Chapter 9
After a much-needed nap, we woke up to have a small midday meal. Luigi, in his spirited mood, didn't mind making sandwiches for Mario and me. Mario and I played some games while he whistled cheerfully in the kitchen. I was glad Mario did not approach me on the subject of Luigi and I being "romantically involved." He let me know Peach called and would bring by some clothes for the carnival so I didn't have to go back. Mario had extra clothes at Luigi's since he stayed there frequently, so we would just hang out until Toad, Toadette, Yoshi, and Peach would arrive sometime in the late afternoon. Luigi's mansion was close to the carnival, so we decided it would be the best meeting spot.
After we ate, we turned on a game that looked similar to soccer while waiting for the others to arrive. "It's a VERY important game. This is the elimination game, and the winner gets to go to go to the championship game," Luigi explained. "It's been years since our team, the Blasting Bombers, has gotten this far. We've already missed half the game, but that's ok." Mario was writing down numbers, mumbling about "payouts" if he won. "Our guys are the ones in the silver shirts…so cheer for them!" Luigi gave a big smile and got settled on his rather oversized couch. He patted the seat next to him, and I sat, followed by Mario sitting on his other side.
In all honesty, I wasn't into the game. I didn't understand all the special moves, or the strange objects that kept popping onto the field. I tried to ask why there was an electrical barrier around the field, but Mario shushed me. I could only fain interest for so long and started to space out. I started thinking about the carnival and was really excited to go on rides and eat funnel cake…assuming they had funnel cake here. I looked over at Luigi, and I couldn't help but smile. He was completely engrossed in the game, and currently was shouting at the screen with Mario about a bad play. I looked at the screen and saw someone throw a red shell at the referee, resulting in a penalty. Trying to be engaged, I yelled at the screen. "Boo! That's not cool!"
Luigi looked at me and laughed. He whispered, "Jelina, that's good for us. But good try." He patted my shoulder, chuckling, and I resumed zoning out. I don't know how long time passed because I fell asleep, but I was startled awake by a loud horn sound. Mario and Luigi gave a loud cheer. I looked at the screen and noticed that the score was tied. I had no clue what they were doing on the screen, but Mario and Luigi grew tense. I felt a Luigi's hand grab my leg, lightly squeezing it as the tension grew. A few seconds later, Mario gave a triumphant yell; their team had scored, winning the game. The two jumped off the couch and gave a high five. Luigi suddenly pulled me into a hug, followed by a kiss on my cheek. Mario pretended not to notice, but I saw him grin. Still dazed from waking up, I was a little confused on what just happened. A few minutes later the doorbell rang, and Peach was at the door.
Mario swooped Peach into a kiss as soon as she walked in. Peach blushed, asking what that was for. "We won, and I'm just in a great mood!" Peach smiled, and Mario looked at the door, expecting the toads and Yoshi, but no one followed. "Where are the little guys?"
"Toad is stuck helping Toadette at the shop. He says sorry and hopefully he can make it next time. Yoshi is sleeping." She handed me a bag. "Here are your clothes." I ran to the room to change and was expecting one of my usual shirts, but instead a new pink floral print shirt, jean capris, and brown flats were inside the bag. Peach must have gone shopping. I put on the shirt, and it was very feminine. It was cute, but I felt strange in such a girly shirt. I ran back down, and Peach grinned. "I saw that on the way home and thought you would like it." Mario had his arm around Peach, and Luigi couldn't take his eyes off me. "It looks lovely on you, don't you agree, Luigi?" Startled, Luigi looked away embarrassed and Mario just chuckled. As Peach and Mario walked out of the door, Luigi walked up beside me and took my hand as we left for the carnival.
We stopped to eat at a little restaurant on the way. It was a charming little place and smelled like freshly cut flowers. It reminded me of a place people would go on a date, rather than on their way to a carnival. Dinner was delicious, but I found myself wishing I had some of Luigi's cooking instead. Luigi seemed to have something extra in his dishes. I used to hear people say that real chefs cooked with love, and that's what I felt he did. The three were chatting about what to do first and asked me how I was on rides.
"I'm fine with anything. I don't get sick, if that's what you are implying. I like them, actually." They smiled, glad that I wouldn't be running to a bathroom constantly. We headed for the carnival, which could easily be spotted by the bright lights and tall roller coasters. We decided to let our food settle before tackling the rides. Mario went to a concession stand to grab some drinks while Peach got tickets. Luigi and I stood, waiting for the pair to get back.
"You do look really nice tonight," he complimented.
"Thanks. You know Peach and her shopping skills. She does have good taste, even if she tends to go a little overboard on the pink." Luigi laughed as Peach returned; she was carrying what looked like over 100 tickets in her hand.
"Mario gets really competitive, and he won't leave until he wins." She looked around, noticing that he wasn't at the drink stand. "Where did he go? I thought he was just getting dr-"
"-Hey, sorry, had to check on something really quick. Wanted to make sure all the rides were working!" Mario laughed, handing Peach her drink. I noticed a small ticket in his pocket; Mario caught my gaze, and tucked the ticket out of sight, and saying "shhh" and winking when handing me my drink. I saw him lean over to Luigi as he handed him his bottle. It sounded like he said 'liquid courage' but I couldn't be sure. Luigi blushed, avoiding Mario's eyes. "So," Peach said, "What should we do first?"
We made our rounds through the various carnival games. The first game was similar to ski-ball. Prizes hung from the tents, and Mario made point to win Peach the giant teddy bear. Mario played and played until he got the right amount of points. "Think you can beat that, bro?" Luigi looked at the points skeptically and shook his head. "Or Jelina, do you want to try?" I picked up the ball and aimed it for the middle loop. I threw the ball too hard and it ricocheted off the edge, hitting the attendant on the back of the head. I waved my hands, apologizing to the toad. He glared at me, and Luigi pulled me away from the booth. The gang laughed. "Remind me not to let you play darts," Mario chortled.
We continued to make our rounds and found that I was good at a game where you had to smash as many blocks as you could in a time span. Apparently, I was good at destructing things. I saw the rows of prizes, but nothing seemed to catch my eye. Luigi pointed at a bouquet of fake flowers, saying those would look pretty on my basket. I agreed, taking the flowers. Mario mumbled it was a shame that Luigi didn't win them, but I didn't care. We made our rounds, ending at the entrance to miniature golf and go karts.
The go karts were nothing like back home. I saw people racing, twisting and turning, jumping off ledges, and throwing things on the ground to hold back other players. It scared me half to death. I took Peach's bear and sat on the bench. "I'm all for rides, but I think I'll pass on this." They frowned.
"You have to try at least one round," Peach begged. "This isn't even the full course. They have an entire racing center with tons of tracks, and it is a lot of fun!" The other two agreed. I finally gave in, knowing I'd regret my decision. We ran to the front and picked out our karts. When I sat in the seat, a protective bubble-like barrier formed around me and the kart. Wishing I could be watching rather than in the seat, I drove up to my space and heard the countdown. The buzzer went off, and I was left in the dust. I putted around the track, scared to hit a wall or another person. Everyone flew by me, with each pass, my knuckles became whiter on the steering wheel. I finally made one complete lap and noticed everyone else already on their third lap. How long does this go on?
I saw the floating blocks that gave power ups, and I passed through one. A tiny lightning bolt appeared on my dash. Curious, I pushed the button that allowed me to use the power up and saw a bright flash of light. Suddenly, everyone disappeared. I screamed, wondering where everyone went, when I felt a thump. I turned around to see tiny little figures flattened on the track. Without any people around, I drove faster and more confidently, and managed to catch up. I finally saw people emerge at full size, glaring furiously at me. I passed through another block, which gave me a star. I knew that made you invincible so I immediately pushed the button. I zoomed through a wall, knocking Mario on the way. He spun, and I heard him curse. I passed the line, and the race was over. Somehow, I won, and everyone was giving me an earful.
"That's not fair you got the lightning bolt! And why did you run over me?!" Luigi asked as we stepped out.
"I didn't know I was running over anyone. Sorry." Mario stomped beside me, demanding a rematch. "No, I think I've had enough racing." They all whined, but I promised they could take me to the actual tracks and we'd race there. I didn't really want to, but I knew they would demand another race if I didn't promise otherwise. I knew Wally would want to play, too, and he might even help keep them at bay from hitting me with shells and bombs. We looked at the line for the miniature golf and Mario sighed.
"Guess we have to wait a bit for that, someone must be slow." We stood in line, the three still upset of my sudden win. "More drinks?" Mario asked, and without answering, went and grabbed a few more beers. I looked around the place and saw a giant roller coaster. I was looking forward to those kinds of rides. I pointed to the track, asking when we would ride that.
"We can do that after mini golf. I think there are a few others there, and a Ferris Wheel. And every night, they always have some show and fireworks." Peach explained. I was reminded of Disneyland and bounced on the top of my toes to look around. Mario returned, and we soon entered the mini golf land. I was just as bad at this as the ski-ball. In the first three holes I managed to lose seven balls. I finally stopped playing because the goomba that ran the station said I'd have to pay if I lost anymore balls. Luigi ended up winning, and I gave him a huge high five. Mario grumbled, and Peach kissed him on the forehead, telling him he couldn't beat his brother in everything. We made our way to the rides, and I jumped excitedly.
The rides were more fun to me than the games. I loved the speed and fast pace but liked that I wasn't in any sort of control. I rode the roller coaster three times before they had to drag me off. All of them were pretty standard carnival rides, but they looked more secure than the ones in Phoenix, and none of the attendants looked 'questionable.' We rode everything until I spotted a stand with funnel cakes. We all split a plate until all that was left were patches of powdered sugar.
Looking at her watch, Peach announced the firework show would be starting soon. She looked at the line to ride the Ferris Wheel and sighed; it was long. Mario gave a grin and pulled out the tickets that I saw earlier. "Thought we might need these," he bragged, and Peach kissed him; they were immediate passes. We walked over and handed the toad our passes.
"How many, one or two cages?" The cages were large and could easily hold up to six people.
Luigi started to say "One," but was cut off by Mario. He blushed, which I thought was odd. "Two, please." I saw him look at Peach. It was one of the most loving, heartfelt looks I've ever seen him give. I wondered if he was up to something, when he turned around and winked at Luigi. He stepped in his cage and said "Enjoy the ride…"
The attendant informed us that we'd be stopping for the firework show, and to not be alarmed if it doesn't move for a while. Luigi and I stepped in our cage, trying not to swing too much. He put his arm around my waist, kicking his feet up on the empty bench across from us. I leaned into him, enjoying the ride towards the top. The air felt cool, and goose bumps began to appear on my skin. Luigi noticed, and began to rub my arms. I leaned in closer to absorb his warmth. "Enjoying the night?" he quietly asked. I nodded. "Me, too." The fireworks began, and we watched them dance in the air. They were beautiful. In the distance I could hear people cheering as colors and shapes exploded in the air. Luigi sighed. I looked up and he was gazing out the side, smiling.
"It was a good idea to go to the carnival. I've had a really good time." Luigi looked down at me, continuing to smile. He looked like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure if he should. "Something on your mind?"
His ears turned red, but he looked like he was trying hard not to blush. "I…eh…well…" he stumbled on his words and rubbed the back of his neck. He looked at the top of the cage, then closed his eyes and whispered to himself "ah, screw it." Before I had time to question what he meant and react, he leaned over, cupping my cheeks and kissed my lips. My eyes widened at first, but slowly shut. His lips tasted like powdered sugar, and I felt his nervousness as they touched mine. He slowly pulled back, and an audible sigh escaped my breath. He remained close, worry etched in his face as he judged my reaction. I lightly stroked his face, beaming, and his expression softened. I pulled him towards me to continue our kiss. At first, our kiss was gentle and slow, but eventually it became more heated and urgent. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he cupped the back of my head, wrapping his fingers in my hair. Clinging to each other, lost in our own little world, we didn't realize the firework show had ended. Suddenly, our cage tilted and the ride moved again. Startled, we pulled back, breathing heavily and looking wildly around. Thankfully, we had some time left before getting to the bottom, which we needed to cool down and regain our composure.
"Well…" I stammered, straightening out my hair. "That was a good firework show. At least what I saw of it." Luigi fixed his mustache and resumed his position of his arm around my waist; we sat in silent bliss as our cart reached the bottom.
We climbed out of the cage to see Peach's face streamed with tears. Mario gave a huge toothy grin, and I wondered what was going on. Luigi and I looked baffled, and Peach held out her hand. On it was a beautiful pink diamond, surrounded by smaller white diamonds. I looked at the two, and instantly hugged Peach. Luigi gave his brother a large hug, and we shared our congratulations. The carnival was closing, and we walked to the exit. We were all lost in the moment until Mario broke the silence.
"Anyone up for a celebration drink?" Luigi nodded, obviously thinking of our little make out session, not just their engagement. We walked to a little bar, Peach gushing about wedding plans.
"And you'll be in it! Oh and I have to contact Rosalina! This is so exciting!" We reached a little bar right beside the carnival and ordered a round of drinks. We lifted our glasses, Mario boasting.
"To new beginnings!" We all repeated and took a sip.
"So, what brought on the proposal? I've been wondering for ages why you haven't tied the knot." Luigi drank, looking at the pair. They hesitated, and I knew it was because of him. You can't run a kingdom and take care of your depressed brother efficiently at the same time. Finally, Peach answered.
"With all the sorrow in the kingdom, we weren't ready for a celebration. The last ball showed that the town is ready and they have healed, where before I wasn't sure if it would have been as festive." She took a small sip of her wine and I thought that was a very nice way to put it. I got the feeling Luigi understood the hidden message behind Peach's words. I squeezed his shoulder, but he didn't seem upset, and instead nodded in agreement. We were all too happy to dwell on the past. And making Luigi feel guilty would have been uncalled for. We left it at that.
We cheerfully headed home after our drinks were done. Luigi and I held hands, and I couldn't stop thinking about the Ferris Wheel. Peach and Mario still did not know, and I think he was enjoying having that as a secret for right now. We arrived at Peach's, and Luigi pulled me aside, out of earshot of Mario and Peach. He gave me a hug, rubbing my back, and pulled me in for a short, tender kiss. After whispering goodnight in my ear, he turned around and skipped down the street to the pipe leading to his mansion. I couldn't wait to see him tomorrow, and found myself for, quite possibly the first time in my life, giddy over a guy.
"It's been a perfect evening, hasn't it, Jelina?" Peach asked before getting to bed.
"It has, yes." Yes, it has.