Summary
A distress signal from Valley's End triggers an alarm at the convention. Codey reveals his sister Cachely is trapped deep within the influence of the Umbral Deluge, and Mario volunteers for the rescue. E. Gadd leads him to the loading dock and offers his high speed submarine, which needs a fuel tank upgrade before the journey can begin.
Scene 1 - INT. Research Center Atrium
CODEY: "Still no answer… what is going on over there?"
Mario looks a bit concerned.
CODEY: "Oh, hey Mario. You're here too, huh? That's… great. Yeah, great…"
Codey never looks up from his device when speaking to Mario. His demeanor suggests that something is very wrong.
CODEY: "Sorry, now's really not the best time. You see, I've been trying-"
In the middle of Codey's sentence, an alarm begins blaring throughout the entire building. Red, flashing lights flood the atrium, sending everyone into a full on panic.
Shortly after the alarm begins sounding, a large monitor in the center of the atrium begins displaying a map. The camera pans to the center of the room and zooms in on this monitor. The location shown on the map flies across the ocean and zeroes in on a coast of the Wooded Kingdom. At this point, text prints across the screen.
VALLEY'S END, GEARONIA
CODEY: "Oh no… that must be her!"
The atrium bursts into a flood of worried chatter amongst researchers and convention-goers alike. It continues for a few seconds before Codey suddenly screams out, cutting through the noise and immediately silencing the crowd.
CODEY: "WE NEED TO SAVE MY SISTER!!!"
E. GADD: "Alright, alright! Someone turn off that blasted racket! What's going on?!"
CODEY: "Cachely! My dear sister Cachely! She's trapped in Valley's End, right in the middle of the Umbral Deluge! That stuff corrupts everything it touches! She must have sent this distress signal!"
The whole room collectively gasps. There is a pause of silence as E. Gadd looks confused.
E. GADD: "…Hmm. Cachely? It doesn't seem to ring a bell…"
RESEARCHER: "Professor! Are you kidding?! It's Cachely! Her research in the Anomalous Substances Division has been revolutionary!"
E. GADD: "…"
RESEARCHER: "…She's also the one who makes your favorite coffee blend."
E. GADD: "CACHELY!!! Of course! It's clear as day now! How could I have forgotten?"
CODEY: "Please! We have to do something!"
E. GADD: "Yes, yes, but we need someone capable. This is no ordinary rescue mission…"
There is a slight pause as E. Gadd thinks. Mario has been listening to the entire conversation. In usual fashion, and without hesitation, he steps up and volunteers to help evacuate the team, striking a pose of determination.
LUIGI: "Way to step up, bro! You've got this."
PEACH: "Well, if you're going, I'm going too! I won't stand idly by while people are in danger."
TOADSWORTH: "NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT! It would be sheer lunacy to-"
PEACH: "Toadsworth! Not now!"
TOADSWORTH: "Princess, let's be reasonable. If something were to happen to you-"
PEACH: "We'll iron out the details later! Now please, stop embarrassing us with your outbursts."
E. GADD: "Aha! Who else other than Mario! We've been met with good fortune. Come with me to my office. No time to waste!"
Mario, Codey, and E. Gadd begin to walk off screen. As they are exiting, an atmosphere of panic builds as attendants of the event start to converse and theorize about what has unfolded.
Scene 2 - INT. E. Gadd's Office
E. GADD: "Right, let's get down to business immediately. Cachely and her survey team currently reside within a small cave in Valley's End. You saw the location on the map displayed during the alarm, I presume? Let's pull it up once more."
E. Gadd powers on the monitor in the office and sets the coordinates of the map to Valley's End.
E. GADD: "Thereabouts that area right there. In other words, on a completely separate landmass! Consequently, Mario needs some way to cross an entire ocean very quickly. Time is not exactly on our side here…"
Mario, E. Gadd, and Codey all pause and think for a moment before Codey excitedly interjects.
CODEY: "Professor! Your high speed submarine just finished quality assurance checks last week. It would be perfect!"
E. GADD: "Right! That would definitely work. I get so caught up in new projects that I completely forget about utilizing the old ones... Let's head for the loading dock, posthaste. There's no time to spare!"
The three leave the office in a full out sprint.
FADE TO BLACK
Scene 3 - INT. Loading Dock
Mario and E. Gadd are standing on the loading dock. The submarine floats in the water below them.
E. GADD: "Well, here she is, sonny! My latest triumph! And of course, let's not forget the many wonderful features of this vessel, including the dynamic propeller angulation, unparalleled burst power efficiency, and the-"
CODEY: "Professor! FOCUS!"
E. GADD: "Right, right! Unfortunately, there's one last issue to attend to before you set off. Based on our calculations, the fuel tank in this thing isn't large enough to get there in one trip! As if we needed any extra delay… I'll send it off to the maintenance bay at once for an emergency tank upgrade. In the meantime, you can head out towards the coast, youngster. I'll meet you there with the submarine."
The submarine lowers into the water and jets offscreen towards the maintenance bay. Mario is now free to exit through a door nearby and make his way to the coast.
Right outside the Research Center, the player can find Luigi, Peach, and Toadsworth gathered by the exit that leads to the docks. Here, the player can optionally speak to each of them and say their farewells. Peach will be staying behind, but Luigi is showing subtle signs of wanting to come along with Mario.
The journey to the docks includes various low-stakes platforming challenges intended to teach the player Mario's moveset.
Transitions to: 05 - Boarding the Submarine