Rocks were flying everywhere, butterflies were fleeing, the atmosphere was windy.. and a cyclone was crashing down.
This despair inducing event was a spacequake. A big tragedy that killed 150 million people and erased continents.
But that was the same day that the Mushroom Kingdom suffered too. As if the vortex was a time portal. 30 years later, Bowser became a Spirit.
The Mushroom Kingdom was incinerated. And he laughed.
The most uniconic duo must form their bond once more...
...an alarm was ringing annoyingly. Shido sleepily hit the snooze button. This was a day-off... so he could relax. Except a house-shaking explosion fully got him up. "Huh? What was that?!"
Shido ran outside the balcony, accompanied by Mario. They both saw the smoke raising from the Spirit Mansion.
"Mama-mia! It's a new-a threat!" Mario screamed. They ran. They burst through the door.
"Tohka! What's wrong?!" Shido shouted.
"Sh-Shido..." Tohka was quivering. "Sorry.. I dirtied the notes I borrowed from you..."
"What?"
"When I thought you would hate me for it.. I'm sorry..." Tohka cried more, unleashing purple Spirit energy.
"It's alright, Tohka! I won't hate you for something like that!"
The energy stopped. "R-really?"
"Yeah, really."
Mario breathed a sigh of relief. Until they got a chilling feeling from a few rooms across by a sudden ice burst. They ran across the room and belted into the bathroom.
"Yoshino!"
Yoshino was in a bath towel, pointing toward her bath. "Sh-Shido... Yoshinon.. is.." Stuck in a bath drain. "Yoshinon.. Yoshinon..." The bath water (thankfully not gamer girl bath water) was freezing more and more.
"Calm down, Yoshino! If it freezes anymore, I won't be able to save Yoshinon!" Shido dipped his hand in the water, realised it was freezing cold, and then yanked out Yoshinon from the drain. It landed straight on Yoshino's hand.
"Heey, Shido! Thanks for saving me, as usual!"
"T-thank you very much, Shido..."
Mario breathed a sigh of relief... and then another explosion! Mario ran but tripped over a wet floor. Somebody hadn't cleaned up recently.. Shido ran ahead.
"Sorry, Shido! This time I spilled the kinako.."
"It's alright! That's not gonna make me hate you!"
"Hey! Come on! Wipe-a this floor! There's-a way too much going on!" Mario complained.
Origami quivered her lips slightly as she was awaiting punishment for what she did to Efreet.
"We will be taking action against Origami Tobiichi."
Surprisingly, Ryouko defended her. "Please wait! That's-!"
Just then, a man and a woman walked in. The most notable one, the man, had a dark suit with a white tie and ash-spiky hair. "Oh, is this a bad time?"
"Mr. Westcott?!"
The man's creepy grin widened.
Kotori was lecturing Shido again. "I'm always telling you to be careful because Spirit power returns to Spirit if they become emotionally unstable! It's because you slept in that this whole thing happened." Kotori lectured him while he was putting away plates.
Shido yawned. "Give me a break. I was up late studying for my tests last night." He yawned again.
"I still have work to do, so I'm heading out first. Make sure you spend time with those two since you actually have a day off. And don't forget the intercom. Just in case."
"But I have to study... besides, our school trip is coming up, so I have to get ready."
Tohka, of course, misheard this information. "Sugar tripnut?! Is it sweet?!"
"Uh.. no.. it's not sugar.."
Kotori started to walk away. "Anyway, I'm counting on you."
In the nearby estate of AST...
"...that's good to hear, Origami!" Two other people were talking to Origami.
"It's a miracle that you got off with a two-month suspension after all you did."
Origami blatenly replied. "I agree."
"...but, why did such an important person at DEM help you?"
Origami's emotions didn't change.
Everyone was eating dinner at the Itsuka household. Shido got a message from Origami to meet her outside.
Shido stood up. Tohka took notice. "What's wrong, Shido?"
"Nothing, just going shopping for a bit. What do you want for lunch?"
Yoshino quietly raised her hand "Oyakodon..."
"I'll go with you, Shido." Tohka insisted.
"It's all right. Take your time eating breakfast. I'll be right back."
"See you later, then!"
"Hey, Yoshino!" Yoshinon spoke up. "It's time for our favourite soap opera!" After hearing that, Yoshino looked at the TV, and changed channels from a weather warning featuring two hurricanes, and then the drama soap opera appeared.
"Are you really leaving?"
"Yeah. I'm tired of my life with you."
Shido went out the front door and saw Mario and Luigi. "Oh, you guys out too?"
"Yeah." Mario nodded. "We got a mysterious message asking-a us to go to a specific location."
"Sounds fishy." Shido thought. "Will you be alright?"
"I'm not a child, Shido." Mario huffed.
"He is on the inside!" Luigi added and then laughed. Mario elbowed him to shut up.
Shido looked to the side, noticing Origami. "Uuuh... I'll talk to you guys later."
Everyone waved at Shido their goodbyes as he approached Origami.
Mario chuckled. "So... let's-a-go to this specific location!"
Everyone nodded, as they set off while Shido was awkwardly talking to Origami.
Meanwhile, in a place far away from the main group, a certain young Koopa and a certain blue wizard were roaming the streets.
"Lord Junior, I understand the curiosity, but this doesn't seem safe..." The blue wizard was Kamek, and he was following (slowly) a very energetic young Koopa, despite having been defeated mere episodes ago.
"Nonsense! We'll find Papa and THEN we'll trounce Mario together!" Junior jumped around.
"Hmm?" A mysterious figure perked up, in a dark and edgy cloak. "Did I hear about the famous hero Mario?" Surprise surprise, this figure had a female voice.
Bowser Jr. and Kamek turned to the voice. "Yeah?" Junior spoke up. "None of your business."
The figure lifted her head up, revealing her face. She had brown hair, and two golden eyes that beamed down in front of the two, The girl reeked of strange energy, and Kamek got a whiff of that energy, seeing as he reflexively got in front of Junior to protect him.
"That's close enough, young woman..." Kamek was alert.
"What, do I come off as THAT untrustworthy?" The figure pouted childshly.
"You do." Kamek was not fooling around.
The figure sighed. "Never mind." Suddenly, the streets emptied out, as it was just Junior, Kamek, and the figure.
"Hey, edgy lady! What's your name!" Junior shouted.
The figure smiled. "What if I don't tell you?"
"What's your name?"
"I just said-"
"What's your name?"
"Stop th-"
"What's your name? Huh? Huh huh?"
"Hey! I'm t-"
"Heeeey! What's your naaaame?!"
"Okay, fine! Fine! I'll tell you!" She wheezed heavily. She pulled down her cloak.
There was a young-looking woman, with her brown hair all over the place. Wild brown hair to complement her appearance. A fancy tophat perched on her head. And finally, her outfit seemed to be that of the Steampunk era, with browns and golds and not much else.
"Just call me Aiana." The figure did a cutesy bow, now that her outfit had been revealed to be a Steampunk-era royal dress.
"I assume you're not like the Spirits?" Kamek raised a brow.
"No, no. I come from the future." Aiana just smiled.
"You're weird, even for this world's standards." Junior also raised a brow.
"I'm frequently told." She kept smiling.
"Anywho, what's your dealio with Mario?" Junior suddenly got serious.
"He'll be meeting me soon." She breathed. "But let me just say... the wrath of Mio will be your turnaround to become good guys."
"Good guys?" Junior was curious.
"Mio?" Kamek was curious.
Aiana walked forward to Junior and handed him a pocket watch. "Keep this. When all things fail, you will be teleported back here."
"All things fail?" Junior was confused. "You are acting like you rule time or something."
Aiana giggled. "Who says I don't?"
Junior sighed. "It's cuz you said you're from the future and I don't buy that one bit."
She also sighed. "Very well. Don't cry to me when Mio, Spirit or Arian come tearing you apart."
Kamek was confused at two more names. "Spirit? Arian?"
Aiana shrugged. "Well... uh... yeah. There's a spiritual spirit named Spirit. Talk about consistency."
"I'm-"
"Ssshhh.. You'll fight Mario real soon. Be prepared." Aiana put her hand on Junior's shoulder.
"Hey! Stop that!" Junior pointed. "That's well over uncomfortable!"
Aiana just smiled. "One last thing. The one who gave Bowser that power... Isn't who you THINK it is."
...and then she was gone.
"..."
"Welp." Kamek broke the silence. "I told you sticking together was a good thing."
"Y-yeah... Let's... keep this pocket watch, hmm?"
"Agreed."
Bowser absorbed the Sephira Crystal, and then became Efreet.
That much is fact.
But was it really his fault?
He turned into a mass murderer with flame powers...
...because he was desperate.
Desperate for a chance to change history.
Kurumi could've stopped Bowser, but she didn't. Something bigger was coming.
But when Bowser went out to destroy Mario and change his fate... he only sealed it.
One often meets their destiny on the road they take to avoid it.
Bowser Jr. was just walking down a quiet street district with Kamek. No luck so far...
Until they saw citizens fleeing. Junior got childish. "Gwah hah! Roooar!" He scared them off with his childish roars... until he felt vibrations in the earth. Junior and Kamek quickly got punted aside to a lower district.
"Huh?" Kamek was confused and then he looked up. There...
He saw a familiar face. A giant dragon turtle monster, having a flame aura, stomping around the upper district. He staggered his movements as he made his way down the town. Then, after a few minutes of staggering, he was out of sight.
Junior peeked from the shadows. "Was that... papa...?!"
"That was Lord Bowser." Kamek was just as as surprised as Junior, sporting the same shocked face as Junior did. The chaos that this one area had in three districts.
Shido chasing Tohka in one...
Bowser stomping down in another...
and then Junior and Kamek taking cover in the third one.
"He seems different somehow..." Kamek pondered.
"Yeah, I bet it's the flames." Only NOW Junior was getting smart.
Then they heard the worst thing to happen. A SPACEQUAKE ALARM.
"Huh? What's that noise?" Junior was completely innocent to it.
"I don't know, Lord Junior, but there was a schoolboy chasing a glowing purple girl." Kamek pointed to Tohka, who was running to the park.
"Aaah... right! Do the sirens mean anything?"
"Probably noth-"
"WAIT, SCHOOLBOY?!" Junior was furious.
"Tohka!" Shido finally caught up to Tohka in the park. Tohka was wearing her Astral Dress, presumably due to being upset.
"Shido...?" Tohka turned to Shido. "How did you know...?"
"How could I not know?" Shido asked. "This is the place where we had our first k-" That's right, this is the park where Shido sealed Tohka. It had been fixed since her last rampage, but looks like she's about to cause another.
"Do you want it back that badly?!" Tohka interrupted him and Shido saw his suitcase next to Tohka.
"What...?"
"You're going, no matter what...?"
"Going WHERE?"
"You don't have to pretend!" Tohka shouted. "I know everything! If you say you're going no matter what..." She stomped her foot and the throne of Sandalphon instantly rose with the suitcase on it's seat. She went up and grabbed the sword from the throne, then pointed it at Shido. "Then you can go once you have defeated me!" She declared.
"What are you TALKING about, Tohka? I'm not going anywhere!" Shido started to shout back.
"Wh-what?!"
"There's no way I could! I still have to make dinner for you and Yoshino! And I still have tests to study for!"
"But... aren't you tired of being with me?" Tohka was confused.
"I didn't say anything like that."
"But then what's this box?" She turned to Shido's suitcase. "This is the goodbye box that means we can't be together anymore! You brought this with you when you met Origami!"
"That's not how it is." Shido kept a stern tone. "That is the suitcase I'm going to go on the school trip with you next week."
"W... with me...?"
Shido relaxed his angry face and turned it into a smile. "Yeah. With you."
"Then, does that mean you're not tired of being with me? It's okay for us to be together, right?!"
"Of course."
Tohka kept pointing Sandalphon at him. She lowered it. Shido saw this as a sign of peace and slowly walked towards her. As he did, purple energy was flowing around Tohka. They then sent a shockwave after Shido. He panicked a bit as he got hit. He fell down.
"SHIDO! Are you okay?!" Tohka yelled.
"What's happening...?!" Shido was confused.
At that point, a certain plumber reached the top. Shido turned. "Mario?! Where have you been?!"
"Where have-a YOU been, Shido?!" Mario was sweating.
"Long story, tell you later."
"Ah... What's-a wrong with Tohka?" Mario turned, which Tohka was still glowing.
"I don't know!" Tohka screamed. "What is this? I'm not doing anything!" Shido had scars and cuts on his face.
"I know... I'm sorry, Tohka..." He got up and trudged to Tohka. Every time he took a step, a blasting wave of spirit mana came to attack him. It eventually knocked away Mario's hat.
"My hat!"
"Get it!" Shido yelled. "I'll get Tohka!" Shido walked towards Tohka. More mana waves came.
"Shido! Stop! Don't come any closer!" The mana waves were cutting and scarring Shido's clothes. Tohka kept yelling at him to stop.
"Don't say that!" Shido had pure determination to keep going. "Wait for me. I'll DEFINITELY make it to where you are!"
Tohka gasped as Shido kept approaching her.
"I'm the one who made you anxious."
"Even after promising I would always accept you..."
"I couldn't ease your worries..."
"So at least... At least...!"
"Shido.." Tohka called out.
"Take my hand! I'll promise it'll be alright this time!" He reached out his hand for her to take. Tohka was speechless as she reached back for him. At that point, the Spirit Mana basically exploded, and Shido was sent high up into the air.
"SHIDO!" Mario called out.
Shido didn't even scream. He kept reaching out his hand, while still being launched into the air. He opened his mouth, but not a scream surfaced. Tohka was speechless too. She reached back for him, dropping Sandalphon. Using the exploding Spirit Mana, she propelled herself into the air, still reaching out. Eventually, after enough reaching, they clasped hands again. They span around within the air, Spirit Mana circling them as they held hand-to-hand. But hand-holding would have to wait, as Shido immediately kissed Tohka to reseal her. All the spirit mana gathered and eventually dispersed, leaving Tohka to her average, everyday clothes. They floated down, sunset filling the city like it did when they had their first kiss.
"Well, I suppose you found-a your knight in shining armor?" Mario chuckled lightly, getting his hat back.
"Yeah..." Tohka's smile widened. "I have my Mario."
A certain demon was stomping down the districts, the night getting darker. "Gwaaargh." The beast roared. "I will get revenge on Mario..." This beast was Bowser, the flame spirit Efreet taking over his body at this point, with no rational thought behind those blood red eyes. "I'm also hungry. Maybe I'll chow down later." Bowser then felt a rumble. "Huh...? Who dares interrupt me?"
Bowser looked up into the sky, some clouds splitting apart on their own. He detected it using his Spirit Power. An airship that's not his own.
"Oooh... Nice to meet you again, Isaac." He jumped onto the roof, slamming down with his fist to land on it. There, he saw a certain goth girl figure behind her with a nightmare red dress and twin black uneven twintails. Kurumi Tokisaki was here too.
"I knew I recognised Efreet." Kurumi didn't even turn back.
"You're hard to please." Bowser joked back. "What do you offer for happiness?"
"Shido's body." Kurumi smiled.
"I'll pass on that." Bowser grumbled. "I don't even know who this Shido is."
Kurumi's shadow retracted, for before, it had been used to suck out the time of unconscious people inside a building. "Ah, you only know Mario. I forgot he was in this world. I suppose that's her fault for opening the portal to our world, hmm?"
"Her?" Bowser's gazed narrowed.
As if to answer, a PRESENCE was behind them. Bowser and Kurumi turned to face it.
"How'd it go? With them?"
That glitchy voice rang through Bowser's ears. Bowser growled at the figure...
if you could even call it a figure. It's as if a chance of noticing it is bare minimum. As if it were just some noise, or glitch in a video game... but this glitch was intentional. A glitch figure. An unknown gender... an unknown pitch...
It was Phantom again.
"Not good." Both Bowser and Kurumi said.
"Have you given up on them?" Phantom kept a straight face, despite it's glitchy appearance.
"For Shido? Fufu... How could I? I need his power to use the Twelfth Bullet." Kurumi scoffed.
Bowser folded his arms. "As for me? I need to stop Mario. He gets in the way in my plans to incinerate the Mushroom Kingdom."
"Vile plans..." Phantom sighed. "But why does Kurumi want the Twelfth Bullet?"
"To travel back in time and meet the First Spirit. My plan is to kill it."
Phantom stiffened her cold face.
"And my plan?" Bowser chuckled. "My plan is to get rid of the ONE person who caused me to suffer with Efreet." Bowser threw a punch straight down at Phantom.
But the glitch was already gone.
"..."
"You." Bowser roared at the invisible Phantom. Vengeance was about to be served COLD.