Mario & Luigi: The Two Super Bros

by VittorioFGC

A series of one-shots starring Mario and Luigi! Our two favourite brothers are twins, and their bond has always been very strong. Let's see some of their moments together, in adventures, sports or even something more mundane. You can do requests if you want to, unless it's an idea I already used in a previous chapter.

10. Framed on vacation: Part 1

A/N: Hey, guys! In the last chapter, Mario and Luigi went to spend the day at the beach, but during the afternoon, they were attacked by a Mordorena that attacked Luigi and almost suffocated him to death underwater. Mario felt guilty because he had ignored Luigi's foreboding. But Luigi doesn't blame his brother for the accident, and bought him ice cream to comfort him. Thank you very much for all the support you are giving to these one-shots! This tenth one-shot is inspired by Super Mario Sunshine, will be divided into two parts and is inspired by a request from m1ffin. Oh, I also want to thank Peachy-Author for inspiring me to do this one-shot through some of her stories. Follow her Mario stories, they are really well done! Last month I discovered a tweet from Nintendo: Charles Martinet will stop voicing Mario. Maybe it's because old age is starting to make it difficult for him to voice the characters, but this remains a huge shock. After more than 30 years, an era is over. He will still remain involved with the franchise, but he will never be the same again, as he will assume the symbolic role of Mario Ambassador. Nothing will be enough to thank him for all that he has done for us in these three decades. Oh, and speaking of Charles, today, September 17, is his birthday, he turns 68! He deserves a lot of hugs from me and from all Mario fans! Anyway, now let's get started!

---

Chapter 10: Framed on vacation: Part 1

(''World 4 Map- New Super Mario Bros. Wii OST'')

Isle Delfino, inhabited by humanoid islanders known as Piantas, was a tropical paradise, perfect for a holiday. That fateful morning, following one of his last adventures and yet another fight with Bowser, Mario had decided to take a vacation with Princess Peach, Toad, Toadsworth and a group of five other Toads. They had just made it in time, because when Mario got his ticket, it was the last one. This meant that he could not invite Luigi or ask him to come with him, and he still couldn't do it now, but he did not want to give him the impression that he was ungrateful, since he had saved him from King Boo just a couple of weeks before,(1) so he wrote something on the spot and asked Parakarry to give him the letter.

That morning, they took the plane, and since Isle Delfino was far away, it took four hours to get to their destination. While watching the advertisement of the island, Mario thought of nothing but the typical dishes based on fish, and even Toadsworth seemed distracted from his surroundings, fantasizing about relaxing on the beach. Peach had realized that something was wrong, noticing a figure similar to Mario, but when she pointed it out to the others and they returned to reality, it was too late, since the guy was already gone. She noticed him once again on the plane, but no one else noticed him in time.

(''World 4 Map- New Super Mario Bros. Wii OST'')

After a difficult landing, they noticed a strange paint-like substance in the airstrip, and Mario met an invention made by Professor E. Gadd, the Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device, better known as the SPLAC 3000, and five minutes later, when he found an object known as Shine Sprite after defeating a Piranha Plant that appeared to be made of the same slimy substance as before, two Pianta policemen arrived.

(''Mario Bros' House: Paper Mario OST'')

Meanwhile, Luigi was at home, and had found Mario's letter.

''Dear Luigi,

I'm sorry to tell you this so suddenly, but I couldn't let you know sooner. I went on holiday to Isle Delfino, and Peach, Master Toad and some Toads came with me.

I don't know if Bowser will attack in my absence, but if he is, I would like you to protect the Mushroom Kingdom in my place.

I know, it's weird to tell you like this all the sudden, but I wanted to let you know.

Take care of the others while I'm not here.

Love,

Mario''

Reading this letter, Luigi wondered why he had not been invited. He had saved Mario from King Boo, so why hadn't he thought of inviting him? Was Mario acting selfish and ungrateful? No, why did he come up with this thought? He shook his head, trying to shake off these negative thoughts.

''I shouldn't think these things. It makes me look selfish and petty.'' Luigi murmured, making himself a cup of coffee to calm down.

While sipping coffee, he turned on the television and scrolled through the channels. In one of them there was an advertisement.

''No, not this one.''

He changed the channel, and this time there was a show with jokes that made him cringe.

''I won't look at this stuff.''

(''Mario Bros' House: Paper Mario OST-s'')

Other channels with advertising later, Luigi found a channel that showed a newscast, and it seemed that the news shown today was set on Isle Delfino, which coincidentally, was the place where Mario had gone on vacation. But then something left him so shocked that he spat a big sip of coffee and almost choked. Mario was surrounded by two policemen, and they were arresting him.

''What?! Why are they arresting Mario?!'' exclaimed Luigi, after recovering from a coughing fit.

Mario was pushed to the ground by one of the policemen, while the other handcuffed him. ''OW! OW! Hey, watch the mustache, watch the mustache!'' he shouted, when one of them grabbed him by the mustache.

''What's going on?!'' exclaimed a Red Toad.

''What do you mean he polluted the island?'' Toadsworth added.

As Mario was getting dragged by the cops, he complained about how he had just arrived, but no one, except Peach and the Toads, listened to him. ''It's not fair! Call my lawyer!'' he yelled.

Luigi couldn't stand for it. He turned off the TV and walked out of the room in a bad mood. Vandalism? Mario would never do such a thing, he knew him too well! He ran to the airport to go to Isle Delfino, but he didn't like what he found out.

''I'm sorry, but the tickets sold out.'' said the Toad at the counter.

''Sold out already?!'' shouted Luigi in shock.

''Isle Delfino is a popular vacation spot, and tickets have recently run out.''

''My brother needs me! Didn't you see what happened on TV?! They arrested him on charges of vandalism!''

This statement left the Toad in shock, and it took a full minute for him to recover.

''I'm so sorry, Luigi. Really. Unfortunately, there's no more tickets to Isle Delfino, so you can't go. I'm sorry you can't help Mario, but you'll have to wait tomorrow for your ticket.''

Very annoyed to hear these words, the plumber in green left without saying a word. He couldn't catch up with Mario to help him, and he hated it.

---

(''Cutscene: Sad- Sonic Colors DS OST'')

Meanwhile, Mario was having a terrible time. He had been tried in court for vandalism and for scattering the 120 Shine Sprites that protected the island, since the sun couldn't shine there if they were not in the ShineGate, which had been vandalized, which had caused all the Shine Sprites to escape. Peach had tried to defend him along with Toadsworth. Objecting, she said it was impossible that Mario could have done it, since she knew him well and he had just came here, and she also testified what she had seen on the plane, but the judge overruled her objection shortly afterwards based on the testimonies of all those present at the crime scenes. It was a mock trial, and Mario was found guilty and thrown into a cell less than two minutes later. He had also seen the wanted poster that seemed to depict his image, but there were some things that did not convince him, in particular about the lack of color. With him there was only FLUDD. Mario knew its creator, Professor E. Gadd, well, since he had helped Luigi save him, and so he was grateful for it, but both because they had just met, and because of his robotic and expressionless voice, it did not help him much, and Peach and the Toads were forbidden to visit him.

''Ugh! This is infuriating! I can't even enjoy a holiday here?!'' blurted Mario. ''It's already bad that Bowser creates too many problems where I come from, and now that I want to take a vacation I get arrested?! I just came here!''

''I believe you. But we can't do anything at the moment. They will decide what you have to do.'' said FLUDD.

''But how did this happen?'' asked Mario.

''This appears to be quite the predicament, Mario. Data analysis verifies that the island's inhabitants are indeed troubled by pollution. But the pollution itself is not the main. problem.'' FLUDD replied.

''But that's not an excuse! How can they make such a serious accusation without even knowing me?!'' replied Mario, hardly holding back his anger. ''And what are the Shine Sprites they mentioned during the trial?''

''Listen to me carefully. Shine Sprites are the source of power of Isle Delfino. You found one at the airstrip, and there are 120 in total. They used to gather in great numbers the Shine Gate. Butthe graffiti incident has polluted the island and most of the Shine Sprites have fled. There is no longer any power to support the peaceful lifestyle of the islanders. It is most pitiable...''

''You mean the Shine Sprites fled when the Shine Gate was vandalized and the island was soiled with this substance I saw at the airstrip?''

''That's right. Without the Shine Sprites, the sun will not be able to shine on the island: their disappearance has caused the appearence of a haze that blocks sunlight. The only way to ensure the return of the Shine Sprites is to keep the island from becoming any dirtier."

''How can we fix this mess?''

''As for the goop, I can help you out. I am full of water, and with my help, you should be able to clean up this substance. To make me to shoot water from my nozzle or hover temporarily, pull my handles and I'll do the rest. If you can find the Shine Sprites, you can bring sunlight back to the island.''

''We have to do something.''

''The perpetrator is likely at work even as we speak. And you, Mario, are being treated as a criminal.'' said FLUDD.

''Don't remind me!'' said Mario.

The plumber sighed. He didn't know what to do. Someone had framed him, he was sure of it, but he had no evidence to prove it. The only evidence was Peach's testimony, but he didn't have time to notice something was wrong when he was on the plane.

The cell had no bed, only an opening to pass a small plate with food, and Mario was immediately disgusted by the low quality of jail food. Either it was a soup that was to doughy or the food tasted horrible, and when he ate what appeared to be a meatball, he almost puked.

''EWWW! Gross!'' he complained.

''Jail food is not known for its quality.'' said FLUDD.

''I refuse to stoop down to this level when it comes to food!'' said Mario, without bothering to lower his voice.

(''Cutscene: Sad- Sonic Colors DS OST-s'')

Hours passed, and the plumber dressed in red could only stand still. The ''bed'' in the cell was hard and uncomfortable, and he couldn't sleep. On the one hand, he wished that Luigi was here to help him, but on the other hand, he wasn't sure it was a good idea, as he could get into trouble with the police for aiding and abetting or could be framed too. He sighed in frustration and stayed awake despite bored.

(''Mario and Peach's Theme- Paper Mario OST'')

At two o'clock in the morning, Mario heard a voice. It was Peach. ''Mario! Mario, are you here?'' she asked.

''I'm here, Peach. I'm here.'' replied Mario, and the princess approached the door of her cell. ''What are you doing here? I am not allowed to receive visitors.'' he asked her.

"I was really worried about you when they locked you in your cell, and I waited for everyone to go to sleep for the night. Toadsworth, the other Toads and I were all in such shock that we couldn't sleep.'' explained Peach. Before long, she became agitated. ''I can't believe this happened. We only arrived at Isle Delfino this morning, there's now way that you could have had time to make this mess! And you would never do that!''

''I wish I didn't involve you in all this...'' muttered Mario.

''Oh, Mario... I'm sorry!'' sobbed Peach. ''I couldn't do anything for you, the judge didn't even allow me to defend you! I wanted to take a vacation with you, and now I've dragged you through all of this! Please forgive me...''

Mario's frustration faded temporarily, and he looked at the beautiful princess with a look full of sadness. He wanted to give her a hug, but there wasn't enough space between the bars for it, so he ran a hand through the bars, gently placed it on her cheek, and wiped away her tears. ''It's not your fault, Peach. You did everything you could.'' he told her. ''Actually, it was my fault. You noticed something was wrong, but Toadsworth and I were too distracted to notice.''

''Even so, I feel I couldn't do anything to help you.'' Peach said through tears. ''If only I could do more for you...''

''We will find a solution, somehow.'' Mario reassured her, trying to remain hopeful.

''I hope so... I don't want you to stay in prison!''

''They will decide the sentence I have to serve tomorrow morning.''

''But it's not fair! It's not fair that they punish you for a crime you didn't commit, especially since we've just arrived!''

The princess was so upset by the situation she didn't even realize she was raising her voice, but Mario gently silenced her. ''Shhhhh... Not so loud. The guards might hear you, and I wouldn't want to make things worse with the police.'' he whispered to her.

''I hate this...'' muttered Peach.

''Lo so, principessa mia. I'm as frustrated as you are.'' Mario told her. He really wanted to give her a kiss to make her feel better, but since he was in the cell, it was impossible, so he held her hand.

Peach blushed to hear Mario's warm Italian. ''Oh, Mario... Even in jail, you're so sweet.'' she said.

''I always worry about you, you know.'' Mario replied.

''What do we do now?'' asked Peach.

''Toadsworth and the others need you. They will need someone to reassure them that everything will be fine. You should return to them before they notice your absence. In the meantime, I'll find a way to set things right when I have to serve my sentence.'' said Mario.

''You're right. But I don't like this at all. I couldn't do anything to help you.'' said Peach.

''Yes, you did. You did everything you could. You've already done a lot for me just by defending me at court. Thank you, Peach.''

With these words, Mario kissed Peach's hand, and she gave him a small smile. ''I'm the one who should thank you. You're so sweet.'' he said.

''Awww, you know I'd do anything for you.'' Mario replied. ''You should go to bed. Good night, Peach.''

''Good night, Mario.''

Peach kissed Mario on the nose, the only way she could kiss him with the bars that separated them. Blushing, the friendly Italian kissed her hand once more, and before the princess left, she saw him blowing her a kiss. When she returned to the Toads, she slept more peacefully, grateful to have Mario by her side, and the more time passed, the more she thought he was a sweetheart.

(''Mario and Peach's Theme- Paper Mario OST'')

---

(''Dolphin Airstrip- Super Mario Sunshine OST'')

Mario slept badly. With no bed and with only what appeared to be a hard mattress, he struggled to fall asleep, and when he was woken up the next morning at 7 o'clock, he had a stiff neck and would have preferred to sleep some more. The two Piantas who had arrested him took him to Delfino Plaza, the main city of the island. Arriving there, he could clearly see that it seemed darker than normal, despite it being early in the morning. The island was in the shade, and sunlight could not reach it.

''What should I do?'' asked Mario.

"You are sentenced to social services. You need to clean up this stuff. It's everywhere on this island, and you can't leave until you've cleaned up all the mess you've made," said one of the two policemen.

''But I didn't do anything. How is it that this goop is-'' said Mario, not understanding, but he couldn't finish the sentence. One of the policemen punched him in the nose, while the other shot him with the tazer, causing him to get shocked. Since he was wearing a short-sleeved shirt instead of the usual long-sleeved shirt, the skin was exposed, and a small bruise had formed. ''Hey! Was did you do that for?''

''You'd better shut up and get to work if you don't want to make it harder on yourself.'' said the second policeman.

''What evidence do you have to support that I'm allegedly guilty?'' asked the plumber.

"Several witnesses were present at the crime scene. And they say they saw you.''

''Let's hear then: do I look like a criminal?''

''Of course, you have the face of.''

''I'm not a vandal. You must have mistook me for someone else.''

''Nice try, but that's what everyone says.''

''That wanted poster should depict me? It doesn't even have colors! It seems to me that you have no idea what you are doing, since you arrested me as soon as I got here!''

''Hey, watch your mouth! Just get to work!'' one of the two policemen blurted out, pointing the tazer at Mario as a sign of threat.

Mario left without saying a word, but it took all his self-control not to huff. He took off his hat and put his hands in his hair in frustration. Almost all the Piantas in town looked at him with suspicion, and Peach, Toadsworth and the Toads were not very happy with the sentence.

''At least you won't stay in prison.'' Toad said.

''I know, but I still have to fix a mess that I never caused!'' Mario replied.

''And we have no idea who the culprit of this whole mess is.'' said Toadsworth.

''When we were on the plane, I saw someone who looked like Mario, but no one else noticed. Did he frame Mario?'' asked Peach.

"It may be, but we have no evidence to prove it. A photo of the real culprit will be the proof we need.'' said Blue Toad.

''Master Mario... I wish we could do more.'' said Toadsworth.

(''Dolphin Airstrip- Super Mario Sunshine OST-s'')

Peach looked around with a worried look under her parasol. ''I have a bad feeling, Mario. I don't know who is responsible, but whoever it is, I think he framed you. I'm going to investigate what's going on, it's all too suspicious.'' she said.

''Are you sure it's a good idea to go alone, Peach?'' asked Mario.

''Princess, it's too dangerous!'' Toadsworth objected, and the other Toads panicked.

''I know, it's risky, but if we don't catch the culprit, we won't be able to prove Mario innocent.'' said Peach.

''Do you have a camera?'' asked Mario.

''Yes, I have one. If I can locate the culprit and take a good quality photo, we can use it as evidence to prove your innocence, Mario. As you clean up this slimy substance, seek out the Shine Sprites and find as many as you can.'' replied the princess.

''I trust you. But be careful, okay?''

''Okay. Good luck, Mario.''

''Thank you, princess.''

''I hope this brings you luck.'' said Peach.

''What?'' asked Mario.

''This.'' replied Peach, and pressed a kiss on his cheek that turned him red as his shirt before he left to start cleaning up the island.

---

Meanwhile, in the Mushroom Kingdom, Luigi had taken the tickets to Isle Delfino and went to the airport that same morning. He was just about to enter when his cell phone rang. It was Peach. ''Hello?''

''Luigi! Thank the Star Spirits! Did you see what happened to Mario?'' asked Peach, relieved that he had answered.

''Hi, Peach. Yes, I saw that he was arrested. I saw everything on TV yesterday morning.'' replied Luigi.

''And it's not just that. He was found guilty of littering Isle Delfino with goop and graffiti and scattering all the Shine Sprites that protect it and make the sun shine. I tried to defend him, but it was to no avail.'' said Peach.

''Someone framed Mario!'' exclaimed Luigi.

''I know, I think so too, but I can't prove it. The person in charge seems to have the same physical appearance as Mario, but I noticed several differences. I noticed him on the plane, but no one else noticed him in time. I'd say we'll call him Shadow Mario.'' said the princess.

''Do the locals know?'' asked Luigi.

''If you're referring to the Piantas, I don't know. Those who littered the island tried to kidnap me while I was trying to take a picture of him, but currently, the Piantas seem cautious around Mario, and find it difficult to trust him.'' replied Peach.

Luigi did not like the fact that his brother was wrongly accused, especially since there was no evidence that it was him. ''This is making me angry, Peach. As soon as I found out that Mario was arrested yesterday, I went to the airport to join him on Isle Delfino, but I found out that that the tickets were all sold out. I went back to the airport to get my ticket a little while ago, and now I'm leaving.'' he said.

''I understand... Isle Delfino is far away, so you should arrive in the afternoon. The journey will last a few hours.''

''I'll go there right away. See you later, Peach.''

''Thank you, Luigi. And bye.''

The call ended, and Luigi turned off the Wi-Fi and turned on airplane mode to avoid accidents and interference before entering the plane. ''Don't worry, Mario. I'm coming to help you.'' he thought, as the plane took off.

---

(''Rich Harbor- Super Mario Sunshine OST'')

Isle Delfino, known both for being a well-known tourist destination and for having the shape of a dolphin, was divided into eight parts: Bianco Hills in the center of the island, where there was a village full of windmills, Ricco Harbor, located on the pectoral fin, the Gelato Beach, the largest beach on the island, where the sun shone intensely, Pinna Park, an amusement park located on a nearby island that constituted the tail fin, Sirena, on the southern coast, a serene beach where there was a high-class hotel and where the sun made the sand a pleasant vermilion color, Noki Bay, located on the dorsal fin, inhabited by the Noki, creatures that lived in underwater caves, Pianta Village, built on a giant palm tree where the mayor lived, and Corona Mountain, a volcano located in the blowhole area, a short distance from Delfino Plaza, but access was blocked.

Mario didn't want to be rude to the natives, but he didn't like what he was forced to do. Normally he wouldn't have minded cleaning up this mess, since it was the right thing to do, but this time he didn't do it out of courtesy, but because it was imposed on him, and by the police, moreover.

''I like helping others, but this is ridiculous!'' Mario snorted, putting his hands in his hair. Right now he was trying to clean up the seawater on the pier of Porto Giocondo, but it wasn't working. Perhaps the spray was not powerful enough.

''We can't do much about it. The water here is polluted, and my help will not be enough to clean this black slime.'' said the SPLAC 3000.

In addition to having to clean up all the slime and get dirty all the time, Mario also had to solve other problems along the island, from defeating a Gooper Blooper twice inRicco Harbor to having to eliminate a Wiggler in Gelato Beach because first, it hindered the hatching of a legendary bird, and then because it was charging along the coast and attacking the civilians, and taking out a giant Piranha Plant known as Petey Piranha in Bianco Hills, while the hotel in Sirena Beach had been buried under the electric goop that had invaded the beach and had then been haunted. Thinking back to how Luigi had defeated King Boo to save him, he wished he was there, as he had experience against ghosts. In the process, Mario was also retrieving Shine Sprites, partially restoring the sunlight, but he had the impression that the Piantas were not very intelligent, as they did not do much to solve the problem, especially those who didn't live in Delfino Plaza, who seemed quite ignorant, and it did not help that the policemen bothered him as soon as he passed and always gave him stink eyes that bothered him. At least the Piantas thanked him when he solved problems, but he always noticed that many were wary of him, and some of them, known as chucksters, had the tendency to throw him all over the place. Sometimes,he had to use this to find some Shine Sprites, but after a while, it became nerve-wracking.

(''Rich Harbor- Super Mario Sunshine OST-s'')

On a couple of occasions someone who looked just like him apart from the different colors, who had tried to take away Peach while he was still in Delfino Plaza. The second time it happened, he could see the responsible better, but he couldn't count on help from the others because apparently the policemen were not doing their job and he had to chase him away alone.

''That was close. Thank you, Mario.'' said Peach.

''Are you okay, Peach?'' asked Mario.

''Yes, I'm fine. Mario, I saw him. I'm sure he's responsible.'' replied Peach.

''How did he catch you?'' Mario asked again.

''Like before. I was trying to take a picture of him, but when I first tried, he jumped behind me and caught me.'' explained Peach.

''I don't know who's impersonating me, but he seems to be a really bad boy.'' said the man in red.

''I know. Just now I tried to take a picture of him again, but he lunged at me before I could react. Maybe he knows I'm trying to take him by surprise.''

''Is that the guy who framed Mario?'' asked Toad.

''I'm sure of it. Since he looks just like him, we'll call him Shadow Mario.'' replied Peach.

''Slacking off, are you?''

(''What?- Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster OST'')

A sudden voice took everyone by surprise. They were the policemen from before.

''Ah! Don't startle me like that!'' gasped Peach, not expecting this.

''Where were the two of you when that guy tried to take Peach away?'' asked Mario with an irritated face.

''These are not things that should concern you. Just clean up all the mess you've made.'' said one of the two policemen.

''It wasn't me, I tell you!'' snapped Mario Mario. ''Didn't you see that guy who was trying to kidnap my... friend?'' Not knowing exactly how to define his bond with Peach, he said what had come to his mind. The two policemen then burst out laughing. ''What's so funny?!''

''You've made yourself a girlfriend, I see.'' said the other policeman, and Peach blushed. She felt a little embarrassed.

''Mind your own business!'' yelled Mario. ''And anyway, I have the feeling that you are not doing your job!''

Several Piantas had gathered in the square, and were witnessing the scene. Some of them had seen Shadow Mario, and as a result, they were beginning to doubt that the real Mario was the culprit.

''Keep your comments to yourself if you don't want us to throw you back in jail.'' the first policeman said.

'You don't think Master Mario is guilty, will you?'" asked Toadsworth.

''To be honest, I'm not so sure.'' a Pianta replied.

''I saw both him and another person similar to him. I have no idea what's going on, but that means there's an impostor.'' said a female Pianta.

Another Pianta said that he had seen Mario when he arrived at the airport, and that he had not polluted anything. This annoyed the Toads for the fact he hadn't bothered to testify at the trial, and he replied that he couldn't do much anyway because almost everyone believed Mario was guilty. What the Piantas agreed was that they wanted all this mess to be fixed as soon as possible, since the island was almost in the shade, not an optimal state for a paradise in the middle of the ocean. Some of them went so far as to question the allegations, but when they asked the cops, they kept silent, which seemed ambiguous to Peach.

''If you really dislike me so much, then why don't you do your job instead of bothering me?!'' Mario complained, and he walked away muttering softly.

(''What?- Final Fantasy V Pixel Remaster OST-s'')

''What's with him?'' the second policeman asked.

''You should really pay more attention to your surroundings.'' said Yellow Toad.

---

Mario, meanwhile, found himself forced to face other dangers. The Yoshis who lived on the island helped him, but they couldn't swim and he had to feed them fruit so that they could spit out the juice to create platforms. At one time, Yoshis also inhabited this island, but they had escaped when strange Koopas invaded their natural habitat. While continuing to search for Shine Sprites, he also had to face the main problem: Shadow Mario caused him problems all the time and repeatedly stole FLUDD. He was annoying mainly because he behaved childishly, had ruined his name on in Isle Delfino and had some Shine Sprites with him. But he was not the only annoying person he had to endure: to this list was added someone who called himself Il Piantissimo. He was not a Pianta, but a man in a Pianta costume who he had to beat in a series of races in which he had to reach a flag first in exchange for a Shine Sprites, and he was really obnoxious. The Palmensi, especially those from Pianta Village, had warned him about Il Piantissimo, telling him that he was such a narcissist that no one wanted to compete with him, and they were right: he was full of himself, incredibly arrogant and snobbish, and the fact that he had Shine Sprites on him only added to his dislike for him.

(''Ingo's Theme- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time OST'')

''How could I lose to a loser like you?'' Il Piantissimo complained after losing the last race.

''Mamma mia, just shut up already!'' Mario blurted out. ''Nobody can stand you!''

''Ah! Nobody would care about you!'' Il Piantissimo replied, and in a short time, a scuffle broke out between the two humans.

''Well, nobody likes you!''

''No girl would go out with you, you little rant! On the other hand, every chick would like to be with me, the great Il Piantissimo!''

''Hey! For your information, I have a girlfriend, unlike you, and she's a princess!''

''Why would she go out with you when there are other men more worthy than you, a low-ranking plumber?''

This was really too much, and Mario was fed up with this pompous jerk. ''I already have enough to think about on this island without having to put up with your obnoxious attitude! And since you have the Shine Sprites, why didn't they arrest you too?!'' he shouted angrily.

''Please. A big name like me can't get into trouble with the authorities.'' said Il Piantissimo brazingly.

''Enough is enough! Go away or I'll throw a durian in your face!'' Mario threatened him.

''You don't scare me, tubby.''

''That's it! Get out out of my sight!''

Furious, Mario took a durian and kicked it forcefully. Il Piantissimo let out an undignified scream when the durian touched him and hit him straight in the butt, and ran away squealing in pain, with the thorns of the fruit attached to his backside. Several Piantas watched the scene laughing like crazy, and cheered loudly.

''Hey, man! You were great!'' a Pianta cried out.

''I wish I had more backbone to stand up to Il Piantissimo like you! Thank you for knocking him down a few pegs!'' said another one.

(''Ingo's Theme- The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time OST-s'')

(''Shadow Mario- Super Mario Sunshine OST'')

After all this, Shadow Mario kidnapped Peach for the third time, and the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom couldn't stop him this time. He followed him to Pinna Park, and after destroying a mecha with the appearance of Bowser, you can imagine the shock when he discovered the identity of the culprit: Bowser Jr., Bowser's son, who had assumed a similar appearance to his through a blue bib he wore and had dirtied the whole island with a magic paintbrush. Bowser Jr. also seemed to share his father's unrestrained obsession with Peach, to the point of calling her his mother.

''I'm his mama...?'' asked Peach, very confused, but she shrugged off these thoughts. ''No. Just no. We are completely different.''

Bowser had apparently told his son lies about Mario, and he believed him. The strangest thing was that the magic brush had Professor E. Gadd's mark, just like FLUDD, and Bowser Jr. said it had been given to him from its creator, an old man in a white coat. The culprit left taking Peach away into Corona Mountain

(''Shadow Mario- Super Mario Sunshine OST-s'')

It was too much for Mario to bear. ''I can't take it anymore! I want to get out of here!'' he yelled, unfastening the belt that held FLUDD attached to his back and putting it on the ground abruptly, sitting by a nearby pole.

(''Sorrow (FE: Sacred Stones)- Fire Emblem Heroes OST'')

''Mario? Are you okay?'' asked FLUDD

''No, I'm not OK! It wasn't enough for Bowser to kidnap Peach with the frequency of someone who has to go get some groceries! No, he also had to involve his bratty son, who pretended to be me and framed me!'' snapped Mario. ''Do you have any idea how annoying it is to have to fight Bowser every time?! Do you have any idea how stressful it is to save Peach again and again and again?!''

FLUDD remained unmoved. ''I know everything about you. I scanned you at the airstream, remember?'' he said.

Mario nodded, but he was too angry. ''I just wanted to take a vacation, is that too much to ask?!'' he shouted. ''Look at that mess, FLUDD! This was supposed to be a vacation in a tropical paradise, and now it's a perfect disaster! The vacation is ruined, and even before it starts, moreover!''

''Not necessarily. This is only the second day, and you have just arrived. If we can solve the problems here, we can at least save the holiday.'' said FLUDD.

''Who am I kidding? Maybe I should have stayed at home. I wish Luigi was here, maybe he could have done something more.'' replied Mario.

FLUDD recognized Luigi's name. ''Your brother?''

''Yes. He recently faced his fear of ghosts to save me from King Boo and your creator helped him out.'' said Mario, calming down as he thought about how brave Luigi had been. ''Anyway, there's something I don't understand.''

''What?''

''How did Bowser Jr. got that paintbrush? He says it was given to him, but I find it hard to believe.''

Mario was clearly doubtful of what Bowser Jr. had said, and FLUDD also seemed to agree. ''I know, it seems strange to me. If he had seen Shadow Mario, he would have noticed the difference right away, so I don't think he gave it to him voluntarily.'' he told him.

''Just to be safe, I will ask Luigi to call Professor E. Gadd and ask him for an explanation about that brush.'' Mario sighed, ashamed of his outburst. ''Sorry about earlier, FLUDD. All this mess is really stressing me out. When I protect the Mushroom Kingdom and go to rescue Peach, I have to stay resolute to make everyone feel safe, but I can only hold back my negative emotions up to a point.'' he said.

''Don't apologize. It's normal.'' FLUDD reassured him.

''Thanks, FLUDD. What do we do now? Where did Bowser Jr. go?''

''At this moment, he entered Corona Mountain. It is behind Delfino Plaza, a short distance from the town. You'll find a hot spring behind the Shine Gate, and the volcano will be right in front of you. However, the lava cave is blocked by a gate for security reasons, and access is forbidden, so you can't pass by at the moment.''

''And now what do we do?''

''Let's go to Noki Bay and Pianta Village. I feel that the situation is getting worse with time, and I believe that the Piantas and the Noki need help.''

''Okay, but first, let's go back to Delfino Plaza, the Toads need to know what happened to Peach. Plus, all this work made me hungry like wolves.''

''Fair observation. And it's almost lunchtime, so stop by for a bite to eat.''

Feeling better after talking to FLUDD, Mario refastened it to his back and went back to Delfino Plaza.

(''Sorrow (FE: Sacred Stones)- Fire Emblem Heroes OST'')

---

(''Delfino Plaza- Super Mario Sunshine OST'')

In Delfinia, Mario was shocked when he found a raccoon selling Shine Sprites, but he had to pay 10 Blue Coins per Shine Sprites He had found 240 Blue Coins during his cleaning, and he was furious after paying.

''And then people blame me!'' he blurted out

''What do you mean?'' asked the raccoon, who didn't seem very interested.

''These Shine Sprites should be at the Shine Gate! Without them, the sun won't shine here! And you sell them here for profits? Aren't you ashamed?!'' yelled Mario. ''I got arrested for vandalism and for causing all the Shine Sprites to flee, and you have a fifth of the total! You should be arrested in my place!''

''No need to be aggressive.'' said the raccoon.

''Sorry I'm so touchy when I have so much trouble to think about!'' shouted Mario.

''OK, OK, I get it! Don't kill me!'' the raccoon cried panicking.

After this situation, Mario went to the main square of the town, Delfino Square(2), and stopped at the stands to buy some fruit, which he ate for lunch. Since he recovered many Shine Sprites, the shadow zone had greatly reduced, and only covered a few areas of the town. The durian was hard and full of thorns, and it was fortunate that he had gloves on as usual. It also had an intense and mysterious taste, but also a very strong smell, giving contrasting reactions: either it was particularly sweet or those who perceived the smell reacted with deep disgust.(3) The two policemen caught him taking a break, and began to lecture him for not doing his job.

''What? Can't even take a lunch break here anymore?'' asked Mario, while eating a large slice of watermelon with an irritated pout.

''Oh, nothing wrong with eating something. If it weren't for the fact that you're not doing your JOB!'' one of the cops blurted out.

''Oh, yeah? Well, you are not doing anything!'' replied Mario. ''Stop bothering me and let me eat!''

The other policeman pointed the tazer at him. ''I wouldn't do that if I were you.'' he said.

''Seriously? I would begin to have doubts about this man being guilty.'' a woman commented.

(''Delfino Plaza- Super Mario Sunshine OST-s'')

Meanwhile, Toadsworth was beside himself with worry over Princess Peach's disappearance. ''Where has she gone? Where did that scoundrel take her?'' he asked, in a panic attack.

The other Toads were no longer quiet. ''Oh, I don't like that!'' Blue Toad exclaimed.

''Hey, guys.'' said Mario.

''Master Mario! Did you find the princess?'' Toadsworth asked.

Mario nodded, but then sighed. ''Bad news, guys. Peach was taken away into the volcano, and I can't get in there.'' he said, and the Toads reacted with shock. ''But that's not the main problem.''

''Did you manage to spot Shadow Mario?'' asked Yellow Toad

''Yes. I also discovered the identity of our imposter. Guys, the one who framed me is Bowser Jr.'' Mario replied.

(''Environmental Shock- Metroid Fusion OST'')

Within moments, all the Toads lost their minds. They were horrified and shocked.

''WHAT?!'' shouted Master Toad, overwhelmed.

''Bowser has a son?!' the Purple Toad exclaimed.

''But how did this happen? How did he frame you?'' the Green Toad asked.

"His father told him a lot of lies. He told him that Peach was his mama and that I had kidnapped her. He somehow got hold of Professor E. Gadd's magic brush, and used a bib to take on my physical form and pollute the island. All these strange enemies, all the slime and paint scattered everywhere is certainly his work. Even the Yoshis who helped me look like they are made of paint, since they can't swim and disappear in contact with water.'' explained Mario.

''Bowser is annoying enough on his own, let alone with his son!'' complained Toad.

''I know. But I cannot enter Corona Mountain because its access is forbidden. I have to keep cleaning up until I find a solution.'' said Mario.

(''Environmental Shock- Metroid Fusion OST-s'')

(''Deep Sea of Mare- Super Mario Sunshine OST'')

After his lunch break, Mario focused on cleaning up Noki Bay and Pianta Village. The Nokis, a race of quiet and shy nature, believed in his innocence, since they knew that it was Shadow Mario who had created problems, and immediately sent him a message of help as soon as they saw him: Shadow Mario had polluted all the water and had blocked the waterfall with a giant cap, clogging it. Of course, Mario agreed to help them. While cleaning Isle Delfino, he found two components for FLUDD with new built-in functions: the Rocket Nozzle and the Turbo Nozzle. The former allowed him to take a great leap up with a spray of water under him, while the second allowed him to propel himself forward by spraying water behind him, allowing him to swim and run faster and dash on water, but at the cost of quickly emptying the tank and greater difficulty in changing direction on land. Thanks to these upgrades, he had found other Shine Sprites, including one he had recovered after cleaning the effigy of the Shine Gate.

Uncorking the waterfall had not solved the pollution problem in Noki Bay, but the Gooper Blooper returned and Mario had to fight it for the third time on the mountain. The Gooper Blooper had attacked a large number of Nokis at the top of the mountain, but Mario managed to defeat it for good, saving the lives of the Nokis it had attacked. Despite this, even though the waterfall had returned to normal, the water was still polluted.

''How are we going to clean up the water now?'' asked FLUDD.

A young Noki took Mario to his grandfather, and the problem arose: Eely-Mouth, the giant eel who lived in the cave inside the waterfall, had terribly decayed teeth, and had since lost all control of himself, causing water pollution by spitting poisoned spores. After putting on a helmet he had received from Elder Noki, Mario dived into the waterfall.

In the water cave beneath the waterfall, Eely-Mouth attacked Mario. The damage to his teeth was evident, as they were all blackened, and three out of eight were rotten. Eely-Mouth opened his huge mouth and created a whirlpool that almost sucked him in, and gave off an unbearable breath.

''Those teeth are practically falling out.'' commented the SPLAC 3000.

(''Deep Sea of Mare- Super Mario Sunshine OST'')

(''Mini Boss- Yoshi's Island OST'')

While trying to clean up his teeth and avoid the poisonous spores, Mario noticed what looked like purple tears in the eel's eyes. ''He's suffering, FLUDD! Bowser Jr. has done something to his teeth!'' exclaimed Mario.

Getting closer was not easy, as the eel tried to suck the human to eat him and was constantly squirming. When he finished cleaning the first tooth, he heard a strange sound, as if Eely-Mouth was trying to communicate.

''I don't understand what it means, but maybe it means something.'' said FLUDD.

Once the second tooth was cleaned, Eely-Mouth made the same sound again, and released more toxic tears. ''Poor thing! That goop is hurting his teeth!'' said Mario, moved to pity. He listened once more as he continued to clean his teeth. ''I get it! He's trying to say, ''Help! Help!'' He has a terrible gingivitis, and he won't get better until we've cleaned up all his teeth!''

FLUDD was surprised. ''How did you figure it out?'' he asked.

''It's my instinct. And Luigi would do the same. You know, Luigi hates animal cruelty, and he especially can't stand when they're hunted and stuffed for sport. When he rescued me from King Boo in that haunted palace, he came across a room full of hunting trophies, and there were stuffed, skinned, and taxidermied animals everywhere, a discovery that almost made him faint with horror. If he saw such a thing, he would file a complaint.'' replied Mario.

The human continued to act as a dentist, trying calm Eely-Mouth as he could. ''I know it hurts, but I need you to stay calm. Everything will be alright, Eely-Mouth. I'll help you, trust me.'' he told him.

As his teeth were cleaned, the eel did not squirm as much and slowly began to calm down. FLUDD noticed and pointed out to Mario what appeared to be a golden tooth.

(''Mini Boss- Yoshi's Island OST-s'')

Suddenly, Eely-Mouth spat out the object, which turned out to be a Shine Sprite!

''A Shine Sprite... Thank you!'' said Mario, amazed, while taking the Shine Sprite. Eely-Mouth ejected clean water and let out a sound full of happiness, as if to say thank you, and amazed him even more by shooting a jet of water under him, causing him to return to the surface and outside the waterfall. Now that Eely-Mouth had his teeth clean again, the water returned to normal, and Mario was hailed as a hero by the Nokis, who dived into the water en masse.

---

(''Plant Village- Super Mario Sunshine OST'')

Noki Bay was now safe and clean, but only one area to clean up completely was missing, Pianta Village. As soon as he arrived, he discovered a new type of goop with a lava-like consistency, to the point that he caught fire if he touched it. He also had to get busy, since there were several problems to solve, and the Pianta mayor, a man highly respected by his community because he always intervened personally when something bad happened, immediately trusted him to solve them. To start, three young Chain Chomps, known as Chain Chomplets, had turned red and lost control, spreading patches of burning goop around, and the owner told Mario that they had caught a fever, asking him to cool them down before they could cause problems.

The water released by FLUDD could calm the Chain Chomplets, but only temporarily, and every now and then, they tried to bite Mario. On the advice of his friend, he took them to a swimming pool, which made them feel better, and received another Shine Sprite. He didn't not have time to act before Mario Ombra suddenly appeared and stole FLUDD from him. ''Hey!'' Shadow Mario stuck his tongue out, jumped very high, raised his magic brush and disappeared, much to his anger. ''Grrrrrr! He's so annoying! I want him thrown into a cell!'' he screamed.

Losing FLUDD wasn't much of a problem, thanks to Mario's great jumping skills, but it was annoying, and he couldn't do anything to remove all that slime. Other than that, FLUDD's water wasn't enough to get rid of the burning goop. The Piantas were panicking, as the mayor had stayed behind to evacuate them and get them all safe, but now he was trapped. Since the village was practically invaded by this lava-like substance, Mario had to find an alternative way to go on, avoiding falling into it. He eventually managed to rejoin FLUDD and found the mayor all dirty with burning, and when he cleaned him up, he was thanked with another Shine Sprite. While the mayor worked diligently to expel all the hot slime, Mario received another request for help: a particularly agitated Pianta wanted to stop at the spa to calm down, but her Chain Chomps refused to bathe and had become aggressive. To solve the problem, he had to drag the Chain Chomp by the chain until he reached the baths.

(''Plant Village- Super Mario Sunshine OST-s'')

(''Oh No!- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky OST'')

Another problem solved, another Shine Sprite obtained, but it seemed that there was not a moment of calm in Pianta Village. Some Piantas began to cry out in fear, and in a short time they cried out for help. ''Here we go again...'' Mario grunted, a little irritated.

The mayor was panicking. The village was practically invaded by those who had polluted the whole island, and the person responsible was striking over and over again. ''Oh, no, no, no! I can't walk away for a moment without disaster happening! And now what do I do?!'' he whined.

''What's going on?'' asked Mario, trying not to be rude.

''Mario! Oh, thank goodness you're here! Someone has spread the hot goop around again, and now my citizens are in danger!'' said the mayor, agitated.

''You don't think it was me, do you, Mr. Mayor?'' asked Mario, recalling how he had been accused of all of Shadow Mario's misdeeds as soon as he arrived on the island.

''Of course not! I saw the person in charge just now, but he's too fast and I couldn't catch him.'' replied the mayor.

''It's all Shadow Mario's fault. He has caused a lot of trouble on Isle Delfino, and he's incredibly annoying! He framed me when I came here yesterday!'' said Mario, clenching his fists in frustration.

The mayor looked at him with sympathy. ''You've been through a lot, I see. Sorry if I seem naggy, but I urgently need your help. Would you help me again? Please?'' he asked, almost begging him.

''Of course. I don't need a reason to help anyone.'' Mario replied.

These words brought a smile back to the mayor's face. ''Thank you! After risking my life to save everyone, I don't think I'll be able to get rid of this slime. I'm counting on you!'' he said.

''Come on, FLUDD! Let's get busy!'' declared Mario, activating the Turbo Nozzle. Without wasting a moment of time, he ran to help the townspeople, and saw that there were patches of slime everywhere. Several Piantas were stuck on these spots and could not get out because their feet were trapped. At least a dozen of them were trapped and screaming for help, but in less than ten minutes, he managed to find all the citizens and save them, and they rejoined the main square of the village.

(''Oh No!- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky OST-s'')

''You saved us! Thank you!'' shouted a Palmense.

''It was child's play.'' said Mario.

''After everything you've been through, it means a lot to us that you're bending over backwards for us after everything you've been through.'' the mayor said.

(''Doopliss Battle- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door OST'')

A distorted laugh ruined the moment, and more goop was scattered around the village. Shadow Mario was back.

''Oh, you gotta be kidding me! Enough with this impostor already!'' snapped Mario, putting his hands in his hair in exasperation, despite having his hat on his head.

''There he is! It's him!'' shouted the mayor, pointing to Shadow Mario. ''He's the one who sullied the whole island!''

In a short time, all the Piantas began to scream at Shadow Mario, who responded by sticking his tongue at him and making other mocking gestures that outraged them.

''Stay back. I'll take care of it.'' said Mario, and the clash between the real Mario and the impostor began.

The two Marios proved to be equal in terms of combat ability, as Shadow Mario had his own body, but he couldn't copy all his powers perfectly. On the other hand, he was pragmatic and played dirty with his brush, and at one point he shot dark goop in his face, preventing him from seeing, then punched him in the groin. It was painful, and not even the built-in belt that held FLUDD attached to his back could minimize the pain. All the Piantas cringed when they saw that

''Ow! This is gonna hurt!'' A Pianta commented, and a woman tried to cover her son's eyes, fearing that he had seen the blow.

Unable to see, Mario began to struggle, as he couldn't locate Shadow Mario.

''Mario, wipe your eyes! Spray the water above you!'' said FLUDD.

Following this advice, Mario shot the water upwards so that it rained down on him. The water wiped his eyes, causing him to regain his sight, and he began cleaning all the goop around the area before creating a puddle of water to trip Shadow Mario before physically attacking him. He grabbed him by the leg as he was about to kick him, threw him up and slammed him to the ground with a punch. As he fought, he noticed a strange substance in his body, as if it were liquid. OK, not completely liquid, but it looked slimy to the touch.

''You're going in a cell, this is your place, impostor!'' Mario shouted, throwing the impostor to the ground with a suplex and shooting a jet of water at high pressure in his face, which caused him to throw a big tantrum. Eventually, he snatched the brush from Shadow Mario's hands and hit him with his own weapon, then, when he jumped on him, he shot a jet of water at high pressure upwards, blasting him off. ''And don't come back ever again!''

(''Doopliss Battle- Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door OST-s'')

(''The Village (Restored)- Rayman Raving Rabbids GBA OST'')

The crowd cheered, and Mario was hailed as a hero. Now that Pianta Village was safe too and Shadow Mario had been driven out, the Piantas were able to celebrate.

''You did it! You're incredible!'' A pianta Cheered

The heroic plumber was happy with how he had now become popular on Isle Delfino not so much because of his popularity itself, but because by now the inhabitants of the island didn't consider him the culprit of all the pollution and the Shine Sprites scattering. ''Now this is more like it!'' he thought.

The several Piantas immediately rushed to hug Mario Mario, to pat him on the shoulder and to ruffle his hair, and the mayor shook his hand tightly. ''Thank you so much, Mario! We can never thank you enough for everything you've done for us!'' he said.

''This is nonsense compared to what I usually do.'' replied Mario modestly.

''You will always be welcome here at Pianta Village. Here, take this Shine Sprite. That meanie dropped it, and it'll be safer with you.'' said the mayor.

''Thank you, Mr. Mayor!'' said Mario happily.

''We're almost there, Mario. We have 119 Shine Sprites now. Just more and the island will return to normal.'' said FLUDD.

''Good! I was starting to get enough of having to do all the dirty work on this island.'' commented Mario.

(''The Village (Restored)- Rayman Raving Rabbids GBA OST-s'')

Suddenly, a loud rumble echoed around the island, and the Piantas panicked.

''What's going on?!'' a Pianta cried out in panic.

''Oh, dear! I think Corona Mountain has erupted!'' exclaimed the mayor.

''I believe Delfino Plaza is in grave danger.'' said FLUDD.

''Sorry, I have to go now! Duty calls me!'' said Mario, leaving the village.

---

Mario had just left the village, and was at Bianco Hills when Toad ran towards him, in a panic.

''Mario! Mario! Come, hurry!'' cried Toad.

''Toad, what's going on?'' asked Mario.

''There is no time to explain! Follow me!'' replied Toad.

(''Shadow Mario- Super Mario Sunshine OST'')

Following Toad, Mario noticed why he was panicking. A huge wave of water had invaded Delfino Plaza, and the Piantas were fleeing to the rooftops. ''Oh, mammia mia! The town is flooding!'' he exclaimed. He was swept away by the water bomb, but recovered immediately later and began to look around for a way to drain all the water.

''It didn't rain here at all, so it's not because of the rain!'' said a Pianta, who was standing next to the Toads.

''Is there a sewage system here?'' asked Mario.

''Yes, but I don't know if it will be enough.'' the Pianta replied.

The plumber dived underwater and saw several manholes. He tried to lift one, but it was difficult underwater. In the end, he managed to raise it, noticing that the water level still did not go down with a single manhole, but perhaps opening them all could drain it all, and returned to the Pianta before and to the Toads. ''I got an idea! Tell all Piantas to raise the manholes in the town! Quickly!''

The Piantas split up to look for more manholes, helping Mario to open them up. The Toads also helped them, but Toadsworth abstained because it would be too much for his back. When they raised some manholes, the water level began to drop.

''It works!'' said Yellow Toad.

''Where did all this water come from?'' asked Mario.

''A mass of water has been released from Corona Mountain. We don't know how, but the vandal who littered the whole island flooded the city.'' Blue Toad replied.

Within minutes, the water mass was drained.

(''Shadow Mario- Super Mario Sunshine OST-s'')

''Are you all okay?'' asked Mario.

"Yes, we are fine, but some of our buildings have been damaged by water. Thank you for intervening in time before things got worse.'' said a Pianta.

''But who flooded everything?'' asked the Purple Toad.

''Ask the guy who has that thing on his back.'' said a voice. They were the policemen from before.

''Still on that?'' complained Toad.

Mario was caught off-guard. ''Hey! Don't sneak up on me like like that!'' he exclaimed.

''But where were you? Didn't you see that mass of water that flooded the city a little while ago?" asked Toad.

''Oh, of course we were. And that guy has to do with all that. First the vandalism, now flooding? You really have some nerve!'' said one of the Pianta policemen to Mario.

(''Comic Walk- SpongeBob SquarePants OST'')

''JUST STOP IT ALREADY! WOULD YOU SHUT UP?!'' Mario shouted.

''And speaking of you, you're sleeping on the job, you slacker!'' the other policeman blurted out.

''I'm a slacker? I'M A SLACKER?! The only slackers I see are YOU!''

The Pianta policemen opened their mouths and raised a finger as if to tell him to shut up, but Mario kept screaming, attracting the attention of all the citizens.

''No! No way I'm gonna shut up! Is this how you treat your guests? I thought you were better than that as a cop! If I have to do all the dirty work and you have to harass me, then you should do this yourself! Think about catching the real culprit instead of bothering a tourist who came here to take a VACATION!''

No one said anything. Even the policemen were shocked by how enraged Mario was, and the other Piantas watched in confusion, talking about what to do.

''I've been jumping through hoops all day to clean up this island, and you two don't care! While I'm doing all the dirty work, you probably stand somewhere on the beach and guzzling a drink as far as I know, and all you do is accuse me of everything that's going on while the person in charge is in the area! Open your eyes! You are nothing more than colorblind guys who cannot even distinguish red from blue, and you are blinder than a Monty Mole! Not to mention how you arrested me without having evidence other than the testimonies that took place before I even arrived on the island and the wanted posters that were completely black, how I was thrown into prison without a fair trial and how the judge rejected an objection for no reason during a trial, and the woman who objected is a PRINCESS! I would rather serve my sentence without trial than submit to a show trial by people who are so stupid that they cannot even distinguish opaque objects from translucent ones and who do not have the good sense to jump into the water when they are dirty! Just leave me alone and do your JOB! And guess what, you third-rate cops? Are you familiar with the paintbrush that was used by the one who framed me?! Use it to clean your butt!''

The Piantas gasped, and began to talk to each other more lively.

''I don't care that I can't leave until I've cleaned up this mess! I just wanted to take a vacation, and you welcomed me like a criminal and ruined everything! That's it! I'm leaving! When this mess with that filthy goop is over, I'm leaving this island, and I don't want to go back here ever again!''

(''Comic Walk- SpongeBob SquarePants OST-s'')

With these words, Mario untied SPLAC and threw it the policemen's, then he threw himself into the fountain, threw his hat on the ground in front of him, pulled his hair out and grunted, mumbling insults under his breath.

(''Myst- Kevin Macleod OST'')

The Piantas were shocked by what they had heard, and did nothing but talk to each other. Little did they knew that the girl who was with Mario was Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom. But the thing that left everyone so shocked was his statements, the way he blamed them for ruining his vacation, his harsh criticism of the cops and how he yelled that he won't come back once he's cleaned up the whole island.

''Does he... Does he dislike us?'' a Pianta asked, hurt by Mario's words.

''Well, we can't blame him for thinking like that, not after accusing him of a crime he didn't commit.'' a female Pianta replied.

''Do you really believe that?'' the policemen asked, not convinced.

"We saw a figure similar to him more than once in town today. After everything that has happened today, the accusations against him trouble me. Mario is right. You really should have opened your eyes and done your job instead of leaving them all to a guy who just arrived, and I doubt you even kept an eye on him like you said you would.'' a young Pianta complained.

No one dared to talk to Mario for fear that he would explode with anger again. Even the policemen remained silent, looking more shocked than anything else.

Eventually, after five minutes of silence, a Pianta approached. ''Mario...?'' he murmured.

''WHAT IS IT?!'' blurted Mario.

''We don't blame you. Without the Keeper Suns, we cannot live in them normally, and the guy that left all this graffiti lying around is still at large. But this is no excuse. We should have paid more attention to our surroundings.''the Pianta sadly.

''And it's our fault too. We were irresponsible in the workplace.'' said a policeman.

''You just say it to make me let my guard down and arrest me again! I don't believe you!'' said Mario, crossing his arms.

''No. We mean it. Maybe we deserved it. What happen has undermined our credibility as police officers, and by now many have questioned us. We're sorry that we caused you all this trouble.'' said the other policeman.

''But what you said about the island... Were you serious?'' a woman asked, a little upset by what had happened.

Mario sighed and came out of the fountain. ''To tell you the truth, I feel guilty. I'm sorry I made a scene in front of the whole town The truth is that... Everything that's going on is giving me a nervous breakdown. I just wanted to take a vacation, but I don't even have time to get off the plane that a mess happens.'' he said.

''What about the Shine Sprites? And the island?'' another Pianta asked

''I've already found almost all the Keeper Suns, and only one is missing. As for the island, I've cleaned up most of the slime, but I can't clean the black one, and some areas of water are too polluted.'' replied Mario.

''And the princess? His skin is delicate, and I wouldn't want him to get sunburn, since he's in the volcano.'' said Master Toad, worried.

''But it's dangerous to get in there!'' said the second policeman.

''This is nothing compared to the dangers I face at home in the Mushroom Kingdom.'' Mario replied.

''If you say so. You can enter the volcano, but be careful. Good luck.'' the first cop said.

''Come on, FLUDD! Let's go!'' said Mario, re-attaching FLUDD. Now he had the trust of the whole population, and with this confidence, he entered the Corona Mountain

(''Myst- Kevin Macleod OST'')

Meanwhile, Luigi had arrived at Sunshine Airport.(4) Now that he was on Isle Delfino, he could look for Mario, and the Piantas welcomed him with surprise, seeing how he resembled him. They were even more surprised when he explained that he was his brother, but he found out discovered that he was not in town at the time because he had to do something important.

This left him a little worried. Mario seemed to be on probation at the moment, but the fact that he had been framed was still a matter that made him nervous. ''What's going on here, Mario? Are you okay?'' murmured Luigi.

---

(''The Lava Tower- Rayman 2 OST'')

Full of molten lava and traps, the Corona Volcano was a hostile place. ''It's no wonder that access here is prohibited. Be careful not to fall into the lava.'' said FLUDD.

''I've gone through a lot of environments like this, you know. Bowser's Castle is always in volcanic and lava-filled areas. I know what I'm doing.'' said Mario. As he focused on exploring the volcano, he wondered if Bowser really had a role in all of this.

(''The Lava Tower- Rayman 2 OST-s'')

Meanwhile, at the top of the Corona Mountain, there was a narrow platform with a tank composed of a green jelly-like substance. Bowser Jr. was immersed in this substance bathing, and his father, Bowser, was also there. 'Hey, Mama Peach! Aren't you coming with us?'' he asked, pointing to the duck in the tub.

Peach didn't really like the way Bowser Jr. referred to her. Using her name like that wasn't really respectful. ''No, thanks. I don't think it's good for my skin.'' she replied, trying to be polite.

''Oh, come on, why not?'' asked Bowser.

''For starters, this slimy thing might be good for you and your child, but I don't think I can get into it without getting burned. Plus, bathing with you makes my stomach turn, and if I have to take off my dress to get into it, forget it.'' replied Peach.

Bowser was not convinced. ''Come on! What makes you think I wanted you to undress?''

''Because you would only care about me for my body.''

''At least we'll spend some time as a family!'' Bowser Jr. commented.

''Jr., seriously. Your father and I don't look alike at all. And anyway, I don't like how you framed Mario like that.'' said Peach.

''He's a bad guy and he kidnaps you!'' Bowser Jr. snapped

''That's how I would describe that liar of your father. Do I have to be honest? Mario is a saint compared to him.''

''What would be so special about Mario compared to me?!' shouted Bowser, irritated by the comparison.

''Very simple, Bowser. Mario is good and sweet, while you are just a nuisance obsessed with me and you also encourage your son's bad behavior.'' replied Peach.

Bowser hated the comparison, considering he was talking about Mario, and grabbed her abruptly by the arm before putting her in the duck. ''Watch your mouth, missy!'' he snapped. ''You will bathe with me, and that is a must!''

(''Tension- Super Mario Galaxy OST'')

''Hands off of here!'' shouted a voice. Mario had arrived, and Peach lit up to see him.

''Ah! You're stubborn, I see!'' commented Bowser Junior.

''Bowser?! What are you doing here?!'' yelled Mario, at once shocked and furious that Bowser had to deal with everything that had happened.

''Mario?! What are YOU doing here?!'' replied Bowser.

''I should have known you were behind this, Bowser! I can't even take a break without you having to bother us!'' said Mario, then addressed Bowser Jr. in a tone filled with contempt. ''And you, Bowser, Jr... I can't believe a child could stoop down this low! You will pay for vandalizing Isle Delfino and pinning the blame on me!''

''Wha?! I'm proud to be like Papa!'' said Bowser Jr. with an irritated face. ''OK, you won't be in jail as I planned, but my plan succeeded!''

'''Everyone knows the truth by now, so your plan has failed. They all saw you getting into trouble and kidnapping Peach. Soon, all the Shine Sprites will return to their place, and Delfina Island will return to normal. You have soiled all Isle Delfino. You have scattered and stolen the Shine Sprite. You framed me for your crimes. You endangered the Piantas and flooded Delfino Plaza for no reason other than to make mischief, and all for what? For an unhealthy attachment to a girl your father is obsessed with? Have you got no shame? You'll pay for all the trouble you've caused me, Peach, and everyone who lives on the island! I will defeat you and your father and you will be thrown into a cell!'' declared Mario.

''Jr.! Take him out!'' Bowser ordered, and his son took a weapon that fired Blue Bullet Bills. The battle began.

(''Tension- Super Mario Galaxy OST-s'')

(''Enter Bowser Jr.! - Super Mario Galaxy OST'')

Mario had no trouble dodging Bowser's firey breath, but Bullet Bills were more complicated. They were not difficult to avoid per se, but they locked on him and chased him. Every now and then, Bowser Jr. would transform into Shadow Mario and try to taunt him. Shooting water at them stunned them and destroyed the Bullet Bills, but he couldn't find a way to defeat them.

''FLUDD, what do we do?'' asked Mario.

''There are five symbols at the corners. If you activate the Rocket Nozzle, you may be able to jump high enough to destroy them and cause the platform to collapse.'' FLUDD replied.

The plumber followed this advice and destroyed one of the symbols, which caused the platform to shake, and the green liquid began to overflow.

''Mario! Watch out for that green substance! I don't know what it could do to you!'' Peach cried out.

Since Bowser was in the tub, he couldn't physically attack, so he could only breathe fire, which was predictable, and Mario dodged him every time. Devious and cunning, Bowser Jr. frequently transformed, and when transformed, he used low blows. He punched and kicked him in the groin and pulled his overalls straps to trip him or immobilize him to punch him in the face more easily.

Peach didn't want to watch this scene and hesitated with every shot, while Bowser seemed to be having a good time.

The heroic plumber ignored the pain and continued to fight, destroying another weak point. Bowser Jr. returned to normal and fired Bullet Bills at Mario, who deflected them with a kick, hijacking them so that they hit both him and his father before destroying the third weak point.

''Two—two more weak points, Mario.'' said the SPLAC 3000.

Mario noticed that FLUDD's voice seemed a bit distorted, as it had repeated a word as if it were stuttering. ''FLUDD, are you feeling OK?'' he asked, worried.

''Don't wo-worry about me, Mario. Finish this fight.''

Bowser Jr. lunged at Mario, but this was a serious mistake. Mario grabbed him by the tail, leaving him hanging upside down. ''You made a big mistake, you little pest! Now it's time for you to be punished for polluting the island and framing me!'' he declared, spinning. Bowser's young son tried to squirm and kick, but before long he became dizzy, and could not free himself because of his strong grip. ''Let's end this!''

Immediately after, Bowser Jr. was thrown high and disappeared, defeated.

(''Enter Bowser Jr.! - Super Mario Galaxy OST-s'')

(''Bowser Battle- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time OST'')

''JR.!'' shouted Bowser, horrified. He was worried about his son, at least that, but now he was furious. ''What did you do to him?!'' he growled.

''Oh, he'll be unscathed by this. If nothing else, at least you worry about your son.'' Mario replied, not worrying much about it.

''But he's a kid!'' shouted Bowser.

''OK, he's a kid, but nothing changes! After all the trouble that bratty son of yours caused for no reason other than to be mean, he deserves it! I'm going to throw you both in jail!'' Mario replied, approaching the edge and staring him straight in the eye.

Enraged, Bowser grabbed Mario. He grabbed him by the neck with one, while applying pressure to his chest with the other ''I should cut off your head for this! Now you're going to die!'' he roared.

Mario began to choke. He was losing his breath, and with Bowser pulling his body, he had the impression that he would take his head off shortly thereafter.

''No, Bowser! Stop!'' cried Peach.

Bowser didn't listen to her, but the man in red realized that the huge Koopa hadn't blocked his arms. He activated the Turbo Nozzle, and the high pressure of the water jet forced him to let go when the water hit him in the face. He used the Rocket Nozzle again and destroyed the fourth weak point.

The platform vibrated heavily, scattering the green substance everywhere, and Peach was flung away, but Mario jumped and took her in his arms. ''Peach! Are you okay?'' he asked.

''I'm fine, Mario. Thank you for saving me.'' replied Peach, giving him a kiss on the nose, and Mario blushed.

''Y-you're a-almost there, M-Mario. Just o-one left.'' said FLUDD. Its voice started to become more distorted, and it seemed damaged.

''FLUDD! You can't take any more damage!'' exclaimed Mario.

''Don't worry about me, Mario. De-destroy the last weak point and you will w-win.'' FLUDD replied.

Mario was shaken. ''No, I can't use the Rocket Nozzle again! There must be another way!" he shouted.

''Hey, Mario? Wasn't that the object we found when we arrived?'' asked Peach.

''Yeah, it's a long story. I'll explain everything to you later. Stay there.'' replied Mario.

Peach immediately noticed how weighed down he looked. Mario avoided Bowser's attacks and hot goop, but he was hesitant to use the Rocket Nozzle because he was too worried about FLUDD, and even though it was just a machine, he considered it a friend. It took two minutes for him to make up with his mind and upon impact, the platform collapsed, causing everyone to fall.

(''Bowser Battle- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time OST-s'')

---

Thanks to his parasol, Peach fell slowly, but Mario landed his face in the sand and got stuck for a while. They had landed on a small island nearby. ''Mario? Are you okay?'' she asked, when he broke free.

''Yes, I'm fine, but FLUDD...'' As Mario spoke, he suddenly noticed that FLUDD was no longer attached to him, and his belt had also come off. He looked around for him until he saw him in front of him, and ran to the device. ''FLUDD! FLUDD, are you okay?!'' he shouted, kneeling down.

(''Sad Sun- Paper Mario OST'')

''M-Mario...'' FLUDD stammered, raising its nozzle to look at him. Its interface went static, and it was clear that it was damaged.

''What's going on, FLUDD?'' asked Mario.

''I-I should have... e-expected that... M-my e-energy is running out...''

''Don't say that! I should have defeated Bowser in another way!'' exclaimed Mario, incredulous. His breathing became heavy, and he was shaking. Peach watched everything with sadness.

''Mario... Was I... of... assist...ance?'' asked FLUDD. After these words, it fell motionless.

Mario gasped. That was not how it was supposed to happen. ''SPLAC... No...'' he murmured.

Even though Mario turned his back on her, Peach could see that he had raised his arm, wiped his eyes with his index finger, and knew that he was crying, even though he tried to hide it.(5) She had no time to think about it, however, as he saw a light that became more intense. ''Mario, look!'' se said.

Getting up slowly, he looked up. A large Shine Sprite was slowly descending towards them. ''The last Shine Sprite...'' he murmured. The Shine Sprite returned to the Shine Gate, followed by all the other 119, and the sunlight on Isle Delfino returned to normal, to the immense joy of its inhabitants, but Mario was too sad to celebrate.

A Pianta took them on his boat to back to Isle Delfino, and looking at Mario, Peach couldn't help but notice that the atmosphere seemed too gloomy for the current circumstances. ''Mario, you did it! Bowser must have hidden this Shine Sprite in the tub, and now, thanks to you, the sunlight shines on the island as it did before!'' she said.

''That's good.'' said Mario grimly. It didn't seem as if he won at all, and he didn't speak to her the entire time they were on the boat.

(''Sad Sun- Paper Mario OST-s'')

(''Undella Town (Spring, Autumn and Winter- Pokémon Black and White OST'')

Mario's sad mood worried Peach even more, because he didn't even look her in the face anymore, so she stopped at the hotel door, picked up his cell phone, and made a call. She waited for a few seconds and received an answer.

''Hello? It's-a me, Luigi.''

Peach was immediately relieved. ''Luigi! I need help! Did you come?'' she asked.

''Yes, I've come now.'' Luigi replied

''Good, because I need you to come here.'' said Peach.

''Why, what happened? Is Mario okay? Are you okay?'' asked Luigi, worried.

''We are both fine, but Mario is very sad. I don't think he wants to stay here after everything he's been through. He has found all the Guardian Suns, but is not yet found innocent by the court. Meet us at Sirena Beach, the hotel is there.''

''OK, I'll get there as fast as I can.''

The Toads, especially Toadsworth were overjoyed to see Peach, but seeing their hero so sad worried them, and they decided to ignore them. When Mario arrived at the beach with Peach, he sat on the shore, crying silently. She tried to make him feel better, but she was unsuccessful, making her think that only Luigi could make him feel better now.

(''Undella Town (Spring, Autumn and Winter- Pokémon Black and White OST-s'')

Twenty minutes later, Peach saw Luigi in the distance and called Mario. ''Look, Mario! Luigi has arrived!''

Finally, Mario turned and looked her in the face, getting back on his feet. ''Luigi? He's here?'' he asked, surprised.

''Yes! Look!'' replied Peach.

(''Family- Super Mario Galaxy OST'')

Luigi joined them, and Mario noticed that he was not wearing his usual clothes and he was carrying a green suitcase. His shoes were a lighter brown than usual, like his own, and he wore a green shirt with a Super Mushroom pattern, cream shorts and green and blue sunglasses.(6) He lifted his sunglasses, and when he realized he saw Mario, he hugged him tightly. ''Mario! Oh, I was so worried about you! I'm so glad you're okay!'' he shouted.

Caught off guard, Mario patted him on the back, then pulled away. ''Luigi? What are you doing here?'' he asked. ''I told you to stay home.''

''Mario, I saw everything on TV. I saw how you were arrested, I couldn't leave you alone like that.'' replied Luigi. He became even more worried when he noticed his brother having his back to him. ''Mario, what's wrong? Peach sent me urgent calls, so I followed you up here this morning. Weren't you supposed to take a vacation?'' he asked.

''The vacation is ruined before it even began... I want to go home...'' muttered Mario.

''Then why didn't you invite me?'' asked Luigi. ''I wanted to take a vacation too, after everything I've been through for you.''

''I would have wanted to, but there weren't enough tickets for you.'' Mario replied.

''I know, it will seem like a bad excuse, but it's true, Luigi. Our tickets were the last available when we bought them.'' added Peach.

''That's why I had to go today instead of yesterday!'' said Luigi. Noticing that Mario was still turning his back on him, he went in front of him and put his hands on his shoulders, noticing that he was shaking. ''Mario?''

''I'm sorry, Lu... I was an idiot. I've been so ingrateful to leave like this. Some way to thank you for saving me.'' muttered Mario.

Luigi gently cupped his brother's chin up so that he could look him in the face and wiped away his tears. ''Mario, it's OK. I forgive you. Considering that you were framed and arrested, maybe I would have been arrested too if I had come with you.'' he told him.

''I know... but maybe you could have helped me here... And now I lost FLUDD!'' whimpered Mario.

''FLUDD? Who or what is FLUDD?'' asked Luigi, confused.

''An invention of Professor E. Gadd.'' Mario replied through tears. ''And that's not all. The guy who framed me was Bowser's son. Bowser Jr..''

Luigi was shocked at this discovery. ''Since when Bowser had a son?!'' he exclaimed.

''We found out recently.'' replied Peach.

The younger brother looked at Mario with sympathy. ''Oh, Mario... Come here.'' he said, giving him another hug and letting him cry on his shoulder.

''I'm sorry...'' muttered Mario.

''No, it's not your fault. No one expected it.'' said Luigi.

''I just wanted to take a vacation...''

''I know, bro I know.''

''Now everyone knows the identity of the real culprit, but Mario is still considered guilty because of the court ruling.'' said Peach.

''So what do we do now?'' asked Mario.

''Don't cry, Mario. We'll help you. Leave it to me and Peach.'' Luigi assured him.

Mario hugged him harder in response. ''Thank you... I love you, Luigi.'' he murmured, giving him a brotherly kiss on the cheek.

''I love you too, Mario.'' said Luigi.

(''Family- Super Mario Galaxy OST-s'')

(''In the Hands of Fate- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky OST'')

Meanwhile, Peach heard her phone ringing, and not recognizing the number, she was hesitant to answer, but decided to answer the call. ''Hello? Yes? OK. I get it.''

''Who is it?'' asked Luigi.

''It's the judge! He said that by now everyone is questioning the fact that it was Mario who dirtied the whole island, and there will be a new trial tomorrow morning.'' replied Peach.

''Good, but there's only one problem. We have no proof to prove my innocence.'' said Mario.

''We will catch the real culprit and bring him to justice.'' said Luigi, reassuring him.

"If we can catch Bowser Jr., this will already be a big step forward in proving that you are innocent and that he is the real culprit, but without evidence, we won't be able to prove it, and we also must find a way to catch him while he is transformed.'' Peach added.

''I'm going to take something for you for a moment, Mario. I'll be back shortly. In the meantime, I w'll think of a way to catch the person who framed you.'' said Luigi.

''You're great, little bro. Thank you.'' said Mario, giving Luigi a hug before he left. Even though he felt better, he was still worried.

''Don't worry, Mario. We will find a solution in time for tomorrow's trial.'' Peach assured him.

''I hope so.'' replied Mario. Everything that had happened had been a great source of stress for him, and he wanted this to end as soon as possible.

(''In the Hands of Fate- Pokémon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky OST-s'')

---

A/N: Oh, poor Mario! He can't even go on vacation for a moment that immediately a mess happens! After all these misadventures, it is not over yet, since even if the Palmensi now believe in his innocence, he is still guilty according to the court. The trial is tomorrow morning, but he has no evidence to prove his innocence and Bowser Junior is still at large, and he will need help to prove that he is the real culprit. Luckily for Mario, Luigi has arrived on the island to help him, and he is preparing a plan alongside Peach. We'll find out how it ends in part 2. To this day I can't believe that Charles Martinet will stop voicing Mario and Luigi. The remakes of Luigi's Mansion 2, Mario vs Donkey Kong and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, which will be released next year, will use his voice as such, but to find out who are the new voice actors of Mario and Luigi, we have to wait for the release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which will be released next month, and WarioWare: Move It!, which will be released in November, will reveal who will replace him in the role of Wario. So far, they all seem convincing, especially Luigi's voice, but they will all have a very big shoes to fill. I hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you next time!

(1): It's a reference to Luigi's Mansion, released as a launch title of the Gamecube. Super Mario Sunshine came out a year later.

(2): Delfino Square is the second track of Mario Kart DS's Flower Trophy and reappears in Mario Kart Wii, where it is the third thrackof the Banana Trophy.

(3): The intense smell of durian is still a mystery today, and is not fully understood because many cannot stand it. As a result, some countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, all located in Southeast Asia, the area of origin of the fruit, have prohibited the transport of durians in public transport. Sometimes, the smell can also cause misunderstandings, such as when in 2018 there was an incident in Australia when the smell of a durian left to rot in a library in Melbourne was mistaken for a gas leak and firefighters forced 500 students to evacuate the library.

(4): Sunshine Airport appears in Mario Kart 8 and is the first circuit of the Star Cup.

(5): Yes, in this scene, Mario really does cry He is clearly seen shaking when FLUDD shuts down in front of him, and in the next shot, he is seen wiping his eyes with a finger. However, it's not shown visually that he is crying or wiping away tears because the camera is behind him.

(6): In Mario Kart Tour, the Singapore Tour on January 12, 2022 introduced a variant of Luigi with this appearance, known as Luigi (Vacation).