Chapter 11: Sunshine
Author's Note: Thanks to xXStunts-StubleXx for the word.
It had happened again. It seemed that no one should have been surprised; after all, it happened so often. But yet fear and shock still lingered in the hearts of a few. After all these times, it was hard to believe that some people still weren't used to Peach's frequent kidnappings.
It had happened out of the blue, like it always did. Bowser had arrived and Peach was in the clown car much faster than Toad had been able to get the news to Mario. So it was with a hanging head that the fungi entered the garden and collasped on one of the marble benches. His sister, Toadette, came bounding up to him, a bouquet of flowers in her arms. "Hi Toad," she said cheerfully. "Did you get Mario?"
"Yeah, he's on his way over to Bowser's castle right now," Toad said glumly.
"Then the princess is as good as back! So what's with the long face?"
"You don't know she's as good as back, Toadette. What if Mario fails?"
Toadette's nose scrunched up as she thought about what Toad said for a moment. "That's not going to happen," she said finally.
"You don't know that!"
"Course I do! He hasn't failed yet, has he?"
"But that doesn't mean he's not going to fail this time."
"He's not," Toadette said stubbornly.
"I already told you, you don't know that for sure!"
"Oh Toad, have some faith in him, will you!"
Toad rubbed his temples wearily. "It's not that I don't Toadette, it's just..."
Cocking her head, Toadette seemed to study her brother under a new light. "You're scared."
Toad's head jerked up, and his cheeks burned a firey red. "W-what? C-course not!" he scoffed.
Smiling, Toadette sat down beside him. "You don't have to be scared, Toad. Mario will make sure nothing happens to us. You just got to trust him."
"It's kind of hard to, Toadette. I mean sure, he's strong, but he's just one man against Bowser! And Bowser's got claws, and fangs, and spikes, and-and all Mario's got are his feet and fists!"
"Yeah, but Mario's good!"
Toad looked at Toadette like she had grown a third eye. "What? What does that have to do with anything at all?"
"Mario's good, so he's always going to win!"
"Toadette, that kind of stuff only happens in books and video games," Toad sighed. "And last time I checked, our lives are not some giant video game! This is the real world, Toadette!"
Toadette shrugged. "Well, that philosophy's worked so far." She lowered her head and started arranging the flowers she was still holding, while Toad took some time to really think about what Toadette had said. She was searching for the light in this dark situation, and trying to help him find some even when there was none in his dark little world. Toadette had tried to become a little sun, and show him how bright the situation could be, and for that he had to admire his little sister. "Here you go," Toadette said, handing him the bouquet. "I was going to put them in a vase for the princess, but you look like you could use them more." She hopped off the bench and started skipping away. "I better go find some more for her," she called over her shoulder. "See you later!"
Toad looked at the flowers and smiled. Though he didn't notice it, the sky, which had been full of unappealing gray clouds all day, got a little bit lighter as two rays of sunshine emerged from their gray prision. One shone down just on Toad, and the other seemed to be shining on Toadette like a spotlight, following the little Toad as she skipped through the garden.
Chapter 12 should be soon; I'm almost done typing it. Sorry this took so long to put up. Review please!