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Chapter Two- Shadows

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The heavy slamming of the oak front door of my house echoed throughout the house's surroundings, causing a few birds to panic and flutter away. I felt sad and confused more than angry, to be perfectly honest, but the look on my face would suggest otherwise. Was it really so wrong for me to want to be independent for once and move out to sustain myself?

I shook away the angry thoughts that still flooded my mind, realizing that if I wanted to cool down, I'd have to stop thinking about all this. I would simply have to accept that there are some things Mario wouldn't understand and it would take time for him to accept the way things are. With this new resolve, I began to walk, even letting the traces of a smile flit across my face as I took in the beauty of creation. Things were especially glorious this particular morning because a storm had just passed very recently, yet it was still fairly clear out and the sun created a most brilliant pastel pallet of colors as it began its very early morning ascent into the sky. Truly, it was enough to light up anybody's day and put them into a good mood.

I continued my walk, not even realizing that my feet were taking me to the castle until I noticed that I was at the outskirts of the tiny town surrounding the castle. Toad Town is a very nice little village that always seems to be quiet and content, filled with peace loving Toads that would be happy to give you the very vest off their backs if it meant making you happy like them.

I waved hello to the children playing in the park, watching them wave back with no idea in the slightest of who I am. It is always funny how nobody can remember one of the most common Italian names there is, yet there are even multiple pizza parlors in the Mushroom Kingdom that bear my name that everyone seems to remember. While it undeniably hurts a bit, it's best for me to keep going.

My footsteps echoed through the empty streets of Toad Town's main square, the constant steady clomps reverberating off of the classically designed cobblestone buildings. It was too early for any of the shops to be open, yet the pleasant silence always seemed welcoming compared to the crowds that would flood this very place in less than two hours.

A sudden ring of a bell on a shop door drew my attention and I found that the antique shop had just opened! Considering that I always found something interesting inside when I browsed, I decided to look around before perhaps seeing the princess and asking her for advice. As per usual, I found something calling out to me and I got it before heading off to the castle.

The walk was pleasant with the sun peaking out from behind the clouds and giving everything a vibrant pastel hue. A single buzzing bee flew by, singing of new life as I reached the open gates to the castle. Upon making it inside the large door to the castle, I found myself face to face with Toadsworth, who looked very stressed.

"So much to do, so much to do," I heard him muttering under his breath before he looked up and noticed me. "Oh! Master Luigi! What are you doing here?"

"W-well-"

I was cut off instantly as Toadsworth went all over my mistake of stuttering.

"Master Luigi, you musn't stutter!"

"B-but Toadsworth, I a-always stutter. It's just how I t-talk."

"Master Luigi, I would give you the lecture of a lifetime about how you could easily overcome your speech impediment, but unfortunately I'm very busy at the moment. I'm assuming you're here for business, so out with it."

After quickly and silently thanking Grambi that I wouldn't have to sit through one of Toadsworth's famous lectures, I quickly stated my business.

"M-Mario and I got into a fight and I w-want to talk to the p-princess."

Toadsworth sighed. "Unfortunately, the princess is busy right now, but if you go and sit down in one of the chairs next to the stairs on the second floor, you'll see her once she's done with the meeting she's in. Now I have to go, so don't touch anything and sit in that chair until you see the princess."

Toadsworth rushed off before I had a chance to reply to his last responses. Afterwards, I quickly walked into the castle to assume my place. The inside always astonished me. Everything from the elegant marble floors, to the high ceilings with decorative carvings covering each square inch of the wall. The castle was old, yet fitted with modern appliances such as electricity, in order to make it more comfortable. The blend of old and new were in perfect harmony and were the most beautiful things in the world to look at.

After finding my chair I was to sit it, I heard the most peculiar scratching noise. It is probably Bowser. Though he is surprisingly stealthy for a giant turtle, he does make mistakes. Time to investigate that noise.

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Running through the empty road in Toad Town, Mario had a frantic look frozen on his face, looking left and right for his little brother. He noticed that the peaceful town was not as lively like it usually was, but he didn't think about that too long. It was clear in his mind that he must find Luigi as soon as possible.

His eyes scanned throughout the town, looking for the green clothing that belonged to his brother, but to his disappointment, the familiar shade of green was nowhere to be found. His mind recalled that very morning where he fought with Luigi, recollecting how insensitive he was to him. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, mentally blaming himself for how foolish he was.

"Mario!" a yell startled him out of his thoughts.

Mario whipped his head around and stopped his movement, searching for the origin of the voice. His eyes eventually fell on a creature with a blue vest and a mushroom head.

"Finally, I found you! Mario, please come with me now! It's important!" Toad exclaimed with a panicked look on his face.

"What is it this time, Toad?" Mario snapped with an annoyed tone dominant in his voice. He swore that every time a Toad appeared, there was always some bad news that came along with it, or maybe the Toad wanted him to do some sort of errand. "I am sorry, but I am very busy now. If it is about-"

"No time to dwell on it now! You got to see this!" Toad cut Mario off and suddenly grabbed Mario's right hand, yanking him along.

"R-release me!" Mario tried to free his hand, but to no avail as Toad had him in an iron death grip. He had forgotten that Toad had an immense strength despite his small size. He guessed that the term 'don't judge a book by its cover' is true. He was forced to run on the tip of his toes as Toad was running on his top speed, dragging Mario at the same time without breaking a sweat. Sometimes Mario had to wonder why if the Toads were usually this fast and strong, why did Princess Peach always get kidnapped when she had a lot of Toad guards in her castle? Well, then again most of the Toads ARE cowards…

As they were quickly approaching the boundary of the woods near Peach's Castle, Mario put on his brakes by stomping both of his feet on the grass, allowing the soles' fiction to force Toad to slow down to a stop. He twisted his hand roughly out of Toad's grip.

"Stop pulling me!" snarled Mario with a clear anger tone in his voice. His eyes bore into Toad like a Chain Chomp trying to bite the head off of its victim murderously, causing Toad to unconsciously flinch and take a step back. "Look! I am very busy finding Luigi now! I can look at this 'thing' later, so would YOU leave me alone?!"

"I am sorry about this, Mario, but it is very important for you come with me," Toad apologized with tinge of sadness and fear in his voice, his eyes looking down at his shoes. "I-it's about your brother, Luigi."

As soon as the words left Toad's mouth, Mario's mind turned blank and Mario instinctively grabbed Toad's vest harshly with both of his hands. Toad couldn't help but yelp as Mario glared at him with those widened, penetrating blue eyes.

"What happened to Luigi?! Tell me!" Mario growled in front of Toad's face.

Toad unconsciously swallowed his saliva and shut his eyes, afraid to answer Mario's question. However, he knew that Mario will not take silence as an answer, so he opened his eyes and regained his composure, ready to face Mario's tantrum. "I-I am afraid that I can't tell you yet, as this place is not suitable for me to answer your questions, Mario. You just have to follow me to the site where I want you to come."

Truth to be told, after hearing Toad talk about Luigi, Mario got a cold feeling in his heart. It felt like a blade made of ice touching the surface of his soul. He couldn't help but sense something very BAD must had happened to his little brother. He just silently wished that his gut was wrong.

They quickened their steps as they went deeper into the woods. The atmosphere gave everyone, including Mario, a chill down their spines. Six Toads with navy uniforms and black caps could be seen gathered at a spot, and their face seem to display sadness and nervousness. However, it was not them that caught Mario's eyes, it was the item behind the Toad officials were looking at.

Mario drifted past the Toads, ignoring everything else and only focus on the mess before him. "L-Luigi…?" murmured Mario with a shaky voice, his widened eyes started to fill with tears. He felt like thousands of icy cold blades stabbed into Mario heart, tearing his very soul apart. Mario's body started to tremble, frozen on the spot, confirming the item is none other than Luigi's signature green hat.

His legs buckled onto the grass with a thud, and his eyes couldn't leave the sight of the hat in front of him. Luigi's green hat was slightly charred, and the hat was at the center of a ring of burnt desolation.

The red-spotted cap Toad who led Mario wanted to comfort him, but he knew that his words would not reach Mario's ears. Instead, a middle-aged Toad with pencil-thin moustache walked up to Mario, putting his right hand on Mario's shoulder. "Mr. Mario, it is an honour to meet you, but I wish we could meet at a better occasion. As you can see here, I believe this is the truth… Your brother had met a terrible fate. I am truly sorry for that."

Unable to say anything, Mario just let his tears flow down to the green grass, his hand gripped onto the grass. A billion of thoughts ran through in his mind, processing the fact that Luigi was dead, but in his heart, he refused to think his brother was truly… dead.

"This is all my fault… I shouldn't have fought with Luigi in the first place… if it wasn't because of me, he wouldn't have even died…" His voice dropped down to a whisper, talking to no one particularly. Only the Toad beside him could heard what Mario said.

'No… Luigi can't be dead… his body is not here… he must be still alive.' He shook his head to clear the negative thoughts away. Staring at the burn marks on the hat and the area around it, one thought, no, one individual came to his mind.

'Bowser…'

Mario stood up abruptly, startling the Toad beside him. He clenched his fists in anger, and he squeezed his eyes shut in attempt to stop the tears. He used his hands to wipe the flowing tears and opened his eyes back up. His eyes showed an infuriated fire in it; his knuckles turned white.

He picked up the green hat on the singe grass and put it close to his chest. He pushed the Toad away from him forcefully and walked away from the scene, heading to a destination in mind. The remaining Toad officials receded out of Mario's pathway, afraid to know what will happen if they blocked him.

"Chief! Are you alright?" one of the Toad official cried out.

Dusting his uniform off, the chief answered, "I am fine, young lad." Eying at the faint red shape that was getting further away, his sad eyes filled with pity. "However, I don't think Mr. Mario is fine right now. He does need some time to accept the fact that his brother died. I did remember when my father died… it took a very long while for me get over it."

"Chief, do you really think that Mr. Luigi died? His corpse is not here," pointed out the other Toad official.

"For now, I can't really tell. There is not much evidence that he did died or still alive." Tipping his cap down to give a respect at the owner of the charred hat, he carried on, "only time and Grambi himself know what awaits for Mr. Mario and Mr. Luigi…"

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Sound of multiple splashes could be heard every step he took, Mario stormed his way through the road in the driving rain, glaring at the distant Bowser's castle that was slowly getting closer. The stingy cold wind didn't even falter Mario as he eyed the castle, imagining the evil tyrant with his evil laugher echoing throughout the castle's interior. A scene of his brother badly battered with severe burn marks all over his frail and feeble body flashed in Mario's vision, evoking Mario to hasten his track to the gloomy castle. There was going to be blood for this.

And that is it! Please review and tell us how we did. Give us your thoughts speculations, anything! I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as we did writing it. Until chapter three, Norm out.