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What does it take to be a hero? What truly is the definition of a hero? Is it something you are born into? Is it something that was destined for you to become? Is it something you stumbled upon and join in for the sake of it? Before I knew what any of that meant, and before the great journey I, and many others, would partake on, I was no more than a mere Goomba with an endless amount of knowledge and questions about this world.

I had lived in this small village with my family for as long as I could remember, never straying too far away from home. We'd, of course, venture into Toad Town every now and then for groceries, but that was as far as I'd had gone up to until then. While I waited in town for my parents to return from shopping, I'd take the time to eavesdrop on others' conversations to learn all I could. Among all the stories I heard, none were as prominent as the ones about Mario: the legendary hero known for defeating Bowser no matter the situation, for rescuing the princess from danger no matter the risk. I had heard so much about the guy and fantasized about all the things he'd done, and I never even saw him before.

My little sister and I would look around Toad Town trying to spot him, but we had no such luck. To be honest, I was more than content with just imagining more adventures Mario would get up to than actually getting to meet him. Had this been any other day before now, I would have been fine. However, that's not how this story goes. As if a blessing from the Star Spirits themselves, Mario came crashing into our lives, and he and I would set out on a quest across the entire Mushroom Kingdom to save the Star Spirits, stop Bowser, and rescue Princess Peach. Along the way, I got to meet up with some of the greatest friends I've ever gotten to know. You'll get to know all about them in due time, but for now, let me tell you how it all began. The story of Mario, and the partners' stories as well.

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As the sun began to rise on a new day, the young Goombario arose from his slumber and hobbled his way to the dining room. His mother and grandmother were preparing breakfast as usual, while his grandfather sat out on the veranda watching the sun rise. For him at this very moment, all seemed to be normal today.

"Breakfast is ready!" Gooma said with a smile across her face.

Goombario hopped onto the chair and gazed upon his plate of food. "Goomba Pancakes! My favorite!"

"We wanted to prepare something a bit special today seeing as that earthquake last night did a number to the place outside." Goomama said pouring more batter into the pan.

"Yeah, talk about intense." Goombario said, still feeling the vibrations across his body. "Say, where's Goompapa and Goombaria?"

"Your father is out fixing the gate that got busted by the earthquake, and your little sister wanted to explore a bit." Replied Goomama.

"I see." Looking down at his fluffy pancakes, Goombario grabbed his fork and began shoveling them in.

Then, suddenly, a loud bang of the door swinging open, and in comes running an exhausted Goombaria, who looked like she had run a dozen marathons.

"Goombaria, don't worry, there's enough pancakes for you too." Said Gooma looking out at her.

As the young Goomba girl spoke, she was barely able to make out her words. "N-No… t-that's… n-not… i-it."

"What's the problem, dear? Did Goompapa stub his toe again?" Goomama asked.

"I… I was... out exploring… the forest… next to our house. When… I came across… a-a guy." The exhausted Goombaria spoke.

"A-A guy?" Goomama's concerns were peaked.

"What did he look like?" Asked the curious Goombario.

"I-I think it’s Mario! But I think he's in serious trouble. He was barely moving an inch." A panicked expression on her face.

"Oh dear. Go get Goompapa to help you investigate and see what's up. I'll ask the innkeeper to prepare a bed for our friend." Gooma replied.

"That’s a good idea, Gooma. Goombaria, show me where you found him." Goomama asked.

"Right, ok, he's just on the edge of the woods. Hurry!" She could barely hold it in wanting to help the man so badly.

The three goombas exit their home and call out to Goompapa fixing the gate for help. Upon reaching the woods together, they stumble across the man Goombaria was talking about.

"My, my, what a strange sight I say." Goompapa says as he leans in to check the body. "He appears to be hanging on by mere threads, but I think a nice cozy bed should help him recover."

"I hope he's ok.” Goombaria said in a concerned tone.

"I'm sure he'll be alright once we get him to the innkeeper." Goomama said reassuring her child.

"Goombario, grab this fella's legs and help me carry him out of here." Goompapa asked.

"Of course, right away, Dad." The eager Goombario replied. As he neared the body and got his head beneath the man's legs, Goompapa got the man's head resting atop his head and began walking back the inn.

Hours had passed since this man had been brought into the care of this family, and no progress was seemingly made. However, the family kept at it, with bringing medicine and soup to try and help. Eventually their efforts paid off, as the unconscious man finally arose from his slumber and emerged into the world to greet his saviors.

"Hey! You're awake! Goombario! Look! Our friend woke up!" The excitement rushed through Goombaria's veins knowing she just saved this man's life.

"How are you feeling? You were out cold back there."Goombario asked, sounding quite concerned.

The mysterious man was one of little words. All he did was give them a thumbs up to show that he was in good health.

"You're good? Well I'm glad you're out and about now." Said Goombario.

"But just remember, if there's still a boo-boo on you, my family has more medicine if you’re not feeling well."

The mysterious man just stares back and gives another thumbs up.

"Say, if it's not too much to ask. What's your name?" Asked Goombario.

The mysterious man begins to ramble in a strange form of italian that may or may not have formed actual sentences. But after deducing what could be gathered from that tangent, the revelation between the two goomba kids was shocking. This mysterious man was none other than Mario. THE Mario. The two kids were in shock upon hearing that it was Mario that had been unconscious mere moments ago. The plumber breaks the silence by asking to speak with their parents or grandparents before heading out to do just that, leaving the two goombas to soak in what all just happened.

"WHAT THE SHELL!? That guy was Mario after all!" Goombaria screamed at the top of her lungs.

"I… I can't believe it. It's… THE Mario. But, what was he doing in the woods unconscious?" Goombario questioned, closing his eyes to ponder.

Mario soon walks out of the house and approaches Goompapa to ask him a question.

"Toad Town you say? Well, you’re just in luck, I just got the gate all fixed up now so you're all set to go." Goompapa said with a smile.

However, just as Mario began to open the gate, a gust of wind tosses him and Goompapa back. After they both got onto their feet, they look up to see a magikoopa on a broomstick.

”Well, well, well, looks my sources were correct. You’re still alive, Mario.” A witch by the name of Kammy Koopa grumbles. “Well, if you think you’ll make it to the castle, then think again, pesky plumber! You’ll never reach Lord Bowser, nor your precious princess! I’ll make sure of it!” She added, before casting a spell, summoning a hefty block and dropping it on top of the fence, destroying the gate (again) and blocking the path. “Now you’ll never reach Toad Town! Kahahahahaaaaa!!” Mario and the Goomba family then watched as the magikoopa flied off into the distance, cackling the entire way.

"What the-!? The princess has been kidnapped!? Again!?” Goompapa said before looking over at where the gate he had only finished repairing moments earlier once stood, now crushed by the bright yellow block. “And now that Kammy Koopa destroyed all my hard work!” He added, his brows now furrowed.

Mario interrupts Goompapa's infuriated grumbling to ask about any way to get rid of the block

"You could probably borrow the hammer Goompa keeps around. He's on the veranda if you want to go in and ask to borrow it for a minute." Goompapa answered.

Giving the goomba an "Okie-Dokie!", Mario went back inside to do just that.

"Woah! Talk about an eventful day, and it's not even past breakfast!" Goombaria said, still feeling the adrenaline from the fright of Kammy Koopa's appearance a moment ago.

"Yeah. You know, I should write this down to remember for later." Goombario replied, pulling out a journal - one he's had since he was a very young chestnut. He pulls out a pen and begins to write a log:

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Goombario's Log Day 1: Wow! This has been one of the craziest days of my life! First a massive earthquake breaks our fence, then a mysterious man falls from the sky, which turned out to be Mario. THE Mario! Man, I was so excited to finally meet him in person once he woke up. Unfortunately, things went south pretty quickly. This witch, Kammy Koopa, used a big block to crush our fence door, preventing us from leaving the village. What's worse, Bowser has kidnapped Princess Peach again! Oh man, if only there was something I could do...

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"... You know, Mario's been in there for quite a while." Goombario commented while waiting outside with his father and sister.

"Maybe Goompa is just rambling to him about some wacky adventure he had back in the day." Goombaria suggested.

"Still, with how urgent Mario seemed to get back to Toad Town, you'd think he had been out right now." Goombario said in a concerned manner.

"I'll go check on them to see what the holdup is." Goompapa replied as he stood up and walked inside.

"I just can't believe my eyes. Mario. The actual Mario we've heard all about in Toad Town is in our village." Goombario said, his head filled with thoughts, questions, ideas, and that sort. "Hey, Ria? There's something on my mind I'd like to tell you."

"Well then just spit it out. That oversized head of yours might burst if you don't." Goombaria replied with a smirk.

"Very funny. But, I heard Mario saying something about needing to go to Shooting Star Summit. I've read a lot about that place and how it's the gateway for the Star Spirits to come down from Star Haven and grant others wishes. I just figured I could tag along with him if there were any questions he might encounter, but honestly I don't think he'll let me go. Aside from his brother, Luigi, Mario tends to act alone on these sorts of adventures." A face of sadness emerges on the young Goombario as he rests upon his house's front steps.

"I mean, it wouldn't hurt to ask at least. If what those Toads have told us about Mario, I'm sure he'll understand where you're coming from." Goombaria said, reassuring her older brother.

"Thanks, Ria. That's just the boost I needed. Now, to just wait for him to come back. Seriously, how long could getting a hammer really take?" Goombario questioned.

Moments later, the door flied open, and the rest of the Goomba family rushes out in a panicked state.

"Goomama, Goompapa, Gooma? What's going on?" Goombario asked.

"T-The veranda! It's gone!" Goompapa exclaimed.

"WHAT!?" The two Goomba kids screamed.

"I went to go check on Mario and Goompa outside and when I opened the door, the whole veranda was just gone! I'd have gone down as well if it weren't for your mom and grandma." Goompapa explained.

"I hope my dear Goompa is alright. He ain't as agile as he was in his youth." Gooma said, trying to stay positive.

"Where could they have possibly gone!?" Goombaria asked, desperately wanting answers.

Thankfully, within a few moments, Goompa and Mario emerged from the woods to the left of their house and walked over to them.

"Goompa! Mario! You're ok!" Goomama cheered.

"Yup, we're alright. For some reason, my precious veranda came off the house and fell into the woods below. Then these mean goombas tried to beat me up. I probably could have handled them myself, but luckily, this kind fellow took care of them for me." Goompa explained.

"Goompa! Don't you know who that is? That's Mario!" Goombario told his grandpa.

"Mario? Hmmmmmmm... Oh, the Mario that saves the princess. That Mario. Well then, thank you for helping me out back there." Goompa said.

Mario gave a thumbs-up back.

"Oh, yes, I let him borrow my hammer so we could get back here. I'm also allowing him to take it with him on his way back to Toad Town." Goompa replied.

"So, I guess that means you're heading out now. I pray to the Star Spirits that your journey goes well." Gooma said.

As Mario proceeds to the block that was standing in their way and smashes it to pieces, Goombario takes this as his last chance to talk to Mario.

"Mario! Wait!" Goombario exclaimed.

Mario turns around wondering what the little goomba wanted to say.

"You're going to Shooting Star Summit, right? Well, I know a lot about that place from all the books I've read. Plus, the road back to Toad Town can be a bit dangerous due to some rude goombas. So, what I'm trying to say is... can I go with you? Please?"

Mario looks down upon the young goomba boy. He can tell he's adamant on wanting to join him on his way back to Toad Town. He takes a moment to ponder whether or not he should come along with him. After careful consideration, Mario looks back at Goombario, nods his head, and gives him a thumbs-up.

"R-Really? You're let me go!? Mom! Dad! Can I go with Mario on his quest? Please!?" The young goomba's heart was nearly beating out of his chest at this point.

"You know what, why not. You're a grown boy now, and I think it's time for you to see the world beyond here and Toad Town. I have a good feeling Mario will keep you safe." Goompapa said smiling at his eager eyed son.

"Just promise not to get hurt, ok?" Goomama insisted.

"Don't worry Mom, I'll be just fine with Mario." Goombario said, reassuring his mother's concerns.

"Have fun, Ario! But just so you know I'm taking your spot on the top bunk till you come back." Goombaria said teasing her older brother.

"Then I guess we'd better get moving. Come on, Mario! Our big adventure begins." Goombario said smiling ear to ear.

"Wahoo!" Cried Mario as he headed out onto the path with Goombario following behind, calling out his goodbyes.

As the duo began to trek down the path to Toad Town, Goombario pulled out his journal and began to write once more:

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Goombario's Log Day 2: OMGoomba! I can't believe it! I get to go on an adventure with Mario! Oh man, I'm so excited! I know my family is excited to see me head out, though my mother wants me to be safe and my sister is a bit jealous, but that doesn't matter. I can't wait to head out and save the princess from Bowser. Here we go!

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With the sun in the sky, Mario and Goombario set out down the path from Goomba Village and begin making their way to Toad Town at the end of the path. This route was almost second nature to Goombario, as he had traveled down this path dozens of times so far in his young life. He knew all the sites they'd stop by and all the views they could see like the back of his head. However, this time, things felt different. The goombas along the path were more aggressive than usual and began attacking the two of them on sight.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing walking down here?" One of the Goombas wanted to know.

"We're just heading for Toad Town. Something wrong with that?" Goombario replied, sensing hostilities.

"Well, we were told by some witch lady that if we saw a man dressed in red and had a moustache, to beat him up." Another Goomba, one wearing a spiked helmet, added.

"If my eyes aren't mistaken, that fellow is right here in front of us." The winged Goomba remarked, moving in to get a closer look.

"Hey, back off, we've got no beef with you guys! Just let us pass, and we'll be out of your way." Goombario reasoned.

"Oh, you looking for a fight, pipsqueak? Bring it on!" The regular Goomba retorted as he and his friends charged the two.

The two groups engaged in battle, with Mario standing tall against the enemy Goombas. Goombario looked out over at them and began looking up some information about them.

"Mario, these guys are Goombas. You've probably seen a lot of them in your career before. That first one's just a regular ol' Goomba. The second one's got a spike on his head. You'd best use your hammer against him. The third one's got wings that let him fly. If you jump on top of him, his wings should fall right off. I can take the normal Goomba no problem, then you follow up by hammering the spiked Goomba. Sound like a plan?" Goombario responded, ready for battle.

Mario gives a nod of his head with an "Oh yeah." thrown in as well. Goombario moves up to the first Goomba and head bonks him twice to take him out.

"Ow! That hurts!" the first Goomba cried. "Well good luck hurting my friend with the spike. Go ahead, try to jump on him."

Mario walked up to the Spiked Goomba, who prepares to skewer him. However, the Goomba was shocked to see him pull out a hammer and whack him.

"Oh no! My helmet is useless!" the Spiked Goomba yelled.

"Nice job Mario! One more to go!" Goombario chirped.

"Well now it's my turn to fight back!" the Paragoomba snarled. He then swooped down to hit Mario, but Mario ducked just before impact was made, which softened the blow.

"You alright, Mario?" Goombario asked. Mario gave a thumbs up to show he's alright.

"What- How are you still standing?!" The Paragoomba shouted back. "Whatever - you'll never reach me up here!" He added, wearing a conceited grin"

"Oh yeah? watch this!" Goombario responded before jumping into the air and headbonking his wings off, which sent him crashing to the ground.

"No, my precious wings! You'll pay for that!" The now regular Goomba proclaimed.

"I don't think so. Mario, finish the job." Goombario said, watching Mario run up and jump on the Goomba, taking him out. As the battle came to a close, Mario dusted himself off and adjusted his cap.

"Crud, we lost! Everyone, retreat!" The Goombas cried, as they run away.

"Woah, that was awesome! We really showed them Mario." Goombario replied, grinning with pride. "Now come on, let's get moving again."

Mario gave a nod back, with the two returning to the path back to Toad Town. All was going well, until two new voices rang out from the distance.

"Hey you! Yeah, you, over there! What brings you around here? Yeah you, suspicious guy! Don't move!"

"Mario, over there!" Goombario called out.

Mario looked in the wrong direction.

"No, the other way!" Goombario corrected.

Mario looks in another wrong direction.

"The other-other way!" Goombario added.

Mario finally looked towards the ledge and saw a pair of Goombas. Not only were they bigger than the ones they fought earlier, but one was colored a vibrant red and the other a bright blue.

"Where do you think you're going, bub!?" The red Goomba asked, a fiery expression on his face.

"We've gotten orders from the king to not let anybody past the bridge, um... Oh yeah, ever!" The blue Goomba barked, mirroring the other's expression.

"Oh great, more angry Goombas blocking our path. What do you guys have against us, anyway?" Goombario asked.

"Like Blue said, orders from the king to not let you go one step further!" The red Goomba retorted. "You wanna to complain about it? Then take it up with His Majesty!"

"First, though, you gotta get past us. Maybe you should leave while you got the chance." The blue Goomba declared.

"Not on our watch. Mario, let's show them what we're made of!" Goombario stated, leaping into action with Mario, diving straight into another battle.

The two duos take their positions and prepare to fight. Goombario, like last time, used his vast knowledge of people around the Mushroom Kingdom to determine who these guys were and what their gist was.

"That right there is Red Goomba and Blue Goomba. They attack just like any normal Goomba, but these two are a bit tougher than them. Blue Goomba is a bit more sickly than his older brother, so maybe we should attack him first. That way, we'll only have to deal with one of them at a time." Goombario responded.

Mario looked out at his opponents and began digging through his pockets. There, he finds a Fire Flower that he was going to give to Peach during the party, before everything went to chaos. He planted the flower in the ground, causing it to sprout and spray fire at the two Goombas, scorching them in the process.

"Ah! Hothothothothothothot!! It burns!" The two Goomba brothers screamed in agony.

"Yikes, that's gotta hurt. But now it's my turn to hurt them." Goombario replied, running up to headbonk Blue Goomba.

The fire gets snuffed out from Red Goomba while a few sparks lingered on Blue Goomba.

"Alright, enough of this. Let's get them, Blue!" Red Goomba yelled.

"Yeah!" Blue Goomba added.

The pair of Goombas charge Mario and go to headbonk him, but Mario ducked at the last second to soften the impact.

"Ha, how'd you like that!" Red Goomba said in a cocky manner. "... Wait, what!?" He turned around and heard his brother cry out in pain as the fire on him didn't go away.

"Red, I don't feel so good..." Blue Goomba said before passing out.

"What, how did...!? Gah, little brothers are useless!" Red Goomba bellowed. "Fine, I'll just deal with you two myself!" Red Goomba added while gritting his teeth.

"I really doubt that. Mario, let's finish the job." Goombario retorted with him as he and Mario ran up to Red Goomba and stomped on him, which caused him to get knocked out. Mario adjusted his hat once again.

"Oh no, this is bad! Really, really bad! We'd better report to the Goomba King right away! Come on, Blue!" Red Goomba shrieked, running away.

"Hey, wait for me!" Blue Goomba called out, chasing after his older brother.

"The Goomba King? That's the first time I've heard of a King living in these parts. Let's see what that's all about, Mario." Goombario remarked, as he and Mario set out down the path once more.

After a little more walking, the duo are stopped when they come across a small fort where the bridge to Toad Town once stood.

"Huh, that's strange. This castle wasn't here yesterday." Goombario pointed out, looking up at the fort. "Do you think this is where the Goomba King is hiding?"

As Mario's gaze took in the fort, a large figure appeared before them. The imposing figure turned out to be none other than the Goomba King. His bejeweled crown, which stood atop his head, glistened in the sunlight and his thick, wavy moustache moved ever so slightly with the light breeze. His big, deep black eyes gazed down at his foes, his brows furrowed.

"Bwahahahaaaa! Looks like Kammy Koopa was right, Mario was traveling down this road to get back to Toad Town. Well, think again! You aren't getting past the Goomba King!" The Goomba King bellowed. "Henchmen! Front and center!" The Goomba King added.

Red and Blue Goombas walked up and stood next to His Majesty.

"S-See, our king is with us, now he's going to kick your butts!" Red Goomba exclaimed.

"A-And we'll give moral support from up here!" Blue Goomba uttered.

"Oh no you're not! We're all going down there to beat them up. Now, attack!" The Goomba King shouted, as he and his henchmen jump off the castle to engage Mario and Goombario.

Entering into battle once more, Goombario assessed both their returning foes, as well as their boss, in order to think of a strategy to take them all out swiftly.

"That's the Goomba King, the so called 'King of Goombas'. I've never heard of a Goomba having a royal title before, so what do I know. Looks like the king's Red and Blue Goomba goons we first fought before are backing him up. Fortunately, it looks like they're pretty winded after our fight with them." Goombario explained. "If we could pull of a move to take those two out, we'd stand a better chance against the Goomba King." He looked around for any opportunities to help them gain an upper hand, before taking notice of the Goomnut tree near where the battle had commenced. "Mario! That tree root looks unstable. Try jumping on it and see what happens."

Mario proceeded to jump on the tree root. Suddenly, a large Goomnut falls out and bounces on top of the Goomba King and his henchmen, taking out the latter in one blow.

"Huh, d'oh! Those good for nothing henchmen!" The Goomba King grumbled. "Fine, I'll deal with you two myself! Have at it!" The Goomba King moved in for an attack.

Mario ducked to protect himself, and followed up with a jump attack of his own. Goombario assisted with some bonks of his own. After enough bonks to the head, the Goomba King goes down.

"Eeeekkkk!!! Retreat, back to the castle!" The Goomba King screamed, running inside with his henchmen in tow. "T-This isn't over Mario! As long as the bridge back to Toad Town is gone, you won't be going anywhere!" The Goomba King growled, all with a scowl on his face.

"Yeah, not even if you somehow found the hidden switch to lower the bridge from outside of the castle!" Blue Goomba retorted, before getting smacked on the back of the head by his brother, which was followed by barely audible whispers - something to do with him being an idiot.

"A secret switch? Mario, let's look around and try to find it." Goombario responded.

The two searched the grounds outside of the fort, eventually locating the switch, which was hidden behind a bush. Mario whacked it with his hammer, resulting in the fort to start crumbling. The Goomba King is sent flying into the distance, as the bridge falls into place across the landmasses.

"Good riddance. I hope we don't run into them anytime soon." Goombario said. "Come on Mario, Toad Town is just past this bridge."

With the Goomba situation taken care of, Mario and Goombario got back on the path once more. After a few minutes, they, at long last, made it back to Toad Town. Taking a moment to catch their breath, Goombario uses the opportunity to pull out his journal, where he started to write down his latest entry.

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Goombario's Log Day 3: Today is the start of my adventure with Mario. On our way back to Toad Town, we ran into some troublesome Goombas. Thankfully, were no problem for us. Then, we ran into a blue Goomba, a red Goomba, and even the king of Goomba on our travels. Despite their intimidating presence, they were pushovers. Mario and I sent those guys packing, clearing a path to Toad Town.

Chapter Text

After battling their way through a legion of Goombas, the duo finally arrived in Toad Town late into the night, so, they headed for the inn to rest up after their battles. Then, when the sun had risen, the two awoke and walked outside. As they made their way into the first section of the town, a sense of relief swept across their faces.

"Finally, we made it. We're all well rested now after those fights last night." Goombario announced. "After all the obstacles that tried to prevent us from getting here, it feels great to be here." As he looked around the entrance to Toad Town, to which he had seen many times before, it was a pleasant moment to be back there once more. That sense of peace would not last long, however, as a lone Toad was seen running through the streets in a panic, catching the attention of the other townsfolk as well.

"Our princess has been kidnapped! The castle is gone! Bowser defeated Mario! We're all doooooooooooooommmmed!" The Toad yelled in horror, frantically running around and scared for his life.

"So much for a peaceful return." Goombario remarked. Looking for something else to focus on, a strange, yet familiar, man frantically approached them. His overalls were that of Mario's, however, his shirt was green and his moustache was wavier. This fine gentleman was none other than Luigi, the younger brother of Mario.

"Maaarrriiioooooo!!" Luigi cried out, as he ran up to his brother and hugged him. "Bro, where have you been?! I heard you were thrown out of the castle after it was lifted in the sky! I was luckily able to get out of there before it began to rise out of the ground, but what happened to you?!"

Mario began speaking in his Italian like language that sounded like gibberish to any unknowing individual. His brother, Luigi, thankfully, knew exactly what his brother was conveying to him.

"Oh, I see. So you landed in the woods near Goomba Village, then this Goomba family nursed you back to health." Luigi said, happy to see his brother alive and well. "Now you're saying you have to go to Shooting Star Summit to find out how to rescue Princess Peach?"

Mario simply nodded his head.

"Well, sounds good to me. I'm just so happy to see you again!" Luigi replied. He then looked down a little and noticed Goombario standing next to Mario. "Oh, Mario. Who is your friend here?"

"Hi, nice to meet you. My name is Goombario. I'm one of the Goombas that helped Mario get back on his feet in my village." Goombario answered. "I'm actually traveling with Mario to Shooting Star Summit as well."

Luigi then stood still for a few seconds to comprehend what was told to him. "... Oh, I see." Luigi uttered.

"You're not… mad, are you?" Goombario asked, as a sense of dread washed over his body. Looking up at Luigi, whose blank expression rattled his nerves even more.

"No, of course not. I know somebody needs to stay back and watch after the house, and that is what I will do." Luigi responded. "Please make sure to stop by now and then, ok? I just, would like to see you again, especially after you've been gone for a couple of days.

"Sounds like a plan. See you around, Luigi." Goombario said.

Mario gave a thumbs up to his brother, as well as giving him another hug. He then began heading for the central hub of Toad Town, with Goombario following close behind. Goombario watched as he interacted with all the townsfolk and listened in on their conversations. Many residents voiced their concerns for both Mario and the princess, questioning whether or not Bowser could even be thwarted this time. As the duo entered the central hub of Toad Town, Mario's attention was turned to the Post Office. Mario and Goombario walked over to the building and headed inside.

Within the walls of the Post Office were two Paratroopas, one younger and the other older. The younger of the two went by the name of Parakarry, who at the time, had been delivering mail all across the Mushroom Kingdom for close to five years. He wore a pair of goggles over his eyes and had his mail satchel slung around his shoulder, carrying a smile across his face. The older Paratroopa was the father of Parakarry, known by many as the Postmaster. To Parakarry, however, he would refer to him as Papakarry. Papakarry had been delivering mail for decades at that time, which in turn meant Parakarry would be following in his father's wings.

"Good morning, Mario. Good morning, Goombario." Parakarry said, welcoming the two visitors.

"Oh, you're Parakarry, right?" Goombario asked, trying to surmise how this Paratroopa knew who he was. "I don't think we've ever met in person before."

"Woah, I thought I was the only person that knew everybody's name around here. Yes, the name's Parakarry. I deliver letters." Parakarry stated. "I know the names of everybody in the Mushroom Kingdom. That way I know exactly what mail needs to be delivered to who and where. I learned from the best."

"Indeed, you've done a great job out there, Parakarry." Papakarry declared.

"Thank you." Parakarry replied, his wings fluttering with joy. "Oh, that reminds me. I have a letter for Goombario." He reached into his bag of mail and pulled out an envelope that had Goombario's address written on it. "Here you go. A postman's job is never done." Parakarry added.

"Thanks, Parakarry. To be honest, though, I don't know who this is from." Goombario questioned. He opened the envelope and pulled out the letter. After unfolding the letter, he began to read what was written.

"Goombario,

You were a lot stronger then you looked. We figured you were just some punk Goomba hanging around with Mario. You proved to us that being good is as important as being strong. So... When you come back, do you think maybe we could be...friends? Please say yes! We'll be waiting!

Red & Blue Goomba Bros."

Folding the letter back up, Goombario was bewildered by the fact that the two Goombas they had battled yesterday would have already sent out a letter addressed to him in the hopes of being his friends now. "Huh, interesting." Goombario remarked.

"Well, I'm off to deliver more letters now. So long!" Parakarry announced as he waved goodbye to his father.

"Safe travels out there, Parakarry." Papakarry replied, watching his son head out the door. "He's becoming a fine postman indeed."

"Hey, Mario. I think we should start heading for Shooting Star Summit now." Goombario suggested. Mario had the same idea and walked out of the post office and headed for the gate to Peach's castle.

As the gate opened, both Mario and Goombario were met with a grim sight to behold. Despite visiting Toad Town many times, Goombario had never seen Peach's castle up close before, only catching glimpses of the spires in the distance. Now standing beyond the gate, however, he knew that time to see Peach's castle was not today. All that remained from Bowser's attack were cracks, faults strewn about the area, and a massive crater, where the castle once resided.

"It's really gone. I never thought you could just lift a castle out of the ground before, but here we are..." Goombario murmured, now feeling the weight of what's now at stake. "Come on, Mario. The summit shouldn't be much farther."

The duo continued east of Peach's castle and made their way to the base of Shooting Star Summit. As they gazed up to the sky and took in the glimmers of the stars, Mario turned his attention to a house seated at the foot of the summit. He and Goombario walked over to the house and entered. Upon arrival, they were greeted by a young woman wearing a cloak which concealed her face and body. She beckoned them to come closer and stand opposite of her crystal ball.

"I have been expecting your arrival since I first heard the voices of the Star Spirits. They told me that a man, who goes by the name of Mario, would come to Shooting Star Summit to seek guidance on how to save the Mushroom Kingdom from calamity." The mysterious woman said, her eyes gazing upon the two. "My name is Merluvlee, granddaughter of Merlon."

All of a sudden, Goombario's heart skipped a beat. "W-What?... Y-You... You're Merluvlee?" Goombario stammered, barely containing his excitement.

"Yes, I suppose you have heard about my grandfather, my cousin, Merlee, and I." Merluvlee giggled. She knew that her beauty was the talk of the town and that nobody could resist her. Goombario had been drawn into a trance upon seeing her in person, before passing out on the floor. "I certainly didn't forsee that happening." Merluvlee added. "Now then, Mario. You must head for the peak of Shooting Star Summit and meet with the Star Spirits. If you ever need to seek guidance in locating valuable treasures across the land, you may stop by at any time. Also, if you come across any Star Pieces scattered around the Mushroom Kingdom, bring them to my brother Merlow upstairs. He will trade you Star Pieces for badges that will aid you in combat." Mario gave a thumbs up to Merluvlee and headed out the door, carrying Goombario in his arms.

Stepping outside, Mario carried Goombario all the way to the top of Shooting Star Summit since he had not woken up yet. Once at the peak, Goombario awoke from his starry eyed trance and observed his surroundings.

"Hey, where are we? Weren't we just inside a moment ago?" Goombario asked. Before his question could be answered, however, a faint figure appeared before them bearing a large white moustache.

"Welcome, Mario. We have been waiting for you." The mysterious entity said, as more figures emerged all around the two. "We are the seven Star Spirits. Our job is to grant wishes to all the good people from our home in Star Haven, a place high beyond the sky."

Another Star Spirit then began to speak. "One day, Bowser and his forces stormed our domain, captured us, and stole our precious Star Rod. With that in his possession, Bowser will be able to wish for anything he desires. This world is in serious danger so long as he has the Star Rod."

A third Star Spirit spoke up. "Mario, listen carefully. Bowser has scattered us all across the Mushroom Kingdom to ensure we couldn't fight back. As we are speaking to you now, our strength grows weaker."

A fourth Stair Spirit joined the conversation "The only way to stop Bowser, recover the Star Rod, and rescue Princess Peach is for you to release us from our imprisonment. Once all of our powers have been restored, we will be able to help you reach Peach's castle, which now resides atop the Mushroom Kingdom, and return it and the princess where it rightfully belongs."

The first Star Spirit chimed in once more. "Please... Mario... you must... find... us......" The mysterious entity utters, before disappearing alongside the rest of the Star Spirits.

"Wait, don't go! We need to know where you are!" Goombario shouted, in a vain attempt to get a clue as to where they are being held. His voice, unfortunately, did not reach them in time as their power had finally vanished. All of a sudden, a sense of hopelessness came across Goombario's face. Knowing how immense the stakes were now and feeling the weight of everyone's safety on his head, his hopes and dreams of rescuing the princess had nearly vanished, just as the Star Spirits recently. "I... I need to go write now." Mario watched as his new friend trotted over to the edge of Shooting Star Summit and looked out over the horizon. For him, conquering challenges was almost second nature to the point no obstacle phased him. This, however, was different, knowing that he wasn't doing this alone. He felt sorry for Goombario, knowing that he was still a young boy, and that he never had to deal with fighting against near impossible odds. Mario sat down next to the young Goomba and patted him on the back, as a way of saying, 'we'll get through this, together'. That alone brought a spark back to Goombario's heart, so he pulled out his journal and began to write.

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Goombario's Log Day 4: Wow, Toad Town is in more of a mess than I thought. When Mario and I first entered into the town, we saw a Toad panicking in the streets. Then when we went through the gate to Peach’s castle, all that remained was a giant crater. The worst part, however, is that Bowser has captured the Star Spirits and is using the Star Rod to grant his every wish. I knew that this would be a challenge for us, but honestly, I think we’re way over our heads right now. What are we supposed to do? We don’t even know where to start. Despite the odds stacked against us, though, I know that Mario and I will see this through to the end. Don't you worry, princess, we'll find a way to save you.

Chapter Text

Upon hearing the cries of the Star Spirits, Mario and Goombario's mission was clear; locate the seven Star Spirits, use their power to reach Princess Peach, and defeat Bowser. The one problem, however, is that they had no idea where to start. Heading back from Shooting Star Summit, the duo began to ponder what their next move would be.

"So, Bowser's hidden the seven Star Spirits all across the Mushroom Kingdom. If only we knew where to start looking for them." Goombario stated, unsure of what to do.

As they made their way back to the crater, that once held Peach's Castle, a small, floating object came down towards them. He appeared to be a young, yellow star with a smile on his face.

"Hi, um, sorry to ask this, but, is your name Mario?" The young star asked. Mario nodded his head and jumped in the air to prove he was the real deal. "Oh thank the stars I found you!"

"Who are you?" Goombario asked.

"Um, my name is Twink. I'm a Star Kid from Starborn Valley. Stars like me ascend to Star Haven to eventually grant wishes to everyone across the Mushroom Kingdom." Twink replied. "I actually only just ascended recently - not long after Bowser stole the Star Rod and imprisoned the Star Spirits - so I can't really grant wishes right now."

"I see, but, why are you looking for Mario? Do you have any information for us?" Goombario guessed, hoping for info on the Star Spirit's location.

"Um, sort of? Princess Peach made a wish, and I came down to try and grant it. Unfortunately, I couldn't do anything. She did, however, ask me to send a message to Mario and tell him she's ok and awaiting his return." Twink answered.

"That's at least good to hear. Is that all you have to say?" Goombario inquired.

"Well, for now. I'll head back to Peach and try to find out more about where the Star Spirits are. Good luck you two, bye!" Twink chirped. "Oh, I almost forgot. Here, this is for you." He gave Mario a Lucky Star Charm, which he had gotten from Peach to give to Mario, then flew back. Shortly after he left, however, a Magikoopa flew down to intercept the two.

"There you are. I knew if I followed that star kid, he would lead me straight to Mario." The Magikoopa said. "Now, I'm going to defeat you. I'll get Kammy Koopa's praise! She'll give me a raise! Prepare yourself, because here I come!" The Magikoopa swooped down to attack the duo. Mario and Goombario stood their ground and looked over at their opponent. Mario dug his feet into the ground, then jumped into the air and struck the Magikoopa with enough force to knock him off of his broomstick. As the robed Koopa hit the floor with a thud, Goombario took the opportunity to assess the enemy.

"That's a Magikoopa. They use magical rods to summon whatever they desire. Those attacks are no joke, so be careful, Mario." Goombario explained. As the Magikoopa got back on his feet, he raised his wand and sent out a spell to hit Mario, who braced himself to soften the blow. He and Goombario followed up with more jumps to head, and finally, the Magikoopa went down.

"That was close, Mario. Come on, somebody in town might know where to find the Star Spirits." Goombario stated as he and Mario walked back to the central hub of Toad Town. There were multiple buildings around, with dozens of people to interact with, so hopefully, somebody here would know where the Star Spirits were being held. The duo explored as much of the town they could, since the road to the south side was still being cleared of debris, before coming across a dojo center.

"Why, hello there. Have you come to take on the Toad Town Dojo and earn your fighting diploma?" The Toad in the robe asked.

"Uh, no?" Goombario answered. "We're just trying to figure out-" Goombario's explanation was cut short, as a green shelled Buzzy Beetle spoke up.

"Listen here, kid: nobody enters The Master's dojo without picking a fight. If you want to leave, then you'll have to at least get through me." The Buzzy Beetle exclaimed as his claws scraped against the wooden floor.

"What, no, we're not...?!" Goombario shouted, but to no avail, as the Buzzy Beetle charged the two and entered into battle.

"My students have been looking for somebody to challenge and show off their moves. If you could spare a moment of your time and battle my student, I will allow you two to leave." The Master explained, as he sat back and watched the fight play out.

"Sounds good to me." Goombario finally agreed. He thought back to what he remembered reading about Chan, before observing their opponent closely and looking for any weaknesses to take advantage of. "That's Chan, a student of The Master. His shell is study, so your hammer won't do much to him. If you jump on him, though, he'll be flipped on his back and be completely exposed. Show this guy no mercy, Mario!" Mario dashed over to Chan and jumped on his shell, causing the Buzzy Bettle to be flipped on his back.

"What in the world?! I-I'm stuck!" Chan yelled as he laid on his shell and squirmed.

"That's it, Mario. Keep at it!" Goombario shouted to boost Mario's confidence. He then ran up to Chan and jumped on his shell, flipping him over in the process. Mario then followed that up with a powerful stomp to the Buzzy Beetle's underside. Once Chan got back on his feet, however, he was flipped back on his shell again by Goombario, and got stomped on by Mario. After taking enough blows to the stomach, he decided to yield.

"Ah, ok, ok, I surrender!" Chan declared. "You can go now."

"Thank you. Now then-" Goombario said, until being interrupted again by another student - an indigo Duplighost.

"Wait, just a second. I'm not letting you leave until I have the chance to show off my fighting skills as well." The Duplighost proclaimed. "What do you say, Master?"

"I promise it will only be a minute of your time. Now, what do you say?" The Master asked.

"Oh, ok. One more battle wouldn't hurt." Goombario sighed. Mario nodded his head in agreement, then got into his fighting stance with Goombario, and prepared to face off against the Duplighost.

"Want to see what I can do? Check this out." The Duplighost said. A strange, magenta colored aura surrounded him, before it disappears and a burst of smoke envelopes around him. After the smoke had cleared, he appeared to have taken on the form of Goombario, down to the very last detail.

"Woah! He looks just like me." Goombario gasped.

"Yes, my other student, Lee, can take on the form of his opponent, meaning that he will fight exactly like you." The Master explained.

"Well, that's definitely unique." Goombario remarked.

"Well, that's definitely unique#." Lee mimicked.

"Alright, now you're in for it! Mario, that's Lee, a Duplighost. He's able to transform into any one he desires and use their moves against them. Since he's copying me, he'll be able to use headbonk on you, so be ready to block his attacks when he moves in." Goombario stated.

"Alright, now you're in for it#! Master, that's Mario#. You know, the one that saves Princess Peach from Bowser#. He fights to the bitter end, no matter how many enemies stand in his way#." Lee mimicked.

"Man, do I really sound like that?" Goombario whispered to himself. "Never mind that. Mario, let's show him what we're made of." The two of them leapt into action by whacking Lee on the head. He then turned back into his original form and lunged at Mario, dealing heavy damage to him.

"Bet that really hurt, huh?" Lee taunted with a big smirk across his face.

"This looks bad, Mario? Any ideas?" Goombario asked as he tried to think of a way out of this. Mario decided to reach into his bag for any helpful items, and settled on pulling out a Sleepy Sheep. At first, nothing notable happened, but then, a herd of sheep stormed inside the dojo. They ran past Lee, who was left spinning around in circles, before exiting the building, and leaving Lee conked out on the floor.

"What? I-I don't know what just happened, but it looks like Lee is asleep. Let's take advantage of this moment and hit him before he wakes up." Goombario said. He went in for some headbonks, while Mario followed up with a bounce that was strong enough to shake the dojo. Once Lee awoke from his slumber, it unfortunately was already too late for him, as Goombario went in with another headbonk to finish the jump, putting Lee down for the count.

"Ah man, I lost." Lee said. "I guess I need to find stronger foes to copy instead."

"Ok, can we leave now?" Goombario asked, desperately wanting to get back on track.

"Hold on, there is one more thing I'd like to say before you go." The Master stated, before he reached into his pockets and handed them a card. "This is a Second-Degree Card for beating my two students. You have done well to fight your way to this point. If you wish to refight them, you're free to ask them to do so at any time, but, if you think you're up to the task, then you may challenge me to a fight and secure a Third-Degree Card." The Master added. "I hope to see you two sometime in the future." The Master gave a bow and watched the two exit the dojo.

"Well, that was strange. Who knows, maybe we can come back here and fight The Master. He doesn't seem that difficult." Goombario remarked. "Anyways, let's get back to finding the Star Spirits - someone in town must know where they are." Suddenly, Goombario had an idea pop into his head. "That's it, Merlon! He's a fortune teller here in Toad Town, so maybe he'll know where we can find them." Mario nodded his head in agreement and head for his house, which was just east of the dojo. Upon reaching Merlon's house, the door was locked when Mario tried to open it.

"Locked. I guess Merlon isn't home right now." Goombario said. Then, shortly after Goombario finished speaking, the door flew open and bashed Mario in the face, knocking him to the ground. As the door closed, a robed individual stepped out and stretched.

"Ah, what a fine nap that was. Now then, back to business. I need to find Mario and tell him where the first Star Spirit is being held." Merlon stated, as he looked around to spot him.

"Excuse me, are you, Merlon?" Goombario asked.

"Why, yes I am. You must be Goombario. I had a vision from the heavens saying Mario and a Goomba, that goes by the name of Goombario, would venture into Toad Town to search for the Star Spirits." Merlon said. "If you're right here, that would mean Mario is close. Where is he?" Merlon asked.

"He's lying on the ground." Goombario pointed out, as he directed Merlon's eyes to Mario. Mario then got back on his feet, dusted himself off, and adjusted his cap.

"Ah, there you are, Mario. Please, come inside." Merlon said, as he walked back inside of his house with the two right behind. Merlon sat behind his crystal ball and began to summon a premonition. After gazing into the depths of his crystal ball, Merlon found the answer they had been searching for. "I see... a fortress. A fortress to the east of Toad Town, which contains the cries of the first Star Spirit. To reach the fortress, however, you must seek out a blue shelled Koopa Troopa, who also bears a red bandana. He is the key to enter this fortress and rescue the Star Spirit trapped inside." Merlon stated.

"A fortress east of Toad Town, is that referring to Koopa Bros. Fortress?" Goombario questioned.

"Yes, that is it. First, though, you must seek out the blue shelled Koopa in Koopa Village." Merlon reaffirmed. "My crystal ball is never wrong. The path to Koopa Village splits off from the path that leads to the fortress."

"Ok, thank you, Merlon. Next stop, Koopa Village. Let's go, Mario." Goombario said. As the duo stepped outside of Merlon's house, they noticed a ruckus going on in front of the Post Office. Parakarry, alongside some Toads, were having a bit of a back and forth.

"Come on, just let me through. I need to get these letters to Koopa Village." Parakarry begged, desperately wanting to get back on schedule.

"Sorry, punk. No one's getting past us!" The black and red Toad blurted out.

"We've been given strict orders to not let anybody past this point." The black and yellow Toad explained.

"Orders, from who?" Parakarry asked.

"None of your business, loser!" The black and green Toad barked back.

"Great, now what?" Parakarry whispered to himself, until he remembered something. "Oh, right. I can fly." Parakarry flew up high into the sky, which allowed him to get past the Toads.

"... Welp." The black and gray Toad murmured.

As the four Toads looked up as Parakarry flew right over them, Mario and Goombario watched from outside of Merlon's house, both confused by the outcome.

"What was all that about? Those Toads were being really rude to Parakarry just now." Goombario stated. After the duo processed what just happened, Merlon walked out of his house again.

"I say, is there something you two forgot? I told you to start making way to Koopa Village, didn't I?" Merlon asked. He then looked over at the group of Toads, and all of a sudden, he knew what was going on. "Ah, I see now. You two, follow me." Merlon walked up to the four Toads, as Mario and Goombario stood behind him.

"What do you want, old man?" The black and red Toad demanded.

"What do I want, you say? I say, I demand you to leave this town at once, you imposters!" Merlon shouted, as he raised his hands up and summoned lightning to strike the four Toads, who as it turned out, were the Koopa Bros. in disguise.

"Ack, what the?! We've been compromised!" The red Koopa Bro. yelled. "Black, Green, Yellow! Retreat!"

"Yes sir, Red!" The other Koopa Bros shouted in unison, as they ran behind their leader, who had took off running back to their fortress.

"Just as I suspected, those were the Koopa Bros. Now you two know who you're up against." Merlon said. "Remember what I said, you must locate the blue shelled Koopa in Koopa Village to get inside the fortress. Good luck to you all."

"Thanks Merlon. Mario, let's get moving." Goombario said, as he trotted down the path behind Mario. The path to Koopa Village was just as dangerous as when they headed to Toad Town from Goomba Village. Along the path, the duo had to fight against some of Bowser's own Koopa Troopas, on top of Goombas as well. The Koopa Troopas, thankfully, acted just like the Buzzy Beetle the two fought in the dojo, with them needing to be jumped on to flip them onto their shells. After fighting their way through the enemies, Mario and Goombario made their way to Koopa Village, and headed for the inn to rest up. With a chance to sit back and relax, Goombario pulled out his journal and begun to write about their day.

-------------

Goombario's Log Day 5: After we made our way down Shooting Star Summit, we ran into Twink. He's a Star Kid sent by Princess Peach to tell us she's doing fine, however, I feel like we should hurry along and get to her as soon as possible. After taking part in a few fights at the Toad Town Dojo, we met up with Merlon, the grandfather of Merluvlee, who told us to head to Koopa Village to meet a 'Blue Shelled Koopa'. I don't know what he meant by that, but I'm excited to meet them. Anyways, we arrived in Koopa Village late at night, so Mario and I will get some rest before searching for that Koopa.

Chapter Text

After resting at the inn found in Koopa Village, Mario and Goombario woke up to begin their search for the fabled 'blue shelled Koopa'. The duo did some stretches and prepared to head outside.

"Alright, Mario. Time to find that Koopa Troopa with a blue shell. It shouldn't be that difficult to find him here, right? Blue shells tend to be a bit rarer than other colors." Goombario stated, feeling confident. However, as the two made their way outside, they were in for a rude awakening. Upon stepping outside, several Koopas were running in terror as dozens of Fuzzies bombarded them with attacks. They appeared to be stealing the Koopas' shells before bouncing off, all while the Koopas desperately attempted to get them back, but to no avail.

"Woah, that's a lot of Fuzzies." Goombario commented, watching the chaos unfold before his eyes. "Where did they even come from?" His eyes then turned to a lone Koopa running up to them, while also chasing a Fuzzy.

"Give me back my shell!" The Koopa yelled, failing to catch the bounding Fuzzy. That's when Mario, with his eyes squinted for more precision, swung his hammer at the Fuzzy, causing it to drop the shell and scurry off. The Koopa latched as fast as he could onto his vibrant viridian colored shell, thus allowing him to be able to pull it back up over his body once again. "Finally, back where it belongs. Thank you, kind sir. That was so embarrassing having my shell stolen. Our shells mean the world to us Koopas. Please, can you help my friends get their shells back too?" The Koopa begged, seeing no other solution to their problem. Mario nodded and, with his hammer in hand and his brows furrowed, began to chase after the Fuzzies. He whacked some Fuzzies on the head, broke some brick blocks that a Fuzzy was standing on top of, and smashed some bushes in which the Fuzzies tried to hide the stolen shells. After a couple of minutes, Mario had driven the Fuzzies out of the village, and seemingly, returned all the shells back to their rightful owners, leaving Goombario speechless, in awe of witnessing Mario's swift, but efficient, removal of the Fuzzies.

"... Wow." Goombario said, as he watched Mario come right back to him after it looked like every shell had been returned to its rightful owner. "I guess you showed those Fuzzies what for, huh?"

Mario nodded his head and put his hammer away, thinking that was it. Then suddenly, a shriek was heard within one of the houses, causing him and Goombario to run over to see what was going on. As the two approached the door to open it, a shell-less Koopa, bearing orange-yellow scales and a red bandana, ran outside, looking rather distressed.

"Hey, give me back my shell!" The Koopa shouted, only to watch the Fuzzy shut the door on him. "You can't do that to me, that's my house!" You'd better not touch my adventure books, you hear me?!"

"Are you ok?" Goombario asked.

"Does it look like I'm ok? I just got my shell stolen, and..." The Koopa paused when he looked at who he was speaking to. "W-Wait... A-Are you... MARIO!?" Mario gave the Koopa a thumbs up, proving that it was him.

"Holy shell, it is you! Hi, m-my name's Kooper!" Kooper cheered, feeling giddy with joy right now. "I've heard so much about your adventures and how amazing you are, just like my own hero, Professor Kolorado! You have heard of him before, right?"

"Professor Kolorado? Yeah, I've heard about him." Goombario replied. "He's one of the most famous archeologists and explorers in the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Exactly, I've heard so many stories about him - even back when I was still in my egg. I've always dreamed of becoming an adventurer just like him one day!" Kooper exclaimed. "Oh, but back on track now. Could you guys do me a favor? My shell got stolen by a Fuzzy, which, next to my life, is the most important thing I have. Sadly, I've had no luck getting it back from it. You seem better at dealing with Fuzzies than anyone else here."

"No problem, Kooper. Mario and I can handle that Fuzzy. We'll get your shell back in no time." Goombario reassured. "He seems kind of dense, but maybe he's just stunned right now from having his shell stolen." Goombario thought to himself.

"Oh, thank you so much! In the meantime, I'll just hide behind a bush for now. Don't want anybody to see me without my shell. Good luck." Kooper said as he jumped into a bush to hide. Mario and Goombario entered the house, only for the Fuzzy bounce out of the back door. The two gave chase to it, and eventually, were able to corner it in the woods.

"You think I'm going to hand this shell over so easily? Think again, loser!" The Fuzzy yelled, as he jumped into a tree. "Try and guess which tree I'm in - I bet you can't!" The Fuzzy began leaping from tree to tree, attempting to throw the two off his trail. "Ha, now you'll never figure out where I'm hiding! Maybe you should just give up and-" The Fuzzy shouted, only to be interrupted by Goombario.

"Second tree on the left." Goombario stated. Mario walked over to the tree and bashed it with his hammer, causing the Fuzzy to fall to the ground.

"How did you know I was there!?" He questioned. "Ok, fine. You can have the stupid shell." The Fuzzy dropped the shell and bounced away. Mario picked up the shell, while Goombario began studying it closely.

"Wait, this shell is blue." Goombario commented. "If what I'm thinking is correct, Kooper must be the blue shelled Koopa Merlon told us about." The two then turned their heads as they heard rapid footsteps approaching, seeing Kooper sprinting up to them.

"I decided, while hiding behind that bush, to be brave and challenge that Fuzzy once again!" Kooper explained. He then looked over at Mario holding his shell. "You already got my shell back? Awesome, thank you so much!" Kooper cheered. "Can I have it back, please?" Mario nodded his head and handed the shell to Kooper. With a smile across his face, he watched as Kooper pulled his shell back over his body. "It's good to have you back."

"It sure is a nice shade of blue. It goes well with that red bandana of yours too." Goombario commented.

"Why, thank you. It makes me feels like an explorer, just like Kolorado." Kooper replied, beaming with pride. "You know, I've always dreamed about venturing into the great unknowns of this world and be an explorer just like him.

"Say, Kooper?" Goombario asked. "I've got a question for you.

"Sure, fire away." Kooper responded.

"This might sound crazy, but, back in Toad Town this wizard, Merlon, told us that you would help us get into Koopa Bros. Fortress in order to rescue the first Star Spirit. Plus, seeing as you're more than ready to go on an adventure, I think you'd make a great addition to the team." Goombario declared.

"W-What are you saying?" Kooper asked, his body shaking with both anxiety and happiness.

"How would you like to go on an adventure with Mario and I, as well as save the Mushroom Kingdom?" Goombario asked, praying that he would say yes.

"... Um... Let me think about that for a second ... YES! Oh, please. YEEEEESSSSSSSSSSS!!! I promise I'll be of great help to you guys. Mario, can I join you?" Kooper begged and pleaded, getting down on his knees. Mario gave a thumbs up and an 'Oh yeah', which was all Kooper needed to hear.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!" Kooper shouted, his whole body shaking with happiness. "I... I think I might pass out... not right now, though. Let's head back to my house so I can start packing up. This is going to best the greatest adventure of my life!" He began to run back to his house, however, he was stopped by a Fuzzy - the same one that stole his shell.

"Actually, I changed my mind. I'm going to fight you punks and take back that shell of yours! Have at 'em, boys!" The Fuzzy shouted, as he leaps into battle alongside his fellow Fuzzy thieves. "Now that there's more of us, there's no way you'll get away with your lives intact! We'll drain your energy out of your bodies before you can even touch us!"

"This looks bad, Mario." Goombario said, his voice audibly strained from tension. "Those guys are Fuzzies. They're quick and nimble, which makes them hard to hit. They also latch onto you and start draining your life force. Dealing with multiple of these guys at once can be pretty dangerous if you aren;t careful..." He finished, his brows furrowing into a tight knot. That's when Kooper stepped past Mario and Goombario to directly confront the Fuzzies.

"Listen, you can come into my village and make a ruckus, break into our houses and smash stuff up, but when you start stealing a Koopas' pride and joy, that's where I draw the line. If you want this shell so bad, then you can have it!" Kooper blurted out, rectracting into his shell and whirling past the group of Fuzzies.

Seeing a chance to take them all out now that Kooper had knocked them all off their feet, Mario pulled out a POW Block from his bag and struck it, sending a shockwave across the area and taking out the Fuzzies.

"Woah. That... was... awesome!!! My first real battle as an adventurer, and with Mario by my side as well! Time to head home and start packing. This is the best day of my liiifffeee!!!..." Kooper exclaimed, as he sprinted down the dirt road to his back door. Once inside, he began packing everything he needed for the road ahead. "Oh, better take this journal with me. Professor Kolorado always says to document everything that you come across, that way you never forget what happened that day." With all of his stuff packed and stuffed in his shell, he was ready to head out.

"Ready to go, Kooper?" Goombario asked.

"I've never been more ready than I am now. To Koopa Bros. Fortress!" Kooper cheered. The group set out from Koopa Village and arrived at the path divergence, which led towards Koopa Bros. Fortress. After fighting their way past more of Bowser's Koopa Troopa and Goomba forces, they came across a river too big for them to cross.

"Now what?" Kooper asked.

"Look, over there." Goombario said, drawing the other's attention across the river. "There's a switch on the other side of the river. If we can find a way to hit it, we might be able to go across the river." Kooper began to think of a way to hit the switch, when suddenly, he got an idea.

"Mario, jump on my shell! I'll shoot over to the other side and hit the switch." Kooper explained. Mario gave a glance of concern to his new friend and wondered whether that would be a good idea. "Don't worry, Mario, I'll come right back to you once you hit my shell." Kooper reassured. He then lined himself up with the switch on the opposite, then retracted back into his shell and waited for Mario. Mario ran up to Kooper's shell and jumped on top of it, sending Kooper flying across the river and hitting the switch on the other side. Upon Kooper returning to his original spot, a bridge appeared from under the water, allowing them to press on to Koopa Bros. Fortress.

"Great work, guys! Now we can keep going." Goombario cheered.

"Yeah, nothing can stop us now!" Kooper shouted, however, he felt tired after all that happened today and let out a big yawn. "Actually, maybe we can call it for today. Let's set up a camp near the base of the fortress and stay there until morning."

"Sounds like a plan, Kooper. We'd better be well rested before we storm that fortress." Goombario stated. The three of them crossed over the bridge and found a stone arch to set up a camp. "Perfect. This arch should keep us protected from any kind of weather, for example." He added. He then sat down and laid his head against the stone arch. Kooper put his arms behind his head and laid back as well to admire the scenery. Mario looked through his bag to find some food to eat and give to his new friends. As the trio gazed out at the sunset and chowed down on some roasted mushrooms, Goombario and Kooper pulled out their journals and wrote down what all they did today.

---------------

Goombario's Log Day 6: What a wild day I just had. An army of Fuzzies attacked the residents of Koopa Village and started stealing their shells. Thankfully, Mario was able to get rid of them and return all of the stolen shells to the Koopas. After that, we ran into Kooper, the blue shelled Koopa Merlon told us to find. His shell, however, was also stolen by a Fuzzy, forcing Mario and I to chase it down. Once we got the shell back, Mario and I asked Kooper if we would join us on our journey, to which he was more than eager to accept. I gotta say, Kooper's really pulling his weight so far. His shell allows him to hit switches, grab objects from far away, and can hit multiple enemies in a row. I'm glad to have him along for the ride, even if he's not the brightest. Plus, it gives me another friend to talk to, so that's really cool.

Kooper's Log Day 1: Holy shell, I can't believe it! I'm going on an adventure with Mario! I don't even think I can put it into words just how excited I am to be out on the road and on a daring quest to save the Mushroom Kingdom from Bowser! Oh yeah, there's this Goomba, Goombario, who's here with us as well. He does talk a lot, but he's pretty cool otherwise. He seems to know a lot about everything in this world. Maybe he knows some facts about Kolorado that I don't know? Nah, that can't be. I've read every single one of Kolorado's books several times over. That's why I'm making this log entry, so that one day this might get turned into an adventure novel of my own. Only time will tell, I guess.

Chapter Text

As the sun rose on another day, Goombario awoke from his deep slumber and looked around. He saw Mario, who was already awake, packing up and ready to head out. Kooper, meanwhile, was still sleeping inside his shell.

“Hey, Kooper.” Goombario whispered while nudging his shell “It’s time to get up.” Within a few seconds, Kooper’s arms shot out of his shell and bonked Goombario on the head before turning on his side.

“F-Five more minutes, please?” Kooper groggily muttered, thinking Goombario was his alarm clock. Goombario’s brows began to furrow as he leaned over to the top of the dozing Koopa’s shell.

“Wake up!” Goombario shouted as he watched his new companion's head and limbs sprang out from within his shell, before seeing him fall onto the ground. Getting his bearings around, Kooper looked over at Goombario, whose brows were still furrowed with annoyance.

“Oh, sorry about that. I thought you were my alarm clock.” Kooper explained, still processing what was going on. “This is the first time I’ve ever slept outside of my house, guess it’s just part of a routine.” He added as he adjusted his bandana.

“Look, we’ve got a fortress to storm today. I need you to be prepared for whatever those Koopa Bros. throw at us.” Goombario stated.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure we’ll be fine. With Mario on our side, nothing can stop us.” Kooper proclaimed. “Ready to go, Mario?” He called out with a big grin on his face. Mario nodded his head and began to head for the base of Koopa Bros. Fortress with his two pals right beside him.
Upon reaching the exterior door to the dark and foreboding fortress, a Koopa Bro, wearing black and gray, walked outside.

“Woah! Mario’s here! I gotta warn the others, now!” Black Koopa Bro yelled, sprinting back inside and slamming the door behind him. “Red, Green, Yellow! He’s here!” He added, though his screams were difficult for the three outside to understand.

“So much for a surprise attack. Now they know we’re here.” Goombario grumbled, hoping this rescue would have gone smoother than expected.

“Guess we’ll just have to wing it then. Charrrgggeee!!!” Kooper yelled as he ran inside with his fist in the air.

“Kooper, wait!” Goombario shouted, to no avail, as he watched him bolt inside of the fortress. “We’d better catch up to him, Mario.” He added. “Is he really the Koopa Merlon told us to find?” He thought to himself.

Once inside of the fortress, Goombario and Mario searched for their quick-footed friend, and eventually found him confronting a red shelled Koopa guarding the door.

“Alright, tough guy. We’re getting past you no matter what you throw at us. Bring it on!” Kooper declared with his fists in the air and his brows furrowed.

“Is that so, huh? Then how about I bring out a little friend of mine.” The red shelled Koopa remarked as he motioned for a Bob-omb to stand next to him. “Are you feeling scared yet?”

“Uh, no, of course not. How bad could this friend of yours be?” Kooper responded. He then heard a familiar voice call out from behind as Goombario and Mario joined in on the fight.

“Watch yourself, Kooper. That right there is a Bob-omb.” Goombario stated as he looked up more info on their opponent. “Those guys are rather temperamental and get steaming mad if you attack ‘em. Don’t try to jump on them if they’re preparing to explode, instead, use a hammer or any other items to take them out from afar. Better yet, just stay away from them entirely.” He explained.

“Oh, I see.” Kooper said. “Maybe we should just deal with the Koopa first and then come back to the Bob-omb later.”

“Sounds good to me. Mario, let’s flip that Koopa on his shell. Shall we?” Goombario said as he readied himself to attack. He headbonked the Koopa and flipped him onto his shell, while Mario went in for a powerful stomp on his underside.

“Nice job, you two. Now what about the Bob-omb?” Kooper asked, still thinking of a way to get rid of the Bob-omb.

Mario reached into his bag and pulled out a Fright Jar. Upon removing the lid and placing the container on the floor, a dark, smokey, and shadowy figure of Bowser emerged and roared with all of its might, which sent shivers down the Bob-omb's spine and made him run away screaming.

“Well, that’s one way to get an enemy to leave, I guess.” Goombario pointed out. He then looked over at Kooper, who had retreated into his shell. “Kooper?”

“I-Is he gone?” Kooper asked, his voice quivering and his body shaking.

“Relax. That wasn’t the real Bowser.” Goombario reassured him.

“Phew, that’s a relief.” Kooper replied as his head and limbs popped out of his shell. “I’d hate to run into Bowser so soon. You don’t think he’s here as well, right?”

“It should just be us and the Koopa Bros. I highly doubt Bowser would show up to a fortress like this when both his and Peach’s castle are floating above the Mushroom Kingdom.” Goombario said. “Now come on, let’s keep exploring this fortress.” He added as he trotted behind Mario.

“You’re right. There’s nothing to fear. Bowser is not in this fortress, and there’s nothing stopping us from reaching the top and saving the Star Spirit. Onward!” Kooper exclaimed as he ran through the door to catch up with the others. As the trio entered into the next room, they saw the Green Koopa Bro talking with another Koopa.

“There, that should keep Mario from getting any higher.” He confidently said. When he turned around, however, he was met face to face with the man himself. “Yeeek! Mario! Um… Y-You’ll never reach the top of the fortress. Bye!” Green Koopa Bro shouted as he ran away.

“You guys can run all you want, but you can’t hide from us!” Goombario retorted. “Let’s keep moving, guys.”

“Yeah, I’ll show these Koopas what for. Bring it on!” Kooper exclaimed as he and the others rushed through the room, while taking out any enemies that stood in their way. After entering into a new room and beating up the Koopas and Bob-ombs, a switch fell from the ceiling and next to some stairs.

Mario whacked it with his hammer, which caused the stairs to descend into the floor. Curious as to what lay underground, he ventured down the stairs with his companions right behind him and noticed an open door to his left. Mario walked through the door and was met with several Paratroopas flying towards him. The two sides entered into battle as Goombario looked up some useful tips to deal with their opponents.

“That’s a Paratroopa. They’re like Koopa Troopas, but with wings. Jumping on their heads will make their wings fall off, turning them back into Koopa Troopas. It should also make them fall on their backs as well, a perfect opportunity for Kooper to hit them in his shell.” Goombario explained.

“Wow, I wish I had wings; it sounds so cool. I wouldn’t have to walk anywhere and could avoid any long lines.” Kooper fantasized, nearly drooling at the thought of it. “Why can’t I have wings?” He asked.

“Well, some Koopas are born with wings, while others get them through magic. Take Parakarry, for example, seeing as he was born with wings.” Goombario answered.

“Aw man, one dream at a time, I guess.” Kooper solemnly said. “Let’s just get this fight over with.” He added, retracting into his shell to zip past some downed Koopas.

Mario leaped into the air and stomped on a Paratroopa’s head, then bounced onto the next Paratroopa in line, and repeated the process three more times until they were all squirming on their shells. Kooper than shot past them as Goombario watched the Koopas go down one by one.

Once the room was cleared, another door opened up for the trio to enter. This time, they had to hop over spinning lines of fire without scorching themselves in the process. After carefully maneuvering their way past the fire, they reached a small room holding a key.

“A key. We should be able to unlock a door somewhere in this fortress.” Goombario commented.

“Wasn’t there a locked door next to the stairs on the top floor? Do you think it goes there?” Kooper asked.

“Probably. Only one way to find out, though. Let’s head back upstairs and try it out.” Goombario stated as he headed out the door and back up the stairs, while Mario and Kooper followed from behind. “Just as I thought, there’s a lock on that door.” He pointed out with a grin on his face. “Try using that key on the door, Mario.”

Mario put the key into the lock and turned it, causing the lock to unlock and opening the way forward. As his friends and him entered the room, sounds that resembled that of hammer banging, rang from above. When they reached the top of the staircase, where they assumed the noise was coming from, nobody was there, aside from a lone question mark block.

“What was all that banging? I could have sworn it was coming from here.” Kooper questioned as he scratched his chin.

“That can wait, for now, we’ve got another locked door in front of us.” Goombario chimed in. “There’s got to be another key lying around here.” He added while searching the area.

“Maybe this block has the key inside. Hit it, Mario!” Kooper gleefully said.

Mario jumped into the air and struck the block above him, however, nothing came out of it. He looked around, seeing if there was something wrong, only to then look down and notice that the floor beneath them was no longer there. Before he even had time to process the situation, however, Goombario, Kooper, and him began tumbling down as they all screamed in terror. Mario grabbed onto Goombario to break his fall, while Kooper grabbed onto Mario to cushion him as well. The trio hit the floor with a thud, and after getting back on their feet, they began to get their bearings straight.

“Is… everyone alright?” Goombario asked as his head still rattled from the fall. He saw Mario give him a thumbs up, showing him that he was good. “Thanks for breaking my fall back there, though, who broke your fall?” He questioned. His eyes then were drawn to Kooper, who was holding his head in pain.

“I did.” Kooper gasped, his body still feeling the impact of the fall. “D-Don’t worry… about me. My shell… broke my fall.”

“What is this place?” Goombario asked as he assessed their surroundings. He then was caught off guard when a familiar figure approached them; a viridian green Bob-omb.

“You’re in Koopa Bros. Dungeon.” The green Bob-omb said in an unenthused mannerism.

“Ah, a Bob-omb!” Kooper yelled, retracting into his shell to hide.

“Relax, I’m not going to hurt you. None of us will.” The green Bob-omb stated. “We were all thrown in here by the Koopa Bros.”

“Is that so? Why would they do that to you guys?” Goombario asked.

“Beats me. I have no idea what their problem is.” The green Bob-omb answered. Just then, another Bob-omb approached them. This one had a vibrant pink colored metallic shell and a blond haired fuse atop her head. She marched over to the group with her brows furrowed and let out a loud huff.

“I’ll tell you why they threw us in here, Greg. They turned into jerks!” The pink Bob-omb vented. “Just a few weeks ago, these guys treated us really well. Three meals a day, flexible work hours, a comfortable place to sleep, it was paradise!” She added.

“Well then what happened?” Goombario asked?

“I’ll tell you, they-” The pink Bob-omb paused as she looked over at the man next to the young Goomba speaking to her. “Say, aren’t you, Mario?

Mario nodded his head.

“Well, blow me away. I never thought I’d meet a famous person like you in a place like this." The pink Bob-omb said. "Hi, I’m Bombette. Pleased to meet you. Oh, and this green Bob-omb here is Greg.”

“Hi.” Greg responded.

“Nice to meet you, Bombette. My name is Goombario.” Goombario announced. “That Koopa hiding in his shell over there is Kooper.” He added as he saw Kooper pop his head out of his shell.

“You’re not going to attack me, are you?” Kooper asked as his body trembled.

“As long as you don’t get on my bad side, then no.” Bombette replied. “Believe me, though, there are some things in here that just tick me off. Like those darn Koopa Bros.”

“Can you tell us what they did at least?” Goombario asked, trying to get back on topic.

“Right, of course. So, the Koopa Bros. were pretty nice to us when we started working here. That all changed, however, about a week ago when this witch, Kammy Koopa, came by and had a meeting with them. I have no idea what she told them, but after she left the fortress, those guys turned into complete amps and began working us to near death.” Bombette shared. “So you know what I did? I blew up in their stupid faces, that’s what! Apparently, they really didn’t like that, so they threw me in the dungeon!” She added as a few sparks protruded from her fuse.

“What about these guys?” Kooper questioned. “What did they do to be thrown in here?”

“I don’t know. Association, perhaps?” Greg answered. "We’re all good friends of Bombette here, so I guess the Koopa Bros. didn’t want us to revolt like her. Well, most of us I should say.” He added as he saw another Bob-omb approach them, this one bearing a navy-blue metallic shell.

“It is truly wretched how we’ve been thrown into this cell for the rest of our lives. Despite that, however, I am still lucky to be able to spend these last few moments alive with you, my dear Bombette.” The blue Bob-omb gushed as he leaned in close to her, only to be shoved backwards.

“Back off, Bruce! You and I are over, remember!” Bombette spat back, her brows more furrowed than before.

“Oh, you wound me, Bombette. I know you say that the spark between us has long since fizzled out. I, however, have not given up on that dream, that desire for us to live our lives together till the end of time.” Bruce replied as his bright, white eyes twinkled.

“Is this some kind of lovers' quarrel going on here?” Goombario asked while having an uneasy feeling across his body.

“Don’t worry about that. There’s really not much to it.” Greg explained. “Bombette and Bruce used to date each other a few years ago, until, one day, Bombette just didn’t feel the spark anymore and broke up with him. Let’s just say Bruce didn’t take it all too well.”

“At least grant me the chance to rekindle that lost flame of ours just one last time before we perish. Is that too much to ask?” Bruce urged, scooting ever closer to her.

“I already told you, for the sixty third time already, the answer is no!!!” Bombette screamed as her fuse was set ablaze.

“M-Maybe the sixty fourth time's the charm?” Bruce asked as he slowly walked away from a very ticked off Bob-omb.

“T-There’s gotta be a way out of here, right?” Kooper asked, still only poking his head out of his shell.

“Sorry, but we’ve looked all over this cell. There’s no way out.” Greg responded.

“Hey guys, I think I found a way out of here!” Goombario called out as he drew their attention to a sizable crack in the foundation. “This wall looks pretty weak and unstable. I think if we hit it with enough of a punch, then we could make an opening to get out of the dungeon.” He stated as his eyes looked towards Bombette. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

“I think so.” Kooper confidently proclaimed while nodding his head. “Mario, hit it with your hammer!”

Mario ran up to the crack and began hammering away at it, however, he was unable to make any progress with this strategy. He stepped back and shrugged his shoulders.

“Welp, back to the drawing board, I guess. Maybe I could-” Kooper said before getting his foot stomped on by Bombette.

“That’s not what he meant, shellhead! You want an impact, I’ll show you guys a real impact. Stand back!” She yelled as she charged the cracked wall and blew up right next to it, while letting off a loud shriek as well to let off steam. When she came back to her senses, she looked over at where the cracked wall once stood, and saw an opening for her and her friends to escape from. “Yeah, we’re free now! … Oh, well, um. I guess I could have done that a long time ago.” She said, her cheeks turning a bit red in the process.

“Wow, that was awesome! Thanks for helping us escape, Bombette.” Goombario said.

“Not a problem.” Bombette replied. “Say, I have something I want to ask you guys. What brought you to Koopa Bros. Fortress of all places?

“Well, you see, it’s a bit of a long story. The long and short of it, though, is that Bowser has imprisoned the seven Star Spirits and we’re trying to free all of them to get the Star Rod back from him, and also save Princess Peach.” Goombario explained. “We were told by Merlon that the first Star Spirit was being held by the Koopa Bros. inside of their fortress.”

“He also said that I was the key to getting inside the fortress as well.” Kooper chimed in. “Isn’t that amazing?”

“Sure, I guess. Let me ask you something, did this Merlon guy say anything about getting to the top of the fortress, or just how to get inside of it?” Bombette asked.

“Um, I think he only said how to get inside. I just figured we’d make our way to the top eventually.” Goombario replied.

“I see, then how about this. I’ll help you boys reach the Koopa Bros. at the top of the fortress.” Bombette said. “I know this place like clockwork. Plus, I’ll be able to blow up any cracked walls that are in the way. So, what do you say?” She asked, giving a little wink.

“I’m on board with that. What do you think, Mario?” Goombario asked.

Mario nodded his head and gave a thumbs up back to the young Bob-omb. As her fuse lit up once again, this time in joy, she expressed her gratitude to her new friends.

“Oh, thank you so much! I can’t wait to give those Koopa Bros. another piece of my mind!” Bombette cheered. “Now let’s get out of this dingy dungeon, shall we?”

The group began to make their way out of the dungeon, only to be stopped by a Koopa, acting as the warden, rushed through the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” The Koopa said while adjusting his shades. “Looks like we’ve got ourselves a jailbreak. Bob-omb brigade, deal with these traitors!” He ordered as over a dozen Bob-ombs burst through the door and blocked the exit.

“That’s a lot of Bob-ombs.” Kooper pointed out as he tugged on his bandana.

“Don’t worry boys, I’ve got this.” Bombette said as her fuse lit up. She charged the blockade of Bob-ombs and blew up in their faces, which caused the fortress to shake from the reverberation of the explosion. When all the dust had settled, the way was cleared, and Bombette was unharmed.

“Woah, that was intense.” Goombario stated as his body shook from the resulting bang and his eyes watered from all the soot in the air.

“It sure was, but man, that felt so good!” Bombette cheered.

“Say, um, Bombette? You a, got a little, uh-” Kooper attempted to point out all the soot on her metallic body. He took off his bandana and moved in to try and wipe it off, only for Bombette to turn his offer down.

“I appreciate the offer, but that won’t be necessary.” Bombette replied. “Let’s just get out of this dungeon and take on those blasted Koopa Bros.”

“Sounds good to me. Let’s move out everyone.” Goombario exclaimed as he and his friends exited the dungeon and made their way up the stairs. Seeing as there were no enemies around, Goombario decided to take the chance to write a new log into his journal. Kooper got the same idea and began writing in his journal, while Bombette pulled out one she had found at the bottom of the dungeon and started writing in it as well.

----------------------------------------

Goombario’s Log Day 7: Well, here we are. Mario, Kooper, and I finally stormed Koopa Bros. Fortress in order to rescue the first Star Spirit trapped inside. Once we got inside, we had to battle several Koopas and Bob-ombs loyal to the Koopa Bros. Fortunately, they were still no match for us. At first, I thought they were rather inept at their job, seeing how the black and green Koopa Bros. just ran away. That didn’t last long, sadly, as they managed to set up a trap for us and get us locked inside of their dungeon. I knew there had to be a way for us to escape somehow, but I wasn’t initially sure.

Thankfully, help came in the form of a friendly Bob-omb girl named Bombette. She was able to break open a crack in the wall for us to escape through and then blew up a whole squadron of Bob-ombs. I can tell she’s well-meaning and sweet but also has a feisty side to her as well. To be honest, though, I’m glad she’s deciding to help us beat the Koopa Bros. and navigate their fortress. Perhaps we could convince her to come along with us when this is over.

Kooper’s Log Day 2: Man, this fortress is pretty epic. Sure, it’s dark, dirty, crumbling to pieces, and filled with enemies that want us dead, but, it’s still pretty epic not gonna lie. I’ve heard stories about the Koopa Bros back home and how they left the village to pursue bigger dreams. I never thought they’d turn into this of all things. All we can do is put a stop to their tirade and rescue the Star Spirit. You guys are going down, even though their outfits do look cool.

Bombette’s Log Day 1: Those fuzzing Koopa Bros. are going to pay for locking me up in that dungeon for all eternity. Ever since I lashed out at them for their rude behaviors, I’ve been mentally preparing myself for the day I could fight them again, and finally, take them down for good. Plus, I won’t be doing it alone since Mario and his new friends are also here to fight the Koopa Bros. I already know a lot about Mario from hearing about all of his adventures; however, I don’t know a lot about the other two. There’s Goombario, a nerdy little Goomba that seems to know everything, and then Kooper, a dorky Koopa whose head might not be straight. At the very least, though, I’d rather hang around these guys than Bruce. They seem pretty nice and well meaning. Maybe I can convince them to let me tag along with them after we’re done here, but how should I word it? I’ll think about that later, right now we need to keep climbing this fortress and beat those Koopa Bros.

Chapter Text

Jaunting up the stairs, Mario and his friends were eager to get revenge on the Koopa Bros. and the little stunt they pulled.

“Alright, time to come up with a plan of action.” Goombario stated. “Now that we have a friend that can blow things up, I say we find some key areas we couldn’t reach before.”

“Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Bombette smirked. “Time to do a little interior decorating to this piece of junk.”

“Are you going to paint it? If so, what color?” Kooper asked as he took in the surroundings. “I’m thinking this place could use a shade of dark blue, what do you think?”

“Not that kind of ‘decorating’ shellhead.” Bombette retorted. “Follow me” She added while walking through the door on their left. Leading the group to a jail cell, she ignited her fuse and blew up a cracked wall.

“Awesome! Now we can get that key.” Goombario cheered. Mario slipped inside the room, grabbed the key, and placed it in his pocket.

“That should get us further up the fortress.” Kooper proclaimed. “Come on, guys. Let’s move.” Goombario, Bombette, and him began heading back towards the door, only to see Mario heading the opposite direction.

“Mario?” Goombario called out to, however, the plumber did not answer and continued walking away.

“Where’s he going?” Bombette asked with her eyebrows raised.

“We’d better follow him.” Goombario decided as he hoofed it to Mario. The trio of partners followed their friend stroll outside of the fortress and over to a cracked wall. Mario turned to his comrades and pointed at his discovery.

“I think I see what he wants.” Bombette surmised. “Stand back, boys. This one’s all mine.” Her fuse lit up once more as she charged the wall. The resulting explosion revealed a pipe hidden from their view.

“Good eye, Mario.” Goombario said. “Let’s see what’s on the other side.” The group jumped down the pipe and were spat out onto a high ledge. Upon walking a short distance, a treasure chest came into view. The contents inside revealed an FP Plus Badge.

“That’s a great find, Mario. That badge will allow us to perform more special attacks against enemies, at the cost of some badge slots.” Goombario explained.

“You can never say no to more firepower.” Bombette stated.

“Those Koopa Bros. won’t know what hit them now.” Kooper added.

“Let’s head back inside and keep climbing that fortress.” Goombario declared. Hopping down from the ledge they were perched on, the group headed back inside to continue their ascent. On their way up, Bombette destroyed another cracked wall that led them outside to another chest containing the Refund Badge. After fighting past a Koopa Paratroopa and some Bob-ombs, the group made their way to a locked door.

“That must be the lock for the key we got from the jail cell.” Bombette stated. Mario nodded his head and pulled out the key to unlock the door. Once past the door, they saw that they were above the jail cell which held the key and a red switch in front of them.

“Oh, Mario. Hop on my shell and I’ll activate stone walkways.” Kooper said as he retracted into his shell. Mario shot Kooper’s shell across the gap and hit the switch, causing a path to open up for them. “Nice one!” Kooper exclaimed. He then looked over at a wall that protruded out and blocked their path. “Now what?” He asked.

“Try hitting it from the opposite side.” Goombario observed.

“Great idea, Goombario.” Kooper replied while retracting back into his shell. With a couple of bonks here and there, the group made their way to the other side of the room. They were confronted by two more Koopa Paratroopas and Bob-ombs, but were dispatched by a POW Block and Shell Shot from Kooper. After hitting a blue switch and lowering the staircase, they found another cracked wall for Bombette to explode and reveal another key.

“What did these keys do to deserve being locked up?” Kooper pondered.

“The better question is how did the Koopa Bros. get them inside the cages in the first place?” Goombario wondered.

“Some questions that will have to wait until later.” Bombette stated. “Let’s just unlock this door and keep moving.” They grabbed the key, unlocked the door, and found themselves in another room with water below them. Two Koopa shells were spotted just floating and didn’t move an inch.

“Must be some kind of swimming pool down there.” Kooper guessed.

“Looks more like a water hole to me.” Goombario predicted.

“That’s exactly what it is.” Bombette answered.

“A swimming pool?” Kooper asked. All Bombette could do was shake her head in a resounding ‘no’. Mario, spotting a blue switch out of the corner of his eye, decided to smack it with his hammer. Suddenly, the room began to shake, as the staircase rose from the water and dragged the two shells with it. Two Koopas popped out and started waving their arms in a frenzy. Seeing this as an opportunity, Bombette ran up the stairs, exploded, and sent them plummeting back down into the drink.

“Boo-yah!” Bombette boasted. “In your face!” She bragged while hopping with a massive grin on her face.

“Nice work, Bombette. That was some quick thinking right there.” Goombario commended.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that.” She added. “Come on, we’re almost at the top.” As they climbed the staircase to the top, they encountered a Bob-omb that was guarding a new badge. Mario tried to juke him out, but was unsuccessful in his attempt. Once he was dealt with, the Smash Charge Badge was theirs. Heading to the doors on the right, the team was brought outside to an enormous corridor, with the Koopa Bros. on the other side.

“Well, well, well! Mario! I wouldn’t have bet you’d make it this far. Pfffff… Don’t get smug, pal!” Red Koopa Bro taunted. “You just caught us off guard. Trust me, we’ll mop the floor with you if we get serious! We’re as cool as they come!” He boasted. Hopping down to meet with his teammates, he ordered them to fire the Bill Blasters towards Mario.

“Woah, these guys mean business.” Goombario remarked.

“Tell me about it. They sure don’t want to give up that Star Spirit.” Bombette added.

“We can still take them no problem, right?” Kooper claimed.

“You’re right. Let’s dodge those Bullet Bills and make for the Bill Blasters on the other side.” Goombario declared. Stepping onto the bridge, the group made a quick detour down some stairs and past a rock to obtain some Maple Syrup. Once on the main path, they began to duck and weave between the onslaught.

“Those guys are Bullet Bills, they’re kamikaze attackers.” Goombario stated as he sidestepped past one. If you don’t beat them quickly, they’ll slam into you and explode. Watch yourselves, guys. You don’t want to get caught in their line of fire.”

“Is now the time for fun facts, Goombario?” Kooper asked as he turned his head towards him, only to get decked in the back of the head. “Ow…” He added while he rubbed his head. Mario grabbed him by the arm and dragged him from atop his shell. Bombette continued to charge past the barrage and barreled directly towards the Bill Blasters as a fuse lit up. One explosion later, and one of the blasters had been destroyed, leaving only two remaining.

“Those are Bill Blasters. They are cannons that shoot out Bullet Bills.” Goombario stated. “They won’t attack us directly, but they’ll keep shooting out Bullet Bills as long as they can. We can either take them out at once, or one at a time.”

“I think I prefer my method of dealing with them. One word: Boom.” Bombette smirked as she ran up to one of the blasters, exploded, and took it down.

“One down, one to go.” Goombario said. The Bill Blaster shot out a Bullet Bill that was ready to attack back.

“I don’t think so, mister.” Bombette teased. “Mario, take out that Bullet Bill. The blaster’s all mine.” Mario ground his shoes against the hard stone, leaped into the air, and stomped the Bullet Bill into the ground. Once the path was clear, Bombette rushed the final blaster and brought it down.

“Nice work, everyone.” Goombario exclaimed.

“Oh yeah, let’s go!” Bombette cheered. “We rock.”

“Y-Yeah. We’re… the best.” Kooper gasped as he fell to the floor. Goombario looked over at his fallen friend and examined his injuries.

“He’s bruised, but he’ll be fine.” Goombario assured. “I guess we’re doing this fight without him.”

“Perfect. More shots for me.” Bombette smirked. “Let’s get them, boys. Charge!” She yelled as she blew open the door and bolted inside.

“Hey, wait for us!” Goombario cried out as he and Mario ran up to catch her. Once inside the room, they were confronted by one of the Koopa Bros., who was shocked to see they made it past the barrage.

“You guys ready?!” Black Koopa Bro shouted.

“Hey, Black! What are you doing?!” Red Koopa Bro. intervened. “Hurry, man! Shake a leg!” The two ran off to the opposite side of the room out of Mario and his friends' view. All they could hear were grunts, crashes, and bangs from behind a dark gray curtain.

“Yaaaaaaaa!!!” Suddenly, from behind the curtain, King Bowser appeared before them.

“Ugh, where are we?” Kooper asked while he held his head. When his eyes darted upward, he was face to face with the Koopa King himself. “B-B-B-B-BOWSER!” He shrieked and retracted back into his shell.

“Gah ha ha ha!!! I’ve been waiting for you, Mario! Bwa ha ha ha har!” Bowser??? taunted. “The strongest! The coolest! Behold the glory that is the great Evil King Bowser! It’s time for me to beat these foolish ideas out of you! Saving Peach? Please!! Watch and weep!” He exclaimed while his hand chopped in the air.

“Bowser…? But he looks kind of… lame. I mean, he’s lame anyway, but does Bowser really look like this? I always imagined him looking, well, a lot scarier.” Goombario observed and questioned as his eyebrows raised.

“That’s because it’s a faker.” Bombette asserted. “Tell me, does Bowser have buttons for eyes, metal bolts attaching his arms, and moves around on wheels?” Kooper pops his head out to get a closer look, but due to his concussion, his vision is still fuzzy.

“That looks like him to me and he’s even scarier up close.” He uttered before retreating back inside his shell.

“I am surrounded by idiots.” Bombetter grumbled to herself. “Mario, got anything useful against this faker?” Mario reached into his bag and pulled out a Thunder Bolt, dealing heavy damage to the enemy. Bowser??? proceeded to roll up to Mario, raised his hand, and slammed it into Mario’s noggin. Thankfully, Mario blocked the attack on time and took no damage.

“Gah ha ha ha!! I am invincible! You are powerless before me!” Bowser??? shouted. Bombette, growing evermore tiresome of these antics, stepped into the fray.

“Alright, tough guy. Let’s see how you like a taste of my fire power!”She boasted while running up to him and blew up in his face. Mario followed up with a swing of his hammer to the feet.

“Ugh, you’re pathetic! Are you always this weak?” Bowser??? mocked.

“(Um… Red! We’ve got rip in a lot of different places here!)” A Koopa Bro. whispered to Red from within the suit.

“(Forget about it! Mario’s shaking in his boots! Let’s get him!)” Red Koopa Bro. whispered back.

“Did you guys hear something?” Kooper asked after popping his head out again. Mario walked up to the opponent once more and struck the stomach with all the force he could muster.

“Oh, no!! That costume was perfect!! Bowser loved it!!” Bowser??? screamed as his head violently shook in all directions and leapt off of his platform, before he exploded into several pieces. A few moments later, the Koopa Bros. landed and struck a pose.

“Here come the Koopa Bros!” They shouted in unison. Red ordered his team to get into a tower formation while he took the top position. He pointed his finger right at Mario’s nose and proclaimed, “Ok, Mario! Have a taste of this!”

“It’s the Koopa Bros., everyone.” Goombario stated as he squinted his eyes to observe their formation. “From the bottom to the top, we have Green Ninjakoopa. He looks exactly the same as a normal Koopa Troopa. Next is Yellow Ninjakoopa. Yellow reminds me of curry. Maybe we can have some after this battle is over. Goomama makes a really good curry.” Goombario claimed, imagining the spicy taste all along his mouth.

“Ahem!” Bombette grunted with her brows furrowed.

“Oh, right. Sorry about that.” Goombario apologized before refocusing his vision on the enemies. “That’s Black Ninjakoopa. Black is pretty fashionable.”

“Not as much as blue, right? Kooper chimed in.

“Sure.” Goombario replied. “Finally, that’s Red Ninjakoopa, the leader of the bunch. He’s still just a regular Koopa Troopa, though. Looks like they’ve formed a Koopa tower! They do a spinning attack that can do major damage to you, Mario. If you can knock them over with a hammer or explosion, they’ll be on their back and completely defenseless.”

“Hey, Red. Isn’t that the Bob-omb that blew up in our faces?” Green Koopa Bro noted.

“Now that you mention it, yeah, that is her.” Yellow Koopa Bro added.

“She thought she was really smart for pulling a stunt like that on us Koopas.” Black Koopa Bro mocked.

“I’d expect nothing less from a girl like her.” Red Koopa Bro chastised. In an instant, Bombette’s fuse was set a sunder and her brows furrowed as far as they could go. Her feet ground against the floor as she looked up at her ex employers.

“You… take… that… BACK!!!” She yelled at the top of her lungs and charged the tower. Within the blink of an eye, her explosion knocked the Koopa Bros off of their feet and onto their shells, completely helpless to attacks.

“Woah.” Goombario muttered in utter shock and awe. Mario, waiting no time, reached into his bag and pulled out a Dizzy Dial, in hopes of keeping the Koopas stunned. The Koopa Bros gazed into the item’s spinning vortex, leaving two of them dizzy. Green and Black Koopa Bro remained conscious and formed a tower in an attempt to strike the pesky plumber, only for them to zip right past him.

“Ha, you missed!” Kooper retaliated.

“T-That was just a warning!” Black Koopa Bro responded while he wiped away a strand of sweat. Mario took the opportunity to attack the Yellow Koopa Bro while he was still dazed. After his successful jump and stomp, Red Koopa Bro got back into the fray and hopped onto the tower for another attack, of which Mario was unable to dodge.

“How did that feel, plumber boy?!” Red Koopa Bro bragged. The red italian said nothing back, instead prepared himself for a Power Jump onto Yellow Koopa Bro. He leapt over the tower of Koopas and struck their fellow teammate’s stomach, knocking the wind right out of him.

“Sorry guys, I gotta sit this one out.” Yellow Koopa Bro. wheezed.

“Stop being a baby and help us!” Red Koopa Bro commanded with his fist clenched.

“Forget it, Red. The three of us can still beat him no problem.” Black Koopa Bro reassured.

“Here comes the pain!” Green Koopa Bro cried as the trio used their tower attack to strike Mario.

“This looks bad, guys.” Goombario quivered while he observed the fight. “You have to knock them down before they can dish out another attack and fast!”

“Mario and I have this covered, Goombario.” Bombette stated. “Let’s bash them up properly, shall we?” Mario swung his hammer at the tower while Bombette followed up with a body slam, knocking the Koopa Bros off balance once more. Seeing an opportunity to strike, Mario pulled out the Power Bounce strategy and stomped on Green Koopa Bro several times until he was down for the count.

“Aw man, I hate losing.” Green Koopa Bro whined.

“Go for the black Koopa Bro next.” Goombario advised.

“Hey!” Black Koopa Bro shouted.

“You know what I meant!” Goombario retorted.

“I agree. Attach him, not me!” Red Koopa Bro chimed in.

“Don’t worry, you’ll all get the proper beating you shellheads deserve.” Bombette replied. “Let’s hit them where it hurts, Mario.” The duo went in for another jump combo and body slam attack, which knocked out Black Koopa Bro.

“I’ve been defeated, but I can’t fall here. I must retreat.” Black Koopa Bro whimpered.

“You may have beaten my brothers in arms, but now you will face the wrath of the leader of the Koopa Bros. Have at you!” Red Koopa Bro bellowed as he retracted into his shell for an attack, only for him to miss Mario entirely. “No, that’s impossible!” He shouted.

“Looks like it’s lights out for you, Koopa Bros.” Kooper smirked. “Mario, show them the true power of teamwork.” Mario ground his feet against the floor, leapt into the air, and was boosted by his friends along the way. First, bounding off Goombario’s head, then getting a boost from Bombette, into a handstand toss with Kooper, and finally, a Power Jump into Red Koopa Bro’s face.

“Here’s one more for the road, boys.” Bombette grinned as her fuse lit up one more time. Staring down at the Koopas that caused her and her friends so much agony, now a twitchy mess, made the final blast all the more satisfying. Her explosion sent the Koopa Bros plummeting down the tower and right into the dungeon below, of which they will never escape from.

“Is it over?” Kooper asked while he looked around. “Did we win?” Suddenly, a flash of light envelops in front of their eyes. From within that light, a card pops out and twirls before their very eyes. The back showed the face of their adversary, Bowser, surrounded by a dark violet and crimson color scheme. The front, however, showed the team what they had been fighting for this whole adventure; the first of the seven Star Spirits.

“Looks like our adventure is only getting started.” Goombario gleamed. “Mario, would you please do the honors?” Mario walked over to the card, and with the slightest touch of his fingers, the card began to fade away from corner to corner. All that remained in the center was the smiling face of the first Star Spirit, now freed from his eternal prison.

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Goombario's Log Day 8: Well, we did it. After ascending the floors of Koopa Bros. Fortress and dodging out of the way of those Bullet Bills, we took on the Koopa Bros. First, we had to knock out their Bowser replica, and they genuinely thought they were fooling us with that. I mean, I've never seen Bowser in person before, but I'm pretty sure he wasn't made out of cardboard. And so we beat the Koopa Bros. at their fortress and rescued the first Star Spirit. Still, six Star Spirits remain imprisoned, and we must save them as quickly as we can. The future of the Mushroom Kingdom, Star Haven and, of course, Princess Peach, lie in the hands of Mario, Kooper, Bombette, and myself.

Kooper's Log Day 3: Oh man, I can't believe we got to fight THE Bowser! I mean, Mario, Goombario, and Bombette took care of him, but it's the thought that counts. I was absolutely shell-shocked to see that Bowser was just the Koopa Bros. this entire time! Man, you learn something new everyday. Though, the more that I think about it, maybe that wasn’t the real Bowser. I mean, he never pulled out the Star Rod once during that battle. Let’s just hope we don’t run into him again any time soon.

Bombette's Log Day 2: BOOM! Take that, Koopa Bros! That's what you get for locking me and my friends in a dungeon for all eternity. The adrenaline rush I’m feeling right now is real, I tell you! Now that my former bosses have been knocked down for good, I'm a free girl now. The same can be said for the Star Spirit we just saved, too. I cannot wait to see the sun again and venture off to our next destination. So long Koopa Bros. Fortress, I won't miss you.

Chapter Text

Stepping out of the grody fortress of the former notorious Koopa Bros, Mario and his partners speak with Eldstar, one of the Star Spirits imprisoned by Bowser.

“Mario, I believe you’ll save us all… From the bottom of my heart, I appreciate all you’ve done. Thank you.” Eldstar spoke. “Since you have freed me from my prison, the seal on my power is broken, and I will recover it little by little. As long as an ounce of power remains in me, I shall help you.” The elder Star Spirit raised his arms towards the haven, as he prepared to send his gift of gratitude to his saviors. Multicolored sparkles enveloped Mario and his comrades, with some extending their arms to try and touch them.

“Woah. What’s happening?” Kooper asked, memorized by the sights in front of him.

“I grant you the ability to harness the Star Spirit’s power in battle.” Eldstar proclaimed. “Using a Star Power requires Star Energy. Would you like me to explain how to use this power on your journey?” He asked. Mario shook his head, which meant he did not need to hear what the elder Star Spirit had to say. “I suggest you listen, for this information is of the utmost importance to your success against Bowser.” He urged.

“Come on, Mario. He’s offering us the power of the stars themselves.” Goombario explained. “I know a lot about this world, but I never thought I could learn about how to utilize the powers of the Star Spirits. Please, Mario?” He begged while he dropped to his knees and pleaded. Mario, however, would not give him the time of day and rejected the elder’s offer.

“Alright, if you say so.” Eldstar begrudgingly accepted. “Mario… listen carefully. You must save the other Star Spirits quickly! If the seven of us come together, we’ll be able to bestow upon you a Star Power called the Star Beam. It is the only thing that can counteract the Star Rod that Bowser wields. I must return to Star Haven, but I’ll always be watching you. Save us all, Mario!” the elder Star Spirit stated. He became enveloped by sparkles as he ascended back into the sky.

“There he goes. Back where he belongs.” Bombette observed. She turned back to face the fortress once more, as a sigh of relief swept across her body.

“You know, I heard this fortress was originally built around the same time the Bob-ombs took up residence on Pleasant Path.” Goombario stated as he searched through his trusty book.

“Was it built to house the Bob-ombs or keep them out?” Kooper questioned.

“I don’t think the Bob-ombs built the fortress itself, but they did become its caretakers before the Koopa Bros showed up.” Goombario explained.

“Fascinating.” Bombette remarked. “Maybe now since those shellheads are out of commission, us Bob-ombs can take the place back for ourselves. This place could use a serious makeover.” She stated.

“Speaking of which, where are the rest of the Bob-ombs?” Kooper asked while he scratched his head.

“Now that you mention it, I didn’t see any of your friends while we were climbing down, Bombette.” Goombario added.

“Hmm, you’re right. Maybe we should check Koopa Village to see if they ended up there.” She suggested.

“Sounds good to me. I can’t wait to sleep in my own bed again after all this time.” Kooper cheered.

“It’s only been like three days since we left.” Goombario remarked.

“Yet it felt like an eternity.” Kooper claimed while he wiped his brow with his bandana. “I wonder how Kolorado manages to do all of this adventuring for weeks on end?” He pondered while he tied his bandana back around his neck. “Anyways, back to Koopa Village!” He bellowed and ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

“Hey, wait up!” Goombario cried out. Mario, Bombette, and him bolted down Pleasant Path to catch up with their quick-footed fellow. After a short while, the group caught up to Kooper, who was currently surrounded by other Koopas.

“Everyone, three cheers for Kooper!” A veridian-shelled Koopa yelled. “Hip hip!”

“Hooray!” The crowd of Koopas chanted while they tossed Kooper into the air. As the celebration continued, Mario and his friends watched on with no clue as to what was going on.

“Looks like they’re having a party over here.” Goombario observed.

“Yeah, but they’re only celebrating for Kooper.” Bombette pointed out. “Plus, that shellhead didn’t even land a hit on the Koopa Bros!” Kooper, upon hearing the voices of his friends, leapt down from the crowd.

“Everyone, let me introduce you to my friends: Mario, Goombario, and Bombette.” Kooper said. “These guys helped cut through the hoards of enemies that stood in our path of taking down the Koopa Bros and saving the first Star Spirit. If anyone around here deserves the praise, it’s them.”

“Woah. These guys are your sidekicks, Kooper?” the veridian-shelled Koopa asked.

“Not really, Koover. Mario is the real hero here.” Kooper explained. “Goombario, Bombette, and I are just his partners.” Koover began to observe Mario’s physique and style, tilting his head back and forth to get every angle possible.

“Nah, I don’t see it.” He replied before he walked away.

“Looks like someone got a warm welcome back.” Goombario stated.

“I tried to tell them I didn’t do it alone, but they wouldn’t listen, I swear.” Kooper admitted.

“Sure, I guess. Where’s our warm welcome?” Bombette asked. Soon, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted three crimson plated Bob-ombs rushed to her location.

“Bombette! You’re safe!? Oh, joy!! I was so worried about you!” One of the crimson Bob-ombs cried out.

“Claire, Cassie, Cindy! You made it out!” Bombette cheered while grinning ear to ear.

“We heard you got locked inside of Koopa Bros dungeon. How did you escape?” Cassie asked.

“Mario rescued me. So I figured the least I could do was help him even the score with Bowser, King of the Koopas!” Bombette explained.

“Good luck, Bombette! We Bob-ombs will all be wishing you luck. Bombs away!” Cassie exclaimed while she set off a blast.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! Way to beat the Koopa Bros.!” Cindy exclaimed. “Now we can all live in this village in peace and harmony. Freedom is glorious!”

“I feel… so very happy… surrounded by friends…” Claire expressed.

“We salute you, Buh-bomb!” Cassie cheered before she set off another blast.

“Now where’s my warm welcome?” Goombario asked. Koopa stretched his body from side to side and let out a long yawn.

“Maybe we could stop by your village and get one from your folks. For now, let’s just head back to my place and rest.” Kooper yawned. “It’s not much farther, let’s go.” The sleepy-eyed Koopa led his friends back to his house, only to be greeted by some familiar faces inside. “Ah, home sweet… huh?”

“Oh, you again.” Greg responded.

“Hi, Greg.” Bombette replied.

“Hello, Bombette.” Greg said.

“Huh, gasp!” Bruce bellowed, shoving Greg out of his way and kneeled before his ex. “Bombette! How I’ve missed you since you freed us from that dungeon. I prayed with all of my might to the Star Spirits that you would return safely back to me, and now, you have returned.”

“Don’t get too complacent, Bruce.” Bombette stated, her eyes rolling in the back of her head. “I’m going with Mario to beat up Bowser.”

“B-But, it’s really lonely without you. My heart will break if you go.” Bruce confessed. “Please! I beg you! Take me with you wherever you go!”

“One Bob-omb is enough. You should stay here and take care of the village!” Bombette insisted as she stomped her foot on the ground.

“Oh, you’re so cruel, Bombette…” Bruce whimpered as he shuffled his way into Kooper’s hammock.

“Looks like you’ve got some uninvited guests in your house, Kooper.” Goombario pointed out.

“Eh, it’s fine.” Kooper shrugged off. “I need to get more comfortable being away from my house. I’ll let your friends crash here until we’re done.”

“Thanks.” Greg said. “Oh, by the way. The Koopa next door was blabbing about needing an errand of his done. Think you guys can do that?”

“Absolutely…” Bombette replied, only to be cut off by Kooper.

“NOT!” He yelled.

“Woah.” Goombario whispered while rearing back. “I did not expect that from Kooper of all people.” He said to himself. Mario decided to chime in and ask what the problem was.

“Trust me, you don’t want to take an errand from old Koopa Koot next door.” Kooper insisted.

“Who?” Greg asked.

“From what I’ve read about him, Koopa Koot is the oldest Koopa in the village.” Goombario answered while sifting through his book. “Says here that he’s famous for being selfish, stingy, and impatient. He doesn’t ask for things that are impossible, but you can bet the tasks will be hard and time consuming.”

“Not just that, but once you finish a task for him, he always has another one to ask of you.” Kooper added. “Some say, he has an unlimited amount of tasks for you to perform.”

“That’s ridiculous. He can’t be that bad.” Bombette replied. “Come on, let’s go meet this old geezer.”

“Fine, if you insist.” Kooper conceded. “But know this, once you start running errands for him, it will never end.” He warned while holding a flashlight up to his face, despite the inside being fully lit.

“Can you just go?” Greg insisted. The group exited Kooper’s house and walked next door to Koopa Koot’s house. Upon opening the door, the wrinkly, old Koopa introduced himself in a raspy voice.

“Oh welcome, young fella! I’m the elder of Koopa Village. Folks call me Koopa Koot. Say… might you do me a favor?” Mario nods his head in agreement.

“It begins.” Kooper proclaimed.

“Oh!!! How very kind of you! I guess the younger generation isn’t so bad after all.” Koopa Koot said. “Well then, young fella! I don’t usually ask for favors, but… Perhaps just one little one? Could you borrow the book “Koopa Legends” from Kolorado? I’m sure his wife will be able to help you secure it for me. If it isn’t a trouble, please go there as soon as possible. You promise, young fella?”

“Okie-dokie.” Mario replied with a thumbs up.

“We’ll have it done in a jiffy.” Goombario reassured. As they stepped outside, Kooper led the group over to Kolorado’s house.

“He lives just next door to me, so at least he didn’t send us across the ocean for this errand.” Kooper said. They made their way inside to find Kolorado’s wife idling around.

“Are you looking for Kolorado?” She asked. “Sorry, but he’s off at Dry Dry Desert to do more adventuring. I swear! I send him letters, but has he written back even once? Of course not!”

“Say, do you mind if we can ask a favor of you?” Goombario asked, trying to avoid the conflict.

“Koopa Koot asked us to see if Kolorado has a book called “Koopa Legends” that he could borrow.” Kooper explained.

“Do you know if you have it here?” Bombette added.

“Of course, not a problem at all. Let me go check my husband’s bookshelf real quick.” Kolorado’s wife said. She opened the door to the other side of the house, shuffled through the collection of books on display, before finding the correct one and brought it out to Mario. “Here you go. You know, that book is rather strange. There’s photos of shells… and exercises… ‘Firmer shells in 30 days’?” Suddenly, Goombario’s cheeks were flushed red as he put the pieces together.

“U-Uh, thank you, ma’am.” He stammered. “L-Let’s just give that book to the old koot and be on our way.” In an instant, Goombario grabbed the book from Mario’s hands and rushed out the door to Koopa Koot’s house.

“What was that about?” Kooper asked?

“I have no idea.” Bombette answered. After saying their goodbyes to Kolorado’s wife, Mario, Kooper, and Bombette met back up with Goombario at Koopa Koot’s place of residence.

“Great galloping Goombas! You’re a lifesaver, Mario! This is just what I needed! Hee hee hee hee…” Koopa Koot chortled.

“Great, awesome. Let’s go now, guys.” Goombario urged, already at the door.

“Hold on there, sunny. To show my gratitude, I’d like to make a gift of this. Oh, you don’t have to be so polite, young fella. Take this.” the old Koopa insisted as he reached into his back pocket, grabbed Mario’s right hand, and placed his reward in his palm.

“One coin? That’s it?” Bombette questioned.

“I warned you.” Kooper stated.

“Whatever, it’s over. Time to leave.” Goombario insisted.

“Oh, Mario? Could you see your way to doing me another favor?” Koopa Koot asked. Mario, being the upstanding guy he is, obliged and nodded his head.

“Dangit.” The trio of partners grumbled in unison.

“Oh!!! How very kind of you! I guess the younger generation isn’t so bad after all.” Koopa Koot said. “Well then, young fella! I don’t usually ask for favors, but… lately I’ve been sleeping poorly. I’d love a Sleepy Sheep to help me catch a little shut-eye. Do you have one on you, perhaps?” Mario reached into his bag, pulled out a Sleepy Sheep, and handed it to the withering Koopa.

“My stars! You’re a veritable hero, Mario! Finally, some peace and quiet! Sweet dreams, here I come! Hee hee hee hee… Here, take this as a small token.” He said while giving out another coin to Mario.

“Ok, now we’re done. Guys, let’s go.” Goombario demanded while opening the door wide open.

“Yeah, let’s leave.” Kooper agreed.

“Ditto.” Bombette repeated. The three partners walked out of the old koot’s house and wanted to forget everything that had happened not five minutes ago.

“Ok, you were right, Kooper. Taking favors from that guy was a mistake.” Goombario concluded.

“I tried to warn you. It just isn’t worth it.” Kooper forewarned.

“You’d have to be insane to keep taking errands from that wrinkly shellhead.” Bombette claimed. “Wait, where’s Mario?” The trio looked all around them with no sight of their moustachioed friend in sight. Then, all of a sudden, they came to the exact conclusion all at once.

“Oh no…” Their voices trembled. The next thing they saw was Mario walking out of Koopa Koot’s house.

“Uh, Mario…? Did you just take another favor from Koopa Koot?” Goombario winced. Mario explains what the old koot told him to the others in his italian gibberish. From what Goombario was able to translate, he gave Mario a Silver Credit Card to use at Toad’s Playroom somewhere in Toad Town. He also asked Mario to go to Goomba Village, find his Goompa, and ask him to give him a ‘tape’ he lent him a while back.

“Looks like we’re heading to Goomba Village after all.” Kooper stated.

“Ok, but first, let’s take a journal break. I need to clear my head for a while.” Goombario insisted.

“Fine by me.” Bombette replied. The trio sat down, pulled out their journals, and began to write about their day so far.

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Goombario's Log Day 9: After rescuing the first Star Spirit, Eldstar, he gave us his power to use in battle whenever we were in a pinch. What that power is, though, I have no clue, since Mario didn’t want to learn about it. Anyways, we headed back to Koopa Village and helped out the old Koopa Koot with some errands. Kooper said he was quite the hassle, but after doing two errands for the guy, I’m already sick of him. Now he wants us to go to Goomba Village and ask my Goompa about ‘The Tape’. If it’s anything like that book we gave him, I am very afraid. Aside from that, we’re preparing to make our way back to Toad Town and find the location of the next Star Spirit. Perhaps Merlon will tell us where to go next.

Kooper's Log Day 4: So, Mario started running errands for Koopa Koot. I tried to warn everyone about how much of a pain this guy truly is, but no one believed me until it was too late. We’re only two errands deep, but trust me, it only gets worse from here.

Bombette's Log Day 3: With the Koopa Bros properly thrashed up, my Bob-omb friends are now free to live amongst the Koopas in Koopa Village. I’m really grateful they have a more welcoming place to call home. Well, almost everyone. My ex boyfriend, Bruce, is also here and is still fawning over me. We haven’t dated one another for almost a year now, so take a hint buddy and move on! I can not wait to get out of this village and away from him.

Chapter Text

Before Mario and his partners set out for Toad Town, they stopped inside of a Koopa’s house, whose denizen was sun bathing on the beach, inside of his own house. Beside him sat a radio, which was playing the Golden Oldies Station. Mario turned the channel knob to the Information Station to catch an incoming broadcast.

“...but before moving on, folks. Ta-da-da-dum! Attention, listeners, ‘cause here’s your big chance to win! Anyone who takes a Koopa Leaf to the front of the main gate in Toad Town will receive a surprise gift! Right in front of the main gate, there’ll be a Toad who looks a bit eccentric. Hand the Koopa Leaf to him! That’s right, folks! You heard me right!! The big gate on the west side of Town Town. That’s the one! You’ve got only five minutes! Hurry up, everyone! Let the game begin!” The radio host shouted.

“Hey, we have a Koopa Leaf on us right now.” Goombario observed.

“This could be our chance to win it big!” Kooper cheered and hopped.

“Well, what are we waiting for, to Toad Town!” Bombette exclaimed. The gang swiftly exited the Koopa’s house and sprinted down the main path back to Toad Town.

“We’re making good timing right now. We should get to Toad Town no problem.” Goombario stated.

“Nothing can stop us now!” Kooper boasted. Suddenly, from behind one of the bushes, a strange figure leapt in front of their path, only for him to crash into the river on the other side.

“What was that?” Bombette asked. The mysterious creature clawed his way out of the river and onto solid ground. Without missing a beat, got right into antagonizing.

“Mario! I’m talking to you! I promise you, this fight will be much different from before!” The unknown creature, who resembled a baby Koopa and wore his egg as clothing.

“What’s with the sassy lost child…?” Bombette questioned. “He wants to challenge Mario? He’s got to be kidding!” She chuckled to herself.

“Shut up!!!” The baby Koopa screamed. “You! Mario!! Of course you remember me!?” Mario simply shook his head and attempted to pass him by, but was stopped once more.

“Whaaaat! Darn it! You don’t remember me?!” The baby Koopa shouted while he stomped his foot repeatedly. “Listen, you… you big lug! My name is Jr. Troppa! Remember it and tremble! After this beating, you’ll definitely remember it!” Jr. Troopa exclaimed. Without anywhere else to go, the two sides entered into battle.

“Get ready to hurt, Mario! I’m gonna show you a new skill I just picked up!” Jr. Troopa stated, before sealing himself inside of his egg. He then began to taunt Mario for being helpless in stopping him, unbeknownst to him, however, Mario and co could not make out a single word of his.

“What are you saying!?” Kooper shouted. “We can’t hear you inside that egg!”

“Hmm, let me think.” Goombario said as he pulled out his book. “So, his name is Jr. Troopa. He looks so adorable hiding in his egg, doesn’t he?”

“Any advice on cracking that egg?” Bombette asked.

“I’d say anything with enough punch to pierce his sturdy defense.” Goombario predicted.

“Sounds like a perfect job for me.” Bombette bragged. Jr. Troopa popped up from his defense, ran up to Mario, and bopped him on the head. Fortunately, Mario blocked his attack on time. He then proceeded to pull out his trusty hammer, ran up to the shielded Koopa, and bash him on the top. Jr. then retaliated with another strike to Mario’s noggin and cackled at his puny attacks. Mario then saw an opportunity to turn the battle in their favor, and summoned Eldstar to lend them aid. Eldstar floated down from the heavens, encircled the group, and gave them a boost to their health and power.

“Oh, so that’s what Eldstar can do.” Goombario observed. “He can heal us a little and let us deal more crushing attacks.”

“In that case, let me at the little squirt!” Bombette said as she ignited her fuse and blew up next to Jr.

“Youch! What was that!?” Jr. Troopa cried out while flailing his arms and legs, before he recollected his composure. “I mean, take this, Mario!” He ran up to Mario and walloped him upside the head again, though, of course, Mario cushioned the impact. Mario retaliated with a Power Jump onto the kid’s cranium, while Bombette followed up with a Body Slam. In between the attacks, Mario took the chance to pray to the Star Spirits in the hopes of them granting him their powers once more. Sure enough, Eldstar returned and gave the group the final push they needed to finish off Jr. Troopa.

“Alright, let’s end this fight.” Bombette stated, as she ignited her fuse once more, ran up to Jr., and exploded. When the dust had settled, Jr Troopa laid dizzy on the ground and twitched every so often.

“Woo, we did it!” Kooper cheered.

“You mean Mario and I did it. You just stood around and watched.” Bombette pointed out.

“Hey, I was trying to communicate with him, but he wasn’t answering.” Kooper claimed.

“Look, we can discuss this later. We still have a radio contest to win.” Goombario stated.

“Shoot, you’re right. Let’s get moving!” Bombette affirmed. The group continued their trek back to Toad Town as fast as their legs could carry them.

“Say, Goombario. Who was that Jr. Troopa guy?” Kooper asked.

“Is now the best time to be asking questions?” Bombette added.

“Well, if you want to know, he used to boot us out of the forest near Goomba Village and thinks of himself as rather tough.” Goombario stated. “As far as I can tell, he goes around picking fights with people who are stronger than he is. Talk about dumb! His hobbies are working out and ordering stuff by mail.”

“How do you know that!?” Kooper blurted out as he racked his brain in an attempt to find an answer.

“Never mind that, just keep moving. Toad Town is just ahead!” Bombette shouted as she and the others approached the east gate.

“Ok, now nothing can stop us from winning that contest.” Kooper proclaimed. When, all of a sudden, a loud, frantic voice echoed throughout the town calling Mario’s name. Mario and the others stopped dead in their tracks, as Twink appeared right in front of them.

“Mario! Mario! It’s me, Twink.” The ecstatic star child cheered. “Remember me?”

“Twink, this is not a good time right now. We’re in a hurry here.” Goombario pleaded.

“Listen, I have important news directly from the princess. One of the Star Spirits is being held captive somewhere in Dry Dry Desert.” Twink explained. “It’s hidden somewhere in a place called Dry Dry Ruins.”

“Looks like that’s our next location. Thanks, uh…” Kooper stopped as he did not know the star kid’s name.

“Twink. Nice to meet you. What’s your name?” He asked.

“He’s Kooper and I’m Bombette.” Bombette blurted out. “Sorry, but we’re kind of in a hurry here. Thanks for the info.”

“Ok then. I’ll head back to her highness now. She’s so brave” Twink said whilst grinning ear to ear. The group watched as Twink flew off into the sky.

“Come on, the contest is about to end!” Goombario exclaimed as he and the others hoofed it to the main gate. As expected, a vibrant pink Toad stood within the star symbol just before the gate and awaited their arrival.

“Sorry, out of time.” The Trade Event Toad announced.

“WHAT!?” All three partners cried out in unison.

“Please try again next time.” He said before he poofed out of existence.

“Huh?” Kooper puzzled. Goombario merely let out a loud sigh.

“Back to Koopa Village.” He whined.

“Hopefully with no more distractions.” Bombette added. Mario waited no time and began to trek back to Koopa Village to redo the radio contest. Once they returned to the village, the radio announced the start of another contest to bring a Koopa Leaf to the main gate of Toad Town. Mario, and his intrepid pals, raced down the path whilst dodging any enemies that stood in their way. Upon their arrival at the main gate, the Toad welcomed them back.

“Greetings, do you have the requested item in your possession?” He eagerly asked. Mario reached into his bag and pulled out a Koopa Leaf.

“Congratulations! Here is your prize.” The Trade Event Toad exclaimed as he handed Mario a jar of Maple Syrup. “See you at the next trading event.” He added before he poofed out of existence once more.

“Got it on the second attempt.” Goombario said.

“Now what?” Kooper asked. “What do you think, Mario?” Mario’s eyes gazed over at the pipe, which led to his and Luigi’s house, walked over to it and advised his friends to follow him. Once they made it to the other side, Mario spotted his younger brother sitting atop a cracked boulder and sang to his heart’s content.

“Mario!” Luigi called out to Mario and hopped down to greet his brother. “How’s your little adventure going with your friends?” Mario gave a full rundown to his brother as he spoke in his italianese accent that only Luigi could fully comprehend. “I see. So, you picked up some new friends along the way, rescued one of the Star Spirits, and now you’re on your way to Dry Dry Desert.”

“We sure are. The four of us make a great team.” Kooper stated while he adjusted his bandana.

“You sure you don’t want to come with us?” Bombette asked.

“I could, but I still need to train up before I can set out on an adventure.” Luigi answered. “Oh, by the way, Mario. You got some letters over by the beds.” Mario gave a hug to his brother, adjusted the bill of his cap, and walked inside the house to read the mail.

“I wonder who it’s from?” Goombario asked. Mario pulled the two letters from within the shoe box, sat down on Luigi’s bed, and began to read. The first letter was from Little T. from Toad Town.

“Dear Mario,

How do you do? I’m Little T. I’m just a little Toad. I live in Toad Town. I’ve been training at the Dojo so I can save Princess Peach! I’ll write to you again later. Bye!”

The second letter was from the Koopa Bros.

“You Rat, Mario!

How dare you embarrass us! I’ll never forget what you did!

Red.

Hey! Watch your back when you walk at night!

Black.

I’m gonna make you cry!!

Green.

You’d better sleep with one eye open, pal!

Yellow.

We shall return!!

Koopa Bros.”

“How did those shellheads even send us a letter?” Bombette pondered.

“Regardless, we should head back to Toad Town and speak with the residents.” Goombario advised. Mario and his friends exited the house, waved goodbye to Luigi, and entered the pipe back to Toad Town. They decided to check in on Russ T. to see what new information he had acquired for them. Among the topics of Candy Canes on Pleasant Path and Koopa Koot being a cheapskate, he told them about a mysterious block within Dry Dry Desert that when hit enough times, would produce bountiful rewards. He also informed the group of a wizard that resided in Dry Dry Outpost that could grant the party special powers.

“W-Wait, Murluvlee has a twin sister!?” Goombario gasped, his heart rate accelerated and his body shook with excitement.

“Easy now. You don’t want your heart pumping that fast if you’re planning to visit Dry Dry Desert. You might collapse from exhaustion.” Russ T. explained.

“You’re right. Thanks for the advice.” Goombario said. The team then headed over to the Post Office, where the old postman informed them Kooper had received a letter.

“Oh boy, who’s it from!?” He gleefully asked as he took the letter in hand. “It’s from Kolorado…!” He paused as he moved his thumb off the written name. “‘s wife?”

“Well, don’t keep us waiting. Read it.” Bombette insisted. Kooper tore open the envelope and pulled out the letter.

“Kooper,

How are you doing? Your mother dropped by for a visit the other day. We had a really nice talk over some Koopa Tea. She did seem a touch disappointed that you were still on the road. She said that she’s going to cook a delicious dinner when you come back, so you have something to look forward to. Oh yes! If you happen to see my wayward husband, please tell him to come home more often. Take care.

Kolorado’s wife.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet of her. I’ll have to invite all of you guys over when this adventure is over.” Kooper said as he pressed the letter to his shell.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Bombette chimed in.

“Alright, now where to?” Goombario asked. As they walked out of the Post Office, Rhuff approached them and asked them to follow him.

“Guess what. My dad and I finally opened up our Badge Shop for you to buy badges from. Come take a look.” Rhuff explained while he led the group to his dad’s shop.

“Welcome to Rowf and Rhuff’s Badge Shop emporium. We’ve gathered rare badges found all throughout the Mushroom Kingdom, now conveniently located in the heart of Toad Town.” Rowf announced. “See anything you like?” Mario’ eyes fixated on the wide arrange of badges up for sale. He checked his bag of money and scratched at his chin as he thought about what to buy. In the end, Mario picked up the Multibounce and D-Down Pound badge for 150 coins.

“Thank you for your service, mister. Come back any time.” Rowf said. Mario then proceeded to trot to the flower garden just across the path. A Toad with pink spots on her head and an apron around her neck greeted the quartet as they approached.

“Hello! My name is Minh T. Please enjoy the beauty of this flower garden.” Minh T. said. “I’ve dreamed of planting flowers from all over the Mushroom Kingdom in this spot for everyone to admire. From what I’ve heard, Bub-ulbs carry a special kind of seed that only they possess. If you happen to find any of these guys, could you get some of their seeds for me?” She asked with her hands clasped together.

“I’m sure we can do that for you, miss.” Goombario answered.

“That is so kind of you, mister. Just bring the seeds to me and I’ll plant them right away.” Minh T. replied. Kooper soon let out a yawn and stretched his arms back.

“All this running around has made me tired. Do you think we can rest up for a while?” He groggily asked whilst rubbing his eyes.

“Sure. The inn is just over there. I could get some shut-eye as well.” Bombette added. As the group headed for the inn, they passed by a Toad with blue spots, who was admiring Minh T. from afar.

“Ah, lovely Minh T.! The most beautiful flower in the garden! She's so cute!” He gushed whilst holding his hand to his chest. “If I were a Star Spirit, then I could grant all of Minh T.’s wishes and make her the happiest Toad in the land!”

“... Prevert.” Bombette said to herself as she entered the inn with her friends. Once inside, the three partners pulled out their journals and began to write about their day.

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Goombario's Log Day 10: Before we left Koopa Village, we tuned into a radio station and heard that there was a contest to take a Koopa Leaf to the front of Toad Town in order to win a prize. Feeling the rush of excitement after besting the Koopa Bros. while also having a Koopa Leaf in our possession, we raced down the path to Toad Town. On our way, however, Jr. Troopa, the neighborhood bully, decided to fight us. He was a bit tough to crack, but we managed to get past him. Then, just as we entered the town, Twink flew by and told us to head for Dry Dry Desert to find the next Star Spirit. Due to all of these distractions, we arrived just a few seconds too late, forcing us to make a return trip to Koopa Village and try again.. Thankfully, we got there with no interruptions and received some Maple Syrup for our trouble. After that, we went around town and talked to the residents, visited Luigi, and checked out the Badge Shop. I also learned that Murluvlee has a twin sister. I bet she's just as beautiful as well!

Kooper's Log Day 5: Man, what was up with that Jr. Troopa? The kid was as small as they get and yet he's some kind of menace. Goombario told us that his hobbies consisted of working out and ordering stuff by mail. Who would send stuff to this little brat anyway? Also, is that guy even old enough to have a home with an address to deliver mail to? Where does he even live, for that matter? I guess some questions will never be answered

Bombette's Log Day 4: Yeesh, even the Toads here can be hopeless romantics. We met with Minh T. who runs the flower garden in Toad Town and asked us to find Bub-ulbs to plant in her garden. As we were walking to the inn, we overheard this creepy Toad that had a crush on her. I thought my ex boyfriend, Bruce, was a hopeless romantic, but that toad took it to another level. I was hoping to clear my head from all the lovey-dovey stuff, but I guess that’s not possible.