The Doctor

Chapter II

Inside Doctor Mario's lab was pure madness. Toad had awakened on a steel table, his arms and legs strapped to it. The only thing he could move was his head. He got a good look at the place: lots of machines, metal floor and walls, small tubes, big tubes, most with liquid, and some with what looked like… Koopas inside?

Toad didn't understand. His mind could not comprehend what was going on inside this laboratory. This was the Doctor's domain. Toad watched as Dr. Mario went back and forth, and with what was surprisingly a Red Koopa, who followed every order that the Doctor gave him. Suddenly the Koopa saw him and immediately reported to his master:

"Doctor, the mushroom has awoke," he said.

Dr. Mario only shrugged. "I already know. You should already know that I keep track of each and every one of my projects. His time will come once my preparations are complete."

Koopa immediately went quiet after that. The Doctor would sometimes become angered whenever he talked too much.

Doctor Mario walked to the only wall section that was empty. He pressed a button and suddenly that section of the wall slid up into the ceiling and a giant, cylinder-shaped machine rolled out from a thick platform. It could easily fit a person inside, it was so large. Yes, this project was extra special and required much preparation. He had been working with mind control technology and had invented this. Basically the machine could only control the mind of those that were weak or those that were corrupted.

This all had to deal with the "Plan." The Plan was Dr. Mario's personal goal to get back the glory he once had. A glory that no one remembered, but would soon enough. The thought of his own grand strategy always brought a smile to his face. How excellent it would be!

After pressing several buttons on the machine it was ready. He walked over to Toad, who was trembling and had an extremely frightened look on his face.

"You should be honored Toad," Dr. Mario told him in that evil Mario voice of his. "You have become a part of the Plan."

Toad had no idea what the hell he was talking about. The straps came off and with one hand Dr. Mario lifted Toad and set him on his feet. He was confused.

"Take these pills," Dr. Mario ordered as two pills materialized into his hand. They were small pills with randomized colors. Toad, not wanting to anger the Doctor, did as he was told. A large grin appeared on Dr. Mario's face.

"Good, cooperation is good! You just took a powerful hallucinogenic drug created with my own specifications. It will help with the process."

Toad couldn't say a word. His mind was already altering. Even though he himself was a mushroom and quite immune to hallucinogens, this really fucked him up. It went past any kind of immunity he had thought to possess.

The Doctor picked him up again and this time tossed him into the machine. He didn't feel like struggling anymore. There didn't seem to be anything inside the cylinder capsule, but when the door slid closed he became engulfed in smoke and could see nothing. His mind was extremely altering now.

Dr. Mario in the meantime pulled out a microphone and began to speak into it:

"Hello Toad, I am Doctor Mario. You must be feeling quite well right now. I gave you life Toad!"

And then that laugh. That evil Mario laugh. He laughed into the microphone.

"There are two Mario's, the one you know all too well as your people's hero, and then me.

The so-called hero Mario is nothing but a fake, Toad. Don't you agree?"

Inside the machine, Toad muttered: "A… fake."

"Indeed Toad, he is responsible for eating hundreds of your species! He saves you because he considers you a delicacy!"

"That…. Monster," Toad replied.

"You follow Dr. Mario now, and you will help me kill the so-called Super Mario," Dr. Mario told him.

"Yes… I follow… The Doctor."

Brilliant, the Doctor thought. My mind-control machine is a success!

He opened the machine and Toad stood there motionless. His face or eyes held no expression. The Doctor walked up to him and ordered him back to the table. Toad obeyed without hesitation.

"A clear success," Dr. Mario said looking at him for a moment. Then he walked up to him and grabbed him again.

"Get the stove ready Koopa," The Doctor ordered. "We're eating fried mushroom tonight."

He grabbed Toad by the throat and began to pull his head apart from his body. Inside Toad's head he thought about how Mario was the one eating his people. It was not Dr. Mario. The Doctor was his master. Mario was a fake. And then… nothing.

The Doctor ate well that night, and it was the beginning of his plans. His mind had already predicted a victorious outcome; it was impossibility that Mario could outwit him.

---

Inside the Royal Castle, the Mario Bros. sat down for a nice pasta dinner. A lot of people showed up to greet them, including the Princess. She mostly talked to Mario though, and so did the others. Only a few said a word to Luigi, and it was very little.

Damn him, Luigi thought with an angered look. He is taking far too much glory. What did he do so special then me?

Suddenly Toad dashed through the crowd and approached the Great Mario.

"Mario! I cannot find my brother! He disappeared last night in the cave-area of the land I live at."

Mario looked at him and didn't really know what significance that had for him. "Calm down Toad, your brother probably took a wrong turn. You must remember, Bowser was recently defeated and this is a time of peace. He will turn up! HA! HA! HA!"

"But so many have perished—"

"Quit bothering me with such nonsense, you worry too much!" Mario shouted with a hearty laugh. He was in good spirits as usual.

Luigi, on the other hand, was silently plotting. Mario had remained uninterested in this for quite a while, and this was actually a matter of importance to the Mushroom People. It was the perfect opportunity for him to take the glory! Luigi knew of exactly the cave they were talking about. He would go there, find out what the hell was doing all the trouble, and take it out without Mario's help.

It was ingenious!

Your days are numbered Mario, Luigi thought. And for once he smiled.