As Mario and Luigi woke up the next morning, they gathered everything they had in preparation for the confrontation in the Darklands. They set aside their inventory revealing that they had a total of five mushrooms, three flowers, and 200 gold coins.

"Well," Mario said scratching his head trying to think of a plan. "We will definitely not need the gold coins until we get back to the Town square in the Mushroom Kingdom so leave those aside." Luigi tossed the coins back into the pile containing all of their mission equipment. "We should each get 2 mushrooms and a flower each." Mario then tossed 2 mushrooms and a flower to Luigi. "I have no idea what any of these items do, but if the Goombas and Koopas had them, they must be of some value."

"Mario take the extra flower and mushroom." Luigi replied giving his brother a bro fist. Mario accepted his proposal putting the extra flower and mushroom in his pocket.

"Ok, the small villages in the Darklands should be destroyed first before concentrating on the main hideout, where Bowser will most likely be." Mario drew red Xs on the villages then the castle. "Then we defeat Bowser and kidnap the Princesses. I can honestly say I have no idea what we are up against, but I'm glad you're by my side.

Luigi and Mario gave each other bro hugs as they finished packing up their stuff, preparing themselves for the main fight. "LET'S A GO!" yelled the brothers as they crossed the border of the Mushroom Kingdom and entered the Darklands.

When they entered the Darklands, they could tell this place had an eerie feeling. They felt the place devoid of any life besides the obvious opponents they would have to face. "Why would anyone live here?" Mario said reaching out of his pocket and pulling out a flower. Luigi would do the same thing, expecting a nearby battle soon. The brothers looked up at the sky, which was still covered in clouds with no sunlight getting by them.

"I can see why they call this place the Darklands." Luigi said getting an uneasy feeling about this place, even more so then we had first approached the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Yeah, well we won't be in here for too long." Mario said in a confident tone. "We just got to take out an army that can be easily defeated and rescue the princesses, then bolt out of this strange land."

"I like that plan. Can we also get something to eat afterwards?" Luigi asked as he was rubbing his stomach.

"Always thinking on his stomach." Mario mumbled to himself as the two brothers continued their way into the Darklands territory.

A little up the road from where the heroes were travelling was a decent sized army guarding the path. It consisted of 100 Koopas and 100 Goombas. "Alright men," shouted the commander of the small army. "We got a couple of humans here to foil Bowser's plan. Our job here is to not let them get any further. Stand your ground and let's break some human skulls." The army stationed there roared in agreement as they prepared for the incoming invasion. The Mario brothers saw the impending fight coming up ahead when they spotted the small army.

"This is it Luigi," Mario clenching both fists looking ready for a fight. "There is no turning back. This battle will probably alarm everyone in the Darklands including Bowser himself. Everyone besides the princesses is the enemy." Luigi clenched his fists, also ready to fight off whatever approached his way.

"I'm a ready." Said Luigi as the Mario brothers ran up towards the small army and then stopped a few feet away from the horde of Goombas and Koopas.

"This is your last chance you human scum," said the commander, getting ready to signal his army to attack. "Turn back now and we will spare your lives. There is no hope for you against our mighty army, or against the might of Bowser himself."

"We'll see about that," both brothers replied, equipping their flower power up, which gave them the power to throw fireballs from their hands.

The commander sighed and then ordered the army to attack. Without thinking, the Mario brothers decided to play around with the fire power up and see what abilities it had.

"Hmm," Mario thought. "I wonder what happens if I do this." Mario made a stance which allowed him to cast out his first fireball, and instantly burnt down a Goomba trying to attack him. The rest of the troops then stopped in its tracks, realizing what Mario had just done.

"Mhmmm," said Luigi sniffing the air. "I love the smell of roasted Goomba in the morning, or whatever time it is. With the stupid clouds in the way it's so hard to keep track of time here."

"Alright I get the joke," Mario said impatiently. "In case you haven't noticed, we have a battle to win here."

"Oh right." Luigi said casting his own fireball which burned a Koopa. "Would you like turtle bisque instead?" Mario then face palmed himself recognizing how stupid the joke was.

The commander looked at the two dead troops then looked at both of the Mario brothers. "I had enough of this delay. ATTACK and FINISH them off!" Without hesitation, the army charged and the brother's biggest fight was about to commence.

Mario and Luigi's strategy was to backpedal and take out the troops one by one since they were faster backwards than any Koopa and Goomba that was running forwards. They had defeated about 20 Goombas and 20 Koopas when they realized they were getting exhausted and that they wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

Mario then made a growling sound as he realized the brothers would be done for. "There has to be a way to make this end quicker." Mario thought as he went back to his casting stance, he then stood there longer than when he cast one fireball and realized something. More fireballs were coming out in rapid succession, almost the same fire rate as a semi-automatic pistol, which was quickly depleting the remaining members of the small army that they were fighting. "Luigi!" yelled Mario since Luigi was on the opposite side of the road that he was on. "Hold down the fireball casting stance. It takes them out much quicker." Without hesitation, Luigi did what his brother told and realized the results were the same, more and more fireballs kept coming out, quickly slaying out the troops he was facing as well.

"Yeah take that you whelps." Luigi said in a mocking manner. "Who's the scum now?"

The commander of the army looked in horror as he couldn't believe what he was seeing. More and more troops were slain by the brothers. He could hear the bloodcurdling screams as they were being burned away. He could hear "AAAGHHH!" and "SOMEONE HELP US!" as if it were being repeatedly played on a recorded over and over again. "I can't believe this," said the commander in a defeated tone. "I've got to sound the alarm." The Koopa retreated to the closest village he could spot, with the Mario brothers close behind. "You think you humans won?" angrily questioned the commander who was still bitter over the defeat of all his troops. "You've only gotten a taste of the might of our army. Why don't you try handling all of us!" The commander sounded the alarm just after Mario threw a fireball at him finishing him off. "You…won't…survive" The commander spoke as he then fell to the ground. The alarm was raised, alerting all of the Darklands to the Mario brother's presence.

Over in the Darklands, the princesses heard the alarm off in the distance. "What could this mean?" asked Princess Peach who was woken up by the alarm.

"Our rescuers." Said Princess Daisy with a little smile on her face. Both princesses looked out of the lone window in the dungeon. It was a small window, but from that window gave them hope that they were going to be free eventually.

Bowser heard the alarm as well from his throne room, angrily throwing both fists onto both armrests on his chair. "I can't believe it, "thought Bowser worried about the invasion taking place. "They got in, and I have to make sure they don't get out." Bowser let out an angry roar, scaring some of the Koopa and Goomba guards present in the castle. "Bring me the princesses." Ordered Bowser as that was all he could say while trying to restrain himself from attempting any violent attack upon his guards.

"Yes sir," said one of the Koopas, shaking from right. "We will have them for you in just a minute."

"I won't let them take down all I had built," thought Bowser. "Without a fight."