CHAPTER ONE
Here We Go!
It was a pleasant morning for the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom. The birds were singing, greeting in the morning sun and the fragrance of summer flowers found its way into the mushroom shaped house. Mario lived right on the border between the Mushroom Kingdom and the Koopa Kingdom, readying himself to sprint to his allies side if they were in need of his services or to rush into his enemy's land to stop any foul deeds they may had in mind. Though it's been quiet for the past five years, he was still ever visualent.
The plumber stretched the sleep out of his muscles. He was not from this land to be sure; ever did the mystical land have a type of hold on him. In his and his brother's world, Earth, the Mario Brothers were renowned as the best plumbers in Brooklyn, New York. However, their incident with a pipe and what many of the people of this new world of his called a Warp Zone, sucked the Mario Brothers into a war between these two kingdoms that he alone now watched over.
On Earth, they were able to unclog any drain or stop any leaky faucet. But here, in the land of mushrooms, they were more. The Mario Brothers were heroes. Something about the land kissed their bodies with a greater power, as if humans in a land of fungus and reptiles were given unbelievable strength and stamina. Also, interesting enough, some common items in the land gave the humans amazing and unique powers. A mushroom could double their height, a flower could give them the ability to throw fire from their hands, and a fallen autumn leaf would give them the magic of flight.
One more thing that Mario didn't know for sure but believed that must be true. He and perhaps his brother that he hasn't seen in a long time have ceased to age. Or maybe they were ageing slowly, for five years have come and gone since he and his friends defeated Smithy and he neither appeared nor felt any different since the day he entered this new world.
Mario was not a tall man, unlike his younger brother who managed to reach six feet but Mario was bulk in frame, at least what his five foot five frame would allow. Wearing his traditional red shirt with blue overalls, the plumber moved to his vanity mirror. Indeed, he didn't appear to age. No wrinkles creased his face and no gray touched his hair or thick moustache. As Mario placed his bright red hat on his head, which now he tilted out of curiosity, he thought about shaving the hair above his lip for a change in appearance. But a knock from his door had that last though flying from his mind.
His house was a small one, only one room in fact but it fitted his needs quite well. A simple man just needed, or just desired a simple home. So it took him only seven paces before he reached and opened his only door.
A short, barely three feet in height stood the gentle advisor to his close friend, the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Toad. All the little fungus wore was an open red vest and big baggy white Arabian pants. On top of his tiny head sat a wide plumed hat, designed specifically to make the little guy look a walking mushroom. Though his stature was small, his spirit was far larger than his little body should have permitted.
"Mario, the princess wants to see you. It actually sounded important," the fungus squeaked in his high pitched voice.
Mario smiled wider, a sure sign to his friend that he was more than willing and ready to leave. Toad returned the smile and headed off, straight for the main road that led to the castle, the road of Mushroom Way. With the calling of the Koopa Troopas needed to return to Bowser's Keep to rebuild and to be punished for joining Smithy, the Way was clear of all monsters. It was a peaceful and quiet walk all the way to the town and to the castle. How the plumber wished the walk and every day life would continue to stay peaceful. But being human from Earth, where war was commonplace, the plumber felt it couldn't last, thus his constant, at the ready attitude.
The throne room was wide and long in distance but if Mario wanted to, he could leap from one end to the other in a single bound. Indeed, he wanted to do just that as he entered, surprised to see Peach and her chancellor speaking to a magi-koopa. As he continued his walk into the room, the plumber noticed the single white star on top of the tip of the blue wizard's hat. He knew it wasn't just any magi-koopa, it was Kamak. Mario was more than intrigued in what was going on.
"Oh, Mario. Thank you, Toad. That was quick," the princess praised her trusted advisor. By the look on Toad's face told the plumber that the little fungus was just as shot in the ark like he was.
"Yes, Master Mario, this is Kamak. Er… sorry… I believe you two may already know each other," Toadsworth, the princess chancellor said. With a usual nod, the plumber concurred with the chancellor statement.
"I'll get right to the point. King Koopa wants to have a talk or to set up a meeting to discuss a ceasefire," Kamak started before he turned his head and muttered, "or to talk about a peace."
Rarely, especially in Mario's case, has his jaw slacked open in shock as it did now. Though the magi-koopa mumbled, he was still loud and clear. Kamak wouldn't fail Bowser and he would make sure that the complete message was sent. It was an awkward silence that followed and the only one's that moved was Mario and Toad to look at the other to see if they were not the only ones that hear correctly.
"It has to be a set up," Toad squeaked, trying to make sense of it all.
"King Koopa, I am sure, expected as much from you. That's why he wised to speak with an ambassador instead of the princess herself," Kamak responded calmly, trying to remain as the diplomat that his lord wanted him to be.
"And that's why I summoned you, Mario. As Kamak is here for Bowser, I would like you to go to Bowser Keep to see if he is serious. If he in genuine, this chance at peace we can't pass up," the princess said, ever the optimist. "Will you be my ambassador?"
With a nod, followed by a wink and a thumb's up, Mario was more than ready to please. His previous yearning for peace seemed to be a premonition of a possible future. Or he was just plain hopeful. Either way, the plumber wanted to return to Bowser Keep for the longest time, even if it was to say hi to his old nemesis.
"Here we go!" the plumber cried before running out of the palace.
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He was moving faster than light and if his being was physical, he would've had his skin on fire with his speed. Following the trail he recently just picked up, the celestial being tried to keep up with the fading spiritual tracks. Crossing two dimensions, he lost what he was tailing. The bright side of the end of the trail was it ended on the prime material plane or more specifically, the Mushroom Kingdom, where there were limited places to hide.
He had to admit that the elders were wise in their decision to send him after this specific quarry. The celestial being once came to this dimension and was familiar with this exact world. He hoped he would be able to walk amongst the physical beings once more.
Far south of the entire kingdom, he traveled to a town that was engrossed with roses. Thus, the name Rose Town came to be, famous for their fire roses. Within the inn that he was reborn, his old body lied. A custom made doll, a puppet, that had only a blue cap and cape, held great potential from the dreams and wishes from the boy that created it. If he had lips, he would've smiled at the boy, now a teenager, still playing with his dolls. The boy's dreams gave him the power to grow and save his homeland and now with his elusive target, he could use that power and more if the boy, Gaz, continued to dream all this time.
This time, he could not wait for nightfall to possess the puppet. As Gaz continued his role playing game with his Bowser and Mario dolls, the being took the moment to spin. Round and round he went, encircling the doll in a column of light, giving him access to the body that began to grow. It was the beginning that scared him the most. The foreign senses; breathing air, feeling temperature and pain, and the feeling of the flesh, though wooden, closing in on his soul like a trap. But the moment passed and his eyes opened.
"Let's get this show on the road," he said, crossing his arms and nodding with a smile.
