Ludwig grinned widely as he sat back, brushing back his blue hair with his wand as he stared out at his army of goombas, koopas, paratroopas, and dry bones as they moved to bring the countryside under their complete control. While the conquest was complete - all royalty captured, Mario imprisoned, and the leadership capitulating - actually enforcing the will of the Koopa Kingdom over the countryside was a bit more time consuming simply because of how much countryside there was to work with. Admittedly, that was part of why the lands were so appealing for conquest. "This is the life, ain't it bros?" the Koopaling called out to his brothers nearby as he scratched at his shell.

"No kidding!" Roy called back, the sun glinting off his sunglasses as he waved his wand to direct some of his own troops towards an area that had caught his interest. "Just sit back and watch the kingdoms fall to us, nobody fighting back! Heck, think I might even get a chance to build my own castle and decorate it rather than taking over a local structure and working with what's there. Man am I glad Pops found that pool of negative energy!"

"Keep in mind Wendy was the one who actually found it," Morton growled out from nearby, the only one of the Koopalings present who didn't look completely relaxed and at ease. His arms were crossed in front of him as he clutched his wand, his dour mood seeming to enhance his dark brown shell to the point it seemed to suck in the light around him, casting a dark pall over him. His eyes were constantly alert, looking around for threats as he kept his troops on high alert.

"Of course, of course..." Roy responded, waving one hand dismissively as he stuck his wand into his pink hair, not really paying attention. "When are you going to relax anyway, Morton? You act like we're still at war, and we didn't even have to fight this time!"

"Yeah!" Ludwig added, looking over at his darker brother in concern. "That Nega-whatever guy took care of Mario and captured the Princesses no contest! The Yoshis are all quarantined on their own island, Wario and Waluigi went elsewhere...there's nobody left to be a threat! Why are you acting like someone's gonna get the drop on us?"

"Not nobody," Morton pointed out darkly. "There are two others unaccounted for, and I don't like that."

"Two?" Roy asked in confusion. "Pretty sure we took care of everyone. Mario, Peach, Daisy, Wario, Waluigi, Yoshi, all the Toads...the storybooks are locked up, so we don't need to worry about the paper-folks..."

"Wait, you aren't worried about Rosalina, are you?" Ludwig asked, tilting his head. "She's strictly a non-combatant, you know that! It's why Dad had such an easy time laying waste to her station that first time, and she had to get Mario to save the day then."

"The fact we don't know where she is...that's a concern," Morton pointed out grimly. "Not a large one on its own...but its who else we've seen no sign of that has me concerned."

Roy and Ludwig exchanged glances, trying to figure out who Morton was talking about. Ludwig's eyes suddenly widened, and he burst into laughter. "You aren't talking about Luigi, are you?" he asked in disbelief.

"That coward?" Roy demanded dismissively. "He's probably hiding in a whole somewhere, scared to show his face! What's to be worried about where he's concerned?"

"Yes, he is a coward," Morton pointed out grimly. "Which means he's a survivor. He's the smart one of the two plumbers, and just as charismatic. If anyone would be good at gathering a resistance - or distant allies - it'll be him. And don't forget just how many times he's bested King Boo and all the forces he can bring to bear solo, despite his intense spectrophobia."

"Pfft!" Roy countered dismissively. "Only with the help of that Professor, and he's locked up too!"

"You're seriously overestimating the threat, bro," Ludwig pointed out. "There's no way Luigi could possibly save the day at this point. We're literally just waiting for him to show so he can be taken down...assuming he ever shows."

"Besides, he hasn't been seen for months before this invasion!" Roy added. "What's to worry about?"

"Exactly!" Morton declared, slamming his hands and wand down on the edge of the table they were sitting around, glowering at his brothers. "Where has he been? What has he been doing? And why was the Observatory last spotted shortly before he went missing? I'm telling you, the minute we let our guard down, something's going to go wrong and he'll take full advantage of it! You know how dangerous a cornered beast is-"

His words were interrupted by the sound of the air tearing as something shot out of the sky in a streak of green light, slamming into the ground in the middle of the armies and sending the troops flying every which way, many of those closest to the impact point despawned just from the impact.

"What the hell was that?" Roy demanded as he shot to his feet, Ludwig right beside him.

Morton stared as the light faded, seeing the green hat shifting lightly in the breeze atop the giant standing there. "...I don't think this beast is cornered after all..."

Luigi lifted his gaze, glaring out at all those around him, many of them freezing at the sheer power and disdain in that gaze. Morton clenched himself, forcing himself to defy it. Roy shivered, unconsciously taking a step back.

Ludwig snarled as he lunged forward. "Attack!" he ordered the troops, raising his wand to cast a spell.

Before the spell could finish shaping, Luigi was in front of him, the troops that had been between him and Ludwig sent flying in his wake as he backhanded the Koopaling into a distant mountain. He then turned to the other Koopalings, his gaze locked on them.

"Roy...run!" Morton insisted as he stepped forward. "I'll try to hold him off-"

"He-a already left," Luigi pointed out flatly.

Turning, Morton saw that, indeed, Roy had ditched him to run for the hills. "Well, as long as he reports-" His words were cut off as Luigi's hand gripped his throat.

"He won't," Luigi stated flatly. "You can either tell a'me where my brother and the Princesses are...or I can make him tell me. Your choice."

Morton coughed as he struggled against the grip to breathe. He knew Luigi would be a threat when he got here...but he never expected him to be so overpowered. Then again, he probably should have. Wasn't that always the way? Bowser got a new power and used it to wipe the floor with the brothers and the kingdoms...and then the brothers got a new power up that countered it. Glancing over, Morton saw that his amassed troops - both his own squadron and those of his brothers - were in no condition to fight just from the wake of Luigi's passage. The only thing he could do now was damage control. As a thought struck him, he opened his mouth-

"And if you'a say 'another castle', it'll be the last thing you ever say."

Morton froze at the ice cold tone in Luigi's words. Looking up into that grim, uncaring gaze...he knew it was no bluff. "...World 8..." he managed to gasp out. "Where else?"

Nodding, Luigi brought his clenched fist down atop Morton's head, and he found himself buried to his chin in the ground. "I'll'a try not ta do more than despawn anyone," he promised as he turned to go.

Morton watched him as he walked off. "We definitely need to update his threat assessment..." he murmured in awe, and more than a dash of fear. "Underwhere has he been these past months to get so strong...?"