Chapter 3 Part 1
Chapter 3: “Daring Do, the Gentlecolt and the Illusionist”
-MARIO-
Whitetail Woods
“And that’s how Luigi and I saved the Pi’illos, Peach, and the Dream World from Bowser… and Antasma,” Mario finished his story. “Mama-mia, this is kind of the reason I hate going on vacations with Peach… the world always ends up being in trouble and I spend more time saving the world and Princess Peach than enjoying my vacation. This is one of those moments.”
“I could have used a Dreamy Luigi when we went camping with Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash,” Scootaloo sighed. “Or a bunch of them… your brother sounds cool.”
“I know how you girls feel,” Mario agreed. “I miss my sibling, too.”
“Oh, here we are!” Apple Bloom cheered as they reached a clearing in the forest. Mario looked up from his relaxing seat to see that the yellow Earth Pony was right that they were in a forest. It was much brighter than the darkness of the Everfree. That was good, at least.
“So, Spike, any interesting stories about this place?” Diggsie asked. “You know, to pass time?”
“All I have is the Annual Running of the Leaves,” Spike said. “The main route for the race passes through here every autumn, causing the leaves to fall. Turning to Mario, he asked, “Mario, what do you guys do to change seasons in the Mushroom Kingdom? Any cool race or joint effort?”
“Uh, change seasons?” the plumber asked.
“Yeah!” Sweetie Belle added. “Equestria’s seasonal changes are pony-powered! I bet you guys do some super cool events!”
“…Uh, our seasons come and go in a cycle,” Mario said. “Nothing really special happens. Nature just takes its course.” Soon enough, the wagon stopped. “Uh, Big Macintosh? What’s wrong?”
“Road’s blocked,” the red Earth Pony answered. Mario’s group plus the Cutie Mark Crusaders all looked up to see the giant yellow block in the middle of the river right where a large portion of the bridge should have been… and an odd sight on top of it. A large blue and pinked striped conch shell was sitting on top of the block, with a fishing rod sticking out of its opening and the lure in the water.
“Aw phooey!” Apple Bloom scowled. “We got to git to Los Pegasus! Applejack’s kidnapper is there!”
“Yeah!” Scootaloo agreed. “Sirius will pay big time for kidnapping Rainbow Dash!”
“Don’t forget Rarity!” Sweetie added. “I know Spike won’t!”
“Hold on, gals,” Boomregard said as Mario and he climbed out of the cart. “Ah’m sure we can git this fixed.” Turning to Diggsie as she and Spike joined them, he said, “So, ya wanna use yer sniffer to find us a tunnel so we can git ’cross?”
“Wagon’s too big,” Diggsie said. “Can barely fit you guys underground.” Looking at the other side of the river, she noticed a large boulder. “If only we could move that into water… maybe make temporary platform so we get near block?”
“What I want to know is who put a large shell on that block,” Spike said as the three fillies climbed out, deciding to relax.
“Ah’ll git it,” Boomregard said, tracing a path up to the shell in his mind. He then tossed out his Boomerang, knocking the shell, fishing pole and all, into the river. Soon enough, the shell shot out of the water, a Nibbler biting on it, before landing in front of the group.
“OW! OW! OWWWWWWWWWWWW~!” a male voice spoke up, the shell hoping up and down. Soon enough, the Shell stood up, revealing that it was a Noki. This male Noki had a pair of glasses over his freckled face, a bucket hat shaped shell on his head, and a necklace with a green fish on it. He then shooed off the Nibbler, allowing it to splash into the water. “Oh man… I must have fallen asleep AGAIN! I knew fishing was relaxing, but to get pulled into the water because I fell asleep? Oh, silly Noah!”
“…Uh, hi?” Spike asked. “Mario, do you have any idea what this guy is? I mean, he’s clearly not from Equestria…”
“Oh, cool, a talking baby Dragon!” the Noki gasped. “Wait… Mario?” He then looked at the plumber. “Hey! I know you! I had cousins from Noki Bay you helped save! Thanks for that, by the way.”
“Noki Bay?” Sweetie Belle asked. “You mean you’re one of those rare Noki creatures Miss Goombella taught us about? There aren’t too many who come out of Isle Delfino… and Dad’s been there.”
“Yep,” the Noki smiled. “My name’s Noah, little filly! But… what brings Mario all of the way out here to Equestria? No offense to the ponies, but this isn’t a huge place for fishing.”
“None taken,” Scootaloo replied. “It’s not too easy getting a fishing Cutie Mark.”
“It’s a long story,” Mario told him. “But what are you doing here?”
“Trying new fishing spots, with minimal success,” Noah answered. “I’m tempted to head back to my house in Baltimare Bay. At least the fish bite there. Anyways, I better sink down and get my rod back. It’s kind of funny how easy it is to fall asleep here… well, better here than the thicker part of the woods. What with that weird, unnatural fog that makes the path nearly impossible to see the trail…”
“Wait, fog?” Mario asked. “Kammy Koopa… a fog? Really?”
“Anyways, better sink down…”
“Wait!” Spike yelled. “Um, Noah, right? We need to go deeper into Whitetail Woods. Do you have any idea how we can get rid of this block without falling into the water?”
“Oh, the block,” Noah realized. “Yeah, totally. I’ll be a temporary platform for you in the water. My shell’s sturdy enough to endure a jump. You can jump to the other side… but I can’t help you move that boulder into the water. You’d probably need the strength of a Giant Ant to move it. If you’re going into that fog, be careful. Monsters could be hiding in there.”
“Thanks for the advice,” the plumber said before Noah jumped into the water. Mario then hopped off of his shell before landing on another rock, eventually jumping to the other side. Spike, Boomregard, and Diggsie all did the same.
“Whoowee, Mr. Mario!” Apple Bloom cheered. “Yer a natural at that jumpin’ stuff. Ya ever try out fer a rodeo?”
“No, but I’ve had years of experience being a Jumpman,” Mario chuckled.
“Are you guys going to be okay over there?” Spike called over. “We’ll go see if we can find something to move that rock and be right back!”
“We’ll be fine,” Sweetie Belle promised. “We have Apple Bloom’s big brother with us! Right, Big Macintosh?”
“Eeyup,” the red Earth Pony nodded.
“Don’t take too long!” Scootaloo told them.
Mario’s group ventured deeper into the Whitetail Woods, where they encountered creatures like Gloombas, Spiked Gloombas, Paragloombas, Ruff Puffs, and new enemies such as Parasprites, Fruit Bats, and Waddlewings (which Spike Tattled on to reveal they throw acorns and can dive bomb foes while in the air). They soon reached a foggy area just like Noah warned them about, where they began to encounter the poisonous, leaf covered enemies known as Monster Bushes. As they went deeper into the fog, Spike scowled.
“That Noah guy was right,” the Dragon mused. “I doubt that this fog was scheduled for today in Whitetail Woods, and I doubt this is a natural one…”
“It hard to see,” Diggsie said. “Mario, do you still have Lantern that nice Donkey lady gave you? Could use to see, even in tough weather…”
“Oh, right,” Mario remembered. The plumber pulled out the Lantern, allowing them a light source in the dense fog. The group trekked their way through it, coming onto a large boulder in the path similar to the one back at the beginning of the main trail. However, there was a large gray chest sitting next to it.
"Hello?” the chest spoke up in a deep masculine voice. “Is there anypony out there? I don’t know how long it’s been… it’s kind of cramped in here.”
“Uh, are mah ears playin’ tricks on me, or is that there chest talkin’?” Boomregard asked.
“Oh praise Celestia and Luna!” the chest cheered. “Somepony is finally answering me! Okay, don’t freak out… you are not hearing things. There is, in fact, a pony in this Cursed Chest.”
“Wait, why Cursed Chest?” Diggsie asked. “Why not Locked Treasure Chest?”
“Another Cursed Chest,” Spike realized. “Just like Wildfire in the San Palomino Desert…”
“You already rescued Wildfire!?” the chest asked. Soon enough, a bunch of fog blew out of the keyhole to the Chest. “OH COME ON! SHE GETS SAVED FIRST, AND SHE’S PROBABLY NOT EVEN LOOKING FOR ME! …Perhaps she’s looking for her ex, Arctic. Or maybe Arctic’s brother. If she’s making up for neglecting Rain’s feelings for her…”
“Uh, I’d hate to interrupt this VERY interesting rant,” Mario said, “but you’re one of the Papergami Ninja defeated by the Colts of Nocturne, right?”
“Yes,” the male pony inside the Chest said aloud. “My name is Heavy Cloud, master of clouds and stealth expert of the Papergami Clan. And yes, before you ask, I’m the one responsible for this fog lately. You see, a bunch of ponies found my chest and began dragging it through this forest while I fell asleep, and when I woke up to beg for their help, they got scared and dumped me here! And then there was the fact that they left the stupid key to break the seal of this chest at some Rock Farm halfway across the country!”
“What a coincidence!” Diggsie spoke up. “I happen to use to work at Rock Farm halfway across country! And we happen to find Key Mr. Pie had no use for!”
“…Are you serious?”
“Yep!”
“…She’s awfully energetic,” the stallion inside the chest pointed out. “Well, what the hoof are you all waiting for!? If you already have the key, don’t just sit here! Open this chest up! I promise to aid you!”
“Okay!” Diggsie smiled, taking the key from Mario before he could speak reason into her, and placed the key in the chest. Soon enough, the force of the entire fog blowing away knocked Diggsie back into the others, but left the Whitetail Woods cleared up, and revealed a Florie’s Root in the branches of a dead tree.
“Wait a minute,” the Florie’s Root asked, “what happened to the fog? Oh no, I’m exposed out here! What if that mustached man that has been going around capturing Flories finds me?”
When the four got back up, they saw the large Chest had turned black, and opened up, revealing a large gray ant crawling out. It then folded away to reveal a large male Pegasus with dark gray fur under a white jumpsuit. He had an equally white mane and tail.
“We are well met, travelers,” Heavy Cloud bowed to them. “I am in your debt.”
“Never had a ninja in mah debt as far as Ah can remember,” Boomregard commented. “So, this Arctic guy… he stuffed ya in that there box, right?”
“Yes,” Heavy Cloud nodded. “But enough about him. What happened to the others?”
“We have only saved Wildfire and now you,” Mario explained. “You see, if you guys also oppose Arctic and Sirius, I think we can work together. Too bad we can’t go further into Whitetail Woods with this boulder in the way. My Super Hammer can’t do anything about large boulders …”
“…Perhaps the strength of Ant Form will move this,” Heavy Cloud mused. “Do you know Papergami?”
“Yes,” Mario said before getting into the starting position. Heavy Cloud followed him.
“I see that you are an expert. Okay, remember this fold, traveler, and embrace the strength of Ants…” Soon enough, his fold turned him into a giant ant, which Mario and the others copied. Five ants were in the large clearing. “While in Ant Form, your strength will be multiplied by fifty times! You will be able to lift most heavy objects by pressing B near them… such as giant boulders. Also, you will be able to carry them while moving, as long as your stamina can hold on. I bet whatever skill Wildfire taught you didn’t have that!”
“Uh no, she didn’t,” Spike replied. “She did teach us how to walk over quicksand, squeeze through tight spaces, and oink.”
“…Just try out your new ability near the rock there,” Heavy Cloud told him. “Remember, it’s a Press of the B Button to lift heavy objects.” Mario walked over to the rock, and then grabbed it with his antlike forelegs… and pulled it up with ease.
“Wow!” the plumber cheered. “Uh, how do I put the rock down?”
“Well, if you’re placing an object, you can hit B again to simply drop it. But, if you’re going to be so bold as to toss it… Press the X Button!” Mario then tossed the rock, causing it to shatter into pieces. “Oh, one more thing before popping back to normal. You WILL have a stamina meter for this ability while carrying something, similar to using Paper Mode. As you move, your stamina with steadily drop over a period of time— the larger the object, the quicker your Stamina will dry up before you take one Heart Point of damage and drop the object automatically. It helps if you start with small objects, or try to have resting periods between lifting instead of trying to see how fast you can do it.”
“I see,” the plumber-turned-ant nodded. “So, what, can we pop back to normal with this so-called A Button?”
“I suppose,” Heavy Cloud shrugged before popping back to normal. Mario’s group did the same. “You have saved two of us now, travelers. Anyways, the fog is now cleared up, and you can continue deeper into the forest… I hope we see each other again!”
“So, what are you going to do now?” Spike asked. “I mean, Wildfire went to go train…”
“Hm,” the large stallion thought. “I suppose I’ll go do that, myself. That way, when I do see Arctic, I will be able to tear him in half with my bare hooves.”
“That’s awfully harsh, ain’t it?” Boomregard said. “Ah don’t know what went down with ya an’ that other guy, but…”
“Arctic was always dangerous,” Heavy Cloud replied. “He has secrets about our clan, and in our enemies’ hooves, they leave our clan vulnerable. I have no doubt that my people are in jeopardy… including my younger sister. She was another who he wooed off of her hooves. Anyways, I should go. Good luck, travelers… and be on the lookout for our three remaining companions if you can.” The Pegasus flew away, leaving Mario’s group alone.
“So, let’s-a go,” Mario said after a moment, turning back to the way they came. “I hate backtracking…”
“Wait,” Boomregard said, pointing to the Florie’s Root. “Alright, ya have two options. Door one, jump down here an’ surrender. Door two, Mario, Spike, or Ah git ya down.”
“…Oh no,” the Florie’s Root realized. “You’re the ones who have been interfering, aren’t you!? Well, I’m sure you all can’t stop our plans…”
“Ah don’t suggest ya go there,” Boomregard warned. “Ah mean, we’ve been gatherin’ a lot of yer kind, an’ Ah have a Boomerang.”
“…Oh the heck with this,” the Florie’s Root muttered. She then jumped out of the tree, into Spike’s claws. “I hate you people.”
“Don’t worry, we’ve gotten frustrated finding you too,” Spike said before bopping her on the head and stuffing her away. “Now, let’s go back to the others.
One backtracking later…
By the time Mario’s group returned to Big Macintosh and the Cutie Mark Crusaders, the three fillies had set up what appeared to be a lemonade stand… with Badges. Noah, meanwhile, was now fishing on the opposite side of the river, Big Macintosh sitting next to him.
“…Uh, what are they doing?” Spike whispered.
“We’ll find out in a minute,” Mario said before turning into Ant Form. He lifted the boulder up before dropping it into the river, making a platform in the water, but revealing a hole in the ground.
“AH! FINALLY!” a voice spoke up. Soon enough, a massive yellow Wiggler crawled out, shocking the four out of their Ant Forms. “Hello, there! Did you guys move that boulder in Wiggler’s path?”
“Wait, you were under there?” Diggsie asked. “Didn’t smell you…”
“Yes, Wiggler’s home is underground, Miss!” the Wiggler smiled in a cheerful nature. “Wiggler moved to Whitetail Woods when Wiggler heard how lovely Equestria is… Earth Ponies know their flowers! But then this Magikoopa lady showed up and dropped a block on the bridge, causing boulder to fall down from nowhere. It trapped Wiggler underground!”
“Ooh, that’s harsh, Mr. Wiggler,” Sweetie Belle commented.
“Aw, little ponies!” the Wiggler smiled at the three fillies. “They’re so adorable…”
“Uh, I hate to interrupt, but we should fix the bridge,” Spike pointed out. Mario, now able to reach the block, twisted back before using his Spin Hammer to break it, causing the bridge to pop out of the water, making the river crossable.
“Alright, we can go!” Apple Bloom smiled. The smile turned into a frown. “Too bad we have to close up our new shop minutes after we set it up…”
“Wait, shop?” the Wiggler asked. He then crossed over the bridge, curiously looking at the little stand. “You’re opening a shop here in Whitetail Woods? Don’t you know this location is dangerous?”
“Well, sorta,” Apple Bloom answered. “This here’s probably the safest part o’ Whitetail Woods with all the creatures ’bout, but we wanted to help out Sweetie Belle’s pa with his Badge Shop.”
“You see, Mr. Wiggler,” Scootaloo explained, “we figured other ponies will be adventuring here, and could use a Badge or two that Sweetie’s Dad doesn’t have room for in the normal store. So, we’ve been figuring out how to advertise by figuring out where to put up stands. Also, for about 10 Mushroom Coins, we’d offer Apple Juice to refresh HP, 5 Coins for Sweet Tea to refresh FP, or 15 Coins for Lemonade to refresh both… We can’t do anything about Element Power, yet.”
“The problem, though, is that we don’t have enough hooves to work these stores,” Sweetie Belle replied. “We’re only grade school fillies, after all, and it’s just the three of us plus Mom and Dad…”
“Aw, you poor things,” the Wiggler gasped. “Hm… perhaps Wiggler can help! Wiggler has family all over Equestria! Wiggler is sure they can help you run your shops… just as long as your locations aren’t too scary.”
“Really?” Apple Bloom asked. “Yeehaw! Thank you Mr. Wiggler!”
“No problem,” Wiggler smiled. “Who does Wiggler have to go see to work this idea?”
“Talk to a Mr. Magnum at Carousel Boutique in Ponyville,” Scootaloo explained. “You can’t miss it!”
“Okay,” the Wiggler nodded. “Be careful, girls!” The Wiggler reared up to go—
“Hey, Mr. Wiggler,” Noah spoke up, “can I hitch a ride with you back to Ponyville? I’m going to hang out in town for a bit before setting off to Baltimare.”
“Sure!” the Wiggler smiled. “Hop on!” The Noki jumped on, before Wiggler took off.
“Well, there they go,” Diggsie said aloud. “Hey, I smell another Florie’s Root in his home.”
“AAAH! HOW DO THEY KEEP FINDING US!?”
“Mario, if ya need any Badges, we’re here fer ya,” Apple Bloom said. “If ya wanna move on, talk to Big Macintosh. We’ll close up fer now an’ head through the woods.” Mario decided to humor the girls and buy Lemonade for the party (considering they needed it). He also looked at the Badges they had in stock, which included Sound FX M (which made a sound of a mouse), Sleepy Stomp, and Hoof Guard P (which reduced damage from pony enemies for Mario’s partners). Inside the Wiggler’s home was indeed a Florie’s Root, which Spike collected after Mario conked the weed on the head. There was also a huge bed for the Wiggler, and a picture of multiple Wigglers. Yeah, the guy had a huge family.
After using a convenient spring to exit the Wiggler’s home, Mario’s group approached Big Macintosh. “Ready to go?” the red stallion asked.
“Eeyup,” Spike nodded before hopping in. The three Cutie Mark Crusaders joined the group before the wagon headed deeper into the forest, past where Mario learned Ant Form. The wagon soon arrived at a waterfall, where a group of Griffins were roaming. One of the Griffins spotted their cart, and three of them flew in front of Big Macintosh.
“And where do ya think you’re going with those yummy goods?” one of the Griffins asked the stallion, who did not flinch.
“Apple delivery,” Big Macintosh answered in a calm tone, unhitching himself from the wagon. “We’re gonna need to move through here, fellers.”
“Aw, really?” another Griffin asked. “Well, we’re in the mood for fruit… or pony, if you want to play that game!”
“Or ya could just git out o’ the way an’ save yerselves the trouble,” Apple Bloom warned from the safety of the wagon. “Ya’ll don’t wanna see Big Macintosh take off his yoke. Bad things tend to happen to jerks when mah big brother takes off his yoke…”
“Aw, isn’t that adorable?” the first Griffin asked, looking at the three fillies. “The big, bad, stallion is taking his sister and her friends on a hay bale ride, but replacing the hay with apples… those girls are so cute, I could just eat them up!”
“Can we please just git to the battle part?” Boomregard scowled to Mario, Spike, and Diggsie. “Ah mean, really…”
“…Big Macintosh, ya have mah permission to take yer yoke off,” Apple Bloom said aloud. The red stallion shrugged off the massive yoke, which shook the forest while Mario’s group jumped out of the wagon. Before they could even join in the fray, Big Macintosh moved at the speed of a Blue Shell in certain go-kart tournaments… which, in layman’s terms, was pretty fast. He was also just as devastating. Mario WOULD have felt bad for the Griffins, but four more approached his party.
“Spike, I believe you’re on?” the plumber said.
“These guys are Griffins,” the Dragon began his Tattle. “Part lion, part eagle, all awesomely dangerous. Griffins are fierce combatants. It’s usually wise to run if you ever find yourself outnumbered by these guys, but if you want to fight them… they can take to the air at anytime. But keeping them grounded is much harder than Pegasus type enemies since they can get back up the next turn. They can strike us with their front talons or nip and peck at us with their beaks. Or for one turn, they can pick up one of us and throw us into one of our allies the next. Knocking them out of the air is the key to stopping their airborne tricks!”
“Or we could finally put Diggsie’s new special attack to good use,” Mario suggested.
“FINALLY!” the Diamond Dog cheered in joy. She and Mario both touched the Element, and yelled, “FAITHFUL STORM!”
“How is a storm faithful?” Boomregard asked the Dragon next to him, as Diggsie threw Mario upwards, where a Lakitu with a fishing pole happened to catch him by the hem of his pants.
“At this point, I’ve given up on making sense as to how any of the Elements of Harmony work when they’re not all together,” Spike told the Boomerang Bro. “Keep in mind that the Elements never had an opportunity to act separately and are most useful when together, so I figured just to accept it.”
“Makes some sense, Ah reckon,” Boomregard agreed.
Mario got his Hammer out, ready to go as Diggsie burrowed underground. Soon enough, massive stone lightning bolts just fell from the sky, planting themselves in the ground. Except these were labeled with buttons and arrows in no particular order. Soon enough, Diggsie smacked a bolt up from underground, to which Mario slammed his Hammer down on it with the Lakitu guiding him, causing the bolt to hit one of the four Griffins. The two worked together to rain the powerful attack on the Griffins, KO’ing two, doing significant damage to a third, and causing a third to Stop in a painful pose. Boomregard’s Wild Arc took care of the Stopped one, but it left the third to claw Mario. But he was taken down easily.
By the time the group had taken care of their Griffins, Big Macintosh walked back to the cart with his yoke on, his Griffins taken down already. Spike and Mario gapped in awe. “This always happens when mah brother takes off his yoke to deal wit’ jerks,” Apple Bloom commented.
“…I can see why Granny Smith was willing to lend us your service if you weren’t so busy,” Mario commented.
“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh nodded. “Shall we git goin’ ’fore more o’ ’em show up?”
“Yeah, we should,” Boomregard nodded. “Still, someone oughta make sure the road’s cleared.” Using Pig Form and Diggsie’s digging power, Mario’s group managed to do just that, clearing the road to Los Pegasus in no time (and also battling enemies).
---
Los Pegasus— Town
The city was amazing. As Big Macintosh pulled the wagon into it, Mario had to admit he had not expected to see a more modern city in Equestria’s borders. In fact, if Mario had not known any better, he would have said the town looks a lot like Glitzville… if it was on the ground, about three times the size, and had movies and casinos instead of wrestling as its main attraction.
The plumber realized looking at the town that he had a lot of ground to cover.
“So what’s our first move now that we’re here, Mr. Mario?” Scootaloo asked.
“Well, I was thinking my group would try to search the city for the first authority figure, ask if they have seen a comet or something similar fall out of the sky in the past week or so, and then figure out where to go next,” the plumber said. “It’s worked twice, now.”
“…Ya know, that pretty much is how we met,” Boomregard recalled. “But if it ain’t broken, no need to fix it.”
“Can we help?” Sweetie Belle asked.
“Actually, I was thinking you girls could stay with Big Macintosh for his delivery,” Spike said. “Maybe you could ask anypony while you’re there. You know spread out, but not too far from each other.”
“That’s kinda helpin’,” Apple Bloom shrugged. “Ya okay wit’ that, Big Macintosh?”
“Eeyup,” the stallion nodded. “We’ll catch up with ya later. Good luck, ya’ll.” Big Macintosh began walking alongside the Cutie Mark Crusaders, leaving Mario’s group alone.
“Well, that takes care of that problem,” Mario said. “So, let’s-a-go.”
“Not to point out dumb move,” Diggsie asked, “but didn’t e-mail say something about Applewood Studios and that being a good spot to start looking?” All three males turned to the teenage Diamond Dog. “Just saying that easier than explaining same problem over and over again.”
“...I feel like an idiot,” Mario groaned.
“Me too,” Spike agreed.
“Still, we don’t know where in the hay Applewood Studios is,” Boomregard pointed out. “So we still need to go ask someone.”
Mario’s group reluctantly began strolling through town, talking to random citizens in search of directions. However, most of the people that were on the street were tourists who were just as lost as the adventurers. When they crossed over to the next block of the town, though, a shout startled them.
“HEY! WHAT’S YOUR DEAL, COPPERS!?” Mario’s group stopped to see a female Griffin being surrounded by what appeared to be police officer ponies. But one pony stood out from all of them. It was a male Earth Pony with dark blue fur, gray hooves, and a black mane and tail, both short. The stallion looked a little on the heavier side. His black mustache and matching beard were thick, almost establishing some dominance. His eyes were covered by sunglasses, making his dominant attitude almost standoffish. Hanging from his gray police uniform was a gray star badge, signaling that he was a sheriff. His Cutie Mark was a magnifying glass over a silver Power Star.
The stallion looked at the Griffin, shaking his head. “Don’t play dumb, Miss… I heard the stories that a group of Griffins were attacking ponies on the road. I’d like to ask you a few questions at Key Point.”
“No way! I’m not going to that place!” the Griffin scowled. “I didn’t do anything wrong! And I’d never be caught with those lameos!”
“Ma’am,” the sheriff scowled, “your refusal to cooperate makes you seem more suspicious than simply just answering the questions. It’ll only be an hour of your time, tops. Keep going with this, and I’ll run you in for disturbing the peace.”
“…Fine,” the Griffin scowled. “But this is a waste of Gilda Griffin’s time, donut boy!”
“The insults are not necessary,” the stallion said. “Two of you boys take her back to Key Point… I’ll catch up to you all in a moment.” He then turned towards Mario’s group, and strolled over to them while the Griffin (apparently Gilda) was escorted away.
“Uh, hello, officer,” Mario waved. “We’re looking for Applewood Studios… we need to go there…”
“Applewood Studios?” the officer asked. “I don’t think so, buddy.” Mario’s group looked at each other and then back at the sheriff.
“Is there a problem, sir?” Spike asked.
“Of course!” the sheriff said. “Do you think I’m going to let some group of strangers just waltz into this town’s main area of livelihood? Especially when they’re a Dragon, a human tourist, and a Diamond Dog?”
“At least he didn’t mention the Boomerang Bro—” Boomregard began.
“Well I wasn’t going to,” the sheriff spoke up, “but you look mighty suspicious, too, buddy!”
“Dang it.”
“Okay, we get it,” Diggsie commented. “We look out of ordinary in pony-based community. So, out of curiosity, why you come talk to us?”
“To ask what the four of you are doing walking on Sheriff Book Key’s street,” the sheriff answered. “And now that I know you’re planning to go to Applewood Studios, I have to ask what you plan to do in Applewood Studios?”
Mario’s group all looked at each other, nervous. Spike turned back to Book Key, and began, “Well—”
“OH, THERE YOU ARE, SPIKE!” a female voice spoke up. Mario’s group and Book Key all looked to see a Unicorn mare with an odd resemblance to Twilight Sparkle. Except this mare had a few key differences: she was older but had a youthful expression, had white fur, a purple and white stripped mane and tail, and three purple stars. The baby Dragon gasped as he looked at the mare. “So, these are your new friends you’ve written to me about?”
“…What?” Boomregard asked. “Uh, ma’am—”
She walked towards Boomregard, and whispered, “(Play along, I’m trying to help.)” Turning to Spike, she said aloud, “So, aren’t you going to introduce me at last?”
“Oh, hi, Mrs. Sparkle!” Spike waved. “Mario, Boomregard, Diggsie, this is Twilight Sparkle’s mom, Twilight Velvet, but almost everypony calls her ‘Velvet’ or ‘Mrs. Sparkle’. She’s a writer…”
“And I’ve been asked to write for a certain movie,” Velvet continued.
“Wait a minute, Mrs. Sparkle,” Book Key spoke up. “You know this Dragon?”
“He’s my baby girl’s assistant, almost part of my family!” Velvet said, rubbing Spike’s spines (much to his embarrassment). “In fact, I asked Spikey-wikey here to help find some extras for it. Looks like he’s delivered, Sheriff Book Key! I’m sure Spikey-wikey and his friends mean no harm to you or Los Pegasus.”
“…I see,” Book Key said in an unconvinced tone. “Well, then, Mrs. Sparkle, I’ll leave these four in your hooves.” Turning to Mario, he warned, “But you better watch yourself, buddy. You’re one of the few humans here, so if something has your fingers on it, I’ll know where to start looking.” He then stormed away, his fellow officers following.
“…Whew,” Velvet smiled once she was certain Book Key was gone, “that was TOO close!” Turning to Spike, she frowned. “Now, why didn’t you tell me you were coming, little mister!? Honestly, you’ve inherited Twily’s bad habit of not writing to me.”
“Wait, you two legitimately know each other?” Mario asked. “Well, that’s… actually great.”
“Well, she IS Twilight’s Mom,” Spike pointed out. “Anyways, Mrs. Sparkle, I didn’t know you were here…”
“Oh, don’t worry too much about it,” Velvet waved off. “In fact, me catching you here is really convenient for my job! Now, how about we get you all to Applewood Studios? It’s to the northwest of here. Follow me… we can talk there.” With that, the mare began to lead them through the city, completely unaware of the blue Boo uncloaking in an alleyway, of the pirate Unicorn hanging out in a crowd with a shopping bag hanging with her magic, or the pink capped Koopa standing on the street.
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So... no clues as to the new partner? I mean, is it Noah? Only he left...
3525883
Glad you noticed Noah! Well, I've decided to keep everyone in the dark for now... don't worry, you'll see who the partner is soon enough...
Before I save, I have to post this.
Good luck waiting
*hits Save Block*
*game saved*
I literally JUST opened my e-mail... several minutes ago. But still, this was there! I was like... SQUEE!!
I knew it was a Noki. I knew it. At first I thought it was the Noki Elder from the Bay, but that wouldn't make sense. Now I'm wondering if Noah will be a partner, or just a recurring background
ponycharacter, like Kolorado in the first game, and Dupree in TTYD. And yeah! Noki don't appear anymore! Except in the Baseball sub-series, and in the audience in Double DashWiggler! Insta-win. But was he a Wiggler, or a Flutter? It said he "took off", which could be interpreted as running or flying.
And Twi's mom! Now comes for a fanon concept. If you view Spike as NOT a family member, then you don't have anything to say. If you view Twilight and Spike as mother and son, then that makes Velvet Spike's grandma
If you view Twi and Spike as sister and brother (like me), then Velvet is his mom, kinda. LET THE FANON-ISMS COMMEN-*smack*
I have nothing more to say. Aside from "good luck" with the wait
ONE. DAY.
Oooh, interested in seeing what you'll do with the overzealous cop. And yay for Noki!
3526051
Ah, I see you're waiting for Season 4. Well, while everyone waits for Season 4, I figured I could do some advertising. Sure, my story no longer means ANYTHING now that Season 4 is on the horizon, but since it is officially AU with the ponies and the world being made out of paper, it's still fun!
But yeah, the reason why I included a Noki is how little they have done in the Mario series since Sunshine. Heck, even Piantas get seen more often in the spin-off games like Mario Party and The Thousand-Year Door, yet a Noki has no impact on the plot anymore? Well, I figured having one would be fun.
He's a Wiggler. He hasn't eaten the leaves or whatever was necessary to become a Flutter. I'm very species-specific about these characters... but hey, we now have Wigglers running Badge shops!
Meanwhile, Twilight Velvet... a.k.a. "Twilight's Mom" is here. Honestly, it's hard for me to say... considering how according to canon, Spike was given to Twilight as an egg and she hatched him, but she was still too young to have raised him by herself. Princess Celestia and (whenever she saw her parents) Velvet could perhaps have helped raised Spike, the latter of which Lauren Faust wanted to be true back when she was working on the series. So, I'd say that Twilight Velvet would be like a second mom to Spike.
3526556
Yep. Sheriff Book Key is a pretty overzealous cop. But to anyone worried about me being a police officer: do not worry, I don't have a negative opinion on real-life police officers, so ANYTHING I do with Book Key for the rest of this chapter is not out of malice for our law enforcement.
In the meantime, a Noki!
Truthfully, I'm not really interested in watching the series, just the fandom. I like to see what people think up with their imagination for the fandom, what art they make and what stories they write. And this is one of the stories that has really caught my attention.
And as for the partner...if the cover for this chapter was ready, we might have a hint, but for now I'll stick with my guess as a Duplighost for the partner.
3527531
Aw, thank you very much for liking this story's potential.
Anyways, I'm not the one who makes each of the chapter covers, though. That would be InvinciblePony2375 who makes the pictures.
Oh YAY! More Paper Mario: Land of Harmony!
I often wonder how many young characters ask Mario for stories about his adventures and how many of them actually get appeased. Seems a nice guy like Mario wouldn't be able to say "no" to kids, but that's gotta take a LONG time.
Nokis! Nokis were always my fav as a kid because they were just so dang adorable! Too bad they just plain don't show up all that often.
Anyway, so new Papergami (I really hope we get to see all those characters again near the final boss). Ants are actually extremely strong for their size, so if you make them big enough, they'd probably rival the Hulk. If that could be used in battle, it would be both hilarious, and effective!
Big Mac's yoke came off, shit just got real XD Dang, why can't we have HIM for a party member? Well, then the game would probably be too easy
Then into Las Pegasus where we meet Ms. Velvet and a powder keg of baddies is all gathered. Did they plan this, or did they all just get up individually and say "Okay, I'm going to go over there and destroy the place"?
Regardless, great start to Chapter 3! Onwards! To adventure!
1)
Yes, I've noticed a lack of Nokis as well, but I'd say they've started disappearing after Mario Super Sluggers.
Ant Form can't fit through tight spaces like the Pig Form? So, it's modelled after the giant ants from Super Mario Land 2?
Ah, so "Land of Harmony" WILL have Mario and Luigi elements besides humour throughout. Even though I didn't find this a problem in my Paper Mario playthroughs too much, I found this system especially helpful in Dream Team with places like these appearing at least once per zone. THREE CHEERS FOR ANTI-FRUSTRATION FEATURES!
2)
Well, the locations are definitely intriguing, to say the least. I still can't wait to see more of Los Pegasus and the inevitable encounter with the bad boys themselves, Wario and Waluigi.
3528034
You know, I find it a bit heartwarming that Mario shares his stories with little kids. Sure, it's no "Cutie Mark story", but Mario has been in more adventures than the Mane Six have perhaps been ALIVE. Considering Mario has been having adventures for thirty years and and the Mane Six are high school seniors at the oldest in Equestria Girls (but are in their early twenties at the oldest in this fic), that's not very much, but it's old enough that he has stories.
Nokis are my favorite NPCs in the Mario universe. These guys have so much potential, but are so forgotten compared to the Piantas and their "Chuckster" style.
New Papergami powers are always fun to think up of. Honestly, the Ant Form was the most difficult to figure out what it would be... but now that I have, the other three will be easy! As for using these powers in Battle... I thought about it, honestly. Unfortunately, Pig Form has nothing worthwhile for combat purposes except lowering the enemies' guard, and Ant Form... well, it would be broken. Perhaps when we rescue them all, maybe they can teach Mario some Battle tips.
Big Macintosh's yoke seems to be really heavy. So, I could not help but wonder what would happen if he took it off. But yeah, Big Macintosh, if he was NOT needed by Granny Smith, would speed run the game.
Yep, we meet Twilight Velvet... and see the bad guys. What makes it worse is they did NOT plan this. They all just showed up, Rosie doing some shopping while her crew searches Los Pegasus. Roy's on the lookout. But Boogular... he KNEW Mario was going to be here!
3528103
I too am disappointed by the lack of Nokis in the series after the Gamecube era...
Wow, I unintentionally referenced an old Mario game! Can we say that I did intend to reference it?
But yeah, I figured that it would make life easier.
Oh, we'll see Wario very soon... trust me.
3528310
Well, I won't say no to unintentional references!
I could not say to the cliche. Big Macintosh has proven to be among the strongest of Ponyville's residents... and the yoke is really heavy looking. Combine that with pulling a cart holding the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Mario's team, and apple products, I couldn't resist.
I'm glad you actually noticed Gilda. But anyway, Noah will NOT be showing up for the rest of the chapter. We haven't seen the next partner yet (something I haven't yet done so far).
As for the Griffons being an antagonistic group, I just wanted to introduce them as a mini-boss. But yeah, I figured that mythology needed a shout-out.
Great chapter. Something tell's me that officer is going to be trouble for Mario and the gang.
3531896
Well, there is one pony who even Discord could never underestimate, someone who the Princesses respect... but that will be for another time.
I honestly threw in the "Trixie-being-a-Luigi-fangirl" thing because I felt that A) Luigi needed some love and B) Trixie, before Sunset Shimmer showed up, seemed like another Twilight. I found it hilarious, though. As for Tubba Blubba, I have no plans for him making an impact on the main story. Perhaps in either the Jr. Troopa DLC or some other one.
Meanwhile , in Los Pegasus, Mario and the crew have a new foe. I have realized I have made both of the arc villains of the last two chapters Mushroom Kingdom foes (even if Mohan was absolutely pathetic). The series proper acknowledges ponies can be just as good and bad as they choose... for instance, in canon, King Sombra was, in the past at least, such a monster that he took over an entire small country, possibly killed off the former rulers, enslaved and violated the minds of the Crystal ponies, and cursed the counry to vanish from the face of the planet for 1,000 years until he could return when he was defeated by the Princesses, but not before he made ridiculous prepararations that would have nearly let him win. In fact, compare him to the other major antagonists in the series, and he was the only one who the show's producers felt the need to literally kill off, and he was established to be a mortal Unicorn corrupt, not a physical god like Discord or Nightmare Moon. In The Land of Harmony, his crazy preparedness and dark magic was, if he could have had more prep time, would have allowed him to have captured Princesses Celestia and Luna and taken over Equestria unopposed. I don't care if he was not given a lot of characterization, he proved evil enough to be killed off in a kid's show on SCREEN! That does not happen in this series.
You know, there was a point to all of that last paragraph, but I had forgotten it... oh, wait. Yeah, pony-series villain. It's overdue.
Excellent chapter!
...That police officer needs to step on a lego.
That being said, this is fantastic. It's like the king of fanfiction crossovers that have to do with mario.
3659183
Whoa, violent reaction. Are you saying this because of his racism, because he arrested Gilda for something she didn't do, or because he's a jerk?
Anyway, thank you for the compliment!
3660729 The Racism, and the false arrest.
Anyway, no problem. I like complimenting people, and I really mean it, this is a great story. When will the next chapter be up, do you estimate?
3662446
I must apologize for the delay. But when I heard that the writer behind the Daring Do books in canon (A.K. Yearling) was the real Daring Do's pseudonym (and the stories were actually non-fiction), I flipped out.
That said, I had to edit the next update to include Yearling. If I finish it, soon, expect something around Hearth's Warming/Christmas. I'm working on stuffing ALL of the stockings of my audiences.
CHEEEEEEAPTER THREE: DARING DO, THE GENTLECOLT AND THE ILLUSIONIST!
Is there a reason why this chapter has no title card? Paper Mario 64 title cards weren't very spoiler-heavy, so that was definitely not the reason.