
The journey had begun smoothly with everyone in their karts, or the hummer. Since Waluigi had been forgotten earlier Rose, Shortcake, and Riba were a bit behind schedule in comparison to the other ladies in order to retrieve him. Not only that, but Riba still wasn't a good map reader, and the GPS wasn't working anymore.
"Where even ARE we," Waluigi complained in the backseat, earning a groan from the toad. "I've never seen a place quite like this!"
Before his eyes was a lovely clear lake and grass all around them. There were some wooden bridges here and there that the hummer crossed over, connected by dirt paths. There were lots of wild animals too, such as wild Rexes, Yoshis, Chain Chomps and Piranha Plants. Since Waluigi lived underground for most of his known life, he never saw much more than mold, shrooms, and the occasional wiggler.
"I believe we're in donut plains," Shortcake responded after a short while, sounding reluctant in her answer, like she was forced to say it, "it's pretty nice for nature, but after a while it gets dull to look at."
There was more silence from there, before the car came to a screeching halt. The three passengers looked at Riba as he stared in front of him. When Rose looked to see what was ahead, a sigh slipped from her and she quietly spoke...
"oh dear..."
Before them was an array of munchers. Munchers were infamous for bringing pain to those who crossed them, and in this case they could easily tear through the hummer's tires.
"turn around and head back?" Riba suggested, and perhaps that suggestion would have been accepted, but Waluigi had a different idea.
"I can easily cross this! and I'll move them all too so the jeep can pass!"
"It's a hummer," Riba commented, "and these creatures will surely eat you alive."
"Nah. Waluigi seen these before! Munchers are no problem for me. WAH HAHAHAH!"
And just like that, Waluigi would begin to walk over the munchers with ease. He didn't cry once, as they chomped away at his feet. However it also looked like he wasn't getting hurt at all by this either. His shoes were in perfect tact, despite the bites from the wicked plants. But moving them Waluigi found was next to impossible. They were deeply rooted underground together, making it impossible.
Rose was about to speak up, but instead the words "Is everything okay," were called out by Shortcake.
"UGH. NO. I can't move the plants! They are too deeply rooted! You will all have to cross just like me!"
"And how do you expect us to do that," Riba asked quizzically.
"IT'S EASY! JUST WALK ON THEM!"
Shortcake groaned and shook her head. However, Rose had just the idea - having gone shopping with Daisy, the gals had bought different shoes, clothes, and accessories for the sake of their trip. It seemed like now was the time to try one out. Rose took her luggage out of the back and pulled out a pair of black stiletto boots. Waluigi, Riba, and Shortcake's eyes widened all at once as they simultaneously said, "Goomba boots..."
Rose put the boots on and began to slowly walk over the munchers. Just like Waluigi, she would find that there was no problem with walking on them so long as she had the Goomba Boots. However she did have to hold up most of her dress, which perhaps was a bigger challenge than crossing.
Once she crossed, she took them off and tossed them over to Riba. Riba picked them up, looking confused. Rose didn't get why he was looking confused, but Waluigi had a general idea.
"I THINK SHE WANTS YOU TO PUT THEM ON, RIBA!" he shouted. Riba looked disgusted by the idea, but complied nonetheless. Riba then picked up Shortcake off of the ground and proceeded to walk across the black piranha plant-like creatures. They would bite at his ankles, but thanks to the boot, he was immune. The walk felt long to Shortcake though, as if time came to a complete stop while in the arms of the human man. A faint blush would come to her cheeks, her eyes like hearts internally. Time only returned once Waluigi shouted - to which she would find herself on the ground again.
"HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO GET OUR HUMMER ACROSS???" he shouted, a dramatically weary expression on his face. Rose sighed and crossed her arms. Riba would be assessing the situation, before coming to his conclusion, " we simply... do not. We'll have to let the others know about the situation."
"Yeah but - THE HUMMER." Waluigi groaned.
"How about you three go on ahead, and I'll catch up with you all later? There should be a town nearby..."
"Very well," Rose said, "we'll let you know what our next move is."
With an affirmative nod, Riba would try and assess how to get the munchers out of the way. Rose would be on her way with Shortcake, but Waluigi lingered for a moment before following them. It didn't really seem like Riba was doing much. Was Daisy perhaps ... right ? She did plant the seed of doubt into the purple man's head.
....
Nah.
Daisy's just a fraud.
He already accepted that.
--{ ? }--
"It sure has been a while," Daisy said, looking at the time on her cellphone. She, Pauline, and Birdo had been at the first rendezvous point that the group had agreed on - a mom-and-pop diner just outside of Wario's Goldmines. Rose and her group was supposed to be here by now.
"I think I heard Riba isn't that good at reading maps," Birdo said, "perhaps they just got lost?"
"I don't think so..." Daisy said, her tone growing dark with her suspicions about Riba. Pauline didn't get the hate Daisy had, but chose to ignore it instead of ask - it wasn't really her business, nor did she particularly care.
Before Daisy could explain her facts to Birdo, Pauline's phone began to ring. She'd answer, "Hello? this is Pauline."
"Hiya Pauline," it was Shortcake, "we're stuck in Donut Plains. We came across some munchers and our phones are all dead. We don't have a car to get back on the road anymore so we're in a pickle."
"Oh .." Pauline looked to the other two women before giving them the basics of what was said.
"I can have my fly guys send one over," Birdo said, before taking out her P-Phone 14XL and texting her crew to send over one of her coupes. "there you go, hun," she said to Shortcake, but the words went unheard as Pauline was the one with the phone. Pauline said her goodbyes, then hung up. By now Daisy was reading the roster for the next set of racers for the tournament at Paris.
"huh." Daisy grunted, "the next set of contestants are interesting."
"who've we got, sugar?" Birdo asked, almost looking over the orange princess's shoulder. Daisy would read off the list as following:
Donkey Kong Jr. in the Birthday Girl
Wendy on the Quacker
Captain Falcon in the Blue Falcon
Petey Piranha on the Shooting Star
Amy Rose in the Classic Pink Cabriolet
Crash Bandicoot in the Firefly Tractor
Admiral Bobbery in the Landship
Funky Kong in the Jet Setter
Hammer Bro in the standard kart
Shy guy on the Master Cycle Zero
Kamek on the Phantom
Ƨξƒιιƨƒʌ on the City Tripper
--{ ? }--
Once Shortcake, Rose, and Waluigi we're done using the landline, they returned to where the hummer was, only to find Riba on the phone. None of them could make out what he was saying, but he was definitely on the phone with someone they didn't know. He seemed to take notice of them and hung up shortly after that.
"Hello your highness," Riba said politely, bowing slightly in her presence. He then looked at the other two with her. One was lovestruck and the other proving his own stupidity through picking earwax out of his ear and observing it. He snarled quickly.
"Oh! Riba, Birdo is sending over her fly guys to rescue us! I guess we're abandoning the hummer." Shortcake explained. Riba nodded, and the vehicle soon arrived.
It would take them roughly two hours to arrive where the others were, allowing Shortcake to rest her eyes (but not nap) for a bit. Rose asked the question, "so, who were you talking to on the phone? All of ours died."
"ah..." Riba chuckled, "it was just... family. They wanted to know how I was doing."
They all, aside from Shortcake, nodded in understanding, and the car ride was silent. At least until Shortcake spoke up.
"so .... Do you have a wife? Any kids?"
"Wh-what?!" asked Riba, "why would you ask that?"
"I'm just thinking about Princess Rose's future is all," Shortcake said half heartedly, with a smug expression on her face. It was hard to tell if she was being sarcastic or serious, given her blatant feelings for the human.
"ah ... well, no offense to her highness," Riba started, glancing at the other two for a moment before continuing, "but I haven't much time for romance. Maybe if I found 'the one', but I'm not particularly seeking it right now."
"oh?" Rose questioned, "how will you know when you've found them?"
"Getting to know the person, of course."
Shortcake's eyes lit up. Perhaps she had a chance!
"WAH. Love is for losers!" Waluigi spews.
Rose shook her head, and patted his knee. "I'm sure you just haven't found the right person yet." Waluigi stared directly at her hand, eyes wide and showing obvious signs of nervousness. He was still unfamiliar with positive body language.
With that, the gang arrived at the small diner and thanked the fly guy for his services. They all entered the eatery, and rejoined their friends to eat and rest before the long trip ahead.
Tomorrow they would all be going through Wario's Goldmine in order to progress on their journey to Paris.