Even Peasley himself didn't know how he did it, but he snuck out of the castle. Of course, he left a note saying where he would be so that nobody thought he was kidnapped, but he wasn't sure that would prevent any panic. In any case, he was absolutely elated once he got to Luigi's house.
"I still can't believe you actually did it," Luigi had said multiple times.
"Determination, my love, determination," Peasley would reply.
Dimentio watched on with quiet spite. One could only guess what he was thinking.
Throughout the entire week that Peasley was there, Mario was still off (or off again) rescuing the princess. Luigi was a little worried about it, but his brother almost always came out okay. And when he didn't… Well, that hasn't happened yet, he thought, thankful.
Luigi couldn't worry much, however. He distracted himself by giving Peasley an unofficial tour of the Mushroom Kingdom. He knew it well enough to avoid the bad parts while still being able to show off the best. Even Dimentio was impressed by the beauty of some of the places. Luigi smirked when he noticed that.
On the morning that Peasley had to leave, the prince hardly wanted to get out of bed. "Come on, what's the harm in a few more minutes' sleep?" he muttered to Luigi.
"I don't want you to be late for your flight," Luigi said. He turned over in bed to face Peasley who smiled softly, then laughed. "What's so funny?" Luigi asked, not in a mean way.
"Oh, nothing," Peasley said. "It's just so bizarre how someone like me ended up with someone so wonderful like you."
"Ah, yes, once again with all of this unnecessary fluff," Dimentio spat from below them (they were in Luigi's bunk). "I am filled with disgust."
"Quiet down!" Peasley laughed. "I can't believe how immature you are sometimes."
Luigi laughed too. "I can. If you had known him when he was alive, you would come to expect this. We should get going though..."
Peasley groaned. "Oh, must we?" he asked, wrapping one arm around Luigi. He pulled himself closer to him.
"Yes," Luigi said, and kissed him on the cheek.
After more gentle arguments, Luigi finally managed to get Peasley up and to the airport. He kissed his love goodbye at the airport and promised to write him plenty of letters and visit soon. It was bittersweet, but he was glad for the time he had spent with him.
After he and Dimentio returned to his home, Luigi sighed and sat down. "Well, that was nice," he said.
"Yes, I bet it was," Dimentio muttered sharply. With a sudden change of tone, he said, "You know, it's only a month until I come back. From the dead, I mean."
Luigi's eyes widened. "Has it really been two months already?" He leaned the chair back and whistled. "Wow."
"Well, time does indeed fly when you're in a coma," Dimentio joked.
Luigi rolled his eyes. "You know, they say people change… But you haven't changed at all." Dimentio smiled, but Luigi could see some kind of hurt in his eyes. "I-I meant that in a good way! I mean, when you're not trying to kill somebody, you can be really charming. Hell, even when you are…"
"It's fine. You haven't hurt my feelings," Dimentio assured.
Liar, Luigi thought. "Are you sure?" he asked instead.
"Of course," Dimentio said.
"You know what?" Luigi asked. "I think, when you come back, you won't even try to kill me. Am I wrong in assuming that?"
Dimentio laughed with real humor. "No, not at all."
The next month dragged by like a dying animal. Luigi became more and more anxious about Mario. Not only concerning his brother's safety, but how he would react to Dimentio. He knew it wouldn't be good. He hoped his brother would come home before Dimentio came back, so he could at least have a chance to explain what was happening. However, as time went by, that became less and less likely.
As the final week began, nerves gnawed at Luigi's stomach. What will he think? he kept demanding to himself. He couldn't think of a time he was more nervous. Mario wasn't a naturally aggressive guy, but when it came to protecting the people he loved, he could kill. Obviously, he would see Dimentio as a threat in an instant. He hoped to high Heaven (high Overthere? Did that place even count as Heaven?) he would be able to stop any violence.
"Stop being so nervous," Dimentio said at one point. "You're making me nervous."
"You think I can help it?!" Luigi snapped. He sighed and covered his face in his hands. "God, won't he get here already?"
"Listen, if he really does love and trust you, he'll be fine with it- me," Dimentio said calmly.
Luigi nodded. "That's right. You're right." He pulled his face out of his hands. "Okay, I'll try to stop being so worried."
They sat in silence for a few minutes. Then Luigi asked, "Hey, how come sometimes I can touch you and sometimes I can't?"
"…I believe that I have to be expecting it," Dimentio said. "It takes a bit of effort to take on a physical form as a ghost, otherwise I'm practically nothing. So, if I don't know I'm about to be touched, why would I prepare for it?" He shrugged. "That's what I think."
Luigi considered this, then nodded.
Finally, it was the day that Dimentio was supposed to "come back".
"So, any minute now?" Luigi asked, sitting at the table again.
"Yes, it could happen at any time," Dimentio agreed. "Unless, of course, Queen Jaydes has decided that I've broken our agreement and takes me back to the Underwhere for eternal torture." He said that with utter calmness.
"Oh. Huh," Luigi said.
Luigi heard the door open behind him. He whipped his head around and saw his brother walk through the door. Forgetting about Dimentio completely for a moment, he jumped out of his chair and exclaimed, "Mario, you're home!" Then, he remembered his situation and his stomach sank. He tried to conceal his anxiety.
Mario smiled wearily. He was bruised and obviously tired, and he still held his trusted hammer in his hand. Luigi, noticing this, refrained from tightly hugging his brother. Instead he asked, "How was it?"
Mario shrugged and said nothing, as per usual. "Well, you'll have to tell me all about it when you feel ready," Luigi said.
"Excuse my interruption, but don't we have more pressing matters to discuss?" Dimentio intejected. Mario didn't seem to hear him.
Luigi took a deep, nervous breath. "Hey, Mario, I need to tell you someth-"
He was interrupted by the sound of an explosion and blinding light. When he looked in the direction of the light and sound, he saw a large, floating ball of blue light. The blue faded into purple, yellow, white, and black, and became a solid form. A face that Luigi had been seeing in monochromatic blue for three months: Dimentio!
"Ahahahahahaha!" Dimentio cackled. "Finally, I have physical form again! Oh, how long I have awaited this beautiful moment!" he exclaimed, in a villainous way. He certainly knows how to make an entrance, Luigi thought.
Mario raised his hammer to strike, all his weariness replaced with rage. Luigi jumped in the way and stopped the blow with his hands. "Woah, woah woah! Let's take it easy, both of you!" he said, trying not to show the sudden panic in his voice. "Mario, I can explain this, I swear I can, if you just…put the hammer down."
Mario gave him a suspicious look, but lowered the hammer. "Alright, let me explain…" Luigi told everything that happened, from when Dimentio arrived as a ghost to the current day, except for when he was in a coma. Dimentio took over that part.
When he finished, Mario stared at the two of them. "So, how do I know this isn't some scheme that Dimentio came up with and brainwashed you to believe?"
"You can talk?" Dimentio asked. When he received a look from both brothers that said 'Of course. You didn't know that?', he defensively responded, "Well, whenever I asked him something before, someone else spoke for him."
Luigi shook his head. "Mario, can't you trust my judgement? I mean, I know he's done bad things in the past, but you've accepted people like him before! I remember you telling me about Vivian. And O'Chunks, and Mimi, too! They all have tried to kill you, but you're fine with them now. Why can't we give Dimentio a second chance?"
Mario considered it. Luigi could see the conflict behind his eyes. Begrudgingly, he nodded.
Dimentio jumped into the air with joy. "Yes! I don't have to die again!" He firmly grasped Mario's hand and shook it. "Thank you, thank you very much!"
He pulled away quickly. "I won't even bother you two very much! I'll mainly be in Dimension D… Alone." He muttered the last part. "Call for me if you need me- I doubt you will, but hey, you never know when a magcian might come in handy!"
"Wait!" Luigi cried. "You're just going to leave, just like that?!"
Dimentio stopped in his revelries. "Well… I didn't figure you'd want me around…"
"Well, the occasional visit would be nice." Luigi shrugged. "Well, bye, I guess."
"Oh, definitely! Just give me a time." He laughed. "Well…" He suddenly hugged Luigi tightly. "Goodbye." He teleported away without another word.
"You seem to have made nice with him," Mario commented.
"Yeah. It's weird, but I think that it's best to let things go," Luigi shrugged. "You never know, he could end up being helpful, in some way."
And, for now, this tale is complete. For now, the characters are settled- perhaps not comfortably, just yet -and are beginning to accept their new circumstances.
But what of the unfinished business between Dimentio and Prince Peasley? And said magician's not yet admitted feelings? Will any mysteries about Dimentio's past ever be solved?
Perhaps these problems will be resolved, but something else looms in the near future: enemies old and new, double crosses made and alliances formed, and the matters of life and death. Yes, a true quest lies in wait for Luigi, and it will be unlike any other before...
Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading! Before you ask, yes there is a sequel in the works. I wrote A Second Chance a few months before when I started posting it, so I most likely be much slower in posting the chapters to the next story. The title (unless I change my mind) will most likely be titled "To Be a Hero"! I plan to post the prologue in February. So, hold on to your hats and hearts, ladies, gentlemen and others, because this saga ain't over yet!
