13

Standing out in the middle of the empty snowfield in the center of Bowser's base, Mario and Luigi waited for the searchlights to move away from them in order to run past them and make their way towards the large digging equipment that was set up around the large holes in the ground. As the brothers got closer to the dig, their anticipation started to rise. What would they find down those holes? Was there another useful passage that would take them to the third star, or would they run out of luck in their efforts to find it? Will they run into more obstacles along the way? These and many other question rocked their minds as they neared one of the outdoor shelters to hide from an incoming spotlight. Mario and Luigi ducked behind a nearby snow pile to avoid detection.

"Is it gone yet?" Luigi asked. Mario barely poked his head above the pile of cold snow and saw that the coast was clear.

"Yep, we're good." Mario replied. "Let's check out these giant holes in the ground."

"I just realized something." Luigi said. "I am sick of going down giant holes in the ground."

"Quit your complaining and follow me." Mario said. "I think all of these holes are interconnected with each other by small passageways from when the diggers were shoveling rock and ice out. Maybe there's a passage that will take us below the ground."

"Great." Luigi said sarcastically. "Another underground passageway. I just hope that there aren't any ghosts roaming around down there…"

"Relax, brother!" Mario said. "There won't be any ghosts! Come on! The floors inside the holes aren't that far down."

Mario led both himself and Luigi down into one of the nearby holes in the ground and immediately started exploring the dug-out passages. As long as they were still below the ground above, the brothers would be safe from the bright searchlights shining at the top of the surrounding buildings. So far, each passage the brothers explored led them to one empty hole after another. After the third hole, the brothers started losing their hope. They then turned right into another interconnecting passageway and came across something that raised their eyebrows. In the far wall of the hole they were standing, Mario and Luigi saw another passage that had yellow and black-striped tape in front of it. In front of it was a sign which read "DANGER: CLIMBING EQUIPMENT REQUIRED TO REACH BOTTOM". The brothers scratched their heads at the message.

"Where do you think that hole leads?" Luigi asked.

"I'm not too sure. But I have a feeling that this is where we need to go." Mario said. "You lead the way."

"What?! Are you kidding me?" Luigi asked. "Didn't you see what the sign said?"

"We don't have time for this!" Mario said. "Just lead the way. I'll be right behind you."

"Alright, if you say so." Luigi said. "If I die, it won't be my fault!"

"Oh, quit being such a baby!" Mario replied.

Luigi started down the hole very cautiously and used the jagged rock to climb safely down to the ground below. Surprisingly, the ground inside the hole was much lower than the brothers initially thought. They had no problem getting to the bottom whatsoever.

"That was easy!" Mario said. "We don't climbing equipment to get down here!"

"You can say that again!" Luigi said. "Looks like we have another tunnel to follow."

"We sure do." Mario said. "We need some light."

"But Mario, we really don't have any fire flowers left to waste!" Luigi said. "The little we have left isn't going to be enough to last throughout our exploration of these tunnels."

"Well I guess we're going to have to walk through the dark for a while." Mario said.

"I'm scared." Luigi said. "What if we run into something that will kill us?"

"Don't worry Luigi." Mario said. "Just take my hand, and we'll go through these tunnels together. I won't guide you into any traps."

The brothers walked ever so slowly down the dark tunnel, hoping that they would not run into any obstacles. Just a short way down, they ran into a rough wall and started searching for another branching route. After a few moments, they discovered that the tunnel continued to their right, so they cautiously started walking down the new route. The passage continued for another thirty feet or so until the brothers almost accidentally stumbled their way down another hole. Mario felt a small rock near his right foot and kicked it down the small ravine and heard what sounded like a faint splash of water down below. This happened a few seconds after the rock was initially kicked down the well. This hole was much deeper.

"I think we might need a fire flower for this." Mario said. "But we only have one left."

"Wait! I think I see something down the hole!" Luigi said. "It almost looks as though there's something glowing down there!"

"What are you talking about?!" Mario asked. "Let me see!"

Mario looked down the hole and saw the very thing Luigi was looking at. Near the very bottom of the hole was a faint bluish light that almost resembled the light that is generated from a black light. The brothers could also see the reflection of water near the bottom of the shaft, indicating there was some body of water down below. It was a miracle the Mario and Luigi could see anything at all, especially since they were in a dark tunnel. But the question that was their mind was the cause of the strange bluish glow. What could cause such a phenomenon? There was only one way for the brothers to find out for sure.

"Should we go down?" Mario asked.

"I don't see why not." Luigi said. "I just wish it wasn't so dangerous!"

"Come on, Luigi." Mario said. "If you have the guts to have unprotected sex with the princess of Sarasaland, then I expect you to have the guts to go down that hole!"

"But that's different!" Luigi said. "When are you going to stop using that against me?"

"Probably not until I get lucky with Peach." Mario said with a chuckle. Luigi just rolled his eyes. "Come on, you know I'm kidding!"

"Now isn't the time for jokes." Luigi said. "Especially ones that involve my sex life! I can tell you right now that those jokes are getting ancient. If you think they're still funny, then I suggest you go down the hole first so that I don't have to deal with your laughter above my head!"

"Sorry. I'll shut up now." Mario replied. "I'll go down the hole first."

"Do you think there's water at the bottom?" Luigi asked.

"I hope not!" Mario said, looking down. "It's really hard to tell when it's so dark down here. Do you know how cold we'll be if we fall in?"

"Just the thought of it makes me turn into a Popsicle!" Luigi said. "Thanks for that."

"Your sarcasm is getting really old." Mario replied. "I hope you know that."

Luigi remained silent as his brother started climbing down the shaft first. He started following him down as Mario was down far enough and followed Mario's movements very carefully, for he did not want to make the wrong move and send both of them falling to the ground, or whatever was down below them. As they carefully climbed down the rocky shaft, the blue light continued to get brighter as they got closer to the source of it.

"I'm very glad we took those rock climbing lessons a while back." Mario said. "They sure come in handy during situations like this."

"Do you see anything below you?" Luigi asked from above.

"Not really. All I know is that this shaft opens up into a large cavern by the looks of it." Mario said. "If there's a floor in that cavern we're still a long way from it."

"Damn!" Luigi said. "My hands are getting weak!"

"Keep hold of the rock and don't let go!" Mario panicked. "I don't want to lose my little brother."

"I'm trying!" Luigi shouted. "My arms aren't strong enough!"

"For God's sake! Hold on!" Mario shouted, his grip starting to fail him as well.

"It's no use!" Luigi said. "I can't hold on!"

"Luigi!"

But it was too late, Luigi let go of the rock wall and fell on top of Mario, sending both of them down the shaft and into the large cavern below. They thought they were dead for sure. Then all of a sudden, both brothers felt an immense of cold wetness as they came into contact with a large pool of icy water, which quickly knocked the wind out of the two brothers. Surfacing, they panicked as they quickly searched for a landing where they could surface and hopefully warm themselves up again. After spotting a nearby landing, Mario and Luigi swam over until they hit shallow water, where they waded until they found themselves on their feet once again. Their bodies were cold and drenched after their plunge, and it seemed there was no way for them to get warm again. The mysterious glow was all around them now, and it seemed to come from a nearby passageway where the brothers struggled to stay warm and dry

"I'm…s…s…so…c…cold." Mario shivered. "I c…can't feel…my…b…b…body."

"I w…would give…you…a…f…fire…flower." Luigi shivered in response. "But…w…we…only…h…have…one…l…left. Plus…you…have…it."

"W…we…have…t…to…save…it." Mario said.

"W…what…sh…should…w…we…d…do?" Luigi asked.

"R…re…remember…that… army…s…survival…b…book…we…f…found…in…the…l…library …back…home?" Mario asked. "It…said…s…something about…wrapping…ourselves in a sleeping bag…while naked…to prevent…h…hypothermia."

"You…c…can't be serious!" Luigi replied. "I'm n…not touching…m…my bare body…against yours! Besides…w…we…don't have…a sleeping bag…or anything dry…t…to keep us w…warm!"

"Got…any…other ideas?" Mario asked. "You…b…better…say something now…if you…d…do. I don't…w…want…to freeze to…d…death!"

"I can't believe…I…I'm doing…this!" Luigi said. "I hope this…i…is…the only time…w…we have to…d…do this!"

The brothers reluctantly started taking off their wet clothes as they continued to shiver in the cold cave. Never in their lives have they been so cold and reluctant to stay warm at the same time, but if they had to conserve their inventory they had no choice but to keep each other warm through their body heat. The extreme cold also made it hard for the brothers to breathe as they kept struggling to stay warm. Once they were completely stripped down, Mario and Luigi wrapped their naked bodies around each other and let their body heat take over as they kept each other warm. They turned their heads away from each to avoid being intimidated and humiliated by each other.

"This is…too awkward!" Luigi said. "I hope this ends soon!"

"You and me both!" Mario replied. "I wish we had a blanket!"

"Do you think we could use that fire flower to dry our clothes?" Luigi asked, trying not to look at his naked brother.

"That's the only other thing we can do to stay alive in this frigid place!" Mario said.

A few minutes of awkward silence passed.

"Are you warm yet?" Luigi asked, wishing he could get off of his brother.

"Warm enough." Mario replied, and with that the brothers did not hesitate to get away from each other and their exposed manhood.

Meanwhile, above the surface, Bowser and Kamek as well the others were getting frustrated. After searching the entire base, the Mario Brothers were not able to be located. There was no sign of the brothers anywhere, and they knew that they were out of luck in trying to find them inside any of the buildings that made up the large base. They only other place they could think looking for them was outside.

"They're probably in the archaeological digging area outside, making their way down into the caverns below." Bowser said. "We have to chase them! Now!"

"Yes, master." said the leader of the Koopa squad. "You heard the master! Move out!"

"Yes, sir!" said the other Koopas and Goombas as they started making their way towards the nearest exit.

Hey everyone! I apologize for not updating this story more frequently. I've been too busy wrapped up in one of my other stories and I figured that it was about time for me to get back to this one. I guess that's what I get for having three stories that are currently in the works. :P

Currently, Mario and Luigi are beginning to explore an underground cave and have already got themselves into trouble by falling down a shaft and into a large underground reservoir of ice-cold water. In their efforts to prevent hypothermia, as well as the depletion of their fire flower inventory, the two brothers resort to stripping down and keeping each other warm through direct contact of their bodies. This, however, did not last very long due to the awkwardness that they both found themselves in for exposing their manhood to each other. However, it seems evident through the way they talk that they did experience some relief from the cold, which is crucial for them to stay alive in the hostile conditions they are in. Mario and Luigi ultimately decide to use the fire flower to dry their clothing. Will they regret their decision later as they continue their journey through the ice cave? What is the source of the mysterious bluish light inside the cavern? The answers may surprise you. Until then, see you later. I'll make a huge effort to keep updating this story more frequently :)

saturn95