(As Long as We're Together) Everything's Gonna Be Okay

Uh Oh...

"No no no!" Peach wails a few days later.

"Princess?" Mario asks when he walks into the conference room. "What's wrong?"

"The person who handles all the kingdom's finances just quit. No explanation. There's no way we can help the Sammer Kingdom without sinking us with it."

"Can I help with anything, princess?"

"No, just...please let me know if you can think of anyone who can take the job on the spot. I'm going to be holed up here trying to do damage control."

"Will do. Good luck." Mario tips his hat, then leaves.

And immediately bumps into Wario the moment he reaches the lobby.

"Whoa!" Mario manages to catch himself before falling. "Wario? What're you doing here?"

"I was actually coming to talk to the princess about a job offer I received."

"You did? Where at?"

Wario points. "Here."

Mario's mouth drops open. "What?"

"I know, I can't believe it either. Guess she was impressed by my work on helping rebuild the Sammer Kingdom. Also a really good way to put some money in my pocket."

"Is that all it is to you?" Mario crosses his arms, suspicious. "Making money?"

"Eventually, sure." Wario nods. "But right now I have to prove I can be trusted with all this responsibility. You're looking at the new man that's going to oversee your kingdom's finances."

"And you're looking at who that person answers to." Mario glares.

Wario's eyes widen in fake shock, "No, you? I thought you were just a bodyguard for the princess."

"You mean I never mentioned how ingrained in this community, or the kingdom, I actually am?"

"No, can't say that you did." Wario denies. "All you ever seem to want to talk about is how much you miss your brother."

"Wait, I thought you said you were coming to talk to the princess."

"I am."

"And you never stopped to think about who else talks to the princess regarding big decisions?"

"Of course! But the only people ever mentioned was just someone they called 'bros'. No names."

"Luigi and I used to call ourselves the Super Mario Bros. That was the name of our plumbing company."

"How could I possibly know that? I haven't gone this far from Diamond City in years. Any bros I hear about there are kids. And where would I have picked up on the fact that you're a plumber?"

"You're in the Mushroom Kingdom. My reputation is well established. How could you say yes to working with the princess and not know that also meant you'd be working with others?"

"Because I didn't care about who else I was working with. Or even that I'd be working with the princess. I still don't."

That seems to have allowed Mario to deflate some.

"All I know is I have a chance to do some good."

"So do I. And for what I know to be the first time since Luigi ended our partnership and walked out of my life, I thought maybe being on my own didn't have to hurt so much."

He sees Wario looking hopeful, and quickly crushes it, "But that being said, something about all this doesn't feel right like it used to. So if you want me to believe you, you'd better start talking, or I will tell Peach to fire you, and banish you from the kingdom."