Luigi turned around. His eyes grew wide. Standing behind him, dressed in black and green, was none other than Mr. L himself. He had his arms crossed in a confident position and he wore a smirk. "I never thought we would meet this way," He began. "Then again, I never thought we would meet period. Oh well. Better now than never, hmm?"

Luigi stared without saying a word. Mr. L raised an eyebrow. "Uh...Lightning? Are you gonna say anything? Or are you just gonna stand there and stare at me?"

He gasped. Lightning. That was his new nickname for him. He once called him that in a letter. When Luigi asked about it, he wrote back, "Lightning always comes before thunder. It's like you and me."

The plumber walked up to the other man. He took a deep breath and slowly stuck out his index finger. He poked him, then gasped and stepped back a few feet. He certainly felt real.

The mechanic was now even more confused. "Uh...What are you doing?"

Luigi hesitated before asking, "A-Are you real?"

Mr. L grinned and laughed. "Of course I'm real! What? Did you think I was imaginary or something?"

Luigi furrowed his brows. "But if you're here, then...Who's in charge of our body?"

Mr. L said calmly, "No one."

"WHAT!? B-But how is that even possible?"

"I had a little help from some friends."

Luigi paused as he remembered something. "Wait. I thought I saw a man in a red raincoat. Was that you?"

Mr. L's eyes widened. "You saw me? No way! I saw you in here!" He said, pointing. With a worried look on his face, he added, "You were crying."

Luigi turned away. He didn't want anyone to see that. Then again, he didn't think anyone would be able to. "I cry all the time. Don't worry about it."

There was a moment of awkward silence. They never thought they would meet, so it was strange to see each other face to face. Not only that, but this brought talking to yourself to a whole new level.

"So...Um..." Luigi went on, "I'm flattered you would go through all this trouble to come and see me, but...Why are you here, anyway?"

"I'm here to fix this mess."

"What do you mean?"

Mr. L looked at Luigi seriously. "I want to go back to being one person."

"What? For real?" Luigi asked with shock. Mr. L nodded. "Is that even possible?"

"Yes, but I'll need your cooperation to do so."

Luigi frowned. "But what happens to you if we do this?"

"Isn't it obvious? I would go back to being a part of you. I would disappear."

Luigi stepped back. "What!?"

Mr. L frowned. "What did you think I came here to do, catch up with the others?"

"I-I thought we were just asking Nastasia how to control it. I didn't think you were asking to die!"

"I'm not asking to die," Mr. L replied. "I'll still be around, but in a subconscious way. Think of it like this: I'm not giving up my entire existence, just my self-awareness. The Green Thunder won't strike again...But at least you'll have your life back."

"How can you be so okay with this? You're still giving up your life! W-When did you even come up with this!?"

Mr. L smiled sheepishly. "I may or may not have taken you over when we were talking with Nastasia during dinner."

"Well, you should've at least talked to me about it before coming here! You can't just decide to up and leave!" The plumber looked down and lowered his voice. "You're strong and charismatic and confident...You're everything I'm not."

Mr. L sighed. Why was he the only one that understood this? "Luigi...I am you."

"But...I need you. I know Mario and the others are trying their best, but no one knows me like you do."

The mechanic shook his head. "Lightning, I'm not the help you're looking for. I've never helped you. If anything, I've dug you even deeper into the hole you're in."

Luigi smiled. "So, you don't remember?"

Mr. L tilted his head slightly. "Remember what?"

"This isn't the first time we've met."

"What?"

"I've only met you face to face once before," Luigi continued. "It was when we were Super Dimentio."

Mr. L gasped. He shouldn't have been surprised; talking to Luigi like this was easy. It was almost too easy, like he had done it before. But still...

"The nightmare always stopped when we fused," Luigi began. "But there's another part I've suppressed throughout the years. Now I remember." He closed his eyes, lost in a memory. "After Dimentio made me fuse with the Chaos Heart, I woke up in a dark room. I was scared, so I started crying like I always do. And then you came in. You said something like, 'Did he trap you here too?' and when I looked up, you freaked out. I guess you saw the resemblance between us. I asked if you were okay and you said..."

"What are you doing here, in my head?" Mr. L finished quietly. "And why do you look so much like me?"

Luigi opened his eyes and smiled. "Yeah, that's right! You remember now?"

"That's the dream I had last night! My dreams always involve you."

"Really?"

Mr. L nodded. "Uh-huh. See, I believe we have some sort of connection, most likely because we're the same person and all. Even before I found out the truth, I was drawn to you. Of course, everyone would pull me away, but I'd always want to know more." His face grew dark and stormy. "It's why I almost let Dimentio have his way with me. It's why I felt the need to come and see you. Even on the other side of our mindscape, I felt you nearby and I wanted to fuse again."

Luigi blinked a few times. "You want to fuse?"

"Yes, that's right. I don't think I'm supposed to be my own person. I was just the by-product of this giant mess."

The plumber frowned. "Don't say that. You have people who love you more than anything. The Count, Nastasia, the spider girl, that big Scottish guy…"

"I've already thought about that," The mechanic replied. "You see, when we fuse, we're bound to share memories from then on."

"But...What if I forget being you?"

Mr. L's eyes widened. He hadn't thought of that. He sighed. "Then...You'll just have to start over with them. They may slip up sometimes, but please be patient with them. They were my family when I didn't know who I was."

Luigi said quietly, "What about Daisy? You know she loves you back, right?"

Mr. L smiled sadly. "Yeah. That's why I want you to take good care of her."

Luigi narrowed his eyes. "I don't get it. Why are you willing to go this far for me?"

Mr. L shrugged. "Well, this is your body, isn't it?

Luigi shook his head. "There has to be a bigger reason than that. You aren't like me. You don't hurt yourself or want to die. You love yourself! Why would you give up your life just to help someone like me?"

The Green Thunder sighed. "You're right. I do love myself. But what's the point if I'm constantly hurting you just by being alive? What kind of purpose do I have? You have a brother and a job and a girlfriend. The whole kingdom depends on you! What's gonna happen if I die? I'll tell you what: nothing. I have no reason to stay."

"That's not true. I've forgotten most of what happened, but you've carried the weight of all of it." His eyes widened slightly. He thought of something that might make him listen to reason. "You've seen the rest of my mindscape, haven't you? There's more out there, right?"

Mr. L nodded. "Right."

Luigi hesitated before asking, "...Is the floro seed still there?"

"Yes. Where are you going with this?"

"I've been thinking about how you exist after so long. You aren't exactly like a normal alter. Nastasia mentioned the idea of misdiagnosis to me, but that might not be entirely the case. We know that the seed has to do with you still being around. What if I was so overwhelmed with the past that part of me split off to handle all it while the rest of me tried to live on as normal?"

Mr. L raised an eyebrow. "You're suggesting that I'm here to help you deal with the pain?"

Luigi shrugged. "It's possible. If so, then my emotions could be feeding the seed! I mean, if it was like a normal floro sprout, wouldn't it have disintegrated by now?"

"I guess it's possible. After all, this wouldn't be the first time Dimentio toyed with my emotions. It must have been his final act."

"Right. But why would he want you to stay?"

The Green Thunder shrugged. "To mess with you psychologically, I presume. Plus...He claimed that he was in love with me or something," He muttered under his breath, "Such bullshit."

Luigi smiled. "So, mystery solved! I'm glad we got that squared anyway, huh?"

Mr. L was quiet. He stared at the ground. Luigi tilted his head. "Hmm? Mr. L, are you okay?"

"All this time, I thought I was such a burden on you," He whispered. A small smile graced his lips. "But for me to learn that I had a purpose all along, and one that helps you grow..." He looked up at Luigi. "It brings me peace."

Luigi grinned. "See? You have a reason to stay..."

The mechanic shook his head. "You don't need me anymore. You continually underestimate yourself, Luigi, but you're filled with so much unused potential. The Ancients chose you to be the fourth hero of Light for a reason."

He felt himself frown. "But why was I the ideal host of the Chaos Heart? I may be a coward sometimes, but...I-I'm not evil."

"For the same reason, except if Dimentio had his way, all of our untapped potential would go towards destroying everything. It's a good thing your brother was there for us. Just don't rely on him too much, okay? He may be five minutes older, but he's not always going to be there to protect you."

The plumber nodded. "I know. Are you really sure you want to do this?"

Without missing a beat, Mr. L replied, "Yes."

"And...Are you sure you won't regret doing so?"

"Nah. I don't think so. I belong with you, Luigi. I always have."

Luigi smiled and offered his hand. "Then it's been...Interesting to have you here, Mr. L."

The Green Thunder stared at his hand. "Hmm. I've heard better goodbyes, but I guess I'll take it." He shook his hand firmly, then gave him a hug. Luigi's eyes widened. His other self whispered, "Go out and live a happy life for the both of us, okay? One, because I don't want to die in a tiny bathroom alone, and two, because the Green Thunder deserves better. You deserve better. Promise me, Luigi?"

Luigi nodded. He felt himself start to tear up. He sniffled and whispered back, "I promise…"

Mr. L grinned. "That's all I needed to hear." With that, he ran his hand along his chest, then started to pull something out. Mr. L pushed Luigi away and yanked a white orb out of himself. He cringed, but then forced a smile.

Luigi's eyes widened. "M-Mr. L, what is that?"

"Goodbye, Luigi."

With that, he let go of the white orb. The light in his eyes faded until they were blank and lifeless, then he began to disintegrate. Luigi gasped and rushed towards him. The second he grabbed Mr. L's hand, he faded into nothing. The only thing that was left of him was the white orb. Luigi turned and stared at it, entranced by its ethereal light. He hesitated before touching the orb.

Just then, everything fell apart. The walls of the jade room shattered and Luigi was left standing in a raging thunder storm. BOOM! A loud rumble of thunder. Luigi jumped and rushed towards the orb. The rain soaked his hair and clothes, but he held on to it tight, protecting it with his own life.

As the last flash of green lightning went off, Luigi heard another deafening crackle. That was when he felt a burning sensation in his chest. Luigi cried out in pain, then realized that the white orb was no longer with him. Before he could search for it, he was struck by a rush of memories. Screams of pain. Laughing with a renegade band of villains. Love and lust with a demented jester. Confusion and fear hidden behind a well-crafted mask of confidence and blind devotion. These were only some of the things that Luigi remembered.

Then it was over. Luigi blinked a few times. He looked around and noticed that he was standing in the same place as before, but everything looked different. The grass was short and well-tended. A nearby green gate was broken into its most basic parts. He noticed four locks lying on the ground that faded into nothing. The most notable difference was the weather. Instead of a raging thunder storm, it was now a peaceful drizzle.

Luigi looked down at himself. He was wearing a red raincoat with pink rain boots. "Mario...Peach..." He whispered. He undid the buttons on the coat and pulled it apart to reveal the same attire that Mr. L was wearing seconds ago. Without thinking, he reached into his raincoat and pulled out an orange umbrella. "Daisy..." He took a deep breath and opened the umbrella, holding it above his head.

Confused and disoriented, Luigi walked through his mindscape. He had no idea how he was supposed to get out, so he decided to wander aimlessly until he found an exit of some sort. He crossed a forest, where the trees were filled with colored orbs. As he passed by, some of the orbs lost their electricity. Just as he thought he was never going to get out, he noticed a large seed with leaves growing out of it. Luigi gulped, feeling a new sense of dread. The floro seed. However, just as he saw it, it disintegrated into nothing.

Luigi stared, feeling a sudden surge of pride. Now that he had these memories, he had come to accept something about himself that he had tried to push away. Even better, he knew that it wasn't such a bad thing. He was Luigi Mario, hero of the Mushroom Kingdom and Mario's younger twin. But he was someone else too. After so much denial and fear, Luigi had come to accept himself.

With his lips curling into a smile, Luigi whispered, "I am Mr. L..."

This chapter came out unexpectedly short. Not only that, but it was actually twice as long before I cut out the unnecessary dialogue. (It was making it boring to read.) Well, think of it as a break after all the long chapters I made you guys read through. Some of the dialogue here may or may not have been inspired by one of the reviews left here. (Shout out to ViolaHarmony!)

So, if you're unsatisfied by this ending, I have another one planned out that I might type after the next chapter is done. The next chapter will be the conclusion and contain what I originally planned for the epilogue. I think you guys will like what happens there. ;)

Let me know if you guys want the alternate ending as well so I can get to work on it!

Next Time: Now that Luigi and Mr. L are one and the same again, it's time to wrap up any loose ends with the others. Later, Mario and Luigi go on a double date with the girls, where an unexpected surprise waits for Daisy...

-Colorful and Free