Author's note Well here I am back with a new story for you inspired by Super Mario Odyssey which is one of my favorite games in the series. Firstly, I'm well aware it's late for me to be writing up an idea for Mario Odyssey since it's been a little over a year since Odyssey's release, so why am I writing a story for it?
Well, the answer is because a recent playthrough of the game inspired this idea when Cappy gets kidnapped by the Klepto within the Lost Kingdom involving an injured Mario having to go save Cappy. While I liked the scene keep in mind Mario narrowly avoided being struck by the cannonballs, a small part of me couldn't shake the idea of an injured Mario even though he's been injured, it's his determination to save Cappy which keeps him going while being aided by Luigi.
The main themes of this story will focus on the brotherly bond between Mario and Luigi along with the friendship Mario and Cappy have with each other. You'll see both themes coming into play many times throughout this story. This will be one of my shorter stories consisting of eight chapters at the most.
A thank you goes out to the Sensational SpiderDom 321 for helping me out with this story and the summary. He, as usual, was a great help with the editing process. Please check out his stuff; he's a talented writer as well with being a close friend of mine on the site. If you get the chance to check out his stories since I recommend them if you want great light-hearted humor along with fantastic interactions between the characters.
Disclaimer. I do not own Mario in any way, shape or form. Mario belongs to Nintendo.
Under normal circumstances, the Cloud Kingdom was known by everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom as the most peaceful kingdoms on the planet. It was made up of several giant clouds, however, today was different. A pair of combatants were engaged in a fight. Mario darted around the arena putting some distance between himself and the King of the Koopas dodging a constant stream of fireballs racing across the cloudy arena to his location.
Mario winced taking a step after being struck by one of Bowser's fiery blasts during their fight, sprinting towards Bowser determined to end their fight. Mario landed the final blow on Bowser, the force of his final punch sent Bowser flying into the air allowing a grim smile of satisfaction watching the Koop King come crashing down onto the deck of his ship near Princess Peach.
Mario looked up at Peach her soft blue eyes gazing down at Mario a small relieved smile on her face while still holding the writhing bouquet of Piranha Plants a look of sadness in her eyes. Bowser lay still on the ship quietly groaning in pain.
Mario broke into a desperate sprint racing towards the ship. "Hold on Peach, this whole nightmare will soon be over!"
Like something out of his worst nightmares, Bowser rose to his feet a sinister smile splitting the Koopa's mouth as he eyed Mario like a shark staring at its prey before going in for the kill.
"Bye-bye Mario, have an explosive farewell on me," Bowser rumbled. "All cannon's open fire on this unwelcome wedding guest!"
"Mario look out!"
Mario turned around only to be nearly crushed by one of the falling cannonballs. On contact with the cloud layer, the metallic ball exploding and sending pieces of metal everywhere. The wave of heat nearly singed the hairs along Mario's mustache. Mario realized he needed to reach the safety of the Odyssey. His heart pumping, Mario forced his aching legs into a desperate sprint, leaping for the Odyssey's deck only to be struck by a cannonball the force of which sent him crashing into the Odyssey.
"No, Mario no!" Peach cried out in horror with Tiara screaming out for her brother.
With a sickening lurch, the Odyssey plummeted through the clouds, a trail of thick black smoke trailing behind the wrecked airship which plummeted down towards the ground crashing through several branches and kicking up dirt, rocks, and foliage.
At last the Odyssey's frantic plunge came to a stop amongst the foliage of the Lost Kingdom and coming to rest near the edge of a small plateau. Mario was the first one to exit the Odyssey wincing from the pain from his burns with Cappy right behind him.
Mario gazed around his surroundings his lips curled up in a small frown. They'd appeared to have crashed in a jungle. Thick palm trees reached up into the sky, the sound of birds tweeting far off in the distance. Mario heard a faint bubbling, to his right. Limping badly Mario peered over the edge of the plateau grimacing at the sight of the deep purple poisonous water bubbling from his vantage point.
"Do you have any idea where we are Cappy?" Mario asked.
Cappy entered the Odyssey coming back out with a small leaflet in his hands. "Hmm, according to this leaflet we're stranded in the Lost Kingdom. It's known as one of the more remote locations in the world. "People have tried to live here, but due to the hostile wildlife, poisonous swamp waters, and steep cliffs it became an impossible task. Only explorers may venture here if they have a special permit issued by the Mushroom Kingdom."
Feeling uneasy with Cappy's answer, Mario paced around anxiously, looking at the wrecked Odyssey resting on the ground. Thick black clouds of smoke were leaking from the surface of the ship, reaching upwards into the air. Mario felt Cappy leaving his head; the ghost ran a worried eye over to the Odyssey's exterior.
Neither of them spoke to each other, choosing to work in silence.
Mario stood up, ignoring a searing pain coming from his left leg. The fabric of the material burned away, leaving behind a nasty burn. The reddish tint was standing out against his pale skin. One thought lingered in his mind and it haunted him.
So close, I was so close in saving both Peach and Tiara. Mario thought to himself sadly. A tight knot of guilt formed in his stomach. While he was thankful, both he and Cappy were still alive, both Peach and Tiara were still up there in Bowser's clutches. With every precious second that passed, there was no doubt in the plumber's mind Bowser was one step closer to forcing Peach to marry him.
Thick black smoke, poured from the gaping hole along the top of the Odyssey's exterior, sparks jutted out several smaller holes where a cannonball had struck the exterior of the Odyssey. Cappy hovered closer to the Odyssey. Despite the Bonneton's calm demeanor, Mario still heard a low moan of despair escaping from Cappy, betraying the Bonnetons' distress.
"This is bad, We must find more Power Moons, to repair the Odyssey," Cappy said softly.
Mario trembled with emotion, his whole body shaking. "I'm sorry Cappy we could not rescue both Peach and Tiara. So close, if only I'd gotten on board Bower's ship sooner, then we would have rescued both Peach and Tiara by now."
"It's not your fault Mario. Bowser is far craftier than I assumed he would be," Cappy said. "Right now though I'm concerned about your injuries. You need to take a rest before we proceed any further."
"We must find more Power Moons, to fix the Odyssey," Mario's said his voice wavering. "Don't give up hope yet. we will save them."
Mario took a step forward biting down on his tongue and feeling a new burst of pain erupting from his right leg where his thigh had been burnt. The searing pain made him cry out almost stumbling to his knees before he forced himself to stand, shaking his head. Every muscle in his body screamed in protest at the sudden movement, but Mario pushed himself to his feet swaying slightly on his feet before setting off at a determined stride in search of more Power Moons.
"Mario stop! You need to rest!"
Mario felt Cappy slightly tugging at him, determined to stop the plumber. A glance over his right shoulder confirmed that the Bonneton was holding onto his uninjured arm preventing Mario from taking another step. Mario paused, noticing for the first time Cappy was trembling.
"I'm scared if you go out there in your condition - what if you get hurt or worse!" Cappy said his voice cracking with emotion.
Mario paused. He had never imagined that by pushing himself this recklessly, he would cause Cappy to worry. The Bonneton looked close to crying, raising his arms to wipe at his eyes and fighting to keep the tears from flowing down his face. Mario inhaled, making his way over to Cappy
"Listen, Mi amici, I'm sorry for making you worry like that," Mario said. "I promise you we will save both Tiara and Peach. I'll also find a clinic to rest and recover from my injuries."
Neither of them spoke until Cappy turned towards Mario again, raising a hand to wipe away the tears from his eyes. "Thank you, Mario, I think if we find locals here, there's bound to be a clinic where you can get your injuries treated."
Mario nodded silently. The duo headed back to the Odyssey holding onto a desperate hope nothing of importance had been destroyed. Both Mario and Cappy heaved a sigh of relief walking up the ramp of the ship. Mario pushed open the door happily noticing the interior of the ship hadn't been damaged in Bowser's attack.
Cappy leafed through the leaflets scattered on the table when one caught his eye.
"Hey, Mario! This person on the cover of this leaflet looks like you, but he's wearing green clothes, and he has a pack of balloons attached to his back!"
"Wait, green clothing?" Mario wondered to himself hurrying over to the table glancing down at the leaflet Cappy was holding. An image of Luigi was on the cover of the leaflet with a wide beaming smile. Attached to Luigi's back were a pack of balloons.
"That's my younger twin brother Luigi!" Mario exclaimed. "I wonder what he's doing with a pack of balloons?"
Mario soon got his answer scanning the leaflet's title. Coming soon to the Lost Kingdom is Luigi's balloon world! A fun new attraction for all the family.
"Huh, so this is the new attraction Weegie once mentioned he planned to set up before he left," Mario said. "Once we rescue your sister and Peach, we can try it sometime. It'll be good to see Luigi again."
"Ah! Just as I thought, there is a clinic here in this kingdom!" Cappy exclaimed. "It's going to be a hike to get to it though, as long as we don't run into any of the hostile creatures here, we should be just fine."
Mario and Cappy left the Odyssey walking down the ramp and heading back into the dense jungle. For a while, Cappy and Mario walked together in silence. A loud shriek shattered the peaceful silence. Mario tensed recognizing the cry and risking a glance at the sky until he spotted the source of the sound. A Klepto headed in their direction its gaze solely focused on Cappy.
"M-mario wh-hat is that?" Cappy stammered.
"A Klepto, Mi amici," Mario replied grimly. "I've encountered one before in Shifting Sand Land years ago. I almost lost my trusty cap to that thieving vulture. Stay close to me and whatever you do, don't make eye contact with the fiend."
The Klepto hovered in the air wings beating, eying up Cappy. For the briefest of moments, Mario saw a smirk gracing the bird's beak before it suddenly dived towards Mario forcing the plumber to duck at the last second, the whoosh of the air announcing the Klepto's missed attack. Mario's relief was short lived when the bird dived for him again.
The plumber rolled on the ground noticing the Klepto's attention wasn't on him.
"Mario! I think the Klepto's after me!" Cappy's terrified shriek cut through the air. Before Mario had time to react, the Klepto pounced on Cappy seizing him in his beak.
Mario felt a surge of adrenaline, propelling himself to his feet and breaking into a run and tackling the Klepto. The force of the impact sent both plumber and bird crashing to the ground.
"Let go, Cappy!" Mario shouted landing a punch on the bird's face which resulted in an annoying shriek. The bird glared at Mario, icily beating its wings twice to steady itself when it ascended into the sky before it let out another shriek and rapidly descended towards both Mario and Cappy.
Mario glowered at the bird choosing to ignore the pain breaking into a full on sprint towards the Klepto. "I won't let you take another one of my friends away from me!"
The Klepto appeared to be smirking. In one swift movement, the bird lunged out with one of its powerful wings, the force of the blow caught Mario of guard launching him against the nearest wall. Mario felt his right side colliding with the rock surface before crashing to the ground lying winded from the blow.
Cappy trembled to see the Klepto turning its sights on him. With the plumber out of the way, the bird grabbed Cappy in its talons flying away with its prize. Cappy shot one last look of despair at Mario lying sprawled on the ground glancing up, his heart sinking at the sight of Cappy in the Klepto's talons.
"Mario help me please!" Cappy's panicked scream cut through the air.
Wincing in pain Mario forced himself to stand to reach out with a hand resting against the wall, taking a step only to collapse to the ground again. He barely glanced up hearing Cappy's terrified screams on the breeze, growing fainter. Mario lay on the ground, his eyes beginning to close, feeling guilty he'd been unable to protect Cappy.
"Cappy, I'm sorry, mi amici," Mario whispered before he sank into unconsciousness lying sprawled on the ground.
Meanwhile heading down from the summit of the Lost Kingdom's peak, Luigi smiled, fiddling with his bowtie and reaching around his back making sure the balloon pack attached to his back was functioning correctly. Luigi sighed, feeling both nervous and excited at the same time So far he'd gotten a pair of curious Toads coming up to him their attention drawn to the balloon pack on his back.
"Hey, Luigi, what's up with the pack of balloons?" One of the Toads asked tilting his head to the side.
"It's for my new attraction Balloon World," Luigi said. "Basically, it's a game played between two people. One person has thirty seconds to hide a balloon in any spot they want. The second person has thirty seconds to find the balloon. It's based on a game Mario and I used to play as children. It's a fun game so I thought I would start with a smaller crowd, but I wasn't expecting this Kingdom to be so empty."
The two Toads exchanged a glance before one of them spoke up again. "There's a reason it's called the Lost Kingdom Luigi. There are not that many people here, due to the poisonous water and dangerous wildlife."
Luigi sighed, waving goodbye to the Toads and continuing his trek down the mountain making his way through the rainforest and keeping a wary eye out for any monsters lurking in the jungle's depths.
"Maybe coming out here alone, with a balloon pack attached to my pack probably wasn't the best idea," Luigi said to himself.
Lost in his thoughts, Luigi froze when he heard a low moan cutting through the air. Luigi quickly realized he wasn't alone. Feeling his heart rate increasing Luigi turned his head searching for the source of the noise.
"Hello is someone here?" Luigi asked nervously.
The plumber continued his trek through the jungle alone until he stopped in his tracks. His heart stilled. Not too far away from his location, Mario lay sprawled on his chest his eyes closed.
"Oh my gosh Mario!" what happened to you bro?" Luigi cried out in panic running over to Mario's position carefully turning him over. He held a hand in front of his mouth eying Mario's injuries in stunned silence. The pair of Toads following Luigi looked on in silence unable to believe the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom was this badly injured.
"Is M-Mario d-dead?" One of the Toads stammered.
Luigi bent down pressing an ear to his brother's chest. A sigh of relief escaped Luigi's lips upon hearing the faint heartbeat. "He's still alive, but he's badly hurt."
"I think there's a clinic not too far away from here Luigi," One of the Toads said unfurling a small map from the pack on his back. "It should be an hour's trek from here. I don't think Mario is looking so good."
"We'd better hurry then," Luigi said grimly, shrugging off the ballon pack, carefully setting it on the ground, before gently picking up Mario. "Hang in there, Fratello, you're going to be okay."
Luigi raced ahead of the Toads, gently cradling Mario hurrying towards the clinic in the faint hope somehow he could save Mario's life. In the near desolate Lost Kingdom, it would have to take a miracle for Mario to be saved. A mission Luigi was determined to carry out, he would save Mario, and nothing would deter him from doing so.
Author's note This first chapter turned out a lot differently than I originally envisioned it. Originally this was going to be a one-shot, but more ideas eventually built up inside of my mind, until I ended up the writing the plot for this whole story.
Luigi will play a vital role in this story. I will not say what this role will be, but it will be a supportive one. Luigi will meet Cappy within the next few chapters of this story. There will be plenty of moments consisting of both Mario and Luigi supporting each other throughout this story since I want to put emphasis on their brotherly bond with each other.
As per usual I would love to hear constructive criticism/ suggestions and reviews on this one shot. As you know, I appreciate and welcome any form of feedback. Thank you for reading this.