Super Mario Bros: The Fan-Adapted Novelization

Chapter 1-4: Home Again?

At last, the brothers emerged from underground, back into the inner edges of Toadwood Forest. There was nothing drastically different about it, from what they could see; birds still twittered, squirrels still bounded back and forth between trees, and the occasional deer still popped its head over a bush every now and then. As far as they knew, the woods were at peace.

Outside the forest, there were some faint screaming noises, along with the distinct smell of smoke, which no doubt came from their village. Without hesitation, the two of them rushed through the trees until they found the clearing that lead to their neighborhood. 

What they saw was a stark contrast to the tranquility of the woods. Fires engulfed dwellings of all shapes and sizes. The houses that weren't victims of the blaze were instead subject to brute force. Some of the smaller citizens bore smears of soot and ash on their faces, coughing nonstop from the smoke. People were sobbing and quivering with fear as they clung tightly to their loved ones.

The newscasts weren't joking about the devastation that the terror attacks left in their wake. Real people were suffering crushing losses, and the extent to which they suffered was enormous.

"Master Mario? Master Luigi?"

The brothers' eyes widened. Only one person they knew ever addressed them as "Master", and that same person was the only toad in the Mushroom Kingdom with an English accent. Together, they turned around slowly, finding none other than Toadsworth, the steward of the royal family, approaching them.

His age had definitely caught up with him in the years that Mario and Luigi had been away. What used to be a dark brown mustache with the occasional grey streak here and there was now completely grey. The mushroom cap on his head had also turned beige, with brown spots dotting the top and sides. Even the red vest he used to wear was gone, now replaced with a purple button-up along with a matching sleeveless jacket. To complement the rest of the ensemble, a donned a small pair of glasses and a walking stick. Perhaps the only thing from six years ago that remained the same was the red bow tie around his neck.

"Toadsworth?" Mario asked. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at the castle?"

"I knew you would return eventually, given the unfortunate circumstances plaguing the Mushroom Kingdom since early this morning," he replied. "That being said, your timing is impeccable."

"We wanted to see if mamma e babbo were all right," Luigi said. "That's why we're here. We wanted to get them out and into New Donk. It's much safer there."

Upon hearing this, the steward's mouth formed into a tight line. "You're here for your family?"

"Yes, we are." Mario answered. "Is something wrong?"

He took a shaky breath after a brief pause. "Come with me," he beckoned to the brothers. "There is something I must show you."

They followed him as he lead them down a street littered with stray bricks, remains of once peaceful homes that succumbed to the attacks. Only a dented street sign gave the brothers any sense of direction. Through the smoldering ashes on its surface, they were able to make out the words "Mushroom Way", the street they lived on when they were kids.

"È orribile," Mario whispered, his voice barely audible as they passed the wreckage.

"If home is this bad, I don't want to know what Toad Town looks like," Luigi added. "They were the ones hit first."

They turned onto Mushroom Way, Toadsworth still making his way forward with a strong sense of urgency. The brothers looked at each other nervously; was their home okay? Were their parents safe?