Chapter 3 She's Here

Ludwig's heart felt as if had stopped beating. Aria? She…she…she was here?

"Aria Shellcreep?" he whispered, his voice shaking like his throat had been turned into a maraca.

"Yes," Bloke replied. "She says that she's a friend of yours. Do you know her?"

Ludwig paused, letting the silence of the unanswered question linger. She was actually here, actually present within or around the castle, and she wanted to see him specifically! Wh…wh…oh no, what could he do? He couldn't just go up to her! Not after all the history they shared. To be fair, Aria wouldn't be aware of all that history due to…circumstances. Even still, the thought of going up to her, looking her in the eyes and talking to her like any normal person was the exact thing that Ludwig shouldn't do. He didn't deserve to do that.

So, Ludwig faced Bloke. Despite his body feeling like it was going to wretch at doing so, he chose to lie.

"I'm afraid I've never heard of her. She must be some sycophant who's listened to my music."

Bloke nodded. "I figured as such. Well, I'll go steer her away from the castle."

With that, Bloke left. Ludwig took a few deep breaths, his heart rate still miles high as his body secreted sweat. He tried to get his mood back down to a manageable level, enough so that he could actually eat his breakfast. He successful managed to put a bite into his mouth, although in all honesty, swallowing it was a challenge in its own right.

"Ludwig?"

Ludwig seized up, almost choking on his food in the process. He slowly turned his head over to Lemmy, sitting right beside him with a furrowed brow. This sight made the sweat come out at a swifter rate, icy, damp, and deadly.

"H…how much of that did you hear?"

"All of it." Lemmy got up out of his seat and went to stand by his brother. "Ludwig, it's Aria! Aria's your friend, and she's here to visit you after years and years of absence!" Lemmy's heart rate sank. "Aren't you happy about that?"

"Hardly," Ludwig answered pretty much immediately. "And I already explained to you the reason why."

Lemmy's shoulders slumped. "Well…that is true. And I guess your feelings will continue to be in the state they're in now." Lemmy's brow furrowed again, his eyes glimmering with the soft, ambient light of concern. "But Ludwig, turning her away like this is rude! No wait, not just rude; it's an awful thing to do!"

Ludwig felt a pang. Was that true? Probably. But still, Ludwig wasn't going to change his mind. Nothing could make him change his mind. Sure, turning away someone who he liked profusely, someone who gave him the gift of multiple great memories as well as a physical gift that he still to this day treasured above any other physical object in his possession…

He put his hand up to his jasper. He squeezed it, remembering the circumstances of how he acquired it. The sweetness of those thoughts were completely overshadowed by the bitter taste of regret. He felt the choking sensation of sadness grasping his heart and fear gripping his throat.

"I…it's what's the best thing to do." He pushed his chair back and stood up. "Aria shouldn't waste her time with someone like me."

Lemmy's jaw dropped a little. "That sounds a lot like the stuff Morton used to say before he opened up about his depression."

Ludwig sighed. "Well…it's the truth. And nothing anybody can do while diminish its validity."

With that, he got up and left. He didn't know where he was going to go. All he knew that it was going to be somewhere far away from that table.

…

Lemmy gawked, replaying the words Ludwig said on loop in his head. That was such a horrid thing to say! That was kidnapping Princess levels of wrong! It was so wrong, so factually incorrect that it actually made Lemmy's stomach churn.

The littlest Koopaling looked back down at the table. Everything about this situation was a nightmare in and of itself. Ludwig was acting irrationally, so much so that it was like half of his brain had been taken right out of his head. Forget the fact that avoiding a friend, especially a friend that has done nothing wrong to you, was a horrid thing to do. The reasoning…the thought process behind why Ludwig wanted to do this was laughable at best. At worst, it was depressing as hell. Seriously, Ludwig wasn't even going to give Aria so much as a welcome or a word, instead dismissing her like she was a complete stranger to him, all because of something that he fixed? Yeah, he went back and time and stopped Frostwall from getting destroyed! He fixed the biggest mistake in his life, saving multiple lives in the process. If one somehow decided to measure the morality of the situation, then Ludwig destroying Frostwall and then subsequently going back in time to save Frostwall completely canceled each other out. Therefore, Ludwig had nothing to be ashamed over!

And yet, he was. Despite all logic and everyone in his life telling him that he shouldn't worry about his canceled out sin, he still felt ashamed about what happened to Frostwall. And…well, who could blame him? It was an event that shaped who he was. It impacted his moral compass as well as his sense of self worth, two things that drastically impact how a person looks at the world. While Lemmy personally couldn't relate to what happened, at least on the same scale, he could at the very least understand that this tragedy had formed a big core part of his older brother's personality.

But…personalities change all the time. Viewpoints shift, people learn that stuff they thought was right was actually wrong. And sometimes (well actually, most of the time), when people have a part of their personality that makes both themselves as well as the people around them worse off, they are highly encouraged to change it. And…sure, on some level, Ludwig shouldn't forget about Frostwall. He needed to remember the mistake so that it never happened again.

But just because he shouldn't forget doesn't mean he shouldn't forgive. That's something Lemmy knew all too well. He too did dumb stuff in the past. Whether it be stepping too close to a duplighost going mad with power or diving so deep into playing the role of a character that he completely lost his grip on reality, Lemmy was going to remember his mistakes and hold onto them as an example of what not to do. But at the same time…he needed to forgive himself. He did forgive himself; he knew he wasn't the same person who made those mistakes anymore, which in turn meant he could look at his current self without drowning in regret or depression.

Ludwig needed to do the same thing. He's been holding onto the tragedy of Frostwall for fourteen years. That's fourteen years worth of self hatred and misery. How liberating would it be for him if he finally let go of that baggage, casting it to the side and realizing that he was a different person who deserved love just as much as anybody else?

With this question in mind, Lemmy smiled. Taking one more bite of his delicious egg's benedict, he formulated a plan in his mind. Sure, Ludwig wouldn't approve of it, like at all. But Lemmy was going to do it for his sake specifically. In his mind, that was the perfect reason to go against his brother's wishes.

So, with a grin, Lemmy got up from the table and went to the Castle's main entryway.

…

Aria kept her gaze on the headstone hanging up above the door to Bowser's Castle, the one that looked like the mighty Koopa King himself. She felt so tiny when gazing upon it, like a bacterium flitting through space. Was Bowser Koopa really as ferocious as the stories, rumors, and legends made him out to be? Did his voice really carry throughout a room like a gong? Did his mighty figure cast out the sun, casting the entire land into darkness?

Aria gulped. These questions as well as many other questions similar in theme went through her mind, causing her to grapple with an intense bout of intimidation. She felt like she didn't belong here. She felt as if she was too small and insignificant to be anywhere close to the main entryway of Bowser's Castle. After all, why would anyone who was rich and fortunate enough to live in such a building possibly go out of their way to commune and hang around her?

Well, she had the answer to that. She might not be significant to most people in the castle, but there was one person in there who she shared a deep and personal bond with. Ludwig von Koopa. She still to this very day…nay, very second remembered the time when she and Ludwig first met. How he had stumbled across her serendipitously while she was dancing in the woods, how he completely shook the very foundation and structure of the life she lived. Even though she hadn't seen him in almost a decade and a half, she still thought about him. Sometimes, the memories were vivid, with not a single twitch or detail missing from the picture. Other times (which just so happened to be most of the times, sadly), he was a thought in the back of her mind. A little inclination resting in the far off corners of her brain, present but ultimately insignificant in the grand scheme of things. For the past three years, that was the lens Aria thought to view him under. Partially because, about two years after he and she parted ways, she had convinced herself that she would never see him again.

And yet, here she stood. Right in front of the castle in which the superpowered prince dwelled. Aria played with her hair a little bit while waiting for the koopa troopa servant to return, all of a feeling mightily self conscious about her appearance. Sure, she imagined that Ludwig probably wouldn't care about that. If he felt the same way about her that she felt about him, he would probably be beyond ecstatic to reunite with her. Even still, Aria couldn't help but worry a little bit about that particular part of herself. Maybe it was because this whole, grand castle made her feel inadequate. Maybe it was because she worried that Ludwig changed beyond what was recognizable to her. It had been fourteen years after all; fourteen years since that day where two little kids ran into each other by chance and formed a fast and sturdy friendship.

Aria took a deep breath. This was all going to be fine. All she had to do was wait for the servant to return. He would take her to Ludwig, finally having the anticipation of the last two weeks paying off. She thought about that time she saw him in Frostwall two weeks before. Sure, she had only seen him from the back, but she was still able to glean points of interest from that image. His wild blue hair, which somehow looked fuller and more well kept than it did when he was seven. And he wore a cloak too, the same color as his hair. It…it matched well. It gave him a more regal appearance, which Aria supposed was a good thing as he was royalty. On top of that, the cloak also added a drop of mysteriousness to his appearance. And…as embarrassed as Aria was to admit it…she was into that sort of thing. Very much into that; she wouldn't go so far as to say it was titillating, but it certainly scratched at an itch she had.

Yes, she was by all accounts nervous. But, at the same time, she was over the moon. This meeting with him was sure to be the highlight of her day. Heck, it would probably be the highlight of her week! She could barely contain herself. She waited for the koopa troopa servant, all the while feeling as though she was about to bounce up and down and giggle with glee.

Finally, the servant returned. Aria beamed at them, her heart humming. "Well? What did he say?"

The servant gave her an odd look, one that Aria not only hadn't anticipated, but also one that never even crossed her mind. Her heart sank; that expression could only mean bad news.

Sure enough, the koopa troopa spoke up with words that shook Aria up. "Master Ludwig told me that he has no idea who you are."

Aria's heart stopped. Did…Ludwig didn't know her? Did he completely forget about the time they spent together while he was in Frostwall?

Aria's heart sank even lower, bringing her mood right down with it. He…he forgot about her. All those beautiful memories that she thought they shared, whether it be snowball fighting in the park or the two of them dancing together to a song that tugged at all of the heartstrings, were only hers. He probably became too involved with life as a prince to even spare the commoner girl from his past a second thought.

Oh great, now Aria was crying. Tears built up in her eye, threatening to slide down her cheek at any moment. She tried to push them back, but doing so for all of them proved to be an impossible task. Some spilled out onto the ground, staining it with dark splotches.

Unfortunately, the servant wasn't particularly understanding about the situation. "Well, I think that it would be best for everyone if I escort you off of castle property." He took her by the arm. Despite the fact that he pushed her along gently, Aria still couldn't walk away from the castle with a clear mind. She looked back at the door for the last time. Goodbye reunion with Ludwig. Goodbye to all of the possibilities that the future presented. Goodbye to all the happiness that Aria had been harboring.

"Wait!"

Both Aria and the servant blinked. The door slid open, and to Aria's complete surprise, a little koopa came out. No taller than four foot five and sporting one of the most colorful hairstyles that Aria had ever seen, the koopa looked back at the them with a sort of urgency.

This made Aria's heart pump again. What exactly did this mean?

"Master Lemmy?" the servant said. He let go of Aria's arm and went over to the tiny koopa. "What's wrong?"

Lemmy's (man, that was such a fun name) eyes traveled over Aria. A small smile spread across his lips as he looked into her face. Aria slowly returned the smile, for any happy look that appeared on this guy's face was as contagious as the blorbs.

"You shouldn't take Aria away," Lemmy said to the servant. "She needs to stay here." He looked back at her. "She is, after all, an old friend of Ludwig's."

Aria beamed. Oh, so Ludwig did remember her after all! He even went out of his way to tell other people about her! But…wait, if he did remember her, why did he turn her away? Why did he tell his servant that he had no idea who she was?

The servant looked just as confused. "But…but Master Ludwig said…"

"I know what Master Ludwig said," Lemmy replied. "However, I also know how my brother feels." He looked back at Aria. "He's just a little nervous. The truth is that he and Aria were good friends in the past." He looked back at the servant. "Therefore, she deserves a chance to see him."

The servant still looked completely baffled by this, and Aria didn't blame him. This was just…too strange. There was a lot of contradictory information being talked about here. Seriously, why would Ludwig tell his brother about the great friendship the two of them had in one breath, and then turn around and tell a servant that he had no idea who she was in the other? It didn't exactly make her mad, but it did make her wonder. It was only a matter of time before she dwelled on this odd bout of information, letting it consume her and drown her in a tank filled with confusion and doubt.

The servant grappled with their surprise before slowly nodding. "Alright Master Lemmy." He looked back at Aria. "If you feel that taking this girl to see Master Ludwig is the right thing to do, well, so be it." With that, they went back into the castle, leaving just Aria and Lemmy standing alone.

Lemmy smiled at her. "Hi."

"Hi." Aria took a step toward him. "You're Ludwig's brother?"

"Mmhm! My name is Lemonade, but people usually just call me Lemmy."

Aria giggled. "That's a sweet name. Or, I guess rather, a sour name."

Lemmy burst into laughter, hugging his sides as he did. "Oh man, that's awesome!" He looked up into her face. "I never knew that you were a pungeon master, Aria!"

Aria blushed. "Well…I wouldn't say 'pungeon master,' but…" She shook her head. "Never mind."

"Yeah." Lemmy went up and took her hand, all while the glowing smile refused to fall from his face. "Well, let me take you to Ludwig."

Aria's spirits soared when he said that. They continued to soar as Lemmy opened the door and took her into the castle. For one thing, seeing the interior of the infamous palace, one known all around the world as the living place of a mighty, ferocious ruler, was quite exhilarating. The red carpets stretched all across the floor, the stones used to construct the walls looked to be made of only the darkest type of obsidian. In some ways, the castle was a threatening character in its own right. Shadows lingered in the crevices, the light of the torches along the walls giving the place an ominous glow that got across the message that this was normally not a place where common folk went. In some ways, it was chilling; it rattled the heart and encased the spine in a thick layer of ice.

To distract herself from these feelings, Aria started up a conversation with Lemmy. "So…Ludwig's told you about me?"

"Yep!" Lemmy beamed, which was a nice thing to see when compared to the shadowy walls. "From what I could gather, he had a really nice time with you when he went to visit Frostwall."

Aria smiled. Somehow, those words were the most uplifting words she had heard all week.

"Well, I'm glad that he remembers meeting up with me so fondly." Her face fell. "But then, why did he turn me away?" Seriously, that question was practically chomping away at her mind; it simply must be answered.

Lemmy seized up when that question was asked. "Um…well, it's complicated. I don't know if I'm necessarily the right person to answer that question. I think you would have to get the answer from him specifically."

Aria nodded. "Fair enough." A smile returned to her face as Lemmy took her up a staircase. "Still though, it'll be nice to see him again. It's been a long time…"

"That it has!" Lemmy looked straight up at her. "And believe me, I'm sure Ludwig would be ecstatic to see you. The time that you two spent together…well, he thinks about it a lot." Lemmy snickered. "Well, at least last time I checked."

Aria chuckled. She continued following Lemmy up the stairs, into a hallway that was actually pretty well lit (seriously, the severe lack of windows in the rest of the castle was very concerning). Lemmy held her hand as he guided her to a door.

Once there, he let out a breath. "Well, I think he might be in here."

With that, he slowly opened the door. Aria's breath caught in her throat; so many thoughts buzzed in her head. She walked into the room, hardly breathing as she looked for Ludwig. She looked by the window, by the bed on the left hand side…

And there he was.