Fight me, Bowser!

[Super Mario]

Bowser threw his head back, placing his large clawed hands upon his lightly shelled stomach, and laughed ferociously, "Bwahahahahahahaha! You--you actually think you can stop me this time, MARIO!? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!", the Koopa King laughed, standing poised atop a large rock. Mario stared up at him, from his lower platform, both platforms being deep in the darkest, creepiest, Boo-infested part of Bowser's Castle. Lava swirled and mixed around them, bubbling and splashing, burning and causing Mario to sweat profusely. He struggled in his chains, his red hat falling from his head as he pulled against the chains. Mario attempted to answer the Koopa King, through the bandana around his mouth.

"Why are you even trying to get away, Mario!? Now the lava will swallow you, and I'll take over the Mushroom Kingdom once and for all! Ahahahahaha!"

Luigi shook all over, standing poised atop the highest platform, staring down from above. "Mama mia! Bowser's gonna fry-a Mario!", Luigi cried out, terrified, wanting to help his brother but too scared to take the leap. Just then, Luigi flashed back, thinking about what a young Toad had said to him while he was resting at a Toad House... *You have to save Mario, Luigi! You're the only one who can do it! We're all counting on you!*.

Luigi rolled up his green sleeves, biting his upper lip slightly, "If I don't-a make it, I hope the best for the Mushroom Kingdom! Here we go!!", the green-clad plumber shrieked, grabbing ahold of an overhead chain-chomp (which happened to be  holding up a large chandelier), before swinging his way down to plow accidentally into the overjoyed Koopa. Luigi and Bowser rolled haphazardously towards the edge of the platform, skidding to a stop shortly after. Luigi pushed his hand down against the ground, leaping back and off, to jump down to Mario's platform, which was just about to sink into the lava. "I'll-a save you, Mario!", Luigi chimed, skipping down to grab his slightly-heavy brother before leaping up to an adjacent platform.

Luigi quickly untied Mario, freeing him of his restraints. Mario stood up, red-faced an angry with Bowser, brushing himself off. "Mama mia, that one was-a too close!", said the older Mario brother. "Uh, hey, bro... why isn't Bowser-a moving?", asked Luigi, concerned.

"I'm not reall sure bro... you must have-a hit him pretty hard! Wow-ee!", said Mario, rubbing the back of his head. Just then, the ghastly shape of Kamek appeared in the far doorway, "Idiots! You actually thought that was Bowser! King Bowser would NEVER be downed by someone so puny! The real Bowser didn't even bother with you two boneheads this time! He had this rigged so he couldn't just strike one bee, but the whole hive! Hahahaha!"

As Kamek disappeared through the hallway, the platforms all began to shake. A few moments after, the lava began to rise! "Oh no!", shrieked Luigi. "What should we do, Mario? The lava's rising!", he screamed in a panic.

[:::] Is this the end of the Mario brothers? We'll have to wait until the story is continued to see if they make it!!

Born To Play:

"What if everything you see is more than what you see– the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn''t? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you''''ll find many unexpected things."

-Shigeru Miyamoto

[Super Mario]

Mario and Luigi searched frantically for a way to get out. All exits had been sealed, and the ceiling was high, high above them. Even the bounciest brothers in the Mushroom Kingdom couldn't jump THAT high. They quickly leapt up onto a higher platform, as the one they were standing upon sank into the bubbling magma.

"This doesn't-a look too good, Luigi...", Mario trailed. Luigi searched his pockets for items, and found only a shriveled Mushroom, "Oops-a, must have-a forgotten to take this Mushroom out when I washed my overalls!", Luigi said to himself, tossing it to the side.

Mario searched himself as well, coming up with a tattered picture of Princess Peach, a Cellular Shopper phone, and an old Reverse Mushroom. "I don't see what good these are going to do...", he said, looking up to spot a train that was moving Bowser's cargo across the ceiling that was far above them, not really caring about it.

The lava kept rising, and Mario and Luigi still had no way out. Luigi ate his shriveled Mushroom, but it did nothing, only tasted of stale detergent. Luigi pounded his hand down angrily, "Stupid-a Bowser! Why does he always have-a to go and do these things!", Luigi screamed, punting the Reverse Mushroom against a wall. The popular Mario Party 3 item bounced from the gray cobblestone of Bowser's Keep and fell into the lava, causing a bubble to float up.

Mario looked at Luigi for a moment, and then back to the lava, and then to Luigi, and then back to the lava, "Is it uh... going back down, or am I getting taller?"

"Hey! It is-a going down! Mama mia! That reverse mushroom must have-a reversed the lava! We're saved...for now", Luigi said, beginning to ponder.

"Well, that's-a that. Now we have-a to find a way out of here. If only we could-a find a way out...somehow.", Mario muttered.

"Hey, Mario, you see that crane up-a there? Well, to me, it kind of-a looks like it's controlled by sound waves. Maybe we could call it and have whoever is operating it bring us up here... through some trickery of course", Luigi said, slyly.

"That's just crazy enough to... get us killed! What if-a they just notice it's us and make the lava start up again?", Mario said, the lava having seeped back down into the floor.

"What else are-a we gonna do? Sleep here?", Luigi said, grabbing the phone.

"Hold on, don't just-a go punching buttons! We need to find out how to contact that crane.", Mario said.

"It says '778' on the side. I'll just punch that in...", Luigi said, punching in the number without another thought.

The raspy voice of a Snifit answered, "This is crane 778. How may I help you...?"

Luigi stammered for a moment, before changing his voice a bit...

"Uh... this is... well... Koopa .... 56, uh, one of our Heavy Troopas overate and now he's stuck. We need some assistance..."

"Oh, Hey 56. I'll bring the crane down, and you load him on. What platform are you on?"

Luigi looked around quickly, before noticing a faded "D4" under him, "Uh, platform D4, sir.", the younger plumber answered.

"D4!? Isn't that the room where the Mario brothers were!?", the Snifit said, alarmed.

Luigi chuckled nervously, "Well you see that's just it, he uh... he ate the Mario brothers! Can't you here his groaning!?", looking towards Mario...

Mario pinched his nose and said in the stuffy voice of someone far too overweight, "Ohhhh...OOOoooh....OWwwwww..ww...too much mustache...."

Luigi put his ear to the phone... waiting, before hearing the Snifit answer, "Ouch! Those ugly Marios must have tasted awful! A fitting end for those who oppose King Bowser, though."

Luigi fought his anger, "Y-yep...just...bring down the crane..."

"Okay then. Reckon that Heavy Troopa will weigh about 650 lbs?"

"Probably so...", Luigi trailed, having met his first obstacle.

"Uh oh! They've got weight readers in those cranes, Luigi! We're not 650 lbs!" Mario shrieked.

"No! Mama mia! How do we gain-a that weight!?" Luigi said, before shouting, "Do you have any food on you, Mario!?"

"Don't-a be ridiculous, Luigi. We just have to find something heavy...", Mario said, looking around.

Mario searched for a moment, having little time before the crane would reach them. He spotted a broken chunk of one of the D4 platform, grabbing a chunk of it in his arms, having Luigi grab the rest, They grabbed the end of the crane with their free arms. They heard a voice from the crane's loudspeaker, "Ooh, 675. Got yourself a big Koopa!", the Snifit said, setting the crane's power a little higher as the Mario brothers rose towards the ceiling, heading ominously closer to the within-alarm-range crane box...

[:::] Will the Mario brothers fool the Snifit long enough to get out of their prison!? And when they do, will they be able to escape Bowser's Keep and warn the Kingdom of the oncoming attack!? Stay tuned!



Born To Play:

"What if everything you see is more than what you see– the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn''t? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you''''ll find many unexpected things."

-Shigeru Miyamoto

[Super Mario]

Mario and Luigi held onto the crane for dear life as they were lifted high above the previously lava-filled chasm. The crane pulled them up until they were level with the crane box. A voice came from the crane speaker, "Alright, now that you're up here I'll bring you over to the control center and we can move that Heavy Troopa from there...", the Snifit said, obviously not looking at the crane, as he'd done his job so many times before.

Mario and Luigi made the jump to the control platform, setting their rock chunks down at their feet. Mario started his groaning noises to further fool the Snifit, while Luigi spoke loudly in his false 'Koopa 56' voice, "Alright, we'll just bring him through this door here...", Luigi trailed, sneaking with Mario through the nearby door. They had made it out!

Mario and Luigi stopped dead in their tracks, standing at the beginning to a very narrow, very long stone bridge. It looked like a feather could land upon the unstable rocky surface and break it into pieces.

"M-M-M-M-M...", Luigi stammered...

"I know, I know, you're scared of-a heights!", Mario chimed, taking the first step onto the bridge.

"Follow me... just... don't look-a down, Luigi.", Mario said, trying to reassure his brother. The green-clad plumber glanced down...

The pit seemed to go forever, with  a random criss crossing of bridges, messily filling the pit, which was lighted just slightly by torches. Snifits, Koopas, and Shy Guys crossed the lower bridges periodically. Further down, Luigi could see Boos floating around aimlessly through the abyss. Luigi felt like Tubba Blubba as his heart leapt into his throat.

"I told-a you not to look down... mama mia...", Mario muttered to himself, wiping his forehead.

Just then the door at the other end of the bridge flew open. Mario and Luigi freaked out for a moment, before thoughtfully jumping to grab onto a stalagtite which hung above them, and climbing up to hide in the shadows.

"Shhh...", Mario said, putting his fingers to his lips, and Luigi nodded.

An important-looking Koopa Troopa with a mustache walked onto the bridge, followed by two Snifits and Gourmet Guy.

"Wasn't there supposed to be a distressed Heavy Troopa around here!? You two idiots told me...grr...King Bowser will be furious if Mario and Luigi somehow have escaped! They can't find out about 'the plan'!! Tell all troops and workers to be on the lookout for those plumbers!", the General Troopa said, storming out the door, with the Snifits and Gourmet Guy following unsteadily.

Mario and Luigi waited a moment. Mario then flipped down to land on the bridge, coaxing Luigi to follow. Luigi shook his head 'No', being too terrified to come down. He then spoke up, "What if I miss!? What if the bridge breaks!? What if---", Luigi was cut off by Mario...

"You won't-a miss! Come on! Jump down! We don't have much time."

Luigi nodded, and shakily flipped down, only to sprawl through the bridge and fall down, screaming, "Ahhhhhhhhh!!", as he fell, falling through cobwebbed bridge after cobwebbed bridge as he tumbled down, then landing amongst a pole of old bags that broke his start-stop-start fall.

Mario stared down the gaping hole, his lower lip quivering... "Oops-a..."

[:::] Is Luigi okay!? Will Mario make it alone!? And will the two brothers meet up in time to tell the Mushroom Kingdom about 'the plan'!?

Born To Play:

"What if everything you see is more than what you see– the person next to you is a warrior and the space that appears empty is a secret door to another world? What if something appears that shouldn''t? You either dismiss it, or you accept that there is much more to the world than you think. Perhaps it really is a doorway, and if you choose to go inside, you''''ll find many unexpected things."

-Shigeru Miyamoto

[Super Mario]

Luigi sat up, rubbing the back of his head woozily. He blinked a few times, adjusting his eyes to the darkness. He sat in the corner of what appeared to be some sort of dungeon.

The voice of an old Toad spoke to him through the darkness, "Woo! Sonny! Quite a fall you had there! Eh, heh heh... had a few falls like that in my day...", the old Toad trailed...

"Oops, 'llow me to introduce myself...", the old Toad said, wiping his hand against his beard and offering it to Luigi. Luigi, always being the polite one, modestly walked over to his cell-mate and shook his hand, "Name's Prih T. Most people call me...eh...eh...heh.", Prih T. trailed.

"More like Prih T. drunk if you ask-a me...", Luigi muttered, before introducing himself. "I'm-a Luigi... Luigi Mario.", Luigi said, nodding to the old Toad.

"Ohhh... ne'er heard of ya'! Ahahahaha!", the old man laughed crazily.

(Yes, folks, this guy's been in here so long he's never heard of Luigi. Gasp!)

"So, uh, Prih... just where am I?", Luigi asked, rubbing his chin.

"This is what most people call... the dungeon! Ahahahaha! Boy, I say, you've gotcha'self a bump there, son. Look like Whacka on a bright day! Ahahahaha!", the old man cackled, before adding, "Here, son, this'll fix 'ya up!", and shoving a bottle of some mixture into Luigi's hands.

Luigi looked at it for a moment, smelling it, before shrugging and drinking some of it down. "Hey, this stuff's not too bad!", Luigi said, cheering up, before drinking down the rest of it, and sighing contentedly.

"Well, that thar's a mixture of Koopa Tea and Tasty Tonic! It'll do wonders, but it gets 'ya a little woozy! Although... it's never...let me down...", the old man trailed again.

Luigi giggled some, muttering something in gibberish, before stumbling down.

"Looks like we got ourselves a first-timer! Ahahahaha!", the old man cackled, taking the shrowd from his shoulders and laying it over the sleeping Luigi, "Sleep well, son, and grow strong again, you'll need it when you wake up...", the old man finished.

***

Mario sneaked along the shadowed wall past the rapidly working Chef Torte and his apprentice, "Zis Cake, it must be absolutely perfect! Unzerstand!?", he yelled at his apprentice.

"Bowser said he wants lots of icing and strawberries, sir...", the apprentice muttered, reading from a list, while muttering to himself, "Let's hope this one doesn't come alive...gah..."

Mario shivered at the memory, quickly slipping into a shadowy corner, thinking maybe he could hear some talk about the 'plan'...and wondering where Luigi might be...

[:::] Looks like both Mario and Luigi have seperate routes to take! Will they make it to the Mushroom Kingdom in time!?

See how the mustache hides the slightly sad smile... and the sideburns, portraying his simple, blue-collar roots... and his legs, thick, wide, the legs of the masses!

[Mario Maniac]

Sorry to interrupt.

Super Mario... that is the most well-written, non-typo'd stories I've read here in a long time! How did you think of such an incredible idea?

[Super Mario]

I don't mean to brag, but I have a bit of a talent for Mario fanfiction, you know. My other story that I wrote a year ago (it's still unfinished) got really good replies, too. No one's said much on this one. You're not really interrupting, since I haven't replied to it in a while. Thanks for the compliment. I'll try and get more of it written soon. At least now it's not at the bottom of the board! Ciao.

- Super Mario

See how the mustache hides the slightly sad smile... and the sideburns, portraying his simple, blue-collar roots... and his legs, thick, wide, the legs of the masses!

[Mario Maniac]

I'll help you finish with your story okay...

Meanwhile...
Luigi was wondering how he was going to get back to Mario; he was still trapped in the dungeon with Prih T. and there seemed to be no way out!

"Hey, you drank all my Tasty Tonic and Koopa Tea mixture!" the old Toad groaned. "Now I'll have to go back and buy some more ingredients... Agh, where's the stupid phone? I've got to make an order..."

Luigi sighed. "Um, you do know that we're still trapped in here right!"

"Huh... oh right..." the old Toad said with a grunt. "I guess all that Tasty Tonic/Koopa Tea mixture has gott'n to the ol' noggin! Ha ha! So do y'all know a way outta here?"

"Nope... not that I can see..." Luigi shook his head, then he spotted a large crack near the upper window above them. "Wait a minute... If I can somehow break open that crack up there, we might be able to climb out of here! I need a lighter and some gun powder..."

"Where ya gunna find that?" the old Toad asked.

Luigi looked around and spotted a group of inactive Bob-Ombs over in a corner near the dungeon entrance.

"I need to somehow get one of the those Bob-Ombs over here..." Luigi paused and scratched his chin with his forefinger. Just then, a cartoon lightbulb appeared over his head... "Hey! I've got an idea!" Luigi said as he grabbed a chained rope hanging outside the cell near them...

Back in the kitchen, Mario was busy hiding behind a counter listening to Chef Torte's "secret plans"...

"So, Chef..." the apprentice asked, "When does Bowser expect to have this cake ready by?"

"He needz it by tonight, for the annual celebration of the Koopa Klan'z long reign in zee Dark World..." Chef Torte replied, grinning...

...[Will Mario ever get to know of the "secret plans"? Will Luigi and the old, drunken Toad ever get out of the dungeon alive? Stay tuned for the continuing  adventures of 'Fight me, Bowser!' Same Mario time, same Mario website!]

Edited by - Mario Maniac on 6/6/2002 9:07:34 AM

[Mario Maniac]

Bowser drummed his fingers along his gold-plated iron arm chair...growling deeply.

"Grrr...I could've defeated Mario once and for all, but he just had to go on and pull a stunt like that on me! I could've beaten him, you hear?!" Bowser roared at Kamek, his faithful Magikoopa servant.

"Yes, Your Viciousness... I know things did not go accoring to plan... But maybe this will help you in your future bouts with your arch-nemesis..." Kamek cackled as he pulled a rope hanging from a curtain behind him to reveal...

"The KoopaTron 7000! With this machine, you can obliterate the Mario bros. with one mighty blast from its dual laser cannons! This machine also has the remarkable ability to hover above the ground using my patented HovTrack technology!"

"Hmm..." Bowser sneered at the machine, his eyes narrowed at the thought of the total domination he could achive by using this profound machine... "Seems like a good plan Kamek, but how are we going to operate it?"

"It has a remote control device built into it's back, see!" Kamek pressed a button on his portable remote controller (which was actually a GameCube controller) and the monster turned around, with it's back facing the Koopa King. Bowser looked, and sure enough, there was a remote control device attached to it. "Using this remote control, we can control all of the functions this robot will use in the heat of battle!"

"Good...good. This plan should surely work! Where's my cake that I ordered Chef Torte to cook for me?" Bowser stomped his foot and the ground shook like thunder.

"Y-yes My Lord, vee are buzily preparing your cake vith due haste!" Chef Torte said over the loudspeaker. "Vee vill call you vhen it'z done!"

Meanwhile, Mario crept out from his hiding place in the kitchen and looked around. Chef Torte seemed nowhere to be found, nor the apprentice... "Hmm, I wonder what they're up to." Mario said as he spotted the large cake on the table across from him.

Mario got up and walked out of the kitchen and looked down the hallway. There were two Koopatrols marching their way toward the kitchen. Mario quickly ate a Volt 'Shroom, and glowed a bright yellow as he became electrically charged.

"Hey...what's that light over there?" one of the Koopatrols asked, peering into the distance.

"Dunno, let's check it out!" The Koopatrols lifted their lances and marched towards Mario, who was posed and ready to fight.

"Hey, it's Mario!" one Koopatrol shrieked.

"Come and get me hot-shots!" Mario said; but just then, the electrical power of the Volt 'Shroom wore off, and Mario was left with no other items in his item bag!

"Heh heh... You've got no more items to play with!" the Koopatrol said as he thrusted out his lance at the poor plumber.

Mario then jumped over the Koopatrol and tossed a chair at him. The chair knocked him backwards and he slammed into a wall, cracking his neck. The other Koopatrol charged angrily at Mario, who grabbed his lance at the tip and bent the Koopatrol's arm back with a SNAP!

"Owwwch!" The Koopatrol screamed as Mario took the lance and jabbed it through the Koopatrol's soft shell of thin metal armor. The lance pierced through the turtle's flesh as the Koopatrol screamed in agony. Blood spurted onto the floor as Mario wiped the residue off of his shirt...

"I've got to learn to control my anger..." Mario said with a chuckle. "More anger-management classes for me!"

Mario dashed down the hallway as he heared screams coming from a nearby room...

...[Will Mario ever get to Bowser in time? Will we ever see Luigi again? Find out next time as we continue the adventures of 'Fight me, Bowser'!]

[Mario Maniac]

...Luigi tossed the rope at one of the Bob-Ombs nearby. The rope latched around it's foot and Luigi tugged at it softly, trying not to activate it's fuse...

"Hurry up will ya!" Prih T. said as he tapped his foot impatiently.

"I almost got 'er..." Luigi said, but the Bob-0mb heard him, and it's dark eyes opened...glowing red with anger.

"Oops..." Luigi gasped as the Bob-Omb walked towards him. Luigi stepped back as the other Bob-Ombs awoke from their sleep and marched forward. "This is not good..."

The Bob-Ombs trampled over each other as they tried to squeeze through the bars of the cell. Luigi jumped behind Prih T., who was so woozey from the Tasty Toinic/Koopa Tea mixture that he did nothing but drool...

The Bob-Ombs continued to march forward, their eyes glowing brighter and brighter with each step... One of the Bob-Ombs was almost ready to blow, and it was hopping up and down furiously!

"Watch out!" Prih T. yelled.

BBBOOOMMM!!!

The Bob-Omb exploded, leaving a huge crack in between the bars of the cell.

"Well, that didn't go as planned..." Luigi sighed with relief. "But at least we can get outta here now!"

Luigi grabbed Prih T. by the arm, who jerked away.

"Hey, keep yer hands to yerself!" Prih T. snapped. "I can get outta here when I want to, and right now... I ... don't ..." Prih T. fell sleep!

Luigi shrugged as he slowly crept his way toward the exit. A Spiked Goomba was guarding the doorway, and quickly noticed him.

"Hey, you have permission to exit from this premisice?" the Goomba snarled.

"Actually, yes!" Luigi said, hoping to confuse the not-too-bright Goomba. "I-uh got orders from... King Bowser to see him in his lair..."

"A likely story..." the Goomba said, not convinced. "If you've gotta see Bowser, then you have to show your permission slip!"

"Uh, I have none but I do have this..." Luigi said as he held out his hand in a fist.

"Huh, what'cha got there?" the Goomba asked.

Luigi punched the Goomba hard in the mouth, leaving nothing but a bloody stump and a spiked helmet...

Luigi skipped over the Goomba's remains and trotted out of the dungeon.

Edited by - Mario Maniac on 6/6/2002 9:55:59 AM

[MadMario]

Just asking, but aren't stalagmites on the ground, and stalicites on the ceiling?

[Super Mario]

I've got a few things to say here.

I don't know whether stalagtites are on the ceiling or ground, and I figured since that was only a minscule part of my story it didn't matter too much, MadMario.

Now then...

I don't mean to sound rude, but I never gave you permission to continue my story as you did. I know this is an RPG board, but my story is not an RPG, it's a fanfiction for me to write and let you all read, if you choose to do so. It is not your decision to decide when Mario does what, whether he would stab a Koopa with a lance, and whatnot. I don't prefer blood in my stories, or anything that wouldn't happen in the games. I don't think Mario would kill one of the Koopa Troopas, well, at least not on purpose. I don't know where to go from here. I might have to start this story over. If you can, please delete your posts, and if you can't, then I hope people will realize they are false. I hope you don't take my actions the wrong way, but, if you want to make a Role Playing post, it isn't too hard.

Ciao.






See how the mustache hides the slightly sad smile... and the sideburns, portraying his simple, blue-collar roots... and his legs, thick, wide, the legs of the masses!

[Fifth]

Yeah, I really would like to see what Super Mario has in mind for his story.  It's quite well written and interesting, and I was (and still am) looking foward to the next part(s).
Sorry, Mario Maniac, but I'm going to have to support the intent of the creator here, as is my wont.

Go Moon!

[MadMario]

I was only asking an unimportant question. No need to get mad at me (lol, mad, MadMario...nevermind).

[Super Mario]

Looks like it's time to continue.

Oh, I wasn't mad at you MadMario, sorry if it came off that way ^_^.

Anways...

***

Mario slowly, almost cartoonishly lifted his head over the edge of the barrel. He had jumped into this barrel of flour after being almost spotted by Chef Torte's apprentice, who was trying to find something to entertain himself with in the process.

Mario was lucky he didn't have allergies. He blinked a few times, clearing his eyes of flour. His keen ears began to pick up on the conversation between Chef Torte and his apprentice:

"Zo, you wish to know what ze 'plan' is, aye? Well, iz very, very top-top-top-top secret!! So, don't tell anyone!", Chef Torte demanded, thwapping his apprentice on the head with ladel. The apprentice ducked his head, muttering, "Y-yes sir...".

Chef Torte hooked his arms behind his back, striding back and forth in front of his apprentice like a general to his troops, smiling broadly, and to Mario, it seemed like an evil smile. But, it could have just been the flour clouding his vision...

"Ah, well now. The plan has to do with ZIS very cake! Zis cake which I made with my own hands!! I put my zoul into this cake! It iz... perfect!!", Chef Torte continued, bragging on about his cake, "And with zis cake we shall implant... Super-Omb Z12!"


***

"Super-Omb Z12!?", shouted Luigi. "Keep 't down, youngin'!", the old Toad whispered, "They don't think I know about it! But, heh, get this! I hear every word! And the guards seem t' get extree bits o' information every night 'o so, so I figger I 'bout got this 'Omb' figgered out!", he said, glee in his voice.

"Well...I'm not sure I wanna know...but...what's this Super-Omb Z12 supposed to do?", asked the green-clad hero, rubbing his chin as he came to his own horrifying conclusions. Thoughts of millions of bob-ombs taking over the Mushroom Kingdom filled his head. Bowser reigning. Mario gone. Peach overthrown. It made him shudder.

"From what I've heard, they plan to implant it inside of a big, big cake! And then, they're gonna have a Mario look-alike deliver it to Peach!! When she presents it to the town as a gift...well, the Bomb explodes!! But, not yer av'rage Bob-Omb, no sirree. This bomb...well, I heard 'em say something like Chef Torte put his..."zoul" in it or something...not sure on that part."

"Soul, maybe?", Luigi asked, already beginning to figure it out.

"I bet'choo! OoHH! I bet! Oh! Yeah! I bet...that's what "zoul"'s sposed to be. Yep."

"...Yeah, go on.", Luigi said, wondering if this whole plan was some dilirium caused by the Tonic...

Luigi sat forward on the old cot that the Toad had been sinking on, looking up towards Prih. T, who was just a little taller than him standing up. The bed smelled of old tonic formulas and a muskey scent which the old Toad said was cologne but was obviously just hay or something other.

"Well, I think they plan to stick Bowser's soul...his evil nature, and his form, into that bomb...somehow. I bet Kamek came up with this one!", the old Toad muttered, growling under his breath.

"This doesn't sound good. What...happens when this big thing explodes...?", Luigi asked timidly.

***

"BOOM!!", screamed Chef Torte, making an explosion motion with his arms, "It zends out Bowzer's zoul to all of the Mushroomians, and they are completely taken over! Izn't it great!?", he said. "Even Peach won't be able to resist him!! He'll have them all to his will!! And once the explosion occurs, it will spread not just over the Mushroom Kingdom, but through the entire world! Hahahahahahahaha!!", Chef Torte cackled.

Mario and Luigi jumped back in their seats. They had felt the shock at the same time. How could Bowser have come up with such a plan in so short a time?

Mario didn't hesitate after that. He leapt from the barrel, catching the outside edge of it with his floury foot as he leapt, kicking the barrel towards Chef Torte, who was knocked into the air and came down to land in a bag of sleepy sheeps, falling sound asleep.

Mario moved quickly, dashing to the apprentice, and sweeping his feet from under him, causing him to tumble into a vat of Jammin' Jelly, where he got stuck, his head being visible as he sat unable to move.

"I'm not gonna allow this plan to happen!!", Mario screamed at the snoozing Torte and the trapped apprentice. He bolted through the door to the next room.

Mario looked down. He shook his head. The staircase he stood at seemed to travel and spiral down forever. Stones and bricks were lost in places. Every part of Bowser's Castle seemed to be falling apart!

Mario slowly crept down the steep spiraling staircase ( I dare any of you to say "steep spiraling staircase" 5 times fast! ). He wasn't sure of what would be around the next curve, so he tiptoed quietly, ready to pounce at the sound of footsteps.

Mario's ears twitched. Just then, he heard the light step of another's shoes coming up the stairs. The muscles in his legs stiffened, and he drew back, before leaping into a tall mustached man that had been ready to attack him.

Mario and Luigi tumbled down the staircase, fighting at each other in ignorance to who they were fighting. Luigi bit onto Mario's arm, who then kicked him sharply in the shin. Eventually they smashed through a faded part of the wall, sprawling into an almost cleared out stone room, and landing next to one another.

"You biter!!", Mario screamed, lunging at the figure in the dark. Luigi pushed his hands to his sides, throwing fireballs out in each direction, to give Mario the message.

"Luigi!?!", Mario yelled. "Hey, Mario!", Luigi said, and hugged his brother for a short moment.

"No time for-a hugging, bro. You've gotta' hear what Bowser's planning!", Mario began to explain, when Luigi interrupted, "I already know! This old Toad named Prih T. told me the story before I escaped from the prison I was in."

"You were in a prison? And you escaped? What else happened to you?", Mario asked.

"No time to tell it all, bro. We need to find out-a where we are, and fast!", Luigi said, looking around him, and thinking, 'Hope there aren't any ghosts...'

* * * Will Mario and Luigi make it back to the Mushroom Kingdom in time to warn Princess Peach!? Will Bowser be able to beat them this time?! Come see next time!

See how the mustache hides the slightly sad smile... and the sideburns, portraying his simple, blue-collar roots... and his legs, thick, wide, the legs of the masses!

[MadMario]

Hey, uh, Super Mario, can you keep going? This is a great story!

Ignorance is Bliss.

Mario, Mario, Mario! What happened to Mr. Andretti?