Super Luigi Bros.

and

The Shaman of Shadows

1-5: Evils of the Pumpkin Gorge!

*Pumpkin Gorge*

Luigi gazed upon the murky river that entered the Pumpkin Gorge and it reminded him of the waters of the Feasting Swamp. "All this water is bad!" Luigi fretted. Walking further into the gorge revealed the two high stony cliffs that framed the river. On top of those cliffs, the massive pine trees of the Living Thicket grew, still cursed. Finally, smashed and rotted pumpkins lined the small fields that were next to the rivers sides.

The Three Musty Fears appeared from Luigi's shadow. "Well, that's not very nice," Greaper started. "Someone smashed all these pumpkins!"

"Such a waste!" Boo stated.

"Maybe we can gather up the seeds and roast them after we deal with the Rag Hag so it won't be a total waste!" Dry Bones suggested.

"Hmm, those are good roasted!" Luigi claimed.

"A light hearted treat after a job well done perhaps, but first comes the Rag Hag," Greaper urged.

Luigi began trekking down the side of the river and entered the clearing in the Gorge. On both sides of the river lie greenhouses with broken glass and grimy walls due to the floral overgrowth. Everything here seemed quite old. Then, Luigi heard some rustling. "What's that? Who's there?" he said as he turned the corner of a broken greenhouse and shined his flashlight out into the open. Luigi's light hit a lone but seemingly pristine pumpkin sitting on a dirt pathway. As soon as a light hit it though it sprung to life with a scary face and vines that acted as limbs. It screeched at Luigi who also screeched in response. The creature rushed Luigi who luckily retaliated with a powerful Thunderhand and shattered the pumpkin creature.

Greaper appeared, "Great! Pumpkin Piranhas! These suckers, and I mean that quite literally, can suck up spirits and use their energy to power themselves up!" he informed. Just as Greaper finished saying this, a Pumpkin Piranha appeared with many more tagging along behind them. Boo and Dry Bones were devoured by the nasty creatures with a loud yelp and Greaper was also caught. "Luigi, stomp these things and we'll be free!" he said as the creature swallowed him whole. With that the creatures ran away, leaping over fences and scurrying away into the broken greenhouses.

"Oh no...!" Luigi moaned as he was robbed of his company.

And so, Luigi did the only thing he could do. He entered the nearest greenhouse and found it to be somewhat small. He traveled down one of the aisles and found many strange wilted herbs that probably were once used by the druids as medication or spices. Luigi then heard a rustling in the distance. He shined his flashlight down the aisle, "Hello?" he asked sheepishly.

A voice responded, "Hello? Is someone there? Can you give me a hand?"

Luigi approached the voice by pushing aside leaves and vines. He found a male adult druid tangled within the vines. "Luigi got ya!" said Luigi as he untied the druid.

"Many thanks good sir!" thanked the druid. "My wife and son are wandering around the Gorge too. We came looking for an herb that could help my little girl get better, she has an illness, but those blasted pumpkin monsters got to me!"

"A surprise attack?" Luigi asked.

"No, it turns out our druidic magic isn't working because the Rag Hag is so close, she must be so powerful to have a curse like that...," explained the druid. "It looks like we'll have to smash all these creatures to get their leader out. I'm pretty sure the leader is hiding in the well in the center of all the greenhouses. The river forks right our side and there's a well that stands on the small strip of land in between the fork.!"

"I got it, but I have a problem...," Luigi said with concern.

"Oh?" said the druid.

"These monsters avoid me, I can't smash them if they don't come out of hiding!" Luigi claimed.

"Ah, that is a problem, but not for me!" the druid claimed as he turned to a counter top that stood behind him. There were many jars filled with dried herbs that he began searching through. He opened a few and began mixing some of these reagents together. After only a few moments he turned to Luigi and handed him a flask. "Here, take a sip of this household potion! It'll attract those critters even if they don't want to come to you!" he explained.

"Thank you!" Luigi said as he took a sip from the potion. "Hmm, tastes like cold pumpkin spice coffee, delicioso!" he thought to himself.

"Now, all you need to do is step outside into the pumpkin patch and they'll come running. Just be prepared when they come!" the druid informed.

Luigi stored the flask away, "Thank you very much!" he said gratefully.

Luigi then departed the empty greenhouse and approached the field outside. He walked until he reached the center. He shivered a bit as his breathe could be seen. Then suddenly, a Pumpkin Piranha sprouted up on the far side of the field and it acted as though it smelled something irresistible. Luigi put up his dukes and his Thunderhand danced across his fingers. "Come get me!" he taunted.

The creature suddenly lunged at Luigi but he jumped into the air with a spin jump to stomp on one he heard come from behind him. Luigi then rebounded off of the one he stomped on to land on the first one he encountered. Next followed three more from all sides. Luigi simply ducked and the three monsters collided and splattered Luigi with gooey pumpkin bits. He was disgusted and complained about it as more quickly arrived. Being covered in slimy pumpkin goo, he found it hard to stand without sliding. He nearly lost his footing until he grabbed another Pumpkin Piranha with his Thunderhand and it exploded releasing a hostile gold ghost. Luigi quickly took out his poltergust nozzle to suck up the ghost but he slid around so much it made his job difficult. He managed to fight off more Pumpkin Piranhas who in turn released more gold ghosts and other spirits. With some luck and nimble foot work Luigi dispatched all but one Pumpkin Piranha which he decided to give it a simple stomp. When it was crushed, Dry Bones emerged, "Wheew, thanks a lot buddy it was really cramped in there!" he said with relief.

"I was beginning to think I lost you for a moment!" Luigi said also in relief.

Now reunited with Dry Bones, Luigi moved on to another greenhouse. Inside he heard a female voice, "Drat, that won't work either!" echoed the voice.

"Hello?" Luigi called out.

"Huh? Is someone there?" said the voice as the owner came into view from behind the plants. "Oh, hello, I was expecting another druid, but maybe you'll be able to help me. Won't you?" she asked.

"Sure, I would love to," Luigi agreed with a smile.

"Ah, please follow me then!" she asked excitedly. Luigi followed the druid to the back of the greenhouse to see what she wanted. She stopped in front of a table top that had many chemicals, "I'm trying to make a weed killer for these miserable Pumpkin Piranhas. I'm almost there but I need one more reagent. Unfortunately, the last ingredient I need is in this greenhouse's basement. You seem equipped to handle danger, would you please get it for me, its in a blue bottle?" she asked politely.

No problem miss, I'll have it in a jiffy!" Luigi assured.

Luigi descended the staircase behind the druid and found the basement to be nothing but a large dirt floor. The chemicals were on a shelf at the back of the room. As Luigi walked over the dirt floor, another Pumpkin Piranha emerged as it was drawn to him, thanks to the potion. As it approached, two more followed. Luigi quickly stomped his first offender into goo and gave the Thunderhand to the second and Mario's hammer to the third. As soon as they were dispatched, another wave appeared. He managed to dispatch wave after wave of them and the ghosts they released until Boo reappeared from the remains of one, "Sheesh, I thought I was never gonna get outta there! I was trapped like hair in a lint filter!" he said as he reunited with Luigi.

Luigi sighed with relief, "Ah, that just leaves Greaper now."

"Yeah, and if I know him, he's gotta be fuming by now," Boo replied as he retreated into Luigi's shadow. Luigi then took the time to investigate the room now that there was nothing standing in his way. He found a Hidden Block with a cache of treasure and a few more minor treasure's lying around as well as the blue bottle the druid wanted. Finding nothing else of interest, he left to return to the druid.

The druid was quite joyful at his return, "Oh, thank the stars! I heard some rustle and bustle down below, so I only could imagine what was going on down there!" she said nervously. Luigi handed her the bottle, "Ah, you got it, that's the one!" she said as she took the bottle from him. She quickly rushed to the table and began mixing up the contents in a precise order. She then mixed said contents into a large bottle of water. She carried it to Luigi, "Here sir, this poison will take care of any plant based ghouls you come across! In addition, since you seem to be headed for the Rag Hag, this poison will help out against her hoards of evil plants. These Pumpkin Piranha were made by crossbreeding a standard pumpkin with the Piranha Plant and using druidic magic as a fertilizer. When your done outside, toss some of this into the well and their leader will come running out real quick!"

"Thank you!" Luigi said as he took the bottle and excused himself.

Luigi marched on until he reached the third greenhouse he had not yet entered. It was the only one left intact. He entered cautiously and heard the sounds of a male child's frustration. "Hello, who is there?" Luigi asked.

"Huh?" said the child as he poked his head around a corner sheepishly. He cautiously came out of hiding as soon as he realized Luigi was not a monster. "Oh, hey, can you help me out mister?" he said nervously. "There's this bundle of herbs I can't reach!"

"Sure, I can reach it for you bambino err, um, boy," Luigi stammered. Luigi followed the young druid to where he wanted to find the herb.

"See mister its all the way up there on that shelf, its even labeled!" he said as he pointed to a strange bundle of dried plants. "Its called Witch's Bane and its great for panacea's. My sister needs some medicine and that would do the trick, but I can't reach it!"

Luigi adjusted his cap and approached the shelf only to hear the breaking of glass. The room began flooding with aroma entranced Pumpkin Piranha's. "Gahh, oh no!" shrieked the druid boy as he cowered in a corner.

Luigi was faced with the monsters; one to his right and another to his left. He took Mario's Hammer and performed a spin, destroying them both. However, their place was taken by more offenders. Luigi stomped and crushed Pumpkin Piranha's and sucked up their ghostly prisoners until the entire floor was covered in their slippery innards. Finally, Greaper emerged from the sticky mess. "Bah, what an annoyance! Thanks Luigi, that's all three of us...," he said as he was interrupted by a minor earthquake. "Did you feel that? The ghost at the bottom of the well has awakened because you destroyed all these monsters. Let's hurry and tick him off!"

Luigi jumped up to the shelf top with a high jump and grabbed the Witch's Bane. He came back down and the young druid was still shivering from fright until Luigi consoled him. "Hey, they're gone now, this is what you needed, right?"

The child perked up as soon as he realized he was safe, "Oh, you got rid of them? I thought I was gonna be eaten for sure!" he said as he took the Witch's Bane from Luigi. "Oh, your gonna go and take out the ghost in the well? Well, I know some things about that ghost. Word has it that it's the ghost of a druid. He has a pumpkin for a head, because someone took his head and stuffed his body down that well. I'm sure there's more to that story but I don't know it all. Just be careful if you choose to tangle with him, he may want your head!" he said as Luigi grasped his throat nervously and he swallowed hard.

Outside, Luigi approached the well and found a Hint Block near it. He hit the block and recorded the EVP. He then gulped as he placed his hands on the edge of the old stone well. He could feel the malice that came from the bottom. He took a dash of the poison he was given and poured it down the well. In just a few moments another earthquake came but this one was stronger. The ground was disheveled as large roots emerged from the ground. The well crumbled and the waters erupted from the well. All that was left was an entanglement of roots where the well was and at the center was a horrifying sight. The undead spirit of a druid with a pumpkin for a head emerged. The spirit moaned in anger, "Who tossed that vile substance on me?!" he said angrily. He quickly noticed Luigi, "A human? I, Pumpkin Head, will make you pay for that! And after I'm done with you, I will make the Shaman of Shadows pay!" he announced.

Greaper emerged, "Hmm, that's odd, I thought he was a part of the mess with Merloom. Heh, it looks like even this guy hates him. I wonder why."

"Never mind that, cause here he comes!" warned Boo.

"Do your thing Mr. Green!" followed Dry Bones as the three vanished.

Pumpkin Head waved his arms and two massive roots rose into the air. One of those roots slammed down hard only for Luigi to quickly dodge it. As he regained his footing he charged up his Thunderhand and made a mad dash for the druid. Luigi ran atop the roots while they were squirming and grabbed the spirit's head. Pumpkin Head cried out in agony and was stunned from the attack. "How does a human know the Thunderhand?!" Pumpkin Head shrieked. Luigi took the opportunity to begin drawing him into the Poltergust. Pumpkin Head's spiritual energy flowed into the Poltergust until the connection was severed by a root that batted Luigi away.

"Mama mia," Luigi moaned. Pumpkin Head was now angered even more as he began casting a hex. He chanted as a line of sharp thorn ridden roots jutted up from the ground. Luigi rolled to the side to avoid the attack. Upon inspection, the attack dripped with poison. Luigi cringed as he witnessed the drops of poison sizzle on the ground. He got to his feet and charged his Thunderhand again. Pumpkin Head responded by floating high into the air. Luigi wore a confident smirk as he used a high jump to reach the ghastly spirt. His Thunderhand hit right on target and the earthbound spirit fell back to the ground. Luigi reestablished the link between his Poltergust and the ghost. However, just like last time he was disconnected before he could finish it off. The spirit was now at its peak level of anger as it burned with rage. It cast another spell, only this time it was an entanglement spell and it caught Luigi's legs in vines. "Noo!" he cried out.

"Now, you're mine!" said Pumpkin Head as he chanted a powerful spell. "Moon Flash!" he announced as Luigi's body was enveloped by a bright and harmful light that resembled moon light. The spell sounded like thunder that drowned out Luigi's cries of agony. Pumpkin Head laughed evilly as Luigi emerged nearly unconscious. The spirit then began to taunt Luigi, "Still alive are you well then..., urk!" he said as he was cut off by a mysterious force. As Luigi regained his composure, he witnessed Pumpkin Head struggling with the shadow spirit that helped him in Scarecrow Fields. Luigi's feet were freed now that the spell wore off and he dashed for the distracted spook with one more Thunderhand. Pumpkin Head received the attack full force and Luigi made one final push with his Poltergust. With a satisfying yell, Luigi managed to suck Pumpkin Head into the Poltergust and immediately, the roots he summoned turned to ash leaving nothing but a hole in the ground.

The family of druids came up to him with the dad speaking first, "Wow, you did it, thanks a lot sir, you really helped us out! If you can do the same to the Rag Hag and even Merloom, we'll be free to restore this Gorge as well as all of Mage Land!"

"You sir have our gratitude!" said the mother. "Isn't that right dear?" she finished as she turned to her child.

"Yes mom, you're a tough guy, I want to be strong like you some day!" praised the child.

Luigi blushed as he was not used to being so admired. "Oh, it was nothing!"

"So, what's your name?" asked the dad.

"I'm'ma Luigi, number one plumber in all of the Mushroom Kingdom, well, right behind my brother anyway...," he said retracting his statement a little.

"Well, I'm Merleaf," started the dad. "This is my wife Merlivine and my son Merlanch! We are pleased to have met you, but this is the part where we have to get going. Our daughter, Merlerry has a cold and now that we got what we came for we have to see to her right away!"

"Okey dokey, bye bye, be careful on your way back to the village!" Luigi said joyfully.

As the family walked away, Luigi heard Merlanch talk to his dad, "Dad what's a plumber?" he asked.

"Hmm, you know son, I have no idea!" he said as he started laughing.

The Three Musty Fears emerged, "Well, that takes care of that mess!" Greaper said with relief.

"Yeah, it looks like that shadow spirit helped you out again!" Boo pointed out.

"Hmm, speaking of which where is he anyway, oh no, don't tell me he got sucked into your Poltergust with Pumpkin Head?!" Dry Bones asked with the nasty assumption.

Luigi checked the Poltergust and sure enough it was full, but he couldn't tell if the shadow spirit was inside. Let's go back to Gadd, he can sort this out!" Luigi said as he pulled out the Warp Whistle.

*End of Chapter*