Ch. 2 – The Sword and the Castle
The Wishing Festival was already in full swing by the time Luigi arrived at Mushroom Castle. He had been busy the entire day reworking the plumbing system of his mansion and almost forgot about the party. Had it not been for his ghostly companion Polterpup, the green plumber would have worked through the entire festival! The taller of the Mario Bros. looked across the lawns of Peach's Castle in search of his brother or one of the princesses. He saw several faces he recognized: Toadette and Kinopio, Goombario and Koops, Bombette and Lady Bow, but neither 'stache nor cap of his brother Mario.
The festival itself was a sight to behold.
All within the perimeter walls of Mushroom Castle and onto Shooting Star Summit's base, guests from all over the kingdom had gathered to celebrate. In each of the courtyards, and along the path to the summit, tables of food were piled high with delicacies from all over the land. Small orchestral bands were placed throughout the lawns, playing soft tunes for the guests as they danced and ate and made merry. Everywhere Luigi looked, people were laughing and enjoying themselves.
"Hi, Luigi!"
The green hero jumped, startled by a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see that it was Princess Daisy, much to his embarrassment and excitement. "Oh-oh, Daisy! Hi!" Luigi attempted to sound casual, but he stammered as he spoke. "Um, you look lovely this evening..." He blushed and scratched the back of his neck with a gloved hand, avoiding the princess's gaze.
Indeed, the desert princess looked stunning in the setting sun. Her auburn-colored hair and bronze complexion, complimented by her orange and goldenrod gown and turquoise eyes, made her a vision to be dazzled by. She smiled, caught off-guard by Luigi's words and the plumber felt his heart flutter in a way only she could cause. "Thank you, Luigi," Daisy said with a giggle. "You look...like you've been working all day?"
Luigi suddenly became incredibly conscious of the grease and water stains on his overalls and the odor of the Haunted Forest that hung on his clothes; moss, damp earth and the sickly sweet smell of ectoplasm. He fumbled to straighten himself out as he explained. "I've been...uh, repairing that old mansion of mine. It's been pretty hard work, but it's coming along."
"I'm happy to hear it," Daisy said sweetly. "I could come by sometime?" She asked playfully. "Maybe help you spruce the place up? I do have a green thumb, you know?"
Luigi turned red and managed to say, "I'd...really appreciate that, thank you."
The princess of Sarasaland extended a hand to the green plumber as the orchestra struck up another song. "Care to dance, Weegee?"
Luigi gulped and nodded, taking Daisy's hand in his and proceeding to a spot designated for dancing amidst the mingling guests. He was surprised to find himself not nearly as nervous as he thought he'd be, given the circumstances. Daisy moved into his movements and allowed herself to be guided by the plumber's hands as they waltzed, neither noticing that everyone else had stopped to admire them. Luigi dipped Daisy and spun her and she beamed, giddy over the plumber's unexpected gracefulness.
Away from the dancing, Mario and Mallow watched Luigi and Daisy while they enjoyed Kerokero Colas. The red-capped plumber noted that Luigi had always been a better dancer than he was, and he was happy to see his brother being admired.
"He seems to really be enjoying himself," Mallow agreed with a sip of his Cola. "I wonder where Geno wandered off to?" The Nimbus looked around, but could not find the blue-cloaked doll in the crowds. "Should we go look for him, Mario?"
The plumber scanned the area himself and also could not spot Geno, but he shook his head and said that Geno knew what he was doing, so they shouldn't worry. The Star was a rather ambiguous character, even if Mario considered him a friend. Better to leave people to their secrets.
"Well, how about we say hi to your brother and then check out Shooting Star Summit?" Mallow suggested.
Mario agreed, finishing his beverage and walking towards his brother. Mallow scrambled to follow suit. By the time they reached Luigi and Daisy, the two were bashfully accepting applause from the crowd after having finished their dance.
"Mario!" Luigi hugged his brother warmly and shook hands with Mallow. "And Mallow, too! I've been looking for you, bro! Where were you hiding? Did you see me and Daisy just now?"
Daisy curtsied to Mallow and gave Mario a hug. "It's an honor to meet you, Prince Mallow. I actually saw your parents a bit earlier! And it's great to see you again, Mario!"
"It's a pleasure to meet you, as well, Princess Daisy," Mallow answered jovially. "I've heard so much about Sarasaland and its princess but they never mentioned you were such a good dancer!"
The princess blushed and waved off the Nimbus's kind words with a hand. "You flatter me, Prince. I've always wanted to visit Nimbus Land, you know? I hear it's like a whole 'nother world up there!"
Luigi nudged Mario and whispered to him as Daisy and Mallow talked. "Hey, bro? Is your friend trying to hit on Daisy?"
Mario laughed and shook his head. Mallow was just friendly, he explained to Luigi, and, being a prince, he was taught to be cordially with royalty. The young Nimbus didn't seem interested in Daisy anyhow, if the plumber were to judge.
The younger brother sighed with relief. "Good to know. So, where's Princess Peach?" He asked at a more appropriate volume.
Mario shrugged. He hadn't seen Toadstool since she left to greet guests at the beginning of the festival. He figured she must be entertaining some foreign emissary or trying to escape Toadsworth. Or, both, as was most often the case.
"I haven't seen her all night either," Daisy added. "Let's go find her!" She grabbed Luigi's hand and pulled him along with her. The green plumber waved his free arm haphazardly for Mario and Mallow's assistance, forgetting the Sarasaland Princess's strength as she nearly removed his other arm from its socket. Mallow and Mario both chuckled and followed the pair as they went in search of their hostess.
The purple and blue earth of Shooting Star Summit seemed to glow softly in the dwindling twilight. Various residence of the Mushroom Kingdom were wandering about the hillside, Star Pieces in their hands with wishes tied to them. The area was suffused with light by the crystals and fallen stars of the area, giving the entire hill an ethereal presence in the evening time. Geno had chosen to visit the summit before things went sour, in order to commune with the Star Spirits once more.
The blue robed doll went almost entirely unnoticed by the guests of the princess's festival. It was just as well, since Geno knew almost no one in attendance and was not one for ideal conversation in the best of circumstances. Young Toads were running about, playing tag or pretending to be Super Mario, stirring up the fireflies to add more light to the sky. He spotted the Shaman siblings that lived at the base of the hill, Merluvlee and Merlow, both talking animatedly beneath their windmill home with another cloaked figure, this one with a luxurious mustache. The Star knew the other man to be Merlon, the town's mystic and patriarch to the Shamans of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Geno made sure to steer clear of them, as Shamans were notoriously boring storytellers and could talk one into sleeping after only a few minutes. Mario could attest to that from numerous occurrences, he remembered. He steadily ascended the hillside, milling between guests and trying to remain unseen. As he approached the summit's peak, the Star noticed that there were fewer and fewer people around. The sun had finally dipped beneath the horizon, hiding Shooting Star Summit beneath a vast, starlit sky. The natural light of the flora and crystals provided the guests with enough luminance to proceed safely back to the inviting lights of the castle.
As he crested the summit, Geno was surprised to find Princess Toadstool, alone, praying at its center. He quietly approached, careful not to disturb the princess, as he moved amongst the star lilies that bloomed atop the hill. There at the center, where Princess Peach knelt, was a circular platform of stone, with an ancient carving of a Star upon its surface. Geno noticed that, as the princess prayed, the carving seemed to glow a soft pink. When she finished, Peach rose to her feet, and the aura emanating from the dais ceased as well. The doll stepped forward and bowed to the princess.
"I did not mean to disturb you, Princess," Geno apologized, fearing he'd ruined her concentration.
However, Peach wiped away his concerns with a smile. "It's all right, Geno. I was just asking the Stars for their aide on this night, should things turn out for the worst. Have you been enjoying the festivities? It's already grown dark, I'm afraid. Everyone will have gone inside by the time we return to the castle."
Geno nodded. "It has been quite a magical evening for everyone, I imagine. The Stars do not celebrate holidays, and so the idea is a bit foreign to us. However, it has been refreshing to see so many smiling faces from all over the kingdom, together."
"Ah, that's right," Peach said with a giggle.
"What?" The doll asked, perplexed.
Peach covered her mouth and giggled once more. "It's nothing, really," she said sincerely. "I had simply forgotten that you are not...well, mortal. Your home is way up there above the clouds, while mine has always been right here, on earth."
Geno simply stared at the sky for a moment, unsure of what to make of the princess's comment. "It's a long existence," he said finally, a hollow note in his voice.
Princess Toadstool looked up at the stars as well. "I imagine it must be."
Mario, Mallow, Luigi, and Princess Daisy found themselves wandering the castle grounds without Geno or Princess Peach as the stars came out in the evening sky. Almost all of the other party guests had already withdrawn inside the walls, enjoying even more food and music. Peach was not one to shirk on her parties, that much was certain.
"Do you think they're all right?" Daisy asked. She had hiked up her dress hours ago, amusing the others when they discovered the princess wore tennis shoes beneath her gown. Daisy reasoned practicality, and the others came to agree.
"I'm sure they're okay...right, Mario?" Luigi sounded less than sure. He tried to find a sign of Peach or Geno, but it was becoming impossible to see much of anything in the growing night.
"Guys!" Mallow shouted, pointing towards the faint glow of Shooting Star Summit. "I think I see them!" The heroes all followed the prince's direction and could barely make out a pink and blue couple leaving the summit together.
Mario jumped up and down and began to run full-tilt towards Princess Peach! He sprinted down the green hills of the castle lawn and could see Peach waving to him when everything when black.
-BOOM!-
From the sky overhead, a sound like a thousand windows breaking at once followed by a deep, earthly roar ripped across the grounds! Mario stopped dead in his tracks and looked towards the heavens, causing his blood to run cold.
"It...it can't be...!" Mallow gasped, eyes wide with terror at what was crashing down upon them.
"Exor!" Geno yelled, firing his Star Gun! The doll's right hand fired star-shaped bullets at the enormous sword, but they had no effect! "We have to stop this!" But, even as Geno said it, it was already too late.
-CrAsHHHHHHHhhhhh-
Exor landed directly into the center of Princess Peach's Castle, sending a shock wave across the land that scattered Mario and company to the corners of the Mushroom Kingdom. Peach thought she was screaming Mario's name, but there was no sound as she flew like a shooting star across the skies of her home. She remembered, before blacking out, about the guests at the party:
"Please, let them be safe!"
Mario vaguely recalled seeing the Star Road shatter into seven pieces all over again. One second the sky was full of twinkling stars, and the next it was black; winked out as if it had never been. The Stars soared across the inky darkness in splendid light, dispersing across the kingdom. Deja vu crossed the plumber's mind as he watched the great sword pierce Toadstool's Castle and the seven colored Stars made comet tails as they sailed across the land. He, too, passed out, as Fate decided what to do with its treasured heroes.
"...rio...!"
"Mar...Mario!"
The red-capped plumber slowly came to consciousness and grimaced when he noticed the dull throbbing in his head. He found himself lying in a bed at the back of a circular room. The roof seemed to be domed and Mario smelled the familiar odor of Koopa Leaves in the air; almost like mint tea, but sharper. He glanced to his left, and then his right, squinting to make out the relieved faces of both Luigi and Mallow. But, where were the others?
"He's awake, Luigi!" Mallow exclaimed. "Mario! You've been out for nearly two days now!"
"Mallow, let him get his bearings," Luigi chided. "Hey, bro, how ya' feeling?" He attempted to smile for his older brother, but Mario could see that Luigi was obviously shaken up. What had happened while he was asleep?
Mario asked as much, and was answered by a falter in his brother and Mallow's expressions. The older plumber sat up in bed and nodded his head. He'd been right, the three of them were in Koopa Village, to the east of Toad Town. He hazarded a guess and asked Luigi where Kooper had gone?
"Kooper had to leave yesterday with Bombette. They're trying to rally our friends to try and fight against the Smithy Gang," Luigi said sadly. "It's bad out there, bro. Toad Town's been completely taken over, and Peach's Castle is impossible to get to thanks to Exor."
"Geno and the princesses...we don't know where they are," Mallow added. "Most, if not all, of the guests from the party seemed to make it out of town before Smithy's Machine-Mades started showing up and destroying everything...except my parents, that is." The Nimbus sniffled and Mario heard a light shower begin outside. The prince was clearly worried.
Luigi placed a hand on Mallow's shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "We'll find 'em, Mallow. We just gotta sneak into Toad Town, first!"
Mallow's eyes went wide upon processing Luigi's suggestion. "WHAT?! You want us to just waltz right into Toad Town like it's no big deal? Smithy's entire ARMY is spawning from there!"
Mario raised a hand. Both Luigi and Mallow looked at the hero with anticipation as he explained that it was indeed necessary to get as close to Peach's Castle as possible and save anyone they could, especially Mallow's parents.
"Gah..." Mallow frowned at the prospect of battling Smithy's mechanized monstrosities. "We have to save my parents, though," He reasoned. "And if that means we have to fight, then I guess we have no choice!" From outside, they heard the roar of distance thunder, causing the Nimbus to blush. "Oops...sorry," he said bashfully.
The trio departed from Kooper's home in the small village of Koopas. The square was completely full of tents with various guests from the Wishing Festival tending to their families and themselves after escaping the castle grounds. They seemed well enough, and Mario even spotted Kinopio and Toadette. He walked over to the two Toads, and asked them how things were going.
"We're alright, Mario," Kinopio said with a smile. "The Chancellor got everyone out safely..." His smile disappeared after saying that though. "Well, everyone except Princess Peach, Princess Daisy and Geno...and King and Queen Nimbus..."
Toadette looked especially worried. "Mario! You need to find them, quick!" She pleaded. "I can't believe this is happening all over again!" Toadette pulled at her pigtails in dismay.
Kinopio nodded in agreement. "The other retainers and I have been maintaining order amongst the refugees as best we can, but people are worried about their homes. Most of our foreign guests have already left back to their own towns and lands in fear that something like this will happen there, too."
"No need to worry, guys," Luigi said reassuringly. "Mario, Mallow and I are going to do our best to save Toad Town and get things back to normal!" Now was not the time to give into fear, and Luigi knew it better to hide his own anxieties than to spread hopelessness by giving up.
"Luigi's right!" Mallow smiled at the two Toads and gave them a thumb's-up. "And we'll find the princesses and my parents, too!" The Nimbus put on a brave face. He'd lost his parents once before, and he was must certainly not going to let it happen again.
Mario gave them a confident jump, brightening the siblings' spirits. Kinopio and Toadette wished the trio good-luck as they parted ways. The red plumber noticed that the Koopas of the village were offering assistance to the Toad Town inhabitants, bringing out hot food from their shell-motif homes and providing blankets to those in need. The entire community was alive with activity. Mario spotted Toadsworth chatting with the leader of the village and waved to him, which caused the chancellor to drop everything he was doing and run immediately to Mario's side.
"Master Mario!" The old Toad exclaimed, winded from his small sprint. "I've been waiting for you to wake up for TWO DAYS now! We need you to take care of whatever problem it is that has befallen our beloved capital! That sword may have very well destroyed all the new work we put into the castle over the last year! And, of course, you simply MUST find Her Majesty, toot-sweet!"
Luigi stepped forward and placed an arm before his brother. "Toadsworth, please. Mario just woke up. As it is, we're already on our way to Toad Town to inspect the damage and see what we're up against."
Toadsworth crossed his arms in a huff. "Very well then! Continue, Master Mario, Master Luigi, Master—er..." The Chancellor's white mustache seemed to droop as he remembered Prince Mallow's own parents were missing as well. "Prince Mallow, my sincerest condolences to you," he said humbly. "I assure you, Mario and Luigi will find the King and Queen in two shakes of a Yoshi's tail!"
"I know, Chancellor," Mallow said with a nod. "But, I'll be traveling with them to help! After all, I did help Mario stop Smithy once before! And, besides, they're my parents. Of course I'm going to look for them myself!"
The elder Toad chuckled at the prince's pragmatism. "Be sure to watch each others' backs, you three!" Toadsworth shook hand with the Mario Bros. and Mallow before returning to the Koopa Elder, who was directing three Bob-Ombs on where to set up another tent.
The air was beginning to cool as day turned to twilight once more. The trees rustled as a wind picked up, pushing west. The trio left the village behind them, unaware that they were being followed from the shadows. The purple crocodile zipped from bush, to tree, to rock, always remaining out of sight of the heroes. Croco trailed Mario and company as they entered the stretch between Toad Town and Koopa Village known as Bandit's Way. He grinned a toothy grin and crept along in silence.
Geno had the image of Exor skewering Princess Peach's Castle burned into his head. Even as he lay unconscious, the sneer on the monster blade's face tormented him. He hadn't been strong enough. Ever since he blinked into existence, Geno had been a warrior. His destiny was to act as the executioner amongst the Stars, to enforce their will through unbridled strength. And yet, he was unable to do just that.
"Geno..."
The memory of Exor exploded into a shower of light before Geno's eyes, reforming into the form of Eldstar, the leader of the Star Spirits. The glowing, mustachioed Star looked upon the doll within which the Star Warrior resided with mournful eyes.
"You cannot give up, Geno. The Stars have put their faith in you, and in your friends..."
Geno shook his head and spread his arms before the Star Spirit. "I was too weak, oh Eldstar! Even with Mario, Mallow, and Princess Toadstool, we lost. Smithy has returned to this world and the Star Road is once more scattered to the winds."
"There is always hope, Geno." Eldstar's glow intensified and Geno was suddenly bathed in a refreshing, white light.
After a moment, the light faded, and Geno found his body mended and new. "Where must I go from here?" He asked the Star Spirit.
"You must gather the fragments of the Star Road and bring them together at the peak of Shooting Star Summit..." Eldstar's image began to fade as he spoke. "My connection to the mortal world is weak...protect the princesses, Geno..."
"Eldstar?!" Geno reached out to the Star Spirit as he faded away to nothingness. The darkness began to fall away and the Star Warrior became aware of a voice calling out to him.
"...no...!"
"Geno...!"
With a gasp, the Star Warrior returned to consciousness, entirely disoriented and unsure of what was going on. Geno blinked and saw with some relief that Princess Toadstool and Princess Daisy were okay, both staring at him with equal amounts happiness and surprise. The three of them seemed to have landed somewhere in the middle of a dense...rainforest? Geno rose shakily to his feet and look around, confused. How could they be in a rainforest? Unless, could Exor's shock wave really have sent them so far south as to land on Y'oster Isle? They were in the middle of a well-worn path. Had the princesses been traveling while he'd been asleep?
"Oh, thank the Stars!" Princess Peach hugged Geno as he came to his senses. "Geno, we've been worried sick about you!" Peach's blonde curls were tied back in a ponytail and her dress had been torn to allow her to run more easily. Geno noted a parasol slung across her back.
"About time, really," Daisy deadpanned. Unlike Peach, Daisy had come to the festival wearing a set of athletic clothes beneath her gown, and she had long since discarded of her evening silks. The desert princess hefted a large cactus over her shoulder, its base wrapped up to prevent injury to the wielder.
"We're in the middle of the Jade Jungle," Peach said, anticipating the Star Warrior's question. "You've been out cold for the past two days. We don't know what's going on back at home because Exor flung us so far away from the castle."
"Originally, we'd landed in open water, and the two of us did our best to keep you dry," Daisy added. "Then, a whale, of all things, shows up and gives us a lift here! We can't speak Cetacea, unfortunately, otherwise we'd have asked him for a ride back to the mainland."
"Are you all right, though?" Peach asked, placing a hand gently upon the doll's shoulder.
Geno thought back to his dream and of Eldstar, for a moment. "I think I'm okay," he said plainly. He decided to keep his meeting with the Star Spirit secret, for now. "Where are Mario and the others?" The doll asked, acknowledging their absence for the first time.
"We...well, we don't know," Peach answered dejectedly. "It stands to reason that Exor's shock wave would have sent Mario, Luigi and Mallow flying off, too, but it looks like they ended up somewhere else. It's fortunate for us that we landed here together, at least."
"How peculiar..." Geno mumbled, taking this all in. "And, you two have been fending for yourselves out here, while I've been asleep?"
Daisy shrugged. "Nothing extreme, really. We landed on the opposite side of the island from where the Yoshi Village is, so we've been walking though the jungle in that direction. Peach had her parasol on hand and the northern beaches have these interesting cacti that make very durable clubs." She took a test swing with the weapon and smiled when it whooshed through the air.
Peach giggled and filled Geno in. "Daisy's an expert on horticulture and she spends a lot of her free time outdoors. It's a wonder Sarasaland gets anything done with their monarch always out hiking or exploring the wilderness."
"Excuse me, Ms. Prim-and-Proper," Daisy said slyly. "I'm sorry I don't have a Koopa trying to capture me every other week." She was being playful, of course. "Since Geno's finally awake, maybe we can make some headway through the jungle and get to the village before it gets too dark?"
"That sounds like an excellent idea," Geno said.
The forest around them was alive with sound as the trio traveled amongst the trees to reach the Yoshi Village. Bugs buzzed and Ravens could be heard cawwing in the canopies above. The sun hung low in the sky, promising the inevitability of nightfall. Daisy was telling Geno about an encounter with a large Piranha Plant that the girls had to deal with while he had been asleep when they chose to stop for a short break in a small clearing within the rainforest. There was a lagoon with freshwater from which the princesses drank and washed their faces before sitting down to relax a moment.
"It sounds as though the both of you are more than capable of defending yourselves," Geno said, complimenting the two princesses. "So then, Princess Peach, why do you always end up kidnapped?"
"Well-" Peach was about to explain just that when, from the bushes, a trio of Spear Guys with paint upon their masks, dressed in grass skirts and carrying feathered spears burst forth and seized the pink princess! "What?!" She found herself bound with vines and being carried by the red-cloaked creatures deeper into the forest quickly, leaving Geno and Daisy dumbfounded!
"Peach!" Geno moved to give chase, when he suddenly found himself hurling after Peach without moving his feet! The warrior had not noticed two more Spear Guys lying in wait in the bushes and he, too, was tied up and kidnapped!
"Oh no, you don't!" Daisy hurtled after the kidnappers with her cactus bat held high! "Take this!" She closed in on one of the Spear Guys who had taken Geno and smacked it clear into the trunk of a large tree, causing the monster to explode into a flurry of multicolored stars! "They're made of Dark Energy?" The revelation came as a surprise to Geno and Peach, but their primary concern was dispatching the Spear Guys as quickly as possible.
"Worry about that later!" Peach screamed as her captors carried her farther and farther away. "Save us, Daisy!"
"Right!" The orange princess swung her club at the second Spear Guy who still had a grip on Geno and ran ahead to rescue Peach. "I'll come back to untie you in a sec!" She called back cheerily. Daisy had a spring in her step as she ran ahead and mowed down two of Peach's kidnappers with one swing! The remaining Spear Guy wasn't able to hold Peach alone and collapsed beneath the Mushroom Princess.
"Oh," Peach said, a note of disappointment in her voice. She smiled at Daisy as the orange-haired girl approached and untied her. "You're really good with that thing, you know?" Toadstool gestured to Daisy's cactus club as she rose to her feet.
Daisy grinned. "I never get the chance to smash baddies with you and the guys! It's fun," she said with a giggle. "It's really a shame I don't get to do this often." She stomped the Spear Guy as it attempted to get up, causing it to explode with a poof.
"You'll see, as this whole thing goes on, that it's not always fun to go on adventures." Peach tried to sound playful about it, but a note of sadness tainted her voice. "Anyway, let's go untie Geno and move on. If we stick around any longer, it'll be dark!"
Daisy shrugged and followed her friend, trying to put the blonde's comment at the back of her mind. They found and untied Geno, who was thoroughly impressed by the desert princess's speed and strength.
"You're incredible!" Geno exclaimed as they walked on back to the lagoon. "To think you're capable of such swiftness on foot while holding such a heavy object!"
"Heavy...?" Daisy held the cactus out before her and quirked an eyebrow. "Seems pretty light to me. Wanna try holding it, Geno?"
"Certainly!" Geno took the club from Princess Daisy and nearly toppled forward! She hastily took the weapon back before the Star Warrior harmed himself. "See? Heavy!"
"I guess you're right. Never thought of it much before..."
"Well, I suggest we make camp here for the night," Peach announced as they arrived near the bubbling pool of water in the clearing. The pink princess's parasol lay near the lagoon's edge, which she quickly gathered up. She looked to the skies and saw the sun had already dipped below the treeline. "It's too dangerous to proceed farther in the darkness. Our safest bet is to remain here until daybreak."
"I'm sure we could go on," Daisy countered. "Geno's a Star, right? Can't he use some sort of light magic to help us see?"
Geno shook his head. "I'm afraid my function is purely offensive...the doll lacks a built-in flashlight."
"Guess we're stuck here then," Daisy said with a sigh. "I'll prepare our tents," she said as she walked over to an empty part of the lagoon and began clearing the ground. "Geno, mind helping me gather palm leaves and wood?"
"I'll gather firewood! Nobody leave the lagoon, alright?" Peach warned as she began gather what dry kindling was available.
The trio went to work as the stars began to dot the night sky. None of them knew the state of Toad Town, or even of Mario, Luigi and Mallow. They knew nothing of the Smithy Gang's swift take over of the Mushroom Capital, or of the Machine-Mades that were starting to terrorize nearby towns and villages in search of the fragmented Star Road. In some ways, it was a blessing. At least for tonight, the three of them would sleep soundly.