Paper Luigi: The Waffle Kingdom

Luigi Sets Off

Have you ever experienced a time when no matter how hard you tried, you failed, and all the time you spent felt wasted? Did you feel like you could never achieve your goals... that you were a failure... that you could never measure up to those around you? Then, please, treasure this tale, and take it to heart. This is the story of a young man that felt much the same as you. A tale of weaknesses and strengths. Find out how he triumphed over his feelings and his faults, and how he finally managed to achieve what he longed for...

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PROLOGUE - A WAFFLE-FILLED QUEST

Luigi was in his kitchen, trying to make a Fruit Parfait.

"I don't believe it. Mario ran off without me again." He sighed, and sat down on a chair. When Luigi had returned from his morning stroll that day, Mario had disappeared and had simply left a note on the dining table about what had happened.

"Hey, bro! Princess Peach invited me to do a treasure hunt over in Rogueport. I had to hurry so I could catch the boat in time. I don't know how long I'll be over there. Sorry I couldn't say goodbye in person!" ("P.S. Try not to get too bored without me!")

"I love treasure hunts. Princess Peach didn't even bother to invite me. Even when I help save her, she gives Mario all the cakes and the kisses on the cheek... Why am I always forgotten?" Luigi complained with a wistful expression on his face.

Suddenly, he was snapped out of it by a thought that suddenly occurred to him. "Oh, I forgot about the parfait!" Luigi exclaimed to himself as he leaped out of the seat and over to the mixing bowl.

"Sounds like I'm going to be by myself for a while. Maybe I'll go and have a cup of coffee at Starbeans..."

Suddenly, Luigi was alerted by a voice coming from the garden. "Mail call!" it shouted.

Luigi made his way to the front door and opened it. It was the local flying postman, Parakarry. "Heya, is Mario here? I've got a bunch of fan mail for him over here."

Luigi sighed again. He never got fan mail. "He's not here. He's gone abroad for a while. I'll take it in and put it in the pile for him... Got anything for me, by any chance?"

Parakarry rummaged through the stack of letters addressed to the residence. "Well, there's nothing for you in particular, but there's one letter here addressed to both of you." explained Parakarry.

"That's good enough," said Luigi, managing a smile. "Could you just leave that one letter in the mailbox, please?" he asked.

"Sure!" said Parakarry, depositing the letter in the mailbox and dumping the rest of them in a huge pile on the patio.

"Are you sure you don't want any help taking the letters in?" asked Parakarry.

"I'm pretty sure I can manage," said Luigi.

"Okay! See you later, Luigi!" exclaimed Parakarry with a smile as he flew away into the sky.

Luigi began taking all the letters into the house and dumping them into Mario's Unread Fan Mail Pile in the corner. Once he had finished, he went back outside, retrieved the other letter from the mailbox, and sat down at the dining table. He opened the envelope and began to read the letter.

"Sirs! My name is Crepe. I am a cabinet minister in the far-off Waffle Kingdom. Our land has been attacked by the Chestnut King, who took our Princess Eclair. I ask, nay, BEG for your assistance! The Waffle Kingdom needs your skills. I humbly request your prompt response, sirs. Sincerely, Crepe"

After he had finished the letter, Luigi sat there, utterly speechless. "...Huh? What?" was all he could manage after a minute of silence.

"But... Mario's not here! I can't do this by myself! Maybe I'll just wait until he gets back..." Luigi said to himself. But then he stopped.

"This is my chance. This is my chance to prove that I'm a hero. I can finally show that I'm just as strong as my brother! But, this sounds hard... Could I really do it without him?" Luigi sat there for ages, pondering everything in his head. At last, he decided.

"No matter how scared I am, I at least have to try. There's no way I can let this chance go." Luigi said to himself. "Oh, but first I need to write down the recipe for this parfait so I can make it when I get back!"

He wrote the recipe on a sheet of paper. "Mix a Keel Mango and a Peachy Peach to get a Fruit Parfait." He left it on the table and hurried out of the house.

Luigi headed off to the Toad Town Harbor. "One ticket to the Waffle Kingdom, please." Luigi said to the Toad who was on duty.

"Certainly, sir. That'll be 50 Mushroom Coins." the Toad politely replied.

"Okay, let me just get my wallet out..." He felt around in his pockets. They were empty. "I don't believe it. I left my wallet at home! I'm so sorry! I'll just go back and get it." said Luigi sheepishly, running off.

He headed back to the house, retrieved his wallet which he had somehow dropped in the Fan Mail Pile, and returned to the Harbor.

"Here's the cash," said Luigi, fumbling around with his wallet until he found 50 Mushroom Coins. He handed it to the Toad on duty.

"Sorry about that!" Luigi apologized. "No worries, sir," replied the Toad with a smile, handing him the ticket. Luigi couldn't tell if the smile was genuine or mocking.

He started making his way towards the boat to the Waffle Kingdom but he stopped. "I can't even remember my wallet. How am I going to save a Kingdom? ...No, I can't think about that. I don't even have the full details yet. If Mario can rescue a princess 100 times then I can do it once!" said Luigi to himself, making his decision.

Shaky in body and mind, but firm in resolve, Luigi boarded the boat and started off on what was to be his greatest adventure...