Chapter 3: Halfway to Fortunately
Some distance away, Mario, Peach, and Yoshi found themselves also in an unfamiliar town. It also was a not-that-nice town, hidden in a forest that they were also unfamiliar with. They had had several unfortunate run-ins with the locals, although, it seemed to be more of a getaway spot for nasty people. They couldn't decide whether it was a positive or negative coincidence, but they ran into Wario in a small house that he kept for the trips that he took there.
"So, you went into the desert and ended up here, huh?" he asked them.
"Yeah," Mario answered.
"Well," Wario said, "You're in a bit of luck anyway. This place is on the eastern side of the desert."
"What? Then how do you get here?" Peach asked.
"I go south, around the desert," Wario answered.
"Really?" Peach replied, shooting a sharp glance at Mario and Yoshi who suddenly looked a little embarrassed.
"Yeah, but I know you're trying to get back to the main path that heads east, right?" Wario added.
"Yeah," Yoshi answered.
"Well, in that case you're in a little bit of bad luck, because there is no actual path to get you there," Wario told them.
"No 'actual' path?" Mario repeated.
"Yeah, well, you get back to it by following some landmarks until you get to it. But there is no beaten path," Wario extended.
"We don't know these landmarks. Do you?" Yoshi asked.
"Yeah," Wario answered slowly, sensing what was coming.
"Could you take us?" Peach asked.
"I knew that was coming," Wario muttered.
"Please?" Peach pleaded.
"All right, fine, whatever. I'll take you. I got nothing else to do here anyway and nothing at home," he answered, "Get your stuff, we'll start right now."
So they all grabbed their things and headed off.