Super Mare-io Odyssey: A Story Untold

by Cool_Quick

Transfering from Mr. Weird to Dr. Strange

Author's Note:

OMG. I apologize it took me so long to post this. Life happens. Also, this chapter gets kind of dark, and if you don't like darker Mario, then this is not for you. Otherwise, enjoy!

(Alternate P.O.V. in a distant land)

Bowser’s Kingdom was different from most of his other ones. He usually just made a castle, threw in some lava, and a couple of disposable, plumber squashable and otherwise useless enemies, and voila!

This time, however, he decided a change of pace would be nice. He had designed his new kingdom like an ancient Japanese temple, complete with statues, lanterns, and rice patties. He didn’t eat any of the rice, it was just for the few tourists that came by.

He’d come prepared for them too.

Right in the middle of his kingdom was a small souvenir shop, which sold costumes, small collectible figures, and other goodies. People of course, were heavily requested to buy them. By heavily requested, I mean… um… demanded to buy them.

So, life was good. He had a nice new kingdom, a soon to be wife he was marrying in a week, and no irritating plumbers.

The first two, as of right then, were true. Not so much the third.

Bowser didn’t know that yet, however. In fact, he was in a good mood at that moment. He was humming to himself in his deep gruff voice, and looking out the window over his land. Life was looking up.

Until a Magikoopa burst into the room.

“What have I told you about knocking?” Bowser said, trying to not lose his good mood. “That’s what a door was made for.”

“S-s-sorry, your Nastiness. But I have grave news!”

Bowser groaned. Clearly his good day was souring in front of him like a week old lemon. “What?” he groaned, not turning around.

“Well… you see… you ought to know that… um…”

“WELL??!!!” Bowser roared, turning around to face the unfortunate Magikoopa.

“I’ve found out that Mario… is in fact… alive and well…”

He said the last part almost in a whisper. His limbs were shaking so badly it was a wonder his clothes stayed on.

Bowser stared at the Magikoopa in stunned silence for a moment. One could almost see the gears slowly turning in the Koopa King’s head as he processed the information. When it fully sunk in, his face went red with rage.

“WHY IS THAT CURSED PLUMBER ALWAYS INTERFERING WITH EVERYTHING?!” he bellowed, the Magikoopa trying to flee the room before Bowser noticed.

He didn’t make it.

Bowser’s claw closed around the Magikoopa, who squealed in fright. “Please, your Worship…”

Bowser hurled the Magikoopa out of the window like a baseball pitcher, watching in growing anger as it fell through the air into the cotton ball-like clouds below.

“That’s what happens to those who ruin my day,” he grumbled before stalking out of the room.

A minute or two later, he arrived in his throne room. His throne room looked like a Japanese version of the Death Star. It was massive, open, and so live that even a whisper sounded like a scream. The room was relatively empty, save for a few pillars, and of course, the throne. Nearby were several Goombas waiting for him. None of them looked happy to be there.

“So,” Bowser rumbled, his voice making the walls shake, and the Goombas tremble. “I’ve just heard from a recently discharged source that my least favorite plumber in the world has just been found to be alive.” He paced back and forth in front of his throne. “Why is this?”

No one answered, both because they didn’t know, and because they were trembling so much it looked like they were up in the Colorado Mountains in the middle of winter.

“I know why,” Bowser answered himself. “Because everyone serving me is an IDIOT!”

The Goombas would have fallen to their knees to grovel, but since they didn’t have knees, they had to bow their heads. “My lord,” said one. “We are sorry about this. And to make up, we know where he ended up. A Magikoopa told us he’s in the land of Equestria.”

Bowser briefly wondered if this was the same Magikoopa that he had discharged. Bowser isn’t one for wondering though, so he quickly put it out of his mind faster than he had put the Magikoopa out the window. “Equestria, then.”

“It’s inhabited by ponies.”

Imagine a villainous tune being interrupted by a broken record player scratching loudly.

“Excuse me?” Bowser asked, his face almost humorously baffled.

“P-ponies, my lord. Some are unicorns, some are pegasi, som…” the Goomba was interrupted by the sound of Bowser chuckling loudly. His chuckling soon became full on laughter that rang through the halls. The Goombas stood awkwardly, not knowing what to do. They hadn’t seen Bowser laugh this hard since that time he had had a pineapple eating competition on Delfino Island.

When Bowser finally recovered, he cleared his throat. “Prepare the airships. We’ll crush these… ponies… before they have a chance to whinny.”

The Goombas scurried out of the room like Palpatine with a broken ankle. Bowser sat on his throne, and assumed a Bruce Wayne style thinking pose.

“Well, Mario,” he said to himself. “Always thinking you’re one step ahead of me. Going to a land of ponies.” He remembered when that magenta beam had zapped Mario’s puny ship, and caused it to vanish. Apparently that had been a teleportation beam. But surely these ponies wouldn’t have that much power?

“No,” Bowser answered his own question again. “They’re weak. And soon, I’ll crush all of them, and Mario with them.” He chuckled evilly to himself. “You won’t stop me this time, Mario. Or should I call you Mare-io?” He laughed again. “Well, Mare-io, by the time the week ends, I’ll turn you into a nice side dish for my wedding.” He looked up at the cage where Peach sat, eyes vacantly staring into nothing. “Isn’t that right, my wife?”

The room was filled with Bowser’s laughter as Peach sat, any hope she had left fading away in the dimming light.

The party probably went on until two in the morning. I didn’t realize how late, or actually, how early it was until I left Pinkie’s house. I glanced at the cookie clock on the wall, and as soon as I saw the time, my whole body seemed to become 200 pounds heavier.

I staggered out of the house as if I had drunk several gallons of Applejack’s cider. Which in fact, I had, but don’t take that out of context. Beside me, I heard someone, I think Rarity say, “We need to figure out where this poor soul is staying. We can’t just leave him on the street.”

That was probably literal, as Rainbow Dash was trying to keep me off of the street. My memories of that are kind of hazy even now, the cider and all.

“Well, we need to decide something soon,” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. I know all of this because they told me later, all I remember is faint memories of me jogging down the street singing a bunch of weird 70’s songs that I don’t even remember. Don’t judge me, okay? Even heroes need to unwind.

“He can just stick with me for tonight,” Twilight responded, eyeing how unstable I looked. “I’m closest, other than Pinkie, and she’s… um… she’s…”

“I’M WHAT?!” Pinkie asked, coming up right behind her. Twilight squeaked out “Too hyper!”

“Aw…” Pinkie grumbled, putting on a show of stomping five feet away before suddenly pulling a chocolate cupcake with sprinkles out of her mane and chomping down. Don’t ask, it’s the Pinkie way.

“Alright, then,” Rainbow said. “The hard part is getting him,” she gestured to me, currently trying to sing “Enter Sandman.” I sounded… I don’t know how I sounded, they never said that. “Over there.” She gestured to Twilight’s house, looming a couple of blocks away.

Twilight’s horn flashed, and everyone was teleported to my new room instantly. Rainbow blinked, before trying to look confident. “Yeah, I knew about that.”

"I'm sure you did, darling," Rarity remarked, rolling her eyes.

Rainbow ignored her. "Let's just get him in bed, and let the rest of us, uh, rest." She chuckled at her own joke.

"HILARIOUS!" I was told I said, quite loudly and kind of in a slurred fashion. My body spun quickly around, and I ended up tripping over Fluttershy's wing and collapsing on the bed.

Five seconds later, I was snoring.

Twilight wiped sweat from her forehead. "Thank Celestia! I need that too." She slumped to the ground, and began a snoreuet (snore duet) with me. Soon Rainbow joined, and then Fluttershy, and then Rarity. Finally, all eight of us, the six ponies, Spike, and me were all sleeping together peacefully.

Well, they did.

I didn't.

My dreams began with me hearing voices. I heard Luigi screaming, and saw our home. Bowser's airships swooped down, and I watched in horror as our peaceful cottage was decimated in a single shot. Luigi hid behind a bush, staring at his hat, burning on the ground with the rest of what had been our home.

The dream shifted. I saw Bowser on his airship, wearing his wedding outfit as he neared Ponyville, cannons prepared to blow everyone to smithereens.

I ran out into the street, hoping that Cappy and I would stop them. To my horror, I reached up and found only empty air where Cappy had been. I heard his voice, and saw Bowser's minions had him trapped in a cage, and were preparing to put him in a shredder.

"No!" I cried out.

"Why so sad?" came my voice.

I turned and saw a mirror, in which was me. Except this me was smirking at me.

"You haven't know him that long, you know," the mirror me said. "He's just another problem. You don't need to get attached to your pets."

"He's my friend!" I yelled.

The other me laughed, not a friendly one. "Oh, Mario. You're just trying to dismiss what you've done. You don't want to remember all the thousands of Goombas you've crushed under your boots, the times you've hurt people, and you know what?" He smiled an evil smile. "We didn't care."

"Shut up!" I screamed.

The mirrored me just laughed. His laughter turned into a deep booming guffaw, and the mirrored me turned into Bowser, laughing as he prepared to turn me into Mario bacon.

My eyes shot open, and I found myself lying in a pool of sweat. Literally, as the bed was dripping. And I was thirsty.

I went downstairs, still shaken from my dream. Or was it a dream? I tried not to think about it as I poured a glass of water. My head hurt, thanks to the cider.

"Mario?" came a small voice. I turned quickly and saw Spike, ears bleary.

"Hey," I said. "Care to have some too?"

"Sure," he said, taking another glass. I poured him a cup, and we sat at Twilight's table, looking out at the evening.

"What got you up?" Spike asked, looking at me across the table with his big green eyes.

I was silent for a moment. When I spoke, my voice sounded small. "Fear. I'm afraid that even though I feel I'm fighting evil, the true evil I'm facing isn't Bowser." I turned towards the window, looking at the moon. "I've fought Bowser for almost a decade. In the past year, though, I finally took a good look at myself. And I wonder, am I much better than him? I've done so much I regret." I felt tears coming up.

Spike came over and put a claw on my hand. "Don't worry about it. You've got us. And as long as you're here, we'll help you bring justice to Bowser, and get your friends back. And if you do have problems, no matter what they are, we're still your friends, and nothing will change that."

I was moved by his speech. I hadn't felt so accepted in a long time.

Taking his claw, I whispered. "Thank you."

The two of us looked out the window. As Spike's words played back to me, I knew that no matter what kind of problems I faced, I would not be alone.

Comments

[Cool_Quick]

Whoo-ee! After only a month, I've got it out! Chapter Six! And no, Mario doesn't have split personality. That's in the dream only. Cider does that, you know?