Currently playing Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door and it just occurred to me to smash this one out. Enjoy!
In Times Gone By
"…*drip*…*drip*…*drip*…"
The first creaks of orange sunlight shot through the window and printed itself upon the walls of the inn. From the ceiling, a gentle, repetitive dripping of water continued to fall from the roof and into the bucket at the centre of the room. Overflowing, a small stream flowed out from the edge of the bucket, seeping into the floorboards beneath.
Three days had passed since the defeat of the Shadow Queen. Rougeport seemed to be filled with a new, vibrant energy, as if it had been previously shackled by the Shadow Queen's power. The citizens smiled more, their eyes brighter than ever before. It was as if everybody knew that a bright, starry future was in the works.
Everybody except Vivian.
Lying down on the bed, watching as the drops of water crawled across the ceiling beams before falling into the bucket below, she felt nothing but a dull despair. She knew fully well that she was probably the only unhappy face in all of Rogueport. What could she be possibly sad about? She had just partaken in saving the entire world! She was a heroine in the eyes of everyone who saw her now, despite her less righteous past. Even her sisters had apologised to her for all the nasty things they had done to her, preparing to move on and live a nice life together.
But it didn't matter.
It didn't matter now Mario was gone.
Every time she closed her eyes, he appeared in her vision. It made her heart palpitate slightly, she felt nervous; she could swear that he was standing right there when she envisioned him. But she would open her eyes and see nothing but the dripping water from the ceiling. Each morning, her halcyon dreams would be replaced by the dripping water. Within moments, her tears would also be flowing.
The days following Mario's departure were slow and sad for Vivian. One by one, each of the team left back to continue with their respective lives. Vivian herself knew that soon she would have to return to live with her sisters.
But how could she forget Mario? Despite all of her history and all the pain she had suffered, Mario was the first person who swatted it all aside for a chance at helping her during her lowest moments. Mario was the first person that she could fight alongside and feel comfortable. Everything she did, she felt he understood. For the first time in her life, Vivian felt like Vivian. She felt full, happy.
She had fallen in love.
And so cruelly, fate was always against her. As long as Mario was trying to save Princess Peach, she knew that there was no space in Mario's life for her. As Mario left Rougeport, Vivian conceded that she was not the one for him. And it hurt her like nothing else could. Not even fighting and defeating her sisters could hurt as much as this.
On the fourth morning of her stay in Rogueport, she found herself at the downstairs bar at the inn, looking glumly outside to the main plaza with a smoking coffee on the table beside her. Her gaze occasionally shifted from the window to the swirling patterns of the coffee steam in front of her. With Mario on her mind, everything she saw seemed to be bleak. She continued to cast her mind back on the glory days, at the times when she and Mario were together.
"Vivian, my lovely!"
Vivian jumped right out of her skin. With a yelp, she frantically looked from the voice's origin. Floating in front of her in all her glory was Flurrie.
"Aah!" Vivian yelled. "M-m-Madame Flurrie!"
Flurrie laughed in her operatic, strong voice. Hearing her joviality never ceased to make Vivian feel a little better, even when she was down. Watching as Flurrie floated and then sat down on the chair opposite her, Vivian sighed. Hearing Flurrie's voice was only a temporary relief from the heartbreak she was suffering. Flurrie watched as Vivian's face sunk, her eyes falling to the surface of her coffee.
"Oh, my darling, what's wrong?" Flurrie asked. Ask a silly question, she thought to herself. Flurrie knew exactly what was wrong with Vivian. The frown following Mario's departure was unmistakable, and every time Flurrie glanced at Vivian during the following stay in Rogueport, she knew that Vivian's sadness could only be because of Mario. As the last two of the team to be staying in Rogueport, Flurrie finally felt the opportunity to perhaps make this sweet young girl's life just a little easier.
"It's nothing…" Vivian said in a shallow voice. Both she and Flurrie knew that it was more than that, and with a small clear of her throat, Flurrie shuffled herself and her chair a little closer to Vivian. Ordering a tea, she rubbed Vivian's back a little as she stared vacantly towards her coffee.
"Vivian, my lovely" she started, choosing her words carefully. Vivian did not look up. "…I know there is something bothering you, my little ray of sunshine"
There was no reaction from Vivian. As she continued to stare blankly towards the coffee, her head replayed the moment that Mario had left her life. She studied the footage with intensity, imagining the loud sound of the boat propellers, the people cheering and waving around her, Mario briefly glancing to her from the ship as it begun to move away. She hoped that the brief, final glance they shared meant more than just a glance. But she knew it could never be. Mario already had the women of his life safely with him on the boat. There was no space for Vivian.
"…Is it Mario?" Flurrie asked quietly. Vivian jarred a little; her head drooped slightly. "Vivian…is Mario the reason why you're feeling like this?"
Flurrie noticed Vivian shivering slightly. Her striped red and white hat hid her face; Flurrie watched on in concern as Vivian shook slightly. She watched Vivian slowly raise a hand to her face; her head drooped just a little more. The shaking increased.
Flurrie heard Vivian sobbing quietly.
"Oh, Vivian…" Flurrie sighed, opening her broad arms and taking the broken girl into them, cradling her as she begun to break down. Quiet sobbing turned into pained crying as Vivian clutched onto Flurrie, sobbing loudly. The warmth of her tears and the tightness of her shaking grip brought a lump to Flurrie's throat. Vivian was heartbroken. The man she loved had left, leaving her with no chance of any happy romance. What had been a strong and integral member of the team had now been reduced to an agonized girl, who only wanted love.
"Oh Flurrie…" Vivian sobbed, her face buried in Flurrie's shoulder as she sobbed between words. "H-he's…gone…and he's not coming b-back…F-Flurrie…" Flurrie continued to rub Vivian's back and caress her. Flurrie was incredibly fond of Vivian. She was able to see past Vivian's previous life as a Shadow Siren and come to appreciate the golden heart she possessed. It was a quality that had won Flurrie over ever since she had joined the team at the Creepy Steeple. And now to see her so broken down, Flurrie wanted nothing more than to help.
"Vivian, my darling…" she cooed quietly. "It's alright, I promise! Please, don't cry, you're too beautiful a girl for that…" Vivian had calmed down a little and pulled her tear soaked face away from Flurrie. Eyes reddened, she let her head droop again.
"But he's gone…" she muttered, quietly sobbing still. "I didn't properly…get the chance to tell him how I felt"
"You poor soul…" Flurrie cooed again, placing a hand by Vivian's cheek. Wiping her tear away, she watched as Vivian looked up to her. The pained expression of loss brought heaviness to Flurrie's heart. "You don't deserve to be in this much pain. Let's have a chat about it; I'm sure I can help!"
"It's alright…" Vivian said quietly, sipping her now lukewarm coffee and turning to face the window. "I…I really appreciate it, but I'm wasting your time"
"That's nonsense, darling" Flurrie said. "It pains me to see you so hurt, my lovely. As a friend, I want to put a smile on your face"
Vivian remained unmoved from her position. Flurrie continued to watch as the heart-broken girl before her stared vacantly out the window, as if Mario's ship would come sailing back into the harbour. Flurrie closed her eyes. The feeling wasn't alien to her; there had been a time in her life as well when she was a slave to love.
"…You loved him, didn't you?"
There was a short silence, before Vivian mumbled an answer.
"…Yes. I did…I do love him"
Vivian slowly turned back around in her chair and looked at Flurrie, who's compassionate face made her feel a little more comfortable. Flurrie sipped at her tea, leaving her trademark lipstick stain on the rim, before she continued.
"Vivian…love is such a powerful emotion" Flurrie explained. Noticing Vivian's face was still wet; she reached for the tissue by her tea cup and handed it to Vivian. "It can be the most wonderful feeling in the world. It's capable of anything imaginable…even the pain it can bring"
Vivian dried her eyes with the tissue, feeling more control over her emotions. The visions of Mario still pulsed through her head, but she pushed through with her strength. Crying was never any fun.
"He was the first person who ever treated me nicely" she said quietly. "Even when Doopliss had stolen his identity…he hadn't stolen his heart. Regardless of my past affiliations, he treated me with respect and he treated me like a friend...not even my sisters had done that to me"
"Mario was a lovely chap" Flurrie reminisced, remember when Mario had helped her overcome her lack of confidence through finding her necklace. "He always seemed to be there for you when you needed him, didn't he?"
"Yeah…" Vivian said quietly. "…It's why I miss him so much now. Even if my sisters have promised to be nicer to me from now on…I just don't feel comfortable without him anymore"
"My sweet" Flurrie addressed. "It's hard when a loved one leaves you, but if you learn to cherish and be happy for the time you had together, then eventually you'll be able to overcome this sadness"
A short pause followed Flurrie's words, but sadness still prevailed in Vivian's expression. She let out a long, laboured sigh and sipped again at her cold coffee. Something about Mario was clearly bothering her, Flurrie thought. Before she could ask, Vivian began to speak.
"I never told him…" she said quietly. "…That I loved him. I could have…but I know that he didn't love me back"
"Vivian, that might not be true!" Flurrie parried, but Vivian shook her head.
"It's okay, Flurrie" she defended. "I mean, I know that Princess Peach is the one that belongs with Mario. I'm not jealous of that, or even angry or sad about that. I had a feeling that Mario would never be able to feel for me what I felt for him"
"It's the scourge of unrequited love, my dear" Flurrie sighed, thinking back to her younger days. "I suppose all you wanted to do was tell him, wasn't it?"
"Y-yes…" Vivian said quietly. Just the thought of telling Mario she loved him made her blush, even thought the opportunity had long gone. "There were so many times when we were alone. I was unsure of how I was feeling, but every time I looked at him…I felt so happy"
A smile begun to appear on Vivian's face as she recounted the time gone by. "I remember there was this one moment some days after we had been stranded on Keelhaul Key…it was myself and Mario's turn to keep a lookout for any rescue ships or signs of washed up wreckage from the boat. It was just me and him, all alone. Thinking back, I wish I could have taken his hand, or just told him how I felt. I know he wouldn't have minded; I couldn't imagine Mario ever being angry at me for such a thing. All those times we were in battle together and I would veil him under the floor in darkness…I just loved it each time he turned to me and asked me to take him down under with me. I loved being able to hold him, and when we were in darkness, I would close my eyes and imagine I was holding him out of love and affection, and not for battle. I only wished I could have said something…I fought every temptation not to kiss him gently on the cheek while we were hidden away. I just…I think it was those moments when I fully realised my how much I wanted to be with him…and how much I loved Mario"
Flurrie watched as Vivian happily recounted those moments. For the first time, there was a smile on both of their faces.
"My sweet little angel…" Flurrie said quietly. "You look so beautiful when you smile"
The warmth of Flurrie's words meant the world to Vivian. She finally begun to appreciate what Flurrie was doing. But the reality of the situation hit and Vivian's smile faded. Sighing once again, she felt the side of her coffee cup. Her fingers touched nothing but cold ceramic and she pulled her hand away.
"But he's gone now…" she said quietly. Flurrie looked out to the dusty window where Vivian had previously been staring and closed her eyes momentarily.
"…I know how it feels to have loved and lost, my dear" she revealed.
"Really?" Vivian asked. "H-how so?"
Opening her eyes again, she sipped her tea again, clearing her throat.
"It was a number of years ago now" Flurrie began. "As you probably knew, I was an actress of the stage in my youth. I had the singing voice of an angel and the acting skills to boot! A star of the stage…millions adored my performances!" Vivian giggled a little; despite her vanity, Flurrie was always a good laugh when she talked about her stage career.
"Oh, it was a beautiful time to be young…" Flurrie continued, while Vivian found herself captivated by her every word. "Excitement around every corner; being a stage actress was such a whirlwind! It was amazing until one thing happened that took me on love's great roller-coaster"
"What happened?" Vivian asked. Flurrie giggled slightly with a smile.
"Well, as stage actresses must do in order to find work, I was auditioning for a new show that was set to take the world by storm!" she explained. "Obviously, I got the part of the main lady! What I did not foresee was I was to be playing alongside a leading man…and this play happened to be a very romantic one. The leading actor…his name was Harris" she revealed.
"…Harris?" Vivian asked. She expected a grander name befitting of a world touring stage actor, but Flurrie could only nod her head in confirmation.
"Yes, I know it is a strange name" Flurrie admitted. "But Harris was a strong tenor, his voice could match any of the world stage leaders today! And to boot, he was a handsome man, with one heck of a moustache! In fact, I fancy that he did look a little like Mario…"
Flurrie finished her tea with a great big gulp, delicately placing the tea cup back on the table. Her eyes fixed on Vivian, she continued her story.
"In any case…" she continued. "Harris and I were co-stars in the drama. We did the initial run of the show and it proved so popular that a world tour had been decided for the show! Stadiums sold out! Every arena packed! It was a brand new hit! And amongst it all, every time I performed with Harris, we grew just a little bit closer…"
Flurrie's expression became wistful and she sighed, releasing a dreamy smile as she did.
"Did you fall in love with him?" Vivian asked. Flurrie nodded in response.
"You have to understand" she explained. "When you spend every waking hour of the day with somebody who's nice, funny and a great singer, you can't help but fall in love eventually. Yes, the days and weeks and months of touring the show brought Harris and I closer together. The build up was so exciting, after every show, something would happen! We'd catch each other's eyes in the corridor, have the dressing room to ourselves…a love blossomed between the two of us, and by the show's end, we became public with our relationship"
"I know what those moment feels like…" Vivian reminisced. "I remember the final climb back down the Creepy Steeple, just after Mario had regained his identity. We were walking side by side, closer together for what had happened. I also remember the conversations we had alone in the train carriage of the Excess Express. We talked about so much…our lives, our families…"
Silence reigned. Both Vivian and Flurrie were sat, dreaming about their respective pasts. For once, Vivian wasn't upset thinking about the past. She was happy.
"…I never did tell Harris that I loved him though" Flurrie admitted.
Vivian was snapped out of her daydreaming. Looking to Flurrie, Vivian saw that her usual, bright expression had dampened a little.
"…Flurrie?" Vivian asked. Flurrie sighed quietly.
"…After the show had wrapped up, we decided to start writing our own shows" she continued sombrely. "We knew they didn't have the potential to be big hits; we were actors, not writers! But every night I would go to his place, or her would come to mine, and we would stay up until the early hours of the morning writing, laughing, talking…one night he told me that he was in love with me"
A hand touched upon Flurrie's arm as she recounted her story. Vivian rubbed Flurrie's forearm gently; she could tell that the story was becoming more and more difficult to recall.
"Why didn't you tell him?" Vivian asked. "Did…did you love him back?"
"I did" Flurrie answered quickly, looking downwards towards the wooden planks of the table. "But I was so cautious back then. I didn't know what love was. It seems obvious to me that the man made me so happy, that it could have been nothing else but love. But I was so scared of making the wrong decision, I couldn't bring myself about to tell him"
"And was he okay with it?" Vivian asked.
"Harris was…he was a lovely gentleman" Flurrie said, a small smile returning to her face. "He didn't care and he said he could wait. But I think you know where this is going, don't you my lovely?"
Vivian thought the worst. Did Harris…
"…Did he die?" Vivian asked quietly.
She didn't know how wide Flurrie's eyes could open until that moment. As if struck by lighting, she sat bolt upright and looked at Vivian in a mixed expression of shock and bewilderment.
"What?" she bellowed. "Of course not! Harris was alive and well, thank you very much!"
"Aah!" Vivian yelled back. "S-s-sorry!"
Flurrie calmed herself down and begun to giggle a little. In accordance with the absurdity of what she had just said, Vivian started to giggle as well. Flurrie's bright mood had returned to her straight away.
"He didn't die, that would have been catastrophic!" Flurrie said. "However, a few weeks after he told me he loved me, he had to go away. A new role beckoned for him, and this time, there was no leading lady to be by his side. It's our fate as actors to be torn asunder as such" Her nonchalant tone of voice comforted Vivian; she was glad that the laughs caused her to be able to finish the story with a touch of light-heartedness.
"So where is he now?" Vivian asked. Flurrie shrugged her shoulders and arms.
"Not sure, my darling" she answered. "Probably touring somewhere in the world. Or maybe he's retired? But there is a point to all this story…" Flurrie reached out and took Vivian's hands, warming them with her own. "About having loved and lost…I've been through it as well. I just wanted to tell you my story. I know that one day, you will feel better and you'll only be able to look back at your time with Mario with happiness. Besides, when you start to reach my age, you find that there are more pressing things in life than love…like writing new stage shows, and capitalising on fame when it comes to you!"
Flurrie bellowed out a laugh as she cracked her joke, the force of her laughter leaning her back in her chair. The infectious chortling didn't fail to make Vivian giggle a little as well. Despite all the sad times that occurred during her adventures, Flurrie's bellow was always on hand to make her feel better.
In that moment, Vivian finally felt something click. The dark cloud that had been hanging over her, that dismal thought that she would never be happy again, suddenly vanished. It still hurt to think of Mario. The very thought of him still shook her, made her blush, saddened her when his absence was repeatedly realised. But for once, she could feel a smile bubbling inside of her whenever she thought of him. His departure no longer held the strong, unhappy connotations that it once did. Colour begun to flow back into the memory of Vivian's adventures. Sound begun to refill the empty voices of her friends as she remembered them.
Vivian begun to feel happy.
And Flurrie noticed as Vivian's smile started to break through. She may have been laughing before, but her face always seemed so sunken, so poor and defeated. Now, she sat there, her posture straighter and her face fuller. She actually seemed happy.
"Now how do you feel?" Flurrie asked, taking notice of the new change.
"I…"
Vivian couldn't come up with the words. This sudden revitalisation caused a positive reaction inside her. She didn't even know why mistaking Flurrie's love interest for a dead man was so funny, but she found herself feeling happier and happier. Full of smiles, she reached out and embraced Flurrie, grabbing her by surprise and clutching on as tightly as she could. How else could Vivian show how she felt in that moment. Surprised, Flurrie brought her arms around Vivian and embraced her as well, swaying to and fro gently as they hugged.
"Flurrie…thank you so much" Vivian said quietly. Letting go, she looked at Flurrie with a warm smile on her face. "I know that it'll take a while…"
"Of course it will, my lovely" Flurrie explained. "For years I couldn't get over the loss of my dear Harris. The spotlight of the stage helped, but he left a hole in my heart, dear. I finally retired from the stage and retreated to Boggly Woods to try and cure my sorrows. Thankfully, the tranquillity of the snow and those lovely Punies helped me to finally get over him. Now, whenever I think back to our time together, I can only smile!"
And smile Flurrie did. The rest of the conversation was a happy, peaceful tone. Both Vivian and Flurrie recalled their favourite parts of the adventure together and discussed their future plans. Flurrie was in the stages of planning out her own show about the adventure she had just been on, and had even asked Vivian to see whether she could get in touch with Doopliss to take a part in the show. Vivian, on the other hand, simply felt that she wanted to return to the Palace of Shadow with her sisters to live a quieter, more peaceful life. Although Flurrie tried to encourage Vivian to have another adventure somehow, Vivian knew that she had had her fill of thrills for one time. It didn't stop Flurrie from offering Vivian a future job as a light technician in her show. "You never know when I'll need some fireworks, oho ho ho!"
That evening, Vivian lay in her bed, watching the drops fall from the ceiling. Her heart beat quickly, her hand shook as it held the Mailbox SP in her hand. Following Mario's departure, Vivian had poured the money she had collected during her travels into purchasing the device, and through some sleuthing, was able to get Mario's contact details. She wasn't planning on stalking him or being creepy; it was her intention to send one simple message.
To do the one thing she couldn't do before.
Because she knew that love was a fickle thing.
She knew love was entirely unpredictable, and even in the most obvious moments, she could not handle it.
But when life presents you with a second chance, you take it with both hands.
So with both hands nervously clenching the Mailbox SP, Vivian typed in Mario's mailbox details and then begun to compose her message…