Brother's Loyalty: Battle for Evershade Valley

Showtime

After filling up on some mac and cheese, Luigi was ready to examine the security camera image that Zed had brought back. When Gadd displayed the image on the monitor, one of the first things Luigi saw was the Possessor ghost he'd encountered when he first arrived at the Old Clockworks. And by now, he'd understood that where there was a Possessor, a Dark Moon piece wasn't far behind.

"That area is just behind the Clock Tower Gate!" exclaimed Gadd.

"And there's one of those Possessors," Fred chimed in. "I can see a Dark Moon piece inside them!"

"That Possessor and those other ghosts seem to be headed to the top of the tower," said Zed. "Luigi, you need to follow them if you want that Dark Moon piece back!"

Gadd stepped back, allowing Luigi to use the console to zoom in, zoom out and pan along the security image as needed. Everyone in the Bunker was surprised at the number of Boos filling the shot.

"How strange..." murmured Gadd. "They seem to get along with the Possessor ghosts. Boos don't usually get along well with other powerful ghosts, but if they're willing to make an exception..."

"...then that means trouble," finished Luigi. "The Boos have something planned, and the Possessors are in on it. I don't know if they willingly volunteered, or if the Boos threatened them, but the Boos must be desperate if they're willing to set aside their animosity towards powerful ghosts."

On lower right corner of the image, a Boo cast more of those Spirit Balls.

"Who gave them that ability?" asked Gadd. "They can't have just started doing that on their own."

"I didn't know they could do that, either," said Luigi. "It must be a relatively new power."

But then, his attention was drawn toward the center of the image. Some more Boos floated around, carrying that portrait in a sack. Luigi squinted—he thought he could see a hat in that portrait—a hat with a "M" on it. No, no—he had to be seeing things.

"Oh, my God—is that a painting in that sack?" asked Fred.

"And why are the Boos guarding it so closely?" added Zed.

"Wait a minute—there's something familiar about that cap!" Gadd exclaimed.

Luigi felt sick.

"Excuse me," he said.

Stepping away, Luigi whipped out his phone and sent Mario another voicemail before texting Chad, Brad, Thad and Conrad.

Gadd faced his two Toad Assistants. "Did you see that glow coming from outside the limits of the image?" he asked.

Fred and Zed nodded.

"Something about that glow gives me a very bad feeling!" Gadd told them. "It's almost like there's an evil presence ordering the Possessors to guard the Dark Moon pieces."

"You mean—they're being brainwashed?" asked Zed.

"They could be," shuddered Gadd. "And not just them—this evil presence could also be brainwashing all of the ghosts in Evershade Valley."

Silence. Luigi finished his phone calls and texts and rejoined Gadd and the Toads.

"We need to get to the top of that Clock Tower ASAP," said Gadd.

I need to get to the top of the Clock Tower, Luigi mentally corrected.

"I trust you've still got that rotor on you?"