A/N: We got another long intro here, so buckle your seatbelts and prepare to skip through all this if you want to.

After two chapters posted over a month, Distance has already reached at least 20 favorites and followers to go along with 1,000 hits. That is incredible!

Shoutouts to DameFlemmarde, bennybenediktsalathe, danielman21, Oxford Haynes, and Aviationrocks10 for adding this as a favorite. TwinTerrorStorm, along with the last three I mentioned earlier, thanks for leaving a follow as well.

I would also like to thank FairyTalePrincess16, CrashBandit450, TwinTerrorStorm, Infinite's Ruby, seraangelqc, Steel Fairy, CrazyCartoonz, Oderus, Aviationrocks10, SpiderDom321, and the other Guests for reviewing.

But as for reviewer 'G', since you're also a guest, I'm going to reply back to you. I understand that not everyone would like this fanfic. It is OOC for Mario since he isn't the kind of guy to weep over something, and being unable to move on for a year sounds over the top. But the purpose was to put him in a different light that isn't normally seen based on his personality and how he is generally portrayed. And sure, the flashbacks may stretch out this story to the point where some might not be interested in reading, but I'm adding my own twist into this. All I can say is that if you don't like this story, I'm not going to force you to continue reading.

Besides that, we're now a week away from the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate! That'll be very exciting! (My friends and I are going to fail our finals.)

On another unrelated note, the creator of SpongeBob SquarePants, Stephen Hillenburg, is sadly gone. I was devastated when I heard about that earlier this week. My childhood wouldn't be as awesome if it weren't for him. Thank you so much for making millions of people entertained. RIP.

Lastly, I hope I didn't make anyone wait too long for a new chapter. Despite it being much shorter than the first two, let's get right back into it!

Disclaimer: This story features spoilers from Super Mario Odyssey, and I don't own any property of Mario or Nintendo.

"Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight."

~Benjamin Franklin

Chapter 3: Lost in Thought

Location: Mushroom Kingdom

Luigi jumped out of the green pipe and ran up to the front porch. He inserted the key and rushed inside the house.

"Mario?! Are you still here?"

The first place he searched was his bedroom. He noticed that his door was barely open. Pushing it aside, he was surprised to find it completely empty.

"Where is he?" he mumbled to himself.

He looked in the bathroom, his own room, and the attic. With no luck, Luigi returned downstairs and sought the living room. To his discontent, he wasn't there either.

"Did he already leave for the castle?" he wondered. "Did I just not see him?"

Finally, he checked the kitchen where he left Mario's breakfast before he went to the castle. He saw that all the dishes were clean, but there was something else on the table. It was a white slip of paper with text written in red ink. He grabbed it and read the message in his head.

...

Luigi,

I'm afraid something has come up urgently, and I can't come to the castle to finish setting up the party. If you're wondering why the Odyssey is missing from the backyard, it's because I took it with me. I'm really sorry to tell you this on such short notice. I promise I'll be back by tonight. Love you, fratellino.

~Mario

...

Luigi frowned in confusion as he placed the note down. He wasn't upset that he found out his older brother was gone. He didn't feel this way because he broke his promise. It was the fact that he left without saying the actual reason.

"The princess is not going to be happy about this. I don't even know what to tell her!"

He took a seat at the table. Picking the note up again, he held it with one hand while placing the other on the side of his head, pondering why Mario departed in the first place. His only assumption was the confrontation he had with him that morning.

"I really hope I didn't make him mad earlier. He said that he wasn't, but could I have driven him away? I sure hope not."

While Luigi continued to wonder where in the world was Mario, he didn't want to keep Peach waiting. She had to know the truth. And he had to help the Toads finish the party decorations. Sighing heavily, he folded the note and shoved it in the back pocket of his overalls. He locked up the house and made his way back to the castle. Before entering the pipe, he watched the white clouds roll by, hoping to see the Odyssey return home so he could talk to his sibling. He had a feeling that it wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Location: Cap Kingdom

After he left Mario to give him some privacy, Cappy made his way to the Central Plaza where he saw his sister holding two ice cream cones.

"Here you go, big brother! Two scoops of vanilla, just what you asked for!"

"Thanks, Tiara! I appreciate it."

"What are you doing here? I thought Mario wanted to talk to you."

"He did. But after a while, he said he needed some time to himself."

Tiara's eyes became half-lidded, concern expressed on her face. "Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, but it's sort of confidential to him, you know?"

"Oh. Well, I sure hope he's alright."

"I feel the same way, too."

Back at the Odyssey, Mario rubbed the sleeve of his shirt over his face, wiping out the sweat on his forehead. He already stopped crying, yet he was unable to bring himself up on his own feet.

He loathed himself.

Peach had been aware of his unconventional behavior for far too long. No matter how many times she asked him why he was acting this way, all he did was push her aside, acting like nothing's wrong and that she shouldn't have to worry about a thing. He knew how rude it was to do it to someone like her, and his heart hurt tenfold knowing he repeated this over and over again. Giving an apology was simple enough if he didn't freeze every time that he saw her face. Avoiding eye contact never solved his problems, and the awkward tension continued to build up inside.

Mario wanted to repair his relationship with Peach, but he was afraid that he was going to make things worse if he said the wrong thing. In his head, the two were nothing but friends. That word had played a role between the two for many years, but at least it was used in a good fashion. Mario hoped that the spark was still there. The idea of it being permanently gone also clouded his thoughts.

Grumbling, the man laid back as his hands reached under his hat and gripped his hair. He needed more help. Even though talking to Cappy made things a bit better, he was still lost. His options were limited: seek the courage to finally speak with the princess, or extend his distance even further away from her. If he chose the first alternative, he was worried that Peach will give him another cold response. If he decided to go with the latter, he would lose more of her trust. He was very indecisive at the moment.

After he contemplated for a while, he made his decision. First, he needed to see Cappy and Tiara before leaving Bonneton.

The plumber finally got up from his chair and stretched his arms out with a slight grunt. He exited the airship and ran over the dark hills. Jumping across the Glasses Bridge, he found the Bonneters near the Crazy Cap stand.

"Cappy? Tiara?"

"Oh, Mario! I almost didn't see you there!" his hat friend replied.

"I was just going to say thanks for taking the time to listen."

"Hey, you're welcome, buddy!"

"Do you feel alright, Mario?" Tiara asked.

He managed to show a genuine smile, even if it was small. "I'm okay. But I have to take care of some errands. I'm just not ready to talk about it. Eventually though, I'll make it my goal to complete it by tomorrow before the party begins."

Cappy had an idea of what Mario was talking about. "Well, whatever the case may be, I hope things will turn out fine."

"I hope so, too, Cappy. For now, I think I'll be heading off."

"So, I guess we'll meet you tomorrow at the castle?"

"Yes, Tiara. I'll see you two until then."

"Wonderful!" she twirled in the air with joy. "I can't wait to visit Peach again!"

Mario retained his small grin even though his heart skipped a beat. "Yeah... And I have to see her at some point. I just don't know when."

"Hope you make it back home safely, Mario!" the male Bonneter waved at him.

"Thanks, Cappy. Bye, Tiara," the man tipped his cap.

"See you soon!"

As Mario returned to his ship, the ramp folded back into the platform, and the golden propellers began spinning. He wasn't ready to go home yet. Instead, the Odyssey flew up and headed further east on the globe. There was another person he wanted to discuss his issues. He knew this person long before he even met Peach. And since they had a reputation of engaging in thoughtful conversations, he was hoping to earn some guidance.

Where was his next destination? The Metro Kingdom. And who was he planning to see? None other than the mayor of the capital city.

It didn't take long for Luigi to return to the front courtyard. He walked up to the castle door and was about to push them open. But considering his luck, the doors were pushed towards him, knocking him in the nose.

"OW!" he fell backward.

"Oh! Sorry about that, Luigi!"

He rubbed the spot he got hit before looking up. Toad and Toadette stood in front of him while holding a large, tangled pile of lights. He got up and brushed off his clothes. "It's okay, guys. It was just an accident."

"We didn't expect you to come back. Actually, we didn't even know you left at all," the pink-plaited Toad replied.

"I had to run back to my house. I was helping Peach with something."

"What were you doing for her?"

"And where's Mario?" inquired Toad. "Shouldn't he be here by now?"

Both of them saw the green man fret. "That's why I went home. Peach and I were wondering why Mario hasn't shown up yet. When I searched the place, he was gone. At first, I assumed he might have headed over and I just missed him. But then I realized that he actually went somewhere else."

"He did?" Toad was skeptical.

"Yeah. The Odyssey is gone."

"He flew on his airship?" Toadette tilted her head.

"Where to?"

"I don't know!" Luigi shouted, startling the Toads who dropped the lights.

"Oh, man! I hope none of the bulbs cracked!"

"I'm sorry..."

"It's alright, Luigi. You didn't mean to. Don't worry, we'll take care of this."

"Okay. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to see Princess Peach."

"I think I saw her head down to the kitchen. She's likely preparing a big cake for the party."

"Thanks, Toadette. I'll see you guys later."

Luigi scuffled past the other busy workers before he entered the large kitchen. True to Toadette's words, he noticed the pink princess at a counter with two other Toads, one with blue dots and the other had yellow. They were all looking at a recipe book, deciding what kind of dessert to whip up for her friend.

"Ahem," Luigi cleared his throat to get her attention.

She turned around. "Oh, Luigi. You startled me."

"Sorry. Toadette said that you were here, and I needed to speak with you. Privately," he added.

Peach blinked for a second. "I see. Um, okay. Head upstairs to my room," she allowed him to go early. "Toads, you can start preparing. I think we'll do a chocolate cake topped with oranges and strawberries. (1) We can also bake cupcakes with orange cream cheese frosting."

They nodded and went over to the sink to wash their hands. Peach sluggishly walked up the steps. She couldn't imagine what happened this time. Did Mario refuse to go? Was he sick? Has Bowser done anything terrible? It rarely occurred, but she vividly remembered the one time when Mario was in trouble and she was the one who had to do the rescuing. (2) Setting those notions aside, Peach reached the outside of her room where she saw Luigi patiently waiting in the hallway. She opened it and allowed her friend to enter first.

"You can sit down on my chair if you would like."

"Thanks, but I'm perfectly fine standing up."

"You sure?"

"Mm-hmm."

Peach decided to sit down. "So, did you find out? Where is he?"

Luigi scratched the back of his head. The heel of his foot kept moving back and forth, displaying how uncomfortable he was.

"Luigi?"

He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Trying to stay calm, he reached his right hand into his back pocket. Peach watched curiously as he took out a folded piece of paper. He extended his arm to her, prompting the princess to take it. When she grabbed the note, she unfolded the creases one at a time. Luigi gulped nervously as she revealed the whole letter. He was both unsure and scared at what her reaction would be. Peach's eyes moved from her left and to her right, taking in each word as she read down the lines. Once she was finished, the world felt like it stopped. She blinked twice before biting her lower lip. She then raised her head at Luigi, wearing a sympathetic look on his face.

"Where did he run off to?"

Luigi's eye met the carpet as he merely shrugged. "I wish I knew. He left the note before he disappeared. I couldn't find him in the house, and the Odyssey was gone, too."

"You mean, he's traveling somewhere?"

"That's probably the most logical answer to your question. What I don't know at all is where he went."

Peach furrowed her eyes. She raised a hand and placed it over her heart, beating unevenly after finding out about this revelation.

"Maybe he went to Sarasaland?" Luigi threw in a random guess.

"Why would he fly there?"

"To see Daisy. I doubt that he's going to spoil the surprise party. Mario isn't the kind of guy to do something like that. But I don't know. Maybe you can call her and see for yourself. Believe me, Princess. I'm just as worried as you are."

"I mean, I suppose it's worth a try."

"I'll leave you alone. I'm going to finish the banner if you don't mind."

"Not at all. Thanks for helping, Luigi."

He gave a tiny grin, tipping his cap. "Anytime, Peach."

After he closed the door, Peach went over to the phone and contacted the Sarasaland princess. A few dial tones played before she heard her friend on the other line.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Daisy. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing well, Peach! What's up?"

"You see, I have an important question to ask you."

"Sure. Shoot it right at me."

"Have you seen Mario in Sarasaland at all?"

A long pause lingered for several seconds. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Mario, he's not here in the Mushroom Kingdom. Is he in yours?"

"I... don't think. At least I'm not aware of it. Why do you ask?"

"Luigi and I were busy... with something," she almost spilled the secret. "Mario was supposed to assist us as well, but he never showed up. And when Luigi searched his home, he was nowhere to be found."

"Really? That's kind of odd."

"Additionally, he said that the Odyssey was not there either."

"So, he must've gone somewhere," Daisy got the point.

"Exactly. Luigi suggested to call you and see if he had flown to Sarasaland or not."

"Now I understand. I'm sorry, Peach, but I'm looking outside my bedroom window right now, and I don't see his airship at all. Not in the sky, not on the ground, nowhere in Chai... Unless he's gone to one of the other provinces, I don't think he's here."

"Oh, dear. I was afraid you were going to say that."

"Peach, I'm sure Mario is fine. Whatever he's doing, it must be very important."

"I guess so."

"But then again, he should at least owe you guys an apology for bailing out on whatever you're doing. Because if you needed his help and he decided not to join, that was very rude of him."

"I'm sure he didn't mean to be. I also heard from Luigi that he was disheveled."

"What do you mean?"

"He described Mario as a mess. Luigi figured something was wrong, but Mario denied. He even yelled at his brother."

"He did?" Daisy sounded a bit angry.

"Yeah. What I'm saying is that Mario hasn't been normal for months now. Have you ever seen him acting strange or out of the ordinary?"

"Hmm... now that you mention it, I have seen some moments where he seemed to avoid talking to you."

"That's what I've noticed as well! I really feel like he's losing interest in me. I can't help but think that I have done something to initiate this problem."

"Honestly, I can't possibly deliberate what you've done."

"I don't know, Daisy. It's just a gut feeling."

"Then, give him some more time. If it's personal to him, he probably wants to resolve everything on his own."

"I just wish I can help him."

"Maybe you could. Now's just not the right time."

"But when is the right time, Daisy?! It's been months! I can never get the chance to talk to him because he'll always find a way to avoid me! What if he doesn't want to talk to me forever?"

"I'm really sorry you feel this way, Peach. I sincerely do. But all I can say is that you have to be patient. Let him take the opportunity to get his act together before you try to rush things. But if you truly think that he's gone too far or does it one too many times, you need to be assertive towards him. Explain to him that you won't stand up to him shunning you. Lay the line down to him. Be open and passionate about your thoughts, but don't be uptight."

She sighed heavily, looking at outside her window. "Okay, Daisy. I'll take in your advice."

"You bet you will." Peach had to giggle at that. "Don't worry, Peach. I'm sure you two will work things out soon."

"I hope so. Thanks for talking."

"No problem. It's great to hear from you as well. I'll see you tomorrow!"

"Okay. Bye, Daisy."

Peach sulked as she hung up the phone and sat down on the edge of her mattress. Feeling stressed out, she lied down, staring up at the white ceiling. Beforehand, she wondered why Mario kept avoiding her on multiple occasions. Now, she wanted to know why Mario fled again and where did he go this time. She refused to think of negative feelings because doing so would make her life more complicated than it was. Yet she couldn't help it.

"Mario, please... I just want to talk to you," she whimpered.

END OF CHAPTER

Looks like Mario isn't the only one who has issues with another person. Then again, that was kind of implied in Ch. 2. Can Peach figure out why Mario has been avoiding her? And speaking of the red-clad man, what'll happen when he reaches New Donk City?

As always, thanks for reading! Let me know what you think by reviewing down below, follow/favorite for more chapters, and I'll see you next time when Mario revisits Mayor Pauline in Ch. 4 of Distance!

Post-Chapter Notes:

(1): I envisioned it as one of those cakes you decorate in the minigame 'Sugar Rush' from Mario Party 8. I don't know if Daisy has any favorite foods, so I went with chocolate and oranges, the latter matching her color scheme.

(2): This is referring to Super Princess Peach for the Nintendo DS. It's the only game to date where Peach played the role as the protagonist and Mario became the plumber in distress under Bowser's reign (basically a role reversal).