Brother's Loyalty: Endgame

One Way or Another

Well, Peachy—it looks like it's just you and me now.

Yeah.

God, I hate this. I hate sitting around here, at the mercy of a villain I can't defeat. I can only imagine how you feel.

Oh, Mario—I'm used to it.

I'm so sorry, Peachy. I couldn't protect you.

I don't blame you.

But I made a promise.

I don't blame you, Mario. King Boo is the only one at fault here. King Boo—and Hellen.

When I saw them do that to you, I thought I was gonna be sick. And they made me watch. I guess they really wanted to hurt me.

And by extension, hurt Luigi.

Yes. Uh, Peachy—there's something you need to know.

Okay.

Before I was sealed in a painting, Hellen—did something to me. Something awful. Something similar to what she and King Boo did to you.

Shh, Mario, shh. You don't have to say anymore.

You're not angry?

At them. Not at you.

Ah, Peachy—you deserve a better hero than me.

Don't say that. You may not be perfect, but you're the best person to ever enter my kingdom's borders. Remember that, Mario. Remember that.

Okay, Peachy. I'll try.

Wow—Hellen's pretty upset. And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Ditto.

Oh, boy. Here comes King Boo. How is he gonna react to all of this?

Well, Peachy, let's find out—

...

Hellen sat in her office, her head against her desk, lightly pulling at her hair. She just couldn't believe it. That wooden hull at The Spectral Catch was sure to stop Luigi in his tracks, but instead, he'd hooked his vacuum up to that socket and effortlessly tore the hull to shreds! Her plan was falling apart, and that was bound to make her lose favor with the King. Various Goobs attempted to comfort her with offerings of her favorite foods, but she coldly brushed them off. Her staff exchanged looks, unsure of how to handle their boss at the moment.

An appendage gently rested on her shoulder, and Hellen raised her head, looking into concerned violet eyes.

"What's wrong, my dear?" asked King Boo. "Is everything okay?"

Hellen drew in a breath and slowly let it out. "Can you—could you please sit down?" she asked.

"Sounds like you have some bad news," said King Boo as he obliged.

Within seconds, the two villains were poring over the Last Resort's floor plan.

"Luigi has broken through most of our major defenses," Hellen was saying. "He utterly humiliated Amadeus Wolfgeist and decimated Ug, as well as the T-Rex he was possessing. The three Toad retainers have been rescued, and they're now sheltering in the Professor's lab. Worse yet, Luigi is now only two floors away from us."