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Author's Note:

I am officially on spring break now so that means more time to write and quicker chapters to be posted.

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Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story idea and any OCs.

Chapter 25:
Found

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After speaking with the ruler of the Underwhere, Queen Jadyes, Mario was given the task of finding a missing nimbi called Luvbi to get back the stone Pure Heart she took. He search River Twygez like the Queen suggested. He made his way to the bottom of the river where he found a door. After making through the underground waterways, he found himself in another part of the palace.

The hero in red search high and low for this Luvbi person, but has yet to found her. There weren't many places to hide in this area, except for maybe that cliff that was out of his reach. Fortunately for him, the water foundations gave him the boost he needed to get up there.

"Unnnnngggggghhhhh..."

Mario looked around for the source of that scared groan. His fierce blue eyes landed on the green figure that was trying to hide behind a large rock just ahead of him. He approached the figure cautiously, not wanting to scare the figure anymore than they already are. He didn't know who this figure was, but he was pretty sure this wasn't the Luvbi he was looking for.

As he got closer, he got a better look at the green figure. As he thought, this figure wasn't a numbi. Instead it was a human, a man to be exact. Mario lifted a curious eyebrow; this man was familiar to him.

"Oh boy! How'd I end up in this stinky place?" said the figure. "I can't remember anything... not even my own name! I just left someone...someone named Mario and two others. I was going home, I remember that... Then... And then..." He tries to recall something, anything that might have happened but all he got was a splitting headache. "Owwaahh... Oh, FORGET it! I just somebody would come help me."

That voice... he heard that voice before. "...Luigi?"

"!" The shaking figure looked up from his cap and scream when he saw someone behind him. "WAAAAH!"

Mario jumped back from the sudden shout. The figure blinked and narrowed his eyes. They widen when he realize the red man in front of him.

"Ma...Mario?"

Mario smiled and nodded to his friend. "Yup, that's me."

Before Mario could even blink, the figure ran up to him and wraps his arms around him in a tight hug. Mario blinked in surprise as the man around him cried out of relief.

"OH YEAH, I miss you, Mario!"

Luigi had woken up in an unknown, scary-looking location, with a major headache and little to no memory of what happen or how he had gotten here. He couldn't even recall who he was it was that bad. But even with a limited memory, the only one he thought who could help him was the man he was hugging right now.

'He said something...a name...Luigi, was it?'

It's been only a few minutes but Luigi was already feeling better. Having Mario here made him feel safe in a strange world. He really couldn't say why but he felt like he was connected to him in some way. And he wasn't the only one who thought that.

Mario couldn't explain it but having Luigi around somehow managed to bring back that feeling he lose earlier. But it was different from before, it was warmer and less empty. He was actually glad to have it back; it felt like a part of him had return back to life. Mario smiled and started hugging Luigi back.

"I miss you, too, Luigi. But this is not the ideal place I thought I'll see you again." Mario's soft smile turned into a concern frown. "What are you doing here, anyways?"

'Luigi…That sounds familiar…. Yeah, that's it…My name is… Luigi!'

Luigi release Mario from his hug and look at him with uncertain, realizing that he had just asked a question. "What? Huh? Why am I here?"

He looked around, not recognizing where he was. "Well, I don't really know... I mean, where am I, exactly?"

"We're in the Underwhere; it's the land where people go when their games end."

"What? The Underwhere? The land of ended games? Mario, what are you SAYING?! What does it all MEAN?!"

Mario explained to him further, even explaining how he himself had gotten here. Luigi nodded ever so often before placing a hand on his chin in thought.

"Uh huh... Ok, I gotcha... So, my game is over... Great... I guess one of Count Bleck's baddies must've done me in, just like you guys huh?"

'That name…Count Bleck… it sounds familiar, but I can't remember where.'

"Well, everybody run out of extra lives sometime, right? So what should we do now?"

Mario was a bit surprise with his green friend's reaction. He just learned that he had died and he was fine with that.

"Uhm, well, I just spoke with the Queen of this place and she sent me to go look for this Luvbi person. You wanna help?"

Luigi blinked. "...Luvbi? You're looking for someone named Luvbi? Hey, sounds good to me! I'm loaded with free time! After all, my game's over!"

Mario nodded. "Great, the more help the better I always say." He turned and gestured Luigi to follow. "Come on, let's get looking."

Luigi nodded and happily started following the red plumber. He felt great joy within him. The red man had really brought his hopes up.

It didn't take them long before they reach their first obstacle; a cliff that was just too high to jump. Mario frowned. Even with his jump, the cliff was just too high for him to reach.

"What's wrong?" Mario turned around. Luigi was looking at him concerned. He sighed and turned back to the cliff.

"It's this cliff," he said. "It's too high for me to jump over and the door is right on top of it."

Luigi turned to the cliff as well. It was high, too high for a normal person to jump over. He turned back to Mario who was trying to come up with a solution to their predicament.

With an idea in mind, Luigi gently grabs Mario's hand and walk closer to the cliff. Mario looked at him confused, uncertain on what he was doing.

"I was feeling pretty low, but now that you're here, I wanna jump for joy!" Luigi smiled and look up at the cliff with determination in his eyes. "This looks like a job for Luigi!"

Luigi bent his knees as low as he can and leap into the air. The jump was excellent. It was enough to get them to the top of the cliff easily. Once his feet were on the ground, Mario turned to Luigi with a look of shock, disbelief on how incredible his jump was.

"Luigi, how did you do that?"

The green man blinked. "Do what?"

"That jump...it was way better than mine."

"Oh, that..." Luigi shrugged. "I don't know, it just came to me."

"Was that how you got up the tree earlier?" Mario thought, recalling their adventure some time ago.

Luigi frowned. He didn't know what Mario was talking about. He tried to recall what he was referring to, only to get a slight pain running through his head.

"I... don't remember." He said softly.

Mario raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean... I can't remember anything." Luigi confessed sadly.

"You can't? As in nothing at all?" Luigi nodded. Mario frowned. It sounds like Luigi has a serious case of amnesia. "Here, let me have a look at your head."

It was times like this Mario was glad he took some medical classes years ago. He motion Luigi to come closer, which he did, and started examining his head thoroughly. He couldn't find any bumps or bruises; Luigi had a clear head.

"Well, it doesn't look like you have any head injuries." Mario said. "What happens when you try to remember?"

"My head starts to hurts, real bad."

Mario hummed and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I guess there's nothing we do now but let the memories come back to you on their own."

Luigi looked down in sadness. He was worried that he might never get his memories back. Mario frowned, feeling bad that he couldn't help his friend any further. He looked down at his hand and noticed something.

'Wait a minute… that cap…' Mario did a double take on Luigi's cap. It was similar to Mario's, only green with 'L' symbol. He seemed that hat before in his dreams. 'No, it couldn't be…'

"Hey, uhm Luigi,"

The green man blinked out of his thoughts and look up at Mario. "Yes?"

"Where did you get that cap?"

"My cap?" He questioned.

Mario nodded. Luigi looked at him with confusion before looking down at his hat again. At the sight of his green cap, he felt a small part of his memories return to him. This cap was special; it was the cap he would always wear since he was a baby.

"I always had this cap" He said, mostly to himself. "...since I was a baby. Everywhere I go, I'll always have it with me."

Luigi gently place the cap back on top of his head as Mario cast his head down in thought. 'So Luigi is that green hated baby. No wonder I felt like I knew him, we met so long ago. But that still doesn't explain why I'm having those dreams. Luigi's connected to them that I am sure of, but how and why?'

"Mario, are you okay?"

The red man jumped out of his thoughts and turned to Luigi who was looking at him with worry. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he had almost forgotten about where he was. He smiled, trying to assure his green friend.

"I'm fine, Luigi. Something just caught my mind," He said. "Come on, we should get going. We still have to find Luvbi after all."

Luigi nodded and followed Mario to the door. The red man opened the door and motioned him inside. He smiled and entered through the door with Mario following after.

'Luigi don't know it but we're linked somehow. And until I figured it out, I have to keep him safe no matter.'

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