Fireproof

Mario Lets it Go, and Luigi Lets a Prince Whisk Him Away

When Mario finally feels the Firebrand retreat, he lets himself stop running long enough to lean against a dead tree and take a deep breath.

"So this is my life now." He mutters to himself, looking around at all the snow and dead and decayed vegetation. "10 years I spent trying to protect everyone, and I couldn't do it."

Then he laughs dryly, "'It's in me, but it's not me.' What a joke."

Then he stands up and allows the Firebrand to form a fireball in the palm of his hand.

"It is me . "

With that, he gets to work, throwing and aiming the fire at all the dead plants surrounding him, smirking in satisfaction when he sees them burn.

"That's better. Now it has a chance to grow back stronger than ever."

Then he looks down at himself, "And this, has got to go."

He pulls off his suit jacket and dress shirt, revealing his overalls and red shirt underneath.

"Betcha Luigi never thought of that." He says smugly, as he pulls out a spare glove from his overalls pocket, slipping it on his bare hand.

"What the heck. They've grown on me. They can stay."

Then as he watches the fire around him, he realizes wistfully,

"I wish Luigi was here."

Then he kicks himself, "No. I brought him down with me long enough. This is for me, and me alone."

He lets the Firebrand retreat, then declares, "No more. From now on, I don't hold back for anyone."

"Marioooooo!" Luigi calls as he trudges through the icy climate, attempting to follow the trail of melted snow and burnt ground that's miraculously still visible. "Bro, come on, it's me!"

He keeps going, "I didn't mean to push you into burning down the Mushroom Kingdom!"

He shivers, "I'm sorry."

He shakes his head, "Course if you'd just told me the truth, this never would've happened."

But that's immediately forgotten when he sees snow falling, covering the path.

"No no no!" Luigi panics as he tries to keep moving, but it's coming down too quickly, and before long, the path is covered completely, leaving him stranded.

And to make it worse, in his panic, he trips on a covered tree branch, and falls right into the snow, and if he was cold before, now he's downright shivering.

"Snow. He just had to go to the snow k-kingdom." Luigi stutters. "It couldn't be a tropical island, with beautiful sunshine and..." he trails off, upon seeing smoke in the distance. "Bonfires!"

But in the next instant, he slips on the ice and falls again, this time sliding right into a small pond.

By the time he's standing up and attempting to move again, it's like his clothes are frozen solid, and he's only barely able to limp forward.

But limp he does, until he finally spots the source of the smoke: a tiny cave with a small fire in front of it, lighting up the sign covered in snow right next to the cave's entrance.

He reaches up one shaking arm to wipe away the snow, and reads, "Jellyfish Sisters' Relaxation Room and Trading Post.", then when more snow falls off the bottom, adds, "Now serving two locations. Huh."

But he's not about to question it, and goes right inside.

Immediately, he's hit with warmth, and it wastes no time seeping into his clothes, melting the snow.