Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach descended from the Hawkmouth in Subcon World 1-3, arriving in a verdant expanse. The lush patch of grass surrounded them with picturesque landscapes—rolling hilltops, suspended logs, vases, and gentle waterfalls. A digitized voice resonated in their minds, declaring, "Welcome to Subcon, Land of Dreams. We have been cursed by Wart and are completely under his evil spell." Filled with determination, Mario led the charge, his companions closely trailing behind. After three swift leaps, they encountered a substantial log suspended between two hills, water cascading beneath it. Approaching from the other side of the log was a short and stout figure, adorned in red robes and a white mask—a Shyguy, one of Wart's ubiquitous foot soldiers. The heroes, now seasoned in their encounters with Shyguys, met the creature's warning with stoic silence.
Without hesitation, Toad seized a turnip from the grass and hurled it at the Shyguy, propelling the creature into the waterfall below. "Great work!" Mario exclaimed, brushing against a floating Starman as he descended from the log. Simultaneously, the mysterious digitized voice echoed once more in their minds, resuming its enigmatic message, "We have been awaiting your arrival." Upon the Starman's touch, Mario underwent a dazzling transformation, his attire ablaze with bright, shifting colors. Effortlessly, they navigated the landscape—leaping over hills and logs, dispatching Trouters, malevolent fish enlisted by Wart in his sinister army. Mario's invincibility, fueled by the Starman, made the quartet's progress swift and unhindered. As the luminous power subsided, they reached a lengthy hilltop, pausing in its shadow.
With an instinctive impulse, Luigi began excavating vegetables from the grass. The familiar digitized voice echoed again, delivering a cryptic plea: "Please defeat Wart and return Subcon to its natural state." Luigi's relentless digging revealed more than just sustenance; a Stopwatch emerged, freezing Wart's enemies in a momentary stasis. The Stop Watch's hands froze on its exquisite glassy dial, a moment suspended in time before its vanishing act. Mario, undeterred, pointed towards a looming brick building and declared with unwavering determination, "Forward, we're heading there!" The group pressed on, with Mario leading the charge.
Princess Peach executed a graceful leap over a pink-robed Shyguy, frozen mid-stride. Toad, ever vigilant, urged, "Hurry, that clock's about to run out!" The duo deftly navigated past three Ninjis and two Tweeters, encountering these once-peaceful Subcon fairies now enslaved to Wart's malevolent army. Ninjis were dark colored star like beings whereas Tweeters were non-flying birds bearing plague doctor masks. As the party approached the door to a massive brick structure, the digitized voice resonated once more, its calm assurance cutting through the urgency, "The curse Wart has put on you in the real world will not have any effect upon you here." The promise hung in the air, a reassurance as they ventured deeper into the heart of Subcon.
Mario scrutinized the door, a portal into the enigmatic expanse of Subcon, a realm adorned with countless doors, each concealing mysteries behind classic ring door knockers. With a deliberate turn of the knob, they entered, and the dimly lit interior unfolded before them—purple walls, metallic platforms, and iron chains swaying from the ceilings. "What is this place?" inquired the Princess, her curiosity piqued. Luigi, squinting upward and clutching his green cap, observed, "Looks like an old factory." A sudden stumble forced him backward, but Toad swiftly caught him. Mario, the ever-resilient leader, sighed and declared, "Nothing is ever easy. Let's head up." With that, they seized the numerous chains suspended above and commenced their ascent.
Amidst the clinking of metal and the echo of footsteps, the digitized voice resonated once again, delivering an urgent plea, "Remember, Wart hates vegetables. Please help us!" The cryptic message lingered in the air as they ventured into the heart of the factory. Toad cast a worried glance downward and voiced his concern, "I hope we won't need to backtrack." Mario, the first to reach the next level, gazed at a metal girder stretched before him. Gradually, a Shyguy emerged, adorned in pink robes, ready to challenge their intrusion, "This is King Wart's Realm, not yours! Get out!" Undeterred, Mario positioned himself on the girder, locking eyes with the Shyguy. "How about I pick you up by the mask and throw you off this girder?" he retorted, a challenge issued with unyielding determination.
"Mario, that's quite rude," Princess Peach interjected, her tone of diplomacy slicing through the tension. Nevertheless, without a moment's hesitation, Luigi dashed towards the Shyguy. With a swift leap, he landed on the Shyguy's head, leveraging it as a springboard to reach a stack of mushroom containers behind him. The Shyguy, now facing Luigi, ominously warned, "There are many more of us than you." Undeterred, Luigi tossed one of the mushroom blocks into the Shyguy's mask, sending him plummeting off the girder and into the depths below. The descent was accompanied by eerie silence, the absence of screams replaced only by echoes.
"Bravo, Luigi!" Princess Peach cheered, her admiration ringing through the metallic expanse. The quartet pressed on with their ascent through the factory, encountering and dispatching three basketball-sized electric beings known as Sparks. These entities, patrolling walls and ceilings, served as guardians in King Wart's domain. Eventually, they reached a door, signaling the culmination of their climb. One of the Sparks, gliding along its girder, nonchalantly remarked, "I can never leave this platform," before adding ominously, "...but you will never leave that door."
Toad clenched his teeth and defiantly addressed the Spark, stating, "We'll see about that." Mario swung the door open, and the quartet filed through. The door closed behind them with a resounding echo, the sound lingering in the lower recesses of the factory. Inside, Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Princess Peach were greeted by the sight of a body-sized key resting on a suspended girder. Another Spark glided silently along the girder, seemingly indifferent to their presence. Sinister red and white masks, the ominous Phantos, adorned the walls—a warning of King Wart's formidable guardians assigned to pursue those who dared to steal a key in his realm.
Princess Peach, with a touch of elegance, gracefully hopped onto the girder, the clack of her heels against the surface adding a refined cadence to the atmosphere. Her white-gloved hand rested on the key's surface as she 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, with Phanto in relentless pursuit. 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, gracefully slowing her descent until she landed safely on the very same girder where they initially entered. The princess had adapted to using her dress to float in this realm, among other newfound abilities discovered during their journey through Subcon. Tossing the key aside, she caused Phanto to vanish. A minute or so later, her companions joined her, and all four stared at the key, contemplating their next move.
"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, breaking the silence, Mario urgently exclaimed, "Go! Go! Go!" Phanto swiftly descended from above, materializing out of the darkness, its oval shadow casting eerie patterns on the floor and walls. Luigi nodded, carefully maneuvering himself over the girder to the levels below.
A red-robed Shyguy stood in Luigi's path, uttering solemnly, "You do not want to go any further down." Luigi's response was a bit timid but committed, "Sure I do!" With determination, he hurled the key into the Shyguy's trajectory, knocking him off the girder and into the abyss below. The green plumber caught his breath for a moment, but Phanto raced closer, ready to take him down. Undeterred, 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 Snifit emerged from the darkness on the opposite side. Bearing a black gas mask and gray robes, this was yet another foot soldier in Wart's army. Known to fire off bullets of bad dreams and talk in Japanese, the Snifit threw its arms wide and shouted, "HAIKANKOU O SHINU TAME NO JIKAN!" Like a machine gun, the Snifit fired shells in Luigi's direction, but he rolled to the side just in time. Mario landed behind the Snifit and, with a swift motion, hoisted it above his head. The mechanical whirring sounds ceased, and the Snifit coldly stated in English, "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 persistently, narrowly grazing Princess Peach's dress in its relentless pursuit. Despite the malicious mask's efforts, the four heroes safely landed at the bottommost level of the factory. A locked door stood before them, and Mario crossed his arms as Phanto loomed overhead. An air of defiance emanated from the group. With determination, Luigi inserted the key into the door, and as the lock unlatched, Phanto remained silent for a moment. Then, in a surprisingly endearing tone, it addressed Luigi, stating, "You lack confidence, but in reality, you're very brave." Luigi found himself momentarily awestruck, but the Phanto vanished seconds later. The four entered the door.
Before them stretched a large room, filled with levitating girders patrolled by Sparks and a spike-lined floor below. 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 on a predetermined and seemingly foolish path. Mario led the way, skillfully evading Snifits and 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." However, the Ninjis' attacks proved futile, as Luigi grabbed one, and Toad seized the other. With a coordinated effort, Luigi and Toad tossed the two Ninjis into each other, causing them to vanish. At the end of the hallway, a Hawkmouth slowly opened. Hawkmouths are eagle-faced masks found at the end of each level in Subcon, serving as a means of teleportation to other places in the World. After stepping through the Hawkmouth, each of the four suddenly found themselves descending into a room constructed of red and orange brick walls.
Mario observed that one wall of the room appeared weakened and decayed. He plucked a vegetable leaf from the brick floor, only to discover a hidden bomb beneath. Swiftly, Mario 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, a bit of fear in his voice. 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 pixelated 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 with a long jump. Mario raced behind Luigi, seizing the bomb and returning it with precision. The projectile 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, clearly in pain, "Go back to your worlds!" 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. The large mouse 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. A glittering yellow material pooled around him. In Subcon, all beings were constructed of brilliant, shimmery, and magical materials and Mouser was no different. The large mouse'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.
Peach inquired, "Why couldn't you just stop?" Mouser struggled to articulate, whispering, "We can't... stop. This isn't me... this isn't who I am..." A heavy silence settled in the room, accompanied by a distant, melancholic melody. Suddenly, a door materialized at the room's center, permitting a cascade of sunlight to pierce through and reveal the dusty surroundings. In Subcon, doors manifest under specific conditions, such as the shattering of a magic potion or, in this instance, the defeat of a World General.
"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.