Chapter 9: Held Close
------------------------
Four long years had slowly passed. Princess Peach was scarcely a ghost, her condition growing worse by each following day. Now very weak and completely bedridden, her longing hope that Mario would come was the only thing struggling to keep her alive. She prayed every day that he would hurry.
Melony lived a somewhat average life, aside from the fact that a devastating war was taking place. The only person she could latch on to was her father, the only one she knew who cared about her. On occasion she was allowed to visit her mother, but for the most part she never got to really know her. Melony loved her mother very much, but she could only picture her as a forlorn, dying woman.
Nearly half the Mushroom World was now conquered by the atrocious King Bowser, including much of Dinosaur Land. They had put up a persistent battle, but the Koopa army eventually defeated them. Luckily, Yoshi's Island was still safe; since it was a remote island, it was one of the hardest places to attack.
Slowly, Mario and Toad had set out to rescue the princess. It was a very long, harsh journey—way worse than it could have ever possibly been in the past. The blood-filled land was charred and crumbling, while the frequent tremors of the earth only added to the vast demolition.
Helping those in need along the way, Yoshi continued searching for his missing friends, but thus far he had had no luck.
In the meantime, two vague figures stood cold, alone and frightened, trapped in an underground cave from a recent tremor. They could only hope that they would get out somehow.
"Oh… It's no use…" a terrified voice cried, "We're never gonna get out…"
Luigi stood desperately digging at their seemingly only place for an exit. "Come…on… I almost got it…" he grunted. Just at the last moment, however, the tunnel completely collapsed, sending dirt everywhere and crushing their last hopes of escape. "No…!" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the small cave.
A frightened Princess Daisy clung to a nearby cave wall, making sure she was near to Luigi.
"Oh… It's hopeless…" she whimpered, "What are we gonna do…?"
Luigi glanced around the cave, formulating his thoughts. "Well…on the plus side, no one will find us to capture us…"
Daisy made a slight huff. "Yes, but neither can anyone find us to help us…! Are you crazy…? We can't stay here! We'll die…" She sighed miserably. "Oh…Luigi…" Her head drooped, and she shook it in despair. The green-clad hero placed a comforting hand on her arm.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine. Just…hang on…" Driven by some sudden impulse, Luigi ran toward the sealed opening and lunged at it with all his might. But it only trapped them in further. Another tremor shook the earth, causing more rocks and dust to fall. Although normally a very rational person, he started to panic.
"Auugh!" he screamed, "We're gonna die!"
"Please…!" the brunette princess cried, "You're not helping…!" She knew he was the only one who could help her remain calm. But if he lost it also, she didn't know what she would do. Seeing Luigi neurotic absolutely terrified her. He quickly subsided though, and, coming back to her, he gazed into her searching blue eyes. She suddenly felt a strange sense of tranquility amidst their dire situation.
"…Daisy… Before we die, there's something I need to tell you…"
She gently returned his gaze. "What is it…?" she whispered, still frightened. Luigi placed her hands inside his, helping to calm her.
"Daisy… I love you with all my heart. Not a day goes by without my love for you growing stronger. I don't want anything to happen to you…" He slowly pursed his lips together. "Daisy…will you be with me? Will you…marry me…?" Her eyes still met with his, a tear rolled down her tender cheek.
"Oh, Luigi…" she cried, "I thought you'd never ask… Yes, I will!" Slowly, a smile curved across her lips, and they embraced in one another's arms.
A faint rustle of rocks was heard. Suddenly, a light emanated in from above, as a voice echoed throughout the dim cave.
"Hello…? Is someone in there…?" Luigi recognized the voice immediately, and once again their hearts were filled with hope.
"Yoshi?!" he called excitedly, "We're trapped! Can you help us?!"
The familiar dinosaur squinted. "Luigi? Is that you…? I've been looking all over for you!" he exclaimed elatedly, "Here, I'll try to help!"
------------------------
Now just past four years old, Melony continued to grow into a lovely young child. She looked nearly human, except for her clawed feet and the large, spiked blue shell on her back. Her hair was a beautiful strawberry-blonde, a shade perfectly between her mother's blonde and father's red hair. Her big blue eyes held an enchanting gaze which sparkled with curiosity and life.
For the most part, she got along fine with her older brothers, the Koopalings, only occasionally bothering them, as little sisters often do. Her sister Wendy, however, made it very clear that she hated Melony, constantly yelling and resenting her. It didn't help any that she was forced to share her room with her baby half-sister, who was now a curious preschooler while she was an overreacting teenager.
"Melony!! Give that back!" Wendy shrieked. The child held a gorgeous magic wand in her small hands, her eyes transfixed on the stunning sapphire-like jewel at the tip.
"It's pretty… I wanna see it…"
"You'll break it! It's mine!" Wendy screamed as she snatched the wand away from her. Carefully, she placed it back in its cased stand. "I told you a thousand times to leave my stuff alone! Now go away!"
Melony reluctantly left the room, sadly enduring the mistreatment from her sister. In the corridor, she spotted Lemmy, her favorite brother, walking down the hallway, carrying something in his arms. He stopped when he came to her and gave her a friendly smile.
"Hey, Shorty!"
Melony glanced at the object he was holding. "What're you doing?" she asked hopefully, "Can I play?!"
"Sorry, but Dad sent me to do some work. You'd just get bored."
Her face dimmed and she made a frown. "But I never getta do anything…" She sighed dejectedly. "Where's Daddy?"
Lemmy shrugged. "I dunno. I think he's in your mom's room." He continued down the hallway as the young little princess rushed off to Peach's bedroom. Without knocking, Melony quickly barged in through the doors.
"Daddy! Wendy's being—" but she cut herself off as she noticed Bowser was not there. "Daddy…?"
From her bed, Princess Peach saw the child there and called to her. "Hi, Sweetie; come here. Your father's not here." Melony quickly rushed to her mother's bedside.
"Mommy, are you okay…?" she asked sadly, "Daddy says you're getting worse…"
The princess gently stroked her daughter's soft cheek. "Oh… Honey… it's gonna be okay…" she said weakly. Melony climbed onto the bed to be near her mother.
"Mommy, please don't die…" she sniffled, "I won't have a mommy to love anymore…"
Peach struggled to keep her composure. "Oh…you poor baby…" she quavered, fighting back the tears, "My little angel…I'll always be there for you…"
Melony sniffled. "What do you mean…?"
The saddened princess looked compassionately into the child's misty eyes. "You may not see me anymore, but I'll always be with you… In your heart…" She gave a slight smile. "I'll always still love you…and you can still love me…"
Melony wiped her nose and sniffed. "Are you sure…?" she asked hopefully, her lip quivering. Peach swallowed the large lump engulfing in her throat and the depths of her heart as she watched her daughter's seeking eyes.
"Sweetheart…don't worry…" she whispered, "Come here…" She held the child close and rocked her back and forth, each crying softly and seeking comfort in the other's arms.
------------------------
Four long years had slowly passed. Princess Peach was scarcely a ghost, her condition growing worse by each following day. Now very weak and completely bedridden, her longing hope that Mario would come was the only thing struggling to keep her alive. She prayed every day that he would hurry.
Melony lived a somewhat average life, aside from the fact that a devastating war was taking place. The only person she could latch on to was her father, the only one she knew who cared about her. On occasion she was allowed to visit her mother, but for the most part she never got to really know her. Melony loved her mother very much, but she could only picture her as a forlorn, dying woman.
Nearly half the Mushroom World was now conquered by the atrocious King Bowser, including much of Dinosaur Land. They had put up a persistent battle, but the Koopa army eventually defeated them. Luckily, Yoshi's Island was still safe; since it was a remote island, it was one of the hardest places to attack.
Slowly, Mario and Toad had set out to rescue the princess. It was a very long, harsh journey—way worse than it could have ever possibly been in the past. The blood-filled land was charred and crumbling, while the frequent tremors of the earth only added to the vast demolition.
Helping those in need along the way, Yoshi continued searching for his missing friends, but thus far he had had no luck.
In the meantime, two vague figures stood cold, alone and frightened, trapped in an underground cave from a recent tremor. They could only hope that they would get out somehow.
"Oh… It's no use…" a terrified voice cried, "We're never gonna get out…"
Luigi stood desperately digging at their seemingly only place for an exit. "Come…on… I almost got it…" he grunted. Just at the last moment, however, the tunnel completely collapsed, sending dirt everywhere and crushing their last hopes of escape. "No…!" he shouted, his voice echoing throughout the small cave.
A frightened Princess Daisy clung to a nearby cave wall, making sure she was near to Luigi.
"Oh… It's hopeless…" she whimpered, "What are we gonna do…?"
Luigi glanced around the cave, formulating his thoughts. "Well…on the plus side, no one will find us to capture us…"
Daisy made a slight huff. "Yes, but neither can anyone find us to help us…! Are you crazy…? We can't stay here! We'll die…" She sighed miserably. "Oh…Luigi…" Her head drooped, and she shook it in despair. The green-clad hero placed a comforting hand on her arm.
"Don't worry, we'll be fine. Just…hang on…" Driven by some sudden impulse, Luigi ran toward the sealed opening and lunged at it with all his might. But it only trapped them in further. Another tremor shook the earth, causing more rocks and dust to fall. Although normally a very rational person, he started to panic.
"Auugh!" he screamed, "We're gonna die!"
"Please…!" the brunette princess cried, "You're not helping…!" She knew he was the only one who could help her remain calm. But if he lost it also, she didn't know what she would do. Seeing Luigi neurotic absolutely terrified her. He quickly subsided though, and, coming back to her, he gazed into her searching blue eyes. She suddenly felt a strange sense of tranquility amidst their dire situation.
"…Daisy… Before we die, there's something I need to tell you…"
She gently returned his gaze. "What is it…?" she whispered, still frightened. Luigi placed her hands inside his, helping to calm her.
"Daisy… I love you with all my heart. Not a day goes by without my love for you growing stronger. I don't want anything to happen to you…" He slowly pursed his lips together. "Daisy…will you be with me? Will you…marry me…?" Her eyes still met with his, a tear rolled down her tender cheek.
"Oh, Luigi…" she cried, "I thought you'd never ask… Yes, I will!" Slowly, a smile curved across her lips, and they embraced in one another's arms.
A faint rustle of rocks was heard. Suddenly, a light emanated in from above, as a voice echoed throughout the dim cave.
"Hello…? Is someone in there…?" Luigi recognized the voice immediately, and once again their hearts were filled with hope.
"Yoshi?!" he called excitedly, "We're trapped! Can you help us?!"
The familiar dinosaur squinted. "Luigi? Is that you…? I've been looking all over for you!" he exclaimed elatedly, "Here, I'll try to help!"
------------------------
Now just past four years old, Melony continued to grow into a lovely young child. She looked nearly human, except for her clawed feet and the large, spiked blue shell on her back. Her hair was a beautiful strawberry-blonde, a shade perfectly between her mother's blonde and father's red hair. Her big blue eyes held an enchanting gaze which sparkled with curiosity and life.
For the most part, she got along fine with her older brothers, the Koopalings, only occasionally bothering them, as little sisters often do. Her sister Wendy, however, made it very clear that she hated Melony, constantly yelling and resenting her. It didn't help any that she was forced to share her room with her baby half-sister, who was now a curious preschooler while she was an overreacting teenager.
"Melony!! Give that back!" Wendy shrieked. The child held a gorgeous magic wand in her small hands, her eyes transfixed on the stunning sapphire-like jewel at the tip.
"It's pretty… I wanna see it…"
"You'll break it! It's mine!" Wendy screamed as she snatched the wand away from her. Carefully, she placed it back in its cased stand. "I told you a thousand times to leave my stuff alone! Now go away!"
Melony reluctantly left the room, sadly enduring the mistreatment from her sister. In the corridor, she spotted Lemmy, her favorite brother, walking down the hallway, carrying something in his arms. He stopped when he came to her and gave her a friendly smile.
"Hey, Shorty!"
Melony glanced at the object he was holding. "What're you doing?" she asked hopefully, "Can I play?!"
"Sorry, but Dad sent me to do some work. You'd just get bored."
Her face dimmed and she made a frown. "But I never getta do anything…" She sighed dejectedly. "Where's Daddy?"
Lemmy shrugged. "I dunno. I think he's in your mom's room." He continued down the hallway as the young little princess rushed off to Peach's bedroom. Without knocking, Melony quickly barged in through the doors.
"Daddy! Wendy's being—" but she cut herself off as she noticed Bowser was not there. "Daddy…?"
From her bed, Princess Peach saw the child there and called to her. "Hi, Sweetie; come here. Your father's not here." Melony quickly rushed to her mother's bedside.
"Mommy, are you okay…?" she asked sadly, "Daddy says you're getting worse…"
The princess gently stroked her daughter's soft cheek. "Oh… Honey… it's gonna be okay…" she said weakly. Melony climbed onto the bed to be near her mother.
"Mommy, please don't die…" she sniffled, "I won't have a mommy to love anymore…"
Peach struggled to keep her composure. "Oh…you poor baby…" she quavered, fighting back the tears, "My little angel…I'll always be there for you…"
Melony sniffled. "What do you mean…?"
The saddened princess looked compassionately into the child's misty eyes. "You may not see me anymore, but I'll always be with you… In your heart…" She gave a slight smile. "I'll always still love you…and you can still love me…"
Melony wiped her nose and sniffed. "Are you sure…?" she asked hopefully, her lip quivering. Peach swallowed the large lump engulfing in her throat and the depths of her heart as she watched her daughter's seeking eyes.
"Sweetheart…don't worry…" she whispered, "Come here…" She held the child close and rocked her back and forth, each crying softly and seeking comfort in the other's arms.