I know that this particular chapter might not have a lot going on, and in my opinion, goes on forever, but this is just a slow start. The action hasn't even begun! Stay tuned...
Also, just so you know, the universes of Mario and Sonic I am using are my own interpretation of the worlds. They are distilled versions in which I am going to try and stay true to the roles set by the characters. Basically, Mario and Sonic my way!
The large courtyard, which could be found at the back of the castle, was a hive of activity; toads were scurrying around and draping it in colourful bunting, flowers and decorations. It created a fun atmosphere when combined with the white walls and pink roof tiles of the castle. Dozens of ornate round tables were dotted around the courtyard, with one large, long rectangular table at the far end. They all gravitated around a large square space in the center – a space that would undoubtedly be used as a dance floor.
The Mario Bros. were helping with the preparations for the anniversary party. Mario was kind and helpful by nature. He helped anyone he came across and could spare time for – he would help everyone if he could. Of course, that was the purpose of tonight, a celebration of one of the deeds that came out of that kind heart.
That is, if you consider saving the entire world umpteen times a 'helping hand'.
One of the toads was struggling to hook some bunting onto the top of a lamppost. He could only jump about as high as Mario was. "Hhh. Mario? Can you help me with this?" He asked.
"Okie Dokie!" Mario replied cheerfully, and gave a thumbs up. Mario took the end of the bunting and stood back… and then, with a run up, and then a hop, skip and a jump- flipped in the air, and hooked the bunting around the lamppost with ease. The nearby Toads clapped in awe. Mario responded by taking off his hat and giving a bow. Mario knew how respected he was, but he was never smug about it. He was cheerful as often as he could be.
…
Luigi, on the other hand, while, for the most part, being a lot like Mario, he could be a little jittery at times. He wasn't in the spotlight as much as Mario, and tended to be in his shadow- after all, it's the Mario Brothers, isn't it?
But he didn't much mind this. On the contrary, he tended to get used to it. Which was the real problem, and why he sometimes gets jittery whenever something falls to him.
And such an occasion had arisen. Back in the lobby of the castle, Toadsworth hobbled up to him. "Master Luigi! Look lively chap!"
"Huh?" Luigi trembled. "Y- Yes, Toadsworth?"
The elderly Toad's moustache twitched. "I was wondering if you might be able to do something about the state of these floors, dear fellow. As you know, when the guests arrive, they'll be coming through here to get to the courtyard, so we need it looking prestigious! Post-haste!"
"Huh?" Luigi frowned.
Toadsworth shook his head. "I said the floors could do with a clean. See about it, would you?"
Silence hung in the air for a second. Luigi wasn't sure how to respond. He knew how his brother would respond…
"Err… Okie Dokie?" Luigi smiled and chuckled nervously, and gave a weak thumbs up.
Toadsworth grinned. "That's the spirit. Soon as you can, then." and then he moved on to direct some other aimless Toads.
Luigi gave a sigh of relief, and smiled himself. Mario always said 'It's nice to be nice'.
But then, he looked at the floor- cobwebs everywhere. Taking all of the boxes containing the party gear out of the store room must've brought all the muck as well.
Luigi pondered about how to get rid of it. It didn't take him long to think of something. The Poltergust.
Very simply, the Poltergust was a vacuum cleaner, but it was a powerful design by the eccentric scientist Professor E. Gadd, used to suck up ghosts. But Luigi had no idea where it was.
But he knew the most logical place to start looking would be his room.
He started up the staircase in the lobby's centre. He then turned right on the balcony, went to the far end and entered a second room. This room had five doors: One that led forward into the 'Rec Room', and two doors either side of that. The door on the near left had a red 'M' above it; this served as Mario's room in the castle. On the far left, a door with a green 'L' on it, which was Luigi's room.
The door on the near right had a yellow 'W', and this room belonged to Wario. Wario was Mario's doppelganger (despite looking nothing like him), and many wondered why Wario even had a room of his own in the castle, as he was a dodgy, podgy, greedy, garlic-addicted flatulent thief. To the far right was a spare room.
Luigi entered his room and looked everywhere, but he couldn't find it. Luigi didn't think Toadsworth would take any excuses, though, so he knew what to do next.
He made his way to the courtyard, and hailed his brother. "Mario! Hey, Bro!"
"Hey, Luigi!" he greeted. "What's up?"
Luigi shrugged bashfully. "Er, well, I told Toadsworth I'd clean up the lobby…"
"Mmm?"
"And I thought I'd use the Poltergust, but, I can't find it anywhere. It's a not in my room."
"Do you want a hand finding it?" He offered immediately.
"Thatta would be good, bro!" He said with a smile and a lot less grief.
"Alright!" Mario grinned. "Let's a go!"
…
"Grr- ow!"
"Oof, that's a my head!"
"That's a my head!"
The two bickering menacing growls and snarls echoed through the pipes in the drainage system at the bottom of the castle.
"How much further?" a gruff growl sounded.
"Nearly there." A higher-pitched raspy nasally voice replied. "It's just another- YAAAAAAAAAH-!"
There was a massive crash and a splash as the two of them fell out of a pipe and fell on the floor in a heap.
"Gettoff!" The round yellow cladded fellow said to his stringy, freakishly tall brother, dressed in purple.
They got to their feet as gracefully as they fell. This mischievous pair was the Wario Brothers, Wario and Waluigi.
"Gaah, I'm soaking!" Wario groaned, and ringed out his yellow hat.
"Well, I said we should have found another way into the castle, but you-"
"Ahh, SHUDDUP!" He cut off his whining- and also dripping wet brother. He scratched his behind and made his way to the door.
They were in the underside of the castle, which due to the party preparations was completely void of life. They had sneaked in to hunt down a particular object of their desire.
"It's this way." Wario took the lead.
"How do you know?" Waluigi asked.
He grumbled. "I just do. I can smell expensive things."
Waluigi frowned. "I don't think that's actually possib-"
"Thank you!" Wario snapped, and they stopped in their tracks.
"For what?"
"For reminding me why I didn't want to bring you in the first place!"
Waluigi widened his eyes. "What are you talking about? Everything we've done so far has been your idea!"
"Well, clearly, my plans are getting messed up by all your STUPID!" Wario wailed.
"ME!?" Waluigi grabbed the scruff of Wario's shirt.
Something pricked Wario's pointy ears. "Wait…" he focused on the sound… Footsteps, getting closer. "Someone's coming!"
The two of them scrambled over each other, and hid in a store room, full of crates. They both pushed against the door and listened.
The footsteps got closer, and muffled voices could be heard.
"Do you think it's them?" Waluigi pondered.
"Ssssh!" Wario bared his teeth at him.
The voices became more audible then: "I suppose it could be down here, I haven't used it in a long time." Luigi said.
Wario gasped. "Yeh, it's them."
Mario piped up. "This store room is full of crates, it has to be in one of them."
The Wario brothers quickly had a double take at the room they were in. They leaped as quickly as they could behind the crates at either side of the room, out of view.
The Mario Brothers entered the room.
"Imma gonna check this side." Mario moved to the crates which, unknown to him, had Waluigi directly behind them.
Luigi opened some crates at the far side of the room. "I found some more bunting. Do we need any more?"
Mario chuckled. "I don't think so! I think if you stretched it all out, it would reach the end of World 3!" He moved back to the boxes. "Nothing in here either." He pushed the box aside.
Waluigi was in full view.
But, Mario moved to the next crate, and didn't see him.
He silently panicked and scurried over to a crate at the far corner of the room, and hopped in it.
Mario heard the thud of the lid closing. "Huh?" He looked in that general direction.
Wario widened his eyes. He was going to move there. He was going to see him!
Wario thumped the box in front of him. Mario heard that, and moved towards him instead.
He moved out of his sight. I wonder what they're looking for… He thought.
"Gah!" Luigi fretted. "We're never going to find it!"
"Don't worry bro. You don't have to use the Poltergust, you know." Mario reassured.
Waluigi couldn't breathe. Through a small crack in the crate came a little light, and he could see that the Poltergust was in his crate, underneath him.
Luigi moved closer to Waluigi's crate. Wario had nothing else up his sleeve other than clobbering them, and that wouldn't work, because it was an important day, and people would find him. He grumbled silently. Waluigi was going to get them caught!
Luigi was right on top of the crate now. He lifted the lid… And widened his eyes.
"I've found it!" He quickly strapped it onto his back and struck a heroic pose, nozzle in hand.
Mario punched the air. "Way to go, bro!" He ushered him over. "Now let's a get back to the party!"
They both left quickly with eagerness and without another word.
Wario waited until he was sure they were gone before he got up.
"Geddup, idiot!" He barked at Waluigi's crate.
A stringy leg shakily appeared out of the box. Waluigi slumped onto the floor. He was still holding his breath. His face was as purple as his hat and shirt. "Aah- A –A- Are they gone…?" He winced.
Wario clenched his fists… "Yes…"
Suddenly, Waluigi gasped massively, got to his knees, and started to breathe deeply. "Phew…"
Wario punched him in the face.
"OW!"
The two of them started bickering again.
…
"Hmm, Hmm, Hum, de dummmm…" Princess Peach was singing herself a little tune as she mixed a substance in a bowl. A substance that would later become the delicious sponge of one of her legendary cakes.
And resting in the corner, quite innocently, was the crowning decoration, and the object of Wario and Waluigi's desire…
A Power Star.
…
"My loyal minions…" Bowser began. "Tonight is the Night."
Bowser's castle's courtyard was again, in great contrast to Peach's Castle. It was absolutely massive, and contained a grand assembly of Bowser's finest troops, all gathered for their bosses great speech. King Koopa himself was on a high balcony. Leagues of Koopa Troopers, Goombas, Thwomps, Pokeys, Boos and various other scum stood at attention, formed in rows, rigid and attentive.
"A lot of planning have gone into this night… as it has for the princess, and her kingdom! But tonight, it will be I who takes the day! I shall take the glory! And Mario cannot stop me now!"
The rows of troops started to break out in quizzical mumbles, confused at this comment.
"What planning? I didn't know we were doing this until today…" A red shelled Koopa muttered.
"Who's Mario?" Asked a Goomba, who had taken one too many hits on the head from the plumber's boot.
"What does he mean?" A green shelled Koopa asked his neighbour.
"Oh, come on. Isn't it obvious?" The neighbouring Koopa called to those around him. "It's nothing special. We're just kidnapping the princess again."
Bowser growled ferociously under his breath, and glared menacingly at his troops. "SILENCE!" One bellow bludgeoned the conferring dead, and snapped the troops to attention once more. He leant over his balcony, and pointed a sharp finger to the Koopa who had spoken out. "This is special to ME, so it's special to YOUU!" He then directed his bellowing to the whole legion. "IF ANYONE SCREWS THIS UP AGAIN, I'M GONNA TOSS EM IN THE LAVAAA!"
Half of the troops quaked with fear. The other half just sighed. He tended to say something around those lines every single time.