Third Person POV

It took Dimentio a whole week this time to get his magic back. It was pretty concerning. "Each time I get hit, it increases the amount of time I go without Magic. Who knows how long it'll be if I get hit again," Dimentio explained. Luigi tried keeping a good attitude. "Well, then we'll just have to make sure you don't get hit!"

Normally, it would be a seventeen mile walk through the snow, up a mountain, to get to where they needed to go. But luckily for them, Dimentio could just teleport them to the entrance. The end was near. Their journey was almost over.

Once they got to the entrance, Luigi walked up to Daisy. "When I get this book, I can only get a few pages, so what was your reason to search for this book? I need to know." Daisy just smiled and shrugged. "It's not important to me anymore. I don't need it."

Daisy POV

It's funny. A few years ago that was all I could think about. Getting ahold of that book, fixing my mistakes. But now... I didn't care. I just wanted Luigi happy. No need to make him grab an extra page.

Luigi nodded and took all the keys, starting to unlock the door. Dimentio teleported behind me and whispered in my ear. "Hey, you said you'd tell me what it was you wanted." I rolled my eyes and pushed him aside. "It doesn't matter."

He gave me this look. "If you don't tell me, I'll tell Luigi you like him." Oh, WOW. Now that was rude. 

"Okay, fine. Just don't tell anyone." He smiled. "My lips are sealed." I let out a sigh. "Well, at first I wanted it to help put Sarasaland back on it's feet. But then the Kingdom completely fell because of the Princess, so I wanted something that could erase everyone's memory." Dimentio chuckled. "Really? That's what you wanted? How would erasing the memories of that event benefit you....unless...." I put my hand over his mouth. "Shh, please don't tell him."

Luigi was still working on the door, not paying attention to us. Dimentio stepped back. "Oh my Grambi, you're that Princess. The one who-" I shushed him. "Shh, he'll hear you!" He nodded. "So why'd you stop caring?" I shrugged. "I kinda accepted my fate once I got ahold of that first key. I knew I could never get here on my own. Then.... you two showed up. I tried my best not to get my hopes up. But now here we are...only, I don't really want to erase their memories anymore. I don't want to just forget everything that has happened and go back to the way things were." Dimentio smiled. "It's because of Luigi, isn't it?"

I looked down, blushing a little. "Yes. If I got that page and used it, he would know what I've done, and I'd have to erase his memory too. And I just don't want to do that. Besides, I'm pretty happy with the way things are now. Truth to be told, I'm a little sad it's ending." Dimentio nodded in understanding. 

"Hey, guys! I got the door open!" Luigi called to us. Dimentio started floating over, when I grabbed his hand. "Wait, you never told me why you're here." He smiled.

"I'm here to help Luigi. At first I was only here because he did something for me and I owed him. Now...I'm here because I want to be. Plus, he said that he'd bring L back." I smiled. "Ah, yes. Can't wait to meet this L." 

I wonder what happened to L. Was he dead? Dimentio said, 'bring him back.' So he must have died. Whatever, we all made our way over to Luigi. There was a large door, leading to an even larger underground room.

I pulled out my sword. "I'll stay out here and keep watch. I don't want to be tempted by that book. I think it would be best if only one of us went in there."

Dimentio POV

Daisy had a good point. Luigi should go in alone. I looked over at him. He smiled back at me.

"No. Dimentio and I will go." 

I froze for a second. "Wait, really? You want me in there with you? What if the book is to tempting for me? Is this really a smart idea?" He placed a hand on my shoulder. "I trust you. I want you there with me. You've stood by my side all this time. I want you here when our adventure comes to an end."

I slowly nodded. Daisy stepped forward. "You sure about this?" Luigi and I exchanged glances and nodded.

"Alright then. I'll be out here when you're done. Be careful."

Together, Luigi and I walked through the door. It slowly closed behind us. I stopped floating, my feet hitting the ground. 

In front of us, lied a large, crumbly stone bridge. It looked like the other side was 200 meters away.

I looked down. It was a long long way down. I could feel that small fear of heights kick in. If I fell, I would probably die, since I couldn't use magic to save me. I took a step onto the bridge. There were no sides. No rails. I could feel the ground start to crumble beneath me.

Luigi placed a hand on my shoulder. "It's alright if you're nervous. We just have to go slow so the bridge doesn't collapse." I nodded. How was he so calm about this? This whole room reminded me of that time I had to get the key in Sarasaland, when I had to get across that large chasm while my magic was being limited. 

Luigi took my hand and together, we slowly walked forward.

How was he being so brave right now? Since when was I the scared one?? Whatever. Occasionally I could feel the ground crack beneath us, but it didn't break. "How old is this bridge?? It's basically falling apart," I complained. Luigi shrugged. "This book has been here for thousands of years, and we needed four keys to get in, so I'm guessing no one has been coming to maintain it."

When we made it across, I let out a breath I seemed to be holding in. "Okay, phew. We made it." We both turned our heads.

There it was. 

In the middle of the next room on a podium, floated the Grey Prognosticus. We both stepped into the next room. The walls were white. Everything was white except the book.

I could hear it...calling to me. Telling me to take it. 

I froze in place. No. I wasn't going to do it. 

Luigi nodded at me, and took a step forward, before I grabbed his hand. "Hey, wait one second." 

He looked back at me. I let out a sigh. "Listen, Luigi. I just-.... I just want to thank you. For everything. For giving me a second chance I didn't deserve, for trusting me, for all of this. I...you've really changed me." He smiled and took both my hands. "Thank you. I knew I could trust you. Now let's get that book and save my brother."

"Yeah, about that...what do you think will happen. To us, when your brother's free?" He seemed to hesitate slightly, before smiling again. "I don't know. But it'll all work out. I know it will."

I smiled and stood back. He trusted me. That was more powerful than the book. His trust was keeping me from taking the book and leaving.

I watched him slowly walk up to it.

The book's calls were loud, but his trust in me was louder. I couldn't betray him. I wouldn't betray him.

He opened the book and scanned the pages, looking for the right one to take.

Luigi trusts me. Don't take it. Don't take it.

"Does it have what we need? Did you find the right pages?"

Slowly, Luigi nodded. "Yep."

A million thoughts were fighting in my head. The book, screaming at me. Telling me to take it. My heart, telling me to stay strong.

Luigi closed the book, and took it.

He started walking back to me. "Got it," He said with a smile.

Huh?

My mind was suddenly quiet. The book was no longer calling to me.

I froze, a confused expression on my masked face as he walked past me. "W-wait. I thought we were only taking the pages we needed. What are you doing?"

He stopped walking and looked down.

"Well...I was thinking. What if one page isn't enough to do what I need. Plus, with the whole book, I can make sure nothing bad ever happens to any of us again!" I stood slightly shocked. "But...what? This wasn't the plan."

Luigi turned to me, a slightly annoyed expression on his face. "What difference does it make? It's just sitting here rotting, Dimentio. Why waste all this potential? I can use it to do so much more good."

What was he doing?? 

"Luigi, this wasn't the plan. Just put the book back and only take the pages you need, okay?" He rolled his eyes. "Come on. With this whole book, we can fix all our problems. We can clear our names. We can do anything! Don't you want that?" 

"This isn't you. Who are you??" 

He smirked. "What do you mean by, 'this isn't you'? Who am I then, Mr. L??" I shook my head. "No. You're not him either. Luigi, just-" "Of course. I'm not Mr. L. I can't be Mr. L, because he's gone!"

I froze. "W-what?" 

He calmed down a little and lowered his head. 

"He's gone. He hasn't been in my head since the Ultimate Show." 

L was gone?? 

"I....you said he was in your head." Luigi looked down. "I wanted to give you hope. I didn't want to tell you he was really gone. I didn't want to believe he was gone."

I slowly collapsed to my knees. Luigi continued.

"You killed him yourself.... I'm all you have left. So please, just...just trust me like I trust you."

Luigi knew he was gone this whole time?? What?? He....he lied to me. I didn't know he was even capable of lying. I should have thrashed out at him. I should have struck him down right there, but I was to overcome by this new feeling to do anything.

"He's really gone?" I asked, looking up at him. Luigi kneeled down in front of me, placed a hand on my shoulder and nodded. "And I don't think we can bring him back. He was never meant to exist anyway. So please, trust in me. I'm all you have left of him." I slowly nodded, wiping the tears forming in my eyes away.

"Okay."

The old me would have gone mad with rage and snatched the book, but I was to filled with grief.

He tucked the book away and helped me up. I didn't know what to think, grief and sadness clouding my mind. 

"Let's go." He said, letting go of me and walking forward. I slowly nodded and followed behind.

"Okay."

....

We made out way back to the bridge. He took one step onto it, and it started crumbling. I guess it didn't like the extra weight the book gave. "Dimentio, hurry! I'm not sure if it'll hold!" He took of running in front of me, the bridge cracking and breaking behind him. I started sprinting behind him.

He was quite a bit faster than me. I wasn't slow or anything, but I was never the best runner. 

He made it safely to the other side.

Running on it was definatly not good for the bridge. Chunks kept breaking off. My heart was beating fast.

These past few moments seemed to blur together. It didn't feel real. My thoughts were all jumbling.

I saw a large chunk of the bridge fall away. I would have to make a jump. It was near the very end. It looked like I would need to jump about 15 feet. Yikes.

Luigi held his hand out. "Jump Dim!" He called. I ran as fast as I could, and jumped.

I soared through the air, reaching for his arm, fear filling my eyes. I did not like this one bit.

He caught my wrist.

I looked down. It was a long way down.... I moved my legs frantically. "W-whoa! That was close."

He held onto my wrist tight. I looked up at him. "Phew! Nice catch, Luigi!" He smiled a little. "Thanks."

"Okay, pull me up!"

He froze. 

Huh?

"Luigi? What are you doing? Pull me up."

He looked down at me, with a look of regret in his eyes.

What was he doing?

I looked down. "You're not gonna....are you?"

Nothing.

"Oh...."

I let out a small laugh. "Wow.... I did not see this coming. Never thought I'd die from falling."

I looked back up at him. He still held onto my wrist. 

"Luigi?"

He looked down at me, meeting my eyes.

His eyes just looked...empty. I could feel his grip loosen.

"No...." I muttered.

He blinked.

"Luigi, Please."

....

....

Without saying anything, he let go.

I fell, gravity pulling me down. I watched as he faded from view.

He let me go.

Third Person POV

Luigi watched Dimentio fall away. Once he faded from view, he stood up and held his hands to his head.

"Oh no. What have I done??"

Luigi began to sweat. "N-No. Dimentio, come back." He stepped back, tears falling from his eyes. "Come back!" He held out the book in front of him and hugged it to his chest. "I didn't mean to...I didn't want to."

He started silently sobbing. "Dimentio....why did I do that. Dimentio! Come back!"

Slowly, he made his way back outside, to Daisy. She smiled upon seeing him. "Luigi! You made it!" She ran up and hugged him. He didn't hug back.

"Wait....where's Dimentio?" She asked. Luigi wiped a tear away, and looked back.

"....oh...."

Luigi started sobbing. 

"I should have, I could have-" Daisy shushed him. "Shh, it's not your fault."

But it was.

Together, the two made their way back. Without Dimentio's magic, they had to walk. Once they got back to civilization, they set up camp for the night.

"You know..." Luigi started, tears still falling down his face. "I didn't have to keep him around. He wasn't necessary once we got that second key. I could have told him his end of the deal was done." Daisy looked over at him. "Oh?" Luigi smiled and sighed. 

"But I didn't. I wanted him around. I wanted him to stay with me. And not because his Magic made everything easier." Daisy sat down next to him. "Why?"

"Because, he reminded me of my brother, in a way." Daisy's eyes went wide. "You have a brother?" 

Luigi looked down and chuckled. "Yeah.... I had a brother. His name was.... Mario."

Mario, where had she heard that name before. Wait.... "Mario, the great hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, Mario?" Luigi looked up at her. "Yeah....wait. How do you know him?" Daisy looked around nervously. "Uhh, he may have saved me once a long time ago." "He saved you? How come I've never heard of this. He always told me about all his adventures....unless..." His eyes went wide. He got up and stepped back.

"Who are you?" 

Daisy looked nervous. "Now, Luigi, calm down please." He seemed angry. "TELL ME. WHO ARE YOU??"

She reached for her sword upon hearing him yell, but didn't quite take it. "Luigi, please." He stepped back and gripped onto the book. "The only person from Sarasaland Mario has ever saved was the princess. The one who later sent an army to the Mushroom Kingdom." "Now, Luigi, please. That's not true."

"YOU'RE ONLY HERE FOR THIS, AREN'T YOU??" Luigi held out the book. Daisy shook her head. "Wait, you took the whole book??" He seemed angry. "You were going to betray me and take it for yourself, weren't you??" Daisy seemed hurt and confused. "No, that's not what I'm doing. What has gotten into you?? This isn't who you are!"

Luigi laughed. "Oh, so who am I then? The nice guy who always puts others first. The guy who is constantly pushed aside, living in fear. No! I want what I deserve. It's my turn to get what I want. MY TURN! And you aren't going to take it from me!"

"Those people were right. You really ARE unstable. Luigi, listen to me! It's me!"

She grabbed his hands. "Luigi, please. Listen." He slowly calmed down. 

"D-Daisy, I'm scared."

A tear fell down his face.

"Luigi, please. I need you to calm down. I'll stick with you until the end, but I can't support you taking the whole book."

He looked at the book, then into her eyes.

His eyes hardened. He yanked his hands away from her.

"Fine....then I'll do this by myself."

Luigi took the book and took off running.

"Luigi! Wait! Come back!"