Luigi POV

I walked down to the Castle, new staff in hand.

Holding this staff seemed to give me a burst of confidence. I felt strong. I felt brave. 

I felt powerful.

It was nice to feel like this. I think I liked it. 

The book just followed me, floating close behind. I made sure not to be seen by anyone. It was pretty easy not to be spotted when everyone was either at home or at work. There were only a few people outside.

Still, I took precautions. Making sure to stay out of sight.

Eventually I went around to the back of the castle. I knew of a back entrance to the dungeons near here. Varian must still be in there. I just need to talk to him.

Right....talk.

I ignored that voice. As I made my way around the back of the Castle, I saw the murky blue water.

The water that terrified Dimentio.

"Don't go in. You're going to get stuck down there. You can't go."

The water that he dove into anyway, despite those fears, just to save my life.

I looked away. I felt a pit in my stomach.

I could bring him back, but I don't know where his body is. I need his body if I am to bring him back this time. Trust me, I tried bringing him back. I tried so hard. But without his body here, it was homeless, and I don't think queen Jades would like if it I went back down to the Underwhere and broke him out again. She's probably monitoring him closely now.

Why did I drop him? WHY DID I DROP HIM??

Because I told you to.

I ignored the voice again. 

He no longer had value to you. He was starting to doubt your plans. It was only a matter of time before he turned on you. Plus, once you freed your brother, what would he do? Go back to being evil. You did the right thing.

"Yeah...I guess...." I muttered.

I shook my head and moved forward. Standing here looking at the water was making my heart hurt. I had a job to do.

I made my was to the back entrance to the dungeons. It was locked, of course. I wish I knew how to pick locks, but I didn't.

"Guess we're doing things this way." I picked up my staff, and thrusted it into the door handle, breaking it off. The door swung open.

I walked in, more confidence and power in my walk. I don't think I've ever felt this way. I felt so, alive. So strong. Like I could do anything, and nothing was holding me back.

"VARIAN!" I called.

I heard someone move in one of the cells I quickly ran over to see Varian sitting there. Someone else was with him, but I didn't pay attention to them. I barely even noticed them. 

The kid stood up and looked at me with his big grey eyes. Oh, how he had grown. Last time I saw him he was shorter than Mario. Now he's even taller than me. His eyes still were filled with childlike wonder, but also grief and sadness. Good. He deserves that sadness.

I chuckled. "Wow. Little Varian had a growth spurt. You're even taller than I am!" Varian's eyes went wide. "L-Luigi.....I-"

I growled, the reached through the bars and grabbed his collar. "Listen here, kid. I need you to tell me about that gun. Where did Mario's soul go? I need it." I could feel myself filled with rage.

It felt weird, but good. I didn't expect myself to do that.

Fear flashed through Varian's eyes. "I-I-I told you, the gun shattered. So Mario's s-s-soul also shattered. We can't get it back!"

Tears formed in my eyes. I shoved him away. He flew backward, and tripped, landing on his back. I turned around and covered my mouth. "No. There has to be a way. I sacrificed to much for there not to be a way."

"Whoa! Kid, are you okay?" I heard a voice say.

It sounded like..... my voice. I quickly turned around.

A smile spread across my face. Oh my goodness, it couldn't be!

"Well Well Well, if it isn't Mr. L....I thought you were dead."

Why did I sound so evil?

Oh my Grambi, it was really him! Dimentio would have freaked!

He helped Varian up and glared at me. "Luigi! What the heck are you doing?"

I laughed. Why was I laughing, I have no idea.

"Heh, this is what heroes do! They save people! I'm saving Mario!"

I saw Mr. L shake his head. "Luigi, I'm in JAIL for you! You have to come clean and get me out of here! You know I don't deserve to be in here! How can you live with yourself!"

"Oh, look who's suddenly cares about justice. It didn't matter to you when you took control over my body and forced me to fight my brother! Mr. L, I don't want to see you rotting in prison because of me, I really don't, but I'm sorry. I have to save Mario. You understand, right?"

He shook his head and grabbed the cell bars. "No! Dang it, Luigi! What's wrong with you!? What happened to you?! This isn't the Luigi I know!"

I brought my hand to my chin. "Huh, funny. You think you know me?"

He shook his head. "Well, I was a part of you. Then the Ultimate Show happened." I nodded. "Oh, so that's why I couldn't ever feel you in my head. You must have gotten separated from me then. Makes sense....Poor Dimentio. If only I could have told him that sooner...."

I could see his eyes widen at the mention of Dimentio's name. "W-What do you mean by that? Where is he?"

I should have started crying. I thought I was gonna start crying, but instead, I slowly slipped into laughter.

"Dimentio? You want to know where Dimentio is?"

He seemed annoyed now. "LUIGI, TELL ME!"

I continued laughing. Why? Why was I laughing?

"Dimentio, Hahahahaha, Dimentio is dead." 

I started shaking. Hysterical laugher was filling the dungeons. Why couldn't I stop laughing.

Why couldn't I stop??

I saw the color drain from Mr. L's face. Varian's eyes went wide.

"He's dead?" Mr. L asked. He stepped back and shook his head. "No. You must be mistaken."

I wish I was mistaken, but I wasn't. 

"I'm not mistaken." I laughed. His hands began to shake. "H-how do you know?? He could still be out there! He can't just die!"

I laughed more. "I know he's dead. Because I'm the one who killed him."

Why was I laughing? Why couldn't I stop? Why did I say that? 

"I betrayed him, just like he betrayed you!"

I could see Mr. L clench his fists.

Oh, why couldn't I stop?? What's wrong with me? Why am I enjoying this??

"You did what?"

I smiled and nodded, slowly calming down. "You heard me. Now, not that I don't enjoy catching up with you, but I have to find another way to get my brother back. Since the kid is no help, I'll have to find another way."

I turned around, and left. I felt like I was about to do something crazy, and I wanted to leave before that happened.

At least this trip wasn't a total waste of time. Now that Mr. L is locked up, I won't have to worry as much! People think that I've already been arrested, so they won't be hunting me down anymore!

I can completely focus on getting Mario back. I'll find a way. I have to.

Mr. L POV

I could see Varian sit down and cover his face. "Oh, Grambi, look how much I broke him!"

I ignored this and just stood there. "He killed Dim...."

I know I was upset with him. I mean, he took my trust and threw it in my face....but I don't want him dead. He was my only true friend, or at least I thought he was.

He was the only person I've ever loved.

And.... "Luigi....killed him."

"M-Mr. L? A-are you alright?" I heard Varian ask me. I sat down on the horribly uncomfortable prison bed. "I'm fine. Let's just focus on getting out of here."

Numb. Numb was good. Numb didn't hurt.

Varian looked down, "I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. It's my fault Luigi is this way now." I shook my head, but stayed silent.

In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to take a sword and stab it through Luigi. But something was wrong. The Luigi I knew would never hurt a fly. Something wasn't right. 

".......Kid, how did you kill Mario again?" I asked.

He looked down. "We were trying to help people. We made a gun which could freeze a person's body, and take their soul. He accidentally got shot, and then the gun shattered, his soul inside."

I nodded. "Is there any way you could find the pieces and fix it?" I asked. He shrugged. "Perhaps, but it was an incredibly complicated piece of machinery. I needed Mario's help when making it to stay organized and to remember where each piece went. No way I could fix it on my own."

I shrugged, trying to push past the pain I was feeling. "Well, Mr. SmartyPants, lucky for you, I just happen to be the best mechanic you'll ever meet. We just gotta get out of here and find the pieces."

He shook his head. "A-are you sure you're fine? I think you need some time." I shook my head. "I'm fine. I just want to focus on getting out of here. Perhaps if we can fix the gun, Luigi won't hurt anyone else. If he can kill Dim....then there's no telling what else he can do."

He killed Dim....

I was trying to distract myself. I didn't want to break down. I had to stay strong.

Once Varian fell asleep, I hugged my knees to my chest and squeezed my eyes shut. I wouldn't cry. I refused to cry. I mean, he betrayed me. I should be happy he's gone, right?

It was so cold down here. I could hear the kid shivering.

Poor kid. They should really give us blankets.

How did everything go so south so fast? 

I wonder what it felt like. I wonder how it went down. With Dimentio. Had dying hurt as much for him as it did for me? I wonder how Luigi even did it. Why Luigi did it. 

I wish I could see that smile again. Not his normal smile, but his real smile. I wish I could see it one last time.

Luigi POV

I got back to Varian's old house. I pretty much live here now, with Mario.

I don't know why I was laughing so much earlier, but it doesn't matter. I have to find another way to do this. Another way to bring my brother back.

I looked at my new staff. I wonder why the book just showed me that page. Maybe it had a reason....

I looked through the book again.

It wanted me to read it. I could tell.

"W-wait! This is it!" I opened to a page. "If you encounter a soulless being, you can use the soul staff to take one's soul and give it to another. The being without the soul will perish in about thirty minutes once the soul is removed, unless the soul is returned to them."

I smiled a big smile and shut the book without reading the rest of the page. "This'll be easy! I just have to take a random person's soul and give it to Mario!"

And you know what....I wasn't even bothered by the fact that I would have to take a life. It was just another sacrifice I would have to make.