Chapter 15 Bright Side

To try and explain the logic behind why Ludwig asked Aria if she wanted to meet his family would be impossible. The reason was that Ludwig himself couldn't explain why he did it. He knew that he needed to reveal to her the subject of Frostwall eventually, and introducing her to his siblings would only make that task much harder due to the fact that it would upset the other Koopalings if Ludwig broke things off with the girl that they met. Because of these issues, Ludwig had prayed that Aria wouldn't see that part of the letter. He prayed that she would just put the letter to the side and not actually examine it too hard. So, he was mightily disappointed when he got the text from Aria saying that yes, she would love to meet Ludwig's family.

Whoop dee freaking doo, now he had another reason why telling her about Frostwall would be difficult. He berated himself internally as he did his hair. He growled as he ran the brush through and grasped the hairspray bottle extra tightly as he sprayed. Why was he so stupid? Why was he so determined to sabotage his own life? It didn't make him angry per say (hence his powers weren't activating), but it did leave him completely and utterly miffed. So many scenarios of what he should've done ran through his head, and each one that he thought of made him feel worse and worse.

"You look nice!"

Ludwig turned away from the mirror. Lemmy smiled at him, an action that would usually work wonders with trying to make the eldest Koopaling feel better. Now though, it had no such effect.

"Thanks," Ludwig practically grumbled. He turned toward the bathroom door, taking deep breaths as he exited the room. "I can't believe how stupid I am."

"Stupid? You're not stupid! Why would you view yourself as stupid?"

Ludwig sighed. "I shouldn't have asked Aria to meet my family. That just throws a huge monkey wrench into things and makes the situation way more complicated." He shook his head. "I'm supposed to tell her the truth. But I can't exactly do that seeing how I'm doing something with her that usually indicates a relationship is being taken to the next level." He growled and put his head in his hands. "Why was I so stupid? Seriously, why?"

Lemmy bit his lip. "I…" he struggled over what to say, something that Lemmy very rarely did. "I don't…I don't know…" his shoulders slumped. "I'm afraid I don't know what to say."

"Just as I suspected." Ludwig pushed a strand of hair out of his face. "You can't say anything because there's nothing to say. I made a stupid decision, and now I'm gonna have to live with the stupid consequences." He shook his head. "Yay me."

Lemmy's brow furrowed. "Well…even if that is true, that doesn't mean anything is ruined." He smiled. "Try your best not to think about it too hard. After all, this is just going to be a fun evening where we're introduced to one of your friends. It doesn't have to mean anything more significant if you don't want it to. Sure, it can be seen as a stepping stone. But that's only if you believe it is."

Ludwig almost laughed. He didn't believe anything that had just come out of his brother's mouth. It didn't have to be something more significant if he didn't want it to be…to be fair, that could be taken as true under the right circumstances. But here was the problem: what would Aria think of this? Aria would probably view this evening as something significant, and no amount of denial on Ludwig's part would change her mind. She would probably see this as something important. Wait no, not probably; definitely. And if she thought this was important, then who was he to say that it wasn't?

When this thought occurred to him, Ludwig shook his head and exited the room, leaving Lemmy in the dust. He needed to go somewhere to think. Aria wasn't going to be here for another hour and a half, so Ludwig could use that time to calm down. He could listen to music, eat good food, maybe even paint something (man, he couldn't remember the last time he painted). He needed to do something that would bring his high strung mood back down to a manageable level.

So, he walked down the hall, taking deep breaths as he did. He thought about his potential options, trying to figure out which relaxing activity appealed to him the most. He was just on the brink of deciding when the door he had been walking in front of opened. Ludwig jumped out of the way, only barely avoiding being hit in the face. He looked and saw his sister, who actually smiled when she saw him.

"Oh, good. I need some help."

Before Ludwig could object, Wendy grabbed him by the hand and pulled him into her room. Ludwig almost shrieked at the speed at which she did, for a second wondering if she had super speed. Once the door closed, Wendy turned to him with a smile.

"I've been cycling through various outfits that I can wear for this evening," she said. "But the problem is, I can't decide which one to wear to save my life. Do you think you can help me?"

Ludwig sucked in a breath. Now he felt trapped in the situation, more so in the one he had caused as opposed to the one that Wendy was putting him in.

"Uh…sure."

"Great!" Wendy held up two outfits she had situated on her bed; one a white dress with gold trim, and a pink jacket that had pockets and reached down to her knees. "So, what do you think? This jacket does say 'business casual' more than anything else, but the dress could also work wonders with bring out the natural shade of my skin." She cringed. "Oh, but this jacket would also look really cool when paired with my bow and shell!" She turned back to Ludwig. "I'm torn! I'm so torn, Ludwig!"

Ludwig nodded. "They both would look good."

Wendy sighed. "Yeah, they would. But I can't decide!" She looked right into his eyes, her desperation bleeding into the surroundings. "Which one should I choose? I won't even question your choice; I'll just wear it without any second thoughts!"

Ludwig perked up at that. Really, Wendy not questioning his fashion choices? That hardly ever happened; he really should take advantage of this situation!

"I like the jacket."

Wendy blinked and looked at the jacket, running her hand down the length of the sleeve. "Yeah, this jacket is rather stylish." Her eyes traveled back over to the dress. "But…but this dress is gorgeous!"

Ludwig's fingers began to smoke. He should've known that Wendy keeping her word would be wistful thinking.

Thankfully, Wendy noticed his smoking fingers and put the dress down. "But…you're right; this jacket is the way to go." She slipped it on, working around her shell with expert movements. "Thanks, Ludwig."

"Anytime," Ludwig grumbled. He got up, ready to go and spend what was left of his hour and a half happily until Wendy spoke to him as she sat down at her vanity table.

"I've gotta say," she said as she uncapped a tube of lipstick. "It's not every day that one of my brothers introduces a new girl to us." She smiled as she applied the lipstick, which kind of impressed Ludwig due to the fact that she still applied the makeup without problems. "And based on the little bit of information that I know about Aria, I have a feeling I'm really going to like her. She really seems like something special!"

Ludwig's insides squirmed a little. "She… she is…"

Wendy beamed as she set the lipstick to the side and got the mascara. "Oh, maybe I could be friends with her!" Her grin only grew bigger as she worked with her eyelashes. "I always like making new friends. And Aria would be older than I am! I think it would be really neat to be friends with an older woman; it'd almost be like having an older sister!" Wendy squeed. "Oh, I've always wanted an older sister!"

Ludwig's heart sank. So many thoughts rushed around in his head, each one possessing a special quality that made the Koopaling feel a little sick. No, Lemmy had definitely been wrong; this was significant no matter what Ludwig thought about it. He was getting his siblings involved, thrusting them out in front of Aria so she could see them in all their…glory wasn't exactly the right word, but it was the only one that Ludwig could think to use. Because of this, it pretty much guaranteed that Aria finding out about Frostwall was going to be a very big, very messy shit show.

"I…" Ludwig hesitated, trying to figure out what was the best thing to say. "I'm glad you're excited, believe me, I am. But…I think you may need to dial it down." Wendy blinked and turned around to face him. "After all, there's no guarantee that this relationship…" Ludwig internally cringed; that word choice made it sound like he and Aria were a couple. "Uh, friendship is going to last long."

Wendy blinked. A snicker escaped from her mouth, and before Ludwig knew it, she was laughing. This made the special's grow especially warm.

"What's so funny?"

Wendy shook her head. "I just…I just find it hysterical how you're preaching doom and gloom now of all times." She chuckled, the smile on her face refusing to vanish. "I mean…yes, what you're saying is the truth. But, if you think about it, that statement can apply to every single relationship under the sun!" She grinned as she turned back around and began applying some pink eyeshadow. "Friendships that are riding high one day can crash and burn in the next. But that doesn't mean that you should assume that's what's gonna happen every time!"

Ludwig hesitated. As true as that was, this particular friendship was in extra danger due to the secret Ludwig was keeping from Aria. This made the relationship…unique, he supposed, and therefore, also made some of the points Wendy was trying to make a little moot. After all, how could Ludwig not be negative about this? It was pretty much a guarantee that, when Aria finally found out what happened to Frostwall, she wasn't going to take it gracefully.

"Well… yeah, but…"

"Ludwig," Wendy said, her tone stern yet friendly. "It's going to be alright." She turned around, this time to smile at him. "Sure, I know it might be hard for you to look on the bright side, given how you're the most melancholy sourpuss in existence." Ludwig flashed her a glare, causing her to giggle. "But even still, you need to look on the bright side. Sure, is it possible your friendship with Aria will crash and burn in a fiery blaze? Of course! But at the same time, it's equally possible that it will blossom into a long lasting relationship." She smiled. "And I personally hope it does. Even though I haven't met Aria, I still would love to learn more about her and maybe even become friends with her. Hence, I'm looking on the bright side." She stood up and twisted this way and that. "So, what do you think? Do I look gorgeous, or do I look gorgeous?"

Begrudgingly, Ludwig put on a smile. "You look gorgeous."

"I knew it!" Wendy readjusted her bow before walking over to him. "I really think I'm gonna rock Aria's socks off."

Ludwig snorted. "First off, that cliche is hilarious given she doesn't wear socks. And second…wow Wendy. If I didn't know better, I'd think you'd want to date Aria."

Wendy giggled. "Well, I'll admit, I have been finding myself seeing women just as attractive as men recently." She stepped closer. "But I'm not gonna date Aria. I'd rather grab a bowl of popcorn and watch how your relationship with her goes."

Ludwig's insides squirmed a little bit, but he tried his best to not think too much about that. "Well, you're setting yourself up for disappointment. Aria and I are just friends. That's all. That's the extent of our relationship."

"Are you sure?" Wendy asked, the slightest hints of hope in her voice.

Ludwig hesitated for what even he sensed was a second too long. "Y…yes. I am."

"Oh." Wendy pulled away. "Well, that's a shame." She wiped dust off her jacket. "Oh well. I guess that happens every once in a while; nothing I can do about it."

Ludwig nodded, and together, they made their way out of her room. Ludwig sighed as he stood right outside Wendy's door. Yes, they were friends. That's all they were. Friends, friends friends friends friends…

"Incoming!"

Ludwig just barely had enough time to spot a projectile flying towards him and Wendy, shriek, and bounce out of the way. Wendy, unfortunately, wasn't so lucky. She yelped as the thing hit her, exploding and drenching her in what Ludwig hoped was water.

"MY JACKET!" She cried. "IT'S RUINED!"

Larry and Roy came around the corner. "Sorry Wen," Roy said, looking leagues more apologetic than Larry did.

Ludwig glared at them. "What are you guys doing; what the hell did you just throw at Wendy?"

"Duh," Larry said. "It was a water balloon." Larry took a step closer to his older sister. "And I gotta say, that was an extraordinary balloon burst if I've ever seen one."

Wendy huffed at him. "You…you're a jerk!" She grunted as she looked back down at her ruined jacket. "Now I have to change into something different!" She shook her head. "Why couldn't the Good Lord in Heaven above been nice and given me some sisters?" With that, she went back into her room, practically slamming the door shut as she did.

Once she was gone, Ludwig glared at Roy and Larry. "Not cool, hooligans; someone could get hurt."

Roy hung his head. "Sorry."

"Get hurt?" Larry asked, raising an eyebrow as he did. "Dude, it's just a freaking water balloon!"

"That doesn't matter! It's still a projectile, and any projectile thrown hard enough could hurt someone!" He crossed his arms. "You're lucky that I'm not marching down to Bowser right now and telling him that you two are throwing water balloons around inside!"

That was finally enough to get Larry to look guilty. "Sorry…"

Ludwig sighed. "Thank you." He examined his two brothers. "Why aren't you guys dressed for meeting Aria?"

Roy blinked. "Wait, that was today?" His eyes grew wide. "Shoot! Come on Larry; we need to go get ready!"

Larry snickered. "Sure. We all want to look our best for Ludwig's girlfriend!"

"LARRY…!" Ludwig stopped himself and shook his head. "Just… just go get dressed."

With one last snicker, Larry bolted away. This left Ludwig alone, exactly how he had hoped to be in the first place. He continued on his way down the hallway, not saying a word as he made his way down the steps and towards the common room. The first thing he noticed was the TV, which ignited a desire inside him to watch a show. So, he flopped down on the couch, telekinetically lifted the remote, and pressed play.

"Oh Derek!" a woman said on screen. "I love you!"

Ludwig blinked before groaning, recognizing the show as a soap opera called Heart to Heart. "Iggy must've recorded this," he reasoned a loud. Iggy always did appreciate this show (despite every fiber of its being getting across the idea that it was the most stupid show in existence). Needless to say, he wasn't interested in watching it. He pressed a button to change the channel, but it didn't work. He pressed it again, but it still didn't work. It occurred to him that the batteries literally must've just died. This caused him to groan.

"I love you too," Derek said as he wrapped his arms around the supposed "love of his life." "I'm so glad that we were friends before we got together."

"As am I!" Bunny replied. "Friendships are the best base to build the foundation of a relationship on!"

Ludwig instantly recognized the irony of him randomly coming across this specific scene at this specific time, and it REALLY pissed him off. He groaned and stomped his way over to the TV, turning it off while flames smothered his hands. He took deep breaths once the show was off, trying to tell himself that everything was fine. This was all going to be fine; it couldn't not be! Sure, the fact that he was hiding an earth shattering secret from Aria was the source of a significant amount of stress, but…oh, this was just too uncomfortable a scenario! Ludwig really shouldn't have invited Aria in to meet his siblings! It was a bad idea no matter which way you slice it!

He shook his head. He was freaking out. He just needed to breathe. Deep breath in… deep breath out. Deep breath in… deep breath out. Once he was all better, thinking in a much clearer way and lacking the fire burning around his hands, he thought about this situation. Maybe he really should take Wendy's words to heart. Because… yeah, he often looked at things from a negative point of view. Like she said, he needed to look at the positive. And one positive he saw right away was the possibility of forming new memories with Aria and his siblings. After all, he did have plans for all of them; he wasn't just going to keep everyone locked up in the castle. If nothing else, if Aria really did view him as a monster after all of this was said and done, he could at the very least cherish the memories he formed with her. He could look back on their friendship in a good light, and appreciate the fun that they would all have together.

"Master Ludwig?"

Ludwig turned and saw the koopa troopa servant, Nelson, standing in the doorway. He cleared his throat and smoothed out the folds of his cloak. "What is it, Nelson?"

"Miss Aria Shellcreep is here."

Ludwig's eyes grew wide. "Already?" He put his head in his hands. "Holy crap, is she early!" He looked at Nelson. "Tell my siblings to gather in the throne room! I'll…I'll go get her."

"As you wish," Nelson said.

As he left, Ludwig shook his head. Did he accidentally say one o'clock instead of two o'clock in his texts? He didn't know, but that didn't matter. What did matter was that Aria was out there waiting for him.

So, with a deep breath, he rose into the air and flew to the front door.