Rushing through the ankle deep snow that littered all of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario and Luigi carried to the Princesses from the warm Castle and through the chilly air, hoping with every step that they'd reach the hospital in time. The thought of losing the beloved Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom and Sarassaland weighed heavily in the hearts of the heroic brothers as they tromped through the snow and ice. The cold wind stung at their faces as they charged through the streets of the modest town and nearly burst through the main entrance of the large hospital.

"Doctor Toadley!" Mario called out, his otherwise steady voice hindered by huffing breaths as he spoke. "Please, we need help!"

Luigi tightened his grip around Daisy's shuddering form as he glanced about the waiting room. Several Toads were anxiously sitting together, waiting for an update about their loved ones who had been admitted as patients. A palpable ache struck his heart as he recognized the two young Toads who had been having a snowball fight earlier now sitting side by side with tears in their eyes.

"Mario," Luigi gently caught his brothers ear. "I think there may be an epidemic in the Kingdom..."

"Huh?" Mario followed Luigi's gaze and spotted the two worried Toad children, as well as the many other visitors sitting in the waiting room and understood his brothers worry. "Oh, no. I hope you're wrong Luigi, I really do!"

"I hope so too..."

Without a sound Dr. Toadley walked into the waiting room and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the brothers carrying the Princesses in their arms. "What the- Nurse!" He called for assistance as he approached the two newest arrivals with keen interest. "How long have the Princesses been like this?"

"Well," Mario answered quietly. "Peach suddenly collapsed about ten minutes ago. She was complaining about feeling intensely cold beforehand."

Luigi spoke up next, his eyes lowering to focus on Daisy still safe in his warm arms. "Same with Daisy. She was fine one minute and, well, like this the next."

The requested nurse appeared right behind Dr. Toadley and shook his head sadly as he addressed the seasoned physician. "Doctor, we have only one room left open. The rest are occupied by the other patients!"

Nodding with a diminutive sense of understanding, Dr. Toadley motioned for the the brothers to follow. "Come this way. And, since you're both here, we desperately need your help!"

"Us?" Mario asked curiously as he followed close behind the doctor and his fellow nurse as they were escorted to the aforementioned room. "What can we do?"

Entering the quiet, vacant room Mario and Luigi laid the ill Princesses down into the two white beds that rested side by side near the center of said room. Dr. Toadley examined Peach first, checking her pulse and placing a thermometer between her teeth. "Mario, Luigi, you both have some knowledge and skill in the field of medicine. We're seriously understaffed thanks to this strange sickness." He checked the thermometer and shook his head. "Just like the others. Her body temperature has dropped significantly: 94 degrees."

"Ninety-four?" Mario put his hand on top of Peach's colder, trembling hand as she rested fitfully in the bed. "She's hypothermic."

Upon hearing Peach's temperature Luigi quickly pulled a blanket up from the end of the bed and over Daisy. "And Daisy is just as cold."

Mario was stumped. Both Princess Peach and Princess Daisy were very healthy, fit and active young women. How could they become so weak and ill so quickly? "Do you know what's causing this? Is it a virus?"

"We're not sure." Dr. Toadley answered sadly as he quickly crossed the room to check on Daisy. "All we know is that all of the patients admitted, thus far, with this strange form of hypothermia are all female."

"Only the women in the Mushroom Kingdom are sick?" Luigi asked dumbfounded as he watched with intense worry during Daisy's brief but thorough examination by the doctor. "I've never heard of a virus that targets only one gender!"

"Neither have we." Dr. Toadley admitted after finishing the exam; noting that Daisy and Peach shared the exact same symptoms. "And with most of our nursing staff being women, time is absolutely crucial, and dwindling, when it comes to a proper diagnosis."

Mario shut his eyes as he tightened his grip around Peach's hand. "Doctor, have there been..." he paused as he swallowed nervously; almost afraid to ask the question that was on his lips. "Have there been any fatalities?"

In an instant Luigi's heart grew as cold as Daisy's hand as the idea of death loomed over the room. 'No. Not like this. Not today.' His hand subconsciously found its way to Daisy's and he held on tight. 'You're too strong.'

"No. Not yet." Dr. Toadley replied with a soft tone of optimism. "What little staff we have left standing have been working tirelessly to find a diagnosis. We're running blood tests right now. All we can do is hope to find a cause for the sickness, so we know how to properly treat it."

Luigi silently sat on the edge of Daisy's bed and ran his index finger down the side of her icy face, brushing an auburn lock back behind her ear. "And we will." He whispered to Daisy. "I promise." He shot Mario a stern look. "We're not going to lose them."

Opening his eyes and focusing on Peach's face, Mario decided that Luigi's attitude of confidence was much better than his own attitude of doubt. "You're right bro." Draping a blanket over Peach he gave her hand one last reassuring squeeze. Turning his focus to Dr. Toadley Mario gave the talented physician and Luigi a nod of approval. "What can we do to help, doctor?"

...to be continued...