Quantum: The Complete Series

Bonus: First Love

-12 years ago-

Mario woke up, ready to start the next day. He was full of energy and ran through his house to grab a plate of spaghetti before grabbing his school bags. Today was his first day of high school, and he wasn't going to mess it up like he did for his first day of grade school. He packed a few morsels of spaghetti into his bag and stuffed his supplies into a separate pocket of his bag and started to walk towards the door when Luigi, now starting eighth grade, walked out from their bedroom, feeling exhausted.

Luigi: Mario...why are you up so early?

Mario: I have to go to school, Luigi. Remember that this high school starts earlier than our old school in Brooklyn?

Luigi looked over to a clock hanging on the wall. It read 6:47A.M.

Luigi: *sigh* I don't want to start high school next year.

Mario: Don't worry, little brother, you'll be just as excited as I am for this day!

Luigi: But...But Mario, you're not as-

Mario: I'm not as what?

Luigi: Well...you know.

Mario: *downcast* I know, Luigi. I'm not like the others. I'm nowhere near as smart as them.

Luigi: It's not that you're not smart, Mario. It's that you need to be a little more outgoing. I've seen you act smart before, you'd crush those high GPA students.

Mario let out a light laugh at Luigi's attempt to cheer him up.

Mario: Thanks, Luigi. I don't know where I'd be without you.

Luigi: I'm glad I'm here too.

The two brothers exchange a quick hug before he was out the door and started walking to school. Along the way, he crossed paths with a few other people, and tried to make conversation with them. Most of them just laughed and walked away, talking about him as they left, others spoke for a few sentences, then retreated to another group of people. One was willing to stay with him and talk until they reached their place to wait for a bus, then ignored him completely as he met up with his other friends. Getting upset, Mario kept walking alone towards the school. He was about another two miles away when he thought he saw someone else on the empty path ahead of him. He didn't try to make conversation with the person as he passed, but he thought he heard sniffling from the person as he did pass. That's when he turned around to see who it was. It was a small inkling. He had never seen one before in person, and seeing one brought a wave of curiosity over him. She was at most three feet tall, had a pair of earphones on, and was crying...ink? Mario approached the small inkling with curiosity, but timidly as he didn't know if she would have the same reactions as the other people he'd tried to talk to.

Mario: Uh...hi there.

???: ...Hi.

Mario: What's wrong?

???: My...My parents dropped me off here and I don't know where to go to get to my school.

Mario: Where are you headed?

???: Kingdom Middle School.

Mario: I actually used to go there. Would you like me to help you there?

The inkling looks up to Mario for the first time and he saw that she had massive purple eyes and a soft smile on her face that seemed to melt Mario's knees. He caught his balance again and the inkling started laughing a bit at his attempt to balance himself with the large bag on his back. It wasn't long until he was walking with her towards the intended destination. Along the way, Mario turned to the inkling to ask a few questions.