Mario and Luigi: Darkness In Light

Chapter 21: Saved By A Flame

Mario yelled as he threw a punch at Queen Bean, but she blocked it as she tried to punch him back, but he blocked it as he backflipped out of the way, and he ran straight at her. Left and right, he tried to use his claws to scratch her, but she would either block it, or counter him. Mario growled in small annoyance as he began to blast multiple dark fireballs at her. She hit them away and ran straight towards him. She went to punch him as Mario moved out of the way, but she managed to grab him by the arm, and throw him into the air.

Mario saw he was close to the ceiling, so he pushed himself off it using his feet, and he yelled as his fist became shrouded in darkness as he tried to punch her, but she jumped back as Mario pounded his fist onto the floor, leaving a small crack in it. He shook his hand a little to get the stinging feeling out of it, and he gasped as he saw Queen Bean run straight at him. Mario put his arms up to block her, but she managed to run straight through him, and he grunted in pain as he hit and rolled onto the floor. He slowly got to his knees and he stood up as he looked around for her.

He quickly hears her footsteps behind her, and he yelled as he clawed at her, but she caught his hand as he gasped. Queen Bean snickered, and she threw him into a nearby pillar as it made a small crater in. Mario groaned in pain as he put his hand on his head, but he growled as he looked down at his hand.

"Looks like I'll have to get more serious." Mario put his hand on his chest, and yelled as darkness began to spread around his body as it formed into a dark aura around him. Mario ran at Queen Bean, and yelled as he clawed at her multiple times as she managed to block a few of his attacks, and she pushed him back as she tried to grab his arm, but he moved out of the way, and yelled as he clawed her straight in the chest. She stumbled a little as she put her hand on her chest, but she chuckled as she shook her head.

"You've gotten stronger with that darkness, Mario. I'm honestly impressed." She said as Mario stood seven feet away from her.

"Maybe it can make me stronger..." He began as he clenched his hand into a fist. "But that doesn't mean that'll change who I am."

"Ironic that you say that." She said. "Darkness isn't an entity to be taken lightly, Mario. You know that it can't be chained, even if you can control it."

"..."

"You know I'm right, Mario. There's no escaping your demons, your regrets. They will still live on in the deepest core of your heart. You don't have another choice."

"..." Mario glared at her as his claws got sharper. Knowing what this meant, Queen Bean just snickered.

"Of course." She said. "When it comes to you...fighting is all the hero does. Why did I think you would understand? You really are destined to fall, Mario."

"What?" Mario said shocked...and that was all Queen Bean needed. She clenched the orb around her neck and she disappeared in dark flames as Mario gasped and looked around for her. However, he failed to realize in time that she appeared right behind him. He gasped as he quickly turned around but he screamed in pain as he felt her punch him straight in the chest and through the air. She then warped behind him, and punched him straight into the ceiling and he grunted in pain as he then fell onto the floor as he laid on his stomach.

Mario tried to reach in his pockets to grab one of the mushrooms he took, but Queen Bean picked him up by his right arm as he just laid limp in her grip. Queen Bean chuckled seeing this.

"This is a surprise, Mario." She stated. "I've never seen you fall this quick before. Did that darkness make you more weak instead of making you stronger?"

"..." Mario didn't say a word, but he closed his eyes as he bowed his head down.

"No words can save you from this now, Mario." She stated. "Face it, that darkness is giving you this hurt, yet you can still embrace it to heal your pain instead."