"Ah, Luigi," said Madame C. "It's nice to see you again."
Luigi pulled out Mario's letter, star, glove and shoe and placed them on the table. "I found more of my brother's items," he said. "Can you use them to find out more about his situation?"
"I certainly can," said Madame C. "I'll start with Mario's glove—still damp with the sweat of the living."
Madame C turned the glove over and over and traced each finger. Her eyes darkened as she began to speak.
"Your Mario, I'm sorry to say, is imprisoned," she said, "but where—oh, where is he being held? Wait a minute—is that a painting? Yes! Your Mario has been imprisoned within a painting! I'm seeing—an odd altar, and above it, your Mario! Trapped in a painting!"
Luigi shivered as he recalled the image of his battered brother, frantically bashing on the wall of his artistic prison and screaming for help. What was beyond that picture frame, anyway? Nothingness? A void designed to drive the captive mad? The thought made his stomach clench.
"I—I already saw what they've done to him," he said, "but I just need to know why? And is there a way I can get to this altar?"
"Let's find out," said Madame C, picking up Mario's shoe. "Why, the sole of this shoe is so worn, as if he's walked a thousand miles! Hmm..." She began squeezing, poking and prodding at the shoe. "Listen! Can you hear it? The inner voice of your sweet, beloved Mario? He calls..."
Luigi's breath hitched and shortened as that same, falsetto, panicked voice echoed around them, screaming out his name.
"Luigi! Luigi!"
"Mario..."
"Luigi, please! Help me!"
"I will, Mario. I will..."
"Please, you gotta..." Whatever else he was about to say was cut off by a scream of unimaginable agony.
Madame C's figure blurred before Luigi's eyes, each of his brother's screams squeezing his heart out of shape.
"Help—Luigi..." Mario's voice whispered.
Madame C's brow creased. "I don't understand," she murmured.
"What?" Luigi asked, a little frantically.
Madame C's eyes met his. "It's a—king. King—Boo. Who is this King Boo?"
"M—Mario mentioned a King Boo in his letter," said Luigi. "He said he's dangerous..."
"That's what he's telling me," said Madame C. "Beware of King Boo—this is what your brother wishes to say to you."
"He also said that he's controlling all of the ghosts here," said Luigi, beginning to wonder if he should really trust Madame C. What if she was acting on King Boo's orders, as well?
Madame C pursed her lips. "I'm seeing a larger Boo wearing a crown—that's King Boo," she said, "and he's the one who's captured your Mario!"
"Why?" asked Luigi. "What does he want? Ransom? Insurance? What?"
"Let me take a look at another of Mario's dropped items," said Madame C. "Aha—there's the letter you're talking about! It's—in Italian, one of the languages of love."
"When we were growing up, Mario and I spoke Italian around the house," said Luigi. "We're fluent in both Italian and English."
"Well, I don't mean to brag, but I can speak, read and understand nine languages," said Madame C, "and Italian has to be one of them. Okay, so this letter translates to: 'Luigi, King Boo is very dangerous. He controls all of the ghosts. Look out!' Ew—it has blood on it...Okay, focus. Focus..."
She bit her lip. "Mario—wants to tell you something about the power of the Boos," she said. "What is it, Mario? What do you wish to say to Luigi about this mysterious Boo power? Oh—uh-huh—okay—the Boos do indeed have strange powers. When they gather in numbers, their power grows stronger. But—they fear your mighty Poltergust 3000! That's a good thing to know, don't you agree?"
Luigi nodded vigorously.
Then, Madame C rubbed her temples. "Ugh—I fear that I have only enough power within me to read one more of your brother's items—and here it is. Mario's Star—an otherworldly beauty." She stared intently at Mario's lucky star—which had now become Luigi's guiding star.
"Now, the scene appears before me," she said. "There's Mario, and he's holding out hope that you'll come. And—oh, no." Fear crossed her face. "Oh, holy mother of God, it can't be!"
"What is it?" gasped Luigi. "What do you see?!"
Madame C's voice was nearly hoarse with terror. "It's—Koopa," she told him. "I see the hideous form of the Koopa King!"
Luigi nearly soiled himself. The tall, hulking reptile, with his sharp, slashing claws, muscular build, wicked green eyes and smirking mouth which spewed out fire was somehow in on this?!
"Is he somewhere in this mansion?! I can't believe it..." Madame C's already-pale complexion paled further. "...and yet I see it."
Luigi swallowed thickly. "There's a—truce between us," he said. "Normally, these truces don't last long, but I thought it would be different this time. After what happened—a month ago..."
How could he ever forget the seemingly ordinary morning of September 11? The MK was already anticipating Koopa's "visit", but as soon as the first image of smoke pouring from the North Tower of the World Trade Center was broadcasted, everything was thrown into chaos. Everyone had thought it was an accident—until they witnessed a plane slam directly into the South Tower. It was 102 minutes of horror and heartbreak as the Twin Towers crumbled to their very foundation, followed by similar attacks at the Pentagon, reports of aircraft circling the White House and a flight that was brought down near Pittsburgh, PA, the passengers fighting back against the hijackers and preventing further casualties. But in the wake of these attacks, Koopa had demonstrated that despite his ruthlessness, he at least had standards, and committing such acts was a line he simply wouldn't cross. Koopa and Peach had united in their grief and led a candlelight vigil later that night, and the former hadn't made any shows of hostility since—until now.
"Has King Boo somehow persuaded Koopa to break this truce?" asked Madame C. "This could be horrible!"
"King Boo's plans will benefit him," said Luigi. "With Mario out of the way, he doesn't think the MK will stand a chance, and he can conquer it and take Peach as his queen. Even the enemies don't think so highly of me."
"A political and military alliance between these two kings means that Koopa must be desperate," cautioned Madame C. "And nothing good ever comes out of a ruthless person who's become desperate! Ah, no! My powers leave me; the spirits depart! This is all I can show you, Luigi. That was the last of my power."
"You did what you could," Luigi said consolingly. "That's all that matters. Thanks to you, I know more about the situation than when we first met."
Madame C solemnly nodded, looking—resigned. "I have given words to what the spirits have shown," she said, "so I can return to my painting satisfied. Send me there now, you vacuum-wielding rogue!"
"You—you want me to suck you into the Poltergust?" Luigi asked in disbelief. "But—you've been so kind to me..."
"Please—do it," entreated Madame C. "You have to..."
She exposed her heart, and Luigi reluctantly turned the vacuum on her.
"Ahhhhh! Finally, I can return in peace to my painting!" Madame C joyfully cried as her HP depleted. "Sweet happiness in oils—I thank you. I thank you, kind Luigi!"
She disappeared into the vacuum with a pop, and then Luigi fell to his knees, overwhelmed by what he'd just found out.
The sound of the Boo Radar snapped him out of it, and his face became granite as he used his vacuum to force out a Boo hiding within the crystal ball.
"Hey, there!" greeted the Boo. "I'm Booigi!"
Luigi had nothing to say to him—he brandished the vacuum and captured the Boo in seconds.
Dio! King Boo and Koopa are working together to get rid of Mario once and for all! This is worse than I thought! Luigi's breath temporarily sped up as he thought of the two villains gloating about their scheme together, discussing all of the despicable things they planned to do to Mario now that he was at their mercy, how they'd no doubt take their time with him...
But then Luigi closed his eyes and regained control of his breaths. Panicking wouldn't stop this plan from coming to fruition. Luigi wanted nothing more than to race back home and hide under his bed, but then he'd let Mario down—one of the things he swore he'd never do.
Mario needed Luigi more than ever—so he had to give his all.