Luigi was having a panic attack to put it lightly. He grabbed his older brother by the scruff of his collar and stared him down.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" Was spouted between breaths of the hyperventilation variety.

Mario calmly removed his brother's clenched fingers from the fabric of his shirt. "The princess invited us to a party. Would it-a-been right if I declined?" He fixed Luigi with an impatient glare.

"YES!" Luigi whined. "ESPECIALLY because it was the princess who invited us! We're not suave guys, Mario. We're plumbers! We fix toilets for a living! We can't wine and dine with the most important people in the kingdom, all because you can't say no to a pretty girl!" It was out of his mouth before he could stop it and he quickly slapped a hand to his face. "Erm…what I mean…was…"

"AHA. So you were-a-thinking it too! And don't-a-pretend you were so adamant about not-a-going. You were over in the corner having a heart attack!" Mario accused, narrowing his eyes.

"WAS NOT!" He blurted out. "And even if I was, which I'm not saying I was, YOU were gawking at her too!"

"Oh please." Mario rolled his eyes, choosing to end the conversation as he walked out of their living room.

"Don't you walk away from me, Mario!" Luigi scurried off the couch after him. "Don't deny it! You thought she was beautiful didn't you? And you just can't help yourself, can you?" He demanded, cornering his older brother in the kitchen. "Now because of you we have to dress up like rich monkeys and swindle with snooty important folk!"

"Don't-a-assume I was trying to make a move on-a-her, because I wasn't!" Mario glared, crossing his arms.

"…I never said that."

Mario's glare dropped and his cheeks reddened. "WELL I WASN'T!" He yelled after a smirking Luigi who practically skipped out of the room.

"What's all this yelling about?"

Mario looked to the other doorway to see his mother standing there, her hair a mess and her eyes squinting, as if she'd just woken up.

"I'm-a-sorry Mama, did we wake you?"

"Kind of. But since I'm already up now, you might as well tell me what's gotten you boys riled up." She pulled out the small wooden chair next to the table and plopped down in it.

"Well….erm…me an' Luigi fixed up the castle's-a-plumbing system. The princess herself invited us to-a-the Mushroomian Ball." Mario rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh really? The ball? Sounds terribly important." His mother grinned, watching him squirm about nervously. "And you met the princess, that's inspiring. What is she like?"

"Uhm…I…ah…wouldn't…really know…"

"LIAR!" Came a voice from the living room.

Mario affixed another embarrassed and heated glare into the other room and sheepishly scuffed his shoe at the floor. "She's….pretty."

"Well of course. Is she nice?" His mother smirked knowingly.

"Well we only just-a-met her. It's just-a-to thank us for the work we did!"

"Oh, I see. I certainly hope you two have fun. It's good to see you getting out of the house for once."

"We get out." Mario said, surprised.

"Only for work and that isn't fair." His mother countered. "You work yourselves too hard."

"All for the family, Mama." Mario replied in a saddened tone.

"I'm going to feel sick no matter what you do. Money can't fix that, Mario." She gazed at him, though her eyes were hazy.

"But it would get worse if-a-you didn't have a home to live in, Mama."

"You can't save the world Mario." She chuckled in an enigmatical way. "You can't do it all. Go out to this ball…" She stood, shuffling in her robe to him, taking his face in her small hands. "And enjoy yourselves. Enjoy life. Have an adventure. Meet dazzling people. You can't do that when you're here."

"Mama…"

"Go out and let the world know just who the Mario Brothers really are." His mother smiled, her pale face seeming to glow for just a moment. "Promise me you will."

Not really knowing what else to say or what she had meant he smiled back. "I promise Mama."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Everything going all right in there, gents?"

Mario stared at his reflection in the three way mirror, surprised at the man staring back at him. Instead of his usual overall and cap attire, it had been swapped out for some tailored black pants, a tailored coat, shiny new shoes and a tie to bring it all together. This suit must've cost more than he had ever made in his entire life!

Luigi gawked at himself in the next changing room for a few moments and then deliberately called over the door, "Mario, whatcha' think of this?"

"Erm…it's-a-different that's for sure…" Mario nervously called back, not quite sure what to think, having never even touched a suit or seen anyone he knew in one.

"Oho, let's see now, gents! Come out!" Toadsworth called, casually swinging his cane.

Both the doors opened and Mario and Luigi stepped out, shuffling awkwardly at the floor.

"Brilliant gents, quite dazzling really! Why you're both quite handsome when you spiffy yourselves up, eh?" He chuckled, clapping loudly.

Mario and Luigi exchanged bewildered glances. "Thank you…" replied Luigi in a stammering tone, and Mario turned to face the mirror again. "You-a-really think so?" Mario tilted his head, never receiving a compliment for anything other than his plumbing. Sure, he was alright looking in his opinion, but handsome? Dazzling?

"Oho, of course gents! You both are sure to be the talk of the party. Shall we adjourn at your leisure then? Normally I would be at the castle to supervise but the princess has taken it upon herself to organize this ball. I'm sure she'll do fine." He laughed in a good natured way.

The brothers admired their new appearances one last time to make sure everything was proper looking and then headed out of the shop with the older toad.

"It was truly-a-nice of you to invite us to the ball." Mario chimed in as they walked through the shopping district.

"Me? Oho." Toadsworth's eyes twinkled mischievously. "Wasn't my idea, actually gents. It was the princess who suggested it!"

"The p-p-p-princess?" Luigi stuttered out, wide-eyed.

"Why yes! In fact her very words were something to the effect of, if both of you would be diligent and skilled enough to do something that great for their kingdom, then they simply must be rewarded and revered properly."

"Wow, the princess is so kind…" Luigi whispered under his breath, sighing softly. Mario caught the look on Luigi's face but said nothing, only clearing his throat. The rest of the walk to the castle was quiet, all for different reasons. Luigi was only mildly aware of his surroundings, drifting off to his own world, preventing himself from becoming uncomfortable and anxious for as long as he could.

Mario seemed quite the opposite, concentrating on finding the right things to say, how to act, where to sit, where to stand, how to mingle, and whom to mingle with. And what about the princess? What would he say if he encountered her? Should he try to exercise extreme politeness around her? Or should he keep his sentences short, and only if she asked him a direct question? Should he even talk at all? He had no idea.

Toadsworth walked ahead but upon glancing back he could clearly analyze the distress Mario was pouring out and he chuckled in amusement.

"Not to worry, lad! You'll do fine. Just be yourself!"

Mario nodded, swallowing a thick lump in his throat. He was a humble plumber, raised in a small family. He shouldn't expect himself to be anyone else, and neither should anyone there.

"Gents, we're coming up on the castle shortly now. You'll notice a huge crowd starting to form, but I assure you most of them are spectators." Toadsworth announced gesturing to the small toad guard manning the gate to open it up. True to his word, there was a small crowd gathering behind them, begging to be let in. Luigi nervously scurried after the older toad, to avoid being trampled.

"M-Mario…is this a good idea? It's not too late to turn back…" Luigi nudged his brother, his face was already pale and flushed upon spotting a fancy looking car pull up to the gate behind them. Luigi was terribly wrong however, because they were already dressed and arriving at the castle, and to turn back now would be ridiculous, and Mario wasn't a coward.

"Ma-ma-ma-MARIO! It's…it's the princess!" shrieked Luigi in an ironically loud "whisper" voice and Mario immediately stood at attention.

"Why hello Mister Mario, and Mister Luigi, my plumbing connoisseurs." Princess Peach smiled brightly at the two males. Her dress was long and certainly more elegant, but still the same shade of pink from the previous dress they'd last seen her in. Luigi blushed a dark red and with no cap to strangle he had to settle for wringing his tie between his fingers.

"Good-a-evening Princess." Mario spoke up, bowing his head on behalf of him and his brother.

"Good evening indeed." She curtsied politely and smiled at Toadsworth. "Thank you for escorting them to the shopping district."

"No trouble at all, my princess. They were quite an amusement! Good company, I say."

"The ballroom is just beyond the main staircase." Princess Peach gestured behind her with an elegant hand. "I do hope we get a chance to speak further tonight. I have so many guests to converse with."

"Will the Queen be attending, Your Highness?" Mario mentioned, as he'd never actually met the Queen before.

"Oh there's no need for such formalities." Peach beamed at him. "And my mother will certainly attend, after all, it's she who established the Mushroomian Ball."

The Princess had to excuse herself from their company to welcome other visitors, and Toadsworth led them up the staircase into the ball entrance. It was a huge, circular room with a beautiful chandelier in the middle of it. Elegant burgundy drapery covered the eight large windows. There were plush overcoat chairs spread throughout the room against the wall. Candelabras occupied the blank spaces between the windows. It truly was a splendorous sight that Mario felt almost unprivileged to see.

Luigi of course was taken aback as well, and allowed his mouth to hang agape. Mario couldn't blame him for it, even if it was rude.

"You gents feeling tip top?"

"Huh…? Oh. Yes. We're-a-fine…just…" Mario continued to gaze awkwardly at the ceiling, noticing a mural had been hiding there.

"So beautiful…" Luigi murmured.

"Yes, it is quite lovely." Toadsworth chuckled. "I dare say, the princess certainly did a good job."

"Great job…." Luigi blurted out, never seeing anything so sophisticated. As he continued to gawk, his older brother finally turned his attention onto Toadsworth, not wanting to look foolish.

"You know I daresay Mister Mario, you really do strike me funny. I know it sounds a tad strange….but have we perhaps….met before?" Toadsworth studied his face carefully before resting his jewel-tipped cane on the floor.

"….Urm….." He tried to place the older Toad in his mind, thinking back to all the various jobs he'd performed throughout the villa. He was absolutely certain they'd never crossed paths before. "No." Mario finally said, blinking.

Toadsworth looked on in disbelief for a moment. Perhaps it was the lighting against Mario's face-it seemed to hit him in a manner that vaguely resembled someone he knew, someone close to him. After a few moments of observation and furrowing his brow, Toadsworth dismissed it, waving a hand casually. "Ah, never mind then."

Mario looked skeptical and opened his mouth to ask more on the subject but Toadsworth had abruptly turned, swinging his cane through the air and saluting both gentlemen, although Luigi was barely paying attention, still flustered and gazing around as his surroundings.

"I say, enjoy yourselves, gents! I'll be off then. Cheerio!" With a wink, the Toad walked off towards the main doors, leaving the brothers behind.