Mario and Luigi: Darkness In Light

Chapter 20: Time Limits

"...rio.."

"...ario....ca...you...ar...me?"

"Mario...!"

"Ugh.." Mario's ears were slightly ringing as he felt he was laying on something hard, yet he felt something soft under his head. He slowly managed to blink his eyes open, and he saw he was laying on a wooden plank as a pillow was underneath his head, and a torn blanket was over him. He looked to his side, and he saw Luigi was looking at him with concern, but it turned into small relief seeing him open his eyes.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he helped Mario sit up on the uncomfortable 'bed'.

"I think so.." He answered as he put his hand on the back of his neck. "What happened...?"

"Don't you remember? We got caught while trying to get the orb." He said. "One of the guards knocked you out, and they threw us in here."

"I see." It was all starting to come back to him now. The smoke, the guards coming in, Queen Bean, it all came back to him as his brother finished that sentence. He swung his legs off the bed as his feet touched the floor, but he gasped as he remembered.

"Where's Peach and Peasley?!" He asked concerned.

"We're here, Mario."

He and Luigi looked over, and they saw Peach and Prince Peasley were in the same cell across from them as Peach was sitting on the plank as Prince Peasley was standing behind the bars.

"It is relieving to see you're okay, Mario." He said. "That hit you really hard, but I knew you'd be able to pull through."

"Mario, are you sure you're okay?" She asked concerned.

"Just a little dizzy, but I'll be fine." He said. He looked outside the three sets of bars on the wall that lead outside, and he gasped a little seeing it was daytime. Luigi looked nervous as he spoke.

"You were out all night, big bro." He said as he looked at Luigi with his eyes widened.

"That long?" He asked surprised.

"Yeah." He said. "But at least you're not hurt...right?"

"I think I-ow!" When Mario put his hand on the back of his neck again, and when he moved his hand, he winced as he felt a small pain from it.

"Here, Lemme see." Luigi said as he looked behind his neck, and he gasped a little seeing there was a big bruise on it.

"You have a bruise on it, Mario." He said. "It looks bad too."

"Oh...really?" He asked and Luigi nodded his head.

"I wish I could give you a mushroom for it, but they took all the items we had." He said.

"Perfect.." Mario muttered annoyed as he sat against the wall behind him. Luigi saw this, and he sat down beside him as he put his hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, big bro. It's not your fault." He said.

"...I know." He said. "But back in the hallway, remember I wanted to tell you something?"