A girl stepped off of a train. She was quite brightly colored. Her hair was green. One bang partially covered her eye and her hair reached just below her shoulders. Her attire consisted of a short green dress with lighter green puff sleeves. The dress skirt ended just below her knees and on her feet were small green slippers with white socks reaching a little above her ankles. She was quite unusual in the crowd of yoshis, goombas, and other such creatures. Once in a while, someone would look at her curiously. The air was filled with the smell of train engines and the sounds of people chatting and the whistle of a train. The girl looked up at a sign. It was wooden but in well shape. A poster was hung on it and it read: MUSHROOM EXPRESS. CURRENT DESTINATION: MUSHROOM FIELDS. The girl picked up two large green suitcases and walked through the crowd. She looked around, taking in the sights. There hills and hills of green hills. It was early autumn and trees were beginning to gain brilliant speckles of colors in their litter of leaves. Suddenly a toad ran up behind her. He had red spots on his cap and he wore a suit. Glasses were placed neatly in front of his eyes.
"Excuse me, miss," He said to her politely. "Are you…" He pulled out a card from a pocket on his suit. He squinted and adjusted his glasses. "…Princess Thyme of Sarasaland?"
The girl nodded. "Yes, I am."
The toad bowed his head slightly. "I am Evird. I am here to personally escort you to the Mushroom Castle." He pointed to a large car. It was white with red spots, like the Evird's cap. "May we?"
The girl, taking Evird's hand, stepped into the car. He took her suitcases and put them in the trunk of the car. Inside the car, it was very comfortable. The seats were very soft like a bed. "Thank you for taking the Evird Express." A voice chimed on a speaker on the ceiling of the car. "Please enjoy your ride."
And the car zoomed off into the fields, a red blurry image in the distance. The Mushroom Castle.
Finally the car eased to a stop. The car door opened and Evird held out his hand. Thyme took it and stepped out. She was in front of a large castle. "This must be the Mushroom Kingdom." She whispered. Then she saw a familiar figure run towards her.
"Daisy!" Thyme cried, throwing her arms around the orange and yellow princess. Daisy responded to her by wrapping her arms around her as well.
"So nice of you to come!" Daisy said happily, breaking from the hug. "Come inside! You can meet Peach, Mario, and Luigi!"
Thyme picked up her suitcases. "Alright, let's go!"
Daisy grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the huge castle. Thyme was lead up the stairs and when she opened the door, a blast of cheers and good smells hit her.
A party had assembled in the foyer of the castle. Toads and goombas and yoshis and other kinds of beings were there. Green balloons and streamers and confetti were everywhere. A large white table filled with foods of all kinds. Soups, and cookies and even a large cake were topped on the table among many other things. On one side of the giant foyer, many tables were placed. A pink-clad princess quickly scurried up to Thyme.
"Oh, Thyme! Welcome! I am Princess Peach." She was followed by two men in overalls. One wore green and another wore red.
"Hello, Peach." Thyme said, smiling. "I am quite hungry. This food looks good."
The red man smiled under a bushy moustache."Oh yes, the food is wonderful! My name is Mario." He reached out a gloved hand. Thyme took it and shook it.
"Nice to meet you." She greeted.
The green behind Mario peeked out. "Eh, I'm Luigi. I'm not as big of a hero as my bigger brother Mario but…" He blushed cutely. "…well, hello."
Mario laughed and softly punched his brother's shoulder while he shook Thyme's hand. "Oh, don't be like that Mario. You're a good guy."
Daisy squeezed her sister's shoulders from behind. "I got a room ready for you. Green, like you love to have it."
Luigi smiled. "Hey, someone sees my way! Though I also like blue."
Thyme smiled shyly at Luigi's remark.
Peach had gone off and gotten a piece of the cake. She came back with a piece on a plate and a fork. "Try the cake," She insisted, thrusting it into her hands. "My kitchen's staff has been working hard on it for you."
Thyme cut a small piece and put it into her mouth. "Oh wow!" She exclaimed. "It's so nice! It has a nice sweet taste to it and it's so fluffy and light!"
Daisy took Thyme's hand again. "C'mon, let's go to your room!"
So while Mario and Luigi stayed downstairs, Daisy and Peach led Thyme up to her room. They practically dragged her up a spiraling flight of stairs that lead upwards. The loud talking and conversing of the party became quieter the farther they traveled up. Finally, they reached a floor filled with rooms. Peach opened the door to one. Inside was a bedroom. A very green bedroom. The sheets on the bed were green and the window frame was green. There was a green desk with a mirror and a green dresser and a green closet. Outside the window was a view of the courtyard, which was filled with more tables and more people eating and talking.
"So, you two sisters can do whatever. I have to return to the party." With that, the click-clack of Peach's high heels echoed down the hallway and down the stairs.
Thyme opened one of her suitcases. It was filled with clothing items. There were three other green dresses, neatly folded and tucked in. They all had different designs from the one Thyme was currently wearing, yet they were all short dresses. One outfit was a green shirt and short pants. She packed three other pairs of socks and of course, some undies. "You sure like to dress." Daisy noted jokingly.
"Oh please, Daisy." Thyme responded, a smile on her face. "I just like to be different each day somehow." Daisy let out a chuckle and helped her pack away her cloths. In the other suitcase were some other types of items. A green hairbrush, toothbrush, tennis racket, an extendable golf club, and a picture of Daisy and Thyme's parents. At the picture, Daisy picked and looked it over. She felt her hand rest gently on her chest. How she missed her parents, but she wanted to stay in the Mushroom Kingdom. But she put it on the desk without saying anything.
After putting everything where it should be, the duo returned downstairs. Everyone greeted the two princesses with happy faces. Thyme went over to the buffet, got a bowl and poured some soup into it. It smelled warm. When she sipped it, she found it to be spicy. Fire flower soup, I guess. Thyme thought. Then she felt a hand on her shoulder and turned around to see Peach.
"So, what is on your to-do list?" She asked, smiling.
"Well," Thyme began. "After the party, I am just going to rest. I have traveled a lot. Next day, I want to go sightsee around the Mushroom Kingdom and the Mushroom Region. I admit, I have not decided what I will do after that. I'm just going to let fate decide."
So the party went on strong for the rest of the day. Thyme toured the castle and met more figures. It was sunset and the whole castle was set in an orange glow. The sun began burying itself in the distant hills. Thyme was outside, enjoying the cool breeze.
"Mm, I like the temperature here. Sarasaland is a desert place, so you can imagine the heat there." Thyme explained.
Peach, Daisy, Mario, and Luigi were all gathered with her. They had enjoyed the party immensely, and even if things were beginning to cool down, it was still going on. Peach put a delicate hand over her mouth.
"Oh, I can. I am sorry for this comment, but deserts aren't places for me…" This comment left everyone laughing. Their laughter was interrupted by a guard toad dashing up to them. He was trembling and a horrified look was etched on his face.
"P-Princess, y-you must c-come!" He said, obviously terrified.
That's when the group noticed that the laughter and chatting of the patrons had stopped. The music and clinking of glasses had halted. Peach looked around.
"Huh, what's going on?" She asked loudly, large amounts of worry in her voice.
The toad led the group back inside the foyer, where a large cluster of people were gathered around a section of the floor. They all shared the same look: Dismay.
They parted to let the group through and what they say almost sent them reeling.
On the floor was a toad. He was dead and laying on the floor. No one knew how he left or why, but there was only one clue.
A bloody diamond cut into his neck.