Super Mario & Cookie Run: Ruleless Royal

Jericho.

As Custard, Poison, and Yoshi exchanged merry tunes along the trail, Mario and Luigi kept themselves focused on where they were going. Their eyes were still on the map, looking at the spots marked with the Soulstone shapes. Mario was more focused on the heart first, and how far the tracks from the station went to the Valentine Kingdom. On the bright side, they were getting close to the station, so they didn't have to worry.

(Mario) "Alright. First, we'll have to stop by the Valentine Kingdom to get the heart soulstone. Then we'll get to the Gold Kingdom for the triangle, the Dark Kingdom for the diamond, and the Garden Kingdom for the flower."

(Luigi) "What about the ice cream cone...?"

(Mario) "It looks like it's all the way back in...the Grand Kingdom. We'll have to do that last since I'm not sure how exactly we'll reach it."

(Luigi) "Or if we...CAN...reach it."

(Daisy) "Uhh...guys? Why does it smell like-"

(Custard) "I DIDN'T DO IT!"

(Clover) "N-...No...wait...I know this smell..."

The lingering scent suddenly hit Mario's nose, causing him to stop. The scent of something...burning. 

Something was wrong.

"LOOK OUT!" He heard Peach call out. Suddenly, Rye pulled out her guns as the cloaked Jericho jumped out of the forest, drawing his spear from it's case. 

(Mario) "W-WHAT THE?!" 

(Rye) "IT'S JERICHO. CARMINE'S LAPDOG."

Mario didn't have time to talk before he felt a group of bullets fly pass him. a group of bullets that came from Rye's gun, pointing towards Jericho. Unfazed, the masked assassin dodged them with a swift set of motion, managing to get a swing at Rye, knocking her back.

(Rye) "AUGH!"

(Captain Toad) "EVERYONE! FALL BACK!"

No one was even able to run. Jericho threw his spear at the group of others who attempted to flee the battle, signaling there was no mercy to be seen. Suddenly, Jericho suddenly lifted his arms and created something under this group. A magic circle...and that magic circle exploded into a cloud of brown dust, causing everyone around to fly backwards around the forest. 

(Mario) "GUYS!"

(Luigi) "W-...We're okay, Mario!"

(Jericho) "..."

(Rye) "That magic...!"

Mario was the only one left standing. And of course...he had to combat.

Mario ran towards Jericho, bringing a flaming punch towards him. Jericho only pulled out his spear, twirling it around so it blocked off Mario's attack, causing him to retract his fist. The masked assassin, from there, was able to get a good upper hand on Mario for a while until the red hero was able to knee him in the gut. In the process of wrenching from the pain, he dropped his spear nearby. This turned the battle into a rapid fistfight, and it only stopped when Jericho managed to punch Mario into a nearby rock. Mario fell to the ground, face first, blood and bruises covering his face. 

(Luigi & Peach) "MARIO! NO!"

(Jericho) "..."

Mario weakly looked up at Jericho, watching as the hitman picked up his spear and approached the fallen hero. Mario knew this was his fate...the fate that he never saw coming...and here he was, ready to accept that he lost. Ready to accept that the Mushroom Kingdom was doomed.

...

But that didn't happen.

Mario suddenly noticed that Jericho stabbed his spear not into his head, but into the grass beside him. He was now holding out his hand, offering Mario a pick-up. He was so confused...yet, he took the offer anyway, to which Jericho pulled him up. The other party members looked on in confusion...until Jericho spoke.

(Jericho) "You surprised me, Red Hero. I guess I wasn't wrong."

(Mario) "Red Hero...?"

(Jericho) "Mario Jumpman Mario,  hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, right? "

(Mario) "Uh...yeah..."

(Jericho) "...Perfect. Then I finally found you."

Mario's eyes began to widen when Jericho took down his hood and began to unbuckle his mask. And those widened eyes would spread to the rest of the group when the mask hit the ground with a thump. That smell...Peach finally recognized it. So did Clover and Rye. That scent

...The burning essence of coffee.