I heard a sharp gasp behind me. I turned to the other side to see that Waluigi was sitting up, completely sweaty. ''Hey?'' I asked. ''What's wrong?''

He looked at me. ''Nothing...''

''Nothing?'' I asked, clearly feeling that he was stressed.

''Just a nightmare, I'm alright.''

I rose up from our comfy bed in the room that Toadsworth had given to us. The cold air hit me and made me slightly shiver. I put my hand on Waluigi's shoulder. ''You sure?''

''Yeah, I'm fine...'' He replied and looked around us. ''Hey, where are Shawn and Polari?''

I looked at the other beds where Shawn and Polari had gone to sleep last night. They were empty. I got out of bed and put on the same clothes that I had yesterday since I had nothing else to wear. Waluigi also got dressed in his normal plumber outfit and we both headed out the room. Before we even could take a step forward in the corridor, a green koopa stopped us. 

''Hi guys! If you're searching for Shawn and Polari they went to the cafeteria with Flamy.''

''Thanks!'' We said and hurried down to the cafeteria. When we arrived there we could see Shawn, Polari, and Flamy sitting at a table talking to each other. When they noticed us their faces lit up. 

''Hi Rosalina, hi Waluigi! Come sit here!''

We sat down at the table with them. ''Why didn't you guys wake us up?'' Waluigi asked.

''You both looked so tired... and cute, so we figured you'd want to sleep extra long today,'' Shawn said.

''I appreciate the kind thought but I don't really like to sleep for too long,'' I said. ''Makes me nervous.''

''I remember when you didn't sleep at all.'' Waluigi chuckled. ''You were too used to having your magic keep you awake.''

''I know, I tried keeping myself awake until I fell asleep on the floor and you had to drag me over to the bed,'' I grumbled. ''It's not that funny.''

''It is,'' Waluigi smirked. ''You said that you were never going to sleep, but after just five minutes you did it.''

''Can we stop having this conversation?'' I asked. ''Flamy, maybe you can show us around this base?''

''Certainly.'' She said excitedly. ''After breakfast.''

She stood up on the bench and suddenly jumped high up into the air and landed next to the cafeteria counter where she picked up five paper bags. She then jumped back to us again and placed the five bags on the table. 

''Dig in, you get one each!'' She said.

I grabbed one of them and opened it to see what was inside. There were a sandwich, a red mushroom and a bottle of milk in it. It was the most basic breakfast I could've imagined, but it would give me the vitamins necessary for a good start of the day.

''So, Flamy, what's your job here?'' I asked, trying to start a friendly conversation.

She took off her helmet and put it beside her on the bench. Now you could see all of her blonde hair tied up in a ponytail. ''Mainly I am the head teacher of combat. But I also guard the entrance door sometimes. I also serve as a substitute teacher on the shooting range.''

''So you practice shooting?'' I asked.

''Yeah, fireballs, iceballs, green shells, Bullet Bills, hammers, boomerangs, you name it.''

''Where do you get all those things? They certainly can't be very cheap.'' Waluigi asked.

''The factory we hide at once used to make weapons, a lot of it was left behind for some reason. And the powerups we get from spies that buy them with the money they make on their assigned jobs. Then they send them over to our base with the help of our delivery parakoopas.''

''So wait... you have Bill Blasters?'' Shawn asked as his eyes lit up.

''Yes,'' Flamy replied, smiling.

''Bob-ombs?''

''Uh, yeah.''

He gasped. ''Even power stars?!?!''

''Uh, no. It's impossible to get a hold of them. Also: Bowser has banned them from public use. Only he can use them now. Some rumors speak of a giant stash of power stars in his castle.''

''Aww, what a shame.'' He leaned his head on the table. ''I've always wanted to try one.''

Suddenly, a Toad came towards us. ''Flamy, we need to speak with you. It's urgent.''

She stood up and nodded. ''Guys, I'll be gone for a little bit. You can look around the base if you want.''

When she was gone we all went silent for a little bit.

''So... what's the next step?'' Polari asked.

''What do you mean?'' I asked him.

''Are we just going to live here now?''

''No, we're here to do anything we can to make the kingdom a better place,'' I explained. ''These people need us, and we need them.''

''Wah! I'm already bored just hearing all about 'saving the kingdom'.'' Waluigi said and started walking away.

''Hey, where are you going?'' Shawn asked.

''I'm doing what Flamy said we could do: look around the base.''

We all ran after him after we realized that he was getting further and further away from us. ''Hey, wait up! You think you can leave us just like that?!''

_______________________________

~Toadsworth's POV~

''The armies are getting stronger by every minute. His stash of power stars is increasing, and his troops are planting piranha plants in more places than ever before. Weren't the spies going to sabotage the plans and slow down the process?''

''They are trying their hardest,'' Flamy assured him. ''But getting into Neo Bow- I mean Koopa City, has gotten harder. And Bowser has become smarter over the years as well.''

Blue let out a chuckle. ''Lucky for us that he can't see a princess in disguise, at least.''

''I wouldn't know what I would've done if Bowser got ahold of Rosalina,'' I said and sighed. ''We've been looking for her for several months and then suddenly she just shows up at the most dangerous place ever, right in front of Bowser. Lucky for her that Waluigi was there to help.''

''That good for nothing fake-star-child proved to be useful after all.'' Blue chuckled, I stared into his glowing eyes as he puffed his hair up with his hands. ''But I wonder if he'll help the resistance, or just go cowering in a corner whenever the next big fight is going to be.''

''I believe in him,'' Flamy said. 

He looked at her and nodded. ''He has potential, and if he refuses, we can ask Rosalina to persuade him. He follows her around like a hungry dog would follow a steak.''

''Very well,'' I said. ''Now, should we get ready? I'm sure that the princess and her plumber would be very surprised to see you.''

''I think so too. And they would probably give me a smack to the face as well.'' He laughed. ''I wonder how it will turn out.''

''Flamy,'' I said.

She saluted. ''Yes, sir?''

''Please take Blue Flame to the conference room. And bring him some bandages. He's making a mess here.''

''Right away sir.'' She saluted and walked up to him with a soft smile. ''Come on, let's get you cleaned up.''

Blue gave me one last look before exiting my office. ''Sorry for making your floor all bloody, couldn't help it.''

''It's no worries at all,'' I said as the door closed. Only a trail of blood was left behind after them.