The air escapes his lungs unwillingly once more as he smashes against the wall, again. His legs ache, back screams in pain from repeated rough meeting with the wall, and his ego bruised from being unable to obtain the upper hand and hold onto it. He glares up at his enemy, who is roaring in victory, taunting him. Must get up, can't give into the pain, Mario unwaveringly demands of himself as he drags his sore body to its feet.
"Why don't you just stay down plumber? There is no use in getting up. You're not going to win," Bowser scoffs confidently.
"Dad! Dad! I have a surprise for you," Jr. calls as he escorts the bound princesses and king into the throne room.
"Junior what is it," asks concerned. His worry turns into a proud grin as the Darkland ruler spots the captives. "That's my boy! There is no stopping us now," Bowser declares triumphantly then turns back to the battered Mushroom Kingdom hero. "Do you see that Mario? I have the princesses, the king, and this castle all under my control. What are you going to do about that? Save them, ha not going to happen," Bowser taunts.
Mario grits his teeth, and despite the pain, charges the large Koopa. He lands a punch on the koopa's ribbed stomach and throws another at the Darkland monarch's head. Bowser crumples from the pain inflicted by the punch in the gut, but dodges the head shot and growls in frustration. As the plumber tries to land another punch, the Darkland King slams his head down onto the plumber's. Mario staggers back in pain, giving Bowser the space to backhand the hero once more. The red clad man flies back, hits the wall, and crumples onto the floor again.
Bowser chuckles as he watches the plumber struggle to get up once more. "There will be no saving them this time plumber. You can't do it," the large Koopa informs with a smirk as he walks over to the fallen hero. "You've already failed your brother and now you will fail them too," Bowser hisses.
"I did not fail him and I will not fail them," Mario screams as he thrashes at the imposing Darkland ruler.
Bowser avoids Mario's swipes and pins the plumber down with his foot pressing down on the hero's stomach. "Yes you did. I saw it all," the tyrant informs with a satisfied grin. "The prince came to me after he had failed in opening the portals and I watched what he did to your brother," the large Koopa gloats.
"You were in cahoots with Galibrath," Daisy exclaims enraged. "You Bastard!"
"That's right," Bowser answers while continuing to focus on his enemy. "He was going to open all of the mirror portals for my use; all I had to do was give him the main portal and the key."
"The Reflectivus Portal! You were the one who stole it! We should have known that you were behind it! You scoundrel," Toadsworth exclaims.
"Yes we had it all planned, but your stupid brother had to get in the way," the Koopa King complains.
"Like he should, he was taught well," Mario interjects proudly causing Bowser to snort in contempt. The Koopa King removes his foot and grabs the plumber, lifting him into the air. Bowser then turns around and slams his adversary down to the ground. Mario groans in pain as his back is assaulted once more.
"It is that teaching that did him in," Bowser notes with condescension. "I told Galibrath to make him pay and oh did he," the tyrant evilly smirks. "It started with fists then whips then electrocution," Bowser informs with an air of smugness as he watches the older brother shudder with each word. "Finally Galibrath went turned to simpler and more barbaric tactics, he drew his sword," the Darkland ruler grins maliciously as Mario's eyes widened in fear. "First he cut off his left ear then his right middle finger and his right big toe," Bowser chortles as his tale causes visible pain to his archenemy and then he looks up to the captives who also react. The princesses have tears welling up as Thorne and all of the men cringe at the thought. The Koopa King continues with his yarn, "Galibrath then slashed him on both cheeks and allowed him to bleed a little as soon as he become bored with that he turned serious." He takes pause for effect then continues, "He plunged the sword into your brother's lower back, stabbing the kidneys. Bwa ha ha, I have never heard your little brother scream so loud before," Bowser adds with a smirk. "Finally the prince got bored and went for the kill; he raised his sword and pointed it at the heart, and slowly pushed it in. The blood seeped out from his chest and mouth rapidly making a pool on the floor. Do you know what his last words were, your brother's," the Darkland ruler asks his downtrodden, broken enemy. "Luigi's last words were, 'Mario...where are you to save me?'" Bowser's smirk grows even wider as Mario breaks into tears.
"NO! NO! You're lying, you sick son of a bitch," Mario wails.
"Why would I lie about the best execution I have seen in years? Especially an execution of one of my enemies that I enjoyed in seeing so much," the Koop King gloats.
"No, Bro I'm sorry," Mario softly sobs uncontrollably. "I should have been there to stop it. Forgive me Luigi, forgive me for failing you."
Bowser lowers his head with a malicious smile. "You can tell him that yourself, when you join him!" The Darkland tyrant bites down onto his wailing enemy and picks him up. He thrashes his head as he sinks his teeth deeper into Mario's body then he slams the plumber to the ground again. Blood begins to ooze from the puncture marks as Bowser looms over Mario's battered body. "You have failed Mario and now this is the end!" The Koopa King kicks the fallen plumber over in front of the captive princes and princesses.
Mario forces his eyes open and finds the princesses standing over him. "I'm sorry Peach, Daisy; I have failed."
"Come on Mario, you can do it! Get up! You haven't failed, you just need to get up," Daisy cries trying to motivate Mario to move.
"Please Mario, don't give in. Mario you can never fail us," Peach encourages through the tears. "I love you Sweetie."
"I love you too Peach," Mario softly replies with a smile despite the pain.
"That's right say your good-byes now," Bowser Jr. taunts. "My dad is coming to finish you off."
Peach looks up to see Bowser slowly walking closer, savoring the moment he has dreamt of for years now. "Mario, Sweetie, please get up. He's getting closer," Peach cries fretfully. "Please get up, please!"
Bowser stops two feet away from the broken hero and roars triumphantly as he prepares for his final strike. "Finally victory is mine! So long damn plumber and good riddance!" The Darkland King rears his head back with open jaws ready to bite down on his enemy once more when the throne room doors fling open. Bowser whips his head around to see who it interrupting his victory and his eyes widen in disbelief.
"Get away from my brother," Luigi orders sternly despite his panting.
"There is no fucking way," the Koopa growls angrily. "Why can't you Mario Brother just die and stay dead!" Bowser releases a spray of fire toward the green clad Mario Brother.
Luigi dodges right over to the pile of rubble created by Bowser's entrance. He picks one of the smaller chunks of stone and chucks it at the koopa, hitting him on the side of the head. "Come on, come get me King Bowsie," Luigi taunts, taking a line from Mario's book.
"Don't call me that," Bowser roars as he charges the younger Mario Brother. As the Darkland ruler closes in, the plumber jumps up and Bowser smashes into the wall face first. Luigi lands on the tyrant's head and jumps forward, barely missing the spikes on Bowser's shell, and lands in front of the tyrant's tail.
Phew, good think I can jump really high. I don't think Mario would have cleared that, Luigi thinks as he grabs onto Bowser's tail preparing to spin and throw the Koopa King; but unable to muster the strength to get the Koopa off the ground. Bowser thrashes his tail back and forth, throwing Luigi around like a rag doll before he loses grip and skids across the room. I may be agile, Mario is definitely stronger. I'm sure he could have swung that gargantuan turtle around easily. Time for a different tactic, Luigi thinks as he dust off.
"I put your brother down and I will put your ass down too," Bowser growls as he unleashes a large stream of fire causing Luigi to scramble behind the throne to avoid being burned. "We're going to hide now huh? At least your brother can face me like a man and not cower behind scenery!"
"I'm not hiding. I just think its time to fight fire with fire," Luigi retorts as he pulls out a fire flower that he picked up from the abandoned item shop on the way to the castle. Note to self: play the guy for fire flower later, but now fire a koopa! He rolls out from behind the throne now donning green suspenders and a white shirt and cap.
"Oh shit," Bowser pants.
The younger brother rapidly fires green fireballs at the Darkland ruler which mostly land on target due to his size and lack of speed. "You won't win that easily!" Bowser pulls himself into shell, his eyes peering out are the only things visible through the dark hole. "Now what smart ass? What are you going to do?"
The green clad Mario Brother steps closer to the shell hidden koopa and begins to charge a fireball in-between his hands. As it grows to the size of a beach ball, Luigi crouches down and lines his hands up with the opening in King Koopa's shell, aiming for the hole. He releases the fireball and watches as it travels straight forward, not drooping down as gravity does not affect green fire in the Mushroom Kingdom as it does red fire, into the shell's opening. "Hole in one."
Bowser screams in agony as the fire explodes in his face. He emerges from his shell and quickly cries through blistered lips. "Retreat! Retreat!" The Koopa King, his son, and the troops evacuate with thunderous roar of stampeding feet.
As soon as Bowser disappears, Luigi runs over to the captive royals and carefully singes their bonds apart then turns his attention to his brother. His eyes well up with tears as he sees the numerous cuts, burns and puncture wounds Mario has sustained. "Mario? Mario can you hear me," Luigi chokes out, fearing not getting an answer. he places his hand on Mario's chest, checking for a beat; to his relief he can feel a faint one then Mario stirs.
"Luigi is that you," Mario asks with a raspy voice. Luigi simply nods in response. "I'm so sorry that I wasn't there. Please forgive me," Mario pleads.
"You have nothing to apologize for Bro," Luigi informs through the happy tears; "We're alive that's all that matters."
"We're not dead," Mario asks and Luigi shakes his head. "Well that's good, but I'm starting to wish I was," Mario groans causing his younger brother to smile.
"Get me the royal physician now," Throne commands at Chizier, who immediately hobbles away. Minutes later, a nobokon arrive to look at Mario.
"Sorry I am late, I have been assessing the troops. Oh my someone took a beating," the white shelled nobokon notes as he crouches down beside him. "On the plus side, the wounds look mostly superficial, but I won't know how deep those puncture marks until we get you to a medical facility. Unfortunately the one in town has been ravaged by Darkland troops, leaving the Mushroom Kingdom as the closest one with the best equipment. I'm sure he can last the trip if we keep him bandaged up," the doctor notes optimistically.
"I can Doc, let's go," Mario assures in his normal optimistic way. The doctor assists Mario to his feet then helps escort him outside with the help of Princess Peach.
Luigi begins to follow when a hand lands on his shoulder, holding him back. he turns to find daisy standing there. "Oh hi Daisy, I don't mean to be rude, but I need to go with my brother."
I know, I'm sorry to hold you up, but I wanted to thank you for saving me and the kingdom," Daisy smiles appreciatively.
"I really didn't do much; I mean, I just got lucky," he replies distracted.
"Lucky? What do you mean," the brunette princess asks confused.
"If I had done my job in the first place this wouldn't have happened. The castle wouldn't be a wreck and my brother wouldn't have gotten hurt. I had a responsibility and I blew it, like always," Luigi sighs defeated.
"Don't be silly Luigi, you did your job. The kingdom is still here and we are all alive and I'm sure when you come back everything will be fixed," Daisy assures.
"There will be no coming back," Luigi states. "Daisy you deserve someone who will always be there and be able to defend you and the kingdom no matter what. Someone brave, strong and smart; I'm not that guy, no matter how hard I try. Everyone was right from the beginning, I'm not good enough for you. I'm sorry, but I have to go," Luigi turns and dashes off to catch up with Princess Peach and Toadsworth.
"But...Luigi, I..." Daisy softly starts then breaks down into tears and runs up to the ruins of her room.