Author's Notes: I believe this was my first Mario fiction, but I am currently going through it, and doing some editing. And please people review all you can, I LOVE getting reviews!!! :D

CHAPTER 1: MEMORIES

It was a bright, clear day, filling young Luigi with happiness, he was three years old on this day, and he and his older brother were playing and laughing together in the sun. Nine-year-old Mario spread out his arms like an aeroplane and made a loop around a tree, as Luigi tried to imitate his every move. Mario giggled and zoomed up the grassy hill and waited at the top for his brother. When Luigi caught up, Mario pushed him playfully onto the grass. Luigi looked up, hysterical with laughter at his comical older brother. Luigi's big blue eyes were admiring his brother, and when he could think of nothing else to do, he tugged at Mario's leg, causing him to fall down comically. Mario laughed and began rolling down the hill. Luigi again imitated him and giggled with glee, as dandelion seeds dispersed all around them. When they got back on their feet, Mario quickly armed himself with a sink plunger.

"I'm going to get you!" Mario said, mischievously.

"No you won't!" and Luigi whipped out a second plunger, almost twice the size of himself, and they play-chased their way around the hill.

"C'mon, slow-poke!" Luigi screamed with excitement.

They played for hours, never aware of the time, not a care in the world...

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Then Luigi regained consciousness.

Those echoing voices had been a dream, but they were once Luigi's reality.

But the reality now was far from that. Luigi was lying on the ground and all he knew was that his head was spinning like a tornado. He could feel a breeze from the air, letting him know he was outside. His back was resting on soft ground, but his head and back throbbed as if he had impacted the ground hard. After blinking a few times, his vision cleared, and he found out he was lying somewhere dusty and barren, but he could barely make out a few trees in the distance.

Slowly, Luigi peeled himself upright, placing his hands on his back and forehead. He sighed and looked around for anything familiar, just to make him feel more at home, and he badly needed a reminder of what had happened. Then just one thought entered his mind.

"Mario?!" It struck him with great fear that whatever had happened was likely to have involved his brother, and what struck him deeper was the thought that Mario might be hurt or dead. Besides that, it would reassure him greatly to see his brother, to maybe remind him of how he got here. Luigi called Mario a few more times, his eyes scanning the terrain for any signs of his brother. When there was no reply, Luigi shivered with fear. Never had he felt this alone in his entire life, and it suddenly seemed like he was the only person left in the whole world, with nobody there to comfort him.

Luigi whimpered, just wishing he could find his brother. So he collected what determination he had left, and began to jog in a random direction in a brave attempt to find Mario. But after just nine seconds of searching, his foot was caught on a thick root in the ground, and sent him crashing back down. Luigi helplessly hit the ground with his face before his hands could catch the fall. Luigi groaned at the pain in his forehead and ankle, and he lifted his elbows, turned his face away from the ground and slunk back down, overcome by physical and mental exhaustion.

The plumber was slowly giving up on himself. He lay where he was, stretching his left arm on the ground, wishing he had never woken up from that blissful dream, and he tried to go to sleep so he could revisit it, and be back to his unharmed self, innocent of any knowledge which could harm him or his brother. That's where he much desired to be.

A short time later, Luigi's ears were ringing from the sound of footsteps approaching. Then before he knew it, he heard his brother.

"Luigi!"

Luigi felt Mario place a hand on his shoulder, and another taking his left hand. He opened his eyes slowly and saw that his brother's face was full of concern, his clear blue eyes on the verge of tears. Mario leaned down putting his arm round Luigi, understanding that he was in need of desperate comforting. "It's ok Luigi, I'm here." He was trying to stay in control but his voice trembled at the effort.

"Mario!" Suddenly Luigi was overwhelmed with joy, and he got up, almost forgetting about his hurt ankle, and winced unintentionally from the pain. Mario helped Luigi sit up, and they finally had each other's shoulders to cry on.