I know, its been two months since I updated. I wish I had time to update but I had finals and AP exams and all so I've been focusing on school stuff. School's over now though so yay! I've been having a bit of writer's block though so I ended up taking a bit longer than I had planned. I didn't reach 95 reviews, but my lack of updates has probably led to this. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. 95 reviews till next update! :) Make sure to read the author's note at the bottom of the page! It's kinda important! Please read it even though it's way too long. I also have some special thanks for my most dedicated readers.

~Sirius

The gang stood in front of the school building much earlier than usual. Toad predicted Bowser was in school early today in order to study with his math tutor; the normally aggressive bully had fearfully confided in Toad that he had been having some trouble in math and his dad had taken issue.

"Here goes nothing." Mario said as he gulped nervously.

"You know unless Bowser decides to do something worse." Luigi quipped.

Rosalina glared at him. Mario's somewhat calm demeanor reverted back to panic mode.

"Chill." Daisy said calmly patting him on the back. "Its not like you're going up against the football team again."

"Yea, plus Bowser should have calmed down by now, the only person with him right now should be his math tutor, because he hates the thought of people knowing he actually tries to do well in school and meets up with someone less popular to study, they often make sure no one knows he's here this early." Toad added.

"Just curious," Yoshi asked, suddenly speaking, "Who is his math tutor?"

Toad shook his head. "Not sure if he'll be too pleased if I mention who."

"Oh come on now." Rosalina insisted. "Do you actually think we're going to go tell him that you told us. We'll probably find out soon enough anyway."

Toad sighed. "Well...you might be surprised to know that its...Luma."

Daisy chuckled. "Yea, I'm sure its Luma." She said sarcastically.

"It is." Toad insisted. "She barely says a word during school and she's still terrified to death of him, but she really needed a job and she's actually a pretty good teacher."

"Can you imagine sweet little Luma tutoring someone like Bowser?" Luigi asked as if it was a joke. "I mean he acts all high and mighty around school but when he sees her outside of school time he's basically dependent on her."

"Come to think of it, I don't actually think Bowser has directly insulted or harmed her." Mario pointed out. "I doubt they're friends and all, but they probably just ignore each other during school."

"That's pretty much how it works." Toad affirmed. "They're past the point of hatred but it'd be a stretch to say its friendship. They're pretty much just civil around each other. Bowser's not completely awful towards everyone."

"Well, that was an interesting plot twist." Yoshi said. "But we should really get through to this."

They were suddenly reminded of the task at hand and headed inside and towards the library where Toad predicted they were studying.

Sure enough at a small table in the corner, Bowser and Luma seemed extremely focused on the math at hand. The only other people in the library this early were a couple of quiet freshman using the computers.

Bowser and Luma seemed too engrossed in their studying to notice the group approaching.

"So, the directrix is x=4 and the focus is x=-4?" Bowser asked.

"Yes!" Luma said almost excitedly. "That's the first parabola problem you've gotten right today."

Bowser rolled his eyes. "I get the rest of this stuff, its just the parabolas that confuse me."

"Well, let's see if you're still confused. Do the rest of the problems and we can work with the problem areas after I identify them."

Bowser grumbled, but he smiled to himself. Luma pretended not to notice but she couldn't stop the grin from appearing on her face.

"Wow." Rosalina stared in shock. "Luma actually seems comfortable around him."

Toad shrugged. "I guess if you spend enough time around a person you end up getting used to them. The only one she really has a problem with is Peach."

Rosalina nodded. "Well everyone has a problem with Peach."

They probably would have stood there in amicable silence had it not been for Luma's observant nature.

"Um Bowser, I think we have visitors." She whispered to him.

Bowser looked up slightly confused. At first relief fell across his face when he noticed only Toad, but his expression quickly darkened when he noticed Rosalina, Mario, Yoshi, Daisy, and Luigi.

"What are all these people doing here?" He growled, particularly at Toad.

Toad shook a bit, but he stared at Bowser firmly.

"Look, I know you and Peach have been having some trouble, but what you did to Mario was wrong."

Bowser bit his lip and his eyes quickly glazed over Mario before returning to Toad.

Mario could have sworn he had seen a hint of remorse buried in his eyes.

"Yea, maybe I did one too bad." He admitted.

"One too bad?" Rosalina asked somewhat threateningly. "Just ONE?"

"Shh."

Rosalina was surprised that it had been Luma to hush her.

Luma smiled sheepishly. "It's a library."

"Sorry." Rosalina whispered. "But seriously," she turned her attention back to Bowser. "That's all you and your Neanderthal friends can say for yourselves?"

Bowser looked a bit perplexed at Rosalina's assertiveness, but he hadn't interacted much with her and wasn't fully aware of her intensity when it came to defending her friends.

Bowser shrugged. "What can I say? He was openly making plans with my girlfriend. How humiliating would it be if I didn't do anything? I do have an image you know."

Mario looked quite offended.

"She was just trying to rile you up though. She wanted to get a reaction out of you because she loves being the center of attention and you played her game-you gave her exactly what she wanted." Rosalina said with a disappointed glare.

Bowser looked a bit rueful. "Maybe I did blow it. But what's done is done. Looks to me that everyone's moved on."

"This isn't about all that though." Mario stated quickly. "Well, I mean it is, but also more than that. It's about the way you treat people in general. The way all of you do. And maybe you need to think about everything that goes on."

"I think we're done here." Bowser said firmly. "You're not even making sense anymore."

"Its not like this is the first time you've gone out of line." Daisy said, finally speaking up. It seemed that she had let go of her fears about Bowser.

"We all know the kind of trouble you get into, and what potential consequences you might be facing." She continued.

He eyed her suspiciously. "Are you threatening to report me? Because I'm not sure how good that will do you. My dad's pulled some strings before." He responded with a smirk.

"Even so, that won't stop your dad from shipping you off will it?" Toad barked before quickly closing his mouth.

Luma gasped. "Toad maybe you shouldn't have-"

"I can't believe you would say something like that." Bowser snarled.

"I'm sorry. I know we're having a bit of a spat right now but that didn't come out that well." Toad said hanging his head low.

"No kidding." Bowser muttered.

"You were the one who brought your dad into this." Yoshi observed. "And I'm sure you've said much worse to him."

Bowser rolled his eyes. "Look, you don't know anything about my dad ok. Why don't you mind your own business or maybe I'll teach you a thing or two about respect."

Yoshi backed off nervously.

"OK, enough with the threats." Mario insisted. "We're wasting our time."

"Good now get lost." Bowser warned him. "I would have dumped you in a trashcan by now if we weren't in a library."

"That's what I'm talking about." Mario insisted. "We can't go on like this. I can't go on living in fear and you can't go on torturing people like this."

"Well, that's your problem not mine." Bowser insisted. "You don't know anything about me besides the obvious. You can't tell me how to act."

"But I know a little more than you'd think." Mario admitted. "I know you and your dad have...issues."

Bowser laughed sarcastically. "Issues doesn't begin to describe my relationship with my father. And I'd prefer if you didn't try to define it."

"I'm not trying to." Mario stated carefully. "But I'm trying to understand."

"Why are you even bothering? We're not friends."

"True." Mario affirmed this statement with a nod. "But I don't want to be enemies."

"If I just leave you alone will you stop harassing me during my study time?" Bowser asked feeling exasperated.

"Its not just me."

"Look idiot," Bowser began harshly, "I have a reputation to keep up. I can't just stop doing what I do. Someone's got to keep the power balance."

"Why does there have to be a power balance?" Mario inquired.

"We're not socialists OK? This is a high school. Newsflash, there's going to be a power balance whether you like it or not, and not everyone ends up at the top, that's how the social hierarchy works. Either you try to do something that will make you popular or you accept your position with grace."

Rosalina's nostrils flared. "I can't believe you would say something like that."

Bowser shrugged. "Its the way things are."

Rosalina looked plain annoyed. "Doesn't anyone understand this 'power balance' as Bowser would like to put it as means nothing after high school?"

"She's right." Mario said looking at her gratefully. "I realized this too late. What's really important is that you have really good friends because while 'popularity' won't last past our high school years, true friendships will."

"Well that's lovely." Bowser said with a bored expression on his face. "Why don't you kids just go bake cupcakes and stare at the clouds?"

"Look." Mario said patiently. "All I'm saying is I get that you have a tough time with your dad and that I'll probably never understand how that feels, but that doesn't give you the right to make us miserable at school. Its not always easy."

Bowser glared at him. "And you think its easy being me? Being popular means having to keep an image that people have of you. It means wearing the right clothes, being in the right crowd, and participating in the right activities. And on top of all that I have an image to keep up in front of my dad. One little slipup for me has greater consequences than it does for you."

"Maybe you're right" Mario admitted. "But it doesn't have to be like that. You're choosing to keep up this image. You're choosing to let people view you this way. You're the one with the power to change how popularity is perceived."

"Calm down would you?" Bowser said. "This isn't a cheesy high school comedy where everyone learns to get along and realize how popularity isn't important. You're living in a fantasy if you think that."

"Maybe I am crazy." Mario said. "But I kind of like crazy, don't you?" And with that he decided it would be best to leave Bowser with something to think about. He nodded at his friends, who were a bit appalled at his sudden stroke of wisdom. They followed him out of the library whispering to one another wondering what lay in store for them.

Never did they notice Bowser's intrigued stare.

"What do you think Luma?" Bowser asked in a hushed voice.

"About which problem?" She asked pointing to the math paper. The two of them had resumed studying shortly after the confrontation, but Bowser was clearly lost in thought.

"About what Mario said."

Luma grinned slightly. Never did she picture that Bowser would actually be impacted so strongly by someone's words. And of all people it was Mario.

"He's right. Wouldn't it be nice if we could at least sit at the same lunch table? I mean you and I could maybe even be friends if we didn't have to worry about social convictions."

She ducked her head nervously. What had she just said? There was no way Bowser would willingly befriend her.

"I guess you're right about that." Bowser said. "Maybe we could be friends. You're not all too bad."

"Um thanks?" She said. That was twice he had surprised her today.

"Why don't we?" He said after a moment of silence.

"Why don't we what?"

"Sit at the same lunch table today. You have the same lunch time as me right?"

Luma nodded fearfully. She wasn't all too thrilled about what he was getting at.

"Bowser, are you feeling ok?"

He shook his head. "Probably not since I'm listening to Mario of all people, but I'm curious to see how things could be."

"Umm, ok. I'll see you at lunch."

And right on cue, the first bell rang, meaning that most students' buses would be arriving about now.

"I'd better get to my locker." Bowser said. "See you later."

"Yea." Luma said softly. She couldn't believe it. Were they on the path to becoming friends?

Well, I wanted to include the next part in this chapter, but I'm feeling a little evil. but I'm also planning on extending the scene just for you guys so yay! I will feature some Peach/posse conflicts or resolutions, (Wait and see), next chapter, as well as the scene you're all awaiting with Luma. I know its been a while since Luma appeared or had a significant role in, but I wanted to use a character which you guys were already a bit familiar with. I know she's usually shy, but she's gotten a bit used to Bowser since she's been tutoring him for a while. If you have any questions about the story leave them in the review. So we're VERY close to the ending this time, there's literally only ONE more chapter, and then an epilogue which I can't reveal too much about. It will be after high school is over, but I'm not saying how long its been or what the main events are. For all of you craving a little more romance, I promise you it will either appear next chapter AND/OR in the epilogue. So don't be too upset for the lack of couple stuff. And the entire Rose/Luigi/Daisy love triangle will be resolved by the end of the story. Realistically, Luigi wouldn't just get over Rosalina super quickly. But I'm sure the ending will please the fans. Keep reading and reviewing, I'm close to 100 reviews! I love you guys so much. I'm going to be so sad when our journey is over. I've spent wayy too much time writing this, since I'm lousy with updates, but I promise, the next update will be sooner! One more to go! So I'd like to give some special thanks for my most dedicated reviewers. 95 reviews till next update. :)

Toadetta: She doesn't review every chapter, but she has always given long detailed reviews and helpful constructive criticism. I would like to thank her for not being afraid to point out things that might help improve the plot, because I really hope to grow as a writer, and I wouldn't have noticed some things if it wasn't for her.

Yoloswaqq: We are really great friends on this site and I'm so glad she's reading this story. She has always been so supportive of my writing and she created an awesome OC for the story! I love her so much and I'm glad we've become good friends. :)

Future Fantasy Writer: She was like a cheerleader of sorts lol. She's always been so excited whenever I updated, and it's great to know that someone gets that excited about your stories the same way you get excited about your own. Plus she's the biggest Luiasy shipper reading this story right now.

Kellyl4259: She's also been reviewing from the very beginning. Initially I published the first 3 chapters at a certain time period, and it didn't seem like anyone was interested so I had not touched the story in almost a year. Then Kelly reviewed and I suddenly felt inspired to update. Crazy right? So if it hadn't been for her review, who knows where the story would be right now?

That's all! Thanks for everyone else who has been reviewing regularly or reading this story. You guys are inspiring and fanfiction has always been my great escape from reality. Thank you all for putting up with my lack of updates and everything else and sticking with this story. You guys are the best. I'm sounding incredibly cheesy right now, but I never thought that many people would actually be interested in this story, and I'm really going to miss all these dedicated readers and reviewers who have been following this story so, thank you so incredibly much!

~Sirius