Chapter 14: The News

Peach was walking over to Daisy's castle again to make sure that she was okay. I hope she's alright, Peach thought. Last time I saw her, she'd locked herself in her castle all day and hadn't said a word to anyone, not even to her guards. Her poor heart must be broken.

Peach walked past a closed Sarasalaunt and kept walking toward her cousin's castle. When she got to the gates, the two guards saluted her as she passed by. "Daisy?" Peach called as she looked at Daisy's throne. Nobody was sitting in Daisy's throne; she got a little bit more concerned. Peach walked upstairs to Daisy's bedroom and knocked on the door, "Daisy? Are you in there?"

"Yes," Daisy's voice replied.

"May I come in?" Peach asked.

"Sure," Daisy answered.

Peach walked into the bedroom to find Daisy lying on her bed with her face buried in a pillow. Peach sighed with worry for her cousin. The poor girl must be in depression, Peach thought. "How are you feeling?" Peach asked.

"Horrible," Daisy answered without bothering to take her face out of her pillow.

"Don't worry," Peach assured. "Everything's going to be okay. Any minute now, Mario will come here and tell you the good news, and Luigi's sure to be with him."

Daisy took her face out of her pillow and looked at Peach, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Just then, the castle's door opened and Mario's voice could be heard, "Daisy, I have-a something to tell you."

Peach smiled at Daisy, "See. What did I tell you?"

Daisy smiled and shouted, "I'm up here, Mario!" Mario walked up stairs toward Daisy's bedroom looking a little worried. "So," Daisy asked, "where's Luigi?" Mario looked down. Daisy got worried and repeated, "Where's Luigi?"

Mario looked up at Daisy and took in a deep breath, "Luigi's been possessed by King Boo. He calls himself 'Mr. L' now and is probably long gone…" Mario trailed off when he saw the look of despair in Daisy's eyes. "Now Daisy, don't worry." Mario assured, "I'm-a sure I'll be able to find him, and then everything will be—"

"That's what you said the last time," Daisy interrupted, "and look at what happened!"

"Daisy, there's no need to yell," Peach said calmly, "You've got to control your emotions."

Daisy looked Mario dead in the eyes with a venomous expression, "Mario, find Luigi. Snap him back into his senses, and bring him back."

"Daisy," Mario said seriously, "I feel that exact same way you do. He is-a my brother after all."

Daisy looked down to the ground while Mario continued, "I want to find him, but I have no idea where he would go."

"Then let's think of some ideas," Daisy said, somewhat optimistically.

"I'm with her," Peach said looking at Mario.

Mario looked at Peach, then at Daisy, then at Peach again and sighed, "Okay fine, so let's-a start thinking. Where would King Boo be?"

There was a long pause before Peach said, "He could be at Boo Woods."

Mario shook his head, "No, that's too obvious, and he knows it. He would be somewhere so obvious, that no one would think a mouse would hide there, much less King Boo."

Mario looked up in realization, and so did Peach and Daisy. The three said simultaneously, "Dark Land!"

With that, Mario ran out of Sarasaland and headed toward the Pipe that would lead him to Koopa Fields in the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Well," Peach said as she walked after Mario, "I guess I'd better go with him. I'll see you later, goodbye Daisy."

Daisy waved goodbye and responded, "Bye, Peach."

Soon, everything became a bit quiet. Come on, a voice in the back of Daisy's head urged, you know you want to, and besides, Luigi will be there. Go get him! Daisy gave in to the voice and ran after Mario and Peach towards Dark Land.