#Mario Grass Land

[radiantrookie]

Mushroom World's other Kingdoms

Grass Land (Which was taken over by Larry Koopa)

Desert Land (Which was taken over by Morton Koopa Jr and is also home to the Angry Sun)

Water Land (Which was taken over by Wendy O Koopa)

Giant Land (Which was taken over by Iggy Koopa)

Sky Land (Which was taken over by Roy Koopa)

Ice Land (Which was taken over by Lemmy Koopa)

Pipe Land (Which was taken over by Ludwig Von Koopa)

The Kings of these Lands

These Kingdoms are never seen again, however some people theorize that other Mario Worlds and some Mario Kart Tracks take place in these lands

[megahorous]

Mario meets a Wandering Hammer Bro. !

[suppermariobroth]

Wake-up sound produced by an officially licensed 1992 Super Mario Bros. 3 alarm clock, consisting of a loop of the Grass Land map theme from the game alongside Mario repeating "Wake up, it's time to leave dream land!"

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[aurumalatus]

𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 (𝐇𝐎𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐓 𝐆𝐄𝐓𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐘𝐎𝐔)

pairing. kinich x fem!reader

word count. 3.4k

genre/warnings. childhood friends to lovers (yes kinich literally invented this trope okay. sue me), mini-drabbles, childhood to university, modern!au, fluff and slight angst, lots of bantering but it's light-hearted i promise

summary.

you've always been a sore loser—kinich is just the only one brave enough to say it. or, you and kinich fall in love over the course of your lives, and one thing never changes—you're both idiots

author's note. credit to @/scythidol for the header images! a bit of a different fic format this time (who is she....). i'm sick over kinich, i have nothing clever to say or excuses to make. that's all, thank you for reading! i'm finishing this at 5am so i'll fix any errors later lol. reblogs/interaction highly appreciated!

I.

“You’re annoying.”

The old TV in your backyard treehouse buzzes with static and the constant thumps of Kinich’s fingers against the controller buttons.

It’s a summer evening—crickets chirp merrily in the grass and lightning bugs float lazily through the air, glowing among the stars. You’re sitting next to him, knees pulled to your chest and the straw of a Capri-Sun settled between your lips.

His reaction (or lack thereof) to your words leaves you less than entertained, a sour pout fixed on your lips as he sighs.

“You’re a sore loser. We said whoever got up here first got to play first.” Despite the intense game occurring on the screen in front of him, he diverts about half his attention to watching you out of the corner of his eye. “And I got up here first.”

“But you always win,” you whine. Kinich nudges at his own juice box with his knee, and you roll your eyes before picking it up and holding it to his lips—he drinks gratefully, still focused on his game. You’re not sure why you keep agreeing to this bet; you don’t think you’ve ever won.

“Then you need to get faster.”

Both of you know that such a feat would be impossible—Kinich has been the fastest kid in your grade since you started school. His athleticism affords him a bit of popularity, still at the age where winning a playground race is essentially the deciding factor between the cool kids and the lame ones. But he’s not interested in any of that, and he makes that quite clear in his actions.

After all, all the popular kids avoid him since he started a fight with them last year. 

“They were saying things about you,” he’d shrugged, like it was no big deal. The school seemed to think a bit differently, and his suspension felt like the longest week of your life.

The screen flashes then, a loud and colorful display that shows the words “you win”. Kinich leans back in his seat, a pleased half-smile spreading across his face. 

“Okay, now you can play.”

He tries to hand you the controller, but you huff, crossing your arms and turning away.

“I don’t even wanna play anymore.”

Kinich is far more mature than you at this age—even your own mother tells you as much—so he merely sighs, accepting of your tantrum.

“Okay, what do you wanna do then?”

You ponder that for a moment. There’s a lot of things you do often, but many of them are things that Kinich is much better at than you. Playing video games, climbing trees, riding bikes—he’s far more talented at them all. It’s one of the reasons you even became friends in the first place—you’d practically begged him to teach you to beat the final boss of Super Mario Galaxy, and the rest was history.

“I don’t know,” you mumble noncommittally, blowing your straw wrapper at him. It lands right on target, bouncing lightly off his forehead as he rolls his eyes.

“Come on, whatever you wanna do, we’ll do it,” he says, poking at your cheek. “I’ll even play house.”

And you know Kinich hates playing house—he has boundless amounts of energy most days, and house isn’t “challenging” enough of a game for him to expend it. But he does it occasionally, just for you.

You brighten at the prospect. 

“Really?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he sighs, already descending the treehouse ladder, waving you along. “Let’s go inside first, though. I’m hungry.”

Scrambling to your feet, you jump down to meet Kinich, already standing in the grass.

“Last one inside is a rotten egg!”

II.

The rainstorm ends just as classes dismiss—when you walk out the school entrance, a slight drizzle is still letting up, fresh puddles lapping at your toes. Kinich’s gaze finds you instantly as he slinks out of the school gates, bag tossed loosely over his shoulder.

“My socks are wet now,” you whine, patting down the edges of your skirt to look down at your shoes. You’d only just bought them recently, and your mom likely wouldn’t be pleased with the prospect of you ruining them so soon.

Kinich chuckles at first, a snarky sound as thick as the gathering clouds, only to sigh when your pout persists.

“Alright, alright,” he relents, squatting to the ground and gesturing for you to get on his back. “Don’t say I never did anything for you.”

He’s a bit frail, still in his growing phase—his bones and muscles shift rhythmically under his skin as he walks—but he’s so distinctly warm. The heat makes you curl closer, nose brushing against his neck.

He walks you home most days like this, spending the day at your house until the sky grows dark with dusk. His home life is something he rarely discusses, but you know enough, and you’re happy to welcome him to yours.

“You’re slow,” you mumble into his shoulder. The steady thump of his steps is comforting, nearly putting you to sleep.

“You’re heavy,” Kinich replies teasingly, adjusting your weight atop his back. His words are biting, but he’s being careful with his steps nonetheless, taking each one lightly so as not to jostle you.

“You’re rude,” you scoff back. His nose scrunches in annoyance when you loop your arms tighter around his neck, pretending to choke him as punishment. “You’re not supposed to say that to a girl.”

He blows his bangs out of his eyes, peering up at the newly visible sun that starts to dip low in the sky. You watch a cat scurry through the bushes to your right, golden eyes peering through the foliage before disappearing into the darkness. 

“Yeah, that’s why I’m saying it to you.”

Kinich is always a bit wittier than you, a bit quicker to the punch, but you like that about him. You like a lot of things about him, and you’re sure he knows it, too. A weighty silence settles between the two of you, unnatural—it’s usually you who fills the silence, and Kinich who patiently listens.

But something bigger sits at the back of your mind, and the words are having trouble surmounting the obstacle of your tongue. 

You’re still floundering for something to say by the time your house appears in the distance. The sight lights a fire under you—you don’t want to discuss something like this with your mother in earshot. You force the words out, voice weak and small.

“I heard Mualani confessed to you yesterday.”

The rumor had flown through the school like wildfire. Mualani is popular with the boys after all, so there’s bound to be quite a bit of heartbreak if she ends up in a relationship. Someone had seen them together at that sakura tree behind the school, and it instantly became a hot topic—it’s all you’ve heard about all day.

And though you know it’s not really any of your business, you can’t help but be curious, and the thought fills you with dread.

You manage a glance at his expression, searching for any sort of unrest, but he doesn’t show any at all. In fact, he seems wholly uninterested in the topic.

He shrugs. “Yeah, so?”

You take a deep breath for courage—you’re not sure you want to hear his answer. 

“So? What did you tell her?”

And it’s nothing against Mualani, really—she’s kind and beautiful, and you wouldn’t blame Kinich for falling for her. She’s never done anything wrong to you at all. But a beat passes, and you’re already halfway through mourning the end of your long-time crush when he replies.

“I told her I was flattered, but I wasn’t interested.”

A sigh of relief escapes you then, but you reel it in quickly—he can probably feel you relax against his back at his response.

“Oh,” is all you say, as aloof as you can manage. Kinich latches onto your hesitation instantly.

“Why do you ask?”

“No reason,” comes your hasty reply. “...Is there any reason you said no, though?”

He frowns. “I don’t know. She just isn’t my type.”

“...Then what is your type?”

You’re going too far, you know—even just speaking the words has your chest twisting painfully, and you want to crawl into a hole and disappear. If Kinich isn’t an idiot, he can surely tell why you’re practically breathing down his neck over the whole thing.

But maybe Kinich is a little bit of an idiot, at least about these things, because he merely shrugs.

“Not sure. Never really thought about it.”

A frost unfurls in your chest, bitter—of course Kinich wouldn’t know, he’s never thought about anyone that way. Including you.

“Right.” You attempt a laugh, teeth gritting. “It’s all stupid anyway.”

You drop your head into his shoulder, trying to hide the pained expression on your face, and only then does Kinich’s stare flicker to you, soft.

“Right,” he says, a quiet rumble from his chest. “It’s really, really stupid.”

III.

Walks turn to drives when Kinich turns sixteen and buys his own car.

He’d saved up for months, working part-time jobs on weekends and after school, until the day finally came when he pulled up into your driveway, keys in hand. Your mom had been overwhelmingly proud—bought a cake and everything—and you’d merely been grateful that you no longer had to beg her to drive you places. 

It’s nothing crazy, just a simple sedan, but it represents a freedom that the two of you have never experienced together before.

That’s how you end up parked underneath the flickering streetlight just outside your house, excitedly recounting a story to your best friend. He’d driven you home from your club after school, an errand that always ended in several other stops—today, it had been fast food and boba.

His eyes seem to glow in the fading daylight, a pretty jade and amber that you’ve always thought was beautiful. It feels a bit more intense with his stare trained on you—Kinich isn’t the talkative type, sure, but he always ensures that you know he’s listening.

“So then she was asking me about you.”

“Mhm.”

“And get this,” a nervous chuckle escapes you then, “she thought we were dating.”

Everything falls still.

It’s times like this that you really start to hate just how unreadable your best friend can be. Despite how much you tease him for it, you actually enjoy how difficult it can be to force an expression out of him—it’s a little challenge every day. But now, when you’re on the precipice of pouring your heart out, his impassive expression stings.

Nothing on his face changes, save for a slight tilt of his head—he’s considering your words. The silence feels endless; a lump starts to form in your throat, humiliation burning at your cheeks. 

“I know, it’s so ridiculous,” you assert hurriedly, trying to avoid the rush of shame. “I mean, we would never—”

“Tell her we are, then.”

You’re sure that in that moment, your heart stops. 

Truthfully, you hadn’t planned to get this far—you were planning on brushing over that part of the story and moving on, but something deep in your heart had forced it out of you. Now, you aren’t sure what you really want to happen.

It’s always been your underlying fear, that once Kinich finds out, everything will change. Or even if he does return your feelings, it’ll all go up in flames eventually and you’ll never be the same. It’s terrifying enough to have kept your mouth shut all these years.

A tense laugh erupts from your throat, cutting through the silence. “I—I mean, it’s not that simple—”

He arches a brow. “Do you not want to?”

That’s another difference between you and Kinich—he’s far more straightforward about getting things that he wants. It’s one of the reasons that people misinterpret him as cold, but he sees it as being logical.

You gnaw at your lip, fingers tracing over the car door. Do you?

If the countless daydreams and romantic notebook doodles are anything to go by, you do. You really do. You’re just not sure if you’re brave enough to take that step.

When you look at him again, he’s observing you carefully, a delicate fondness lying in his stare. You shrink under the weight of it.

“No, I do,” you admit quietly. 

The moment falls still, and your eyes are drawn to the only movement within your line of vision—the quick bob of Kinich’s throat. Then, his hand advances toward your face at a measured pace, giving you endless opportunities to retreat.

Of course, you don’t.

“Can I…?” he asks, barely a brush of a whisper. The tension runs thick in the air as his tongue peeks out, swiping over his bottom lip at a tantalizing pace. It’s nearly enough to drive you crazy, but you know he’s just as anxious.

“Yes,” you breathe, wincing at the sound of your own voice—it sounds almost too eager.

But Kinich presses his lips to yours all the same, soft and wanting, and your heart flutters in your chest. It’s a chaste kiss, nothing like the fireworks-exploding-making-out-with-tongue types you’ve seen on TV, but it’s just right—it feels like him, and that’s all that matters. He pulls away slightly, lips still millimeters away from yours.

“I like you. If I’m not wrong, you like me too. I think it’s that simple.”

You almost want to laugh at the ridiculousness of it all. Though you’d never admit it, you’ve practiced this scenario thousands of times in front of your bedroom mirror—what you would say to him, what he might say to you. Leave it to Kinich to not follow the script.

But he’s always done things his own way, so really, you should’ve expected this.

Gently, he reaches for your hand, fingers slotting through yours with ease. You sigh.

“I guess it is.”

IV.

“...that far, huh?”

Kinich stares at you upside down, head dangling off the edge of your bed as you sit at your desk, laptop keys clicking rapidly. He knows you’re serious about your future goals; you both are. He just never imagined it would bring the two of you so far apart.

You pause with one hand resting on the mouse, still staring at the screen. The map looks so daunting, too daunting, and you can’t imagine being that far away from him. 

An awkward, weighted silence hangs in the air, and by the time a few seconds pass, you’ve already foreseen eighty different bad endings for this situation. Clearing your throat once, you force yourself to speak.

“Kinich, I—”

“I get it.”

He doesn’t mean to interrupt you so suddenly, but he does. He couldn’t stop himself if he tried. Because while he does understand—he really does—he also can’t help the stinging sensation of tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. It feels pathetic. It feels selfish. Here you are, chasing your dreams and supporting his, and he’s caught on the fact that there will be a little space between the two of you. And it’s not like it’s anyone’s fault, but maybe you’ll get tired of waiting and—

“You’ll come back to me, right?”

There’s an unmistakable thickness to your voice, evidence of the steadily growing lump in your weary throat. It grows larger with every passing second, an insurmountable mass dwarfed only by the impending distance between you and him.

That question catches Kinich off-guard, and he nearly wants to laugh then; not because he doubts you at all, but because he doesn’t, and he finds it ridiculous that you would ever think otherwise. Here you are, worrying about him.

Kinich doesn’t have any doubts or fears. He never does when he’s with you.

Maybe that’s why.

With a light laugh, he lets his eyes flutter closed, finally allowing an uneven breath to fill his lungs. The natural light outside is slowly dimming, the fluorescent lamps dotting your street flicking on one by one. He knows he should go home soon. His car is sitting outside, the same one the two of you have had endless adventures, fights, and make-ups in. It’s the same one he will use when he moves an unfathomable distance away from you. The same one he will use on the day you will cry, clinging to him like your life depends on it, before watching him disappear into nothing but a mere dot in the distance.

His fist clenches at his side. 

But you’re still here, the closest feeling he has to home, and you’re still in love with him, and he is still in love with you.

Maybe that’s why this is enough, for now. 

Turning onto his stomach, Kinich sees you right-side up this time, and it’s like nothing has changed.

“Don’t ask questions you already know the answer to.” 

V.

A knock echoes on your apartment door in the middle of the night.

You raise a brow at the sound, a bit unnerved—a lone college girl answering the door in the dark isn’t the safest thing, you think as you peek one eye through the peephole. But there’s a familiar figure standing outside, and it has your hand turning the knob immediately and flinging the door open.

He’s here.

“Kinich,” you breathe, in disbelief. Last you’d heard, he was somewhere halfway across the country, and certainly nowhere near your front door. But he’s here, in a black hoodie and grey sweatpants, looking like he’s just walked out of your dreams.

“Hey,” he says simply, as if his appearance hadn’t been totally shocking. He takes advantage of your shell-shocked state to invite himself inside, curiously looking through your apartment. “Nice place.”

You step aside in a daze. “Kinich—you—what are you doing here?”

He’s holding three flimsy bags in his fist, grocery store logos and restaurant labels stamped over the plastic, keys hanging off his pinky finger. He’d come prepared, clearly, but for what you’re not sure. 

He towers over you a bit more than he used to, hair a bit longer, and everything about him feels so grown up. It reminds you of all the moments the two of you have missed over the years, how much change has occurred beneath your nose, maybe without you realizing. 

He spreads the bags over your kitchen table—the mouth-watering smell of Chinese takeout filters through the air, and your stomach grumbles in reply. But it’s your tear ducts that react initially, a sting at the corners of your eyes as you squeeze them shut.

Kinich doesn’t notice at first, absorbed in inspecting the photos displayed on your wall—photos of you, photos of him, photos of the two of you together. It makes his chest warm that you still think about those times. He does too—after all, it’s rare that you leave his mind.

But he turns back to you, tears running rivers down your cheeks, and his breath hitches.

“What’s wrong?” he asks, carefully cupping your face. A lilt of panic laces his voice. “Does something hurt? Are you sick?”

“You’re here,” you sob, curling into his shoulder. None of it feels real. He’s warm and firm beneath your fingers, and you clutch at him tighter, half-expecting everything to disappear. It’s so much different than FaceTime or calling or anything else you do when he’s away. Because right now, he’s completely within your reach, and everything falls into place.

“Of course I am,” he murmurs. You cry into his hoodie, soaking the fabric with your tears, but he holds you close all the same. “Because you’re here.”

You spend a few minutes that way—you crying until your tears dry over your skin, and him comfortingly rubbing at your back. Air slowly returns to your lungs, and you sniffle, glassy eyes meeting his. 

“But why? I mean, it’s the middle of the semester, isn’t it?”

A rare half-smirk graces his lips.

“We made a promise. I came back to you first. So I do believe that means that I win,” he says. If you weren’t so emotional, you might have rolled your eyes—of course, all he ever focuses on is winning.

He drags you over to the couch, laying down and pulling you on top of him, safe. You draw closer to him, tangling your limbs together until you’re not sure where he ends and you begin.

“You’re annoying,” you whisper, muffled into his chest.

Kinich shakes his head, pressing a kiss to your forehead. 

“You’re still a sore loser. Thought you’d grow out of that by now.”

You grumble a few choice words at him, and he smiles—a sight that only you and the stars can claim to have ever seen.

And he’s right; you are a sore loser, and he’s been right just about every time he told you so. But you find it doesn’t matter, not really.

You could never win against Kinich anyway.

(Maybe you never wanted to.)

[weirdmarioenemies]

Name: Swirlypod

Debut: Super Mario Bros. Wonder

YIPPEE YAHOO! A brand swirlin' new snail fresh for 2023! It has been quite a long time now since we've gotten a new Mario snail, and even since I've posted about one, since I covered all the snailiest Mario snails a while ago. But lookie here! Snaily snaily snail for me to see and for you to view!

Swirlypod is so delightful! To get this out of the way first, yes, its eyes are not on the ends of stalks. Yes, this is good and okay. Some snails are like that! Especially freshwater snails. And that's the kind of snail that this snail seems to be! While sometimes seen on land, it is also seen emerging from (poisonous) swamps. It can breathe that!

Swirlypod's face is just so, so precious. Its big, innocent, curious eyes experiencing the world in the way only a snail could! Its big ol' bulbous antennae, more bulbous than they have any right being, more like a nudibranch's than a normal snail's! And its mouth! I think that's its mouth? It's like three scrumbly tentacles ready to scrumble down some delicious fungus!

Did you know that the salt marsh snail Littoraria irrorata is able to FARM fungus? They damage marsh grasses to create large wounds for fungus to grow in, and even use their own poop as fertilizer! Snails can FARM!

Yes, indeed, what a wonderful snail we have here! Thank you, Super Mario Bros. Wonder!

...Hey! That shell comes right off! Now it's all Pod, with no Swirly! Does this mean Lime is The Impostor? I may have just asked you, but that was rhetorical. Don't ask me, because I don't know! Removable shells are a common ability for cartoon snails, and of course, the turtles of this world also have removable shells. I think it doesn't really mean much at all! Though, the idea of a "hermit slug" is very amusing. A snail who can't be bothered to grow its own shell. Maybe it wants to switch shells for different styles sometimes. A slow victim of fast fashion!

Wonder is one of those games where Koopa Troopas retreat into their shells when stomped, so Swirlypod is sort of a way to have Beach Koopa in the same game as the more standardly-behaving Koopa! Once it gets back on its foot, it will try to squirm back into a shell, if one is available. You can give it back! Just drop it down at your feet, and Swirlypod will have a home once more!

Another thing that sets Swirlypods apart from Koopas is that they are sticky slimy and can slither up and down vertical surfaces! Just like in real life! They don't only climb on the left and right sides of surfaces, either. They can even go on the surface facing the screen! Not just anyone is allowed to do that!

I am saving what may be the best tidbit for last! There is a good chance Swirlypod's bulbous antennae look familiar to you. That's because they look just like Leucochloridium paradoxum, the green-banded broodsac, everyone's favorite snail parasite! The flatworm that inhabits a snail's eyestalks, making them look more like caterpillars to get a bird to eat them so they can continue their life cycle! Swirlypod definitely isn't supposed to be like, ACTUALLY infected by this funny worm, but I think the resemblance is very much intentional, between the shape and coloring. And that is so awesome to see! This isn't even meant to be a scary snail or anything, but they represented a freaky parasite anyway!

[peaches2217]

Summer Rain

AO3 link!

~~~

There’s nothing quite like falling ten feet to the ground and landing flat on one’s back to bring a person back into reality. When he came to, Mario’s first reaction was relief. Rest, finally. Everything burned. His throat, his lungs, his muscles, his stomach. His ears rang and his head spun and his vision created doubles of every last block and obstacle overhead, and at long last, he was free to simply lay in the grass and observe passively.

As with all good things, it didn't last.

Get up.

The all-too-familiar voice, maybe his own and maybe some divine call from the universe, repeated these words in his head, but he couldn’t make his muscles obey. He could hardly breathe; air returned to him in unsteady gasps, and with each one, his short-lived relief melted further and further into frustration.

Get up. Something gurgled in his throat that was neither air nor bile, and the taste of copper coated his tongue. Get up. How had he slipped? He’d run this training gauntlet hundreds of times, if not thousands, in the past weeks. Had he grown complacent? Get up. This was no time for complacency. No time for failure. Get up, get up, get up.

“Mario!” He registered the cry of his name the same way he registered the pain in his spine or the ache in his limbs or the muted yet near-constant growling of his gut: with little more than passing acknowledgement. He knew he was hurt. He knew he was hungry. He knew someone was calling out to him. He didn’t care. His only concern was get up, get up, get up, sit up, stand up, get back to training.

Get back to her.

“Mario?”

Just as soon as he’d pulled himself to his knees, dizziness overtook Mario, and he barely caught himself on his hands, his arms shaking from the effort to support his weight. Her voice. All it took was the ghost of her voice to sap his fight, drain the furor that fueled him, until he was empty, empty, empty.

She wasn’t— he knew she wasn’t— and yet she— she sounded so near—

“Oh, Mario,” Peach sighed, pressing a gloved hand to her cheek, “what am I going to do? If I have to sit through one more unproductive commission on import tax rates, I think I’m going to scream.”

Mario chuckled sympathetically. “So I’m guessing third time wasn’t the charm after all?”

“I thought surely the senators would be just as sick of all the arguing as I am by now. Sadly, I’m fairly certain they enjoy it.” Another sigh. “So a fourth commission has been scheduled for Thursday.”

Thursday. Mario wracked his head for upcoming happenings, possible excuses, any circumstance he could twist in her favor, and he found it in short order.

“Hmm… it sure is a shame you won’t be there for that meeting, Princess.”

Peach halted in her tracks, and Mario stopped alongside her, meeting her confusion with pointed nonchalance.

“I… won’t be?”

“You didn’t forget, did you? That play in Mushroom City you were invited to? That’s Thursday night, yeah?”

Peach shook her head. “Mario, I’d hardly call a letter written in crayon by a child begging me to attend their Kindergarten theatre production an ‘invitation.’ More of a… um…” A pause. The realization clicked into place, her bright eyes glowing ever brighter in the twilight, and she graced Mario with a sly, cheerful smile. “Well, how many children have the courage to write to the castle directly? It would be rude to turn such a thoughtful invitation down.”

“My thoughts exactly!” He nudged her side, winking up at her. “Now, I know you’d rather sit and listen to grouchy old Toads shout over each other all day, but we all have to make sacrifices sometimes, yeah?”

“Heavy is the head that wears the crown.” A very un-regal giggle slipped her lips, juvenile in its conniving yet ethereal all the same, and Mario couldn’t help but feel especially proud of himself. “So we’ll meet at the carriage hold Thursday at dawn, then? Plenty enough time to escape before Toadsworth catches on.”

Her proposal didn’t surprise him; it had become customary, after all, to act as her guard any time she ventured beyond the palace walls. This made her invitation no less sacred to him. “You can count on me, Princess.”

Peach took a moment to breathe in the fresh spring evening, exhale her worries, and as their walk resumed, her hand found his, small and light but present and real and warm. “Oh, Mario,” she laughed, “you’re my hero!”

You’re my hero…

Another rush of oxygen hit his brain, and she was gone once more. Memories of golden hair in the waning light of sunset were washed out in smudges of green and brown and red — his fingers digging into the earth, damp from a recent summer rain, a trickle of blood dripping from his bottom lip onto the backs of his hands.

Some hero he was. 

A familiar pressure welled within his chest, and he huffed in relief. Anger. It made his heart pump harder and brought his surroundings back into focus and flooded him with unbearable energy, and he was finally able to clamor to his feet, spitting blood so he could breathe properly. Turning towards the gauntlet’s nearest springboard, he wiped his sleeve over his mouth and let that rage consume him once more, let himself believe again that it wasn’t rage at all, but hope. Hope in its rawest, most painful form.

She was counting on him. He would bring her home. He would have pleasant evening walks in the gardens with her again, he would laugh with her over tea and cakes, he would ensure no similar misfortune ever befell her again. Maybe he would even tell her that he loved her, just so he could say he no longer held any secrets from her. And until that day came, he would train and train and train until no force, earthly or cosmic, could stand in his way.

How could you let this happen?

That fragile illusion of hope burst into flames, its fire coursing through Mario’s veins, but now that he was on his feet again, he made no further effort to fool himself. With a final, sharp breath, he lunged forward—

“Basta così!”

Something caught his left wrist, and the unexpected intrusion snuffed Mario’s fire, like water tossed on a blazing bed of coals. He clenched his jaw and smoldered uselessly for a moment, quivering with unspent energy, giving his captor a chance to free him without provocation. The grasp ensnaring him only tightened.

“Lasciami andare, Lu.” He kept his voice as steady as possible, deathly quiet and low, because he knew it would shake if he raised it any louder, and he couldn’t afford to be perceived as weak.

“No.” Luigi’s voice was equally unwavering. “I’ve let this go on long enough. You’re coming home.”

Mario scoffed. Oh, now his timid little brother was choosing to stand his ground. Now, of all times, for all purposes—! He lurched forward to free himself. He didn’t have time for such games.

Luigi moved with him easily, and before Mario could reestablish his footing, he was yanked backwards by the arm so hard that his vision went blurry and his legs briefly gave out beneath him.

But he didn’t have time to collapse. Luigi powered ahead, and Mario was forced to twist his body in the same direction and stumble along behind him, and by the time his surroundings stopped shifting they were well past the athletic center’s gate and into the streets of Toad Town.

What in the Eight Realms was going on? His brother was strong, but he was stronger. It should have been easy to pull free or at least anchor himself and force an impasse, but he wouldn’t slow down.

“Let me go, Luigi,” he repeated in their mother tongue, half so the dozens of Toads craning their stubby necks as he was dragged past couldn’t eavesdrop and half because his grasp on the English language was one of the first things to go when he was upset. 

“You really think I’m that useless?” Luigi didn’t even look over his shoulder as he responded in the same tongue, yet his voice pierced through the ambiance of the streets. “I don’t need a missing friend and a dead brother.”

Another white-hot burst of fury flared within Mario, and he tried once again to break free (once again, to no avail). Useless? A “missing friend”? A princess — their Princess! — was abducted by a notoriously homicidal warlord who promised to kill her and seize her kingdom by force unless he was met with unconditional surrender, and all his brother cared about was how he was perceived? How these events affected him?

Mario was the only living person with any chance of bringing her home safely, or at least alive. He’d devoted himself to that cause wholeheartedly and without hesitation. Fought and trained and redefined himself over the past two months while waiting for royal spies to figure out where she was actually being held. He’d never thought Luigi to be so selfish, that he’d stand in his way. That he’d sooner trade Peach’s life for his. Did she really mean that little to him? The very thought nauseated him. Or maybe those were hunger pangs.

They arrived at their shared cottage in short order, and Mario spit one last mouthful of blood into the grass before he could be dragged onto the porch and through the door. This wasn’t just selfish. This was betrayal of the highest order. 

Luigi all but tossed him inside, and only then did he let go. Mario seethed at his green-and-blue-clad back as he shut and locked the door, rubbing his wrist absentmindedly, stimulating the once-restricted blood flow. Betrayed by the last person he would ever have suspected. The one person who should have been supporting him, who he’d thought already was supporting him before today. He held his internal fire close at bay, ready to make his disappointment and disapproval clear, and with a heavy sigh, Luigi turned to face him—

“This isn’t your fault, Mario.”

Mario’s belligerence fizzled out. Where there was once fire, there was now ice, still and cold.

“...What?”

“This isn’t your fault.” Luigi enunciated each word carefully as he approached his older brother. “N-no one blames you for this except for you. So you’re not proving anything to anyone by torturing yourself, bro, okay?”

For a long moment, all Mario could do was gape in bewilderment. Not once since the Princess’ abduction had a word been uttered about blame. There was no need, he'd just as quickly assumed: anyone with two functioning brain cells knew exactly who was to blame, and verbalizing accusations wouldn’t get her home any faster, so he bore his cross with a heavy heart and his head held high. 

Even Luigi had never spoken up on the matter. Mario just assumed that meant he agreed. Why bother kicking someone that’s already down?

“I-I…” Mario swallowed. No. No, he was lying. Reality was sinking in and he was lying in a last-ditch effort to defend what hadn’t already been lost. He knew just as well as Mario that… and yet he…

Selfish. Selfish, selfish, selfish.

“I’m her guard, Luigi,” he finally answered, and unpleasant but ever-familiar heat rose once more within him, making his face and ears tingle. “It’s my job to protect her! Literally my job!”

“Yeah, during the day! But you’re acting like she was nabbed under your watch! You’re acting like everyone expects you to be on guard twenty-four-seven!” He drew closer to lay a hand on Mario’s left shoulder; what should have been comfortable and familiar instead felt foreign and cumbersome. “The truth is, you were exactly where you were supposed to be when it happened: in bed, conked out.”

A strike of lightning couldn’t have hit as hard as those words.

Mario jerked away from his brother’s touch, nostrils flared, breath coming to him far too quickly now. If he grit his teeth any tighter, he was certain they’d crack. Yes, he’d been asleep that night. He’d protected his Princess like always during the day and left her to fend for herself at sundown and he’d never forgive himself for it. So much for not kicking someone while they’re down.

“Thanks,” he huffed. “Very helpful reminder.”

“Mario, that’s not what—” Luigi sagged backwards, his eyes rolling to the ceiling in exasperation, as if he was the one who’d been slighted, and he cursed beneath his breath before refocusing. “She was never your sole responsibility. Everyone knows that but you. And no one wants to see you run yourself into the ground like this. Th-they trust you! They love you! Seeing how much guilt you're drowning in, seeing how badly you’re hurting, that hurts them, and—”

A deep, shaking breath. Mario tapped his foot impatiently, his fists clenched.

“A-and it hurts me too!" Luigi finally confessed. "Mario, you’re not the only victim here! How do you think I’ve been handling all of this?”

“Forget about that!” Mario fired back. “Just imagine what she’s going through! Can you think about something other than yourself for once and look at the bigger picture?!”

Alarms sounded deep in the recesses of his brain, warning signals, crying a mantra of Too far, too far, too far. He didn’t care. He couldn’t afford to care.

“She wouldn’t want this either! If she was here—”

That was the final straw. Putting words in the Princess’ mouth— what little patience or composure Mario still held, already stretched thin, snapped. 

“Well she’s not!” He stamped his foot like a child throwing a tantrum, grasping Luigi’s arm and forcing him to look directly into his eyes. “Don’t— don’t you dare tell me what she’d say or what she’d do! You don’t have that right! Because you’re not her, and she’s not…”

Mario blinked. Had… had Luigi always looked this tired? His eyes, normally so cheerful and blue, appeared dull and gray, wide with regret and brimming with unshed tears. And there were bags under those eyes too, and overgrown flyaways poking through his normally well-groomed mustache, and…

“...here.” All of his bravado, all of his energy, left him as he whispered that final word.

How long had it been since he’d fulfilled his role as the older brother? Peach was Luigi’s friend too. He was every bit as much Mario's responsibility as Peach was.

“I don’t need a missing friend and a dead brother.”

Only in the ensuing stillness did Mario realize how terribly he shook. He felt both weightless and impossibly leaden, cold and clammy, trembling not in outrage or determination, but something far meeker, far more pathetic: fear.

He was no hero. He was an idiot who’d failed someone he claimed to love and was desperate to make things right, no matter the personal cost. He was a useless brother that dealt with his own inadequacies by lashing out at those who cared for him most. He was nothing.

“Weegee…”

Luigi swallowed, taking a deep, slow breath before responding. “Martyring yourself isn’t the answer. I mean, think for a minute here. You can’t save her if you get yourself killed first.”

It overtook Mario again, a wave of unwelcome emotion, and his knees wobbled beneath him, threatening to buckle.

“Then… then what do you suggest I do? Huh? Clearly you have more answers than I do! So tell me what to do!”  He let go of Luigi’s arms to grasp his overall straps and pull him down, searching his face for those fabled answers. There was no spite in his words or his actions. He shouted at and jostled his brother not in anger, but in pure helplessness. “Tell me what to do!”

The uncertainty etched into Luigi’s face didn’t go away completely, but he buried it beneath something harder, more determined. He braced his gloved hands against Mario’s shoulders, grounding and steady.

“I’ll tell you exactly what you’re going to do,” he said, his voice low yet firm. “You’re going to sit right there on that couch, or on the floor, or wherever you feel like, and you’re gonna cry and scream and get all of this pent-up anger out of your system. And then — look at me, Mario, listen!” He jostled the elder brother back, shaking his shoulders. “Then you’re going to eat something. Okay?” He smiled then, the strain of it contorting his face into some pitiful mimicry of humor. “We can’t have you wasting away when the Princess sees you again, yeah? What would she say?”

Mario’s breath hitched in his throat, suddenly swollen shut.

What would she say? Maybe she would rush forward and cup his cheeks, demanding to know what happened and if he was alright, as if he was the one who had been swept away in the dead of night. Maybe she would be so exhausted and so weakened that she didn’t notice; maybe she would only have the strength to smile as he took her battered body into his arms, her face pale but her eyes vibrant. Maybe her gaze would be glassy and there would be nothing left to hold but an empty shell that had once been his best friend, her fate sealed the moment she’d chosen to place her trust in him.

Or maybe he would die long before he reached her. If only he could trust anyone else to save her, he would have been perfectly fine with that outcome. It was the least he deserved. But that would be far too easy, wouldn’t it? What would become of her then? What would become of Luigi?

He would be free of his suffering, and it would fall directly onto their shoulders instead.

How could you let this happen?

The breath trapped in his throat forced its way back out, some mix between a cough and a hiccup, and finally his knees gave out. He held on tighter and sunk his face into his twin’s shirt collar, and he tried to apologize, he tried to beg forgiveness, but the only sound he could produce was a breathless, almost primal whine.

“Ecco.” Luigi’s voice cracked yet remained soft as he sank to the ground with him, cradling his head close. “Sfogati. Ti sono vicino, fratello.”

Mario’s intended response came out once more as a whine. Ti voglio bene. Ho paura. Aiutami. Ti prego aiutami. Each effort to speak proved increasingly futile until he gave up entirely, surrendering to the wordless screams and sobs and tears his overworked, underfed body forced from him. And Luigi just held him, his fingers brushing through his hair as he fell apart.

Thunder rumbled distantly outside, heralding another summer rain.

~~~

“I’m sorry.”

By the time Mario was able to speak, he still didn’t have much to show for it; his voice was too hoarse to do anything but whisper, and the pounding ache in his head prevented him from doing even that very well.

Luigi shushed him, readjusting his head in his lap. “Just relax.”

“I don’t think you’re selfish,” he continued anyway, curling into himself tighter, soaking in as much of his brother’s body heat as he could. “Or useless.”

“I know you don’t.”

“I didn’t have any right to go off on you like that.”

“In your shoes, I doubt I’d be handling things much better.”

“I’m sorry.”

“And I forgive you. Now we’re even.”

This remark wasn’t quite enough to make Mario smile, but it did make him feel lighter, if only a bit. From his spot on the floor, he watched the rain patter against the living room window, dark and dreary and soothing. With the rain outside and Luigi’s fingers still combing through his curls, he felt properly sleepy for the first time in ages, a feeling far more pleasant than the exhaustion that had plagued him for eight, coming up on nine weeks.

Come to think of it, when was the last time he’d slept in his own bed? Most nights he’d find the nearest wall to slump against or a decent patch of grass to crash in when he couldn’t make his body cooperate any longer. And when was the last time he’d had a proper meal? Luigi had forced him to sit down and eat a packet of crackers a day or two ago, Toad brought him soup sometime last week and refused to leave until he downed at least half of it, but…

“Weegee?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m hungry.”

The hand in his hair stilled, and the response came after a few seconds of comfortable silence.

“Well duh. Of course you are.” His voice wavered, yet Mario could tell he was smiling. “What’d’ya want? We’ve got plenty enough to make anything. Don’t hold back.”

Mario hummed, closing his eyes. Making that choice on his own was a mental process he didn’t have the resources for. “Surprise me.”

Luigi vocalized his approval, but he didn’t move to stand quite yet. Instead, the hand in Mario’s hair found his own hand, and he gladly took it, permitting himself that comfort at least.

“Hey Mario? Can you… promise me something first?”

Mario nodded, a small and rapid movement of his head. He knew what was coming: Promise me you’ll eat everything I put in front of you. Promise me you’ll take a bath. Promise me you’ll get into clean clothes and sleep on a bed tonight. He was all too ready to agree. It was the least he owed his long-suffering brother.

“When you save the Princess… promise me you’ll come home too. Okay?”

Mario’s eyes snapped back open. The rain still fell against the window before him, steady and unending.

Easy enough to promise, at least in theory. He didn’t want to die. He wanted to make more pleasant memories with his friends, with his love, with his brother especially. There were so many adventures he still wanted to go on. So many things he wanted to see and do. But if worst came to worst, and he had to lay his life down to save Peach’s… he’d already made up his mind.

“This isn’t your fault.”

He took in a deep breath through his nostrils, exhaled it slowly through his lips. Luigi was strong and selfless. He’d had the strength to lie just so he could ease Mario’s woes. The least Mario could do was offer up a comforting lie of his own.

“Yeah.” He nodded again, and if maybe he held Luigi’s hand a bit too tightly, that was okay. “Yeah, I think I can promise that.”

[nintendometro]

Grass Land 'Super Mario Bros. 3' NES Koji Kondo

[hannahssimblr]

Once, years ago now, Aunt Maureen took me to visit her eldest daughter, Karina. In the midday heat, beneath the shade of a fig tree we sat in a Venice restaurant, where bougainvillaea draped over the front of flat roofed houses and fragrant blooms edged the terrace. 

I loved Los Angeles. The food was always better, the people happier, the streets more colourful and picturesque than in Albuquerque, where everything was brown and beige, blending with the dust land. Karina laughed when I said this, sitting back in her chair in her oval sunglasses, a cigarette balanced between long slender fingers. 

“You should see where I live downtown, then I’ll ask you again how much you love it here.”

I didn’t know what she meant. I was thinking about those cool guys I’d seen on a basketball court earlier with their hats on backwards, the loud, bass heavy music they played from a speaker, and the skaters who dropped lazily into concrete basins on their boards. I wanted to be one of them, though I knew Maureen would never buy me something dangerous like a skateboard. I played things a bit fast and loose at the best of times and once almost rollerbladed clean off a pier, so she’d developed a fear that I might one day die of pure stupidity. Maybe when I was older and she wasn’t watching me from the kitchen window anymore I would move to LA, get myself a board and skate around on it without wearing a shirt, and get muscles and a deep tan like everyone else here. 

These were the kinds of thoughts I lost myself in as Maureen and Karina had conversations that either weren’t interesting or which I was unable to understand, but I was content sipping on my Fanta with ice, lurid orange, and so fizzy that it stung the back of my throat and thinking about being a grown up in LA while Maureen had her white wine and Karina her cigarettes. Soon they would order a plate of oysters that looked too much like boogers for me to sample and speak more about things happening, things that had already happened, and plans they’d made for the summer. 

“What’s your favourite time of year?” Karina said to me suddenly, snapping me out of my thoughts. I knew this is the sort of question you ask a seven year old when you don’t know how to speak to children, but I thought hard about it anyway to make sure I gave her the best answer I could. She was my cool, mature cousin, and I always wanted so badly to impress her. November and December, I told her, because I got presents on my birthday, then time off school on Thanksgiving and both these things on Christmas. I was still reeling from the PlayStation console that Maureen and her husband Mario had bought me last Christmas, slotted perfectly within its square, silver box, which I still had, stored carefully beneath my bed just in case I ever needed to pack it away and move it. 

“What about you, mom?” She said, and Maureen didn’t have to think. 

“The spring,” she said, “I just love to be out in my garden then, with all the flowers and that lovely sun, it’s not too hot. It feels like everything is just on the brink of bursting to life.”

I thought about that later as we passed the canal, all the beautiful spring flowers that erupted from the banks, and of home too, where by now, in the hazy days of mid May, the desert was blanketed with spring grasses, with violets and golden poppies and bluebonnets, burning a trail of vibrant indigo all the way to the mountains. 

Beginning // Prev // Next

Ty to @scrapplesims for suffering living in LA once upon a time and for answering my weirdly specific questions about what it was like

[toadtowngazette]

Every Country in the Mario Universe (so far)

I wanted to make a "little" compilation of all the different Kingdoms, Lands, and other countries within the Super Mario franchise that have been shown or mentioned, so here is is! This is mainly meant to be an informational post for anyone researching Mario stuff. Only the video game locations will be mentioned, as well as only things canonically within the Mario universe, meaning I will not include crossover material or real life locations, although some of the names of locations may originate from external material, and is only added for clarity. Anyways, here we go!

Countries

In order of introduction:

Metro Kingdom (Donkey Kong) - Mushroom Kingdom (Super Mario Bros.) - Subcon (Super Mario Bros. 2), Grass Land, Desert Land, Water Land, Giant Land, Sky Land, Ice Land, Pipe Land, Dark Land (Super Mario Bros. 3) - Sarasaland which contains: Birabuto Kingdom, Muda Kingdom, Easton Kingdom, Chai Kingdom (Super Mario Land) - Mario Land (Super Mario Land 2) - Jewelry Land (Yoshi's Safari) - Dinosaur Land (Super Mario World) - Jungle Kingdom (Donkey Kong Country) - Koopa Kingdom (Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island) - Lethal Lava Land, Shifting Sand Land, Water Land (painting world), Snowman's Land, Tiny People Country/Giant People Country (Super Mario 64) - Nimbus Land (Super Mario RPG) - Sherbet Land (Mario Kart 64) - Banana Fairy Kingdom (Donkey Kong 64) Pirate Land, Western Land, Space Land, Mystery Land, Horror Land, Bowser Land (Mario Party 2) - Dry Dry Kingdom (Paper Mario) - Cheese Land, Snow Land (Mario Kart: Super Circuit) - Cookie Land (Mario Kart: Double Dash!!) - Beanbean Kingdom (Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga) - Waffle Kingdom (Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door) -

Banana Kingdom, Orange Kingdom, Watermelon Kingdom, Apple Kingdom, Strawberry Kingdom, Pineapple Kingdom, Lemon Kingdom, Grape Kingdom, Cherry Kingdom, Peach Kingdom, Melon Kingdom, Durian Kingdom, Pear Kingdom, Lychee Kingdom, Chili Pepper Kingdom, Star Fruit Kingdom (Donkey Kong Jungle Beat) - Squirpia, Flora Kingdom, Sammer's Kingdom (Super Paper Mario) Honeyhive Kingdom (Super Mario Galaxy) - Baseball Kingdom (Mario Super Sluggers) - Pi'illo Kingdom (Mario & Luigi: Dream Team) - Sprixie Kingdom (Super Mario 3D World) - Item Castle Land (Mario Party: Island Tour) - Sweet Sweet Kingdom (Mario Kart 8) - Cap Kingdom, Cascade Kingdom, Sand Kingdom, Lake Kingdom, Wooded Kingdom, Cloud Kingdom, Lost Kingdom, Snow Kingdom, Seaside Kingdom, Luncheon Kingdom, Ruined Kingdom, Bowser's Kingdom, Moon Kingdom, Dark Side, Darker Side (Super Mario Odyssey) - Kingdom of Bask (Mario Tennis Aces) - Remote Kingdom, Boost Kingdom (Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit) - Cat Kingdom (Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury) - Flower Kingdom (Super Mario Bros. Wonder) - Concordia (Mario & Luigi: Brothership)

I'm pretty sure that's all of them, but if you think I missed any, drop a message in the submissions box!

Notes

Bowser seems to have at least 4 distinct kingdoms in the games: Dark Land, Koopa Kingdom, Bowser Land and Bowser's Kingdom. I will still count these as separate countries since nothing in-game states they are part of the same domain, despite being ruled by the same individual.

Although there are many "king" characters in the Mario series, many are not shown to have their own kingdoms in-game, so none of those were included, as it is merely speculative.

Some locations listed are depicted as small areas within spin-off games (Mario Kart courses and Mario Party boards), and may not be actual countries in-universe. I listed them anyways because it is still technically possible, and the names of these locations in other languages use the terms "country" and "kingdom" as well.

The "Cat Kingdom" is the Korean name of Lake Lapcat in Bowser's Fury, so that was included as well as "Tiny People Country, Giant People Country" as they are the Chinese name for Tiny Huge Island from Super Mario 64. Additionally, "Water Land" is used as the name of World 3 in Super Mario Bros. 3 as well as the Japanese name of Dire, Dire Docks, and the painting worlds are stated to be separate from the regular world in the Mario series, so I listed both as distinct countries.

The "Jungle Kingdom" was the name given to Donkey Kong's domain in the Super Mario Bros. Movie. While the film is not canon, I included the name as the term for his region, as Donkey Kong is known as "King of the Jungle" in multiple games.

Credit goes to Nintendo and all affiliated parties, and to the Super Mario Wiki for most of this information.

[trashyswitch]

Luigi's Secret

Chapter 23: Weegee's Knee-d for Comfort

Luigi slides out of the pipe, but hurts his knees (and his pride) in the process. So Mario takes the time to tend to his physical and psychological needs.

Then Luigi gets an update that rocks his internet world...

HAPPY MAR10 DAY to my long-lost childhood imaginary friend. Mario will always have a special place in my heart.

The boys popped out of the tube and landed in the long grass. Mario naturally popped out first, flying through the air with pure joy on his face and making sure he had his feet ready for the landing. He touched down perfectly onto the grass and slid in an almost heroic fashion before standing up with a proud look on his face. He was finally getting the hang of how to create a good landing! 

“Luigi, did you-” Mario turned around and snickered as he widened his eyes. 

Luigi looked like he had eaten dirt upon landing. His legs flopped onto the ground as he slowly got himself up, covered in a mix of grass stains and dirt. But despite all that, Luigi threw his thumb up in the air and mumbled something like “I’m okay!”.  

Mario couldn’t stop himself from laughing at his brother. He always was, and always will be, the more clumsy out of the two of them. Mario walked up to him and patted his back. “You’ll get there eventually.” Mario told him. 

Luigi sighed as he got up onto his feet. “Ow…” Luigi grumbled as he got up and dusted himself off. 

Mario bit his lip. “Knees?” He asked. 

“Mhm.” He replied. “Imagine being 25 and having bad knees already.” Luigi said with a chuckle, before dropping his smile. “Couldn’t be me…” He started to mumble with slight annoyance. 

Mario tensed his lips, feeling remorse for Luigi. The bad knees were the reason they had decided to strike out on their own. Luigi began to really struggle with catching up, and Spike never bothered to wait for him despite Mario’s protests. Things hit a head when Mario watched Luigi attempt to get up onto his feet after kneeling to fix a sink…and then he fell back down and further damaged his knees. 

Mario readied his hands. “Fall into my arms, Lu.” Mario told him. 

Luigi tilted his head. “Like a trust fall?” He asked. 

“Yeah! Backwards this time. Not forward like last time.” Mario reminded him. 

Luigi nodded and threw his arms out, before falling with his back towards Mario’s hands. Mario caught Luigi perfectly, and picked up his brother bridal-style almost effortlessly. “There.” Mario said. “Reach for the toolkit.” Mario told him. Luigi nodded and picked up the toolkit, carrying it on his lap in Mario’s grip. “Ready!” Luigi cheered. 

“Alright!” Mario carried his brother towards the house. “Off to Neverland!” Mario sang as he jokingly started spinning Luigi in a circle. “OHGOD MARIO!” Luigi yelped and held onto Mario for dear life, terrified of being dropped. “S-STOP!” Luigi begged. “You really think I would drop you?” Mario asked, stopping his spinning.  

“Y-You did once.” Luigi reminded him, resting his head on Mario’s shoulder. 

“Yeah…when I was 9 and an idiot.” Mario told him. “I would never drop you now.” He reminded him. 

Mario started to jump across the different bricks with Luigi still in his arms. Okay…As much as he used to tease Mario about being acrobatic, he had to admit just how impressive Mario can be. Despite getting older, Mario never once lost his athletic skills. 

Mario walked to the door. “Can you open the door for me?” Mario asked. 

Luigi nodded and grabbed out the key. He put the key into the lock, twisted the key and then opened the door with another twist of the doorknob. 

Mario turned Luigi so his feet were first. “Now give it a kick!” Mario ordered. 

Luigi smiled and kicked the door open in spite of his knees. 

“Yeah! Good one, Lu!” Mario reacted, walking into the house. 

Luigi chuckled. “Thanks.” He said, twirling his mustache. 

Mario let Luigi put the toolkit down, before taking his brother to the couch. Mario placed Luigi onto the couch very softly, and placed a pillow behind Luigi’s back and head. “There.” Mario grabbed a blanket from the chair nearby. “Blanket?” Mario asked. 

“Nah, I’m good.” Luigi replied. 

Mario nodded and put the blanket back. He headed to their bedroom, and grabbed a squeeze bottle of ointment specifically for aching joints. He headed back to the kitchen and put a heating pad into the microwave. While it heated up, Mario walked out to the living room with the bottle. “Roll up your pants, Luigi.” Mario told him. Luigi nodded in response and rolled up the right one first. Mario started to open the bottle, but heard his brother clear his throat. Mario looked at Luigi, and saw his arm out. “I can do it.” Luigi told him. 

Mario hummed with a smile and handed him the bottle. “Fine.” He replied. 

“Microwave went off.” Luigi said, pointing to the kitchen. 

“On it.” Mario said, walking to the kitchen. He grabbed the heating pad from the microwave and placed it aside. Luigi put the ointment onto his right knee first. He rubbed it around the front, the side and the back of the knee joint because all of it seemed to be hurting. Luigi rolled up his left leg and put the same ointment onto that knee. On the right knee, Luigi could feel the cooling sensation that came with the ointment. It felt like someone was blowing icy cold air onto his knee. It honestly felt really good and it always did the trick for him. 

After covering his other knee with the ointment, Luigi rubbed the stuff into his own hands before putting the cap on and placing it aside. With that done, Luigi put the heating pad onto both his knees. It was a long one, which meant both knees could be covered in heat at once. Luigi leaned back and closed his eyes, feeling relaxed and content. The heat felt amazing. As much as he hated the knee pain, he loved the feeling of the ointment and the heat. It’s like a massage. You hate feeling the neck and back pain, but you love the feeling of getting those massages. 

*tweak* 

“WaAH-” Luigi jumped, feeling his knee twitch. “What-” 

“This still gets you?” Mario asked, wrapping his middle finger and thumb around the outside of his knee, and tweaking it. 

“YE-Yes. Ihit does.” Luigi admitted. 

Mario chuckled. “Bad timing?” Mario asked. 

Luigi shook his head. “No.” He replied. “But…Still unsure about that tickle spot.” Luigi admitted. 

Mario made the finger movement with his index finger and thumb. “This one?” Mario asked. 

Luigi nodded. “Part of me likes the playfulness, but…” Luigi bit his lip. “The other part of me doesn’t like the feeling.” Luigi admitted awkwardly. 

“Hm…” Mario mumbled. 

“Like, I have good memories of Dad and Uncle Arthur doing it to us when we were kids.” Luigi admitted. 

“But the feeling itself…doesn't feel the same?” Mario asked. 

“Yeah…” Luigi clarified. 

Mario sat down on the other side of the couch. “I get that.” He admitted. “You know I’ve never been a fan of people touching my back.” Mario reminded him. 

Luigi nodded. “Yeah.” 

Mario cleared his throat slightly. “It’s because it’s really sensitive. And not ticklish…just sensitive.” Mario replied. 

“Like…itchy?” Luigi clarified. Mario scrunched up his face, unsure. “...Kkkindaaa?” He thought for a moment. “It doesn’t tickle enough to make me laugh.” Mario explained. “It just tickles enough to make me jump.” 

Luigi nodded and thought for a moment. “So…Yeah. Sensitive should be the right word for that.” Luigi replied. 

Mario nodded. “I know.” 

Luigi scratched the back of his head. “The community sorta uses the words ‘sensitive’ and ‘ticklish’ interchangeably.” Luigi explained. 

“Because the word ‘ticklish’ is too hard to say?” Mario asked with a laugh. Luigi shrugged his shoulders. “P-Pretty much, yeah.” 

Mario giggled. “What mood are you in right now?” Mario asked. 

Luigi began to think for a moment. That’s a…good question. What kind of mood WAS he in right now?! Luigi had no idea! “Uhhhh…” He said to give himself a bit more time. Cause…he was talking about tickle game almost like he was in a switch mood, but…Talking about it honestly made him lean in towards a lee mood. But not a strong enough lee mood that he’ll go insane if he’s not wrecked…but kind of a casual lee mood that he can cover up in a moment’s notice. So… “I think…I’m mostly in a lee mood, but…” He looked at Mario. “But it’s not overwhelming.” He admitted, looking back down. 

“So you want more playfulness than tickles right now?” Mario asked. 

Luigi looked up at Mario with a bright smile. “Y-Yeah, actually!” Luigi admitted. 

Mario giggled and laughed at his brother’s sudden excitement. “Well then! Okay!” He replied. “But I think we should focus on looking after your knees first.” Mario told him. 

Luigi threw the heating pad off and stood up. “I’m fine!” Luigi declared. 

“LuigiWAI-” 

But Luigi gasped and squeezed his eyes shut the moment he felt the achy, weak pain filling his knees again. Too much movement, way too fast. He grunted and slowly brought himself down onto the couch again, grunting and whining as he laid himself down again. “Stupid knees…” Luigi mumbled, clearly ticked off. 

Mario put the heating pad back onto Luigi’s knees again. “Alright. Move over.”  Mario said, scooting Luigi over a little bit. “Hm? Why?” Luigi asked. 

“I’m getting in beside you.” Mario told him, sitting down on the couch super close to his brother. “Duhude. There’s barely any room!” Luigi tried to tell him. “Then move your butt!” Mario reacted, forcing himself in. 

“Ihi literally CAN’T!” Luigi reacted, showing Mario the back of the couch and how much he was currently squished against it. 

Mario stopped moving and wrapped his arm around his brother’s side. “Come here.” He said, before squeezing both of Luigi’s sides. 

“NahAHA! MARIOHOHOhoho!” Luigi laughed, leaning against Mario. 

“Whaaat? I’m right here.” Mario teased, moving to his lower ribs. 

“Ihihi cahahan’t gohohoho anywhehehere!” Luigi told him. 

“But isn’t that what you want? To be stuck in one place, only able to laugh and maybe squirm as you’re destroyed almost mercilessly?” Mario asked. 

“Ihihihihi-”

“You can’t lie to me now, Lu. You made the dreadful mistake of telling me about it earlier.” Mario told him. 

Luigi shook his head. “Ihihi dihihid nohot!” Luigi argued. 

Mario smiled and blew some gentle air onto Luigi’s right ear. 

“Mario-MariodohohOHOHON’T!”  Luigi yelled.

“Who needs fingers when you can use the air?” Mario teased before blowing more air onto his right ear. 

Luigi curled his neck in, attempting to cover up his right ear but to no avail. Plus: when Luigi covered up his right ear, then his left ear became super vulnerable! So naturally, Mario blew some air onto his left ear. This made Luigi burst out laughing and lean his head back against Mario’s right shoulder. “HAHAHAHA- WHYHY THEHEHERE?” Luigi asked. 

“Because if it wasn’t obvious already, your ears are one of my favorite spots to tickle.” Mario told him, tickling his left ear lightly. 

“Hehehehe- Ihihi dihidn’t knohohow.” Luigi admitted. 

“You didn’t?!” Mario stopped. “A reminder that everytime I tickled you, I would target one specific tickle spot.” Mario told him. 

“T-Truhue…” Luigi mumbled. He had to admit…he had a really good point.  

“And let’s not forget your belly button.” Mario teased as he brought his fingers down and poked Luigi’s belly button. “That’s another one of my favorite tickle spots on you.” Mario told him. 

Luigi threw his head back and cackled his heart out, bringing his belly in slightly to try and get his finger away. But Mario’s finger only followed his belly. And with nowhere to go, Luigi just HAD to let it happen! “eeEEHEHEHEHEHEEE! NAAAHAHAHAHAHA! IHIHI- IHIHI’M GOHOHONNA DIHIHIHIEEHEHEHEHEHE!” Luigi shouted. 

Mario quickly stopped his fingers, a worried expression on his face. “Do you need me to stop?” he asked. “Cause this spot tends to kill you.” Mario admitted. 

Luigi’s hysterical laughter quickly began to calm down. “HEHEhehehe…Yeheheah…” He muttered. The man was growing steadily tired from all the tickles…not to mention the long work day they had just worked. But boy…Luigi felt so much better. Even his knees felt like they were getting a lot better! Luigi pulled out his phone and noticed that there was a reply to his message! Wait…was this the message from the other night?! 

[I've been in a ler mood lately, yet my brothers asleep, and I don't want to wake him, so I need an awake person, guess you'll a have to do. -🧢] 

[Aww...that sucks...Well, good thing I normally stay up late! 

*opens arms* Go for it! Destroy me!

~Pocket]

“Did you send that Pocket person another message?” Mario asked beside him. 

Luigi widened his eyes and looked towards Mario. “U-Uh…” He looked at his phone, and back at Mario. “Y…Yeah…” Luigi muttered awkwardly. 

“Let me see.” Mario told him. 

Luigi handed Mario his phone, and watched as Mario read the message and the person’s response. Luigi felt a little bit bad for sending this message late that night. He was desperate at the time, and needed an outlet. But…Now Mario knows about it.  

Mario looked at Luigi. “Was it really that bad that you had to tell them about it?” Mario asked. 

Luigi looked down a little bit and nodded his head. “Y-Yeah…It was.” Luigi admitted. 

Mario chuckled and crossed his arms. “I wanna see how this one goes down.” Mario told him. 

Luigi widened his eyes. “Wait, really?!” He reacted. 

Mario shrugged his shoulders. “Yeah! Show me how you do ler moods online.” Mario told him. 

Luigi nodded. “Okay.” He opened the person’s profile, and clicked the button [Prompts OPEN! & No FNAF plz!!]. It brought up the profile name above the message area, with the words [Ask Anonymously] on the bottom of the message board with a switch to turn it on or off. Luigi turned it on, and clicked off the pop-up that showed up. Then, Luigi thought for a moment. Now what to write…He fiddled with a few things, before slowly coming up with a proper new message. 

[ (Weeg) 

Oh Pocket~

Heheh. *Looks at you evilly*] 

He clicked the [Ask] button before closing his phone. “Then I wait for Pocket to reply.” Luigi told him. “Why did you write that specific sentence in star keys?” Mario asked. 

“Words surrounded by a star key are supposed to be actions.” Luigi pulled up his brother’s contact on his phone. “For example: *hugs you*. *makes you a cup of tea*.” Luigi wrote out.

Mario pulled out his phone and chuckled. “Really?” He asked. 

“I needed a visual explanation.” Luigi admitted. 

Mario thought for a moment. “...*puts a bagel in the toaster*. *hits you with a cardboard roll*.” Mario said out loud. 

Luigi laughed as the messages came in. Luigi sent him something back. 

L: [*dropkicks you to the moon*] 

Mario wheezed and laughed at that one. “Dropkicks me- Luigi!” Mario reacted. 

“Whahat?! It’s funny!” Luigi reacted. 

Mario smirked and quickly typed something back. M: [*Tickles you*]

Luigi widened his eyes and blushed a bit. “Mario whyyyy…” Luigi whined. 

Mario bursted out laughing and elbowed his brother. “You started it.” Mario teased. 

“No I didn’t! You hit me with the cardboard roll first!” Luigi reacted. 

“So that means you’re allowed to dropkick me to the freaking moon?!” Mario asked. 

“Yes!” Luigi replied. 

Mario laughed. “You’re such a dork.” he teased. 

“I know, I know…” Luigi replied. “Oh! You know what’s another great one?” He asked suddenly. 

“What?” Mario asked. 

Luigi typed into his phone, while Mario pulled up his phone to read it. 

L: [*slaps you with a dictionary*]

Mario laughed and sent one back to him. 

M: [*whacks you with a bible*] 

Luigi bursted out in a long fit of cackles with a couple snorts mixed in. “Gohoho- Gohohood one, Mario.” Luigi reacted. 

Mario laughed as well before coming up with another. 

M: [*Turns you into Flat Stanley*] 

Luigi laughed and sent one back. 

L: [*slaps you with a plate of whipped cream*] 

Mario widened his eyes and giggled. “Wow…Pulling out the whipped cream now, are we?” Mario teased. 

Luigi nodded. “You bet.” 

Mario smiled and sent Luigi another action. 

M: [*Whacks you with a frying pan Rapunzel-style*] 

Luigi laughed. “Wooow!” Luigi reacted. 

“And a small reminder: That thing was a cast-iron skillet! Not only is she ridiculously strong, but Flynn Rider should be DEAD!” Mario reminded him. 

Luigi gasped. “I forgot about that…” Luigi muttered. “Okay, okay. One more.” He typed something into the messages, and sent it. 

L: [*Blows up a hospital Joker-style*] 

Mario laughed. “Have it fail for a moment? Then you turn around and wave your arms in confusion, only for it to explode and make you turn around again?” Mario joked. “Yes. Exactly that.” Luigi replied. 

Mario put on his beat joker impression. “Ya wanna know how I got these scars~?” Mario teased. 

Luigi laughed. “Yehehes!” He cheered. 

Mario continued to say every word of dialogue from that movie with almost perfect accuracy. Luigi listened to all of it, loving every second of it. By the end, Luigi was thoroughly impressed that Mario remembered that whole dialogue moment! It was…really cool, actually. It was one of the very things that made Mario an awesome brother. And no matter what happened, nothing would ever be able to change how cool he was. 

[10:46pm] 

“Hello, Super Mario Brothers? Oh, hello! Oh, that’s alright. Would you like to reschedule? Okay. We are free…”

[12:01am]

Luigi pulled the covers off himself, and walked up to Mario’s bed. He was holding his phone in his hand, visibly sad for an unknown reason. He held his phone close to himself, the phone screen still on. He wanted to reach out and touch his brother, but he feared scaring him awake. 

“Mario…” Luigi softly whispered. 

He waited a moment, hoping he would say something, or shift his body slightly. But, he was met with nothing. 

“Maaarioo?” Luigi called in a soft, sing-song voice. 

Mario shifted slightly. Seeing this, Luigi widened his eyes and gently touched his brother’s shoulder. “Maaariooo?” Luigi called. 

Mario groaned softly, slowly opening his eyes. “Hm?” He hummed, confused. 

“S-Sorry to wake you, b-but…” Luigi bit his lip, too tired and awkward in the moment. 

Mario sat up a bit and turned on the lamp. “What’s up?” He asked. 

“S-So…” Luigi sat himself down and showed Mario the post TrashySwitch had put up. 

Mario blinked a few times and adjusted his eyes to the message: 

[Dear Pocket, This is Nico from a friend's account, I'm writing to let you know my old account has been deleted, and this was because I didn't want to post on tumblr anymore, please take care and you were one of the greatest friends here on the platform, goodbye.

-Nico, Tickle Goddess] 

Mario widened his eyes slightly and looked up at Luigi. “You…you mentioned the name ‘Nico’ earlier…” Mario muttered. 

Luigi nodded his head, holding his arms close to himself. “The tumblr profile is gone…” 

Mario softened his expression. “Oh Lu…” He put down the phone and opened his arms. “Come here.” 

Luigi snuggled into his brother’s arms, letting Mario hold him. “I don’t have any other way to get in contact with them…” Luigi admitted. “They’re gone…” Luigi mumbled. 

Mario tightened his hug slightly. “Oh Lu…” Mario closed his eyes. “I don’t know much about them…but…” Mario rubbed his back. “But I can safely assume it’s like you lost a friend…” Mario said. 

Luigi squeezed his eyes shut with a few nods. 

Mario sighed and closed his eyes. “you’re allowed to be upset. Be upset for as long as you need.” He told his brother. 

Luigi let out a shaky breath. “Bye Nico…Please check in soon.” 

This fanfic is dedicated to one of my dearest Tumblr friends, Nico. Thank you so much for all the support and love you've provided me. I'll miss you so much...

[danger-high-voltage]

My Idea for a Bowser Game

The game would be a beat em up in the style of Streets of Rage, Final Fight, and the Scott Pilgrim game. The game would have four player cooperative multiplayer. The game would show Bowser invading the Mushroom Kingdom from his kingdom. You start with only Bowser, Bowser Jr., Boom Boom, and Kamek as playable characters. You unlock the Koopalings and Pom Pom throughout the game. The idea is that they've been sent ahead to seize the castles of the various lands and are able to join Bowser's assault after he helps them take each castle. Here is a brief description of the four initial playable characters.

The game levels are meant to feel like playing a Mario game in reverse order. So in each stage you start on the right and proceed left. The themes of the stages also reflect this with you starting in a lava world as the first stage and ending the game in a grass world. The final level would be Mushroom Castle and the final bosses would be Mario and Luigi. The game ends with Bowser kidnapping Peach and returning to his castle.

Beating the game unlocks a whole new game story with mirrored levels and a time limit to beat each one. It has Mario, Luigi, Toad, and Toadette as playable characters as they fight to save Peach. Beating that second story then unlocks Peach as a playable character. Even though there would be no more new levels left the game would have a free play mode where you can play as any character in any level.

[angeliqueiguess]

Dear Professor... (s.jn)

PROLOGUE

Warnings: Language, Hyuck being blunt, Renjun being an environment fairy

Masterlist

NeoCity University / Campus

Once again, I found myself defeated in front of my friends Sooah and Donghyuck. My head felt like it was about to explode, and I didn’t know what else to do.

“What if you studied more?” Donghyuck suggested, shamelessly shoving a chip into his mouth, which earned him a withering glare from me. “I’m just saying, that’s the best way to get Suh off your ass,” he added with a grin. I sighed.

“It’s not that, Hyuck,” I said, raising my eyebrows as Sooah looked at me with concern. “No matter how hard I try, Suh always finds some excuse to mark my exam as ‘not competent,’” I added, air-quoting and mimicking my chemistry professor’s dull voice.

“But what did he say this time?” Sooah asked, and I sighed again.

A week ago...

I was more than sure I would pass that exam and finally get this damn professor off my back. As I looked over the test, a smile spread across my face; I knew the answers. I quickly worked through it, double-checking to make sure everything was correct. This couldn’t happen again.

1 hour ago...

Today was the day grades were released for that final, and I was nearly triumphant, celebrating the fact that I wouldn’t have to take another class with Suh for at least another year.

I sat at my usual desk, feeling a bit anxious as I sighed. I was completely sure everything had gone as I expected. Then my gaze shifted to the right, landing on John Suh's desk. His eyes met mine for a split second. “L/n, may I speak with you for a moment?” he asked in that irritating tone, and my hopes crumbled before my eyes. My anxiety shot up as I realized all my classmates were still there, and with all the embarrassment in the world, I stood up and walked over to that mahogany desk.

“Professor, if I failed again, could you please not mention it in front of the class?” I asked, almost in a whisper.

Now...

“And did he?” Hyuck asked, his curiosity evident as he finished off his bag of chips.

“Yes, fuck, I’m such a loser,” I said, covering my face with both hands. “I looked completely stupid in front of everyone.” Sooah simply patted me on the back, offering a gesture of comfort.

Suddenly, I lowered my hands to see Renjun hitting lightly Donghyuck's nape “There’s a recycling bin just two steps away asshole! Do you throw wrappers on the floor in your dorm, too?” Donghyuck, mildly annoyed by Renjun's hit, grumbled under his breath as he headed to dispose of the wrapper.

"I think I'm going to drop out," I said as I settled onto the grass that blanketed the campus. The others followed suit.

"Is it Professor Suh again?" Renjun asked, his brow furrowing. I nodded, my expression a blend of frustration and sadness. "He called me incompetent in front of the whole class again."

"I think he might actually be interested in you," Renjun said bluntly. I widened my eyes, taken aback, and he just shrugged.

"You're out of your mind if you think that," I replied, still a bit stunned and with an expression of disgust adorning my face.

"But just take a moment to think about it, okay? Most of the time, he only disapproves of your finals," Renjun reasoned, letting his logic flit around in my mind like a restless bird.

"Or maybe you are just dumb," Hyuck chimed in casually, shrugging his shoulders and raising his arms as a shield against the light jab Sooah aimed at him.

"Watch your mouth boy" she warned. "You’re not calling my baby clueless." Sooah hugged me by my side as she caressed my hair like a mother.

A few minutes pass by and Renjun sits up patting his pants to remove grass off him.

"Okay, I've got Environmental Ethics class in ten minutes," Renjun said with a faint smile. We all nodded and said our goodbyes.

"Hey, Renjun! Don’t forget about today! Mario Kart night!" Donghyuck shouted, to which Renjun replied without turning around, "I won’t! I'm going to fuck you up!" Hyuck scoffed rolling his eyes ''Yeah sure''

"Then," Sooah chimed in looking at me, "Girls' night?"

"I’m not sure I'm in the mood, Soo," I admitted, letting my head slightly down, feeling a bit down.

"But we could give it a shot!" she beamed and I smiled a bit. "That’s the spirit! Don’t let some old boring guy ruin our girls' night!"

I chuckled softly. This was bound to be another wild Friday night. And by wild I mean booze and sneaking Jaemin and Jeno in our dorm.

prev//next- University Shenanigans

Angelique's note: Heyya! Here’s the prologue of my first fanfic! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did while writing it. The format will be a blend of fake texts, tweets, and written passages! So if you’ve made it this far, please don’t forget to like it, and if you want, you can follow me. It would mean a lot and really motivates me to keep writing!

[spmcomic]

✊🏽❤️‍🩹

(from the prompt list)

“I just wish somebody would come help me!”

Mario’s attention snapped to the familiar voice, and he bounded across the jagged landscape, vaulting over boulders and geysers and scraggly dull grass over cracked ground. He bounced off a shattered pillar, twirled in midair a few times, and landed on his toes and a knee at the source of the sound, fists raised and eyes open for any sign of trouble. 

Luigi, of course, startled at his brother appearing before him from the mist. He leapt back, windmilling his arms and landing hard on his backside with a strangled yelp. “Buh… BRO!?”

Mario grinned and nodded, to which Luigi pumped a fist in the air.

“Oh yeah! I missed you, Bro!”

The hero in red rushed forward and grabbed his brother around the waist, lifting him up and spinning him once. “Missed you too, Weeg. What are you doing down here?”

He in green laughed awkwardly, rubbing a nervous hand up his arm as he stepped away. “Down here? Uh…” He looked around, rubbed his eyes, then looked around again. “Down where?”

“Afterlife.” 

Luigi’s brows instantly drew together. “What? The Underwhere? What… Well, what are YOU doing down here, Bro?” 

“Teleported. One of the minions. I guess he thought he was being funny.” 

Before Luigi could step forward, Mario put an arm out to block his path. He raised his brows, watching his brother expectantly. Luigi watched him right back. The two of them stared for a moment longer, waiting for the other to back down, before they both burst out in laughter. Luigi wrapped his arms around his brother’s shoulders, limp with relief. “It is good to see you, Bro… Thank you for coming when I called.”

[suppermariobroth]

In Mario Kart Wii, the ramps in front of the bouncy mushrooms on the Mushroom Gorge track have a special property that locks the racer's speed between touching them and landing on solid ground again after bouncing off a mushroom.

This is implemented to make sure that the racer's speed is consistent while bouncing on several mushrooms in a row, making it easier to judge where the vehicle will land.

However, if the ramp is taken while turned backwards from the mushrooms, as shown in the footage, the speed locking will persist on solid ground. This allows the racer to go off-road without being slowed down by the grass.

Main Blog | Twitter | Patreon | Small Findings | Source: gmdblue

[lore-of-the-mushroom-kingdom]

Grasslands' Location

So in Super Mario Bros. 3 there is a location referred to as the Grass Land or Grasslands. This place is actual the main location surrounding the Mushroom Kingdom.

In Mario Party 9 when Mario and friends head East to Toad/Adventure Road to stop Bowser, Bowser and Bowser Junior state this is in the Grasslands. We can also tell this is the Mushroom Kingdom still due to the water and hills.

What's notable is in every game when you go to rescue the Princess you head East. For example New Super Mario Bros. Wii and New Super Mario Bros. DS.

[weirdmarioenemies]

I am going to like totally finally finish ranking the Mario galaxies today. Stop Me.

Thank you for you're patience. We can talk about the top 5 galaxies now

I'm not gonna bother with any prelude, you've waited for this for like years now I know you want the Goods so here you go!

5. Blue Grass Galaxy

Tier: S+ Debut: Super Mario Galaxy 2

Blue Grass Galaxy is quite possibly the most elusive galaxy in the series. It was shown off briefly in the first ever Super Mario Galaxy 2 trailer, but when the game came out, it seemed like it was nowhere to be seen... Not even datamining could find it!

But as it turned out, we just weren't looking hard enough, because if you manage to grab every Green Star as Mario in a single sitting in under two hours without losing a single life, and then beat the Perfect Run, also without losing a single life, you unlock... A series of Red Stars for each Galaxy! And once you collect all of those in under an hour as Luigi without losing any lives, once again followed by another perfect Perfect Run, you unlock a bonus Hungry Luma on the World Map, who needs to be fed 9999 Star Bits on all three save files (so have fun speedrunning the green and red stars again!) before finally transforming into the Blue Grass Galaxy.

Of course, because the files for the Blue Grass Galaxy weren't included in the game, you'd need to download it by using a special, randomly-generated code on the Wii Shop Channel, but once you finally did, you could finally play the Blue Grass Galaxy to your heart's content. I know it might seem like quite the grind to get here, but man, every second you spend in the Blue Grass Galaxy is so immaculate, it makes the whole grind worth it. I almost don't have the words to describe how good it is, you'd really need to experience it for yourself! Sadly, you can't anymore, ever since the Wii Shop Channel shut down... Ah well. You really had to be there, I guess. I know some people were disappointed by it just reusing the Puzzle Plank Galaxy music, but I love that music so much that I don't mind.

My only gripe with the galaxy, and the main reason it only landed in the #5 spot, is because of the name. They called it the "Blue Grass" Galaxy, but that grass is very clearly green. This might seem like a pretty petty reason to put it so low, but when you get up that high, the small things can make a big difference, you know? If they called it the "Green Grass Galaxy" or the "Blue Sky Galaxy," I could easily imagine it getting the #1 spot, but respectable effort nonetheless, and a worthy reward for Super Players.

4. Wet-Dry World

Tier: SS Game: Super Mario 64

I know what you may be thinking. "What could Wet-Dry World be doing on a list of Super Mario Galaxies?" Well, it's a World in a 3D Mario platformer where you can collect Power Stars. Need I say more? And ever since Throwback Galaxy confirmed Whomp's Fortress is a Galaxy, it's easy to extend this logic to the rest of Super Mario 64. So Wet-Dry World gets to make the top 5 also.

I mean, how would it not? It's a galaxy with a cool and unique gimmick! The idea of the height you enter at deciding the water level when you enter in is super cool, and I love all the ways they tie this gimmick into the galaxy's different missions. And while this might seem like a small thing to a lot of people, as a mod of Weird Mario Enemies, I can't help myself: I will ALWAYS love a galaxy that includes such memorable enemies as Chuckya and Skeeter! So Cool!

Even in a time before Super Mario Galaxy, they managed to get the "otherworldly" feeling of this location down pat! I mean, there's the fact the skybox is distinctively underwater, even when you're on dry land, there's the fact the way you adjust the water level is via these abstract crystals, there's the whole abandoned underwater city, giving hints as to long-gone civilizations and possible Wet-Dry World Lore, this galaxy has it all! I know some people say it has a Negative Emotional Aura, but those people just don't know the meaning of good atmosphere.

3. SNES Mario Circuit 3

Tier: Good Debut: Super Mario Kart

For the #3 slot, it should only make sense that it's a place with "3" in the name. I know lots of you were probably expecting SNES Bowser Castle 3 to end up here, but it's just hard for me to ignore SNES Mario Circuit 3's legacy. I mean, it's been in five different games for crying out loud! It's hard for a course to show up in five games if it's not really good, right?

SNES Mario Circuit 3 may seem like a really basic course at a glance, what with it being completely flat and everything. Not a lot of bells and whistles in this one, that's for sure. But a better look at it reveals it to be a surprisingly technical track, with some tight turns that require good brake drifting to take optimally, and a bevy of off-road shortcuts that reward players for good item usage. While lots of courses get by thanks to their flashy gimmicks and setpieces, SNES Mario Circuit 3 cements itself as a fan-favorite as a pure test of players' skill. I mean, again, I have to assume it's a fan-favorite if it's in five games.

I also need to give a shoutout to SNES Mario Circuit 3's Atmosphere. The course has hardly changed at all since its original incarnation on the SNES, making it like, totally retro, and the staircases and flagpoles representing the original Super Mario Bros. only help to cement that identity. It also gives the course a very unique, almost liminal sort of feeling. The yellow sky is also an interesting touch. Is it merely set at sunset, or is it a biting commentary on how 30 years of go-karting have caused enough pollution to change the color of the sky? I'll let you be the judge.

Either way, it makes sense why this course has cemented itself as such a fan-favorite, and manages to always get picked in Mario Kart 8 Deluxe online lobbies. It's just that Good!

2. Milky Way Galaxy

Tier: X Game: Real

i live here hi!!!!!! :D

1. Sling Pod Galaxy

Tier: The "S" is for "Slingpodgalaxy" Game: Super Mario Galaxy

It's always the ones you least expect who win in the end... I may have ranked it dead last when I started this series, but by using the momentum of the Sling Pods, it managed to slingshot itself allllll the way to the top! Bet you didn't see this one coming! But really, it should be obvious. This galaxy is an incredible test of timing and precision, offering a good challenge for skilled players, and with an aesthetic reminiscent of the beautiful Space Junk Galaxy, it ends up winning me over in more ways than one!

There's no question that as soon as you have enough Star Bits saved up to reach Sling Pod Galaxy that you should make a mad dash to the Fountain and shove them all into that Hungry Luma's mouth, because the Sling Pod Galaxy is an experience you'll never forget! And since it's a great place to farm Star Bits too, it practically pays for itself! Bonus!

Wow! What a wild ride that was !!!! hopefully we all learned something at the end.

i'll post the real top 5 some other time i'm sorry