Thank you so much for the reviews! Sorry about the delay, I've had a hellish week and am now sporting a broken foot, being the lucky girl that I am... But I've now more time to write so more updates are on the way.
Oh yeah, and for those of you – like my friend who asked – who didn't know, Captain Syrup and the Sugar Gang appeared in the original "Warioland" for the original Gameboy, and again in "Warioland 2" – I haven't played "Warioland 3" or "WarioWorld" for the Gamecube so I have no idea on whether or not she came back for a third and fourth beating, but whether she did or didn't, Wario probably would have kicked her ass there too. Can't think of anything else to write in this space, so let's just get onto the fic, shall we?
The Night was still strong.
The stars gazed upon the Earth silently from atop the clouds and the cold mists of the sky that wept a strong shower of miserable rain upon the inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Princess Daisy drove alone in her smart and pretty little car, and her long dark hair flaying out behind her as she drove speedily down the empty roads, her cellphone at her side and the radio blaring as she tried to control the steering wheel whilst holding her petite little parasol at the same time. The parasol in question was not intended to fend off such raging torrents of rain such as the strength of which she now found herself soaked in, but rather to protect her complexion from sunlight.
Being caught out on what had been a crisp, clear and calm night up until a few minutes when the rain began to weep down upon her and the wind screamed and howled in her ears and whipped around her, her parasol was her only defense, even if it where a weak one. Daisy counted herself lucky that she'd kept it in her car on her ride prior to this one.
But in the middle of an open road with a roofless car – what was girl to do?
"Stupid Rain..." she grumbled irritably, her silken dress, the color of sunlight was wet and probably ruined, her hair was getting ruined, and the insides of her car where susceptible to all sorts of ruin that the rain could spill.
Of all the nights to accept a call from her friend...
Of course she could have hardly said no.
Even after three weeks, Luigi still hadn't been able to come to terms over his brother's sad, untimely and ultimately shocking death at the hands of the evil Kammy Koopa.
Many, many people where still in this stage of denial. Princess Peach included. It had all seemed so wrong – that Mario had been killed so easily when he had lived through so much...
Daisy herself had indeed been shocked and had cried for a time upon hearing of Mario's death – and she had agreed completely that it had been wrong and utterly disgusting to fight and kill anyone in such a fashion – to have the victims joints sealed by magic, rendering them entirely helpless whilst she set off a troupe of Bob – Ombs to finish off the job at hand.
Daisy couldn't deny, that this was a whole new low to the world of Evil in the Mushroom Kingdom. But Daisy – unlike the Majority of the Mushroom Kingdom, knew when it was time to move on.
Mario had indeed been her friend – and she had indeed been wounded deeply with his death – but mourning forever was not going to bring him back, nor do anyone any good. She new it was hard, but in the end, all that crying was going was to give the mourner sore eyes and runny nose. She knew that crying in some people's cases couldn't be helped, she'd experienced first hand to be able to make hat statement – but in the end, it got a person nowhere.
But Luigi had been his little brother, his trusty partner and forever friend, and had known Mario better than anyone else ever would have hoped to. He had looked up to Mario since forever, and to lose someone so close to the heart to a murderer – well that was entirely different to the circumstances of a fan mourning the death of a Hero.
The experience was sure to leave a scar of some sort. Daisy knew that he'd never fully recover from discovering exactly what had happened to Mario – losing a loved one to natural causes, and losing a loved one to the result of someone's hate... Daisy didn't blame Luigi for still being upset over the matter, it was only natural, and time was to heal all wounds.
But it was not only Luigi's pain that gave her cause for concern.
It was also his anger, his fury, and his blinding new hatred that had arisen towards the tiny old witch that had stolen his brother from him. Daisy had forever known the Mario Brothers never to be people who believed in revenge. If something bad had happened in the past, Mario and Luigi would always just do what was required in order to put things right. Nothing more. Of course, with Bowser refusing to let them do so, he normally had to be taken care of. But at the end of each adventure – they would go home in a "no – hard – feelings" kind of way until Bowser once again gave them cause to rescue Peach (once again). But now (and it was plainly obvious for anyone to see) that Luigi was churning up in his mind a plot of revenge and avenging. She knew that in his mind spun furious images of a face of with Kammy in which she would succumb in terror and in agony to his wrath.
And this just wasn't the Luigi that she knew.
Luigi was smart man, brave with a determination to do what was right. A little shy maybe, but he had a heart of Gold, just like his Big Brother had...
What had happened to him?
Until it had happened, Daisy had never lost anyone close to her to murder, but she knew how much it must hurt to know that someone could just take someone's life for whatever reason. Daisy personally didn't believe in killing anyone or anything, execution, abortion, revenge – they where all no – no's. The way she saw it, life was a gift given to someone once and only once, and no – one has the right to take it away from someone else, no matter what the reason...
And so this was why.
This was why Daisy – whom Luigi knew would be up to all hours anyway – was called upon and why she made her way out through the night to see her friend. She was needed. Consoling was required on her part, and she had always felt that she and Luigi had shared a bond of some sort. This was why Daisy drove through the torrents of wind of water underneath the dark sky and the huge orb of the moon.
"Man, why am I so darn nice all the time!" she muttered to herself as she drove onward with a sigh, her brow furrowed angrily as the wind tugged at her parasol and tore at her hair.
The noise was getting on her nerves also, as though the provided bad weather wasn't bad enough... The screaming of the wind howling and shrieking in her ears, the constant pattering of the rain hammering like bullets from a machine gun upon her car and the radio playing loudly and just coming across as a background annoyance as Daisy was no longer in the mood to listen to it but was too busy to turn it off, and combining with the wind and the rain, Daisy felt about ready to hurt someone.
And then, in addition there was a cackle.
It wasn't the wind.
It wasn't the rain.
And Daisy seriously doubted that a cackle was part of the song "My Immortal" that sang gently under the wind on the radio.
Daisy looked up, curiosity and astonishment replacing her frustration and anger, bringing the car to a halt and shifting her parasol slightly to look up to the sky of whence the laugh sounded.
Her eyes widened to see the silhouette of a tiny figure on a broomstick fly across the moon, waving a wand maniacally and it twinkled red in the night as they sped through the air and disappeared into the dark once more.
Daisy blinked her wide blue eyes.
Then she blinked a further two times.
"...Ya don't see that every day..." Daisy whistled under her breath as she revved up the engine of her car and set off through the night once again, but now deeper in though than in anger and hatred for rain.
She knew what she had seen, and she didn't doubt in her mind that it was someone like Kamek, or even, Kammy – who had made quite a name for herself in the passed month. Either way – it was bad news and Daisy didn't like it. Especially if it where Kammy, which indeed seemed more probable as the screech of laughter was almost definitely that of a female.
Daisy felt her fingers tighten around the steering wheel.
Kammy – possibly now the most hated villain in the Mushroom Kingdom – even more so than Bowser had ever been. Daisy despised that Koopa, that cowardly and despicable old crone. Despised not only for what she had done to Mario, but to Luigi, to Peach, and to countless others. She had sent the Mushroom Kingdom under a veil of mourning and sadness for the loss of their hero.
"Yeah, just you keep laughing missy, you'll get your comeuppance..." Daisy growled in anger as she drove along before a sudden, long and wide streak of forked lightning flashed it's deadly mystifying light across the sky.
Daisy gave a squeal, jumping in her seat before speeding up and zooming down the road in a hurry as the downpour of rain got that little bit more intense. Daisy had had enough of the weather, had enough of the rain, the wind, the cold – a girl like her just wasn't made for the rough outdoors as such!
Her eyes narrowed as they set out on the road before her, her headlights lighting up every certain amount of distance they came across as they traveled. Alongside the roads where such sights as Piranha Plants, nestling into their own stalks, Fire Flowers lining the roads twitching in the rain and swaying in the wind. Lights of faraway villages where distant, tiny flashing lights overhead signaled aircrafts roaring above her – probably headed for Isle Delphino – it's popularity as a Tourist attraction had boosted incredibly high after Mario's adventures there...
But on a more local not, she could see a building in the distance, a bright warm light shining from the window like a beacon. The building in question was large, stony and sinister, and Daisy could just about make out the glint of a metallic "W" above the heavy door.
The Wario Castle.
The Residence of Wario and Waluigi, the Wario Brothers, was recognized as she drew closer and closer. It wasn't too long before she noticed that from this one brightly illuminated window, several windows surrounding where glowing also.
Daisy though nothing strange of it, after all on a cold night such as this, what was so wrong in lighting the hearth(s) for warmth and comfort. And anyway, it was hardly any of her business, or so she though as she sped by. Whatever Wario and Waluigi where doing with half of the castle lights on and the fireplaces lit was of no concern to her.
A small spark of a memory came to her, of three weeks previous, at Mario's funeral, when they had surprised everyone by turning up. Judging by their extreme rivalry towards Mario and Luigi and their determination to beat them at everything they did in an "Anything – you – can – do – I – can – do – better" kind of way, and the lengths they would sometimes go to beat them, it had left the impression that they didn't exactly like the Mario Brothers.
Wario's head was low, his eyes where sad. For what was probably the first time Wario had approached Luigi, Peach, Toad and the others – he behaved in an appropriate fashion. He didn't make a fool of anyone, he didn't steal anything, and he didn't cause any trouble.
But Waluigi had to go and spoil it, asking loudly if he could leave, making it sound as though the entire funeral and Mario's death was nothing more than a boring inconvenience to him and that he couldn't really care less if Mario's carcass was to rot in an underground box for eternity.
Daisy sighed sadly.
Although she had managed to construct a fairly cordial relationship with the younger of the two Wario Brothers, it was plain to see that he had a repulsive attitude problem that needed a few too many adjustments made!
But the Wario Brothers where not her primary concern at the given moment.
The rain showed her no mercy as she drove on, desperate to reach the home of Luigi at all costs. Daisy was never one to let down a friend, never was she one to deserve the title "fair - weather friend". Daisy could always be counted on. That was just the type of person she was, always ready to battle the odds, staring the world and all it threw at her straight in the eye and challenged it to an arm – wrestle. She wasn't like Peach. All ladylike and overflowing with feminine charm ruling over the Mushroom Kingdom silently from her thrown and throwing tea parties for her friends, baking cakes and brownies until the likes of Bowser or one of his deranged brats managed to kidnap her.
Peach was a sweet girl but was exactly the kind of person who could hire herself out as a professional hostage from literally years of personal experience. Daisy had seen Peach fight – she wasn't exactly helpless, and couldn't really understand how she actually managed to get herself captured so often. Daisy herself had been kidnapped once or twice, but Peach – she held the world record, without a doubt! When Peach had entered the "Super Smash Brothers Tournament" she had shed her ladylike image and actually managed to beat the stuffing out of quite a few opponents before losing.
It was beyond Daisy as to why Peach just didn't smack Bowser in the face and tell him to take a hike – but that was Peach for you. She just didn't know when it was time to get tough.
Peach had taken Mario's death just about as bad as Luigi had done, and Toadsworth had had his work cut out for him in his desperate attempts to comfort her, but to little avail. There was just no consoling her. Since it had happened she had wept what Daisy estimated to be literal buckets. How she missed her Hero so, so much.
But she had leaned on Toadsworth for comfort, just as Luigi leaned on Daisy herself. And she blinked gratefully as she began to notice the small house in the distance she knew to be the home of the younger of the renowned Mario Brothers.
She just hoped that Luigi – like the Wario Brothers at least had a hot fire going, at around 2.15 in the morning, in the midst of a churning storm, Daisy didn't think it too much to hope for as she cursed loudly, her parasol spraying back with the force of the wind and Daisy having little choice but to leave it as it was as she battled with the steering wheel in one hand and holding her damaged parasol in the other as she tried to force her diverted attention back onto the road, desperate to hurry up and get there.
But she was getting there, and quickly too as she heightened her speed and bulleted through the road as lightning flashed and sparked in bright illuminating explosions throughout the sky as rain spilled mercilessly upon her, wind pulling at her brown hair as Luigi's home came closer and closer.
She drove as though she competed in a race, desperate to reach her destination and to be with Luigi, to be with her friend and to at least be out of this horrific weather of which she prayed would have calmed down by the time she was heading back to her own home. Her engines roared as she drove faster and faster, taking the split second it took to snatch her crown out of the air as it flew from her head and then she was instantly back on track, closing in on the house with every passing moment of time.
And finally she was there, brakes screeching to a halt, wet and loose mud spraying from the wheels as she slowed down and finally came to stop under a canopy of tree's, shielding all beneath from the rain. The engines cut and Daisy gasped, her knuckles bleached beneath her gloves upon the wheel as she let go. Switching the Radio off with a smart flick of the dial, he hopped out of the car, her dress sticking to her legs and mud spattered around her shoes.
"Aw man!" She sighed, leaning back into the car and picking up her parasol, shaking it free of water and fiddling with the spokes until the instrument was fixed to the extent it could be. But it was, without a doubt, ruined, the silk spoiled and one or two of the spokes damaged with the force of the wind. With an angry growl, she threw it back into the car seat cursing under her breath.
Her ears stung with the cold, her earrings fashioned in the image of Daisy's to match her name hung stingingly through her pierced lobes. Her arms felt like ice and she shivered, running both hands up and down both. But standing outdoors in this horrendous weather wasn't going to do much to remedy that.
She turned and marched around the tree's and approaching the house. There was a warm light and brightness beyond the windows as she walked around to come to the wooden door of entrance.
Pulling her hair from her eyes, Daisy then reached out with her slender little hands and tapped with her knuckles in a speedy little rhythm upon the wooden door. She could not hear it due to the force of the wind in her ears and the rain thundering around her. So she knocked once more, harder this time.
Then she waited.
No answer.
She knocked again harder still, this time calling out the resident's name in attempt to get his attention, hoping that he hadn't fallen asleep inside, leaving Daisy with naught to do but to battle the forces of nature once again in getting back home.
"Luigi??" Drowned in the wind and rain, Daisy was rather vexed to find that she could hardly hear her own voice herself, let alone Luigi inside, but she didn't give in. "Luigi – are you there? It's Daisy!"
She was in the process of knocking a fourth time in order to draw attention to her friend inside when the door suddenly came to open and Daisy gave a sigh of relief as she saw it happen and Luigi's red eyed and gloomy figure came to the door, gasping in shock when he saw the state of her and what his request had done to her.
Her normally shining and radiant hair now lank and stringy with water and damaged with the wind as it dangled loosely before her pretty face, her golden dress hung on her frame and puckered and clung to her body as she shivered with the cold.
Luigi was instantly in apology, swinging the door wider to give entrance.
"I'm sorry! I didn't realize that there was such a storm going, come in!" he apologized guiltily, making way for the Princess to make her entrance into his home, head hung low in regret for putting her through all of that, now seeing the selfishness of his request and now ready to make it up to her.
She stepped inside with a dainty sneeze whilst peeling off her drenched gloves as Luigi shut the door behind her and in doing so banishing the wind and rain from Daisy, and then in turn rushed off to find some towels.
The heat of the indoor surroundings stung Daisy's skin pleasurably, as she drew a hand across her own face to pull back strings of hair and to wipe the water from her face before looking around. The house was pretty much the same as it had always been, small yet cozy. Mario's things had been pretty much untouched. She had known that many people had asked Luigi to sell some of his stuff, but as far she knew, he had refused and at some point was to place Mario's things into the basement. But at the current moment he hadn't found the time to do so.
It was a little untidy, things a little out of place but it was nothing that Daisy minded – in actual fact, she found people who couldn't abide a little untidiness to be rather weird. It was stupid, but to inspect tidiness wasn't what she was here for. And anyway, the sudden loudness outside quickly drew her attentions.
There was an explosion of lighting clearly audible as it crashed and Daisy jumped with a squeak, spinning around to face the window, cascaded with water of the heavy rain before the darkness that smothered anything else from sight until the occasional bolt of lightening lit the landscape up for a split second before darkness enclosed once more.
But in the darkness, there was a light, and it had captured Daisy's attention as it burned out there in the distance in a bright and fiery glow. Daisy narrowed her eyes suspiciously, it was roughly around the area of the Wario castle, or so she estimated and she remembered the brightness coming from their windows as she drove passed.
"Here..." she turned to see Luigi holding out to her under one arm a soft towel intended to dry herself with and in the other a steaming cup of potable liquid, such as tea or coffee to Daisy's guesses. Daisy smiled abandoning the window and approaching Luigi and taking the items off of him with a polite 'Thank You' in turn.
He returned a weak smile in reply as he allowed himself to fall back upon a chair with a weary sigh, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands as another frightful flash from outside brightened the room for a split second before dimming down back to the warm glow of light bulbs and the fireplace in the tiny house.
"Please, sit down – make yourself at home," Luigi invited politely, sitting up suddenly, removing the green cap from atop his head and running his white – gloved fingers through his brown hair before slapping the cap down upon his skull once more with a somewhat more shrill sounding sigh as he lowered his eyes.
Daisy's shoulders rose and sank as she gave a sympathetic sigh of her own as she lowered her drink upon a wooden table before wandered throughout the house for a few moments, finding a small chair and lifting and carrying it over to set it down in front of her friend and sitting down before him, leaving the towel draped around her shoulder as she gazed at Luigi for a few moments.
'He's trying not to cry in front of me...' she thought to herself with a frown, her blue eyes shining with the thirst to help and be there for him. She reached out a slender arm and her fingers tightened on his hand as her eyes locked into his as he looked up. She hated to see him so sad, so cheerless and somber. His face looked so painted, like the expression of an Artist's work as he expressed his pain through his art.
Daisy gave a sad but strong little smile that spoke without moving lips, telling him in silent words that she would be there for him for as long as he needed her to be.
"You don't know how much this means to me Daisy, I can't thank you enough for..."
Luigi spoke in his pained voice of which Daisy was quick to interrupt and speak over loudly and firmly.
"Don't be such a Dummy – its no big deal, really!" she said reassuringly, giving his hand another gentle squeeze. More lighting flashed and boomed from the outside. "As my friend – you have every right to seek my guidance and help whenever and wherever needed and can count on your ol' pal Daisy to be there!"
Luigi gave a small chuckle, lowering his head. The guilt of having her travel through such terrible weather was still stinging within him, but her words had had the desired effect upon him. Even if it had only been by a tiny fraction that she had managed to cheer him up, it was a start, and she was determined to pull him through this.
"Talk to me Luigi," she coaxed gently giving a gentle nod, her strings of hair releasing droplets of water as she did so that she did not care to notice.
Luigi's moist eyes blinked up at her and he took inside himself, a deep and reluctant breath of air before exhaling and coming into voice and words of speech.
"It just hurts so bad,"
"I know it does, and it will for a time..."
"He shouldn't have died like that! It was cowardly, cheap and... it just wasn't fair!" Luigi said loudly, looking up with a furrowed brow over a glare, not directed at Daisy but at how the concept of Life and Death worked. "He's had Boo's, Thwomps, Goomba's, Koopa's of all species, he's had ShyGuy's, even DK, Bowser – the Sun even attacked him once!" he continued, his glare growing tighter still and Daisy could feel his knuckles tense under her hand as his own hands balled into fists. "So how come an old Koopa lady manages to finish him off with a couple of Bob Omb's???"
Daisy closed her eyes for a moment, going into thought, her grip never loosening upon his hand in the process not even for a second. The rain pounded mercilessly against the glass windows and thunder and lighting elaborately decorated the sky with electricity, and cracked it with the low rumbles.
"And then the funeral – God, what a mess I made of that, and Waluigi..."
"Waluigi is a big dumb jerk and an insensitive moron." Daisy spoke with a hard edge to her voice and staring Luigi straight in the eye. "He had no right to say that, nor do you have any obligation to beat yourself up about it."
Luigi lifted his head, and gave a sad smile as he sighed.
"I can't help it though, I mean... who starts fights at funerals?"
"Luigi – shut up and take a second to actually think about it," Daisy ordered firmly. "You where protecting your Brother's memory, and there are million's of others who would have done the exact same thing," she insisted gently. "You where angry and upset, and nobody thinks of you any differently except that now you are the only living memory of him, and you've gotta be strong to keep fighting his fight! Ya got that?" she gave his hand a little shake as she listened to her words with wet eyes full of sorrow, before she went on. "And you know that me and all the other guys'll be there to back up a bazillion percent!"
"A bazillion percent?" Luigi repeated with a small smile at her brand new, made up number.
"A bazillion times more than infinite percent!" Daisy nodded with a grin. "You know it Luigi – in times like this, things can only get better – and as for Waluigi – I'll bet that trash he started at the funeral – just an act, y'know? I'll bet that when he got home, he cried like a little girl!!"
Luigi snorted at the thought that he deemed unlikely, but he appreciated her words tremendously as she got to her feet and embraced him in a tight hug, which he was quick to return.
"You know that I'll be there for you anytime, anywhere – right?" she asked, still locking him tightly within her arms.
"Right," he nodded with a smile as they both pulled back from the embrace to see each others smiles and tender glances of friendship. "I never forget how lucky I am to have a friend like you, Daisy!"
"A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do right?" Daisy quipped with a cute little grin. "You okay now? Feeling any better?"
"Actually I am!" his face had begun to light up from the gloomy gray of his morose state of mind to the bright glow of appreciation from the moment Daisy's lips had first opened, and now, even through his big wet eyes, there was a glint of thanks in there that made Daisy feel that it really was worthwhile to brave the terrorsome stormy weather outdoors and to have to brave it again shortly, just to see his face.
"Well then..." Daisy yawned smilingly as she stretched out a little. "I guess I'll be heading back home then,"
"Daisy – "Luigi began in protest, his smile changing to a face of concern as he held out his hand as though it would stop her in her tracks. "Daisy, you can't go back out there, there are two beds here, stay the night and go back after the storms over, or at least when it's daylight!"
Daisy smiled. It was not an unreasonable offer, and she wasn't really the type to think that boy / girl sleepovers where creepy – guys and girls could be that close as friends without being sexual couldn't they?
But – Daisy also had business to attend to back home, although she was not as famed or as renowned as Princess Peach, a Princess still had her Royal duties to attend to and Daisy knew that she'd have to work to make up for the time she had taken with Luigi – but it was no biggie to her. Even so, she couldn't neglect her duties all of the time, and knew that she had to be firm.
"I'm sorry Luigi – I do appreciate it - really, but I got stuff I gotta do, and so I gotta go do it!"
"Daisy – the storm – you could drown in that!"
"That is an over - exaggeration if ever I heard one!" Daisy smiled, flicking a piece of hair from her eyes, though privately agreeing with a tiny hint of a shudder as another crack of lightning flashed up the scenery beyond the walls.
But Luigi was stubborn – it normally wasn't like him to be stubborn, normally he was quite an agreeable person, not a pushover as such however.
"Daisy, you're wearing a soaking dress, your car lacks any sort of ceiling – I can't let you go out there!" he insisted, obstinately moving towards the door to lock it.
Daisy blinked before snapping into action, her voice loud and firm as her steady arm shot out to point and in demanding order.
"Luigi – as Princess, I order you to let me get back home, regardless of the cruddy weather and I forbid you to worry about me, or be sad tonight or ever again!!!"
Luigi hesitated as he gazed at her with a lifted eyebrow, as Daisy hard – locked eyes bore into him with a will of reinforced steel.
In the end there was only one gaze still going strong and it wasn't that of Luigi.
He sighed, his shoulders lowering as Daisy swiftly set her crown upon her head, tweaking it to precision upon its peak.
"Daisy..." Luigi began, peering out of the window at the never – ending onslaught of rain and thunder. "It's really not safe to drive around in this kind of weather..."
"You're such a worrywart!" Daisy dismissed with a tiny smile as she flattened out the puckered flaps of material from her dress. "I've been hit by Thunder many times before in a car, I've had Chomper Chains try to tear me limb from limb, and I've passed through walls of raw flame. I'm a big tough girl Luigi – if the rain worried you so much you'll be pleased to hear that I'm quite an adequate swimmer!"
"You'll be careful though wont you?"
"Luigi – I'm driving home in a little rain – I'm not heading off to fight in a war! Take a chill pill!" She smiled fondly towards him as she stepped up to the door.
Luigi grimaced.
He hated that phrase – 'Chill Pill' It just sounded really idiotic to him, corny and old, but it was besides the matter at hand as he opened the door, and Daisy caught his arm as he made moves to exit.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"I'm driving you home."
"Awww – Luigi!" Daisy smiled fondly, her cheeks burning as the raging winds of the outdoors brought a sting to them. "You're so sweet! – But no, I can drive myself thanks!" she added curtly, shaking her head.
Luigi opened his mouth to further his "Stubborn Phase" that he seemed to be in the swing of, but once again, he was cut off by the young lady as she steamrollered him with her orders.
"Don't make me use my 'Princess Authority' to get you to stay here and get some sleep Luigi, cos you know I'll win!" she warned firmly. "I never lose arguments, and I'm not gonna lose this one Luigi."
"But..."
"I'll seeya tomorrow," Daisy concluded, leaning in and giving him a quick peck on the cheek as she disappeared outdoors and around the corner to reach the small canopy of trees of which she had left her car, leaving Luigi – hand to cheek standing in the doorway.
He could still feel the contact of her lips on his cheek, although they had not been connected for even a split second the feeling that they had been there was still strong, and he stood dazed for a few long moments, before he leapt outside and around to follow Daisy to be blinded the flash of headlights and he froze, arms over face as Daisy's car came to a halt.
"Luigi – get outta the way!"
He had no choice, the light was practically melting his eyeballs and he couldn't stand it, edging to the side, squinting beneath his protecting hands as Daisy sped passed him with a roar of the engines and a spray of mud that seemed to dodge Luigi rather artfully as he could only gaze after the Princess as she disappeared into the night.
Daisy however, had something on her mind as she drove fast and hard down the road, her eyes searching for the light – the bright fiery light she had seen as she had peered through the window of Luigi's home – the light that came in the direction of the Wario Castle.
It was not a friendly light to be looking at, and was far too strong to be a minor lighting from within.
Her woman's intuition told her: "Daisy Girl – Something's up down at the Wario's place, and you gotta check it out!"
Far from thinking that she was prying into their personal business, the thought was far too ominous to ignore as she drove, ignoring the rain, ignoring the feeling as her crown flew from her head and clattered off of the road, ignoring the water as it slapped her face and tore at her hair.
Was she being paranoid?
No – she was certain of it now, she could see it as she bulleted down the long and empty stretch of road in this early hour of day.
It was tall and it was fiery and dangerous.
And it was the Wario Castle.
Daisy slammed on the breaks she drew near and gasped in horror, the fire blazing into her eyes as it raged and tore through the castle, and with no sign of either Wario or Waluigi, fear and terror erupted in her heart like an enraged Tsunami of dread.
The Wario Castle was burning to the Ground.
The Brothers – far too proud to have left their home burning – where obviously still inside.
And it was the lack of reaction, lack of their appearing or of any sign of their escaping attempts that worried her.
Where they trapped?
Where the unconscious??
Where they...?
"WARIO!! WALUIGI!!!" she screamed like a siren as she leapt from her car and onto the ground and was off like the lightning that illuminated the scene before her.
She had to help – she could not leave them in there to burn to death.
Even at the risk of her own life, it wasn't something to be thought twice about.
Daisy was going in, with the raw determination and force in her heart that made her want to believe that she would emerge with both brothers.
But the smell of death was in the air, and it was strong.
But Daisy remained firm, hiding her fear as she tore a strip from her dress and tied it around her mouth to prevent the inhaling of smoke, lifting her hands to protect her face from the heat as she battled her way through the raging oven of an inferno...
Again, my apologies for the delay and for the fact that the end was seriously rushed. I've got some serious planning and choosing of ideas ahead for this and I've still got my FF7 Novelization to continue with. I've got homework to do, animation's to direct, storyboards to draw, sheesh!
Word of warning to those who want to start College:
True enough that it's way better than school – people and classmates there are actually MATURE people – but you don't get cut ANY slack and if you miss out on ANYTHING, even the merest little scrap of an assignment – your looking at a FAIL!!!!
That's my excuse from now on if my fanfics are late – It's the College's fault! Not mine!!!
Now if you excuse me, it is late, and I'm in need of some sleep.
Chapter 3 will be up soon (I hope!) so stay tuned, and if my tutors are decent enough to allow me more than three hours sleep, I'll make it a good one!