A/N: Hey, guys! In the last chapter, Mario and Luigi exchanged gifts for Siblings Day. Luigi made his own gift personally, and he even spent the day mending Peach's dress. What will happen in this chapter? Let's find out!

Chapter 6: Let's-a Jump Around in Mushroom Gorge!

(''World 6 Map- New Super Mario Bros. Wii OST'')

It was a nice Saturday afternoon in the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario and Luigi had gone together to spend time in one of their favorite places: Mushroom Gorge.

The Mushroom Gorge was located in the mountains and was known for its ravines with suspended giant mushrooms, which were also present inside nearby caves. Apart from the green ones, the mushrooms were bouncy.(1) This made it the perfect place to jump from one mushroom to another, especially if your names were Mario and Luigi.

''Ah, Mushroom Gorge. I missed this place!'' said Mario.

''Yes, this place is beautiful.'' said Luigi. ''At least until you look down.''

''Why do you say that?'' asked Mario.

''Because I'm afraid of falling down. If I look down, I get lightheaded.'' Luigi replied.

Mario was puzzled. His brother had a tendency to be easily frightened and didn't handle stress well. Feeling a little mischievous, he grabbed him from behind and lifted him up.

''Hey, hey, hey! Mario, what are you doing?!'' Luigi complained, and his brother threw him forward. He was really scared, but he landed safely on a green mushroom. ''Mario! You scared me! What if you caused me to fall?!''

Mario laughed, but when he heard his brother speak to him in that irritated tone, he stopped. ''I was kidding! Come on, Luigi, don't be so touchy!'' he told him.

''If you hadn't thrown me forward into a gorge suspended in a precipice, I wouldn't be so shaken!'' Luigi snapped.

''Sorry.'' said Mario, feeling guilty for giving him such a fright.

Luckily for him, Luigi could not stay angry with his older brother for long. ''It's OK. But please warn me next time.'' he told him.

''Hey, Luigi, I got an idea. How about a race? We will jump together on the mushrooms. Whoever reaches the exit first wins!'' proposed Mario.

''I'm in!'' the plumber in green replied.

(''World 6 Map- New Super Mario Bros. Wii OST-s'')

''Ready... set... GO!'' shouted Mario, giving the starting signal.

(''Mushroom Gorge- Mario Kart Wii OST'')

Mario and Luigi ran up the mountain, with Paragoombas fluttering around them. They jumped over the cliffs and tried to outdo each other by taking shortcuts when they could. They saw giant some mushrooms and jumped on them.

*BOING!*

*BOING!*

*BOING!*

*BOING!*

''YAAAAHOOOO!'' Mario yelled.

Mario's excited scream and the sounds of coming from the mushrooms echoed around the area as he and Luigi entered a cave filled with blue and purple crystals, inhabited by Swoops and Buzzy Beetles.

''Be careful not to fall!'' said Luigi.

''Don't worry, it won't happen!'' replied Mario.

In an attempt to overtake his brother, Luigi began to jump over trees and use walls to his advantage whenever possible, but Mario also began to use his own strategy. They reached a second cave, with several mushrooms suspended in the ravine, and bounced off them. Scared of falling down, Luigi clung to his brother tightly until they reached the last mushroom, which was blue and bounced them very high.(2)

*BOING!*

*BOING!*

*BOING!*

*BOING!*

*BOING!*

''WAAAHOOOOOOOO!'' Mario and Luigi shouted. As they began to fall, they missed a Lakitu by a mere inches.

''Hey! Watch it there!'' shouted Lakitu.

''Sorry!'' said Mario.

While the brothers continued to jump and chase each other, Luigi smiled, completely forgetting that he was afraid. It was dangerous, but jumping high made him feel alive. ''Hey, this is fun!'' he told Mario.

''Let's see how you deal with this!'' declared Mario, taking a Super Acorn and eating it. His overalls turned red, and a gray membrane appeared on his back, as well animal ears of the same color. He had become Flying Squirrel Mario.

''Alright, two can play that game!'' replied Luigi, eating a Super Acorn himself and becoming Flying Squirrel Luigi. The only difference from his brother in this form was that his overalls had turned green.

Now Mario and Luigi were gliding, and slightly collided as they tried to overtake each other, flying around the signature tall, round hills of the Mushroom Kingdom as Para-Biddybuds and Paratroopas were fluttering around.

''I feel that the wind is getting stronger, Mario! Be careful!'' said Luigi.

Mario felt the wind blowing hard behind him and almost lost his balance. ''Oh yeah? Then I want to see if you can deal get out of this one!'' he declared, positioning himself behind Luigi and grabbing him from behind, applying pressure to his chest and pulling.

''AH! Mario, let me go! Or I'll do the same to you!'' Luigi exclaimed. This unexpected squeeze, combined with the strong wind, was causing him to lose his balance.

''You asked for it, bro!'' said Luigi mischievously. He freed himself from Mario's grasp, and in retaliation, got on his back and repaid him in the same way, not before lowering his hat over his eyes.

''Ah! No, Luigi, don't do it! I'm going to crash!" shouted Mario, pointing at something with his arm because he couldn't see anything. They were approaching a hill!

Seeing the hill, Luigi panicked. ''Oh, no! I'M SORRY, MARIO, I'M SORRY!'' he screamed.

''Doesn't matter! Help me avoid obstacles!'' said Mario.

''The hill is in front of you! Dodge to right!'' shouted Luigi.

Mario did as Luigi said, and glided to the right, avoiding the hill. But there was another one not far from where he was now!

''Another one! Fly high!''

But Mario couldn't move to the side. He was going too fast! Reacting instinctively, Luigi grabbed his brother from behind and pulled towards himself, pressing on his chest. It was a bit painful, but at least they managed to avoid crashing.

''Mamma mia...'' Mario murmured, raising his hat where it was before. ''Good thing you reacted quickly.''

Luigi gave him a thumbs up and jumped up the hill before starting to glide again. ''See you at the finish line!'' he said.

''We'll see!'' replied Mario.

(''Mushroom Gorge- Mario Kart Wii OST-s'')

(''Above the Clouds- Super Mario Odyssey OST'')

Now Mario and Luigi glided side by side, trying to outdo each other. They flew around obstacles, in caves and in the clouds, looked for shortcuts, jumped on mushrooms mid-glide and used the environment to their advantage when they could, jumping from tree branches. Mario also jumped off the cliffs, while Luigi, being more cautious, avoided doing so.

''I'll win!'' declared Luigi.

''Oh no, I'll win!'' said Mario.

The challenge was now getting more and more heated, and during a nosedive, Mario landed on a blue mushroom and bounced in the air, launching an excited scream.

''YAHOOHOOHOOHOOOOOOOO!''

Luigi burst out laughing amused, and almost did the same. Mario had always been very energetic, especially when he screamed with joy. They were competing, but they were having a blast while doing it.

''You'll let you know that I was a bird in another life!'' said Luigi, twirling through the trees.

Mario laughed. ''Oh, really? Catch me me if you can!'' he replied, gliding even faster.

Descending more and more, the two brothers reached the last cave, with a series of mushrooms halfway between a large cliff and the exit. They were head-to-head, and no one was willing to to lose.

They bounced again and again on mushrooms, and the last one was a blue mushroom. Mario was ahead, but Luigi caught him off-guard when he came to the blue mushroom. When he landed on the mushroom, he did a somersault, and the momentum he had received from the bounce allowed him to dart in front of Mario, reaching the end of the path first.

(''Above the Clouds- Super Mario Odyssey OST-s'')

''Yes! I won!'' Luigi cheered.

Mario went down to the ground and gave Luigi a small round of applause. ''Congratulations on your victory, Luigi!'' he congratulated him.

''Thanks, Mario!'' said Luigi, hugging his brother, who returned the embrace. Soon after, both returned to normal.

(''Hightail Falls Galaxy- Super Mario Galaxy 2 OST'')

Suddenly, Mario was pushed to the ground, with Luigi unbuttoning his overalls and lifting his shirt, leaving his belly exposed. ''Whoa! Luigi, what are you doing?!'' he exclaimed.

''You put me in danger, you know?'' replied Luigi, and began tickling Mario on the back.

''Nohohoho! Luigi, stop!'' exclaimed Mario, trying not to laugh.

''That's what you get for putting me at the mercy of the strong wind!'' said Luigi, and tickled him on the abdomen.

Mario burst out laughing. His belly was a very sensitive spot when he was tickled, especially on the navel, and in an attempt to force Luigi to stop, he grabbed him by the wrists and repaid him in the same way, tickling him on the neck. ''How does that feel now?'' he asked in a mocking tone, starting a tickling struggle.

''Mario! Nohohoho! Why?'' Luigi complained.

''Because you pulled my hat over my eyes!'' replied Mario. He intensified the tickling even more.

''AHAHAHAHAHAH! Mario, stop it!'' shouted Luigi.

''Not until you apologize!'' said Mario.

''Oh yeah?!''

In response, Luigi opened his mouth and moved his head sharply as if to bite him, but he shut his mouth and pressed on his skin, expelling all the air to give him a loud raspberry on the neck.

''NOHOHOHOHO! Luigi, stop it!'' laughed Mario.

''I won't let go of you until you apologize!'' replied Luigi, and he gave him a raspberry right in the navel, making him laugh uncontrollably.

''Stohohohop! All right! I'm sorry about earlier! Let me go, I can't breathe!''

''OK, I'll stop.''

Luigi let Mario go, giving him time to breathe and button his overalls. ''Sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have unbalanced you like that when there was a strong wind, you could have crashed and hurt yourself because of me.'' said Mario.

''Oh, it's OK, Mario. I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have lowered your hat over your eyes.'' Luigi replied.

''It's okay, Luigi. I forgive you.'' said Mario in response. ''But I'm grateful.''

''Really?'' asked Luigi, surprised.

''Yes. If you hadn't helped me, I would have crashed and ended up in the hospital with a fractured skull.'' Mario replied, wrapping his arm around his brother. ''Thank you for keeping me unharmed.''

''Aw, you're welcome, Mario.''

(''Hightail Falls Galaxy- Super Mario Galaxy 2 OST-s'')

The two brothers sat together looking out at the landscape, with the Para-Biddybuds and Paratroopas flying in the sky.

''I love this place. It's perfect for jumping and training.'' said Mario.

''Oh, yes. I'm sure Toad, Toadette, Blue Toad and Yellow Toad spend a lot of time here too.'' added Luigi.

Mario pointed to four small figures with a finger. ''Hey, by the way, here they come!'' he said.

(''Toad's Theme- Luigi's Mansion OST'')

Toad, Toadette, Blue Toad and Yellow Toad had arrived. ''Hello, Mario! Hello, Luigi!'' Toad greeted them.

''Hello, friends! Were you coming from Mushroom Gorge?'' asked Mario.

''Yeah! It's our favorite place!'' Blue Toad replied

''Mario and I had a race when we were jumping on the mushrooms.'' said Luigi.

''And who won?'' asked Toadette.

''Luigi. He reached the end first.'' replied Mario.

''Oh! Nice!'' said Yellow Toad.

''It was really fun. You should have seen us!'' said Luigi.

''We saw you! You seemed to have a blast!'' exclaimed Toadette.

''We did! Mushroom Gorge Gorge is one of our favorite places in the Mushroom Kingdom!'' said Mario.

''So we noticed, Mario. We saw you bouncing off a blue mushroom in the distance, and you were so excited that your scream was echoing all over the gorge!'' said Toad.

Everyone burst out laughing when they heard these words. Mushroom Gorge was certainly an exciting place, but Mario loved to have fun, and he could really let himself go when he was happy or excited.

''Oh, yeah. Can I say that Mario has the excitement of a child?'' asked Luigi.

Toad and Toadette laughed amusedly.

''Hey, I'm not childish!'' exclaimed Mario, giving his brother a nudge to the stomach with free arm. Luigi didn't believe him. ''OK, it's the child in me.''

''Hihihihi! That's our Mario.'' chuckled Toad.

''What are you going to do now?'' Yellow Toad asked

''We'll stay here a little longer, then we'll go home.'' replied Mario.

''Enjoy the place. We've been here all day, and now we'll go back to the castle.'' said Blue Toad.

''I have to go home. I hope that Hammer Bro is not smashing all my instruments again.'' said Toadette.

''Don't remind me. That time the Hammer Bro was destroying everything, we were as small as ants.'' commented Luigi.(3)

''I'd rather this than see Bowser invade the Mushroom Kingdom again.'' said Yellow Toad. It wasn't the best comparison to make about it, and Toad gave him a look of disapproval. ''Ooops. Sorry.''

''Well, let's go. See ya!'' said Blue Toad.

''Bye!'' said Mario.

(''Toad's Theme- Luigi's Mansion OST-s'')

The Toads left Mushroom Gorge to return home, while Mario and Luigi enjoyed some more time looking at the view before getting back up.

''Hey, Luigi. To tell you the truth, I expected you to win the race. You jump higher than me.'' he said.

''Really?'' asked Luigi, surprised.

''Absolutely. You and Yoshi do things I can't do when you jump. I can't slow down my fall in mid-air like you do, and I can't flutter like Yoshi.'' Mario replied.

Luigi smiled, although he didn't seem very convinced. His jumping skills were something he was proud of, but he was modest about it. ''It's nothing, really. If I slow down my fall during the jump, it's only because I kick my legs.'' he said.

''I think you should think better than yourself, Luigi.'' said Mario.

''Well, what do you expect when you have a brother that everyone admires and can do everything very well?'' asked Luigi.

Mario chuckled. ''Maybe, but you're no less skilled than me.''

Luigi didn't know what to say. He had never been very confident, even though Mario saw only the best in him.

''Since you won the race, you deserve a prize.'' said Mario.

''A prize? And what would that be?'' asked Luigi.

''A nice big bro hug!'' replied Mario, giving Luigi a tight hug.

Luigi didn't expect it, but he returned the hug. ''Big bro... Did you really think I was going to win?'' he asked.

''I knew you'd win the race, Lu. Bravo, my super jumping bro.'' praised Mario, cupping his brother's head in his hands.

Luigi was so surprised that he said nothing, but he hugged Mario harder than before. Even though his older brother praised him, not everyone saw him the same way. It was something that negatively affected his self-confidence.

''I love you, Luigi.'' said Mario.

''I love you too. I want to be just like you.'' said Luigi softly.

Mario kissed his brother on the forehead. ''Ma tu lo sei già.'' Mario replied, affectionately ruffling Luigi's hair. ''Come on, let's go home, the sun is setting. It was nice to spend the afternoon together here, I had so much fun.''

''It was a lot of fun. Come on, Jumpman.'' joked Luigi. Both brothers burst out laughing at the joke.(4)

Mario and Luigi returned home together with one arm around the other under the orange sunset sky. They were very happy to have had a nice day together, and they hoped to be able to spend the next day like this as well.

(''Stickerbrush Symphony- Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy's Kong Quest OST-s'')

A/N: Who wouldn't want to jump on these bouncing mushrooms and fly through Mushroom Gorge? Mario and Luigi would do it every day, considering how they jump, and they even spent a pleasant afternoon together! Let me know if you liked this chapter! See you in the next chapter!

(1): Mushroom Gorge appears in Mario Kart Wii and is the third track of the Mushroom Cup. It will then reappear in all subsequent games.

(2): Mario Kart 7 introduced gliders, which can be activated via blue ramps, and as a result, whenever Mushroom Gorge returned for the next games, a blue mushroom was added that activates the glider.

(3): Mario Party DS has a story mode, and all boards except for the last one have a friend to help by defeating the enemy that is causing them problems. Since Mario and his friends have been shrunk, the winner must use the power of the Stars before facing the boss. The boss of the game's second board, Toadette's Music Room, is a Hammer Bro that is destroying Toadette's instruments.

(4): In Donkey Kong, Mario and Donkey Kong's debut game, Mario was called Jumpman. The arcade game also appears in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, in the Punch-Out! Pizzeria at the beginning of the movie, where it's renamed Jump Man. Giuseppe, voiced by Charles Martinet himself with the voice he uses to voice Mario, makes an appearence here while he's playing this game.