(A/N: Well, now that our friends are in the Beanbean Kingdom, let's see how they're doing! I bet they're really enjoying themselves, since there are no villains around to ruin everything for them!)
The next few days were a lot of fun for the group as they went sight-seeing. Not only did they take lots of neat pictures and have more fun than they had the last time they were here, the Mario Bros. also met some familiar faces.
When they visited Stardust Fields, Mario and Luigi gave the Starshade Bros. the autographs they said they wanted to obtain. The Starshade Bros. were very pleased.
"E sei fortunato. And you're lucky. What you did the last time we saw you almost made us decide to not give you our autographs and just scold you instead." Mario said to Sergeant Starshade.
"What were you going to scold me for?" Sergeant Starshade asked.
"He didn't do anything but help me teach you stuff that would help you out during your time in the Beanbean Kingdom." General Starshade replied.
"Well... do you remember hearing somebody who was griping in the cannon that you lit the fuse of?" Luigi asked the sergeant.
"Now that you mention it, I do remember seeing that the two of you were present when I did that..." Sergeant Starshade recalled.
"Our enemy, Bowser, who was going to help us this time around, was stuck in that cannon, and this fat, greedy character named Tolstar was supposed to help him get out of there if we paid him, but it turned out that he was lying about it. That's why Bowser was griping." Mario said.
"And then, when you did what you did, Bowser got sent to Hoohoo Mountain, and he was taken in by that thief, Popple. But it gets worse, for when we saw Bowser with Popple, the former had amnesia and didn't remember us at all!" Luigi finished.
"Well, if Bowser was supposed to help you guys, then why didn't you stop my brother from lighting that fuse?" General Starshade asked the Mario Bros.
"Bene, è semplice. Well, that's simple. He didn't give us the chance to explain the situation we were in." Luigi explained.
"I guess I should've let you guys speak first." Sergeant Starshade mumbled, feeling like an idiot.
"However, at the last second, we decided to let you off the hook and not scold you." Mario said.
"You did? Why? What changed your minds?" asked the Starshade Bros.
"Bowser, like most of the people in this kingdom, got my name wrong! Hardly anyone called me by my name! They'd always call me 'Green 'Stache' or something like that, and when he got my name wrong as the cannon's fuse was lit, I said to myself, 'Serves him right'." Luigi said.
"You're telling me that Bowser didn't know your name?! What a weirdo!" Daisy said, getting a small smile from Luigi.
"He probably knows Mario better because he hates him so much." Peach figured.
"Thanks again for the autographs, Mario Bros." said General Starshade.
"Yeah, and thanks for not scolding me for what I did, Luigi." added Sergeant Starshade, getting a smile from Luigi and Daisy.
"Prego. You're welcome." the Mario Bros. replied as they and their girlfriends continued along.
Luigi even took the group to Guffawha Ruins, where he went to get Crabbie Grass to cure Mario of the Bean Fever he got from eating an Invincishroom. Or, at least, what they thought was an Invincishroom. That's what they were told it was, but that doesn't necessarily mean it really was one.
"They say that this place is dangerous, and I was more than a little afraid to go here." Luigi told the others as they explored the ruins.
"It really doesn't look that dangerous if you want my opinion." Daisy replied.
"It's-a not. There was nothing to be afraid of. And that monster the doctor spoke of wasn't even a scary monster at all. He was just a stone head who was annoyed that people said he was a monster." Luigi said.
"Why did they think he was a monster if he's not?" Peach asked.
"Because it seems that people usually aren't happy unless they have something to be afraid of." Mario answered.
"How do we get out of this place?" Daisy asked.
"After I got the Crabbie Grass, I found a shortcut back to Little Fungitown. Ti mostrerò. I'll show you." Luigi said, and he led the group to the pipe he found.
"Thanks, Luigi, my brave man." Daisy said, giving him a kiss on the cheek, which got him blushing like mad.
When they went to Gwarhar Lagoon, not only did they visit Hermie III and Spangle, the Marios decided to pay a visit to the Jellyfish Sisters, Gigi and Merri. Since Mario and Luigi didn't get the massages they paid for last time, they hoped that they'd get massages this time. But when they got there, the boys thought of something.
"Do you girls want to go first?" Luigi asked the princesses.
"No. You guys told us that you didn't get much of a massage the last time you were here. And because of that, you should go first." Daisy said.
"But what about 'ladies first'? And the fact that you're both princesses? You girls should go first, if anything." Mario said, a little surprised that Daisy was suggesting that he and Luigi go first.
"We can wait, Mario. I know that Daisy and I are princesses and are allowed to go straight to the front of any line or the top of any waiting list, but I believe in 'first come, first served'. This princess is patient enough to wait for her turn like normal people." Peach said.
"And you guys deserve the massages first. Go for it." Daisy said.
"I don't think we can argue with royal logic." Luigi said to Mario.
"Then let's-a go." Mario said.
After the Mario Bros. paid for their massages and sat down in the red and green chairs, Gigi and Merri showed up and were more than surprised to see the men who got them the Pearl Beans their hearts had been longing for.
"You know, we really can't thank you enough for getting us the Pearl Beans we so badly wanted." Gigi said when she and her sister saw the Mario Bros. waiting for their massages.
"And we're very sorry for never finishing the massages you paid for the last time you were here." Merri added.
"So we both decided that if you guys came here again, we'd do something nice for you." Gigi said.
"That means this time, you get massages for free! We'll tell the receptionist about this, and you guys will get your refund." Merri promised.
Mario and Luigi were impressed with this news. However...
"Do our girlfriends get free massages, too? They're here with us, you know." Mario said.
"You have girlfriends, and you brought them with you? How nice! Where are they?" the sisters asked, intrigued.
"Over there." Luigi said, pointing over by the waiting area, where Peach and Daisy were. Upon seeing Luigi pointing in their direction, the princesses waved. Luigi waved back at them.
"Sure thing! We'll massage them for free, too!" Gigi said.
After the Marios got their massages, the receptionist had been informed by the Jellyfish Sisters what they promised the Mario Bros., and the boys got their money back.
"What happened? Why are you getting a refund? I thought you guys looked pretty relaxed during those massages." Peach pointed out.
"Gigi and Merri decided to massage us for free this time, so we get our money back." Mario explained as he and Luigi put their coins away.
"And according to the Jellyfish Sisters, yours are going to be free, too!" Luigi said.
"Really? That's awesome!" said Daisy.
It really surprised the sisters when they learned that the girlfriends in question were princesses. Neither of them had ever given a massage to royalty before!
"But you know, these massages aren't free just because you're princesses." Gigi said.
"No?" asked Peach.
"No. We owe your boyfriends for getting us the Pearl Beans that we wanted." Merri explained.
"That's cool." said Daisy.
On the day they visited the Castle Town, they went to the Starbeans Café for drinks, and Professor E. Gadd was there. He was really happy to see Mario and Luigi again, but his happiness turned to surprise when he found out that the lovely young ladies accompanying them were not just princesses, but their girlfriends.
"Oh, so you're the young lady that Luigi couldn't shut up about." E. Gadd said when Daisy introduced herself to him.
Luigi's face flushed at that.
"You told him about me?" Daisy asked Luigi.
"I may have... mentioned you... to him..." Luigi said, feeling nervous that E. Gadd would say more than he hoped.
"'Mentioned'? That's the understatement of the century, Luigi! You went on and on about her as though she was the best thing to happen since 'A Hard Day's Night' came out!" E. Gadd said.
Luigi, who was now shaming Mario's hat, said, "Because she is the most wonderful thing that ever happened to me, and I'm blessed to have a sweetheart like her in my life."
"Awww, you're so sweet, Luigi!" Daisy exclaimed as she gave Luigi a kiss on the cheek, which caused Luigi to faint. Then she turned to E. Gadd and said, "Luigi told me how you helped him to rescue Mario, and that you used the treasure he found to build him the mansion he deserved."
"Luigi helped me get all of my ghost paintings back. He more than earned that mansion." E. Gadd said.
"Thank you so much for helping Luigi to get Mario out of the painting those horrid Boos trapped him in. I still don't know how they did that to him, but... I'm just so relieved that he's okay." Peach said to E. Gadd, hugging Mario tightly as she spoke. Mario didn't protest. He just hugged her back, glad that he was not in a painting, and with the woman he loved more than his own life.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was the night before the last day of the trip. Everyone had been having a lot of fun so far, but there was still one thing they hadn't done yet, and only the Mario Bros. knew what it was.
In their room at the Embassy that night, Mario and Luigi discussed that matter before falling asleep.
"Mario, we still haven't been to Joke's End, and tomorrow's our last day here. Are we going to go there or not?" Luigi asked.
"I think we're only going to visit Joke's End if Peach is okay with it. If she doesn't want to go there, I'm not going to make her, because it's-a not nice to make a girl do something she isn't comfortable with." Mario said. (A/N: "Super Mario Odyssey", anyone?)
"But the only way we can pull it off is if she's willing to go. I hope she doesn't say no." Luigi reminded him.
"Tell you what: I'll mention it to her tomorrow morning while we're having breakfast. Then we'll see what she says." Mario said, before turning out the lights so he and Luigi could get some sleep.
So yeah, while Mario and the others are having a great time in the Beanbean Kingdom, the Mario Bros. have yet to put their plan from Chapter 1 into play. Perhaps they'll do it in the next chapter? We'll just have to wait and see. Stay tuned!