Hello there again!

So to clear my brain while I work on my other multichapter works, I decided to post a few one shots. I've always wanted to write one about a relationship between Ludwig and Junior; I think their relationship is very adorable yet saddening, to say the least. And thus, this was born! Frankly, it's been born since I had the idea late last year, but you get the point. :P

Anyways, enjoy! I own nothing: Nintendo and creators own characters, as always.

Understanding

It's weird when you can actually feel yourself just die. Well, almost anyway.

It's even more weird when you're my age and you don't know what's happening, or where you might go, or why you are going there in the first place, but you know something is going to take you away from the only living place you knew. Something like that.

I never understood my oldest brother, Ludwig. I was the youngest, and sure, I guess I was the favorite since Papa took me just about everywhere, but even so... I just wanted my family to like me, you know?

I got almost my entire wish granted; slowly, my family kinda grew to me. I annoyed them and they annoyed me, but I still love them just as they love me. But Ludwig... he was another story altogether. He was that small part of my wish that never got granted.

Ludwig hated my guts, I guess since I was around three or so? But I don't know what I did to make him that way. He won't speak to me, and when he does, he says a lot of mean stuff that makes me sad and cry. I tell my Papa, and sometimes I get Luddy into trouble, but it's not like I want to. I want him to like me... but he doesn't. I don't think he ever will, no matter what I try to do.

I didn't like the fact that he keeps telling me I'm a... killer. I think he means I hurt Mama, but every time I try to ask, everyone ignores me. I don't know who my Mama is, or what she looks like or sounds like or smells like or anything. No one talks about her around me, not even Papa.

Then Luddy just starts to hate me even more, and it gets really bad when we spar. Papa warned him to stop doing being so mean, but he doesn't listen. And one night, he hurt me so bad I was surprised when I could still hear myself breathing.

It's always been like that. And he almost got his wish that I would go away, but the weirdest think happened that changed all that.

It was during a mission with Ludwig and Wendy O., my big sister. She went off to deal with some other thingy, no doubt to start bossing everyone in the nearby village around like she always does, and I was walking with Luddy and keeping quiet cause I know he'll get mad at me again if I start talking.

Out of nowhere, I realized that my side was stinging me with a really bad pain. I don't know why I didn't notice Ludwig was gone, or that I was bleeding. Guess cause I was scared. I was by myself in an area I've never been to without my Papa. And everything looked really lopsided and blurry.

I think I blacked out or whatnot, but I dunno. The next thing I knew, Ludwig was standing over me, just staring at me. I noticed his hand was red, but I didn't really think much of that.

I was actually bleeding, and I was terrified of dying; I didn't even know what had happened to me.

But I was more terrified Ludwig was going to actually live up to his promise and kill me. He had a really scary look on his face.

So it felt weird when he bent down to my level and... touched me. I tensed, but the touch felt... different. Not... like, cold or harsh. He seemed... I guess worried? It was just weird.

My head was spinning, and I wasn't sure why I felt so... nauseous, like I wanted to hurl. Ludwig was mumbling something to me, tapping my face, and at some point, I know I heard the words, 'stay awake'. But it was so hard!

I wanted to go to sleep! It felt so comfortable... and I figured if I closed my eyes the pain in my side would leave. It always works when I get tummyaches, and besides the blood, I thought I just had a really bad tummy ache from all the meat I had for dinner last night. But then, why was I bleeding?

Ludwig was still talking, or at least, I think so. His lips were moving, but why couldn't I hear him?

It was... the funniest feeling I felt in a long time. I thought he was going to kill me, and I waited for it for minute after minute. Until he placed his hand over my sore side, and I screamed- that hurt like crap!

I guess it must've been really bad. Luddy looked scared himself, and I never saw him look that way ever. He wasn't scared of anything bad, so why was he scared now?

"Junior... Junior, can you hear me?"

I nodded slowly; I could hear him a little better than before, but I was still worried... what if he did try and kill me? I wonder if Papa would be mad at him... maybe he would, but then he would hurt Luddy really badly if he did murder me. I don't want that...

"L-Lu...Luddy... it hurts..." I whimpered. I sounded awful, even to my own ears. But it did. It hurt a lot.

"I...I know. Something... got you in your side, Junior."

I started coughing, and a funny taste climbed up my throat. It was very uncomfortable, so I tried to spit it out like Larry once showed me. But when I did, I felt Ludwig's arms stiffen up. I wonder why...

"J-Junior... you... you are coughing up blood..."

Blood... so that's what it tastes like. I don't like it. It's nasty.

Wait. I don't think that's a good thing. Otherwise, why does Luddy look so sad? He wiped the corner of my mouth, and I tilted my head, confused. Why was he being so nice to me?

"W-Wh...Why are you... being so nice?" I wanted to know.

I mean, for all this time, Ludwig has been blaming me for Mama's death and for some other reason I don't know. Something about the throne? I'm only six; I don't want to rule anything! But he says I stole it or something. So that's something else I'm not fully understanding, but I did it, didn't I?

I'm still not too certain what just happened to me, but if Ludwig is being this nice, something has to be really, really wrong.

"I... cannot say."

I didn't say much to that; if he wasn't sure why, no use trying to push it.

Ludwig pressed my side again, and I screamed. Why does he keep doing that?! Doesn't he see that it hurts me? I don't like when stuff hurts me...

"Shhhhh. Calm down, Junior. Calm down."

I can't do that; it HURTS! And now my throat hurts, too. I wanna go home... I want my Papa to make this stop hurting me...

"I do not think you will make it home, Junior..."

He sounds... weird. Like, jumbled. I finally stopped screaming, and I'm tired. I just wanna sleep.

"Luddy... can I go to sleep... please..." I ask, my eyes feeling heavy. He doesn't say anything, but he starts stroking my cheek. It feels really nice.

I think... if I can just sleep for a few minutes... maybe I'll stop being so sore. Yeah... sleeping helps.

I must've dozed off; Ludwig starts to shake me just a little and shakes his head no. "Do not close your eyes, Junior. Keep them open."

It's HARD, Ludwig. I'm tired, and I wanna leave this place and go home!

I made this half- garbled, half-whimpering noise; Ludwig's still pressing against my sore side, but it feels more like a sting than hot pain. I wish he'd stop doing that, though... it really is painful.

At some point, I feel my head resting on his chest. It moves, up and down... it feels so... so nice. Being this close to my brother... that was all I wanted him to do. Let me be close to him.

I briefly wonder if he still wants to hurt me. Even if he did... I don't think I'd care. I got my wish. I heard his heart beating.

"Junior... there is a weapon in your side. Some kind of a knife. I... I will have to pull it out. If I do that, you may bleed to death. Do you understand me?" Ludwig said. He's still really sad, and now it looks like he's crying a little. Or maybe I'm just having a hard time seeing.

A weapon... how on earth did that happen so fast? I dunno... I don't care. I just nod. Whatever it takes to make this pain go away already.

Ludwig stops stroking my cheek, but when he starts talking again, his sentence sounds funny. Like... broken up or something. "I am so sorry, Junior. I never... should have done this..."

Done... this... oh. I get it. So he's the one who stabbed me. I figured as much. But then why won't he let me sleep or die or whatever?

"W-Wh...why..." I struggle to ask. Ludwig looks away from me, and I realize... he doesn't know.

I always knew I would die by Ludwig's hand one of these days. It didn't make me any less afraid, but... at the same time, I feel strangely happy. I guess because Ludwig actually seems to care about me and wants to talk to me, even if he's the one who made all this happen. Weird how almost killing your brother makes this kind of stuff decide to start.

I wish I knew why I made him so angry. Maybe there was something I could have done to make it all better... even though I can't bring Mama home with us, maybe there was something else I could have done to make him less angry. Or was there? I dunno anymore...

He's crying freely, so I use what energy I have and hug him. Granted, it hurts like mad, but I don't really pay it any mind. He stops crying for a minute, so maybe I made him feel better. I hope so.

"J-Junior, what... are you doing?" I can't answer him; I have no energy to move my lips. I collapse back into his arms and try to see his face. But it's kinda hard when his face and his hair are mixing together. I weakly smile up at him instead. Hopefully that can answer his question.

Suddenly, I felt a new kind of feeling. It wasn't fear, it wasn't happiness... it almost felt like it was my time to... die. I don't know how to explain it. I just felt it.

I moved his hand over the handle I now know is still sticking out of my side and look at him. I don't think I need to say what I want him to do for me. And after a second, that realization comes over him, too.

It doesn't matter why he killed me, why he hated me, none of it. I'm not afraid anymore, so I don't want to know the truth. Not right now, anyways. I'd rather just leave everything where it is at this moment. I'm sure one day I'll know, and then I guess I could have a little more... what's that word... closure. Yeah, closure.

Right now... I'm just glad I got to see this side of Luddy I never thought I would ever see in my life.

"Junior, what are you doing?! I sent Wendy O. to get someone to help you- just hang on a little longer!" I shook my head.

He wouldn't have tried to kill me then send for help. Plus, Wendy doesn't have her phone; she broke it. Again. I remember that day; it was funny. Papa was SO angry, but it was funny to see his face so red and Wendy actually getting yelled at for once.

So... yeah. I know he's lying.

I squeeze tighter around whatever is sticking out of me, and snuggle closer to him, content at last. It doesn't feel sore now, just... a warm, numb kind of feeling. Ludwig knows what I want him to do. He started it, so he may as well finish it, right?

"Junior, I... I am so, so sorry... please, forgive me..." he whispers in my ear. I nodded, too tired to actually say anything. It's kinda cold, too. Strange, since it's pretty sunny outside.

I do forgive you, Ludwig. But you have to finish what you started.

Ludwig stares at me a while longer before he finally gives in. He whispered something in my ear, and took hold of the thingy. I guess it's gonna hurt again.

One quick motion, and I'm screaming my throat raw. Yep. It hurt. A LOT.

Ludwig hugs me tightly to his chest, murmuring something and pressing against my side again, harder than before. I can feel something thick and warm running down my side, and then the next thing I know, it feels like I'm flying.

After a few seconds, I feel lightheaded. Really lightheaded. And I still feel like I'm flying. I can't really hear Ludwig talking to me, or crying, or whatever he's doing. It's also kinda hard to look up... the sun looks like it's going home, too. Trees are pretty... I like to draw them when it's really, really nice out. Gives me... something to do...

My eyes start to close on their own; I'm too tired to keep them open. Ludwig sounds like he's yelling, but it's more like... a muffled kind of sound, like something's against my ear.

I snuggle a little into his arms, and it's right before I black out I notice how oddly hot Ludwig's skin feels against me. It's not uncomfortable, but... it's new. I like that, too.

I snuggle as close to my oldest brother as I can before my eyes close completely. It's so warm now... everything around me feels nice.

"...n-night... Lud..."

After that, everything goes dark. And for a long while, it stays that way. I can finally just... sleep...

"Junior... wake up. Junior."

I groan... come on, gimme five more minutes...

"Junior. It is Ludwig. You need to open your eyes for me."

Okay, guess nap time is over. And I'm still really sore, but not as much. But my head... ugh, I hate feeling dizzy...

I open my eyes, and the first thing I see hovering over me is Ludwig's face... with streaks down his cheeks. Was he crying? Oh wait... he was.

"W-where... am I?" I ask him, stumped for some reason.

He makes this face before he sighed and said, "You...We are home, Junior."

I look behind his head and sure enough, I see some posters that belong to me and all my drawings and stuff on the floor. Guess we are, but... how exactly did we get here? Last thing I remember was screaming and bleeding all over Ludwig and flying... and then nothing.

I guess he could sense my confusion, because he patted my hand and said in a voice so soft I thought I was blacking out again, "Do not worry. I will explain everything to you once you heal. For now... just go back to sleep."

I tilt my head. Heal? So I made it? I thought he said I would bleed to death if he pulled that knife out of me.

"Why'd you wake me then..." I complain, but I think I sounded funny... I dunno, I'm so tired right now... but I have so many questions I want to ask him.

It's rare when Luddy smiles... unless he's working on some music he likes. It's more rare when he smiles around ME. I really don't get him at all... first he tries to kill me, then he's happy I'm alive?

"I...I had to make sure you were still alive. You scared me half to death, Junior."

What is going on with him? Scared him how? I don't have a clue what he's talking about, but right now, I guess it doesn't matter. He says he'll tell me later, and I really wanna go back to sleep.

He moves from the bed over to my little radio I keep on my desk. Next thing I hear, it's this song I know Luddy was working on. It was personally my favorite; he played it a lot before all this stuff happened, and I would listen to it whenever I could get a chance.

"I know you like this piece, Junior. You seem to like standing outside my door when I play it." he said, almost... happy. I faintly smile back at him, lost in the music. He knew... I didn't think he would. I didn't think he'd care...

"Yeah..." I mutter quietly, my eyes closing again. I have no idea what it's called, but it's really pretty to listen to. It was always something that Luddy did that could make me smile, even at times when I was so sure he'd kill me.

It was all I had connecting my brother... and I didn't want to forget it.

I hear Luddy come over, sit next to me, and starts stroking my cheek. I stare at the wall, my eyes getting all heavy again.

"I am so sorry, Junior." he whispers as I drift off. "Sleep well, little brother. I owe you a lot... and I am glad you gave me another chance."

I barely nod, and soon, the music carries me off to a deep slumber, my big brother humming along to the tune and stroking my cheek.

I thought I didn't wanna know why Ludwig almost tried to kill me back there. But now I kinda do. I wanna know how, first of all, and then why. I wanna know why I scared him, or how I did that. He says that I almost scared him to death, but he knew I would've died when he stabbed me, and... ugh, it's all too confusing for my brain to get all at once.

I told you, I don't understand the way my older brother thinks or acts. I don't know what made him hate me back then, but now suddenly care after he made such a big mistake. I don't know why he is always so sad, or mad, or both, or why Papa works him to death. I don't know why he thinks I wold steal the throne from him, or why he and everyone else thinks I'm Papa's favorite.

I don't know cause... well, I just don't. I'm only six. But I understand enough.

I love him nonetheless, and once I get better, I wanna talk to him. I hope he wants to talk to me, too. I wanna understand how he thinks; maybe it's not as hard as I think it is. Forgiving him wasn't. It never was.

Somewhere far in my mind, I see Ludwig being crowned as new King of our kingdom. I know it isn't just a dream, and it makes me smile because I know he deserves it. I just wanna be there when my big brother becomes the king I know he will be one day.

After all, he's my brother, and I'm his, and we're family. I understand that much.

END

So yeah, this story is mostly to get a feel for writing in Junior's POV, as writing this story was kinda tricky terrain for me since it is the Koopalings I'm dealing with. I consider this a practice run, of sorts, but I still kinda liked how it came out.

Anyways, leave a review if you enjoyed it, or if there is any way I can improve or what you all may have to say, just no flames please.

Until next time!