3-2: Jungle Japes and Giant DK

He couldn't breathe. His chest tightened up, pain coursing through his lungs. Gasps forced his way from his mouth as his hands curled into fists. Blue eyes knifed into his opponent as they stood on Jungle Japes, two wooden platforms above a swirling river. A catchy swing tune came in hard over the sound system—a counterpart to the mood currently permeating the air. He had some clue as to the identity of his next opponent, but it was quite different from seeing said opponent in the flesh.

Luigi remembered Giant DK quite well. There was no love lost between those two. The man in green could still hear the impact of the Giant Punch against Mario, followed by the heartrending scream. He could still see the grin on GDK's face as he watched Mario fall outside the stage. And as the memory of that first battle against GDK commenced to replay in his head, Koopa's biting words provided a macabre soundtrack.

"What kind of sidekick are you, anyway? All you do is tremble like a leaf and blubber about how you want to go home. And whenever some baddie menaces you, you wail for your big brother to save you. You honestly expect to defend him and the Princess if you're not even man enough to fight on your own?"

That was a low blow. When Mario was KO'd by GDK, Luigi had felt like he let his brother down. Like there was something he could've done to prevent it. He'd easily suppressed those feelings, but Koopa's little rant had brought them roaring back. That turtle had said things that made him feel like he wasn't trying his hardest during the normal rescue missions, like he was a liability, rather than a resource. It put a bitter, acidic taste in his mouth. GDK probably thought he'd forgotten, but, oh, no. A sibling never forgot things like that.

"L? Is everything all right?" asked MH's voice.

"Yeah," Luigi managed.

"You look like something's bothering you," said MH

"I just have an old score to settle," explained Luigi.

A feverish feeling emerged within him as he stepped briskly toward GDK. "Remember me?"

GDK just shrugged.

"Well, I remember you. And I remember what you did to Mario. How you hurt him right in front of me. But today, you have only me to face. You're really not gonna enjoy it."

Luigi shook GDK's pointer finger and positioned his fighting stance. His emotions put him at an egregious disadvantage. He kept his eyes on GDK as he did a breathing exercise, feeling the memories stopping and his anger cooling down and hearing Koopa's voice mute inside his brain.

"I'll show you both," he whispered.

READY…GO!

Luigi went into action right away with a series of karate chops to GDK's face. He then went into his down aerial, meteor smashing the beast and then following him to the ground. GDK pulled himself up and swung his giant fists at Luigi, but he dodged and fiercely knifed his hand at him, aiming for the abdomen, ribcage and chest. Once he hit GDK where it really hurt, Luigi grabbed him, slammed him to the floor and whacked him with his overhead punch before repeating. He'd add a kick if he saw GDK trying to counterattack so he could escape if possible. He could breathe easily again, though sweat painted his brow and dripped off his nose, chin and earlobes. His brow was furrowed lightly with concentration, but that was the only emotion present on his face—that and excitement. He'd always dreamed of the chance to face GDK again, to pay him back for his job on Mario. So far, he hadn't sustained any serious injuries, since GDK's increased size and power came at the cost of speed, as was the case for all of the heavyweights in Melee. But he couldn't get cocky. Nor could he let emotion take over again.

There was a big gap in between the two platforms, where only the rushing river waited. Luigi gazed at it and was now struck with an idea. If he could get GDK to fall into that gap, then he'd win. He'd read his opponent's attempts to recover and send him right back down. With a strategy firmly in place, Luigi licked his lips once and then again, his eyes searching the giant ape. GDK grinned and barreled at him, but Luigi sidestepped, grabbed him, spun him thrice and flung him away. Immediately, GDK used Spinning Kong, but Luigi was waiting for him at the edge, throwing fireballs, and met him with a forward smash. GDK was sent reeling, and Luigi dashed after him, bombarding him with sissy fists, and used one of his throws to start a combo. To finish, he hurled GDK back toward the gap, mentally calculating the time frame he had before GDK tried to recover and did a short hop followed by his downward twirl kick. Unfortunately, GDK was about a fraction of an inch away from Luigi's hip, so he didn't get the meteor smash. And GDK wasn't stupid—he was starting to figure out what the man in green was up to.

GDK sliced into Luigi with his Spinning Kong, and once they were back on the stage, propelled his giant fists into him. He swiped, clapped, swatted, clobbered and created shockwaves by pounding on the ground. Luigi rolled to safety and shot fireballs to end the assault, swallowing back the rising frustration. Redness crept up his neck as he clenched and then unclenched his hands, his eyes cold. He was going to show this darn, dirty ape that he was no pushover!

He breathed deeply as he intercepted GDK's next charge, the ape swatting at him and missing. Luigi went back on the offensive by chaining his overhand punches into each other, and then grabbing and slamming him again and again. He remembered that he wanted GDK falling downward, so he angled his Trowel Stab so that he could accomplish this. GDK tried putting up his shield, but Luigi could always grab him out of it and stun him with a down throw before firing off more knifehand thrusts. Though GDK managed to get some Giant Punches in, as well as some more brutish strikes, it was clear that he couldn't get back on top. Luigi would try and try again till he finally succeeded. And he finally did succeed. After raining down enough strong attacks on GDK, Luigi seized him in a bruising grip, pummeled him, swung him around a few times and then hurled him with the power he had left. Timing things very carefully now, Luigi executed a full hop, and once he saw his opponent exactly at hip height, he landed his corkscrew kick. GDK plummeted helplessly into the swirling waters below, the rapids sucking him off the stage.

SUCCESS!

Luigi wiped his face and neck, glaring down at the rapids. "Maybe next time you'll think before you Giant Punch somebody's brother," he said in a low, tight voice.

"You're still upset over that?" boomed MH's voice.

"You have no idea," replied Luigi.

"Erm—look, L," said MH. "If there's something on your mind, then I'm all ears. Metaphorically speaking, of course. I won't bite."

"Everything's peachy," Luigi said softly. "I feel better, now that I defeated Giant DK on my own."

"I'm sure Mario is proud of you," MH said warmly. "Now, are you ready to move on to the next stage?"

"Yep."

MH picked up Luigi and floated off with him.

Yay! We're back in sequence!

Stay tuned as Luigi's adventures continue!