There was a story told in Beanbean Kingdom a long time ago. As the years came and went, the people only believed that it was a legend and no longer real; a kids story. When the world was in its baby stages of being upheld by life, it was an icy terrain. It was so cold that no living being could withstand the cold for very long. It was common to see bodies of humans, beans, Koopas and any other living being frozen in place as they were walking or drinking from the waterhole. In the heart of the ice lived a monster. This monster was deadly not only for its lust for blood, but for its ability to withstand the terrible ice.
He was wicked and cruel to the beings of the world. He would go out of his way and freeze them if the ice didn't do its job. Everyone was scared of this monster; no one had the strength to slay him. The only thing they could do is pray to their gods to give them relief of the ice and snow. They prayed for years and years, but no help came. Then, one day, four travelers stumbled across the area where the monster lived. Two women and two men walked through the ice and snow, making their way towards the monster's lair. Once they were there, each person used their power to seal the monster away into the Underwhere. The four heroes disappeared into the night, never seen again. The ice thawed and spring came. Winter was never as terrible as it was before the monster was sealed away. The end of the legend explained that if the ancient seal was touched by darkness and ice, the monster would break free and set the world into icy chaos once again.
"Scary." Luma spoke after the legend was told.
"Where in the world do we even begin looking for this ancient seal?" Fiamo asked.
Peasley scanned through ancient scroll after ancient scroll, looking for answers. They were very fragile and looked like it would crumble to dust and a feather drop.
"The legend is so old that no one really knows." Peasley answered still reading. "It seems that no one bothered to write down where it was located."
"Luma think know who ask." Luma spoke softly.
"Who? Luma, everyone who lived in that era is long passed away."
I stood up and walked out of the basement where the scrolls were kept and into the lobby. Luma sat on my head and directed me on where to go. Thankfully, he was a smart guy and directed us to the coat closet first. I grabbed my winter coat and put it on as Luma grabbed his. After I got done, I dressed him up for the cold weather. He was wearing a little red and white scarf and a tiny hat. We walked outside, and Luma was wedged in between my chest and my coat, looking at the world in the warmth of my coat. His little voice would pip 'left' or 'right' depending on what direction he needed me to go. After a few minutes, I showed Luma my confusion when we arrived at Brian's ship. Luma flew out of my coat, pulling me by my pointer finger to follow him. We got on deck, and entered the Captain's Room. I closed the door behind me, and Luma drew the curtains closed.
"Mr. Ghost." Luma called out. "Luma need Mr. Ghost."
"Booling?" I asked.
"I am here." He appeared in front of Luma, startling to little guy. "How can I help you?"
"Luma have question." He piped. "Legend. Booling know?"
"What legend?"
"Ice Monster." The Boo closed his eyes in deep thought. "World covered in ice. Heroes seal monster away."
"The old Beanbean Legend?" he asked confused.
Luma nodded. "Dead now. Alive then?"
I snorted, trying to hide a laugh. Booling glared at me, but ended up laughing as well.
"I was. Why?"
Luma suddenly got really excited. "Mr. Ghost know! Mr. Ghost, where seal? Where monster sleep?"
The mood changed from happiness to deathly serious. "Why do you need to know?"
"Luma think King Ghost wanna revive monster. Possess Nice Doctor Lady. Ice power. Darkness also need to open seal. Mr. E has darkness. Tried to kill Princely Bean Man so he no tell legend. Saw darkness. Wanna stop seal being opened by bad."
Booling closed his eyes again. "I would feel better if the word didn't get spread."
Throwing the two of them off (and almost making Booling vanish), I pulled put my phone.
Come to Brian's ship. I texted everyone. Luma figured it out.
I leaned against the wall, waiting patiently for the crew to arrive. It was a few minutes, but Waluigi was the first one on board, out of breath.
"We got caught." He breathed heavily. "Mr. E…has everyone else. He said that he will release them if the ghost stays silent."
"We have to do something, though." I sighed.
"Why does he want the others so bad?" Booling asked.
"He's trying to prevent us from stopping the revival." Waluigi explained.
"Why all?" Luma piped.
I shrugged.
Suddenly Mario stumbled in the door. He was about in tears. Though desperate gasps of air, he explained that Fiamo got the others free, but he and Peasley were still trapped. Brian and Rose came in as well.
"I don't have a choice." Booling spoke. "And I fear that this will put you in more danger than help." Rose closed the door so we could see him. "Mr. E isn't the real threat here. Neither is Wendy."
"The dark performer." Brian spoke. "Who is he?"
Booling sighed. "I can only say his name once then you guys have to figure out what to do right after. If you stay here, he will appear and destroy you."
"Is the monster the dark performer?" Rose asked.
Booling shook his head. "Only one of you had personal contact with him."
"I would advise you stop there." E's voice echoed through the door. "Or worse could happen to your friends."
The door burst open, and he walked in slowly. His hood was down, and one icy blue eye scanned the room; the other was hidden in his raven black hair. His hands were cloaked with his dark powers.
"I am not afraid of you!" Booling shouted.
"Neither am I." He answered. "It really all depends with you, O Ancient Hero."
Booling faded into the light as E entered slowly. He withdrew his blade, and Brian drew his.
"What did you do with them?" Rose asked.
He laughed an evil laugh. "Why, I sent both of them to their demise."
Brian wasted absolutely no time. He gave a battle cry, and charged.
"Luigi…" Booling's voice whispered to me. "Stay silent and only listen. You must get back to the Mushroom Kingdom at all costs. You can bring someone if you want, but the crew has to be split. The performer is doing his part there. E is only distracting you."
"It's there?" I asked softly.
"Go, before E figures out what I said."
Knowing that something terrible was about to happen, I managed to get out of the ship and sprinted off the deck. Beanbean was covered in a thin layer of ice, and dread filled me as I saw Wendy waiting for me at the edge of the dock. She was no longer in the French maid outfit; now she was in a purple bunny girl outfit. Her hair was down, and her glasses were missing as well. There was a black shadow around both her eyes and was flashing a nasty grin at me as I approached her.
"And where are you going, Mr. Lime-Green?" she asked standing.
"None of your business." I answered. "And put some clothes on; you look like Princess Peach."
Luma snickered in my hat.
"I don't think you will be going anywhere." She hissed as ice formed in her hand. "Be a good boy and stay."
"Sorry, I haven't gone to obedience school." I started to walk away, but she cut me off. "Why don't we walk and talk?"
"Okay…" she was confused and she diminished her power. We started walking towards the palace.
"So…why the outfit?" I asked.
"I thought I looked sexy in this ensemble." She did a dangerous laugh. "Besides, wouldn't Waluigi want to see me in this?"
"No. He likes his girls classy, not slutty."
Seizing the opportunity, I punched her straight in the nose and booked it. I heard her scream of rage and blast of cold air as she chased me. I turned a sharp corner, and dodged her ice with ease. Reaching the warp pipe, I waved her good-bye as I jumped in. She sent ice after me, so I put a force field of fire behind me. I was flying through the pipe for a few minutes and all the sudden I defied gravity as I exited the pipe into the Mushroom Kingdom. I landed on my feet, sticking the land. Luma flew out of my hat, and showed me an index card with the number 9 on it. I laughed as I braced myself for the cold.
The city was completely deserted. Luma hid in my hat again, but quickly changed his mind as it was too cold. He was now in the area between coat and shirt, trying to stay warm. Ice was draped over anything and everything imaginable. I was wandering around the heart of the city near the fountain when I heard a voice. I stopped, and waited for the voice again. It came, clear as a bell on Christmas Night. It was calling my name. I turned, and saw Waluigi chasing after me.
"Decided to come along?" I asked.
"I got out of the fight." He answered.
"Rose and Brian…?" He shook his head. I watched as tears slightly filled his eyes. "What's going on?"
"Wendy." He responded. "What in the world is he doing to her? And what the hell did he put her in?" He was on the verge of tears.
"Hey, we can't do this now. I hate to be cold and evil to you, but we have other things to worry about…like not freezing to death."
He nodded, apologizing. We continued on quietly. Luma had moved from my coat to his, and was trying his best to dry his tears. Suddenly, Waluigi stopped me.
"Ahaha…he comes…he comes…" a voice eerily echoed off the ice.
I nodded, and we slowly walked forward, following the voice. I took a risk and called Peasley, knowing that he and Fiamo were still in some hot water. The dial tone sounded for a few minutes, but he finally answered.
"Luigi…" he whispered.
"How are you doing?" I asked concerned.
"Better than I was." He answered softly. "I'm not bleeding."
"I'll let you go, then."
"No, you called for a reason."
"Come closer…no use hiding from me…" the voice echoed again.
"Is that why you called?" Peasley asked.
"I have no idea who it is. I am going to tell you as soon as I see him. Could you communicate to the others?"
"I can try…"
"Rest, Peasley." I heard Fiamo speak. "I'll listen in."
"Hang in there, Peasley." I spoke as he took the phone.
"I'm scared for him." He whispered.
"We'll get him help as soon as we can." I answered. "Mr. E has the others busy, and Waluigi and I escaped to the MK."
We continued to walk through the ice and snow until we got to the clearing. In the middle of this clearing looked like a pulsating, green bulb. It had been badly damaged from the ice and snow, but it looked like it was attacked by something else. I approached the bulb, and the eerie voice came again. It was a laugh. Waluigi spun around, and I watched his eyes grow in fear. I turned slightly and felt myself panic.
"How?" I spoke utterly frightened. "I…I thought we defeated you."
"Did you think you soundly defeated me?" he mocked back. "Look at me…or are you ashamed to?"
"Say his name, damn it." Fiamo hissed.
"No…no…" Panic filled me. "No…"
"You are too shocked to even acknowledge me by name? Well, fairly normal." He spoke.
"Damn it, Luigi!" Fiamo was screaming at me.
"…Dimentio." I whispered in horror.
"Shit." Peasley spoke.
The call ended, and all I could do was stare in fear and horror as he laughed his sing-song laugh.
"I can tell you have missed me dearly, Mr. L." he spoke to me.
"He is dead." Waluigi hissed. "L no longer exists within him."
His psychotic laugh terrified me and sent chills through Waluigi. "Are you sure he is dead? He is a part of you; he always has been. Soon, he will crawl out of the womb."
I looked at him straight in the eye. "That already happened." I showed him the scar to prove it. "He's dead, Dimentio."
That evil smirk faded. Before he could make a snappy comeback, I threw fire at him, but he dodged it with ease. He didn't reappear, but his voice lingered, saying that there is no stopping the revival of the monster. Then he was gone altogether. I was terrified, cold, and miserable. A horrible sick feeling was in my stomach and all I wanted to do was cough up the bile that was forming in my throat and lie down. I felt extremely dizzy, and I ended up catching myself on the green bulb. I looked at it, and realized that it was made of vines.
Wait…vines.
A wave of fear and despair filled me as I cloaked my hands with flames. I tore at the vines, trying to break open the bulb Waluigi followed suit, not really understanding what was going on. Once we broke through, I encompassed the interior of it with my flames, not only lighting up the darkness but warming up the person who was hiding. She looked up at me, and her eyes swelled with tears. I held her in my arms, cloaking those with flames as well. My nerves and fears melted away in the flames and the comfort of holding her again.
"It's alright now." I soothed.
"I thought you wouldn't come back." Daisy spoke softly.
I kissed her for a few seconds. "Hush. Just try to stay warm."
She clung to me. I pushed her away slightly, unzipping my coat. I gave it to her, but she put it back on me. Waluigi used his flames to warm her.
"Do the others know?" she asked.
"About Dimentio? Yes, they do now." Waluigi answered. "Some of them were on the phone when we met him."
She nodded. We decided the best thing to do is try to get a coat for her. The closest place for us to go without the risk of Dimentio following us was back at Waluigi's place. We trudged through the ice and snow and eventually got there. Between the both of us, Waluigi and I melted the lock and entered the cold and dark house.
