As a gentle, cold winter set in over the Mushroom Kingdom pure white flakes of the lightest, fluffiest snow danced down from the gray clouds above in a dazzling display of uninterrupted nature. Blanketing the modest homes and the glorious Castle under a layer of ivory whiteness, the peaceful denizens stepped outside of their home to embrace the newly arrived snowfall with open arms and joyous laughter.

Over the hills that lay just beyond the border of Toad Town, through the emerald green Warp Pipe sat the humble abode of the famous Super Mario Bros. A small plume of slate gray smoke wafted from the top of the chimney as warming fire burned in the hearth inside the home.

Kneeling down on the floor just a few inches from the flames Mario stoked the fire with the poker in one hand and adjusted the red scarf that was casually draped around his neck with the other. "Hey Luigi, you ready to go, or what?" The orange glow of the fire warmed his entire body in a soothing manner as he waited alone.

Upstairs in the green adorned bedroom Luigi nervously looked at his face in the large oval mirror as he ran a blue comb through his thick auburn hair. The act in itself seemed pointless since he pulled his green cap down over his freshly combed hair anyway, but on this day Luigi felt every detail was important to perfect. Hearing Mario calling for him from the first floor Luigi stood up straight and swung a green scarf around his own neck, wrapping it upward to try and cover his ears. "Yeah, I'm ready!" He answered as stared at his quaking hands with feigned confidence.

"'Bout time!" Mario retorted playfully to his younger brother. "C'mon, we're expected at the Castle!"

"Yeah..." Luigi tucked his trembling hand into the side pocket of his overalls and clutched his fingers around the small object concealed within. "I know."

From the first floor Mario could sense that something was weighing heavily on Luigi's mind. Their close bonds as both brothers and friends made him acutely aware of anything that was upsetting Luigi. "You okay, Weege?" Addressing Luigi by his nickname was a trick Mario often used to try and ease Luigi's anxiety or fears. "You sound a little upset."

"I'm fine." Luigi insisted as he walked down the wooden staircase to meet with Mario in the warmed living room. "Just excited, that's all."

"Excited?" Mario stopped fiddling with the hearth and dusted his soot from his otherwise pristine white gloves. "For what? We've been invited to the Castle to spend time with the Princesses dozens of times. What's so different about today? I mean, besides the snow."

"Well... you see," Luigi felt his face warm further than the hearth as his cheeks blushed. "tonight I have a date with Daisy and-"

"I see." Mario folded his arms and bowed his head with a grin on his face. "Since we were stuck taking care of Bowser during her birthday a few months back you want to make it up to her, tonight."

"Uh, yeah." Luigi agreed with Mario's conclusion as he mentally pictured the unseen item in his pocket. "I do feel bad about that." Wringing his hands together Luigi took a glance out the window and smiled at the fresh snow as it fell from the sky. Even as a kid he had always loved the snow. "But I want tonight to be special, even if I hadn't been busy on her birthday."

Mario patted Luigi's arm in approval. "Then let's go. I think I'll take a page from your book and take Peach out on a date tonight, too. It's been so long since our last vacation."

"You mean your vacation to Isle Del Fino?" Luigi opened the front door, brushing snowy mounds away from the opening with his foot and waited for Mario to join him on the porch. "Some vacation, bro!" Pulling the door shut behind him he flashed Mario a wicked smirk as he eyed the snow building up on the railing of the side of the porch and began innocently using his fingertips to play with the lightweight white fluff.

"Very funny!" Mario marched down the front porch and toward the green Warp Pipe on the edge of their property. "Like it was any better than your private getaway at your mansion?"

Luigi's next reply came in the form of a thick white snowball plopping against the back of Mario's head, knocking his red cap onto the snow at his feet. "Ha! Got ya'!" Luigi pointed and laughed at Mario as he stubbornly stood his ground on the front porch, waiting for the inevitable retaliation.

Hiding his amusement Mario casually picked his cap up from the ground, dusted the snow off of it and replaced it over his head before he turned on his heel to face his brother in the distance. "So that's how it's going to be, eh?"

Luigi put his hand on the snow covered windowsill of the house and used it to form a second snowball between his palms. "Just like every winter since we were four!"

Mario bent down a scooped up a handful of snow around his newly formed footprint and began shaping it into a large, fluffy ball. "Then it's war!"

Standing alone on her grand balcony that overlooked the snow covered Royal Garden, Princess Peach wrapped her thick, pink faux Snowshi fur coat around her arms and over her chest and watched her escaping breath disappear into a white cloud before her eyes. The snowfall had brought about a new energy throughout the entire Mushroom Kingdom. An energy of love and fun that was palpable for anyone and everyone who traversed the wintry streets. An energy that was rarely felt across the eight continents ever since Bowser's began his relentless attempts to kidnap the Princess and take over the Mushroom Kingdom.

A gentle tap at her chamber door caught her ear over the crackling sound of the burning kindling in the large fireplace that warmed the chamber. "Yes? Please come in."

The door was pushed open steadily as Toadsworth stepped inside the room and stood up straight and proud. A white colored scroll was tucked neatly beneath his arm. "Good morning, my dear." The glow of the fire created an inviting atmosphere.

"Good morning, Toadsworth." Peach left her balcony to stand inside the warmer interior of her chamber. "Do you have anything to report?"

"Ah, yes!" Toadsworth took the royal scroll and cleared his throat as he unrolled it between his hands. "Princess Daisy will be arriving shortly before noon. The unexpected snow had slowed the arrival of all carriages that must travel the snowbound routes."

"I'm glad to know she can still make it, albeit a little late." Peach quietly cleared her own throat before continuing to address her loyal ward. "Has there been any further complication caused by the snow?"

Toadsworth rolled the scroll and tucked it back under his arm for safekeeping. "Fortunately, no. The streets are difficult to navigate but not dangerous. The cold temperature has not fallen to a perilous degree, nor has there been any secondary complications caused by the sudden amass of snow."

"That's good to know, I'm glad everyone is doing well." She again tightened her coat around her arms as she found herself unable to escape the brisk chill in the air. "What of the people? Has the snow disrupted their usual routines?"

Shaking his head Toadsworth replied with a soft 'no'. "No, my dear. The only complain has come from Toad Town General. Due to the unusually early winter the medical staff does not currently have enough vaccines or medication to properly treat the impending cold and flu patients."

Smiling Peach nodded in approval. "Very well. Be sure to stay on top of any and all needs the hospital may request."

"Will do!" Toadsworth arched his brow as he studied the young Princess's face curiously. "My dear, might I ask why you're bundled up so tightly? The fireplace is doing a glorious job of warming the room. Are you feeling quite well?"

Peach dismissed his concern with a sincere smile. "I supposed I'm not used to the cold. It's been so long since we've endured such a frigid winter."

"I see." Toadsworth turned on his heel and stepped back through the chamber door. "I shall summon for you as soon as Masters Mario and Luigi arrive. In fact, they should be here within the hour. I will send young Toad to check in with our heroic brothers to ensure a timely arrival."

"Thank you Toadsworth. I shall be down to greet everyone before too long."

The door shut tight with a metallic click as Toadsworth exited the chamber, leaving Peach alone in front of the fireplace. Peach shuddered as another chill ran up her spine, making her teeth chatter and her hands tremble with cold.

"Brr!" Peach kneeled down in front of the fire and extended her opened hands up to the dancing flames. The energetic embers steadily warmed the palms of her hands and in turn she ran her hands up and down her arms in an attempt to rid herself of the intense cold. "I do hope this winter doesn't last too long!" Putting her hands toward her lips she breathed in a single warm breath and continued rubbing her arms. "I've never felt so cold before."

A flurry of snowballs littered the snowy ground outside the brothers' home. Large boot prints that were left by the dueling brothers created uneven divots in what was once a flawless layer of snow.

"Nice try, but you missed!" Luigi gloated as he easily leapt over a snowball and landed behind the green Warp Pipe. Dusting some flakes of snow from the bill of his cap all he could do was laugh and taunt Mario. "You'll have to try harder than that!"

"Heads up, Weege!" Mario made a large snowball and pointed at his younger brother. "There's no dodging this!"

As Mario threw the snowball Luigi ducked down behind the pipe, and Toad's unguarded head popped up!

"Hey guys! What's taking-" Toad was stopped midsentence as Mario's snowball smacked him right in the middle of his face. "Hey! Watch it!"

Luigi, still ducked down behind the Warp Pipe put his hands over his mouth to hold back the intense laughter that was fighting to escape.

"S-sorry Toad!" Mario used his arm to wipe flakes of snow and ice from his mustache and to hide the amusement on his face. "Didn't see you there!"

Toad wiped the snow out of his face with a quick swipe of his hand. "Yeah. Sure."

Luigi could feel his face turning red and he struggled to keep himself from laughing at poor Toad.

"Anyway," Toad finally continued to deliver his message. "Princess Peach is still expecting you both," he looked around but didn't see Luigi who was still hiding behind the Warp Pipe. "that is you and Luigi; where ever he is," Toad was unaware of Luigi holding back fits of laughter behind him. "to join her and Princess Daisy at the Castle in an hour!"

"Y-yeah." Mario was able to hold back his own laughter a lot easier than Luigi. "Thanks Toad! We'll be there." He coughed once to cover a single laugh that had managed to break free. "And, uh, sorry about that snowball."

Toad half glared, half smirked. "Yeah, sure!" Ducking back down inside the Warp Pipe he was gone in an instant.

As soon as the coast was clear both Mario and Luigi erupted into laughter, falling onto the snowy ground and laughing loudly at the unexpected situation.

...to be continued...