In answer to the abductor's note, Luigi had brought 100 mushrooms. And a lot more. Yoshi, Peach and thousands upon thousands of Toad regiments. Each grim-faced soldier carried a bronze shield and spear, and looked like they wanted to stab something.
Luigi had found Peach tied to a telephone pole in the alley. She had blurted out the a shadowy, hulking form had thrown something into a black, windowless van and told Peach to relay the time to the plumber.
Because of the location and Peach's description of the kidnapper's frame, Luigi presumed it would be Donkey Kong.
Close, but no cigar.
The army approached the house. The light was on, and a gargantuan, though slightly rounded figure appeared to be huddled over something. It glanced up, and the door slammed open.
Luigi signaled to his captains, and in turn they gestured to their squads. They ducked behind their shields, and the second rank brought their spears forward.
A voice drifted from the cabin. "So nice of you to show up, Luigi, and I see you brought company. How nice." The green-clad plumber's ears picked up. This voice was not the gruff baritone of DK. It was smooth, slick, kind of likeā¦
A giant Ness emerged from the cabin, ducking his head under the low doorframe. He quickly conjured up a blue force field around his inflated form.
"Enough chit-chat. Bring a soldier forward with the mushrooms. Beware, Luigi, if you make one false move, you'll step on a mine."
Luigi gasped. Between him and Ness was a forest of blinking green lights, enough explosives to fire Bowser off. He stared aghast as Ness destroyed a thin line of mines, just enough for one soldier to pick his way through.
The plumber motioned to a soldier carrying a yellow block the size of his head. Taking a deep breath, he started to step gingerly through the minefield. The green lights bleeped mockingly to him, and he visibly shuddered once he leaped to the far end.
Ness' face alighted with greed. Snatching the case, he threw it above his head, where it floated in empty air. The physic's knees bent, and he prepared to hit the bottom of the ? block.
Halting in mid-jump, Ness started to laugh.
"Nice try, Luigi. You almost got me." Still laughing, he threw an electric ball at the block. It released the mushrooms as expected, but also a little something of its own.
