A.N.: So, I'm hyped for Super Mario Odyssey, and I know this is probably NOT how it's gonna actually go, but that's what fanfiction is for right? Right.

Amico is Italian for 'Friend'.

All characters belong to Nintendo.

Mario hesitated in leaving the Odyssey as he stared out the window and at the pouring rain. Normally he wouldn't hesitate whenever Princess Peach being kidnapped was a factor, however….it looked really disgusting out there.

It didn't help that they landed in the Metro Kingdom, which was basically just a big city, one that looked familiar to him to boot but for the life of him he couldn't remember how he'd seen it before, not that there was much to see right now either since it was practically the dead of night… but basically, Mario's issue was knowing that rain in a city was an awful and icky combination since the occasional flying piece of garbage could smack him in the face.

However he was visually corrected of 'not seeing much' when he finally did step out after Cappy's gentle and well-meaning nagging (who was more eager to rescue his sister, Tiara), as he realized that the helipad they landed the Odyssey on was not alone, there were people right around the corner, but they paid the flying ship and it's landing no mind apparently as they were staring at their own pressing matters.

Matters that had Bowser's doing written all over it. As Mario stepped closer to the people…humans even! He noticed Bowser's airship against the gorgeous and ginormous moon, and circling around the tallest building across the way, and there was something big, and metallic, and unnatural wrapped around the spire of said building, with little electrical charges emitting off of it every now and then, flickering the lights of the entire building below it…almost as if whatever it was that was wrapped around the spire was stealing the electricity of the building. And that was ignoring the giant poster on the side of the building and the surrounding buildings promoting the wedding that Mario, and now Cappy as well, absolutely had to stop.

"That-a can't be good for the electric bill." Mario couldn't help but mutter as he got a closer look by the edge, not noticing until he was replied to that the only woman in this group of people had in fact, heard him.

"Hah, the electric bill is the least of our worries. If we don't get that thing off of City Hall soon, there won't be any power left in New Donk City."

Mario had frozen at the voice because he recognized it, even though he hadn't heard it in years, he knew Pauline's voice anywhere. However, just to be sure he wasn't imagining things, he slowly turned his head over his shoulder, and sure enough it was her all right, in a pants suit, still in heels but respectably so, and there was a gentleman holding an umbrella for her. That's-a so nice of him, Mario thought idly and immensely impressed that such chivalry existed still.

She was still looking straight ahead so even though she heard him by that muttered quip alone, she didn't 'notice' him…yet. Eventually she almost glanced in his direction as she caught him staring but whether or not she recognized him…Mario couldn't tell if she comprehended it enough as her attention was drawn away by one of the other gentleman here bemoaning the situation.

"There's at least two guys over there at the spire but I don't think they'll be able to do anything about that thing that's drawing out our electricity! And there's definitely nothing we can do about whoever's crying for help from that air ship! What are we gonna do Mayor Pauline?!"

At the mention of the cry for help from the airship, Mario strained his ears over the wind and rain, and sure enough, he was just able to make out that it was Princess Peach's voice. Unable to do anything about her for now, and knowing how persistent Bowser is about keeping her from reach until the time is right anyway, Mario turned his attention back to what the man was saying and was startled to just catch that Pauline was the Mayor of the city.

"I'm not entirely sure, and it's not like we have many options since nothing could've prepared us for this. I honestly think the best thing we can do is pray for a miracle." Came Mayor Pauline's meek and unsure reply, glancing at the man who had bemoaned before turning back to the situational eyesore at hand. And of course red is the color that attracts the human eye the most so this was when she could finally acknowledge Mario.

"Oh, hello there, sorry I can't give you the warmest of welcomes to New Donk City right now, we're having a bit of a troubling situation at the mome…nt…." She trailed off just as she began to recognize him, and mentally scolded herself for not recognizing him right away since he was extremely unforgettable. At least she was justified in having her mind stuck on more pressing matters but still…Mario was back, and standing before her…

"It's-a good to see you too, Pauline. I'm so proud of your achievement at becoming Mayor of this whole city." Mario smiled warmly with a small tip of his hat that was actually Cappy, as he had noted her finally recognizing him. "And don't-a you worry about that," he pointed at the situation on the other side of the city. "I'll take-a care of it for you."

With that, he tossed Cappy onto the electric line beside him and zoomed down to the city below before Pauline could say anything more.

"Wait! Mario! It's dangerous-!" She shouted after him in vain, not entirely surprised that he became electricity for a moment just to get downtown. "Oh, who am I kidding? He's a miracle-and-a-half anyways."

"You know him, Mayor?" The gentleman holding the umbrella for her inquired curiously.

"Yes, he's a wonderful old friend of mine." Pauline replied wistfully, as all sorts of old memories with the former plumber resurfaced, she only hoped she didn't lay it on too thick, that Mario was actually her old flame. Already she was inspired to write a new song as the words and the music came to her effortlessly. "You're still our 1-Up boy~!" She sang in her head.

Meanwhile, as Mario dodge bullet bills from tanks in the city below, Cappy couldn't help but voice a similar question.

"So, what's your history with that Miss Mayor?"

"She's-a my ex." Mario quipped simply.

"Holy bowlers! You have an ex-girlfriend?! You really don't look like the type." Cappy replied in awe.

"Not-a by choice actually, me and-a my brother, Luigi got swept away to the Mushroom Kingdom the first-a time a warp pipe ever showed up in the city. But by-a choice, Luigi and I liked the Mushroom Kingdom so much and it needed us more that we-a decided to stay." The former plumber explained, nearing City Hall.

"Huh, guess you're just full of surprises then." Cappy murmured in awe.

"Amico, you haven't seen-a the half of it." Mario shot back playfully before tossing Cappy onto the next powerline to scale up the side of the building.