Chapter 4: Making Friends

Luigi awoke early - In spite of getting up in the middle of the night to try and fend off some robbers, he was feeling refreshed enough to get on his way. He carried the still-sleeping Bulbasaur down to the lobby, and was greeted by the nurse.

"Good morning! Aren't you an early riser?" She asked.

"Not usually," Luigi said. "Had a weird day… and night."

"I understand. I wouldn't suggest leaving right now - There's an emergency at the Gym, so things are pretty chaotic out there, and, of course, the Pokémon Center provides complimentary breakfast and dinner to trainers staying the night! Breakfast starts in an hour, so you might as well find something to do until then."

"Oh… Alright. Thanks, miss."

"Nurse Joy," The nurse said, smiling. "You're really quite new, aren't you?"

"I just started yesterday."

"Must be interesting, coming so far to start a journey."

"Huh?" How could she have figured that out?

"Oh! Your accent… It's very unique."

"Oh." Right, the mysterious Mario accent, and the foolproof (although not koopa-troop-proof) way to identify a Mario Brother. "Yes, I've come a long way." Not that he knew how far Mushroom Kingdom was… Or even if he was on the same planet, which was looking very unlikely with how many humans seemed to be here.

Nurse Joy smiled. "Well, best of luck to you!"

Luigi nodded, and walked back into the room he'd stayed in for the night. An emergency… Should he check that out?

… No, the police could probably handle it. They were trained, and they weren't Toads, so… They should be able to handle things, right?

He took a quick shower (so much easier and more pleasant than finding a waterfall to swim in), but couldn't get it off his mind. He wasn't paying much attention as he looked into the mirror to freshen up, trying to process everything.

When he did finally take a good long look to make sure he was looking okay, he got the shock of a lifetime. Embarrassingly, so did the rest of the bathroom, and he was quickly having to put out the fires his discharge had started.

After doing his best to make sure no further damage would come to the bathroom, he quickly got on to freaking out about suddenly being ten years younger. The first things out of his mouth were several sentences in Yoshi language that don't bear repeating.

Once he'd managed to calm down a bit, he began thinking - more rationally - about how this could possibly have happened. One of Kamek's curses would have worn off by now, he didn't feel the power that came with transformation, and he'd never taken to shapeshifting the way Mario had.

That only left one logical explanation: He'd somehow been warped through time and space. Which would explain a lot, and was more in line with how his life tended to work.

Upon exiting the bathroom, he found that Bulbasaur was no longer in the room. Luigi did wonder how Bulbasaur was able to open the door on his own, but didn't really dwell on it. If Bulbasaur wanted to explore or socialize, then he couldn't do much to stop the Pokémon.

Luigi recalled seeing a television down in the lobby - It might be helpful in learning more about this world (and he was quite sure he was in a different world by now), or just be entertaining. Possibly entertainingly bad, like the five dozen or so films based on Mario's life (A lot of them seemed under the impression that the Bros used super-advanced technology instead of magic, to be more exotic, and about two-thirds of the films that remembered Luigi existed got his name wrong).

The TV actually did provide useful insight - Pokémon battles were a very big thing here, being a source of enjoyment for both Pokémon and humans alike. Luigi watched one on the TV, and found that it was a lot more relaxed and less dangerous than the fights he tended to get into… There were more after that, so he kept watching, hoping to learn more about this Pokémon world.

Pikachu awoke to scratching on the door. Ash was still asleep, and so was Misty, so he went to answer. It took a bit of creativity to manage to reach the knob, but he managed as well as he always did. Bulbasaur tumbled into the room, and Pikachu hopped off the doorknob to greet him.

"(Hello to you too, Pikachu,)" Bulbasaur said. "(I don't think my trainer is human.)"

Pikachu laughed. "(What did he do?)" He remembered just how many of Ash's Pokémon questioned if he was really human with all the crazy stuff he tended to do. The time in Johto where he temporarily was a Pokémon had proved very entertaining with that mindset.

Bulbasaur gave him a look. "(I'm serious. It sounded like he attacked the bathroom.)"

Pikachu woke up Ash for a few seconds so he'd know that he was going, and then followed Bulbasaur to the room his trainer had apparently been staying in. He wasn't around, but the bathroom door was wide open, and it was immediately obvious that something had happened in there.

Everything was singed, and the whole room smelled like a powerful electric attack had gone off. Pikachu could sense that anything wet or metal was charged with dangerous amounts of electricity, and quickly went to work draining as much of the excess as he could.

"(Something fried this place, that's for sure,)" Pikachu said.

"(And only Luigi was in here. So, I don't think he's human.)"

"(You'd be surprised what humans can do,)" Pikachu said. "(Ash has got some weird abilities, too. I've never really seen anything like this, though.)"

Bulbasaur was skeptical. "(… I still think he's a Pokémon. Are there Pokémon who can look human?)"

"(Zorua and Zoroark, but not much else.)" Pikachu had finished getting the excess electricity from everything, sans the toilet water.

"(Do they learn electric attacks?)"

"(No, but neither of us has the right to talk about what Pokémon can and can't do.)" Pikachu countered.

"(… Touché…)"

"(He could've also been incredibly unlucky and caused the wiring to go haywire, frying everything in the bathroom.)"

"(Oh…)" Bulbasaur seemed a little disappointed at that. ("Wouldn't he have been shocked, too, then?)"

"(Ash,)" Pikachu pointed out. "(Whether it's superpowers or terrible luck, your trainer is now weird, and therefore you will inevitably end up travelling with us.)"

Bulbasaur wasn't entirely sure if he liked that idea or not, remembering just how much trouble Ash managed to get into on a daily basis.

While Pikachu and Bulbasaur had been checking out the damage Luigi had accidentally done to the bathroom, the man - or teenager, now - in the green hat had gotten into a conversation with a certain Pokémon trainer, about the intricacies of Pokémon battling.

Ash Ketchum was quite enthusiastic to talk about his favorite topic, and the conversation even continued beyond Misty joining them (she added a few things of her own, but Ash was on a roll), getting breakfast, and being joined for breakfast by their respective starter Pokémon.

"So," Ash said, between bites. "That's the basics. Where you heading, anyway? Gonna take on the Pokémon League?"

"Ah, no…" Luigi said, as he scarfed down pancakes. It'd been some time since he'd had a decent meal he hadn't cooked himself. "I'm actually looking for a couple of friends of mine." And a way home, he silently added. "I'm not really sure where they've gotten to." Or which ones are even around…

"Oh… Well, that settles it!" Ash said. "I'm going just about everywhere, so you can just come along with me! We'll find your friends in no time!"

Misty groaned. "Ash, you met him twenty minutes ago! Do you need to help everyone and everything we pass on the road? Don't answer that."

"She has a point, and I'm a bit of a danger magnet." Luigi said. Was that ever an understatement… "I'm not sure you'd really want me around."

Misty laughed. "Don't worry about that! Ash is the biggest trouble magnet in the history of everything, you couldn't possibly make things worse."

"… Oh." Come to think of it, Ash reminded him of Mario, so that made sense. Come to think of it, what would Mario do, in this situation?

Team up with the new guy and work together to save the world from some massive underground conspiracy, having wacky and potentially dangerous mini-adventures along the way. Why the heck did he keep asking himself what Mario would do?

"Yeah… She's exaggerating, though." Ash assured. Both Misty and the Pokémon perched on top of Ash's hat looked at Luigi and deliberately shook their heads. "If you don't wanna come, that's fine, but I'd like to help any way I can! So, what do you say?"

He wasn't going to get anywhere without help, and he had no hope of blending in in the long run. And if he tried to avoid it, there would most likely be a highly improbable and painful series of events to force him into Adventure anyway. "Alright," Luigi agreed. "I'll come along."

Pikachu said something to Bulbasaur that sounded very like 'I told you so'.

"Awesome!" Ash yelled. "We've got a new friend! So, we're heading to Pewter City, next, where my first Gym Battle will be! You should challenge the gym, too."

"… Maybe?" Luigi didn't really want to. "… I guess if Bulbasaur wants to, then I will…"

"Yeah!" Ash yelled.

"Yeah, it's cool," Misty said. "… Can we finish our meal and get on with it? This food isn't as good as Brock's. And Brock's way more fun."

Luigi agreed, but wondered who, exactly, Brock was; and what he'd gotten himself into.

The Viridian City Pokémon Gym was a sight to behold. Not because it was a beautiful feat of architecture, which it was, as standard for gyms; but because an absolutely massive hole had been blasted in the side of the building. Rubble was strewn all over the street, apart from a narrow path that had already been cleared for people to walk through.

Officer Jenny was busy talking to the Gym Leader, who Ash was sure he'd seen before but couldn't quite place. As they walked by, Jenny stopped for a moment to warn them that an unknown, but powerful, Pokémon had broken down the wall of the gym late last night, and to be on guard for anything unusual.

"I hope we see that Pokémon," Ash said, as the group walked away from the Gym and towards Viridian Forest. "I bet it's super cool!"

"I hope not… It's got to be dangerous. Which means you've probably seen it before."

"I don't really want to meet it, either," Luigi said.

He was pretty sure he knew exactly what it was, and It was someone he knew very well. Someone strong enough to pulverize a wall like that in seconds, and uncaring enough about property damage to go through with it. Bowser. Full off bluster and ego at first glance, the massive Koopa seemed like all bark and no bite. Luigi knew first-hand that that was absolutely false. If not for his plans usually being small-time and petty, Bowser would undoubtedly be by far the most dangerous foe the Mario Bros had ever faced. In spite of that, he was still very close to the worst. Luigi had no illusions of what would happen if he met an enraged Bowser by himself.

"Huh… I guess so," Ash admitted. "… Oh well. But if we do see it, it'll be cool!"

"... And what will you do if we do find it?" Misty asked. "… Which we probably will, anyway."

Luigi and this girl thought in similar ways.

"Make friends with it!" Ash declared. "That's always worked out in the past!"

"… I guess I can't deny that. Well, we'll be in the forest soon. Let's not get hopelessly lost this time," Misty suggested. "I don't like camping."

"Neither do I," Luigi agreed. "But in my experience, you take what you can get on Adventures, because if you don't you'll probably be sucked into some random problem and mortal peril."

Misty looked at him. "You've got a… different approach to this things than Ash. Oh well. The sooner we get going, the sooner we'll get through whatever happens in Viridian Forest, and the sooner we'll reach Pewter City… And Brock."

"Yeah, he's a good friend," Ash agreed. "Even if he gets weird around girls."

At least they knew where their friends were… Luigi had no idea where his friends were, or even how many of them were in this world. Probably Mario, and he'd seen pretty solid evidence of Bowser (for whom the definition of friend was contentious at best), but what about Peach? The Toad Brigade? Everyone else? He hoped they weren't in too much trouble, wherever they were.

Most of the day was spent trekking through Viridian Forest. Ash caught two more Pokémon, or, rather, two familiar Pokémon caught themselves, and were caught up on current events by Pikachu and Bulbasaur.

Both Caterpie and Pidgeotto had figured out the time travel thing - Devolution didn't exactly just happen, no matter how much some Pokémon wished it did. They'd also come to the conclusion that Ash was involved, and resolved to help him in some way.

Which, as Pikachu noted, did save them the trouble of trying to find them again.

Once it was dark, they set up camp. As it turns out, Luigi actually did know how to start a fire and cook (both things usually done by Pokémon or one of Ash's friends, respectively). Ash and Misty each got out a sleeping bag, but Luigi didn't have one. In fact, he didn't even have a backpack.

Luigi's response when Misty asked about this was short and to the point. "I find myself sleeping outside a lot. I don't mind much."

"If you say so…" Misty said, before going to get some firewood.

Luigi didn't do much for dinner - just roasted some unfamiliar berries that looked appetizing. They weren't the best, but they were much better than May's cooking, which Luigi took as a compliment.

"It's nice to be able to make friends so easily," Luigi commented, as he watched Ash spending time with his Pokémon and Bulbasaur. "They seem to really like you."

Ash chuckled. "Yeah, I guess so." Ash had wondered for a while if Luigi was Bulbasaur's original trainer, but decided he didn't seem like the type. He may not have had much of a positive outlook on things, but he was too nice.

"That much hasn't changed…" Misty said. "Luigi? I was wondering, where are you from? What are your friends like?"

Luigi didn't say anything for a moment. "I'm from Mushroom Kingdom. It's pretty far away, and not many people know about it. My friends… Well, there's my older twin brother, Mario. He's always been with me through thick and thin. I get worried about him sometimes, he's… A lot like Ash, really. Always leaping before he looks. But I wouldn't trade him for anything." Luigi smiled, thinking of his brother.

Pikachu said it was just like him and Ash.

"Hey, thanks buddy," Ash said. "You're the best, too!"

"And then there's Yoshi, who's a good friend," Luigi added. "He's always cheerful, and eager for adventure, just like Mario. Probably why they get along so well. And Peach, Mario's… friend, I think. Uh, she's nice, as long as you don't mess with anyone she cares about. Then she's scary."

"Pikachu-pi," Pikachu added.

"Okay, I know that word," Misty said. "What about me?"

"He's just saying she sounds like you," Ash said. "Right, buddy?"

"Pi!"

"Dunno about that… You're not that much like her. There's also Professor Gadd… He's a bit of a mad scientist, and studies ghosts," Luigi shuddered at the thought, "but still a good friend. He looks really old, but I'm pretty sure he's not that old."

"You must've had some fun adventures with them…" Ash said.

"If you're anything like him," Misty gestured to Ash, "They must have been weird, too."

"Definitely weird, but I don't know about fun. Some of them, yeah, when the universe doesn't hate me too much," Luigi admitted. "But most of the time, it's pretty terrifying. I'd honestly prefer that there just weren't all these problems, and I could just stay home and have a nice, quiet day. But there will always be people in danger… And, I guess I just have to help, as best I can."

Ash nodded. "Right."

Pikachu said that Ash goes looking for trouble as often as it finds him, and Misty unknowingly echoed him.

"… Yeah, Mario does that, too. I hope he's doing alright." Luigi closed his eyes, and seemed lost in thought. "… I can't-" Luigi was panicking a bit now. "I… I don't know where he is! That's never… No, no, that can't be right… It's not working, I don't…"

"Hey, hey, it's gonna be alright," Ash assured Luigi. "We'll help you find him, don't worry! Now, why don't we all get some rest? We've got a long day tomorrow if we want to make it to Pewter City!"

"… Right, yes, sleep," Luigi said, still visibly shaken. "… Sounds good."

"Are you alright?" Misty asked. "That seemed a little… I don't know…"

"I'll be fine," Luigi said. "I just can't feel… never mind. Good night." And with that, Luigi laid back on the ground, and was asleep in under a minute. Bulbasaur seemed perturbed at Luigi's sudden freaking out, but went to his current trainer to find his Pokéball to sleep in, only to find that the pockets on his overalls were just decoration.

Ash and Pikachu were already asleep in their own sleeping bag by now, leaving only Bulbasaur and Misty awake.

"Hey, Bulbasaur," Misty called out. "If you can't find your Pokéball, you can come with me for tonight. It's got to be better than the ground."

Bulbasaur agreed, and crawled into her sleeping bag. It was a bit odd to be held like Togepi, but it did beat sleeping on the ground.

Just what was with Luigi? Bulbasaur didn't think he'd outright lied, but he was definitely omitting something.

Alright! Another chapter... And the longest so far! I know it's been a while. I wanted to get more details on the plot of Pokemon Sun and Moon, to see what I could and couldn't work into the plot here. And now I have the game... Also, my internet is really not that great. So, while I have continued writing, and editing already written chapters, opportunities to post them aren't as often as I'd like, especially as I'm uploading to three websites at once. And I don't want to try and do this on a schedule... I really want to make sure this story is how I'd like it to be, no matter how long that takes me.

Luigi, of course, has both superpowers and astoundingly terrible luck. Impossible or improbable things happen regularly around the Mario Brothers, both good and bad - Luigi tends to focus on the bad and not notice the good, while Mario is more creative in how he turns bad luck into a good turn. Within the story, this is something the Mario family has been plagued with for hundreds of years, with Mario and Luigi themselves receiving the worst of it.

Ash, having known Luigi for twenty minutes, puts his journey on hold to help him out. This is typical and expected.

Giovanni's Gym broke. The question, of course, is if it was actually Bowser who broke it, or something else? Luigi thinks it's the former, and it's very much like Bowser to punch in a wall he doesn't like. On the other hand, it could have been a Pokemon who got a bit overzealous in battle.

The next chapter's character focus will be... A character who has yet to make an actual physical appearance in this story. That's right, Dawn! Ha, I actually mean Princess Peach. Having the Mario Brothers vanish into thin air isn't exactly a good thing for the Mushroom Kingdom.