Luigi's Beta Mansion

Chapter 2 - Playing with Monsters

   "And take this," E. Gadd said, shoving a small, white device of some sort into Luigi's hands. "It'll help me contact you."

   "What is it?" Luigi asked, inspecting the thing with a moment's curiosity.

   "Modified Game Boy," the professor replied absent-mindedly. "It's got a camera on both sides, for whatever that's worth. It can also warn you when there are ghosts in the vicinity, so be wary!"

   With a slight shiver, Luigi put the thing in his pocket. He had already been given a flashlight - the most valuable of the tools as far as Luigi was concerned - aside from the ghost-catching machine itself.

   Shifting a little uncomfortably, he glanced back at the bulky thing strapped to his back. The Poltergust 400 was basically a big, rectangular tank with four tiny wheels on the back and a hose sticking out one end. It was made entirely of metal and yet, still didn't strike Luigi as extremely heavy. He wondered if he was really going to have to use it.

   "That thing can also carry you in a pinch, too," E. Gadd had added as Luigi put it on. "Press that button on the back to start up the motor and hitch a ride. Just beware, no matter what mode you're using: if that engine gets too hot, it'll overheat and it could explode on you. So don't ever go vacuuming or riding around for too long."

   Head slightly swimming as he tried to remember it all, Luigi had felt overwhelmed for a moment. He felt like a child being suddenly thrust into war - unprepared, uninformed, and completely responsible for the outcome.

Sorting through the junk on one shelf in dissatisfaction, E. Gadd frowned. "I had some additional nozzles for that thing - special attachments that let you store and fire water and such - but for the life of me I can't seem to remember where I placed them." Pausing thoughtfully, he added, "Can't imagine you want to wait around, though. I'll keep looking here and let you know if I turn up with 'em."

Following him as he scurried busily about the room, Luigi looked no less relieved to hear so. "Yes... um... Professor..." He paused, unable to find the right words. He felt so scrambled up inside that he feared he might explode at the prospect of what he was about to do.

"Um... what exactly do I do?"

"You look for Mario and catch the ghosts in your way," E. Gadd had replied, as if nothing were simpler. "Look for signs of him. I'd start out by the gate and in these woods, if I were you," he advised. "Something weird is afoot, I know, and I'll leave it at that."

Shivering, Luigi began to make for the ladder that was mounted into the wall. Everything seemed so spur-of-the-moment and rushed, so that Luigi barely knew what he was doing; but suddenly his job was before him and there was no turning back.

"I'll keep in touch with you by Game Boy," E. Gadd called. "Oh, and Luigi..." he paused as he came to stand at the ladder's base, looking up to where Luigi was already hanging high above.

"Be extremely careful!"

~

The last words of the old professor echoed over and over in Luigi's mind as he emerged into the dark night above, blanketed in strange gray clouds. Pushing open the shed door, he crawled forward through the ferns and rose to his feet, taking a deep breath. Here he was... in the middle of nowhere.

   Glancing around, Luigi fell to silence as a strange hush seemed to fall over the area. Dead, scary-looking trees snaked all around him, thick roots hidden beneath endless plants. Only the little-used path leading up to the mansion itself was relatively clear in this jungle.

   Pausing for a moment, Luigi wondered what he was supposed to do. He had a feeling that question would guide every decision he made tonight, along with its scary answer: he didn't know. He only knew that he had to do.