11th installment of the VGNU.
It's common in the Mario family to make bad deals, but this time it might just tear the brothers apart for good.
Sometimes, there are worse evils than magic turtles and space dragons. For example, corporate greed.
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What could he possibly be planning?
Luigi tucked the folder under his arm and started back through the halls.
What does he have t' gain by this?
He clicked off his flashlight as he hurried to his car.
Does he even know?
He started his car, pulling out his phone.
It doesn' matter... either way, there's trouble.
As he got back onto the road he dialed the mayor's office. Of course, it went to an automated message, but he figured he still had to say something.
"Sorry I didn' getta chance t' come back," Luigi stammered. "I found somethin', an realized I shouldn've gone this far from home. Th' place is open, abandoned, an there ain' anyone near it. If y' want t' check things out yourself, then go ahead, but... I gotta go fix things. I'm sorry I couldn' find whatever answers you needed, but they're there when you need 'em."
With that, Luigi hung up, and made his way to the nearest airport. Hopefully there'd be an easy flight out of here to Brooklyn.
___
"... Wha'?" Mario stumbled back a bit, staring at Donnie.
"I wonder," Donnie chuckled, looking up at the clear blue sky and the castle on the horizon. "Where are we exactly?"
"Nowhere what matters t' you," Mario spat. "It's all a bad dream creep, go back th' way ya came."
"No," Donnie said simply. "I don't think I will. I think I've stumbled upon your precious Mushroom Kingdom." He stepped down from the Warp Zone. "I think I'll stay a while, get to know the locals. Maybe find out more about this world you... made up."
Mario grit his teeth, standing in front of him. "You won' get far," he growled, pushing up his sleeves. "Y' found out th' truth, so let's turn around, an go home. Be content with this."
Donnie looked at him, then it dawned on him. "You think--" He started laughing. "No no no, sorry, I forgot you actually bought into my obvious lie."
"What're you talkin' about?" Mario hissed.
Donnie put his hands in his pockets, a smug look on his face. "When I saw your play... And I saw your name attached to it, I knew it couldn't be a coincidence." He walked a few paces away, staring at the ground. "My dad, when I was very young, would tell me stories about worlds we couldn't possibly imagine. He promised me he'd find them, and take me to them."
He stopped, his tone dropping, a dark scowl on his face. "So imagine that," he whispered, barely within earshot. "Imagine a little boy, old enough to understand this world, being told that his dad wasn't coming home. The last thing he said to me...?" He glared up at Mario. "I found it."
