#mario brorhers

Luigi: Don't worry about Peach! She'll be fine! She's fearless and brave.

Mario: I know, I'm not worried. There's nothing she can't handle, it's just... she shouldn't be there alone...

Mario visibly frowned.

Lu: Alone? Toad's with her! You can count on him, you know! You've traveled through so many lands together.

Luigi winked at his brother, but it didn't seem to help.

Ma: The point is, I am the one who should have been there with her...

Mario confessed in a hushed voice and assumed a closed posture.

Luigi grabbed his brother's arm tightly and shook him in his characteristic way.

Lu:  But who else could she trust more than you to manage all the kingdom's affairs? Who else can she count on for everything, and who else never lets her down?

Despite his tiredness, Luigi sounded very energetic and convincing, which brought an immediate smile to Mario's face, even though he tried to hide it at first.

Ma: "Us"!

Mario noticed.

Ma: I definitely couldn't have done it without you!

He embraced his brother warmly and pulled him closer when he felt a weight on his lap. It was Yoshi. He rested his head and stares with large blue eyes.

Ma: Well, you have a part in this too!

He ruffled it affectionately, and Luigi kissed its large green nose, which immediately set Yoshi's tail in motion.

Mario stretched and yawned.

Ma: Okay, guys! Time for bed. I'm exhausted!

Lu: Same I'm.

All three moved towards the exit.

Lu: I guess today nothing will hap-.

Luigi's words were interrupted by a squeal and agitated voices that echoed through the castle's empty corridors. They were probably quite distant, only the echoes allowed them to be heard clearly. The brothers exchanged quick glances, and Mario dashed down the empty, dark corridor. Luigi and Yoshi barely caught up with him. They stopped at the end of the corridor, right in front of Bowser's chamber. They found two toads there. This both calmed and confused the brothers.

They were no longer screaming, but they also seemed oblivious to the plumbers' presence. One was putting out the other's soot-stained vest with his hands, while the former wiped grease from his face.

Ma: What happened here?

Mario finally caught their attention, and only now could they see that not only was one of them's face and vest covered in smoke. They also had deep scratches all over their arms, and one of them even had several scratches on his face.

Ma: You look like you've been fighting a Piranha Plant.

The toads looked at each other helplessly, and seeing their mutual condition, they only grimaced.

Ma: What are you even doing here at this hour? In such a condition...?

Toad: It's because of the prisoner...

Ma: Because of Bowser?

Both toads stiffened at the sound of that name.

Lu: Why did he do this to you?

Mario gave Luigi a pointed look, as if being Bowser wasn't enough to make someone's life miserable.

But the toads didn't even bother explaining, and one of them held out a long, white, torn bandage towards them.

Toad: His tail... it's swollen... and bleeding.

The brothers looked at each other in resignation. They remembered the incident with the door from earlier that afternoon.

Ma: Leave him alone. If he doesn't want help, he can do without it.

Mario waved his hand casually, and the toads visibly sighed with relief, ready to obey the plumber's command at once.

Mario rubbed his tired face, sighed, and hurried toward the exit. Only after a few steps did he notice that his brother and Yoshi were still standing at the chamber door. When he called out, he was met with a worried look from Luigi.

Lu: Maybe we should do something?

Mario groaned, his head pounding, and he felt that if he didn't lie down soon, he might not be able to get up tomorrow. Normally, he would indulge in an educational lecture about Bowser and his treatment of Luigi in the Dark Land. This happened so often that he ran out of ideas on how to phrase the topic without sounding monotonous. Besides, this wasn't the time for such wisdom.

Ma: Lu, do you want to end up like them?

Lu: I'll just check in and see if everything's alright. The princess left us in charge of not only her people but also the prisoners. I know contact with Bowser bothers you, so let me handle this.

Mario couldn't resist those puppy-dog eyes of his younger brother. It was his secret weapon. Besides, when he set his mind to something, there was no force that could demotivate him, and although he was grateful to his brother for his dedication, he felt deep down that this wasn't entirely about the princess. He looked at him indulgently, yet with pride in his eyes.

He put his hand on his brother's shoulder, but Luigi pushed him playfully.

Ma: You never cease to amaze me, Luigi. But maybe I'd better go with you. You know... We shouldn't trust him entirely...

Lu: I'll manage. And if he's particularly terrible, I'll take your advice and leave him alone.

Ma: Yeah...

Mario sincerely doubted these promises. His need and desire to help, and the plumber's inscrutable ability to see the good in everyone, didn't seem to let him give up. Especially lately.

Luigi cupped Yoshi's face in his hands

Lu: Go home with Mario. I'll be back soon, I promise!

Yoshi reluctantly followed Mario, who spun around behind Luigi a few more times before disappearing around a bend in the corridor.

When the younger brother was alone, he turned to the stressed toads.

Lu: Come inside. I'll take care of you too.

He encouraged with a smile, but the toads just grimaced and looked at each other in panic.

Lu: There is nothing to be afraid of.

Toad: But since you're here...  I mean, you don't need us anymore, right?

The second one immediately supported his words.

Toad: We admire your courage.

He assured, slowly retreating further into the corridor.

Toad: Really sorry...

They both took to their heels.

"Courage"? That word was rarely used in reference to him, and while a face-to-face confrontation with a physically normal version of Bowser did indeed send shivers down his spine, "small" Bowser was a completely different story. When he was in a good mood, there was even something... sweet and charming about him? Should he be afraid of him? Well, the state he'd reduced both toads to is proof that he shouldn't be messed with after all.

He quietly entered the chamber and headed towards Bowser's chamber. The miniature castle was far more pleasant to look at than the gilded cage. He heard a faint growl from deep within the castle, which alarmed him. This time, Bowser was truly furious. Luigi, as was his habit, peered through one of the windows. In the darkness, all he could see was shell, its spikes strangely sharper than usual.

Lu: B-Bowser?

Bowser: Go away, leave me alone!

Even with his high-pitched voice, there was no doubt that Bowser wasn't joking.

Lu: I thought... maybe you needed help.

He offered enthusiastically, but the king didn't budge.

Luigi recalled how Mario broke his arm as a child and, in a fit of pain and fear, kicked the doctor. However, this behavior could easily be explained when a young child was involved.

Lu: What did the guards do to make you treat them like that?

Bo: I don't accept guests who force me out of bed! They don't have even the slightest respect for me... They got what they deserved.

Bowser must have had a hard time understanding his position and the fact that, as a prisoner, he couldn't expect any mercy or royal treatment, not to mention the fact that the toads still, unwaveringly, hated Bowser. In any case, it was probably best to keep the whole incident quiet in front of the princess.

Lu: You're right, it wasn't fair. But you still didn't have to hurt them.

Luigi tried to placate him and get him to talk.

Bowser sighed and turned to Luigi. Now the plumber could get a much better look at him. His hair was spiked, and his eyes were still filled with rage. Despite this, he approached the plumber very slowly and cautiously, likely due to the injuries he had sustained. His tail truly needed attention. It was swollen, bruised, and streaked with blood. Luigi winced slightly at the sight, and Bowser's expression softened.

Bo: I can't reach it.

He said sarcastically, pointing to the cut.

Lu: Will you let me do this for you?