Suspects: Luigi, Waluigi, Wario, Peach, Yoshi, and Birdo

Victims: 1 Toad, Bowser, Daisy, Rosalina, Mario

Killer:

Mario died only moments after I slit him open. Perhaps all that I did beforehand had been overkill. He asked questions. Far too many questions. However, it was the man's dying wish in a sense. He had a right. I complied.

Now he lays as a dead weight upon me. I remove his red hat from my head and place it onto his, covering his bloodstained curls of sorrel and umber.

I run a hand through his hair once more before carefully laying him to the ground. No one is around. I can take my sweet time.

Looking down at him now, Mario appears to only be sleeping. The brim of his hat barely covers his eyes and his arms cross beneath his head.

Mario.

My Mario.

I look away from him, turning to the rest of the courtroom. I pace about for a few moments, anxious, looking at the entire room.

I know where everyone went. I can follow them without difficulty. Yet, I cannot bring myself to do it. I must wait. Plan further.

With a growl, I slam my fist on the wall, causing the windows to shake. I'm breathing heavily, pressing my head against the smooth oak walls.

Am I crying?

With one hand, I forcefully smear the tear away. No. I will not cry.

No emotions.

No fear.

No love.

Mario...

Snatching the knife, I play with it for a moment, twirling it between my fingers. Watching it glitter. Letting it hypnotize me for a brief moment.

I am strong.

No one will stand against me again.

Looking up from the blade, my view settles on the judge's stand.

The knife leaves my fingers as if controlled by thought.

It implants itself hilt deep into the hickory and I smile. How far I have come from the very beginning.

Slowly, I walk towards the knife, sidestepping the crimson memories beside me.

I pry the blade out, leaving a gash in the flawless polish.

I turn away and observe Mario once again, all of the formerly white fabric staining red, the M on his hat unable to be seen.

I look at the knife I hold. Covered in dark hues of vermillion. Rosalina... Mario... the toad.

For a brief moment, I place the knife over my wrist, imitating the motion I had achieved with Mario in the air above my vein.

So quick. Just like all of them.

I hear whispers all around me. All of them echoing from somewhere else in the building. Or are they in my head? Are they cursing me? Screaming?

No matter. Now I must make quick work of it.

Enough with the memories.

I approach Mario, now without a hesitation, and bend down to him, ever so careful to keep myself as clean as possible.

With quick movements, I cut off the sleek golden buttons of Mario's slacks. A trinket if you would. However, I let Mario's eyes remain. This is supposed to be a suicide scene after all.

I make a quick slit in Mario's other wrist and then, after stroking the blade of my knife for the last time, I place the blade into Mario's hand and close it.

The stage is set.

Without looking back, I meander towards the doors near the back of the room.

Four dead, five left standing.

Eight, nine, ten.

Time for the hunt to begin once again.

Luigi:

"I hate being left alone..." Luigi murmured, brushing aside leafy foliage.

Somehow he had come across a moonlit garden in the center of the building. It was luxuriously beautiful, with willows preening their long tresses blowing in the small breeze and cherry blossoms barely shedding their flowers. Even though the Mushroom Kingdom was well known mostly for their namesake, mushrooms, it had wonderful flora. Especially in the springtime months.

The moon was barely at its highest, probably a little before ten by Luigi's prediction, and it was an eerily beautiful cat claw sliver of light hanging in the dome of the heavens.

Luigi looked up at the night sky, spying smaller pinpricks to be noted.

The stars.

Luigi sighed and looked down at his feet. With Rosalina gone, who would be next to lead them? Rosalina had always been so graceful and noted for her eloquence and posture.

Now she was gone.

Pushing the darkening thought aside, Luigi stepped into the garden further, noting all of the little flowers growing in the crevasses in the path on which he tread.

While many saw Mario as the jumpaholic brother, the one who would stomp first and ask questions later, they found Luigi to be an anomaly. Related to someone so strong and revered, yet delicate in his own way. True, Luigi was never one to back down from a fight, but it had never been in his interest to start one either. But there was something that everyone noticed about him that made them pause. As if they were trying to figure him out. Size him up. Note his qualities. Luigi found it entertaining for the most part, especially when no one could remember his name. Louis, Lyle, Lylwendllyn, even the occasional "Algae", which he had no clue how the latter name came to be.

He certainly was the "middle child", despite only having kinship with his twin.

The sound of rushing water made Luigi pause. He listened for a moment, trying to derive the location of the disturbance. After a few moments, he turned to a few thickly foliated branches and delicately pushed them to the side like a curtain.

The scene before him was almost breathtaking.

Cherry blossoms, rustled by the night wind, gently floated to the ground, leaving many small pink pools of petals. The willows swayed with a slight musical taste, their branches a gentle blue-green hue. The courtyard itself was a plethora of soft colors. Silver brick, purple blooms, and fragile looking bluebells swaying in time with the willows.

In the very center of the courtyard, as if to be the pride of the image, was a glittering fountain.

While it was made of the plain silver-white stone of the path, it was the water which made the centerpiece sparkle like magic.

Spewing from the very top of the fountain was a crystal clear spring of water, seeming to expel from the center of a lotus flower. The fountain was three tiers high, and each was carved with its own unique frieze.

In slight wonder, Luigi stepped into the clearing, making his way towards the enchanting fountain. As he stepped by, he ran his hand along the rows of bluebells, which, according to their special breed and name, began to jingle softly.

Luigi smiled. This reminded him so much of the cat bells that he was so fond of. He loved to climb. In fact, he loved to be above any conflict. And being a cat... well, he thought it accentuated his nature much more than usual.

Still entranced and rather relaxed by the sound of the bluebells and the fountain, Luigi sat at the fountain's edge, observing the carvings in the stone.

The very top tier, as he had observed earlier, was a blooming lotus flower, with the stream of water gently bubbling from the center of the bloom, the second tier depicted yet more flowers, even including the bluebells which now jangled softly on the breeze. However, the third tier was in all means much more intricate. All around the base, their tails touching the water, were carved koi fish, with small jets of water coming from their mouths and arcing into the great basin of water in the boundaries of the silver stone on which Luigi sat. For a moment, Luigi wondered why the depicted fish weren't Cheep Cheeps, especially if those were the native fish of the Mushroom Kingdom, but then he realized how ridiculous the plump fish would look on such an ornate figurehead.

The fountain pool itself was not large, but from where Luigi sat, it certainly looked deep. The water shimmered gently and Luigi could make out the shaking reflection of the moon laying on its glistening surface.

It was so unlike everything else he had seen that night.

Sighing, Luigi carefully dipped his fingers into the crystal surface.

The water was a cool as it appeared and Luigi watched as the grime of his glove began to cloud the water in the small area. Luigi wiggled his fingers, watching the old stains of earth and darkened red flake into the water and dissolve. As he watched, Luigi let his tension dissolve along with it.

When he finally lifted his hand from the water, all of the "scars" which had marred his glove before had settled on a dark beige.

His other hand followed suit and Luigi tried his best to cleanse it the same way as the first.

When he was finished, he began to dry them on his overalls, keeping an eye on the water as he did so.

Watching the water, Luigi paused.

The water was beginning to clear now, the ripples settling and beginning to reveal the image like a mirror. The moon became visible again.

Along with something else.

Something darker.

Without turning around, Luigi watched the reflection as it grew larger and larger. Was it just him, or did all of the bluebells suddenly become quiet?

Piquing his senses more so than usual, Luigi tried his best to identify the intruder. He picked up the click of shoes, and perhaps... Was that the smell of sweet lilac?

The steps stopped, and so did the reflection in the fountain.

Luigi didn't draw breath, listening even closer.

A pressure was placed on his shoulder and immediately Luigi flew into action, slapping the hand aside and swirling around to face whomever waited for him.

"Not today!"

Peach:

"Not today!" Luigi shouted, turning towards her suddenly. So suddenly in fact, that it was a miracle he did not lose his footing and land in the fountain behind him.

Luigi was not fooling around, crouching into a fighting stance and balling his fists.

"Luigi! It's only me, Peach!" Peach stepped away quickly, raising her hands in surprise.

"Peach?" Luigi whispered. The fight in his eyes still blazed, yet he seemed to slacken in his posture for a few moments.

"Yes. It's only me." Peach said, stepping closer to Luigi, hands still raised.

The two stared at each other for a moment longer, the night sounds of crickets chirping and the bluebells resuming their silver melody were audible in the baited silence.

"Where are the others?" Luigi asked, his eyes flicking around the garden.

Peach shrugged, stepping closer. Luigi stiffened and Peach ended her advance.

"I don't know. They may have gone somewhere else. I hightailed out of the courtroom as soon as the lights went out..."

Luigi nodded, beginning to break down his stance, straightening and brushing himself down, still watching Peach warily. That was to be expected. There were only a few of them left behind now.

"Did you see what happened to Mario?" Luigi asked, eyes flicking to her suddenly. His eyes glittered in the reflected light of the fountain, and they were sparkling with concern.

Peach shook her head.

"No... The only thing I heard was the sound of something hitting the floor. A sharp crack." Peach snapped her fingers to accentuate the intensity of the noise.

Luigi turned away from Peach, gazing at the fountain.

"I just hope he's alright..."

Inside, Peach hoped the same.

It was silent for even longer. Peach began to step towards Luigi again, the breeze barely brushing her honey blonde hair behind her. She put a hand on Luigi's shoulder again.

"Luigi?"

Luigi stiffened at her touch and the sound of his name.

Finally, he turned around and looked at Peach timidly, small turquoise gems beginning to bead in the corners of his eyes.

His eyes.

They were deeper than the night. And more azure than the sea...

"I don't know how much more I can take, Princess." Luigi whispered. Peach could hear his voice tremble, cracking with hidden stress. "And with Mario missing as he is..."

"I know... I know..." Peach hushed Luigi softly. She trailed a finger down his cheek, wiping away the sky blue tear. Luigi brought his hand up as well, covering Peach's delicate glove.

The bluebells began to sway in the wind, picking up the melody of the night once more.

This was beauty.

Silence. Melody. Bleeding. Healing. Death. Life. Hate...

Love?

For the longest time, there was only the sound of the crystal water in the fountain, the bluebells on the wind, and the gentle rises and falls of the breathing of the two mortals in the garden.

They were this close.

Peach looked at Luigi. Another stream gently flowed from his other eye, losing itself within his softly curled sorrel hair. He was breathing softly, hand still holding Peach's to his cheek, and his eyes reflected the moon itself in its vastness. The nothingness in the cosmos paled in comparison to the gentle shine of eternity in Luigi's gaze.

Was this their moment? A moment of silence in the garden?

Was it really?

Peach turned away, slipping her hand out of Luigi's gentle touch.

"We have to go back." She whispered, beginning to trail towards the path to the courthouse.

"But what if the killer is waiting there?" Luigi stuttered, shocked by the moment. "What if we're actually safe here..." He trailed off as Peach met his gaze.

Luigi looked just as cowardly as Peach remembered. And he looked just as much a schoolboy as could be mustered. He was awkwardly balanced, taking a step forward, yet appearing to hold himself back, as if uncertain of his stride. He extended a hand towards her, as if willing her to return to him.

Peach watched the green brother as he attempted to sway her return. His mouth was slightly open, as if in shock, and his eyes were creased with slight panic and longing.

Peach shook her head.

"No. What if it is you who is the killer? I will not fall for such theatrics."

Peach turned away once again, beginning to brush aside the leaves to reveal the path, laid with soft silver bricks.

Silence greeted her.

Peach turned.

"Luigi?" She asked softly.

Luigi was as before. Finally, he slumped, closing his hand and standing as normal. Peach watched as Luigi's eyes set with cold determination.

"Yes." He said, walking to her. "Fears are valid. I know that more than anyone else here, I think."

Peach watched him a little longer, noting his sudden change in attitude.

The magical moment was now gone.

This was the moment to now face reality.

Luigi seemed to recognize this too, for his eyes suddenly widened.

"Agh! Mario! I have to find him!" He yelped, brushing past Peach carefully and beginning to sprint down the path. His boots barely skidded the ground and the moonlight cast crooked shadows over his silhouette as he raced towards the building once again.

"Luigi!" Peach cried, lifting her skirts and beginning to trot after him.

"Wait for me!"

Luigi stopped, turning to Peach once again. He awkwardly stumbled into a bow, and waited for her, glove extended to meet hers.

Peach took it.

The moment they touched, Peach looked at Luigi. He was trying to avert his gaze, but Peach noticed something blooming on his cheeks. Something Luigi's outlandish mustache couldn't hide.

A signature flush.

Reaching his other hand up, Luigi took a hold upon something hanging in the branches above them. With a shake from the tree, Luigi brought his hand back into view.

A large magnolia flower lay in his palm, the stem carefully twined between his fingers.

Before Peach could remark upon how perfectly beautiful it was, Luigi had already placed it in her hair, curling the stem so that it curved behind her ear and plaited gracefully into her locks.

Was Luigi smiling?

"A lovely flower, fit for the most breathtaking of royalty." He whispered.

Now it was Peach's turn to become warm in the cheeks.

"You shouldn't have..."

Luigi tipped his head in a questioning way.

"And why ever not?"

Peach's breath caught in her throat. There was so much she wanted to say. To tell the brother standing before her, blushing just as profusely as she. But where was she to start?

She must have hesitated for too long, for Luigi began to walk, gently squeezing Peach's hand to follow.

Peach wordlessly followed into step.

The moon still lay above, glittering in its majestic beauty.

But nothing could have been more beautiful or enchanting to Peach than what had just transpired.

Luigi gently held open the mahogany door, and together, the princess and the plumber entered the courthouse, ending the surreal magic that they, together, had experienced.

This was real life.

And it was hardly an enchantment.

Wario:

Being in a dark room was bad enough, but being crammed into a boiler room with a complaining brother was by far worse.

"It's so stuffy in here." Waluigi complained, fanning himself with a hand. "I told you we should have taken the other door."

Wario grunted, leaning against one of the heaters. Surprisingly, it was stone cold.

"I have no clue what you're complaining about. You're lucky I invited you in with me in the first place. Besides, I didn't have much of a chance to make a choice."

"Even when you do, they tend to lean on the poorer side of the scale." Waluigi muttered, crossing his arms and pressing an ear against the door.

"Do you think it's safe to go out yet?" Waluigi asked, barely tracing his fingers on the oak paneling

Wario shook his head.

"Unless you want to volunteer as murder tribute, I suggest otherwise." Wario paused. "Do you actually hear anything, or are you yanking my suspenders?" Wario rubbed his jaw, which by now was beginning to bruise and set.

Waluigi put a finger to his lips, hushing Wario.

"Shut up, I can't hear if the peanut gallery won't stop talking."

Wario growled to himself, rolling his eyes. It was silent for a few seconds before Waluigi nodded.

"I don't hear anything. I think we're in the clear?"

Wario shook his head.

"No. Best not take chances. Did you even hear the killer sneak around to cut off the power?"

"No."

"Exactly. Whoever it is, they're stealthy and quick witted. I don't want to be caught out in the open."

Waluigi shrugged.

"Okay, sure. But I bet you're just scared. You don't want to mention that, would you?" Waluigi smirked, his pointed mustache twitching with amusement.

Wario curled his lip.

"You really want to enter that territory now?" He asked with challenge.

"I'm all over it." Waluigi smiled and stepped closer to his brother. "Old style rules?"

Wario was about to stand, ready to brawl, but he thought better of it.

"And if the killer is out there?"

Waluigi frowned, seeming to mull it over.

"Hmph. Again. I think you're just scared."

"I just don't want to die." Wario said, now standing and wandering towards the back of the boiler room. "And I suspect you don't either."

Waluigi muttered something under his breath, but Wario really didn't care. He had nearly had it with Mario, and now that Waluigi was replacing him... well, that was just nerve right there.

Groping around in the dark for a moment, Wario felt a boxlike structure on the wall in front of him.

"No way..." Wario murmured, running his fingertips over a handle. Was this the breaker-box?

"Hey, Wal!" Wario shouted to Waluigi. "Check this out!"

"What did you find this time?" Waluigi asked, "Another dust bunny? Yeah, there are tons of them over here. It's nothing new.

Wario rolled his eyes. Just how dense was Waluigi?

"Just get over here, smartaleck. Find out for yourself."

"Woah, a breaker-box! You should have told me earlier War!"

Wario jumped at the sudden remark. Once again, Waluigi has managed to sneak up behind him and get a good scare out of him.

"Knock it off why don't you?" Wario muttered. Waluigi only smirked.

"And why should I?"

Wario made a threatening gesture, letting his actions speak for themselves.

"Alright, alright, I get it." Waluigi said, waving his hands in an exasperated way, "No comedy anymore. Sheesh, you're a deadbeat, aren't you?"

Wario pushed aside his urge to smack Waluigi upon hearing the poorly timed joke and turned to the breaker-box once again.

Without another hesitation, he reached for the handle and yanked the door open.

"Mushrooms... Look at what some numbskull did here." Wario said, taking off his hat and fanning himself with it.

"Wow. No joke." Waluigi said, shaking his head.

The inside of the electrical box looked almost exactly like Rosalina had.

Completely gutted.

Every wire was either cut or ripped out, and most of the fuses appeared to be broken and burnt out. As if the one who did this wanted to put the electricity out of use permanently.

Unfortunately, that person didn't seem to know the Wario brothers.

While they weren't electricians by nature, it was basic science to put things back together again. Within moments, with the help of Waluigi's spindly fingers and Wario's prompting, all the wires were somehow connected once again.

The fuses were no doubt going to be the trickiest part. They were completely busted.

Wario scratched his head. How was this going to work?

Waluigi snapped his fingers.

"Got it." He said, nodding his head.

"Great. What's your plan, genius?" Wario tapped a foot impatiently.

"Fuses are like conductors, right? And they supply energy sources, yeah?"

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Well..." Waluigi said, "what if we found other conductors and wired some of these things through them?" Waluigi lifted some wires that they hadn't been able to successfully connect.

Wario whistled through his teeth.

"It's far fetched, but it's the best option we have as of now, isn't it?" He grumbled softly.

"It kinda is..." Waluigi trailed off.

"Fine. Let's have at it." Wario nodded, already beginning to a scrounge around the area for anything conductive.

Waluigi laughed.

"Haha. No need. I have some right here."

Waluigi drew out four pieces of scrap. They appeared to be coins.

"This is why I carry around loose change. No doubt about it."

"Sure, Wal. Just fix the fuses already."

Waluigi smirked and Wario stepped to the aside, allowing Waluigi to get to the circuits.

Within a few moments, Waluigi's fingers were a blur, fitting in the bits of metal and wiring them soundly. Finally, he stepped away.

"You done showing off yet?" Wario asked, irked.

"One more thing." Waluigi wiggled his fingers in jazzy show.

Wario snorted. Waluigi could be such a goof for fancy tactics.

"And now..." Waluigi said, flaring his hands.

"Action... Camera..."

Waluigi smacked a lever which was above breaker-box.

"Lights!" He shouted.

Right on cue, the lights in the boiler room flickered once, them came to life. Waluigi wiggled his eyebrows.

"Impressive, eh?"

"Uh-huh. I'm up to here with your theatrics." Wario said smugly.

"You are just like Mario. And just as little fun."

"Thank you."

Without waiting for an answer, Wario came to the door, the buzzing of electricity around them beginning to rise.

"Now we may be in the clear. The murderer won't do its hobby in broad daylight I don't think." Wario said, nodding and reaching for the handle of the door.

"C'mon Wal. Let's go."

Wario yanked on the handle of the door, finally opening it to the rest of the room.

A pool of pure scarlet awaited Wario.

At least he knew now what happened to the original jumping brother.

Mario lay in a heap on his side. Eerily, he appeared to only be resting.

However, the puddles of his own blood around him stated otherwise.

Mario was certainly and unquestionably dead.

"Well then." Waluigi gulped. "I'm glad we didn't come out here sooner..."

Wario grunted stubborn agreement and began to step towards the bloody mess. This was starting to get serious. Wario had never really cared about the scarlet crusader, but if the killer could take Mario down, all of them were in for obvious danger.

Now Wario knelt down to the fallen brother. Surprisingly, there were no marks upon the victim, save for the signature slashes across the cheeks and a deep mark scored just above Mario's brown workboots. Wario hesitated to look upon Mario's face, but was secretly relived to find that Mario's eyes were closed and there were no marks of forced gouging.

Waluigi was standing by Mario's feet, looking the corpse all over.

"War, look. His buttons are missing. And... is there something in his hand?" Waluigi was looking at Mario's prostrate form intently.

Wario turned aside from gazing at the deceased hero to set his view upon what Waluigi pointed out.

It was true. The metal buttons from Mario's slacks were both missing, and there was something in his hand that glittered very densely.

Wario carefully pried the dead man's fingers open.

In his palm, lay a knife.

Now Wario could make out the thin slits which cut through Mario's crimson stained gloves and into the vein.

Mario had bled to death.

Had he committed suicide?

The marks on his face and the gash at his ankles screamed otherwise, but it was possible.

Anything was possible as of now...

"Suicide? I never thought of Mario as that kind of guy..." Waluigi trailed off.

"I think that's the point." Wario said, lifting the knife out of Mario's hand. "It looks like so so that we get confused. Tricky man, whoever is doing this."

"Or woman." Waluigi said seriously. "Peach is not out of this either, you know."

Wario laughed.

"Oh that just... Peachy! I think that the princess would always fess up to doing something wrong. And why would she kill her boyfriend?" Wario rolled his eyes.

Come to think of it, it was in his interesting that Mario was now gone. Peach had always been someone of importance to him, and now that Mario was out of the picture, Wario would be able to waltz in, take Peach by the hand, and claim her for his own.

"Brilliant guy, that killer." Wario nodded.

"You're totally after Peach again, aren't you?" Waluigi suppressed a snigger.

Wario glared at Waluigi.

"Shut up."

It was at this point that the two of them heard voices. Quiet, but still there. Wario and Waluigi both stiffened, prepared in case things went sour.

The door adjacent to the judge's stand clicked for a moment, before finally being opened.

The princess stepped in, giggling softly.

The green man himself followed behind, telling a story of some caliber.

Upon entering, the princess looked to the two brothers and went pale, silencing her laughter.

Luigi stepped next to her, looking at her intently.

"What's the..." Luigi caught one look at Peach's face, turned just as pale and turned to where Peach's gaze was set.

It went completely silent.

Wario snuck a glance down at himself. Just as he feared, he was covered in crimson, and the knife was in his hand now.

"It's not what it looks like." Wario whispered to the dumbstruck duo. "I swear!"

Luigi was unresponsive, only staring at Wario silently. A look of sheer horror clouded his eyes and he was as rigid as a statue.

"Then what is it?" He said softly. "That's my brother... Isn't he?"

Peach was now putting a hand on Luigi's shoulder. Was Luigi shaking?

"Luigi... There's still hope..."

Luigi shook his head profusely, his eyes now clearing up and setting with an icy glaze.

"No. No. Look at him! Look at this!" Luigi pushed Peach aside and gestured to the red mess that Wario was kneeling in. "I would love to hear you slick tongue yourself out of this one, Wario."

"You don't understand!" Wario shouted. "We found him like this! We didn't do a thing to him!"

Waluigi nodded along with Wario.

"He didn't. He was with me the whole time!"

"Much to my chagrin." Wario snorted. Waluigi scowled.

"I'm trying to save your sorry behind. Would you like to argue now?"

Wario muttered to himself. Much as he would have loved to, this was no time for such actions.

Luigi was truly shaking now, balling his fists and beginning to turn red.

"Sure! That's what you would like me to believe, wouldn't you?" Tears were forming and Luigi began to hasten towards the murder scene.

"You planted my brother there, didn't you!? Didn't you!" Luigi stopped his advance, fingers twitching with subdued rage, eyes as merciless as the knife that Wario held.

Realizing that he still was holding the suspected weapon, Wario dropped it. Luigi watched silently as the blade hit the ground and settled.

It was like the gates fell.

Luigi's eyes softened completely and the tears took hold.

With a shout, Luigi fell to his knees, hands supporting him.

"Luigi..." Wario trailed off.

"No. Just... Just leave." Luigi choked out the words with shuddering breaths.

"Leave me alone."

Wario was shocked by the finality of Luigi's words. He had never spoken with such conviction before.

Nodding, Wario stood and drug Waluigi with him off to the side.

Everyone watched Luigi.

Peach too, crouched next to the distraught brother, gently putting a hand over Luigi's freshly stained red glove.

"I know... I know..." She hushed him.

"I left him... I left him for ten seconds. This was all my fault. I... I failed him..."

Peach shook her head.

"No... No... It can't be helped. If he were around, he would tell you to stand up tall. This isn't the end, Luigi. It's only the beginning of something new..."

Luigi stopped. His breathing had slowed and he leaned back onto his legs, putting his hands in his lap.

"How could this have happened? Mario was always so bold..."

Wario took this moment to step in, speaking in as low a voice as he could manage.

"Luigi, I don't think he was murdered."

Luigi's eyes flicked to him suddenly.

"What?"

Wario nodded, still speaking in softer tones.

"We looked. Wal and I think it may have been suicide. He slit his wrists. See?" Wario nodded to Mario.

Luigi paused for a moment, contemplating what Wario had said. With a shuddering breath, he gingerly crawled to his fallen twin. The scarlet seeped into Luigi's clothing, painting him like his brother. Wario suddenly realized that if Luigi had been shorter, the Mario brothers could have been indistinguishable.

With a quivering hand, Luigi gently lifted Mario's arm, observing the narrow gashes. Clenching his teeth, Luigi went on, forcing himself to investigate.

"This is for Mario..." Luigi whispered, lifting Mario's red hat away.

Wario was worried for a moment. How would Luigi react to seeing his brother in that state? But as soon as Luigi removed Mario's cap, the green brother exhaled, as if releasing a pent up emotion.

Luigi dropped Mario's hat into the pool of vermillion at his side.

"Mario..." Luigi whispered.

Wario watched as Luigi slowly traced a finger over the slash mark on Mario's cheek. Slowly, as if something was dawning on him, Luigi stood.

"This was not suicide. Why would Mario have cut his own cheek?" Now Luigi's voice was low, and it sounded as if something was prowling about.

Wario shook his head.

"I don't know, but whatever happened here, happened. We were in a boiler room for your information and we were the ones who got the power working again. So you can just thank us and we can all be on our merry ways, can't we?"

Luigi didn't back down. There were still trailing tears on his face and bitterness shone in his eyes.

"Who has hated Mario since the beginning?"

Wario was becoming uncertain.

"Bowser's dead, stupid."

"I'm not talking about Bowser." Luigi spat the name, wiping his hand over his face to get rid of the tears. Now Mario's blood took their place, smeared like war paint across Luigi's eyes.

"Waluigi, back me up here." Wario said, waving a hand at his brother. Waluigi only stood there stoically, a look of uncertainty now in his eyes.

"Wario... You've always hated Mario..." Waluigi whispered.

Wario's attention turned back to Luigi, who by this point was only three feet away. He was towering over Wario. Wario felt a small chill bolt though him. Luigi never tried to be intimidating, but Wario never realized just how scary Luigi could be when he did try.

"Luigi?" Peach asked, covering her mouth.

Luigi was now toe to toe with Wario.

"You killed my brother." He said in a low growl, baring his teeth in a feral snarl.

"They may not find you guilty..." Luigi continued. "But I do."

Wario had no moment to react when Luigi gave a shout and slammed into him head on.

Peach screamed and Waluigi staggered back a few steps.

Luigi was on top of Wario, eyes glittering with anger and tears combined.

"You killed Mario! You murdered him!"

Wario suddenly flipped to the side, pinning Luigi under him.

"I didn't do a thing! You're just as numbskulled as he was!"

Holding Luigi was like trying to hold down a rabid animal. Luigi bucked this way and that, trying to throw Wario off of him. Wario felt tempted to just pummel Luigi until he either yielded or lost consciousness altogether. Before he had a chance to make a choice, Luigi must have felt the slackening of Wario's pin and the green brother lurched upwards. Wario felt the sickening crack as Luigi's wild head-butt collided with its target's head.

The two of them flipped backwards, Luigi now taking the initiative and landing on top of Wario.

By this time, both of the rival parties had lost their trademark hats. Luigi's eyes glittered with animal fury and his already mussed hair was wild, as if every link to sanity had been lost.

"You let him die! You watched! You murdered my brother!"

Wario pushed up at Luigi, trying to throw him to the side, but Luigi had an iron grip and surged downward, letting his force press Wario into a submissive position.

Wario thrashed yet harder, giving up on formalities. He threw everything he had at Luigi, but the enraged attacker dodged every strike with the agility of a snake.

Just as Wario was beginning to tire, he felt a damp grip close around his throat.

The force squeezed.

Luigi was trying to choke him.

The audience seemed to notice too, for Peach let out a squeal.

"Luigi! Stop! You're hurting him!"

Wario too, locked his hands around Luigi's windpipe, attempting to strangle him the same way, but Luigi was not deterred. In fact, he seemed to become more focused.

Wario saw a flicker of purple and a pair of gloves with an upside down L on them snatched Luigi on the shoulders.

Waluigi was assisting Wario in trying to pull the abuser off.

"You are not going to get away! Not again!" Luigi growled, shaking Wario around.

Wario ragdolled, trying to intake another breath, but the iron clamp did not yield.

Spots forming in his vision, Wario made a last ditch attempt to knock Luigi off.

Wario slipped his hands from Luigi and extended them, trying to knock Luigi's hands away.

For a moment, the damp grip released and Wario took in a gulp of air.

Luigi, now even more enraged, let out a snarl and spun suddenly without standing up, smacking Waluigi with the back of his hand.

But despite his size, Luigi was strong, and Waluigi was knocked off kilter, landing against the judge's bench and slumping to the ground.

In an instant, the green brother locked his grip on Wario once again, this time tighter than before. Luigi was shaking with rage and his teeth were gritted in a desperate snarl.

"You will never stand in my way again!" He hissed, pressing Wario again.

Wario struggled a while longer. The black spots were bleeding into one another, blocking out everything in Wario's sight. In the lightening feeling of breathless agony, Luigi's figure blurred, his features becoming another. Becoming a dead man's.

Mario stared down at Wario.

The brothers...

'Blue...'

"I could have sworn I saw..."

It clicked.

But it was too late.

The world was slowing down, his heartbeat echoing in his ears.

There was a sharp snap and life blinked out like a light.

...

End of Part Five

Til' we meet again, Keep Rockin'

-Shamrockin13