(As Long as We're Together) Everything's Gonna Be Okay

More Setup, But it's For the Greater Good!

"Peach?"

Hearing her name come out of Mr. L's mouth shocks Peach more than it should.

"Luigi?"

"You never told me what happened with Nastasia." Mr. L reminds her.

"I told you I can handle it on my own." Peach replies.

"But what does that mean?"

"I tried to convince her to stop blackmailing you first." Peach tells him as they keep walking the grounds. "Remind her of what she promised."

"And that didn't work, I take it?"

"No it did not." Peach confirms.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Peach waves it off. "But realistically, Nastasia has more cards than she's letting us see, so the best thing we can do is pay her off."

"And you can do that?" Mr. L asks worriedly. "Without hurting yourself or the kingdom?"

"Indeed." Peach nods. "I know one or two funds we have lying around that would work. I'll look into it."

"You're going to let me pay you back." Mr. L says firmly. "Every last coin. I don't care if I have to work the graveyard shift, I'll do it."

"I'm not worried about that." Peach tells him.

"Then I'll do it for the both of us." Mr. L fires back. "And let me swear one more time that I'm not lying about Wario."

"I know you're not." Peach assures him. "But even if it wasn't, I'd still try to find a way to help you."

"Peach--"

"Don't 'Peach' me!" Peach says, laughing at the irony. "I'm your friend, memory or no memory."

Mr. L lets out a breath, "Thank you. So much. And I'm sorry you had to be involved in all this. I didn't know what to do."

"Yes you did." Peach says. "You came to me, like I hoped you would. And now I'm helping you."

"You're really okay with just being estranged from Master Luigi?" Toadsworth doesn't buy it for a second.

"Of course not." Mario denies. "I'll never be okay with that. Every time I see him, I can't decide if I'm proud of him for all he's accomplished or hating that he doesn't want to share it with me. And of course, all the hugs I have to stop myself from attacking him with."

"We all know how much you wished Star Hill was the answer." Toadsworth says in sympathy. "For you to get your brother back."

"But it worked!" Mario reminds him. "He remembered our dad saying I was bringing him down with me and coming into our room to comfort me. And then that was it."

"Did Luigi ever say he wanted his memories back?" Toadsworth ponders.

"I have no idea." Mario shrugs. "But it doesn't matter, because Star Hill was declared unstable, so he was told he couldn't go back up there."

"So it's officially a dead end." Toadsworth surmises.

"Looks like it." Mario sighs. "That's the only memory of me he's ever going to have, so now this is our new normal."

"Now, what is that attitude?" Toadsworth scolds him. "You know your brother better than he knows himself."

"Peach, I--" Mr. L grabs her hand. "I don't even have a word for how grateful I am for this."

"It's just coins." Peach shrugs. "The kingdom's thrived for years through tougher times than this."