Mario and Luigi were now in Evershade Valley. Luigi was relieved that Spettro had ran to the valley. Now the ghost pup was playing with the ghosts of the valley as Elvin was talking to the brothers.
Elvin stated, "Okay. Before I came here to the Valley, I was a bit low on cash. So, I decided to sell the ghost portraits and the Ghost Portrificationizer."
Mario blurted out, "You did what?!"
Luigi replied, "Well, that explains what happened to free King Boo in the first place. But what about in the second place?"
Elvin looked sheepish as he explained, "I was so tired and I guess I must've leaned on the button that held all of the Boos."
Mario face palmed and stated, sarcastically, "That is terrific, Elvin. Just terrific."
Luigi replied, "Well, it is good news that we did take the purple gem that was powering King Boo."
Elvin's sheepish look remained as he responded, "Well, I have good news and bad news about that. Good news is, the purple stone has been destroyed thanks to one of my Toad assistants."
Mario remained optimistic and said, "Well, that is good news."
Luigi asked, "What's the bad news?"
Elvin showed them a newspaper article and answered, "This is the bad news."
Mario picked up the paper and read it aloud, "Last night, a robbery took place at Midnight Ridge Museum. Authorities report that only one thing was stolen: a mysterious blue gem that possesses magical powers. No suspects have been listed as the security cameras didn't seem to catch the thief. It was like...the gem vanished."
Luigi turned into a ghost (I'm using this pun a lot) as whispered, "Mamma mia, like Peach's disappearance!"
Elvin replied, "I'd bet any money that King Boo went there first and then went after the princess."
Mario crumpled up the newspaper, setting it on fire with his red fire powers, and barked, "Midnight Ridge. NOW."
With that, the red clad plumber headed out. Elvin was quite worried as Luigi sighed, being the level headed one of the twins on this adventure.
Elvin asked, "Goodness, is he THAT mad at me?"
Luigi answered, "I am a bit upset at you, Elvin. But Malleo's been acting like that ever since we got the word that Peach was kidnapped."
Elvin looked down but then looked Luigi in the eyes and said, sorrowfully, "I'm so sorry, my boy."
Luigi stated, "I know you are. Before I go, though, do you have the Poltergust 5000 still?"
Elvin smiled as he replied, "I got something better!" That's when he whipped out a small red vacuum with three element symbols on it that represented: fire, water, and ice. Attached to it was the Stroboscope and the Dark Light Device. He added, "I call it the Poltergust 7000! All the best things of the 3000 and the 5000 in one!"
Luigi's eyes glowed in excitement and gushed, "That is awesome!"
Elvin responded, "Glad you liked it. Oh, and also take the updated DS Lite. It's lighter than the DS and gives you everything that the Duel Scream and the Game Boy Horror used to."
Luigi took the green DS Lite as Elvin etched his logo into the cover, with Luigi's signature next to it.
The green clad ghost hunter looked at the ghost researcher in tears and said, "It's wonderful, Elvin. Gratzi."
"You are, after all, like a grandson to me," Elvin stated.
That got Luigi to cry happily.
Meanwhile, in Midnight Ridge museum, Mario was looking over any tapes and photos that the museum curator had.
"I fear it isn't much," said the Toad.
"It will have to do," Mario stated.
The Toad curator replied, "I still don't know how this is connected to the princess disappearance."
Mario responded, "Let's just say it had something do with a devil."
As Mario tried not to ignite his red fire, he remembered that awful...awful painting...
-Flashback: 'Luigi's Mansion'-
Mario's POV
Why didn't I wait for Luigi? I had to find out what was going on… Now I was a prisoner of these Boos. It was rather unusual the way they attacked me like that. I guess you can't trust a Boo farther than I threw Bowser into the molten lava a few months ago. I was glad he was long gone but I guess I should've suspected that King Boo would come to mess with me - and Luigi. Speak of the devil, he just came threw the wall - like a true ghost.
He mocked, "Enjoying your painting quarters."
I pressed my hands up against the glass. I had recently figured out that I was literally in a painting and was bait for my baby brother.
"Once Luigi gets here, you are going to regret locking me up in this painting," I hissed.
King Boo smirked evilly and replied, "Oh? The weakling brother is who I'm supposed to be scared of? Everyone knows what you think of your own DNA."
"What are you talking about," I asked, steamed.
He explained, "Think about it, red cap. The minute you get the opportunity to go on vacation with the princess and her royal adviser, what was the first thing you do? You started packing! You didn't - not even once - ask your own younger twin brother if he wished to join you. Nope, the only thing you did was asked him to get the luggage from the attic since you were too busy talking about the trip of a lifetime. Talk about insult to injury."
I was about to protest but the more I thought about it - the more I realized that King Boo was right. I didn't even ask Luigi if he wanted to come. All I did was pack and talked about Isle I said nothing to defend myself, King Boo's smirk got wider.
"Don't you smirk at me," I hissed.
King Boo responded, "Oh come now, red cap. You know I'm right. You think Luigi is a poor excuse for a human. Why else would you leave him behind constantly? It is because you are embarrassed to be around a failure and the worst part is - he is your younger twin brother."
I say nothing but let those words sink in as King Boo went off somewhere. Was I really that awful to my own flesh and blood?
I don't know how long I had been here. I felt like days, months even. Ever since that Toad (what was his name again) saw me in the painting and me seeing Luigi in the well, I hadn't had many visits from King Boo lately. Crap, speak of the devil. King Boo just came in. He really got me pissed off about saying that I was so eager in leaving Luigi behind in ordinary to go to Isle Defino with Peach and Toadsworth. I was about to say something...until I saw something green...
It was a man in green...
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BROTHER," I shouted at the top of my lungs.
King Boo smirked evilly at me as I was near tears. The person that the Boos had dragged in - was Luigi. WAS. His body was seriously damaged and he looked like he had... No - he couldn't have... There had to be another explanation. I saw Luigi earlier and he was alive and well!
The king of boos explained, "Poor thing knew that he was beat. He knew that he could never defeat me. He knew that he could never be like his brother, thee Super Mario."
I had never been more upset in my life. My younger twin brother was dead...all because of me... I made a fist, pressed it up against the glass, and pounded it hard.
"ONCE I GET OUT OF HERE, KING BOO, YOU ARE GOING TO REGRET EVER MEETING ME," I yelled, screaming at the top of my lungs.
Suddenly, I saw Luigi's head come up mysteriously. Half of me wanted to celebrate while the other half of me wanted to barf. He was in a really bad condition. Just then, Luigi smirked and then turned a pale white. I watched in terror, thinking that something was wrong. But I quickly proven to be - not only wrong - but fooled. Turned out that the Luigi they had brought in - was a Boo in disguise.
The Boo said, "Well, I didn't think you cared for me at all, Mario! How sweet of you to defend me like that!"
"W-wait, what," I asked, trying not to sound scared.
Actually, I was scared, confused, steamed, and worried all at the same time.
King Boo explained, "Ah, that look you had on your face...it was so satisfying... You really thought that your brother, your weak link was dead. He's still alive, for now, and continuing his predicted path of becoming a painting just like his older brother. You know what they say, when one twin falls...the other is sure to follow."
When the Boos and King Boo left, I sunk to my knees. I, Mario Gregory Manfredi Junior, don't deserve such a wonderful baby twin brother. One that is willing to forgive me - even when I'm horrible to him. What kind of person was I? I treated Luigi so badly! I'm surprised that he is coming here to save me. I didn't deserve it... I didn't deserve Luigi as my twin...
-End of Flashback-
AK1028: So now we know what happened to Mario in the first painting. *shudders, scared* That's just...wow. Let me know what you guys think! Please read and review. And always think outside of the box.