Author: Somehow, this became a thing. The Luigi of the Prologue mellowed slightly as I wrote him into a story, so if there seems to be a shift in attitude, well, that's why.
Disclaimer: ahahahaha
Chapter 1
The day dawned bright and sunny, peaceful, and quiet in the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario had defeated the latest threat, everything was safe, and everyone was happy.
Well, almost everyone.
Luigi paced his room in the house that had been given to he and Mario for service to the Kingdom, scowling at the floor. He took off his hat, scratched his head, and tossed the green headwear onto his desk's chair in disgust.
He had been doing well in the races. He was on the podium nearly every time, but that didn't matter. Even if he placed in front of Mario, his victory was considered lucky, or the other racers had had bad runs, or that Mario had let him win, not that Luigi won on his own skill.
Eventually, Luigi had stopped focusing on placing in front of Mario and rather chose to simply do his best to just stop his brother from winning. It was more gratifying to see his brother frustrated and hurting than coming in first.
Luigi was sure he shouldn't feel that way. It wasn't good, it wasn't right. It was doing nothing but satisfying a petty, long-suppressed need to manifest his frustration over Mario's monopoly on the spotlight. Luigi knew he wasn't half as heroic, but he had done things to help the Mushroom Kingdom, too! He had saved his brother's life!
Then why, why, am I so easily pushed aside…?
He needed a different way to show that he was as heroic as Mario, but he didn't know how to do that. Mario's chances to show his heroism had always been almost accidental. Maybe Luigi would get equally lucky one day…?
Yeah, right, he thought bitterly. Mario is the lucky one, not I.
Luigi rubbed his face and sighed. He picked up his hat off his chair, straightened it on his head, checked his mustache in his mirror, and left his room to greet his brother with as much good cheer as he could muster.
Mario was his brother, afterall, and even if he resented him, they were family. He'd never abandon Mario.
Even if he really, really wanted to.
He descended the stairs, a "good morning" on his lips, but the words died in his mouth when he saw Mario slumped on the table.
He knew that Mario had been beaten up pretty badly the day before (most of which was his fault, but details), but the man that was nearly unconscious on the table was suffering from more than physical injuries.
"Bro?"
Mario looked up and was, perhaps, the most pitiful sight Luigi had ever seen. Mario was clearly sick, and, coupled with the physical pains of the last few days, was bruised and flushed.
"Mario," Luigi began, but was cut off by one of Mario's trademark cocky, charming smiles.
"Hey, Weegee," Mario semi-slurred as he pushed himself upright, only to groan and slump back down to rest his forehead on his crossed arms.
"Mario," Luigi said, his resentment vanishing into concern, he even managing to ignore the nickname he loathed. "Hey, let's get you back to bed."
"I'll be fine. Today's big race is against Bowssser," Mario said into the kitchen table.
Luigi shook his head and walked over to his brother. Luigi hoisted Mario out of the chair and staggered under his superior weight; Luigi forced himself to stand strong.
"I can walk," Mario protested, but Luigi ignored him and dragged him up the stairs.
Luigi tucked Mario into Mario's bed and put a hand to Mario's forehead and the other to his own, trying to gauge if his brother had a fever or not. When it was painfully obvious that such was the case, Luigi sighed softly.
I should stay and take care of him, he thought, but an alarmingly large part of him immediately rebelled at the selfless notion. Like Mario had said, the big race that day featured Bowser. If he could defeat Bowser, then maybe, maybe, he'd get the recognition he deserved.
Luigi was briefly torn between taking care of the only brother he had and the new-found resolution for independence from said brother.
For a long time, he would have given up his chance at glory to nurse his brother back to health. But, Mario had a girlfriend who could take care of him just as well, if not better than, Luigi himself. Mario would probably appreciate the feminine touch anyway.
Not like he's ever cared for me when I was sick, Luigi thought, bitterness coloring the thought.
"I'm gonna get the Princess," Luigi told Mario, who merely groaned unhappily. "She'll be able to take care of you."
"Why can't you stay here with me?" Mario whined, and Luigi's progress to the door was stopped dead.
"Don't you want someone to beat Bowser in the race today?" Luigi asked, brutally smothering his irritation. Previous experience would have had him say 'yes' to the request, which was why Mario asked, demanded even, but things were changing—he was changing. "I figured that since you can't, I'd do so in your place."
Mario was silent for a long moment before he said, "Yeah. Bowser needs to be beaten. You sure you can do it, Weegee?"
Luigi gritted his teeth at the nickname, but his voice didn't betray him. "Of course I can. I'm your brother, right?"
"And no-one can beat the Mario brothers," Mario said, which made Luigi almost physically flinch.
"Y-yeah," Luigi replied. "I'm gonna go get the Princess and then head to the racetrack."
Mario made a sound that Luigi interpreted as agreement, and Luigi quickly left the room.
No one can beat the Mario brothers, rang through Luigi's mind and made him grimace.
He stepped outside of his home and took in a deep breath of air, trying to find some modicum of serenity so he could deal with everyone else without snapping at them; they weren't the cause of his ire, there was no need to take his bad mood out on them.
He flagged down a Yoshi, who was going about doing his daily deliveries. The dinosaur gave him a cheerful chirrup and Luigi smiled, distant and dim memories of being saved and cared for by a group of Yoshi tugging at his mind.
"Can I ask you a favor?" Luigi asked, and the Yoshi turned his attention to him. "Mario is feeling sick, but he wants me to race for him, so I won't be able to take care of him. Think you could get the Princess or Toad to watch over him instead?"
The Yoshi seemed to briefly consider the request before nodding solemnly and making a few noises that Luigi decided indicated that he'd do it as soon as possible.
"Thanks," Luigi said and gave the dinosaur a smile before walking away.
Well, one thing taken care of, Luigi thought and mentally crossed the problem of caring for Mario off of his mental list.
Almost immediately a wave of guilt crested over him, which made him sigh. It was difficult, wanting to prove that he was more than just Mario's taller shadow. He had cared about Mario so much for so long that struggling into the light was harder than it had any right to be.
He supposed that he was working against habit, and habits were notoriously hard to break.
Being out of the house and away from Mario was oddly relaxing—he felt he could breathe. Admittedly, only one person in five gave him a second glance (if any at all), but Luigi was used to that. Used to being ignored.
Luigi scuffed his shoe on the street and kept his facial expression neutral. Not anymore. I won't be ignored anymore.
He made his way towards the racetrack, trying to plan out the best way to beat Bowser on Toad's Turnpike (which was where the race was set to be), when he was roughly shoved aside and into a nearby building. Once he stopped seeing stars, it was to find Waluigi looming nearby, Wario a step behind him.
Luigi readjusted his overalls and hat and gave the two mischief-makers a glare. "What do you want?" Luigi asked, unsurprised by the venom in his voice.
"Just givin' you a taste of what you'll be feeling during the race today," Waluigi sneered, although there was wariness in his eyes.
"Heard that the pesky red plumber is sick," Wario said with a cackle. "You have no-one to protect you."
Luigi bristled even though he knew that that was exactly the reaction they wanted.
"I don't need Mario to protect me," Luigi snapped. "And don't think that Bowser will be the most dangerous racer on the track today."
He pushed the two aside and stalked past them.
This does not bode well, Luigi thought, nervousness pricking at him. First Mario is sick, then those two corner me; what's next, running into Bowser himself?
Luigi abruptly remembered that the only luck he had was bad luck when he, in fact, did nearly collide with the giant reptile. Bowser completely brushed him off, however, sparing him only the briefest of glances and an annoyed sneer. Bowser's minions were less dismissive, however, shoving him around between each other, Luigi unable to mount a successful defense against the bluntly clawed hands.
He was dizzy and roughed-up by the time they passed, and he had to steady himself against a light-pole until he recovered.
Luigi was disgusted by his own weakness, and wanted to puke, not out of being tossed around, but because of how pathetic he was.
No-one would push Mario around this way, he thought once he was steady again.
He reached the kart garage and walked through the varied vehicles until he found his own, and sat down in his favorite.
He leaned his forehead against the steering wheel and took in a number of deep breaths. He had to be able to concentrate. He had to be able to defeat Bowser. He had to grind Wario and Waluigi into the pavement. He had to prove that he was someone, that he wasn't a tall, green extension of Mario.
All the other races haven't mattered, though. What will make this one any different?
Around him, he heard the other contestants trickling in, and he closed his eyes to block them out. He knew they would ignore him, but he didn't need to see the complete disregard, how their eyes would simply slip over him in the search for his older brother. Only Daisy looked for him before Mario.
Luigi felt a delicate hand placed on his tense shoulder and opened his eyes, hoping to find Daisy; his stomach dropped when it was Peach.
"I thought you'd want to know Mario is doing okay," she said, concern in her gaze—Luigi knew that concern wasn't for him, though.
She'll be an easy target today, Luigi thought distantly. She won't be paying attention.
"Thanks," he said aloud, giving her a relieved smile. "I knew I could count on you."
"I wish he could race today. I wouldn't have to worry at all," Peach said with a sigh. She removed her hand and Luigi watched her wander over to her karts.
Luigi gripped his wheel tightly in an attempt to exert control over the anger that swamped him. He knew it wasn't really Peach whom he was angry with, that she wasn't the problem.
He still resented her for thinking that the entire race hinged on Mario's participation.
He had just got his emotions under his control again when he saw Daisy approaching. He gave her a small wave and a smile, which she returned with more vigour.
"How's my hero doing?" she asked and kissed his cheek, which made Luigi grin stupidly.
"I'm fine," he lied. "I'm gonna be number one today!"
Daisy smiled. "I bet you will. I'll be cheering you on."
"You're not racing?"
Daisy shook her head. "Not this time. Bowser is…" she searched for a word before settling on, "intimidating."
Luigi nodded in complete agreement. "I'll win for you, okay?"
Daisy smiled. "Promise?"
"Of course," Luigi replied.
Toad's voice came over the loud-speakers, announcing the beginning of the race, and Daisy gave Luigi one more kiss for good luck.
"I'll see you on the podium," she said and walked away.
Luigi pushed aside his desire to outshine his brother and replaced it with the desire to honor Daisy with a victory. It was a worthier emotion and goal.
Luigi started his kart and drove towards the gate that would lead them to the portal to the Turnpike.
Luigi flinched when another kart bumped into his own, and glared at Waluigi, who merely gave him a grin so reminiscent of Mario's that Luigi swore to shell Waluigi as often as he could. The transportation washed over him and he abruptly found himself in the eternally congested racetrack. He lined up with the rest of the contestants and gave Bowser a side-long glance. Bowser seemed certain of his victory, almost smugly so, which gave Luigi pause. There also seemed to be more of his cronies than usual among the racers, and Luigi would have sworn that he saw familiar villainous faces in the cabs of the trucks and cars that surrounded them.
I've got a bad feeling, Luigi thought, but forced himself to focus on the race. If something happened, if Bowser pulled a fast one…well, he'd deal with that if it happened. That's how Mario did things, anyway.
Planning had never been his brother's strong suit.
The lights counted down to go, and Luigi floored it, he leaving with the main throng of racers. Bowser, oddly, stayed in the back of the group, which made uneasy chills crawl up and down Luigi's spine.
He is definitely plotting something.
Still, Luigi had a race to win and a number of people to shut down. Three red shells as his first weapon was an auspicious start, and he used one each on one of Bowser's Koopalings, leaving them spinning behind him.
He supposed that something of his resolution, of the competitive hatred that he fought to control, communicated itself in his glances at those who passed him or whom he passed—many of the racers visibly shivered (Donkey Kong seemed merely amused). Luigi didn't fully mind, though. If he couldn't be revered, then maybe he could be feared?
It was a notion that gave Luigi pause. Everyone knew of Mario, who was a hero. But, everyone also knew of Bowser, and Bowser was most definitely not a hero.
Before his mind could wander down a path that Luigi wasn't sure he wanted to follow, a number of trucks tried to squeeze him between them, and Luigi quickly used his acoustic weapon to push them away from him and give him a narrow space with which to escape.
They aren't supposed to…
Luigi quickly found himself avoiding not only the attacks of the other racers, responding to Waluigi's green shell with a boomerang to his head three times, but also the dangers presented by intentionally malicious traffic. He had to toss a bomb in front of him to clear space for himself (as well as taking out Wario), even if it singed his moustache a little.
Dodging a green shell from a Koopa, he had to keep himself from being sideswiped by a car, and flinched as he nearly ran into the wall due to spinning out on a banana peel. Bowser's laugh grated on his ears as the reptile passed, and Luigi was viciously pleased when three separate shells hit Bowser.
Luigi re-entered the race, and barely evaded getting caught in the blast of a bob-om that wiped out both Wario and Waluigi.
Too bad I couldn't do it, Luigi thought dispassionately.
Luigi picked up a mushroom, which let him pull closer to the front. Two Koopalings pulled up beside him, one with red shells, the other, green. Luigi looked between the two of them, then stepped on his brakes. As he had hoped, they ran into each other, resulting in a rather spectacular crash that pulled in Mario's baby-version, and Rosaline wasn't quick enough to avoid the pile-up either.
It was all rather…
Behind him, he heard Peach cry out in a mixture of horror and pain. When Luigi looked over his shoulder, it was to see her trapped against the wall by trucks and two Koopa racers. He was torn between the desire to win and the instinct to save the Princess. He couldn't let Bowser win, but he couldn't let Peach be hurt either, if just for Mario's sake, so used the last two of the green shells he had picked up to knock out the two Koopa.
Luigi feared that what he had done wasn't enough when a bob-om exploded and destroyed the trucks that were caging her. Luigi sighed in relief when he saw a Yoshi helping Peach out of the wreckage, obviously giving up his contention to make sure she was looked away and the two receded quickly into the distance.
A confusion of emotions rattled through Luigi as he sped along the track. Does he ever feel this way? Luigi wondered as he maneuvered around a banana peel, Donkey Kong wiping out on it instead. Luigi picked up three red shells and removed Toadette and Baby Peach, clearing the way for himself and, consequently, also pulling the attention of the cars and trucks away from the two females.
The crippling doubt that was swirling through Luigi was woefully familiar, as was the indecision and terror over the correct course of action. The fear of failure, the knowledge that he had something larger-than-life to live up to, was paralyzing.
Luigi shook himself. No. No more fear. I can't afford to be afraid anymore.
Still, it begged the question: Does my fear make me a better person than Mario, if his bravery means ignoring the plight of others to achieve his goal?
As he made a turn, trying to shake the clinging questions out of his mind, the stands about him were thrown suddenly into chaos as Bowser's minions appeared out of seemingly nowhere. Luigi looked around sharply and found that all the trucks were gunning for him—especially since he was the only racer still going besides Bowser himself.
Luigi wove his way through traffic, sweat trickling down the small of his back.
Does Mario feel like this? Like if he loses, something terrible will happen? Or…maybe he doesn't even think he's going to lose. That would be more like him—he simply wouldn't think he could lose.
"You think you're clever, greenie?" Bowser taunted as he pulled up beside Luigi. "You did most of my work for me!"
Luigi ground his teeth and settled on glaring at Bowser, trying to pack all of his frustration and simmering anger in the look.
Bowser's grin briefly faltered before it spread into an even wider one and he laughed.
"Oh, this is going to be fun."
"Not for you," Luigi said coldly and tossed a red shell at the reptilian king.
Bowser blocked it with a green shell before they both picked up new weapons. Luigi swore softly at the three mushrooms Bowser had, he himself only gaining one green shell.
Bowser used all three in quick succession, pulling ahead of Luigi. Luigi was forced to use the green shell to destroy a banana peel left on the tracks by one of the racers and tried to eke out what speed he could from his kart.
I can't lose this, Luigi thought, desperation coloring his thoughts. He picked up a weapon and a malicious grin pulled across his face.
Eat blue shell, Luigi thought gleefully and tossed the shell away, it immediately honing in on its target. Luigi laughed as he passed the recovering Bowser, and elation flooded him as he flew towards the finish line.
It was almost painfully easy, taunting the trucks and cars into attacking him, resulting in massive pile-ups behind him, blocking Bowser's way. He knew that there would be hell to pay regarding the structural damage, but Mario had done the same kind of thing and people had forgiven him for it, surely the same would apply to him. He was Mario's brother—that had to count for something.
Luigi frowned at the steering wheel as he crossed the finish line, the victory feeling oddly hollow.
He slowed to a stop to see that the other racers that had been knocked out of the race had taken it upon themselves to control the mayhem that had broken out. Luigi gave Donkey Kong a nod, which was returned with an equally solemn one. Luigi was surprised to see Wario and Waluigi congratulating themselves, but he figured that if they thought that if they couldn't win a race, might as well win a fight.
I should have been up there helping, Luigi thought as he stepped out of the kart. He felt that the trophy ceremony would be forgone in favor of recovery from the attack; once again, his accomplishments were to be ignored.
"It doesn't matter that you beat me," Bowser said, and Luigi turned to face him, Luigi keeping his face as impassive as possible. "You've lost anyway."
It was true. Luigi could almost hear the whispered comparisons.
Mario would have finished the race sooner. Mario would have found a way to prevent the attack. If Mario had been racing, there would be no damage and no-one would be hurt.
Mario, Mario, Mario.
Luigi shook his head dismissively. "And you lost to Mario's lowly little brother. What does that say about you?"
Bowser growled as Luigi walked away.
It said something that Luigi was able to use himself as an insult.
Luigi knew that his kart would be taken away and serviced—or, it should be. If it wasn't, that would say more than anything whispered behind his back.
Luigi didn't want to go back to his home, but he had nowhere else to go.
Maybe Peach took him to the palace. Maybe Mario won't be there.
Perhaps that wouldn't be as much a relief as he hoped.
He wavered between waning to make sure Mario heard what really happened to avoiding him all together because he was certain that Mario would pick apart everything that he purportedly did wrong.
He stopped abruptly in the middle of the sidewalk and ignored the people who parted around him before rejoining each other on the other side.
This is why, Luigi thought, shaking slightly. This is why I never tried before. Because everything I do is going to be pulled apart, examined, and set against Mario's accomplishments. Better to live in his shadow than be torn to pieces by his adoring public. Perhaps it is better to be a coward. Perhaps it is better to not care about what other people think, and let Mario have his spotlight.
Luigi rubbed his face, suddenly exhausted, and the throng that had once seemed so far apart suddenly crowded him, judgment in their eyes.
I don't care what he thinks, Luigi lied to himself. Maybe if I have space to think I'll be able to come up with counter-explanations for everything that people say.
Luigi laughed softly, bitterly.
It doesn't matter what I do, does it? Luigi asked the void that pressed down on his soul. I'm never going to escape him.
Luigi was hit with sudden panic at the realization that Daisy might have gotten hurt. He immediately turned and jogged towards her home, heart racing as a thousand terrible scenarios ran through his mind.
The guards let him through and he nearly fainted from relief when he found Daisy perfectly fine.
"Daisy," Luigi said, unashamed of the intensity of his emotion. "You're okay!"
Daisy gave him a bright smile and gestured for him to sit down. "You did wonderful today."
Luigi take the seat she gestured to before taking her hands in his. "I'm sorry I wasn't there to protect you. I should've stopped or something, not just left you."
Daisy gave him a soft smile. "You did the best you could. If you hadn't kept on going, Bowser would have won, and who knows what kind of damage that, coupled with his attack, would have done."
"It would have meant nothing if you had been hurt," Luigi said softly.
Daisy gave him a gentle kiss and replied, "Congratulations on coming in first place."
Luigi felt strangely giddy. Even if only Daisy recognized his win, that was something. It meant that he was somebody to at least one person (besides his brother, of course).
"How about a victory lunch?"
Luigi grinned. "You know the way to a man's heart, Daisy."
Daisy laughed, stood, and pulled Luigi along behind her, heading to the kitchen.
"Pasta, right?" Luigi blatantly suggested.
Daisy laughed. "If that's what you want."
This is better than any trophy, Luigi thought, smiling more genuinely than he had in longer than he cared to think. It was easy to push Mario out of his mind when around someone who actually loved him.