Super Mario Bros. 4: The Double Agent

[shadowmarioguy]

Introduction

One day, I decided to revive the series.  With some help from NINTENDOMASTERGC, and some determination, I wrote the chapters over.  This time, they are much better.  Enjoy 

Note: The fanfics in the series (besides the first two) are designed to be about 30 chapters long.  The later ones may have more chapters, it depends on how the story develops.

Fanfic Summaries:

Since the first three weren't so good, I'll be remastering them after I finish this one.  The original, poor ones will not be posted at all.  So here are summaries instead.  Don't worry, this one is almost over.

Super Mario Bros. 1: Legend of the Evil Demon- This one is important for you to understand for reasons that I will not yet reveal.  Bowser and King Boo have a scheme to summon a demon that was sealed away in the Shadow Shrine, using the power of the Shadow Keys.  They let the Mario Bros. do all of their work for them, by kidnapping Peach and telling them they had to find the keys in order for them to not kill the princess.  They obtain all of the keys, but as they are at the front of the Shadow Shrine, Mario is able to defeat the duo and avoid the summoning of the demon.

Super Mario Bros. 2: Sunshine Adventure- Nothing here is really that important except the fact that Bowser is working on a new invention.  Basically Mario returns to Isle Delfino and is framed once again by Bowser and Jr.  But Mario proves his innocence and defeats Bowser.  Bowser exits and claims he will be working on a new invention.

Super Mario Bros. 3: The Ultimate Killer- If only I was a better writer at the time out wrote this one.  All you have to know is mysterious characters have made a metal copy of Mario.  He goes around worlds, conquering them.  Mario faces him many times, and in the final battle he wins, but at the cost of his own life.


Character Bios

Mario

What can I say?  You know who he is!  There is once again trouble in the Mushroom Kingdom, and it's up to Mario to stop it.  He now has the Iceball abiltiy, which closely rivals the Fireball ability, except with ice.  He now has enhanced speed and power, but his true limitations are unknown.  As far as personality goes, Mario's good to go!  When he first entered the Mushroom Kingdom, he didn't care deeply about it or even suspect himself to be it's true hero.  Now, his personality has undergone a huge change.  He truly cares for his new friends, and he'll do anything to protect his kingdom.  To an extent, Mario always wants a fair fight.  He is hesitant to kill his foes.

Luigi

Luigi is Mario's younger brother.  Mario died only four month's ago, so Luigi is still recovering.  Luigi deeply respects his brother, and is often reminded of him.  Luigi can be a bit cowardly sometimes, but deep down he is very courageous and heroic.  It really starts to show now that Luigi knows his bro will be coming home soon.  His mentor is the Master, who hopes to give Luigi the power and support to be one of the Mushroom Kingdom's most famous heroes.

The Master

The Master is Luigi's trainer.  He pushes Luigi hard so he could become like Mario.  The Master's dream was to be Mario's trainer, but Mario's death caused Luigi to be the next best thing.  Because of his shattered dreams, he pushes Luigi extra hard.  The Master is tough, and powerful; although not even Luigi has seen him in battle.  The Master is apparently holding back deep secrets that no one knows.

Princess Peach

Peach is the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom.  Time and time again she has been kidnapped by Bowser.  She had a special relationship with Mario before he died.  Princess Peach is sincere and caring.  She allowed E. Gadd to stay at her castle to do research on Chaos.  Now that Chaos has been eliminated, Peach face's a bigger threat: a kidnapper!

Wario

Wario is a hefty man who holds a grudge against Mario.  Wario is extremely greedy; if he had to chose between his life or cash he would be a dead man.  Despite his weight, Wario is very strong and can give quite a punch.  He worked for E. Gadd to help stop Chaos, but he was only doing it for the money.

Waluigi

Waluigi is almost the complete opposite of his plump brother, Wario.  Waluigi is tall and skinny, and looks very sinister.  Waluigi loves to cause mischief, although he was forced to work with Wario and Link to do something good.  Wario and Waluigi only have one thing in common; strength.  But Waluigi doesn't punch; he kicks.

Bowser

Mario's rival, Bowser has created a new invention that requires Mario.  He learns that Mario is dead, so he saves his trusty machine for later.  He is going to help Chaos.  Bowser is very evil, although he is also very ignorant.  He bosses Kammy around and takes all the credit.  He is one of the biggest threats to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Kammy

She is the true inventor of "Bowser's" machine.  She does not say anything, because Bowser could ruin her life, let alone take it.  Kammy usually sits in Bowser's Castle while Bowser tries to kidnap Peach or do some other evil deed.  She is Kamek's daughter; who was Baby Mario and Baby Luigi's worst enemies.  Kamek is very intelligent, and is loyal to Bowser.

________________________________________

Retired Characters

This is where all of the older characters go.  They will either be dead or no longer appearing in the fic:

Link

Link is the legendary Hero of Time and possesses the Master Sword, the blade of evil's bane.  His sworn enemy is Ganon, but has he finally been defeated for good?  He was earlier allies with Mario, but because of his death they are no longer able to see each other.  Link is adventurous and usually has someone to guide him on his adventure.  This time, all he has is E. Gadd.

Professor E. Gadd

He is a former ghost hunter who spends his time inventing things.  He has come to Peach's Castle to announce that the Mushroom Kingdom is in grave danger.  He investigates to find that Mario, the deceased hero, is the only one who can stand up to this fiend, Chaos.  E. Gadd is a kind, wrinkly old man who is inventive and resourceful.  He is respected by Luigi, Peach, and several other Mushroom Kingdom residents.

Chaos

Chaos appeared at Bowser's Castle one day.  He has a strange hunger for Shadow Keys and can't talk very well.  He can only say short sentences.  He talks in a hissing tone of voice.  He is very powerful; he defeated Luigi without much effort.  Not very much has been deduced about Chaos, although it is known he is searchng for all of the Shadow Keys, which are now Cyber Stars.

Chaos 1

This is Chaos when he has absorbed one Shadow Key, now being referred to as Cyber Stars.  He is slightly bigger and has bones running down his right arm.  With increased power, Chaos 1 is a slight threat, but if he gets all seven, the results could be colossal.

Chaos 2

Chaos is much stronger after absorbing two Cyber Stars.  He is taller and more muscular.  The bones that were in Chaos 1's right arm now run along both of Chaos 2's arms.  His head has moved forward, giving him a more unpleasant appearance, the horns on his head have also changed position to make him look like a hammerhead.  By now, Chaos's speech is as good as an ordinary person's.   

Chaos 4

Chaos has changed considerably after absorbing four Cyber Stars. He is now a huge shark-like creature with razor like fins.  He still has the same color scheme, but his shape has changed.  With his new power, he is becoming more powerful by the minute.  His lust for the remaining Cyber Stars grows even more.  Can't anyone stop him?

Chaos 6

This is Chaos's semi-super form.  He needs the last Cyber Star, and then it'll all be over.  Now that Chaos isn't even close to looking humanoid, one can only wonder what his perfect form will look like.  Of course, our heroes sure don't want to find out.  Waluigi has the last Cyber Star, and Chaos is planning on stealing it.  Can our heroes keep Chaos at bay until Mario returns?  *dramatic music plays*

Perfect Chaos

This is it.  This is Chaos, the true god of destruction.  This is what he looked like when he was first created.  Yes, that is a spoiler.  He is an enormous, snake-like creature with a mouth that extends beyond his two piercing green eyes.  At his base is a vortex; its origin is unknown.  The only thing it does is spew out water, and if something gets trapped in it, there's no way it can escape.
________________________________________

Other

This is for things that don't fit into the other categories:

Map

A complete map of the kingdom's most common areas.

[shadowmarioguy]

Prologue: A New Threat



Things in the Mushroom Kingdom had finally started to calm down.  Ever since Metal Mario had arrived, everyone was in a state of shock.  Mario?s horrific copy had almost infinite power.  He put the fate of the world in jeopardy, so Mario confronted him in one decisive battle. 


Mario triumphed over his metal copy, thus saving the entire world.  But at the cost of his own life.  Every single person that died because of Metal Mario?s wrath was brought back to life.  The only one that remained dead was the very hero who vanquished the metal assassin.


Now, four months later, everything was falling back into place.  Peach?s Castle had been crushed, and they Royal Family finally found the equipment to reconstruct it.  As soon as its completion, Mario?s corpse was buried in a special altar at the Graveyard. 


With peace once again roaming the land, one was still not content.  It was Luigi, the brother of the renowned Mario.  He had an unimaginably tough time training at the dojo.  The Master?s students were easily defeated, but the Master himself was a challenge.   


?Come on, no slouching!? barked the Master, Luigi?s mentor.  ?You?re way too slow!  How do you expect to protect the Mushroom Kingdom if you can?t even run forty-nine miles?!?


?But most people can barely run ten!? whined Luigi.  All of Luigi?s clothes were a shade or two darker, due to Luigi?s constant sweating.  Luigi completed his run with a burst of speed that left him exhausted.  ?So, did I make it in time??


The Master gave Luigi a disappointed look.  ?Barely.  I know your brother could?ve finished in half the time.  Well, you?ve been running for a while.  Guess what??


?What?? Luigi inquired.


?Drop and give me twenty!!? demanded the Master.  Luigi immediately obeyed and dropped down to the floor.  His face beaded with sweat after nine.  Luigi collapsed on the floor, sweating even more profusely.


?Now I want ten chin ups!? barked the Master.  ?And when you?re done, run another mile!!?  Luigi complied and hustled to the bar that stood next to the dozens of other exercising equipment.  Each of them had been used by Luigi.


?Nine dreadful hours.? Luigi thought to himself.  ?I have to get out of here somehow.?  He grabbed the bar and began to slowly pull himself up.  The Master knew how much trouble Luigi had with chin ups.  Without showing any signs of emotion, the Master nodded.


The bar met Luigi?s hat.  Luigi smiled; he was doing it!  Just a bit more?  The bar touched his bruised nose (he accidentally hit it in the push up position), and then his lips.  He was only moments away from doing one chin up.


THUD 


?Why couldn?t you be more like your brother?!? bellowed the Master, shaking his round head in disbelief.  Luigi listened to his elderly trainer rant about how weak and scrawny he was. 


?If you don?t shape up we?ll all end up just like your brother!  What do you think would happen if some threat like Metal Mario were to return?  All we would have is you?!  We?d be doomed!  I?D have a better chance of defending the kingdom than you.  And I?m twice your age.  In fact, I?m twice Mario?s age!


Luigi wiped a tear from his eye.  This did not escape the Master?s eagle eyes.  ?Are you crying!?!?? roared the Master. 


?No!? responded Luigi, ?Umm? sweat is dripping down from my hat? yeah.?


?You?re clearly weeping over your brother.? persisted the Master, beginning to calm down.  ?Just go home and rest.  I don?t want any more of this nonsense when we meet again in two days!?


?Don?t worry, I?ll improve.  I will become stronger, and one day? I?ll be able to replace Mario.?


?Well? all I can say is I hope so.  Make sure next time we don?t have the same problem.  Now go!?




?Kammy; is my device ready yet?? questioned Bowser, his metal fingernails gleaming in the torchlight.


?Yes, but it?s my device.? muttered Kammy.  She gestured toward a mechanical chamber in the corner of the room.  ?However, we need Mario in order for this to work.?  She pulled a crystal ball from her pocket.  A picture of Mario appeared inside it.  ?Mario?s been dead for four months.? 


Kammy pocketed the small crystal.  ?WHAT?!? roared Bowser.  ?Exactly how will our invention work without him??


?It won?t.?


?Well then,? chuckled Bowser, ?We?ll just have to lure him back here.?  Suddenly, a blue liquid came under the door and made its way to Bowser.  ?A MONSTER!!?  Bowser jumped up into the air.


?It?s not a monster!? laughed Kammy.  ?It?s obviously a puddle of rain that made its way inside your castle, sir.?  Kammy looked out the window.  ??But, it?s not? raining??  It became solid again and resembled the figure of some sort of monster.  Bowser was right; this was a monster, especially on the inside.


This creature was pure, unrestrained evil.  Just where it came from was unknown, but Bowser hit the nail right on the head.  This fiend was a true monster.  It trapped Bowser inside itself, and then it did the same to Kammy.  Then, with a loud hiss, it shot them out of its chest, sending them flying from the castle.


After the two?s evacuation, it searched throughout the castle until it found what it was looking for; a strange glowing star.

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 1: A ?Chaotic? Threat



Luigi was pale, and his blood ran cold.  He heard a faint whisper echoing throughout his house.  It beckoned him to enter the basement.  ?Luigi, come to the basement.  There is no escape for you.  You must enter the basement immediately!?


?Calm down Luigi, everything will be okay.? Luigi said comfortingly to himself.  ?All I have to do is make my way down the stairs.?  Luigi crept out of his bedroom and slowly picked his way down the wooden steps to the house?s main area. 


?Hurry!?


Luigi searched the floor for a secret panel.  ?There it is!? Luigi yelled triumphantly.  With a cry, he pounded the floor panel.  It flipped over, causing Luigi to fall into a secret room in the basement.  ?Hey, the floor is all wet.? observed Luigi.  The puddle became a solid figure.


It was a blue, monstrous looking being.  It had evil, gleaming green eyes.  A brain was placed above his eyes.  ?I am Chaos, Ruler of Darkness!? it hissed.  ?You will experience my transformation, as I eliminate the one who helped prevent my summoning!?


?What are you talking about?? asked Luigi.  ?And what?s that??


Luigi gestured toward the strange, star shaped object in Chaos?s hands.  ?This?? inquired Chaos.  ?Oh, nothing really.  It?s just a Cyber Star.  Every time I absorb one of them, I transform.  Watch this!?


Luigi watched in horror as Chaos devoured the Cyber Star.  Chaos was even more gruesome than before.  Not much had changed; he only had one star.  He was slightly bigger, and had bones running down his right arm.  ?Like it?  Here, why don?t you see how tough I can be with my new powers??


Chaos 1 was born!  And with his new powers, he had no doubt he could kill Luigi.  Quickly he darted over to Luigi.  Luigi, scared half to death, slid between Chaos?s legs.  He punched Chaos, but his hand went right through Chaos; due to the fact that Chaos was made of some sort of liquid.


Chaos whirled around and bashed Luigi on the head with his more powerful arm; the right one.  Luigi was completely knocked out, and he fell to the ground lifelessly.  ?Excellent?? Chaos hissed, ?Now I?ll take him to Bowser?s Castle; I mean MY Castle.



?What do you mean Luigi isn?t at home?!? Peach questioned.  ?Where else could he be??  Peach was sitting on her thrown, worried as ever.  She had just received news that Luigi had disappeared.


?W-well?? a Toad stammered.  ?We went to his house to invite him to your castle, but he wasn?t home.  And then-?the Toad swallowed hard, ?We saw him being carried away by a blue monster.?


?We will alert E. Gadd; he might know about the monster.  Did you see the monster go anywhere near Bowser?s Castle??


?Yes, he went north toward Vista Hill.  You think Bowser could?ve??


?It doesn?t matter much.? responded Peach, ?If only Mario were here.  He?d know what to do??  E. Gadd came bustling through the door.  He scurried over to a chair and sat down.  He was huffing and puffing as if he ran a marathon. 


?You?ll never believe what I saw?? E. Gadd said, astounded.


?Yes, we probably will.? muttered Peach.


?I saw a blue, liquid-like monster carrying Luigi toward Vista Hill.? explained E. Gadd.  ?Well, I guess that?s why you called for me.  Anyway, you?re most likely wondering what that monster is.  I grabbed this book as I left my lab to come here.  It?s about Chaos, the Ancient Demon.  The monster we all encountered was none other than Chaos himself.  Let me read this page:


Chaos, a vicious monster that plagued the past world.  Luckily, he was able to be sealed away in the Shadow Shrine.  Only the power of the Shadow Keys could unlock Chaos?s deep power; thus enabling him to escape from the tomb.  Shall this demon haunt your land, only the true hero from another world can put the evil spirit to rest.


?Now, this page states we need the ?hero from another world? to stop Chaos.  This is referring to Mario, the hero from Brooklyn, which resides on the planet Earth.  Of course, Mario is dead, but is it possible that we could revive him??

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 2: Split Up



?Are you being serious?? asked a Toad.  ?I mean, coming back from the dead?  Not that I wouldn?t want him to come back, it?s just??


?It may sound crazy, but it is one of two chances we have at survival.? continued E. Gadd.  ?I must finish my explanation until further discussion can be made.  Now, why is Chaos collecting Cyber Stars, and where did these stars come from??


?Wait a minute? how do you know they?re called Cyber Stars?? Peach asked.


?Because, I?ve been studying this one for a while.?  E. Gadd pulled a Cyber Star from his pocket.  ?Back to my explanation.  Why is Chaos collecting Cyber Stars?  My book explains that very nicely:  Only the power of the Shadow Keys could unlock Chaos?s deep power; thus enabling him to escape from the tomb.  Shadow Keys are Cyber Stars!?


?But how?!? Peach questioned.


?I must tell you the story of how everything happened.? E. Gadd answered.  ?When Mario stopped Bowser and King Boo from summoning Chaos, the Shadow Keys were brought close enough to the shrine so that Chaos was able to get some power.  While you guys were at Isle Delfino, Chaos broke free of the shrine.  The reaction of Chaos bursting out of the Shadow Shrine caused the Shadow Keys to morph into Cyber Stars.  The stars then warped to different positions to hide.?


?So Mario could?ve stopped Chaos if we were in the Mushroom Kingdom at the time?? Peach inquired.


?If he could find him.? replied E. Gadd.  ?As soon as he broke free he went into hiding, until he built up enough strength to face someone strong like Luigi.  Now, we have two options to counter Chaos.  First, we could try to find a way to resurrect Mario, if there?s even a way to do it.  Or, we could try to collect the stars so Chaos can?t get them.  I suggest a combination of the two methods.?


?But who could resurrect Mario??


?I have three people selected for the job who should be here any moment.  Link, Wario, and Waluigi.?

 


?So, I guess we?re working together.? sighed Link.


?I guess so.  Won?t this be fun?? Waluigi snickered.


?I hate work.? Wario grumbled.  Link was disappointed with his new companions; they seemed more like thieves than heroes.  Was E. Gadd serious when he said that the three of them were his only hope?  ?Shouldn?t we find E. Gadd?  He?s paying us, you know!?


?The world is in danger, and you?re thinking about money?!? shouted Link.  ?Let?s hurry up; it?s getting dark.?  Link looked up in to the cloudy, grey sky.  Squinting his eyes, he noticed something.  ?But I woke up about five hours ago.  It shouldn?t be getting dark yet.  A storm must be brewing.?


?Wow, look at that!? exclaimed Wario, noticing a glowing object sticking out of the ground.  ?It looks valuable; I say we take it and sell it for money!?  Just as Link was about to comment on Wario?s greed, a blue figure jumped in front of it.


?This is mine!? snapped Chaos, protecting his star shaped power up.  ?Back off!?


?HEY!? Wario bawled, ?That?s MINE!?  The two glared angrily at each other with their fists raised.  Waluigi and Link joined the starring contest.  Waluigi wanted the star for himself, and Link knew if a monster wanted the star, it couldn?t be good.


Quickly, Wario hobbled over to Chaos and gave him the hardest knuckle-sandwich he could.  Wario?s fist passed right through Chaos?s liquid skin.  Chaos swung his arm at the puzzled Wario and hit him in the stomach.  Wario was knocked backward in front of Waluigi.


Waluigi rushed over to Chaos and kicked him with his hard boots.  The same thing as Wario?s fist; it went right through.  ?Let me try.? Link said with confidence.  He got out his Gale Boomerang and swung it right at Chaos.


The boomerang hit Chaos?s chest forcefully; the power of the wind that was granted to the boomerang sent a blue liquid flying all over the place.  All was quiet, and the battle seemed to be over.  Link helped his allies up, and they took the time to admire each other?s strengths.  Suddenly, the liquid drops scattered around the ground rose and began to spin around the three victors.


Its speed increased, causing an enormous gust of wind to surround them, forming a tornado.  ?What?s going on?!? the three shrieked as they were carried away by the storm.  The tiny drops merged and formed Chaos once again.


?I am victorious!?

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 3: Link?s Gambit



Everything around the fallen hero was murky and damp.  A strong rainstorm had formed in his sleep.  Lightning flashed and drops poured on Link?s lifeless body.  Several hours passed he still did not awaken.  Until about half past midnight.  Link sat up and scanned his surroundings. 


His body sank into the spongy mud.  The world around him was pitch black.  ?Ughh?? mumbled Link.  ?I?ll get out my lantern.?  Link took out his red lamp lit with a burning fire.  ?Wait; if it?s raining-?the light in his lamp burnt out.  ?Dang??


Link trudged on the soggy path that led to what seemed to be a graveyard.  Link could here his feet sag into the ground.  Squish-squash, squish-squash.  The graveyard was a pretty big place, but the first thing Link noticed was an altar to admire the Mushroom Kingdom?s fallen hero, Mario.


Link took a few minutes to respect the most courageous man in the universe.  After he was done, in the tip of his eye he saw a flash of light.  Link whizzed around to see a crypt explode because it was struck by thunder.  The smoke cleared and Link peered at the remains.  A vortex appeared where the grave was and literally sucked him in.



Link woke up in a strange room.  It was dark; the only light in the room was the two torches at the end of the room.  When he stood up, he turned around and saw nothing but a stone wall.  In fact, he was surrounded by four stone walls.  Near the two torches was a hole in the wall, large enough for Link to get through.  ?What is this place?? Link asked himself.


He walked toward the opening.  As he passed through it, Link was shocked to see a large fortress in the midst of the night.  At least he was outside!  Link staggered backwards in astonishment and tripped over a circular pedestal protruding from the floor.  Link wiped some dust off of his tunic and got back up, only to be startled by a voice.


?Link.  You have appeared in this strange world to retrieve the sacred Spherical Sapphire.  When you obtain it, only then can you return to your world.  These are the sacred grounds of Ladithia.  Even though this is a blessed world hidden among the shadows, it is still crawling with fiends.  Return to this pedestal with the sapphire to revisit your former location.?


The voice died out? Link had caught most of what the voice said, and although he didn?t feel up to storming the fortress and getting the sapphire, it was pretty much his only option.  ?I guess I should get this over with.? Link sighed.  Raising his sword and shield, he ran directly into the front entrance of the fortress.


?Wow, looks like there aren?t any enemies on this floor!? exclaimed Link.  He slowed down and looked for some sort of stairway.  Immediately, an earsplitting alarm went off.  Link shielded his ears from the thunderous noise and closed his eyes.


When Link opened his eyes, he was standing outside the fort as if he never entered it.  ?What?s going on here?? asked Link.  As he marched back inside he saw hundreds- no, thousands of monsters coming down the stairs that were hidden from view by curtains.  They all saw Link, and without a word, they began to chase Link out of the castle.


Link knew he couldn?t handle all of them, but he had to try.  He took out the first row with his Master Sword but the other ones piled on top of him.  Link could not even be seen as he was dog piled by the vicious monsters.  A burst of flames was sent out, and all of the fiends on Link were burnt to a crisp.


?Heh?? Link chuckled, ?Din?s Fire really comes in handy.  But what about Farore?s Wind??  Link used Farore?s Wind to create a warp spot.  Then, he dashed to a dead end inside the room.  All of the bloodthirsty thugs surrounded Link.  Link prepared to fire an arrow bomb, but he warped behind the mob and pounded them hard with it.


?They just keep coming.? moaned Link.  He threw his Gale Boomerang into the crowd, sending at least one hundred of them flying upward.  Link took out his ball and chain.  He used that to kill all the air born enemies.  There was still a decent amount of them left, and Link was exhausted.


?Time to bust out some of my special skills!? announced Link.  As the crowd got close enough to Link, Link began to charge his sword.  Link released the energy by performing a Jump Strike, which took out a multitude of the crowd.  Only about forty of them remained.


?Great Spin!!? cried Link as he spun his sword around in a red blaze of force, finishing off his enemies for good.  ?Phew, looks like I won.?  Link sighed and wiped sweat off of his forehead.  He had just won one of the toughest battles of his life.  Link?s triumph was rudely interrupted by an Iron Knuckle.  ?At least it?s something I?ve seen before.?


The Iron Knuckle slowly walked toward Link.  It was slow due to its heavy armor.  When Link was only a few inches away from it, Link felt air rush past him as the Iron Knuckle raised its axe.  Reacting quickly, Link rolled around it and performed a Back Slice.  Some of its armor was removed, giving it more mobility.


?What a pest.? Link grumbled.  The Iron Knuckle swung its axe around to where Link was standing.  Link ducked as he was almost sliced in two.  He crawled through the confused Iron Knuckle?s legs and got behind it once again.  Link jumped into the air and jabbed his sword into its helmet.  The sword pierced the Iron Knuckle?s helmet and carved its way through the knuckle head?s skull.

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 4: A Terrible Foreshadowing



The hefty man soared threw the air shrieking quite loudly.  Wario had been shot sky high from Chaos?s Tornado Attack.  After a few minutes, he began to lose altitude.  Slowly, he began to sink downward until gravity pulled Wario down with immense force.  Upon impact with the ground, Wario would?ve been hurt severely.  However, his fall was broken by a large castle.


Minutes after Wario?s abrupt landing, the roof collapsed, causing him to plop down right inside the kitchen, where Peach and E. Gadd were conversing and drinking tea.  ?Oh my!? exclaimed Peach.


?No, don?t worry.  It?s only one of the paid heroes I?ve hired.? E. Gadd explained.  He said ?paid? with great expression to catch Wario?s attention.  Sure enough, Wario had to say something.


?So when do I get the money?? asked Wario. 

     
?As soon as you become useful.  We need our other heroes before I can explain what we need to do.  Right now, I need you to tell me why the others aren?t here.?


?You see,? began Wario, ?We were attacked by a blue monster.  Somehow, a big tornado appeared and us three were sucked in.?  The only reply was two concerned expressions.




Link underestimated the height of the stairs.  He had been walking up the stairs for almost twenty minutes, and now he was beginning to get ticked off.  ?Who knew running up stairs could give you such a workout?? sighed Link as he wiped sweat from his damp forehead.  At last, he reached the top.  Link was standing on a red carpet with huge double doors in front of him.


Link tried to push them open, but they didn?t budge.  He tried again, this time much harder.  ?I?ve solved dozens of puzzles, and this is by far the easiest.  I can?t believe it took me this long to figure it out.? Link chuckled. Link gripped one of the iron handles on the door and pulled it.  The door whizzed open.

http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/wii/midnas_desperate_hour.mid

Link was now in a murky chamber.  As he walked along the red carpet he came to a few small steps.  Cautiously walking up each one, Link saw a window, a destroyed pedestal, and a shiny object rolling on the floor.  Link looked out the window; he saw nothing but a dark abyss.


He picked up the shiny object and observed it carefully.  ?Is this the Spherical Sapphire?? Link wondered aloud.  As he began to exit the room, the Spherical Sapphire began to glow feverishly.  Link turned around and saw that the window was doing the same.  The window flashed several times and then obscured all view of the outside area.  ?So now it?s not a window anymore??


Link saw his reflection in the window, along with everything else that was among the window?s eyes.  ?It?s a? mirror?? Link conjectured.  Suddenly, Link felt a sharp pain in his head.  ?What?s wrong?!? shouted Link, who was in unimaginable agony.  He closed his eyes, and visions of Metal Mario flashed into his mind.  He remembered him swearing for revenge, and then?  ?Aagh!!? screamed Link.  ?I don?t know why, but I think Peach is in danger!  I have to get to her castle, quickly!?


Link grasped the Spherical Sapphire in his hand and rushed out of the chamber.  Link was running madly down the stairs.  Link was never this tense, but something was inexplicably bothering him.  He reached the bottom in minutes and made a run for the exit.  Trying his best to ignore the thousands of corpses lying around the room, Link darted toward the door that led him into the fortress.


Link made his way into the grotto that he arrived in and stood on the pedestal.  It blazed with light as Link was warped out of the strange world of Ladithia.  ?Link, you must take the Spherical Sapphire.  It is meant for you, and you must use it to save the one in danger.? explained the same voice that Link heard when he entered the land. 




Link awoke in the fields of the Mushroom Kingdom.  Link sprinted madly across the grasslands that lead to Toad Town.  Without making a stop, Link barged past a guard, turned around, and apologized.  ?Sorry, but I?m worried about the princess?s safety.? Link elucidated.  ?Has anyone illegally entered this castle??


?Well, no one but you? almost.? the guard joked. 


?Can I go in?  I was hired by E. Gadd.?


?Sure, he?s right inside here.?


Link went inside the castle, terribly worried.  Everything was dark; it was quite late.  ?I have to find Peach.? Link thought.  Without another step, Link felt an agonizing sting inside his head.  He fell to the ground and blacked out.

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 5: The New Employee



?Link, are you okay??  asked Peach, her eyes pervaded with worry.  She put her gentle hand on Link?s head to see if he had a fever.


?Where am I?? Link mumbled groggily.  He was still half asleep.  ?Where?s Metal Mario??  Peach?s hands went over her mouth to mask her loud scream, and Wario clenched his fists tightly.


?Mario destroyed him once and for all.  There is no way such a fiend could return.  You came in and then fell flat on the ground.  You?re probably not feeling yourself after you hit your head on the floor.?


?So, that?s what happened.? Link wondered to himself.  He was overflowing with questions, but he figured he might as well just rest for awhile.  As Link was finally starting to wake up to the world around him, he realized that he was in Peach?s Castle.  He tried to sit up, but found that it was harder than he thought it would be.  He couldn?t move his legs at all, as if they were made of stone.


Even in his condition, Link was able to make out were he was.  He was sunken in the cushy structure of the castle?s guest room.  A detail that struck Link as a bit odd was that the room had no windows.  He did not know much about Peach, but in their past encounter Link had learned that she was not the type of person who likes to live in a cave.  Nevertheless, there was no time to ask a stupid question like that.


?Oh, and an hour before you came, we had a special guest arrive.? Peach announced to Link in a tantalizing voice.  ?His name is Met A.  I don?t know what kind of name Met is, but he does mean well.  He is my newest employee, and if you need anything, I?m sure he?ll get it for you.  Just rest while we wait for Waluigi, those two will have to carry out E. Gadd?s request on their own.?


A Toad walked in, but instead of wearing a mushroom cap, he was wearing a glowing cap.  ?Is this the Link that was injured here?? inquired Met sympathetically.  ?You poor thing.  If you need anything just give me a buzz.?  Met winked and gestured for Peach and Wario to leave.  ?What would you like for dinner?  You must be starving!?


?Nothing, thank you.? Link replied briskly.  ?All I need is a nap.?


?You got it!? obeyed Met.  With a tip of his hat, he left Link alone to sleep.  ?Sweet dreams.?



?No.?


?Yes.?


?No.?


?Yes.?


?No!?


?Yes!?


?I already told you, I?m not leaving until I get that bag of coins!? argued Waluigi.


?You want THIS bag of coins for THAT dried up mushroom?!? screeched Herb.  ?I am the owner of this shop, and I?m telling you that I don?t trade coins for items!  Especially not dried up ones!!!!? 


Herb and Waluigi were making quite a scene by fighting over a negotiation Waluigi wanted to make, and in the Toad Town Item Shop no less.  Waluigi was no fool, he picked up a dried up mushroom in his travels, and now he wanted to trade it for a bag of coins.  What a cheapskate!


?Get out of my store before I call the cops!!? Herb bawled.  He began to formulate a plan to get the dealer out of his shop.  ?I?ve got it!  If he wants something in exchange for that dried up thing, then I know just what to give him!?  Herb slid his hand into a drawer and pulled out a dark, purple mushroom.  ?Hmm? Wait a minute!  Can I see that Dried Shroom for a minute??  Waluigi handed him the ?shroom.


?Wow, this is a? um? special mushroom.  Instead of a bag of coins, how about this rare, genuine Purple Mushroom?  It gives you a? power boost in battles.  Take it and go!? commanded Herb.  Satisfied, Waluigi pocketed the mushroom and headed for Peach?s Castle.  Herb was successful.  ?I could send this Dried Shroom to the item shop in Dry Dry Outpost; I think they carry those there.?



?I?m here!  What did you want me for?? Waluigi growled as he entered Peach?s Castle.  He searched throughout the castle until he too felt an agonizing sting in his head.


Link awakened with a cry as he heard a loud noise coming from somewhere in his room.  He felt a lot better, so he got up and looked around.  As he approached the door that lead outside, he was interrupted by a flash of light.  ?What are you doing out of bed?!? Met barked. 

http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/gamecube/Metroid_Prime_-_Magmoor_Escape_Remix_-_DaDude.mid

?Met?  What are you doing?!? challenged Link.


?Heh, what do you think?  I?m exterminating all of you!!? bellowed Met.  He took a chain out of his pocket and placed it around his neck.  ?This is the Chain of Misery!  Try it out!?  On the chain were three disks.  The one in the middle was dark grey, and the two on the side were gold.  Met aimed the rightmost disk at Link and fired a green beam.  Link shrunk to the size of an ant.


Met switched to the left disk and fired a red beam at Link.  He became normal sized.  ?Do you know what the middle one does?  Let me show you!? chuckled Met.


?Met, no!? cried Link.  ?Why?  Why are you doing this?!?


?Met?  Oh, you haven?t figured it out yet?  The ?A? is short for Al; Met + Al = Metal = Metal Mario!  Met flipped his hat over and Link?s worst fears became a reality. 


?It?s? It?s you?? Link shivered.  Both he and the rest of the Kingdom were doomed.  Metal Mario aimed the middle disk on his chain at Link.  Cackling wildly, Metal Mario fired a grey beam at Link.  ?What?s happening to me?!?


Link found that his own question was answered as he legs slowly turned to stone.  It worked its way up to his thighs.  In just moments, Link would be a statue.  He hopped over to the chortling Metal Mario and grabbed his chain. 


?Let go!?


Link ripped the right disk off of the chain just before his left arm and body were stone stiff.  The disk in his free hand, Link shot a beam at Metal Mario, shrinking him to the size of a bug.  Link heard his metal foe screaming as he struggled to find the other large disk that would return him to normal.  Thinking quickly, Link tossed the 'shrink disk' out of the window.  Moments later, he was a statue.

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 6: The Challenge



?W- Where am I?? Mario wondered aloud, scratching his head.  He was filled with curiosity; what could have happened?  ?I thought I died after I killed Metal Mario.?  Mario got up and finally took the time to look around him.  There were several palm trees protruding from the ground, a bunch of buildings, and Piantas.  He had been sitting on cold cement, so he took a minute to stretch.


?You?re on Isle Delfino.?  A strange, deep voice stated, as if Mario did not know.  Mario jumped; he wasn?t sure what scared him more.  The figure that he was looking at or the voice that had startled him.  ?Do not be afraid.  I am Skulleon, warrior of the dead.?


Mario?s eyebrows narrowed, and he skeptically held out his hand.  ?I?m Mario.? was his muffled reply.  ?I am pleased to meet you.?  Mario and Skulleon respectively shook each other?s hands.  ?Do you mind explaining what?s going on?  Or why no one has noticed us??


?Not at all.?  Skulleon?s bony face curled into a smile.  What a stature!  Skulleon was a tall, widespread skeleton who looked prepared for battle.  He had blue armor, a red sword, and a blue shield.  The shield, however, was also edged in red.  Skulleon had red, beady eyes, making him look a bit eerie. 


?You are the famous Mario, correct?  You gave your life to defeat Metal Mario, a cold hearted assassin.  Very noble of you, if you ask me.?  Skulleon stood up straight and cleared his throat.  ?You must be very confused; one day waking up after being dead for four months.  But you aren?t alive!  You are using a temporary body!


You cannot have your old body back until you pass some tests.  When you have done everything required and passed the trials, you will return to the world of light.  No one can see you because you are not alive.  Why are you in a temporary body, you ask?  Because the world needs you!  The world is not yet rid of evil, and it won?t be until you defeat your past enemies.?


?Past enemies?? parroted Mario.


?Yes.? Skulleon responded briskly.  ?Metal Mario is back.  And although you have never met him, the demon Bowser tried to resurrect is alive too.  But not at full power.  You see, he must collect all seven Cyber Stars to be at full power.  Now, for your first task, you must find and defeat me.  You only receive the following clues:

1.   To find me, you must take the Mystic Triangle to Rico Sewers.
2.   Getting the triangle won?t be easy.  You must face one of your ?friends? to get it.
3.   NO WARPS!  You must travel across Isle Delfino by foot.
4.   You will get to use FLUDD on your excursion. 


?I await your arrival.?


?Wait!? shouted Mario.  He still had questions.  But before he could do anything, Skulleon has disappeared in a black puff of smoke.  He sighed.  There wasn?t much to do except for what Skulleon told him to do.  ?I guess I have no choice.  First, I should gather some info on the Mystic Triangle and Rico Sewers.?


Mario dived into the water and began to swim toward his destination, Rico Harbor.  On the way there, he found a small island where he could rest and snack on some fruit.  After his meal was over, Mario continued his journey.  Ten minutes seemed like hours to Mario.  Usually, he could swim for hours without falter, but this body was not the most functional one.


Finally, land!  Mario climbed onto the rock hard cement and almost kissed the ground in delight.  ?I never knew there were sewers here.? Mario commented as he dropped into one of the gutter holes. 


?Yuck!? exclaimed Mario as he saw the pigsty of a sewer.  A grotesque green liquid about four inches high covered the entire floor.  Old, rusty, and rotten pipes were all over the place.  There were leaks in almost every one of them.


?I?m not here for my job as a plumber.? Mario muttered.  ?I just need to see what I would need that triangle for.?  As Mario grumbled to himself, he found the answer to his question.  There was a pedestal with a triangle shaped hole in it.  In front of it was a metal door, sealed and bolted shut.


Mario whirled around and began to retrace his steps.  But then he stopped dead in his tracks.  The liquid had risen about seven inches.  Was it just Mario?s imagination?  No, of course not!  Mario continued to argue with himself about the falsehood of his entire escapade.  Just then, the water rose another foot.  Then two more.  Mario was under water in just a few seconds. 


The water carried Mario on a powerful rip tide.  He could not escape, no matter how hard he tried.  Eventually, Mario ran out of breath.  He blacked out due to his lack of oxygen.




Mario awoke on the dock in Delfino Plaza.  Everyone had a concerned expression on their face.  Mario traced their worried look to the water.  It was red!  ?Lava?? Mario pondered.  ?I wonder??  Mario went to the fountain to pick up a fruit.  He tossed it into the ?water? to see it burn to a crisp.


?So it is lava?? Mario confirmed.  The entire ocean was replaced with lava.  ?NOW how will I get to Rico Sewers??  Mario paused.  ?And where is the-? Mario looked at the Shine Gate.  There was no giant Shine Sprite.  It was a triangle.

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 7: The Mission



Link was surrounded by flames.  The flames had not yet touched him, but they were closing in on him.  He took out his bow and froze the flames with an Ice Arrow.  As he finally felt safe, a figure crashed through the ice.  A metallic figure.

?Metal Mario!? Link shouted.  ?Why must you keep tormenting me?!?

?Tsk.? was Metal Mario?s brisk answer.  His hands became daggers as he slowly crept toward Link.  Link took a step back, filled with terror.  The daggers went up, and Link shuddered.  With a jerk of his arm, Metal Mario?s blades forcefully jabbed Link.

?AAGH!!? Link awoke with a cry.  ?Don?t tell me I?m still dreaming.?  Link was once again in bed, and Peach was there to greet him.  She smiled.

?No.  I assure you this is not a dream.? Peach replied warmly.  ?Are you feeling okay??

?I feel fine.  But what happened??  Link raised an eyebrow in suspicion. 

?Waluigi found you after that horrible monster created that tornado.  You fainted in midair, and when Waluigi found you, he took you back to the castle.  Then, he went to the store to try to sell something.  And now he?s here.?

Link began to argue with himself feverishly.  ?If that was all a dream, then I never left this world.  I never found the Spherical Sapphire.  The only thing that did happen was the fight with Chaos.?

?Hello?  Is anybody in there?!? Peach waved her hand in front of Link?s face.

?Oh, sorry.? Link apologized in a mechanical voice.  He was in Peach?s Castle, but his mind was elsewhere.  Was it a coincidence that he dreamed about Metal Mario?  Thousands of different thoughts ricocheted through Link?s head.  ?Where?s E. Gadd??

?Did I hear my name?!? Professor E. Gadd exclaimed cheerfully.  ?You?re feeling better!  Great!  Are you ready to go on your ?mission???

?Yes.?

E. Gadd smiled.  ?Good.  Follow me, and I will explain everything.? Link got out of bed.  He felt fine; the only thing bothering him was his dream.  Was it a dream, a foreshadowing, or? a curse?  E. Gadd led him to a small room with a table in the center.  Five chairs circled the round table, which reminded him of the sphere he found in his dream.

Peach, E. Gadd, Wario, Waluigi, and Link all slumped down into their chairs.  ?Can I get anyone a cup of coffee?? Peach offered. 

?May I have some?? E. Gadd asked in a raspy voice.  ?I'm losing my voice.?

?I?ll be right back.?  Peach left the room. 

?Okay, boys-? E. Gadd began.  His throat became sore.  This time, he whispered.  ?Okay, boys; Mario is dead.  We all know that, correct??  Everyone in the room nodded.  ?Good.  You encountered a blue monster on the way here.  His name is Chaos, and he plans to rule the world.  That is, unless we stop him.?

?Next time I see him I?ll give that punk a fat lip!? Wario growled.

?Yeah, the same way you roughed him up last time.? Waluigi chuckled.

?I see I?m not the only one here with a wry sense of humor.? E. Gadd snickered sardonically.  ?But back to the topic.  Chaos has a thirst for power, and he will have all the power in the world if he gets his hands on all seven Cyber Stars.?

Link raised his hand as if he was at school.  ?What are these Cyber Stars??

?They were originally keys that would release the demon from his resting place.  But he arose without them, so he lacked pure strength.  And the only way to get pure strength is to find the keys.  But as he was released from his prison, the pressure caused the keys to change into star shaped objects.?  He paused.  As he was about to continue his story, Peach came in with a cup of coffee on a tray.

?Sorry to interrupt, but I brought the coffee.? Peach apologized.  ?I hope this story you?re telling isn?t boring.?

E. Gadd sipped down his coffee and proceeded with his story.  ?Thank you.  We need to act!  Most of all, though, we need Mario.  There might be a way to bring him back.  But first we need to know if he?s alive or not.  That?s why you three must pay of visit to the Palace of Memories.  If we can get a hold of Mario?s memories, we can find out whether his memories are over or if he continues to live.?

?But he was buried!? Wario argued.  ?He couldn?t be alive!?

?I know that!? E. Gadd snapped.  ?But his spirit may have been transferred to another body.  Or he could?ve been granted another one.  Does everyone understand?? Link, Wario, and Waluigi nodded.  ?The Palace of Memories is in the northern outskirts of the Mushringdom.  This area is extremely cold and is filled with glaciers.?

?SO!  I get paid to go to some freezing cold area miles away from here to go inside a palace and find my nemesis?s memories?!? Wario ranted.  ?Remember, I?m only doing this for cash!  Don?t think for a second that I care about Mario!?

?Okay, then I?ll give you a few hours to relax and then we?ll see you three off.?

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 8: Lost and Found



Luigi had been unconscious for days.  His body remained sedentary in a jail cell for a few days.  He had shown no sign of living, until he finally awoke.  Luigi tried to sit up, but found that he could not.  He weakly turned his head to one side; grimacing because of the cold cement part of his face was resting on.


Luigi?s eyes bounced around the room, scanning for the basic outlook of his surroundings.  He shifted his head to the other side and did the same thing.  Finally, he silently concluded that he was in a jail cell.


He opened his mouth to speak, until he heard an unforgettable sound- the squishing noises that Chaos makes when he walks.  He remembered it from their last encounter.  Luigi began to think frantically.  What if Chaos sees me alive?  Will he kill me?  As the sound grew closer, he closed his eyes and pretended to be dead. 


?Fool,? Chaos grumbled, ?I know you?re awake.  I poisoned you right after I locked you away.  I knew it would wear off today, so stop faking!?  Luigi?s eyes snapped open.  They were wide with fear as Chaos stared at Luigi.  Chaos was filled with anger and hatred.  ?You will rot in this cell!  As soon as I find all of the Cyber Stars, the world will be mine.?


Luigi couldn?t contain his anger.  Although he couldn?t even move and his bones ached, he was still irate at Chaos.  ?You?ll never get all of the Cyber Stars!  If I don?t stop you, someone will!?


?And who might that be?? Chaos inquired with a wide grin on his face.  Surely you aren?t suggesting that your brother will come to save you all?!?  Luigi turned away as tears ran down his cheeks.  Chaos began to roar with laughter.  It wasn?t just any laugh.  It was a cackle of pure evil, the kind that sent chills down Luigi?s spine.


?Will- Will you at least feed me?? he pleaded weakly. 


Instead of responding, Chaos turned away from him and left.  ?You two!  Get in hear and give the boy a glass of water.  That is the only drink he?ll have for the rest of his life,? he commanded.


Moments later, Bowser and Kammy came into Luigi?s view.  Even Bowser, the mighty King of the Koopas, looked haggard.  Almost mechanically, Bowser put the glass on the floor of Luigi?s cell.  Luigi struggled to pick it up, and guzzled the entire glass.  He felt some of his strength return to him, but nowhere near enough to face Chaos.


?Now get back in your cell,? demanded Chaos.  The two lifeless servants stepped into their cell, located next to Luigi?s.  Knowing that he had engraved fear into Luigi?s heart, Chaos left.  His footsteps echoed through the long hallway.  Luigi listened to them as they slowly died away.



Mario?s mind was racing.  It was amazing!  Each of the Mario Brothers were thinking hard to solve the challenge before them.  For Luigi, it was escaping Chaos.  For Mario, it was finding Skulleon. 


Mario stared at the Shine Gate, pondering what had happened.  Suddenly, his thoughts were broken by an unusual sight.  A shadowy figure had grabbed the triangle.  It shrunk to the size of candy as the stranger pocketed it.  Then, he hopped off the gate and entered Corona Mountain.


?What just happened?? Mario thought aloud, scratching his head.  ?If that?s the triangle I?m looking for, then I better go get it!? 


He cautiously jumped onto a net hanging off of the hill beside the Shine Gate.  He climbed it and was now on the hill itself.  Even the small pond that was there was lava!  Mario cautiously avoided it and started climbing the hill.  Rocks were plentiful, making his climb easier.


At last, he reached the top and shouted in triumph.  ?I made it!?  Mario knew he had no time to rest, ever though his legs felt like they were on fire.  He was sure in for a surprise when he entered Corona Mountain.


It?s? empty?  No lava? Mario wondered.  On the other side of the room, Mario saw the foreigner jumping to the top of the mountain.  There were solid clouds that he was using as platforms.  Mario darted after him, determined to catch him. 


As he ran through the entire landscape, he began to feel grateful that the lava was gone.  When he reached the end, he began to jump from cloud to cloud, slowly making his way to the top.



The ominous figure chuckled as he observed the gleam of the Mystic Triangle.  But then he saw Mario burst into the battlefield.  It was a giant upside-down dome that was floating above Corona Mountain.  It was fire proof and made of metal, so that fierce battles could be held.


Mario got his first up-close look at the stranger.  He looked just like Luigi, or his shadow anyway.  This creature was a shadow of Luigi.  ?So that?s what he meant by ?friend?.? Mario grumbled. 


?So, you?ve finally caught me, eh?  I am one of Skulleon?s creations, designed to test you!? Shadow Luigi cackled. 


?Luigi!  I mean? Shadow?  Shadow Luigi?? Mario asked, wanting to address him by a reasonable name.


?There?s no other Luigi around here, so just call me Luigi,? replied Luigi.  ?Let?s get this battle underway; winner takes all.  However, let me warn you.  You?ll need to think to beat me.? 


He took a remote out of his pocket and pressed a button.  The center of the battle dome filled with lava.  The perimeter of the dome was apparently used for battling.  It seemed very dangerous; an epic battle was about to take place.

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 9: A Job Well Done



Chaos sat on his throne, previously owned by Bowser.  He was sitting just like a king, waiting for his servants to do all the work. 


?Bowser!  Kammy!? He roared, his voice echoing through the castle.  In less than a minute, Kammy and Bowser had stomped into the room. 


?Yes, your grumpiness?? Kammy asked sarcastically. 


?HEY!? Bower thundered, ?You can only call me that!?


?Enough, both of you need to stop quarreling!? Chaos shouted.  ?I?ve been terribly busy for the past hour, mapping out the location of the last few Cyber Stars.  While I was doing that, you were searching for Cyber Stars, correct??  He paused, expecting a guilty look from one of the two slaves.  ?It must have been tough, but I?m sure you found at least one.?   


?Actually,? Kammy replied, ?we did very well.  You let us out of our cells yesterday, which was very kind of you.  We split up and each found a Cyber Star.?


?That means that I have two more Cyber Stars in my collection?  WONDERFUL!? Chaos congratulated them.  ?Return to your cells while I look for the last three that I mapped out.? 


They both complied and left the throne room.  Chaos turned his attention to the Cyber Stars they left behind.  ?Yes,? he giggled as he lost a strand of sanity, ?it won?t be long before I am complete.  Mwuahahahaha!? 


He absorbed the two stars and changed once again; this time, for no one to see.  He still had the same color scheme, but his shape changed.  He was now a huge shark-like creature with razor like fins. 




http://www.freewebs.com/link2370/DavidE-MMX6-XvsZero.mid

?I?ll grind you to dust!? Luigi cried eagerly as he darted toward Mario.  Seeing his shadow brother made him take a few steps back.  It was hard to fight his brother, even if he was a shadow.  Mario stood still, gritting his teeth.  He felt a fist strike him hard as he fell to the ground.


That was it.  Mario slid through Luigi?s legs and stood up.  Luigi whirled around just as Mario delivered a knuckle-sandwich to his face.  The fight truly began at this point.  Both threw wild punches at each other, blocking opposing hits as they fought.  Luigi kicked at Mario, but he grabbed his foot and hurled him behind.


Luigi got up and outstretched his arm.  A wave of dark Fireballs launched at Mario as he weaved through them.  Mario shot some Fireballs of his own, evening the score.  Flames shot back and forth the stadium as the two brawled. 


Abruptly, the mini-war ceased.  Mario was huffing and puffing loudly, trying to catch his breath.  His opponent was not nearly as fatigued.  He just stood there, glaring at Mario.


?If I was using my body, this would be a snap.? Mario sighed.


?I?m a shadow; I never get tired,? Luigi added, ?but you need to rely on other things besides strength and stamina.?


?What does that mean?!?!? Mario screeched.  He put his hands over his mouth, realizing how loud he just was.


?Just calm down!? Luigi shot back.  ?If you plan on saving the Mushroom Kingdom, you have to rely on all of your abilities.  You?re a hero!?


?I?m no hero!? Mario bellowed in disagreement.  ?Coming to the Mushroom Kingdom was just a mistake!  One day, in the sewers, my brother and I found a pipe to the Mushroom Kingdom.  We?ve been there ever since!  Then Bowser came along, and everyone wanted us to save them!  We didn?t have a choice.  After that, Metal Mario appeared.  I died fighting him!?


?Look at yourself,? Luigi persisted, ?You are a hero.  You didn?t die for another world; you died for your home!  You are destined to be the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom.  You always have been!?


?What do you mean??


?The stork was carrying you and your brother to safety when you were infants.  But Prince Bowser saw the future and tried to kill you.  They got your brother, and you traveled across the land on a Yoshi to save them.  If that?s not a hero, then what is?!?
   

?Why are you telling me this?? Mario inquired. 


?Uh? Look!? Luigi pointed behind Mario.  He looked away, falling for the classic trick.  Luigi vanished in a black puff of smoke, leaving the Mystic Triangle.


?That was convenient.? He chuckled as he picked the triangle up and headed for Rico Sewers.  "Why would he just leave?  Hmm...  A true hero..."

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 10: Skulleon; Meeting II


By the time he got to Rico Sewers, a day had passed.  Inside of Corona Mountain was too hot, due to the lava reappearing, so he had to hike down.  Then he had to rest, and swim to Rico Harbor.  With a weaker body, no less.

________________________________________

?This better work?? mumbled Mario as he placed Mystic Triangle in the hole it fit into.  The metal door in front of it mysteriously opened.  Mario cautiously stepped inside to see a tall figure.  It was none other than Skulleon.

?Not a hero.? he snickered.  ?You just traveled across an island for your kingdom.?

?You were Shadow Luigi?? Mario inquired.

?It was all to teach you a lesson.  It was also to test you.? he revealed.  ?And you pass,? he added with a smile.

?Can I have my body back??

?Yes.  But the next phase is to see how you can work with your friends, even though you aren?t near them.  Your body requires its memory, personality, and soul.  Without those, you?ll be a zombie, almost like me.? 

The two laughed at the joke.  ?I can grant you your personality, and you simply enter your body to give it your soul.  But to get your memories??

Mario butted in.  ?But I remember everything!?

?Your body doesn?t.  Even worse, someone from the real world needs to visit the Palace of Memories.  I?ll allow you to contact one person so I can instruct them.  Who will it be??

?Could you tell me the location of Link from Hyrule?? Mario asked.

?Actually, he?s with two others heading toward Glacier Field.  That?s near the Palace of Memories.  I?ll contact him.  Explain everything, and then let me tell him what to do.?

?Link?  Hello?  It?s Mario.?

?Mario?  Am I hearing things??

?No, I have been working hard with someone named Skulleon.  Soon I can come back to life.  However, I need you to help.  Skulleon will explain everything.?

?Link, I have some very important instructions.?

?Shoot.?

?When you reach the Memory Room, there will be statues of different people.  Golden statues are of alive people, black ones are of deceased people.  Find Mario?s immediately!  You will notice a red button on all of the black statues.  That activates the person?s memories.  Press the button on Mario?s statue!?

?Got it!?
 
Although Link seemed to believe the voice he was hearing, he truly wondered whether he was going insane.  First those dreams, and now this.  Is it a mere coincidence that I was already on my way to the Palace of Memories?  What's happening to me?  What will happen to the world?

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 11: The Forsaken Palace



?What?!? roared Wario, ?You expect us to believe that?!  Bwahahaha!?  Wario broke out in laughter. 


Waluigi shrugged.  ?It does seem unlikely??


Link clenched his fists and looked Wario in the eye.  ?I?m not crazy.  If you don?t believe me, that?s your problem.?  Link heaved a great sigh.  ?It?s not your job to believe me.  It?s your job to get Mario?s memories.  That?s everyone?s job.  So let?s just do our job.?


The conversation ended there.  The three walked through the huge field of glaciers.  Wario and Waluigi were still soaking Link?s words in, when then nearly fell in a huge lake of ice cold water.


?Guys, watch out!? Link shouted.


?Oh!? Waluigi jumped up.


?Huh?  Free cash?!? Wario blinked.  ?Eh, I guess we got lost in thought.?


?How could you get lost in though?? Waluigi snickered.


?Shuddup!  I?ll give you a fat lip to go with that skinny body of yours!?


?Guys, stop quarrelling!? Link scolded.  ?The point is, there?s something wrong here!  That lake, something about it makes me nervous.  Something is down there!  Can either of you swim well??


?Heh, I bet Wario could just sink to the bottom,? Waluigi scoffed. 


As Wario was just about to beat on him, Link intervened.  ?I think he?s on to something!  Waluigi, you hold on to Wario as he sinks.  I should be able to swim to the bottom on my own.?


?If he didn?t have all of those big gadgets, I?d show him?? Wario grumbled. 


He jumped into the water, followed by Waluigi.  They both sank to the bottom.  Link took a few steps back, and then gracefully dived into the lake.  When they all made it down, they were shocked at what they saw.  Before them was an awesome palace made of marble.


?It?s? amazing,? Wario said, staring at the palace. 


They all marveled at the citadel, taking in its incredible features.  The double doors that lead inside were closed behind strong iron bars.  A rusted copper bridge expanded across a wide gap.  Clearly, the castle wasn?t always submerged.  High, near the top, was a small indent with a diamond shaped crystal in it.  A red triangle that was painted next to it seemed to point to it.





?We need to escape? now.? Luigi murmured across to Bowser and Kammy.


?It?s near impossible; Chaos has turned my guards against me.? Bowser replied sadly.


?I do have one idea,? Kammy interrupted, ?but it would only work if you had some type of mirror.?


?I have something!? exclaimed Luigi.  ?Chaos made a mess when he attacked me.  He shattered glass everywhere, and a piece got stuck on my overalls.?  Luigi gently removed it.  ?Now what??


?First,? Kammy began, ?you?ll need to get this hallway?s guard to come here.  He should be coming by in a minute.  Use glass to reflect some light from the window into his eyes.  While he?s blinded, I?ll pickpocket his keys.? 


The room grew silent as a Koopa armed with a long blade began to walk past them.


?Excuse me, can I ask you something?? Luigi inquired politely.    The Koopa stopped and leaned over to listen.  Luigi held out the glass, reflecting light in the guard?s eyes.  ?Umm?  I found a piece of glass.  Could you get rid of it??  The Koopa was still blinded.  Luigi saw a bony hand reach out from the cell next to him and grab the keys.


Without saying a word, the Koopa took the glass and marched away.  ?No wonder Mario always thwarts my army.  Because they?re all ignorant!? Bowser chortled. 


Just like their leader, Kammy thought.  ?Bowser, let?s regain our throne!  Luigi, are you coming??


?Nah, I have a bone to pick with Chaos.?





?Stand back.? Link warned.  He stood on the markings on the ground.  Three different colored circles.  He took out his bow and shot an arrow that pierced the crystal near the top of the palace.  The iron bars slowly rose.


?Let?s go inside.? Link commanded firmly.


?There?s no turning back from here.? Wario added.  ?Maybe I?ll find something in there that I could sell.?


The three cautiously stepped inside.

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 12: Memory Hazards



"This place is even cooler from the inside!" Wario exclaimed.



"Remember," Link scolded, "we're not here to sight-see.  We're looking for Mario's memories."



"Yeah, whatever, 'Mr. Serious'," Wario grumbled.



"I don't want to sound bossy or anything," apologized Link, "but this is serious work."



"Hey!" Waluigi called out, "Look down here!"  He was on a small bridge that lead to a small door. 



Seeing that the main door at the top of the nearby staircase was locked, Link went over to take a look.  "What is it?"



"See for yourself," replied Waluigi.



Link looked down to see a black pit.  In the center of the pit was an oddly placed treasure chest filled with gold.  "Treasure?"



Wario whirled around and his eyes widened.  He darted over to the bridge looking as insane as ever.  "TREASURE?!  GIMME!!  I SAW IT FIRST!!" he blurted out.  Just then, the bridge gave out and began to collapse.



Waluigi and Link were quick enough to get off on opposite sides before the bridge fell into the seemingly endless abyss.  Unfortunately, Wario wasn't so lucky. 



"Look what you did, you greedy tub of lard!!" Waluigi snapped.  The treasure chest faded away as Wario plunged into the darkness.  The chest filled with gold was merely an illusion to trap gullible and greedy intruders.



"Link, go that way and scavenge the place for a key.  I'll stick around here and look around, seeing that I can't go anywhere else." Waluigi commanded firmly.



"Sounds like a plan!" Link called back.  Even though I'm getting stuck with all the work.



With that, Waluigi began looking around.  This place was like a land fill, except with valuables instead of garbage.  Golden plates the size of tires were stacked along the walls.  Pots and pans filled with jewels pervaded the floor.  Some of them had opened and left a small pile of jewels next to them.  In a corner with a pile of rubies, emeralds, crystals, and gems was a Cyber Star.  Only Waluigi didn't know that it was.



"This looks valuable.  I suppose no one would mind if I just... took it," he said casually.


________________________________________


In front of Link was a narrow, icy path.  "Anyone would know not to try and cross," Link sighed, "but I don't have a choice."  On the other side of the room was a small chest.



He began to inch his way forward.  CRACK.  The ice was slowly chipping away.  Link was sweating profusely because of the suspense, even though it freezing cold in the room.   He lost his balance and slipped off. 



He wasn't down for the count yet.  The slip had sent him a few inches into the air, which was enough to allow Link to grab onto the path before falling to his doom.  "That was nerve-breaking," Link sated as he held onto the icy ledge.



He hoisted himself up and continued his 'journey' across.  At last, he made it.  "Phew, that was close."  He opened the chest to find a small key.


________________________________________


"What's taking him so long?" murmured Waluigi.



"I'm here," affirmed Link.



"Present," Wario mumbled as he climbed out of the pit.  It turned out that he had grabbed onto a rock while falling and began to climb back up.



Link used his Hookshot to get across the gap and reunite with the group.  They walked up the stairs and used the key to open the door.



"Whoa..."  the three whispered in unison as they stepped into the next room.  Statues were lined up across the room.  There must've been zillions of them!



"Good think that they're organized in alphabetical order, or we'll never find Mario's statue."  Waluigi chuckled.  After some good searching, they found the statue of Mario.  Wario was slower than the other two and was a few rows back.  He saw a statue that looked like Mario, even though it was Metal Mario.  Wario couldn't tell the difference and pressed the button.



"Guys!  C'mere!  I found it!"  Wario shouted.  The two went to look.



"Wario, that's Metal Mario.  We found Mario's statue already." Link informed him.  "You didn't press the button, did you?!"



"Umm... err..." Wario stammered, "No.  I waited for you two to come... yeah."



They all went back to Mario's statue and reactivated his memories.  They viewed some of the more recent memories, such as when Mario met Skulleon.



"So it was true..."


________________________________________


"Mario, your memories have been restored!" exclaimed Skulleon.



"Does that mean I get my body back?" Mario inquired.



"Yes."  Skulleon flashed his bony smile.



"Hurry, let me go take care of Chaos!"  Mario yelled with urgency.



"No, follow me.  If you go now, Chaos will crush you.  Just come with me; I have something to show you."

[shadowmarioguy]

Chapter 13: Seaside Confrontation



"Yes!" Chaos shouted with glee, "I have six out of the seven Cyber Stars!"



Chaos was on the shore of Koopa Troopa Beach inside a large hole he had dug to find the star.  Chaos 6's transformation was not even vaguely humanoid.  He appeared to be a scorpion-like creature at the height of twenty five feet tall.  His head was similar to that of a bullgdog's, with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.  He had about eight glowing green eyes dotted on his face like freckles.  His tail was tipped with a pendulum-type blade.



"My map says that the last one should be in the Palace of Memories."  Chaos lifted himself off of the ground and began to head north.  But after taking a few steps, he stopped dead in his tracks.



"Wait... The Palace of Memories is quite a distance from here, and yet I can sense the Cyber Star nearby.  I smell rats!"


________________________________________


"Wow, what a plot twist," E. Gadd snickered as Link finished explaining their story.



"I take it we'll be seeing Mario soon?" Peach inquired.  "It's been an awfully long time since I've seen him."



"Who cares?!" Wario snapped, "Just gimme' my cash so I can scram!"



"What's the rush?  I know you just want the money to buy an onion-peeler," Waluigi taunted.



"Hey, I'm too lazy to peel my own onions!" Wario shot back.



"Cool it you two," E. Gadd scolded, "here's your 'cash'."  He handed Wario and Waluigi each a bag of gold coins.  "And Link, I didn't forget you..."



"No prob, Elvin," Link replied, "I could never accept your money.  Besides, coins aren't worth anything in Hyrule anyway."



"HELP!!"



The shout came from the front door.  Peach went to the door to open it, when Luigi burst through himself.



"Phew, thank god I found you guys.  I just escaped from Bowser's Castle.  Or should I say, Chaos's Castle."



"Luigi!  You're okay!  I knew you would be!" E. Gadd scurried over to him and shook his hand.



"It's good to see you okay," Like added with a friendly smile.



"Well, Link, I guess it's time for you to go," stated E. Gadd.  He pulled a remote from his pocket and aimed it at Link.



"Goodbye, everyone!"



E. Gadd fired a beam from the remote.  It hit Link, causing him to materialize and fade away.  "That's my Portable Teleportation Remote 5000," E. Gadd boasted.



"Show off..." Wario murmured as he exited the castle.



"Oh well..." Peach sighed as Waluigi turned to leave.



Suddenly, as E. Gadd turned on the radio, an emergency announcement was made.  "This is Kylie Koopa with an emergency broadcast.  Koopa Troopa Village and Koopa Troopa Beach are being demolished by a giant blue monster.  Luigi, where are you?!"



"Guys, wait!" E. Gadd shouted.  "The city's in trouble!  Umm... We need the 'world famous' Wario Bros.!"



Wario dashed back inside.  "FAMOUS?!  I'M COMIN'!!!  MY FANS NEED ME!!"



"Oh brother..." Waluigi grumbled as he chased after him.



"I'm going too," affirmed Luigi.


________________________________________

http://www.esnips.com/doc/e72d5d0f-be1b-418e-8aec-4b96950b6d10/61---Soft-Light

Before Mario stood an enormous castle made of pure crystal.  "What is this place..." Mario whispered.



"This is the Ice Palace, where you will learn the Iceball technique.  It's smaller on the inside," Skulleon chuckled.



"That's awesome," breathed Mario.  The two stepped inside.  There was a small room with crystal clear walls.  Six marble steps lead to a pedestal with a fluffy red pillow on top.  Resting on the pillow was a small, light blue orb.



"Go on," Skulleon urged him.



Mario slowly walked toward it, marveling at its beauty.  "Touch it," Skulleon commanded.  Skeptically, Mario laid his right palm on the orb.  An icy sting was sent through his body.


________________________________________

"So, you're the punk that's messing up the town, eh?" Wario cracked his knuckles and tightened his overalls.  "This won't take long.  I'll just give my fans a good show and then leave."

"You're a chubby one," Chaos cackled.  "Just get lost before you get hurt.  Wait; you're serious, aren't you?"

Just then, Waluigi arrived on the scene.  "Ugh.  How much trouble did you get yourself into this time?"

"Hm?  ...Fork it over... now!" Chaos demanded.

"Fork what over?"

"Don't play dumb.  You're giving off strong energy reading identical to that of a Cyber Star's."

Wario stepped forward.  "That's enough blabbing for now.  I'm gonna shut yer trap!"

Luigi came just in time to see Wario charging toward Chaos, who effortlessly grabbed Wario's fist and tossed him aside.  Wario hit the ground hard and left a huge crater.  Sand shot into the air and blew around the area.

"Hmm... Now I remember you two.  You challenged me all that time ago and got swept away.  And you," Chaos pointed a long tentacle at Luigi, "have escaped from my castle.  It doesn't matter.  Soon, I'll get the last Cyber Star and then I'll destroy everything.  Mwuahahahahahahaha!!"

"Waluigi, whatever you do, don't let him have that star!"