Disclaimer: Mario belongs to Nintendo.

"Mariooooooooo!"

From behind the cloth wound around her mouth, Peach cried the name of the one who'd just arrived to rescue her. The princess was suspended from a rope hanging from the ceiling, tied up and gagged. Her kidnapper stood below her, looking just as surprised as her to see who had broken into his castle to save her.

"Well, well, well..." Bowser sneered menacingly. "If it isn't the chunky little plumber, come to rescue the princess - again!"

Mario glared at his enemy as he pointed towards his captured girlfriend. "Let the princess a-go!"

"She belongs to me, ya little punk! If ya want her back, ya gonna have to go through me!"

"Okay then!" Mario marched towards Bowser with a determined look, rubbing his fist against the glove of his palmed hand. "Let's a-go!"

That was the cue for some intense fighting between the two lifelong foes to commence. Punches were thrown, fire was blasted, Koopa shells were hurled...

Peach could only watch the brawling going on between her boyfriend and her kidnapper below where she was being hung from the castle ceiling. Like the helpless damsel she was, she could not do anything to help herself. She could only wait for Mario to defeat Bowser - again!

A good amount of time was spend fighting before it came to a head. Spotting a Super Mushroom appear out of nowhere, Mario quickly grabbed it. He instantly grew into a giant before his enemy's eyes, towering over him as he raised a foot up from the floor.

"Nooooooooo!" Bowser hollered as he lifted his arms in terror - which was not enough to protect him as Mario's foot came down on top of him, squashing him flat under his shoe. "Curse you, Mariooooooooo!"

Mario ignored the muffled insult hurled at him from under his sole. Stepping off the flattened King Koopa, he untied the rope which was hanging Peach from the air. He had just enough time to place her back onto her feet before the effects of the Super Mushroom wore off. Now back to his regular size, he smiled at the young princess, taking in how delighted she looked to have been rescued by him - again!

"Mario!" Peached squealed happily. "You saved me!"

"Oh..." Mario waved his hand modestly. "It was nothing!"

"It was not nothing!" Peach leaned forward to kiss the plumber's round nose. "Come back with me to my palace and I'll make you the reward you deserve!"

Mario's face lit up. He knew exactly what Peach was referring to, having always been rewarded such a nice thing whenever he rescued her. He was looking forward to getting to eat a homemade cake baked just for him by the princess - again!

"Okay..." He grinned. "It you say-a so, Peach..."

As he sat at the dining table in Peach's palace, Mario could hardly contain his excitement over the reward she was making for him that moment. He always enjoyed the cakes she took the time to bake to thank him for saving her.

What kind of one would his girlfriend make for him today? Would it be Shroom Cake? Maybe it would be Fruity Cake? Perhaps it would turn out to be Nutty Cake? Or perhaps the princess would decide to make the king of such treats - Chocolate Cake!

Mario's eyes widened in his excitement when he saw Peach step in from the kitchen. She was carrying a plate which had a food on it. A sweet smile was on her face as she carried it into her hero's direction.

"Here you go, Mario! I hope you like what I've made for you. It's the least I can do after you saved me - again!"

Mario grinned widely as Peach placed the plate in front of him on the table. He watched as she lifted the cover off it...

...and his face instantly filled with surprise when he saw what was on it.

"What's zis?!" he exclaimed.

What was on the plate, having been hidden under the food cover, was no cake.

It was a fruit salad.

"It's your reward!" Peach beamed. "I made it for you entirely myself!"

Mario stared at her in all his dismay, his jaw hanging open. "But - why not a cake?!"

"Oh ... I haven't made you a cake this time, Mario. Truth be told, I don't think I can ever bake you one again!"

"What?!" Having never heard such horrible news in all his life, Mario gaped up at Peach, aghast. "Why?!"

"I think I've been feeding you far too many of them. It's not healthy for you. Especially since I've made you one every time you've rescued me. That's a lot of calories you've been taking in..."

By now, Mario's face was turning as red as his hat. He was outraged by what he was hearing; it was literally taking the cake! Peach completely failed to realise how her decision was effecting him, however, as she pointed to the salad with a smile.

"So here's to a new healthier life for you, Mario! You deserve it after coming to my rescue! Maybe the more times you'll save me, the more healthy rewards I can give you!"

The princess headed from the table, not noticing how her boyfriend was looking at her as she walked away from him. She was feeing very cheerful over the decision she had made on how to reward her rescuer differently to the way she used to. She was certain she was doing a good thing for him by giving him healthier meals than her homemade cakes.

Peach smiled happily as she headed back into the kitchen - not hearing Mario creeping after her with a fierce glare on his face, raising his arms as he made his way towards her...

Ding dong!

"Oh who's that?" Bowser groaned as he made hi way slowly to the front door of his castle with the help of his crutches. "I'm in no mood for guests! Not after that stupid plumber has put me in bandages."

The King Koopa reluctantly opened the door - and blinked in surprise.

In front of him, standing outside his castle, was Mario. He was carrying Peach in his arms. Bowser was surprised to see the princess was tied up and gagged - seemingly, this time, by the plumber.

"What do ya want?" he growled. "Can't ya see I'm covering from all this injuries ya gave me?"

"I'm very sorry about that, Bowser," Mario apologised, "and I wish to make it up to you..."

"Huh?" Bowser raised an eyebrow upon hearing his enemy's words towards him, wondering if he was being insincere. "You're sorry?!"

"Very sorry... You see, after all the effort I went to rescue Peach from you, she wouldn't reward me with a cake. She tried to feed me a salad instead - and she made it clear she's never a-going to make me cake again..."

Without warning, Mario suddenly placed Peach in Bowser's arms, releasing her from his own as he turned away from his enemy he had given her to. "So you can have her back, Bowser!"

Bowser stared with a stunned look, watching as his life-long adversary walked away, leaving him with Peach in his clutches. He lowered his gaze down towards her, taking in the alarmed look she was sending up to him. A smirk crept across the King Koopa's face over having the princess he had a crush on being surrendered to him.

Mario felt very pleased with himself as he made his way to Daisy's palace, certain she would bake him some cake. After the terrible way he had been rewarded for this troubles while having his traditional one stripped from him, he had no intentions this time to rescue Peach from Bowser - again!

The end.