The fire cackles as Mario and Bowser Jr. sit around it, silent, until Mario speaks.

“So… um… today was something. Huh?” He says while rubbing the back of his head

Mario looks at Jr. and sees his teeth and fists clenching.

“Uh… Junior?” He asks, only to no reply

Mario calls out to Jr. again

“Junior? What’s the matter?” He asks

Bowser Jr. finally looks at Mario, tears in his eyes

“You just don’t get it do you?!” He says in an angry voice

Jr. fully turns around and starts screaming at Mario

“MY DAD NEARLY KILLED US BOTH! DO YOU KNOW HOW TRAUMATIZING THAT IS?!” He yells at Mario’s face

Mario tries to escalate the situation

“Let’s not get temperamental.” Mario says in a shaky voice

“NO!” Bowser Jr. snaps back “THE DAD I KNEW AND LOVED IS GONE! AND I FOLLOWED YOU!”

“Junior, wait!” Mario shouts before being tackled by Jr.

“YOU'RE THE REAOSN MY DAD WENT DOWN THAT PATH! LIKE IF THIS WORKED FOR YOU!”

“Junior, please!” Mario yells, covering his face

Bowser Jr. slams the ground and yells at Mario one last time “WHY DO YOU ALWAYS RUIN MY DADS LIFE?!”

Mario quietly stands up, silent for a moment… Until,

“Ruin his life?” Mario says in a quiet voice, fists clenching, before he grabs Bowser Jr. by the shoulder and begins to SCREAM at him

“LISTEN HERE! YOUR DAD WENT DOWN THAT PATH ON HIS OWN! AND YOU’RE SAYING THIS IS MY FAULT?! BOWSER HAS KIDNAPPED PEACH FOR 35 F*CKING YEARS! YOU THINK YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WHO’S LOST SOMEONE TO A MONSTER?! LUIGI AND THE OTHERS ARE LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE OF YOU! DON’T BLAME ME FOR YOUR FATHERS RAGE! EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED WAS HIS OWN FAULT! EVEN WORSE, IM STUCK WITH YOU! SOMEONE WHO CAN BETRAY ME AT ANY MOMENT! IF THERE IS ANYONE I HATE BEING AROUND JUST AS MUCH AS YOUR DAD, ITS YOU!!!”

That one phrase echos through the night sky. Mario’s face turns from rage to shock after realizing he just yelled at a kid. Bowser Jr. sniffles, then hiccups, then breaks down into a sobbing mess.

Mario immediately panics “No no no no no! D-don’t cry Junior. I-I-I mean to yell at you.” He says, trying to comfort Jr. the best he can

“No Mario.” Bowser Jr. chokes out, tears streaming down his face “I don’t care that we’re in this in the first place… I’m just really scared for my dad… I just……. I just…….”

Before Jr. can get anything else out, Mario suddenly wraps him in a hug. Jr. gasps at the sudden action

“Listen Junior… I know you’re scared… and so am I… but you know we have to do this together. Otherwise, we might not get your dad back.” Mario says, tears rolling down his own face as well

Bowser Jr breaks down crying in Mario’s arms, sobbing into his shoulder. Mario pats Jr. back

“Shhhhhh… it’s okay Junior. No need to cry anymore. I know we can still save your dad and also save this island.” Mario whispers

After a while, Bowser Jr. eventually cries himself to sleep. Mario lays right next to him, silently staring at the stars.

“Things will be okay Junior. I will not rest until you and your dad are okay, even if it means risking my life. I know Bowser’s my arch enemy, but I can’t stand to see his own son in tears. I will protect your son, Bowser. I will protect him with my life.”

Mario slowly begins to drift off, and manages to get one more thing out.

“I promise.”

Before he finally drifts into a deep slumber.