~Luigi's POV~
I ran through the darkened forest, getting as far away as possible from my home...correction, my OLD home. I couldn't go back, not after what I did. I couldn't stand the thought of hurting someone else I loved with this stupid curse of a power I developed.
I ran through the brush, stopping the moment I saw a fire roaring in the center of a clearing, with three people surrounding it. Two looked to be twins, a boy, and a girl with wildly curly grey hair and brown eyes...that were now glowing gold.
Werewolves...great.
The other girl had auburn hair up in a ponytail and crystal blue eyes. She almost seemed familiar to me. She wore a long black shirt, with black pants underneath.
"I-I'm sorry," I said, taking one step back. "I-I..."
"Hey, it's Green Stache!" The boy exclaimed with a smirk, making me stand still and stare as anger started to boil over again. "Looks like you're lost!"
"Oh, I think he knows where he is," His twin sister said, her own smirk painting her face. "Right, Green Mario?"
My blood boiled as rage entered my veins. Though, it didn't take me long to remember these guys.
"Say, you three were in Toad Town two weeks ago," I mentioned.
"See! I told Rena one of them got a good look at us!" The boy exclaimed.
"I'm good with faces," I said, getting their attention as I felt the dark energy around me swarm like ink. It moved like snakes. "And my name...is LUIGI!" The ink-like smoke swam around, causing the fire to get put out and them to cover themselves.
One of the tendrils struck the grey-haired girl, making her yelp out of pain and causing me to widen my eyes. What was I doing?! I was being a monster, that's what! I quickly calmed down, which made the ink-like shadows disappear in an instant.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" I yelled, fear in my voice.
The auburn-haired girl was the first up when the power disappeared, staring at me with wonder and shock.
"A forgotten soul," She said, standing up from her chair. "A darkened, lost soul, with powers as black as ink."
"What are you getting at, Ivy?" The boy asked, helping his sister. Ivy...why did that name sound familiar?
"Rena said we'd be seeing you shortly," Ivy added, a smirk now planted on her face.
"Who's Rena?" I asked, seeing the two wolves' eyes on me now. The girl had a cut on her cheek. "Sorry for that." I gestured to it, making her touch it slightly and shrug.
"It's no big," She said, standing straight. "Though, I could maul you to death."
"Serenity wouldn't want that, Laika," The boy said. Laika...now that name was new. So was Serenity.
"Oh, Lupin!" Laika yelled. Okay, now I knew their names.
"You're from the Dark Tribe," I said, getting their eyes on me again. "I was told they had werewolves in their midsts."
"Oh, of course!" Laika said with a twirl as Ivy walked over to me, taking my hand and walking me over to the empty fire pit. She sat me down on a throne chair.
"You have powers that belong with this tribe," She said. "Therefore, no hurting him!" She directed this to Laika, who just stomped a foot out of a tantrum.
"I'm only trying to stay away from my family back home," I said, sighing as I held my hands. "I hurt someone I loved. I hurt my future sister-in-law. I-I can't go back."
"Well, meet your new home," Laika said, almost reluctantly.
(SONG: "Bad Never Looked So Good" - Patty-cake Productions) [Lyric change]
"I'm sorry, what?" I asked.
"Just kick back, relax," Ivy began, smirking as she snapped her fingers above the fire pit and made a new fire glow, "and-"
"And let us tell you who we are," Laika continued, her eyes dimming down to brown again.
LAIKA: As a child mums and dadums taught me/do to others and they do to you./I've tried to be good/and to do just as I should/but a burning inside of me grew.
LUPIN: As a lad, I was small and tiny/kids would laugh and they'd call me names./They chose books/I chose looks/and now one-by-one/I hunt them all down just for fun.
LAIKA: Oh, darling! What is this feeling that I've tried to deny?/I never thought that I could feel so alive.
LUPIN: Power and drive/it simply can't be denied/so indulge your darker side.
LAIKA: What is this feeling that's so dark and unknown?/I feel it coursing through my veins and my bones.
IVY: Now that I know/I swear I won't let it go/cause being bad never looked so good.
LAIKA: Ravishing, darling!
LUIGI: (Stands up) I'm a man with much fear-ridden charm/never got the chance to reach my peak./I was forgotten/out of use/now I ponder/wouldn't you?/Why was I never given my due!?/Something stirs/inside of me.
LUPIN: A beast within you must set free.
LUIGI: A sense inside/I can't explain/there's a rage I can't contain!
IVY: What is this feeling that I've tried to deny?/I never thought that I could feel so alive./Power and drive/it simply can't be denied/so indulge your darker side.
LUPIN: What is this feeling that's so dark and unknown?
LAIKA: I feel it coursing through my veins and bones./Now that I know/I swear I won't let it go.
EVERYONE: Cause being bad never looked so good!
Laika jumped as her ultra-good hearing picked up a set of heels in the distance. Her smile widened, showing the two sharp fangs of a werewolf.
"She's coming! She's coming back!" She yelled with a hop and a twirl.
"Who-who's coming?" I asked concerned.
"Oh, just someone who can help you with your problem, Luigi," Ivy spoke, smirking at the idea.
"Who could that be?" I asked again.
IVY: From beneath the shade and the darkness below/you can't fathom the depths that this princess will go./Dark magic is always a part of her game/she even went so far to change her name./Out from the shade and now you can see/our boss has arrived/why don't you bow to thee.
I turned around, seeing a cloaked girl standing in the shade of a tree. I watched as she reached up and pulled down her hood, showing magenta-purple hair in long waves and curls, with a braid going around her head. Her eyes were brown and held a mature, regal nature to them.
I blushed. She was beautiful.
LUPIN: Now, now...we mustn't lurk in shadows.
SERENITY: It's rude.
She immediately started walking in further, smirking.
SERENITY: I had a thirst that I couldn't deprive./A change for the worst that I couldn't deny./I played by the rules/but now I play the fools./The predator this time is me!
EVERYONE: What is this feeling that I've tried to deny?/I never thought that I could feel so alive.
LUIGI: Power and drive/it simply can't be denied
EVERYONE: So indulge your darker side./What is this feeling that's so dark and unknown?/I feel it coursing through my veins and my bones.
IVY: There's something inside me/that I can't explain.
LAIKA: A burning desire that drives me insane!
SERENITY: Cause being bad/never looked...
EVERYONE: ...so good!
(End of the song)
"Can I ask why the green guy is here in my midsts?" She asked, walking over to the throne chair I was just in and took off her cloak. It revealed her long, black strapless dress, with a slit down her left leg. I could see the rose tattoo on her thigh because of this. On her left shoulder was the planet Saturn, a star, and crescent moon tattoo all clumped together, and on her right forearm was a ghost.
Though, I was staring at her regal, gorgeous eyes as they stared at me with wonder.
"Anyone going to answer my question?!" She yelled.
"He's one of us, Serenity," Lupin said. "He has shadow abilities."
"Really?" She seemed surprised. "Tell me, can he disappear in a puff of smoke? Can he make shadowy orbs fly around his hand," She demonstrated with her power. It was like mine, but it looked different. It looked like just darkened light, waiting to get ignited with a flame to glow white and brilliant.
She stopped as she stared directly into my eyes. "Can he also-?"
"I've done it all," I said, getting her to shut up. "I appeared in this forest from a puff of smoke. I hurt someone I cared about with it. Hell, I even cut Laika's cheek without knowing I could!" She looked at Laika, most likely seeing the fresh wound on her tan face.
"Go on," Serenity said, crossing her arms now.
"I can't go back to the life I once had," I finally said. "I'm done being Player 2. I'm done being the sidekick to Mario Mario, hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, who stays in the shadows." She seemed intrigued by this.
"So that's why your new power brought you here," Serenity smirked, moving her hands to her hips. "It knew you were ready to tap into the wicked way."
"Wicked way?" I asked.
"Welcome to the Dark Tribe, Luigi," She said. "I have a feeling you'll like it here." She kept smirking as she walked away, grabbing a wine glass from the table nearby. I mean, she didn't look to be 22, but I was 24 and didn't look it either. So, I just dropped it.
"I'm sorry," I spoke, getting her eyes on me again. "Why do you look so familiar to me?" Her eyes narrowed, her smirk forming a thin line on her face. "You look like someone from one of Mario's old research books."
"Oh! Would it have happened to be about the Shadow Queen you remember?" She asked, with a playful smirk now on her face as she cocked her head.
"Yeah! That's it!" It hit me as my face fell. "You're the Shadow Queen?"
"HA!" She laughed. "Fat chance!" I looked on confused as she hesitated for a moment. "No, I'm not the Shadow Queen." She paused. "I'm her daughter."
"Daughter?! I didn't hear anything about that!"
"Trust me," Ivy began, "none of us did until we met Serenity Blackstone here."
"I'm usually called The Dark Princess for the fact that I'm the head of the Dark Tribe," Serenity explained, taking a sip of her wine. "But most people call me Rena or Serenity." I stared, shocked to hear this knowledge. If she was the Shadow Queen's daughter, then why the name Serenity...and who was the father?
The ghost tattoo could be a clue.
"Anyway," Laika exclaimed. "I thought you were going to bed, Rena."
"I couldn't sleep," Serenity said, placing her drink back on the table. "I need to find that wand for mother."
"What wand?" I asked, getting looks from the others. "Guys, if I'm going to be a part of this team, I need to know what you're talking about."
"We're looking for the Moonlight Rod," Serenity said, walking forward a bit. "Its power is paired with the Dark Moon."
"With it, the Shadow Queen can rule the world in complete darkness," Lupin spoke, sitting in his chair.
"What?" I was surprised to hear this.
"If you're wicked now, you need to keep it quiet from anyone you meet," Serenity spoke. "If you betray us..."
"I won't, Serenity," I said her name, feeling it roll off my tongue like silk. And from the looks of it, she liked how it sounded with my accent. She was blushing a faint pink. "I'm not going anywhere near Mario or Toad Town. Not anymore."
Serenity smirked, walking forward and placing a delicate hand on my chest. "Then let's begin." She then walked over to her chair and sat, crossing her legs regally.
"Now," I smirked, taking off my hat and tossing it to the ground. "Tell me what I should know."
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