“AAAAAHHH!!!”
Our heroes screamed their lungs out before they all crashed into a pile atop a single platform. As the smoke cleared away, Spike and Yoshi found themselves on top of a mound consisting of their moaning, groaning friends. The last to land softly with a squeak was Fluttershy, who turned side to side in confusion. The three slowly climbed down the pile followed by their friends, in no particular order: Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Mario, Applejack… and Luigi lying face first on the platform as flat as a thin crust pizza.
“Ooh… mamma mia…” Luigi moaned.
Reacting fast, Mario peeled his brother off the platform like a band-aid. Straightening his brother to his feet, or tried to, Mario positioned Luigi’s finger into his mouth. Luigi took a deep breath and blew so hard… he literally ‘POPPED!’ himself back into shape much to his relief.
“Thank you!”
Once the group settled, they looked around only to find themselves a very cold, very dark world. A landscape completely devoid of any life to be seen.
“T-T-This place gives me the creeps,” Fluttershy shuddered.
“Fluttershy, with you, everything’s creepy,” Rainbow replied.
“BWA HA-HA-HA!!!” A booming voice roared.
“What was that?!” Spike looked around.
“You’ve stepped right into my trap, just as I knew you would! I warn you, friends, watch your step!”
Spike slowly turned toward his group of friends, especially all the ponies he’s rescued thus far.
“That must be Bowser,” Spike confirmed.
“Yoshi! Yoshi!” Yoshi nodded.
“Oh yeah,” Mario and Luigi confirmed.
“Gee… what gave that away?” Applejack asked.
“Just to recap so we’re on the same level,” Pinkie spoke up. “We get sent here to one of Bowser’s hideouts and we beat him at this stage then we’re likely to snag us another power star which brings us closer to the Princess and our friends?”
“Yeah… that’s pretty much it,” Rainbow Dash nodded.
Pinkie paused for a moment, looking ahead of the path before them in deep thought. Then she’s back to reality in seconds.
“Whelp! We won’t get any coins or stars standing around here. Off to fight the bad guy!”
Pinkie Pie bounces down the path when Mario rushes in front of Pinkie, stopping her in her tracks.
“Now take-a breather Pinkie-A Pie!” Mario spoke. “Me paisanos and I have face-a the Bowser multiple times in-a the past. He is-a very dangerous beast and we must-a be on our-a guard.”
“He is-a very scary…” Luigi chattered.
“Whatever the case may be,” Spike spoke. “If we all work together, we’ll take down that big bully and reclaim all our friends. No matter what, we must let nothing distract us from our—Oh look, red coin!”
Spike and Yoshi noticed a red coin, floating off the first platform to the right. Spike quickly flew over and grabbed the coin, adding it to their collection. He then quickly returned to the team, who stood in awkward silence as if waiting for Spike to finish.
“As I was saying,” Spike continued. “We must let nothing distract us from our end goal. Now… let’s go beat up a monster!”
“Let’s-a do this!” Mario shouted.
Taking the charge, Mario races forward with the others following close behind. They hurdle down hill before racing over a wooden platform to the other side. Before Mario could get far, Spike quickly pulled the plumber back from a spout of fire blowing from the other side.
“Woo! Thanks!” Mario replied.
“Don’t mention it,” Spike sighed.
“Ooh look, there’s another red coin!” Pinkie pointed to the side.
Sure enough, there was another red coin just floating in mid-air on the other side. There was also a panel on the floor with an exclamation point, but the fire went on and off over it every few seconds. Still, this gave Spike an idea.
“Yoshi, think you can keep a hold of that button for a while?”
“Yoshi!” Yoshi nodded.
Yoshi quickly used his tongue to hold the panel down, activating a space beneath the coin.
“Go get ‘em Pinkie!” Spike instructed.
“YES SIR!” Pinkie saluted.
Pinkie quickly reached out and collected the second red coin just before the fire shot out again.
“We’re gonna have tah time this just right,” Applejack observed. “On the count of three. One…”
“THREE!” Rainbow shouted, zipping away.
The group watched flabbergasted as Rainbow Dash zipped over the flame in rapid succession. Applejack frowned in annoyance.
“Or… we can do that.”
One by one, the remainder of the group crossed over the flames with Fluttershy needing slight urging to get over. They race forward and hop over panels that moved in a square motion (Though it was easy for Spike, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy to simply fly over. The group race uphill, all the while collecting gold coins along the way and passing another flame-shooting turret. At the very top of the hill they jump in unison on one of four panels circling toward the other side (grabbing a coin along the way). Timing it just right, they jump (or fly) across where they soon meet a trio of goombas in their paths.
“Not these chumps again!” Rainbow moaned.
“Let’s-a go!” Luigi shouted.
“Okie-do-kee!” Mario nodded.
Together, they charged forth and fought the three goombas in their way. Despite their best effort, they stood no chance against the combined assault of our heroes. A single punch or a buck or fire-breath on contact made all three of their enemies vanish in a puff of smoke.
“And these are supposed to be Bowser’s best troops?” Pinkie sighed. “Good help must be so hard to find these days.”
“C’mon everyone, let’s keep going,” Spike ushered.
Nodding in unison, they run away a wooden bridge leading up another pathway. Before their very eyes, some crystals stuck out along the path. And what appeared to be metal orbs producing electricity flew through several of them.
“Be-a careful not to touch-a those!” Mario warned. “Or we’ll be-a roasted raviolis!”
“Look y’all!” Applejack pointed. “A red coin!”
“No problem!” Rainbow Dash replied cockily. “I can get it.”
In a matter of seconds, Rainbow Dash swiftly grabbed for the third red coin, without getting shocked in the slightest. The rest had a slightly difficult time staying on the path, without getting shocked by those orbs. But so long as they followed Mario’s example across the path, timing the movement of the orbs just right, eventually they made their way to safety. They made the jump over some golden platforms that reversed and pulled forward at random. But for two Pegasi and a winged dragon, again it wasn’t hard for them to fly over. Along the way, they discovered a fourth ed coin which Fluttershy managed to grab before barely making it across.
A fifth coin was not too far away, floating just above one of the few moving platforms. While Applejack grabbed the coin with her lasso, Spike spotted another sixth coin on another platform (Which resembled a spinning top) near an electric orb. Spike flew over and hovered just slightly above the coin and plucked it before the orb could touch him. He saw a convenient wooden platform before him while the rest were hopping along several platforms. As Spike casually made his way across, a lone goomba spotted him. Just as it was about to charge, Mario and Luigi leapt over and double-punched him, sending the goomba flying off the platform.
“Hey… glug-glug-glug-glug!” Mario and Luigi shouted, with the secret handshake.
Gathered together, the two teams look up as the path consisted of several moving platforms where several coins and green mushrooms were close by. They turn toward one another, and fist/hoof bumped each other before they pressed on. They raced across the moving platforms, with Mario performing a triple jump and landed atop a platform above the goombas. Mario landed in between the pair, who aimed to attack. Mario performed a European uppercut on one Goomba and a sidekick to the other. With the pair knocked out, Mario’s team was safe to advance.
By the time, our heroes eventually the top of the stairs (Grabbing coins, yellow and red, and mushrooms along the way), they noticed another star switch beside the green pipe. Thinking fast, Applejack stepped along the switch and a star appeared in a crystal ball, just along the platform above the first tilting platform our heroes crossed.
“I’ll get it,” Mario volunteered.
Stretching his legs for a quick warm-up, he sprinted forward.
“Here we go!” Mario hollered.
Running down the stairs, right when they returned to become a ramp, the red plumber slid down. Before he reached the bottom, he leapt off and soared across with the adrenaline from the slide. Landing on one platform, he jumped onto the second, and performed a spectacular forward jump across the third, straight to the fourth, crashing into star sphere and earning himself the Power Star.
“Oh yeah!” Mario cheered.
Spike, Yoshi, and Rainbow Dash stood side by side and picked up some random signs. Spike and Yoshi’s had a ‘10’ written on front, with Rainbow Dash hold a ‘9’ with a smug grin. Shaking his head with a smile, Mario turned and spotted a Bob-omb Buddy standing on the platform he leapt over.
“Ello!” Mario greeted.
“That was an awesome jump you just did!” The buddy commented excitedly. “Are you looking for red coins?”
“Mm-hmm!” Mario nodded. “We’ve-a collected seven-a so far!”
“Well, you’re in luck! The last one’s right here!”
The Bob-omb Buddy produced the eighth red coin and upon Mario collecting it, it triggered the appearance of another Power Star, right next to the Warp Pip, where the rest of our heroes were waiting.
“C’mon Mario!!!” The group called out.
They stepped on a “!” switch on the floor, allowing the group easier time to climb uphill when some platforms appeared. Mario just barely hopped his way up the platforms before the last one disappeared beneath his feet, and he sighed with relief as Luigi patted his back. By the time they reached the top, a shimmer of golden sparkles appeared on a sign catching our heroes’ attention.
“What’s this?” Fluttershy wondered.
Taking a look at the sign, it read:
“Mario! It’s Princess Peach. You and your friends need to watch out for Bowser’s flames! To beat him, get behind him and grab his tail. Spin him around before you send him flying. The faster you spin him, the farther he’ll go! Try throwing him into the spike bombs that surrounded the fighting arena. That is the only way you can defeat him. So aim carefully. Good luck.”
“Well, we definitely don’t want those flames to touch us,” Spike confirmed. “Course, I know I’ll be fine given I’m a dragon. But the rest… hate to come home with the rest of us singed like sausages.”
“Yoshi…” Yoshi nodded.
“Grab him by the tail?” Rainbow repeated, raising a brow. “Well that shouldn’t be so hard.”
“Bowser may-a be aware; he will-a be on his-a guard!” Mario warned. “We work-a together, we can-a beat him.”
“I hope-a so!” Luigi said nervously.
Once they grab the next power star in their possession, they make their way down the Warp Pipe one-by-one, leading our heroes down to who knows where.
<>
The Equestrian Heroes and the remainder of their friends fall onto the platform where the fighting arena is. They look forward and their eyes turned to the size of pinpricks as the malicious Lord Bowser himself stomped toward the group and towered the heroes. A large turtle-like creature, with a spiked shell, mighty horns, razor-sharp teeth, and a shock of red hair. He also had black collars around his neck, shoulders, and arms with spikes sticking out. Without question, it is no wonder they call him the ‘King of Koopas’.
“GWA HA-HA-HA!!!” Bowser chortled. “I see you’ve managed to find and rescue your friends… well, most of them. But too bad for you because Princess Peach isn’t here. Go ahead—just try to grab me by the tail! You’ll never be able to swing ME around! A wimp like you could never throw me out! Never!”
“Wow… talk about having an oversized ego,” Rainbow remarked.
Applejack turned toward Rainbow with a look of annoyance.
“Really Rainbow?”
Suddenly, Bowser took a deep breath and hurled a fireball at the group.
“Guys, look out!!!” Fluttershy shouted.
The group each darted to opposite sides, dodging just before the fire exploded from whence they stood. They quickly recovered and tried to circle around Bowser who made sure to keep himself forward preventing them from coming behind. Having enough, Rainbow Dash raced toward Bowser’s face and delivered a few punches toward his face. Applejack skid to a half and galloped toward Bowser and bucked him in the leg. More annoyed than hurt, Bowser kicked Applejack forward and grabbed Rainbow, hurling her like a football.
“YAAAAAAAAAAAH!” Rainbow screamed.
“Don’t worry, Rainbow…” Pinkie reached out. “I got you!!!”
Pinkie stood ready to catch Rainbow Dash…
*CRASH!!!*
Rainbow Dash landed on top of Pinkie Pie, leaving the two mares lying on the floor with their eyes rolling around. Mario and Luigi turned back their friends before facing Bowser again. The monster grinned as he looked down toward the pair. Then, all of a sudden, the plumbers immediately performed a secret handshake of course much to Bowser (and everyone else’s) confusion.
“Patty cake, patty cake, pasta man!
Give me some pasta powers as fast as you can!”
Mario and Luigi then quickly bounced up and stomped Bowser upside the head. Bowser massaged a slight lump on his head but otherwise he wasn’t hurt. Yoshi and Spike then turned toward each other and silently nodded. Yoshi shot his tongue which Spike grabbed. Then Yoshi swung his head around and round spinning Spike like a lasso then Spike released and flew just over Bowser and landed right where his tail is. Without second thoughts, Spike grabbed the tail.
“Hmm?” Bowser muttered.
But before Bowser can do anything, a shower of golden sparkles rains on Spike as he grunted and swung Bowser around with all his muscle. Bowser screamed as Spike swirled him faster and faster and faster, while the rest of the group swirled their heads trying to follow it. Then with a mighty shout, Spike sent Bowser flying right toward one of the spiked bombs around the arena.
“So long-a Bowser!” Mario shouted.
"Bye-bye," Luigi waved his hat.
Bowser screamed, as he hurdled toward the bomb…
*BOOM!*
Bowser was sent back by an explosion toward Spike, who was still recovering from the throw. He looked up and his eyes shrank when he saw Bowser coming back.
“Mother…” Spike squeaked.
Before he was smashed like a pancake, Fluttershy quickly flew in and caught Spike before Bowser landed on his shell in the center of the arena. Spike looked up at Fluttershy and smiled at his savior before she lowered him onto the floor to safety.
"Spike...that was amazin'!" Applejack exclaimed.
"You...were...so awesome! /)^3^(\" Rainbow Dash squealed.
"Way to go, Spike!" Mario congratulated. "Number one!"
"B-B-B-But ho-how did you do it?" Luigi asked.
"I don't know what just happened," Spike breathed. "But I like it."
"Yoshi!" Yoshi gave a thumbs up.
After a grueling, yet surprisingly short battle the heroes slowly gathered around Bowser, his heavy breathing confirming the King of Koopas was still alive.
“All right Bowser, start talking!” Spike demanded. “What did you do with Princess Peach?!”
“We won’t-a rest till we-a rescue her and the rest-a our friends,” Mario added.
“Grr! I was a bit careless…” Bowser muttered. “This is not what I had planned… but I still hold the Power of the Stars… and I still have Peach.”
“You won’t be holding nothing when we turn you into jerk cider, turtle man!” Rainbow threatened.
“GWA HA-HA! You’ll get no more Stars from me, little ponies! I’m not done with you yet, especially you Mario bozos! But… I’ll let you go for now.”
“Really?” Fluttershy questioned.
“For now!” Bowser clarified. “Mark my words, you’ll all pay for this… later! GWA HA-HA… ouch!”
Before their very eyes, Bowser spun around, hovered in mid-air, and shrunk till he disappeared into the sky. And in Bowser’s place, a golden key bearing the horns of Bowser appeared. Mario quickly grabbed for the key and shouted with a cheer.
“WAHOO!!!”
“WE BEAT BOWSER!!!” The group shouted.
Though our heroes were still far behind from achieving their mission, with Peach and the remainder of their friends still hidden away in the castle, they stood triumphant against the evil Lord Bowser… for now.
Little did they know...a pair of red eyes watched from the shadows. They belong to a ghostly figure, who hissed.
"These Equestrians have proven themselves to be quite the formidable bunch, if they can stand up to Bowser. I shall follow their progress with great interest."