I've Got the Strangest Feeling This Isn't Our First Time Around

34

"That neighborhood wasn't always there." Pauline informs the team in the conference room. "As we know, the whole world on this side of the pipe is connected through pipes, with an entire sewer system running right underneath our feet that connects to other worlds, including the Pi'illo kingdom and Rogueport. That empty house is right on top of one of the old pipes leading to the sewer system. The lampposts in Toad's dreams are right on top of an old elevator that was allegedly no longer in function. The house is owned by someone claiming to work down there."

"What do they need an old elevator for?" Snoozemore asks. "To get in and out of the pipe in the house?"

"Maybe." Luigi says. "If they're trying to sabotage the pipes. There's no other reason they'd be skulking around down there. Or why they're hiding it."

Then he remembers, "And the flickering lampposts to signal someone going up or down the elevator?"

"As if the monsters coming to Maple Street didn't give me enough heebie-jeebies." Spike mutters.

"I'll get Clark on it to get us a warrant." Snoozemore promises. "Apparently even Toad's non adventure was an adventure even in itself."

"And it got him petrified." Mario reminds him.

"No flickering from the lampposts. " Pauline says into their earpieces, as Mario and Luigi walk around the neighborhood.

"Which means it's quiet. For now." Luigi says. "Anything in the empty house?"

"Nope. Still nothing."

"God, where the hell is Clark?" Luigi demands.

"Snoozemore promised she's coming as we speak." Mario tries to assure, but that's not enough for Luigi, who just turns and walks straight for another pipe.

"Where are you going now?" Mario whines as he tries to keep up.

"Down into the sewers. I need to get into that house." Luigi says, not slowing down.

"Right, I forgot I'm the only one who actually cares about your safety." Mario says, then taps his earpiece. "Watch the lampposts. Tell us if anything changes."

Once they're through the pipe, Mario says, "Okay, so roughly where the elevator is should be down this way."

"Hold on." Luigi stops him, prompting Mario to turn and look at him. "Now what?"

"Thanks." Luigi says, surprising Mario. "For going into the dreamwalk knowing the risks. I know there was a real chance you could've died."

"Did you just thank me?" Mario demands goodnaturedly, but Luigi doesn't laugh.

"I suck, don't I?" he asks, clearly upset, but Mario shakes his head.
"Are you kidding? Besides a hiccup here and there, you're probably one of my favorite people."

"Did you just thank me back?" Luigi chuckles, which helps to cut the tension some, but now Mario's the serious one.

"But that doesn't change the facts: if something feels wrong when we're dreamwalking, or if you have reason to think something latched onto you after you wake up...just tell me, okay? Please?"

Luigi nods slowly, "Only if you don't hide anything else from me.", and as Mario nods in agreement, Luigi adds, "I had a right to know about Bowser, especially since he was the dreamwalker before me."

"I know." Mario sighs.

"Please tell me the team can stop reminding you I'm not Bowser." Luigi pleads. "I may be younger than you, but I'm a big boy. Knock off the worrywart routine."

"Not happening." Mario says immediately. "But I will try to dial it back."

Then his focus moves towards their surroundings, "No...no...no. I don't see the elevator."

"If we're right under the house, it's gotta be here." Luigi insists, walking up to a door.

"What are you doing?" Mario asks as he comes over.

"Little trick I learned taking apart locking mechanisms and putting them back together." Luigi tells him. "The ones used in sewer systems are all pretty similar."

He pulls out a screwdriver and pulls off the cover, sticking the screwdriver in.

Mario has no idea what that means, all he knows is Luigi pulls the screwdriver back out and says, "I knew it. This is way too advanced for a sewer maintenance door."

"You think it's hiding something?" Mario asks, but Luigi's back to sticking the screwdriver back in, making Mario demand, "What are you doing?"

"I'm getting in there, one way or another."

Mario can't lie, watching the locking mechanism come apart piece by piece is damn impressive, and in a matter of moments, it's dismantled, and the door opens.

"Going up?" Luigi jokes as he walks in, and sure enough, there's the elevator.

"We found the elevator." Mario says to Pauline through the earpiece.

"And we need to hurry, because someone's gonna notice the flickering lights." Luigi says as he throws the switch to take them up, and jumps through the first pipe they see at the top.

"Ugh." Mario says as they walk through the disgusting house. "How has this place not been condemned yet?"

Luigi keeps walking through the garbage, while Mario looks through the empty drawers, until he hears Luigi say quietly, "Mario. Get over here."

Mario can hear the barely contained anger as he complies, looking at the records.

"Fluffy, BowWow, Pinchy..." Mario reads their names before realizing. "These are all Chain Chomps."

Luigi realizes, "They're running a Chain Chomp fighting ring." then he gasps, "The painted Chomps. They're next."

"We need Clark. Now." Mario urges.

"How's our dynamic duo doing?" Pauline asks in their earpieces. " Not to alarm you, but the lampposts are flickering again. "

"We're outta here." Luigi says, and the two waste no time going back through the pipe and making their way down the elevator.

"What the heck are these guys up to?" Pauline asks from where she's watching the camera feed.

"I don't know. They must have another house that's in the camera's blind spot."

Then Pauline says urgently, "Guys, you might wanna hurry."

On their end, Mario and Luigi make a run for the pipe that got them down here, right as they come face to face with some very unruly people.

But Luigi just steps forward and points right at them, just like in the dreamwalk, but they don't back down, instead pulling out a Chomp and coming closer.

Luigi still doesn't move, and before Mario can think, he's grabbing Luigi and pulling him away, making the Chomp hit the wall instead.

And thankfully that's all the distraction needed for Clark to show up, but Mario still doesn't let go of Luigi, holding him firmly.

"Don't move." Clark orders the Chomp fighters, but when they run, backup arrives, and instantly, they throw their hands up.

Which is all the permission Luigi needs to run towards the Chain Chomps, Mario following.

"Shh, shh." Luigi says soothingly, trying to calm them down. "It's okay, we're gonna get you all home. And wash all that paint off of you."

Luigi turns to Mario, "We can go now."