The Evils Within

Chapter 21

Angrily, Daisy approached the warp pipe, a frightened Luigi tripping out of it, inching away from her.

"You again? I thought you were smart enough not to show your face here again. I guess I was mistaken," Daisy said to him, unamused.

Putting his hands up in surrender, Luigi continued to slowly inch backwards. "W-w-wait! I think I know why you're upset," he stuttered quickly as his back hit a red-white pipe behind him. "Please, Daisy, let me explain!" Luigi winced, awaiting the princess' response that he feared was nothing less than a punch to the face.

Daisy could see the genuine fear in his eyes and sighed, relieving some of the tension she had built up before crossing her arms. "Okay," she responded, "Explain yourself."

Luigi exhaled in relief, expelling the breath he was not aware he had been holding before he explained. "I need your help. Not long ago, your kingdoms were attacked by someone who looks and sounds just like me. And, although technically that was me, I didn't do anything."

Daisy raised a confused eyebrow.

He sighed, "You see, I have an alter ego, a second personality, that goes about being its own person with its own personality, opinions, and morals. A few weeks ago, it managed to find a way to escape from my mind and it has been causing chaos in my name." His eyes darted to the floor, dejectedly. "I need someone to help take him down. He's got Peach and Mario and I-- I'm all alone. I can't do this by myself."

Daisy uncrossed her arms as her expressions shifted from irritated to concerned.

"Please, Daisy," Luigi's voice began to quake, "What will it take for you to trust me again?"

Daisy was still a tad skeptical, but nonetheless, she believed him. She held a hand out to help Luigi back to his feet, which he gladly accepted with a light smile. "Let's say that I do trust you. Where is this 'second personality' of yours?"

Luigi glanced to the pink warp pipe he had just come out of then back to Daisy with a troubled look.

~~~~~

Back at Peach's castle, two sets of hands grabbed the edge of the yellow-orange warp pipe, Luigi and Daisy stuck their heads out of the pipe to look around. The coast was clear. For now. As they climbed out of the pipe, a set of footsteps was heard approaching the room. Quickly, the two jumped out of the warp pipe and hid behind one further back in the room.

The footsteps drew closer. "Come on, through here," spoke a familiar voice. Entering the room was a familiar-looking being in some rather interesting-looking get-up.

Daisy's eyes widened at the sight. She glanced between Luigi and Mr. L, noticing the similarities between the two.

Mr. L walked to the black-red-colored warp pipe, being followed by a small band of shy guys carrying the unconscious Mario and Peach. He noted the pipe's cover had not been replaced since he last used it. "Let's go, hurry up," Mr. L directed the shy guys through the warp pipe, irked at how slow they moved. Once they were all through, Mr. L jumped in behind them.

Luigi and Daisy moved from their hiding place, Daisy still shocked at how uncanny their similarities were. "Who was that?" She questioned.

"That's Mr. L. He's that 'second personality' I told you about," Luigi responded.

Daisy thought for a moment, realizing he was telling the truth. Realizing she had been angry at the wrong person. She sighed, giving him a light smile, an apologetic one.

Luigi's dejected look was replaced with a smile in return accompanied by a nod. He had accepted his apology. "Come on, let's go put a stop to him," he spoke, moving over towards the Bowser's Castle warp pipe. He extended his hand to her, which she accepted with a grin, and the two jumped into the pipe together.