Nothing but Sunshine

Chapter 2

The next thing Mario knew, he was sitting in a jail cell. He had been thrown in here after his "trial". Everyone was trying to defend the man in red. But it all fell on deaf ears. Mario had been sentenced to cleaning up the graffiti. He looked out the jail cell window, worried about Luigi.

FLUDD stated, "I'm sure that your brother is alright, Mario. Professor E. Gadd spoke very highly of him and Violet."

Mario slightly smiled, "I know you are right. But I can't help to worry. He is my only family I have left..."

FLUDD responded, "Then we need to clear your name and save the island from pollution."

Mario nodded a bit, "Right... first thing in the morning."

With that, the man in red laid down on the bed. He had FLUDD placed near his bed. He took off his signature red hat and used it to cover his eyes. He was gonna need the sleep.

...

"Aahh, I could just stare at my Mario painting for hours. It's true what they say about fine art... it takes utterly refined sensibilities to truly appreciate it."

Mario opened his eyes and instantly froze. There, right in front of him, was King Boo. He was back in the painting. He paled.

No. Not this again...

Mario got to his feet and started to pound on the painting. He had to get out.

He had to find Luigi.

"Let me out of here! Right now!" Mario demanded.

King Boo didn't hear him or didn't care. He just kept going. "The way you plead for help, Mario... I find it so... satisfying. Perhaps that is merely because I remember how much trouble you've caused me in the past. Seriously though, who would actually believe that mansions get given away in contests?! Talk about stupid! What do they feed you Mario brothers on anyway... gullible soup?"

Mario was furious at this point. He wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. That's when King Boo turned around. Mario perked up and saw a bunch of Boos coming in. To his utter horror, they had Luigi with them. And he looked...

Oh Grambi... No...

King Boo taunted, "He couldn't even get past Bogmire. He is, well, was..." He chuckled coldly at that. He added, "What a waste of time he was!"

King Boo floated over to Luigi's broken, dead body. Mario kept pounding on the painting, screaming at the top of his lungs.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!"

...

"Mario!"

The man in red opened his eyes, starting to hyperventilate. He turned, seeing FLUDD next to the bed. Even though he was faceless, Mario could just sense worry coming from him.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

Mario slowly managed to calm himself down. He managed to shake his head.

"N - nightmare..." He barely managed to say.

FLUDD replied, "From the mansion incident, I would wager." When Mario didn't argue it, FLUDD knew it was correct. He told Mario, "You have every reason to be horrified by... him. Braver men than you have fallen to his horror."

Mario didn't reply to that. He knew that FLUDD was right.

Luigi was braver than me... And he managed to save me! Even though he is terrified of ghosts...

He didn't realize it at the time but he was crying a bit. He wiped the tears away from his eyes. After a bit, he picked up FLUDD and placed it on his back. He had work to do.

...

Later on, Mario was outside and started to work on getting the graffiti off. Luigi had arrived with his hose. Mario held back to giving his baby brother a hug. He didn't want Luigi to worry.

"Hey Malleo." Luigi greeted.

"Ready for today Weegie?" Mario asked, faking a smile.

Luigi could sense something was off. He wasn't stupid. But Mario was acting so calm.

Maybe it's something he doesn't want to talk about yet...

So Luigi gave Mario a geniue smile. He knew that Mario would talk to him eventually about what was bothering him.

"I'm ready fratello." Luigi stated.

Mario nodded and the two of them started to work. Toadsworth watched the two of them from afar. While he didn't admit to it aloud, he always thought of those boys as sons. He looked at Mario specifically and then at Peach. He saw that Peach and Violet were having a discussion. He smiled.

Peach needs a girl to talk to. Daisy hardly comes by anymore. Maybe Master Violet will be able to show her that Master Mario is the best choice.

Violet asked Peach, "So when are you going to tell Toadsworth to but out of your business?"

Peach sighed sadly, "I've been trying to tell him. But it is like talking to a wall..."

Violet was about to apologize when she got shoved away from the princess. She looked and in a flash, the Shadow Mario took Peach.

"Peach!" Violet cried out, quickly getting to her feet.

Mario heard Violet's cry and started to follow the trail. Luigi was right on his heels. Violet ran after them. Mario sprayed some water from FLUDD. It managed to stop Shadow Mario and he started to drop Peach. Violet quickly created ice and managed to give Peach a soft landing. Mario and Luigi cornered the look like.

"No fair!" Shadow Mario complained.

"Now the locals might believe me." Mario told his brother.

"We just got him to Blubs and Durland over there." Luigi replied, pointing to the sheriff and the deputy.

Before they could, Shadow Mario hit them both with the pink graffiti. He ran off towards the town square. Mario groaned.

Of course it wasn't going to be that easy...

"After him!" FLUDD told them.

Without debate, the brothers followed Shadow Mario. Violet turned to Peach, a bit worried.

She asked, "Are you alright?"

Peach shivered from the ice and admitted, "H - honestly I could go for a hot chocolate..."

Violet sheepishly giggled. Toadsworth came over to them, all flustered.

He asked, "Oh the calamity! Princess, are you alright?"

Peach nodded still shivering a bit, "Y - yes I will be..."

Toadsworth questioned, "Who was that imposter? And why would he want you?"

Peach just shrugged, unsure. But she couldn't dismiss this nagging feeling that she was having...

Please be careful Mario and Luigi...

...

Wishmaker1028: There we have it! Chapter 2 is done! Also cookies to those who get the Gravity Falls reference! Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!