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Chapter 4

"I'm such a failure."

That consistently ran through my mind as I stood in the throne room with Daisy and bunch of toads, including Toadsworth and the Chancellor. Toadsworth was now the new accepted ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, but I do not think his old heart could take any more grief.

"Today is a horrible day," he faintly started, "Mater Mario is no more and our fair princess is there with him now. Who's next?"

"Toadsworth that was uncalled for," Daisy snapped. At least Daisy had some hope in me, even if I was a complete failure.

Toadsworth grimaced, "Well, let's move on to more pressing matters, shall we?" When no one spoke, he continued on, "Bowser, the cursed king of the Darklands as committed the worse deed he could have possibly ever done. The matter lies as to what to do with him, anyone?" The room remained silent. Toadsworth rubbed his forehead.

"Well we know that first, he must be captured," the Chancellor stated, "The question now is what is to be done with him after-wards." Again the room went into a silent treatment, until finally someone out spoke.

Only the comment he gave was not pretty, "We kill him!" This outburst aroused the others in a frenzy as they all began to agree.

"He deserves it!"

"He will pay with his own life!"

"Death to Bowser!"

"Kill Bowser!"

"Kill Bowser!"

"KILL BOWSER!"

"Enough," Toadsworth cried out. The room then went into the silence it once started in. "I do not know exactly what we should do about Bowser; however, I do know that he must be captured at once. Luigi, will you be able to take this task?"

It suddenly felt like all eyes were on me now, as if they were expecting me to automatically take the task head-on. But could I? I have let the entire Mushroom Kingdom down twice already, could I do this?

Should I do this?

I stood frozen on the spot. I really did not know what to say.

"Luigi, does something trouble you," the Chancellor asked.

"N...no. I'm fine, I just need to step out for a bit..." Without waiting for an answer, I hurriedly exited the room.

Toadsworth looked somewhat disappointed, "Poor Master Luigi, this whole situation is too much for him."

R.I.P

Here lies the fair princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. May she watch over us from wherever she is alongside her best friend, Mario.

The inscription on Peach's tombstone, gently laid right in the middle of her garden and right next to Mario's tombstone. The words were like a dagger through my heart. I promised my brother I would protect Peach...and this was the outcome. I slowly sat down in front of the tombstones. What would Mario be thinking of me right now?

"He would understand."

I jumped up, totally not expecting someone's company. I could not believe whom it was, "Mario?"

Mario, or the ghost of Mario I could say, was sitting right next to me. I was both extremely happy and extremely scared. Was my mind playing tricks on me or was this real? I know that Boos exist, but Mario was in no way shape or form a Boo. He was like a spirit, maybe?

We both sat side-by-side not really saying much until Mario broke the ice, "So I am buried here, huh?"

"Y...yeah," I stammered. It was weird talking to something that resembled Mario.

"Who's idea was it?"

"Peach."

"I should have known." He smiled, just like the way Mario would always smile. It...comforted me in a way.

"Luigi, I know you must be feeling down..."

You have no idea, Mario.

"But, I believe you can do anything."

I sighed, Mario saying that was like a false sense of security, "Mario, do not get my hopes up. Look at what happened, Mario. Peach is dead; dead because I let it happen, dead because she gave her life for my clumsiness, dead because...I am not strong or brave like you are."

"Luigi, that is no way to be talking about yourself." Great, that was not Mario would said that, it was Princess Peach. Fantastic, I must hallucinating big time. Mario sitting with me to my right, the princess sitting to my left.

But it felt so real, and I really wanted to see the both of them. Whether this was all in my head or not.

"Of course you are not brave and strong like Mario, you are unique. You have your own bravery and strength that even Mario could never get."

"She is right, bro. You are you, nothing like me. You have bravery and strength beyond anything I know."

I do not know if they were just trying to boost my morale or just make feel better. Either way, I definitely felt reassured.

Again, us three just sat there in silence-but a calming one. It felt great, in my opinion.

Peach spoke again, "Luigi, I did not die not only for the sake of protecting you, but also because you are the only one who can stop Bowser now. I believe...no, I know you can do it."

Mario nodded, "I left you as the new protector of the Mushroom Kingdom now, Luigi. You can do it, you always could have-even without my help."

The two of them then fell on me with a hug from both sides. Strangely enough, I could actually feel the warmth of this hug. I teared up joyful tears, "You guys are the best."

Both of them got up and started walking behind me. They stopped after a while and took each others hand, interlacing their gloved fingers.

I could see the blush on Mario's face, which also strange since he is a spirit or whatever and all.

"At least the good thing out of this," Mario said, "Is that I am with my Peachy now."

Peach blushed and giggled too, "And I am with my one and only Mario." Peach then refocused her attention to me, "Good luck, Luigi." She waved.

Mario waved also, "We'll always be watching you." They vanished.

I felt like crying again, the reunion with them felt like a wave of relief-they are content in their afterlife...and they still believed in me...

"Are you okay, Luigi?" I did not even know Daisy showed up.

"More or less," I replied.

"It's strange," she continued, "I just met with Mario and Peach in the hallway...or so I thought. I don't know."

"You too?"

"You see them too? That's a relief, I thought I was becoming insane."We both laughed, I was feeling real good now.

"They told me to believe in you," she went on.

I sat a little stiff, "Well...uh...do you?"

"I never did stop believing in you. I know you can do anything yo want to. I just wish you would believe in yourself."

That was I wanted to do. I want believe in myself, to be able to do stuff without fear of messing up like Mario always has...but here are two tombstones that stay erect here because I decided to believe that I could win against Bowser.

"I wish I could..."

"You can, Luigi."

"I know I can," raising my voice a little, "But look at what happened when I started to believe in myself. Tombstones, death; death to those who I held dear to me."

"Luigi..."

"And what Toadsworth implied was right: Who is next? A toad, Professor E. Gadd, Yoshi? Daisy, what if you are next? I could not live with myself if you were to die because of me. Daisy I care about you so much because I..." I stopped myself, not wanting to finish the sentence.

Daisy on the other hand only clutched my two hands, "Luigi, I care about you too much to not stop believing in you. You mean everything to me, Luigi. I'd never stop believing in you, not even when you tell me to stop."

"But why? Why would you still trust me even though I am responsible for the death of two of my closest best friends?"

"Because I love you."

I froze. I was not prepared for a comment like that.

"Y...you love...me?"

Daisy wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me...right straight smack on my lips. I sunk into the kiss quite easily and openly as I wrapped my arms around her waist. It felt amazing, I wanted to tell Daisy I loved her for so long, and here I was finally able to openly express my feelings to her. I wished the moment would last forever, you only get one true first kiss in your lifetime after all.

We pulled away after what seemed like the most amazing eternity ever. Daisy looked at me with those beautiful blue eyes of hers, "Did I answer your question?"

I only smiled at her, "More than you know."

I decided then to postpone drowning in my miseries, as all I wanted to do now was to be with Daisy. I love her so much, and she gave me the one thing I needed:

Belief. Belief that I could be the defender of the Mushroom Kingdom, belief that I could do anything, belief that I could defeat Bowser. She gave me a new hope (and love).

For her sake, for Mario and Peach's sake, for the entire Mushroom Kingdom's sake; I will find Bowser.

I apologize for the rather slow chapter. If you did not like it, then you did not like it and I'll respect that; consequently, this chapter will still stay here whether you like it or not.

Next chapter: The search for Bowser.

Ciao!