9

Mario and Luigi were standing at the very edge of the central ravine, looking down to the very bottom. The sky was now beginning to turn navy blue as dawn approached and the night started to disintegrate. The brothers yawned as they searched for a safe way to get to the bottom, where a large old pipe was seen jutting out from the dirt. More than likely, it was the pipe leading to an old underground mine, and if it were true then the first Crystal Star would also be there…somewhere.

"This way, Luigi!" Mario called out as he pointed out a narrow stony path leading down. Luigi followed.

The path was anything but perfect. Huge boulders and sharp stones were strewn randomly and the width of the path was only as wide as Mario's foot. It was obviously not suited for any human to walk on. Mario and Luigi had to use the nearby rock wall for support to keep them from falling to the bottom, which they estimated to be a good hundred feet deep.

"I wonder how long Bowser and his men have been working on this hole?" Mario asked as carefully took another step down the dangerous path.

"Beats me!" Luigi said. "He's probably been working on it for years!"

"It would probably make a great building foundation!" Mario said. "At least that's what I think. Luigi look out!"

Luigi took a step and almost slipped off the edge as the ground beneath him crumbled and fell to the ground far below them. Luckily, Mario was able to catch Luigi before he fell to his death.

"Thank you so much!" Luigi said, his heart pounding uncontrollably. "That was too close!"

"You're lucky to have me around." Mario said. "Otherwise you would've been toast."

"Save it for the cameras." Luigi said sarcastically as Mario glared at him. "Just kidding!"

Suddenly the brothers screamed as they both suddenly fell down into the chasm as the path crumbled. Their fall was broken by jutting rocks, which hurt the two brothers upon each impact. They thought that their journey was over as they continued crashing to the ground. When they reached the bottom, they relieved to still be alive, but they were severely injured with bruises and bloody wounds.

"OWWW!" Luigi cried. "I'm bleeding!"

Mario was unable to get up. His knees and elbows were scraped and his face had been scratched and bruised.

"I think I broke something!" Mario said as he struggled to get back up. He reached inside the rucksack and took out a couple of mushrooms, both red and green, and tossed them over to Luigi, who was struggling to walk. He caught them just in time.

"Those should help." Mario said, as he grabbed a couple of mushrooms for himself. "Let's take the red ones first."

"Why the red ones?" Luigi moaned.

"They'll wake us up!" Mario said.

Both brothers swallowed the red mushrooms at the same time and immediately started to feel its effects. The brothers were suddenly more alert than they used to be and their arms began to tighten and grow wider. The brothers looked at each other with puzzling looks as they realized what happened to their bodies. The professor was right: red mushrooms do make one stronger!

"Luigi! What happened to your arms?!" Mario said. "You have muscles!"

"So do you!" Luigi said, secretly admiring his slightly modified body. Mario glanced at his arms and smiled.

"I could probably get used to this." Mario said.

"I know I can!" Luigi said. "Let's see how those green mushrooms work!"

The brothers took their last mushrooms and immediately got a funny taste in their mouth which lasted only a few seconds. Then, they watched in disbelief as their wounds started to shrink and disappear as if they never got them in the first place. It was a miracle.

"Wow! They actually work!" Mario said. "This could possibly have great implications for the field medicine!"

"No wonder Professor Frankly kept these confidential!" Luigi said. "They would also be helpful in the military as well!"

After a pause of silence, Mario and Luigi got back on their feet and glanced over at the pipe they had spotted just a few minutes ago. The rust definitely gave away its age: it was definitely old. For it to be buried this far below the ground, the pipe could very well be almost a thousand years old for all the two brothers knew (after all, they are plumbers, not archeologists!). It was hard to imagine that it would lead anywhere other than an old mine, except perhaps an old sewer. But after everything that they have seen and done so far, it seemed to Mario and Luigi that anything could be possible.

"Finally, we're getting somewhere!" Mario said. "Bowser is going to freak when he finds out!"

"But how do we know this is the real pipe?" Luigi asked.

"What do you mean if it isn't the real pipe?!" Mario said. "Of course this is the real pipe!"

"How do you know that?" Luigi asked.

"Luigi! Look at it." Mario said. "This pipe was obviously made from a metal alloy that was discontinued hundreds of years ago! I can't remember what it was called, but I do know that they stopped using it after it poisoned and killed thousands of workers after the metal somehow got into their systems. Don't you remember hearing about that in history?"

"I may be smart," Luigi said, "but I don't remember everything from school! Same goes for you too."

"I was just asking!" Mario said. Yes! I know something Luigi doesn't!

Mario glanced over at Luigi.

"What?" Luigi asked. "What are you looking at?"

"Who's going down first?" Mario asked. "You or me?"

"Neither of you!"

Mario and Luigi turned around and saw a looming figure standing at the edge of the giant ravine above them. Even though he was bigger, the figure was able to jump down from rock to rock like a ninja to the reach the bottom of the chasm. The brothers were frozen in their spots, fearing that they were finally going to get it.

"You two are probably wondering who I am." said the large purple-skinned figure. "I am Lord Crump, leader of the X-Nauts."

Mario and Luigi looked at each other with frightened looks.

"I already know who you guys are." he said. "You were the ones that escaped Bowser and are trying to steal the Seven Crystal Stars from him!"

"That's right." Mario said. "But why is that so important to you though? What's this old friend you are trying to get a hold of?"

"Fool! I'm trying to visit anyone! That was just a show for the public!" Lord Crump said. "The question is: why are the stars so important to you? After all, they won't help you get to your princesses sooner! You have no business with that!"

"Yeah, we do!" Luigi said. "It's called saving the world from Bowser's evil. Didn't you read the Book of Prophecies?"

"As a matter of fact, I have!" Lord Crump said. "That is why I'm here to kill you!"

Lord Crump made swift punch and knocked Luigi down to the ground.

"Luigi!" Mario shouted. "Watch out!"

Lord Crump went for another attack, but Luigi was able to roll away just in time. Lord Crump landed on the ground with a hard thud.

"GET BACK HERE YOU LITTLE DICK!" he shouted.

Mario ran at him and performed a jump kick to his face, knocking him to the ground. Lord Crump threw another punch and knocked Mario down as he stood back up. But as soon as that happened, Luigi came up from behind and kicked him where it counted.

"OWWW!" Lord Crump cried as he fell to the ground in agonizing pain. "YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET THAT!"

"Come on, Mario!" Luigi said, helping him up. "Let's hurry!"

"I'll go down the pipe first then." Mario said. "I can't guarantee where it's going to lead!"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine!" Luigi said.

Lord Crump had just gotten back on feet, his legs still shaky from the blow he took to his private area, when he saw that the brothers had disappeared. He went over the pipe.

"Three can play at this game!" he said. "You can run, but you can't hide!"

Mario and Luigi have finally witnessed the beneficial properties of the red and green mushrooms! They also meet Lord Crump for the first time, and he is very unhappy to see them alive. Luckily, the brothers once again manage to escape. But where will the old pipe take them? Will they encounter yet another undiscovered hazard? Will they find the first star?

Stay tuned! :)

saturn95