Mushroom Kingdom – 19 Years Earlier
Luigi paced anxiously in front of the bedroom where Daisy was in the process of giving birth to his child, the child that came as a result of a secret marriage.
Only Mario and Daniella knew that once Daisy had returned to Brooklyn, she and Luigi had spontaneously married and had spent their wedding night together before Daisy had returned to the Mushroom Kingdom to help her father rebuild the peace.
Once Daisy had learned she was with child, she immediately visited Luigi again and Luigi had promised to not only be there, but he had promised to support them by remaining with her. Now, as he paced outside the royal chamber, Luigi was unaware that he was being watched by Daisy's handmaiden.
"Prince Luigi, you are worrying too much," Peach, who was also expecting and carried her eggs around often to give it enjoyment, spoke in a gentle voice as she approached Luigi with a smile on her face.
Luigi turned and smiled at Peach, deeply grateful that the young handmaiden had been there to help Daisy when he couldn't be, "I didn't think I'd ever become a father," he commented in an awed voice, amazed at how far he had come since his first time in the kingdom. "I didn't used to do very much."
"Everyone becomes very different from who they used to be once things like a spouse and children come into their lives," Peach replied softly, gently holding the eggs as if they were treasures. "I am forever grateful to Daisy having compassion on Toad and I when my husband suddenly vanished."
Luigi frowned, "I'm sorry, I didn't know," he spoke gently. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"The King has reverted Toad back to his human form and Toad's helping in the royal court," Peach replied in a gratified voice, smiling at Luigi. "Anyway, I need to go and put the eggs down for a little rest."
Nodding, Luigi waved as Peach carried the eggs off down the hallway and there was only silence for a moment before a loud cry broke the silence. Realizing that the cry was coming from the royal chamber, Luigi silently entered and saw Daisy standing over a table in her pink gown with remnants of large eggs at her feet. As he came closer, the sight of two crying babies caused Luigi to stop and utter a soft gasp.
"We have two daughters, Luigi," Daisy explained in a gentle voice. "Two beautiful daughters."
Luigi smiled and as tears came to his eyes, he took Daisy's hand and they looked over their miracles.
A baby's cry filled the hovel where Elisa had lived alone ever since her sister, Lena, had run off to serve at Koopa's side, "Oh, Elisa, you have a son!" Elisa heard the midwife say in an anxious voice.
"A son?" Elisa asked in a soft, but amazed voice. "Bless Koopa for allowing me to serve as a consort."
The midwife silently cleaned the baby and returned to Elisa's side with the child swaddled in a clean blanket, "Koopa would be proud," the midwife, who had been one of the few loyal Koopa supporters that had been chased underground when the Chancellor had returned, said in a proud voice.
"I must give him a name that all will come to someday respect," Elisa spoke softly as she sat up and took the baby from the midwife. "Now, where is that necklace filled with Koopa's essence and made with Lena's bones that I created after they both died? It was said to have great power within it."
Scoffing, the midwife quickly produced the necklace and Elisa snatched it, "Dare to rebel and I'll have your tongue cut out," she hissed as she slowly got to her feet with the baby in her arms and the necklace in her hand. "Now, this is a very unique baby because it is the last remnant of Koopa that I have."
"Yes, milady," the midwife spoke softly, bowing her head in a subservient, apologetic faction.
Elisa smiled craftily, "Koopa did have minions besides that useless Iggy and moronic Spike, but like me, they were all banished to the desert when the King came back to life," she hissed as the baby quieted down and gazed up at his mother. "The Koopalings will someday rise and serve as they once did."
Ignoring the cowering midwife, Elisa strode out of the birthing room with the baby in her arms while she put the necklace around her neck. The sky was darkening and the view of several makeshift homes where many Koopa supporters and the Koopalings all struggled to survive from day to day.
"Our time of suffering is over, Koopalings," Elisa spoke softly into the night as the baby cooed and sighed, pleased to be in the safety of his mother's arms. "For I have a child and all of the power."
As if responding to her commands, the necklace suddenly glowed and lightning streaked across the sky, causing Elisa to cackle with glee, "Let the revolution come forth!" she crowed in an enthusiastic voice.
"Ah, the blessing of children has come upon the Mushroom Kingdom for the first time in years," the Mushroom King, otherwise known as the Chancellor, said in a grand voice as he came into the royal chamber and saw Daisy and Luigi standing in front of a large cradle. "I offer my congratulations."
Daisy smiled and Luigi nodded, "Their names are Lily and Rose, Father," Daisy spoke softly, having discussed the names with Luigi as the infants were being dressed. "They are our miracles."
Before the Chancellor could reply, the entire room began to shake and shook for several minutes before it stopped, "Your Royalnesses!" the frantic voices of Iggy and Spike suddenly echoed down the hallway.
Luigi frowned as Iggy and Spike burst into the room, "There are reports of the Koopaling outcasts marching on the city!" Iggy frantically reported. "The Toad Police spotted them not far from here!"
"Koopalings were banned when Koopa fell!" the Chancellor shouted in an anxious voice, as he gazed at Daisy, Luigi, and the infants which they stood watch over. "I must think of you and your daughters."
Daisy frowned, "Father, we can't leave you here," she replied in a worried voice. "What if they…?"
"PEACH!" the Chancellor shouted in an anxious voice. "Peach, come here at once! You are needed!"
Within seconds, Peach had hurried into the room with her eggs in a stroller, "Yes, your Highness?" she asked in an anxious voice, her pink dress flapping as she ran. "I was about to retire for the evening…"
"Peach, the Koopalings are marching on the city," the Chancellor explained in an anxious voice, frowning as Lily and Rose suddenly began to wail. "I need you to take Luigi, Daisy, Lily, and Rose to the portal."
Peach's eyes widened in shock, "The portal to the human world?" she asked worriedly.
"Iggy and Spike will help you," the Chancellor spoke urgently. "Luigi and Daisy, take these gifts."
With a flourish of his hand, the Chancellor produced two necklaces that each had a flower symbolizing Lily and Rose that not only had a flower charm on each chain, but also half of a star. Luigi and Daisy quickly put the appropriate necklaces around their children's neck and waited to be given leave.
"I pass to you, Luigi, the crest of the royal family so that you may come back and help us when the time is right," the Chancellor spoke softly, quickly passing Luigi a mushroom shaped pendant. "Now, run!"
Daisy quickly picked up Rose and Luigi grabbed Lily, both of whom were in pink nightgowns that had long sleeves, and swaddled them in their blankets before rushing from the room with Peach, Iggy, and Spike accompanying them. The building continued to shake as the group ran through the long hallways and finally reached the place where vehicles had been stashed in the case of a dire emergency.
As Iggy and Spike helped Peach, the eggs, Lily, Rose, and Daisy into one of the rougher looking vehicles, Luigi's eyes widened at what he could see of the streets; a large group was marching up from the tunnel that led to the Koophari Desert and they were armed with flaming torches and strange looking weapons.
"What's going on?" Luigi asked in a shocked voice. "Who are those people carrying weapons?"
Iggy quickly hustled Luigi into the car and it was with great anxiety that Iggy maneuvered the car into the street and towards the station where the portal lay in secrecy. In great anticipation of returning to the world where she and Luigi had both been raised, Daisy caressed the rock that was around her neck.
It did not take long for the group to arrive at the station and as Iggy and Spike hustled them all out of the car and into the station, they came face to face with a group of Koopalings who had been sent through Elisa's magic to start a silent coup. The group recognized them all almost immediately.
Chaos ensued as Luigi fought the crowd to get Daisy, Peach, and all of the children through to the door where the portal was, but several Koopalings quickly grabbed Daisy because they knew that having Daisy and her offspring would be a quick and easy path to victory. Luigi also reached for Daisy, but he only managed to grab the rock and the children before being thrown back towards the others.
"DAISY!" Luigi howled, fighting hard as Iggy and Spike grabbed him, Lily, and Rose anxiously.
Daisy screamed and without warning, Luigi was jumped from behind and he felt himself losing a grip on both his daughters, "NO!" he screamed anxiously, unaware that he was now bleeding from the attack.
The Koopalings wouldn't cease their attack, however, and Luigi found himself being hurried into the portal by Iggy and Spike, both of whom had managed to only find Lily in the chaos, "We have to go back!" Luigi screamed anxiously, nearly collapsing as they approached the portal. "Rose and Peach!"
"We can't!" Iggy and Spike shouted in unison, unaware that Peach had broken through the crowd and was staggering towards the portal with her eggs. "You and Lily will be safe on the other side!"
Too shaken and exhausted to argue, Luigi anxiously aimed the rock and was pleasantly surprised when the wall opened, but said nothing as he carried Lily through, "Iggy, Spike, be safe," Peach spoke in a trembling voice, ignoring their looks of surprise as she staggered forward. "I will not see you again."
"Where will you go?!" Iggy yelled as Peach staggered up to and through the portal. "Peach!"
There was no answer given, but Iggy and Spike knew that Peach was only thinking of her babies and knew that they had potential for a better future if they were raised away from the corruption.
Once Iggy and Spike were alone in the portal room, they both trembled anxiously about the future.
The cold air caused Peach to tremble as she entered an alleyway with the large eggs in the stroller and quickly opened one to reveal a baby that was only a few days old. She had had the babies in secret with Daisy's help, but had concealed them so to not take the attention from Daisy and her pending joy.
Shaking, Peach quickly kissed the baby's forehead and closed the egg again before opening the other one to kiss the other baby on the forehead. She then took the stroller and the eggs down the alleyway towards bright lights that seemed to beckon to her and turned out to be those of a cathedral.
Peach quickly picked the eggs up from the stroller and hurried into the church, making sure that the doors were closed before she removed the children from the eggs and covered them in tablecloths she found under one of the many tables, "Oh, my Matthew and my Andrew," she cooed softly, saddened that her husband had disappeared long before this special moment. "Matthias Andrew, how I miss you."
Without warning, Peach gasped and clutched at her chest anxiously, "I love you both, my Matthew and my Andrew," she gasped, unaware that nuns had seen her and were running to her. "Matthew, please care for your younger brother and Andrew, please care to listen and be an example to Matthew."
"I love you," Peach gasped as she collapsed below the table where Matthew and Andrew lay, covered in sacramental tablecloths while their eggs lay broken in the pews. "I'm sorry I couldn't do better."
Shocked gasps of nuns and the crying of two infants filled the cathedral as Peach took her last breath.
In a large apartment in the middle of Brooklyn, Mario sighed and found himself gazing at a photo of Luigi and Daisy becoming man and wife that Peach had given him and Daniella as a present. When Luigi had gone to the Mushroom Kingdom for the birth of his baby, Mario knew that he would never return.
"Mario?"
Sighing heavily, Mario turned and saw his wife of nearly a year, Daniella, standing in the doorway to their bedroom wearing a long nightgown with a soft pink robe over it, "Mario, it's late," she said in a gentle voice, smiling sadly as she caught sight of the picture on the wall. "You miss him, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do," Mario replied softly. "I know that Luigi won't come back, though. Not with a family."
Daniella nodded and Mario sighed as the phone in the bedroom rang, "I'll go get that," she said in a concerned voice. "Why don't you go make yourself some coffee? We can sit and talk for a bit."
Mario nodded and silently went into the kitchen while Daniella went into the bedroom and answered the phone. Several moments later, Daniella came out of the bedroom looking very sad and scared.
"It's Luigi, Mario," Daniella said in a shocked voice, holding back tears. "He's at the hospital."
Mario's eyes widened in both concern and confusion, "You'd better get over there," Daniella whispered.
Swallowing hard, Mario nodded and quickly moved into the bedroom to get back into his street clothes.
"You should take Luigi some clothes and stuff," Daniella said anxiously, shaking with shock and fear.
Mario's mind, however, was on Luigi and what had happened over there to bring his brother home.
Overexhausted from what had happened and groggy from the medicine he had been given for pain, Luigi gazed at Lily and was grateful that through all the chaos, she hadn't been hurt. Thoughts of Daisy and Rose filled his mind and overwhelmed by the fact that they were gone, Luigi closed his eyes.
Frantic footsteps and cooing filled the room, but Luigi didn't dare open his eyes until he felt someone touch his face and casted arm, "Luigi," he heard Mario's voice say in a soft tone. "What happened?"
Forcing his eyes open, Luigi saw Mario there with a bag filled with things, "You've got a broken arm, a bandaged head, and bruises all over you," Mario said, seeing that Luigi was struggling with deep shock.
"Daisy and Rose are gone," was all Luigi could manage before he threw up on the floor at Mario's feet.
Mario frowned and his eyes widened as the implications of Luigi's words set in, "Lily's all I could save," Luigi whispered, tears filling his eyes as he closed them and began to breathe in an abnormal fashion.
"Lily?" Mario asked, realizing that the little girl in the bassinet was Luigi's daughter. "Wow."
Sobs racked Luigi's body and Mario quickly gathered his younger brother in his arms, determined to help both Luigi and Lily through this terrible situation even though he had no idea what had taken place.
The Koopa Station was in ruins and trash littered the floor after the fight in which the Koopalings had caused some serious trouble and moved on, per their style. Not knowing what had happened to his sister or the royal family because he had been working with the Toad Police to try and keep the Koopalings from taking over, Toad found himself looking where his sister had last been seen.
With no idea of the portal that separated their dimension from the human world, Toad was left with the worst thoughts as he saw the bodies of guards scattered amongst the garbage and small fires that occupied the places as a result of troublemaking. The Toad Police had taken a beating and the survivors had retreated underground while the Koopalings now occupied what used to be the Mushroom Palace.
A weak cry caught Toad's attention just as he was set to leave and find someplace where he could live out this revolution in safety. Concerned by the cry, Toad followed the sound and right near a door that led to a restricted area, he spotted a little baby in a pink nightgown laying in a pile of garbage.
Toad's eyes widened as he picked the baby up and noticed a necklace that he knew that only someone with magic, like the Chancellor, could have created, "I think your name is Rose," he commented softly, seeing the rose charm on the chain that was around the baby. "What are you doing here all alone?"
Knowing full well that he had to protect this royal baby because the Koopalings would destroy them both if they found out about Rose, Toad silently covered her in some of the garbage scraps and silently left the station by the back way. If anyone saw him, it would just appear as if he were cleaning up.
Fortunately for Toad, the streets were now quiet and he could carry Rose to safety without disruption.
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