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Chapter Text

It had seemed to Luigi at first that it was going to be like any other rescue he and his brother Mario had done before. The princesses had been kidnapped, and off the brothers set to rescue them, like always.

Luigi remembers four things in particular from that night:

The terrible storm from a pitch black sky,

His brother's unusual bitterness,

Being saved

and eyes that glowed a bright amber.

Luigi thought it had been strange that the moon and stars were gone. Despite the torches on the staircase leading up to Bowser's castle, everything had been swallowed by the sky’s darkness. Luigi trudged behind Mario up the torch-lit steps towards the tall wooden door. the rain was heavy, but still everything felt eerily quiet. Perhaps because Mario had not said a word since they left. Luigi couldn’t help but feel unsettled by it; But he knew it was not the time to be distracted by such things. The brothers begin to heave open the doors.
They both knew which part of the door to push. They both recognised the rough texture of the door through their gloves. As they slipped through the castle doors The piercing cold they were met with was nothing but familiar.
This is like any other rescue , Luigi had thought.
Peaches' scream rang through the halls, sending shivers down Luigi’s spine. Mario grunted angrily and took off down the dark hall towards his Princess. Luigi, as he has always done, followed a foot behind without another thought.
As the brothers reached the end of the hall Mario spun towards a dimly lit staircase in the corner of the room, and Luigi confusedly followed. At the top of the stairs Mario suddenly halted. Luigi bumped into the back of him, not ready for Mario to stop so abruptly. Luigi peered over his brother's shoulder.
The brothers found themselves on the second floor of a huge amphitheatre. The lights running along the stage and stairs shone brightly, and despite the empty audience it almost seemed lively. Centre stage, in a tall extravagant cage, were the princesses. He found them straight away.
Nice job brother.

Princess Peach was huddled against the metal bars, choking on her own tears. This never got any easier for her. Daisy was pacing in front of Peach, in her own thoughts.

Luigi’s eyes flickered over to Mario’s. They were looking straight towards the cage, determined, yet empty.

For the first time that night, Mario spoke.

“You get the princesses, and I'll handle Bowser.”

Daisy looked up in their direction and her eyes met Luigi’s. He awkwardly nodded in her direction.

“Sure Mario I can do that, but we don't even know where Bowser is. Maybe we should get the princesses and leave while we still can.”

Mario cut him off.

“No; I’m getting Bowser.”

Without another word, Mario jumped off the second floor and disappeared, leaving Luigi alone with the princesses. Luigi let out a worried sigh.

Without wasting another moment he jumped off the second floor and clambered towards the stage.

Luigi took a mushroom out of his overall pocket and ate it. He immediately felt himself increase in size. Luigi swung his fist at the cage roof, knocking it clean off. As Luigi shrunk back to his original size, the cage's walls wobbled, before falling over. He turned towards the princesses to see that Peach was now standing with the help of Daisy, her frail body leaning against Daisy’s shoulder.

“Is Peach injured?” Luigi frantically asked.

Daisy raised an eyebrow.

“No, she’s just worn out.”

Luigi let out a sigh of relief. He extended his arms towards them.

“Let me carry her princess, we must get you and Princess Peach to safety.”

“Where’s Jumpman?” Daisy asked as she handed Peach over to Luigi.

He tilted his head in confusion.

“Uhh, oh you mean Mario? He’s trying to find Bowser.”

“So you don’t know where he is?” Peach worriedly chimes in.

They make their way off the stage.

“We’ll find him Princess, don’t worry.” Luigi smiled at Peach encouragingly.

Out of nowhere, the first floor of the amphitheatre entrance smashed open, and Bowser flew through, crashing into the stage. Mario followed, aiming a kick towards Bowser's head. Peach begins to cry and scream again.

“I found Jumpman,” Daisy said half to herself.

The entire theatre begins to creak. The floor beneath Luigi and the princesses shaking in turn. Luigi turned to Daisy.

“Princess, please take Princess Peach and run, this room isn’t stable.”

Daisy almost looked offended by Luigi’s request.

“What about you? You could be crushed!”

“Daisy, please just listen to me and go!” Luigi frantically yelled.

Daisy paused, wide-eyed, before turning around and running, Princess Peach over her shoulder.

Luigi turned around to face the stage. Mario was standing on top of an unconscious Bowser. Luigi felt himself shaking, and tried to force himself to stop. It was him .

The monster hated by all of the mushroom kingdom.

It didn’t matter how many times Luigi had faced Bowser, he felt the same immense fear every single time. A fear that always left him useless in battle. A fear he was insecure of.

Luigi came to the realisation that Mario hadn’t even noticed Luigi’s presence. Mario stared down apathetically at the creature. Perhaps it was the angle or the lighting, but Mario’s eyes looked grey, not their usual blue.

Luigi called out to Mario from afar, finally catching his attention. He didn’t want to step any closer to the beast Mario was standing on.

“Brother! We need to go now! The roof is going to collapse!”

Mario furrowed his brows, and looked back down at Bowser. Without warning Mario jumped up and crushed Bowser further into the ground. Bowser's blood sprayed onto Mario’s face. He didn’t even flinch.

“Mario! What are you doing? You’re going to kill him!” Luigi watched in horror as his brother threw attack after attack at Bowser. Mario threw Bowser into another wall, making the room begin to fall apart even more. Cracks were beginning to show in the amphitheatres roof.

“Why shouldn’t I kill him?” Mario shouts.

“Mario what are you saying? You’re taking someone's life!”

“This monster deserves to die! We’d save so many lives by doing it!” Mario pulled out a rainbow mushroom from his overall pocket, and held it up to his mouth.

What's gotten into him!?

“Mario stop it!” Luigi began to run towards his brother.

Luigi’s hat fell of as he ran, reaching out to grab Mario. Behind his brother Luigi realises that Bowser had begun to stir.

He was still alive!?

Before Luigi could warn Mario of Bowser a new problem arose. The roof finally gave in. Chunks of brick and stone pummelled down towards the floor.

Mario quickly reacted, swapping his rainbow mushroom for a propeller one and launching out of the building. He turned to see Luigi a foot behind him, like always.

Except he wasn’t.

Luigi found that he was frozen in place, too afraid to move.

Luigi you need to go! Why are you so afraid! Just leave god damnit!

But to no avail. Luigi could only manage to crouch and close his eyes. The last thing he heard was his brother screaming.

Well, Luigi thought that would be the last thing he ever heard. But he woke up.

It was dark, but Luigi felt warm.

He didn’t know where he was. Under rubble? It couldn’t be, he didn’t have a scratch on him.

So where the hell am I?, He wondered helplessly.

To Luigi’s surprise the thing he was resting on began to move, making him jump up in surprise. Luigi suddenly felt a rush of cold air and realised he no longer had anything on top of him. It was hard to tell, as the sky was still pitch black. Luigi could just make out the crushed remains of what was once a castle surrounding him.

Wait, what was on top of me?

Luigi turned around slowly. In the dark he felt the presence of another being; He began to shake with fear.

Useless , he told himself. Why do you always have to be so scared?

At first Luigi couldn't see anything. Then a shadow began to stir.

Two eyes appear in the blackness, and their orange glow reflects onto Luigi’s face. Somehow, he stopped shaking.

Amber.

The eyes don’t leave Luigi, a judging intention behind them.

“Who are you?” Luigi whispered.

But they were simply eyes, not a mouth. Instead they blinked.

Without thought Luigi reached towards the eyes, intrigued by their luminosity.

In response the eyes backed away and before Luigi could react he felt a hard swing to the back of his head.

Chapter Text

It’s the scent of herbs irritating Luigi's nose that wakes him up. He’s in a white bed. Luigi squints, trying to adjust to the bright light. He recognises this room; He usually avoids it because he hates the smell of it. The medical ward of the mushroom kingdom.

Luigi feels the back of his head.

Dear God that hurts.

He makes out a yellow figure near an open window. “Princess?”

Daisy looks up from where she is standing. She was putting flowers in a vase. Daisy turns to Luigi, brushing down creases on her gown.

Daisy. Luigi's fiancé of 4 years and soon to be wife. and a princess from a neighbouring land, although not to the knowledge of the mushroom kingdom. It's a dangerous thing to be an outsider in this kingdom after all; to live beyond these walls is to be an enemy of the mushroom people. That's due to the way in which King toadstool has led this kingdom for decades; an admittedly intelligent individual. he's pitted his people against everyone else, painted them as monsters. and that leaves him as the only one to be relied on. interestingly, he still makes trades and forms alliances with other kingdoms. Daisy is one such alliance, engaged to me to signify the alliance between Sarasaland and the mushroom kingdom, all while toadstool still paints Sarasaland as a monstrous land to his own people. really, an alliance that benefits toadstool and no one else. 

“You’re awake. How are you feeling?” she smiles, and Luigi knows she is not a monster at all.

“I’m....I’m okay. How did I get here?”

Daisy sits on a stool beside Luigi’s bed.

“Mario thought you were dead, but Guards found you on the castle's doorsteps early this morning. I can’t believe you made it all the way back here in that state!”

“I don’t remember.. Doing that..” Luigi tries to recall what happened the previous night after the roof fell, but it only makes his head hurt more. Luigi lets his eyelids fall.

In the darkness an amber set of eyes blink at him.

Luigi’s eyes force open, His heart pounding.

What was that?

“Now that you’re awake we can get you to heal. I’m sorry for the rush but King Toadstool is making an announcement soon and I need to be seen there...”

Daisy puts her hand on Luigi’s.

“..with you.”

Luigi meets Daisy’s gaze. She’s searching for something in Luigi’s eyes. Affection perhaps.

“That doesn’t make sense, no one outside of the castle knows that you’re a princess from a neighbouring kingdom, everyone thinks you’re just princess peach’s cousin. Why would they need you- us, to be there?”

Daisy looks at the ground.

“The people not knowing I’m a princess doesn’t change that I am.”

She pauses.

“I feel like you’re avoiding our situation Luigi.”

Luigi’s gaze flicks between Daisy and the ground where she's staring. He takes a deep breath.

“You can’t blame me princess. I was forced into this.”

“So was I.”

“Then you should know better than anyone that this isn’t fair.”

Daisy finally meets Luigi’s eyes.

“I was born into this life. I knew from a young age that I wouldn't get to choose who I'd marry. I’m just trying not to cause problems for my kingdom.” Daisy had lost her friendly tone.

Luigi begins chuckling, but stops when he feels Daisy’s confused glare.

“I’m sorry it’s just.. You don’t really show this side to anyone but me, I think that's funny.”

“And what side is that?” Daisy furrows her brows.

“Your cold side,” Luigi smiles.

“That's because you’re frustrating!”

“Whatever you say.”

Daisy pours Luigi a cup of herbal tea that was sitting on the counter next to Luigi’s bed. She passes him the teacup. Luigi hides his disgusted expression and drinks it all in one go. Instantly Luigi’s head stops pounding.

“It healed me so quickly. It's like magic.”

“It is magic, you fool.”

Luigi laughs at Daisy’s comment. He slides out of the bed and heads towards the door. He pauses in the doorway and turns around to where Daisy has stood up.

“Princess, we were both forced into this marriage, and even though we both don’t like this, I promise I'll do what I can to make this easy for the both of us; Because I care about you.”

Daisy looks away, embarrassed.

“Uh, yeah..I promise to take care of you too.”

Luigi waves before leaving to his office to change.

The people of the Mushroom Kingdom wait impatiently in the town square for King Toadstool to make his announcement. Up on the balcony where the king is awaited, Luigi fiddles awkwardly with his suit jacket.

These buttons are so strange-

Daisy brushes Luigi’s hands away and does the buttons for him with ease. “Now you’re handsome and ready to go.” She smiles sweetly.

“Sorry for the inconvenience Princess. I’m only used to overalls.”

Daisy ignores Luigi’s apology, which she's come to do a lot recently. She dislikes when people apologise for no reason.

“Although you are missing something.” she says, patting Luigi's head.

That's right , Luigi thinks. I lost my hat in Bowser's castle! It’s probably crushed by rubble now.

“I don’t think I’ll be getting that back.” Luigi awkwardly smiles

Daisy shrugs.

“It’s alright, we can get a new one made for you.”

The sound of a microphone feedback rings through the kingdom, making everyone go quiet. Daisy and Luigi glance to their right as the King appears at the stand. The whole kingdom's eyes were watching the balcony intently.

“Good day Toadspeople! I have scheduled this today with wonderful news!” The people below all begin cheering.

Luigi notices Mario and Princess Peach on the opposite side of the balcony, clapping as well. Mario hasn’t even glanced in Luigi’s direction.

He’s been acting so differently as of recently. It feels like we’re drifting apart.

The king disrupts Luigi's thoughts.

“My people! I know this may sound sudden, but as the years go on by I have found myself worn by them. I have served this kingdom for a long time, and have decided that it is time that I step down.” Everyone gasps; the audience all look shocked in one way or another.

Luigi has the exact same reaction.

He turns to Daisy for guidance, only to see that she's wearing the same confused expression. Luigi and Daisy turn to see Mario helping Peach towards the stand.

I see. So that’s what’s going on.

King Toadstool gestures towards the couple.

“As you all know this week is our kingdom's annual festival! It has now been arranged that on the festival's final day, Peach will be crowned queen of Mushroom Kingdom!”

The crowd erupts into applause.

Luigi could not hide his shock, as with Daisy.

Why wouldn’t they tell us!?

Mario helps Peach onto the stand.

“She can’t even walk properly and yet she's still being made to go up.” Daisy watches on worriedly.

“Hello everyone! We didn’t have to give a speech, but my Husband has a few words; an announcement if you will!” Princess Peach’s voice always becomes sickly sweet when she speaks in front of an audience. Mario steps up onto the stand with his wife.

“Hello, it’s me, Mario!”

Everyone laughs and cheers. Luigi watches wide eyed from behind him.

Why wouldn't he tell me? Why?

“Her Majesty and I already have an announcement that has been approved by the jury.”

“They’ve really left us in the dark..” says Daisy half to Luigi and half to herself.

Luigi can only muster up a nod in response.

“As of tonight, we will send down an army to Bowser's castle..” Mario turns and for the first time since Luigi had woken looks into his eyes, piercing through him.

“..And we will kill him.”

Chapter Text

I shouldn’t care.

I don't, right?

So what if they kill that beast?

The amber eyes from Luigi’s scratched out memory loom over him. Why was that on his mind now?

“Amber...” Luigi whispers.

“What was that, brother?” Mario asks calmly.

Luigi glances up and realises he had tuned out completely. Mario, Peach and Daisy calmly observe Luigi from their seats at the table. The four had planned a lunch for today, but it had turned into a cautious debate.

“It’s.. It’s nothing.”

Mario looks as if he was going to inquire further but Daisy interrupts him.

“Mario, Peach, how are you guys even sure that Bowser wasn’t crushed by the castle rubble?”

Mario scoffs.

“As if something like that would kill him, Daisy.”

Peach reaches her hand over to Luigi and taps him. As he glances up she mouths “are you okay?”, to which Luigi silently nods.

“Why would you guys keep something like this from us; That it was time for you to take the throne?” Asks Daisy.

Peaches lips curve into a frown when Daisy starts talking.

“It’s not like we stabbed you in the back Dais, we just didn’t see the need to tell you earlier.”

Luigi looks across the table directly to his brother and his faded eyes.

“Why are you both treating us like enemies all of a sudden? Like people you can’t trust?” Luigi feels tears welling up in his eyes.

Peach’s expression softens again.

“Don’t give him that look, Peach. He thinks Bowser deserves to live.” Mario says loud enough to reach Luigi, who slams his fist on the table.

“That’s not what I said!”

“It’s true! you don't want him to die!”

It was the look of horror from Peach that made Luigi hesitate.

“I think.... Everyone deserves to live.”

Mario scoffs again.

“Nice dodge Luigi, you're really living up to your role in this kingdom.”

“You’re not a king yet so stop acting like you’re above me!” Luigi felt his blood boil.

“Luigi...” Daisy quietly re-enters the conversation.  “I also think it would be.. A good idea if we let them... kill Bowser.”

Luigi’s head whips around to face Daisy.

“Princess?”

Daisy shares a bitter but understanding glance with Mario and peach.

“Luigi, I’m sure you have your reasons, but it’s what’s best for the kingdom. He’s tormented us for far too long. He’s tormented you as well. Do you understand where your brother is coming from?”

Luigi stands up.

“You three need to stop treating me like I’m some naive child. Not everything is solved with murder!” Luigi spits. he begins for the exit.

“Luigi, please can we talk this through so you can see our perspective?” Peach pleads.

Luigi pauses and glances back at them.

“I’ll be back later. Don’t come looking for me.”

He didn’t plan to end up there.

Who would plan something like that?

But as Luigi was running through the forest, he began to find the path he was taking familiar.

He halts when he sees the rubble.

Bowser's castle had been completely destroyed from the previous night.

“Mario you bastard, I didn't know you were this strong.” Luigi scoffs at the wreckage.

By the time the sun has disappeared from the horizon, Mario will have set off with his army towards here.

But no Bowser in sight.

Luigi steps up onto the rubble and begins walking along, searching through all the gaps and crevices. He knew the chance of finding a green hat among the crushed stone was incredibly small, but he had nothing else to do. He couldn’t go back to the mushroom kingdom too soon, that would be embarrassing.

Luigi sees a flash of green underneath a crumbled slab of stone. He crouches down to look closer.

“Agh damn, just a tree branch”

Suddenly Luigi feels a brute force knock the wind out of him. Luigi spins for a few metres before crashing into the rubble. Before Luigi can attempt to get up, he feels his arms being pinned down to the rough surface. Luigi stares up in horror.

Amber eyes scan him menacingly from where he lay and Luigi begins to shake again. Bowser has pinned him down. He leans in closer, as if trying to get a better look.

Luigi's heart feels like it's beating out of his chest.

Please don’t kill me! please!

Bowser's face stops an inch away from Luigi’s, his red eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He opens his mouth, revealing his sharp teeth. He begins to speak with his low and hostile voice.

“Are you Mario?”

Luigi leaves his fear trance.

Am I... Mario?

Bowser grunts.

“Oh great. It’s the green one.”

Silence. Bowser doesn’t look away, his expression hostile.

Luigi tries to speak, but only a few words come out. “Your.. eyes..”

Bowser breaks character, his expression softening; the menacing look becoming one of condescending curiosity. “My... eyes?”

To Luigi’s surprise Bowser immediately lifts his hands from Luigi's arms. He stands up and looks down at Luigi.

“Get up green Mario”

Luigi hurriedly scrambles to his feet, sweating nervously. There was complete silence. Bowser stood tall, peering down cautiously at Luigi.

“So you’re safe.” Bowser said quietly.

In the distance, the sun had only just met the horizon.

Luigi could not have heard anything more confusing from the beast.

“What do you mean I’m safe? Why would you care?”

Wait..

Luigi recounts Daisy’s words.

“I ended up on the palace steps this morning but have no recollection of getting there.” Luigi paused and glanced up at Bowser.

“Was that... you?”

Bowser snarls. Luigi didn’t mean to sound too pushy, but it must have come off that way.

“I had no reason to kill you.” Bowser says, composing himself.

“You.. had no reason to save me either.”

Bowser glares at Luigi, before turning around to leave.

“Wait!” Luigi found himself calling after Bowser, who halts in response.

“Why didn’t you kill me then? Why aren’t you killing me now?” Luigi feels so lost.

Why wasn’t Bowser being aggressive? The King of Koopas, a vicious, heartless monster that has tormented the  mushroom kingdom and kidnapped the princesses more times than Luigi could seem to count. What was the point in helping Luigi?

“Because you didn’t want me to die.”

Luigi stutters, trying to find a good response, but nothing comes out.

He heard me say that to Mario last night?

“I’m just returning the favour.” Bowser begins to stomp towards a forest clearing away from his destroyed castle. Luigi follows without thinking. He can tell that Bowser had noticed his company, but he continued on without a reaction. Almost like an invitation.

When they reached the forest clearing, Bowser reached into a nearby bush, pulling out a big wooden chest.

Bowser then speaks again, saying “You are going to help me.”

“Are you asking me to help with what’s in the chest?”

“No, I’m telling you.”

“Oh, uh, right.”

Bowser heaves open the chest, revealing a bunch of random objects.

It’s just rubbish.

Bowser curls up his lips in what became a strange smile, his sharp teeth out on display. He seems proud of the rubbish.

“Even though your bastard brother destroyed my home, I was able to uncover all that I needed to lift the curse.”

Luigi tilts his head.

Curse?

“Well, most of it anyway. Princess Peach escaped, along with Mario.”

What is this guy talking about?

“...What curse?” Luigi asks shyly.

Bowser taps the spiked collar around his neck with his claw.

“I’m trapped, Green Mario. Trapped by this curse.”

“My... my name is Luigi, actually.”

“What kind of name is that? Almost as stupid as your dumb brothers name.”

“I- What is going on right now?” Luigi was in too much disbelief to feel offended.

Bowser reaches into the chest and pulls out a scroll which he begins to unravel hastily.

“The lady who promised to break the curse gave me a list of a bunch of random things I need. Like this green mushroom head.” Bowser holds up a green object.

“That's not a mushroom!” Luigi shouts.

That’s my hat!

Bowser squints at the green cap.

“Ugh seriously? It looks like a mushroom though.”

“It is not! It’s a hat and it's.... It’s very stylish.” Luigi snatches it from Bowser's claws and fits it on his head.

Bowser grimaces, only half-invested in their conversation as he rummages through the chest. “Yeah okay, whatever you say mushroom man”

“Okay you can’t say anything, what about your spiky shell? That can’t be natural!” Luigi retorts.

Bowser looks down at Luigi with a blank expression.

“It’s so if an enemy tries to attack I can turn around and stab them with the sharp spikes.”

“Oh.”

How dark.

Luigi watches Bowser go through the chest and read out the list with a dumb-founded expression.

Why am I here, with him?

The sun is almost out of sight. That means Mario will be on his way soon.

Then Bowser will die.

Luigi glances worriedly over towards the beast.

Beast.

Is he really a beast?

“An army is coming to kill you when night time arrives. You should leave before you get caught.” Luigi lets the words slip from him without thinking of the consequences.

Whose side are you on, Luigi!? , he asks himself frustratedly.

Bowser shuts the chest with a loud bang, making Luigi flinch.

“Of course they are. It’s the right move to deliver the final blow when I’m still vulnerable. I didn’t think it would be so soon though...” Bowser's eyes widen as he realises the seriousness of his situation.

“..I’m going to be killed. I have nowhere else to go.”

For the first time ever, Luigi saw fear in Bowser's amber eyes. And for some reason, seeing it made Luigi’s heart ache.

What’s wrong with me? Why am I sympathising with him?

Bowser grips Luigi's arms with his hands and begins shaking him slightly. “Green- Luigi, please help.”

I shouldn’t care.

“Luigi, you said you’d help me.”

I don't, right?

“I don't want to die, Luigi!”

So what if they kill that beast?

Luigi sighs.

Luigi sits idly in his office, playing with the feather he was using to write earlier before he got distracted. Outside the window by his desk, the sky was once again missing a moon.

A quiet knock sounds from outside.

“Come in!” Luigi calls.

The door swings open to reveal Peach. She gingerly takes one step into the room, clearly still affected by the injuries incurred the night previous. 

“Mario returned with the toad army not too long ago.”

Luigi sits up.

“and? Is Bowser dead?”

Peach frowns.

“Actually... When they arrived he was missing. It was bizarre considering he never usually leaves his castle area.”

Luigi turns to the paper on his desk “So the search is still on? I’m assuming so since Mario won’t believe he’s dead for a second.”

Peach awkwardly laughs, “Well, yes... he appreciates that you came to him and changed your mind about bowser though. We’ll find him eventually.”

Luigi nods, smiling.

“That was all... goodnight, Luigi.”

Luigi waves.

“Goodnight Princess.”

Peach smiles softly before shutting the door.

Luigi looks back out to the empty sky.

On the floor below, where Luigi’s storage area is, the sound of a hefty chest closing and the heavy trudging of Bowser's feet can be heard.

Luigi takes a deep breath.

Chapter Text

The sunny streets are bustling with Toadspeople. Stalls are set up along the brick paths, selling different items of clothing, food, and all sorts of trinkets. The mushroom kingdom had never been so colourful.

 Luigi, Mario and Daisy weave through the people, grabbing hold of each other where they could so as not to get lost. They had gone to see the festival in the villages that were inside the castle area. They did this every year, and usually Peach would come along too; But things were very different for Peach this Festival and she now had to prepare for her coronation on the festival's last day. 

Luigi usually loves the festival; it’s a sacred tradition of the Mushroom kingdom that celebrates the culture of all toadspeople. But it wasn’t the same this time. No it was entirely different. Luigi wasn't sure what he loved and what he hated anymore.

  So much has happened in the past few days-

“Luigi! Come on, you’re going to get lost!” Daisy calls over her shoulder.

Daisy and Mario are standing next to a stall selling mushrooms. Luigi realises he got lost in thought, and pushes through the crowd to where they're standing. Mario gives Luigi a little nudge when he reaches them. 

“You need to stop that, the whole zoning out thing you've been doing recently.”

Luigi sighs. 

Great, here Mario goes again, picking me apart.

Luigi finally makes eye contact with his brother, only to see him smiling. Luigi almost gasps. How long has it been since I’ve seen my brother smile?

“What are we gonna do with you Luigi?” Daisy giggles.

Mario starts chuckling with her.

Luigi watches the both of them confusedly.

They both look so happy.

Luigi smiles to himself.

I missed their laughter.

Daisy turns to the mushroom stall beside them.

“Do you guys need any? Y’know, to make them magical or whatever.”

Mario shrugs “May as well get some while we’re here.” Mario puts his arm around Luigi’s shoulder and pushes him forward to the stall. 

“My brother and I would like to get some of your finest mushrooms, please!” Mario grins at the toad person behind the counter. They gasp when they notice the brothers.

“S-sir Mario! What an honour!” the toad person hurriedly glances around before speaking again “What would you like Sir Mario? Oh- and Sir Luigi.” 

Luigi awkwardly laughs. He was used to this, so he didn’t really find it offensive anymore.

“I’ll take…” Mario leans over to get a closer look at the mushrooms “These ones!”

Mario picks up two orange mushrooms.

“No such thing as too many propeller power ups!”

“I’ve always wanted to use one of those, it looks fun when you guys propel into the air” Daisy says from behind them.

“What about you brother?” Mario says “What are you getting?” 

Luigi clears his throat.

“ A green mushroom, please”

Mario turns to Luigi with a confused look.

“Why do you need a green one?”

“Uhh..” Luigi glances around frantically.

Daisy approaches from behind Luigi, putting her hands on his shoulders.

“Because he needs the extra life to help you hunt down Bowser of course!”

Luigi gives an anxious smile. Mario pauses, before grinning at his brother.

“Im glad you realised the importance of killing Bowser, Luigi. We need to do it as soon as possible, for the safety of the mushroom kingdom.”

Daisy lets go of Luigi, straightening the blue pendant on her yellow dress. 

“Besides, this place may seem all cheerful, but this kingdom is an anxious mess right now. Toadspeople want to be safe, away from everyone outside and the threat they cause.” Daisy smiles, but there is sadness in her eyes. 

You’re one of those 'threats', Princess. If the citizens of this kingdom knew where you’re really from, they’d want you dead along with Bowser. 

“Alright guys, I’ve got to go” Mario says suddenly, looking up to the castle.

“Aww, already?” Daisy grabs onto Marios hand with both of hers. 

“Yeah, Peach and I have a rehearsal to attend, so..”

As Mario turns around to leave he’s met with a group of toads, all wearing a concerned expression. 

“Sir Mario! It was such a relief to see you came back safely from your fight with Bowser!” one of them cried.

Mario halts, smiling down at them.

“Of course I’m safe!  Me and my brother never-”

“And Princess Peach is well too, we hope!” another Toadsperson says.

“Uh, yes, she’s quite alright, both Princess Peach and Lady Daisy were shaken but-”

Mario is cut off again by the first Toadsperson.

“Princess Peach is well, we’re glad; And of course you are! That’s all we were fretting about.”

Luigi glances at Daisy. Her expression is unreadable; But Luigi could guess what she’s thinking about.

We’re not the important ones. Only them.

“I really must go now” Mario gives the toad group a friendly wave. 

“Of course Sir Mario, don’t let us get in your way! You must be busy with your new royal duties, including finally ridding this kingdom of that wretched beast.” said the second Toad.

Mario looks past the group of toads, straight at Luigi. 

Luigi is frozen in place, but he doesn’t let his smiling expression falter.

“Don’t worry everyone” A shadow casts over Mario’s eyes. “I’ll make sure Bowser dies.”

The Toadspeople all bow hastily, as Mario waves them goodbye. Daisy and Luigi watch from a slight distance.

That wasn’t what I wanted to hear, brother. Not at all.

Luigi glances down at the green mushroom in his hand.

The previous night Luigi had gotten no sleep. How could he have? He’d done something unthinkable. Something unfathomable.

Why are you such an idiot… Luigi rolls over in his bed, facing the room. 

A crash suddenly sounded from the floor beneath him; followed by another.

Luigi sat up from his bed and rubbed his eyes, letting out a sigh of frustration.

“That’s it.”

Luigi trudged over to the trap door in the corner of his room and heaved it open. He aggressively rushed down the stairs, before finally reaching the basement.

“Hey!” Luigi whispered angrily.

“What is it, Luigi? I’m trying to sleep.” from the shadows he emerged, his blazing eyes the first thing to come into sight.

Bowser; The most wanted creature in the Mushroom Kingdom. 

Here he was in Luigi's storage room. 

Bowser stared down at Luigi fiercely, but Luigi didn’t hesitate to return his look.

“Trying to sleep? Sounded like you were trying to wake up the entire kingdom!”

Bowser was taken aback by Luigi’s aggression. 

“I’m too big for this room.. It’s not my fault.” He stared at the floor awkwardly.

Luigi felt a pang of guilt. 

“Uh, sorry I’m not trying to shame you, it’s just…” Luigi leans his back against the wall, sliding down to the floor.

“..it's been a tough few days.”

Bowser shuffled over to where Luigi was seated, crouching down in front of him. 

“Luigi?”

Luigi lifted his head just enough to meet Bowser's stare.

“Yes?”

“Why did you save me from being killed?”

Luigi sighs.

“I’ve been asking myself that actually.”

But that didn't mean Luigi had come up with any answers. Luigi had gone against himself and done the one thing he would never have done if he hadn't lost his mind completely; take the infamous and feared beast, enemy of the mushroom kingdom, into his living quarters to hide from Bowsers enemies, being Luigis kingdom and family.

Bowser looked dejected by Luigi’s answer however, and suddenly the empathy came flooding back.

“Oh no, no, Bowser please don’t worry, I don’t regret helping you or anything like that.” I think?

Bowser's face softened, and he relaxed. Luigi held back his grin. 

He’s much more sensitive than I could have imagined.

“So does this mean you’re going to keep helping me?” Bowser asked with his quiet husky voice.

“Keep helping you?” Luigi rises from where he was seated.

“With the curse.”

Luigi paused. I completely forgot about that.

Eagerly, Bowser hands luigi a list of 'conditions' that he must meet to break his curse, which he reads through thoroughly.

-----------------------------------------

In order; Conditions to break the curse:

1. Retrieve a white mask
2. Retrieve the life of a toad
3. Retrieve a yoshi eye
4. Retrieve a bullet
5. Retrieve the life of a cheep cheep fish
6. Retrieve an earring of gold
7. Retrieve a green mushroom
8. Retrieve an object dyed with blooper ink
9. Retrieve 3 rock mushrooms
10. Retrieve a tuft of auburn hair
11. Retrieve a fallen star
12. Retrieve the life of a princess

------------------------------------------

Luigi’s eyes linger on the last point and his eyes widen.

”the life of a princess? you need to.. kill..” luigi couldn’t bare to say the name of his sister in law. 

”princess peach, yes.” says bowser, as if he was answering a question about the weather, or even talking about his favourite colour.

a sudden rush of dizziness hits luigi.

Peach has been nothing but kind and thoughtful throughout her life. from the first day the brothers met her, they knew that her generosity and care for her people was unlike any other. she was a good person; a good person who didn’t deserve to be kidnapped as she had for years, let alone.. killed.

“Bowser, you can’t- i won’t let you..” Luigi felt a sudden urge he’d never felt before to confront Bowser, but he’s cut off.

”Do you know what this curse has done to me, Luigi?”

and with that Luigi comes to a halt. He finally meets Bowsers gaze. Luigi realises he hadn’t asked.

“this curse was placed on me many years ago. It constricts me to this area, so i cannot wander further than the mushroom kingdom or the Koopa kingdom, my home that has now been destroyed by your bastard brother.” 

He points the the shackles on his wrists then his neck. “ these grow tighter every day. the curse has poisoned my body and with every passing day I grow more worn. the woman that cursed me; all of her curses had antidotes, but she warned me that if i did not break this curse then it would surely kill me. the longer I have had this curse the more ways in which it has tortured me. many days i feel as though i am burning alive, others, as if i am drowning. i need to break it Luigi. i wish not to suffer anymore."

Luigi brows creased as he watched the beast sit there, and he swore that bowsers eyes were glossy. he really is suffering.

“I want to help you" Luigi says, reaching to touch bowsers arm as a method of comfort. 

 Luigi suddenly felt two hands grabbing his arms gently. He looked up at Bowser with wide eyes, only to be met with a soft expression. 

 It was strange. A smile or a look of sadness shouldn’t fit a beast's face. But Bowser showed those emotions so naturally.  

Perhaps he isn’t a beast.

Bowser's claws could be felt against Luigi's back, but it didn’t hurt him. Bowser was being very careful. Luigi stood there, staring up at Bowser's smiling face.

“Luigi. I would understand why you don’t want to help me.” He moves his hands softly up and down Luigi's arms, as if to comfort him. Luigi felt something fall down his cheek.

Tears?

Bowser continued quietly, “I am indebted to you. Do not feel bad for me, it is not your fault I am this way.” 

The first tear was followed by another, and another. Luigi couldn't hold it back. His heart was aching for this creature. 

“You, you don’t-” Luigi tried to form a sentence but only managed to choke out a few words in between sobbing.

Bowser swiftly dropped his hands from Luigi's arms in response. 

“Was I hurting you? I’m so sorry, I thought I was being gentle-”

Luigi reached out and grabbed hold of Bowser's hand. His vision was blurred by tears.

“You, you weren’t hurting me!” Luigi shaked Bowser's arms frantically.

“You don’t..” Each thing Luigi said hurt his throat, but he kept going. He lifted his left hand, brushing the spiked bracelet enclosed around Bowser’s arm.

“You don’t deserve bad things!” Luigi finally said.

Luigi heard Bowser's breath hitch. Luigi tilted his head up to look at Bowser's face.

Bowser was already looking down at Luigi. Their eyes locked.

“I don’t deserve.. Bad things?” Bowser eyes were wide with surprise.

Luigi kept going.

“No you don’t! I..” Luigi hesitated. Am I sure about this?

Luigi took a deep, shaky breath.

“I’m going to help you break your curse.”

Bowser's expression was riddled with worry “Are you sure?”

Luigi nodded.

“I’ll find what I can, like a green mushroom. You needed one of those, right?” Luigi wiped his eyes, attempting a smile.

Bowser nodded, still concerned.

“And what of Princess Peach’s sacrifice?-”

Luigi clenched his jaw.

“We’ll worry about that later. Please, I don't want to think about it.”

Bowser fell silent.

They stay there, quietly. 

Luigi realised he was still holding onto Bowser's bracelet. One of the bracelets that Bowser can’t remove because of his curse. Luigi lifted his hand from it in fear it was hurting him.

“It’s okay.” Bowser suddenly said. “Having your hand there actually.. Makes it feel less painful”

Luigi felt his face redden.

“I- I see.. Then I’ll leave my hand there.” Luigi places his hand back on Bowser's arm.

Luigi traced the edge of the bracelet's spikes with his finger. 

When he would once have been shaking so close to this beast, he now felt at peace.

“Luigi?”

“Yes?” Luigi responded.

~

“Luigi!”

Luigi frantically swings his head around. Daisy waves her hand in front of his face.

“Hello, you home?”

Luigi pushes Daisy’s hand away. 

“Yes I’m here, calm down.”

Daisy tilts her head playfully.

“Mario just walked off and you didn’t say goodbye because you were too busy zoning out like always! Mario’s right, you need to stop doing that. It’s concerning to say the least.”

“I know, I’m sorry. There's just a lot on my mind.” Luigi sighs. 

“How about we go and see Toadette down at her cafe?” Daisy asks.

Luigi looks over the crowd and stalls into the near distance to see the quaint little mushroom cottage, pink just as Toadette has all her things.

“Okay, that sounds good.”

Daisy slips her hand around Luigi’s waist and pushes him forward.

“Then off we go!” she beams.

Daisy’s hand was different from Bowsers. There weren’t any claws, yet somehow Bowsers seemed more gentle.

Why am I thinking about that?

Luigi and Daisy re-enter the busy crowd.

Chapter Text

4 years prior to the events of Amber, in the Mushroom Kingdom

The ballroom was magnificent. It was midday, and the sun shone so brightly it lit up the entire room through the tall and wide window. It was empty, except for a newly betrothed couple, that danced around the open space gracefully. The only sound was their shoes tapping the glossy floor, a dress swaying, and birds chirping happily outside. It was the boy that interrupted what was somewhat silence.

“You’ve never told me about that green pendant you always wear.” His eyes met with Hers.

“You never asked.”

The boy scoffed. He lifted his arm and spun the girl, making her twirl away. She slowed into a dramatic curtsey. He clapped.

“Thank you, thank you. Please, you’re too kind.” The girl smiled, a playful glint in her eyes.

The girl paused for a moment; she traced the green pendant with her gloved finger.

“It’s a rare ore that everyone in the royal family back home wears; it’s found in one of the countries my family rules. Since I’m a princess, I was given this special pendant to represent that.”

“But.. Sorry, I don’t understand. Won’t the mushroom kingdom people recognise it? Isn’t that...dangerous? To wear, I mean”. The boy furrowed his brows.

The girl rolled her eyes, but it was softened by the smile she was still wearing.

“They won’t notice. They don’t even know who I am.” She turned to the boy. “Even you didn’t at first.”

The boy scratched the back of his neck.

“Fair point. It’s strange that we’re.. betrothed when most of the Mushroom kingdom doesn’t even know of your kingdom.”

“It’s your king trying to sneakily form alliances with other kingdoms without alerting his people. I didn’t really get why, but now that I’m here, it’s clear what’s going on.”

The boy tilted his head.

“Enlighten me.”

The girl started walking towards the window, and the boy followed. As the girl walked, she habitually lifted her hand to her head where a crown would usually be; It’s been a month, but the flicker of panic in her eyes when she remembered there's nothing there hadn't changed. The boy observed her auburn hair, and wondered if maybe a flower crown of sorts would make a suitable engagement gift.

The girl reached the window and spun around. Her dress was a flash of yellow, made golden by the suns rays.

“Toadspeople are so.. so scared. They’ve been coddled by their king all their lives and have deluded themselves into thinking everyone outside these walls are the enemy.”

She paused.

“They think I’m the enemy.”

She turned to face the window; the sun lit up her skin but not her expression.

“That’s why... They can't know I’m not from the Mushroom Kingdom. This alliance is important for my kingdom, so it’s important to me.”

The boy was listening quietly, taking in everything she was saying with a slightly furrowed brow. He knew Toadspeople did not leave the castle walls. He knew they all tended to be frightened by threats. But to this extent..

The girl softly pushed the boy’s arm, bringing him back to reality.

“I have to stay here and earn the trust of these people, by your side. When I have done that, I’ll take you back to my home where we can stay. You’ll love Sarasaland, I promise.”

The boy looked at the floor.

“I hate this, princess. It’s so.. Forced.”

“I’m choosing not to see it that way. This is my way of serving my kingdom, if I will be doing that by your side, then that’s fine with me.”

The boy fell silent once more. What could he even say to that? Now he felt selfish. His thoughts were interrupted again.

“By the way, you need to get out of that habit.”

“What habit?”

“Calling me Princess. It’s kind of a dead give away.” 

“But then what do I call you?”

“My name, of course”, the girl shook her head, laughing.

The boy couldn’t help but be taken aback by such a request.

“Your.. Name? Really? That feels kinda..”

“I’m going to be here for 4 years, at least, so get used to it already. It's simple, okay?”

She stepped towards the boy.

“Just..”

The boy felt intimidated by her presence.

“...Call me Daisy.”

Luigi shook his head.

“Sorry princess, no way.”

Daisy rolled her eyes once again.

“You’re such a sensitive person Luigi. How do you fight all those big bad monsters when you’re so soft?”

“Hey, I’m not soft! You’ve only known me for a month or so, what do you know? I’ve fought lots of creatures outside the walls.”

Daisy lifted her hands and spread her fingers out like a beast showing its claws. “By your kingdom's standard, that makes me a big bad monster too, right?”

 “No, not at all! You’re different.”

“Am I?” Daisy lost her smile for a minute.

“Princess?”

“Forget it.”

“Ah.. okay.”

Daisy reached out her hand, her smile returning as if nothing had been said.

“We’ve gotten completely off track; we’re supposed to be practising for the festival dance! This festival only happens every four years, so this will probably be my only one! Let’s make it the best!”

Luigi hesitated, before taking her hand.

“Of course, princess.”

They picked up where they left off. The sun began to lower behind them.

The boy and girl would be together forever. They had to be.

It was the only answer.

That’s what the boy told himself.

But Luigi never meant what he told himself. He knew that much, at least.

Chapter Text

Luigi steps out from behind the folded screen to show the tailors his suit.

“How does it feel?” one of them asks.

Luigi turns to the mirror, glancing up and down.

“Looks good to me.”

The tailors proceed to ask questions about his movement and level of comfort, to which Luigi replied that everything was fine. 

If anything, the bowtie (that was classic ‘luigi’ green) was really big for some reason; but Luigi would rather not tell them that and then have to spend another hour trying on different sizes.

“Can I take it off now?” Luigi asks

“Yes we’re all done here, we’ll make sure the suit is ready for you tonight”

After taking the suit off, Luigi goes to exit the room. The tailors are all looking at the suit, holding up different fabrics next to it to see which matches. Luigi's eyes flicker to one of the fabrics in particular.

“Um.. excuse me?” Luigi approaches the tailors. They all turn around, confused by Luigi’s shy tone. He points to a small piece of purple fabric one of the tailors is holding

“Is the dye in that made from.. Waluigi's bloopers? The.. the ones he raises in the lake near his castle?”

The tailor holding the purple fabric looks at luigi in disbelief.

“How did you know that? It, uh, it is. The Blooper dye we receive in trade from Waluigi is used as dye for all sorts of things, as it makes this beautiful rich purple colour.” He holds up the fabric “Like this.”

Luigi awkwardly reaches his hand out.

“Can I, uhm. Have it.. Please?”

Luigi watches the tailor quickly glance back at the other tailors with a confused look.

“Sure?”

Luigi gently takes the fabric from him and opens the door to leave.

“Thank you!”

He shuts the door behind him.

~

Luigi steps down the basement stairs. Bowser’s eyes were already on the stairs when Luigi came into his sight. Bowser glances at Luigi up and down.

“What's wrong with your face?” Bowser asks nonchalantly. 

Luigi pauses midway down the basement steps and looks at him with an incredulous expression.

“Excuse me?” 

“You look tired.”

Luigi sighs. He says such offensive things sometimes, and has no idea he’s doing it.

“I just had a very uncomfortable conversation with some people.” Luigi reaches into his pocket, “But I managed to get a hold of this” Luigi reveals the purple fabric.

“Is that..?” Bowser's eyes light up.

“Yes, the Blooper dyed object on your list!”

“Yes! You got a hold of something!” Bowser happily trudges over to the stairs where Luigi was still standing.

Bowser lifts Luigi off the stairs by his waist in one bound. Luigi holds onto Bowser's arms for balance, and begins laughing.  

“Thank you Luigi, my hero!” Bowser begins spinning him around playfully.

Luigi tries to speak normally but his giggling wouldn’t let him.

“Yes, that's me, a hero! Now let me down, I'm getting dizzy!”

Bowser lowers luigi to the ground, and shuffles over to his open chest. Luigi follows behind him, placing the purple fabric on top of the other items.

Bowser lifts his arm to touch the collar on his neck. He smiles down at his collection.

“I might actually be set free.”

Luigi stares at Bowser's spiked collars and bracelets. He’d only been observing Bowser for a few days, but it seemed the spikes were getting sharper with every passing day. But at the same time, he was smiling more. That’s what Luigi chose to focus on.

“There’s only a few more things left on the list, can you believe it?” Luigi rummages through the chest for the list. He pulls it out when his hands find the rough paper. 

Bowser stares at the list from behind Luigi, one of his hands placed on Luigi’s shoulder. Luigi quickly shifted his focus from the list to Bowser’s hand, his face reddening. Luigi pauses, trying to compose himself.

“Then there’s the, uh, the princesses' sacrifice which we need to do before the end of the week before Peach, uhm..” Luigi trails off, remembering the terms of the last thing on the list.

“Before she becomes a queen.” Bowser finishes.

“R-right..”

“Will you be able to do this, Luigi?” Bowsers question was genuine, so much so that it almost made Luigi answer honestly. Almost.

“I’ll be fine. Let’s not think about that now.” Luigi skims back to the top of the list.

“3 rocks mushroom. Those grow near the cave just outside the palace walls.” Luigi furrows his brows, “ I have no idea when I’m going to be able to get that, I’m going to be so busy in the next few days..”

“I’ll retrieve it.” Bowser says.

“No!” Luigi yells out without any hesitation.

“Why not? I’m no use locked down here.”

Luigi sighs in frustration.

“You don’t get it Bowser, they’re looking for you out there. They won't hesitate to kill you. It's way too dangerous. Please just.. Let me handle this.”

“But you said you don't have time-”

“I’ll figure something out!” Luigi bursts. 

Bowser grunts.

“So stubborn..” he mumbles.

Luigi hands the list to Bowser, and heads toward the stairs.

“I have to go now, the midnight ball is tonight. It’s one of the most important festival events, almost everyone in the higher ranks of the Mushroom kingdom will be there.”

Bowser's eyes are lost in the list.

 “The ball is.. Tonight?”

“Yes.”

“I see. Goodbye then.”

Luigi turns away and heads up the stairs. He didn’t mean to get so frustrated with Bowser. He wouldn't have listened if I didn't raise my voice anyway, Luigi thinks.

He’s the stubborn one, not me. I’m just trying to look out for him.

Luigi presses his hand into his head, trying to calm the pounding that had surfaced. Outside, the sun was already setting.

Let’s get this over with.

“That bowtie looks ridiculous.”

Luigi looks into the dressing room mirror's reflection to see Daisy behind him. He chuckles.

“Yeah it really does.”

“You ready?” Daisy asks.

“Uh, yeah I am.”

Luigi steps down from the pedestal  he was standing on to see his reflection, grabbing the gloves hanging over a nearby chair. Daisy turns to leave, and Luigi follows, putting on his gloves hurriedly.

The castle's halls are empty, as everyone is already at the ball. All that can be heard is Luigi and Daisy's footsteps.

“Have you seen the ball area?” Daisy strikes up casual conversation, which Luigi chooses to go along with.

“No, I haven’t actually. I’ve been so busy.”

“Yeah it’s been a crazy week, but we’ve gotta make the most of it.” 

They approach the door to exit the castle, where guards await them, heaving open the door as they get closer. They proceed to exit, walking around to the side of the castle where a balcony resides.

“Make the most of it, huh.” Luigi says to himself.

“Well, this will be our last festival in the mushroom kingdom.” Daisy says matter-of-factly.

Luigi pauses, staring at the ground.

Oh yeah. That.

“Isn’t it so beautiful?” Daisy says.

Luigi looks up, not realising they’d already arrived.

The midnight ball isn’t like a usual ball in the Mushroom kingdom, because instead of taking place in the ballroom, it’s an open air celebration. 

“They’ve outdone themselves this year..” Luigi observes the improved ball area.

Rows of long tables are set up to the side of the balcony, all covered with a white cloth, candles, and a range of cutlery. Tall wooden posts had been placed around the balcony area, and they were joined by vines and flowers that were entangled and wrapped around each wooden stump, along with fairy lights that shone brilliantly, casting the whole ball area in a warm light. The dance floor was the most impressive part. Away from the tables was a slight platform made of glossy white marble. This area was on the edge of the balcony, which looked over the forest outside the kingdom walls. Everyone was already there. 

Luigi looks up at the sky, met with the same pitch black abyss that’s been there the past few days. If not for the people and loud conversations that were being had, the ball area would look eerie.

“Ugh, No stars or moon again tonight” Daisy sighs. 

Luigi looks over at her.

“It’s really strange. We should ask Rosalina about it when she arrives tomorrow for the next big event.”

Daisy smiles.

“Lets go to our seats.”

The guests quiet down as King Toadstool begins his speech. Luigi and Daisy find their seats next to Mario and Peach, who both smile in welcome. They sit down quietly as Toadstool continues, but Luigi wasn’t really listening. He couldn’t help but look at the abandoned sky. 

How did you feel when the moon left, sky? He thinks.

Were you hurt? 

Did you feel hatred? 

Did you know the moon was going to leave you to sit in your own darkness?

Luigi knows he has to tell Bowser that he’s moving kingdoms shortly.

 I’ll do it soon.

 I have to get over this sadness I’m feeling. 

This is just how it has to be.

After the speeches came to a close, the conversations immediately started back up.

“Hello Luigi”, Says Peach, reaching her hand across the table and placing it on his.

“Hello Princess, you look beautiful.” 

Peach smiles, glancing down at her magnificent pink gown.

“Why thank you! You look very handsome yourself.”

“The bowtie is.. Interesting..” Mario cuts in, a teasing smile on his face.

“Yeah yeah, I’ve heard enough about the bowtie.” Luigi playfully punches his brother's arm.

King Toadstool approaches the table, a wide grin on his face.

“Well if it isn’t the big 4!” He bellows, taking a stance behind his daughter's seat.

“Hello your majesty, how do you like the ball?” Mario asks. His tone was placid, as was the smile on his face. Luigi observes him uneasily. 

He seems distracted.

“It’s simply Marvelous my son. This whole week has been! Say, why aren’t you two lovely couples out there dancing?” As King Toadstool says this, he winks at Luigi, who immediately shifts his eyes to the floor.

“That's a great question, your majesty.” Mario rises from his seat and extends his hand to Peach.

“May I have a dance with the future queen of the mushroom kingdom?”

Peach giggles and rises from her seat, placing her hand gently in his. 

“You may.”

she had clearly recovered significantly from the last kidnapping, and seemed to be back to her usual self. that said, her usual self was changing every time she was taken. Luigis stomach churns with guilt. I am going to cause her more pain she doesn't deserve.

Mario and Peach walk off hand in hand towards the dancing area, leaving Luigi, Daisy and King Toadstool at the table.

“Oh young love..” Says toadstool, his eyes following the couple as they leave.

Silence takes a seat at their table.

Luigi awkwardly glances around. I really don’t want to dance.

Daisy suddenly rises from her seat.

“I’m going to go talk with General Toad.” 

King Toadstool grins at Daisy.

“Remember dear, within these walls, they don’t know where you’re from. Don't reveal anything and scare them.” he murmurs.

“Of course, your majesty”

Daisy smiles stiffly at Luigi, then swiftly bows towards the king before taking off. Luigi felt like Daisy's leave had only made things more awkward. 

“Hold on to her.” The king's voice was stern.

“Excuse me?”

“If you love someone, you should hold on to them. You’ll regret not doing it when they leave. I never realised how much I took Peach’s mother for granted until she passed away.” His smile was somber.

Luigi stares blankly at the King. 

But you’re wrong, he thinks.

I don’t love her. Not like that.

“C’mon now, go ask her to dance. If not for you or her, for your kingdoms.” Toadstool pats Luigi on the back, causing him to rise from his seat.

Luigi notices the lowering of Toadstool's voice when he mentioned that Daisy was from a differing kingdom.

“Uhm, Thank you your majesty, I will”

“Good boy”

Luigi sluggishly walks over to where Daisy is talking with the General.

Get over yourself Luigi.

She’s your fiance.

Daisy notices Luigi approaching , and does that wide smile she always does. 

She’s like a ray of sunshine. 

“Hey Luigi!”

She's pretty too.

“Would you care for a dance, Lady Daisy?” Luigi asks.

Daisy raises her eyebrows playfully.

“Why yes, good sir.”

She has a sense of humour.

Daisy and Luigi step up onto the Marble floor, and walk to the balcony's edge. They stand there facing each other as people sway in their suits and dresses behind them. Daisy lifts her hand up to the bronze flower crown on her head, one he had gifted her some time ago, smiling softly. 

She cares about me.

She lifts her other arm up, offering her gloved hand.

She likes me. A lot.

And I...

Luigi takes a deep breath.

I like her too.. Right?

I should.

We’re perfect together.

He forces his hand up slowly.

Stop resisting it Luigi. 

There’s no reason for you to.

An ear-splitting roar tears through the ball.

Luigi swings his hands up to his ears, wincing at the thunderous sound.

The guests are all wincing, plugging their ears, all wearing the same confused expression. Then someone yelled:

“It’s Bowser!”

A rumble of thunder erupts in the sky. 

Chaos immediately follows.

Luigi drops his hands. The roar had stopped, and was replaced with the shrieking and crying of the people on the balcony. 

Bowser.. Please tell me you didn’t-

Luigi looks off worriedly into the distance trying to see for himself, but there’s nothing.

He wouldn’t do something that stupid.

He wouldn’t.

Please tell me he didn’t!

“Luigi!”

Luigi whips his head around to Daisy. 

“What do we do!?” Daisy yells over the noise.

Luigi can’t fathom any words.

“Everyone! Exit the area now!” Mario is stood on one of the tables, shouting as loudly as he can.

Despite the discord, all of the guests listened to Mario, and began to quickly leave the ball. 

“You need to leave too,” Luigi says to Daisy.

 Daisy pauses, her eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re acting strange Luigi, are you okay?”

“I’m fine, just go!” Luigi yells.

Daisy seems taken aback by his aggressive tone, but instead of arguing, spins around and leaves quickly with the rest of the crowd. Luigi turns back to the direction of the roar. The area was quietening down now as the guests were getting further away, so much so that Luigi was able to hear his brother's footsteps approach behind him.

“I’m going to kill that bastard!” Mario’s voice was hoarse from yelling earlier, but his anger wouldn’t let him tone down. Luigi feels tears welling in his eyes. 

Shit, shit, shit!

“We’re sending groups into the forest! One will go to Bowser's castle again! The second group, led by me, will go to the source of the noise!” Mario screams his orders at the remaining guards, who nod before running off to prepare. Mario follows after them, before stopping abruptly and spinning around.

“Luigi, help with the evacuation, I’ve got this. We’ll kill him for sure this time!” Mario takes off his suit jacket, throwing it to the floor. He pulls a few mushrooms from his pockets.

He had those prepared!?

“I’ve had enough of that thing ruining our lives.”

Before Luigi can respond Mario takes off, leaving him by himself. Suddenly the ball area was silent. 

Just as I imagined, empty and lonely looking.

Luigi stumbles off the marble. His vision is blurred by tears, and the head pounding begins to resurface. Luigi falls to the floor, bringing his knees up to his face. He finally gives into his tears. 

Bowser, why? 

They’re going to kill you!

Luigi stays there until he runs out of tears. Wiping his face, luigi moves into a seated position, and stares out longingly into the darkness where the forest resides.

Where he resides.

Luigi notices a strange disturbance at the edge of the balcony. A massive shadow heaves itself over. 

Luigi lets out a cry of relief.

“Bowser!”

There Bowser was, standing on the marble; a few rock mushrooms in his left hand. Luigi clumsily lifts himself off the ground and runs over to Bowser, throwing his arms around Bowser's waist. Bowser's hands are lifted up awkwardly, unsure what Luigi was doing. Luigi thought he was done crying, but his eyes were getting blurry again. He digs his head into Bowser's chest, shutting his eyes tightly.

“You idiot!” He cries out, “I told you not to do anything dangerous, what were you thinking!?”

Luigi kept going, telling Bowser off as he stood there, his arms still lifted strangely in confusion to Luigi's touch. Luigi looks up at Bowser who meets him with a bewildered expression. 

“It’s a hug you big idiot! Put your arms down.”

Bowser, still addled, lowers his hands, letting them rest on Luigi's shoulders. They stay there for a moment. Bowser gently lifts Luigi's face up by the chin with his claw.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you sad.”

Luigi wipes his eyes.

“I know.”

Bowser drops his hand, observing his surroundings.

“So this is what the festival looks like.” Bowser says.

“Yeah, there would usually be people here, y’know, eating and dancing, gossiping about each other.” Luigi says, sighing.

“That sounds horrible.”

“That’s what I’m saying!”, Luigi chuckles, “Although the dancing isn’t too bad.”

“Is this where the dancing takes place?” Bowser taps his foot on the Marble below them.

“Hah, yeah it is.”

Bowser, still with his arms resting on Luigi, begins spinning around clumsily, taking Luigi with him. 

“What are you doing? Please, not the spinning again!” Luigi laughs, stumbling to keep up.

“It’s not spinning, it’s dancing.”

“Dancing? You call this dancing?” Luigi’s smile wouldn’t leave his face.

“Okay okay, slow down!”

Bowser comes to an abrupt stop. Luigi quickly undoes his bowtie, before lifting it up in front of Bowser.

“You need to fit the part.” Luigi tosses the undone bowtie around Bowser's neck, and begins tying it back up. Bowser tries to watch him do the bow, craning his neck. After tying the bow, Luigi takes a step back and observes him.

It actually fits him.

“Okay, now you go ‘May I have this dance?’” Luigi imitates a prince holding out his hand in offering.

Bowser pauses for a few seconds. He then lifts his hand.

“May I have this dance?” Bowser's tone was surprisingly shy, making Luigi smile even wider than he already was.

“I would be honoured” Luigi places his gloved hand in Bowsers.

“Now what?”

“We dance.”

“Like before?”

Luigi slides his hands up to Bowser's shoulders, meeting his eyes.

“Well kind of, but slower.”

Bowser nods slowly, clearly still unsure. They begin to move around the dance floor. At first it was just spinning like before, but the longer they danced the more in sync they became. Luigi felt warm in Bowser's embrace, and although the way they were dancing around was clumsy, it was the most fun he’d ever had.

 As they begin to slow down, Luigi lifts his head up to see Bowser already looking at him 2 inches away. Luigi moves his face slightly forward. He was so close he could feel Bowser's breath on his lips.

Thunder rumbles in the distance, and raindrops begin to fall rapidly. Bowser's head swings up to the rain, making Luigi jerk back.

Was I about to..?

“We should go back to your room, Luigi. Before the guards return.” Bowser takes Luigi's hand and pulls him toward the balcony's exit. He pauses, looking back at Luigi.

“Are you okay Luigi?”

Luigi's cheeks were heating up rapidly, despite the cold rain. He covers his reddened face quickly with his unheld hand.

“Y-yes, I’m good. All good. You’re right, let’s go.” 

...yeah, I totally was.

Bowser and Luigi quietly leave the balcony.

Luigi locks the door behind him. Bowser looks out the window quietly.

“I can hear them returning.” He says.

“Good thing we came back.”

Luigi takes off his suit jacket, hanging it over his desk chair. 

“My brother might come and check on me, you should make sure you’re hidden when he arrives.”

Bowser trudges over to the basement door, swinging it open with ease. He looks up at Luigi, smiling.

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight”, Luigi replies, returning his smile.

Bowser stumps down the stairs, leaving the trapdoor open behind him.

Luigi lays down in his bed, staring at the roof. He takes a deep breath.

I can’t believe I almost tried to ki-

A crash sounds from downstairs. Luigi turns his head, looking in the direction of the basement entry. 

How clumsy.. 

“Luigi?” Bowser calls from the basement.

“Yes?”

“Someone’s here.”

Luigi jolts up.

“What!?”

“Yes I recognise this one.. It’s the yellow one.”

Yellow One.. Who the hell is..

Oh no. 

No no no.

 Luigi swings out of bed, racing down the basement steps. He comes to a halt behind Bowser at the bottom of the steps to see one of the shelves knocked over, and laying in the mess, Princess Daisy. Her expression was bewildered. Luigi stutters, in shock.

“P..Princess!?”

Daisy’s wide eyes shift over to Luigi. Even when surprised, Daisy still has the same sarcastic tone.

“Hello, my darling fiance. Mind telling me why the most wanted beast in the mushroom kingdom is in your storage room?”

Chapter Text

Luigi is frozen in place, his eyes flicking between the glaring Bowser and Daisy, laying in a heap of fallen storage items. 

This can’t be happening. It can’t. 

“I knew something was going on with you! You’ve been acting.. weird ever since that last rescue!” Daisy’s voice on a surface level sounded accusatory, but Luigi could sense her panic.

Luigi goes to speak, but Bowser beats him.

“Yellow one, you are not to speak of my whereabouts to anyone. Is that understood?” His voice is a low growl, and he stretches out his hands to reveal his glistening claws.

Threatening her Bowser, really? Luigi curses him out in his head.

“Luigi, has he put you under some kind of spell!?” Daisy completely ignores Bowser’s threat, frantically searching Luigi’s eyes, as she always does, for an answer of some kind.

Luigi takes a deep breath. It’s no good now, she’s seen Bowser. I have no choice but to explain .

“I’m not under any spell. I’m just… it’s a lot to explain.” 

“I’m listening” Daisy says expectantly, and yet with a calmness that gives Luigi enough confidence to go on and justify the beast's appearance.

Luigi passes Bowser down the steps, who still holds his menacing gaze over Daisy that was likely worsened by having been ignored. Luigi holds his hand out for Daisy, who takes it, rising from where she had fallen. He guides her to Bowser's chest, but Bowser trudges down the stairs and past them to stand between them and his cure. 

“Bowser, it’s okay” Luigi says, half annoyed by Bowser's aggression. He notices Daisy’s bewildered expression but doesn’t address it, instead pointing to the chest.

“This is Bowsers. It’s, um… to break his curse”

“Curse?” Daisy sounds doubtful, but stays silent after, inviting Luigi to continue.

Luigi takes another deep breath. Having to explain this, he suddenly feels unsure of himself. Am I doing the right thing here? Will Daisy think so?

12. Retrieve the Life of a Princess

Of course she won’t.

And yet, with one look at Bowser’s face, still threatening but clearly anxious, Luigi straightens himself up and calmly shows Daisy the items in the chest.

Daisy observes this quietly, not even nodding to show she’s acknowledged each item and each part of Luigi’s explanation, but Luigi knew that look on her face; it was one of deep concentration. Luigi however did not know if that was a good or bad thing in this particular case.

Luigi stutters when he reaches the final point of the list. Instead, he turns the list towards Daisy, allowing her to read it for herself.

“The life of…” Daisy trails off. She looks up at Luigi concernedly, finally reacting to something Luigi had shown her.

“Does this mean Peach?” she asks.

“..Yes..” Luigi feels defeated, as if he was admitting to a crime he’d already committed. As if she’d already found Peach’s blood staining his gloves down to his skin.

“No other princess can fulfil this role? It has to be Peach?” Daisy eyes the last line of the list, troubled.

Bowser cuts in suddenly.

“It has to be Peach.” He grunts.

Luigi and Daisy both flip their heads towards him, as if having forgotten he was there.

“Because, there is no other princess in the Mushroom Kingdom. That is why it must be her.” Bowser places his hand on the open lid of the chest, protectively guarding his items.

“Right..” Daisy says absently. 

She must still be taken aback that she is conversing with Bowser.

A silence hangs over the three of them. Eventually, it’s Daisy that disrupts it.

“I’m feeling like some herbal tea”

Daisy, sitting against a wall, holds the cup of tea to her lips, sipping cautiously at the piping hot herbal drink. Luigi places another steaming cup on the shelf next to where Bowser is sorting through his items, which Bowser acknowledges with a nod. Luigi wasn’t sure if tea was something Bowser would like, but thought he’d offer it nonetheless. Maybe it would calm him down . Luigi slides down against the wall, now seated next to Daisy, and takes his gloves off gingerly. I really hate the scent of herbs. 

Luigi had to leave the storage room to brew the tea. He didn’t like tea himself of course so he had to look around for the equipment. More importantly that had meant Luigi left Bowser and Daisy alone for a few minutes; a potentially hazardous decision. But as he watched them both keeping to themselves, he could only assume nothing too vexatious was said in his absence.

Daisy looks far from her normal proper self. Not that she was ever ‘stuck up’ per say, more that she was always careful to never bring any dishonour or negativity to her name. Now, sitting on the concrete floor with ruffled hair and a creased gown, she seemed quite tranquil; surprising, considering what she had just recently learnt.

“Luigi, you’re staring”

“Oh, sorry”

Luigi looks away swiftly, instead watching Bowser as he rummages through his chest. He’s got to have only a few things left to get. So close. He’s so close to freedom .

“Does he make you feel important, Luigi?” Daisy asks flatly.

Luigi jolts. 

What kind of question is that? Is this one of her conversational traps?

Bowser appears to have not heard her indecorous question.

“That isn’t me taking a jab at you.” Daisy says, more quietly this time. She too is watching Bowser now.  

“People like us two need people who make us feel important, don’t we? We never have been next to Mario and Peach. I suppose we’re always looking for that next thing we could do to be loved somehow.”

Luigi is taken aback by Daisy’s words. Never had she spoken like this. She was always blunt, sure, but this felt different.

She continues on after taking a slow breath.

“I left my home to be loved. Thought I could make my family proud.” Her eyes are glassy as she speaks.

“I’ve been here for four years, and they haven’t sent me even one letter. I came all this way and I still haven't earned any affection from them.”

This was the first Luigi had heard of Daisy's family. He had wondered what they were like. Did Daisy have siblings? Were her parents strict? Luigi truly had no clue. Daisy turns her head to face Luigi, and he realises her watering eyes have spilled over, tears running down her face. 

“We seek love, and yet we always cling to those who can’t offer it. Such a cruel thing, isn’t it?” She smiles wryly.

Luigi felt her words like a knife through his chest. He knew that the last part was directed at him. Still, he lifts his hand to her cheek and wipes away some of her tears. She freezes, as if his touch was hurting her, but doesn't move away. Luigi then lifts his hand to her hair, smoothing it down.

“Your flower crown is missing,” he says softly.

“Ah..” she lifts her hand to her hair to confirm what Luigi had said, seemingly shocked. “I hadn’t noticed… I suppose I’m used to it now. Not wearing a crown, I mean..”

Luigi gets up and moves to the pile of storage items still scattered on the floor, rummaging through in hopes to find the golden flower crown he’d gifted her. It’s made of gold, and Luigi recalls asking that the carved golden flowers decorating it be daisies. When he gave it to her, he didn’t think she’d take such a liking to it; but she never took it off.

“Looking for this?” Bowser's voice sounds huskily from behind Luigi.

He turns to see Bowser holding up Daisy’s flower crown, pinched gently between his claws.

“Oh, yes it is.” Luigi steps through the mess on the floor and takes the crown. As he looks at it, he feels Bowser's eye pierce through him. He looks up to meet Bowser’s stare. His amber eyes seemed in deep focus, however still protruded their usual warmth. I wonder what he’s thinking about right now…

Daisy takes the crown from Luigi and places it back on her head, Luigi only then realising that she’d made her way over to where they were standing. 

“Thank you, Bowser” she says.

Bowser nods curtly.

“He’s helped the both of us quite a bit hasn’t he?” she continues with a little laugh. “He must take quite well to outsiders.”

Luigi wonders why she is addressing him so casually, or why she would say something that would suggest and thus reveal that she too is an outsider, but he doesn't voice this. Bowser considers Daisy for a moment, scanning her with a look of hesitation, before coming to some kind of decision in his mind.

“Yes, he really must.”

Bowser touches Luigi's shoulder.

“Three more things. Then the curse will be undone, Luigi” Bowser passes over his handwritten list.

------------------------------------

In order; Conditions to break the curse:

1. Retrieve a white mask

2. Retrieve the life of a toad

3. Retrieve a yoshi eye

4. Retrieve a bullet

5. Retrieve the life of a cheep cheep fish

6. Retrieve an earring of gold

7. Retrieve a green mushroom

8. Retrieve an object dyed with blooper ink

9. Retrieve 3 rock mushrooms

10. Retrieve a tuft of auburn hair

11. Retrieve a fallen star

12. Retrieve the life of a princess

------------------------------------

“Three things..” Luigi repeats.

“Do you have a pair of scissors?” Daisy asks suddenly.

Bowser and Luigi turn to her confusedly.

“Sorry?” Luigi furrows his brows.

Bowser points to a craft box of sorts on the shelf behind her, and she grabs them out. In one swift motion, she lifts up a small section of her hair and cuts it off. Luigi watches wide-eyed.

What?

She rummages around in the craft box again and pulls out a piece of string, wrapping it around the tuft of hair and tying a neat bow. She then holds it out to Bowser.

“Make that two things left.”

“Daisy…” comes out as a whisper from Luigi.

She’s actually helping us. She has no reason to, and yet she is.

Bowser takes the hair from her and holds it up to the storage room light.

“That’s auburn hair if I’ve ever seen it.” He places it eagerly in his chest. He looks excited. 

I love seeing Bowser excited. I want to see it more.

Luigi turns to Daisy.

“Thank you, Daisy-”

“I’m not doing this for you.” she says.”I’m doing it for him” she points at Bowser, then places her hand on her pendant.

“I’m doing this for everyone back home. Everyone that was villainized by the Mushroom Kingdom. By King Toadstool.”

Luigi tries to digest what she said. What's her stance here? How is this helping them?

“Princess, I don't think you understand.. We’ll be kil-... killing Princess Peach-”

“I know that. I also know that her becoming queen will not change the state of the mushroom kingdom. Toadspeople will keep looking down on us no matter what. Peach has no intention of changing that. She thinks everything's perfect here. And god knows she’d never listen to how I feel about it” Daisy was somewhat rambling now, but Luigi considered every word she said carefully. He’d never thought about it like that.

What is the kingdom’s future after this? Daisy has seen how people outside of the Mushroom kingdom are treated. Peach, now that Luigi properly considered it, never did display any intention to change anything about the way in which the Mushroom Kingdom ran.

Moreover, Daisy and Peach were never the best of friends, but not especially as of late. Daisy may see this as the only way to make something actually change.

Luigi’s heart ached. Peach was still one of his best friends. I should hate myself for even considering this.. But…

Daisy and Bowser stare at Luigi. Both look determined; and suddenly, they appear on the same team.

“Luigi, I’m going to help you break Bowser’s curse,” Daisy says.

“But only because I’m selfish” she adds, her tone serious despite her words being peculiar.

Bowser's hostility towards Daisy has dissipated completely, replaced with some sudden eagerness to work with her. He looks to Luigi with an excitement in his eyes and nods. 

As long as Bowser’s okay with it.

Luigi exhales.

“Okay. We’ll break Bowser’s curse together.”

Bowser picks Daisy up and pulls her in to a hug. Daisy looks completely bewildered.

“Luigi showed me what a hug was, and I am using it to express my gratitude” he squeezes her and she lets out laugh.

“Did he now?” she says suggestively.

Luigi feels his face going completely red.

“Okay that's enough for you two, stop. It's getting late. I should take Daisy back to her quarters.”

“Jealous?” Daisy says smugly, still held off the ground by Bowser’s embrace.

“No I- He-” Luigi cuts himself off. I have no idea if she means jealous of him, or jealous of her.

Bowser lets Daisy down gently. She quickly brushes at her dress.

“Okay, we can go now” she raises a hand towards Bowser.

“Goodnight, beast. Tomorrow Luigi and I will retrieve the next thing on that list of yours.”

“Goodnight, yellow one” he raises his clawed hand back. Luigi watches them, slightly unsettled. Daisy puts her hand out to Luigi.

“Come on then. Let’s go”

“Yeah, okay..” Luigi takes Daisy’s hand and guides her up the stairs. 

As he glances back at Bowser, he notices the tea cup he’d left for the beast, untouched on the shelf. 

It would be all cold by now.

The trap door shuts behind them.

Chapter Text

Tall, grand windows line one wall of the cobblestone hallway.

Luigi walks a few steps behind Daisy as they make their way to Daisy's quarters. She’s like Mario, the way she always feels the need to walk ahead of me and lead the way…

“Luigi?” Her voice sounds gently in the lantern-lit hallway.

”Mhm?”

”What are your plans for after… Bowser's curse is broken?”

”Um.. I honestly hadn’t thought that far ahead.” Luigi admits, then says exhaustedly, “I’m worried enough about breaking Bowser’s curse. Killing a princess is no easy thing.”

“You seem very okay with this. Killing Peach, that is.” 

Daisy's tone comes across judgmental, and Luigi suddenly considers that Daisy may have just lied earlier about wanting to help Bowser to get away from him. That wouldn’t be good. It would be the smartest move in that situation. Then.. Bowser would be in a lot of danger. I don’t know what I’d do if something happened to him. No, no. She wouldn’t lie to me. She wouldn’t. She’s secretive, sure, but-

”Luigi, that wild look in your eyes is scaring me. Are you okay?”

Luigi looks up at Daisy and realises he had stopped walking. He abruptly becomes aware of his sweating and shaking, and straightens up, tugging repeatedly at his shirt to fan himself and cool down. Daisy steps towards him and tilts her head to make eye contact with him.

”Luigi I apologise, clearly the idea of killing Peach is bothering you more than I'd assumed. I’m not going against what I've promised, to help you two; I just wanted to see how you were feeling about it.”

Luigi feels a wave of relief as Daisy was genuinely trying to help him, followed by a wave of guilt that he’d even considered her traitorous in the first place. She would never bring harm to those she cares about. Luigi suppresses any further expressions that would indicate his thoughts, taking a deep breath instead. 

“She’s one of your best friends, after all” Daisy adds.

”She was your friend too, y’know” Luigi says with a bitterness unlike him, however he doesn’t find himself fond of Daisy’s implication that Peach is only close to him.

Daisy rolls her eyes dismissively.

“Yes, I know. Better yet, my darling cousin” she scoffs at the fake title, cousin, they’d used for the past four years. 

Daisy starts walking again, and Luigi quickly joins her side.

“Luigi, my question before; after you’ve broken Bowser’s curse, where are you going to go?”

”Go?”

”You can’t stay here after Peach dies. Well, Bowser can’t. They won’t stop their search for him until he's captured and executed”.

Luigi hasn’t planned this part out yet. What would they do? 

Well, perhaps him and Bowser could run away afterwards. Bowser’s castle was still rubble, but if they travelled far enough, then surely they would find somewhere Bowser could walk freely. They could find an abandoned home, or build a new one. Luigi wasn’t much of a hunter but he could forage, and he was sure Bowser would have the hunting part covered anyway. 

Though he’s aware it was idealistic, Luigi feels comfort in his imagination of their future. Luigi feels his face heat up, all too aware of the effect Bowser had on him. Honestly, he wants to stay by Bowser’s side at the very least.

”I was thinking…” Daisy looks over at one of the tall windows carved into the stone castle wall, showcasing the pitch black outside that is a still moonless, starless sky.

”You could come back with me to Sarasaland straight after.”

”What?” Luigi heads whips over to look at daisy.

”We can fulfil our arrangement and marry. That way, we’ll be safe and protected. Bowser can come as well, however we may have to find a place for him to live in… secret. He can be safe though, I assure you. I mean, Koopa’s aren’t exactly loved in Sarasaland. It’s probably one of the only things our kingdoms agree on-“

”Hold on, Princess” Luigi shakes his head, trying to wrap his head around her proposal.

“I can’t- Bowser would be forced to hide away again. I can’t ask that of him after he finally frees himself. And the- the marriage, I can’t imagine the alliance between our kingdoms will be of utmost importance after Bowser breaks his curse and disappears. We don’t really need to marry at all by that logic, right? It just doesn’t feel… necessary...” Luigi stops himself there, although he’s already sure he’d been too honest. He gingerly looks at Daisy’s face, trying to read her reaction.

”Ah…” Daisy’s gaze reaches back up to the window. It’s as if she can see her home just outside. There’s a silence between them for a moment. With each second, Luigi's stomach twists in further concern.

Suddenly, Daisy raises both of her hands to her face and, rather passionately, hits herself on both sides of the face.

”Ow ow ow! that hurt so bad!” Daisy whines, shaking her hands as she lowers them from her now red and hand-printed face.

Luigi watches her with bewilderment. What the hell was that? Daisy finally acknowledges Luigi, as if she’d only just noticed he was still there.

“Sorry, I’m just psyching myself up” Daisy says, smiling innocently.

”For… what?”

“I was hoping you wouldn’t reject my offer so quickly, but i don’t know what i was expecting. You helped me make my mind up about something, so don’t worry, it’s all good.”

”Princess? You’re confusing me right now..” Luigi was only more concerned by that comment.

”No, no, I’m all good, Luigi. I just thought I’d ask in case. Anyway, Wherever you go, it’ll have to be far away from the Mushroom kingdom, or any kingdom for that matter. There’ll be places to go though.” Daisy has now seemingly moved on as if the past 30 seconds hadn’t happened. Luigi, despite still being in slight shock from her erraticism, lets her do so. 

Luigi didn’t imagine the conversation regarding his disinterest in them marrying going so well. Truthfully, he’d never imagined it happening at all.

”Thank you for walking me back, Luigi” 

Luigi hadn’t even noticed that they’d reached her door. Luigi nods, acknowledging her thanks.

”Tomorrow, we’ll visit Rosalina at the observatory. If we’re to retrieve a ‘fallen star’ it’ll be there”, Daisy says.

Luigi lets the strange tension that had hung over their entire conversation up until that point wash away. He is grateful to have Daisy by his side. She is one of Luigi’s closest friends, and they’d felt like teammates of sorts the past few years, as they fought through the political tribulations and social expectations that followed their engagement. And here she was, still on his team.

”Goodnight, princess”

Daisy smiles her ever-so-charming and ever-so-mischievous smile before entering her room.

Luigi is quick in making his way to the closest kitchen when he wakes up. He wears a simple long sleeve tunic with a green vest and long dark pants; different from what he usually wore, but everything felt different as of late and Luigi now felt strange wearing anything that would suggest otherwise. Maybe he’d outgrown them; Or maybe grown wasn’t the right word.

Only a few maids are in the kitchen, and they display no reaction towards Luigi when he enters and starts searching through the cupboards. 

One looks up from a chopping board and says, “the usual?” To which Luigi nods eagerly. The maids giggle and get to work. 

Luigi finds a few apples and slices them, putting them on a small plate and setting them aside. Bowser really likes these.

“You’ve been real hungry recently, haven’t you?” One of the maids pats Luigi on the back, smiling at him.

”You’ve been eating like a growing boy; and yet you’re still not growing” one of the other maids says, still giggling.

”If anything you’re looking even thinner”, chimes in another maid.

“Hey..” Luigi whips his head towards the maids playfully. 

“Leave me alone you lot, i’m doing just fine”

“Mhm”,  the first maid pats luigi's back again with another caring smile, walking back to the stove.

I’m lucky in a sense, that I never really ate much to begin with. Now when i’m taking food in for bowser, the portions I'm taking aren’t too alarming. They seem slightly worried about me, but that’s alright. At least I’m not leaving Bowser to starve.

The breakfast was made up of scrambled eggs, strips of bacon, cooked potatoes, sausages and the apples Luigi had sliced up. 

“Have a good day lovely” says one of the maids. 

Luigi smiles at them.

”You guys have a wonderful day as well; And thank you for the meal!”

Luigi heads down the basement stairs. To Luigi’s surprise, Bowser is still sleeping, huddled in the corner right near his chest. Luigi had offered him bedding two days ago; but Bowser had turned it down, claiming he was used to sleeping without it. Luigi stands up one of the fallen boxes from the previous night, setting their breakfast on it. He quietly makes his way over to Bowser. 

Bowser's breathing is slow and deep. He looks comfortable all huddled up. Luigi wonders if this is the calmest he’d ever seen him. It’s actually adorable.

”Bowser..” Luigi nudges Bowser's arm gently, and he stirs.

Slowly, Bowser's eyes flicker open, and he looks over at Luigi. In this dim basement, his eyes appear to be glowing, like a warm home fireplace. Luigi loses himself in them for a moment.

”Good morning,” Bowser mumbles, still half asleep.

”I brought you breakfast,” Luigi’s voice remains gentle.

”mmm, breakfast..”

Bowser rises from his corner, taking Luigi’s hand in his as he walks towards the makeshift breakfast table. Despite the amount of times Bowser has picked Luigi up or touched his skin, Luigi still couldn’t help but get embarrassed . I didn’t know it was possible to feel this way about such little things.

Bowser only lets go when he’s seated in front of the breakfast. Luigi sits on the other side, laying out the plates for the both of them. It doesn’t take long for Bowser to start eating.

No matter what I bring him, he always eats as though he’s starving. 

Luigi watches him quietly, biting into one of the apple slices. 

“Luigi, you are retrieving the fallen star today?” Bowser asks, not looking up from his breakfast.

”Yes, Daisy and I will this morning,” Luigi scratches the back of his neck, “but we may take some time; catching a fallen star is not exactly a clear instruction”

”Do not think of it as a literal falling star, but more a star no longer in use” Bowser clarifies.

He pierces through two apple slices with his claw, lifting it off the plate

“They may just be inactive. In that sense, any star found on earth is a ‘fallen star’, wouldn’t you say?”

Luigi nods, though unsure as to where Bowser came to have all this knowledge about stars, the most random of things. He seems scatter-brained and even ditzy most of the time, but then he’ll randomly say something that reminds Luigi that he's most definitely smarter than he initially appears.

“So you’re saying if I can just get my hands on a star of any kind, that should work?”

”Yes, I do believe that would suffice” Bowser smiles.

While Bowser sounds calm, Luigi can see him fidgeting with excitement. Luigi reaches over the table and ruffles Bowsers hair. 

“Not long now,” Luigi says.

Bowser lifts his hand up to Luigis and softly grabs it, guiding Luigis hand to caress his cheek.

”Yes,” Bowser agrees, leaning into Luigis hand.

”Not long at all”.

Chapter Text

The last time Rosalina visited the Mushroom kingdom was four years ago. She was still training under her family then. Passionate, intelligent, and gifted with abilities passed on from her parents; to interpret, and utilise the stars.

She is not seen as an enemy to the mushroom kingdom, which is rare considering King Toadstool announces anyone outside the walls as monstrous. 

One time many years back, a worried citizen asked toadstool why someone such as Rosalina or her parents were allowed within the walls. In response, Toadstool pointed up to sky.

“These stars are within our walls are they not? We can see the moon from where we stand. Of course I welcome them”.

He failed to mention that their powers had immense use. He also failed to mention that their power exceeded anything he could hope to create on his own. 

That day Luigi had wondered for the first time if perhaps the ‘wall’ Toadstool always spoke of was not the tangible one surrounding their kingdom, but instead a dividing line drawn by the King, between those he could control, and those he could not.

Rosalina’s observatory was nothing less than grand. Luigi cranes his neck to observe the ginormous structure floating atop the hill that he and Daisy had just made their way up. It's shaped like a bauble, seemingly made of a glowing and ever changing substance that replicated a galaxy, with gold detailing on the doors and railings. Daisy had pointed out that Rosalina didn’t have this with her on her last visit, and Luigi remembered that he had seen it before, only many years before Daisy came to live in the mushroom kingdom. Rosalina had accompanied her parents that time. It seems as though now all control has gone to Rosalina.

Luigi and Daisy ascend the golden steps towards the observatory door.

”Okay, do we have a plan?” Daisy asks. 

“…”

”Luigi? A plan?”

”.. Go in and get a fallen star and then.. leave?”

Daisy halts, swinging around to cut Luigi off from taking another step.

”You don’t have a plan!? You walked over here this morning with such conviction, I just assumed.. ah..well that’s on me, of course you don’t..” Daisy shakes her head, resuming up the stairs.

Somewhere in that sentence Luigi detects an insult, but he chooses to ignore it.

”Bowser told me what to look for; I guess what we need is a distraction?” He says instead.

Daisy stares up at the door.

”A distraction, okay. I can do that.”

”What a cryptic agreement”

”oh, shush you”

The two of them come to a stop, having reached the door;

Except it has no handles. 

”The door has no handles,” Daisy says quietly.

”I can see that, princess.”

Suddenly the doors swing open, Luigi and Daisy jumping back at the motion. Luigi grips the golden railing behind them, collecting himself.

“If it isn’t my first ever clients.” A voice of velvet sounds inside the conservatory.

Luigi and Daisy step inside somewhat sheepishly, taking in the unearthly interior. Shelves of books line the walls, layered with curtains of rich blues and silvers. Stairs spun all around, leading to differing magical objects, all glowing and spinning. The roof showcased constellations. It was eternally night time in this room, but it wasn’t dark nonetheless. Above Luigi and Daisy on a landing of one of the centre staircases, stood Rosalina.

”Welcome” she smiles, and her blue eyes squint as she does.

she too, like her conservatory, glows. 

“Rosalina! How have you been?” Daisy asks brightly.

Luigi realises he hasn’t spoken since the door had opened, and straightens himself up.

Retrieve a fallen star.

How should I go about this?

“I wish I could tell you I have been well, but that hasn’t been the case. This past year has been.. tough for me”, Rosalina says, looking at the floor. Her blonde eyelashes flutter over her glowing eyes. A bright electric blue.

The opposite of Bowsers.

”I’m sorry to hear that” Daisy replies, clearly not prepared for such a heavy response to her small talk.

”How can I help the two of you today?” Rosalina’s voice was soft but sure. She’d grown from the last time they met her.

How about giving us a fallen star? Luigi jokes to himself. Asking something like that so bluntly wouldn't work. There’d be too many questions. Rosalina is the curious type, from what Luigi recalled.

“Daisy would like a reading”, Luigi says, finally speaking.

Daisy doesn’t react to what Luigi says, smiling up at Rosalina.

”A reading, hm?” Rosalina makes her way down the steps.

Luigi feels his eyes adjust as she approaches him and Daisy, her blonde hair and fair skin luminous. Luigi notices that her dress, long and flowing like water, matches her eyes. She was truly unearthly. More than anything, she appears powerful.

Reaching the pair, Rosalina rests her hand gently on Luigi’s shoulder. 

“Wouldn’t you also like a reading, Luigi? You do remember that I read the stars to determine the nature of your relationship when you two first got engaged. A couples reading; The first spell I was allowed to cast without my parents supervision.” 

Luigi shifts uncomfortably, looking around the room. Nothing here looks like a tangible star of any kind. Luigi hears Daisy's laughter.

”What was the outcome of that reading, again? I admit, I don't quite recall” Daisy says, a dry playfulness about her. Of course she remembers. I remember too.

Luigi would probably feel incredibly awkward about this interaction at any other time. But he’s on a mission today, one he can’t afford to fail.

Rosalina brings her hand to her lip absent-mindedly, looking up at the roof of glowing constellations.

”All those years ago, When I asked the stars about your engagement, I was shown a supernova”.

“Ah yes. It was startling to witness that, having just been engaged at the time” Daisy laughs.

Luigi remembers being horrified as well. When Rosalina didn’t have the conservatory at hand to read the stars, she would cast a spell on a glass globe which displayed the stars reading inside. Neither of us knew how to react when our engagement reading was interpreted as the death of a star. An explosive one, at that. I knew both of our hearts had sunk; what had we gotten ourselves into, we’d wondered. But…

”There was more to it if I’m not mistaken.” Luigi says.

Rosalina smiles.

”Yes. A supernova isn’t just a colossal explosion of a star. It's the creation of tiny stars or black holes. The remnants of a dying star eventually combine with other remains and form new stars, moons and planets. So really, it's hinting at rebirth, or potentially at the obstacles you may face throughout your lives.” Rosalina then casually shrugs.

”It's up to interpretation, really”.

Luigi wonders what the stars had to say about him and Bowser. Having seen the sky recently, he couldn’t even try to guess. After all, there hadn’t been any stars in sight for a few days now. The moon had disappeared as well.

As if Daisy had read Luigi's mind, she looks up at the roof of the observatory. Luigi does too, but his eyes quickly wander to the shelves.

”What's been going on with the stars recently anyway? The night sky has been empty for almost a week now.” Daisy asks.

“Ah, yes..” Rosalina's voice becomes sombre suddenly.

Luigi's eyes scan the many staircases and where they lead. 

”I see that the news hasn’t travelled to the Mushroom Kingdom. Of course King Toadstool hasn’t told his people” she shakes her head.

”it's in character, that’s for sure”, Daisy says knowingly.

Rosalina straightens herself up, but her glassy eyes deceive her.

”My parents were murdered. I only just escaped with my own life.” 

Daisy gasps in disbelief.

Luigi notices a certain jar sitting on a higher shelf; in it, a small, softly glowing star. Perfect, really. It will fit in bowser's chest with ease.

“We were never safe really, with the powers we possess” Rosalina continues, “Reading the stars and casting spells with them; abilities many dream of having. But that is why we kept them to ourselves. People could do terrible things with our magic if they were taught how; we had to protect our knowledge, even if it is with our lives…”

Luigi looks back to Rosalina so as not to appear too suspiciously distracted. 

“So, the attacker was after your parents' observatory? This is where your star and spell books are kept, after all” says Daisy.

”I know they were after it. They were not successful though. I rid of them for good.” Rosalina says. 

Tears begin to pour down her cheeks, and Luigi notices that even her tears are glowing and sparkly. 

“Ah sorry,” she hastily wipes her eyes. “To answer your question, Daisy… the stars and moon not appearing in the sky is a form of.. grievance. A few days ago it had been exactly one year since my parents death and so, it seems they’ve hidden themselves from us as a way of respecting my parents lives. Sounds.. maybe crazy, but stars are communicative; at least with my family.”

”Wow..” Is all that Daisy seems to manage.

Luigi glances back up at the small jar containing Bowser’s fallen star.

”Rosalina, may we venture up these stairs to conduct Daisy’s reading? It's beautiful up there”.

I’m taking my chances, Luigi thinks. Hopefully the stairs Rosalina leads us up will be close enough that I can grab the jar without her noticing. 

Luigi looks to Daisy for back up, but is met with an alarmed expression. Why is she looking at me like that?

Rosalina brushes her gown with her hands, before clasping them together and facing Luigi, the only semblance of her recent tears being her sparkling cheeks.

”Why of course, right this way” She smiles, gesturing to one of the staircases. Luigi hurriedly guides a seemingly distracted Daisy by the waist towards the spinning stairs. Rosalina follows behind them.

Reaching the top of the stairs, Luigi quickly glances around to locate the jar. By luck, the jar is within quite close range. The issue that arises is that the jar is bigger than Luigi had initially perceived. It may not be a matter of just taking it unnoticed.

Maybe I’ll take the star and leave the jar behind? With no real time to construct a differing plan, Luigi tugs on Daisy’s sleeve. Daisy slightly shifts her head towards him, acknowledging him without inviting Rosalina into the conversation.

”The jar to our left, that's the one I’m going for. Keep her distracted”, Luigi whispers. 

Daisy glances at the jar and nods hesitantly. She must think I have no chance of sneaking that out. She’s wrong; there’s too much on the line for me to mess this up.

“Let's begin, Lady Daisy”. Rosalina lifts her hand up and makes a brushing motion with her hand. In turn, the roof that replicates a starry night sky spins around.

“I’m Ready Rose, hit me with it!” Daisy looks up energetically at the starry surroundings.

Luigi, sure Rosalina is truly entranced by her reading of the stars, leans over the railing, reaching out to the jar. It is indeed close, but Luigi had to pick it up with two hands. I definitely need to get rid of this jar. 

On the platform where they had all stopped, there was a wooden desk. Luigi quickly places the jar behind the desk and seats himself, praying he appears as though he is waiting for his fiancé to finish her reading and nothing more. Rosalina is still swaying her arms above her head, searching through what looked like galaxies. Daisy's gaze flicks over in Luigi's direction.

Luigi starts to grab at the jar's lid from under the table, trying whatever he can to remove it. After 20 seconds, Luigi finds that nothing is working. 

“Ah, I believe I've found it”, Rosalina says joyously, her hand pausing in the air.

Luigi feels his hands start to sweat and shake. No, no Luigi! Hurry up hurry up hurry up! 

“Oh my, that is quite interesting”, Says Rosalina, looking at Daisy's reading. 

Luigi does not care to look up and see for himself, now frantic; and contemplates running away with the whole jar.

No, no, I wouldn’t make it!

Luigi whips his head over to Daisy, who is entranced by the reading in the stars surrounding her. Agh, Daisy there is no time for this!

”Daisy”, Luigi quietly calls. 

Luigi feels overcome with worry of failure. He considers that Daisy may be able to distract her with something else while Luigi makes a run for it. Really, it was all he had left to come up with. There is no discreet way of opening the jar.

”Daisy”, Luigi's volume rises this time around.

Daisy finally looks at Luigi, however so does Rosalina. Luigi curses himself for being too loud.

”You were also curious about Rosalina’s books, right? The ones down there”, Luigi asks, gesturing with one hand to the observatory ground.

”Uh, yes I indeed am. May you tell me about some of them?” Daisy smiles at Rosalina widely, and begins to skip down the stairs.

Luigi feels partial relief at Daisy’s immediate catching on.

Rosalina does not move from where she is standing.

”Rosalina, are you alright?” Luigi asks, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Damn it Rosalina just go down there, it's not hard!

Rosalina moves to the beginning of the stairs leading down and spins around to face Luigi. Her expression is unreadable.

”Luigi”, Rosalina begins gently,

”What are you doing with my things?”

Luigi freezes, suddenly paralysed by fear.

No. No, no, this isn't going to work, I can’t be stopped here. I can’t I can’t-

Daisy’s voice cuts in from below.

”Oh Rosalina, what are you going on about? Luigi has always been the curious type; he is just looking” Luigi can’t see Daisy, but her voice is shaking.

Luigi finds himself unable to speak, overtaken by dread.

Rosalina, standing in the way of his only exit downstairs, clenches her fists. Her face twists as if she is in pain.

We’re not talking our way out of this.

“Luigi, leave it there and let's go!” Daisy yells out frantically.

”No, Daisy! This is the final piece! Do not tell me to leave it!” Luigi brings the jar up from behind the desk and holds it to his chest defensively.

”Why are you attempting to steal from me? Why do you need a star? I cannot allow you to-” Rosalina's voice breaks.

Luigi ignores her, looking toward the ground for Daisy. He holds up the jar so as to throw it, but Rosalina quickly grabs Luigi's wrist.

“Let me go”, Luigi spits.

Luigi's head is spinning. Daisy continues to call out from below.

“We will break the curse another way, Luigi, leave it!” Daisy shouts desperately.

”No we will not! God, Daisy, enlighten me on where else  you’d gain a fallen star, huh!? Hold your arms out!” Luigi is loud and his tone is aggressive but he doesn’t care.

He attempts again to drop the jar down but Rosalina's hand is still gripped tightly around Luigi's wrist, not budging. Luigi angrily tries to pull his hand away, aware that Rosalina's electrically blue eyes have not left his.

“That cannot be..” she whispers hoarsely.

Luigi uses her distraction to yank himself free of her grip. Her hand swings back to her side harshly at the abrupt motion.

”You are working with a monster…”, Her gaze fades into something murderous.

”You are colluding with King Koopa!”

Luigi tries to rush past her but Rosalina grabs Luigi again, this time by the shoulders.

”Let me go!” Luigi yells out. 

Her grip tightens viciously.

”How dare you break his spell! That spell is not to be broken by you! I designed for it to never be broken!”

”I SAID LET ME GO!” 

Luigi struggles against Rosalina, shoving her off, and in the same motion, swings the jar down with force over Rosalina's head.   

The glass immediately shatters and the star falls below. Rosalina lets out a shriek as blood gushes from the top of her head. She folds over like a rag doll, crumpling down the stairs.

Luigi launches himself downstairs, almost tripping over a weeping Rosalina who lay wreathing about on the lower steps. She tries to grab onto Luigi, but he shakes her off hastily. Scrambling to the floor, Luigi whips his head around to locate Daisy, or the star, whatever he spotted first. Daisy stands near the entrance, visibly shaking.

”Do you have the star!?” Luigi shouts.

Daisy seems unable to find words, only nodding. With that, Luigi grabs Daisy’s arm and rushes her out of the observatory.

As the two of them tumble out of the still open doors and down the exterior stairs, Rosalina’s screams sound behind them. Luigi focuses on escape, but he couldn’t help but notice that amidst the wailing and shrieking for help, she was also crying out for her parents.

Chapter Text

Daisy’s knees hit the grass with a thud muffled by her dress, heaving.

Luigi also comes to a stop, leaning up against a tree to collect his breath. Luigi had never run so fast, he was sure of it. They had ended up in a forest area by the outskirts of the kingdom wall. It was tranquil, actually — the birds chirping sweetly, the leaves rustling — antithetical to the atmosphere only seconds ago. 

He glances over at Daisy, who is now sitting on her heels, her dress sprawled around in the grass. In her gloved hands she holds the star. She stares at it with great intensity.

Luigi kneels down in front of Daisy. The star has a soft golden glow, just bigger than Daisy’s hand. He reaches his hand out and traces the edge of the star with his fingers.

It's warm.

”Luigi..” Daisy’s voice is low.

”Yes?” Luigi looks up from the star to her.

”What the hell was that back there with the jar?” 

Luigi seats himself in front of her.

”I had no choice, Princess”, Luigi says.

Rosalina wouldn’t have let me pass otherwise. I did what I had to do. If I hadn’t… this curse would destroy Bowser…

“That was scary Luigi, seriously. I would never have known you capable of anything like that.” There is no anger in Daisy’s voice; surprisingly. Only concern.

For some reason that annoys Luigi more.

”What do you want me to say to that? I just acted on impulse. I know you think that I’m this weak, fragile person; but I’m not actually that pathetic-“

”Hey. Do not twist my words. You have seriously been acting strange, Luigi”.

Luigi’s head starts pounding, and he squeezes his eyes shut, pressing his hands to his head hastily in some pointless attempt to lessen the pain.

Luigi feels Daisy’s hand on his back.

”Ah.. I’m sorry I’ll drop it; you don’t need me lecturing you right now… Are you okay?”

”Yeah, my head is just…” Luigi lets his hands drop. The pain is still present, but it’s quietened.

“You’ve, um..” Daisy wipes Luigi's forehead, where his hands were initially pressed.

He opens his eyes to see blood on Daisy’s gloved fingers.

”… blood. Your hands have got lots of blood on them.”

”Oh, you’re right..” Luigi’s palms and fingers are completely red.

How did I not notice that until just now? Is it Rosalina’s?… But I barely touched her with my hands…

He sits there quietly while Daisy uses an underlayer of her dress to wipe his hands. As Luigi’s skin starts to become visible, so do a multitude of cuts all over his palms and fingers.

”You must have thrown that glass pretty hard… this blood is yours”, Daisy says, but with some form of hesitancy.

Luigi just nodded, his eyes now unable to leave his wounded hands.

What a pain.

They’re silent for a moment.

”… Do you think she’s dead?” Daisy finally asks.

”I don’t know”, Luigi answers honestly.

It would be better if she was; 

Otherwise I could be accused of attempted murder.

“I hope not..” Daisy says, but her sudden change in expression suggests that she may have caught up to the idea that Rosalina being alive may cause a whole new world of problems.

Luigi opens and closes his hands, wincing each time the cuts and slices on his palms rub together. It hurt, but for some reason he couldn’t stop doing it.

“She knows of Bowser,” says Daisy.

Luigi feels the princess’s worried stare.

“More than that… She said she was the one that cursed him” Luigi brings his knees up to his chest, resting his still aching head on them.

Luigi wasn’t sure what to make of Rosalina’s words; only that she was now most definitely a threat to Bowser. She must have thought that Bowser would never find all of the ingredients to break the curse.

Stars truly are powerful, if they can create curses that binding.

“Do you think Bowser… killed Rosalina’s parents?”

”Daisy!” Luigi cuts her off, angered by that suggestion.

Daisy flinches.

“Ah, I’m sorry, it’s just..” Luigi sighs.

”He wouldn’t have done that, okay? Trust me.. Rosalina was just saying things..”

Daisy nods absently, moving the star around in her hands. 

After a moment of silence, she speaks again.

”If Rosalina created the curse, she would know we’ve got one condition left to meet. Do you think she would figure out that Princess Peach is our target?” 

”It’s likely she would put two and two together…” Luigi trails off watching Daisy fidget with the star, holding back his urge to take it off her to make sure it doesn’t break somehow.

“That said, it's not like she’d be coming for us any time soon.” Luigi looks off in the direction from which they came.

Luigi’s headache worsens once again and he lowers down onto his side, turning his head so his forehead touches the cool grass.

It’s the kind of pain that makes it hard to think. Luigi lays there for a moment, unable to do anything else. Through the chaos in his head, a single voice of thought emerges.

We’re so close. Bowser is almost free. When Bowser’s curse breaks, we can finally leave it all behind. I can finally be free of this place and all of its burdens. 

Luigi gingerly stands up.

“We should get back to our rooms” Luigi holds his hand out to Daisy for the star.

Daisy looks confused for a moment, but then quickly hands the star over, standing up and brushing off her dress.

She takes a deep breath.

”yeah, okay. Lets go.”

The cuts on Luigi's hands hurt even more in the hot bath water. He scoops the water up with his hands and pours it over his head, delicately scrubbing his hair and face. It was painful, but feeling clean was worth it.

As luigi rests his head back his eye catches a gleam from the satchel hanging over a nearby chair. 

I’ll bring that down to Bowser when I’m done here.

Luigi takes a deep breath.

Rosalina has something to do with Bowser's curse. Bowser never really explained why he was cursed, but they must have crossed paths at some point to have had that happen. The question now was what happened exactly.

Not that I’m questioning him… it’s just…

Luigi runs his fingers through his hair, ignoring the sting.

“I don’t know all that much about him...”

a knock sounds from the door. Luigi jumps at the sound, wondering who could possibly be knocking on his bathroom door. 

Daisy? Mario? …Royal Guard?

“Luigi..”

the door creaks open. Bowser tilts his head down to fit through the door.

Oh… it’s just Bowser.

Wait. Wait wait wait-

“Bowser, get out!!” Luigi curls up and covers himself, making some attempt to keep his dignity.

”Why?” Bowser steps towards the bathtub.

”I’m indecent-“

“You haven't come to see me since you got back..” Bowser sits himself next to the bath, staring deeply into Luigi’s eyes.

Luigi struggles to come up with an answer, still completely shocked Bowser had just walked in so casually.

“I- uh-“

”You got the star, right?” 

“Yes, but-“

Bowser's eyes light up. He reaches his hand out, cupping Luigi's face.

”You’re amazing Luigi..” Bowser says huskily.

His hand leaves Luigi's face and his claws gently trace down Luigi's neck, and along his collarbone. Bowser looked completely enamoured.

Luigi felt like he was going to explode.

What is he doing?? I don't think I can handle this-

“Luigi you’re all red, is your bath water too hot?” Bowser tests the water with one of his fingers.

That was enough to make Luigi just about faint.

“Where is the star?”

luigi dazedly points to the chair that the satchel is hanging over, and Bowser gets up to grab it.

God… I’m so embarrassed.

Bowser picks up the star, staring at it as though it was something he had lost long ago and it had finally made its way back to him. Through his embarrassment, Luigi couldn't help but smile seeing Bowser so happy.

A dull ache creeps into Luigi’s head. 

What is with these headaches recently..

After a moment, the dullness became a harsh thrumming, each beat a little sharper, a little more insistent. 

Luigi presses his hands to his head. The cuts on his palm sting, but his head is certainly worse. Pressure builds behind his eyes, a tight, vice-like grip spreading across his forehead, squeezing with each breath Luigi takes.

Of all things, he starts hearing Rosalina’s voice.

You are working with a monster.

He clenches his jaw, trying to will it away, but the pain surges, now jagged, stabbing. Suddenly the light in the room feels too bright, the sounds outside too loud. Even the air felt too thick, too heavy, pressing down on him. It is as though the room had shrunk, leaving no space for anything but this pounding, this relentless pulse.

“Luigi, are you okay?”

You are colluding with the Koopa King!

Luigi grips the bath tub's edge, his vision blurring, the pain roaring now, drowning out thoughts. Each heartbeat feels like an explosion inside his skull. 

That spell is not to be broken by you! I designed for it to never be broken!

“Luigi, please answer me, what's wrong?”

Luigi tries to focus, to do something, anything, but the room feels as though it is now nauseously tilting. Darkness creeps in from the corners of his vision.

My parents were murdered. I only just escaped with my own life.

Luigi's grip falters, and he feels himself slip under the bath water. Everything goes dark.

Luigi’s eyes open slightly. Waking felt like dragging himself up from the bottom of a deep well, every movement heavy and slow. 

Luigi can only just make out his bed chambers, the room dark from drawn curtains. He was dressed, and in his bed.

The pain has ebbed away, leaving only a faint, hollow ache behind his eyes. It’s gone, or at least mostly. 

I’m so tired…

Luigi’s mind is still fogged, as if it hasn’t fully escaped the haze of unconsciousness.

He blinks continuously, shaking away the last of the headache’s claws. Luigi can think again, without the stabbing behind his eyes. But with that clarity comes something worse.

The guilt creeps in, uninvited, gnawing at the edges of his chest. Rosalina's voice, he remembers it. Somewhere between the pain and the haze, suspicion slipped in, bitter and unasked for. A suspicion about Bowser. 

Daisy’s words earlier must have shaken me…

How could he have let what Rosalina had said, what Daisy had said, that ugly flash of doubt, even cross his mind? They were small flashes of thunder in the middle of the storm. But now it looms larger than the headache ever did.

Luigi swallows hard, the ache in his chest sharp.

The basement door suddenly swings open, lighting pouring into the room. Luigi squints his eyes.

”Luigi, you’re awake!” 

Bowser trudges over to Luigi, kneeling by his bed. He gently brushes through Luigi’s hair.

Luigi's stomach churns with guilt.

”Bowser..” Luigi trails off, unsure of what he was even going to say.

Bowser furrows his brows.

”Luigi.. if you don't mind.. I might ask you something first.”

“Um, okay..” Luigis breaths were shallow, and quick.

Bowser adjusts himself on the floor, now sitting. He appears fidgety, nervous.

”The star… you got it from Rosalina, didn’t you?”

Luigi doesn’t say a word, suddenly aware of how fast his heart is beating. 

Bowser doesn’t wait for Luigi to answer.

”Did she… say anything to you?… about me?” He hesitates a moment.

”About.. What happened to her parents?”

“Yes…” Luigi manages.

Bowser freezes.

Luigi sits up, grabbing browsers hands.

”But- It’s not like I believe every word she said! Okay? So don’t worry…” Luigi felt like that last sentence was for himself.

Bowser shakes his head.

”Luigi, it’s obviously bothering you. Let me… explain myself.”

Luigi can feel Bowser's hands shaking.

“I sought her family out, for help.”

Bowser pauses, as though trying to find the words.

“I was seeking guidance, and a spell. I was in a desperate situation, being hunted, and needed to figure out how to survive.”

Bowser takes a deep breath.

”But they did not take kindly to my arrival, Luigi. I am hated by most, if not all of the kingdoms, due to past conflicts. I thought maybe they would be an exception, but I was mistaken. Immediately, I was attacked. I had no choice but to fight back..”

Bowser looks right into Luigi's eyes, noticeably trembling.

”And after you killed Rosalina’s parents… she cursed you?” Luigi asks in a whisper.

”..Yes. She was enraged, and as I escaped, these shackles had materialised on my body.” 

Bowser looks up and into Luigi’s eyes.

“It was self defence Luigi, I swear to you” Bowser's eyes were watering, pleading in a way Luigi had never witnessed. Bowser’s whole body is trembling.

His words hang in the air, raw and heavy, like something too fragile to touch. Luigi sits there, feeling the weight of it, of everything Bowser just confessed. It is worse than Luigi had imagined, but not in the way he’d thought. Bowser was reckless, maybe, but he wasn't cruel. He did what he had to. 

God, I feel sick. How could I have doubted him? 

That small, gnawing suspicion that had crept into Luigi’s mind, poisoning his thoughts; He’d tried to ignore it, bury it deep, but it was there all the same. And now, sitting here, hearing the truth straight from Bowser’s lips, Luigi feels ashamed. Ashamed that he ever let himself believe Bowser could be anything other than misunderstood.

Luigi sees the way Bowser looks at him now, waiting for something—for judgement, for rejection. Luigis can see it in his eyes, how he expects Luigi to pull away, to abandon him. But all Luigi feels is a tightness in his chest, an overwhelming urge to reach out, to tell him that he’s here, that he understands. That he should have asked about his life sooner.

Bowser doesn’t deserve this. Any of it. Not the hate, not the isolation, and definitely not my doubt. 

The guilt burns Luigi, sharp and deep.

I should have known better.

“I’m sorry,” Luigi manages to say, though the words feel too small, too light for what he wants to convey. But they’re all he has.

“I trust you”.

Bowser's eyes flicker with something—relief, maybe. Or maybe just the briefest hope that not Everyone thinks of him as a monster.

And I won’t.

Not now, not ever.

Chapter Text

Luigi stirs awake. His eyes drift towards the gap in the windows curtains. The sun is well and truly up. He blinks once, slowly, and then exhales.

Tomorrow is the coronation.

This morning is breakfast; With Daisy, Mario, and Peach. He was supposed to be up already.

Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he stretches, cracking his neck with a low grunt. Yesterday's events had left him sore, and despite his attempts to bandage his hands, his sleep undid them entirely, so now his cuts were quite tender also. Luigi has a resigned awareness that he is running late, but still sits there a moment more. He rubs a hand over his face, feeling the coarse stubble on his jaw.

“Ugh,” he mutters under his breath. 

It had been a few days since he’d shaved. Mario and Peach might tease him about it, but he didn’t mind. Being unkempt is the least of my problems.

Moving to the dresser, Luigi pulls on a simple button up and dark pants, tucking the fabric in absentmindedly. In the bathroom, he glances at his reflection in the mirror, running a hand through his disheveled hair to smooth it out. It wasn’t perfect, but it would do. No shave, he decides, rubbing his chin again. 

Luigi glances at the trap door as he leaves, wondering what Bowser was doing down below. He’s probably still sleeping, knowing him. Luigi imagines Bowser curled up in his favourite corner, mumbling in his sleep with furrowed brows, and it makes him chuckle. 

With the image still lingering in his mind, he quickly makes his way down to breakfast. 

The breakfast had been set up outdoors, where the midnight ball had taken place. Luigi wonders why his brother chose the very location that had to be evacuated only some nights earlier, but chose not to linger on the thought too long; Mario’s line of thinking has never been an easy one to follow.

Luigi steps out to the balcony area. Mario looks up in Luigi's direction immediately, grinning.

”brother! Lovely of you to wake from your beauty sleep to join us!” 

”It’s too early for your mockery” Luigi groans.

He seats himself across from Daisy, who smiles. Good, she’s acting normal.

It is something of a feast laid out on the table, made up of all kinds of breads, fruits, eggs, jams and relishes. It looks marvelous, but Luigi doesn’t take any. It would be difficult to take any of this with me for Bowser with everyone here. I’ll have to go to the kitchen later…

“Chose the rugged look this morning?” Daisy reaches over the table and swipes her gloved finger across Luigi's unshaven cheek.

Luigi swats her away.

”yeah, yeah, can it.”

“It’s impossible for Luigi to look rugged with his baby face”, Mario chimes in, laughing.

”don’t you start”, Luigi warns.

But Luigi knew it was already well underway, Daisy and Mario giggling as they made their jabs, one upping each other with insults, which Luigi tunes out by paying deep attention to the taste of the coffee he had poured himself. Bitter, bitter, bitter.. but anything is better than tea…

”That’s enough you two, leave Luigi alone.”

Luigi snaps out of his self-induced trance as a hand touches his arm. Peach, who Luigi had only just registered being seated next to him, pouts in a not-so-obvious attempt to be stern. 

“Booooo” mario jeers, though he quietens as Peach squints her eyes in his direction.

She turns to Luigi and lifts her arm to scruff his hair gently.

”You look handsome” she says, smiling.

Luigi knew that Daisy and Mario were joking, and was unbothered by their mocking, however Peach still came to his aid. She always has been gentle with me…

Peach looks rather frail, despite her warm expression and sweet voice. Her health has been deteriorating for years, and although she is young, she has difficulty eating without feeling ill, is dangerously underweight, is always fatigued, and is highly susceptible to illness, which she is quite often. The royal doctor had said that the root of the issue was likely mental. She‘s paranoid, claustrophobic, and has regular night terrors. Her medicines list is long and she spends most of her time resting. It would have taken Peach a lot to even come to breakfast this morning. The Peach that Mario and him had met all those years ago was an entirely different girl, and Luigi was at a loss for words when thinking about the extent to which she has deteriorated.

It’s safe to say we’ll be putting her out of-

“It’s a shame Rosalina isn’t with us this morning.” Mario says.

Luigi freezes.

”I was going to ask my love, I had sent out an invitation for this breakfast yesterday and she never responded, have you spoken to her?” Peach asks.

Luigi can feel Daisy’s eyes.

Don’t look at me, you idiot! Stop looking at me!

“I haven’t spoken to her, no. She certainly arrived, it’s hard to miss the conservatory, even from the other side of the kingdom.”

”Perhaps we should check on her-“

Daisy stands from her seat abruptly, some cutlery falling to the ground with a loud clang. Peach jolts in her seat at the sound, and Mario grabs her hand over the table. Both of their heads whip in Daisy’s direction.

”You right there?” Mario asks.

“I’ll check on Rosalina.” Daisy says, staring at the table. ”You guys must be busy after all, and it won’t be in Peach’s best interest to go all the way to the conservatory.”

”Well, I suppose you’re right.” Peach replies, fidgeting with her gloves.

She’s shaking now, all because of some cutlery. 

“Lovely. Well, I better be on my way then. I’ll see you all later!” Daisy bows slightly, before hurrying off. 

Luigi wonders if Daisy had always been a shocking liar. That said, her entire identity in the mushroom kingdom as Peach’s cousin was a lie, and she held up that one damn well. So maybe, she’s just trying to get us caught.

“I am rather tired, actually” Peach says with a laugh.

”I’ll take you back to bed” Mario says, rising from his seat.

”But, Luigi-“ she starts.

Luigi cuts her off. 

”You go and rest. Be easy on yourself. I’ll get someone to come clean this up” Luigi says.

Peach smiles in response as Mario helps her out of her seat. They make their way off of the balcony.

Luigi turns toward the barely touched breakfast.

Well Bowser, aren’t you lucky.

Bowser ate everything Luigi brought for him that morning in a matter of minutes, which was usually how it went. Still chewing a piece of bread, he leans, seated against the wall, looking about ready to sleep. 

Cute.

”Did you eat today?” Bowser asks drowsily.

”Not very hungry. I’ll eat something later.”

Bowser nods absently, finishing the bread. 

There's a sudden cracking sound, to which the two of them startle.

“What the hell was that?” Luigi asks. 

Bowser doesn’t answer, staring at his arm with unreadable wide eyes. Luigi gasps as he notices himself.

The cursed shackle on Bowser’s right wrist has cracked. Then; another crack, this time at the shackle on his left ankle.

The shackles that have been on Bowser all this time, they’re breaking!?

“Why now? What's going on?” Luigi can’t fathom what he’s seeing.

Bowser’s eyes don’t leave his wrist shackle.

”The curse is unravelling because we have almost broken it.” Bowser taps at the thing, still attached but certainly broken.

”How… how does it feel?” Luigi takes an inch towards Bowser from where he was seated, gently resting his hand on Bowser's arm.

Met with silence, Luigi looks up at Bowser's face. His eyebrows are furrowed, his eyes still wide, and his breathing is noticeably shallow.

”Bowser? Are you okay?”

Bowser suddenly shakes his head, returning to himself.

”Yes, yes, I’m okay. I.. It feels free. Well, free-er. Not exactly free yet!” He smiles.

”Bowser…” Luigi does not find Bowser's smile convincing.

“It’s nothing, really. Well, I just.. Agh, I don't even know.” Bowser seems to be internally arguing with himself.

Luigi pulls Bowser's face towards him with one hand. Carefully, he traces up his cheek and along his eyebrows, hoping to relax the conflicted expression twisting his face. 

”There’s a lot going on. And this is sudden. Even if it’s good news, it’s okay if you feel overwhelmed.” Luigi remembers Peach of all people telling him something along those lines years ago, right before he accepted an award.

“Your hand is so warm..” Bowser places his own hand on top of Luigis. 

Luigi feels his face heat up.

”And..you’re so nice to me.” Bowser’s amber eyes meet Luigi’s with those words.

His enchanting eyes. So warm. So full of good, and hurt, and love.

Love.

Luigi used to find that word quite daunting. Really, what did it even mean? He has witnessed it, watching Mario and Peach all these years. They have loved each other almost as long as they’ve known each other. But how did they know that it was love? Was it nervousness, or excitement? Was it comfort? Then again, Luigi has felt all of those emotions with Daisy and he would not say that he loves her. 

Bowser's expression finally softens. His amber eyes kindle with something Luigi can’t quite name, but it is hard to look away. 

Silence now stretches between them. Bowser remains unreadable in expression, but steady. 

Luigi’s still holding Bowser's face, thumb now barely moving against the scales near his brow. Bowser does not shy from Luigi’s touch, and if anything leans into it. The burning in his eyes…

Is he going to..?

Luigi swallows, his heart in his throat.

Bowser looks serious. Like he looked when Luigi had first spoken to him on the rubble of his castle. It freezes Luigi in place, but not out of fear. 

Bowser’s face is close now. Very close, Luigi's fingers still pressed to his cheek and brow. His eyes flick down for a second.

My lips my lips my lips he just looked at my lips-

Bowser inches closer again; But slowly, and so as not to move Luigi's hand, giving Luigi the choice to push him away.

He’s giving me every opportunity to back away. To say I don’t want this.

But…

I want this more than he knows. 

So instead Luigi meets him in the middle.

The kiss is tentative at first, unsure, as if testing a door to see if it will open. But it quickly deepens. Luigi feels Bowser's large hands pressed against his back and waist, and moves his own arms around Bowser's neck in turn. The kiss is warm and soft and tastes of bread and jam, and Luigi doesn’t want it to end. Eventually though, it does.

When they part, Bowser’s eyes search Luigi’s face, looking for some hint of a reaction.

“Was that, okay?” He asks, his voice poorly masking his uncertainty.

He’s adorable.

And now I think I understand.

Luigi cannot help but smile.

“Yeah, it was good”.

Bowser lets out a huff of amusement that could also be interpreted as a sigh of relief. 

Luigi caresses Bowser's face, taking him by surprise. It's rare, but Luigi loves seeing Bowser flustered.

“It was so good, I think we should do it again,” Luigi says.

Where did this confidence come from? Luigi had not the damndest clue.

Bowser huskily chuckles.

”I might be able to fit that in my schedule.”

”Oh, will you? What a generous king you are.”

“Yes I’m quite generous. Will next fortnight work?”

”Bowser, I will walk out of here right now.”

”Oh, look at that, suddenly I’m available! There was a last minute cancellation. Where were we?”

This time there's no uncertainty. Their lips crash together with hunger and purpose. 

I don’t want this to end. 

And I think… What I’m feeling right now… this warmth.

I think it’s love.

And in all honesty,

I don’t find it daunting at all.

Chapter Text

When it comes to planning a murder, Luigi hasn’t much experience in the field. 

Well, supposedly, he could (as of yesterday) say he has experience with murder, but to call that absolute disaster ‘planned’ would be an outright lie.

Luigi rests his head against the table with a sigh. Around him are swarms of colour and noise as the royal staff buzz around in frantic excitement and utter chaos. Tailors chase toadspeople with pins in their teeth, stewards carry trays piled with dishes, and someone has spilled an entire basket of … are those refreshrooms? Wha-…Why would we need those?

Anyway…

There is a vibrancy in the castle today; and what other reason would it be than that the coronation was only one sleep away? People can hardly contain their energy.

Luigi, on the other hand, found that reminding himself the coronation was tomorrow only invited a need to hyperventilate or a want to sleep. 

Luigi feels someone appear next to him. He lifts his head to see a toadsperson holding two white fabrics. I think her name is Morel?

“Luigi, which would make a better table cloth?” She holds them both out eagerly.

“They look… the same.” Luigi says, because they do.

Morel grumbles.

“One is cream and one is off-white- oh whatever, just pick one! I heard you tell someone when you wandered in here that you’d help out.”

I ‘wandered’ in here to see the floor plan so I could decide how Bowser is going to get to Peach for the 40-or-so seconds she’ll be by herself on the stage tomorrow.

And.. I needed some air after Bowser and I..

Luigi feels his face flush.

“Luigi!” She lightly whacks the back of my head.

“Hey- Morel, why!?” Luigi rubs the back of his head

"Are you sick? have you eaten lunch?" She lectures more so than asks.

“Morel, Morel, I'm fine; Just go with the, uh, off-cream one that you mentioned.”

Luigi catches Morel’s eye twitching before she holds one of the fabrics up. 

“Excellent choice Luigi.” with that, she speeds off.  

Luigi rests his head back on the table and groans.

All I’m doing is sitting here aimlessly. Sure, I know the general setup now. but there's still so much to consider; How is Bowser going to get to Peach without being seen? If he’s found out any earlier than the moment he kills her the whole plan will fail. I don't want him in any danger, and making an attempt at Peach’s life in front of my brother is the equivalent of signing your own death certificate.

Luigi pauses on that thought, realising he may have accidentally caused himself to go down a rabbit hole of worry. Not only does the plan need to involve getting bowser to Peach without being caught, it needs to involve a safe escape. The last time Bowser faced Mario it did not go well for Bowser. He didn’t seem to take any permanent damage, but who’s to say he won’t this time around?

No no, I’m getting ahead of myself. Focus, Luigi. If you make a fool-proof plan, this won’t be a concern. I’ve come across plenty of obstacles to protect Bowser, and I overcame them all. This is no different. One final obstacle; And then Bowser will be free.

Luigi straightens himself in his chair, readjusting his eyes to the harsh light now that his head is no longer in his arms. Luigi notices that it had somehow gotten even busier in the hall since he’d last looked up. The hall is teeming with toadspeople. Luigi spots Daisy, weaving among the crowd, and heading straight for him. Her eyes are wide, darting. Not good.

She finally breaks through the crowd, seating herself next to Luigi.

“You okay?” Luigi asks.

“No. I’m not.” She glances around, and then leans in, her voice low. “Rosalina’s gone.”

“What?” Luigi blinks.

“I went to the conservatory, thought maybe I’d pretend I found her or something, I don't know, but she wasn’t there; No blood, no smashed glass-...Luigi, it’s like it never fucking happened.”

Luigi sucks in a short breath. “Ha… that’s um, that’s bad.”

“Either someone found her first, or she’s alive.” Daisy whispers, but her voice keeps breaking.

Yeah, shit. This is really bad.

“If she’s alive, we’re fucked.” Luigi says, his eyes glued to the crowd now. No one seems uneasy, but that wasn’t enough to calm him, nor Daisy.

“Yeah,” Daisy manages. 

She’s somehow more composed than she was at breakfast, however her panic is clear by the way she's hurriedly   picking at her gloves with enough force to rip the fabric.

The crowd that fills the hall stirs in sudden excitement that prompts both Luigi and Daisy to look towards the entrance. 

“Your majesty Princess Peach!” one of the royal staff proclaims.

Luigi instinctively lowers his head at the sound of her name. The noise in the room has heightened, with many calling out to her, and Luigi picks up Mario's name being called as well. Great, both of them. Why now?

Luigi glances at Daisy, who’s craning her neck to catch a glimpse through all the toadspeople. We need to get out of this room.

“Alright everyone, calm down; Her majesty needs some space. Return to your duties at once!”

The crowd immediately lowers to quiet chatter and disperses.

That was Mario's voice. He sure knows how to command a room.

Luigi grabs Daisy’s hand, watching the entrance still as it clears to find an opening.

“We need to go.”

Luigi catches sight of Peach’s signature pink gown and then finally sees her face. It’s still too crowded to fully make her out, but it's clear she's in conversation, laughing in her usual sweet way. Seems that rest did her well this morning. Mario walks behind her with a hand on her back; focused, but calm. 

Luigi takes something of a sigh of relief at their demeanor, but his breath catches in his throat when he notices the tall, luminescent silhouette beside Peach. 

No, no, no, that’s-

“Rosalina,” Daisy falters.

Shit. 

It’s unmistakably her; There aren’t many around with pearl-coloured hair that flows around as though it were floating around in space, or, you know, people that literally glow. Rosalina tucks her hair behind her ear and Luigi sees her face; no blood, no bruises. 

Hell, not even a scratch. 

“She’s not hurt, at all. Did I imagine yesterday or something?” Luigi lets out a quiet laugh of all things. 

“No.” 

Daisy's voice is stern. 

“It definitely happened. You smashed glass over her head. There was so much blood. She shouldn’t be alive, let alone uninjured.”

“Then what- she’s using magic? Concealing her wounds?” Luigi leans forward, squinting as if that will change what he’s seeing.

“Probably.”

They watch Rosalina lean over to Peach and whisper something that makes the princess giggle as they walk through the hall. Luckily, far from where they’re seated.

“But, why would she do that?” Luigi mutters.

Neither of them have an answer. 

But they both know they need to leave.

Luigi carefully rises from his seat, as does Daisy. His eyes dart over to the sole exit in the hall, and then to Peach and Rosalina one last time. 

He’s unexpectedly met with Rosalina’s gaze. Luigi’s stomach drops.

Her expression doesn’t change. No wide eyes, no flinching, no accusations screamed across the hall. She simply looks at Luigi – Not like someone scared or angry – but like someone reading a complicated equation and trying to solve it. Luigi does everything not to shiver at the jolt Rosalina's stare sends up his spine.

What is she thinking about?

Mario taps Rosalina on the shoulder, and that’s all it takes for her to look away from Luigi, who stumbles back as if broken out of a trance.

“Luigi?” Daisy steadies him.

“ I need to go talk to her, princess. There’s more to all this. There’s a reason she’s not saying anything.” Luigi's eyes don't leave Rosalina.

“Yes, obviously Luigi, but we can’t do anything about that right now. There's so many people here. We need to go.”

“No, I’m going to-” 

Luigi tries to pull away from Daisy, but a sudden, excruciating pain pierces his skull, halting him in his tracks. His knees buckle before he can stop himself, and Daisy catches him as he falls.

“Agh, not..again…”

Words slip through gritted teeth, but the rest scatter before they reach his tongue. Thoughts dissolve into static. The pain erupts without warning—sharp, searing—worse than yesterday in the bath. All Luigi can hear now is ringing. Deafening, endless ringing.

The hallway tilts violently as he's lifted, the world spinning out of control. Through the haze of dizziness, just before everything fades, Luigi glimpses a pair of electric blue eyes piercing through him from the doorway.

Or maybe he imagined that.

Either way, the darkness takes him soon after.