Chapter 10

I woke up to the sound of Peach's humming and the smell of pancakes. Mmmm…my stomach rumbled as I inhaled the delicious scent. I stretched out of my bed and almost skipped out of the room, in a great mood from the previous night and ready for some delicious pancakes.

"Good morning!" Peach chimed, flipping pancakes onto a plate. "Hungry?"

I nodded, getting out some juice for the both of us; Peach had already gotten out fruit, whipped cream, and syrup. We sat down, and Peach was literally glowing with happiness. "So, when are you going to announce your engagement to the kingdom?"

Peach finished a bite of pancake before answering. "We haven't decided. I'm thinking next week, but I don't know how long I can contain my excitement!" She looked down at her ring, "Toadsworth will need to be informed today so we can inform the court to make the appropriate accommodations and preparations." I looked at her ring and marveled at how the sunlight made it sparkle and glisten.

"Were you expecting Mario to propose anytime soon?" Peach blushed.

"Well, at game night, he mentioned that he couldn't wait to make me his wife. But I thought that was the alcohol talking. I didn't expect him to propose the next day!"

I munched on my pancakes. "I certainly had no clue…I don't think anyone did!"

Peach took a sip of her juice. "I think we have you to thank for that." I gave her a quizzical look. "We tried our hardest to wait until everyone was healed. Seems like you helped with that process. Very much so."

"Well, we are good friends. I'm glad he's happy." Very good friends indeed…

"Oh, come on now, Jelina. Good friends? We know about you and Luigi's romantic relationship, and how it's developed beyond simple flirting." My eyes widened, and I choked on my juice, sputtering. "Jelina, are you ok?"

"Ye-ye-yes. Sorry, wr-wrong pipe." Peach smirked at my reaction. "What do you mean? What do you know?"

"Well, I know that at game night, you two were openly affectionate, even sharing a room. Mario said after the striker match, Luigi gave you a kiss on the cheek, and I know that you two were holding hands at the carnival. Am I missing anything?" My face was bright red. She didn't know about how we made out at the carnival. I looked away, trying to say no but it came out more like a question than a statement. She squinted at me, tapping her finger on her chin in thought. "You are hiding something…I can tell." Her eyes widened. "Jelina, what exactly happened between you and Luigi at the carnival during on the Ferris Wheel? Hmmm? And do not lie!" She gave me a stern look, and I knew there was no way of wiggling out of this.

"Well…we…uh…kind of kissed," I stammered. I rested my head on my hand, remembering the ride. I glanced at Peach, who was scrutinizing me. She raised her eyebrows, as if she wanted more details. "A lot. We kissed a lot." Though, with the way things were going, I'm pretty sure it would have escalated had the ride not stopped…kind of disappointed that we had to stop…

"I KNEW IT!" Peach clapped her hands together, tilting back in her chair and breaking me out of my thoughts. "I knew you something happened between you two!" Peach suddenly leaned forward, excitement shining in her eyes. "So, are you two officially dating now? Are you two partners?"

"I…I guess so? We haven't really talked about it, but I would assume."

"This is such great news!" she squealed and got up to give me a tight hug. "I cannot tell you how happy this makes me!" When she had pulled me back, she looked me square in the eyes with tears glistening, causing her blue eyes to sparkle. "Yesterday was such a wonderful day, for everyone." Peach went back to her seat with a huge grin plastered on her face. "Oh, this means double dates! I can't wait for-" Peach's thought was interrupted by the ringing of the phone. "Excuse me, I'll be right back."

I heard Peach say "Hello, love," and start talking to Mario. I resumed my breakfast and noticed Peach's voice went from loud and bubbly to a whisper. I knew she was telling him about her recent findings. Great, well, it was bound to happen eventually. I didn't mind, but I knew that Mario liked to tease a lot, and Luigi hated being teased. Mario's teasing, however, would be NOTHING compared to Wally. I knew Mario wouldn't tell Wally, but Wally knew me pretty well, enough to guess things. And Wally LIVED to tease people. I wonder what he's doing today? I need to see how his weekend went! I sighed, and saw Peach come back. She looked hesitant about something. I scrutinized her look, trying to figure out what was troubling her.

"Jelina, what is wrong? Was there something wrong with breakfast?"

"No, it's great! I just noticed…you look worried."

Peach blushed, "I actually wanted to ask you something. And please do not take offence with my question." I was confused and waited. "Mario just called and wanted to inform us that there would be no looking for the hole today, or possibly all week." I frowned, bummed that we wouldn't be going on our little excursion. "Since he has some free time, we need to speak to Toadsworth about our engagement, make plans…" Peach started scratching her hand in what appeared to be nervousness. "Mario wanted to celebrate our engagement tonight, just us…and you cannot be alone…"

"Say no more." I held up my hand, stopping her in mid-sentence. "I'll call Wally to see if I can crash at his place. It's been a while since we've really hung out."

"Thank you, Jelina. Really, I love your company, we'd just enjoy some alone time." She sipped her juice, and the look of trouble erased from her face. "You know, I bet Luigi would enjoy some company…" It was my turn to turn red.

"I know, I just really want I want to hear how Wally's weekend went." I looked at the clock. Yikes, it's already ten in the morning! Excusing myself, I left to call Wally.

After about five rings, Wally grumbled "Waaah! I told you-"

His tone caught me off guard. "Hey Wally, it's me."

"Wa?" he responded, his voice softening. "Oh, sorry, I thought you were someone else. We're skipping today, and I'm probably skipping out this week. Sorry, toots, rough weekend."

"I heard, I wasn't going to ask about that. I actually wondered if you wanted to hang out tonight and catch up."

I heard an audible sigh on his end and knew what the answer was going to be. "Jels, I would love to have you over tonight, but can't. I have a few things to sort out and won't be home. Sorry." I frowned. What was bothering my friend?

"Everything ok? Can we at least hang out and you tell me about this rough weekend?"

"I guess, just as long as you have a place to go by five." I told him I'd figure something out, and he agreed to pick me up at noon. I hung up the phone, becoming apprehensive all of a sudden. How do I even ask Luigi to stay the night? It's like the first date jitters!

"Jelina, is everything alright? What did Waluigi say?" I was snapped out of my daze by the sound of her voice.

"He's picking me up at noon, but I can't stay the night. Do you know what happened?" Peach shrugged, but I could almost feel her smiling in the kitchen, knowing I had to ask Luigi. She didn't say anything, and I continued to stare at the phone. Why is this so hard…oh, c'mon, Jelina, buck up and call. I felt a little silly being this nervous, especially when I had no reason to. I've been to his mansion plenty of times alone. Plus, I really wanted to spend time with him. I came to grips with my senseless nervousness and picked up the phone.

He picked up almost immediately. "Hey, Luigi!" I head a little waiver in my voice, "So, I heard there is no exploration today."

"Hey! No, got a call saying something happened, not sure what." The sound of his voice calmed my butterflies. "What are you doing today?" The last question sounded more hesitant, and I knew he was turning red, probably thinking of our kiss last night.

"Well, I'm going to Wally's this afternoon, but I actually have a question..."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Peach and Mario are celebrating tonight, just the two of them." I paused before rambling, "Can I stay the night?"

Luigi didn't respond. Ah shit. It was strange; the phone became absolutely silent on the other end…almost dead silent.

"Is that ok? I don't really have anywhere else to go…"

"Oh! Sorry, I dropped the phone. You need a place to stay, you said? That's fine." I knew it was taking everything he had to control his nerves. Luigi was silent for a moment, then in a softer voice, he said, "I had a really nice time last night."

"So did I." I lowered my voice, aware of Peach in the other room. "Shame the ride wasn't longer."

"We'll have plenty of time…to…" Luigi trailed off, and I knew I was beet red by this point. "Anyways, have you told anyone yet?"

"Peach dragged it out of me this morning, and I'm pretty sure she told Mario. But they figured it out pretty much on their own."

Luigi sighed, "Yeah, we aren't very subtle, are we?"

"Subtly is not really my thing."

"Hopefully they won't tease us too much, but I'm too happy to care." I smiled and agreed. "So, pick you up at Waluigi's at five?" I confirmed our plans and hung up the phone. I had a few hours to pack and get ready, and I needed to get a move on!

I packed my bike basket with some basic essentials and clothes, since I didn't want to have to come back to Peach's house. I wondered why Peach was so excited for Luigi and I's kiss, but I thought of how the last few years had been. They probably thought he'd never BE with anyone again. I guess seeing your friend go from misery to utter joy, that would make ANYONE cry. Luigi really is lucky to have great friends and family. I sadly looked down in my basket. I wish I had that kind of support when I was going through all of my stuff. I traced my fingers on the flowers that I got from the carnival, which I clipped on the front of my basket. What I would have given to have a support system like Luigi had. The family that I had reached out to only really were there right after the accident and were too engrossed in their lives to notice I was slowly deteriorating. A moment passed, and I shook my head. There was no sense in thinking like that; now I had that type of support in my life, and I couldn't have been more grateful, even if sometimes I felt I was being a nuisance with the whole Bowser coming after me deal.

Wally arrived at noon, as promised. Peach gave me a hug, and Wally noticed the ring on her finger. "Red finally popped the question?" Peach blushed, and asked Wally to not tell anyone. Wally looked conflicted about something but congratulated her on her engagement and motioned for us to leave. On our way home, Wally was exceptionally quiet. Too quiet. When we got to his house, I brought my bike inside and immediately questioned him.

"Alright, Wally, spill it. What is going on?"

"Let me get a drink first. It's been that kind of weekend." Wally grabbed himself a beer and handed one to me. "You'll probably need one. Trust me." He took a swig, then gave me a serious look. "What I am telling you does NOT leave this house. Understood?"

"Of course, Wally. My lips are sealed." Wally sighed, and took another drink. "What's wrong?"

"You remember my cousin in Hyrule, the one that hooks me up with the bombs?"

I scrunched my face in thought. "Link, was it?"

"Yeah. Well, someone attacked Zora's Domain and Goron City, two cities that supply rare bombs."

I gasped. "Is everyone ok?! Is Link alright?"

"Everyone is fine, but there was something strange about the attack. All that was targeted were shops and storage units." I almost dropped my drink. "Jelina…" Shit, Wally never calls me Jelina unless it's serious. "All the special bombs we've been using…they're all gone. Whoever did this ONLY targeted bombs." This time, I did drop my drink. Wally ran to the kitchen to grab a towel while I began to shake. My mind started racing. Someone was on to us. Someone wanted to stop us. Someone wanted to- "Hey, hey, hey, calm down." Wally put the wet rag aside and embraced me, rubbing my back. "We aren't positive that the incident is related. Hyrule's generally a peaceful territory, but it's not all sunshine and rainbows. Shit like this happens, people are assholes." Wally didn't look convincing or that he fully believed what he was saying…I wasn't reassured.

Wally pulled back from his hug. "I'm heading to Hyrule tonight…it'll take me about two days to get there."

I reached for my drink. "You're leaving?" He nodded. I frowned, not wanting to see my friend go. "I'll miss you. Have you told Mario or Luigi? They really should know."

"No. Mario, if you haven't noticed, likes to spring into action to save the day. But Hyrule isn't like the Mushroom Kingdom. You don't just rescue a princess and eat a cake when it's all over, pretending nothing happened. They have their own ways, their own legends and traditions, and their bad guys have strong magic at their disposal. Link calls it the force of Power, or something like that. I don't want Mario to flip his shit and do something stupid. I'm not concerned about Luigi jumping into action, he never was the impulsive one." He grimaced, "But I'm a little concerned about the recent news of Peach and Mario being engaged."

"Why?" I sipped my drink, being careful not to spill anymore all over the place.

"Might trigger Bowser to do something impulsive, like attack people to find you, or even go after Peach as possible leverage. He's been obsessed with Peach for years. Even though he's now obsessed with you, I doubt he'll take the news lightly." Wally took another sip of his drink, sighing afterwards. "The fact that he hasn't attacked yet worries me."

"Do you, I don't know, think he may be planning something with someone else, maybe from Hyrule?" Wally sighed.

"Link hasn't noticed any signs of rebellion in their community, none to the level of trying to take over their kingdom. But, unlike Bowser who announces his plans to the entire world, the people that try to take over Hyrule are meticulous planners and work behind the scenes. Not sure why anyone would want to team up with Bowser, though. I'd think he's be a liability. What would they have to gain? But Bowser has been oddly quiet, and I know he hasn't just brushed it aside. Ug, it doesn't make any sense." Wally rubbed temples, then put his face in his hands. I could see that he was clearly stressed out. I didn't know what to think. How could things go from blissful to terrifying in less than an hour?

"I don't want us to get ahead of ourselves and jump to conclusions. But, you need to be really, REALLY careful. I think you should lay low, bunker down in one place for a while, and stay inside. That means absolutely NO riding your bike, even with supervision...too easy for something to happen."

I knew the logic behind what he was saying, but it made me so frustrated…like I was a child. I decided to act like one. "So, like house arrest? First, I have to be babysat, and now I can't even go outside?"

Wally rolled his eyes, grunting. "Come on now! No, it's like you don't want to be kidnapped so you are not leaving the house and you will play it safe. It won't be fun, and I know you'll be bored out of your mind, but if something big is happening, it's all we can do at the moment. I know you're pissed about it, but you're smart enough to know why." He put his arm around my shoulder, giving it a supportive squeeze. "I know your sass enough to know when you're just blabbering shit." I leaned into him, knowing he was right. "And... I'd hate to admit this, but you're right about something…Mario and Luigi need to know. I'll call them here in a bit and have them meet us when you're leaving. Are you going back to Peach's tonight?"

"No, actually I'm going to Luigi's. He's coming to pick me up tonight so you won't need to call him." Wally scratched his chin.

"It might be a good idea to just stay at his place, at least until I discuss everything with Link and Zelda. It's too easy to spot you in Toad Town, and someone may have already seen you coming and going from her house. At least his place is pretty isolated, and I know that there are ghosts that haunt the forest nearby so people aren't as compelled to camp out there. I'll talk to King Boo, too, to make sure no one suspicious comes around and have him add some protection. I know he enjoys taunting Luigi, but he knows not to mess with me…I've got a bomb that disintegrates ghosts in one poof." I shuddered at the thought. Wally rubbed my shoulder, grinning.

"By the way, Wally, who's Zelda?"

"Link's wife, the Queen."

My eyes grew wide, and Wally laughed. "Why didn't you TELL me your cousin was a KING?"

Wally shrugged. "You've been overloaded with information recently…I didn't want your mind to explode." He picked up our empty glasses and motioned for me to come to the kitchen. "C'mere, I've got something for you." Curious, I followed him to his kitchen and sat at the table. He pulled a box out of a drawer and placed it in front of me. I opened the box and saw a small cell phone. "I got one for me, too, since I'm headed to Hyrule where phones aren't common. It's been amplified to work anywhere, so long as the battery isn't dead. Everyone's numbers, including my cell, is programmed in there using code names. You'll find mine under Devilishly Handsome." I was speechless. "Sorry we didn't get it to you sooner, I honestly forgot about it since you've always been with somebody."

I got up and hugged Wally. "Thanks. Means a lot."

We broke our hug, and I groaned. "Sucks all this is happening. We knew sooner or later something would happen...I was just hoping for it to be later. Like, never." Wally started making some coffee, and I grabbed a mug. "Well, before shit hit the fan, how was your weekend with Pauline?"

Wally poured us coffee and sat at the table. "Do you want the PG or R rated version?" I laughed, glad to add a little humor and lightheartedness back in the conversation.

"You can spare me the more graphic details, thanks."

Wally sipped on his coffee, smiling. "We ended up going to Diamond City. Played some blackjack, craps, poker…Pauline was more into the slot machines. I made a few coins, and she promptly lost them."

I blew on my mug to help cool down my coffee. "Sounds like fun. Did you see any shows?"

"Wario got us tickets to an acrobat show and a free dinner at some swanky restaurant. Even vouched the bill for our hotel suite WITH unlimited room service. He's been sucking up a lot lately. I'm going to milk it as long as possible." I chuckled. "He told me he regrets what he did…I actually believe him. Plus, Mona's been keeping him in line. If anyone can control that lard ass, it's Mona."

"Hm, not sure I can ever completely forgive him. I'm bitter that gold was more important than I was. But whatever...so, it sounds like you and Pauline are getting pretty serious." Wally blushed a little. "I like her. I'm glad she makes you happy."

Wally grinned. "Yes, yes she does do that. Always leaves me satisfied…" I playfully punched his arm. "And she's yet to complain about me. Kept me around this long." He looked away and mumbled, "Almost too good to be true."

I gave Wally a irritated look. "If you're implying that you don't deserve her, don't even start. I won't hear it, because that's just bullshit." Wally didn't respond, and just sipped on his coffee. "You deserve to be with someone who makes you happy. Pauline is LUCKY to be with you. I know you put up this front to push people away, but you're a great guy…you saved my life." It was my turn to look away and mumble. "It's my fault you have to be away from her so much. All I seem to do is cause trouble." Wally immediately put down his coffee cup, spilling a little coffee on his table. He gave me a stern look and pointed his finger at me.

"If you're implying that you don't deserve the help, don't even start. I won't hear it, because THAT is bullshit." Touché. "If you haven't noticed, you've made my life a whole hell of a lot better. Jels, you're so important to me... I'll be damned if anyone tries to hurt you." I didn't know what to say…I just sat there, tears brimming in my eyes. "Yes, it's hard being away from Pauline, but she knows what's going on. She understands. She cares about you, too. She's even been helping out, keeping an ear out at the carnival for any of Bowser's posse to let something slip. Even Wario's been keeping an ear out, as hard as that is to believe. And we know how invested Mario, Luigi, and Peach are to ensuring your safety. I know you're not used to people helping you out, but you can take that ludicrous thought out of your mind that you are a bother to anyone. We aren't doing this because we have to. We're doing this because we WANT to."

I shot out of my seat and hugged Wally. Wally gripped me tightly. "Jellybean, sometimes you frustrate me to no end with that kind of talk. I don't want you to EVER think that again, especially in regards to me. Got it?" He pulled me away, keeping his hands on my shoulders. I nodded, and he ruffled my hair. "Good. Now that we have that crap out of the way, tell me…how was your weekend?"

I blushed, making Wally smirk. "Do I need to even ask if it was PG or R rated? Did anything actually happen? Not that I really expect it to, you two are probably the most wishy-washy people I've met." I decided to be blunt.

"Well, Luigi and I made out on a Ferris Wheel and it got pretty hot and heavy, but we had to stop. I didn't want it to stop, and pretty sure it would have kept going had it not been for the ride starting again." Wally choked on his coffee. "And HE made the move first, not me." Wally wiped a bit of coffee off of his lips.

"Got a little hot and heavy? Didn't expect to hear that! And tonight, you're heading to his house…alone…for who knows how long…" Wally leaned back, suddenly becoming serious. "Do we need to have a talk, Jels?" I gave him a confused look, and he dramatically sighed. "Well, when a boy and a girl like each other-"

"Oh, no, Wally, I'm good, thanks." Wally continued to laugh.

"Now not all men are impressive, but don't be scared when you see his-"

"WALLY!" I put my head on the table in embarrassment, causing Wally to roar with laughter. I moved my head glaring at him. "I've been with a man before. I'm not a virgin…geez."

"You're so easy to get worked up, sorry, I couldn't help it!" He wiped a tear from his eye. "But seriously, do you need anything?" Wally gave me a wink. "I doubt he has anything there, though I really don't want to know…but because I care about you, I'll pack protection in your basket, just in case." I kept my head on the table, and I felt Wally put his hand on my back. "Just lookin' out for ya, toots. You deserve to have some fun." I heard the chair scooch back, and I lifted my head.

"You are impossible sometimes, Wally." He grinned. I looked at the clock and saw that it was getting close to five. "Please try to contain yourself when Luigi picks me up."

"No promises. I might need something to lighten the mood once I tell them about everything. I'm going to give Mario a call real quick, you should probably start getting ready."

I finished my coffee, trying not to get anxious. I longed for my nerves to be butterflies for going to Luigi's rather than for my safety. Wally came in the room briefly and grabbed my cell phone. I saw a small bag in his hand, and he just wiggled his eyebrows. I put my face in my hands and he quickly turned around, laughing. Wally, you are indeed impossible.

It was well after six when Wally, Mario, and Luigi were done talking. Mario, as Wally predicted, wanted to come to Hyrule and help. Wally, instead, insisted that he save that energy and focus on keeping me safe here. Hyrule isn't in danger, but Jelina could be. Mario reluctantly agreed. We also agreed to have King Boo survey the area, much to Luigi's displeasure. Mario also promised to postpone their engagement announcement until we had more of an idea what was going on. I felt bad that they couldn't share their happy news, but Mario insisted it wasn't an issue. Wally gave me a knowing look, making me recall our previous conversation, so I didn't argue. Wally was going to Pauline's tonight to go over some last-minute planning. He promised to call me as soon as he reached Hyrule. Wally gave me a big hug, and we parted ways.

"We should probably stop by Peach's first, so you can get more clothes. I'll catch her up on everything else." Mario looked at Luigi. "You sure this is ok? I know how much you hate King Boo…"

"It'll be fine." Luigi was a little queasy looking, but his voice was firm.

We got to Peach's, and she was surprised to see Luigi and I at her door. "I just need to pick up some things I forgot earlier. I'll be quick." Peach welcomed us in, and Luigi followed me to my little room, handing me his bike bag.

"Might as well fill it up. Mario can bring the rest later." I nodded, and I began shoving clothes, hygiene products, books, and my journal in the bag. The bag was pretty full, and I handed it back to Luigi. Peach peeked in the room, looking at the bag confused.

"What is going on? That's a lot of things for just a night." Luigi and I glanced at each other, and Mario put his arm around Peach.

"Jelina's going to be staying with Luigi for a while. I'll explain later."

Peach didn't like this answer and stood in the doorway, hands on her hips. "I think I have a right to know, and I'd like to know now. What is going on?" Mario groaned, and I sat on the bed. "Did something happen?"

Luigi sat down next to me, putting his arm around my waist. "Might as well tell her, Mario." Mario explained what happened, causing Peach to stare in shock. She sat next to me and wrapped her arms around me.

"You must be so frightened!"

"I'm ok, Peach. Really, I got it all out of my system earlier." She gave me an unsure look. "Ok, yes, I'm a little scared, but what can I do? At least I'm not alone, and we've got a plan. I'm not going to let it ruin my good mood."

"We should probably head out soon, before it gets too dark." Luigi walked out front to attach the basket, and Peach gave a small smile, putting her hand on my cheek.

"Jelina, you are so strong, do you realize that?" I shrugged. Mario took Peach's hand. "Well, I have comfort knowing that at least you'll be with Luigi. Hopefully, his company will be enough to keep you from wanting to leave the safety of the mansion. We'll come visit, too." I looked at the pair and gazed at her ring. Peach followed my gaze, noting my sorrowful expression, and gave a small smile. "And don't worry about our engagement announcement. I can still do some planning, and it can be our little secret for a while." Mario squeezed Peach's shoulder and gave her a kiss on the cheek. I nodded and went to meet Luigi outside.

Luigi had our bikes ready and handed me my helmet. Peach and Mario hugged us goodbye, telling us to call when we got in. I donned my helmet and we headed to Luigi's mansion. Our ride was quiet; I was enjoying what was going to be my last bike ride for quite some time. I was saddened by that thought and peddled a little slower than usual. Luigi must have understood and made no effort to make me go faster. I tried not to think of what was going on in Hyrule, Bowser possibly having assistance, or me going back into hiding. I instead thought of how much support I had, how I wasn't alone, and how loved I felt. I wasn't going to let that monster take away the happiness I've waited so long for. I looked over at Luigi; he had a determined look on his face. I wondered what he was thinking about. He caught me looking at him with probably a mushy expression on my face, and he beamed.

"Almost there. It's still a little light, do you want to keep riding?" I heard my stomach growl and shook my head.

"I wish…but I really need to eat." About ten minutes later, we arrived. Luigi dismantled all the bags and quickly dropped them off in the entry hall, while I stood outside the door with the bikes.

"Where are you going to put them?"

"In the shed in the back. It's got plenty of room. That's where I keep mine, and yours will fit beside it." We walked our bikes to the shed, and I felt a little heartbroken when Luigi closed and locked the doors. No more bike rides. Sensing that I was a little downtrodden, he put his arm around my shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "You'll be back on your bike before you know it. I promise that." The determined look I saw earlier was back on his face. "I promise I'm going to do everything I can to keep you safe and make you happy."

I smiled at him, overwhelmed by joy, and gave him a small peck on the lips. "I know you will. You already make me happy." I heard my stomach growl again and patted my stomach. "What would really make me happy now is food!" We headed to the kitchen to make dinner. Luigi started pulling out ingredients, mumbling something quick and easy to make, and I noticed a small vase of flowers on the table. "These are pretty! They smell lovely."

"Oh, they're actually for you…I hope you like them."

"I love them! Thank you." I gave him a kiss on his cheek. "Now, what can I help you with?" Luigi and I fell back to our normal routine of cooking together. Tonight's dinner wasn't anything complex since we arrived to the mansion late and very hungry. Still, it was amazing, and I devoured every last morsel on my plate. I asked what he had done all afternoon, and he snapped his fingers and went to the fridge.

"I don't know how I almost forgot! I baked a cake. Double chocolate fudge. Would you like a piece?"

"Only if you share a slice…I'm pretty full from dinner. But I can never pass up chocolate." Luigi smiled and brought over a slice, which we happily shared. We cleaned up the kitchen, and Luigi looked at the time.

"Want to play a game or something? It's not too late, and Scrabble sounds like fun." I let him know I was going to change into pajamas, and when I returned to the living room area, Luigi had brought the game, some popcorn, and a few drinks out. He, too, had changed in to pajamas. He pulled up a small coffee table and a chair. "No cheating. I also brought these," he held up two dictionaries, one from the Mushroom Kingdom and one from home, "so I'll know if you do."

"But there might be NEW words not in your old, outdated dictionary. It's always being updated, and you have been gone for thirty years."

"Hmmm…I still think that's kind of cheating. How about we don't use the Mushroom Dictionary, since you aren't very familiar with the lingo here. And we'll only use words from this edition of the English Dictionary." I shook his hands for a deal, and he leaned over and gave me a peck. "You can go first."

Our game was a very, very close game. Luigi was great at Scrabble, but so was I. At one point, I put down the word "quadrature," which landed on a triple word score. Luigi wasn't too happy about that play, but he came around, putting down the word "zucchini." "Score one for Weegie! Ha, take THAT!" I scowled, throwing a few pieces of popcorn at him.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, rub it in."

"Somebody doesn't like losing. And here I thought you weren't competitive!" I shrugged. "Glad I have some competition for once with this game. Mario isn't very good, and usually quits pretty early." We continued to play until all of our pieces were out. Luigi was counting up the score, and a small smirk crept on the corners of his lips.

"You that happy I won?"

"A 'hem. Jelina, score 408. Me, score 452. Looks like I'm the winner!"

"What?! You didn't cheat, did you?"

Luigi gave me an exasperated shock look. "How dare you accuse me of cheating! Who do you think I am? Waluigi?!" I grabbed the notebook from his hand, recalculating the scores. After counting it three times, I admitted defeat.

"Ok, ok, ok. Good job. You beat me fair and square." He gave me a smug smile, and I gave him a quick kiss. I started putting away the game and felt a small chill in the air.

Luigi noticed. "How about I light the fireplace and we finish our drinks? A nice, roaring fire always warms me up." I put the game on the table and followed him to the couch by the fireplace.

We snuggled for a bit, watching the fire crackle and pop. "Jelina?"

"Hmmm?" I looked at him, and noticed he had a small look of concern etched on his face.

"You are ok spending a lot of time here, right? I don't want you to feel…pressured to be here."

I held his hand, giving it a loving squeeze. "Luigi, of course I'm ok being here. If you haven't noticed, I enjoy being with you. Especially since we are, you know, together. And you make me feel safe."

"Really? Most people think my brother is the one that makes them feel safe, not me."

I gave Luigi a peck on the cheek and laid my head on his shoulder. "You make me feel comfortable. I feel at ease around you. I know you don't have the brute force that your brother has, but I know you'd do everything you can to protect me." Luigi gave me a small squeeze. "Even face your fears of ghosts and deal with King Boo."

"I'm not going to lie, he does give me the creeps. But if it means keeping you safe from Bowser, he's the least of my concerns." I sat up and drank the rest of my wine.

Luigi looked at me with one of the most loving, caring expressions I've ever seen.

"Jelina, I…"

"Yes?"

"I'm…really glad I'm with you." I felt like he was going to say something else, but I didn't push it. We sat on the couch in comfort, watching the fire die away. "We should probably head to bed, it'll get chilly once the fire dies."

We headed to the entryway, and Luigi grabbed the bags.

"Any room in particular you want these? I have over a dozen…" a light blush tinged his cheeks.

In that moment, I felt my desire physically be with Luigi peak. I didn't care about holding back, I just wanted to be with him. Maybe it was the recent events, or maybe it was the months of getting to know, and quite honestly, love the guy standing in front of me. The endless love he has shown me overtook me, and I wanted to express my love to him. Last night spark something in both of us. I looked him straight in the eyes, making it very clear how I felt, and my intentions.

"Yours."

Luigi eyes widened, then he dropped the bags and with a surge of confidence, possibly brought on by my boldness, kissed me. It wasn't a tentative, gentle kiss, but a ravenous, needy one that reflected our wants. Our breathing became quite heavy, and I felt myself back into a wall. I grabbed his hands, putting them above my head. We continued to fervently kiss, and his lips trailed down to my neck. I started pulling at his shirt, not caring that we were in the middle of the hallway. He complied, throwing it on the ground. I rubbed my hands across his chest and back, and his lips came back to mine. I felt him pick me up and carry me to the couch, lips never breaking mine. My body was becoming hot, and I wanted to tear off my clothes. I started to take off my top, but Luigi grabbed my hands, wanting to do it himself. I ran my fingers in his hair as lifted my top over my head. I wasn't embarrassed or nervous for him to see my body, and judging his reactions, he wasn't nervous, either. I felt his lips touch my chest, and I moaned as my passion intensified. His hands ran up and down my back, sending shivers down my spine. I moved to start pulling his pants down. He stopped and gave a frustrated grunt.

"I, uh…"

"Get my bike bag. The front one," I panted. Confused, Luigi brought over my bag and I rummaged through the contents. I pulled out the brown bag, opening it up. Alright, Wally. I owe you. Luigi looked in the bag and gave me an odd look. I took out a condom and put it on the edge of the couch.

Luigi brushed some hair out of my eyes and looked at me longingly. His fingers gently trailed the scar on my face and leaned over and gave it a small kiss. "You're so beautiful." He kissed the scars on my arm and ran his fingers down the one on my back. I pulled him in and gave him a deep kiss, bringing us back to our passionate state. I felt his hands move all over my body, and I pulled back, starting to take off his pants again. As he wiggled out of them, I took off mine. He got on top of me and my fingers traced the edge of his boxers. Our hands began to explore, and I felt him caress me to the point of squirming in anticipation. When my hands reached his rather large and very excited manhood, he gasped.

"I don't know how much longer I can last…are you sure?" I nibbled on his ear, whispering that I was ready. He tore off his boxers and my underwear and reached for the condom. It had been a while since either of us had been intimate with someone. Luigi was gentle and went slow until I no longer felt a tight pain, and instead was filled with pleasure. It took us a little bit to find our groove, but once we did, it didn't take us long to be gasping, caked in sweat, and glowing in ecstasy. We laid there for a while, coming down from our heated moment.

"That was, that was…"

"Amazing." Luigi answered. Luigi pulled away my sweaty bangs and kissed my forehead. "And very unexpected…wasn't thinking that was going to happen." He smiled. "Though I won't say I wasn't hoping for it." He kissed my lips and sat up.

"I'm glad it did." He started cleaning up, and looked at the bag.

"By the way, why DO you have a paper bag full of condoms?"

"Oh, I have a big brother who wants me to get laid." Luigi chuckled. "Shall we head to bed? It's getting cold." Luigi and I got back into our pajamas and headed to his bedroom. I snuggled up next to Luigi; he wrapped his arm around me and leaned over for another kiss.

"I…I love you, Jelina."

"I love you, too."

And with that, I fell into a peaceful sleep in the arms of the man that I knew, without a doubt, I loved.

"Waah! Waluigi time! Waah! Waluigi time! Waah! Waluig…"

"What the hell is that?" Luigi moaned, squinting as light beamed in the room. "What is that awful noise? Is that Waluigi's voice?!"

I groaned and heard the sound coming from one of my bags. "Hold on, I think it's my cell phone." I got up and fumbled around in my bags until I found my phone, the words "Devilishly Handsome" lit up on the screen. "Wally's calling."

I answered, and to my surprise, I heard the sound of hoof beats. "Hey, Wally…thanks for that annoying ringtone. Is that a horse I hear?"

"HA I forgot I put that one there. Good, isn't it? Yeah, best mode of transportation to Hyrule, aside from teleportation, which I can't do until I'm closer to the castle." Teleportation? I was confused but would address that later. "So, when rushing out yesterday, I completely forgot to stash my weapons. Can you have Red hide them for me? I don't care where, just want them out of my house…maybe the mansion would be best. The key is with Petey, by my front door. Tell Red to say "Rosebud" and he'll spit it out. And, can you take care of Petey for me?"

"Sure, but why didn't you just call Mario and tell him all this?"

"What, don't want to hear my charming voice? Was I interrupting something?" I didn't respond. "Too early for jokes? You aren't the friendliest in the morning, you know that? Well, I needed to tell you something. King Boo will be coming over sometime today. I tucked in your bag a small, purple gem. Give that to him. If he approaches in his ghost form, just tell him to transform. It's easier to talk to him when he's not a giant floating marshmallow."

"Any idea what time?

"Nope. Just sometime when it's dark. I told him not too late, which means by morning."

"Great, thanks for letting me know. I'll let the others know everything, too."

"I'll be in Hyrule tomorrow, I'll call you when I get in."

"Be safe."

"You too, toots." Wally hung up the phone and immediately I started scrolling through the list to find Mario's code name. Farts must be Wario, Barbie had to be Peach, Seductress was, to my guess, Pauline, and, oh god, Wally really? Luigi was Pleasure Town. I should have never told him about Anchorman. Finally, the name Red came up, and I knew that had to be Mario.

"What's going on?" Luigi asked, confused and, what looked like, still half asleep. I held up a finger, mouthing "hold on" while I dialed Mario. Mario didn't answer, and when I tried again, no answer. "Mario's not answering, I'll try again in a bit." I filled Luigi in, and he whined when he heard the news of King Boo.

"I hope that stupid ghost doesn't wait too late to grace us with his presence. And you really need to change that ringtone." I laughed and tried calling Mario again. Finally, he picked up. He sounded exhausted, and I reiterated Wally's request. Mario said he'd grab the stuff and would come by this evening to drop them off. He asked if they could stay for dinner so he could meet with King Boo, and I told him I didn't' see a problem with that. I hung up and put the phone back in my bag.

Luigi yawned. "I don't want to get up. But we should probably have breakfast." I went back over to the bed, crawling back under the blankets. It wasn't early, but I didn't want to get up quite yet. The bed was warm and comfy.

"I want to stay in bed." Luigi turned to face me.

"Really, and do what?" A mischievous look crossed his face. Luigi pounced on me, tickling me. I squirmed, giggling and snorting, trying to get out of his grasp. We rolled around, and I managed to get on top of him, pinning his arms down. He gave a smirk. "I guess we don't have to get out of bed…" I let his arms free and felt his hands trail under my shirt; I grinned. "I'm sure breakfast can wait a little longer..."

After messing around, and finally coming to terms that we had to get out of bed, we drug ourselves to the kitchen. I offered to make something, and Luigi sat at the table, writing some things down in a notebook. "I'm making Mario a list of things to pick up in Toad Town. If you think of anything, let me know. Also, we should probably come up with a good hiding spot. I know lots of secret passages, so finding one shouldn't be too hard." I stirred the pancake batter, trying to think of a few places that I could easily access.

"We should probably have a few, since your place is huge." Luigi agreed. I started pouring the batter onto the hot pan, when Luigi suddenly clapped his hands.

"I forgot, I can also release some of the residential ghosts! They'll help out."

"The ones in your paintings?"

"Yeah, I'm sure some would be glad to be out. They didn't have to all go back in the paintings, but after Daisy died and I was a mess, they asked to…they wanted to give me my space." I leaned on the counter, giving Luigi a sad smile. He had told me all about the ghosts, and how when he first got the mansion, they were possessed and influenced by King Boo and Bowser. However, after being trapped, and the area cleansed, he released some of the ghosts, and they continued to reside in the mansion, completely harmless.

"Who do you think you'll let out?"

"Shivers, for sure…he was good at helping keep the place clean. And Melody; I always like her music. Probably Madame Clairvoya, and maybe Biff." He wrote down the names in the notebook, mumbling "definitely not the twins." I finished our pancakes and brought them, along with some coffee, to the table.

"How soon do you think we should release them?"

Luigi blushed at this question. I tilted my head, curious why that would make him embarrassed.

"Well, I would like for us to have some…alone time before I release them. They can be really nosy." I laughed and understood. I was quite enjoying our alone time. Luigi and I ate our breakfast, and afterwards scoped out places that would be appropriate to hide. Luigi decided we should also give them code names and would inform Peach and Mario about them when they came to dinner.

The rest of the day was pretty quiet. I put away all my stuff and checked out the mansion. Even though I had been there countless times, I never really had a chance to explore. Luigi took me to his library, and I got lost in the books. "Any favorites?"

Luigi pulled out a few that he liked and set them on a table. "These are always a good read if you like murder, mystery, and romance!" I skimmed across dozens of books, from Ghouls and Ghosts: The Complete Reference Guide to Spooks, Advanced Plumbing Techniques, to…

"Luigi, what is this book called The Super Luigi Chronicles?" Luigi turned bright red and tried to snatch the book out of my hand.

"I forgot I had that in here! Please…give…it…back…" Luigi kept trying to grab the book, accidentally tripping on the rug as I ran towards the stairs.

"Are you OK?!" Luigi gave a thumbs-up sign. I walked over to him and gave him a kiss, and quickly backed away when he tried to grab the book again. "What is in here that you're afraid for me to see?" I ignored his muttering and pleas and flipped to a page in the book. I started reading out loud, and Luigi groaned.

"The voice spoke of eternity, of stars in the heavens. It wept for those blind to love. It gave comfort in the face of fear and loneliness. Though he had never seen her, our hero was tormented by visions of this fair-hearted maiden…Luigi, what is this?" I snickered, flipping to the end of the book. "Luigi dreamt of his friends and his beloved Princess Écl-"

"I think that's enough reading for today!" Luigi grabbed the book and slammed it shut, hot with embarrassment. "It's just a silly book"

"Was this an adventure of yours? I want to read it!" I tried to get it out of his hands, but he just raised it above his head where I couldn't reach.

"I'll tell you about it, if you don't try to grab for the book. The book is…not the most accurate." I stopped trying to reach for the book and sat down in a chair. Crossing my legs, I motioned for him to proceed.

"I, uh…had a little adventure once. I had to save a Princess. It was a long time ago. I may have exaggerated the story in the book a little. Ok a lot. It's embarrassing looking at it now, and I don't even know why I kept it. I was trying to be like Mario. I ended up just being clumsy most of the trip. I really did help out a kingdom, but it was more by sheer dumb luck than skill." Luigi placed the book on a shelf, pleading that I don't read it.

"Ok, ok, I understand. How about we read it together, and you can tell me the REAL story? I'd like to hear about your adventure, even if it is not very…smooth. And we can have a good laugh at it together. I'm sure I have stories that are just as horrifying." Luigi caved in. "We have plenty of time, we'll do that another day." I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Sorry I teased you."

"Oh, it's ok, I remember when Mario found the book…he was relentless! I thought he'd never forget it. PLEASE don't' mention that you found it. I know he'll start up again." I kissed him and agreed to not say a word. Luigi and I ended up reading on the couch the rest of the afternoon. Luigi picked out a book on advance cooking techniques, while I selected one of the books he suggested: Detective Shroomfield and the Mystery of the Abandoned Warp Pipe. Engrossed in our books, we lost track of the time, and forgot that Peach and Mario were going to be over soon.

BANG-BANG-BANG*

"What?!" Luigi dropped his book when he heard a knock at his door. "What time is it?" He looked at the clock and frowned. "Seven already? That must be Mario and Peach, it's too early for…him." We got up and Luigi peeped through the eye hole.

"Weege, you here?" Luigi opened the door to see Mario standing with what looked like five large wheel barrels. Peach was holding a small piranha plant. "Jelina, why didn't you tell me Waluigi had so much shit? I think I got everything, but you'll have to double check."

I grabbed Petey from Peach, who looked relieved to hand it off. "Hey, little guy. You'll be staying with me for a while." I had helped Wally take care of Petey before, and it nuzzled my hand. "Wally will be home soon." I took the plant to my bedroom and came back to help wheel in Wally's stash.

"Luigi, where do you want all of this?" Luigi looked at the pile, and we decided that the cellar would be best. After carting them to the cellar, I grabbed a pen and paper to write down what all was there. "Waluigi sure likes his bombs…" Mario held up a weird shaped bazooka. "What the hell does this do?"

"Fires flame torpedo like bombs. He used it on Wario once." Mario grimaced.

"Were you ever nervous being around all of…this?" Peach picked up a small bomb and cringed.

"Nah. I knew if anyone entered his place, they'd be idiots because Wally would go nuts on them with whatever was easiest to grab." Peach didn't look convinced but helped mark down the various weapons.

"Any idea where the ghost gun is?" I looked around in the piles, finally finding a large tube-like gun with an iridescent handle. Luigi held out his hand. "I'd like to keep that with me, thanks." I handed him the gun, and also put aside a small stun gun.

"Might come in handy. Wally showed me how to use this one, it shoots these tiny bombs that make people cough, and sends out a huge wall of smoke. Apparently, it is popular in Hyrule. Great way to escape a situation." After twenty minutes, we were done unloading. I looked at the list, checking to see that everything had been picked up. "Looks like everything that I remember him having. Thanks for picking those up. I'll let Wally know tomorrow, and double check that you got it all."

We headed upstairs, and Luigi said he'd start making dinner. Peach, Mario, and I sat at the kitchen table, and Peach asked how our day was. I talked about how we explored the library and read books most of the day. We idly chatted about different books, when Mario got up.

"Before we forget, and I know we will, I'm going to grab that jewel Waluigi told us to give to King Boo. Where is it?" I told him it was in my bike bag in the bedroom, and Mario went up to grab it. Luigi was setting the table when Mario came back downstairs, giving Luigi and I a giant smirk. Luigi didn't see his expression, and I didn't know what was going on.

"Did you find it?" I didn't even know what it looked like. Mario chuckled, and held up the gem.

"I had to dig through a few paper bags, but eventually I found it." Luigi froze. The color in my face immediately drained.

Peach, looking at all of us, was confused. "What is so special about paper bags? What am I missing?" Luigi coughed, loudly announcing that dinner was done. I got up and grabbed a bottle of wine.

"Wine, everyone?" Peach was clueless. I could see the gears in Mario's head spinning, and I knew he would start asking questions as soon as we sat down. "We should probably plan for King Boo to arrive any moment. Are you guys staying the night, or going home after?"

Peach answered as Mario sat down, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. "We were discussing that on the way, and I think we'd like to stay tonight, since I have a feeling King Boo will be arriving rather late."

"I don't know, Peach…we don't want to interrupt Jelina and Luigi. They may have other ideas on what they want to do tonight. We may be in the way." Peach gave Mario a look.

"Why would we be in the way? Jelina just asked if we were thinking of staying over?" Mario looked at Luigi.

"So, brother, what did you two love birds do last night? Anything, special?" Luigi took a giant sip of his wine. "Jelina?"

"We, er, played Scrabble."

"Yup. And I won. Scrabble. That's it."

"Uh, huh. Anything else?" Peach kept looking at the three of us.

"Ok, what in the world is going on? Mario, what are you going on about?" Mario leaned over to Peach.

"I found something very interesting." Peach still didn't understand. Mario leaned over to her and whispered in her ear. Her eyes grew wide and her jaw dropped open.

Luigi scratched his head, and I took a bite of my spaghetti. I could feel color coming back to my cheeks, and the tip of my ears were on fire. Peach folded her arms and leaned back, similar to Mario, and they stared at us.

"Do, uh, do you not like the spaghetti?" Luigi stammered. "I can, uh, make something else…" There was awkward silence, and they continued to smirk at us. I bit my lip and could not bring myself to look in their direction. Luigi leaned over and whispered in my ear, "You might want more wine. This is going to be a long night." He stood up and grabbed the bottle, setting it between our glasses. "This should be a good start."

Mario stared directly at Luigi and rubbed his hands together. "So, Luigi…how are things?" Luigi didn't say anything, choosing to eat.

Peach looked at me. "Jelina, you're very quiet. Something on your mind?" I took a bite of my garlic bread. Mario looked smugly looked at us as Peach took a sip of her wine, peering at us over the glass. I glanced over at Luigi, and he caught my eyes. He put his hand on my leg, and we mentally braced ourselves for the barrage of questions that were sure to come later. Mario and Peach started eating, but Luigi and I couldn't bring ourselves to speak; we were way too embarrassed.

After what felt like the longest and most awkward dinner I've had to sit through recently, Luigi got up and cleared the table. I picked up the jewel, observing it in the light. "What is this thing? Looks expensive."

"Looks like the jewel that was on his crown, except legit," Mario chimed. "Do you think it does anything?" Luigi came back to the table, looking relived that the conversation steered away from him, and shrugged. "Should we call Waluigi and ask? I don't want us to hand something over to King Boo that could kick us in the ass later."

I shook my head. "No, he's probably traveling or resting. I don't want to bother him. And, if it were something magical or important, he would have told me. I think it's just payment. Remember, Wario has a small gold mine stocked with cash, jewels, and treasure, and Wally just came back from Diamond City." Mario shrugged, and swirled his glass of wine, watching the wine swish around. "What kind of spells does he do?"

Mario answered while Luigi shuddered. "King Boo is good at the art of illusion. Maybe he can do something to help hide the mansion, make it appear to be just a field outside the forest." We all grew quiet, and Luigi looked at his empty wine glass, debating if he wanted another or not. I stood up, yawning and stretching.

"I'm going to change into some more comfortable clothes, aka, PJs. I really don't care how I look when I meet this Boo guy." I started walking towards the bedroom when I heard the rest of the chairs screech across the floor.

"Not a bad idea, I think I'll do the same. You're welcome to your regular room, there should be some spare clothes in there for you." Luigi and I started heading towards our room.

Mario yelled, "Don't get distracted while you're up there! Don't want to blow through your reserves!" Luigi quickened his pace to our room. "If you must, be quick!" Luigi gave his brother the middle finger, and I just pretended I didn't hear anything.

"My brother is going to be impossible later, you know that, right?" Luigi moaned when we got to the room. "Just what I need…" I slipped into my PJ pants and top, shrugging.

"Just wait until Wally finds out. You think your brother's bad…Wally LIVES to push people's buttons. I know he won't bug you, but I will never hear the end of it. I mean, look at this." I pulled out the cell phone and showed Luigi his code name. He snickered. "This was before we even did anything!" I put the phone back. "Is this their way of showing they're happy for us?"

"I'd prefer a 'high-five with a way to go, man' sentiment. We'd better get back before he starts yelling up the stairs." We headed back down, but Mario and Peach were still changing. We sat on the couch, and I leaned into Luigi, closing my eyes. "Sleepy?"

"A little. I don't want to be up all night and be running on empty when he shows up. I'd rather be irritated that I was woken up than delusional and exhausted." Luigi agreed with that sentiment and closed his eyes. Both of us started dozing off.

"Should we do rounds? You know, one of us stays awake while the others sleep? Though, you managed to stay awake last night, didn't you?" Mario was laughing; Luigi and I woke up from our brief snooze. "Or we can just make some really strong coffee." Luigi closed his eyes again, and I followed suit. "Looks like I'll take first watch…you two must have used up all your energy earlier." I ignored Mario fell asleep.

Bang bang bang*

Luigi bolted awake, stammering something about not wanting to wear the pink dress. I lazily opened my eyes and saw that Peach and Mario were asleep. Guess they didn't make it. I looked at the clock; it was two in the morning. Luigi nudged his brother and Peach, telling them their special guest had arrived. I walked to the door and was not prepared for what I saw. On the other side was a floating white ghost wearing a large crown on his head. I opened the door, and he bowed.

"Greetings, I am the great King Boo. You must be Jelina. Waluigi has spoken highly of you. I hope I can be of assistance." He gave a wide grin and started giggling. I hope you know what you are doing, Wally.