Mario was just waking up in a pink and gold covered comforter. The bed was soft and fluffy the way bricks usually aren't. He woke up to Toadsworth shaking his arm. "G'morning, Master Mario. Breakfast is being held in the dining hall on the first level, your presence is requested."

"No thank you. I was on a four hour plane trip on two hours of sleep," he argued. "I'll show up at lunch." The servant left the room. A little while later, Peach came in and woke him up again.

"Mario, I can't have you on a backwards schedule," she said, yanking the covers off.

"Stelle, perché," he asked weakly. "Your majesty, training won't do me any good while I'm like this."

"Suppose you're right," she tapped her chin. "But I'm tired too, and I'm still going. Also, training is not very difficult, I can teach you some basics. Now please get out of bed."

"Fine," he slumped out of bed. "Do you have any coffee then?"

"Yes, we do," she replied, and they walked downstairs to the kitchen. Mario poured a cup from the pot and handed it to Peach. He proceeded to drink straight from the pot and walked into the dining hall.

The king and queen were prattling on about some subject before diverted their attention to Mario.

"Um, sweetie, this is who you chose?" The king asked.

"Yes father. I know he doesn't look like much, but," she started.

"No, that wasn't the issue," he interrupted. "Eh, what's your name, son?"

"Um, Mario, sir," he bowed. The king waved his hand to get him to stop.

"Do you have a last name," a glimmer of hope shined in his eyes.

"No, my mother didn't have one herself," he answered. "She was orphaned and never met her parents, and she never bothered to give herself one."

"I see," he looked over to his wife. "I hope you enjoy your stay here. Now excuse us, the Queen and I have other duties to attend to. I'm sure our Princess and Toadsworth will look after you just fine." He brought his wife out of the dining hall as the servants cleaned up.

"Wait," Peach floated next to him. "What if there's two Marios in the same room?"

"Well, most other people do have last names,"

"Right, so anyway," Peach said with no reaction, "I'll show you where the power ups are. They're fairly easy to pick up, so it won't take long to learn."

"We have a couple in New Donk, like the 1-Ups," he said.

"And fire flowers. Have any experience with them?" He thought back to dodging giant fireballs on the building infrastructure.

"You could say that. Your majesty, I really don't think I would be the best handler with that." He fidgeted with his gloves. "Or really any of this."

"Sure you are," she groaned. "I mean, you were able to save your girlfriend in New Donk, you can surely take on this."

"I think Donkey Kong and King Koopa are two very different things," he said. "Also, we're not a couple anymore."

"Oh, sorry things couldn't work out."

"Yeah, but that was over a year ago. Don't know what the news reports are saying," he trailed off. "Wait, that doesn't even matter here- I can't fight King Koopa!" Peach raised her eyebrow. "Look, I want to help, but I think you got the wrong idea."

"Little late to be bringing this up now." She held herself up with regal elegance.

"I slept for like two minutes, the coffee is just now kicking in," he explained, rubbing his eyes. "I didn't even fight DK myself."
"Well, someone had to take care of him. Is there someone I should know about?" She crossed her arms.
"No. There wasn't," his body tensed.

"Alright then," she eyed him suspiciously. "Come along now."

'Luigi shouldn't have to deal with this,' Mario thought. 'No one should have to deal with him. Maybe I should stay, so she doesn't try to recruit anyone else, at least for the time being.' He looked up at her cold stare as they moved along.

He followed her into a room where power ups were scattered around, and a singular question block in the corner.

"Now, here are some supplies you'll need," she said. "I'd suggest grabbing a handful." She stood rigidly, with her hands behind her back. He grabbed some mushrooms and a tool box with a large hammer inside. He was about to grab more power ups, but was quickly disrupted by a blast in the hallway leading to them.

"Peach!" Yelled out a high pitched voice, "his horrificness is getting impatient with you!" Some koopas and goombas crashed into each other running into the room.

"Quick, grab a power up!" Peach yelled to Mario. He instead whacked a koopa with the hammer. "Or hammer, that works too." She grabbed a fire flower and starting toppling over enemies as well. She forms her wish power as a white shield in front of her, and yanks Mario by the wrist.

Kamek flies in over the rest and breaks down the shield with a few blasts. They both collapsed on the ground, with Kamek moving over to Peach, not even seeing Mario. Mario's body shook and impulsively threw the hammer at him. 'Perché ho fatto questo? Mi ucciderà! (Why did I do this? He will kill me!)' He thought.

Kamek just lingered over Peach, who was slowly picking herself back up. He was stunned silent with his mouth gaping open. "Y-you," he growled, "how did you- why are you- Oh who cares?" He charged up his wand and struck as Peach hit him across the room with a frying pan. The blast missed Mario and hit the wall.

"Where did you get a frying pan?" Mario asked bluntly.

"We keep a lot of weird stuff in this room," she shrugged. Kamek encased Mario with magic ropes and brought him close.

"Oh, like the rest of your family wasn't a total nightmare to deal with," his body ached as he was slammed against the ceiling. Peach clawed at the air and spun out fire balls to reach, but no luck. Worse still, the troops were surrounding her. "You and your brother could've been dealt with the day you were born, but nooo, that stupid Yoshi had to save you!"

"Cosa stai parland- I mean, what are you talking about," Mario's vision blurred again.

Kamek laughed, "you don't remember, do you Mario?" Mario could feel his heart race as Kamek slammed him to the ground. He was forced to sit up, his body was seen shaking beneath the ropes. "Let me show you a reminder!"

The room filled with smoke as a fire presentation burst in front of him. A similar dark silhouette from his dreams emerged, but much closer than before, even bigger than thought of. The fiery red mane could be seen this time, with the scaly green skin and large spikes. The ceiling started falling apart, and breaking the ground around him.

Mario shook in his ropes with a cold sweat, then stopped. He couldn't feel anything or emote, or properly registered what was happening before him. His entire body went numb, with the racing thoughts from before vanishing. He was aware of the room collapsing around him- but he felt nothing.

"Mario," a screamed pierced through the ringing in his ears. "Help me!" Mario rapidly blinked and looked around the room. The pink room could be seen once again, as the illusion before him became more apparent.

He looked over his shoulder to find Peach being swarmed by henchmen, out of fire and tied up. He struggled through the magic ropes, as the flames from the projection encased him. He started breathing heavily and could feel the flames around them. He lunged out of the flames right into the pile of henchmen and grabbed Peach.

"Mario, that block over there!" She pointed at the floating question block in the corner. "It has a super star, grab it!" He couldn't afford himself to catch a breath and busted out the star.

Both Peach and Mario were affected so Peach leaped out and grabbed another fire flower. Mario followed suite and blasted fire around, colliding with troops as well. Once those power ups ran out, the two starting using more and more, as the room emptied. Luckily, the troops were by and large defeated by then.

"Army," called out Kamek, "retreat!" The troops ran out of a giant hole in the hallway wall into an airship. Mario and Peach, both out of breath and lightheaded, saw them go. "This was the final straw, Princess! You and your little 'guard' better prepare for an invasion!" The crew flew off, with the King, Queen and Toadsworth rushing in.

"Honey, are you alright," asked the Queen.

"How bout you, son," the King asked, picking up a disheveled Peach.

"We're oka-" he tried standing up, only to collapse to his knees again. "We're alive."

Peach struggled to stay up, but staggered her way to Mario. She knelt down and grabbed a few syrup bottles out and 1 Ups. "Here, these will help," she handed her supply to him. He gulped them down, and noticed she wasn't eating any.

"Aren't you going to have any," He combed his hand through his hair.

"I can go without it. You need it more than I do," she took more deep breathes. Mario's heart stop pounding and his vision cleared. He was able to breath normally, and felt like he could go for a jog. "Right, so… I guess that will do for training today."

"Sweetie, you should go lie down," the Queen held her daughter's shoulders. "Your father actually needs to talk to Master Mario about something."

"Yes, right this way," he gestured him over to him.

"Is Pea- Uh, Princess Toadstool gonna be okay?" Mario looked back at the struggling Peach.

"She hasn't been okay for a very long time," he looked off into the distance. "But um, you don't have to worry about that. You'll have your own issues to be concerned with."

"Well, her safety is now my issue-"

"No, it's not that," he opened the door to the library. "Did Kamek say anything to you?"

"Yes," he tugged on his gloves again. "He said he knew me and my brother, and showed me a vision of King Koopa breathing down fire on me."

"You have no idea what that's about?"

"No." The recurring dream flashed through his mind.

"I see," he looked resigned. "I suppose Willow and Antonio never would tell you."

"Willow and- My mama and papa?" He made sure to be right next to his side.

"The very same," he took out a large leather bound book, and a portrait behind it. The portrait was a much younger King and Queen, with his parents. "When Willow was around your age, she became my head of guard, and Antonio an advisor."

They sat down on the loveseat in the center of the room. He flipped through the scrapbook and shown his parents accomplishments. News clippings of Willow defending the Kingdom from evil doers and mystical forces. With Antonio helping with peace treaties with other Kingdoms, such as Bean Bean Kingdom and opening trades with Metro Kingdom.

"Ah, I remember those days," he pointed towards Willow holding up gold. "Willow would rush into the castle, prattling on about a treasure map she found, and drag Antonio into finding it. The two were inseparable, it was adorable. I was actually able to go on one trip to Sky Land, flying around in the clouds was wonderful."

"I never knew any of this," Mario took the book out of his hands.

"I know" he said. "Willow and Antonio moved away when you were born. It was too dangerous for you two. Part of that was when you and Luigi we're born, Kamek kidnapped him."

"Che cosa?" He tightened his grip on the book. The King flipped to the end of the book with his parents holding the brothers up. Another picture of was the two on Yoshi's back.

"Kamek took Luigi, and you fell," he explained. "Luckily, a Yoshi was able to protect you as he went off to save your brother. While you two were safely returned home, they learned of what happened, and starting moving."

"Perche hanno fat- why did they do it? Why did Kamek try to kidnap us?"

"Not entirely sure, but that wasn't the last attempt at an attack," he answered. "The only thing we could assume was either Kamek was trying to prevent you two following in your mother's footsteps, or predicted something else. This is why your parents never told you about this, they didn't want you to get involved. But I suppose fate has a strange way of working."

"That's one way to put it," he slumped back in the loveseat.

"I know this is a lot to take in," he rested his hand on his shoulder. "And while my daughter would like to have you stay, you don't have to. I would not want to disrespect the wishes of my old friends." Mario wiped off the dust on the portrait. It had been faded with time.

"I'll think about it," he got up, nose still buried within the book. "Until then, I'm going to bed."

"It's three pm."

"Do you blame me?"

The king realized what he just said, "no."

Mario went off to his bedroom. He peeked out the curtains to see a few toads gardening, and some children playing jacks. He spotted more toads wandering the streets, laughing and talking. Though, some reporters and other toads showed concerned over the gaping hole in the side of the castle now.

Mario slumped into the bed and threw a pillow over his head. He tossed and turned, and shut his eyes and tried to think of nothing. It didn't work, and threw the pillow at the end of the bed. He hugged his knees and looked around, spotting an old phone on the nightstand next to him.

Mario dialed his home apartment, as the phone rang with no answer. He rehearsed what he was going to say to Pauline and Luigi, but it went to the tone again. Then again. And again.

Feeling the leather bound book, he decided to ring up a different number. This one actually picked up.

"Hello?" Said a disheartened voice.

"Mama? It's Mario." There was silence for a minute. Then a lot of yelling.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? I'VE BEEN TRYING TO CALL YOU AND LUIGI ALL DAY! I JUST SAW THAT STUNT YOU DID IN NEW DONK- WHAT WERE YOU THINKING? WHY IS THIS NUMBER FROM THE CASTLE? I WAS WORRIED SICK, WHY DIDN'T YOU ANSWER?" Mario pulled the phone away as far he could and still heard every word.

"...Alright, so how was your day?" Mario replied with nothing but nonchalance.

"Shut up, I'm just glad you're okay." His mother chuckled through tears.

"Anch'io ti amo." He replied in a chipper tone. "And, I am really okay. Wait, what happened with Donkey Kong was a few days ago, you're just getting it now?"

"Well, I guess an amazing feat that happens in a different country isn't as important to know over here," she gritted her teeth. "But why didn't you call me?"

"Probably the same reason you're not telling me how you knew I was in the castle."

"Um… Well, uh, while we lived in Mushroom Kingdom, I accidentally got a call from the castle, and I guess I recognized it." She said.

"Okay, second question: Why are you lying to me?"

"Mario! Are you implying I would lie?"

"No, I'm outright stating you would lie." He grabbed the portrait on the comforter. "Mostly because I'm looking at this photograph of you and papa standing right next to the royals. And the King saying you were his head of guard."

"Uuuhh… Okay, I was lying." She bite her lip.

"No! Really?" His voice pitched.

"Okay, enough of that," her voice sharpened. "You wanna explain what happened in New Donk? Or being at the royals?" Mario explained how everything went. "Peach, what the heck," she was dumbfounded. "So, are you staying?"

"That's why I'm calling," he wrapped himself in the blanket. "What do you think I should do?"

"As your mother? Get outta there as soon as possible," she replied sharply. "But as a guard," her voice softened, "and a friend to the royals? Bowser is a very real threat, and needs to go down."

"That's not very helpful," he winced at Bowser's name being said.

"This isn't my decision to make, sweetie," phone static was the only thing heard for a long while. "Honey, it's going to be alright."

"I'm okay," he tried to reassure.

"Mario, you're like me. I know you're not." She said bluntly. Mario wiped off the dust on the portrait. He flipped open the book to the picture of him and Luigi being held up by their parents.

"I'll talk to you later, mama. Ti voglio bene," he said.

"Ti voglio bene anch'io," she answered. "Oh, while you're there, tell old Rafferty and Meribelle we're still kicking. And I haven't forgotten he still owes me twenty bucks."

"Will do," he hung up, and flopped onto the pillows. He turned over, face first into the mattress. He was about to turn out the lights again when a knock at the door occured.

"Hey," Peach entered, with a tray of food.

"Ciao," he responded, picking himself back up. She sat next to him on the bed.

"You didn't come down for dinner, so I thought I'd bring it." She laid the tray in front of him.

"Thank you." He answered. He grabbed a fork and took a bite from the spaghetti.

"Can we talk for a bit?" She asked. "My father filled me in. I realize that this may all be overwhelming."

"A little, admittedly," he stared down at his plate.

"Look," she messed around with her hair. "I… I need you here. I can't keep doing this, I don't know how much longer I can take it." She hunched over and held her arms. "What you just experience has been my life for the last couple months. I do need you here." She clutched her brooch.

Mario continued to eat his food, and didn't reach her gaze. Peach folded her hands in her lap, looking around the room.

"So, what do you like to do for fun?" He asked out of nowhere.

"What?" Her voice cracked.

"Well, we are going to spend a lot of time together," he reasoned. "Might as well get to know each other." A wash of relief came over her, and she smiled.

"Um," she murmured, "okay. I guess I enjoy gardening when it's nice out."

"Oh neat," he replied sincerely. "What's your favorite thing to grow?"

"I love the roses but the thorns always mess me up. The toads won't even touch them, they think I'm so brave" she gave out a small giggle. She quickly repositioned herself in a poise manner, "but that's not important. Most guards don't care about that stuff."

"I'm not a guard," he answered. "I'm a plumber. And while I'm here, I want to be your friend. And as your friend, what you enjoy is important to me."

"I don't think that's the best idea, but if you insist," she rested her cheek in her hand. "what do you like to do?

"Recently I was playing a new video game with my brother that's about boxing," he shrugged. He moved the finish plate onto the nightstand.

"I've never actually played a video game before," she said. "Never had the time."

"How have you lived," he asked in a dead panned manner.

"No idea," she shook her head.

"I should show you Manic Knight," he sat straight up. "That was the first game I got, and it was a lot of fun."

"What's it about?"

"Okay, before I continue I must warn you," he raised a hand, "I will literally gush about this for the next couple hours."

"Pfft, only a couple hours?" She scoffed, "you should see me ramble about this book, Vera's Amulet. I once bored my servants for days." Mario laughed. "Oh, you think I'm joking? Toadsery, come in here."

A blue toad walked in, "yes, your highness?"

"When I say Vera's Amulet, what comes to mind?"

The toad jumped and started apologizing, "I didn't do it! It was all Toadia's idea, we didn't mean to break it!"

"You're not in trouble, I was just proving a point," she waved her hand. "Wait, what broke?"

"Nothing!" He already disappeared into the hallway. Mario was trying to hide his laugh.

"You know, that's no different than how my friends act when I prattle on too," he said. "Tell you what, I'll read Vera's Amulet, and you'll play Manic Knight, and we can bore everyone to death together!"

"Deal!" She had a big grin. It disappeared as quick and she got up. "Right, so I'll see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams."

"Um okay," he looked baffled. "You too." She left the room, and he turned off the lights. He thought about playing Manic Knight with his brother just yesterday. 'Yesterday,' he thought. 'Feels like an eternity already.'

He laid back and looked at the ceiling, the fan slowly turning. He looked around the pristine, freshly cleaned room that reeked of disinfectant and an overly strong lemon smell. 'Luigi would be ecstatic if my room was this clean. And Pauline would like the change of pace from the banana bread smell from the baker next door every morning.'

He shifted over to the night stand again and dialed his home phone. When they didn't pick up again, he called Pauline's work and was sent to her boss. "Hey, is Pauline Brescia there? It's Mario, I need to talk to her."

"Nope. Called in this morning," her boss said.

"Okay, thank you," he hung up and dialed another number. "Hey Joy, it's Mario did Luigi come in today?"

"No, he didn't," she answered. "He called you both in, you feeling alright?"

"I'll be fine, thank you Joy," he hung up the phone. 'Dove sono andati? (Where did they go?)' He whimpered as he fell back into the covers.

Meanwhile, in a few kingdoms over, Kamek was entering a large dark room. At the end was a looming shadow, legs crossed with piercing red eyes.

"Your awfulness," he flew up. "Mario has returned, he's at the castle right now. What should we do?" Fire emerged through a low growl, and he stood up, the floor shook with his step.

"You know exactly what to do," the candles on the walls shaking as he walked. "Invasion. First thing tomorrow. Now get to it." He slammed the door on his way out.

'Maybe they're still in New Donk,' he tried to reassure himself. 'At least they'll be safe there.'

Unknowingly, Pauline and Luigi had just gotten off a flight to Mushroom Kingdom, and were staying the night at a motel.

"Remember," Pauline said as she flopped in her bed. "First thing tomorrow morning, we're going down to that castle, finding the nearest blunt object we can, bash open a window and run out with Mario." She slammed her fist into her palm, "and maybe some other things we could bash."

"No Pauline," Luigi said in a manner that sounded like that was the twentieth time today. "It's better we don't cause a scene either. We'll sneak in the back window and take him out that way. We talked about this."

"I know," she threw her hands in the air. "Let me dream," she crashed back down and crossed her arms. Luigi's expression softened, and he tugged down his cap.

"Hey," Luigi called over to her from his bed. "Mario sarà tutto bene. (Mario will be alright.)" She looked at him with tired eyes, and flipped on the TV.

"Another attack at Mushroom Castle today," said the news anchor, the two stunned silent. "Third one this week, with what seems to be a final threat from the Koopa King. No word on this destruction from the royals, but few citizens have caught glimpses of the Princess, badly injured. Alongside some of these accounts were descriptions of a short mustachioed man next to her in similar condition." Blurry pictures of the two bruised and battered were shown on screen.

"Speculation it is the same man from New Donk City's Donkey Kong incident, though no official word," the news anchor continued. "Threats of invasion loomed from Kamek as he retreated."

"Oh le mie stelle," Pauline moved her palm over her mouth. "Luigi, che-" she looked over to tears rolling down his face.

"Spegnilo," he buried his head in his hands. He started taking rapid breaths and he stared at the ceiling. Pauline obliged and turned off the TV. She moved over to his bed and wrapped her arms around him. She rocked him back and forth, not saying anything.

She looked around the room, scrunching up her face and grinding her teeth. Many times she looked like she was about to say something, only for nothing to come out. The fire spitting had vanish within seconds. She shook her head slowly and lowered her head atop Luigi's, as tears rolled down too.