Punio

"Don't worry, Madame Flurrie! I'm sure Mario can find your necklace. Word is, he's super!"

- Punio

Punio is a timid Puni who lives in The Great Tree located in Boggly Woods in Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door. While Punio was away in Rogueport, the Secret Society of the X-Nauts attacked The Great Tree and imprisoned most of the Punies. Meanwile, Punio met Mario in Rougeport. Mario proceeded to follow him to the entrance to Boggly Woods. Punio then took Mario to the Great Tree. When they arrived, they noticed a red door on the tree that was installed sometime while Punio was gone. Punio makes it very clear to Mario it had never been there before. Punio remembers a secret entrace that the Puni Elder notified him about sometime in the past. However, he has trouble finding it. He decides he must seek the aid of Madame Flurrie. When they arrive, Madame Flurrie is beside herself. She is overcome with distraught over losing her necklace. She is very taken by Punio's cuteness, however, but still refuses to help until they get her valuable jewelery back. After Mario defeats the Shadow Sirens, Punio, Mario and his party return her priceless necklace. She joins Mario's party and finds the secret entrace to the Great Tree. The secret entrance turns out to be just a small hole in the tree, which is obviously fit for a puni. Punio enters the secret entrance and proceeds to open the red door, allowing acess for Mario and his party. Upon their entrace, they find the Great Tree crawling with X-Nauts. None of the other puni's trust Mario, and believes Mario to be in league with the X-Nauts. Punio profusely and desperately plead with the other punis to accept this "hairy old man", and they obstinately refuse to do so until the Puni Elder comes chews them out. Mario, Punio and Mario's partners drive the X-Nauts out. Punio rescues his beloved sister Petuni and the Puni's leader and The Great Tree continue to live in harmony.

Trivia

 * Punio's name is a cross between "Mario" and "Puni".
 * Punio's favorite food is a Mushroom.
 * Punio will one day lead all the Punies of The Great Tree.
 * "Punio" is Latin for "punish".