9. Normality

Luigi woke up after what had been much to his surprise a good nights sleep for a change. He lay there, savouring that brief moment of timelessness which exists just before the realization of who he was and where he was hit him like an invisible brick.

Two weeks. Two weeks until he was to go to the World Court and testify about his part in the Void Crisis. The intensive therapy he had had with Nastasia had filled in much of the gaps but Luigi had good cause to wish she hadn't.

Those sessions had not been without incident, particularly afterwards. He looked around his room and noted that the glass on the nightstand was plastic; his glass-framed photos removed to a place of safety for now. Toadessa had vetoed Luigi staying at the Castle but that was to be expected, citing a conflict of interest since the Princess could not be seen to be fraternising with Luigi since he was not her prisoner. This had meant certain changes, all of which were justified considering the nature and intensity of his flashbacks.

Luigi sighed. Mario was in the shower so there wasn't much he could do until he came out. He paced around trying to shake the feeling of irritation which usually set in after waking. Those sessions with Nastasia had been difficult, but even he had to admit that more often than not he was able to get through the night without incident. 

He shuddered at the memories of screaming in the night and of the terrors which had set them off, mostly due to the mismatch between experience and memories. Nastasia had explained that this had occurred during his agonizing transition to Mr L, much of that resulting from Dimentio's crude mental reaming; an act of last resort as he was running out of time.

He still remembered the worst flashback by far; the one when he seemed to be some sort of giant half-man half-vine hybrid stalking around Castle Bleck. At first, it was thrilling, smiting all the foes that came at him with his tendrils; the larger ones he could strike or simply crush with his fists. But then he could not halt the rampage, soon he was carving a swathe of destruction amongst his allies; horror mixed with the exultation of violence. He saw Mario, tiny in comparison, begging for mercy, but too late he could not stop himself-

Better stop right there. That isn't helping. According to Nastasia and Mario, you managed to sabotage Super Dimentio before that could ever happen! That may be but would the World Court buy this?

Luigi shuffled his feet. Damn it I need the bathroom. Mario's taking his time. Still, there was one small mercy in that Mario at least had the door shut. Damn it! I know you've been known to water the plants but that ain't my style!

He mooched outside the bathroom listening to the running water of the shower. Then he caught the sound of something else, vaguely familiar- no! it can't be. Luigi leant closer to the door and strained his ears. 

Ah, that would explain why Mario is taking so long in the shower. He kicked himself, how could he have been so naive to think that Mario wouldn't have guessed that the shower was the one place in the house where you could hide the sound of crying. Or so he thought. 
Then a surge of shame. He had been selfish. With his recovery and the looming trial no-one would argue that it was hard for him but what about Mario? 

Mario had been the one to literally carry him home, get him to the hospital, take him home to care for him and take the brunt of his flashbacks and trauma. And now he was back to work with his angry, brittle brother to meet him after a day's work. That and Mario's compulsion to put on a brave face all the time. 

Luigi thought, would I do any better if it had been me see my brother walk to what he thought was his certain death twice? Seen his bloodied body be thrown from that burning wreckage? Spend day after day not knowing whether he'd live or die? 

He gritted his teeth. A full bladder really didn't seem that bad in comparison.

Later, after Mario had left for work Luigi pottered around the house. How could he make it up to Mario somehow? He looked in the pantry. It was looking depleted compared to the last time he used anything in there. It was late spring -the hungry gap still but then normal service in the shops in Toad Town was only just resuming after the Crisis. That would explain why their frozen stuff was used up along with some of their oil-preserved things in jars. Still, there was enough in the pantry to give Luigi an idea.


"Luigi I'm home! Ohhh Madre Mia that smell! It's wonderful!"

"Pasta alla Alfedo, bro. Your favourite. That is I couldn't find any meatballs."

"That doesn't matter, I've not had this for ages! I'm hungrier than a chain chomp"

They say down with the food and ate in a contented silence. 

"So why'd you do this? I'm kinder surprised we had any basil left?" Mario queried.

"Uh we haven't now, see my basil plant."

"Ah, but I've been OK cooking on my own so far."

"I wanted to say I'm sorry for being a jerk. I forget you've got to go to that World Court too."

"Bro, I'm just glad I got you-."

Mario looked lost in thought.

"Bro. I....I didn't realise just how great normality was. Until now. Whatever happens, I'm going to do what I can to make sure we are still the Mario Bros. I look around and realise just how much I'd miss you. Even to that thing to do list!"

Luigi looked up at the wall. There it was, unchanged as they had left it, even down to Mario crossing out his name and inserting Luigi instead.

"I did clean out the gutter in the end bro."
 
"Mario?"

"Yes?"

"It's up to me to make sure I don't screw up. Whatever happens, I'm gonna make sure that truth is heard and that my brain can take it.

"Yeah, ti amo fratello."

"Ti am trappo fratello."