Hiraeth (Luigi x Reader)

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER TEN
HIRAETH

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

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Princess Peach paced nervously around the throne room, her heart racing. The loud creak of the royal doors interrupted her anxious thoughts, and her eyes widened at the sight of Mario, Toad, and [name] standing in the doorway. Mario cleared his throat, casting a quick glance at his companions before briefly explaining how he had found them and why they had ventured out of the castle in the first place.

With a mixture of gratitude and affection, Peach placed her delicate hand on Mario's shoulder. A warm smile graced her lips as she spoke, her voice filled with genuine appreciation. "Thank you, Mario." She turned her attention to Toad and gently dismissed him, promising to speak with him later about the escapade. The diminutive mushroom-like creature scurried out of the room, casting a parting apologetic glance towards [name] before disappearing into the hallway.

As the door closed behind Toad, [name] found herself standing alone, enveloped by the watchful gazes of both Peach and Mario. Anxiety surged within her, but Peach's light chuckle brought a momentary sense of ease. "Relax, [name]. I'm not angry with you," the princess assured, her tone comforting. "However, I do feel it's important to explain it's you must stay within the castle walls, at least for now."

The statement caught [name] off guard. Though accustomed to the confinement of grand palaces, she had never been offered an explanation beyond vague assertions of it being for her own well-being. Her mind filled with memories of her father, his words echoing through her thoughts. She nodded silently, awaiting an explanation from Princess Peach.

"Right now, we find ourselves in a rather tough situation with our greatest enemy, King Bowser of the Darklands," Peach began, her voice carrying a sense of urgency. "Several months ago, we fought with him in Mario's world, but he and his minions managed to escape. Although we were successful in retrieving a Super Star from his grasp, it won't be long before he returns to get his revenge with more tricks up his sleeve."

[name] felt a wave of confusion wash over her. Countless questions surged to the front of her mind. What was a Super Star? Was it some sort of artifact, or a power-up? Why did her father possess such an item? Did he try and use it on them during their fight? Why were they fighting in the first place? And most importantly, there were other worlds beyond her own?

Unbeknownst to her, [name] began to voice her thoughts aloud, the words slipping out in a whisper. "There are other worlds?"

Mario and Peach exchanged glances, their surprise evident. The sudden silence hung heavy in the room, making [name] squirm uncomfortably. A self-conscious laugh escaped her lips as she attempted to defuse the tension. "Sorry... I was just thinking out loud for a moment."

Mario appeared skeptical, his piercing gaze fixed on [name], but Peach's unfaltering warmth reassured her. "Oh, don't worry about it! We're simply taken aback. Given your history as a traveler, I assumed you would be very knowledgeable about other worlds."

[name] inwardly cursed her slip-up, desperately searching for a way to cover her tracks and conceal the truth that lay hidden within her.

She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly, a nervous smile forming on her lips. "I guess I hit my head pretty hard during that crash. I can't seem to remember anything!" Her explanation sounded weak, but Peach seemed satisfied by it, though Mario remained unconvinced. His arms crossed over his chest, and his gaze bore into her, intense and scrutinizing. However, he knew that voicing his suspicions would only irritate Princess Peach, so he chose to remain silent, at least for the time being.