Luigi slowly arose from his fall. Jumping wasent as easy as people thought it was. Mario quickly sprinted ahead when the two brothers heard another iconic "Mariooo."

"Come on Luigi, she is in trouble." Mario said looking back towards his injured brother, hanging on to a ledge. "Mario, go ahead...I'll catch up later." He replied grimacing, hands beginning to pull him up slowly. The walls began to tremble around them as fresh cracks appeared across the structure. "Bro!" Mario shouted across the room before rocks tumbled down in the middle of the long hallway, separating them.

The last thing Luigi heard before he felt darkness lash out around im, was his distant brothers shouts.

A few hours later*

The green-clad brother slowly opened his eyes, only to find he was not in the hallway anymore. Looking around more closely he realized he was in a very posh looking bedroom. How did I get here? He thought as his blue eyes darted around the large room.

He got up and looked down. His clothes were still torn and he had red gashes where he had taken any serious damage. His overalls were badly stained black with debris, probably from back in the grand hallway.

The room was white and had pink curtains as well as a pink fluffy bed with a crown symbol at the bottom. The room looked like it had been designed for peach. Mabye he was still in browsers castle, but none of it made sense. Why would Bowser keep him alive? He had no real use to the Kooper.

He opened the door and crept quietly out. The room leaded out onto another long hallway with many other doors lining each side of the walls. They all had different symbols on them. Boy, Bowser was organized. He resisted a chuckle as he came across presumably Wendy's room as it was also hot pink but had a big yellow and black sighn with'NO BOYS PERMITTED IN HERE...especially you Jr.' Written on it.

He carried on further passing many kitchens bustling with servanhts as well as the main dining room and more of the kooplings bedrooms. It was weird that no one was leaving the rooms, but that made his investigation better and more easy for a escape route when he felt like it.

He suddenly stopped dead still outside a room with a globe symbol on it reading 'Meeting room'. He could only presume this was where Bowser made his plans to kill Mario or kidnap peach. But that was not what had made him stop. It was the voices emitting from inside the room. It couldent be could it...Mario and...bowser?!?.

Inside the meeting room*

"Bowser I am sick of your games, what do you want?" A struggling Mario asked angrily. Bowser had made sure Mario could not leave his chair.

"I have brought you here to discuss a bet. Or a deal if you prefer." Bowser said to mario, a desperate tone in his voice.

"I will not deal anything with you turtle-face." Mario replied, constantly attacking his restraints. "Now hang on there plumber, I havent told you the reward if the bet is won by you." Bowser said, smileing innocently. "Fine, but what is the catch?" Mario replied still untrusting. "Oh no catch. If you loose then I get to see the look of failure on your face." Bowser chuckled to himself. "But well...if you win, I will leave the mushroom kingdom in piece for two years.

Mario looked shocked. "What, well if I win this why would you make it that long. You kidnap the princess every week." Mario wasent giving in that easily. Bowser shuffled akwardly, his smile turned into a grimace. "Between you and me mario." He leaned in close to the red plumbers ear. "Yuck, dont get so close." Mario said smelling the koopers horrible breath. "SHUT UP...I am getting old." Bowser replied with a heavy sigh.

Both just stood there, mario had his mouth open with shock. He stoped struggling on his restraints as guilt washed over him. "Bowser...I dident know." He broke the akward silence. "Yeah well...are you going to listen now." Bowser replied impatiently. Mario thought for a second. "Alright let me here it." He said with a annoyed look on his face. Bowser couldent believe his enemy was actually hearing him out. "Mario the bet is...well you know about the recent murders that have been happening in the mushroom kingdom. They scare me, I feel like one of my people or kooplings will be targeted. I dont want to be a investigater because I am not good at that kinda thing." His tone had turned axious.

"Hmmm...okay." Mario said still not believing bowser couldent hire his own investigater. "I bet you luigi can't figure out the murderer in the next year. The reason I pick him is because I don't want this to between you and me...and he's younger than you mario." Bowser said laughing out loud. "Not cool bowser!" Mario replied also letting out a little chuckle himself.

"Mario this murderer...Is way stronger than we think they are." He said cutting the laughing short. The two had feared this secretly, mario especially. The murderer was bound to target the great hero.

"Alright. I accept." Mario said quietly. "Thank you mario." Bowser replied. The two shaked hands across the table. The deal was official.

Back with luigi*

He couldent believe what he just saw. Mario had made a deal without him. It involved him...why wouldent the mario brother check with him first. Bowser wasent old he was somwhere in his thirties. He would have accepted, but his brother should have asked bowser if he could see his brother first.

He let out a long sigh, his head departing with the door.

Suddenly mario and bowser began to walk over to the door. Luigi quickly backed away, just in time not to get damaged as bowser shoved open the big wooden door.

Mario stopped where he was and stared at his brother on the floor. Bowser shrugged and walked off "Don't forget your promise plumbers."

Luigi glanced up at his brother, he was offended. Mario should know he was lying. "Bro..." mario said, crouching down to his brothers level.

"Mario...I would accept but you know he was lying diden't you. There was a catch." Luigi explained as angry tears filled his eyes. The red plumber looked guilty, he looked down at his feet. "Yes bro, I knew he was lying ...but. If there is a chance I could get a break...it would be good for me and you. We could spend more time together." Mario replied looking even more anxious. Luigi sat there in silence more tears fell down his cheecks. "You...never want to spend time with me." Luigi said quietly almost out of ear-shot. Mario suddenly fell backwards stareing above luigi's head. "BRO!" But it was too late. A blinding flash appeared around luigi.

...the Bet had begun.