Paper Mario

Still In The Prologue I Guess... Health Hazards Is The Evil King's Downfall

"Meanwhile back at Canterlot Castle now high up into the air, the handsomely genius Koopa King, Bowser, sits upon his new throne of this new world that is soon to be his." Bowser paused to admire his voice over. Thinking of what to say next, he suddenly became flustered. "That is if the darn nincompoops of an army he commands would come sooner with a full report of what I have to deal with!! It's been over a day and not even Kammy Koopa has reported back to me!" Bowser had pondered endlessly, bored out of his wits waiting for some sort of analysis of this new world. How long did it take a few hundred Parakoopa henchmen to scout the land? How big was this place anyways?

Bowser had only mass summoned all of them a bit ago. Kammy told him it was outstanding that the Star Rod was capable of granting such a large wish so early after barely regaining its power. Apparently, this land overflowed with the wishes and hopes of the ponies and creatures who inhabited the land, and in turn, it was making the Star Rod much more powerful than even what the Mushroom Kingdom could have offered. This... was certainly good news for him.

"Truly, I have become invincible! Gwahahaha!" Bowser rejoiced at the thought. Only a bit ago had he had a chat with the two defeated ponies. Quite large to be considered ponies. Nothing out of the ordinary though, in his time of ruling over the Mushroom Kingdom, he had seen one too many freaks that swore their loyalty to him to be bothered by abnormalities.

They were more than willing to share any information at the simple wave of his wand. That is... with the wand pointing towards the captured guards and citizens and empty promises of blackmail being tossed around. Full, had they not willingly obliged.

What he managed to learn was that there were a total of three sentient races who used magic differently. The ponies with wings used magic to fly. The horned ponies who used magic in a more refined way as if to manipulate things or even use magic as a form of weapon. Then there was the regular ponies, who only stood out by their use of magic to empower their strength. It seems all of them used magic to be of any use.

The information was quite handy no doubt. It made things a whole lot... easier. With Mario gone, there was no one that could possibly even try to stop him!

"M-Mario is here, and he is alive!" Kammy said as the large doors leading to his new throne room burst open. This... was certainly not how Bowser wanted Kammy to appear after a day of disappearance. He was not a happy camper.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?! For peat's sakes... what does it take to get rid of that guy!" Bowser began to stomp on the ground furiously, even madder than before. Kammy, who didn't have her broom at the moment and was walking on the ground began to wail her arms at the miniquake Bowser was causing.

"L-L-Lord B-B-owser. P-Please c-calm down! You're f-forgetting y-your high blood p-pressure!" Kammy couldn't keep up right.

Bowser held one claw to his head, his eyes closed as he came to a halt on his ranting. He spun in circles were he stood, a headache mixed with dizziness. "Grraah. If Mario isn't my downfall, then health hazards will be."

Kammy Koopa took out her bag and began searching. She took out a celery stick from it and walked over to Bowser. He instinctively turned his mouth away from the horrid thing. "Lord Bowser, this will lower your blood pressure, and its healthy for you. Open up!" She took out her wand.

"You can't make me!" Bowser raised his Star Rod. Before he could use it however, Kammy had already levitated it high above the air and out of Bowser's grasp.

"Now don't be so stubborn. You'll get it back when you eat your celery." Bowser did as he was told, angrily chewing on the celery. She gave him back the Star Rod. "Besides, with it, you are completely invincible Your Vileness."

"I hope you're right. Where was he anyways, and how did you figure it out?" He asked the elderly Koopa.

"I had my suspicions, so I decided to do my own search. As I was traveling, I came up to a nice little town called Ponyville. I bought some fresh celery stalks and apples from the ponies there. Nice folks by the way, oh and did you know they accept the gold coins from back home? I was thinking of having a picnic with everyone, but I wasn't going to start handing out invitations without consulting with yo-"

"Kammy... What about Mario!" Bowser raised his voice a bit.

"Oh yeah... As I was roaming around the outskirts of the town looking for a nice place to picnic, some multi-colored ponies were walking back to Ponyville. They were carrying Mario! I hid before they could see me and I overheard them as they walked by, saying that he was still alive and needed some rest."

"Did you send some of the troops over? Did you go and stopped them?" Bowser waited for a reply from the old Koopa.

"Um... I came directly here to tell you, Lord Bowser." She reasoned.

"YARGGHH!! Go out there and stop him! I want every koopa troopa out there on the look out for him."

"Right away Your Evilness!" With that, Kammy got on her broom again and flew out the doors.

"If she happens to fail... I have someone awaiting him..."

~~~

"Sister, are you alright?" Luna asked the Celestia as she finally awoke.

"Seems like it. Ow. That fiend must have tempered with my magic..." She got up slowly, looking around the familiar room. It was her room. They must have been sent here.

"Mine too, I haven't been able to use it to get out of here." Luna seemed troubled.

"Even if you managed, Bowser's guards would only capture you and send you back here. Despite his motives and goal, he's a big softy. He wouldn't really hurt you, not on my say so anyways." Princess Peach said as she walked over to the large bed, sitting down beside the two ponies.

"Ah, Princess Peach. Out of curiosity, how is it that Bowser was unaffected by our magic? We have some of the strongest magic in Equestria. Together we should have been able to beat him..." Luna's tone was casual. They had already taken the time to introduce one another since Bowser had placed all three of them in Celestia's room and he had stripped them of their powers. He wanted to keep a close eye on all three of them, and having them all in the same room was the easiest way for him to do such.

"It's because of the Star Rod... the star shaped rod on his hands is able to grant him any wish he desires. His wish was to be completely invincible..."

"Then how is anyone supposed to beat him?" Celestia asked her.

"I fear that they may not..." They stood in silence for a while. "I just hope Mario is alright..."

"Mario?"

"Oh. I haven't told you of Mario yet, or of what happened." She paused, thinking of where to start. "Mario was a hero back in the Mushroom Kingdom. He defeated Bowser multiple times. Mario was the only one to stand in his way, and Bowser could never prevail against him. It seems Bowser finally cheated his way to defeat Mario. He lifted my castle into the sky, way above the clouds, like he has with yours."

"So that explains why it seems like it is night all the time..." Luna looked out the window. "So, how was it that Bowser defeated Mario?"

"With what else? He stole the Star Rod from star haven. Seven benevolent star spirits previously used the Star Rod to make the wishes of all the good citizens of the world come true. It is through the wishes and hopes of the good citizens that the Star Rod is able to work. Bowser was able to steal the rod and imprison the spirits. I had just thrown a party and had invited Mario to join, but Bowser was awaiting him, and they fought. Bowser defeated Mario... and when the Star Rod broke and had sent us here... Mario was gone..."

Bowser suddenly appeared through the door, making the two ponies stand up immediately on edge, ready to fend him off, Princess Peach however was looking at the ground, without the will to anything.

"And gone he is... not! That plumber never knows when to back down!" These words took the Princess aback. He was alive?!

"Mario..." Princess Peach stood up and faced Bowser. "If its true, Mario will come to stop you!"

"I wouldn't get my hopes up Princess. After all, I am invincible. I've already dispatched my army to stop him." These words did not bother her as much. She was just happy to hear that Mario was still alive, and he was here too. "I've only come by to see how you were doing. I like to see a bright smile in your face."

Princess Peach turned his back and crossed her arms, a frown now poised in her expression. "Well too bad. You won't find here."

"I could sing you a song, but I'm mighty busy. I'm sure that would cheer you up."

"Think again."

"Well, I gotta go see to it that I get rid of Mario once and for all." Bowser stopped at the door before he continued. "To you two ponies, loosen up your guard. After all, all magic but the one of my army and mine is no more! Gwahahaha! Think of it as a precaution." Bowser finally stepped out of the room.

"All magic gone...?" Luna looked even much more worried. "Who will turn the night to day and day to night?"

Peach stepped out into Celestia's balcony and looked out into the stars. It was still day in the world below, but it was dark as night for them. "If what Bowser says is true... I hope Mario is alright..."

Luna walked over to the Princess gazing out into the stars with her. "You really seem to care deeply about this Mario character, don't you?"

The Princess nodded. She looked down gloomily, hoping and wishing for something to happen, for a way to tell Mario he was okay. Only seconds after, a small sparkle suddenly burst into the room, landing into a pillow on the ground. The three Princess turned towards the pillow who had been pummeled. A small little star appeared and floated into the air, looking around the room to and finally looking at Princess Peach.

"You must be a star kid from the Mushroom Kingdom! What are you doing here little guy?" She held out hands so that he may rest on them, and so he did.

"A... star kid?"

Suddenly, the small star spoke. "Star kid! We star kids come from Shiver Valley, a cold place up on the mountains of the Mushroom Kingdom. When we grow up, we go up into Star Haven to begin to grant wishes to the good citizens of the world. My name is Twink by the way." He turned to Princess Peach. "I've come to grant your wish."

"Can you stop Bowser and take the Star Rod back?"

"Um... that's too big of a wish to me. You see, I barely ascended to Star Haven a bit ago, so I'm not as powerful as the Star Spirits."

"Oh... okay... Well, can you get all of us out of here and to safety?"

"Well... actually... its only been a day since I joined the stars."

"Oh... well. Its okay Twink. You tried your best."

"Isn't there anything a small star can do for you Princess Peach?"

"Well, brave little one, can you perhaps send a letter to my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle? She lives by a small town called Ponyville. I have to tell her of the current situation." Celestia asked.

"Now that I can do!" The Princess wrote a letter with her hoof. Princess Peach would question this, but it was like trying to question how goombas could write. She gave it to the star kid as she finished. "Are you sure there isn't anything I can do for you Princess Peach, Princess Luna?" He asked before departing.

"My message is delivered with Celestia's. I truly believe Twilight Sparkle can do something about all of this." Luna replied. Twink turned to Princess Peach.

"The letter asks for Twilight to find Mario, and aid him if possible." Celestia smiled as Princess Peach looked at her in surprise.

"Twink... tell Mario that I'm safe. He doesn't need to worry about me. Please Twink." She took out a star pendant that was wrapped around her neck and gave it to Twink. "And give him this."

"I'll say it in your exact words Princess! You count on me, Princesses!" With that, the small star was gone.

"Never did I imagine that a star could speak. I bring the night forth but I do not make stars. There is still so much to wonder about. Come Princess, tell us of this Mushroom Kingdom." Luna walked back into the room. Princess Peach stayed a little longer outside in the night sky, looking over towards the stars.

"Mario..." She placed all her hopes and wishes that Twink would deliver her message to Mario, and hoping for both their safety.