Persona 4:Luigi's Adventure

Welcome to the Velvet Room (Part 2)

"Get up, Chief!" My eyes shoot open and I see the cloud-goons moving in to attack me. I want to move, but my ribs are sore, my head is pounding, and I have no energy. (This is bad...this is really bad!) Off to the side I see Nobody running in circles. He trips, and something rolls out of his bag...it's...!

"A...1-UP?" I cough after speaking and blood comes from my mouth. Steadying myself, I call out. "N-Nobody! Throw me that mushroom, quickly!!!" I point, and Nobody stumbles towards it. "Catch it Chief!" He gathers it up in his small arms and tosses it overhead with all his might!...

...and it lands slightly out of reach. (You've gotta be kidding me...) I think this to myself as the goons have gotten close enough to cast a shadow over me. Nobody is shivering and his mask is twisted in regret. Losing all hope, I close my eyes and brace myself for the end.

"...gi..." I hear a voice. (M-Mario...?) The voice is very faint, but it's bro's. "Lui...gi...I'm...sorry..." Cracking open one eye I look towards the cage to see bro struggling to sit on his knees. He grabs the bars to steady himself and looks me directly in the eye. "I never...got to apologize...for dragging you into my adventures...I charge in to save Peach...and I never asked how you felt about it. I'm...a joke of a brother...I can't even protect you...maybe I should just...let this monster kill me..." He finishes and slumps back into unconsciousness. His shadow suddenly appears behind the cage, its hulking form shaking erratically as it squeaks in laughter. The goons have stopped their approach.

"You see Weegie? Even at the end this COWARD-" Shadow Mario pauses and is completely still. Seconds pass in eerie silence and then it yawns. Just as suddenly as it stopped, the speech was resumed. "This COWARD can't even accept himself in the end. He doesn't really care about you, or this DAMNED kingdom!!! And now, without further ado..." The shadow lifts the cage up and drops it into its open maw.

It seemed like time slowed down. The cage was caught in its teeth and spit out. Only the bottom half of the cage was intact...

I could hear myself screaming for my brother. Tears streaming down my face and into my wounds. I yelled until my voice went quiet. (Mario...didn't care about me...? No...that...) I remembered his words.
("Lui...gi...I'm...sorry...") I repeat them again and again to myself.

"...ut...up..." I mumble this and can feel a warmth building deep inside. "Huh? You *yawn* say something Weegie?" The shadow rubs its belly in satisfaction, hauntingly similar to how Mario usually does. "I said...shut up!" I can feel Narcissus urging me to summon him at this point, but I'm still too weak from pain.

"Ohoho!!This is new! Baby bro grew a pair huh?! Well it's too bad you're *yawn* too banged up to fight huh?!" The shadow gloats and snaps its fingers. The goons reach me and begin pounding me with their fists.

With every blow I feel pain. My arms are held over my head to provide some form of protection, and I clamp my eyes shut to ignore the remains of Mario' s cage. (I failed bro...What's the point of having this new power...if I can't even use it to protect those that I care about?...) I can feel myself losing conciousness again. My body is numbing to the blows and my ears are ringing. (I guess this is...Game Over...) The sounds of Nobody crying seemed to get further away...

(Luigi...you cannot give up yet...) I hear a voice in my thoughts. It's the voice that beckoned me into the TV! It was so foreign,yet familiar. (Narcissus? Is that you?...Yes.Luigi, you cannot fall here. You must rise up and summon me...But I can't. I'm way too weak. Shadow Mario was right, I can't do anything without Mari-)