Well, now it's the fourth chapter. Sorry for not updating earlier; I've got a big project due the 14th on colonial South Carolina (and as we all know, homework comes first.) I'm sad because no one has reviewed my story at the time I write this. PLEEEAASE R&R! Now that that's taken care of, I present to you (drumroll please)…Chapter 4!!! BTW, I don't own any Nintendo characters

Chapter 4

Mario and Simon had found the first Pure Heart. Ok, maybe not THE first Pure Heart. Where? It was quite simple to find: Merlon the wizard had it again. Unfortunately, he had put it in a Heart Pillar…in Flopside. The two heroes had worked for about an hour trying to get the thing out before they realized that it belonged in that Pillar. Oops. They traveled to Flipside Tower, wondering which door would be open. They saw the door to…Gloam Valley. Mario knew the journey wouldn't be too difficult…but only if they had Princess Peach. Of course, the strange magician could always teleport them to the other side of a wide gap.

They had walked for but a minute when a swirling inferno rushed past them. They saw a glimpse of him. The one who had built the robot in the first place, who was now blasting them with a fiery vortex. It couldn't be. But it was…Mr. L. "Have at you!" the man in black and green shouted.

"Simon, this Brobot is dangerous. Is there any way you can stop it? Maybe by blasting the power source?"

"I can try, but I need you to tell me where it is and what it is, exactly. Hurry!" Mario did just that.

"Uh, it's a battery, about six and a half inches to the left of the right eye."

"Good; but does this thing have a defense against fire? If it does, I can't do too much. "

"Mmm hmm. Its defense against fire is six. I thought you had electrical powers, though." Mario ducked a laser.

"I do, but electricity is the opposite of fire…wait, why did I say I couldn't do much? I meant to say that if it has a defense against ELECTRICITY…"

"Whatever. Shut up and do something."

As Simon charged up an attack, Merlon had read something in the Light Prognosticus that might be a bit of a bother.

One who is two will destroy one who is not.

The wizard told Merlee, who immediately transported her image to the heroes' location.

"Heroes of two, listen to my tale through.

Merlon the wizard has found something to astound:

The two of you will be one less, to find the people in distress.

The one remaining will be waning.

But wait! An evil that you cannot see is after me, and safe and sound we cannot be!

I cannot…longer last…the distance is…too vast…

Through foul…or fair…do not…despair..."

Her image faded, Simons attack went off, and the Brobot exploded. The heroes' HP kept going down…their vision blurred, and each thought it was the end…and the HP drain stopped at one point. Mr. L looked at the weak Simon, not caring that he himself was very low on HP. He drank a Shroom Shake, and prepared a Super Jump. A moment later, The Splendiferous Simon disappeared into the Underwhere. The shadowy villain heard a bouncing noise, and a moment later, he saw the red plumber in front of him, ripping of the villain's mask. "Now, Luigi, you're…a shadow?" The shadow that was truly Mr. L faded, leaving nothing behind.

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Setting: The Shadow Pit.

We see a slight darkness return to the pit; it is the false Mr. L. The humanoid form of Mr. Shadow rises out of the darkness. He checks on his prisoners; first, the jester. He has been moved into a transparent blue box, where shadows consume him. All of a sudden, Dimentio's form split. "Ah, curses. Very good, my jester friend, using a clone as a decoy. I know you're around here somewhere, or are you…?" The shadowy being decided not to pursue the jester for now. He dove into the Shadow Zone, arriving back in the Pit outside Luigi's door. "Oh, Luigi, are you here? I've got bad news for you: I'll be needing that Negative Zone again…"