*Tails is analyzing the Egg Pawn parts we brought him. Shadow, Peach, Daisy and I come in*
Me: How's the analysis, Tails?
Tails: I've almost found the source of their increased power.
Daisy: You're pretty handy with those tools.
Tails: *chuckles* Thanks. I sometimes tinker with machinery.
*We hear a twinkling sound coming from one of the robot parts on Tails' desk*
Shadow: Speaking of machinery, I think we found our source.
*Tails searches the lead robot's power source and we see that it was powered by a star-shaped diamond*
Peach: *gasps* A Crystal Star!
Shadow: A crystal what?
Me: A Crystal Star, one of seven used to open the Thousand-Year Door, a gateway to the dreaded Palace of Shadow.
Tails: Do you remember something like that happening, Peach?
Peach: How could I forget? That was one of the few times someone other than Bowser kidnapped me. I was also possessed by an evil spirit, forcing me to fight against Mario.
Daisy: *shudders* Possessed by a spirit and forced to fight your hero. I'm glad that didn't happen to me.
Me: I hear you. Tails, think you can build us a tracker that can help us search for them?
Tails: I've built something like that for the Chaos Emeralds, so I'm sure this one can do the job for these Crystal Stars.
Me: Good. I'll be sure to be prepared for when it's done. Until then, you readers enjoy this new story.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything. All rights belong to Nintendo.
Super Mario Sunshine: Double Trouble
Prologue: A Rough Landing
High above the skies of the Mushroom Kingdom, a pink-and-white plane is flying past some clouds. Inside are the famous Mario Brothers. With them are Princesses Peach and Daisy. Peach's longtime steward, Toadsworth, as well as a few Toads, accompanied them. Everyone, especially Luigi and Daisy, are stoked to visit Isle Delfino.
"Thanks for letting us go with you to Isle Delfino, Mario." Luigi thanked his older brother.
"This will be a great chance to take in the sights." Daisy said and beamed.
"Mm-hmm, especially since our previous vacation was ruined by that awful Bowser Jr." Peach added, recalling the last time she and Mario went on vacation.
The last time they went to Isle Delfino was not a happy memory for either Peach or Toadsworth. It started out with a rough landing on the airstrip because it was covered by a mysterious goopy graffiti that was shaped like Mario's face. Worried about Peach's well-being, Toadsworth sends Mario to call for help. He returns with a special water pump known as F.L.U.D.D. strapped onto his back. He uses that very pump to clean the airstrip and find one of the missing Shine Sprites, the island's main power source.
But their vacation was cut short as the Delfino Police arrive and arrest Mario. At the trial, they see the wanted poster of someone who resembles the red-garbed hero. The posters led them to believe that Mario was the culprit. Peach tries to prove his innocence to the judge, but he ignores her and charges Mario to clean the entire island.
The vacation becomes worse when after cleaning some goop in Bianco Square, the Grand Pianta Statue appears and on top it stood the Mario impostor, in his hand a staff-like paintbrush that can generate the graffiti. The impostor, known as Shadow Mario, leaps down from the statue and kidnaps Peach without missing a beat. Mario chases and sprays the kidnapper with water until he dropped her. Shadow Mario then led the original Mario back to the statue, paints an M-shaped portal on one of the sides, and escapes into it. Mario takes chase by going into the portal, winding up in Bianco Hills.
After claiming a few more Shine Sprites, the impostor kidnaps Peach again and escapes with her to an amusement park on a small island off the coast via a motorboat. Mario pursues him. Once there, Mario entered the park and chased Shadow Mario to the fountain. It was then he fought and defeated a giant Bowser robot using a rollercoaster and Water Rockets. After which, he locates Peach and Shadow Mario, the latter revealed to be Bowser Jr., Bowser's son. He explains to Mario that his father told him he was the villain who kidnapped Peach, who was believed to be his mother. And after explaining to him why he impersonated Mario and polluted the island in order to have him imprisoned, he escapes to the volcano on the island with Peach in tow.
Mario continues to clean the island and return the Shine Sprites until the entire island is flooded with water from the volcano. Mario spots his shadow doppelganger and chases him into the volcano. He climbs the volcano until he reaches a floating hot tub filled to the brim with green water. Inside it were Bowser, Bowser Jr., and Peach, her being on a small boat. Mario fights the father/son duo and flips over the tub, causing all of them to fall. As a result of the battle, F.L.U.D.D. was damaged and later repaired by the Toads. Bowser was about to confess to his son about Peach not really being his mother, but Junior figured it out on his own and promises to fight Mario again once he grows up.
"Attention, passengers. This is your captain speaking." The captain of the plane spoke from the PA system. "We are now approaching Isle Delfino. Please fasten your seatbelts as we begin our descent." The island was within sight of the passengers. They were amazed. And it became even more amazing as a video played, detailing the island's famous attractions. The brothers and Toadsworth were dazzled by this, oblivious to the mystery shadows running behind the Piantas in the video. Peach was the first to see them.
"Those shadows…" Peach thought aloud.
"What is it, Peach?" Daisy asked her.
"Oh, nothing. Nothing important." Peach told her. The plane approaches the airstrip and lands smoothly. The plane suddenly starts to swerve out of control, pushing our group off of their seats until it came to a complete stop.
"Ugh… what just happened?" Daisy asked, rubbing the back of her head.
"I don't know, but whatever it was that happened seems familiar." Peach answered. The group exits the plane and they see a familiar puddle of goop in the center of the runway. It's in the shape of Mario's head.
"I say, Master Mario. Isn't that the same puddle of that goop that was here last time?" Toadsworth asked the red-clad hero.
"Well, now that I think about it, it does. It's a good thing I brought F.L.U.D.D. along, just in case this happened again." Mario answered. A Blue Toad came and brought Mario the water pump.
"GREETINGS, MARIO." F.L.U.D.D. greeted Mario. "IT IS NICE OF YOU TO BRING ME ON YOUR VACATION."
"Thanks, F.L.U.D.D., but do you think you can help with this mess?" Mario asked.
"MARIO, WE CLEANED THE ISLAND BEFORE, IF THIS IS BOWSER JR'S DOING, WE CAN DO IT AGAIN." F.L.U.D.D. told him as Mario strapped the pump to his back. As Mario began to wash away the puddle, Peach began to look around and noticed two shadows similar to the same one from the video standing on top of a water tower. Daisy looks at her with a puzzled look.
"What's wrong, Peach?" Daisy asked.
"Did you see those shadows?" Peach asked.
"What shadows?" Daisy said in confusion as she looked to the water tower, only to find that the shadows are gone. "This heat must be playing tricks on you, Peach. You need to relax."
"Yeah, maybe I should." Peach said quietly in agreement. It was after Peach said those words Mario finished cleaning the runway. And that was when a Shine Sprite appeared from where the puddle used to be.
"Is that a Shine Sprite?" Luigi asked his brother.
"I think so, but I don't get it. F.L.U.D.D. and I returned all the Shine Sprites back to the Shine Gate." Mario answered as he took the Shine Sprite and pocketed it.
"THAT IS CORRECT, MARIO. IT IS SAFE TO ASSUME THAT BOWSER JR. IS AT HIS OLD TRICKS AGAIN." F.L.U.D.D. verified as two officers from the Delfino Police arrived via a small boat.
"Are you Mario and Luigi?" The blue officer asked.
"Yes, that's us." Mario answered.
"Good, because there's someone going around impersonating you two and stealing the Shine Sprite from the Shine Gate." The yellow officer reported.
"What?!" Both brothers exclaimed.
"We ask that you and your guests come with us. The chief will explain everything at the precinct." The blue officer recommended as they board the boat. Mario, Luigi, the princesses, Toadsworth and the Toads follow them onto the boat and leave the airstrip.
"Why do I get the feeling that something bad is about to happen?" Peach thought in her head.
*Shadow, Silver, Kenny, and Ralph are sparring in the training room. Vanellope and Sofia are in the stands watching as I come in with Sonic and Tails, the latter holding a type of handheld in his hands*
Silver: Archer, Sonic, Tails. What's going on?
Sonic: No time for chitchat, Silver.
Sofia: What's that in your hands, Tails?
Tails: Oh, this? I modified my Emerald Radar so that it can track down the location of the Crystal Stars.
Ralph: What are these "Crystal Stars"?
Shadow: It's a long story.
Kenny: What do these things do anyway?
Me: Well, they work like the Chaos Emeralds; the only difference is that each one gives you a different power, some of which can be similar to other skills. For example, the Emerald Star's "Clock Out" is much like Shadow's Chaos Control.
Vanellope: Sweet mother of monkey milk, they must be powerful!
Tails: Powerful enough to even plunge the entire multiverse into darkness.
Sofia: *gasps*
Me: Not if we have something to say about it.
Silver: You don't think we can find them, can't we?
Me: We can and we will. Tails, where's the nearest Crystal Star?
Tails: Well, the signal is pointing us towards a place called Pixie Hollow.
Ralph: Pixie Hollow? That's a strange place for a Crystal Star to end up.
Me: Perhaps, but it's a start. I'll get everything ready for our trip. As for you readers, reviews are very much obliged. I'll see you all in the next chapter.