Back in Cranky Kong's Palace as the sun sets, Mario and Luigi are covered in plasters and bandages as Mario and Luigi are being nursed by Peach and Pauline after their victory against Donkey Kong.
"Ow! That hurt." Luigi complained while his arm was getting wrapped up.
"Oh stop being a baby. At least you're wrapped up." Pauline said and then stood back up.
"Yeah, but still…"
"Oh cheer up, Luigi. We won, and that's something to be proud of." Mario pat Luigi's wrapped up arm, as Luigi yelps, picks himself up while thanking Peach. "How's Donkey Kong?" Mario asks Pauline.
"He's okay. Just baffled on why he lost to a couple of weak humans like you two." Pauline turns her head, worried that Donkey Kong is going to attack her little brothers.
A banging noise has caught four humans' attention, which appears to be Donkey Kong coming out of his room.
"Yeah! If these two bozos hadn't teamed up on me, then I would've won no problem!" Donkey Kong snapped as he showed himself bandaged by his head, his arm and his chest as well as having plasters on his face.
"DK, remember what I said about being nice?" Pauline warned calmly.
Donkey Kong groans as he sits down and pouts.
"Okay fine, congratulations for being the first to beat me, bushy faced bozos." Donkey Kong sarcastically sighed and turned his head towards Peach. "I mean, I get you and Pauline being positive with each other, but what about the Mario brothers?" Donkey Kong asked.
"Oh, Luigi is just a friend. As for Mario." Peach hugs behind Mario before revealing what the relationship between her and Mario was like recently. "We promised to go out on a date."
This creates a silent atmosphere as Pauline and Donkey Kong have witnessed the thing that is rarely told before.
"Oh yeah. Pauline, you remember how Peach had a crush on Mario when we were kids." Luigi assumed despite knowing their childhoods.
"WHAT!?" Pauline and Donkey Kong yelled at the same time, surprised to hear the news with a commoner of a plumber and a royal princess.
"Y- You're going on a date!? With an actual princess!? The one who rejected a lot of people!? How is that possible!?" Pauline gasped with surprise, realising that Mario did the impossible.
"There's no way! You're just saying that to drive anyone away, princess!" Donkey Kong is suspicious about Peach and Mario's relationship.
"Actually, Peach did make that promise and I accepted it." Mario explained while rubbing his face.
"A commoner really did it…" Donkey Kong is flabbergasted to see that Peach, a woman who's known for rejecting many princes, is actually dating a commoner like Mario, and an outsider like that.
"You lucky boy." Pauline smiles teasingly as well as she's proud to see her little brother getting the girl for the first time.
"He is THAT lucky! Not only did he beat me with his brother, but he got a royal girlfriend!" Donkey Kong sounded jealous after seeing what Mario's been doing.
"Am I really that lucky? All I did was get Peach to open up her truth about her past." Said Mario.
"Really? Tell us." Pauline sounds serious as she's curious to hear it.
Peach closes her mouth as she bites her lips and looks away from the bunch, knowing that it'll bring out the negative reaction like how it did with Mario and Luigi's past. "Well…"
Peach explains about her past and her life as a child as well as her hardship of being a princess, giving Donkey Kong the impression of banging the ground with his fist.
"WHAT!? You're a princess! You're the one who should be taking orders from your people, not the other way around!" Donkey Kong roars out of pure anger which alerts Pauline to grab Donkey Kong's arms.
"DK, calm down!"
"If that's true, then we're going to have a word with them." Luigi calmly said.
"From the looks of it, I can't blame her. It happened to us when we were young." Mario points out about himself, Luigi and Pauline.
The group fell silent, even Donkey Kong can see what's been going on that is similar to his father ever since he was a baby.
"Mario. Don't blame yourself because of your old man, he brought it on himself after what he did to my dad."
"Yeah. Way to cheer me up, Donkey Kong." Mario sighs as he slowly smiles.
"Well, Pauline did tell me to be nice." Donkey Kong admitted as he's reluctant on being nice to winners.
Before 4 humans and a Kong continue their discussion, Cranky Kong and Toad arrive with the medallion that is similar to the one that came out of Mario's pocket.
"Young Mario, young Luigi, do you have any involvement with the immortal kind?" Cranky Kong asks.
"I don't, but Luigi does." Mario answers while pointing his thumb at Luigi.
"Well, I have been thinking of where that medallion belongs ever since I was a baby." Luigi explained.
"Well, young Luigi, it is true that you actually have involvement with one of them. With Toad and I researching the oldest thing, I suggest you come with us." Said Cranky Kong.
"Wait. Let Mario and the others come with me. They need to know about these people too." Luigi pleads as he stops Toad and Cranky Kong from leaving the palace.
Cranky Kong can see Luigi's need for his friends and family's involvement which gives Cranky Kong the impression that Luigi himself is in need of help as much as Mario.
What he sees is a couple of plumbers who're determined to solve mysteries that's been asked for a couple of decades in their time, a woman who wants to seek her way out of this world, a princess that wants to change the world for the better, and his son who's starting to learn what these humans are teaching him, just like how he and his people taught them.
"Alright. All of you, follow me." Cranky Kong concludes while walking out first.
Mario, Luigi, Pauline, Peach, Toad and Donkey Kong are looking at each other and then follow Cranky Kong towards somewhere where Luigi needs to know.
At least they're leaving no one behind.
Unknown Temple
Marching together under the yellow sky, Cranky Kong is leading Mario's group and his son Donkey Kong, giving him the chance to teach them something new and interesting.
To the group's surprise, they see ancient paintings and text as well as worn out items and technology that seems to be ancient, giving Peach the impression that Cranky Kong not only borrowed the outside world's technology to create something in this world, but taken the old technology and renew them into something that is fresh and futuristic.
"This is the temple of the ancients, the oldest place in the Kong Village. I used these kinds of technology to cultivate and make something new and inspiring." Cranky Kong reveals the old technology that is left unused and was covered in moss for years.
"So, why is their technology old when it looks so advanced?" Peach asked.
"Simple, Princess Peach, these people are unpredictable, even I underestimated their intelligence, and I wasn't even born yet." Cranky Kong answers while admitting that he's also struggling to explain.
When the group are heading to another room, Luigi can see the text that is very foreign, even he along with those he's with are having a hard time understanding the language itself.
Cranky Kong clears his throat as a way to start a history lesson, giving Toad a chance to take notes on what the history of this medallion is coming from.
"Long time ago, there were humans that are of old. They're a peaceful species that always welcome those nonhuman to this world. One day a generation of koopas shows up as they're known as the devils as they strive to rule the world. The toadstools are the next generation as the humans are giving more and more species some intelligence and life. It starts with a code: MIYAMOTO. The numbers are the keys to unlock what you need."
"But Bowser has nothing to do with his ancestors." Peach points out.
"That is true, but his ancestry blood still lingers on as to why he wants to rule all kingdoms. With these humans, or the immortals, stopped ageing, they disappeared as they're nowhere to be found. What Luigi has encountered is one of the immortals that is trying to get him back to his biological parents. That's why the medallion is given to you." Cranky Kong tosses the medallion as Mario catches it.
"So, what medallion is this then?" Mario asked.
"The medallion you hold is called the 'Sunstar,' one of the rarest, if not the most powerful medallions worn by one immortal. Mario, Luigi, what you found, you're being hunted down. But keep hold of it. You might need it to return it for someone important." Cranky Kong concluded.
To Mario and Luigi, they have the answers they need, but are still in need of finding whoever raised Luigi a long time ago.
"But what does that have to do with Luigi's past?" Pauline asked.
"It does. You're seeing it right now." Cranky Kong points at Luigi himself, leading Luigi to look behind himself with surprise.
"I- Is it bad?" Luigi nervously asked.
"Good question. Nothing is chasing after you, so you're safe." Cranky Kong answers as it had Luigi sighing with relief.
"But I'm still keeping it for his safety." Mario puts the medallion, Sunstar, back in his pocket.
Luigi knows Mario is burdening himself to protect everyone again, even though it worries Luigi himself that Mario is hurting himself.
As Cranky Kong continues the tour, someone appears while sliding towards the group.
It's a monkey in a pink beret and a top, jumping out of desperation and then dives in front of Cranky Kong.
"They're here! They're here!"
"What? Who is it, Dixie?" Cranky Kong asked out of curiosity.
"The koopas! They're attacking our village! He also cut off our connections!" Dixie Kong yells as she reports an emergency to Cranky Kong.
This causes the group to gasp in shock after learning that Bowser is back and was out to get them.
"Oh dear… I knew he'd be here… Everyone, we need to get back to the village, right now." Said Cranky Kong.
"Yeah! Hurry!" Toad shouts as he leads the way out along with Mario, Luigi, Pauline, Peach, Donkey Kong, Dixie Kong and Cranky Kong.
At least they learned, but now Bowser is here to crash the peaceful village as a way of retaliation.
Outside at Kong Village, the buildings are set on fire, causing Donkey Kong to drop to his knees as he witnesses his fellow Kongs being on fire by Bowser's flames that are coming out of his mouth.
"No… Why?"
"Burn baby! BURN! GWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Cackling like a madman, Bowser is causing nothing but arson as his army smashes the resources the Kongs held for many years.
This had both Peach and Cranky Kong gasped with horror, realising Bowser doesn't care about other people but the princess and all he wants is power.
"How horrible…" Toad is feeling nothing but fear when Bowser was involved with any damages to the world itself.
"Why?" Luigi too feels the same way as Toad.
Before Mario retaliates any further, Peach pats Mario's shoulder and walks past him.
"Wait, Peach!" Mario can tell what Peach is doing.
"Princess! Don't! Don't come any closer to this monster!" Toad yelled as he warned.
What surprises Bowser is a heavy click on the heels as he stops his rampage, going from menacing to downright pathetic as he squeals like a creep who sees his favourite idol.
"Princess! I'm so happy that you-"
SPLAP!
To Mario, Luigi, Pauline, Toad, Cranky Kong and Donkey Kong's surprise is that Lord Bowser himself is on the receiving end of getting a slap on the face by the very woman he fell in love with.
"Stop this nonsense right now, Bowser! Why can't you understand that I said NO!?" Peach lets out a burst of anger as she tells Bowser her honesty.
"Ow… That felt good." Bowser said, enjoy being slapped by his future wife.
"Huh!?" Gasping, Peach had witnessed that this smile is not only creepy, but it's disgusting and disturbing to see someone smile and enjoy getting a slap to the face.
"What? You think I would cry and beg for mercy? Don't make me laugh, princess." Bowser chuckles as he approaches Peach, who is walking backwards out of fright.
Even his koopa army are surrounding Peach while preparing for her to move into the airship that Bowser had sent out as well as the drones that are pointing their cannons at those who're associated with the Kongs.
Before Bowser lays his claws on Peach, a slap on Bowser's hand intimidates him a little as he recognises the brunette in her pyjamas.
"Leave her alone, you monster." Pauline growls, defending Peach from Bowser's grasp.
"Oh? You're that girl Kamek thought he killed. It seems that our promise has been broken after all, Pauline." Bowser looks into Pauline's glaring blue eyes.
"Quiet! You're no better than my parents! I hope you disappear forever!" Pauline snapped, stopping Mario and the group after Pauline mentioned her parents.
"Pauline…" Luigi gasps with worry.
"Oh? Is that so? If that's the case, let us all reveal who you really are." Kamek laughs as he creates a barrier by blocking Mario, Luigi, Toad, Cranky Kong and Donkey Kong.
"No! Pauline!" Donkey Kong yelled while punching the barrier.
"What the!? What is this thing made out of!?" Mario shouted.
"It's… Hard, but it feels like water. Princess!" Toad is fighting as well as the guys who're outside as they're desperate to save Peach and Pauline.
Inside the barrier, Kamek is reading Pauline's childhood which has him gasping with surprise, even sharing some of the memories with Bowser as the three of them are reading Pauline's childhood.
"My lord, this child's memory… Can you read it?"
"Hm… Interesting. Open the barrier." Bowser orders as Kamek salutes as well as his koopa army.
"Yes, sir!" Kamek then makes the barrier disappear as he lets Bowser approach Pauline, who was left in shock as she fell to her knees.
"Well now, ain't that interesting. You're never raised by your family. That's why you ran away from your parents." Bowser chuckles and then frowns out of contempt. "You should think twice before comparing me to those cretins."
"Pauline… You're…" Mario already knows that she's adopted, but he never knew the reason behind it.
"Pauline was an innocent child. Her parents are neglectful and emotionally abusive. They made her do all the errands, clean up their mess, even babysitting the two of you when the plumbers' parents aren't home. All Pauline does is study, work, study, work and she's just a poor innocent child with no childhood, but filled with nothing but HATE!" Bowser exposed Pauline's past which shocks not only the Mario bros, but those around them as well.
In truth, Pauline never had a childhood to begin with which explains her lack of friends and hostility towards others around her as all she can rely on is her adoptive brothers.
"Pauline…" Peach approaches Pauline, only for Pauline to shiver.
"My father was neglectful because he only focuses on getting the money. And my mother forced me to do things that a child isn't ready to do. I'm not qualified to do these things…" Pauline revealed who her parents are as her tone is starting to get heavier and harsher.
Even Bowser pities the woman after what happened to her, even he admits to himself that he usually commits atrocities just for the princess.
"What now, my lord?" Kamek asks, worried that Pauline will lash out on her friends and family.
Bowser approaches Pauline, who was looking up, holding back her tears while still piercing a glare at him.
"Pauline, you really have a miserable beginning, but…" Bowser snatches the wand from Kamek and then points at one speck of dust coming out of Pauline's hand which causes her to gasp. "Kamek didn't use his magic to just incinerate you, but leave you to slowly fade into nothingness."
"What!?" Pauline has gotten from nervous anger to horrified, not knowing what's going to happen to her.
"Although, you as well as your brothers are a hindrance to my plan to rule the kingdoms, I think this'll be your fitting end." Bowser raises a snarl while grinning.
"What are you talking about!?" Toad shouted.
"A miserable beginning to a miserable life to a miserable ending. I'm giving Pauline a farewell gift to all of you." Bowser answered.
"Wow! That's genius, my lord!" Kamek rejoices, seeing Bowser actually playing smart for the first time.
As for Pauline, she knows she's on the receiving end of being erased from existence.
"NO! N- Not like this! I don't want this!" Pauline shrieked.
Mario and his group rushed towards Pauline who was slowly fading as her body became see-through.
"No… Please don't go, Pauline!" Luigi begged.
"Bowser…" Mario growled.
"Mario… Everyone… Nobody ever loved me! I never had a single praise! The only ones nice to me are my family, you, Luigi, mother and my friends Peach, Toad and DK… I'm glad… But why aren't I happy!? I never wanted it to end like this!" Pauline sobs while getting hugged by Mario and his group.
Pauline can feel nothing but dread and despair after realising that she's suffering fate worse than death, or maybe she's already dead.
"Because you're never alive to begin with. Goodbye, Pauline." Bowser swings Kamek's wand as he finally ends all this quickly.
"No! NOO-"
In the end, Pauline has vanished and what's left is her red dressing gown dropping to the ground as it caused Mario and his group to gasp in fright.
"PAULINE!" Mario and Donkey Kong yelled.
"No…" Toad gasps as he falls onto his knees.
"Bowser! You have gone too far!" Cranky Kong yelled out of anger.
Luigi is left in silence, knowing that even in this world, no one is safe.
This fueled up Peach's anger, no, rage as she herself turns around and approaches Bowser with a wish to harm those who took away her friend.
"Bowser…"
"So? How's my perfo- GAH!?" Abruptly asking, Bowser ends up getting his throat squeezed by Peach's hand that is filled with brute strength.
"L- Lord Bowser!" Kamek shrieked, knowing that he's unarmed by his king, giving Peach the advantage to threaten those who hurt her friends.
"Leave this place… NOW!" Peach explodes as she pushes Bowser to his army, leading his army to panic. "You too, magikoopa, if you want to be next." Peach growls as she becomes a very different person.
"N- No! Not at all, madam! Please don't hurt us!" Kamek begs while bowing.
What Bowser sees through Peach's eyes is not her, but someone else, giving Bowser the impression that he pushed the wrong button.
"L- Listen, Peach! I was doing you a service! How about we get married and then it'll all be over and done with!" Bowser makes a suggestion to not only save himself and his army, but to take advantage of Peach's naivety that's been going on for years.
"Actually, I'm taken." Peach points out without hesitating.
"Wait. You're what?" Bowser halts.
"That's right. I found a suitable partner to be with." Peach then approaches a devastated Mario, leading her to comfort him to her chest and soothe his loss for his older sister. "Mario and I have promised to go on a date with each other."
To Luigi, Toad, Donkey Kong and Cranky Kong's surprise, Peach is starting to build up her stubbornness from Mario as she refuses to give up.
If she hadn't met Mario, then she'd have lost by now.
This leads to Bowser and his army hollering out with laughter, knowing that Peach, a royal princess, can't be thinking about dating a commoner like Mario, assuming it's all just a joke.
But to their shock, Peach is being serious, knowing Bowser will be infuriated if he knows this.
But it's all true.
"YOU WHAT!? HIM!? B- But he's just a commoner!" Bowser exclaimed as anger quickly built up onto him.
"He may be a commoner, but he's actually far more understanding than you think! At least he treated me like a normal human being rather than some royal Queen!" Peach argues back, fueling Bowser up even more.
Bowser roars as fire bursts out of the sky, leading the group to flinch.
"When I get back and meet you in the Mushroom Kingdom, I won't hesitate to kill your fungus freaks as well as Mario. I'll stop when you marry me, Princess Peach Toadstool." Bowser makes a threatening growl and then marches back to his airship. "Koopa pack, let's return! I'm stressed out and I need a lie down!" Bowser orders as the army, including Kamek who got his wand back, salutes as they're frightened to see their king being absolutely enraged about what he heard.
"Y- Yessir!" The koopa army dashes back to the airship as it takes off, heading back to the Darkland, leaving the Kong Village to be left charred and most of the Kongs left alive, yet injured.
The sky is now Amber as the sun really sets.
The Kongs are getting wrapped up by Peach and Dixie Kong, leaving Mario, Luigi, Toad and Donkey Kong to sit down in silence, losing the one that Mario promised to bring back home.
Donkey Kong slammed his fist to the ground as he yelled.
"Why!? She was our friend! Why would Bowser do that to her!?" Donkey Kong's voice trembles as he lowers his head to the ground.
"It's okay, Donkey. But Mario and Luigi had it far worse than you think… Losing someone that cared for them when they were young. It kinda hurts watching your sister being taken away." Toad mourns the moment that losing someone close has impacted them.
Although Donkey Kong agreed, he still couldn't accept the fact that Pauline is gone.
It's even scarier when Peach's anger gets the best of her after how it also hits her in the heart.
After seeing Pauline's pitiful look, Toad couldn't help but be reminded of what his past was like.
To Toad's surprise, a first-aid kit was dropped to the ground, seeing as Peach's hands were shaking with fear coming back to her.
"Ah! Sorry, Miss. Tiny! I was just…"
"It's okay, princess, we're all scared. What Bowser did was what we all feared the most. We know he was going to do all this…" Tiny Kong, a Kong in a beanie, white top and pale blue trousers, said while patting Peach's shoulder.
After Tiny Kong left, back with Dixie Kong, who is her shorter but older sister, Tiny Kong waves as Peach waves back.
Then she shivers.
"Why? I was confident earlier… But now… I'm scared. Pauline…" Peach weeps while shivering as she can't do anything to protect everyone in this world.
Approaching behind is Mario as he sits down next to Peach, knowing that his future is grim and was unable to protect those he loved.
"Mario?"
"Peach. Don't hate yourself because of what Bowser did. What he did to Pauline is unforgivable." Mario sounded calm while saying something that is not even what a calm person would say. "I didn't know what Pauline's life was like either. Now I heard it all… These people are no better than my old man. It's all my fault that I've been so stubborn."
"No, Mario. It's not your fault… It's mine." Peach laughs bitterly.
"Don't say that! You know I can't do anything right!" Mario snaps as tears are finally releasing out of his eyes.
"But, Mario…" Peach is about to break as her tears are hitting the ground.
"Neither of you are at fault. What Bowser did earlier is very wrong and he should be held accountable for this. Young Mario, Princess Peach, you two know what makes you happy. Don't let Bowser take away your dreams. So turn that frown upside-down and make sure you save your kingdom from the koopa kingdom." Cranky Kong said calmly while rubbing Mario and Peach's tired eyes as well as rubbing away the tears from the two of them.
"The chief's right, bro. If Pauline wants us to keep going like you usually do, then we mustn't give up hope." Luigi sounded serious this time while rubbing his tired eyes.
Despite being shown with nothing but dull, hollow and empty eyes, Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad are standing back up, never to give up for Pauline.
Then Peach turns around and looks at Cranky Kong with seriousness.
"Chief, I'd like to make a proposal." Peach said.
"Oh? And what might that be then, Princess?" Cranky Kong is curious to hear it.
"Since Mario and Luigi won the battle, it's only fair that we want you to come with us to the Mushroom Kingdom. We need the toads' to collaborate with you." Peach pleads.
With the Kongs looking at each other with surprise, Cranky Kong knew this was going to happen.
"Princess… You saved us. You and your friends. So to return the favour, I'll accept your proposal to go back to your kingdom." Cranky Kong accepts the offer, leading Mario, Luigi, Peach and Toad to feel a little hope coming back to them. "Everyone! We are now temporarily a part of the Mushroom Kingdom's army! We must go forth and make it there before Bowser does!"
"Heck yeah!" One of the Kongs cheered.
"Finally! No more oppression!"
"We'll no longer fear the monsters!"
As many Kongs are cheering, calling for action, Luigi patted both Mario and Peach's arms, giving them the confidence to fight back.
After that Mario hugs Peach, giving her comfort after the overwhelming amounts of fear she felt for years.
"Don't worry, Peach. I'll protect you no matter what. Luigi and I will do our best for you."
"Mario… Luigi… Thank you!" Peach hugs the twins while crying with joy, glad that she has those two taking care of her which comes after Pauline's care for the Mario bros.
"It's okay. Together, we'll make it out alive." Luigi nods while hugging back.
Toad smiles as he sees the trio comforting each other, glad that everything is going a little more positive.
"Tomorrow. We'll teach those mushrooms a lesson for what they're doing to their own princess." Donkey Kong sighs while eating a banana.
"Yeah. The authorities are difficult to reason with and Peach is our only hope to change the kingdom for the better. We'll avenge Pauline, don't you worry, Donkey." Toad is eating a banana with Donkey Kong.
"Thanks, Toad."
Tomorrow, a race to the Mushroom Kingdom is imminent as it gives the Kongs a chance to visit the toads and Peach to return to warn the kingdom about Bowser.
The time is nigh for the whole village to prepare themselves and rest.