Super Mario Sunshine

Chapter 11 - The Secret of the Sandcastle

   The filtered sunlight speckled the open port as Mario and Freddy made their way near the familiar doors of the police station. Water jets, sprinkling seemingly unnecessary water, arced over the waters of the port below, occasionally overshooting and creating a slippery ground beneath them. Splashing happily from puddle to puddle, Freddy was clearly enjoying himself.

   As the two made their way across the port and under the gaze of the great Shine Gate, a considerable racket had seemed to have started up in the harbor again. It was true as Peach had observed: small boats were beginning to be loaded and sent off, and more sailors worked busily down by the docks. Nearby, a couple of more burly-looking ones were bickering over something rather loudly, so that the whole harbor could hear.

   "That's hogwash! Your ancestors were all hairdressers!" A green one in a tank top snorted disdainfully, powerful voice carrying across the yard. "You liar!"

   The other, a mustachioed purple pianta who was seemingly working alongside him, insisted, "I'm not lying! I even saw the plans for it!" At his companion's unconvinced snort, he added, "You're just not listening to me, you pickled squid-brain!"

   The human shook his head in silent observation and couldn't help a snort of amusement as they passed on. The loud and boisterous piantas in their work environment were certainly different from the timid toadstools he was used to. That was a fact he had picked up right away.

   The piantas instantly struck one as a fun-loving race who also loved to argue. They all seemed to be good people at heart, of course, but in general, they just... didn't seem to think quite so much as they acted. Especially not in court, Mario added a bit disdainfully.

Nearing the all-too-familiar police station doors and the east shore he knew would follow, Mario tried to push those thoughts away and turned to Freddy. "Keep close, okay?" he instructed.

   The blue toadstool nodded beside him absentmindedly. "Yeah, okay... hey, what's that?"

   Springing forward at something suddenly catching his eye, the little creature was away almost as quickly as he'd promised not to. With a frown and a skyward glance at the building which was supposed to hide the lighthouse, Mario followed. He had a mission to focus on here, and he hoped bringing Freddy hadn't been just a big distraction.

   Stopping beside the toadstool near the side of a building, he found Freddy strangely quiet. He was staring at something plastered to the wall - a big, blue paper or advertisement of some sort - and slowly Freddy's eyes grew wide.

   "Mario... I know this poster!"

In mild surprise, the human followed his gaze - and stopped. To his shock, he found that he did too; and how could he not? He'd never gotten to see it up close before, but one glance told him all he needed to know.

There before him stared back a slightly twisted but still unmistakable drawing of his own face.

   "It's... the wanted poster from the trial!" Freddy exclaimed. "Yeah... That guy said they were all over the town or something, and..."

Mario stared and shook his head in dismay, unable to believe the image before his eyes. "And they haven't - taken them down?"

"Guess not." Freddy tilted his head. "Boy, they sure do make you look evil."

   Slowly, Mario nodded in agreement, narrowed eyes scanning the fine print at the bottom. Sure enough, he had been declared wanted by the police department well over a week ago. The physical description of the guy, while vague, and the artist's sketch did look just like him.