A MAR10 Day to Remember

by Trains of Thought

(Story Request by: Anonymous) It's the annual MAR10 Day celebration, and the festivities are in full throttle. While Mario loves the Mushroom Kingdom and it's people, flashy parties where he's the center of attention just aren't his thing. This year, he decides to spend his holiday the way he wants to.

"A MAR10 Day to Remember"

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Another one knocks into me, then another, and another. There's shouting, hands reaching out, stuff being shoved in my face. I feel like I need to make a break for it and escape with a backwards summersault or just brute force my way through all of these people, but I can't find an opening.

It's all too overwhelming. My forced smile is dwindling and my hands are starting to clench. But of course, throwing punches is not the way to solve this, it's just force of habit. I try to scan my surroundings for someone. Peach, Luigi, anyone that might be able to help me out. But there's no one else in my field of view other than this raving crowd.

Someone steps on the back of my shoe and I turn. It's a blue Toad, rising to his feet and brushing dust off of his clothes. "Hey Mario!" he screams, though we're less than a foot away from one another. "You're awesome! I love you! Can you sign this for me?"

I'm about to snap.

"Hello? People! GIVE HIM SOME SPACE!" For a moment, I think I'm the one that just shouted. Then I follow everyone else's gaze. Daisy stands at the edge of the hoard, hands on her hips and fuming. "You're all suffocating him, jeez!" This girl's outspoken personality is all too familiar for us, but it doesn't make her words sting any less. Every Toad makes way for her as she moves to the center of the circle and rests a hand on my arm. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I breathe, relieved. "I'm fine."

"Good," she says, before turning back to the Toads. "You all owe Mario an apology! I know he's your hero and we all love him, but today's his day, and I'm sure he doesn't want to spend it constantly swarmed by all of you! Seriously!"

She's right and I'm not going to deny it, but I will try to soften the blow. I do care about these people. "Thanks everyone for your praise and appreciation," my mouth curves upwards once again as I scan the crowd and run a hand through my hair. "But," my smile falters, "I could use some time to myself for a bit."

Daisy nods, crossing her arms.

"Sorry, Mario."

"Yeah, we're all really sorry."

"We're just big fans, but you know that."

All of them mumble an apology before dispersing. Some head for the food court, or to the beach, while others make their way to the castle. A few of the Toads seem to make a point to linger for a moment, whispering and gesturing towards the spunky princess. If Daisy notices this she doesn't seem to mind.

Once they're all gone, I relax. "Thank you."

"No problem," she says, uncrossing her arms. "You were getting eaten alive."

"I was going to handle it."

"Really?" she questions. "When? After you were trampled? What was your escape plan?"

I hesitate, "It was a work in progress."

The town clock strikes nine, and a single firework shoots into the sky. It flies high and burst into red and blue sparkles before disappearing as streams of smoke. It's a little reminder of the show that will be ending the town festivities, as if anyone would forget. At the sound of the clock tower bell, and the explosion, more groups begin to shift towards the coast and open fields, hoping to score a good seat for later tonight.

"I gotta go," Daisy states. "Enjoy your holiday."

She turns and heads down the main road, toward Peach's castle. Every Toad on the block seems to notice that I'm alone again, defenseless without Daisy here. I jog after her before I get ambushed. "Wait up!"

We walk together up the hill to the castle gates. The main streets are closed off to traffic for the celebration, and for good reason. Citizens from all around the kingdom come visit the capital for MAR10 Day.

Lights and vivid signs decorate the main strip, all in my signature colors. Toads of every age and size are dressed in red shirts and overalls just like mine. A stage is set up in the square with the New Donk City band playing their signature song. Kiosks selling glow sticks, toys, and red hats seem to be on every block. It's like this every year but I never can get used to how big this holiday is for Peach and her people.

Up ahead, people crowd at the front gates. The princess holds a gala every year, inviting every ruler and dignitary that I've met to celebrate and show their appreciation for me. There's good food, and the atmosphere is much less chaotic than Toad Town, but the negatives outweigh the positives for me. Cons beat pros by a landslide. I don't want to go to this party.

Once the gates close behind us, I start the trek up to the castle—I might as well get this over with—but stop when I notice Daisy isn't next to me.

"Where are you going?" I ask, noticing her walking towards Peach's hedge maze. "That's not the way to the party."

"I'm not going to the party," she says, turning around but continuing to walk. "I don't care to go, and have more exciting things on my agenda for tonight. I'd add 'no offense' in there but I don't think you're taking any."

She faces forward again and enters the maze. The Toads are separated from me now, so there's no risk of getting bombarded again, but I still don't want to split up. As I stand in front of the castle now, anything that can further delay my grand entrance is appreciated. After one last glance ahead, I turn to the gardens and run to catch up with Daisy before she's out of my sight.

She smiles when I'm next to her again.

"What?" I ask.

"Look at you," she says, enthusiastic, gesturing to me before making her first turn, "skipping your own party. Never thought 'Super Mario' had it in him."

"I'm not skipping, I'll be fashionably late," I contend.

"An hour or later past the party's start is just late, fashion is out the window," she states, tossing her left hand behind her. "Unless this is 'Super Mario's' way of telling Peach you don't care for this kind of thing. Though I think being honest with her is the better option for you."

"I like parties!" I exclaim.

"You don't like this kind of party."

"How would you know?" I question. We're not good friends. She doesn't know anything about me.

She turns again, walking backwards. "You're kidding, right? It doesn't take an expert to see that all this ostentatious stuff bothers you."

I'm quiet for a moment as we make another turn, face forming into a frown. Is it really that obvious? Does everyone know that I don't like a day that's all about me? If so, do they just brush it off? Does the idea of me hating MAR10 Day seem ridiculous to them? Improbable?

I retire my hands to my coat pockets and kick at the ground as we walk. "Do all of you realize how I feel about MAR10 Day?"

"Of course not," Daisy assures me. "If people did, I think they'd know better than to trap you in a giant circle of grand adoration," referring to the fans from before. "And Peach wouldn't have invited so many guests to the party."

I nod but say nothing.

"Why don't you just tell her the truth? Then your problems go away," she offers.

"Because," I begin to explain. "She'll be upset, and I don't want it to seem like I don't appreciate all of this."

"Mario," she says, looking me straight in the eyes. "It's you. No one is going to assume that. Flashy, self-absorbed parties just aren't your style, which is fine. The least Peach can do is take it down a notch"

That would be nice. I think.

"It's your day," Daisy speaks, gesturing to me. "You should be able to do what you want to do."

We make another turn and find the center of the maze. It's four main paths, converging at a stone fountain. Twinkle lights hang from poles around the perimeter, and each side has a white iron bench. The Peach and I have never ventured in here on one of our daily constitutionals (mazes and I just don't mix), so it's nice to finally see it.

Daisy moves forward confidently towards the path ahead of us, ignoring the scenery. "Hang on," I say, and she stops. "Just where exactly are we going?"

"I'm going," Daisy emphasizes, placing her hand on her chest, "to the north end of the beach to shoot off fireworks. The Wario bros will be there but eh, should still be fun."

I raise an eyebrow at her.

"If you want to go to Peach's, take that path," she points to the right. "Just follow the thickest white line painted on the ground, and you'll come out at the back of the castle. It'll be easier for you to slip inside that way."

The detour was fun, but I was going to have to make my appearance sooner or later.

My feet drag along the floor as I turn to the path she pointed at. After taking a deep breath, I start moving. Maybe after everyone leaves, I can talk to Peach. I think. Just be honest with her, like Daisy said. It can't end that badly…right?

"Yo! Super Mario!" I jump. I forgot how loud her voice could get. "I wasn't finished talking! Or did you suddenly change your mind about the gala?" Her expression is neutral, but her eyes are bright and full of excitement. "IF you want to go to Peach's castle," she emphasizes, "take the right path. If you'd rather be a part of the fireworks show," her smiles back, "then we seriously have to move."

My stomach flips, giddy at the thought of joining her. But Peach would be devastated if I didn't show up tonight. I can't just leave her.

"I shouldn't," I say, shaking my head.

"You should," Daisy presses. "And you can. It's just a matter of will you or won't you ditch the party completely and do something you wanna do instead. Again, on a day devoted to you, where it makes sense for you to spend it however you want."

I clench my fists in my pockets. I haven't been able to shoot off fireworks in who knows how long. And these are going to be real-deal, high-quality explosives for the show. It was too good to say no to, and I could always talk to the princess later.

I nod to Daisy, "Okay."

"You'll do it?! SWEET! LET'S GO!"

I didn't realize how crazy she'd get after I told her 'yes.' She grabs my arm and breaks into a run down the path dead ahead. I'm nowhere near as fast as Daisy, and I don't know how I manage to avoid falling on my face, but we make it to the beach within a few minutes, all in one piece. She slows to a jog once we step on the sand and I pull my arm out of her grip.

"W-What," I huff, "was that about?"

"We gotta finish setting up!" she exclaims. "The Wario bros are right over there."

I follow her gaze and sure enough, the two of them are carrying boxes onto a wooden platform. There are stands already in place for the fireworks to shoot from, and a basket of fire flowers adjacent to them.

"Don't put the boxes so close to the flowers!" we can hear Wario snarl to his brother. "You wanna blow us sky high again you bafoon?!"

"Hey! That was your fault, Wario! Not mine!"

"Actually, it was both of your faults," Daisy calls once we're in earshot. "You guys need some help?"

"Yes, we need help! Why didn't you get here sooner! And why is HE here?!" Wario sticks a meaty finger in my direction.

"Yeah, Mario'll ruin everything," Waluigi adds.

"You wouldn't be shooting off fireworks right now if it wasn't for Mario," Daisy states, rolling her eyes. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, Mario wants to get in on the fun too, and I say let him."

"You let him," Wario growls.

"We don't!" Waluigi shouts.

"They're such babies sometimes," she mumbles to me, and I hope the two of them don't hear her comment. "Alright look, we split the fireworks," Daisy offers.

"70-30," Wario says.

"We split them EVENLY. 50-50."

"70-30," he tries again.

They both lock eyes for a few moments, each refusing to back down. Jaws tight, bodies tense.

"60-40," Daisy finally grumbles.

"Deal," the bros say simultaneously, then Waluigi adds, "but you two have to shoot them somewhere else."

"Fine. Grab a box, Mario."

The two of us carry our portion of the fireworks to a flat patch of sand a hundred feet or so away. We manage to make our own stand using rocks and a few empty boxes, and I'm surprised to see the Wario brothers actually help us do it.

"Don't need you idiots shooting fireworks sideways," Wario comments before walking back to the platform. "We've got ten minutes before the show starts. Don't screw it up, princess! And make sure you keep the timing right!"

"Got it!" Daisy winks, giving him a sarcastic thumbs up, and a: "Good luck to you, too!" as he walks away.

"Timing?" I ask, as she sits down next to me.

"Along with the music that plays in the background. The fireworks are meant to explode at certain points during songs," she explains.

"I'm surprised the two of them are being so official about this whole thing."

"The bros love explosives, but we all know that," she says, referring to past hijinks. "They don't love a holiday that's all about you, but any excuse to fire bombs into the air is nice. Not to mention, they're pretty good at it, which is why Peach has let them run the show for so long."

"How long?" I ask.

She thinks for a moment, "Couple of years now I guess? You should ask them."

Maybe I would…another time. "And they don't use cannons?"

"Not usually, no. I don't think Peach trusts them with any after they tried to shoot you with a bullet bill," she laughs when my face turns. "But tonight, she made an exception."

"What? Why?"

"Because," she smirks. "I'm supervising."

"FIVE MINUTES!" Wario wails. "DON'T FORGET TO—"

"I KNOW!" Daisy hollers back, reaching into her pocket. She pulls out one of the biggest cigars I've ever seen. It's bright orange, wrapped with fire flower petals, and reeks before she even lights it. I cough. "Guess I won't offer you one then."

"Why—?"

"It's tradition and the two of them are superstitious. Plus, I don't mind. I grew up with cigar smoke from my dad. It's nothing new," she pauses, inhaling then puffing out smoke in the opposite direction. "And come on, it's a holiday!"

Peach's voice comes over a loudspeaker to begin the show, and I feel my stomach lighten. The Mushroom Kingdom princess gives the usual speech, how everyone is so thankful to have such a wonderful hero, and that the kingdom wouldn't be the same without him.

"This show is a celebration of you Mario," Peach says. "So, wherever you are, I hope you enjoy it!"

There's a smile in her voice. I've known Peach long enough to be able to realize that without looking. And the princess is never good at lying. So, maybe she isn't upset with me right now. Maybe it's alright that I'm not at the castle with her for MAR10 Day. Maybe she sees through me just as easy as Daisy does, and already knows the gala isn't my thing.

Our talk tomorrow might not be as rough as I thought.

"First firework!" Daisy cheers, placing the glowing cigar against the fuse. She stares at it intently for a few seconds before ducking behind cover with me and covering her ears. It soars into the sky and bursts immediately as the music begins.

In the few instances of silence that arise when the music dims and a bomb isn't exploding, we hear the Wario brothers hollering orders at one another. It seems disorganized to me, but every boom remains in sync with the music, so I have to give them credit.

Daisy and I take turns igniting fireworks when it's our chance to go. She sticks with her trusty cigar, that never seems to run down, while I opt for a physical fire flower. A few times there's a double firework, that requires us to both light a fuse. She convinces me to play chicken with some of them, and I hate to admit that I'm the one fleeing first a majority of the time. She's definitely not the kind of princess I'm used to, but of course, I already knew that.

"Suck it, plumber," she laughs, spinning her makeshift lighter in between her fingers. "I win."

I didn't know she was taking it so seriously, but I should also expect nothing less of Daisy. "Wasn't a fair game," I holler, as I light off another firework on her signal. It flies high into the sky and bursts into gold, then glitters away with a loud simmer. "Slugging fireworks via pitching cannon is what I'm used to, not this," I gesture, as she dives back behind our cover after igniting another firework (sparkling white, and it droops like a weeping tree in the air).

"Speaking of," she says, rummaging through the biggest box after picking herself up. Once she finds what she's looking for she stands, holding it out to me, "batter up."

It's a baseball bat. A little longer than the one I'm used to, but I can manage. I flash a smile as I take it from her and try a few practice swings. "But wait," I say. "There's no pitching machine."

"So what? I've got a good arm," she shouts over the blasts from above. "I can pitch them to you."

"They're not baseballs, they're bob-ombs," I emphasize, helping her drag the box along the sand. "It's a big difference."

"Small difference," she states, urging me away from her. "I'll be fine. Just don't miss, or Wario'll kill us both. Now hurry!"

Fireworks from the brothers light my way as I dash away from Daisy. Stopping after a good deal of strides, I turn to face her again. She's closer than the typical 60 feet, but I want to keep it that way. I try my best to flatten the small patch of sand around me before getting into position and adjusting my grip, bat raised and ready.

She gets into her own stance, feet a bit farther apart than most. Daisy pitches underhand, which always throws me when we're playing a real game against one another. She's the only player who throws this way, which takes time to adjust to after habituating to overhand pitchers. But this time, it's just her and me.

I squint my eyes a bit to focus in the dark. Daisy grabs the first bob-omb from the ground, tossing it lightly in the air. As she waits for the current song to catch-up with us, she takes a few deep breaths. After pressing her lips to the cigar, she inhales, long and hard. Before my eyes, a fireball pops out from the end of the large cigarette and lights the bomb's fuse.

"Ready?" she calls, clearing her throat.

"Been ready!"

I think I see her body shake as if she's laughing. After a quick wind-up, she throws the 'ball' my way. It flies fairly similar to a baseball and is easier to see than I thought it would be, with the quickly shrinking fuse aglow. I time my swing perfectly, cracking the bomb dead center over the castle. It bursts into a multitude of colors, forming a mushroom shape in the sky.

"Nice!" she yells, grabbing and lighting another one. "Here comes number two!"

Power-up fireworks sparkle with the stars and seem to sing along with the music. There are tanooki leaves, super bells, frog suits, and boomerang flowers that pop in the air just to name a few.

Daisy inhales and pitches one last bob-omb before running towards the Wario brothers. I smack the final power-up into the sky before following her. In between coughs, she helps Wario roll the cannon to the center of the wooden platform while Waluigi lights off more fireworks. Once the two of them lock the wheels, Wario wobbles back to the boxes. He searches through them one by one, chucking them aside if empty. He gets angrier and angrier with each box throw.

"It's not here!" he yells, flinging the last one behind him. "The big firework is missing!"

"It's not missing," Daisy says, already blowing out another plume of smoke. "it's probably still at Peach's."

"And what good does that do for us?!" he snarls at her. "Now there's no grand finale!"

"Just shoot off a bunch of the regular ones!" she lashes back. "It's fine!"

"That wouldn't even be a closer! It would just look like we ran out of ammo!"

"You could fire a person," I suggest, and both of them stare at me.

"Hey, yeah! That could totally work!" Daisy cheers, jumping a few inches off the ground. "Who would we shoot though?"

"Well I'm not getting launched again! And neither is Waluigi!" Wario declares. "We're not reliving that crappy experience."

"And I'm not leaving you two alone with the cannon, plus I don't have much experience shooting out of them. Which means it's all you, Mario!"

Me?

I must look a bit hesitant because she tries to persuade me: "Come on, think about it! It totally makes sense! Mario shooting across the sky on MAR10 Day!"

It is MAR10 Day.

It would be strange if anyone else flew through the air. I've been blasted from cannons countless times, so I have the best chance of a safe return. Waluigis too scrawny to be fired on his own, Wario wouldn't fit, and Daisys the only one I trust to shoot me. She's right.

"Let's do it," I say, stepping up to the cannon.

"Awesome!" the tomboy exclaims.

"Fine," Wario mutters, "but you better not wreck this!"

He hustles over to his brother with the remainder of the fireworks. They set them up one after another, in two symmetrical lines while I help Daisy adjust the gun's trajectory. The goal is pretty much straight up so I can slip into a launch star and fly back down instead of free falling. Once everything's set, I hop inside the tube.

There's a drum roll over the loud speakers as the three of them light their fuses. The princess inhales, then blows out a smoke ring before giving me a salute. I think she shouts something to me, but my ears are covered now, and I don't want to risk taking my hands off of them when I know I'm about to launch.

I only count to two in my head before I feel myself eject and thunder across the sky. I'm moving so fast that the kingdom is only in view for a couple of seconds, then clouds, then stars. I feel myself losing speed when I spot a launch star. The things have their own gravitational pull, so all I really need to do is get close enough to be drawn inside.

I notice I'm flying too far left, and reach my hands out the other way. If I miss the star, I don't know how I'll be able to get back. When I'm right next to it, I see the launch star begin to rotate, sensing my presence.

But I'm still not close enough.

I pass it and begin to drift quickly through space. My body turns, and I kick my legs and swing my arms in an attempt to stop. The farther I go, the colder it becomes, and soon, my limbs begin to feel stiff. I can't move them anymore. My eyes already want to close but I need to find a way back home before it's too late.

"Hello!" I shout, though it doesn't seem like my voice travels far. "Can anyone hear me? I need help!"

"I always hear you, Mario. And this time, I can lend a hand."

A translucent bubble materializes around me, and a giant figure appears before my eyes. Rosalina towers above, draped in her usual aqua gown, clasping her wand to her chest in one hand, and balancing a cigarette holder between two fingers in the other.

"I must confess," she says, bringing the holder to her lips. "I was a bit offended when I didn't hear you calling my name. Do you not remember the promise I made?" She blows a star ring in my direction, and I'm thankful I'm safely inside the bubble.

"Does everyone smoke now?!" I interject, eyebrows furrowed.

She tilts her head before lowering her hand, "It's a holiday."

Is that everyone's excuse?

I run a hand over my face before answering her question, "I figured you would be at the gala and wouldn't be able to help from down there."

"As much as I would love to be spending time with all of you, it is not yet time for me to return to my home planet," she states. "Though I cannot express my gratitude for all that you have done for me, Mario." I force a smile, and she picks up on this, letting out a light laugh. "There's no need to worry. I know how you feel about receiving praise, especially today."

She laughs again when I sigh.

"In any case," Rosalina says, placing the cigarette holder between her teeth and raising her hands, "though my cosmic powers have limits, the least I can do is send you home safely."

The tip of her want begins to glow, and immediately, our momentum is gone. She brushes her hands forward, propelling my bubble back towards home, and sending me off with a wave.

"Happy You Day, Mario," her voice echoes. "May the stars shine down on you."

The bubble moves slow, but I'm through the atmosphere and traveling through clouds before I even realize. Spotlights shine on me once I'm above the castle, and the heat makes the bubble pop. Luckily, I'm not too high up and manage to safely land on the roof.

"Ta da!" I shout, tossing my hands into the air as people in the crowd begin to point.

"Is that Mario?"

"It is!"

"Wow! What an ending!"

Everyone applauds, and I give them a wave, sending them into a roar. They loved my vanishing act, soaring off into the sky with a twinkle then hovering back down. But I can't take all of the credit, and I don't want to.

After getting their attention with a whistle, I shout: "Thanks everyone! But the Wario brothers, Daisy, and Rosalina are the ones who planned this show. Give them a round of applause!"

And they do.

When the spotlights are too much to take, I bid them all farewell and make my way down to the back courtyard. It's much quieter over here.

From a low balcony, I can make out Wario, Waluigi, and Daisy. The princess seems to spot me the same time I find her, because she cups her hands around her mouth and screams: "DUDE! THAT WAS AWESOME!"

I chuckle, landing on the ground with a backwards summersault. It was awesome, I think to myself. For once, MAR10 Day is awesome.

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Reviews more than welcome.

(Super Mario franchise belongs to Nintendo)