What a Wonderful World

Chapter 18

"Must you really go?" Dimentio asked once Luigi was getting ready to leave, walking the jester back to his doorway. He almost had a sad quality to his voice.

"I'm sorry," Luigi sighed. "If I don't get back soon, my brother will get suspicious. He's already getting all worried about me."

"You're still letting him decide things for you?" Dimentio questioned, not in a rude manner, but as a genuine question.

"Well... no. I'm here, aren't I?" Luigi replied, smiling slightly.

"That is true," Dimentio noted.

"I just... gotta be careful. You know?"

"I see..." Dimentio nodded, turning to go back inside when he paused in the doorway and looked back, a hopeful look on his face. Luigi wasn't used to seeing him look like that. "But you'll come back?"

"I'll come back," Luigi assured, gently taking Dimentio's hand. "I'll come back."

"Alright... I trust you." Dimentio smiled.

And he did. He really did.

Luigi nodded, then slowly stepped away. Dimentio held into his hand as he left until he was off the porch, when he slowly let go, still holding his arm out. The jester stayed like that, frozen until Luigi got to the bridge and turned to wave. Dimentio felt himself lightly laugh at Luigi's little smile and he found himself waving back until Luigi turned and disappeared into the woods.

And for this moment, he felt like everything was okay.

Everything was more than okay.

It was strange. He couldn't recall ever feeling quite like this. He couldn't recall feeling this... happy. Sure, he had felt happiness before, but not quite like this. He had never felt anything quite like this. He never felt that sense of safety and warmth from another person.

He didn't feel this kind of happiness until Luigi came along.

As Luigi walked away, the man in green was blinded by the same happy feeling. He couldn't even think of his brother being extra cautious and overprotective. His mind refused to even acknowledge the fact that people wanted Dimentio dead. All he could think of were Dimentio's words. The way he spoke. Yes, he remembered the past, but all his mind was focusing on was the present. The fact that Dimentio helped him find his confidence. The fact that Dimentio listened as he spoke. That true smile Dimentio smiled when he was with him.

He seemed like a whole new person now. It was like he had known three different Dimentio's in his lifetime. The first one, who was manipulative and cunning, with a goal to destroy everything Luigi loved. Then, there was the helpless Dimentio Luigi found when he first stumbled across the cabin. The Dimentio who gave up on everything. Luigi couldn't tell if the second Dimentio was an improvement or a step back from the first Dimentio, but either way, it wasn't ideal.

Then, there was this Dimentio. His Dimentio. The Dimentio who smiled and laughed. And not that manipulative, evil laugh. But a true, genuine laugh. The Dimentio who gave him the heart cookie. The one who he built a snowman with. This Dimentio was the one he knew. This Dimentio was the one he wanted to be around because every time Luigi showed him something new, his eyes filled with wonder.

It was like magic.

But it wasn't magic. Luigi wasn't capable of changing someone through magic. He changed him simply by showing him the good in the world. That's all. He just showed him what was already out there.

Perhaps one really can change anyone for the better.

Luigi was so lost in his thoughts, he didn't even notice the second set of footprints in the snow.