Whoever added my two Mario fics to a community, bless you! I'm very humbled! Thanks!
Enjoy :)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Mario or its franchise; it belongs to Nintendo and their affiliates. I just am really grateful to its creators for giving me such a wonderful game and media series to write about!
I also don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all that belongs to J.K. Rowling, but thanks go to her as well because, using her wonderful work, I can expand this story to make it more interesting :)
Chapter Thirty-Three
True to his word, Peasley had everything worked out for me and Daisy at the train station. We didn't have to say a word, the prince had informed them that we were coming and the conductor knew who I was, thanks to my travels with my brother. We rode the train to the capital city in Bean Kingdom, and that's when we met the prince. I'll have to add, guiltily, that the first thing I noticed was the mark on the back of his hand. We locked eyes after I saw it, and he pulled the sleeve of his jacket down without remarking upon the matter.
Instead he greeted, "It's good to see you again so soon, my friends. You didn't have any problems getting here, did you?"
So you're gonna' pretend I didn't just see that?
"No, no problems." I answered aloud.
Daisy added, "Everyone was very kind."
"Wonderful." Peasley proclaimed with a smile that wasn't at full caliber.
He dug his hands into his pockets and glanced over his shoulder with a look of regret. It was then that I noticed he wore an outfit akin to white scrubs; the shirt was more of a tunic and the pants had no pockets or zipper or buttons. Even his white jacket was toned down compared to his usual fashion. His hair was actually in a low ponytail today instead of down. He looked a lot more serious.
"I'm sorry to say this," Peasley began with genuine remorse, "But I only have time to show you to the palace and set you up in a room."
"Why's that?" I asked.
He said, "I must attend my medical training down at the hospital. I'll be gone until late this afternoon, so you'll just have to find some means of amusement until I return."
"I'm sure we'll think of something to do while you're gone." I told him.
He smiled a bit, again, not as widely as usual, and began leading us towards his castle. Along the way, I got to see just how environmentally-integrated the city was. There were potted plants in every corner and shrubs in between shop buildings and the greenery was so overgrown in places that some areas were covered in vines. Not to mention there was about ten times more rolling hills and grasslands than actual brick and stone in the town. Bean Kingdom was just more rural than the Mushroom Kingdom. Especially more so than Brooklyn. I liked it. I could actually smell clean air, albeit with a bunch of other, less pleasant rural smells.
"Look at those!" Daisy nudged me as we walked.
I glanced at where the end of her index finger was pointed to and saw a lot of flowers growing in the distance. Some big white ones with lavender spots dotting the petals. Those weren't the only ones Daisy took joy in, though; she seemed thrilled by all the different flora of this country.
Well now I know what to get her if I ever make her mad at me, I thought wryly.
We made it to the palace shortly after we arrived in the city and, once there, Peasley took us upstairs. He showed us to a nice-sized guest room and I put our bags away in the closet in the far right corner. There was just one bed but that was fine with me. While Daisy went to the bathroom and I sat on the white comforter, Peasley leaned on the doorframe.
"Again, I'm terribly sorry to desert you," He apologized.
"It's cool," I told him.
He smiled and said in a lower voice, "And I'm sorry for earlier. I'll tell you about this mark later."
"Alright." I nodded once.
Peasley said in a sigh, "I suppose it's goodbye then. Until this evening."
"I thought you said afternoon." I stated.
"I know," Peasley sighed again, "But I have a feeling the council might snag me for some reason or the other before I can get back. I do avidly try to avoid them but they have a way of ambushing me."
"I believe you wanted to speak with me?"
Considering the fact that he was alone in his bedroom with the door locked and Larry in the bathroom down the hall, the spoken proclamation came as a startling surprise to the thirteen-year-old. He glanced from the cradle of his arms to the door behind him, his eyes widening at the sight of the figure that now stood within the room. Iggy had been sulking, lying facedown on his bed atop his covers with a weary heart and restless mind. The boy now swung his legs over the side of his bottom bunk and sat up, alert.
"How did you get in my room?" He asked the older male, then guessed, "You walked right through the door, didn't you?"
"Clever boy!" King Boo praised.
The royal strode over to the adolescent with his minions in tow, then knelt in front of the bed. His magenta eyes held a touch of sadness but he smiled widely. Smiled a little frighteningly. Iggy furrowed his brow and scooted back a bit, wary.
"Now you wanted to ask me something?" King Boo spoke.
"Yes." Iggy nodded, then pointed to one of the Boos. "Can you teach me to walk through walls?"
"I could." King Boo said slowly. "But it wouldn't do you any good."
"What do you mean?" Iggy frowned.
King Boo frowned faintly because his talk with Ludwig was still fresh in his mind and it disturbed him, how far Ludwig had fallen in mind and integrity.
"I know what your brother did to you." King Boo said gently, "Even if you were able to walk through walls, you'd still be bound by Ludwig's magic and thus-"
"So I can't get away from him?" Iggy cut in with equal shares of impatience, frustration, and fear.
King Boo was silent.
"It's not fair!" Iggy frowned, letting his emotions course through him freely. "He can't do this to me! I don't want to be like him, but now I have no choice! I don't want to be a killer and use my talent to hurt people and murder! This isn't right!"
Iggy didn't fully realize it, but he was getting worked up. His face was flushed, against the mattress his fists were balled, and there were stinging tears building in his eyes. He felt an enormous lump in his throat rise in direct relation with that of his heart rate. He wasn't prone to outbursts but the stress of obeying his brother and quelling his thoughts had finally gotten to him. He was a kid, just thirteen, he wasn't completely cold and detached like he often came off as.
King Boo gazed at the boy and felt something inside his soulless body soften. Very gently he laid his hands on the boy's shoulders, staring him straight in the eye. Iggy sighed to calm himself and gazed at his feet.
"I'm sorry." Iggy mumbled. "This isn't your problem. I shouldn't unload on you."
King Boo steadily stared at the boy's downcast eyes.
Iggy added, "Thank you anyway for talking to me. It's more than anyone around here does, at least. I mean, besides my younger brothers."
Finally King Boo stopped staring at the boy and released his shoulders, standing back up to his full height.
"Ignatius." He said gently. "I wish I could do more to help you, but I'm afraid your problems with your brother are just beginning."
Left to our own devices, Daisy and I took to wandering the city. It really didn't take us long to reach the capital, and along the way we enjoyed each other's company and the pleasant silence. It wasn't totally silent, either; there was always some kind of sound, be it the birds or the children or the people working and moving about. It was a nice walk. Now that we'd reached the heart of the capital, Daisy spoke to me.
"Luigi, I'm hungry."
I looked down at her and asked, "You wanna' find someplace around here to eat?"
"We really don't have any money."
"There's always free samples."
Daisy gazed up at me for a moment, gauging my honesty, then laughed and shook her head. I smiled but I really was half-serious. Some samples would be good until we could get back to the palace.
"I never pegged you for the 'cheap date' sort, Luigi." Daisy teased.
I shrugged and said, "Learn something new everyday."
But there's really nothing I wouldn't do for you, I thought to myself.
Daisy laughed again and I held her close to me. My hand was round her waist, hers was behind my back and she leaned her head against my chest as we walked. I looked around for places that sold food but it was my nose that guided me to one particular shop. I led Daisy over to the place where I smelled fresh bread and something sugary and approached the open window. Above it was a green and pink cloth awning, and the whole stone building was painted light green with a pink door to the left of the window.
"Hello there!"
The person who'd spoken was a small being, I could see that from the way he sat up on a very tall wooden stool. His entire body, from what I could see, was pea-green and he had a head full of curly black hair. His face was kind, even with small black eyes, and he had a healthy black mustache above his smiling mouth. What he wore was a plain white tunic and a bright green apron. In one hand he held what looked like a reed pen and in the other there was a pad of paper.
"Hey." I greeted back at last, after kicking myself for blatantly staring at him.
"What can I do for such fine young people?" The Beanish man asked.
I glanced at Daisy now.
She asked, "What is it you're selling?"
"Bread and pastries!" The man declared, "The finest bread and pastries in all of the capital city!"
"Cool." Daisy nodded. "For how much?"
I did have some money in my pocket, but it was money from America. It wasn't good here. I don't think it was. I'd never really tried to use it. Maybe I should? Nah. That was like cheating; if I tricked the old man, where would he be able to spend it?
"Well," The Beanish man hesitated. "Since it's Lover's Day tomorrow, and since you two look so sweet together, I suppose you can have a taste of my finest wares, free of charge!"
"Really?"
"Free?"
Daisy and I had spoken simultaneously, and we looked at each other with similar surprised and mildly dubious expressions. I knew about samples, but this was just too much of a coincidence. I wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, though, so Daisy and I accepted the man's offer and he told two of his workers to go and 'rustle up some goods for the lovely visitors'. I noticed that the workers looked more like two human children. I quirked a brow and the Beanish man saw this.
In a sad, soft voice he told us, "They're my niece and nephew. They're uh, very ill, you see; they didn't always look like this. They just changed because of...well, never mind."
I looked at Daisy again and she seemed to be thinking the same thing as me; the Composition Curse may have gotten to those Beanish kids.
"Now if you don't mind humoring a nosy old man," The shopkeeper said, "Where are you from? You certainly don't look like you're from around here."
"No, we're not." Daisy said. "We're from..."
Here she looked at me before saying slowly, "Brooklyn."
"Brook land?" The Beanish owner echoed, his eyes widening. "You don't mean to say the same land of Brook as the famed Mario Brothers, do you?"
I smiled a little and said, "Yeah. Same place."
Daisy looked at me funny and I just shrugged. I much rather not to tell anyone who I was because it was cumbersome, answering all their questions about did I really do this, and did Mario do that, and if I could take them to meet my brother. Just cumbersome.
The shopkeeper then asked, "So will you two be in town long enough for the Spring Festival?"
"Yeah, that's why we came." I answered.
"Oh!" The Beanish resident exclaimed, then asked. "So you will be going to the University tomorrow afternoon?"
"The University?" I asked. "For what?"
"Well, Lover's Day, of course." The shopkeeper replied matter-of-factly. "The celebration is being held at the University this year."
It was Daisy who voiced my confusion with, "I'm sorry, what is Lover's Day?"
There was a pause and then:
"You really aren't from around here, are you?"
A/N: Okay, I know this isn't a social media site or whatever, but the reason this is so short is because my younger brother's in some legal trouble that's really not his fault and I'm stressing out about whether he'll be okay or not.
I'll try to keep updating as much as I can but I just wanted you to know the circumstances, to an extent. I'm not just blowing you guys off or anything. I really do appreciate each and every reader and reviewer! Honest!
Until next time...
~DymondGold~