, this is a series of fanfictions based on the Paper Mario series...with the twist of being a crossover.Telling the tale of the first three games, these stories place in characters from The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, Kirby and Metroid with the main four Mario characters of the games. They come with four teams, each with different members:
- Team Mario: The main heroes. Consists of Italian plumber Mario, Hyrule knight Link, speedy hedgehog Sonic, pink puffball Kirby, and bounty hunter Samus.
- Team ZAP: The damsels in distress. Consists of mushroom princess Peach, magical spellcaster Zelda, and hammer girl Amy.
- Team BEG: The supposedly villains. Consists of giant Koopa Bowser, dark lord Ganondorf, and overweight Doctor Eggman.
- Team Luigi: The sidekicks. Consists of cowardly brother Luigi, flute player Malon, genius fox Tails, mysterious hero Meta Knight, and emerald guardian Knuckles.
Also includes an original story based on Luigi's quest to save Princess Eclair.
Now with its own characters page!
Word of God says that the fanfiction based on Paper Mario: Sticker Star is on the back burner for now, due to dismotivation and the fact that she, like most people, thinks Sticker Star is not a good game.
The stories can be found below.
- Paper Mario X: "Paper Mario novelization with a twist: the X stands for crossover! When dark times come across the lands, and there's no use wishing on a star...sometimes the best thing to do is simply get Mario to fix it for you. But when he finds his story is intertwined with other heroes, Mario might not have to do it alone...and maybe even make new friends!"
- Paper Mario X 2: The Thousand Year Door: "When Peach invites the gang for a vacation in Rogueport, it quickly goes bad with the kidnapping of ZAP, an evil plot working in the shadows, and the separation of the team! With only Link to assist him, Mario sets out to save the girls, get his friends back together, and set things right!"
- Paper Luigi X: "Have you ever experienced a time when no matter how hard you tried, you failed, and the time you spent felt wasted? If ever you feel such pangs of regret, try to remember this tale... the story of a young man's quest to be just like his brother..."
- Super Paper Mario X: "It's been six months since Teams Mario, ZAP, Luigi, and BEG have seen each other, but the threat of the worlds being sucked into The Void by a gang of teleporting foes just may be enough to bring them back together...even if it all was unintentional."
Tropes in the series include:
- Adaptational Badass: In the games she's appeared in, Malon,
though popular, is little more than an NPC who's only skill she shows off in the fanfic is her singing ability. In this, however, she's proficient with a bow (though she may have borrowed that from Romani), she can bend reality by playing music on her flute, and during final battles, she can use Light Arrows. Not that any of this is a bad thing. - Advertising by Association: The first paragraph of Super Paper Mario X starts with a "Creator of" example, like a trailer for a movie, but a Record Needle Scratch occurs halfway through, with the author assuring that "this is not a movie."
- Are We There Yet?: Chapter 20 of PLX opens with Blooey giving out one of these.
- Arson, Murder, and Jaywalking: In the Paper Mario X 2, during the team battle in the Glitz Pit, Bowser claims his team's late for beating "you, finding my beloved Peach, and Bingo!"
- Back for the Finale: All of the old partners from the other Paper Mario X series return for Link and Zelda's wedding.
- Bag of Sharing: Paper Mario X and Thousand Year Door.
- Subverted in Super, as the characters pick up different items during the journey and usually use them on themselves.
- Battle Theme Music: Implied through Master K in Super, as in the story he's the one who made Mr. L's theme song plus the Brobot L-type theme.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Link does this at the end of Thousand Year Door when he's about to propose to Zelda.Link: Can you guess what I'm gonna do?
- Sonic pointing out Amy's Super Form is not canon.
Sonic: Super Amy? Seriously? That's so uncanon... - Berserk Button: Kirby when he hears Meta Knight kissed his girlfriend, Bow.
- Link, Kirby, Samus, and Sonic whenever their respective soul partners are in danger. Link also had a bad episode when Sonic was in danger on Lavalava Island.
- Don't make fun of Samus in front of her. Sonic and Link found that out the hard way.
- Broken Pedestal: A light example. Kooper has a more realistic reaction to Kolorado's poor track record during the events on Lavalava Island. In the end, he still holds some respect for him. Just not as much as before.
- Butt-Monkey: In the first story, everyone does everything they possibly can to keep Goombario from powering up, on top of constantly belittling him and only remotely using him if they need to scan an enemy.
- Poor Sonic. He gets tortured by water in each story and gets into a really bad situation before going on the team.
- Even more in Super: Instead of Amy getting married to Eggman, it's Sonic! She still insists they're husband and wife now (even though we know what happened).
- Link's a candidate as well. When he's not being ridiculed for bad puns or his shroom-addicted ways, it's always for something unintelligent that he's done.
- Knuckles as well, as even before joining Team Luigi, he's the target for Malon's otherwise rare snark.
- True to form, Luigi as well, usually at the hands of Blooey, Jerry, and Torque. Even Malon and Tails aren't above screwing with him a couple of times.
- Critical Encumbrance Failure: Subverted during Chapter 5 of Super, when the teams are trying to press a red button to go onward. Their combined weight isn't enough to do the job, but this turns into success when all they needed was the weight of a Cragnon.
- Clip Show/Recap Episode: Chapter 2note of Paper Mario X 2. Or most of it anyway.
- Continuity Nod: Goombario shows up in Chapter 21 of Paper Mario X 2, only to get humiliated by Team BEG. In addition, Kooper and Kolorado also show up in chapter 34.
- Not to mention all the partners showing up for Link and Zelda's wedding.
- Deadpan Snarker: Samus in Team Mario and Zelda in Team ZAP.
- Malon, Knuckles, and Meta Knight tend to be this to each other very often. Even their hypnotized evil counterparts.
- Team BEG as a whole snipe each other with insults any chance they get, but Ganondorf tends to be the biggest one.
- Early-Bird Cameo: Knuckles and Meta Knight make a cameo in the prologue of the first story. In addition, Team Luigi makes a cameo in chapter 57, before they even meet each other.
- Egocentric Team Naming: Team Mario and Team Luigi.
- Embarrassing Nickname: Meta Knight does not like to be called Mettie.
- Samus keeps calling Sonic "Nic". Sonic doesn't like it, of course.
- Eggman does not like when Ganondorf calls him Eggy.
- 11th-Hour Superpower: All the non Mario characters get an upgrade for the final boss battles.
- Link gains the Master Sword, Malon and Zelda gets Light Arrows, and Ganondorf can turn into Ganon.
- Eggman's machine get upgraded and everyone else turns Super.
- Kirby gains the Dragoon Rider and Star Rod while Meta Knight gains Master.
- Samus can use her Zero Laser.
- Equipment Spoiler: In Thousand Year Door, Link ends up finding a pair of Super Shoes instead of an upgrade for himself, and instantly knows that the upgrade belongs to Sonic
- First Town: Toad Town in Paper Mario X, Rogueport in Thousand Year Door, and Flipside in Super, although the group doesn't spend more time than necessary in the latter.
- Flanderization: Sonic's fear of water. He even admits that he sometimes has trouble taking a shower.
- Flashback: Rare text example. Sonic refuses to enter the water and says that no matter what they do, he's not going in. When he's informed that he's done it before, Sonic says to "name the times". Cue a flashback to the first Paper Mario X. When Sonic says that it didn't happen twice, he is interrupted by a flashback to Paper Mario X 2.
- Backstory: Chapter 61 of the original includes a flashback to the moment when Sonic, Link and Kirby first met Samus. It also shows the origin of Sonic and Samus's Embarrassing Nicknames.
- Foreshadowing: Chapter 25 of PLX has the current members of Team Luigi discussing the positions of each of the teams. Malon mentions that one day, all four teams would all join together as one large team. This is exactly what happens in SPMX.
- The Fourth Wall Will Not Protect You: The author gets shot by Samus at the end of Chapter 51 of Paper Mario X 2.
- Freudian Trio: Team ZAP, with Peach as the Ego, Zelda as the Id, and Amy as the Superego. Zelda and Amy sometimes swap roles, however.
- Team BEG, normally with Ganondorf as the Ego, Bowser as the Id, and Eggman as the Superego. Swaps out depending on the situation.
- Fun with Acronyms: Team Z.A.P. and Team B.E.G.Ganondorf: B.E.G.? What the heck does THAT stand for?
Eggman: It's our initials, dingdong!
Sonic: No, it means you beg for mercy! [high-fives Link]
Kirby: It also fits because Team Z.A.P. is an acronym of initials too!
Bowser: Yeah...That's still a pretty clever name...beats G.E.B., that's for sure.
Zelda: Oh yeah! We are awesome baby! Z.A.P!
Amy: Z.A.P.?
Zelda: It's our new group! Zelda, Amy, and Peach! I tried P.A.Z. but it didn't catch on... - Heroes of Another Story: Team Luigi in Paper Luigi X.
- Heroic Mime: Averted in the case of Mario: while he is a Heroic Mime in the original Paper Mario games, he is not in the Paper Mario X series: he doesn't speak a lot, but he does speak, and it's clearly identified when Mario speaks: Mario's dialogue is done script style, while everyone else's uses quotation marks. Mario's even the priest in Link and Zelda's wedding at the end of Super Paper Mario X.
- Likewise, Link is much more verbal than his game version. He's also prone to puns.
- Hey, That's My Line!:Kirby: I'll never forgive you! NEVER! YOU'LL PAY-
Blooey: Hey! That's my line! - Hypocritical Humor: The girls all laughing at Bowser for having a girly thing like a dairy before writing about the experience in their own.
- I Can't Believe It's Not Heroin!: Link really likes Ultra Shrooms. Jelly Ultras even more so.
- It Seemed Trivial: Tails keeps his mouth shut and only reveals the true identity of Team Mr. L at the end of the story, to prevent any further problems.Ganondorf: Okay, so you were the group of pathetic bad guys that we fought way back?
Meta Knight: Yeah. We only found out just before you did, because Tails chose then to reveal anything.
Tails: I apologized for not saying earlier! I thought it would be for the best... - Joined Your Party: Present in all stories, but especially in Super. Complete with intros from Link (most of the time, and with the exception of Princess Peach and Ganondorf, which was done by Kirby) and the fact that by Chapter 8, there's a party of 16 heroes heading off to kick Count Bleck's butt.
- Let Us Never Speak of This Again:Sushie: Does this make up for the volcano thing?
Sonic: ...as long as we never speak of it again!- Earlier, the party reaches this agreement when they got lost for fifteen minutes in a cavern when the exit was right next to them.
- Long Speech Tea Time: Team Mario ends up doing this al ot during those long talking sequences.
- Medium Awareness: Link.The thought [of Sonic dancing with another girl] made Amy burn, especially considering she was stuck with Link-
Link: Hey! I can hear the narration, you know!
What the heck is Link talking about?
- "Metaphor" Is My Middle Name: In chapter 32 of Paper Mario X 2, Sonic states that extreme is his middle name. Spike then asks if it isn't "the".
- Sonic's middle name actually is "the", according to Sonic himself:
Bobbery: It's still a rather suspicious building...wouldn't you say, old boy? Do be careful, eh?
Kirby: Psh, careful is our middle name!
Sonic: Actually, my middle name is "the"...
Kirby: You're ruining my point! - Not So Above It All: Zelda is her wise and graceful self, yet it seems being with Link has rubbed off on her, as she can be just as silly and mischievous as him at times.
- For Meta Knight, it combines with Not So Stoic, as while he's serious and quiet much of the time like usual, he has his moments of humor and lightheartedness.
- Officially Shortened Title: PMX. Add a couple of letters and numbers for the sequels and replace the M with an L for Paper Luigi X.
- Once Done, Never Forgotten: Link is not getting over the fact Ganondorf married Zelda and not him on their wedding day.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When Link refuses to crack any jokes, you know he's serious.
- Also, when Bow was kidnapped and freezing in Crystal Palace, the normally food-loving Kirby snapped at Link that there was no time for food.
- Paper-Thin Disguise:
Word of God says that it's obvious the faces behind Team Mr. L, but the others... not so much. - Pragmatic Adaptation: Given the original games can be dozens of hours long with all the sidequests and item hunting, the vast majority of those were edited out to keep the story a reasonable length. In fact, a seemingly random sidequest was given details only because it involved an optional party member in the game proper.
- Punctuated! For! Emphasis!: "Never...randomize us...ever...again!!"
- Record Needle Scratch: From the author's notes of the prologue for Super Paper Mario X:From the creator who brought you Paper Mario X, the smash-hit sequel Paper Mario X 2: The Thousand-Year Door, and it's worthy spin-off, Paper Luigi X, comes yet another installment- *record scratch*
- Running Gag:
- Link announcing the notices you would get in the game.
- Link confusing Koops for Kooper. Word of God says the first time was intentional, but the following times were not. At least, for one chapter.
- Malon would laugh every time she sees Knuckles transform into Super. Hey, who wouldn't when he's pink?
- Sarcasm-Blind: From Chapter 41 of Paper Mario X:Koopatrol: Oh, would you like to be in the quiz?!
Zelda: OH...a quiz? It's a good test for my wisdom-
Koopatrol: I WAS SARCASTIC! We only need one person! - Simultaneous Arcs: As you would expect, Paper Mario X 2 and Paper Luigi X take place at the same time. Team Mario and Team Luigi even meet each other at various points (not to mention Team Luigi meeting with Team BEG at one point). Team Luigi even gives support to Team Mario in the climax of Paper Mario X 2.
- Sorry I'm Late: In Paper Mario X, the team members appear in some pretty random places, such as Link hiding in a bush when he get the chance to reunite with Mario. Also, Sonic, the last character to join the team, winds up on Lavalava Island and gets caught in the clutches of the Lava Piranha, looking pretty out of sorts, after having apparently been one step ahead of the team the whole time.
- During The Underwhere arc of Super, everyone is scatter among the realm of life after death, and Mario and eventually Tails and Luigi end up having to round everyone up to save the region from its immediate threat.
- Shout-Out: Pretty much reaching Reference Overdosed levels.
- During Team ZAP's initial sneaking around on Peach's castle in chapter 19 of the first story, the group compares these actions to the actions of Solid Snake.note
- "This reminds me of that one show with the animated dog and the old guy! Um...Ace's Traces! Yeah! They'd jump into painting after singing some weird song!"
- Link makes one to EarthBound in the beginning of Chapter 27 of Paper Mario X, when the group receives Skolar's Star Power.note Ness himself makes a cameo in the epilogue to SPMX, along with Lucas and Ninten.
- Link makes one to Pokémon in a conversation with Kirby in chapter 31 of the first story.
- Link makes one to Pikmin in Chapter 17 of Paper Mario X 2, where he compares the Punies that are following the team to Olimar's Pikmin.note
- "Sheesh Mario, pull out an Ike quote on us why don't you?"
- In chapter 45 of Super, after Bowser calls Luigi "the guy in green", Luigi asks Bowser if he doesn't even remember his name. This is a reference to Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga, where nobody remembers Luigi's name.
- Bowser has an obsession with the phrase "over 9000".
- Something Only They Would Say: Mario brings up the ending of the first Paper Mario X (triggering a flashback in the process) to prove to Kirby he's still Mario.Kirby: Only Mario knew about my good-bye! IT IS YOU!!
- Super-Speed Reading: According to the narration, Sonic can read as fast as he can run.
- Suspiciously Specific Denial: When Team Mario meets up with Team Luigi in chapter 64 of Paper Mario X 2, Luigi finishes his Backstory with "...and so we stopped here for a rest after NOT seeing Bowser, Eggman, and Ganondorf randomly head to the east area!"
- Symbol Swearing: From chapter 35 of Paper Mario X 2:Grubba: Did the Blue Blur really turn yella and head for the hills like a dog?!?
Koops: The only time he'd be turning yellow is to go Super Sonic and kick your a$$!
Goombella: Using dollar signs?
Link: It was Koops, not me. He's a wimp, remember?
Koops: HEY! - This Is Gonna Suck: From the end of chapter 76note of Paper Mario X 2:Link: Any last words?
Mario: ...we just might actually be screwed. - Those Two Guys: Blooey and Jerry, with Torque sometimes joining in.
- Title Drop: Not for the work itself, but for one of the series involvednote :Chest: That must mean you're the hero of legend!
Link: If you mean Legend of Zelda, then sure! - A Twinkle in the Sky: Kirby's exit at the end of Paper Mario X.
- Vague Age: Averted somewhat. Kirby is explained as being 8 in his world, but since his world's time apparently moves slower, he's 13 everywhere else. Mario and Luigi are somehow 25 and 18 respectively, and Malon is 15-16, plus Link is 17. Finally, Samus is 19.
- Villainous Friendship: Team BEG, Type IV all the way.
- Subverted greatly with the members of Team Mr. L. They all hate each other through and through with the exception of Mr. L and Lady M, only working together due to not having much of another choice.
- Wanton Cruelty to the Common Comma: It's minor, but it still happens, and it's mostly in the first and second stories.
- Wedding Finale: Link proposed to Zelda at the end of the second story and was supposed to get married to her during the beginning of the third, but this was ruined when she got married to Ganondorf along with Peach to Bowser and Amy to Sonic (poor hedgehog, he needs a break). However, the wedding went through on the final chapter.
- We Gotta Stop Meeting Like This: Luigi tells this to Malon in chapter 47 of Super Paper Mario X when he finds out she fell down from the sky again.
- Witch with a Capital "B": Amy delivers a good one to Kammy in chapter 63 of Paper Mario X.
- "X" Makes Anything Cool: The X in the title, of course.
- Your Mom: When alternating between "lame" insults in chapter 58 of Paper Mario X, it eventually ends on a mother insult.
