#'lets just not label it okay?' 'yeah you're right it is kinda early huh?'

[coffeecat1983]

Mario Bros Then and Now (feat Tony and Arthur): Home Sweet Home

Time: Early June 2023. Luigi pushed open the front door with his shoulder, turning once he was inside. He had a medium sized box in his hands labelled 'books'. It had taken a lot of work but the Bros were finally moved in to their own home in the Mushroom Kingdom. Over the course of a few weeks Peach had snuck a small army of toads in to Brooklyn at night to gather the packed items and take them back through the warp.

The last thing to go was the furniture with Giovanni and the twins helping out. Even the beds had been dismantled and transported down to the smallest bolt. Once the Bros broke the news that the house was built, Marianna had gotten into the hall closet and pulling something out, handed it to them at the dining table. "I've been saving this for when you two move. A little piece of home." Luigi teared up and Mario was speechless. It was more of the wallpaper from their bedroom. It had gone up in their new room. The toads worked with love and care to put it in place, and once it was done Giovanni and Arthur got to work putting the beds together. Meanwhile Marianna and Tony helped with kitchen items and the living room. Now the Bros were alone in their new home, and Luigi had just brought in the last box that had been left outside. Setting it down, he heaved a sigh. "Phew, I think this is the last one." he grunted as he stretched and popped his back. "Moving through a warp made moving cross-country look easy, huh big bro?" His brother didn't reply. Leaving the small entryway, Luigi found his older brother standing in the living room, surrounded by boxes. His cap was off and his arms were folded. He looked, Luigi thought, lost. "Mario?" he was gentle as he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "You okay?"

Mario didn't look at him, instead his gaze remained on all the boxes. "I didn't think it would feel this weird." he finally said. "Bein' in our own place." "You having second thoughts?" Luigi silently admitted to himself that he had been worried about the move. Out of Brooklyn was one thing, but to a new world altogether, well that was terrifying. Mario let out a soft laugh. "Nah, no second thoughts. Just we've always been in that apartment. Now it's a whole house for us. Uncle Art and Tony aren't across the hall, Ma, Dad, Papa Sal, they won't be here when we get up…" "Heh, I see what you mean. It is kinda weird." Clearing his throat, he went over to a box and opening it, took out a video game and held it up. "But h-hey, we can stay up late now playin' games!" he set the game aside and pulled out a movie. "Or watch movies as loud as we want, there's no other houses close by." His attempt to cheer him up worked, he made Mario laugh. "Yeah, you're right, Lu. How about we get your music player set up and start unpackin'? Oh, and Ma wants us back tonight for dinner." Luigi's eyes lit up and digging in his pocket, he pulled out his little music player and turning it on, cranked up the volume.

That evening in Brooklyn, the Bros were surprised to find the whole family gathered for dinner like it was Sunday evening. "What's all this?" Mario asked as they entered to cheers from their relatives. "Hey kid! Gotta celebrate you two gettin' your own place." Arthur said, holding up a wineglass. Marianna slipped behind the Bros as they were taking their seats and leaning in, kissed them both on the cheek. "My boys, so proud of you two!" she beamed. "How's it feel havin' your own place?" Marie spoke next. Mario let out a soft laugh, glancing at Luigi. "It, ah, it feels, well…" he hesitated. "Weird?" Tony volunteered. Mario's shoulders visibly relaxed. "Y-Yeah, that. Just, not being so close to you all is really different." Tony sat back, arms folded. "Sound familiar, Art?" Arthur groaned past his sip of wine. Setting the glass down he shook his head. "God, that first day in the basement felt like the Twilight Zone…"

August 1999.

Tony stepped back, taking in the sight of the freshly made bed. He swallowed hard. Seeing the powder blue of his bedspread all alone without Arthur's yellow and white stripped spread nearby was jarring. "Beds are made." he called as he went to the kitchen. Not getting a reply, he popped his head around the doorway. His twin was in the living room, rubbing his arm as he stood surrounded by boxes. His hair was ruffled, the loose strands hanging down nearly to his eyes. "Hey, lil bro, you in there?" Tony teasingly waved a hand in front of his face and Arthur jerked, coming out of his thoughts. He sputtered and waved his hands, playfully pushing Tony back. "What're you doin', ya idiot?" he said with a laugh. "There you are. You okay? Looked like you were lost." Shuffling past the boxes of movies and comic books, Arthur plopped down on the secondhand couch they had gotten. "I feel lost." he softly admitted. "New place, not having the family with us," he looked at Tony, "seperate rooms." Tony sat beside him, sighing. "Yeah, definitely weird. We've always had people around, and shared a room." Arthur quietly agreed. They couldn't afford one of the upper apartments that would give them a room big enough to share, and with Marianna expecting her babies, they had to take what they could get to give their old room to their nephews. Something that neither resented, but it meant a big change and it was hitting them hard. Tony sat back, looking at the blank walls. "I mean, yeah we got separate rooms but we got the whole place to ourselves." He nudged Arthur and jerked a thumb towards a long, thin box. "And Gio never liked posters on the living room walls…" Arthur broke into a grin as he caught on. When Marianna came down in the elevator to see how the twins were doing, she found them both singing as Arthur hung up movie posters and Tony filled the bookcases with their movies and music. "Hi Ma!" Tony waved before turning down the stereo and going to give her a hug. Her eyes sparkled brightly as she entered and looked around. "Well look at you two! You're gonna turn it into your own place in no time." "You like it?" Tony asked nervously. "I know Gio never liked posters in the living room." Marianna laughed. "Oh he's stubborn! I think you boys are doing a wonderful job. But how about a break and some dinner? Can't have a good sleep in a new place without a full stomach."

"We had a good sleep all right," Arthur finished the story. "Passed out on the couch together watching movies!"

Giovanni shook his head as he folded his arms. "Thankfully you two moved on a weekend and didn't have work the next day." "Gettin' to the point," Tony said, "I know it feels weird but give it time. It'll feel like home pretty quick." After dinner and a movie with the twins, the Bros made the trip back, both stopping outside the house. The little porch light by the door cast a warm and welcoming glow. "You know somethin', Lu?" "Hmm?" Mario smiled at his little brother. "Feels good to be home."

END By "CC"

[another-dr-another]

Advance

Maeda - It's almost 8:45, I'll just head down now...

/Maeda leaves his dorm and heads down to the dining hall. He can see Tsurugi and Kurokawa sitting just outside.

Tsurugi - Hiya Maeda!

Maeda - Is everything all ready in there?

Kurokawa - Of course!

Kurokawa - Tsurugi finished his set up early, so like, I made tons more snacks than I thought I would cause I made him help me.

Tsurugi - It was fun!

Maeda - I'm sure you both did great...

/The other SHSLs arrive and everyone enters the dining hall.

~*~

/Almost every dining hall table has something on it. Two have been pushed together and are hosting a variety of ghost themed snacks. Each has been labeled with a small notecard detailing its ingredients, all written in sparkly blue gel pen. The other tables are littered with color coded baskets of string.

Kurokawa - Guys! Look at all the snacks we made!

Taira -  It... actually looks like you did a really good job.

Kurokawa - Thank you?

Taira - I swapped the labels on some of the baking ingredients, which is why I'm thrown.

Tsurugi - That... explains a lot, but why did you do that?

/Taira doesn't respond, and goes to grab something to eat.

Higa - I like that idea... wonder what I could switch up?

Hatano - Iranami! Wanna sit together?

Hatano - We can share snacks while we work!

Iranami - ...That sounds nice, but I'm sure you'd rather spend your ti-

Hatano - Yay!

Hatano - So, what looks good? Gotta get you all energized and excited!

/The other SHSLs file in and start finding something to suit their tastes. When everyone's been settled in, Tsurugi helps to get everyone started on their bracelets, happily using his own as pattern references.

Uehara - Hey, Tsurugi, I think I'm still not getting it right, would you mind lending me a hand?

Tsurugi - Of course not, what's up?

Kobashikawa - Untranslated

Ōtori - You'll thank me later.

/Kobashikawa grabs his whiteboard.

Kobashikawa - if u wanna say something, gotta write it urself ig

Ōtori - Don't write that down! You're asking for it, idiot...

Kobashikawa - its so hard to find good translators these days :(

Mekaru - Woah!

Maeda - Huh? What's up?

Mekaru - Makis' bracelet is looking crazy good!

Maki - Thank you...

Tsurugi - Yeah! You're doing great, Maki!

Yamaguchi - Aren't you meant to braid the string?

Tsurugi - What? No!

Mekaru - How did you get that good? There's no way you could naturally be that fast!

Maki - ...

Maki - My brother taught me how to a few years back.

Hatano - Aww!

Inori - ...

Inori - Hey Maki?

Maki - Yeah?

Inori - ...Your brother was the one in your motive video, right?

Maki - ...

Ōtori - ...What the fuck?

Iranami - Woah...

Yamaguchi - That wasn't cool, Inori.

Inori - Oh yeah, like you're one to say!

Tomori - Everyone, let's stay away from bringing up those videos, alright?

Mekaru - Maki... are you alright?

Maki - ...I'm fine.

Maki - ...

Maki - Yeah, I'm fine.

Tsurugi - ...Inori, is everything okay?

Inori - Yeah? It was just a question.

Maeda - ...

~*~

Maeda, narrating - After that, we all back to the happy energy we had before.

Maeda - Slowly, it naturally returned.

Maeda - This is fun... kinda a good stim...

Maeda - Hey! I think I'm getting the hang of this!

[One hour later]