Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach emerged from the Harkmouth in Subcon World 1's third level. Before them stretched lush, grassy landscapes, complete with hilltops, suspended logs, vases, and waterfalls. Mario pointed ahead and declared in a militaristic manner, "Our objective is to reach the boss and free World One." Mario and Luigi were no strangers to fighting for justice, though none of the four knew how or why they ended up in Subcon. Princess Peach chimed in, "Lead the way, Mario." Luigi and Toad nodded in agreement. With determination, Mario dashed forward, with the others closely following. Three leaps later, they reached a thick log suspended between two hills, with a waterfall running beneath it.
A red-clad Shyguy approached them from the other side of the log, warning, "You don't belong here." The Shyguys had become familiar adversaries, being among Wart's most common foot soldiers. None of the heroes replied, but Toad grabbed a turnip from the grass and hurled it at the Shyguy, sending her tumbling into the waterfall below. "Great work!" Mario exclaimed, touching a floating Starman on his way down from the log. The four of them became invincible, their attire changing to bright, multiple colors. They effortlessly made their way through the area, leaping over hills and logs, knocking out Trousers in their path with ease.
Once the Starman's power wore off, the quartet reached a long hilltop and paused. Luigi began to dig up vegetables from the grass. After uncovering four vegetables, he reached for another and pulled out a clock instead! Its spindly hands froze on its beautiful brass dial before vanishing. Time stopped, and all the enemies in World One, Level Three froze in place. Mario pointed towards a large brick building ahead and declared, "Forward, we're heading there!" They moved forward, with Mario at the helm. Princess Peach gracefully leaped over a pink-robed Shyguy, who was frozen in place. Toad urged, "Hurry, that clock's about to run out!"
After navigating past three Ninjis and two Tweeters, Mario reached a door. It was a typical Subcon door with wooden panels and a classic ring door knocker. He turned the knob, and they entered, the dimly lit interior revealing purple walls, metal platforms, and iron chains hanging from the ceilings. "What is this place?" the Princess inquired. Luigi peered upwards, holding onto his green cap, and replied, "Looks like an old factory." He stumbled backward, with Toad catching him. Mario sighed and said, "Nothing is ever easy. Let's head up." With that, they grabbed hold of the many chains suspended above and began to climb. Toad worriedly looked down and said, "I hope we won't need to backtrack."
Mario reached the top first, gazing at a metal girder before him. A pink Shyguy's mask gradually came into view as she stepped forward, challenging him with, "This is King Wart's Realm, not yours! Get out!" Mario positioned himself on the girder, facing the Shyguy with determination. "How about I pick you up by the mask and throw you off this girder?" he retorted. "Mario, that's quite rude," Princess Peach interjected. Without hesitation, Luigi dashed towards the Shyguy, leaped onto her head, and then onto a stack of mushroom containers behind her. The Shyguy turned toward Luigi and ominously warned, "There are many more of us than you." In response, Luigi tossed one of the mushroom blocks into the Shyguy's mask, sending her plummeting off the girder and into the depths below. There were no screams, just echoes of her descent.
"Bravo, Luigi!" Princess Peach cheered. The four continued their ascent through the factory, dispatching three Sparks along the way. They eventually reached a door, and there were no more levels to climb. One of the Sparks spoke nonchalantly, "I can never leave this platform," as it glided along its girder, then added, "...but you will never leave that door." Toad clenched his teeth and addressed the Spark, saying, "We'll see about that." Mario opened the door, and they filed through. The door closed behind them, its echoing sound reverberating throughout the factory's lower floors.
Inside, Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach found a body-sized key resting on a suspended girder. Another Spark silently glided along the girder, paying them no attention. Sinister red and white masks, known as Phantos, lined the walls. Princess Peach gracefully hopped onto the girder, the clack of her heels against the surface adding a touch of elegance to the atmosphere. She giggled as she placed her white-gloved hand on the key's surface and remarked, "Well, now we need to figure out which door this key fits!"
Suddenly, one of the Phantos began to tremble and then swooped off the wall towards her. With a firm grip on the key, she gracefully slid off the platform. "Mario!?" Princess Peach cried out. "Head for the door!" Luigi shouted. The princess hurriedly left the platform, with the others closely behind her.
Upon emerging from the doorway, Princess Peach leaped off the girder in front of her. She swiftly descended through the factory's many floors, gliding past sparks, chains, and mushroom containers. Phanto pursued her relentlessly. Her friends' voices echoed from above, reassuring her, "We're coming!" Toad shouted. "Find the locked door!" Luigi yelled. "You can do this, Princess!" Mario encouraged. Shortly thereafter, Princess Peach adjusted her dress, slowing her descent, and landed safely on the very same girder where they initially entered. She tossed the key to the side, causing Phanto to vanish. A minute or so later, her companions joined her, and all four of them stared at the key.
"I wonder if Megaman ever has these kinds of problems," Mario pondered, scratching his red cap. Toad started to respond, "No, but he has to contend with a green dragon that..." but his sentence was abruptly cut off when Luigi picked up the massive key. The three companions gazed at him in silence, their thoughts unspoken. Then, Mario broke the silence, urgently exclaiming, "Go! Go! Go!" Phanto swiftly descended from above, its oval shadow casting eerie patterns on the floor and purple walls.
Luigi nodded, carefully maneuvering himself over the girder to the levels below. A red Shyguy stood in his path, uttering solemnly, "You do not want to go any further down." Luigi's response was firm, "Sure I do!" He hurled the key into the Shyguy's trajectory, knocking them off the girder and into the unknown abyss below. The green plumber caught his breath for a moment, but Phanto raced closer, ready to take him down. Luigi quickly retrieved the key and descended further, landing with a thud on the blue-bricked floor. The key fell to his side, and the rapid footsteps of his companions echoed from above as they made their way down.
A small chasm separated Luigi from the opposite wall, and an eerie rotating sound emanated from the other side, resembling the churning of gears growing faster and faster. Suddenly, Luigi recognized the source of the sound—a gray-robed Snifit emerged from the darkness on the opposite side. The Snifit threw its arms wide and shouted, "HAIKANKOU O SHINU TAME NO JIKAN!" Like a machine gun, the Snifit fired bullets in Luigi's direction, but he rolled to the side just in time. Mario landed behind the Snifit and hoisted it above his head. The mechanical whirring sounds ceased, and the Snifit coldly stated, "Fool me once, shame on thee; fool me twice, shame on me." It then went motionless, and Mario tossed it into the abyss below. Princess Peach and Toad landed beside Luigi. Concerned, Toad asked, "Are you okay?" Luigi nodded, and they turned to Mario, who pointed downward.
Luigi seized the key and leaped into the purple chasm, swiftly descending past the familiar features of the factory. Phanto pursued Luigi relentlessly, narrowly grazing Princess Peach's dress in its pursuit. Despite Phanto's persistent efforts, the four heroes safely landed on a floor made of blue bricks. A locked door stood before them, and Mario crossed his arms as Phanto loomed overhead. There was no more room for retreat. An air of defiance emanated from the group, as they no longer feared the red and white mask above. With determination, Luigi inserted the key into the door, and as the lock unlatched, the Phanto remained silent for a moment. Then, in a surprisingly endearing tone, it stated, "Luigi, you may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try." Luigi found himself momentarily awestruck, struggling to find the right words to respond, but the Phanto vanished seconds later. The four entered the door.
Before them stretched a large room, filled with levitating girders patrolled by Sparks. The floor below was lined with razor-sharp spikes. The four skillfully hopped from girder to girder, progressing to an area with several more levitating platforms. A Tweeter bounced toward them, calmly remarking, "You should have listened to the Shyguy." Each member of the group deftly sidestepped the peculiar creature, which moved past them as if on a predetermined path. Mario led the way, leaping from girder to girder, evading Snifits and deftly maneuvering around Sparks.
The quartet reached a lengthy hallway where two Ninjis charged at them. Each Ninji had a deep, menacing voice, with one of them warning, "No one enters Master Mouser's domain." But the Ninjis' attacks proved futile, as Luigi grabbed one and Toad seized the other. Both were thrown into each other, causing them to vanish. At the end of the hallway, a Hawkmouth opened, and the four entered. Descending into a room with red and orange brick walls, they noticed one side that appeared weakened and decayed. Mario plucked a vegetable leaf from the brick floor, only to discover a hidden bomb beneath. He swiftly tossed it towards the fragile wall, and an explosion followed, scattering bricks and rubble across the floor. The quartet moved through the opening, shrouded in smoke. Another room lay beyond.
Luigi looked up and glimpsed the glint of a pair of dark sunglasses. "Hello?" he ventured to the being. The others turned their attention to the figure hidden within the smoke, who then stepped forward, revealing itself to be a life-sized mouse with dark sunglasses. "I am Mouser, General of this world," he proclaimed. As the dissipating smoke unveiled the scene, Mouser stood atop a burgundy platform suspended in mid-air. He exuded an air of calm, confidence, and unwavering resolve as he remarked, "If you've come this far, you've overcome my most formidable soldiers, the Snifit and Phanto." Luigi touched his chest briefly, nodding in agreement, and said, "Yes, they were indeed challenging adversaries." The mention of his soldiers in the past tense stoked Mouser's anger, prompting him to retort, "WERE!?" He reached back, conjuring a pixilated bomb that materialized into reality. "Wait, hold on a second, we—" Princess Peach began to speak, but the battle had already commenced.
Mouser hurled a bomb toward Luigi, who swiftly evaded the explosive projectile. Mario raced behind Luigi, seizing the bomb and returning it with precision. The bomb struck the burgundy platform, causing a bright explosion and forcing Mouser to his knees. A tear in his thick-skinned chest revealed a glimmering substance that spilled out, shimmering with Mouser's reflection. "I am the General of Worlds One and Three," Mouser uttered, his breath labored. "You are four, but we are many. Prepare yourselves!" Mouser reached back for another pixelated bomb that took form in his hand. "Do you genuinely believe in what you're doing here!?" Mario shouted, seeking to reason with his foe. Mouser responded cryptically, clearly in pain, "What are we doing here, Mario?" He lobbed the bomb at the quartet, who scattered in different directions. The ensuing explosion sent shockwaves throughout the room, lighting it up with brilliant colors.
Suddenly, Princess Peach leaped onto the platform amid the falling debris and rubble. She expressed remorse, saying, "I'm sorry," and hurled one of the shiny bombs back at Mouser, causing it to explode at point-blank range. The room fell silent, and the smoke began to clear. "Get off the platform, Princess!" Mario shouted. Mouser lay wounded once again, his thick skin marked by additional lacerations. A crack ran down the front of his sunglasses, and they fell to the floor, revealing his eyes. Mouser struggled to stand, appearing unsteady and shaken. Princess Peach stepped back, surprised that he could still move. "I won't let you reach Triclyde," Mouser declared, his tone uncharacteristically noble.
He reached back with his right hand and raised his left foot, conjuring another pixelated bomb. "Mouser, listen to us!" Luigi implored, but it was too late. Mouser began raining bombs down faster than before. The ensuing explosions reverberated through the room, causing the entire factory to tremble. Mouser attempted to step backward but inadvertently bumped into a fizzling bomb at his feet. He turned to see Toad jumping off his platform. Anticipating what was about to occur, Mouser tightly closed his eyes. A brilliant explosion followed, filling the entire factory with light. As the smoke cleared, the four heroes found Mouser lying against the far wall, grievously wounded. The glittering material pooled around him. Mouser's breathing had become shallow, and he seemed unable to move his limbs.
"Nice shot…" he calmly acknowledged Toad, who wore a solemn expression. Princess Peach and Toad knelt beside him, tears welling in the princess's eyes. She asked, "Why wouldn't you just stop?" Mouser struggled to speak, responding, "We can't…stop. This isn't me…this isn't who I am…" The room was filled with a solemn silence. A faint melody played in the distance, and a door suddenly materialized in the center of the room, allowing sunlight to stream in and illuminate the dusty surroundings.
"Fix… the Dream Machine," Mouser whispered. Toad leaned in to hear him better, the gravity of his words sinking in. Mario and Luigi observed in silence. "We will meet again in World Three," Mouser added, before gradually fading away.
Phanto's quote is from Beverly Sills.