All Mario Characters are owned by Nintendo
Luigi sat in an Ostro drawn wagon next to Daisy as they rode through the streets towards their old house. With an old gray kepi cap pulled low over his eyes and a gray coat with a captain bars unbuttoned over a green button up shirt and jeans, Luigi was garnering stares from the locals.
"To think I used to be the Sherif everybody smiled at" Luigi said with a sigh.
"Maybe you should switch hats and take off your coat" Daisy suggested softly.
"No" Luigi said "I won't act ashamed for what I did."
Four years earlier, the ruler of the kingdom, Princess Peach, slipped into a coma after a horse racing accident. The interim ruler, a woman named Pauline, had raised taxes in the southern parts of the kingdom and passed several new laws bringing suffering to the southern regions, especially the town of Sarasaland. Causing a rebellion to start. Mario had remained loyal to the Kingdom while Luigi had stood with the people and with Daisy's home. After Peach recovered, at first she continued to try to end the rebellion by force for a few months before offering to change the laws back and ease the taxes in exchange for peace. Hoping the kind gesture as well as her army closing in would bring peace to her kingdom and end the violence. Daisy's father, the leader of the rebellion, surrendered soon after. Though the war was over, the rebels were still looked down on by the citizens that remained loyal to the kingdom. Peach however, was willing to forgive. She pardoned Luigi and offered him his job back at the Mushroom Kingdom Sherif's office. Luigi stopped at their old home and unhitched the wagon. He helped her unload their bags.
"What a mess" Daisy said looking around "somebody seems to have come in here and ransacked the house."
"It can be replaced" Luigi said almost expecting something like this "and they didn't take everything."
Daisy took of her Monty Mole skin jacket, leaving her in a yellow button up shirt, orange skirt and boots.
She hung up her hat and gun belt and said "let's get to work."
Luigi nodded and began straightening the furniture as Daisy grabbed a broom. A little while later, Luigi took out a pocket watch and opened it.
"I have to get ready to go to work" he said.
"Go ahead" Daisy said "I'll see you this evening."
Luigi gave her a quick kiss and headed to their bedroom. Soon he walked outside after shaving his beard down to a moustache and changing into clean jeans and a fresh green shirt, keeping the gray coat and kepi on, He finished buckling his gun belt and climbed onto his ostro and rode towards the jail. Once he reached the jail, Luigi dismounted and tied the reins to a hitching post. Hs stepped towards the door, suddenly he stopped and caught a rock that was thrown at him. He looked where it came from and saw a few kids running away. He dropped the rock with a sigh and walked inside. Seeing who was sitting at the desk made him stop in his tracks. His brother sat there in jeans, a red button up shirt and a blue military officer's hat.
"M..Mario" Luigi said "been a while."
"Luigi" Mario responded eyeing his hat and coat "glad you made it back."
There was a heavy tension in the air as they looked at each other in silence. Trying to break the awkward moment, Mario opened a drawer and tossed him a deputy badge.
Luigi caught it and examined the badge before saying "I thought Peach said I was goi-"
"She said you could have a job" Mario interrupted "not Sheriff. People around here might not take kindly to a rebel as sheriff."
"I guess I can understand that" Luigi said.
He walked over to the wall where a revolver was hanging. He picked it up and ran his hand over the capital L in a circle engraved on the grip and the words 'A reward for excellent service to the kingdom : Princess Peach' along the barrel.
"Am I still allowed to carry this?" he asked.
"I guess a deputy needs a gun" Mario said.
Luigi took the rebel issue revolver out of his holster and put it on his desk. He grabbed a box of bullets marked 'fire flower ammunition co.'
"I've missed the good bullets" Luigi said as he loaded the revolver and put it in his holster.
He walked to the deputy's desk and sat down with a wince.
"You ok?" Mario asked raising an eyebrow.
"Still have a bullet in me from the Battle of Flower Fields" Luigi said "you ever get hit?"
Mario shook his head "just lucky I guess" he picked up a news paper "I need you to update the wanted posters. They're by the bulletin board."
Luigi got up and walked to the wall.
"The Koopa Gang still at it, huh?" he asked.
"Ludwig hit a bank two days ago in Beanbean" Mario said without putting his paper down "had Morton and Roy with him."
"They headed this way?" Luigi asked.
"We'll find out soon enough" Mario said "swap out the posters. The rewards have gone up."
Luigi began to arrange and hang the wanted posters, knowing that repairing his relationship with his brother was going to be a long road. The war hadn't just torn the kingdom apart, it tore his family apart. The memory Luigi held secret from Mario that was the source of many nightmares would make it even harder. Back at Luigi's house, Daisy was almost done sweeping the kitchen when a brick shattered a window and landed with a thump in the kitchen floor. Daisy ran over and grabbed Luigi's lever action rifle out of their pile of bags.
Suddenly a familiar voice said "stop that! You leave this house alone."
Daisy hung the rifle above the mantle and prepared herself for a scolding as she swept up the glass.
Peach stepped into the house in a long pink dress and said "hello Daisy."
"Hello Princess" Daisy said respectfully with a bow of her head.
"Peach" Peach said "you don't have to treat me any different than you used to."
"But…..my father led the rebellion" Daisy said "you have every right to hate me. You pardoned Luigi. I thought I had to regain your trust."
"When I pardoned Luigi, I pardoned you too" Peach said "as soon as your father surrendered, we were no longer enemies."
She stepped forward and hugged Daisy. Daisy stood in shock for a few seconds before returning the hug.
"I missed you" Peach said.
"Me too" Daisy replied.
They stepped back and smiled at each other.
Peach looked around and said "I'll see to it that everything that was taken is replaced, and have your window fixed."
"Thanks Peach" Daisy said "how are things going bringing the kingdom back together?"
"Slow" Peach said "the war is over, but tensions are still high. I was hoping maybe you could help me with that?"
"I would be happy to try" Daisy said "but" she picked up the brick "will anyone actually listen to me?"
"I think they will, if you're with me" Peach said "and maybe with 'the Rock of Flower Fields' helping too, it will go smoothly."
"I didn't realize that nickname made it up here" Daisy said "you know Luigi won't answer to it."
"It spread farther than you think" Peach said "some people here even admired him for it, but…the feeling wasn't universal."
"I wouldn't think so" Daisy said.
"Come on" Peach said "let's make some tea and come up with a plan."
Later as the sun was going down, Luigi was getting ready to go home.
"We're going to check on a Koopa lead tomorrow" Mario said "you can still shoot, right?"
"Yeah" Luigi said "I can still shoot."
"Good" Mario said "bring your rifle tomorrow."
"Hopefully we won't need it" Luigi said.
"Yeah" Mario said "maybe they'll just be too scared going against the Rock of Flower Fields."
Luigi just looked at him for a few minutes in silence before saying "I only did what I had to that day. I wasn't trying to be a hero. I didn't want a nickname."
"I lost some good soldiers there" Mario said.
"So did I" Luigi said with a nod "a lot of them."
After a few more minutes of uncomfortable silence, Mario turned back to his desk as he said "see you tomorrow Deputy."
"Til tomorrow Sheriff" Luigi said as he walked out.
He mounted his Ostro and rode home. He walked into the house and saw Peach and Daisy drinking tea. When Peach looked at him and smiled he immediately snapped to attention.
"Luigi, Relax" Peach said "you don't have to treat me any different."
Luigi relaxed slightly.
"Still wearing your uniform?" Peach asked.
"Yes" he said "only with your permission I suppose."
Peach looked at him for a minute then nodded as she said "that's fine. Come sit down. Daisy and I have a plan."
Luigi hung up his coat and walked over and sat down. Peach explained the plan She and Daisy had discussed.
"I suppose we could try" Luigi said "I don't know how my troops would react to seeing me as a loyalist just a month after the war."
"I hate to be blunt Luigi" Peach said with a hint of sympathy in her voice "but you don't have troops anymore. However I don't expect you to immediately act like a full Loyalist, but having a former rebel commander like you in the movement to reunite the kingdom's citizens could help. The battle at Flower Fields rocketed you to worldwide fame. I mean you were promoted from Captain all the way to Colonel the same day. Those in the southern regions respect you, I have great respect for the bravery you showed that day. You may keep your uniform on, be proud of it. I just ask that you help start the movement to bring the kingdom back together."
"I'll try" Luigi said.
"Thank you" Peach said with a smile "I'll leave you two alone for the evening."
With that, Peach saw herself out.
"Let's have some dinner" Daisy said "I'll make a stew, then we'll get some sleep. Hopefully the first day back will be the worst."
"Hopefully" Luigi said.