Author's Note:

I've been a lurker here for a while now. I finally decided to submit a story after the idea came to me in French class. I wrote down some notes for it, but I couldn't stop thinking about all day.

Initially, the idea came to me after I watched Beauty and the Beast at the movie theater on opening night. Then, I saw a post on Reddit from a few months ago that theorized that the Mario Games are Beauty and the Beast and that Mario is Gaston. After that, the gears started spinning in my head.

I wanted to make this story very similar to Beauty and the Beast, more so the new movie and the musical than the animated film.

Please review if you can. I'm want some criticism.

Disclaimer: I don't own Mario or any characters in that game series... Or the Beauty and the Beast story

A long time ago, in a far away land known as the Koopa Kingdom, a prince lived in a shining castle. Although the prince had everything that his heart desired—looks, smarts, hair, money—he always wanted more. The prince was a cruel, selfish and unkind ruler to all those who lived in the land.

But, everything would change one winter's night: an old woman, seeking shelter from the bitter cold, offered the prince a single Fire Flower in exchange for a warm bed. The prince was deeply disturbed by the old woman's appearance and turned her away. In response, she warned him not to be judgement on appearance alone, for true beauty comes from within. The prince laughed and turned her away again. After yet another warning from the old woman, the prince remained unmoved and told the old woman to leave.

Suddenly, the old woman burst into a bright light and, within the light, a beautiful enchantress molded from the old woman's skin. The prince begged for forgiveness, but it was too late; it was clear to the enchantress that there was no love inside the prince.

The prince was turned into a hideous beast; the enchantress had cursed him to be like the peasants he ruled so cruelly over. His beautiful Kingdom, once a vibrant land, became a barren, volcanic wasteland. The Koopas in all nearby villages and lands turned into Dry Bones and the Goombas into inanimate objects. As for the residents of the castle, they were cursed to slowly turn into objects and Dry Bones themselves.

The prince soon learned that the Fire Flower offered to him was enchanted; if he could learn to love another, and they could learn to love him, before the flames burned out, he would once again become the handsome prince he once was. If not, he was doomed to remain a beast for all time.

More years past and the prince became desperate. And, with each failed attempt, the prince became more and more depressed and hopeless… For who could ever learn to love a beast?

Mario closed the book and looked up. He was sitting down in a one of Bowser's clown cars he and Luigi had taken after saving Princess Peach… again. The Mario Brothers began their adventure to save Peach just as winter set in. Now, it was the beginning of spring; the skies were no longer full of clouds, trees were blooming again, and the sun made everybody warmer, both physically and emotionally. When the red plumber looked up, he saw the princess, in her pink dress, standing next to Luigi, both admiring the view of the beautifully green Donut Plains below them.

"Peach, how could you read stuff like this?" Mario asked, holding the book up, "It was boring and inaccurate; the Koopa Kingdom, if you could even call it a kingdom, was never ruled by somebody who isn't a fat, angry Koopa."

"It's a fable, Mario," Luigi sighed, bringing his palm to his face in disappointment, "It's a story written for the sole purpose of conveying a moral."

Mario put the book down and stood up. He seemed to be offended by his brother's tone of voice, "Well, what's the moral supposed to be then?"

"I'll let you figure it out on your own, bro," Luigi shook his head, turning back to face the sky.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

Suddenly, Peach stepped between the two plumbers. She held both at arm's length and said, "Both of you need to relax! It's been a long adventure. Clearly, you need some time away from each other."

"Yeah, you're right, Princess," Mario nodded, sitting back down next to the book, "We've got good chemistry, me and Luigi, but we get on each other's nerves sometimes."

"Sometimes," Luigi said, quoting the word with his fingers, "It was worse before I started dating Daisy…"

In the Koopa Kingdom, a Koopa with a red shell along with a Goomba walked up the stones steps of Bowser's castle. Because the Mario Brothers were just there, the castle littered with injured Koopas and Goombas. It seemed that, with each passing Mario Bros adventure, the Koopas were becoming more and more like Dry Bones and the Goombas becoming slower. The Goomba and the Koopa passed a Hammer Bro carrying a cracked green shell and a flat Goomba. After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at their destination; Bowser's chamber.

The Koopa pushed the door open and saw Bowser staring outside on his balcony. They crossed the largely empty room, where a Fire Flower rested in a glass container on a pedestal. As the flower seemed to levitate in the air, a flame descended from the flower and hit the pedestal, burning a circle on it. As the Goomba peaked over and saw that there were several burns on the pedestal, the Koopa approached Bowser, who did not go to greet them upon entry.

The Koopa noticed a sorrowful look on Bowser's face and hesitated. However, before he could say anything, Bowser asked, "What is it, Red?"

"Sir, we have to try again… You know we have to; we don't have a choice," the Koopa, Red, said, "We're running out of time."

"Red's right," the Goomba, Goombs, said, "The flame is going out; I don't know how much time we have before it completely—"

"There's no point," Bowser sighed, "I've tried and failed so many times; I'm doomed to be like this forever…"

"Sir, please," Red begged, getting closer to Bowser. Bowser looked down at Red's small body with a look of sadness. Red took off his right glove to reveal a boney hand; though there was no blood, the skin faded and it was clear that Red's transformation into a Dry Bones had begun, "If you're not going to try again for you, then try again for us; when the Fire Flower's flame burns out, we're all doomed like you are."

"I can't keep putting myself through this," Bowser replied, almost apologetically, "I've accepted my fate; I suggest you accept yours."

With that, Red and Goombs left their king alone. Loneliness was a familiar feeling to Bowser, but he could not help but feel more anxious; he knew that the flower would go out soon and that his entire kingdom was doomed just like he was. Unknown to Bowser, one of the Koopa Kids, Lemmy, was eavesdropping on the conversation. Without another thought, Lemmy ran down to the cellar of the castle and saw one of Bowser's clown cars. By the time the sun had set, he was out of the castle, on his way to the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Today's the big day," Mario kept thinking to himself, "I have to do it... The timing could not be more perfect."

As Mario strutted down the streets in front of Mushroom City, he held his hands behind his back with the biggest smile on his face. It was the day after he and Luigi brought Peach back to the castle. And, usually the day after an adventure, Peach has a celebration with the two brothers, Daisy, Toadsworth and various toads throughout the kingdom. Mario arrived outside of a moderately big building with an "L" on a sign that hung above the door. It was Luigi's library. Just as Mario was about to go inside the building, Luigi and Peach left, both laughing at something. Closely behind them was Daisy, in her usual orange dress. As they got out of the building, Daisy clung onto Luigi's arm. They began walking away from Mario, not even noticing him.

"Oh, Peach!" Mario called from behind.

Peach turned around and saw Mario grinning. Both Luigi and Daisy turned around after Peach. "Oh, hi Mario," Peach said, sweetly, "What's up?"

"I just wanted to walk over to the castle with you," Mario said, "I knew you'd be at my brother's book place."

"Library," Luigi corrected under his breath. However, before Luigi could say anything else, Daisy stopped him by silently shushing him. As Mario and Peach walked ahead of Daisy and Luigi, Luigi rolled his eyes, "You know what he's gonna do, right?"

"Yep," Daisy replied, "I think the whole Kingdom know… Well, except Peach."

"That's too bad," Luigi shook his head in disappointment.

"What book did you get?" Mario asked as Peach walked next to him. Before Peach answered, Mario checked behind him and saw that Luigi and Daisy were walking slowly to admire the spring day. When he saw Luigi peck Daisy on the cheek, he tried to smoothly put his arm around Peach. Although it worked, it was not as smooth as Mario intended.

"I'm rereading, actually," Peach told him, "Toadeo and Toadette. You know that old play?"

"Oh yeah. I think I studied it in school once… I'm not a fan of those romances, though" Mario said, "I don't like reading them, anyway. I like living them."

"Oh..." Peach nodded slightly confused. She thought to herself, "What the hell does he mean living them?"

Mario disappeared from the party, so Peach just started talking with various other guests. As she talked with Luigi, Daisy and Toadsworth about Mario's odd behavior, Mario prepared for his own show. In the middle of the crowded foyer of the castle, Mario hid behind a group of toads at the top of the stairwell. He was no longer wearing his overalls, red hat or red shirt; instead, he was wearing a red tuxedo and his hair was gelled and combed to the left. As Mario combed his mustache while looking at himself in a hand-held mirror, a toad with red spots on his mushroom head stood by, watching him.

"This is it," Mario nodded his head as he tossed the mirror to the toad, "I can't thank you enough for what you've done, Toad."

"No thanks needed, Mario," Toad responded, almost sorrowfully. He gritted his teeth, trying to smile at the plumber, and said, "If you're happy with Peach, then I'm happy for you."

"Here goes," Mario said, confidently. As he walked down the steps to the foyer, three toadettes looked dreamily at him. Toad stepped in in front of them, obstructing their view of the plumber.

"In our dreams, ladies," Toad said. The four shared a sigh of disappointment.

As Mario descended the staircase, Peach saw him clad in the red tuxedo. She dropped the drink in her hand and stared, which caused all those she was talking with to look. When they all saw Mario, they looked back at Peach, who was stunned.

"Peach," Mario began. He took Peach's hand in his and continued, "We've known each other since we were babies... I've ventured all across this kingdom, in all worlds and lands, to keep you safe—to rescue you from the evil Koopa King. Now, Peach, my love, can you do me something?" Mario put one knee down and reached in his pocket. He pulled out a small black box and opened it, revealing a diamond ring. Peach put her hands over her mouth as her eyes widened, "Will you marry—?"

"I'm sorry, I—I…" Peach stuttered, interrupting Mario. Clearly, she looked was baffled and confused. In a dead, sprint, she pushed her way up the stairs and through an open door, which had a large star on it, leaving the party behind.