Super Mario Universe

1 | Super Mario

So, there is some guy named Mario. He lives in a country called the Mushroom Kingdom, ruled by none other than Mario's "friend" Princess Peach. You would think everything would be well, wouldn't it? Well . . . usually. Sometimes, things can get hectic.

You see, the Mushroom Kingdom is wonderful. It's just that there are a few people living there that aren't good. Among them include Bowser, the unofficial king of the Koopas. He is CRAZY! He is always bent on taking over the Mushroom Kingdom, which usually involves kidnapping the princess.

I mean, there are more ways to take over somewhere than just like kidnap someone. For instance, he could invade the kingdom and kill the princess, but for some reason he chooses not to. Weird.

Anyway, one day Bowser kidnapped Peach and held her at his own personal castle. Mario soon arrived and retook the princess. "Oh! My hero!" Peach would always say. Mario smiled, and pushed the big red button Bowser had installed to self-destruct a bridge inside his castle.

"Well, thanks Peach!" Mario said, leaning over to the floor below so Bowser could hear him, "I just wonder when Bowser will learn NOT TO MESS WITH US."

"I wonder why Bowser always has that button installed," Peach laughed. "It's pointless."

You see, Mario is the Mushroom Kingdom's hero. No one really knows why, but ever since he was a baby he always made a career of saving Peach from Bowser. Mario always came to the rescue, no matter when, where, how, or who.

Mario walked with the princess to the outside of the castle. There were hundreds of reporters outside, all waiting to hear about Peach's latest rescue.

"Princess! Princess!" one yelled, shoving his microphone into Peach's face, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Peach laughed. "I'm just glad I have people who care about me so much!" she gave a mushy look to Mario.

Another reporter walked up to Peach. "How long were you held in there?" she asked curiously.

Peach groaned. "About 1 or 2 hours. But to be honest, this is like the 492d time Bowser has kidnapped me. You all should be used to this by now."

"Are you okay?" Mario asked her.

"I'm fine. Look, there's some hot air balloons coming this way!" she replied, pointing to the sky.

Mario looked to the skies. Two hot air balloons were coming their way, one filled with Luigi, Mario's younger brother. The other consisted of two Toads and Toadsworth, Peach's assistant. Mario was happy to see them, but Peach just rolled her eyes. "So dramatic," she said.

The hot air balloons landed. "Mario! Princess!" Luigi smiled, greeting them with open arms.

"Can we just get back to my castle?" Peach asked him.

"Let's go," Mario said to Luigi. They started to walk but were interrupted by a new voice.

"Princess! Princess!" yelled Toadsworth. "You're okay!!"

"Of course I'm fine," Peach smiled at him. "But I'll be even more fine if we get this show on the road."

They got into the hot air balloons, waving the crowd of reporters and spectators goodbye.

Once in the air, Peach sighed to Mario. "Let me guess. They're probably planning a party for my return."

Now you're probably wondering, why is Peach, THE original damsel in distress, acting like this? Well, this is her real personality that she only shows to her close companions, such as Mario, Luigi, or Toadsworth.

"Yes!" Toadsworth cried sarcastically. "How dare they plan a party for our princess's return who was just kidnapped!"

"Relax," Mario said to her. "Daisy will be there. She'll be happy to see you."

Luigi interrupted them. "How can we relax when we're in a hot air balloon?!"

Peach looked below. The Mushroom Kingdom was SO vast and varied. There were deserts and icelands and mountains and lakes and islands and volcanoes and cities and castles and everything you could dream of. It really was paradise. Peach looked to the Dimble Wood, to the Far East. Bowser's Castle was in the forest. It made Peach mad to see Bowser have his own castle in her kingdom! The kingdom would have been perfect, but no! Bowser always showed up to ruin everything.

"When will Bowser ever learn his lesson? He can't mess with us," Peach sighed to Mario.

"I don't know, but look! We're about to land at your castle!" Mario pointed to the ground.

There right below them was Toad Town, the capital of the Mushroom Kingdom. It consisted of malls and neighborhoods and skyscrapers and "the hoods" and rich places and finally Peach's Castle on top of a hill.

Peach's Castle was very big, with four towers on the outside and in the center one big tower with a stained glass window of the princess holding a star. "Welcome home!" Toadsworth yelled to Peach.

"Let's go! The party is in like an hour, right? At sundown?" Mario said.

They looked at the castle foreground and saw that the place was decorated for a party. It had all the necessary ingredients but there wasn't any party people yet!

"Where is Daisy?" Peach asked reluctantly.

"She'll be inside the castle. Come, now!" Toadsworth pulled her to the ground.

One thing you should know about Toadsworth, he's REALLY impatient. But he still hasn't let the princess get out of his grasp (permanently) all these years, so he's good at doing his job.

Mario and Luigi got out of the hot air balloon. "Do we follow them?" Luigi asked his older brother.

"I don't think so," Mario said, looking toward the setting sun. "I don't think so."