Rainbow Road [Super Mario Bros.]

23

Officer Jack and the rest of the police toads appeared below, pale and screeching with panic, frantically piling beneath him. It wasn't until Mario appeared a second later that Luigi realized that the policemen weren't trying to form some sort of toad-shaped cushion: they were making a staircase for Mario.

One, two, three — even with his sight blurred by wind tears and terror, part of Luigi was stunned at how fast Mario performed his triple jump. In seconds, he was launching up towards Luigi, arms outstretched.

They crashed together, and it was about as pleasant as it sounded — it wasn't hitting concrete, but it was close, and Luigi almost lost a handful of teeth. He was vaguely aware of his brother getting his arms around him, and then they hit the roof of the ship. They parted awkwardly — Luigi stumbled and went to his hands and knees, and Mario collapsed, wheezing heavily.

The toads came over to help. "Are you two all right?" Officer Jack demanded as he dusted Luigi off.

Luigi was staring at Mario. "Bro?" he cried.

Mario's face was white and shining with flop sweat — he clutched his right arm tightly to his side, and his mouth pulled in an agonized grimace. "Shoulder," he rasped. "I think...dislocated...."

Luigi shot to his feet and went over — Mario yowled when he touched his shoulder, the uninjured one, and then his eyes rolled back; just like that, the older Mario bro had passed out.

"We need an ambulance!" Luigi cried.

The police toads gently lowered Mario to the ground, and Officer Jack whipped out his cell phone. "I'll call the outpost," he said. "But the nearest hospital is in Orbit City — it'll take them at least fifteen minutes to get their medical rig down here."

Above them came a cruel cackle — Luigi looked up to see Nabbit's flying shroom still hovering above them. The criminal hung partway out of the cockpit, gazing down at the mess below him. "I admire your quick thinking, tomato!" he called down. "Try that a little more the next time we meet — then maybe you'll actually catch me!"

Nabbit. Between his brother's injury and the sight of the criminal rising, getting further and further away... At last Luigi's anxiety faded and transformed into white-hot, piercing rage, striking through his body like a thunderbolt. This pickpocket had made fools of them all and had inadvertently injured his brother... He could not let him escape. Could not. He would shave off his mustache before he let that happen!

But what could he do? Nabbit's flying shroom was rising rapidly, and already the distance between them was too much for Luigi to clear, even if he performed a triple jump of his own. There has to be a way. There has to be something! Think, Luigi, before he escapes!

His hand brushed his pocket, and a gasp left him. Great Star Sprite, he'd almost forgotten...!

"Luigi?" Officer Jack said. "The medical rig is on its way — the EMT says ETA is ten to fifteen minutes. He also says... Luigi?"

Luigi was rapidly emptying his pocket: cell phone, a hand-warmer, an unused pack of sugar, two paper clips... And the Item Box. An apologetic, sentimental gift from Daisy that suddenly might be their only hope. The police toads gathered around him as he lifted it in his palm, eyes widening.

"Where did you get that?" one cried. "Aren't those really expensive?"

Luigi didn't bother explaining — there was no time to waste. He tapped the raised yellow button on top of the box, and they all watched as it began to glow and emit a cheerful little tune. Magikoopa runes — arrangements of circles, squares, and triangles — swarmed across the glittering surface, and it began to grow hot in the palm of Luigi's hand as dimensional and spatial magic warred on the inside, working to pull a random item from somewhere in the universe and deliver it to him.

A Power Star, Luigi prayed. Or a Bullet Bill. Or heck, a Blue Shell! Please, please, please, give me something to help me take down Nabbit...!

The jingle began to wind down. The glow slowly began to fade. Then the heat subsided, until all at once, the box popped open, revealing...