Today was a serene, calm day in the Mushroom Kingdom. No airship in the sky coming to take the princess like during years of war with the Koopa Kingdom. The peace that finally came when the two kingdoms made peace with each other was almost too good to be true, too pretty for the Koopa King to not come and tear appart. But he never did. Some says he became softer due to the influence of his new bride.
Mario and Peach, the now king and queen of the Mushroom Kingdom after their marriage, were taking a stroll in the castle’s gardens. The blonde woman was pushing a stroll in which two little babies were sleeping with pacifiers in their mouths. The baby twins Anna and Cherry were born not later than a few months before this, to the joy of their parents and the whole kingdom. These bundles of joys even got to have a festival thrown in their occasion, to which even Bowser came with a gift for them, even if it was mostly to brag about how his gift was way bigger than the others, but the couple appreciated the gesture.
Mario’s twin brother, Luigi, came to join them. As an uncle, he too was gaga over his nieces, and he never refused an occasion to see his brother even when the mansion he lived in wasn’t next door. The brothers may live far from each other, their bond was unbreakable, as their journey in Concordia could attest. Even when Bowser was now an ally, there were other threats that they had to take care of. No matter, should something come their way, they will prevail.
And there was something coming their way.
A big, lanky robot came up to them. It had a rectangular computer screen for a head, a polygonized purple bow on it’s tv head, another one on it’s chest, a polygonized green dress serving as some kind of clothing, long slim robotic arms with cartoony hands covered by pink gloves, and one single leg with a pink wheel. It’s screen was pitch black, until it suddenly showed a pink vortex that sucked Peach and the stroller in.
Mario tried reaching for them, but it was too late. They already disappeared into this thing. Before the brothers could lament on it, the screen displayed something else. Pixelised text that said « Magic Epic » and « New game », like a video game screen.
It was the only way to save the girls. They agree and get sucked into the screen too. Upon regaining their senses, they realize they have been turned into pixel versions of themselves by entering into the game.
After getting familiar with the lack of depth, they progress into this new unfamiliar world, they meet a new character. A woman who looked like Peach, except her hair were orange gold and tied into a ponytail with a purple bow, pink eyes, and her outfit, altough being just like Peach’s dress, it was shorter and had the same colors than the robot had, which could let them see her long white socks and purple ballet flats.
« Mh? Hello there! I’ve never seen you around… Who are you? »
The brothers present themselves.
« Mario and Luigi, mh? I’m Francilia! Guardian of Love with a big L! Pleased to meet you! »
She striked a cute, magical girl pose with a wink.
« Wait a minute… do you guys come from the real world?! »
Mario explains the situation.
« Oh no… I think I guessed what’s happening… The Shadow Duchess must have found a way to access your world to kidnap your dear ones! And if we don’t stop her, I’m afraid she won’t stop here… »
Altough they were limited in expressions, an audible « Oh no! » could be heard from the plumbers.
« But no worries! With the power of Love, I’ll give a little help in your quest! »
And as of such, she granted them the possibility to deal damages by jumping on the enemy, as per the norm. Now, they were ready to explore this new pixelated world and save Peach yet again, as well as Anna, Cherry and all the people the Shadow Duchess trapped.
« Beautiful view, isn’t it? »
She admires the scenery before continuing.
« It’s a beautiful place I fight for every day! But… nothing’s been the same since we’re aware of your world, especially for the Shadow Duchess. She claims she had a dream where she danced with a shadow and is convinced said shadow is a young man called « Fawful »… do you happen to know him? »
Oh, Fawful. The once disciple of Cackletta who became a threat on his own after managing to almost conquer the Mushroom Kingdom and the Koopa Kingdom. The brothers thought he was dead after exploding himself to try to kill them, but they had recently learned that he in fact survived thanks to the help of Grape’s loyal minion, Myrticia. Both of them fell in love and slowly drifted from villainy in favor of a more peaceful life in Pi’illo Island, they even had a baby daughter together named Myrteehee. The brothers only learned all of that recently, and the hard way, after mistaking one of Peach’s disappearances as Fawful kidnapping her, when she was just out getting her cravings, peaches.
Mario and Luigi explains it all to her in classical italian gibberish.
« Oh. I see. Knowing the Shadow Duchess, she’ll look for a way to get rid of this « Myrticia ». »
Luigi then remarks on the fact that her outfit looked just like the robot that sucked everyone in.
« Really? I know next to nothing about the real world, so I know nothing about this robot! But know that this outfit is 100% me! »
She striked her cute magical girl pose once more. But that answer only made Luigi more suspicious of her. He whispers to his brother he has a bad feeling about her, to which Mario says that he’s probably overthinking it.
Indeed, he probably was! Francilia has been acting as their personal tutorial in this very rough world where every single enemy seems like a challenge in itself when they had such rudimentary statistics in-game. Each level felt more challenging than the last one, and they had been on the verge of the game over more than once. Until they arrive at the boss, Goomer. He was practically a damage sponge with how many HP’s he had, and his attacks were so powerful he could bring a brother down in two hits. And of course, when you know nothing about his pattern and you only did one damage per jump…
… Thoses two fatal hits quickly arrived.
In the dark, with nothing but this warm light, Mario tried to select the retry button. But it wouldn’t move. It would stay on "Give Up". No way! They will never let up! Footsteps echoed closer and closer to them, until the bros could make up the silhouette of Francilia. She probably came to help them!
As the brothers looked up to her, smiles beaming of relief and joy, she giggled slightly. Not to follow their joy, it was more of an unsettling, dissonant giggle.
« Oh, sweet, naive Mario brothers… you still don’t get it, mh? There’s no Retry button. The game is over. »
As she reveled in Mario’s shocked face and Luigi’s not that surprised face after realizing her true colors, she giggles once more before speaking up.
« I guess I owe you some explanations! Actually, everything I said about the Shadow Duchess… was in fact my plans, my desires, everything! I created this impossible game to trap, let’s say, pretty much everyone! And, to make you think I was your friend was so much fun! Oh but I don’t blame you for being so mistaken about me… After all, it’s so easy to believe that a pretty girl looking like your precious princess Peach is your friend while someone called the Shadow Duchess was the villain! That being said, I’m impressed! I didn’t think you’d last until here… You really aren’t the Mario Bros for nothing! »
« So, now that my conquest plans are in place, all I have to do left is to find my dear Fawful… and to put you away! »
And, just like this, the Mario brothers were now trapped with the others inside the game data. Well, at least they found Peach and the baby twins… They learned from Francis that Francilia used to be his AI girlfriend, which he created by taking Peach’s features and common magical girl tropes, but she turned on him ever since she got obsessed with the shadow of her dreams, who she believes to be Fawful.
Now that the Mario brothers weren’t here to save the day anymore… who will?
