Bats and Bravado: A Princess Daisy Story

Tears and a Tea Talk

Daisy opened her eyes to golden sunlight seeping through the window. She tossed and turned through the night, arm occasionally aching, so she did not feel as energized as the passing villagers chattering behind the canvas blinds.

She yawned and stretched her legs, then slowly rose out of bed to the bathroom. The face wash was quick, as she didn't want to see her bedraggled state.

She put on her dress and headed to the dining area for breakfast.

The whole village seemed awake. Some were buzzing about yesterday's fiasco, others were carrying sweep brooms and pushing carts of rubble. Two Lochladies nearby were chatting about what they prepared for dinner.

Wait...dinner?

Daisy approached them and asked, "What time is it?"

"Ah, you're finally awake!" said one of them. "You must have been really tired, you slept for a whole day! I think it's a few hours before sunset, now."

"Wha...the whole day?!" Daisy hiccuped.

She sprinted to the kitchen for a quick bite, thanking the Volbonans through a mouthful, then hurried out with a sandwich in hand. Sunlight pierced her eyes as she exited the den. She climbed atop her motorbike and kicked on the accelerator.

The bike swayed with her unbalanced steering. She almost drove into a few bushes and hidden trees, but leaning on the side helped steady her. If she had only asked Toad to escort her to the Kingdom...

"No," muttered Daisy. "I've troubled him enough as it is. And I'm...I'm not helpless. I can do this by myself. I'm strong and capable...!"

She chanted that like a mantra in her head in the hopes of repelling nagging thoughts. They chastised her for being ill-prepared, for being too much of a mess to defeat Tatanga, for this and that, for this and that.

The bike wobbled. Sand spattered on her from behind as the back wheel lost traction.

Daisy yelped as she veered off the road and drove through a dune. She jumped off the bike before sliding down the hill, hand clawing the ground to stop. Blades of reeds and wildflowers caught on her arm sling as she halted.

Water lapped at her dress. Wispy clouds grazed the sun, painting pink hues on the twinkling ocean. A purple Dorie swam in the distance without a care in the world.

Daisy drew a long breath. Tears trickled down her cheeks and fell onto the wet sand, washing away with the ebbing waves.

"Ugh, I'm such a mess," she mumbled, wincing from the lump in her throat. How was she to save Sarasaland when she could not get a hold of a stupid bat thief, let alone take care of herself? How was she able to defeat Tatanga, of all people? No amount of avoidance or denial could hide the fact that she, confident and fearless Daisy, was terrified of him. If he kidnapped her again, who would rescue her?

"Are you ok?" a voice asked behind her. Luigi was gingerly holding his cap in his hands, eyebrows drawn together. "Mama mia, you look like you've seen better days!"

Daisy quickly wiped her eyes. "L-Luigi?! What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

He shrugged. "I have a beach hut nearby. I like to walk on the beach in the evenings."

Daisy looked down. "You must have overheard then, huh? Gosh, I hoped you'd never see me like this. Or anyone, for that matter."

"No, it's ok. Everyone has those moments. I have, and on this spot, too."

He sat next to her. Comfortable quiet eased in as they gazed at the sunset.

Daisy inhaled again. Steadying her voice, she began telling him of recent events. She kept it superficial at first, tiptoeing around the bigger, purple, problem, but she eventually told more, from her forgotten fears to her buried insecurities. It was easier to share with Luigi. He had a kind and understanding look, patient as she paused to share more.

"Honestly," said Luigi, "I'm surprised to see you this way, I'm used to you being so confident and positive all the time. But I've felt the same way with my ghost-hunting adventures. I'm deathly afraid of ghosts, but I suppose a part of me stuck it out for the recognition that could come after. Mario's a sweet brother, but I hate having to live in his shadow, sometimes.

"A bigger part of me stuck out to save Mario and my friends. Professor E. Gadd had trouble capturing the Boos, so it was up to me, ghost phobia or not. It wasn't a matter of whether I could do it, it's that I had to do it."

"Wow," said Daisy, "that must have been hard to overcome." She paused. "But what if I act and end up making things worse?"

"I think the worst thing you could do right now is to not act," said Luigi. He stood up and brushed the sand off his overalls. "Besides, you're not alone. We'll all help you out."

He held out his hand. Daisy looked at it, then at him, before slowly smiling and taking it.

Luigi shared his beach hut with Waluigi. The personalities of each shone through color choices, such as the green wooden walls or the purple Morning Glory vines draping over the porch fence. Two striped lounge chairs faced the ocean. Luigi invited her in and offered to make a cup of tea while she made a call home with his old-fashioned cord phone.

Daisy clutched the handset tightly as it rang, then held her breath when her family's royal servant answered. Clearing her throat, she warned him of Tatanga's attack and asked to hold an emergency conference.

As she bid goodbye and sat down, Luigi passed her a steaming cup on the table.

Daisy thanked him and sipped on it. "You and Mario make tea the same way," she said. The milk added mild sweetness and the warmth washed away her fatigue.

"I learned tea brewing from him," said Luigi. "Nice way to relieve stress."

Daisy looked out the window, keeping her hand warm with the cup. Luigi had a gentle confidence in him, he was not the nervous wreck that she teased a lot in the past. If anything, she was a nervous wreck now. She used to be energetic and headstrong, but a sense of detachment from the old Daisy had crept into her. The stolen bat had revealed the cracks underneath the surface, and Tatanga's presence simply shattered her into messy pieces. Why did it bother her so much now? Kidnapping was an annual event for Peach, but Daisy had trouble functioning after one instance.

"You can do this, Daisy," said Luigi. "We'll help you out as your friends, but you're the leader, and I know you'll defeat him."

Daisy brought her cup closer, feeling the wisps of steam brushing her jaw. "I hope so. People used to tell me that I'm confident and a good leader, but lately, I haven't been feeling that. I haven't been feeling like myself at all."

"That's alright. You'll figure it out eventually. You do need to be more kind to yourself, though. Tatanga's the bully here, not you!"

Daisy smiled. "You're a great friend, Luigi. I don't know how I could repay you."

"Don't worry about that. We can just play a friendly round of tennis when this is all over."

Daisy raised an eyebrow. "Sure, but I should warn you that I've never lost—not even to my dad."

Luigi laughed. "Now that's the Daisy I know!"

For the next hour, she chatted with Luigi over a humble lunch of cheese and bread. Waluigi came in from a dirt bike session, his leather jacket dusted with a thin layer of sand. He offered to give her a ride to Sarasaland after hearing her story and wincing at her arm.

"I'm here to help," he said. "You're gonna need it!"

The last time she saw Waluigi was at a soccer match where he almost decimated her with a ball punt. He must have changed like everyone else.

Luigi said he would catch up with her later (after all, the dirt bike could barely fit two people). Daisy bid him farewell. She meant to do it with a simple handshake, but it turned into a hug. Perhaps she needed that hug.

She followed Waluigi outside and got on the bike, awkwardly holding him from the back as he revved the engine. Her fingers quivered and fidgeted. With a deep breath, she reminded herself: whatever happens next, she'll do her best. She will be okay.