The voices were beginning to silence within his mind. That was the first time in years, back to a time that he could hardly remember. Finally, he could think clearly and access his situation, but his time was cut short. The long anticipated cannon fire began to be heard over the horizon, the signal of his coming invasion.
King Bowser Koopa opened his eyes and saw confirmation against the setting sun: his tanks and airships quickly moving towards his position. Brushing his red mane back with his claw, he chuckled to himself, assured of his inevitable success. He may have grown much older since his first attempt as his face had become more wrinkled with age, but that did not stop his determination and getting what he believed was rightfully his.
Luckily for him, that prize was already next to him. Dressed in regalia fashion no matter the occasion, Princess Peach looked on with a face of worry, hotly anticipating the arrival of her beloved saviors. To her, it was only a matter of time. She knew her Toad Brigade would not stand a chance against the more modern Koopa Troop, let alone the insignificant numbers that she had.
"This is it Princess! The moment we've been waiting for!" said Bowser, always optimistic of his success. "After long last, not only will I conquer your puny little Mushroom Kingdom, but I will make it my own kingdom! Let's see Mario stand up to that!"
"W-what?" stuttered a surprised Peach. "You mean...I'm not going back to your kingdom?"
Bowser laughed. "No, baby doll. We're not going back to my kingdom, cause we're already in my kingdom! Don't you get it? This is my land now!" As if on cue, the local Toad militia gave a cry and down below the duo were 100 troops, carrying shells, Bullet Bill launchers and other weapons. They gathered and with a shout, marched towards the oncoming Koopa force, which began to deafen the skies with its machinated force.
Unfortunately for them, Bowser's forces were too many. Tanks carrying multiple cannonball launchers fired at first sight of the enemy, and several dismembered Toads flew up in the air amidst clouds of dirt and smoke. Many cannons launched a new type of red bob-omb, which proceeded to home in on any unfortunate Toad and explode. Other Toads who sought a way to halt the advancing front line were run over by them instead, seemingly paying no heed to what lay in front of them.
Bowser laughed with wholehearted satisfaction. "You see! There's nothing you can do! This Kingdom is mine!"
"Say that to my face, lizard freak!"
"Wha...?" Bowser turned and saw his old arch-nemesis Mario, staring him down from across the field they stood on. "Hahaha! You're a little late, my little portly plumber! I had already said that this kingdom is mine for the picking, and now it is all mine!"
"You think I'm going to let your grubby hands take Peach again? Think twice, turtle brain!" shouted Mario.
"Oh?" said Bowser. "This was already decided long before you and your little brother decided to show up. All you do is delay the inevitable, but even this time you've failed. This little mushroom kingdom is now the new Koopa Kingdom!"
Suddenly, a multitude of enemies appeared from outside the surrounding forest. Lakitu's, Monty Moles, a large number of Paratroopas and even Bullet Bill cannons were rolled out onto the plain and closed in on an increasingly worried Mario. He didn't know where his brother was, but he could use his help right now. If they weren't separated during that fateful decent through the atmosphere...hell, if the Destroyer, that large planet threatening to rip apart the entire Mushroom World hadn't appeared, then the last few years would never have happened. The Galaxy, the space station designed to contain that very fact, would never have been built. More importantly, kingdoms across the planet would've been better off they had been told the truth all along. He didn't know if he could ever forgive himself for playing alongside that cover up, but...
Mario shook his head. It didn't matter now, he was on his own. He knew he was going to have to use some his new techniques to overcome this battle.
"So, you're on an end of the world bid to fame, are ya? I might not be able to save every kingdom right now, but I can do what I came here to do. Right now."
"HA! I'd like to see you try! This is my dying wish, and I'll be damned if you get in my way!"
The ground rumbled beneath their feet, a welcome to the inevitable fight Mario would have to face. But Bowser seemed distracted by something in the distance, and when Mario turned to look he saw it: far away, a giant white pillar of light reaching into the sky. Everyone seemed entranced by it.
"What's that?" said one Lakitu, and many baddies murmured amongst themselves. Mario was confused and was not sure what it symbolized. But Bowser's face was plastered with a look of awe. A wave of realization seemed to flow through him, and after a moment he grumbled and held his head.
"...so you said that Kamek will become the next Grand Magikoopa?" Bowser suddenly asked.
"...huh?" asked Mario, snapping out of his trance. The baddies refocused their attention on their master, with most looking very confused.
"You said, after the death of my father, that you would-" Bowser opened his eyes and stopped short. "WHAT?" He looked around frantically. "What's going on?"
"We are invading the Mushroom Kingdom, upon your orders sire." said a Boomerang Bro.
Bowser blinked. He had suddenly remembered that. Though his memory was seemingly intact, he felt different. That pressure which was upon him had seemingly disappeared. But judging from his situation, he knew he had to keep this going.
"O-of course!" He looked at Mario and remembered his purpose. "Get him!"
Bowser's baddies prepared to assault the plumber, but at that moment, Mario unleashed his latest ability. The skies darkened for a moment before a ball of flame surrounded the plumber.
"Wha?" said many of the underlings.
With a flash, the ball of flame spread in all directions, engulfing everything in its path. A million screams of agony were heard simultaneously. Bowser, on instinct covered Peach with his body and the flames shot past his shell harmlessly.
When the flames subsided, Mario found himself surrounded by many roasting creatures of various kinds, with the combined smell barely tolerable. Bowser got up and naturally, was dismayed by the event.
Jumping into the sky, he landed in front of Mario with a rumble, flames spitting from his snout and ready to pounce. But he had a better plan. His wand was now gone, but he still had many tricks up his sleeve. Knowing this, Bowser laughed at his arch-nemesis.
"What an incredible show of force, Mario!" he said rather sarcastically. "Perhaps you could entertain me further." Suddenly, Bowser started growing to an immense size, rising up to the sky. Those not destroyed by the flames looked in awe as his head rose well above the tree line.
Bowser laughed, a giant facing a multitude of, what seemed to him, micro goombas. "Come on Mario, entertain me!"
"These toads need to move somewhere safe, and you're just delaying the inevitable!" Said Mario.
"Ha! They don't need to know a thing. Just look at my old kingdom. They learned the truth and a war is now all over the continent."
"Oh, so that's your excuse this time?" asked Mario.
"It's better if they know nothing! They'll never get in my way, and I can rule with Peach until the end of the world!"
As if on cue, a string of meteors were seen streaking through the sky and impacting not far from them, with plumes of smoke marking their location.
Mario balled his fists. He was going to have to do this if he was to free the Mushroom populace from the oncoming menace, which in the end, were hardly Bowser and his armies. The destruction of the Galaxy, that space station built to contain the coming doom that awaited the world, had let loose the plans of those who intended to survive the oncoming destruction. Mario knew that the Destroyer, which had arrived in their star system would destroy such plans in the short term, but wondered...
Bowser on the other hand, was not thinking about Mario, but rather the situation he found himself in. It seemed that memories from his childhood had suddenly become apparent to him, up to his crowning as king. Bowser knew that they could never know the Wand of the Blood had cured him. He became aware of the script laid out for him to play. But upon remembering them, Bowser knew they never created an ending, just a result. There at least, he may be able to change something and his children would have a brighter future...not controlled by them.
"The script is written Mario! Let's finish this once and for all!" said Bowser, and clenched his fist into a glowing ball of purple flame.
Mario narrowed his eyes. "Yes, it's obvious." With fists of flame, the plumber jumped head on into the giant oncoming fist of King Bowser, ready to end it all.