7The low gray clouds rumbled over the Mushroom Kingdom, wherein the middle of a small cave that sat on the border between the Mushroom Kingdom and the Bean Bean Kingdom. Luigi sat huddled in the back of the cave sniffling raising his tear-streaked face to the falling raindrops.
In the distance, he heard the faint rumblings of the thunder slowly moving away into the east for the plumber let out a low sigh, looking out to see the last few raindrops pattering on the ground signaling the end of the thunderstorm and the first shafts of evening sunlight were beginning to shine through the clouds.
"Those two Toads were right," Luigi said in a forlorn tone. He slowly adjusted his position, lifting his head aware that his eyes were red and puffy from all the weeping he'd been doing. "I am a coward."
The truth of the matter was that deep down no matter how much Luigi wanted to deny it; the truth remained that he would never be as brave as Mario and the fact made his heart heavy with sadness. Luigi recalled the events earlier in the day sadly. It seemed like a typical day when both he and Mario received an invite to Princess Peach's Castle, for afternoon tea.
"It was nice for the Princess to invite us here eh Luigi?" Mario asked turning towards Luigi who smiled and nodded in agreement.
The brothers walked through the grounds of Peach's castle marveling at the various hedge sculptures, the Princess' gardeners spent hours working on the bushes turning them into works of art. Mario remembered Peach once telling him it was to make the garden look more presentable to any visiting royalty from the distant Bean Bean Kingdom and Sasaraland Kingdoms.
"You're the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom," Luigi interjected. "I mean you've saved the Princess many times and you're the savior of the Mushroom Kingdom," Luigi added in. "Everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom loves you."
Luigi gestured with his hand at the giant statue of Mario smack dab in the middle of the Castle gardens. The giant statue had been built by melting down several spare gold coins, a project commissioned by the Toads as an act of gratitude towards Mario The gesture showed just how profoundly the Toads thought of Mario as a hero, one they could depend on to save Peach from Bowser's clutches.
"Oh, just ignore that old statue Luigi," Mario said dismissively. "It's nothing special, honestly. You've also helped save the Mushroom Kingdom, many times too." Luigi parted his mouth to say something back when heard the sound of footsteps walking through the grass, and a green and a blue pair of Toads came around from behind the statute their faces alighting with smiles on their faces upon seeing Mario.
"Mario! The Princess is expecting you! She can't wait to see you!" The pair of Toads cried out as one.
Mario exhaled a low sigh. It wasn't that he minded the attention, but there were days where he was followed by large groups of Toads all wanting his autograph wanting him to sign something. If Mario had, to be honest, he was getting a little tired of being chased down by a large mob of his fans every single day.
"Oh, I'm sure that the Princess is expecting me too," Luigi said happily. "She asked me to come as well."
The smiles fell away from the Toads' faces a gesture Mario didn't fail to notice. One of the Toads turned to face Luigi barely glancing at Luigi as though he'd stepped in something filthy.
"Oh, we're sorry Luigi she didn't invite you," Blue Toad said with a sneer. "Besides when was the last time that you did something heroic?" T
'Yeah, she said that Luigi wasn't welcome because it's for Mario only," The green Toad said ignoring Mario's fierce scowl. "You're not a hero."
Luigi went pale as a sheet taking a few steps back away from the Toads recoiling as though he'd been slapped. No, he'd been brave in the past as well hadn't he? No, it didn't seem to matter to the Toads no matter wherever he went he had seen the Toads barely even glance at him. To add insult to injury, they would even snicker behind their hands and would flat out ignore him.
"That's not true! Luigi has saved me several times!" Mario protested angrily.
Luigi was aware of Mario defending him, but the gesture didn't matter to Luigi. He broke into a sprint running away wanting to put as much distance between him and the Toads, the first of the tears beginning to slide down his face. Luigi barely heard Mario's shout for him to come back.
Luigi put on a another burst of speed glimpsing a flash of red with Mario pursing him shouting something to him. Luigi was already too far away for him to register his brother's words and the first of the grey clouds drifted in overhead.
Luigi shook away the memory sighing hearing the last of the raindrops falling against the ground. What was the point even if he did go back to the Mushroom Kingdom, it was clear that he wasn't welcome there, but he knew that Mario would come looking for him sooner or later and Luigi slowly got to his feet standing up stretching out the kinks in his back.
"I'll guess that I'll go back then," Luigi said looking up at the slowly parting clouds. The faint traces of blue sky that were slowly coming through the clouds. "Oh, who am I kidding? They're not looking for me."
It was going to be hard. Ever since the day that Mario and Yoshi had rescued him from Baby Bowser's keep when he was a baby, it was such a rare sight to see the brothers apart from each other. Luigi heard the jeers from the Toads that he was the weak one, the coward while Mario was hailed as the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario was the one that everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom could rely on in times of danger.
"I'll tell my bro that I'm leaving the Mushroom Kingdom," Luigi took in a deep breath exhaling ever so softly. "He deserves to know why his little bro won't be around anymore."
Mario raced through the forest of the Mushroom Kingdom his breaths came out in short gasps. He'd been able to scold the Toads prompting both of them to go back sheepishly to let Peach know that Mario and Luigi would still be attending her party, only that there would be a slight delay. Mario kept running before he was forced to bend his hands on his knees panting for breath.
"Maybe it's time to cut down on the pasta a bit."
Mario shook off the notion of looking around for his brother. A thunderstorm had started up a couple of hours ago forcing him to take refuge in his own home. Much to his frustration, he had to wait for the storm to die down when it ended it finally allowed Mario to resume the search for his brother.
The hero of the Mushroom Kingdom sloshed through several puddles looking around anxiously for Luigi wondering where his younger twin brother fled to, a small pit of anxiety formed in his stomach at the thought if Bowser by some random chance kidnapped
'Luigi! Luigi!" Mario called out hoping that his brother would hear his cry and that Bowser's goons hadn't captured Luigi. Even if that was the case, Mario had already decided that he would get Luigi back no matter what the cost would be. A twig snapped catching Mario's attention for he quickly turned around his fists clench ready for a fight. Luigi taking a step back his hands up in the air an expression of shock on his face, and Luigi trembled ever so slightly.
"Bro?"
Mario broke into a run seeing Luigi hesitantly approach him and he threw his arms around his brother's chest feeling his brother's warmth. It felt so good to feel the hug that was so full of love just made Luigi feel even more guilty than he did before.
"Luigi, did you have any idea of how worried I was?"
Luigi flinched, and he looked down to Mario's face the genuine expression of concern that was on Mario's face. The brothers broke apart. Luigi saw Mario take a deep breath calming himself down.
"The Princess said that I wasn't on the guest list," Luigi replied in a sad tone looking down at his feet. "The Toads said so."
"Oh Weegie, those Toads were lying when they said that," Mario replied offhandedly. " I don't know why they did that, besides Peach knows that you've helped me save her from Bowser's clutches as well."
Luigi took a deep breath. Of course Princess Peach would be worried for him. She cared for every one of her subjects in the Mushroom Kingdom. The Mario brothers certainly qualified as her subjects.
"Look, Mario, I know that you got mad at the Toads for what they said," Luigi began where he saw his brother's fists clench ever so slightly at the mention of the incident," Those Toads do have a point. I am a coward!"
"Lui-"
"No! You're the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, the one who always saves the Princess! Even when we were babies you were the hero back then. You're the one who defeats Bowser every single time, and gets a slice of cake along with a peck on the cheek from Peach!"
He had no idea where this frustration occurred. He didn't want to admit it, but he was jealous of Mario, deep down even if he didn't want to admit it, but the Toads were speaking the truth. Luigi knew that he would never be a hero.
"Who was the one who saved me from King Boo?"
"I-I did," Luigi said. "Twice." He added in seeing the small smile on his brother's face. He remembered traversing through the haunted mansions and despite the fear he'd felt he still had pressed on motivated by the love he had for Mario.
"Remember the time when we met our baby selves?" Mario inquires seeing Luigi fold his arms across his chest recalling the time that they'd traveled through time along with their baby selves.
He remembered his past self-crying at the sight of the Cobalt Star. Luigi remembered consoling his baby self. "Who was the one who saw Princess Elder Shroob in the Cobalt star?"
'I did, and I remember hugging my past self and telling him that it was going to be okay."
'I wasn't the hero in those times; there is something I have to say to you, Luigi," Mario took a deep breath. "Not everyone is going to view you as the hero," Mario said making eye contact with Luigi gently placing one of his hands on Luigi's shoulder.
"You are my hero, and you're the most important person to me." Mario's words touched a deep part of Luigi, and his whole body was beginning to shake all over, and before he knew what he was doing, he had swept Mario up into a hug, the happiness that was evident in his embrace.
At that moment Luigi knew that all the self-loathing, the doubt vanishing from his heart. Mario stepped forward embracing Luigi in an embrace filled with nothing, but love for his younger twin brother.
Eventually, the two of them broke apart with smiles on their faces. Above the sky was turning into a light pinkish hue the warmth of the evening sun shone down onto the backs of their shoulders.
"We should head back, and Peach wants to make sure that you're okay."
Luigi genuinely smiled as it would be just like the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom was willing to welcome him. The sun's light struck the ground drying up the wet puddles as Mario and Luigi made their way to the field as they walked alongside them side by side. Both brothers rested their arms on each other's shoulders, even if Luigi wasn't as brave as Mario was a vital fact remained no matter what happened in the future Mario and Luigi would always be brothers.
Disclaimer I don't own the Mario franchise. It entirely belongs to Nintendo.
A/N This was just a random little one-shot. This one-shot was inspired by the events of Mario and Luigi Dream Team since that game puts a lot of emphasis on the bond Mario and Luigi have with each other. Another inspiration is the dismissive behavior the Toads display towards Luigi when you speak to them as Luigi from the Mario and Luigi series, so this little idea wouldn't leave me alone.
I've always loved the bond between the Mario Brothers, especially in Mario and Luigi dream team. That game made me so happy and that I hope that I did the relationship between these two brothers justice.
