Chapter 3: The Celebration
Meanwhile in the Mushroom Kingdom they are celebrating the rescue of their princess and the Royal Castle. Mario and Peach are sitting side-by-side while Agaricus goes up to the podium.
Agaricus: I, the king of the Mushroom Kingdom, think I speak for everyone when I say many thanks to Mario for rescuing my daughter again from the Evil King Koopa! As well as rescuing the castle and its Power Stars.
The crowd of Mushroomers start clapping and cheering for Mario. Luigi goes up to his brother.
Luigi: Great job, Big Bro!
Agaricus: Mario, I don’t know how to repay you for all that you have done for us.
Mario: I’m just glad to help you all and Peach.
Mario smiles at Peach and Peach smiles back.
Agaricus: You didn’t let me finish yet! Now, I don’t know how to repay you, except to let you marry my dear little Peach.
At this the crowd gets excited and starts to cheer even more. Mario and Peach turn extremely red.
Mario: Now Your Highness-
Agaricus: I know Blossom would’ve loved the idea. Please, I insist you take my daughter’s hand in marriage.
Peach: DAD! You’re embarrassing me in front of the whole kingdom!
Mario: Look, I like Peach, but-
Agaricus: I know. You’re too shy to say yes in front of the whole kingdom. Well please think about it. For now, however, let the celebration begin!
Soon a festival breaks out. Mario and Peach however decide to go inside the castle, where it’s quieter.
Peach: I wish I could’ve repaid you more, Mario, than to just bake you a simple cake.
Mario: It’s okay, Peach. The only thing that mattered to me was freeing you from Bowser.
Night falls, the light goes out, the fireworks start to show. Mario and Peach look at each other… lean… and-
BOOM!
Peach falls down but Mario quickly catches her.
Mario: You okay?
Peach: Yes. What was that?
Soon they hear cries for help.
Mario: Stay here, Peach. I’ll be right back.
Some Toad Retainers arrive on the scene. Mario goes outside and Luigi runs to his brother.
Luigi: Mario!
Mario: Luigi! What happened?
Luigi: Something crashed down from the sky! It’s like something we have never seen before!
Mario follows Luigi to the crash site. There they see in a huge crater…a Ztar. The Mushroomers all circle around the creator, murmuring.
Luigi: What do you suppose it is, Mario?
Mario: I don’t know. It looks like a Power Star but…it looks evil.
Agaricus: Mario, look out!
Mario gets hit by geometric shapes. Mario falls to the floor.
Kamek: Looks like I found me another Ztar.
Luigi: Ztar?!
Kamek looks at Luigi and shoots a fireball out of his wand. Luigi quickly ducks and avoids the fireball. Kamek gets out a container and uses his magic to put the Ztar inside.
Kamek: I’d love to stay and ruin this party but I’ve got more Ztars to capture! Hear this, Mario! Enjoy your last hours, for Master Bowser will finally defeat you like he was meant to!
With that Kamek rides off with his broom. Luigi goes over to help up his little big brother.
Luigi: Mario, this is bad.
Mario: I know, Luigi. We’d better go.
Peach: Mario!
Just then Peach arrives and holds Mario.
Peach: Are you okay?
Mario: Peach, I have to go.
Peach: Go where?
Mario: I need to know what Kamek is up to. Come on, Luigi, let’s-a go!
With that Mario gets out of Peach’s embrace and takes off. Luigi runs after his bro.
Peach: Good luck, Mario, and be safe.
Agaricus: Don’t worry, my dear. Mario will surely defeat Kamek. Come on, let’s get back to the castle.
Peach takes one more look in Mario’s
direction, and goes inside with her father…
Chapter 4: The Power of Ztars
Kamek arrives back at Castle Koopa.
Kamek: Just as I thought, the occurrence is happening as I speak!
Bowser: Well, what are standing around for? We need to go out and find as many of these Ztars as possible.
Koopalings: Right!
Bowser: Okay, Kamek and I will be one team. Ludwig and Larry, you be one team.
Ludwig: Gotcha, King Pop!
Larry: With our skills, finding those Ztars will be a breeze!
Ludwig and Larry take a doomship and leave.
Bowser: Iggy and Lemmy, you’ll be another team.
Lemmy: You got-
Iggy: It King Dad!
Lemmy and Iggy take a doomship and leave in another direction.
Bowser: Roy and Morton, you guys search high, low, and in any deserts.
Roy: Youse got it, King Pop.
Morton: Well then what are we waiting for? Let’s go right now, right away, immediately-
Roy: You’d better be quiet, Morton, unless youse want a mouth full ‘o broken teeth.
Morton: Okay, I’m sorry. We’d better get going.
They take another doomship and go out to search.
Bowser: Now that just leaves you, Wendy.
Wendy: But I don’t want to go alone!
Bowser: Look, don’t you dare start a tantrum. Kamek’s plan depends on those Ztars and if I don’t get them you’re going to the dungeon!
Wendy: Fine.
Bowser: That’s better. You take your doomsub and go search the oceans.
Wendy: You got it, King Daddykins!
Wendy goes down to the basement.
Bowser Jr: What about me, Daddy?
Bowser: Sorry, Son, but you’re still a bit too young. We wouldn’t want the Mario Bros. to hurt you.
Bowser Jr: I can take them!
Bowser: Isn’t that cute? Anyways ,it’s time for your bedtime.
Kamek: I’d say so too. Kamella, please put the young prince in bed.
Kamella arrives and puts Bowser Jr. to bed.
Bowser: Now then, Kamek, that just leaves you and me to find some of them Ztars.
Kamek: Right, Sire.
Bowser goes to the hanger and gets in his Koopa Clown Copter.
Bowser: We’d better go before those plumbers find a way to stop this plan.
Kamek: This plan can’t fail! … I think.
Bowser: What was that?
Kamek: Nothing.
Meanwhile with the Mario Bros…
Mario: Come on, Luigi, hurry!
Luigi: Mario, where are we going?
Mario: Tadpole Pond. There is someone there who can help us.
Mario and Luigi have arrived in Kero Sewers.
Mario: It’s shouldn’t be far if I remember correctly.
Just then the ground starts to shake. Mario and Luigi fall to the floor.
Mario: Mamamia! What was that? An earthquake?
Luigi: Jumping Gelato, look!
Mario sees Wendy’s doomsub appear out of a warp pipe.
Wendy: Just great! I got lost in this icky sewer. I need to find a Ztar or else King Daddykins is going to throw me in the dungeon. Which pipe leads to the ocean?
Mario: So Bowser sent his Brat Pack to hunt for those Ztars? Well I’m going to stop them!
Luigi: Hold on, Mario!
Luigi grabs Mario by his overalls.
Luigi: We can’t fight that thing! We don’t have any power-ups!
Mario: Hmm. You’re right, Luigi. Guess we’ll just lay low until she leaves.
The doomsub starts heading towards a warp pipe when Wendy spots something.
Wendy: Lucky! A Ztar in these sewers!
???: Well whatever falls in these sewers is mine!
Wendy sees Belome get near the Ztar.
Wendy: Wait, don’t touch that!
Belome instead eats it.
Belome: Uh… err… grrr… ARGH!
Belome gets a dark aura around him as well as red eyes.
Wendy: Uh oh…
Belome: You’re not welcomed hear!
Belome jumps up and lands on the doomsub. He starts to rip it apart. Wendy quickly gets to the controls and spins. Belome falls to the floor but quickly gets back up. The doomsub slams into him but Belome puts up his hands. He starts getting pushed but then starts pushing the doomsub!
Wendy: Eeeekk! He’s actually pushing me at full power?! Fire the Breaker Beam!
Right where Belome is pushing a cannon appears and fires the Breaker Beam. Belome gets pushed back but is barely scratched!
Wendy: Eep!
Belome charges a dark sphere in his hands and fires it at the doomsub. Boom! The sub explodes and Wendy goes flying out of Kero Sewers.
Luigi: 0.o This is bad.
Luigi looks beside him and sees Mario is gone.
Luigi: Mario?!
Mario goes at full speed towards Belome. He spots him and charges up another dark sphere. He fires it but Mario jumps up and dodges it. He does a meteor smash right on Belome’s forehead. Again Belome is sent back a bit but receives hardly a scratch. Belome pounces on Mario. He makes another dark sphere right in his face.
Mario: Mamamia!
Luigi: Ah-ha ha!
Luigi lands on Belome. Belome, however, doesn’t even flinch. Mario quickly gets something out of his pocket. Luigi sees Belome fire his dark sphere at his brother.
Luigi: Mario!
The smoke made from the blast clears. Luigi sees Metal Mario! MM does his Coin Uppercut and Belome gets tossed into the air. Luigi gets underneath Belome and does a Super Jump. He hits him going up and lands on him going down. Belome lays there for a bit and gets back up.
Mario: No way!
Belome starts charging up a Lightning Orb.
Mario: I don’t remember him being able to do that!
Belome fires out the huge Lightning Orb. Luigi gets in the way with an open palm. He gets hit.
Mario: Luigi!
Luigi seems unharmed. He is completely covered in electricity.
Luigi: Here we go!
Luigi fires himself at Belome. Belome tries to stop him with his bare hands but gets pushed to the wall. Belome sees his chance. Luigi falls down from his Luigi Missile attack. Belome gets in front of him and eats him.
Mario: Oh no!
Belome spits him back out and out comes a dark-looking Luigi clone.
Luigi: Holy Ravioli!
Luigi dodges the clone’s Super Jump. Mario releases a huge fireball he has been charging up. Luigi quickly ducks and it hits the clone behind him. Belome rushes out and tries to crush Luigi. Luigi times it right and does his Super Jump Uppercut. POW! Belome gets sent flying into the air. Mario quickly grabs the Luigi clone and sends him flying toward Belome. They crash in midair and fall back to the ground. They see Belome stand back up.
Luigi: Wah! This is bad, Mario! It’s-a like-
Mario: He’s invincible…
Belome charges after the Mario Bros.
Mario: Quick! Knockback.
Luigi takes out his hammer and squishes Mario. Mario curls up into a ball and Luigi hits him towards Belome. He gets hit and Mario bounces back. Luigi hits him again. Mario goes back and forth hitting Belome. Mario goes for another hit when Belome eats him!
Luigi: Bro!
Belome spits him back out and a dark Mario clone appears. It starts shooting out fireballs. Mario and Luigi duck the oncoming fireballs. Belome charges up another dark sphere. He shoots it at Mario. Mario takes out his hammer and tries to swat it back. The sphere breaks through the hammer and hits Mario! Mario gets launched and hits a wall.
Luigi: Mario! Wah!
The Mario clone Meteor Smashes Luigi. Luigi falls onto the floor. Luigi throws a Lightning Orb at the clone. The clone jumps over it but Luigi just as quickly throws his hammer at it. It falls to the floor and Luigi goes to help his big bro.
Luigi: Are you okay, Mario?
Mario: Yeah… But we won’t be soon if this fight keeps heading like this.
Belome starts charging towards them again, crushing his clone in the process. Mario acts fast and pulls out a Rainbow Star!
Mario: Here we go!
Mario runs at high speed towards Belome. He knocks Belome away and hits the floor hard. Mario jumps on him on landing. Mario then starts punching him. Belome tries to counterattack but Mario quickly grabs him and launches him into a wall. Belome stands up and he sees Mario in midair. Mario Meteor Smashes him with all his might.
Belome: AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!!! *cough*
He coughs out the Ztar. It disintegrates on contact with the ground. Belome falls onto the ground, finally fainted.
Mario: That was certainly tough.
Luigi: This is really bad. If the Koopas manage to get many of these Ztars they’ll be virtually unstoppable.
Mario: I know… We have to act fast. Let’s go to Tadpole Pond. Quick!
They head down the sewers…