After what seemed like an eternity, his eyes opened.

With effort, he regained consciousness, blue eyes creasing into a squint. But the more he stirred, the more his discomfort grew. His whole body stung. He wriggled his hands and chest to improve his position, but soon found he couldn't. He jolted uncomfortably.

It didn't take long to figure out the situation.

He was sitting on the ground, propped up against a wall, with his wrists and ankles tied. He tried to use his vocal cords, but that proved useless too — in his unconsciousness, he'd been gagged. The stale, bitter taste of old cloth against his tongue made him recoil. His head pounded, pain lingering in the back of his skull and sticking like sap.

Orange sunlight streamed in through the windows. Through heavy eyes, he took in his surroundings. His cloak was gone, and with it went the Beanstar pieces. Dust curled around his fingers. He stared ahead at empty shelves and barren mantlepieces, feeling around with what little mobility he had. He stopped, finding that he was sitting atop a plush green carpet. With a muffled, relieved sigh, he realized he was still in one of the Hoohoo Village houses. At least that much hadn't changed.

Turning his head from side to side, he noticed he sat amongst a pile of boxes, bags, and strewn treasures, making up the sum of Popple's haul of loot. He instinctively bit down on his gag, startled as he recognized he himself was part of that pile.

A faraway voice hollered something, piquing his attention. It took a few tries at listening to make it out. He shuffled closer to the open doorway, straining his ears.

"Ay, ay, ay!"

A shout. An all-too-familiar one, at that.

"Hey, get outta here! Go on!"

Wearily, Luigi's senses cleared. He glowered as he realized it was Popple's wiry voice yelling. He grumbled into his gag.

As a stinging sense of guilt washed over him, he began recalling the events transpiring up until now. To start off his humiliation recollection, he first remembered robbing Hoohoo Village by Popple's side. Then, while his back was turned, Popple had tricked him, knocked him out, took the Beanstar pieces, and trapped Polterpup in the Poltergust...

It was all bad, not a single speck of good left in his memory. He felt like such an idiot for ever letting his guard down, even for a moment... even to sleep—! Shaking, he revisited a thought. It was one he was well-acquainted with, ever since childhood.

Maybe, he thought with a sad scowl, maybe, everything is just out to get me. That's just how it was for him; that's how it always was. He was the one who got the shortest stick. He was the target of every cruel joke.

He shook his head, tears blurring his eyes. He desperately wished he could wipe at his face with his hands. But what could he do now, sitting here while sobbing in defeat?

Popple continued to shout outside. The noise stung Luigi's already-rattled head. He supposed Popple couldn't read minds; there was no way he would know how much Luigi was struggling to even think. He grunted and shifted positions, focusing instead on Popple's words. Any distraction would have been a welcome one.

"Go on, get outta here! This is my haul, see? It's not for your kind!"

What followed was the sound of a vacuum nozzle flicking on, whirring obnoxiously. Luigi winced. Some ghosts (so he presumed) released frightened, high-pitched sounds and soon disappeared from the vicinity. A bout of wild laughter burst from the shadow thief.

"Yeah? Don't like that, eh?" he called. "Get outta here, and stay out!"

While Popple dealt with what Luigi assumed were hoards of early-morning ghouls, he leaned his head against the wall, trying to figure out what to do next.

Obviously, Popple hadn't been captured or petrified by Boo. He didn't know if he secretly wished he had been. But the point still stood that Popple had his Poltergust. Not only that, but he had his backpack too, which contained... just about everything. Gooigi, his tools, his blueprints. Even if he escaped (which was already a slim chance), he would have nothing. Without the Beanstar pieces, he was about as good as a walking, talking wanted poster.

The crates and bags beside him might have contained something useful, but it's not like he could do much with his limbs restricted. One of them probably had his backpack inside it too. He wriggled to the side and shimmied his shoulders, leaving it up to hoping that the ropes would suddenly come loose.

Without warning, Popple's loud voice sounded again.

"There you are!" he said.

At first, Luigi thought he was talking to him, getting a jump out of the fidgeting plumber. But, that couldn't be; Popple was too far away. No, he was talking to... someone else. Someone standing someplace outside.

"Took you long enough, birdbrain."

"Hey, I'm not a bird!"

Luigi shifted again.

His ears settled on the two rackety voices outside, bickering back and forth. One voice belonged to Popple. The other's was thick with a local accent, much like the other Hoohooligans: a screechy, temperamental voice.

They continued to yell at Popple. Eventually, though, the rough waters seemed to settle, and the conversation continued like normal. It seemed they had unfinished business.

"Sooo...! Lay it on me! What exactly do you want me to do?"

That gave Luigi a few more clues.

The voice was masculine, asking Popple for something. The strange part was how he sounded confused. He didn't seem like the type to be an accomplice to the shadow thief. But what did Luigi know? He'd been tricked and betrayed enough already to know not everything was as it always appeared.

His self-loathing was cut short. A snap from quick-witted fingers grabbed his attention instead.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Listen up, pal. Open your ears, 'cus I'm only gonna say this once, see? I need you to take some cargo into town for me. I know it's gonna be no trouble for you. Those wings of yours make things easy…"

Luigi sat up, shoulders straight.

Wings?

"Yeah-huh! It sure won't be any trouble at all." A glint of confidence laced the stranger's tone. "But, uh, could you at least tell me what I'm transporting? I don't usually do stuff like this. Especially not for someone like you. Thieves and I don't usually mix, ya'know..."

Popple broke into laughter. "Thief? Noo, not me. See, I've served my time and turned over a brand new, squeaky-clean leaf," he said through a bold-faced smile. "I'm just sending some packages into town, that's all. I've got some less fortunate pals who need stuff. It's no concern to you."

"Huh? No concern? Hey!" The other voice spat, "I'm not just gonna—"

"Woah, no need to get feisty. Tell you what. By the time this operation is done, you'll be walking away rich. How's that sound, huh?" He proceeded to lay on shmooze the more he talked. Luigi couldn't help rolling his eyes. "As for the spoils… how does 80-20 sound?"

The other voice was offended.

"What?! No way! If I'm doing some sort of shady operation, I'd expect to get paid a little bit better!"

"Shady? Buddy, we went over this, ain't nothing shady about it!"

"Well, either way, I expect to be paid upfront."

"What?!" Popple exclaimed. "Listen here, pal, I'll have you know—"

In the midst of the resulting argument, Luigi tried to wriggle away from his spot against the wall. He fell flat on the ground, crawling toward the other side of the room. At the very least, he'd like to know who he was dealing with. Maybe he could talk some sense into them. Or—as he remembered with a groan into his gag and a wiggle of his bound wrists—mime it to them.

Grambi... Popple might be awful at negotiation, but he was plenty good at knot-tying.

With a heave, Luigi managed to pull himself toward the door.

The argument was much louder now.

"50-50, final offer!" the other voice said. "Or else you'll have to lug all this stuff into town on your own..."

"You're robbing me blind, birdy!" Popple yelled. "Here, how about this? If I give you a good amount right now, can we talk about splitting up the pay later?"

"I feel like you're trying to swindle me, s'all..."

Popple laughed dryly. "Whatever amount I give and you get, I'm sure a thing that lives as simply as you is gonna be mighty happy with it, see?"

Luigi managed to shuffle against the wall just enough so that he could peer around the corner and beyond the front door. He peeked cautiously, trying to find where the conversation was.

A blur of muddy orange stood across from Popple, almost obscured by the shine of the sun peeking over the mountaintop. Luigi squinted, trying to make out the silhouette. It looked vaguely familiar.

The other voice—halfway through talking—suddenly went silent. It took a brief pause for the conversation to get back to its normal rhythm.

"...y-yeah, that sounds good..."

"It does...? I mean— yeah, of course it does! Then, if we're doing this, I best be telling you my terms..." Popple said, clearing his throat. "First, you don't ask any questions. Second, you fly 'til we get to town. Third, after all's said and done, we go our separate ways. Sound easy enough?"

"Sure, sure, yeah..."

"Deal?"

"Deal...! C'mon, hurry it up, let's get moving already!"

"Slow your roll, pal... I gotta go get my stuff, see?"

He trudged off, making noticeable footstep sounds. Luigi scrambled back inside the house, trying to look as natural and nonchalant as he could, as though to mask the very obvious fact he was eavesdropping.

Popple didn't seem to care though, judging by the wide smug smile on his face. "Look alive, green!"

He walked inside the house, rubbing his hands together. Luigi's eyes widened as he realized Popple had the Poltergust prototype on his back. He seemed to be handling it rather haphazardly, judging by how the nozzle dragged in the dirt behind him.

"We gotta get going. And not a word or sound outta you. That nosy dino's got enough information already... he's probably already seen the wanted posters." He paused, only continuing through ground teeth. "And I am not looking to split this deal any more than I already have...!"

Before Luigi could react with so much as a glare, a sack was thrown over his head. He could see through the burlap, but not by much.

Once Popple was satisfied with that, he shoved Luigi back against the wall, knocking him down to his knees. He grunted as he hit the ground, eliciting a faint chuckle from the shadow thief.

"Stay here. I gotta load up the goods."

He left.

Though Luigi wanted nothing more than to go after Popple and teach him a lesson, he sat back. His body throbbed. He struggled to focus on what he could even do. Whoever it was taking him into town, he wasn't sure if they'd even care. He was a human... a faraway visitor- a tourist! Maybe he deserved this, for everything he'd done to the kingdom. His body shook; he was a bundle of fear, shame, and anger.

All he had reliably left was his sense of hearing.

There was a constant back-and-forth. Popple would walk out of the house, coins and trinkets jingling with each step he took. Then (after a few exchanged words outside) he'd come back in empty-handed and the cycle would start again. He'd grab another bag or crate, heave and ho, and carry it outside to his awaiting accomplice.

Finally, Popple came back for his last barter: Luigi. He grabbed him up by his tied wrists, pulling him to his feet and nudging him along.

"Not a word," he warned with a hiss. He made sure to whisper, threatening Luigi one last time for good measure.

Only able to trust his hearing, he listened and followed wherever Popple guided. He heard the shuffling of fabric (passing through a doorway), then boots crunching in gravel as wind swept his hair (walking out along the cliffside). He wondered if any of the Hoohooligans were nearby... what a pathetic sight he'd be.

The other voice returned again.

"Oh... so... THAT... is your last piece of cargo?"

Popple pushed against Luigi's back.

"Sure is!"

Luigi froze as he felt a gust of air breeze past him. The sack over his eyes wasn't doing him any favors. He had no idea how close he was to the cliff's edge. He waited, hesitantly, for an answer from anyone.

"Hmm... well that's not suspicious at all. Good thing you told me not to ask questions!" The voice hooted.

Luigi's shoulders stiffened at that response. Great. Just his luck.

Equally as unhelpful, Popple laughed and smacked a hand against Luigi's shoulder blades. He pulled him forward and hoisted him up quickly, shoving him onto an unseen mount. It took a second for Luigi to regain his bearings and sit in a somewhat decent position. Once he did though, Popple's gloved hands grabbed at his.

He untied and retied Luigi's wrists so he was unable to pull away from what seemed to be an almost equine neck. It was kind of like a Yoshi's. When he managed to feel around, his palms pressed into rough, leathery skin. Startled at the sensation, he leaned back slightly. Popple seemed unphased by his movement.

"We head out now, then?" he asked. He turned his head away from Luigi.

"Yessiree! Just grab onto my talons! Then we'll be good to go…"

The shadow thief did as instructed, Luigi listening as Popple's shoes scraped against the ground.

But as he got into position, something brushed against Luigi's face. He froze in fear as the burlap around his eyes shifted. Soon, something small, hard, and sharp pricked at his chin. It found what it was looking for, though, and hooked beneath the burlap.

In one fluid motion, the unseen something lifted the sack up and off Luigi's face. He blinked as soon as his vision was clear again, squinting at the sun.

Only then did it occur to him that he could see.

They were on the edge of the mountain cliffside, just as he originally thought. Looking below, he saw they were perched in a nest, Popple's loot strapped down with cords, ropes, and straps behind him. Two wings flapped impatiently on either side of the creature who bore the load. His orange, leathery body was quite the sight for sore eyes. Luigi put two and two together instantly.

The one whose back he was sitting upon, was none other than Blablanadon.

Luigi's blue eyes widened, and it was rather lucky he couldn't speak, because he had a million questions. This didn't seem right! It was just like he'd said when he was talking to that Hoohooligan girl... Blablanadon was a good guy! He didn't seem the type to—

Even Luigi's muffled noises seemed to translate to Blablanadon, who lifted up a spare talon and shushed Luigi silently. He eyed below, holding out both talons for Popple to grab onto. Luckily, the shadow thief seemed none the wiser to Luigi and Blablanadon's wordless conversation. He swiftly discarded the burlap bag hanging off the end of his wing.

With a wink, Blablanadon turned his head back to the horizon. He shook himself off, spreading his wings.

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's get this over with. Hurry it up!"

"With pleasure!"

With that, he gestured to Luigi and nodded his head, as though telling him to hang on. There wasn't much Luigi could do to disobey that command, really, seeing as his wrists were tied around the prehistoric creature. He gripped as hard as he could, squeezing his eyes shut as Blablanadon took to the skies.

With a flap of his wings, he glided down the mountainside, the three headed toward Beanbean Castle Town in the distance.

A few minutes later and they were hovering above lush greenery. The thicket grew over the outskirts of town. The tangles and growth caused the environment to mutate, with bushes and trees of all shapes and sizes covering the land like a thick blanket. It was then, when they were flying over the overgrown trees, that Blablanadon set his plan into motion.

Luigi first noticed it with how he whistled and moved his free talon beside Popple's shoulders. He swung his claws idly. Luigi watched in awe as Blablanadon snaked a claw carefully beneath the straps of the Poltergust. Luigi could do nothing but hold his breath, gripping tighter and tighter to the pterosaur's neck.

Much to his relief, Popple didn't seem to notice anything.

"How much longer?" he asked, itching to have this over and done with.

The rushing of wind seemed to have numbed the thief's ears, as it did with Luigi's. He almost wished he still had the bag over his head. He moved his head slightly, trying to shield himself from the elements.

"Soon. Soon! I promise!" Blablanadon insisted.

He bought them a little more time with another flap of his wings, but it wasn't long before he was back to pulling off his heist. He shifted his grip.

Once he had a grasp on the Poltergust, a smile stretched across his face. He looked back at Luigi, as though he were expecting him to have the same reaction. Luigi was still a bit too confused to be fully onboard with the operation.

Firmly clasping at the straps of the Poltergust, Blablanadon swung it back and off Popple's shoulders. He got one side off, but the other was still obviously attached to Popple's arm: the one gripping tightly at Blablanadon's talon. As soon as the thief realized what was happening, he looked up.

That set him off.

"Ay, what's the big idea? Tryna get your mitts on my loot?" he shouted.

"No, actually!" Blablanadon replied bitterly. "I'm just returning something... and someone... that you stole, Mr. Turned-Over-A-New-Leaf!"

Popple's face contorted instantly. He frowned, yammering out curse words and vile obscenities. Luckily for both he and Luigi, Blablanadon wasn't having any of it.

"You can't go back on your word like that!" Popple shrieked, face turning purple with anger. "We had a deal, see?"

"Yeah?"

Blablanadon shouted, seizing up.

"Well, the deal's off!"

With a powerful flick, his talon loosened. Popple had no chance to regain his grip.

He was airborne, for a second, before he went plummeting toward the ground below. Luigi watched with wide eyes as Popple fell, screaming expletives all the while. He watched until the shadow thief was nothing more than a tiny dot, and until he was lost to the thrall of the thicket.

"Well! That's that!"

With a proud grin, Blablanadon turned back to Luigi. He then revealed the Poltergust attached to his talon, which was safely intact.

Luigi's stunned expression didn't change. Blablanadon stopped in midair, flapping his wings idly while helping Luigi get the gag out of his mouth.

The first thing he said was:

"...I-Is he going to be okay?"

...followed up quickly with:

"W-What just happened?"

"Yeah, of course, of course! He'll just land in the trees!" Blablanadon hollered back at Luigi. He started flying off again. "And THAT, my green friend, was a rescue!"

"W-What?"

"Soon as I got back last night, I heard from the Hoohooligans that you were there, and that you were in some massive trouble! Heard your fight, ya'know… I always thought the houses have way too many holes in them, but it makes it mighty easy to eavesdrop!"

"O-Oh."

Luigi's eyes went down to his pocket. He glanced over the copper necklace he'd been gifted.

"So! I donned the personality of a conman and went to Popple to help him out…" His free talon flexed, like fingers doing air quotes. "And boy, did he buy it! Well... I mean, he went along with it. But it got the job done! Pffft, as if I would ever believe he'd turned to good... no sir, I didn't believe him for a second! And have no fear, I'd never help him out unless it was for a good cause..."

His chattering faded in Luigi's ears. His wings flapped again, the two gliding through the temperate sky.

Below, Luigi caught the sight of mint-colored ghosts flittering back and forth through the thicket... but there was no sign of people beyond that. How strange, he considered, to be surrounded by blossoming, thriving plant life, but for the world to be so quiet. Without the help of the lush landscape, the kingdom looked barren.

Luigi squinted into the wind. Through the clouds, he caught the view of tall, towering spires: Beanbean Castle. He didn't realize tears had formed in his eyes until he felt a trickle down his chin. He rubbed the side of his face into his shoulders.

"...I was just relieved to see you were still alive and well! I thought I gave it away when I noticed you were, but..." He stopped upon hearing Luigi's stifled sounds. "Oh. Hey. You okay, Luigi?"

Brought to reality, he tuned back into Blablanadon's speaking. "O-Oh. Me? Yeah. I'm alright." Luigi sniffled. "Just thinking."

"Well, hey, look on the bright side. I heard you got two pieces of the Beanstar. And now that Popple's gone, they're back in your possession! Plus, now you have all sorts of riches…" Blablanadon shifted his back, snickering, "hehe… just kidding. I'll return them back to the village as soon as possible."

"Thank you…" Luigi said.

He looked to the horizon line, leaning his weight against Blablanadon's neck. Blablanadon took notice of Luigi's wistful expression.

"What else is weighing down your ol' conscience, friend? Is it Popple? Don't worry about him. Knowing him, he'll be back to his thieving self in a few hours…"

Luigi's gaze shifted. The sun shimmered along the moat surrounding Beanbean Castle. Luigi stared down hard at it, losing himself in the rippling waters.

"Blablanadon," he said, "weren't you visiting town?"

"Huh?"

"While you were gone… I heard... I thought that you were visiting town," he muttered. "Why were you there?"

"O-Oh! Me? Haha, well, ya'know, I was just… just checking on… uh, the village. The castle. And stuff…" Blablanadon nervously babbled. "I mean… it's not like I was just visiting to check on... uh... one person in particular..."

Luigi raised an eyebrow. His silence made the pterosaur crack under pressure.

"Okay, fine, you caught me! I went to town so I could check on Prince Peasley!"

At that remark, Luigi sat up.

"...but only 'cus he and I go way back, and he's really cool, and I-I would be really sad if something were to happen to him...! I mean, of course I did check on the Queen and stuff... I mean, I tried to, at least! But Peasley was just easy to check on, he's right out in the middle of the courtyard—"

"Peasley?" Luigi cut him off. His grip tightened on Blablanadon. "You saw him? H-His... his statue? Is he okay?"

"Oh... y-yeah, I-I might have seen him… briefly..." Blablanadon laughed off his nervousness. If reptiles could blush, he would be.

"Then, he's okay?" Luigi repeated. He nearly choked Blablanadon the way his anxious grip was tightening. "He's not hurt, right?"

After Luigi eased up, Blablanadon took a breath and continued.

"He's as dazzling as ever..." He sighed dreamily before cutting himself off. "And hurt? Nope! He's doing fine… well, as fine as he can be as a marble statue. But he's free of imperfections from what I saw. No chips, cracks, nuffin!"

Luigi sat back, allowing a deep exhale of relief to escape him. He'd been worried sick since he last heard Boo and Hellen talking about Peasley in Hoohoo Village. He hadn't even realized the grave number it was doing on his psyche.

But now, here was someone telling him it was alright. After all, Blablanadon had just been there! So Peasley was okay! He still couldn't find it in him to smile just yet, but he let himself be relieved. He breathed out evenly.

"So what happens after this?" Blablanadon continued asking questions. "I know Popple wanted to go into town, but we really ought to pivot toward Gwarhar Lagoon. I don't know if you heard, but—"

"The next Beanstar piece is there... r-right?"

"Huh! Word travels fast these days, I suppose..." Blablanadon said. "Then let's head off that way, shall we?"

Changing direction, Blablanadon caught a traveling gust of wind, using it to propel him forward. He flew at a diagonal, steering toward the other side of the kingdom. They flew right over Beanbean Castle, which Luigi looked down at with sad eyes.

The castle was covered in black, rotting thorns, with thick, dangerous brambles littering every inch of the once-beautiful structure. The turquoise shrubbery was dead, fluttering away in the breeze, only replaced with hard, dark roots. The only way in was from the top of the spiraling thicket, where a little hole let flying things venture in and out. Luigi assumed that was how Blablanadon managed to sneak in so easily.

He raised his head slowly from the mess.

"So, you're gonna be our kingdom's hero once again, eh? And without your sibling this time too!" Blablanadon laughed. "It's really no wonder Peasley fancies you! You're just about as cool as him..."

Luigi normally reveled in the praise he got, but he couldn't seem to find it within himself to accept it. If only Blablanadon knew— if only everyone knew how he'd gotten them into this mess.

"You can handle it though, I'm sure. I know you can." Blablanadon looked back at Luigi. "Right?"

"R-Right!"

Luigi lifted his shoulders, laughing nervously. His wrists were starting to hurt. He wondered when they'd land so he could get untied. He wondered, for just a moment, that maybe this was all just another trick and Blablanadon was leading him straight to his doom.

He shook his head, keeping his gaze locked on the clouds ahead, each of them scattered haphazardly. He tried to follow their patterns, but they jumbled together.

If he kept his head in the clouds, it was like everything was normal. It was like he could still go back home, like he could still travel through the skies and go all the way back to the Mushroom Kingdom if he wanted to. The sunshine would shimmer down on his face, filling him with warmth and hope, and he wouldn't have to feel shameful about it.

He wished he could pretend.

He wished he could imagine that Peasley was okay. He wished he could imagine that the Beanbean Kingdom had never been ravaged by ghosts. Perhaps, if he'd never come here at all, then none of this would have happened. Had E. Gadd merely been testing him? Was this all some sort of awful mistake?

Oh, dear Stars above, what had he done?

His eyes fell. Below he and Blablanadon were sprinklings of ghosts, roaming about here and there, jumping out at each other and laughing. He squinted, trying to make out a citizen in the streets. Just knowing that one person was okay, that one denizen of the kingdom had managed to escape painting entrapment, or petrification, or something worse... he'd be given just enough hope.

His throat closed. Tears flooded his eyes as he realized the streets were only inhabited by ghosts. Any determination he had left fizzled.

He pulled back on Blablanadon's neck. The pterodactyl stopped midair, flapping his wings rapidly. Concerned, he turned back to look at Luigi.

"What is it?"

"We can't go back. N-Not yet."

"But, the next piece! It's in the lagoon—"

"I-I know!"

Luigi didn't mean to yell, but it came out that way.

"I-I know. I know. But I can't go back yet. I have to think of a plan, I-I need more time. I-I just…"

He trailed off. He wanted to say he wasn't ready, he wanted to confide in the friend-of-a-friend, as though he could spill his soul and deepest fears. He wanted to say how afraid, how deeply terrified, he was of failing. That, if he messed up again, he was out of tries. He wouldn't be able to bounce back.

Whenever Mario found out (if he ever did), it would be months down the line. And what could his older brother do against a hoard of ghosts? It's not like he'd done anything before. Mario couldn't fight his way out of a painting frame. And without Professor E. Gadd, there was no hope of stopping them.

Luigi couldn't even bring himself to speak. He couldn't finish his thoughts. Instead, he tugged on Blablanadon, pulling eastward and guiding him toward the north. Wordlessly, the two changed plans.

Blablanadon nodded understandingly and flapped his wings, taking off to the North region: one of the only places where the thicket didn't grow.

"Just need some more time, eh?" he tried.

Luigi didn't—rather, couldn't—confirm or deny that.

They continued as the day passed on. They flew closer to the border, soaring above Teehee Valley and over the lush outskirts of Castle Town.

Soon, they hovered over the twinkling, ever-dusk Stardust Fields. Stars still fell, and the land was still its familiar shade of deep purple. With where he and his brain were at, Luigi appreciated anything familiar. It was funny, he thought, how some things never seem to change.

However, he wound up speaking too soon. Because one thing had changed... one very major thing.

"S-Stop!"

Blablanadon's quick pace halted. He flipped around in mid-air, flapping his wings anxiously.

"W-Whuzzit?!"

"Look!"

Luigi pointed. Blablanadon squinted his eyes, getting a little closer to the country border. He gasped upon realizing what Luigi was gesturing to.

"Is that—?"

And it was.

Impossibly, lying out on the ground plain as day, there sat a piece of the Beanstar. It was right in the middle of Stardust Fields. It glowed its familiar, comforting green color, shimmering brilliantly in the dim lighting. It reflected off the many shards of fallen and shattered stars, generating a spectacular kaleidoscope of bright light. It was like a beacon, beckoning them closer.

Upon confirming the existence of the piece, Blablanadon did exactly as it beckoned, flapping his wings and heading in the direction of the glowing piece. Luigi held on and nodded, but a part of him stirred with all sorts of new anxiety.

It was easy. Too easy, in fact, Luigi couldn't help thinking with a grimace. This was his third piece. If he picked this one up, he was already halfway there. The cautious side of Luigi knew it was just too good to be true.

Blablanadon flew downwards, aiming toward the ground, bringing out both talons in front of him as though to come in for a landing. It was only then that Luigi's rationality kicked in, hard. He went to shout, tried to explain that they needed more time to think this through—

But two new voices spoke first, cutting through the sudden tension. Luigi's blood ran cold as they issued a single command, screaming over his scattered thoughts.

"Fire at will!"

"Watch out!"

Luigi screamed.

Without thinking, he pulled up on his wrists. Blablanadon choked as Luigi tugged his hands upward, hacking and coughing as he swerved out of the way just in time. A sudden bullet from a blaster whizzed right past them, shooting up into the clouds and out of sight.

It wasn't long before another fired off. The abrupt barrage threw both Luigi and Blablanadon for a loop.

"Hang on!"

Blablanadon spiraled toward the ground. Luigi held back his dizziness, trying to focus his attention on keeping out of harm's way. Luckily, Blablanadon seemed to keep that in mind too, diving out of the way of stray Bullet Bills.

Some got too close for comfort, though, barely grazing past the two. Another whizzed past, followed by a rapidfire ambush.

One Bullet Bill came in fast, aimed dangerously close to hitting Luigi right in the face. He shut his eyes and braced, but in the nick of time, Blablanadon blocked the attack by lifting up a wing. He winced and grunted in pain as it made contact, but things moved too fast for Luigi to assess the damage. He smelled strongly of smoke.

They fluttered downwards, Blablanadon struggling to keep airborne. They soon landed on the ground. The airs seemed to settle, a thankful pause in the onslaught. Luigi sighed wearily atop Blablanadon's back. The pterosaur similarly huffed.

Mechanical whirring sounded nearby. That got Luigi's attention.

"Ghoulish scum!" A voice suddenly announced. "Do not attempt to enter this area!"

"You will be dealt with in a manner most befitting of your kind!" Another joined in. "Fall back and retreat immediately, or face our firepower!"

Blablanadon shook his head. He raised a wing. "Woah, woah, wait! Please! We come in peace!"

"R-Right!" Luigi added on. It was pure adrenaline making him talk. "We're friends!"

"Friends?"

There was a long pause.

"...Sergeant Starshade, assess these two for whether or not their 'friend' status is truthful..."

"Yes, sir! I am currently seeing one orange pterodactyl and one green-clad human! They carry no weapons. They only have cargo on their backs. I would say their threat level is very low, sir!"

"Hrmm... sounds trustworthy enough. Proceed, newcomers!"

Though still utterly confused and recovering from the whirlwind of being attacked, Luigi and Blablanadon followed the voices, looking up. Their gaze traveled over to a nearby hill (which was actually a manmade fort crafted out of fortified sandbags). Two mushroom-capped heads peeked over the sides. They both held telescopes, peering down at Luigi and Blablanadon with great interest.

"Wait, wait, wait just a moment! General Starshade, are you seeing what I'm seeing?"

"What is it?"

"I believe it's..."

More murmuring and muttering between the two ensued. Luigi and Blablanadon exchanged a dazed, perplexed glance.

"Yes, yes, indeed! That facial hair and green color confirmed my initial sighting. It can only be one man!"

General Starshade folded up his telescope, putting it away. He hopped over the sandbag hill, marching down toward Luigi.

"Master Luigi, am I correct?"

"Y-Yes...?"

"Ha-ha! Just as I thought. Very good!"

He went to shake Luigi's hand, stopping when he realized Luigi's wrists were tied. He didn't seem to care though, finding it only a minor setback. Like magic, he looked over the knots and found just the right rope to pull, which untied his wrists almost instantly. The ropes fell away.

Finally able to move, Luigi slid off Blablanadon's back. The ground had never felt so welcoming. Both amazed and greatly thankful, he rubbed at his burning wrists... right before he was captured in two long handshakes from both General and Sergeant Starshade.

"It's been so long since we saw you and your... oh... ehm, your brother..." General Starshade started before trailing off, looking between Blablanadon and Luigi. "Hm. Where is Master Mario? Is this him? Was he transformed into a flying dinosaur by that royal ghost and his lackeys!"

Luigi frowned. He supposed Blablanadon didn't make it over to Stardust Fields very often. "N-No, Mario's back home, in the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Right! Well, it's good to know we have aid coming in from overseas!"

"N-No, he... I-I don't think Mario knows anything about what's going on, really..."

"Oh! Well...! That's... hm."

Luigi shuffled back and forth, rubbing at his arm. He sheepishly, ever-so-quietly, issued a tiny: "y-yeah. Sorry..."

They were all quiet then, no one quite sure what to say. Blablanadon seemed to sense the awkward tension creeping in, so he threw himself forward, hoping to fill the gap.

"Uhm, well... ya'know, Luigi here is gonna save our kingdom all on his own! He told me so... and I know he's got it in him to do it!"

"Blablanadon..." Luigi half-whined.

"Is that so?"

"Yep! I mean, he's already got two pieces of the Beanstar and... oh yeah, right! Duh, that's why we're here!" Blablanadon shook his head. "Do you two have a piece of the Beanstar? We saw one when we were flying overhead, it's why we landed here in the first place. Luigi's collecting them, ya'see. He's gonna repair the Beanstar, and get those nasty ol' ghosts out of our kingdom!"

Blablanadon raised one of his wings, imitating a grand gesture.

The Starshade Bros. exchanged a glance. They nodded behind their sunglasses, eyes glinting with a sort of all-knowing confirmation.

"So... you… you do have a piece, then?"

The brothers nodded in that same way again, but they refused to say anything out loud. They shuffled backward in sync, over to a dark corner of the fields. Blablanadon and Luigi followed, albeit hesitantly.

They found the Starshade Bros. standing in a ring of Bullet Bill blasters, where the Beanstar piece laid out on top of a barrel. It shined as bright as ever.

"It's bait, you see," Sergeant Starshade explained. "Whoever comes over here, we scare them off with a few warning blasts and bam! Anti-ghost measures are active!"

"You could imagine our surprise when a piece of the Beanstar dropped right into the fields one night."

"Naturally, we set up defenses against the ghost army we'd caught wind of... we knew they'd want a piece of the star. And we knew we'd have to protect it."

General Starshade picked it up, dusting it off on his blue vest. He continued shining it idly as he walked back over to Luigi and Blablanadon and held it out. The two leaned over the piece as Starshade showed it off. Blablanadon "ooh"-ed and "ahh"-ed.

"It's real, r-right?" Luigi went to confirm.

"Sure is!"

He passed it into Luigi's hands.

Immediately, Luigi was overcome with that same comforting glow: the one the pieces seemed to harness. For the first time in hours, he felt truly safe. His racing heartbeat calmed, and the tumult of his thoughts slowed. Even his drowsiness seemed to fade. It was like being completely enveloped in the hug of an old friend.

"We've been guarding it ever since it fell into our grasp..."

"Nearly two weeks, sirs!"

"And as you can see, we've had stellar success with keeping it safe!"

Luigi smiled. He nodded and went to give it back, but General Starshade pushed it away. The Starshade Bros. stood shoulder to shoulder, smiling wide as Luigi held onto the piece tight. His knuckles were white as he clutched it close.

It was all too easy. "You're... giving it to me?"

"Yes, sir. We know it will be safe with you." The brothers announced. They almost spoke in unison.

"B-But—"

"I'd say you have plenty of an advantage now. You're halfway there, after all…"

"And lucky for you, we've got intel that could get you all the way to that ghost's doorstep..."

"Huh?"

"What is it?!" Blablanadon asked, jumping.

He was the more excited one out of the pair. Or, rather, the one with more energy.

General Starshade started, leaning in and whispering. "This is top-secret information, but... there's talk of another Beanstar piece, just north of Beanbean Castle Town. It's relatively easy to get to. Word is, one of the ghosts in those parts is rather friendly, and actually enjoys the company of humans..."

"And, as the talk goes, that ghost apparently has a piece of the Beanstar. They might be willing to hand it over to you, so our sources say..."

They paused, letting both Luigi and Blablanadon process the information.

"...well, that's great news! 'Cus if that's true..." Blablanadon paused; he seemed to be thinking it out in his head. As soon as he did though, a smile burst on his face. "If that's true, then we know where all the pieces are! That means we're almost there! No more ghosts!"

"Precisely."

Luigi looked up. He tried not to let himself get too excited, but even he couldn't be jaded when it came to the good news. No matter which way he spun it, this was all good. A friendly ghost. An easy mission. And now he knew where all the pieces were. Maybe things really were turning around. Maybe, just maybe, things were finally, finally going his way. All he needed to do was get those pieces... then get to the castle... and then he'd free Peasley! And then finally, this nightmare would be over.

A new wave of optimism swirled in him. He turned to his flying companion. Even if it was nighttime, he didn't care, he needed to head out now. Luigi eyed the pterosaur, hope willing itself into his voice.

"Blablanadon, when can we leave?" he asked.

"Oh! Uhm, well... you can leave whenever you like," Blablanadon said, chuckling nervously. "But... uh, I won't be able to fly you there."

"What? W-Why...?"

The answer, as it turned out, was difficult. Blablanadon sheepishly lifted his left wing: the very same one he'd protected Luigi with when they'd flown into the fields. The wing was torn, a nasty tear in the lining.

Luigi's eyes went wide. He leaned back, gasping. "A-Are you alright?"

"It'll heal... but it'll take some time..." Blablanadon explained. "So... I can't join you for the next stretch of the journey. But I'll be rooting for you from the mountaintop! I swears it! I'll keep an eye out for you... and for Peasley too."

"B-But... how will I...?"

Interrupting Luigi's anxious mumblings, Sergeant Starshade cleared his throat and stepped forward. He marched between the dino and plumber, handing each of them sleeping bags and depositing blankets into their arms. He handed both a steel, water-filled canteen too.

"Sirs! It's getting late. Might we suggest resting before heading out?"

Luigi shook his head, trying to return both things. "I can't, I-I need to..."

"—weeeell, I think that sounds like a great idea! Don't you?" Blablanadon stepped in front of Luigi, holding his uninjured wing up in front of his sad, pale face. "Of course we'll stay the night."

General Starshade fixed his shades with a smile. "Then follow us. We've set up a temporary base and campsite."

He led them back into the heart of Stardust Fields. When they came to the site, it proved to be nothing much. There were a few tents, barrels, and supplies laid out around an unlit campfire.

Everyone eventually settled. Luigi sat back against a barrel. He picked at dead skin on his hands, trying to find a way to relax. He wasn't keen on the idea of getting rest. The last time sleep was involved, he'd wound up bound and nearly sold off to his arch-nemesis. So he focused on everything else around him instead. The Starshade Bros. were talking back and forth, negotiating plans, while Blablanadon worked on organizing Popple's haul off his back.

Luigi got closer, observing the collection. Blablanadon worked meticulously, picking up bags of coins with his beak and dropping them into piles. Luigi guessed that, if anyone knew what would belong to who, it was Blablanadon.

"How is it?"

"Good! Good." Blablanadon smiled. "You know, despite everything being thrown into these bags, it's actually pretty organized. I'll give Popple credit where it's due, ha-ha! See, look here. This one mostly has things that belong to Bea and her partner..."

"Bea?"

"Yeah!"

Blablanadon flicked a wing back behind him, showing off a tiny pocket sundial. It hung off the end of his wing.

"Bea is… oh! Right. I didn't introduce you to her. Well, she's that nice Hoohooligan you met. She let me know what happened to you. She and her partner are a real pair of sweethearts! Kind of reminds me of you and Peasley… they're a homebody and an adventurer couple! Haha... ha..."

Luigi listened, but he kept his eyes on the sundial. It didn't reflect in the dark lighting of the fields, but it glittered. Faint sparkles in the copper caught his eyes. He thought of the sun.

He thought of his prince. He thought about his shining face and golden hair, the memory of his smile gleaming in the back of his mind. Bittersweet tears welled in his eyes the more he thought. He kept quiet, nearly losing himself to the anguish, pondering endlessly on the state of his lost lover.

Blablanadon brought his focus back.

"...but yeah, she's great— oh! This is yours, right?"

Luigi looked up.

Blablanadon plucked up Luigi's Poltergust prototype, which had been carefully set aside. Immediately Luigi jumped up, seizing it with both hands and holding it protectively. He had nearly forgotten about it in all the commotion.

"Woah! You've got some quick grabbers. Sorry to keep it from you!"

"No, no, it's okay…" Luigi said. He exhaled. "It's okay."

He glanced down at the device, feeling it rumble with ghostly life (or rather, lack of life) beneath his hands. He tried out the nozzle, relieved it was still working. His hands shook as he flicked the switch in the opposite direction.

"What is that?"

"Huh? Oh. It's… uh, a-a ghost-catching pack. I've been capturing some of the ghosts..."

"Wait. Wait, wait, wait," Blablanadon exclaimed. "You can DO that?!"

The amazement in his voice lightened Luigi's spirits for a moment. Sometimes he forgot just how utterly strange his paranormal work must have looked to the outside world. Sucking up ghosts with a vacuum? It was a wild story, he had to admit.

"Y-Yeah," he replied. "I can. It's pretty helpful, honestly..."

"That's so cool! Wow!" Blablanadon grinned. "Oh! And you know the best thing about that? It's gonna make your solo adventure super easy! Those ghosts are really gonna learn to fear the name Luigi!"

"Y-Yeah." Luigi chuckled softly. "Ri..."

The sudden reminder of going "solo" hit him all at once, like a weight being slammed into his chest. His eyes darted back down to the Poltergust, struck with something he'd forgotten. He quickly slung the pack over his back.

"Wow, hey, what's the matter?"

Without waiting or even shouting a warning to the others, he pressed down on the nozzle button, air starting to blow out of the Poltergust in heavy, sharp gusts. The pack rumbled, almost angrily, as it began spitting out ghosts. Most notably, the first was a big blur of barking, excitable white.

Just the sight brought Luigi to tears.

"Polterpuppy!"

Polterpup leaped out of the nozzle and immediately jumped around Luigi, yapping excitedly. Luigi threw the nozzle down. He nearly dropped the pack in his haste, relieved beyond belief at the sight of his canine companion. Polterpup barked again, jumping up and licking Luigi across the face.

"Ohh... I missed you, buddy..." Luigi whispered, hugging Polterpup tight. "Hi..."

He'd started the waterworks already, which Polterpup was no stranger to. He gently nudged the tears off of Luigi's face.

"Ghost!"

The sound of shouting caught his attention. He wiped at his face and looked around.

Thankfully, he hadn't accidentally released any other ghosts in his attempt to free Polterpup... so that meant the Starshade Brothers' gaze rested upon none other than Luigi's spectral pooch. They pulled out handheld blasters and aimed it at the two, which sent a shiver up Luigi's spine.

"W-Wait—" he started, but Sergeant Starshade cut him off.

"Sir! Threat level is..."

The pup barked, rolling over on his back and showing off his belly.

"...low?"

"Master Luigi, what is the meaning of this?"

"This is my pet!" Luigi held up both hands, standing between the brothers and Polterpup. "He- He's my friend. Popple captured him, but I just got him out... s-so! T-There's no cause for alarm, I promise!"

The brothers put away their blasters and approached with a healthy amount of caution. Timidly, Sergeant Starshade held out a hand to Polterpup, which the pooch licked eagerly. He barked and panted, circling the mushroom-capped siblings.

"I-I think he likes you..." Luigi laughed.

"Luigi! Hey! Look what I found!"

While Luigi was introducing Polterpup, Blablanadon had busied himself with searching the piles again. He approached now, balancing on one wing and holding out a dark bundle of cloth. He held out Luigi's cloak, which had (apparently) been stuffed in a crate.

Luigi leaned forward and cautiously peeled back the fabric.

That revealed the two other pieces of the Beanstar he'd collected, still sitting snugly in the bundle. Luigi picked both of them up, one by one, bringing all three pieces together. As he did, they seemed to glow brighter. His face lit up.

"What a sight!" The Starshade Bros. perked up, pulling down their shades. "Looks like you're well on your way, Master Luigi!"

"Yeah... I-I... I guess I am."

He glanced down at the pieces. The green of their glow reflected back in his eyes, creating a captivating turquoise color. He wasn't even conscious of it, but his hands were shaking, almost to a violent degree. He felt far too vulnerable just holding them out in the open.

Paranoia sticking, he looked up at the pile of loot ahead of him. "Blablanadon, did you, uh, f-find a bag...? Like an old backpack...? W-While you were looking?"

"Oh! That was yours, huh?" Blablanadon went over to one of the crates. "I didn't know. I mean, it didn't look like anything the Hoohooligans owned, so... guess I shoulda..."

He bent over, picking up a flimsy sack in his beak. Turning, he dropped it into Luigi's lap.

As soon as it was in his grasp, Luigi dug inside the sack, releasing a held exhale as he felt the frayed, scratchy, familiar fabric of his old backpack. He pulled it out and opened it. He found inside the jar containing Gooigi, his blueprints, his tools, the gifts from Harhall... everything was still there. He huffed.

"I'll probably head out soon..." Blablanadon said, "just as soon as I get a few last things together..."

"Mm..."

Acting quickly, Luigi stuffed the three collected Beanstar pieces inside his backpack, wrapping them up in his cloak for safe-keeping. Shortly after, he threw the backpack over his shoulders. It joined the Poltergust, both secure. Nobody would be stealing from him any time soon; he vowed that much.

Eventually, the others dispersed. Blablanadon busied himself with packing things up, while the Starshade brothers returned to their artillery base.

Luigi, however, had his thoughts set on something else.

Without uttering so much as a word, he started walking in the opposite direction. He picked up his sleeping bag and water canteen, straping those in his arms and over his back. The weight on his back was starting to get a little too much to bear, but he managed. He strode forward, testing his legs (which felt like gelatin all over again). Whatever lied ahead, he knew it was going to be one heck of a journey... and a lot of walking. Perhaps he'd find another flying friend along the way.

He could only hope, and wish, with all the willpower he had left in him. He clutched the weight of the Beanstar pieces in his bag, ensuring their safety. Polterpup followed obediently at his heels, sitting down and wagging his tail.

Luigi looked ahead. His eyes roved over the quiet, empty border, and into the distant kingdom. Soon he'd travel through Hoohoo Mountain once more, and soon he'd make it back into town. Soon he'd have the next piece. And soon, he'd put an end to this.

Turning back, he called out to the others, thanking them for everything. Whether they heard or not, he didn't know, but nothing would stop his one track mind at this point. They had their duties to tend to. Luigi had his. And, though the thought really stung, it seemed he was better off on his own anyway. There was no chance of hurting people, or getting himself hurt.

He fixed the wrinkles on his clothes, marching along the pathways. He stopped right at the border line, where no Hammer Bros. awaited his entrance — not this time. The borderlands were relatively abandoned (save for the Starshade brothers, he supposed). His shoes brushed against the border line, kicking at gathered dust.

He thought about Mario. He thought back to the first time they were ever here.

He thought back to everything... everyone. The people, the places, all he was fighting for. Out of instinct, he grabbed at the Poltergust's nozzle, holding it out in front of him. The ghosts inside stirred. His body felt heavy, as though weighed down to the earth. He couldn't keep from shaking.

Swallowing, he stepped over the border.

And back into the Beanbean Kingdom he went.