At the moment, the illustrious King Daddledingo regained a familiar feeling. In a world full of chaos, moral corruption and the many other flaws of man, the urge of light hearted entertainment is always sought after. King Daddledingo found it a perfect opportunity to partake in the perfect symbol of lighted fun, Tomodachi Life.
However, fate and very shitty business decisions on Nintendo's end had different plans. Undeterred by the march of time and shrewd business men, King Daddledingo used his reality-warping abilities to weave his own simulation of the game. With a snap of his regal fingers or flippers or whatever the fuck they are, he conjured a sprawling island paradise identical to Tomodachi Life, its shores kissed by azure waves, and its air tinged with the promise of whimsy. This would be his personal haven, a realm of simulation and mirth where he could play the overseer beyond the gaze of any potential guests.
With an air of mischief, the island was left barren, a canvas awaiting the vibrant strokes of life. His next move was to dispatch ethereal invitations, each carrying the essence of charm and allure. Through the unseen corridors of reality, these missives found their way to the unsuspecting souls who would soon become denizens of the fantastical world King Daddledingo had envisioned.
And so, the stage was set. King Daddledingo, hidden in the shadows of omnipotence, awaited the arrival of his guests to the island.
As the island experienced its first sunrise, the sands began to rumble. A large pipe made of glass emerged from the sands, the sun's light creating a rainbow of colors as it hit the mysterious new object. Sounds of squeaking and air echoed through the massive pipe and became progressively louder till a man shot out of the tube into the air. The short, stubby man braced for impact and landed hard on the sands. The red capped man was none other than Super Mario who once got his footing on the shores, exclaiming "Mamma mia!
The lush landscape unfolded before him, offering a vibrant canvas for potential adventures. He walked through the thick green of the island's jungle. Something was off however. Mario inspected some odd holes in the terrain. They were. Perfect squares? The edges were uncannily sharp like they were perfectly cut out by a knife.
A soft whirr passed the plumber's head. Just narrowly dodging with his quickly reflexes. The arrow punctured one of the trees nearby. The arrow looked nothing like Mario's seen before. He quickly turned his head into the direction of the shot. However, he was only met with a dozen more arrows. Mario jumped to avoid one of the arrows. He then side stepped to avoid another and then jump-kicked against a tree to avoid two more. Mario ducked under another arrow, making his hat comically remain airborne as the projectile grazed Mario's hair.
Mario had enough as he grabbed his airborne hat and grabbed an arrow mid air. With an angered pour, he snapped the body of the arrow. He then saw an odd, cubic bush looking like it was housing something.
Mario, with a powerful push off the grass below, went airborne with a mighty jump. He readied a meteor punch. Ready to smash whatever was attacking him. He punched through the bush. His hand hitting nothing but air as he saw his arm was in another cube hole.
In the distance, Mario heard the soft crunching of grass and turned. Mario saw a figure emerge. Which looked… completely made of blocks. The new entity with an unblinking stare on his pixelated face held a sword in its hand. For a moment, a mutual culture shock seemed to hang in the air. Mario held his hands up and away from his body to try and look friendly as it seemed he startled the block man. However, the man eyed him as if Mario was some sort of eldritch horror beyond his comprehension.
The blockman slashed at Mario but the plumber dodged the slash. Then another slash came at Mario's side, which Mario jumped over. Another slash came from above with a grunt of effort. Mario quickly clasped his hands together and caught the sword between his gloved palms. The blockman finally emoted. His square pupils went narrow with surprise. The block man took a block of dirt and threw it in Mario's face.
"Eeeep!" Mario squeaked as he got dirt in his eyes. The block man tried to stab Mario with the tip of his pixelated sword but Mario instinctually stepped out of the perceived line of fire. Side stepping against the stabbing move. Once Mario wiped the dirt out of his eyes with his sleeve, he let out an angered huff.
Mario jumped at the blockman, using his palm to shove him back. The man stumbled into a tree. The block man tried to launch another arrow but Mario rolled under it and lunged at him. Mario grabbed him by his shirt and pinned him against the tree. However, the man drew his sword and slashed at Mario again. Mario barely dodged the sneak attack but had his hat knocked off.
Mario huffed angrily and his face contorted. The blockman pulled out a rectangle shield about the size of his body. Mario then jumped up and kicked the shield. The blockman tried to stand his ground but the sheer force of Mario's drop kick cracked the shield and sent the blockman flying, dropping his sword as well.
"Oof," the blockman emitted. His shield shattered and his sword was launched into the ground. Nothing but the guard visible.
"Hey! I don't-a want to fight!" Mario yelled. His hair flowing in the wind as he scanned the ground for his iconic cap.
The blockman quickly rose from the ground. He put his hand on his square shoulder, the one he used to hold his shield up. He panted and looked at Mario. The man stared at Mario, saying nothing.
"I… did not know… you could speak." The man said in a monotone voice. Almost as if he didn't even know the sound of his own voice.
Smoke blew from his ears as Mario replied with an angry jump. "OF-A COURSE I CAN-A TALK!!!" his Italian accent shining through way more. Then he went muttering to himself in Italian as he dusted off his cap.
Mario then took a breath and calmed down. He tried to take a step back. Realizing maybe the block guy was also lost and just scared. Mario looked to the guy. He looked at the guy and tried to put on a happy expression.
"Well I'm-a glad we got that settled! What's-a your name, bro?" Mario asked. The blockman seemed hesitant to reply. Opting to just stare at Mario awkwardly. He didn't draw a weapon though he did seem to eye his sword which was buried in the earth below.
"How about I know your name first, warrior in red." the blockman replied defensively. Trying to seem respectful but guarded.
Yet, in the midst of the uncertainty, Mario's natural exuberance broke through the initial tension. With a cheerful "It's-a-me, Mario!" and a wave of his gloved hand, he approached the man, extending a hand in friendship. Mario's infectious optimism transcended the boundaries of their limited comprehension, bridging the gap between their worlds of origin. The blockman separated his sword from the earth and inspected the blade.
He took a step back, still keeping the blade in his grasp as if he still was weary of Mario, even slightly. However, he couldn't help but be drawn into Mario's warmth. Something that seemed to fill a hole in his soul. The man's shoulders relaxed and he sheathed his blade. While still skeptical, he decided for now that Mario meant him no harm.
Still in a state of shock, the man took a breath and introduced himself. "Steve…" Steve replied monotone.
"Put it there, Steve!" Mario took his hand and gave him an enthusiastic handshake. A smile as bright as his grip was strong. Steve's cringing due to feeling the foreign oddity of Mario's round hands. Steve, feeling as if Mario held on for too long, lightly pulled away from the handshake.
"It would be wise to move." Steve declared as he picked a direction and drew his sword. Mario jogged up behind him in agreement as Steve used his sword as a machete. Cutting down the thick foliage to make a path, while using some cobblestone to make a trail.
Mario, with his hands clasped behind his back, initiated the conversation with a chipper, "So, Steve, how did you end up here?"
Steve, while looking through his inventory, responded, "I was building a portal to another world. I found some ancient text in a temple. A dimension of endless skies. Once I assembled the portal, I stepped through but ended up here…. I do not believe these are endless skies"
Mario chuckled, "Ah, exploration! That's-a my favorite too! Always up for a new adventure, you know."
Steve, still getting used to the novelty of rounded edges beneath his blocky feet, glanced around and then inquired, "Not exactly. Adventuring is so a part of life. However, my main goal is gathering rare resources and building. How were you brought to these lands?"
The portly plumber flashed a grin, "Well, that-a big bully Bowser captured the princess so I had to go-a save her. I was about 3 days into my journey when I found a warp pipe. That's-a big pipe in my world that leads to a lot of places alllll around! So I hopped into it and poof! I'm-a here now." Mario regaled Steve with gusto.
Steve raised a pixelated eyebrow, "Princesses? That sounds... intriguing. I normally venture on my own or with my wolf."
Mario nodded, "Ah, sounds like a different kind of adventure. But you know, it's all about the spirit of exploration and making new friends. Speaking of which, tell me more about this Minecraft place of yours. What's it like?"
"Minecraft is a world without these…." Steve gestured to a round fruit with his sword.
"Oranges?" Mario replied confused.
"No, Mario. These…. Things" Steve tried to emphasize his point with the orange. "These surfaces have no beginning or end. An endless mystery of dimension that I've never come across in all of my travels. Even crossing into the void or the underworld." Steve continues. Talking about the concept of round surfaces as if they were eldritch horror.
As they continued to exchange tales of their adventures, a camaraderie blossomed between the Mushroom Kingdom's hero and Minecraft's builder. The unlikely pair found common ground in their love for adventure, discovery, and the joy of exploring uncharted territories. With each step, the fabricated Tomodachi Life island felt a bit more lively.
However, as Steve did somewhat enjoy the small talk between himself and his new ally, his survival instincts kicked in. Realizing he wasn't being on high alert like he normally would. He wasn't being wise with finding a destination. He had never been so relaxed exploring foreign lands. And while he was never one to lose composure, he wasn't one to have his entire focus fixated on something frivolous. So, Steve stopped in his tracks.
"Mario." He said calmly. "I am going to build a tower for us to see above these trees. Give me a moment."
Steve placed a block of cobblestone and started to tower up till he could clearly see amongst the tall jungle trees. "Mario." His calm voice called. "I am going to build a staircase down so you can asc-" Steve was about to finish before he was cut off abruptly.
Mario had effortlessly scaled the whole tower. Not once, but twice, but seemingly effortlessly. Mario jumped up and down as there was nothing for him to land on.
"Hey!" Mario yelled as he jumped. "You're-a really fast at building things, bro!" Mario replied once again.
Steve was dumbfounded. He had never seen a creature from his world with such immense physical prowess. To the point of Mario talking casually as if this was nothing but a brisk walk for the plumber. Mario then turned as he jumped. He fell back down and came back up a few more times trying to talk to Steve. "Hey! I think I-a see a big building!"
Steve pushed his square jaw back into position as Mario got him out of his trance. He scanned the area and saw a building in the distance. "I see it. It looks to be about a three day walk." Steve replied. Checking his inventory to see how he would distribute the remaining food he has for Mario and himself.
"Oh boy! A hiking trip!" Mario replied joyously as he continued to jump up to Steve's pillar. Mario effortlessly scaling the cobblestone tower gave Steve an idea. Steve quickly built a platform around the tower. Letting Mario land so Steve could converse with him.
"Mario." Steve said to get his attention. "Would you be able to traverse this terrain by jumping?" Steve asked Mario, who lit up at the idea
"Of course, bro! Let's-a go!" Mario chirped as grabbed Steve's square shoulder. "Okie dokie! Hang on to your hat!" Mario cheered as he readied himself for a massive leap. As Steve saw Mario was loading up for a massive jump, he slipped on an iron helmet out of caution.
Mario exploded off the ground. Destroying the cobblestone platform. Steve's eyes widened into full 2 by 2 squares from the sheer force of the launch.
Steve rarely felt fear but the speed and power of Mario's athletic ability was something he never experienced before. No potion he's brewed or enchantment came closer. Even the mythical wings of the void barley gilded half as fast as Mario's powerful calves.
"Oh! I-a see it!" Mario said casually as if he wasn't traveling the island like an all powerful being.
"Get-a ready for a crash landing!" Mario laughed. Steve however didn't find it funny. He rummaged through his inventory and pulled out a water bucket and a block of slime to break his fall.
As the lush green disappeared and the sands below became closer, Steve was failing for the facade of his composure. The ground was getting too close and Steve didn't think he could water clutch it. Just as he was about to accept his fate to this stranger, sand rained from the impact of Mario's goody-two shoes hitting the ground.
Steve was distally held in the air by one of Mario's arms. Mario shivered from the recoil of the landing but ultimately made unharmed all while still keeping Steve suspended in the air. As if the builder's weight was like a mere cloud.
"Aaaaaaaand stuck the landing!" Mario cheered as he put Steve gently on the ground. Dusting off his square shoulders in a quick, comical light. Meanwhile, Steve had a thousand yard stare as he looked off into the ocean. The poor builder had his sense of reality broken multiple times today. A near death experience nearly brought him to his breaking point.
However, the builder felt helpless. Mario was nothing he had never dealt with before. Even the literal hellscape gave him more comfort than this goofy plumber. In Steve's perspective, despite Mario's harmless appearance and cheery attitude, it was as if a good resided in his body. And hopefully the warm smile and bushy stache wasn't just a facade.