Gadd provided them with the means to play the game. He set Mario and Luigi up as each other's server players, each of them at a different place of the kingdom. Mario at his and Luigis home, and Luigi in his own mansion at the other end of the Kingdom.
There was a debate about whether or not they should take people with them into the Medium, into the Game. A consensus was made that if they won the game nobody would get hurt if they stayed in the Kingdom and if they lost... well, then it wouldn't make a difference. And if they did take people into the game, they would only be in danger because of the monsters and other things that might await them.
So Mario and Luigi went alone, only with Gadd's voice from his laboratory to guide them through the first steps.
He told them that there would be other players. That the game would choose other people to play with them, because it would be nearly impossible to play as just two people. He told them to find their title and their aspect. He told them that they would need a time player, a space player and that it would be good if there was a knight. He told them how to enter the Medium. He told them about the basic rules of the game, about the inventory system, the fight system and many more.
He told them to be careful. He told them about their dream selves. He told them to work together.
He told Mario to do his best to win the game. He told Luigi to look after his brother and himself. He wished both of them the best of luck.
He knew that there wouldn't be a light-player among them. And no seer either.
" Hey? Why do you cry?"
" Because it's Game Over! The Game is over!"
" Hey... hey, it's not so bad. It's just a game..."
" But... but, it was... it was HIS Game. And now it's over!"
" HIS Game? But... he..."
" DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?"
When did life become a game... and a game life? Why did he do this? Why did he let this happened?
The first thing that happened was that Mario was quite annoyed about the fact that he and Luigi had to split up for this whole thing. And that they had to use devices like the Game Boy Horror DS. Luigi seemed to get the hang of this thing pretty quickly but Mario just couldn't work with it.
Setting up the necessary items for entering the medium was a bit of a hassle. Especially because he didn't know where to place the things in Luigi's house. AND the Communication was a bit iffy at first and Mario really, really didn't like not knowing what his brother was doing.
There were tasks to do, though. His first Item had to be alchemized which would bring him and his home to the Medium.
He could already see the meteor heading for his home. The first item crafted looked a bit like a strange, red mushroom. With the meteor coming nearer every second he didn't have much time to think and just took a bite out of it.
The House of the Mario brothers disappeared right before the meteor created a crater nearly as big as the entire Mushroom kingdom.
" Bro, you won't leave me alone, anymore?"
" No... No, I promise. From now on, I will be always there for you. Whenever you need my help, I swear I will be there and will be helping you."
… you lied.
The first thing Mario did in the Medium was to try and contact Luigi. He got a message that Luigi was on his planet, but he had no chance to speak with him just yet. The professor didn't answer, too. Only a pre-recorded message played whenever he called and told him more about what they had to accomplish in the game.
Choose your strifespecibus. Alchemize items you can use. Secure your position. Look out for Imps. And speak to your Spriteguide.
Mario had considered not prototyping anything pre-Medium, but unfortunately, it was necessary so the battlefield could be ready to breed a new universe.
It was kinda hard to choose. Nothing really came to mind. Something powerful? Or something weak? Something he held dear or something that he wouldn't care about if he lost it.
Ultimately, the choice was made for him: A Fireflower fell into the kernel as the shock after a meteor impact near the house knocked it off its place on a shelf, turning the bright-red kernel into a beautiful red flower.
A flower that now had a face and could TALK.
" OMG FIREFIREDIREBURN. FLAME. FIREBRAND. SUNSUNSUNSUNSUN."
Well, nobody said that it had to make sense.
Mario sighed at that. He just hoped that Luigi had more luck with hi s kernel.
Anyway, he should also choose his strifespecibus. It was a simple choice, really. His trusted Hammer would play the big offensive card in his game and as long as he didn't do anything to his shoes, he could still use his jump.
" FIREFIREFIREFIRE BURN!"
Mario took that as a compliment.
Okay, time for a plan: Alchemizing stuff. Securing his home. And then: Adventuring!
" Fire!"
" Thunder!"
" We did it! We destroyed the evil Overlord! We freed the world!"
" Yahoo! We are the best!"
" Ahahaha!"
" Hahahaha!"
" Ahahahaha! God, that's so much fun."
" Yeah... Hey, Mario? Do you think that there are heros like that?"
" Maybe? I don't know... but it would be awesome! We could be like... the super-brothers!"
" Super-Brothers? Mario, you are never allowed to name anything like ever!"
" Hey!"
The Imps looked a bit ridiculous with their leaf-like hands and flower pendants around their necks. But Mario didn't find them so ridiculous anymore when he discovered that they could shoot fireballs. It wasn't quite like the powers he got from the Fireflower but close enough.
It got a bit more complicated as they started to get ghost-powers and Mario knew in this instant that Luigi had prototyped his kernel.
He was sure that it had to be an accident. But by the Stars, it was annoying! (Luigi apologised as soon as they could establish
communication again.)
Mario explored his planet alone.
Four days, three hours, five minutes and counting...
" Hey... what is your biggest wish?"
" I don't know... be a hero, maybe?"
" Hey... a shooting star! What do you wish?"
" ..."
To be like you.
" I wish to be a great plumber just like my big bro."
" If you had one wish... what would it be?"
" To help my brother."
Please... oh please, please, please, please, please...