Sunlight peeked over the horizon. The castle's East Wing flooded with rays of arising dawn, and it didn't take long before light poured into the guest room, drowning the weary man lying on the bed. Luigi laid awake, having endured a night of tossy-turny, unproductive sleep.
He rolled over onto his side as searing sunlight filtered past ornate stained glass, the tiny window above balcony doors making Luigi squint. Multicolor hues reflected over his exhausted face. He felt an overbearing weight settling under his hazy blue eyes, lids threatening to shut at any moment. Despite that, a sinking feeling in his gut kept him awake, as it had all night. He fought to control his aching fatigue, a million emotions swirling in his head. He kept his gaze focused on a point far in the distance, eyes trailing lazily between Oho Oasis and Joke's End. He avoided any glances towards the Southeast, lest his bubbling doubts materialize once more.
The sound of scratching stirred him. Polterpup pawed at the closet doors to the bed's immediate right, whining loudly. He'd been at it for hours now, continuing the same action every five minutes or so. Luigi groaned.
The previous night's ordeal was one he wished to forget.
In an attempt to keep Polterpup from barking, he had stuffed his suitcase in the closet. He kept it on the topmost shelf, closing the doors for an extra layer of security. Yet in his valiant effort to quell his companion's worried pestering, he wound up only upsetting the pooch more. The pitiful whines and whimpers made Luigi wince with heartbreak. He rolled over in an attempt to ignore the continuous reminders, trying to avoid any glances toward the glowing pulsations beneath the closet door. He buried his head in his pillows, staring wistfully outside.
From experience, he knew dawn broke early in the Beanbean Kingdom. He didn't want to think about what time it was and, more pressingly, how much well-needed sleep he'd given up in favor of worrying himself to sickness. It got to such a point that his sheets were drenched in distressed perspiration, covers kicked around, several blankets off the bed and lying in crumpled heaps. What little unconscious spells he did experience in the night had been anything but favorable. He tried to wipe away some of his sweat with the covers. He felt his game had ended and he just didn't know; it was like he'd taken a posthumous dip in the River Twygz.
He yawned, chin pressing into his mattress. His jaw popped.
White noise filled his brain. He was like a malfunctioning machine, tuning into static channels. Polterpup's tail thumped on the floor, a faint humming throbbed in the closet, and a ghoulish green painted the dreary bedroom. Most presently, he disregarded the rampant buzzing coming from atop his bedside table. He could only take so much of the noise before he stuffed the beeping communications device under his pillow. He covered his ears loosely until the ringing stopped, flopping back down.
Luigi turned his gaze up toward the ceiling, sprawling out his legs. He clutched tight to his pillows, curling his upper portion in on himself.
"Luigi?"
Someone knocked at the door.
The instant reality check made him shoot up on his elbows, eyes wide. He released his pillows, having gripped them so hard the indents of his nails pressed visibly in the squishy foam. He spat thick phlegm of morning grogginess from his throat, wiping at his crusted eyes. He thought about what to say in response to the visiting voice, but nothing he could build in his head sufficed. He sat waiting for the voice on the other side to speak again. Knowing the sleepless night he'd had, he wouldn't put auditory hallucinations past him.
The knocking continued.
"Luigi...? Are you awake now?" A light tapping on the wood followed.
Luigi leaned toward the door, clutching his covers like a security blanket. A moment of pause.
"My love? It's time for breakfast," a charming, familiar voice said.
Luigi's breath caught in his throat. He nearly choked on his bout of panic when Peasley's concerned cadence called again.
"Sweetheart? Is that you?"
"Yeah! I-I'm up!" His words came out partially as a squawk; he hurried to clear his larynx. Peasley released a soft 'oh!' on the other side of the door. "Of course I'm up, I-I'll, ah, be out soon!"
Luigi's words spilled as he rushed to get out of bed. In his struggle, he managed to get his foot caught in the bedsheets, twisting in a coil of covers. He squealed, tripping and hitting the ground with a very audible thud.
"Owie..."
"Are you okay?"
Luigi could have sworn he saw the doorknob move. He placed both hands on the floor, pushing himself to stand.
"Yes! I mean, y-yeah, of course!" Luigi laughed off the stinging sensation in his ankle. "Be right there!"
He coaxed Polterpup away from the closet and swung open the doors. He hopped up, retrieving his suitcase in a single bound.
Combating Luigi's hyper-focus, Polterpup appeared in front of his feet. Luigi avoided him, but he stumbled in his attempt to do so. He tottered to the side before he made his way over to the bed, firmly setting his bag down. He scolded the pooch as he popped open the suitcase. He went slow as he moved aside the opaque capsules, carefully setting them down on the bed.
He searched for clean clothing. He hadn't been unable to gather the energy to change last night, so he was clad in nothing but his ripe shorts and kitschy shirt. He shuffled those off, tossing both into a hamper in the closet. He knew what breakfast at the castle entailed: lots and lots of important people who could judge him. No matter how hard he tried, they would most likely ridicule him to the point where he'd have to change his identity, and probably flee the country if they so willed. He had to make a good impression, or he could kiss his good terms with the future in-laws goodbye—
He stopped. With a grimace, he shook his head, banishing the asinine thought. Even for him, he wouldn't let his anxiety brain trick him into thinking Queen Bean, or anyone on the royal court for that matter, disliked him. Truthfully, he was more loved in this castle than he'd ever been at Princess Peach's own.
Luigi pulled out a clean pair of slacks along with a green button-up. Reaching the crossroads somewhere between formal and casual wear, he picked the lint off his top, tugging on the wrinkled sections of his shirt, straightening the bunchy fabric to the best of his ability. He caught a quick glance at himself in the vanity's mirror, fluffing up his hair and running his hands through the tangles. His bedhead betrayed him, Luigi rushing to find a comb in his bag.
As he zipped open the pockets, he eyed the capsules, which were currently sinking into the duvet. He looked back and forth between them and the door. As though on cue with his creeping thoughts, the pillows buzzed again. The screen on the device blinked, over and over: several missed messages from E. Gadd. Polterpup hopped up and pawed at the pillow pile, whining. Luigi picked Polterpup up, setting him down on the ground. "Not right now, buddy..."
Polterpup barked in response. Luigi shushed him fast.
"Is Polterpup okay, darling?" Peasley's voice sounded. "Do you need anything?"
"No!" His voice wavered; he hated raising it. "N-No. I-I'm okay- ah, w-we're okay," he corrected, "I... just need a minute, I have to pack some things."
"Okay. I'll be out here whenever you're ready."
A faint smile appeared on Luigi's face.
He exhaled, flipping around. He stood over his suitcase, eyes trailing, reflecting the capsules' eerie mechanical glow in his sclera. He had a chance at his disposal: a perfect chance. His digits hovered, thumbs rubbing gently against the opening mechanisms.
He applied the faintest pressure, before stopping. He was still stuck in a pit of insecurity, the same that had begun deepening since the evening previous. He forced his hand away, clutching it tight. Polterpup barked incessantly at Luigi's feet, drawing the distracted man out of his daze. He shook his head, taking care in packing the capsules away in his bag. He covered them with a safety tarp of t-shirts and soft pajamas.
His hands went to the top of the suitcase, clutching the edge. He licked his lips.
"Breakfast first. Then... then..." he muttered. The fight to justify his actions felt unfounded even when he spoke it to reality. He had a choice, and he knew he had to make it. He swallowed a lump in his throat. "Th-then..."
He left the suitcase open, stepping back. He held both of his hands together, turning to the door.
A powerful bark halted Luigi's progress. Polterpup bolted in front of him, blocking his owner from exiting. The pup's head lifted, gesturing back with his snout pointed in the direction of the bed, whimpering.
As if I'm not already thinking about it enough.
"C'mon... move, puppy..." Luigi tried to nudge him with his foot.
Polterpup began to bark multiple times, stance changing. He scratched at the floor, claws digging to the ground. He didn't seem intent on budging. Upon coming to terms with Polterpup's continued resistance, Luigi shook his head.
He fought the urge to get into a loud argument with his pet, so he instead reached down. He picked the stressed pooch up, walking him over and plopping him down on the bed. He grabbed hold of the suitcase and, with might, slammed it shut. Polterpup flinched. Luigi locked the bag up tight before throwing it back into the closet, shutting the doors in one hasty flourish. He huffed and loomed over Polterpup—the ghost dog stepped back, lifting one paw.
"There! It's-a gone. Is that better?" He hissed.
"Luigi?" Peasley's tone became increasingly worried. Hasty knocking followed. "Is everything okay? What's going on?"
"Nothing! N-Nothing. Everything is okie-dokie, Peasley," Luigi stressed his words.
His frustrated huffing soon turned to gentle gasps of worry. He unclenched his fists. The tightening of his chest stung, shoulders hard and firm. His stomach churned. When he looked back at his dog, Polterpup stood in a shrunken stance, expression betrayed. Luigi's hands quivered at the thought of his reaction; he'd taken his loyal companion's founded concerns and crushed them. Sickened, he took a step back.
He paused to regain his composure. His hands went through his hair, down his cheeks, and into the air, releasing a held exhale. He turned and leaned against the bed, pressing his face into his palms. He slid down to the ground.
"I'm sorry... I-I didn't mean to get so upset..." he whispered. "I... I just don't..."
Polterpup whined sympathetically. He delivered a few gentle licks to Luigi's face.
"I'm scared."
Polterpup barked in an understanding manner. This time, Luigi didn't flinch at the noise. He accepted the affection, giving Polterpup a pat on the head. He leaned over, retrieving a golden bone from the untouched silver dish, offering it to the ghostly pup. For the first time in what felt like eons, Polterpup accepted one of the bones, gnawing on it mindlessly, just like he did back at home.
"Hehe. You're a good doggie..."
He wagged his tail, but the wide-eyed look of sadness didn't disappear. He gazed at Luigi, his glossy puppy-dog expression sending a guilty pang through Luigi's heart. Luigi looked at the closet in front of him, sighing long and hard.
"Mm. Alright. After breakfast, I'll go and do the right thing, okay?" He made sure to whisper, checking his volume as he spoke. He scratched behind where Polterpup's ears might've once been. He chuckled as the pup's leg twitched. "It's not worth it, you're right," he felt a bit silly talking so seriously to his pet, but he continued, speaking genuinely. "Thank you..."
Polterpup seemed to understand his owner's words, because his tail thumped with vigor.
"Luigiii?"
"I'm coming!" he called, standing. Polterpup lingered behind, splayed out on the bed.
Watching his step as he went to the door, Luigi straightened out his shirt. He made sure to fix his hair and comb through the bristles of his mustache as well. He passed by the Poltergust on the way, stopping beside it. He bent down and straightened the machine up against the wall, smiling at his reflection in the green ectoplasm. For the first time in the last ten hours, he felt sure of himself again.
He grabbed hold of the doorknobs and threw the doors open, meeting eyes with the waiting Prince Peasley. He appeared in his usual attire, regal cape draping down to the floor. His hair was perfectly symmetrical, features free of imperfection. The only notable difference today was the way his bone structure was contoured, a heavy shadow beneath his eyes. Luigi shut the doors behind him, listening to them click.
"Shall we?" Peasley held out a hand, Luigi taking it eagerly.
The sound of barking lingered as Peasley and he walked away, moving through the halls.
Luigi prodded at his plate, fork absently picking at one of the tannish mushrooms sticking out from his omelette. He leaned forward in his seat. He always felt out of place surrounded by the royal court. Peasley sat on Luigi's right side, talking his mother's ear off as he regaled her with the story of his and Luigi's daring adventure the day before. Luigi smiled slightly from Peasley's side, trying to perk up whenever the Queen's gaze wandered to him. He always felt small in her commanding presence, but he supposed that was to be expected.
He leaned back into his chair as Peasley leaned into his arm, nuzzling him close.
"...and Luigi was by my side the entire time, even while he was busy taking out ghosts aplenty!" Peasley's face lit up, speaking in the dramatical tone he reserved for story summarization. His eyes sparkled with romantic acclaim. "Isn't that right, my sweet greenie?"
"Oh, he did all that, did he?" the Queen's jubilant laughter echoed throughout the room as she spoke, "I would expect no less from the famed Luigi brother!"
"M-Mario brother," Luigi meekly correctly.
"Of course, of course!" she laughed. "Mario brother..."
"We all love Mr. Red too," Peasley giggled, "but you're our superstar right now!"
"O-Oh... I-I... yeah..." he rubbed over his hands.
He played with the tablecloth, just out of sight, to busy his shaking fingers. Peasley held his other hand, granting him a contagiously confident gaze. He fidgeted as the room began to individually concur with Peasley's sentiment. A speechless blush settled on Luigi's face.
"Quite so, Peasley," the Queen beamed with pride. She turned to Luigi. "You are much deserving of all the accolades I can offer."
Her large maternal smile was enough to make Luigi feel at peace. He relaxed, returning her excitement with a rather dopey awkward grin of his own.
"Indeed!" Lady Lima spoke. The frail advisor stood up tall at the other end of the dining table, raising her glass to the air. "Cheers to Master Luigi!"
Queen Bean and Prince Peasley did the same, along with the rest of the servants and stewards in the room. Each loudly hurrahed and cheered, congratulating Luigi around the table. He was thanked profusely, on both his expertise in ghost-capturing, and in his knightly efforts to keep the heir of the kingdom out of harm's way. Luigi's face burned with fluster. He gripped his seat, trying to take in the praise whilst still remaining humble.
He had to admit, though; it felt nice being so loved.
Eventually, attention dispersed around the room. Conversations shifted. The topics grew mundane, like discussing the approaching warm weather, or blends of coffee from the cafe (now that it was ghost-free). There were also talks of planning events, mostly regarding upcoming summer balls and parties. Luigi eavesdropped, enjoying his own cup of warm coffee to punctuate the heated argument about the taste of Woo Beans versus Hee Beans two Peas were having. He nibbled on the pastry he'd been saving for dessert, kicking his legs back and forth in his seat.
"You look tired."
Peasley spoke bluntly. Luigi nearly jumped out of his seat.
"Did you get any sleep last night?"
"Uhm... y-yeah! A little," Luigi chuckled heartily. He wiped at his eyes, one after the other, as though he might be able to rub away the dark circles.
His laughter faded upon noticing Peasley's expression.
"Are you sure?" he piqued an eyebrow. "I heard Polterpup barking all night."
"You...? Oh no, ohnonono, Peasley, I'm so sorry! I didn't know you could..."
"It's alright," he said. He folded his hands over his stomach, turning his head to the side. "It actually gave me some time to think."
Luigi didn't dare inquire about what that meant. He turned to his plate, taking a large bite out of his cinnamon roll. He drowned it in coffee and lingered in that position with his mouth full, hoping upon hope that the conversation might fade in a natural way.
"Darling."
It wasn't his lucky day.
"Y-Yes?"
"Can we..."
Peasley exhaled. He ran his hands through his hair, straightening it beneath both palms.
"Okay," he huffed, "okay. Can we- can we talk about last night?"
Luigi stopped mid-bite.
"Uhm... I..."
"You have to admit, it was... out of character for you," he looked down, lifting his hands and using them to communicate his feelings as much as his words. "Your behavior was all over the place. One moment you were angry, the next you were loving, and the very next you were acting defensive. The way you avoided eye contact with me," he stopped. He picked at the fabric of his gloves, "I just kept getting this... this dreadful feeling that I... oh, I don't know."
He held his head low before glancing up at Luigi. His chestnut eyes glistened with tears.
"It was like I had done something wrong."
"No!"
Luigi slammed a hand on the table. His larger palm shook the dishes around him. Peasley reached to grab his glass before it could topple over. He blushed and sat back, sheepish, before he rushed to explanation. "No. No, nonono. It wasn't your fault. It was just- I- there's something... okay, there's something I need to, uh, there's something I need to tell you."
Peasley's expression turned. "What is it?"
Luigi inhaled. He tried to find the right thing to say. He swished his lukewarm coffee around in his hand, hoping that his pausing would buy enough time to run through every combination of words. He wanted to explain all the feelings, thoughts, and doubts buried inside; he wanted to explain it all. If not for his sake, then for Peasley's.
He attempted to be subtle when he looked away, tapping his foot against the leg of his chair. The rhythm of the anxious movement got faster the more gap was left in their conversation. Peasley's words, as loving and reassuring as they were in context, did nothing but add fuel to the fire of Luigi's anxieties. A few servants passed by, taking their plates. The clinking and clacking of dishes punctuated the heavy silence.
"Peasley… I'm... I..."
"Yes?"
"...okay," he released a breath. He struggled to find the correct string of words. Everything wound up as an error message in his brain: a big red warning label. He sputtered out a few solitary syllables. "There's something… okay, so, I… I, when we were together yesterday, I kept thinking... and I might have… so, when—"
"Your Majesty!"
Their attention was stolen by Lady Lima. She re-entered the room shouting.
Luigi sat up, fixing his posture. He would take any opportunity for more time to rehearse what he was going to say, so he shut up the moment Lima's voice sounded. The advisor's sleeves were rolled up. She shuffled across the floor.
"What is it, Lady Lima?"
"The chefs in the kitchen, your Majesty. They're saying the faucets are clogged. Something must be amiss with the castle's plumbing."
"Well!" The Queen chortled. She unfolded a hand, gesturing to Luigi. "It's a good thing we have a capable plumber extraordinaire here with us! If it isn't too much trouble, Luigi, would you...?"
"Please. Mother," Peasley gestured. "We were having a conversation—"
But Luigi was already standing up.
"Greenie?"
"I-I should... I should go check. I mean, what's a castle without reliable pipes, am I right?" Luigi's fake laughter sputtered pitifully before he could even finish his half-hearted joke. One of the Peas gave him a pity laugh. "This is important, so... I should go take a look. Like, right now. Plumber code and whatnot... heh. I-I'll be back in just a little bit. I swear!"
He got out of his chair.
"Luigi." Peasley frowned.
"It will only be a minute, okay?"
"Why are you avoiding this?"
Luigi stopped.
He succumbed to Peasley's sad tone, turning back. He took the prince's hands in his own, enveloping them in warmth. He leaned down and kissed the prince on the forehead, mustering up the most genuine tone he could.
"We'll talk when I'm-a back. I-I need to figure out what to say first," he admitted. "Is... is that okay?"
Peasley's eyes widened with recognition. He offered an understanding smile to the Luigi he knew and loved: someone who didn't have all the answers, and someone who needed time to think. And at the forefront of it all, he held hands with a very special someone, who was willing to communicate with him. Peasley tenderly leaned into Luigi's touch.
"Yes, dear."
Luigi was given a singular rusty toolbox before he was sent on his way. He made sure to remember when to turn right and when to turn left... and when to look out for hidden doors leading to dank dark sewer systems lying in the bowels of the castle. He always found it a strange place to have such a complex infrastructure, but he didn't have room to judge. He pulled out a flashlight from his toolbox, flicking it on. He went down the stairs leading to the lowest level, watching his step on the steep path.
He and Mario had become acquainted with the system when they'd been here during the Cackletta fiasco. He felt well-prepared for whatever problem might be down there. He just hoped this time he didn't trip up any security measures; he had enough to deal with already. In his head, he ran himself through the steps. He would diagnose the problem, take his time completing some repairs, check to make sure all the pipes were operating correctly, all while expertly avoiding Peasley's questions until the end of time-!
He shook his head, pushing that last thought away. Try as he might, he knew he couldn't run from the conversation forever. He had to tell him. Peasley was counting on him to have an honest conversation, just like how the Beanbean Castle residents were counting on him to fix this pipe problem. By the end of the day, he would have everything figured out, and every little thing would be right back where it was supposed to b—
Squeeeee...
His shoe squeezed down on something.
With his leg moving forward and the other interrupted, he slipped on the mystery object, toppling over himself and skidding down the rest of the stairs. He barely managed to recover near the bottom. He held out both arms to steady himself, landing with bended knees. His toolbox remained snugly in a balled fist. "Hoo!"
He looked back up the stairs. The item he'd squished was yellow in color, nudged between two steps. He approached, face contorting in confusion.
It was a rubber duck.
"Eh...?" He glanced around. He ran by the thought that this was part of a prank; it seemed typical for his kind of bad luck. After calling out and receiving no answer from conniving miscreants, he crouched down. He supposed weird things were commonplace in the laughter-obsessed Beanbean Kingdom. A rubber duckie wasn't far off from a rubber chicken, after all. He picked up the toy, squeezing it idly while continuing to walk. He'd ask if anyone lost it once he was done.
The more he walked, the more silent it became. The distinct lack of water rushing was the first clue something was amiss. There had to be a clog.
He looked ahead, noticing the shadows along the walls contorting, shifting. Luigi squinted his eyes as something moved in front of him. Oddly, a faint purple glow emanated from the next room over, paired alongside the unmistakable sound of... snoring?
"Helloooooo?"
The snoring stopped. Luigi waited for several long moments for any signs of life to pop out at him, before he allowed himself to move again. He shook his head. He was used to critters skittering and sneaking around in these areas, much like the hard-shelled foes he'd faced with his brother when they were just starting out. Nostalgia clouding his vision, he moved without thought, his lack of awareness making him step on yet another squeaking toy. The pitiful waterfowl squealed beneath his foot.
He sighed, picking it up, "How did someone lose so many of these...?"
He tossed the duckie forward, watching it squeak and puff out air as it rolled along the ground. He smirked.
As he bent down to retrieve it, a glowing, gloved hand did the same. Luigi froze. The disembodied hand reached from around the corner, a purple-armed stranger picking up the duck and dusting it off. With a garbled sound of recognition, the figure turned the corner completely, and revealed itself in full to Luigi's wide-eyed gaze.
Floating right in front of him was Clem, one of his adversaries from the Last Resort.
Luigi shrunk back at the sight of the redneck ghost. Clem made another sound of agitation as he spit into his hands, cleaning the dirt off his rubber duck like it was a prized hen. Luigi quivered in terror, stepping back and holding up his flashlight, shining it at Clem's transparent body. His eyes darted around, keeping track of all possible escape routes.
"Git!" Clem's ghastly voice hadn't changed. His vocabulary was limited, but the ever-so-creeping smile on his face told Luigi in very few words that he remembered him.
Luigi's limbs shook with fear. Clem approached, laughing and hooting in an eagerly high pitch.
"B-But… h-how…?"
Luigi sputtered, backing up, step by step. He kept his head on a pivot, visualizing the space behind him. He glanced forward as well, eyes roving over the pipes behind Clem. He noted that they were blocked up with various junk items Clem had gotten his grubby mitts on. Luigi could only assume he'd obtained them through less than ethical means.
Clem continued to cackle in delight at the prospect of getting a second chance to end his old foe, approaching Luigi with his hands outstretched. He lunged, and Luigi reached into his toolbox without thinking, tossing a wrench directly at Clem's ghastly body in retaliation. It went straight through him, clanging to the floor. Luigi yelped in alarm as Clem remained not only unfazed by the attack, but also reached down to grab the wrench, now armed with a weapon. Luigi stepped back, holding up his tools as a makeshift shield.
Clem didn't seem to have much of a mechanical ideology for his current project in the sewers, judging by how most of the busted waterworks were filled with floating duckies and garbage.
Luigi's frown only deepened as he recognized the duvet cover from his room, pressed into one of the drains. He made the understanding in an instant.
He turned on his heel, booking it double time up the stairs. The sound of Clem's hillbilly-hued hollering followed him, Luigi slamming the doors to the sewer system, pushing the lock in place. He gathered his focus and rushed past the dining hall, where the royal court was still unaware of any of the trouble occurring below the surface. They ate and drank in lively spirits, paying Luigi's passing-by no mind. He tried to hide his face as he went, sprinting back to his room.
His hands trembled as he reached the doorknob, bursting inside.
His room had been ransacked. In the few short hours he was gone, it was like someone had picked up the entire room and thrown it upside down. The vanity was cracked, several of his items stolen, and his furniture was turned over. The balcony doors swung limply, ajar in the breeze. He shivered in fear, approaching the closet. The doors were creaking on their hinges. The hamper was empty, fallen on its side.
His suitcase was lying upside down on the floor. When he flipped the bag over, it was wide open, busted into two pieces from the inside. The locks weren't functional, broken at their core mechanisms and hanging lifelessly.
The worst part was that every single ghost capsule was empty.
The knotting in his stomach made him fall to the floor, collapsing on his knees. Through misty eyes, he gazed up at the ceiling: the one blank spot granted mercy in the wreck.
He seized up, the sound of rustling in his right ear. Something glowed underneath his bed, shuffling around. Tear-stained face frozen in terror, Luigi squeezed his eyes tight, expecting the sweet kiss of death... only to feel gentle kisses of something else instead. Polterpup's slobbery tongue ran all over his face, the pup barking excitedly at Luigi's return. Luigi nearly burst into relieved tears at the sight of his loyal pet and friend, hugging him close.
"Polterpup!" he cooed, chuckling through incomprehensible grief. "Good doggie..."
Polterpup nuzzled into Luigi's face, barking and wagging his tail eagerly.
Luigi enjoyed the moment of refuge, but it didn't take long before his mind snapped back to the present. He didn't know exactly which ones he'd grabbed— it had all happened so fast. He fantasized about a reality where Gadd was more organized. Whether he liked it or not, there were four random ghosts loose in the Beanbean Kingdom, without his supervision, or planning, or direction, or... or...!
He fought to steady his breathing. Polterpup tilted his head, placing his weight on Luigi's chest, forcing him to stay down. Sweat dripped down Luigi's face. He started petting Polterpup, taking in the coolness of his chilly body on his palm and back of his hand. His breathing and throat loosened. He managed to get in a few deep breaths. Polterpup rested his head on Luigi's clavicle, huffing.
Many steady breaths later, Luigi's mind cleared. He tried to visualize the positive he had. At the very least, he knew where ONE of the ghosts was, and he was going to capture it.
"P-Puppy." Polterpup yipped at Luigi's frightened yet determined tone. It was the same voice he'd mustered when he was previously dealing with the Last Resort's fiendish staff. "We have to go take down a bad ghosty. Okay?"
Polterpup ruffed, nodding his head and wagging his tail in agreement. He made his way to the door, batting his paws lightly on the Poltergust lying against the wall. Luigi stood, reaching to grab the ghost-hunting equipment and hoist it over his back. He surveyed any potential damage. Much to his astoundment, the ghosts hadn't messed with it, at least externally. Relieved, he slung it over his shoulders, testing the (thankfully reliable) functions as he ran out of the room.
He bolted back to the sewers, Polterpup keeping up right behind his owner.
This time, the two nearly slipped down the stairs for a different reason. The sound of rushing water was back, and in the worst possible way. A thin line of slickness coated the floor, gathering around the steps. The clogged pipes had burst while he was gone.
Luigi shivered at the bottom of the stairway, pausing deliberately before submerging his feet on the flooding floor. A quiver ran up his back as his shoes and socks sopped with water, squishing with each step. He stuck out his tongue, curling his toes and fingers in disgust. He bunched up his slacks to his ankles, trying to avoid any more of the chilling water. Polterpup floated above it all.
When they found Clem, he was hovering over another drain, smacking it hard with his newly acquired wrench.
"H-Hey, you!"
The ex-mechanic turned to Luigi, cackling as his fingers flexed. Moving quickly, Luigi hopped over to one of the only spots left dry in the sewer system. He released Gooigi from the Poltergust's tank, making room for him to stand on the water-free zone. The clone immediately made a noise of distress as he realized the environment. Luigi nodded, acknowledging the fear before pointing at Clem, hoping that served as explanation enough. Gooigi made a trill of recognition. With a nod, Luigi swallowed his fear and approached the floating ghost. Gooigi turned on his Poltergust just as Luigi did, and the two lunged at Clem together. Polterpup growled, following the pair of -igi's with teeth bared.
Clem dodged with ease, floating up and away. Luigi stumbled in his attempt to follow; he fantasized about Peasley and his aerial advantage, wishing he had him now.
The redneck ghost dove into one of the pipes, emerging on the other end with a smile on his face. Luigi turned heel, holding out his Poltergust. He thanked the Stars above that the sewers were dark. As if he were playing a game of Whack-a-Monty, as soon as Clem popped his head out, Luigi flashed the Strobulb in his face. He didn't hesitate as he sucked the stunned ghost out of the pipe and into his Poltergust.
He didn't keep a steady grip on him though, Clem tumbling out of the nozzle and floating away, leaving unintelligible cusses in his wake.
The stark contrast in one of these more powerful ghosts versus the smaller, much more manageable goons he and Peasley had been dealing with was staggering to Luigi's muscles. He rubbed at his arms. Polterpup yapped loudly as Luigi circled the room, trying to land another hit on Clem. Clem avoided him just long enough to rush to another pipe, which Luigi could tell had been straining under the weight of clogged water. The bolts and nuts hung by a thread, water spewing over the floor. Heavy droplets dripped to the ground. Clem heaved.
He removed the grate, pressurized water spraying all over Luigi, Gooigi, and Polterpup. Polterpup avoided the blast in time, but Luigi and Gooigi weren't so lucky. Gooigi disintegrated instantly, landing in a gooey pile at Luigi's feet. Clem guffawed at the sight, Luigi looking like a sad wet kitten as he bent down, running his fingers gently through the puddle of Gooigi's remains.
Luigi glared at the laughing Clem. A new sense of fight filled his core. He flashed his Strobulb again, catching Clem mid-cackle. Luigi began sucking him into the Poltergust, digging his heels into the ground.
When Clem managed to escape the second time, Polterpup charged after him, grabbing the ghost by his tail and pulling him down to Luigi's level. He moved his head rapidly, shaking Clem back and forth like a chew toy. Luigi activated the Poltergust again, capturing Clem in the gust of wind. Clem yelled in alarm, but ultimately went down. He flushed down the nozzle and into the holding tank, landing with a satisfying clunk.
Luigi huffed, wiping sweat and dripping water off his face. He turned back to the spraying pipes and leapt up to them. He grabbed hold of the tight valves, cheeks puffed up and reddened from effort as he turned them. After much resistance, the water shut off. He jumped back down, splashing as he collided with the small body of water on the floor.
He was left in a puddle of ectoplasmic goo and dingy liquid, soaked to the bone, hair lying in damp strips in front of his face. He recalled Gooigi into the Poltergust, ensuring his hydrophobic friend would be able to recharge. He pat the tank gently.
He surveyed the damage around him, trying desperately to ignore the mess Clem had made. He splashed in the ankle-height water, waddling back to the steps. Right now, he had three more ghosts to worry about, and a castle full of people to warn.
The pipes were the least of his present concerns.
He ran up the stairs, emerging in the castle. He granted himself a moment of pause, breathing deeply and wringing out his shirt. His wet shoes squeaked along the floor. He shivered, cool breeze nipping on his exposed skin as he hugged himself tight. Polterpup shook himself off too. Though he was physically shivering, and a bit jumpy from the previous encounter, he felt safe and warm.
...if only for a moment.
The sharp swing of a sword swished by him, nearly missing his face. His hairs stood on-end as his pinprick eyes gazed upward. His eyes widened as they fell upon a living suit of armor.
He hit the ground hard, paralyzed in fear. He rubbed at his backside, only able to sit and watch as an unimaginable scene unfolded. The suits of armor lining the halls of Beanbean Castle stepped off their pedestals, brandishing swords and spears. The armed soldiers dropped their weapons limp in their arms, swinging them around idly. Luigi scrambled back and hid behind a potted plant, trying not to draw attention to himself. The suits passed Luigi and went down the hall, movements stilted and jittery. They seemed to be following noise: noises that Luigi started to hear.
Shrill screaming sounded from further down the winding hallways.
"Peasley..." Luigi whispered aloud.
He slipped over himself. He shook his leg, trying to dry himself as he stood up. Skidding on the marble flooring, he rushed after the suits of armor, following their uniform path.
He started his search at the dining hall. The doors were still wide open. Luigi entered, but much to his dismay, there was no one in the room. Abandoned cups and crumb-littered plates of marmalade-spread crumpets and brie quiches were the only remainders of normal life left in the space. Polterpup sniffed along the floor. Luigi spun around, attempting to find some sort of clue, maybe an explanation as to where they could have gone. None of the ghosts enjoyed capturing people and taking hostages, as far as he knew. They were more of a hunt and game-over type... which, yes, he supposed didn't make it any better.
He slid across the floor as he flung himself out of the dining room, following the now-familiar noises of metal armor clanking. People were shouting. He rounded a corner, stopping right outside the throne room, where the most commotion was stirring. People were occupying the space, which he thought might have been reassuring, but the sight within was anything but.
Another unfriendly but familiar face sat lazily on the throne, laughing confidently. He held a sword loosely in a gloved hand, holding it tauntingly over a few cowering Peas who Luigi assumed had gotten caught in the crossfire of supernatural takeover. The scottish ghost chuckled, crossing his arms over his armor. Luigi glowered.
King MacFrights curled a hand around what was rightfully the Queen's throne, making Luigi's blood boil. The outright disrespect nearly made him charge into the room without thinking. But, some rationality left in him made him pause. He still had to find Peasley, and—
"Luigi?"
The Queen's voice sounded behind him. She stood tall, hands folded in front of her glittering dress. She appeared uninjured.
"Your Majesty!" Luigi whispered. He hid from the open archway of the throne room, gesturing for the Queen to follow.
"What happened to you?"
"Oh," Luigi glanced down at his sopping wet clothes. "Uhm. The sewers... pipes... it's a long story. What happened up here?"
"Hmph. It was that ghost," the Queen shook her head, pointing. "We were eating breakfast, as you know. It was all fine and good until the suits of armor came to life, barging into the dining room. I didn't know what to make of it at first. That is, until they started attacking us. We tried to get everyone out, but a few of my subjects got intermingled with that fiendish specter. He seems to have control over them. And, as you can see, he's set up camp in my throne room," the Queen rested her cheek on her hand. "He is certainly more cocky than the ones Peasley described..."
"P-Peasley!" Luigi gasped. "Where is he?"
At that, a whizzing blur of turquoise zipped right over Luigi's head.
"Hey!"
Luigi looked up, gasping. His charming Prince Peasley flew into the throne room on his trusty steed, kicking over one of the suits of possessed armor as he entered. He landed in front of MacFrights' wispy tail, the royal ghost pounding a white-knuckled fist on the throne.
Peasley reached to his belt, drawing his ghost-catching saber and laughing. "En garde!"
His sword collided with MacFrights' own weapon of choice, the two sparring duelists engaging in an even match of brute force. Peasley hopped up on his winged bean, making MacFrights angrily chase after him. The prince taunted the king in a way that reminded Luigi about the first time he'd met MacFrights at the Last Resort. The prince held out a hand and wagged his finger condescendingly as MacFrights repeatedly missed him. The Beans on the ground cheered Peasley on, clapping their hands together, only serving to fuel MacFrights' rage. He growled.
Luigi and Queen Bean ran up to the throne room archway, keeping watch over the battle as it unfolded.
"Oh!" Peasley caught Luigi's gaze, waving as he dodged out of the way of a sword's swing. "Hello, Luigi!"
Luigi watched his boyfriend spar in awe; he didn't even break a sweat.
"H-Hi."
"...Luigi?"
MacFrights' limited vocabulary was just as anti-Luigi as Clem's. He turned, glaring at the brunette plumber. He was foaming at the mouth as he lunged toward Luigi, but Peasley struck him down before he even had the chance to get close. He swung his sword, sending MacFrights flinging backwards into the wall, where he landed with a crack.
"Are you okay, my love?"
Starstruck, Luigi managed a singular word. "Uh-huh..."
The suits of armor didn't engage in the one-on-one fight, respecting the honor of a proper match. Instead, they turned their attention to the idle Luigi and Queen Bean, raising their weapons. Luigi jumped in alarm, hopping in front of Queen Bean and holding out his arm. "I can handle them! S-Stand back, your Majesty."
"Oh, Luigi," the Queen cracked her knuckles.
She stepped forward, winding up and knocking the two suits of armor back with a single punch. She bowed her head toward an open-mouthed Luigi, chuckling. "Thank you though. Perhaps you can take care of the ghost, with that machine of yours?" She pointed to the Poltergust, which Luigi scrambled to prep at the ready.
"R-Right!"
The possessed armor creaked. After Queen Bean had knocked into them, the supernatural control faded fast. Peasley leapt out of the way, but MacFrights wasn't as lucky. The suit of armor crashed on top of him, flattening his body to the ground. Once he managed to wriggle his squished body out from under the suit of armor, Peasley swung his sword straight through him, slashing the tiny royal in two. MacFrights dropped his sword, one of his halves scowling and raising a fist in the air.
"Luigi? Will you please do the honors?" Peasley turned.
"I-I haven't done this part in awhile. H-Hang on..."
Luigi revved up his Poltergust to the maximum capacity it could handle. He stood his ground as he sucked MacFrights into the nozzle. With the first step accomplished, he gripped the end of the nozzle, straining to lift the struggling ghost over his head. Once in the proper position, he slammed MacFrights back and forth on the ground, the king grunting in alarm at each strike. Peasley held his hands up over his mouth, eyes wide at what he could only assume were Luigi's pent-up frustrations channeled into ghost-slamming abilities.
With a powerful heave and ho, Luigi sucked up the spectral jouster into his Poltergust, falling over as he did so. He shook himself off. Peasley hopped off his winged steed, rushing to Luigi's side.
"P-Peasley! Are you okay?" The prince's wellbeing was the only thing on Luigi's scattered mind. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"Ha! As if that lowlife could land a hit on me," he bragged, crossing his arms.
Luigi managed a faint smile. Polterpup and Peasley's winged bean started playing together, alleviating the lingering bits of tension from the fight.
"But, darling, what was that all about?" Peasley asked, lifting Luigi up from the ground. "Who was that?"
"Haa... a ghost..."
"I know that much," Peasley laughed, flicking Luigi's hair. "I know you didn't get much sleep last night, but bear with me. Do you know why it showed up here?"
He swallowed.
"Does it have something to do with, what you needed to tell me?"
"It's..."
Luigi didn't have time to think about what to say. He got closer to Peasley, lowering his voice and glancing around, realizing most if not all of the royal court's eyeballs were fixated on him. Peasley looked around the room, shooing their prying eyes away. Luigi inhaled sharply, but held back. He stared past Peasley.
"It's Gadd," he croaked, "he called me. The ghosts escaped, so he wants us to catch them. T-There's four in total, so there's two more. There was one in the sewers, but I handled it already," he sheepishly trailed off, cheeks dusting with fluster.
Peasley stood back. He lifted a hand to his chin, lost in thought. He glanced over at Luigi, who covered his face, running his hands over his bristling mustache.
Peasley shook his head, confused. "I don't understand. Didn't we-?"
"They escaped from his lab last night, while we were asleep," Luigi continued, fiddling with the ends of his mustache, "and we have to catch them, before they can do any more harm. I know what they're capable of, and—"
"You know these ghosts?"
Luigi's limbs stiffened.
"Y-Yeah! Gadd and I, we had a run-in with them recently... I had to catch them."
"They're not at all like the ones we faced yesterday," Peasley said. "And, if we have two captured..." he lifted a hand, "then where are the others?"
A grand rumbling answered that question. The marble flooring cracked and chipped, something big moving beneath the tile. The crackling spread to the walls, pieces of plaster dustily coating the floor. Paintings and statues wobbled. Queen Bean moved both Peasley and Luigi back a bit, a hand held protectively on each of their shoulders. Polterpup snarled.
But just as quick as it came, it stopped. Everyone glanced amongst themselves. A Pea went over to investigate, standing over one of the cracks. The room hushed, each servant peeking out from behind the Queen's broad posture.
"I don't think there's anything—"
The Pea was sent spiraling into the air as a huge vine sprouted from the floor, breaking through the ceiling.
Queen Bean gasped, grabbing up the panicking Beans surrounding her in both arms. Hoisting them up, she fearfully turned to Peasley. The walls around them cracked, which didn't go unnoticed by both parties. The chandelier above trembled.
"Get yourself and Luigi to a safe spot," she commanded. "I need to find Lady Lima. If this onslaught keeps up, our castle won't stand."
Luigi listened in, a thick slurry of guilt making his body deflate. His hold on Peasley's hand loosened.
"Mother, if this is the work of a ghost, only Luigi and I can handle it. We're going to investigate."
"Then. P-Please, be careful, my son."
She fixed her grip on the beanish servants in her hold, hurrying out of the room. The huge vine remained still as they passed, Luigi releasing a weary sigh of relief.
The pods growing on the thickening vine puffed, gradually filling the room with a thick murky scent. Luigi covered his nose, pushing Peasley out of the way and leading him into the sanctuary of the main hall. The cracking didn't cease, a thin branching appearing in the tile all over, stone and marble crumbling beneath Luigi and Peasley's feet. The presence of roots could be seen, feeling and searching for a proper place to grow. The tendrils stretched all the way to the East Wing, ground bulging as the plants mutated below.
They turned the corner, light pouring in from the atrium leading to the castle gardens. They managed to sneak past the vines that curled around the entrance, two of the six archways blocked by unbreakable roots.
The open garden was filled to the brim. It was vast, bursting with foliage both living and dead, plants sprawling all over. Once-thriving rose bushes were crushed beneath huge tree branches, newly sprouting plants choking the soil with blackened roots. Yellow petals swayed in the air, breezing past Luigi and Peasley. One stray vine wrapped around Luigi's ankle. He kicked it away.
At the center of it all was Dr. Potter, the ghostly gardener humming a tune to himself as he worked. He watered a seedling and a trunk grew in its place, rising to the height of the garden itself. The sun was blocked out by the leaves, shadows making the ghost's outline stand out amongst the unnatural plants. He pulled out a trowel, continuing to whistle casually.
"He isn't even gardening right," Peasley scoffed, nudging Luigi in the side. "That sort of growth would take years."
The green ghost jumped. He snarled, turning to face the intruders ridiculing his work. It wasn't long before his mouth was gaping at the sight of Luigi, nearly dropping his watering can in his brief spell of shock. He regained his composure, pulling out another seed packet from his jacket and chuckling deeply. Sprinkling the seeds on the ground, he watered them quick.
Luigi stood tall, unflinching as the seed took root. Since his visit to the Last Resort, he and Peasley had dealt with many a nasty weed in their gardens. He felt he could handle whatever Potter threw at him.
A dark-green stem grew from the spot, climbing upwards at a miraculous rate. A bulbous bud sprouted on the end, weighing it down; it appeared slightly wilted. For a delightful moment, Luigi thought Potter might have gotten so wrapped up in his hubris that he'd killed his latest creation. As soon as it grew to its full height, however, the end of the plant split in two, coming to life. Its leafy ends sharpened like razors, bending down and snapping its jaws at Luigi. Luigi jumped, scrambling backwards. He grabbed Peasley, picking him up off the ground and shielding him with his body.
After a moment of panic, he reached and grabbed Peasley's hand, turning to him with a soft smile on his face. "C'mon, Peasley," a sense of confidence ran through Luigi, "we can do this. Let's take him down!"
But, much to Luigi's surprise, Peasley shook his head. He clung to Luigi's arm, holding it tight. He had his eyes squeezed shut, trembling into Luigi's hold and breathing shortly.
"O-Oh. Oh." Luigi recalled Peasley's aversion to plants of the biting variety. "It's okay! Wait here. I-I'll handle this."
Luigi sped toward Potter, the ghost gasping and sinking into the ground. He tunneled out of sight. In his absence, the carnivorous plant lunged at Luigi, chomping at the air in front of him, missing by mere inches. Luigi threw back his arm, reaching for and activating the nozzle of his Poltergust. He blew air in the plant's "face", holding the vacuum steady. His minimal distraction started to take effect, the plant beginning to sneeze and spit out dust bunnies.
Seizing the moment, Luigi whistled. Polterpup came bounding into the room just as another entrance to the garden was blocked off by invasive plants. They crawled steadily to the next, enveloping the rest of the archways fast. The structural integrity of the walls shifted under their weight.
Polterpup skidded to a stop at Luigi's side, barking. Peasley's loyal steed joined the group as well, flapping her wings next to Peasley's head to cool him off. Luigi's features lightened, the sight a welcome one.
A firm tap met his shoulder. The sound of water trickling followed, Luigi turning around just in time to see Potter's bearded face smiling back at him. Along with a condescending wave, a giant sunflower grew beneath Luigi's feet, sprouting up fast and sending him flying into the air. He flailed, screaming loudly as he was sent cascading to the sky.
"Luigi!" Peasley screamed.
He sent his mount to Luigi's aid, Luigi's screams cut short as she caught the frazzled ghost-hunter in the blink of an eye. She paused, flapping her wings in place. Luigi brushed himself off; he felt like his eyes were going to spin out of their pockets. He remained airborne, Potter shaking a fist and shouting at him from many feet below. Luigi smiled, but resisted the urge to taunt. That wasn't his style.
From his advantageous point, Luigi surveyed the scene laid out on the earthy arena below him. The leftmost garden entrance was being swallowed up by more encircling vines, only two archways remaining. The walls filled with cracks. Polterpup was circling Potter, the gardener trying to shoo the ghost dog away. Peasley was still standing where Luigi had left him, his dark eyes craned upwards. The living plant he'd left sputtering on dust however, seemed to free itself from its sickly state. It growled, looking this way and that for Luigi, snarling when it couldn't find him.
Luigi breathed a relieved sigh, sinking back into a more comfortable position. If he just stayed up here, the fight might as well be over. He sat assured of his plan before another harsh truth stabbed him in the stomach. There was still a living mortal down there, and he was unguarded. He peeked back to the ground below. As he'd feared, the bud had recovered, and was now focused on Peasley. The prince's gaze was affixed on Luigi, so he didn't notice as the feral plant snapped menacingly at him.
He couldn't wait on a miracle. He patted the winged bean with an unsteady hand, sending her racing downwards. Peasley followed their projected path with his eyes, shrinking back as soon as he realized the dire situation he was in. He didn't reach for his sword or run in the opposite direction; he was utterly paralyzed.
Just as the plant pounced, a blur of green and turquoise intercepted. Luigi rammed into the plant, smashing its elongated stem into the ground. The amount of force drove the bulbous bud directly under the soil, burying it completely. The stem writhed around angrily, its snarls muffled. Peasley, fighting his shaking, drew his sword and stepped over the ferocious plant. He slashed the stem straight down the middle. Green ooze spilled out, staining his white shoes.
Luigi hopped to the ground, running to Peasley and gathering him up in a tight hug. He lifted him off the ground, burying Peasley's blonde head in his shoulder. Peasley hugged desperately, arms springing to Luigi's sides, nails pressing into his back.
"Ohh, mio principe..." he checked Peasley for injuries, moving his face from side to side. "Are you okay? A-Are you hurt?"
"I'm—"
Peasley froze. Luigi opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but he felt the glow on his back first. Dr. Potter appeared behind Luigi, rage making his wrinkles tighten. He raised one arm and snapped his fingers. The soil beneath the pair trembled, each falling into each other's hold. One root, then another, sprouted from the earth. It wasn't long before a plethora of roots, vines, and tendrils grew from the ground, flailing wildly. Their leaves pierced the air, sharpened at the ends. Potter laughed, rubbing his hands together.
He squeezed one fist, pointing at Luigi. The plants moved in with deadly accuracy—aiming for his heart. Luigi threw up his arms in an attempt to shield himself, cowering.
"No!"
The shock of pain never arrived. Luigi sputtered, dropping his defenses, only to be met with a scene straight from his nightmares.
Instead of him, Peasley was held up in the air, dangling high above Luigi. The vines squeezed into his chest, stealing his breath away. His face turned blue as he tried to wheeze for oxygen, but to no avail. Luigi shook his head in disbelief, scooting back and forcing himself to stand. When he faced the ghostly perpetuator, Dr. Potter's face was contorted to confusion, but he shrugged off the attack misfiring. He continued to strangle the life out of the prince, Peasley's strained choking noises making Luigi's heart go haywire. He felt it clawing at his chest, feeling like it might burst free.
Every thought in his brain screamed at him to help, but he was stuck in an eternal loop of blame. If Peasley didn't make it, it would be all his fault—
Polterpup's growling broke him from his numbness. The snarling pup was pulling at the vines, ripping tiny pieces off, bit by bit. Luigi's eyes darted upward, then to his Poltergust, and then back to Potter. He grabbed the nozzle and charged, aiming for the elderly gardener. He flashed his charged Strobulb in Potter's face. The shadows from the canopy of trees provided enough darkness to make his stun work. Potter lost track of what he was doing, expression freezing up.
Luigi's hopeful gaze went back to the vines and Peasley, their hold on the prince loosening. Finally, Peasley got in a plentiful gasp for breath. The vibrant emerald color returned to his cheeks.
That alone filled Luigi with enough motivation to finish the job. His hands clenched as he gripped the Poltergust's nozzle. As soon as Potter was caught in the stream of wooshing air, he slammed the old gardener back and forth, focused on smashing him into the ground instead of the walls. He lifted the nozzle up, grunting, using Potter's body to slice straight through the vines that had Peasley entrapped. He did the same motion, again, and again, and again, not allowing for a moment of escape. The vines started to give way, Peasley's breathing returning to normal.
Luigi lifted up the nozzle and plunged it downwards, slamming it against the earth. With effort, he pressed Potter's struggling form against the soil, foot against the nozzle's end, straining. Ultimately, with a satisfactory clunk, the gardener was gone. Luigi huffed, chest rising and falling visibly. His shirt was unbuttoned and wrinkled, hair a mess, and face drenched in sweat and mud, but he'd already dealt with over half of his current problems.
An abrupt coughing behind him reminded him of another.
"Peasley!" he screamed. "Peasley!"
He ran to Peasley's side. Peasley slipped free of the vines' hold, Luigi catching him and gently lowering him to the ground. Peasley's eyes were shut, breathing fast and heavy. He sat unmoving. Luigi collapsed beside him, pressing his head against Peasley's heart. He released a shaky sigh as he felt the reassuring bumps beneath his ear. The bruise developing on his chest was nasty, blackened blues and purples filling the area.
"Peasley? I'm so sorry... I-I... I didn't think he'd have it in him, to h-hurt you. I thought... it was me they were after," Luigi wept into Peasley's tunic. "I'm sorry. I-I'm so, so sorry, I would have given anything to take your place, I didn't m-mean... I'm sorry..." he sobbed. "Please, please... be okay..."
"My love,"
Peasley's voice stirred Luigi. He halted in his frantic, blubbery rambles, staring down at Peasley with tears in his eyes. He sniffled, wiping away the snot under his nose.
"Y-Yeah?"
"He wasn't going after me," Peasley explained. "I just... couldn't let him get to you."
"What? Why?"
Peasley smiled, rubbing his thumb against Luigi's calloused hand.
"Because I love you, silly. That's why."
"But-! Y-You're a prince! You have a whole kingdom who loves you, and you're next in line for the throne! I-I... I... I don't... I'm not..." he sputtered. Hot tears slipped down his face. "I'm not as important as you are. I thought, I thought being a ghost-hunter would have made me unique, or helpful, or good. B-But I messed up so many times today," he buried his face in his hands. "I messed up so badly. A-And there's still one more ghost... I don't know... h-how..."
Luigi surrendered to sobbing. Peasley clutched his hand tight, Polterpup resting his head on Luigi's leg.
The garden around them breathed. Stray leaves and petals fluttered past, a breeze gathering up Peasley's fluffy locks of hair and Luigi's loose shirt. Peasley stroked Luigi's back, the crying man doubled over the prince's chest.
His concerned gaze turned to the Poltergust, which whirred and bubbled. With a sharp inhale, Peasley sat up. "Well. I, for one, would feel better if we got those," he pointed at Luigi's Poltergust, "out of my castle. I don't think any ghosts are lurking around here. We would have seen them by now."
"But... everyone else, they're expecting us."
"We'll be back soon. Gadd is counting on us to catch these ghosts, right? He'll be ready to pick him up."
Luigi didn't answer immediately.
"Yeah. R-Right."
"Let's return them, then. He might even have a clue as to where the last one is," Peasley glanced up. "He does keep a record of them, doesn't he?"
Luigi nodded. "Mhm."
Peasley whistled, his flying steed floating up next to him. It provided a support for Peasley to stand, lifting him off his feet so he dipped into the center of the mount. He sat comfortably, gesturing for Luigi to follow. Luigi looked back at the overgrown garden. He heard the distant sound of rustling, as though something were still alive. Hesitant, but trusting, Luigi grabbed Peasley's hand, joining him.
"Besides..." Peasley winced, placing a hand on the Poltergust's holding tank. "What could possibly be worse than them?"
Luigi stood unwavering. He took a deep breath. His inhales and exhales were the only thing grounding him, prepping him for what he assumed was going to be quite the painful hour.
Polterpup waited outside alongside Peasley's mount, the two sniffing at shrubs and chasing after Beanies. Luigi and Peasley didn't mind leaving them, as they intended this visit to be quick. Luigi marched inside the Hooniversity, heading straight towards E. Gadd's pop-up laboratory. If he hesitated, he knew he'd turn tail and run. He shoved away the coward protesting inside him, taking steady breaths as he walked. Peasley followed shortly behind. Luigi looked to one of the cameras in the corner, watching as it tracked and followed their movements. The light blinked.
Luigi turned back frequently as they went, catching Peasley's look of concern each time.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"Y-Yeah," Luigi muttered. He adjusted his hold on the Poltergust, pushing out the leather straps with both hands. In his head, logically, he knew how much the device weighed, but he couldn't help but feel it had been stuffed full of boulders. His steps dragged. The closer they got, the slower he moved. When they got to the end of the hallway, Peasley had to move him in the right direction, lightly pressing on his shoulder.
As they got closer, they were comforted by the familiar sound of mechanical buzzing. To Luigi, it was both a blessing and curse that the professor was in. The doorframe was aglow, a thin illumination of light surrounding the closed door on each edge.
Luigi knocked.
"Come in."
When Luigi pushed open the door, he found E. Gadd sitting at his computer. The room was a mess, far messier than it'd been before. Splayed across the ground were hundreds of contained ghosts. There were paintings resting upon capsules, each belonging to a gallery: a life's work. Luigi winced.
"There you are. Took you long enough," Gadd spun around in his swivel chair. He hopped down to the floor, pressing a hand against his temples and rubbing away a headache. "I have been sending you message after message since last night, where have you been? It isn't like you to not pick up the phone, Luigi! There are ghosts missing, for goodness sake, and not a peep from you!"
Peasley's eyebrows piqued. He glanced between Gadd and Luigi.
"Greenie, I thought you said—"
"Peasley," Luigi spoke with finality. "Can you give Gadd and I a minute?"
Peasley was taken aback.
He turned away, gaze trailing to the door, and then back at Luigi. He didn't deny his request though, exiting the room, wrapping himself up in his cape. He even shut the door as he went, leaving the two ghost-hunting experts in peace.
As soon as the door shut, Luigi took off the Poltergust from his back. He trudged hopelessly to the other side of the room, emptying the contents into the larger containment unit. He held his head in shame, lip quivering at the glaring truth in the back of his mind.
"You captured the ghosts, after all then?" Gadd clapped his hands, rushing over to the containment unit. "Hoho! Excellent work, my boy... I thought for sure you'd been—"
"I'm sorry," Luigi interrupted. He muttered, shaking his head. "I didn't mean... I didn't mean to do all of this. I just wanted to... I wanted Peasley to..."
"What?"
"I didn't," he winced. "I didn't capture them. I stole them. Last night, when... ohh, you trusted me, and I took your life's work, just so I could... s-so I could try and play hero." He couldn't think of any other way to put it. He felt like a monster, selfishness eating away at him. "I was gonna give them back, I really was. I realized my mistake. B-But, then I accidentally broke the capsules... and they must have gotten out..."
Gadd was speechless. He shook his head.
But, his head-shaking slowly turned to understanding nods. He pursed his lips, shrugging his shoulders. "That... makes more sense than my other theories, truthfully."
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Luigi sniffled. "I-I only wanted to give Peasley something to do... and show him I could do it, too."
"Ah, my boy. My poor boy." Gadd shook his head, walking beside Luigi. He slapped Luigi on the back, in what Luigi could only hope was a comforting gesture. "That man loves you more than I've ever loved any of my inventions... and trust me, I get attached to those," he smiled weakly. "Ah, but I suppose I must have given you that idea, didn't I? Hah. Never in a million years would I have suspected you, Luigi. If I had, I would have been spying on you a lot more," he said bluntly.
Luigi frowned. Gadd's odd yet comforting gestures didn't last long. He cleared his throat, walking over to the containment unit. He looked through the captured ghosts in the tank, counting aloud. He perked up upon realizing his counting only reached 3.
"You're missing one."
"We know. We were hoping you'd be able to help us."
Gadd walked back over to the gallery unit. He deposited the three ghosts back into place, locking them in their capsules. After some shaky fiddling on the main tablet screen, Gadd turned back to Luigi. Scarily, his face was pale, white as a Boo.
"You," he gulped. "You didn't notice any other ghosts?"
"N-No. Why, who is it?"
"Wait here, sonny. Watch the lab while I'm gone," Gadd sat Luigi down in his chair. "And hand me your Poltergust."
"What? Why?" Luigi held tight to the nozzle, shoulders tightening in on themselves.
"Hand it over."
Luigi begrudgingly did as told. Gadd furiously paced the room, reaching for his tools and a back-up flashlight. Luigi sat like an audience member to Gadd's panic.
"How long since the ghosts were first released?" Gadd hoisted the Poltergust G-00 onto his back, nearly toppling over from the weight. He pounded out the cricks in his spine, groaning.
"Since this morning..." Luigi tried to assist, helping Gadd to stand.
"Then I can only hope it's not too late. K-Keep an eye on the cameras, won't you?"
"Wh-what?" His emotions began to mirror Gadd's, a gradual transformation occurring on his sweating face. "Who is it?"
"Hopefully, it's nothing to worry about," Gadd explained, "but, please, you stay here, and watch the lab. It's bad enough what you did," he spoke in a casually scolding way, which made Luigi shrink back in shame, "so you should keep this place safe."
"But..."
"I'm not telling you, for your own good."
At that ominous statement, Gadd went to the lab's door, creaking it open. He squinted at the hallway, double-checking both ways.
Luigi sunk into his seat, frowning deeply. He tried to heed Gadd's words. It was probably best he didn't know, but that didn't stop his brain from wandering. What if something jumped out and spooked him? Or, what if it something hurt—
"W-Wait! Peasley. Tell Peasley to come meet me here," Luigi swallowed the lump in his throat. He'd exhausted his tear ducts today. "I need to tell him the truth, a-about what I did..."
"Very well. I'll send him your way if I see him." Gadd thew open the door completely, slamming it shut behind him as he went.
Luigi sat alone in the laboratory, left to stir in a puddle of humiliation and guilt. He couldn't believe the mess he'd made, just because he'd done one stupid, irrational thing. There was no use in trying to pretend he was someone he wasn't. As if he could have done the same thing Gadd did! He felt so stupid, stupid, stupid.
His fingers drummed on Gadd's desk, which reminded him of the job Gadd suggested he handle. Luigi turned to the multitude of glowing computer screens, clicking through them. He turned to another screen, watching a blinking green indicator, following where Gadd was going. He traced the professor's movements with a finger. On the camera footage, Gadd stopped near the entrance hall and then continued throughout the hallways.
He remembered Peasley was somewhere in the Hooniversity as well, Luigi aimlessly clicking through the cameras to try and find him... before stopping to realize how creepy that sounded on paper. He sat back.
Instead of letting his growing worried thoughts consume him, he decided to look up the one thing that gave him some sense of reassuring security. He looked up the grainy footage of the room turned cell where King Boo was kept, ensuring the royal marshmallow was locked up tight. Thankfully, the royal was just where he needed to be. That simple sight alone made Luigi lean back and breathe a sigh of relief. He folded his hands over his tummy, exhaling.
Now all that was left was for him to await Peasley's arrival, and Gadd's return. He mumbled to himself, practicing what he might say when Peasley got there. He sat up. He knew the reveal wouldn't be pretty, but he had to do it. With a hefty groan, he tossed his head around, hiding behind his hands and fluffy locks of hair. How could he possibly...?
Between his fingers, Luigi caught glimpse of something moving on one of the computer screens. He went over to the tracking device, watching the big green dot moving around. While that part was normal, what wasn't was the new presence of a white dot, one large icon close to the lab, and one small, following close behind Gadd. Before he had a chance to comprehend it, he heard a faint buzzing strengthen right above him. His head tilted upwards.
The bulbs overhead sparked, fading from bright to dark. The flickering operated on the machines as well, buttons blinking and flashing. To punctuate the electrical chaos, the machines around him began beeping, rapidly. Gadd's computers went haywire, switching from program to program, screen to screen.
After the long minute of mechanical breakdown, the lights went off completely—the electricity was shot.
Luigi sat shrouded in blackout darkness, unsure of what to do. He yelped in alarm, fumbling around with his fingertips to try and find another flashlight. After everything that had happened today, he learned that being cool and collected was an asset he still needed to work on. He instinctively tried to reach for his Poltergust's Strobulb, before realizing that his trusty ghost-catching equipment was gone, somewhere in the halls of the Hooniversity.
He stood up. He needed to find Gadd.
A creaking sounded somewhere behind him, whooshing past him and out the door. He shivered, no longer feeling safe in the lab. He ran out of the room and into the hallway, patting his pants' pocket in search of the laboratory's keys. His chest sunk as he realized he'd left them in his shorts from the day previous. For now, he'd just have to leave the door unlocked. He silently apologized to E. Gadd, in spirit.
The halls were eerily silent. The fading afternoon light streamed in through partially opened windows, coating the dark flooring in a fiery hue. Peasley was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Gadd. Luigi tried to think back to where he had last seen the professor on the tracking map, retracing the steps in his memory.
He went after any sound that emerged, trying not to let the worry of the situation overcome his senses. Whatever noise lurked in the dark was surely his boyfriend or mentor, and not some terrifying monster, surely!
This was the only way he could calm himself.
He clutched tight to his sides. He crept through the hallways, picking up speed when several minutes passed of him wandering, with no signs of life to show for it.
"Peasley?" he yelled, "Gadd?"
His foot caught on something, tripping on an item unseen. He held out his hands to soften the fall. He cursed his clumsy nature, flipping over and grasping at what he could safely refer to as a sprained ankle now. He glanced back. There were new debris in the middle of the hallway floor, something he hadn't seen before. He squinted, letting his eyes adjust to the partial shadow.
What lied on the floor was a busted Poltergust G-00 with, frighteningly enough, no professor in sight.
Luigi felt sweat begin to bead down his face. He leaned over, crawling to assess the damage. He noticed marks all the way down the goo canister. He ran his hand along the tough glass, looking around, searching for whatever might have done this. Whatever it was had scratched up the machine entirely. Knowing Gadd and how protective he was of his machines, he wouldn't have let this happen without a fight. That thought scared Luigi more than anything else.
He huffed, going to stand.
"Gaaa-aad?" He tried again.
This time, something shuffled nearby in response. Luigi turned this way and that, trying to locate the sound. The only thing that was out of place in the hallway was a lonely janitor's closet. Though it was a weak guess, he supposed anything was possible. He reached out hesitantly for the knob, moving to turn it.
Abruptly, someone else opened the door from the inside, reaching forward and grabbing him. He screamed shrilly, a hand tugging at his collar and dragging him into the storage closet. The door shut.
"W-Wait! Don't hurt-!"
A multitude of shushings followed. "Luigi!"
"Peasley...?"
Light emerged from Peasley's saber, glowing strongly on the floor. The room was illuminated in a welcoming, tender warmth, bathing both Peasley and Luigi in it. Luigi met Peasley's round chestnut eyes, the prince's gaze alight with curious concern. Luigi sniffled, wiping at his eyes with his bare arm and hugging Peasley tight, kissing him all over.
"I-I was so worried! Where were you?"
"I was looking for a first-aid kit in one of the classrooms. I was hoping to join you in the lab, but it seems like the power went out." Peasley pointed upwards at the busted light. He tried the switch on the wall for emphasis. "Gadd was down the hallway, so I tried to go and assist him... and that's when I heard it. There was this sound... it was almost like a growl, like nothing I've ever heard before! So. I hid in here and awaited your arrival, as per Gadd's suggestion. And here you are!" Peasley leaned into Luigi. "My dearest hero."
"Y-Yeah," Luigi exhaled. "Here I am."
"So, what now? Do we wait for the power to come back?"
"Peasley," Luigi's meek voice cut through the building tension. Peasley offered his attention. "I-I'm... I'm-a ready to tell you about what's been happening. The real truth," he rubbed at the back of his neck. "I did something really, really bad. It was wrong, and I was scared what you would think."
"What do you mean?"
"I borrowed... no, I stole, some of the ghosts in Gadd's collection. The ones I've captured in the past." Luigi slumped over. "I thought that, if I released them, one by one, then we could have a fun morning again, just like yesterday. You seemed so happy, and I-I, I just wanted to make you happy again. It was supposed to be supervised, and calm, and just one ghost at a time. I never, ever wanted it to get so crazy," he wrung his hands together, squeezing a fist against the ground. "I never wanted you to get hurt."
"Oh, Luigi..."
"But I messed up." Luigi sniffled, curling into himself. "I messed up so badly," he shook his head, tears soaking into his pants. "The ghosts got out, and now there's one missing, and now Gadd is missing, and it's all my fault!" He sobbed, shoulders hitching on every hiccup in his throat.
"Luigi, Luigi, hey..." Peasley stroked Luigi's shoulders. "Hey..."
"You don't have to forgive me, you can break up with me if you want..." Luigi trembled, hiccuping and sputtering on his sobs. "You can never speak to me, ever, ever again."
Peasley grabbed Luigi by his shoulders, grounding the anxious man.
"Hey. Listen to me," he leaned in. "You had a bad thought. You did something that was wrong. But, that doesn't mean you're unworthy of love."
"I..." he sniffled hard, snot dribbling down his nose. "I... I'm sorry..."
"Thank you for telling me," Peasley rubbed his thumb against Luigi's hand. He smiled. "I can see where you were coming from. You just wound up with a fuzzy head about it."
Luigi wiped at his tears. "R-Really?"
"Really," Peasley said, "truthfully, I'm happy doing anything with you, Luigi. I love you so much. I could sit watching you fix a leaky pipe, and I would still have fun. You're my everything, my amusing sweetheart. You don't need to impress me. I'm already impressed with you!" Peasley laughed. "It's why I fell so hard for you!"
Luigi's face lit up with reddened blush.
Peasley giggled, "And no matter the circumstance, I could tell you were lying from the very start," Peasley cupped Luigi's face in his hands. "Mustache, remember?" That earned a flustered laugh out of Luigi. The two embraced, leaning into one another. Luigi sighed a breath of relief.
Once the moment passed, however, he squinted. Something was glowing just beyond the door. He crawled forward slowly, reaching out a hand.
As soon as he realized though, the door burst open in their faces. Luigi narrowly avoided the swing. The pair of hiding boyfriends froze in terror and immediately shrunk back, clutching each other tightly.
The sound of something jingling approached: a pet's collar.
"Polterpup...?" Peasley whispered. He leaned forward on his hands.
Instead, a three-tailed, purple feline strutted into the room, meowing curiously at the stranger's voice.