A/N: Hey, guys! In the previous chapter, Luigi taught Mario to defend himself from ghosts, finally keeping the promise he had made to him. Who knows what will happen in this chapter. I won't give spoilers, but I'll ask you one thing: have you ever seen the movie Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas? Well, since winter is here, this one-shot will be inspired by the first segment of this movie. Let's start.


Chapter 16: Over-competitiveness on Ice

(''Snowy Fields- Kirby's Epic Yarn OST'')

It was a cold Thursday night in the Mushroom Kingdom. Winter had arrived, and lakes and rivers were freezing over. On that day, a special competition was announced. It was a sixteen-participant ice skating competition that was going to take place over the course of a week. The two participants who competed entered the ice rink about twenty or thirty seconds apart from the other, and could have teammates of the same species. According to the rules, the contestant who had obtained the best performance according to the judges and the audience passes the round. Obviously, Mario decided to participate, and so did Luigi. Considering who his brother was, he couldn't help but feel the need to show what he could do.

''They sure are good...'' commented Luigi, watching a team of Penguins in a test performance.

''You're not nervous, are you?'' asked Mario.

''A little.'' replied Luigi.

''Hey, guys. Are you ready?'' asked Daisy.

''We're ready.'' replied Mario.

''Well, good luck,'' Peach said, kissing Mario on the nose.

(''Snowy Fields- Kirby's Epic Yarn OST-s'')

(''Single Player Menu- Mario Kart 7 OST'')

The sixteen participants were Mario, Luigi, Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, Toad, Toadette, Nabbit, Donkey Kong, Wario, Waluigi, Bowser Jr., Shy Guy, Koopa, Birdo and a Spike. Shortly after, the giant screen showed the board. The matches were:

Mario vs. Donkey Kong;

Luigi vs. Spike;

Peach vs. Birdo;

Daisy vs. Waluigi;

Yoshi vs. Shy Guy;

Toad vs. Koopa;

Toadette vs. Nabbit;

Wario vs. Bowser Jr.

Mario and Luigi were on opposite sides of the draw, with the possibility of meeting in the final.

''Well, I guess you know what that means.'' Blue Toad said.

Luigi looked around nervously. When he and Mario competed against each other, especially in the final, they tended to get competitive, sometimes a little too much, and he didn't like it very much.

Mario seemed to understand what he was thinking. ''Don't think about it, Luigi. Just focus on the race. Good luck.'' he said, and hugged him.

''Good luck, Mario.'' said Luigi.

(''Single Player Menu- Mario Kart 7 OST-s'')

(''GBA Snow Land- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe OST'')

The first match was Yoshi versus Shy Guy. Both had a team made up of colorful members of their species, and their bright colors attracted everyone's attention. Due to his cuteness, Yoshi easily won and advanced to the quarterfinals, eliminating Shy Guy.

Next up was Toad versus Koopa. They both had a team of members of their species of different colors. The match was balanced. Koopa proved to be a tough opponent, but in the end, it was Toad who won, if only by a small margin.

Peach and Daisy had a team of Penguins and Wigglers, respectively. They both won their respective matches without any problems, and at the end of her match, Daisy took the opportunity to slap Waluigi for trying to flirt with her.

''Ha ha!'' the people in the audience said loudly, repeating it over and over again.(1)

In response to the taunt, Waluigi threw a fuss, threw away his skates, and walked away, stamping his feet with his long legs.

''What an idiot,'' Wario said.

And the next one was Wario. Despite the fact that he was a little too coarse in his poses and Bowser Junior taunted him several times, his displays of strength impressed the judges enough that he won and advanced to the quarterfinals.

Toadette won her match with Nabbit with ease. Only Mario and Luigi were left.

Luigi took to the track with a team from Piantas. Although Spike started well, it was his jumping skills and quick pirouettes that caught everyone's attention, giving him the victory.

The last match of the first round was between two old rivals, Mario and Donkey Kong. Mario entered the track with Petey Piranhas as teammates, but only because he had very few options available. He didn't like them very much, but he didn't complain about them. While he wasn't inexperienced in ice skating, it wasn't easy for Donkey Kong to direct all of his enormous weight onto his hind legs.(2) This made it difficult for him when he had to jump, because there was always the risk of the ice breaking under his feet.

With his experience and charisma, Mario had the advantage right from the start.

Donkey Kong did his best, but when he made his finishing move, the ice broke, causing him to fall into the icy water.

Diddy Kong, who was in the audience, reacted with horror. Dixie, who was with her boyfriend, clung to him, just as scared.

As soon as he saw all this, Mario stopped, jumped into the water and pulled him by the tie, carrying him to safety.(3)

''Thank goodness...'' Luigi sighed.

''Hey, Donkey Kong, are you okay?'' Mario asked.

Donkey Kong gave Mario a thumbs up in response before removing his hat from his head and ruffling his hair with his big hands.

''I know. I wonder what Cranky Kong will think. You have no idea of the lecture he'll give you!'' chuckled Mario. Meanwhile, Diddy breathed a sigh of relief.

Donkey Kong was disappointed with his performance, but was reassured that it was just an unfortunate accident. Mario had won the match easily, and this took him to the quarterfinals.

(''GBA Snow Land- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe OST-s'')

(''Single Player Menu- Mario Kart 7 OST'')

Soon after, Lakitu showed the bracket with the quarterfinal pairings, which would take place the next day. The pairings were:

Mario vs. Wario;

Toadette vs. Luigi;

Yoshi vs. Daisy;

Toad vs. Peach.

''I don't know how you did it, but I love how you saved Donkey Kong.'' Luigi said.

''Go figure. I've lifted heavier things than this,'' replied Mario.

''And that's why we love you so much, Mario. You're so good,'' Peach said, and kissed Mario on the cheek, making him blush.

(''Single Player Menu- Mario Kart 7 OST-s'')


The next day...

(''Snowball Park- Super Mario 3D World OST'')

On Friday night, the quarterfinals began. With his style, charisma, and balanced abilities, Mario had little trouble winning, despite Wario's attempts to outdo him.

Luigi and Toadette were on equal footing for some time, but Luigi used his long legs to his advantage, performing stunts that impressed the audience. Toadette was very adept at drawing attention to herself, however. When the time for the performance was over, Luigi just barely won.

''Aw, I lost! But it was a good match! You did really good, Luigi!'' Toadette congratulated him.

Daisy's feisty moves impressed the jury, and although Yoshi tried to get everyone's attention with his style, he lost and was eliminated. Like Mario and Luigi, Daisy was now in the semi-finals.

Faced with Peach, Toad decided he wouldn't go easy on his princess. He did his best, but while he finished his performance spinning on his head like a top, which created a strong impression, he couldn't hold a candle to Peach's skillful and graceful moves.

Two days later, on Sunday, the semi-finals began, with two very interesting pairings: Mario vs. Daisy and Luigi vs. Peach.

It was Mario and Daisy who got started. Daisy was quite skilled, and her tomboy grit impressed many, but Mario, being experienced, versatile and charismatic, had the perfect answer for everything and won the match, becoming the first finalist.

''I should have expected it... well, congratulations, Mario.'' said Daisy.

When it was time for the other match, Mario didn't know who to root for. He just stood by and watched, enjoying the performance. Luigi reassured him that he had had the same feeling before.

Although Luigi did his best, Peach was ahead for much of the performance. She was so skilled that all attention was on her. Both she and Mario winced in worry when Luigi tripped, but he recovered with a handstand and a breakdance. During his movements, his skates touched the ground every two seconds, giving him more and more thrust and allowing him to spin faster and faster, each pirouette jump had more momentum than the last, sending the audience into ecstasy.

''Whoa! Bravo, Luigi! This is how you reverse a disadvantage!'' Mario cheered, unable to hold back how proud he felt of his brother, even if for a small thing.

''This is great!'' Daisy added, just as excited.

The movements of the two competitors became more intense, and at one point, Luigi prepared his finishing move. ''Strike a pose, guys!'' he said.

The Piantas got in position, and Luigi made a series of jumps followed by a running leap, then took off his hat struck a pose.

The match ended, and by the time the score was calculated, Luigi had won by just the hair. The final between Mario and Luigi was scheduled to take place next Thursday.

''Great performance, Luigi.'' Peach said.

''You were great, Luigi!'' added Mario.

''Thank you. I was a little clumsy there, though.'' Luigi said modestly.

''Yes, but you've recovered greatly!'' Daisy replied, and kissed him on the cheek.

''Well, we'll face each other in the final. Do your best.'' said Mario.

''Thank you, Mario.'' said Luigi, and Mario hugged him.

(''Snowball Park- Super Mario 3D World OST-s'')


Four days later...

Four days later, the final took place. That Thursday evening, Mario and Luigi met on the ice rink to wish each other good luck. They hugged each other, and soon after, Lakitu, who was checking the spotlight, announced that it was time to start.

(''Belles on Ice- Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas OST'')

Luigi entered the skating rink first. He walked over to the eight Piantas in his team, who lifted him up, he took off his hat, and waved at the audience before beginning his performance. With a series of jumps and pirouettes, he began to impress the audience. In the meantime, Mario had also entered the ice rink, starting his performance.

Leaping off of shoulders of three of the Piantas in Luigi's team, Mario drew the attention of the crowd to himself, and the spotlight shifted from Luigi to him.

The Piantas were taken aback, but after a moment's hesitation, Luigi shook off an unpleasant feeling that was inside of him. ''Ignore it and move on. Let's show the fruits of our training! Let's hit it, guys!'' he said.

Mario and Luigi tried to get everyone's attention by posing, and after the spotlight passed from one to the other a couple of times, it was the younger brother who got the better of this exchange. Through it all, Lakitu seemed confused.

''Now! In position!'' Luigi ordered.

The Piantas posed with their hands raised at the jump ramp. Taking a running start, Luigi jumped over all of them, and at the moment of landing, some snow splashed in Mario's face. He looked like a snowman.

''Hey!'' exclaimed Mario, irritated.

''Sorry!'' said Luigi.

''Come on, guys.'' Mario said. In response to Luigi's stunt, he jumped over four Petey Piranhas, who had posed for his stunt, but shortly after landing, he accidentally bumped into his brother.

The Piantas were not happy at all. Luigi stood up and stopped them. Nevertheless, he felt irritated. He didn't know why he felt that way, but he didn't want to be overshadowed for the umpteenth time. Was it their usual competitiveness? It wasn't the only time this had happened, but a bit of tension was beginning to show.

Peach, Daisy, Yoshi, Toad, Blue Toad, Yellow Toad, and Toadette watched with concern. They could sense the tension that built up with time.

''What's going to happen now?'' asked Toad.

''I don't know, but I don't like it.'' Toadette said.

The Piantas lined up, while one of them broke away from the rest of the group, lay down on the ice and Luigi sat on his legs. The other Piantas stepped aside, stretching out their legs.

''Launch!'' cried Luigi.

The Pianta pushed Luigi with his legs, making him jump. With this push forward, he made his way to the Piantas, who threw themselves on the ground one by one in a prone position as he slid beneath them.

''Hey, nice trick!'' said Peach.

Luigi managed to reach the other side, and the last Piantas in line grabbed his foot with his toes, stopping him on the spot in front of Mario. ''Now that is style.'' he said. There was a round of applause from the crowd.

Mario, unable to control his frustration, exploded. ''What do you think you're doing?!'' he snapped.

''What do you think you're doing?!'' replied Luigi.

A verbal argument between Mario and Luigi began, and their respective companions were also involved.

(''I don't like to see these arguments.'') Yoshi said, watching with concern. Peach and Daisy held hands, agreeing with him. They didn't want to see Mario and Luigi like that.

But while Mario and Luigi were overwhelmed by their competitiveness, which was not new, they were not the ones who attacked each other. All they did was yell in frustration, but that wasn't the case for their respective teammates. The Piantas and the Petey Piranhas had a very bad relationship with each other, and it was no secret, but the situation escalated when they began to quarrel in front of everyone.

''What's going on in there?'' asked Yellow Toad.

The Piantas and the Petey Piranhas fought each other, and in a short time the situation could no longer be ignored. They insulted each other, beat each other, pushed each other and threw each other all over the ice rink.

(''Oh, man!'') Yoshi exclaimed, shocked.

A Petey Piranha bit a Pianta on the head and threw him away against the stands, and the bells scattered all over the ice rink. One of them hit Toad in the head. A Pianta and another Petey Piranha were beating each other when another Pianta threw another Petey Piranha at them. The impact threw away both of them, and when they hit the ground, a crack was created in the center of the rink and the ice rose, creating a ramp. Mario and Luigi temporarily put aside their tensions to separate their comrades before they killed each other, but they were unwilling to give in.

Finally, after some reprimands from Mario and Luigi, the Palmensi and the Petey Piranhas stopped fighting. The latter lined up in front of the ramp created by the previous impact.

''The tension is killing me!'' shouted Toad Blu.

''Touch your toes, boys.'' said Mario, and the Petey Piranhas leaned down to touch their feet, which was quite tiring. Mario jumped off the ramp and did a series of somersaults, managing to jump past all his teammates, then took off his hat and struck a pose.

There was a burst of applause from the audience, and Luigi was now overwhelmed by frustration. With every move he made, Mario responded with a better one. He didn't like to take risks, but he decided to do it because it was the only way to win. ''Okay, you asked for it!'' he declared. ''Piantas, hoist them up!''

The Piantas weren't sure it was a good idea, and looked at it as if they didn't agree.

''You want to win, don't you? Then it's make or break! Lift up the Petey Piranhas, now!'' Luigi ordered them.

Although they were not convinced, the Piantas obeyed and lifted up the Petey Piranhas, who opened their mouths. Since they were physically strong, it wasn't a problem, but they were starting to worry about Luigi.

At that moment, Mario came to his senses. His previous frustration vanished and was replaced by worry when Luigi took his hat off. ''Luigi, what are you doing?'' he asked.

Luigi covered his face by putting his hat over his eyes and began to skate forward towards the ramp.

''I can't look...'' Daisy murmured, closing her eyes.

Mario realized what his brother was about to do, but Luigi ignored him and made a triple jump on the ramp.

It felt like everything was happening in slow motion. Luigi did acrobatics and posed several times while flying more over the heads of the Piranha Pippins.

The audience watched in amazement, and Mario himself was stunned. For a few seconds, he felt pride, but when Luigi reached the peak of the jump, the atmosphere suddenly changed. Toad, Blue Toad, Yellow Toad, and Toadette huddled together in Yoshi's arms, and Peach got worried.

Mario briefly looked at the bells scattered around the track, and when he saw that Luigi was slowly returning to the ground, he was overwhelmed with worry. ''Luigi!'' he exclaimed suddenly. He had to warn him before anything happened to him and he got hurt! ''Watch out, Luigi!'' he yelled.

Since he was doing the grand finale blindfold, Luigi only noticed it when he landed. He landed on a bell, and then realized that he was in serious trouble. His left foot was on the bell, while his right foot was not in contact with it or the ground. The bell was whizzing by at full speed, and the plumber in green couldn't control its trajectory. He couldn't get off without hurting himself, but he couldn't stop either.

The audience watched in shock, and the Piantas panicked as Luigi screamed in terror and continually bumped into the advertising signs scattered around the skating rink.

''This is going to hut!'' exclaimed Blue Toad. Daisy seemed on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Luigi was approaching the center of the ice rink, towards the ramp, but he was too scared to notice.

''WATCH OUT FOR THAT RAMP!'' Mario screamed, sick with worry, but too late...

Luigi couldn't stop, and when the bell jumped off the ramp, he fell off of it, screaming. At the same time, his hat also fell from his head, and everyone felt their blood freeze in their veins. Mario gasped loudly.

*SPLAT!*

''Luigi!'' yelled Daisy.

Luigi had fallen headfirst on the ice, which broke at the point where he had landed. At that moment, silence fell. The final was over.

(''Belles on Ice- Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas OST 4:05-s'')


Without even having the time to figure out what had happened, Luigi realized that had his neck stuck in the ice, and his head was underwater. Panicking, he pushed with his arms in an attempt to get out. He didn't want to drown in the icy water because his head got stuck. After some effort, he managed to get out and sat up, but his head and neck hurt. It was at that moment that he realized what had happened. To try to win, he put himself in danger and injured his head.

But that wasn't the worst problem. The worst thing for him was that in an attempt to make his grand finale, he had humiliated himself in front of everyone, and it wasn't the first time that he tried too hard to be cool and only ended up looking like an idiot in front of others. Because of his stunt, he was sure he would lose. Some people in the audience looked at him with irritation and muttered something about the stunt he had done and for scaring them like that, which only made him feel worse.

(''Distant Utopia- Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade OST'')

Why did it always have to end this way? Why did he fail so ruinously every time he tried to prove himself? As he thought of these things, Luigi began to sob.

Meanwhile, Mario was overwhelmed by shock. Luigi's hat slowly fell to the ground, right in his hands, and at that moment, he felt guilty. Why did he get caught up in competitiveness again? Was Luigi injured? ''Oh, no...'' he murmured. He saw his brother a short distance from the edge of the ice rink and skated toward him. ''Luigi! Luigi!''

Peach looked sadly, and Daisy held herself in her friend's arms. Yoshi was on the verge of going to the ice rink himself, but at the last moment, he stopped.

Luigi felt like an idiot. Why had he been so desperate to try to outdo Mario and win? He stood where he was, weeping, and the Piantas couldn't do anything to help him.

Mario reached Luigi and knelt down in front of him. ''Are you okay?'' he asked softly.

''I think so.'' murmured Luigi.

Mario took off his hat. ''I guess I lost it.'' he murmured. ''Oh, what was I thinking?''

''What were we thinking, Mario?''

The older brother understood what he was trying to say. Their competitiveness had gotten the better of them again. ''I guess you're right. I shouldn't have provoked you like that.''

''And I shouldn't have been so fixated in keeping everybody's attention on me and winning.''

Mario hugged Luigi, who burst into tears on his shoulder.

''Mario... I'm sorry...'' Luigi sobbed.

''Shhhh... it's all right, Lu. I forgive you.'' Mario comforted him, using a thumb to wipe away the tears that were running down his brother's cheeks. ''There's no need to cry.''

''It all went wrong! I got the finale wrong, and I... Oh, why do I always have to be so clumsy? Because of that disastrous landing, I'm going to lose, I'm sure.''

''It's not guaranteed. They have yet to announce the results. And anyway, you did everything you could.''

Mario helped Luigi to his feet and put his hat back on his head. Yoshi, Peach, Daisy, and the Toads joined them. ''Mario? Luigi? Are you all right?'' asked Peach.

''Yes, we're fine, but Luigi... he's down the dumps.'' replied Mario.

''You were great, Luigi.'' Daisy said.

''No, I'm not. I humiliated myself in public again with that move I made. I messed everything up.'' said Luigi.

''And by the way, the worst thing wasn't the fact that you and Mario were competitive again, nor was it your finish. Your teammates were bickering so much that some people had considered leaving.'' Blue Toad said.

The Piantas and the Petey Piranhas joined Mario and Luigi, who were not at all happy with them.

Mario turned to the Petey Piranhas. ''You shouldn't have fought with the Piantas like that! Shame on you!'' he scolded them.

''And the same goes for you! Just because you don't get along with the Petey Piranhas does not mean you can keep your grudges public! Now shake hands and make peace!'' added Luigi, equally angry.

''Sorry...'' a Pianta murmured.

Reluctantly, the Piantas shook hands with the Petey Piranhas. The latter still seemed on the verge of devouring someone, but a disapproving look from both brothers stopped them.

Shortly thereafter, the results were announced. Mario had won.

''I knew it,'' said Luigi. He was disappointed, but his tone sounded neutral.

But despite winning the ice skating competition, Mario wasn't happy about the win. In fact, he wasn't even sure he deserved it, and he went to ask the judges for an explanation.

(''You shouldn't pay so much attention to what other people think of you.'') Yoshi said to Luigi.

''I know, but... I can't just not ignore it!'' replied Luigi. ''Mario is so good at everything, he is strong, brave and charismatic. Me? So many people don't even remember my name. No matter what I do, I can never be like him.'' He didn't have a good self-esteem, and even though he hid it, he cared about what other people thought of him.

Meanwhile, Mario was talking to the judges, and the result was confirmed. Luigi had lost. ''What do you mean the result is right?'' he asked, almost objecting. The judges replied that Luigi had finished his performance badly, and since he had missed the landing, they had given him a penalty, especially since he had made the final jump blindfolded. He went back to the others.

''What did the judges say?'' Daisy asked.

''They confirmed the result. Luigi was penalized because he didn't land well in the finale.'' replied Mario, then turned to Luigi. ''Luigi, I think you deserved more.'' he said.

''No, Mario. I deserved to lose. I got everything wrong at the end, so it seems fair to pay for my mistakes.'' replied Luigi. ''And anyway, all this was just for a meaningless cup. Maybe winning wouldn't have made me more memorable in the eyes of others.'' replied Luigi.

His friends didn't seem very happy by his words. They knew that the younger brother wasn't very confident in himself, but from the way he spoke, they didn't know if he was belittling himself, the skating competition, or both.

Mario thought it was the latter option. ''Luigi... You shouldn't be so harsh on yourself all the time.'' he said.

''Easy for you to say, Mario. Everyone knows who you are. You are a legend here, and compared to you, I am little or nothing. When the Mushroom Kingdom has you, I'm just unneeded.'' said Luigi.

''Who cares what other people think of you? Be yourself. You are more than just my brother.'' replied Mario.

''Mario is right. You are not defined by comparisons with him. Luigi, you're better than you think.'' Daisy added.

Luigi felt ashamed. ''I feel selfish for taking the competition so seriously.'' he said.

''Don't say that. It's not selfish that you want to be seen as something more, it's perfectly normal.'' Peach told him.

(''I know you and Mario all too well, Luigi. Your brother always says you do things that no one else can do. You are just as strong and heroic as he is. It's just a shame that therothers don't see it in you.'') Yoshi added.

(''Distant Utopia- Fire Emblem: The Binding Blade OST-s'')

''Luigi... bros?'' asked Mario. Luigi put the red hat back on his brother's head.

''Bros. Finale?'' Luigi proposed.

''Grand finale!'' Mario replied joyfully, and hugged Luigi tightly.

(''Belles on Ice- Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas OST 4:37'')

When it was time for the closing ceremony, Mario and Luigi gave a short performance to close it all out, followed by their respective teammates, and Lakitu framed it all with enthusiasm. They were both dressed in a white tuxedo and top hat, but the red stripe on their hats and their bowties were red for Mario and green for Luigi.

They jumped from one Pianta and a Petey Piranha to the other with a series of synchronized acrobatics, and they formed a bridge before lifting them up. Mario and Luigi held closer with one arm, took off their hats, and winked at the crowd. They entered a pipe in the middle of the ice rink, followed by their teammates.

The first to get out were the Petey Piranhas, followed by the Piantas. Mario and Luigi came out shortly thereafter and used an Ice Flower, becoming Ice Mario and Ice Luigi. Their bowties and the stripe on their hats kept their usual color, but their tuxedos took on different shades of blue. Exchanging a nod, they released icy air from their hands, creating a message in the sky: ''THANK YOU FOR WATCHING!''

With a snap of their fingers, the message dissolved into diamond dust. The audience was going nuts, and Peach, Daisy, and Yoshi were speechless. Mario and Luigi gave each other another hug.

(''Belles on Ice- Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas OST-s'')


(''Mount Brrr- Mario & Luigi Paper Jam OST'')

When they returned home after the award ceremony, Luigi kept quiet. He didn't say anything until they entered their room, and Mario was worried. ''Are you OK, little bro?'' he asked.

''I'm fine. I was just thinking.'' Luigi replied.

''Luigi, we've talked about this earlier. I'm not mad at you for what happened.'' Mario said.

''But I shouldn't have taken the final so personally. I was so determined to win that I didn't think about anything else and I did a really bad finish. I could have broken my neck because of this.'' said Luigi frowningly.

''What are you saying?'' asked Mario, confused.

''After my disastrous landing, the audience was annoyed irritated by what I did. I always want to be something more, but I never succeed. It makes me feel selfish.''

There was shame in Luigi's tone. He had a tendency to apologize for no reason and was always harsh on himself, especially when things went wrong.

''You say it as if wanting something more and wanting to win is a bad thing.'' said his brother.

''The point is that I got too caught up in my competitiveness, and in the process, I made a stupid mistake that led to a disastrous and ridiculous finale.''

Mario gently put his arms on Luigi's shoulders. ''Listen to me. Showing everyone what you're worth isn't a bad thing. It's a very good thing. And anyway, what happened was partly my fault. I'm the one who started it, and that led the Petey Piranha to get into a fight with the Piantas.'' he said.

''But...'' Luigi murmured.

''Let me talk.'' said Mario sternly. Luigi remained silent. ''You know I'm a competitive person. I should have noticed the tension earlier. Instead, I was so focused on my performance that I only noticed it when the Piantas and the Petey Piranhas were beating each other up. I didn't realize what you were doing until you put your hat over your eyes.''

''But why did the Piantas and Petey Piranhas fight each other like that?'' asked the younger brother.

''Because Petey Piranha causes a lot of problems on Isle Delfino. I had to defeat him several times. The Piantas have a terrible relationship with the Petey Piranhas because of it.'' Mario replied.

''I don't like this, Mario. Every time we compete against each other, especially in the finals, it always ends like this. We always get overwhelmed by our competitiveness and something goes wrong.'' said Luigi, taking off his top hat.

''What are you saying? It doesn't happen every time.''

''Yes, it does. Remember what happened in the singles final of the Power Tennis tournament? After what happened at the awards ceremony, you had completely threw in the towel before and during the doubles final. Daisy looked like she wanted to kill you that time, and I found myself dealing with a very difficult situation. All of this happened because we were over-competitive.''

That tennis tournament was a bad experience for Mario and Luigi, and they remembered it well. They had faced each other in a very heated and competitive singles final, and in the end, Luigi had won. In the resulting award ceremony, Mario went to congratulate his brother, but then ended up stepping on his foot and the situation escalated. Daisy was so furious with him that she made a scene in public, slapped him multiple times across the face, made harsh accusations towards him, and insulted him in words that a princess would never use, not even Peach when dealing with Bowser. Mario was so upset by all of this that he declared in a press conference that he would give up the doubles final, which he only played because his brother had insisted. Even then, he was in a slump for half of the game. He missed his serves, held his racket too vertically, hit too hard with his shots, sending the ball over the limit without it touching the ground, and sometimes, he would freeze during the game, forcing Luigi to work overtime to help him, but at the cost of leaving a glaring hole in his area of the court. Luigi found that Daisy's outburst had upset him so much that when he turned around and saw her in the audience, he froze.

Of course, Luigi had talked to her after the press conference before the doubles final, but Daisy was still upset at Mario, and after a few more insults to his brother, Luigi was fed up and got angry for her misinterpretation, for her lack of judgment and how she was insinuating that he should ditch him, leaving her so shocked that she stopped it.

''I remember that.'' Mario replied sadly.

''So what do we have to do when we're competing? Do we have to block everything out?''

''And what do you mean by that?''

''I mean, either we keep our minds busy on other things when we're competing, or we shouldn't face each other in the final.'' Luigi threw it in.

''Are you crazy, Lu?! What kind of competition would it be if we are not competing?'' Mario exclaimed loudly, gripping his brother's shoulders firmly.

''I mean it! When we are competing with each other, something always goes wrong! The sibling rivalry that makes our relationship tense, Daisy getting mad at you, people who blame me for your bummed attitude and me remaining the overshadowed klutz as usual! It happens every time! Sooner or later, there will be a time when my competitiveness will become too extreme and no one will want to play golf, tennis or race with me anymore!'' replied Luigi, raising his voice as well and sitting down on his brother's bed.

''How are they going to think all this?! If anything, I'm the more competitive one between the two of us!''

''Well, that's only because you have a stronger personality than mine!''

''Luigi, LISTEN TO ME!'' Mario suddenly screamed.

(''Mount Brrr- Mario & Luigi Paper Jam OST-s'')

(''Friends in My Heart- Kingdom Hearts II OST'')

Luigi istantly fell, but Mario immediately regretted yelling at him. They were talking about what had happened in the finals, and then suddenly, a verbal argument had started between them. What was going on?

''Scusami, Lu. I didn't mean to yell at you.'' Mario said, lowering his voice.

''No, I'm the one who's sorry, Mario. This whole thing is driving me crazy. I hate it when these things happen.'' Luigi replied.

''Luigi, do you realize what you're saying? Are you implying that we shouldn't do sports together anymore, by any chance?'' asked Mario in a gentle but firm tone.

''No! I just don't want this to cause us problems when we're competing with each other!'' exclaimed Luigi. ''That's what I mean!''

''But this is perfectly normal, especially between brothers!'' Mario protested.

''Remember when we played Old maid when we were kids? That card game where player who is stuck with the unpaired card loses?''

''Yeh?''

''That morning, you had lost three games in a row, and you were so enraged that you didn't speak to me again for the rest of the day!'' Luigi explained.

Mario nodded. That day, a Sunday morning, he ended up finishing with the unpaired paper three times in a row. When it happened, they were only young children, and they weren't very mature. Nothing drastic had happened, but he remembered that Luigi was heartbroken because he gave him the silent treatment for almost all day. He didn't make up with him until after dinner, but the problem was resolved when they hugged each other, and they gave each other a goodnight kiss as usual. ''We were only four years old then, bro. We're adults now.'' he said.

(''Friends in My Heart- Kingdom Hearts II OST-s'')

(''Cozy Cabin- Kirby's Epic Yarn OST'')

''But anyway, what will happen to us when our competitiveness becomes too extreme? What will become of the Mushroom Kingdom? What will everyone think of me?'' asked Luigi, seized by an anxiety attack.

''Luigi, nothing will happen.'' Mario told him, also sitting on the bed and putting his arm around his shoulders. ''You shouldn't always be so paranoid.''

''I can't help it, Mario. Everyone knows that the Mushroom Kingdom depends on us. If our bond deteriorates, the entire Mushroom Kingdom will suffer, and since I've never been as popular or appreciated as you are, it's only a matter of time before people will accuse me of abandoning you for my own gain.'' replied Luigi.

''Our bond is too strong, fratellino. It will never happen, I assure you.'' Mario reassured him, as his brother rested his head on his shoulder.

''Are you sure?''

''Of course. Have I ever let you down?''

"No."'

''Then you have nothing to worry about.'' Mario said, giving Luigi a kiss on the forehead before taking off his top hat.

Luigi felt a surge of relief running through his body. ''Thank you, Mario. I feel better now.'' he said, standing up.

''You're welcome, bro.'' Mario said.

''I'll make dinner later. Would you like to drink a hot chocolate with me?'' Luigi asked.

''Of course.'' replied Mario.

''OK, I'm going to make some hot chocolate now. I love you, bro.'' said Luigi, kissing his brother on the cheek.

''I love you too, bro.'' said Mario.

After changing into his usual clothes, Luigi went to the kitchen to make some hot chocolate. Meanwhile, Mario looked straight ahead and broke the fourth wall. ''Have you ever had tense moments with your siblings because of competitiveness? Well, that's normal. That is, as long as you don't go too far with competitiveness. Luigi always pays a lot of attention to everything, and he cares about other people's thoughts. But we have an unbreakable bond, I know it.''

After a few minutes of taking off his tuxedo and putting on his signature clothes, Mario heard Luigi calling him from the kitchen. ''Mario! The hot chocolate's ready!''

''I'm coming!''

He went down to the kitchen, and two cups of hot chocolate were waiting for him.

''Thank you, Luigi.'' said Mario.

''You're welcome. You know, Mario. I know my worries might sound ridiculous, but I'm always worried that our bond might deteriorate.'' said Luigi.

''Your concerns are not ridiculous. Maybe you're a little too paranoid at times, but we are twins. We have always been together, don't forget that.'' Mario replied in between two sips of hot chocolate.

''I won't forget it. Thanks again, big bro. You're the best.'' said Luigi.

Mario placed his cup on the table, walked behind Luigi, pressed a kiss on his cheek and hugged him from behind. ''No matter what happens in competitions, our bond will remain unbreakable.''

As they drank the hot chocolate together, Mario and Luigi were relaxed that evening. They were competitive with each other like all siblings, but they knew that nothing would destroy their bond. The two brothers were bound by a thread that was spinning ever since their lives started, and it would never break.

(''Cozy Cabin- Kirby's Epic Yarn OST-s'')


A/N: It's normal to have a bit of competitiveness between siblings. Unfortunately for Luigi, he lost the finals, and the fighting that occurred between his team and Mario's is making him afraid that a case of extreme competitiveness might irreparably damage his relationship with his brother. Mario is always ready to reassure him, but he's worried anyway. Did you like this chapter? I'll be releasing a one-shot as a Christmas special soon, so don't miss it! See you soon!

(1): Nelson from The Simpsons has a recurring gag in which he laughs at Bart's or someone else's misfortunes, often after bullying them.

(2): In the Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games series, Donkey Kong is a playable Power-type character starting by Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games.

(3): In the Super Mario Bros. Movie, Mario grabs Donkey Kong by the tie twice to save him: the first time is when he defeats him in the arena after transforming into Cat Mario, so he doesn't fall into the water, the second time is when they fall off Rainbow Road and Donkey Kong is about to drown, as he can't swim in the movie. And for those who don't know, Donkey Kong weighs 800 pounds.