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01.
This was his birthday brunch, for Star Road’s sake! He should be enjoying himself. But instead, he was sitting at the end of the table, watching his fork impale the frosting on the cake slice before him for what might have been the hundredth time. He barely registered the sounds of his brother and the princess chattering happily about something or other. His ears were straining to perceive a different voice, one that grated on his nerves and his sanity whenever he heard it. All throughout the day, despite the warmth and birthday greetings he’d received from everyone he’d happened to meet, he’d been on high alert. He might hear him at any time, and that would send the day into a downward spiral the second it happened.
But there was nothing but silence. Maybe he’d get a break for once. With a quiet sigh, he tried to join in the conversation. Seeing Mario and Peach’s happy expressions as he talked with them soothed his soul, and he actually felt like eating his slice of cake rather than keep poking at it. Once he’d finished it, he even asked for another, which lay half-devoured by the time he was to open the present Peach had prepared for him.
She handed it over. The parcel’s green wrapping paper was shiny in the early afternoon sun.
“I hope you like what I picked out. It reminded me of you the second I saw it.” she said. Peach was so thoughtful on special occasions.
With excitement and a smile, he began to untie the ribbon. Only when the knot was undone did he receive a second, unwanted surprise.
Hey, happy birthday, Mr. Losing It! What’d you get me today, huh? Another chance to shine is at the very top of my wish-list. The words were followed by an evil snicker.
Luigi flinched. Well, you’re not getting it, he replied mentally. This is my body, and my special day. Not yours.
But Mr. L wouldn’t stop. Aw, you’re not actually having fun at this pathetic little party right now, are you? They probably just threw you one because they feel sorry for your loser ass, Mr. Player Two…always in your brother’s shadow. Hey, didn’t he get a bigger shindig than this flop they’re giving you right now? L-ike, half the kingdom was there… He kept going. He just kept going.
The ribbon slipped out of Luigi’s fingers. He clutched at his head. Why? Why today? Birthdays were supposed to be special, sacred, not whatever this was turning out to be. His eyes turned glazed and unfocused as he tried without success to shut out the mental onslaught. The only image he could make out in front of him was Mario’s concerned frown.
“Luigi…are you okay?”
02.
The room was cold and quiet as he gasped for air. He’d just shaken awake from a horrible nightmare. Bad dreams were a familiar experience after all that he’d been through in life, but this one was in an awful class of its own. He sat up in bed, looking over at the faint dawn light creeping in through the curtains with wide, teary eyes. The sights he’d seen in his sleep had been enough to make him cry.
And the worst part? He’d been the one who’d made all those sights possible. All that destruction. All the lives snuffed out, with the survivors of the carnage groveling at his boots begging. They’d begged for servitude, for any small mercy that would grant them life rather than death by his cruel leather-gloved hands. And he’d laughed. Bloody stars, he’d laughed, like some kind of monster.
He wanted to bury the memories of that nightmare away forever, to forget it ever happened. But most of all, he wanted to deny what he’d felt as those dream scenes flashed through his slumbering mind. Power, pure and raw, had coursed through his veins and slain every self-doubt and inch of cowardice in his being. The knowledge that this power would at last earn him a beaming spotlight he could call his own had intoxicated him. It had left him feeling a sickeningly sweet joy he’d never before experienced. And in that moment, he’d have done anything to keep it rushing through his heart. If it had meant becoming violent against the ones he loved, so be it.
Even now he could hear his quickened pulse pounding in his ears. He shuddered. How could he sleep at night while harboring such evil inside him?
The answer, Mr. High-Strung-Second-Fiddle, is that we are one and the same. That sick, smug tone rang out in his head. It sounded just like his own voice had in the depths of his awful dream. Tears pricked his eyes again when he heard what Mr. L said next.
And sooner or later, heh heh heh…you’re gonna want to make these dreams a reality.
03.
The simple answer was that he would never be free of this voice. He’d come to that conclusion long ago, in those first frightening days when he’d begun to hear it. Mr. L was incessant, demanding, and above all entitled when it came to wrecking every possible moment of peace that he could. He was ceaseless in these torments, and there was no end in sight.
Today, Luigi was thinking about the time he’d gone on an adventure of his own in search of the pieces of the Marvelous Compass in the faraway Waffle Kingdom. That was one of the worst times of his life. Sure, the adventure itself was fun, and it was a thrill to be a hero in his own solo right for once. But whenever he saw Mario during his stopovers in Rogueport, it was like he instantly became Mr. L’s puppet. Every word out of his mouth when he spoke about his journeys through the lush foreign kingdom was braggadocio, pure and simple. He couldn’t help it; his energy sapped by his adventuring, he’d been unable to fight back. And so, he’d let it happen. Every exaggeration, every stupid word had flowed out like water, and he’d been too tired to stop it.
Stars, it’d been embarrassing. He’d…no, Mr. L…had called him “one hot sacrifice” back then, too. He still remembered the weird look Mario had given in response. In a way, though, it had been worth it just to silence Mr. L for a while after. Maybe he got tired too, Luigi thought with some satisfaction.
Fat chance of that, Mr. Tail-Between-His-Legs! I got as much energy as you’ve ever thought of having.
Fine, fine, I guess you do, Luigi conceded. But that doesn’t mean I gotta like it.
What you like doesn’t matter. It’s all about me, Mr. Ghosts-Make-Me-Cry, and don’t you forget it.
Luigi rolled his eyes, and took out one of the “Super Luigi” books on his shelf. Might as well read the books based on his travels while he was thinking about the Waffle Kingdom. And then, maybe he’d have a few letters to write to the friends he’d met there.
Better tell them about your better half while you’re at it, the nasty laughing voice in his head said.
He frowned. But in an instant he knew how to reply. Say, Mr. L…
What?
Just shut up.
04.
His heaving sobs echoed off the tile walls of the sports complex bathroom. He’d lost a tennis match today. Normally he’d be able to handle it, even if the opponent he’d been facing was that sinister rival of his. As it stood, he’d gone up against Daisy today, and as always the tomboy princess had been an amicable winner. His only “penalty” for losing was a playful punch on the arm and a haranguing about how he now owed her lunch at the nearby café. Losing to her wasn’t why he was crying. That was solely Mr. L’s fault.
You sucked today, Mr. Fumble-Fidget. You sucked BIG TIME. You made both of us look bad.
Sh-shut up…
NO! As long as I gotta share this body with you and get no say in how you act when you’re in control, I’m never going to shut up. Get used to it, l-oser.
Luigi sniffled, and angrily looked at his own reddened face in the mirror. Big deal, saying I’m the one who sucks when you have that st-stupid habit of emphasizing your ‘l’s’ all the time. You’re not as cool as you think you are.
Whatever. You’re still a loser. Some days more literally than others…like today, for instance.
He should have learned to put up with the attacks by now. But acceptance of Mr. L’s existence and deflecting his attacks were two different things. Luigi had always been better at passive acceptance than active resistance. It was a flaw of his that so far hadn’t been fatal. Clearly Mr. L was hoping for a day when it would be.
But that day hadn’t dawned yet.
Wiping the tears from his eyes, Luigi faced his reflected gaze with a new resolve. Then he turned on his heels and marched from the bathroom.
I haven’t got time for you right now. I’ve got a lunch to buy, and a friend to eat it with.
Though the stars knew he couldn’t tell Daisy about his little problem, he’d at least feel safer hanging out with her than crying in here by himself.
05.
Peace at last. Who would have thought a span of hours free of Mr. L’s annoyances would come to him on a day like this? Here he stood, watching on the sidelines with his brother as Wario and Waluigi had yet another bickering session about an all-too-transparent scheme. It was just another day in the sometimes-chaotic paradise that was the Mushroom Kingdom.
“Heh. Will those two ever learn, Luigi?” Mario asked, turning to look at him with a knowing smile. Sometimes it felt like his brother knew what his reply would be without him even having to vocalize it. Such was the strength of their bond, and Luigi felt secure in the knowledge that he had a caring sibling to fall back on when times were tough.
He shook his head. “I don’t think so, bro. But would they be as fun to watch if they did?”
“Mm-mm.” Mario said with a laugh. “Not a chance.”
His brother’s face turned serious for a moment. “Now that I think about it, how are you doing? Everything okay, Lui?”
“Yeah, why?”
“I don’t know…you’ve been really quiet.”
Luigi smiled a little. “I’ve had a lot on my mind recently, so I guess I’m just taking everything in. I’ve been feeling better than usual.”
“Oh.” Mario nodded a little. There seemed to be a slight trace of sadness in his eyes, but it quickly was replaced with the happy sparkle that was almost a trademark. “Well, you know if that changes, you can always talk to me about it.”
Luigi chuckled. “Thanks, bro.”
With a grin, Mario shrugged. “It’s what I’m here for. I gotta take care of everybody, you know?” He turned to watch the two villains, who by now were engaged in a no-holds-barred brawl in the dirt. Somewhere over in the distance, Luigi heard Peach gasp at the impropriety of it all. Daisy, meanwhile, was laughing hysterically while slapping the table they were sitting at.
“Just remember to take care of yourself, Mario…we all worry about you sometimes.”
“I’ll be fine. And you’ll be fine too, so long as I’m around.” Mario winked at him.
Luigi beamed. If his brother had that much confidence in him, maybe he really could face down anything life threw his way.
Even if one of those things was a slimy alter ego by the name of Mr. L.