Author's Note: Hi. I just wanted to give you guys the heads up that this will be a bit darker, grittier, and mature version of Super Mario Bros. and will feature some alterations to some of the abilities the characters have. Also, I want to give a trigger warning because there is a mention of rape here. So without further ado...

What Happened to the Mushroom Children?

Chapter I. Illusion Forest

The skies seem to be an endless stretch of gray as the evergreen trees of Illusion Forest cast a shade over Mario, Luigi, and Peach. The dense vegetation comprised of redwoods and spruces seemed to join at the leaves, offering a blanket canopy that gave the sun no leeway to shine down and offer reassurance. The trio had been cutting through the fog-murky forest for what seemed like hours, but with no clear-cut path as an indicator of a right or wrong turn, it seemed as if they'd have to take refuge soon. But where?

"It's almost night," Peach said as a breeze of cold air swept through her arm. She looked at the compass, obeying any direction that pointed to the north. That was the game plan this whole time. Head north. The smell of the forest, a combination of forest herbs with an essence of brisk air, was uplifting, yet at the same time, intoxifying. She wanted to sleep. "How long do you think till' we get out of the forest?"

"No idea," Mario replied. "You know Bowser. He's always relocating."

It was weird that the three would band together in search for Bowser. Usually, it was Mario and Luigi rushing the castle to free Princess Peach, but the scenario was entirely different, given that the Mushroom People – namely the children – were disappearing in groups. It wasn't until Princess Peach awoke one night and looked out her tower window when she caught Bowser floating away from Mushroom Kingdom on his airship. Slung over Bowser's shoulder were bloody potato sacks, almost as if they had been bludgeoned. Something inside the sacks was squiggling around and yelling for help.

It bothered Peach. Year after year, Bowser would always find some way to kidnap her. She'd been stuck in small cages, tortured by Koopa Troops, and was even raped by the higher generals of Bowser's militia. The physical but moreso emotional scars left behind had stuck Peach in therapy for years, but some repairs done by the Mushroom Kingdom psychology team were no match for the mental damage done by the Koopas. She wished nobody that treatment, not even her own enemies. She remembered the one night when she attempted to make a break for it when one of the Koopas failed to secure her cage door. She dashed through the castle halls but was no match for one of the Goombas who deliberately tore a chunk of flesh off her leg with a snap of its jaw. She didn't want to think of what Bowser was doing to the young Mushroom people. It sent shivers down her spine.

"You okay?" Luigi patted her on the back.

"I just don't understand why he would need so many of them. You know, not that I want any of them taken, but why?"

"Bowser's a little dick," Mario chimed. "Slavery's my guess."

"They're just children." A fire began to rise in Peach's eyes. "What kind of person would even think of doing such a thing?"

"Not a person," Luigi said. "He's a lizard - one that doesn't give a rat's ass about anything for that matter. What the hell is stopping us from killing the fucker anyway?"

"He apologizes."

"Right."

The walk seemed endless but as time rolled forward, progress eventually unveiled itself. Whatever impromptu path the three had taken had finally opened up into a wide circular field with a forlorn looking willow tree at the center. The sun – finally, the sun – gleamed brightly, allowing some sort of sparkling shimmer to drip down the tree's crown of leaves But what struck the three with curiosity was the fact that the fog had cleared up for the field, and only the field. Heading north bound, they would once again enter the fog.

"It's something," Peach said as the three moved closer to the tree. They sat and despite the tree being awfully distracting with its glorious sparkling, it was still relaxing. "We can post here until we have the energy to move on. Plus we'll see invaders the moment they come at us."

"We're sitting ducks," Luigi said. "I say we keep moving until we find a cave. That way it's a one way escape route we can figure out rather than having to defend from all around."

"Are you kidding? These heels are killing me!"

"Nobody told you to wear heels, toots."

"I'll cram this fucking frying pan up your –"

"Will you two shut up? Listen."

The branches from the trees to the north bustled as the leaves broke free and floated to the ground. To the south of which the three had entered to the field through, more movement suddenly erupted from bushes.

"There's two of'em," Mario said as he held his fists up. He shouted into the open: "You clowns gonna show yourselves or what?"

The movements in the trees and bushes stopped as giggles emanated from the fog. They weren't sure how many predators were lurking the forest. It seemed as if the numerous giggles all had the same voice.

"This'll show'em." Luigi clenched his fist and shot his hand forward as a green ball of acid bounced to the floor like a rubber ball and into the bushes where the one of the critters had stopped itself.

"GYAH!" a voice rang out. The bush shook violently before settling as steam rose up into the air. "Try that again, ya cunt!"

Luigi clenched his fists once more, as energy began to gravitate toward his hands for another acid ball. But before he could swing, the willow tree wrapped its thin twigs around his arm like a grape vine, holding him back.

"What the…"

"Not so fast."

Suddenly, the very top of the willow tree elongated, bursting a large second leaf-less trunk like a pimple on the cranium. As the add-on trunk moved up into the air, the very top of it split in half like a shark's jaw opening up for the kill. A man came flying up into the air from inside. The trunk, now split it two, moved back to the willow tree and began to form itself into a wooden pedestal. The man landed on top of it and from what the three could see, he was wearing a red gown with a red pointed hat that covered most of his face, though they saw that he was wearing glasses.

"Jerry," Mario said.

"In the fucking flesh, ya assholes!" He cackled and it was the same laughter they heard from the bushes and the trees. Jerry the Magikoopa was a wizard, a master of illusions and spells, most recently elevated to a red robe position in the Magikoopa hierarchy.

"Where'd you take the children?" Peach wailed, a teardrop falling down her cheeks.

"Well whaddya know? Looks like dumb and dumber brought the broad along!"

"I order you to answer my question!"

"Now, now, Princess Toadstool," Jerry said in a laughing fit, almost mocking the princess's usual regal tone. "Nobody takes an emotional gal seriously. Ya needa stand tall, shoulders back, tits out…"

"Shut up!" Mario yelled. He jumped up after him, past the top of the willow tree, and rose to a suitable striking range of Jerry. Mario swung, but before his fist could make contact, Jerry vanished.

"Ha-ha!" Jerry's voice echoed out from the air. "It won't be that easy!"

Suddenly a bolt of energy struck Mario in the back, throwing him back to the field. Mario hit the ground hard, causing him to bounce.

"Mario!" Peach yelled. She ran toward her fallen comrade, but before she could aid him, a puff of smoke appeared in front of her in which Jerry appeared.

"Peek-a-boo!" He swung his staff and knocked Peach flat on her butt.

"Why don't you take on someone your own size, Gandalf!" Luigi called out. A ball of energy bounced off his free hand and darted its way to the wizard. In turn, Jerry snarled and vanished, leaving traces of his entity darting left and right as he approached him.

With his eyes on the acid ball, Luigi hoped Jerry would accidentally appear in front of it – and appear he did – but when Jerry reappeared, his stance was similar to that of a baseball player up to bat. With a mighty swing of his staff, the acid ball froze in place. The ball suddenly took on a chemical reaction, rippling in place before coagulating into the form of a green liquid wall that began sliding at Luigi, leaving a trail of burnt grass in its path.

Luigi struggled in place, trying to free himself from the tree's grip. But like a strict mother, the tree pulled Luigi back in place as the green wall neared.

"Oh shit, this is it!" Luigi held his breath, hoping it would be fast and easy – but suddenly the green wall crashed into something… a radish.

"Huh?" Jerry looked to the side where Peach was. And there she stood, her white gloves dirty from plucking the radish from the dirt floor near her feet. "You think YOU can match me?" Jerry yelled to her. "Let's see about that!"

He twirled his staff like a military guard and raised in the air. The tip of his wooden staff shined brightly before unleashing a bolt of yellow laser straight at Peach, who dived to the side just in time.

"Peach!" Luigi called out as he struggled with both hands to free himself from the tree's grip. Inversely, the tree was also struggling to keep him still. "Just run!"

She reached from underneath her dress for anything, and pulled out a parasol. Jerry, quick to react, twirled the staff in front of him, creating a blast of wind at her direction. Peach felt the wind pick up. Her hair blew backwards as some of the dirt and grass began to hit her in the face. She lifted the parasol, stretched the canopy and held it in front of her. The air bounced off the strong canopy like a shield. With whatever force Peach could muster up, she began to stride forward before breaking out into a full-fledged charge at the wizard.

"You're going to tell me where the kids are this instant!" she yelled. Caught off guard by her passion, Jerry stopped twirling and drew his staff back like a baseball bat. Peach stopped on her heels, pivoted into a spin, and mirrored his movement, only this time with her parasol. The two swrung at each other, his staff meeting her parasol. The wizard spun backwards and lunged forward, the tip of his staff coming for her head. Peach was quick to parry, knocking his staff back in recoil. In that split second, she looked over to the side and saw Mario climbing to his feet slowly.

She, again, stretched out the canopy of her parasol and docked her weapon on her shoulder. She jumped into the air and for a brief second, Jerry could've sworn she froze.

"What the—" he said. She floated forward and in that instant, forced a stiff kick to his chest that sent him reeling backwards. Catching his flow of gravity, he dug his toes to the dirt and held his ground. He wrapped his fingers around his staff and pointed at her. "You bitch! We should've killed you a long time ago!"

"Tough luck, bozo!"

Peach dropped to the floor and came up with something in her hand. She spun gracefully before serving up an underhand throw of a red beet in his direction. It nailed him right in the balls, making him blue in the face. He hunched forward, dropping his staff in the process, and cradled his nuts.

He cried out to her: "I'm going to kill you!" Jerry looked up, and from his glasses, a sparkle arose. The willow tree released Luigi from its grip before smacking him over to the side with its huge wooden limbs. Luigi hit the ground with a thud before sliding a few feet away from Peach who turned to face the old tree.

"Kill her!" he yelled, still cradling his balls.

The tree lifted one of its large limbs up into the air like an overgrown fly swatter, but before it could bring it down on the princess, the tree suddenly burst into flames.

"What the hell did you do?!" Jerry yelled.

And suddenly, Mario rose up from behind and over the tree in a spiral, unleashing two fireballs that shot out and blasted Jerry. The wizard fell backwards, his robes completely engulfed in flames. Drawing whatever he learned back in elementary school, the wizard began rolling back and forth on the floor, putting an end to the fire. He rolled over on his belly and began crawling to the forests. He felt a grip on his ankles that tugged him backwards. It was Mario.

"Where do you think you're going, eh?"

Mario's white glove suddenly turned red and Jerry felt his ankles sting as if it were on fire.

"Yeeeeeowwwww!" he wailed. Mario kicked him in the belly, turning him over on his back. His yellow skin was cracked with black burns, some patches of black oozing green pus from his nose and arms. "Please don't kill me, please don't kill me!"

"Where did Bowser take the children!" Mario yelled as he raised his fist up into the air. "Tell me or I'll pound that fucking nose in and you won't be pulling rabbits out of your ass for good!"

"I don't know! I don't know!"

Mario gripped a hold of the black burn that lifted some of his reptilian skin off his nose. He ripped it off as crimson blood splattered all over Mario's face. Jerry let out a scream but Mario hushed him. "Tell me now!"

"I really don't know! Please let me go!" Jerry pleaded. "All I know is that he brought them to his new castle west from here!"

"What's he doing to them?"

"I don't know!"

"You're lying!" Luigi called out as he and Peach approached the downed Koopa general. Mario grabbed his arm and pinched one of the burns on his arm, which began to ooze.

"Gyaaaaaaaaaah! I really don't know! Please!" Jerry began to cry. It was a bit pitiful in Mario's opinion. "I'm going to let you go, but I want you to tell Bowser we're coming for— Peach wait!"

The tip of silver from Peach's parasol came down on Jerry's face, jamming his head to the floor like a golf tee on dirt. She placed her foot on his chest and pulled the parasol free from his face, which now showcased a round hole in between his eyes. Blood came up like an overflowed punch bowl and dripped all over his face.

And in that instance of death, suddenly the fog filled the open field. Trees began to populate the area and once again, they were in Illusion Forest. The field served as an arena for Jerry and was just a mirage, a trick up his sleeve.

"He's no use to us," Peach said.

"We could've followed him to Bowser!" Mario said, still a bit taken back from Peach's outburst.

"He said head west," Peach replied. "So we're heading west." She whipped her parasol to the side, the blood falling from the tip and to the green grass. She began to walk away with Luigi trailing behind her. "Are you okay," Mario heard Luigi ask to Peach. He sighed. He knew what the problem was and now he was wondering if Peach was going to let her past get the best of her. It was unfortunate and he was the only one who knew what trials Peach had gone through.

He climbed to his feet and wiped the blood off his face. "Oh Peach," he sighed. He darted off to catch up to the two.