Author's Note: Yup...

Super Mario Sunshine Adventure

Episode 4: The Secret of Casino Delfino

"Why is it always evening whenever we arrive back in Sirena Beach?" questioned Pauline as they walked towards the huge structure that made up Hotel Delfino. She had been wondering that for the longest time.

"Maybe it's just…supernatural occurrences?" suggested Sonic with a shrug of his shoulders. "Who knows? Why'd you ask anyway, Pauline?"

Pauline folded her arms. "I'm curious!"

"Okay then!" Sonic had no problem with that.

After words were exchanged between the ravishing woman and the blue hedgehog, the quintet stopped in front of the hotel manager that looked as though he had been waiting for them to arrive. There was a big smile glued to the guy's face and he seemed jolly.

"Well now, Mario!" the Pianta started speaking. "You really should drop by the casino, you and your friends. "I'll let my boys know you're coming. Go on, now!"

As they trekked into the hotel, Silver started talking, "Wait, why is Mario so popular around here?"

"I'm popular everywhere!" Mario boasted. "I'm a hero and I always rescue Princess Peach from Bowser! That's why I'm popular, Silver!"

Silver blinked.

"Hey, I'm popular too, you know!" Sonic piped up as they walked over to the casino where a Pianta employee waited for them. "I'm the Blooper-surfing legend!"

"Enough about that!" scowled Blaze.

Sonic rolled his eyes. "What-evs, Blaze!"

Upon reaching the entrance into the casino, the Pianta's face lit up. "Ahh, Mario…and friends! Right this way, please!" he turned around and pushed open the double doors that led into the casino.

The place looked just like a casino!

"This place is cool, but it's nothing compared to the casino back in Station Square!" Sonic decided to throw in his opinion as he surveyed their new surroundings.

"Is that casino much better?" Pauline asked the blue hedgehog curiously.

"Oh yeah!"

Pauline grinned.

"Wow! This place is so cool!" Silver stated as he peered around with his eyes. "There are slot machines and everything! I've never been to a casino before! This is awesome!"

Blaze glanced at him. "You're always so excited…"

"How can I NOT be?!"

Blaze shrugged.

"Settle in and make yourself at home, okay?" a Pianta informed them as it stood next to them. "Enjoy yourself."

"Oh, we will!" Silver cackled and levitated away from everyone else, heading towards the slot machines. However, he bumped into a dark blue Pianta who appeared to be outraged.

"The games are rigged!" he boomed, choleric. "Where's the manager? I want my coins back!"

Silver gave him a flabbergasted expression. "Huh? What? Rigged?"

"That's right!" the Pianta yowled viciously. "They're rigged! I demand my coins back RIGHT NOW! Where's the stinkin' manager?!"

Moving away from the irked Pianta, Silver walked over to the slot machines, watching some Nokis play them. It seemed rather simple. Silver motioned for his friends to come over and he informed them of what the Pianta had commented about.

"Rigged?" Mario raised an eyebrow. "How can these games be rigged?"

"I have no clue!" replied Silver, shrugging.

Pauline sat down in front of one of the slot machines and put a coin in, pulling down the lever on the side and watching the game do its thing. "I don't see anything wrong," she absentmindedly put in.

"Maybe that's because you don't want to see anything wrong with it," Sonic added smartly, a crooked smile adorning his facial features.

Pauline gave him a look.

As his friends rambled on, Mario walked over to a large slot machine with two Piantas standing in front of it. One of the Piantas turned around to face him while wearing an awestruck expression.

"This is the first time I've ever seen water-powered slots!" the Pianta bellowed. After that, he turned back towards the massive slot machine and laughed for no reason.

Mario raised an eyebrow. "Water-powered slots?"

Sonic suddenly zipped over. "Water-powered slots, eh?" the blue hedgehog voiced his thoughts, hand on his chin as he gazed up at the overly large slot machine.

"I have never seen a slot machine so large," FLUDD spoke in a very interested tone of voice.

"Neither have I!" said Sonic.

Mario moved away from the blue speedster and marched backwards, gazing up at the water-powered slots above. One slot showed a picture of a Boo, another showed a Coin, and the third slot showed another coin. Mario used FLUDD to spray the slots with water, watching as the slots spun rapidly. Eventually, they all landed on triple coins! To the plumber's happiness, three coins magically appeared before him.

"Awesome!" the red-capped hero gathered the coins and pocketed them, cackling jovially.

"Nice one, Mario!" Sonic commented with a satisfied nod. "I wish there was water around! I'd be collecting a lot of those!" the blue hedgehog stated. "I can't use my water powers when there isn't water around. Plus, I think they don't give you enough coins for this game! I mean, back in my world, when I was at the casino in Station Square, I won a LOT of rings!"

Mario pointed a finger at him. "Coins are not rings, yo!" he voiced.

"I know that! Buuuuuut…rings are better than coins!" Sonic finalized with his arms folded, chortling.

"Says who?" barked Mario.

"Says the Blooper-surfing legend!"

"Give me a break!"

"Why? You aren't even moving! Heh!"

"What…?"

"You don't get it? You said 'give me a break' and then I said you're not 'moving'. You seriously don't get that joke?"

Mario stared at him in a deadpanned manner. "That was the most terrible joke I've ever heard!"

"You're just mad because you don't get it!" Sonic dissed, rolling his emerald green eyes.

Mario released a dry laugh. "Right."

"I know. I am so right!"

Looking away from the cocky hedgehog, the red plumber put his eyes on Blaze, Silver, and Pauline. They were all playing the slot machines now, dancing amongst mountains of coins that they had somehow won in such little time! They were laughing and dancing in the coins that rained down upon them, completely joyous.

"How did they do that?" Mario wondered out loud.

"Do what?" FLUDD questioned.

"Never mind…"

While Sonic pranced around and talked about how he was the most coolest thing ever, Mario went around to all of the Jumbo Slots, getting 7s on all of them. Right when he finished that, the massive red curtain in the casino moved aside and revealed a wall made of sixteen red and yellow panels. Mario used FLUDD once again to help him through the situation, flipping back all of the panels and showing a massive picture of a Shine Sprite.

"Cool!" Mario yipped.

"What's cool?" Sonic wanted to know as he jogged over, having realized that Mario had not been listening to him boast about him being the Blooper-surfing legend.

Mario didn't answer as he watched what happened next. All of the panels and the wall itself moved upwards and revealed a green Warp Pipe.

"Hey, check it out!" remarked the blue hedgehog. "It's a pipe! It probably leads to a Secret Stage! We better go tell the others what we found!"

"They look kind of busy…" Mario trailed, motioning for Sonic the Hedgehog to peer over to the mini slot machines.

Sonic looked and saw that Pauline, Blaze, and Silver were all dancing around and showering themselves with the many coins that they won and constantly kept winning! They were all cackling in glee and in their own little world.

"Well," stated Sonic. "Looks like we're taking this on by ourselves. Just like old times, eh?"

"It wasn't THAT long ago, Sonic!" Mario told him before jumping into the Warp Pipe.

Rolling his eyes, the blue speedy hedgehog joined the red plumber.

So, there was nothing special about the secret stage except for the fact that the last part had a rotating large block that moved in all angles. Sonic and Mario had dangerous problems with that one, but managed to make it across without getting a Game Over. They gratefully took the Shine Sprite at the end.