Super Mario & Cookie Run: Ruleless Royal

I'm So Sorry...

(King Custard III) "Clover said he'd be somewhere down this creek. Let's go!"

Custard led the group down an empty river creak, listening to the leaves and mud crunch and squelch under their feet. Mario took notice that there were plenty more abandoned question blocks down this very creek. Rusty, moldy, covered in leaves and twigs. He could only wonder...what exactly were these? What were in them? WHO were in them...? Why couldn't Mario save them in time...?

...

No. He HAD to save them. Even if it was too late.

Mario suddenly left the group, going up to one of the molding and rotting ?-mark blocks that sunk in the mud. Luigi noticed Mario's sudden leaving, stopping to look back at him. "Mario? What're you doing?" Luigi asked to no response. The red plumber then got up from the ground and began to move his foot back until his heel was the only thing keeping him standing. Then he kicked the block. Unexpectedly, the ?-block turned into a normal solid brown block. Out from the top of the block, a purple spotted mushroom head popped out. That was all that came out, even though there was obviously something more in there. Mario knew from the mushroom top twitching and squirming slightly.

(Luigi) "A-A mushroom?"

(Mario) "It looks like it's stuck.."

Mario approached the mushroom stuck in the block, holding onto the squishy purple top. "Luigi! Come help me pull it out!" Mario called to Luigi, who reluctantly agreed. Grabbing onto Mario's sides, the brothers worked together to pull the mushroom out of the block. There were moments of strong pulling and tugging, until finally...something popped out.

"WAAAA!"

"AAGH!"

Mario and Luigi sprung back, falling into the mud of the creek from the force. "Yaaay! I'm freeee...!" The strange mushroom spoke. The red plumber lifted his hat back up, looking at what he had just pulled out of the box. Or rather...WHO he pulled out. Because this was no power-up mushroom...this was a TOAD. At least...he thought it was a toad. The toad had dark skin, with purple eyes that had rather large eyebags under them. Not only that, but they looked much taller than the average toad, and alot more slim despite wearing a rather big purple dress or robe.

(Mario) "A-A toad?!"

(Luigi) "A-A ZOMBIE TOAD?!"

(???) "Eh...? Hello, mister sun...it's good to see you again....Ooh...and uhh...hello, mister grass..."

Mario and Luigi looked on in confusion, as the toad...maybe...continued to walk around in the exact same spot, saying hello to the scenery around them. The sun, the block, the dirt, everything. How long have they been in there? Mario thought to himself. Carefully, Mario got up from the ground and approached the toad as they picked up some nearby acorns and tapped them against each other.

(Mario) "H-...Hey...uhh...excuse me?"

(???) "Huhh..? Who are you? You wanna acorn?"

(Mario) "N-No, I'm fine. Just...how long have you been in that question block...?"

(Luigi) "How DID you get in that question block?!"

(???) "Oh, uhh...I dunno. I can't remember...hehehe..."

(Luigi) "...D-Do you...know who you even are??"