The Fungi Light immediately switched off without warning, leaving the room completely dark. Although Mario had expected it, it was still shocking to him. He didn't jump, but it did cause him to flinch in his bed a bit. It was only a bit before the television was going to switch off too. Mario took his hat off, and placed it on the rack over his bed. He was half asleep, and ready to get a good night's rest. Luigi was already out cold in the bed on the other side of the room. Mario propped himself up on his arm, and looked at his brother through half-closed eyes. He couldn't believe they were going to share their 37th birthday in just a few days. He felt as if he was one with the man who he spent nine months pressed up against. He was a few seconds older than Luigi, but he saw him as an exact equal. It was in rare moments like this, that one could appreciate such bonds with someone else. He reminisced about just a few of the things he and Luigi had done together. Eating pizza under the tree as kids, almost getting killed on the many missions they were sent on, and spending time with the girls, Peach and Daisy. Unfortunately, Mario was wrecked, and he fell onto his pillow, slipping into sweet unconsciousness. The things running through his mind twisted themselves into an unclear, but pleasant and savory dream.
The next morning, Mario felt himself waking up to he smell of jelly. Once his brain caught up with it, he saw that it was a piece of toast. Luigi was hovering it in front of his face. Mario, still tired, closed his eyes. But instead of putting his head down, he moved it forward. He clamped down onto the toast and laughed, shoving it into his mouth. He sat up to a mild surprise. It turned out Luigi wasn't Luigi at all. It was a young man about a head shorter than Luigi. He saw that Luigi was sitting at the table, fully dressed, obviously waiting for Mario to get up. He turned back to the young man with a large white headpiece with red spots.
"Toad, what are you doing here?" Mario laughed.
"You got a call." Toad said with a simple and calm look. Mario knew it couldn't have been anything serious, because he would have been pulled out of bed around seven, and it was almost 12:30.
"Alright," Mario got out of bed, threw of his clothes, fixed his hair, and invited his co-worker. "I guess we better go see the Chancellor. Walking with us, Toad?"
On Mushroom Way, Luigi asked Toad what the call was about. "I'm not really sure, but it's probably just another issue with those teenage troopas giving the townspeople crap. You'll be out of there by 2, and you'll have some extra cash."
"Wanna eat something afterward?"
"Always, Mario. No more linguini though. That stuff is crazy messed up.
The three walked through the cozy blue and red hallways of Mushroom castle. The only time Mario had ever had any objection to this place was when it became temporarily overrun by Shyguy knock-offs on pogo sticks. Other than that, he enjoyed this workplace. Toad pushed open the double doors and entered with an Italian brother on each side. The man in the green robe and matching headpiece, the Chancellor, stepped forward and greeted his employees.
"Marios, Toad, there is something very strange going on around our area. We just found out about it this morning." He took out a small plastic bag and put on a rubber glove. He reached into the plastic bag and pulled out what looked to be a fire flower sprout. But instead of red, it was black. He held it out slowly, and Mario put out a hand to grab it. The Chancellor quickly closed his hand and withdrew.
"Don't touch it!"
"What's with it? How did this happen?" Luigi tilted his head to the side and stared at the tiny petals of pure black.
"We're… not really sure at all what they are." He slipped it back into the bag, obviously anxious to get rid of it. "The sprouts are generally harmless, but budding flowers are more dangerous. Small patches have been shooting up, apparently at tremendous speeds. You'll see them in clearings more and more in the next week or so. And after that, well… do the math. They're reproducing at an exponential rate."
"So, these flowers just started coming without warning?" Mario asked, completely puzzled.
"Yes, I'm afraid so." Chancellor looked very scared as he turned and paced back and forth.
"Wait a second, sir," Toad responded, "this is bizarre, but what are you so afraid of? I mean, I know huge amounts of black flowers is going to look really ugly in our fields, but…"
"Oh, forgive me," the Chancellor shook his head, "I know I'm getting way ahead of myself, but this is very problematic. These are causing horrible and chronic symptoms. Sudden vomiting, breathing trouble, fevers, and a lot of other things. Things that don't really have any connection, except for the fact that they really seem to be slowing everyone down. This is all somewhat treatable, but not curable. Half the entire castle called in sick because of this."
Mario looked around the room and noticed that only three of the usual six Head Mushroom Advisors were there, and that included Toad.
Luigi thought of a quick solution. "Well, just tell people to stop eating them." He assumed that like most of the other types of flowers, which people of Mushroom Kingdom traditionally used in many meals and soups, they had been using them in their cooking too.
The Chancellor shook his head. "We haven't had one report of them being eaten. People have been catching the full set of these symptoms simply by coming into slight contact with the flowers. Some have only just stepped on them with their shoes, and the results have been the same. I have no idea where to start on this problem. No one's dying, but if no one's able to work, at this rate, our civilization could go into decline. There are no clues, no issues, no motives… this is all just so sudden and unexpected."
"So you called us in on it?" Mario asked.
"Yes… yes I did. And do you know why?" He paused rhetorically, then collected himself. "Because I trust you two more than anyone at this point. We all know the story of when you lived back in Brooklyn. Mario, you climbed a fifty story construction site to save a girl from the escaped mutant gorilla. Your first days on the job as plumbers, you ridded the sewers of millions of monsters. When Bowser first came to power, and you and your brother hit a record-setting seven decoy castles before you found his headquarters, you didn't give up. When King Wart was wreaking havoc overseas in Europe, and our agency asked you to chase him all the way into the sky, you three complied." He said, giving Mario, Luigi and Toad smiles. "Even the noble Princes Toadstool gave you her support to the end. Bowser transformed seven different kings, conquered and enslaved a race of dinosaurs, and built an entire dimension within Peach's castle. And you've managed to thwart all of this." The Chancellor was starting to talk with his hands and pace back and forth anxiously, obviously gaining sprit. "Mario, I know about your good deeds down in the south seas. Luigi, don't think I didn't hear about the haunted mansion. And who could forget the time we were taken over by the Smithy gang? That was an age to remember." He was even starting to let out nervous laughter and sweat on his forehead. "You crossed the great lands and defeated enemies like nothing we've ever seen. Toad, you put together the prototype, and later the first model for our MagiCube technology. And you filled it with party rooms no less. And you've been helping us out at the castle ever since you were only eight. This isn't just for the Super Mario Brothers. You're twenty-two now, and if anyone is going to help us, it's going to be you three. And so close to your 37th birthdays, you two. Three days from now… Friday." The Marios and Toad cracked their smiles acknowledging their boss' praise. "Also, the Princess, should she decide to help. I know she'd be willing to, and the only thing standing in her way was what used to be my walls. I'm done holding her back from what she loves doing--serving her people. So what do you say? Will you save our kingdom?" Mario couldn't believe he was seeing the Chancellor drop a few tears onto his wide smile.
Suddenly, the doors of the throne room busted open. Two Mushroom soldiers ran in, tripping over their own feet, stuttering. The four men and the other employees had been ripped down from their temporary clouds. The Chancellor asked them what the news was, and one of them managed to spit out,
"T-the black flowers. They're growing vines now! A whole patch just expanded, and crawled on top of a house and collapsed it!" He put his hands down on his knees to catch his breath. The other one panted his words out,
"And two kids just almost died. We've gotta evacuate everyone before these flowers get to us!" The Chancellor pulled himself together and acted quickly. He thought for a second, and gave his orders. He pointed to the first man.
"You, get on the line and get everyone in the south side onto the buses and to Rose town and Tadpole Pond. We need to get these people out of town and across the borders. You," he said to the second man, "get everyone in the north side to the Vista and Mushroom Plains. They can pitch emergency camp there. Mario, Luigi and Toad, I'm shipping you out to the city with Peach and Daisy. You need to get as far as possible from these things. I need my boys in tip top shape. If you're out there instead of in these open fields, you should be safe. Now GO! You have no time." With that, Mario, Luigi and Toad ran out the door, read to attack this problem from a safe place.
The next morning, Mario felt himself waking up to he smell of jelly. Once his brain caught up with it, he saw that it was a piece of toast. Luigi was hovering it in front of his face. Mario, still tired, closed his eyes. But instead of putting his head down, he moved it forward. He clamped down onto the toast and laughed, shoving it into his mouth. He sat up to a mild surprise. It turned out Luigi wasn't Luigi at all. It was a young man about a head shorter than Luigi. He saw that Luigi was sitting at the table, fully dressed, obviously waiting for Mario to get up. He turned back to the young man with a large white headpiece with red spots.
"Toad, what are you doing here?" Mario laughed.
"You got a call." Toad said with a simple and calm look. Mario knew it couldn't have been anything serious, because he would have been pulled out of bed around seven, and it was almost 12:30.
"Alright," Mario got out of bed, threw of his clothes, fixed his hair, and invited his co-worker. "I guess we better go see the Chancellor. Walking with us, Toad?"
On Mushroom Way, Luigi asked Toad what the call was about. "I'm not really sure, but it's probably just another issue with those teenage troopas giving the townspeople crap. You'll be out of there by 2, and you'll have some extra cash."
"Wanna eat something afterward?"
"Always, Mario. No more linguini though. That stuff is crazy messed up.
The three walked through the cozy blue and red hallways of Mushroom castle. The only time Mario had ever had any objection to this place was when it became temporarily overrun by Shyguy knock-offs on pogo sticks. Other than that, he enjoyed this workplace. Toad pushed open the double doors and entered with an Italian brother on each side. The man in the green robe and matching headpiece, the Chancellor, stepped forward and greeted his employees.
"Marios, Toad, there is something very strange going on around our area. We just found out about it this morning." He took out a small plastic bag and put on a rubber glove. He reached into the plastic bag and pulled out what looked to be a fire flower sprout. But instead of red, it was black. He held it out slowly, and Mario put out a hand to grab it. The Chancellor quickly closed his hand and withdrew.
"Don't touch it!"
"What's with it? How did this happen?" Luigi tilted his head to the side and stared at the tiny petals of pure black.
"We're… not really sure at all what they are." He slipped it back into the bag, obviously anxious to get rid of it. "The sprouts are generally harmless, but budding flowers are more dangerous. Small patches have been shooting up, apparently at tremendous speeds. You'll see them in clearings more and more in the next week or so. And after that, well… do the math. They're reproducing at an exponential rate."
"So, these flowers just started coming without warning?" Mario asked, completely puzzled.
"Yes, I'm afraid so." Chancellor looked very scared as he turned and paced back and forth.
"Wait a second, sir," Toad responded, "this is bizarre, but what are you so afraid of? I mean, I know huge amounts of black flowers is going to look really ugly in our fields, but…"
"Oh, forgive me," the Chancellor shook his head, "I know I'm getting way ahead of myself, but this is very problematic. These are causing horrible and chronic symptoms. Sudden vomiting, breathing trouble, fevers, and a lot of other things. Things that don't really have any connection, except for the fact that they really seem to be slowing everyone down. This is all somewhat treatable, but not curable. Half the entire castle called in sick because of this."
Mario looked around the room and noticed that only three of the usual six Head Mushroom Advisors were there, and that included Toad.
Luigi thought of a quick solution. "Well, just tell people to stop eating them." He assumed that like most of the other types of flowers, which people of Mushroom Kingdom traditionally used in many meals and soups, they had been using them in their cooking too.
The Chancellor shook his head. "We haven't had one report of them being eaten. People have been catching the full set of these symptoms simply by coming into slight contact with the flowers. Some have only just stepped on them with their shoes, and the results have been the same. I have no idea where to start on this problem. No one's dying, but if no one's able to work, at this rate, our civilization could go into decline. There are no clues, no issues, no motives… this is all just so sudden and unexpected."
"So you called us in on it?" Mario asked.
"Yes… yes I did. And do you know why?" He paused rhetorically, then collected himself. "Because I trust you two more than anyone at this point. We all know the story of when you lived back in Brooklyn. Mario, you climbed a fifty story construction site to save a girl from the escaped mutant gorilla. Your first days on the job as plumbers, you ridded the sewers of millions of monsters. When Bowser first came to power, and you and your brother hit a record-setting seven decoy castles before you found his headquarters, you didn't give up. When King Wart was wreaking havoc overseas in Europe, and our agency asked you to chase him all the way into the sky, you three complied." He said, giving Mario, Luigi and Toad smiles. "Even the noble Princes Toadstool gave you her support to the end. Bowser transformed seven different kings, conquered and enslaved a race of dinosaurs, and built an entire dimension within Peach's castle. And you've managed to thwart all of this." The Chancellor was starting to talk with his hands and pace back and forth anxiously, obviously gaining sprit. "Mario, I know about your good deeds down in the south seas. Luigi, don't think I didn't hear about the haunted mansion. And who could forget the time we were taken over by the Smithy gang? That was an age to remember." He was even starting to let out nervous laughter and sweat on his forehead. "You crossed the great lands and defeated enemies like nothing we've ever seen. Toad, you put together the prototype, and later the first model for our MagiCube technology. And you filled it with party rooms no less. And you've been helping us out at the castle ever since you were only eight. This isn't just for the Super Mario Brothers. You're twenty-two now, and if anyone is going to help us, it's going to be you three. And so close to your 37th birthdays, you two. Three days from now… Friday." The Marios and Toad cracked their smiles acknowledging their boss' praise. "Also, the Princess, should she decide to help. I know she'd be willing to, and the only thing standing in her way was what used to be my walls. I'm done holding her back from what she loves doing--serving her people. So what do you say? Will you save our kingdom?" Mario couldn't believe he was seeing the Chancellor drop a few tears onto his wide smile.
Suddenly, the doors of the throne room busted open. Two Mushroom soldiers ran in, tripping over their own feet, stuttering. The four men and the other employees had been ripped down from their temporary clouds. The Chancellor asked them what the news was, and one of them managed to spit out,
"T-the black flowers. They're growing vines now! A whole patch just expanded, and crawled on top of a house and collapsed it!" He put his hands down on his knees to catch his breath. The other one panted his words out,
"And two kids just almost died. We've gotta evacuate everyone before these flowers get to us!" The Chancellor pulled himself together and acted quickly. He thought for a second, and gave his orders. He pointed to the first man.
"You, get on the line and get everyone in the south side onto the buses and to Rose town and Tadpole Pond. We need to get these people out of town and across the borders. You," he said to the second man, "get everyone in the north side to the Vista and Mushroom Plains. They can pitch emergency camp there. Mario, Luigi and Toad, I'm shipping you out to the city with Peach and Daisy. You need to get as far as possible from these things. I need my boys in tip top shape. If you're out there instead of in these open fields, you should be safe. Now GO! You have no time." With that, Mario, Luigi and Toad ran out the door, read to attack this problem from a safe place.