T Plus 27 Days
It was the lunch rush at Lake Chalet in Oakland, California. The restaurant staff was hard at work, serving up delicious seafood and seafood-based meals, refreshing drinks and luscious desserts to hungry patrons. There were widescreen LED TVs everywhere, each of them showing a different TV channel, most of them broadcasting a sporting event. Top 40 hits blared from the overhead loudspeakers. Lake Chalet was considered one of the best seafood restaurants in the Bay Area, and it wasn't about to relinquish that distinction.
At around 12:55p.m., Theo walked inside the establishment. His jet-black hair was nicely trimmed and combed back, streaked with a little gray. A touch of cologne had been applied to the back of his neck, and a Tag Heur watch encircled one wrist. His attire consisted of a salmon, button-down shirt, a red-and-blue striped tie, navy blue slacks, dark blue socks with little white stars on them, sensible shoes and a navy suit jacket with Super Mushroom-shaped cufflinks.
Theo's eyes scanned the place until he found the young man he was looking for, sipping on some ice water.
Mario looked up and rose to his feet when he saw Theo. "Hey!" he greeted.
"Hey," Theo replied. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting long."
Mario grinned. "Not to worry—you didn't."
The two men shared a big hug before sitting at their table.
"Nice place, huh?" asked Theo.
"Absolutely," nodded Mario.
A server walked up to them. "Hello, gentlemen," he said cheerily. "What can I get started for you?"
"I'd like a strawberry smoothie, please," said Theo.
"And I'll have a peach smoothie," said Mario. "Thank you."
"Are you interested in any appetizers?" asked the server.
"We'll have the crab cakes," Theo told him.
"You got it," said the server. "I'll go put those orders in."
"The service seems swift and courteous," opined Mario once the server took his leave.
"Wait until you taste the food," winked Theo.
"Guess what?" asked Mario.
"What?"
"I'm fighting that turtle later this afternoon," smiled Mario, "and you and your family are cordially invited to cheer me on."
"Aw—thanks, Mario," said Theo. "Vanessa and I are getting the kids ready to go back to school; their month off is almost over. But we'll be able to make it."
"If I were you, then I'd arrive as early as possible," said Mario. "The days when I fight Koopa usually have high turnout."
"Understood."
"My bro's gonna fight him, too," said Mario. "In fact, the match is scheduled to start in about an hour."
"Well—when push comes to shove, you can always take your food to-go," said Theo.
"I already talked to Luigi about it," said Mario. "He wants me to enjoy my lunch with you, and he doesn't want me scarfing down my food. And he knows that even if I'm unable to physically make it, I'll be with him in spirit."
"Aww…" cooed Theo.
"And after Luigi and I fight him, Peachy will get a turn!" laughed Mario. "Master Hand arranged it all."
"I'd say that's a cool and unusual punishment," said Theo. "We'll probably stay for Peach's turn."
"Actually, I was mistaken. Peach's turn will come before mine," said Mario, "but she'll appreciate your presence."
The server came back with their smoothies and crab cakes. "Have you decided on your main courses?" he asked.
"I'll have the cold-water lobster tails," said Theo, "and for my side dish, I'll have a baked potato, all of the fixings."
"As for me, the jumbo coconut shrimp sounds good," said Mario, "and I'll also take the baked potato as my side dish, with all of the toppings."
The server wrote everything down. "I'll have your meals out in a jiff," he said, and then he was gone.
Theo raised his glass. "Cheers, Mario," he said.
"Cheers," replied Mario, and then they toasted.
Then, the two began munching on their crab cakes.
"Dio," said Mario. "These are really good."
"Told ya," laughed Theo.
"How did you first hear about me and my bro?" asked Mario when he was done savoring the bite of food.
"My first vivid memory is sitting in my living room and playing the original Super Mario Bros with my dad," said Theo. "I thought it was the coolest game in the world. While I played as you, my dad played as Luigi, and the two of us were a team. Every day, I'd try to stay on my best behavior so I could fire up that NES and fight my way closer and closer to the Princess. When I finally defeated Koopa and saved the kingdom, I was over the moon. All of those hours seated in front of the TV had been worth it. Then, my parents would take me to the arcade sometimes, where we'd either play Donkey Kong or Mario Bros. It was nice to see where you got your start. With each new game, I'd wonder how the two of you could keep doing that—fighting Koopa and rescuing Peach once or twice a week. Your tolerance was—and still is—godlike. My interest in you boosted when the Smash tournaments rolled around. And then I met and fell in love with Vanessa, and I discovered that she also enjoyed the Mario franchise and was an avid Peach fan. The rest, as they say, is history."
Theo ate another forkful of crab cake. "Seriously, though—what's your secret? You never get tired of this?"
"Not really," said Mario. "I'm kinda used to it now. Sometimes, I have new powerups helping me. And I know I don't have to bear the entire burden of protecting Peach and her people—because I have my bro."
"He never gets tired of this, either?"
"No. He'll always help me save the day, no matter what."
"But…" Theo trailed off. He didn't want to ruin the moment by bringing that up. "Never mind."
"It's okay, Theo," Mario said softly. "When all is said and done, I get most of the hoopla, and Luigi barely gets anything. But he puts that behind him and moves on. And if he's ever gotten fed up with it, he never lets me see."
"After 30 years, one would think that Koopa would've gotten a clue," opined Theo.
"But he didn't," eyerolled Mario. "Whatever plan he's hatching, though—Luigi and I will be there, waiting to stop it in its tracks."
"Plan—that's—that's actually what I wanna talk to you about," said Theo. "Koopa's not giving this up, Mario. He's planning something big."
"Like…?" Mario apprehensively asked.
Theo dropped his voice. "A royal wedding."
Mario's mouth dropped open.
"He's taking this seriously, man," Theo went on. "He's even hired a quartet of wedding planners. There was a thick folder he showed us. This isn't your run-of-the-mill adventure through eight worlds. This is an odyssey we're talking about here. He'll lay waste to a dozen more kingdoms in order to put this wedding on. That's why we were all in the castle two days ago. He wanted us to meet his wedding planners."
"Are you going?" Mario breathily asked.
"I'm one of his groomsmen, and Vanessa's the matron of honor," said Theo. "Ganondorf is the best man. Look at it like this, Mario—we'll be on the inside. We can send you tons of information. Maybe we'll help Peach escape—like last time. Or maybe we'll stall things long enough for you to get there."
Mario muttered something under his breath, and then he composed himself. "Thanks for telling me," he said. "I'll pass it along as soon as I can."
"That's why Vanessa and I took action," said Theo. "Part of the reason why, at least."
"It was still pretty risky," said Mario. "Next time you want to help Peach, could you please talk to me or to Luigi or to both of us first?"
"Will do," said Theo. "Things like this make me wonder how you're so full of energy and joy after all that's been done."
"The Toads look to me for hope and strength," Mario told him, "and that turtle wants me to crack, to break, to cave. I won't allow him that satisfaction."
"That's why Vanessa and I like you," said Theo, "and that's why Anna and Ethan like you. A lot of young people look up to you, and do you wanna know why? You're an everyman, and yet you're a hero who never says 'can't' and claws his way through unimaginable trauma. This world needs more people like you, people who persevere, who have that skip in their step even as the rain pours down around them. And Vanessa and I think that you and Peach make an adorable couple."
Mario blushed. "Thanks, Theo," he said. "I love her so much. I'd die for her."
The server arrived with their food, the divine smell of butter and spices and freshly prepared seafood filling their nostrils.
"Ahh…" Mario happily sighed as the server placed their plates before them. "No wonder this place gets rave reviews."
"Enjoy," the server said before taking his leave.
The two men set to work dressing their baked potatoes, and then Theo cut his lobster tails loose from their shells.
"What about my bro?" Mario suddenly asked.
"Hm?" Theo asked, a forkful of baked potato to his lips.
"What about Luigi?" asked Mario. "You, Vanessa and your kids look up to me, but what do you think about my lil' bro?"
"Well, to put it mildly, Luigi's kinda out of focus in most of your games. He's had a limited role, and I guess we're pretty biased because of it," Theo explained.
Mario stared hard at Theo, popping a piece of coconut shrimp into his mouth. "That's not the picture I got when Ethan went off on me after I lost to Luigi," he said.
"Mario…" Theo said gently. "He's apologized. Repeatedly. And he's done his penance. Nothing like a few weeks without video games to humble a kid, eh?"
"I still can't figure out why it was such a big deal," Mario said, a little shakily.
"Neither can I," said Theo. "Maybe it was because Ethan thought you were defeat-proof."
"Or maybe it was because he didn't see my bro as a winner?" challenged Mario.
"I guess—that was part of the reason, too," conceded Theo.
"A lot of my fans think I'm indestructible," said Mario, starting in on his baked potato. "They think I can never lose a fight—that I can never feel, never hurt, never bleed. But—I'm human, like everyone else. I have flaws, like everyone else. And I even wound up in a situation where I was in dire need of rescue, a situation which left me traumatized for so long…"
"Mario—don't go there," pleaded Theo. "Don't put yourself through that."
"The thing is—I can't help it. To this day, I'm kicking myself for landing myself into that mess. And not only that, but also I put Luigi in danger and traumatized him. Did you know that we're both seeing therapists because of what happened?"
Theo sat, listening in respectful silence.
"Like I said—I'm only human. I bleed, I fall." Mario raised his head. "But I get back up again."
"And so does Luigi," Theo said quietly.
"Now say for the sake of argument I lose to that turtle later today," said Mario. "How would you think my fans will react?"
"They'll be bummed out for sure, since the bad guy wins," mused Theo.
"Makes sense. But what if I lose to Peach? Or Rosalina? Or Donkey Kong? Or Yoshi? Or Link? Or Kirby? Or Fox? Or…"
Theo raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. You got me," he said. "The fact is, though, that Ethan did a horrible thing, and Vanessa and I encouraged him. But we're trying to atone for it. We got Peach out of danger, for God's sake."
"And I appreciate that," said Mario, munching on another piece of shrimp.
"Say, Mario," Theo spoke up after a while. "Care to look at some pictures?"
"Sure," replied Mario.
"I've been into cosplay since I was a boy," said Theo, taking out his phone and opening the Photos app. "Vanessa's a fan of it, too. And I guess we passed that down to our kids."
He held out his phone to Mario, who scooted closer for a better look.
"This is me in my Mario costume," smiled Theo as the men gazed at pictures of a young, dark-haired boy in Mario's iconic getup, "and this is me in front of my NES, after I just beat the game. Oh, and here I am at the senior prom. All of the girls said I looked dashing in that white suit and top hat. That outfit would look good on you, Mario, but you didn't hear that from me. And here's me with Vanessa, before our first date. Here's another one of us, and isn't she a knockout in her Peach outfit?"
"She sure is," said Mario.
"Here are some photos of us at the first Comic-Con we attended together. And these are some of our wedding and wedding reception photos."
"Wow," said Mario. "You two look so in love."
"And we're still going strong, even after Ethan and Anna entered the picture," said Theo. "Not to be nosy or anything, but you and Peach—have you thought about, well, you know…?"
"I have, once or twice," said Mario, "but there never seems to be a good time to broach the subject. Peachy has royal duties, and I constantly have to fight off bad guys. And if push comes to shove, she knows that I'll always put Luigi first. Which actually reminds me of a recurring dream I have." He dropped his voice. "It's during the climax of our usual rescue missions. Luigi and I are fighting that turtle, and we're doing really well. But somehow—Koopa wrests the advantage from us and—attacks Luigi. And—and then he tries to make me choose. Between him and Peach. I see Luigi in so much pain, and I see his mouth moving, but I don't hear any words come out. They're drowned out by that beast's laughter and Peach's cries. And I'm standing there, trying to wrack my brain for a way to save them both and at the same time I'm trying to hear what my bro is trying to tell me. And then I wake up."
"Knowing Luigi, I think he's trying to make that choice for you," said Theo, sipping his smoothie.
"Something similar happened during the rescue mission before this last one," said Mario. "We had him on the ropes, and then he turned the tide and—started hurting Luigi. Koopa tried to use my bro to get me to surrender! But Luigi, bless his heart, told me to just save Peach. He wanted me to leave him to Koopa's nonexistent mercy! That's the thing about him—he puts other people before himself, even if it nearly gets him killed. Sometimes, I wish there was another member on our team, someone who could act as his conscience and make sure he takes care of himself, even as he's trying to rescue people."
Theo nodded in agreement, and after a beat, they looked over some more photos together.
"Despite that one incident, Ethan really wants to be like you," said Theo. "He's trying to be a better brother to Anna. And he even wrote a play about you, called 'Forever Our Hero', when he was ten."
Theo opened a folder to show Mario some more pictures.
"Ethan played you, Anna played Peach, Vanessa played a Toad—she could do a convincing Toad voice—and I played the villainous Koopa."
"I'd say he's quite creative," said Mario.
The two men continued eating their lunch, looking over Theo's photos and talking. Just after the server swung by to take dessert orders, Mario's cell phone chimed. The red-clad hero looked at the notification, and then he swore under his breath.
"What is it?" asked Theo.
"The railways between Oakland and the Smash Mansion have been temporarily shut down," huffed Mario. "Apparently, one of the trains ran into some problems, and it's stranded on one of the tracks."
"You didn't take a Warp Pipe?" asked Theo.
"All of the pipes are undergoing maintenance today, so I decided to take the train," Mario explained. "But they're saying that it'll be at least two hours before train traffic resumes, which means I won't make it back in time to watch Luigi battle that turtle! I'd better let him know…"
His thumb flew across the small keyboard as he sent Luigi a text message.
"I'm sure he'll understand," Theo said comfortingly.
"I know he will, but…"
The server returned with their desserts.
"Hey," he said. "I know that Luigi's scheduled to fight Koopa in less than 25 minutes. There's a pub not far from here, and they always have their TVs on the Smash channel."
"Thank God," said Mario. "I won't be able to make it in person."
The server wrote the pub's name and address on a napkin and handed it to him. "It's within walking distance," he said. "I'll come back with your check, and you can close things out while you're eating your dessert."
"Okeydokey," said Mario.
"I'm paying," said Theo, "but thanks."
True to his word, the server had their bill printed out in seconds, and Theo paid for the food and left a tip.
Mario and Theo ate their desserts in silence. When they were finished, Theo checked his watch.
"We'd better head over there," he said, inputting the address the server provided into Google Maps and generating the directions.
After thanking the server and the rest of the staff, the two men exited the restaurant and strolled around the lake, toward the pub.
A hostess was waiting for them at the door. "Welcome in!" she said cheerily. "You're just in time! The big fight is about 10 minutes away!"
"How did you know?" asked Theo.
"This is a popular viewing spot for Smash battles," explained the hostess, "especially when it comes to those involving Luigi."
She turned toward the pub's occupants and cupped her hands around her mouth. "Attention, everyone!" she called. "We have a very special guest viewing the match this afternoon! Ladies and gentlemen, I give you—Super Mario!"
The patrons clapped as Theo and Mario followed the hostess inside the pub, where they were invited to seat themselves in the bar area. They made themselves comfortable at a small, round table near one of the TVs, where two Miis were in the middle of some pre-fight commentary. A server approached them, gave them some fresh, warm bread and butter for them to share and a glass of ice water each before taking their drink orders.
"This is surprising turnout for a Smash match involving my bro," said Mario. "I wonder why—are they here to see him lose?"
"No," said Theo as he scanned the pub. There were a lot of Luigi fans in this crowd. "I think the majority of these patrons are rooting for him."
"It's good to know that the number of Luigi's detractors is shrinking as of late," said Mario, "but they're still present—and they can be merciless. They even managed to use Master Hand as a pawn. Can't you believe that?"
"It strains credulity," said Theo.
Their server arrived with their drinks. "Have you decided on appetizers?" she asked.
"Your loaded cheese fries look good," said Mario.
"Excellent choice," smiled the server. "Just so you'll know, Luigi is this pub's favorite Smasher. Which means—if he wins a Smash battle, then your meal is half-price."
"Awesome," beamed Theo.
The server left, and Mario smiled. "I'm glad Lake Chalet's staff directed us here," he said.
"One month ago, my family and I wouldn't have dreamed of setting foot in this place," murmured Theo. "What can I say? I guess we've had our eyes opened."
"And I'm glad you did," Mario said heartily.
Some time later, their server returned with their loaded cheese fries. "The match is about to start," she said. "Shall I turn up the volume for you?"
"Yes, please," said Mario.
"Better yet—let me move you guys to the bar," said the server.
"Okeydokey," smiled Mario.
"The two of you are in for a real treat," the server told them. "You think watching Luigi's matches in the Smash arena is something else? Wait until you watch one of them here. It's a high-energy environment. But be warned—things could get a bit unruly."
"We can take it," Mario stated confidently.
Suddenly, there was an explosion of activity within the pub as the other patrons headed toward the bar, where two large, flatscreen TVs were mounted above. The bartenders were hard at work, serving up drinks to the prospective spectators. Servers bustled about, delivering food as swiftly as possible before the match heated up. Inside the kitchen, the chefs focused themselves as orders came fast and hard. The scene's excitement was further illustrated as someone began to play a lively tune on an autoharp.
Mario and Theo hurried over to the bar, as well, with their server carrying their loaded cheese fries to the bar counter. The two men thanked her before each hopped onto a barstool and turned their attention to one of the mounted TVs. The Mii commentators finished their spiel, and after some fanfare, the scene switched to Luigi and Koopa facing each other on the Battlefield stage.
Around them, more patrons placed their bets, and several employees did so, as well.
"Six on the turtle!"
"Twenty on the plumber!"
"Eleven on Luigi!"
"Two on Luigi!"
"Ten on the turtle!"
"Twenty-five on Luigi!"
"I'll raise you forty on Luigi!"
After placing their bets, everyone began crowding around Theo and Mario as the match went underway.
"C'mon, Luigi," Mario said softly as the two combatants circled one another. "Give him a right thrashing for me."
His heart leaped into his throat as his archnemesis slashed. Luigi dodged, landing a punch which sent the hulking reptile stumbling. The pub came alive with cheers. Recovering, Koopa swiped and slashed again and again, but Luigi danced and weaved, his punches seeming to come from all directions, targeting his opponent's face and vulnerable underbelly.
"Watch his left, Highness," someone said. "Watch his left!"
Red-orange flashed across the screen as Koopa unleashed his fire breath. Luigi backflipped to safety, but he hung back cautiously, waiting, fists up.
The patrons heard Koopa growl as he stomped toward Luigi, but that was just what the latter wanted. He fluidly dodged the succeeding strikes and knocked his foe further off-balance with body blows. And then he reached out—and grabbed.
"Do it, Bro!" Mario sang out.
As if Luigi could hear him through the TV screen, he Ground-Pounded his larger opponent and let loose with combos old and new. While his reliable down-throw to f-air was still viable at certain percentages, he seemed to be focusing on his newer combos, especially those involving special moves. He'd spin across the stage, mashing into the Koopa King with his Cyclone. Or, he'd top off one of his combos with a fiery Super Jump Punch. The man in green was starting off strong, and it appeared that he had a lot of aggression to let out.
Koopa jumped away from Luigi's offensive assault, cannoning a hammy fist into him. Mario's breath was driven from his lungs, as if he'd been the one punched. But then he regained his wind when he saw Luigi getting back up. He wouldn't know the extent of whatever injury he sustained until after the battle.
Mario took several more deep breaths, calming himself down.
"Hey, relax, Mario," a patron said good-naturedly, clapping the portly plumber on the shoulder. "He's faced down worse than that."
"C'mon," Theo broke in. "Now's not the time or place to bring that up."
"It's fine," said Mario. "Really, it's fine. It's—better than acting like it didn't happen. He did face down worse than Koopa. And he did it for me."
Everyone fell silent then, Mario and Theo enjoying their loaded cheese fries as well as every delicious second of the fight unfolding before them in glorious HD. The volume was turned up nearly to the max, and as the bout heated up, the patrons could hear the sound of each connecting blow, each growl, each grunt and each cry of pain. Fight commentators narrated the action in increasingly excited tones, patrons and employees alike clinging to every word. As the server had warned, rowdiness started ensuing as spectators began downing shots, cheering animatedly for Luigi and booing, hissing and cursing whenever Koopa pulled a dirty trick or landed a blow on the man in green.
Theo stole a glance at Mario, drinking in the enthralled expression on his face, his eyes blue-black, his pupils dilating and a light film of sweat on his brow. He bounced lightly in his seat, intermittently leaping into the air. There was a tense, worried air about him, and his chest heaved. He was really into this fight, and Theo found himself drawn in, as well. Were Vanessa and the kids also watching, streaming the event on their phones as they sat on a park bench eating ice cream? Who else was watching from home? Daisy, perhaps, all the way in Sarasaland? A certain elderly professor, watching from his laboratory? Who wouldn't want to watch Luigi sock it to a normally intimidating opponent?
The fight grew more and more intense. Most of the pub's occupants practically held their breath. Mario's face was flushed, his attention riveted on Luigi's every move. Theo's heart was pounding right out of his chest. He saw Koopa snarl and bare his claws. He saw Luigi's sweaty face briefly fill the screen, bearing a timid yet determined expression. He heard the commentators' voices modulate. He heard Luigi breathing deeply.
"That's right, L—stay with it!" someone cheered.
"Eyes on the prize, buddy! Eyes on the prize!" someone else chimed in.
"Don't let that turtle get to you!" exclaimed a bartender.
"That's right—you give him what for!" Mario and Theo's server piped up. "He messed with your Bro, remember? Beat that S.O.B.!"
"That's motivation enough, I'll give you that," said another bartender.
"And don't even think about slacking off!" shouted one of the server's colleagues. "There's no way I'm clocking out empty-handed this evening!"
Mario continued to watch the action on the TV, a shaky hand now held over his heart and his breath coming fast. Occasionally, he'd take off his cap and fan himself with it. Whether he was watching Luigi from his favorite spot in the arena or viewing him long-distance, Mario would always fret for his bro's safety, even after witnessing him hold his own. He just hated it when people hurt Luigi, either out of petty spite or for no reason at all. And some would try to use that little fact against him.
Concerned patrons did their best to comfort the little man, from offering him glasses of ice water to reassuringly squeezing his shoulder and to rubbing the small of his back. Some even offered up shots of alcohol. It helped, if only a little.
"I can't drink any spirits right now," said Mario. "I have a few matches left in my own lineup. Thanks, though."
"This is a really big deal for you," observed a patron.
"It's always been a big deal," said Mario. "I want him to know that I'm there with him, even if I'm not there in person at the moment. I want him to know that I believe in him. During our regular fights with him in his castle, he's really taken charge lately. And while a lot of people are used to me landing the final blow on Koopa, they need to understand that Luigi's capable of doing that, too."
"Didn't he grow giant to fight him?" asked another patron.
"He did," smiled Mario. "We were adventuring in the Dream World, and it was as if the dreamy version of my bro was tailor-made to protect me. Behemoths would threaten us, but then he'd grow stories tall and make them wish they hadn't tried to harm me. And if one of them did land a blow on me…" He didn't need to finish.
A few patrons whistled. "World's Best Brother material right there," one of them mused.
"D—n straight," said Mario.
Back on the TV screen, Luigi whittled away at his opponent as he leaped, flipped and fluttered around him, attacking with relentless volleys of punches, open-palm strikes, elbow strikes and kicks. The fearsome Koopa had strength and bulk on his side, but Luigi made up for his lack of both with his enviable speed and higher jump height. While his attacks were seemingly light, they packed a lot of power, even drawing blood, to Mario's great delight. However, whenever Koopa managed to land a punch, a kick or a claw slash, it would slow Luigi down considerably for a while, and he'd have to go on the defensive until he gathered himself. The princess-snatching reptile also attacked with his Ground Pound, his full-body tackles, his Fire Breath and by tucking into his shell and spinning toward his opponent. While Luigi could throw down with larger and stronger opponents, he still had to be careful—especially when there was no love lost between him and these larger and stronger foes.
As per usual, Mario cheered the most ardently for his bro, shouting encouragement in both English and Italian. His signature vitality rubbed off on the other patrons, who found themselves drawn to the man in red like a magnet. Their cheers became even more animated, and a few even adjusted their bet amounts as the match went on. And as Mario yelled and pumped his fist and leaped and bounced and exhorted, he felt as if his love and support was floating through that TV screen and straight into Luigi's ears.
"Wow, Theo," Mario said after a bit, his voice a tad raspy from cheering Luigi on. "Those guys at the restaurant were right to point us here. I love the energy of this place!"
"So do I," said Theo. "Maybe I should come here when I need some alone time."
"Need a refill on those loaded cheese fries?" asked their server. "Or would you like to order an entrée?"
"We just had a big meal at the seafood restaurant next door," Theo told her, "so we'll take a refill on the loaded cheese fries."
"Coming right up," said the server.
"So," said Theo, "I thought you'd like to know that Ethan has officially taken up Luigi as his new main."
"Oh? And how's he faring?"
"He's—learning."
"Is he maining my bro just to try and butter us up? Or does he actually want to main him?"
"I guess—a little bit of both," shrugged Theo.
Mario said nothing, watching the unfolding battle on TV and popping a cheesy fry into his mouth.
"He made a mistake, Mario, and he's owned up to it, which is the hardest part. He'll have to live with it until his dying day. His mom and I will have to live with the fact that we encouraged him, rather than discipline him for his misbehavior."
"Do you want to know what really sickens me?" asked Mario. "The fact that these people have no compunction over indoctrinating little kids into—whatever this is. It's been the same throughout history. Hate isn't in someone's genetic code. Hate is taught."
"Thank God we managed to pull Ethan back from the brink," said Theo.
"He can main my bro, he can treat him nicer, he can cheer him on in his matches, and he can change and become a better person—but he still blew up at me over something so—trivial. Like—like I let him down. What's the big deal? I lose to my bro sometimes. I'm upset, yeah, but I get over it. I've handled it well, save for that one time…" He trailed off.
"We needn't bring that up," Theo said softly.
"Thanks," he said to the server, who arrived with some fresh loaded cheese fries. Returning to the conversation, he said, "Look, Mario—what's done is done. Ethan can't go back and unsay those words. Neither can I, and neither can his mother. The best we can do—is to let it be done and move on. Besides, the Bennigan Brothers are turning themselves around, cleaning up their acts. Surely, we shouldn't count that out."
"No," said Mario. "We shouldn't."
The two men exchanged a smile, and then—
—Mario doubled over in pain, holding his midsection.
"Whoa," said Theo as he steadied his companion. "Are you all right?"
A disquieting light flashed in Mario's eyes. "I—I don't know," he said breathily. "Luigi—he—he's…"
He was cut off by a fresh jolt of pain tearing through him.
"Oh—no…" he uttered.
The lively music from the autoharp abruptly cut off with a dissonant chord. Gasps and cries of disbelief and horror sounded throughout the pub.
"Holy [bleep]!" someone yelled. "Luigi!"
"That f—ing turtle!" someone else exclaimed.
Swears and catcalls soon followed as the patrons booed and denounced the Koopa King.
A few people had their hands pressed over their mouths. Sandwich halves or drumettes slipped out of customers' hands as they stared, wide-eyed at the TV. The voices of the commentators had turned somber.
Mario was now practically glued to the TV screen, his gaze locked on the sight of his baby bro. He was on the floor of the Battlefield, bleeding and visibly in pain, struggling to stand as Koopa slowly lumbered toward him.
"C'mon, Luigi," breathed a server. "Get up—get up…"
"J—s," said a patron. "Is he okay?"
Mario reached out a gloved hand toward the screen. "Bro…" he uttered.
Theo took Mario's other hand in his, another hand rubbing consoling circles into his back. "Hey," he said. "He's gonna make it. He doesn't give up that easily."
"No," said Mario. "He doesn't."
"Oh, c'mon!" their server hollered.
More curses and blasphemes sprang up as they watched Koopa attack his opponent while he was down.
"Master Hand needs to stop this match—pronto!" cried a bartender.
"Mario—are you hurt?" asked Theo.
Mario shook his head. "Seconds before—that—I—I felt my bro's pain. It's—I can't explain."
"Will you be all right?"
"Yeah." Mario took several deep breaths. "I think I'm fine now."
His eyes narrowed dangerously. "When I get back to the Smash Mansion, that turtle is in for a lot of pain," he growled.
A bartender passed him another glass of ice water, which he gratefully drank.
"There he goes!" someone shouted enthusiastically.
Raucous cheering followed as Luigi got back up, straightened and raised his fists, that same resolve in his eyes.
"Whoa! He took all of that and still managed to…?" A patron gawked. "Luigi, Luigi, Luigi—I salute you!"
Theo nudged Mario. "Told ya," he said.
And then Luigi dashed back into battle, taking everything his opponent threw at him. Claw swipes and slashes, double-footed kicks, punches, body slams, body tackles, Ground Pounds and hits from that spiny shell. He gave with equal ferocity, maybe more, dealing a series of blows to Koopa's legs, searing that underbelly with green fire, hammering away with Smash attacks. His tenacity floored everyone in the pub. One by one, they started chanting Luigi's name, softly at first, and then louder and louder and louder.
"Only God knows what he's thinking about right now," mused a bartender who was fixing a drink.
"Me," replied Mario. "He's thinking about me. It's always been me."
He closed his eyes, allowing a wave of calm to wash over him. Bro—I don't care if I'm a thousand miles away from you. I'll always have your back.
What you just said goes double for me, Bro.
Mario opened his eyes as Luigi's face once again took up the screen. His jaw was set, and his eyes were intense. He kept fighting—and fighting and fighting and fighting, ensnaring that turtle in another blistering combo, not even dropping his rhythm when his green cap was knocked off the stage. Most of the women in the pub chattered among themselves at the sight of Luigi's dark hair, and a lot of guys drank it in, too. They heard his breaths, sharp and a little drawn out, and they saw that he still had a lot of fire in him in spite of the blows he'd taken. No more words were spoken among them—there were only the sounds of cheering, munching on food and sipping on drinks, with Mario the most absorbed spectator of them all.
Brightness flashed as Luigi blasted off with a misfired Missile, colliding hard with the hulking reptile's center of mass. The cheers tapered into a lull as the man in green grabbed his downed foe by the tail and repeatedly swung him round in a tight circle before letting him go. But Koopa managed to grab the ledge and flip himself up, his claws glinting. And—was that blood smeared on those claws?
But it didn't matter anymore. Koopa abandoned all caution and practically sprang for his opponent's throat, only to be met with flurries of blistering punches and knifehand strikes. The TV cameras offered a quick view of Luigi's chest pulsing in and out as he gave this match everything he had left. Everyone watched the bout's final moments in total silence. Silence which was broken when Luigi laid the Koopa King out to dry with a Super Jump Punch.
"Got him!" Mario and Theo's server exclaimed in triumph. "He got him!"
Cheers and whoops met this announcement. Mario slumped in his seat with a relieved sigh, beaming at Luigi's image on the TV, shooting his signature finger-guns at the camera as he celebrated his hard-earned victory.
"Bang-bang!" they heard him say.
"Bang-bang!" the patrons uproariously replied, shooting finger-guns back at the TV.
Those who'd betted in Luigi's favor collected their winnings as those betting in Koopa's favor sat there, slack-jawed.
Theo and Mario saw their server high-five her colleagues as they divvied up a fat wad of cash.
"We're rich!" she cried as she kissed her share of the winnings.
The pub calmed down during the post-fight commentary, and Mario breathed a little easier. He really hoped that Luigi wasn't hurt too badly.
All of the servers came out, armed with plates of cake and bowls of ice-cream.
"On the house, in honor of Luigi's victory," they explained.
Mario accepted his dessert with a quiet smile, watching a Mii stride onto the scene and interview Luigi. His hair resembled a half blown-over hut, he was covered in sweat and bruises, and he was bleeding, as well. Despite this, a huge smile was on his face as he gave some breathless remarks. Then, Mario looked closer, and he saw that Luigi was cradling his midsection.
He could hardly wait for his turn against Koopa.
"I wanna say hi to my big bro, who watched and cheered me on, all the way in Oakland, California," Luigi was saying. "I could feel him with me from beginning to end. Ti amo, Mario! Ti amo sempre!"
"Ti amo sempre," Mario said softly, blowing a kiss to the TV.
"And also, I'd like to give a shout-out to Princess Daisy in Sarasaland," Luigi went on. "My lovely, beautiful flower—I love you so much!"
The spectators cooed in adoration.
"I need to get my wounds looked at," Luigi said to his interviewer. "My bro sees this, and he'll go nuclear on that turtle—and my life will be over."
"You got that right," said Mario.
"The way you two look out for each other is the stuff of legend," said Theo, shearing off a spoonful of ice cream. "It was a rocky road, but Ethan and Anna are on their way to that point."
"I concur," said Mario, "but Ethan needs to understand that while I can forgive him for exploding at me like that, I can never forget it."
"He'll understand when he gets older," said Theo.
Upbeat and celebratory music resumed playing on the autoharp as the two men, joined by the rest of the patrons, enjoyed their complimentary dessert.
1.1.1
"And here—we—are," said Dr. Mario as he finished tending to Luigi's wounds.
"Thanks, Doc," said Luigi.
"Try to relax over these next few days," Dr. Mario went on. "Avoid anything stressful."
Easier said than done, thought Luigi, but he nodded.
"I know you want to watch my counterpart later today, but try to take it easy, okay?"
"Okay."
Someone knocked on the office door. "It's Falco. May I come in?"
Dr. Mario crossed the room and opened the door. "Hey, Falco. You can see him," he said. "Just keep it brief. I'd like him to rest."
He walked out, leaving the two Smashers alone.
"Welcome home, Luigi," Falco said amiably. "The battlefield just wasn't the same without you."
"Thank you, Falco," said Luigi.
Falco held out a wing, and Luigi shook it.
"And thanks for cheering me on back there," Luigi continued. "It meant a lot to me."
"That was way too close," said Falco. "That turtle was pulling dirty tricks out of his…"
"And yet I beat him," Luigi broke in. "Not a lot of people think I can take him on one-on-one, so any time I'm matched against him, it's a big deal."
"Glad you proved them wrong," smiled Falco.
"Now that everything's settled down," said Luigi. "I wanna ask—how did that meeting go?"
Falco's smile dropped. "It was awful," he sighed. "I mean, the food was good, and the other fan club members were affable at best. But then—there was my initiation ceremony." He swallowed. "They asked me a couple of questions about King Boo, and of course, I lied to them. But then—they made me—renounce you."
Luigi was silent.
"They made me renounce anything even remotely related to you. They made me renounce our friendship. And just in case you come across that video on the website, I want you to know—I didn't mean it. Not a word. I still feel sick over having to say things like that."
"I assume that in order to maintain your cover, you talked about your feelings about my old combos," Luigi said a little tightly.
Falco nodded.
There was fire in Luigi's eyes, and then it receded. "You did what you had to," he said, the tightness gone from his voice, "and I'm not angry at you. I'm angry at that fan club for the way they manipulate people."
"I don't think the other members were manipulated," shrugged Falco. "They genuinely hate you for—whatever reason." He got back to the subject at hand. "After the initiation, the rest of the night was dedicated to toasting my arrival. A designated driver had to take us all home."
But Luigi knew that Falco was leaving something out. "Falco," he said. "I need to see it."
The avian's face paled. "You—you don't want to…"
"Show it to me."
Seeing the look on his face, Falco knew there was no sense in arguing. Slowly, he shrugged out of his flight jacket and pulled off his shirt, allowing Luigi to see.
And Luigi covered his mouth at the sight of his enemy's face, forever seared into Falco's feathers.
"It was so painful that I nearly blacked out," said Falco. "That's something I'll never forget about that night. The fan club members, chanting as I was branded—and H.G.'s laughter. It was like—she was enjoying my initiation. For the first few days afterward, I had to wear bandages over it, so my clothes wouldn't chafe. The pain's lessened recently, but—I'll have to wake up to this every morning."
"You're gonna have that scar forever," gasped Luigi.
"Which is why I didn't want you to see it," said Falco, reaching for his shirt.
But Luigi stopped him, glaring at the brand and jabbing at finger at it. "You will never get your hooks into my friend," he vowed. "Not as long as I'm alive."
"F—friend?" asked Falco.
"You may have hurt me, but I'll die before letting you fall victim to him," said Luigi. "That little dust-up is in the past, anyway. It's been over a month. And maybe it's time for me to let it go, let it be done and move on."
"Oh, Luigi…"
"I don't care what happened between us last month. Friends and family fight sometimes, but they always make up in the end. No matter what you did or said, you don't deserve to be tortured by that monster. And I won't let him touch you."
He opened his arms, and Falco moved into them.
"There's no turning back now," Luigi said softly as they hugged. "I hope you know that."
"I do," said Falco, "and I'm gonna ride it out till the end."
"I know," said Luigi, sinking deeper into the embrace. "I know you will, Falco."
1.1.1
Later that afternoon, Theo met up with his wife and kids, so that they could cheer on Peach, and later Mario, together. As for Mario himself, the first thing he did upon his return from his lunch date with Theo was seek out Luigi and give him a gentle hug. And Luigi lifted his big bro into his arms and spun him around as Dr. Mario happily looked on. Mario's eyes blazed upon seeing the extent of Luigi's injuries, but Luigi assured him that he'd be released from the hospital before long. Still, Mario held his brother close and vowed that his reptilian archnemesis would get it during their bout.
First, however, he'd watch Koopa get his from the object of his desires.
The matchup between Peach and her frequent captor would also take place on the Battlefield—a simple, hazard-free stage allowing the Mushroom Princess to clobber the main source of her kingdom's problems to her heart's content. Forty-five minutes prior to the start of the match, the arena began filling up with Peach fans and superfans. Word had gotten out about her recent stay "in another castle", and rumors were swelling that Koopa was about to step up his game after 30 years of sound defeats. Theo and his family sat in the front row, joined by the Mario Bros, Yoshi, Rosalina and Zelda.
"I suppose," said Mario, "you wanna know what happened in World 5."
"We do," Vanessa said solemnly. "The whole affair really freaked us out."
Mario exchanged a look with Luigi before turning back to Vanessa.
"Okeydokey," he said. "You might wanna cover your kids' ears for this."
Theo and Vanessa took Mario up on his advice, and then he and Luigi told the couple everything. By the time they were finished, both husband and wife felt sick to their stomachs.
"I can't believe you came out of that sane," Vanessa said after a while.
"We really couldn't afford to lose our sanity with the Princess in peril," said Luigi.
"I say we never bring this up again," said Theo.
"Agreed," nodded Mario.
The parents uncovered the kids' ears, their stomachs settling at the prospect of a "damsel in distress" beating Koopa's tail to kingdom come. They even decided to head over to the concession stand to buy a Value Meal each.
Five minutes after the family returned with their food, the stage lights snapped on, and Peach emerged, clad in her normal pink gown. Most of the arena sent up a mighty cheer, to which Peach responded with a royal wave. Then, her eyes swept over to the family of four, and she winked.
"Give him heck, Princess!" yelled Theo.
Peach gave him an A-Okay sign before facing her opponent, the softness leaving her face.
The ensuing match was five delicious minutes of payback. While Koopa's stronger attacks initially gave him a head start, he was soon at a disadvantage due to his opponent's precise strategy. Vegetables bombarded him from all directions. Crisp frying pan strikes met his face. Golf club swings met his body. Her Peach Bomber crashed into him intermittently. Blows from her Parasol sent him off his feet. He saw that she wasn't playing around. Well, neither was he.
Dorf and Wario cheered for their pal, of course, but they were grossly outnumbered by the masses of Peach's fans, happily shouting down to her and booing Koopa. Even the conspirators of Project Nerf—while that dastardly reptile had done his part during the scheme, they knew that he'd put Peach through 30-plus years' worth of grief.
When it came to close-quarters fighting, Peach leaned toward open-palm strikes, rather than punches. She wanted to smack the [bleep] out of Koopa, but she calmed herself down, knowing that the best was yet to come. While she was capable of wearing that turtle down, she chose to leave that to Mario. He always gave his nemesis the most blistering of beatdowns. A thin, cold smile was on her face as she sent Koopa out of the proverbial ball park with one strong swing of her Parasol. Then, she turned to face the audience with a soft laugh.
"Home run, Peach!" cheered Zelda. "Home run!"
"Oh—did I win?" Peach asked coyly.
"Yes, you did, amore," said Mario. "Yes, you did."
After the victory celebration and a brief Q , there were 90 minutes until Mario had a go at that turtle. Peach freshened up, grabbed something to eat and spent some time lounging around with her friends as Mario warmed up in the Training Area.
By 5p.m., the arena was a sea of red and blue, and Vanessa and her brood had also changed into their Mario getup. Everyone was hyped up and ready to watch Nintendo's mascot kick some Koopa [bleep]. Sure enough, the man in red showed up in top form, blazing fury on his face and loaded for bear. From the word "Go", Mario served up a double dose of painful payback—with interest.
Since it was the day's last match, Mario gave no quarter. Koopa didn't deserve any, not after what he'd put Peach and Luigi through! He launched into a display of his most iconic attacks, from his Cape to his Dunk to his juggling up-tilt, working his foe over until he ran out of breath, whereupon he'd cool things off with F.L.U.D.D. and throw fireballs, punches and kicks until most of his breath was back. And then it all began again and again and again, to the point where the sweat was flying off of him. The spectators who'd turned out to witness a heaping helping of karma being dished out to a despicable villain weren't disappointed.
It got to the point that several Miis had to pull Mario off of his opponent once Master Hand had called the match. As he stood there, composing himself, he and the spectators drank in his handiwork. The Koopa King now had two very ugly black eyes, some missing teeth, a busted snout and a face and underbelly scored with bruises, burns and contusions. It was perfect.
Peach sat in the front row, nodding in approval.
"If he's smart, then he won't come near my kingdom for a long time," she said.
"But—he will," Luigi said in resignation.
1.1.1
Master Hand sat in his office, going through some paperwork, when he hear the knock on his door.
"Enter," he said.
A phalanx of Royal Guards from Sarasaland strode in, escorting the mole from Daisy's court. Said mole was liberally bruised up and had some dried blood smeared on his face, but there were no broken bones, and all of his major organs appeared to be intact.
"Here he is, Master Hand," said the lead guard.
"Thank you," said MH. "You may leave us."
Nodding, the guards withdrew.
MH scrutinized the mole, taking in the mixture of relief and apprehension on his face.
"Please, sit," he commanded.
The mole obliged.
"As you know, I'm Master Hand, the Hand of Creation and the master of ceremonies for the Smash tournament. And—what's your name?"
"Bentley, sir," replied the mole. "Bentley Ellis."
"Nice to meet you, Bentley," said MH, extending a pointer finger to him.
Tentatively, Bentley shook it.
"It appears you've had a rough go of it," MH went on, "so today is your rest day. Tomorrow, you'll wake up nice and refreshed, and you'll brief me and a couple of friends of mine on the operation you partook in."
"Okay," Bentley said quietly.
"You'll be shown to your room shortly," said MH. "A shower and a change of clothes will be waiting for you, and later in the day, I'll have someone bring you a dinner menu. However—there's a price to my kindness, and that price is—the truth. Are we clear?"
"Crystal," Bentley replied.
"Remember," said MH as Eden, Jimmy, Timmy, Remy and Rory walked into the office, "the truth will set you free."
"Understood," Bentley solemnly intoned.
He got up and followed the quintet to where he'd be staying for the night.
1.1.1
It was now very late at night in the Smash Mansion. Bentley was in his guestroom, in a deep sleep, snoring loudly. All of the other Smashers were catching Z's, as well.
Save for two.
Eden was awakened by the sounds of music coming faintly from the building. She frowned and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Who on Earth could be up and blasting music at this time of night? The redheaded Mii decided to investigate.
She slid out of bed, smoothed out her nightie, fixed her sleep-disheveled ponytail and took out one of her flashlights, choosing not to bother with any shoes. Quietly, she opened her door, slipped out of her room and began walking down the hall, following the music as it steadily grew louder.
It was coming from the Training Area.
A few Smashers tended to use the Training Area late at night. It helped them calm any racing thoughts so they could sleep better. But Eden felt a small twinge in her stomach, something warning her that a heated situation was currently taking place, and that she needed to stop it before anyone got hurt.
Eden quickened her pace as she traversed the Smash Mansion's corridors, her flashlight guiding her way. As she approached the Training Area, the sounds of grunts, battle yells, cries of pain and labored breathing became discernable. In an instant, she knew who was in the Training Room and what they were doing.
Passing another set of bedrooms, Eden paused when she heard one of the doors open. Peach emerged, also clad in a nightie, her hair wild all over her face. "Eden," she uttered. "It's them."
"Not to worry, Peach," said Eden. "Everything is under control."
"Just let them be," said Peach. "Okay? It's been a trying couple of months for them, and there's a lot they need to get out of their systems."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Eden told her. "Things sound pretty intense in there. Go back to sleep. I'll take care of it."
Peach nodded and returned to her room as Eden continued on her way.
Now, Eden could hear the sounds of blows connecting, though they were nearly drowned out by the pulsing music. The grunts, cries and deep breathing could be clearly heard now, and Eden knew without a doubt that it was them. And if she didn't intervene soon, then this could escalate beyond just a friendly spar.
A sudden, rough THUMP galvanized Eden into action, and she raced the rest of the way toward the Training Area, her bare feet hardly making a sound on the floor.
The door was locked, but Eden overrode it with her access key, her heart pounding in her throat as she twisted the door handle and entered, wary of what she was about to see.
"Guys?" she called as she took in the room, dimly lit by a few blacklights. "Hey, guys?"
She eased her way past several rows of Sandbags, walking deeper into the Training Area. And then she saw them.
Mario, on the floor, a hand around his abdomen. Luigi, standing over him, his hands tight fists. Both of their chests were heaving, and both were shirtless and soaked in sweat. Eden couldn't make out their facial expressions, and perhaps she didn't really want to. She could feel the waves and waves of tension emanating from them, making it hard for her to breathe. She stood there, frozen, unsure of what would happen next. The Bros were hot and cross, and something was going on between them.
Time slowed down as Eden watched the Bros, strong emotions swirling around the room and seeming to keep her rooted in place. Her mind spun. Her eyes flicked from one Mario Bro to the other, waiting for their next move. The music played on—a dark, electronic track.
And then the track came to an end, brief silence ensuing as the music player switched to the next track, silence filled by deep, almost angry breathing. Then, the next song broke the silence—a happy party track.
The pace of time returned to normal.
Both Bros let out a long breath, the tension exiting their bodies, soft laughter escaping them. Eden sensed the strong emotions extinguishing from the Training Area. Her power of motion returned, and she walked forward.
She saw Luigi help Mario to his feet and give him a big hug, the two of them whispering apologies to each other.
"Hey, you two," said Eden.
Still in each other's arms, the Bros turned to look at her.
"Hi, Eden," said Luigi. "We didn't wake anyone, did we?"
"Well—you kinda woke me," said Eden, "and once I realized it was you sparring in here…"
"We're really sorry, Eden," said Mario. "It's just—the two of us had a lot to sort out, and…"
"Say no more. This room is the perfect place for that sort of thing," smiled Eden. "However, it's getting very late, and you guys have another big day tomorrow. There's someone Master Hand wants you to meet."
"The mole?" the Bros asked in unison.
"The mole. MH has given him a chance to come clean and explain himself if he can. But if you don't wanna lose control, then you need your rest."
"I'm interested in whatever he has to tell me," said Luigi. "How about you, Mario?"
"Yeah. Maybe we can convince him to switch to our side."
"My thoughts exactly."
The Bros exchanged a smile and held each other close before slowly separating.
"Okay, thanks for the heads-up, Eden," said Luigi. "Night-night."
"Good night," said Eden.
"Sorry again," said Mario.
"You don't have to apologize," said Eden. "No harm, no foul."
The redheaded Mii watched the Mario Bros retire to their rooms, hand-in-hand.
And then she, too, went back to bed.
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