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pianokantzart · 30 days

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The Super Mario Bros. Redux (Pt. 6)

What would happen if, in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, after Mario and Luigi are separated, Mario was the one who ended up in the clutches of Luigi’s eventual arch nemesis, while Luigi teamed up with some of his own close allies to go rescue him? (This part of the story is in one shot format. Most other parts are written in bullet points.)

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 ________

A short summary of the things Luigi had done in the past twenty four hours that he had never expected to do in his entire life:

Fall into an interdimensional wormhole. Fight a warrior princess in a crowded arena. Become a royally acclaimed ghost hunter. Enlist in an army assembled to ambush the territory ruled by The King of Ghosts in order to rescue hostages and bring balance to the afterlife. Adopt a dog.

... Though it was more accurate to say the dog adopted him. Normally Luigi had trouble with animals– he could never read their body language, and his clumsiness made for bad first impressions. The few animals he got along with in the past were old and quiet, wanting nothing more than a warm lap on which to lay their head. Polterpup was different; playful and energetic, mischievous yet patient. Luigi couldn’t help but wonder what was the reason behind the attachment– if he himself resembled an old master or friend from the dog’s past life before it became a ghost. It still wore a collar, though the little golden loop on the front had no tag. The collar was bright red, almost a perfect match to Mario’s favorite color. "Heh, you’re just as good at getting into trouble as Mario, too,” Luigi added with a somber smile, kneeling down to oblige the ghost dog’s less-than-subtle plea for belly rubs until it disappeared again, as was its habit. Polterpup tended to suddenly poof in and out of thin air with little warning, and though it seemed to be at random at first, Luigi began to realize the dog mostly came to him when he was feeling alone, which was more often than not as of late. Every new experience, every strange encounter, every unexpected victory made Luigi wish more and more that his brother was around to take part. Hardly a second passed without him wondering what he was doing at that moment, and if he was okay.

Unfortunately, his occupied mind made him a less-than-helpful assistant to E. Gadd. The professor had warned earlier that he had always preferred working alone. The result was a very low tolerance level for “tomfoolery,” as he described it, and it wasn’t long before Luigi’s shaky attempts to help attach upgrades to The Poltergust caused the scientist to lose his patience. One shoddy wire-soldering job later, Luigi found himself being forcibly pushed toward the exit by the surprisingly strong old man. “Go. Shoo. Distract yourself with something else.”

“Like what?” Luigi asked, digging his heels. “What do I do? Where do I go?”

“How about you see the princess?”

“Princess Daisy?”

Luigi lingered in the doorway. The professor adjusted his glasses, and pointed down one of the castle hallways. “Yep! She’s in the greenhouse. I’m sure she could use the company. You two seem to get along well enough.”

“We do?” Luigi placed his hand against his cheek, thinking over their last interactions. They had exchanged blows, but worked together in the end to defeat Boolossus. She had held his hand up as the victor, but she had also toyed with him in a way that made it clear that she knew how weak he truly was. He liked her, that much he knew, but that didn’t mean she wanted anything more to do with him, and furthermore she had a power and confidence to her that intimidated him beyond her status as the daughter of four kings. “I don’t know. I mean, we did make a pretty good team, but she’s royalty! I don’t know anything about how to approach royalty. Do I bow? Or–”

“You’ll be fine,” The Professor assured, only half paying attention as he returned to his work, burying himself back into the open hatch of a large machine.

In the end, Luigi did as he was told. The greenhouse was easy enough to find. As large as the Birabuto Palace was, its corridors were open and easy to navigate, and the guards were surprisingly helpful in giving directions despite their shaky first-encounters.

Finding the large doors to the greenhouse, marked by limestone imitations of crawling vines carved into the archway, Luigi gathered his determination and pushed them open. The first thing that struck him was a wall of glacial cold– a shocking surprise, and the opposite of what he expected from a greenhouse, but this discomfort was immediately undercut by the beauty of the surrounding foliage. The flowers, sparkling with a brilliant, incandescent blue, sprouted from planter boxes and large pots all around in blooms and buds. He thought for a moment that surely they were beautifully-crafted plastic or silicon, but pinching a large leaf between the fingers of his gloves he found they felt as real as any common dandelion. The second thing that struck him was the night sky, clearly visible through the glass walls and ceiling. He had never in his life seen so many stars, and for all his love of science and space he could not recognize a single constellation, which served as an unsettling, but ultimately breathtaking reminder of how far from home truly he was.

“Oh! Hey!”

Luigi jumped and let out a surprised squeak when Daisy emerged from behind a stack of pots to greet him. Her cheeks were tinted pink from the cold, and in her right arm she held a large sack of powdery-white fertilizer that she was distributing between the plants. She laughed at his reaction, but it carried no hint of condescension, just friendly amusement. “I was hoping I’d see you again before we invaded Evershade Valley!” she called, waving him over. “Luigi, was it?”

Luigi approached while holding his hat to his chest, shuddering a bit as the chill bit at the edges of his ears. “Yes, Your Highness.” Daisy once more laughed her friendly, good-natured laugh. “None of that. Just Daisy. No ‘Miss’ or ‘Ma’am’ either. If you’ve gotta be formal, call me Princess Daisy.” Luigi, feeling a little more at ease, put his hat back on his head. “Yes, Princess Daisy.” She gave a nod of approval, then went back to work fertilizing the long rows of plants. “So,” she asked, “What can I help you with, big guy?” “I, er…” Luigi suddenly realized he had failed to come up with a proper reason before arriving here. He couldn’t very well say the professor kicked him out of the lab for being inept, but before he could think of an excuse his attention was re-seized by the plants. Curiosity overcame him to the point that he forgot his worries, and he once more brushed his hand against the leaf of the nearest flower. “Are these where your ice powers came from? In The Battle Stadium?” “Of course! I’m pretty good with a powerup, huh?” Daisy said proudly, “Normally I favor the elephant fruit, but today I decided to switch things up.” “Elephant fruit? There’s other magical plants?” The princess stiffened. Luigi was worried for a moment that he had accidentally said something offensive, but she retained her genuine smile as she set the sack of fertilizer down and placed her hands on her hips. “Wow, you’re really not from around here, are you.” Before Luigi could answer, she walked up and wrapped a friendly arm around his shoulder. “Suppose I should’ve known. Humans aren’t native to this world. The professor is one of, like, two other humans I know. Do you know E. Gadd? Is he your uncle or something?” “I– uh, no. We just met yesterday.” “Let me guess: you're lost." "Well... yes..." "And he said he'd only get you home if you help him.” “What!?” “He’s the kind of guy to pull a stunt like that if he thinks it’s for the greater good.” Daisy explained, holding Luigi a bit closer in a show of sympathy. “You don’t have to do this, you know, you could go home anytime you like. I’ll vouch for you!” Despite the friendly intention behind these words, Luigi felt a lump form in his throat. He slipped out from under The Princess’ side-hug, and stared up at her with a troubled look. “Do you… want me to leave?” Daisy bristled. Her cheeks reddened as she shook her head and waved her hands in dismay. “No! No no no of course not! I think you’re great! It’s just…” She trailed off, rubbing the back of her neck.

Luigi, surprised by this rare show of nervousness, patiently waited with bated breath for her to gather her thoughts, and after a few seconds she continued, quieter than before. “It’s just that I keep thinking about what you said in the arena. You seemed like a guy who had a lot to lose. You weren’t in it for glory or the fun of the fight, you were just scared and… I don’t know… I felt bad for you. Still do.” At this, Luigi gained a slight smile, shyly burying his hands in his pockets and rocking on his heels. “Heh, don’t worry. I gotta learn how to not be scared all the time, y'know?” It didn’t take long before he realized what he said– whose words he was echoing. The gravity of the situation quickly crashed back down on him, robbing him of that small moment of comfort. It was evident by the look on Daisy’s face that she had seen the change in his expression, so Luigi went ahead and explained his predicament before she could ask: “It’s my brother, Mario. We both fell through a warp pipe. I ended up in your kingdom but he ended up in Evershade Valley.”

Daisy cocked her head, the gears turning behind her eyes as everything she had witnessed about the plumber's manner up until now came together in her mind. “Oh. I see.”

“It was my fault. I fell into the warp pipe, and he jumped in after me, and– I… I can’t just leave him.” Luigi heard his own voice crack and felt tears beginning to form in his eyes. Despite this he kept going, the pent up emotions of the past twenty four hours running rampant, unable to be reigned in. “It’s not that I don’t trust anyone else to save him, but I gotta make sure he’s okay! We’ve never been apart this long… and I-... I miss him.” Tears began streaming freely, the cold air burning them into long lines down Luigi’s cheeks. He turned away, struggling to wipe his eyes with the back of his glove. “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be.”

Luigi saw a glimmer of white fabric in the corner of his vision. Turning, he saw the princess holding a flower-embroidered handkerchief out to him. He accepted, and dried his eyes. He tried to hand it back, but she was already returning to the flowers, plucking up a set of pruning shears as she went. “I’ve never known a good fighter that didn’t have big emotions brewing under the surface,” she assured. “But don’t you worry, after the way we saved my dads, saving you brother should be no sweat!...” Luigi, hearing a light snip of closing shears, saw Princess Daisy remove one of the ice flowers at its base between where the leaves connected to the soil. Despite being cut off from its roots the plant remained as lively as ever. It almost looked to be dancing happily in her hands as she delivered it back to Luigi.

“...and when you do save him, give him this.” She said, holding out the offering. “If Mario’s anything like you, he’s not going to want to be defenseless, and ice magic is the one of the few things that can combat boos besides your Poltergust.” Luigi smiled. He reached out and took the flower into his hands. He was surprised to find it wasn’t particularly chilly to the touch– clearly the coldness of the room was for the sake of cultivating the plants, not the effect of the flowers themselves. “You seem to really know a lot.” He mused aloud, pressing the gift to his chest. “But… you said humans aren’t native to this world. Where did you come from, then?” He stopped suddenly, realizing the personal nature of what he asked. He searched Daisy’s face for some sign of disapproval, but was relieved to see her smiling just as brightly as before. “Ha! I wish I had an answer to your question!” She laughed, “Dragonzamasu says I hatched from an orange egg that appeared suddenly in a field of flowers. Biokinton says he found me curled up in a bassinet hitched to a shooting star. Hiyoihoi says he found me locked in a gemstone at the center of the oldest mountain in Sarasaland. But I’m more inclined to buy Totomesu’s story.”

“What’s Totomesu’s story?” Daisy’s smile wavered. Luigi wondered once again if he misstepped, but this time easily brushed the thought aside, trusting by now that the princess would let him know if he had done something wrong. She turned away, staring up at the stars through the glass wall of the greenhouse, and Luigi placed himself at the her side, watching the stars in tandem until Daisy finally broke the silence and answered his question: “He found me at the mouth of a warp pipe, barely old enough to crawl and completely terrified. Sometimes I think I still remember that day… as much as I prefer to believe that I hatched from an egg.”

There was such an odd sadness to her voice that Luigi felt an impulse to reach out and reassuringly take her hand, though he had enough common sense to refrain from such an intimate gesture. All the same, he wanted to say something comforting. “I don’t mind that you didn’t hatch from an egg.” He heard himself blurt out.

Daisy shot him a confused look, and Luigi nervously scrambled to explain himself. “What I mean is… hey, you were a baby, y’know? Ain’t nothing to be embarrassed about. You’re already so cool, you can’t be cool every moment of your life, and most babies aren’t cool! And… uh…” Daisy started to laugh. Luigi turned red, but felt a little better now that she was smiling again, even more so when he felt the princess affectionately nudging his shoulder. “Haha! I get it big guy, I get what you're saying!”

Luigi laughed too, in spite of himself.

“Speaking of ‘cool,’” Daisy went on, “I'm freezing!” She rubbed at her arms in a display of discomfort. Luigi, too, was suddenly reminded of just how cold he was. By now the low temperature had seeped all the way through his clothes and skin, triggering a powerful shiver that ran through his core, which was soon soothed as the princess wrapped an arm around him, and pressed him close. “Tell me, Luigi, do you have hot chocolate in your world?”

“I love hot chocolate!”

“Perfect!” With her arm still tightly wrapped around the plumber, Daisy eagerly led him to the egress of the greenhouse. “Let’s get us some good old-fashioned creature comforts before we fight some ghosts!”

"Heh. Yeah. Let's-a-go!" Luigi said, forcing enthusiasm, thankful that he had the cold as an excuse for his uncontrollable shivering.

#my writing #super mario bros #super mario bros redux #super mario brothers #mario movie #mario movie au #Luigi #Polterpup #Princess Daisy #Professor E. Gadd #Luaisy #this got longer than I intended but what else is new

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s-creations · 11 months

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The King Arrives - Chapter 3

(A few days after ‘Plant Care’ from ‘Hues’ Collection)

Everything felt off.

Everyone was on edge.

Something was wrong.

They don’t have long to fix it.

Fandom: Super Mario & Related Fandoms Rating: Teen and Up Audiences Relationships: Luigi & Mario & Wario (Nintendo) Warnings/Additional Tags: Violence, there is cursing!, fighting ghosts, separation, illusions, here we go!, this is gonna get crazy!

“Alright, so, let’s run through this again.”

“We have very limited time to fix this issue. We’re not 100% sure where the Boo that’s causing this is located. As well as where Mario’s been placed. And I don’t think we have the time to see if clearing out more Ecto-Ghosts would help us in this situation.”

“Welp, that’s it, we’re dead.” Wario stated.

Peach sighed weakly, “Not helpful…”

“So what do we do? There’s nothing we can do. Either because we don’t know where to go or we don’t have the time,” E. Gadd hummed, “Yes…I think we’re well and truly stuck.”

Letting out a devastated whine, Luigi looked back to the computer screen. Eyes scanning the information. As if something was going to magically pop out to solve all their problems. “There has to be something…anything! When you saw the large area of energy, was it moving slow? Fast? M-Maybe we could predict-”

“Sonny, I honestly couldn’t tell you. It was a small blip on the scanner that it means nothing. As well as you seem to forget this place is a maze now! With that shake, the entire castle could have reformatted in some way.”

Biting his lower lip, Luigi gripped his hair as his mind scrambled for some kind of solution. Eyes eventually lighting up. “W-What if we killed two birds with one stone?”

Peach gasped softly while Wario gleefully commented, “Well, a little barbaric, but I’m down for it.”

“Calm down, you youngsters,” E. Gadd waved his hand, “It’s a human turn of phrase. We’re not actually going to do that. What are you thinking, sonny?”

“Divide and conquer,” Luigi started, “When we went out the first time, we thought if we just cleared out enough ghosts we could find the way to fix it. But we don’t have time to do this again. So we do this a different way.”

“We go out and capture more of those Ecto-Ghosts. Even if it doesn’t help clean up the scanners, maybe it’ll upset whoever’s in charge enough to have them slip in some way. Even then, we can be in a position to keep an eye on the scanner, so if something does come up, Wario and I will head that direction immediately. If this Boo is issuing a challenge, then we need to show that we’re ready for it.”

E. Gadd slowly nodded, “In theory, yes, it could work… But we technically have one more issue to focus on.”

The professor pulled the Poltergust closer, holding out the nozzle. “While I’m super impressed that my creation could capture a Boo, I don’t think it’ll be enough to tackle the big Boo. The vortex, sure. But definitely won’t be able to contain it. Especially if you mean to capture other ghosts before the face down.”

“So we need to contain in another way… How do your containers work?”

Practically giddy about going over his inventions some more, E. Gadd said, “Oh, it’s quite simple actually. See, it all comes down to energy. Both positive and negative. In simplistic terms, ghosts are negative energy. That’s not to say all ghosts are ‘evil’, negative doesn’t measurably mean bad. But since ghosts aren’t living beings, their energy is negative.”

“So…dead energy?” Luigi asked.

“Rightly so! Good analogy. My containers work with ‘positive’, or lively, energy. The easily created form would be electricity. When ghosts are caught in the vortex, it’s not wind that captures them, but a positive charge current.”

“And since positive and negative attract,” Luigi excitedly continued, “Ghosts are basically stuck. Like magnets!”

“Exactly! Well done Luigi!” E. Gadd exclaimed.

“How does this science speak help us?” Wario called out.

Luigi beamed as he faced the other, “If we can positively charge an inanimate object, a big one, we can trap this leader!”

“But-”

“I can do that, with my Thunderhand!”

E. Gadd clasped his hands together, “Yes, yes, that could work! You give a strong enough charge, you can make your own container!”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Wario frantically pulled Luigi away. Making sure he had the younger brother’s attention. “This is dangerous in so many ways. First big one that comes to mind is that you haven’t been trained to use your powers.”

Luigi shook his head. “It doesn’t hurt me and I’ll be using it on an object, not a person. No one but the ghost is going to be hurt.”

“Also, ghosts don’t really feel pain. Just wanted to quickly put that out there.” E. Gadd interjected. Slowly backing away as Wario glared down at him.

“You’re still putting yourself in direct danger,” Wario weakly argues.

“We’re all in danger if we don’t get this solved,” Luigi frowned, “Please Wario. I know what you promised Mario. But you can’t let your worries stop me. I know what to do, let me do this.”

Wario was more than a little shocked by this. But he eventually let out a soft laugh, playfully pulling Luigi’s cap down. “Alright hero, let’s play this your way. Where do we start?”

“I have an idea of what to use, I just need to have a clear path to it,” Luigi answered with a smirk, “E. Gadd, could anything be used as a container?”

The professor nodded, “In theory, yes, but it’d have to be pretty sturdy.”

“How about a frame?”

Time: 3:02am Stability Lost: 94%

“Move with a quickness, but don’t do anything stupid.”

“Those are two conflicting orders you just gave, professor.” Wario commented dryly.

“We’ll do our best,” Luigi quickly answered, “Just try and keep us as up to date as possible.”

“I’ll give it my best. But even with what the Toads are collecting, we still have a lot of interference.”

“Just…please call us the moment you see anything.”

“...I will.”

Luigi let out a slow sigh, eyes traveling over the darkened walls. Hearing the Toads from the nearby rooms doing their best to capture as many ghosts as quickly possible. Worried over the broken segments of the once sturdy castle falling away to show the void they were all trapped in. Wishing there was something more they could be doing. Time was ticking down. He could only hope that this would work.

“Hey,” Wario smirked when Luigi looked over to him, “Mario’s gonna be really proud of you when he hears about this.”

Luigi’s heart leapt. “Y-Yeah? You think so?”

“I know so! I’m blown away at how well you’re handling all of this. Probably the most level headed out of all of us. …Minus that professor. I can’t imagine how proud and impressed he’s going to be when he hears all of this. You lead the charge against the capturing ghosts and you worked out a plan. You’ve been on fire!’ Wario gently shook Luigi’s shoulders, the younger brother laughing softly.

“I’ll feel better when all of this is over.”

“Fair… Can I ask you something?”

“Uh, sure.”

“This morning…or, well, yesterday morning, when everyone was losing their minds. When we had no idea what was going on. We were a wreck…except for you. You weren’t affected by any of this.”

“Huh…you know, I didn’t realize that.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, like, I knew something was wrong. But I was more worried about Mario. Just trying to make sure he was okay.”

Wario nodded slowly at that. “...You know what’s weird.”

“What?”

“You and Mario seem to like…neutralize each other.”

Luigi blinked. “W-What do you mean?”

“Okay, well… Both of your powers seem to calm down when the other is around. No matter how unbalanced you’re feeling. Mario is literally willing to do anything to keep everyone safe, but especially you. His first instinct is to get you out of harm's way or to just take down the problem.”

“I really thought it was just older brother instincts. But what you said just now. About wanting to make sure Mario was okay. It…I don’t know, it just made it sound like you were immune to what was happening.”

Luigi paused to think that statement over. “...I’m not sure. I mean, we aren’t the only siblings here, right? Why would a pair from Earth be the thing to counteract so much?”

“I mean, I’ve seen siblings get along before. But not like you two.”

“Maybe… With the conversation E. Gadd and I just had, I sort of theorized that it was my powers.”

“Didn’t you say that positives and negatives attract?”

“I mean, yeah,” Luigi continued, “But we’re also talking about magic powers and ghosts. So, I’m not fully sure how all of this works. It’s all just a guess…”

“Maybe…”

As they reached a break in the hallway, both jumped when their communicators went off, Luigi answered first, “Professor?”

“I have good and bad news.”

“That’s not what we want to hear.” Wario replied.

“I found the source of the energy…sort of.”

“Sort of?” Luigi frowned.

“There are two.”

“You said before there was only one!”

“There’s another issue with this. While capturing the ghosts have helped, that’s not what caused the readings to appear.”

“This was…deliberate?” Wario voiced.

“If I had to take a guess here, one path leads to Mario. The other goes to the true source.”

“It’s a trap…” Luigi swallowed weakly.

“Can you tell which one is which?” Wario asked.

“No, both look exactly the same.”

Luigi frowned, “How close are they?”

“Complete opposite sides of the castle maze.”

“We’re really at a crossroads, huh.” Wario muttered weakly.

Luigi was about to reply when a heavy chill washed over him. Same as when he’d faced the Boos, same as when he’d first encountered an Ecto-Ghost, but he felt the chill bite into his bones. His entire right side felt as if it had become covered with ice. Without really knowing why, Luigi knew it was him being called.

“Wario…”

“Yeah?”

“Can you get my brother for me?”

Wario frowned softly, but nodded. “Yeah… Be safe, okay?”

“You too…”

With that, they departed. Wario going left. Luigi going right.

“Sonny…Luigi.”

“Yes professor?”

“I’m getting some heavy interference coming through. I don’t think I’ll be able to talk to you for much longer.”

“Is everything set up where it needs to be?”

“Just as you requested.”

“Okay… See you on the other side?”

“You got this Luigi.”

The hum on the communicator cut off and Luigi was left alone in the darkness. The hallway seemed to stretch into the shadows, seeming infinite before him. His own footsteps were the only sound that broke through the eerie quiet.

The darkness at the end was soon broken with the appearance of a large set of double doors. Ornate and colored a dark purple with black accents, towering over Luigi as he approached. The human unable to help but think he was walking towards the open mouth of some dangerous animal.

The doors suddenly opened, a deep rumble seeming to shake the floor. A black void now stretched before Luigi. Heart hammering as he stood before the emptiness.

“Luigi…”

The human jumped away hearing his name echo out from the open doorway. A deep laugh following it.

“Well, don’t just stand there… Please…come in…”

Taking a deep breath, Luigi squared his shoulders and walked in.

The door closed behind him.

Time: 3:58am Stability Lost: 94%

Just as the first time he’d faced the Boos, Luigi was surrounded by absolute darkness. Feet seeming to connect with solid ground he couldn’t see as he moved forward. Hands clenching the nuzzle, looking around fearfully.

It was quiet.

It was concerning.

There was a sudden sound of a heavy thud. Luigi jumped back, only to scramble frantically as a sudden spotlight was shown. Letting out a relieved sigh, finding Mario, unable to hold back a wide smile as he walked forward.

“Mario!” Luigi rushed forward. Happily wrapping his arms around his brother. “You’re okay! You’re really cold. What happened, what did they do to you?”

The older brother pulled away slowly. Luigi’s happiness faltered slightly seeing the worried and exhausted look Mario gave back.

“Why didn’t you listen to me?”

“W-What? What are you talking about?”

“I told you to find Wario… I told you to run.”

“I-I know, I know you did, b-b-but I wasn’t just going to leave you-”

“Why do you always make this so difficult?”

Luigi took a step back. “What?”

“I told you to get away, to run. I knew I could handle this on my own. I didn’t want you getting in my way. Like you always do.”

Mario’s voice was cold and neutral. Cutting through Luigi like a knife. “M-Mario-”

“Why do you think I keep leaving you behind? This world was built for me, and I’m not going to let your fears rule over my life.”

“W-What about…the Piranha Plants? You said-” Luigi shivered weakly as Mario laughed. Sharp and icy.

“I said Peach wanted your help!” Mario laughed out, “She’s been so convinced that you’re supposed to be some great ‘hero’ too. It’s taken forever to convince her otherwise. This kingdom doesn’t need two heroes when it has me.”

Luigi weakly shook his head. “...Y-You… Y-You don’t mean that-”

“I mean every word. You’d be more useful rotting away in Bowser’s dungeon. I don’t need you.”

Legs giving out, Luigi collapsed to the ground. Tears fell from wide eyes as they watched Mario stalk forward. “You don’t… You don’t mean that- Please, Mario…”

Mario merely smirked, teeth sharp, staring down at Luigi with a cold glare. “Why would I need a weak little nothing like you by my side?”

Even with the pain and grief clouding his mind, Luigi felt something nagging at him. Feeling his world crumbling around him, he knew something about this just felt wrong.

This…This couldn’t be Mario…

It’s not!

Everything about this was…wrong…

You need to get back up!

How had Mario escaped? Wouldn’t he have come looking for them?

Weegee, get up!

Everything about this was wrong. Mario needed Luigi just as much as Luigi needed Mario. They were brothers.

Those words…

“Those are my words.” Luigi choked out, tears no longer falling.

“What was that?” Mario hisses, eyes flashing purple.

“Those are my words, you’re using my words.” Luigi stood back up, wiping his cheeks before glaring at his brother. “That’s every negative, harsh, self-deprecating thought I’ve ever had about myself. Everything I’ve told you…and that you’ve always fought against.”

“I…” ‘Mario’ faltered, “I was… I’m using your words against you now-”

“You wouldn’t do that. You get upset, you get frustrated, you’re stubborn.. But you’re not malicious.”

“What about Wario-”

“You were annoyed, sure, but nothing like this! You don’t act like this, you never would! I don’t know who you are, but you’re not Mario!”

Before the fake brother could get away, Luigi grabbed onto the nozzle, whispering ‘I hope I’m right’, and activating the black light. He shut his eyes tightly as ‘Mario’ let out a scream of pain. Only opening them again when the sound stopped.

‘Mario’ had been replaced with a dress mannequin. Luigi let out a yelp when it clattered to the ground.

“You insolent little pest! Do you really think I would let a simpleton like you could truly face me?”

Luigi’s attention snapped up. His resolve falling, his eyes widening.

A Boo, larger than Luigi had previously seen, was floating right above the shaking human. Soulless eyes, an inky black with a shining outline of purple, seemed to bore into Luigi’s soul. Feeling as if his insides were turning to ice. A mouth, currently twisted into a deep frown, showing off rows and rows of jagged teeth. Purple saliva dripping out from the down turned corners. Entire form an icy white, with a large jeweled crown resting on top of the large form.

“After all the trouble you’ve caused, I don’t know which punishment would be more deserving. Being trapped in your own nightmares for the rest of your pathetic life, or just consume you whole now.”

“W-What… W-Who are you?”

The Boo laughed. “You, peasant, may call me King Boo. I’m about to become this world’s new ruler. …Once I get rid of you.”

Clenching his fists, Luigi glared back as best he could. He knew that his entire form was shaking, which wasn’t helping the situation. “W-Where is my brother, w-where’s Mario?”

King Boo laughed again, floating uncomfortably close to Luigi. The human felt as if his spine was about to break with how far back he was leaning. “You are a curious human. Fearful, panicky, a coward…”

Luigi felt himself tense further as the large Boo started to travel around him. A chill traveling down his spine.

“Yet you break through my illusions. No matter how powerful they are. You weren’t affected by my powers or the fear that I feed into the air. …You captured one of my Boos.”

Luigi heard the warning hiss in the last statement. “...I-It honestly wasn’t that hard.”

He let out a small scream and stumbled away as King Boo stopped short in front of him again.

“Should I rip off your mouth or tear out your throat for that comment?”

Luigi recovered quickly and glared back. “I-I’m not afraid of you-”

That got a roaring laughter from the Boo. “What an absolute BOLDFACE lie! You’re shaking like a newborn Yoshi.”

“O-Oh, I’m terrified! I would like nothing more than for this h-horrible nightmare to be over. B-But I’m not afraid of you. So, I’m g-going to ask again. Where’s Mario.”

“Well…if you’re so determined to see him…”

The double doors opened once more with a heavy slam. Luigi gave a quick glance to his only exit before facing King Boo. Already slowly backing his way towards it.

“How about I give you a head start? Before I deliver your corpse to your soon to be broken brother.”

Heart hammering, Luigi’s legs tangled together. Causing him to topple to the ground.

“Tick tock, I’m being generous as is.”

Back on his feet, Luigi rushed towards the double doors. King Boo’s cackle echoing from behind, seeming to follow the human. Luigi tearing down the long hallway that seemed to end much sooner than he remembered. Tucking himself into the first room he came across and slamming the door closed behind him. Pushing against the door as he waited to see if King Boo would come bursting through any second.

It was a tense first moments before Luigi realized he had more time than he previously thought. Letting out a shaky breath before stepping away from the door. Stealing his nerves and letting out a short, sharp whistle. Polterpup immediately popped up from the floor. Wagging his tail happily.

“H-Hey pup. Ready to lead me through?” Luigi asked. To which they gave a bark, circling once and sat back down once more. “O-Okay. You know what to do…”

Polterpup phased through the door. Luigi waited a few more moments and stepped back out into the hallway.

It was still quiet.

“...No way I just lost him like that.” Luigi whispered in surprise. He couldn’t wait around. Filling his lungs with air, Luigi bellowed out, “What’s the matter? Bored already? You’re all talk and no show!”

That got an immediate response.

A heavy, angry atmosphere fell over Luigi. The walls and floor alight with purple bolts of energy traveling through it. Items in the hallway now free floating, suspended dangerously above the ground. The large Boo taking up the entire end of the hallway. Harshly glaring down at the human.

“You were saying?”

“Oh shit.”

Luigi turned and ran. Feet pounding against the slowly breaking floor. Stumbling when something heavy landed right behind him. He didn’t look back. Focused on moving himself forward as quickly as possible.

A flash of light caught Luigi’s attention. Polterpup turned left, Luigi following close.

Another long hallway filled with numerous doors lining them.

“How many h-hallways did you make!” Luigi shouted, “You’re not very creative, are you!”

He let out a yelp as something heavy just barely missed, the hair on the back of his head ruffling as he just avoided it. Looking back showed a large, slime covered tongue being slammed into the wall. Which fell away to reveal the swirling void laying beyond it.

Polterpup’s form disappeared behind one of the many doors. Luigi practically launches himself in with King Boo dangerously close behind. Clearly uncaring as the castle broke apart to accommodate his large form. Luigi left to jump between the large portions of the broken floor. Knowing he had to stay on the small path or he was going to be lost to the void.

Once more, the spectral pup was the beacon of hope Luigi clung to. Following the corporeal form while mentally chanting, ‘I must be close, I have to be close.’

As Luigi took a sharp turn, King Boo unable to keep up, the human’s heart leapt. Finding Polterpup sitting by the door on the opposite side from where Luigi was.

Grabbing the nozzle and switching to the black light, Luigi waved the beam of light over the large Boo. Who let out a hiss, Luigi swearing he saw steam rising off of the other, hiding his face with his arms. Allowing Luigi enough time to run through the door and slam it shut behind him. Polterpup following close behind.

It was strange to be back here after so long. Even if it was just the morning before. The broken glass was long gone, but the large golden frame was still leaning against the wall.

“Thanks pup,” Luigi panted out, “Now, go hide.”

Polterpup whined softly. Clearly not like the idea of leaving the human alone.

“Go, I’m not letting him hurt anyone else. I’ll be fine. Just go.”

Polterpup gave a small huff before phasing away.

Letting out a slow breath, Luigi pulled off his gloves. His entire body warmed up as the blocked energy was finally released. A few small arches of electricity jumped between his fingertips.

He could be amazed by this later. Luigi instead grabbed the nozzle once more and faced the door he’d just run through. Taking a stand as he waited for King Boo to finally arrive.

At some point.

Where was he?

Surely King Boo wouldn’t just-

“Found you.”

That was the only warning Luigi received when he was hit with a bolt of purple energy. Feeling his body turn cold before he was released, collapsing to the ground.

“What was your plan here?” King Boo laughed, “That your little, dinky vacuum would hurt me in some way? All you did was piss me off.”

Luigi let out a small groan as he got up onto his knees. Trying to stand once more, only to be sideswiped by the Boo’s large tongue. The human hitting the wall hard. Sliding to the ground, the clothes and skin burned from where the saliva had touched.

“You are weak! I’d been hopeful your blood would have benefited me as your brother’s had. But I might be a bit disappointed on that front. At least we still have him to feed on.”

Luigi looked up weakly, “T-That’s why you t-took Mario…”

“Boos don’t care about hunting. If our victim escapes, we don’t follow. We don’t go out of our way to invade… Until I met your brother.”

Luigi had gotten himself back up. Leaning against the wall he’d been flung into prior. A flicker of movement behind King Boo catching his attention. Seeing Polterpup holding the frame in their mouth. Slowly floating closer to Luigi, clearly keeping an eye on King Boo in case they needed to run.

“S-So what?” Luigi asked weakly, “What about Mario? You guys got a taste of his blood, b-big deal. W-Why do you get to be the b-big leader to call the s-shots?”

King Boo laughed softly, mouth stretching wide. “Who among us do you think actually sank their fangs into his flesh?”

“Human blood…is such an interesting delicacy. Very enlightening, if you catch my drift. By the look of horror on your face, it appears you do. We thought his fears were delicious. But his own life essence is what made me.”

“...What are you going to do to Mario?” Luigi whispered.

“Feast on his worst nightmares for as long as possible. Then drain him. But don’t fret, you won’t have long to worry about this. You’ll meet the same fate soon enough.”

Luigi felt his powers crackling as his anger rose, bubbling in his stomach. “I am going to make you regret ever going after my brother.”

“Oh really?” King Boo hissed “And what are you going to do about it?”

“Return the favor.”

King Boo let out a small hiss and floated back as Luigi flashed the Strobe Bulb. Allowing the human the needed few precious seconds to run past. Barely avoiding the Boo’s teeth as King Boo gnashed down. Grabbing the golden frame from Polterpup’s mouth, placing it on the ground with the nozzle propped against the top.

Just as King Boo turned to face the human, scowling deep and crown crackling, Luigi activated his own powers.

Bolts of pure white energy encapsulated not only the frame, but the Poltergust and surrounding area as well. King Boo faltered as his illusions faded away. Letting out a shriek as he was trapped in a familiar but far more powerful vortex. Letting out hisses and cries of pain as the bright bolts contained him. Pulling him to the suddenly glowing frame.

Luigi held his ground as King Boo fought back. The human focusing on holding onto the frame. Feeling something pulling at the back of his overalls. Overworked mind providing that it was Pulterpup, doing their best to help Luigi keep his ground.

The entire hallway seemed to tremble and shake over the struggle happening. Two large powers fighting against the other. Area crumbling as it could contain the energy that was building.

“You little pest!” King Boo growled out.

"You did this to yourself! This is a warning to you and your little minions! Stay away from Mario!”

Getting on final surge of energy sealing King Boo away in his decorated prison.

The human was launched away from said frame as it sent out a pulse of clashing energy. Luigi tumbled until he hit the wall once more. The Poltergust gave out a heavy cracking sound. Polterpup whined softly as they rushed over to Luigi, laying across the dazed human’s lap.

The frame gave one final shutter before clattering to the ground.

Luigi panted hard, eyes still wide, with his hands still crackling. He started to stand, only for the entire castle to let out a heavy groan before beginning to shake. Luigi and Polterpup huddling close together as they wait for everything to calm down once more.

The ground soon stopped shaking…

The area became lighter…

Daring a peek, Luigi slowly lifted his head. The heavy air was gone. It didn’t look like the caste was breaking apart. There was the sound of a gentle breeze and birds chirping from outside.

Luigi slowly relaxed. Polterpup shaking themselves out of Luigi's hold, panting happily. The human letting out a shaky laugh upon seeing the familiar town resting below the castle upon reaching the window.

“...We did it… It’s done… It’s over-”

“NO!”

Luigi jumped back when the golden frame violently shook. King Boo still clearly trying to break free. The human shrinking away as Polterpup stood between him and the frame, growling at it.

“You little pest! As long as I have followers. As long as I have a conscience. As long as I know you’re still breathing… I will come back. I will hunt you down. You’ll never know rest for as long as I’m here. Your last breath…will be done by my means…I promise you this…”

The frame stilled once more. Wide eyes staring it down as if waiting for it to jump to life once more. Despite Polterpup’s whines of worry, Luigi cautiously walked forward. Eventually close enough to lean over to see what happened.

The internal section of the frame had turned into what Luigi could only describe as a painting. King Boo's face taking up the majority of the given space. Glaring out at the world before him, eyes burning purple. Still moving slowly, Luigi picked the frame up. King Boo didn’t move. All was still quiet.

Letting out a slow sigh, Luigi tucked the frame under his arm. Turning to Polterpup hearing the spectral pup whine softly. “It’s okay pup… I think he was all talk, I don’t think he’ll be back… Come on, let’s go check on the others…”

Opening the double doors revealed the Great Hall. The area as bright as the area he’d just left. Everyone clearly felt the same relief as Luigi. Knowing that the danger was gone.

Luigi perked up hearing his name called out by Peach and E. Gadd. Happily accepting a tight embrace from them both. “H-Hey-O… Everyone okay?”

“As far as we can tell, yeah.” Peach replied.

“The Ecto-Ghosts and Boos fled!” E. Gadd beamed, “Your plan worked, well done Luigi!”

Luigi smiled weakly. “T-Thanks…um, the Poltergust. I think…it’s cracked…”

He passed said item to the professor, who merely shook his head. “It’s alright, my boy. Just cosmetic. Nothing major to worry about, an easy fix.”

“Luigi,” Peach whispered fearfully, “What is that?”

She was pointed to the frame. Which Luigi held out for the other two to look over.

“He calls himself King Boo. He’s the same one who bit Mario. Says the blood made this change.”

E. Gadd gasped eagerly as he took the frame. “Curious… So many questions. But that can be dealt with on another day. How are you feeling?”

“...Tired. A little sore…my hands hurt. I should put my gloves back on…” As Luigi slipped said item on, another thought hit him. Tired eyes scanning over the room. “Wario…is he back? Where’s Mario?”

Before either could answer, the double door on the opposite side opened. Wario walked in, looking exhausted but unharmed. Mario’s limp form resting in his arms.

Luigi was pushing past the other two the next second. Running over, desperately pulling at Wario’s arms until Mario was passed over to him. Luigi collapsed to the ground as he held his brother close. Pressing his ear to Mario’s chest, relief hitting him hearing a steady heartbeat. He felt something cold pressing against him, knowing that Polterpup had joined him

“Where was he?” Peach asked.

“Your parent’s old room, oddly enough,” Wario answered, “I think whoever was in charge of running the show made themselves really comfortable there. It was…weird… How’s everyone here?”

“Shaken, but fine. Everyone’s finally counted for.”

“So…we’re in the clear?”

“Looks like it.”

Luigi jolted when a hand was placed on his shoulder. Unaware of how close he’d been to falling asleep when he opened his eyes. Unaware of when he closed them. Blurry vision landing on Wario, who was kneeling in front of him.

“Hey,” Wario said softly, “How about we got you and Mario to an actual bed, yeah?”

Blinking slowly, Luigi slowly nodded. He put up some resistance when Wario tried to collect his brother again. Only letting go because he couldn’t keep his hold strong. With Mario easily held up in one arm, Wario offered the other for Luigi to cling to. Which the younger brother took happily.

Twins in hand, Wario looked to Peach. Who nodded and gestured for him to go. “I want to check on everyone again and talk with the professor. I’ll join you shortly.”

“With doctors?”

“With doctors.”

Wario walked out, Luigi shuffling behind. Polterpup trotting along happily at their human’s side.

Deciding on a guest room far enough away for the chaos of the Great Hall to not be heard, but not far enough before Luigi collapsed, Wario shepard everyone in. He was about to close the door when a flash of the night’s events hit him. Wario decided against it. Leaving the door open just crack.

Just in case.

The twins were non-responsive as they were placed down on the cushioned bed. Luigi did jolt away when Wario started pulling off one of his shoes.

“Just me,” Wario whispered, “Figured sleeping in your shoes wouldn’t be comfortable.”

“...Yeah…” Luigi concluded, allowing Wario to finish before laying down. Pulling Mario close, forehead pressing against his brother’s. Polterpup claiming their spot on the foot of the bed.

Exhaustion pulled at him, but Wario couldn’t settle down. He found an extra blanket to drape over the twins. Patted Polterpup’s head before turning to the fireplace, turning it on to chase away the dark and cold. Opening the curtain slightly to allow the slowly growing sunlight to pour in. Then, he paced the room while constantly checking that the twins were still sleeping soundly.

Wario wasn’t sure how much time had passed. But his mindless stupor was broken hearing the door being gently knocked on. Looking over to find Peach peering in.

“Hey.” She said softly.

“Hey.”

“Are they asleep?”

“Yeah… Little worried about Mario…” Wario fell quiet as a few Toad doctor’s came shuffling in. Walking over to the bed to check over the brothers. Both still unresponsive.

Wario was led out of the room by Peach, who left the door open just as he had before. Joining at the wide window that showed a new day starting. Basking in the warmth the early morning sun provided.

“Is it shameful for me to think we would never see the sun again?” Peach voiced weakly.

“Nah, I had the same fear as well.” Wario replied.

“...Did all of this really happen in one night?”

“Apparently.”

“Are you tired?”

“Yeah…”

“Think you’ll be able to sleep?”

“Absolutely not. I want to keep an eye on them anyway.”

Peach smiled knowingly. “Just in case?”

“Just in case…” Wario let out a sigh, shoulders dropping as he tried to let himself relax. It was over, they won. Everyone was safe.

So why did it feel like a huge loss?

The start of the answer came when Peach eventually whispered out, “I’m sorry.”

Wario, stunned by that, looked frantically over to the princess. “What? What are you talking about? Where you secretly working with the ghosts or-”

“I feel like I did.”

“Peach, come on, I… I don’t have the energy to figure out what you’re talking about.” Wario’s worries grew when Peach let out a weak sob, tears falling, “Peach, I need you to talk to me. You’re freaking me out.”

“Grambi, I don’t know where to start,” Peach choked out, “Last night… I kept reliving my worst fears. I saw my parents die again. I felt that sickening feeling when you stopped talking to me. I…I…”

“Hey, I’m here. I’m right here.”

The princess shook her head, looking over to Wario with tears falling, “I’m scared of losing him.”

“...Who?”

“Mario,” Peach whipped her eyes desperately, “It’s so silly the more I think about it. But I’ve become so attached to them both… I feel as if I’ve been so…horrible to them.”

“I really need you to back up and explain what the heck is going on in that brain of yours.”

“...I need to show you and Waluigi something.”

“Peach-”

“I love him and I’m not going to lose him because I’m terrified.” Wario was a little shocked by the sudden confession, Peach seeming just as surprised. But she shook her head and continued, “I know that sounds silly to say. They haven’t even been here for a full year. Mairo and I had just made this connection. But I will do anything to keep him. Him and Luigi. I just…”

Wario reached out and wrapped an arm around Peach, who more or less collapsed against him. “How about we get some sleep before we go even more insane, yeah? We’ve all had a long night and this… You’re rambling.”

Peach merely gave a small nod as a reply. The sound of footsteps drew their attention back to the room. The small parade of Toads giving small waves as greetings.

“Mario was dehydrated, but otherwise fine. Luigi had a few burns, a few bruises, but has been treated for both. Just let them rest…which you two should be doing as well.”

“Will do. Thanks for looking them over.” Wario said while leading Peach back into the room.

The brother had been tucked into the bed proper. Wario noticed two pairs of overalls draping over the foot board. Luigi was clinging to Mario once more, the older brother showing clear content.

Peach broke away to move a chair closer to the bed. Taking Mario’s hand in her own. Wario turned to Polterpup, who hadn’t appeared to have moved.

“Were you a good…ghost? Caused no trouble?” The spectral pup let out a small whine before rolling onto their back. Tail wagging as Wario rubbed their stomach. “Good to hear.”

Wario pulled up his own chair. Settling down with a low grunt, reaching out to place a hand on Peach’s arm. A quiet understanding as they watched the twins sleep.

#mario #luigi #mario and luigi #wario #princess peach #professor e. gadd #fanfiction #fan fic #fanfic #yellow purple red green #king boo

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