Luigi lay face-down on his hammock, snoring loudly into his pillow. His hair was a tangled mess of curls; heavy bags weighed underneath his eyes. And honestly, who could blame the guy? He had been running around like a headless Koopa all week, visiting Mario, lending a hand to Candy with Bowser's bandages, and taking care of Junior. But yesterday, Luigi had finally made up his mind to treat himself to a much-needed break. The whirlwind of events from the past week had left him utterly drained, both physically and mentally.
He slept for a full day, the poor man. Because of that, he couldn’t hear the clattering from the kitchen and shuffling. Luigi remained blissfully unaware, burrowing into his blankets. But then the smell of smoke hit him. Half-conscious, Luigi flung the covers off him and stumbled out of his cocoon, falling face-first of his hammock. He rushed out of the room and into the kitchen, expecting to see a blazing inferno in his very hut. But he didn’t.
Junior stood on a stool, scraping eggs off a pan and onto a plate. The tiny prince moved onto another pan and flipped some blackened meat. Luigi blinked a few times trying to register what was happening. Junior placed the meat onto the plate with eggs and jumped off the stool. He looked up and saw Luigi looking at him dumbfounded. The young prince raised the plates, “Hi! I made eggs and burgers for breakfast,” he said.
Luigi pointed to the stove, “You did this all by yourself?” he asked.
Junior nodded and handed him his plate. He scampered out of the kitchen and onto the back porch. Luigi grabbed something from his plate and ate it; it was slightly burned, but not to a displeasing degree. The human followed after the Koopa child and sat with him on the steps.
As they sat on the steps, Junior and Luigi admired the picturesque view before them. The river flowed gracefully, reflecting the golden hues of the rising sun. The gentle breeze carried with it the sweet fragrance of blooming flowers and the salty scent of the nearby beach. Luigi took a deep breath, enjoying the scenery and peace.
Meanwhile, Junior was scarfing down his food, probably feeling very proud of himself for cooking all of it on his own. Luigi picked up some eggs (judging from the uneven coloring, Junior must’ve tried to make fried eggs) and took a bite, “Where’d you get this?” he asked.
Junior burped. “They’re giving out supplies in the plaza! So, I ran to get ours,” he replied.
Luigi smiled and thanked him. The prince smiled back at him and leaned against him. The human continued his breakfast, watching the ripples of the river and the small fish that swam by. It was a nice moment of respite before starting some errands. Once he was done, he grabbed the dirty plate and headed back inside.
After cleaning up, Luigi went back to his room and got dressed. He opened his drawer and grabbed some clothes, trying his best not to look at the tattered and burnt overalls and gloves. With a sigh, Luigi closed the drawer. He landed in this world with those overalls; in fact, they were meant to be the trademark of their plumbing business. But now, after being mended over and over again, they were truly at the end of their lifetime.
Shrugging the thought away, Luigi put on some short black pants and a green tank top. He grabbed his slightly frayed cap and headed out. As the duo walked into town, they noted the newly built cabins and huts. Able-bodied Kongs and Koopas worked together to finish up the ground homes before focusing on the ones up in the trees. Other teams focused on re-establishing their shops and tending to the med centers.
The village was in disarray, but one of a positive kind. With major structures up and running, the Kongs and Koopas seemed to be preparing for some sort of celebration, working together to put up rudimentary decorations. Some of the lieutenants from both armies have set up a sparring-based trading system; in exchange for goods, they’d participate in friendly tournaments. The whole thing was amazing from a political perspective, as both armies would be sharing combat techniques. Plus, it was a nice way for newly healed soldiers to get back into shape.
Luigi and Junior walked down the bustling streets, being stopped now and then by the grateful individual hoping to thank them; due to Bowser’s absence and Kamek currently occupied, Luigi has sort of become the regent. The thought… slightly scared him. He’s not used to so many people looking up to him like this; however, it didn’t deter him from trying his best. Carefully avoiding the heavy foot traffic and karts, the two walked down a paved road.
“Are we going to see Dad?” he asked.
“Of course,” replied Luigi.
Junior reached up and took his hand in his, softly squeezing it. Visiting Bowser was simultaneously a positive and negative experience; it has been over a week, and the king has yet to wake up. According to Kamek, going Fury takes a massive toll on the body, and considering Bowser’s back injury, it made sense for him to take even longer to wake up.
Luigi steadied himself and headed down the familiar street to the med center where the Koopa King was. A lot of healers walked about, checking in on patients, changing bandages, and other crucial tasks. Luigi approached a petite Kong with a myriad of gold piercings and inquired about Bowser’s whereabouts.; apparently, the king was being moved around as a security measure (for fear that the Kremlings would return in stealth and avenge their taken king). That and they were trying to keep him under Candy’s care as Kamek only trusted her.
The kong guided them to Bowser’s chambers without issue; Luigi followed close by, carrying Junior all the way lest the prince get lost or accidentally swept away by the busy healers. They went up the stairs and through some winding hallways until they stopped in front of a door. After giving the healer their thanks, Luigi knocked on the door. Kamek’s voice ran from inside, permitting them to enter.
Bowser lay on his side, his chest rose and fell with each deep breath. The bandages around his torso looked freshly changed except for the green hue of medicinal paste, to discourage infection. All his bruises and cuts were healed.
Junior jumped from his arms and ran around his father’s bed. He carefully climbed onto it and nestled against his father’s chest. Kamek approached his grandson and touched his shell. Luigi stood by, giving them a moment. The royal advisor whispered something in his native tongue; from the little Junior had taught him, Luigi recognized the word “stable” and “hope”.
Junior nodded in understanding but remained in his resting father’s embrace. Luigi walked close to Bowser’s bed. The Koopa King looked so at ease… On the one hand, it was relieving, no longer seeing him in pain. But on the other… it was disheartening that he only found solace in such a state.
“His back is healing well,” suddenly said Kamek.
Luigi turned to face him. The mage had bags under his eyes as well and looked thinner since the last time he saw him. Luigi frowned slightly at that, “When are his stitches being removed?” He asked.
Kamek sat in a nearby chair, “Candy wants to wait until he wakes up,” he replied with a sigh. “It gives his wounds more time to heal.”
“I don’t get it, why don’t we just give Dad a red mushroom? He’d be better instantly,” Junior commented.
Kamek adjusted his glasses. To be fair, the same question has been weighing on his mind. However, Bowser’s battle against Rool had been ten times worse than his defeat. Stars, it has been what? Three, maybe more than four months ago since that happened? The severity of his wounds far exceeded that conflict; Luigi was doubtful of even the magical power-ups healing capabilities in this situation. Judging from the mage’s behavior, there was more to it than that. “Believe me, I wish it were that simple,” he lamented. “Kong Country’s magic differs from that in the Mushroom Kingdom, resulting in less potent power-ups; we have been giving him red mushrooms… It’s just taking longer because of that.”
Luigi sighed. “And with the eel still being a nuisance, supply ships aren’t safe to arrive yet,” he added.
Junior chuffed, smoke leaving his tiny nostrils; his frustration was justified. Another solution Luigi suggested was to use Peach’s paintings as transport but met another roadblock. Power-ups don’t handle teleportation well; food and medicine were a similar situation, only able to be teleported in small quantities. It would seem the paintings were for transporting people only.
The green-wearing man looked back at the unconscious king. He missed him… More than words can describe. What Luigi would give to hear his voice again… he had so many questions and even more things to talk to him about. The connection they shared was unexpected, to say the least, but deeply cherished, nonetheless. As he thought about this, Luigi reached out and gently pushed back Bowser’s hair around his horns. “If all we can do is wait, then that’s what we’ll do,” he said.
Kamek nodded. “Sadly yes.”
“Come on-” Luigi ordered while moving away. “You could use a hot meal and some fresh air.”
The royal advisor tried to protest but Junior and Luigi insisted. He wouldn’t be much help to Bowser if he was withering away in his room. Eventually, he caved. His son would be here when he returned. Furthermore, Candy would be coming to check on him soon, so someone would be here to keep an eye on him in his absence.
With that decided, the group waited for the blonde Kong to arrive and departed the moment she did so. Hopefully, being out of that suffocating room would do Kamek some good.
»--•--«
The warm noon sun glistened above them. Luigi and Junior, alongside Kamek, walked around the newly built marketplace. Several vendors welcomed them, trying to entice them into viewing their wares. Children ran past them, hooting and firing what looked like mini cannons into the air. Junior looked at them excitedly, his tail wagging as he looked up at Luigi. Noticing the silent ask for permission, his guardian agreed, as long as he stayed within sight.
Following the children’s path, the two found a quaint place to sit and eat. Kamek plopped down on a chair with a sigh, purposefully leaning into the sunlight. Luigi got in line to order their meals and watched Junior play with the other kids, their laughter filling the air. Tuxie had been the only other child he had interacted with in a while, so seeing him just be a kid certainly put his family at ease.
After paying and receiving their food, Luigi walked back to their table and plopped Kamek’s plate in front of him. The tired wizard thanked him before taking a piece of meat off his plate. Luigi sat down with a sigh, rubbing his hands together as he eyed the octopus (at least, he assumed it was) lettuce wrap in front of him before digging in.
The day proceeded relatively calmly. Junior was certainly burning away a lot of energy as he ran around with the other kids; they even set up a small sparring circle in exchange for candy and toys. Luigi watched Junior with a mix of amusement and exhaustion. The young Koopa was always full of energy, constantly finding new ways to entertain himself and the other children. As he ran around, his laughter filled the air, bringing a smile to Luigi's face.
Meanwhile, Kamek sat quietly at the table, savoring each bite of his meal. It was fair that he didn’t want to socialize, and Luigi let him be. He’s just happy to have at least gotten him outside.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as he watched Junior interact with the other kids. Despite Junior’s small stature, he sure was giving the kids a run for their money as he effortlessly wrestled them out of the drawn circle. After every victory, he would let out a triumphant roar or stomp his feet when he lost. So much like his father, he thought. Red dusted Luigi’s cheeks at the thought.
As the day wore on, Luigi's exhaustion began to catch up with him. Plus, Kamek looked antsy to get back to Bowser. With that said, the man stood up and stretched. He was just about to call for Junior when three soldiers approached him: twin Hammer Koopas and a Shy Guy. The soldiers saluted him before the Shy Guy approached him. In their grasp was a very, very familiar plumber set. Luigi’s eyes widened, “Is… is that my bag?!” he gasped.
One of the Koopas stepped forward, a hand on the hammer strapped to their side. “The Shy Guy Squad has been using it since you landed in our territory,” she said. “Originally, they weren’t going to give it back but… Because you’ve done so much for us, they are now.”
The Shy Guy waddled forward and set the bag by Luigi’s feet, then he held onto his mask and quickly bowed to him before scampering behind the other Hammer Sister. Speaking of which, the human just took notice of the bundle of clothes in their grasp. The other twin presented the gift to him, “Here,” she said. “Since you favor lightning as your weapon of choice, we thought you should have some protective gear.”
Luigi did not know what to say or do. He stood there, his eyes widening in surprise as he looked down at the gift in his hands. He unfolded them, revealing a jumpsuit; the material around the torso and legs were his iconic green while the sleeves and pockets were navy blue. They… combined his overalls and shirt into some form of arc flash suit to protect him.
Luigi's heart swelled with gratitude, but he couldn't find the words to express it. The Hammer Sisters exchanged glances, their expressions filled with concern. They had hoped their gesture would bring joy to Luigi, but instead, they sensed his unease. The shy guy peeked out from behind his sister, tilting his head with worry. Sensing Luigi's hesitation, one of the sisters looked at the ground, “We understand if you're unsure about accepting this gift. But please know that there is no malice behind it-”
The other sister added in, “We've seen how powerful your lightning attacks can be, and we thought this armor could provide you with some extra protection."
The human snapped out of his stupor at the slight sound of distress. Luigi clutched the suit to his chest, “Nono! I love it! I just- I can’t-” he stopped a moment to gather his thoughts. Taking a deep breath, he said. “Thank you so much; this means a lot to me.”
The twins smiled brightly at him, while the Shy Guy sighed and wiped his mask in relief. Luigi thanked them again before calling for Junior and meeting back with Kamek. As they headed back to the med center, the human looked around him. While the Kongs seemed to just give him smiles and nods, Koopas and other citizens of the Darklands stopped what they were doing to bow. Their king may not be here… but it seemed Luigi was a close second; they saw hope in him.
»--•--«
Candy walked to the resting king’s bedside, sighing. This is her least favorite part of a job; the moment when she can’t help them further, when it’s up for them to recover and all she could do was make them comfortable or momentarily alleviate the pain. The healer pulled back the covers and checked that the bandages were secured. How Bowser fought even after sustaining such an injury was nothing short of a miracle.
The Kong turned him to his other side and adjusted the covers. Candy hopes he will wake up soon; she doesn’t want him to develop bed sores. Plus, she doesn’t want him to miss Victory’s Marks ceremony. They would’ve had serious casualties if it weren’t for Bowser; if anyone deserved a Mark, it was him.
She grabbed a nearby scroll and scribbled down some notes, leaning her forehead on her head. As Candy continued to jot down her notes, her back was turned to the eerily still king. Bowser’s eyelids moved and his hand twitched