"Got an extra 'shroom for me, plumber?" growled Bowser.
"Not on your life," Luigi answered as he reached for his feather. He grabbed it, then transformed in a puff of cloud. Bowser sneered then shot more Bullet Bills from the walls. Running fast, Luigi avoided all of them and took to the skies. "Whoo! I'm ridin' the wind, ma!" he shouted as he soared up to the vast ceiling. Still dodging the Bullets, he located Mario and Wario, then dive-bombed towards them.
"Yikes!" yelled Wario as he dove for cover. Luigi landed with a thud on the ground. With the momentary distraction, Mario took advantage of the time, picked up Wario and threw him across the room. Luigi gave him an odd look.
"Since when did you get all 'WWF' on me, bro?" Luigi was shocked at the sight so much he forgot Bowser and was struck to the ground by a Bonsai Bill. "Ooof!" he grunted as he hit the floor. He felt a tug on his cape, and it threatened to hold him down while the Bonsai ran over him. He tore loose and rolled away, catching his breath.
"I hope you're all good with the big guy upstairs," Bowser grinned, advancing.
"No, I hope you are; he still knows what you did last summer!"
Bowser looked up nervously to the heavens, and Luigi found his chance. He reached in his pocket and grabbed the only thing he had left: a fire-flower. His hand burned for a second or two, then his overalls flashed from blue to green, his shirt from green to white. Bowser noticed his transformation, but before he could utter a curse, he was blasted back by many fireballs and lay motionless on the cold stone floor.
Meanwhile, Mario was making his alter ego wish he was never born. Luigi came to help, and together they shoved Wario headfirst into an open pipe of the Big Runner. He cursed something in Italian, all the while kicking his legs that stuck out from the pipe. Laughing and grinning, Luigi gave Mario a high five. "Now let's fix those wires!"
They ran to a far end of the room, dismayed that Bowser had actually uprooted the Mushroom Kingdom dimension pipe and brought it to his own keep. They looked at the pipe, then at each other, completely at a loss.
"We've got to hurry, before he gets up!"
"I know, Luigi I know!"
Mario fumbled with some of the wires, a nervous frown marring his face.
"Can't you do this faster?" the younger pressed.
"Dang it, Luigi! I'm a plumber, not an electrician!" snapped Mario, glancing over his shoulder briefly. He just barely missed Bowser stirring from his spot, eyes twitching in rage.
Mario bit his lip, searching through the sea of cords. "Ok, yellow wire connects to the yellow wire, green wire connects to the green wire, red wire connects to the-"
"This is no time for song and games, Mario! Come on; just do what you gotta do!"
"I'm doin' it, I'm doin' it! You think you can do better?"
"Luigi!" someone screamed from across the great hall. The thinner plumber turned around, eyes streaked with fear and disbelief.
"Ali!!" he shouted. The small girl, still in her bandana and overalls, was being held up by her wrist by the King Koopa. The turtle grinned maniacally, chuckling to himself.
"Care to stop what you're up to, pal? Don't, and she'd dead." Luigi nudged Mario hard, not taking his eyes away from Ali.
"Cut it out," he breathed. Mario turned.
"Friend of yours?" he asked, a little confused.
"You get off of her, Koopa!" yelled Luigi.
"Who's going to stop me?" he challenged, pushing a bright green button on the wall with his free hand.
"Luigi!" Ali cried, trying to wrench free. Luigi started forward, anger seeping from his every pore.
"Get off of her--agh!" He felt a singeing shock on his shoulder, and he stepped back, holding it. Growling to himself, he tried again, sticking his hand out in front of him this time.
"Luigi, no!" Mario shouted. Too late. White sparks flew around his hand, and he felt like it was on fire. He cried out in pain and surprise, falling back into Mario. Bright, neon green rays of light jutted up from the floor and surrounded the plumbers, creating an electric box. Luigi held his injured hand and glared at Bowser through the laser prison bars.
"Ali, what are you doing here?" he asked in fear.
"Good question," interrupted Bowser, leering down at the girl. "Why don't you tell him, my dear?"
Ali shook her head helplessly, staring at Luigi remorsefully. "No…"
"Tell him," sneered Bowser threateningly. "Or I kill you right now."
Luigi narrowed his eyes. "Tell me what?" he asked slowly.
Bowser shoved Ali hard so that she stumbled forward and fell to her hands and knees. Her head was lowered, and her shoulders were shaking a little.
"Ali," said Luigi more gently. "Tell me."
She shook her head, not looking up. Bowser examined the claws on his hand nonchalantly.
"She's too weak to tell you. Just like she was too weak for the job."
"Job?" asked Mario suspiciously.
Bowser shrugged, hiding his glee. "Ever heard of a double agent, plumbers?" He paused for a moment. "They're the ones who pretend to be something they're not, while working for the other side."
Luigi froze, staring at Ali in shock. "It's not true," he mumbled. "I won't believe it."
"Believe it, plunger man. Because it's the truth."
"You lie," accused Luigi loudly. "You lie like a--"
"Luigi!" Ali cried out, pounding a fist against the cold stone floor. He stopped and watched as she raised her head, saline tears glistening in her green eyes. She couldn't bring herself to speak, but she hoped her gaze could emit her words. Luigi's shoulder's slumped in realization, and he shook his head.
"No," he breathed. "No…" "All she had to do was lead you on, and make sure you failed at school," Bowser said carelessly, walking towards her and dragging her up by her arm. "And a right good job she did too." Luigi broke his gaze with her, but Ali's eyes never left him. She looked at him pleadingly.
"Luigi, I'm sorry!" she sobbed. "I'm so sorry! I never meant to hurt you!"
"That's what they all say," sighed Bowser as he chained her arms to the wall above her head. She tried to wrench free.
"What are you doing?" shouted Mario. "Get off her!"
"Luigi," Ali cried. "I'm sorry. I….I had a change of heart! You were the only one, who ever talked to me, a janitor! You were the only one that…" She paused, saddened more by his livid silence. "…that loved me," she finished, voice barely above a whisper. Two tears trailed down her cheeks, and her red bandana was slipping off her short black hair. She finally looked away from him. Luigi's face contorted in anger and betrayal.
I can't believe her anymore, he thought. This can't be happening. His gaze met with Mario's, who urged him.
"We gotta get her out of here," he whispered hurriedly. Luigi shook his head sadly, eyes to the floor.
"You left the wires alone," began Bowser, "and I applaud you for such obedience. But you must remember I'm not a fair person." Ali's eyes widened in horror and Luigi's head snapped up. "Say goodbye to your little friend, plumber."
"No!" he shouted. He backed up to the wall behind him, and before Mario could get a word out, he was racing at full speed towards the green prison bars. He shut his eyes just before contact, and his felt his body burning, trembling, but he didn't stop. He made it past the bars, but his clothes changed color, and his fire power was lost. He told his legs to keep moving, but they felt like useless rubber, and he crashed to the ground. His cheek scrunched up against the cold floor, and he struggled to push himself up.
"Ali," he called weakly, voice cracking a bit. "You leave her alone, Koopa!"
"She didn't finish the job. Sorry, pal. But the dame's gotta go." Another button was pushed, but nothing seemed to happen.
"Luigi!" Ali cried in fear, pulling desperately at the chains.
"I'm coming!" He crawled up a few feet, then shakily tried to stand. "I'm coming!" Zip."Ali..." When she didn't answer, he glanced up from the floor and got a good look.
Two bullet holes lay on her chest, and she stared straight ahead, unseeing, eyes glassy. She swayed a little to the right, then the left. Then her eyes rolled back and she slumped against the wall, her still bound wrists pulling on the chains.
"No!" Luigi screamed. "Ali!" He kept running, until he slid to a stop next to her. He yanked on the iron cuffs until her hands were free, and he pressed a bright green button above his head. The laser bars zipped away, and Mario cautiously stepped forward.
Luigi pulled Ali into his arms and searched her face. "No," he whispered. "Ali…"
Her eyes fluttered open and she gazed at him drowsily.
"I'm sorry," she wheezed, voice hardly audible. "So, sorry…" Then her eyes closed again and her head rolled to the side. Luigi shook his head, holding in his tears.
"No." He felt her porcelain face with his hands, not wanting to believe she was gone. "Ali." He looked up as a shadow fell across him. Bowser's mocking red eyes glowered at him.
"See what you get when you make friends with the enemy?" he asked, enjoying every moment of Luigi's pain. The plumber looked back to Ali, hoping she would wake. Bowser started laughing again, but he broke off into a surprised yelp. Mario had taken a piece of pipe from the Big Runner and smacked the turtle with it, eyes narrowed to vengeful slits. The older plumber scowled at Bowser, hitting him again. And again. Bowser backed up, making a face and trying desperately to shield himself. The King of the Koopas was actually running from a metal pipe?!Sure looks that way, don't it.
Mario spoke slowly and ominously through clenched teeth. "If you ever….*whap* hurt my brother…*smack* or anyone…he holds dear…*bam* you'll regret every minute…*whonk* you tried to do away…*slam* with the Mario Brothers." Bowser was finally backed into a corner, and he glared at Mario.
"All right, all right," he snarled "…but I'll never regret this!" And with those words he shot a fireball out of his mouth, hitting the plumber straight on.
Luigi looked up from Ali's lifeless body and watched in horror as his brother lay smoldering on the ground. He stood up, seething with rage, clenching his fists.
"Maybe you didn't hear him the first time!" he screamed, charging at Bowser. He pulled out the Starman, felt its power running through him, and ran at full speed. The turtle finally took notice of him and he growled, standing firm his ground. On Luigi charged, until he slammed into Bowser. The two of them went flying apart, and stars danced before the plumber's eyes. He didn't even notice, Bowser, who shot a fireball the size of New Jersey at him.
"Mama-Mia!!" Luigi cried wide-eyed.
He tried to avoid it, but it hit straight on. Luigi crashed to the ground and lost his Starman, which went dancing away to a far off corner. His brain was fuzzy, and he tried to think if he had anything helpful left. Bowser must have taken him for dead, because he ignored Luigi's limp body and went for the much-weakened Mario. His older brother had pushed himself up, only to be knocked down again. He clutched his shoulder in pain, and Luigi watched in horror as the Koopa King advanced on his brother, ready to finish him. He couldn't think of what to do. Then he remembered where he had just come from. The NSP…
He reached for his plumber's belt and grabbed his plunger. With his last ounce of energy and a great shout, he hurled the tool at the evil Turtle.
"Aaagh!!" screamed Luigi as the plunger soared through the air and landed square on Bowser's face.
Boswer looked confused for a moment, and then horrified. He was struggling to pull off the plunger so he could breathe freely. The 'battle' didn't last long. Soon Bowser Koopa's eyes were crossed and he fell to the floor, suffocated by a mere plunger.
Luigi crawled up carefully, and called, "Mario?"
"Yeah?" croaked the reply.
"You okay?"
"I think, so. You?"
Luigi didn't answer. He sat again by Ali's side, holding her hand, wishing that the whole day had never happened. Wishing that her being a double agent wasn't true. But it was true. She told him "sorry." Swallowing his tears, he lifted her hand to his face and kissed it softly.
"I'm sorry too," he whispered.
*A/N:* Brings a tear to the eye, no? This chapter sucks rocks (in my opinion) so I'm gonna be screwed trying to figure out the next one. Was this any good? Or should I make the ending different? Next one should come in like......1 month - 1 year. Sorry. ^_^