Chapter 4: The Stranger's Shortcut
"...It's... No use... Can't... catch him..." Mario wheezed as he rested against the brick wall of a building. He had long since lost sight of both Donkey Kong and Pauline, and had futilly following the trail of destruction that the ape left in its wake. If only Pauline had dropped her purse when Donkey Kong lifted her. Had she, Mario would have been able to get her car keys. But, unfortunately, this was not the case. Just as he was going to sorrowfully give up, he heard a voice.
"Police are at a loss as to what to do, and are waiting for zoo officials to arrive." Mario threw his head up. 12 identical news reporters looked at him for a few seconds from behind the window of the electronics store, before being replaced with an image of none other than Donkey Kong. Slowly, the camera zoomed out as the beast beat his chest, Pauline huddled in fear near him, her dress somewhat ragged and torn. Mario's eyes opened wide as the camera continued to zoom out.
"That's the... construction site!" he said aloud as realization dawned on him. He turned and looked in the general direction of his place of employment. The path of totalled cars and cracked sidewalks certainly seemed to head in that direction.
"You look like a man who could use some help," said a high-pitched, and yet at the same time gruff voice that broke Mario out of his trance. He looked around for the source of the voice, but couldn't see anyone.
"Down here!" it called again. Mario looked down, and found a person, not three feet tall, standing at his feet. His entire body was covered in a navy blue robe, which quizzically bloomed outward at the hood, making the person's head look nearly as large as their body. The miniscule figure's face was completely covered in shadow, except for two small eyes, which shined ever so slightly.
"Heh, sorry about that. Not used to people being shorter than me."
"Don't start with that," the strange person, assumedly a man, said angrily, as though he had taken severe offense to the comment. "Now listen, I'm trying to help you out a little, so let's keep this civil. Why don't you start by telling me just what's wrong?"
"Uh, sure, sorry," Mario said, feeling a little awkward. This strange little man was no doubt wasting his time, which was something he couldn't afford to waste. Still, he felt as though there was absolutely nothing he could do to avoid speaking with him.
"I'm sure you've heard about it; it's all over the news. That monkey, Donkey Kong, he somehow got loose, and he kidnapped my girlfriend. The two are across town, at the construction site where I work. If I don't hurry, he could hurt her, or worse..." Mario's head sank along with his spirits as he thought of Pauline being torn apart by the gorilla.
"Calm yourself, friend. I think that I can help you. Follow me." The little fellow took off into the street. If he cared about oncoming traffic at all, he certainly didn't show it. Cautiously, Mario followed him.
The little man looked about a little, until apparently spotting what he was searching for. He ran towards a man-hole, and with great effort, lifted the cover off.
"If you head down here, you'll be taken exactly where you want to be." Mario looked at the man skeptically, then examined the manhole. The rim of it was colored bright, metallic green, and strangely looked as though it's coat of paint was brand new. He peered down it and saw nothing but darkness.
"I don't know..." The absurdity of the small man's declaration hadn't even struck Mario; he was more concerned with his safety than anything.
"Go on, you'll be fine." Mario looked at the man-hole for a few more seconds.
"Are you sure about this?"
"Oh, for Shroom's sake!" The small man threw his hands up in frustration, and then ran and shoved the unsuspecting Mario into the green man-hole.