The pipe seemed to go on for what seemed like twenty to thirty minutes until Mario and Luigi had finally reached the end. Mario jumped out from the other side and landed feet first. Luigi, on the other hand, had leaped out of the pipe the wrong way and fell on his head. Luckily it was not too serious enough for Luigi to have a concussion.
"Ow my aching head." Cried Luigi as he rubbed his head in an attempt to soothe the pain. Luigi opened his eyes and couldn't believe what he was seeing. Everything in the Mushroom Kingdom looked so different to him. Everything was lush, colorful and full of life compared to the dirty, eye soring sights of Brooklyn. "Mario," Luigi yelped. "I don't think we are in Brooklyn anymore."
"I don't know what would give you that impression," Mario said in a sarcastic tone. "Was it the fact there are no apartment complexes or tall skyscrapers to be seen or the fact that the clouds have eyes on them?"
Luigi looked at the clouds up above to see that indeed Mario was correct. He felt uneasy being in this place. It was to him like a new reality. "This is just like my dream," Luigi thought tensing up with each sight he saw. "I think it is best we go back to Brooklyn." Luigi gave his brother a small tug on the shirt indicating that he wanted to leave.
Mario just pushed his brother's hand away. "Come on Luigi let's do a little exploring," Mario replied, excited for the possibilities of this new world. "It's not like we have somewhere to go now that our house is gone." He swallowed hard at that comment, realizing that he and his brother were indeed homeless and are now searching aimlessly for shelter.
"But Mar-"Luigi said before being interrupted by a cry of help by a Toad.
There was a toad on the road being pursued by a Goomba and a Koopa. The toad had news of the princesses' whereabouts having seen them being carried away by Bowser to the north of the Mushroom Kingdom, where the Darklands had resided. However, a Goomba and a Koopa had seen him eavesdropping by a nearby bush, so they went after him. "HELP Me! I'm being chased." The toad cried out as his pursuers were catching up to him.
"You won't get away from us," the Koopa declared as he was getting closer to the toad. "Time for us to silence a witness."
Mario and Luigi ran up to where the Toad was being chases and they both stood in the Koopa and Goomba's way.
"This is as far as you go." Mario said with both fists raised.
"Turn back or get ready for a pounding." Luigi said with both fists raised as well.
The Goomba and Koopa just laughed at them. "Guess you guys aren't from here," said the Koopa. "Ok Goomba beat up the punk with the red getup. I'll take on this green clown."
The Goomba proceeded to charge at Mario. Mario just rolled to his left as the Goomba completely missed him. Mario tried for an uppercut, but it didn't affect the Goomba. "Hmm, a kick may not work either," Mario thought as he then proceeded to study the Goomba's head. "Rather big head for a dumb creature. Maybe a jump to his head could work." Mario proceeded to dodge another attempt by the Goomba to charge at him. He then took a running start, jumped high in the air and preceded to land on the Goomba's head. The Goomba immediately collapsed to the ground and died on the spot.
The Koopa retreated into his shell, allowing Luigi to make the first move. He started with a punch to the shell. "OW!" cried Luigi as his hand was blistering from the pain from attempting such an attack. Luigi's next move was to attempt to kick the Koopa shell. "MAMA MIA!" yelled Luigi as now his foot was in pain. The Koopa just laughed at him for his futile attempt to hurt him. Luigi then saw his brother jumping on the Goomba's head and then saw the Goomba dead. "Wonder if that works for Koopas." Luigi thought to himself as he jumped on the Koopa's shell. The Koopa shell was then moving in the other direction, towards a nearby stone mountain. The Koopa shell smacked the Stone Mountain hard cracking the shell and the Koopa laid there dead.
"Boy what a fight." Said Mario bushing off imaginary dust as he didn't break a sweat.
"You said it." Replied Luigi rubbing his hand to make him feel better.
"Thank you so much," cried the Toad, who was jumping for joy for the brother's first heroic act displayed. "Erm, May I ask what your names are?"
"I'ma Mario." Mario called out with confidence.
"I'ma Luigi." Luigi called out with valor.
"Why were those creatures chasing you?" Questioning Mario as he looked at the creature he had just slain. "Did you have something of importance to them?"
"Not too them personally," answered the toad as he cleared his throat. "It is about their leader and their mischievous plot. I'll explain more on the way to Toadstool castle. Can you heroes escort me back?"
"Sorry erm-"Mario said not knowing what to call the creature.
"Oh I forgot to tell you my name. It is Toad." Giving the heroes a little smile.
"Ahh thank you toad," Mario said giving the Toad a pat on the head. "Well we aren't heroes per say. Frankly, we have no idea what this place. You could say we are from another world."
"You're heroes to me." Toad said giving the brothers a hug. "Could you please escort me?"
"We'll do it!" declared the brothers, escorting the Toad to Toadstool castle.
When the three of them got there, they saw the destruction of the castle due to Bowser's attack earlier. However, most of the rubble was gathered up and swept away. Most of the items were put back into place. There just laid the missing walls and sections of the castle as well as the absence of the princesses themselves.
"Mama Mia…" said Mario in a worried and concerned look, almost falling over a missing section of one of the walls of the castle. "What exactly happened here?"
"Bowser…" said Toad, with a sad and angry look on his face. "He's the leader of the plot to kidnap Princess Peach and Princess Daisy. He destroyed our castle, killed some of our troops, and wounded the others and…and…" Toad began to cry again, prompting both of the brothers to hug him.
"Do you know who is in charge here?" Luigi questioned, more calm since the fight he had with the Koopa. "Perhaps he could give us answers as to what exactly this place is."
"That would be Toadsworth. But he is at the hospital apparently since his injuries with fighting Bowser." Toad replied, feeling calmer now. "We should probably go see him."
"Let's a go!" said the brothers as the three of them went to the Mushroom Kingdom Hospital.
As they were passing through the town, most of the villagers took a good look at the heroes since they were the new strangers to appear in the Kingdom. They didn't know whether to trust them or to fear them. Toad saw them and then shouted so that every citizen could hear them. "Hail the new brave heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario the Goomba slayer and Luigi the Koopa slayer." The townspeople cheered their names. Mario and Luigi just walked in humility.
"Toad, I think it's a little premature to call us heroes." Mario said with a little red on his face. "We have not really done anything to call ourselves that yet."
"Yeah," Luigi replied. "We should probably hold out on any hero talk. Although this is nice." Luigi just held a big grin on his face appreciating the love he got from the people. Mario just smacked him on the head again and told him to keep moving.
When the three of them got to the Mushroom Kingdom, they asked to see Master Toadsworth. Because the receptionist recognized Toad, she agreed to let the three of them see Toadsworth. They walked around the building until they got to Toadsworth's room. Most of the rooms held the guards that were still severely wounded by the attack on the castle whether they had first, second or third degree burns on their arms, legs, and "other" parts of their body. When they got to Toadsworth's room, Toad walked in first soon followed by the Mario brothers.
Toad told Toadsworth of the events that had transpired with the knowledge of where the princesses were being held as well as the bravery of the Mario brothers to save Toad. Toadsworth heard enough and then motioned Mario and Luigi to approach him. "Boys," Master Toadsworth replied feeling much better since the last time he spoke. "I heard you have saved this Toad. Are you willing to save more?" The brothers nodded in agreement. "Then Master Mario and Master Luigi, I have a dire mission that requires your strength, courage, and determination."