"D-daddy, where are we?" Satsuki asked, looking around at her surroundings. It was drab- nothing particularly interesting about it. "Where are we going?"

"We're at our new home," Mario answered. "Ah, here we are."

Mario opened a door in the building, which was decorated in purple. A sign read "The Bedroom."

"Here's your new room," Mario told her. "Here, go with Rosie. I'll be back."

"Okay!"

The two sat on the bed, and Rosalina grabbed a book from the shelf.

"Let me read you something, okay?" Rosalina asked the girl. "To pass the time..."

"Okay! Read us something good, mama!"

"Alright. Let us begin!" Rosalina started. "Once upon a time..."

<><><>

Satsuki gasped as she hit the wall. She panted heavily as she forced herself to pick up the weapons Mario had given her.

"Come on, Satsuki," Rosalina encouraged, clasping her hands together tightly. "You can do it."

This wasn't the first monster I've fought against... but it's the biggest..!

Satsuki grit her teeth as she faced off against the ginormous monster with one eye stared her down. It's arm swung for her, and she narrowly rolled out of the way.

"On your feet," Mario called. "What are you going to do if there's an enemy there you can't defeat? Lay down and die?"

"B-but... daddy..!"

"If you can talk, you can fight. Get up!"

She shakily stood, nearly falling back down in the process. She gripped her katanas and changed towards the monster, managing to chop its arm off. It howled in pain, turning to the girl and slamming its other hand towards her, which she narrowly dodged. Climbing up its arm nimbly, she managed to reach the neck and cut through. She slit its throat, and it fell. As it did, Satsuki fell with it. She felt her eyes closing. There was no way she could survive a fall from this height, but she was exhausted. There was no way she could get up.

She landed unconscious in Mario and Rosalina's arms, her katanas dropping to the floor next to her.

"She did well," Rosalina commented. "Didn't she?"

"She did," Mario agreed. "But there's still much to improve on."

"Of course, no one is perfect," Rosalina smiled. "Why don't we give her some time off? She must be exhausted."

"Yeah... you're right. Like usual," Mario winked, and she just shook her head and smiled.

"I'm not always right. You know that."

"Maybe, but you come pretty close to it."

<><><>

Satsuki awoke to the sound of Mario and Rosalina talking. She tried to move, but her muscles wouldn't cooperate. She already get her body aching.

"M...mom, it hurts," Satsuki whimpered softly, causing the young adults to look at her.

"Oh, you're awake," Mario noticed. "What's it hurt like? Maybe I can try to-"

"There there, it's alright," Rosalina coaxed. "You did really well today, Satsuki. I know you feel sore, but it'll all be worth it."

"I did well?" Her eyes brightened. "I'm so glad.."

"Of course you did well!" Mario laughed. "It'll take time for you to be the best, of course, but that's how things always are."

"But I want to be perfect now," Satsuki complained. "Why do I have to wait?"

Mario pondered this for a moment.

"I could probably help you... at least, help you regenerate and heal faster," Mario clarified quickly as Rosalina stared at him. "Make your wounds hurt less."

"Really? You can do that?"

"Yeah... do you really want to, though?" Mario asked. "It might hurt a lot."

"Well.... how fast do I regenerate?" Satsuki questioned curiously. "Er, heal."

"Hmm... probably around three hours to regenerate major wounds like losing body parts," Mario figured. "And around an hour to regenerate small wounds."

"But... I want it faster."

"I can try," Mario's chest swelled with pride as he thought of Satsuki wanting more. "I'll do my best. Sound good?"

"Yes! Thank you!" Satsuki cheered happily. "So good... to know.."

She drifted off to sleep again, causing Rosalina and Mario to look at each other.

"You won't hurt her too bad, will you?" Rosalina asked worriedly. "You know she's still just a child. A young one."

"I'm aware," Mario nodded. "I'm going to do my best to cause her the least amount of pain. I don't want her to suffer."

"Good," Rosalina smiled. "That's a relief."

<><><>

It hurts...

Mom, dad, please... help me..

The thoughts ran through Satsuki's head as Mario performed his little 'experiment'. But still, she stuck it out since she knew it would help her in the end.

Someone... make it stop..!

Satsuki bit down on her lip to stop herself from crying out.

It's for the best..

<><><>

Her next battle was much easier.

It was a big, horse shaped monster. It's hooves had claws and its mane consisted of spikes.

That'll stop me from running up and slitting it's throat.. I need a new strategy.

Satsuki ran up to it, dodging its giant hoof. She sprinted to its other leg, her blades cutting through it. The horse howled, it's other claw slicing a wound in her stomach. Satsuki gasped in pain, but shook her head to focus herself again. The wound began to heal as she continued to fight.

"That's... magnificent," Rosalina commented. "It already... wow."

"I'm rather impressed, too," Mario admitted. "I didn't think I'd be able to make it like that. Major wounds heal in about five minutes. I don't know about fatal blows, though."

"Well, I'm proud of both of you."

The two watched as Satsuki continued her dance of weaving in and out of the horse's legs, quickly chopping a leg off and then disappearing. The horse fell to the ground and Satsuki chopped its head cleanly off.

"Good job, Satsuki!"

Satsuki smiled.

"Thanks, dad!"

Hey everyone! Welcome to Sanity. I hope you all enjoy this prequel. Prepare for a lot of timeskips, cause we have a lot of time to go through...

Thanks for reading!