Chapter 1

The alarm clock roared as Mario awoke from his dream. He did not seem to remember anything. Then his memory came back. Today he shipped out for training. He took a quick look at the clock. 5:32 it read. He rose from the bed. Just then he heard Luigi's clock go off from down the hall. Mario began to get ready. He had packed his stuff last night. Mario thought it over. How hard would it be? Training, the war? He had fought koopas before. But there was said to be millions of them. "This is going to suck." Mario said softly.

Luigi was worried. What if they didn't show up in time for the "transport" in time? What kind of transport this was he did not know. And that's what worried him most. What kind of creature or machine was it? Would it let them on if they were late? All of these question flooded his mind as he readied himself for the departure. 5:43 his clock read. He checked his bag for the 4th time. Everything was there. He closed his bag and hurried down stairs, where Mario was already grabbing a bite to eat. Luigi grabbed an apple.

"Mario, come on we need to get moving!" Luigi panicked

Mario grabbed his bag and walked out the door. Luigi walked out the door, shut it and locked it. Little did he know it would be a long, long time before he ever set foot in it again.

Mario and Luigi walked into town. They took a quick look around. They soon saw many toads like them with bags walking around and saying goodbye to loved ones.

"They told us to wait by the tavern." Luigi said.

"And were, would that be?" Mario responded

"MARIO, LUIGI OVER HERE!" A voice yelled.

"Is that Peach?" Mario said

They saw Peach standing near a building. They both walked over.

"Peach what are you doing here?" Mario asked.

"I heard that you were shipping out in this town and I wanted to see you off."

Then a bus rolled up. Mario and Luigi had never seen one before. As it stopped there Mario and Luigi guessed that they were standing in front of the tavern. A toad in a military uniform stepped out of the door.

"All drafted personal get ere' mangey ass's on board!" He yelled.

Peach kissed Mario on the cheek. She had tears in her eyes.

"I'll miss you." She said

"Don't worry I'll be fine. I'll write you every week" Mario said

"Come on." Luigi said

Mario and Luigi waited for all the Toads to board. Mario and Luigi got on the bus and sat together at the back. Mario waved to Peach as the bus drove off. Finally she was out of sight. For the next few hours Mario thought about Peach. Slowly he dosed off.

He awoke with a pain in his side. Something had hit him in his ribs.

"Wake the hell up you son of a bitch!" The commanding toad screamed. Mario got up from his seat.

"Get your ass outside the god damned bus!" He yelled Mario walked outside the bus. Where was he? He looked at a sign. "Training camp C-1" It read. This is were he would call home for a while. Luigi was talking to other Toads as Mario approached him.

"Hey Luigi, where the hell are we?" Mario asked.

"I have no clue were we are in general." Luigi answered "But all I know is that it was a 4 hour drive where you slept the whole time."

Before Mario could speak the commanding toad stepped forward.

"Alright you worthless shit bags! I have some wonderful news, not only will I be training all of you, but I will also be your leader in combat. So if you don't like me be to god damn bad!" he screamed.

Mario and Luigi were directed to their cots. Luigi slept on the bottom bunk. They were told to leave their personal items behind on their cots. Mario checked his watch, it read 10:14. Mario and Luigi walked out of the huge tent. They fallowed some toads. They ended up at a building that was like half of a cylinder laid on the ground. The drill Sargent as he liked to be called was standing out side it.

"Distribute the rifles!" he barked

Toads began handing out rifles. When Mario got his he stared at it. He'd never seen one, they were illegal in the Mushroom Kingdom.

"This ladies, is the M-11 Rifle. It is a fully automatic rifle that carries a 25 round limit. In combat it will be your best friend. You will take these rifles with you where ever you go. At night it will stay under the cot. Is that clear?" He yelled

"Sir yes sir!" The solders yelled.

"Damn right it is. Now Master Sargent Kendle will tell you what you'll be learning in the next few months."

The drill Sargent stepped off stage to be replaced by Master Sargent Kendle. He was a regular toad. He had a kind face unlike the drill Sargent.

"Humans and Toads. Both come together as a new race. A race of brother warriors. It does not matter where you came from, who you are. None of that matters any more. You are solders now. You will learn to kill, but not alone you will kill with your brothers. You will watch your brother back, as he will watch yours." He spoke with in a way were you felt like you and everyone around were the last people on earth.

Those words echoed in Mario's ears for the whole 7 months of training.