Chapter 11
Kamek wasn't happy about how long it had taken them to get back. Thankfully, Corporal Paraplonk gave his version of events and testified that Luigi had not left him for a moment.
"We're going back to Bowser Castle?" Luigi and Corporal Paraplonk gasped in sync when Kamek informed them of their next move.
"The sandstorm made a mess of the Cruiser and we need to make repairs. His stinginess wouldn't like it if we didn't look after his ship." Kamek didn't look up from the paper scroll he was looking at as he spoke.
Luigi nodded and wandered back to his room with a heavy heart. Seeing Mario, Princess Peach and Toadsworth had hurt more than he thought it would.
He wanted so badly to go with them, to leave Bowser and his evil plans behind. He wanted to be able to lean on Mario; the one who made the right decisions and was brave enough to drag him along while he saved the world. He wanted to chat with Princess Peach about royal events over tea and biscuits. And, oddly enough, he wanted to hear one of Toadsworth's lectures.
He missed them.
Then he would think about Daisy. She was the bright, vibrant princess of Sarasaland and one of the only girls who didn't get turned off by his nervousness and stuttering. Most of the time, he didn't like how she teased him but, he knew that was how she showed affection. He had also seen her at Royal events as the Princess of Sarasaland. She was a lot more subdued and but it showed that she knew how to take her role seriously. She knew how to bide her time.
Right now, she was in Bowser's clutches and he knew he had to get her out.
"Sorry, man, I don't think she wants to speak to you," the guard said when he walked up to Princess Daisy's room.
Luigi was still dressed in his Dark 'stashe outfit as he rarely wore anything else these days, so the guard couldn't see the glare he gave them.
"Well, too bad for her," he spat. All his musings on the way back had managed to put him in a really bad mood. But, what he wanted to see her about was important.
"Dude, just let him in," the other Koopa guard said, "you don't want to cross Dark 'stashe, he has the boss' ear."
Luigi nodded and waited as the guards removed the barricade lock.
"Princess?" he called out, walking into the room. He was alert for any signs of a trap.
What he was not alert for was Daisy spinning across the floor. Her feet danced across the ground as she hummed a tone only she understood.
She spotted him and froze, arms held out and mid-spin.
"H-hi?" he stammered, more than a little shocked to see her so carefree.
"Hey," she responded, shifting out of her dancing-pose. She stood there, in the middle of the room, and looked him up and down. "The sands of Birabuto not treat you kindly?"
Although she couldn't see it, his nose crinkled up at the thought of his clothes. The cuffs of his pants and his shoes were practically swimming in sand and he hadn't been able to wash them while on the Koopa Cruiser. She did see his self-conscious shift in stance as he kicked out his leg in an attempt to dislodge some of the sand.
"I think seeing Mario and the Princess Toadstool was more of a pain," he responded honestly.
"Peach was there?"
"They think that, by getting the petals from me, they can save you," he told her. He didn't know how they could believe that. He had already gathered three of the petals and he didn't keep the petals on him, they all went to Kamek. He supposed they did not know her fate should he not gather the petals.
"So, they are trying to save me?" Daisy questioned, plonking herself onto the bed.
"I suppose so."
"I wish they'd put this much effort into saving Luigi," she grumbled.
Luigi walked over to the bed and sat beside her.
"So, this 'Luigi' you keep mentioning, what happened to him?"
She stared at him for several moments. He felt a little nervous and almost raised a hand to check that the mask was still in place.
Finally, she began to speak, staring off into the distance.
"I don't know if you know but, Luigi is Mario's brother. A while back, he went outside Toad Town on an errand. It wasn't anything special, just looking for some fire flowers or something.
"He disappeared. Mario spent the next few days searching for him, at least, until Bowser attacked. Bowser took credit for Luigi's disappearance, even going as far as to outright state that he had killed him. I guess he thought it would make Mario easier to defeat.
"He was wrong. Mario almost killed him. It was only Peach who managed to hold him back. They made him stop searching after that. But, Luigi was still missing."
Luigi had listened to her story with growing horror and guilt. He remembered Bowser's squads cornering him in the forest which, in retrospect, had been stupid of him. He should have found a way to escape.
He was chilled by the thought of his brother almost killing Bowser. Yes, Mario had a temper but it wasn't murderous.
"I'm sorry."
Princess Daisy turned to look at him, confused.
"Why are you sorry?" They had already cleared up the fact that he had nothing to do with Luigi's supposed 'death'.
"It's just," what was he supposed to say now? The words had just tumbled from his mouth! "Just that I never thought one disappearance could hurt you so much."
"I guess you don't get connected to people, in the evil minion business."
Luigi smiled a little under his mask. It was true; he had tried to distance himself from the other minions. He trusted them but, didn't trust himself not to spill something eventually.
Look at what he had already told the princess. He had given her his gloves!
"There are people I'm connected to," he responded, "although I don't think they would agree with what I'm doing right now." Mario certainly wasn't impressed with him. And Princess Peach had tried to talk him out of working for Bowser, so she obviously disapproved.
"Then why are you doing it? Why work for Bowser?" she asked. "I doubt it's because of good dental plans."
Luigi chuckled.
"I told you, I don't have a choice," he responded, "it means my life and the lives of those I care about if I don't work for him. I have to work for him, until I'm certain they can defend themselves."
Princess Daisy gave him a momentary look of pity.
"That's a shame," she said sadly. And confusingly.
Luigi didn't understand where the shame part came in. At least, not until she tackled him to the bed and held him down.
"Princess?" he gasped. She was on top of him, her slender hands wrapped coolly around his wrists and he could smell the sweet, fruit scent of her shampoo and- now was not the time to be thinking about that!
"It's a shame that you have people who you care for but, I need to get out of here! There are people waiting for me too!"
He sighed and shifted his weight, shoving it on top of her and switching their positions.
"There are guards outside, with orders to kill you if you leave," he hissed in her ear. He really didn't want to hear about her trying to escape again. "If you know what's good for you, you'll wait until Mario gets here to save you."
And she kicked out, using his momentary surprise to flip him back under her.
"Being here puts my kingdom in danger," she hissed to him. At least she caught on that they were to be quiet. Luigi knew that the guards also reported what they heard during his visits.
"Your kingdom is fine," Luigi responded, "Mario is looking after it." Although, he suspected Toadsworth was taking care of the day-to-day stuff.
She let him go with a huff. She got up and moved to the other side of the room.
"Give it to me straight, do you think I can escape?"
"No." He saw her crestfallen expression and his heart constricted. But, she had asked for the truth and he had told her the truth. "Principessa, sometimes we have to rely on others." It was something he did far more often than he felt should. His time with Bowser had shown that. He needed Petal's help and Daisy's presence just to remain sane.
