Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The Darklands felt especially terrifying today. Dark clouds loomed ominously overhead, thunder rumbled in the distance, and the harsh winds seemed to echo the screams of those in peril. It was the perfect setting for this meeting. Bowser was done, he wasn't playing around anymore. He was sick of Mario and that other one—What was his name again? Lou? Lij? Luca? It didn't matter; he was just a sidekick, and most of the time, Bowser didn't see the green one with Mario.

But Mario? Mario was the real thorn in his side. Now, Bowser was left with only one option: to destroy that pesky plumber once and for all. To do so, he would call on help from his allies, the other kings. Together, they would strike hard! Mario couldn't possibly beat them all, and once he was out of the picture, the Mushroom Kingdom would finally be Bowser's!

Bowser had worked with these kings before, and each time, they had let him down. King Bob-omb had been a joke! Mario only needed to throw him three times before the Bob-omb King admitted defeat. King Goomba? Pathetic! Who leaves a switch that could turn a castle into a bridge outside of the castle itself?! King Boo was an admirale foe. He put up the best fight against Mario, and Bowser was convinced he might be the one to finally take down the plumber. Only the Floaty Dimwit Specter became obsessed with Mr. Greenie! Focused all his energy on that green little whimp and kept getting bested by the sidekick!

Bowser shouldn't put trust in any of them, but if he could rein them in, keep them focused, they would be unstoppable!

Bowser had this picture in his mind: an evil council, all gathered at his round table, eager to take down Mario once and for all.

"Who is that?" Bob-omb asked right after King Goomba asked the same question. They were looking at King Wart with wary eyes.

"I am King Wart!" The giant frog said proudly. His voice croaked as he spoke. "I am the King of the Dream world!"

"I have never heard of such a kingdom before!" King Goomba snided, his eyes refusing to stay still. His pupils rolling in circles, and god, Bowser remembered why he didn't like speaking to the king in person.

"I had Kamek use his magic to pull the King from Mario's dream." Bowser explained. "Now if we could all focus on the reason why we're—"

"Mario's dream?" King Goomba laughed. "We're supposed to take this guy seriously?! He's not even real!"

"How dare you!" King Wart croaked. His neck expanded to the point it looked like it would pop before it thankfully deflated. "I killed Peach several times before she bested me!"

"Mario dreamed of Peach killing this slimy swamp lizard?!" King Bob-omb exclaimed. "He didn't even defeat the king himself in his own dreams?!"

"I'm not slimy!" King Wart yelled.

Bowser held up his hands, trying to get everyone to settle down, but King Bob-omb slammed his fist down, not done yet. "This fictional pond scum couldn't even defeat a dream Mario! There's no way I can respect this thing! Why isn't the Snow King here?!"

Bowser huffed and rolled his eyes. "One, he would melt coming here! That makes him useless! Two, he got defeated by a kid golfer! How the hell could I take him seriously?! At least King Wart put up a real challenge!"

"In a dream!" King Goomba spat.

"Hey! I killed Mario's brother! Took him down easily! I could do the same thing in real life!" King Wart defended.

King Bob-omb raised a brow. "Oh yeah? How did you kill him?"

King Wart lifted his head, a proud smile on his face. "With my powerful bubbles!"

The room went silent, for just a beat, before all the invited kings busted out laughing. King Goomba was laughing so hard, he had tears in his eyes. "I—I can't!" The giant Goomba gasped. "That'll have the plumber brothers shaking in their boots! Everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom will be trembling with fear of King Slime Toad's mighty bubbles!"

"M-my bubbles are lethal!" King Wart scowled, but it only made the other kings laugh harder. "I’ll destroy them with my powerful attack!"

"You’ll give Mario a bubble bath, that’s what you’ll do." King Bob-omb snickered.

"ENOUGH!" Bowser roared, slamming his hands onto the table. Bowser snarled as he glared at them all, and finally, everyone shut their traps. Bowser sighed and sat back down. "I've brought you all here to take down a certain plumber who’s been a thorn in all our sides time now. If we worked together, we could finally crush him!

Bowser formed his hand into a fist with a huge smile on his face, waiting to hear the other's excitement. The only thing he got was King Wart's ribbiting. "I look forward to destroying the real Mario!"

"What's in it for me?" King Bom-omb asked.

"Yeah! What do I get out of this?" King Goomba joined in.

"The victory of killing our biggest foe!" King Wart answered, but the other two kings ignored him, looking pointedly at Bowser.

Bowser clenched his jaw. He had been counting on Mario's death being the prize they wanted. No matter what, he had come up with a backup plan. Bowser turned his attention to King Goomba, but the guy's ever moving eyes made his scales crawl. The Koopa King kept his eyes slightly trained over the Goomba's head.

"How about a real army? One that could take out any opponent that threatened you?"

"Now you have my atten—" King Goomba shrieked when King Boo appeared out of nowhere and laughed right behind the giant Goomba. "What the hell?!"

King Boo cackled, his gaint tongue a flopping wet noodle. Bowser’s claws scraped against the stone table as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "King Boo! Could you please keep to your seat?"

"Whatever you saaaaaay, King Koooooopa." The ghostly menace replied as he floated back to his seat with exaggerated slowness. The chill in his voice carried the promise of more trouble to come. Bowser just hoped the king would hold off his mischief until it came time and used his energy to best Mario.

Bowser took a moment to breathe and gather his thoughts. He quickly eyed King Boo, who had a wide grin on his face. He was showing off his sharp teeth and looping tongue, but at least he was still in his seat.

Bowser turned his eyes to King Goomba and cleared his throat. "So, as I was saying. Once Mario is defeated, I would be happy to help build you a powerful—"

"What about me?!" King Wart croaked.

"Wait your turn!" King Goomba grumbled.

Bowser bit back a groan. "Look, King Goomba, do we have a deal?"

"Yes, for a powerful army that will make my enemies fear me, you have my—"

"BOO!" King Boo shouted as he appeared behind King Wart.

A ribbit ripped through the air before King Wart's huge mouth opened, shooting out bubbles. Bubbles floated everywhere as King Boo's laughter echoed off the walls. King Bob-omb swatted the bubbles away while Bowser sat there, wondering why he thought this was a good idea. He really shouldn’t have invited them into the same room.

It would have been a pain in the ass to go to each kingdom, talk to the kings individually, and make sure everyone knew their roles. As big of a pain that would have been, it would have been less than a headache.

A bubble floated near Bowser, and he glared at it. It felt like it was mocking him for his dream of forming a council of evil. Bowser lifted his hand and burst the bubble with his claw. He watched the kings go at each other. King Wart was trying to blast King Boo with his "mighty" bubbles. King Boo would laugh as he phased out missing the "deadly" attack. King Bob-omb was lecturing King Boo about being respectable and King Goomba was yammering about his stupid army!

Bowser shoved himself out of his seat and roared. It overpowered everyone else in the room. They all turned and gave Bowser their undivided attention, but King Boo was still wearing that stupid smile on his face.

"I've had it up to here with you fools!" Bowser yelled. "We're all kings! We should be able to have a proper meeting with each other, but you all are making it into a circus! So here's what we're going to do!" Bowser pointed at King Goomba. "Want an army? Yes or no?!"

"Yes, King K-Koopa!" The coward answered with a trembling voice.

Bowser pointed his finger at King Wart. "You! You can have a slice of land to build your own kingdom! No longer plaguing a soon-to-be dead man's dreams! Deal?!"

King Wart clapped his hands together with a wicked grin on his face. "Oh, the chaos I could stir in the land of the Awake! You got yourself a deal!"

Bowser turned his attention to King Bob-omb. "Those red peace-loving Bob-ombs still giving you trouble?"

"Yes." King Bob-omb answered, rubbing his mustache with the yellow round nub he called a hand. "My Bob-ombs have been fighting for years, but those red little fellows put up one hell of a fight."

"You help me stop Mario and take over the Mushroom Kingdom, I'll personally put an end to those red Bob-ombs. I'll set my whole army on them! We'll enslave them or wipe them out! Whichever you prefer!"

"Then you have my loyalty! I'll help you in your invasion." King Bob-omb replied and relief filled Bowser.

"Good!" Bowser grinned, his arm teeth shining. His frin faded the moment his eyes landed on King Boo. He had no idea what the ghost wanted. There was a time King Boo made sense, but after he started going after… Luzio? Louis? Whatever the hell his name was—Mario’s damn sidekick! Ever since King Boo had become obsessed with Mario's sidekick, Bowser didn't know what to expect from the King of Boos. "What do you want?"

"OooOooOoooooh! Thaaaat’s easssy! I waaaant Luigi!" King Boo answered, his eyes darking. "I waaaant to have him at my meeercy! I want toooo trap him in a painting soooooo I can hang it in my throne roooooom! I want too seeee Luigi's face twisted in feaaar! I want toooo see the hoooooror in his eyes! I want thaaat delious fear froooozen in time for all eternity!"

Chills ran down Bowser's spine. King Boo's voice was slow and hypnotic, but the depravity in it… Bowser didn't know what the younger Mario brother did to King Boo, but he wouldn't want to be Greenie.

Bowser gulped. "Uh… Yeah, we have a deal. Once Mario is taken care of and the Mushroom Kingdom is mine, I won't require the other brother."

"Then you goooot yourself a deaaal!" King Boo said with a wicked smile. The ghost's eyes weren’t there, they were far away into the future. Probably thinking of that poor plumber's fate.

Bowser lowered himself into his seat and snapped his fingers. Kamek, who had been watching from the corner, probably delighting in Bowser's struggle, waved his wand. All of Bowser's written plans appeared on the table in front of him. "Let's go over this. I have a wicked plan to take over the Mushroom Kingdom once and for all! I'll do my regular kidnapping of Princess Peach and Mario will run after her like always. However, when he gets to my castle, he'll be ambushed by King Goomba, King Boo, and King Wart! Meanwhile, King Bob-omb’s army and mine will invade the Mushroom K—"

King Boo appeared in front of King Bob-omb, shrinking in his face. King Bob-omb flinched and he was so startled, his fuse went off.

"Everyone! Take cover!" Kamek shouted.

Bowser and King Goomba took cover under the stone table. King Boo was still laughing like a maniac and Bowser slammed his eyes shut, waiting for the bang. When the bang never came and King Boo's laughter finally died down, Bowser peeked open one eye. His room and King Goomba were still intact. He slowly came out from hiding and when he pulled himself up, the room was filled with bubbles and a defused King Bob-omb.

"Not so useless, am I?" King Wart asked, looking smug.

The pressure in Bowser's head was so bad, it felt like it would split his skull in two. "How about we just adjourn this meeting? I'll make sure everyone knows their roles via message…" 

Chapter Text

Bowser saw the kings and their troops off to the castle gates. With the exception of King Wart, who had neither troops nor a kingdom to return to. So Bowser was letting him stay in a guest room, in the wing far from his room. When Bowser watched Mario's dream through Kamek's crystal ball, he had been excited. The frog looked fierce and intimidating. Now seeing King Wart in reality, Bowser was tempted to throw him back into Mario's dreams. He just hoped the slimy green freak would prove useful in some way. The only King, besides King Wart Bowser didn't bid farewell to was King Boo. The ghost had vanished into thin air. Bowser assumed King Boo had left with all his Boos to whatever dimension ghosts came from.

When the gates closed, Bowser sighed. He had forgotten just how incompetent his fellow kings were. Putting them all in the same room had been a horrible idea. Now he had a pounding headache, and the only cure was a long soak in a scalding hot lava bath. 

"You!" Bowser growled, pointing at one of his thousands of Koopas.

The Kooper jumped before trying to regain his composure. "Y-yes, your Highness?"

"Have someone prepare me a lava bath. And make sure it’s scorching!"

"Yes, your Highness." The Kooper turned to leave.

"Also, have the kitchen prepare me something I can really sink my teeth into! A nice piece of meat!" After the day Bowser had, no one could judge him for stress eating. "And a bottle of spiced rum!"

"Yes, your Highness!" With that, the Kooper scurried away. 

Bowser trudged back toward the castle, tail swishing behind him. For once, he wasn’t in a hurry. Bowser decided he would worry about the details of the plans later… This evening, he deserved to relax.

Bowser walked through the halls of his castle, ignoring the guards and servants as they hurried to wherever they were going. As Bowser turned the hall, the guards that were gathered together, lazily chatting away, broke apart. Their shells hit the wall, and they stood tall as Bowser passed them. As he passed, he heard one of them giggle. Bowser quickly turned and glared at them, but the Koopas were still in the same position as they were when he passed.

"Who laughed at me?" Bowser growled.

"S-sire?" The Koopa closest to him asked.

"I heard someone giggle, who was it?" Bowser asked, his tone low and threatening.

The Koopa guards looked at each other, confusion and fear in their eyes. It was the guard in the center who was brave enough to speak up. "Sire, we heard giggling, but it didn't come from us."

Bowser's eyes narrowed. "Then who did it come from?"

"I-I don't know…" The Koopa replied.

"Do you see anyone else?" Bowser asked, and now all three Koopas were shaking in their shells.

"N-no one…" The Koopa answered, his voice trembling just as much as his body.

"Then it had to be one of you!" Bowser snapped. "Who laughed at me?!"

The Koopas' fingers pointed at the same time, but they landed on someone different. The last Koopa pointed at the middle one, the middle one was pointing at the Koopas on either side of him, and the first Koopa was pointing at the middle one. Those cowards were just pointing at who was closest.

"Fine…" Bowser gritted out. "If no one wants to speak up, then you can all clean the dungeon floors with a toothbrush! NOW!"

Smoke barreled from his nostrils, and the Koopas scrambled like the soft shells they were. Bowser smirked as he watched them run around the corner. He guaranteed they wouldn’t think they're so funny now when they spend hours cleaning those filthy floors. Feeling somewhat satisfied, Bowser turned back around and headed for the lava bath.

As he walked, something caught his eye and made him stop in his tracks. He turned his head, and the painting of him and Jr. was crooked, but he was sure it had been straight just a moment ago. Movement made Bowser's eyes move from the painting. The statue of his face was missing a torch, until he looked up and saw it hovering in the air. Bowser blinked and everything snapped back to normal. 

Bowser sighed and ran his hand over his face. "That meeting really took it out of me…"

He really needed to relax; that lava bath was looking better and better by the second. Bowser turned down a few more halls before he finally reached the doors to the bath. The Koopa better have it nice and hot for him, or he would torch the turtle into ashes. Bowser opened the bathroom doors, and his mouth fell open. His eyes widened as he watched his Koopa kicking his feet in the air.

"S-sire! I don't know what's happening!" The Koopa cried.

Bowser rushed out of the bathroom, and as he ran down the halls, he saw them, everywhere. Boos laughing as a statue of him wiggled. Paintings off the walls and floating in the air. Bowser had to duck as Boos whipped past him. Their laughter filled the air. Bowser rushed to his throne room and chaos greeted him. Boos were chasing his Koopas, the ones that were caught were panicking as Boos lifted them in the air. Boos were flying circles, making his chandelier spin out of control. Those phantom pests were on his throne!

Bowser's hands clenched into fists, his jaw tightening until he thought his teeth would shatter, and red filled his vision. "KAMEK!!!"

His booming voice rattled off the stone walls of his castle. He wasn't sure where Kamek was, but he wasn't surprised when a poof of blue smoke appeared in front of him.

"Your Fire-breathing Highness! I see your royal temper is as hot as ever." Kamek bowed, too exaggerated for Bowser's liking. The Magikoopa looked around the chaos unfolding in the castle and hummed. "Seems like your palace has been overrun by Boos."

"You think I can't see that?!" Bowser snapped. "Get ahold of King Boo, NOW!"

"As you wish, your Grumpiness." Kamek answered, not bothering to hide his smirk. Bowser's upper lip twitched.

Kamek waved his scepter, and a purple mist swirled around like it had a mind of its own. The smoke was mesmerizing, it swayed as it formed a long rectangle. As it solidified, it became a two-way mirror right before Bowser’s eyes.

King Boo looked startled and good! He should! Bowser wasn't hiding his rage one bit! "King KooOoopa! What a surprise!"

"Cut the crap!" Bowser roared into the mystical barrier. "You left your Boos behind! Call them back!"

"OooOooh! They muuuust liiike it there!" King Boo replied with a cheeky smile, and Bowser felt his blood boiling.

"I don't care if they like it here! They need to return to your kingdom!" Boswer snapped, but King Boo only laughed.

"But yooour castle has that dark hauuunting charm to it. I think my boooOooos reeeally add to the aesthetic."

Bowser's brows drew together, smoke curling from his nostrils, and he bared his teeth. "Let's not forget we had a deal! I'm handing that green plumber over to you! You need me!"

Bowser's rage hit the boiling point when King Boo laughed at him. A big, deep belly laugh! "Ooooooooh, no, no, noooooo , King Koooooopa! Don't get it twiiisted! Yoooou need my help taking down Marioooooo!"

"I don't need your help!" Bowser roared. "I can do this with the other kings! I'll cut you out of the deal and you'll never get Loui!"

King Boo cocked a brow. "OooOooh really? How many times have youuu captured Mariooooo?"

"I—"

"I bested him twiiiice! Had a looooovely Mario painnnting, twice!" King Boo smirked.

"I trapped Mario twice too!" Bowser retorted but King Boo just rolled his eyes.

"And hooooow long did that laaaaaast?" The ghost asked and Bowser snarled. "I had him foooor a while before that trooooublesome Luigi ruined everything! Faaaace it! Yooooou need meee! I think my Booooos are fine just where they areeee."

Bowser roared, throwing his fist into the two-way mirror. His hand went through, breaking the connection he had into a poof of purple smoke that quickly evaporated.

"Really, your Hot Temperiness? Was that necessary?" Kamek scolded him like a hatchling.

"Look around you!" Bowser roared, gesturing at the disaster unfolding in his castle. A Koopa flew past them, begging for help. "I will find a way to get my hands on that blabbering, second-rate spook and tear him apart! I don't care how long it takes me! I don't care how far I have to travel for the spell! I will end him!"

"Maybe you should focus on Mario and the Mushroom Kingdom first, your Eagerness." Kamek replied, and he was right, but Bowser wanted blood now!

"Do something! Get rid of them!" Bowser demanded.

"As you wish, your Hulking Hystericness."

Kamek raised his scepter in the air, and soon, this nightmare of an evening would come to an end. Kamek opened his mouth, but before he could utter one word, a Boo swooped down, grabbing Kamek's scepter, and flew into the wall where it disappeared.

Kamek's mouth flew open, but only gasps and strangled sounds came out. Bowser felt his eye twitching. How could this evening get any worse? Never ever would he invite that bedsheet back to his castle.

"That slobbering white puff stole my scepter!" Kamek cried, finally snapping out of the shock.

"What are you waiting for?!" Bowser snapped and pointed at the wall the Boo flew through. "Go get it!"

Kamek gripped his broom tightly before rushing out of the throne room. Around Bowser, Koopas were running for their lives, Koopas struggling in the air, and Boos floating all of Bowser's statues before dropping them to the ground. Bowser closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I'm the powerful King Koopa, I don't need King Boo or Kamek! I can do this all on my own!" Bowser grumbled.

"Watch out!" A Koopa cried.

Bowser looked up just in time to see his chandelier plummeting toward him. He had just enough time to jump out of the way before it came crashing down onto the floor. The stone floor cracked and dented under its weight and pieces of his chandelier went flying in every direction.

Smoke poured from his nostrils and hissed through his clenched jaw. "I HATE BOOS!!!" 

Chapter Text

Kamek had been flying around the castle, chasing down the Boo who stole his scepter, but Hocus Dorkus hadn't had any luck. His Koopas had been just as useless. Bowser had the most terrifying army in the land and they get bested by a bunch of Boos… Their Bullet Bills couldn't pierce those spooks. The flying Koopas' spears would go right through the suckers. The Boos would laugh as they vanished in the air.

It had been three days of hell before Bowser finally lost it and snapped. If he wanted something done, he would have to do it himself. Bowser was mighty and quick, and he could blast those Boos away before they vanished. He released terrifying, powerful fire, but somehow he missed! His blast hit his statues, his drapery, and his paintings. All the while, those floating snowballs laughed at him!

Bowser's rage grew and grew until he was running around his castle, blindly breathing fire on any Boo he saw. Bowser Jr. followed him, stomping his feet and demanding the Boos to go away or else! Then he would let out his tiny puff of a fireball. Wendy rolled her eyes and told them she had it under control. She tried to chase the Boos away with her candy rings, but just like all their attacks, the Boos were unfazed.

Roy tried punching them, but all he did was hit the air while screaming it wasn't fair. Morton tried to scare them, roaring at them, baring his teeth, and stomping his feet. Bowser's son was just as enraged when all the Boos did was laugh at him.

Lugwig and Iggy both thought they could be the ones to clean up this mess—Lugwig with the power of magic and Iggy with the power of science. Lugwig tried to cast a banishment spell, but somehow summoned more Boos to Bowser's castle. Iggy tried to make a recipe for what he called Boo Spray, trying to copy the Mushroom Kingdom’s Boo Repellent. However, he ended up exploding his lab. Lugwig and Iggy, with a face full of smoke, said they could do it if they had more time, but Bowser put his foot down. The last thing he needed was Ludwig to bring more of those ghostly pests into his castle or Iggy to accidentally kill himself.

Larry tried to simply demand the Boos to leave and growled when they just laughed at him and flew away. Then Lemmy… Well, Lemmy was having fun, balancing on his ball as the Boos let him juggle them.

Bowser looked around his castle, still infested with Boos, and left in ruins. They were getting nowhere. He er ran his hand over his face. "Okay… Okay… The sooner I take over the Mushroom Kingdom and hand that green plumber to King Boo, the sooner he'll take his Boos back."

That was it! Once Bowser had that whimpy green noodle boy in his claws, he'd have King Boo where he wanted him. That slobbering freak wouldn't get what he wanted the most unless he called back his Boos. All Bowser had to do was just wait it out.

How hard could that be?

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Bowser could get work done with Boos flying wild in his castle, but he didn't want his kids to deal with the mess. So, he entrusted his eldest, Ludwig, to take all the kids away from it all. Isle Delfino seemed like the best place, lots of things for the kids to do and best of all, the villagers were weak! His children would be safe there while the Boos ran haovc here.

Knowing his kids were on their way to fun, Bowser could focus on finalizing his plans. Or he should be able to, but his war room was filled with cackling Boos. Hard to concentrate with all that noise and Boos kept stealing his quill pens. They even tried to snatch up his plans, but Bowser had them pinned down under his elbow.

The pressure behind Bowser's eyes kept building, and when Kamek flew in, he had hoped the Magikoopa had finally found his scepter. That all this could be over, but that hope quickly vanished when he saw the scowl on Kamek's face. The pressure tripled, and Bowser thought his eyes might pop out of his skull.

"Really?" Bowser grumbled. "How hard could it be to find a scepter?!"

"Boos are mischievous and tricky, your Impatientness." Kamek retorted. "I'm going to fly to Fawful. I’ll ask him for his help. It'll be the quickest way to get rid of these pests."

"Fawful? Really?" Bowser raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think he'll help?"

"He's a fellow wizard! He'll help his own kind!" Kamek answered, sounding far too sure of himself.

"He'll laugh in your face, that's what he'll do!" Bowser snapped, slapping his claw down on King Bob-omb's plans just as a Boo swooped in to snatch it. The paper ripped and the Boo flew off with a corner of it. Bowser groaned and shook his head. "It'll be quicker if you stay here and continue to look for your scepter!"

"I disagree, your Snappiness! I'll just be wandering around like a blind gizzard looking for my scepter. It makes more sense to try to ask Fawful for his help." Kamek argued and it was something about the Magikoopa's tone that made Bowser narrow his eyes. Kamek never self-deprecated, ever. 

"You don't believe Fawful will help…" Bowser's eyebrows shot up when realization hit him. "You're leaving me to deal with the Boos alone!"

"Well, I should get going! Good luck with the Boos, your Stubbornness!"

"Kamek! Don't you dare—" Bowser growled, but Kamek flew away in the blink of an eye. 

Bowser dropped his head onto the table, banging it a few times while Boos shouted in his ear. He had to get his invasion rolling or he would lose his mind.

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Bowser hadn't had a good night's rest since the council meeting, and he knew tonight wouldn't be any better. Bowser counting the Boos in his bedroom, but they kept disappearing and reapearing. Five Boos, ten Boos, seven Boos, twelve Boos. Bowser gave up on counting and closed his eyes to sleep, but they were loud. They wouldn't stop laughing. His jaw clenched as he grabbed either edge of his pillow and clapped it to his head. It was no use, the Boos' laughter cut right through the fabric of his pillow.

"Just think of it as sleep sounds…" Bowser grumbled to himself. He tried to relax his pounding heart, tried to let go of the anger that was slowly building up. He even tried to find a rhyme in the laughing.

Haa haa ha!

                  Haa haa ha!

Haa haa ha!

                   Haa haa ha!

Huh… Okay, this isn't too bad. It was actually kind of pleasant. The Boos cackling added a nice haunting to the environment, like a twisted lullaby that Bowser could get behind. He felt his eyes grow heavy, and just as sleep tugged at him, a Boo flew from the foot of his bed. Swooshing over his face while chortling. Bowser's eye snapped open and the same Boo, or another one, (they all looked the same to him) flew from the foot of his bed, so fast over his face he could feel a gust of wind.

They did it again, and again, and again. Bowser growled, sat up, and threw his pillow at it when it reappeared at the foot of his bed. The Boo laughed as it vanished. The pillow hit the wall, bounced off it, and landed on the floor. Bowser snorted smoke before falling backwards and watched the Boos drift lazily over it. 

Bowser closed his eyes and sighed. "Can't rush this plan… Can't run into it just to get these chuckling snowballs out of my castle. It will be worth it… It will be worth it…

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"Sire! Your bath is ready!" The Koopa said, standing tall, saluting Bowser.

Bowser slouched on his ruined throne, his cheek resting in his claw. He had been debating whether to visit King Bob-omb just to get out of this castle for a bit. It wouldn't be an unproductive visit, they could discuss King Bob-omb's role in invading the Mushroom Kingdom. But the thought of what he'd come back to—his castle in ruins, his troops scattered, made his stomach churn.

Bowser needed to think, and he did his best thinking in water. He stomped to his bathroom, where the water was already prepared. The water in the round stone tub boiled, just the way he liked it. Bowser sighed as he lowered himself in. The heat felt wonderful on his shell and scales. The water wavered, making his rubber ducky bob up in down like it was caught in a raging sea.

Bowser closed his eyes and leaned back, arms draped over the edge of the tub. He kicked his feet a little, loving the way the hot water rushed between his toes. For the first time in days, Bowser finally felt relaxed. His head wasn't pounding, his mind wasn't reeling, and at last, he could think straight.

Bowser picked up his bar of soap while he thought things over. He had the most fearsome army in all the land. Surely his Koopas could keep the Boos from burning the place down to the ground while he was gone. Besides, they had King Wart, wherever he was, to help them. King Wart might not have been what Bowser was expecting, but… He was still a king! Bowser would have the Koopas enlist his help while he was away. The bubble-breather couldn't be that far, he was staying in the castle.

It was important for Bowser to find a way to speak to King Bob-omb. He was the most important key. With Bowser's and King Bob-omb's armies, they would be unstoppable! Especially with Mario out of the way! It was decided. Tomorrow, he would set out for the Bomb Kingdom and—

Bowser's thoughts came to a screeching halt when something in the water caught his eye. Near his feet, bubbles were rising to the surface.

"What the—" The water swelled, then it broke, and Bowser found himself staring into the eyes of a Boo as it slowly floated up. Grinning wide and laughing. "GET OUT!" Bowser roared, his fists clenching. He slammed them into the water, sending waves crashing over the sides of the tub. "Get out! Get out! Get out! Get OUUUUUUUUT!"

The Boo laughed as it zipped into the wall, disappearing at of sight. Leaving Bowser with his chest heaving and his jaw clenched so tight it felt like his teeth felt like they would shatter.

👻👻👻

Bowser sat at the dining table and waited for his meal to be served. Usually, mealtimes were a loud occasion. His children trying to talk over each other or actively trying to kill one another. With them away at Isle Delfino, everything was too quiet (the Boos hovering around didn't count), and the table felt too big.

Someone was messing, someone, Bowser hadn’t even noticed when all his kids were still here. 

Bowser looked around, but besides him and the Boos, there was no one else. "Where is King Wart?"

The question quickly faded from his mind when the doors opened and a Koopa in an apron rushed in. The Koopa carried a plate with a big rack of ribs that made Bowser's mouth water. He could hardly wait to sink his teeth into the meat. His stomach rumbled in anticipation.

"Enjoy, your high—" The Koopa began, just as he started to set the plate in front of Bowser when a Boo swooped in.

It cackled as it snatched Bowser’s dinner and soared high into the corner of the room. It turned around, still holding his plate, and stuck its tongue out at the Koopa King.

 Smoke barreled out of Bowser's nostrils and mouth. His hands balled into fists, nails digging into his palms hard enough to crack scales. He growled, his entire body trembling, then slammed his fists onto the stone table so hard it shook. He slammed them down onto the table so hard, it shook despite being made out of stone. The Koopa next to him yelped and jumped back.

"That's it!" Bowser roared. "I'm sick of these Boos! Get me that Leo! Lucio! Louie! Or whatever the hell his name is! I need that Mario reject!" 

Chapter Text

The wind blew through Bowser's mane as he and his army made their way toward the Mushroom Kingdom. There was no doubt the kingdom had already been alerted to his presence. His Doomship made itself known long before it could be seen. His army barely contained their excitement, eager for battle. The Toads were probably scrambling now, fleeing with what little they could carry while Mario prepared himself to face the powerful King Koopa.

 Exactly what Bowser wanted.

Once his Doomship passed over the gates, Bowser turned to his Shy Guys. Two groups waited for his signal. Bowser gave the command, and the first group, consisting of three Shy Guys, took flight. The citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom would be too panicked to notice a few of his minions flying through town.

As the Doomship approached the castle, it slowed. Peach, Mario, and his brother were waiting for him on the balcony. Peach glared; Mario stood tall, ready for the fight. The whimpy brother cowered behind them, shaking like a leaf. The Doomship came to a halt, its presence crumbling part of the balcony railing beneath it. Mario and Peach stood their ground, but the shivering coward fell to his butt. How greenie bested King Boo more than once, Bowser would never understand. How was he supposed to help? 

Not that it mattered, Bowser didn’t have a choice now. 

"Bowser!" Peach called out, her voice strong, like a true leader. "Give it up! You never win!"

Mario slammed his fist into his gloved hand. "Turn back now before I throw you out by your tail."

Those predictable fools, they were going to make this too easy. The Koopa King jumped off his ship, and Mario and Peach stepped back as the sidekick scrambled against the wall. The ground shook beneath Bowser's feet as he landed, grinning wide to show off his sharp teeth. 

"You're outmatched, plumber boy!" Bowser gestured to his ship, where his Koopa army waited. "You don't stand a chance! Just hand over the princess and we'll be on our way!"

"Lu! Take Peach and get somewhere safe! I'll handle this giant turtle." Mario said, his voice full of bravado as he stepped forward. 

"M-M-Mario!!! You can't take on a whole army!" His brother, Lu, shouted. His voice was weak and pathetic.

"Go!" Mario barked. 

Bowser watched as Lu grabbed the princess's hand and ran into the castle. Everything was unfolding just as he hoped. He raised his arm and formed his hand into a fist. His flying Koopas launched from the ship, circling around them, creating a barrier between him and Mario. His Shy Guys would do the rest while Bowser dealt with this pipsqueak.

Mario ran towards him, fist ready to strike, but Bowser found it all too predictable. Same song and dance, but he never got tired of smashing his fist into Mario’s face. Mario leaped and Bowser stepped aside, missing the blow. He wanted to laugh as he watched Mario bash his face into the doomship. However, the plumber corrected himself just in time. Mario flattened his hand and stuck out his leg, easily jumping off the ship.

Bowser didn't give the plumber a moment to regain his footing. The second Mario's feet were on the ground, Bowser blasted fire at him. Mario barely had time to jump out of the way, but he didn't let up. The King Koopa chased the small fry, fire pouring from his mouth. Mario ran, the fire nipping at his heels, until Bowser had to take a breath.

The second the flames were gone, Mario turned and rushed at Bowser. He didn't have time to react before a glove fist connected with his jaw. Bowser's head jerked back, and he growled. Mario tried to jump back, but he didn't have time. Bowser backhanded the squishy human, sending him flying back. He smirked when Mario hit the wall of the castle as his Koopas scattered to get out of the way.

Mario groaned as he pushed himself back to his feet and Bowser let out a booming laugh. "Want to quit while you're ahead?!"

"Never!" Mario spat, rubbing his sore arm. "I won't let you take the princess!"

Bowser smirked and gestured for Mario to bring it on. The plumber's upper lip snarled up and Mario ran towards him. Bowser waited for Mario to get just close enough before swirling on his feet. His tail swooshed, whipping Mario and knocking him off his feet. The short stack landed hard on his back.

Bowser lifted his foot, ready to bring it down onto Mario. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, his heart pounded, and his muscles tensed. If he could finish Mario now, he wouldn't have to worry about his plan at all! He could swarm the Mushroom Kingdom! It wouldn't stand a chance!

An explosion in the air had Bowser looking up to the sky. Fireworks exploded into the shape of his face, looming over the Mushroom Kingdom. The Shy Guys had done it! The first phase of Bowser's plan was completed!

With Bowser distracted, Mario rolled out from under his foot. He didn't notice until his eye caught the movement. Bowser roared and slammed down his foot, the pavement crumbled as shockwaves echoed, but Mario jumped. His foot shot out, connecting with Bowser's shoulder.

Bowser stumbled slightly to the side. He snapped his head towards Mario, snarling— only to find the red-hatted freak already striking again. Mario's fist bashed into Bowser's upper cheek and had the Koopa King stumbling more. Mario went for another blow, but Bowser was prepared this time. He lifted his hand and caught Mario's fist.

Bowser reveled in the fear flashing across Mario’s face before lifting him into the air. His grip tightened around the plumber’s fist, and then he slammed him onto the ground with a sickening thud. Mario groaned, blood trickled down his forehead, and it was a lovely sight.

Bowser hauled Mario up again, swung him, and smashed him into the ground on his right. A guttural scream tore from Mario's chest. His free hand batted at Bowser’s unyielding grip, but it was like trying to punch through a fortress wall. 

"Maybe you should be more like your brother, Mario. He knows when to run!" Bowser chuckled, glancing. The other Shy Guys hadn't completed their task yet, he needed to stall a little more. "I'll tell you what, I'm feeling kind of sorry for ya." He released Mario's fist and the flesh bag scrambled away, but not too far. Mario struggled to his feet, his brows furrowed, his mouth twisted to a scowl. Bowser spread his arms and smirked at the battered hero. "Give me your best shot! No tricks!"

Mario eyed him warily, but Bowser just cocked a brow, waiting. It didn't take much for Mario to react, it never did. The guy never knew when to quit. A scream ripped out of Mario as he charged, fist raised. Browser braced for the punch, expecting a hit to the jaw, but the blow landed square on his snout. 

Pain jolted through his face and Bowser staggered backwards. His glare sharpened, only to see Mario smirking! He roared and breathed fire. Mario's grin vanished in a flash. The sewer rat jumped out of dodge and ran.

Bowser kept the flames going a few more seconds, then cut them off, sooner than Mario expected. Overalls kept running, giving Bowser the opening he needed. He lunged, claws swinging, hoping to rip into Mario. The tiny man turned and saw Bowser barreling toward him. No time to leap—Bowser had him! Except Mario dropped into a slide and before Bowser could react—the pest zipped beneath him and grabbed his tail. 

Bowser let out a surprised growl as he toppled forward. His skull rattled when his jaw hit the stone beneath him. Mario seized the moment, gripping his tail tighter, and began to spin. 

Bowser thrashed, but it was useless. As Mario picked up his pace, the world blurred. His stomach flipped, and bile crawled its way up to his throat. He didn't feel Mario let go, he just saw his Doomship rushing at him and CRACK! Pain exploded through him as he slammed into it. The wood splintered under his weight and the steel beneath it bent before Bowser fell backwards, landing on his shell.

He groaned, blinking as the world slowly stopped spinning. When the double vision faded, he looked up to see Mario standing above him. The plumber looked too proud of himself as he looked down at him.

"Ready to give up and leave with your tail between your legs?" The cocky bastard asked.

Bowser snarled, a snide comeback on the tip of his tongue, but the words never left his mouth. Two mighty booms in the air caught both of their attention. Mario looked up the same time Bowser did. Two fireworks in the shape of his face lit the sky. The final signal, Bowser's plan has been a success!

"You win!" Bowser shouted and Mario's eyes grew wide, his mouth dropping open. Bowser rolled himself to his side and pushed himself onto his feet. "I'm no match for you! I'll take my leave."

"What—" Mario started to speak, confused, but Bowser didn’t give him the chance. He leaped onto his Doomship. At once, his Koopa broke formation and followed. The ship lurched, pulling away from the castle. Below, Mario stared up, still processing what had happened. 

Browser grinned as the image of the confused plumber grew smaller. He laughed, he felt alive, victorious! 

Let the Mushroom Kingdom think they won. While they had their short celebration, Bowser could kick back and relax. Knowing soon, his Boo problem days would be behind him.

👻👻👻

Mario scratched his head as he watched Bowser's ship disappear into the horizon. He’d gone head to head with Bowser more times than he could count, and the giant turtle never gave up so easily… But… He did it! He protected Peach and the Mushroom Kingdom!

A huge smile broke out across his face as he turned and ran into the castle.

He had prevented Peach's kidnapping!

Mario couldn't wait to tell his friend it was over already! He ran down the halls, trying to guess where Luigi would’ve taken the princess, when he spotted her running towards him. Her face was filled with fear, but soon, Mario would bring her ease.

"Peach!" Mario called out, hoping the excitement in his voice would say it all. 

"Mario!" Peach shouted, but there was something off with her voice and she still looked panicked.

They stopped when they reached each other. Mario threw his arms into the air, grinning wide. "It's over! I beat Bowser! He left!"

"They took Luigi!" Peach blurted and Mario's smile vanished.

His brows furrowed together. "W-what? What do you mean they took Luigi?"

"Shy Guys ambushed us!" Peach gasped, breathless. "We thought they were after me! We tried to fight them off, but there were too many! Instead of taking me… They took Luigi!"

Mario's breath caught in his throat, his heart sank, and his stomach twisted in knots. He replayed her words over and over again, but they didn’t make sense.

"No…" Mario shook his head. It had to be some kind of mistake! Maybe when the Shy Guys realized they grabbed the wrong person, they let Lu go? But, the somber look on Peach's face wouldn't let him create that reality. "B-but why? What would Bowser want with Lu—"

Then it hit him.

Bowser was never here for Peach! 

Bowser was here for revenge! 

He knew exactly where to strike! Bower took his brother to hurt him! 

Oh Luigi… He must be so scared…

"I'm going after him." Mario said, his voice low, shaking, barely containing his rage. His fists trembled at his sides. "I'm gonna get my brother back and make Bowser wish he had never hatched!"

Mario only hoped he could make it there before that monster laid a claw on his brother's hair. 

Chapter Text

The day started out peacefully. Luigi was the first one up. He stretched, let out a big yawn, and rolled out of bed. He started the coffee, knowing that by the time it finished brewing, Mario would be awake. 

While he waited, Luigi got to work on breakfast. 

He was in the mood for omelets and knew Mario would also be. His brother would eat just about anything Luigi cooked. For Mario, he filled it with tomatoes, basil, pepperoni, sausage, and bacon. Mario was a meat-lover through and through. Luigi even made sure to get it a little bit crisper, just the way his brother loved it.

His own omelet was simpler: spinach, mushrooms, and a bit of cheese. He whipped the eggs until they were light and fluffy, his mouth watering as he cooked. By the time he set their plates on the table, the coffee was ready. He poured two cups just as Mario shuffled into the kitchen, still half-asleep.

Mario’s face lit up. "Lu, this looks amazing! It smells amazing!" 

Luigi shrugged as he sat, though a shy smile crept onto his face. "Just little things I picked up from mom over the years."

"Don't sell yourself short! If it were up to me, I'd burn the kitchen down!" Mario took a bite out of his omelet, and his eyes rolled back. “Oooooh, Mamma Mia—this is delicious! ”

Luigi ducked his head, hiding a grin as he dug into his own omelet. He loved that Mario enjoyed his cooking. Making food for others always brought Luigi joy. Though, honestly, he figured Mario could cook, if he ever tried. 

Back in Brooklyn, their dad kept Mario busy, teaching him the tricks of the family business. Luigi always thought their dad taught Mario because he was the louder twin, more outspoken. Unlike Luigi, who had always been more bashful. The only reason Luigi could fix anything was because Mario taught him.

But the kitchen? That had always been Luigi’s space. He spent most of his childhood there with their mom. She tried to teach Mario to cook as well, but even back then, his brother was adventurous. Mario was always out, seeing what he could get into, while Luigi preferred to stay at home, learning all his mom's recipes. He liked it that way.

The brothers ate in comfortable silence. When they finished, they stacked their plates in the sink. Mario promised to wash them when they got back since Luigi had cooked. They dressed, grabbed their hats, and got ready for the day. Luigi slung their tool bag over his shoulder, one hand gripping the strap to ease the weight.

When they first landed in this strange land, Luigi hadn’t known what to expect. How they would fit in, but the Mushroom Kingdom found a place for them. When Mario wasn't rescuing Princess Peach and Luigi wasn’t trapped in a haunted mansion, trying to save the people he loved, they helped with small repairs around the kingdom.

It wasn't all plumbing, though their first tasks were going to a few Toads' homes. Fixing a leaky pipe, unclogging a sink, and adjusting water pressure. Their next job was repairing a wobbly bridge. While Luigi and Mario were on their knees, hammering the loose planks down, a Cheep Cheep suddenly jumped out of the water. It smacked right into Mario's head before bouncing back with a splash. 

Mario rubbed his head and grumbled. Luigi covered his mouth, trying not to laugh, but the giggles escaped anyway. Mario shot him a glare, which only made Luigi laugh harder.

Their final task for the day was repainting a sign for the restaurant, The Cozy Cap. It was a small job, one Luigi could handle on his own. He told Mario he could kick back and relax if he wanted to. Mario happily agreed and said he’d see Luigi that evening. 

Luigi liked painting, it relaxed him. The same way gardening did. This world could be wild, dangerous, and scary, but it was also beautiful. Moments like this, Luigi could appreciate just how magical their new home was.

As Luigi walked home after finishing up, he started thinking about dinner. With Mario, he could never go wrong with spaghetti and meatballs. Though they hadn't had risotto in a while. He could make that and toss in some of the herbs growing outside their house.

Then again, today has been peaceful. A light soup sounded just right. 

He could still use some of his fresh herbs and swing by the market for vegetables. He could also swing by the market and grab a few fresh vegetables. The market was lively, Toads bustling about, browsing the stalls. Even though Bowser's attacks were far in between, Luigi never took the quiet for granted. He never knew when the Koopa King might strike again, so he enjoyed every moment of peace he could get.

They already had garlic and tomatoes at home, so Luigi only picked up carrots, celery, and potatoes. He also bought a loaf of bread, he and Mario both loved to dunk it in their soup. When he had everything he needed, Luigi finally headed home, wondering if he should send Mario to the castle to invite Peach over for dinner. Maybe Toad… Mario's best friend Toad, could join them as well.

When Luigi got back, Mario was at the sink, washing the dishes as he’d promised. Polterpup jumped up with a happy wiggle, tail wagging as he sniffed the back of groceries. Luigi chuckled and made his way to the table to set everything down. 

 "Ooooh, what's for dinner?" Mario asked, still scrubbing away. 

"I'm going to make soup." Luigi answered, pulling the vegetables out of the bag. "If you want to invite Peach and Toad while I get it started, there'll be plenty for everyone."

"I think they'd like that." Mario said, finishing the last dish.

While Mario dried his hands, Luigi grabbed the big pot from the counter and started filling it with water. "What kind of meat do you think we should—"

Luigi jerked, nearly dropping the pot as the air split with an ear-shattering wail. His heart kicked against his ribs and next to him, Mario froze, towel still in hand. Luigi’s wide eyes locked with Mario’s. The easygoing spark was gone from his brother’s face. His brother's eyes held a grave expression, showing the gravity of what was happening.

A reality Luigi didn't want to accept, but had no choice when the screaming came. Shouts from the streets, doors slapping, footsteps pounding against the cobblestone.

Bowser was coming…

Mario wasted no time, he grabbed his gloves and ran out of the kitchen with Luigi scrambling to catch up behind him. Panic took over as Luigi’s legs caught up with his brain, his feet finally moving beneath him. The moment he stepped outside, it was total pandemonium. Toads rushed past in every direction, carrying whatever they could— some with bags of food and clothing, others carried children, all desperate to escape. The streets were a blur of frantic motion. Luigi tried to keep up with Mario, but he was falling a little behind as Toads darted out in front of him.

Toads darted in front of him, and with every step, Luigi fell farther behind. He glanced up at the sky, but it was still clear—nothing to explain the terror rippling through the town.

As they reached the town square, Toad guards were trying to shout over the chaos, trying to form some sort of order for an evacuation. Mario easily weaved through the mess, but Luigi kept bumping into them, running into one after another, their panicked faces blurring past him. All he knew was that Mario was getting farther and farther ahead. He tried to pick up speed, but found himself face-to-face with a merchant running with a crate of apples.

They both hit the ground with a thud. The panicked merchant scrambled to gather his apples, eyes wide and frantic. As much as Luigi wanted to get back up and catch up to Mario while he could, he couldn't let the Toad fend for himself. Luigi quickly got to his knees, grabbing apples and placing them in the crate as quickly as he could. Once the last apple was safely placed into the crate, the green Toad gave him a thankful nod. Luigi watched him lift the crate and run into the crowd.

Luigi sighed, Mario was probably miles ahead by now. He looked up to the sky and his stomach dropped. The sky had begun to darken—a mass of thick, swirling black clouds, creeping in like a storm. Luigi waited, frozen, unable to move. He couldn’t tear his eyes away, praying he wouldn’t see the tip of Bowser’s Doomship emerge from the swirling dark.

A hand grasped his wrist. Luigi flinched, instinctively pulling back, but when he looked up, it was Mario. His grip was firm, reassuring, anchoring.

“Come on, Lu!” Mario shouted, pulling him to his feet. “We need to go—now!”

Without waiting for a reply, Mario tugged him toward the castle, his hand never leaving Luigi’s wrist. Luigi's mind spun; none of it felt real. It never did when Bowser attacked. Even after all this time, Luigi wasn't sure he'd ever get used to this like Mario. His ears were still ringing from the continuous blaring alarms. His legs felt like they were on autopilot, only moving because of Mario. The streets were clearer the closer they got to the castle. Most of the Toad guards ran to town to help the citizens. A few stayed behind, ready to fight, even if they were shaking where they stood.

As Mario dragged Luigi up the stairs to the castle, he looked over his shoulder. There—just beyond the rooftops of homes and shops, pushing through the thick, curling clouds, was the Doomship. It loomed, inching closer, cutting through the sky like a blade. Luigi swore he heard a distant roar, but that couldn’t be. Not with the alarms still screaming in his ears.

It didn't matter, he knew Bowser and his army were on that ship and it sent a shiver down his spine. A sharp tug on his wrist yanked him back to the present. Before he could breathe, Mario was pulling him into the castle.

"Mario!" Peach's gasp rang through the halls. The princess was already waiting for them.

"Mario! Thank the stars!" Toadsworth cried, glued to Peach's side. "You have to keep the Princess safe!"

"I won't let Bowser get her, not this time." Mario swore, letting go of Luigi's wrist and walking closer to the Princess. Without Mario grounding him, Luigi stumbled. His legs turned to jelly, but he pushed forward, clinging to momentum. "Princess, stay near us for now. Just until we see what he does."

Peach nodded, then turned toward Toadsworth. "Go with the others. Find safety, I'll be alright with Mario and Luigi." Toadsworth didn't seem to like the idea, but he did as he was told. Luigi watched him rush out of the castle. "Let’s go to the balcony, if he’s planning something, we’ll see it from there.” 

Luigi stuck close to Peach and Mario as they ascended what felt like an endless flight of stairs. He didn’t want to see Bowser coming, but not watching the Doomship made his skin crawl. By the time they made it to the balcony, Luigi felt as if his heart would beat out of his chest. Peach and Mario came to a stop and Luigi froze behind them. His heart was caught in his throat as he watched the Doomship fly closer and closer to them. Dragging clouds behind it, blacker than any storm Luigi had ever seen.

The wooden Bowser face on the front of the ship was nearly as terrifying as the real one, maybe more. Its massive, gaping mouth and sharp wooden teeth were enough to make Luigi feel like it was coming to swallow them whole. Mario and Peach stood tall, fearless. Luigi couldn’t stop shaking. With the Doomship looming closer, he already felt small, but with Mario and Peach's bravery, he felt insignificant. His heart hammered, lodged somewhere between his ribs and his throat. As the Doomship approached closer, he swore the air around him thickened. It weighed on him, threatening to crush him.

The Doomship was getting closer and closer, until Luigi thought it might crash straight into the castle, taking them all down in an instant. The sheer size of it, the army of Koopas glaring from above—his mind spun in panic. For a moment, he thought his knees would give out and drop him right off the balcony.

Somehow, the ship slowed just enough to avoid obliterating the castle, but it still slammed into the balcony railing with a deafening boom. Luigi yelped, the impact sending him to his butt. Mario and Peach stood unmoved, their glares fixed upward at Bowser. Terror rooted Luigi in place. He didn’t want to look, but he had to. Slowly, he lifted his head and what he saw made his blood run cold. Bowser’s eyes locked onto his, like a predator scenting fear.

“Bowser!” Peach shouted. Her voice was sharp, steady, completely unfazed by the ship, the army, or the dragon standing before her. "Give it up! You never win!"

"Turn back now before I throw you out by your tail!" Mario snapped, as if he wasn't staring down a foe ten times bigger than him, who had an army with him!

Bowser jumped from his ship and landed on the balcony with a powerful boom. It shook so hard, Luigi feared it would break off from the castle, and send them falling to the ground. Bowser revealed his sharp teeth—teeth that wanted to rip into their flesh and tear them to shreds.

“You’re outmatched, plumber boy!” Bowser snarled, gesturing to the army above. “You don’t stand a chance. Hand over the princess, and we’ll be on our way!”

"Lu! Take Peach and get somewhere safe! I'll handle this giant turtle." Mario said, but Luigi couldn’t even process the words.

"M-M-Mario!!! You can't take on a whole army!" Luigi’s voice cracked, the panic rising in his chest. He knew Mario was strong, that his brother was brave, but he wasn’t invincible. And right now, the odds were impossible.

"Go!" Mario shouted. Luigi shoved himself to his feet, adrenaline surging through him.

Luigi grabbed Peach’s hand and ran, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. His neck burned until they were back inside the castle. Luigi didn’t like this. Not one bit. He should be out there, helping Mario face Bowser. At least they would both go down together. But, Peach was one of Mario's best friends, and his brother would stand a better chance against Bowser if he weren't worried about them.

"Where do we go?!" Luigi asked as they raced through the halls and down the stairs. He didn't know a safe place to take Peach. When was anything safe when Bowser was around?

"The basement!" Peach replied. "There's a secret tunnel there! It'll take us to safety!"

The sound of their footsteps echoed as they descended another flight of stairs. With every step, Luigi’s heart pounded harder. The air thickened, the silence broken only by their ragged breaths. 

They ran through corridors and down more stairs before making it to the throne room. Once they were there, Peach took charge. Gripping his hand tighter, she led them down the last flight of stairs, but when they rounded the corner, they came to a halt.

Six Shy Guys stood blocking the path, their masks blanked, void of any emotion. But the spears—and the fact that one of them held a robe, only deepened the dread curling in Luigi’s stomach.

A cold realization spread through Luigi like ice. This was a trap... Bowser had been the distraction, keeping Mario busy while his real plan unfolded. Bowser wanted them to split up! Wanted it to be easier to kidnap the princess.

Luigi’s pulse raced. He let go of Peach’s hand and gently pushed her behind him, forcing himself to stand tall. "Run! I'll fight them off!"

He tried to sound as brave as Mario, but the tremor in his voice betrayed him anyway. He could hear Peach's heels clinking on the floor. She took a few steps back, but she wasn't running. Luigi gulped. He didn't think he could take on all six, but he would try.

Luigi balled his hands into fists and brought them up. He didn't look as intimidating as Mario when his arms shook, but Luigi still put on a brave face. His heart raced as the Shy Guys rushed him, and it took every ounce of willpower not to run. Luigi swung at the first one, but three ran passed him. He gasped and turned around, ready to chase after them before they could get hold of Peach.

“No! Leave her a—!” Luigi gasped, his eyes wide. He spun, ready to chase them down, to protect Peach at all costs. But—

His breath caught in his throat. The three Shy Guys weren’t going for Peach—they were circling him , forming a tight perimeter, spears aimed squarely at his chest. The cold steel glinted in the dim light as they closed in.

Luigi’s heart stopped for a moment, panic surging through him. He turned, eyes wide, looking for any escape, but he was surrounded. Luigi’s thoughts stuttered like a jammed gear. Why weren’t they going after Peach? Why him?

Luigi's head spun and it only spun faster when the Shy Guy who was holding the rope was walking towards him. Then it clicked. Bowser was never after Peach. The Koopa King had come for him. But why? Luigi couldn't find a reason, but he was too terrified to try.

Luigi couldn't find a reason, he was too terrified to try to. Luigi gasped, taking a step back, but jumped forward when he was poked by the spare. There was nowhere to run, his body was shutting down from horror to try to fight back. All he could do was watch the Shy Guy walk closer with the rope.

"Leave him alone!" Peach shouted.

Luigi looked over his shoulder to see Peach smacking one of the Shy Guys away. It landed on the floor, but before she could shove away another one, the fallen Shy Guy took his spear and swung. The pole hit Peach in the midsection. Her eyes closed and she grunted in pain as she fell backwards onto the floor.

"Peach!" Luigi cried. His hand outstretched, his foot already pushing him forward, but he froze when the tips of the spears were thrust inches from his neck. His heart pounded so fast it hurt, but his eyes remained on Peach, who had her hand over her stomach. She looked up at him with wide, fearful eyes, and Luigi knew what he had to do. "F-fine! Take me! Just don't hurt her!"

"No!" Peach shouted. She tried to push herself up, but a Shy Guy pointed his spear at her. She kept still, but horror filled her eyes as she watched Luigi be tied up.

Luigi had been scared before; every time Bowser attacked, there was fear. But it was predictable . Bowser always wanted Peach. Nothing compared to the terror crawling through him now. The unknown was killing him. Luigi had no clue what Bowser wanted with him, but nothing good could come from this. Somewhere deep in his heart, Luigi knew he wasn’t going to see another sunset.

The Shy Guys dragged him out of the Castle and into the air, towards Bowser's ship. Luigi closed his eyes tightly until they were finally on stable ground… On the Doomship… As they led him down the dock, towards a door, two powerful booms filled the air. Luigi screamed and looked up towards the sky. The sky was lit with fireworks in the shape of Bowser's face. He watched a flicker in the air before it faded away.

They dragged him down three levels into the bowels of the Doomship. A cell door slammed shut behind him. The Shy Guys vanished, leaving him alone in the dark… Luigi gasped, trying to control his breathing so he didn't have a panic attack. He shuffled backwards until his back hit the corner. It wasn't even a minute later before he felt the ship taking off.

Ripped from his brother. 

From his ghost puppy. 

His friends.

His home.

Torn away from everything that ever made him feel safe.

Chapter Text

"Come on… Come on…" Luigi muttered, twisting his wrists in vain to loosen the knots.

Every time he twisted his arm just right to slip a hand free, the ropes only tightened. With a sigh, Luigi gave up and let the back of his head thump against the wooden wall of the cell. He wanted to give in, but Mario wouldn’t want that. Mario would want him to be brave. To find a way out. Maybe hide somewhere on the ship until it stopped, then make a run for it.

Luigi looked around. He was alone. Bowser hadn’t even bothered to assign a guard. That’s how little of a threat he thought Luigi was. The only other thing in the cell was a bucket for the bathroom. They hadn’t even given him a crummy cot to curl up on. That left only the bars. Luigi pushed himself up and walked over. He wrapped his hands around a single bar and shook it. Solid. Unmoving. Luigi shook it, but the iron bar was secure.

Luigi grimaced. He couldn’t give up—not yet. He rattled bar after bar, hoping one might budge. But one after the other held firm, and Luigi’s heart began to race. Desperate, he gripped tighter, shaking it with everything he had. Luigi gripped the last bar so tightly, his knuckles had to be turning white. He gritted his teeth, tugging and pushing—anything to make it move.

"Please… Please… Please…" Luigi whispered.

With his eyes squeezed shut, he gave the bar one last shove—then stumbled backward. He gasped for air, staring at the bar. Still there, still trapping him inside.

"No…"

He had to escape! He just had to! Luigi sat down and brought his wrist to his mouth. He sank his teeth into the rope and shook his head, but the fibers jabbed at his gums. Still, Luigi didn’t stop. He kept biting at the rope, rocking until he tipped onto his side. He looked at the ropes and his heart sank. He’d barely made a dent.

It was no use, Luigi wasn't like Mario. He wasn’t brave, wasn’t smart. He couldn’t get out of this mess. So he lay there, resigning himself to whatever Bowser had planned.

He closed his eyes and thought of Mario. Of their friends. He knew Peach was alright, for the first time, Bowser didn't want her. She would be okay, and hopefully, now that Bowser had left the Mushroom Kingdom, the Toads could take a deep breath. Luigi just hoped Mario was okay. He just had to be! Mario was strong and he had been in the face of more dangerous situations. Luigi hoped Bowser left Mario alone once the Koopa got what he wanted. But Polterpup? Would he understand Luigi hadn’t chosen to leave him?

A chuckle escaped Luigi's lips. He didn't mean for it to happen, but his mind drifted back to when they first arrived in this strange land. There had been a lot of terrifying moments, but there had been so many fun, magical times. This world had surprised him in so many ways, but he never expected to end up here. In Bowser’s cell.

Years ago…

Defeat hung heavy in the air as Mario pulled out the key and shoved it into the lock of their shared apartment. An apartment that reflected their current situation. It wasn't in the cozy neighborhood Luigi and Mario grew up in. It was on the side of town where trash littered the sidewalks, colorful graffiti swallowed up brick walls, and shouting could be heard through closed doors.

Their apartment was tiny, too tiny for two brothers in Luigi's opinion, but Mario saw it, and he had a bright smile on his face. Mario saw it as a place to finally branch out. To have their own space from their childhood home that still housed their grandfather, parents, uncle, and their cousin, his wife, and their newborn baby.

Luigi saw it as a shoebox—kitchen and living area crammed into one tiny space. A tiny bathroom and one bedroom with barely any space for two beds. However, Mario had a way where he could make anything sound exciting, make it sound like a good idea. At the time, even though Luigi had his reservations, he had been giddy about moving out and living on their own.

Back then, their business was doing alright, and Mario was sure things would pick up soon.

Now they were coming home after fixing one leaky sink and unclogging a pipe packed with mushed vegetables, courtesy of a picky six-year-old. Their bills were piling up, and the pressure of it was weighing on Luigi's soul.

"Well.." Mario said, closing the door behind them and kicking off his boots. "What would you like to eat for dinner?"

Luigi cringed; he wasn't sure what they had, but it definitely wasn’t much. He set his tool satchel behind the armchair and took a few steps to the kitchen. He opened up the fridge, eyeing the mayo and mustard, and the few strips of bacon they had left. Luigi opened the cabinets. Two cans of beans and a single can of mushroom soup stared back at him.

"How about bacon and beans?" Luigi asked.

"Sounds good to me!" Mario happily replied, falling backwards onto the couch and picking up the TV remote.

Luigi grabbed the can of beans and set it on the counter, right beside the ever-growing pile of bills. The white and yellow envelopes mocked him, and Luigi couldn’t help but feel like those pieces of paper could sense his rising heartbeat.

Luigi turned and looked at the photos of his family hanging on the wall. His mother stared back at him, a bright smile on her face, and her arms wrapped around them. A sense of warmth and comfort washed over Luigi. Back then, there was nothing to fear. He and Mario could work and come home to a home-cooked dinner. The only problem was if their mother put mushrooms in the food. That was fine with Luigi—Mario would just pick them off his plate and pass them over.

Now, Luigi was scared he wouldn’t be able to stretch their food supply long enough for them to catch up on bills. Luigi gulped as he turned and opened a drawer, his hands trembling as he reached for the can opener. He’d been wanting to ask Mario about his idea, but every time he thought about it, his stomach turned. Luigi needed to bring it up, they had to do something before they lost everything.

Luigi began opening the can as he took a deep breath. "M-Mario?"

"Yeah, Lu?" Mario asked from the couch, his eyes still glued to the TV.

"I, uh… I was t-thinking…" Luigi’s hands trembled as he turned the handle. "Do you… um… d-do you think maybe it’d be a good idea to move back home?"

Mario huffed out a laugh. "Why would we do that?"

Luigi released the can opener and gripped the counter. His heart pounded so fast, it felt like it might leap up his throat and out of his mouth. You can do this… You can do this… The worst he'll say is no… "Well… y-you know… we could l-live there and s-s-save up until business picks back up."

"We'll be fine! Don't worry, Lu!" Mario cheerfully told him.

Luigi’s eyes flicked to the stack of bills, and the pit in his stomach deepened. "B-but if we move back home then—"

"No." Mario's voice was stern, final. "I'm not crawling back home and proving to our dad we didn't have what it took."

Luigi lowered his head with a sigh. Their father was always the "tough love" kind of man. He didn't understand why they were struggling so much. When their dad was younger, he had no problem bringing money home. He didn't understand that times have changed. That Luigi and Mario were up against newer, bigger plumbing businesses.

"Okay…" Luigi softly said.

He didn’t know what they’d do, but he trusted Mario. As long as they stuck together, they’d be alright.

Luigi grabbed the pot, and as he poured in the beans, a loud THUNK startled him so badly his arm jerked mid-pour. Beans flew through the air, splattering across the counter and wall

He heard Mario gasp, followed by a shout. “Lu! Lu! Check this out!”

Luigi rushed to his brother, but he didn't have to wonder long what was out of place. On their coffee table was a block. A glowing block with swirling colors and a white question mark on it. Mario leaned in closer, his eyes wide with awe.

“M-Mario?” Luigi pointed at it with a trembling finger. “Where did that come from?”

“It just appeared!” Mario said excitedly, leaping from the couch to grab it.

"What do you mean it just appeared?!"

"I mean, one second, it wasn't there, and the next it was!"  Mario flipped the block over in his hands, studying every side.

"Well, what is it?!" Luigi asked, inching closer.

"How am I supposed to know? What do you think?" Mario handed it to him.

While Luigi wasn't too keen on the idea of touching a block that appeared out of nowhere, curiosity got the better of him. Luigi watched colors of blue, purple, yellow, red, and green move as if they had a mind of their own. It made Luigi think of a sea of rainbows. Colorful tides pulling back and forth. It was beautiful, Luigi would give it that, but how did those colors move?

It was solid, so it had to be powered by batteries. Luigi turned it in his hands, but he didn't see a panel where anyone could replace the batteries. There was nothing, it was smooth except for the question mark on it. Luigi tapped it, but it didn't feel like plastic, something that could be removed.

"Well?!" Mario impatiently asked. His brother was practically jumping up and down. "What is it?"

"A block?" Luigi answered because it was the only answer he had.

"But what does it do?"

"Look pretty?" Luigi replied with a question.

"Let me see it!" Mario said, already snatching the block out of Luigi's hand. "It has to do something!"

Luigi cringed when Mario started to shake the thing. They had no clue what this was! It could explode on them or something and here his brother was, shaking it like it was an eight ball! "M-maybe you shouldn't do that."

"Aw, what's the harm?" Mario asked, knocking on the block and making Luigi squirm.

"It's just that—we don't know what that thing is, Mario! It came out of nowhere!" Luigi shouted, waving his arms wildly.

"I just know it has to do—" Mario punched it and the block shattered like brittle glass. "Something…"

Luigi yelped, stumbling back as the light inside surged free. The swirl of colors shot upward, growing, spinning, breathing like a living thing. Panic seized Luigi’s chest. "What did you do?!"

"I… I don't know…" Mario stammered, backing away from the glowing mass.

Only, it didn't do any good. Luigi felt a force pulling him. He looked down at the sleeve of his shirt and saw it was being pulled towards the light. He let out a little shout when his feet started to slide.

"Crap! Hold on, Lu!" Mario shouted, diving for the couch and holding on for dear life.

Luigi tried to run to the couch too, but the second he lifted his foot, he was swept off his feet.A scream tore from his lungs as he flew into the light. And then—nothing made sense. He wasn’t falling. He wasn’t flying. He was just there , caught in a cyclone of color and light, spinning faster, pulling deeper.

Luigi's legs kicked, his arms flailed, but there was nothing he could do. He had never been this scared in his life. He had no idea what waited at the end—or if there was an end. All Luigi knew was that he’d just been sucked into a vortex, and worst of all, he might never see Mario again.

He flipped over and over as he fell, his cheeks puffed up to stop himself from vomiting.  The only thing that could make this worse was being trapped in this hell covered in his own vomit. Luigi swallowed the bile down, but his relief was short-lived. A bright white light appeared at the end of the tunnel, growing closer with every second.

Luigi shut his eyes, not wanting to find out what was at the end. Even though he didn’t want to be here anymore either. The light became unbearably bright. No matter how tightly he squeezed his eyes shut, it still bled through, turning the darkness behind his lids a burning red.

He swore his heart stopped when the light consumed him.

The air was knocked out of his lungs as he hit something solid. Pain shot through him when he bounced, only to slam back down, face first. Dirt and grass filled his mouth, forcing their way past his teeth. Luigi pushed himself up onto his knees and spat.

He rubbed his sore eyes, praying that whatever just happened was a nightmare he'd wake from soon. He blinked until his vision cleared. For a second, the world spun in a kaleidoscope of color, and he feared he was still in the vortex. But no, his hands touched the ground. He wasn’t falling anymore.

When the world finally settled, Luigi looked around, too shocked to process what he was seeing. He was surrounded by mushrooms… Mushrooms taller than him—taller than some buildings in Brooklyn.

A laugh escaped his mouth. Then another. Then another. Luigi laughed like he’d lost his mind, but he had never felt so relieved.

"I'm dreaming!" he shouted with glee.

This was all just a horrible dream and soon, he'd wake up. He’d be back in their apartment and everything would be okay. All Luigi had to do was cross his legs and wait for the dream to be over. He ignored the swirling vortex that didn’t seem interested in sucking him back and waited to wake up.

A shrieking scream had Luigi falling to his side. He turned, horrified, as the vortex let out a final howl. A flash of red shot out and bounced across the ground, crashing into the thick trunk of a giant mushroom.

It was only when it hit that Luigi realized who it was.

"Mario!" He cried, jumping to his feet and rushing to his brother.

Mario's head was on the ground, his legs in the air, and his brother looked dazed. Luigi grabbed his hand and helped him up. Mario blinked once and then a huge smile broke out across his face. Mario threw his arms around Luigi and squeezed him tightly. "Lu! You're okay!"

"Of course I'm okay!" Luigi assured, hugging Mario back. "This is all just some crazy dream!"

Mario pulled away from Luigi and frowned. "I don't think this is a dream, little bro."

"You're only older than by eleven minutes!" Luigi groaned. "And of course it's a dream! Look around you! There are mushrooms the size of buildings!" Luigi's hands flew everywhere as he gestured at the mushroom forest they were currently in. "None of this is real! How could it—Ow!" Luigi whined when Mario pinched him on the shoulder. "Why?! "

"It hurt, right?" Mario asked.

"Of course it hurt! You punched me!" Luigi shouted, the feeling of insanity creeping back in.

"This isn't a dream." Mario said, looking around them, with curiosity and awe filling his eyes.

"But—" If this wasn't a dream… Relief and anger filled Luigi at once. His hands flew towards Mario, grabbing him by the shoulder and shaking him. "Mario?! Tell me you got sucked in—that you didn't just jump into that portal—vortex—whatever it was!"

Mario gave him a lopsided smile. "I wasn't gonna leave you alone to fend for yourself."

A half laugh and sob escaped Luigi. "Are you crazy?! You didn't know what would happen if you jumped in! You could have died!"

Mario simply shrugged. "Then we would have died together."

"No!" Luigi cried. "That's—I— No! You stay safe and then go find help!"

"Who would help us? When do you ever see a portal that takes you to a mushroom forest?" Mario slipped out of Luigi's hold and took a step further into the forest. "Besides, it's alright. We're both okay!"

"Okay?! How can we be okay?!" Luigi asked, running behind Mario as his brother started to walk through the thick of the mushroom trees. "We don't know where we are! Wherever we are, it's not earth because there's nothing like this on earth!"

"Well, standing around isn't going to help us out. Let's just walk and—"

"Walk where?!" Luigi's high-pitched voice echoed through the forest.

"There has to be something more than just overgrown mushrooms." Mario said without looking back.

Luigi groaned and resigned himself to following Mario in this crazy place. They walked and walked, and all they saw were mushrooms. After what felt like half an hour, but was really only a couple of minutes, Luigi couldn't take it anymore. "How are we going to get back home?"

"I'm not sure…" Mario said, rounding the hundredth mushroom tree. "There has to be a way. Let's just see what we can find."

Luigi huffed. "Find what? More mush—" Luigi grunted, running into Mario's arm when his brother suddenly lifted it, preventing him from moving forward. "What—"

Luigi didn't have to wonder for long. He stared at the thing in front of them, but he didn't know what he was staring at. "Uh—M-M-Mario?"

"Yeah?" Mario asked, staring at the thing with huge eyes that was locked onto them.

"That mushroom has feet… And teeth.. And eyes!" Luigi blurted out.

"Yeaaaah… I see that." Mario replied, sounding just as bewildered as Luigi.

The brown mushroom creature's brows furrowed as it studied them. It seemed just as confused as they were. Luigi gulped. "D-do you think it's dangerous?"

Mario snorted. "It's a mushroom! How dangerous could it—"

Just then, the mushroom creature's brows pinched down, making it look angry. The next thing Luigi knew, the thing was charging at them! A shout ripped out of Luigi as he started to run. Something he thought Mario would do as well. But when he looked over his shoulder, his brother kicked the creature like it was a soccer ball. It went flying to the left, crashing into a mushroom tree, which shook, just a little bit. The creature, now on its side, looked dazed. A deep frown on its face as its eyes spun.

Mario turned to him, a proud smile plastered on his face. "Did you see that?!"

"Yes!" Luigi cried, grabbing Mario's shoulder and yanking him away from whatever that thing was. "Now let's go before it wakes up!"

The next ten minutes were spent with Mario bragging about his epic battle with the big-eyed mushroom thing. Luigi always knew his brother was adventurous, but this was too much. Luigi was still trying to wrap his head around the world they landed in. In his humble opinion, Mario should be freaking out as much as he was. Then again, maybe it was better if one of them had a cooler head. They needed one of them to get them out of this mess, but Luigi just hoped Mario didn't get himself killed in this weird world.

Weird world was an understatement. On their adventure, they came across spiders the size of their heads, red flowers that had eyes, and floating golden blocks with the same question marks. Everytime, Luigi had to convince Mario not to touch anything. 

"Don't touch that spider, Mario! It'll eat you alive!"

"Don't touch those flowers! It looks like they're on fire!"

"Don't touch that block! The last time you hit one with a question mark, we ended up here! Who knows where we'll land next?! What if it’s worse?!” 

Just when Luigi thought it couldn’t get any worse, they reached the edge of a cliff. Below them stretched a deep chasm, its floor covered in the caps of enormous mushrooms. There was no way across. Not that Luigi minded. Because it did get worse. 

In the distance, past the chasm, was a castle. A white castle with a red roof and flags blowing in the wind. Luigi wanted nothing to do with it. But Mario stood frozen, awe written all over his face.

"Luigi… Look! There are people here!" Mario said, practically vibrating with excitement.

"Or it's monsters!" Luigi countered. 

"Oh, come on, Lu!" Mario turned to him, looking like he was itching to get to the castle. "No monster would have a castle that breathtaking!"

"Okay." Luigi crossed his arms. "Say it is people? We don't belong in this land! What if they take us to their king and the king has our heads chopped off?!"

Mario shook his head. "Do you wanna get back home?"

“Well, yeah,” Luigi admitted, the fight starting to drain out of him.

Mario pointed towards the castle. "Well, that's our best bet!"

"Well, how are we going to get there! I don't know if you notice—" Luigi gestured towards the bridgeless obstacle in their way. "But there's no way across."

"Sure, there is." Mario said, his eyes flickering to the mushrooms.

"Oh nooooo!" Luigi immediately started to wave his arms and shook his head. "No way! There is absolutely no way—MARIO!"

It was too late; his brother already jumped, landing on the mushroom cap. Luigi's heart skipped a beat as he watched the mushroom shake and Mario's arms waving as he tried to stay balanced. Luigi couldn't look away, it was like watching a car wreck. He was sure he was about to witness his brother falling to his death.

The mushroom stopped shaking and Mario looked over his shoulder, a huge grin on his face. "Come on, Lu!"

"Are you crazy?! No!" Luigi cried.

"Aww, come on! It's just like jumping on the couches when we were kids!"

"No it's not!" Luigi could already feel his legs trembling. "If we jump, we could fall! And if we fall—we die!"

Mario turned to face him fully and gestured for Luigi to jump. “Lu, this is the only way to the castle.”

It was true, but... “I—I can’t…”

Luigi was a coward; he was weak, but then Mario gave him a reassuring smile. "Yes, you can! You can do this, Lu." No, he couldn't; his stomach was flopping, and he was going to die. "I won't let you fall." Luigi gulped and took two slow, shaky steps forward. His head started to dip down to check the drop, but he never got the chance.. "Don't look down, Lu."

With a sigh, Luigi lifted his head. He locked eyes with Mario, who looked so confident, so certain. That spark of determination in Luigi’s gut flared just enough to push him off the edge.

He leapt.

He landed on the mushroom cap, but not in the center like Mario had.

"Whao!" He shouted as the mushroom wobbled.

His arms flailed, trying to steady himself, but he was too close to the edge. He felt his weight shift backward, he was falling. Luigi's life flashed before his eyes. This was it! It was over! Out of all the ways to die, Luigi never thought it would be falling off a giant mushroom! 

Luigi gasped when a hand grabbed his wrist. The next thing he knew, Mario was pulling him forward. Luigi's wide, fearful eyes looked onto Mario's calm ones. His brother grinned at him. "See? I told you! I won't let anything happen to you."

Luigo wheezed, his heart was still beating a hundred miles per minute. "Oh, Mamma Mia! I don't think I can do this!"

"Yes, you can! I'll be with you every step of the way! Come on, the sooner we get to the other side, the better!"

Luigi groaned, but he nodded his head anyway. Mario would leap and be fine. Luigi would jump, but he would miss his landing. Ending up too close to the edge or landing on his stomach and sliding off. But Mario was there to catch him every time. Somehow, by some miracle, they made it to the other side.

Luigi fell to his hands and knees, thankful to be on solid ground again. He just wanted to breathe, but Mario grabbed him by the arm and lifted him to his feet. "Come on! I think I see the gates!"

Luigi felt as if he was practically dragged down the hill. His stomach sank as the stone walls loomed larger with each step. Mario practically buzzed with excitement, but Luigi couldn’t shake the knot of dread tightening in his gut.

And sure enough, once they reached the bottom, facing the enormous iron gates, were two monsters with spears. The two mushroom monsters looked surprised to see them at first, before their spears were pointed at them. Luigi dug his heels into the ground, forcing Mario to stop.

"Mario! I told you! There's more of them!" Luigi cried, but Mario stared at the mushroom monster with curiosity.

"I don't know, they look different!"

"They're mushroom people!" Luigi shouted, and he felt crazy. How could he be the only one to see the danger in front of them?

"Halt!" Shouted the yellow monster. "Who are you?!"

"Hello!" Mario happily greeted, throwing his hand in the air and giving them a little wave. "I'm Mario and this is my brother, Luigi!"

The yellow monster looked at the red one. Both gave each other a wary look before turning their attention back to them.

 "What do you want?!" The red one demanded.

"My brother and I are lost." Mario explained, stepping closer like there weren't spears pointed at them! "We need to talk to your king! We need—"

"We don't have a king!" The yellow one interrupted, glaring at Mario. "We have a Princess!"

"Sssh!" The other one hissed.

"O-oh! Then we need to speak to your Princess!" Mario said quickly.

"No way! You both could be working for Bowser!" The red one spat.

"Bowser?" Mario asked, his brows furrowing together. "I don't know who that is, but please! We need to speak to her! She might be our only hope of getting back to our world! We landed—"

"Wait…" The yellow said, lowering his spear. "You're not from this world?"

"No." Mario answered and the two mushroom creatures exchanged a wide-eyed look.

"You need to see the Princess, immediately!" The red one said and Luigi's stomach dropped.

This was it…

They were going to lose their heads!

"That's awesome!" Mario exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"

"Toad!" The red one barked. "Go take these two to the Princess!"

"Yes, Toad!" The yellow one replied, and Luigi blinked. Wait… wasn’t the red one Toad? 

The red Toad tapped his spear on the iron gates. With a loud creak, they slowly opened. The yellow Toad turned to them with a wide grin. "Follow me!"

The yellow Toad wasted no time rushing through the gates. Mario didn't think twice about following the little mushroom guy. A small whine escaped Luigi's lips before he got his legs working, jogging to catch up to Mario.

Luigi eyed the town warily; all the houses and shops were shaped like mushrooms, but that wasn't the strangest part about this town. It was filled with the small mushroom people, all small, and their mushroom caps were all kinds of colors. Luigi pressed close to Mario, worried one of them would jump and attack them, but…

Well, they looked just as shocked to see them. The mushroom people stopped in their tracks as they passed by. Some stared with their mouths dropping open, others hid behind houses and carts, while others peeked from behind buildings to look at them.

Okay… So maybe they weren't monsters. This was their world, and Luigi and Mario were the strangers in it. Luigi tried to calm himself, but he couldn't. His mind kept wandering about the Princess. If this was a mushroom world, what the heck did she look like? Was she a giant mushroom creature? Would she be as shocked to see them, or would she eat them?

Mario didn't seem to share any of his concerns. He smiled and waved at the mushroom people. Most shuffled back from them, but one, a red mushroom guy smiled brightly and waved back. Luigi stopped paying attention to his brother as the castle grew larger and larger. Before he knew it, they were ascending the steps. The two mushroom guards who were there opened the doors for them as they approached. 

Luigi swallowed a huge lump. This was it, no turning back now… He crossed the threshold after Toad and Mario.

He wasn't sure what he expected. Maybe more of a mushroom theme? But the inside was… Breathtaking..  A royal red carpet stretched across the floor, leading to twin staircases curving up either side of the room. Between them, another runner of red carpet led straight to a throne—an actual, normal-sized throne. The floor beneath was tiled in black and white marble. Four more doors lined the walls, two at the top beside the throne, and two more at the base of the stairs.

Five beautifully crafted columns with gold trim lined each side of the upper floor. Between each column, large windows let in warm, glowing sunlight that made the palace feel almost magical. But what shocked Luigi the most was the glass-stained window above the throne. It wasn't a mushroom, but a profile of a human princess in a pink dress and long flowing blonde hair.

Luigi blinked. He couldn’t believe it. The Princess of this… Mushroom Kingdom… was human?

He watched as she stood from the throne. She descended the stairs gracefully, accompanied by an older mushroom man. The only brown-capped one Luigi had seen so far. The pair stopped once they reached them. Luigi's head was spinning, he couldn't believe he was meeting another human in this world! His eyes felt like they were about to bulge out of his skull. The Princess didn't look malicious or threatening. If anything, she just looked confused. 

"Hello." She greeted, her voice soft, elegant. "I'm Princess Peach, ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom. Who might you two be?"

"I'm Mario!" Mario quickly greeted, taking a step forward, and Luigi swore he saw a slight blush on his brother's cheeks. "And this is my brother, Luigi. We need your help!"

"Oh…" Princess Peach murmured, a guilty look crossing her face. "I'm not sure I'll be able to. My kingdom is in danger. We have to reserve our resources."

"Please!" Mario pleaded. "We have to get back home! Isn't there anything you can do? Some kind of magic to take us back to our world?!"

Princess Peach gasped. "Back to your world?"

"Yeah!" Mario replied, hope lacing his voice. "One moment, me and my brother were in our apartment and then this weird block with a question mark appeared out of nowhere and—"

"A block?!" The Princess interrupted, her eyes growing wide. "A block appeared to you?"

"Yes! And when I hit it, we got sucked into this world." Mario explained and Luigi felt his heart fill with hope. The Princess seemed to know what that block was. Surely they could get back home!

"T-that's…" A huge smile broke out across her face. "This is amazing! The spell worked! Kaffrin's spell worked!" She shouted, throwing her fist into the air.

Luigi and Mario exchanged looks, neither one understanding what she meant. It was Mario who was brave enough to ask. "Spell? What spell!"

"Oh, this is incredible!" Princess Peach answered. "I asked a Magikoopa to—Oh! Don't worry! He's one of the good guys! He doesn't work for Bowser."

"I-I'm sorry…" Luigi dared to speak up, but she didn't seem to want to hurt them so… "But what the heck is a Magikoopa and who is this Bowser guy?"

"Oh, right. Not from this world." She gave them a bashful smile. "Bowser is the King of Koopas and my spies have told me he's preparing an invasion. We're a peaceful kingdom. We're not built for war! We needed heroes to protect us and here you two are!"

"Heros?!" Luigi yelped. "W-we're not heroes! We're plumbers!"

Princess Peach's smile slipped and the older mushroom man cleared his throat. "I believe he's right. They don't look like heroes. They don't have armor or weapons."

"But the block chose them!" Princess Peach's excitement came back. "The block an't be wrong!"

"But it is!" Luigi cried.

"Well…" Mario started and Luigi head snapped to him.

"Mario! You can't be serious! How are we supposed to protect a whole kingdom?!"

"The block chose us!" Mario turned to Peach, determination on his face and Luigi wanted to pull his hair out. "Tell me, who is this Bowser?"

"He's a huge, fierce dragon from the Darklands with a mighty army." Princess Peach told them.

"D-dragon?! Army?!" Luigi sputtered.

"But I know you two can beat him!" The Princess said with way too much confidence. "You two were chosen for a reason!"

"You can count on us!" Mario told her without a second thought, making Princess Peach's smile grow.

Luigi slapped his hand on his head. "Mamma Mia!"

Now…

Luigi chuckled, a small smile on his face. Back then, he thought they were way in over their heads. And they were! They couldn't stop Bowser from taking Peach, but somehow, they got her back! It took six fake castles before finding the real one that had her. They defeated Bowser and Mario has come toe to toe with the King Koopa many times since.

Princess Peach’s Magikoopa friend couldn’t send them back. Well, he could create another block, but he had no way to guarantee where they would end up. 

They both decided that it was better not to risk it. 

Still, Luigi never thought they'd survive one day in this world, but they did! Luigi took a deep breath. They had made it this far, he could survive this. Whatever Bowser had in store for him, Luigi would get through it.

He just had to be brave… 

Chapter Text

Be brave, be brave, be brave! Luigi chanted in his head. Easier said than done when the Shy Guys came to collect him. He wanted to face Bowser with his head held high, but his legs were trembling as the Shy Guys led him out of the dungeon and onto the deck of the ship. His body was shaking so hard, he tripped more times than he cared to count. Each time, a Shy Guy gave him a swift kick, and Luigi scrambled back to his feet. 

As he was dragged along, Luigi glanced around. Koopas and Goombas lined the path, wicked smirks plastered on their faces. They were delighted by his fear, and dread coiled tight in his gut. His mind raced with questions. Why him? Why kidnap him instead of Peach? 

Was it revenge? He’d faced Bowser a few times, sure, but not like Mario had. Maybe this was about Mario. Maybe Bowser wanted to hurt Mario by taking out his brother. Luigi's stomach flopped at the thought. How would Bowser do it? Would Bowser eat him alive? Sink those sharp teeth into his soft flesh? Rip into his insides while forcing Luigi to watch? Or maybe Bowser would strap him to a Bullet Bill and send him off into the sky. Laughing as it exploded in a blaze, lighting the whole sky so everyone in the Darklands would know the exact moment of his demise. Or maybe Bowser would throw Luigi into a cage hanging over lava! Enjoying watching Luigi squirm as it was slowly lowered. Bowser's laugh might be the last thing Luigi heard as he was burned to death!

Be brave! Be brave! Be brave! Face your death like a man! Luigi's mind scolded, and he hardened his face, even if he wanted to sob right now.

He was yanked back to the present when he nearly tripped over a Shy Guy on the stairs. At the bottom, Bowser stood waiting, arms crossed, and tapping his foot. Luigi's heart skipped. Whatever the Koopa King had in store for him, he could hardly wait.

Be brave! Be brave! Be brave like Mario! If Mario were here, he wouldn't be shaking. He'd march up to Bowser with a scowl and glare sharp enough to cut steel. Luigi tried to copy it. But his bottom lip quivered, and by the time they stopped in front of Bowers, his knees were knocking.

Bower lifted a brow before slightly shaking his head. "Untie him."

Luigi stood still as the Shy Guys obeyed. He rubbed his wrist once the rope fell to the ground. He mustered every ounce of courage he had to meet Bower’s eyes. He tried to snarl, but it came out more like a grimace. Which wasn't helping with how wide his eyes felt in this moment. He flinched when Bowser slowly raised his arm. He snapped his claws together, and more Shy Guys rushed over, carrying Luigi’s Poltergust G-00. His brows furrowed together, wondering how they had gotten it and why. 

Bowser yanked it from their hands and shoved it into Luigi’s arms. "Here! We got your stupid ghost vacuum thing!"

Luigi held on tight, trying not to drop it, but his arms were shaking like Jell-O. The fear was slowly giving way to confusion, which was great because otherwise he didn't think he’d be able to speak! "S-s-s-sorry, but w-what—why—w-what's going on?!"

"You deal with ghosts, right?!" Bowser barked. It sounded more like an impatient shout than a real question. Luigi had taken care of ghosts—when he had to! He didn’t go looking for them! So he wasn’t sure how to respond. Not like it mattered, Bowser didn’t wait for an answer. He flung a hand toward his castle. "King Boo was here and he left all his Boos behind! He won't call them back and they won't leave! I need you to take care of them before they drive me insane!"

"K-King B-B-Boo?!" Luigi shriked. "Boos in your castle?!"

"That's what I said!" Bowser snapped.

"And you want me to go in there and get rid of them?!" Luigi cried, begging the stars that it wasn't true.

"Well, yeah!" Bowser shouted, throwing his arms up. "You've done it, what? Twice? Three times?! A hundred?! You can handle them!"

"N-n-no!" Luigi stammered, shaking his head frantically. He tried to back away, only to bump into a Shy Guy behind him. He toppled backward, landing on his butt with his legs over the fallen Shy Guy, who squirmed beneath him. "I-I-I w-w-w-w-won't do it! I can't do it!"

Luigi yelped when Bowser snarled, red eyes blazing with fury. "Of course you can! And you will! You've done it before and you can do it again!" Luigi was a coward and a fool, but he didn't care. He kept shaking his head, defying the Koopa King. Bowser groaned, huffing, and rolling his eyes. "The sooner you take care of my Boo problem, the sooner you can go home!"

"H-home?" Luigi repeated, his heart twisting painfully in his chest. Home... He never thought he’d see it again after Bowser kidnapped him. "You'd… You'd really let me go home?"

"Duh!" Bowser spat like it was the most obvious thing. "So are you gonna do this or what?!"

Luigi bit his bottom lip as he thought about it. The last thing he wanted to do was deal with a bunch of Boos. They were scary! The Darklands were scary! Bowser was terrifying and so was his castle! Being here already made Luigi feel like his skin was crawling. And now Boos too? It was too much!

But…

What else was he supposed to do? He couldn't escape on his own, he wasn't like Mario. The only way Luigi could get back home was by doing what Bowser asked… Even if it was horrifying and Luigi was already so light-headed he thought he might pass out.

Luigi took a shaky breath, pushing himself up with one hand while clutching his Poltergust G-00 with the other. His legs threatened to give way, but he gritted his teeth, forcing himself to regain control. With a deep sigh, he threw the Poltergust’s strap over his shoulder and looped his free arm into the other strap. The vacuum felt heavier than ever, and part of him wished he’d never have to wear it again. But here he was.

He looked up at Bowser, trying to muster a brave face. "I-I’ll do it."

"Great!" Bowser gestured to his castle. "Just right through the doors. The guards will let you in. Try to make this quick!"

"I'll do it if you tell me what you did to Mario." Luigi stood tall, his eyes fierce. For the first time, Luigi felt a spark of bravery.

Bowser's eyebrows shot up, not expecting that from someone like Luigi. "I didn't do anything to him!"

"You two were fighting while your Shy Guys took me!" Luigi swallowed, afraid to ask, but he needed to know. "When you left. W-was—was Mario…" He couldn't do it. He couldn't finish his question, but Bowser seemed to know what he was asking.

Bowser rolled his eyes. "You're brother is alive and fine! I wasn't there to get him, I was there for you! So are you gonna help me or not, Lusi?"

"It's Luigi!" He snapped, feeling insulted that Bowser couldn't bother to remember his name and fearful that the Koopa would strike him dead because of his tone.

"Whatever!" Bowser waved his hand dismissively. "Just get on with it if you're going to do this!"

Luigi gulped and looked up at the massive stairs that led to the castle, stairs that seemed like they would never end. Yet, despite not being able to see the top, Bowser’s stone face loomed over him. Its eyes glared with menace, and its mouth snarled, revealing sharp teeth. Luigi could see the spikes crowning the castle, the cannons perched on the towers, ready to strike down any poor soul brave enough to come here.

Oh, Mamma Mia, what did I get myself into?

Why King Boo was here was beyond Luigi. He didn't want to know, but he wasn't surprised  Bowser hadn’t had the foresight not to invite the King of Boos and his minions here without expecting trouble. Well… It was Luigi’s problem now. He just had to convince his legs to move and get this over with.

Be brave, be brave, be brave, be brave, be b—

"Well?!" Bowser snapped.

Luigi yelped, and suddenly his legs were working. They ran up the first few steps, which felt like cliffs to someone his size. Mario would’ve made it to the top in no time. He’d jump each step, but Luigi couldn't. Even if he knew it wasn’t logical, he felt if he jumped, he'd fall into an endless void. So he took his time, pushing himself over each step. The only good thing about these stairs was that they were so wide, Luigi couldn't see the lava moat.

Still, he could feel it, and the unease swirling inside of him became a raging storm. Bowser's castle and Boos… Luigi faced ghosts before, and somehow, he managed to be brave, save the day. Even if he felt like he would have a heart attack the whole time. This… This was completely different. This wasn't some scary-looking mansion or a peaceful-looking hotel that turned into a nightmare. This was the Darklands! This was Bowser's castle! Bowser was here! All of that was terrifying on its own, but this?!  This was Luigi’s worst nightmare, one he never could’ve conjured up until it happened.

Luigi had only made it to the sixth step when the ground began to rumble. A scream ripped from his throat as he dropped to his stomach, covering his head with both hands. He really thought the lava had erupted and he was about to be burned to a crisp. The shaking was so violent that Luigi’s body lifted into the air before slamming back down with a thud.

His heart pounded as Bowser's claw gripped him tightly, his feet dangling helplessly. The rumble still hadn’t stopped, and Luigi could feel it vibrating through every bone in his body. "You're taking too long!"

"S-sorry you didn't make stairs for short people!" Luigi quipped, surprising even himself. It was probably just the adrenaline thrumming through his veins.

"It's not my fault humans are so small and weak!" Bowser shot back.

Luigi sighed, resigning himself to being carried by the King of Koopas.

You can do this! Be brave! You can do this! You've done it before and you can do it again! You'll be alright. Get this done fast, and you'll be home by morning. Luigi told himself. But as the doors came into view, his heart lodged in his throat. The doors were enormous, so huge that from where he dangled. Luigi couldn’t even see the tops. They were so high up, it made him dizzy.

How was he supposed to do this? He couldn’t even handle looking at the castle doors!

By the time Bowser made it to the top, Luigi's whole body was trembling. When he was finally set down in front of the two Koopa guards, the world spun around him. His arms shot out for balance, desperate not to fall flat on his face. 

Bowser huffed. "Maybe this was a mistake… There has to be someone else who could get rid of these pests."

"No!" Luigi cried. He had to do this! It was his only way home! If Bowser decided to find someone else to help, what happened to him?! Luigi didn't want to spend who knew how many days in a cell until Mario could come save him. "I'll d-d-do it!" 

Bowser didn't look convinced and Luigi's heart slammed against his chest. He had blown his chance, Bowser didn't think he could do it. Luigi didn't think he could do it, but he needed to sway the Koopa or it was the end of the line for Luigi.

"Then do it!" Bowser finally snapped. "If I don't get a good night's sleep soon, I might go insane…"

If the Bowser Luigi knew now wasn't insane, then he didn't want to find out what insane looked like. The thought alone was enough to get Luigi’s legs moving toward the castle doors. The Koopa guards weren't like the guards on the ship. They weren't smirking or laughing at him. They looked terrified, and maybe it was in Luigi's head, but he swore they even looked worried for him.

Oh, this wasn't helping Luigi at all! If they were scared, what was in store for him? The Koopas quickly stepped aside as the doors opened with a loud, long creak. The inside was darker than it was out here. Luigi felt like he was starting into the abyss. The only thing waiting for him inside was terror.

Luigi’s arm trembled as he reached back, gripping the nozzle of the Poltergust G-00. His fingers clenched it like a lifeline. He fought the part of himself that wanted to throw his hands up and run, to risk everything on a mad dash to escape, to maybe outrun Bowser and his Koopas.

The only thing keeping him grounded was the thought of home. Where his safety and comfort were, where his friends were, and where Polterpup and Mario were. Luigi had to be brave for Mario and Peach. 

Luigi took a deep breath, gathered what courage he had, and forced his legs to move.

Slowly, Luigi inched his way into the castle. It had been years since he was last here. Fighting Bowser alongside Mario to rescue Peach. Luigi remembered how intimidating the throne room had been. Gray stone walls lined with spiked columns, torches flickering along the perimeter, casting shadows everywhere. A white and black checkered floor, red carpeted stairs that split halfway up into a balcony. At the top was Bowser’s throne, huge, made of stone, with deep red cushions and jagged spikes. And looming above that… a gigantic portrait of Bowser. Twisted expression frozen on canvas. Eyes blood-red, alive, somehow.

That was how Luigi remembered it.

But now? 

It looked lost to time. There were no torches lit. The only light came from the windows from the lava outside, casting an orange-red glow. The marble flooring was ruined by a chandelier that once hung high on the ceiling.

That horrible, evil painting? There was something different about it. Luigi squinted his eyes, but he couldn't tell what it was. It just didn’t look the way he remembered it. Whatever had changed, Luigi didn’t care to find out. He didn’t want to get close! He just wanted to find those Boos and get this over with.

Boos did this? How many are there?! Luigi would be here forever!

The Boos were here, there was no doubt about it. Every time Luigi breathed, he could see a mist flowing from his mouth. It was bone-chilling cold… in a castle surrounded by lava! Each step Luigi took echoed off the broken marble flooring and stone walls, and maybe it was just his nerves, but they sounded louder than the last time he was here.

He gritted his teeth at the sound of a creak. Luigi whipped the Poltergust toward the throne—nothing. He let out a sigh… but too soon. A flicker of movement—something passed in front of a window. Luigi spun again, heart thudding, but still saw nothing.

Just as his pulse began to settle, a laugh echoed from behind. He screamed, spinning on his heels, and flicking the Poltergust to life. Luigi expected to see a Boo struggling in the suction, but all he got was a swirl of dust. The laugh continued, bouncing down the corridor before finally fading.

"W-what have I g-g-gotten myself into…" Luigi muttered.

It wasn't his fault! He didn't ask for this! Bowser had plucked him from his home and dropped him into his worst nightmare! Luigi's stomach twisted in knots. This wasn’t some horrible dream, this was real. He was here, in Bowser's castle, doing him a favor! That favor was taking care of what Luigi dreaded most. He was already feeling a headache coming on and he just knew it was going to last.

He sighed and walked on. He kept his ears and eyes open, alert for any sign they were near. Only… Unfortunately, both were betraying him. Every tiny sound sent his heart racing. Every flicker of movement had him flinching. Shadows danced where they shouldn’t. Luigi yelped more than once, only to realize he’d been scared by his own shadow.

Eventually, he had to stop and catch his breath. If he wasn’t careful, he was going to hyperventilate. This was such a bad idea. He hadn’t even reached the stairs yet, and already, he felt like he was failing. He hadn't even made it to the stairs yet!

Luigi sighed and pushed on. As much as he would love to coward in a corner, he needed to get back home one way or the other. He trudged toward the grand staircase, deciding it made the most sense to start at the top and work his way down. It wasn't because these stairs were long and it would take Luigi time to climb them before he had to do any real ghosting. No, it was just the smartest way to go about it, that was all!

Luigi was inches from the stairs when a Boo suddenly filled his sight. It came out of nowhere, its little knobby hands yanking his mouth open as it stuck its tongue out at him. Luigi screamed and tried to scramble away, but his feet tangled beneath him, sending him crashing onto his butt.

The Boo hovered above him, laughing mockingly. For a split second, Luigi forgot why he was even here. His senses snapped back, and he scrambled for the Poltergust, but the Boo vanished before his eyes. Luigi jumped to his feet, turning every direction, trying to spot it.

The hair on the back of his neck stood up. He could feel eyes from behind him, but every time he turned, there was nothing.

"Ha! Ha! HA!"

The laugh came from right behind. Luigi yelped, whirling around and flipping the Plotergust to life. The Boo was too quick, dodging out of the way. Luigi could barely hold the machine in his hand. The hose bounced up and down, aiming everywhere, but he kept missing. The Boo would swoosh over his head, but by the time Luigi aimed in that direction, the Boo ended up behind him.

The Boo flew circles around Luigi's body. He tried to keep up, but he was also behind by a second. Around and around they went until Luigi stopped, feeling drunk as the room swirled around. Luigi stumbled to the left, then to the right, almost falling on his face before he stuck his arms out, flailing them to catch his balance. The Boo laughed as it flew away, but Luigi had it in his sight.

Well double vision, but he wouldn't let the Boo get away!

Luigi lunged towards it, grip tight on the Poltergust, flicking it back to life. Luigi was swaying as he ran, but he could hear it crackling, so he followed the sound. Luigi picked up his pace, heart racing, he was close, he could feel it.

Luigi's heart leaped when he heard the Boo yelp. His vision steadied just at the right time to see the Boo's tail caught in the whirling wind of the Poltergust. It scowled as it thrashed around, trying to free itself. Luigi held on tight, keeping the hose in place as the Boo shrieked. It came closer and closer until…

Luigi stumbled back as the Boo vanished into the hose. He stood there, for a second, until it clicked. When it did, a huge smile broke out across his face.

"Yeah!" Luigi shouted, throwing his fist into the air. He was so happy, he did a little dance.

Bending one knee as he jumped up and then doing the same with his other leg once his shoe hit the ground. I can do this! I can totally do this! Luigi even laughed and he was still laughing when he opened his eyes only to find himself surrounded by three Boos. His smile quickly fell just as his heart skipped a beat.

Luigi didn’t move. Didn’t blink. Just stood frozen in his victorious pose, fists still halfway in the air. The Boos slowly circled him, striking fear within Luigi, and making sure he couldn't escape.

They all had wicked grins on their faces, taking turns letting out that awful laugh. One passing Boo stuck its tongue out at him. There was nowhere for Luigi to go. No way he could back out. All he could do was stand there and hope, somehow, the Boos would just leave him alone.

Luigi felt it coming the second they stopped circling him. They just floated there, watching. When it happened, Luigi barely had any time to react. He ducked just in time as the Boo behind him swooped in. He hit the ground with a scream so loud, he'd be surprised if all of the Mushroom Kingdom didn’t hear it. 

The Boos kept swooping towards him, like bats going in for a taste of cow's blood. Luigi's ears were ringing, his entire body was filled with terror, and he could barely feel his limbs. He tried to get his hands to cooperate, to flick the Poltergust back on, but they shook so hard, he kept missing his switch.

All the while, the Boos laughed as they kept flying towards him, hitting his body with their solid bodies—which was unfair! How could a ghost have a solid body when it wanted to?!

Luigi shoved the thought aside and focused on the Poltergust in front of him. When he finally heard the click, followed by that familiar rumble, it was the most beautiful sound in the world. He shouted as he rolled onto his back, swinging the hose wildly until he heard the shriek of another Boo.

Luigi laughed as he sat up, holding firm as the Boo lost its battle with the Poltergust. The other Boos scattered in all directions, abandoning their friend to his fate. Luigi held tight, tugging to make sure the ghost couldn’t escape.

His Boo buddies scattered in opposite directions, leaving this Boo to its fate. Luigi tugged, making sure the Boo couldn't escape. With a final pull, he was pushed back as the Boo was sucked inside.

Two done!

How many more to go… Luigi wasn't sure. 

Chapter Text

Luigi scanned the throne room from top to bottom, shining his flashlight into every shadowy corner and listening for any sign of a Boo. But now, the place was strangely quiet. It didn’t even feel as cold as it had moments ago…

Still, better safe than sorry.

Luigi wanted to go home, and that wouldn’t happen if he missed a Boo. He checked around Bowser’s massive throne and climbed to the top of the stairs, but thankfully, found nothing.

He quickly learned why Bowser’s painting looked different. It wasn’t until Luigi shone his light on it that he saw the full picture: the Boos had gotten into some paint, giving Bowser bottle cap glasses and a twirly mustache. Luigi clapped a hand over his mouth to muffle his giggles. Even if Bowser wasn’t anywhere nearby, knowing Luigi’s luck, somehow, someway, that big turtle would hear him.

Luigi made his way down the stairs, and when he finally reached the bottom… no Boos appeared. That should’ve been a relief, but now it was time to go deeper into the castle.

…Great.

He gulped and glanced left, then right. Boos zipped past in both directions, but Luigi had no idea where to start. Not that he wanted to. Who knew what else was lurking in this place?

Knowing his luck, he'd take the wrong hall and get crushed by a Thwomp or fall through a trap door that led to nothing but lava!

"Come on, Luigi… Can't just stand here… Gotta pick where to start… Or you'll be here forever." God, he would be here forever! This castle was twice the size of Peach's castle! If not more!

Luigi looked over his options again, but both halls looked equally menacing. Luigi forced his legs to move, choosing the hall to the right. It just happened to be the hall across the room. Not like Luigi was trying to put this off as long as he could, no! It just felt like the better option, that was all! Either way, Luigi would have to comb through this whole castle…

The thought made his stomach churn.

The closer he got to the hall, the slower his steps became—until he was practically creeping toward the entrance. He raised his flashlight and shone it into the hallway, forcing himself to stop trembling before he dared to look.

No Boos in sight.

But that didn’t make it any less scary.

A few torches still burned, casting just enough light to see, but not enough to make it not creepy. And the statues of Bowser lining the walls? They didn’t help one bit.

"W-why does he have to be s-s-so full of himself?" Luigi groaned.

They weren’t real—Luigi knew that. But it still made his skin crawl. The thought of walking through that hall, right between all those stone Bowsers… Luigi could feel their eyes on him, tracking every step.

And who knew what was waiting just around the corner?

Boos, lying in wait, ready to get their revenge?

A pressure plate trap, ready to launch spears from the walls?

Or maybe Bowser himself—just waiting to blast him with a wall of fire?

He's not going to kill you! He needs you alive!

Bowser wouldn't set him loose in the castle if there were traps, right? Luigi swallowed hard and forced himself to step into the hall. As he walked, his legs shook so hard, he was surprised he hadn't fallen flat on his face yet.

Luigi could see his breath lingering in the air. There were Boos here, but he hadn't heard them yet. This was worse than hearing that awful laughing. When it was this silent, they had to be plotting. Waiting for the right moment before jumping out, trying to attack him before he had a chance to run or turn on his Poltergust.

His heart pounded in his ears as he swept his flashlight across the room. The Bowser statues cast long shadows, and more than once, Luigi startled himself. It didn’t matter how many times he told himself Bowser wouldn’t kill him. He couldn’t stop his mind from imagining the Koopa King jumping out at any second.

And who was to say Bowser wouldn't get rid of him once he was done? This was Bowser! Why would he just let Luigi go just because he said he would?

Well, there was only one way to find out. Luigi's odds of getting home were better if he just got this over with. Maybe, just maybe, Mario would come to the rescue before too long.

Until then, Luigi continued down the hall, passing crooked portraits of all Bowser’s children. Between the paintings hung mirrors. Somehow still intact, unlike the goofy faces the Boos had painted on the Koopalings.

Luigi didn’t want to look at the mirrors. In his experience, mirrors always led to something bad when Boos, or any ghosts, were involved.

He kept his eyes forward, head down… Until something flickered at the edge of his vision.

Against his better judgment, Luigi turned and looked straight into the mirror.

Luigi swore he saw movement from behind him in the mirror, but there was nothing there. Which could only mean one thing: a Boo was following him, messing with him.

He spun on his heels, swinging his flashlight around, but no Boos. No laughter. No sign that any of them were even here.

  Not good! Not good, not good, sooooo not good!

Luigi took a few steps back, not wanting to turn away from the Boo he couldn’t see. 

Something was trying to grab him! Luigi could feel its hand on his shoulder! He shouted as he whipped around, flicking the Poltergust to life, and shouting as he tried to stun the Boo with his flashlight.

Luigi quickly shut it off, chest heaving as he whipped around, only to find himself face to face with one of Bowser’s stone statues.

Luigi laughed, hand pressed over his chest. He was so relieved, he completely forgot about the Boo lurking behind him. He continued down the hall, flashlight sweeping for any mischievous phantoms. To keep his nerves steady, Luigi hummed softly to himself. It wasn’t until he sneaked past another set of mirrors that it hit him— that’s why he’d bumped into the statue in the first place.

A Boo was stalking him! 

Luigi gulped, his body trembling once again. He didn't want to turn around. Didn't want to see a Boo. The weight of dread settled in his chest as he turned

He expected to come face to face with beady black eyes and a wide smile with sharp teeth. Instead, he found the hallway empty, but Luigi knew better. The Boo could be anywhere now! Waiting to catch him off guard! Luigi gripped the Polergust tighter and turned back down the hall.

His steps were cautious, eyeing everything in the hall that a Boo might hide in. Paintings, so many paintings, and Boos loved to hide in those. He took a step away from them as he passed them, but a Boo hadn't appeared yet. There were also stone statues that Boos might want to knock over on him, so Luigi quickly jogged past each one. Then there was the red carpet in the hall. Knowing his luck, a Boo would sneak under it, then trip him!

Luigi’s eyes darted from painting to statue to carpet, on edge, waiting for an attack. Then, a scream echoed off the hall walls. Luigi screamed back, jumping backward and firing his Poltergust at a threat he couldn’t see.

The screaming continued, coming right around the corner of the hall, but with it was something Luigi wasn't expecting. "L-let me go! I demand that you let me go! S-someone! Help! P-please!"

Luigi’s eyebrows shot up. He wasn’t expecting anyone else to be here. Wouldn’t Bowser have evacuated the whole castle? He had to have. …So this could be a trick. Still , Luigi had to check it out.

He tiptoed to the end of the hall and pressed himself against the wall. His whole body shook as he gathered the courage to peek around the corner and see what was on the other side.

A Koopa, flailing in midair with his legs kicking desperately, was the last thing Luigi expected to see. The Boo wasn’t visible, but Luigi could hear it, laughing at the poor turtle’s misery.

His instincts kicked in.

It didn’t matter that the Koopa wasn’t a friend or a Toad. Didn’t matter that he was technically the enemy. Luigi jumped out from the corner, revealing himself. The surprise was enough to startle the Boo into appearing, clutching the Koopa by the shell.

Luigi slammed the button, sending a blinding flash of light toward the Boo and stunning it. The Koopa dropped to the ground with an “opf!” —but Luigi didn’t have time to check on him yet.

He flipped the Poltergust on, its motor roaring to life as he captured the Boo, who snapped out of it just a second too late. It screeched and thrashed, trying to escape, but Luigi pulled back hard, forcing the ghost to come with him.

In these moments, time seemed to freeze. It felt like Luigi was there, fighting the Boo until it finally got sucked into the Poltergust. In actuality, it was only a few seconds before the Koopa came rushing up to him.

"That was amazing!" He shouted with a huge smile on his face. The koopa even threw his fist into the air while jumping. "I thought I would be trapped there until I was nothing but bones! I didn't expect to see a Mario brother here, but I'm so glad you came along! Thank you so much!"

Luigi didn't know how to react. He knew there were good Koopas out there. Mario would race a bunch of them from time to time. He just didn't expect to see a friendly Koopa in Bowser's castle.

"Y-you're welcome." Luigi said with a nervous chuckle.

"That was so cool! You just came out of nowhere and took out that Boo like it was nothing! It was like WAM! BAM! See ya Boo! You're so cool!" 

"M-me? Cool?" Luigi asked and the Koopa quickly nodded his head. Well, Luigi didn't know about that, but… It was kind of nice to hear! "What are you still doing in the castle? Doesn't Bowser have somewhere safe for you to go?"

"Well, he left some of us in the castle to look for Kamek's scepter. A Boo snatched it and hid it somewhere." Koopa sighed. "Honestly, we're not having any luck, but you're here! Maybe you can help us find it! The sooner we find it, the sooner Kamek can get rid of these pesky things!"

"Scepter?" Luigi asked, hope filling his heart. Maybe he didn't have to deghost the whole castle! He just had to find the scepter, and maybe that would be good enough for Bowser to return him home.

"Yup! I have no clue where a boo would hide one though." Koopa answered.

"Well… I do kind of know how these Boos think…" Luigi muttered. "Any hidden places in this castle?"

"Hmmm…" The Koopa hummed, rubbing his chin as he tapped his foot. "There is the secret room behind the painting, but we have already checked there. There’s a wall on the other side of a castle that has a painting of the Darklands. There's a secret tunnel behind it. Then let's see… There's the library, and one of the books on the shelf is actually a lever to a hidden room. There are a lot of hidden places, but I think you can find them all on a map. Maybe it would be in the war room or the hidden room in the library."

"T-thank you! I'll um… Start at the Library."

"There are some stairs at the end of this hall. Just go up it and the library will be at the very end of the hall on the left." The Koopa excitedly told him. "Just be careful! I was on my way there when that Boo got me!" The Koopa shivered. 

Luigi gulped. He knew it wouldn't be that easy… Still, he gave the Koopa a wobbly smile, not wanting to appear weak to the one person here who thought he was cool. "Thank you again for your help! I'll get that scepter! You can count on me!" Luigi gave him a thumbs-up.

"I'm so glad you're willing to help us out. I know you have every right not to, but you're just that awesome!" The Koopa said, making Luigi's cheeks heat. "I can't wait till these Boos are gone! It's hard to keep the place tidy with them makin' a mess of everything! Well, good luck! I know you can do it!"

With that, the Koopa hurried around the corner and disappeared out of sight.

Luigi turned around and looked down the very long hallway. Probably more Boos hiding in wait, and they wouldn’t make it easy for him to do something as simple as walking.

“Just find the scepter and you can go home,” Luigi muttered, his voice trembling.

👻👻👻

"What was I thinking?!" Bowser huffed as he stomped through his throne room. "Why did I think Luigi could actually help me?!"

"Um, sire?" Asked his Koopa Captain, but Bowser couldn't hear him. Too busy steaming over his current situation.

Bowser threw his hands in the air as they climbed the stairs. "He can't walk two steps without shaking! I bet he's too busy jumping away from his own shadow than capturing any of those Boos!"

"Your highness?" The Koopa tried again.

"I'm never going to get a good night's rest ever again!" Bowser roared. "And how can I bring my kids back here when it's infested with Boos! Forget about taking over the Mushroom Kingdom! I'll have to find a new castle!"

"Sire—"

"I just don't get it!" Bowser growled, his claws running through his hair. "I mean, he's done it before, right?! Why else is King Boo so obsessed with him?! He's the only one who's stopped him! Unless that maggots for brains is just pulling my leg! Feeding me a bunch of lies! I bet Luigi never went up against him! I bet rotten breath just has the hots for that green plumber—"

"King Bowser!" The Koopa shouted, and Bowser felt that pressure reach a boiling point.

"What?!" He snapped, doing everything in his power not to burn the Koopa to a crisp.

The blue-shelled, winged Koopa looked unimpressed with Bower's outburst, which drove him nuts to no end. However, it was that bravery that made Bowser notice him, promoting him to Captain. "Have you noticed something different about the throne room?"

"No!" Bowser gestured at everything around them. "It's a mess!"

The Koopa raised a brow. "And?"

"And what?!" Bowser growled.

"There's a lack of Boos swooping at our heads." The Koopa calmly answered.

"Huh?" Bowser looked around, but no Boos were flying at them, trying to grab their hair. No Boos were popping out to give them a scare. They weren't trying to knock down his portrait or playing around his throne. "He did it…" Bowser gasped before clearing his throat. "Of course he did it! Luigi made a fool out of King Boo twice! Why else would I bring him here?!"

"I did not doubt you, sire." The Koopa said as they continued up the stairs.

"Of course you didn't! I'm the mighty King Koopa! I don't make foolish decisions!" Bowser smirked.

Once they reached the top, Bowser walked over to his ruined portrait. It was a pain sitting still the first time. He wasn't looking forward to doing that again. But maybe the next artist could make him look even more evil. A painting that would shake his enemies to the core! Even that no good for nothing King Boo!

Until then, Bowser ran his hand over the side of the frame until he found what he was looking for. He pressed down on the button that looked like the rest of the ornate trim. There was a small click sound, and Bowser and the Koopa stood back as the painting slowly opened with only a slight squeaking sound.

Bowser and the Koopa walked down the short hall that led to seemingly nothing but a stone wall. On autopilot, Bowser mindlessly pressed the first brick in, then the fourth one down in the next row, and then the one above the fifth block.

The ground shook for a split second before the wall retreated into the right wall. They were greeted with a beautiful sight of the Darknlands. Beautiful lava rivers, dead, dried up trees, roaming dark mountains, but best of all were the beautiful dark clouds in the sky.

Bowser could sit here on his balcony and just get lost in the sight before him. He still might while Luigi ran around, chasing off the Boos. First thing first, Bowser had business to take care of. He turned to his Koopa, who was waiting for the order.

"I don’t care if he’s visiting Fawful or sipping coconut juice on Isle Delfino—find him!" Bowser demanded, and his Koopa saluted him.

"Yes, your highness!"

Without another world, his Koopa took off into flight. Bowser watched him until he was nothing but a little speck in the sky. Hopefully, his most trusted Koopa could get the job done. While Luigi took care of their Boo problem, Kamek would help Bowser set all his plans into motion.

Plans… The thought made Bowser bite his bottom lip. Something was nagging at him, like he had forgotten something. If he couldn't remember, then it might drive him nuts! There was King Bob-omb, but there was nothing Bowser could do until he was able to talk to the king. Their agreement would only take place after he took over the Mushroom Kingdom, so Bowser didn't have to worry about that.

King Goomba? Well, Bowser did offer him an army, but he couldn't put one together until those Boos were gone! The King could wait; Bowser wasn't worried about that.

There was King Boo, and just thinking about him left a sour taste in his mouth. If Bowser didn't need that spook to take care of Mario, he'd just cut him out of the deal. However, if any of the kings were to capture Mario, it would be that long-tongued freak. Give him a nice swamp to do whatever the hell frogs do. 

But King Boo was his best chance. And though he hated rewarding the freak, a deal was a deal.  All Bowser needed to do to keep his end of the deal and hand over Luigi to the ghost. It wouldn't be that hard, the green plumber was easy to kidnap and—

A sharp gasp escaped Bowser's mouth. Bowser had Luigi here! The person Boo wanted the most was here! All Bowser had to do was wait for Kamek to get his wrinkly butt back, and he could tell King Boo his prize was waiting in Bowser's castle.

A wicked smirk spread across Bowser's face. He had what King Boo wanted more than ever! Oh, if that oversized snowball with teeth knew? He'd have a fit! Bowser felt giddy just from the thought alone! He had Luigi, and he would keep his end of the deal—to Luigi! Bowser already planned on it before he remembered his deal with King Boo, but now, Bowser chose his vow to Luigi!

Luigi was going to walk out here as a free man, and King Boo would never know because the fog for brain decided to test Bowser! It made the King Koopa laugh so hard that it could be heard throughout the Darklands! This was too good!

Bowser wiped tears from his eyes as his laughter died down. Oh, he couldn't wait to see the look on King Boo's face when he told him! After helping Bowser, after the Koopa had Mario's painting, he'd tell King Boo that Luigi was in his castle. He'd tell him that he let the small human go, and then Bowser might do everything in his power to make sure King Boo never got his cold nubs on Luigi!

King Boo would regret how he treated the King of Koopas!

Bowser sighed, leaning over the railing of his balcony. This whole Boo thing might be an inconvenience, but the future looked bright! Bowser would take over the Mushroom Kingdom, hang the painting Mario was trapped in on the wall in front of his bed. Bowser would look at it before he went to sleep and when he woke up. The thought made him feel like a young hatchling. Best of all, King Boo wouldn't get what he wanted!

The stupid ghost would have to watch Bowser help King Bob-omb rid those peace-loving Bob-ombs. King Boo would have to see King Goomba get his army, and oh, Bowser could see the ghost losing it when Bowser gave King Wart—

"King Wart!" Bowser shouted, that nagging feeling clicked into place! Where the heck was his guest?!