The Evils Within

Chapter 14

"Where do you think he could be?" Peach asked. Both she and Mario sat on either side of the bed, Luigi sitting up in the middle of it.

"Well, I did have this dream where I saw him on his way to Sarasaland. Maybe he's there," Luigi responded.

"Sarasaland? Daisy's place? Why would he go there? I thought he hated us, not her," Mario thought aloud.

Luigi shrugged, "I don't know. Power maybe? Sarasaland is made up of four kingdoms after all. But whatever he's doing there, I know it's not good."

~~~~~

Mario climbed out of the warp pipe, carefully stepping to the ground. Luigi followed right after, tripping over the rim of the pipe and to the ground with a quiet, but audible, "Owie." Hearing his quiet exclamation, Mario turned to face him, rushing to help him off the ground.

The two wound up in Sarasaland's warp room. It was vaguely similar to the Mushroom Kingdoms' except for the four green-colored pipes labeled to the adjacent kingdoms.

"Alright, you know this place better than I, so you can search the castle and I'll check the kingdom's center for any hints to where he could be, okay?" Mario said as he and Luigi began to walk through the castle's corridor.

"Just be safe, okay?" Luigi asked in a worried tone. Mario nodded before he reached the castle entrance, being careful as to not draw attention to himself.

~~~~~

Luigi began throughout the many rooms. For the most part, it was empty. There was the occasional toad from here and there, but most didn't notice Luigi was there. The ones that did, however, their reactions were... unwelcoming to say the least.

They all feared him. They either ran or hid from. They didn't want anything to do with him. He found it weird but he understood how they were feeling but he didn't like it.

The first floor of the castle was Mr. L free. Luigi made it to the staircase that connected the first and second floors. He carefully made his way up the stairs. He was only ever let up the stairs once or twice, but he still knew his way around, even if the hall was just a straight line. He poked his head in and out of each room, looking back and forth throughout each one. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, that wasn't until he reached the last door in the hall.

Luigi lightly pushed open the door with a flower in the middle of it. It was Daisy's room. Luigi looked back and forth throughout the room. It was fairly normal. He backed out of the room before realizing something caught his attention. He looked back in the room and there lied Daisy. Asleep. At least, that's what it looked like at first glance.

She lied on her bed, hands to her side, Lightly breathing. The way she lay, facing to the ceiling, rather than her side, implied that someone placed her there. A large gash visible on her forehead and her nose was slightly bloodied. Someone had hurt her.

Luigi ran over to the side of the bed. He had to help her. He reached into his overall pocket and pulled out a super mushroom. It was his last one. He gently placed it in her mouth and started to back out of the room. He didn't want her to be confused if she happened to wake up.

He was only a few steps from the door when he heard a rustle, followed by a groan of discomfort. Luigi quickened his pace and had only placed a foot in the doorway when he heard her voice.

"Luigi?" Daisy asked in her dazed state.

Luigi stopped dead in his tracks and turned to face her, a nervous look on his face. Daisy has sat up. He marveled at the fact her injuries were already healed.

"What are you doing here?"

"I-" He stopped. He couldn't tell her about Mr. L. "You looked like you needed help..."