[center][img]http://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjY2LjEyMjZlMi5UV0Z5YVc4LC4y/joystix.monospace.png[/img][/center]
[center][color=ed1c24][b]Level:[/b][/color] 1
[color=ed1c24][b]Day/Time:[/b][/color] Day One; Evening
[color=ed1c24][b]Location:[/b][/color] Forest of Illusion to Tetris Castle Reception Hall.
[color=ed1c24][b]Tag:[/b][/color] [@Lmpkio] [color=0072bc][b]Mention:[/b][/color] Everyone Else[/center]


[b]Mushroom Kingdom[/b]
[i]Forest of Illusion[/i]


The trees in the forest were its most noticeable characteristic. They grew tall to towering heights, their fresh leafy branches blotting out the crisp blue sky. Was it day? Was it night? No traveler knew for certain once they had chosen to traverse the treacherous woods. Overhead, riding on a smiling cloud, Lakitu sailed over the treetops like a plane flying low over an ocean of green. The arbors were smiling, which to most first-time visitors to the Mushroom Kingdom found creepy rather than cheerful. There was nothing cheerful about being in a mysterious forest full of feral Wigglers, Galoombas, Winged Koopas, and Chargin’ Chucks that wanted to harm you. Lakitu was on a quest, and as much as he didn’t wish to dive into the depths of illusion, he ducked back inside his cloud as it began to sink like a submarine beneath the boughs.

The forest was dim, but strangely not dark. It must have been pitch-black at night. Lakitu poked his head out of his cloud again and began turning about, looking this way and that, searching for the hero that his letter sensed. The letter was like a radar, the magic it was infused with causing it to tremble the closer he came to a hero and by the looks of it, he was close!

Out of all the letters that he had delivered so far, this was the one hero who he was most familiar with. In a clearing a few yards ahead, Lakitu saw a kneeling figure draped in a brown tattered cloak. His hand was clutching the handle of a massive hammer and his back was rising and falling with what could only be labored breaths. As he closed the distance, the man’s grip on the mallet tensed, and it was only sheer luck that the weapon that had been swung around with every intention to knock him from his cloud had missed him. The breeze from the swing blew Lakitu back and with a frightened cry, he dropped the letter on the ground and took off like a rocket back into the sky.

The man’s mouth fell open as he continued to pant. Drops of hot sweat rolled down the sides of his face and dripped from his chin. His barreled chest swelled and sank beneath a pair of blue overalls as he tried to calm his rapidly beating heart. From beneath dark, thick brows, he first peered down at the letter and then up at the tree canopy where the Lakitu had disappeared.

[color=0072bc][b]“Well, shit, he was deliverin’ a letter?”[/b][/color] he thought aloud to himself. He was used to those creatures trying to lob spiked balls at him. The Forest of Illusion was no walk in the park. It was a dangerous place and so far every creature within it had tried to kill him. Mario had been using it as a training ground. The reason as to why he had vanished was in his muscular physique. Setting down the hammer with a wooden thud, he crouched before the note and picked it up. Eying the seal with zero recognition, he broke the wax and began to read over the summons. Midway through, Mario sighed in exasperation and bowed his head.

[color=0072bc][b]“I was really hopin’ that I was finally done with adventurin’,”[/b][/color] he grumbled. Wiping away some salty sweat and dirt that nearly rolled into his eyes, he stood and stared for a few seconds at the two responses: “Yes” or “No.”

Glancing at his current surroundings, he silently contemplated if he still wanted to be here. The adventure was tempting and who knows, there might be some more princesses to save? The corner of his mouth quirked at the thought and with his index finger, he touched the answer: “Yes.”

[center][color=black][h3]…………...................................................................................[/h3][/color][/center]

[b]Platform Kingdom[/b]
[i]Tetris Castle[/i]

The cloaked warrior crossed the threshold of the warp elevator to come before the intoxicating odors that filled the grand space with its delectable heat. Garment still concealing his appearance, Mario’s chest expanded with a deep and appreciative breathd. His lips curled pleasantly and his hands clenched into excited fists.

[color=00aeef][i]Aaah~![/i][/color] he exhaled. His blue eyes opened with a feral glimmer as drool welled in his mouth.

[color=ed1c24][i]I forgot that castles not only mean princess babes, but feasts! How long has it been since I started this crummy diet?[/i][/color] he wondered, his teeth clenched into a wide and shameless grin. [color=ed1c24][i]This is probably a once in a life time opportunity (doubt it). I can cheat this once. Oh man, I’m goin’ in![/i][/color]

The cloaked figure ran with hasty excitement over to the table and without grabbing a plate or eating utensils, he dove right in much like the tongue-creature [@Hylozoist]. He grabbed a turkey leg and tore it from its base before cramming it between his jaws. His teeth sank into the brown, crispy meat and skin as he turned his head to tear it right from the bone. His other hand had grabbed a roll that he dragged through a bed of mashed potatoes and gravy and attempted to stuff it into his mouth along with the still, partially digested turkey. With both cheeks packed round and full of food, it only took a moment before it struck the back of his throat. Mario’s gag-reflex immediately kicked in. The food was stuck!

A fist went to his mouth as he bent over, choking while trying not to send missiles of sticky food flying every which way. His eyes watered, and as he bent over hammering a fist against his chest, he happened to notice a familiar armored heroine in the room.

[color=ed1c24][i]Shit, Samus is here?[/i][/color] It was then that Mario noticed that not only the bounty hunter was in the castle, but other characters—some from video game lands he had never heard of…they were weird-looking. But besides them, he couldn’t be seen looking so weak in front of the [s]space babe[/s] Smash rival. He was a [i]man[/i] after all!

With tears in his eyes, Mario grasped the table and with one big [i]gulp![/i] managed to get the food down. He panted as though he had just ran a marathon, hanging his head in relief. [color=ed1c24][i]And here I thought the Forest of Illusion was gonna be my grave.[/i][/color] What an embarrassing way for a legendary hero to go. And he had just signed up for this business!

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, Mario continued to eye Samus until a fox-like smile stretched on his face. He couldn’t believe that she was still hiding beneath all of that metal. Why, he remembered the first day they met. They had met in the first Smash Arena and he had thought she was a man. Boy was he wrong (and he was so happy to be wrong!) There was a serious babe beneath all of that metal, and it was about time someone showed her how to relax and let the hair down every once and awhile.

[color=ed1c24][i]Hmm…[/i][/color] His blue eyes rolled down to the banquet table to the casserole of hot potatoes. She was going to hate him. Grinning mischievously, Mario grasped a spoon and scooped out a big wad of the potatoes. Grasping it like a snowball, he patted it into a sphere within his hands before he cranked it back.

[color=ed1c24][i]Back to my major league days![/i][/color]

[color=0072bc][b]“Hey, Samus!”[/b][/color] he called, hoping to get her to turn around—turn around right into it!

Mario lobbed the potato ball right for the back of her head; however, if his trickery worked, then she would turn into the potato ball as expected. Potato balls tended to splatter so anyone in her vicinity could risk getting splashed by flying starch.