Super Mario Universe

10 | Sob Stories

Mario looked around him. The place looked different. The Mushroom Kingdom didn't look that healthy! The clouds were depressing shades of grey, the color was sucked out of the grass, and there was no life as far as he could see.

"Welcome home," Luigi said. "Let's go get Bowser!"

"It's not as simple as that," Rosalina laughed. "Where is Bowser?"

"Well," Mario said. "Probably back at Peach's Castle to be honest. He always has been fond of her home more than his own."

"Bowser, Schmowser," Sprix laughed. "Let's just go get him."

Mario looked around. "Luigi," he asked. "I think I know where we are!"

"Yeah," Luigi said, nodding his head in agreement. "We're on the outskirts of Toad Town!"

"Toad Town is where the princess's castle is?" Starlow asked.

"Yeah. It's been my home my whole life!" Mario said. "We need to go now."

They all started walking, then Rosalina groaned. "Oh. We're forgetting something."

"What?" Sprix asked.

"Bowser has an Ultimate Star," Rosalina sighed. "So I don't think this adventure will be over just yet."

"Relax," Mario said. "You're overestimating them."

"And you're underestimating him!" Rosalina cried.

"Guys!" Starlow yelled. "Let's not fight. We have to get the Mushroom Kingdom back!"

"Yeah. We have to do a lot of stuff," Sprix said. "We need to go before I start pulling out my reinforcements."

"What?!" Luigi laughed. "What are you talking about??"

"Who cares?" Mario said. "He's probably lying. Let's go to Peach's Castle!!"

The five of them started walking into the sunset. Just kidding! It was about noon in Toad Town.

But no one was out. It was too dark to! The clouds looked like they could explode rain at any moment, plus with Bowser's minions running around nowhere was safe!

"Well," Mario said, looking around at one point. "It looks as if no damage has been done to our country..."

He was right. Everything, as odd as it sounds, was perfectly intact. Nothing had changed since Mario's absence.

"When will we be there?" Sprix asked.

"In a few hours," Mario said. "It's too dangerous to use the public transport systems right now, so we'll have to stick with the old-fashioned way: walking."

"We've walked through three different kingdoms!" Rosalina laughed. "I've had enough waking to last a lifetime!"

"Haven't we all?" Starlow laughed. "Anyway, let's stop chattering and get to Peach's Castle!"

The five of them looked ahead. Ahead, Toad Town came out of the plains and sprouted out as far as they could see. They could spot the iconic Toad Houses in the suburbs, the skyscrapers near the center, "the hoods", and then they could see Peach's Castle, far off in the distance.

It all looked pretty normal, so Bowser hadn't done any landscaping since Mario & Luigi were gone.

"What are we gonna do when we get there?" Luigi asked. "Take back the house?!"

Everyone started laughing. Luigi really knew how to bring the positive in a negative situation! And even funnier he didn't even get what he had just said.

"Shhhh!" Rosalina said. "Anyone hear that?"

Mario made a confused expression. He didn't hear anything abnormal. Oh, wait--now he did. It was a cry, almost like a person crying. It made Mario sad.

"Who's crying?" Mario yelled.

The person sniffed. He walked out from behind a tree, coming to Mario's group. Mario actually knew this person. They had been good friends for awhile.

"Toad?" Mario asked in surprise.

Yep, it was the original cute, lovable Toad! But he didn't look happy right now.

"Toad?" Mario asked again, after running to him. "What's wrong?"

Toad sniffed. "I'm just sad that Bowser has come and taken over our Mushroom Kingdom!" he cried.

"AWH!" Rosalina said, running to him. "Don't worry!" she coaxed, "we're working on it."

"And then they came!" Toad said. "Bowser and his minions are at Peach's Castle, but the minions came to my house to kick me out."

"What minions?" Starlow asked. "There's a lot..."

"The Koopalings!" Toad said. "And they know you guys are here!"

"The Koopalings?!" Mario laughed. "The Koopalings?! THE KOOPALINGS?!"

Mario, Luigi, Rosalina and Starlow all started laughing. Sprix didn't laugh, because he didn't know who the Koopalings were.

"Who are they?" Sprix asked Mario.

Mario turned to Sprix. "The Koopalings are some of Bowser's most loyal minions. There's seven of them, but they aren't . . . well...very good at their job."

Luigi laughed even more. "The Koopalings can't do nothing!" he said.

"What'd you say about us?" came a voice.

Mario looked above, and saw the Koopalings themselves arriving via a clown car.

"We're so smart!" another one said. "And pretty soon, you won't be anything!"