Mario XOXO: Chapter 3

It was finally Valentine's day eve!  Everyone was sleeping soundly knowing that soon it would be their time to shine and have fun with those they cared about.  Well, almost everyone.  It was about midnight and Mario was still brainstorming for the perfect gift.  He knew this was the year, but he was running out of time.  It technically wasn't the eve, but the actual day!  What could he think up in the hours he only had left?

He headed to the front yard of the his house, outside to get some need fresh air.  It was pitch black, and the only light available was that from the moon.  This made it almost imposable for Mario to spot the shadowy figure in the distance.  It gave a sinster, mind shattering laugh!

"EEEEYAH, HA, HA, HA, HA!" the silhouette chuckled.

Mario knew that laugh to well.  It belonged to the evil witch, Cackletta!

"What do you want?!" he yelled into the darkness, in a fighter's stance.  However, there was no one there.  It was just black.  The illumination of the moon wasn't strong enough to break through the dark of the night.

The very second he let his guard down, she reappeared by his side.  She was smiling ear-to-ear, her sharp teeth almost glowing in the moonlight.  She had her arm around Mario, as if the two were life-long friends.  He wanted to strike, but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't.  He was parayzled under her clutch.

"Why you do assume I want something from you?  I'm just here to chat! Lets talk," she whispered.

Mario ignored her, busy still trying to gain control of his body again.  His persistence began to annoy to her.

"ENOUGH!  Its imposable to break free!" she said with an attitude, but her tone returned to being
concerned.  She put both hands on his shoulders, one on each one, and put pressure on them.  This forced him the sit on the house's front porch with her.

"It will save you strength, which you look like need!  What have you been up doing?"
she had her finger touching the dark spots under his eyes.

"Thats none of your business, Cackletta," he snared and glared at her.  "What are you doing here, anyway?!  We got rid of you!"

"Well, I'll tell you my secret in exchange of one of yours, deary," she teased, "now tell me, what ARE you doing?  Isn't past your bedtime?"

"I was," he hesitated, "thinking of something special to do for the princess..."

Cackletta knew exactly what he meant, but still insisted a better explanation.

"Which princess, dear?  There are two, aren't there?"

"Urg, TOADSTOOL," he forced out.

She stifled her horrible laugh and teased, "Really?  Why? Is she really that special to you?"

He tried to strike again, but failed.  "Let me go!" he said in a weak voice caused by insomnia,
which had started a week from that night.  

"It's terribly impolite not to answer," she said very calm and collected.  

"You have no idea how special she is to me," he admitted, almost despondent.  

"You want to make her your's," she said with a sinister
chuckle.

He had no comment, and just flushed from her statement.

"EEEYAH HA HA HA! Not the talkative type are you? I can only imagine the torment of being so close as a friend, but yet only to be able to admire from afar!!! POOR THING! EEEYAH HA HA HA HA!!"

She grabbed his hands, tight, her sharp fingers almost piercing his skin.  His anger from embarrassment gave him a rush of strength and he broke free of her clasp.  But before giving the long anticipated blow to her head, she melted into the shadows from where she came.  

Luigi walked out of the house, half asleep.  He saw his brother standing on the porch and couldn't help but ask: "What are you doing?!"

"You wake up NOW?! WHEN SHE'S GONE?!" Mario yelled at his brother with rage.

"Was Daisy here? Did she beat you up?" Luigi was still mostly asleep, and prone to letting any ridiculous statement be said, "who was here?"

"Cackletta..."

"Bean Bean Kingdom Cackletta?  She's dead isn't she?"  He was now fully awake.  "You probably just dreamed it, you need sleep, bro."

Mario noticed his hands were still in a fist and opened them.  Inside was a gorgeous ring.  It was silver with a red gem in the center, and tiny diamonds circling it.  He was speechless.

"WHOA!  Where'd ya get that!" Luigi cried with a grin, happy for his brother's discovery.

"I-I-I don't know..."

"But you know what you're gonna do with it? Right?"

"Yeah," Mario closed his hands, protecting his gift for the princess.