~~Hello everyone, this is my first Mario fanfiction.
Mario Party Super Stars gave me the inspiration to start writing this story.
I don't own anything from Super Mario.
Only my original characters belong to me.~~
My story begins at home in my bedroom.
It was Friday June Fourth, also known as the day of my eighth graduation.
I woke up at 6:30 AM to the loud beeping sound coming from my alarm clock.
I reached over to the nightstand on the right side of my bed to turn it off.
Complete silence filled the room as I lay still in bed.
I stared up at the ceiling lost in deep thought.
Thoughts of Mario Party Super Stars flooded into my mind like a stream of water.
I sighed dreamily while remembering the adorable sounds of Mario and Luigi's voices.
Seeing those two beautiful characters move around the game boards without a care in the world makes me very happy.
Their victory poses are cute as well.
My little dog Pegasus crawled out from under the covers and shook off.
I giggled at the jingling sound of his collar.
Pegasus is a fluffy Pomeranian with brown fur.
He is hyperactive and loves to bark.
"Good morning," I greeted while petting him.
Pegasus licked my face in response.
I stretched before sitting up.
The warm sun lightly touched my face as it shined brightly through the window.
I swung my legs over the side of my bed.
"I really need to get a move on if I want some free time to play Mario Party this morning," I said to myself.
The thought of that game made me smile.
Mario's cheerful voice echoed in my head.
I joyfully hopped onto the tile floor.
Pegasus quickly followed after me.
He panted and headed for the door.
"Hold on Pegasus," I called to him.
The dog stared at me in response.
I quickly made my bed since it was now empty.
I then walked over to my closet before carefully sliding one of the glass doors open.
My graduation outfit lay neatly organized on a big wooden dresser in front of me.
It contained black flat shoes, black leggings, a long white dress, and a thin white cover.
After changing into my new outfit, I folded my purple fuzzy pajamas and placed them in a drawer.
I then put on my favorite necklace.
It's a blue jewel that hangs down from a silver chain.
Lastly, I sat down on a small circular stool in front of my vanity to brush my hair.
I retrieved a brush from one of the drawers.
A favorite song played in my mind as I slowly brushed my long hair in front of the rectangular mirror.
I couldn't help but start singing it.
In the middle of my song, I heard a knock on the door.
Pegasus let out a low growl.
"Come in," I hollered.
The door opened revealing my younger sister Lynn.
Lynn is a 12-year-old girl with brown eyes and red hair.
She had on green tennis shoes and socks, blue jeans, and a green T-shirt.
Lynn quietly entered the room before sitting down on the front end of my bed.
Pegasus hopped on my bed beside her.
She lifted the dog into her lap.
"Good morning Lynn," I greeted with a smile.
"Hi Sioku," she simply replied.
Lynn stared at me and smiled. "You look so beautiful Sioku. I love your dress"
"Thank you," I replied.
"Sioku, are you excited about your middle school graduation today?" Lynn continued.
I sighed heavily as a bad thought crossed my mind.
All of that previous joy I was feeling about playing Mario Party again vanished instantly.
Thinking about my academic assistant Julie always ruined my good mood because she doesn't have any respect for my feelings.
She only cares about how I act in class.
If I make even the smallest mistake, she would yell at me in front of everybody.
"Of course I am, but there is just one problem. I don't want Julie to ruin it for me with her annoying attitude," I answered in disappointment.
"I'm sure she won't do that," Lynn assured.
Lynn's words didn't convince me at all, but I reluctantly decided to agree with her.
I put my brush away before standing up.
"Pegasus wants to go out," I said to Lynn.
"I'll take him out," Lynn offered.
"I'm coming with you anyway," I replied while walking toward the door.
Lynn gently set Pegasus down on the floor.
"Let's go," I said while opening the door.
I then raced Pegasus down the hall.
The sound of his nails repeatedly tapping on the wood floor made me laugh out loud.
Pegasus whimpered in excitement as he led me through the kitchen and toward the back door.
He panted while scratching on the glass.
"Go out," I said while sliding the door open.
The dog immediately took off outside.
I couldn't help but giggle at him.
Lynn met me in the kitchen a few minutes later.
"Sorry about all the noise," I said nervously.
"Don't worry," she simply replied.
Without further hesitation, I began helping Lynn prepare breakfast for us.
I quickly set the table while Lynn grabbed a box of cereal from one of the cabinets and a carton of milk from the fridge.
My mind wandered back to Mario Party, causing me to accidentally spill some water on the ground.
My face turned bright red in embarrassment.
"Sioku!" exclaimed Lynn.
"Oops... I'll take care of it," I replied.
"You need to be more careful," scolded Lynn.
I placed my cup down on the counter before grabbing a rag out of a drawer.
I then hurried back to the mess before cleaning it up.
"What are you thinking about?" Lynn wondered.
"Mario Party," I briefly answered.
Lynn only sighed in annoyance.
She didn't like my clumsy behavior.
Lynn and I then sat down at the table.
My hands trembled as I poured cereal into my bowl.
"Do not spill it Sioku," Lynn warned.
I only shook my head as I passed the box to her.
I was immediately pulled back into my thoughts while staring out the window.
Playing Mario Party again was all I could think about.
A few minutes later, our oldest sister Kara quietly entered the kitchen.
Kara is a 19-year-old woman with short red hair and brown eyes.
She had on a pink nightgown and purple slippers.
"Good morning girls," she greeted.
"Hi Kara," I replied.
"Hello," added Lynn.
Kara then proceeded to make her coffee.
The coffee machine produced a loud watering noise as it was brewing.
Kara sat down at the table next to Lynn as soon as she finished making her coffee.
The scent of French vanilla filled the air.
"You look really nice today Sioku," Kara complemented as she looked at me.
"Thank you," I replied.
"Sioku, Melody and I are going to watch your graduation ceremony at school. I expect you to be on your best behavior this morning," Kara added sternly.
The serious tone in Kara's voice usually scares me.
I decided not to let her frighten me today.
"You got it Sis," I replied with a brave smile.
"Look at you being all brave," teased Lynn with a smirk.
I laughed out loud in response.
Once my bowl was empty, I rose from my seat before carrying my dishes to the kitchen sink.
I then rushed into the bathroom.
After brushing my teeth, I packed a small shoulder bag.
I then let Pegasus inside before heading into the living room to wait for the bus.
Pegasus hopped onto a couch beside me.
He then laid down and fell asleep.
I joyfully picked my Nintendo Switch up off the coffee table and turned it on.
A few previous games had already been saved on the Party Mode menu, and I chose to play on Peach's Birthday Cake since it was my favorite board.
Fortunately, the star on that board never moved from its spot because it was stationary.
I played as Mario in this game.
My opponents were Luigi, Yoshi, and Princess Daisy.
I was the second person in line.
Luigi was first since he rolled the highest number.
Watching Luigi take his turn sent me into a daydream.
It was now my turn to move.
I grinned dreamily as I watched Mario hop around on the board in such a care free manner.
He just looked so adorable.
I gasped as I saw my necklace glowing bright red.
"Wo, what the heck is happening?" I whispered.
I decided to ignore it and focus on the game.
Luckily, I was able to buy another star.
I also won coins by landing on a lucky space.
My necklace glowed even brighter every time it was my turn to move on the board.
I didn't understand the sudden event at all.
All of my worries about Julie were instantly replaced with happy thoughts as I played the game.
Kara paused the Tv and looked at me. "Sioku, it's time to turn off your game. The bus is here."
I quickly saved my progress before setting my Switch down in its original spot on the coffee table.
The red glow on my necklace faded away.
Pegasus began to growl as he heard a constant rumbling noise from outside.
"Shut up dog," Kara said in annoyance.
I giggled as I lifted him into my arms.
I then carried Pegasus over to his kennel.
Pegasus reluctantly stepped inside.
"You be good," I said as I locked the door.
The dog whimpered in response.
Kara looked around the room with slight irritation. "Sioku, where is your sister?"
"She's probably doing her hair in the bathroom," I answered while walking in that direction.
I knocked firmly on the door. "Come on Lynn, it's time to go. The bus is waiting for us."
Lynn quickly opened the door and ran toward her room.
"I'll be right there," she called back.
"Hurry up!" hollered Kara.
I hurried over to the front door.
Lynn returned to my side a minute later.
"I'll see you girls at school," said Kara.
"Bye Kara," we replied in unison.
Lynn and I then headed out the door.
The bus was waiting at the edge of our street.
We stepped on as soon as the doors opened.
There were many conversations going on at once.
A familiar voice called out to me. "Sioku!"
"Ariel?" I called back.
I happily ran toward her seat.
"Hi Ariel," I greeted as I plopped down beside her.
Ariel is a 13-year-old girl with blond hair and blue eyes.
She had on a pair of blue high heals decorated with sparkly gems, a long blue dress, and a thin blue cover.
"Hey Sioku, how's it going?" she replied.
"Absolutely fabulous, I had some time to play Mario Party after I got ready for school. I already love that game so much," I answered dreamily.
Ariel only giggled at that.
A short period of silence passed between us.
"You have the new Mario Party Super Stars Nintendo Switch game, right Sioku?" Ariel started.
"Of course," I answered with a grin.
"I have the same game," she added.
I pulled my necklace out from under my cover. "Speaking of Mario Party, something really strange happened while I was playing it."
"Please tell me," Ariel replied excitedly.
"I was playing as Mario on one of the game boards. My necklace started glowing bright red every time it was my turn to move," I explained.
"This is a mystery," she added.
Ariel thought to herself for a moment.
She then turned to me with a big smile. "Sioku, I know why the glow on your necklace was red. Mario is the red plumber, do you remember?"
I just nodded in response.
Her explanation had me confused.
"Mario might have put an enchantment on your necklace today. He's trying to contact you Sioku," she continued before laughing.
My face heated up as I blushed.
I was too speechless to reply.
Her crazy theory didn't sound real at all.
"Let's test this little theory of mine, shall we?" Ariel suggested while pulling out her phone.
She showed me a video of Mario on YouTube.
I couldn't help but smile at it.
To my surprise, the jewel began to glow red.
The glow faded as soon as Ariel exited out of the video.
Ariel and I looked at each other stunned.
"But why is this happening today?" I wondered.
"I'm wondering the same thing," Ariel answered.
I gasped in realization as a thought crossed my mind. "Ariel, Mario usually rescues people who are in danger."
"That's true," Ariel replied thoughtfully.
"Hold on, what kind of danger could I possibly be in today..." I said as I suddenly frowned.
A flashback of Julie entered my mind.
~Flashback to a week ago~
My best friend Ariel and I were sitting at a table in our physics class.
Class hadn't started yet.
I casually strolled up to the teacher's desk.
She was filling out some paperwork.
"Excuse me," I started.
"Hello Sioku," she replied.
"May I please go get my laptop from the computer room? It will only take a few minutes," I continued..
"No," the teacher answered.
"Why not?" I asked slightly confused.
"Students are not allowed to leave the classroom until this period is over. It's the rule," she explained.
I sighed heavily as I walked away.
Before I could return to my seat, Julie furiously grabbed me by the collar of my jacket.
I jumped in fear at her action.
"Quit acting like a baby," she ordered.
I shook my head as she released me.
My face heated up in embarrassment as I sat down.
"That woman is a nutcase," Ariel whispered.
~End Flashback~
"What's wrong Sioku?" asked Ariel concerned.
"I just had a flashback about science class. Julie is attending the graduation ceremony," I answered.
"That's right, today is our graduation day. You'll be just fine Sioku," she reassured.
I lowered my head in fear.
Ariel smiled playfully at me as a thought crossed her mind. "Hey Sioku, I think Mario will save you from Julie if she causes any trouble today."
"That's impossible," I whispered.
"Sioku, why else would your necklace glow bright red?" asked Ariel with a hint of jealousy in her voice.
I only sighed in response.
"Ariel, do you remember what happened in class last week?" I started.
"Yes, you wanted to go grab your laptop from the computer room. I didn't blame you because some people can be thieves. Our teacher refused to let you leave the classroom. Then Julie shouted at you for no reason. I don't know why those two women don't like you," she explained.
I suddenly paused and thought to myself before speaking again. "Hold on, did she let anyone else leave after dismissing me?"
"Yes, she allowed half the class to walk out that door! I was shocked by her mistreatment toward you," she answered with slight anger in her voice.
"That is so unfair," I added with a frown.
"I know right?" Ariel agreed.
I wanted to change the subject and looked at Ariel dumbfounded. "How would a fictional character such as Mario save me from Julie if I got into any trouble with her? He doesn't even know me."
"That's the mystery behind this whole situation Sioku," she answered in a playful tone.
Another moment of silence passed by.
"I wish Luigi could be here to save me if I was ever in danger," she added.
Ariel's comment made me burst into laughter.
"Oh my gosh, I didn't know that you had a crush on Luigi. I don't blame you though," I replied.
"Luigi has been my favorite," she said proudly.
Ariel and I spent the remainder of the bus ride watching videos on YouTube.
The bus pulled into the middle school's parking lot before it came to a complete stop.
Ariel and I waited for the isles to clear out.
After exiting the bus, Ariel and I walked down to a secluded area behind a set of portable classrooms.
We then sat down on a brick planter box under a cluster of tall trees.
This area was quite peaceful.
Birds chirped in the treetops above us.
I slipped into pleasant thoughts about Mario.
However, I couldn't get this new situation about the glowing jewel out of my head.
My thoughts were soon interrupted when I spotted a familiar woman walking toward me.
"Julie is here," said Ariel.
I just nodded and turned away.
"Let's go Sioku," Julie demanded in a low voice as she approached Ariel and me.
The tension instantly thickened between Julie and me.
Ariel glared at Julie and whispered. "Wow, that was really rude. This woman doesn't have any manners."
All of that joy I was feeling suddenly vanished.
"Coming," I replied with a heavy sigh.
My anxiety also started to kick in.
I reluctantly stood up and walked toward her.
My heart began to race with anticipation.r
Ariel gave me a reassuring look.
Julie is a woman in her late forties.
She has curly grey hair and green eyes.
Julie had on pink high heals and a pink silky dress.
A purple leather bag hung down from her shoulder.
"I'll see you soon," I said to Ariel.
Ariel waved at me in response.
Julie and I began making our way to the field.
Our walk was silent until Julie decided to speak up.
She cleared her throat. "Tell me Sioku, are you satisfied with your overall behavior this year?"
Julie's question caused me to tense up.
I had a bad feeling about what she was doing.
An image of Mario flashed through my mind, giving me a strong boost of courage.
I immediately felt braver than normal.
"Thank you Mario," I thought.
I stared at Julie dumbfounded. "Yes, why in the heck would you ask me that question?"
"You know why," Julie answered.
I smirked at her and shook my head.
She glared back at me.
"Actually I don't," I argued.
She felt her patience being tested and didn't like it.
"Sioku, are you telling me that you wouldn't change anything about this school year?" Julie continued.
I felt my anger rising and growled internally.
Julie was already trying to push my buttons.
However, I wasn't going to let her do it.
"What is there to change?" I asked confused.
This mind game was making my head spin.
She sighed roughly in annoyance.
"Don't start acting clueless toward me Sioku. You wouldn't change how you threw your physics teacher under the bus last week for telling you no?" Julie replied with an uncertain look.
Her demeanor stayed mostly calm during this conversation which caught me by surprise.
I expected Julie to yell at me until I broke down in tears.
Instead of worrying about the things she would have done to me, I shrugged it off to focus on the main topic.
That last question of hers caused me to snap.
My attitude toward Julie instantly changed from annoyed to furious.
I also felt my blood boiling.
"How am I acting clueless? I never threw anyone under the bus," I countered.
Julie glared as if she didn't believe me.
"She told me that you talked behind her back to your little girl friend. You called your teacher every bad name under the sun," she answered, her voice slightly raised.
Julie's accusation caused the mental restraints holding back my anger to break.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Now I know that's a lie," I muttered.
A tune from Mario Party played in my mind.
Those magical tunes normally calm me down during any situation, but I was too angry to pay any attention.
"Not now Mario," I thought with irritation.
I took a deep breath and decided to use Julie's composed attitude to my advantage.
Without any hesitation, I turned to get in Julie's face. "Listen up Julie, I would never ever do anything to hurt her or anybody else! I never use cuss words, and I hate upsetting people! You should know that!"
"Oh really?" she replied calmly.
Julie didn't react to my response right away which confused me more than ever.
She still kept her composure.
"That teacher doesn't even like me! She is a lot like you! I'm not surprised that you would believe her lies," I snapped.
"It's true Sioku, the only person lying right now is you. I know exactly what you did in class," she replied.
Julie was trying harder to get under my skin.
I still wasn't falling for her trick.
I let out a growl of frustration. "Quit playing mind games with me Julie! I wouldn't cuss at anyone!"
"You wouldn't?" she taunted.
I only rolled my eyes at that.
We eventually made it to the bleachers.
This war between Julie and me was far from over.
I set my bag down on the bench.
Then I stood up and glared at her.
"Don't you glare at me," Julie demanded.
I rebelliously smirked at her.
Mario's courage started to take hold of me.
I felt like I had the upper hand in this argument.
"Wipe that smirk off your face! You will not win this battle Sioku!" Julie screamed.
I flinched and fell onto the bench.
People stared at me from all directions.
Feeling embarrassed, I lowered my head in shame.
Unfortunately, my wall of courage came crashing down.
Julie grabbed my cover and dragged me toward her.
I trembled in fear under her grasp.
"Your little nervous act isn't going to fool me at all Sioku," she said in my ear.
I remained silent in search for a new spark of courage.
Julie continued her yelling speech. "I know you're lying Sioku, you acted like a little baby in class last week because the teacher wouldn't let you download that silly VeggieTales music on your laptop!"
Her untrue accusation immediately sent me into a fuming world of pure rage.
My blood boiled hotter than fire.
Anger radiated off of me like flames.
I stared at her with a look of burning hatred. "Julie, I know you're making up this rediculous story. I grabbed my laptop after class and downloaded the music at home! I was only afraid of my computer getting stolen! VeggieTales had nothing to do with this!"
Julie roughly shook me back and forth. "Yes it did Sioku, your teacher told me everything after school! I knew that you would obviously be up to no good if she denied your selfish request!"
I angrily pulled out of her grip.
Luckily, my spark of bravery was still fresh.
I refused to back down and cower before her.
"What the heck are you talking about? This teacher has manipulated you into believing that I'm a terrible person," I replied defensively.
Julie furiously slapped my shoulder. "Don't you dare blame your problems on her! You've tried to manipulate people into hating your teacher!"
I winced at the stinging pain.
Tears threatened to sting the corners of my eyes.
Mario's voice echoed in my head. "Don't give up Sioku, I'm right here with you."
That beautiful Italian accent ignited a fresh spark of courage in my mind, causing me to smile.
I immediately forced my tears down.
"I won't let you down," I thought.
I took a deep breath and faced Julie again.
"There's no possible way I could have done that! The only person I ever talk to is Ariel! How in the world is playing a game with my best friend being up to no good?" I yelled back.
Julie placed her hands on my shoulders and squeezed them. "Sioku Marie, your teacher told me that you were spreading a rumor that she dislikes autistic people! You were not playing a game with your friend! The teacher also saw you pouting at the table like a spoiled child!"
My anger rose higher with each accusation she made.
I tried to struggle out of her grip but to no avail.
"What? That is so not true! She has you wrapped up in a twisted web of messed up lies!" I quickly argued.
Julie sighed roughly as she released me. "This argument is over now Sioku. VeggieTales is for little kids, not teenagers. Whenever you listen to that music, I hope you think about how badly you hurt this teacher."
A wave of guilt washed over me.
I nodded before sadly turning away.
Julie's last statement caused my new wall of courage to come crumbling down on me.
The shaking in my body intensified as I broke down.
My heart pounded rapidly in my chest.
Thinking about my favorite songs from VeggieTales only made the situation worse.
I silently cried into the fabric of my cover.
Tears of sadness and defeat poured from my eyes.
"Sorry Mario, I couldn't win my fight against her madness. Please forgive me," I thought.
Mario's voice echoed in my head again. "Cheer up Sioku, I'll be with you soon."
I was still shocked by his telepathic communication with me, but I chose not to react.
The fresh mental scar that Julie had just left on me was far too deep, and I couldn't ignore it.
I have to permanently eliminate VeggieTales from my life now which will be difficult for me to accomplish.
To keep myself from thinking about VeggieTales, I watched a Mario Party Superstars video on YouTube.
The characters almost instantly drowned Julie's harsh words out of my mind.
I placed my hand over the jewel.
To my surprise, the jewel heated up under my hand.
I gasped quietly in astonishment.
"What does this mean?" I wondered.
I carefully removed my hand and looked down.
A bright red light was emitting from the jewel.
The glowing light didn't fade away this time.
I remained still as the red light swirled around me.
"Mario, are you doing this? Please tell me what's going on," I telepathically urged.
There was no answer from him.
The red light only glowed brighter.
I shifted my focus back to the video.
A few minutes later, Julie tapped on my shoulder. "Sioku, it's time to go find your seat now."
Without a word, I stood up before slowly following Julie into the large crowd.
She led me to a seat in the last row.
Julie caught sight of my necklace and looked at me. "What's up with the glowing red light?"
"Nothing," I answered plainly.
I dejectedly plopped down in the chair.
"Lose the attitude," Julie scolded.
I remained silent as she walked away.
Just when I thought all hope was lost, I saw Ariel walking toward me.
I smiled and waved at her.
"Hi Sioku," she called back.
Ariel then sat in the empty chair beside me.
"Sioku, you look like somebody had just bullied you about something. Are you okay?" she started while staring at my saddened face.
"Not really, Julie yelled at me in front of everyone. She also shamed me for watching VeggieTales," I answered.
"Don't let her get to you Sioku, things will get better. I promise," Ariel reassured.
"How do you know? What if Kara scolds me when I get home from school?" I replied fearfully.
Ariel put a hand on my shoulder and spoke gently. "You don't have to worry about that Sioku, I'll tell Kara what happened today. I saw the whole thing."
"You did?" I whispered.
"Yes, Julie will get fired if Kara knew that she put her hands on you. She will need to report it to the police first," Ariel answered.
"How will Kara get the proof of evidence that Julie physically harassed me?" I added.
"I have the video on my phone," she answered.
"Recording her was a smart idea," I whispered.
Ariel smiled at me in agreement.
"We won't be the only ones who know that Julie is telling lies when I'm through with her," she added.
She pulled me closer while staring down at my necklace. "Sioku, it's glowing again."
I held the jewel and sighed. "I know, it hasn't stopped glowing since I watched another Mario Party video on YouTube a few minutes ago."
Ariel and I gasped in awe as we were surrounded by an orb of red and green light.
Just when Ariel and I thought this new situation couldn't get any weirder, we saw two familiar figures slowly descending in front of us.
We were then mysteriously transported to a separate area that was empty and silent.
My best friend and I found ourselves sitting in the middle of a field surrounded by soft grass.
"What are we doing here?" I whispered.
Ariel grinned as she excitedly tapped on my shoulder. "Sioku! Sioku! Mario and Luigi are here!"
I stared awkwardly at her. "Say what?"
"Look in front of you," she replied.
I did so and stopped abruptly.
My eyes widened in shock.
To my amazement, Ariel was right.
The two plumbers were standing directly in front of us.
They had blue eyes and brown hair.
My breath was instantly taken away by their appearance, but I managed to contain my excitement.
"How did this happen?" I whispered to Ariel.
"I told you it was a distress signal," she whispered back.
I couldn't help but laugh at that.
Ariel pointed to the plumber wearing a red hat and grinned at me. "Go on Sioku, introduce yourself to him."
I remained still and blushed. "I don't think I can do it right now. I look like a total mess."
"Just do it," she encouraged.
I let out a sigh and stood up.
After taking a deep breath to calm my nerves, I slowly walked up to the short plumber.
My heart raced as I stared at him.
He had on brown shoes, a pair of blue overalls with yellow buttons, a long sleeved red shirt, white gloves, and a red cap with a red M printed on a white circle.
"Hello sir, my name is Sioku. It's a pleasure to meet you," I greeted politely.
The plumber stepped closer to me. "Hello Sioku, my name is Mario. My brother Luigi is here too."
I gasped at the Italian accent in Mario's voice.
A joyful grin spread across my face.
The plumber wearing a green shirt and a green hat smiled shyly at me from behind his brother.
I smiled and waved back at him.
Ariel grinned at us from a distance.
"I think Luigi likes you," she called to me.
I only blushed at her comment.
I paced back and forth to maintain my composure. "Mario, may I ask why you're here?"
"I'm here to help you," Mario answered.
"That's very sweet, but how did you know that I needed help?" I asked curiously.
Mario leaned himself against me in a comforting way. "Your amulet summoned us here. Sioku, I sense that something bad has already happened to you."
Julie's harsh words played in my mind.
A few tears rolled down my cheeks.
"Yes, I got accused and yelled at by my academic assistant. She hurt and embarrassed me in front of a crowd of many people," I replied sadly.
The two brothers exchanged a somber look.
I quickly wiped my tears away. "Oops, I didn't mean to let you two see that."
"Don't be sorry Sioku, that's what my brother and I are here for. We came to cheer you up," Mario replied in a happier tone of voice.
I shook the sadness away and smiled at Mario.
"Your smile is really pretty," he complemented.
I then turned to my best friend who was still sitting down. "Hey Ariel, do you want to meet Luigi?"
Ariel jumped up from her spot with joy. "Heck yes I do, I'm coming for you Luigi!"
She happily raced across the grass.
"Slow down Ariel, be careful around them! Luigi might be shy," I said protectively.
Ariel ignored me and kept going.
"This won't end well," I thought nervously.
She joyfully threw her arms around the taller plumber.
"Hi Luigi, I'm so happy to meet you! My name is Ariel," she greeted excitedly.
Luigi let out a frightened yelp and immediately broke free of Ariel's embrace.
He hid behind me while panting heavily.
"Ariel, you scared him!" I hollered.
She took a few steps back in response.
Mario knelt down beside his brother to comfort him.
I couldn't help but watch.
They just looked so cute together.
Ariel's joyful expression changed into one of disappointment as she looked at me. "Oh no, I made a terrible first impression. I feel bad for scaring him."
"I tried to warn you," I replied seriously.
Ariel lowered her head and sighed. "I know Sioku, I apologize for not listening to you."
"I can fix this problem," I reassured.
Ariel nodded before turning away.
I cautiously sat down beside the two brothers.
"Is he all right?" I asked Mario.
"No Sioku, Luigi is really frightened. He won't respond to me. Please help him," Mario pleaded.
"Don't worry Mario, I'm good at helping others. I know how to calm him down," I replied warmly.
Luigi shivered as he leaned on me.
My heart immediately went out to him.
"Come here Luigi," I said softly.
He heard my voice and wrapped his arms around me.
I gently pulled him into a comforting embrace.
"I've got you," I whispered.
Luigi tightened his hold on me as I stood up.
He trembled in fear against my chest.
"Calm down Luigi, I'm right here. I won't leave you. You're okay," I lovingly reassured.
Luigi rested his head on my shoulder.
Mario smiled in admiration as he looked up at me. "Thank you for helping my brother Sioku, I could tell that he really likes you."
"You're very welcome Mario, I'm glad I could help. Why was he so scared of my friend?" I replied smoothly.
"Luigi has always been timid, especially when we meet new people. He's not used to dealing with a lot of excitement at once," Mario answered.
"I know how that feels," I added.
I looked at Mario with a hopeful expression as a thought crossed my mind. "Hey Mario, I was surprised when you used telepathy to communicate with me. That's very impressive."
Mario only grinned at me.
I looked down at Luigi and noticed that he seemed to be much calmer than before.
He lay completely still on me with his eyes closed.
"You're so adorable," I whispered to him.
Helping Luigi was the distraction I needed in order to finally get rid of Julie's unnecessary rant.
All of those worries about her had been forgotten in this peaceful moment of bliss.
I silently prayed that it would never end.
"I'll go check on your friend," said Mario as he left.
Mario calmly walked up to Ariel who was exploring the new area. "Excuse me mis, wait for me. My name is Mario, how are you feeling?"
Ariel stopped and turned around. "Hello Mario, my name is Ariel. I'm all right, thanks for asking."
"Hey Mario, I'm really sorry for scaring your brother. I just got way too excited about meeting him. He's probably afraid of me now," Ariel said remorsefully.
"There's no need to worry Ariel. Sioku has already calmed him down. You may talk to Luigi again later," Mario assured.
They quietly made their way back to the spot where Luigi and I were waiting.
Ariel grinned dreamily as soon as she saw Luigi asleep in my arms.
"He looks so cute," she whispered.
"Please be careful around him," I replied gently.
Luigi opened his eyes and looked at me.
I giggled at the sight of his droopy face.
"Hi Luigi, my name is Sioku. I'm the person who just helped you calm down. Are you feeling better?" I said with love.
Luigi nodded in response.
I smiled and hugged him close to me.
"You and your brother helped me out as well. Thank you for helping me find happiness again," I said sincerely.
Luigi nuzzled me in return.
Ariel tapped on my shoulder as a thought crossed her mind. "I hate to end your moment Sioku, but we have to get back to our graduation ceremony."
"Oops, I almost forgot about that," I replied.
I gently lowered Luigi to the ground.
Luigi and I then released each other.
He waved at me before rejoining his brother.
"I'm sorry Mario, but Ariel and I must be going now. We have an important ceremony to attend to," I said to him.
"I understand Sioku, but there is something that you must know before you go. Your amulet will summon the two of us if you call our names. We can appear anywhere at any time," Mario explained.
"Thanks Mario, we'll see you guys later. I promise," I replied with a joyous expression.
"Good bye," added Ariel.
Ariel and I were then transported back to our seats.