Super Mario Bros: The Fan-Adapted Novelization

Chapter 2-8: Reunited

The last of the stars' power wore off right as the brothers were about to finish Bowser off. Before they could do anything, however, five words sent a chill down Mario's spine, echoing in his head like a broken record:

"I KNOW WHO YOU ARE."

And yet nothing about the Koopa King came to mind in any of his childhood memories. Clearly, he was trying to call his bluff by psyching him out. He tightened his hold on the ax handle. "You know nothing about me," he retorted, brandishing the weapon as threateningly as possible.

The terrifying smirk on his face grew while he watched the young man struggle. "YOU'RE MARIO. I'VE SEEN YOU BEFORE...A LONG TIME AGO."

"Don't listen to him, Mario!" Luigi shouted at his brother. "He's just trying to trick you into giving him the upper hand!"

"CAN IT, GREEN 'STACHE!" Bowser snarled. "IT'S THE TRUTH."

Mario glared down at the king. "Prove it."

"YEARS AGO, A WIZARD SAW THE FUTURE ONE NIGHT. IT DESCRIBED A PAIR OF TWINS BORN THE FOLLOWING MORNING THAT WOULD GROW UP TO BRING AND END TO THE MONARCHY THAT RULES THE DARKLANDS."

Luigi's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What makes you think it's us?"

"HE DIVINED IT FROM THE STARS. AND AS EVERYONE ON THIS EARTH KNOWS...THE STARS NEVER LIE."

Not taking his fiery eyes off of the twins, the king recited the prophecy from memory:

"UNDER FIERCE VIGILANCE, A DARK KING RULES ALL
BUT PRIDE SHALL ENDANGER HIS REIGN SOON TO FALL.
AS CITIZENS REVOLT, TWO ALLIES THEY GAIN
TO FURTHER STARS' FATE OF THEIR LIVING TERROR SLAIN.

THE GEMINI SHALL BE UNDER LIBRA REBORN,
WITH DESTINIES FORGED IN FIRE AND IN STORM.
THEIR FEATS WILL BE LAUDED, THEIR COURAGE BE PRAISED,
WHEN TYRANNY CRUMBLES AND INJUSTICE IS RAZED."

As Bowser's hold on the bridge post tightened, it began to crack. "DON'T YOU SEE? THE STARS BROUGHT YOU HERE...SO I CAN SEE THE FACES OF THE TWINS WHOSE LIVES I WILL CUT SHORT WHEN I CONQUER THEIR KINGDOM....AND THEIR PRINCESS ALONG WITH IT."

The last part of his comment struck a nerve within Mario, who furiously struck the bridge post with the ax. "You will never take the Mushroom Kingdom, not as long we we're here," he declared. "And Peach will NEVER settle for a demon like you."

"OH, BUT I WILL," he sneered. "BESIDES...IT ISN'T LIKE THE PRINCESS WOULD EVER SEE ANYTHING IN A FILTHY LITTLE SEWER RAT."

Toad reached feebly out to the red-capped plumber, who only grew increasingly livid. "Mario, stop!"

But he didn't. In a fit of blind rage, he continued hacking away. "YOU'RE LYING!" he yelled.

"NOBODY CAN DENY WHAT'S WRITTEN IN THE STARS, MARIO!" the king boasted maniacally. "THIS WON'T BE THE LAST TIME OUR PATHS CROSS...MAKE NO MISTAKE ABOUT THAT!"

The young man let out a shrill scream as he forced the ax through the last of the wooden post. Meanwhile, Bowser's deranged laughter only continued. Even while he tumbled into the depths of the fire pit, that hideous grin remained plastered across his scaly muzzle.

Luigi and Toad could only stand there as Mario looked over the edge, breathing heavily. After what felt like an eternity, he dropped the ax over the edge, as well. "...Let's go find Peach."

He turned on his heel to walk past the others up the tower steps. His brother and the little fungus let him walk along for a while before following him. "I don't remember him being so quick to anger," Toad remarked. "Did something change while you were living in New Donk?"