Mario ran off looking everywhere he could in Ponyville but found no sign of Bowser or his minions.
"Where the heck are they at?" he thought.
Then a sound came from somewhere nearby.
Mario turned and got his fists ready.
Then out of nowhere came a Bullet Bill.
"Oh crap!," cried Mario and backflipped out of the way.
Then another appeared and Mario jumped up and stomped it.
"Where the heck are these Bullet Bills coming from?" he said.
Then he turned and saw two Hammer Bros come out with a cannon on wheels.
"Well if it isn't Mario," one Hammer Bro said "Bowser will be delighted to see you."
"Me?" said Mario "what does he want me for? To kill me?"
"Yes and no," the other Hammer Bro said "he wants your blood for one of his little projects."
"Over my dead body," snapped Mario.
"That can be arranged," a Hammer Bro said and fired a bullet as he and his brother threw their hammers.
Mario managed to dodge them but eventually got hit in the eye with a hammer and fell to the ground.
Mario got back up but felt weaker by the minute.
Then suddenly a blue blur with rainbow trails came down and hit one of the Hammer Bros.
Mario glanced up and saw Rainbow Dash.
"Not needing any help huh?" she teased.
Mario glared but tried not to stay mad.
Then the other Hammer Bro shot a Bullet Bill out of the cannon which hit Rainbow Dash in the side.
She fell to the ground with a thud.
"Rainbow Dash!" called Mario.
He turned angrily at the Hammer Bros.
He then reached in his pocket an pulled out a bag with a question mark on it.
"I tried being fair," Mario said angrily "but now you got me mad."
He reached into the bag with his hand as the Hammer Bros put in a large Bullet Bill.
"Come there's gotta be one," Mario said under his breath.
He then pulled out a star shaped object.
It glittered with a golden glow and sparkles surrounded it.
Mario clutched the star just as the Bullet Bill hit him.
Rainbow Dash saw this happen and closed her eyes.
But the next she opened them, she didn't see Mario.
Instead was a beautiful rainbow blur running towards the cannon and Hammer Bros killing them instantly.
Rainbow gasped as she saw Mario's body glow with multiple colors.
"Come on," he said "let's get you outta here."
He picked up Rainbow Dash and ran as the star's effects wore out.
The next Rainbow Dash knew, she passed out.
She woke up suddenly in a hospital bed and saw her friends and Mario all around her.
"W-what happened," Rainbow Dash moaned.
"You got hit by that bullet," Mario said "you got a big cut in your side."
"You should've listened to him" said Applejack "he told you not to come but look at ya now."
A tear fell down Rainbow's eye.
Mario came up to her.
"Look," he said "I know you wanted to help, but now you got hurt. I didn't want that to happen."
Then a nurse came in.
"Your cuts should heal in about a week," she said to Rainbow Dash "in meantime, you need rest."
Rainbow Dash nodded and sighed.
"Hey," Mario said carefully patting her back "thanks out there."
Rainbow Dash blushed with embarrassment.
Soon Rainbow's friends and Mario left.
Later that day, Rarity and Pinkie Pie were walking along a mountainside.
"I really appreciate the help, Pinkie," said Rarity.
"No problem," replied Pinkie "I like making suprises. Do you think Rainbow's gonna like it?"
"She probably will feel better after we give her this," Rarity said holding up a bright colored hat.
"Wow!" said Pinkie "it looks great."
"It soon will be when we get those gems for it," said Rarity "only the finest ones I know are up here and.."
"ooooooh."
"Um, Pinkie," said Rarity was that you?"
"No it wasn't," said Pinkie.
"Ooooh."
The two of them jumped and glanced over where the sound was coming from.
"Help...please," a voice cried out in pain.
Then the two ponies came around and gasped.
There was a young man with a mousestache and green clothes and dark blue overalls. His hat had an "L'' on it similar to Mario's.
"Who is this man?" wondered Rarity.
"I don't know," Pinkie said "but by the looks of it, he's Mario's brother, possibly younger, he fell on this mountain got himself hurt and had been here for who knows how long. Just a hunch.''
"Well," said Rarity "whoever he is, we must help him. Those gems will have to wait."
The two of them picked the man up and brought him to Rarity's house.
The man woke up and nearly had a heart attack when he saw Pinkie and Rarity.
"EEP!" he yelled "WHO ARE YOU?! WHAT DO YOU WANT?! WHERE AM I?!"
"Hey hey hey shhh," soothed Rarity "calm down, sir. We won't hurt you. I'm Rarity and this is Pinkie Pie."
"My name's Luigi," the man said calming down.
"By any chance," asked Pinkie "do you know anyone named...Mario?"
"How do you know my bro?" said Luigi.
"He rescued of one our friends," said Pinkie "and he tried to see what his enemy, as he says, Bowser was doing."
"B-BOWSER?" said Luigi "Oh man this ain't good. Where's Mario at?"
"He's staying with our friend Fluttershy," said Pinkie "come on we'll show ya."

Meanwhile at Fluttershy's cottage, Mario had offered to feed Fluttershy's chickens for her.
"Here little chickens," Mario said as he threw down the chicken seed on the ground.
The chickens came up and began to peck at their meals.
"There ya go," Mario said "eat up."
Fluttershy on the other hand was getting a salad for her pet bunny, Angel.
Angel looked down at his plate and began nibbling it.
Mario then came back in with an empty pail.
"Thanks, Mario," said Fluttershy.
"Hey glad I could help," Mario said.
Then there was a knock at the door.
"I'll get it," Mario said politey.
He opened up the door and gasped.
He stood face to face with an old friend of his.
"L-LUIGI!" cried Mario.
"M-MARIO!" sobbed Luigi "you're okay."
"There there, little brother," Mario said "I'm here for ya. Oh and this is Fluttershy."
Fluttershy and Luigi had their greetings.
Rarity and Pinkie(who had walked with Luigi) greeted Mario warmly.
"Bro how did you get here?" asked Luigi.
"That's the problem," Mario said "it had to do something with that pipe but I have no idea where it is."
"Well," said Luigi "we can't just stay here. Bowser's probably on the move right now."
Just then, Twilight and Applejack came running up.
"Twilight, Applejack," said Mario "what is it?"
"Spike said he saw something wrong in Canterlot," said Twilight "he said it's under attack."
"Crap," shouted Mario "Bowser's probably there. Come on, Luigi."
"Right," said Luigi "let's-a go!"
The two plumbers ran off bravely.
"Come on," said Twilight "they might need help."
"Alright then," said Rarity "I wish Rainbow was here to help us."
Back in her hospital bed, Rainbow Dash was snoozing peacfully when she heard a loud crack.
"Whose there?" she said nervously "Twilight? Applejack?...Mario?"
Then a shadowy figure came into view.
But it was so dark, Rainbow couldn't make it out.
The figure ran towards her and she let out a scream.
Rainbow woke up to find it wasn't real.
"Oh what a nightmare," she thought.
Then a nurse came in.
"Ma'am are you okay?" she said.
"Yes, fine, thank you," said Rainbow "just a bad dream."
The nurse left leaving Rainbow Dash all alone.
But she couldn't help but think that the figure seemed fimiliar.

*NOTE: the Mystery Bag was taken from Paper Mario.*