Bowser barreled through the outskirts of the Mushroom Kingdom with the kids (and tiger and mushroom) at his scaly heels. They were fast, after all, especially when they were avenging a princess!

As the chase was going on, Mario and Luigi were flying back from Yoshi's Island (using their capes). Mario glanced down and saw the commotion.

"What's going on down there?" he called.

"Bowser KILLED Peach!" Toad called back.

Mario's face went pale.

"Mario?" Luigi asked quietly.

Suddenly, Mario let out a primal scream and swooped down after Bowser. With a gulp, Luigi followed.

A few feet behind them, Peach ran, struggling to keep up. "Wait, everyone! I gotta ditch these heels next time."

"Shortcut," Bowser thought to himself, "I need a shortcut or something...wait a sec, there's a pipe past that forest!"

Running into the forest, Bowser suddenly paused. "Wait a second, isn't this that forest that…"

His cut off question was answered by a punch from the Whomp he had created.

"YES!" roared Bowser, "this is perfect! Destroy Mario, my pets!"

He received another punch. "DON'T TELL US WHAT TO DO!" thundered the Whomp.

"But we DO want to kill Mario," the Atomic Boo reminded him.

"Sorry. Me forget."

Mario, Luigi, and the kids (and tiger and mushroom) dashed into the woods a second later and gasped at the creatures that stood before them.

"We're dead," said Calvin.

What followed was a melee. The kids (and tiger and mushroom) fought off the beasts like there was no tomorrow. Luigi stared down the Atomic Boo. Toad swatted at Swoopers. Calvin and Hobbes punched the Blargg (and suffered from minor burns). Mario punched his way through everything that stood in his path. He was after Bowser.

Bowser groggily crawled out of the bushes. "Uhh, that really hurt!"

"Not as much as this will!" shouted Mario, grabbing the Koopa King by his tail. "Remember this move, Bowser?"

Mario began to swing him around by his tail. "No," moaned Bowser, "NOOOO! It's too humiliating! And it's unoriginal! Please, no!"

"Mario!" called a female voice.

Mario let go of Bowser (flinging him smack into a tree) and turned around. There was Peach! His beautiful princess alive and well!

Mario ran to Peach, but something grabbed him. Bowser held Mario over his head and smashed the plumber into the ground. Peach gasped in horror as Bowser began to stomp on Mario, laughing all the while.

"STOP IT!" Peach shrieked, kicking Bowser in the stomach. The kick, which was surprisingly strong, sent Bowser falling backwards into a lava pit inhabited by the Blargg. Down he fell, screaming his Koopa head off.

The battle stopped immediately. Everyone peered down as Bowser sputtered in the lava below, calling for Kamek.

"Kamek! Ack! Kamek!" Bowser frantically pulled a jeweled wand out of his shell. Kamek's face appeared in the jewel. "Sire! What's happening?"

"Magikoopa in my wand, stop the spell that you have spawned!"

"Oh my! I completely forgot!"

With a wave of his own wand, Kamek reversed his spell. The forest began to brighten up, the monsters shrunk down to being Koopa Troopas and Goombas, and the lava pit closed up…with Bowser still trapped inside.

"!" roared Bowser, as the ground closed above him.

The Troopas and Goombas gulped and ran for their lives. They didn't need to run so fast, though. The kids were too busy tending to the wounded Mario.

Peach picked him up and sobbed a little bit. Tearfully, she gave him a kiss.

Immediately, Mario began to cough and opened his eyes. "Peach," he whispered, "I'm sorry. I love you."

Peach hugged the plumber and everyone cheered! Mario was alive! The procession marched back triumphantly to the kingdom, singing all the way.

We might not always click

But through all thin and thick

Our love will hold out

I know without a doubt

That day when my love returns