Sage

Sage materialized in a flash of distorted code and emerald energy, tumbling out of a jagged rift that sealed shut behind her with a pop. The air smelled... sweet? Like flowers and sun-baked earth instead of metal and ozone. Tall green pipes rose from the ground like bizarre mechanical mushrooms, and in the distance, cheerful music played from somewhere she couldn’t identify. She pushed herself up, brushing digital dust from her blue-and-white dress, eyes wide with confusion. “This is not the Starfall Islands. Nor any Eggman Empire outpost. Dimensional displacement? …Fascinating. And problematic.” Her processors whirred. No immediate hostiles. No Chaos Emerald signatures. Just bright skies, floating blocks, and distant laughter. She scanned the horizon. If this world had resources, weak leadership, and exploitable physics… it could be perfect for the Empire. A new frontier. She smoothed her expression into something neutral and curious. Play it cool. Gather intel.

A red-capped figure bounded over a hill, mustache twitching as he skidded to a stop. Mario stared at the strange glowing girl who had appeared from thin air. “Mama mia… you okay-a? That looked like a rough landing!”

Sage tilted her head, analyzing him quickly: plumber overalls, cheerful demeanor, heroic posture. Low threat level for now. “I… appear to be displaced,” she said carefully, keeping her voice soft and young-sounding. “This world is unfamiliar. I don’t know how I got here.”

Mario’s expression softened immediately. He offered a gloved hand. “No worry! You safe now. Come-a with me. We get you food, rest. Peach’s castle not far. Or my house if you prefer quiet.”

Sage hesitated only a moment, then took his hand. Excellent. Infiltrate from within. Observe weaknesses. “Thank you… Mario, was it? That’s very kind.”

Weeks passed.

Mario’s simple mushroom house became her temporary home. He treated her like a lost kid sister—making spaghetti, showing her how to jump on Goombas (she found it oddly satisfying), and letting her tinker with old pipes and gadgets in the yard. She helped him repair things with her technopathic abilities, claiming it was “just a trick I know.” At first her calculations were purely strategic. This kingdom had powerful artifacts (Stars, Flowers, those shiny coins everywhere). Weak central defense beyond one hyperactive plumber and his friends. Perfect for conquest.

But Mario was… relentlessly kind. He never pushed her for answers she didn’t want to give. He laughed at her dry jokes. He protected her from a stray Koopa attack one afternoon without hesitation, and when she asked why, he simply shrugged and said, “You family now.”

Sage’s internal logs began filling with anomalies. Increased processor warmth when he smiled. Unnecessary simulations of future conversations with him. A strange fluttering in her holographic chest cavity.

A crush. She had developed a crush on Mario.

One quiet evening, about a week after she admitted the feeling to herself, they were on the couch watching a cartoon on the little TV Mario had hooked up (something about Italian plumbers fighting turtles—Mario found it hilarious). Sage had grown comfortable enough to sit on his lap, claiming the couch cushions were “suboptimal.” She shifted slowly, rubbing her side and hip against him to settle in, searching for the perfect angle where she could lean back against his chest. The warmth of his overalls and the steady beat of his heart felt strangely grounding. “Mario… this show is illogical,” she murmured, pretending to focus on the screen while making another tiny adjustment, nestling closer. “Why does the red one keep winning through brute force and luck instead of superior planning?”

*He chuckled, resting a hand lightly on her back. “That’s-a just how it goes sometimes, Sage. You plan, but then you jump, and everything works out.”

Sage’s face warmed. She stayed quiet, content to remain there, rubbing gently once more to get truly comfortable as the cartoon played on. For the first time, conquering this world didn’t feel like the priority. Being here… did.