ground.
    “Iggy!!! No!!!”