Suspects: Luigi and Peach

Victims: 4 Toads, Bowser, Daisy, Rosalina, Mario, Wario, Waluigi, Birdo and Yoshi

*Overview for those who decided to skip part 2:

The killer has just assassinated Birdo by a cruel practice of diction. It now moves on to Yoshi, who is now just barely clinging to consciousness.*

Omniscient:

The shadows by the fountain darkened the stones of argent, stained by crimson and the pain the the tortured night.

Yet, there is yet one who wanders alone in the blossoming twilight dawn, which even now gasps for breath as the light attempts to brighten the horizon.

And the other hunts. Prepared to do its worst. Turning the shining ring in its fingers. Formulating the final adieu.

But first, it must destroy all evidence.

Its eyes glitter as it looks upon the two prone forms, one pink, stained with vermillion, the other, beginning to stir, glittering with crystal droplets of water.

Take out the sleeper.

Hide them both.

Or plant them.

Make a scene for the final one to find.

Make it scared.

Put on a show.

The small form begins to tremble, shaking as it attempts to regain its balance.

No more mistakes.

It won't get away.

The darkest shadow snaps the metallic red coil in its hands, both now stained with a similar rust.

Before the small creature can blink awake, or let out a yip, the silver rope is already tangled about its neck and arms, bound by the maniacal shadow.

Strangling, the victim attempted to cry out, knowing who it was that ensnared it.

An ally. A friend.

A sibling...

Partners before life.

The shadow carefully encouraged the struggling creature to the fountain's edge, making it look into the swirling depths beneath.

Turning away, frightened, the victim's view landed on something else.

Its lover.

Bloated and sliced to ribbons, like the one still eerily balanced on her head.

The blue eyes followed the view, now lighting with sudden inspiration.

Quickly, the rope flashed, knotting about the first creature's neck and torso. Disallowing further movement.

Once appeased with the knot, the shadow nodded, smiling at the petrified dino, who began to whimper in return, too terrified to utter words.

The darkened persona lifted the other end of the shimmering lasso, idly swinging it in a small circle. It had all the time in the world. Dawn would not arrive for another two hours.

Or would it?

Time was relative.

The present immediate.

Accomplish what was needed.

In plausible time as well.

Without a hesitation, the assassin tugged on the rope, causing the little Yoshi to tumble to the ground.

Shaking its head, the killer moved to the prone form of its previous victim, kneeling down to it and viewing it from all sides.

The shadow cocked its head for a moment, observing the job before it. Finally, it extended a hand, towards the faded beryl eyes.

Two swipes, and the orbs rolled about in its hand.

Satisfied, the glove tucked them away, along with the diamond trinket from the deceased animal's hand.

The rope was then wrapped about the creature's legs.

Nodding, and whispering to itself, the shadow then lifted the fuchsia body effortlessly, yanking on the far end of the rope.

Yoshi made no response.

Slightly irked, yet not disappointed, the killer thrust the body of Birdo into the fountain, watching as the water began to stain red.

The rope pulled taut, beginning to drag the form on the other side into the same watery grave.

Yoshi began to struggle, scrabbling at the lip of the fountain and staring into the merciless eyes.

The killer grabbed Yoshi at the last second, gripping the dino's arm and the iron collar tied about its neck.

Yoshi's eyes brightened. Was there regret to be found in the madman?

The onyx eyes and the cobalt ones stared into the other. Searching. Observing.

The cobalt eyes set, and the other glove came up.

Yoshi looked between the frigid gaze of the killer and the glove which was raised to his nose, the hand barely trembling.

The finger made the smallest motion, barely tracing a path down Yoshi's nose. The dino could feel the dampness of the hand as it made the petting motion.

"You were always loyal... Always, and to the end."

The hand stopped, returning to its initial position between Yoshi's eyes.

"To be honest, I admire that... And what is remarkable is that you aren't even completely petrified to see me. You've some nerve, Yoshi. Just like me."

The eyes looked into the misting red water, contemplating it shallowly for a moment. Would it be deep enough to complete its purposes?

Now the water proceeding from the mouths of the koi began to take on the new iron source, mixing the two types together with permanent zest. Shamelessly continuing in their work, uncaring of that which flowed newly through their stone veins.

Yes. This would suffice.

For but a second longer, the victim and the villain met even gazes.

Then the hand released its hostage, allowing Yoshi to fall into the crimson waters.

Yoshi sank like a stone, feeling the drag of the iron leash pull him beneath the vermillion waves. Struggling, the dino attempted to thrash towards the surface.

Above the struggle, the blue eyes watched, observing every movement, every pull, every painful flail. The rope was too short to allow the Yoshi to float to the surface, it had made sure of that.

Beneath the churning waters, Yoshi felt the pressure about him, crushing him, suffocating him. The pull of the rope about his neck only pulling him further into the depths. The fountain wasn't even all that shallow, as he could touch the bottom. Through the misting waves, Yoshi could see the thin streaming of rust deriving from Birdo, swollen and eyeless.

At least they could die together.

Yoshi began to convulse as the air left him, floating in clear bubbles towards the surface where the singular persona stood. The green creature only looked skywards, looking at the silverine bubbles and the sky barely shaking above.

And the eyes.

The water silenced, ripples fading away until Yoshi could clearly see through the shroud of distorted water.

The eyes looked down on him, its fingers barely tracing above the surface of the water.

There was a single ripple from above. A small dash of clear water tracing through the red, dissolving into rusty strands as it was hidden and forgotten. Unnoticeable, but there.

But Yoshi knew.

And so did the assassin, as the figure receded from the fountain's lip, covering their bluebell depths with stained crimson gloves.

Yoshi watched as the crimson covered the sky, and then again as shadows swam alongside him, stitching their pitch into a tapestry of pain and rest.

The dino tasted the water as the final bubbles left him, the metallic sting of clouded blood overpowering.

And the bitter salt of the small ripple which had fallen from above setting with finality.

Above the smoothened waves, the shadow lay prostrate in the arms of the darkness at the bottom of a nearby willow. Barely shaking, it allowed the salt streams to flow for but a moment longer, its final task it knew to yet be accomplished.

Killer:

I want to be done.

No more. Please... just no more...

There is so much to regret... So many wrongs... Injustices all floating about...

And the whispers...

All of the whispers...

They don't revile me... or even hate me...

They cry...

They cry...

For me?

For themselves?

No... I cannot be weak. I would only prove them all right.

I am not weak.

I am not scared.

But I don't want any more...

No more death.

No more...

No more...

I know who is still left behind...

And I love them...

I don't want to...

I don't want to...

But I must.

I have to.

I shall.

I...

I will.

I can... And I will.

But first, I need to stand.

Fingers twitch...

Legs ache...

Running...

Running for so long...

My head...

My heart...

I hurt...

I feel...

I don't want to feel.

Feelings hurt...

I don't want to hurt...

I want to be like him.

He never hurt...

Emotionless...

Stand up.

Stand up!

STAND UP!

I sit up, looking about me.

They all stare.

Stare at me.

And in the center, he stands. Eyes frigid, yet as lively as I ever remember. No longer stained, garbed in his typical attire. Vermillion piercing the moping darkness about me.

By his side...

His...

My...

Our...

Our ally. The one I abandoned moments ago...

Yoshi's tail waves slowly, Mario's arm barely stroking up and down the creature's shell.

They say nothing, Mario's even gaze seeming to penetrate through me.

Just like all of them stare.

Rosalina to my right. Daisy to my left. Birdo stands by Yoshi's other side, missing the ring which I so quickly snatched from her.

A chill passes through me, and I shudder. I'm so very cold now...

And I now see why.

The spiked shell of Bowser now turns and I gaze into the hardened eyes of the koopa which I shot so cleanly through.

I still possess the revolver, extending it with shaking hands.

The cold eyes never leave mine, as if they search for something in me.

I can't take it any longer, letting out a shout.

"Why me?! Why are you all still here?! You should all be gone! I'm the one in charge now! Me! ME!"

I can feel the hot rushing in my cheeks as I cry out, almost enough to block out the sensation of similar trailings which mist my vision.

All I receive is laughter.

Their laughter.

They all surround me, closing in. Mario, Birdo, Bowser, Rosa...

The laughter.

Eyes...

Colors...

Laughter...

Laughter...

Laughter...

Mine.

All mine.

Faster and faster, the colors spin. The eyes... The laughter...

The memories...

I stand, turning in a fast circle. They all dance around me...

Enlightenment.

Laughter.

I can hear them all!

And I know what I need to do.

Finally, I close my eyes, listening to them echo in my head. I throw my hands away from myself, trying to push them all away.

Trailing whispers stay behind, ringing in my ears and instructing me. Telling me to listen. Telling me to obey.

"I obey my own commands..." I whisper, opening my eyes with purpose.

"This night will end now. Playtime is over, Mario. The one thing you and I can agree upon together, I suppose."

I withdraw the long, pure white glove of the one I hunt.

"I don't want to..." I whisper melodically, squeezing the glove tight and pressing it to my cheek.

"But I do as much as I must. And whatever I must... I'm not afraid anymore..."

I extend the dagger, observing every stain upon its flawless edge, sharpened every moment by my misery and pain. Longing and being trampled down. Pure hate and irrevocable agony.

"Are you?"

I can hear them still, but they go silent, allowing me to hear the sparse dawn and the frightened breathing of the other in the garden.

What a beautiful place to be...

Just like the one I seek.

I make my sure way to the doors of the courthouse. I left something there and I require its use once again.

I'm ready for the challenge.

I'm ready...

Two, three, four, five, six, seven...

Won't you be flattered to be my obsession?

Peach:

The bright, splintering sound of laughter echoed through the trees.

If it was who Peach suspected it was, Peach hoped that the daylight would reappear swiftly.

The sky was now as it had been at sundown. Pinks, reds and oranges painted the sky now, preparing for the weak dawn which still fought against the murkiness of the night.

Yet, the light was sufficient enough for the nightlife to silence themselves, seeming to settle down and sleep despite the sudden whiplash of eccentric laughter.

Peach, however, was wide awake.

Everything was held in baited suspense as she took a step forward, her soft shoes she tried to muffle as she began to pace on the grayed cobble.

As she passed by a small cluster of leaved bushes, she paused, staring at their waxy leaves, which appeared to be much darker than the surrounding foliage.

Carefully, she stepped closer, observing the glistening greenery.

Her gloveless right hand extended to the leaves, her fingers brushing the soft plantlife.

They were damp, and glittered as they were moved by her touch.

Repulsed, Peach snatched her hand away, rubbing her fingers together as she felt the sticky source on the tips.

The flecked leaves dripped at the sudden movement, shaking as they loosened their iron loads.

'No.'

Peach felt her throat tighten as she reached towards the branches again, fearful of what awaited her.

Her fingers hovered over the stems for a moment before she swept the brush aside in a single movement...

And entered another sharp scream of terror.

Three toads, one green, one yellow, and one a brilliant red lay on top of each other.

All three with their throats ripped out.

There were no other significant marks, and all three had their full eyes open in extreme shock. As if the killer had actually wished to make the process quick.

Peach stared into the glazed onyx eyes of her people, all of them appearing to be screaming.

Peach's vision misted, and she felt her heartbeat becoming more rapid, the world spinning as she quickly turned away. Away from the horror behind the bushes.

Peach ran, sacrificing every attempt to remain silent, surrendering to the chill and terror which raged inside of her.

Branches snagged her pale dress, restricting her for a brief moment before she tore herself away, shredding the fabric without a moment's hesitation.

In a wild thrill of shock and fear, Peach ran without direction, pushing away branches and leaves which clouded her view and nearly tripping over gnarled roots.

It was as if the whole of the garden wanted nothing more than to ensnare her in its fullness, trapping her until its commander could come to finish her off. In her mad run, she saw dim flashes of light. Whether fireflies or eyes, she was not sure.

Peach burst through the foliage in a sudden cloud of leaves, stumbling on the cobbled stones and onto the masoned art.

Her bare arms stung as she fell, the unforgiving stones offering no reprieve, but Peach stood again, against the sharp shock.

She was in the center of the garden again, the fountain's water gently trickling over the sound of frightened heartbeat.

Vision unfocused and confusing, Peach began to slow down, trying to recollect herself and catch her breath from the sudden sprint she had endured. She gulped down breaths of air and barely panted from the fresh adrenaline now coursing through her. Chill after unpleasant chill went down her spine. She could now feel cold sweat beginning to accompany it, only achieving more terror in the individual.

In half of a dazed trance, Peach stumbled towards the whisper of the water, hand extended to feel for anything to support herself on.

More deaths. More fear.

Her people.

All of her people.

Her fingers brushed the serenely soft stone of the fountain's edge, and she felt it, trying to soothe herself with its smoothness.

Her fingers trailed over a rough portion of the stone and Peach frowned, looking at it.

There was a large crack in the edge, nearly two of her fists large, and it looked as if a brick had been roughly chipped out of the ledge.

Peach ran her hand over the stone for a moment longer before noticing something peculiar in the water held within.

Perhaps it was the shadows, or the lack of light shining on its placid surface, but the water contained seemed much darker that its once pure looking sheen.

It rippled darkly.

Like that upon the leaves.

Peach looked upon the darkened waves, silently pleading to some other being that it couldn't be so.

Holding her breath, Peach dared to look over the brim of the fountain, staring into its depths.

For a moment, all that was revealed to her was the darkly clouded water, but as she stared closer, the princess could derive the faint silhouette of something underneath the glassy reflection.

The shadow of a creature. Not a person.

And in that moment, Peach's fear was confirmed.

Bitter chill and sour fear filled Peach's heart as she tried to turn her gaze away from the drowned victim, barely shaking under the reflection of the glassy water.

She couldn't.

She couldn't turn away.

Salt touched her tongue, her mouth slightly open in shocked fear.

They were all gone.

Mario...

Daisy...

Rosalina...

And... and Yoshi...

Everyone...

She was all alone...

With it.

No one left behind...

Alone...

Out of the corner of her eye, there was the tiniest flicker of movement, and the softest sound of skidding. Peach inhaled, but did not turn, feeling the single trail of warmed water cut its way down her cheek and chin.

It was at this point that the quietest sigh was heard, accompanied by a soundless step.

The gentle whisper of a voice of one so familiar barely echoed in the quiet.

The words which proceeded chilled Peach to her heart.

"Oh Princess... Don't cry... You still have me..."

Luigi:

The familiar pressure of the hammer on his shoulders was like that of an old friend. After all, it was his trademark. He held it behind his neck like a stocks, arms swung over the handle on either side, feeling the winds chilling his fingers.

Looking at the princess, Luigi wondered what could have possibly happened to her. Her dress was torn and muddied. Yet, it wasn't as torn as Daisy's had been. That was fortunate, for both him and Peach. He could take his sweet time, and Peach would not have to exert herself as much if she ran, as Luigi could catch her quickly.

Peach stood like a statue before the fountain where Luigi had drowned his comrade. The same place where he and the princess had stood together, looking at the sky.

And the flower.

Luigi brushed the flower, whose petals were still as fresh and fragrant as when he had first plucked it from the bough. When they were together. After he had eliminated the top competition.

After he eliminated his oppressor.

Luigi was in control now.

He would always be in control.

And the princess. The one he loved.

She still had him. He would be there for her. He would be there. Always.

"Oh Princess... Don't cry... You still have me..."

Peach made no response, but Luigi could hear the frightened breathing, her fast paced heartbeat, the essence of confusion in her thoughts. He took a step forward, still holding the hammer behind him.

"I won't leave you, Princess. I don't want to leave you..." Luigi whispered.

Slowly, as if she were in a dream, Peach turned. Her soft, ice blue eyes met his.

She looked terrified.

Luigi wanted to laugh, tell her just how odd she looked, but all he could manage was a small smile.

Peach shook her head.

"No... How... How could you do this?!" Peach stepped back, running into the fountain behind her and falling back upon her hands.

Luigi could see the gears spinning as his princess pieced the puzzle together. Luigi never did anything without a purpose, something he had developed over years of experience and painstakingly long years with his elder twin, who never really seemed to notice him.

None of them had.

And he supposed that that was what made him cut out for the dirty jobs he had just accomplished.

Luigi took another step forward, flexing his wrists so that his palms faced outward.

"Listen, I know it's a lot to take in. 'Oh my god, a psychopath right in front of me! I need to run!' Honestly, I'd prefer if you didn't. I don't want to kill you. Honest to heaven, I don't." Luigi shrugged under the weight of the hammer.

"Is that what you told all of them? Is that the lie you spun in every sentence?" Peach was leaning back over the water. If she wasn't careful, as Luigi narrowly observed, she would fall in. Her face was slowly, but surely, pinking, and her eyes beheld a glint which Luigi had never seen Peach possess.

Luigi was taken aback. Had he ever served Peach wrong? He had always been truthful, asking questions which could be open to any interpretations, served Peach faithfully, tolerated Mario for any new opportunities. This was his chance. No more would he be pushed to the side and forgotten. This was his chance. His moment.

Just them.

The way it should have been.

"I told no lies, Peach... I really do care... And I admit, perhaps this was a roundabout way to deal, but... heck..." Luigi finally allowed himself a chuckle, "I sure caught your attention, didn't I?"

Peach's cheeks now suddenly changed from red to a pale ghost white. Luigi could see her beginning to ease herself into a running stance.

"Oh come off it. I told you not to run. I really don't want to catch you or ruin your dress even more." Luigi nodded to Peach's dress. The wind left Peach's sails, and she slumped in surprise and shock.

"I pick up on things quickly. Especially if I myself have done it before. Running? All the time. Fear? Every day."

"And that would certainly explain why you don't know how to be a normal person when trying to start a relationship." Peach whispered hoarsely.

Luigi snorted, shifting the weight on his shoulders.

"In actuality, I'm just really tired of being ignored. Whenever I am a normal person, they look right past me and at my brother."

"Because he tried to be a hero! He did something to be noticed!" Peach cried out, taking an aggressive step forward. "He was a hero! Something that he could do better than you!"

Luigi felt a sudden stab, as if he had used his own knife on himself. Was Peach right?

The whispers echoed in his ears again. Telling him what to say. Winding their thin yarns of deception and glib retaliation into his mouth.

The knife twisted, and Luigi flinched, feeling the heartwrenching bitterness inside.

It burned. It burned in him.

But now he knew what to say, setting his face with purpose and beginning to speak in a low growl.

"Mario couldn't do anything better than me. You think that he just let me tag along for kicks and grins? No, I had to save his sorry hide more often than not. Yes, I've screwed up before, but not nearly as bad as delivering myself right to the enemy. At least I always went down fighting instead of running around! I can stand there and take some. Mario... at the slightest pinch in his pride, he blows his top. Hotheaded... Always too hotheaded. What you don't seem to realize, Princess mine, is that I've been in the woodwork. The little brother can never let his elder twin go off on his own without a babysitter, so guess who took the job!"

Luigi could now feel his own face becoming warm and he was now in a tone near shouting.

"Maybe... just maybe..." Luigi finally wound down, "I should have done this sooner."

He finished with a hiss, clenching the handle of his hammer until it felt as if his knuckles would go white.

Peach only stared at him in silence, her lips barely moving. The vocals in Luigi's ears overlapped, blocking out every noise. Laughing... Screaming... Crying.

Luigi began to laugh too, adding his own voice to that of the chorus around him.

"Can you hear them, Princess?! They're everywhere!" Luigi's wild gaze locked onto the princess, becoming the only colorful thing in his sight. The branches and trees becoming a dull grey, the stones bleaching snow pale, the crimson and stains oil black.

Only the color of the soft pink hues met his eye.

"They're all there... I can hear them all! Rosa... Daisy... Mario... They're all there!"

Luigi finally dropped the hammer from one shoulder, gripping it in his right hand.

"They're telling me to hurt you... They're telling me to finish it here... But I don't want to... I really don't..." He stepped again, now only five paces from Peach.

"Then let me leave..." Peach whispered, shrinking back. "If you don't want to, why do you persist?"

Luigi hesitated, thoughts coming and going. Why did he persist? Wasn't his task complete? The hammer weighed heavy in his hand. He could just leave, couldn't he?

A sharp ring echoed in his head and Luigi gave a yelp, dropping the hammer and covering his ears with his gloves, trying to rid the pitch, which was like that of a dogwhistle. The voices thrived on the sound, whispering louder and laughing maniacally.

Like him.

His music.

His poison.

He couldn't leave.

Peach was being uncooperative.

If she refused...

A plan.

The ringing subsided, the voices still instructing him, affirming his plan.

Luigi's fingers brushed the hickory handle of the sledge, gently picking it up and listening to the sound of the metal scraping stone.

Slowly standing, Luigi looked up at the princess.

Why hadn't she ran?

Luigi began to speak, his voice barely beginning to crack.

"They tell me to hurt you... but I don't want to... So I offer a gamble."

The princess stiffened. Luigi smiled as she shifted from foot to foot.

"A... bet?"

Luigi listened to the ringing and the whisperings for a moment longer before nodding at Peach.

"A bet. Gamble... Bowser's idea, really. Terms are simple."

Luigi lowered his head, looking at his boots and the hammer he held at his side.

"Only an hour and a half until sunrise, I think, so here are the terms and the bet. I unlocked the door when I went to get this thing here," Luigi nodded to the hammer, "I thought that the job would be over with quickly, so I didn't think to relock it."

Luigi looked up to see that the princess did indeed have her slightly frightened gaze on him. Good. At least she was paying attention.

"It's a footrace to the front. If you get there first, I forget the whole matter. You escape, you live, you do whatever you need to do in the morning. I'll be complacent, and even testify guilty in court if need be."

He heard the whispers snarl at him, chastising him for being so quick to allow himself defeat. Luigi curled his lip, shaking them aside. There was his side of the winnings too, though.

"But if I win..." Luigi smirked, lowering his head again, "I deal with you as I please... or as they please. Depends on how much of a fight you put up."

He let the words sink in, let Peach mull over the gamble. Bowser hadn't been the only one who enjoyed a good risk. Truth be told, it had rubbed off on him as well. Especially in these strange turn of events.

Finally, Peach spoke, her voice quiet and hoarse.

"And the terms?"

Now. Now was the moment to reveal.

"The terms..." Luigi began, beginning to swing the hammer back and forth.

"There is only one way through the courthouse to reach the exit. You can do whatever you like within the boundaries; hide, run, climb, anything you can think of. Anything to elude me. While you try to find the end of the maze, I hunt. If I catch you early, well, obviously I win. There are no formalities. If we meet, it's free game. Fight to the end, or until one of us concedes."

Peach was slowly nodding, her eyes beginning to slightly glaze.

Luigi smiled, meeting her view with an equally blank stare.

"And one other thing to add, Princess."

He withdrew the white glove of the princess from his sleeve. The glove was still as pure white as when he had found it in the hallway, thrust against the now broken stained glass of Justice.

"I believe you dropped something."

Peach wildly looked between the brother and her glove, yet she made no move to retrieve it from Luigi.

After waiting for a few seconds, Luigi simply dropped the glove, watching it wrinkle up as it settled on the stone.

"Right. Not much time anymore, is there? So, let's begin the challenge, shall we? And you know what?" Luigi tapped his chin, pretending to think intently.

"I think I'm a pretty good guy... I like to play fair... And I don't think the situation is fair... After all, I have mastery over the maze, and you have the disadvantage... So you know what? I'm-a gonna give you a head start. Fifteen minutes..."

Luigi stopped tapping his chin, finally allowing himself a tight lipped, devious smile. He lifted the hammer, running his finger over the smoothed edges and the solidness of it.

"And then I play."

It was silent for a moment longer. Even the chorus was silent, waiting for the responses of the players.

"You realize Waluigi is still out there... He'll help me, and he'll kill you whenever he gets the chance..." Peach said confidently, brushing down her skirts.

Luigi tipped his head.

"Waluigi? That clown? He was even less competent than my late brother. Quick dose of foxglove knocked him right out of the picture. Don't you get it, princess? It's you and me... The world will never be the same anymore..."

Peach froze, meeting Luigi's frigid gaze. She gave no response, only slowly shaking her head, mouthing a singular word.

"No..."

He shrugged.

"Yeah, real disappointing. I was expecting more from my messed up duplicate, but I guess you can't really outdo the original, can you?"

He smiled crookedly.

"After all... Anything he could do, I could do better... I could do anything better than him... Must say, though, he gave me quite a knock. Gonna be showing off this bad boy for a few weeks, easy."

He gestured to the tender spot above his eye, hardly noticing the dull throb over the thrill of gambling excitement.

"Great shiner, isn't it?"

Peach was still silent, now covering her mouth with both hands, one still ungloved.

Luigi couldn't take it anymore, the impatient voices beginning to whisper once again.

"I suggest you start to try and find your way, Princess. I've already begun my count."

'Five... six... seven...'

"Feel free to run whenever you like..."

'Eleven... twelve... thirteen...'

Now the voices began to pick up the chant, counting in muffled tones.

The princess wasted no more time, briskly stepping by Luigi and picking up her glove as she passed.

Luigi didn't turn, only listening to the quickening tap of heels as the princess began her wild search for the labyrinth's end. He looked at the hammer at his side and began to spin it in a windmill, feeling the familiar weight as it rose and fell. He had all the time left in the world.

Chuckling softly, Luigi finally leaned on the handle of the hammer, the base of it set upon the stone. He listened to the sounds of the voices softly counting in the back of his mind.

She would never solve his puzzle.

Peach:

"... one way through the courthouse to reach the exit..."

Peach had attempted to open the door from the center of the courtyard that led to the garden, but was quickly disheartened to hear only the sound of the lock rattling in mock glee.

Not through the courtyard? It was the only way out as far as Peach could tell.

Peach began to think that Luigi had lied to her. That he had locked her in to play even more games with her mind.

The man that she had loved.

The man with the bold eyes and bright laughter.

The psychopath with the hammer.

The man who had extinguished every life like a light.

Now hunted her.

"You still have me..."

She would not have him.

Enough reminiscing. Peach shook her head, bringing herself back to reality. She refused to let Luigi be named so. Killer was fine enough name for it. A creature, not a human, with a hidden face and an unknown identity.

Not even she could bring herself to degrade the rabid brother that far. The killer had a blank face. An unfeeling persona. Not the lively mannerisms of the one Peach was expected to believe in.

Peach took a moment to release her closed mind, trying to observe for anything which could be used to her advantage. The high crests of the trees were still brushing back and forth, accompanied by the small jingling of the bluebells.

The bluebells.

What if she were to...

She didn't have long to think.

In that moment, something scurried up her shoulder and a light chittering preceded it.

Peach looked over her right shoulder to find that a small flying squirrel had alighted on her.

Could this have been any better timing?

Being a princess had its perks, Peach supposed.

Without disturbing the small animal, Peach delicately stepped to the bluebells, breaking five clusters off at their stems.

Sitting down, Peach began to weave with fervor, careful not to break any of the ringing blossoms.

Within a few minutes, a small ring the size of a bracelet lay in Peach's hand.

She spun the few loose stems into the others quickly, then looked at the squirrel, who was fixing upon her with its dark, moonless eyes.

"It's farfetched, but I think it'll work..." Peach whispered, stroking the critter's head.

In response, the animal leaned into her.

As it did, Peach slipped the collar over the animal's head until it fit about its neck. She then carefully put the creature into the tree.

It began to scamper about, the bluebells around its neck beginning to ring with a soft sound.

Peach nodded in approval.

"Hopefully, it'll find you first. I'm sorry if he does not offer mercy."

With that, Peach took a handful of more bluebells, beginning to thread them into her hair.

If Luigi found the animal, perhaps his suspicions would be piqued, thinking that she had sent out many animals in the same fashion. Therefore, whenever he would hear the bluebells, perhaps he would assume it to be nothing but another woodland creature. And if this was the case, if Peach wore the bluebells, she would make the same noise, making Luigi think that she was nothing but an animal with the blossoms.

And if it failed...

She would have to trust in her ability to fight or flee.

The sound of the flowers barely jingling in her hair, Peach began to carefully pace around the courthouse, observing for any ways in.

Luigi:

"Ten minutes and counting!" Luigi cupped a hand, allowing his voice to resonate through the boughs of the trees.

'Ten and one... ten and two...'

He was now alighted upon the fountain's edge, peering into the bloodied art. The koi were now lapped with red, making their scales appear pink. In small, detailed crevasses, clots were forming, outlining the pink scales with bold vermillion.

It was rather beautiful, if Luigi did say so himself.

There was a slight chittering behind him, followed by the sound of light jingling.

Luigi looked towards the woods, observing the darkened border of woods. The colors were still grey, devoid of emphasis or texture. It was extremely riveting, and it only increased focus as far as Luigi was concerned.

A small flying squirrel scampered out of the woods towards the fountain where the bloody brother sat.

Luigi smiled as he observed a colorful strand of flowers around its neck. The squirrel sat down at the base of the fountain, by Luigi's feet.

"Clever princess, isn't she?" He whispered, extending a dark grayed glove to the animal. The squirrel observed the hand for a moment, as if debating the win loss. Luigi wiggled his fingers, enticing the animal into his palm.

He lifted the animal, observing the necklace of bluebells.

"Trying to be deceptive... That is smart. I wasn't really expecting much from her." He whispered, allowing the creature to scamper around his hand and arm.

"Unfortunately, she doesn't know that I tend to pay attention to everything... I'm not letting a single risk go unchecked, am I, Deceit?"

The squirrel only looked up at Luigi, it's dark eyes bright.

Luigi shrugged, placing the squirrel at his side.

"Well, the princess has moved her first pawn, hasn't she? Time for me to retaliate. I realize I said fifteen, but if she is already working against me, that's a fine sign that she's ready to begin. I can't stand the suspense any longer, I'm getting extremely bored."

With that, Luigi stood, lifting the hammer he had laid at his feet. He could feel the wind around him barely breathing through his hair and brushing his cheeks. As if the wind had fingers, it felt as if it were trying to caress him.

"So, princess. If it's mind games you want to play..."

Luigi took a step towards the thick woods, brambles barely covering the trunks of the trees, midnight black against a palette of death grey. He brought the magnolia flower out of his hair, observing its bland, pale curves as he turned it in his hands. Finally, he brought it to himself, inhaling the sweet fragrance of the bloom.

"Then you've chosen the correct brother to play with. Deception is my specialty, princess. How kind of you to let me show my skill."

With that, Luigi delicately placed the flower behind his ear once again, taking a slow pace as he assuredly stepped into the forest, prepared to hunt.

He did indeed have more than one trick up his sleeve.

Now was the finale. The final bravado.

The end game.

"Time to play." Luigi whispered in a singsong voice, entering the shadows without fear, the voices being his third eyes in the darkness of the elder night.

Peach:

Every door sealed, the gates locked.

No way in.

He must have lied. He simply must have.

Or perhaps...

She wasn't looking in the right places?

In a sickeningly clever way, Luigi was fond of puzzles.

And he was always the best at finding the secrets in any place...

And climbing.

He was always energetic...

He could climb to impossible heights...

And he was always so poised and confident...

Climbing...

Peach balked, slowly looking back from where she had come from.

Shards as small as diamonds and colorful as the rainbow were visible, barely glittering in the cold light.

Briskly, Peach stepped to the colored specks, reaching with her newly reunited glove.

She picked up the color, which shone dully. It was still sharp, though.

Glass.

Peach looked skyward, observing for anything which could reveal where these fragments could have fallen from.

A gaping, shattered hole, still flaking glass shards met her eye.

The mural of Justice.

The key to freedom far above the courtyard.

Peach set her jaw, determined to make the best of the matter. She was on the ground in the courtyard. Luigi was quite possibly finishing her head start, so now she would have the madman to contend with, and she had no way to get up to the window which glowered down at her mockingly.

Unless she cut through the garden to climb a nearby bough.

Once again, Peach found herself toying with her dress's brooch. Climbing would be risky, especially if she were to consider the Luigi could move about the trees as softly as a panther. She would be hanging herself out to dry.

Peach turned back to the courthouse door. Luigi had said that there was only one path through the court all the way to the front. That he had locked all the doors but the ones he wished to keep open.

So what if she forged a way herself?

A breeze touched her slightly tousled blonde hair, pinned back so that it gently flowed down her back.

Finally smiling for the first time that night, Peach brushed a hand through her hair, removing a small golden pin from her locks.

She was going to pick that lock until it broke. Something she had picked up after years of being kidnapped by Bowser, she supposed. Cage? She would find a way out. Putting her someplace "secure" was like giving her free wandering rights. As long as she stayed out of sight of the guards securing her, she was clear as crystal.

That was something she hadn't revealed to either brother. After all, what would be the fun in just finding her instead of actually seeing every epic fight go by?

She had to admit, both Mario and his now deranged brother could put up quite a show.

Peach approached the door, softly setting the pin in the lock.

She could hear the small mechanisms inside clicking, shifting to this strange probe.

Peach let out a whistle of air. Another. Another pin.

She set the second pin into the lock, her hair now trailing over one shoulder, no longer restricted by the metal being used in those white hands.

Peach paused for a moment, brushing her hair back behind her shoulder again before setting to work once more. Silently, she listened for any signs of moving mechanisms or the clicking of the lock. As she listened, Waluigi was brought to mind. With his swift fingers, she could be inside already. While she hadn't been fond of Luigi's doppelgänger, she had to admit that he had several redeeming qualities.

Especially since her once saint had now removed its fiendish mask to reveal the devil within.

In response to her frustration, the pin snapped in her fingers, jamming in the mechanism.

"No no no no... Not now, please not now!" Peach whispered anxiously, trying to wiggle the second pin to snag the first.

Just as she brushed the first pin, a grating sound echoed.

Peach froze. Was Lady Luck pulling her leg?

She prodded the pin gently.

The low sound echoed once again.

No joke. This was real.

Holding her breath, Peach gingerly moved the pin, coaxing it in the direction of the sound.

A final click echoed and then silence set in.

With a shaking hand, Peach reached for the handle of the grand doors, tugging it towards her.

The great wooden doors moved, groaning as if in old age.

Darkness shone within, only illuminated by the weak light of the outdoors.

She was in.

Peach softly stepped through the threshold, into the darkness beyond.

Her heel uttered a dark clip as it set upon the planks.

Peach closed the door, surely and as silently as she could. She didn't need Luigi to hear that she had made a second entrance in.

As the door sealed, the door growling in a low baritone, Peach piqued her ear, listening for a moment before sealing herself in.

Had that been a soft chuckle that she heard in conjunction with the mournful moan?

Luigi:

He laughed darkly, watching the sideways door close, a small blur of pink ducking in as it did so.

"So... she picked the lock... Maybe my work is cut out for me after all."

He was perched in a extremely foliated tree, crouched in a low stance with the hammer between his legs. Luigi gripped the handle numbly, his head cocked sideways upon his gloves.

"Well, I certainly didn't see that coming... Who knew she was toying with us all those years, Mario?"

Luigi listened for a moment, trying to pick out the one voice which he spoke of in the whirlwind of others. There were passing whispers and for a moment, bright laughter, as if his twin was indeed jovial at Luigi's discovery.

Luigi's lip curled in the ghost of a smile, stretching his fingers before standing in the bough of the tree.

He swung the hammer over his shoulder, still observing the door with a sideways gaze.

"Mm... No more. Perhaps I should begin to crack down on her. I really don't want word of tonight to leave the garden's walls."

Luigi straightened, tipping his head to normalcy once again.

"I'll just take the shortcut. The way I planned for it to go. It's much faster anyways."

He looked down. He was at least seven feet above the cobbled path, and the window still lay at least twenty feet above.

No matter. Always a solution.

Always a path.

Puzzles to be solved.

Reasonings to be understood.

He knew how to get up there. Why the princess hadn't remembered, Luigi was shocked. And here he was, thinking that next to him, the princess had been the brains of their crusade.

With a final look downwards, Luigi lifted a foot...

And stepped off the branch, snagging a leaf in one hand as he did so.

The ghost man...

The spectral stalker...

All one in the same.

But this time, his prey could bleed...

And bleed long, it would.

Luigi took one last look around the garden from Justice's view, tucking the leaf into his pocket before jumping down into the courthouse.

Darkness held no fear anymore.

The heart of cowardice gone.

Time to play.

Peach:

For a while, Peach stumbled around in the darkness, trying to find a switch.

Creaks and echoes seemed much louder now, and being on edge at every sound didn't help much either.

Opening a second door, she found herself in a slightly lit hallway similar to that in which she had found the secret room. It was still quite dark, but slightly lit with a golden hue. The sun barely shimmering through the crisscrossed glass panes.

Peach knew how to get back to the courtroom, but she thought better than just marching in. If Luigi had set up the maze and placed only one exit, that meant that he had set up dead ends as well. There was no doubt in Peach's mind that Luigi was slick, and that he would expect her to go directly from point A to B.

She would not be set up in an ambush. Luigi was too smart to leave a singular open path.

Perhaps scouting would do her some good.

Turning softly, Peach ran fingers over her shredded gown, feeling the torn fabric and the roughened lace. At one time, Peach remembered suddenly, Luigi had in fact dressed like her in order to help rescue her. One of the many times when he had assisted his brother.

And his acting had been flawless.

What, Peach mused to herself, could have set such a heroic person to the edge? So far as to render them insane?

She missed the man in green.

Had it been her fault?

Peach paced to a baroque staircase, the friezes depicting gentle curves and ornate flowers.

She ran a hand over its elegance, tracing soft fingers into the crevasses of spirals and petals before sitting down upon the steep stairs.

Luigi had expressed his timid love to her before, whether in sometimes everyday conversations, in his willingness to tag along with his brother on their wild expeditions to Bowser's, or even when he was just around the castle or if the princess had invited the two of them to luncheons or parties in general. He had never sought attention in such a dramatic way before. In fact, he had usually been a wallflower for the most part, tending to stay out of the rowdiness of everyday conflicts.

Yet... He had always had a somewhat sad demeanor.

And that overly eager, observant eye. As if he would silently size something up before acting. Always observant. Seeking the challenge.

Peach stopped running her hand over the stairwell.

How long hadn't she noticed?

That glint in his eye when he had been insulted, his seemingly controlled demeanor when investigating every victim.

Peach lifted her head.

The way he had picked up on everything.

As if he knew the completed masterpiece.

There was a sharp snap and Peach was immediately on her feet.

The sound of wind preceded the sound of something creaking open.

A voice barely whispered, echoing off the hallway walls. It came from above Peach.

"I know you're in here, Princess... Time is ticking... Better find the exit before me, shouldn't you?"

Peach watched the wall beside her. On it was a crouched shadow with a large blunt.

One part of the shadow was flickering, looking side to side.

Looking for her.

Peach lifted herself soundlessly, standing and moving away from the wall and the stairs. She ducked behind the stairs themselves, finding several shadows and cover from the ornate statues around her.

No sooner had she scampered behind the steps that she heard creaking just over her head and the soft breathing of Luigi as he began to step down the stairway.

He was right over her head.

"Princess... Where are you?" Luigi barely sang the words.

Peach held her breath, trying to silence her terrified heartbeat.

The shadow on the far wall grew larger, and larger still.

Until she saw him.

Bent over to half his size, the hammer held in fidgeting hands, Luigi was looking back and forth, observing the whole area with midnight blue eyes.

Suddenly, the brother straightened, reaching for his head.

Peach watched as the demented brother withdrew a small, slightly withered blossom.

The magnolia flecked with crimson.

It was silent.

Luigi now had the hammer held in his right hand, which was facing away from Peach, holding the flower in his left. The opaque, glassy eyes beheld the flower for a moment longer before gently tucking it in the breastpocket of his slacks.

The dark view of Luigi looked about for a moment longer, taking a slow circle to investigate the area.

Just as the glaring view passed over Peach, the green brother paused, retracing his view to the small shadow where Peach lay.

The brilliant, cold arctic eyes met Peach's.

She felt her heart stop.

For the longest moment, it was just those eyes. Searching, observing, scouting.

They narrowed, squinting into the darkness.

'Please, just move on... I'm not here, just please look past...'

Even as Peach's frantic thoughts were being joined together, the brother lifted his chin, as if skeptical for but a moment, and then he turned, beginning to pace away. The tap of footsteps echoed for a minute longer before fading completely, ended by a second sound of a moaning door.

Peach listened in the darkness for a moment longer before tentatively stepping out of the shadows.

Only the weak golden light met her.

No sign of Luigi at all.

Without another hesitation, Peach scampered up the stairwell, careful not to trip over her already ruined ballgown.

Luigi (Mentality):

She's overthinking this far too much. She could already be out the door by now, but no! She has to overthink every possibility.

I watch as her pink dress flickers up the stairs before opening the door I had used as a decoy sound.

At least she's being entertaining.

Shrugging, I turn away, hefting my hammer over my shoulder. Well, if she's going to waste time, I might as well make as much use of it as possible. There's no way out from the second floor unless you jump, and I don't think the princess would be so desperate as to break a leg.

The only people I can think of who could even have the audacity and the ability to make the jump would have been Mario and myself. Challenge my older brother and he'd be off before you can finish your sentence. Me? Find a good reason for me to risk myself and I'll do it. I guess that's why it was so easy and quick to find and finish off Mario. If you had one word to describe my late brother, 'impulsive' would suit the job just fine.

Even as I think of my sibling, his voice is in my ears, just as eccentric and as determined as ever.

So eccentric...

So willing...

So...

Gullible.

He may have been the brawn, but I'm the brains.

Red and green.

Inverse opposites.

Ah, did I love him.

I still love him.

I gaze at him and Wario as I pass through the courthouse. Brilliant work on my behalf. No one suspected that the little cowardly Luigi would be the one to strangle the big bad Wario, the man who could destroy anything you put in his path.

I love acting.

Before I leave, I pause.

What am I doing?

I don't want to be here.

I just want to go home.

Maybe explore a bit... visit my mansion...

"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING!?"

Enough!

I force my mind to go cold.

None of this matters. Get it over with already, goddammit.

But I can't.

I can't allow myself to...

The last one in the room.

I turn to the judge's stand to observe my abomination.

She is still beautiful, even in death.

Even after I've marred her irrevocably.

I tentatively step towards her, as if she could still lunge out and grab me.

Her platinum blonde hair is barely stained strawberry at its tips, save for the one overhanging bang which covers her left eye. In that bit, the whole of it is soaked with her lifeblood, props of me stealing what lay beneath. Her maniacal, carved smile betrays the gentle slope of her lips, betraying the enlightened, eccentric emotion forced upon her.

The knife twists once again.

Is it possible to die from grief?

From guilt?

I have heard so many stories about such things.

But then again...

They're only in fairytales.

Yet...

Rosalina...

"This is getting ridiculous. Focus, Luigi." I mutter to myself, turning away.

But I can't move.

I refuse.

"Focus. Luigi." I growl. "One more, and you're home free."

"But I don't want to..."

"You WILL!"

My voice echoes in the room as I shout, ringing back at me, the word repeating over and over in my head.

"WILL."

"Will!"

"Will..."

Yet, it never disappears, the others beginning to take up the mocking chant.

"You will..."

"You will!"

"You WILL!"

Above them all, the Star Queen's voice reigns supreme, drowning out all others.

"You shall."

I gaze into the empty voids of Rosalina's eyes.

I can't bear to see her like this...

She was never deserving of me.

"I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry..." Whispered... Oh so truly meant...

I can't anymore.

I must move on.

Finish the fight.

End the night.

I leave, closing the door to the courthouse. Ending the blended mix of grief and remorse.

The knife is torn out of me, leaving my head and heart empty.

Emotionless...

Just as I wanted.

Just as I wanted...

I feel lighter now, as if someone had lifted something off of my shoulders. Something that wasn't the weight of the hammer.

I feel whole...

And emotionless...

Finish this.

And make the right choice...

But there is something I can walk away from tonight... I know that I won't forget it... A chance to make the right choice. A chance that I had welcomed willingly.

I had replaced Rosalina's eternally starlit eyes.

Peach:

If there was no sign of Luigi, it must have meant that she was doing something right.

Right?

A cold breeze blew by and Peach shuddered, rubbing her slightly stinging arms chafed by the fall she had experienced earlier.

It couldn't be less that one hour until sunrise. Peach was extremely grateful for that.

Even though it was a said "footrace", Luigi had said that she was able to do anything she liked within the walls. As long as she kept eluding him, perhaps she could wait it out until dawn when the courthouse would be opened by the officials.

Perhaps...

She hated that word: Perhaps.

As if it possibly wouldn't happen. It gave rise to the ability to fail.

And at this point, failure would have much worse consequences than making a simple mistake.

Peach looked down at her feet at hearing a small crunch.

Small shards of glass crumbled beneath her, just like those out in the courtyard.

Peach's eyes flicked back to the wall to her right.

The faint morning glow was brighter here, and it illuminated ragged shards of faux crystal which had formerly been a piece of art.

The glass looked as if it had been shattered both inwardly and outwardly, as countless fragments of light reflected onto the wall to Peach's left, creating a lovely, yet dangerous- looking stained glass impression as most of the colors were a deep shade of scarlet.

Across the speckled cream wall, a few small, shaking fragments of light settled on an opened door.

Peach knew where that door led.

Back to her secret room.

Luigi was downstairs. He probably scoured the area before coming down the stairs, and since Peach had cleverly outmaneuvered him, he would be investigating the whole of downstairs, not knowing that his real target delicately paced above.

Peach nodded at her idea, solidifying her plan and thoughts before stepping towards the door, held slightly ajar.

She turned the corner of the door, stepping into the room while looking down at her feet. She didn't want any of the glass to accidentally get into her slippers. It would both be agonizing and extremely annoying if she were to ruin her shoes as well as her gown.

The moment her gaze crossed the threshold, she noticed two things.

The doorknob was sticky.

And the floor was red.

Peach froze, not taking a step further, instead slowly backing out of the room, watching her slipper drip teardrops of crimson onto the floor outside.

As if in a waking dream, Peach brought her left hand to face her, slowly turning it so that she could observe her palm.

The impression of her hand was visible through the stain.

Who was this?

"That clown?"

Peach forced herself to look up, and immediately wished she hadn't.

It was indeed Waluigi, but Luigi had glossed over whatever he had done to the parallel imitation. Luigi must have poured all his hatred into this in order to present what was envisioned here.

Like all the predecessors, Waluigi's eyes were removed, allowing thin streams of vermillion to creep down like tears down his sallow cheeks. The streams were interrupted by enormous slices, clearing away all flesh of the cheekbones so that Peach could see the tracks of red irrigating through slightly stained teeth.

He was propped up upon the metal stool she had found earlier, and he was slouched, as if unamused with the situation at hand. His violet hat he clutched in one bloodstained glove, and Peach could see similar trailings creeping like morbid vines down his sleeves.

Adrenaline, curse its purpose, was pumped faster as Peach's breathing increased in rapidity.

Before she understood what had happened, she suddenly beheld the enormous doors leading to the courtroom. Her legs sang with trembling fear and her hands would not stop shaking.

Was this what Luigi had felt at any time? When he had openly portrayed his expression of fear?

Of had it been a playtime theatre for him? Roleplaying at its finest? To act out, to create a comedy, form a character together?

A shell to hide in?

Was this adrenaline real either?

Lucid dreaming?

Dreaming Luigi...

Lucid Luigi.

Or a nightmare.

Her hand reached out, controlled by something in the back of her mind. Telling her to forge on. To continue.

To fight.

Fight for her freedom.

Or die obtaining it.

The doorknob turned, mechanisms turning, latches opening.

And fear above it all increasing.

If Luigi was on the other side.

The door opened with a yawn, exposing the courtroom.

No madman in green attire met her.

Peach no longer heard her footfalls, her heart throbbing in its place.

The showdown.

The fight.

Escape.

Or death.

All her vision focused on was the blurred image of the far side. The door that they had all entered.

When Mario was at her side.

When Luigi, man gone mad, stood behind her, helping her support Rosalina, whose life ended only minutes after they entered the place of judgement.

Ended by the very man who had helped her.

Numbly, her fingers brushed the great handles of the door.

The ragged ends of her dress were cold against her legs, from pure, fearful sweat or from something much darker, Peach did not wish to guess.

As if controlled by pure and utter fear, the doors pushed inwards by frightened hands, allowing very dim lamplight to flow into the shadows which lay behind.

Before her was the door to freedom.

Behind her, the horror of a lifetime.

The lamps were all silent, tiny flickers of fire illuminating pale, sickly walls.

Ten quick steps, and Peach stood before the fake gold-lacquered door.

The end.

Escape?

She turned the doorknob, listening to mechanisms inside shifting.

And a click.

Peach's stomach sank, bitterness rising in the back of her throat.

She turned the knob again.

Only a soft 'clunk' met her, the brass keyhole seeming to stare with iron emotion.

It was locked.

Only two words pushed their way through the ether of confusion, fear, and shock. Words that she felt on the tip of her tongue.

Softly whispered.

"I lost..."

There was a creak behind her, followed by a dark thump. A jangle of keys, similar to the sound of the flowers in her hair, met her ears, and there was a click before the sound faded away once again.

Peach needed no reason to turn to recognize the being behind her. She also needed no reason to ask for confirmation, for the voice spoke before she did.

"Yes, princess... You lost. Should have just run instead of trying to outsmart the master, shouldn't you have?"

Peach listened to the sickeningly, sweetly soft voice whispering, as if to a lover.

Bitter resentment built, and she spat the words before thinking.

"And do you know what you can do?"

Silence followed.

"You can burn." She swiveled to view the abuser behind her.

Luigi's eyebrows were arched, accentuating the purple blemish over his eye. His eyes glittered with something like faint admiration, and he looked as if he were trying not to bust up laughing.

The hammer was over his shoulder once again and he was standing in a very presentable way, raising himself so that his shoulders were held back with pride and his chin lifted, accentuating his confident stance.

He looked smugly amused.

"Oh will I now?" He said, still in the soft, crooning tone.

Peach's heartbeat was becoming unbearable. She felt as if her heart would pound right out of her chest.

Luigi sighed.

"Well, may as that be, I did win our little bet. So I'm going to follow my winning gamble and deal with you."

Peach's heart stopped.

The madman's eyes flicked to her shocked ones.

"Your heart is racing. I can hear it. You're really that scared? You have no idea what it's like to be me, then."

He could hear her heartbeat? They were ten feet away! How could he_

"Hear your heartbeat?" Luigi eerily finished. "The gears in your mind are turning rather quickly from what I can tell, so let me clear it up for you."

He didn't continue, and Peach stared at him, confused.

Luigi removed his green hat, revealing mussed sorrel hair. The green brother raised his eyebrows again as he stared at Peach.

"Haven't you wondered why I've been so extremely elusive? How I seem to hear and notice everything? I needed a little help along the way, princess..."

As he spoke, shadows flickered, twitching at his head. A moment later, two small, pointed shadows lifted from his curls, twitching and rotating, listening to everything about him.

And they were green.

In the same moment, a similarly shaded extension curled about Luigi's hips, the tip white and thrashing with amusement. Luigi smiled, and Peach noticed two dominant canines, much longer than any normal mortal's, and a glitteringly sharp white.

Peach now spotted something around the madman's throat.

A small, golden bell, tied by a thin, green ribbon in the style of a choker, was pulsing with faint power, accentuating the strange features which Luigi now exposed.

Luigi was a cat.

A cat with shifty blue eyes, dark, wild sorrel hair, and the emotions and hatred of something much deeper than Peach could have imagined.

A beast with a human killer's heart.

"Surprise."  Luigi whispered, seeming to relish her tight shock, "What a twist for the show, eh? I really can't believe that all of you forgot that, hey, we're in a garden with every power known to the kingdom. I'm rather fond of this little outfit, not to mention this little tanuki leaf I found."

Dropping his hat to the ground, Luigi used his now free hand, reaching into the pocket on his overall's front and withdrawing a browned, slightly withered leaf. Peach couldn't speak, only watching as Luigi's extended canines were flashed once again in a wickedly maniacal smile.

"What's the matter? Well, I guess that I certainly do bring a new meaning to the phrase 'Cat's got your tongue', don't I?"

Peach was pressed against the door to the front, desperately trying to shrink against it. Was this it? Was she going to die?

Luigi stepped towards her again, flexing his wrist on the hammer. The petrified princess could spot thin, almost black claws digging into the wood of the handle.

How would he do it? Put a hammer to her like Daisy? Claw her open and pose her like Rosalina? Or would he be slow altogether, a combination of the both?

Luigi was in front of her, those shifty blue eyes just as narrow and vigilant as the beast he impersonated, constantly flicking over her face, her frightened posture, and at times, settling upon her exposed, white throat.

"So... Anything I like..." Luigi whispered. "I don't think I've ever had such a choice before..."

...

End of Part Eight

Til we meet again, Keep Rockin'

-Shamrockin13

Hello all!

The killer is unmasked! And now I reveal a cover which I may put into effect within the next week or so!

Tell me what you think!