How Luigi Met Daisy

[Smarmy Vent]

Here's a short story I've been working on. Look out for the next chapter.

HOW LUIGI MET DAISY

CHAPTER ONE

It was one of those lazy days in the Mushroom Kingdom, when there was nothing to do, no evil turtles or sinister toads to defeat. No, it was just a regular old day, as I remember, in the Mushroom Kingdom.

I sat on the front porch in my folding lawn chair, carving away at a tiny block of wood in my hands. Whittling was a craft I had taken on during these dull times, when I had nothing else to do. As I sat there I sighed. It wasn’t as though I had anything else to do.

Years had passed since me and my brother had first come to the Mushroom Kingdom. It had all begun as a simple day at work, when we were called in to fix some plumbing. But we found our way to this magical realm, and we haven’t left since.

Heroes, some would call us. I remember that first couple of days, when we fought our way through the land and overthrew the evil King Koopa. It was a day to be remembered, for me, for my brother, for the entire kingdom.

As time passed, we got called to save more people, to solve more problems. And as we worked together to help the kingdom, it became more and more apparent that I was playing second fiddle. Mario had always been the favorite, with mom and dad, with the girls back in Brooklyn, and now with the Mushroom people. But I didn’t care, I didn’t want the life of fame and glory my brother was receiving. Too much attention, if you ask me.

But anywho, I was sitting on the front porch, whittling at a block of wood. I had started out with a small cube, now I had carved down to something else. I had no idea what I was whittling, I never did until I was finished. I simply did my work and saw what came of it. Sometimes I would end up with a neat little sculpture that I could paint and display. Other times, I would get junk to just throw away.

As I carved further, I sighed again. Pausing momentarily, I reminisced to that day long, long ago. I remembered it so clearly, I could almost feel the intensity of the battle, the final roar of King Koopa as he fell to his supposed death, the sweet scent of the princess.

Toadstool was a beauty, I will admit, but not really my taste. She was far too dainty, to patrician. Hell, I didn’t have much taste in women at all, which would explain how I had never had a girlfriend once in my life. But Mario, on the other hand, had always been with a girl. Whether it was Janice, Caroline, or Pauline, he always had a woman at his side. When he finally met the princess herself, he really hit it off. A few slick moves and he had gotten a date with the girl.

He had gotten a date. With a princess! However, I was not surprised. Mario had all the luck with the ladies. I knew that it was only a short matter of time before he found someone here.

The kingdom celebrated, and we had some well-deserved rest. The adventure I had just been on was the biggest of my life. However, I would soon learn it would not be my only.

Not long after the princess was kidnapped by King Koopa again, and we went after her again. Another adventure, another battle with King Koopa, another kiss the princess planted on Mario’s cheek. It was only the second time, but already I was growing sick of it.

Afterwards the princess invited us to a picnic. It was me, my brother, her highness and her guard, a mushroom retainer named Toad. Mario and the princess were flirting, as usual. Meanwhile I made some small-talk with the guard. He was friendly, and sternly devoted to the princess. He also seemed to love eating mushrooms, oddly enough.

Then Mario led us into a cave, and found another realm, one which he claimed to have seen in his dreams. He ruined the picnic, in my opinion. We had another adventure, the four of us, and overthrew another big green ruler. Mario got the fame, of course.

We returned to the Mushroom Kingdom to find it in turmoil. The kings of seven neighboring nations had been turned into animals and had their magic scepters stolen from them by King Koopa and his seven children. Once again, my brother and I were called in to do the job.

As we defeated the last of the Koopalings and restored peace to the kingdoms, we received a letter from King Koopa himself, claiming he had, once again, kidnapped the princess. So we followed him to his kingdom, fought him, and rescued the princess, again.

After all of this I was very weary, and suggested we take a vacation. My brother accepted, but threw a wrench into the plans by inviting the princess along. I had grown quite tired of her, and was not happy. But I remained calm, I knew that nothing would go wrong.

It did. King Koopa spoiled our R&R and kidnapped the princess again. We tracked him down, defeated him, and saved the princess. At this point I felt ready to vomit. The rate at which this woman was getting kidnapped was nauseating.

Afterwards I suppose I started disliking princesses. Too much trouble, in my opinion. They really ought to increase her highness’s protection, seeing how often she gets stolen.

But here I was, back at my home, whittling by myself. The hunk of wood had taken an odd, bell-shaped form. Probably a dud, I thought to myself.
The door swung open and the short, plump figure of my brother emerged into the brisk morning air. He stretched his arms out, yawning loudly. Scratching his side, he turned to me. “Good morning, Luigi. What have you got there?”

I looked down at my sculpture. “Oh, it’s nothing. Just whittling.”

Mario nodded. “Do you know if the mail’s come yet?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Oh, here it is!” He pointed out in to the distance as I looked up. Surely enough, a small figure was closing in on them. I squinted, making out a body and two flapping wings.

It approached, fluttering through the air and falling softly to the ground. It was the mailkoopa, Parro. He waved at us, his white mustache twitching. “Good morning, Mario brothers!”

Mario waved back as he stepped towards the koopa. “Good morning to you, Parro.”

The mailkoopa reached into his bag and produced several envelopes. “I have a couple for you today, Mario.” He flipped through them. “The first is a note of congratulation from the Chancellor.”

Mario took it eagerly as I sighed. No letters for me, I’ll bet.

“This one here is a subscription form for Toad Town Courier. Do you want it?”

“No,” Mario said. “You can just throw it away.”

“Alright then.” He looked at the final letter. “This one here is an invitation from her Highness, to attend her party tomorrow night.”

Mario snatched it as I rolled my eyes. “A letter from the princess? A party?” He ripped the envelope open and pulled out the letter.

“Well, I had better get going,” Parro said. “I’ve got more mail to deliver.”

Mario gave him a half-hearted wave goodbye as he unfolded the letter. He stepped towards me, reading it out loud as the mailkoopa flew away. “Dear Mario,” he said proudly. “Tomorrow night I will be hosting a party at my palace. I was hoping you could attend. There will be many guests, including ministers from foreign nations. You are very well known, and many of the people would love to meet you. We could also spend some time alone together. I do hope you come. Sincerely, Princess Peach Toadstool.” He grinned, reading further down the note. “P.S. You can bring your brother along if you want.”

I snorted. She didn’t need to invite me as an after-though, it would have been less insulting if she hadn’t invited me at all. Not that it mattered, I wasn’t going.

“Isn’t this great, bro?” Mario seemed excited. “A party tomorrow night! And we’re invited!”

I nodded unenthusiastically, still whittling my block of wood, which was taking on a more distinct shape. Mario seemed to notice my apathy. “Are you even going?”

“Probably not.”

“Well, whatever. I’m going.” He stepped eagerly up to the front door. “I’ll pick out my best suit.”

The door slammed shut and I sighed again. Another pointless party, another evening spent alone at home. I looked down at my carving. It had taken on a human shape, namely, a woman wearing a dress. Slowly, I realized what I had been making. This was a carving of the princess.

I snorted. She was what was on my mind, and she was the last thing I wanted to whittle. I took my knife and continued to carve, changing her into something new. I changed her charm from a circular jewel to something else. A heart? No. A flower? Yes, that’ll work. I turned to her arms. Those long gloves wouldn’t work. I shaved them down to wrist length. Much better. I then went to the face.

It bore the same uptight, judgmental stare as the princess. That wouldn’t do at all. I carved, changing the face into something more welcoming, more cute. I changed the frown to a smile.

Brushing away the wood shavings, I looked down at it. It still looked like a princess, but not the princess. I sighed. It was as good as I could make it.

I shoved it into my pocket and stood up from my seat, stretching out my legs. It was still early in the morning, yet there was nothing to do. Even so, I would have hated having to go on another adventure with Mario. I sighed one more time, and then walked inside.


NEXT CHAPTER:
Mario goes to the party. Will Luigi change his mind and follow?

Tell me what you think.

[Irby]

That was perfect. 10/10 Keep writing.

[Smarmy Vent]

Almost done with the next chapter. Don't know if I'll be able to upload it from my laptop, though. It'll definitely be up by tomorrow.

[Smarmy Vent]

New chapter. Two, in fact.

Chapter Two

I sprayed the cooking oil into the pan and poured the frozen potatoes into it. Turning up the heat, it would only be a few minutes before dinner was completed. “Are you going to stay to eat?” Luigi asked.

“No,” Mario said as he straightened his tie. “There’ll be food at the party.”

“Well, there will be hash browns left over for you when you come home.”

“No need to save me any, bro.” Mario grinned. “I’m going to be at the party the whole night.”

I sighed slowly. “I’ll probably be asleep, or reading a book, or something.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to come?”

“Yes.”

“Well, if you change your mind—.”

“I won’t,” I said firmly. “I’m perfectly fine staying here at home. Besides, I don’t like parties.”

Mario shrugged. “Whatever you say, bro.” He adjusted his cummerbund. “Do I look sharp or what?”

“You look like an aristocrat,” I said.

Mario grinned. “Damn straight. I paid more than a hundred bucks for this piece of crap. I had better look like an aristocrat.”

“At least you only have to wear it this one time.”

“I know. Hell, I’ll probably get there and find out everyone was supposed to dress casually.”

“Mm-hmm.”

Mario finished his preparations by aligning his coat. “Perfect.” He turned to me. “Are you sure you don’t want to go?”

“Positive.”

“Well, if you change your mind, just come over.”

“Yep.” I continued to cook my dinner.

Mario grabbed the bouquet lying on the table—I didn’t know for sure, but I’d bet my money it was for the princess—and walked over to the door. He turned to me one last time. “Remember, bro. Just come over to the palace if you change your mind.”

“Alright,” I said uninterestedly. Mario turned back and left out the door.

I sighed, staring down at the sizzling food. The warm, crisp smell filled the air, but I ignored it. I was filled with a deep, sullen emptiness I felt would never fade.

The party. Of course I wanted to go to the party. But I wouldn’t, I knew I’d just be ignored. I’d only be another guest. I knew I was much better off at home. Even so, it got very lonely at home.

I looked up from the frying pan, out the kitchen window to the dark twilight. The sun was setting in the distance, barely visible beyond the dark horizon.

I sighed again. Maybe I should go to a doctor to see if I’m depressed. It sure felt like it sometimes. I felt like there was a big, empty hole in my heart. A hole nothing could ever fill.

There wasn’t much I was good at. Of course, there was saving princesses. But my brother seemed to have the edge on that. There was whittling. I enjoyed reading, I also loved to write. Fiction and poetry. Not that anyone will read any of it. I’m not much of a physical person, I’m not exceptionally smart, I’m not very social, I’m not much of anything. Just…

“The brother of Super Mario.”

That’s all I’ll ever be. Not a hero, not a friend. Just the brother of someone famous.

Crap. My hash browns were burning. I quickly pulled the frying pan away from the burner and scraped the potatoes out onto my plate. Crispy black. Mm-mmm, good.

After finishing my dinner, I returned to the parlor to read a book. Just a book, and not a very interesting one at that. As I sat down, I felt something moving in my pocket. I reached in and pulled out the wood carving I had made earlier in the morning. It was still the nameless princess it was before.

I placed it back in my pocket with a sigh. I didn’t feel like reading a book. I didn’t feel like it at all. What I really wanted to be doing was go to the damned party.

Thinking to myself, I placed the book onto the table. It wasn’t too late. The party was still just starting. There was still time.

Yes, I decided. I’m going to go to the party. I don’t care if I’m sitting alone the whole time, at least I’d be out there doing something. Much better than staying home.

I quickly put on my coat and headed out through the door.



Chapter Three

I arrived at the front doors of the palace a few moments later. The castle was miles away, but it was only minutes away through the warp zone.

The large doors were propped open, and lavishly dressed party guests walked up the steps into the palace. I breathed in, and went inside.

The foyer was huge, bigger than I had ever imagined. The floor was adorned with ruby-red carpet, massive stairs leading up to the second floor. Guests stood all around, talking and taking sips from their drinks.

Feeling out of place, I walked over to one of the tables. They were serving mushrooms, of course, among other snacks, such as sandwiches, cheeses, and chips. I looked around, and finally my eyes fell upon a small contained holding ice and several bottles of whiskey. If I was going to go to a party, I might as well get hammered.

As I was reaching over to grab one of the bottles, I looked ahead and frowned. Merely feet away from me, her royal highness stood, talking to her father, several ambassadors, and, yes, Mario. I tried to inch away slowly, but my brother quickly noticed me. “Luigi!” he said as he rushed around the table to me. “You came!”

I scratched my head. “Yeah, I guess I cracked.”

“Good for you. It’s great that you’d get out of the house once in a while.”

“Mario?” I heard the annoying, squeaky voice of the princess as she approached us. “Who is this?”

Who is this? You’ve got to be kidding me. “I’m Luigi. You know, Mario’s brother.”

She stared at me, her ditzy, bubble-brained gaze. “Oh, yeah. Sorry, I have a hard time remembering faces sometimes.”

“I can see.”

“Good evening, Master Luigi!” A short, aged Toad walked over to me. “My name is Sir Toadsworth, her highness’s most trusted servant. I heartily welcome you, and thank you for attending.”

I nodded politely. “Thank you, sir.” I inched towards the whiskey.

“My good sir, Master Mario and the princess and I were having a conversation with the Chancellor himself!” He chuckled. “We are meeting with many ambassadors from other kingdoms. There is Lord Salzwell of Sarasaland. Very nice fellow. Oh, and right here is Lady Lima of the Beanbean Kingdom. You know, we were just talking to the king of the Koopahari Desert…” He rambled on, I was barely listening. I felt the icy cold bottle in my grasp and I pulled it away, hiding it behind my back.

“Well,” I said, “I don’t want to butt into any conversations, so I’ll just leave you all alone now.” I awkwardly tried to step away from the group without revealing the bottle of whiskey hidden behind my back.

“It was good meeting you, Master Luigi!” Toadsworth said.

Mario waved at me. “Keep it cool, bro.”

I shifted my gaze to the princess, but she wasn’t even looking at me. Snorting, I hurried away.

I found my way into a separate room and took my seat away from the throngs of people. I sighed, holding the cold bottle in my hands. I knew I shouldn’t be sitting alone, getting drunk. But I didn’t think I actually could go up and meet someone new. I had never been good at talking to people.

Sighing again, I popped the cork from the bottle, the whiskey dribbling out onto my hands. Time to drown out my sorrows.

“Is anyone sitting here?”

I spun around in my seat. There, standing right before me, was a beautiful girl in a yellow ball gown. She had long, auburn hair, and stared at me with a friendly, almost eerie, look. Stumbling for words, I muttered, “What?”

She smiled. “I said, is anyone sitting here?”

I looked at her, and then realizing she was pointing to the seat right next to me I said, “No. I’m all alone.”

“Can I sit here?”

“Um, sure.”

She sat down next to me, looking at my face with her deep, blue eyes, and then down at the bottle in my hand. “Is that..?”

“Oh,” I sputtered. “This? Well, uh, this is just, erm, my friend’s. Yeah, I’m watching over it while he goes to get something.”

She giggled. “It’s okay. I don’t mind.”

I looked around, noticing several glasses lying on the table in front of me. “Do you… want me to pour you a glass?”

“No,” she said, shaking her head. “I don’t drink.”

“Oh.” I felt so stupid. “Um, I guess I’ll just put this down for a moment.” I stepped up and placed it upright on the table, but as I turned to walk away I accidentally knocked it over, spilling whiskey onto the table. I hastily set the bottle back up, watching the alcohol trickle down onto the floor. Stupid, stupid, stupid!

The girl giggled again. “You’re pretty funny.”

I fumbled with my words once again. “Um, well, I wasn’t trying to be funny.”

She smiled at me. I looked back at her. I felt as though I had met her before, somewhere, but I knew that this was my first time meeting the girl. Yet she seemed so familiar…

As I thought to myself I suddenly realized that during the silence I must have looked like an idiot, but when I looked back at the girl, she was staring at me with a look of recognition. “You…” she said. “You’re Luigi, aren’t you?”

I was taken aback, feeling half-surprised, half-flattered. “Me? Well, I’m the only Luigi I know.”

She grinned. “Super Luigi? The one who saved the princess all those times? Mario’s brother?”

I frowned. Once again, I had been referred to as the “brother.” I coughed. “Well, yes, I suppose I am.”

She stood up from her seat, beaming. “Oh my God, you’re like a celebrity!”

Once again I felt flattered. “C-C-Celebrity? Well, I wouldn’t say that…”

“I would!” Still smiling, she pulled herself together. “My name is Daisy. Princess Daisy.”

Oh boy, another princess. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, Daisy.”

“My father is the ruler of Sarasaland. He is also the brother of the Chancellor. That makes Princess Peach and I cousins.”

Strange. She didn’t seem a thing like Peach. “Um, that’s a surprise.”

She frowned. “How come?”

Oh crap, I’ve offended her. “Ah, no, I didn’t mean it like that! I wasn’t saying anything like you couldn’t be royalty like her, of course. But what I meant was Princess Peach is such a… And you’re so…”

She gulped. “Um… I guess I’ll take that as a compliment.” She smiled. “Do you want to talk some more?”

“Huh?”

“You know, get to know each other better. It would be great to be acquainted with a superhero like you.”

Superhero. I felt thrilled that any one person would compliment me like that. “Um, okay.” Compliment her, compliment her. “You seem like a nice person.”

“Thanks.” She smiled. “Let’s walk around a bit.” She stood up from her seat and began to walk away, and I followed closely behind.

NEXT CHAPTER:
Luigi and Daisy get to know each other. Will things work out okay for the two?

[Irby]

I will read it tomorrow I don't have time to read both chapters tonight.

[Smarmy Vent]

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

[Irby]

10/10 still!

[Smarmy Vent]

New chapters.


Chapter Five

I walked along the road back towards home, humming to myself. I had decided to take the long way instead of the warp zone. It was much more scenic, with trees and rivers instead of damp corridors and graffiti on the walls.

Not wearing my watch, I guessed it was about eleven o’clock. The time seemed to fly by, though, as all of my thoughts were on Daisy.

I found it amazing that only a few hours ago I had been sitting alone with a bottle of booze in my hands, when the beautiful girl walked up to me and asked for a seat. My, how things had gone from there. I thought I would leave the party not feeling depressed because I was drunk on whiskey, but instead I was drunk on love. And it felt great.

Yet I wasn’t entirely rainbows and sunshine inside. I also felt very confused. The carving I had created… It looked exactly like Daisy. But how was that possible? I had simply taken a carving of Princess Peach and made it a little different. Yet, it turned out to be very different. Who would have thought, I would have accidentally made a wood carving of the girl I would someday fall in love with.

Heh. Who would have thought I would fall in love with royalty? I had grown to dislike Peach very much, but Daisy was something else. She was much different. She was friendlier, she was feistier, she was more daring. Nothing like Peach.

I looked up. Home wasn’t far. I opened the gate and walked up the yard to the front porch, opened the door and entered.

Turning on the lights I tossed my coat onto the rack. I walked over to my comfy chair and sat down, picking up my book. Now I have some quiet time to read.

Not much, however. In a few minutes the door swung open and Mario stumbled into the room. “Whoo! You wouldn’t believe the night I’ve had!”

I placed the book onto the table. “How did it go?”

“I had a great night! I ate a little, a drank a little, I talked to Peach…”

“Did Peach enjoy it?”

“I think so.” Mario hiccupped. “She enjoyed it enough to make out with me.”

“…You didn’t have to tell me that.”

Mario laughed. “Well, I can tell you that we did a little—.”

“You can stop there.”

He hiccupped again. “So, how were things with you and Damsel or whatever her name was?”

“Daisy.” I grinned. “I asked her out.”

“Awesome, bro!” Mario seemed enthralled, in a drunken way. “So, when’s the big day?”

“The day after tomorrow. We’re going for a walk in the park.”

“Awesome,” he repeated. “Awesome, awesome. It’s about time you got a girlfriend.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Mario rubbed his forehead. “Damn, I have such a headache.”

“Maybe you should lie down.”

“Maybe I should.” Mario hiccupped again. “Yeah, I could use some sleep.” He shuffled over to the bedroom, taking the bottom bunk of the bed. He toppled over, and within a few minutes he was asleep.

I sighed, picking up my book. I hardly read a single sentence before I put it back down. I didn’t feel like reading. I wanted to be with Daisy again. I wanted to talk to her some more.

I stepped into the bedroom, turning out the lights. Mario was snoring. I looked out the window, into the starry night sky. Somehow, I felt satisfied with the idea that me and Daisy slept under the same stars.

Climbing into bed, I pulled the sheets over myself and soon fell asleep.


Chapter Six

The day of the date couldn’t have come any slower. When it finally did, I woke up early in the morning to begin preparations. At first I was planning on wearing a suit, but I didn’t have the money, nor the fashion sense. So, I just decided to wear my regular shirt and slacks. I didn’t want to dress too impressively.

I washed my hair with my special shampoo and conditioner, grooming it to look its finest. I also gave my moustache a comb, and shaved the stubble from my chin.

Finally, I was ready to go. I stood before the mirror as Mario walked into the room. “Looking sharp, bro.”

I grinned. “I’d hope so. This is my first date.”

Mario gave me a pat on the shoulder. “Listen, bro, this is your first time out with a girl, so I’m going to give you some advice.”

“Okay.”

“First of all, compliment her a lot.”

“Compliment her?”

“Yeah. Things like, ‘your hair is nice,’ or ‘you look pretty today.’ Little things like that will make their day.”

“Okay… compliment her.”

“Second, do nice things for her. Open doors for her, buy her things, do all that chivalry crap.”

“Compliment her, do nice things. Alright.”

“Third, don’t do anything stupid.”

“Erm… I can’t guarantee that.”

“Try your damnedest. And if you do say something stupid, don’t stumble all over yourself trying to make things better. That’s not very attractive.”

“Okay, compliment her, do nice things, don’t be stupid. Got it.”

“And finally, you will kiss her.”

I gulped. “Really?”

“Yes. Most likely, it will be near the end of the date, when you’re walking her home, or sitting together on a bench. When things are just perfect. I assume you’ve never kissed a girl before.”

“Nope.”

“Well, don’t pucker up. Just hold her in your arms, bring your head close, and kiss her.”

“How do I do that?”

“Trust me, bro. You’ll know exactly what to do when the time comes.”

I sighed. “Okay. Compliment her, do nice things, don’t be stupid, kiss her. I think I can remember that.”

Mario gave me the thumbs up. “Keep it real, bro, and you’ll do fine.”

“Well,” I said, checking my watch, “it’s almost time to go. I’d better leave.”

Mario patted me on the shoulder again. “You’ll do fine.”

“God, I hope so.” I walked to the door, then stopped. “Crap, should I have something to give her?”

“What?”

“You know, flowers or something?”

“Um… Just run to the store and buy a bouquet.”

“The florist is miles away, and I don’t have much time!”

“Take the warp zone!”

“Ah, I don’t have any time!” I was getting very frantic.

“Well… Just pull some flowers from the garden! Pick daisies, she’ll love them.”

“But they’ll be all dirty…”

“It’s either dirty flowers or no flowers, bro.”

I sighed. “I guess I’ll pick some daisies.”

“Alright. Just don’t get dirt on your clothes.”


NEXT CHAPTER:
Luigi goes out on the date! But will he do good, or will he fail miserably?

[Smarmy Vent]

This is going by fast. New chapter.

Chapter Seven

I stood before the massive doors of the Sarasaland Palace, hesitating to knock. The moment I did, and she answered the door, the date would begin. And I felt so unprepared.

It was almost noon, my forehead was beginning to sweat. My heart was racing and my stomach was in a knot. I breathed in, and knocked on the door.

After what seemed like an eternity, the doors swung open, and the tiny canine butler I had seen at the party stood before me. I gulped. “I’m here to see the princess.”

He looked up at me, his gray moustache twitching. “In a moment, sir. The Madam is still preparing.”

“I’m ready!” The butler turned and stepped to the side as Daisy stepped into the sunlight. She looked absolutely beautiful, wearing her brown hair down and emerald earrings dangling from her ears. She wore a short-sleeved shirt with the same flower charm she had on her dress, and she was wearing a wavy orange skirt. She smiled at me, as I stood staring at her. “Are you ready to go?” she asked.

“Um, yes.” I pulled the flowers from behind my back. “I, erm, picked these for you. From my garden.”

She took them, smiling. “Luigi, that’s so sweet! Are these daisies?”

“Um, yes, they are.”

“You have a garden?”

“I work on it sometimes. When I don’t have anything else to do.” I coughed. “I hoped you’d like them. I was going to get a bouquet, but I thought you… That maybe you wouldn’t… You know… Just…” I had no idea where I was going, and quickly gave up. “I’m sorry, I probably sound like an idiot.”

She giggled. “You’re so funny, Luigi. Come on, let’s go.”

I sighed. She probably thought I was a moron. She walked down the steps and I followed, quickly moving down to the ground. Do something nice. As she reached the final step, I took her hand. “Careful, that last step is a doozy.”

“Thank you.” She stepped down, and looked up at me. “Well, are we going to the park?”

“Um, yes. I thought maybe we could walk—.”

“We could ride in the coach together.”

“A… coach? Well, I suppose…”

“Alfred!” She was yelling at the butler standing at the top of the steps. “Could you get the coach ready for us?”

“Yes, my lady.” He moved down the steps quickly, walking over to a horse-drawn carriage nearby.

Daisy turned to me anxiously. “The carriage will take us there pretty fast, and it will give us time to talk.”

I nodded. “I’d enjoy that.”

The butler approached us, leading the horses behind him. “Up here, my lady.” He walked around the coach and walked up the steps to open the door. Daisy climbed in. “Good sir.” I stepped inside after her.

The inside of the carriage was somewhat cramped, yet surprisingly cool. Daisy sat next to me, watching me climb in. The butler moved up to the front of the carriage, sitting down in his seat. He shook the reins, making the horses begin to move.

“We should get to the park in a short while.”

“Good,” I said.

She yawned. “So, Luigi. What do you want to talk about?”

Crap, I didn’t have anything planned. “Um… Well, I don’t know a whole lot about you. You could tell me about yourself.”

“Okay! My full name is Daisy Éclair Salzwell. My father is King Salzwell of Sarasaland. I am 20 years old, 5’7” and I weigh… Well, I won’t tell you that.” She smiled.

I nodded. “I guess I should tell you something about me.”

“Yeah, that would be nice.”

“Okay… My name is Luigi, ah, I don’t really have a middle name… But my name is Luigi Mario. That’s a weird last name, isn’t it? Especially for my brother. Having the same first name as your last name. I always thought it must be a pain.”

Daisy giggled. “Go on.”

“My parents… Well, I don’t know much about my real parents. They used to live somewhere in the Mushroom Kingdom, but when me and Mario were babies, they sent us to an, uh, ‘alternate’ world. We ended up in a city called Brooklyn. There, we were adopted by a nice Italian couple.”

“Italian? What does that mean?”

“I don’t know. I think ‘Italia’ is a country or something.”

“Oh.”

“Anywho, I am 24 years old, I am six-foot even, and I weigh about a hundred-fifty pounds. Well, last time I checked.”

“That’s nice. So, you’ve never met your real parents before?”

“Nope. Not since I was a baby, at least.”

“Let’s see… 24 years. Wait, that means when you were a baby… About the time the Koopas started their war against the Mushroom Kingdom.”

“I believe so. My guess is my parents were worried that we would be hunted down and killed, so they sent us away.”

“Hunted down and killed? Who would kill a baby?”

I sighed. “A long time ago, there was a wizard…”

“A wizard?”

“Yes, a wizard. There was a wizard named Kamek, who was the chief advisor to Lord Koopa. When Koopa died, he was told to take care of the young Bowser. Even though Bowser was the crown ruler, Kamek was the brains. He started the war.”

“Go on.”

“Kamek foresaw our birth and all the trouble we would cause for the Koopas and he tried to kidnap us. From the stork, of course.”

“…The ‘stork?’”

“Yes. That’s where babies come from.”

“Strange, I was told an entirely different story.”

“Anywho, Kamek only succeeded in snatching me. But my brother Mario, along with the help of a dinosaur named Yoshi—.”

“A dinosaur? It’s not nice to call people names!”

“What? No, you see, Yoshi is an actual dinosaur. A prehistoric reptile, you know.”

“…Huh?”

“He lives on Yoshi’s Island. In Dinosaur Land.”

“Oh, I think I’ve heard of that place.”

“Yes, well, my brother and Yoshi made their way to Koopa’s kingdom and defeated Kamek. Afterwards, we were pretty high on the wizard’s hit list.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yep. I assume my parents feared for our lives, and sent us to a place where we would be free from Koopa’s reach.”

“So, now you two and Bowser are all grown up.”

“Uh-huh. And I have to say, we really got off on the wrong foot. Not that it mattered, Mario always wanted to be the hero. He always wanted to topple the evil ruler. Even if we hadn’t remembered that monstrous turtle from our youth, he still probably would have gone after Koopa.” I sighed. “This whole… ‘saving the world’ business, is all his idea. I’m just along for the ride.”

“But Luigi,” she said, “you’re a great hero. You’ve saved peoples’ lives countless times, and each time you do so without any reward. You just do it.”

“No, no, I’m not a hero. I’m just the brother of one.”

“Luigi, shut up!” I turned to face her. She wore a very serious look, her blue eyes hardly moving. “You are a hero. You save people, you save princesses, you save kingdoms. You’re a hero.”

“I’m not a hero.”

“You’re my hero.” She was still looking at me, looking into my eyes. I felt like such a fool, I knew this was no way to act in front of her.

I sighed. “I’m sorry.”

She placed her hand on mine. “No, Luigi. Don’t be. Your only crime is… not thinking high enough about yourself. You’re a wonderful person. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise, not even yourself.”

I looked at her. She seemed worried, concerned. “I… I don’t know what to say.”

“Then don’t say anything.” She leaned her head on my shoulder. I suddenly felt very odd, as if I had screwed up somehow. Slowly, I realized that I hadn’t screwed up. I had done things okay.

I smiled. Okay was good. Very good, especially for your first time.


NEXT CHAPTER:
Luigi wants to continue his date! But the alien Tatanga has different plans!

[Smarmy Vent]

This next chapter is pretty intense.

Chapter Eight

It was much later in the day. The sun had moved from the Eastern sky over our heads and was now sinking down the western end. It was still rather hot out, yet there was a comfortable breeze blowing about.

Daisy and I had quite the day together. We began with a walk through the park, all the while talking together. Later we went to a bistro in the nearby Chai Village, and had a sandwich together. We met with the locals, who seemed grateful that their princess would come to visit them. Some of the people even seemed to recognize me.

We walked some more, we talked some more. I felt as though I had finally met a person I could be open with. I felt I could tell her anything. And she seemed to feel the same about me.

“…So they wouldn’t let me in the pageant because they thought I was a tomboy,” she said. “They told me I’d be better off joining the boy scouts.”

“How rude.”

“I know! They wouldn’t let me in because I wasn’t dainty like all of the other girls.”

“They were just afraid.”

“How come?”

“They knew you’d win.”

She smiled. “Hush. I wouldn’t have, I’m not cute like the other girls. My sisters get more attention than I do.”

“Well, if it’s any consolation, I think you’re beautiful.”

She turned her head away, though I could see her blush. “Thanks.”

I looked up. The palace was visible in the distance. We were almost home. “I think we’re almost there.”

She sighed. “Too bad. I really enjoyed today.”

“I did too.”

“It was wonderful for a first date.”

“It was.”

We walked through the courtyard and approached the steps. I felt sad deep inside, sad that my day with her was almost over.

She stopped at the steps, looking up at me. “Tonight was really great,” she said.

I nodded. “It was a day I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

“I’m… kind of sad I have to leave right now.”

“Don’t be.” I smiled. “How about we do this again some time?”

She grinned. “I would love that.”

“Princess Daisy!” I looked up and saw the butler standing at the door. “My lady, are you ready to come in?”

“In a minute, Alfred.”

“Your father is waiting.” He went back in and closed the door.

She sighed. “I guess I have to go now.”

I nodded my head, looking down into her eyes. The wind blew around us, everything seemed to be at peace. I held her hands, her tiny, soft hands, and I felt a warm feeling inside of me. Slowly, I moved my face towards hers, she did the same. The wind seemed to grow stronger. I was terrified that I might screw up, that I might make a fool of myself, but I felt ready. I wanted to do this.

Suddenly, Daisy pulled away. Confused, I looked around. The wind was picking up. Befuddled, I looked all around me, then to Daisy. She was looking straight up, her mouth agape. Hesitantly, I looked up.

The sun was blocked out by a massive, spinning orb. At first, I had no idea what it was. It looked like a flying saucer. Whatever it was, it was descending towards us.

A beam of light suddenly flew from the object, striking the earth. Daisy and I jumped out of the way, the wind whipping about fiercely. From the pillar of light, a tall, dark shape suddenly materialized. He looked around warily, then turned to us.

Whatever he was, he was not of this world. He was tall, almost reptilian. He had mottled purple skin, and massive eyes. He looked from me, then to Daisy. “Princess Daisy,” the thing bellowed.

I pushed Daisy behind me protectively. “What do you want.”

He grinned, pulling something small and black from his belt. In a horrified second I realized it was a gun, and then he fired. It shot a bolt of electricity at me, which sent waves of pain coursing through my body and instantly floored me. I was in agony, but I knew I had to protect the princess. I tried to stand up, but to my horror I was immobilized.

The creature took a step towards Daisy. “Greetings, human princess. I am Tatanga, the spaceman. I am here to take you as my bride.”

Daisy stepped backwards, frightened. I tried my hardest to stand up, but the gun had paralyzed me. Tatanga stepped over my body and grabbed the princess’s arm. She tried to pull away, and struck him repeatedly, but he continued to pull her closer.

As he brought her close, holding her in an iron grip, she pulled her face close. He raised his hand to the struggling girl’s face, and suddenly sprayed a jet of gas from his gauntlet. Daisy coughed and tried to pull away, but she suddenly fell limp.

Cackling, he hoisted the girl’s unconscious body into his arms and stepped back into the beam. Just as I was beginning to feel sensation in my legs and I rose to my feet, Tatanga and Daisy suddenly disappeared. I ran to the beam, but it dissipated, and the ship above me rose slightly, and then flew away.

I stood there, in shock and in anger. I was mad that I wasn’t able to protect her, and I was terrified of what the alien might try to do to her.

The doors swung open and King Salzwell rushed down the steps. “We heard noise out here! Where is my daughter?”

I looked anxiously from the king, to the guards standing behind him. “I… I don’t know! She was kidnapped by an alien and whisked away in a flying saucer!”

Immediately I knew the king did not believe my story. “Young sir, there is no reason for one to lie about the disappearance of a princess, unless…” He raised his arm and pointed his finger at me, screaming at the top of his lungs, “You kidnapped her!”

I was stunned, and I opened my mouth to protest, but the king had quickly shouted, “Seize him!” and the guards were upon me. I struggled, begging the king to believe me, but I knew I could not convince him.

The guards dragged me up the steps as I kicked and fought. The king followed, shouting, “Throw him in the dungeon! And get him to reveal what he’s done with my daughter!”

No. No, no, no. Daisy was gone. She had been abducted by an alien overlord. Not only that, but I was being held accountable for the crime. And I knew there was nothing I could do.


NEXT CHAPTER:
Daisy is gone, and Luigi is blamed for the crime! What will he do?

[Smarmy Vent]

Hmm, very few people seem interested in reading my story. New chapter.

Chapter Nine

“Into the dungeon, fiend!”

The guards threw me bodily into the cell, slamming the door shut behind me. As I sat up they locked the door. “An’ you won’t come out until you tell us where you put the princess!”

They left, leaving me all alone. I stood up and walked to the bars, grabbing them and sighing. How did things happen this way? I thought I was doing a good job. I thought I was making Daisy happy. But then, like some horrible twist of fate, an alien came and took her away from me.

What were the freaking chances.

I turned around and looked at my cell. The place was very dirty, it looked as though it hadn’t been cleaned for ages. Grime oozed from the cracks in the wall and I saw a rat scurry between my feet. At one corner, there was a flat bed. Didn’t look very comfy. I also noticed there was no toilet.

Sighing, I turned back around. I wondered to myself how long I would be stuck here. Then, as if an answer from above, I saw a skeleton in the opposing cell, grasping the bars and staring at me with big, hollowed eyes.

I shuddered. I didn’t like skeletons. Or ghosts. I was terrified of ghosts. This made things tough for when Mario and I had to travel through those haunted houses back in Dinosaur Land. Those Boo Buddies… Mario seemed to be okay with ghosts, but I hated them.

I sat down on my bed. I remained there for a long time. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. But I just sat there, thinking to myself.

Suddenly the door swung open and I looked up. A guard was standing there. “You have a visitor,” he growled. I didn’t even have to guess to know who it was, and sure enough, Mario walked over and entered the cell. The guard shut the door and locked it. “You have five minutes.”

Mario rushed over to me. “Luigi! What did you do?”

“I didn’t do a thing!” I shouted. “I was with Daisy, and she was kidnapped by an alien!”

“An… alien?”

“Yes! One named ‘Tatanga.’”

Mario raised an eyebrow. “Tatanga? I think I’ve heard that name before.”

I threw my face into my hands. “Oh God, it doesn’t matter. Nobody will believe me. They’ll never rescue the princess, and I’ll rot in jail for the rest of my life.”

“Come on, bro. There has to be a solution.”

I shook my head. “I haven’t a clue.”

“Well… I could rescue her for you.”

I groaned. “No, no. You can save Princess Peach all you want, but Daisy is mine. I want to rescue her.”

“Ah. I understand.” Mario scratched his head. “So, how can you save Daisy without leaving this cell.

Closing my eyes, I thought to myself for a moment. Then, it hit me. “Mario, I’ve got it!”

“What?”

“We’re twins, right?”

“Um, last time I checked, yes.”

“So that means we look alike, right?”

“…I think I see where you’re going with this, but I don’t know about it.”

“Come on, Mario! If you and I swapped clothes, I could go out and save Daisy and clear my record!”

“But Luigi… That means I’d have to sit in this cell until you come back.”

“Trust me, it will work. Come on, you have to do this for me.”

“I don’t know, bro. Are you sure they’ll mistake you for me? I mean, you’re a bit… lankier than me.”

“They’ll never notice the difference.”

Mario sighed. “I… I guess we could try it.”

“Thanks, bro. You won’t regret this.”

“But you owe me, okay?”

“Whatever.” I unbuckled my overalls and pulled off my shirt. There would be no need to swap trousers, but our shirts were a must. So were the hats.

A few moments later, I was Mario, and Mario was Luigi. “This shirt’s kind of tight,” Mario complained.

I was straightening the cap on my head. “Well, this might take some getting used to. But it’ll only be for a while.”

“Sure, bro.” Mario sighed. “Just one thing.”

“What?”

“Make it quick. I don’t want to be stuck in this cell forever.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll be greased lightning.” I smiled at him, and he smiled back.

The guard knocked on the door. “Your time’s up!” He opened the door. Gulping, I stepped out of the cell. As the guard shut the door, I took one last look at Mario, who winked at me, and then I left.


NEXT CHAPTER:
Luigi begins his quest to save his beloved Princess Daisy. How will he fare?

[Hypersonic200]

That's was great, I can't wait what happens next. 10/10