So here we are, after everything is laid out.

Siph: Spoiler alert: we're going back to Mario and Roy first.

Disclaimer: You might have guessed, so it's probably not that much of a spoiler.

Chapter 37: Sins of Commission and Omission

Roy looked at Mario expectantly as he finished his tale.

Mario was slow to answer. "What does this have to do with me?" he asked.

Figures he's too dense to understand it anyway. The annoying voice from earlier was back. Telling him all that was a waste of time.

Shut up, Roy told it off. "Look, I had to fight my bros and Wendy, and I couldn't do it. And we paid for it. But you had to fight your bro and Peach, and you didn't hesitate to fight. And that ended up being the best thing to do."

Mario raised an eyebrow. "It sounds like you're saying that fighting the people you care about is a good thing."

"Yeah. Wait, no! Agh..." Roy cursed and revised his statement. "What I'm saying is that maybe doing something was better than doing nothing. You know?"

Mario fell silent.

*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*J*

"Princess?" the receptionist called, startling Peach out of her thoughts.

"Yes?" she responded.

"You have a call from the castle."

A call? Why? "Thank you." She stood and walked back behind the reception desk. She picked up the phone. "Princess Toadstool," she answered formally. "Who am I speaking to?"

"Bucken Berry. Princess, I have an update on the whereabouts of two Koopalings!"

Peach gasped. "Are you sure?"

"Pauline confirmed it!"

"Pauline?"

"Yes," the Toad answered. "She called moments ago to tell us that Ludwig von Koopa and Wendy O. Koopa are alive and accounted for at Big Ape Hospital. And Ludwig is awake!"

Peach gasped again, "That's wonderful! I can't believe they ended up all the way out there, though."

"I don't know what to tell you regarding that, Princess. But I can tell you that they at least know about Roy, Larry, and Bowser Jr. being alive."

Peach shook her head despite the fact that she was talking on a phone. "No, don't worry about it. I'm just glad I can tell Roy this."

It was Bucken's turn to gasp. "Wait, he's awake? That's great! Things are beginning to look up!"

"Mm-hm!" Peach couldn't help but smile. "Oh! I should call Pauline right now so she can know Roy is awake."

"I can do that for you, Princess," Bucken offered.

"No," the princess ordered, "we should keep the castle's phone lines open for more emergency calls."

"Yes, Princess Peach! I hope I can call again with more good news soon." He hung up.

Peach smiled. "Who would have thought Pauline of all people would end up in all this." She immediately dialed Pauline's cell.

She picked up on the first ring. "Hello?"

Tada!

Okay, so this chapter's rather short. There's a reason for that.

Siph: Yeah, J had more written after Peach's phone call, but he cut'n'pasted it to the next chapter.

Because it's more relevant to what happens next.

Siph: Ahaha haha! J actually told me what's going to happen next chapter! It's going to freak your frizz!

You're not going to spoil it for them to annoy us, are you?

Siph: Oh heck no. I'm not going to ruin the narrative. That's not annoying, it's just mean.

Huh. I guess I did something right as a parent, after all.

Siph: Don't sell yourself short, J. You're a great dad. I just like being difficult in ways that make you laugh.

Aw, you're gonna make me cry, Siph.

Siph: Any questions, comments, critiques, concerns, or snide remarks? Leave them in the review section below!