Dr. Robotnik had lost track of the amount of time he had spent trying to get around on the Mushroom Planet. He was utterly exhausted but refused to acknowledge it.
Little did he know, another mustachioed man wearing red was closing in on him. He looked at Robotnik. "So he's the banshee. How odd." He double-checked to see if the doctor was onto him. "Wait, Mama mia! That's a guy! I have to get closer." He further snuck around the mushrooms until he felt ready to approach.
The dungareed adventurer soon developed a slightly cautious, yet stoic expression. "Hey, you."
The mad doctor immediately rushed uncomfortably close to the strange man, only for him to jump away onto a higher mushroom at the last second. Both shouted a quick "Hey!"
Robotnik kept at it. "What's the matter with you; I just want to get close!"
The man took a moment to compose himself after the initial panic and asked the scientist if he was lost.
"Lost? Hahahahahahahaha! Listen here, you little scamp! I claimed this planet, and as its leader, I am as lost or not lost as I please!"
He quietly murmured to himself: "Yup, he's the banshee alright."
Robotnik turned back toward him. "Did you say something? Are you alone? But more importantly, do you have any parts I can steal?"
"Nothing. I just heard reports that a monster was running around here scaring some Toads. I came here to investigate. I'd normally bring my brother along with me, but you know how he is about banshees."
Robotnik laughed hysterically. "The man lives in a village of amphibian people! Hilarious, isn't it, Agent Stone?" he said to the rock he'd been carrying.
"Um...I should probably help you get out of here. Oh, where are my manners? It's-a-me, Mario!" the man said sliding off some mushrooms back to Robotnik's level, "C'mon. I know a shortcut." He held out his hand. The doctor grabbed Mario's hand and pulled him to the ground. "Ow, I said I'm trying to help!" Mario said as he got up, brushing himself off.
"I don't need your help! My IQ is off the charts! I can figure this out on my own!"
Mario was not going to give up on a fellow human and took a slow and steady approach to help the crazed scientist. "So, which way did you come from?"
It was then that Robotnik got a wonderfully rotten idea. "Earth, third planet from the Sun."
"Whoa! That's-a-really far! How'd you even get here in the first place?"
"An evil blue alien from another planet shoved me into an interdimensional vortex!"
The thought ruffled Mario's feathers. "That's awful!"
"Yes, who knows what kind of mayhem he's causing right now? He could be destroying the power grid, committing mass murder, or worst of all: breaking all kinds of traffic laws!" He quietly explained as he showed Mario the quill he had gotten from Sonic.
"Oh my gosh! You have to get back to Earth and stop him! Luckily, I know a couple of people who have access to interdimensional travel."
"You do?" He ran over to Mario and crouched to the point where he could place his palms on Mario's cheeks. "That is truly brilliant. Say, now that I think about it, you and I look awfully alike. Like the mini-me/son I never had. Note-to-self: 'When I get back, clone a mini-me.'"
Mario could barely make out a plea for Robotnik to let go of him due to his lips being scrunched up.
"Please don't do that again. C'mon, this way!" Mario soon took off.