A/N: Another POV switch here! This one is from Luigi's POV, although funnily enough, it wasn't intended - I came back to this story after writing something else and momentarily forgot that this story is meant to be in Bowser's perspective. By the time I remembered, I'd written enough of this chapter that I decided to keep it that way.

There's some Italian dialogue in this, which was taken from Google Translate, as with all my stories that include anything Italian. I don't speak it at all, I only know a few words.

Luigi stood at the top of the stairs, peering down into the darkness. He was nervous, not that he intended to show it. His past days of training had taught him that showing fear usually didn't help him at all; if anything, it gave his enemies a bigger advantage.

A few minutes ago, he'd heard a noise inside the dungeon – a horrific crash, as though someone had just kicked a wall down. He was fairly certain that that wasn't what had happened, but the noise had still been incredibly loud and he knew it must have been a living thing that made it. A part of him wanted to run through the corridors until he spotted Kamek or Bowser and ask them for help, but they were both busy. Bowser was locked up in his room plotting ways in which he might take over the Mushroom Kingdom, and Kamek... well, since Luigi hadn't seen him recently he had to assume the magikoopa was busy.

Taking a deep breath, he lowered one foot onto the stairs.

And that was when the dungeon door burst open.

Despite all his training, Luigi hadn't gotten into any real fights yet, nor had he seen any real enemies inside the castle. Now, hearing the door crash against the wall and seeing two figures emerging from the dark dungeon, he reacted without thinking. Instead of trying to flee, he let out a screaming battle-cry and threw himself down the stairs to tackle the smaller figure to the ground.

A startled yell burst from the figure's throat, and for a second Luigi thought that he recognised the voice. But his frantic mind wouldn't give him time to consider it. As soon as they hit the floor, he sprung backwards – leaping away from the fallen figure – and spun around in time to deliver a fast punch to the other one.

The second person didn't go down so easily, though. In a lightning movement, she grabbed hold of his wrist, stopping it in mid-swing. While holding him, she struck out with her foot. Luigi felt it connect with his shin, sending an explosion of pain all the way up his leg. Yelping, he hopped backwards on one leg and nearly tripped on the stairs behind him. He hadn't realised this space was so small.

'Get him for me, Daisy!' groaned the man on the floor, trying to stand up without much success. Immediately, Luigi felt himself freeze. That name... surely it couldn't really be-

'Luigi!' Daisy exclaimed, moving forwards as if to grab him. Her expression was radiant with relief, joy, shock, fear, and so many other emotions that he couldn't hope to decipher them all in one brief moment. He realised that, because of the darkness and his own senseless panic, he hadn't recognised the two people he was mindlessly attacking. Now he looked at them both and saw them for who they really were.

Mario was slumped against the dungeon door, trying to pull himself upright. He seemed to have hit his head quite hard and was still disorientated. Daisy was standing motionless, frozen in the act of running towards Luigi, one hand outstretched. She didn't have that strange myriad of emotions on her face anymore. He looked at her and couldn't see any emotion at all.

If she had arrived three days earlier, Luigi might have immediately thrown himself into her waiting arms and let her hold him while he sobbed incoherently and told her how much he had missed her. Then he might have forgiven Mario for abandoning him, and the three of them would have all gone home together.

But so much time spent living here, training as one of Bowser's minions, socialising with the minions themselves, and growing to learn that Bowser wasn't quite as much of a villain as he'd always believed, had changed him. He could feel it now – and the longer he stared at Daisy, the stronger those feelings became.

She loved him. Of that he had no doubt. But if he accompanied her home, then what would happen to him? Sure, he'd be with her again, but he would have no purpose. He would be a nobody for the rest of his life.

Here in Bowser's castle, he'd grown stronger. He had accomplished things he never believed possible.

He was making a choice between his love or his life. Oh, why does the universe like playing games with me?

He felt a strained smile curve up his mouth. 'Hey, Daisy,' he said quietly. 'How did you get in here?'

Her face fell slightly. She'd obviously been hoping for a more enthusiastic greeting, but she took it in stride.

'We discovered an old pipe that goes from outside the castle to inside the dungeon,' she said matter-of-factly. 'We'd been looking for a secret passageway into this place, and eventually we found that pipe. It did take much longer than I expected, though... sorry about that.'

Luigi shook his head vigorously. 'N-no, don't be sorry!' He could see that neither of them had slept properly for a long time. 'I-I know you tried really hard, and... I'm grateful for that. That's why it's gonna be hard... for all your work to go to waste.'

Before either of them could do more than stare at him in confusion, he executed an impressive jump backwards, landing at the top of the stone stairs. Daisy made an involuntary movement as if to follow him.

'No, Daisy,' he said, giving her a sad smile. He felt like his heart was breaking with every word he spoke, but he knew it was for the best. For him – because he could never live a fulfilling life in the Mushroom Kingdom – and for her, too. Because she didn't deserve someone who was always yearning for something more. 'I'm not going back with you.'

Daisy's mouth dropped open, while Mario just looked thunderous.

'Luigi!' he yelled out. 'What are you talking about?! You've been kidnapped! Bowser's been holding you hostage here, as a prisoner, and you want to stay?'

'I'm not a prisoner anymore,' he replied, and – as quickly as possible – he recounted the events of the last three days to them. Just as he was finishing, he heard heavy footsteps crashing along a nearby corridor, accompanied by urgent voices. Two of them, one deep and powerful, the other soft and reedy.

'This is insane, Weegee!' said Daisy. 'You can't be serious about this. Listen...' She was talking quickly now; perhaps she'd also heard the footsteps. 'I know how you feel about things back home. But after today, I promise those things will never be the same again. You don't know how many people are talking about you! Mario and I spread rumours that you willingly stayed behind so Mario could save Peach, which obviously isn't true – but now everyone's calling you a hero! If you go back home now, you'll be loved by the people, just like Mario is.'

Luigi listened hopefully, but when she finished he shook his head. 'Sorry. I can't do that. I don't want to be famous because of a rumour – it's not right. If I'm gonna be famous at all, I wanna be famous for something I've actually done.' He gazed down at her, willing her to understand. 'Besides, I don't need fame. I just want to be someone – someone more than just Mario's little brother. Here, with Bowser, I can be someone.'

'Luigi, he's going to attack the Mushroom Kingdom again someday!' Daisy said. 'Are you really going to help him destroy everything? Kill or capture everyone? Are you going to help him destroy me, and Mario, and Peach?'

A shudder ran down his spine. 'N-no. I mean – I don't know yet. I don't want to help him do those things. But maybe if I stay here, I can talk him out of it. I can make him a better person...'

Before Daisy or Mario could respond, a crash rent the air and a resonant voice echoed throughout the room, sounding like a thunderclap.

'Wishful thinking, pipsqueak! Now get outta the way so I can finish these losers!'

Luigi didn't turn around. A few days ago, hearing that voice would have probably made him fall over. But he'd gotten used to it now. Mario and Peach watched from the bottom of the stairs with identical expressions of surprise and horror.

Bowser slowly walked forwards, positioning himself directly beside Luigi and placing a clawed hand on his shoulder. Smirking, he gazed down the stairs. 'Well, who do we have here? A couple of idiots who thought breaking into my castle was a good idea, that's who!' He roared, smoke pouring from his nostrils. Mario and Daisy both flinched.

'Go!' Luigi said, staring pleadingly into Daisy's eyes. 'You came in through a pipe, right? Go back in the pipe and get home! Now!' To his surprise, Bowser didn't even move. He could have easily jumped down the stairs and crushed his two opponents, but instead he stayed where he was, looking at them expectantly. His smirk was slowly shifting into a fully-fledged grin.

'We're not leaving 'till you come down here,' said Mario flatly. Daisy nodded in agreement.

Bowser snorted. 'What a touching scene. I think I'm gonna cry,' he said sarcastically. 'Go on then, Green. Who do you choose?'

Luigi blinked, looking back and forth between Daisy and the Koopa King. 'Wh – what do you mean?'

'Choose!' Bowser growled. 'I'm gonna give your friends a fighting chance. If they can convince you to go with them, then I'll let you go.'

'I'm not leaving,' said Luigi. He didn't know what to feel anymore. The last thing he had expected was for Bowser to show up and start messing with his head, forcing him to reconsider his decision. He knew why he was doing it. He was testing Luigi's loyalty, wanting to know if he would stay here even when an easy way out was presented to him.

Luigi wasn't going to take it.

'I told you,' he said, looking at Daisy. 'Here, I can be someone great. Someone who means something to other people. At home, I'm nothing. Just Mario's shadow.' He tried hard to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

She opened her mouth, then closed it again. For the first time since he could remember, she looked close to tears. 'You mean something to me,' she said quietly.

'And me!' said Mario, pointing at himself. 'I'll never forgive myself if you choose to stay here because of what I did, bro.' All of a sudden his aggressiveness melted away, and for a moment he looked as vulnerable as Daisy. As vulnerable as Luigi himself felt. 'Never,' he vowed. 'I'll hate what I did for the rest of my life.' And then, as if to further prove his sincerity, he repeated the last sentence in Italian. 'Odierò quello che ho fatto per il resto della mia vita.'

Luigi deliberately looked away from them both, because he knew he'd start to crack if he didn't. Perhaps sensing this, Bowser curled his hand so that the short claws dug into Luigi's shoulder, making him wince and suck in a quick breath, his mind racing.

I can't do this! he thought. If I do, then I'll never see Daisy again... or Bowser might make me hurt her. I can't let that happen...

'Just come down here, bro,' said Mario. Like Bowser, he seemed to realise that Luigi's resistance was breaking down. 'I swear I won't let you be forgotten by everyone again! From now on you'll get all the recognition you deserve!'

Daisy glanced at him, then back at Luigi. 'I don't think you understand completely, Mario,' she said softly. 'He doesn't want fame; he doesn't want popularity. He just wants to do something great with his life. Something big.'

'Something I'll be remembered for when I'm gone,' Luigi interjected, without being able to stop himself. He cringed when he felt Bowser's claws sinking deeper into his flesh.

Daisy nodded in understanding. 'And I promise I can help you get that. I'm not trying to make you come back for my own gain. I want you to come back because it's the best thing for you. Weegee,' she said, her voice dropping almost to a whisper, 'you won't be happy here. You're going to be forced to invade your own kingdom, hurt your own friends and family, and go against everything that makes you the person you are. You're gentle, Luigi. You're not meant to cause destruction; you're meant to be kind and sweet and helpful.'

By the time she finished, Luigi had his head lowered, eyes closed, barely able to hear her over the thumping of his heartbeat in his ears. Bowser, Mario, and everything else had fallen away to nothing. All he could feel was himself and Daisy's presence, and he could feel how strongly she wanted him to come back. He knew that she was dying to run up the stairs and fight off Bowser to save him, even if she had to do it alone. She was desperate for him to return, but she wouldn't make it obvious. She wanted him to make the decision for himself, without being influenced by her emotions.

He also knew that, if he truly decided to stay with Bowser – and he said it without a hint of doubt in his voice – then she would accept it. She might not be happy, but she would respect his decision.

Mario probably wouldn't take it so easily – but at that moment he wasn't even thinking about Mario. Only Daisy's words meant anything now.

I have to trust her. Trust that she means what she's saying, that she's not going to let things be the way they used to be. I have to. I love her – more than anyone or anything else.

He took one step forwards.

And all hell broke loose.