Trust (A SPM Story)

Part 2, Chapter 9 "Auld Lang Syne"

Luigi POV

I made my way into town. Just gotta get a soul. Quick an easy.

I found a small toad sitting all alone.

Perfect!

"For....for Mario." 

It was just one toad. 

It's not like anyone would miss it.

I bet no one would even realize it was gone.

I quickly kneeled down. "Okay...okay, I got this." I walked into view. No one else was around.

Just get it done. Quick and easy.

The toad looked up at me. It's eyes went wide. "W-wait, I recognize you. But I thought you were arrested-" I pointed the tip of my staff at it.

"Shh...."

The toad's soul floated up and out of it's body. The toad quickly clutched his chest in pain. "O-Ow, what are you doing to me??"

The soul floated into the glass ball on my staff. I could see it glowing inside. I let out a sigh of relief.

"You now only have half an hour to live. I'd say goodbye to your loved ones." I turned off and walked away.

I could hear the toad start crying. "Wait! Come back! What? What did you do to me?! I have a family! I have a little sister that needs me!" 

I shook my head. "Not my problem...."

I returned home to Mario.

"Is....is it wrong that this doesn't feel wrong?" I asked no one in particular.

No. You're saving your brother. This is merely an mean to an end. You have to make sacrifices. All heroes do.

I looked at my brother, then smiled. "Yeah. You're right. I can save him now!"

I opened the book to that page. "Okay, soul transfer. All I really need is the soul staff, so I'm good on that. Lets see...." I scanned over the page. It looks like the staff will do most of the work! Perfect.

I pointed the staff at Mario, pressing the glass glowing orb into his chest. The room then went dark. The only source of light was the glow from the orb.

"Yes....." I muttered. 

The orb continued glowing. "It....it's working!" 

Suddenly, the orb flickered, then went out.

I shook my head in confusion. "W-what??"

I examined the staff. ".....What happened??"

I looked over at the book. "Why did it stop??"

I slammed the book down on the table and carefully read over the whole page now.

"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. Blah Blah Blah....wait."

At the bottom of the page, in small writing, was, "In order for the soul transaction to work, the soul must come from someone close with the soulless being. Transactions work best if the donor is someone of the same blood, such as a relative or a sibling,"

I slowly placed my hand on my chest.

"So....what you're saying is..." I looked at the book. "That I have to give him MY soul."

.....

I looked down. "And, I'll only have thirty minutes with him..... before I perish."

Perhaps it if for the best.