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

They Don't Call it Bittersweet for Nothing

"We're dead in the water, aren't we?" Mario asks Peach.

"Do you truly want me to answer that?" She offers as an out.

"Yes I do."

"I don't like our chances." Peach says with a sigh.

"It's all a lie!"

"I believe you." Peach assures him. "Because as Wario pointed out, you are one of my oldest friends. I know you love this kingdom and would never do anything to hurt it. But getting that across to the Chancellor, who won't look kindly on you bringing friends to vouch for you? After we saw just how much evidence he fabricated? That is out of my control."

"I don't know if I want to do this after all." Mr. L tells Peach hours later, after Mario's gone for the day.

"What? Why not?"

"I know you have Toads hard at work trying to pinpoint somewhere for me to start before I make the trek up there, and if I find something, I could be looking at remembering everything again."

"Last we talked, you were excited about the idea. What changed? Star Hill has been around for decades, no matter how it looks now. Going up there shouldn't be that dangerous. Even what little enemies you'd find lurking around, wouldn't be anything you couldn't take out with one hit. And that's if you don't find anything at all. But getting your memory back would make all that worth it, would it not?"

"Surprised you're not listing all the ways something could go sideways."

"Well, your new friend went all over those with you already, and you probably have some of your own too." Peach reminds him.

"Of course, how could I not?" Mr. L nods. "But even with everything I've managed to make happen for myself, there's still a part of me that just feels like something's not...there. Not just one thing, but everything. Like, okay, I'm a mechanical engineer. Okay, I have a new friend. Okay, I'm having fun doing my own thing. That's all amazing. But there's something that would make all of that even better, so I'd know it's all worth it."

Seeing the princess isn't quite following, Mr. L tries another tactic, "I don't remember you. Or my family in Brooklyn. I don't remember anything about plumbing, or even why my mama chose to dress me up in green."

Peach looks at him thoughtfully as Mr. L continues, "I know it's not all going to be good. But if I have a chance to finally get everything back, when we were so sure it was going to be gone for good, I can't let that pass me by again."

"I'm on call." Mr. L tells Mimi a day later, when she comes over. "They're going to have someone get in touch when they have something."

Just then, there's a knock on the door, so Mr. L goes to answer it, once again in complete shock when it turns out to be Mario.

The man in red spots Mimi standing behind him, and apologizes, "I didn't think. You're busy, aren't you?"

"No, not really." Mr. L turns to look at her, then back. "Been busy lately with wedding plans, so we scheduled some time to goof off a little. Here." He steps back. "Come on in."

"And that's my cue to leave." Mimi says sullenly.

"No, Mimi, don't go." Mr. L begs. "You're my friend, anything he needs to say, he can say to you too."

"Don't be silly." Mimi says, then teleports away.

"I can't believe what the bulletins are saying about Master Mario." Toadsworth says to Peach. "About him and his so-called embezzlement plan."