Mario stood there dumbfounded. Standing right across from him was a monstrosity, a being of darkness that had brought terror and pain to the land for the past year.
His brother.
Or at least what used to be his brother.
Mario could barely recognise him. Among all the changes the transformation had done, the eyes were what always told Mario that Luigi didn't exist any more. His brother's eyes were completely white, no pupils stood where bright, forgiving blue eyes once laid. There were like empty shells, encased in a blackness that was his mask.
Mario was fighting back tears. His brother was kind, thoughtful and considerate. He never minded being in second place. He wouldn't hurt a fly, unless the fly was holding him back from something or someone in trouble. Like that time Mario was trapped inside a painting.
The villain that stood in front of him was the complete opposite. He was merciless. Evil. He wanted to be the top. He singlehandedly slaughtered Bowser himself, executed Ganondorf in front of his own minions and beheaded King Dedede. Wario was peacefully assassinated in his sleep, whilst Wolf was tortured brutally, before being thrown off a cliff. The being of pure evil that stood in front of him wanted to be the most powerful. The top dog.
And at that moment he was.
"Greetings plumber." The masked villain said calmly. Mario frowned.
"You were once a plumber too! You were once a hero! A name that spread hope into the hearts of the populace!" Mario yelled, his emotions entirely controlling him. Mr. L smirked.
"You are wrong. I have always been, and always will be, Mr. L!" He yelled as he charged towards red hero. Mario sidestepped, dodging Mr. L's unwise attack and leaving the Green Thunder open to a counter. Mario brought his fist up...
And dropped it.
He couldn't do it.
Mr. L seized the opportunity and rolled around Mario, slamming his boot into Mario's back. Mario howled in pain and rolled away, trying to keep his distance.
"Brother, try to think! Try to regain control Luigi!" Mario yelled in a weak attempt to bring him back.
"Your brother no longer lives!" Mr. L cruelly yelled.
"He was my first victim!"
Mario's tears finally broke free, as did his rage. He looked at the murderer in front of him, no longer seeing Luigi, but instead just a lowly killer who had killed everyone he loved.
He charged at the masked one, knocking him over. Mr. L quickly got up however, and retaliated with a furious series of punches that finished with a devastating uppercut, knocking Mario to the other side of the room. The Green Thunder charged, but failed to see Mario getting back up and was swept off his feet onto the ground by Mario. The red plumber was quick to follow up the attack, grabbing Mr. L by his scarf and throwing him into the wall. Mr. L managed to stick out his feet and leap off the wall just in time though, and he performed a damaging drop kick to Mario's back, knocking him to the ground. The masked murderer once again leapt onto him, tackling him and the two begun to wrestle ferociously. Eventually, Mario kicked Mr. L off him, and the two stood up facing each other. The brainwashed brother showed no mercy though, and he charged directly at Mario, punching him. He then quickly jumped onto his back, took his scarf and wrapped it around his brother's neck. He applied force.
Mario attempted to remove his brother from his back, but his attempts were fruitless. He was slowly losing the fight, his memories of his pacifist green brother slowly fading along with his life. Quickly, he tried one more thing. He grabbed his brother's arms, pulled with all his might, flipped his brother straight over his head and stuck out his knee.
CRACK!
Mr. L gasped, a single teardrop fell out of his eye, and his whole went limp.
Mr. L's dead corpse laid on Mario's knee.
The corpse of his own brother.
Mario was sobbing uncontrollably. He tried to make himself feel better. He told himself that he defeated Mr. L, that he had defeated the villain. The heroes had won.
The only thing was that he was the only hero left.
Mr. L had already killed the rest of the Smashers. Mario had finally avenged.
Mario got up and wiped his tears.
He was OK.
The fight was always going to happen.
It was inevitable.