Super Mario Sunshine

Chapter 14 - A Rollercoaster of Emotion

"So this is Pinna Park, Isle Delfino's finest amusement facility," Fludd said as Mario scrambled to a momentary halt. "Home to the famous Balloon Blaster Coaster and Southern Star, the Ferris wheel. Other attractions include the Clam Cups and Yoshi Carousel... There's a guide to it on your map if I'm not mistaken - and I usually am not."

"Did you see where he went?" Mario asked, hardly hearing him as he scanned the rides for any signs of the blue shadow. "She was screaming just a second ago!"

"Hold on..." Fludd said as he lifted his head and began searching. Determined not to just stand there uselessly, Mario started forward through the busy park-goers.

   He knew this wasn't a good situation deep down, of course. This wasn't the ideal place to be chasing a criminal at all - with all these little kids around! What if someone got hurt? What if he had messed with the park equipment? The possibilities were endless and, frankly, too terrible to think about.

"Haha! Dad, let's ride this scary one!" a small pianta boy exclaimed nearby, jumping up and down outside the entrance to the pirate ships. The taller pianta beside him who was presumably the father eyed it and shook his head.

"Umm, why don't you just go on alone? You'll be just fine," he replied skeptically, grabbing a camera from his neck. "Daddy will stay here and take pictures. Yes, that's right..."

A half smile came to Mario's face as he passed by, thoughts of his own childhood suddenly springing back to him. His parents hadn't been nearly as adventurous either - Mario was always the rambunctious one, always the one to bounce off walls for the next big thing, always the one to hurt himself with the numerous cuts and bruises. Sometimes it seemed like no one in the world could quite keep up to the pace at which he had thrived.

Oh, he would've loved to come here as a kid - there was no doubt about that. Just the sight of that giant rollercoaster beyond was even now giving him an antsy feeling. What would his parents think about all of this, if they could see him now?

"There! Mario, by the ship!" Fludd's voice pierced the air, shattering his thoughts.

As if drawn by a magnetic force, Mario turned and looked up towards the giant pirate ships ahead, swinging back and forth on huge horizontal beams. Standing on the small platform at the top of a staircase leading to the entrance, Shadow Mario looked ready to launch himself aboard for a wild ride.

"Hey!" Mario shouted, jolting to action. Darting for the ride's entrance, which was thankfully empty, he renewed the chase like a madman. Shadow Mario was alone this time - he still had that paintbrush, but the princess was nowhere to be seen. What could he have done with her?

On seeing his pursuer, the man in blue turned and didn't look back. Without hesitating for a moment, he jumped from the platform to the nearest pirate ship, seemingly unconcerned that the ride was in motion. Wobbling a little under the moving floor, he landed relatively neatly on the ship's stern.

   Taken by surprise for just an instant, Mario set his brow and charged ahead. There was no ride attendant he could immediately see, and he had no choice. Switching Fludd to the hover nozzle, Mario approached the edge where the ship was picking up speed and lifted off.

   "Mario-!" Fludd exclaimed as they cut right into the ship's path.  Spotting the swinging ship passing right under him, he let off the pressure and touched down on one knee on the ship's bow. There, safely tucked and seated before him on the deck like a miniature audience, was a small group of passengers - wide-eyed children who stared with incredulousness at the man who'd just appeared on their ride. Getting to his feet as well as he could, Mario held out his arms for balance and tried to pretend that this was normal.