Here we are! Hopefully this chapter got out in a timelier manner.

Siph: Based on your track record, I doubt it.

*sigh* You're not wrong.

Disclaimer: I need to focus on school more than this. Please understand.

Chapter 39: Avoiding the Issue

Mario finally spoke up, "There's one thing I don't get."

"I know about the parts I wasn't there for 'cuz Lud and Lem and me told each other," Roy interrupted.

Mario held up a hand and shook his head. "That's not what I was going to ask.

"Okay, shoot."

"Why did Ludwig give up his birthright?" Mario glanced at Bowser Junior, who was still unconscious.

Roy tensed up and looked at his brother. "Agh… I can't tell ya that."

The plumber arched an eyebrow. "Why not?"

"That wouldn't be fair to Lud," the Koopa answered. "This is just a secret between me, Lud, Lemmy, Pop, Kamek, and Kammy."

Good. Don't betray your family's trust in you. After all, you promised! The voice's sudden, warm approval caught Roy off guard.

Mario nodded. "I guess that's fair." The plumber shrugged. "It just bugged me, but I guess it's not really important right now." He looked at the other two Koopas. "It won't make them wake up any time soon."

I hope not. Squirt ain't supposed to know, Roy thought. That's the whole point of the secret in the first place.

Yes, the voice agreed, it'd be a pain if the kid found out the truth.

Roy scowled. It wouldn't be a pain, just hard to deal with. We'll live. And shut up, you're still annoying.

The Koopaling looked at Mario, who was staring intently at Junior. "You're gonna burn a hole in Squirt if ya keep that up. Whatcha thinking' so hard about anyway?"

Mario snapped out of his thoughts. "I'm just trying to figure it out on my own. Like I said, it's bugging me."

Roy froze voice protested his fear, though, I don't see anything wrong with it. Either he comes to the right conclusion or is totally off the mark. It's not like you have to confirm anything he says.

You're an idiot, Roy told the voice, choosing not to dwell on the implications of the mental conversation, Mario's one of them big hero types. He's gonna try to help whether I say anything or not.

Kill him, then.

What?! No! That'll put Larry and Bowser at risk. I ain't doing that.

Suit yourself. So what are you going to do, Mr. Bigshot?

Whatever it takes to shut you up. "All right, all right, I'll tell ya," Roy caved. "Just so ya don't chase after any ideas tryin' to help with something that might not be real. Promise you'll stay out of it."

Mario sat down on the floor against the wall and nodded, listening.

"Lud thinks that if we spoil Bowser, he'll be busy with all the power and duties," Roy began. "It's a stupid plan. The kid's smart. He knows that Ludwig knows all about being the heir to the big throne, so he wants to learn from him. Lud just pushes him away, though, sending him off to Pop or Larry, and shuts himself in his music room. Threatens anyone who disturbs him while he's working. The genius is a moron. Hasn't fooled anyone since he never makes anything in there."

"Wait," Mario interrupted. "How do you know he hasn't made anything?"

"Larry." Roy pointed at the Koopaling in question. "He sneaks into Lud's music room a bunch just as much as he sneaks everywhere else. Saw everything looked like it did for years. Knew something didn't add up, but didn't ask questions. Just told me."

Mario cocked an eyebrow. "Why did he tell you? Did you set him up to that?"

The Koopa shook his head. "Kid mutters to himself when something bugs him." He shrugged. "I guess he didn't tell me — I just heard him talk about how Ludwig never has anything to be disturbed from." He chuckled, "Baby Bro. turns into Morton sometimes. Just a lot quieter and doesn't give ya headaches."

Mario looked over at the two youngest Koopas and shook his head. "Wait, 'Baby Bro?' He's not the youngest." He knew it was off-topic, but he couldn't help asking. There was just something to learning more about the Koopa family that interested him. Maybe it's just to keep my mind off everything else that's been going on, he thought.

Roy caught on to the change in subject, but he decided to go with it. "He was for five years before Bowser came along. He's still Baby Bro. to me. He pretends to hate the nickname, but I know he loves the status. Bowser loves it when I call him Squirt, though." Stop giving personal information to the enemy! the voice growled. Stop making me want to, Roy shot back.

Mario hummed, looking intently at Bowser Jr. again. "Maybe…" he shook his head. "No, forget it."

"Hey, we're both spilling our guts here," Roy said, slightly offended. "Spit it out."

Mario sighed, "Well, maybe he likes having a big brother relationship with you because Ludwig won't let him have one with him." Before Roy answered, he added, "You said you didn't want me to help, and I'm not. I'm just interpreting what you're telling me."

Roy shrugged. "I guess, but why doesn't he go to Lemmy for that? He's older than me."

Mario shook his head. "Lemmy doesn't strike me as the 'big strong big brother' archetype like you and Ludwig do. I mean, he's even smaller than Squirt — I mean Junior."

Roy smirked when Mario accidentally used the nickname. I got him doing it now. "Well, you're shorter than Luigi. But I get where you're coming from."

"I'm not that much shorter than Luigi," Mario defended. "But I guess Lemmy isn't that much shorter than Junior either."

"But I get what you're getting at. Ludwig really owes Squirt four years of big brothering to let the little guy know that he actually loves him."

Mario breathed out through his nose. "He also needs to make up for four years of making Junior think he hates him. Why else would Ludwig go out of his way to avoid him? Like you said, he's a smart kid."

Roy nodded. "Yeah. Pop also helps keep him distracted by keeping them separated on missions."

"You mean kidnappings," Mario deadpanned.

Roy waved his hand dismissively. "You said it, not me."

Mario sighed and rolled his eyes, but couldn't help smiling at how casual he was able to be with his archrival's son. The two stared at each other in contented silence for a moment, simply enjoying each other's company in spite of the bad blood between them.

That silence was broken by a new voice.

"Luddy doesn't hate me?"

And we have another awoken Koopa! HUZZAH!

Siph: That reminds me. When's my next play date with him?

Next week on Wednesday. It's odd how Bowser will let you roam the castle with his boys, while being ready to fry me on-sight.

Siph: I still won't tell him where you are. No matter how much food and toys he bribes me with.

He bribes you? This is Bowser we're talking about, right?

Siph: Oh, he knows better than to threaten me. You're pretty scary when you're serious and not scared out of your wits of him.

Thanks, I think?

Siph: But, um… Mario's comment about Lemmy.

Oof, I know. Harsh. But in Mario's defense, he doesn't know what's going on in Lemmy's brain. And Roy knows a tiny little itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny bit, but he doesn't know the full extent of it. He knows like 5%.

Siph: Yikes. That's going to be a nasty wake-up call. Speaking of calls, when are we going to see Peach's call with Pauline?

In Ludwig's section.

Siph: Are you kidding me?! That's going to be after Lemmy's section, which we aren't going to get to until after this section, and we still have one more chapter to go with this!

Right you are, my little Yoshi. Leave your thoughts in the review/comment section, and have a wonderful September!

Siph: No! Don't you dare end the author's notes here — I'm not done with my rant! At your upload rate—