Mario ran back over to the game board as fast as he could, but found it deserted when he got there, but he found a note pinned to the wall of the watermelon.
"Dear Mario," he read aloud. "Daisy, Toad, Toadette and I took Luigi to the hospital. Meet us there. Signed Peach."
Mario immediately dropped the note, and hightailed it to the Mushroom Kingdom Hospital as quickly as he could. When he got there, he found Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Toadette sitting in the waiting room of the emergency wing, nervously. At least the girls were sitting. Toad was pacing.
"Oh good," Toad said, once he saw Mario. "Now you can pace the floor for awhile. I'm exhausted!"
"Where's Luigi?" Mario asked, worriedly.
"In an operating room," Daisy said. "When we said it was Black Widow mushroom poisoning, Dr. Toadley didn't waste any time."
"He and a couple of nurses are in there flushing out Luigi's system," Toad said.
"We're sorry we didn't wait for you, Mario," Peach said, "but Luigi just looked so awful, and since it was Black Widow poisoning . . . ."
"I know, Peach," Mario said. "I understand. And I'm glad you didn't wait for me. It was a life or death situation, after all."
"Do you think Luigi's gonna be okay?" Daisy asked.
"I sure hope so," Mario said. "Black Widows are one of the deadliest mushrooms that have ever been found here in the Mushroom Kingdom. I don't know how that Goomba got his hands on them."
"This is all my fault," Toadette said, as she began sniffling. "If I hadn't asked Luigi to hold my hand when we were on our way to the game board, that stupid Goomba wouldn't have tried to poison him!"
"Don't cry, Toadette," Peach said. "It's not your fault!"
"But it is my fault!" Toadette cried. "None of this wouldn't even have happened if I hadn't attracted that Goomba's attention in the first place! I'm so sorry, Mario!"
Toadette buried her face in her hands, and burst into tears. Mario put his hand on her shoulder, pulled out his handkerchief, and handed it to her.
"Now, don't talk like that!" he shouted. "It is most certainly not your fault! You didn't ask the Goomba to be attracted to you! You told him to stop, but he didn't. It's the Goomba's fault, not yours!"
Toadette wasn't really convinced. Nobody anyone could say or do could convince her this wasn't her fault.
Time passed slowly in the waiting room. Minutes seemed like hours. Mario began pacing back and forth, growing more and more anxious by the second. He wanted to go into the examining room to see exactly what Dr. Toadley was doing, but he wasn't allowed. Even though Mario had the title of doctor, it was an honorary title, and the pills he had found wouldn't help in the situation, anyway. The only thing he could do was wait, and pace the floor like a wild animal in a cage.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Dr. Toadley finally came out of one of the rooms. The minute Mario saw him, he ran over to him, looking extremely nervous.
"Dr. Toadley!" he shouted. "How is my brother?"
"Stable," Dr. Toadley said. "We flushed out his system, and administered an antidote that has been known to counteract the Black Widow mushroom's poison, but it only works if you administer it to the victim in a certain amount of time after the initial poisoning. Thankfully, we got it to him in the nick of time. It's a good thing you brought Luigi in when you did, Princess. Any later, and it would have been too late. Since we got to him in time, he should make a full recovery."
"Whew!" Mario heaved an extremely deep sigh of relief, and relaxed a little. "Thank goodness! Where is he now?"
"ICU," Dr. Toadley said. "We're keeping your brother there until further notice, Mario. He may be in stable condition, and we do expect him to recover, but he's still very, very sick, and I'd like to keep him under observation for a couple of days."
"Can we go see him?" Peach asked.
"Follow me," Dr. Toadley asked.
The group followed Dr. Toadley to the elevator, and went up to the intensive care unit. He led them into a room, and Mario's stomach nearly dropped out once again, at the sight of his little brother, laying in the bed, unconscious. He had an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth, and was hooked up to several IV's, as well as couple of strange machines. His face was still flushed, and he was still sweating. Mario slowly walked into the room, and wiped some of the sweat away from his brother's forehead. His face fell when he realized Luigi was still burning up with fever. He sighed, and turned to Dr. Toadley.
"Would it be possible for me to stay with Luigi?" he asked. "Please, I have to be with him. I don't want him to be left alone. Not in the condition he's in."
"Sure," Dr. Toadley said, nodding. He knew how devoted Mario was to his younger brother. Then he left to make his rounds.
Mario heaved a sigh, and put a cold compress against Luigi's forehead, in an attempt to bring his fever down. Toadette walked up to Mario, tentatively, and looked up at him.
"Mario . . . ." she said. "I . . . . I'm really sorry."
"What for?" Mario asked. "I told you before, Toadette, this is not your fault. I don't blame you at all. Please believe me."
Toadette nodded, but for some reason, she just couldn't get it out of her head that this was her fault.
"Come on, Toadette," Peach said, taking Toadette's hand. "Let's go back to the castle. I think Mario needs some time alone, and we can all use a little rest."
Toad and Daisy agreed. They said goodbye to Mario, and left the hospital, telling Mario that they would be back the next day.
By morning, Peach, Daisy, Toad, and Toadette returned to Mushroom Kingdom Hospital. They noticed Mario looked like a train wreck. He hadn't gotten any sleep the night before. Luigi had kept him up all night, due to thrashing his head from side to side in his sleep, and moaning. Mario figured he was experiencing some type of fever-induced nightmare.
"Dr. Toadley did warn me Luigi might be experiencing symptoms of delirium because of the high fever," he explained to the others. "Not only that, but he's also been in and out of consciousness."
"Poor Luigi," Peach said. She pulled up a chair on the other side of Luigi's bed, sat down, and helped Mario apply cold compresses to Luigi's forehead.
"Mah . . . . Mario?" Luigi asked, stirring a bit.
"Yeah, bro," Mario said. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. What do you need?"
"Wh-where's . . . ." Luigi started, slowly opening his eyes about halfway. "Where's . . . . Toh . . . . Toadette?"
"Toadette?" Mario repeated. "She's right here. Toad, and Princess Peach, and Princess Daisy are here, too."
"Yeah, Luigi," Daisy said. "We came to see how you're doing."
"I n-need . . . . to make sure . . . . Toadette . . . . she . . . . she . . . ." Luigi said, but before he could finish, he passed out.
"There he goes again," Mario sighed, wiping Luigi's face and neck with a cold washcloth. "He's been talking about Toadette all night. But I can't figure out what he's trying to say."
"Tooooaaaadeeeeette . . . ." Luigi moaned, while turning his head from side to side.
"I'm right here, Luigi," Toadette said, grabbing Luigi's hand, and squeezing it. "Don't worry, I'm right here. It's okay."
Luigi relaxed, and gripped Toadette's hand. Toadette noticed his hand was hot and clammy, but she didn't let go of it.
"It's going to be okay, Luigi," she said. Luigi opened his eyes about halfway, and looked over at Toadette.
"P-please, Toadette," he said. "Please . . . . be careful."
"I will," Toadette said. "I'm always careful."
"I . . . . I know," Luigi continued. "But . . . . but I need you . . . . to promise . . . . please . . . . be extra careful . . . ."
"Okay, I promise. But why?"
"You . . . . you might be . . . . you . . . . could . . . . he . . . . he won't . . . . he . . . . he might . . . ."
"Who? Luigi, what are you talking about?"
"Please . . . . st-stay . . . . safe . . . ."
Luigi moaned, and passed out again, before he could explain any further. Mario heaved another sigh, and placed another cold compress on his brother's feverish forehead.
"Not again," Mario groaned. "I can't make heads or tails out of this. I wish I could."
"It sounds like he's trying to warn Toadette about something," Peach said.
"You think maybe it's about the Goomba?" Daisy asked.
"I doubt it," Mario said. "He was running so fast the last time I saw him, he's probably in the next county by now. I doubt he's gonna come back, because if he does, he's gonna be one dead Goomba!"
Hours went by. Luigi spent the bulk of the day thrashing in his sleep. Every now and again, he would yell something about Toadette. Unfortunately, his words were so cryptic, none of his friends could figure out what he was talking about.
"Mario . . . ." Luigi moaned. "Mariooooo . . . ."
"I'm here, Luigi," Mario said. "Just relax. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere. It's okay. Everything's all right."
"Mario, please," Luigi said, gripping his brother's hand. "Please, make sure Toadette is safe . . . ."
"Sure, bro," Mario said. "I promise, we'll keep Toadette safe."
"Yeah, she's right here," Toad said, pushing Toadette gently toward the bed. "Say something to him, Toadette."
"Yeah, Luigi, I'm okay," Toadette said.
"Good," Luigi said, heaving a relieved sigh. "Toadette, please . . . . stay with Mario. He . . . . he'll keep you safe . . . ."
"Yeah, sure, Luigi," Toadette said, patting the back of Luigi's hand. "Anything you want."
"Thank you," Luigi said, and he lapsed into unconsciousness again.
Mario heaved a sigh. It was about all he could do, other than continue to apply cold compresses, and try to keep Luigi calm when he started thrashing in his sleep.
Eventually, Toad and the two princesses left the hospital to get some rest, while Mario and Toadette stayed with Luigi. After all, Toadette promised to stay with Mario for the time being, even though Mario was positive there was absolutely nothing to worry about, and Mario wasn't about to leave Luigi's side any time soon. Toadette noticed every time she tried to leave the room for whatever reason, Luigi would get agitated, and start moaning, then begging her not to leave. It took both herself, and Mario, to calm him down when that happened.
By midnight, Luigi had finally stopped thrashing in his sleep, and had been sleeping peacefully for an hour, and Dr. Toadley had removed the oxygen mask. This seemed to calm Mario down, but he was still a bit concerned about his younger brother. While he and Toadette were keeping watch, a nurse came into the room.
"Excuse me," she said. "I don't mean to interrupt, but I have a message for Toadette."
"Thanks," Toadette said, taking the note. "Oh, it's from Captain Toad. I wonder how he knew I was here?"
"He probably called your house, and then called Toad when no one answered," Mario said, shrugging. "He probably told him you were here. What's he have to say?"
"Apparently, he was at the Mushroom Kingdom Public Library with the rest of the Toad Brigade earlier today," Toadette said. "They found a map hidden in a book, which leads to a secret treasure that can be found in Piranha Creeper Cove."
"Piranha Creeper Cove? Mama mia, that's days from here!"
"Yeah, I know. Anyway, Captain Toad's note says he and the rest of the Brigade are waiting for me outside of the hospital. I'd better go."
Suddenly, Luigi's eyes popped open. He sat up so fast, he almost unplugged one of his IV's.
"No!" he shouted, grabbing Toadette's wrist. "Don't!"
"Luigi, calm down!" Mario shouted, as he tried to push his brother back down onto the bed.
"Yeah, Luigi," Toadette said. "It'll be all right. I'll be right back, I promise."
"No!" Luigi shouted, fighting against Mario. "No, Toadette, you can't! You can't go! Please!"
"It's okay, bro," Mario said, soothingly. "She's just gonna tell Captain Toad she's not going with him and the rest of the Toad Brigade on their next adventure. There's nothing to worry about."
"No, Mario! No!" Luigi shouted. "She can't! She just can't! Please, Toadette, don't go! Don't leave!"
"Why not, Luigi?" Toadette asked.
"It . . . . . it might . . . . it might not be safe!" Luigi shouted, and he began hyperventilating. "Please . . . . please Toadette, don't!"
"Luigi, please, try to calm down!" Mario shouted. "You don't want that oxygen mask back on your face, do you?"
"Mario, don't . . . . don't let her go!" Luigi begged. "She can't! Please, don't let her go!"
"Don't worry!" Mario shouted, trying to get his brother to calm down. "I know I promised to keep Toadette safe, but she'll be fine! She's just going to see Captain Toad and the rest of the Toad Brigade! She'll be safe with them. Trust me. Now lie down, and relax. Everything's going to be all right, you'll see."
"No, Mario, no . . . ." Luigi said, starting to feel dizzy. "It . . . . it might be . . . . it might . . . . ohhhhhhh . . . . ."
Before he could finish his sentence, Luigi fainted. The nurse immediately ran out of the room to get one of the doctors on duty. Mario heaved a sigh, wrung out a washcloth, and pressed it against Luigi's forehead.
"I knew that was gonna happen," he said.
"Poor Luigi," Toadette said.
"Look, Toadette, you go ahead and talk to Captain Toad. I'll take care of things here."
"Okay. If I'm not back in five minutes, just assume I decided to go with the Brigade for this one. And tell Luigi he doesn't have to worry, because I'll be safe with them."
"You got it."
Toadette nodded, and left the room, a bit worried about Luigi. She made up her mind to tell Captain Toad that she was not going with the Brigade on this adventure. Once she got outside the hospital, she stood at attention, and saluted.
"Ready for adventure, Captain Toad!" she shouted.
There was no response. As a matter of fact, there was no one around.
"Huh," Toadette said. "That's weird. The note said that Captain Toad and the rest of the Toad Brigade were going to meet me out here."
Toadette walked away from the hospital, looking for Captain Toad and the rest of the Toad Brigade, but she couldn't find them. As she continued searching, she was beginning to feel uneasy, as if she were being watched. She became even more certain of it when she saw a familiar looking shadow creep up behind her.
"Hello there, my precious pink princess," an all too familiar voice said. It was Gruber.
Toadette gasped, and was about to turn around and run, when a canister fell in front of her, releasing a thick, foul smelling gas. She coughed, and tried to wave it away, but it was too thick, and there was too much of it. Finally, she fell to the ground unconscious.
"Ha ha!" Gruber laughed, triumphantly. Then he flattened himself and scuttled underneath Toadette. He popped back into his normal shape, and was now balancing her on his head.
"Now, me proud beauty!" he shouted. "At last, you're mine, and no one will ever take you away from me!"
Gruber laughed hysterically, and ran off into the night, carrying Toadette with him.