Super Poyo Mario! (An SPM AU)

The Butterfly Cacoon

Tippi, Mario, and Luigi all watched and waited as Mr.L typed into the computer, seeming to know exactly what he was doing. Tippi fidgeted anxiously as he worked, unsure what that would even mean for her if what they were saying was correct. After all, for as long as she's known, she's just been Tippi. She's just been there to help. But maybe this means something else for her?

"Wow... Those are a lot of Star Warriors." Luigi pointed out.

"How can there be so many?! Luigi and I haven't seen any other Star Warriors the whole time we lived here until you guys showed up!" Mario exclaimed.

"Well, these reports are from hundreds of years ago, and I'm pretty sure almost, if not all of them, are dead." Mr.L stated, "Some of these reports say the Star Warrior is deceased too. But most of them were just... Never updated. If I had to guess, probably after the Count took the ship."

Mario and Luigi nodded sadly in response, realizing, yet again, that they were two of the few Star Warriors left. Mr.L typed at the computer for a few more moments before coming to a halt.

"Ah-ha! Found it! Timpani! One of the female Star Warriors!" Mr.L exclaimed, "Her abilities being the common copy ability and also being able to tattle on enemies."

Mr.L stepped aside, his hands on his hips with a triumphant smirk. Tippi fluttered forward and looked at what Mr.L had pulled up on the screen.

"It says... Discharged?" Tippi murmured.

"Meaning that you were released from the line of service." Mr.L elaborated.

"Maybe that's when you got turned into a butterfly!" Mario gasped.

Tippi simply fluttered in silence, trying to process all of this without having another fainting episode.

"So... If this is true... And I'm..." Tippi paused, "Could you look at the name 'Blumiere'?"

"Uh... Sure, I guess so." Mr.L replied.

Mr.L turned back around and started sifting through the computer's files again. Mario and Luigi both looked at Tippi, confused.

"Why Blumiere?" Luigi asked.

"I just... Remember something about him." Tippi replied, almost whispering.

They waited a few more moments until Mr.L stepped aside with yet another triumphant grin.

"Blumiere, a male Star Warrior." Mr.L relayed, "He had the standard copy ability but also worked well with a staff."

Mario and Luigi hummed as they looked the page over.

"You said that you remember him, Tippi?" Mario questioned.

"I do... But... There's something else that I can't put my finger on..." Tippi trailed off.

Tippi paused and Mr.L sighed in response.

"Well, as much as I've enjoyed wasting my time, we haven't really found anything useful." Mr.L stated, "Besides, I'm pretty sure that this Blumiere guy is dead after the Count took the ship."

Mario stood taken aback.

"He stole this whole ship?!" Mario exclaimed.

"Yup. He said, and I quote, 'Count Bleck presents to you what was my former star command's ship. They didn't need it anymore.'" Mr.L repeated.

Tippi gasped suddenly, causing all of them to jump.

"I need to stop Blumiere!!!" Tippi shouted.

"Woah there, what are you stopping him from? We don't even know where this 'Blumiere' is." Mr.L stated.

Tippi shook her head.

"I should have known... I should have known... I..." Tippi paused, "W-we need to get to Halcandra. As soon as possible."

Mr.L let out a long sigh.

"FINALLY!!!" Mr.L exclaimed.

"Why so sudden, Tippi?" Luigi questioned.

Tippi turned and looked them all in the eyes.

"I... I know where Blumiere is." Tippi said, "And... There's something you need to know about the Count."

Mario nodded in response.

"Well, you can tell us on the way!" Mario exclaimed.

Mario pulled out his warp star and laid it out, hopping on top of it as it grew bigger.

"My turn!" Luigi chirped.

"On it!" Mr.L replied.

The two warriors in green whipped out their halves of the warp star and clicked them together like a puzzle. The two of them got onto their star, linking arms to keep the thing intact. They all gave their warp stars a pat and they shot into the sky, Tippi alongside them. Their destination: Halcandra and the Count.

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Count Bleck walked forward, a weary Nastasia behind him. The two of them had just arrived on the new planet, Count Bleck having teleported the both of them. The place was hot, the whole planet practically under intense 24-hour heat. The Count and Nastasia were both sweating profusely, though both of them hid it well.

"Is this..?" Nastasia trailed off.

"Welcome to Halcandra. A planet bathed in hot fire and magma, where the sword and charm first came to be." Count Bleck said, gesturing outward to the ash-coated plane with a mischievous grin.

Nastasia looked around for a moment but paused.

"Um, Count?" Nastasia asked, "How are you going to, uh, complete your end goal if our warrior in green is gone?"

Count Bleck chuckled to himself as if she had just told him an inside joke.

"It doesn't truly matter WHICH warrior in green has the charm... As long as one of them has the artifact, they will bring it to Count Bleck." Count Bleck stated, clenching his fist as if crushing it in his grasp.

The two of them went silent. Nastasia stared down at her feet as the two of them continued forward.

"Um, Count? Did they... Really need to, y'know, die..?" Nastasia questioned, her voice quiet, "Because... Y-you can still stop this! If, uh... You really think that there's a chance for..."

Count Bleck remained silent, unnerving Nastasia more than any retort would have.

"That is enough, Nastasia." Count Bleck said, "However, you need not stay by Count Bleck's side."

Nastasia looked up at him in shock.

"You may depart with my blessing." Count Bleck told her.

Nastasia shook her head immediately.

"No, I pledged myself to you, Count." Nastasia replied, "I'm going to follow you until the day I die."

Count Bleck sighed to himself.

"Very well..." Count Bleck said.

Nastasia looked ahead at him as they walked, feeling that there was something deeply troubling him. More than usual. She stopped dead in her tracks as he continued.

"Don't you still think there's a chance she's alive somewhere?" Nastasia asked.

Count Bleck remained silent as he frowned, his eyes turning a deeper red.

"She is gone, Nastasia." Count Bleck spat, "I remember the dark day she disappeared... And you have no right to recall her."

He stopped and turned to face Nastasia.

"If you wish to serve Count Bleck, be sure to escort the heroes to Count Bleck when they arrive." Count Bleck commanded, "I trust that you will not fail Count Bleck."

Nastasia nodded in response. Without hesitation, she ran off, ready to find the heroes when they appeared in the sky.

Count Bleck remained still as if frozen. He continued to stare after her until his eyes gravitated to the stars above. A deep sadness resurfaced in his mind as he continued to gaze. Soon, that sadness turned to hate, and that hate turned to a repressed memory surfacing once more.