A/N: Hey, guys! In the previous chapter, set during the events of Super Mario Sunshine, Mario went through a lot of misadventures while going on vacation to Isle Delfino: a difficult landing, being arrested for crimes he didn't commit, finding out that he had been framed by Bowser's son, spending all day cleaning up the island, and even losing a new friend, FLUDD. These bad experiences, combined with the stress accumulated during the day, plunged him into despair. Now he is no longer considered guilty of everything that happened to the island, and there will be a new trial, but he doesn't have the evidence to prove that he's innocent. Luckily for him, Luigi has come to help him, and he and Peach are devising a plan. Let's find out together in this second part, based on the post-game of Super Mario Sunshine!
Chapter 11: Framed on vacation: Part 2
(''Coconut Mall- Mario Kart Wii OST'')
Luigi wanted nothing more than to help Mario and make him happy, and as he went through the streets of Delfino Plaza, he decided to get something from him. At that moment, a yellow Pianta with a mustache and sunglasses popped up in front of him. ''Hey, man!'' he greeted him.
Not expecting the greeting, Luigi gasped in fright. ''You scared me!'' he exclaimed.
The Pianta laughed. ''Oh, sorry! I wanted to give you something! Looking closely, you look like a sophisticated guy with the mustache you have, but I think you're missing something. You will have an extra touch of class with these sunglasses in the sunlight here on Isle Delfino, but I don't think they are enough with someone like you. I think you'll also need one of my tropical shirts, the Sunshine shirt. Try them!'' he said.
Surprised, Luigi agreed to try this new look, temporarily taking off his shirt and putting on a sky blue shirt with a Shine Sprites motif and blue sunglasses. ''Wow... I look great!'' he murmured, amazed.(1)
''I've never seen someone anyone dressed so well!'' said the Pianta.
''Thank you! Hey, I'd like another shirt like this and another pair of these sunglasses. I would like to give them to my brother Mario.'' said Luigi.
''Ah, so you and that man are brothers? Interesting. Very well, I think they will look great on your brother, so I will give them to you, just for him. If you see Mario, say hello to me from me.'' the Pianta said, impressed, giving him another shirt and another pair of identical sunglasses.
''Thank you very much! See you around!''
After putting his green shirt back on, Luigi took an envelope from his suitcase and put the sunglasses and the Sunshine Shirt for Mario inside. Entering a store, he saw clothes very similar to the ones he was wearing, with a shirt of the same mushroom motif as the one he was wearing, but it was red with a 1-UP Mushroom pattern, sunglasses of a slightly lighter blue and with red edges and cream-colored shorts, which he decided to buy for Mario. The total cost was about 100 coins, but that wasn't a problem.
''Mario will love these new clothes! I'll let them try them when we're at the hotel!'' Thought. However, there was something that tormented him, and it was the fact that both FLUDD and Bowser Jr.'s magic brush had been created by Professor E. Gadd, and when he came out, he decided he had to ask him for an explanation and phoned him.
(''Coconut Mall- Mario Kart Wii OST-s'')
(''Professor E. Gadd's Theme- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time OST'')
''Hello?''
''Professor E. Gadd? Can you hear me? It's-a me, Luigi.''
Professor E. Gadd was very surprised to hear Luigi's voice. ''Luigi, my boy! How are things going?'' he asked.
"To tell you the truth, the situation is kinda messy. I need to ask you something.'' said Luigi.
''Yes? Tell me.'' said Professor E. Gadd.
''What was that magic brush that soiled Isle Delfino? Did you create it?'' asked Luigi.
Professor Strambic took some time to respond, as he seemed shocked. ''I was afraid you'd ask me.'' he said.
''I'm not angry, Professor. I just need explanations. You see, Mario was accused of a crime he didn't commit, and Bowser Jr., Bowser's son, framed him with that paintbrush.'' Luigi explained. ''Bowser Junior says you gave it to him, but I find it hard to believe. He stole it, didn't he?" he asked.
''Criminy, it's horrible!'' exclaimed the scientist, shocked. ''Anyway, yes, you're right. I didn't give it to him. He stole it from me. That brush was a prototype, and creating these slime-like graffiti wasn't what I made it for. FLUDD can clean this substance, and I had already completed it, so I wanted to send it to Mario.'' he explained.
''Good. Good thing Mario had found FLUDD yesterday when he arrived on the island. However, he will have to go to trial tomorrow. When he was accused of soiling the island and was arrested, a show trial condemned him to clean up all the slime. Now the judge has agreed to give him a second chance with a second, fairer trial tomorrow morning, and I want to help my brother prove my innocence," the plumber said.
The ghost scholar nodded. ''I understand... thanks for letting me know, Luigi. I will leave for Isle Delfino tonight, and we will meet again tomorrow morning. Take care of Mario. Tell him I say hi!''
''Of course, Professor! See you tomorrow!''
''See you at the trial, Luigi!''
Thanks to this call, Luigi already had an incriminating clue against Bowser Jr., the fact that he had stolen the brush created by Professor E. Gadd to cause trouble. Since it was almost evening, he wasn't sure if he could catch him in the dark, but he was preparing a plan, and wondered if Peach had come up with an idea.
(''Professor E. Gadd's Theme- Mario & Luigi: Partners in Time OST'')
(''Hotel- Undertale OST'')
Meanwhile, Mario, Princess Peach, and the Toads went to book their hotel rooms, and Mario also asked the manager to book a room for his brother as well. ''Did you get an idea for the plan, Peach?'' he asked Peach when they were alone in his room and sat on the bed.
''I think so, but I think it's better to discuss it with Luigi.'' replied Peach.
''Well said.'' said Mario.
''You know, Mario, I was thinking about Bowser Jr. and how he called me Mama Peach called me. That doesn't seem so nice to me.'' said Peach.
''I know. Children don't normally address their parents like that. It's not respectful.'' Mario told her.
''Another reason I dislike Bowser. His son is annoying.'' commented Peach, bringing a hand to her forehead. ''I can't believe that his son could be so petty to ruin our holiday and cause trouble for no reason other than out of retaliation against you.''
''You don't need to worry about that. We'll find a solution, and if Bowser comes back, I'll always protect you.'' Mario assured her.
The princess hugged him. ''Thank you, Mario.''
''Mario! I'm back!'' Luigi called entering the room.
''Luigi! Did you get an idea?'' asked Peach.
''Yes, I'll tell you shortly.'' said Luigi, and handed Mario the envelope containing the summer shirts and sunglasses he had bought. ''I got some new summer clothes for you. Try these sunglasses and this shirt, I have another copy.''
Mario put the shirt on his red t-shirt, followed by the sunglasses. Looking in the mirror, he was amazed. ''Wow... How do I look?'' he asked.
''You're very elegant!'' replied Luigi.
''You look handsome dressed like that, Mario.'' said Peach.
Mario chuckled in embarrassment, and got all red in the face when Peach kissed him on the nose. ''Awwww...''
''This is the Sunshine shirt. I also bought you a dress like the one I'm wearing now, only the colors are a bit different. There is also a pair of sunglasses included.'' said Luigi.
The plumber dressed in red began to change outfit to put on the clothes his brother had bought him, including the sunglasses, while Luigi and Peach turned to give him privacy. Once again, he was stunned as he looked in the mirror. ''Hey! This is wonderful!'' he exclaimed.
''Do you like it, Mario?'' asked Luigi.
''I love these new outfits! Thank you, Luigi, you're awesome! I love you!'' said Mario happily, giving Luigi a big hug.
''I love you too, Mario. We look like two drops of water when we are dressed in the same way, just like with our usual clothes.'' said Luigi, hugging back just as tightly.
(''Hotel- Undertale OST-s'')
''Hey, Luigi? Did you find any clues?'' asked Peach.
''Yes, I spoke to Professor E. Gadd. I asked him about Bowser Junior's magic brush, and he confirmed our suspicions. The brush was stolen. Professor E. Gadd also said that he will meet us tomorrow morning. Oh, and he says hi to you.'' said Luigi.
''Good. But there is one thing that torments me, though. How did Bowser Junior know we were coming?'' asked Mario, confused.
''Now that I think about it, I phoned Mario a couple of days ago. It was the day before departure.'' replied Peach.
''I was surprised when I walked into the hotel and was told you want two you booked a room for me too. When I entered a nearby room, I found this one.'' said Luigi, taking a metallic-looking object from his pocket.
Mario and Peach were shocked. ''A wiretap?!'' exclaimed Peach.
''I think I understand. I don't know how he managed to intercept your call from so far away, but he probably got here before you. If he hadn't intercepted the call, he wouldn't have known you would have gone on holiday here.'' said Luigi.
''Great job, Lu!'' said Mario. ''The clues you have given us so far will be very useful for tomorrow's trial!''
''I found a wanted poster on the street, but it's not clear if it's the real Mario or not.'' said Luigi, showing the wanted poster.
"We saw it during the trial, but I don't think it's him. There are no colors apart from black.'' said Peach.
The plumber in green took a sheet of paper and a pen, which he placed on the nearby desk. ''Mario, Peach, I need you to describe the differences between Shadow Mario and the real Mario, so I'll transcribe them and adjust the colors of the poster.'' he said.
''So... Shadow Mario seems to have a strange composition, almost liquid to the touch, and is transparent.'' began Mario.
''OK...'' Luigi murmured, starting to write the differences.
''Plus, he completely blue. I mean, his whole body is blue. Mario, on the other hand, has fair skin, brown hair, a black mustache, a red shirt, a red hat, blue overalls with yellow buttons, brown shoes and white gloves. His eyes are very different. They are dull, hollow, eyelidless and turn red when Shadow Mario gets angry, while Mario has blue eyes. Finally, he has a very long tongue.'' added Peach.
Now that he knew these details, Luigi took a permanent blue marker and began to color over the black, making sure to cover his eyes, represented by white dots. ''Perfect! Now we know how he looks like!'' he said, satisfied.
''Now we only need a picture.'' said Mario.
''A picture?'' asked Luigi.
''Yes. Peach had tried to take a picture of Shadow Mario several times when she was kidnapped, but she couldn't made it in time on two occasions.'' replied Mario.
''We will need proof to support your innocence.'' said Luigi.
''Peach, did you manage to take a picture of Shadow Mario when he kidnapped you for the third time?'' asked Mario.
''Yes. I saw him on the roof. I managed to take a picture of him, but then he noticed me and I couldn't put my camera away in time.'' replied Peach, and showed them the picture. Shadow was on a nearby roof, he had the brush in his hands and was sticking his tongue out.
''Fantastico! Way to go, Peach!'' Mario cheered, giving her a thumbs up.
''Thank you, Mario.'' said the princess.
''I would say that almost everything is ready. We just have to capture Bowser Jr. when he is transformed before the trial.'' said Luigi.
Mario nodded. He only hoped that he would no longer be considered a criminal, and he did not want to be taken to court in handcuffs. ''I guess I'll need a lawyer. Like, Phoenix Wright.(2)'' he sighed.
''Unfortunately, the lawyers are all busy, but don't worry. Peach, Toads, all the other Toads and I will be your defense.'' said Luigi.
''Mario, Luigi, listen carefully. I have a plan, and the Toads need to know it. Tomorrow morning, we will wake up early and look for Bowser Jr. in Delfino Plaza to see if he has turned into Shadow Mario. Then, the Toads will block his escape routes by splitting in the alleys of Delfino Plaza, while we will catch him and have him arrested. If Bowser shows up, we'll tie him with a rope. For the trial,we will gag them both so they can't do something like try to attack the audience.'' said Peach, explaining the plan.
''When we're in court, we're going to have Shadow Mario sit in a chair next to the dock, and Bowser will be bound and gagged. After showing enough convincing evidence, we can reveal to everyone the true identity of Shadow Mario, and everyone will discover that it is actually Bowser Junior, who framed you.'' concluded Luigi.
''Great thinking.'' said Mario.
They discussed the plan together until dinner time, but only Peach knew the time of the trial.
''What time will the trial be, Peach?'' asked Louis.
''At 9 o'clock sharp.'' replied Peach.
''9 AM, huh? Then we will have to wake up early. We'll try to catch that rascal before then.'' said Luigi.
''Thanks for the help.'' said Mario gratefully.
''You're welcome.'' said Luigi, winking at him.
''I'll explain the plan to everyone else, then I'll go to sleep. I'm really tired.'' said Peach.
''Are you sure you won't sleep with us?'' asked Luigi. ''Mario didn't have a good night in a cell.''
''Toadsworth said I shouldn't share a room with you or Mario. He didn't want me to do certain things in bed with anyone. Anyway, I should let him know everything, I don't want to worry the others.'' replied Peach.
''I understand. I will have to go to sleep in my room too, or someone might suspect something.'' said Luigi. As soon as he finished speaking, he saw that Mario was looking at him with a disappointed look, so he reassured him. ''Don't worry, big bro. Don't think about what happened anymore. We have the evidence to prove your innocence.''
''Now I'm going. Good night, Mario. Good night, Luigi.'' said Peach, and kissed Mario and Luigi on the cheek, making them blush a little.
''Good night, Peach.'' said Mario, kissing Peach's hand.
Before going to sleep, Luigi decided to stay with his brother a little longer so that he would feel comfortable, as he seemed a little nervous. ''Everything will be fine.'' he reassured him.
''I hope so. I just want to take a vacation.'' said Mario.
Luigi hugged him. ''And when this is all over, we'll take a vacation together. Enjoy a long night's rest.'' he told him.
''Thank you, Lu. I can always count on you.'' said Mario, affectionately stroking Luigi's hair, and they both began to put their pajamas on.
''Night-night, Mario.'' said Luigi, bending down and giving Mario a goodnight kiss on the forehead when he went to bed.
''Night-night, Luigi.''
Mario also gave his brother a kiss on the forehead, and fell asleep when Luigi left the room. Before going to bed, the plumber dressed in green made sure to go over detail by detail throughout the plan. At the same time, Peach also explained to Toadsworth and the other six Toads what they had to do, then went to sleep.
The next morning...
The alarm went off at 7:30 AM. Luigi immediately woke up, and noticed that Peach had woken up too. He entered Mario's room and noticed that he was still sleeping. ''Mario? Hey, Mario, wake up.'' she whispered, shaking him slightly.
Mario woke up and looked around confusedly. ''Is it time?'' he asked, bewildered.
''Yes. We don't have much time. We have to find the culprit and have him arrested.'' replied Peach.
The Toads were all awake too, and followed them to Delfino Plaza, where they tried to locate Shadow Mario.
''It's not easy to find him.'' Toad said.
''Where will that pest be?'' Toadsworth asked.
Even though the sunlight had been restored, Luigi had the feeling that everything was too quiet. He looked around nervously to see if Shadow Mario was nearby and saw him messing around on a roof. ''Here it is!'' he shouted.
(''Shadow Mario- Super Mario Sunshine OST'')
Shadow Mario jumped out of the roof and tried to catch Peach once again.
''Oh no, you won't, you scoundrel!'' yelled Toadsworth, and hit him on the nose with his staff as Princess Peach hid behind the fountain for safety.
''Come on, guys! Let's split up! Remember the plan!'' said Peach, and the Toads split up to try to block access to the alleys so the vandal wouldn't run away. Since he had high heels as always, he struggled to keep up with Shadow Mario, who was as fast as the real Mario, while the Toads tried to do what they could to limit his escape routes, but being small they could not cover many areas and often had to divide into groups of two. Several Piantas witnessed the scene, and they were angered when Shadow Mario flipped their stands over.
In the course of the confusion, Mario and Luigi unexpectedly found Bowser, and not wanting him to create more trouble, they acted quickly. Exchanging a nod, they took a long rope and tied it like a salami before it could even react.
''Luigi, take the impostor! I'll try to block him from the alley!'' said Mario, as he dragged Bowser. Luigi nodded and returned to the main road, chasing after Shadow Mario.
Meanwhile, Peach managed to grab Shadow Mario, but his semi-liquid consistency quickly caused her to lose her grip. The vandal tried to escape, but the Toads began to surround him, blocking his escape routes. It wasn't enough, and he jumped over all of them. Using the wall of a house to his advantage, Mario jumped towards his impersonator, who managed to dodge him.
Luigi watched from afar, looking for an opportunity for a surprise attack, and he found it when Shadow Mario jumped away from his pursuers. When he saw him trying to jump towards a roof, he jumped towards him, knocking him to the ground and immobilizing him. ''I got you, meanie!'' he shouted.
''Well done, Luigi!'' said Peach happily.
The Isle Delfino police arrested Shadow Mario and handcuffed him as soon as Luigi stopped immobilizing him.
The rookie was overcome with shock to see Bowser. ''What do we do with him?'' he asked.
"Leave him tied up, take him to court and gag him so he can't cause trouble. I have a feeling he has to do with all this.'' replied Luigi, and the police chief nodded.
''You were awesome, Luigi! The first phase of the plan is complete!'' Toad cheered.
(''Shadow Mario- Super Mario Sunshine OST-s'')
Around nine o'clock, it was almost time to settle the matter in court. Luigi looked at the policemen suspiciously, thinking that they would arrest his brother again.
Even Mario didn't seem to trust them. ''You're not arresting me?'' he asked, suspicious.
''No. We will escort you to court, but we will keep the handcuffs for safety.'' said the police chief.
Meanwhile, Luigi and the others were preparing the second phase of the plan, putting the stools in the defense table for the Toads. ''OK, now what should we do?'' asked Toad.
''We must listen carefully to the prosecution and the witnesses based on the evidence in our possession.'' Luigi replied.
"Master Mario is innocent, right, Master Luigi? Then several details will be inaccurate. You must compare the prosecution's statements and witness statements with the evidence we have. It is also possible that a witness may lie.'' said Toadsworth.
They went out and temporarily went back outside before being escorted by police for trial. ''Luigi, Peach, I'm counting on you.'' said Mario, and Luigi nodded.
When Mario, Luigi, Peach, and the Toads entered the courtroom at nine o'clock, the judge, a green Pianta with a gray mustache, was already at his spot, as was the prosecutor, a blue Pianta with a jacket and glasses, in a stand on the right. Bowser was sitting on the ground, bound and gagged. Luigi placed seven small stools at the defense bench, on the left side, to allow the Toads to sit on top of them and reach the bench floor. Mario was escorted to the courtroom and taken to the dock, a short distance from the door. Sitting in a nearby chair was Shadow Mario, gagged.
(''Trial- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
In the courtroom, there was a large crowd composed of Piantas and Nokis waiting to know who was the vandal who had caused all these problems, including the manager of the hotel and the Pianta Village mayor.
''The court is now in session for the trial of Mario Mario.'' the judge said. ''Wait. Mario Mario? His first and last names are the same?'' he asked, confused.
''Yes, his full name is Mario Mario. Our friend Luigi, who is part of his defense with us, is his brother. Their full names are Mario Mario and Luigi Mario.'' explained Peach.(3)
''Anyway, the defense is ready, Your Honor.'' said Luigi.
''The prosecution is ready, Your Honor.'' said the prosecutor.
''The other day, our defendant, Mario, was found guilty of vandalism, environmental disaster and scattering the Shine Sprites in the afternoon trial, but yesterday, following the doubts of many people and the insistence of the girl who was part of his defense, I came to a conclusion. The refusal to allow the defense to object, a single piece of evidence that wasn't fully convincing, and the circumstances in which the defendant arrived on the island resulted in an unfair and hasty trial that ended immediately. So, I have decided that today, we will close the matter with a second trial.'' said the judge, explaining the situation.
''Are we sure it won't be a waste of time? The defendant has already been found guilty.'' asked the prosecutor, not convinced.
''The verdict of the last trial is irrelevant for the purpose of the trial of THIS case!'' yelled Luigi. ''The only relevant thing about it is that the defense and the defendant had practically no right to speak!''
''And the fact that the girl's objection to the defense stand was overruled without allowing her to explain herself is a serious matter, especially considering that we now know her identity. Who would have thought she was Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom?'' added the judge. ''That's why I owe you a big apology before I start.''
Luigi wasn't fully convinced, but Peach nodded.
It was then that the prosecutor noticed Shadow Mario sitting a short distance from the prosecution table and Bowser tied up on the side. ''Am I blind am I seeing two identical people here?! What is another person doing here with the same physical appearance as the defendant, and who is that beast?!'' he exclaimed, shocked.
''It's a long story. We think they may have something to do with all of this, especially Mario's look-alike. Since no one in court knows his true identity, we will call him Shadow Mario until his true identity is revealed.'' Peach explained.
"Now, Mr. Luigi Mario, you can proceed with the cross-examination and ask questions to your brother while you listen to his testimony.'' the judge declared. He was initially unsure how to address Luigi, as his brother's surname was the same as his first name, but decided to use his full name.
''What is cross-examination?'' the green Toad asked.
"That's when the witness describes what he wrote, and the defense attorney can ask him questions about certain details. Not all witnesses are honest, however.'' replied Master Toad.
''OK, let's get started.'' said Yellow Toad.
(''Trial- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
(''Questioning ~ Moderato 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
''I left for Isle Delfino with Peach and the Toads, and we arrived in the afternoon. At this point, some strange things happened.'' Mario began.
''What happened when the plane arrived at its destination?'' asked Luigi.
''The plane landed abruptly when it reached the airstrip. There was a strange pool of sticky liquid on the ground, and it seemed almost sentient. Suddenly, that liquid came to life and took on a form similar to a Piranha Plant. I defeated it and found a Shine Sprite. Then I was arrested.'' explained Mario.
''So the defendant didn't know at all about what was happening?'' asked the judge, thoughtfully.
''No. None of us knew. Peach was the only one who noticed something wrong, on the plane. She had noticed a figure that looked like me, but we didn't notice it in time.'' replied Mario.
''Objection! It doesn't make sense!'' the prosecutor shouted. ''Why should there be another figure exactly like the defendant if he dirtied the island two days ago, during the morning?''
''I trust Mario. He's not lying.'' said Luigi.
''You only say it because he's your brother, don't you?'' commented the prosecutor, not impressed.
"It's not just because we're brothers. I know he would never do such a thing!'' Luigi replied loudly.
''We know him all too well! Why would it pollute the island like that?'' Peach added.
The judge remained thoughtful. ''Yes, but we can't prove it without evidence.'' he said.
''And what would be the evidence?'' the prosecutor asked. ''I don't see them.''
Before long, Luigi noticed that the period when Shadow Mario had soiled the island and scattered the Shine Sprites was not the same as the time the real Mario had arrived. ''OBJECTION!'' he yelled. ''I say there is a proof!''
''What will it ever mean?'' the judge asked.
''When the island was dirty, Mario wasn't even there! If you are referring to Shadow Mario, who is nearby, he is the one who was on the island! In addition, the prosecution stated that the graffiti crisis occurred in the morning, BEFORE Mario even arrived at the airstrip!'' declared Luigi.
(''Questioning ~ Moderato 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
The crowd began to argue loudly about what had happened, but the sound of a gavel brought silence.
''Order! Order!'' the judge shouted.
(''Announce the Truth 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
''As I said, the disaster happened in the morning, as the prosecution said, but Mario was not there! Isle Delfino is far from the Mushroom Kingdom, and Mario arrived in the afternoon!'' said Luigi aloud. ''A glaring contradiction!''
''The defense has a point about that. He couldn't be in two places at once. But I can't explain myself what happened exactly.'' said the judge.
''There is only one explanation for all this, Your Honor. Mario has been framed!'' declared Peach.
Everyone else reacted with shock, apart from the rest of the defense.
''What? Framed? How?'' asked the judge, caught off-guard.
The prosecutor made another objection. ''I'm sorry, but how could you explain all this?'' he asked. ''Several people have seen him around!''
''We have to proceed in order. One step at a time.'' said Toad.
''As I said, we caught Mario's lookalike because we think he's involved in all of this. We will get to the bottom of this story until we discover his identity. My brother couldn't have committed the crime because he didn't arrive at this point anyway!'' added Luigi.
''You're doing well, Luigi! This is a step forward! Let's keep looking for contradictions and we will prove that Mario is innocent!'' said Peach.
(''Announce the Truth 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
''And yesterday's flooding?'' the prosecutor questioned them. ''The police accused him of this too.''
(''Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
''OBJECTION!'' all the Toads shouted, including Master Toad.
''He wasn't even in town!'' shouted Toad.
''This accusation makes no sense!'' the red Toad added.
''First off, the flooding started from Corona Mountain, but access was blocked.'' said Yellow Toad.
''Second, Mario was busy elsewhere when the city flooded, which means he couldn't have been at the crime scene!'' shouted Blue Toad.
''How would Mario get to Corona Mountain if he wasn't in town?'' the green Toad.
''But most importantly, since access was strictly forbidden and Mario had never been to this island, how would he release all that water from the volcano to the city?!'' the purple Toad snapped.
(''Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
The judge doubted the flooding charge, and decided to call a witness to check for contradictions with Mario's statement. An orange Pianta entered the courtroom and went to the witness stand.
(''Questioning ~ Moderate 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
''The other Piantas and I saw the vandal, I'm sure of it! But he was far away and I couldn't see his physical appearance, only his shadow. I saw the defendant at the airstrip, and shortly afterwards, there was that beast of slime!'' said the witness.
''Hold it! Did you see Mario doing something strange?'' asked Peach.
''To tell you the truth, I didn't see him get anything dirty. I saw him try to clean up that slimy substance and fight that creature, but I didn't know if he was the vandal or not. From what I had seen, he had done nothing wrong.'' the orange Pianta replied.
(''Questioning ~ Moderate 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
After the orange Pianta's testimony, the courtroom suddenly became silent. Everyone on the defense felt deep frustration from within. All this could have ended immediately if he had testified!
(''Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
''HOLD IT!'' screamed Luigi and all the Toads, including Toadsworth, who slammed his staff against the desk. ''WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US THAT SOONER?!''
The witness got scared and began to stutter. ''Ah! B-B-because... Because the testimony of one person would not be enough to prove it!'' he replied.
''But this is a huge omission! A single testimony about it could have completely changed the case!'' yelled Luigi, slamming his hands on the defense table. ''That's my brother I'm talking about, and I'm sure that this look-alike, or someone else, plotted in the shadows to get him arrested!''
''Hang on, Mr. Luigi Mario. Don't you think you're being too harsh on the witness?" the judge asked.
Luigi sighed. ''I apologize if sound bit rude, but these are very serious accusations, and I do not accept this bum rap against my brother! Everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom knows him well, and he would never do that!'' he said in a serious tone.
''You care a lot about him.'' the judge declared.
''Of course I care about Mario! He's not just my brother, he's my best friend! There is not a single moment in my life when I have lived without him, and I know him all too well!'' Luigi cried in response. ''We are twins, and I am the younger of the two.''
''Admirable.'' commented the witness, impressed.
''If anithing else, at least he's sincere.'' the prosecutor said.
''Luigi...'' Mario murmured, looking at his brother with affection and giving him a thumbs up. Luigi gave him a thumbs up himself in response.
The judge smiled. ''Mr. Luigi Mario... I see clearly that you and your brother love each other very much. I've seen the way he looks at you. You loyalty to his brother is truly admirable.'' he said. In the meantime, he also let the witness out because his testimony indicated nothing more useful.
''Let's not waste any more time! Is there any evidence to indicate that the defendant's lookalike or someone else acted behind everyone's back to frame him?'' the prosecutor asked impatiently.
''We'll go in order.'' said Toad. ''We begin to indicate the order of events. We know that the island was polluted in the morning, but Mario arrived only in the afternoon, so he would not have had time to do such a thing, he was still on the plane.
''TAKE THAT!'' Peach cried out, showing her cell phone.
''What is it?'' asked the judge, confused.
''It's Peach's cellphone.'' Luigi replied.
''What is supposed to have to do with this?'' the prosecutor asked.
''I phoned Mario three days ago. My cell phone recorded the call that day.'' replied Peach.
''Three days ago? Then this was the day before you left!'' exclaimed the judge.
''That's right.'' said Master Toad.
''So what do we do?'' asked the judge.
''Now I will start the call. I ask the whole court to listen carefully.'' said Peach.
(''Phoenix Wright ~ Objection! 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
Peach went to the call history and found the call dating back to the day before departure. He started it, and before long, the sound of a cell phone ringing was heard. Everyone remained silent, listening attentively.
(''Peach's Theme- Paper Mario OST'')
''Hello?''
''Mario, can you hear me? I'm Princess Peach.''
''Princess! What a surprise!''
''How are you?''
''I'm fine! What about you?''
''I'm fine. I called you to let you know something. I have big plans for tomorrow.''
''What is it?''
''I'm going to take a holiday on Delfina Island for a while. It's a true natural paradise, I can't wait to go there! Toadsworth and some other Toads will accompany me. I would like you to go with us.''
''WAHOO! This is fantastic! Of course I'll come!''
''Thank you, Mario. I'm getting everything ready for departure tomorrow morning.''
''Okie-dokie! See you tomorrow morning, Peach!''
''See you tomorrow, Mario!''
After Peach blew a kiss to Mario, the call ended.
(''Peach's Theme- Paper Mario OST-s'')
''This call proves nothing by itself!'' the judge exclaimed. ''We know that the departure was planned, but how do we know that someone acted in the shadows against the witness?''
(''Pursuit ~ Cornered- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
Luigi put his hand in the pocket of his shorts. ''It means the person who's responsible used this!'' he declared, revealing a wiretap and placing it on the table. Shadow Mario's eyes widened. ''I found it in a hotel room, and I'm sure that Shadow Mario, or the person behind this secret identity, used it to intercept the call between Mario and Peach!''
''Objection! This is irrelevant!'' cried the prosecution.
''I wouldn't be so sure. Objection overruled. It bothers me that the witness is in possession of a wiretap.'' the judge replied.
''There's one thing I don't understand. If Isle Delfino is far from the Mushroom Kingdom, then how is it possible that this lookalike managed to intercept the call?" asked the prosecutor, confused.
''Good question. That's what we thought too, but we're getting there. The wiretap was in the hotel room.'' Toadsworth replied.
''The point is that we don't think all this was done randomly. I think it's all planned.'' said Peach.
''You mean that the witness's lookalike intercepted the call as part of a plan to frame him?!'' the judge exclaimed, shocked.
''Exactly.'' said Yellow Toad.
''But how can we prove that it is part of this?'' the judge asked.
Louis whispered to Peach, asking her to lend her the phone, and showed it again. ''Got it!'' he declared. ''I would suggest hearing the call again. I'm sure we overlooked a detail somewhere.''
''Listen carefully.'' said Blue Toad..
(''Pursuit ~ Cornered- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
The plumber dressed in green restarted the recording of the call. He understood every detail of the call, but when it ended, he heard an answering machine voice indicating the time it was recorded: 5 PM.
''A moment...'' muttered Master Toad.
(''Announce the Truth 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
Luigi's eyes widened. 5 PM! This was what he was looking for. ''GOTCHA!'' he declared aloud. ''Did you hear that? The call was recorded at 5 PM.''
The judge was again caught off-guard. ''This means that there is a long time between the call and the time of the crime!'' he exclaimed.
''Since the crisis occurred in the morning, this means something else. Whoever intercepted the call had plenty of time to pollute all Isle Delfino and cause the Shine Sprites to scatter!'' said Luigi.
''I understand... Excellent deductive reasoning, Mr. Luigi Mario!'' said the judge, impressed.
''Nice one, Luigi! Great evidence!'' Toad cheered.
The crowd of Palmensi and Noki was quite loud, and began to scream. They wanted the person responsible for all their problems to be brought to justice as soon as possible.
The judge beat the gavel. ''Order in the court!'' he yelled.
''Not bad. But we are not yet certain that it actually happened.'' said the prosecutor. ''What about the video?'' he asked.
''The island's advertising video? I saw someone running around when the commercial aired on the plane. This is not normal, and I don't think the other times the ad had someone running in the background.'' replied Peach. ''Let's show the video.''
''Okay.'' the judge replied.
(''Telling the Truth 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
Everyone watched the video carefully after the judge found it. At first, everything seemed normal, but one figure began to run in the background. It was then that the defense noticed everything.
(''Logic and Tricks- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
''Stop the video!'' shouted Peach, and the judge paused the video. The video was stopped in a specific frame, with a figure jumping in the background.
''That form is the same as the accused!'' exclaimed the prosecutor.
''Yes, but Mario couldn't be there because he was on a plane.''
''Miss Toadstool, was this the only time you saw that person?'' the judge asked.
''No. I also saw it when we got off the plane, but Mario and Toadsworth didn't notice it in time. I was the only one who had seen it. That's why I was so sure it wasn't Mario.'' replied Peach.
(''Logic and Tricks- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
The judge beat the gavel once more, making a decision. The evidence from the defense was significant, indicating that there was something underneath, but it was not enough to establish a verdict for him. ''The evidence that the defense has given us seems to indicate something, but it is not enough to indicate whether the defendant is innocent or not and who committed the crime. The court will take a 10-minute break, then we will hear another witness who will come soon.'' he said.
(''Courtroom Lobby ~ Beginning Overture- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
Outside the courtroom, Luigi discussed the situation with Mario, Peach, and the Toads.
''You were great, Luigi! You revealed what Shadow Mario was doing before he framed Mario!'' said Peach happily.
''You've done a lot too, Peach. Your call three days ago and the video on the plane you highlighted helped a lot to reveal his plan.'' Luigi told her.
''Can I say that trial made me feel nervous?'' asked Toad.
''Yeah, I was afraid they wouldn't believe it.'' said Blue Toad.
''And yet you all seemed so confident.'' said Mario. ''Especially you, Luigi.''
''You would have done the same for me.'' replied Luigi.
''Thank you, bro. I love you.'' said Mario, giving his brother a small hug.
''Aw, I love you too, Mario.'' Luigi told him.
Toadsworth looked at them with a smile. ''Oh, being young...'' he sighed.
''I don't want to spoil the moment, but we have to go back to the classroom shortly.'' said the red Toad.
''You're almost there, Luigi. A couple more pieces of evidence and we will be able to prove that Mario is innocent.'' said Peach.
(''Courtroom Lobby ~ Beginning Overture- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
At the end of the break, everyone returned to the classroom and went back to their seats. Luigi fixed his his hair to calm his nerves and got ready. Soon after, the second witness arrived, a human. He was a short old man in a lab coat.
''Professor E. Gadd!'' exclaimed Luigi, recognizing him.
(''E. Gadd's Theme- Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon OST'')
''My, what a coincidence!'' said Professor E. Gadd, seeing Mario, his brother, Princess Peach, and the Toads.
''Declare your name.'' said the judge.
''I am Professor Elvin Gadd, a ghost researcher.'' replied Professor E. Gadd.
''Did you see anything the day the island was vandalized?'' the judge asked.
''No, but I saw something strange in my lab the day before.'' said ProfessorE. Gadd.
This was an opportunity to get another clue, and the judge said the defense could begin cross-examination.
(''E. Gadd's Theme- Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon OST-s'')
(''Questioning ~ Moderate 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
''Three days ago I received a visit to the laboratory. I had just created FLUDD when someone knocked on the door of my lab and asked me to give them the brush I was working on. It was 6 PM., if I'm not mistaken.'' he said.
''Who was at the door?'' asked Luigi.
''I saw someone who looked like Mario, but I noticed something strange. I think it's the eyes. I didn't recognize him as Mario, so I refused to give him the magic paintbrush. Also, the brush was a prototype that I hadn't completed yet.'' Professor E. Gadd explained.
''Did something happen?'' asked Peach.
"It wasn't the only time this person tried to get in. He tried several times during the evening, and I think he wanted to steal the brush. I stopped himseveral times, but when I woke up the next morning, the paintbrush was gone. I think that rascal stole it in the middle of the night, while I was sleeping.'' said Professor E. Gadd.
(''Questioning ~ Moderate 2001- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
(''Pursuit ~ Cornered- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
Hearing this testimony, Luigi immediately remembered the paintbrush. According to what Peach had told him, Shadow Mario was running around with a brush, and this was the cause of the goop. ''GOT IT!'' he declared aloud.
''Have any of you seen anyone with a paintbrush?'' asked Peach.
The crowd of Pianta declared with an overwhelming majority that the person responsible had a piantbrush in his hand.
''Now I get it! The slime was created from that brush!'' said Luigi. ''That's why the island was tarnished!''
''Yeah! And that wasn't the purpose I created the paintbrush for! You know what happens if things like this fall into the wrong hands!'' said Professor E. Gadd. At the same time, Bowser began to squirm, and Shadow Mario began to make noise. In response, Luigi glared at him. ''I'll deal with you later.'' he said.
''How can we prove that it was this look-alike?'' asked the prosecutor, not entirely convinced. ''I'll show you the wanted poster.''
(''Pursuit ~ Cornered- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
The wanted poster was shown to everyone, but the defense was not convinced. There was something about the colors and the way the poster was made that didn't make it convincing evidence about it.
(''Pressing Pursuit ~ Cornered - Variation- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
''Objection!'' Peach and Master Toad objected.
''Wait just a moment! Is that supposed to be Master Mario? That poster is all black, you can't tell if it's him or a fake!'' said Toadsworth out loud.
''Mr. Luigi Mario, can you prove that the one shown is not the defendant?'' asked the judge.
''Luigi, now!'' said Toad.
Luigi took a wanted poster and the picture Peach had taken and showed them to the rest of the room. ''Look at this!'' he said aloud.
''Is that the lookalike sitting here?'' asked the prosecutor, surprised.
''Yes. He attempted to kidnap Peach a couple of times. Before she was kidnapped, she managed to take this picture from him. As for the wanted poster, I changed the colors a bit to better indicate who the impostor is.'' Luigi replied, and he also showed another piece of paper. Two drawings showing Mario and Shadow and their differences were on it.
The evidence was shown on screen and in front of the judge, and everyone noticed how different Mario and his impostor were. The sheet of paper with the two drawings had details written on the back, indicating the transcribed differences.
''Look at this.'' said Toad.
There were so many differences, and just looking at the defendant and Shadow Mario was enough to see the differences, which were still written, and the judge and the prosecutor began to read them.
-Mario has peach-colored skin, brown hair, a black mustache, a red short-sleeved shirt, a hat of the same color, a blue overalls with yellow buttons, brown shoes and white gloves, while Shadow Mario is completely blue, clothes included.
-Shadow Mario's eyes have no eyelids and are hollow and dull. When he gets angry, his eyes glow red. Mario has blue eyes.
-Shadow Mario's tongue is much longer than Mario's.
-Shadow Mario is transparent and has a consistency similar to that of a liquid.
-Mario doesn't have a brush like Shadow Mario.
''With this, I ask a question to all of you. What kind of human would go around with blu skin and a paintbrush in his hand?'' asked Luigi.
The Piantas and the Noki were shocked, and they nodded. ''OK, now I feel like an idiot.'' the prosecutor commented.
(''Pressing Pursuit ~ Cornered - Variation- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
(''Suspense- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
Luigi left the defense table and approached Shadow Mario. ''It's time to reveal who he really is!'' he declared, grabbing Shadow Mario by the overall straps and lifting him out of his chair.
''Yes, we want justice!'' the Piantas yelled.
''Don't let him get away!'' the Noki added.
The lookalike kicked, screamed and yelled, but it was no use. Before long, the transformation ended, revealing his true identity: it was Bowser Jr., hanging by the tail in Luigi's grip, and the human let go, causing him to fall to the ground on his butt.
''IT'S YOU!'' everyone, except Bowser, screamed, pointing a finger at Bowser Jr.
''What does all this mean?'' asked the judge, more confused than ever.
''Everything is clear now. Bowser Jr. tapped Mario and Peach's phone, and that's how he knew we were going here. He then robbed Professor E. Gadd in the middle of the night, stealing his magic paintbrush and using it to create this goop and frame Mario. What's worse, Bowser, his father, aided and abetted him in his crimes by telling him lies about Mario and Peach. He kidnaps Peach all the time and just as often tries to kill me and my brother. If I have to talk about what she does to Peach, I better not say it because it's possible that he did something obscene to her while kidnapping her.'' Luigi explained.
The crowd booed Bowser and his son, and even the timid Nokis lost their temper.
Peach also had her say, scolding Bowser Jr. ''Bad Jr.! Bad boy!'' she said.
''You're a naughty boy, Bowser Jr. Shame on you.'' said Luigi sternly.
Bowser Jr. began to sneer, and Bowser, furious, broke free from the ropes, looking into the eyes of the man who had made his son cry. A moment later, Bowser spat fire, to the shock of his brother and friends, and Luigi screamed in pain as he was burned. The crowd of Piantas and Nokis screamed in terror, and since Luigi was wearing the summer clothes he had arrived the day before, everything was charred. Soon after, he fell to the ground looking dizzy.
''Luigi! Luigi, are you okay?!'' yelled Mario, horrified. If he weren't in court, he would have gladly beaten Bowser for setting fire to his brother.
(''Suspense- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
''Let's end it here and now!'' said Toadsworth, loud and clear.
"Now we finally know who is responsible for all this. The court charges Bowser Jr. with wiretapping, theft, vandalism, environmental disaster, property damage, stalking, impersonation and identity theft, and his father Bowser of kidnapping, aiding and abetting the crimes of a minor, assault with bodily injury, attempted murder and harassment.
''Arrest them, now!'' the judge ordered, and the police arrested them both. In Bowser's case, he was so large that they had to use strong, particularly thick handcuffs. ''The court declares Bowser and Bowser Jr... Guilty.''
The crowd of Palmensi and Noki cheered loudly, and the judge declared that as punishment, they will be sentenced to social services to repair the damage caused by the slime and flooding in Delfino Plaza.
''FINALLY!'' the Pianta Village mayor cheered.
''I think that's it!'' said Toad.
"We all owe a big apology to Mario Mario, the defendant, for accusing him of crimes he did not commit. I thank him, his brother, Miss Toadstool and the Toads for their role in bringing the real perpetrator to justice. Now that the crisis is over, I can finally declare my verdict. I declare the defendant, Mario Mario ... Not guilty.'' declared the judge.
''YAAAAHOOOOOO!'' Mario celebrated by jumping into his brother's arms, much to the natives' cheers, and Peach and the Toads joined the hug.
''We did it!'' Luigi cheered.
(''We Won the Case! ~ The First Victory- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST'')
Now that the problems were finally over, everyone could finally enjoy the holiday.
''You were amazing, Luigi! We owe you one!'' said Toad.
''Hey, it was a no-brainer.'' replied Luigi.
''Thank you, Luigi. Thank you for your help.'' said Peach, and gave Luigi a kiss on the cheek.
Now that his name was cleared, Mario felt much better, and had returned to his cheerful mood. ''I couldn't thank you enough, bro! You too, Peach!'' he said joyfully, and gave Peach a peck on the cheek.
The princess was very surprised. Sure, she often kissed Mario, especially when he saved her, and she rewarded Luigi in the same way, but this time the opposite had happened, and it was rare for him to kiss her, perhaps out of respect for her status as a princess.
''Hey, Peach! Didn't you notice? Mario just kissed you!'' said Luigi with joy. Peach laughed in response.
''Well, I have to thank you somehow. Just like you do.'' Mario said, giving Peach another kiss on the cheek.
''Awww, Mario, you're so sweet...'' sighed Peach, and kissed him on the nose.
''It's all over at last...'' said Toadsworth wearily. ''That vandal was driving me crazy.''
(''We Won the Case! ~ The First Victory- Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney OST-s'')
(''Undella Town (Summer)- Pokémon Black and White OST'')
Everyone went went to the beach, and Professor E. Gadd joined them with FLUDD in his hands. ''Hey.'' he said.
''Professor E. Gadd! How are things going?'' asked Luigi, surprised.
''Everything OK. Mario, the Toads wanted me to bring you back FLUDD. They fixed it over the course of the day.'' said Professor E. Gadd.
''Really?!'' asked Mario.
''Of course.'' Professor E. Gadd replied, passing FLUDD to him.
FLUDD activated shortly after, scanning those present. ''The holiday starts now!'' he declared.
''And it was about time!'' added Master Toad.
''FLUDD! I'm glad to see that you're okay!'' said Mario.
''I never got an answer to my question, so I'll ask you again. Was I of assistance?'' asked FLUDD
''Sì, FLUDD. Yes. I couldn't have done it without you.'' Mario replied, holding it tightly.
''Thanks again, Professor E. Gadd.'' added Luigi. ''If Mario hadn't found your invention, he would never have been able to clean up the island and foil the plans of the real culprit.''
''Come on, this is nothing. I'm not so stupid not to tell the difference between Mario and someone who pretends to be him.'' E. Gadd replied
''When you need me, I'll always be there. I love you, big bro.'' said Luigi to Mario, giving him a brotherly kiss on the forehead and hugging him tightly.
''I love you too, little bro! You're amazing! Thank you very much!'' said Mario, hugging his brother just as strongly.
Time passed, and now everyone could finally enjoy the holiday as planned, spending their days swimming, sunbathing on the beach, going on the ferris wheel at Pinna Park and much more. Mario and Peach also had the opportunity to enjoy some romantic moments together, such as eating Gelato Beach's famous fruit granitas and enjoying large watermelons in the area. He and his brother also had the opportunity to joke around with each other on that occasion, as while they were eating those giant watermelons, they spat the seeds in each other's faces as a joke, laughing out loud about it.
To thank Mario and his friends for everything they had done, the Piantas told them that they will always be welcome on Isle Delfino.
(''Undella Town (Summer)- Pokémon Black and White OST-s'')
(''Seaside Kingdom- Super Mario Odyssey OST'')
Sunset had come, and Mario, Luigi and Peach were alone in Sirena Beach. With the end of the crisis, they could enjoy the wonders of the island without other lousy inconveniences.
''This island is a natural paradise.'' sighed Peach, while drinking some orange juice.
''I should really tell Daisy about it.'' said Luigi.
''She would be really happy to be on Isle Delfino!'' Mario agreed. ''Tell her all about Isle Delfino and invite her to go with us sometime. Not to mention Yoshi! He would love this place, there's a lot of fruit!''
''It's so romantic here...'' said Peach.
''Speaking of romantic, maybe it's better if I leave you two alone. I wouldn't want to be a third wheel.'' said Luigi, looking insecure.
''You're not, stay here with us!'' replied Peach.
''You are not a third wheel. After what you've done for me, you deserve it.'' added Mario.
Peach and Mario stayed to enjoy the sunset in each other's arms, and Luigi decided to stay at their request, leading Mario to wrap his free arm around his brother.
''I love places like this.'' said Luigi, resting his head on Mario's shoulder. His big brother gave him a proud look and held him close, grateful that he had come to help him. The evidence he had found had been instrumental in clearing his name him, and he would always be grateful to him for it.
(''Seaside Kingdom- Super Mario Odyssey OST-s'')
A/N: Problem solved and mission accomplished! Thanks to the help of Luigi, Peach, and the Toads, Mario has been found innocent, and Bowser Jr. and his father have been brought to justice! I hope you enjoyed this two-parter based off Super Mario Sunshine! See you soon!
(1): In Super Mario Sunshine, if Mario has obtained thirty Shine Sprites, he can talk to a Pianta to receive sunglasses that darken the screen, and if he has defeated Bowser, he will also receive this shirt. These clothes also appear among the alternate costumes in Super Mario Odyssey after the February 2018 update and as a variant for Mario in Mario Kart Tour introduced on September 23, 2020 in the Los Angeles tour.
(2): Phoenix Wright is the protagonist of the Ace Attorney series. He is a defense attorney who defends his clients in court when they are charged with murder and must find out who is the witness who framed his client in the case he carries out. The first three games in the series were released for the Game Boy Advance, but only in Japan, then released on the DS, making the series playable in the West.
(3): The 1993 film gave Mario and Luigi the surname Mario, the same as the older brother's name. This detail remained non-canon for over twenty years, and was then only defined canon in 2015 on the occasion of Super Mario Bros.'s thirtieth anniversary, with a statement from Shigeru Miyamoto himself.