"I'm-a Luigi, Number One!" Part 6
__________________________
The journey through the darkening woods was, for the most part, quiet and peaceful, in a sense. Luigi hadn't bothered to ask Shroom any other questions. Maybe it was because he didn't want him to talk in his shrill voice; maybe it was because he didn't want to know about his mushroomy past. But just the same, Luigi was silent, and so was Shroom.
The woods were very dark now, and the two travelers were growing weary. The little mushroom seemed especially energetic, though, considering how tiny he was. Luigi was a bit surprised by this, butstill knew that Shroom must be at least half as tired as her was.
"Lets-a rest," Luigi suggested a moment later. Shroom nodded, and they found an empty meadow a few feet ahead.
Again, Luigi was surprised at how swiftly and easily the Mushroom was able to build a fire and get a camp set up. It was as if he had done this all his life. Luigi grew curious.
"So,-a Shroom. A where do you come from?"
The Mushroom looked up from the fire he was starting. He seemed a little tense, and faltered for a minute. Then he spoke.
"IIIII...III caaaame from a smaaaall...muuushroooom villaaaaage," he said at last, in a careful voice.
"You-a don't like to talk about it, eh?" Luigi said, assuming that was the reason that Shroom seemed a bit secretive.
"Eeeer, yeah, thaaat's it."
Luigi nodded, still somewhat suspicious, but then remembered the timid manner of the Mushroom. "I'm-a sorry to ask," he said.
They ate-- Shroom, from his basket of mushrooms, and Luigi from a berry bush he had found. He already missed the Italian food that he and Mario had thrived on back in Brooklyn. He hadn't thought to bring any of *that* along.
They both found soft places in the grass to to serve as beds, and eventually, they both fell asleep under the stars.
*~*~*~*~*~*
When Luigi woke up, he looked around. They would be best off to leave as soon as possible. He sat up, stretched, and looked over to Shroom to wake him up.
But he wasn't there.
Luigi glanced in every direction. "Shroom!" he yelled for the Mushroom. He stood, and again yelled. "SHROOM!!"
The small figure emerged from some nearby bushes. "Huuuuh?"
"Where-a were you? You can't-a just run off like that! We have to leave!!"
Shroom walked up to Luigi. "Sorrrrrry.....I had to gaaaather more muuuuuushrooooms."
Luigi rolled his eyes. "Oh, a alright. But if-a you're going to travel with me, you must-a stay with me!"
"Oooook. Sooooorrry."
They got their things (which wasn't much) and left their camp. The trail seemed far more inviting to Luigi in the morning sun.
Just the same, Luigi couldn't help but feel...strange. It was almost like there was someone watching him or something as he walked down the path. Maybe there was some huge animal lingering in the trees, or, maybe...Bowser himself.
Luigi shuddered, and looked around him. He didn't *see* anything. He shrugged, and took a deep breath.
"Uhhhhh, Luigi," he heard Shroom say as he opened his eyes. "Look."
The trees were less, and the sky was much clearer. Luigi smiled as he realized what had happened: they were out of the forest.
"At-a last!" he said, "we're out!" Luigi looked around him, and saw that a valley lay below him and the forest. "Where are we now?" ha asked, "I've never seen this-a place before."
"It's caaaalled Fungi Vaaalley, I'm suuuure," Shroom told him. "I thiiink there's a towwwwwn down there, tooo."
"We can get some supplies there," Luigi observed. "Let's-a get going, then."
He gestured to Shroom, and he followed as Luigi followed the trail down into Fungi Valley.
~ ~ ~
...To Be Continued...
__________________________
The journey through the darkening woods was, for the most part, quiet and peaceful, in a sense. Luigi hadn't bothered to ask Shroom any other questions. Maybe it was because he didn't want him to talk in his shrill voice; maybe it was because he didn't want to know about his mushroomy past. But just the same, Luigi was silent, and so was Shroom.
The woods were very dark now, and the two travelers were growing weary. The little mushroom seemed especially energetic, though, considering how tiny he was. Luigi was a bit surprised by this, butstill knew that Shroom must be at least half as tired as her was.
"Lets-a rest," Luigi suggested a moment later. Shroom nodded, and they found an empty meadow a few feet ahead.
Again, Luigi was surprised at how swiftly and easily the Mushroom was able to build a fire and get a camp set up. It was as if he had done this all his life. Luigi grew curious.
"So,-a Shroom. A where do you come from?"
The Mushroom looked up from the fire he was starting. He seemed a little tense, and faltered for a minute. Then he spoke.
"IIIII...III caaaame from a smaaaall...muuushroooom villaaaaage," he said at last, in a careful voice.
"You-a don't like to talk about it, eh?" Luigi said, assuming that was the reason that Shroom seemed a bit secretive.
"Eeeer, yeah, thaaat's it."
Luigi nodded, still somewhat suspicious, but then remembered the timid manner of the Mushroom. "I'm-a sorry to ask," he said.
They ate-- Shroom, from his basket of mushrooms, and Luigi from a berry bush he had found. He already missed the Italian food that he and Mario had thrived on back in Brooklyn. He hadn't thought to bring any of *that* along.
They both found soft places in the grass to to serve as beds, and eventually, they both fell asleep under the stars.
*~*~*~*~*~*
When Luigi woke up, he looked around. They would be best off to leave as soon as possible. He sat up, stretched, and looked over to Shroom to wake him up.
But he wasn't there.
Luigi glanced in every direction. "Shroom!" he yelled for the Mushroom. He stood, and again yelled. "SHROOM!!"
The small figure emerged from some nearby bushes. "Huuuuh?"
"Where-a were you? You can't-a just run off like that! We have to leave!!"
Shroom walked up to Luigi. "Sorrrrrry.....I had to gaaaather more muuuuuushrooooms."
Luigi rolled his eyes. "Oh, a alright. But if-a you're going to travel with me, you must-a stay with me!"
"Oooook. Sooooorrry."
They got their things (which wasn't much) and left their camp. The trail seemed far more inviting to Luigi in the morning sun.
Just the same, Luigi couldn't help but feel...strange. It was almost like there was someone watching him or something as he walked down the path. Maybe there was some huge animal lingering in the trees, or, maybe...Bowser himself.
Luigi shuddered, and looked around him. He didn't *see* anything. He shrugged, and took a deep breath.
"Uhhhhh, Luigi," he heard Shroom say as he opened his eyes. "Look."
The trees were less, and the sky was much clearer. Luigi smiled as he realized what had happened: they were out of the forest.
"At-a last!" he said, "we're out!" Luigi looked around him, and saw that a valley lay below him and the forest. "Where are we now?" ha asked, "I've never seen this-a place before."
"It's caaaalled Fungi Vaaalley, I'm suuuure," Shroom told him. "I thiiink there's a towwwwwn down there, tooo."
"We can get some supplies there," Luigi observed. "Let's-a get going, then."
He gestured to Shroom, and he followed as Luigi followed the trail down into Fungi Valley.
~ ~ ~
...To Be Continued...