Preparations for the Mushroom Kingdom's celebratory ball were in full swing after Princess Peach announced it to her people. It was more of a hodgepodge of a banquet, ball, and gathering, but regardless everyone was buzzing with pure excitement. It was not every day that multiple kingdoms at once came to visit after all.

With some help, Peach managed to find available musicians and caterers, while the Mario Bros were in charge of decorations. When the day of the ball finally arrived, everyone regrouped in the main ballroom. With everything set up, it was truly a stunning sight. Pink and white streamers dazzled around the walls, balloons floated above along with shimmering chandeliers. The floor was gold and polished to perfection, fitting for dancing, and the band was currently practicing.

Meanwhile Toad was bossing around the caterers. "Don't forget the strawberry frosted cupcakes! You can't have a party without cupcakes!" He chased them down to the kitchen, hollering all the way.

Peach cleared her throat to the remaining crew. "Thank you all so much for helping! I couldn't have done this without everyone's hard work." The crowd clapped. 'We've got about three hours to finish any last touches, and the ball will begin at 7." With one last cheer, She smiled wistfully and a few toadettes in waiting followed her up the stars presumably to help her get ready.

Luigi was about to get ready himself, when a high pitched squeal rang in his ears. Toadette came running towards him, out of breath but still thrilled to see him.

"Luigi!" She chirped. "It's so good to see you bestie!"

"It's good to see you too, Toadette." And he meant it. Though she could be a bit much at times, she was also sweet and kind to him, heck, she practically idolized him. "I didn't know you were helping with the ball too."

"Oh..." She fiddled with her pigtails. "I'm actually part of the band. I'm supposed to be singing tonight. I don't think I will though."

"What? Why not?"

She bit her lip. "I've got really bad stage fright! I signed up for the part because I love to sing in the shower but...gah! I didn't realize I would be singing in front of a crowd."

"I know the feeling."

Toadette brightened. "Hey, maybe you could sing with me! Like a duet! Toadette and Luigi…we'll need a band name."

"Oh…no." He started to walk away, but Toadette was persistent.

"Aw come on, it'll be fun!"

"Toadette, I think you'll be great performing as a soloist." Luigi insisted. "If you force me to sing for this, I guarantee everyone will banish me from the Mushroom Kingdom." His lips twisted into an amused smirk. "I need to go help my brother. Good luck on the performance though!"

Toadette huffed loudly, storming away.

"What was that all about?" Mario asked, having just finished the last touches on a banner.

"Don't ask. So, what are your plans until the party?"

"I figured I'd hang around here I suppose. Everything's already done. I could use some relaxation."

"Woah, woah wait. What about getting ready?"

Mario gave him a strange look. "Uh, I'm already ready."

"Are you serious? You can't expect to be going to a royal ball wearing overalls."

"What's wrong with my overalls? They're clean." He lightly dusted them off, only now noticing a stain of dirt on it. "Okay, I see your point. But I don't have any other clothes to wear! I literally wear the same thing every day."

Luigi tsked. "Lucky for you, I thought ahead." He strolled along, leading his confused brother towards the castle's many long corridors, and settling on one of the guest rooms. He opened the door, where two suits lay on the dresser. "Voilá!"

"When did you-"

He waved him off. "I asked Toad for advice and we went shopping last week. This is a big deal, Mario."

"I know, but the last time I wore a suit was like..." He frowned. "It was either Uncle Arthur's wedding, or our graduation." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

Luigi sighed in exasperation. "Don't you want to look nice for Peach?"

"Ah ...well er uh-" he sputtered. "We're just friends, Lu. It's not like that."

Luigi raised an eyebrow.

"It's... complicated," Mario said with an embarrassed grimace. "The suits are nice though. Thanks for getting them."

"Hey, what can I say?" Luigi grinned, grabbing his own suit and heading out to the next room. "I've got excellent taste. Now, get dressed, we've got a party to attend to."

Although he displayed an aura of confidence around his brother, as Luigi stared at his reflection in the mirror, he felt anything but. He brushed his bangs aside, having discarded his hat to comb his messy dark brown curls.

He almost didn't recognize himself in the mirror. He was dressed in a handsome black suit, with a white shirt and a ruffled cream cravat tied together by an emerald gem button. He felt...nice. Not that his own insecure self could ever admit that. Luigi was never one for parties, finding them too loud and overwhelming. Parties were Mario's scene, and even though his brother didn't prepare much, he could tell he was happy to be there.

With one last thorough check of his appearance, Luigi left the room, where Mario was waiting for him. His suit was almost identical, except instead of an emerald gem, his was ruby.

"Ready to go?"

"As I'll ever be."

Mario's face softened. "If you need to take a breather at any time, you don't need to ask, okay? Do what you need to do."

"I will."

Though they were a few minutes early, the ballroom was already packed. Not that they were surprised, seeing as Princess Peach was the one hosting the soiree. The band was playing an energetic pop number with Toadette-dressed in a puffy bubblegum pink dress as the lead singer. She took notice of Luigi and waved happily, a gesture which he reciprocated.

"I only now realized that neither of us have been to a Mushroom Kingdom ball before. Do you think we should have done some research?" Luigi whispered.

"Nah, it's a celebration for all the different kingdoms. And anyways, it looks almost the same as the parties I'm used to. Food, drinks, music, dancing..." As he said this, both brothers flinched as they heard Toad shrieking at the top of his lungs, while swinging back and forth on a chandelier.

"I'M A HAZARD TO SOCIETY!" He shrieked.

"Is that normal party behavior?"

"Oh yeah that's actually pretty tame."

Luigi found himself trailing behind Mario like a confused puppy. Mario happily chatted away with complete strangers for minutes on end. Luigi wasn't even the one talking, and he already felt drained.

When Mario finished a conversation, he tapped his shoulder. "Mario, I know I'm a grown man but I literally know no one and I can't mingle like you. What should I do?"

"Stay by my side, it's fine."

"No, that's embarrassing and sad!"

He rolled his eyes. "No it's not."

He was about to protest again, when a booming voice addressed him. "Luigi!"

Luigi nearly jumped as he turned around to see the source of the voice. The King Penguin strode towards them cheerfully, with the floating Lumalee in tow.

"Penguin King, Lumalee!" He greeted, stepping forward to shake the other's flipper. "It's been so long. How's the Ice Kingdom?"

"Splendid, my boy, simply splendid. And ah! If it isn't Luigi's brother!"

Mario gave an awkward wave. "Oh right, you were captured together, that's how you know each other."

Lumalee giggled. "Yes, we were almost granted the sweet relief of death~"

The Penguin King groaned. "He hasn't stopped following me since we got here. He's seriously creeping me out." He nodded to Mario. "And yes, Luigi's and I's cages were next to each other for a brief moment. That was until Bowser decided to move him away to the guest rooms."

"Guest rooms?" Mario repeated.

Luigi stiffened. "It's nothing! Lumalee, how have you been?"

"I've been floating along the cosmos~" Lumalee replied. "Mama and I were reunited and she told me it's almost time for me to transform~!"

"Transform?"

"It's when a luma chooses to become a new planet, pull star or galaxy." Mario explained. "I saw a few when I helped Rosalina."

"Exactly, it's when I finally pass on to the great beyond~ tehe!"

Lumalee continued to stare with sparkling eyes, giggling in delight as if what he said was perfectly normal. Luigi stiffened uncomfortably. "Wow, it was so great to see you both! We're gonna go now! Bye!" And he dragged Mario away.

"Wait, don't leave me with-" The Penguin King protested, but they were already gone.

"Where to now?" asked Mario.

"Food?"

"Food." He confirmed.

"Hey pipsqueak!" Someone else was talking to them, preventing any chance of grabbing some food. The gorilla with the red tie had decided to run towards them.

"Hey DK." Mario said cooly, almost as a grimace. Though they were friends now, there was still a sense of rivalry between the two. "I didn't know you were invited."

"Are you kidding? Of course I was! I'm the Prince of the Kong Kingdom, baby." He ruffled Mario's hair, messing it up. "How have you been? Are you and Peach still doing that weird flirting thing? Because it makes everyone around you cringe."

"Donkey Kong!" He hissed. "Not in front of my brother, please!"

"Come on now, I'm only teasing you. Sheesh!" Donkey Kong chortled. "And aha! Forgot all about Mario's baby brother Linguini!"

"It's Luigi." He said flatly.

"That's what I said. We've met, haven't we?"

"Yes, briefly. When you and Mario escaped and stopped the wedding. And then at the celebratory feast?"

"Oh yeah!" Donkey Kong said, patting both brothers' backs. "What a wild time that was. Well, I'm gonna go mingle. See you losers later."

"He seems nice."

"Ugh, he's the worst." Mario grumbled. "Come on let's…"

He stopped moving.

"Uh, Mario?" Luigi followed his brother's gaze.

Mario's attention was now focused on the staircases, forgetting everything else as he saw the woman at the top. Peach looked absolutely gorgeous. Her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, with only the bangs by her temples neatly braided with a new crystalized tiara on her head. She was dressed in a sparkling pink ball gown with white ribbons and lace at the hem. She waved to her subjects, bashful but still full of grace.

"Mamma Mia…" Mario uttered, hearts in his eyes.

Everyone seemed to gawk and stare as she glided down the palace steps. Mario was completely awestruck by her beauty. He grew more flustered when he realized she was heading in their direction.

"Mario! Luigi!" She beamed. "You both look so handsome tonight."

Mario's blue eyes stared dreamily into hers. "You too! Er- um, I mean ...beautiful. You look beautiful."

"Oh, thank you."

His cheeks warmed. "Heh, no worries."

Luigi nudged him playfully. "Nice job Romeo." he whispered.

Mario was about to shoot him a glare when Toadette addressed the crowd.

"This next number's called Jump Up, Super Star!" She announced.

"Ooh, I love that song!" Peach's eyes were sparkling with delight, subtly glancing in Mario's direction.

The jazzy tune filled the room, and with some courage, Mario said: "Well, we could maybe...if you want to that is-"

"Dance with me?"

Mario stood dumbfounded. With a panicked look, he turned to Luigi, who simply laughed.

"Go on!" He urged.

"I would be honored." With a bow, Mario accepted her hand and together they glided on the dance floor, their eyes locked on each other as Toadette's soprano voice belted out the upbeat song.

"Here we go, off the rails.

Did you know, its time to raise our sails.

Its freedom like, you never knew.

Don't need bags, or a pass.

Say the word, I'll be there in a flash.

You could say my hat is off to you."

She gave a wink to the crowd.

Luigi was content watching the dancers move along to the music. He knew if Peach had asked him to dance instead of Mario, it would probably end up with one of them landing in the four tiered cake by the refreshment table. It was better this way, with Mario spending more time with the Princess. He was impressed with how well his brother danced, even twirling her in a lift as if he somehow choreographed it on the spot. It was both inspiring and aggravating how perfect Mario was at everything without even trying.

"It's time to jump up in the air!

Jump up, don't be scared!

Jump up and your cares will soar away!

And if the dark clouds start to swirl!

Don't fear, don't shed a tear, cause' I'll be your one up girl!"

He was too caught up in the music to hear someone clear their throat. A green creature with flowing blond hair was in front of him.

"My, I must say you look absolutely ravishing." He purred. "Almost as handsome as me. Almost."

"Uhhh..." Luigi blinked. "Me?"

The stranger chuckled. "Of course! Forgive me for my forwardness. Where are my manners?"He flicked his cape behind him flamboyantly. "I am Prince Peasley, son of Queen Bean and heir to the Bean Bean throne! You may now clap."

"Er..." He managed to press his hands together in a slow, confused clap. "It's nice to meet you, your highness."

"Please call me Peasley. I couldn't help but notice you look stunning my dear, simply stunning! Your coiffure is a delight, and your ensemble is magnificent!"

"I don't think I understood about half of what you said, your highness."

"Pish posh, that doesn't matter my darling! All that matters is that we found each other." He pressed his lips to Luigi's knuckle. "Please, may I have this dance?" Peasley batted his eyelashes.

"Sorry, erm, no thank you." He didn't have the heart to see Prince Peasley's heartbroken reaction to his rejection.

He made a beeline straight for the snack table, but in his flustered state, accidentally rammed right into someone with a plate of hors d'oeuvres.

Luigi gasped, watching in horror as the plate soared through the air.

The woman yelped and lunged forward, grabbing the plate seconds before it splattered on the floor. She sighed in relief. "Phew! That was a close one."

"I am so sorry!"

The stranger was slightly taller than him, with auburn hair, hazel eyes and a splatter of freckles on her cheeks. She was wearing a bright gold dress with yellow accents and a white trim. Her earrings were shaped like flowers.

"Hey, it's all good." She popped a cheese stuffed tomato in her mouth. "Now if you actually made me spill my food, then that would be a different story. What's got you in such a hurry?"

"I was trying to avoid dancing with a stranger and I didn't watch where I was going. I'm really sorry."

She tilted her head and smirked. "You apologize a lot, don't you?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry."

That made her chuckle. "I feel you though man, I'm not a dancer either." She dipped a strawberry from her plate into the chocolate fountain, offering it to Luigi. "Snacks are way better than dancing."

Luigi was surprised, but flattered by her generosity and accepted the treat. "Thank you."

"No probbles, 'Stache."

He made a face. "It's Luigi."

"Hi, I'm Daisy!" She grinned. "What brings you here, Luigi?"

"Oh, I live here. As for the party...well, my brother wanted me to come. I figured it would help me get out of my shell."

Daisy turned her attention to the dance floor. "Your brother wouldn't happen to be the one in red with the mustache?"

"That's him."

"Ah, he's dancing with my friend." She sipped her drink.

"You're friends with Princess Peach too?"

"Yup! She's the reason I'm here, technically. And I mean I'm not one to turn down a party. Still...I haven't had a chance to talk much with her. Peach seems to be a bit distracted with your brother. Makes sense, he did help save her kingdom."

Luigi deflated. "Right, yeah...word travels fast. Mario ah.. has a lot more charm than I do." He admitted. "I'm not great with people like he is."

"You're doing alright with me."

He looked at her suspiciously. "You mean that?"

"I mean, I have the social skills of a hibernating spiny so I'm probably not the best example, but yeah." Her smile brightened when he laughed again.

Her eyes followed Peach and Mario again. "Ugh, they're so disgustingly adorable."

"And then there's us, awkwardly standing like coworkers."

Daisy's expression switched to mischievous. "Listen, I know we both admitted we aren't dancers but..."

"Uh oh, I have a feeling I won't like the ending to that sentence."

She held out her hand. "Wanna dance?"

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

"The song's upbeat, you don't need to worry about getting everything perfect."

"I already rejected someone looking for a dance partner." He said, pushing his bangs aside.

"You did? Who?"

"Prince Peasley..."

"Smart choice, he's so full of himself." She wrinkled her nose. "Still, I think it'll be good to dance at least once."

"But if I mess up-"

"Just follow my lead. I promise, it'll be okay." She sounded so genuine, that it eased his nerves slightly.

"Alright, alright..." He took her hand, hoping he wasn't sweating too much.

Daisy instructed him to spin her in a small circle, which he did as the second chorus came in. "You're doing awesome! Now for some freestyle. This is called a pas de bourree."

"A par de...boo...what?"

Daisy demonstrated by stepping back and moving her arms in a very stilted way.

"I'm pretty sure that's called the robot."

"Nah, it's totally ballet." She retorted playfully, maneuvering close to him and matching her movements to the beat. Though she claimed she wasn't a good dancer, the way she held onto Luigi, and guiding him as they moved across the floor effortlessly, it appeared she was definitely being modest.

Daisy threw her arms out, without missing a beat, jumped into the air, her dress spinning behind her. Luigi gazed in awe. It was like she was flying.

"All around the world

Don't be afraid to get up and move

You know that we're all superstars

We're the ones who made it this far

Put a smile on that face

There's no time to waste

So, let's do the odyssey!"

He was starting to feel dizzy with each spin. "I thought you said you weren't a good dancer!"

"I said I'm not a dancer, I didn't say I couldn't dance." She teased. "You're not so bad yourself." She closed her eyes, hands interlocked as they pulled in closer. Their breaths hitched, wondering what their next move was as they drew nearer.

But with that one action, together they abruptly pulled back. "Wow, I'm definitely gay." They said in unison.

"At least we can agree on that." Luigi stifled a giggle. "You're great though, Daisy."

"You are too. I'm glad you bumped into me." She remarked. "And, thanks for dancing with me. Even if I peer pressured you a little."

"I have to admit, it was fun."

"See? Luigi, soon you'll understand that I too can be right occasionally."

The dancers started to disperse as the song ended. Peach and Mario caught their attention, and they headed towards them.

Peach and Daisy squealed, embracing.

"Oh, I missed you!" Peach said. "I wish Sarasaland wasn't so far away."

"Missed you too! I'll try to visit more often. We should definitely hang out for tennis or something."

"Absolutely!" Peach agreed, tilting her head to Luigi. "I see you two have become acquainted already."

Daisy nodded. "Yeah, Luigi's cool."

To Mario, Peach said: "Mario, this is my dear friend Princess Daisy of Sarasaland."

Mario bowed. "How do you do, your highness?"

"P- P- Princess? You're a princess?" Luigi sputtered, feeling a little betrayed. Not to mention, it seemed like everyone he interacted with was royalty.

"Huh, I guess I forgot to mention I'm the ruler of a country." Daisy responded. "No biggie."

"But you never said-"

"I thought the crown was a giveaway! I didn't want to seem like a show off."

"It's an honor to meet you, Princess Daisy." Mario said, interrupting their banter.

"You too! I know all about how you defeated Bowser. Twice! You guys are both welcome in Sarasaland. The Birabuto Kingdom especially, everyone keeps raving about the Super Mario Brothers."

"As they should," said Peach.

"So wait, you're really the ruler of an entire country?" Mario asked. "How do you manage it all?"

"To put it bluntly, I don't." Daisy replied. "It's the reason I don't have any free time! But I'd love to spend more time here. The Mushroom Kingdom is pretty nice. A lot less humid." She said mostly to herself. "Peach told me you're from Brooklyn? Is that a country or a kingdom?"

"Neither, it's a borough in New York City."

"Don't you mean New Donk City?"

Luigi raised an eyebrow. "New Donk City?"

"Daisy, they traveled from another dimension!"

"No way!" She exclaimed. "Tell me everything!"

Some time during the conversation, Luigi grew surprisingly fatigued. Not out of boredom, but from standing around and interacting with others for a long period of time often left him drained. Luckily, Mario sensed this.

"Need a break?" He whispered in his ear.

"Yeah, I'll only be a minute."

Mario gave him a thumbs up. "Take as long as you need."

Fresh air was exactly what Luigi needed. The moment he stepped out onto the palace balcony and a cool breeze hit his face. Though it was chilly, it was refreshing and put his mind at ease from panicking thoughts. He buttoned up his suit jacket, hugging his arms to stay warm as he looked out on the kingdom. The sky was a midnight blue, scattering with dots of sparkling stars and foggy clouds wisping around. Below was the gardens and a hedge maze with Peach's snoozing pet Chain Chomp in the middle. Beyond that was the kingdom itself, with shops and multicolored mushroom capped houses standing neatly in rows. The moon's reflection shimmered on the silver lake below the castle's drawbridge. It was beautiful. Peaceful and quiet too.

Or at least, it was relatively quiet. At first he only heard the muffled music from inside mixing in with the chirps of crickets outside. But as he continued to listen, he swore he heard something different. Something rustling by the bushes nearby.

From the corner of his eye, he saw movement and he instantly moved into a defensive stance. Someone had to be there, he just knew it.

"Hello?" He called out, wishing he had the same amount of confidence that Mario possessed. His voice wavered when he spoke, and when the sound echoed back at him, he jumped in alarm. He knew he was being paranoid. But it was dark, and he hated the dark. Why did he even decide to walk out alone?

He silently hoped he wasn't being watched by ghosts. Anything but ghosts. Yet he didn't turn back. He had to figure out what was going on. Part of him wondered if he should call out for Mario as he entered the hedge maze. Then he remembered what his brother had said to him earlier.

" I don't want you getting hurt. Learning about the power ups to defend yourself is one thing, but actually fighting with them..."

Luigi frowned. He could handle this without Mario. Even if he was panicking internally.

But the moment he took another step, he wished he hadn't. A low chuckle from behind sent him shivering in fear and shock.

"Ohohoho, wow! Long time no see, Luigi."

"Who's there?" He demanded-although it sounded more like a frightened squeak.

The shadowy figure started to walk towards him. Then another jumped from behind a hedge, and another from behind the statues. He was surrounded by koopas, goombas and Shy Guys. But the one who had addressed him, was a large muscular koopa with a blue helmet and hammer.

He tried to make a run for it, but rammed right into a Shy Guy. The blank, terrifying expression from its mask was enough to make him gasp and fall backwards.

"You know, I didn't think we would see you again." The Hammer Bro said with a twisted grin. "Figures you would be hiding out in the Mushroom Kingdom instead of helping your brother out."

"What do you want?"

"I'm here to provide a ...special delivery. You know how it is." He shrugged. "And wouldn't you know it, you're exactly what we need!" He revealed his sharp teeth, causing Luigi to shake more.

Despite his fear, he was also intrigued.

"What does Bowser want with me?" He couldn't deny he had wondered how the koopa king was doing after all this time. They had seldom spoken since he had been rescued, and he had a feeling that whatever reason he was needed would not be pleasant.

"Jeez, what is this? Twenty questions?" The Hammer Bro raised his weapon slightly to intimidate him. "That's for us to know, and you to find out. Don't worry, so long as you come with us quietly, we won't hurt you."

Luigi scanned around him. He was completely cornered by Bowser's minions. The goombas behind him were growling like guard dogs ready to pounce. He had to think.

Then he saw it. A floating question block.

"You promise you won't hurt me?" He asked.

"You have our word." The Hammer Bro vowed. "You just gotta come with."

Luigi jumped backwards and kicked a goomba into a hedge. "In your dreams." He smirked, using another goomba as an added boost to jump in the air. He punched the block. A fire flower appeared, and he was awarded the power up in an instant.

"I'll never go with you, not without a fight. Have at you!"

"So be it." And he tossed a hammer at the plumber, who barely missed it by clumsily ducking.

Another Hammer Bro roared. "Don't just stand there! Grab him!"

Paratroopas and swoops dive bombed towards him, but he was faster. Using his new abilities to his advantage, fireballs exploded from his fingertips, knocking into the flying creatures and immobilizing them. The impact of them falling caused a domino effect of more minions flopping over.

"Get up and keep fighting! Stop lying down, Kyle!" The lead Hammer Bro ordered. To Luigi, he shouted: "You think you're so tough, with your fire powers. But you're outnumbered."

Luigi lept from the platform in order to avoid a hammer hitting his face. He glared defiantly at the crowd of minions, desperately pelting them with more fire. He knew he was right, he was terribly outnumbered, and he was already tired. He had to hold on though. Surely Mario would hear the commotion and help him out. He just had to stall a little longer. But how much longer? He could only stomp on so many goombas and hit them with so much fire before he would inevitably be overwhelmed.

Soon it was just him and the main hammer bro. Both were exhausted and panting.

"Listen to me, human. King Bowser, he wants to see you. We don't need to fight like this."

"Tell him to send me a card and a gift basket then!" He snarled. "I'm not going to see him. I can't. He's hurt my brother and my friends. All of you have. And I'm not going to-"

One last hammer hit him in the chest, causing him to lose his poser up and fall to the ground with a loud thud.

"Ugh, you heroes talk too much." sneered the Hammer Bro. "Seriously, do you think I care about what you have to say? Because I don't! I don't even get paid enough for this."

"You don't? Have you considered speaking up about unfair wages?" Luigi suggested, wincing.

"Huh, perhaps I should-wait a second! Don't distract me!"

With another strained groan, Luigi grabbed a hold of a nearby fountain to help him stand, but the koopa pushed him down again. He could already feel bruises forming from his fall, and being struck with a hammer.

"I told you I didn't want to hurt you." He continued. "But you made things difficult, so I had no choice."

A nearby koopa shell had rolled beside him. As the Hammer Bro was turned away, Luigi kicked it. But the Hammer Bro heard it coming and retracted into his own shell for defense. When he popped out, he laughed. "Pathetic! Nice try though. Now all I need to do is- gah!" The koopa was frozen by some sparks of magic and thrust towards a tree. His shell slammed into it, causing bits of the carapace to chip. "Ugh...wha?"

"You fool!" A wizard koopa dressed in blue robes came fluttering on his broomstick, looking furious. "What part of 'don't harm him' don't you understand? We need him alive!"

"But Kamek, he attacked us first!"

"Nonsense, you could have done literally anything else. This is why I should always work alone..." He scowled.

Luigi took this time to weakly crawl away, but he wasn't swift enough. Using his scepter, Kamek's magic swirled around him, paralyzing him in place. He twirled his wand around lazily and brought Luigi close to him. "My, my, have you improved. You used to be so cowardly, now look at you! I must say, I can't lie and say I'm not impressed. You took out these minions like it was nothing. Perhaps this is why King Bowser was so fond of you. You have some potential."

"Kamek..." He growled.

"Ah, you do remember me!" He spun Luigi around with his magic. "I'm not surprised. I do have a memorable face. Kammy once told me I should be in movies. But enough about me, let's talk about you!" He extended a claw to Luigi's cheek. "Yes you'll do just fine."

Above them, an airship flew overhead filled with more koopas. Luigi bit back a scream.

"Right on schedule. Now, come along." Kamek waved his wand, and Luigi felt a sudden drowsiness overcome him.

"No! Wait...Mario..." his cries were left unanswered as the magic grew stronger, his knees weakening and the world around him darkened.