Hello everyone! As I'm typing this, I'm officially headed *groan* back to school. *sigh* It's just so sad to see it go. Because of school, I probably won't have as much time as I did over the summer. So yeah, I'll be fine. Anyways, it's time to start the third chapter! Here we go!
Before we start though. A quick response to one review I got. I'd like to do this often, but I don't get a lot of reviews. Seriously guys, don't be afraid to express your opinions. You don't even have to be logged in. Any reviews are appreciated.
Lord Hyness
Why thank you! I've been thinking there was a reason Mario and the others wanted a vacation. Plus summer's ending anyways so I thought I'd make it start in the winter. Ugh! I hate the cold weather! Not looking forward to it!
Mario and the others successfully loaded their bags into the plane and took their seats.
Pilot: 3, 2, 1! And… we're off!
Aqua was sitting near the window and looked outside. She was terrified of how high they were and couldn't imagine what would happen in an accident. She looked away from the window and at Mario, who was looking at a map Toadsworth gave him of the island that showed off all the amazing attractions when Aqua tapped him on the shoulder with her small fingers.
Mario: Oh, hey little buddy! What's up?
Aqua: Mario, do you mind if we switch seats? I like the aisle better.
Mario: But don't you like the window view? I used to love it when I was your age.
Aqua: No I don't. It kinda scares me.
Mario: (She's afraid of heights too?) Okay, if you insist.
They got up and switched seats. Mario felt more cramped in the window seat. It wasn't as great as it used to be now that he's bigger. Aqua meanwhile felt more relieved.
Aqua: Thank you Mario!
After she thanked him she started looking away again looking sad. At this point, Mario felt worried. He looked back at Peach.
Mario: Hey Peach? Can you and I talk in private? There's something I wanna discuss.
Peach: Oh sure.
They got up and walked into the restroom. Aqua stared at them as they entered, wondering what they were talking about.
Peach: What is it you wanna talk about Mario?
Mario: Listen Peach. I know I just met her and all, but I'm worried about your sister, Aqua. She seems to be unhappy and scared. More so than Luigi ever was. She only smiled when I told her I wanted her to be my friend and that's it. Is there something bothering her?
Peach was silent for a few moments and sighed.
Peach: I guess I should tell you… It all started when she was born. She wasn't born until me and Daisy's late teens due to our parents having issues with getting a third child. But they wanted another one so bad, so when Aqua was born, we celebrated so much. And it was worth the wait, because she was just perfect. She had my kind personality, and Daisy's love for adventure. Also kind of like you, Mario. She somehow knew how to SWIM before she could WALK! I know, it's crazy! But she loves water. In fact, it's one of the few things she's still not afraid of today. It takes her worries away. We couldn't have chosen a better name for her. It went on until sometime after her fourth birthday, which was shortly before you and Luigi arrived.
Two years ago.
*flashback*
King George and Queen Rosemary took Daisy and Aqua to visit Peach's Castle to play for a bit. Seeing her big sister always put a big smile on Aqua's face.
Aqua: PEACH!
She ran over to hug her big sister. Peach hugged back.
Peach: Hehe! Hi Aqua! How is the most adorable kid I know, doing?
Aqua giggled.
Aqua: I'm doing great! I made a new friend! This is Toadette!
Toadette: Hello your majesty!
Peach: Well, it's nice to meet you! I've got some new coloring books for the both of you!
Aqua and Toadette: You do?!
Peach shakes her head and took them out. They excitedly started coloring. They had a great time together. That was until disaster struck.
They heard screaming coming from outside and saw a Toad break in screaming and he tripped over.
King George: What is the matter?!
Toad: Your majesty! Our kingdom is being invaded! And those monsters are turning everyone into briiiiiiiiiiiiiiicks!
As he said that last word, he himself was turned into a brick block and everyone gasped.
Queen Rosemary: Oh my goodness!
Soon a figure broke into the castle. The Koopa King himself, Bowser!
George: You! I thought we banished your kind years ago!
Bowser: Gwahahaha! Well, that's too bad! We've made some advances in our magic and technology, that you can no longer keep us out. Now surrender your kingdom to me, or you rule over a bunch of useless bricks.
Rosemary: Never!
Bowser: I thought you'd say that.
He snaps his fingers and a cannonball from the airship crashes into the castle. The Queen wasn't lucky enough to dodge it in time and was crushed by the debris. The King and his three daughters were horrified. Toadette made a run for it. The family didn't have time to mourn as a koopa stampede ran through the castle and the four ran out of there as the castle collapsed. They ran for their lives as the Koopas attacked. Soon they ran over to a cliff. But Aqua didn't stop in time and fell off the cliff.
George, Peach, and Daisy: AQUAMARINE!
She managed to grab the branch of a lone tree at the bottom of the cliff. But couldn't land to safety because the stampede was raging through the cliff's bottom. The four year old held a face of terror as she held on.
Aqua: HEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!
George: You girls stay here! Hold on Aquamarine! Daddy's coming!
The King jumped down into the cliff, jumping on a koopa and kicking its shell to clear a path. He rescued Aqua just in the nick of time before the tree snapped and climbed up with her. He managed to get her back to Peach and Daisy, but then he himself slipped.
Peach, Daisy, and Aqua: DAD!
He then tried again to climb up the wall. But he was struggling to get up.
George: Peach! My daughter! Help me!
Peach: Don't worry Dad! I'm com-
Before she could reach out for his hand, Bowser grabbed her with his huge hands.
Daisy and Aqua: PEACH!
George: NO!
Peach: LET… ME… GO!
Bowser stood there at George's desperate state and stomped on his hand that was still holding on. Making him scream in pain. He then put on an evil grin as he took one last look at the King's face of fear.
Bowser: Long live the king.
Bowser kicked him in the face and he fell down to his inevitable doom.
George: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
Peach, Daisy, and Aqua: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
The three princesses were horrified and scarred by what they just witnessed. The Mushroom Kingdom's biggest enemy just murdered their father, let alone the KING! Bowser gave Peach to Kamek and he locked her away.
As that happened, Aqua ran down to the cliff's bottom as the stampede died down. When the dust vanished, she saw George's body. All bruised up, and eyes closed.
Aqua: Daddy? Dad? You gotta get up! Please...
No response. The girl tried pushing and lifting him to wake him up, but nothing worked. Daisy came with tears streaming all over her face.
It's too late, Aqua... *sniff* He's gone...
Aqua: No... He can't be! Daddy!
The two embraced each other as they bawled their tears away.
Aqua: Where's Peach? Is she gone too...?
?: Don't worry. She's a permanent guest at my castle.
Daisy grew hatred for the being that stood before them.
Daisy: YOU!
Bowser: Now, I suggest you two run away and never return! Unless you wanna end up like your parents.
Daisy was really angered and wanted to kill Bowser so bad. But she saw Aqua cowering in fear behind her at the sight of Bowser. She knew that Aqua wasn't able to fight since she's so young and knew she had to get her away from Bowser. So she chose to run away with Aqua to get her to safety.
Bowser: Good choice! So long chumps! Bwahahaha!
end of flashback*
Peach: After you and Luigi came to save me, Aqua was happy to see I was okay. But that happiness didn't last long. After our parents' funeral, Aqua… changed. She was no longer cheerful and playful like she used to be. She would reject invitations to parties, stop socializing with people other than me, Daisy, Toadsworth, and Toadette, would not smile at all unless she was in the water, started being afraid of nearly everything, and would often mutter about it being her fault that Bowser killed our dad.
Peach starts to shed tears thinking about what has happened.
Peach: I fear that she might be depressed. That she's now just a shell of her former self. I just want the sweet, innocent, little sister I know and love back!
Peach burst into tears not taking the emotion anymore. Mario started to cry with her.
Mario: T-t-that's awful! Next time I see Bowser, he's SO gonna get it! Both for killing your father, and for causing DEPRESSION on a sweet, innocent CHILD! *sniff* I wish I could do something to help her…
Peach then came up with an idea.
Peach: Perhaps you can Mario! YOU!
Mario: I… I don't understand…
Peach: When you gave Aqua that nice smile with the offer to be her friend, it was the first time I've seen her smile outside of water in a long time. I think she sees a spark of hope in your eyes, or as I like to call it, a sprite of light.
Mario: "Sprite of light"? Never thought of it that way. But I'd do anything to make her happy. I'll try to have fun with her. Maybe I can teach her to move on and look in a more positive light.
Peach hugged Mario in response.
Peach: Oh, thank you!
Mario: You're welcome Peach.
They both blushed before hearing banging on the door.
Toadsworth: Hey! Hurry up in there! This old man's gotta go!
They exited the bathroom and Toadsworth walks in.
Mario heads back to his seat and sees Aqua still with her head down.
Mario: Hey, Aqua?
Aqua: Oh, hey Mario. What were you and Peach talking about back there?
Mario: Eh… it was private matters for only us to know. But enough about that. I thought we could talk for a little bit and get to know each other.
Aqua: What could you want to know about me?
Mario: Anything! Where you live, what you enjoy, friends, family relations.
Aqua: Hmm… okay…
Aqua told Mario about her home in Lake Lamode in the Lake Kingdom. She mentioned things like her castle being an underwater dome that has air in it, her people being the Lochladies, the Lochlady Dress and how special it was, and she even mentioned her parents and how they died. She also mentioned her relationship with Peach being that she always enjoys her company and loves her so much, and that after her mother died, Peach felt like a motherly figure to her. Her relation with Daisy is a bit rough sometimes as she can get too competitive for her own good and can have a pretty bad attitude sometimes. But they still love each other.
Mario: Sounds great! I should visit your kingdom sometime. It sounds really cool!
Aqua: Maybe you can.
Mario: And you mentioned that in your dome castle, the water doesn't fall through the holes. How does that even work?
Aqua: I don't know. I guess it's magic or something.
Mario: (I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case.)
Aqua: So… what's your life like?
Mario: Pretty exciting.
Mario told Aqua about how he used to live in New Donk City where he fought an ape that escaped from the zoo, then came to the Mushroom Kingdom through a plumbing accident and had many adventures since then. Even mentioning how Luigi saved him from a haunted mansion last fall.
Aqua: Wow! Your life sounds crazy!
Mario: Yeah, it is! But I love it! And I wouldn't change a thing about it. My adventures are a lot of fun, and I enjoy saving your sister whenever she's in trouble. You know, bringing happiness into other people's lives can make yourself happy as well knowing you've done a good deed. Even if you go through rough times, you just gotta put the past behind you and smile towards a bright future.
Aqua started to lightly smile. Not having felt happiness in so long.
Toadsworth came back into the aisle and took his seat. And just in time too, because a sun shaped figure with eyes on the map screen started glowing and centered the screen.
Peach: Oooh! Look at that!
Everyone else: Woah!
A video started with a bunch of the isles residents dancing in front of a statue.
Narrator: WELCOME! To the sun-drenched tropical paradise of Isle Delfino! We're so pleased to welcome you to our beautiful home!
The scene switched to some screenshots of the island.
Narrator: Come enjoy a natural wonderland to which we've added the world's finest resort facilities, a spectacular amusement park, and succulent seafood!
Most of the plane passengers started to get hypnotized by the video. Mario even started to drool.
Narrator: This and more, await you on Isle Delfino! Come relax, and let us refresh your body and spirit!
Peach was just enjoying the video as it switched back to the dancing residents. However she suddenly freaked out. She noticed something… weird, in the video. She took a close look by stopping the video, and noticed four somewhat familiar looking silhouettes jumping around.
Peach: Is that…?
She couldn't even finish her sentence because she couldn't even process what she just saw.
Peach: Th-those shadows... Hey, Toadsworth? Did you see…?
Unfortunately, Toadsworth was fantasizing and did not notice. Peach just sighed.
Luigi: Princess Peach? Are you okay?
Peach: Luigi, I could've sworn I saw these weird looking people in the background of the video.
Luigi: What did they look like?
Peach: Well, this may sound ridiculous, but they kinda looked like you, Mario, Daisy, and even Aqua!
Luigi: Hmm… strange…
They both pondered over the strange figures as the plane started to land.
I actually cried myself while writing how upset Peach was about Aqua being depressed. But not to worry. Mario will teach her to value herself and move on. Next time, our heroes will land on the airstrip to start their vacation. Or will they? Also, take a good guess what movie I referenced in the flashback. It's a very well beloved classic! See ya later!
