Chapter 3: Who Are You?

"Luma? Hey Luma? Where'd you go?" Luigi looked around. "It's awfully dark out, isn't it?" It was as if no stars dared to shine in the night. "Luma? Come on, Luma! Where are y—?" He stopped and stared. "No way… Bowser's castle?" He stepped backwards. "How far did I wander?" He instinctively grabbed his arm, but it didn't hurt anymore. "My arm… it's not bleeding…"

"You there!" a koopa guard walked up to him. "What are you doing here? You know no Mushroom or Man is allowed on this property! Begone!" Luigi was shooed away.

"Mushroom Kingdom… at least, that's what it looks like… in a really grim way…" Luigi looked around at each house, until he came across two young children. "Toad! Toadette!"

"Yikes! What do you want?" Toad raised a fist.

"Guys, it's me, Luigi!"

"Who are you?" Toadette peeked from behind her brother. She looked pale and injured.

"What happened to you, Toadette?"

"Leave her alone! Get out of here!"

Luigi had no choice but to walk away. "They should know me… they always know me…" He felt a lump in his throat. "They're the only ones who don't forget me…" He perked his head up. "Daisy! Daisy should still be waiting for me by the fountain!" He started sprinting through the darkened streets. "Daisy!" But she wasn't there. In fact, it was completely empty as a chill blew through the air. "What's going on? Luma!" He tried again. As he turned from the fountain, an enormous Boo rose from it and smiled a ghastly grin behind him. "No… this isn't right." He turned back and let out a yelp as he saw the spirit before him. He fell back, shivering from the cold of the muddy snow and from fear and shock at the sudden surprise.

The Boo cackled. "It's too easy! Oh, what fun!" And it vanished, as suddenly as it appeared.

Luigi tried to get up, but even through his gloves, the snow made his skin frost-bitten. "What's going on?"

"There you are!" the little Luma appeared next, almost giving Luigi as much of a shock.

"Where were you?" Luigi shook his head. "What's going on?"

"You've been given quite a gift, Master Luigi!"

"Yeah? What's that?"

"You get to see what the world is like without you."

"I bet it's a pleasant place."

"You think?" The Luma fluttered around him. "Was that Boo pleasant?"

"Well… no…"

"Too bad they've been released to roam about and pull pranks."

"Released by whom?"

"Bowser, of course."

"What are you talking about? Bowser can't rule! Mario has been taken care of him without my help for years!"

"Don't you remember? You're the only one who knew who swiped the princess that first time. And no one believed you, remember? Because no one else saw it happen!"

"Wait… no… the princess…"

"Has been captured. Her and her servants and even Toadsworth are Bowser's staff now."

"No…"

"All because a single teenaged boy did not see what happened. Because he wasn't there to."

"You're crazy! There's no way! This has to be exaggerated! I'm going to find Mario and tell him to kick Bowser's butt!"

"Um… I wouldn't—" but Luigi had taken off in his sprint. "Uh… Rosalina… you think he's ready for this so soon?"

Meanwhile, Luigi had made it to Mario's home. "Mario!" He pounded on the door. "Mario! Open up! Open up!"

When the door opened, it was not the person he expected. "Wario?" Luigi stared in shock. "What are you doing here?"

"Look at this little pipsqueak! He looks like fresh meat!" Wario thundered with laughter.

"I want to talk to Mario!"

Wario's laughter grew louder. "Hear that, Waluigi? He wants to see Mario!"

Waluigi appeared beside his brother and equaled his laughter.

"Let me in!" Luigi tried to push through, but was easily pushed back.

"Look here, greenie! Who are you to Mario?" Waluigi sneered.

"I'm his—" but he stopped. He got what he wanted. Mario appeared, but something was different and strange. He looked rougher somehow. His usually bushy mustache was scaggy and unkempt. His face was hard as he glared down at Luigi.

"Who's askin' for me?" Mario did not sound the same at all.

"This little runt!" Wario pointed. "Heh! He's like a—"

Mario raised his hand. "I asked one question and one question only, Wario. I don't expect a paragraph of explanation!"

Luigi was shocked at his harsh tone, but stood to approach him nonetheless. "Mario, you have to help."

"Help?" Mario turned to Waluigi, who shrugged. "What do you want me to do?"

"Save the princess!"

There was a pause, so painful for Luigi that he could barely stand it, then suddenly, the three of them laughed hysterically. "Save the princess, he says!" They continued roaring with laughter.

"Mario! You're the hero! You've got to remember that! You've got to remember me!"

"Who are you?"

The words hurt Luigi, deep in his heart. "Mario…" tears came to his eyes, "I'm your—"

"A crybaby!" Waluigi snickered. "No crybaby is welcome here, greenie!"

"Mario, I—" Mario pushed Luigi back, and he fell, astonished, a tear rolling freely down his face this time.

"Begone stupid crybaby!" Mario sneered as he and the others went back inside, and with not another word or glance, Mario slammed the door.

"Mario!" Luigi cried out. But it was pointless. "What happened to him?"

"With influences like Wario and Waluigi, he became a bully," the Luma, who had finally caught up to him, stated.

"What? Mario would never stand for that!"

"Not with you for a brother… but if you didn't exist…"

"This is impossible! It's crazy! Why wouldn't Mario save the princess?"

"He didn't find the need for it. The princess was not important to him…"

"But she's practically his soul mate!"

"Wrong again, Master Luigi… he was in love with another."

"No… not…"

"Pauline."

"No! That's impossible!"

"Who are you? And why are you talking about me with that little pixie dust?" Indeed, it was Pauline herself, walking up the path.

"You… you stay away from my brother! You're a—"

"You're still out here?" Mario growled.

"Mario! You've got to listen to me! This isn't the girl for you! The princess is!"

Pauline and Mario burst out laughing. "That damsel in distress?" Pauline gasped for breath. "Mario doesn't deserve a girl like that!"

"No! He doesn't deserve a girl like you!"

Mario grabbed Luigi by his collar. "Listen here!" Luigi was lifted off the ground by the strength of his brother. "You leave us alone, you hear?" He tossed him aside, and he and Pauline left.

Luigi did not move. He did not even look up to see them leave. He trembled at the ground. His shoulders shook, and he felt sick. "Luma… What happened to him?"

"He never grew as you knew him…" the Luma whispered softly. "He was not mature at four, and he developed terrible habits by hanging around his cousins."

"No…"

"You saved him from that, Luigi. Don't you see? You were the one who made Mario who he is today!"

"Luma… tell me…" He stood and clenched his fists. "Luma, please! Where is Daisy?"

The Luma was silent.

"Tell me where Daisy is!" Luigi desperately grasped the little Luma.

"I… I can't…"

"Tell me!"

"She-She's at home! In her castle! She's frightened and a coward…"

But Luigi had once again sprinted off.

"Master Luigi! Please! You don't want to see her like this!"

But Luigi paid no attention, if he could hear from the distance he was at all. He had lost all hope in this unfamiliar world after seeing his brother in his dreadful state. "Mario… cruel? Toad and Toadette… in terrible shape… Bowser ruling and ghosts… ghosts wandering about?"

"Rosalina…" the little Luma looked up to the heavens. "Is it alright to let him see this?"

"Be patient, child, for Luigi's lesson has already been set in. This last realization will put in him the teaching that will finish your mission."

Luigi crashed right into Daisy, who turned, terrified. "Who are you?" she gasped.