Fyras: Finally...the last chapter of this story is as good as here...sigh...it sure has been a long ride to the end, hasnt it...and well, I thank everyone with all my heart...but because you are so many and my hand hurts, I would have to thank you with this chapter only...please, forgive me! But, I really did enjoy writing this story as much as you enjoyed reading it...

The ending is the beginning part of the sequel, but all would be explained on the sequel, which is still in the works, with me, still working with the ideas and such...due keep in mind that I might return and give this story a make-over, but until then, see you next time! Of course, after you scroll down and read the last part of the author's note...and then...sniff...we...sniff, we really say bye! Sniff!

Roy: Stop crying and go on with the story, drama queen!

Fyras: So rude!

Please read and review, or criticize, whichever comes first. Flames are not accepted, frowned upon, and possibly deleted.

-Thomas Jefferson

Chapter 30: Noel, Leon, and Avalon

It took two and two to carry the half-conscious Mario Brothers down the stairs, but the Koopalings didn't complain as they carried the two of them to where the princesses waited. Behind them, Roy managed to drag himself up slowly, receiving concerned looks from his brothers once or twice. "It's been one hectic time, hasn't it?" Lemmy suddenly asked, causing everyone walking down the stairs to look back at him. "I wonder how we'll fix everything that Ludwig screwed up for all of us…it will take time…"

"…Don't mention any fixing now, please," Roy replied, as he rubbed his bruised head. "I don't have the damn time for it…everything hurts!" His four brothers laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, we know you don't like fixing the dishes you throw, Roy," Morton said, causing the two Mario brothers to share a grin with each other as the Koopalings carried them down.

"Let us focus on the fixing now…we gotta first find Ludwig, though," Lemmy said, after a while. "We can't possibly leave him out there after all he has caused…" Roy gave his older brother a pat on the shoulder.

"I wouldn't worry about it…I gave that Ludwig a good throw…he'll probably already made it out of the island and straight into water,"

"Still…I can't help to be concerned…well, at least half of our men are well and dandy…"

"They are?" Mario weakly asked him, glancing down the stairs, which they had yet to finished walking down from.

"Yep. Those guys were so damn confused at first…suddenly, King Boo comes around and starts yelling orders like no tomorrow…he's the one that got us out…"

"He did?" Luigi asked, getting a nod from Lemmy in return.

"Uh-huh…it turns out he was actually conscious of what he was doing, being a ghost and all, and started to tell us in this super rushed voice what Ludwig had done in the past days when we were stones…he ordered us to go after him, and we didn't need to be told twice…then, we meet the princesses down there and they tell us where you guys were at," the Koopaling gave a small sympathetic glance at Luigi. "…a moment too soon, and you would have been Koopa pudding plumber boy," Lemmy explained, meanwhile the green man couldn't help but blink in surprise. King Boo had actually helped them? Well…considering how things were at the time, Luigi wouldn't put it past the King of Boos to actually help them defeat Ludwig…after all, if the Boo could still see what he was doing, that might have caused a bit ego injury there and he wanted payback.

…I doubt we would be in good terms, ever… Luigi thought, sighing, ignoring the conversation that was taking place between the Koopalings and his brother. At least…everything is going to be…much better now…hopefully…

Yes. He only hoped that everything would be much better.

It was Daisy who finally spotted the group of koopas coming down the stairs, all helping the beaten plumbers down the steps. The princess had to contain herself from jumping onto the green plumber's arms in joy, happy to see him well and safe. Peach, too, noticed the heroes coming down the stairs, and gave out a loud cry, "MARIO! LUIGI!!" Behind her, the small form of Bowser Jr. also looked back at his brothers and gave a cry as well.

"Big Bros!!"

"Yo, Junior!" Roy cried, waving a hand at his little brother, while the other Koopalings only nodded in greetings.

"Peach…Daisy…are you okay?" Mario asked, after the plumbers finally reunited with the princesses, with the Koopalings and Junior talking amongst each other on the other side of the stairs, the four of them clearly hearing about Roy repeating Ludwig's fate to the worried Junior.

"We are fine…thank you," came Peach, smiling back at the red plumber, before looking back at the green plumber, who sat on the steps close to Daisy. The flower princess had both hands on top of Luigi's shoulders, as the plumber looked down. "Luigi?"

"I'm sorry…"

"…Luigi?"

"Peach…I'm really, really sorry…" Suddenly, before anyone could stop him, Luigi put both hands over his face, and began to sob silently. Daisy tighten her grip on the plumber's shoulders gently, as if trying to stop him from crying, but unable to find the words. Behind them, the koopas stopped their idly chatter to look at the scene before them. No one said anything for a moment as they heard the calm sobbing of the green plumber, with Mario and Daisy exchanging glances once in a while, as if wondering what would happen now. "…sorry…sorry…"

Before anyone could say anything, Peach calmly went towards the plumber and gave him a hug, a tight hug, despite the bruises both of them had endured. "…don't cry, Luigi…it isn't your fault…it isn't your fault…please don't cry…I'm just happy you are okay…"

"…but…all I did…" Luigi sobbed, as Peach finally released him from the hug.

"That wasn't you," the princess said firmly, smiling sadly. "and Ludwig was the true cause of all this pain and sadness…"

"True that, zorro boy!" Roy cried, standing behind Daisy and Mario, with Junior next to him as his brothers stood behind them both. "Ludwig's the bastard behind this whole damn mess.

"But still…" Peach just shook her head.

"I won't accept an apology, Luigi…because I don't need one, and because you aren't to blame."

"Peach is right, Luigi," Daisy said, giving the plumber a hug of her own from behind. "You haven't done anything…"

"Except saving us," Mario pointed out, giving his younger brother a pat on the head, with a big grin on his face. The sobbing finally stopped, a small smile forming on Luigi's face, as the Koopalings patted the plumber's back, thanking him for helping them get back to normal.

While his brothers thanked the plumbers and the princesses talked with them a bit more, Roy broke away from the group to stare at the fallen form of his father, who had yet to regain consciousness. "Sorry, dad," the pink shelled koopa muttered, sighing. "If I had thought straight when Ludwig had come around with his master plan in the throne room, I would have stopped this…but I got careless and I let this happen…the little champs wouldn't have stood a chance," he glanced back at the group of koopas and humans talking amongst each other, before something caught his eye.

It was lying not too far away from where his father slept, a ribbon. It was a small pink ribbon with white circles, to be more precise, that was all dirty with dirt and some scratches destroying its cute appearance. Roy blinked once or twice, and just stood there, as if recalling, but before he could say anything, Daisy's voice cried out, "Hey! Where did that crazy koopa go?"

There were no questions asked as the group of humans were escorted by two koopas to where Knut-Nut's ship awaited.

No matter how hard they had searched, neither of the Koopalings were able to find their traitorous sister anywhere. And they sincerely had no time to waste looking for her, as Lemmy had put it. He and a recently released Kamek were trying to keep order in the castle and the kingdom while Bowser recovered. King Boo and his servants flew back to the Forbidden Woods their mansion was housed in, deciding to severe their ties with the koopas for the time being, something that they hadn't found too surprising, after all, the King of Boos often came into disagreements with the Koopa King, and thanks to Ludwig doing what he did, the ties between the two species had died down. Of course, that was the last thing they were worried about, since they had a kingdom to fix.

"You think she's going to try something?" Mario asked Roy, as his brother and the princess walked ahead of the two of them, with Junior chatting animatedly with Peach, who had now, as well as the others, recovered from the injuries thanks to a few healing mushrooms(1) Kamek had provided for them.

"Wendy? Nah…she complains when she breaks a nail, and hardly moves it when it requires work, unless dad's the one giving the orders…" Roy commented, adjusting his new pair of pink glasses over his eyes. "She won't move nothing if she knows what's best for her…she wasn't the smartest cookie of the bunch, so that bitch won't try nothin',"

"I see…and what would happen now?"

"We ain't planning to take over the Mushroom Kingdom, if you're wondering," the pink shelled koopa answered, crossing both arms over his chest. Mario only snickered and rolled his eyes.

"I doubt it…but better be safe than sorry," he joked.

"Hahaha…funny, plumber boy," came the sarcastic response.

"Hehe! No need to remind me," the red plumber responded, smiling from ear to ear, as the humans and koopas finally reached the shore, where Knut-Nut lay waiting, but they were rather surprised to see a frantic Goomba there.

"Whatcha, ladies!! Whatcha!!" Knut-Nut cried, moving his moustache from left to right, and looking panicked at the water.

"Something the matter, old geezer?" Roy asked.

"Bass Boss pack in the waters!!" Everyone tensed at hearing that name, and the princesses hurried behind the back of the group, to keep away from the water.

Boss Bass, Mario and Luigi were both familiar with those anything-eating fish, which they had met during their many adventures in the Mushroom Kingdom and in the Koopa's Kingdom as well. Unlike other sea creatures, who had a sort of intelligence or where as equally smart as any other koopa, the Boss Bass were the enemies of all. Human, fish, koopa, and even fireballs alike, despite the fact that the latter made them flee when they touched it, only to come back for more. (2)

"Careful where you step, lassies!!" cried Knut-Nut, as the group watched a Boss Bass's fin pass by, before the two princesses made a run towards the boat. The others sighed in relief when Daisy and Peach made it to safety. "Now you be careful, red and green moustache men…Bass Boss already had koopa for dinner, but their pack of friends are still hungry!"

"A koopa for dinner?" Roy asked, paling a little, while Junior just looked up at his brother confused.

"Yep, yep, Pinky! He was flying in the air, and hit the waters! Bang! Like that, and then, suddenly, pack of Bass Boss come and get him…CRUNCH!! BAM!! CRUNCH!!" He tried to mimic the crunching sounds of fish eating, but only managed to give out a small like growl. "Before I know it, koopa down for count, and Bass Boss took him there, under the water!"

"…I see…" Roy said after a while, as he faced the waters with the Boss Bass's fins sticking out of it, trying to make out a small hint of blue hair, or any fangs or spikes, anywhere in the waters, but finding none. Neither of the Mario Bros. spoke, as they looked back at Roy, silently wondering what he was thinking about this turn of events.

Ludwig was gone…for good…and Roy just accepted that fact and said nothing.

"Hey, hey! It's you!"

"Me?"

"Yeah, you!"

"Calm down, bro, she doesn't even know who we are yet…"

"So? She has to present herself, or else!"

"…Is he threatening me?"

"…Not really…he knows you're super strong, so he wouldn't even try it…"

"…I see…so…you are Uncle Luigi's kids, right?"

"Yeah! We are our mother's kids too, ya know?"

"…I think she got it about us being Dad's kids the first time…you know…"

"You really think so?...So, anyway…what's your name? Uncle Mario didn't really wanna tell us, so he forced us to come and introduce ourselves to you!"

"Daddy did? Well…what a nice way to break the ice…"

"Why are you laughing!?"

"No…it's nothing really…and well…sorry, my name is Avalon."

"Avalon? Hey! It has a nice ring to it! Princess Avalon of Mushroom Kingdom! Sounds okay!"

"Thank you…I think..."

"Now's are turn: Name's Noel!"

"Leon."

"…."

"…"

"Umm…is something wrong?"

"Shh…we are trying to make a dramatic announcement!"

"...Oh..."

"And we both are…THE PRINCES OF SARASALAND!!"

"Plus Dad!"

"Plus dad?"

"Yep, dad's still a prince…mom's the queen, ya know, politics."

As the trio of children kept on talking in the castle gardens, the two fathers looked at each other with a smile.

"So, you're still a prince, eh, Luigi?"

"Yes…you know, politics."

"I can imagine!" And with that, both brothers laughed, watching as their children began a game of hide-and-seek, wondering how bright the future would be.

FIN

…for now…

Somethings to point out!!

1-Mushrooms in RPGs have healing properties, just in case you guys forgot about it...but, who really would?

2-There were times, that when, despite the fact that you got rid of one of this fish, they would always come back for more! Damn I hated these guys…

Darn it...a "To be continue" Ending...darn it! But, anyway, as I said before I enjoyed writing this story as much as some of you enjoyed reading it...hope this chapter is alright for everyone, and well, since I just started school again, life just got a little harder, but do not fear, I shall prevail! In five months maximum, the sequel shall be posted, if not...well, I guess I would consider the sequel none existent until I get my act together and school out of the way...but I might surprise you all, eventually.

Thank you for reading this story and a review or two would be very welcome...

-Fyras14

P.S.: Until next time!!