One of the most important days of the entire semester had arrived, because it was time to start recording the new strong letter of the franchise.

Miyamoto was so sure that this was a future hit that it had a larger budget than any previous game. Of course you could say that this was mostly thanks to the movie; which was not released yet, but everyone was convinced that it would be a great catapult to be able to sell much more than before.

Luigi and Daisy were in makeup getting their last touches. While Mario and Peach recorded on their respective tracks.

Bowser had his five minute break before having to re-record the final battle for the third time that day. The koopa had to admit that he had never been a big fan of how recordings were handled within Fungwarry, since they always told him that they would only have one day of recording with him, when experience had already taught him that each new session Miyamoto would come up with something new and it would make him learn a whole new choreography and it would have to be recorded all over again.

"Luigi!" the director called him "Now it's your turn to do the level. Daisy, get in the cage and Bowser, you know what to do."

The three nodded and went to their respective places.

Bowser offered to help Daisy onto the floating cage, but the girl refused him and she jumped in with a smile.

Luigi positioned himself at the beginning of the track with notorious nervousness; he sighed as he remembered that he would have to go back to smashing goombas and koopas like they were nothing. He was aware that they were villains, his brother told him all the time, but still he couldn't help but feel guilty for hurting someone.

The worst part is that Miyamoto asked him to crush everyone so that in post production they could fix it in case the player wanted it.

The track itself was somewhat tricky, the game was looking to experiment with the 360 degree experience, so there were several sharp turns that the boy wasn't quite sure he could handle. Besides, he had never been very good at managing distances so he was sure he would bump into several cubes like before.

He swallowed and just prayed that the next day they would tell them that he had to record some Mario Kart or anything that didn't have to do with the main game.

He could see all the mess Peach had made lift off the ground and realign itself to his original shape. He looked up to find Daisy smiling at him and making reassuring faces.

He chuckled.

The counter began to go down, in three minutes he should start running.

"Hey" Mario approached him "Your cell phone won't stop vibrating" he gave it to him "Check it quickly and remind Daisy that it's against the rules to have devices with us during the recording," he growled.

"I'll talk to her," he smiled as he unlocked it.

Daisy: Relax, handsome.

Daisy: Remember that now, if you fail, you have a cute boy who can comfort you later.

He blushed instantly.

Luigi: You shouldn't have your cell phone when you're already on stage

Daisy: HAHAHA From here you look red

Luigi: I'm serious, put it away before Miyamoto finds out

Daisy: okay

Daisy: I love you

Daisy: Good luck!

Luigi: Thank you, I love you too

Ten seconds. He handed the cell phone back to his brother and got into position to start running.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, hoping that way he wouldn't feel so bad for the creatures he knew he was going to hurt.

Three... two...

The alarm sounded and sent him shooting out onto the track. And for one of the least skilled of the group, he was pretty good anyway. At least when it came to dodging; in fact, he could boast that he was the one best at this ability.

However, as he had already suspected, he was stumbling again and again. Either because he didn't want to jump on top of enemies or because his feet got tangled.

And, unlike his brother, each mistake only made him more nervous to continue with the level.

Half an hour had already passed and he still couldn't even make it to the first checkpoint. This made him feel so frustrated that he just wanted to cry; he could swear everyone was mad at him for being so bad at his job.

But nothing could be further from the truth.

"He's having an attack again, right?" Miyamoto asked Mario and Peach, who were now with him in the control room.

"Oh Lu" Peach sighed "Can I come down and help? I have oils that can relax him."

"He needs to breathe, whenever this happens he finds it difficult to do so," Mario mentioned.

"Maybe we should give him a rest and then teach him the maps of the route again," the professor murmured.

However, before anyone could do anything, Daisy was already out of the cage and went to help her best friend.

"Inhale for four seconds, hold it for seven and exhale for eight," she told him as she caressed his back. "Everything is fine, Lu."

"I ruined it," he muttered.

"No, it's not true," she hugged him. "This track is one of the most difficult, it's complicated that it's the one we started recording with. You need to rest."

"Maybe," he whispered.

"I'll talk to Miyamoto, okay? You remember to breathe."

The girl left, leaving Luigi alone in a corner. Part of Bowser wanted to run over and hug him; he had even left the crown in the dressing rooms in case it was necessary; it became clear that he hadn't thought the situation through, and now that he could use it, it was useless. He couldn't let Miyamoto see that he kept getting closer to Luigi and he also didn't want to make him look bad in front of his brother. He hated feeling that he couldn't do anything, he couldn't bear to see him in that vulnerable state; he wanted to see his smile again.

"All fixed," Daisy returned after a few minutes "Lu, take off your clothes," she smiled.

"WHAT!?" he yelled as he covered himself with his arms.

"We'll change places so you can rest for a while and I want to run the track," she explained.

"Do it with your dress," he frowned.

"I can't, it's very pompous and it gets in the way," he pouted.

"Peach did it."

"Hers is different and you know it," she tugged. "Come on, it'll only be an hour," she insisted.

"No."

But in the end the girl ended up winning and, after a few minutes, they both left the dressing room with the outfits exchanged.

"I'll go wish I was dead over there" Luigi said as he tried to go with Peach and his brother

"Nothing like that," Daisy stopped him. "I need motivation to cross the level, and what better than my beautiful prince Lu?" She hugged him.

"My grandmother renounced the throne, I'm not a prince," he tried to get away.

"Don't be bitter," she scolded him. "Do it for me, okay? Help me feel like a hero for once," she pouted.

Luigi hated being weak in front of her, but unfortunately that's how he ended up once again agreeing to her friend's wishes.

Getting to the cage was the hardest part, because even though the dress was shorter on him than Daisy's, he somehow found a way to bump into him every five seconds. He tried to jump up like his friend, but it was impossible.

Bowser chuckled, "Do you need help?" he asked him.

The brown-haired man looked down. "I don't think I'm good at this either." He forced a smile.

"Don't say that" he delicately carried him and put him in the cage "They put them too high for them to be at my height."

"Thank you," he sighed.

He tried to sit up, but his dress was too uncomfortable for him.

"This is a mess," he growled to himself.

"At least they didn't give you Rosalina's," Bowser said.

"Huh?" He looked at him.

"I'm sorry. You were talking to yourself, right? It was my mistake" he bit his lip as he played with his hands.

"Oh, don't worry, I don't mind talking."

"Even if it's me?" he teased.

"Sorry if I made you feel bad by running away in the past. I'm trying to change that."

"Okay, it's nothing I'm not used to," he confessed.

"That doesn't mean it's okay!" he hastened to say.

He chuckled, "And you feel good now?" He tried to change the subject.

"Did you also notice?" he asked embarrassed.

"We've known each other forever, I know when you get your attacks" he looked at him.

"God, what a shame." He covered his face with his hands.

"Hey, compared to what I've been doing the last few days, I think yours is the least embarrassing thing that can happen."

He forced a laugh. "I guess we've both been weird this semester."

"Like a complete mess, or at least I feel that way."

"There are two of us," he replied.

The start alarm interrupted their conversation. They watched as Daisy shot out onto the track and dodged the obstacles with one of the biggest smiles they'd ever seen.

"That girl is a bomb," Bowser blurted out.

"Don't even say it," Luigi smiled.

"She's a little crazy though," they said in unison, "Huh?" They laughed.

"You're lucky to have someone like her. She looks like an amazing friend," the koopa mentioned.

"Do you like Daisy?" He arched an eyebrow.

"What? Not at all," He laughed.

"Would there be something wrong if you like her?" He looked at him annoyed.

"No, it's just that... She's a bit intense for me," he confessed, "And what's your excuse? Aren't you supposed to be destined?"

"That's a tricky thing," he sighed.

Red light, Daisy had reached the first checkpoint.

"I don't know whether to be amazed or embarrassed that she beat my entire advance in just five minutes," he admitted.

"Maybe proud."

He smiled, "Yeah," he whispered, "Hey, you're close to Miyamoto. Do you know why we started filming so soon?"

"It's my fault, tomorrow I have to go out to check something in my kingdom and, depending on how everything turns out, it's a problem that could last a few weeks" he replied "Miyamoto is just being cautious, in case I can't return soon" he swallowed "But I can't take more than a day; Kamek is going to accompany me and I don't have anyone to take care of the koopalings, I must return at least at night to take care of them."

The brown-haired man felt somewhat guilty for asking "Well, if at any moment you need help, you can send me a message. Do you know my number? It's in the school directory."

"Don't worry, but thanks" he smiled at him and paused. "What you said yesterday, when we did the coexistence exercise between heroes and villains, was it true?"

He blushed. "Well, yes," he answered, "If I were you, I'd probably take a week off every month, or I'd cry every night in my room because of the pressure."

He laughed "Only the first few months are like that. You end up getting used to the work," he confessed. "But, to be honest, that day, in some strange way, you said just what I needed to hear."

"Really?" he was surprised. "Hard week?"

"I've had worse, it's just... Let's just say I took an extra 'load' by accident, but I really enjoy it, but I feel like the guilt will eat me alive sooner or later."

Luigi thought about it for a while, and that conversation was strangely familiar. In fact, all this new Bowser was like having a deja vu and that terrified him, but it also caused him a strange emotion and intrigue to want to get closer. Despite knowing that he could be dangerous.

"May I know what kind of guilt?" he asked.

"Let's just say it's a lie that started small, but isn't any longer. In the end, my escape is slowly entrapping me," he sighed.

"At least you're honest with yourself," he smiled at him as a comfort. "I don't know much about your case, but I think the healthiest thing you can do is accept and correct your mistakes."

"What I fear is that everything will fall apart when I do."

"It won't happen, as long as you've done things right."

"You think so?" He laughed.

"Well, I can only speak for myself," he shrugged.

He bit his lip. Would he tell him?

"Luigi, the truth is that I...

"Back off, evil Bowser!" Daisy arrived. "I've come to rescue the most adorable and tender prince in the world. I mean, I understand that you also want to marry him, I mean, who wouldn't? But I saw it first, so bye!" She took a lever that, when pulled, made Bowser fall into the void; or rather a mattress at the back of the room "THAT WAS SUPER FUN! Did you see me, Lu!?"

"A part."

"Only a part!?" She yelled annoyed, "Well, what were you doing?

"Sorry, I got distracted talking to Bowser" he got out of the cage.

The girl widened her eyes "You? Did you talk to Bowser?"

"Crazy, right?" he smiled.

"Well, this time I forgive you for having made a breakthrough in your social life."

"Grazie, bella," he kissed her cheek. "Next time I won't take my eyes off you, okay?"

"You're the best," she hugged him.

And Bowser could only see them from below with a strange knot squeezing his heart. It was strange, he finally managed to talk to him like Bowser, he knew he should feel excited, but instead he felt sad. Was it because he knew that if he had made an effort before, he would have managed to be his friend? Or maybe it was the fact that Luigi had entrusted him with so many things as Bowie, that he felt guilty knowing them as Bowser. It could even be the constant pressure of having to separate his life as both and revolve around Luigi as different entities.

"Bowser," Miyamoto called, "The recording is over for today, go rest, tomorrow you have a tiring trip," he helped him up.

"Sorry, I got distracted for a moment," he murmured.

Miyamoto heaved a heavy sigh "I told you for your own sake, stay away from him. He has Daisy, and they adore each other."

"Honestly, I'd rather that was my problem," he forced a laugh.

"What?"

"See you on Friday" he left the room.