~Luigi's POV~

She saw me.

...

She saw me!

...

Damn it!

I knew I should have gone further away. I couldn't go back to that torment of my brother's reign over the kingdom. I couldn't go back to the darkness that was Mario's shadow. I just couldn't. I don't think I was ever more glad to be heading to Evershade Valley today.

I walked into Serenity's house, closing the door behind me as I smelled the scene of sausage and eggs being made. She cooked? I walked into the kitchen, seeing her at the island in her normal strapless dress with the slit down the side of the skirt. It showed off the rose tattoo on her thigh.

I smirked, walking up to her as her back was to me. I slowly snaked a hand around her waist, making her jump a bit before giggling out of realization.

"Hey," She said.

"Hey," I returned.

"How was your fresh air?" She asked, setting a plate down and turning around in my arms as she put a hand to my chest. The same butterflies flew around my stomach like they did back when we first met. My heart fluttered at her gorgeous brown eyes as they stared into my blue ones.

Wow...how can someone so evil look so beautiful?

"It was nice," I said, hesitating a bit before deciding to tell her. "Until I ran into Peach."

"Peach?" She asked, shocked as she pulled away from me. "As in, Princess Peach? Mario's fiancé?"

"Yeah," I sighed. "She has to have a search party out there for me. And somehow, she managed to get herself in it as well."

"That's Peach for ya," Serenity sighed, walking over to her plate of food and sitting down. I noticed mine and sat as well, looking at the woman before me.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked, getting a saddened look from Serenity.

"Peach and I were friends back in the day," She answered smoothly, no hesitancy in her words. I stared in shock. "Best friends, actually."

"How did that happen?" I asked, taking a bite of the eggs and letting them melt in my mouth. She can cook!

"When I was 5, my mother abandoned me," She answered, making me almost choke on my food. Almost. I stared at her, shocked, though not really. Any villain mother or father would probably do the same to any of their children. I could see Bowser doing that to Junior.

"I was on my own, living the streets of Toad Town alone. But then I met Peach and things changed," She continued. "She let me stay in the castle, she gave me a life to look forward to. Then, my powers over the shadows surfaced, and I knew who, or what, I was: a shadow-ling. It sort of explained why my mother could easily go all wavy like ink." I chuckled at that. "I didn't keep it a secret from Peach. I considered a best friend, so keeping secrets didn't sound right. And I was becoming good because of her."

"What happened to change that?" I asked, getting a sigh in return. "If you don't want to answer, I understand."

"No, love," She returned, grinning as she patted my hand. "It's fine. I trust you." I grinned back, eating a sausage. "What happened, is that my mother returned, hearing of my powers and realizing that I was meant to be her "daughter" after all. So, she took me away from the life I knew and pushed me to the life of villainy." She took a bite of a sausage and swallowed.

"Where was your father?" I asked, getting tense shoulders in response.

"I...uh..." She was hesitant now as a look of discomfort spread on her beautiful features. I reached out and grabbed her hand, giving it a reassurance squeeze.

"You don't have to-"

"I don't know my father," She blurted out. "He wasn't around for my birth or anything."

"Oh, Rena," I sighed, feeling bad. No one should have to go their life without knowing their father. I loved mine. He was awesome! Though, Mario took after him more so while I took a little after mama.

"But I like to imagine that maybe he was a good guy. Someone who didn't stick around because of my mother's evil ways. Or maybe he wasn't ready to be a father. Either way, I don't know and I don't care...much." She giggled, though it seemed forced, like she was tense from the stories she told.

"I'm Sorry, Rena," I said, leaning back as I pushed my empty plate away from me. "I shouldn't have pushed for your story."

"No, Luigi," She spoke, her voice like silk as she grinned to me. Now she seemed calm. "I wanted to share. I wanted you to know who I am. I mean, we did..." She trailed off, blushing as she thought of it. I blushed, too, but my face showed a grin.

"Is that why you trust me more now?" I joked, making her slap my arm playfully and making me chuckle.

"No," She spoke, giggling like a song. "I've always trusted you. Especially after you said you wanted to be evil like us." I looked at her, seeing the glint of someone else in her eyes. She showed she was evil. She showed she was a villain. But her eyes, her soul, her heart, showed someone trapped. Trapped in a life that she didn't want to be in. Trapped in a path that made her Queen of the Dark Tribe even though she wasn't ready.

She was trapped.

"Rena," I spoke, getting her grin to fall a bit. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Go for it," She said. "You've asked a lot already." She smirked as she grabbed my plate and hers before heading to the sink. I chuckled at her remark.

"Just to get to know you better," I said, getting a giggle in response. "But I need to know...why stay evil if you don't want to be?" She froze, turning around to look at me. "I'm good a reading people. You may physically show you're evil, but hon...your eyes say another thing." She sighed, looking back at the sink.

"I stay evil because my mother--"

"Made her choice," I spoke, standing up from the island and getting another look from Serenity. "She made her choice to be evil. She made her choice to one day put the world in darkness. You can make your own choice. You can change back."

"Luigi," She sighed, setting the dishes in the sink and turning to me. "I've tried." I stared at her for a moment. "I've tried to choose my path. But my mother...she keeps cramming "Queen" down my throat. She wants me to take over for her."

"But you're not ready," I said, getting a look in return. It wasn't a look of anger but of someone who was stressed, frustrated even. I would be too if I was being pushed into becoming a King.

"I know I'm not," She said. "But she insists." She walked away after that, grabbing her cloak and clasping it around her shoulders. "Be prepared. Once we get the Moonlight Rod, I'll have no more leverage to push it back more." I stared at her confused as she walked over to me. What did she...?

Wait...oh, no...

"Now, come on, love," She smirked, pecking my cheek as she grabbed my hand. "Let's head out. The others are probably waiting for us."


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