Sorry this took so long. College projects and story problems make a deadly combination. :P On the plus side, I'm a graduate now, so I won't have to deal with the former anymore.
This chapter takes place after the events of Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, so if you're not familiar with that game's plot, you might want to read up!
On a quiet evening in the Mushroom Kingdom, Lakitu was broadcasting a news report by Peach's Castle. Behind him were Toadette's Papercraft creations.
"Ladies and gentlekoops, this is Lakitu coming to you live from Peach's Castle! We have received word from Princess Peach that every paper person has returned to their world, and that Bowser has been dealt with for the time being! She has yet to provide any comment on her plans for damage control, but in the meantime, let's get a closer look at those Papercraft figures!"
Lakitu floated closer to the castle, and his assistant Shy Gal moved the camera accordingly.
"I must say, this is some fine craftsmanship! Must've taken a lot of time and effort to build these! I love the amount of detail put into the…"
Lakitu stopped talking when Shy Gal held up a sign that said, "What are you doing?! This is a news broadcast, not an art review!"
"Well, it's not like we have anything better to report right now," said Lakitu, rolling his eyes.
Shy Gal pointed at the camera, reminding him that he was live.
"…Is what I would say if I were arguing with my assistant! But I'm not!" He cleared his throat. "Anyway, let's check out Peach's moat!"
Lakitu floated over the moat surrounding the castle. Shy Gal shook her head and followed.
"As you can see, the castle is protected by a strategically placed moat. But even then, it's still not enough to protect Peach from Bowser, am I right?"
Somewhere, a big purple Luma was laughing his pants off.
"Hey, what's that?" Lakitu asked, looking down. "I think I see something."
Suddenly, a Piranha Creeper erupted from the water, roaring at Lakitu.
"SWEET MOTHER OF-"
The broadcast abruptly cut to a "Technical Difficulties" sign. Elsewhere, Nabbit was sneaking around in a dark corner of Toad Town. Once he was sure he was alone, he reached into his sack, pulled out a folded piece of paper, and dropped it to the ground. The paper rapidly unfolded to reveal a womanly figure.
"Thanks for the escape," she said. "As promised…"
The paper woman kissed Nabbit on the cheek. The bunny's eyes turned to hearts.
"Remember: You never saw me," the woman said, disappearing into the night.
The Next Day…
Daisy was sitting in her living room, reading the latest edition of the Koopa Kronicle. The headline read, "Bowser Attacks Mushroom Kingdom with Paper Bowser, Gets Butt Kicked by Mario, Goes on Rampage, Gets Butt Kicked Again".
"Oh, come on! Why do they only ever talk about Mario? Luigi helped too!" Daisy griped. She tossed the newspaper aside and sighed. "I think I'll go congratulate him myself."
Daisy stepped outside and made her way towards Luigi's Mansion. However, within ten minutes she saw a conspicuous shadow on the pathway. She looked up and saw Wendy riding in a faceless Clown Car.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Little Miss Forgettable!" Wendy teased.
"Oh, hey there, Wendy. What's your face doing in broad daylight?" Daisy asked.
"I'm running an errand. Not that it's any of your business."
"Ooooof course you are. Anyway, I'd love to stay and chat, but I have somewhere to be. Give your old man my condolences."
Wendy rolled her eyes and continued on her way. Daisy did the same, until she heard loud rustling and muffled screams. "What's going on back there?" she asked, turning around. A short distance away, Wendy was rummaging through a bush, and within seconds, she pulled out a strange figure. Daisy looked closer and saw that the figure was two-dimensional, had brown hair, and was wearing an orange dress.
Daisy's jaw dropped. "No. Freaking. Way."
"Let me go!" Paper Daisy shouted.
"Fat chance!" Wendy said, flying upwards. "You're gonna make Daddy very happy!"
"Not on my watch!"
Daisy jumped up and punched the Clown Car, causing Wendy to lose her grip on Paper Daisy. Daisy landed on her feet, while Paper Daisy landed face-first.
"Hey! What's the big idea?!" Wendy complained.
"Back off, Cootie Pie! Nobody's getting kidnapped today!" Daisy yelled, shaking her fist. Wendy bared her teeth. "You'll pay for this!" she snarled before flying away.
Daisy turned around and saw her paper counterpart getting to her feet.
"Are you alright?" Daisy asked.
"Yeah, I'm okay," Paper Daisy said, dusting herself off. "Thanks for saving my- WHOA!"
Paper Daisy stared at her thicker self, dumbfounded. "You're… You're me!"
"That was my reaction," Daisy said, grinning.
"Haha… Well, like I was saying, thanks for saving me. You're really strong."
"Thanks for noticing!" Daisy bragged. "So why was Wendy after you, anyway?"
"Yeah… Funny story…"
Earlier…
Paper Daisy walked down a lonely path, lost in thought. "What now, Daze?" she wondered. "What now?"
Meanwhile, Wendy was flying overhead in her Clown Car. "Stupid Mario Brothers ruining my bow… The pink ones better be in stock right now…" She continued grumbling to herself until something caught her eye. "Wait… What's that?"
Wendy saw Paper Daisy below and immediately recognized her as a paper person. Curious, she descended to Paper's position. "Hey, you!"
Paper Daisy flinched. "Me?"
"Yeah, you. How did you escape that dumb parade?"
"I, uh… don't know what you're talking about…"
"Don't play dumb! I know you're supposed to be in that book!"
Paper Daisy groaned. "Alright, alright… I didn't want to go home, so I convinced someone to sneak me away. I'm not here to cause trouble, so let me just-"
"A fugitive, huh?" said Wendy. "I've gotta tell my brothers about this!"
"No, no! Please don't tell anyone!" Paper Daisy begged.
"….Y'know what? You're right. I shouldn't tell anyone," Wendy said, a wicked grin spreading across her face. "Instead, I'll just capture you myself and take all the credit!"
Wendy tried to grab Paper Daisy, but the princess avoided her claws. She then ran off with the Koopaling in hot pursuit.
Presently…
"So yeah, that's how it went down," said Paper Daisy. "If you hadn't shown up, there's no telling what would've happened."
"Don't sweat it, Paper Me. I won't let anyone kidnap you," said Daisy. "Mind telling me why you're here, though?"
"I dunno. Just thought I'd have a look around, I guess. This seemed like a nice neighborhood, so I-"
"No, what I meant was… Why are you in my world and not yours? Everyone else went back, so why didn't you?"
Paper Daisy took a deep sigh. "Because… Because I didn't like the person I was in the Paper World."
A worried look crossed Daisy's face. "Why's that?"
"I don't know how it is for you here in… in…" Paper Daisy scratched her head. "…What do you even call this place? Bulgy World? 3D World?"
"Let's just call it my world," said Daisy.
"Right… Anyway, I don't know how it is for you here in your world, but in mine, I'm a complete joke. Nobody takes me seriously, and I never get to do anything important. They do invite me to sports contests now and then, but even then, I feel like I'm just there to fill a slot! Meanwhile, Mario, Luigi and Peach go on these cool adventures and save the world every other week!"
"That… sounds rough," said Daisy, staring at the floor. She couldn't help but remember all the adventures that she wasn't involved in.
"That's why I snuck off when they had that parade. There's just nothing to go back to," Paper Daisy sighed.
"What about your friends?"
"Oh, please. They probably haven't even noticed I'm gone."
"Don't say that!"
"But it's true," said Paper Daisy. "I'm overshadowed by everyone. Even Luigi."
"…Even Luigi?" asked Daisy.
"Oh, he's kind of a joke back at home. Is that not the case here?"
"No… I mean yeah, but… That's not important," Daisy said, blushing. "So what are you planning on doing here?"
Paper Daisy shrugged. "I'm just playing it by ear."
"Well, I'm not sure if my world is the best place for you," Daisy said, awkwardly rubbing her arm.
"…You're not gonna make me go back in that book, are you?"
"No, it's just… I don't think living here will make your life better."
"Why not? It's a fresh start."
"Yeah, but…" Daisy bit her lip. "…Y'know what? Let's talk about something else. I mean, it's not very often you meet yourself, right? We should be getting to know each other."
"Ha! Good point!" said Paper Daisy. "So what adventures have you been on?"
Daisy clenched her teeth. "Oh, um… There is that time I saved my friends from the Koopalings. That was a hoot."
Paper Daisy's eyes glistened. "Friends? As in, Mario? And Luigi? And Peach?"
"And Yoshi. And the Toads," Daisy smirked.
"That is so awesome! Did you do it alone, or…?"
"It was a one-woman job. I had some help at the end, but aside from that, it was all me. I couldn't have pulled it off without the Zap Flower, though."
"Zap Flower, huh? Never heard of that," Paper Daisy said, trying to picture it. "So what else have you done?"
"Well, uh…" Daisy racked her brain for another story, but the best she could think of was the time Mario rescued her from Tatanga. "…Actually, I was more curious about the Paper World. What's it like living in a world where everything is flat?"
Paper Daisy smiled. "I'll tell you, but only if you tell me what it's like living in a world where everything is bloated."
"Deal!"
Sometime Later…
"So then the Wiggler and Pianta started throwing furniture at each other, and we had to run out of the restaurant just to escape. It was a crazy night," said Daisy.
"O-ho-ho! What happened next?" asked Paper Daisy.
"We went to his place and watched soap operas."
"Haha, nice."
They both took a sip of tea.
"Hey, Three Dee?" asked Paper Daisy.
"Yeah, Paper Daze?" asked Daisy.
"About earlier… Why don't you think I should live here?"
"Oh, right… That…" Daisy muttered. "Look, the truth is I-"
An explosion erupted outside, shaking the house.
"Whoa! What was that?!" Paper Daisy exclaimed.
"One way to find out!" said Daisy as she ran out the door. Paper Daisy soon followed, but all they discovered was a scorch mark with no sign of the perpetrator.
"What gives?" asked Daisy.
"Maybe a Bob-omb had too many drinks?" said Paper Daisy.
A Bob-omb dropped to the ground between them, instantly detonating. The two princesses were blown in opposite directions, and Wendy descended shortly after.
"Hello, fishies! Did you like my bait?" Wendy taunted. "I swear, it's so easy to get the drop on you princess types!"
"W-…Wendy…" Daisy groaned, trying not to pass out. She opened her eyes and saw the Koopa Kid hovering over an unconscious Paper Daisy.
"I'll take this!" said Wendy, plucking Paper Daisy off the ground. She then ascended into the air, much to Daisy's horror. "Toodles, Lackadaisy! Maybe after I get my reward, I'll send my brothers to come get you!"
Wendy laughed and made her exit, leaving Daisy to struggle to her feet. "Get back here, you-!" She suddenly collapsed to her knees, unable to finish her sentence. Her vision was blurry, and her body wanted nothing more than to shut down. "No… I can't…" Everything turned black. "Can't…"
Daisy's head hit the dirt, followed by her crown. Everything went silent.
"…NO!" she shouted, her eyes flashing open. "I can't give up!" She rose to her feet, kicked off her heels, and tore off chunks of her skirt to make room for her legs. "Time to save myself!"
Daisy sprinted off, leaving her crown in the dust. She then went back to retrieve it before sprinting off again.
"Okay, I just need to find some- aha! There we go!" Daisy said, spying a cluster of floating blocks. She punched one, causing a Super Leaf to appear. "Nope!" She punched another, producing a Frog Suit. "Nuh-uh!" She punched a third, and this time, a Cape Feather emerged. "Yes! Perfect!"
Some ways ahead, Wendy was flying towards Bowser's Castle. Paper Daisy was wavering from her hand like a flag.
"I can't wait to see the look on Daddy's face! He's gonna give me a great big reward for this!" Wendy gushed. "I better make sure that flower girl isn't following me, though." She looked back and saw no sign of Daisy on the pathway. "Ha! Lost her!"
"Think again!" said a voice. Wendy looked up and saw a cape-wearing Daisy diving right for her. "Hi, I'm Daisy!"
Daisy crashed into Wendy, freeing Paper Daisy from her grasp. Both princesses floated safely to the ground, but while Daisy landed on her feet, Paper Daisy landed like a fallen leaf.
"Paper Daze! Are you- GACK!"
A glowing ring struck Daisy, destroying her cape. Seconds later, Wendy dropped to the ground.
"Cute, real cute," the Koopaling said, sporting a bump on her head. "I didn't want it to come to this, but you leave me no choice!"
Wendy conjured a bigger ring and hurled it at Daisy, but the princess simply jumped through it. She then delivered a flying punch, which Wendy dodged. As the fight continued, Paper Daisy slowly regained consciousness. "Ugh… What happened?" She looked up and saw Wendy spitting fire at Daisy. "Oh… That's what happened."
Paper Daisy curled into a tube and rolled into Wendy, sweeping her off her feet. "Gah, I hate it when this happens!" Wendy whined as she struggled on her back.
"Come on! Let's go before she gets up!" Paper Daisy said, uncurling.
"No, I'm not running! We're settling this!" said Daisy.
"But-"
Wendy withdrew into her shell and slid between the Daisies, knocking them apart. She then changed course and slid straight for Paper Daisy.
"Fall backwards!" Daisy shouted. Paper Daisy did just that, allowing Wendy to slide over her flat body.
"Cheater," Wendy muttered. She conjured another ring and aimed for Daisy, only to attack Paper Daisy instead. The 2D princess didn't react in time and was struck.
"That was a cheap shot!" Daisy roared as she jumped for Wendy. Thinking fast, Wendy retreated into her shell, leaving Daisy to land on her spikes.
"YOW!" Daisy shrieked. She sprang off Wendy and fell on her posterior, clutching her foot. Paper Daisy ran to her side shortly after. "Are you okay?" she asked. Daisy nodded, a tear escaping her eye.
Wendy crossed her arms and laughed. "Is that all you've got? I thought you were supposed to be tough."
Paper looked at Daisy. "What do we do now?" she asked. Daisy leaned over and started whispering.
"Oh, no! I'm not letting you plan anything!" Wendy barked as she breathed a fireball. The Daisies ran in opposite directions, and Wendy continued shooting fire at the paper one. "Hold still you little-!"
"Don't forget about me!" Daisy hollered as she leapt in her direction. Wendy retreated into her shell again, but Daisy had anticipated this and overshot her jump.
"Just as I thought! Why don't you come out and face me like a woman?"
"Well, if you insist!"
Wendy popped out of her shell and tackled Daisy, grabbing her by the waist and throwing her into a tree. Her whole body aching, Daisy slid down the trunk and landed in a heap.
"Any last words before I knock you out?" Wendy asked, producing a giant ring.
"Yeah. You should've brought an umbrella," said Daisy.
"What?"
A Bob-omb dropped from the sky, blasting Wendy several yards away.
"You shouldn't have left this unattended," Paper Daisy said, floating in Wendy's Clown Car. "Especially if it's stocked with bombs."
Paper Daisy tossed another Bob-omb, but Wendy countered with a fireball, detonating it midair. While the Koopaling was distracted, Daisy rushed over and stomped her, finally defeating her. "Don't mess with a wildflower," she sneered.
"That… was… incredible!" Paper Daisy cheered, dismounting the Clown Car. "Is this how all your adventures go?"
Daisy's face dropped. "Yeah, about that…" She took a deep breath before continuing. "The truth is… I don't go on adventures much either. Rescuing my friends that one time is pretty much the only thing I've ever done. You and I… Our lives aren't very different."
"…Are you kidding?!" Paper Daisy exclaimed. "Your life is so much better!"
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner- wait, what?!" Daisy uttered.
"So what if you don't go on adventures? You saved me twice today!"
"You're not disappointed with me?"
"Heck no! You might not go on epic quests or fight evil overlords, but you're still my hero."
"If that's how you feel, then why can't you be someone's hero back home?" Daisy asked.
"Because it's too late. Home's a lost cause," Paper Daisy said, frowning. Daisy mirrored the frown, but then got an idea. "Come, my flat friend. There's someone I'd like you to meet."
At Luigi's Mansion…
Luigi was vacuuming his carpet when the doorbell rang. He answered it and was surprised to see two Daisies.
"Hey there!" Daisy greeted. "I guess I have some explaining to do, huh?"
Luigi raised his finger to say something, but Daisy cut him off and said, "She didn't like the person she was in the Paper Mushroom Kingdom, so she snuck away from the Papercraft Parade and ran into me. She has some self-esteem issues, so I was hoping you could help her with that."
"…Gotcha," said Luigi.
Soon…
The three of them were sitting in the den, discussing Luigi's adventure in Evershade Valley.
"You defeated a whole valley's worth of ghosts?" asked Paper Daisy.
"Yep. It wasn't easy, but somehow, I pulled it off! Look over there," Luigi said, pointing. Attached to the wall was a picture of him, Mario, the Polterpup, and the Evershade Valley ghosts. "We took that photo after my fight with King Boo. It was one of the happiest days of my life."
"But... I thought you said you feel overshadowed?"
"Yeah, by my Big Bro. He's everyone's hero, and he gets all the attention. But that day, I got to be his hero. Thinking about it still makes me giddy."
"But what does that have to do with me?" Paper Daisy asked, looking at her counterpart.
"The point is that just because you're not doing as much as somebody else, doesn't mean you can't still make a difference. Especially if it's for someone you care about," said Daisy. "Luigi might get outshined, but he's still a star in my eyes."
Paper Daisy glanced at Luigi, the picture, and back to Daisy again. "Y'know something?" she asked. "I think I'm ready to go home."
Daisy nodded. "I think you are, too."
The two princesses bade Luigi farewell and left, leaving him to his vacuuming duties. Soon after, Professor E. Gadd called on the Dual Scream.
"Luigi, have you seen the Poltergust 5000? I can't find it anywhere in my…" E. Gadd stopped talking when he saw the vacuum strapped to Luigi's back. "…Wait a second, are you using the Poltergust for housecleaning again?! I told you that's not the correct use of-"
Luigi hung up and continued vacuuming.
At Peach's Castle…
Peach, Rosalina and Starlow were having a discussion in the castle foyer. The latter two had just returned from a golfing trip.
"Well, I'm glad to hear you had a good time," said Peach. "I wish I could have been there to see it."
"It's fine, Peach. I understand you're busy with damage control due to this 'paper incident'…" said Rosalina.
"Yes, the two Bowsers really did a number on things. But the good news is that all the paper people are back in the book."
"Not all of them," said a voice.
The three girls turned and saw the Daisies standing in the doorway. "There's one left," said the paper one.
"Daisy…" said Rosalina.
"And… Paper Daisy?" said Peach.
"Um… Who?" asked Starlow.
Peach and Rosalina raised their fingers to say something, but Daisy cut them off and said, "She didn't like the person she was in the Paper Mushroom Kingdom, so she snuck away from the Papercraft Parade and ran into me. She has some self-esteem issues, so I took her to see Luigi, and now she's ready to go home."
"…Gotcha," Peach and Rosalina said in unison.
"I'm sorry, who are these people?" asked Starlow.
"Starlow, would you be a dear and fetch the book?" asked Peach.
"Um… Okay…" Starlow flew upstairs, returned with the magic book, and placed it on the floor. "So, are you gonna introduce me to your friend, or…?"
"You don't have to do this, you know. I won't make you," said Daisy.
"No, I have to. This is no place for a paper person, and staying here won't change who I am. I need to face my problems," said Paper Daisy. "Do… Do you really think I can be someone's hero?"
Daisy nodded, and Paper Daisy smiled. "Thank you. Three Dee. For everything."
With that, Paper Daisy jumped into the book, disappearing in a flash of light.
"Goodbye, Paper Daze," Daisy whispered. Everybody gazed at the book in silence.
"She seemed confident," said Rosalina. But Daisy wasn't happy, and neither was Peach.
The Next Day…
Luigi and Daisy were sitting on a bench in the park. The latter was curled in a fetal position.
"I dunno, Luigi… Maybe Paper Daisy isn't the only one with an inferiority complex. I mean, how often do I get to do something important?"
"Don't worry about that. It's just like you said: just because you're not doing as much as somebody else, doesn't mean you can't still make a difference. Besides, I just helped save the Mushroom Kingdom and nobody even noticed."
"Haha, yeah… Congratulations on that, by the way."
"Thanks!"
Peach walked over, bearing a bright smile. "Peach! What brings you here?" Daisy asked.
"I have a surprise for you!" said Peach. "Follow me!"
"Um, I'm kind of in the middle of somethi-"
Peach pulled Daisy to her feet. "I insist!"
"Wait! How'd you even know I'd be here?!"
"Not important! Come on, let's go!" Peach commanded, nudging Daisy forward. She then turned to Luigi and whispered, "thanks for telling me she'd be here." Luigi winked and whispered, "sure thing."
Soon…
Daisy was standing in front of Peach's Castle, staring at her surprise in awe. "Holy… Monty… Moley…"
Positioned with the other Papercraft figures was a Papercraft Daisy, complete with a crown. "How… How did you do this?" Daisy asked.
"I got Toadette and the other Toads to build one," said Peach. "Do you like it?"
"Do I like it?! I LOVE it!"
While Daisy was busy gushing, Lakitu- who was covered in bandages for some reason- appeared and looked at the new Papercraft. "Whoa, check this out!" he exclaimed. "Shy Gal! Get the camera so we can report on this!"
There was a loud sigh in the distance.
"So… does this make you feel better?" Peach asked.
"Yeah, it does," Daisy chuckled. "How'd you know I was upset, though?"
"Those things you said in the castle? I know a double meaning when I hear one."
"Haha… Right…" Daisy said, rubbing the back of her head. "I'm gonna miss Paper Me. But who knows? Maybe someday we'll meet again."
"Yes, of course! And by then, you'll have so many stories to tell!"
"Yeah, it'd be nice to have more than one."
"…More than one?" Peach asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yeah. All I've done is fight the Koopalings, remember?"
"What about the time you fought that ghost?"
Daisy's eyes widened. "Aw, crud! I forgot to tell her about that!"
My dear readers,
Sometime ago, I announced that I had some business to discuss. So here it is: I've finally decided how I want this fanfic to end. You read that right, folks. The grand finale is on the horizon.
The reason I'm planning the ending now is A) I've been devoting less and less time to this fic, B) I want to move on to something else, and C) I'm running out of ideas. Anybody who's been following me for awhile has probably noticed that the update gaps have gotten wider, and while this is partly due to me being busy, it's also because the "standard" I've set for myself is getting harder to maintain. There are several chapters I've posted within the past year that I don't think were up to snuff, and while I could just wait for Nintendo to release more games and give me more material, I really don't want to have to depend on them like that.
…There's also the fact that I don't want this fic to get a crappy, tacked-on ending like my previous long-runner. It deserves better than that.
So… there you have it. It's gonna be some time before we actually reach the ending, but it's definitely on the agenda. And no, it won't be one of those things where it suddenly ends after a normal chapter. There will be buildup and resolution, but I'll go into more detail about that later.
Until next time, cheers!