I started playing Mario Odyssey without my brother and have somewhat more of a grasp on the game now.

I threw in the new Squip. Jason Tam.
Now. Take my angst!!

Michael wiped blood off his nose as he took another step towards Squip, anger on his caramel colored face as he glanced over at the caged Jeremy.

"What? You still want to try and defeat me?" Squip teased and Michael formed a fireball in his hand as he walked closer. "Alright, you asked for it." Squip pulled out his whip and wrapped Michael in it, pulling him close and stealing his hat.

"M-Michael!" Jeremy yelled through tears as the whip got tighter on Michael's body.

"This will show you to never mess with me." Squip pulled on the whip and sent Michael flying overboard.

Jeremy heard him screaming and ran to the edge of the airship, staring down in utter horror.

"No...Michael!!" He sobbed, wiping his eyes and crying heavily as he realized Michael was probably dead...

"It's alright prince, you and I won't have to worry about our wedding getting crashed now will we?" Jeremy didn't respond, instead he just stared blankly down on to where Michael had been only moments ago.

***

"AAAAAAAAAAAA-Ow..." Michael smacked down on to the ground, probably breaking something in the process. He forced his body up and knew where he was immediately...his home...

Except now it was destroyed. All of it. He turned and seen smoke coming from the castle...just as it had been when he first showed up in the kingdom with-

"MICHAEL!" He turned to see Christine running towards him in a panic, and he was glad to see her okay. "Michael, where's Jeremy?"

"I...I didn't save him..." Michael mumbled, not even looking up at his best friend. "I...I couldn't save him.. he's still with Squip...." He began sobbing and Christine hugged him, gently twirling his hair in her hands, knowing Jeremy did that whenever Michael was upset.

"It's okay Michael... we'll get him back..." She spoke gently as she looked back into the skies. Squip's airship was long gone now. "I have an idea. We gotta head back to the castle though." Michael nodded, standing up and following Christine back to Walnut Castle.

It was absolutely destroyed. There were cannons all over the floor and there were countess holes in the wall. Not to mention the roof had caved in on the west wing.

"I'll be right back." Christine ran off to find something, leaving Michael alone to think to himself.

He walked back outside and looked up at the stain glass window of Jeremy...it had been shattered. Some of the pieces had fallen on to the bridge, and Michael picked one up and sighed. He had to get back to Jeremy. He had to.

"Michael!? I'm back!" Michael heard Christine and she motioned for him to follow her to the back garden of the castle, only to find Rich and Jake's flying space Walnut ship they'd had back when Squip took Jeremy to the center of the universe.

"We're going to use this?"

"Yep!" Rich popped the roof open and smiled at Michael. "Jutht cleaned thith baby up too. I wath gonna uthe it for thome treathure tracking but thith ith much more important."

"Yeah Rich is right!" Jake was still inside the ship and Michael chuckled a bit at his yelling. "Plus we know you'd go insane without Jeremy so we have a second reason to go."

"Guys...okay lemme just get some things, then we can leave. We'll have to figure out where Squip is headed if we wanna stop him from marrying Jeremy."

"Well if he wants to marry Jeremy, surely he'd go somewhere where he could get things to prepare for the wedding..." Christine whispered under her breath, and Rich heard and went inside the ship, looking through the multitude of screens and scattered about books before reemerging.

"I think I know thhomewhere he could be headed!"

"Where?" Michael asked, and Rich pulled out a book with a map and pointed to where he thought Squip would be.

"Tothtarena. There ith a ring there called the Binding Band, it linkth the thoulth of people together. Thquip probably went after that. Conthidering he wantth Jeremy to marry him."

"Good thinking Rich. I'll go grab some power ups, then we can leave."

"Don't worry about it Mitch, we already got some in here." Jake knocked on the glass window and pointed to four bags of power ups.

"Dang. You're good." Christine laughed as she climbed inside, Michael getting in behind her. "Alright Rich, let's power this thing up!"

"Okay Chris, Mike, you may wanna grab on to something, because Rich drives FAST!" Jake warned and both grabbed handles on the walls of the ship as it launched up.

"DETHTINATION: TOTHTARENA!!" Rich yelled, pushing a lever and beginning to drive them towards the Sand Kingdom.

***

"And you know what to do if Michael lives and shows up?" Squip asked and his two newest henchman nodded. "Good...Jason, you can go first. They're probably headed to Tostarena. Too late though, I already have the Binding Band." Squip chuckled, dismissing the two and turning to Jeremy. "Aww what's the matter prince? Not fond of my plan yet?"

"Why would I-I be? You're gonna force me to marry you!" Jeremy yelled and Squip smirked as he ruffled the Prince's hair.

"You'll love it. Trust me. You'll forget all about that silly common boy you love so much...besides, I'm a king, a much better fit for you."

"I'll never love you! Not in a million years!" Jeremy's cheeks were covered in tears and Squip laughed, leaving the room.

"You'll change your mind. I guarantee it." Jeremy watched as he left before pulling the photo of Michael out of his boot and holding it in his hand gently.

"M-Michael...If you're still alive...and you survived that f-fall...please...please get me out of here...please..."