The heroes had found Peach, only for her to be in a deep sleep, will they be able to find a cure, or maybe something more?
Chapter 31: Sleeping Beauty (World 7 Pt. 2)
The group had finally arrived to The Overthere. This realm's a picture perfect example of what heaven is meant to resemble. Trees with white leaves, Clouds as light and fluffy like snow and a clear sky-blue scenery with the sun shining brightly.
Luvbi felt relief and excitement as soon as she entered, the rest not far behind her. "Ah me, blue skies again! If we continue upward, we'll soon be in The Overthere. Let us away!"
"Yes... That sounds well and good, but we have yet to find Peach or Mario... I'm so worried..."
Luigi reassured Tippi. "They're fine! I mean, it's Mario! He's gotta be fine, right?"
Daisy agreed. "Heck ya, he'll be fine. Plus, Peach may not look like it, but she's one tough cookie herself!"
Luvbi flew closer to the group. "Pray, I would understand this! Is yon Peach the lady friend of Mario?
"Erm... Kinda hard to say...," Luigi replied. "I've never met Peach so I don't-a-know for sure."
"Well, to tell you the truth, Mario and Peach are actually engaged!" Daisy happily explained before looking sad.
"WHAT!?" Luigi almost fell backwards, shocked by this information. "M-Mario is getting married!?"
"Unfortunately..." An annoyed Bowser grumbled.
Daisy looked sad as she continued to explain. "They're supposed to be married in a couple of months, but now that's not gonna happen thanks to Count Bleck."
"Oh, verily?" Daisy nodded. Changing the subject, Luvbi moved on forward. "Ah me, enough idle blather! I shall run ahead, so keepest up if thou canst! If thou climbest too slowly, the sun will set, so shaketh a leg!"
Everyone ran behind her as she guided them around the sea of clouds. Despite the fact that Bowser kept falling off the clouds (He kept blaming it on gravity, but he's just heavy(-_-)), Luvbi eventually found the princess lying against a giant white tree with golden apples and told the others to 'Hurry thy behinds'.
"It's Peach!" Tippi flew closer to her highness and analyzed her for any injuries, but noticed she was just fast asleep. The group closed in on the princess, concerned for her well being.
"Ah me... Prithee, tell me... Princess Peach, I presume?" Luvbi asked out of curiosity.
"Yea," Tippi replied. "Although, from what I've assessed, she's not injured... she's just sleeping."
Daisy was shocked to say the least. "Huh!? Why'd she be asleep for so long, it's been almost a full day since we separated!"
Luigi grabbed Peach's shoulder and gently shook her. "Princess Peach! Hey! Hey! Wake up, Princess!" but to no avail, it didn't work.
Bowser was getting annoyed. "Oh, come ON! This is just plain annoying..." He told the others to cover their ears before he roared as loud as he could. "GET UUUUUP!"
... Yet she still sleeps.
"Mmmm... Man, this girl can SLEEP, huh? I mean, that was a serious roar right there!"
"Holdeth for thy moment..."
Luvbi flew over to the top of the tree and grabbed on of the fruits, before returning to the others with a displeased expression. "She hath eaten of the golden fruit. She lacketh the common sense, I far."
"Golden...fruit?"
She threw away the fruit before explaining. "The Overthere teemeth with magical trees whose fruit maketh many an odd effect. The fruit of the golden hue maketh people so satisified, they falleth into deep sleep. And I mean DEEP sleep... The kind thou dost not wake up from for a hundred years..."
Luigi's face paled. "A hun-hundred years?!"
"You've GOTTA be kidding! Look, I'm a patient Koopa, but I'm not THAT patient!"
Tippi flew beside the fairy. "Luvbi... Isn't there any way to wake her up sooner?"
"Pray, wherefore would I know of such..." Luvbi pondered for a moment... And remembered something important! "Hold a moment... I do remember my father's words of long ago. Yes, he spoketh of one tree in The Overthere that bore a taboo fruit that could waketh anyone..."
"Taboo fruit? What kind of tree has that sort of thing?"
"Pray... Wherefore should I know, huh?!"
"So then all we know is that we need to find a kind of fruit... Marvelous."
"W-Well, we've gotta do SOMEthing! Let's go find any kind of fruit we can!" Luigi said, trying to encourage everyone.
The group nodded in agreement, minus Luvbi. "Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmph! Do what thou wantest! I am NOT helping! I am SULKING!"
With that, she flew off from the group. Tippi sighed from the girl's antics. "I'll go with her to find the fruit. You three stay with Peach in case a monster shows up." The Pixl flew to catch up to Luvbi, leaving the trio behind.
"Well that's just great," Bowser complained. "On any other day, I'd love to spend time with my precious Peaches (Daisy silently gagged), but there's no point if she's not awake."
Daisy deadpanned. "Right, cause she CLEARLY wants to be with you."
"Yea, exa- WAIT A MINUTE!"
Luigi ignored the two as they bickered back and forth. Ever since Luvbi and Tippi left, he kept staring at the unconscious princess. He didn't know why, but underneath all the concern, there was resentment and jealousy. The man had only just met her for the first time, yet from what he's heard, she was apparently Mario's fiancée. But how could that be when he and his brother had only just arrived to this world. Plus, the last thing he remembered was being trapped in an abandoned castle, separated from his twin, whom had promised to return to him once he'd save the princess...
'... Did he ever return?'
Luigi gripped the right side of his head, a painful migraine hitting him like a tsunami. A series of images emerged from his mind. One was him sitting down against the rubble, hugging his knees. His clothes were tattered in disrepair and looked extremely thin as he stared at the last red shroom he held on his right hand. The next image was of a purple and yellow-striped jester with a monochrome smile mask. He stared down at Luigi with an eerie grin. His mouth was moving, but he couldn't hear a single word, only staring at the bright, translucent screen in front of him. What emerged from that screen remained unknown, but what he did know was after the screen disappeared, he accepted the hand in front of him and the two disappeared from the area. Luigi began to hyperventilate, using both hands to hold his head, his palms covering his eyes.
Daisy side glanced and finally noticed Luigi in distress. She gasped, which made Bowser pause their argument and saw what caused her reaction. He had no idea what to do in this sort of situation. The brunette, however, slowly walked towards the green man and gently grabbed his left shoulder. At that moment, Luigi shrieked at the sudden contact and ran off as fast as he could.
"LUIGI!"
She told Bowser to stay with Peach and ran to catch up to Luigi. The koopa reluctantly agreed, despite the small concern he has of the situation. Hopefully Tippi and Luvbi come back soon so they can reunite and get the hell out of this heavenhole.
"M-mama mia... Where am I?"
From the moment Mario woke up, he took in his surroundings and knew he wasn't in Flipside anymore. Whatever that jester- Dimentio, as he called himself- did, it caused him to be separated from everyone else. He assumed that he ended up in an apple orchard, however the trees were white, the ground appeared to be clouds and all the apples were different colours.
"Maybe I am dead..." Mario sulked. He slowly got up and began to walk in search of an exit. He'd encounter enemies as he walked through the forest, but unfortunately for them, he knows how to knock them all out at once. It's been about half an hour, yet he still can't find a way out. His stomach growled, feeling a bit hungry as he eyed the black fruits hanging above him. Despite its appearance lacking any appeal, his mouth salivated at the thought of having any meal at this point. He jumped and successfully grabbed the fruit, but before he could take a bite, he heard someone shout from a distance.
"MARIOOOOO!"
All of a sudden, a creature crashed into Mario's face, causing him to fall back on his behind. After a brief moment to collect himself, he finally noticed that the creature happily fluttering around him was actually Tippi!
"Mario! Thank goodness you're alright... I-I was so worried that we'd never find you."
"We?" He looked behind Tippi and saw Luvbi approach and retrieve the black fruit. "Hey! That's-a-my lunch!"
"Are thou daft!?" Luvbi said, coming closer to the two. "This here is known as 'The Taboo Fruit'. A taste from thy fruit can awaken one from it's slumber, precisely what is needith to waken thee princess."
"Oh, so NOW you know which fruit is the cure." Luvbi was displeased by the Pixl's sarcasm.
"Wait! What's wrong with Peach!?" Mario quickly got up, looking at the two girls for an explanation.
"When we all got separated, you and Peach ended up here in the Overthere, whilst Bowser and Daisy were in the Underwhere." Mario snickered at the name. Tippi understood the hilarity and continued. "Peach ate a golden fruit which caused her to fall into a deep sleep, so Luvbi and I went and searched for this here black fruit to wake her up, while Bowser is looking after her alongside Daisy an-"
"You left Bowser with her!? C'mon, we gotta go back quickly, lead the way!"
With that, Mario ran off, with Luvbi flying behind while shouting at him that he's going the wrong way. Tippi sighed and flew to catch up.
'Maybe leaving those three together wasn't such a good idea... I do hope they're alright.'
I know the chapter seems short compared to the previous one, but that's only because the next chapter will be a real doozy so that requires my full attention. Hope you enjoyed!
