2005 September 17th
Inside a garage where the Kongs are preparing their gear filled with stylish go-karts, the garage itself is so large that it feels like a slightly bigger warehouse which surprises Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad.
"Welcome to the Kong Karts where we choose our karts, bikes and quads to have a race." Donkey Kong welcomes the group to a kart- filled garage. "Ever since the Kong Karts event, Funky is still the champion of the races."
"Really? So, Donkey Kong, why are you guiding us instead of the chief?" Luigi asks, knowing Donkey Kong doesn't guide his new friends.
"Well…" Donkey Kong can see what Luigi is getting, leading him to witness Cranky Kong in his parade-like kart, fitting for a king.
"Hey, Donkey! Don't just stand there and get your kart ready! We need to get to the Mushroom Kingdom ASAP!" Cranky Kong called Donkey Kong as he walked towards his kart customisation.
"Yeah, yeah. I got my kart prepared." Donkey Kong brought out his barrel filled kart with large tyres, jumping on it as he's preparing to drive.
As Mario and Luigi are standing in front of it, Mario uses the default red kart with medium tyres, making sure that his kart is fitting as well as being normal.
Luigi, on the other hand, chooses a green sports kart that reads 'Wild Wing,' and uses some slick looking tyres to make it more accurate to the sports car.
In Mario's case, Luigi wanted to look cool, but he didn't judge.
Finally, their karts are prepared with Mario's standard kart and Luigi's Wild Wing setting up and then stop next to each other.
Finally, the brothers are taking their seat on their own karts and chuckles.
"Hey guys! Check out my monster truck!" Toad calls, appearing in a different car that looks like it's a hotrod, since the engine exposed itself, with larger tyres like it actually is a blue monster truck.
Afterwards, Peach walks with a bag that has her dress inside, appearing in a different getup that is a white biker suit with a pink scarf, even with pink gloves and boots and lets her hair up with a ponytail and leaves her crown along with her dress in her bag.
Preparing her pink 'Mach Bike,' Peach sighs as she's nervous about doing all this after her selfish proposal.
"Hey, Peach. You look different." Luigi points out, causing Peach to blush and look away.
"Well… It was given by miss. Dixie. Although, It kinda fits surprisingly." Peach looks at herself and then revs her bike engine by pulling her steering pedal.
"Hey. You look great with that outfit." Mario said while complimenting Peach's beauty and her appearance.
"Mario!? Um… Thanks…" Peach is unaware that Mario is being nicer than he was ever before, even though it embarrasses the princess which leads her to cover her face. "Oh why did I pick a bike!?"
"Ehehe. At least you're with us. Don't worry, like I said before, we'll be there for you." Mario said while putting his hands on the wheel.
"Yeah! You're not the only one who's trying to protect us. Mario, Luigi and I will do the same. We mustn't let Pauline down." Toad raised his hand as Mario and Luigi did the same.
Peach knew that after days of travelling together, her bond with her friends was growing stronger than before.
"Guys…"
"Hey!" Donkey Kong arrives while calling and honking the horn. "You guys better hurry up! Your kingdom is in danger, remember!" Donkey Kong warned.
"Alright!" Mario groans louder while driving his way to the starting line along with Luigi, Peach, Toad and the Kongs.
"Everyone! We start our engines and head towards the track towards the Mushroom Kingdom! Are you all ready!?" Cranky Kong shouts.
"Yes, chief!" The Kongs, including Mario's group, replied straightforwardly.
Before the karts start, they all come to a halt as a familiar young white haired pale boy stands in front of the karts in the middle of a track.
"What the!? Who are you!?" Cranky Kong shouted.
"Eeh? That was rude, ape man." Kinosen sighs while rubbing his ear.
"Ape man!?" Cranky Kong exclaimed.
"Kinosen? What are you doing here?" Mario called with surprise.
"Wait, Kinoko Sennin? The Mushroom Hermit?" Peach calls out with surprise.
"Ahaha! You know, being a hermit, I'm not really a hermit after all!" Laughing, Kinosen is amused by Peach's words and then looks at Mario with a calm smile. "Also I'm here to visit you and Luigi. It's about the medallion you hold."
"Ugh! Can it wait! I wanna punch the mushrooms' faces! No offence, Toad." Donkey Kong quickly stands on his seat, desperate to get there.
"Nah. They kinda deserve it." Toad said.
Kinosen approaches the Kongs and then turns by approaching Mario and Luigi.
"Princess Peach, why didn't you call for my prayers, especially when it's a desperate situation?" Kinosen asks as he rarely shows a frown, only to show it in front of a princess herself.
"It's just that… I don't have anything to pray for." Peach said while lowering her head.
"I see. Luigi, you know the medallion your brother took from you?" Kinosen leans closer to Luigi.
"You mean the Sunstar?" Luigi gasped.
"Yeah. Now, take that what you will, but I'm not gonna hide it anymore." Kinosen leaps off the Wild Wing and then walks around the track.
He finally spread his arms, revealing who he really was.
"I'm one of these people you're looking for. I am Kinoko Sennin, the immortal of the Mushroom Kingdom." Kinosen fully introduces himself, giving them the impression that they're witnessing one of the oldest beings that went missing for a very long time.
To Mario and Luigi, they're witnessing one of their answers, causing Luigi to stand up.
"Wait, so you're associated with the one who gave the medallion to me!?" Luigi exclaims.
"That's right, Luigi. It was after you and Mario were born and separated. A friend of mine had found you lost when you're a baby and then returned you to your brother and your parents, which is why the medallion is given to you. Luigi, you were actually involved with us 23 years ago." Kinosen revealed Luigi's past, giving Mario the impression that this kid is no kid at all.
"H- How did you…" Cranky Kong gasped.
"No way… Donkey, is that true!?" Diddy Kong asked while shocked.
"Hey, don't look at me, Diddy! I didn't know either!" Donkey Kong is telling the truth.
"I was right…" Peach knew the truth behind Luigi, especially after she first met the Mario bros, or revisited after a decade.
The Kongs are clamouring as Kinosen raises his arm, only for the crowd to be quiet.
"Although, I'm impressed that an outsider like you was brought up by a friend of mine. Unexpected, but impressive." Kinosen is glad to see what the past was like for Luigi, causing Mario to block Luigi. "Mario and Luigi, the twins of Mario, the man his sons hated, I challenge you two to overcome your pasts. Same goes for you, Princess Peach Toadstool."
Kinosen called out Peach, causing Peach herself to shiver out of shock.
"I still won't forget how you rejected your prayers to me for a long time. I also challenge you to face your past." Kinosen can see Peach is never going to get over her hardships of being a princess unless she stands up for herself, face her darkness and pray for those in need.
Peach lowers her head without saying a single word out of her mouth.
"Also you, Cranky Kong. You must get over your hatred towards your old enemy. And you, Toad." Kinosen points at Toad, leading Toad to gasp.
"Me!? Ahaha! I- I don't know what you're talking about!" Toad laughs it off before being caught by Kinosen.
"Oh? You've been hiding it this whole time?" Kinosen stops himself, realising Toad is avoiding his past this whole time.
"No no! I don't have a past to tell! I'm just a motivator!" Toad lied.
"Oh?" Kinosen then approaches Toad and whispers to him closer. "Don't forget who you are, because someday you'll end up cracking like an egg."
This causes Toad to grunt and lower his head, knowing there's no running from his fears.
Finally, he walks backwards and bows with one hand on his cane and his other goes in front of his chest.
"Thank all of you for your time and thank you for accepting my challenge. Don't forget, princess, face your troubles and give the kingdom their repercussions." Kinosen smirks and then disappears into thin air. "Bye-bye!"
The Kongs are silent about a real immortal being that looks human and how he reveals the dark truth and challenges those in need of moving on, including their chief.
"Dad…" Donkey Kong grunts.
"Toad…" Peach gasped, realising that Toad is actually hiding something from his friends and family.
Mario's always prepared to face his past, knowing that he'll fail to overcome it.
Cranky Kong honks the horn loudly.
"I get that you're all worried! But we need to get to the Mushroom Kingdom right now! We're the Kongs, and the Kongs must stick together and be the strongest species of them all! So quit y'all moping and start driving already!" Cranky Kong ordered, shouting as he woke the Kongs and Mario's group up, starting their engines.
Then, the race begins as the group are zooming past the repair crew, who're fixing the huts, then drift out of the village and lining up through the bridge and finally, boosting away from the Kong Village.
Mushroom Kingdom
Speeding through the fields, Mario is in the lead while driving straight through the road as well as Luigi, Peach and Toad, leading the four to laugh together.
"We're almost there!" Peach calls as the Kongs are excited to see their neighbouring capitals.
"You hear that, Kongs!? We're almost at the end!" Cranky Kong called with excitement, leading the Kongs to cheer.
Finally, they're here…
Toad Town
"Woah." Mario is surprised, knowing this is the place he could've been in if it weren't for Bowser.
"That's where they live?" Luigi asks.
"Yeah! Ooh! There's my house over there!" Toad points at the building of where he lived.
The town is a bit normal as the houses are mushrooms like the toads' heads, giving the impression that the town name for these toadstools are literal.
Finally, they're heading straight towards the castle by parking their vehicles all over the castle gates.
"What the!?" A yellow toad guard exclaimed.
"What are those!?" A blue toad guard asks with surprise.
"Are those monkeys!?" A yellow toad guard shrieks.
"Wait a minute… Who are they?" A blue toad guard points at two moustache men dashing along with Peach, Toad and the Kongs.
"Excuse me!" Mario jumps over as he enters the castle without any hesitation.
"Sorry!" Luigi apologises while running past.
This causes both toads to scream as a horde of Kongs are rushing through on their hands and feet as fast as they could.
The last ones are Princess Peach and Chief Cranky Kong.
"Princess!? Where have you been!? Can you explain to us what's going on!?" A yellow toad shouted.
"I need to speak with the Toad Council. It's about Bowser." Peach answers, worried that something will happen if she doesn't intervene.
"And who's this ape?" The blue toad is curious about Cranky Kong.
"I am the chief of the Kong Village, Cranky Kong." Cranky Kong introduces himself while bowing.
"Now's not the time for introduction! Please, let me see the council now!" Peach pleads, leading the toads to yell and then raise their arms.
"Wait! Okay! We'll take you there." The yellow toad guard exclaimed, accepting Peach's plea.
"Just calm down and we'll do as you say." Said the blue toad.
"Thank you." Peach bows and then follows both toads along with Cranky Kong.
Both Toad's get the impression that Peach is desperate as well as trying to get the toads to listen to her, knowing that Peach has been out for 4 days without return and she's back.
But Peach has something that they'll accept.
Peach's Castle
In a large council room, there's a few seats missing as there's 7 toads sitting together while having a meeting.
The one in the middle is Toadsworth and next to him is a bespectacled blue toad that is his son, Toadshou.
The castle walls are covered in the dark as the lights only show the toads as a meeting.
"It's been four days since your princess hadn't arrive! Can you explain to me what's going on, Toadsworth!?" A toad in a suit, Mayor Fettuccine, shouted as he's banging the table while furious.
"Calm down, Fettuccine. Toadsworth, you told us that the princess will come back and now four days later, we want to know what's happening to her." A toad woman in a red suit and has a strand of blonde hair coming out of a mushroom top, Joleyne, asks while pulling up her glasses and looks at Toadsworth with suspicion.
"I'm aware that she's not home. My guess is that the koopa army had taken the princess before coming back here." Toadsworth sighed.
"If so, then we must wage a war against the koopas." Minister Toadai, a toad in a green suit, suggested calmly while stroking his black moustache.
"Wait. Can't we at least have evidence first before starting a war." Hugo asked, worried that the war would be happening.
"Hugo's right. Father, we need to think about something else rather than coming to a conclusion so quickly." Toadshou said as he turned to Toadsworth with worry.
Toadsworth takes a deep breath and then opens his eyes as he looks into the documents with worry.
Then a bang happens.
"We're back!" Calling by the door is Toad while being with Mario, Luigi and the Kongs.
"Toad!?" Both Toadsworth and Toadshou exclaimed as they witnessed Toad appearing with his new friends.
"What in the world!? Who the heck are these people with you!?" Mayor Fettuccine exclaimed out of shock after witnessing a bunch appearing out of nowhere.
"Interesting. A couple of human men and a bunch of Kongs from the Kong Village. It seems Toad here is running a petting zoo." Joleyne chuckles, amused by what Toad has brought back home.
"Toad!" Hugo is joyed to see Toad again as Toad feels the same.
"Hey, Hugo!" Toad waves with excitement.
"What the devil is going on here!?" Minister Toadai also has the same reaction as the fellow council members.
Arriving through the Kongs is Peach and Cranky Kong as Peach herself pants.
"Wait! Don't start a war!" Peach shouted while panting.
"Princess!" Toadshou gasps and then rushes while grabbing Peach's hands. "Thank goodness you're back!"
"Thank you, Toadshou. Toadsworth, I have returned."
"Y- You're back!? Then where have you been all this time!?" Toadsworth shouted.
"She, along with the boys, have been through an ordeal against the koopa army that unfortunately took one of our friends away."
"You're the chief!?" Toadsworth gasps with shock.
"The chief of the Kongs!? Here!?" Mayor Fettuccine is shocked to see Cranky Kong here in the council hall.
"How is that possible?" Joleyne grunts.
"Because you've got a lot to learn, taking orders from the princess!" Donkey Kong growled, even the Kongs are blocking Donkey Kong from going violent.
"Taking orders!? That's absurd!" Toadsworth snapped.
"Since when did we order the princess?"
"Heh. Funny story, Peach told me that she's incapable of being a princess because of you guys." Said Mario, approaching the toads with anger on his face.
"And who are you supposed to be?" Toadsworth asked.
"Mario. And this is my little bro, Luigi." Mario introduces himself and his brother, standing in front of Toadsworth.
This only meets him with a bunch of spears as well as those intruding the council meeting.
"I don't know what's going on, but you have the guts to threaten a councillor!? Guards, seize them!" Toadsworth shouted, ordering the guards to take Mario's group as prisoners.
"Now listen up, old fungus! We need your help!" Cranky Kong snaps.
"Help? Princess? What do they mean to help?" Toadsworth asks out of suspicion, knowing why Peach is with the Kongs.
Peach clenches her lips, knowing that she'll have a hard time saying something to the toads.
"It's Bowser."
The whole council room gasped, realising what Peach just said.
"He's coming and he will not stop until the Mushroom Kingdom is his. What's worse, he's about to hunt all of us down if I don't marry him." Peach explained what the situation was currently, causing the toads to gasp.
"When did he say that?" Toadshou asked.
"Yesterday." Peach answered.
As murmur goes on, Toadsworth approaches Peach, knowing what's been going on earlier.
"Considering you know Bowser, I was given a warning that an arranged marriage is in process."
"Excuse me!?" Mario and Peach halts.
"Arranged marriage!?" The Kongs exclaimed as well as Luigi and Toad.
"Woah! Not cool, old man!" Funky Kong can tell that it's not going to end well.
"What? Hold on, Toadsworth, I don't get it. Why?" Peach asked, realising that it's going against her will.
"In order to collaborate the kingdoms together, you must be in hands with a prince to create a stronger army." Toadsworth concluded, knowing he doesn't have a choice.
"Well, tell whoever sent that letter that I'm taken!" Peach snapped.
"Wait! You are!?"
The council are surprised to hear what Peach said earlier, especially when Peach is trying to get the toads to open their eyes.
"Indeed."
"Then who is it!? You gotta tell who's the man you've been waiting for!" Toadsworth rejoices.
But Toadshou is worried that it's someone Toadsworth wouldn't approve of, leading him to grunt.
Finally, Peach went behind Mario and patted his shoulders.
"Mario."
"Who!?" The council exclaims, knowing that there's no Mario on the list of the official Mushroom Kingdom files.
"That's right. We have known each other since childhood in the outside world. Mario and I made a promise to go on a date." Peach explains, causing the council to whisper that it's impossible for a princess to date an outsider.
"So that's the boy she talked to me about a long time ago. It's no surprise that she had a crush on him, don't you think so, father?" Toadshou sighs with happiness, only to have met Toadsworth visceral shock. "F- Father?"
"You… You're dating an outsider!? Princess, what is this heresy!?" Toadsworth freaks out, causing Peach to gasp.
"Hold on a moment, Toadsworth! Let Peach explain!" Before Toad explains he ends up getting smacked by a guard who was ordered to stop him from getting to the council members.
"Toad!" Peach shrieked as she pulled Toad from the floor.
"Hey now, let's not get too harsh, Mr. Toadsworth." Luigi takes a few steps backwards as well as the Kongs.
"This is unacceptable! Princess! I advise you to break up with this man at once!" Toadsworth lets out a bark, only for Peach to stare back out of anger.
"Wait a minute, sir! There's gotta be some explanation!" Mario tries to reason but is unable to.
Then he was smacked to the face by Toadsworth's cane as he's being pushed aside, even his red cap was removed from him.
"Mario!" Luigi, Donkey Kong, Peach and Cranky Kong exclaims.
It's not just Toad she tries to help, but Mario as well with Luigi's assistance.
"Why you little!" Donkey Kong growls, just for Diddy Kong, Funky Kong and Chunky Kong to grab him.
"Calm down, Donkey!" Diddy Kong called.
"Yeah!" Chunky Kong agreed.
"Let me go! It's Mario and Toad they hurt!" Donkey Kong roared.
"Toadsworth! Calm down!" Joleyne shouted while standing from the seat.
"Y- Yeah! You're going a bit too far!" Mayor Fettuccine said with worry.
"Toadsworth… Why can't you trust us?" Cranky Kong grunts.
"You think I trust a petting zoo!? Toad should be ashamed of himself!" Toadsworth growled.
"What about me!? Should I be ashamed of myself!?" Peach stomps on the floor as her tone finally starts to shake with visceral rage. "All you do is order the kingdom in MY name! Maybe being a princess is worth absolutely NOTHING!"
This caught Toadswoth off guard as he rarely made Peach angry.
"B- But, princess… It's for your own good."
"For my own good!? Toadsworth, you don't know what's good for me!" Peach refuses to accept and hear an answer from Toadsworth himself.
"Also, the proposal about you and the Mushroom Kingdom's society… It was unfortunately cancelled." Toadsworth admitted.
"What?" Peach's heart sinks down, falling to her knees after hearing what her ideal world ended up becoming.
"Huh!? How!?" Cranky Kong shouted, shocked about what Toadsworth said earlier.
"Because not only it was expensive, but too much for us to change the landscape while keeping the key to what makes the Mushroom Kingdom our home." Toadsworth explained.
"And who cancelled that offer!?" Cranky Kong wants to know who did it.
"The Flower Nation…" Toadsworth answered.
To the whole room's shock, Toadsworth isn't the only one who's been messing with Peach's emotions, meaning that Toadsworth is guilty for all the things he's done.
Afterwards, Peach yanks the crown out of her bag and raises it in front of Toadsworth.
"This crown… This crown is the reason why I can't do anything… How about you take it." Tossing the crown as the crown rolls towards Mario's cap as it leans on it, Peach is done with this mumbo-jumbo as she leaves and then glares back at Toadsworth. "I hate you…"
Finally, the Kongs remain silent, even Luigi is looking at Toadsworth with cold stares, causing all of them to be handcuffed and chained.
"Huh!?"
"What is this!?"
"Old man! Let me at 'im!" Donkey Kong roars while trying to break free.
"These large cuffs are for Bowser and his large army, but we'll have to issue it to all of you. Take them away." Toadsworth orders, but this time it's guilt.
"Wait! Mario!" Luigi yelled while being yanked.
"Understand this, Toadsworth, remember when you and your son took Princess Peach to our village many years ago, because of her fascination for outside world technology. What happened to the old Toadsworth who is understanding and accepting Princess Peach for who she was?" Cranky Kong asks before disappearing with his clan and 2 humans as well as a toad.
In the end, they're all gone, and it's just the toad council.
"Anyway, back to our me-"
"That's enough." Toadshou interrupts Toadsworth's speech, knowing what happened earlier. "Peach warned us about Bowser and you're just going to ignore it?"
"Listen, son, I…"
"Are you happy with yourself!? Do you realise how worried she was about you!? Just because she's a princess, doesn't mean you're going on a power trip on her behalf! What happened to you father!? You were never like that before!" Toadshou raised his voice, causing Toadsworth to gasp with surprise.
Toadsworth stops himself to think about the things he said and done for months, realising what he turned Peach into.
"I just… I wanted to keep the kingdom in its rightful place…" Toadsworth revealed as he admitted.
"Then it's time to let go of the past, old man. What you did contradicts your words. You told me before, she's in her twenties and an adult can make her choices. Face it, father, whose fault will it be if Bowser comes for us and takes the princess back with him?" Toadshou asks, piercing through Toadsworth's heart which leads him to lower his head.
"Your son is right. Toadsworth, think about how the princess feels. Let her orders be absolute, because I too want to see the Mushroom Kingdom's new form." Joleyne said while walking past the two and leaving the council room. "It's nice talking to you, but I must be off."
After Joleyne is Minister Toadai, Mayor Fettuccine and Hugo as the trio are leaving without a word.
Now it's just Toadsworth and Toadshou, knowing how upset the council was at Toadsworth.
"Father, remember when I took Peach to the outside world to school while disguising myself from the public." Said Toadshou.
"You were?"
"Indeed. It's because of Peach's bullying in this world is why I did that. This shows how close she was with not just the outsiders, but the Kongs as well. She doesn't want to be a princess as a ruler, but she wants to be happy." Toadshou explains.
"Is that why she wants to reshape our kingdom? Is it for the better?" Toadsworth asked.
"Of course it was. As for the orders from the Flower Nation, I suggest cease this outdated law and try to give Peach some orders. Her new law plannings were far less strict, but needed some work." Toadshou explains.
As both men are standing together, Toadshou stands by the door after picking up Mario's cap and Peach's crown as there's more things to be said.
"Father, you need to let it go. Ever since we went to the Kong Village, you, Peach and I are glad to see what the Kongs have in store for us, especially when we wanted to make Mushroom Kingdom go beyond its past while still holding the spirit. Think about the jobs, the games, the future generations while keeping most of our old traditions."
Before he leaves, Toadsworth raises his arm as he stops his son.
"Wait, son. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologise to me. Apologise to them. I'm going to see the princess." Toadshou finally leaves the room.
This leaves Toadsworth to be left alone, sitting back in his council chair after remembering what his actions have caused and never listening to Peach's warning about Bowser himself. Also knowing that Peach was with Mario because she liked him more than anything.
This is how she really felt, Toadsworth thought to himself.
All he has to do is to apologise to those that entered the kingdom, especially Peach, even needing a chat with his old friend Cranky Kong.