Chapter 2- The one in which Mario can't sleep

He had heard rumors that the blocks were dead Toads who had been turned to stone. Silly rumors yes but what else could explain the screams emanating from the pile of bricks and shattered question marks. It so unbearable he could almost…

"Mr. Mario could you sign my mini-Mario toy please?"

The voice that snapped Mario from his most recent waking nightmare came from a Toad child in line for the grand opening of the min-land amusement park.

"Of course he will child, right Mario?"

That voice came from Pauline, Mario's first love whom he had saved from Donkey Kong's clutches years earlier. She had now become a major player in the Mushroom Kingdom entertainment industry and this collaboration with Mario was the result of both professional and personal respect.

"Yeah, yeah," said Mario picking up the wind-up doll bearing his likeness and quickly scribbling his name across it.

"You know Peach told me you've been acting weird lately, ever since that whole Delfino incident. What were you spooked after doing a little jail time?" said Pauline in a somewhat mocking tone.

"I've been to the ends of the Earth Pauline. I'm not afraid of some miserable Pianta jail," he retorted.

"It must be nice to see so many places whether it's with your woman or in pursuit of her," said Pauline. She then placed her hand on Mario's chest. "But would you ever consider just going home again?"

This hadn't been the first time Pauline had pulled this stunt. A stronger alliance with Mario would give her untold influence throughout the Mushroom Kingdom. Plus she did truly harbor remaining feelings for him even after they realized her ruthless ambition was incompatible with his symbolic status. Now was the time for him to once again brush her off and walk away. But there was that squirming sensation again. He had been feeling periodically landing back in the kingdom. It urged him to say and do things he normally would or could not. This time, and Mario didn't know how or why, but it compelled him to say,

"You know, the rest of Delfino, is actually pretty nice. Maybe I'll go back one day and take you with me."

Pauline could barely contain her excitement but as a grin was forming on her face, a figure was forming out in the distance. The crowd quickly dispersed as the figure, Donkey Kong, approached the stage. He exchanged glances with Pauline and then bared his teeth at Mario.

"I know you what you want, but you can't have it. Not again," said Mario jumping off the stage to face his original nemesis. "Let's-a go."

Kong's arms were big and powerful, but Mario was able to avoid their swings. He ducked underneath Kong's fists and delivered three short, powerful blows to his body and face. They were more powerful than Mario's attacks had ever been, powerful enough that Kong fell to the ground in defeat. But it was over too quickly, the squirming sensation was saying that it wasn't enough. Mario raised his fist again but heard a voice cry out.

"Mario stop!" it was Pauline, in shock at the brutality she had just witnessed, "It's finished."

Mario rejoined her on stage, glared at her, grabbed her by the neck and forcefully kissed her for quite some time before she managed to push him off. The whirlwind of emotions had been too much for her.

"Peach was right. There is something wrong with you."

The Next Day

"I'm sorry to bother you bro, but I don't know who else to go to and it's getting worse."

"No problem Mario. Family comes first."

Mario and Luigi spent the afternoon talking, reminiscing, and playing games. It was a wonderful way for the brothers to bond and for Mario to forget the issues that had been plaguing him. But he knew this was no solution. He had to admit to Luigi and to himself that he had to confront this.

"I don't really understand what the problem is," said Luigi.

Mario thought for a second to figure out how to verbalize the abstract concept of feelings.

"I've been getting this feeling lately. It's awful yet exhilarating. It doesn't feel like me sometimes but others it feels like it's coming from my very core. It's a negative feeling, but it wants me to do things I've wanted to for years," Mario explained.

"That's deep bro. Let me give you the number to a guy I know. He's good at dealing with post-traumatic stuff like this. He helped me after that whole ghost ordeal. You know the one where you got kidnapped and forgot about it. Anyway, meet this guy," Luigi said while handing Mario a card with the name "Professor E. Gadd" on it.

The Following Week

As Mario sat outside the Professor's office, he saw a boy walk out who looked even more troubled than he was. Whereas Mario's issue was one of perpetual confused anger, this boy looked as if he had been depressed after leaving the womb. It was actually a sight to behold the boy looked so sad and Mario would have stared at him longer but the boy seemed to be in a hurry and quickly exited. Aside from his disposition, only his yellow and purple outfit stuck in Mario's mind.

"Mario, you can come in now," said the Professor sticking his head out the door.

Mario entered the office and proceeded to tell the Professor basically what he told Luigi regarding his complicated problem.

"That's a very peculiar problem indeed. Then again, you Super Mario Brothers are very peculiar people. Normal men that have accomplished what you have would be demanding statues erected in their honor as payment but not you. It's quite commendable," said the Professor.

Something about those last words rubbed Mario the wrong way. "There is something else Professor," he continued, "I get these dreams whether I'm asleep or not. And most the time I'm stomping on something or throwing a fireball at it. But other times, I'm just running and jumping. There's nothing in my way no toads or princesses to rescue or Bowser's to stop. I'm just running and I reach this flagpole but no matter how fast I run or how high I approach it, I can't get over it."

"I see," said the Professor, "Unfulfilled ambition, a longing to cut loose for just once in your life. It's a shame but it seems even you are not free from sin, or at least the desire to commit it. The Piantas thought you were a bad man and now you are curious to see what it is like. I'd say it is best to just let this get out of your system."

That Night

Mario walked home, the professor's condescending but truthful words echoing in his head. He sprawled across his bed hoping this epiphany would lessen the severity of the inevitable dreams. Unfortunately, the events that had transpired only made him angrier and more resentful towards himself in addition to those around him. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was a sensation more powerful than all that had come before it.

Mario awoke in pitch blackness. He did not know where he was or how he had gotten there but he could still tell the difference between reality and a dream. He could make out his hands and legs but everything else seemed to be obscured by shadows. However, then he turned around and saw something else, something as miraculous as it was perplexing. Flying in the distance was that familiar green banner but this was a sight Mario had only seen in his most rare dreams. For the first time the banner was to his left.

Mario was over the flagpole.