#I’m not done with Mario and Luigi just yet

[mangilingo]

Fault Lines

Summary- A heated academic rivalry with Luigi slowly unravels into undeniable tension, forcing you to confront feelings beyond competition

`✦ ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☀︎ ⋆⁺₊⋆ `✦ˑ ִֶ 𓂃⊹ ·:*¨༺ ♱✮♱ ༻¨*:·

You should’ve known he’d be here.

It’s a Thursday night, and the library is suffocatingly silent, except for the quiet scribbling of pens and the occasional rustling of pages. You’ve had a long day, one filled with lectures and barely concealed frustration at the newest assignment from your shared statistics class. And, of course, as if fate enjoys taunting you, the very person you least wanted to see is sitting right across the table.

Luigi.

The moment you spot him, his sharp hazel eyes flick up from his notebook, his brows raising ever so slightly in acknowledgment. There’s always something infuriatingly unreadable about his expressions, like he’s amused by something only he understands. His lips quirk up at the corners, just enough to let you know he knows you don’t want him here

“You look awful” he remarks, his voice a low drawl as he leans back in his chair, stretching his arms over his head. The sleeves of his adidas hoodie push back slightly, revealing forearms dusted with ink smudges-probably from a day spent scribbling out notes he’ll never let you borrow.

You slam your books onto the table. “Bite me.”

Luigi chuckles, tilting his head. “That an invitation?”

You glare at him and take a seat opposite his, throwing your bag onto the table between you like a barrier. “Don’t flatter yourself, Mario’s brother”

That gets a reaction. His smirk falters just a fraction, and there’s a flash of irritation in his eyes. “Creative,” he mutters dryly, before tapping his pen against his notes. “You here to study or just to be a pain?”

“I’d get more work done if you weren’t constantly breathing in my vicinity.”

“Ah, so you do find me distracting.”

You grit your teeth. He’s always like this. Always turning your words into something he can use against you, always pressing buttons until he gets a reaction. It started in your first year, when the two of you realized you shared almost every advanced course together. He was the only person who ever rivaled you in grades, and worse-he was just as competitive. If you aced the exam, he’d beat you on the next. If he set the curve, you’d make sure to obliterate it next time. It was a constant battle, neither of you willing to yield an inch

And yet, somehow, no matter how much you despised him, you always ended up in the same space. The same classes. The same study session. The same competitions.

It was exhausting.

But it was also impossible to stop.

You flip open your textbook, refusing to rise to his bait. You have work to do. You can’t waste time on Luigi and his stupidly sharp cheekbones or his annoyingly deep voice or the way he always smells like coffee and old books-

“I can feel you glaring at me.”

You scowl. “I’m imagining ways to end you”

Luigi hums thoughtfully. “Poison? Knife? Ooh, maybe push me down the stairs? Though, knowing you, you’d probably monologue first and give me time to escape”

You grip your pen so tightly it nearly snaps. “God, I hate you.”

Luigi just smirks. “You wish you did.”

And maybe, just maybe, that’s the worst part. Because some nights, when the library is too quiet and he’s sitting too close and your usual hatred feels like something else-something unnameable-you wonder if he’s right.

But you’ll be damned before you admit it.

The library clock ticks away the minutes, each one stretching the silence between you and Luigi like a taut wire ready to snap. You force yourself to focus on the equations in front of you, but it’s impossible to ignore him when he’s right there-sprawled in his chair with his fingers idly tapping against his notebook, deep in thought.

Luigi studies like everything comes easy to him. It’s infuriating. Where you spend hours combing through each problem, rewriting notes, and double-checking formulas, he just glances at something once and it sticks. He doesn’t even look like he’s trying half the time, which only makes it worse when he still manages to match—or beat—you.

The scratch of his pen against paper pulls you out of your thoughts. You don’t mean to look, but you catch the tail end of whatever he’s writing. A near-perfect solution to the problem you’ve been struggling with for the past half hour.

Your jaw tightens.

“You got that wrong.”

Luigi doesn’t look up. “No, I didn’t.”

You slide your book toward him, tapping the margin where his mistake is glaring back at him. “Right there. You miscalculated.”

Finally, he glances up, eyes flicking between you and his notes. His expression doesn’t change, but you swear you see the tiniest flicker of irritation. “Huh.” He leans back, crossing his arms. “Guess I did.”

There’s something oddly unsatisfying about him admitting it so easily. No argument, no teasing, just quiet acknowledgment.

You arch a brow. “That’s it?”

“What, you want me to fight you on it?” He smirks. “Wouldn’t be the first time.”

You roll your eyes and return to your work, ignoring the way your pulse still thrums from the exchange. This is how it’s always been—sharp words and competition, the constant need to one-up each other. If he ever stopped pushing, if you ever stopped fighting back, the balance would break.

But something feels different tonight.

The air is heavier than usual, charged with something unspoken. Maybe it’s the late hour, the exhaustion from a long day, or the fact that it’s just the two of you in this dimly lit corner of the library.

Maybe it’s the way Luigi hasn’t said anything else, his gaze lingering a little too long when he thinks you don’t notice.

You force yourself to ignore it. You have an exam to prepare for.

Minutes pass, the silence stretching between you. Then, out of nowhere, Luigi exhales sharply and mutters, “You’re exhausting.”

You blink, taken aback. “Excuse me?”

He gestures vaguely at you, his eyes shadowed with something you can’t quite place. “This whole thing. The competition. The constant need to be better than me.”

You scoff, arms crossing tightly over your chest. “Oh, I’m sorry—does it bother you that I don’t let you win?”

Luigi’s lips twitch, but there’s no real amusement behind it. “That’s the thing, isn’t it? You think this is just about winning.”

Your heart stutters for a second before you shove the feeling down. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

He doesn’t answer right away. Instead, he studies you, his gaze sharper than usual, like he’s peeling back layers you didn’t realize were visible.

And then, softly, he says, “You don’t hate me as much as you want to.”

Your breath catches.

Because he’s wrong. He has to be wrong.

But the way your stomach twists, the way your skin burns under his stare, the way your mind always drifts back to him—

You don’t let yourself finish that thought.

Instead, you shove your chair back, grabbing your books in a hurried, graceless motion. “I’m done for the night.”

Luigi doesn’t stop you as you stand, but you can feel his eyes on you even as you turn away.

And just as you reach the door, his voice follows—quiet, but sure.

“You’re running away.”

You don’t look back. You can’t.

Because if you do, you might have to face the fact that maybe—just maybe—he’s right.

You don’t run from fights.

You never have. Not in academics, not in competitions, not even in the countless debates where you and Luigi had gone head-to-head, each too stubborn to let the other have the final word. But that night in the library, you had run—because for the first time, it hadn’t felt like a fight you could win.

For the past three days, you’ve avoided him. You take different routes to class, show up early to lectures just to grab a seat on the opposite side of the room, and ignore every opportunity to engage with him.

It’s pathetic, really. And worse—it’s not working.

Because Luigi is still everywhere.

Even now, you can feel him watching you. You’re in your statistics lecture, pretending to focus as the professor drones on about probability distributions, but every so often, your eyes flicker toward him.

He looks… annoyed.

Not in the usual way, where he rolls his eyes at your comments or smirks when he knows he’s getting under your skin. No, this is different. His brows are furrowed, his jaw tense. Like he’s waiting for you to acknowledge him, and the longer you don’t, the more it irritates him.

Good. Let him be frustrated for once.

But then, just as you’re about to turn away, his eyes catch yours.

You expect him to smirk, to say something cocky like he always does. But he doesn’t.

Instead, he holds your gaze, unwavering.

And suddenly, you remember the way he looked at you that night—the quiet intensity in his expression, the weight of his words.

You don’t hate me as much as you want to.

Your stomach twists, and you snap your attention back to your notes, gripping your pen so tightly it might snap.

You don’t have time for this. You won’t let him get into your head.

But as the lecture drags on, you realize you’re not absorbing a single word.

—

Later that evening, you find yourself in the student lounge, determined to get through the problem set you’ve been putting off. It’s late, most students have cleared out, and you finally have some peace—

Until a chair scrapes against the floor, and you know before even looking who it is.

Luigi drops into the seat across from you, arms crossed, gaze locked onto yours. He doesn’t say anything at first. Just watches.

You force yourself to keep writing. “Go away.”

“No.”

Your grip tightens around your pen. “I’m busy.”

“Don’t care.”

You inhale sharply, finally looking up. “Seriously? What is your problem?”

“My problem?” He lets out a dry laugh, leaning forward slightly. “My problem is that you’ve been acting weird ever since the library.”

You scoff. “I haven’t—”

“Don’t lie.” His voice is lower now, quieter. “You don’t ignore me. You don’t avoid me. That’s not how we do this.”

There’s something dangerous about the way he says it—something that makes your pulse stutter.

You glare at him. “Maybe I just got tired of the constant competition.”

Luigi hums, tilting his head slightly. “Right. And that’s why you look like you’re about to set your pen on fire every time you catch me staring.”

You freeze for half a second—just long enough for him to catch it.

And that’s when he smirks.

“You are running,” he murmurs, more to himself than to you. He sits back, looking almost pleased, like he’s just solved an equation no one else could crack. “Huh.”

You slam your book shut. “You’re so goddamn full of yourself—”

“Am I?” His smirk softens just a fraction, but there’s something sharp behind it. “Then why won’t you look me in the eye?”

You do. You force yourself to meet his gaze head-on, ignoring the way your heart pounds against your ribs.

And for the first time in all your years of rivalry, you realize something terrifying.

This was never just hatred.

It was never just competition.

It was something else—something deeper, something messier.

And Luigi knows it, too.

The realization knocks the breath from your lungs, and before you can think, before you can stop yourself, you do the only thing you can—

You grab your things and leave.

And as you walk away, you hear him chuckle under his breath.

Like he knows you’ll be back.

Avoidance is a temporary solution at best. You know that. And yet, for the past week, you’ve done everything in your power to keep your distance from Luigi.

It’s exhausting.

Because no matter how hard you try, the universe seems determined to shove you back into his orbit. Group projects, class discussions, overlapping schedules—he’s everywhere, and every time you see him, that smug, knowing look in his eyes drives you insane.

You tell yourself you’re just imagining it. That the way he watches you—so damn patiently—isn’t making your skin burn. That the tension isn’t unbearable. That this… thing between you isn’t shifting into something unrecognizable.

But deep down, you know better.

And tonight, you finally reach your limit.

—

It starts with an assignment.

One that, unfortunately, you and Luigi have been forced to collaborate on.

You arrive at the library later than planned, already in a foul mood, and find him sitting at your usual table, flipping lazily through his notes. He looks up as you approach, and predictably, the first thing out of his mouth is—

“Thought you weren’t gonna show.”

You throw your bag onto the table, ignoring him as you pull out your laptop. “Not everything is about you, Luigi.”

“Sure.” He smirks. “Just most things.”

You glare at him, but before you can retort, he leans forward, resting his chin on one hand.

“Y’know, you’ve been avoiding me all week,” he muses. “Kinda hurts my feelings.”

“Oh, please—”

“Really makes me wonder what exactly you’re running from.”

Your hands clench into fists. “I’m not running.”

Luigi tilts his head, eyes gleaming. “Then prove it.”

Something in you snaps.

You slam your laptop shut and shove it aside. “What the hell do you want from me?”

He doesn’t even flinch. Just watches you with that infuriating calm, like he’s been waiting for this. “I want you to admit it.”

Your pulse pounds. “Admit what?”

Luigi exhales slowly, dragging a hand through his hair. And for the first time in this entire godforsaken rivalry, he looks… tired. Frustrated.

“That it’s not just hatred anymore,” he says quietly.

The words hang in the air, suffocating.

You open your mouth—ready to argue, to deny, to fight—but nothing comes out.

Because you can’t lie. Not this time.

Not when every late-night study session, every heated debate, every lingering glance is flashing through your mind like a cruel, undeniable truth.

Luigi watches your expression shift, and when he speaks again, his voice is softer. “I don’t think it ever was.”

Your breath catches.

This isn’t a game anymore.

It’s not a competition.

It never was.

And suddenly, you realize—maybe the thing you feared most wasn’t losing to him.

Maybe it was letting him win.

Because if you let him win, if you acknowledge this thing between you, then everything changes.

And change is terrifying.

You shake your head, shoving your chair back as you stand. “I can’t do this right now.”

Luigi doesn’t stop you this time. He just watches you leave, his expression unreadable.

But as you walk away, heart hammering, one thought keeps repeating in your mind.

You don’t hate him.

You never did.

You don’t sleep that night.

Instead, you stare at the ceiling of your dorm, replaying the conversation over and over, dissecting every word, every glance, every shift in Luigi’s expression.

You had spent so much time convincing yourself that what you felt for him was hatred—but now, the foundation of that belief has cracked, and the truth is slipping through.

You don’t know what’s worse: the fact that he figured it out before you did, or the fact that you can’t unhear his words.

It’s not just hatred anymore.

You roll onto your side, groaning into your pillow.

It shouldn’t matter. You should be able to brush this off, push it down like you do with every other inconvenient emotion. But the problem with Luigi—your real problem—is that he doesn’t let you ignore things.

He waits. He pushes.

And you know he’s not going to drop this.

—

The next day, you manage to avoid him—at least until your shared statistics class.

You slide into your usual seat, relieved when you don’t see him. Maybe he’s late. Maybe he won’t show up.

Then someone slides into the chair beside you, and you know before looking who it is.

Luigi.

You tense, staring straight ahead as the professor begins the lecture. You can feel him watching you, his presence annoyingly solid, his chair just a little closer than necessary.

Minutes pass. You pretend to take notes.

Then, quietly—so quietly that only you can hear—Luigi murmurs, “So, we’re back to pretending I don’t exist?”

You don’t react.

He leans in slightly. “Not very convincing, by the way.”

You grip your pen harder.

Another pause. Then, just as you think he’s going to drop it, his voice lowers further, amusement threading through it.

“You’ve been thinking about it, haven’t you?”

Your hand twitches, nearly knocking over your notebook.

Luigi hums, clearly pleased with himself. “That’s a yes.”

You turn sharply toward him, whispering furiously, “Would you shut up?”

Luigi smirks, completely unbothered. “Make me.”

Oh, you hate him.

You hate how easily he gets under your skin, how he turns everything into a game he knows he’ll win. You hate that he’s right.

You hate that you have been thinking about it.

Your eyes flicker over his face, searching for something—anything—that will give you the upper hand. But all you see is certainty.

He knows exactly what he’s doing to you.

And you don’t have a single defense left.

The rest of the lecture is a blur, your brain too clouded with frustration, confusion, and the lingering echo of his words.

By the time class ends, you’re practically out of your seat before the professor dismisses you.

But just as you reach the door, Luigi’s voice stops you in your tracks.

“See you at the library tonight.”

You turn, frowning. “I never agreed to that.”

Luigi shrugs, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “No, but you’ll be there.”

And damn him, because you already know he’s right.

You tell yourself you won’t go.

You won’t give him the satisfaction of being right. You won’t sit across from him in the library again, won’t let him smirk at you like he knows something you don’t.

But of course, hours later, you find yourself walking through the dimly lit halls, your feet carrying you there before your brain can come up with a valid excuse not to.

It’s stupid. You don’t even know why you’re going. Maybe it’s because you actually need to study. Maybe it’s because you don’t want to give him another reason to gloat.

Or maybe it’s because a part of you is desperate to figure out what the hell this thing between you actually is.

You push open the library doors, the familiar scent of old books and coffee hitting you instantly.

And there he is.

Sitting at your usual table, a coffee cup in front of him, legs stretched out as he leans back in his chair. He looks up the second you enter, and the slow, satisfied smirk that spreads across his face makes you want to turn right back around.

But you don’t.

You straighten your spine, schooling your expression into something unreadable, and march toward him. You drop your bag onto the chair opposite his and sit down, pulling out your notes without a word.

Luigi watches you for a long moment. Then—

“Knew you’d show.”

You don’t look up. “Shut up.”

He chuckles, shaking his head. “You’re predictable.”

“I’m predictable?” You scoff. “You’re the one who sits in the same damn spot every night like a pretentious asshole waiting to be worshiped.”

Luigi raises a brow, feigning offense. “Worshiped?”

You shoot him a glare. “You act like you’re some untouchable genius, but the truth is, you’re just an insufferable nerd who can’t stand the idea of someone beating him.”

Something flickers in his eyes—something sharp and challenging. “Funny,” he murmurs. “I could say the same about you.”

Your pulse spikes.

Because he’s right. And you hate that he’s right.

You hate the way he sees you too clearly, the way he refuses to let you hide behind your usual defenses.

The air between you shifts, heavy with something unspoken.

Then, before you can stop yourself, you blurt out, “Why do you even care so much?”

Luigi stills.

You hadn’t meant to say it—not like that, not so raw. But the words are already out there, hanging between you like a challenge.

His expression darkens, something unreadable settling behind his eyes. “Why do you?”

You don’t have an answer.

Or maybe you do, but you’re too afraid to say it.

The silence stretches. Your heart is pounding, your fingers gripping the edge of your notebook like a lifeline.

Then, just when you think he’s about to drop it, Luigi leans forward, voice quieter now. “You keep acting like this is just about competition.”

Your throat goes dry.

He studies you carefully, his gaze dipping just slightly—to your hands, still clenched around your notebook—to the rapid rise and fall of your chest. Then, just as his eyes meet yours again, he murmurs, “But you and I both know it’s not.”

Something inside you fractures.

And before you can even think, before you can stop yourself, you shove your chair back and stand. “I need to go.”

Luigi doesn’t stop you.

But as you walk away, you feel his eyes on your back.

And you know this isn’t over.

You don’t sleep. You barely make it through your morning classes. Every conversation, every assignment, every second that ticks by feels like background noise to the only thing occupying your mind.

Luigi.

His words. His gaze. The way he looked at you like he had already won.

You hate him for it. You hate that he’s inside your head, that he’s forcing you to confront something you’ve spent years denying. But more than anything—more than the anger, more than the frustration—you hate that you don’t hate him.

Not even close.

By the time night falls, you know what you have to do.

—

You find him exactly where you expect him to be—alone in the library, in your usual spot.

He looks up the moment you enter, something unreadable flickering across his face. He doesn’t smirk this time, doesn’t gloat. He just watches as you approach, as you drop your bag onto the table, as you lean forward with your palms pressed flat against the wood.

“We need to settle this,” you say, voice steady despite the way your heart is racing.

Luigi tilts his head slightly, eyes glinting with something sharp. “Settle what, exactly?”

You grit your teeth. “This.” You gesture between the two of you. “Whatever the hell this is.”

He exhales a quiet laugh, shaking his head. “Took you long enough.”

Your stomach tightens. “So you knew?”

“Of course I knew.” His voice is softer now, lower. “I was just waiting for you to admit it.”

Your hands curl into fists. “You’re so—”

“What?” Luigi leans in, voice barely above a whisper now. “Infuriating? Impossible? Completely, utterly distracting?”

You swallow hard.

Because yes. Yes to all of it.

But most of all—

“You drive me insane,” you grit out.

Luigi exhales slowly, his gaze dropping—just for a second—to your lips. “Funny,” he murmurs. “Because you do the same to me.”

The space between you is practically nonexistent now. The tension is unbearable, crackling like a live wire, pulling you closer and closer and—

And then, finally, finally, you break.

You grab the collar of his shirt and crash your lips against his, pouring years of frustration, tension, and something deeper into the kiss.

Luigi reacts instantly, hands gripping your waist, pulling you flush against him. The kiss is desperate, rough, like neither of you knows how to slow down. And maybe you don’t. Maybe this is how it’s always been—fast, intense, an inevitable collision you were both too stubborn to stop.

When you finally break apart, breathless, Luigi presses his forehead against yours, a smirk curling at his lips.

“Took you long enough,” he murmurs.

You groan, shoving his shoulder—but you don’t move away. “If you ever bring this up in a competition, I swear—”

Luigi laughs, and for once, it’s not mocking. It’s warm. Real.

And as much as you hate to admit it—

You think you could get used to this.

[pinkcreamypeach]

Do I make you nervous?

(Mario x peach short story)

“Mario… do I make you nervous?”

The question was so soft, yet it made Mario's heart leap like he had just misstepped over a pit. Princess Peach looked up at him, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, lips parted in uncertainty. She looked almost guilty, as if she had done something wrong. The sight nearly made Mario frown himself, but instead, he forced a nervous smile, adjusting his cap with jittery fingers.

“O-of course not! What makes you think that?”

he asked, tilting his head in an attempt at casualness.

Peach’s fingers fidgeted, her gloved hands twisting together as her gaze lowered beneath the golden curtain of her eyelashes.

“Well… whenever I talk to you, your face turns red… and you start to sweat. And when we hold hands, it’s like touching a furnace beneath my gloves.” Her voice softened, hesitant.

“Are you nervous because I’m taller than you and Luigi? Or is it because I’m a princess? Am I too intense when I care about something? Too… bossy?”

She rambled on, her emotions spilling into each word. Her silky gloves bunched between her fingers as she tugged at them absentmindedly. Mario, meanwhile, barely registered her words. He was too focused on herthe way she worried her lower lip, the way her lashes hid the tenderness in her eyes, the way she tried so hard to understand his thoughts.

He wanted to say something, anything, but his voice betrayed him. His hands clenched the brim of his cap, his fingers twisting into the fabric. When he finally looked at her again, she was already gazing at him. her lips parted slightly, as if she had stopped speaking minutes ago.

Their eyes locked.

A heartbeat passed.

And then, as if their minds had the same flustered thought, they both looked away at the exact same moment, heat flooding their faces.

Peach took a small step back before settling onto a wooden bench beside the garden. Her pink ballgown fanned out, settling gracefully around her, but her hands remained restless in her lap. She bit her lip, lost in thought. Mario, still gripping his cap, leaned against the garden wall, his curly dark hair bouncing slightly with the movement. He fidgeted too, his fingers tracing the rim of his hat.

Peach glanced up at him, at the way his unruly curls framed his face. She had always admired his hair, the way it softened his rugged features, the way it suited him perfectly. Without thinking, she reached up, fingers slipping through the thick, dark locks.

Mario flinched at first but quickly melted under her touch.Her touch was so delicate, reverent even.She cared for her own hair so much, tending to every curl and wave like it was a treasured gift. And Mario had always noticed he had noticed the way it smelled like strawberries when he held her close after saving her, the way it bounced when she walked with effortless grace. She was light itself, a woman who brought warmth and joy wherever she went.

“You have such soft hair…” She murmured, her fingers moving from his curls to his sideburns, then tracing the edges of his mustache with featherlight touches.

Mario stiffened, heat blooming in his cheeks. Did she even realize what she was doing to him?

“...You used Desert Essence Island Mango conditioner?” She mused, her voice distant, as if she wasn’t even thinking about what she was saying.

“I missed that… The mint one doesn’t suit you. It’s more of a Luigi scent, really…”

Mario blinked.

“Y-you kept track w-wait, how do you know that?” His voice cracked into a whisper, barely managing to escape his throat.

Peach didn’t answer. Her half-lidded gaze, framed by golden lashes, was locked onto him, her fingers still in his hair. His heart pounded, loud enough that he swore she could hear it. His throat was dry, his breaths uneven. He stared at her, the whole world fading into the background.

She was so beautiful. It was unbearable.

“Sei così bella… Così bello…” The words slipped out before he could stop them, whispering like a secret prayer.

Peach’s hands cupped his cheeks. Her warmth seeped into his skin, pulling him back to reality.

“Mario… Oh my! You’re burning up!” She gasped, her eyes widening in concern.

Mario, still dazed, weakly lifted a hand. “No, no! I’m perfectly fi—”

Before he could protest, he was swept off his feet literally. Peach lifted him with ease, cradling him in her arms as she rushed toward the castle.

He was weightless in her grasp, held effortlessly as if he were no heavier than a sack of flour. He knew fighting back was pointless, so he let himself relax, watching her in awe as she called out for help.

Her strength was just another part of her he adored.

He gazed up at her as she carried him, a small, helpless smile curling at his lips.

Ti amo…~

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

(Writer note- I haven't written these two in months. I really missed them. My mereach brainrot returned, and before I knew it, I had whipped up this story in just an hour. It might not be perfect, and I'm sorry if it falls short of expectations. Unfortunately, there’s no drawing to accompany it this time… even though I made Mario Brown Eyes, lol.)

@bberetd @keylovesstuff @peaches2217

(Finally something Mario related for you guys)

@silenzahra <--- Hope you like this too! Sorry for the tagging if you're uncomfortable with it. :3

[messydoodlesyt]

SMG4 Crew Redesigns Part 1

Finally got them done! I saw some people do redesigns for the SMG4 Crew and I wanted to put my spin on it. So far I’ve done SMG4, SMG3, Meggy, Mario, and Luigi. I'm for sure gonna do the others at one point. But it was perfect timing since I did finally finish all the arcs in order (and the important episodes in between for the most part) so I at least have some better context then all the stuff from 2022+ and all.

So first up SMG4. I’ve seen people incorporate the glitch color pallet so I tried to put a little bit on the shoes and pant legs. That and I’ve seen him associated with stars. I don’t quite understand why people do redesigns with it; maybe it’s something in an old episode I haven’t seen yet or something but I thought it’d be neat to add. Added the number four roman numeral for him too cuz it felt off only having 3 have it. Shoulder strap off cuz vibes idk.

Next up SMG3! I’ve seen so many people give him long hair/ a mullet and dammit it was just too perfect to have. That with some ripped pants and gloves and earrings to add for his redesign. And of course the overall pocket for Eggdog because yes.

Up next Meggy! She felt like the biggest change to me but I think it’s mainly the hair being the reason. Originally I was keeping the long hair, but when I was watching the arcs and saw her inkling form didn’t have any tentacle things in the back just the front (forgive me idk if that’s what those are called a barely played splatoon) so I felt like after turning human she would first have the long hair but then cut it as a way to cope if that makes sense? Idk she seemed to have struggled for some time just trying to adjust to human form and at least she would have control over her hair. Then I gave freckles which I believe her first human model design did have them but it was so faded it was hard to tell so I tried to make em a bit more noticeable (though now that I’m looking at them maybe I should make em thicker idk yet).

Now friggen Mario. Good lord he was the last one I finished and it should not have been this hard. It’s all minor changed I feel like- I tried to make him still identifiable while still having some differences like the short sleeves, belt, and patches. That and I put his signature M on the gloves too to match SMG4 and SMG3. I was struggling with the mouth (not the cursed one just normal) because sometimes it would look off. Luigi I had more of a problem with though than Mario for whatever reason; maybe it’s the mustache.

Which speaking of Luigi as the final one for the list thing. He definitely gave me turtle neck vibes so I wanted to give him that, plus a belt that has those little bag strap things or whatever you call them to hold stuff like maybe some flower seeds or whatever he needs to. And I only did one of those little drawings with a mouth but when I tried doing it for the others it felt off. Probably for future drawings with these refs I’ll add mouths or won’t depending on the mood.

And yeah those are my redesigns. Definitely wanna do the others like Tari and Saiko for example. But some I know will be tricky because I don’t really know what I could add for redesigns like Mr. Puzzles and Karen for example. But we’ll see.

Part 2 of SMG4 Redesigns

[xotication]

can u do gamer!kaneki and reader doing a stream where it’s just them goofing off and doing random stuff? like reader does his makeup on stream, smash or pass w anime characters, etc. ofc if you’d like !! thank u ♡

of course! sorry this took so long :(

☆,

as you know, kaneki has been streaming for a while now. his viewers love him, but they also love you! he’s starting to think he can’t have one stream where they’re not begging him to bring you in.

eventually you become a reoccurring guest, no matter what is is you two are doing.

his viewers eventually give you guys ideas of some silly things to do.

like one time you guys had to remake peoples instagram stories. you guys would just scroll thru your mutuals stories & randomly click on one.

it left you guys posting some corny couple photos, random fit checks, your attempts at some of the fancy dinners they were eating, or even random videos between them & their friends.

another time, the viewers begged & BEGGED the two of you to play smash or pass & it was the funniest thing ever.

“okok. uhm, smash or pass satoru gojo”

“smash.”

“smash.”

“hello??”

“what- i can’t smash gojo but you can?? he’s my glorious blue eyed king!”

“YOUR?! ken baby, he doesn’t even know who you ARE!”

“just shhh..”

“ok wtv. smash or pass eren jaeger”

“pass..”

“smash.”

“excuse me? didn’t he commit like every war crime.. ever?”

“ok & he was sexy while doing it all.”

“is that what i have to do for you..?”

“absolutely.”

“you were supposed to say no….”

“oh-”

this continued with a plethora of people & by the end of it, you guys were questioning each other so hard.

some of your guys’ other friends got wrapped into the content. one night you called up hide to test his loyalty.

“uhm- hey hide. is kaneki there with you? he said he’d be hanging out with you, but i haven’t heard from him in hours.”

hide literally requests to facetime you & walks you throughout his whole house to show no signs of kaneki. manz was playing NO games. & kaneki was so heartbroken.

“bro how’re you gonna expose me like that?!”

“bc if you’re cheating on your girl, i’m not gonna help you cover that shit up. be a man, moron”

“ok chill. i didn’t even cheat”

“yeah +10k aura for hide..”

“ok i’m hanging up wtf”

-

you ended up asking ken if you guys could do a cooking and/or baking stream. but without a recipe, he agrees & this makes for the most viral stream yet.

you have hide and ayato there to let you guys know how much time there is left, to referee the whole situation, & ofc to judge the food

you’re instructed to make pasta, FROM SCRATCH.

things start off well, but when you take a bathroom break, kaneki ends up sabotaging your dish.

he’s adding in a lil bit too much salt to your pasta sauce, & tasting it makes his whole face scrunch up.

when you come back, hide looks so guilty. like he had seen something he wasn’t supposed to see. which was of course, the underlying truth. all the while ayato was there, pokerfaced.

noticing this, you immediately assume ken is suspicious, “kaneki what’d you do.”

“what?? nothing.”

“hide is he lying.”

“i dunno”

“you were here the whole time?! ‘wdym i dunno’ you do know!”

“no i don’t?!”

you decide to let it go.

the whole process is chaotic, but fun. by the time it’s ready for judging, you & kaneki were both stressed out.

making noodles from SCRATCH without a recipe isn’t an easy task.

ken’s plate looked like mario & luigi threw it up, while yours looked like a penguin just regurgitated it to its baby.

you guys place the plates on the dinner table & you sit across from ayato & hide.

“alright chat. the foods done, looking rather.. interesting. i’m a little hesitant & scared to consume this but, we move”

“shall we?” ayato hands hide a fork & they both take a bite from ken’s dish first.

“uh- okay. i mean it’s definitely food. definitely a plate of food, i think” hide speaks first.

& ayato follows up with, “this is awful, ken”

kaneki gasps, almost as if hurt by the words, “okay then try y/n’s!”

& when they do, they’re pleasantly surprised. hide was expecting it to be salty as FUCK. but of course you peeped the chat saying how much salt ken had added. so you just added a shit ton of tomato sauce to even it all out. & it made for a yummy dish!

“this is decent! it’s not the greatest ever, but it’s also not the worst. definitely better than kaneki’s. the noodles are bit easier to chew & the sauce is almost normal”

“so did i win” you asked & ken looked so defeated in his seat..

“uhm. no you didn’t win. rightfully so, anyway.” ayato informs him & you jump for joy!

“you shouldn’t have tried to sabotage me, ken”

“how’d you even know?!”

-

lastly, one day you were super bored. you didn’t even plan on getting in stream with ken. you kinda just wanted to chill that day. but you chilled too hard. now you were literally doing nothing.

you put your phone down & wiped your eyes after scrolling through tiktok for what felt like hours.

“what to do, what to do” you said to yourself.

an idea clicks & you quickly jumped from your bed to make way to your closet.

you're putting on a cute dress & getting ready for, well, nothing at all. but it's all part of the plan. ken is so wrapped up in his gaming that he takes no notice of you at all. you're at your vanity pulling together the last pieces of your look.

even chat notices before your own boyfriend does, they're thinking ken has to leave soon because you guys are going somewhere but that's not at all the case.

you're stood by the bedroom door, all dolled up & pretty. "okay ken, i'm gonna go to target!" he looks back at you for a quick second & then back at his monitor.

"okay, see you later, love you!"

you walk out the room & ken is reading his chat. "target.. in that outfit?" "bro is not going to target" "bro didn't even see what his girl was wearing" "ken.. she said target, not the red carpet"

finally ken takes a second to picture what it was you were wearing again, & he gets up so fast he almost falls.

mans literally sprints out the room, out the house, & finds you sitting in your car. when you saw him, the last thing you had expected him to do was remove you from the car, & throw you over his shoulder but that's exactly what he does.

ken carries you all the way to the bedroom & throws you on the bed. stream STILL going btw.

"change."

is all he says before he's sat back in his chair, queuing into another game.

most of the girls in the chat are going crazy, rightfully so tbh.

ken looked back at you to see if you had listened, & when he saw you on the bed, still just laying there.. he wasted no time ending the stream.

he began to undress you himself. took off his own shirt, pulled it over your head, & then he took you to the bathroom to help wash your makeup off.

"going to target my fucken ass."

blehhhhhhh

[peaches2217]

It has been a hot minute since I rambled in your inbox, so here’s something I’m puzzling through regarding *that* scene in Brothership (obviously, spoilers)

The flowers seem to be trapping people in worlds of their own—isolated, alone. It’s established that they’re cut off from literally everyone. And yet, the Bros end up together in one?

This is either:

A screwup of the writing team (most likely, considering gameplay must remain consistent, but GOD I would hate it)

A screwup of Reclusa, knowing the Bros would feel incomplete without each other

Mario and Luigi are in fact, in separate worlds, going through their own trial to break out of the isolation, and while we see one Bro’s POV of it we don’t see the other (SUPREME angst possibility there), OR

Mario and Luigi’s bond is Just That Strong. So much so that, in the possibility of something that was supposed to break their bond, their minds still reached out to each other and made sure they would at least be together in their dream world

I think I like the third possibility best, but whatddya think?

JAAAAAAAAAAAAADE THESE ARE ALL SO GOOD

But! I’m personally Team 2. The flowers obviously are capable of reading a person’s memories/thoughts and creating a hyper-realistic idealized world for them. Given how powerful Mario and Luigi’s bond is, it wouldn’t be a stretch to imagine the flowers (and, by extension, Reclusa) would realize that they’d immediately start fighting back if they were given a fake version of their brother. After all, “the bros are able to tell each other apart from identical fakes” is something that’s established in their trial with the Great Conductor.

Reclusa himself goes into their dream to spy on them and adjust the scenario as he deems fit, so I think he knew exactly how risky that venture was, but clearly it wasn’t without merit. Both bros are perfectly willing to ignore how strange the whole situation is in favor of just relaxing and enjoying being back “home”. As long as they’re together, they’re at ease.

I’m personally of the belief that, even if Reclusa hadn’t gotten ham-fisted with trying to perfect their dream world and thus raise their suspicions, they would’ve eventually figured it out and fought back anyway. Apparition!Peach imploring them to stay as one final line of defense shows that the flowers/Reclusa know just how much she means to both bros, and it would only be a matter of time before they realized that their beloved Princess wasn’t quite herself. In a best-case scenario for Reclusa, the most he could’ve done was slow them down; even so, had he been more careful, he probably could have slowed them enough to where, by the time they broke free, they would’ve been too late to stop him anyway. Unfortunately (for him anyway), he saw it was possible to trick them, convinced himself he could keep them trapped permanently with enough fine-tuning, and his overconfidence leads to his downfall.

Which is to say, I don’t at all believe it was just an inconsistency with the writing. I think it was calculated and damn brilliant.

[pianokantzart]

The Super Mario Bros. Redux (Pt. 6)

What would happen if, in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, after Mario and Luigi are separated, Mario was the one who ended up in the clutches of Luigi’s eventual arch nemesis, while Luigi teamed up with some of his own close allies to go rescue him? (This part of the story is in one shot format. Most other parts are written in bullet points.)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 7 ________

A short summary of the things Luigi had done in the past twenty four hours that he had never expected to do in his entire life:

Fall into an interdimensional wormhole. Fight a warrior princess in a crowded arena. Become a royally acclaimed ghost hunter. Enlist in an army assembled to ambush the territory ruled by The King of Ghosts in order to rescue hostages and bring balance to the afterlife. Adopt a dog.

... Though it was more accurate to say the dog adopted him. Normally Luigi had trouble with animals– he could never read their body language, and his clumsiness made for bad first impressions. The few animals he got along with in the past were old and quiet, wanting nothing more than a warm lap on which to lay their head. Polterpup was different; playful and energetic, mischievous yet patient. Luigi couldn’t help but wonder what was the reason behind the attachment– if he himself resembled an old master or friend from the dog’s past life before it became a ghost. It still wore a collar, though the little golden loop on the front had no tag. The collar was bright red, almost a perfect match to Mario’s favorite color. "Heh, you’re just as good at getting into trouble as Mario, too,” Luigi added with a somber smile, kneeling down to oblige the ghost dog’s less-than-subtle plea for belly rubs until it disappeared again, as was its habit. Polterpup tended to suddenly poof in and out of thin air with little warning, and though it seemed to be at random at first, Luigi began to realize the dog mostly came to him when he was feeling alone, which was more often than not as of late. Every new experience, every strange encounter, every unexpected victory made Luigi wish more and more that his brother was around to take part. Hardly a second passed without him wondering what he was doing at that moment, and if he was okay.

Unfortunately, his occupied mind made him a less-than-helpful assistant to E. Gadd. The professor had warned earlier that he had always preferred working alone. The result was a very low tolerance level for “tomfoolery,” as he described it, and it wasn’t long before Luigi’s shaky attempts to help attach upgrades to The Poltergust caused the scientist to lose his patience. One shoddy wire-soldering job later, Luigi found himself being forcibly pushed toward the exit by the surprisingly strong old man. “Go. Shoo. Distract yourself with something else.”

“Like what?” Luigi asked, digging his heels. “What do I do? Where do I go?”

“How about you see the princess?”

“Princess Daisy?”

Luigi lingered in the doorway. The professor adjusted his glasses, and pointed down one of the castle hallways. “Yep! She’s in the greenhouse. I’m sure she could use the company. You two seem to get along well enough.”

“We do?” Luigi placed his hand against his cheek, thinking over their last interactions. They had exchanged blows, but worked together in the end to defeat Boolossus. She had held his hand up as the victor, but she had also toyed with him in a way that made it clear that she knew how weak he truly was. He liked her, that much he knew, but that didn’t mean she wanted anything more to do with him, and furthermore she had a power and confidence to her that intimidated him beyond her status as the daughter of four kings. “I don’t know. I mean, we did make a pretty good team, but she’s royalty! I don’t know anything about how to approach royalty. Do I bow? Or–”

“You’ll be fine,” The Professor assured, only half paying attention as he returned to his work, burying himself back into the open hatch of a large machine.

In the end, Luigi did as he was told. The greenhouse was easy enough to find. As large as the Birabuto Palace was, its corridors were open and easy to navigate, and the guards were surprisingly helpful in giving directions despite their shaky first-encounters.

Finding the large doors to the greenhouse, marked by limestone imitations of crawling vines carved into the archway, Luigi gathered his determination and pushed them open. The first thing that struck him was a wall of glacial cold– a shocking surprise, and the opposite of what he expected from a greenhouse, but this discomfort was immediately undercut by the beauty of the surrounding foliage. The flowers, sparkling with a brilliant, incandescent blue, sprouted from planter boxes and large pots all around in blooms and buds. He thought for a moment that surely they were beautifully-crafted plastic or silicon, but pinching a large leaf between the fingers of his gloves he found they felt as real as any common dandelion. The second thing that struck him was the night sky, clearly visible through the glass walls and ceiling. He had never in his life seen so many stars, and for all his love of science and space he could not recognize a single constellation, which served as an unsettling, but ultimately breathtaking reminder of how far from home truly he was.

“Oh! Hey!”

Luigi jumped and let out a surprised squeak when Daisy emerged from behind a stack of pots to greet him. Her cheeks were tinted pink from the cold, and in her right arm she held a large sack of powdery-white fertilizer that she was distributing between the plants. She laughed at his reaction, but it carried no hint of condescension, just friendly amusement. “I was hoping I’d see you again before we invaded Evershade Valley!” she called, waving him over. “Luigi, was it?”

Luigi approached while holding his hat to his chest, shuddering a bit as the chill bit at the edges of his ears. “Yes, Your Highness.” Daisy once more laughed her friendly, good-natured laugh. “None of that. Just Daisy. No ‘Miss’ or ‘Ma’am’ either. If you’ve gotta be formal, call me Princess Daisy.” Luigi, feeling a little more at ease, put his hat back on his head. “Yes, Princess Daisy.” She gave a nod of approval, then went back to work fertilizing the long rows of plants. “So,” she asked, “What can I help you with, big guy?” “I, er…” Luigi suddenly realized he had failed to come up with a proper reason before arriving here. He couldn’t very well say the professor kicked him out of the lab for being inept, but before he could think of an excuse his attention was re-seized by the plants. Curiosity overcame him to the point that he forgot his worries, and he once more brushed his hand against the leaf of the nearest flower. “Are these where your ice powers came from? In The Battle Stadium?” “Of course! I’m pretty good with a powerup, huh?” Daisy said proudly, “Normally I favor the elephant fruit, but today I decided to switch things up.” “Elephant fruit? There’s other magical plants?” The princess stiffened. Luigi was worried for a moment that he had accidentally said something offensive, but she retained her genuine smile as she set the sack of fertilizer down and placed her hands on her hips. “Wow, you’re really not from around here, are you.” Before Luigi could answer, she walked up and wrapped a friendly arm around his shoulder. “Suppose I should’ve known. Humans aren’t native to this world. The professor is one of, like, two other humans I know. Do you know E. Gadd? Is he your uncle or something?” “I– uh, no. We just met yesterday.” “Let me guess: you're lost." "Well... yes..." "And he said he'd only get you home if you help him.” “What!?” “He’s the kind of guy to pull a stunt like that if he thinks it’s for the greater good.” Daisy explained, holding Luigi a bit closer in a show of sympathy. “You don’t have to do this, you know, you could go home anytime you like. I’ll vouch for you!” Despite the friendly intention behind these words, Luigi felt a lump form in his throat. He slipped out from under The Princess’ side-hug, and stared up at her with a troubled look. “Do you… want me to leave?” Daisy bristled. Her cheeks reddened as she shook her head and waved her hands in dismay. “No! No no no of course not! I think you’re great! It’s just…” She trailed off, rubbing the back of her neck.

Luigi, surprised by this rare show of nervousness, patiently waited with bated breath for her to gather her thoughts, and after a few seconds she continued, quieter than before. “It’s just that I keep thinking about what you said in the arena. You seemed like a guy who had a lot to lose. You weren’t in it for glory or the fun of the fight, you were just scared and… I don’t know… I felt bad for you. Still do.” At this, Luigi gained a slight smile, shyly burying his hands in his pockets and rocking on his heels. “Heh, don’t worry. I gotta learn how to not be scared all the time, y'know?” It didn’t take long before he realized what he said– whose words he was echoing. The gravity of the situation quickly crashed back down on him, robbing him of that small moment of comfort. It was evident by the look on Daisy’s face that she had seen the change in his expression, so Luigi went ahead and explained his predicament before she could ask: “It’s my brother, Mario. We both fell through a warp pipe. I ended up in your kingdom but he ended up in Evershade Valley.”

Daisy cocked her head, the gears turning behind her eyes as everything she had witnessed about the plumber's manner up until now came together in her mind. “Oh. I see.”

“It was my fault. I fell into the warp pipe, and he jumped in after me, and– I… I can’t just leave him.” Luigi heard his own voice crack and felt tears beginning to form in his eyes. Despite this he kept going, the pent up emotions of the past twenty four hours running rampant, unable to be reigned in. “It’s not that I don’t trust anyone else to save him, but I gotta make sure he’s okay! We’ve never been apart this long… and I-... I miss him.” Tears began streaming freely, the cold air burning them into long lines down Luigi’s cheeks. He turned away, struggling to wipe his eyes with the back of his glove. “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be.”

Luigi saw a glimmer of white fabric in the corner of his vision. Turning, he saw the princess holding a flower-embroidered handkerchief out to him. He accepted, and dried his eyes. He tried to hand it back, but she was already returning to the flowers, plucking up a set of pruning shears as she went. “I’ve never known a good fighter that didn’t have big emotions brewing under the surface,” she assured. “But don’t you worry, after the way we saved my dads, saving you brother should be no sweat!...” Luigi, hearing a light snip of closing shears, saw Princess Daisy remove one of the ice flowers at its base between where the leaves connected to the soil. Despite being cut off from its roots the plant remained as lively as ever. It almost looked to be dancing happily in her hands as she delivered it back to Luigi.

“...and when you do save him, give him this.” She said, holding out the offering. “If Mario’s anything like you, he’s not going to want to be defenseless, and ice magic is the one of the few things that can combat boos besides your Poltergust.” Luigi smiled. He reached out and took the flower into his hands. He was surprised to find it wasn’t particularly chilly to the touch– clearly the coldness of the room was for the sake of cultivating the plants, not the effect of the flowers themselves. “You seem to really know a lot.” He mused aloud, pressing the gift to his chest. “But… you said humans aren’t native to this world. Where did you come from, then?” He stopped suddenly, realizing the personal nature of what he asked. He searched Daisy’s face for some sign of disapproval, but was relieved to see her smiling just as brightly as before. “Ha! I wish I had an answer to your question!” She laughed, “Dragonzamasu says I hatched from an orange egg that appeared suddenly in a field of flowers. Biokinton says he found me curled up in a bassinet hitched to a shooting star. Hiyoihoi says he found me locked in a gemstone at the center of the oldest mountain in Sarasaland. But I’m more inclined to buy Totomesu’s story.”

“What’s Totomesu’s story?” Daisy’s smile wavered. Luigi wondered once again if he misstepped, but this time easily brushed the thought aside, trusting by now that the princess would let him know if he had done something wrong. She turned away, staring up at the stars through the glass wall of the greenhouse, and Luigi placed himself at the her side, watching the stars in tandem until Daisy finally broke the silence and answered his question: “He found me at the mouth of a warp pipe, barely old enough to crawl and completely terrified. Sometimes I think I still remember that day… as much as I prefer to believe that I hatched from an egg.”

There was such an odd sadness to her voice that Luigi felt an impulse to reach out and reassuringly take her hand, though he had enough common sense to refrain from such an intimate gesture. All the same, he wanted to say something comforting. “I don’t mind that you didn’t hatch from an egg.” He heard himself blurt out.

Daisy shot him a confused look, and Luigi nervously scrambled to explain himself. “What I mean is… hey, you were a baby, y’know? Ain’t nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re already so cool, you can’t be cool every moment of your life, and most babies aren’t cool! And… uh…” Daisy started to laugh. Luigi turned red, but felt a little better now that she was smiling again, even more so when he felt the princess affectionately nudging his shoulder. “Haha! I get it big guy, I get what you're saying!”

Luigi laughed too, in spite of himself.

“Speaking of ‘cool,’” Daisy went on, “I'm freezing!” She rubbed at her arms in a display of discomfort. Luigi, too, was suddenly reminded of just how cold he was. By now the low temperature had seeped all the way through his clothes and skin, triggering a powerful shiver that ran through his core, which was soon soothed as the princess wrapped an arm around him, and pressed him close. “Tell me, Luigi, do you have hot chocolate in your world?”

“I love hot chocolate!”

“Perfect!” With her arm still tightly wrapped around the plumber, Daisy eagerly led him to the egress of the greenhouse. “Let’s get us some good old-fashioned creature comforts before we fight some ghosts!”

"Heh. Yeah. Let's-a-go!" Luigi said, forcing enthusiasm, thankful that he had the cold as an excuse for his uncontrollable shivering.

[pixiedustandfairypowers]

A Different Kind of Loss

It was a mildly pleasant evening as the sun steadily dipped through the trees and giant mushrooms of the kingdom’s valleys. The day was winding down, and Luigi decided to retire to his room for the evening. He should be feeling excited, and yet here he was with a somber expression on his face.

Luigi sat down at his bed and picked up a picture frame of him and Mario. It was the day they had graduated high school, their faces grinning, holding up their diplomas and holding onto each other. He set that one down and picked up another. This one was their first day at Spike’s Wrecking Crew. Luigi continued looking through the other pictures he had on his phone, in his photo albums, and so on, until he got to one of the more recent ones.

This one was different. Instead of just him and Mario, Princess Peach was in the photograph too, her smile ever so slightly different than the grins of the brothers. She was wearing a pink and gold ring on her finger, having just accepted Mario’s proposal. Luigi felt upset at himself for feeling down.

He had helped Mario come up with the plan to propose to her, just like they had done everything together. He had grown quite close to Peach, to Luigi she was already a sister to him. He should feel nothing but joy at the fact that his bro was finally getting married in two days’ time to a woman that he dearly loved and who loved him dearly in return. Luigi was going to be the best man at the wedding for goodness sake! He shouldn’t have any right to feel sad.

Looking away from the photos, Luigi started up at the ceiling, and then at the walls of his bedroom. Almost everything of Mario’s was gone, and what was remaining were just a few pieces of furniture that were going to be removed while Mario and Peach left for their honeymoon. Luigi, of course, had volunteered to do it, but Peach had also asked Toad and Toadette to help him.

Speaking of which, Luigi heard a knock on his door. He answered it, and there he was, the little mushroom man who was Mario’s self-proclaimed best friend.

“Heya!” said Toad.

“Oh. Hi, sorry, I wasn’t expecting company, well aside from Mario,” admitted Luigi. “Uh, come in, I’ll make you some tea!”

Toad happily sat down at the table. The house wasn’t very large so there wasn’t much room for extraneous furniture. Still, it was cozy enough for Mario and Luigi to sit down for meals together as well as have the occasional guest.

As Luigi heated up the water, he asked, “Hey, have you seen my brother lately?” Mario was usually home right around now, and while they had split up to run some last minute errands separately, Luigi had been under the impression that his brother wouldn’t be too long.

“Actually, yes,” said Toad. “Mario actually sent me over to let you know that he was not going to get back until late this evening. Seems like it was a last minute date night with the princess.”

“Oh.” Luigi’s expression changed to be less politely hesitant and a bit more wistful. He quietly poured two cups of tea, handed one to Toad, and then put both his hands around his mug. Instead of drinking it, Luigi just stared into it.

“But hey, I’m totally down to hang out!” Toad suggested, hoping it would improve his friend’s mood.

Luigi continued to stare at his tea, barely acknowledging Toad but still trying his best to be polite. “Oh. Yeah, yeah you can stay…” he trailed off.

“Can’t believe the wedding’s the day after to tommorow already,” grinned Toad. “Princess Peach is so lucky to have your brother, and I’m so relieved to be part of a wedding that isn’t some coercive sham. Time flies so fast! Seems like only yesterday that we dodged THAT Bullet Bill, quite literally, eh Luigi?”

Luigi shuddered. Perhaps enough time had passed that Toad felt comfortable joking about it, but a lot of things from his experience were things he tried to block out of his memory. He refused to do so completely, as he’d made good ones too, like the sheer relief at Mario saving his life, finally getting the chance to give Bowser the pummeling that he deserved, and being recognized as a hero. But he could never quite move past the fact that he had been mere inches away from death on several occasions.

“I’m so sorry,” said Toad, regretting that he had brought the subject up. “I only wish that you and Mario had arrived here under better circumstances… To be honest, I was shocked when the two of you had decided to move to the Mushroom Kingdom. After all that happened, I’d figured that you probably didn’t want to have anything to do with us…”

“It’s not your fault and never was,” Luigi reassured him. “In fact I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for you and Peach, and for that I’m eternally grateful.” He finally took a sip of his tea. “Besides, while living here has taken some getting used to, the Mushroom Kingdom is quite beautiful and the neighbors are lovely. Even if we have had to deal with Bowser’s shenanigans on more than one occasion.”

Toad decided to change the subject. “So, do we have any last minute wedding prep that needs to happen? I just can’t shake the feeling that we’re forgetting something. I thought about helping you move the rest of Mario’s furniture but when I checked in with him he just said to leave it until after the wedding.”

“No, I don’t think so. The rehearsal went fairly well yesterday,” said Luigi. “I suppose I could workshop my best man’s speech a little bit more though… It can be hard to know the right thing to say when your bro…”

“That’s right!” exclaimed Toad. “Oh Luigi, you are so lucky to be the best man at the royal wedding! Do you want me to look it over for you?”

Luigi started to feel a lump in his throat. Tears were already welling up in his eyes. “Toad, I- I’m-“ he started, but not knowing how to get it out. He gulped down another sip of his tea, then blurted out “I’m scared! I feel so horrible for saying this, but there’s a part of me that doesn’t want to do this!”

Toad’s eyes widened in alarm. “WHAT!? Why? I thought you looking forward to this!”

Luigi rubbed his head with his hand. “I know, and I love and support my brother one hundred percent! I love Peach like a sister already, and I can’t think of a better woman for him to marry! I should feel so good about this, have nothing but pride and joy, but I’m scared that- that-“

“That what?”

“That I’m losing him!”

[auroraknux]

Hello! If it hasn't been done yet, I was thinking, how about 72 "We'll figure this out" for Mario and Luigi? 🥰

For this one, I decided on an alternate take of that Mario movie scene where they're talking in their bedroom (after the dinner scene). It's influenced by that deleted version of the sewer scene, where Mario seemed more depressed.

--

“I’m just sick and tired of feeling so small.”

“Hey.” Luigi gave Mario a reassuring smile. “We'll figure this out. We always do.”

“Yeah.” Mario smiled back at him. There was a tired, sad look in his eyes. “Like we always do.”

Luigi's heart sank. He could tell that, while Mario wasn't throwing in the towel yet, his hope was burning out. He was the most stubborn and determined person Luigi had ever known, but even he had his limits. Luigi hoped the universe would throw them a bone before he reached that point. He wanted the old Mario back.

[piraticoctopus]

I’m genuinely sad that I’m almost done with Brothership. I only have a few sidequests left before the second visit to Zokket’s fortress.

It was a little slow to get going, but overall, they set out to make a Mario & Luigi game and personally I think they understood the assignment. And after it got rolling, at no point has it not felt like a M&L game to me.

I really like how the battles work in this one. It just feels good. And just about every time I get comfortable with an enemy like “yeah I know this guy’s moves”, they throw a variation at me, or two types of enemies do a combo I haven’t seen yet. Keeps me on my toes. I’ve been excited to see what the next boss battle is, because I’ve really had to strategize for some of them. You WILL get good at dodging.

The plug system is sorta complex, but once you get in there it’s straightforward enough. And there’s potential to pull off some wild things with it if used efficiently.

Music is great. I’ve had the boss music stuck in my head for almost 24 hours. The generous use of accordion (or concertina? idk) in the soundtrack is a bonus. I love the way the animation style of the other games was translated into 3D, and how some of the animations are replicated from them.

It would be great if Bowser shows up one last time to wreck some of Zokket’s stuff as a “fuck you, don’t mess with my kid”, but I won’t feel robbed if he doesn’t. The optional sidequest with him and Starlow was a wonderful surprise, so I’m content with that, I think. Very much hoping that after writing this I don’t go do endgame and they’ve done the “surprise, the final boss is bowser” thing again and then I sound stupid.

So far every time I’ve said “oh they’re gonna do [thing], aren’t they” I’ve been at least partially incorrect, so I have no idea what to expect other than some wild shit in a boss fight.

The one negative thing I’ll say is that sometimes, while running around, this game really wishes it was on bigger hardware. Though that really hasn’t impacted the gameplay other than looking a little choppy on occasion.

But yeah. I’ve had fun. And I’ll be sad when it’s over.

[blamin8r]

These are my personal designs/references for SMG4 because of how much I draw fan art for it. You can tell which ones are my absolute favorites to draw based on how much I’ve changed them basically. It’s organized by Recolors, The Girls, Non-Human, and Excess (sorry Kaizo)

Mario: I gave him stitches on his outfit because of how often he explodes and gets hurt (Luigi fixes his clothes since that’s less expensive than constantly replacing them), and those dark marks on his face from when Zero grabbed him and did that weird crap during the 10 year anniversary video. I also gave him a star pin on his overalls too.

SMG4: There’s so much. I made him shorter, changed his body type, gave him darker skin, scars from when he was possessed by the TV Adware dude (and other various scars), eyebags, a jacket, IV on his gloves, and the arrow from the USBs. He also has the arrow on the back of his jacket, but I haven’t drawn his back view before with this design so that’s never been visible in my art yet.

SMG3: I made him even shorter than SMG4, gave him longer hair, matching scars to SMG4, darker skin, a cape, black gloves, platformer boots, the USB arrow, and I changed his body type. The back of his cape has the same skull design that’s on his hat and boots too.

Luigi: I didn’t change too much to him, just his shirt, a flower pin, and some scars. Also he’s round like Mario but not the “skinny brother” because I don’t personally believe in that. (Though whenever he takes off his shirt he immediately becomes a buff man because SMG4 logic)

X: This one was fun. He already has dark skin on his recolor self, so I also went ahead and gave him curly hair, a beard, eye bags, a beanie, hoodie, changed his height, and gave him a cool weird eye thing because why not. He and FM also have similar eye colorings to 3 and 4

FM: He’s the only recolor I decided to make not chubby but instead kinda fit since he’s a police officer. I also gave him a police styled hat, badge, different shirt and gloves, longer hair, a bunch of scars, piercings, and steel toed boots. He looks pretty cool :D

Minion: Parts of her design I did out of pure spite. Her body type matches SMG4’s but she’s a bit shorter, an overalls skirt thing, matching hat, pink gloves, some long socks, and I kept her mustache but just made it smaller. Why? Well, I haven’t headcanoned SMG4 as trans (unlike what a lot of my friends and mutual have done), but I did do that for Minion, because in my mind, she basically has SMG4’s exact body type, including the reproductive organs. But she’s still a woman. And I also believe that women (cis and trans) shouldn’t have to feel shame for having facial hair or body hair, so I kept that there, again, out of spite for people who really feminize her body in a stereotypical way in their personal designs for her.

Meggy: I’m not an extremist for Inkling Meggy or anything, I do like her as a human, but I’m still not sure why they chose to make her a human and not just a squid that’s not Nintendo styled. So instead I just gave her some other squid attributes, like the typical tentacle hair thing, but also some fins on her arms and legs. Her skin is a little darker and she has freckles now. I made her outfit more black and orange themed because I personally hate the dull whites and browns on her outfit. To reference two of her other outfits, I had her keep her college jacket tied around her waist, and her glasses on her shirt since I feel she probably needs them for reading still. I also gave her more sports styled clothes like her shorts and the knee pads. And I removed her goggles because I despise drawing them, she has too much accessories on her head and that one section is so annoying to draw. Lastly, I made her a bit muscular because there’s no way every single one of the girls has the exact same body type.

Tari: Her design just got updated when I was in the middle of working on this, and it’s really good so I only changed her body type by making her chubby and added a gradient to her hair.

Saiko: Her outfit is cool minus the colors, so I gave her a more pink and black theme for her outfit colors. I also made her more muscular and gave her some scars since she’s known as the more violent one in SMG4 who carries that massive ass hammer just casually.

Melony: I looked up where watermelons came from, and they came from Africa apparently, so I made her black (also because all the human characters are white/light skinned so I changed that) and I think it makes sense with her hair too because of the thingies that come down over her ears. It also makes the pointy things behind her hood make sense too. I changed her body to have more body fat and gave her some stretch marks and cellulite to go with it. I like her hoodie, but you can’t tell me that’s all she has on, so I also gave her some shorts, since she gets sexualized so much.. She also has shoes too, those socks would be so nasty otherwise. Her diety form is gonna have actual armour because that makes more sense than just a different colored hoodie.

Belle: I changed nothing about her, not because I don’t like her or think her design is perfect or anything, (she’s great and I miss her ;-;), but I actually chose to keep her as is just because people who look like her and have her body type still exist, they’re just not the only one or the main one. Humans vary a lot.

Karen: I didn’t change much, but since she’s a single mother, I made her body look a little more like a middle aged woman, and gave her a sweater her kids made for her too that she wears proudly.

Shroomy: I know there are multiple characters that are technically naked, but I felt that Shroomy should at least have a Boy Scouts outfit on, he lives in a world with Toads which do have clothes so it didn’t feel right to have just the badge thing over him

Bob, Rob, Boopkins, and Jub Jub: I kept them as is because there’s not much to their appearances anyway, minus a few rips and tears for Bob’s outfit.

SMG2: I made his body a little more proportional so that his head was at least not larger than the rest of his whole fucking body, and I gave him some excess scars since he and SMG1 have been around for the longest, and have probably been through a lot together. I also gave him sleeves, shoes, glasses, and matching gloves that all the SMGs now have. His antenna thing is also thicker because I don’t wanna make it too thin.

SMG1: His body is also more proportional, but that’s mainly because I didn’t like making his torso long. I also gave him clothes to match 2 a little more but darker. He’s got excess scars as well, and his gloves are opposite to 2’s similar to how I made 3 and 4’s gloves opposite of each other. He’s also got glasses like 2, and they match their head shapes.

Kaizo: I fucking love Kaizo, he looks so damn cool to me, so I kept his outfit the same, just changed up his body. He’s more muscular and has more demonic features (pointed pupils and ears, tail, more sharp teeth, forked tongue, claw-like nails), as well as a bunch of scars everywhere on his body. Plus more body hair, and based on a Kaizo design I saw elsewhere (I forgot who made it) but I made the ends of his hair dyed red because it looks cool. And piercings.

Swag and Chris: I love these two, but I couldn’t think of how to change Swag and Chris besides making them a buff and old. (To me, they’re at least in their 30’s or 40’s). I do believe in dilf Chris tho, so make whatever assumptions you want from that.

Whimpu: I actually really don’t like Whimpu, mainly for his personality, but also because of the Waifu Factory episode, it just really made me uncomfortable with how objectified and dehumanized the anime girls were in it, and he was a big part of that. Still, I wanted to change him a bit since his design is a little plain. He’s still plain, but a bit less. I added acne, buttons on the tie, and a shirt pocket with a pen in it.

Steve: I hate how I end up drawing Steve, but I didn’t want him to look too human in a normal way, because a part of his charm is being this weird block dude. So he just looks like a more blocky human with dirty clothes, a lot of scars, and a beard.

[s-creations]

Excavation - Chapter 1

Now that everything's calmed down slightly, Daisy explains why she's there. Mainly looking for the heroes' help in solving a problem that's coming from deep in one of her Kingdom's temples.

The group divides into two parts: One to solve the temple issue while the other tries to convince the Desert King to join forces against Bowser.

To everyone's surprise, it doesn't quite go according to plan.

Fandom: Super Mario & Releated Fandoms Rating: Teen and UP Audiences Relationship: Mario & Luigi & Wario & Waluigi Additional Tags: Pretty Much Everyone's Here, Named OCs - Freeform, world building, lore building, sometimes in the most painful way, Treasure Hunting, another mural to worry about, Mentions of Blood, we have a lot of people opening up in this one, cursing, heavy cursing, like I haven't used this heavy of cursing for this story for quite a while.

Taking a slow, deep breath, Daisy gave a nod to encourage herself and started. 

“One of our oldest temples has started to crumble. We’re unsure as to why, but there are some warning signs pointing to something powerful currently trapped inside. And that it’s trying to get out. Quickly. Causing quakes to happen more often. While we’re worried, we also don’t have anyone who can go in to figure out what’s going on. No one’s ever been trained to ever traverse such dangerous areas, and there’s a fearful thought that we don’t have time to train them before something goes wrong.”

“My father refuses to try and reach out for help, from any kingdom. But I know that my home is in danger yet I’ve been held back from trying to figure things out. That’s why I’m here. My kingdom, my home, needs your help. If whatever is trapped inside is released, I’m terrified of what could happen.”

The room was quiet after this. Peach sharing a worried look with Mario. Who gave a short nod back with a smile that caused the princess to relax. 

“Of course we will help.” Peach offered, beaming as Daisy’s shoulders dropped in her own relief. “We’ll pack up and leave as soon as we can.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Wario waves his hands. Leaning on the table to stare the princess in yellow down. “If you’re not training anyone, then what has your father been doing? And how dangerous are we talking about?”

Daisy frowned softly at the question, “In order to figure out what’s really going on, he would need to send some citizens in to start digging down to where we think this problem is located. So we don’t really know how dangerous it is. As far as your first question…basically nothing? I mean, planning on figuring out ways to get in there. But, basically nothing.”

Slowly nodding, Wario eventually slammed his hand down onto the table. “I’ll go get my stuff.”

“What?” The room collectively called out. The eldest brother let out a small groan before continuing. “Need I remind you all that I have gone treasure hunting before.”

“Yeah, a century ago.” Waluigi added. 

Wario glared his eyes at his younger brother before continuing. “Bottom line is that I have the skills and the knowledge to get the job done!”

“I mean…I did just come here for the heroes.” said Daisy, waving a hand over to where the twins sat. 

Only for Luigi to whisper out, “I don’t want to go back underground again.”

He shrank back slightly as all eyes turned to him. 

“So, Wario and I will go,” Mario quickly answered. “With his skills and my…fire ability, we’ll be fine. Figure out the issue and either report back or solve it ourselves.”

Letting out a huff, Waluigi leaned on his hand in clear boredom. “Why do I feel like this is the blind leading the blind kind of situation.”

Peach clapped her hand as she stood up from her chair. “We’ll make the best out of this situation, shall we? While Wario and Mario handle the temple, Waluigi and Luigi will help me with rebuilding the relation between the two kingdoms. Simple solution.”

Daisy bit her bottom lip, “I don’t know if a crowd arriving at the castle would be the best idea… I just came for these two.”

“If you want the heroes, you’re dealing with all of us.” Wario argued back. To which the princess in yellow just pouted as a reply. 

“Happy that’s decided,” said Peach, “I would advise that we separate for now and prepare as we need to. We’ll leave tomorrow as early as possible.”

“Noon?”

There was a slightly silent scuffle as Wario was piled onto by the remaining three brothers in an attempt to keep him quiet. 

Peach pointedly ignored this and continued with, “6am it is! The castle will be open for anyone if they want to sleep here tonight. To save on travel time. Make it as easy as possible.” 

“Thank you, princess,” Mario replied with a smile. Which slipped away when he toppled over as Wario finally broke free. 

Being the only ones who needed to leave, the brothers shuffled out of the castle and their designated homesteads. Wario and Waluigi were practically ready in no time. The younger more than used to packing part of his life away quickly. Suitcase in hand as he watched, brows raised in disbelief, as Wario just shoved whatever he could reach into a stained duffle bag. Slinging it over his shoulder once it was jammed full and giving a confidence filled wink to his brother. Who merely rolled his eyes. 

“Really, you’re going like that?”

Wario snorted and shook his head, “Of course not! I have to get my tools also.”

“Oh, right.” Waluigi shifted back to allow Wario out of his room before following, “You sure you’re going to be okay? I wasn't joking when I said you haven’t done this in a while.”

“Eh, it’s like riding a green pipe! You never really forget how it goes.”

“One, that saying is for a bicycle. Two, being swooped from one end to the other is not even close to treasure hunting. Let alone treasure hunting abandoned temples!” 

Placing his bag down, Wario gave a pointed look to his brother. “You’re being overly weird… Feeling nervous? Or sick?” 

“Well, forgive me for realizing how bad of an idea this all was.”

“Look, this is just a part of what we do now. I guess. Daisy said no one was skilled in this sort of thing. Well, I have the knowledge and tools, while Mario is the hero.”

Waluigi gave a weak thumbs up. “What great points you make.”

“The point I’m trying to get to is that this will all be okay. Unless it literally crumbles while we’re inside it or we possibly run into someone else… But we’ll be fine! Besides, you will have the hard part. Having to please daddy and mommy dearest.”

“Meh, it’s just using colorful words to sway people. Not really the main issue of this whole story.”

“We’re just playing to our strengths. Try and keep calm, it’ll all work out.”

“Sure…calm.” Waluigi gave a small smile when Wario offered a cry of triumph as he pulled out a dusty and very old looking satchel bag. One that had clearly not seen the light of day for a long time. 

Calm was not what they walked into when arriving at the twin’s household. The first floor was left unscathed, but the upper floor looked as if a bomb went off. Mainly, a clothing bomb. Outfits and articles scattered everywhere, pouring out from the open doorways leading to the bedrooms. Wario and Waluigi took tentative steps moving forward as if waiting for something else to go flying out. Only to find the twins sitting on the floor at the end of Luigi’s bed. Both leaned against each other as they stared at the wall. Clearly showing some kind of defeat. 

Polterpup, who had been resting at Luigi’s feet, perked up as the other brother’s walked in. Letting out a happy bark as they trotted over to the other two.

“Alright then,” Waluigi muttered, “this is interesting. What exactly did we walk into?”

“We don’t know how to pack.” Mario replied back.

“...What do you mean?”

“We’ve never packed before,” Luigi answered weakly, “We’ve never had a reason to.”

“Never moved. Never went on a vacation. What do we bring? What are essentials?” Mario finished.

Letting out a low groan, Waluigi practically slammed his belongings into Wario. Who doubled over for a moment while the tallest of the brothers said, “Okay. Wario, you wait downstairs. I have my work cut out for me, apparently.”

“I could help.” Wario frowned.

“Absolutely not. Stay downstairs. Keep Polterpup entertained. You two, get up, we need to start packing. I would like to get back to the castle before nightfall.” 

_____________________________

The next day started early with a quick and sleepy breakfast while the carriages were packed up during that time. Mario bore the brunt of holding up the rest of the brothers as they slept, waiting on the sidelines for when they could finally board. Polterpup, seeming to burst with so much energy, was rushing around. Either weaving in between the empty spaces or just phased through everything. Trying to take it all in.

Eventually, after rolling Wario into their marked transport (literally), three carriages moved out from the Mushroom Kingdom before the sun even began to rise. 

It was as they passed the kingdom’s border, the sky painted a pastel pink that Mario felt Luigi shift slightly. The older twin assumed the other was starting to wake up again. He didn’t say anything as he just focused on the scenes passing the large window. Doing his best to ignore Wario and Waluigi snoring softly as they slept. 

Luigi, on his part, gave a small groan as he began to wake. Sitting up to slowly work out his sore muscles while letting out a wide yawn. Resting across his lap was Polterpup. Who had apparently worn themselves out from that excited early morning. Undisturbed as their owner stretched. Eventually, Luigi slumped against the seat and looked over to Mario. 

“‘Ello…” Luigi gumbled softly. 

“Hey,” Mario reached over to ruffle Luigi’s hair, “extra sleep help?”

“Little sore, but yeah.” There was a nervous twitch when Waluigi gave a heavy snore. “Geez, have you been listening to that this whole time?”

“Afraid so, and now you get to join me.”

“Joy.” The unwanted noise was quickly forgotten as Luigi’s attention went to the window. Mario more than happy to let the other leaned over him to get a better look, while Polterpup let out a huff. Who was now annoyed with the constant movement. Floating over to Waluigi to rest on his lap instead while the twins took in the sights. 

The large rolling meadows of the Mushroom Kingdom were replaced with mountains and heavy forests. Creatures not seen by either of the brothers scuttled along the trees or flew above the foliage. The vibrant colors of their homes were replaced with warmer ones. Arrays of reds, oranges, and yellows out weighing the brown and tan, making the twins think of autumn. 

“We should move here.” Luigi teased. 

Mario laughed softly, shuffling to lean against his brother, “Think they celebrate Halloween here?”

“Oh goodness, I hope not. They have actual ghosts here. Could you imagine what else we would have to face down that would relate to Halloween monsters?”

“Funny how you mention ghosts but not the giant, fire-breathing turtle.”

“Well, then, don’t remind me.”

They shared a chuckle at that.

“How about we just talk Peach into a vacation here? A chance to explore more.” Mario continued.

“Maybe? I’m sure she wouldn’t be against it. But I would love to make sure we went somewhere we wouldn’t face some kind of danger.”

“With how this place is built? Good luck.”

“Aww…”

“If you had to pick, where would you want to go? Beach or mountains?”

“Hotel.”

“That wasn’t even an option!”

“I’m selecting a luxury hotel and you can’t convince me otherwise.” Luigi held back a screech as he pulled away from Mario, trying to avoid the fingers digging into his side.

There was a brief but silent scuffle as Luigi tried to keep Mario at bay. Both pausing when Waluigi let out a large snort before shifting to lay across Wario. The twin letting out small snorts at the action, deciding to settled down to allow the other brother’s to sleep peacefully. Both content to just watch the strange world go by.

The autumn themed forest eventually gave way to dry, grassy plains, the rolling hills of golden sand. The carriages only able to traverse by remaining on the pathways of what appeared to be tightly compressed sand. The twins needing to lower the brims of their caps to the sun wouldn’t blind them as they tried to take in all they could see. 

Which wasn’t much, as it was just a lot of sand. But having never seen a desert on Earth, this was still a new experience. 

Waluigi began to wake at this point. Cracking his neck as he sat up, pushing away from Wario while holding Polterpup closer, quickly turning his attention to the twins. Letting out a snort seeing their squinting faces. “Enjoying yourselves?”

“Don’t mock,” Mario said, “We’re just curious.”

“So, sightseeing trumps keeping your eyes from cooking inside your skull?”

“Okay wise guy, what genius idea do you have in mind?”

Reaching forward, Wario pulled the tinted shade down over the window. Snorting when the twins looked at said item in shock.

“Oh,” Luigi said, “...To be fair, we didn’t know about that.”

“Sure, we’ll go with that.”

Mario turned to sit back down properly, focused on Waluigi as the younger twin brought down the shade for the other window. “Do you think we’re close?”

“Don’t know, it’s all just sand. No landmarks. It’s all the same to me.” Waluigi casually commented back while running a hand along Polterpup’s back.

“Haven’t you been to this kingdom before?”

“Pfft, no, what gave you that idea? New Donk was the first time out of the Mushroom Kingdom for me. All I know about this place is that it’s stupid hot. So, I hope you like the heat.”

Luigi gave a small groan in defeat, but nothing more was said.

“So, you haven’t even met the king and queen from this place?” Mario continued. 

With a small hum, Waluigi settled back into his seat a little more. “I mean, King Olivine visited the Mushroom Kingdom from time to time. Guess you could say I’ve seen him. But I’ve never met the queen. And even with Olivine, it’s always been from a distance…”

“You dated Daisy, but never visited or met her parents?” Luigi frowned.

“Do you really think any of those royal bloods would be happy to hear that their only heir to the throne was dating a commoner? Even more so, dating a well known criminal?” Waluigi grumbled, “We kept our relationship as best of a secret we could. Letters were easy to hide and cheaper than trying to find passage to and from here.”

“Has anyone in this carriage been to the Desert Kingdom before?” Mario asked. 

“Think that through again and look at the two of us. What do you think?”

“...Good point.”

“We’re all getting a first look at this kingdom. This’ll be interesting.”

The carriage jostled slightly as the pavement beneath suddenly changed. Tightly packed sand changed to rather bumpy cobblestone, Polterpup slightly annoyed to be woken up again. Those who were awake leaned over to see all they could out of the window. Just catching a glimpse of wide doors before stepping onto the large castle’s entrance grounds. A large pool of water greeted them first. One that stretched back towards the towering structure of the castle itself. Occupants inside the carriage noticed small pathways of water breaking away from the larger source. All flowing past the castle and into a tightly packed town that laid past the royal structure. 

The carriages continued their way in approaching the castle. Only stopping when they were right in front of the grand steps leading up. 

“...Anyone notice how quiet it is?” Waluigi mumbled out. 

“I was about to say the same thing.” Mario replied.

Turning away from the window, Luigi looked at the other two, “Where are the guards?”

As if waiting for that cue, there was a sudden flood of cactus-like beings dressed in silver armor and carrying spears rushing towards the carriages. All becoming surrounded very quickly as said weapons were brandished towards them. Mario instantly pulled Luigi away from the window, the younger twin letting out a small yelp from the sudden change. Polterpup’s hackles raising as they let out a low growl, moving to the floor and focusing on the carriage door.

“This is really not the welcoming I was expecting,” said Waluigi with a frown, “I mean, I wasn’t waiting for a warm reception but- Would you wake up!”

As Waluigi shoved his brother off, Wario hit the wall of the carriage. Waking with a harsh snort and grunt. Looking around frantically as he searched for his ‘attacker’. “What happened?”

“We’re here.” Waluigi replied back.

“You couldn’t have woken me up normally!”

The argument was cut off when the carriage door was forcefully opened. With numerous calls of ‘Get out!’ pointed at the brothers. Mario took the lead while having a hold of Luigi’s arm and keeping the younger twin behind him. Polterpup barked as they floated between the four brothers, doing their best to keep the guards away. The twins on edge as they were led towards the castle’s front steps. Wario and Waluigi follow at a more easy pace. Keeping an eye on everything, just in case, but trying not to get too worked up over it.

When they found Peach and Toadsworth being led further on, Luigi had to grab onto Mario’s arm to keep the other from rushing forward. Daisy soon joined them, not held at spear point, but still caged in from every side. Arms crossed with a look of clear disgust on her face. 

“Daisy! Oh, my dear Daisy.”

Attention was pulled to the grand golden steps. Where a slim woman, seeming to sparkle and shine in the sunlight, quickly descended. Long golden hair seemed to merge with her flowing veil when both billowed from behind her. Even her tan skin appeared to merge into her dusty golden gown. Her clear green eyes stood out further from her complexion, which were directed at Daisy. She waved her hands as a silent command for the guards to step away. Allowing her to pull Daisy into a tight hug.

“Mom,” Daisy let out a low groan, “stop. You’re embarrassing me.”

“Well, pardon me for being concerned about my daughter who just left us in the middle of the night! What were you thinking? You don’t even leave us a message?”

“I was on a rescue mission! Look! Look who I brought back.” Daisy pulled away to stand next to Peach. Who looked a little nervous when the desert Queen turned her focus. 

“Oh…is that Peach?” the queen breathed out, eyes wide.

Peach offered a low bow as she quietly said, “Hello, Queen Monazite. It’s been…many years.”

Toadsworth offered a small bow of his own, “Madam, it’s good to see you again.”

Letting out a small coo, Monazite lifted Peach to stand back up. “Look at you. You’ve grown into a wonderful young woman. What a horrible greeting this is! Put those weapons away, we have guests. Goodness, we know better than to act in such a way.”

All were able to relax as the spears were lowered. Monazite gave the guards a hardened glare before her face softened to greet her guests. “Even with how sudden this visit is, we happily welcome all of you. And I believe I see some new faces among the crowd.” 

The four brothers stood a little taller as the queen approached them, Polterpup hunkering down in front. Just in case. Guards parted the way quickly as their queen walked forward while Monazite offered each a warm smile.

“I welcome you all to the Desert Kingdom, and to the Sarasaland castle. Despite the rather rough opening, we are happy to have you here.”

“Mom,” Daisy stepped in, “This is Wario and Waluigi, old childhood friends.”

“I do believe those names are familiar. Your father may have had a few stories about two young rebels that interrupted some meetings. All in good fun, I would hope,” Monazite gave a small laugh, “Wonderful to finally put a face to the names. And what of-”

The smile that held strong slipped away as her attention turned to the twins. Appearing to be in stunned silence before whispering out, “Humans.”

“These are the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom, and the main reason why I just…left. I figured they could help us! You know, with the recent issue we’ve been having?”

The surprise fell away as Monazite fixed her daughter with a pointed frown. “Daisy-”

“That temple is causing too much trouble and you know it! Dad’s being an ass for not asking for help and we can’t just keep sending random people in! So, I decided to go get the help we need. I brought the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom here to help us.” Daisy beamed as she placed her hands on her hips. 

Monazite, however, did not seem to share this optimistic.

The queen turned to the small group once more, her smile a bit wary now. “While I’m happy to have you here and that you would willingly arrive with the intention to help… Our king will have the final say in this. Which will be hard to do at this moment.”

“Because he’s a stubborn ass.” Daisy mumbled. 

“Don’t say such things, Daisy.” 

“But-” The retort fell silent when Monazite held up her hand. 

“They will not be allowed entrance unless the king grants it. Your father has the final say.”

“We’ll talk to him,” Peach said, “I’m sure if we state our caste, we’ll be able to convince him.”

“...Very well, if you believe this. Please follow me.”

The guards followed close as Monazite led the way into the large castle. Unlike the solid walls with tall windows as found in the Mushroom Castle, this building was as open as they could be. No glass covering the wide arches to allow a breeze through, the windows decorated to distinguish against the doorways. Even with the openness, the interior was in shadows that paired well with the comforting breeze. 

Monazite waved her hand to one of the large rooms, one that held numerous maps and papers. Both hanging on the walls and littering the long, narrow table that stretched from one end of the room to the other. Opposite from where the group entered was Kind Olivine, surrounded by bi-pedal mouse creatures wearing robes of yellow and red. Small spectacles resting on their pointed noises as they peered over as many pieces of parchment they could grab onto.

Olivine’s gruff and very stressed demeanor that had been focused on the table melted away when he saw Daisy. Gently pushing past the group of scholars to pull his daughter closer. “Daisy! My darling flower, where did you go? What were you thinking disappearing on us like this? Are you hurt?”

“Dad, I’m fine.” Daisy’s voice was muffled by the king’s golden robes.

“I’m so happy to hear this… I suppose you’ll also be fine with being confined to your room for at least a week for this action.”

That got Daisy to push away, looking absolutely indignant with what had just been said, “You can’t be serious!”

“I should be saying that to you. Do you even know the panic you put us into? I had my top men shift focus from the ruins to trying to figure out where you could have gone.”

Daisy looked a little uneasy at that. “You haven’t sent anyone else in, have you?”

“No…but the situation has grown worse. I’m fearful of the weakened structure our excavating has done.”

At that, Peach stepped forward. Doing her best of royal control. “How much worse?”

Olivine faltered once more, a soft whisper of ‘Dahlia’ escaping him. Only to quickly push past that with a stern face and a sharp, “Princess Peach, I was not aware you were…”

“Clearly. Daisy arrived at my kingdom saying that you needed help. To which I’ve arrived with, um, our heroes.” She gestured a hand over to where Mario and Luigi stood.

Sharp eyes turned to the two humans, both faltering slightly under the cold gaze. The desert king seeming to fully take everything in. Instead of being impressed by the heroes or relieved that some kind of help had arrived, Olivine appeared furious. 

“While the offer is appreciated, it won’t be needed. Thank you for bringing my daughter home. I will request that you return to your home at this time.”

“What- Dad!” Pulling away from her mother’s hold, Daisy blocked Olivine’s path as he made his way back to the group of advisors. Narrowing her eyes as she started him down. “If the situation is becoming worse, then this already stupid plan is now painfully classified as a suicide mission. It was bad enough before! But now I really have to question if you really care about our people.”

Olivine puffed out his chest, clearly angry. “Daisy, I will not be talk to as-”

“Too bad! You pulled me out of Peach’s life before with a stupid reason of having me focus on our kingdom. The very one that you’re clearly tossing aside! For what reason? Pride? I think with how the world is going, it would be best to forget about all of that. Can you please start being a decent king for our people? Can you do that?”

Taking a deep breath, Olivine lowered his raised shoulders before addressing his father once more. “I…understand where your concerns arise from. However, with the target on the Mushroom Kingdom-”

Daisy let out a noise of disgust, rolling her eyes. “I’m calling on my status to allow the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom to help us. They have my full permission to do what they need and go where they need to keep our kingdom safe.”

“Very well, if you’re so sure. I’ll allow you this overruling.”

“Oh trust me, I don’t need your ‘allowance’.”

With that, Daisy turned and made for the door. Making sure to grab Mario and Luigi’s wrists to pull them along. Peach, Wario, and Waluigi quickly followed after. Leaving Toadsworth in the room with a clearly angry Olivine and silently amused Monazite. The elder Toad tapped his cane to pull attention. 

“I’m unsure where your head is at the moment, your highness. But I would advise you remove it from where it’s lodged.” With that, Toadsworth turned to Monazite. “I don’t suppose you could find accommodations for us?”

“Of course, follow me.”

Olivine was left to feel gobsmacked, the room filled with nervous tension. The advisors flinching slightly as their king turned sharply to face them. Not a word shared as they shuffled the paperwork once more.

A few hallways away, the twins were still being dragged along by a clearly furious princess. Daisy seemed to not have a plan on where to go. Just stomping around, hissing and mumbling with heated words that the brothers couldn’t really make out. 

“Daisy, y-you’re going to pull o-our arms out.” Luigi whispered frantically as they stalked the hallways. Only to wince when Daisy practically threw their arms down. Both rubbing their shoulders once free.

“I can’t believe him!” Daisy let out a noise of rage as she began to pace. “What a stupid, stupid man-”

“You can’t worry about…all of that right now. You’re calling the shots at the moment, and it seems like we’re on borrowed time. We need to get to that temple. Now.” Mario said in a hopefully calm demeanor. 

It did calm Daisy down enough to stop pacing. Looking past the twins as the rest of the party joined them. Luigi let out a sigh of relief as Polterpup pressed against his sore shoulder. The chill giving comfort as the heavy conversation began again.

“I can’t believe you pulled something like that.” Peach hissed, looking more than a little worried.

Daisy waved her hand, “It’s been a long time coming, to be honest.”

“Well, it’s not going to make the conversation about re-establishing our kingdoms again easier.”

“You know it was never going to be easy.”

“You didn’t exactly help.” Waluigi mumbled out. 

“Pardon me for putting my foot down,” Daisy crossed her arms. “I hope you know we wouldn’t be able to have this conversation if I hadn't done anything!”

“Joy. Now this already stressful situation is 10 times worse.”

“Listen here you-”

“Okay,” Wario quickly stepped in. Actually holding onto Daisy’s arm to keep her from hitting Waluigi. “Let’s try and keep a cool head. We need a plan on how to handle each part.”

“Do you have the tools we need for this?” Mario’s question points to Wario.

“Yep.”

Luigi held out a bag with a few golden bones to his brother. “Just in case you get separated from Polterpup.”

“You sure?”

“You’ll need someone good with searching, and with going through walls.”

“That is a good bonus.” Waluigi added. 

“Then we’re about as prepared as we can be without actually being there,” Wario nodded, “What about the rest of you?”

“Queen Monazite may be our best first goal.” Peach stated with Luigi nodding.

Waluigi, however, looked unsure. “She’s not very vocal.”

“Mom’s not a fighter,” Daisy weakly agreed. “But if we can get her on our side, we might have a better time convincing dad.”

“Let me try and talk with her. Maybe I’ll be able to find some even ground.” Luigi offered.

“Do you think a queen will open up to a new commoner?” Waluigi frowned.

“Would you like to talk with her?”

“...Not really. But I’ll be nearby for emotional support.”

Peach nodded with a smile, “Same.”

“Couldn’t ask for more.” Luigi beamed. 

“And while you’re dealing with that,” Daisy faced Mario and Wario with a wide smile, “I’ll be with you two.”

“You’re not going to-” Mario’s worry was paused when Daisy shook her head.

“I’ll be waiting for you two outside. But I need to be there to grant you authority to enter these areas. Plue, it’ll also be nice to have someone to greet you once you get out.”

Wario slowly nodded, “That…sounds reasonable. I like that idea. I’m expecting some good food when we get this problem fixed.”

“You got it.”

Mario shook his head with a small laugh. Twitching slightly when Polterpup jumped onto his shoulder, a small chill fell over him. He looked over as Luigi drew closer. 

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay?” Luigi whispered softly.

“Of course,” Mario pulled his brother close with a smile. “We’ll be back by nightfall, no doubt. You just focus on what you can while you’re here, yeah?”

“Yeah…” Luigi pulled Mario into a tight hug, who returned it. Both taking a few seconds to relax into the embrace before pulling away, their names being called. 

Mario gave a small nod with a smile, turning to join Wario and Daisy. Polterpup happily resting on his shoulder. The younger twin remained rooted to the spot as he watched the other three disappear around the corner. Only turning away when Waluigi placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“They’ll be okay.” The taller brother said easily.

“...I hope so.” Luigi replied back. 

[forthedancingandthethriving]

Whimpu: I have decided I’m going to learn Sspanish!

Juliano: Oh! ¡Excelente!

Whimpu: I- I haven’t started yet.

----

Bob: This morning, I found a glass of water with a note on it that said “for hangover me”.

Bob: So I drank it. Turns out it was vodka and drunk me is an asshole.

----

Mario: I don’t always make the best decisions.

*Earlier..*

Luigi: What is that?

Mario: An alpaca! I got the last one!

----

SMG3: I love you.

SMG4: You literally just told me I was the bane of your existence yesterday.

SMG3: That’s an unrelated fact.

----

Phobos: If the Abyss doesn't appear out of nowhere to stop me, then it can't be that bad.

Abyssal: If our creator is approving of this, then it can't be THAT GOOD.

----

Ash: Did I get so tired that I declared myself the King of all Pokémon?

Miku: If I said no, I'd be lying to the King of all Pokémon.

----

Cody: Aw man.. I really wanted to head into the zoo. Too bad it's closed.

Lil Coding: You know what they say.

Cody: Please don’t-

Lil Coding: BE GAY DO CRIME! *hops gate*

----

Phobos: They say if you seek revenge, you should dig two graves.

The Abyss: That's a stupid quote.

The Abyss: I'm going to kill way more than two people.

----

Sora: It's locked. You got a lock pick?

Tulip: Yeah-

Laharl: *kicks in the door*

----

Jayin: I love being right. It’s one of my favorite personality traits.

----

Juliano: You know, I think my life has value.

Phobos: Who are you and what have you done with Juliano?

----

Tama, holding out a cookie for Nimbus: Look! This one's a heart, that’s how I feel about you!

Nimbus: *quietly crying*

----

Ambrosia, affectionately: You’re an idiot.

Nimbus: That’s the charm!

----

Irene: I hate you with every inch of my body right now.

Nightmare King: That’s not a lot of inches.

----

Shantae: Can we talk about that text you sent?

Laharl: Why? It was important.

Shantae: It just says, "I'm back on my shit".

Laharl, shrugging: The people need to know.

[jqmon]

My friend @river-tides tagged me in so let’sa go!

Favorite color: Red and Blue. Dark red is also very cool

Last song i listened to: Adventure’s End from Mario & Luigi dream team(which i haven’t played yet😅)

Currently Reading: A webcomic called Down to earth on webtoon(it’s really nice). And i just finished the 4th chapter of Amf Studio’s Ykw au fanfic, Mind Body & Soul, there’s only 4 chapters right now but it’s great! Also the sonic idw comics, made me like sonic way more.

Currently watching/rewatching: Pokémon horizons for the first time. pretty good so far.

Want to watch/rewatch: Yo-kai watch, The MCU(what i didn’t see at least), the owl house(not bothering to do so tho😅), and Sonic prime.

Currently craving: Ice cream X3

Coffee or Tea: Eh either. i’ll drink both as long as it’s good.

Hobbies in Mind: Art/Drawing, Gaming, maybe animating in the future.

Current AU: Some of you might not be too interested in mine but Yo-kai watch: Respirited. I had this for awhile now and i’m finally getting stuff done with it since like may or smth. Not too much has been done but enough to where i can get to making comics soon. Something for it will be posted soon so watch out for that!

People who I wanna get to know better: @amf-studios @puffballwarrior-blog @vikidat @whispence @residentialsinyomakai @cherry-blossom-qf @thedorkyidiot @welcome-to-octo-space @sketchnyan @floorxseasaltxice

[peaches2217]

After seeing your reblog of Mario building a nursery for his child, it’s honestly both funny and sad how he would be SO caring and attentive to Peach during her pregnancy (getting her what she needs, comforting her when she’s in pain or having a hormone episode, generally being the best husband and future father ever, and now building a complete nursery!), and yet he still feels insecure and worried that he’s somehow not doing enough and will be a bad father despite everything that proves otherwise being right in front of him. I imagine every other day, Peach, Luigi, or someone else would have to reassure him he’s doing more than enough and that he should give himself more credit.

Exactly this!! He does everything perfectly, BEYOND perfectly, out of love and excitement and willful obligation… but in his own head, it’s never enough. There’s this nagging voice in the back of his head telling him that everything he’s doing is just niceties, cute little detail work that ultimately amounts to nothing that matters at the end of the day. It’s easy to shrug off at first, but as time passes, it gets louder and louder until it consumes him, and he runs himself to absolute exhaustion trying to appease it and prove to himself that he IS doing enough! But the truth is, nothing will appease that voice short of him becoming omnipotent and gaining absolute control over everything, which, of course, isn’t happening.

He’s not normally one to fall victim to his insecurities; he suffers from plenty of them, sure, but he’s good at putting them aside and acknowledging that he’s doing his best and carrying on with a cheerful smile. He’s not used to being unable to shut his uncertainties away. He’s not used to saying “I’m doing what I can” and then feeling so viscerally that it’s not true. That’s why he’s so eager to work towards perfection until he keels over: because that voice is only being so loud because he’s not working hard enough, and it will eventually shut up once he really is. Right?

It’s painful to watch, especially once gentle reminders and reassurances are no longer enough to satiate him. And it never really goes away, but it becomes a lot easier to manage once he’s holding a little bundle of blankets in his arms, because that’s the first time he’s given concrete proof that he HAS done enough, and now everything is going to be okay.

[pianokantzart]

Impromptu

Quick one-shot based on the body-swap concept by @elitadream because you guys know I had to write something. It was inevitable.

Also available on Ao3: X

____________ “Psst. Princess.” Princess Peach was deep in thought when she heard someone call out to her from the nearby window. Despite the distinct familiarity of the voice, she couldn’t help but let out a little gasp, nearly dropping her tea as she turned to see Luigi clinging to the branches of the tree outside of her bedroom. That tree, “The Mario Tree” she had taken to calling it, was tucked behind an old vine-covered wall in the inner courtyard, out of the way of anyone who wasn’t thoroughly familiar with the garden. Mario had climbed it to reach her window a number of times at her beckoning, so that they could speak for a moment in perfect privacy. Strangely enough, she always felt safer with that window open and that tree in view.

But now, it was Luigi dangling from the branches, his arms and legs wrapped awkwardly around a drooping limb like his life depended on it. When he realized the Princess saw him he shuffled closer, and flung himself from the tree to the window sill like an unsteady kitten.

He seemed unusually clumsy tonight, weary and exhausted as Peach grabbed his shoulders to ensure gravity didn’t send him tumbling to the ground below. When Luigi's feet touched the floor of the bedroom he hunched over, clutching his knees as he breathed heavily. “Thank you.” Peach smiled, but felt little amusement. Luigi was trembling terribly, like something horrible had chased him up that tree. 

Mario's little brother was not a particularly spontaneous individual. He knew he was welcome to use the front door, and would have done so gladly unless the situation prevented it. Princess Peach glanced around, looking for some hint as to what to blame for Luigi's current state, but seeing nothing she took him by the hand and made an effort to lead him to the small tea table near the bed. “Come, sit down.” But Luigi pulled away, opting instead to spin around and shut the curtains behind him. “I can’t. I can’t be seen here… he…” he stuttered, “It’s Mario, but it’s not Mario… he’s not Mario.” It was a message he needed to relay quickly– but he couldn't quite figure out how to explain it. What proof could he give to elevate his word above that of the most trusted man in The Mushroom Kingdom? What evidence could he provide that the doppelganger couldn't effectively explain away? That he hadn't explained away? He stammered for a moment, getting out nothing but fragments of sentences, when he felt Peach's hand on his shoulder. “…I know.” Luigi froze, caught off guard by this reply. “You know?” “Well... I suspected." Peach corrected herself in a whisper, adopting Luigi’s hushed tone. "I’ve only seen him at a distance as of late, but he has been acting strange. I could sense something was wrong, but I couldn’t put a finger on what, and I could never get ahold of him to inquire about it.” Indeed, Mario had been more ever-present, yet more avoidant than ever before. He seemed to drift in and out of locations like a ghost, wearing an expression that mimicked his old kindness like an ill-fitting mask. Then, there had been strange goings-on in her castle; troops being shuffled about without her command, frequent miscommunications between guards, strange little incidents were never properly investigated, doors left open when they should’ve been shut…

Princess Peach was about to explain this, when she suddenly felt herself wrapped up in a hug, Luigi’s face pressing against shoulder. Surprised as she was, her heart ached at the sensation, the desperation in the gesture speaking volumes about what Luigi had been experiencing for the past few days. Peach was on the verge of returning the hug, when Luigi backed away as suddenly as he had embraced her, red with embarrassment, hands tucked to his chest. “S-sorry. I’m sorry. That was out of line. It’s just, I… I thought nobody would believe me.” His gaze drifted to the ground as he rubbed the back of his neck. This was a common tic of his, but as Peach took in the shy gesture her eyes widened. There were dark bruises on his throat. She had glimpsed them when he had first climbed through her window, but at that time she had assumed it was merely the shadow of the tree leaves in the light of sunset. Now, with the curtains shut and the lamps lit, there was no mistaking it. She gingerly lifted a hand up and brushed her fingers against the injury. Luigi winced, but made no motion to stop her, tilting his chin a little as he felt the light tingle of healing magic, The Princess slowly fading the marks to nothing. “He hurt you.” “No more than I’ve been hurt before. It’s Mario I’m worried about. The real one.” Luigi shrugged. “He said he’d kill him if I tried anything, but if Not-Mario is who I think he is… I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing.” Peach nodded. Luigi did not need to elaborate, they were both thinking the same thing: if not The King of The Koopas himself, the imposter was no doubt someone working under his command. At last, Luigi was calm enough to allow himself to be ushered to a nearby chair, where Princess Peach sat him down and searched him over for further injuries. She found nothing life threatening, mostly bruising, the worst of it being a large, swollen lump on the back of his head. In most situations, she would have opted to mend the wounds traditionally rather than use healing magic, but there was more that needed to be healed here than simple physical injuries, and as Princess Peach gingerly undid every wound Luigi's shivering slowed, and his breath gained a gentle, steady rhythm. “I’m going to go to The Darklands.” He said after a time, “If I don’t find Mario there, then maybe I’ll at least find answers.” “When do you leave?” “Tonight.” “Good.” Peach brushed off her skirt and rose to her feet, her hands cupped determinedly in front of her. “I’ll join you after I inform Toadsworth about what is happening. Wait for me at The Grasslands Outpost.”

Luigi stood up, appearing surprised and concerned in equal measure. “Your Highness?” “Toadsworth is clever, he should be able to cover for me and keep things in order until we get the real Mario back. Besides…” She reached out and gave Luigi's hand a reassuring squeeze, “… I’ll be a lot safer with you.” Luigi was startled by the affirmation, looking down at the hand that gripped his like a lifeline. He nodded, lifting his free hand to give the brim of his hat a sharp, confident tug. “Thanks. I… I won’t let you down!” Princess Peach gestured for him to lower his voice, and Luigi let go of the hand to clamp his palms over his mouth. They both stood perfectly still for a few seconds, examining the surrounding darkness, ears pricked for evidence of eavesdroppers. When they were both content that they were truly alone, Luigi crept back to the window and leapt to one of the branches. He climbed down as quietly as he could manage, not taking his eyes off the princess the entire way to the ground. “Please be careful,” he called up in a whisper. “You too, Luigi.” Peach called back quietly, and once she saw him disappear into surrounding garden she took hold of the shutters, looked around one more time for anything amiss, and cautiously clicked her bedroom window closed.

[luckystar2025]

Konata: (grinning) “You know, when you really think about it, Super Mario Bros. 2 was basically Grand Theft Auto before Grand Theft Auto existed.”

Kagami: (scoffs) “Oh, this should be good.”

Tsukasa: (tilting head) “Wait… but there’s no cars?”

Konata: (leaning back smugly) “It’s not about the cars, Tsukasa. It’s about the freedom—the emergent gameplay. The way you can choose between four distinct characters, each with unique abilities, and tackle the game your way. Just like how in GTA V, you swap between Michael, Franklin, and Trevor.”

Kagami: (deadpan) “That is such a reach. Like, Olympic long-jump levels of reaching.”

Konata: (ignoring her) “Think about it! In Super Mario Bros. 2, you can play as Mario, Luigi, Peach, or Toad. You got your balanced all-rounder—that’s Mario, basically Michael. You got your high-risk, high-reward guy with crazy movement—Luigi, just like Franklin. You got your floaty wildcard character who can bypass obstacles easily—Princess Peach, like Trevor in a helicopter. And then you got Toad, a sex-crazed maniac cracked out of his mind on hard drugs. Trevor energy.”

Kagami: (rubbing temples) “You just said Peach was Trevor.”

Konata: (grinning) “Yeah, because the roles aren’t rigid, Kagamin. That’s the beauty of emergent gameplay.”

Tsukasa: “But… GTA V has crime?”

Konata: (pointing at her Nintendo DS) “And what do you think I’m doing right now? I’m straight-up committing mass turnip theft, stealing vegetables from the ground like a maniac. I am robbing and nobody can stop me.”

Kagami: “That is NOT the same as robbing a bank!”

Konata: (grinning) “A crime is a crime, Kagami.”

Miyuki: (adjusting glasses) “Well, actually, the concept of ‘theft’ in Super Mario Bros. 2 is an interesting one. The game is based on Yume Kōjō: Doki Doki Panic, which—”

Konata: (cuts her off) “—which was a rebranded sandbox experience before sandbox games were even a thing! See? This was the original open-world GTA experience, just disguised as a side-scroller.”

Kagami: (folding arms) “It’s a level-based platformer.”

Konata: “And yet! The freedom! You can carry enemies! Use them as weapons! Yeet them into each other! There’s no timer, so you can just mess around forever! Create doors wherever you want! Dig through sand! Isn’t that the same as messing around in GTA without doing missions?”

Tsukasa: (awed) “Ohhh… it kinda is…”

Kagami: (exasperated) “Tsukasa, do not encourage her.”

Miyuki: “There is something to be said about how Super Mario Bros. 2 introduced more dynamic interactions compared to the original game…”

Konata: (smugly) “Exactly! The first Mario was like an old-school arcade game. You run, you jump, you win. But this? This was a simulated world, where you could pick things up, experiment, play how you wanted… just like GTA V.”

Kagami: (groaning) “That’s it. I’m done. Enjoy your Grand Theft Turnip delusion.”

Konata: (grinning) “And don’t even get me started on Wart. The guy controls everything from behind the scenes, runs a shadowy empire… he’s basically Nintendo’s version of Devin Weston.”

Tsukasa: (whispering) “Who’s Devin Weston?”

Kagami: (walking away) “It doesn’t matter, Tsukasa. Nothing matters anymore.”