Kids Network Studios Presents

In Honor of Ranee Denise Winfield-Kuhn, August 21, 1957 - May 21, 2015

A Fallen Hero

Mushroom Kingdom, a rather beautiful and unusual kingdom. It was ruled by a beautiful, yet bright, Princess Peach Blossom Toadstool. During the wars, her parents were murdered by Bowser - King of Koopa Kingdom. The kingdom lost their king and queen all in one night. Toadsworth harbored Peach and raised her as his own. The kingdom often struggled during the early years, due to the fact that no one was brave enough to protect Peach. That was until Peach was 15 years old. Two strange men came out of nowhere from "Brooklyn, New York". Their names were Mario Gregory Manfredi Junior and Luigi James Manfredi.

Mario and Luigi were twins, Mario being the eldest. Mario was the brave one while Luigi was the scared one. Mario had saved Peach once and started to climb up in fame. Luigi, however, was not as lucky. He remained often as "Green Mario" around the Toads. So when the opportunity came along for Luigi to have his own mansion, no strings attached, of course Mario got suspicious. Mario decided to copy the map, to check out the mansion first for Luigi. When he finished, he decided to head out to Boo Woods and investigate by himself...

When Mario finally got to Boo Woods, where the map from Luigi's letter was leading him to, he couldn't understand it. The mansion looked completely run down and more importantly - it looked haunted. Mario knew that he had to check this out. Mario saw an old man out of the corner of his eye down at the grounds of the mansion. Mario decided not to stop and chat. He did hear the old man warning not to go in. But he didn't listen. Something he would immediately regret. Using his fire flower, Mario created light for himself to look around. Mario got into the Courtyard without seeing a ghost.

'Maybe it is just a bit run down,' he thought. His thought was quickly dashed away when he heard some cackling. Mario stopped in his tracks and saw Boos in front of him. Mario got ready to fight - that was until he saw that he was surrounded. He thought, getting scared, 'Mamma mia, where did all of these Boos come from? What are they doing here?' The next thing Mario knew, the Boos attacked him without giving him a chance to fight back. Mario never felt so scared or so outnumbered. All he could keep thinking about was warning Luigi...that's why he wrote that letter in a hurry. That's why he lost his star before he could use it.

That's why...he lost... Mario's eyes finally opened after what seemed to be forever. He felt like he had this weird nightmare that he was put through this machine to become a portrait. When Mario was finally able to see where he was - he realized that it wasn't a dream...he was in a painting...

Mario thought, sadly, 'Why didn't I wait for Luigi? I had to find out what was going on... Now I am a prisoner of these Boos... Why did they attack me like that? That was so unusual... I guess you can't trust a Boo farther than I threw Bowser into the molten lava a few months ago. I know Bowser would recover from that, I just have that feeling. I should've suspected that King Boo would come to mess with me - and Luigi.' That's when King Boo came threw the wall, looking at the portrait when he did.

He mocked, "Enjoying your painting quarters."

Mario pressed his hands up against the glass. Mario had recently figured out that he was bait for Luigi.

"Once Luigi gets here, you are going to regret locking me up in this painting," Mario hissed.

King Boo smirked evilly and replied, "Oh? The weakling brother is who I'm supposed to be scared of? Everyone knows what you think of your own DNA."

"What the hell are you talking about," Mario asked, pissed off.

He explained, "Think about it, red cap. The minute you get the opportunity to go on vacation with the princess and her royal adviser, what was the first thing you do? You started packing! You didn't - not even once - ask your own younger twin brother if he wished to join you. Nope, the only thing you did was asked him to get the luggage from the attic since you were too busy talking about the trip of a lifetime. Talk about insult to injury."

Mario was about to protest but the more he thought about it - the more he realized that King Boo was right. He didn't even ask Luigi if he wanted to come. All Mario did was pack and talked about Isle. When Mario said nothing to defend himself, King Boo's smirk got wider.

"Don't you smirk at me," Mario hissed.

King Boo responded, "Oh come now, red cap. You know I'm right. You think Luigi is a poor excuse for a human. Why else would you leave him behind constantly? It is because you are embarrassed to be around a failure and the worst part is - he is your younger twin brother."

Mario said nothing but let those words sink in as King Boo went off somewhere. Mario thought, sniffling a little bit, 'Am I really that awful to my own flesh and blood?'

Mario didn't know how long he had been there. It felt like days, months even. Ever since that Toad saw him in the painting and him seeing Luigi in the well, he hadn't had many visits from King Boo lately. That's when King Boo came in. He really got Mario pissed off about saying that he was so eager in leaving Luigi behind in ordinary to go to Isle Defino with Peach and Toadsworth. Mario was about to say something...until he saw something green...

It was a man in green...

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BROTHER," Mario shouted at the top of his lungs.

King Boo smirked evilly as Mario near tears. The person that the Boos had dragged in - was Luigi. WAS. His body was seriously damaged and he looked like he hung himself. Mario thought, nearly throwing up, 'No - he couldn't have… There has to be another explanation. I saw Luigi earlier and he was alive and well!'

The king of boos explained, "Poor thing knew that he was beat. He knew that he could never defeat me. He knew that he could never be like his brother, thee Super Mario."

Mario had never been more upset in his life. Luigi was dead…all because of him... Mario made a fist, pressed it up against the glass, and pounded it hard.

"ONCE I GET OUT OF HERE, KING BOO, YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET EVER MEETING ME," he yelled, screaming at the top of my lungs.

Suddenly, Mario saw Luigi's head come up mysteriously. Half of him wanted to celebrate while the other half of him wanted to barf. He was in a really bad condition. Just then, Luigi smirked and then turned a pale white. Mario watched in terror, thinking that something was wrong. But he quickly proven to be - not only wrong - but fooled. Turned out that the Luigi they had brought in - was a Boo in disguise.

The Boo said, "Well, I didn't think you cared for me at all, Mario! How sweet of you to defend me like that!"

"W - wait, what," Mario asked, trying not to sound scared.

Actually, he was scared, confused, pissed off, and worried all at the same time.

King Boo explained, "Ah, that look you had on your face…it was so satisfying… You really thought that your brother, your weak link was dead. He's still alive, for now, and continuing his predicted path of becoming a painting just like his older brother. You know what they say, when one twin falls…the other is sure to follow."

When the Boos and King Boo left, Mario sunk to my knees. He thought, 'I, Mario Gregory Manfredi Junior, don't deserve such a wonderful baby twin brother. One that is willing to forgive me - even when I'm horrible to him. What kind of person was I? I treated Luigi so badly! I'm surprised that he is coming here to save me. I don't deserve it... I don't deserve Luigi as my twin...'

Mario was pounding the glass of his portrait as King Boo was floating right there in front of him. He was having an animated, one-sided conversation with Mario. King Boo sighed happily as Mario got angrier.

He stated, "Aahh, I could just stare at my Mario painting for hours. It's true what they say about fine art… it takes utterly refined sensibilities to truly appreciate it."

Mario shot at him, "So I'm fine art? I suppose I make a far painting than you do."

King Boo ignored Mario and continued, "The way you plead for help, Mario… I find it so… satisfying. Perhaps that is merely because I remember how much trouble you've caused me in the past. Seriously though, who would actually believe that mansions get given away in contests?! Talk about stupid! What do they feed you Mario brothers on anyway... gullible soup?"

Mario had to admit that he wasn't so fooled by King Boo's trick, although, given his current situation that wasn't exactly true. Mario knew that Luigi would feel guilty and wonder if he would ever forgive himself for it. Mario knew he would forgive him for running ahead, although he really shouldn't.

'I don't deserve him as a twin,' Mario thought.

King Boo added, "Your brother came all this way just to get turned into a painting... It's just terrific. However..."

At that moment, King Boo turned around suddenly and he seemed not surprised. He even treated his guest to the most menacing grin. Mario pressed his hands against the glass, utterly relieved to see Luigi standing before King Boo. And he looked like he went through hell in ordinary to get to this point.

"All...for me," Mario breathed, surprised.

King Boo remarked, "This Mario painting looks lonely... I must have a Luigi painting as well! Then my gallery will truly be complete!"

Luigi shuddered at King Boo's maniacal laughter as did Mario. It was finally time to see what their fates were going to be...

When Mario finally came to, he found Elvin by his bedside, looking sad. Mario sat up, seeing that King Boo was in a portrait. It was in a gold frame and painted oh so perfectly. Mario knew that he was out of the painting and King Boo was beaten. But where was Luigi? He cleared his throat, capturing Elvin's attention. The ghost hunter turned to Mario, wiping his tears. Mario didn't ask a question when he saw Elvin's face. And that's when Mario's world came crashing down.

"I'm so sorry, Mario..." Elvin reported, sadly. "But your brother is dead..."

Mario was frozen in shock before he finally let the tears fall down his face. Not another word was spoken as Mario continued to sob.

The death news swept the entire kingdom. Everyone was devastated, especially Mario. He insisted that there would be a statue to be in Luigi's honor in Toad Town. While the statue wounded up to be small, Mario didn't really care. He was heartbroken. Not only was Luigi dead but he felt like he was too. He picked up some gin and started to drink it. Little did he know, that would send him down a path he would soon hate...

Wishmaker1028: Yes, I know, I am completely evil. This story will be rated M for future chapters, mainly because it is going to be heavy with drinking and sexuality. This is probably one of the darkest Mario stories to come. Hold on to your hats folks. Please read and review! And always think outside of the box!