Cascore's Note: Okay, first of all, sorry for taking another two months to come up with an update. x.x I seem to buzz in and out of the writing spirit a lot these days, and, when I do get the spirit, I find myself plugging away at things that aren't this story. ._. Again, my apologies. This chapter felt like it was a lot longer than it actually is while I was typing it. Probably because I was working on it over the course of two months, but I genuinely believed it was at least a little longer. It was really difficult to figure out how I wanted to write this chapter, what with all the things I'm trying to get across at once at this point. I'm pleased with how it turned out at least. For the most part. I just can't get over how short it is really. I mean, after two months, you'd think it'd be longer. But I do hope you enjoy it anyway. And I swear I will try my hardest to come up with the next chapter at a faster pace.

Chapter 24: "Rainy Day"

Lakilulu would be lying if she said she wasn't nervous as she floated through the hallway that night. She was approaching King Sarasa on behalf of the very commoner he was making a point of keeping away from his daughter after all. For the duration of her journey between the dungeon and the throne room, she'd been scrutinizing every single word that would make up the entirety her appeal, but still, it was highly unlikely Sarasa would even give the plea a moment of consideration.

She simply had to hope for the best.

"Lakilulu."

A voice suddenly spoke up behind her. A somewhat high-pitched one, but distinctly masculine in its tone. Lakilulu stopped, only a few dozen feet away from the entrance to Sarasa's throne room, and turned to see Kamarillo approaching her, a rather solemn expression on his face.

"I would advise against holding an audience with His Highness at present," he warned, causing Lakilulu to give him an inquisitive gaze. "He is less than agreeable in his current state of mind."

In all fairness, King Sarasa was less than agreeable in any state of mind. Lakilulu had already taken this into consideration before she resolved herself to meeting with him. Still, what could have taken place to bring the king into such a mood that the nation's ambassador, and therefore one of Sarasa's closest associates, was advising against seeing him?

"Oh, you do not know?" Kamarillo asked, an odd tone of false surprise in his voice as he began to move closer to Lakilulu, making her feel suddenly uncomfortable as he slowly closed the gap between them one step at a time. "That is a surprise to hear, considering you were in the vicinity of the one who brought the king into such a foul mood only moments ago."

"Do you speak of the commoner?" Lakilulu asked, secretly wondering how exactly he seemed to know where she was just minutes ago. Could he have been following her this whole time?

"Not so much the commoner as the man who turned his back on his own kingdom," Kamarillo answered, suddenly turning away from Lakilulu, looking behind himself and down the hallway, in the general direction of the dungeon. "Did you not see him? Your prince who fled and left our king to fend for himself? I am surprised, you seem to be close with the man. Yet you did not even notice him cowering away in the corner of the cell across from the commoner.

"By the way, I do not believe it was the wisest of ideas to fill the boy with false hope of seeing the princess again," Kamarillo added, now turning back to Lakilulu as she simply stared at Kamarillo in relative shock. She wondered if he was talking about Prince Juno, whom she honestly hadn't known was even in the castle at all. But, at the same time, she was questioning just what exactly Kamarillo's motive was. He was evidently following her; how else would he know about what she said to Luigi? And, if he was keeping track of her, why? "Optimism can only get one so far Lakilulu," Kamarillo continued, "Before reality rears its ugly, honest head and crushes one's spirits. Why raise them in the first place when it is so unlikely that things will turn out how we wish?"

"The commoner is an innocent young man," Lakilulu countered, growing defensive as she felt herself becoming pressured by the ambassador's suddenly antagonistic character. "He has a genuinely kind heart, and I believe King Sarasa will-"

"Kind hearts are only destined to bleed, Lakilulu. I am astounded by your short-sightedness, considering you should know better about the subject than most," Kamarillo spat back, though a particularly sinister smile seemed to be coming to his lips now. Lakilulu floated back a few feet, growing more uncomfortable by the second as Kamarillo seemed to show a side of himself he'd hidden away for the years she'd known him. Ever since he secured his position in the castle as ambassador three years ago, Lakilulu's only ever seen the quiet, cordial, bookish side of him that kept mostly to himself and spoke with the utmost of kindness when approached. This Kamarillo that stood before her now though... He seemed to be a completely different Magikoopa altogether.

"You aim to please all, while knowing full well that it is not possible," Kamarillo continued. "To serve a king, who would have you serve against a prince, a princess, and a commoner. And to serve a prince, a princess, and a commoner, who would have you serve against a king. It cannot work on all avenues Lakilulu. You cannot be these peoples' medium through which everyone's wishes are granted. You have known that all along. And yet, you continue to attempt to be 'kind' and 'fair' toward everyone.

"Well, may I say that you have overextended yourself. Our king is not as oblivious as you predicted. Nor am I."

At some point, without Lakilulu's notice, Sarasa had made his way out of his throne room. He stood a fair distance behind the confused, anxious Lakitu as Kamarillo spun around on the spot and disappeared into thin air. Lakilulu was used to his ability to teleport at will, but did not expect him to reappear just behind her. Right next to the previously silent king of Sarasaland.

"Your Majesty," Lakilulu quickly greeted, bowing her head in recognition of her superior, who simply watched her in silence. A certain calmness seemed to rest in his eye. Almost a look of melancholy really as he gazed at his old steward. The only one in the entire castle to have stayed by his side ever since the day he was brought into the world. The one living being in the entire world to stay wholly faithful to him, through the good times and the bad, without question.

Well, at least, until now...

"Lakilulu. Does Kamarillo speak the truth?" he asked quietly, almost with a hint of melancholy, as Lakilulu raised her eyes once more. Both her and her cloud seemed to have a pleading looking in their eyes as they gazed at him.

"Your Highness, I-..." Her heart suddenly began to race as she came to a complete loss for words. All that time thinking, planning every single syllable of her speech, was for naught as she simply floated there, utterly intimidated by the somber mood of her superior and the sinister gaze of her peer. In silence, the two of them seemed to penetrate the very fabric of her being and rip it to shreds. She became devoid of words. Devoid of motion. Devoid of any kind of thought, stricken in the fear of what she knew would soon be her fate.

The king bowed his head slightly before turning away from the Lakitu. Her silence was all he needed to hear to understand that even she was no longer worthy of his full, complete trust. Even she, the one to stay by his side for so many years past, was abandoning him.

Well... So be it.

"Then you may go," he spoke up, his words alone forcing Lakilulu to recoil as if she'd taken a hit straight to the chest. And, without another word, King Sarasa made for his departure. Lakilulu, stupefied, simply floated there for a moment, watching him in silence, before realizing she couldn't just let him leave like this. She couldn't-

"Ah ah ah, dearest Lakilulu," Kamarillo mocked, having teleporting right in front of the Lakitu after she made an attempt to follow the king. He held his wand up to her, a wicked smile carved across his lips. "So sorry, but it appears that you are no longer welcome here. Shall I escort you out?"

"Kamarillo, please-ah! ...ack...!"

Lakilulu clutched her neck in panic as she floated back from Kamarillo. Her cloud barely grazed the floor as she struggled to stay aloft... Her throat... She was choking... She...couldn't breathe...

"Please Lakilulu, allow me to escort you...to the gates of the Underwhere..."

Lakilulu had fallen out of her cloud by now, struggling on the floor as the world all around her faded away into nothingness. She could barely hold herself up with one arm, the other clutching her throat in vain as she desperately tried to intake the breath that would never come into her reach.

Soon, a pair of red leather shoes came into her fading view. She attempted to look up, but her waning strength only caused her to slump to the ground, helpless.

"Have no fear Lakilulu," Kamarillo's sinister voice echoed throughout as the Lakitu's vision blurred ever more. "You do not die in vain tonight. You have played your part quite exquisitely. And for that, I thank you. It will not be much longer before your involvement pays off yet.

"But for now, do not struggle... Do not fight... Rather, embrace the coming of your death... Embrace your Afterlife..."

…

Darkness...

Lakilulu heard no more...

–

"...will she be alright...?"

A young woman's voice... Unfamiliar... Filled with genuine concern...

"...let's hope so...she seems to be breathing normally..."

A man's voice... Also unfamiliar... Kind...

"...wish I could tell you what happened...we just found her in the middle of the road..."

Another man's voice... Not familiar... Somewhat frustrated...

Where was she hearing these voices all of a sudden...?

She stirred. Everyone's attention suddenly shot to her as she tried her hardest to move any part of her body.

She was so stiff. Performing an action as minute as twitching a single finger felt like an enormous task. She wanted so badly to move, but, no matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't fight the refusal of her own body to even budge. All she felt she could do was let out a quiet, weak groan, and crack open her eyes just the tiniest bit, which were only snapped shut once more by the blinding rush of light that met them. But that one movement, accompanied with her groan, was enough. The room was awash with relief to know that, finally, the stranded Lakitu woman had awakened. The majority of the fears were finally eased.

"Thank God you're okay," the girl spoke up once again, letting out a sigh as she did so.

"...Mmm..."

"Please, don't try to talk," the first man's voice spoke up softly. "Just rest for the time being."

Lakitu paid him mind and simply allowed herself to just lie still. She felt absolutely drained. Like she could just fall asleep and stay inanimate for days. Right now though, she knew she could only be thankful. Kamarillo's attempt to kill her had failed. But, apparently, he'd teleported her far outside of the castle once he believed she was done for. The last thing she remembered before waking up in that bed was seeing several lights, followed by the sound of a slamming door and the feeling of someone picking her up. After that...she'd appeared here. In this room. Surrounded by three people, watching over her carefully.

She could only be thankful.

As the room fell silent, sans the pitter patter of the steady, light rain on the roof and windows outside, Lakilulu could hear something else. A soft, whirring sound. That sound was very familiar to her. Very familiar indeed.

Apparently, her cloud, though not having been teleported alongside Lakilulu, had reunited with her. Such an occurrence was odd for a Lakitu's cloud, for it to follow its owner after said owner had left it, but Lakilulu knew that it could be the only plausible reason why it was at her side. Probably still carrying that worried expression. Waiting for her to get well and occupy it once more.

Unfortunately, the cloud would have to wait.

"Well, it's half past eight," the first man's voice informed. "What are you all gonna do?"

"...I honestly don't know yet," the second man's voice answered reluctantly. "I see a few people rallying up at the gate already. Some guards are outside keeping them back. I have no clue how we're supposed to get inside."

"Leave it to your father to drive to a different country overnight and not have any idea what he's going to do once he gets there," the first voice commented with a chuckle, prompted a giggle from the girl.

"That's Daddy for you."

"Ah hush," the second man piped up. "I'm trying to think..."

–

Luigi just sat there on the hard slab of rock that was supposed to be a bed. He leaned back against the wall as one foot lay outstretched before him and the other dangled motionless off the side of the bed. His head was propped back against the wall so he could stare up at the ceiling. There was nothing of particular interest up there, but, having his head tilted back like that...it just somehow made him feel at peace.

Sitting there. Staring at nothing. One foot suspended inches off the floor beneath. It was a position that he found most comfortable for some reason.

It was odd, this feeling of serenity. Suddenly, somewhere between the worlds of conscious and unconscious, it just felt like everything that was going so horribly wrong...just wasn't as big a deal anymore. And Luigi didn't know whether this pleasant feeling was a side effect of the lack of sleep he'd endured last night, or if this was just slow, silent acceptance.

The acceptance that Lakilulu had never returned last night. The acceptance that Luigi was never going to get to talk to Daisy ever again. That acceptance that he would never so much as get to see her again. The acceptance that, once he was released from that cell, he would just go back to the way things were.

Back when he was that socially awkward kid in the group that was only good for a laugh or two. Back when he was always taken for granted by his friends and his family alike. Back when, no matter what he did or how hard he tried, he just knew things weren't going to turn out right.

Everything would just be the same, day after day, all over again. The way it all was before.

There was a brief moment where the silence was broken as a guard from upstairs hurried down to retrieve the dungeon guard. After a short dialogue, the two left in a hurry. And Luigi, in silence, continued to simply stare at the ceiling.

–

Huh. Rain. Talk about a rare sight. It almost never rained here.

Wait. What was she thinking? This was the Chai Kingdom of Sarasaland...rain wasn't that uncommon here. It was Toad Town where it never rained...

That's right... Toad Town...

No, it rained much more often around here. And, usually, she adored it. The sight of it. The smell. The feeling of joy and freedom she felt whenever she was outside, able to be in the rain. Even just looking at it would set her at ease. It's gentle tapping could do nothing less than completely soothe her mind and her soul.

So, why was it different today?

Today, it did not bring her joy. Today, it did not soothe her. Today, it just had no effect on her whatsoever.

Even though she wanted it to. She really, honestly did.

Her gaze was distant as she stood there, both hands resting on the bedroom's window sill before her. She didn't seem to focus on much of anything. Not the rain. Or the oddly large mass of people in front of the castle. The confrontation between the royal guards and the enraged townspeople did not catch her interest at all.

Really, at that moment, nothing did.

Across the room, the door gave off a noticeable click. A noise to which Daisy paid no mind. It opened, swept across the bedroom carpet, followed by the soft sound of a pair of feet stepping in, just before the door was shut.

Still, Daisy stared out the window.

"Daisy. You should not be out of bed so soon," the familiar, deep voice spoke up. "Your injury is still fresh. It would not do for you to strain yourself so quickly."

Daisy bowed her head. Just hearing that man's voice. Just listening to that man speak. It burned. A deep, rousing flame she could feel in the pit of her stomach. It flared. It threatened to burst forth. It took everything she had to not turn around and exact her fury against that man right then and there.

Her resting hands slowly balled into tight fists. She wanted to. So badly, she wanted to...just hit him. Over and over and over again. Until her knuckles were bleeding and her energy was completely drained. She wanted to attack him.

Slowly, she lowered her hands to her sides.

She couldn't. She knew she couldn't. She couldn't attack that man. Even if she was stronger than him, doing such a thing would not change her situation. That man had power. Absolute power. And nothing she did would change anything.

That man would still force her to stay in that castle. He would still force her to conform and be molded into the image he wanted her to be. He would still have complete control over her life. He always did. He'd simply allowed Daisy's leash to loosen until he decided that he needed to pull her back once again.

Daisy couldn't fight him. In the end, he would win. He would always win.

"I apologize. Father."

She was mechanical. Both in her voice and in her movements. She turned away from the window and stepped over to the side of her bed. As Daisy climbed in and pulled the covers over herself, her father made his way across the room and took up the recently abandoned spot next to the window. He stared down at the crowd with a frown.

"All of this. Over the misconduct of my incompetent subordinates," he muttered disdainfully. "I would do well to reconstruct my staff if this is the result of their carelessness. To think, the actions of those fools I sent to retrieve you would cause this much of a disturbance..."

Sarasa took a few more moments to look at the heavens' falling filth before grabbing on the tassel suspended from the curtain next to him. He pulled the veil closed.

Just as mechanically as his daughter, Sarasa turned and stepped over to the foot of Daisy's bed. He came to a slow stop once he reached his destination, and began to speak once more without looking over at his daughter.

"King Toadstool is on his way here currently," he informed. Daisy sat up against the headboard of her bed, simply gazing at him. "He is coming to retrieve your boy."

He paused.

Daisy remained silent, giving no indication of any kind of interest.

"I suppose I should tell you, though I doubt it will matter much in the near future, but I have forbade the boy to rest his eyes upon you," he spoke up. "He is never to see you. And you are never to see him."

Daisy gave no response. Sarasa couldn't help but give off a small smile as he turned his look over to his daughter. She stared right back into his eyes. Blankly.

"Does this not concern you?" he asked.

"Why should it?" Daisy responded with a deadpan voice. "He's just a boy. An unfortunate boy that got himself wrapped up in this mess unknowingly. He hasn't done anything wrong. Except have feelings for a princess."

"So, you do not care if you may never see him again?" Sarasa asked, somewhat surprised by his daughter's demeanor, but undoubtedly joyous about her extreme cooperativeness.

"I don't see why I should," Daisy answered. "If I said I did care...would that change anything at all?"

Sarasa recoiled the slightest bit. The way his daughter was speaking... She was certainly more cooperative now, but...why? Was this the result of the concussion she'd suffered at the mercy of the Nokobon force? Or did she finally submit herself to her father's will and decide that he truly knew what was best for her? It was perplexing, but Sarasa couldn't deny that it was most definitely a boon to finally have his daughter understand that he was holding the reigns over the entire situation.

"No. Your disagreement would not change the situation whatsoever," Sarasa responded, looking away from his daughter once again. "I am glad you finally realize, Daisy. Resisting will only bring you more hardships. Allow me to take care of you. I am your father. I know what is best for you. And for the future of our kingdom. You must simply place your trust in me. And everything will be much easier, for the both of us."

Daisy never responded. Instead, a moment of shuffling could be heard from the bed. Sarasa looked over once more to find that his daughter had lied down and sunk further into her covers. Her head rested on its side on the pillow, here eyes closed comfortably below the ring of bandaging that wrapped around the top of her head to cover her wound. She wanted to rest. Or, perhaps, simply to think. Either way, Sarasa made his exit wordlessly.

The door clicked open, slid quietly along the carpeting, and shut once more.