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A week later, several koopas were hiding near Peach's castle in the bushes.

"Everyone know the plan?" One of them asked.

"Yes" another said "but why are we trying again so soon?"

"Because King Bowser said so" the koopa replied "now let's go."

The koopas began rushing the castle. Coming through the door and the windows trying to overwhelm Mario. Several of them cornered him and fought him while the rest grabbed Peach and ran back to Bowser's castle. Mario knocked out the koopas that had cornered him and began running outside. When he got outside, he saw that the koopas were too far ahead to catch. He pulled out his cell phone and called Luigi.

Luigi answered and said "hello?"

"Luigi! Peach has been kidnapped!" Mario said.

"Well" Luigi said "go get her." Then he hung up.

Mario sighed, Luigi had every right and a good reason not to go. He ran toward Bowser's castle, alone. When he got there, he fought his way to the prison chamber. Once again, he found Bowser smiling at Peach in cage.

"Hey!" Mario yelled.

Bowser turned around and said "look who's here. Where's Greenie?"

"At his house, badly injured" Mario said "thanks to you."

"I'm not the one who left him behind" Bowser said smiling.

Mario ran toward him and landed a flaming punch in his stomach, just like before. Mario made a break for Peach's cage. Bowser ran after him, grabbed the back of his overalls and pulled him back. Bowser punched him, knocking him down. Then he kicked Mario in the ribs. Several koopas came out of hiding. Some of them blocked the doors, while the rest approached Mario.

"You're not so tough without backup." Bowser said smiling.

He looked at the koopas surrounding Mario and said "have fun."

Then he left the room. The koopas began swarming Mario. Peach pulled out her cell phone. She was about to call Luigi.

"Wait" she thought "he might not answer because of what happened last time."

She quickly dialed Daisy's number.

Daisy answered and said "hello?"

"Daisy!" Peach said "please, we need Luigi. Mario is getting beaten badly. He needs Luigi to back him up."

"You're kidding, right?" Daisy said "the great and powerful Mario can't handle it alone?"

"Daisy please" Peach said "this is serious. I'm not kidding, Mario really needs help!"

"Ok" Daisy said "I'll tell him, but-"

"I know he's still mad" Peach interupted "and in all honesty, I wouldn't blame him if he thinks Mario's getting what he deserves for last time, but please tell him we really need him."

"Ok" Daisy said.

A little while later, Mario was on his hands and knees badly hurt.

"I can't keep up the fight much longer" he thought.

The koopas knew it too. One of them walked toward him. It kicked him in the chest, knocking the breath out of him. Then it walked in front of him, lifted his chin and drew back for the final punch. Suddenly the koopa's body shook for a second as electricity surged through it, then it fell over unconscious. The koopas looked around, then one by the door began running toward him. Suddenly it was clothes lined by what looked like a metal pole. Luigi came in on his crutches. The koopas moved so that half of them formed a wall between Mario and Luigi. The rest surrounded Mario.

"HEY!" Luigi yelled as he began making his way toward him.

The koopas, Mario and Peach all looked at him.

Luigi continued moving toward them.

Sparks and small lightning bolts began coming from his hands as he said "he may not give me the credit I deserve, he may treat me like a sidekick at times, he may be an egotistical jerk, he might have left me behind to fight alone, but NOBODY MESSES WITH MY BROTHER!"

He lunged forward and swung his left crutch, knocking out several koopas blocking him. He raised his left hand and began shooting electricity at the remaining koopas between him and his brother. The koopas surrounding Mario began charging Luigi.

He began shocking them and hitting them with his crutches and said "get Peach and get outta here!"

"What?" Mario asked as he stood up.

"Take Peach and get the two of you to safety!" Luigi said.

"I'm not going to leave you behind again" Mario said.

"You're not leaving me behind" Luigi said as he kept fighting "I'm choosing to stay. Get Peach and get to safety! Don't worry about me!"

Mario was stunned, he started walking toward Luigi to help and said "but Luigi, I-"

"No buts!" Luigi interrupted "the kingdom needs you and Peach more than they need me! Now go before Bowser shows up!"

Mario was shocked, he looked at his brother and said "Luigi I-"

"DO IT!" Luigi interrupted.

Mario nodded. He fought his way to Peach's cage. He broke the lock and pulled her out. He started running toward the exit with her. He stopped at the door and looked back at Luigi.

Luigi looked at him and said "Go!"

Mario took Peach and began fighting his way outside.

Once they were outside, Mario looked at Peach and said "run. Go to Luigi's mansion and stay with Daisy until I get back."

Peach nodded and began running. Mario turned and ran back into the castle. Meanwhile. Luigi was trying to fight his way to the exit. There was a loud roar and all the koopas stepped away from him. Luigi looked toward the direction the roar came from and saw Bowser walking into the room. Bowser saw the empty cage.

He looked at Luigi and said "back for more punishment I see. I didn't think you would come back after last time. I thought your little brotherly bond would be broken."

Luigi did his best to take a fighting stance.

"Did big brother abandon you again?" Bowser asked.

"No" Luigi said "I told him to go."

"Why?" Bowser asked.

"Because he's my brother" Luigi said "and nothing will ever change that."

Mario was running back to Luigi, he could hear them talking.

"You have no idea how much pain and suffering you've put me through" Luigi said "I'll die before I let you it to him."

Mario stopped when he heard what Luigi said.

"I cant believe it" Mario thought to himself "even after what happened to him, he is still willing to lay down his life to keep me safe."

"Aw, you've got such a big heart" he heard Bowser say sarcastically "I can't wait to make it stop beating. This is going to be easy."

Mario began running toward the prison chamber again. Meanwhile, Bowser ran toward Luigi. Luigi hit him in the knee with his crutch, then he hit him in the face with a bolt of electricity. Bowser rubbed his eyes and groaned in pain. Luigi lunged forward and hit him in the jaw with his crutch, when he did, he landed on his right foot. Luigi groaned in pain and used his crutches to take the weight off of his leg.

Bowser saw this, smiled and said "get those crutches!"

Two koopas ran over to Luigi and grabbed his crutches and ran back away from him with them.

"How well can you fight without those?" Bowser asked smiling.

Luigi tried to put weight on his right leg. He groaned in pain and fell.

"I knew this would be easy" Bowser said smiling.

He walked toward Luigi and raised his arm to swing. Suddenly they heard footsteps. Luigi turned and saw Mario running toward them, his right fist was on fire. Mario slammed his fist into Bowser's stomach as hard as he could. Bowser held his stomach and took a step back. Mario jumped up and kicked Bowser in the head. The koopas began running toward Mario. Luigi started shocking them and hitting the ones who were close enough. Mario continued fighting Bowser. Within minutes, Bowser was begging for mercy.

Mario took a step toward Bowser and said "if you ever do anything like this to my little brother again, I will dedicate my life to ruining yours. Got it?!"

"Yes" Bowser said.

Mario knocked him out. Then he grabbed Luigi's crutches and brought them to him and helped him up.

"Are you ok?" Mario asked.

"Yeah" Luigi said.

"Luigi, why did you come to help me after what happened?" Mario asked.

Luigi smiled and said "because we're brothers. You may be an arrogant, egotistical, selfish jerk; but you're my arrogant, egotistical, selfish jerk. I love you bro"

Mario smiled and hugged him and said "I love you too."

Luigi hugged him back.

"Come on" Mario said "let's get outta here."

"Ok" Luigi said.

As they were walking back, they saw the toads hanging a banner that said "Thank You Mario Brothers"

"I'll be right back" Mario said.

He ran over to the toads and called them together and told them something.

Several of the toads pulled out a blank section of banner and began painting it. They draped it over the end of the old banner. Covering up the word 'Brothers' with the words 'and Luigi'

Luigi smiled at Mario

Mario smiled back and said "from now on, I'll give you all the credit you deserve."

"Thanks" Luigi said "but you know most of the toads probably won't believe it."

"I'll make them believe it" Mario said "even if I have to drag Bowser here and make him tell them himself."

"Really?" Luigi asked smiling

"Really" Mario said "after today, I never want to hear anybody call you a sidekick."

"Because I saved you?" Luigi asked.

"Not only that" Mario said "you showed the definition of heroism today. You had every right to stay away after what I did to you. Instead you came to save me, which I know was difficult with your injuries. On top of that you were willing to give it all to make sure me and Peach were safe. If that isn't a hero, I don't know what is."

Luigi was grinning from ear to ear as he said "thanks Mario."

Mario hugged him tight

"Easy" Luigi said "that hurts."

Mario let go and said "sorry, I forgot."

He stepped forward and gently hugged Luigi

Luigi hugged him back

"Come on" Mario said "let's get to your mansion. I'm sure Peach is worried sick."

"Daisy probably is to" Luigi said "let's go."