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Both relief and exhaustion tugged at their shoulders as Mario and Luigi began ascending the steps together. The Extension Corps had separated them for a while, but now that they were back together again, they were intent on finishing what they started. They would bring Concordia together. They would rid this world of Glohm. They would show Zokket who he was supposed to be.
When they reached the top of the fortress, they found a long winding path ahead of them. Luigi felt a shiver run down his spine as a cold wind blew by - they were high above the ocean now, and he had no idea what to expect, or how powerful Zokket really was. Before he could take a step forward, however, Mario placed a hand on his shoulder. When Luigi looked at his brother, his eyes were both bright and determined, despite the weariness around the edges.
Luigi took a deep breath and gave an equally determined nod. He’d be okay. He always was, with Mario by his side.
Together, they made it to the end of the path. Zokket hovered in front of a colorful display, radiating with sinister energy. When he turned to address them, with soulless eyes behind a jagged white mask, he stumbled over their names before getting it right. “The Mario Bros., I believe? Not that your names particularly matter. If you’re here, I suppose that means the Extension Corps failed. I should have destroyed you myself right away.”
Zokket sounded especially bored as he mentioned his henchmen, as if he wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Luigi couldn’t help but wonder why those three even worked for him in the first place.
“No matter. No matter at all. My mission will soon be complete.” Even in a moment when he should be happy, Zokket was emotionless, like a puppet without strings. He turned around to look at the thing crackling with Glohm. “My great inspiration will be reborn, and the world will be properly lonely.” He turned back around, making a noise that sounded like a sigh. “You, however, will not be there to see it.” Suddenly, electric red and black exploded from his cape, and for the first time, the brothers could catch a glimpse of emotion on his face - anger. “You interrupted the rebirth…how dare you?!”
Suddenly, Zokket lunged forward with surprising speed, his cloak billowing behind him as large hands donned huge razors made of what looked like pure Glohm. As Mario shouted in alarm and jumped out of the way, Luigi dove to the left, landing on his elbows. He quickly pulled himself up, whirling around to face the enemy again.
“Luigi!” Mario exclaimed, and, from a few feet away, they locked eyes. Luigi knew right away what he wanted to do. They each took out their hammers, sprinting around Zokket to try and disorient him, each hitting when he least expected it. After a few hits, he spread his arms and a huge burst of energy sent the brothers flying backward.
The breath was knocked right out of Luigi’s lungs. He lay against the cool metal of the fortress, and Snoutlet freed himself from under his hat. “Luigi! Get up, c’mon!”
He knew he had to. It hurt to breathe. His body felt heavy.
Managing to pull himself up on all fours, Luigi focused on catching his breath as Zokket let out a sound that sounded a little like laughter, no doubt still fighting Mario. “You know,” he said, almost thoughtfully, “The Extension Corps really were useless, but they were good for one thing. They showed me just how powerful your sickening bond is. Perhaps we should level the playing field.”
Luigi slowly got to his feet, watching as Zokket procured another Glohm razor from inside his cloak. Suddenly, everything seemed to move in slow motion as the razor was hurled right at Luigi. Without even a second to consider any other option, Mario leapt toward his brother, shoving him back down to the ground.
Suddenly, it was silent. Luigi’s ears were ringing as he pulled himself up again. At his feet, crumpled in a small ball, Mario was unmoving with tendrils of red and black seeping from his body. “Mario…?” Luigi’s voice was barely above a whisper as he hesitated, going to reach for Mario’s shoulder when a gloved hand smacked his hand away.
“Leave me alone.” The voice that spoke was Mario’s, but it wasn’t him. Luigi felt lightheaded as he instinctually took a step back. Mario straightened up slowly, his normally blue eyes glowing with a sinister red energy. “This only happened because I had to protect you again.”
Luigi felt the breath leave his body in a whoosh, suddenly feeling quite sick. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Snoutlet ducked out from underneath his hat, speaking for him instead. “Mario! Snap out of it, buddy!” When Mario was unresponsive to that, Snoutlet hurriedly turned to Luigi. “C’mon, grab an Ampberry - !”
Blinking numbly, Luigi turned to his bag, fumbling for the fruit with shaking hands, when Zokket’s voice cut through the ringing in Luigi’s ears. “Ah, ah, ah.” He lifted a finger, and Mario, glowing with red and black electricity, was flown forward with such force that he punched Snoutlet hard enough to send him flying back into the wall. He fell to the ground limply, and Luigi knew he screamed, but he couldn’t hear it.
And he still couldn’t find the damn Ampberry.
Zokket swiped his hand, and, obediently, Mario went to stand by his side, his brows still furrowed, his eyes still blood red. Seeming to almost be laughing, Zokket held his hand up by his face. “I will be controlling your brother now that he has been properly Glohmed.” With a quick tilt of his head Mario pulled out his hammer, seemingly waiting for the word.
“No,” Luigi mumbled, panic attacking his chest like a thousand stinging bees. He stumbled backward, holding his hands up.
“I will enjoy your sibling rivalry.” Zokket nodded, and Mario sped toward his brother.
Without thinking, Luigi pulled out his hammer too, continuing to move backward, watching Mario use his classic evading techniques, trying to confuse him before striking. “Mario,” he pleaded, feeling the hot sting of tears in his eyes, “Mario! It’s me!”
The silhouette, wearing his brother’s face and wrapped in red and black, said nothing, undeterred. Pressing his lips together, Luigi glanced toward Snoutlet, still unmoving on the floor.
“The pig cannot help you,” Zokket murmured amusedly as Mario continued to look for an opening to strike. “What will the crybaby do without his precious brother? Surely, you wouldn’t hurt him?”
Mario’s hammer swung down so fast it grazed Luigi’s arm as he dodged. Tearfully, angrily, Luigi gripped his own hammer. “Th-This isn’t you,” he insisted at Mario, but then turned his gaze from his brother toward the enemy, “Cozette.”
Zokket seemed to be so caught off guard by the use of the name that he froze in place, and Luigi could see some confusion past Mario’s glowing red eyes. He tightened his grip on the hammer and readied himself.
“You are a Wattanist,” he continued, dodging out of the way of Mario’s slower attacks. “Your name is Cozette. You have an apprentice that you love, a-and she loves you right back.”
“No!”
The yell that ripped from Zokket’s throat was inhuman. When Mario swung his hammer again, Luigi swung too, sending the hammer flying out of his hands. Mario’s shoulders sagged, breath coming short and ragged and shallow.
“Mario…” Luigi slowly reached forward, placing a gentle hand on Mario’s shoulder. Red and black tendrils dissipated into the air, and when Mario looked up, his eyes were clear blue, his brows furrowed.
“Wh…” His voice came out in a breath. “ Weegee .”
Angrily, Zokket brandished a few more razors. “A touching reunion, bros., but your end is way overdue. I shall dispose of you once and for all.”
There was no time to worry. Luigi ran to grab Mario’s dropped hammer and tossed it back to him.
They fought for what felt like days. Everything ached, every inch of his body screamed, until finally, the two men stood over a beaten-down Zokket. Mario stood his ground while Luigi rushed over to Snoutlet, gently scooping him into his arms. “Did we…Did we win…?” he mumbled sluggishly. Luigi smiled, relieved, and nodded, lifting his hat to put Snoutlet back on his head.
“Un…Unbelievable…” he muttered, red electricity crackling around him. “How can two mere bros. be so powerful?” The mask over his eyes cracked. “But…as long as the egg remains…my purpose has been fulfilled.”
The mask shattered. He let out another inhuman screech and crumpled to the floor. One last cloud of red swept over him, and when it disappeared, it left Cozette in its wake.
The next few minutes were an absolute hazy blur. When the egg cracked and Reclusa appeared, all Luigi could do was wonder if they had come this far for nothing. That terrible laugh echoed in their ears as they dodged out of the way of the metal monstrosities and rushed back the way they came. While they searched for a way out, Cozette appeared behind them, looking worse for wear.
“Mario Bros.” Her voice was shaky, her eyes barely open. “I will explain shortly, but first we need to leave.”
They pressed onward, surrounded by those terrible plants on all sides. Suddenly, a familiar voice called from below. “Over here, you green genius!”
Luigi had never been more relieved to see Adaphne. He had a feeling this was the first and only time.
***
While Connie and Cozette reunited, Mario grabbed Luigi’s arm gently, pulling him off to the side. “Luigi,” he murmured, his voice soft and sad and full of regret, his eyes stormy blue. “Are you hurt?”
He blinked, then glanced down at himself. Now that most of the adrenaline had worn off, he was beginning to feel sore - especially from his right arm, where Mario had grazed him with the hammer. “I-I’m okay, really -”
Mario’s face fell, his words spoken like a statement rather than a question. “I hurt you.”
“N-No, no, it wasn’t you!” Luigi shook his head vigorously. “You know how Glohm affects people…”
“It’s all so hazy,” he admitted, his eyes showcasing a shine that wasn’t there before. “But I -” Suddenly, a look of pure horror dawned on his face, his voice shaking. “Snoutlet!” Luigi winced, reaching up to remove his hat. Moving slowly, Snoutlet pulled himself into the air. Wringing his hands, clearly beside himself, Mario’s eyes were wide with an emotion Luigi had never seen before. “Oh, God…I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”
Huffing, Snoutlet reached forward with a paw, placing it on Mario’s shoulder. “Pull yourself together, pal,” he said, with surprising gentleness. “We’re all still here, ain’t we? A little soreness is nothin’.”
The look on Mario’s face showed he was barely comforted by Snoutlet’s words, if at all. But he closed his eyes for a moment, drew a small breath, and nodded slightly. “Thank you.”
“And hey, I could always make it even and hit ya back. Maybe after we save Concordia,” he joked, which got a small smile out of Mario. Snoutlet looked between them for a moment, then sighed. “Look, I, uh…I’m gonna go check on Connie. You should rest for a minute, then come join us.”
When they each gave a slight nod, Snoutlet turned and flew toward the Uni-Tree. A quiet fell between them both, with Mario still seemingly wanting to talk about things, and Luigi not really thinking there was anything to talk about. But he knew his brother, and he knew him well enough to know that this whole situation was going to eat at him if they didn’t.
Gently, Luigi reached forward to grab Mario’s arm, guiding them both to sit on the side of the ship, their legs dangling off the edge. For a while, neither one said a word. Then, “Y’know, I wouldn’t have thought of distracting Zokket like that. You must have been so scared, but your logic was still sound, sound enough to break me out of his control.”
The familiar burn of tears stung Luigi’s eyes. “I was so scared,” he agreed, hastily wiping at his eyes. “I knew I couldn’t beat him myself.”
“Well, in a way, you did,” Mario murmured, nudging his shoulder gently. “I-I know you don’t want to hear me apologize over and over again. What I’m trying to say is…I’m proud of you.”
This time the tears flowed freely. “Even though you…had to protect me again?”
“What?”
“When you were…when you were first hit, I tried snapping you out of it, and you said…’This only happened because I had to protect you again.”’ Luigi sniffled. “I-I know you weren’t yourself, b-but it’s true. You always have to protect me.”
Mario's eyes were wide, and it seemed like he’d stopped breathing until he remembered he should suck air into his lungs. “Luigi,” he said softly, reaching up to wipe a tear from his cheek. “You are smart, and brave, and capable on your own. I don’t care that I took a hit for you. You’re my brother. You’re my best friend. I would choose to protect you even when you don’t need it.”
Luigi cried harder, and Mario reached up to pull him close, pulling him down so his face rested on Mario’s shoulder. He was terribly homesick, exhausted, and scared, but he’d always have Mario. And for that, he felt like he could be okay.
“Wow…Luigi, look!”
Luigi picked up his head slowly, surprised to see colorful sparkles, just like the ones they’d seen before they were sucked through the portal, circling them slowly. Speechless, the two brothers stood up, watching the sparks move faster and faster around them in a colored haze until it shot into the air, circling the Uni-Tree’s lightbulb. Not unlike a firework, it burst and rained down upon the tree, lighting the lightbulb brighter than they’d ever seen.
Exchanging a look, they both rushed toward Connie, Cozette and Snoutlet, who were staring up at the tree with awed looks on their faces.
“Amazing…” Cozette murmured from her spot on the bed. “The physical manifestation of your bond was so powerful that it fused with the Uni-Tree.”
“And you’re not even Concordians!” Connie mused, both surprised and pleased by the idea.
Snoutlet grinned proudly. “Reclusa’ll be no match for you two with a bond that strong!”
Luigi glanced at Mario, and Mario gave him a quiet smile. Luigi returned it.
“Mario! Luigi! There’s an emergency, come quick!” Suddenly, Arc was by their side, and they nodded.
Onto the next battle.