... Gosh, I forgot this story existed. What was happening again?

Oh, yes. I remember now.

I've been caught up on writing original fiction. I have a fictionpress account, just so ya know. Yes, this is shameless advertising. :D

Oh yes, and Para Koopa belongs to me. He's assistant interviewer on my show at Lemmy's Land.

On with the show. Now with 50% more effort!

The last few drops of rain fell from the sky just as the first rays of sunlight lit up Pipe Land. Luigi awoke scrunched under a stump with his knees up to his chest, still wearing the annoyed expression he had fallen asleep with.

A few yards away, the older brother Mario had been awake for a few minutes already. His arms were crossed, and he still held a grudge from the day before, but he was mostly dry from the branches of the willow tree.

Suddenly, the long branches parted, revealing the silhouette he knew to be his brother. "Wanna get going?"

Without a word, he stood and exited the tree. Luigi called after him, "Aw, c'mon, you're not still pissed, are you?"

"Where's the backpack?" he asked, ignoring his question. He walked quickly to a flowing river.

He tossed his brother the backpack. Stepping a little closer, he received an idea as Mario took out the canteens and filled them with water.

Luigi stretched out his arms and pushed him into the river.

He cried out, sticking his arms in front of him to break his fall and dropping the canteens, but there wasn't anything to break his fall, so he plummeted into the water. Luigi, in the meantime, was laughing so hard he had to clutch his stomach and bend over. When tears started coming to his eyes, Mario resurfaced.

"Luigi, you idiot!"

"Jeezum, it's just a little water," Luigi replied, getting over his laughing episode.

"No, I dropped the canteens! We've got nothing but desert ahead of us!" he explained in a fit of anger. He rolled his eyes and added, "I'm going after them." before plunging into the water again.

"...Oh. Oops," Luigi said to himself. He walked around the clearing for a while until Mario swam back to shore.

"Found 'em," he announced as he climbed back up on shore. "Now, I'm going to turn my back, so don't do anything stupid."

"Okay, okay," Luigi promised, giving him as glare. As soon as Mario was finished filling the canteens, he tossed one to Luigi, who clearly wasn't ready, as it hit him on the forehead.

"Ouch!" he shouted, rubbing the forming bruise above his left eye. "...I probably should've seen that coming, huh?"

"Come on, we'd better get moving. The sun's not completely overhead yet," Mario instructed, pointing toward the orange semi-circle in the distance.

Luigi opened his canteen and was about to take a drink, but Mario grabbed it before he could. "Not now, save it for when you actually need it!"

"Um, okay... How far is the desert?" he asked uncertainly.

"Not sure. It'll take us a few days to reach the other side, though." This was met with a look of great shock. "Let's get a move on!"

"Peachie, how's it going?" Bowser asked as he entered the small cell.

"What do you think? I've been locked in here for days."

Peach was certainly a sight. She hadn't eaten in about three days, her hair was shiny with grease, and she had bags under her eyes from lack of sleep.

"Mario usually saves you sooner, hm?" Bowser asked with a sarcastic edge to his voice.

"Yeah..."

"He's usually here by now?"

"Uh-huh."

"I'll help you, Peach. Just give me a few minutes."

Peach raised her head. "What are you going to do?"

"You'll see." He turned to the open doorway. "Para! Get in here!"

A young parakoopa walked into the room. Though, he did not look like any parakoopa she had ever seen before. His bright green hair stood out from the rest of the army, and a belt was around his waist, bearing a holder for a sword.

"Para, what the hell?! Haven't I told you that all recruits shave their head?! That's a violation of the dress code!" Bowser roared.

Para bowed low. "Sorry, King Koopa, sir," he apologized, standing back up.

"I'll get someone to chop off that mop when you get back, but for right now, I have an assignment for you."

"Yes, sir?"

"Find Mario and Luigi. Kill them," he ordered.

Somewhere in Peach's semiconscious mind, that sequence of words triggered a response in her brain. "What?!"

"Yes, sir, King Koopa, sir!" Para responded, saluting, then flying off.

"No! No!" Peach screamed, flashing Bowser a look of complete hatred.

"It's just a little game of cat and mouse, my princess," Bowser assured her, folding his arms and smirking.

Thanks and have a nice day!