Chapter 12- So Close Yet…
Luigi treads carefully deeper into the graveyard; his senses on high alert to detect any sign of King Boo's whereabouts. Suddenly twenty feet ahead he spots a large purple orb and he heads toward it, slightly faster but still favoring his leg. Halfway there, numerous cheeky chuckles stop him in his tracks and the purple orb vanishes from sight. What the, he sighs irritated.
"You didn't think catching King Boo would be that easy did you," a chirpy voice asks bluntly.
Luigi turns around with flashlight in hand to find a single boo floating there. He grabs the Poltergust and aims at the boo, who quickly vanishes with a snarky snicker. Luigi grimaces vexed and slightly disturbed. Suddenly the boo returns, with reinforcements; that form a ring around him like wolves circling a wounded deer preparing to finish it off. He shines his flashlight at one of the boos and switches on the strobe. The pulsing light causes the boo to cover its face and turn opaque. Luigi dives under the faded boo skidding a foot out of the circle, the flips over, grabs the Poltergust and switches it on. The boos are taken by surprise and try to scatter. He only catches two of them into the Poltergust; the other five escape into the night.
"Drat," he stands and dusts himself off. "Now I've got those five along with King Boo," he sighs as he holsters the hose onto the vacuum. Quite frankly I don't know how much more of this I can take, Luigi worries. My leg, heck my whole body is killing me. I just want to go home and sleep for a week. He turns to look back into the cemetery, where something, walking in the fog grabs his attention. He walks toward the silhouette until he spots Daisy shaking off the cobwebs and shakily bringing herself to her feet. "Daisy," he calls out to her, his voice reflecting a mixture of emotions: relief, happiness, and guilt. Favoring his leg, he shuffles over to the Sasaraland princess and helps her up, "Daisy, I'm glad you're okay," he notes relieved as he grabs her hand. "King Boo's still on the loose, so we need to get you somewhere safe. Head to the chapel over by the gate, I've got Mario hidden there too, you guys should be safe," the green clad plumber reassures. He raises his eyes from her hand to her face, but she turned away from him. "Daisy, are you alright?"
A malicious smirk creeps across her face then suddenly she throws her head back and the high-pitched chortle of King Boo erupts from her lips.
"No," he lets go of her hand and steps back, away from her. "No, dammit, no," he cries angrily as tears fill his eyes.
"Oh yes plumber," King Boo's red eyes glow through Daisy's blue irises. "Finally," King Boo notes as he/she grabs Luigi's arm and draws him closer. King Boo's distinctive cackle escapes her lips, "At last I will see you trapped in a portrait prison!"
"Fine you win King Boo, I will go quietly but let her go. She has nothing to do with this," Luigi pleads.
King Boo's hearty cackle erupts once more, "She is affiliated with you that is all it takes to be involved. She has been the key to bringing you down after all," the phantom monarch uses the princess's hand to poke the Mario Brother in the chest for emphasis. "Take comfort in the fact that after you settle into your portrait, hers will hang right next to yours," the boo's vicious smile creeps across Daisy's face.
"No, you can't do that," Luigi cries desperately.
"Oh yes I can," King Boo retorts. "I will have all three of you lined up in a row in my throne room. First Mario, the hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, then you Luigi, the brother of the great Mario and royal pain in my ass, and finally Princess Daisy Floral, the only heir to the throne of Sasaraland. It will be magnificent," the specter gloats.
"You son of a bitch," the plumber's voice turns from desperation to anger. "It will be over my dead body that you get all three of us."
"That could be arranged," Daisy's other hand claps his other arm like a vise; "but first let's go grab your brother and continue what we were doing earlier shall we?" The possessed princess pushes Luigi toward the church and forces him forward.
"And if I refuse," Luigi retorts as he stops briefly.
"Remember what I did to while I possessed you? I can end her here and now," King Boo threatens with Daisy's voice.
Reluctantly, Luigi begins to shuffle toward the church, mentally kicking himself along the way for revealing Mario's location. Stupid, stupid, stupid! He's got me cornered, dead to rights and I have nothing left to get out of it. I'm so tired and sore, he sighs dejectedly.
"No dragging your feet plumber," King Boo teases. "There is no prolonging the inevitable." He chuckles and pushes the plumber causing him to stumble. After a few more yards, they reach the chapel and walk inside. "Oh Mario? Mario? Where are you hiding," the royal boo calls out using Daisy's voice. "Guess he won't answer me, point him out," King Boo demands. Luigi points into the pews and King Boo finds Mario's portrait rather quickly in the third row. "Ah Mario, we meet again," the phantom monarch greets pompously. "We are going on a field trip to the cellar so your brother can join you in portrait hell, care to tag along?"
Mario's heart sinks as the possessed princess picks him up to tote him away. What happened? This can't be how all of this ends with Luigi and I as trophies on King Boo's wall! Not to mention what will he do with Daisy once he is done with us? There is no way he will let her go to go get help. Poor Weegie, he must be devastated seeing his nemesis controlling her like a puppet. Reminds me of the time the Shadow Queen had Peach. Oh Peach, I am so sorry. I miss you and I really hope we can get out of this.
King Boo leads the brothers back outside and around to the side of the chapel to a storm cellar door. "Open the door plumber," the phantom monarch demands Luigi; the green clad man complies then the possessed princess leads the group down the narrow stairs. As they descend, candles at the bottom of the stairs ignite to illuminate the room. The cellar is cold, dusty, and musky in the center of the room is a wooden table with cranks on each end, a medieval rack. Luigi gulps causing the possessed princess to smile maliciously. "Alright plumber drop the damn vacuum and get on the table," King Boo commands as Daisy's hand points to the rack. Reluctantly, Luigi complies by shedding the Poltergust 5000 and sliding onto the table. After hanging Mario's portrait up on the wall in view of the rack, King Boo turns back to the table and ties Luigi's hands and wrists to the corners of the rack. "Perfect," King Boo cackles. "Now for more fun."
"What is this King Boo," Mario demands. "You didn't do this to me."
"No I didn't," King Boo agrees as he steps over to the crank over Luigi's head, "because you didn't need it. I despise you, but not enough for this; your brother however is a different story." The phantom monarch uses the princess's hands to turn the crank, causing to the ropes to pull taunt and stretch the younger plumber.
Luigi gasps as the rack stretches him slightly.
"I hate your brother, so this torture is reserved just for him while you get to watch for your torture," King Boo smirks and again uses Daisy's hands to crank the wheels.
The younger Mario Brother cries out as the pressure grows.
"How does it feels," King Boo snarls as he turns his attention from the older brother to the younger. "This is only a taste of what I and all my fellow specters go through when you shoop, shoop us up into that infernal vacuum of yours. Then we get spun in a washing machine, pressed, shocked, baked, and pressed again into a frame. "I want you to experience what we do, so lets begin." He bends down, grabs a bucket from underneath the table, and brings up the bucket with the princess's hands. "First off, enjoy that!"
The water in the bucket is flung upon the plumber soaking him. It is ice cold causing Luigi to gasp with the temperature fluctuation then chatter his teeth and shiver as the cold seems to seep down to his bones.
"I might not be able to spin you, but I almost forgot how easily you humans are affected by temperature; that will do," King Boo's smirk reflects in Daisy's smirk. "Now for pressing," the princess disappears from the green plumber's sight, rummaging in what looks like a storage closet. "That should do," she comes out dragging a box. "Damn weak human arms, come on!" Finally the box is dragged over to the table, "So since your princess can't seem to lift all these at once; we will have to do this gradually." Out of the box, King Boo grabs a couple of books and places them on Luigi's chest continually until he hears the plumber struggling for breath.
"This is just stupid," Mario jests from the wall.
"Stupid!" King Boo spins from the tied plumber to address the plumber in the frame. "Stupid, to make the captor of ghosts feel what his deeds do? Stupid, to make an example out of you two's ignorance? No Mario, what is stupid is you not understanding!"
"You have dragged this out for your own pleasure; don't try to feed that self-righteous crap to me, I know better," Mario hisses. "You just get your jollies out of hurting us. You are no better than all the other villains that I have faced and defeated; self-absorbed and pathetic."
As Mario is arguing with King Boo, Luigi flops his head to the side and looks over to the rope holding his right arm. The rope was soaked by the ice water King Boo poured on him and the rope is frayed below the knot above his hand. It's already in tension, but maybe if I increase the tension I can snap it. The plumber keeps flexing his arm with heavy labored breaths, pulling on the rope, until his King Boo grabs his attention.
"I don't have to stand here and listen to you; if I remember correctly I am the one with the upper hand, so to speak. Now then," King Boo turns back to Luigi who stops his stretching to stir no suspicion. "Out of breath?"
"Isn't that what you wanted," Luigi retorts raspy.
The possessed princess's head cranes back as King Boo's cackle escapes her lips, "Yes it is. So now, how about some shock therapy?" Daisy disappears once more into the closet, "Where is that battery?"
Luigi looks over to Mario as he strains against the rope. "What are you doing," Mario mouths as he notices the strain on his brother's face.
"The rope is weak," the younger brother mouths back; "Distract him."
Mario nods, "Having trouble in there? You know for your master opus here, you certainly have misplaced all your props."
"They are not misplaced you red clad oaf, just hard to reach," King Boo shoots back. "Ah here we go!" The possessed princess comes out with a generator battery.
Mario snickers.
"What," King Boo asks sharply.
"How do you plan on using that?"
"I am not stupid plumber, I am going to use these cables…Shit," King Boo swears as he notices he is missing the cables. "Stop snickering, they are probably just still in the closet," the phantom possessed princess disappears once more in the closet.
Mario turns back to his brother. "Well?"
"Almost," Luigi mouths and with one more tug the rope finally gives way, freeing his hand. Quickly, he unties his other hand then moves to his feet.
"Think you are so smart, stupid plumbers! I thought of everything…wait what? No!" King Boo exclaims as he notices his captive escaping. The possessed princess drops the cables and dashes over to the table.
Luigi is able to finish untying his feet, but unable to get off the table as Daisy jumps on him and wraps her hands around the plumber's throat.
"If you will not cooperate and become a painting then you will die," the phantom hisses through Daisy's lips.
Luigi does not reply as the life is being choked out of him. He tries to pry the princess's hands from his throat, but to no avail. After realizing that she is too strong in their current situation, the younger Mario Brother uses his body weight and rolls off the table, taking her down to the floor with him. The impact of the fall breaks the boo's concentration allowing Luigi to grab the possessed princess's wrists, pry her hands from his throat, and pin her to the ground. "Let her go," he growls.
"Are you serious," King Boo asks with a cackle. "Wow, how naïve and gullible you are. I have stumbled upon your Achilles heel and you think I am just going to give her up? Ha foolish plumber, I will continue to hold onto her just so I can enjoy your delicious strife and guilt; and there is nothing you can do to pry me away. You may save your brother this day, but you will never save your precious princess."
"No, you have to let her go," the plumber growls, but begins to break down. "Let her go," his eyes begin to tear up.
"Aww, is the little plumber going to cry? Ha, how pathetic," King Boo jests.
Luigi pushes down harder on the possessed princess's wrists, not wanting King Boo to take advantage of his emotional state. He looks into Daisy's eyes; her irises glow red as King Boo is in control, adding to Luigi's sadness. I miss those ocean blue eyes, with that spark of rebellion in the corner; always making me think she is up to something, the plumber thinks as a tear escapes the corner of his eye.
"Does it feel hopeless? Good," King Boo snickers.
"Shut up, Boo," Mario yells from the wall. "Luigi don't let him up! We'll think of something."
"Oh really? Well, the clock is ticking dear heroes remember one thought and she's dead," the phantom monarch snickers.
Memories of their time together flashes in Luigi's mind; all the sports that have partaken together, such as when they caddied for each other in golf or won the lightning cup in the doubles tennis tournament. Good times. I can't leave her like this; he looks again to those glowing red irises; Especially under his control. He breaks eye contact and his gaze lands on her mouth.
"If you wish for her to live I would suggest that you move plumber," King Boo advises. "It would be better to live in painting than be responsible for her death no?"
"Don't listen to him Weegie! We got him on the ropes, there is no way he'll kill her," Mario counters.
"You really want to test me," King Boo challenges; "I am sure you wouldn't risk it if it were your dear Princess Toadstool."
"See Luigi, he is trying to tear us apart! Don't listen," Mario pleads.
I wonder. The younger Mario Brother looks up to Mario on the wall, pounding and pleading with the Poltergust 5000 sitting below him. He focuses back onto the possessed princess; the royal boo's smirk on her lips.
"You know what I say is true Luigi," King Boo appeals. "Your brother is selfish. If he can get out then all the better; no matter the cost, even if it means your dear princess. If it came down to you and his princess though, you know whom he would choose; she isn't here."
"You liar!" Mario snarls, "Luigi I would never, you know that! Family is all we got!"
"Oh sure back-pedal, all you have done is delay the inevitable," the phantom monarch replies.
Luigi watches as the words spell out of the possessed princess's lips. Oh why me, he ponders studying her chapped, full lips. I can't believe I am going to do this, its nuts. I hope Mario understands when this ends. "King Boo is right, all you have done is delay the inevitable end," the younger Mario Brother notes disgusted. "I know what I have to do."
"Luigi don't," Mario begs. "I know we have had our differences, but don't."
"Go ahead plumber," Boo smirks with Daisy's lips.
This better work, the younger plumber sighs. Just remember, its Daisy, Luigi mentally preps himself.
"Bro you can't do this," Mario beseeches once more. "Think of what Mama and Papa would say…"
"I got to, don't talk me out of it," Luigi stammers. Please this is already hard enough, not to mention embarrassing…
"But it spells our end! Is that what you want," Mario cries.
"Oh what are you waiting for hurry up and do it already," King Boo huffs; "Or I'll end it and…" King Boo is cut short as Luigi plants his lips on Daisy's. The possessed princess screams in protest, but is muffled. She tries to kick him, but since he is sitting on her stomach he is out of reach.
Unable to take anymore, King Boo abandons Daisy's body, rising out of her chest like vapor from a boiling pot of water. "Blah, bleck, ek, argh," King Boo spits as he rapidly wipes at his blue tongue with his stubby arms. "What the hell is wrong with you? What kind of nemesis smooches the other? Only a fucking freak that's who," the phantom monarch rants. The royal apparition turns toward his enemy to find Luigi poised with the Poltergust ready to strike. "Shit." The vacuum switches on and the vortex begins to suck him in. "No! No, I can't be defeated like this when I was so close!" King Boo struggles vigorously and sporadically, dragging Luigi all over the room until finally the phantom's strength gives out. "This is not the end Luigi! No painting can hold me forever, I will be back," he vows as he disappears into the vacuum.
The green clad man drops the vacuum as soon as King Boo is trapped inside and kneels beside Daisy. He cradles her face in his hands, "Daisy? Daisy, are you in there?" She slowly begins to stir then opens her eyes; they are blue once more, to Luigi's relief.
"Luigi? Where are we," she asks confused.
"Well," Luigi begins, but is interrupted by her gasping.
"Wait," Daisy's eyes tear up as she remembers and looks at the younger Mario Brother. "Oh God, Luigi I am so sorry!" She sits up and embraces him, "All those things I did to you," she cries. "You could have died!"
"It wasn't your fault," Luigi reassures. "You were being controlled; you had no say in what was going to happen."
"Yes, but none of it would have happened if I had not got caught in the first place," the Sasaraland princess blurts. "I came to make sure you were alright or needed help and instead I get caught and used against you. I feel like a pathetic, useless, damsel in distress."
"You are anything, but that Daisy," Luigi reassures. "How many princesses would charge into a haunted house to help defeat a gaggle of ghosts? Not many. Besides, I'm really glad you're here," he admits. "I love you," he whispers in her ear.
"I love you too," she squeezes him harder and they hold each other for a moment, savoring it.
"Ahem, excuse me guys could we um, save this for later," Mario interjects uncomfortably.
"Oh right, sorry" Luigi blushes and begins to get up, but is pulled back down by the arm.
"Not yet," Daisy retorts to Mario as she pulls the younger plumber back down onto the ground then grabs his face in her hands. "I'm not done yet," she pulls his face to hers. "I think a proper thank you is in order," she whispers to him then gently places her lips onto his. She feels him freeze in shock and the heat coming off his face as his blush deepens, but soon he relaxes and his hands wrap around her sides. She is tempted to go deeper and slip her tongue into his mouth, but they do need to get out of the basement and as far away from this place as possible. She pulls away from him, ending with a light bite on his lower lip. "I think its time to get going," she suggests softly.
"Uh huh," Luigi mummers, dazed.
"I couldn't say it better myself now that I have lost my lunch," Mario notes, irked and slightly disgusted.
Luigi snaps back into reality and his face turns a maroon red as he stands and grabs Mario's painting off the wall. "Sorry bro," he apologizes embarrassed.
"Uh huh, you two are worse than teenagers," Mario teases. "Now how about some freedom? This frame is kind of getting old."
"Right," Luigi agrees; "To the lab!" He grabs the Poltergust and slings it onto his back, then turns to Daisy and extends his hand.
"Thank you Sweetie," she thanks as she comes up to her feet. Luigi leads Daisy out of the basement with Mario in tow to E. Gadd's lab.
"I have to say I am impressed," E. Gadd notes as he takes Mario's portrait from Luigi's hands. "I wasn't sure if you were going to come back."
"Thanks I think," Luigi replies.
"I don't mean that," E. Gadd clarifies; "Its just that King Boo had everything lined up just so. He had the home field advantage and hostages. Which reminds me, how about we get Mario back out of that frame?" The group agrees and E. Gadd inserts Mario's portrait into the ghost portraitificatizer then switches it into reverse. In a matter of minutes, Mario pops out the vent.
"About time," Mario stretches; "God that feels good. Thank you Gadd," the older plumber thanks the elderly professor.
"No problem," E. Gadd replies, "but we do really need to stop meeting like this."
"Agreed," Mario concurs.
"Anyway how did you defeat King Boo Luigi," E. Gadd asks.
"Um, lets not talk about it," the green cad man blushes.
"Oh man, that was just wrong," Mario interjects. "I mean really Weegie? Isn't that a little far?"
"I didn't see you coming up with anything 'Mister We-Got-Him-on-the-Ropes'," Luigi retorts.
"Yeah that's true, but I mean you kissed him; that's just weird," Mario squirms.
E. Gadd looks at Luigi, "That's odd my boy, but how do you kiss a boo?"
"He was possessing Daisy," Luigi motions to the brunette princess; "If I didn't drive him out, he was going to kill her. I did the one thing I could think of to get him to let her go!"
"Clever, strange, but clever," E. Gadd notes.
"I do applaud your innovation, but I will not let you live it down," Mario smirks, teasing his brother.
"This is not fair," Luigi mummers in embarrassment.
"I think it was brilliant," Daisy hugs Luigi from behind. "And thanks to you, we all get to go home." Daisy kisses her boyfriend on the cheek then turns to Mario, "So how about we go back to the Mushroom Kingdom and enjoy some good food at Peach's?"
"Sounds like a plan," Mario agrees. "E. Gadd thanks again, but I think we are on our way out."
"No problem," E. Gadd bids farewell. "Luigi thank you once more," he shakes the younger plumber's hand, "Don't be a stranger."
"Will do," Luigi replies.
"Nice to meet you as well," the elderly professor shakes Daisy's hand.
"Likewise," she replies.
"She's a keeper, don't screw it up youngster," E. Gadd winks at Luigi, who blushes, then the professor chuckles. "Enjoy everyone." The three bid farewell to the elderly professor and leave Boo Woods to return to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Oh I love that ending, maybe its only me, but I hope you enjoyed it too. Thanks for reading!