Game Quest: Super Mario 64

by Phantom-Dragon


Jolly Roger Bay – Part 2 | The Great Mission to Rescue Rainbow Dash

Upon entering the ship, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, and Mario found four treasure chests – one at the top, one in the middle, and two beneath – resting on the sand-covered floor.

“Ooh, treasure chests!” Pinkie commented, in awe.

She proceeds to swim toward the one in the middle…

ZAP!!!

Pinkie Pie is electrocuted so greatly, her poofy mane sticks up in all directions and bits of static electric crosses the brows over her eyes while she stood there stunned.

“Pinkie Pie!” Applejack exclaimed. “Are ya alright?”

“Hee-Hee!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “It makes my hair stand on end!”

Mario and Applejack could only shake their heads, incredulously at the eccentric pink pony, before Mario turned behind him, shocked by what he discovered.

“MAMA MIA!” Mario exclaimed, through his snorkel. “Look!”

Floating unconsciously at the top of some platforms, before them, tied by chains, there was the pony they were looking for.

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack confirmed.

Pinkie Pie and Applejack swam towards Rainbow Dash, trying to get a closer look.

“DASHIE!!!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Dashie! It’s me! Pinkie Pie, your PFF! We’re here to rescue you! Please, don’t die on me! You just can’t! I’m too young for you to die! We haven’t even met Sonic the Hedgehog yet! You’ve got to stay with us! Please!”

“Pinkie! I don’t think she can talk to us in this state,” Applejack replied.

Meanwhile, Mario turned his attention toward the four treasure chests. Obviously, the middle one shouldn’t be touched, so he proceeds to swim toward one of the chests at the bottom…

ZAP!!!

“YOW-HO-HO-HOW!!!” Mario yelped.

The chest electrocuted the plumber to the point it left him dazed and burnt from shock. As if that wasn’t enough, Mario felt somewhat lightheaded. The same was said about Pinkie Pie too.

“Ooh… I don’t feel so good,” Pinkie moaned, the oxygen leaving her. “I’m feeling kind of looney.”

Pinkie Pie was not kidding as she literally saw doubles of all her friends.

“I’m with ya, Pinkie,” Applejack agreed. “I’m feeling loopy myself. I think we’re running low on oxygen.”

After shaking the shock away, Mario cautiously swims toward the next chest, and once again, it electrocuted him. It was then Pinkie’s senses kicked in, as both she and Applejack turned toward Mario, seeing he was about to drown.

“Mario!” They shouted.

With a kick of her legs and a spin of her tail, Pinkie swam forward and wrapped her hooves around the red plumber, before spinning her tail again and swimming toward Applejack. Together, the two ponies carried Mario to the ceiling of the room, where there was a small amount of air for them to breathe. Once they broke the surface, Mario coughed until he slowly regains his breath.

“Mario, are ya alright?” Applejack asked.

“Oh yeah!” Mairo replied. “I’m-a okay now. Thanks-a Pinkie-a Pie. Thank-a you Apple-a-Jack.”

“You’re welcome!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “But what were you thinking, trying to pry one of those chests? I got zapped by one of them, remember?”

“I know that. But-a trust-a me. It’s-a all-a part of-a puzzle! I’ve been-a through tons of-a castles to recognize another of Bowser’s puzzles. All we have to do is-a figure out the puzzle to these chests. It could-a be our only chance-a to save-a Rainbow Dash!”

“Hmm… Sounds like it’s worth a shot,” Applejack nodded, reluctantly.

“What-a good idea!” Pinkie Pie chirped, swimming toward the chests.

Obviously, the middle and two bottom chests couldn’t be open. Therefore, they safely assumed that the top chest is the first to start. As a matter of fact, upon touching the chest, instead of electrocuting them, the chest opens rewarding the two heroes with an air bubble, replenishing them of their strength.

“Ooh!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “That feels good!”

Pinkie quickly zips back toward the middle chest…

ZAPS!!!

“OW!” Pinkie cried.

As she shook her hoof, the first chest closed itself while the others turned to Pinkie with incredulous looks.

“He-he… Crispy,” Pinkie chuckled, nervously.

“Mama mia!” Mario shook his head.

Mario and Applejack reopened the first chest, before he swam toward the bottom chest on the left, and it opens up, rewarding him and his two pony friends with another air bubble. Then, the three heroes turn toward the next bottom chest on the right, before finally managing to open the middle chest.

“YAY!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “No more getting zapped this time!”

Suddenly, the whole ship shook violently, as the water began to drain.

“Wh-What’s going on?” Pinkie asked, looking around.

“I think we’re going-a up!” Mario deduced.

They watched as the water above them went down, while they were going up with the ship. Eventually, the ship stopped shaking, and the entire room began to rock back-and-forth, causing Mario and his two pony friends to slide back and forth.

“Whoa!” Mario and Applejack exclaimed.

“WHEEEEEEEE!!!” Pinkie Pie laughed.

She slid across the floor, spinning like atop, until eventually she and the other heroes slid next toward the unconscious Rainbow Dash.

“Rainbow Dash!” Applejack shouted, picking up her unconscious friend. “Rainbow, are ya alright?”

Applejack passed Rainbow over to Mario, who gently cradled her in his arms. Eventually, he placed his ear close to her chest.

“She’s okay!” Mario confirmed. “But she needs to have the water-a pumped out of her quick!”

“Come on, every pony!” Applejack said. “Let’s get her out!”

She placed Rainbow Dash on her back, just about to carry her out with Mario, when Pinkie Pie hopped toward the orange ‘!’ block.

“Just one moment!” Pinkie called out.

The party pony jumped up and hits the block, causing it to break into confetti, revealing a Power Star, thus making it their third Power Star collected. The Power Star itself danced around Pinkie Pie in celebration.

“YEAH! We got a Power Star!” Pinkie Pie cheered.


Meanwhile, a few moments earlier...

Spike and Yoshi swam for dear life, trying to escape from the eel, when Spike spotted something.

“Yoshi, look!”

Spike pointed toward an opening to a large cave along the side of the wall.

“Yoshi!” Yoshi chirped.

Spike didn’t need to wear Mario’s cap to know what Yoshi was saying.

“Yeah! A cave! Let’s hide in there!”

“Yoshi!”

Yoshi and Spike quickly beat their feet and swam like they’ve never swum before. There floating in front of the cave was a ring of eight gold coins, which they quickly collected.

Coins Collected

Gold Coins = 41 + 8 = 49

Red Coins = 1 x 2 = 2

Blue Coins = 5 x 8 = 40

Total = 91

Afterwards, the two heroes resumed their escape from the giant eel, swimming into the cave, where the sea monster could pursue no further. With a frustrated snort, the eel turns back and was about to swim back to the sunken ship, only to find its former home floating toward the surface.


Meanwhile

“Dashie?! Dashie!” A loud high-pitch voice called. “Speak to me!”

“Dash! Wake up, sugar cube!” A deep, strong voice with a Southern Accent called.

Weak and disoriented, Rainbow Dash wearily opened her eyes, before she immediately coughed up water.

“Oh, my head…” Rainbow groaned.

Slowly, the Pegasus regained her vision and turns toward some familiar faces.

“Pinkie Pie? Applejack? Mario? Is that you?”

As she came to her senses, Rainbow Dash looked around toward her surroundings finding that she was no longer underwater, or below deck, but on the deck, with all her friends surrounding her.

“Dashie!” Pinkie Pie chirped. “You’re alive!”

“Phew!” Applejack breathed a sigh of relief. “Way to go, Mario! That ultra-mushroom of yers really did the trick!”

“Oh yeah!” Mario cheered, with a thumbs up.

Mario and the ponies then turn their attention back to Dash, who was more than happy to see her friends again.

“Am I dreaming?” She asked. “… Or is this even real?”

“As real as my name is Pinkamena Diana Pie and the day your Sonic Rainboom colored my life!” Pinkie Pie smiled, before frowning. “And as real as the many lies you made for liking my pies…”

“Pinkie, I told you I was sorry—Pinkie! It really is you!”

Happily, Rainbow Dash wrapped her hooves around each other in a joyful hug. Dash soon turned to Applejack and the two strong ponies hugged each other, as Dash saw Mario standing and waving to her.

“A.J.! Mario! I’m so glad to see you!”

“It’s-a good to see you-a too, Rainbow-a Dash!” Mario smiled. “And I’m-a glad-a we found-a you, just in-a time!”

“Yeah, a few more seconds, and you’d be a goner for sure!” Pinkie added.

“Oh… Don’t want to think about that,” Rainbow Dash shuddered.

No pony could blame her, given the fact she was close to being killed. So instead, she preferred to change the topic.

“How’d you guys find me anyway?”

“Well, it wasn’t easy,” Applejack began. “First we had to get rescued before we even found you.”

“Then, we were guided by a voice calling itself… Well, ‘The Guide’!” Pinkie Pie explained.

“The Guide?” Rainbow Dash asked, raising a brow.

“Strange name, I know,” Applejack replied. “But that’s what it calls itself.”

“Well, I’m just glad you girls are safe,” Rainbow Dash replied, turning to Mario. “Thanks for busting them out.”

“Oh no, I didn’t free them,” Mario shook his head. “It was-a Spike and-a Yoshi who rescued—”

“Wait! Spike's here?!” Rainbow exclaimed. “And what’s a Yoshi?”

“Yoshi’s a green dinosaur who has a long tongue and is a friend of Mario,” Pinkie explained.

It was then that Applejack quickly remembered.

“Omigosh! SPIKE! With all that’s been happenin’, I completely forgot!”

“Forgot what, Applejack?” Pinkie Pie asked.

“SPIKE AND YOSHI!”

“OH NO!” Mario and Pinkie exclaimed.

“I forgot they were live-baits!” Pinkie Pie frowned. “Now I feel terrible!”

“We’ve got to save-a them before it’s-a too late!” Mario said.

Rainbow Dash blinked, dumbfounded by her friends words.

“Say what now?”


Back with Spike and Yoshi

Spike and Yoshi both kept on swimming, until they finally broke the surface of the water and walked onto dry land, inside the underwater cavern.

"Phew," Spike breathed a sigh of relief, as he and Yoshi panted heavily to catch their breathes. "I thought we were goners that time."

"Yoshi."

After their breathings became steady again, Spike and Yoshi got up on their feet to have a look at their new surroundings in the cavern.

At the entrance, they came upon a sign that reads:

Keep out! That means you! Arrgghh! Anyone entering this cave without permission will meet certain disaster.

--The Cap'n

“What kind of certain disaster?” Spike asked.

He stepped into the cavern, when the sound of cracking stones was heard, and the two looked up.

“LOOK OUT!”

Spike and Yoshi quickly ran out of the way, just as a large stone pillar fell down and nearly crushed them.

“Certain disaster!” Spike whimpered. “Right!”

Yoshi nodded in agreement, before turning to the right.

“YOSHI!”

“What is it, Yoshi?”

Spike followed where Yoshi was pointing and spots a Blue Coin Switch Block.

“Sweet! Another of those blue coin switches! That’ll give us more than a hundred coins we need to get a Power Star!”

“Yoshi!”

Both Spike and Yoshi immediately ran to the Blue Block Switch, ground-pounding the block, triggering the appearance of six blue coins, rewarding them a total of 30 coins.

Coins Collected

Gold Coins = 49 + 3 = 52

Red Coins = 1 x 2 = 2

Blue Coins = 8 + 6 = 14 x 5 = 70

Total = 124

Soon, all 100 coins the heroes collected floated in the air before Spike and Yoshi, and they watched as the coins merged together to form a Power Star, making it their fourth Power Star collected in Jolly Roger Bay. Spike and Yoshi collected the star, dancing in celebration with the star.

“Yeah!” Spike cheered. “We’ve got a Power Star!”

“Yoshi!”

After they celebrate their victory, they look ahead and spot a pack of six Goombas charging at them. Spike and Yoshi exchange nods, before charging towards the attacking Goombas. Spike and Yoshi didn’t get far, however, when they noticed another stone pillar falling over, and crushing two of the Goombas.

Spike and Yoshi immediately got some ideas, as they proceed to run around the cavern, with Spike taunting the Goombas into chasing them, as he and Yoshi lead the baddies to get crushed by the collapsing stone pillars. Each fallen Goomba left some gold coins, though they hardly matters, since our heroes collected their 100 coins and the Power Star that comes with it.

Eventually, Spike and Yoshi reached the end of the cavern, where they find four treasure chests, resting atop a stone platform.

“Whoa! Treasure!” Spike exclaimed.

It was then Spike and Yoshi noticed a sign on the left.

The sign reads:

Aarrgh! Ahoy, matey. I have sunken treasure here, I do. But to pluck the plunder, you must open the treasure chests in the right order. What order is that, ye say? I'll never tell!

--The Cap'n

“Must open the treasure chests in the right order?” Spike asked. “What does it mean by that?”

Of course, Yoshi shrugged his shoulders in response.

“Well, I’d hate to know what happens if we get the wrong order.”

Yoshi nods in agreement, before looking around and his eyes widen upon seeing a large cage to the right, with a crystal ball inside.

“Yoshi!”

“What’s up? Spike asked.

The little Dragon turned to where Yoshi was pointing, surprised to see a crystal ball.

“Looks like another Star Switch mission for us.”

Yoshi nodded, then scans across the cavern and quickly finds the Star Switch.

“Yoshi!”

Yoshi quickly left Spike in the dust, as he jumped across the cavern and lands on the Star Switch, triggering another Power Star to appear in the crystal ball.

“Alright! Now let’s… Uh, what?”

Spike was perplexed and confused; there was no door, let alone a hole, in the cage.

“What the hay? What gives?!”

Spike struggled to pry the bars open, but the bars were too thick. Spike tried to breathe fire on the bars, but they remain unscathed. Yoshi quickly drew back, jumping to the air and attempted to kick the bars down. Unfortunately, the bars stayed in place, hardly a dent, while Yoshi winced and bounced on one foot, with his other foot recoiled from the damage.

“Come on!” Spike screamed. “This isn’t fair!”

Spike reached out for the Power Star in futile. He tried squeezing his way through the bars, but the space between the bars were too narrow for his whole body to squeeze through. Eventually, all Spike and Yoshi could do is watch helplessly as the ticking grew more rapid, until finally, the Power Star disappeared from sight.

“There goes the Power Star,” Spike pouted.

Along with Yoshi, they both slump to the floor with a heavy sigh.


Meanwhile, back with the other heroes

“I can’t believe you talked Spike into being live-bait for a giant eel!”

Rainbow Dash chuckled at the thought, as she and her friends searched the bottom of the lake. They all don up their snorkels and fins, luckily there were extras for Rainbow Dash.

“I just hope he and Yoshi are alright,” Applejack replied, with concern. “If anythin’ happens to the little guy because of us, Twilight will have my hat for this!”

“Eh, Spike’s a tough little dragon,” Pinkie Pie shrugged. “He’ll be fine. Besides, he’s got Yoshi, so nothing to worry about. I think…”

“That doesn’t sound reassuring, Pinkie,” Applejack frowned. “Let’s just—”

“Ooh! Red coin!”

Pinkie Pie points to a nearby clam that just opened up, revealing said coin. Without a second to waste, Pinkie quickly swam over to snatch the red coin before the clam had a chance to close up.

Coins Collected

Gold Coins = 52

Red Coins = 1 + 1 = 2

Blue Coins = 70

“Two down and six more to go!” Pinkie Pie said.

“I thought we were looking Spike and this… Yoshi guy,” Rainbow Dash said, confused.

“We are,” The pink pony answered. “But we’re also on the hunt for eight red coins! Once we collect them all, we’ll get ourselves a Power Star!”

“And-a speaking of Power-a Stars, look over there!” Mario pointed.

Low and behold is a single Power Star, floating above a jet stream, blowing streams of bubbles through a grate at the bottom.

“Power Star!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed.

“I’ll get it!” Rainbow Dash insisted.

The Pegasus flapped her wings, kicking her legs to swim over to retrieve the star, but was suddenly blown away by the strong current.

“WHOA!!!”

“Dashie!” Everyone called out.

They watched as the Pegasus spun into a ball, until she was thrown out of the jet stream’s range.

“I’m okay,” Rainbow replied.

She tried to fight her way through the jet stream again to get the Power Star.

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon!” Rainbow grunted, until she was blown away again.

“It’s no use!” Applejack stomped her hoof, frustrated. “That gust of water’s too strong!”

“Oh well,” Pinkie Pie chirped. “We can just come back for it later. Let’s find some red coins so we can get ourselves another Power Star!”

“And while we’re at it, let’s keep searchin’ for Spike and Yoshi too,” Applejack reminded.

They turn toward the bottom of the bay and spots the underwater cavern.

“Look! There’s a cave!”

“Maybe Spike and-a Yoshi went in there,” Mario pondered.

“Well, if I was being chased by a giant eel, I’d hide out in a cave too!” Pinkie Pie stated.

“Let’s go get ‘em!” Rainbow Dash declared.

Rainbow Dash lead the charge, swimming towards the cave, while she noticed Pinkie Pie swimming away.

“Pinkie? Where are you going?”

“You go find Spike and Yoshi!” Pinkie called out. “I’m gonna find some red coins!”


Meanwhile, back with Spike and Yoshi

Once again, Spike and Yoshi struggled to figure out a way to get the Power Star out from the cage. Obviously, they couldn’t squeeze their way through the bars, and Spike’s flames couldn’t melt them. The two tried to break the bars with a large chunk of rock, but that did little progress. Overall, the bars were too strong, too thick… Unbreakable.

Desperate, Spike hurled punches and kicks like a martial artist.

“HI-YAH!”

BANG!!!

Spike slammed his claws on the bars, which he soon regrets.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow!” He cringed, clutching his smartened wrist.

At last, exhausted and at their wits end, Spike and Yoshi collapse onto the floor.

“I give up…” Spike moaned. “There’s no way to get that Power Star.”

Yoshi moaned in disappointment but nodded in agreement.

“Well, at least we’ve still got the chests. Let’s just figure those out.”

With that said, the purple dragon and green dinosaur—

:pinkiesmile: "If you switch it around, then they're like Barney the Purple Dinosaur and Elliot the Magic Dragon from Disney joining forces to save the day!"

Pinkie Pie... KNOCK OFF THE POP CULTURE REFERENCES!!!

"Why? You do it all the time. And no pony was complaining."

That's beside the point, Pinkie. Get back to your role in the story! As we were playing...

Spike and Yoshi approached the four treasure chests to investigate. First, Spike reached his claws out for the chest up front and received a slight ‘zap!’.

“Ow!” Spike winced, quickly withdrawing his claw.

Turning to the chest on the left, Yoshi cautiously inspected the wooden box, sniffing for a moment, before he touched the chest in the back, opening it and as a red number 1 magically appeared. Astonished, Spike turned to the chest on the left, which Yoshi quickly sniffed, before giving the dragon a nod of approval. Spike and Yoshi open the chest, earning themselves a red number 2. They turn to the next chest on the right, which opens to reveal a magical red number 3, until they finally turn to the chest up front and open it to reveal a magical red number 4.

But the magic didn’t stop there, when a Power Star bursts from the chest, floating and dancing before the dragon and dinosaur. Without any hesitation, Spike and Yoshi quickly grab their fifth Power Star, and it danced around them as they danced together in celebration.

“Yeah!” Spike cheered, with a fist pump. “We got a Power Star!”

“YOSHI!”

“SPIKE! YOSHI!”

The two heroes turn as Applejack, Mario, and the newly rescued Rainbow Dash, running up to them.

“Mario! A.J.! DASH!” Spike exclaimed, happily. “You’re okay!”

Spike smiled as he and Rainbow shared a quick hug together, the former pleased to see the cyan Pegasus was alright.

“Just barely,” Dash replied. “I thought I’d never see ya again, Spike!”

“Yoshi!” Yoshi chirped, presenting himself to the Pegasus.

“Oh, hello there,” Dash greeted the dinosaur. “You must be Yoshi, the dinosaur Mario and Pinkie Pie told me about, right?”

Yoshi nodded, as he and Rainbow Dash shook hands and hooves, while Applejack approached Spike.

“You’re not hurt too bad, are ya, Spike?” Applejack asked, inspecting the little dragon.

“Aside from being scared half-to-death by a sea monster, me and Yoshi are fine,” Spike replied. “We just got another Power Star… Or at least, one of two.”

“Huh? One of two?”

To prove it, Spike guides the heroes’ attention to the crystal ball behind the cage.

“It’s breaking in, that’s the trick,” Spike frowned. “Yoshi and I already tried getting through, but we can’t get that star out!”

“Stand back, little man,” Rainbow Dash said.

She walks across the cavern, giving herself a distance away from the catch, setting herself at the ready. Then, with a flap of her wings, Rainbow Dash thrusts herself forward, until at the last second, she whips her leg out to land a kick on the cage.

BANG!!!

The bars remained unscathed, while Rainbow’s eyes widen suffering from recoil damage.

“OW!!!!” Rainbow screamed.

The Pegasus fell to the floor, clutching her smartened hoof.

“It’s hopeless!” Spike sighed. “We’re never getting that star out! And we need all 150 Power Stars…”

Yoshi shared Spike’s disappointment, as he sat beside the little dragon, stroking his back. In the meantime, Applejack searched the cavern for a way through the bars, when she happened upon two floating transparent ‘!’ boxes. One was colored blue, while the other was green.

“Now wut do we have here?” Applejack asked.

The cow pony approaches the boxes, before turning to a signpost planted in front, which reads:

Somewhere, hidden in the castle, are the magical ‘!’ switches. When you step on these switches, the ‘!’ blocks of the matching colors you see before you will become solid. Each ‘!’ block has its own unique powers. Red ‘!’ switches give the users wings, the green ‘!’ switches will encase them in metal, while the blue ‘!’ switches grant the users the power of vanishing through solid objects like a ghost.

“Hmm! That last power sounds like it could help us in this situation,” Applejack commented.

“Too bad we don’t have it right now,” Spike points out. “Otherwise, the box would’ve been solid, and we’d be out of here with that Power Star.”

“That would definitely save us the trouble of trying,” Rainbow added.

Rainbow Dash was still sore from her first attempt at breaking the bars.

“Oh well,” Mario shrugged. “Let’s just leave this-a Power-a Star for now and look for the others in this-a course. We’ll-a come aback for this-a star, later.”

“Yoshi,” Yoshi chirped, in agreement.

“Alright,” Spike complied. “So, how many stars we got? Me and Yoshi found two. One in this cavern, and the other at the end of the eel’s tail.”

“Yoshi!” Yoshi exclaimed, drawing a circle and a star shape in the middle.

“Oh, right! We’ve found a total of 100 coins, thus earning us a third Power Star.”

“Don’t forget the Power Star Pinkie got from there cliffside she floated to,” Applejack added. “That makes number four.”

“And the Power-a Star we found in the ship, when we rescued-a Rainbow-a Dash,” Mario added. “That’s total of five!”

“And Pinkie’s already lookin’ for red coins,” Applejack reminded. “If she finds all eight of ‘em, that’ll get us six Power Stars!”

“Wow, you guys have been busy!” Rainbow Dash commented, astonished. “How many more do we need to collect in this place?”

“Well, not counting the one we can’t get now,” Spike acknowledge the caged crystal ball. “Only one more star to go, I think.”

Curious, Spike reached into his backpack and pulls out his map, in which a single Power Star is shown flashing on the dark spot in the lake.

“Hey! That’s the Power Star we found at the bottom of the lake, beneath the ship!” Rainbow Dash pointed.

“Beneath the ship?” Spike asked. “How do you know that?”

“C’mon, sugar cube,” Applejack said. “We’ll show ya.”

Applejack gently took Spike by the hoof, leading him to that very spot.


After they put on their goggles and snorkels again, Spike and Yoshi join their friends to swim their way out of the underwater cave.

“Whoa!” Spike exclaimed.

Spike and Yoshi were astonished to see the formerly sunken ship now afloat above them.

“You guys actually got that thing to emerge from the water? How?”

“We’ll tell ya later, Spike,” Applejack replied. “Right now, we’ve got to figure out a way to get that star.”

Yoshi looked to the left, then to the right, keeping an eye out for that giant eel.

“Yoshi?”

“Yoshi’s worried that eel could still be around, somewhere,” Spike deduced. “Waiting for us.”

“Don’t see any sign of that sea varmint,” Applejack said, looking around. “I think it’s safe to get that there star before that thing shows itself again.”

“I don’t see what the problem is,” Spike shrugged.

The young dragon proceeds to swim towards the star.

“Let’s just grab the star and—WHOA!!!”

The young dragon screamed as he was launched straight up, out of the water, close to the ship. The rest of the heroes quickly resurface to meet up with the little dragon.

“Did we mention the star’s in a really strong jet stream too?” Applejack asked.

“Would’ve been helpful,” Spike moaned, dizzily.

“YAY!” Pinkie Pie’s voice cheered. “I’ve got a Power Star!”

“Pinkie Pie?!” The friends all exclaimed.

They look up and see their eccentric pink friend, upon the ship, with a Power Star dancing around her. What took them by surprise was that she was donned up in a pirate costume, like something out of a film poster.

Yeah… REALLY subtle advertising.

“Ahoy, mateys!” Pinkie Pie called. “Ponies, dragons, dinosaur, and plumber overboard on the starboard!”

Pinkie Pie tosses down a rope ladder for everyone to climb upon.

“Well c’mon! Climb aboard!”

Pinkie looked on, smiling cheerfully, as everyone climbed aboard the ship.

“Pinkie!” Applejack smiled. “I see you’ve been busy!”

“Argh! That I have, A.J.” Pinkie spoke, in pirate talk. “I be pillaging and plundering all of Jolly Roger Bay seeking for me red coins, for Star Marker marks, and spot me a Power Star!”

“How’d you find them all?” Spike asked.

“Hee-hee, that was easy!” Pinkie smiled, resuming her usual dialect. “I got some help from my Buddy here!”

Pinkie Pie gestured to a Bob-Omb Buddy standing beside her.

“Hello!” The Bob-Omb Buddy greeted.

“Ah!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed, pointing at the Buddy. “It’s one of those Bob-Ombs!”

“Relax, Dash!” Spike reassured. “He’s a friend! He’s one of the good Bob-Ombs, a buddy.”

“For real?” Rainbow asked.

The rest of the heroes exchanged random reassurances to the Pegasus, who immediately withdrew her antagonistic attitude towards the friendly Bob-Omb.

“So, tell us what just-a happened, Pinkie-a-Pie,” Mario said. “What’ve you been up to?”

“Well…” Pinkie thought back.


A Few Moments Earlier

While her friends gone off to find Spike and Yoshi, Pinkie went hunting for red coins. After leaving the chasm, Pinkie Pie swam back to the crags she and her friends explored earlier. There, Pinkie happened to meet a Bob-omb Buddy, who just arrived through a magical doorway.

“Hello there!” Pinkie greeted.

“Hello,” The friendly Bob-Omb greeted. “You are one of the ponies with the Super Mario, right?”

“Yes sirree!” Pinkie chirped. “Hey, can you help me out? I’m looking for some red coins. So far, my friends and I have found two of them.”

“It would be my pleasure!” The Bob-omb Buddy replied.

Before he knew it, Pinkie placed the Bob-Omb Buddy onto her head, as she swims throughout the bay, searching for red coins with his red coin detecting ability. Pinkie found three red coins inside clams: One near the starting area she and her friends arrived in, the second close to where Mario collected the coin ring, and the third next to the crag with wooden platforms.

Coins Collected

Gold Coins = 52

Red Coins = 2 + 3 = 5

Blue Coins = 70

After collecting the red coins in the water, the Bob-omb Buddy directed Pinkie Pie back to the formerly sunken pirate ship, where the three remaining red coins were located. One of them was on the bow of the ship, while the other two were on the stern. All of which Pinkie didn’t hesitate to collect.

Coins Collected

Gold Coins = 52

Red Coins = 5 + 3 = 8

Blue Coins = 70

After all the coins were collected, the Power Star materialized before Pinkie Pie and the Bob-omb Buddy. With a burst of confetti and joy, Pinkie whips out a pirate costume and puts it on, rushing to the Power Star and immediately dancing in celebration for obtaining the sixth Power Star.

“YAY!” Pinkie Pie cheered. “I’ve got a Power Star!”


Present

“And that’s when you guys came in!” Pinkie Pie smiled. “So, how’ve you been? Find any Power Stars?”

“Me and Yoshi found quite a few, actually,” Spike said, on behalf of the pair. “Except one is a little…”

Spike snapped his fingers, struggling to find the right words.

Unavailable?” Applejack coined.

“Yeah, that,” The dragon confirmed. “At least we’ve got six Power Stars out of this course.”

“Soon to be seven,” Rainbow Dash added. “If we can figure out how to get through the jet stream beneath us.”

“Aw, so close yet so far!” Pinkie Pie pouted.

“Yoshi!” Yoshi chirped, in agreement.

“Ya can say that again, sugar cube,” Applejack frowned.

“Mamma mia!” Mario moaned.

Pinkie Pie pondered for a moment, before looking up to the sky.

“Hey, uh, Guide?” Pinkie Pie called out. “You still with us? We could really use some help right now.”

“Pinkie?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Who are you talking to?”

“Greetings, Rainbow Dash,” A voice called, startling the Pegasus. “So nice to see you are well.”

“Who said that?” The Pegasus asked, flaring her wings. “Show yourself!”

“I don’t think he can,” Pinkie replied. “Even if he wants to, he’s just a voice. Ain’t that right, Guide?”

Rather than answering Pinkie Pie’s question, however, the Guide answered with another question.

“What do you wish of my assistance, Pinkie Pie?”

“Well, we’re kinda stuck at the moment,” Pinkie answered.

“There’s another Power Star at the bottom of the lake,” Applejack added. “But it’s in the middle of a strong jet stream that keeps blowing us away. We can’t even force our way through to get close to that there star.”

“Got any helpful tips on how we can get that star?” Spike asked.

There was a moment of silence, before the Guide answered.

“To overcome and persevere through the jet stream’s mighty force, you would need the sheer weight of something heavier and stronger than the pulse. Only then will the star be yours.”

“Something heavier and stronger than the force?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Like what?”

“You must figure that out yourself.”

Soon, our heroes paced back and forth through the ship, with the Bob-omb Buddy watching from the sideline.

“What’s heavy?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Mario?”

“Hey!” Mario frowned, offended.

“Just kidding!”

“No, it’s gotta be something heavier than Mario,” Spike commented. “All of us, actually.”

“Wario is-a heavy,” Mario commented. “But he’s-a not-a here, right-a now. It’s-a too bad, he’s-a like a walking ton of-a metal!”

Upon hearing the last words, Pinkie Pie burst up with an epiphany.

“Mario, you’re a SUPER MARIO!” Pinkie Pie beamed heavily. “We need metal! That’s heavier than water, and we can use it to weigh us down and grab that star!”

“Oh yeah!” Applejack stomped her hoof in agreement. “It’s just like what that sign said: The green ‘!’ box can give us metal powers!”

However, the country pony’s happy expression disappeared as she recalled one important factor.

“But, it’s not available yet. We haven’t even pressed the switch to activate the magic box’s powers yet.”

“Nope, but we do have something better!” Pinkie points out.

She turns to a stack of cannonballs, sitting across the deck beside a rusty cannon.

“All we need is some pony to walk the plank.”

Pinkie then eyed deviously at one of the heroes, particularly a certain country pony with a Stetson hat, looking side to side but finding no one else beside her.

“Wut?!” Applejack asked. “Me?!”

“… Eeyup!”


Later, Applejack stood at the end of a wooden plank, holding a cannonball in her hooves, and a rope was tied to her tail. Pinkie Pie, once again playing pirate, threatens the pony with a balloon sword.

“Go on, start jumping!” Pinkie Pie threatened. “Or ye be dealing with the business end of me sword!”

Applejack simply rolled her eyes, before she jumped off the plank. Carrying the cannonball between her hooves, she sank toward the bottom of the bay. In the meantime, Applejack’s line of rope kept her secured to a large wooden pole, with a bell at the end, in the clutches of the other heroes, and the Bob-omb Buddy.

“Okay, Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow Dash began.

“Er, ‘Captain’ Pinkie Pie be the name,” Pinkie Pie corrected.

“’Captain’ Pinkie Pie?”

“That’s Miss Captain Pinkamena Diana Pie to you, first mate Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie said, towering over Rainbow Dash. “Do I make myself clear? Or do ye want to be cupcakes, with a side of creepy pastas? Hmmm?”

“Creepy…?” Spike began.

“… Pasta?” Mario finished.

“Aw, don’t worry your little heads,” Pinkie Pie giggled. “I was just playing it up for laughs, that’s all.”

The rest of the heroes looked unamused at Pinkie Pie’s antics.

“Well… Pirate antics aside, remind us what the plan is again?”

“It’s simple!” Pinkie began. “Applejack will sink to the bottom of the bay with the cannonball, which is heavy enough to get her through the jet stream! Then, one she grabs the star, she pulls the rope, and that’s the cue to haul her back on deck!”

RING! RING!

“Holy mackerel!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed. “Applejack’s got the star! Every pony, pull!”

The pink pony in pirate’s clothes lead the gang, as they pulled the rope to haul their strong country pony companion back onto the deck.

“We’ve got ya, Applejack! We got—”

Suddenly, bursting from the water, with Applejack clinging to its jaws, the giant eel emerged from the sea.

“MAMMA MIA!!!” Mario wailed. “He’s-a got Applejack!”

“And now he’s got USSSSS!!!” Spike screamed.

Spike and his fellow heroes were pulled off the ship, jet skiing across the water, pulled by the giant eel. They all screamed as they were pulled across the lake at such an intense speed, courtesy of the enormous sea monster.

“WHEEEEEEEEEE!!!” Pinkie Pie squealed happily.

Though her excitement quickly shifts to wails of horror, as she and her friends saw they were headed towards a ramp-shaped rock.

“WHOOOOAAAAAA!!!”

The heroes all slid up along the ramp, and flew into the air, before coming back down into the water with a huge…

SPLASH!!!

It was at this moment the giant eel made a sharp turn, releasing a ferocious roar as it charged towards the other heroes, with its mouth open for a bite.

“SWIM AWAY!!!” Mario yelled.

He and his friends quickly swam out of the way, narrowly dodging the monster’s gaping jaws, as it swims away.

“A.J.!” Spike shouted.

Spike held his claws out, as he and his friends watched helplessly as the eel swam away. Out of impulsive grievances, Spike, along with Pinkie Pie, wailed…

“NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

“Spike? Pinkie?”

Every pony turned and saw the country pony, free of her rope, swimming toward them.

“What’re y’all screamin’ about?!”

“A.J.! You’re alive!” Pinkie Pie chirped happily.

As the friends swam toward the country pony, Mario turned around, and his face turned to a look of horror.

“Don’t-a look now, but he’s a-coming back!”

Mario pointed and from the incoming waves, the eel headed straight towards them. The eel itself had no intent on letting its prey get away again.

“That’s it, we’re goners!” Spike panicked. “It’s sayonara! Goodbye, cruel world!”

“Don’t you mean, ‘game over’!” Pinkie Pie said, clutching Rainbow Dash and Applejack.

Boo! You suck! *Hurls a tomato*

Whimpering, Spike clings onto Yoshi.

“It’s been nice knowing you, Yoshi.”

Just as the eel was about to consume our heroes whole, a magical doorway opened up at the last second, and the heroes fell in.


Princess Peach's Castle

The painting of the Jolly Roger Bay course rippled like water, as the heroes emerged from the painting and find themselves back in the aquarium of Princess Peach’s Castle.

“We’re back?” Pinkie asked. “WE’RE BACK! YIPPEE!!!”

Pinkie Pie happily bounces above the room, like a ball of pink blur, before ending up jumping through a small hole above the wall along the right of the painting and disappeared.

In the meantime, the rest of the heroes just recovered from another death defying experience, they barely noticed Pinkie’s absence.

“My whole life just flashed before my eyes!” Spike panted.

“I hear ya, Spike,” Applejack shuddered.

“You’re telling me,” Rainbow Dash coughed. “I nearly drowned had you guys not shown up; I owe you big time!”

“Oh yeah!” Mario nodded. “And even better-a news, we’ve got-a seven a Power-a Stars.”

“Make that eight!” Pinkie Pie said, returning from the Secret Aquarium. “Because I got us another Power Star!”

“Whoa, no way!” Spike shouted.

“Yoshi!”

“Guess this adventure wasn’t a total loss,” Rainbow Dash smiled. “But where’d you get it?”

“Well…”


A Few Moments Earlier

The Secret Aquarium

Upon falling through the small hole, back in Princess Peach’s aquarium, Pinkie found herself in a large fish tank full of water. Around her are four large windows, with screens of pink, turquoise, blue, and yellow.

“Whoa!” Pinkie Pie marveled, through her snorkel. “What a large fish tank!”

“You have found another secret course,” The Guide spoke. “Very good, Pinkie Pie. For this course, there is only one star to be found, just beneath you.”

“Beneath me?”

Pinkie Pie looked down, seeing a star marker, at the bottom of the floor.

“Ooh, a star marker! More red coins to collect!”

“Indeed,” The Guide replied. “But you must hurry: For in this course, you’ll find no surface for air. You must continuously collect the coins to refill your strength.”

“Okie-dokie-lokie!” Pinkie Pie replied.

She swims around the room, collecting four red coins floating in the center of four rings of eight gold coins, before swimming along the floor to find the remaining four red coins in the four corners.

Once all eight red coins were collected, the Power Star appeared to reward Pinkie Pie.


Present
Princess Peach's Castle

"And that's how I got the eighth Power Star of this room!" Pinkie Pie smiled proudly. "Which brings our total of 20 to 28!"

28 Stars

“Yeehaw!” Applejack whooped loudly. “At this rate, we’ll have all 150 Power Stars in no time!”

“Time flies fast when you’re having fun!” Pinkie Pie smiled.

Rainbow Dash, meanwhile, was surprised and shocked hearing the number of Power Stars to collect.

“A hundred… And fifty… Power Stars!”

“Speaking of which,” Applejack began. “Okay, Guide. We found Rainbow Dash! Now where do we find Fluttershy?”

“Fluttershy?!” Dash exclaimed. “Where is she?”

“Go to the courtyard,” The Guide spoke. “There, you will find the first step to rescuing your bashful friend and Mario’s brother.”

“Luigi?!” Mario exclaimed.

“Go to the courtyard. Hurry.”

“Y’all heard the voice,” Applejack began. “Let’s go to the courtyard and save our friends!”

“I know where it is,” Mario said, taking the lead. “Follow-a me!”

The heroes follow Mario out of the aquarium and into the lobby. But along the way, Mario decided to strike up a conversation.

“So, if I may-a ask, what is this-a Cave of Games?”

“Huh?”

The Equestrian Heroes slid to a halt, as they turned to Mario.

“Why’d ya ask, Mario?” Applejack asked.

“Just-a curious,” Mario began. “What’s-a all this talk about this voice calling its-a-self, the Guide. And what does it-a mean about this Cave of Games? What is-a that?”

Unsure of how to respond, the ponies and dragon all exchange looks with one another. They knew sooner or later they’d eventually tell Mario and his friends the truth about how they came to this world.

“It’s a long story,” Applejack replied. “Ya may find it hard to believe.”

Mario simply sat on the floor, crossing his legs together to get comfortable.

“I’m-a listening,” He said, encouragingly and eagerly.

Seeing how the plumber was anticipating the truth and would not have it any other way, Rainbow Dash sighed.

“Fine, we’ll tell you,” She said anxiously. “But can we make this quick? We gotta rescue Fluttershy, like right now!”