T Plus 21 Days
It was just after breakfast in the Smash Mansion. Master Hand sat at his desk in his office, levelly regarding the group of Smashers seated before him. Those Smashers were the ones who'd participated or aided in Project Nerf and manipulated Master Hand into applying a possibly unjust nerf to Luigi. Koopa, Chase, Chad, Dark Pit, Falco, Dorf, Kyle, Rolf, Marth, Mewtwo, Roy and Wario exchanged worried looks as they waited in suspense for the Hand of Creation to speak.
"Thank you for seeing me," MH said finally.
"You summoned us, Master Hand," said Chad.
"Even so—this shows that you're willing to face the consequences for your actions," said MH.
"Of course," said Koopa. "This nonsense has to end sooner or later."
"Let me guess—you have another evil scheme up your sleeve?" MH asked in slight amusement.
"I always have evil schemes up my sleeve," said Koopa, "and it's almost Friday. You know what I like to do on Friday."
"What Luigi said yesterday is correct," said Marth. "We hurt him and a few people close to him for no justifiable reason. Instead of complaining, we should've practiced and devised a better strategy against him. Now—I don't know where we'll go from here."
Murmurs of assent.
"Me, neither," sighed Falco. "I threw a wonderful friendship in the garbage."
"We all did," said Roy.
"We were so caught up in his combos that we forgot that he's—a good man," said Kyle, "and that's why we befriended him in the first place."
"Yeah, he's—all right," Wario acknowledged.
"Gentlemen," said MH. "Before I decide your punishment, I hope you know that what you did to Luigi over the past month or so was a s—y thing. A very s—y thing."
"We know," said Marth.
"Lying to me, wasting time and funds—all because Luigi kept defeating you in a Smash Battle? Do you have any idea just how disproportionate that was?"
"We do now, Master Hand," said Koopa. He would've made a quip about trying to grab Daisy instead, but he knew that it wasn't the time or place for it.
"As I mentioned, such an offense would've warranted suspension or expulsion from this tournament," said MH. "However, you've begun to atone for your actions by willingly confessing to me and to Luigi. Which means—you'll receive a lighter punishment for your behavior. I can't let you off completely scot-free, of course—you need to be discouraged from acting in such a manner again."
The assembled Smashers listened warily.
"Roy, Marth, Koopa, Falco, Chad, Rolf, Chase, Dark Pit, Mewtwo and Kyle—since you were directly involved, you are hereby placed on two weeks' probation beginning tomorrow, and you must pay a fine of 125G by the end of next month. Wario and Ganondorf—since you merely contributed from the side, I hereby impose upon you a fine of 75G, which you must pay by the end of next month."
Shoulders sagged, but everyone accepted their punishments.
"Regarding the former group, you all know the rules for probation, yes?" asked MH.
"Yes, Master Hand."
When a Smasher was on probation, they were still permitted to fight in regular matches. However, they were barred from special matches, such as 8-Man Smash and Trophy Rush, and they couldn't represent their home universe in a public combo exhibition.
"Have you spoken to Steve and Stevie yet?" asked Koopa.
"They're still confined to their rooms, since they pose a direct threat to Chad," responded MH. "But they will also be punished for their role in this. And if I find that my dear brother and Mr. Sakurai were also involved, then they will be punished, as well. As for you all, I strongly suggest you spend the next few weeks thinking about what you did and why you did it."
"Fair enough," grumbled Wario.
"Will that be all, Master Hand?" asked Roy.
"That will be all," replied MH.
Chastened, the now-penalized Smashers filed out of the office. MH watched them go before pressing a button on his intercom.
"Hello, my dear Crazy Hand," he said. "I need to speak to you."
Hardly a few minutes later, CH floated inside. "Morning!" he sang out.
"Morning," replied MH. "Please, have a seat."
CH obliged. "So—what's shakin', bacon?"
"I'm glad you asked," said MH. "Lately, I've heard some disturbing rumors. Here, have some hot chocolate."
CH accepted the mug. "Rumors?" he asked. "What about?"
"About our latest update patch," MH said smartly.
CH blew on his mug. "Uh-huh," he said.
"A few people are saying that—we didn't really need that update patch."
CH sipped on his hot chocolate. "Why not?"
"Because, my dear Crazy Hand, rumor has it that our latest update patch was just an elaborate plot against Luigi."
CH nearly spat out the hot chocolate. "Luigi?!" he cried out, feigning shock. "Why would anyone want to target him?!"
"As you recall, a lot of the Smashers complained about him last month—in this very office, no less. They all said that his down throw was overpowered."
"Do you—think they were exaggerating?"
"No. I think they were jealous over his combo ability or simply salty over losing to him. And according to this circulating rumor, after the Smashers grew tired of ranting to me about Luigi, they ranted to Mr. Sakurai. They plotted to subvert this tournament, simply because Luigi kept winning over them. And not only that—there are also rumors that Mr. Sakurai was in on it from the beginning due to a personal grudge against Luigi.
"Now, here's my proposal. I'm going to be busy over these next few days, so I want you to go to Nintendo HQ and talk to Mr. Sakurai and the other suits. Sort things out. Can you do that for me?"
"Uh—y-yeah," said CH. "S-sure, I can. I'll catch the next flight out."
"Thanks, my dear Crazy Hand. You're a real pal," grinned MH.
"So are you, my dear Master Hand," replied CH. "Will that be all?"
"That will be all, dear brother."
CH rose from his chair and floated fairly fast out of the office. Once he was out of earshot, MH summoned Jimmy, Timmy, Remy and Rory.
"What do we do now, Master Hand?" asked Timmy.
"We wait," replied Master Hand.
1.1.1
CH went straightaway to Steve and Stevie's room, where Eden and Lauren still stood guard. "A moment, please?" he asked.
Eden nodded. "Don't take too long," she said as she and Lauren moved aside.
CH briskly rapped on the door. "Guys, it's me," he said. "May I come in?"
The door opened, and CH quickly slipped inside.
"What's up, CH?" asked Steve.
"My brother," CH said urgently. "He knows! I was just in his office, and he told me about this rumor—but I know that he knows! He—he wants me to talk to Mr. Sakurai!"
"You think Chad spilled the beans?" asked Stevie.
"I know he did!" hissed CH.
"Well—we're under lock and key right now," huffed Steve. "It's not like we can do anything."
"Don't worry, I have a plan," said CH. "I'll go see Mr. Sakurai, and then I'll do what I can to get you two out of here. Together, we'll get our revenge."
Steve nodded. "Chad won't know what hit him," he said.
"Okay—what about the Mario Bros?" asked Stevie. "They'll be loaded for bear when they get back."
"Let me handle them," said CH. "Right now, you two need to stay alert. My brother could be onto you."
"Thanks for the heads-up," said Stevie.
"No thanks is necessary," said CH. "See you guys round."
He left the two Steves' room, giving Lauren and Eden a nod as he passed them.
Then, Eden contacted MH.
"We're on our way," she told him.
His response was a simple, "Good."
1.1.1
In her hotel room in the MK, Amy was up with the sun, eating a hearty four-egg breakfast from room service and watching the morning news. When she was done eating, she dressed in a pair of lavender gym pants and a lavender sports bra, swept up her hair into a ponytail, turned on her music and danced, quickly working up a sweat to her favorite tunes.
Across the way, Luigi was doing something similar, except that he began his day with a pancake breakfast, rather than an egg breakfast. He didn't really pay attention to the news, instead wriggling into a pair of navy blue gym pants and his usual peppermint-stripe socks, cranking up his own tunes and beginning to dance. As he shimmied and swished his body, his mind continued to digest what he'd learned yesterday. This conspiracy—it was bigger than he imagined! And it possibly went all the way up to Mr. Sakurai himself! Several people who used to be his good friends decided to disrupt the tournament, rather than buckle down and practice. That got to him more than anything—along with the fact that Falco, of all people, had accelerated the plot.
Back in her room, Amy's mind was comfortably blank as she danced the morning away. This was one of her favorite morning routines. Wake up, drag herself out of bed, get some food in her stomach and then turn up her music and cut loose to get her blood pumping for the day ahead. Then, she'd talk to Rory and head out the door.
Meanwhile, Luigi also continued to dance without a care in the world as Polterpup curiously looked on. Later, he'd powwow with Mario regarding their next move before helping Peach get ready for Koopa's Friday visit. It was better to start now than later, after all. But his friendship with Falco weighed heaviest on his mind. Falco had confessed, but as he'd warned the avian back in Evershade Valley, he didn't know what would become of their relationship after all was said and done. And the reveal that Falco had brought Mr. Sakurai to the conspirators and basically recruited Ethan to this twisted cause had blindsided the man in green. Perhaps the imminent rescue mission two days from now would help him clear his head.
As Luigi contemplated his relationship with Falco, Amy sank back onto her bed, gasping for breath. She turned off her music and jumped into a shower before changing into a long-sleeved dress, a mini jacket and thigh-high boots. Just as she'd finished dressing, she received a Skype call from Rory.
"Hey, big brother," she said. "What do you have for me?"
"MH just sent CH to Nintendo HQ to speak with Sakurai," said Rory. "Jimmy, Timmy, Remy and I hope to listen in on their conversation and gather concrete evidence that they were both in on Project Nerf. We also have a man on the inside who's helping us. His name's Jeff, and he's at work installing hidden recording equipment in Sakurai's office. He's also making copies of any documents related to Project Nerf to send to us."
"You think they'll fall for it?" asked Amy.
"Amy, they're falling for it already," laughed Rory.
"Do I still need to keep an eye on the Mario Bros?" asked Amy. "Now that most of the conspirators told them everything, they should be less volatile."
"I don't know about that, Sis," Rory said worriedly. "Confirmation of a plot against Luigi is more likely to put Mario further on the warpath."
"Well, Koopa's due to visit on Friday," said Amy. "It'll give them something to do."
"And we'll bring you back afterward," said Rory. "I want you to enjoy the rest of your time in the MK, all right?"
"As a matter of fact, I'm gonna visit Boo Woods later today," said Amy. "All right. Talk to you later. Bye."
"Bye," said Rory before the two siblings hung up.
Back in his room, Luigi rested from his exertions, snuggling with Polterpup. He perked up at the knock on his door.
"Bro?" Mario's voice called from outside.
"Coming," said Luigi, pulling on a shirt as he walked toward the door and opened it.
"Hey," greeted Mario with a big smile.
With an equally big smile, Luigi opened his arms, and Mario practically threw himself into them.
"How are you holding up?" asked Mario.
"The best I can," Luigi replied. "So—what's on the agenda for today?"
"Well—first, we've got some plumbing jobs to do," said Mario, "and after that, we've got to prepare for another visit. Then, I was thinking about going through the materials Chad provided after that meeting."
"Okeydokey," said Luigi. "I'm up for it."
The Bros separated.
"I've got to warn you, though," Luigi went on. "MH still doesn't trust us. You've met Rory's sister, Amy, yes?"
"Yeah, at the anniversary party."
"Well—she's been keeping tabs on you from the very moment you set foot in the MK," said Luigi, "and she's staying at the hotel across from us." He pointed out the window. "There's her room."
Brow furrowing, Mario started toward the window, only for Luigi to place a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't make eye contact," he warned.
"H—how do you know?" asked Mario.
"The moment I saw her at the party, I just—had this feeling about her," said Luigi. "During the party, I noticed how closely she was observing you. That's when I started wondering, 'What if MH and Rory put her on your tail?' Besides, I have a knack for figuring out things like that."
"What do you want me to do?" asked Mario.
"Lay low for a while," cautioned Luigi. "Let me deal with Amy."
Mario huffed. "I should've known MH would spy on me," he said. "What is he, my dad? I know what I'm doing."
"He's just—being Master Hand," shrugged Luigi. "Now, I'm prepared to forgive him, and I'm prepared to forget those two exchanges he had with you. But God help him if something happens to you because he chose to invade your privacy."
That's my bro, thought Mario.
The man in red checked in watch. "I'd better get going," he said. "See you in a bit, Bro."
"Yeah. See ya."
Mario turned on his heel and left, and Luigi jumped into an invigorating shower before dressing in his usual getup. Finally, he turned off his TV, grabbed up his things and was out the door.
A few moments later, so, too, was Amy.
1.1.1
Crazy Hand blew through the doors of Nintendo HQ, his fingers wriggling with desperation. The receptionist jerked her head up when she saw him enter.
"He's waiting for you in his office," she said.
"Thank you," CH said breathily, proceeding into one of the elevators, which he took to the top floor.
Jeff was waiting for CH when he arrived. "Hi, Crazy Hand," he said. "Let me walk you over."
CH followed Jeff to a set of double doors, upon which the latter knocked. "Sir? Crazy Hand's here," he said.
"Send him in," said Mr. Sakurai's voice.
With a smile, Jeff opened the door and let the Hand of Destruction inside the office before closing the door after him. Then, he hurried inside his own office and switched on the recording equipment he'd installed earlier.
Inside Mr. Sakurai's office, the tournament's financier shook hands with CH.
"Thanks for agreeing to see me on such short notice," said CH.
"Not a problem," said Mr. Sakurai. "Please, sit. Care for a drink?"
"I had some hot chocolate earlier," said CH. "Maybe later."
"You look quite stressed, Crazy Hand," observed Mr. Sakurai. "Is something the matter?"
CH nodded. "Unfortunately, this isn't a social call," he said. "We have a situation on our hands."
"Meaning…?"
"My brother—he knows!"
Sakurai blanched. "Wha…?"
"He knows everything—or almost everything! Early this morning, he told me of a rumor floating around about the update patch being a conspiracy! The way he looked at me and suggested that I talk to you about made a little red flag go up! I don't know how, but…" CH paused, and a dark look came to his face. "That S.O.B.! I should've known!"
"To whom are you referring?" asked Sakurai.
"Chad Wrainwright! He was involved in Project Nerf for a few days before bowing out! However, I managed to salvage evidence that he was part of it, and I thought I could use it to buy his assistance with another scheme! But he probably wriggled himself out from under my thumb and told my brother!"
"He told more than just him," Sakurai said calmly.
CH stiffened. "What are you talking about?"
"Yesterday, Chad held a meeting somewhere in Sarasaland," explained Sakurai. "In it, he confessed everything about Project Nerf and invited the other conspirators to do the same—and almost all of them did. They spilled the beans to MH, Princess Daisy, Princess Peach and the Super Mario Bros, among others."
"How do you know about this?" asked CH.
"Chad took all of the necessary precautions," smiled Sakurai, "but he didn't know that I'd always stay one step ahead. There's a spy among Daisy's royal court. Unfortunately, there was a delay in receiving the news; otherwise, we would've planned a little surprise for the attendees."
"So—you just found this out," said CH.
"Looks that way," said Sakurai.
A beat.
Then—
CH exploded in a litany of curses against Chad.
"I can't believe this!" he exclaimed. "All of my insurance on him—gone! And now he's put the dogs on our trail!"
"Relax," said Sakurai. "We destroyed all of the evidence, remember? They can never prove that I was involved in it, and they'll never find out why I partook in it—how I hold that selfish green a—hole responsible for the disaster that was the Year of Luigi. All of the recordings of our meetings, all of your financial contributions, from paying for our meals to arranging swanky overnight accommodations, those little cards identifying someone as a member of Project Nerf—gone forever."
"You guys destroyed the evidence," groaned CH. "I didn't!"
"I beg your pardon?"
"I kept copies of the evidence stashed away in my office," CH confessed. "I needed it for insurance in case the scheme went pear-shaped. Since rarely anyone enters my office, I figured that it was the safest place to hide it!"
"Insurance—like blackmail?" asked Sakurai.
"Don't say that—it's a horrible word!" exclaimed CH. "The better term is 'persuasion'. And I was gonna use it if Project Nerf fell apart at the last second—which it didn't!"
"And you kept the evidence, anyway?"
"To use as a meal ticket if I was found out! Had I gone down, I would've taken everyone with me! But Chad turned the tables by having everyone else confess first! Now, they'll all wind up with light punishments, while the two Steves and I are facing the shark's jaws!"
Sakurai was taken aback. CH was ready and willing to roll over on him, as well as several participants of a tournament he helped host, to save his own skin! In that moment, the tournament's financier realized that the Hand of Destruction was anything but a benefactor.
"I thought I had Chad cowed—but obviously, I was wrong," huffed CH. "Oh, there's gonna be retribution. He is gonna pay!"
"What do you have in mind?" asked Sakurai, beginning to grow unnerved.
"You'll see," growled CH, "and so will Chad."
Sakurai cleared his throat. "Er—before you go," he said. "I'm aware that your brother is keeping the two Steves detained in their rooms. I have a little something that will help them." He slid a medium-sized wooden box toward CH.
"Thanks, I guess," said CH, taking the box. "I want you to go through all of your offices and make sure that every last shred of evidence is cleared out. Lock down the entire building if you have to! My brother and those plumbers are arguably on the warpath now, so from here on in, it's every man for himself!"
He turned to leave, but then a thought came to him. "I might also suggest checking out Jeff," he added. "He's been very chummy with Chad lately."
On those words, Crazy Hand floated out of the office, leaving the tournament's financier shaken—a very rare occurrence.
1.1.1
Rory's eyes glittered in triumph as he looked at Master Hand. "We got them," he said.
"Excellent," said MH.
"What's our next move?" asked Remy.
"Leave that to me," replied MH. "We have more pressing matters to deal with at the moment."
The Hand of Creation, trailed by Remy and Rory, headed over to Crazy Hand's office, where Chad, Charlie, Jimmy and Timmy searched the place top to bottom.
Sending CH on that errand was more than just a bid to engineer a confession. It was also a diversion. MH knew that his twin would hide evidence of the Smashers' involvement in his office, just as he knew that he'd willingly give up all of the conspirators to save himself. The question was—where in his office would he stash the evidence?
Earlier in the month, when CH had summoned Chad to his office after the latter almost confessed to Luigi, the young man had glimpsed a secret drawer in a corner of the room, near the window. As soon as the coast was clear, Chad had gone directly to that drawer, and as luck would have it, CH had left the drawer's key behind in his haste! When Chad opened that drawer, he, Charlie, Jimmy and Timmy hit pay dirt. There were audio and video recordings of the meetings. Folders containing information on each participant. Transcripts of the rants to MH and to each other on Miiverse and other social networking sites. Brief essays describing why each participant chose to get involved. Receipts from the restaurants the conspirators had dined in. Hotel bills. Confirmations of numerous financial transactions. MH, Remy and Rory helped the quartet sort through the evidence, and then everyone scanned copies of the materials to MH's computer. When they were finished, everything was returned to its proper place, and the septet powwowed in MH's office.
"It seems—there was an inside man at your meeting," MH said to Chad. "Now that CH had found out about it, you're in serious danger. I would like you to remain vigilant until he and the two Steves have been dealt with. Jimmy, Timmy—would you like to be his bodyguards?"
"Sure," said Timmy. "Anything to help."
"We'll all be his bodyguards," offered Rory, "and we'll work in rotating shifts. How does that sound?"
MH nodded. "Even better."
Sitting at his computer, the Hand of Creation e-mailed PDFs and JPGs of the evidence they'd gathered to each of his helpers.
Chad laughed heartily. "Oh, the tables have turned, Crazy Hand," he said. "The tables have turned."
1.1.1
It was early afternoon in the MK. Amy stepped off the tour bus and began walking toward the gloom that was Boo Woods. Fat clouds began to block out the sun, and the temperature dropped several degrees. In response, Amy zipped up her jacket halfway and stuck her hands into her pockets, breathing in the earthy scent of the purportedly haunted forest. The first thing she spotted was a cluster of ghost houses among the bare trees. The next sight that caught her eyes was a colossal manor, painted green and white, with an "L" on the centermost rooftop arch.
"Luigi's new house," Amy mused.
Amy ventured deeper into Boo Woods, coming upon a small town with shops and restaurants. But her attention was soon drawn from this town by a Boo manning a ticket booth.
"Hello there!" greeted the Boo when Amy approached. "Are you interested in a tour of our lovely woods? Guided tours depart this area every hour on the hour, but there's also the self-guided tour option, where you can go at your own pace."
"I'll take one ticket for the self-guided tour, please," said Amy, fishing out her wallet.
To her surprise, the Boo waved the wallet away. "This one's on the house," they said, giving Amy a pair of headphones connected to some sort of remote. "Follow the glowing arrows to a Boo icon—that's your starting point. When you're ready, press '1', and then work your way from there." They grinned and licked out their tongue. "Have fun!"
The Boo cackled as Amy proceeded as instructed, locating the Boo icon with little difficulty. She reached into her purse, took out a travel-sized flashlight and clicked it on. These Boos seemed nice, but she didn't want to take any chances. This flashlight wasn't just an ordinary flashlight, either. Pressing another button would cause the light to blink rapidly, disorienting an oncoming attacker long enough to get away. Plus, she still had her telescoping baton—a special gift from a special brother.
Taking a deep breath, Amy slid on the headphones, adjusted the volume on the remote and then pressed "1". And the self-guided tour began.
Amy was taken through thousands of years of Boo history, narrated by a pleasant male or female voice. First, she learned how the Boos first settled into the woods that bore their name and organized themselves into various communities. Eventually, these communities were united under a single King, named TyBoo, whose reign lasted until about 10,000 B.C. From there, the Boos established an elective monarchy and voted the succeeding Kings into power.
Throughout the tour, Amy was instructed to walk toward several other Boo icons before pressing a button on the remote. Or, she was instructed to walk toward a certain point while listening to the narration. She became acquainted with various landmarks, from the monuments depicting noteworthy Boos to a Boo Garden springing with vibrant flora. She even got to walk through some of the ghost houses, her mind stimulated by illusionary tricks and magic mirrors. Boos floated around her, giggling, but they were quite helpful, guiding her toward the next point of interest whenever she got lost or discombobulated.
From the ghost houses, Amy was led to what was presumably the Boos' castle, where the royal court resided. Samples of the finest Boo cuisine were presented to her on trays, and she gazed upon the official portraits of the prior Kings—along with statues and portraits of the current King. One Boo icon was located in a ceremonial room, where the Kings were officially crowned. A film projector showed footage of the current King's coronation in 1955, the large Boo wearing a violet cape as he knelt before a larger Boo holding a book, bowing his head. Then, he drank deeply from a large, jewel-encrusted chalice before turning around and facing forward as a golden crown, topped by a glowing gem, was placed atop his head. A radiant light shone from the gem, the new King's face splitting into a sinister grin. Amy was shocked at how little King Boo's appearance had changed in his 60-year reign. At this point, the narration turned ominous, promising Amy, "You'll hear more on the King later."
More glowing arrows directed her back toward that small town, the narration giving her a crash course on Boo culture. Boos, unsurprisingly, were fascinated with art, be it fine art or performing art, and they'd been patrons of the arts from the time of their first King. When Amy reached the small town, she sampled offerings from the restaurants and was given travel-sized lotions and fragrances from the various shops. That segment of the tour concluded with her receiving a gift bag.
The tour lasted for close to an hour and forty minutes, allowing Amy to observe all of the important landmarks and hear about key moments in Boo Woods' history. However, the tour's final segment took her to just outside the gates of that colossal manor.
Here, she learned about the "decline" of the Boo monarchy. And indeed, life for the Boos, as well as the people they affected, wasn't the same following that fateful October night in 2001. Until that moment, Boos were thought to be invincible, as they couldn't be defeated conventionally. But a weakness had arrived in the form of a certain red vacuum cleaner. Amy leaned against the gate, closing her eyes as she was transported back in time, sitting in front of the TV in her bedroom, clutching her GameCube controller in her hands as she guided Luigi through the most important adventure of his life. Rory sat next to her, encouraging her and giving her a helping hand during a tough boss fight. It took a lot of screaming, tears and continues, but she'd eventually made it to the climactic moment where everything—including the public's perception of Luigi—changed for good.
"You gotta shoot those spiked balls back at him!"
"I'm trying! I'm trying!"
"Don't give up, Sis! You're almost there!"
"Drat! I had him!"
"You're doing great, you're doing great! Just hold down that R button and tilt that Control Stick in the opposite direction he's trying to go!"
"Aw, man! Almost got him!"
"Here, let me take over for a while…"
Amy had gotten that "Good Night!" screen numerous times, bemoaning the fact that she'd failed Luigi when he needed her the most, before finally sending that evil King where he belonged and freeing Mario. The scene of Luigi standing there, laughing and crying at his bro's dazed state made the countless game overs and sore, cramped fingers absolutely worth it.
And now, the entire adventure was being retold in that pleasing, pre-recorded voice. A voice which once again turned ominous as it talked about Luigi's unlikely victory over the King of all Boos. The narration was clearly attempting to make King Boo the victim and failing.
"Boo society managed to survive in the wake of their King's humiliation and capture, but all wasn't lost. Just ten years after the incident, the King rose again, more powerful than ever, swearing revenge on those who dared to challenge him. For two years, he lay low, meticulously laying out his plans, before unleashing his rage on his former captors. However, sweet freedom was brief, and the King was once again unceremoniously sucked into a vacuum cleaner after a protracted, fierce battle."
"Thank God," murmured Amy.
"And so—our King remains—trapped in a vault alongside some of his valiant brethren, condemned to have his every action monitored by a diminutive old scientist." As Amy listened, the self-guided tour's audio began to slow and distort. It was starting to sound angry—vengeful, even. Psychotic. As psychotic as King Boo. "But if you think that this is where the story ends, then you have another thing coming. Just wait and see. You'll see. A day will come when our King will escape again. And on that day—these woods will run red with that plumber's blood."
Amy's heart stopped cold in her chest.
"Luigi and his friends had better start to pray."
And then the audio cut out entirely, replaced by King Boo's sinister, demented cackle.
For a while, Amy stood near that gate, hardly daring to move, her special flashlight tight in her fist. The Boos floating around her giggled evilly.
The moment was broken when happy music played over her headphones, a voice cheerfully expressing the hope that Amy had enjoyed the tour.
"Well, I was," grumbled Amy.
Then, the voice instructed Amy to return the headphones and the remote to the nearest Boo before bidding her good day.
Amy didn't need to be asked twice. She whipped off the headphones and carefully wrapped the cord around the remote before spotting a Boo floating nearby, waiting.
"Hi," she said as she approached the Boo. "I'm supposed to give this back to one of you guys."
The Boo took the equipment with a smile. "Thank you, Amy," they said.
"I never told you my name," Amy said with a frown.
"You didn't have to. We Boos know everything about everyone. That's our power."
"Well," said Amy. "That's not unnerving at all."
"Do tell Rory hello for us," purred the Boo. "He must be having the time of his life, working for Master Hand." They cackled. "He's more than welcome to tour our woods anytime."
Amy sucked in her breath, brandished her flashlight and placed it under the Boo's chin.
"Touch my big brother," she growled, "and I will come after you."
This made the Boo laugh even more. The other Boos in the area joined in as well, casually drifting around the young woman.
"Now that's something Luigi would say," said the Boo. "You do know about Luigi, right?"
"Yeah, I do," Amy said bravely.
"You two have a lot in common. You're the younger siblings, and yet you wanna look out for your older brothers, just like they've looked out for you." All of the Boos giggled. "You may disagree with your older brothers' methods, but at the end of the day, you're a team, and you understand that they just want what's best for you. Tell us, Amy—are you afraid of ghosts?"
"Not in the least bit," Amy replied.
"Are you afraid of us? Are you afraid of our King?"
"You don't scare me, and neither does your King!"
"You should be afraid. You have no idea what our King is capable of."
The Boos laughed again.
"Buddy—you have no idea what I'm capable of," Amy shot back, "and the day your King lays hands on Rory—then you've really had it."
"Relax—we have no reason to go after you or Rory—yet. It's just—we get bored when Luigi's not around."
"Well, too bad for you," Amy said briskly, "because you'll never harm him or his friends again!"
"Oh, we'll see," cackled the Boo. "It occurs, though—our King is so powerful that he can break out of his containment at any time. Have you ever stopped to wonder why he hasn't done so yet? Maybe—he's waiting—for the opportune moment."
Giggles and cackles swirled around Amy as she swiftly turned and left.
1.1.1
Back inside the Smash Mansion, Falco turned the Post-It note King Boo had given him over and over in his wings. So, the sadistic marshmallow had a fanbase of his own, eh? There were people who shared his twisted view of Luigi, eh? They met every week to discuss the ways the King could exact revenge against his nemesis, eh? Their fan-club president was devoted to the point of writing fan letters, eh? This fan club could be a gold mine. If Falco infiltrated it, then he could gain wind of any sinister plot against Luigi and his friends and warn them in advance!
Wait a minute—what was he thinking?! Falco couldn't do that! He couldn't associate with the main source of Luigi's nightmares! Not after the progress they'd made in Evershade Valley! He was still on thin ice with him, by the way—as well as with Mario! What if those two took his joining King Boo's fan club the wrong way? The avian was torn. He wanted to do the right thing. He wanted Luigi's trust and friendship back. He wanted to prove to the Mario Bros once and for all that he wasn't the bad guy. He—
He wanted to redeem himself.
But—
What if King Boo was planning something? What if this fan club of his actually succeeded in breaking him out—and Falco knew about it? Luigi and everyone he loved would be thrown into danger, and Falco would've let them all down because of his inaction. The avian had to take the risk by joining the fan club and gleaning out necessary information. He had to try.
Falco poured himself a glass of sweet wine before sitting at his laptop and booting it up.
"Well—here goes," he muttered, opening Google Chrome and punching in the URL for King Boo's fan club.
And when the page loaded, Falco couldn't believe his eyes.
The fan club really did exist!
The home page showed a giant image of King Boo, grinning morbidly. On the drop-down menu, Falco saw that there was a newsletter, a media library, a chat forum and an "About Us" section. Clicking the "About Us" link didn't yield as much information as Falco had hoped, but it did clue him in on the fanaticism of King Boo's fanbase. He really needed to get inside before they made their next move!
After a moment's hesitation, Falco clicked "Join" and entered his information where instructed. After he created a username and a password, he was taken to another page, where he was encouraged to beef up his profile, describe his likes and dislikes and connect his social media accounts. Of course, Falco left out a lot of information, including the bit about being Luigi's friend and attempting to reconcile with him.
When Falco was finished setting up his profile page, he was automatically taken to a chat room, where he was told to wait as an admin established a connection with him. The avian guessed that he had to chat with the fan club president before being fully accepted into the club.
H.G. is now connected with you.
"I knew it," muttered Falco. "All right—let's see what she wants."
H.G.: Hello, Falco. How are you doing today?
SpaceAce: Very well, and you?
H.G.: I'm doing wonderfully! Welcoming newcomers is always a pleasure of mine! May I ask how you've come to hear about us?
SpaceAce: From the man himself.
H.G.: Ah, so you've met him.
SpaceAce: I have.
H.G.: What are your impressions of him?
SpaceAce: A brilliant mind—a great visionary.
H.G.: And brilliant minds and great visionaries don't belong in vaults, do they?
SpaceAce: No, they don't. So—what is this, like a test or something?
H.G.: Something like that. Are you ready?
SpaceAce: Yeah—I guess I am.
H.G.: Do you agree that King Boo is a true patron of the arts?
SpaceAce: I do.
H.G.: Do you agree that King Boo has done nothing wrong?
SpaceAce: I do.
H.G.: Do you agree that King Boo is a firm but just ruler over his fellow Boos?
SpaceAce: I do.
H.G.: Do you think that King Boo is some sort of twisted psychopath for what he did to those two plumbers?
D—n right I do, Falco wanted to reply, but then again, that would've been suicide.
SpaceAce: No, I don't.
H.G.: Do you agree that those plumbers needed to be punished for regularly trespassing on his dominion?
SpaceAce: I do.
H.G.: Do you pledge your unconditional and undying fealty to King Boo and his subjects?
SpaceAce: I do.
H.G.: Are you prepared to participate in all of this fan club's activities and be ready at all times to respond to my communications?
SpaceAce: I am.
H.G.: Then you'll do nicely. Welcome to my King Boo fan club, Falco. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
SpaceAce: I really hope it is.
H.G.: Our next meeting is this Friday at 7p.m. If you can't make it in person, then you can livestream it from this website. Either way, you MUST attend.
SpaceAce: I understand.
H.G.: Very good. See you soon. :)
H.G. has left the chat.
Falco sat there, gasping. There was no turning back now. He had to attend the meeting, or else this H.G. individual and King Boo would suspect him of being a mole—which he was. But now that there was hard proof of an actual King Boo fan club, there were people he needed to warn!
He stepped away from his computer and grabbed his cell phone, dialing a number.
"Hello," he said. "I'd like to speak to Professor Elvin Gadd, please."
A pause.
"Hello, Professor?" said Falco. "You're not gonna believe this."
"Believe what, Falco?"
"You-know-who has a fan club! And for all I know, they could be plotting to bust him out of that Vault! You and Luigi need to remain vigilant and tighten security on that thing!"
"Wait. How do you know of this?"
"He gave me a Post-It note with the website URL on it! I thought it was a joke, but I just checked it out, and these guys mean business. There's a chat room, a forum—the works! The fan club president is an individual named H.G.—whatever the Hell that stands for, and the club meets every Friday at 7p.m. Later, I'll send you an email with the URL so you can check it out yourself! But in the meantime, you need to get down to the Vault and double the surveillance, double your security protocols, double everything! King Boo does not leave that Vault!"
"Thank you. Don't worry."
And then the call ended.
Next, Falco called Luigi, praying that he wouldn't be kicked to voicemail.
"What do you want, Falco?" Luigi's voice was a bit sharp, and Falco had some clue why.
"Just—bear with me here," said Falco. "I'm sorry to spring this on you, but I just thought you should know because he's involved."
"Did he—did he escape?"
"No, but it's much worse. That fan club of his I told you about in Evershade Valley—it's worse than I imagined! It has its very own website and fan club president!"
Silence.
"L? Buddy? Are you all right?"
"That monster really has a fan club?!"
"Yes! I mean, Koopa has a few fan clubs, too, but he's more of an anti-villain than a straight-up antagonist."
"And—you just found this out?"
"Well—uh—when KB and I were talking, he gave me the URL and invited me to check it out."
"Did you log onto the website?"
"I did. Listen to me, L. I have a plan, and it will work. I'm gonna infiltrate the fan club, listen in on their plans, and pass it on to you and Gadd so you can be ready."
"You're gonna join this fan club?!"
"What choice do I have? I'm trying to look out for you, Luigi!"
"Have any of the fan club members talked to you?"
"Just their fan club president—one H.G."
"H.G.? What does that stand for?"
"You got me. L, please, you've got to trust me on this!"
"Trust you?"
"Yes, trust. It's what friends do."
"You yelled at me just because I defeated you fair and square in a Smash battle. And then you joined up with three brothers to basically ruin me and got the tournament's financier involved!"
"Luigi, none of that matters right now! This is your life and well-being we're talking about here!"
"Since when do you give a [bleep] about my well-being? You sure didn't when you were conspiring to have me nerfed!"
"C'mon, Luigi. I confessed everything, didn't I? I apologized, didn't I?"
"Yeah? Well, look what happened before you decided to do so!"
"I'm trying to make things right here, L. Please, just throw me a bone. We're not talking about a plot to alter your playstyle anymore. We're talking about a plot to trap you in a never-ending nightmare. We're talking about the guy who terrorized your brother and threatened the rest of your loved ones. What he's done and what he can do is worse than anything the Bennigan Brothers and the people behind Project Nerf have ever done."
"D—n you, Falco…" Luigi dissolved into sobs. "Why did you say those things to me? Why did you help manipulate the suits at Nintendo? All you had to do was practice!"
Falco's heart sank as his estranged Brooklyn buddy let out one pained and angry sob after another.
"I shouldn't have gained wind of this information," he said, "unless it was for a reason."
"What reason? To curry favor with me and Mario and charm your way back onto our good side?!"
"No!" Falco let out a breath. "Luigi, I know you're still hurting. I know you're still steamed, and you have every right to be. But I'm not doing this for selfish reasons, I swear to you. After what I've done, I've just realized what I have to do. And I know in my heart that it's right."
A pause. Luigi pulled himself together, his sobs quieting.
"Do what you have to do," he said finally, "and be careful."
"Will do, L. May God be with us."
"Hey, Falco?"
"Yeah?"
"I'll see you when I get back. And—we'll talk."
Falco smiled. "Great. I'd like that."
"Bye."
"Bye, Luigi."
Falco hung up and sighed. He kind of figured that Luigi's guard was up, and that the progress they'd made in Evershade Valley was threatening to fall apart. But the avian simply had no other option. With him on the inside, the man in green and his elderly mentor could launch a pre-emptive strike against the King of all Boos and his allies. They wouldn't even know what hit them.
He returned to his computer and resumed browsing the website. It was time to prepare for Friday's meeting.
1.1.1
Since Luigi used the manor Professor Gadd had built for him as a timeshare of sorts, it was considered private property, and thus, no tourists were allowed beyond the gates, nor were any tourists allowed to take pictures. However, a large circular area had been set up near the manor some years ago, where locals and tourists alike could rest their bones and reflect on Luigi's act of bravery. Also, they could leave flower bouquets, cards, gift baskets or other tokens of thanks on the circular area, and many Toads were on hand to accept any perishable items. And whenever Luigi stopped by, the Toads made sure that he received these gifts as soon as possible.
After calming her nerves at one of the restaurants, Amy now headed toward that circular area, her eyes sweeping over the many Toads and tourists gathered there. She didn't know if they were genuinely proud of Luigi's courage or just thankful that he saved Mario. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a box of cookies she'd purchased from one of the shops, found a vacant spot and gently set the box onto it. She'd had the cashier tie a green ribbon around the box, and under that ribbon, she'd slipped a small card with the words "Thank you, Luigi—from Amy" written on it in blue ink. It was a small gesture, but it would be enough to reassure the man in green that she, among others, wouldn't forget the courageous thing he'd done that night.
"It's a curious thing," said a voice behind her.
Amy spun around, finding herself face-to-face with a purple-spotted Toad.
"Yes," she said. "Yes, it is."
"Wanna walk with me?" asked Purple Toad.
"Why not?"
Purple Toad and Amy strolled around the circular area, eventually coming to an archway overlooking it.
"There was once a time when we could hardly remember who Luigi was," Purple Toad went on.
"It must've hurt him," said Amy.
"I think it did," said Purple Toad, "but nowadays, we remind ourselves that without Luigi, there wouldn't be Mario."
"Does—Mario come here often?" asked Amy. "I think he'd love to see how you're keeping the memory of his brother's actions alive."
"He—tries to avoid these woods whenever possible," said Purple Toad. "Too many unpleasant memories, you see."
"I know."
"You should've been here on the 18th, though," Purple Toad went on. "This place was crowded. Everyone had their arms loaded with presents for Luigi—it got to the point that we had to set out shelves for them. We set up a podium with a mike in the middle of that circle, and hour after hour, people would come up and speak about what that night in 2001 meant to them."
"I played the video game, you know," smiled Amy. "I'd spend hours laboring away at it. While the game was relatively short, the boss fights made it worth my while. My older brother helped, you know."
"Did he?"
"Yeah. Especially during the final battle. And seeing Mario free of that painting was the payoff." Amy sighed deeply. "I'd do the same thing for my brother, too, you know."
"You'd fight ghosts to save him?"
"Ghosts, monsters, men—anyone threatening him will have to answer to me."
"You and Luigi—you're a lot alike," opined Purple Toad.
"We are. Both of us have big brothers who wanna protect us, but they need to realize that they can't protect us from everything. Plus, we have moments when we don't see eye-to-eye, but we always make up in the end."
"And," added Purple Toad, "you want to protect your older brothers as much as they want to protect you."
"Why—yes," said Amy. "Yes, we do."
"Just you wait until October 18 of next year," smiled Purple Toad. "It'll be the 15th anniversary. Peach is expected to show up, and she and a few other important people will give some speeches. There's gonna be music and games and food—truly, a fun party. And the cake—I hear it's gonna be shaped like the Poltergust!"
"Which one? His current model or…?"
"You know—I'm not quite sure," replied Purple Toad.
"Does he still have the 3000 model?" asked Amy. "For—sentimental reasons?"
"It's a sure bet he does," said Purple Toad.
High-pitched giggling sounded, and Amy looked down to see a Boo hiding in her purse.
"J—s," she said. "Luigi needs to be more careful, and so does the Professor."
"Don't bother them, and they won't bother you," said Purple Toad. "Usually."
"He had the 3000 model for twelve years, and he's had the 5000 model for two years so far," mused Amy. "I really think he needs a new one—he needs to keep up with evolving technology and the Boos' evolving power."
"Hear, hear."
"Between this and his nerf—I don't know how he deals," said Amy.
"Me, neither," said Purple Toad. "Wait—are you a Smasher?"
"No, but I have the Wii U version of the game. I'm also friends with someone on the inside."
"A few days ago, there was a meeting," said Purple Toad. "Mario and Peach told us what happened to Luigi. First, people made fun of him because of his nerf. Then, those two men beat him to a pulp. Then, Master Hand suspended him—and now he's found out that his nerf was part of a conspiracy."
"Boy," breathed Amy.
"And of course, Koopa did his Koopa thing, and he's probably gonna do it again in two days' time. Seriously—I don't know how Luigi does it."
"He—just does," Amy said softly.
She looked down at the Boo snuggled in her purse. "Comfortable?" she asked.
"Oh, yes—definitely," the Boo replied.
"Just—don't look through my stuff, okay?"
"Now why would I do that?" asked the Boo. "I already know about you and how close you are with Rory. I know that Rory works for Master Hand in the Smash tournaments. And I know that things are quite—shaky—between Rory and Mario."
"Well, yeah," said Purple Toad. "He's one of the four guys who cornered him and…"
"He apologized," Amy broke in. "He feels awful about what he did and said."
"But should they clash again, you'd come down on Rory's side," cackled the Boo.
"Look, neither were exactly in the right," said Amy, "but neither were quite in the wrong, either. Mario wanted MH to disclose confidential information, he attacked two people, he took a golf club to MH's car—and Rory and the others cornered him because of Crazy Hand's machinations."
The Boo blinked. "That wasn't a question," they said. "I know you'll come down on Rory's side. You'd do anything for your precious big brother. Even spy on people for him."
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Amy. "I'm just your average tourist, immersing myself in these mysterious woods."
"If you sensed that Rory was in danger, then you'd drop whatever you're doing and do everything in your power to see him safe," the Boo went on, ignoring her.
"Yes, I would."
"What if you saw him in our King's throne room, as a handsome portrait? What would you do? What would you give?"
"You'd better not touch him!" warned Amy.
"We think he has the face for a portrait frame—especially with that curly red hair of his. All he needs is the perfect background. And that body—it's a body our King can look at all day. Maybe if there were less clothes on that body…" The Boo gave a dreamy sigh. "But—Rory isn't Luigi. Rory didn't leave that lasting impression on us, but Luigi did. Even now, we can see him, feel him, smell him. He has a lovelier body than Rory. Can't you just picture him, Amy? Can't you just picture that body, shiny and slick with cold sweat, against our King's canvas and framed by 14-carat gold? I suppose that Rory can hold us over until we get our favorite man in green back in our clutches."
Heat flashed across Amy's face as she grabbed the Boo's tongue and pulled them close.
"I'm only gonna say this once," she said. "You're not putting your hands on my brother."
She let go, sending the Boo tumbling in the air. They quickly recovered themselves and laughed.
"Relax, Amy," said the Boo. "If we really wanted your brother, then we would've already gotten him."
"Well, you'll never get him," vowed Amy. "Not as long as I'm around."
The Boo simply cackled and floated off.
"You shouldn't have done that," said Purple Toad. "All you did was play right into their hands. They wanted you to react."
"I don't like people threatening Rory—plain and simple."
"Do you think Mario's threatening Rory?" challenged Purple Toad.
"What? No!" exclaimed Amy. "Like I said, both sides have a point. Rory shouldn't have done what he did, but Mario shouldn't be pumping MH for confidential info."
"Then why is Rory having you follow Mario around?"
"Following Mario? The Boo never mentioned a name."
"Let's just say I put two and two together. So, how come Rory's having you follow Mario?"
"Because…" said Amy, "because—we don't want him to make a mistake. We don't want his rage to take over him and push him to do something he can't come back from."
"He won't do anything stupid," Purple Toad said confidently.
"C'mon—it's just a precaution," said Amy.
"He won't do anything stupid," Purple Toad said again, and Amy knew there was no arguing with him on the matter.
1.1.1
Later that evening, Amy was on the light rail, headed back to her hotel. Her earbuds were in as she stared out the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she spotted something green further down the light rail car, but when she blinked, it was gone. She reached up and pulled the "stop" cord as her destination neared, and when the light rail slowed, she rose from her seat, gathered her things and held on to a pole as the vehicle braked and the doors slid open.
Smartly, Amy disembarked from the light rail and strode purposefully through the terminal, stopping when she caught sight of another green object. It was a Green Shell with a note taped to it, bouncing off a wall toward her. After carefully stopping the shell with her boot, she picked it up, sat on a nearby bench, peeled off the note and read it.
Looking for someone? ;)
Next to the message was a smiley-face with a double-swooshed moustache on it. A knowing smile tweaked Amy's features, and she fished a Sharpie out of her jacket pocket. Then, she laid the paper flat against the shell and wrote underneath the message, Maybe. How about you? 3
She got up and walked toward the tracks, seeing another light rail approach. Timing things carefully, Amy curled back her arm and let the Green Shell fly before darting into the station as quickly as she could.
Amy emerged onto the bustling streets, where another Green Shell came her way, bearing another note. It depends. I hope you find who you're looking for. The message was punctuated with another smiley-face with a double-swooshed moustache.
I hope you do, too, Amy wrote back before flinging the shell away from her. Then, she hailed a taxi, which began cruising down the street toward her hotel.
Halfway there, her phone buzzed, and she fished it out to view a Facebook notification.
Luigi Mario sent you a friend request.
Amy hit "Accept", and only a minute later, the man in green started a conversation with her on the Messenger app.
How are you doing, Amy?
Very well, thank you, she replied.
How's the MK treating you?
Not bad, actually. Not bad at all. You're doing okay?
You can say that. So—what brings you here?
Curiosity.
So I've heard. Mario and I are staying in the hotel across from you. Is that an odd coincidence or what?
Yeah. It is.
Look to your left for a second.
Amy obliged, and a taxi approached her from the opposite direction. She saw Luigi sitting in the backseat, holding his smartphone in one hand. His eyes met hers, and an enigmatic smile formed on his face. Then, he lifted his free hand in a wave, waggling his fingers, a gesture which Amy returned.
The cabs passed each other, and Amy's cab continued driving.
It's so nice to meet you, Amy. I can't wait to meet up in person.
Me, neither. I think we have a lot to talk about. Both of us being younger siblings and all.
Ditto. I'll keep in touch.
K. Good night, Luigi.
Night-night.
The taxi arrived at Amy's hotel, and the young woman paid her fare, hopped out of the cab and entered the building. She took a seat in the hotel's restaurant, ordered a soda and a salad and pulled out her cell phone. Then, she scrolled down her speed-dial until she found her brother's number and hit "Dial".
"Hey, Rory," she said when he picked up. "I think Luigi's starting to catch on."
"Yeah, I figured," sighed Rory. "He's not stupid. You'll only be staying for a few more nights, anyway. We've sprung our trap for CH and Sakurai, and now we're just finalizing things."
"I have to agree on one thing—they need to know."
"Yes, I understand that. But you've got to understand that MH will break the confidence of many of his Smashers should he spill. If only there was a way we could work around that confidentiality."
"Yeah. If only."
"All right. Talk to you tomorrow. Love you, Sis."
"Love you, too. Bye."
Just as Amy hung up, her salad and soda arrived, and she ordered her main course before digging in.
If only we could get the Mario Bros in the know without MH winding up in trouble. If only…
Please R&R.