Hope everyone is still enjoying, judging by the reviews I'd assume so
Continuing on with the world's longest flashback, R&R, and enjoy...

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Understudied Understudies

As Luigi was adjusting his unruly curls in the mirror, his mind was whirling with worry. He'd gone into Biology class to find the seat ahead of him empty. The seat ahead of him was always filled by one person: Daisy. He'd missed seeing her glossy curls all that afternoon. He wondered what had happened to her? She had been there all that morning...

"Luigi?" Mario popped his head into the emerald bedroom. Luigi's back went as tense as a metal pole. His brother hadn't talked to him all evening. He figured Mario was mad at him, and in turn, Luigi was angry at him for being angry. What right did he have to be angry? He didn't ask the princess over. But now he just felt sorry for Mario. The one time Luigi was getting attention in his life, and he was feeling sorry that Mario wasn't. Go figure. Mario crossed the room, smiling to himself. If he couldn't do it, only Luigi could manage to.

"You look great, bro!" Mario chuckled, fixing Luigi's emerald hued bow tie. Luigi blushed shyly and laughed.

"Uh, thanks Mario." Then he looked at the floor. "I thought you were mad at me... you know, I don't consider this a date, you're just supposed to wear-"

"Wear evening attire to the café, I know Luigi." Mario laughed at the panic stricken expression on his younger brothers face. "Even if it is a date, it's none of my business."

"It's not! Um, and it's mine... you've liked her since-"

"Luigi." Mario stated, cutting off the nervous young man. "Listen. Even if it is a date, she wanted it. I don't own her! You can't force her to like anyone. And if she likes you, power to her. You can't hand pick a better guy for her to date." Mario grinned, and Luigi was shell-shocked by this. Was his brother giving him the ok to date the girl he'd crushed on before Luigi had moved out of his item throwing phase? Him and Peach would always play together in the front yard, and even then Mario had an air of infatuation about him. He'd race back into the house in the evenings, telling the speechless baby all about how he was going to marry the cute little blonde, and how they'd ride ponies together. Apparently, Luigi was welcome to live with them. And now, Mario was willing to step aside to see his brother have a taste of glory, or happiness. Luigi could've cried, knowing what this meant to Mario, and the fact that he was accepting the idea was concrete evidence of how much Mario cared.

"You're awesome, bro." Luigi smiled, hugging his older brother tightly. Mario hugged back, taking the younger brother off the ground easily.

"Uh, Mario, you're doing it again- I can't feel my legs-"

"SORRY, sorry..." Mario quickly let Luigi down, who huffed in a breath. Ah, oxygen... "Some times I forget my strength..."

"No problem, I can take it." Luigi laughed, shoving a curl out of his eyes. He checked his watch. "We still have time to play a few rounds on the Nintendo, you know..."

"You're on!"

"Daisy? Where have you been all day? I never saw you after lunch... you're not still mad at me, are you?"

"Oh...no, uh, I just got really sick... was really paining... I went home." It wasn't a lie. She was sick to her stomach...

"You're not sick now, are you?"

"No, I'm fine." Other than the fact that I want to stay in bed forever, thanks to you...

"Thank goodness... because I have something super important to tell you! It's really important, and I don't want you to get mad, ok? You've got to meet me at the Koopa Troopa Café tonight at 8:30, I have something to show you and I need you to be there, ok? Promise you'll be there."

"Sure, whatever. 8:30?"

"8:30, table seven. You're so awesome, Daisy! Please don't forget, this is so important to me, ok? See you then!"

"Alright, see ya." Daisy frowned, and hung up the phone quickly as tears began to stream down her face again. 'Why would he want to date her, anyway? I was always so good to him... maybe he never liked me at all, and just used me to get to her...' she thought, and upon that thought, promptly bust into sobs on her plush, silk sheets.

In the meantime, chaos was about to unfold. Bowser, being the determined creep that he was, had slithered his way up to Princess Toadstools balcony with a batch of freshly picked roses from the little old lady next door's garden. His intentions were always honest, but nobody had yet realized how truly malicious Bowser was. He wasn't always a bad guy, you know. Not until the very moment he heard the second phone call. He'd just heard Peach telling Daisy to meet her at the Koopa Troopa Café that night at 8:30... something important to tell her... this sounded juicy! Keeping a low profile, he hid by the crack in her balcony door, listening to her dial another number. She waited for a moment...

"Hi, Mario! Is Luigi there?"

Bowser nearly collapsed into the door. He steadied himself, brows drawn low. MARIO?! LUIGI?! What was she doing, calling those super losers?

"Hey Luigi! Still going to meet me tonight at the café, 8:30?" She asked, twisting a lock of blonde hair. WHAT?! What was this? No! Anyone but Luigi!

"Yeah, of course! You know, you really cracked me up today. What you did was hilarious!" Peach chirped laughter into the phone. "What do you mean, what did you do? I know it was you, Luigi! I've seen your fireballs before... you're the only person I know who shoots green fireballs! You think I wouldn't notice green flames? You bad ass..." she chuckled, lying back on the bed. Bowser was swallowing down lump after lump of fire, his head feeling like it was going to explode. That scrawny, b-rate booger coated loser had done that to him? Luigi was the one responsible for embarrassing him in from of the whole school?! In front of the girls that he liked?! Oh, that did it. That did it. Nobody makes a fool of Bowser! ESPECIALLY not a Mario brother!

"Ok, see you then Luigi... it's a date." She giggled shyly into the phone, only increasing Bowsers rage. So that's what Peach was up to. Trying to set up her poor friend with a loser like Luigi to get at the 'fantastic' Mario. Well, not if he could help it. Not if he could set Luigi up for a huge fall... he was going to get that stupid green jerk back for what he did. He would single handedly ruin Luigi's life, in any manner he could do it. Quickly flying down Peach's balcony, filled with an uncontrollable rage, he began to concoct his plan. He'd heard that Peach and Daisy had gotten in a huge fight earlier that day, and he wanted to know over what...

"Please, no!!!" Screamed the cute little flowers, who had been uprooted from Daisy's garden. "Don't, please, we'll die-"

"SHUT UP!" Bowser yelled, still holding a bag of plant devouring beetles over their petalled heads. "I know Daisy comes out to her garden and talks to you little losers whenever she's upset- now I want to know why she's upset and I want to know NOW!!!" He demanded, and one flower stuck out it's tongue at him. They knew Bowser all too well- he always came by the garden, trying to get information out of them, making threats. He never acted on them though, they knew he wasn't that bad...

What they didn't know was, today was different.

Today, things had changed. Something had snapped inside of Bowser... his heart had been skewered, diced and blended into oblivion today, knowing the two girls he'd had a crush on ever since he was a young pipsqueak actually thought he was a laughing stock. He'd had enough. He wasn't the same rebellious but sympathetic trouble maker anymore. He was now used, and cold...

"Very well..." Bowser smiled evilly, plucking up the little squealing daisy.

"What are you doing?! Put her down! NO! WAIT! NOOO!!!"

But it was too late. And with a horrible scream, the delicate little daisy was dropped into the bag, and devoured instantly. A long, horrified silence filled the room, and Bowser felt something new.

He felt semi-avenged, he felt strong... powerful even. He heaved a long, heavy breath.

"Now. Lets try this again. Tell me what's happened to Daisy, or you don't get to speak ever again."

---

Daisy was drying the last of her tears, waiting for her eyelashes to dry so she could apply some mascara. Although she was still enraged at her friend, she still felt she should hear her out. After all, maybe there was some good reason she was asking the guy of her dreams out-

Knock knock knock.

With an irritated sigh, Daisy got up, adjusting her lovely autumn colored dress, and opened her door. To her utter shock and partial horror, there was Bowser, quite dressed up, and holding a bouquet of wild flowers.

"Well hello, Daisy. I see you're ready to go to the Koopa Troopa Café..."

"Um... yes? But what are you doing here?"

"Actually, um... I sort of came by, wondering if you had a date for the event. I hope I'm not too late?"

Daisy was very puzzled. What was Bowser getting on with?

"No... I didn't know I needed one!"

"Oh!" Bowser murmured, surprised. "That's strange. I just stopped over to Peach's house, she said she had a date- she also said she wasn't sure if you had one, so she said if I wanted to, I could probably stop over, maybe escort you? If it's no bother to you, my dear Princess..." Bowser, smiled, offering the flowers shyly. She took them, her brows drawn close. She put gloved fingertips to her forehead, confused.

"Ok, wait a minute. You say Peach had a date? Who on earth is she bringing? She never told me this was a date event."

"Really?" Bowser frowned, and the look of confused shock on his face could fool anyone into believing it. "She told me she'd told you on the phone... she's bringing uh, what's his face- Mario's brother? Is it Louie?"

Was she falling through the floor? She had to be... she had to be melting into a puddle of upset nothingness... no. How could she?

"Luigi?" She choked, fingers in her hair. "Luigi Mario? The guy who's always in the green? Sort of longish curly red-brown hair, blue eyes..."

"Yes, that's him, he was at her house with her. I don't think they expected me." Bowser blushed.

"What do you mean." Daisy asked. She didn't want to know, she really didn't, but she had to. No no no no no...

"Well, I kind of... climbed up Peach's balcony. I know, I know, it's creepy- but the toads really hate me, I always have to go up that way when I visit her. I just poked my head in to see her and...well..." Bowser rubbed the back of his neck, seemingly embarrassed.

"WHAT? What were they doing?" Daisy demanded, fists clenched. You can take this, Daisy. You can handle this...

"Well... they were sort of... kissing. A lot. And it was pretty damn awkward..." Bowser chuckled, looking at the floor. God, he could be the best actor in Hollywood if he had the ambition for it. Too much. That's too much. It hurts too much... tears were pushing towards her eyes, and she looked at the ceiling to keep them from falling.

"Did they say anything about tonight?"

"Um... actually, I don't know if I should tell you this, Daisy. I don't want to hurt your feelings... I always figured you had a thing for Luigi, you were always looking at him and talking to him... I don't want to make you feel bad before going out tonight. I mean, I'd still love you to go, and have a good time..."

"Please, Bowser. If something was said about me, I'd like to know." She said, preparing for the final blow. What else could they have done? What more could they have pulled that could crush her further than this? Bowser now put on a sympathetic face, taking Daisy's hand.

"Listen Daisy... I'd never want you to hurt at all. But if you want to know this, I'll tell you."

"Bowser, I want to know. Please..."

"Alright, as you wish. Well, I sort of- I asked Luigi, you know... why Peach? I mean, I always figured you & him- you know, thought it was inevitable-"

"I know, me too-"

"That you two would end up dating. He just sort of looked at me, you know? Like I was stupid or something. Then he just barked 'why would I want to date her?' And I figured that was pretty obvious, so I said I thought you were really pretty, and it was evident you liked him. He... well, he just sort of laughed and said 'Pfft- well I don't care. If I wanted to date something like that I'd date...'" Bowser bit his lip, and Daisy sighed.

"What. What did he say."

"Please don't cry."

"Tell me what he said!"

"He said he'd rather date a Lakitu brother than you. And the two of them just started laughing... I didn't know what to say..."

That was it. Enough. She'd had enough.

Daisy erupted into bitter, mournful sobs, storming across the room and grabbing a picture of her, peach and the two Mario brothers at a party from her night table. She threw it so hard that it bounced off the wall into thousands of little pieces. She then shredded the photo inside. Sitting in the heap of glass, she shook with sobs. She hated them. She hated them both so much... Bowser rushed to her side, helping her over to the bed and dusting the glass shards from her dress.

"Princess! Don't harm yourself..."

"I hate him. I hate him, Bowser. What a self centered, horrible jerk. Him and Peach!" She barked, tears dripping onto the pretty gown. "You know what?!" She snarled, standing and grabbing a pen and paper. She began scribbling furiously, pen on paper like a vicious blade. She then shoved the letter into an envelope, signed it 'Luigi' And tossed it in Bowsers direction.

"As for PEACH!" She ripped out a clean sheet of paper, scrawling over it with as much fury as the last, and stuffed it into an envelope labeled 'Peach'. Bowser took them both, putting them in his coat pocket, and frowned thoughtfully.

"Why have you given me these?" He asked uneasily, and Daisy sat at her mirror, eyes dark and downcast.

"Because I'm not going, Bowser. Sorry for leaving you hanging... but I don't want to see either of them ever again. Please, have a nice night." She sighed, putting her head in her hands.

"I'm sorry to hear that princess, but I respect your decision. I'm here if you ever need me... ok? See you..."

"Yeah... bye." She managed, and As the door shut, she ripped a photo of her and Peach down from her mirror, demolishing it. I hate you both...

"Have a nice night bro, see ya later!"

"See ya Mario!" Luigi smiled, looking back at him older brother. "And Mario? Thanks a lot, again- it really means a lot."

"Well, don't think anything of it, I know you'd do the same for me." Mario smiled, and slowly shut the door as his brother walked off into the night. With the door safely closed, finally, he could let his true feelings out. And he cried, and cried, and cried, eating supper alone and feeling more heart broken than he'd ever felt in his life. He couldn't believe this was happening.

For all the attention he got, he'd only craved it from one person, and she wasn't interested in him at all. But he'd never be bitter, he'd never show any stitch of unhappiness. Because nobody deserved this more than his younger brother- and there was only one person he could possibly love more than Peach, and that was Luigi. His brothers happiness came before his, and he'd rather see himself in all the unhappy situations in the world before putting his baby brother in one. Though he was hurting terribly, he could hold it together, knowing his little brother finally had another chance at being happy. But why did it have to hurt so much?

Luigi sat at the table, drumming a gloved hand on its surface. He checked his watch. 8:50. He relaxed into the chair, sighing. Odd. It was very strange for Peach to be late for anything...

"Would you like to order?" A waiter asked, and Luigi smiled politely.

"No, thank you. I'm waiting for another person to get here."

"Very well then, sir." the waiter nodded, wandering off. Luigi took another sip of water and rested his chin in his hands, bored. Where was she?

Peach dialed Daisy's number for the third time, and again got no answer. She smiled to herself smugly. Perfect. She must have left already. Her best friend was probably approaching table seven right now, stunned and overjoyed to find her favorite Mario brother sitting there, waiting. She snorted out a laugh at the idea of Daisy finding herself trapped on a dinner date with Luigi. Oh, if she could only see it for herself...

9:00... Peach should have been there half an hour ago. Luigi's stomach growled and he shrugged. Oh well, an appetizer couldn't hurt! He was about to make an order when suddenly, the door burst open to the Café, and in strolled Bowser. Oh, great. Luigi thought, diving gloved fingers into his perfectly shaped curls. He dreaded having to hear this losers voice barking and squawking all evening. At least all the people would drown him out a bit... but what was this? Why was he coming over?

"Luigi? Is Luigi here?" Bowser called out, and the room full of high school students out socializing or dating went completely silent. Ugh. Maybe Bowser found out it was him who created the fireball, and wanted to tell him off. He could handle Bowser no problem.

"Yeah, over here, Bowser." Luigi smirked, and the monstrous individual made his way over.

"Waiting for somebody?" Bowser frowned, standing by the table. Perfect. It was so like Bowser to cause a scene...

"Yeah, Peach asked me to come here. Why, what do you want?"

"Well, I thought you might like to know, Peach isn't coming."

Luigi raised an eyebrow, sighing loudly.

"Is that so. And why not?"

"Because... she set this event up for Daisy. She set you guys up for a blind date- sorry I'm late, I was supposed to get here earlier, but I only got back from Daisy's just then."

Everyone in the building let out jeering 'oooooh's at the prospect of a blind date for Daisy and Luigi. Bowser looked down at the young man, who was blushing profusely.

"Really? W-with Daisy? Wow... I mean, I never even told her I- I mean, why, does Daisy like me or something?"

"Well, Daisy's parents are out of town, so I told Peach I'd give her a ride... I went down to pick her up. Weird thing was, she wasn't ready. Told me to give you this..." Bowser dipped into his pocket, taking out the letter addressed 'Luigi' with an expression of pure mirth.

"She wanted me to read it to you... would you like to hear it?" Bowser asked, and Luigi had not only a knot in his stomach, but a lump in his throat as well. He was so shy, and being the center of attention was really embarrassing him.

"Um, actually, if you could just keep your voice-"

"Dear Luigi!" Bowser started loudly, clearing his throat. "I think you're a selfish, self centered jerk, and I wouldn't go on a date with you if you payed me. As a matter of fact, I'd rather date a rock over you, you horrible, disgusting loser. Your brother is a billion times nicer than you, and you're probably closer related to a worm. I hope I never have to see you again, and I don't want you to speak to me anymore. I hate you, Luigi. Please, kindly leave me the hell alone! Signed, Princess Daisy."

Luigi felt like a cold, icy slab of marble. He couldn't move, couldn't breathe, couldn't think- he could just flood his face with a bright blush, and swallow down lump after lump of mortified, embarrassed tears.

"Give me that." He hissed at Bowser, figuring it was just a prank. To his horror, the writing was spot on, every curve on the r and every cross on every t was 100 Princess Daisy's writing. It was even written in her lovely, wildflower scented ink. Luigi stared at it long and hard, truly in disbelief. "Oh... oh my God." He gulped, voice very low and shaky in the dead silence of the room, every eye in the building watching, every ear listening. "She really did write this." He mumbled, still staring down at the hateful words. Slowly, quietly, he folded the letter back up, placing it back into the envelope. Slipping it into his pocket, Luigi stood, eyes brimming with shimmering pools of hurt. "She really wrote those things about me."

"PFFT! What a LOSER!" King Boo snorted, letting out a long, eerie cackle. All the villains in the room exploded in laughter instantly, and Bowser's loud, booming laughter filled the room as Luigi slowly walked from the restaurant, tears rolling down his toned cheeks. She really wrote those things about me.
'I hate you, Luigi.'
And this was the worst day of his life.

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Ok, I've just made myself terribly sad. Ow, my heart. LOL What a mess!
The next installment will come very soon, I'm on a writing rampage. :P
Anyway, au, if you liked it R&R! Hope you're having as much fun reading this as I am writing it, because I'm having tons!
See you next installment.