At first, all Mario and friends could see was a blur of bright light that blinded them. Eventually, their visions cleared up, allowing them to open their eyes toward the sky. Sure enough, they found themselves soaring above a sea of clouds, with two colorful rainbow rings, hovering high above a large tower, surrounded by four taller towers, with pointed roofs of orange, red, turquoise, and light blue.
Spike flapped his wings to both keep himself airborne and prevent himself from plummeting into the clouds below. To his astonishment, he saw Mario had wings on his cap, with Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Yoshi all having wings on their backs. And there they were: All flying beside him.
"Whoa!" Spike exclaimed, seeing his friends were all flying with him. "You're flying!"
"We're what?" Pinkie asked.
She turned her head to the magic wings upon her back, shocked that she could make them flap. The same could be said about Applejack, Yoshi, and Mario who seemed just as surprised.
"Omigosh! Omigosh! Omigosh! Omigosh! We're flying!"
"Are we dead?" Applejack asked. "Is this the afterlife? What they call Heaven?"
“Welcome to the Tower of the Magic Feathers!” A voice greeted them. “Step on the red ‘!’ Switch at the top, inside the rainbow ring. When you trigger the switch, all of the red ‘!’ Blocks you find will become solid.”
“Okay!” Pinkie Pie chirped.
She immediately centers herself inside the rainbow ring.
“HERE WE GOOOOOO… AH!!!!”
Pinkie Pie had attempted to ground pound the switch from the air, but her aim was a little off by an inch, and she ended up smartening her bottom on one of the tower’s battlements.
“Who put that block there?” Pinkie winced.
The party pony cringed from her sore landing, keeling over painfully. The rest of the heroes quickly land on the tower, as they ran over to inspect their party pony friend.
“Pinkie?” Applejack asked, concerned. “Are ya alright?”
“Yeah… I’ll be fine,” Pinkie grimaced. “I should have all feelings in my pinkie senses in the next course.”
The friends all exchange odd glances to each other, still uncertain with Pinkie’s antics, and shrugged. They proceed to run up to the large switch in the center of the tower, which they all jumped atop of, pressing with all their might through their combined weight. A flash of red star-shaped confetti explodes from the switch as a result.
“You stepped on the ‘!’ Red Switch!” The voice announced. “All of the Red Blocks you will find in the castle have become solid. The power of flight is now yours.”
“YAY!” Pinkie cheered, bouncing excitedly. “We can fly! We can fly! We can fly!”
But Pinkie Pie spoke too soon, when her feathers suddenly flashed repeatedly, before they disappeared.
“Hey! What happened to my wings?!” Pinkie asked, flopping to the ground.
It wasn’t long before the rest of the heroes, minus Spike, all lost their magical wings as well.
“The power only lasts for a short while,” The voice explained. “With the magic feathers, Mario and friends can take to the skies! Triple jump to take off and crouch to land.”
“Oh, okay,” Pinkie said. “Let’s-a do that-a again!”
“Actually, now that we got this here new power,” Applejack began. “Shouldn’t we be headin’ back to the castle now?”
“Not so fast, A.J.,” Spike said, stopping her. “We’ve got a start to collect first.”
Spike points to a Star Marker not too far from the switch they just pressed.
“I take it that we’ve got some red coins to collect then?” Pinkie Pie chirped.
“Yoshi!” Yoshi confirmed.
“But where do we find ‘em?” Applejack asked.
“Up there!” Mario points.
They turn in his direction, toward some ring of coins in the air, circling around the tower, each with two red coins.
“Here we go!”
Mario proceeds to punch a red box open, revealing a magic feather, which he uses to grant wings on his hat. Then, with a hop, a skip, and a cartwheel, Mario jumps into the air and went airborne.
“Alright, Mario!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “Go get the coins!”
Mario points his nose upward, as he targets the floating coins, from the highest point in the sky. But for some reason, he couldn’t gain any more altitude.
“What’s wrong, Mario?” Pinkie asked. “Why aren’t you flying any higher?”
“This is the initial height of the triple jump takeoff,” The voice lectured. “With the magic feather, no one can fly higher than the liftoff, after their third jump. They must fly at a steady rhythm of diving and climbing in order to remain airborne.”
“Then how are we gonna get them red coins?” Applejack asked, before turning to Pinkie Pie. “Look at me. I must be goin’ nuts talkin’ to some disembodied voice.”
“Yoshi?” Yoshi asked, tilting his head.
“If you want to collect the red coins, then your options would be to return to the castle, and come back later to start from the beginning,” The voice explained. “Do you wish to leave this course now to try again?”
Applejack turns to her friends, then back to Mario, who just landed back on the tower while the wings on his cap disappeared.
“What’re the other options?” Applejack asked.
“Let’s say it will take some good teamwork,” The voice replied. “Each of you have different skill sets. But when joined together, I’m confident you will succeed.”
“But how do we do it?”
“You must figure that out.”
The heroes ponder together, brainstorming for a plan.
“I could fly up there and get the coins,” Spike muttered. “I’ve never flown that high though, the air seems to be a little too thin.”
“Yoshi,” Yoshi chirped, long and hard.
“I could buck someone and launch ‘em in the air,” Applejack said.
“Mario and I are the best jumpers,” Pinkie Pie commented. “Though, not as good as Luigi, but I can still learn.”
“Hmm…” Mario thought, before snapping his fingers. “I’ve-a got it!”
“What is it, Mario?” Pinkie asked. “You’ve got a plan?”
“Oh yeah!” Mario answered. “Here’s-a how we are-a gonna do it!”
Mario brought his friends together into a huddle, explaining the plan.
Later, the heroes, minus Yoshi, Applejack, and Spike, all don up their magic wings, and were stacked up on top of each other to begin their plan.
Spike found himself riding on Mario’s shoulder, while the plumber rode on Pinkie Pie, who stood atop Applejack, who lied on her back.
“You sure about this?” Spike asked, nervously.
“Oh yeah!” Mario replied. “Pretty sure!” The plumber then looks down at Applejack. “Are you-a ready Apple-a-Jack?”
Applejack’s face was colored red from the vast amount of air she was holding in, as she strained to keep her legs up.
“Eeyup!” Applejack replied. “Y’all ready for liftoff?”
In response, Mario and friends, minus Yoshi, all exchange confirmations.
“Then, here we go!” Applejack shouted.
With a loud grunt and a burst of strength, Applejack kicked her legs up, thrusting her winged friends into the air.
“Wings, don’t fail us now!” Pinkie Pie hollered.
Pinkie Pie proceeds to flap her wings, whilst Mario jumped off Pinkie’s back, climbing even higher in the air.
“Now, Spike!” Mario alerted the young dragon.
Spike quickly breathed a burst of fire, pushing himself and Mario even higher, like a rocket, until at last, they’ve reached the peak of the coin rings spiraling around the tower.
“We did it!” Spike hollered.
“Yoshi!” Yoshi cheered.
“YEAH!!” Pinkie and Applejack hollered.
“Way better than the classic, but traumatizing, Yoshi Dismount you’re infamously known for,” Pinkie Pie commented.
“What?” Spike asked.
“Never mind…”
“Let’s-a go!” Mario shouted.
With Spike still on his back, they proceed to fly through the coin rings, collecting all eight red coins. A Power Star soon appears from the Star Marker on the tower, and everyone charged towards it, grabbing the star, and added it to their collection.
“Oh yeah!!” They sang, dancing with the Power Star showering them with sparkles. “We’ve got a Power Star!!”
“YOSHI!!” Yoshi finished.
“Well done,” The voice announced. “You have unlocked the Power of Flight, you have collected a Power Star, and more importantly, you have learned to work together.”
“Well, of course!” Pinkie Pie smiled. “Teamwork is always going to work.
“But the battle is far from over. Now, return to the castle.”
Without warning, a doorway back to the castle appears.
“Resume your quest to find your friends. Find all of the Power Stars, save the princess and the Mushroom Kingdom.”
“First, we want answers,” Applejack spoke up. “Who are ya?” Why are ya helpin’ us?”
At first, there was a moment of silence before the voice spoke.
“I am simply called the Guide. I have been watching over the progress of your adventure since the Cave of Games. It has been my duty for many moons to provide guidance for new adventurers, who have begun their quests to brand new worlds such as this.”
“Cave of-a Games?” Mario asked, intrigued.
“Well, um… Guide,” Applejack began. “If that’s true, then can ya tell us where we should go next? And can you tell us where our friends are?”
“Your friend, Rainbow Dash, is behind the door marked with the number 3, on the first floor of the castle,” The Guide answered. “That is all I can say for now. Now go, rescue your friend.”
“Wait!” Spike called out. “But where are the rest of our friends? Where’s Twilight? Where’s Rarity? Fluttershy? Where can we find the keys to freeing Mario’s brother, Luigi? Or even this Wario guy?”
“Find and rescue your friend, Rainbow Dash,” The Guide instructed. “Only with her speed and athleticism will you rescue your friend, Fluttershy. Go now. There’s little time to waste.”
The friends all turn toward one another, exchanging agreements.
“Alrighty then,” Applejack replied, leading her friends. “C’mon ya’ll! Let’s go!”
“Let’s save Dashie!” Pinkie Pie chirped.
One by one, the heroes enter the magical doorway, taking them back to the castle.
Princess Peach’s Castle
Upon exiting the doorway, the heroes find themselves falling from the ceiling of the main lobby. But fortunately, they land safely on their feet.
“Mario!” Toad exclaimed happily. “And friends! You’re all okay!”
“Oh yeah!” Mario smiled, giving Toad a thumbs up. “We are-a number one! We’ve got the Power of Flight, and-a we found-a Power-a Star!”
“Yoshi!” Yoshi chirped.
“Which gives us a total of… 20 stars!” Spike counted.
20 Stars!
“By jove! Good show there, Master Mario!”
An elderly southern English voice caused our heroes to turn toward an elderly toad approaching them.
Unlike the usual toadstool folks, whom the Equestrians have been seeing lately, this Toad has a tan complexion and a beige cap with brown spots, and a puffy, white mustache that’s as big as Mario’s, and a small pair of black glasses that framed his beady eyes. For attire, he wore a light purple vest with gold buttons with Toad emblems. Layers on top of the vest is a purple, sleeveless jacket hanging down like a tuxedo with gold trim and a red bow tie. Underneath he wears white bottoms and brown, padded boots. In his right hand, he carries with him a stick-like cane that has a brown mushroom cap on top with beige spots on it.
“Ello, Toadsworth!” Mario greeted the elderly toad. “So nice-a to see you’re-a okay!”
“Well, I was just about to lose hope, ever since that brute, Bowser, attacked our castle and imprisoned the princess, along with you and your brother,” Toadsworth replied grimly. “But then, a few of my colleagues have informed me Yoshi had recently entered our castle with a little dragon, and its thanks to him you and a couple of your friends are back in business!”
“Ya got that right!” Applejack smiled, shooting Spike a grateful smile.
“That’s our Spike!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “Always there when we need him!”
“Aw, heh-heh,” Spike blushed.
“Way to go, Yoshi!” Mario patted the dinosaur’s shoulder. “Number-a one!”
“Ah, you must be the visitors who have come to help Mario in his quest to rescue the princess from Bowser, yes?” Toadsworth smiled. “May I have the pleasure of knowing who you are?”
“I’m Spike,” Spike waved.
“Applejack!” Applejack introduced herself.
“And I’m Pinkamena Diane Pie!” Pinkie smiled. “But you can call me Pinkie Pie! Nice to meet ya!”
“Charmed to meet you all,” Toadsworth nodded. “I am Toadsworth, the princess’s steward. I’ve looked after her for over sixty years since she was a baby.”
“Oh!” Pinkie Pie gasped. “So, you’re her father, or her grandad?”
“Oh-ho ho, no!” Toadsworth chuckled. “I’m not her father, but I always regarded Princess Peach as if she was my daughter.”
Toadsworth then cleared his throat, as he strengthens his glasses, and his expression turns solemn.
“But I will be honest with you all. Nothing will please me more than to see the princess return to us, unharmed. Can I trust you all to do this?”
“We promise!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “Cross our hearts and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in our eyes!”
“What she said,” Applejack followed.
Unsure, if not bewildered by Pinkie’s chant, Toadsworth decided to let it slide and gave the heroes a quick nod.
“Jolly good then,” He said. “Now please, hurry! Save the princess!”
“We will!” Spike nodded.
The rest of his friends exchange agreements, nodding with determination.
“Let’s-a go!”
Mario pumped his fist in the air, as the heroes run toward the door, on the right side of the lobby, with the number 3 printed on the front. No sooner do they arrive, when the Power Stars they’ve collected all materialized and shower the door with golden sparkles. Reacting to the stars’ powers, the door slowly opened, granting the heroes entry.
Upon walking in, they discovered the entire room is a large aquarium, with four large tanks – two on the left and right sides – that contains a myriad of colorful fishes. The walls were decorated with blue sky and fluffy white clouds with beady eyes. Hanging on the wall, in front of the heroes is a painting of a large ship, that appeared to be submerged, as if it were underwater.
“Wow!” The heroes exclaimed, in unison.
“Hey look!” Pinkie pointed to a corner. “It’s another Toad!”
Applejack, seemingly more bewildered, turned to Mario.
“How many Toads are there?” She asked. “Why do they all look or even sound alike?”
In response, both Mario and Yoshi shrug their shoulders.
“Hiya Toad!” Pinkie greeted, bouncing toward the Toad. “How do you do?”
“Being imprisoned in these walls can drive a fungus crazy,” He replied, with a sigh. “When I really start to freak out, I think to myself, ‘Well, I’m going to be here for a while, so I might as well stare at the fish. They are oddly hypnotic’. Then I actually start to like being captured…”
There was a moment of awkward silence, as the group turned to each other. All at once, the Toad wailed.
“Aaauugh!” IT’S MADNESS! I’ve got to snap out of this! You have to free us before we’re all completely brainwashed!”
“Whoa, whoa, calm down!” Pinkie Pie reassured. “No need to lose your head.”
The Toad breathed deeply, slowly as he nods in agreement.
“You’re right,” He sighed. “But for now, why don’t you gaze at the fish with me? You look tense, come relax.”
“Maybe later,” Applejack politely declined. “We gotta rescue our friend, first. See ya!”
With Mario leading the charge, the heroes dart towards the painting.
“Yah! Hoo-hoo! Ya-hooo!” Mario hollered.
With a triple jump, into a front-flip on the third jump, he lunges forward…
BOOM!
“Oh…”
Mario missed the portrait by an inch, crashing into the wall, falling on his haunches.
“Mario?!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” Mario sighed.
Shaking the shock of his epic fail, Mario composed himself before turning around to face the painting.
“Now then, as I was-a saying: Let’s-a go!”
Mario jumps into the painting, which rippled from where he entered. The rest of the heroes soon followed, jumping in after the jumpman.
Jolly Roger Bay
Like before, during their previous trips through the other paintings, all they could see was a blinding white light. As their vision was restored, they found themselves standing on the shores of a lake, surrounded by walls of spiky rocks reaching toward the sky, which was dark and cloudy, a layer of fog spreads across the water.
“Wow!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “This place ain’t no Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland, that’s for sure. But if Dashie’s here, it’s adventure time! But without a shapeshifting bulldog named Jake with a human boy named Finn. Even without those two, it doesn’t look like we’ll be seeing a talking whale, a little boy named Flapjack, or even an old Irish captain with wooden hands anytime soon.”
When Pinkie turned toward her friends, she was met with an awkward silence.
“What?”
“Pinkie Pie, you watch too many cartoons!” Applejack shook her head.
“Only the good ones,” Pinkie Pie winked.
“So… Where should-a we begin-a?” Mario asked, getting on track.
Spike quickly whips out his map, studying the flashing stars indicated on the map.
“Let’s see,” Spike pondered, pointing to a large black spot up top. “According to this, there are three Power Stars, somewhere in this dark spot.”
Spike traced his finger across a pathway from the dark spot, to what appears to be the inside of a cavern, where another star flashes.
“And it looks like there’s a star in this cavern, and oh!”
Spike noticed another star, closest to him and his friends, flashing next to his finger.
“Here’s one right in front of us!”
“What?!” The friends exclaim.
The whole group looks up, searching across the water and somewhere amidst the cliffs of the rocky walls, searching for the Power Star.
“Yoshi!” Yoshi chirped.
The little dinosaur points in the air, toward something sparkling and shining behind some tall pointy rocks.
Pinkie Pie digs into her mane, before pulling out a pair of binoculars, which she uses to get a good look, past the rocks, and delightfully spotted a Power Star, dancing on the ledge of a cliff, waiting for the heroes to collect.
“Power Star ahoy!” Pinkie Pie pointed.
The party pony proceeds to share her binoculars with her friends, while directing them toward the star.
“Great! We found our first Power Star,” Applejack said. “Now, how do we—”
“Ooh! Lookie!” Pinkie pointed.
To the right, they spotted a large red ‘?’ block floating in mid-air.
“It’s one of those magic boxes we’ve unlocked! We can get some magic feathers from it and fly toward that star! Yay!”
With that said, Pinkie Pie proceeds to jump over to the box, without stopping to notice the two Goombas guarding it.
Upon seeing the pink pony, the Goombas charge forward to attack. But Pinkie bounced atop of them, flattening them into Goomba pancakes. They disappeared into puffs of smoke, leaving behind two gold coins.
Coins Collected
Gold Coins = 2
Red Coins =
Blue Coins =
Total = 2
“Yippee!” Pinkie Pie bounced excitedly.
The Party Pony proceeds to break the box open to collect the power within. The rest of the ponies, however, notice something unusual about the box.
“Uh, isn’t the box supposed to have an ‘!’ mark on it?” Applejack asked. “Why dose this one have a ‘?’ mark on it?”
“Don’t know, don’t care!” Pinkie replies, breaking the box open. “Whee-hee! This is gonna be—Huh?”
Pinkie Pie was perplexed seeing, instead of a feather, the content of the box was a strange looking flower that has 7 red petals with white dots, surrounding a yellow bulb that appears to have two beady eyes.
“What in tarnation is that?” Applejack exclaimed.
“Yoshi?”
Mario stroked his chin, observing the flower, before realizing what it is.
“Mamma mia! It’s-a Power Flower!” Mario answered. “It’s one of the Mushroom-a Kingdom’s-a Power-Ups.”
“Power-Ups?” The Equestrians exclaimed.
Sure enough, they watch the Power Flower contact Pinkie Pie, enveloping her in its magic. Then, without warning, Pinkie Pie’s whole body inflated into that of a balloon, and she started to float up in the air.
“Hey, what’s happening to me?” Pinkie asked.
“Yoshi!” Yoshi chirped in alarm.
“Pinkie Pie?!” Her friends all shouted.
“What’s happening to you?!” Spike shouted. “What’re you doing?”
“I don’t know!” Pinkie Pie replied. “But I do feel a bit light-headed… Hahaha, get it? ‘Light-headed’! That’s hilarious!”
“What kind of flower is that?” Applejack asked.
“Oh, don’t-a worry,” Mario replied. “The effect is only-a temporary.”
“Oh, that’s a relief,” The country pony replied. “But what’s it do? Does it turn us all into balloons?”
“Hey A.J., check this out!”
Spike points to a sign, which was showered by an aura of golden sparkles, much like the one he and Yoshi saw before, back in the princess’s room. The sign reads:
This is a ‘?’ block. Unlike the ‘!’ Blocks that you’ll be seeing throughout the rest of your adventure, you will find that these blocks contains special items called Power Flowers. These bewitching blossoms strengthen each character in a different way. Depending on their dispositions, characters can float, turn into metal, disappear, breathe fire, or any other amazing powers!
But beware! Some blocks are duds and the effect of the Power Flowers only lasts for a short while.
“Wow!” Spike smiled excitedly. “That sounds awesome!”
“Yoshi!” Yoshi chirped, in agreement.
“I’ll say!” Pinkie Pie smiled.
Before they knew it, she was blowing a bit of air from both her mouth and nose, moving her in the air.
“Hey! I can use this power to reach the Power Star!”
“Remember Pinkie Pie, the flower’s power won’t last!” Applejack reminded the pink pony. “Ya gotta hurry!”
“I’m on it!”
With a puff of air, and a push of her hooves, Pinkie floated away, bouncing in the air, toward the Power Star. With a twist of her tail, she propels herself forward. Just as she got close to the cliff, Pinkie started to puff in and out, losing altitude, until finally the effect of the Power Flower wore off. As a result, Pinkie reverted back to normal… Well, ‘Pinkie Pie Normal’, that is.
Luckily, Pinkie Pie grabbed onto one of the nearest rock towers, preventing herself from plummeting into the water. With a turn and a twist of her body, Pinkie aimed towards the ledge, before leaping off with a kick of her legs and landed on the cliff.
“YAY! I made it!”
Without a second to waste, Pinkie Pie lunged towards the star, grabbing it out of the air, collecting their first star in the course.
“YAY!” Pinkie danced happily, with the star dancing around her. “I’ve got a Power Star!”
After the festivity was over, Pinkie Pie jumped back onto the rock tower she jumped from, sliding her way back down the water, and finds the rock surrounded by a ring of 8 gold coins, which she immediately collects.
Coins Collected
Gold Coins = 2 + 8 = 10
Red Coins =
Blue Coins =
Total = 10
“COWABUNGAAAA!!!” Spike screamed, in fright.
Suddenly, the little dragon came speeding across the water, riding what appears to be a shiny turtle shell. The little guy was trying desperately to keep both his balance and grip on his new shell. A surfing dragon on the water took the party pony by surprise.
“WHOA!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Hey Spike! Where’d you get that rad shell?”
“Mario found it!” Spike exclaimed. “While you were getting the first Power Star, we were searching for coins so we can get a hundred or more to make another Power Star appear.”
“Did ya find any?” Pinkie called out.
“Well, we found 3 coins… Whoa! And a blue coin switch Mario ground-pounded, which made 8 blue coins appear on the water. They almost disappeared, but luckily, Yoshi and I found this shiny sail and I’ve been surfing away collecting blue coins ever since!”
Coins Collected
Gold Coins = 10 + 3 = 13
Red Coins =
Blue Coins = 5 x 8 = 40
Total = 53
“Wow! We’re halfway there already!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Let’s get back to Mario and the others!”
“I’d be glad to,” Spike replied, surfing in circles. “But first thing’s first.”
“What’s that?”
“HEEEEEEEEEELP!!!” Spike wailed. “WHERE’S THE BRAKE ON THIS THING?!”
Pinkie Pie watched as Spike kept surfing across the water, out of control, moving fast. She noticed to her right Mario and the others swam after the speeding dragon. Eventually, they climbed onto a floating wooden platform, which rested between two large stone platforms on the right side of the lake.
Applejack stood on the platform, steadying herself, her lasso at the ready. With a spin of her tail, Applejack twirled her rope, waiting for Spike to come her way.
“Spike! Catch!”
Applejack threw the rope toward Spike, who caught it in his claws.
“WHOA!”
Spike yelped, as he fell off the shell and landed into the water with a huge…
SPLASH!
Spike quickly resurfaced, as he and his friends watch the shiny shell, zip across the water, before crashing into one of the rocks and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“Phew! That was radical,” Spike sighed, in relief. “But I’m glad that’s over.”
With Spike’s shell fiasco out of the way, everyone resumed their tasks of collecting gold coins and searching for Power Stars. Mario swam underwater, finding a ring of 8 gold coins circling around a boulder, close to some sealed clams.
Coins Collected
Gold Coins = 13 + 8 = 21
Red Coins =
Blue Coins = 5 x 8 = 40
Total = 61
When Mario swam back toward the surface, he turned towards Yoshi and their Equestrian friends standing on a stone platform. They stand in front of another tall pointy rock, reading a sign that said:
Climbing's easy! When you jump at trees, poles, or pillars, you'll grab them automatically. Crouch to stop climbing. Leap toward your back to jump off in that direction. When you reach the top, do a handstand! Jump off from the handstand fora high, stylin' dismount.
Above the tall pointy rock, a single red coin dances at the top. Spike was just about to fly up and grab it when Pinkie stopped him.
“Let me get it this time, Spike!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “I always wanted to try a handstand!”
“Uh, Pinkie,” Applejack began. “Not to disappoint ya or anythin’, but we don’t even have ‘hands’.”
“So?
“So… We can’t do it.”
“Oh, fiddlesticks! Just because ponies ‘don’t’ do handstands, no pony said we ‘can’t do one.”
Before Applejack could argue, Pinkie leapt towards the pole-like rock, climbed up toward its peak, the bang of her mane immediately wrapped itself at the point securing her in place.
By that time, Mario had just regrouped with his fellow heroes, while his friends looked in shock and awe as Pinkie Pie lifted her lower body into the air and snatched the red coin from the air with her tail.
Coins Collected
Gold Coins = 13 + 8 = 21
Red Coins = 1 x 2 = 2
Blue Coins = 5 x 8 = 40
Total = 63
“Alright, Pinkie Pie!” Spike cheered, with a thumbs up.
“Thank you!” Pinkie Pie smiled happily.
Soon, Pinkie dismounts off the rock in a graceful jump, landing back on the platform with a bounce of her tail to cushion her landing. Afterwards, the heroes jumped back onto the wooden platform, crossing to the next stone platform across, collecting a pillar of five floating gold coins beside it.
Coins Collected
Gold Coins = 21 + 5 = 26
Red Coins = 1 x 2 = 2
Blue Coins = 5 x 8 = 40
Total = 68
The heroes proceed to climb up, onto the stone platform and found a large ‘!’ Switch, in front of a set of three moss covered wooden platforms suspended in the air. Each with a row of five gold coins.
“Hmm… What does this do?” Pinkie pondered.
The party pony steps on the large ‘!’ Switch, which triggers the appearance of several orange blocks, connecting the floating wooden platforms, allowing the heroes to cross and collect a total of 15 coins.
Coins Collected
Gold Coins = 26 + 15 = 41
Red Coins = 1 x 2 = 2
Blue Coins = 5 x 8 = 40
Total = 83
Upon arrive on the last wooden platform, our heroes searched around through the fog for the next Power Stars.
“You sure this is the place?” Applejack asked.
The country pony and everyone else turned toward Spike, who whipped out his map. He found the flashing stars on the map, on the very spot they stood on.
“It has to be,” Spike replied. “Unless…”
“Yoshi!”
“The stars are-a under-a-water!” Mario deduced.
“DUH!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Even I would’ve known that.”
“Too bad Twilight’s not here,” Applejack commented. “We could really use her magic to help grow fins and gills to swim. Ah well. Guess we’re gonna have to do this the ol’ fashion way.”
The country pony stretches her legs, preparing to dive into the water, with Mario following her example.
“Not so fast, every pony!” Pinkie called out.
The party pony walks over with a couple goggles, with snorkels attached, and placed them over Mario and Applejack’s faces.
“There! Now you’ll both have something to breathe easier when you’re underwater! Good thing I brought the snorkel kit, in case of snorkeling emergencies.”
Both Mario and Applejack nod in gratitude before kicking their feet and dove into the water.
Beneath the surface, the bottom was very deep. It was so dark and murky, both Mario and Applejack swam deeper nearly blind, just to search for the stars. At first, all they could see were schools of fish that immediately scattered and swam away from the two divers. But as they swam deeper, the outline of a large massive shape started to form before their eyes.
As they swam closer to investigate, Mario and Applejack were shocked, if not amazed, to find a sunken wreck of a pirate ship. After inspecting the front bow of the ship, they circled around to examine the starboard and port bow of the sunken vessel. Eventually, they swam back toward the surface to regroup with their friends.
“Find anything?” Spike asked.
“There’s a large sunken ship down there,” Applejack pointed. “I’ll bet ya mah hat one of them stars is inside that there vessel.”
“Oh yeah!” Mario nodded.
“Then, let’s go get it!” Pinkie Pie hollered.
The party pony quickly dons up a pair of swimming goggles and snorkels for herself, Spike, and Yoshi, as she slips on some scuba flippers for her hooves.
“CANNONBALL!!!”
Jumping into the air, Pinkie curled her whole body into a ball, before hitting the water with a big splash.
After putting the map away in his backpack – folded and slipped in a zip lock bag – Spike jumps into the water, with Yoshi following. Together, the heroes took deep breathes and proceed to dive deep into the water to explore the wreckage of the sunken ship Mario and Applejack found. Everyone was amazed at this discovery, as they swam towards the ship for a closer look, certain they would find a Power Star within.
Spike swam close to an open window, when he was met by a pair of large icy blue eyes piercing from the darkness. It scared him so senselessly, Spike made a hasty retreat, zipping past Applejack and Pinkie Pie. At first, the two ponies looked puzzled, with Pinkie Pie shrugging and Applejack turning to face the wreckage.
“Sweet Celestia! LOOK!” Applejack pointed.
Fully emerged from it’s lair, a monstrous eel appeared. In appearance, the eel had icy blue glowing eyes, jagged teeth, covered in maroon-red violet scales with yellow stripes on its back fins. In terms of size, it looked to be as big as the ship, so big it might’ve likely capsized.
The eel opened and closed its mouth, breathing the water through its gills, before it gave chase towards the heroes.
“BWAAAAAAHHHH!!!” The heroes screamed, releasing bubbles.
The group immediately kick their feet making a hasty retreat for the surface. Once they were far away and well out of reach, the eel slithered back to the sunken ship it called home.
After swimming for their lives, Mario and friends were back along the shores of the stone platform. They were recovering from the traumatic shock they experienced, struggling to catch their breath. Spike and Yoshi were so scared they hugged each other close for comfort.
“You didn’t tell us there’s a giant, dragon-eating eel down there!” Spike panted.
“We didn’t know there was even such a thing,” Applejack panted. “How are we supposed ta know somethin’ like that would be hidin’ in that ship?”
“No pony says finding sunken treasure would be easy,” Pinkie Pie panted. “What do we do now?”
“Well, no way we’re going back down there,” Spike shivered. “Not with that sea monster on the loose!”
“Yoshi!” Yoshi chirped, frightened.
“Ain’t like we got a choice, sugar cube,” Applejack frowned. “Somewhere at the bottom, inside that there ship, are Power Stars. We gotta find them fast!”
“Don’t forget Rainbow Dash is here too!” Pinkie Pie reminded. “That disembodied voice, the Guide, said she’s here! We’ve to rescue her, before… BRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!”
Suddenly, without warning, Pinkie’s whole body trembled. The party pony shuddered uncontrollably, her whole body vibrating vigorously in random areas.
“Oh! My Pinkie senses are tingling! Dashie’s down there!”
“Down there?!” Everyone gasped.
They turned toward where Pinkie’s tail was pointing, down into the water with looks of terror and dread in their eyes.
“In the sunken ship?” Spike gulped. “Guarded by a giant, hungry, monster eel?!”
“My pinkie senses never lie,” Pinkie Pie frowned. “If Dashie’s down there, she could be in big trouble! Bigger trouble than that sea monster! She needs our help!”
“As much as I hate to admit it,” Applejack frowned. “Pinkie’s right, we’ve got to get her outta there!”
“Yoshi!” Yoshi chirped in agreement.
“Oh yeah!” Mario nodded his head. “Luigi would’ve-a done the same-a thing for-a me, just as I would for-a him!”
“You bet your red hat he would,” Pinkie Pie chirped. “Especially when you find yourself captured by ghosts in his new mansion.”
“What?”
PINKIE! STOP SPOILING THE FUTURE FOR EVERYONE!
*Clears throat* As we were playing…
Ignoring another of Pinkie Pie’s usual antics, the rest of the heroes turn to Spike.
“What?” The young dragon asked.
“Well, what do ya say Spike?” Applejack began. “Are ya with us? Rainbow Dash needs all the help she can get.”
Of course, Spike was too scared to answer. Looking back toward the ocean beneath them, he knew that monster eel is likely waiting for them to come back for lunch. All the same, Spike couldn’t help but worry for Rainbow Dash’s safety. Rainbow Dash, one of his and Twilight’s best friends. Not to mention one of their most loyal. She’s always been there for him and the others, whenever they’re in trouble or in a tight spot. Looking down, Spike knew if it had been him in the cyan, rainbow-maned Pegasus’s situation, she would’ve risked her life to save him.
His expression shifts to sheer determination, as Spike turns to his friends.
“Of course I’m in!” Spike nodded. “But… Tell me we have a plan to get past the monster.”
Applejack pondered for a moment, before turning to Pinkie Pie.
“Hey Pinkie?” Applejack began. “You wouldn’t happen to pack some silly straws, now would ya?”
“Good idea!” Pinkie Pie beamed. “I always carry silly straws with me, in case of silly straw emergencies.”
She proceeds to pull out five colorful, oddly shaped straws for each of the heroes.
“What a plan! We’ll drink the whole lake dry, so the eel can’t swim and chase us!”
“Actually, I have a different plan in mind,” Applejack explained. “Okay, here’s what we’ll do: One of us needs to swim down there and lure that eel varmint out the ship. Once that oversized sea critter is distracted, we’ll sneak into the ship, find the Power Star, and rescue Rainbow Dash!”
“Sounds like-a plan,” Mario replied. “But-a who’s-a gonna be the bait?”
“Not me,” Spike shook his head. “I’ve already been live-bait to a Winterzilla.”
“Can’t make promises, Spike,” Applejack replied. “Which is why I asked Pinkie for these straws. Whoever pulls the shortest straw has to do it. Ya ready?”
“The rest of the heroes exchange uneasy agreements.
“Okay Mario. You’re first.”
Mario picks a straw and pulls out a long straw, sighing with relief.
“Your turn, Pinkie,” Applejack said.
She holds the straws out while the pink pony picked a straw… Which was also long, as she sighed with relief. The process continues as Applejack turns to Yoshi, who selects another long straw and then Applejack turns to Spike… Who pulls out the short straw.
“Oh! Why me?” Spike moaned.
Suddenly, Pinkie Pie took Spike’s claw and shook it hard.
“Wow, Spike!” Pinkie Pie smiled, encouragingly. “I always knew it’d be you! You’re a born hero!”
“I’m a born loser,” Spike frowned.
The little dragon turns toward the rest of their friends for help. Applejack had a look of regret on her face, as she hid behind her hat. Mario took his hat off in respect, while Yoshi sadly waved to Spike.
Spike, unable to talk his way out, turned back toward the dark water. He knees shivered and quake, and for a moment, he lost the will to go through with it. Spike slapped himself, hard across his face to regain his composure. He punches his fists together, as if he were praying.
“For Rainbow Dash…” Spike said to himself, then screaming. “FOR TWILIIIIIIGHT!!!”
Spike dove toward the water, screaming as he disappeared beneath the water in a big splash. Shortly after watching the young dragon dive in, Yoshi approached the edge, looking at the ripples of the water before turning toward the rest of the heroes. Knowing and sympathizing the dinosaur’s concern, the rest of the heroes nod, encouraging him to help Spike. That settled, Yoshi jumped into the water and swam after Spike.
“Yoshi!” Yoshi hollered.
“Better see what’s going on down there, just in case,” Pinkie Pie said.
She reached into her mane and pulls out a long telescope, which she dips gently into the water to see what’s happening.
Spike swam deeper through the depths of the lake, drawing closer to the sunken ship. He swallowed a lump in his throat, as he turns his head to the side, keeping watch for the giant eel. He looks up, and his eyes widen in alarm as a massive shadow swam toward him.
Thankfully, much to Spike’s relief, it was only Yoshi. The two friends look back toward the window of the ship, exchanging concern as they crept closer to the opening.
“H-H-Hello?” Spike muffled, through his snorkel. “Anybody home?”
When no reply emerges, Yoshi turned his head and noticed a few strands of seaweed. He plucks one and rolls it into the shape of a burrito. Then, both Yoshi and Spike dangle the seaweed burrito over the window, by the end of a fishing line while they were a safe distance. Sure enough, and without warning, the eel strikes, lunging out the window and snatched the burrito in its jaws. Spike and Yoshi beat their chests to ease their rapid heartbeats.
“Whoa!” Spike yelped. “That could’ve been me!”
Yoshi nodded when suddenly, a rumbling sound drew them back toward the ship as the eel fully emerged from the ship’s window. Spike and Yoshi float in awe at the sea creature’s magnificent size. However, they were more shocked to discover a Power Star at the end of the eel’s tail.
“He’s got a Power Star!” Spike shouted, surprised.
“Yoshi!”
Yoshi quickly took the snorkel out his mouth, immediately swimming forward and shot his tongue out, snatching the Power Star off the eel. Thus, earning himself and Spike their second Power Star of the course.
But their moment of triumph was short-lived, unfortunately, when the eel turned its head and immediately spots the dinosaur and dragon duo. With a twist and a turn of its whole body, the eel charges toward the pair.
“BWAAAAAAHHH!!!” Spike screamed.
The little dragon and Yoshi quickly swam away, swimming in circles around the ship, luring the sea monster away.
Back along the surface, Pinkie Pie watched the eel chased after Yoshi and Spike.
“The eel’s taken the bait!” Pinkie Pie said. “Time we plunder the ship!”
“Alrighty then,” Applejack nodded. “But I hope Spike’s alright…”
“He’ll be fine, he’s got Yoshi with him!”
“Still…”
“Don’t worry about it. We gotta rescue Dashie if we want to save Fluttershy!”
Still unsure, Applejack reluctantly agreed, as she stood up and tipped her hat.
“Good luck, Spike.”
“Okie-dokie, here we go!” Mario hollered.
The plumber leads the charge, diving into the water as the two ponies follow. They swam deep through the dark depths of the lake, getting closer to the shipwreck. The giant eel was so busy chasing Spike and Yoshi, it didn’t notice the three figures sneaking aboard the sunken boat.
Inside the ship, with her very life hanging by a thin thread, the cyan rainbow-maned Pegasus, Rainbow Dash, was kept prisoner. Like her friends, Rainbow Dash was captured by Bowser and his goons, the moment they, along with Mario and his buddies, minus Wario, arrived in the Bob-omb Battlefield.
While the other ponies were imprisoned somewhere in the castle, Rainbow Dash had been locked away with the sunken shipwreck of Jolly Roger Bay. Her wings were wrapped to the side of her body by steel chains, said chains held her down a platform, beneath the deck of the ship, under a floating yellow bow with a ‘!’ mark. To further add insult to injury, Rainbow was chained to the point only her nose could breathe above the flooded deck.
Many hours passed, though it felt like days. With each passing second, the water level slowly rose higher, nearly swallowing her completely. Rainbow Dash pleaded for this slow torture to end, as she began to lose consciousness. Moments before passing out, however, Rainbow Dash could’ve sworn she saw a blur of familiar pink entering the ship with a blur of red and blue.