Disclaimer: I don't own Mario or Sonic, but Nintendo and Sega do in order.

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Mario and Sonic: Temporal Escapades

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Introduction

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Across time and space, there was a version of Earth that was similar to its many otherworldly counterparts, yet different in its diversity of nations and life, as well as it's progress in science and magic. Among the many countries that dotted this planet, nine prominent kingdoms were collected as the Mushroom World continent. Referred to as such due to the abundance of fungus-based life forms that reside there and special types of Mushrooms that could restore the health of individuals among other things.

One of the largest, richest, and most influential of these kingdoms was the Mushroom Kingdom under the beloved rule of Princess Peach Toadstool. A Human well-known for her beauty, kindness, wisdom, and optimism, as well as her ongoing conflict with King Bowser Koopa Sr. of Dark Land. Charismatic, ruthless, power-hungry to a fault, Bowser was infamous all over the universe for his great crimes that ranged from simple kidnapping to outright terrorism. His main goals to universal domination and forcibly marrying Peach had been thwarted for what many viewed as a lifetime by his lifelong, Human arch-enemy, Mario, the legendary, heroic superstar whose exploits had branched across dimensions and time periods.

Not so far from Peach's domain, Dark Land was a stark contrast to the rest of the Mushroom World. A sinister land largely untouched by sunlight filled with giant skulls of undead Koopas known as Dry Bones and the endlessly burning flames of volcanoes, the few pieces of civilization it carried were castles and fortresses under the command of Bowser's Koopa Troop, defenses in the form of tanks, airships, and battleships, as well as the neon-lit capital of Neo Bowser City which stood only miles away from Bowser's central Castle styled in his likeness within a volcano where a gathering among the Koopa Troop's core members took place.

The Koopa Troop was an evil union of diverse species determined to take their revenge on what they saw as a neglectful universe that had treated them poorly by conquering it. It's name came from the fact it was led by the King of the turtle-like Koopa race, Bowser himself. Yet it was also composed of the fungus-based Goombas, the carnivorous Piranha Plants, the ghost-like Boos, and many other racial leaders who had sworn loyalty to Bowser and his quest for power and revenge.

Seated at a long and wide wooden table in the Castle's extravagant dining room were the leaders and high-ranking members of the Koopa Troop. Including Petey Piranha of the Piranha Plants, King Boo of the Boos, the seven Koopalings that served as Bowser's wards, and Bowser himself at the left end of the table. The table was stacked with foods of great variety. Mainly meats and deserts. The gathering was going quite smoothly as each invitee and host excluding Bowser enjoyed delicious food and decent conversations.

"So then, I had that idiot deserter thrown of my airship!" Said the second youngest of the Koopalings, Morton Koopa Jr., who was telling his evil brethren a sadistic story they were enjoying.

Morton was the largest of his siblings with a penchant for astuteness, anger, and raucous speaking. Unlike his brothers and sister, he had a dark brown skin tone, except for his face, which was white. He had a unique star mark on the left side of his face which was centered on his left eye and covered part of his snout and cheek. Possessing four fang-like teeth in the upper corners of both sides of his large mouth, a four-ribbed, light, padded stomach, tan, padded feet, a black shell lined with a white encasing along with multiple short spikes circled with white rings, small, circular-shaped eyes, a round head, metal, spiked cuffs, and the closet things he had for hair were nine, thin, long, black hairs that were divided amongst his eyebrows and the top of his head.

"Did the fool beg, Morton?" Said the eldest Koopaling, Ludwig von Koopa after he slowed down his cruel chuckling.

Like the remaining Koopalings, Ludwig had yellow and tan skin. His green head was round and his eyes small and circular like Morton's. His stomach and feet were similarly padded and ribbed, as well. He had shaped cheeks, a high nose, a low jaw, and deeply curved lips with one beaver-like tooth in the upper center of his snout. Possessing average height, large, wild, blue hair and small, blue eyebrows, a blue shell with light orange rings surrounding the multiple, short spikes, and wearing the same cuffs his brothers had, he was renowned for his conceited arrogance, his cultured genius, and ability for great cruelty.

"You bet your shell he did!" Exclaimed Morton in response. "You should've heard him scream to his death."

More laughter erupted across the table which quickly died down after seeing Bowser's continued arm-fold and serious look.

A huge, burly, green-shelled with a white encasing and green-headed Koopa with spikes on his shell and tail, brown-orange spike-rings along his shell spikes, two small horns on his head, bright red eyes, his bushy eyebrows and mane a bright, fiery red-orange, he wore spiked collars around his neck and arms, his massive feet each had three claws, his six fingers and two thumbs were also claw-tipped, and his snout, underbelly, limbs, and tail were an orange-tinged yellow. He was different from the casual Koopa Troopa for being a combination of the many species of Koopas. Unlike most tyrants whose subjects served them out of fear or greed, the soldiers of the Koopa Troop were largely loyal to Bowser out of genuine respect for his powers and he, in turn, treated them like family as long as they didn't show treachery and incompetence often. He called the gathering to strategize for their next plan to conquer the universe and after filling his stomach, waited patiently for them to follow his business-like attitude. Although his patience was clearly wearing thin.

"Okay, how about some music, Gooper Blooper?" Asked Ludwig awkwardly to the giant, white squid-like creature with a black marking on his face, which resembled a mask, with long and large tentacles.

"Alright." Replied the giant Blooper. "You orchestrate, I boogie and hop."

"That sounds cool!" Said Bowser's lookalike, biological son and crown prince, Bowser Jr., enthusiastically.

Junior had a yellow skin tone that lacked the tan seen on his dad and most of the Koopalings, a light green head, he had one, fang-like tooth in the upper corner of the left side of his large snout, his mouth wide, puffy, and con-vexed, his black eyes similar to his peers, spikes on his head in place of his dad's horns, and he wore spike-less, metal cuffs on his wrist and a white bandanna decorated with drawn-on fangs and casually worn like a mask. Having inherited his father's bad attitude, he eagerly followed the elder Bowser's directions wherever he went.

Turning to his father on his right, Junior nudged him to get his attention.

"What about it, Papa?" He said with excitement. "Which song would you like to hear?"

"Songs?!" Bowser bellowed with fury that seemed unreal. His patience run out, he emerged from his seat, and paced the floor yelling. His followers paying close attention out of shock and fear. "It's total victory I want, you clods! I have slaved since my crib days for the moment when I finally get the three things I've wanted most for my whole life! Complete domination of the universe, Princess Peach's hand in marriage, and Mario's death! And yet, no matter how hard I try, I fail constantly! I summoned you all here to help me think of a new plan and here you are acting complacent like we already rule the universe! If you people spent your time working more than you do eating, joking, and playing music, perhaps I'd have everything by now!"

Releasing some breaths of exasperation, Bowser took a glance and saw sad faces of shame on all of his gathered minions. Junior and most of the younger commanders were starting to cry. Realizing he went to far, Bowser returned to the table and hugged Junior.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you all." He said with sincere apology. "It just gets so frustrating that I forget I'm not the only one bruised from all this."

"No one's tried harder than you, King Dad." Said Ludwig regaining his composure.

"Yeah, Roy and me of all people know how crazy it gets." Said Morton pointing to the third oldest Koopaling, Roy Koopa.

Roy possessed the same yellow and tan skin complexion and cuffs while having a pink head, a pair of cat-eyed hot-pink sunglasses, a purple, white encased shell with hot-pink rings circled his multiple, shot shell spikes, had the long arms and hunched shoulders of a gorilla, a feline-shaped mouth with his lips deeply curved and nose flat, and two fang-like teeth in the upper corners of both sides of his snout. Roy was known as the bad boy of the Koopalings. Appearing calm and collected one moment and a typical bully the next. All the same, he was a dirty player that used his brawn to get what he wanted.

"If it makes you feel better, Pops, you can know that I'll always believe in you and your plans." Said Roy in a calm tone.

Relaxed somewhat, Bowser showed a small smile.

"Thank you, Roy." Then he regained his serious look and decided to return to the subject at hand. "Now, does anyone have any ideas? Answer honestly."

"Well, King Dad, the only thing I can think of that we team up with guys like King K. Rool, or something." Said the second oldest Koopaling, Lemmy Koopa.

Very short for his age, Lemmy had a distinctive pair of orange bars on the left-side of his head which was oval-shaped, his stomach was three ribbed, his mouth was turtle-shaped, his large, oval eyes were crossed, his multi-colored Mohawk that goes from yellow, pink, blue, yellow, pink, blue, and ends in a long ponytail that fades from yellow to orange at the tip, and his orange, white encased shell had yellow rings that circled the spikes. Lemmy, despite being the second oldest, was more of a fun-loving child who wanted to join the circus instead of the serious conqueror Bowser portrayed.

"Perhaps, Lemmy." Bowser replied. "But I don't trust any of the other villains any more then I trust most of you." Pointing to the white, large, spherical ghost with small arms, black eyes, fangs, and a golden, five-pointed crown with a blue jewel in the front and four red jewels around the sides for emphasis. "That means you, King Boo."

"What?" King Boo said with surprise. "My Lord, I have always been loyal to you and your glorious cause." He tried to paint himself as a devotee, but Bowser would have none of it.

"Word in Evershade Valley is you tried to conquer the world for yourself!" Bowser spat. "You didn't even have enough respect for me to say so yourself."

"Luigi and his nutty professor friend trapped me in a painting." King Boo pleaded. "I was angry. I didn't have time to tell you I was back."

"Just like you didn't tell me you wanted to go after the Mario Bros. yourself in the first place?" Bowser said in an annoyed way. Calming down, he then said. "I'm still keeping you because I need the Boos to follow someone when I'm not around and it's safer that way so I can keep an eye on you."

"Of course, Master." Said the King of all Boos in defeat.

Returning his gaze to the table at large, he then went back his discussion of trust among evildoers.

"Besides, the villains we've discovered had no more luck against hero and anti-hero alike then we do now. I see the merit, but if it's going to work, I must find a way to manipulate and betray them before they do the same to me like I did with Antasma."

After some thinking, the nearly typical Magikoopa on Bowser's right side decided to speak. Yellow skinned, he wore a pair of round spectacles, a set of blue robes complete with a blue wizard's hat with the hat brim and sleeve edges both white, he showed no physical signs of aging and yet, many knew he had been around when Bowser himself was an infant. His name was Kamek, Bowser's childhood caretaker, chief advisor, and leader of the Koopa race's number of sorcerers.

"Perhaps it's best we take a peak at the near future." He said in a sagely tone.

Everyone was looking at Kamek now. Although it was no secret the old Magikoopa had talents in precognition, he didn't use them often and when he did, he used them only in the case of an emergency.

"Do it." Bowser ordered calmly.

Wasting no time, Kamek took out a crystal ball from his robe and placed it on the table. With a wave of his right hand, the ball began to glow bright and then images were shown. Images of a massive space station which resembled the face of a mustached Human man with concave eye-sockets hovering over a city no one recognized, a creature Bowser first assumed was a blue porcupine before realizing it was a hedgehog, seven differently colored gems emitting powerful surges of energy within a complex machine and many other images that the gathered evildoers could not understand. Showing animals and robots with appearances none of them have ever seen before. After a few moments, the visions died down until they abruptly vanished. Leaving the Koopa Troopers excluding Kamek with clueless expressions.

"Alright, uh, what was that about?" Said King Boo giving voice to his confusions.

"If you had investigated enough about Koopa dark magic, King Boo, you would know that the full extent of these sort of visions can only be understood by the Magikoopa who casts them." Said Ludwig in a matter of fact tone.

"So what did it mean, Kamek?" Asked Junior.

"I believe the solution to our plans reside not within our world, but in another." Replied Kamek. "And when the time comes, the items and people who will provide that solution will come to us." He merely shrugged. "I'd give a day, or so."

Emerging from his seat once more, Bowser relayed his orders to his followers with great confidence.

"Very well. I will order all our forces to be on the lookout for inter-dimensional readings of any kind. Once you all are done eating, I expect you to be at your bases to help in the search." As he left to carry out his order to the Koopa Troop's sentries, he spoke with great assurance that his fellow hosts and guests could hear him. "If this works out, I'll soon have enough knowledge and power to conquer all the universes."

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To be continued

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Behind the scenes

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I partly based Bowser's gathering on a scene from an old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episode where Lord Dregg is inspired to work with the Shredder and Krang and from Prince John's outburst in Disney's Robin Hood movie. I plan to go forth in time. Hopefully won't have to ask for help on this one. By the way, I know the real names of Mario's home planet and dimension haven't been confirmed, but I think we all want some answers so I turned Ludwig and his siblings into wards and I'm going to make it official that the original Mario games like Donkey Kong and such are more like alternate universes and I'm going to make it stick that Mario's Earth is somewhat like our own.