T Plus 17 Days
Morning fell over Sarasaland, and Chad stirred as the sunlight peeped in through the windows. With a yawn, he sat up in bed and looked over at the bed next to him, only to discover that it was empty.
"Ch—Charlie?" he asked. "Charlie?"
"I'm in the shower," Charlie's muffled voice responded.
Chad slumped in relief before unmuting the TV and watching the morning news.
"Attempts are still underway to locate Steven Ordway and Steven Beck, who also goes by 'Stevie'," the anchor was saying. "As you know, the two of them escaped the Smash Mansion two days ago after injuring three Smashers, and Crazy Hand, the tournament's assistant master of ceremonies, is suspected of helping them. Residents of the Smash World are encouraged to remain vigilant, as the escapees are considered extremely dangerous. If you have any information on the whereabouts of these three individuals, please call the number on your screen."
"Hey, Charlie," said Chad.
"Yeah?"
"Crazy Hand and the two Steves are on the run," said Chad. "We need to be more careful."
"I still can't believe they did that to Peach," said Charlie's voice, "and Link and Zelda—I hope they're okay."
"So do I," said Chad.
A few moments later, Charlie emerged from the shower, her hair and her body wrapped in towels.
"Before I jumped into the shower, Daisy sent me a text," she said. "She and her advisors have agreed on a venue, and she wants to meet with us as soon as possible to discuss it."
"Great," said Chad. "We'll head over after breakfast."
"What do you think Mario's gonna do regarding those lies the two Steves told the newspaper?" asked Charlie.
"Knowing him—I think he'll try to smooth things over. Rumor has it that he's headed over to the MK to address the Toads."
"What about Peach?" asked Charlie.
"She was discharged from the hospital yesterday, along with Zelda and Link."
"She's coming with him?"
"Of course."
Charlie unraveled the towel around her hair, which she patted dry before running a comb through it. Then, she faced away from Chad and dropped the towel from around her body.
"I heard," said Chad as he studied his companion's bare back, "that Falco has joined Luigi in Evershade Valley. You think they'll work things out?"
"Maybe they will," Charlie replied as she swept her hair into a ponytail.
"I hope they do," said Chad. "After backing out of Project Nerf, I tried to encourage Falco to talk to Luigi. At first, he wouldn't heed my advice, but he eventually did after that elevator debacle."
"It was quite a coincidence—the power going out as the two boarded an elevator together."
"Yeah," murmured Chad. "I helped with the rescue effort, and when I saw the two of them seated together, it touched my heart. However, I think they still have a long way to go."
"You're right," said Charlie. "Things like that can't be rushed."
She slipped into a pair of panties before pulling on a dress. "What about you and him?" she wanted to know.
"I—really don't know," sighed Chad. "Maybe after the meeting, I'll be able to tell." He got out of bed. "It's my turn to hog the shower."
As Chad freshened up, Charlie washed her hands and heated up two of the croissant sandwiches she'd packed with her, timing things so that the sandwiches would be ready once Chad emerged from the shower.
Chad accepted one of the sandwiches with a smile, clad in a bathrobe provided by the hotel. The two sat together on the edge of one of the beds to eat it.
Once they were finished, Chad threw off his robe to change into an outfit he'd selected last night.
"Should I tell Daisy that we're on our way?" asked Charlie as she, too, ogled Chad's backside.
"Sure, why not?"
So, Charlie contacted Daisy, telling her that they were headed toward the castle, as Chad dressed in a tailored, three-piece suit and tie. After Charlie finished talking to Daisy, Chad slicked back his hair and turned to her with a grin.
"How do I look?" he asked.
"You look amazing," said Charlie.
"And so do you," Chad warmly replied.
Charlie slid her feet into a pair of comfortable pumps. "All right," she said. "Let's get this show on the road."
After they palmed their room keys and turned off the TV, the duo headed out for another meeting with Daisy.
1.1.1
Charlie and Chad were received by Daisy's royal guards upon arrival at the castle. They were escorted to a room with a large, oval-shaped table, upon which sat an assortment of cakes, pastries and beverages.
Daisy waited for them, wearing a strapless turquoise gown. "I didn't know if you'd already eaten," she said, explaining the food.
"That's fine," said Chad. "We'll work up an appetite again soon enough."
The three of them shook hands before sitting at the table.
"My advisors and I have decided that the Sarasaland Community Center is the perfect venue for your meeting," said Daisy. "There are three huge meeting halls, plenty of restrooms and plenty of parking. Of course, carpooling is strongly encouraged, as it'll cost $5 dollars to park."
"What about security?" asked Charlie.
"About half of my guards will join a private security team in maintaining order," replied Daisy. "As for the food, there will be twenty different vendors, and all of the nearby restaurants will offer discounts to the attendees. In addition, we've made arrangements with the nearby hotels to house the attendees at a lower rate."
"How about food trucks?" Chad put in.
"Food trucks—that's a great idea," said Daisy.
"Maybe—some entertainment?" proposed Charlie.
"Yeah," said Chad. "This shouldn't be a humdrum affair, after all."
"You're absolutely right," said Daisy. "I'll see if I can get some live bands and DJs to perform—maybe set up an entertainment area outside. And a kiddie area, just in case."
"This meeting needs to be open to the public, but closed to the press," said Chad.
"I'll have notices put up saying that photography and video recording is prohibited," said Daisy. "Anyone violating that rule will be fined."
"I have a few pictures of Steve and Stevie," said Charlie, "along with some pictures of Crazy Hand. I'll print them out and have them circulated, so that your security can be on the lookout for them."
"I was just about to get to that," said Daisy. "Thanks, Charlie."
"I'd better pass on the news," said Chad. "May I have a pen and some paper, please?"
"Sure," replied Daisy.
In short order, Chad had several pens and a stack of lined paper handy, and as Daisy and Charlie, watched, he began to write out invites to his meeting.
1.1.1
"I just checked into the hotel," Amy said to Rory over the phone as she strode into the hotel room, a bellhop behind her. "And I must say—the room you picked for me is incredible."
"Anything for my little sister," replied Rory.
Amy quietly thanked the bellhop as he placed her suitcases on her bed. "The floor-to-ceiling windows will give me a nice view," she said, "and I have a fridge and a minibar and a Jacuzzi—this really is a home away from home."
"Indeed," said Rory, "but don't let the amenities distract you. You've got to keep an eye on Mario and Peach, in case they decide to stir up trouble in the MK."
"What kind of trouble could they possibly stir up?"
"Er—making MH the bad guy, for starters. Imagine what would happen if they turned the MK against him. It would hurt not only him but also the tournament."
"MH and Mario are starting to patch things up," said Amy, "but I'll be on the lookout in case that happens." She gave the bellhop a nod as he took his leave. "By my reckoning, they'll spend most of the day in Peach's castle. I don't know if they'll let me inside."
"You don't have to enter the castle. You can just observe them from a distance," Rory told her. "Try not to be too conspicuous. If anyone talks to you, then act natural. There should be nothing to worry about, but if trouble arises, don't be afraid to use the baton I gave you."
"I won't," smiled Amy.
"Commit your task to memory, and keep your eyes and ears open," said Rory. "I'll call you this evening."
"Great. Talk to you then."
"I love you, Amy."
"I love you more."
Amy hung up and started unpacking. She had quite the adventure ahead of her, and she couldn't wait to meet it head-on.
1.1.1
The limo rolled to a stop at the castle entrance. A Toad opened the door, and out stepped Peach, followed by Mario.
"Thank God!" exclaimed the Toad. "There are rumors swirling everywhere! We really hope you can clear this up!"
"Or else we wouldn't be here," said Peach.
"Everyone is seated in the Main Hall and awaiting your arrival," the Toad went on.
"Are they mad at me?" asked Mario.
"Of course not," the Toad said brightly. "They're just—confused."
"Well, the confusion ends today," Mario said determinedly.
The Toad led Mario and Peach to the Main Hall, where rows upon rows of Toads sat, their heads turning in synch when they heard the trio enter.
And they all gave Peach and Mario a standing ovation.
"Thank you," said Peach. "Thank you all for coming."
Peach sat down at her usual spot, with Mario seated beside her.
"Wait—where's Luigi?" asked a Green Toad.
"He's decided to retreat for a few days to clear his head," Mario replied, "but he'll be back here on the 19th."
"My prayers are with him," said the Green Toad.
Murmurs of assent.
"However, we need to get to the task at hand," said Toadsworth as he arrived and took a seat on Peach's other side. "As all of you know, there have been reports circulating of Mario premeditating an attack on two men in the Smash tournament. At this time, I'd like to invite Mario to separate the facts from the fiction."
Mario rose. "Thank you, Toadsworth," he said. "I'd like to start by saying—that I indeed got into a physical fight with two fellow Smashers named Steve and Stevie."
Gasps.
"This isn't you, Mario," said a Blue Toad. "You don't start fights with people unless there's a valid reason."
"I—was just getting to that part," said Mario. "The day prior to the incident, the two Steves—hurt my bro."
"I knew it," said a Purple Toad.
"You see, Luigi spent the last month dealing with flack over his playstyle, particularly his down throw combos," Mario explained. "Some Smashers, and I won't name names, chose to whine to MH about it, rather than buckle down and practice. And MH caved to them and contacted Mr. Sakurai, who released an update patch. This patch nerfed my bro's down throw and got rid of the combos, causing those who previously complained about it to start in on him. Steve and Stevie were among them. Three days after the update patch, Luigi was minding his own business in the Training Area when the two Steves approached him. At first, he was able to fight them off, but one of them took a cheap shot at him, and it just deteriorated from there. They beat him so badly that he wound up in the hospital.
"He made me promise that I wouldn't retaliate, and I tried to keep that promise, but then—I came across them while I was taking a walk, gloating about it. I just—lost it. That's why I attacked them. And that's why they've decided to play the victims and try to paint me as the bad guy."
Toadsworth was silent for a moment. "That—explains a lot," he said finally. "All of us here see why you did it—and we know that the two Steves weren't telling the truth. However, we just can't believe that it was your first course of action."
"That's what they all say," said Mario, "but can you put yourself in my shoes for a moment? Going for a walk, trying to stay in control, only to come across your brother's attackers showing a blatant lack of remorse for beating him bloody. What would you have done—besides try to ignore them?"
Silence.
"Mario—we're not accusing you of anything," a Toad reassured him. "We just want some insight into this situation. I mean, you've always wanted to protect Luigi. You've always wanted to protect Peach and protect us. These are the core motivations behind most of your actions, and we get that. But—we were shocked, and dare we say shaken, when we found out that you went crazy on those two men."
"So was I," said Peach. "The two of us had a talk about it, and I told him that you'd have mixed feelings about it. But I assure you, Mario is no bully who's looking for a fight."
"I won't apologize for what I did," said Mario, "but I will apologize for causing you to doubt me."
Toadsworth beamed. "Apology accepted," he said. "However, there must be more to this story. Please, tell us."
Mario took a deep breath. "You do need to know this," he conceded. "After I attacked the two Steves, MH read me the riot act and said these things to me—he accused me of being a bad brother and putting Luigi in danger. He brought up what happened in 2001, and he brought up the Chaos Heart and the Negative Zone. Essentially, he said that it was all my fault, that Luigi was traumatized because of me—and he said that I was a just an adrenaline junkie who gave no thought to your well-being!"
The Toads sat there, astonished. Then—
"That f—ing glove!" snapped Toadette. "I'll tear him apart!"
The other Toads shouted their assent as anger burned.
"You'll do no such thing," admonished Mario. "I'm trying to take the high road here and put it behind me. And besides, revenge won't change the fact that it happened."
Everyone settled back down as Mario's words sunk in.
"But do you forgive him?" asked Toadsworth. "Truly?"
"I…" responded Mario. "I don't know."
"What happened after that?" asked Toadette.
"I started receiving evidence of a scheme known as Project Nerf," said Mario. "Several Smashers had colluded to manipulate both MH and Mr. Sakurai in order to get Luigi nerfed. Or maybe Mr. Sakurai was in on it, as well. Anyway, five days after my run-in with the two Steves, Crazy Hand, MH's twin brother, sent four men to attack me. I wound up cornered and beaten to a pulp, and two of the men just…" He paused, shoving away a slight choke in his voice. "They kicked me while I was down and went on and on about what a failure I was. And every night since, I've thanked God and the Star Spirits that Luigi showed up when he did."
"Luigi—walked in on that?" gasped a Toad.
"Yes. I was just about to give up when he appeared in the doorway, and the look on his face—Luigi's always come through for me, even in times when we don't see eye-to-eye. The four men turned their attention on him, but…" He smiled. "Good old Luigi. He can really hold his own against the best of them, contrary to what others say and think. I regained my strength and helped him, and then we told MH about it. The four said that they were acting on both MH's and CH's orders, but MH smoothed things over. That's when we suspected that CH knew more about Luigi's nerf than he was letting on. Unfortunately—MH suspended my bro."
"Why?" asked another Toad.
"He was fighting outside of the tournament, which is against the rules," huffed Mario, "but what choice did he have? He saw me in peril and…"
"Wow," said Toadette.
"MH had already suspended me for my encounter with the two Steves," Mario went on, "but he tacked on ten additional days because I was also engaged in a fight outside of the tournament." He rolled his eyes. "Then, Koopa decided to twist the knife by making off with Peach. He was courteous enough to inform us two hours in advance. Anyway, after we got back, Luigi decided to take a brief break to clear his head. He's resting up in Evershade Valley."
The Toads exchanged looks.
"Mario," said Toadsworth. "Where do we go from here?"
"One of the Smashers, Chad Wrainwright, has organized a meeting which will give those who participated in Project Nerf the opportunity to confess. This meeting will take place in three days, and all of you are encouraged to come."
"Will MH be present?" asked a Toad.
"Yes," replied Mario, "but I ask that you treat him as an ally, not as an enemy. He's quite remorseful for blowing up at me."
"Any idea where it's being held?" asked another Toad.
"Chad is trying to keep the details under wraps," said Mario. "Crazy Hand and the two Steves are antagonizing him, and he doesn't want them to find out about this venture."
"Was Chad in on the scheme, as well?" asked the Green Toad.
"Initially," replied Mario. "He wants to make amends, but CH and the two Steves don't want him to. They've tried to keep him under their thumb by threatening to come to me with evidence of his involvement. As you can tell—he already confessed to me."
"And when Chad and the other conspirators confess," Peach spoke up, "I ask that you listen to them with an open mind. Don't attack them until they'd at least had their say. We shouldn't try to excuse their behavior, but getting hostile with them won't help, either."
The Toads murmured and chattered among themselves.
"If you'll have us," Toadette said finally, "then we'd like to look over the evidence you already have."
"Of course," said Peach. "I'll hook up my laptop to a projection screen."
With help from some tech-savvy Toads, Peach did just that. Everyone in the room held their breath as Mario inserted his flash drive into the USB port.
1.1.1
"I'm sorry, MH," said Vince. "We couldn't get through to them."
"That's quite all right," said MH. "I now understand that they won't surrender themselves without the proper incentive."
"What's your plan of action?" asked Shane.
"I plan to sweet-talk my dear twin brother into a trap, and I hope to get Mr. Sakurai involved, as well," said MH. "The four of you did the best you could, and that's all that matters."
"Is our bargain still on the table?" quizzed Vince.
"It is—on one condition," MH told him. "All four of you attend Chad's meeting and provide an honest account of your manipulations."
The Bennigan Brothers exchanged a look.
"Agreed," Vince said finally.
"Good," said MH. "I'll see you then."
The four men nodded and filed out of the giant glove's office.
"If CH finds out about this meeting, then he'll be none too happy," warned Stu.
"We'll have to take that risk," said Manny. "We can't afford to keep this under wraps anymore."
"Chad's smart," Vince put in. "He'll make sure CH is kept in the dark."
Shane shuddered. "Accepting his help with this was a huge mistake," he said.
"All of this was a mistake," mused Vince, "and it's up to us to make it right."
1.1.1
Back in Evershade Valley, Falco cautiously ventured into his makeshift workshop, his Blaster tight in his hands. He approached the Boo Canister and tentatively peeked inside. And there was King Boo, a rare smile on his face as he gave his fellow Boos rides on his back. Falco watched as the large Boo rolled and did loop-de-loops in the air, the smaller Boos giggling as they held on for the ride. A sigh escaped the avian, remembering the Arwing rides he used to give Luigi.
"Oh! Hey, Falco!" King Boo greeted as he glided to a stop, the Boos thanking him before floating off.
"Hey, KB," said Falco.
"Boy—our mutual friend was very upset when he found out about Mario being defamed and libeled," said King Boo.
"You heard that?"
"Yeah—and we'd never heard him use such language before." King Boo laughed. "Well—we kinda did, but not like that."
"You seem in good spirits," said Falco. "You're not plotting anything, are you?"
"Why, my dear Falco, I'm always plotting something. But you didn't hear that from me."
All of the Boos cackled.
"Would you—like to see my private photo collection?" asked King Boo.
Falco blinked. "Do I have a choice?"
"Not really."
"Okay, then," said Falco.
"Wait here," King Boo said before disappearing.
He reappeared soon after, an envelope in one of his appendages.
"Where…?" Falco started to ask, but King Boo shushed him.
"There are things about my stay in this Bunker that you don't need to know," King Boo said cryptically as he floated upward.
Falco saw the envelope sticking out through a slot atop the Boo Canister.
"Take it," said King Boo. "Have a gander, and tell me what you think."
Falco obliged, opening the envelope and carefully removing the photos. And as he flitted through each one, he started feeling minutely sick to his stomach.
"Dude!" he exclaimed.
King Boo laughed. "I know, right?"
"These are just pictures of Luigi—shirtless!" gasped Falco.
Indeed, the photos consisted of gratuitous, intricately detailed shots of Luigi's bare upper body, most of the time in close-up so Falco could glimpse every last muscle etched into the skin. In a few of these photos, the bare chest and torso were pressed against a soapy window as Luigi washed his car.
Falco raised his head and looked into King Boo's morbidly grinning face. "Where did you get these?"
"Why should I tell you?" scoffed the King. "You'll just rush off and tattle to him."
"You're d—n right I will!" snapped Falco.
"Which is why I'll never tell," taunted King Boo.
"You're f—ing sick," said Falco.
"Sick? If I was sick, then I'd send for pictures of him completely naked," said King Boo, having the gall to look offended. "There are laws against that."
"You don't want to break the law—but you want to trap people in paintings because they made you upset," said Falco.
"A King's gotta have standards, you know," huffed the Master of Illusions. "And just look at those photos, Falco. Are they not artistic? The photographers I've commissioned did a lot of experimenting with warm light and contrast and deep focus, and it works with Luigi. It just works! The warm lighting is just perfect for Luigi's complexion—it brings out all of the contours and muscles of his body. His navel is positioned at the center axis to give a visual focal point, and the deep focus and high contrast just makes him—pop. Thank God he takes time to shave; it's the smooth skin that makes these photos work!" He laughed. "I think I'm gonna call these photos 'The Ideal Plumber'. They'll hold me over until I finally get the real deal in my grasp."
Falco slid the photos back into the envelope and gave them back to King Boo.
"Thoughts?" asked King Boo.
"Well—it's official," said Falco. "You're obsessed with Luigi."
"Why wouldn't I be? Didn't I say he has a nice body?" giggled King Boo. "I hate that he sucked me into that stupid vacuum and humiliated me, but I don't really hate him. Like I said—I enjoy him. I just like him better in a portrait—along with his friends."
Falco took a reflexive step back.
King Boo slid out one of his photos and traced a loving appendage around Luigi's image. "Oh, Luigi," he cooed. "I have big plans for you."
"J—s," breathed Falco. "Koopa doesn't act this obsessive over Mario."
"My political ally doesn't appreciate the beauty of fine art," sighed King Boo. "He's too busy wooing princesses."
"You need to find yourself a Princess," said Falco. "Or maybe you're obsessed with Luigi because you've already found one, and you're unfortunately incapable of 'wooing' her?"
King Boo was confused. "What?"
"Aw, don't feel bad about it," Falco went on. "You've just got some performance issues. It's not that uncommon. You know—one out of five."
"I don't need a Princess," King Boo said smartly. "I have Luigi." He pressed the photo to his nose and inhaled deeply. "Look at it this way—he thinks of me every night. I think of him every night. Doesn't that mean that we share something special?"
Falco was now sufficiently grossed-out.
"But—enough talk about Luigi," said King Boo, putting the photo back into the envelope before putting the envelope away. "I have some interesting news to share with you."
"What's that?" asked Falco.
"I have my very own fan club!" King Boo cheerfully announced. "Isn't it awesome? I never thought there were people out there who actually see things my way! I mean, Koopa has a few fan clubs because he's incredibly buff, but me—I'm normally seen as some sort of sicko instead of the art connoisseur I truly am."
"Hm. Tell me more about this—fan club," said Falco.
King Boo fetched a Post-It note and a pen and wrote something down before tearing off the Post-It and giving it to the avian. "Here's their website," he said. "They also have a Facebook group—just type 'King Boo fan club' into the search box. This fan club meets every Friday, and they livestream their meetings on their website. In fact, the fan club's president is regularly corresponding with me. You gotta see her fan letters!"
The King disappeared and then reappeared with another envelope, which he handed to Falco via that singular slot. That envelope and the letter within smelled of expensive perfume.
Falco unfolded the letter and began to read: "'Dearest King Boo, Such an individual shouldn't be locked up in a canister with minimal human contact. I believe that such brilliant minds need to spread their wings and thrive, sharing their creativity with the world. If I could, I'd break you out of there myself with my bare hands. Until then, I hope this letter makes your confinement easier. All my love, H.G.'"
"It's always nice to have a fan," said King Boo.
"Is this 'H.G' your fan club president?" asked Falco.
"She is."
"Boy," said Falco.
"Early in our correspondence, she sent me her picture," said King Boo. "She's quite beautiful."
"I'd like a look at her, if you don't mind," said Falco.
"Ah, ah, ah," said King Boo, wagging his appendage at the avian. "Her physical appearance is only between me and her. All you need to know at the moment is that she's the most devoted of my relatively small fanbase."
"Yeah, well—Luigi will always have a bigger fanbase," boasted Falco. "These fanbases are run by men, women and even children who will gladly rally behind him. You know why? Because he's a good man who puts others before himself and takes defeat in stride, and that's more than I can say for some people."
"Oooh—all I hear is the pot calling the kettle black," grinned King Boo.
"It was only one time," said Falco. "It won't happen again."
King Boo and his brethren cackled in response.
"At least I'm not unhealthily obsessed with him!" Falco said hotly. "At least I don't keep pictures of him shirtless!"
"'Unhealthily obsessed'?" King Boo cackled some more.
"Seriously! Do you guys wanna [bleep] him or shove him into a painting?"
"Why not both?" a Boo chimed in.
This was met with another chorus of maniacal laughter.
"I can't believe I'm even talking to you," said Falco.
"Well, you are," said King Boo, "and I trust that no word of our conversation will reach Luigi's ears."
Then, the Master of Illusions tilted his body to one side, and then the other, studying Falco intently.
"Now what are you doing?" asked Falco.
"Oh, nothing—except imagining you in a frame," King Boo innocently replied. "Would you prefer a square shape or an oval shape? I've already picked a color for you—a nice turquoise."
He leered at the avian, who once again unholstered his Blaster and leveled it at King Boo.
"You're so merged with your own obsession," spat Falco, "that you don't even identify it as obsession anymore! You, sir, are a first-class psychopath!"
King Boo rolled his eyes. "For the second time, I'm not a psychopath—I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Take some time to get your narrow head around it."
His Blaster steady in his hands, Falco backed up toward the exit. "You stay away from us," he warned. "Do you hear me? Stay away from us!"
And then he was gone.
1.1.1
It was early afternoon in Mushroom Park. The meeting in Peach's Castle had adjourned, all of the Toads going their separate ways to try and process what they'd just seen and heard. Some of the attendees had retreated to the park, to either clear their heads, go for a walk, or sightsee.
Amy was also in Mushroom Park, playing the part of the curious tourist as she took a stroll. She'd secretly listened in on the meeting and reported back to Rory and his friends. Mario had done nothing of interest yet, but Rory had cautioned his sister against lowering her guard. As the two Steves had seen, even a wholesome hero like Super Mario could be pushed too far.
The young woman paused at the large fountain and sat down to rest. She watched as a few parkgoers flew kites with Mario's face on them. There were also kites shaped like Super Mushrooms and Power Stars—but she didn't see a Luigi kite. Amy sighed. Luigi did half of the grunt work during a rescue mission, and yet Mario received all of the credit. Most of the Toads here barely knew his name. Thank God she and Rory didn't have that problem.
The two of them had a few moments of sibling rivalry when they were kids, but it was never like the Mario Bros. It was more on the basis of "anything you can do, I can do better", and it was more playful than mean-spirited. Whenever they quarreled, they usually talked it out a day or two later. Amy smiled at the memories of her and Rory sitting in the latter's treehouse together, munching on snacks and watching TV. And whenever the family went to the park, Rory would always buy her ice cream and comfort her whenever she got sick on the swings. They'd play tag and hide-and-seek, and then they'd hide under the jungle gym and grumble about their parents. Later, when Rory left the nest and went off to college, the two siblings would exchange letters, which continued when Amy left for college. Even as adults, they stayed in touch, and now, they were working for Master Hand together.
Amy liked to think that she and Rory were the grounded, real-world equivalent of the Mario Bros. Would she throw herself in harm's way to protect Rory? Absolutely—because he'd do the exact same for her.
She'd never understand why MH penalized Mario and Luigi for doing the same thing.
"It's good weather for a stroll, isn't it?"
Amy turned and looked at the old Toad who'd addressed her.
"Hello, Toadsworth," she said.
"Hello," Toadsworth replied.
"I agree with you—this is nice weather for the middle of October," said Amy. "However, I read the weather reports, and they say that there's a little storm coming."
"A little rain does no harm," said Toadsworth. "I take it you heard the news?"
"About Mario and those two guys? Yeah," replied Amy.
"The good thing is that Mario was able to lay our worries to rest this morning," smiled Toadsworth. "It turns out that those two men weren't entirely innocent—and neither was Master Hand."
Amy played dumb. "Really?"
"He said some cruel things that I won't repeat," Toadsworth went on. "I believe that some time away from him is what the doctor ordered."
"Is Peach okay?" asked Amy.
"She's fine—I'd say she's feeling better," smiled Toadsworth. "We all needed to go to that meeting to get some peace of mind. And in three days' time, we'll all go to another meeting where this nonsense will be explained once and for all."
"Meeting?"
"Apparently, there was this huge plot to nerf Luigi in the Smash tournaments, and the people behind it have come to their senses and decided to confess en masse."
"Good for them."
"How about you?" Toadsworth suddenly asked. "Are you doing okay?"
"Yeah," replied Amy. "This is actually my first time vacationing here. I hope to check out Peach's Castle before I leave."
"If you really want to experience the Mushroom Kingdom," said Toadsworth, "then I'd recommend catching one of those 'hop on, hop off' tour buses. They'll cover all of the top tourist attractions, and they offer both day and night tours. Of course, you can't hop off during the latter."
"Tour buses, huh?" smiled Amy.
"Sports and tourism make of the meat of our economy," said Toadsworth.
"This may sound odd," said Amy, "but I'd like to see Boo Woods one of these days. Not because I have a nightmare fetish, but because it's where Luigi…"
"I know," Toadsworth said quietly. "Some of us feel the same way."
"I relate more to him than I do to Mario," said Amy, "because I have an older sibling of my own, and I wanna fight for him as hard as he fought for me."
"Would you get in trouble for him?"
"If I have to," Amy said softly.
"Because Mario wound up in trouble with Master Hand for Luigi, and Luigi wound up in trouble with that glove for Mario," said Toadsworth.
"Yeah," said Amy. "They shouldn't have been punished for that."
"I've had time to think," said Toadsworth, "and now I believe that they weren't punished for defending each other. They were punished for breaking the rules."
"No fighting unless it's in a tournament match," Amy said automatically.
Toadsworth blinked. "How do you know that?"
"Some friends of mine joined the tournament as Mii Fighters," said Amy. "They called me once to grumble about that singular rule."
"It's a good rule," said Toadsworth, "but I get why they're upset. There was no other option but to fight—particularly in Luigi's case. He walked in, saw his brother bleeding on the floor, cornered by four muscular men, and…" He spread his hands. "I hope the newspaper which ran that story realizes that they were fed a lie and prints a retraction."
"Me, too," said Amy, "and I also hope that Koopa doesn't show up and ruin this perfect day."
Toadsworth chuckled. "Yeah—that would be just what we need," he said.
Amy rose. "All right—I'll take your advice and try to catch a tour bus," she said. "It was lovely talking with you."
"Likewise."
Amy and Toadsworth shook hands before going their separate ways.
1.1.1
One of the aforementioned tour buses seemed to glide down the street, passing the very park through which Amy strolled. An energetic tour guide spoke into a microphone, offering tidbits of history and trivia to the bus passengers as they sat in their chairs and enjoyed the view. At a traffic light, the bus turned left, heading uptown.
Vanessa sat in the bus's upper deck, drinking in the vibrant kingdom as the wind weaved through her hair. Ethan sat next to her, with Theo and Anna seated in the opposite row. It had been an eventful few days for them as they caught a different tour bus touring different parts of the MK. They'd visited museums, monuments and national parks and dined at countless restaurants—and they even got to tour one of the tracks for the Mario Kart races. Some of the tour packages came with a few walking tours, which took them through several malls. However, the shopping would come later.
As a matter of fact, they were scheduled for another walking tour today—through Boo Woods.
When the family saw that walking tours through Boo Woods were being offered, they'd seen it as the hand of Providence. Perhaps by exploring the haunted locale, they could gain an insight into what Luigi was no doubt thinking and feeling during that night fourteen years ago. By putting themselves in his shoes, they—Ethan in particular—could learn to better understand the man in green.
The air around them cooled, and their surroundings became foggy as the bus cruised into Boo Woods. Everyone pulled on their jackets and watched with some trepidation as the trees around them grew barren and gnarly, the sun disappearing behind a wall of fog and clouds. The tour guide, however, remained as chipper as ever as she told the passengers about the little bedsheet ghosts that gave these woods their name.
"The Boos are very shy, so if you look them directly in the eye, then they'll just cover their faces," said the tour guide. "For those of you going on the walking tour, your stop is coming up. And here's one piece of advice—if you don't bother the Boos, then they won't bother you." She smiled as the tour bus rolled to a halt and Theo, Vanessa, Ethan and Anna joined a few other passengers in disembarking. "Have fun!"
Theo and his family watched the tour bus drive away before turning to their new tour guide—which just so happened to be a Boo.
"Welcome," the Boo tour guide said with a grin. "My name's Boonadette, and I'll be walking you through these wonderful woods. If you have any questions, then don't hesitate to ask."
"Okay," said the tour group.
"All right—let's start the tour," said Boonadette.
They floated off, and the tour group followed them.
One of Vanessa's fellow tourists tapped her on the shoulder.
"I heard that the Princess is in town," she said.
Vanessa's breath caught. "She is?"
"Yeah. Someone published a false news story about Mario, and she spent all of this morning helping him clear the air."
"My God," Vanessa said softly. Here was her chance to confess her role in Project Nerf to Peach before it was sprung upon her at Chad's meeting.
Boonadette continued to lead everyone through Boo Woods, the sun casting an eerie green glow through the fog. Scores upon scores of Boos hovered about, licking out their tongues at the tour group and waving to Boonadette. The Boo tour guide assured everyone that their brethren meant no harm, but there was a mischievous glint in their eye as they uttered those reassurances.
"Go ahead and take all the pictures and selfies you want," said Boonadette. "Just be careful who you share those photos with. Our King is on Facebook, after all." They cackled, and the other Boos cackled with them.
"You all know the story of our King, yes?" But since it was their job, Boonadette told them, anyway. "Nowadays, he stuck in a vault in a place called Evershade Valley, but fear not. A day will come when our King will rise again and take his well-earned revenge! But you didn't hear that from me."
More giggling.
The Boos followed Boonadette and their tour group deeper into Boo Woods, where the tourists gazed in wonder at the Boos' very own "city", consisting of derelict and/or abandoned houses. These were the "ghost houses" the Mario Bros often traversed en route to Koopa's Castle.
"This city has existed since the time of TyBoo, our first King," said Boonadette. "He was the one who unified all of the Boos under a single ruler. Did you know that our previous Kings ruled for over thousands of years? Our current King was crowned fairly recently—60 years ago, to be exact! We hope you'll attend our JuBoolee later this month to commemorate the occasion. Unfortunately, our King won't be able to attend due to his circumstances."
After Boonadette told the tour group about the Boos' previous Kings, they took everyone on a stroll through the city, pointing out galleries, eateries and other attractions of interest.
"You must be surprised that there are restaurants here," quipped Boonadette, "seeing that we're already dead." This elicited a chuckle from the tour group.
Later in the tour, the group came upon a colossal, three-story mansion with an ornate fountain in the front yard. The mansion was painted green and white, with a big, green "L" emblazoned on the centermost rooftop arch.
"Hey!" Ethan exclaimed. "Is that…?"
Boonadette made a face. "Yes—that's the mansion he earned after trapping our King in a portrait," they replied.
"Why would he put it here?" asked Theo.
"This is actually the site of the first trap we sprang for him and his brother," said Boonadette. "That old geezer built this mansion after the illusion we conjured faded away. Rumor has it that he uses this place as a timeshare. Now, I know what you're thinking. Since he lives here part-time, we can always sneak in and give him a little scare. But he'll be ready for us with that infernal vacuum on his back! Plus, it's not as fun without our King."
Vanessa and her family exchanged looks.
"But—you didn't hear that from me. On with the tour…"
As the tour continued, one of the Boos turned invisible and gently alighted themselves atop Ethan's head. The teen only felt a brushing sensation and dismissed it as just the wind. But as Boonadette pointed out another landmark, the Boo suddenly dropped down in front of him, laughing and making Ethan jump.
Theo and Vanessa glared at the Boo as they stood protectively in front of their son. Anna, however, marched right up to the Boo, her fists clenched.
"Hey! You leave my brother alone!" she exclaimed.
Boonadette cackled. "So feisty," they mused.
"Say that again," giggled the Boo that had accosted Ethan. "You really love your big brother, don't you?"
"Yes, I do!" Anna said vehemently.
"Do you know who you remind me of?" asked the Boo. "Luigi. He's the younger of the two, but that night, he humiliated our King to save his beloved big brother."
Ethan set his jaw as he took Anna's hand, his eyes practically begging the Boo to approach his sis.
"We'd love to keep you here longer and entertain you with stories about our favorite man in green, but we unfortunately have a bit of a tight schedule," said Boonadette. "There's still a lot to see before your bus picks you up. However…" The Boo tour guide licked out their tongue. "…we'd give anything to see him again."
The Boos' cackles floated in the air as the tourists continued their guided trek through these haunted woods.
1.1.1
Evening had fallen over Evershade Valley, with most of the ghosts floating happily about, minding their own business. Falco and Luigi relaxed at the top of the Hollow Tree in the Haunted Towers, sharing a bag of chips. Seated beside them was the formerly Harsh Possessor, periodically reaching over to "borrow" a handful of potato chips.
The duo watched as a shooting star arced across the sky.
"Quick—make a wish," said Falco.
Luigi closed his eyes for a minute, and then opened them. "Did you make a wish, too?" he asked.
"Uh-huh."
"And what did you wish for?"
Falco laughed. "You know I can't tell you," he said. "That's bad luck."
"Can you at least give me a hint?"
"No can do."
A Slammer floated over, bearing several bottles of soda on ice.
"Thanks," said Luigi as the Slammer placed the soda next to the chips.
Falco, Luigi and the Possessor each took a bottle of soda, opened it, and toasted before taking a sip.
"How come you're getting chummy with King Boo?" asked Luigi.
"I'm not getting chummy with him," said Falco. "I'm trying to gain his trust so he can divulge his plans to me—and then I can warn you."
"You really think you'll get him to open up?"
"I have to try," said Falco. "I don't want him hurting you again."
"As long as he's in that Vault, he can't hurt anyone," said Luigi.
"He escaped before," sighed Falco. "Who's to say he won't do it again? I sneaked a look at the Professor's remote control for the Vault, and there was a button for releasing Boos."
"There was?"
Falco nodded.
"I know Professor Gadd is eccentric, but he's not scatter-brained," said Luigi. "I know he won't push that button, and I know he won't purposely put me in danger. It's just—I want you to be careful. Chances are—he could turn your plan around on you. What has he told you so far?"
"The usual song-and-dance about how he hates your guts and wants you trapped in a painting along with everyone else," replied Falco.
"Does he know about Smash?"
"He knows everything," shuddered Falco. "He knew about the update patch, about what went down over these past few days, about the two Steves' stunt. Believe it or not, he's not happy about it."
"Of course he isn't," said Luigi, "because in his warped mind, he's the only one allowed to torment me."
Falco decided to change the subject. "Have you talked to Mario again?" he asked.
"I did. The meeting this morning went off without a hitch," said Luigi. "They're all upset at MH, though, as is their prerogative."
"Do you think you can forgive him?"
Luigi bit his lip. "Maybe," he said finally.
"How about Mario?"
"Wha—how did you know…?"
"I kinda—heard you two exchanging words that night," Falco explained.
"You were listening in on us?"
Falco dropped his head. "Yes."
Luigi took another swig of soda.
"You haven't forgiven him, have you?" asked Falco. "Fully forgiven him?"
"No," said Luigi. "I can't believe someone I loved more than any material possession in the world would say something like that to me. Having words with MH doesn't excuse him. At all."
"But when Mario was in trouble…"
"At the end of the day, we're brothers and protectors, and we can't let our arguments divide us. I waited for him to cool off, and he cooked my favorite pasta for me, but…"
"A pasta dinner can't erase the words," said Falco.
Luigi shook his head.
"He met me halfway, just like you, and for that reason, I could let go of my anger and hear him out," he said. "We reconciled, but I keep hearing those words. It's like—he said them."
"That's also why you came here," Falco realized.
"I needed some time away from him, from MH, from the tournament," said Luigi.
"From me," Falco softly added.
"Well—it would've been nice, but—everything happens for a reason, you know?"
"Yeah," said Falco.
"I'm gonna meet up with Mario and Peach in two days," said Luigi, "and they want me to bring you along."
"I'll fly you over there," offered Falco. "I know how much you dislike that Pixel—what do you call it?"
"Pixelshifter."
"Right. Pixelshifter." Falco munched on another handful of chips. "If I may, allow me to offer you one piece of advice."
"Okay."
"Once you have some free time—talk to him about it. Tell him how you really feel. He must be dealing with unresolved feelings about your exchange, too."
"Practice what you preach, Falco."
"I…"
"You haven't talked to him since the day before my nerf," said Luigi.
"He was willing to forgive me then, but now…"
"Can't you at least take the chance? Because this is the second time I'm taking a chance with you."
Falco heaved a sigh. "All right," he said. "When I can, I'll talk to Mario."
"Thank you, Falco," beamed Luigi. "That means a lot."
The two exchanged a warm look.
Luigi's phone broke the moment, notifying him of an incoming text message.
"Excuse me," he said, pulling out the phone and checking the text.
His mouth dropped open, and the heat rose to his face. "Son of a…!"
"What? What happened?" asked Falco.
"Koopa," snapped Luigi, his eyes flashing. "That turtle made a phone call to Crazy Hand the night before those four guys attacked my bro!"
Please R&R.