Author's Note

Okay, I meant to upload more yesterday, but didn't get around to doing so…hopefully, I'll have two more chapters up today. But anyways, I was wondering if mebbe I could get a review or two? That would lighten up my day. Thanks!

P.S: I can't seperate stuff, for some reason...like, after bowser's segment, it'll move right into Mario's segment, and it looks to stuffed together to me. I don't really know how to explain it...so it looks stuffy, but as I can't fix it, you'll have to read it like that. Sorry.

Disclaimer

Once again…I don't own Mario. Well, now that we've got that matter cleared up, on with the story!

CHAPTER TWO

The dark embrace and the gathering of those who seek it…

It was dark. It was dark, and it was cold, and the air seemed to reek with the stench of some abominable sense of evil influence and dark doings…suffice to say, Lord Bowser was very fond of the place already.

Kammy seemed to have felt it, as well, along with the koopa squadron they had brought to the site to help investigate, and shuddered. Such a strong foreboding presence seemed to linger in this place…she prided herself in being, as far as she was concerned, evil…well, maybe not exactly evil, but villainous, nonetheless, but even she found it hard to cope with the malice felt in the air. Without a doubt, there was something here. Without a doubt, this was…different than anything she had encountered in the past.

"This place…ROCKS!" Lord Bowser shouted, which was returned with a slight rumbling of the ground. He took a moment to mentally register that these ruins were, well, old, and that he had best not shout further lest the whole place collapse. After all, if he lost whatever it was that was in here that he was so suddenly compelled to find before even searching as a result of his own actions, he would be very upset and probably blame Kammy.

Kammy also thought of this, but decided with good judgment not to speak of it in fear of her lord's wrath.

Bowser took a moment to scan the room they were currently in visually, noticing a crack in the wall to the left. Above it, strange symbols were embedded in the wall, glowing an eerie light, as if aware of the presence of others and…perhaps warning…or maybe greeting them.

"Ah." Kammy softly spoke, floating over to the words. Yes…this must be the message the scout had translated.

Though she hadn't remembered any mention of a crack in the wall, and grew momentarily concerned.

"Break it down, boys!" Roared bowser before kammy could voice her opinion. She moved out of the way just as the koopa squad rammed the wall head on. The combined weight of the six-man team was enough. A small hole was birthed underneath the glowing letters, which suddenly seemed to have turned bright red, and appeared to be flashing more brightly than before. Kammy was the only one to notice any of this.

"My lord…" She began, only to be caught off by bowser quickly.

"Ha ha, success! C'mon kammy, let's check it out…" He chuckled gleefully (in an evil type of way) and bent down to fit through the crevice that had been made. After a momentary struggle of fitting himself through the whole, Kammy sighed and floated behind him, though she could not help but feel they had made a mistake…

"Mario! Luigi!" Princess Peach joyously proclaimed as the two brothers entered through the castle doors, a wide smile stretched across her face. Mario tipped his hat as she ran over to them, and Luigi smiled.

"I'm so glad you were able to come!" Luigi grinned and looked at Mario. As if he would ever deny the precious princess anything her little heart desired.

Mario nodded, as non-verbal as ever. It struck Luigi as slightly odd that Mario was able to communicate so well with such simple, universal gestures. He shrugged it off.

"Luigi, m'boy!" A voice sounded from somewhere across the wide entrance room of the castle, and luigi immediately recognized the voice. It was the voice of someone he had met while on his trek to save princess éclair of the waffle kingdom. An old goomba named Goombada. He had helped point luigi in the direction he needed to go more than once, and luigi was happy to hear his voice again. He walked over to the old goomba, smiling.

"What are you doing here, 'Bada?" Luigi asked, still smiling, as he approached him. Goombada smiled, the type of smile only an old, wise goomba could ever smile, the type that showed experience and wisdom.

"Well, Luigi my friend, it would seem as though after helping you out on your adventure, the waffle kingdom recognized me as a man…er, goomba…who knew what's what and decided to take me in and give me the honor of working in waffle kingdom state affairs! I'm official now, y'see." He said, grinning.

"That's great!" Luigi smiled, happy to hear the good news. He looked over his shoulder briefly to check on Mario and Peach, only to discover they had seemed to have disappeared. He chuckled…now why did he expect something like that to happen?

"Mario, I just wanted to…" Peach began, staring out into the blue, cheerful sky in front of her. She smiled. When luigi had left to converse with an old acquaintance, the two had snuck out to the balcony. Peach had just wanted to get away from all the chatter.

"I just wanted to thank you yet again for all you've done for this kingdom. I know you're told this by a lot of people, but I just want to remind you of how appreciated you are. Thank you." She bent down and kissed Mario on the nose, which caused him to blush a little and smile. Peach giggled.

"Such a peaceful day…" Peach said, and felt a genuine state of peace within her and throughout the kingdom. While in the past this would be precisely the moment in which something bad would happen, she couldn't help but feel safe at the moment…like everything would be all right. Or maybe it was just Mario…she smiled.

"Let's just enjoy this, shall we?" Peach asked with a voice as soft and smooth as silk, and Mario smiled. The two stared out into the sky, glad to be in each other's company.

Elsewhere, in a dark room in an unknown place, something stirred in the dark of endless night and shadows seemed to spread…