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

For Once, A Memory That Doesn't Make Mimi Want to Cry

"Just got back from the castle." Mario tells Mr. L over the phone. "For the hearing the Chancellor rescheduled."

"And?"

"Still no Wario. Duh. Peach asked the whole case to be thrown out in light of the new evidence, and I think the Chancellor might be ready to actually do that."

"And that's...good?"

"Aside from Wario still missing? Oh sure, it's great. Awesome."

"And let's not forget his injuries that would've been impossible to heal in the time it took him to disappear."

"Whose injuries?"

The voice of the princess nearly makes Mr. L jump out of his skin, as he turns to see her standing a few feet away from him.

Mario quickly hangs up, and that's right when Toad shows up and asks, "So Wario's still a no-show?"

"Yep." Mario nods.

"So what does that mean for you?"

"I have no idea." Mario says. "Peach said she was gonna hand over the new evidence, and she did, so now we're waiting for the Chancellor to drop the case and clear my name."

"Sounds like everything's gonna be okay."

"I think it is." Mario agrees. "Thanks, by the way, for stopping to ask how I'm doing."

"I'm just as glad for this to be over as you are."

"Princess!" Mr. L greets awkwardly. "Hello. You look...very royal."

"Luigi, I heard you." Peach isn't gonna let him off the hook that easily. "You were talking about someone's injuries?"

"Oh you know how it is." Mr. L shrugs, hoping she'll buy it, then wincing when she doesn't. "I don't think I do, actually."

"Just an accident that happened at the racetrack." Mr. L quickly covers. "A racer sustained serious injuries and I'm the mechanic that's gonna fix up his go-kart before he goes back out there."

"Luigi." She steps forward slowly. "I consider you to be one of my closest friends. I know you don't remember, but I've gotten to know almost all your tells, rivaled only by your brother. And you're showing all the telltale signs that you're lying to me. So how about you skip whatever else you were gonna try on me and just tell me what's going on?"

"It really is nothing." Mr. L insists. "Just pressure to be ready for my debut and all that."

"Or did something happen, and you think you have to lie about it? I may be the princess, but I hope you know how brave you are. I've always thought so."

"Luigi, you were so brave."

"Oh, heh, thanks. It's kinda my thing."

The flash startles Mr. L bad enough to where Peach definitely notices, "Luigi? What's the matter?"

"I..." The thought to lie passes as soon as he thinks it, and admits, "I remember when I met you."

Peach's eyes go wide. "You do?"

"You called me brave."

"Did I? When? Where?"

"I think it was a few years ago?" Mr. L shrugs, pacing. "I think we were in a city, and you said that after we put Bowser in a jar. And I joked about how being brave was my thing."

"Oh gosh, now I remember!" Peach exclaims. "You'd just used a Power Star to give Bowser a serious beatdown, and we'd just made him eat a mini mushroom."