Brother's Loyalty

I Will Find Him

"So, you're saying you were told that you won the mansion in a contest?" asked Gadd. "That sounds quite fishy, if you ask me."

The two of them sat in the study of the professor's research laboratory, which Gadd had reassuringly told Luigi was the safest place at the moment.

"You said that the mansion had been here for several weeks," said Luigi, "and I received that letter earlier today. What kind of f—ed up trick is this, anyway?"

Gadd looked over at Luigi. "I think our paths were destined to cross," he said.

Luigi raised an eyebrow. "Really? How so?"

"You remind me of myself when I was your age. Nervous—but curious. You see, I spent my childhood and half of my adult life in the States, and I've always wanted a career in the paranormal. I moved to these woods in 1952, and I've called this cozy research lab my home ever since."

"And—that mansion wasn't there until recently?" asked Luigi.

"Do you believe the mansion actually exists?" Gadd asked back.

"Well—yeah," Luigi replied, puzzled.

"Strange," mused Gadd.

"What are you trying to tell me, Professor?" asked Luigi.

"The spirits have fooled you, Luigi," said Gadd. "I don't know if it's a dream, an illusion or whatever, but I surely wouldn't be too happy winning a haunted house."

"I didn't even know it was haunted," shrugged Luigi. "Guess I should've known better, huh?"

"Don't be too hard on yourself," Gadd said consolingly. "You had no way of knowing."

On those words, Luigi suddenly remembered. "Mario!" he gasped.

Gadd cleared his throat. "About that—a guy with a red hat kind of like yours waltzed right up to the mansion without even stopping to chat—and he never returned. I thought he was a dream, too!"

"That was no dream—he's my brother!" Luigi said, a little hotly.

Gadd held up his hands apologetically.

"You're saying—he's still in there?!"

The elderly professor sighed heavily. "I'm afraid he could be stuck in there, Luigi," he said somberly, "and he won't stand a chance against these ghosts without my help."

"Dio," breathed Luigi, rising to his feet. "I gotta go in after him!"

He started forward, only for Gadd to stop him.

"Hold on there, youngster," said Gadd. "You can't just rush in there unarmed and unprepared. I need to teach you some ghost-hunting basics first."

Luigi settled down. "Yeah, I guess you're right," he conceded.

Gadd picked up the vacuum-cleaner he'd used earlier and held it out to Luigi.

"This is the vacuum cleaner I engineered to catch ghosts," Gadd explained. "I call it—the Poltergust 3000! She can suck up all kinds of things!"

"Poltergust, huh?" mused Luigi as he slid on the vacuum. "That's a catchy name."

He adjusted the straps so that the apparatus fit comfortably on his back. Then, he shifted the weight from right to left and back again before hefting the nozzle in his hands.