The Toadstool Palace bustled with energy. Working diligently to carry out Princess Peach's orders, the Toads began the reconstruction process. Building materials were gathered and loaded onto carts, mighty yoshis pulling them forward. Diplomatic envoys were sent out, tasked to return with the other rulers for the upcoming trial. Other dignitaries from across the globe aided with their guidance and support. And while the kingdom worked, the brothers trained.
Miraculously, Luigi recovered in two days and asked- no, more like insisted to be trained immediately. His brother thought of objecting but seeing the sheer determination in Luigi's eyes convinced him otherwise. And just like that, the man in green was placed on the Training Course.
Luigi immediately regretted his decision the moment he saw it.
However, thinking of his goal (and one "encouraging" shove from Toad) helped him through the first few levels of the course. Luigi currently held onto a brick block, panting. His legs felt like jelly. From the watchtower, his brother, Toad, and Princess Peach looked on; Mario had a hand on the ledge, ready to jump into action if Luigi needed him. The younger twin pulled himself onto the block, then leaped over a pipe, narrowly avoiding the jaws of a fake piranha plant.
Luigi sprinted across the platform, dodging oncoming fireballs and Bullet Bills. His heart had climbed to his throat. Somehow, he managed to nearly reach the first checkpoint remarkably unscathed. How? He didn't know nor did he really care; Luigi was only glad he's managed to stay in one piece.
The verdurous plumber yelped and dropped to his stomach as a sudden bullet bill raced towards him. He could feel the heat emanating from the smiling missile. Luigi scrambled to his feet, praying thank you to whatever deity was watching over him. The man jumped over a poisoned pond, then ran up some blocks. He stopped for a moment, glancing at the checkpoint; the flag waved with the wind. With a whimper, Luigi leaped off the platform, reaching for the platform's edge
.
.
.
And promptly fell into a pond.
Sounds of dismay came from the onlookers. Luigi coughed and sputtered as he swam to the side; grunting slightly, he hauled himself over the side and laid on the ground. Mario leaped off the watchtower, slid down its side, then quickly ran towards him once he safely hit the ground. Luigi groaned and wrung his hat, face flushed with embarrassment. He was so close! If only the block beneath him hadn't vanished... His brother tapped his arm. He gently helped him sit up. "You okay, Luigi?" he asked.
Luigi wiped his face. "Y-yeah, I'm okay," he mumbled.
Peach and Toad walked over to them. The princess knelt by his side. "You were outstanding for your first try!" she exclaimed.
Mario smiled. "Yeah! Trust me, you did a lot more smoothly than I did," he confessed.
Toad leaned on his staff. "Remember, Luigi. This was a test run. We're only gauging your skills," he said.
"If that's the case, do you really need all the fire and missiles?"
"Yes."
Luigi sighed in defeat. This was supposed to be a test run; however, he felt like he got thrown into real-life combat. Again. Not even the tricks and tips Mario gave him were enough; guess he really has a long way to go. Man... At least Luigi got some exercise; there's no better time for getting back in shape than now. Mario patted his back, consoling him. An attendant arrived with a towel; they also announced that the princess was needed elsewhere. Peach swiftly excused herself and headed back to the castle. He wondered what her thoughts were at the moment. She must be so stressed with everything happening around her. She has a whole trial to prepare for and is providing aid to the affected kingdoms; Luigi hoped he could do more, but at the moment, his prowess was lacking.
Sighing, Luigi dried himself as best and quickly as possible, then followed the group back to the castle. The Training Course will have to wait.
.
.
.
Over the past few days, Luigi has familiarized himself with the castle. Since they're staying here, he might as well ensure the others and himself he won't get lost. Plus, the castle's architecture was captivating. The white marble contained soft floral and nature-themed designs with ultra-realistic detailing; the style reminded him of the Greeks. The soft pastel colors were pleasing to the eye and soothing to the mind. It's not hard to see why Luigi was so adamant about exploring.
Thanks to this habit, he vividly remembers the layout. And after the day he's had, a snack would be greatly appreciated. The man in green headed down a long hallway, then turned right. A large wooden door loomed before him; without a second thought, Luigi opened it and slipped inside. Pots and pans clattered around him; the castle cooks hustled down the line, ingredients in their hands. All manner of soups and sauces simmered on stoves, the bubbling accompanied the sound of chopping.
Ahh, the sound of a busy kitchen. They were Luigi's favorite place; as a food enthusiast himself, he adored seeing the chefs work. How they turned the raw products before him into delicious works of art. And the best part? He could come here whenever he wanted to.
Luigi grabbed a nearby plate and placed odd food bits on it. Some fruit here, a veggie there. Nab a few good portions of meat and sprinkle some sauce on them. The cooks did not mind; in fact, they encouraged him to get more. Luigi has become the unofficial royal food taster around here. His mother has always said he was an expert in the kitchen. So, in exchange for free snacks, all he had to do was assist in maintaining the food quality.
Luigi's eyes set on a platter of brownies, eyes glimmering and mouth hanging slightly open. He has always been a sucker for chocolate. The man made a beeline for them, carefully walking through the working Toads. Luigi reached a gloved hand and was promptly slapped by a wooden spoon.
"YOW!"
An elderly Toad woman glared daggers at him. Graying blue hair peeked out of her black mushroom cap, piercing blue eyes glared at him. Luigi rubbed his injured hand and mustered a nervous smile. "H-hello, Helvella," he whimpered.
Helvella narrowed her eyes. "The princess may allow you and your grubby hands free roam of the kitchen, but I will not allow you to touch my precious desserts!"
"Aw, c-come on, Vella. Can't I just try one?"
The defensive baker harrumphed. "First, you take one. Then, you take two. And the next thing you know, a whole plate of baked goods goes missing!"
Luigi frowned and pouted slightly. "I have self-control, you know," he whispered, slightly hurt by the comment.
Helvella firmly crossed her arms, still scowling at him. Luigi tilted his head, eyes shining. His ultimate power move: puppy eyes. No one could resist them. At least, not for long. The grumpy baker's scowl wavered, the grip on her wooden spoon tightened. Luigi's mustache quivered, adding more intensity. Helvella groaned and covered her eyes. "Stop. Stop! Fine. You may take some," she relented.
Luigi smiled. "Thank you, Helvella~"
With a smug refrain, Luigi grabbed another plate and promptly stacked a few chocolatey delights onto it. He quickly scampered away, lest the mushroom woman changes her mind. Helvella raised her tiny fist. "I better not catch you trying to steal my sweets again, Super Luigi!"
"Ciao, Vella!"
The rest of the kitchen bid him goodbye. Luigi ran off to his room, ignoring the slight shiver down his spine at being called his full name. Well, his pseudonym. Their Italian surname was too difficult to pronounce, so the brothers went with "Super" in front of their first names. Fitting considering their reputation.
Luigi climbed a short flight of stairs and centered a carpeted hallway with windows facing out to the beautiful hills. Peach gave them rooms with the best view of the castle, hoping to lift their spirits; it worked. The verdant plumber entered the room to the left, instantly welcomed by green drapes and a four-poster bed. Luigi closed the door with his leg. He stopped a moment to listen to the hallway before letting out a high-pitched whistle.
Clattering came from the closet. Luigi set the plate of food on the bed. A blur of yellow and green burst out of his closet, then latched onto his leg. The man chuckled and patted Junior's head. The Koopa Prince has become his little, secret roommate; no one could care for him, so Luigi took it upon himself to do so. In a way, he was also repaying Bowser Jr. for freeing him. Plus, who could say no to that little face? Luigi often forgot he'll grow to be the frightening, almost exact replica of his father.
Pushing thoughts of the king aside, Luigi kneeled down to his level. "Hey there, lil' buddy. I brought you some dinner," he said. Junior, being the sfavillotto ghiotto he is, dove for the plate; Luigi barely managed to snag an apple. He let the koopaling devour his plate, having given up on teaching him manners. Luigi munched on his apple, deep in thought.
He'd have to deliver Junior back to his family eventually.
But how?
Luigi wasn't even sure what was going to happen to Bowser. And he had no idea if there was a Queen Koopa in the picture; for all he knew, the king had him himself as some reptiles of Earth were capable of. In conclusion, Luigi was Junior's guardian until he could somehow get him back to the Dark Lands. Not that he didn't enjoy it; he just knew he was inadequate to be a parent to a being who would grow up to be eight feet tall and breathe fire. Suddenly Bowser Jr. held up his plate. Luigi frowned, "Junior..."
Junior threw his head back. "I ate everything!"
"Eat those veggies, mister. Otherwise, no dessert."
To make a point, Luigi held the plate of brownies above his head. Junior pouted at him, embers snorted out of his nostrils. The adult put a hand on his hip and looked away; one, to seem more unwavering and two to look away from the tiny prince's glare. After a few seconds, the koopaling loudly groaned, muttered a " Fiiine !" and promptly stuffed the vegetable in his maw. After dramatically chewing and swallowing, Junior once again presented his plate. Luigi smiled. "See? That wasn't so bad now, was it?" he said.
Junior wrinkled his nose. "Vegetables are icky," he replied.
"Vegetables are good for you," replied Luigi.
"You sound like my grandpa."
Luigi could not help but perk up at that. Finally, a plan to get him safely home. He sat on the floor beside Junior and handed him a brownie. "Your grandpa? Is he in the Dark Lands?" he asked.
Junior stuffed the dessert into his mouth. "No *nom* Kamek's with Dad."
"KAMEK'S YOUR GRANDFATHER?"
The man's jaw dropped to the floor. Junior snatched another brownie, giving him a confused look. "Yeah. Duh."
How? HOW? Kamek looked like a common koopa! Bowser looked like a hybrid between a literal dragon and a koopa. He was so much taller and built like a boulder; the man breathes fire! Luigi has not seen any other koopa having such ability. S-so, either Kamek was his grandfather in an adoptive sense, or... he is one lucky magikoopa. But the worst part, his developing plan went out the window as Kamek was with his... son? In the dungeons. And he was fairly sure releasing a war criminal was a crime.
Luigi sighed and rubbed his head. So difficult, he thought. The koopaling seemed to forget about his outburst and did not notice his shift in mood. He made grabby hands at him, demanding more dessert; Luigi gave him another and ate one himself. Junior stuffed the whole thing in his mouth, tail wagging erratically; he even made a chirping sound, almost reminiscent of a laser beam. He must be truly content as that is the first time he has ever heard that sound.
Luigi tousled his hair, chuckling quietly at the sight. The royal koopaling was in much better spirits. Poor thing has been worrying for Luigi's health, so much so that he hid in his hospital room. According to him, he would change the wet cloth to control his fever; he also kept him company when Luigi was alone. Heck, the main reason Luigi could even go on the Training Course was thanks to Junior.
Suddenly Junior tugged on his pant leg. Luigi looks down and quirked an eyebrow. The prince shifted from one foot to another, clutching some folded letters to his chest. He looked apprehensive, like he had something to say. Luigi hugged his shoulder, "Hey... what's wrong?" he asked.
Junior looked up. "Look, I know you said you won't break my dad outta jail, but... Could you- Could you at least let him know I'm okay?"
Luigi looked taken aback. Going to the castle's prison cells willingly was less than stellar. But the little boy stared at him with pleading eyes; he could feel his heart being swayed, despite the intense fear. Luigi inhaled through his nose, then extended his hand. His tiny savor beamed and handed him the letters. It's time to return the favor.
[XXX]
The Toad guards stared at Luigi quizzically, leaning on their spears; there was a basement door behind them, the wood protected with silver. The human nervously wrung his hands as beads of sweat poured down his temple. He was even shaking. Luigi came all the way down here, naively thinking he could just waltz right into the dungeons. The guard on the right scratched his chin. "So, you came down here for...?" he trailed off.
Luigi stiffened. "U-m.... W-well- Listen. I j-just want to c-check on the prisoners," he stammered.
The guard on the left tilted his head. "Why?"
Luigi paused for a moment. What would be a convincing lie? He doesn't want them to become distrustful of him. He also hates lying. It leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. But wasn't it too late for that? He was protecting the son of this kingdom's worst enemy. One small lie won't do much harm... right? Either way, he was only here as a messenger. Go in, give the letters to the king, and run out.
Luigi scratched his head. "I-I just want to check on the prisoners, y-you k-know? Make sure they're locked up tight."
The guards exchanged a look, having a silent conversation of sorts. Luigi really hopes he didn't sound insulting. He trusts the Toads. Every part of him hopes they don't take it to heart and simply think a second opinion would be acceptable. The left guard looked up. "Hmm... you do know them better than us. You could spot any signs of trickery..."
"Ah, screw it! Let him in. He's got a better shot at fighting them than we do,"
And with that, the guards opened the cellar doors. Luigi mumbled a thank you (though, he secretly hoped they would turn away) and stepped through. One could feel the instant change in temperature. His steps echoed, sounding way too loud for his liking. Luigi slowly reached the foot of the stairs and heard two voices. One nasally and the other deep and rumbling. However, Luigi could not understand a word. They were speaking a different language, one with mixed words and vocalizations.
Luigi peeked over the corner, biting his lip to hold back a yelp. Kamek was leaning on the bars, erratically waving his hands in frustration. A muffled roar replied to him. The magikoopa stepped back. What is going on? Luigi thought. It appeared to be an argument of some sort. Ugh, if only he could understand!
Suddenly the ground started shaking. Actually, the whole dungeon was. Luigi covered his ears as a deafening and screechy voice roared.
"COME OUT, COWARD! WE KNOW YOU'RE THERE! WE CAN SMELL YOU!"
Luigi whimpered and looked back at the stairs, ready to turn tail and turn but he steeled himself. However, the folded letters in his pocket weighed him down. He put the back of his head against the wall and let out a silent why? He composed himself, then slowly walked down the eerie hall. Bowser was having a volcano-size outburst, slamming into the walls and roaring; strangely enough, they also sounded muffled.
The trembling man stepped into view and let out a short scream; Kamek reached through the bars, aiming his claws straight at Luigi's face. Though, he didn't get far; due to his short stature and arm reach, the magikoopa barely reached. Now he just looked like a petulant child with his beak pressed between the bars. It would have looked comical had he not been trying to gauge his eyes out.
Luigi looked behind him and nearly fainted on the spot. Bowser glowered down at him, trails of black smoke continuously streamed through the metal muzzle on his face. He yanked on the thick chains holding him back. The pure rage and resentment in his eyes paralyzed him.
This was a mistake.
But even so, he remained. Luigi noted the heavy bags under his eyes, ignoring the king's glowering gaze. The walls and floor were slightly cracked, a sure sign that he's been thrashing about in his cell. If it weren't for his hateful glare, Luigi would have focused on just how exhausted and stressed he looked. Which made him feel... strange.
Their roles were reversed. Bowser was the prisoner now, but something felt off about it. His appearance showed stress. Something in him felt that the multitude of chains, cuffs, and the muzzle was... excessive? When Luigi was imprisoned, he was free to roam. Glancing at his cell, Bowser didn't even have a bed. Luigi frowned, growing even more anxious by the implications.
"What do you want?! GET AWAY FROM THE KING!"
Without realizing it, Luigi had stepped forward. Bowser snarled and spoke; by his change in facial expression, he was asking Luigi what he was doing. The man slowly reached into his pocket and placed the stack of letters in his cell. The king quirked an eyebrow, then looked back at him. Luigi avoided his gaze, "These are letters from Junior. He's completely safe," he said.
Then, he turned to Kamek. The magikoopa squawked, throwing a few obscenities his way. Luigi ignored them and his respective letters to him; Kamek snatched them with no hesitation and ran to a corner before solemnly ripping them open. The human turned back at the Koopa King. He stared at the yellowed paper, making a hiccupping noise in his throat. Hearing that...
Luigi turned on his heel and walked up the hall. He silently and quickly climbed the stairs and exited the cellar doors. He didn't react when the guards called back to him. He didn't speak or interact with anybody. The only thing on Luigi's mind was the tiny, almost invincible tear that escaped Bowser's eye.
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Guess who's back~ Back again~🎶