Luigi cradled Peach in his arms that night, trying to smooth her matted blonde hair. They talked little, for there was nothing to talk about.
Finally he broke the silence. "Peach."
"Yeah?"
"……Would it have made a difference if…if I hadn't come here, to try and get you out?"
She sat up and looked into his face, utterly shocked. In all reality she didn't know how to answer him. After thinking for a few morbid moments, she decided the answer was "No, Luigi. It wouldn't have made one difference in the world," but she chose to hold her tongue. Instead she grasped his hand in both of hers.
"I'm sorry you are stuck in this awful place, too. But, for what it's worth…I'm glad we're together."
Luigi nodded, looking down at the floor again, at the chip of stone that was missing from the floor. He was still battling with his conscience; if he should off himself as soon as he could, or stay alive for Peach's sake and learn to deal with the pain.
You're forgetting an option, idiot, he thought. Escape…...escape? From this hole? It can't happen. Bowser's got the cloud, I haven't got the strength…
He watched as Peach lay down in his lap again, making herself comfortable for sleep. Has she given up too? Or is she depending on me to help her? He shifted his weight a little, then winced from the sharp twinge that agonized his chest.
"You okay?" Peach mumbled.
"Yeah," he whispered. As okay as I'm going to be.
Mario heard keys rattling and he turned his head to look at the shadow that entered the room. Bowser Koopa.
"What d'you want?" he slurred, trying to draw himself away from the impending shadow.
Bowser simply paced the floor. He seemed nervous, angry, and upset all rolled into one. He pursed his lips tersely.
"Kamek can't tell me what to do, can he?" It was apparent Bowser was talking to himself, because he didn't look at Mario. Plus, the Koopa King wouldn't be baring his heart to a plumbing hero of the Mushroom Kingdom. "No. No, just because he said he fathered me and raised me, he can't tell me what to do now! Not in the present!"
He stopped and finally noticed Mario. He collared him and held him high above the ground. "That little turtle twerp wanted me to finish you off." Mario's pale emaciated face grew whiter, and he fought down nausea when his stomach lurched, telling him "sit down again. This is uncomfortable."
Bowser continued, "…but I'm not going to listen to that fool. No more. Now this is personal."
Personal? What the heck? Mario finally dared to ask his question.
"Why…won't you…kill me?"
"He's always…telling me what to do!" the giant turtle shouted. "Well, this is my way of saying, hit the road, jack!"
Mario blinked once or twice in shock as reality sank in. The only thing keeping him from death was a trivial argument between two evil minds. The only thing keeping him alive was petty revenge. Bowser set him back on the ground, seething with anger.
"You will stay here, and you will stay alive!" he bellowed, slamming the door behind him and stalking off.
Somewhere down the hall…
Luigi looked up from the floor. He heard a commotion echoing through the corridors, and he perked up his ears, trying to listen more closely.
'Stay here alive'? Maybe he was shouting at us or something…or another prisoner.
He looked back at the ground, stewing over what Bowser had said. Mario 'was' wimpy and pathetic. Not true! he thought angrily. He was…one of the best guys I ever knew…best brother, too.
A few more moments of mulling, and he lifted his head slowly, just coming across a revelation. If there is another prisoner…I wonder if it's…no. No way.
Peach stirred in his lap, moaning uncomfortably. Luigi smoothed her hair again, trying to untangle it with his long, clumsy fingers. She yelped quietly and sat up.
"What was that?"
"What was what?"
"My hair."
"I uh…pulled on it by accident. Sorry."
She just nodded and lay back down. There was nothing for them to do but wait. Wait until they finally cracked and gave in to the pain…and finally died.
Bowser had had enough. He wasn't going to take any crap from anyone anymore. Especially anyones named Kamek. This was Bower's freakin' Kingdom, dang it! He could rule it however he wanted to! Even if it meant doing what he wanted to the Mario Brothers and the Princess…against Kamek's wishes.
He stalked through the prison, and motioned for a guard to open Luigi's cell. He ignored Peach's cries for help and get off me and don't make me go there Luigi. The said plumber lay on his back, trying to sit up and help her, to get them off Peach and not let her go there, but she was already gone around the corner. Her screams remained however, and he shivered, leaning on his elbows; Bowser say he was chilled by the creepy sound. Yet without a second thought, he walked into the cell, stared down at the plumber and placed an enormous hand over his face and mouth.
He watched as Luigi shut his eyes tight, giving a short, startled moan, fighting for air. Bowser pushed his hand more, pushing Luigi's head back farther and farther until he was lying down again, his head resting on the floor. He felt the young man's fingers digging into the reptilian skin on his wrist, and watched as the other hand scraped at moldy rock, as if he were trying to find something to hold or pick up. He opened his eyes briefly, staring at the ceiling, his pupils dilated. He arched his back and shut them again, looking like he was going to retch. Bowser did not lift his hand until the plumber released his arm, eyes closed, his other hand lying still.
Standing up again, he stared coldly at Luigi's motionless body then walked out of the cell, handing some shiny coins to the guard at the door.
"You know what to do."
::All grab Robin Lee and toss her into a room numbered '00'::
(That ought to take care of her.)
Big deal. A dark room with one light…uh oh.
+What is that room filled with, anyway?+
[*shrugs* Moths the size of Texas.]
::hideous wailing ensues inside the room:: Make it stooooop!
[Yeah that's right! That's for killing me instead of Mario!]
(......What? Hey!)
[*sweatdrop*]
Wow, I'm actually going somewhere with the plot. Are you all intrigued yet?