Chapter 40:
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Being a king was not as difficult as Luigi had feared, then again he had several advisors to assist him, and Wendy has been a huge help. He knew to try to be fair when listening to the Sugar Land equivalent of lobbyists. There were several papers to sign and many wanted to seek council with him. That was his first worry since he never really studied politics outside of listening to Aunt Callie shout at several political figures on CNN and the government studies class he took at Brooklyn Community.
His second fear was would the people accept him as a Koopa? His people seemed to love Wendy. No one had ever heard of Bowser before or knows of his past. Mr. Gingerbread had informed him that the former King Sucrose had spoke with the king of Dark Land before, but it was polite conversation. No one shared the same prejudices as the toads in the Mushroom Kingdom. When Kammy and Kamron used their magic on him to remove the effects of Gadd’s machine, the people did not bat an eye or stare at him with hanging jaws.
Thinking about Kamron brought a smile to Luigi’s face. The kid is going to become a powerful Magikoopa some day. Even Kammy said he make skip a year due to his advanced skill assessment on the road. Luigi had asked if they had a royal wizard and when Gingerbread said no, he offered the role to Kamron after he had graduated.
The other fighters were adjusting after what had happened. Larry was brushing up his skills on tennis and basketball. He had visited Luigi in the past few months. His friend, Silhouette also visited as well. She mentioned how her parents were doing. Luigi found out about her father and mother and his heart went out for her. Squishy got a new job in one of Sugar Land’s hardware stores, and mentioned he was going to save his money and start his own repair business, fixing nearly everything except for the plumbing. He, Larry, Silhouette, Kamron and Luigi’s mother visited Howls’s grave. Madam S made a few rosaries for him.
Despite the several changes there many that stayed the same for Luigi. The first was his love for his brother. He and Mario called each other nearly every day, and would often send emails and hand written letters to each other. Mario and Peach had paid several visits and Luigi wanted to visit, but he did not want to stray far from his and Wendy’s eggs. He wanted to be there when they hatched.
There were a few other things that have never changed. Every time he felt a sudden chill he would hold his breath and clench his teeth out of fear that it might be a ghost. Some of the letters he had received were from young women confessing a crush on him, for both forms and he felt his face burn up from blushing. He still took care of the plumbing. During the morning report he would ask if all the pipes were working and if there were any leaks or clogs. Wendy was the same way. Every evening at five she would go into the kitchen and help out with dinner. She and Speara’s sister, Pepper, were becoming friends.
“We have a bit of a problem with the sugar farmers in Jamsville,” Mr. Gingerbread addressed Luigi after breakfast had wound down.
“What is the problem?” Luigi no longer asked where cities and towns were located. He had learned where nearly everything was located.
“They are having a bat problem as well as bee problem and a small problem with a few other insects.”
“I can understand if the other insects are pests,” Luigi took a sip from his coffee cup. “I don’t want any harm to come to the bats or the bees.” Even if honey wasn’t a major export in Sugar Land he wouldn’t want harm to come to insects that help pollinate flower and bats are known to eat pesky insects.
“The bees stay far away from the sugar fields and the bats only fly above to eat the other insects,” Gingerbread continued. “They are just finding their way into the distilleries.”
“Distilleries?” Luigi raised an eyebrow.
“Jamsville’s main crops are sugarcane, honeydew, and grapes. It is where we get our rum and wine and sweet melon liquor.”
“Oh,” Luigi tapped his claws against the surface of the table. He knew where everything was located. He just didn’t know what they were known for.
“Your majesty,” Speara approached Wendy with a phone. “The call is from your father.”
“Thank you,” Wendy accepted the phone.
“The bats and the bees have gotten drunk from the barrels,” Gingerbread. “Several bees and other insects end up getting trapped in the vats and yes we keep them sealed but other insects and bats chew through the barrels.”
“Have you tried smoke?” Luigi asked.
“They have already tried it.”
“A girl?” The volume of Wendy’s voice increased. “Ludwig that is wonderful, and you are naming her after mom?”
“I’ll make a request to Gadd and Iggy,” Luigi turned to his wife. From what he heard it sounds like he has a niece.
“Roy and Tethys have a boy?” Wendy asked. “What does he look like? Red and bald like Roy, feet like Tethys. I know we must go. I’ll let you know. Bye.” She hung up. “Luigi we have to get to the nursery.”
“I know,” he turned to Gingerbread. “Why haven’t we been notified?”
“That is a good question.” Gingerbread turned to Speara. “Why hasn’t the king been notified?”
Speara pressed a button on her two way and spoke into the mouthpiece. “Why hasn’t the king and queen been notified their eggs are hatching?” She was quiet for a few seconds as she listened. “Because they have just started.”
-
Luigi, Wendy, Gingerbread and several nurses have arrived in time to see a small orange foot kick its way through its shell. The egg was covered in a spider web of cracks and had several chips missing. The other two eggs were rolling around and were also forming cracks.
“Get the blankets ready,” the head nurse hollered. “And get Dr. Rocca.”
“He has already been notified.”
A small fist and an arm shot through while another hand clawed away enough shell for a head to stick out. A whole leg and a back with a bright green shell emerged and the last of the eggshell was removed seconds before the Koopa hatchling wailed.
“Make way,” Dr Rocca made his way through the crowd. “Nurse hand me a cloth.” The head nurse handed him a warm cloth. “He has a good pair of lungs.” Rocca cleaned off the last of the goop.
“He?” Wendy and Luigi repeated.
“You have a son,” Rocca wrapped the crying hatchling up in a swaddle cloth and placed him on the scale. “Good weight, eight pounds and two ounces.” He handed the infant to Wendy who was already given a warm bottle of formula to feed.
“Luigi look,” Wendy smiled at their child. “He looks just like you.”
Luigi looked over Wendy’s shoulder at the hatchling. His son had a green head and matching shell. Spikes start growing when they are at least six months old. There was tuft of brown hair and the part of his snout with the nostrils seemed quite big and almost round. Their son stared up at Luigi with bright blue eyes.
“He does look like me,” Luigi waved his claws. “Hi. I’m your daddy.”
“What should we name him?” Wendy asked.
Luigi already had the perfect name picked out for him. “Lucio.”
“Lucio,” Wendy breathed the name.
“The second one has almost broken through,” Dr Rocca shouted. Luigi was immediately by his side. “The third one is halfway through.” No sooner had he finished saying the words when another wail echoed through the room. “You are going to need some pink cigars to give out as well.”
“It’s a girl,” Luigi smiled at Wendy. “Tell Lucio he has a little sister.”
“You hear that Lucio?” Wendy cooed at their son.
“She weighs at seven pounds and fourteen ounces,” Rocca placed the bundled up baby into Luigi’s arms.
“Hello,” Luigi stared at his daughter while a nurse handed him another bottle. “Daddy has something for you.” He brought the bottle to the little girl Koopa’s mouth and she eagerly took it. “You are so pretty.” She resembled Wendy with her bright orange head and pink shell. The only difference was that she also had a tuft of brown hair on her head. “What are we going to call you?”
“Another boy,” Dr Rocca called out.
“Looks like you got two brothers.”
“I want to see them,” Wendy said. “I want to hold both of them.”
“We are coming with them,” Luigi walked up to Wendy and pulled back the blanket to show their daughter to her.
“Eight pounds and zero ounces,” Rocca called out as the third hatchling was given to the head nurse who also had a bottle.
“Bring him here,” Wendy said. Their third child also looked like Wendy and didn’t have any hair on his head. “He is adorable. All our children are beautiful Luigi.”
“I know.” Luigi gave his wife a kiss on her head.
-
“Who’s a little cutie?” Bowser asked and made a face. He was kneeling in front of Wendy who held Lucio on her lap.
“I think they are all cute,” Mario was seated on the other side of the room and held the youngest of the triplets in his lap. He wasn’t wearing a crown or a circlet and instead was wearing his favorite hat.
“I wonder if I will be the cool aunt,” Peach was holding Luigi’s daughter in her arms. “They are the ones who always have candy in their purses and takes them to them roller skating.” She seemed to be yawning a lot and did appear to look exhausted.
“I don’t think I want them to eat too much candy,” Wendy was stirring up another batch of formula. “I don’t want them to loose their teeth right after they get them. Listen to me. I already sound like a mother.”
“That is because you are mother,” Madam S said. Luigi had felt it was bad timing that Bowser had arrived the same time as Mario and Peach. However both Mario and Bowser seemed to keep their peace when Madam S was in the same room with them. “When you become a mother you say things that you never thought you would do. You will have no idea how many scuffed knees you will end up kissing and putting band-aids on, how many birthday parties you will help host or what sacrifices you will make to make sure your children are safe.”
“Yeeouch,” Bowser cried out. His finger was firmly clamped in Lucio’s mouth.
“Lucio,” Wendy stared down at his son. “We don’t bite grandpa.”
Bowser pointed at Mario once Lucio opened his mouth. “He is your nephew. There is defiantly Mario blood in him.”
“Just wait until he gets his teeth,” Mario chuckled. His laugh suddenly stopped and he stared down at his lap. “Oswald needs a new diaper.”
“I’ll take him,” Madam S picked up the youngest triplet. “You go and change your pants. You know you did the same thing to Toadsworth when you were an infant.”
“I did?” Mario had an embarrassed look on his face.
“You did, but don’t worry. All babies do that.”
“Little Dolly is living up to her name,” Peach yawned. Dolly was fast asleep in her aunt’s arms.
“How about you dear, are you getting enough sleep?” Madam S asked
“Mom do you need any help?” Luigi had the changing table all set up for her.
“I’m still able to change diapers,” his mother set little Oswald down.
“I get plenty of sleep.” Peach said. “Actually I think I get too much. I get over nine hours at night and I take a nap once a day and I still feel tired.”
“Mario’s influence?” Bowser asked.
Peach shook her head. “This has only started a few weeks ago. Sometimes I get dizzy spells and snacking urges.”
“Have you seen a doctor?” Madam S handed the dirty diaper to Luigi who quickly deposited it and wiped Oswald down.
“I guess I should.”
“After you get checked out you, Wendy and I should do some shopping.”
“I have another idea,” Luigi said. “Only some of the family has seen the triplets.” He and Mario need to go somewhere where they haven’t been in a few years
-
“I know this is kind of a morbid place for a family get-together,” Luigi said as he pushed the double stroller through the grass and trying his best to avoid the graves. “Mario, you have already called everyone?”
“I called everyone,” Mario said. “All our uncles and aunts and cousins. You know they are going to want us to spend a few days at some of their places.”
“Are they all in apartments?” Wendy asked. She was pushing the single carriage with Dolly inside.
“Some places are houses,” Mario said. “Tony Junior has a nice house in the Bronx. Aunt Sophia and Uncle Pauley live in New Jersey.”
“Which part?” their mother asked. Once again she had donned the long sleeved dress, the hat with the veil and the gloves. She was also carrying a parasol, a gift from Peach.
“Newark,” Mario replied.
Their mother made a face. “Ugh, why would they want to live there?”
“They got good jobs their?” Luigi suggested. He kept his focus ahead of him. They were getting close.
“How are you feeling Peach?” Mario took Peach’s hand into his own.
“Still tired, but the dizzy spells are fading.” She stared down at her stomach and placed a hand over her belly. “It feels harder than usual, but not much is showing, barely a bump.”
“Trust me dear, it will show within a few months,” Madam S assured. “How is the spell working for you guys?”
“Perfect mom,” Luigi said. Kammy came around before they left through the warp pipe and cast an illusion spell on Luigi, Wendy, and the triplets. Luigi looked like his old human self. Wendy looked exactly like Lady Fettuccini sans the green dress and eye shadow, and tail. She was wearing a pink blouse and blue jeans and had her hair done in a French braid. The triplets resembled three human infants, all three were wearing their own monogrammed hats, lime green for Lucio, pink for Dolly and orange for Oswald.
“Can’t really tell that you guys are reptiles,” Mario gave Luigi a pat on the back and pulled back in recoil. “Darn invisible spines.”
“You might want to be careful,” Luigi smirked. “I might accidentally get you with my tail.”
“Don’t even try it,” Mario wagged his finger at him. “There they are.” He nodded at the crowd gathered in front of two gravestones. There were about fifteen adults and five children. “Hey Uncle Pauley, Aunt Sophia, Uncle Tony, Aunt Callie.”
“Hey its-a Mario,” One of his cousins was the first see him. “And Luigi, and Luigi has babies.”
“Babies?” Aunt Callie was the first to run up to Luigi. “What is this?” She pointed at the strollers. “Who is this?” He pointed at Wendy.
“Aunt Callie this is Wendy,” Luigi nodded at his wife. “We have been married for over a year now.” How time had flown. Mr. Gingerbread had organized a great party for them. “These are our children. Lucio and Oswald and Wendy is pushing our little girl, Dolly.”
“Triplets,” Callie gasped. Her eyes were moist. “Che Blessing bello.” Her smile faded before she smacked Luigi on the top of his head. “You are married and have three children, and you never tell us? You didn’t write or call or even e-mail. You never invited us to the wedding?”
“Ouch,” Luigi rubbed the top of his head and was thankful his aunt missed his horns. “It was a sudden marriage.”
“You eloped?” Aunt Callie asked before she slapped him again. “Your Uncle Tony and I raised you better than this.”
“Callie easy on him,” Uncle Tony seemed to have collected a few more pounds and his thick eyebrows now seemed to have two layers. He top half was a silvery white and the bottom half was dark.
“I will be easy on him,” Callie slapped Mario. “You never told us either.”
“He’s also married,” Luigi said. If he was going to get two smacks then so was Mario.
“Oh he also got married and never told anyone,” Callie shook her head and struck Mario again. “You shame the family in front of your grandparents graves.”
“Mama ask her to stop,” Mario kept rubbing the top of his head.
“No,” their mother shook her head. “You should have at least written to them. You both at least had a way to write to them.” She turned to Callie and Tony. “Thank you for taking care of my boys.”
“Your boys?” Tony blinked. “It can’t be.”
“I have returned Tony,” their mother raised her veil. “Its-a me.”
“Angela,” Tony’s eyes widened. “Sophia, come here its Angela, our sister.”
“Angela?” Aunt Sophia made the sign of the cross over her chest. She practically had flown to her sister. “Oh My God.” Tears were streaming out of her eyes.
“Sweet Jesus this is a miracle,” Tony embraced both his sisters. “Where did you find her?”
“Sugar Land,” Mario said without thinking. Luigi gave him a kick. “Texas. Sugar Land Texas.”
“What were doing in there?” Tony asked. “Why couldn’t you have called?”
“It was because of Lucio’s job,” their mother explained. “We couldn’t tell you.”
“Why?” Cousin Christopher asked. “Were you like in the mafia or something?”
“Chris,” Uncle Pauley smacked him on the side of the head.
“No,” Madam S shook her head. “His job was more noble.”
“He was in the CIA?” Chris asked.
“You could say that.” There was no way she could explain what really happened, not without risking several raised eyebrows.
“Where are my manners?” Aunt Sophia waved her hand around. “You haven’t met my children.” She pointed at Chris. “This is my second oldest Christopher.” A woman and a two-year-old boy joined Chris’s side. “This is his wife Catharine and their son Johnny.” She pointed at Chris’s older brother and his family. “Pauley junior and Barbara with Pauley the third.” She nodded at the four year old. “And little Mia.”
“You named her after grandma,” Luigi smiled at his cousins.
“This is Alfred,” Sophia introduced her third son. “We call him Big Al, and you will see and his wife Bridgett.”
“Bridgett?” Mario and Luigi repeated. They never met Al’s wife, nor remembered when they got married. She didn’t look Italian either.
“Her family is Irish,” Sophia explained. “You two had no reason to hide your WASPish wives from us. We accept everyone. You remembered who your cousin Lydia married.”
“Yeah,” Luigi waved to Lydia and Harold. “I remember the big arguments and fights.”
“Why?” Their mother asked. “He looks like a nice boy.”
“You will see,” Tony winced. “I still feel like a big jerk.”
“And my only daughter,” Sophia pointed at her seventeen year old daughter. “Angela this is your Aunt Angela, your namesake.”
“You named her after me?” Tears were forming in their mother’s eyes. She embraced all her nephews and their wives and held onto young Angela the longest.
“Let me introduce you to my kids,” Tony pointed at his eldest daughter. “This is Lydia and Harold, or Harry for short.”
“You have been at their wedding,” Callie wagged her finger again at them. “If we accept a nice Jewish boy into the family then you know we would have accepted you wives without any fuss.”
“There was a fuss,” Luigi whispered to Wendy. “From Both Lydia’s parents and Harold’s family.”
“It did work out,” Wendy whispered back. “Like our families.”
“Our only son is Anthony jr,” Tony continued to introduce his children. “His fiancé is visiting her parents and we have our youngest Susan.”
Luigi waited until everyone had hugged each other before he cleared his throat. “This is my wife Wendy and she is one of the best cooks, not the best because I don’t think anyone can really rival grandma Mia’s or Aunt Callie’s but for a Non Italian she is amazing.” He waited for several relatives to either shake Wendy’s hand or kiss her cheek. “These are the triplets.” He pointed to the boys. “My oldest and youngest are Lucio and Oswald, probably end up calling him Ozzy later and our second born and only daughter, Dolly.”
“You named her after the country star?” Christopher made a motion with his hands in front of his chest.
“No,” Luigi rolled his eyes. “Because she is sweet and tiny like a little doll.”
“This is my wife,” Mario pointed to Peach. “Peach and I are also going to be parents.”
“Peach?” Several relatives repeated her name.
“Were here parents flower children?” Uncle Paulie asked.
“They were more of mushroom children,” Peach answered. “Well my mother wasn’t and my father was only half.” She did not notice how pink Mario’s face was.
“Say no more,” Sophia said. “You turned out to be quite healthy.”
“There are two more people we want to say hello too,” Luigi stared at the tombstones of his grandparents. “Mama, why don’t you go first?”
“Thank you,” their mother kneeled in front of the tombs. “Mama, Papa. I came back.” The tears fell from her eyes.
Luigi felt two hands grab onto his. The first was Wendy and the second was Mario who was holding onto Peach with his other. Their grandparents would have been proud of Angela if they knew what she had done, and were probably proud of him and Mario. He had a feeling they were watching from above. Maybe they will introduce their cousins one by one to the Mushroom Kingdom, but as of now they were going to enjoy the hometown they grew up in.
The End