"Where issa my hat?" Mario cried. "Where did-a it go? I can no find it anywhere!"
The Italian Plumber's high-pitched voice was filled with worry. He clasped his hands to the sides of his head - where his messy brown hair was in full display. Mario was missing his beloved red cap. He had searched his house for it all day to no avail. It was most unusual for this iconic figure to be seen minus his iconic hat.
"I can no go anywhere without my cap!" Mario wailed. "So who-a stole it?"
A frown crossed the plumbers moustached face. He directed it towards the crowd gathered before him - which was made up of his friends and enemies.
"Did-a you steal my hat, Luigi?"
"No a-way, Mario!" Luigi replied, pointing to his own green cap on his head. "I no need your hat when have I my own one to wear!"
"Did-a you steal my hat, Peach?"
"No, Mario." Peach answered softly. "I would never steal your hat from you."
"Did-a you steal my hat, Toad?"
"Nuh-uh, Mario." Toad pointed to his large mushroom head. "Your little hat is too small for me, no matter how small I am!"
"Did-a you steal my hat, Bowser?"
"Why would I take your stupid hat, Mario?!" Bowser glared. "I don't need a reminder of you around my castle!"
"Did-a you steal my hat, Donkey Kong?"
"Ooh!" DK only made ape noises with a shake of his hairy head. "Ooh ooh ooh!"
"Did-a you steal my hat, Yoshi? In fact, did-a you eat it?!"
"Belch" Yoshi burped, confirming he had indeed eaten recently - before chirping to confirm he hadn't eaten his owner's hat. "Yoshi!"
"Face-a it, Mario," Luigi said. "Nobody a-here has your hat!"
"Then…" Mario scratched his head - with no cap to removed first. "Where issa my hat?!"
"Look! It's-a me, Mario!"
Mario froze. His ears perked up to hear his own catchphrase being quoted in a mocking voice. Having a feeling he recognised who it belonged to, he slowly turned around - and his jaw instantly dropped as his eyes widened.
There was his beloved hat, being worn by the very culprit that had stolen it - who should've been obvious from the start.
"I might've known it wassa you…" Mario fumed. "Sonic!"
Sure enough, Sonic the Hedgehog was standing there. The blue hedgehog was wearing Mario's red cap on his head with a mischievous smirk on his face that he directed to his lifelong rival.
"I jump-a down pipes all day a-long!" Sonic said, doing a poor imitation of Mario's voice. "All while wearing this-a stupid hat!"
Mario clenched his teeth. He was outraged over how Sonic was mocking him. Nobody got to make fun of him like that - and certainly nobody got to steal his precious hat. Least of all the hedgehog he despised.
"Gimme my hat!" he roared, leaping towards his spiky foe.
Sonic leaped out of the way, easily dodging Mario's attack at his supersonic speed. He shot off, running away as fast as he could, still wearing the plumber's cap. "Catch me if you can, Mario!"
Mario stayed where he was. He made no attempt to chase after the blue hedgehog. He knew he would never be able to catch up to Sonic.
There was no need to.
With a smirk spreading underneath his moustache, Mario reached into the pocket of his overalls. He pulled something out before hurling it towards where Sonic was running.
It was a blue shell.
The brutal power-up which all racers in Mario Kart hated soared after Sonic. Not even the supersonic hedgehog could outrun this weapon that simply couldn't be avoided. It was soon looming over where Sonic was running, wiping away the cocky smirk on his face in an instant.
"Oh…" Sonic muttered, knowing what he was in for. "Nuts!"
The blue shell came crashing down onto Sonic. It let off a huge blast as it stopped the running hedgehog in his tracks. An enormous explosion filled the air - for the blue shell was making what one might call a Sonic boom.
"Mario number one!"
Mario punched the air as he let out his iconic cheer of victory. He was very pleased to have stopped his thieving rival and foiled his plans to steal his hat. He made his way over to where the blue shell had crashed down - finding an injured blue hedgehog laying on the ground, along with several golden rings he had just dropped - as well as the red hat he'd taken from him.
"Uuuuuggggghhhhh…" Sonic moaned weakly.
"Let-a that be a lesson to you, hedgehog!" The plumber declared, swiping up his beloved cap to place it where it belonged on top of his head. "No a-stealing Mario's hat!"
THE END