Propped on his one good foot, Luigi stood, leaning against the wall by the door to the gallery. Examining his dirty hands with something like horrified interest, he was waiting, rather impatiently, for the professor to return from his work. On the floor nearby the Poltergust sat, having been laid up by Luigi several minutes before. At last, there was only one thing left to do.

E. Gadd had welcomed him into the lab with very near a hero's welcome, but right away Luigi wasn't interested in talking. It had taken all of his patience just to stand and wait a minute while the professor congratulated him and went on about various topics.

"So, this is the big guy, huh?" he had asked as Luigi carefully rested Mario's frame against one wall. Not feeling up to a conversation, Luigi just nodded, feeling tired.

Apparently the feeling was mutual, as E. Gadd soon observed: "Tired thing. Looks like he could sleep for a week."

   "I know," Luigi breathed. "I know."

   "Well, this might mess with your head: all your hard work lasted only a single night!" the professor went on, turning now to the lad beside him. "Though it has been a long one. Well done, Luigi!"

Luigi understood what he had meant. In some ways he couldn't believe that it had only been one day – less, really – since he had first laid eyes on the mansion. His quest had taxed him so much, and dragged on forever; it seemed as if weeks, months, should have gone by.

   And now the prize was won; but somehow it was hard to believe that the ordeal was truly over.

"As you know," the professor had continued, "the mansion those boos built disappeared into the night, but that treasure seems to be real. I have no interest in such stuff, so go on and keep it all! Use it however you like."

The fate of the mansion was no big surprise to Luigi. Ever since he had witnessed it vanishing into the darkness from whence it came, he had come to a quite calm realization of it all. So King Boo had not been lying; he had been taken, and the mansion was gone.

It's a good thing the hallways stayed standing long enough for me to get out, Luigi had thought to himself.

Despite all the horror and the death surrounding its sad story, he wasn't completely sure yet what he really thought of the mansion being gone. In some ways, truthfully enough, he was a little sad. He doubted he would ever have actually lived in it - at least with a weightless conscience - but it was still a bit tough to just accept that it had vanished forever. Like nothing more than the illusion it had been claimed to be, the great building that had stood menacing and enormous outside had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared. After spending the whole night inside, it had been a little hard to believe.

He'd had to glance out the window one more time, just to make sure. But his eyes didn't deceive him – the mansion simply wasn't there. Vanished without a trace... with no proof that the awful events of the night had ever occurred. How would anyone ever believe his story? But then again, perhaps it was for the best...

Perhaps it was.

But this was no time to be worrying about any of that stuff. A little impatiently, Luigi had stepped forward.

"Professor, forget about that for now," he had said, never more seriously. He hadn't meant to seem rude - he was really pleased to see the professor, truly; and he was scarcely over the excitement of catching the evil king himself. But he didn't care about what to do with the treasure, or even what had become of the mansion anymore.

He only cared now about one thing.

Luckily, E. Gadd had quickly caught on. "Say what?" he had asked, eyeing Luigi with a bit of amusement. "Enough rattling on about money? I guess we'd better get your brother back, then."

Carefully descending the underground stairs with Mario's portrait in tow, he had been nearly unable to keep from talking out of sheer excitement... or something. Luigi wasn't in the chattiest mood himself, that was for sure.

"Of course, your brother's really important, but first we have to take care of these last ghosts!" the professor had called over his shoulder as Luigi trailed him.

Luigi wasn't sure if anything had ever tested his patience so much. Now, waiting by the Portrificationizer, every second that passed made him want to explode. How long could the professor possibly take to hang up a few paintings?

He had shown them all to Luigi as they first came out, but he hadn't been very interested. Aside from Uncle Grimmly - the depressed brother of Neville - and Vincent van Gore, he had learned the names of the other portrait ghosts he'd caught, some of whom he'd forgotten by now: Jarvis, the strange one who collected jars; Sue Pea, the sleeping girl; the clockwork soldiers, who had actually turned out to be the ghosts of haunted toys or something like that; and Sir Weston, the frozen explorer. Some of the stories that went with them were kind of sad.

Sue Pea had apparently been prone to naps and she had died in her sleep. E. Gadd had briefly explained how she had gone to bed one day, but what had been meant to be a short nap had turned into eternal rest for the young girl.

"I believe she was the cousin of the twins," he'd said thoughtfully, "and they buried her in the graveyard. I'm pretty sure I found her grave out there."

Luigi was a bit surprised to hear this, but then again... he had been far too distracted by other things out there. How awful... to die in your sleep, and so young!

"Jarvis the collector... now he's an interesting one," E. Gadd had mused. "I found him in Scotland - no surprise there. I honestly don't know what happened to him - likely went a little crazy in the noggin, if you know what I mean."

Luigi did all too well.

"And ah, the clockwork soldiers!" E. Gadd had exclaimed, showing off the portrait with the three spirits inside. "The toy platoon. These are truly remarkable. They once belonged to a tightly-wound toy collector," he explained. "That's why they're so similar. And you may have noticed they've got legs."

"Yeah..." Luigi frowned, remembering. "It was pretty strange."

"I don't know the full story, but as I've heard, they were just ordinary toy soldiers until one day when their owner passed. Supposedly from then on they began to wind all on their own, guarding - or should I say haunting - the house where they lived. I don't know if you can really call them real or if they were cursed or magic or what, but it leaves something to be said for the objects you leave behind."

He couldn't exactly explain how Sir Weston became the way he was (although Luigi thought it quite obvious he froze to death), but he hadn't warmed up to the idea of being a ghost yet. It made Luigi uncomfortable for some reason.

"An odd fellow," E. Gadd mused. "I got him near the Alps. I think he liked to be alone."

Another sad story was that of Vincent van Gore, who came near the end. Upon seeing his familiar sneer in the image, Luigi couldn't help a sigh.

"Ah, the starving artist," the professor commented. "So you caught him at last - nice work! I'm sure he gave you something to look at."

"He did," Luigi replied matter-of-factly. "Yes indeed."

"Despite not selling a painting in thirty years, that man refused to let his art die," E. Gadd went on with a shake of his head. "Makes things a real jam for the likes of us. You know, I also have reason to believe he was acquainted with the king. Stirred up all sorts of trouble."

"You think?" Luigi asked. He wasn't terribly interested anymore, but he couldn't deny the conflict he felt concerning the artist and his sad situation.

But perhaps the saddest of all was the very last.

Luigi's venture, as it turned out, had restored every lost portrait ghost to the gallery, and even with a profit: portrait twenty-three was a first-time catch.

"I can't believe... I just can't believe you did this, Luigi," the professor had said, nearly lost for words as he beheld the newest picture in all its spectral glory. "It's astounding... it's just astounding!"

Luigi could only drink in the praise with passive silence.

King Boo's portrait, somehow, was a good deal larger than all the others; and for the 'special occasion' E. Gadd had used a bigger fancy frame not unlike Mario's own. When he first saw the enormous artwork with his own eyes, Luigi had felt a little intimidated.

Fiery oranges and yellows filled the canvas background. It was amazing in itself to look at: it could have been painted by a master. Surprisingly, King Boo himself took up only a small portion of the image. Most of the room went to Bowser – or rather, Bowser's likeness.

That was the thing that had confused Luigi the most: if the Bowser was just a fake, how did his image appear in the painting? Nevertheless, the dastardly duo shared their space, side by side. Perhaps the two had been friends.

As he had observed it carefully, eyes taking in every excruciating detail, Luigi had felt a nervousness take hold again briefly in his stomach. King Boo's intelligent eyes were fixed on Bowser below him, but somehow they still seemed to pierce into Luigi's soul. It was as if his spirit could still follow him: that bottomless voice... the evil arrogance that governed his every action. The anger and power of such magnitude... How could one ever forget such an encounter?

And not only that, but the mansion itself... that song. The melody of doubt he knew he would never, in all his life, fail to remember. They would forever dwell in the back of his memory; the pitiful portrait ghosts... the scorn in the monarch's voice. But there was, still, something else. He didn't know why, but he had the worst feeling just then... as if King Boo couldn't be safely contained forever.

Within that canvas lay a lifetime of conflict.

Deciding to get away from the creepy thing, he had let E. Gadd take the paintings away to hang them up. He didn't want to be around or even look at King Boo anymore; he just couldn't take it. He had defeated the king, and it was done; it just felt wrong to spend all his time staring at him.

That was the part that made Luigi sad. How terrible it must be to be stuck forever in a painting; unable to do what you wanted, go where you liked, see who you loved. Madame Clairvoya had made light of it, but Luigi still had doubts that the king would see things the same way.

It's for the best, he thought. It most certainly is.

Shifting against the wall in impatience, Luigi winced at the new pain he had aggravated in his side – it was still hurting substantially from earlier. Perhaps it had toned down a bit, but the dull throbbing was really starting to drive him crazy. He wasn't sure how much longer he could really stand it.

And that wasn't even taking into consideration his head, or his ankle wound, which of course were tender beyond belief. He hadn't yet mentioned any of it to the professor – he was afraid that if he did, it would entail some crazy first aid session that would delay Mario's restoration. Holding his breath, he tried to just ignore it for now.

The door beside him opened at last and E. Gadd walked in, seeming none too hurried. Expectant and nervous, Luigi immediately came forward.

"Well, I'd wager dollars to donuts that nobody but me has such lovely paintings!" he commented, seeming immensely pleased. "You must come look at them. Thanks to you, the gallery is finally complete, and with a new crowning jewel, too. I've done something special with King Boo."

"That's great, professor," Luigi said, trying to act happy for him. Not wanting to dwell on it anymore, he added, "Maybe we'll go in a bit."

"I really ought to thank you," E. Gadd said earnestly, not noticing Luigi's antsy disposition. "I doubt I could ever have done it if you hadn't come along. And the king... well, I've said it enough. You're a real wonder with the vacuum, son!"

"Heh, thanks," Luigi said a little bashfully, glancing away. "But professor... now I need your help."

E. Gadd raised his eyebrows in confusion for just a second before he realized what Luigi meant. "Oh, of course," he said at last. "Sorry about all this, Luigi, but I've just been so anxious to get my paintings back! I won't keep you any longer. Come, bring the painting over here."

He didn't need to be told twice. Springing to action, Luigi went over to the wall where Mario's frame was propped and hurriedly carried it over to where E. Gadd waited at the end of the machine. Mario was still in a kind of disturbed sleep, but Luigi was so anxious that he didn't really notice.

"It basically works backwards here," the professor explained as he took the heavy thing from Luigi. "We'll put the thing in here..."

Luigi stepped back a bit as he watched the professor secure the frame into the metal arms over the vat. He had assumed it might go something like this, but it still made him nervous. It almost felt like standing back in the waiting room of a hospital; there was nothing he could do now.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

   "And... it'll just take a minute," E. Gadd said, stepping away now. Luigi stared with widened eyes as the machine began to come to life one more time... The Portrificationizer started rattling and vibrating as the painting disappeared into the large machine near the end, tiny gears and gauges moving furiously. Luigi held his breath as he watched, starting to feel as if he were going through it himself.

"Is this gonna hurt him?" he asked in concern above the noise, a sudden thought occurring to him. For a second he thought he heard Mario's voice yelp in pain and surprise as the conveyor took it through a series of lasers.

"I'm not sure, but any side effects it may cause shouldn't be permanent," the professor replied. It didn't exactly reassure Luigi.

Luigi gasped as they observed the painting reach the big blue tank near the beginning end, and then he saw the big frame wheeled off empty.

"It's the special fluid," E. Gadd spoke up. "He's got to go through it during the transition or else it causes a whole mess of problems. Basically it helps him readapt."

Frozen in worry, Luigi watched as a big pipe latched onto the top of the machine which presumably picked up its contents. That time he heard it unmistakably: Mario's whine as he must have traveled through, before it was all finally put to an abrupt end. With a small crash, something heavy landed with a grunt into the small chamber at the beginning, where Luigi usually plugged the Poltergust in. Simultaneously the Portrificationizer grew quiet, and the clanging gears and steaming levers began to shut down.

Is it...? Scarcely breathing, Luigi cautiously stepped forward, peering into the small slot. Was that it?

"Mario?" he asked timidly, almost afraid. For the first second there was no reply. Was he alright...?

But then came a shuffling and several bumping noises; as if something was crammed inside with far too little room. The suspense nearly killed him for a second. Please, Mario...

And the next instant Luigi was clobbered with a faceful of his brother's hard head.

As he burst forth from the opening, rocketed by pent-up energy from the inside, their heads bashed together and sent them both crashing to the floor with a loud THUMP!!

For a moment everything seemed to hold still as the silence emerged again. Clutching his aching head, which had taken one last unexpected hit (thankfully not on his previous injury), Luigi dizzily sat up from where he'd been taken down and looked around.

"Mama mia..." he moaned, quickly glancing over to see what had become of his attacker.

Whimpering like a grouchy newborn, wiped out just a few feet away, Mario was facedown on the floor. He had a big metal frame around his neck, the rectangular slot from which he had ejected. At first he struggled a little bit, kicking like an odd fish out of water; and then he managed to roll over into a sitting position, trying to remove the thing caught around him in a kind of dazed confusion.

Heart leaping from his chest, Luigi sprang up and took a couple of steps closer, as if to reassure his very eyes. Everything else was forgotten in an instant; at long last...

There was Mario, as real as life!

At first Luigi couldn't move at all. Suddenly he was petrified, as if the emotions had frozen his muscles. Slowly, he began to tremble a bit in place, shaking as if moved by something powerful. He couldn't even bring himself to move at seeing Mario's sort of helpless display at first. The very sight of him was just too much. Finally...

Finally.

Then, unavoidably, the tears began to come. He didn't care if anyone ever knew or heard or laughed; they came, and he let them. He let them stream down his face until he was nearly drenched, not for sadness or despair, but for relief. They were wonderful; they were tears of joy.

For a long moment Luigi just stood there, crying silently. All of the sudden he had realized his brother was here; and something was instantly lifted. It was as if all the night's troubles had faded away in one moment. The pain, the tragedies, the insecurities... they didn't matter. It didn't matter what he'd been through, and it didn't matter what was ahead. And it was then that he realized something simple, something true; something he should have realized a long time ago.

He had never, ever hated Mario's presence in his life. Not for a second. The conflict he'd hated to address, often warring inside him... it was not a true conflict at all. It was Mario's shadow that he'd often dwelt in, that he'd hated, Luigi now realized; he'd hated a shadow. How insubstantial was that?

But now there were no shadows. Only his big brother.

Mario had always been there; that was how Luigi had liked it. And he couldn't dream of it being any other way.

   The exhilarating freedom Luigi experienced in that second was beyond relief. It was liberating.

Feeling the immense weight lifted from his tired shoulders, Luigi suddenly felt as if he could do anything. At last, he was free; he could finally rest. He was as something unchained: all at once he felt as if he could dance, sing; run and jump and twirl and leap and touch that untouchable sky. He could breathe again; all the shadows were gone, and the air was so light that he abruptly began to chuckle out loud.

It was only a little at first, but it quickly turned from chuckles to gales; and then it became harder and harder until his side hurt. Suddenly unable to say anything, he just pointed, violently shaking as his joyous sound grew to fill the underground room. Maybe he had gone crazy – but he didn't care. He was laughing; he was laughing! - and it felt better than he ever remembered.

Meanwhile Mario didn't seem to even hear his reaction; he remained sitting where he was, swooning and groaning as he stared at nothing as if still in another world. If Luigi had been through a rough time, Mario looked the worse for wear.

Finally when his breath ran out Luigi began to calm down. It was slow at first, but he tried. Still spluttering a bit, at last he managed to get out a word.

   "Mario," he cried in a small voice, almost inaudible even to himself.

And then that was all. The room quieted down to a kind of heavenly silence, and not waiting any longer, Luigi at last stepped forward. Not in a rush, not aggressively. He just went forward, and when he came within a couple feet away he stopped hesitantly. Now was the test.

Quite suddenly Luigi held back. This, undoubtedly, was the moment he had waited all night for; and now he found that he couldn't go on. Now he was afraid to go forward; afraid to dare. Suddenly a flood of doubts rushed in to his mind if only for a second. What if Mario was upset? Even worse, angry? Would he be mad at Luigi for everything he had gone through?

Mario, still disoriented as ever, didn't even look up. He had finally managed to get the metal frame off his head, and now he looked thoroughly tired, almost as if he had just been born. For a moment he just stared at the floor, panting and shuddering.

But then he heard a voice beside him call out.

"Hey," Luigi said cautiously, as if testing his luck.

All at once Mario stopped. As if somehow roused from an uncomfortable trance, his wide blue eyes awakened in one instant as he turned, glanced up and saw, standing there beside him... his little brother Luigi.

Luigi froze for a second. For a moment he stood there and did absolutely nothing as their eyes met, as if there were nothing else that could have been a greater surprise. At first Mario didn't move either; it was as if their meeting had the whole world riveted. The electric eyes remained fixated on each other for a few seconds; it was difficult to read the inner thoughts that happened then. Perhaps there were none beyond mere shock.

But then, all in one moment, it was dispelled.

Mario raised his eyebrows, as if surprised. "Hi," he called back, a small smile touching his features. A tiny sparkle came to his eyes, one that seemed far too normal and mischievous for the circumstances; and he instantly seemed transformed, as if it were any simple conversation on any ordinary day. "Hey, Luigi."

Luigi, as if he had received the okay he was waiting for, suddenly let out a broken sob. Looking at Mario's all-too-familiar smile, he couldn't hold himself back anymore. Unable to control it, he ran forward in desperation and collapsed to the floor, throwing his arms around him.

When the two finally met it was as if time itself had frozen the world around them.

Luigi was immediately grabbed in the fiercest hug he'd ever experienced. Mario welcomed him almost violently, displaying a surprising strength that startled him. Perhaps Mario wasn't upset, or - No. Of course he wasn't. Mario didn't hate him.

Luigi knew better than that now.

This knowledge, however, only made him want to cry more; and he didn't care to restrain himself. "Mario," he cried, holding on as tightly as he could while burying himself into Mario's chest.

Here. Here he was safe at last.

Here everything was alright.

The older brother, assaulted so by an unyielding Luigi, caught him and held the sobbing man with all one arm's might; then, pausing in frustration to see his other wasn't cooperating, grabbed his left elbow and dragged it over his brother.

"There's my Luigi," Mario whispered with a sigh. "There..." Suddenly overcome with exhaustion, he leaned his head against his brother's, reveling in the sudden reality of it all: the smell, the sensation, the touch of another human being. It was real; it was tangible; and that was why Mario could scarcely believe it. Holding him close, he closed his eyes and sighed, leaving a few kisses in Luigi's hair.

Luigi had no idea how long they remained there. He only knew that Mario was here, and he was in his arms; and it was all that mattered. Mario didn't cry - Luigi didn't expect that - but with a gentle patience he had never seen much before, Mario soon sank down, rested against Luigi's shoulder and stayed there, shallow breathing going in and out. His movements were a little irregular, which Luigi did notice; and more than that, his brother was damp and cold. His overalls were wet from being in the tank, and a sweat had since broken out on his forehead. His mustache was all scruffy from being messed up, and his hair wasn't exactly tidy either. Trembling slightly, he still appeared in a small state of shock, although he didn't seem too fazed by it. Luigi could feel their synchronized heartbeats pounding against his chest. Beneath it all, he felt warmth. It couldn't have been more real this time.

His eyes slowly closed blissfully as he stayed there, until quite suddenly Luigi realized that Mario had let go and hung limply against him. In surprise, Luigi moved his hand, but Mario didn't move. With the tenderness of a child, Luigi carefully took Mario's arm and rolled him over, gingerly taking him into his lap. Mario had fallen into some sort of sleep; his thick eyelashes flickered and he let out the tiniest snore.

"Hey," Luigi whispered ever so quietly. "Bro?"

No answer. Mario didn't wake up, but he did stir slightly, tilting his heavy head against Luigi's chest. Now he could see the bruising he'd thought he'd seen, and the exhaustion was written all over his face. Mario looked as if he'd been in the wilderness for a month; but at the same time, he was the picture of peace.

Deciding that it wasn't for him to wake his brother up, Luigi took Mario more comfortably into his arms, pulling him against his chest. Gently stroking the side of his face around the bruised cheekbone, he whispered to him in the tiniest of voices.

"That's it, bro," he murmured. He shifted him a bit to get a better look at his face, then tenderly caressed his cheek with the back of his hand.

"Just sleep... Sleep..." Suddenly feeling the older of the two, he studied his brother's features intently, as if he'd never really seen him before.

This was the one he'd fought all night to find. He saw a young man similar to himself; similar in appearance, at least. When it came to matters of strength and resolve, this one was much more stalwart.

He was a bit short and stocky, but it wasn't so with his abundant spirit. His muscles felt firm even in his rest; as if even now his inner power rippled beneath the surface. It was every inch Mario; the same old Mario who had grown up with him and saved the kingdom numerous times and always fought to the bitter end – the same old Mario who loved pizza and playing sports and always had reckless energy to spare. But Luigi had almost never seen him like this. Now he seemed harmless and gentle as a puppy.

With a lopsided grin at a sudden idea, Luigi carefully took a gloved hand to Mario's disorderly mustache, attempting to make good of it again the way he knew Mario liked it. It wasn't an easy task without the pound of wax he usually used -

But then, quite abruptly, Mario opened his eyes again. Surprised, Luigi drew back; but Mario found in his eyes only an admiring gaze.

Mario looked up at him and slowly a smile appeared, blue eyes lingering fondly on him. They weren't full of anger or resistance of any sort, just... joy. The look glowed on him like sunshine; Luigi couldn't remember a time when Mario had seemed so happy to see him.

"Luigi..." he murmured. Luigi inched a little closer, not wanting to miss a word.

"Listen, bro." Mario panted for more air. "I have... I have to tell you something right now."

Luigi nodded, supporting Mario's head with his arm.

"I... I missed you, bro. I missed you so much... and I knew you would come. I knew you could do it... I always believed in you, and I didn't give up hope. Not for a second. I'm... I'm so proud of you and everything you've done. Just don't you forget it, Luigi."

Luigi didn't respond at first. For a second he could do nothing at all. Too surprised to reply, Luigi just stared at his brother as if he'd just won the universe.

All the worry, all the concern that he might not live up to his brother's standards, had nearly vanished in an instant. For a second he was overwhelmed with the idea.

Mario had believed in him? What had he done to earn such respect? Luigi usually didn't even believe in himself. Driven again to fresh tears, he suddenly held Mario close.

"I missed you too, bro," he whimpered, trembling.

And that was all. Suddenly it seemed as if a great feat had been accomplished in one moment; the first on the way to true understanding. He didn't know how long it would take, but Luigi was willing to try. There may have still been many unresolved things between them – but they didn't matter. He wanted to be close to Mario again – wanted to understand him a little better. He would learn to be more open; and then, with the right amount of time, Mario would trust him completely. He wouldn't be a bother to him anymore; he would be his brother.

And they would make it work.

Suddenly Mario shifted a bit, snapping Luigi out of all his triumphant thoughts. He was attempting to sit up straight again, and as he did Luigi drew in a sharp breath and winced. He hadn't wanted to make a big deal out of it, but now the movement stung his side fiercely. In alarm, Mario pulled back, looking over him with surprise and concern. But Luigi held on.

"No Mario," he murmured, pulling him back. "Don't go. I got you... and I'm not gonna let go again." He sniffed and buried his face in Mario's hair.

"Oh, Luigi," Mario whispered, embracing him gently. "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

Luigi didn't reply at first. He didn't want anything to ruin it. Despite all the pain that racked his body, Mario's touch felt better than he could have ever even imagined.

"I'm sorry, Luigi," Mario murmured over and over again. "It was all my fault... I'm so sorry you had to deal with those ghosts, bro. I sh-should've just waited for you... but..."

Luigi raised his eyebrows in surprise. What could Mario possibly be apologizing for? Was he blaming it on himself?

"What are you talking about, Mario?" he asked gently.

He was secretly thrilled that Mario didn't pull away to answer. "I... I ran off without you. In the mansion –

"The mansion's gone now," Luigi murmured, stroking his back. "Don't worry about it anymore, bro. It was all my fault in the first place."

"Your fault?"

Luigi sighed. "Of course it was. Mario, you went through so much just because of me. I was such a fool to believe that letter and... I'm so sorry..." At the thought of it, he sobbed again.

Mario shook his head. "Luigi, it's not your fault at all," he said. "Everything you had to go through –

"It's what you had to go through, bro," Luigi interrupted. "I... I was so afraid King Boo might have done something horrible."

Mario sighed. "Waiting for you... I was afraid of the same thing. I didn't know where you were and I - but I never doubted you. I knew you would be there... I knew you could do it." Pausing to let it sink in, he added, "It's alright, Weegie."

Hearing him use his old nickname, Luigi swallowed back another sob. With that almost superhuman tolerance, Mario was willing to let it all go. Knowing that Mario believed him, being able to make Mario proud, felt almost as good as seeing him again. Almost.

Seeing Mario's easygoing attitude, Luigi felt almost relieved of that last burden; the fear of being responsible. Maybe it would never vanish completely; but he would learn to heal. They both would.

"Well... I'm just sorry for everything," Luigi said at last. "I just... I felt so awful."

"Hey, it's okay!" Mario replied gently. "Don't worry. Maybe we're both to blame... but you know it wasn't just up to us."

Luigi didn't have to ask what he meant. He already knew; if the letter ruse had failed, King Boo might have had plenty of other nasty tactics up his sleeve.

"Thank you... thank you so much for coming to get me, bro," Mario continued, playing with his brother's hair in his fingers. "Grazie mille."

"Of course, Mario," Luigi sighed, almost too tired for words. There were so many other things he could have said, so many wrongs he wanted to right and thoughts he wanted to share. But they could all wait.

"You know, Weegie..." Mario went on thoughtfully. "I've been thinking... maybe you can come traveling with me sometime," he suggested. "You know... just to get around a bit; help me out maybe?" One thing was for sure: Mario was certain to be on another adventure before they could turn around again.

So startled he pulled back, Luigi stared at Mario with enormous eyes filled with hope. "Really?... Me? You mean it??"

Mario met his sparkling eyes and put a hand on his shoulder. "Of course I do, Luigi. As soon as you're ready."

Luigi was so thrilled that at first he couldn't speak. He was tired, but suddenly it seemed as if he'd just received the best birthday present in the world. "I... I won't let you down, bro," he said, unable to completely contain his excitement. "I promise."

Mario chuckled, tilted his head and regarded him for a moment, watching him with a somewhat proud air. This wasn't quite the same Luigi that he knew; not exactly. Luigi had always used to be so reluctant and unsure about everything, even about going on adventures sometimes. He'd been sort of insecure and introverted, and Mario had always watched for the day he might overcome it. Of course, in the end he knew that he had likely contributed to it himself, but he couldn't help that. And now... now, quite suddenly Luigi seemed to be a bit different, as if he'd changed somehow. As if on his journey in the terrifying house he had grown a spell. Maybe not completely; but Mario now saw a young man who held his head a little higher than he had before. He had a tick more confidence; he had needed encouragement more than anything else in the world.

Anything further they might have said then was cut short when Mario suddenly gasped in pain. Jumping up as if he'd received a shock, he recoiled and clutched his arm, letting out an uneasy breath. Luigi widened his eyes as he followed Mario's gaze to his bloodied arm.

The gasp he let out, at first sight of it, was something Mario would never care to remember. Luigi's hand flew to his mouth and he turned two shades of pale, as if he might have thrown up. So this was where...

"Oh my gosh, oh my gosh Mario your arm!" he cried.

With an attempt at a shrug, Mario groaned. "It's not bad, Weegie," he said, but the pain in his voice wasn't convincing.

"No Mario, it is bad," Luigi replied, picking up his limp arm now. It was stinging from his time going through the Portrificationizer, and while the blood flow had stopped, it clearly had spilled all over the destroyed sleeve of Mario's favorite shirt. And his glove as well...

"I knew... I knew you'd been injured," Luigi said slowly, unable to repress a shiver. "And they dragged you all over that -

"Luigi," Mario interrupted, looking distressed. "Oh Luigi, I'm so sorry you had to see that."

Covering his mouth again, Luigi just shook his head and gulped.

In response Mario quickly took ahold of Luigi's own arm. "It's okay, Luigi."

Their gazes met, and as Luigi looked into the sky blue eyes that flawlessly matched his own, he was suddenly filled with confidence. He didn't know how or why... but he just knew that Mario was right.

He would be, in the end, anyway.

"But you... you hurt yourself," Mario remembered, suddenly looking alarmed.

"Heh... well technically, I got hurt... I didn't really hurt myself," Luigi replied, knowing it was a silly argument. Mario had already turned to him with a superior air, and before Luigi knew it he had carefully laid a hand on his side.

"Aahh-ghhhh," Luigi gasped at his touch, cringing against his probing fingers on his ribcage.

"Nothing broken, thank goodness," Mario concluded at last with his knowledgeable hands. "Might be bad bruising - maybe let me see it?"

"Mario, not now!" Luigi argued, shying away. He knew that his brother was smart about these things - but this was hardly the time for a checkup.

Then, as if to agree with him, a small sound caught their attention from the other side of the room. Looking up, he saw E. Gadd approaching them, smiling pleasantly. Luigi realized with a rising embarrassment that he had probably been standing back watching the whole time.

"Well... are you boys alright?" he finally spoke up, as if unsure what to say.

Mario looked to Luigi expectantly, who took his arm and carefully helped him rise to his feet. Though a little wobbly at first, he quickly adjusted, and remained holding onto Luigi's arm at first to steady himself.

"Easy, bro," Luigi told him, knowing how impulsive Mario could be. "Just take it slow." He knew that Mario didn't always like to be helped, but now he seemed to let him. Luigi took a deep breath and faced the professor.

"Professor E. Gadd... I'd like you to meet my brother, Mario."

Grinning broadly, the professor held out a hand. "Well Mario, it's certainly great to finally meet you," he said. "I've heard plenty about you tonight."

A little surprised and possibly a little shy, Mario shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you too," he said gracefully. "You're the inventor, right?"

"You've heard of me?" E. Gadd asked in surprise.

"Well... yes," Mario said, although he didn't seem keen on elaborating.

Luigi looked between them in simple pleasure, almost bursting with excitement that he could finally introduce the two.

E. Gadd laughed. "Well, Luigi has told me many great things about you, but I hadn't envisioned that you... well, you're shorter."

Mario and Luigi glanced at each other, and Luigi had to hold back the urge to laugh. "Yeah," Mario replied, giving Luigi a playful frown.

"Well, you're still taller than me, so that counts for something," E. Gadd offered. "You know, you really do look very alike! Same nose, same eyes... it's incredible!"

Mario smiled and shrugged it off. "I guess you're the one who's been helping Luigi," Mario continued. "Thank you so much for assisting him."

E. Gadd laughed. "Oh no, my boy, it's me who should be thanking Luigi," he clarified. "Your brother here has been helping me collect my ghost portraits all night! And searching tirelessly for you, of course. I bet you never knew he's quite the ghost hunter."

Mario raised his eyebrows in surprise and looked to Luigi beside him, who shrugged and glanced away. Mario slowly began to grin mischievously.

"You're gonna have to tell me about your adventure, bro," he said in a voice that didn't take no for an answer.

Luigi turned big clueless eyes to him. Mario's desire was innocent enough - and well-demanded after all the stories Mario had shared at Luigi's request - but Luigi's adventure wasn't as fun to reflect on as Mario's usually were. He wasn't sure if he would really enjoy talking about it... although he'd hate to keep it a secret from his brother forever. Mario had been a part of it - he would have to know eventually.

"Oh, it wasn't that much..." he said with a shrug.

Mario shook his head in bewilderment. E. Gadd chuckled.

"Yeah, like your fighting King Boo on the roof wasn't much," he said. Turning to Mario, he added, "Your brother has been working like nobody's business all night long. He cleaned that mansion right up good – there's no spirit Luigi can't handle! Really, I've never seen anything like it. You're lucky, to have him for your brother."

Mario smiled pleasantly, as if he heard it all the time. "I know."

Luigi was speechless. He had never in all his life heard someone say something like that to Mario. But the other two didn't seem to notice him.

"He took to the Poltergust 3000 as if he'd built it himself – and honestly, you should've seen him fight with it. It's almost like it was made for him."

Meanwhile, Luigi had stepped aside to grab the weapon in question. Holding it for Mario to see, he said, "It's not that hard to handle, really..."

E. Gadd snorted. "But you did it proud," he insisted.

"Yeah," Luigi said thoughtfully, stroking a hand over the shiny red exterior. He knew that all of it would have been impossible without the trusty machine. It had been his loyal instrument – the only thing standing between him and sheer terror sometimes. But together they had prevailed.

"I'm gonna kind of miss this thing," he admitted, handing it over to E. Gadd. And he would - its comforting feel on his back, the kind of odd authority he felt when he wielded its metal nozzle.

...Even the pulsing hum when it was capturing ghosts?

But despite how he felt, it didn't belong to Luigi; and he probably wouldn't have any other real uses for it anyway.

E. Gadd seemed to read his mind. "Well you can always help me hunt ghosts!" the professor offered. But Luigi shook his head quickly.

"No thanks – not unless I have to." He paused and glanced at Mario. "And I hope I never have to again."

Mario reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. E. Gadd shrugged, still amused. "Well, we'll see... Speaking of which, would you – both of you – like to come see the portraits?"

Luigi wasn't sure if that was such a good idea at present, but Mario, for all his dangling arm, seemed interested. "You mean... the ghosts?"

"They're right here, in the gallery," E. Gadd nodded towards the gallery door. "All your brother's hard-earned trophies! You come too, Luigi," he added on seeing his hesitation. When the professor got excited there was almost no pulling him down.

A moment later the three were strolling down the familiar aisles, gazing up at all the portrait ghosts now restored to their frames. Mario wandered about on his own now, curiously observing each one while E. Gadd rattled off their names; Luigi wished he could have known what Mario thought. Perhaps he even had met some of them, but he didn't have the heart to ask.

Looking on each one with some sort of sadness or loathing, Luigi didn't have as fun a time as the professor did. Every one brought a story; each one was all too familiar. Some just made him feel kind of sad, such as Melody and even Bogmire. After a while Mario noticed him standing in front of one in particular and came over.

Luigi had almost turned completely still, the look on his face a kind of unreadable mask as his eyes moved over the image. It was Madame Clairvoya.

Now there was a respite when he had needed one; there was a friend in his distress. He still didn't really approve of all she had done for him... but he was eternally grateful for the things she had taught him; the things she had helped him to believe and accomplish. And then, in her final act she had set things right. Luigi felt an odd pride.

Looking her pleasantly beautiful image over, Mario reached out and put a hand on Luigi's shoulder. "Is this her?"

Surprised, Luigi looked back at Mario for a second. How did he know...?

"Yes," he said with a sniff. "Madame Clairvoya."

Mario tilted his head and was silent for a minute. "She's a good one, isn't she." It wasn't a question.

Luigi nodded slowly in agreement. So she had completed her mission.

At last E. Gadd came beside them. "I've got one last thing to show you, over here," he said, gesturing. Luigi took a deep breath as he and Mario turned to follow him. For one last second he paused and turned back, taking in all the huge gallery of ghosts he had caught that night. It had been quite an adventure... but his comment was directed to the former fortuneteller alone.

"Godspeed, my friend," he whispered to her still image, before turning back at last to see what had E. Gadd all wound up.

In the golden room filled with treasures at the end of the aisle, where the strange museum-like exhibit was, they soon saw what E. Gadd had meant; there, hanging in a golden frame on the rich velvety wall, was the portrait of King Boo.

The dastardly duo hung triumphantly over the small steps, almost reminiscent of the secret altar itself. Luigi raised his eyebrows and stepped forward in spite of himself; it was a worthy display. Here, surely, the terrible thing would be safe.

"I figured it deserved this wall all to itself," E. Gadd was saying. "Unless, of course, you would like to keep it, since it really is your prize, after all."

"Oh no, you should keep it here," Luigi quickly said. "It's only right. I have nothing to do with it."

"Gosh... it's just amazing, Luigi. This will certainly make my life easier here in the woods than it's ever been before. And to think he practically asked for it. People suffer by the same tool they use against others, I like to say."

Mario, staring at the canvas hung before him, was the most stricken of all. "Bowser?" he asked, face wrought with surprise and distress.

Luigi grinned in exhaustion and turned to him. "It's a long story."

Silently, Mario stepped forward and approached the image as if mesmerized, stopped, reached up a hand as if to try adjusting the frame; then he paused, stared more, and finally shook his head, stepping back. Luigi could see that the odd confrontation between the prisoner and the free man was still messing with Mario's head.

"Bowser and King Boo," he murmured at last, as if the idea was too much for his exhausted brain. "Bowser and King Boo..."

Luigi put an arm over his shoulders and kept him comfortably there, not saying a word. Later on there would be plenty to say; but it could wait for another time. Now, they all had other things to think about; but for a long time the three stood around the painting, looking with strange satisfaction and sadness on the professor's newest decoration.

~

If Mario held any animosity towards King Boo, or felt any lasting effects from his time in the painting, it didn't sour his disposition. In a cheerful display of his usual carefree manner, he sat on the couch in the lab later that morning, looking around with mild interest while letting E. Gadd wrap him tightly in a bandage around his upper arm. Luigi stood further back, unable to bear watching.

"The good thing about boo wounds is that they rarely scar," E. Gadd was saying as he worked busily to control all the gushing. "Or they're invisible scars, anyway."

Mario leaned back and sighed, as if he was already bored. Perhaps he was just eager to move on with his life; or maybe he was trying to mask the pain.

"Well some scars run deeper than that," Luigi spoke up, thinking about the different kind of mark this night might forever leave on them. Mario usually didn't talk about the things that bothered him; Luigi had assumed it was because he was so easygoing. If anything, this night should mark the start of their better relationship, their healing.

But still... now he was wondering if Mario would forever feel the sting of being in King Boo's possession for an almost never-ending night. He hadn't spoken of it at all yet, and Luigi wasn't sure if he ever would.

Of course, some things could forever remain a mystery - such as how King Boo had captured Mario within a painting in the first place. Mario had been unconscious through it all, so perhaps they would never know. But Luigi knew better than to press for details - Mario couldn't have anything good to tell him.

As far as mysteries went, the night did leave a few still unsolved: such as the objects from the mansion that didn't disappear. When Luigi had dumped his entire pocket's worth of old heavy keys onto the table, the professor hadn't known quite what to say.

"It's over a dozen ancient keys without any matching doors," he'd observed. "What am I supposed to do with them?"

"Anything you like," Luigi had replied. "But I don't want to hang on to them anymore."

The precious stones and metals, which were not exactly unwanted, still confused everyone by their authenticity, but it was a mystery no one cared to solve. After assembling it all, Luigi couldn't help feeling somehow blessed.

Mario didn't immediately share his opinion. When he'd first laid eyes on the loot, he surprised them both by recoiling in alarm.

"Y-You should put that crown away," he'd said cautiously, eyeing the king's ruby headpiece. "It's dangerous."

Luigi and the professor could only raise their eyebrows and do as he asked.

By now, most of the first aid was finally done. Luigi had already had his ankle cleaned and bandaged - at last! - and was immensely happy to find it feeling much better already. He'd also had his head taken care of, which had been a much less pretty ordeal. According to E. Gadd, it hadn't been seriously damaging, and by some miracle he'd escaped without a concussion; but Luigi knew he was going to be tender up there for a good while. Mario himself had seemed a bit horrified at Luigi's lot, but Luigi had already begun to feel loads better. The only thing that they hadn't done anything for was his side, where he'd claimed to have been hit by Bowser; he had mentioned it, but since it wasn't bleeding he just took some ice for it for the time being. Meanwhile, his thoughts had begun to turn elsewhere.

Thoughts of home... his real home.

Mario, almost as if he knew what Luigi was thinking, looked at him curiously. His movement caused E. Gadd to tear the bandage he was holding.

"Hold still, boy, look what you did!" he scolded, but Mario knew he wasn't in any real trouble. Before he could say anything, Luigi stifled a giggle and came forward.

"Oh... I just remembered," he said, reaching into his pocket. "I have something for you, Mario. I found it." Glowing almost as vibrantly as the object he held, he produced the shining power star. "I couldn't wait to return it to you."

Mario looked on it in surprise. "My power star?"

Luigi nodded and held it out to him. Carefully, Mario reached out a hand and took it, watching the rainbow colors shoot through his fingers. Luigi felt a wonderful thrill at seeing Mario take it once more. He had promised he would get it back to him.

"Well I never thought I'd see this again," Mario said, shifting his gaze back up to him. The yellow light that glowed in his eyes spoke more than his words ever could. "Thanks, bro."

"I know you dropped it... you dropped a lot of things, actually, didn't you?" Luigi asked curiously.

Mario paused to think. "Yeah, actually, I did... I left my hat for you to find, and I lost my glove and my shoe... but..." Luigi could almost see his thought process as he frowned and glanced down at his clothes.

"I swore I dropped these things!" he exclaimed in disbelief. "How did -?"

Luigi shook his head. "I was hoping you might be able to tell me."

Mario looked considerably bewildered, leaving the two as confused as ever.

"Don't you think that's enough mysteries for one day?" the professor asked, focusing on finishing his work. "Nothing makes sense when it comes to that king of illusions." Coming to the end of his bandage, he suddenly yanked on the strand to tear it off, perhaps just a little harder than intended. Mario gasped and Luigi jolted.

"There we go," E. Gadd said abruptly, standing up and backing away from his work on Mario's arm. "Just take it easy on that thing for a while. Don't go pulling that bandage off either," he instructed. "Give it at least several days. If it hurts, don't go crazy with it."

Grinning, Mario stood up, pulling his sleeve back down. "Thanks," he said gratefully, and then turned to Luigi. The younger brother chuckled, already knowing Mario would disregard those instructions in a heartbeat.

For a minute the two just looked each other over, as if sharing some single unspoken thought, both slightly amused.

"Well, I'm still gonna wait for that story," Mario reminded him.

Luigi sighed. "Yeah, yeah..."

"Well you've gotta tell me something exciting! Did you see the ballroom?" Mario asked, knowing his brother's love of dancing.

"Yes," he admitted. "I saw everything. I saw a whole bunch of gross furniture and old clothes that weren't really my style and a lot of spiderwebs." And a whole lot of other worse stuff.

...But, then, Mario was right: there were a lot of good things about his journey as well. They didn't spring to mind right away, but there were; things he had learned, stories to tell. Someday Mario would hear them all.

Now Mario snorted. "Well that's not very much fun. Did you get my note?"

Luigi widened his eyes. "I did," he said, feeling his pocket. "It... it kept me going."

That knowing grin flickered onto Mario's face again and he reached out, grabbed his shoulder, fell still.

Any further conversation was cut off then by the professor coming over, who had been standing back watching them as if taking notes on their behavior. "I don't mean to interrupt, but can I get either of you anything... like dinner or breakfast or something? A drink? I'm not used to guests but I imagine you all are practically dead. Especially you," he added to Mario. "I don't even want to imagine the last time you had something to eat!"

The two looked up at the same moment and for a second their identical gazes almost took him aback. "No thanks," Mario answered. "I'm not hungry."

Luigi started. "But Mario, you're always hungry!"

He shook his head. "I don't want anything. Maybe later."

For a second Luigi watched him, concern apparent among his features, but he tried to let it go. If Mario was still recovering from some semi-hibernation, it should wear off sooner or later. At least, the professor didn't seem worried.

"Well, a drink would be great," Luigi offered. "Thanks, professor."

   "Ohh... a drink?" Mario asked, suddenly perking up as if to marvel at the word. "Yeah... yeah, that would be... really good," he said at last, putting a hand to his head.

   "Of course. And if you need a bathroom, you know, it's right over there," the professor added, discreetly nodding towards the hallway. Luigi had to hide a chuckle.

"And also... well, I would love to offer you the guest bedroom, but..." the professor shook his head and laughed. "Perhaps you should come see."

Confused, Mario and Luigi followed him into the little hallway and peered past him into the open doorway he indicated. There, sleeping in a big heap of blankets on the large bed, was a pile of toadstools. Toad, Jonathan, Freddy, and Benji, the castle toadstools who had come all the way out the previous night, were all snoring and murmuring in their sleep contentedly as if they had been drugged. So this is what had become of them. The sight was so funny Luigi broke into a grin.

But grinning wasn't enough for Mario. With that same ease with which he usually did things, he suddenly began to chuckle; and then Luigi heard something he had long wanted to hear.

He heard Mario laugh.

Giggling as if someone had just told the most hilarious joke, Mario nudged him and left Luigi speechless. How did he just... do that?

   How did anyone learn to laugh like that?

   But suddenly, it was funny; as if all the past events of the night had never happened, or they weren't serious if so. Mario laughed and the cares just vanished away, and Luigi could only stare at his brother at first in surprise. Mario had the most contagious laugh... and he could laugh at almost anything.

   So what was to hold him back?

Finally, and not quite by choice, Luigi found himself joining in, lured by his brother's obvious joy; and the combined sound of their laughter soon grew to fill the air almost like any music. They were laughing - and they were laughing together. And that was all...

   And that was all.

   This was what he had so long wanted; this was what he had desired from the beginning. Nothing fancy, nothing much to ask. But it was enough; and in that wonderful moment Luigi felt completely content. It was so easy, so light; and it felt so good.

It almost could have lasted forever if air wasn't a necessity. Finally, when the two had calmed down, still grinning at each other like kids over ice cream, Mario turned to a quite surprised E. Gadd.

"That's fine, just leave them," he chuckled, nodding to the toadstools. "We can go home."

"Are you kidding?" E. Gadd asked, as if he thought they might have gone nuts. "It doesn't matter what time it is, you haven't slept properly in ages! I insist you stay and rest for a while. Besides, I'd like to keep an eye on you injured things."

Mario glanced at Luigi in amusement. "Alright, if you insist," he said, likely too tired to really argue. "We'll take that couch."

"The couch? But that's not enough room!"

"We'll make it work," Mario said, with a very timely yawn. "I'm not going to force someone out of a bed. I could sleep on concrete at this point..."

"Well... if you say so," the professor said at last. "I'll get you some spare blankets. Anything as long as you sleep!"

And so that was how Luigi ended up sitting in a lab wrapped in a blanket around seven o'clock that next morning. Meanwhile Mario stood nearby, looking out the small window onto Boo Woods. At one point he gasped.

"Look, Luigi! The sun!"

Looking up in surprise, his brother stood from the couch and joined him by the window. There, breaking the horizon over the grassy hill, purple and magenta shades of clouds glowed in a golden dawn light. The bare trees began to reflect its shining aura and the entire forest soon came to light in it.

Luigi's breath left him at the amazing new forest he saw before him. "It's so beautiful..." he murmured sleepily, heading back to the couch now to lie down. Mario, surprised at his relative indifference, followed him and knelt on the ground beside him.

"Never seen the sun shine over Boo Woods before," he commented, watching the window. "How light it is, now that the mansion's gone."

He didn't get a response. Surprised, Mario turned back to look at his brother.

Luigi had fallen fast asleep.

The End