Luigi looked back towards the rest of the island. "We can't stay here, you know. Every second we spend here is dangerous and could have major impacts on the life that we know in the future. I suppose Wario and Waluigi may have actually done the smart thing in leaving. Still, it's just as dangerous to leave! We've got to find some way back to the future!"
Mario chuckled at this and Luigi glared at him.
"I didn't mean a movie reference, bro! C'mon, help me figure a way out of this mess!"
Mario sat on a nearby stump and cupped his chin in his hands. There was no doubt that someone had planned for this to happen- why else would Wario and Waluigi have received a letter telling them to visit? The key, then, was to find the person who had sent the letter, but did that person live nearby? Did they know Mario and Luigi yet? Did they even exist? Those were questions he couldn't answer, and wasn't sure how to begin trying to answer. One thing was certain- they needed to get Wario and Waluigi back before they destroyed everything. Mario began looking around for a Feather like the ones he'd used in an adventure here before.
"Any ideas, bro? Wait, what if we flew out of here with some of those, what were they called- Magic Feathers?"
"Yes."
"Great! Now we just need to find one!"
Before they could search any further, however, they heard a sort of whining sound, similar to that made by a dog on a chain. After looking at each other uncertainly the Bros. silently agreed to investigate and followed the sound to a strange looking swamp with tall foliage that obscured the horizon. The sound by now had risen to a full and insistent bark, and was getting more excited all the time.
"I think it must a-be coming from those rushes, Bro. I'll take a look." So saying Luigi pulled back some of the taller grass and was surprised to see a dog chained to a post and hopping excitedly up and down.
"Poochy! Hey, I know a-you! A'Course, you probably don't know a-me yet." Poochy kept hopping up and down, however, so Luigi went up and untied the dog's chain. Without warning the canine companion of Yoshi's sped off through the swamp, and Mario and Luigi rushed after him as best they could. It didn't take long for them to catch up, though. Poochy stopped at a wide open area where a few cattails were growing. Right under the dog appeared to be a giant "X".
"I dunno, Bro. There's something about the "X" I want to explore, but I'm not naive enough to believe it's a treasure. Then again, when has Poochy ever led to something bad?"
Mario shrugged. He was more interested in getting off the island than exploring. Poochy just sat and waited, though, so he stooped down and begin digging with his hands. Luigi joined in, and before long they had struck something. The two lifted out the object and saw it was a Model 3.1 "?" Block, the kind that acted like a Model 5.4 "?" Block by displaying a rotating question mark, but like a Model 4.0 Standard Block by showing a pair of closed eyes when hit. Attached to it was a piece of paper that said, "Place in Yoshi's Island - Sector 2."
"Instructions for placing a block?" asked Luigi. "Not exactly what either of us expected. Why would someone bury this here and then tell us to place it somewhere else?"
Mario frowned. Sector 2 - that was where he first remembered meeting Yoshi. Was there a connection? If so, what would be caused by ignoring these instructions? What would be caused by heeding them? The risk of doing either one seemed equally great.
"Poochy seems to think we should do what the instructions say," Luigi nodded towards the dog, who was jumping excitedly at the block. "What do you think, Bro? Will it make things any worse?"
Meanwhile Wario and Waluigi basked on the deck of the S.S. 'Shroom.
"You think we shoulda stayed?" asked Waluigi.
"Why?" replied Wario. "What good would it-a done?"
"Well, there was Luigi's warning."
"He's a paranoid fruitcake! What could happen?"
"What if we change the future?"
"We'll change it for the better?"
"How?"
"I don't know. I'll get Peach to like me, and I'll have an even bigger castle, and more gold!"
"How?"
"Why, I'll rescue her from Bowser! That's right, and I'll do it before Mario does!"
"What about me?"
"You can help as long as I get most of the glory!"
"That's not fair!"
"Ah, stop complaining, Daddy Long-Legs!"
"You stop grabbing all the rescuing up for yourself, Garlic-Boy!"
The two had leaped from their chairs and were about to come to blows when Waluigi realized:
"Bowser's going to kidnap Peach soon."
"Yeah? So?"
"So shouldn't we try to rescue her now?"
"I hadn't thought of that!"
"Yeah! If we stop him from kidnapping her in the first place, she's sure to reward us!"
"I like-a the way you think, Waluigi! C'mon, let's get back to Yoshi's Island!"
"How?"
"Um...we'll steal this boat!"
"Won't that get us in trouble with Peach?"
"Then we'll steal a lifeboat and row back!"
"Okay!"
So the two jumped to the port side of the deck, unfastened a lifeboat and watched it fall into the sea, jumped aboard, and began their completely selfish quest to rescue Princess Peach.
