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Disclaimer: I do not own anything but the story idea and any OC(s).
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Chapter 57:
Garden Pets
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"Alright my apprentice; today I'm going to teach you how to feed the Piranha Plants."
It was Wednesday and Luigi's third day on the job. So far he was given the responsibility of cleaning glassware and checking on the lab's inventory. Today, Kamek's giving him a new task.
"The Piranha Plants?" Luigi questioned.
At this moment, they were outside in the castle courtyard. It also doubles as a garden where they grow rare and valuable herbs and plants used for magical and medical purposes. Protecting the plants from harm were 13 Piranha Plants – three on each side with a big one place right in the center.
Kamek nodded. "Yup; you may not know this, but Piranha Plants are excellent to have in gardens because they protect young seedlings from bugs and animals. Not only that, but they are also capable of producing a special extract that we can use for cooking and medical reasons."
"Wow, they can do all that?" Luigi said astonished. He usually stayed clear from Piranha Plants mainly because they were carnivores and tended to eat anything or anyone near them. However, he never thought they could be so useful.
"That's right." Kamek said. "But they are most useful to you if you befriend them first."
Place on the ground next to them were five buckets of fresh bone in cut meat. Kamek pick up one from the bone and walked towards the first Piranha Plant. The Courtyard had all kinds of Piranha Plants including Gold and Wild Ptooies which is usually found on tropical lands such as Yoshi Island.
"Now the key to befriend a Piranha Plant is to keep it well fed. We tend to feed them four times a day that way they don't try to snack on anyone passing by." Kamek explained. "I'm replying on you to make sure they're being well feed and taken care of every day."
"Right, I got it," Luigi replies. He had taken care of a garden before. Even though he had never had any Piranha Plants in his, he'll take care of this one like it was his own.
"Good; I'll show you a demonstration before I let you try it out yourself. "
Kamek turned back to the first plant. It was a skeletal version of normal Piranha Plants with some changes, such as a grayish cranium, holes rather than spots, greenish-gray lips, vertebrae instead of a plant stalk, and dark, gray leaves that appear dead. Luigi recognize it as a Bone Piranha Plant.
"This is a Bone Piranha Plant, as you probably already recognize," Kamek explained. "First what you do is keep a reasonable distance from them that way they don't try to chomp on you."
"Of course," Luigi nodded.
"Next, you wave a piece of meat around as if to tease them."
The Bone Piranha Plant followed the movement of the bone-cut Kamek was holding, licking its lips as it did so.
"Once you got it attention, you toss to them."
Kamek tossed the cut in the air. The Bone Piranha Plant lounged and caught it with its mouth.
"While its busy feeding, you come over and pet its head."
"Pet it?"
"That's right,"
The magikoopa walked over to the plant and begin to pet its head gently. Bone Piranha Plant groaned but did nothing to him as it continue to chew the bone. After a few more minutes, it finished the bone but did not attack Kamek. Instead it let its tongue out, much like a panting dog.
"Usually, two or three pieces of meat are enough to stasify them until their next feeding time." He said picking up another bone cut from the bucket. "Do this enough time and eventually they'll recognize you by your scent, allowing you to draw near them without throwing the bone first."
He went back to the Bone P. Plant. This time he gave a command and it opened its mouth, allowing Kamek to simply toss it in there. As it chewed, the Magikoopa rubbed its head, petting it gently.
"Like people, each Piranha Plant has their own personality; some a bit more pleasant than others. Nevertheless, they all share the same role here."
"I get ya," Luigi said eager to try it himself.
"Ok, now you should try it yourself." said Kamek. He look around the courtyard, wondering which of the many plants will be a good start for the plumber. "Hmm, which plant should you try first?"
"How about that one?" Luigi suggested.
He pointed to a yellowish-orange color Piranha Plant. Luigi faintly remember seeing this type of Piranha Plant before during that time Peach had to rescues him and his brother.
"Ah yes, perfect," Kamek said walking over to the plant.
"This is a Glad Piranha Plant; they're fairly easy to feed and quick to befriend. This one was imported straight from Vibe Island."
"Right, I remember now,"
"Okay, why don't you try your luck on this one?"
Kamek steped aside as let Luigi feed the piranha plant on his own. The green cap man grabbed a bone-cut from the bucket and stepped towards the plant. As he draws near, the Glad P. Plant started jumping and moving around as if it was glad to see him, or at the very least the food. He stopped at what he thought was a reasonable distance and wave the cut around.
The Glad P. Plant followed the movement of the bone-cut, drools falling out of its mouth, craving the meat in the green garbed hero's hand. Without warning, it lunged at him. Luigi jumped back; it didn't come close but it did surprise him.
"Excited this one is," Kamek commented.
Luigi nodded and focus his attention on the plant. Once he got its attention, he tossed the meat in the air. Glad P. Plant caught it and began to consume it. As it ate, Luigi came over and started petting its head. He must have been petting a good spot because it started purring minutes later.
"Very good," Kamek said.
Luigi smiled. "It's purring,"
"Not too surprising; creatures from Vibe Island tend show more emotions than normal,"
He nodded and continued petting it. When it was almost finished, he went back and grabbed another bone-cut. Once it was done, the Glad P. Plant sniffed the ground around it before focusing back on Luigi. The green hero repeated the process and fed the Piranha Plant one more bone-cut. As it ate, Luigi came over and petting it again, making it purr once more.
"Alright, let's move onto the next one," Kamek said.
Luigi nodded and followed behind him. They fed five move plants before Kamek thought he could handle the rest of his own. After he left, Mr. L called to his other.
"Hey Luigi,"
The green man narrowed his eyes. 'I'm not talking to you,'
"Why?"
'You know why?'
"Are you still mad about the bet?"
'What do you think?'
Mr. L rolled his eyes. "I don't see why you're upset," He smirked "If anything you should be thanking me?"
Luigi looked surprise. 'Thanking you?'
"Yup; now that you're sleeping 'au naturale', the Mrs. can barely keep her hands of you."
'Among other things,' Luigi mumbled with rosy cheeks.
"But anyways, that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."
'What is it?'
"Remember what Wendy suggested a few days ago, about writing a book…"
'Yes, what about it?'
"Well, I've been thinking about it and I think you should go for it."
Luigi raised a brow. 'You do?'
"Yeah; I mean think about it… you have a pretty active imagination and it could be fun to write your own novel instead of reading someone else's. Who knows, it might actually come out decent."
'Might?'
"Like I said, you have an active imagination,"
'Thank you for your opinion, Mr. L; I highly appreciate it.'
The darker half smiled. "No problem man,"
Luigi simply rolled his eyes and went back to feeding the plants. Within the hour, he managed to feed all 12 of the Piranha Plants that surround the courtyard, nearly get bitten and burn by a few of them. Now all he had to feed was the large one place in the center.
This particular Piranha Plant was a very special one as it was able to survive in the fountain full of lava. Its head was reddish-orange in color with white ring markings instead of the normal white spots on typical Piranha Plants. Its large pink tongue was hanging out slightly on the left side of its mouth.
Luigi tried to get near it, only to get attack by a few fire balls. He dodged them and tried again, only to get the same result. He waved some meat in front of it in an effort to calm it down but it didn't work.
"A fiery one," He commented.
"Indeed,"
Luigi turned around and saw Kamek returning. "This is a Lava Piranha Plant; they're special Piranha Plant that dwells in lava. They usually grow on Lavalava Island but this one has flourished nicely here."
"Are they always this big?"
"Depending on their environment, yes…In fact, we have an even bigger one living on Mt. Lavalava."
Kamek took a few steps towards the Lava P. Plant but jumped back when it shot a fire ball at him. He frowned.
"It appears it won't let anyone near it right now," He said. "Leave it be; I'll have someone feed it later."
Luigi nodded. He gathered the empty buckets and followed Kamek back inside as he continued to explain what else needed to be done. Hours passed and the green plumber was eventually let go. He was just taking a corner back to his quarters when a force collided into him. Both him and his collider fell to the ground and groaned in pain. Luigi look up to see the person who bumped into him was Bowser Junior.
"Junior?" He said. "What got you in a hurry? From how that collision felt, you must have been running like someone was after you."
The Koopa prince mumbled. "You're not too far off,"
"There you are you little troublemaker,"
He gasped, "Got to go,"
Junior jumped to his feet and quickly started running. Luigi looked up to see Kammy flying over on her broomstick.
"Oh no, you don't,"
Using the speed of her broomstick, she quickly closed the distance and flew in front of the Koopa prince. Junior came to a screeching halt and tried to run in the other direction. Kammy grabbed him by the horn and forced him to stop.
"Don't think you could get rid of me that easily," Kammy scowled.
Luigi stood up and dust himself off as he walked over to the pair. "What's going on?"
"Junior here thinks he could just skip through his daily schooling," Kammy explained.
"I don't see why I have study," Junior complained. "I'm already going to inherit the throne from King Dad,"
"It's because you're an heir that you have to study. You can't rule a kingdom with luck and arrogance alone."
"But it's sooo boring,"
"Well too bad, you're doing it whether you like it or not,"
Kammy tightened her hold on his horn and pulled it sideways causing Junior. Luigi remembered reading about how sense a Koopa's horn can be. And from the look on Junior's face, he could tell that the young Koopa prince wasn't enjoying how Kammy held it.
"Junior, Kammy's right; your studies are important," He said.
Junior puffed and crossed his arms. Luigi frowned and try to think of a way to help him feel better. He brightened when he came up with something.
"If it makes you feel better, I'll sit through your lesson with you,"
Both Junior and Kammy looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Are you sure you want to do that?" Kammy asked as she released Junior.
"Yeah, aren't you supposed to be 'busy' with Wendy by now?" Junior smirked.
Luigi blushed slightly. "We're not together all the time, you know."
Junior shrugged. "Could have fooled me,"
"Ah, he got you there," Mr. L joked.
"Junior, be nice," Kammy scowled. "Luigi is offering to help you and looking at your grades, I suggest you take it,"
"Yeah, be grateful I'm helping you," Luigi said, playfully messing with his hair.
"Hey, knock it off," Junior swatted his hand away and used his talons to fix his hair.
He shrugged. "Fine, I'll just do this then,"
Luigi reached over and rubbed his horn gently. Junior flinched and smacked his hand away. "Q-Quit it,"
"Why? Did it hurt?"
"N-No, I just don't want you to do that."
"Well, it's either that or the hair muffle, you can't have both,"
Junior growled. Before he could say anything, Kammy grab his horn again.
"Alright, break time is over." She said. "It's time we get back to your studies, Junior."
Junior moaned and groaned as Kammy half drag him back to the study room. Luigi watched with mild interest as he followed right behind them.
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Ending Note:
Bone Piranha Plant was introduced in New Super Mario Bros 2.
Glad Piranha Plant and Vibe Island are both references of Super Princess Peach.
Lava Piranha Plant, Lavalava Island, and Mt. Lavalava are from Paper Mario.
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