[Super Murdero Bros.]

New chapter.


Chapter Four

We walked together through the palace, as we talked. “So, what’s it like being so famous?” she asked me.

I shrugged. “It’s okay, I guess. But I suppose I should be asking you. You’re a princess, after all.”

“Oh, hush.” She giggled. “I’m just the daughter of the king of some backwater land. It’s nothing like being the man who saved a kingdom again and again.”

“Well,” I said slowly, “I don’t really get much attention. Not as much as my brother, at least.”

“Why not?”

“He’s the…” I paused. “…Lucky one. He’s nice, he’s outgoing, he makes a much better hero than I do.”

“But that’s not true!”

“It is. He’s a better speaker, he’s a better jumper, he’s got better looks.”

“That’s not true!” Daisy said. “You’re much better looking than him!”

I blushed in spite of myself. “That’s not what all the other women seem to think.”

“Well,” she said, “the other women are stupid. You’re clearly so much more than just Super Mario’s brother.” She looked at me, and I looked back. “You’re a real person.”

I sighed as we walked out of the cloister into the back yard. There were few others around. A fountain splashed a few feet away, trees shimmering in the wind. “It sure is nice out,” I said.

“It is,” Daisy replied. We walked to the fountain. We could see small gold coins glittering beneath the water. Daisy splashed her hands through the water playfully. As I watched her, I suddenly realized who she was, why she seemed so familiar.

I pulled the wood carving from my pocket, holding it up in the air. Sure enough, Daisy was the spitting image of my carving. The hair, the eyes, the dress, everything. It was an exact replica.

I felt stunned. I had whittled a carving of this girl before I had even met her. How was that possible? How did that happen?

She turned and noticed the carving in my hand. “What’s that?”

“This?” I asked. “Oh, it’s just a little carving I made.” I shoved it into my pocket.

“You whittle?”

I nodded. “On occasion. It’s just something to pass the time.”

She smiled. “That’s so cool! I wish I had a hobby of my own. Anything to occupy my time.” She sighed, stepping up to the rim of the fountain.

I watched her as she walked along the edge, her high heels clicking against the stone. I approached her warily. “Are you sure that’s safe?”

She snickered. “Of course it’s safe. Come on up here!” She reached her hand out to pull me up.

I gulped, debating whether or not I should follow her. I looked into her eyes, staring back at me with welcoming suspense. I sighed, and grabbed her hand, taking a step up onto the fountain edge. As I adjusted my feet uneasily, she giggled, looking up into my eyes. “You see? Was that so ha—whoa!” She waved her hands in the air, and in a moment I realized she was falling. As she fell backwards into the fountain I grabbed her hand to pull her back, but instead she pulled me in. We both fell into the pool, still holding hands as we emerged from the water.

We stared at each other. Her dress was soaked, I could only imagine what had happened to my trousers, if only I could take my eyes off of her. She looked back at me, and she suddenly cracked a grin. She began to laugh. And then, something I never expected happened.

I laughed too.

For the first time since… hell, I can’t remember, I laughed. Instead of feeling empty and depressed, I felt meaning, I felt happiness. I felt like I had discovered friendship.

I stood up in the fountain, still laughing and holding her hand. I pulled her up, as she continued to laugh too. We both stepped out of the pool, and turned to see Mario, the princess, and her entourage standing before them.

Toadsworth coughed. “What tomfoolery is this? The fountain is not for swimming!”

“We fell in,” Daisy explained.

Princess Peach looked from me to Daisy, to me, to Daisy, and back to me. “You’re wet,” she said. Ditz. Of course we’re wet. “Do you need some clothes to dry off in?”

“That would be nice,” Daisy chuckled.

Mario approached me. “Bro, can I talk to you for a minute? Alone?”

I suddenly felt as though I had done something wrong. I allowed my brother to lead me away from the group. He turned to face me, staring at me with a steely, unmoving face. I gulped.

After what seemed like an eternity, Mario grinned, and hugged me. “Luigi! You player!”

I was baffled. “W-What?”

He pulled away from me, still grinning. “You’re hooking up with a girl! Finally, bro, finally!”

I coughed. “What do you mean? We’ve only just met.”

“You were talking, you fell into the fountain together! And I saw you two holding hands!” Even though Mario was half-whispering, I feared Daisy or some of the others might overhear him. “You’ve got a girlfriend!”

“A… girl… friend?”

“A girlfriend!”

I shook my head. “No, no, we’ve just met. We’re only friends.”

“You’re so naïve, Luigi.” He chuckled. “Listen, bro, ask her out on a date.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me! Ask her out on a date! She’s all yours, you just need to make the first move!”

“I really don’t know if I can… Or should.”

“Come on, bro, you have to. Do it for me.” I looked up at him. He looked very serious. “Come on. It’ll be great, trust me.”

I shrugged. “I… don’t know.”

“Come on,” he said as he pushed me towards the group. “You have to.”

He pushed me back towards them. Daisy was talking with Peach, who turned to face Mario as we approached. “What were you talking about?”

Mario grinned. “Politics.”

“Oh.” She didn’t seem to see through Mario’s lie. “Mario, can we go talk privately?”

Mario nodded. “Anything, Peach.” He walked to the princess and took her away, her entourage following closely behind. Soon, I was alone with Daisy again.

She coughed. “They’re going to bring us some dry clothes in a minute.”

“That’s good,” I said, sighing. I looked up into the starry skies. “I wonder how many stars there are up there.”

Daisy looked up also. “A lot.”

I pointed up. “Do you see that group of stars up there? They make up the constellation Raphael.” The stars indeed lined up to form the shape of a raven, staring down at them from the heavens.

“You sure know a lot.”

“Yeah, I read a lot.” I coughed, taking a step towards her. “Daisy?”

She looked at me. “What?”

I wringed my hands together, shuffling my feet against the ground. “Listen, I was wondering if…” I paused. “…If maybe sometime you could…” I stopped again, choking on the words. “…Go out on a d… D… D…” I couldn’t get the word out. “D… D… D… D…”

She finished the sentence for me. “…Date?”

I nodded. “Yeah, a d… date.”

She smiled. “I’d love that.”

YES! I finally had a girlfriend! It was the most amazing feeling in the world, I could feel my heart flooding with these new sensations. I felt cared about, I felt needed. I felt loved.

As much gratitude I felt, as happy I was, the only thing I could utter to describe my infinite feelings was, “That’s great.”

She giggled. “I was really hoping you’d ask me.”

“Well, I was really hoping I’d ask you too.”

“So… How about a walk through the park? The day after tomorrow.”

“Sounds good.”

She smiled. “I’m looking forward to seeing you.”

I chuckled. “I am too. This is kind of… my first… y’know… relationship.”

“That’s okay.” She looked into my eyes. “It’s my first relationship too.”

I was surprised. A girl as pretty, as friendly as her must have had at least a few boyfriends. But I was glad, glad I was her one and only.

She smiled, and I smiled back. “I can’t wait until our date,” she said.

“Me neither.”

“Princess Daisy!” A short, canine assistant approached the girl. He looked like a dog wearing a suit. “My, you’re all wet! Nevertheless, your father is ready to leave. He is waiting for you in the coach.”

“Right now?” Daisy exclaimed.

“Right now, your highness.” He walked away.

Daisy sighed. “Well, I guess I have to leave now.” She faced me. “It was nice meeting you.” She stepped forward and placed a kiss on my left cheek. “I can’t wait until our date.” She smiled one last time, then walked away.

I stood there, alone. My skin still tingled where her lips had touched me. I felt a strange, warm feeling inside of me. I had never felt this way before in my life.

Touching my cheek, the spot where she had kissed me, I sighed. Was this love? Was this what made life worth living? Was this really it? I grinned.

Life is good.


NEXT CHAPTER:
Luigi prepares for his big date! Will he score big-time? Or will he totally mess it up? Find out on the next episode of DRAGONBALL Z!!!one