"The two shades of green."
Chapter 5
"The partnership of two villains."
Bowser was looking down at the dark clad man with large disbelieving eyes.
He looked a LOT like a certain plumber that passed away not so long ago, but didn't act or dress like him at all.
Luigi would never have the guts to face him alone without Mario being somewhere nearby.
This guy stood there with his hands crossed on his chest, as if facing a giant fire breathing lizard was nothing special.
Luigi wore a grass-green sweater, blue overalls and green hat as his standard wardrobe.
This guy chose the same type of clothing only in much darker shades, like black, gray and dark green.
Luigi whenever he looked him in the eye, always seemed to be petrified and frozen by his evil glare.
This guy had those silver, slightly glowing eyes behind that mask, half-lid as if wanting to indicate just how uninterested he really is.
Hell they even smelled the same!
But are not the same. Bowser told himself, shaking his mighty mane. The green plumber is dead. He growled at himself. So stop thinking about him. Then he sighted regretfully. It won't bring him back.
He then looked back at the man before him.
So who is this man? Why is he here? What does he want?
Suddenly, as if remembering something, the koopa king looked at the masked individual before him, leaning closer to do so. Earning a confused eyebrow from the said individual at their enclosed distance.
Didn't I meet this guy before? He asked himself rubbing his chin in thought. "Mind telling me your name boy?"
Bowser couldn't help himself, he just had to call him "boy". He reminded him to much of Mario's younger brother.
The masked individual growled at the word "boy". "I assure you I am no kid Koopa King." He snarled coldly. "People know me as Mr.L. the Green Thunder! One of Count Bleck's most promising minions." He tilted his dark-green hat with an evil spark in his silver eyes.
That's when something in Bowser's head "clicked".
He remembered where he saw this man before.
It was during the mission to save dimensions from a crazy, suicidal madman called Count Bleck, who wanted to destroy them because he couldn't find the love of his life.
The koopa king will always remember that mission because it was one of the very few ones he had to team up with Mario (much to his everlasting shame), in order to survive.
Luigi, hypnotized to act like Mr.L, appeared somewhere in the middle of it. Loud, obnoxious, cocky and annoying as hell.
But this man, even though they shared the same name, didn't even act like the Mr.L he knew.
Instead of being loud, he was quiet and calculating.
Instead of being obnoxious, he was laid back and analyzing.
Instead of being cocky, he seemed to treat himself and enemies equally, acknowledging the fact that he can be weaker.
Instead of being annoying, he silent for most of the time, waiting for Bowser's next question.
In other words this wasn't Luigi and it wasn't Mr.L.
This someone was a completely different person.
And that fact disturbed the Koopa king almost as much as that strange, powerful dark magic aura he felt that was emitting from, what looked like, the man's chest. Presumably his heart.
Bowser raised an eyebrow at that. He didn't think even Kamek had access to such powerful black magic. And he was no weak magician.
"What do you want Mr.L?" He suddenly asked wanting to get this over with as fast as possible, not comfortable with talking to a supposed-to-be dead man, that in addition was surrounded by magic to powerful for his best magikoopa to control.
Mr.L could feel he was growing uncomfortable once he sensed the dark magic floating around him like a protective armor, ready to be used if ever needed. The man in dark green almost chuckled at the big lizard's venerability.
"There's a certain idem of mine that's now in the Mushroom kingdom's most protected area. What I want is to simply get it back." Bowser growled at his answer making the dark magic surrounding the dark green man move faster in alertness.
"Then why don't you get it yourself?" The koopa king asked rising and curious eyebrow.
"Because my large lizard friend, if I walk in Mushroom Knox like an everyday visitor it will catch the attention of a certain hero in red. And confronting him right now is the last thing I need." Mr.L made sure the koopa understood what he's saying before continuing. "You on the other hand will be something normal to them. It won't be the first time you kidnap or steal something now will it? Besides…by the way people react to me thus far I'd think my sudden appearance would cause something close to panic."
Bowser agreed on the last part. Yes it would cause panic, but not because of his dark clothing or in-human silver eyes.
No.
It's because he's supposed to be dead and buried.
Yes, Mario made sure everybody knew who Mr.L was after they returned from Flipside, so they would know its Luigi and not some sick impersonator, and contact him in case he began to cause trouble.
"Even if I agree to retrieve whatever you want me to what's in it for me?" The koopa king asked folding his hands on his plastron.
Mr. L thought for a minute. There was nothing he could offer the large lizard that would make him agree to his plan.
"Is there anything in particular you would want from me Bowser?" Having no other choice he asked.
The koopa ruler thought about it for a second.
He could use another magician in his army, and seeing just how powerful this man's magic is he might be even stronger than both Kammy and Kamek.
And he did remember Luigi using a powerful move called "Thunderhand" on him on a few occasions. The large burns it caused were double the intensity of Mario's Firebrand so the large koopa knew who the stronger Mario brother was from his own experience.
He smiled. Yes this man is a walking powerhouse just waiting for him to reach out and use it.
"Actually I want you to do something for me in return for that "item"." He finally said making eye contact with the dark plumber.
"Oh?" Mr.L raised an eyebrow. He was expecting to be forced into the lizard's army, not…asked for a favor. "And what would that be?"
Bowser leaned closer to the black version of Luigi.
"When you finally cross paths with that annoying pest Mario make sure he never jumps again."
Mr.L laughed. He should have expected that from someone as simple minded as King Koopa.
He them tilted his hat and smirked and the large lizard.
"Consider it a promise."
