"The two shades of green."

Chapter 7

"At least you got what you wanted."

Bowser smirked under his nose.

It was about one in the morning and every light in the legendary Mushroom Knox was off.

Well… all except for the one in the room he was going to rob.

It seemed that his Koopa scouts were right for once, the manager did get a new guard for the "Golden Safe".

The one he was used to, named Barry, was always asleep by now.

Looks like the Newby was actually trying to do his job properly, unlike his senior companions from the lower levels that were sleeping.

It didn't really matter nor change anything.

He's still going to get that thing he promised Mr.L, no matter how awake the guard was.

And besides, he always enjoyed a good challenge.

Being as quiet as his large body let him, he walked up to the door, careful not to wake up the two guardian chain-chomps, Russell and Wanda, that were sleeping right next to it.

Grinning at his luck he pulled out one of his many gadgets from the side of his shell.

It was small enough for him to cover it up completely with his giant paws and it looked like a box with a few buttons, red, green and yellow, and a short metal stick-looking thing, sticking out of it on the top.

He called it "The EverKey" since it was able to open just about any door that had a key to it, no matter the size or the shape.

And, like always, it didn't fail. He'd have to thank Ludwig for that later. The brat was too smart for his own good.

Opening the door as quietly as possible, careful not to wake the guards that were "guarding" the place, he made his way towards the stairs leading to the "Golden Safe".

This is going to be a simple mission, unlike the one he was always occupied by.

All he needed to do was go inside the safe and take out something Mr.L described as a black book.

When the dark green clad man suggested that for the first time, he was skeptical that an awfully simple task, such as this one, is worthy to be fulfilled by a royalty like him.

But a look at the large teeth of a certain metallic tyrannosaurus rex, which was about half the size of Peach's castle, quickly told him to drop the idea of complaining.

Shaking his head he quietly made his way to the tallest level of the fortress.

Again the presents of light reminded him that the guard was still very awake and could pose a threat to the mission if he's not careful.

Using his amazing sneaking skills, that weren't usually possessed by lizards his size, he began sneaking towards the little building-like guard post, while still being hidden in the shadows.

He heard the sound of hot liquid hitting porcelain and the delicious scent of coffee reached his nose not long afterwards, making him wish he too could have a sip.

Shaking his head he reminded himself that there was no time for this! He has to take out the guard while he still has the advantage of being unnoticed. He can always grab a coffee once he gets back home.

And with that thought firmly in his mind, the large Koop king turned his focus back to the guard who, fortunately, decided to sit in front of the safe with his back to the lizard.

And Bowser didn't even see him walk out of his little nest. He growled silently. Sneaky little bastard.

The man was wearing some kind of hat on his head, the king couldn't make out the color because the light that shined from the small building casted a shadow over it, though he had to admit it looked… kinda familiar.

The guard didn't look tall and muscular like his predecessor did, only small and pudgy. Just like…

That's when something unheard of happening in buildings happened, he stepped on a stick.

That caused both of the men to jump, startled.

The guard, because he probably didn't realize he wasn't alone and Bowser, because he didn't think he'd step on a stick in a place like this.

Kicking himself for that stupid mistake, the Koop king prepared for battle, for the man will soon spot his large figure lurking in the shadows.

He wasn't afraid of confronting the guardian. At home he and Kamek wet thought all possible strategies the man could possibly use when he spots him.

There was no way he was losing this fight.

The problem was… he wasn't expecting him to be the guard.

"Bowser?!" the man yelled in disbelief. "What the hell are you DOING HERE?!''

He could ask him the same question.

"M-Mario?" he gasped.

What the hell?!

There, right in front of him, stood his greatest archenemy Mario, looking even more surprised than he did.

The Koop king had no idea what in the Mushroom world, was he doing here instead of in some other random house doing what he does best, plumbing.

That's when he realized that… this was not Mario.

At least not the one he came to know.

His Mario didn't look like he let somebody just beat the crap out of him because he thinks he deserves the beating.

His Mario didn't have bags under his blue, tired eyes.

His Mario didn't look like he was killed, chewed up by a chain-chomp, spat out and brought back to life as a zombie.

His Mario didn't wear somebody' else's clothes instead of his.

His Mario didn't give up on his 'hero's duty' after a tragedy.

His Mario never lost a brother.

His Mario never did or experienced any of those things.

But this one clearly did.

He looked even worse than during Luigi's funeral.

He was thinker, looked sicker and more exhausted, even though most people didn't see that because he was a flawless actor, his clothes dirty and longing for a good wash up, he even had a large purple bruise on his uncovered arm.

In other words, he was close to snapping for good.

Bowser wondered why that arm was uncovered.

The other seemed fine, covered up by the sleeve of the cream colored coat.

That's when he noticed a needle sticking out of his hand.

"Since when do you do that?" he asked, swallowing loudly, not likening the raspy sound of his own voice.

Did Mario really shock him this badly?

The once-red-clad-hero blinked in surprise, his eyes becoming cloudy in confusion. "What?"

"Since when do you do drugs?" He asked again, loud enough for even Mario's high brain to understand.

The plumber didn't answer for a good portion of time, before snapping in anger:

"WHAT DO YOU CARE?!" He yelled. "THIS IS EXACTLY HOW YOU ALWAYS WANTED ME TO END UP! YOU SATISFIED YET?! I HIT ROCK BOTTOM! YOU WON! I'M FUCKING POWERLESS TO STOP YOU! WHY DON'T YOU GO KIDNAP THE PRINCESS?! THE PATH IS ALL CLEAR! YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU AWLAYS WANTED TO FOR ALL THOSE YEARS, WITHOUT ME THERE TO STOP YOU! WITHOUT ANYONE TO STOP YOU!"

Bowser didn't know how to react to such a rant so he only managed a quiet "I…I know."

But Mario wasn't done yet. "THEN WHY WON'T YOU LEAVE ME THE FUCKING HELL ALONE?!" There was no more anger in his voice, only rage. "YOU'RE FOLLOWING ME LIKE A FUCKING LOST PUPPY EVERYWHERE I GO! NO MATTER WHERE I LOOK, I ALWAYS END UP FACING YOU! THE PRINCESS IS NOT EVEN HERE DAMN IT!"

The Koop king has known Mario JumpMan for more years than he cares to admit but he never ever during their long rivalry, has seen him this angry and broken.

He's weaker than I thought. He thought to himself.

While he was silent Mario continued to break.

"I'M SICK OF THIS BOWSER! SO DAMN, FUCKING SICK! OF YOU, THIS KINGDOM AND THIS ENORMOUS FUCKING GUILT THAT I HAVE TO CARRY FOR THE BOTH OF US!"

This last sentence took the larger male by surprise.

He tried to hide it but it seems that he's a terrible actor.

"OH DON'T LOOK SO SHOCKED AND SURPRISED YOU FRICKING KOOPA SCUM! I MAY BE THE ONE WHO DIDN'T MANAGE TO PULL HIM UP, BUT IT WAS YOU WHO MADE HIM JUMP IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

Bowser didn't know what to answer.

So he didn't.

"FACE IT KOOPA, YOU'RE JUST AS GUILTY AS I AM!" That last shout seemed to take the last bit of the ex-hero's strength, for he switched to whispering the next sentence.

"But making you realize that won't bring him back, won't it Bowser?" the Mario brother said to the ground. "Not even your pathetic magic can make him live again." His voice was beginning to break. "Even if I kill you, Luigi's eyes won't shine again."

A minute of silence.

"It seems that no matter what I do, I can't fix the mistake we both made.''

Bower silently agreed to that.

"But… at least you got what you wanted." With that Mario stepped by him to the stairs, leaving a guilty koopa and a unguarded Golden Safe behind him.

One last whisper was heard from behind the koopa king.

"To bad it wasn't me."