The agents sat on the couch, battle worn and low on hopes. They hadn't held out well since their loss/victory with Gamma. Still, L was asleep for everything and had broken his arm, but was fine now. The captain would NOT say any more than what he wants for breakfast and what Alpha says to them.
Simon and Alph had to run everything while their friends acted off their games all day.
Simon sat down and sighed. Keeping three weak crew members in check is exhausting.
Simon nearly flinched when 3 arrived and sat down in the lounge chair nearby. She repeatedly looked around the room, as if trying not to maintain eye contact.
Simon cut on the TV that they never used.
Blasting news reports about lots of different things involving Gamma and MVP sightings came on, so Simon shut off the TV.
Simon DID flinch when Alph appeared beside him. "Tired?"
Simon shrugged. "No, not really. I'm bored. Nothing we have done anytime soon was actually fun. All I've been is cramped in with, no offense, boring people."
Alph seemed as if he hadn't taken that offensively, but 3 reacted differently. Simon hadn't even known that she was listening in the first place.
"Boring…?" 3 stopped looking around the room to give a cold stare in Simon's direction.
"I'm sorry if it seems boring, but I need to regain mental health from an incident where I nearly DIED and then have to rely on someone to carry me for the rest of my time on this ship, because I'm, "boring""
Simon felt the awkwardness spread when the captain walked in. Simon ignored him until he sat on the opposite side of Alph. The captain cleared his little toad voice, and then spoke as if he were all of a sudden back to normal.
"Alpha has given me the okay to send you all home for 1 week. Whether you want to go home is up to you. A break to see your families and whatnot. You can leave at any time, just be back by Wednesday-"
3 instantly got up and went to her room. The captain sighed and turned to Simon.
"You guys have taken a simple loss worse than I thought. It's as if you had your pride stepped on. 3's not herself anymore. Neither is L. Both of them have given up. Don't try to interfere with them, it'll only worsen their conditions. Let them be."
Simon and Alph went to bed, the captain following shortly after.
They heard the portals being operated during the night. When they all woke up, 3 was gone. She had taken her stuff and left.
3 had a problem with places to live and stay at. It was a problem she couldn't slip away from. Her job would only provide so much before she was stuck homeless again.
She had made an ultimate decision of finding a place to stay that was free. Luck was not turning her way until she slammed into the "friendly" green-haired folk from earlier.
Travis stumbled backward, before looking 3 in the eye. "Oh, hey. Haven't seen you around here in… a few months now. Work must have been horrible."
3 sighed. "Yeah…"
Travis squinted. "You're not okay, I can already see it now, something's wrong, what is it?"
"N-no.. I'm fine-"
"No. You are not fine. If you were fine, I'd be listening to how your philosophy of life is the most polite."
3 frowned. "It is."
"Oh, are you okay now?"
"No."
Travis laughed. "HA! I made you admit it!"
Sometimes, you can be such an idiot.
"I'm just not very happy today. That's all."
"That's not true. I can guess that from a mile away. What's actually wrong?"
After a long, awkward, silence, 3 finally spoke.
"I have nowhere to live, I have none but one friend and am facing aches all over my body."
Travis frowned. "Huh. Wasn't expecting THAT, but okay."
Travis started thinking, before 3 interrupted. She's gonna ask if she-
"Do… do you mind if I stayed with you?"
Travis took a small moment to try and come up with an excuse to say no, but failed. "You have nowhere to stay.. At all? Like, nowhere?"
"Only for a week. Weren't those reservations you got for this week anyway?"
"Let's just go. I have to be somewhere soon."
3 followed Travis for a little bit.
Meanwhile...
Luigi was somewhat happy to return home, see his brother again and whatnot.
Luigi went home, but something was different. Normally, there would be toads happily greeting him as he walked by. Now, the toads barely even acknowledged him. They were looking for something.
Luigi went up to the closest toad. "Hey, what's going on?"
"Luigi? You're back?"
How did they know I was gone?
"Yeah… I'm back…?"
"You, Mario, Bowser, Toad, and the princess all disappeared!"
Luigi started panicking. What's happened to Mario?
"What was he doing last?"
The toad frowned. "You would know, Luigi, you were there last."
I was?
Luigi quickly realized. The clone? Where is he?
Without saying anymore, he ran toward their house.
Luigi kicked open the door and looked around the house. Indeed, it was true. Mario was gone.
Luigi ran back into town and into the castle. Toadsworth was there.
"Master Luigi! You've returned! I presume Master Mario and the princess are with you?"
"N-no… it's just me."
Toadsworth didn't seem happy at that. "You disappeared with Mario. How do you not know where he went?"
Luigi had no idea what to say. He had been gone for about two months now, and Mario had gotten into trouble!
"Listen, this is very important, where was the princess headed before Mario's house?"
"She mentioned some toad who's name we haven't in record. He lived on the outskirts, if it helps."
Toadsworth ordered the guard toads to leave and shut the doors. After they made sure that they were alone, Toadsworth spoke.
"Luigi, when you finally joined the MultiVerse Protection Services, I thought that such a fact would assure our safety. Now, it is what we are forced to depend on. Where is Mario?"
"The clone of me must be with him now. Mario got curious and tried to search for the MVPs, and must have gotten himself into trouble."
Toadsworth sighed. "Ok. I will try to hold the kingdom together while you find Mario. We depend on you now, Luigi."
Luigi sighed. "That's not exactly… assuring."
"Not for us, or you."
Toadsworth and Luigi went their ways. Luigi went home.
Luigi sat in bed, wandering through his thoughts. What has Mario done?
Meanwhile, again…
Mario, Bowser, and Luigi walked down the desert terrain it had taken three days of walking to find.
"Where are we going? We haven't found the princess or Toad!" Luigi complained.
"I'm on your side and still searching for her. What a turn of events…" Bowser mumbled.
"Guys, we're almost there, I can feel it!" Mario said, confidence sparkling off of him.
"I think that's the smoldering heat you're feeling, Mario. There's been no sign of-"
Luigi stopped talking to try to see the pink figure lying in the desert.
"Or not."
Mario darted away, his non-lack of energy surprising, given they had just walked for three days.
"Finally, the princess! Maybe she knows where we are-"
Mario screamed as Toad swung a stick and slammed his kneecaps.
"HA! I gotcha- oh no…"
Bowser stroked his chin. "Should I be satisfied or empathetic? I want to laugh, but it feels cruel."
Toad shrugged. "He's been hit with straight fire before. I think he's fine, but look! The princess is here! I found her yesterday, some weird beast was about to do something bad, so I attacked. She's been asleep since. I wonder when she'll wake."
Mario hopped up. "IT'S MARIO TIME. Time to kiss a princess."
Luigi quickly interfered. "That's a terrible idea. That only works in fairy tales!"
"You're standing with a walking mushroom and a large, fire-breathing turtle, in the middle of a desert."
Luigi frowned. "Good point, but we don't know what's wrong with her. She could be sick! Would you want to catch a disease from lip contact?"
Mario didn't seem convinced. "Anything for the princess…"
Luigi resisted the urge to throw up and left Mario to it.
They all watched Mario near the princess.
"OK, OK, that's enough, maybe there's a better solution to this." Yelled Toad, while pushing away Mario.
"I don't know any better way than to-"
"Can you stop speaking like you're a child stalker?"
Mario sighed. "Fine. I guess we'll just wait for her to wake up. In the meantime, I will carry her."
Mario scooped up the princess and they started walking again.
During their walk, Luigi fiddled with his glove, Toad straightened the large stick he carried, Bowser glanced toward Luigi, wondering what was going on with him.
They reached a little cave, where they sat down and rested for a bit.
"Do you think that the toad that put us here was an MVP?"
They all thought about it for a moment. "He couldn't have been an MVP. MVPs work for the good of the universe. He couldn't have been one."
"Then what was he?
Bowser snorted. "A toad, obviously."
Mario looked at Bowser, a twinge of annoyance nagging at him.
Luigi stood. "If he were an MVP, he would have a good reason to have acted like that."
"What? If he were an MVP, he wouldn't have dumped us on an alien planet!"
Luigi sighed. "Maybe he wanted you to stop? You know it was kinda wrong to shove a bag over his head and kidnap him."
Mario stood as well. "Well, we wouldn't have proof they existed if we hadn't."
Luigi realized what he was doing. "W-well… uh… maybe he had a family to provide for?"
"No, that isn't true. You remember, we asked around town and nobody knew him! He was already suspicious anyway!"
"Yes, but some people don't enjoy delinquents in their houses, searching for things!"
Toad frowned. "Wait… You're callin' us delinquents?"
"N-no, but-"
Bowser snarled. "No need to deny it now, you've already done it!"
Luigi fidgeted with his fingers. "I didn't mean it that way, I meant that you were barging in on his property and he was probably mad at you!"
Mario frowned. "He called me stupid."
"Well- uhh... "
Toad stepped forward. "Yeah, he called us stupid! Why are you protecting him?"
"No, I'm not trying to protect him, I-"
Mario stiffened his brow. "You just said that he dumped us here because of me, so, yeah, you are."
"I'm not protecting him, I'm protecting YOU!"
"I've gone through a lot, Luigi, I don't need protection!" Mario's voice had escalated to a shout.
"What are you even protecting him from? I mean, we're kinda unstoppable together." Bowser said, unaware that he was calmly speaking in the middle of an argument.
"I'm protecting you from everything! If you join the MVPs, you'd be leaving the kingdom, the entire universe! And just to look cool! You could die out there!"
Mario sighed, angrily. "I told you, Luigi, I don't need protection. You are acting like I'm a child. I am not a child, and I am not stupid."
"Luigi… Mario… are you okay?" Toad asked.
"NO! I'm not okay! Mario wants to risk his life, we only get ONE Mario! If he goes out and does this, he could DIE! Does anyone actually care about him?"
Mario sighed. "Maybe you being skeptical is why nobody cares about you."
Luigi was taken aback. "We are no longer brothers!"
"So be it!"
Luigi stormed out of the cave. Mario grunted and sat down beside the sleeping princess.
15 minutes later…
The princess was still asleep, Luigi hung by the cave, probably scared to leave alone, Toad and Bowser just hung out inside of the cave. A large rumble ensued. The three ran out to see a portal opened nearby.
The green toad from earlier, Billy, had just come out. "OH finally! Do you know how long it took to find you knuckleheads?!"
Mario scowled. "What do YOU want?"
"Well, I have come with an offer. It includes escaping this horrible place. You could come and join my side, escape this place, and make it home again. Safe as can be."
Mario thought about it for a second. Toad and Bowser were about to go, until Mario stopped them.
"Guys, stop. What's the catch to this… 'deal'?"
Billy laughed a little. "It- uhh… screws over your chances of getting to be or meeting any MVPs. But you'd be home, soooo…"
Mario was about to say something, but Luigi cut in. "It doesn't matter what Mario thinks." He said. "I'm going. It's up to you if you want to stay, but I'm leaving."
Luigi walked into the portal behind Billy. "Okay! Cool! Anyone else want to go home?"
Mario, Bowser, and Toad huddled together. "Luigi's gone. I don't trust the toad."
"Yes, but we'd be going HOME! It's a hard choice."
"His sentence was very clever, but I'm not fooled. He said 'join my side' meaning that we'd be on the bad side."
"Then YOU make the choice. Home, or loyalty?"
Mario exited the huddle and looked at Billy. "I'm not taking your filthy trick. You tell the MVPs that Mario's on their side."
Billy's countenance switched almost instantly. "Have it your way."
Billy stepped back through the portal and shut it.
Toad and Bowser looked to Mario. Bowser sighed. "If it were the right choice, let it be done that King Bowser Koopa died doing the right choice."
They all went back to the cave and waited for Peach to wake up, wondering if the right choice was necessary.
At the Gamma base…
Amber sighed. "Where is Mario? I asked for Mario, not some green guy!"
Billy frowned. "I searched for a long time for this, he's the best I could find, Mario refused to come with me!"
"Then you should have MADE him come with you! But it's fine, Mr. L will do. Go and get him situated.
Billy led Luigi to the gear room. "You could design an outfit using my favorite invention, or just… rock the overalls 24/7. Whatever you wanna do, greenie."
Luigi came out with a very stylish, black and green outfit. He had a bandana around his neck and his hat was black, with the green L backwards.
"I meant to ask you," said Billy, near the door. "You are a Luigi clone, right? I mean, it's kinda obvious."
"Yes. I am a fragment of Luigi. He made me to keep Mario safe while he left to do things. I actually don't know what he went to do. I thought he was looking for the MVPs himself. Dunno where he is now."
Billy smirked. "What about a nickname, eh? What would you like for us to call you?"
"My name is no longer Luigi. I am Mr. L!"
Billy shrugged. "Seems like a cool name to me. Ok, Mr. L. Welcome to the club!"
"What about going home?"
Billy pointed to the room at the end of the hall. "There is a portal to everywhere we live. One to the mushroom kingdom, one to Inkopolis, one to everywhere. Except for the Fire Emblem galaxy. We can't get there, for some reason."
Mr. L frowned. "How many of you are there?"
Travis passed by. Mr. L stared in curiosity.
"So… I could just go into one of the portals…"
"And you would be in another world, yes."
Mr. L started following Travis. "So… are those tentacles your hair?"
Travis cussed in Inklish and walked faster.
Billy ran up and stopped him. "Hehe… he doesn't speak human languages very well. Just… don't touch his sweater. He WILL kill you."
L smirked. "So… you're up for multiversal domination, right?"
"Yup! That's our goal, here at Gamma."
"Then I'm taking over the Mushroom Kingdom. You guys will help me, right?"
Billy thought about it for a minute. "That task is not possible now, but you should grab something from the gear room that might help you."
L left and came back with a deadly smile and electric sparks at his fingertips.
"Nobody wanted the magic jar, right?"
In the mushroom kingdom, 30 minutes later…
"Luigi, you're dressed funny…"
"What's wrong, Luigi?"
"Luigi, are you okay?"
"Who's the green Mario?"
The toads wouldn't stop talking about Mr. L's clothing. He didn't care, he wanted to speak with the current leader of the mushroom kingdom.
Toadsworth smiled when he saw L.
"Ah! Master Luigi! Good to see you again, and, must I compliment the clothing, it looks nice. Have you the whereabouts of Master Mario?"
L threw Toadsworth out of the way and zapped the guards with his newfound magic. The toads were very surprised by the display of ability. They all were surrendering in very few minutes from when he had started asserting dominance. They all surrendered. L sat on the throne and laughed as he claimed himself the new king.
Toadsworth approached him. "You… you monster. Master Mario WILL save us, and he will overthrow you!" he yelled, as he was dragged out.
Mr. L smiled as he looked through the maps of neighboring kingdoms. "Guards, get ready the armies. We're out to war." Mr. L was ready to wage war and conquer the realm. The only thing that stood in his way were the MVPs and the defenses of the kingdoms. Sarasaland was first on the list to go.
Mr. L looked at his new watch. He was needed elsewhere. He sharply demanded that Toadbert watch the kingdom while he was gone.
The toads all wondered, what was gonna become of the kingdom?
Happy turkey day and hope you enjoyed, I had fun writing this. It seems that Luigi's clone has gotten a life of his own. What's gonna become of Mario? Only time will tell...
3 is at Travis's house. Sure hope he cleaned out the hostages, or we're gonna have a problem... Luigi left the kingdom right as something bad happened. Let's hope he can save it, before Mr. L sends the toads to their deaths.
Well, they have a break, so let them be. If you liked, please fave or whatnot, I am bad at asking for faves without seeming rude.
Seeya in chapter 8!