"MARIO!"
"Mario! Where did you go?"
Princess Peach wanted to see if Mario would like to have a picnic with her in the courtyard, but he was no where to be found.
"Hmm..."
"If I were a Mario, where would I be...?", Peach asked herself as she looked up at the large foyer ceiling in confusion.
Her castle was very spacious and she knew it would take her forever to find Mario all by herself.
Peach paced back and forth for a minute, trying to figure out where he might have gone. Her light, pink dress swayed with every delicate step she took and her picnic basket smelled of freshly baked goods.
It was quiet and her light footsteps echoed throughout the large foyer each time her red high-heels hit the floor.
"Hmph!", Peach wrinkled her nose as she looked down at her brown, wicker picnic basket.
"My apple-cinnamon pie is starting to get cold! I need to find him quickly. Maybe Luigi knows where Mario is. I could always offer him some pie in exchange for his help. Luigi can never refuse my freshly baked pies! Tee hee!"
Peach then raced off towards the garden where she saw him earlier that morning trimming some hedges. She lifted the front of her dress with her left hand so as to not trip over it, as she has done many times in the past, and she held her picnic basket with the other and made her way down the hall towards the east side doors that lead to the garden.
As she struggled to open the large, double door exit, the sun shined into her eyes forcing her to squint slightly. She took the bright sun as a sign that is was going to be a beautiful day! Some songbirds were chirping nearby and she couldn't help but smile as she stepped down the small flight of white marble steps.
"Ah, what a delightful day for a picnic! I'm so excited!", Peach happily said to herself.
As she walked towards the center of the garden she passed by many neatly trimmed hedges. Some were shaped as mushrooms, and others as fire flowers. They were quite large too, almost as tall as peach herself!
She soon saw Luigi sitting on the edge of the fountain which stood in the center of the garden. Water spouted upwards from a large Cheep-Cheep shaped statuette. It splashed into the large round pool below which was graced by cute baby Cheep-Cheeps, Peach's favorite fish. A slight breeze created a mist from which Luigi took advantage of. His eyes were closed and his face was turned towards the mist to cool off as he sat there. His hat was on the ground next to his green hedge trimmers and a half-eaten Peanut butter and Jelly sandwich that Peach had fixed up earlier that morning was sitting on a small white plate beside him.
"Oh, there you are Luigi! I knew I'd find you here."
Peach smiled gently as she always did.
"Princess Peach! I did not expect to see you so soon today", said Luigi with a surprised gesture.
"Tee hee! There's no need to be so formal. I've told you a thousand times, just call me Peach~"
"Ah, right, sorry Princess."
Peach laughed as Luigi turned slightly red from embarrassment.
"Anyways, I've been searching for Mario for what seems like forreeevver. I just can't seem to find him. So I figured I'd ask you! Do you know where he might be?"
Luigi's face saddened and he slowly looked towards the ground.
"Is something the matter Luigi?" Peach looked puzzled.
"Yes, Princess. I am guessing Mario has not told you yet, but..."
"Oh no! Has something bad happened?"
"I am afraid so, unfortunately. Yoshi has been missing for a few days now and Mario has no idea what has happened to him. Nobody does!
He has searched the castle high and low but there has been no sign of the little guy. As you know, they have been best friends for years, and nothing like this has happened before...
This is not like when you get captured by Bowser because Mario at least knows what to do. But now..."
"Oh my!", Peach screamed.
The noise startled Luigi and he ducked his head down slightly as if to avoid an incoming blow.
"I have to go see my Mario right away! Where is he?"
"He has locked himself in his room, Princess"
Peach stared at Luigi. She looked almost cross-eyed as she did so and it seemed as though she had something important and insightful to say. Luigi turned his left ear towards her slightly so that he made sure to hear every word.
"..."
"Ohhhh! I never thought of looking there! Tee hee, silly me!"
Luigi laid his face in the palm of his right hand and shook his head.
"Come on Luigi! Let's go talk to him and try and make him feel better!"
Peach put her picnic basket down on the edge of the fountain and grabbed Luigi's arm. She quickly pulled him up from his seat and started running back towards the castle. Luigi's eyed widened. He grabbed his hat off the ground at the last second and starting tripping as peach pulled him along.
Peach and Luigi clumsily made their way towards Mario's room which was on the second floor of the castle. Peach rushed down the hall and up the stairway in the foyer, dress in one hand, Luigi's arm in the other. They soon came up to Mario's bedroom door and stopped.
"MARRIOOOO! Are you here?!", Peach looked back at Luigi who was panting heavily. She lightly knocked on the door three times and then waited for a response.
"Are you sure he's here Luigi?"
"Yes...Princess...he should...still be here.", Luigi explained as he caught his breath.
Peach looked at the door for another few seconds, and right as she was about to knock on the door she heard it unlock. The door opened slightly as if to invite them in.
"Mario?", Peach knew the situation must be worse than she thought at this point. Something just didn't feel the same.
Peach gently opened the door and saw Mario sitting on his bed, head down. As Peach and Luigi walked in, the deep brown, hardwood flooring gently creaked with each step. Everything was very tidy and well kept. Pictures frames were hung up on the painted red walls depicting the many adventures he traveled on and all the friends he made. Another picture laid face down on Marios bed-side table. Peach pondered what was in that particular picture for a second, but then quickly forgot about it.
The window was wide open and Mario's red curtains swayed softly in the breeze that glided into the room. Peach made her way towards Mario's bed, which had a large, red letter M engraved and painted into the head board. She sat down beside him and crossed her legs. As she did so she put her hand on his shoulder and laid her other hand on Mario's red comforter.
"Mario? Are you okay?", She questioned.
Mario didn't answer.
"..."
"Mario, I baked you a fresh Apple-Cinnamon piiiiee! It's sitting by the fountain in the garden. I was hoping we could have a picnic together. Luigi can join too! It'll be so much fun!"
Mario looked up at Peach. A faint smile appeared on his face, the first since Yoshi's disappearance.
"I am sorry, Peach. It is just...", Mario paused for a moment trying to think of the right words to say.
"I do not know what to do. I have searched the entire kingdom and have found nothing. No clues, nadda..."
"I am starting to think he ran away from me..."
"Might it be my fault he left? I have been neglecting him a little bit lately, maybe...he grew tired and needed something new."
Mario, still sitting on his bed, put his hands to his face as if to hide tears welling up in his eyes. Peach noticed his lip quivering slightly and put her hand up to her mouth to hide her shocked expression.
Luigi thought it would be best if he left, so he quietly walked out of the room and slowly closed the door. He left it open slightly and Peach could see Luigi peeking through the small crack.
"That is it, it has to be", Mario said as he moved his hands away from his face.
Peach looked at Mario wondering what he meant by that.
"He must have left me. He is too smart to get captured and if he was injured somewhere I would have found him by now.
I can not... believe he's gone..."
"Oh, Mario..."
"Don't say that. I get captured all the time and I'm smart!", Peach said with a smile.
Mario looked at her for a moment with disbelief.
"Right you are my Peach!", Mario said with a fake smile.
"Thanks for...cheering me up. But I am alright now"
Mario got up from his bed and made his way towards the open window. He stared out into the open and let out a large sigh. Mario then turned towards his bed-side table and grabbed the picture frame that was face down. He looked at it momentarily and then placed it in the trash can that was right below him.
"Oh goodie!", Peach yelled.
Mario's door opened slightly and a small thud sound was made. Peach and Mario both looked to see Luigi sitting on the ground, startled by Peach no doubt.
Luigi quickly stood up, scratched his head, and let out a laugh of embarrassment. He slowly backed away until neither of them could see him. Running could be heard as Luigi made his way down the hall and down the stairs.
"Sooo...you're all better now? Just like that?", Peach asked. She didn't seem quite convinced.
"Yep! Thank you, Peach. Let us have that picnic tomorrow if you don't mind though. I ...want to finish my book. I am almost done but I have not had time after all the needless searching I have been doing over the past few days."
"Oh, alright Mario. Tee hee! I'll bake another pie! I hope the weather is nice tomorrow though."
"Ah, the weather is always nice this time of year my Peach. It is going to be another perfect day."
Peach smiled and blew a kiss towards Mario as she sat on his bed and Mario gave her a smile back. A genuine one this time. He walked towards and door and headed towards the Castle study down the hall.
Once Mario was gone, Peach's smile slowly faded and she looked towards the ground. She knew Mario too well and could easily tell when he was telling the truth, and when he was telling a white lie. It was obvious to her that Mario still wasn't okay.
She glanced over towards the trash can nearby.
"I wonder what that picture was of?", She asked her self as she recalled Mario tossing it away moments ago.
She stood up and took a few steps towards the trash can, which had mostly papers in it, reached in and grabbed the picture frame. Peach was shocked to find out that it was a relatively recent picture of Mario and Yoshi together in the courtyard. As Peach looked at the picture she struggled to hold back a tear of her own.
She then placed the picture frame back on the bed-side table, upright. The way she thought it should be.
"Mario..."
Later that night, Peach went to check Mario's room just to see if he was asleep. It was dark but she knew her way around the castle well enough to traverse through it when the sun was down and the lights were out. She walked up to Mario's bedroom door and quietly opened it just a little bit, and sure enough, Mario was in bed fast asleep. A faint snoring noise confirmed it and that's all she needed to know. She tip-toed her way towards Mario's bed-side table and placed a small note on top of it. It was bound inside an envelope shut with the royal-seal, a toadstoool. The moonlight shined through the closed window and partially lit up the room. Peach noticed that the picture frame she took out of the trash can that day was face down yet again. She let out a quiet sigh and walked towards the exit of the bedroom. She gently shut the door and quietly snuck her way towards the castles front doors. She put her hand on the doorknob and paused for a second.
"Hmph! Well if Mario isn't going to look for Yoshi anymore then I guess I'll have to!", Peach boldly exclaimed to herself.
"I know it will make him happy again, and that's all I want..."
Peach opened the heavy front doors of the castle and looked into the night sky. The stars seemed brighter than usual and she took this as a sign of good luck. She turned around, closed the door, and bravely walked down the castle road into the moonlit darkness.
"LUIGIIII!"
Footsteps could be heard racing up and down across the castle hall as Mario desperately searched for his brother. It was morning and Mario had just read the letter Peach left him earlier that night.
"Luigi, where are you?!"
The door to the castle's secondary bathroom suddenly jerked open. Mario skidded to a halt and ran towards the bathroom which was in the opposite direction down the hall. Luigi emerged from the bathroom wondering what on Earth Mario was all excited about. His eyes were still groggy and his dark blue toothbrush was making small, circular motions as he cleaned his teeth individually. He still had his pajamas on which consisted of a light blue night gown and a long, green night cap.
He spots Mario running in his direction sporting his light yellow night gown, long red night cap, and brown slippers. Mario stumbled towards Luigi, nearly falling over altogether.
"Luigi! Peach is gone again!"
Luigi stared at Mario for a second, wondering why he was acting so surprised since this was a regular occurrence around the castle.
"Brother,", Luigi mumbled as he still had his toothbrush in his mouth.
"Peach always disappears. Bowser manages to kidnap Peach and then you always save her from him, it occurs all the time. Why are you acting like this is the first time this has happened?"
"No no no! Peach left on her own this time! I do not know what to do! It is like everyone is leaving me..."
"What?!", Luigi spit out his toothbrush in shock.
"The Princess just up and left the castle? How do you know this?"
Mario looked down at the letter that Peach left him and handed it over to Luigi.
"Read this letter. She left this in my room last night while I was asleep, I think. I have already checked her room and everything. She is not in the castle."
Luigi wiped the corner of his mouth with his sleeve and pulled out his reading glasses from the front pocket of his night gown. He clumsily put them on and began silently reading the letter.
Dear Mario,
I can tell you're still upset about Yoshi's recent disappearance. It's hard to see you so sad since you're usually so happy! Sooooo, I decided to fix that by finding Yoshi for you! Tee hee!
Don't won't about me, I'll be back in no time and we can celebrate with that picnic you promised me! Try not to get in trouble while I'm gone and make sure to look after Luigi for me!
Love, Peach 3
xoxoxo
Luigi lowered his glasses to the edge of his nose and looked at Mario with his right eyebrow raised up.
"No offense brother, but... if Peach really HAS left the castle...then I doubt she has even made it any farther than the castle gate."
Mario looked back at Luigi in confusion.
"You mean, you are not even worried about this at all?! It is not safe out there! Especially for my Peach."
"Calm down, brother. If it makes you feel better, I will go search for her right now. She is probably asleep in the garden or something. Just let me get dressed."
Mario thought about it for a minute while Luigi picked up his toothbrush off the ground and walked back into the bathroom to rinse it off.
He stepped back out, crossed his arms, and starting tapping his right foot waiting for a response from his brother.
"Well?" Luigi questioned impatiently.
"Hmmm...alright, Luigi. I suppose you are probably right. Just make sure to let me know when you find her. And if you do not find her, then come and get me and we will both look for her together. I have done enough searching as it is so at least I will have some company this time..."
Luigi nodded and quickly walked to his room to get dressed.
"Ugh, I think I am going to get a headache again...", Mario muttered to himself as he turned around and headed back towards his room as well.
Luigi stepped out of his room and shut the door behind him. He was fully dressed and ready to go!
He quickly adjusted his hat and made his way down the stairs towards the foyer.
"Hmm... I suppose I could check the front of the castle first.", Luigi said to himself as he scratched the side of his head.
"I have a feeling today is going to be a very long day. Why did I ever agree to do this..."
Luigi let out a long sigh and then began his search for the daring and adventurous Princess as he opened the front castle doors and stepped outside onto the cobblestone road that lead towards the main entrance of the castle grounds. He checked the main garden first as he primarily expected her to be there. As he walked through it he admired his own handiwork and checked each individual bush that he had cut the other day. He was pleased with his work. Luigi then noticed Peach's Picnic basket still sitting on the edge of the fountain. He opened it up and cut himself a piece of the now day old pie that Peach had baked earlier. It was still good!
Luigi then proceeded to search through the secondary garden that laid on the west side of the castle. It was on the smaller side, but it was still beautiful nonetheless. Luigi realized he still had a bit of gardening to do here and immediately made plans to work on it the next morning after he located the Princess and had a good nights rest.
The courtyard, as Peach liked to call it, was located at the back of the castle. It wasn't "technically" a courtyard, but Peach just always enjoyed the thought of having one. It did look like a courtyard however and it was a very nice place to relax and get away for a bit. It was extremely tidy and well kept, thanks to Luigi's efforts, and he was hoping to at least spot the Princess in this area. And if not her, then at least a clue to her whereabouts, but he knew that would be asking for too much.
Luigi then decided to check inside the castle itself. Perhaps she didn't leave at all! Luigi continued through its interior for nearly an hour before coming to the conclusion that she was no where to be found inside.
"My gosh! No wonder Mario is stressed about the almost endless searching he has been doing this past week. I am exhausted!", Luigi exclaimed to himself.
"I suppose the Princess really HAS gone out in search for Yoshi... and while I admire her bravery and love for my brother, I just wish she had not made a huge secret out of her wanting to help out."
As Luigi went over the whole situation amongst himself he slowly dragged his feet back to where he started in the castle's foyer.
"Guess it is time to let Mario know that the Princess is really gone. Ah, I hope is doesn't get angry. I hate when he makes a fit because he always blames me!"
Luigi turned around and started slowly walking up the stairs towards Marios room to deliver the bad news. But as he was, he had a sudden realization. He hadn't checked everywhere just yet. There was still one place left to look.
The often forgotten apple orchard took up residence in the very back of the Princess' estate. Luigi was hoping, almost praying that Peach had given up her late night search for Yoshi, rested until morning, and then went there to stock up on apples for the many future pies she was bound to bake.
He sprinted all the way to the very back of the castle grounds, certain that he would locate the Princess and ultimately finish what he set out to do for the day.
It was a decent size for an orchard and it consisted of one hundred and twenty full grown trees. The apple trees were perfectly spaced between each other and they were in flawlessly straight rows. Eight rows of fifteen trees to be exact. Or fifteen rows of eight trees depending on how one looked at it.
The grass was short and green and the apples were ripe as could be. There almost seemed to be an endless amount on each individual tree! A truly perfect orchard. Luigi realized he needed to admire it more often as he ran through it in his search for Princess Peach.
Unfortunately, she was no where to be found.
Luigi stopped and put his hands on his knees to rest and catch his breath.
"Ugh, this is getting ridiculous!" He screamed.
He turned around and began to head back to the castle. Luigi noticed a nearby rock on the ground and kicked it in frustration. It flew off into the distance and collided into the branches of an apple tree up ahead.
"Oww oww oww oww owwww!, Luigi cried in pain as he hopped on one foot and held the other one he kicked the rock with in his hands.
Just then, a large beehive fell out of the tree where the rock hit. Luigi stood there, petrified in fear and still on one foot, as bees began to pour out of their now destroyed home. And of course, who better to take out their new found anger on then the one who caused it in the first place.
Luigi's eyes widened as a seemingly endless flow of enraged bees emerged from the grounded hive. He took a few steps back, and then ran as fast as he could to get away. The bees promptly followed and they were right on his tail.
Luigi did not like bees at all, never did, and so his first thought was to get away from them as fast as he could, and as far as he could, naturally. Unfortunately, he didn't think about heading back to the castle for safety, but instead headed in the other direction.
Only moments passed before he was no longer within the castle grounds, but Luigi didn't only thing on his mind now were the bees that were chasing him, and they were closing in.
Luigi ran for a little more than 5 minutes straight through a grassy field trying to get away, but these bees were fairly stubborn, and vengeful. Just Luigi's luck.
Sweat was vigorously dripping off of his face, mainly his large, round nose, and his breathing was getting heavier and heavier as he finally began to tire. He needed a way out if he was going to escape the stubborn swarm he regretfully made enemies with, and fast.
Fortunately, a bit of luck was on his side. A river was not too far up ahead and Luigi noticed it almost immediately. He knew how stereotypical this whole situation was turning out to be, and he knew how bad of a swimmer he was, but he didn't care. Luigi would choose water over an angry swarm of bees any day, and he really didn't have any other options.
Luigi ran, full force, towards the river using the last bit of energy he had to gain some distance between himself and the relentless bees that were still after him. He was almost there.
Luigi then classically tripped right as he was about to jump into the waters veil of safety. He rolled for a few feet and plunged right into the river. It felt incredibly refreshing as he was submerged in the cool, clean water. Mission...accomplished.
The bees, confused as to where their target disappeared to, began to calmly make their way back to what was once their home. It was time for them to rebuild.
As it turns out though, Luigi wasn't quite out of danger just yet. The current was stronger than he originally anticipated. He struggled to fight against it and pull himself back to shore, but he had no energy left since he used it all up during his exhausting escape. All he could do was keep his head above the increasingly rapid waters. Luigi was carried off into the distance, getting further and further away from the castle and his brother, without a clue as to where it was heading or how long it would take to get out. He was river bound and wasn't heading home anytime soon.
