"First Mission"
by Sara Jaye

What started out as a typical day in the lives of two plumbers would be the day their lives changed forever. It all started when they were fixing a clogged bathtub drain and Luigi heard a noise.

"Do drainpipes usually call for help, Mario?" he asked.

"It's probably someone in the apartment under this one. Noise carries and all," Mario said.

"Help!" the pipe shrieked again. Mario raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe we should be calling the police. We'd look pretty mean if we just sat here while this woman's being attacked."

"Wait, do any women even live in that apartment?" Luigi scratched his head. Just then, a piece of paper flew out of the water spout, smacking him in the face. "Hey! Watch it!" He frowned. "Now they're throwing garbage at us!"

Mario glanced at the paper.

"My name is Princess Toadstool, and I am ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom," he read. "The giant lizard King Koopa has captured my servant and I, and is holding the kingdom hostage. Whoever reads this, please help us!"

Luigi laughed.

"Princess Toadstool? Lizard king? Mushroom Kingdom? Sounds like some fantasy writer wasn't satisfied with his work, eh Mario?"

The memory of a woman in the clutches of a large ape sitting on top of a tower flashed through Mario's mind.

"Let's go, Luigi," he said. Luigi gave him a confused look. It wasn't like Mario to be that naive.

"You mean you believe that? Come on, Mario, a princess, a lizard king...it all sounds kinda fishy, don't you think?" He picked up his plunger and went back to working at the clog.

"Yeah, it does. But something tells me this is for real. I don't think that note coming through here was an accident," Mario said.

Suddenly, Luigi's plunger gave a lurch and the drain started to open.

"Wh-what the-Mario!" Panicking, he grabbed hold of Mario's arm as the drain opened and sucked them into the pipe. Mario, still clutching the note, laughed nervously.

"Hold on, Luigi...this is just the beginning."