Delfino Plaza, Just After Petey Piranha's defeat
"Oh, that's just great…" Shadow Mario thought, as he closed the M-shaped paint portal he was using to watch the battle between Petey and Mario. Starlow's appearance was unexpected, to say the least; more alarmingly, it threw all kinds of unforeseen kinks into the original plan.
"If Starlow gets her commandery involved… But… Starlow wouldn't be that crazy… Would she?" Shadow Mario posited, before shaking his head. "I cannot gamble innocent lives on my faith in another's decency." He thought as his fist clenched in determination, but after a few seconds his fist unclenched and he let out a sigh of defeat.
"I can no longer do this alone anyway… And for now Mario's wrath is directed at the Pianta Mafia and any he thinks are affiliated with Paetar Deltazar. May as well have some fun while I can."
With that, Shadow Mario teleported away.
12:00 Noon, On the way to Delfino Plaza
"I don't know, Luigi. That and so much more is just why I wonder if this was the right thing to do…" Peach finished, having just spilled all of her worries out to the man she actually wanted to be on vacation with. It was clear to see why it was Luigi who was called the Ace of the Mario Family, but the sight of his green cap turned backwards was a stolid reminder of just why the issue of Mario was as persistent as it was and would continue to be.
"To my knowledge, King Pintar and his government were warned at least thrice, Peach. I witnessed you, Peasley, and Acacia on separate occasions tell Pintar to get the criminal element in Delfino Isle under control. You yourself told them that we would not stand for innocent civilians and especially Mushroom Kingdom subjects to be victimized and trafficked into slavery. Do not cry for what happens to them or the Pianta Mafia. Save your tears for those who shall be caught in Mario's crossfire." Luigi said.
"I will be sure that Mario's orders are clear and…" The look on Luigi's face caused her to falter. "Peach, we both know exactly how that will end. For once, worry about your own happiness and safety. You are the Mushroom Kingdom; your well-being, happiness and protection is the prosperity of your subjects." Peach still looked uncertain. After a few moments, Luigi decided now was the time to break the news.
"A few sources also state that Starlow was recently seen near Bianco Hills." Luigi said simply. He did not need to explain further as Peach froze in shock at this.
"Oh… Oh my…" Peach said hollowly, still a bit frozen from the shock of this revelation. "But… Surely Starlow wouldn't… But she can't…" Peach stammered, before sighing in defeat. Luigi would have placed a comforting hand on Peach's shoulder if he wasn't currently a hologram. "It's just three days, Princess. FLUDD is doing her job perfectly, and now with Starlow and her commandery helping, Mario will be done in no time. Then our vacation can actually start as you originally planned."
Peach blinked. "Our vacation?" She asked hopefully. Luigi smirked knowingly. "I hear the Nderus, Gimura Force, De Velas, the Pryors and the Masai Five are also there. Don't tell them I'm coming, I want this one to be a surprise. Luigi, signing off." He said, as Peach blew him a kiss.
Almost as soon as he hung up, Peach made it to the plaza. And at this moment, another man whose favorite and most famous color is green approached. She turned in time to see it was Zume who was approaching her. He simply stared at her with his floaty-eyed expression for a second, before his eyes focused and he promptly began to play with her face.
"Hi, Zume. So good to see you too." Peach said to his usual greeting as Zume laughed in a baby-like cadence as his response. Even his lazy eyes floating independently of each other and the goofy, slack-jawed grin did nothing to dampen Zume's good looks. His emerald eyes were perhaps prettier and more striking than Lugo's sapphires, Deka's rubies or Auri's golds. When they were focused, one could say that Zume had sleepy, bedroom eyes. It helped that the rest of him was sculpted, muscular and well-built.
His baby-like laugh and the cooing noises he made was surprisingly deep, smooth and very rich to the ears; it perfectly conveyed the simple enjoyment he and his half-sister Auri could derive from playing with faces as they did. "Are you also enjoying your vacation?" She asked, as she considered playing back. Zume happily cooed, as he continued to squish and play with her cheeks as his affirmation. "So glad to know you're having fun." She said, trying not to let sadness leak into her voice at the lingering thoughts.
But Peach need not say what was on her mind; Zume knew without her having to say more. The look on his face betrayed him; Peach wondered if he was reading her mind right now.
Before she could decide whether to tell him outright or not, a new voice sounded. "There you are, Zume." Zume turned Peach's head in the direction of the voice as he continued to hold her face. The sight was comical, and almost all of the new arrivals did their best not to laugh.
The only one who didn't suppress their mirth was Zume's half-sister Auri, who gasped in happiness upon seeing Zume was playing with Peach's face. She promptly joined in, as Zume allowed Auri to grab the other side of Peach's face as they proceeded to squish her cheeks to the beat of a song they no doubt were mentally sharing with each other.
"Wow, everyone's here? Looks like we all wanted to vacation here." Peach said, as the circumstances began to catch up to her.
"At this exact same time… When the Pianta Mafia would be most active… During a time of the year where tourists would be crawling about Delfino Isle… After Luigi encouraged me to take my vacation a week earlier than planned… And approved Mario coming here with me alone…" Peach finally put it all together. She remembered Luigi's request from earlier, and wondered if everyone present didn't already know.
As if to confirm her suspicions, who she recognized as Dr. Vincent Pryor and General Kira Pryor stepped forward. "I never took Luigi as someone who'd have others handle his dirty work. Then again, he did request Nero not be set off 'prematurely', so who knows what angle Luigi is actually working towards here." The teenaged doctor said. One would be forgiven for thinking he was in fact an adult, given he was no smaller than the others present. Zume and Auri had let go of Peach's face to listen to the speech-capable heroes and nobles in this inner circle.
"At first, I too thought Luigi was placing a lot of faith in your ability to be everywhere at once, or at least entrenched in Mario's mind enough to be that voice in his head to stop him from going too far." Vituo said. The previous night he spent with Peach was more than enough confirmation as to why that was a fallacious thought. "But then… Well, you see who all is gathered here."
And Peach promptly looked around her. From right to left was Zume, the Pryor Twins, Prince Vituo, Prince Azuro, Imara, Wanda, who she remembered as Runjo Apu and Betty De Vela, and completed the circle was Auri. Exactly as Luigi had said earlier; Peach knew at this moment that everything would truly work itself out.
"I imagine Luigi wants to 'surprise' us. To show up once all of this is done." Vince said what everyone else was thinking. The sneers of derision and ultimately surprise at Luigi's plan said it all. "Killing his brother has always been too much to ask of him, you know." Imara reminded, feeling sorry for what Luigi and the younger Mario brothers went through, likely each and every day.
"If that was what he wanted, he could have just let us inform the more aggressive members of our inner circles? Letting us just sic Nguvu and Imani on Mario would have solved a lot of problems." Vituo said. Azuro was quick to chime in. "For that matter, Oogtar, Sol and Ron would all be good choices to handle this little issue as well." Vince shrugged. "I think Nero and Steele might want their chance at Mario. Just saying." He posited.
Just when Peach was starting to lose sympathy for Mario, the fact that everyone so casually displayed their low opinions of Jumpman's eldest son reminded her that this was perhaps why he needed her sympathy the most. Almost as if Zume and Auri were reading her mind, they shot her looks that just screamed 'Don't feel sorry for him. No one else here does'.
If Peach was reading the atmosphere, she still decided to go right against the grain. "But Luigi didn't. He didn't want any of these guys to ruin the vacation I had planned. Mario so far has followed orders, and is continuing to do so. And besides, Mario is still just one man; no need to have our strongest brutes gang up on him like that." Zume blinked, considering if he should inform her about the most recent development in Bianco Hills.
The rest of the clique gathered looked at Auri's snarky, yet relenting look and seemed to be listening as if she was speaking.
"You said it, Auri." Kira responded. "But I say we wait and see. In the meantime…" A smile spread across the youthful general's face. "We should spend the next three days relaxing. Because when Luigi gets here, we're gonna party hard." Kira said; everyone present was happy to move on from the subject.