CHAPTER 1

In an unknown universe, two interstellar travelers come upon a strange and diverse planet just as their ship runs out of fuel…

"What do you mean we're out of parachutes?" Captain Toad asked, his blood pumping ever faster as Toadette frantically searched through the control console.

"Oh Toad, what are we going to do?" She exclaimed, running to embrace the Captain. Toad rubbed his temples, and paced back and forth.

"We don't have enough starbit fuel to get out of orbit, and the planet's gravity is pulling us in! On top of all that, we don't have a parachute?" Just as the Captain's freak-out was over, their Starshroom suddenly rocked them both to the floor. Without any input from the pilots, the ship started moving exceedingly quicker towards the planet's surface. Captain Toad jumped into his seat, and strapped on his seatbelt. Toadette followed suit.

"This is gonna be one crazy ride." She muttered under her breath.

"We're going in for a crash landing! This is gonna be rough!" Captain Toad screamed, taking hold of the steering wheel, trying to wrestle it into submission. Toadette closed her eyes, and wished for this to all be just a dream. Her curiosity got the better of her. She peeked through the fear, and she saw puffy white clouds soaring past them. On the surface of the planet, an endless jungle populated by lush green canopies of verdant splendor. The ideal place to land would be water, but they weren't exactly at liberty to hold a variety of options.

"We're not gonna make it if we can't touch down in water!" Toad shrieked as he attempted to steer the plummeting Starshroom. Toadette hurriedly scanned the landscape, hoping for a small oasis to cushion their fall. Her pupils dilate in pure ecstasy as she sees it.

"There! Near the big tree! Land there, Toad!" Toadette notified as the Captain yanked the wheel to aim for the small lake. They were coming in hot, but they just might make it.

"3…" The automated voice of the ship starts. "2…" Toadette and Toad looked into each other's eyes. "1…" They both brace for impact. "Touchdown."

A spectacular explosion of fire and water rises out over the trees. Though the lake was small and barely full, it provided just the right amount of protection. The smoking and ruined Starshroom sat destroyed at the bottom of the empty scorched lake. Toad and Toadette lay unconscious. Unbeknownst to the sleeping explorers, the trees rustle near the crater where the water used to be. Watchful eyes peered through the brush, observing the Toads.

5 HOURS LATER…

Captain Toad put his hand on his forehead. He probably sustained a few scratches, but they survived. He looked around, but he didn't see Toadette. Getting up, he grabbed the fire flower from the emergency box: can't be too careful. Toad stepped out of the broken Starshroom, and surveyed the area. It was a heavily wooded rainforest with vines hanging from each and every branch. Most of the paths surrounding the oasis were too densely packed with trees to traverse, but there was one trail that was clear enough to go down. Toadette must have followed it, but why wouldn't she wake him up?

Cautiously, Captain Toad tiptoed down the path. Could something have happened to Toadette? It wasn't very likely that she would act so carelessly, and explore this strange place by herself. A sudden rumble shook the earth. He pulled out the fire flower, and prepared for a fight.

A grey blur stampeded across the path from the treeline. It didn't stop, and neither did it respond to his presence. He barely had time to recognize it existing, much less identify it. Though its negligence of him was comforting, it didn't put the Captain at ease. Leaves shook and branches rustled from where the beast had previously emerged. Toad equipped the fire flower, and his clothes turned white and red. From the forest came a small monkey with a red hat and shirt flinging itself through the trees. Toad took his chance to take out the presumed enemy, and let fly a fireball. The flaming projectile hit its mark, and, with a primatial shriek, he crippled the creature. It hit the forest floor with a thud.

Toad moved to inspect the felled monkey when a great ape revealed himself from the thick jungle. The Captain froze. The fierce animal was dressed in a large red tie with the distinct initials: 'DK' in big yellow letters. The ape took one look at the unconscious monkey, and another look at Captain Toad, whose fire power-up was just running out. The ape roared, and Toad's legs collapsed into jelly. The animal ran at the Captain, and then it all went dark.

NOT TOO MUCH TIME LATER…

How many times could he get knocked out in one day? Toad awoke again being carried under the arm of a very smelly ape. He coughed, and it alerted the primate. It didn't drop him, and it just continued walking. The monkey Captain Toad had dispatched of was under the other arm of the ape. Through the humidity and the lush grasses they traveled. Soon they came upon a wooden ladder that took them up into a tree house. The monkey was laid in a bed, and Toad was thrown in a cage. His prison was picked up by the ape, and brought before the elder of the primates. A wise old monkey with glasses sat in a rocking chair, very grumpy to be interrupted from his afternoon activity.

"Donkey Kong, you dolt! Why have you brought me this ordinary mushroom? This is the second time today with this mushroom business!" The cranky old ape lambasted the big dumb beast. Donkey Kong scratched his head, and then pointed to Captain Toad's headlamp and his backpack. The old ape shook his head.

"I'm not a mushroom! I'm a person!" Toad exclaimed, his pride slightly damaged by being assumed a piece of vegetation. Cranky was shocked.

"What in tarnation?" The old kong wondered aloud. "Donkey, son, where on earth did you find this… well what do you call yourself, little guy?" Cranky asked.

"I'm Captain Toad of Toad Brigade, but people who know me just call me Toad." The Captain clarified. "Have you seen my friend Toadette?" Cranky Kong thought for a moment.

"Oh dear…" Cranky Kong realized.

"What's the matter?" Toad asked. Donkey Kong sheepishly grinned, pretending not to be responsible for the situation.

"Oh, Donkey Kong, you big ol' dummy! That mushroom Rambi got away with must have been his friend!" Cranky yelled, knocking the younger yet larger Kong on the head with his cane. "Did you see that rambunctious Rhino by any chance?" Toad thought for a moment, and then remembered back to before he got knocked out for the second time. That grey blur…

"I do recall something running by me, is that the Rhino you're talking about?" Toad replied. Cranky nodded. He got out of his rocking chair, and pushed Donkey Kong aside as he hobbled over to the cage. He sprung the lock, and opened the top. Captain Toad climbed out.

"I'm very sorry for that, Mr. Captain Toad! This big lummox will accompany you to do what he and Diddy were supposed to do: find that Rambi and retrieve that mushroo- er… Frog...ette?" Cranky stumbled over his words, an obviously a sign of immense age.

"Thank you, and I'm sorry about hurting that younger monkey…" Toad apologized.

"Not a problem! Diddy can take more of a whoopin' than that! He wouldn't be my grandson if that would expire 'im! Heh heh heh…" Cranky trailed off again. "Anyway! Get a move on! Diddy usually keeps this big brute in line, but you're gonna need to use that smart brain of yours! Rambi doesn't usually act this crazy, maybe something is wrong. Go find Rambi, and get your friend!"

Toad thanked Cranky for his, thanks to Donkey Kong, forced hospitality, and set off into the jungle to find Toadette; oh, and that Rhino. Bambi? Whatever, Toadette was the main objective, and maybe he could figure out a way off this unfamiliar world… For the time being: he and his new companion had to begin their search.