The Shadow King: Luigi?
Hello! Thanks for peeking into this story. The trajectory of this story sees Luigi gradually transform into an anti-hero through unique means. The story setting uses a composite-universe approach by combining Mario spin-offs into the main Mushroom Kingdom universe. Cheers!
Edit: Making a few quick touch-ups to see I've had two reviews within hours of publishing. Wow! Thank you. For expectation's sake, this will be a unique story that original plotlines and plots borrowed from other games. How these events unfold...well you'll need to read to find out! Enjoy.
Interruptions
Darkness settled over the lands, defying all sense of time and physics as a mysterious eclipse descended upon the Mushroom Universe. From the eye of a planetary observer, one could assume that the planet itself was veiled in a bizarre purple veil. The atmospheric pressure increased to suffocating heights, and residents of the world felt as if the air around them was slowly lost by impossible means.
Rogueport became the epicenter of this conflict, as the famous noose display was emitting a horrific aura by the second. Residents fainted, and some outright perished due to the extreme pressure and sensation radiating from what lies underneath the display. It has been a millennium since the world experienced such a catastrophe. Rumors formed in the minds of every person affected—what is this? Who is responsible? Is it the King of Koopas? Has Smithy returned? Or is it a new villain? Perhaps an experiment has gone awry? The realization dawned on some—could it be the Thousand-Year Door?
These thoughts were simultaneously interrupted and confirmed by the appearance of an alter for the Crystal Stars near the noose, followed by the abrupt appearance of one—confirming the suspicions for some, and for others, introducing a whole new sort of panic and fear that whatever is occurring, the fabled stars were involved.
Beyond the Thousand-Year Door, shouts and grunts of battle echoed. Mario, Goombella, Koops, Madame Flurrie, Yoshi Kid, Vivian, Admiral Bobbery, and Ms. Mowz fight against a mysterious apparition of a disembodied shadow head wearing a crown. Reflecting the stars, this figure radiates the definition of regal, beauty, and terror through one glance alone.
"I cannot believe this…" hissed the Shadow Queen, warping her body to avoid a barrage of eggs, fireballs, and an explosive force, courtesy of the Admiral. In doing so, Mario found the opportunity to pivot to the angle the Shadow Queen was in, expertly smashing his hammer to the side of her crown while the Queen gasped in pain.
"The crystal stars…they've removed my divinity. I shouldn't be able to take mortal damage like this," the Queen muttered as she shifted backward to retreat from the famous plumber. In doing so, she fell into a position for further attack.
"You're not paying attention!" shouted a voice quickly descending on the Queen. Goombella landed on top of the Queen, landing on the back of a makeshift neck, and bouncing multiple times. The Queen braced and coached herself, withholding a moan of pain from the sudden source of pain. By heaven's luck, the Queen summoned her hands once again, with Goombella widening her eyes by the sudden appearance of them.
"Wai-AGH!" Gombella screamed as both hands gave a forceful push into the palace's wall. Incapacitated, Goombella's body bounced with a forceful thud as she landed on the ground. Turning, she could see an incensed Mario approaching with reckless abandon, allowing her to swat the plumber away with ease.
All seemed to be returning to her favor until a certain Bob-Omb let out a devastating explosion, erasing her hands once more and sending the Queen tumbling to the ground, rolling across the palace's floor as stone tiles shattered around her. Admiral Bobbery stood in the center of the blast, eyes closed and faced the floor. The once beautiful palace was seemingly collapsing around them as tiles and stone were shattered into smithereens. Her beautiful choice of carpet was ablaze, leading to an eerie orange glow that cast a fierce mood onto the battle.
Mario's team temporarily halted on their advance, stopping to check on Admiral Bobbery. It didn't appear as if he was moving or breathing. Despite the growing fire in the palace, the temperature of the room plummeted as the team fiercely glared at the Shadow Queen, with a silent vow amongst themselves that they would avenge Admiral Bobbery. Despite Bobbery's best efforts, the Queen was surely not defeated. With a rush, the team dispersed in different directions, aiming to converge on the body of the Shadow Queen.
The head of the Queen stood tall once again, warily observing her approaching attackers and realizing she was set to be surrounded. The blast had genuinely harmed her and left her breathless. Extreme pain surged throughout as her hands were obliterated by the explosion, and she was unsure as to how long it would take for them to resurface.
"I need to figure something out. My vessel is beginning to stir once again and is likely going to try to reject me in the middle of this scuffle. That'll leave me open…" she pondered. With a feeling of shame, the Queen ducked, melting through the floor as a residue of shadow energy gave far too much indication of what she had just done.
"She warped!" Koops shouted in panic. As soon as he spoke, Koopa was dragged down by a series of hands into the ground, only to seemingly return completely unconscious. Feeling a growing sense of confidence, the Shadow Queen re-appeared, prepared to wipe out the thinning party against her, until she felt herself inexplicably weaken. Noting the strange vibration in her body, she focused and realized that the Crystal Stars were still interfering with her ability to so much as exist in the mortal realm.
"Curse those stars!" she yelled as a shockwave rippled through the lands, sending Mario and co. flying into the air. Ms. Mowz and Madame Flurrie fell, unable to stand and continue the battle further. All that was left of the party was the traitor, Vivian, Yoshi Kid, and Mario. Vivian was frozen in fear by the power displayed, and Yoshi Kid was fast approaching despite his wounds. With little choice, the Shadow Queen opted to get scrappy, choosing to throw her large body at the small Yoshi—much to his horror.
"She—she can do that? Shit…" he thought, as he felt an impossible weight land on him and immediately send him plummeting far below into the ground. She had no time to respond as Mario was quickly seizing the opportunity left by the Queen's increasingly desperate antics on defeating the team. She felt a huge force crash on her in return as Mario plummeted onto her from seemingly vast heights. Multiple phantom hands were summoned to catch Mario by timing when he would land on her, but Mario proved far nimbler than he had any reason to be.
The Shadow Queen noted her body was becoming increasingly translucent, sending a wave of panic through her as she knew exactly what this meant. Defeat was approaching both and this battle had turned into one of attrition.
The velocity of Mario's bounces halted considerably, allowing the Shadow Queen to time one of his jumps and counter by throwing her head back and sending the plumber flying. She re-adjusted her positioning and surveyed the area to see Vivian approaching her rapidly.
"I-I-I'm not afraid of you!" Vivian shouted as she conjured fire around the Queen. Despite her size and condition, the Shadow Queen weaved and bobbed expertly around the fire and quickly slid in front of Vivian, much to her horror. With a scream, Vivian was sent flying into the ceiling and instantly defeated.
"You really are-a monster. More powerful than anyone I have ever faced," Mario spoke from behind her. She could see the plumber limping slowly toward her. At the same time, she could hear numerous prayers and cries of support, which mysteriously weakened her further.
"You are formidable. The Stars have truly taken to you for you to do this to me. I've only been here for mere moments, and I am in the battle for my existence. I have never experienced this. I will offer you one last chance and allow bygones to be bygones. We stop this nonsense, and you join me. I will allow you to thrive in my new world," the Shadow Queen offered.
"Dio no! You are everything I stand against, and are far too dangerous to let live!" Mario retorted.
"I figured we would find ourselves here. What a shame. Could you imagine what you and I could to together?" she asked.
"No, and I'd rather not! This is-a madness, and this isn't right! Why must you be like this? Why must you fight?" Mario screamed, enraged at the thought. There was one question that truly did stand out. Why was she doing this? Is she an embodiment of evil and chaos? Surely not, as she was sentient and fairly articulate as well. This was not the chaos of a mindless monster, but rather, a calculated and devious villain.
She had her lackeys manipulate Mario and practically the entire world into creating false rumors and legends behind the Thousand Year Door. The plan to release her, by every measure, was genius. So why would someone align themselves to such evil when they were capable of doing so much good?
"This is none of your concern. All that matters is that the world will be crafted in my imagination in mere moments, mwa ha ha ha ha!" she laughed.
"Why must-a you laugh like a stereotypical villain?" Mario sweatdropped in response, rolling his eyes in response to the ridiculous theatrics.
"I do have a personality—thank you! I enjoy being proverbial sometimes!" she retorted, preparing another scream as she watched Mario wobble. They wasted enough time talking and it seems as if the damage Mario sustained was finally processed. While impressive, the man was just a mortal and nothing else.
"You're done" the Shadow Queen muttered, pressure mounting all around her.
"Curses, I can't-a use the Crystal Stars as they're dispersed and already in use by weakening her. I have no mushrooms left and everyone is out. Is this really gonna be the end?"
Mario stiffened at the possibility of defeat and the probable destruction the world was going to experience at the hands of this bizarre yet chaotic woman. Why? He had no idea. Not that it mattered. He just could not believe he was utterly fooled into releasing her to the world and felt a terrifying sense of guilt and shame as result. Why did he have to open the Thousand-Year Door? Why was he so careless to rescue Peach this time?
Just then, the sound of someone comedically falling from the sky echoed in the palace.
"What is that?" she asked.
"I'm not even sure," Mario responded.
The Shadow Queen looked to her lackeys, who all shrugged in response as the sound was quickly approaching them. While ridiculous, the Shadow Queen was on edge for whatever this interruption was. While Mario was on the cusp of defeat, the Queen was no spring chicken herself and needed to find the opportunity to heal immediately. Mario, too, looked confused as he stared at the ceiling, wondering what that sound was.
"What is-a that?"
The ceiling spontaneously exploded with a momentous shockwave and thud, leaving debris and rubble all around the combatants as they attempted to shield their eyes and bear their guard. The Shadow Queen thought she was seeing double, while Mario perked up in complete elation.
"Mama Mia you have the best timing!" Mario screamed at a green double. The Shadow Queen froze in place—this couldn't be happening. There couldn't be two of those cursed plumbers, surely? This had to be a nightmare. She could not face a second one under any circumstance.
"Minions, attack the intruder" the Shadow Queen bellowed.
…
…
…
No response.
The Queen turned to see her own party running away and retreating, leaving her alone. They looked horrified at the prospect that there was a seemingly second Mario, and everyone knew the writing on the wall. The Queen, in a desperate effort to cope with her situation, laughed as the green man's body was not shimmering like Mario's, seemingly indicating that the Crystal Stars were not aiding him.
"Who are you to interrupt me? The Crystal Stars do not bless you. You have no place here and have seemingly forfeited your life with your intrusion!" she screamed in panic.
"Please let me be right," she thought to herself. Just then, her body became almost fully transparent, seemingly looking like a phantom. She knew she had to end this now.
"No, but let me introduce myself as the man in green, Luigi!" he responded in giddiness.
"Why is he so excited, and why is he weird? How repuslsiv- "she started before cutting herself off. The green man was holding some sort of red apparatus, much to her confusion.
"Mama Mia you must be crazy, is that what you're going to do?!" Mario screamed in exasperation. This was reckless, stupid, and ambitious. Mostly stupid. In Luigi's grasp lie the Poltergust 3000, primed and ready to go. The Shadow Queen had never seen such an object before, but surely, she didn't think some sort of red contraption coul-
"What!" she screamed in horror, as Luigi ran at her and turned the object on. She found herself gravitating without any control toward the machine. Mouth agape, she shrieked in panic as she released Peach from her control to lighten her load and move quickly away from the man. It was too late, however, as she found her newly formed hands being sucked in. Everything was disappearing into this tornado of horror, including her body.
"Thi-this can't be! What are you doing to me?! To be defeated by this?!" she screamed in panic and frustration. The green man smiled giddy, hearing the words 'hero' being mumbled while she saw Mario look exasperated. It couldn't end. Not like this.
Until it did. As soon as it started, everything stopped. The invisible eclipse on the planet spontaneously disappeared, and most people began to stir awake from the impossible pressure and suffocating feelings they experienced earlier. The world suddenly seemed as if absolutely nothing was amiss, to the Shadow Queen's despair.
She found herself in a void with some type of screen. In it, she saw Luigi waving back at her enthusiastically, hanging her head in shame and defeat. To be sealed once again in this fashion. To her, this was a crime against reality itself.
"I did it bro!" Luigi exclaimed, harshly patting Mario on the back and watching him tip over.
"Mama Mia…" Mario muttered as he collapsed on the floor.
Thanks for reading! I have no idea if I'll actually continue this as the idea may seem bizarre and ridiculous to some. I intend for this fic to be comedic, violent, and whimsical at the same time, as it's heavily inspired by TTYD dialogue for how I approach my writing. Please leave your thoughts and I'll be sure to review!