Mario's Nightmare

Darkness. Mario was lying on the floor, staring at the stars. He had no idea where he was…except he suddenly woke up here.

Well, I guess I may as well explore a bit. This could be fun.

Mario got up, and started walking about. He was in a city of sorts, in an alleyway. Outside of the alleyway, was a lonely road with no cars driving by. Then Mario heard menacing footsteps emanating from the alley. There was music playing, fingers snapping, and footsteps in unison. It was an alley gang.

I don't like the sound of that music…or those footsteps...or even those snapping fingers.

Mario started to run, but the pavement waved like a tidal wave, and Mario fell on his back. The music was getting closer, and Mario was lost. He got up, and started sprinting.

He dived into an open window, and closed it hastily. The music slowly became quieter and quieter and quieter, until it was gone. No more. Mario sighed in relief, and put his hand on the knob. He turned it, but it wouldn't turn.

He walked to the window, and tried opening it. It wouldn't budge.

Am I locked in?

Just then, he saw a shadow behind him. Mario quickly spun round and sent his fist forward, striking something not visible. It was too dark…too dark to see anything this far away from the window.

There was a wail, and some panicked footsteps going upstairs. Mario blindly gave chase, stumbling up the stairs he eventually found, and crawling to a door. He opened it, and entered. He walked forward, looking about a bit, but it was just an empty room.

Anyone here? Anyone?

The only answer he got was the sudden door closing.

Is someone playing a prank on me?

He heard a crack, and looked around again. The window was open. Mario approached it cautiously. Mario peeked outside, and found there was a trampoline outside.

I could jump outside this way!

The alley gang music started playing again.

Uh…on second thoughts, I'd think I'll be safer indoors.

Mario realized something.

Now, I'm pretty sure that window wasn't open when I entered…is someone breathing on me!?

There was something behind him. He could feel it breathing down his neck. Mario froze, and slowly, very slowly turned around. He opened his eyes at the slowest possible rate, to see a Pianta.

Please, let this Pianta be friendly.

"Howdy!" he greeted.

Mario waved, a bit worried.

"So, is this your house?" Mario asked.

"I wouldn't call this where I live, but I do indeed own this house. Had it for exactly 12 years, 12 months, 12 days, 12 hours, 12 minutes and…wait for it…12 seconds." He then leaned up close to Mario, and whispered. "Do you know what else?"

I have a bad feeling about this…

Mario hesitated.

"What?"

"Well…I'll show you." The Pianta grabbed Mario, and chucked him out the window. "I'M A CHUCKSTER!"

Oh boy, this brings back GREAT memories.

Mario flew through the starry skies, crying out as he smashed through some passing Goonies, a pack of twelve to be precise. They all spun in shock (or pain), and flew to the ground.

Ooh, I think I heard them crash.

Mario collided with a window in a tall building. He smashed through the glass, and bounced around a bit in the house he flew into, and ended up stopping, butt against the wall. A little yellow Noki was staring at him as if he was crazy, and the computer she had been staring at had blueprints for a Robotic Turtle.

This is gonna end badly. I can feel it in my injured bones.

"Mummy, someone cannoned into my room!" she cried.

A taller, blue Noki entered the room, and gasped.

"NICK! SOMEONE'S TRYING TO INVADE OUR HOUSE AND STARTLED OUR LITTLE GIRL ON THE NIGHT OF HER TWELVTH BIRTHDAY!" she yelled, fuming with rage.

Mario stared, wide-eyed as a bulky pink Pianta stomped in, picked up Mario, carried him to the window Mario shattered on one shoulder, and stared out the window.

"You've disrupted my family, so you're gonna have to pay. Where do you live?" the Pianta asked.

"Um…I can't see my house from here, but it's on the ground somewhere."

"Underground?" the Pianta asked as he spun Mario in a circle with one arm. "Perfect! By the way…I'M A CHUCKSTER!"

He then chucked him out of the window, into the ground. Mario smashed through the ground, and kept going until he landed in some mud. Mario was battered, bruised, muddy and his clothes were a tad torn.

"Ugh…this night was a nightmare." Mario groaned. His whole body was hurting. "Wait, this might just be a nightmare!"

Mario limped out of the crater he created, and heard that same music from earlier, along with some footsteps in unison and some snapping.

A group of pretty tall and bulky Piantas surrounded the plumber. There were twelve of them.

Why is it always twelve of something or the twelfth?

"I see you've been thrown about. I guess you like that sort of thing." The leader of them said. "How 'bout we do that sort of thing, too? What do you say, boys?"

"Let's chuck him!"

"Yeah, let 'em have it! Throw him out the kingdom!"

"Drive him down under!"

"Throw him into some bowlin' pins!"

"Looks like y'all agree. Let's chuck him."

The leader picked up Mario, and chucked him to the second Pianta, who purposely let Mario hit the ground before chucking him to the third, and they chucked him about like that for a while. One of them kicked him to another, and was ridiculed for it, but it was generally the same thing.

. . .

"OK, boys, I'm bored of this guy. Let's ditch him." The leader said, catching the plumber, and hurling him with all his might.

Mario went soaring through the skies again, and was approaching Peach's Castle.

When will this nightmare end?

Mario smashed through yet another window, and landed before Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Toad and Daisy in the main room. They all gasped and stared at him.

"What happened to you?" Peach asked. "You look beaten and bruised everywhere…"

"Bro, are you OK?" Luigi asked.

"Did someone attack you on your way here?" Toad asked.

"I'm fine…I think. I forgot about the party completely, but I suddenly winded up here after a series of events. It wasn't fun, but at least this nightmare will end soon."

"Um…this isn't a dream." Daisy explained, casually. "This is a real nightmare."

"So, are we going to the movies now? I heard they're giving away free popcorn to celebrate this day!" Yoshi cheered.

"First, let's fix up Mario. Luigi, could you help change his tattered clothes? Toadsworth bought some spares for you a few years ago." Peach asked.

"No problem! Let's go change, bro!"

. . .

Mario was changed into a new set of overalls, and was given a brand new cap. In minutes, he was now sitting with the best friends in the world, in the cinema, watching The Legend of Groose, the twelfth movie played that night, and the twelfth movie in the particular series it was in. One of Mario's friends (who were literally out of this world) recommended it to him.

"It looks like this nightmare is finally over…" Mario sighed, and enjoyed the rest of his day.

Just a little something I whipped up a couple of days ago...wanted to celebrate today, "12/12/12", since it was the last time we'll see it for a while.

But it's a bit sloppy, so I'll probably fix it up one day.