A Nutcracker and the Beast

Chapter 21: Questions with Dinner

Ever since Luigi started to be more active in everyone's life, Junior began noticing things. Like when they eat. Luigi gets some Koopas, or sometimes he gets Dad or Grandpa to start making dinner for the three since he wants them to have a family dinner for themselves. Junior was used to eating by himself occasionally, at big gatherings that got the staff eating together or one-on-one with his Grandpa or his Dad, but those weren't dinners. But with this new routine, Luigi had them eat while he watched with his wooden spoon, hitting them if they bought up work or their latest list of taboo words that Luigi had said they couldn't speak at dinner time.

Junior noticed how sad Luigi looked. Sure, he was happy and giggled along with them, but Luigi only had to stare at the food for Junior to see that he looked hungry. Sometimes Junior would offer his food even though he knew that Luigi had told him before that he couldn't eat, but he still wanted to try it. And every time he offers, he gets turned down, which starts to upset him; what was the point in family dinner if not everyone is eating?!

Junior was sitting in Kamek Tower thinking about that as he watched Kamek work on something that he didn't know what for. Junior was working on his own things in his little notebook with pranks and plans for setting his Dad up with Mama, but that was another thing on his mind. What was going to happen between the two of them? They're friends now like Luigi said, and he was going to keep his promise to him, so he now had to give up on Peach being Mama, but can he really do that?

"Is something wrong Junior?" Kamek asks as he notices that Junior is in deep thought.

"Grandpa...what's going to happen now?"

"What do you mean?" Kamek asked as he stopped what he was doing and sat next to Junior. Junior soon put his notebook on the table between them, pointed to one called 'Happy Dad,' and pointed to a step that said 'Get Mama to like Dad.'

"What's going to happen now that Mama is gone and Luigi took her place?" Ask Junior. This was surprising to Kamek since both he and Bowser were trying to figure out a good way to explain to Junior that Peach may be out of the picture now. However, he never thought Junior would think Luigi would replace Peach.

"Well, before I can answer that let me ask you this; what is Luigi to you?" Junior thought for a second before he answers

"He's my best friend and he's part of the family."

"In what kind of way? Like a little brother to you or like a Mama like how Peach is?" Kamek said as Junior went quiet. He turns the pages to show Kamek a few drawings in his notebook and stops at one with just Junior and Luigi together.

"I don't know...he kinda acts like Mama. He's nice, teaches me new things, and is always looking out for our family." Junior admits before thinking something, "but in every story there's a perfect family, and every perfect family has a Mama and Papa...would it be perfect if I don't have a mama but another dad? A Papa instead of a Mama?"

"Junior, let me tell you something about stories and reality. Stories are hardship and things that you create to live out your deepest desires, the family in those stories are one that someone wishes they can have or one that they do have and wish to get away from. In reality, there's no such thing as perfect. Your Dad didn't have a Mama or Papa, he had me. Does that mean he didn't have a family?" Kamek tells him as he looks at the drawing again. Junior and Luigi held hands with some writing underneath as it was a bit messy to read, but he could tell it was something happy.

"No, cuz he had you. You're his Dad." Junior answered him.

"Does that also mean that since you don't have a Mama that you don't have a family?"

"No, I have you and Dad."

"And now you have Luigi." Kamek told him, "This is your family Junior. It's perfect as long as you love them and they love you. And in case you don't believe me let me tell you this; I love you Junior, you're one of the best things that has happened in my life."