Mario was officially stumped. He gave a sigh and looked around for the billionth time, desperately trying to see if he'd missed something. A bunch of distressed piantas, the Mushroom gang, and a pile of strange goop he had to get rid of. But how? Sure, there was a small pool of water nearby, and they were practically surrounded by ocean, but with no hoses or buckets handy, cleaning all the goop up was going to be very, very hard.
A loud splash interrupted his train of thought, and he turned to see a figure clad in blue hauling themselves onto the air strip, dripping wet, their white water shoes making gurgling squishes as they stepped onto the hot pavement. Mario did a double take and squinted as the figure sputtered and shook out their hair. They looked oddly familiar…The realization struck as a pair of stunned green eyes blinked at him from behind dripping bang.
"Gadzooks.. Mario?"
"Alby?!" Mario exclaimed in confusion, running towards them. "Mama mia, what are you doing here?"
"I was about to ask you the same question!" they laughed. "Wow, small world, huh? Say-"
"Sorry, Alby," Mario interrupted, waving a hand. "I can't exactly chat right now. I've got some angry Piantas and a pile of goop to deal with."
He gestured behind him at the splattered mess, and Alby wrinkled their nose a bit, nodding.
"Gotcha," they mumbled, suddenly brightening. "Hey, I know! You could use this!"
With a grunt, Alby unbuckled the belt around their waist and took off what Mario had assumed was some sort of weird backpack, only to reveal.. A water...spraying thing? He blinked in confusion as Alby held it out to him, beaming.
"Mario, meet F.L.U.D.D.," they said, handing it over to him. "Short for Flash Liquidizer Ultra Dousing Device. This'll help you clean that mess up in a jiffy. You go do that, and I'll take care of Mister Angry over there. Deal?"
Mario nodded and strapped FLUDD on, adjusting it so it would fit. With that, the two went their separate ways.
"Hey, someone's coming!" Toad warned, pointing in the distance. Everyone turned to see two stern Pianta officers stomping in their direction, a very flustered and frustrated Alby trailing behind them and yelling protests. The two officers towered over them, and without pause, proceeded to put a baffled Mario in handcuffs, making everyone gasp and voice their displeasure. The officers calmly ignored the ruckus, and the orange Pianta officer with glasses spoke up, raising his voice so he could be heard among the crowd.
"Mister Mario, resident of the Mushroom Kingdom, you are hereby under arrest," he informed. "Your presence is requested at the Delfino Isle Courthouse as soon as possible, where you will be on trial."
"On trial?!" sputtered Toadsworth, practically beet red at this point. "Dear heavens, for what?"
"For disturbing the peace, trespassing, and vandalizing private property," grumbled the blue, mustachioed Pianta, holding Mario's shoulders in a firm grasp as he and his partner began to turn and walk away. Peach and the gang watched as Mario was hauled away, aghast. Thankfully, the red clad plumber didn't protest or put up a fight, and he walked along quietly, trying to keep up with the Pianta officers' longer strides.
"What are we going to do now?" Peach fretted, wringing her hands in worry.
"Well," Alby spoke up, glowering at the officers in the distance, standing akimbo. "Looks like we're going to court."
The green Pianta judge lowered his gavel with a loud clang that echoed in the small courtroom, and he leveled the crowd with a stern, unyielding gaze as he peered at them from behind his rectangular glasses.
"Court is now in session," he informed them. The prosecution Pianta spoke up, clearing his throat and stepping forward.
"As you are no doubt aware," he began. "Someone has been senselessly defacing fair Delfino Isle using some paint-like substance. The accused is charged with polluting our beautiful home, and yes, endangering our very way of life. Indeed! How can one not be aware of what is going on? Though it is daytime in Delfino Plaza, our poor residents tremble beneath a veil of darkness. Expert Shine scholars determine that this darkness has arisen because all of our guardians, the Shine Sprites, have vanished from their gathering spot at the Shine Gate. The reason? It's quite obvious- this horrible graffiti is to blame!"
"Objection!" Alby interrupted, pointing an angry index finger at the prosecutor, green eyes narrowed ferociously. "That's very unfortunate, sir, but how do you know it was Mario? Where's the evidence?"
"Objection sustained. Prosecution must show evidence to support their case," the judge growled, glancing at the prosecution, whose smug look made Alby swallow nervously and lower their hand.
"Behold the sketch of the perpetrator based on eyewitness descriptions," he declared, holding up a poster. Peach, Toadsworth, and Alby gasped in dismay. On the poster, a sketch artist had drawn a figure who looked exactly like their red clad friend, mustache and all.
"The guilty party sits among us," the prosecutor exclaimed, pointing at the bewildered plumber. "It is none other than Mario!"
"Objection!"
The judge turned at the trio of voices, watching exasperatedly as Peach and Toadsworth politely raised their hands while Alby stood, knocking their chair over and waving a fist.
"Overruled," he grumbled, banging his gavel for order.
"What?!" Alby exclaimed, throwing their hands in the air. "What do you mean, 'overruled'?! This isn't fair! We have the right to object if the prosecution-"
"Officer, please dispose of this nuisance," the judge growled, pointing his gavel at Alby, whose eyes widened as the orange, bespectacled Pianta officer walked up to them and grabbed their arms, putting them behind their back. They started pushing Alby out of the courtroom, grunting as the smaller human writhed and yelled in protest. Finally, Alby was shoved out the doors, which closed with a final thud, and the courtroom was quiet once more.
"I judge the defendant guilty as charged," Judge Pianta continued. "I hereby sentence the defendant to clean this entire island. Until Isle Delfino is free of his vile handiwork, Mario will not be allowed to leave. Court adjourned."
Peach watched sadly as Mario was once again hauled away, down the aisle and out of the courtroom. She sighed and trailed after an angry Toadsworth, and when they exited through the courtroom's double doors, they found Alby, still arguing with the Pianta officer, arms flapping, eyes ablaze.
"This wasn't a fair trial, and you know it!" they exclaimed, growling as the officer looked away guiltily and gave them a shrug in response.
"That's the way things are on Delfino Isle," he mumbled, sighing when Alby stomped their foot.
"Well, the way things are on Delfino Isle sucks!" they shouted, angrily batting the Pianta's hands away as he tried to calm them by grabbing their shoulder.
"Look, kid," the officer said. "You and your pops are good people. I would hate for you to get in trouble for aiding and abetting, or misconduct towards an officer. You get what I'm saying?"
Alby glowered for a solid five seconds before turning away in a huff, face softening fractionally when they caught sight of Toadsworth and Peach.
"I wish I could've made your acquaintance under more pleasant circumstances, Mx. Alby," Toadsworth confessed as the trio began to walk out. "My name is Toadsworth, and I am Princess Peach's advisor and first hand assistant."
"Nice to meet you," Alby muttered, bowing their head respectfully, and pausing to bow at the waist for Princess Peach. "Nice to meet you as well, Princess."
"Oh, there's no need for that," the Princess protested softly, motioning for them to stand straight again. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Alby. Luigi and Mario have told me a little about you."
Alby's cheeks went pink and they muttered incoherently, sheepishly rubbing the back of their neck as the trio finally arrived at the square, choosing to stand in the shade of a nearby building. Peach opened her parasol, and Toadsworth took out a small fan to cool himself with.
"We may wait here until Master Mario is done for the day," he decided. "It would be rather rude to take room and board or enjoy ourselves without his presence."
Peach hummed in agreement and nodded, raising a slim eyebrow when Alby snapped their fingers.
"Wait here," they said rapidly, pausing and looking sheepish for a second. "Erm. Please."
With that, they rushed off down the street and vanished around a corner. After a brief moment, they appeared, rounding the corner with two large folding chairs in their arms, a backpack on their back. With a grunt, Alby sat down the chairs and set them up, gesturing towards them.
"So you don't have to stand all day if you don't wanna," they explained, taking off their pack and taking out several water bottles. "And these are so you guys won't get thirsty. I mean, there's a vendor selling drinks right there, but y'know. There's nothing like water, and I mean- I mean you don't have to drink them, I was just- I also brought some coins if you guys get hungry and want me to buy you something, I mean I'm sure you don't need my money, but I thought it would be nice to offer, and I just-"
"Thank you, Alby," giggled Princess Peach as she delicately sat on the edge of one of the chairs, lips pulled into a smile. "That's very sweet of you."
Alby flushed and gave a nod, plopping onto the ground as Toadsworth sat in his own chair, and the three dwelled in a comfortable silence, broken only by the sound of the ocean and the occasional seagull.
"So, Mx. Alby," Toadsworth spoke up, peeking at them from behind his glasses. "What brings you to Delfino Isle?"
"Well," Alby chuckled, turning to face him. "Pops decided to take a break from ghosts and stuff, so we took a ferry and got off here. Turns out he's been here before, and has a little place just around the bend. We were doing research on the island's wildlife, the Shine Sprites, how to safely harvest their power, water purification- that sort of thing. He left just yesterday, actually, but I decided to stay for a bit and finish up a few things."
"He's currently back at your place, then?" asked Toadsworth. "In Boo Woods?"
Alby nodded, face gradually forming into a concerned expression as they turned to look at the horizon, giving a small sigh.
"Yeah," they said half heartedly, briefly pursing their lips. "I hope he's doing alright."
"I'm sure he is," Peach spoke up reassuringly, flashing Alby a comforting smile. "From what Luigi's told us, he's quite the character."
"Pops really is one of a kind," Alby agreed, giving a small laugh. Toadsworth leaned forward, blinking a bit.
"The Professor's your father, then, I assume?" he questioned, tilting his head in confusion when Alby shrugged and first and then slowly nodded.
"I guess he is, in a way," they mused, blinking in surprise as Toadsworth barreled forward with more inquiries.
"And this is what you do for a living?" he asked. "Research, inventions and the like?"
"Uh, pretty much," they stammered, nodding. "We make machines and fix stuff for people in need. Our prices are pretty cheap, though. Pops doesn't really care about money."
"Fascinating," Toadsworth hummed, finally leaning back in his chair. "I would like to meet this Professor. He sounds like an interesting man."
Alby nodded in agreement, unable to stop themself from slouching in relief when Toadsworth said nothing more, choosing to look around at their surroundings instead. They weren't really used to being interrogated like that. It reminded them of when they'd first arrived on Delfino Isle, and all the questions the Pianta Police and the Shine Scholars had asked them. It was dizzying, and overwhelming. Their life in Boo Woods with the Professor was a secluded one, and they weren't used to interacting with so many people at once like this.
They couldn't really blame Toadsworth, however. He must've been curious, and it was likely he wanted to know a bit of background information to keep the Princess safe, and in good company.
Time passed, and eventually, Toadsworth's snores could be heard. Alby chuckled quietly, eyes half mast as they stared at the ocean sleepily. The heat was making them a bit drowsy, and they sighed, rolling their shoulders in an effort to get some energy. They gave a small jump when Peach spoke up softly.
"Thank you for defending my Mario," she murmured, a grateful glimmer in her eyes. "It was very noble of you."
Alby gave a nervous laugh and waved her thanks away with a gloved hand, shaking their head so vehemently their bangs flopped.
"No, no," they insisted. "Don't worry about it. I mean, the trial was completely unfair, and I may not know him like you guys do, but I know Mario's a good person. He's innocent."
Peach hummed faintly in agreement and looked up at the sky, which was turning various shades of pink and orange.
"It's getting late," she said to herself, brows knitting together in worry. Where would they stay for the night? She doubted any hotels nearby would want to house any of Mario's friends because of his label as a criminal, royal or no. More importantly, where was Mario? She hoped he was doing alright in this heat… As if on cue, she spotted a red figure in the distance, slowly ambling towards them, and in her relief and excitement, she stood, clapping her hands together.
"Look, it's Mario!" the Princess exclaimed, waking Toadsworth and making Alby jump to their feet.
The red clad plumber approached them wearily, slouching in exhaustion, his face and clothing splattered with paint. He grunted as he unbuckled himself from FLUDD, letting it thump to the ground.
"Good heavens, Master Mario," Toadsworth fretted as Princess Peach knelt and gently wiped his face free of goop. "You look absolutely dreadful. Do take a seat- there's a good lad. Have some water."
Wordlessly, Mario took a waterbottle and thirstily gulped it down, giving a small groan of frustration when two familiar Pianta officers caught his eye. The group was speechless as the two approached, watching as the blue officer tried to wave Mario forward.
"Just what do you think you're doing, pal?" he demanded. "I told you we'd be watching to make sure you don't slack off."
"Hey, now," Alby argued, standing between Mario and the officer defensively, frowning. "He's been at it all day! Look at him, he's exhausted. You wanna work him to death and have another court case in your hands? I didn't think so."
The officer sputtered and grumbled, but ultimately refused to back down, towering over Alby angrily.
"Well, fine," he huffed. "But he comes back to the cell with us. Hand over the squirt gun, red."
"Not happening," Alby argued, firmly shaking their head. "That there is Gadd technology. Gadd property. Something I definitely don't trust you with. I could charge you with stealing private property."
"I am an officer of the law!" cried the Pianta, raising his voice. This didn't bother Alby one bit. They jabbed him in the chest with an index finger so he'd back up, shoulders squared.
"Yeah? And I'm angry," they scoffed. "What're you gonna do about it?"
"You're under arrest for physically attacking an officer," the orange Pianta spoke up, moving towards the small human.
Alby made no show of resistance, willingly extending their hands, a smug expression on their face.
"Go ahead," they encouraged, eyes twinkling dangerously. "Arrest me. But know this. My Pops is Professor E. Gadd, and the water purifiers on this island are all Gadd technology. He's worked with your Shine Scholars, too. I'm sure he wouldn't think twice of revoking his services once he found out that his kid was unjustly arrested and sentenced to prison."
The orange Pianta hesitated, taking a few steps back, looking helplessly at his partner, who huffed and reluctantly backed off.
"Alright," he concluded. "But we'll be following you, and keeping watch-"
"No you won't," Alby snapped harshly, growing tired of arguing. "I'll charge you with trespassing on private property and spying. The Gadd residence is full of scientific information, and it's a classified area. Mario will stay at Gadd residence, and report to you tomorrow morning. I'll walk him over myself."
Visibly quaking with anger, the blue Pianta officer gave a low growl, fists clenched. Alby caught sight of this, and they took half a step back, eyes narrowing. They'd never really been in a fight before, but they'd be darned if they backed down now. Still, the thought frightened them a bit, and they clenched their jaw apprehensively. They swallowed thickly, barely holding back a small sigh of relief when the officers backed away.
"Seven am," the blue officer called as he stomped off. "He better be here!"
The group stared as the pair walked off, eventually vanishing around a street corner. Alby slouched once they were out of sight, turning around and wringing their hands in embarrassment once they caught sight of everyone's stunned expression.
"Sorry," they blurted. "I just- they made me mad, and I.. I know I shouldn't have acted like that, but-"
"Mama mia, Alby, that was incredible!" Mario exclaimed, giving a jump of excitement. "You're number one!"
"Mx. Alby, you are quite the courageous individual," Toadsworth agreed, giving an impressed nod. "Very admirable indeed."
Alby shrugged off their praises, face flushed in embarrassment. They turned away, only to look up as Peach approached them, placing a gentle hand on their shoulder.
"Thank you so much, Alby," she said softly. "But what you said earlier, about staying at your place.. I'd hate to intrude-"
"Don't worry about it, Princess," Alby insisted as they began to put everything back into their backpack, hefting it on with a small grunt. "I know there are probably a bunch of fancy hotels you could stay at, but I'd really hate it if anyone were to be rude to you 'cause of the situation going on, y'know?"
Peach nodded in understanding, seeing that they weren't going to back down anytime soon, and watching as Alby folded up the chairs and lifted them into their arms with a sharp inhale. Mario stretched out his hand, silently offering to take one, and Alby shook their head adamantly, walking forwards.
"Follow me," they instructed. "The place is really close by."
Silently, the trio followed them down the streets of Delfino Isle, the sky above them now completely dark and twinkling with stars. Peach trailed behind with Mario and let Toadsworth and Alby walk ahead of them a bit, resting a hand on the red clad plumber's shoulder.
"I'm so sorry about all this, Mario," she sighed quietly. "I didn't think this would happen."
"Don't worry about it, dolcezza," Mario muttered, reaching up to give her hand a gentle squeeze. "It's not your fault. We'll get to the bottom of this somehow."
"That's true. You always do find a way.. My clever darling," she added the last bit with an adoring smile, covering her mouth to giggle as Mario sputtered and flushed, looking away for a bit.
"You give me too much credit," he finally said, shaking his head. "I definitely couldn't have done anything without Alby's help today."
"I like them," Peach confessed, giving a nod of approval. "They're very sweet. And brave."
Mario nodded in agreement, and looked up in surprise once he noticed the group had stopped moving. They all stood in front of a small one story building. The door had Gadd's symbol on it, and there was a blue and white striped doormat at the entrance.
"Here we are," Alby grunted as they kicked the door open and stumbled inside. "It's not really big and luxurious, but make yourselves at home."
The trio entered and looked around as Alby vanished around a corner, taking everything in. The place was indeed rather small. They were all currently standing in what appeared to be the dining room, which had a small table and a few chairs in the middle. Behind that was the kitchen, merely a sink and countertop across a mini fridge and a few cabinets. On exiting to the side of the kitchen was a small hallway that lead to two rooms, and a small bathroom.
"Very quaint," Toadsworth commented. "Very simplistic."
"It's cute," Peach agreed, setting her parasol down and making her way towards one of the chairs nearby. Alby returned, and waved the rest of the troop towards the table insistently.
"Sit, sit," they said, making their way towards the kitchen. "I'll uh.. Whip up something to eat, if you guys are hungry or anything."
"Many thanks, Mx. Alby," Toadsworth called after them, turning back to the other two sitting at the table with him. "Doesn't look like a very 'classified' or scientific place, does it?"
Mario hummed and craned his neck as he turned, eyeing where Alby had disappeared to previously. There was a tiny hallway which lead to a door in the wall, and on the door was a large red triangle with a white exclamation point in the middle.
"I'm guessing it's all in a basement or something," he mused, turning back to his friends. He slid his chair closer to Peach and opted for holding her hand instead of leaning on her, lest he get paint on her dress.
"I see. And how was your community service today, Master Mario?" Toadsworth asked, raising an eyebrow. "Nothing too terrible, I hope?"
"It was fine," Mario answered vaguely. "Nothing I couldn't handle. Everything went okeedokee."
The truth was that it was terrible. Certainly not one of the worst things he'd done, but running around in the sweltering heat with a heavy water pump strapped to your back certainly wasn't fun. Especially when everyone you encountered was giving you dirty looks and treating you like a criminal. No way he'd say that, though. Toadsworth would make a fuss, and Peach would worry. It was best to keep it under wraps.
His thoughtful stupor was interrupted by the sound of plates and silverware clinking faintly as Alby set the table and put a pitcher of colorful liquid in the middle, going back to the kitchen to retrieve a small tray of food and a bowl of fruit.
"It's just..some crab rangoons and fruit salad," they murmured, setting everything down. "And some fruit punch. Nothing too fancy, but it's all homemade, and uh.. I hope you guys like it."
"I'm sure it's delicious, Alby," Peach said reassuringly as Mario served her before he served himself.
"It is!" exclaimed Toadsworth, who had already taken a bit of rangoon. "Mx. Alby, this is wonderful!"
Alby flushed and gave a small smile, sinking in their chair a bit. They hadn't lied, exactly. Everything was homemade- but they hadn't told the truth all the way, and the truth was that it was that all they'd done to the crab rangoons was heat them up. A Shine Sprite Scholar had given them the treat earlier in a show of thanks. However, Alby wouldn't dare tell everyone that all they really knew how to make was tea and sandwiches. Technically, fruit salad and punch didn't really count as cooking. Then again, neither did making sandwiches. Oh, dear, they felt pathetic-
"Aren't you going to eat, Alby?" asked Princess Peach, blinking at them in concern as they jumped.
"Me? Oh, yeah, I was just- sure," Alby stammered, grabbing a few of the rangoons and scooping some of the fruit salad onto their plate.
"Do tell us more about yourself, Alby," Toadsworth said, giving them an encouraging nod. "We'd love to know more about you."
"W-well," Alby stuttered, giving a small shrug. "There's not much to me you don't already know, I mean. I-I'm an inventor. I guess you could say I'm a scientist. Other than that, I don't do much. I'm pretty boring, heh.."
"Poppycock," scoffed Toadsworth, taking a sip of his punch. "You mentioned earlier that Boo Woods was your home. Pardon the bluntness of my inquiry, but why do you and The Professor live in such a place?"
"Toadsworth," Peach interrupted, face a bright pink. "That's not a very nice thing to ask. Alby, I apologize-"
"No, it's fine," Alby assured them both, shaking their head. "When he was younger, Pops wanted to conduct some paranormal research, so he moved to Boo Woods- the perfect place to do just that. Sure, he moved onto other stuff later on, and while I was growing up, but he could never really find another affordable place, so we just...stayed there. After the whole mansion business, though, we both want to move somewhere else.. But it's hard, y'know? Boo Woods is all I've known."
"The gates of the Mushroom Kingdom will always be open to you and The Professor, if you ever need a place to stay, while you're looking for your new home," Peach offered, laughing softly as Alby's eyes widened and they practically choked on a piece of pineapple, face going red.
"I-I would need to tell Pops about that," they finally sputtered, rubbing the back of their neck. "But, uh.. That's really very kind of you, Princess. Thanks."
The conversation was interrupted by a slight snore, and everyone turned to look at Mario, who had fallen asleep at the table. Peach stifled a laugh, gently rubbing his back.
"My poor Mario," she whispered. Alby shot up and rushed to the basement, returning with a mat, and several blankets.
"You and Toadsworth can take our beds," they informed, motioning for the three to follow them down the hall, and blinking in surprise as Peach effortlessly carried Mario along. Alby stared in shock for a few seconds before clearing their throat and going over to The Professor's bedroom, setting the mat and the blankets up.
"And where will you be resting, Mx. Alby?" Toadsworth asked quietly as Peach laid Mario down and proceeded to tuck him in. Alby pointed upwards, a smile on their face.
"There's a hammock up there," they explained. "I'll be fine."
After everyone had gotten situated, and Alby had put the dishes away and washed them, they said their goodnights to one another. Alby proceeded to go outside and climb the ladder on the side of their little building, hauling themselves onto the roof and flopping tiredly into the hammock, which swung with the sudden movement. Alby kicked off their shoes, wiggling their toes. They sighed as a balmy night breeze blew, and their eyes soon fluttered shut. In moments, they were asleep.
"Alby… Alby, wake up, per favore.."
The young inventor let out a groggy groan in response to the faint voice, their foot twitching a bit. Something pushed the hammock, making it swing suddenly, and they sighed, eyes opening blearily to catch sight of weak morning sunshine drifting down towards them.
"Pops?" they croaked in confusion, still not fully awake. "What're you doing up so early?"
"Alby, it's me, Mario."
This caused Alby to sit up suddenly, yelping as the hammock swung violently and chuckled them to the ground. With a grunt, they picked themselves up and looked up to see Mario, snickering tiredly.
"Morning," he said quietly, watching as Alby slid their shoes on and tried to smooth down their hair.
"Morning- sorry," Alby mumbled apologetically, giving a stretch. "I totally forgot I was supposed to walk you over there."
"It's fine," Mario replied, rubbing at his face. "I'm surprised I actually woke up at all."
"Me too, actually," Alby chuckled, making their way to the ladder. "You knocked out pretty hard-"
They cut themselves off with a horrified gasp as Mario ran past them and jumped off the roof, doing a clean flip before landing on his feet with a small thud, FLUDD bouncing calmly on his back.
"Gadzooks, are you crazy?!" Alby hissed quietly, not wanting to wake sleeping residents up. "You could get hurt doing that, you know!"
They frowned in confusion as Mario burst into laughter, having to cover his mouth to keep quiet.
"Trust me, I'll be fine," he snickered. "You should try it, it's fun."
The green-eyed human eyed him skeptically for a moment before shaking their head and slowly descending the ladder, giving a small hop and finally landing on the ground.
"I like to have both my legs intact, thanks," they mumbled, squinting when Mario laughed quietly once more. They really didn't understand what was so funny- much less how Mario had managed to make that jump unscathed. Sure, their building wasn't exactly huge, but still..
"Wait here," Alby grumbled, shuffling inside. In a few moments, they returned with a thermos, and a small lunch bag. Mario raised an inquisitive eyebrow, but took the items when Alby handed them to him.
"Did you really think I was going to send you off without anything to eat or drink?" they teased, shaking their head. Mario quietly mumbled his thanks, exchanging a smile with them as they walked along.
The two walked in silence, with nothing but the sound of the waves and the birds between them. Some vendors were already setting up shop, grunting tired replies at them as they walked past. Finally, Mario spoke.
"I never really thanked you for standing up for me back there," he said. "Or for telling those cops off. Or for helping my brother save me. So.. thanks a lot. I really appreciate that."
"Don't thank me," Alby muttered, waving a hand dismissively. "It's what anyone would do."
Before the plumber could protest, Alby motioned to two orange and blue figures standing a ways away, pulling a grimace.
"Well, here we are," they grumbled. "I'll just..stay back here. Don't want any more trouble, y'know? Anyway.. Good luck, Mario. You got this."
Mario gave a small smile and a nod, flashing them a thumbs up before turning and making his way to the officers. Alby gave one last wave before turning around with a small sigh.
They had a whole day ahead of them, and a lot to do.