Chapter Text
‘Accipicchia! Why is that zeppelin fast?’ was what an Italian descent, a tall humanly shaped person with a mustache, dressed in a green long sleeved shirt and a pair of dark blue jean overalls with white gloves and brown leather shoes, wearing a cap as green as his shirt with the first letter of his name on it thought anxiously.
Once he got captured by small folks wearing red robes and white masks. Well most of them were. Just one was wearing a black one and the mask looked more like a second World War gas mask than what the rest of them wore, to them it looked more like hockey masks. But the robes! Were they… Were they part of a cult or something? Did he fall in a dimension where an ancient earth cult worshiped and summoned an evil entity? Were they about to sacrifice him to that entity?????
What in the whole wide universe did he get himself into???? No!!!! What possessed him to follow his brother outside of their home in the first place!?!?!? All of this for a town that was better off not even knowing his existence in the first place!!!!!
This is bad!
This is really bad!!!!
It’s even worse than the last time he was incarcerated!!!!
Why does he have to repeat that swimming pool incident over and over again!?!?
Why is the universe so against his existence?!?!? He didn’t ask for any of this!!!!!
He breathed unevenly and fast! Fear taking control of his whole body that his nerves made his right leg shaking and two of his fingers twitching.
‘What am I doing here???? I just want to go home!!!! I did nothing wrong, so you must let me go home!!!! Please let me go home!’ he thought in a plea, before anger took over when he thought of why he got here in the first place.
“ ‘Ma dai Luigi!’ he said! ‘We won’t get that wet! I’ll bring a second set of clothes for you!’ he said! ‘If we save Brooklyn, I’ll make sure everyone treats you like a hero!’ he said! But, oh will you look at that?!? I’m tied up, ready to be harmed or worse! And….” the one calling himself Luigi mumbled in his mustache, blaming everything on his brother Mario before being gagged by a handkerchief by one of those weird guys.
“Keep quiet, prisonner!” growled the gas mask wearing one, even though his voice was not strong enough to break the heavy silence.
This was too familiar for Luigi.
He lived through that! Hands tied together, muffled by a muzzle meant for big aggressive dogs!
He remembers it all too well like it was yesterday! Held captive like a rabid animal!
Just remembering it so clearly makes him hyperventilate as he looks around for any way to escape the zeppelin. He looked and he looked but the fast saccades of his blue sapphire eyes as well as his uneven breathing made everything dizzy. He gave up on the idea of escaping as he closed his eyes to try to calm himself as tears of despair poured down to his cheeks.
‘Oh Mario, help!’ prayed Luigi in his mind.
He hoped his brother would find him very soon.
Soon enough, after the human tried his best to calm down, they arrived at what seemed to be a …… flying island with a court filled with lava and a castle? With a huge beast’s head carved on the front cliff? That beast’s head was terrifying, with the lava pouring down inside of it, making it feel alive.
Was this where the sacrifice was happening?
Once they freed his mouth from the handkerchief, he gulped hard as they approached and docked on the main tower. The gas masked one got off first and took the rope that bound Luigi’s wrists together and pulled on it to insinuate the prisoner to follow. The tall human tripped as he got off the zeppelin but didn’t fall. He tried to look around more of his surroundings, trying to understand when in the world was it. Did… Did he time warped in medieval times or…? Another pull insisted on him following the gas masked one while the hockey masked ones followed behind.
They entered a vast and large room with beast statues exposed on each side of the immense paved path, terrifying Luigi as they passed each and every of them depicting a lionesque-dragon like head with bull like horns, a giant maw filled with sharp teeth, claws and mane of a lion, a body built as thick and tall as a rhino on hind legs, a tail with spines that also decorated the giant turtle shell on its back. All them posing in a show of power and aggressiveness. And the lighting provided in the darkness of the room didn’t provide any comfort. In fact the dancing of the light upon one of them and the dark stones it was made of made Luigi sworn it was alive.
He was sure now that it was a cult and he was the pure virgin sacrifice to this beast!!!!!
He didn’t notice he froze in his steps before another pull dragged him back to those little guys, forcing him to face the curtain of hot lava in front of his view. In the middle, rocks levitating towards a floating throne. He didn’t have the time to notice who sat upon it when he fell upon the paved floor when a pull on the rope came once again.
“We found him in the Darklands!” said the voice of the gas masked ones, still not above a whisper.
The green cap fell upon Luigi’s eyes but he recognized the voice from earlier. Then he heard a growl and a shiver down his spine made him raise his head slowly towards the sound to see.
The Beast!!!!!
The giant with scales of yellow and bits of sprinkled greens on its shoulders, a green turtle shell orned with sharp spines, a tuff of a mane as red as raging flames and flesh cutting ivory claws!
The one he was being sacrificed to!
‘Oh mio Dio, per favor! Non voglio morire! I don’t wanna die! I don't wanna die! I don’t wanna die!’ he panicked in his head.
The Creature rose from its sit and stepped down towards them.
“Leave him to me!” ordered The Beast as he approached.
It…… It could talk? It… it could understand? Has God answered his prayer? Would he be able to talk his way out of it? Hope was frail but hard to kill! And he hoped he could make it out of here alive!
It wasn’t the first human specimen that Bowser, King of the Koopas and King of the Darklands saw… but they tended to be quite the sight due to how rare one could find in the realm. There were three human princesses ruling among the stars, the mushrooms (the one he cherished the most) and the desert.
But male ones?
He admitted, he never in his life crossed one. He heard of a short stack under Princess Peach’s protection, which surprisedly resembled the specimen kneeled in terror in front of him. The King relishes in the fear of that human as he tries to hide himself with his arms bound by a rope (which the Snifit holding it released).
Kamek the Magikoopa dressed in a blue sky robe and pointed hat and wearing glasses, and one of the Koopa King's most trusted counselors (and only one), appeared near this worm worth of a creature and unbinds him with magic oozing from his scepter before making him levitate and bringing him in front of the mighty monarch.
“What is your name?” asked Bowser as he and the human finally came face to face.
Curiosity got the better of him and he poked the human’s shoulder with his claw, feeling the texture of the fabric and the soft, squishy flesh that shivered with fear. Satisfaction made the King smile as he turned the human around to observe him from every angle.
“Huh,…… Luigi.” the human answered before smiling nervously, trying to stay focused on him like a prey trying to dodge the next strike of his predator.
Cute!
“Not sure if you know who I am!” smiled Bowser before standing straight and tall, looking at his claws. “But I’m about to marry a princess and rule the world!” he continued, before snapping the claws of his thumb and index, making a spark right in front of the human.
Gosh did he like the look of the wretch's face! Priceless! If the other human was anything like this one! Oh you can bet that his work was chewed out and served for him! Watching him buckle and bend then break would be cherry on top!
“Wow!… Hehe!… Yaaaay!…” exclaimed Luigi as he smiled nervously again as the Koopa King couldn’t help himself to poke the human by the chin with his claw.
Give him a break! He couldn't approach that near a human before! Let alone touch one! Man, is human skin so fragile and smooth!
Even koopa hatchlings don't have a skin that soft! And trust him, he knows! …
Is Peach’s skin that smooth and soft? Oh that lovely porcelain silk she must possess! But to her, only caresses like the feather of a love dove shall be given! Hhmm… Maybe this Luigi could be a test run for how far he can poke without piercing too much through, just in case! Oh what luck! A guinea pig served on a silver platter indeed! But then…!
“But there’s one problem, Luigi!” Bowser said as he toyed with the cap a bit. “There’s a human traveling with my fiancée!” he then smiled dangerously, as he looked at his hand as if to say ‘If I can get a grip on him!’ and since the other human looks a lot like this one right here… “Has a mustache, just like you!” he continued as he held Luigi’s cheek and slid down his chin with one finger before going to the object of resemblance. “Do you know him?” he then asked his new prisoner as he toys with the tuff of facial hairs.
It came into his mind that both of the human males look too much alike from what he heard from spy reports for the both of them to not know each other, or not be related somehow. Though he had to admit male hairs seem a little bit rougher of texture compared to what he heard Peach’s hair would feel like. His patience was kind of running thin while waiting on the answer of that scaredy cat of a human! So the mustache playing and the comparison and the theorizing kept the Koopa King occupied.
But, oh his eyes! His every expressions! Everything was alive about this Luigi! He feared for his throat until the mention of that other human, the distortion on his face of both distress and alertness!
Oh, he knows that other human, alright!
“Huh… no?! No!” was that human’s answer as the King felt a bit of bravery surfacing.
Bowser released the mustache, a bit admirative in front of Luigi’s attempted bluff.
“Oh, tough one I see!” he even said.
So the human was a tough little cookie! … Fine! He can deal with that! He loved tougher cookies at breakfast! Gave it an extra crunch!
‘So you want to play this game, Luigi? Ok, then let the game begin!’ he thought.
But let’s start small first!
He was rather a benevolent monarch after all! And this little worm worth of a man came all this way to resist him here, on his territory.
“Maybe this will get you to talk!”
So Bowser pulled one hair of the mustache, clipped between his claws. And oh the lamb like yelp that got out of that human’s throat when he pulled harder!
“… Do you think I know every human being with a mustache wearing and identical…” rambled Luigi as Bowser pulled harder still. “… outfit, with a hat with the first letter of his name on it?…”
The Shy Guys and the Snifit that brought the human here asked themselves if this one was brave or stupid as they watched the torture unfold.
“…. because I don’t!” Luigi smiled nervously.
Why. THIS. WRETCHED. THING!!!
The Koopa King out of pure anger ripped the hair out, earning him more yelps from that cowardly liar of a failed Yoshi omelet!
Kamek’s power let go of the human as Bowser gripped him in his right hand and pulled the whole side of the mustache with the left one.
“Do you know him!?!?” Bowser roared.
He won’t be that nice this time around! So that human better confess!!!!!
“Gah! Ow! … Ow,ow,ow! Stop! Ow, stop it! Yes I know him!” yelped Luigi in pain as he finally confessed. “He’s my brother, Mario, and he’s the greatest guy in the world!”
Ah, finally!!!
“Do princesses find him attractive?” The Koopa King asked as he pulled more and more.
“They do if they have good taste!” cried Luigi on the break of pain.
Then… RIP!
And a cry of agony!
“Get him out of my sight!” yelled the King while throwing away the tall mustached green wearing human to the ground like a useless ragdoll.
Kamek watched its body sliding across the paved floor and knocking over itself a bucket full of dirty water. Served that scaredy thing right! How dare he and his bro….. what? He sees the spine of that wretched human pulsing and stretching, ripping the clothes. Taken aback just like those Shy Guys around as the metamorphosis continued.
“We’ll see how tough this Mario is…” continued his Evilness.
“Huh, Sire?” tried to cut in the Magikoopa.
“… When he watches me…”
“Sire!”
“… kill his broth…”
“Sire!!!!!” yelped Kamek, getting the King out of his monologue who pierced his murdering gaze onto the royal counselor.
“What? Can’t you see that I’m…” Bowser yelled back until he heard cracking and tearing, turning his gaze to the human he just threw. “… Giving ……you…… an……”
The human was morphing right in front of them.
His legs have fused into one long emerald giant snake tail, spines have sprouted out from his back and his tail, dragon-like emerald wings have sprung out of his back as well as side fins on his hips and tail. His torso while deprived now of clothes stayed humanly the same although his human ears got just a slightly bit pointy.
They couldn’t believe it!
Yet it was!
“…order…” breathed Bowser as he was like every Darklanders around in awestruck.
Luigi raised his head again before knocking his cap off his head so he could stroke away the pain from the hit. He blinked and then that’s where he saw it. His clothes were ripped to shreds on his arms and hips, his shoes were wrecked beyond repair, and worst of all, he was back into this hideous, monstrous form!
And there was an audience for it!!!!
“Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! Oh no no no no no!!!!!” Luigi panicked as he tried to dry himself or hide in the shreds, pleading repeatedly in Italian or English, rubbing his hands together or against his arms to try to dry himself and return to his normal form.
The form of the shy twin brother of the little plumber from Brooklyn! The form that would prevent him from being mistreated again, treated like a wild animal!
Just anything! ANYTHING! to make that appearance disappear!
The Italian descent was so desperate to go back to normal that he didn’t notice the Magikoopa appear right next to him, and only when he yelped at the feeling of being touched did he notice the glasses wearing wizard.
“Serpent-like tail,…” exclaimed Kamek with a smile while holding a coil of green emerald and iridescent scales before slightly pulling a wing. “… Dragonesque wings…” he continued as he let go of the wing to catch the left arm and uncovered it to reveal transparent but iridescent scales that passed from iridescent green to iridescent purple by the trick of the lights. “… and scales shimmering like gems!”
Oh! This was one of the best days in Koopa History! According to Kamek’s way of thinking.
“This specimen is a genuine living descendent of Melusians!”
Melusians? As in their folks’ tales of old? As in centuries lost long ago? Bowser couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
This human is part of the now extinct race of Melusians!
That means if he is here and words spread, the people will believe that they were back to bless the realm once more! And worst! If other kingdoms knew about it,…
“No!!!” screamed Luigi as he crawled away, pushing the Magikoopa to the ground.
He tries to be fast as he hyperventilates again.
He must leave!!!!! He must hide!!!! He must run!!!!!!
His hands won’t carry him far enough and this tail is useless!!!!!
He doesn’t have the time to think of another way that he screams as he feels himself leaving the floor once again and not by those hideous wings of his. And just like before he levitated back towards the Koopa King with a yelp by the magic power of the King’s counselor.
‘Phew, that was close!’ thought the Magikoopa as he waved his wand around and levitated the Melusian back to them.
Well to be fair, this creature was kind of slow in his movements, as if he never learned how to move in this form! Strange, for a creature who can reside and thrive in the water, earth and sky combined. Where did Luigi come from? Was his brother a shape shifting Melusian as well? So many questions waiting to be answered.
All Kamek knows is that Luigi fears this form and doesn’t know how to use it.
“Let me go! Let me go!” cried Luigi as he came back face to face with the Koopa King.
The Melusian shivered and hid in his arms as Bowser turned around him, still in awe.
“Don’t look at me!!!!!” he cried again as he hid as best as he could.
“After all those centuries! ……” whispered Bowser, still processing everything.
He couldn’t believe it!
He not only possesses a Superstar, one of the most powerful power ups in all the realm! … But now, he came in the possession of a Melusian! An empire builder! A creator and prolounger of prosperity and even more! An almost deity-like creature!
Oh if Luigi could use his power to revive the Darklands again! They wouldn’t be on the brick of famine and go on raids ever again! Just imagine the futu… Wait!
Why didn’t Luigi use his powers to repel them? In fact, why didn’t he fly away? Would have been quicker to escape! In another fact, why didn't he even know how to crawl conveniently like any serpent should!? Why cower? Bowser should be the one to cower before an almost deity like creature!
Something was off with that one! He could sense it!
The Koopa King got a bit closer to smell him a bit, making the Melusian yelp and cower more as his tail retracted to his chest. And Boswer smelled it. Another world thriving but yet so disconnected to nature! The smell of smoke and bitumen! A world deprived of Magic!
The Koopa King’s eyes grew wide. How could this thing live, let alone survive, somewhere he couldn’t fully thrive? He looked Luigi over once more, before finally noticing a huge necklace-like scar around the Serpentling’s neck.
Bowser dared to touch it by the tip of his claw… but as soon as it touched the nape, Luigi thrashed and slapped his claw away, screaming: “Don’t touch me!” with his eyes still closed. The Darklands leader lets the creature regain a foetal-like position to protect himself.
That was everything he needed to know to get the picture!
That creature was born in a world deprived of what was basically needed for him to thrive, and got broken!
And that was the basics. If he went deeper… But Bowser just sighed from exhaustion of thinking of what might have happened and by the day’s events while pinching the bridge of his snout.
“What shall we do now, your Puzzledness?” asked the Magikoopa.
Bowser took one last look at Luigi, before shaking his head and turning away, ordering:
“Take care of him, Kamek! Use the Princess' keep!”
“Your wish is my command, Sire!” grinned Kamek as he deeply bowed to his King.
He was rather grateful by this turn of events. This made Luigi unfurl and panic.
“Wait! No!!! You can’t…” was the last thing heard of him before he got teleported with the Magikoopa.
Then Bowser turned to face the Shy Guys and the Snifit and approached them, menacingly, making the three of them step back.
“This shall NOT leave these walls! Understand!?!” he roared at them, his eyes glowing red and gold as smoke came out his nostrils. “If any word got out…” Bowser continued, but he soon got the complete surrender of the three as they raised their arms in a complete show of disharming.
“We… we won’t tell a soul, oh Mighty King of the Koopas! You have our word!” the gas masked one whispered while the hockey masked ones nodded.
“Good!” said the Koopa King before barking at them: “Now, out of my sight!” as he pointed them to the exit.
And the Shy Guys and the Snifit galloped far away from him.
But now, he had bigger CheepCheeps to fry. He got to tell his whole vessel crew! Because it won’t stop at those Shy Guys if by some uncareful moves Luigi escaped or if nobody could hold their tongue if they ever saw his true form again! No, he had to make a statement!
The Melusian had to be under their authority but also under their whole protection!
“GENERAL!!!!” he then yelled at the closed doors.
As they opened slightly, a blue shelled koopa with wings, harboring a blue helmet and shoulder pads, flew to him and kneeled once he landed in front of him.
“Your Majesty?” the general asked.
“Call on the whole crew, first thing in the morning tomorrow! And call back your spies, they have to get informed as well! ” the King ordered.
“It will be done, your Majesty!” answered the blue shelled koopa.
“Good! Now go!” Bowser then ordered and the general flew off.
Once alone, the King of the Koopas let out a deep sigh, running his claws through his hair. As if preparing for a wedding wasn't stressful enough, he also had to discover the last remaining Melusian, who happened to be the brother of the one who could steal his fiancée… and the worst part was, this brother was absolutely useless to him! … At least, not useful yet.
Because if Luigi had been able to assume his Melusian form, it meant there was still a chance to make him a valuable ally for the Darklands! …. But yet a question remained.
Was Mario even human? Or is he more of a Melusian than his brother is? Hmm … then that would mean the realm was blessed with the return of two Melusians …. and if Princess Peach found out and was training him ….
“Oh great!” he groaned while imagining losing his betrothed to a dragon serpent man. “Just GREAT!!!” he groaned again as he stroked his face in frustration.
Of course Peach would have become super impressed and asked that freak to marry her!
Of course Mario would have become the most powerful ally to the Mushroom Kingdom!
But then again ….. they had Luigi! And if Kamek could take him under his wings (or rather under his arm wielding a flying broom or scepter, because he wasn’t a Paratroopa to possess wings… you get the picture!) … Maybe it will be useful to have their very own deity-like ally too! So maybe there was nothing to worry about in the first place! The preparations of invasions and the wedding were underway and both the brothers were under the protection of kingdoms under this realm, far away from that dreadful place they originated from. And tomorrow, after the meeting, he’ll set a new mission for the general and his spies
“Well, that settles it!” Bowser smiled to himself and clapped his hand together.
Now all he got to do was keeping tabs on everything and move on from what was given as information. And now …
Boy, does he need rest!
Meanwhile, the Magikoopa and the Melusian appeared inside a humble sized room with one king size bed with padded head board and a great wood work of a vanity with a big mirror as well as a well sculpted wardrobe.
Clearly a room meant for someone rich or important… or both.
“Here we are!” exclaimed Kamek as he freed Luigi from his enchantment.
The Italian descent fell upon the bed with a yelp, before he raised his head and looked around. This was too luxurious of a prison for him, yet again the small space and the bars at the window made it as claustrophobic as one.
A golden cage, that’s what it was.
“We, Koopas, welcome you to the Princess's keep! This shall be the place where you reside until told otherwise!” said Kamek as he went to the door while the serpentling looked around and opened it to slip out.
“What?…” whispered Luigi in a breath until his ears picked up the rustle of a doorknob and turned to see the wizard leaving him. “Hey, no!…” he yelped as he tried to get to the door.
“Have a pleasant rest!” Kamek grinned before slamming the door shut as the Melusian crashed on it crying: “Wait!”
And there, his fate was sealed!
Prisoner to a race of monstrous sentient and sapient turtles! When they could use him as they pleased! With no way of contacting his family, nor his brother, and no way to go back home! Stuck in this form that would be the death of him!!!!
Realizing that he couldn’t get away, Luigi threw himself back onto the bed and hid his face in the sheets as he cried.
“Mario…” he tearly mumbled, like a quiet prayer, a humble wish, a dim light of hope that his brother will find him.