~ Chapter 13 ~

Toadwood Forest, New Koopa Empire.

Moments ago, Norah had notified Luigi about the destruction of his home. Now, the two of them were in an underground bunker hidden in the forest away from the base camp. Norah had briefly taken Luigi to see Captain Toadsen. He had told her where to hide with Luigi, and when he thought the Koopa Patrol would be coming. It would most likely be tomorrow morning around 8 or later. 10 or probably more hours down here with only Luigi. Just the thought of him made her angry. Earlier she had felt some sympathy towards him because of the destruction of his home. But she did not know why.

When she had served under King Bowser as an elite military member, to carry out his most secret of tasks, it was high up on the list to destroy Toad Town. So why was she now feeling sympathetic towards Luigi, the murderer of King Bowser? Maybe it was because she had called Toad Town "home" for a period of time.

"It's just us down here now," Luigi mumbled, disrupting her thoughts.

"Yep," Norah grumbled back. She shot him an angry glared. "You rest now. I'm going to stand guard for a few hours. I'll wake you up when I need to rest, although I don't imagine you'll be of any use in that wheelchair if anything does happen."

"I'll wake you if anything happens." He replied.

She nodded.

It would be so easy to end all of this right now. But she couldn't. Her friends and colleagues would be very disappointed. Captain Toadsen would definitely fire her. Maybe worse. Mario and Daisy would be out for her head and they would not stop until they got it. Maybe, just maybe, somehow she could turn the tables. Instead of Toadsen and the group holding Luigi for ransom, she could hold him hostage. But she knew that that wouldn't work. She knew that she would always lose. Nothing ever went her way. Not anymore at least.

The night had just begun. She would be up for a while still. Overwhelmed in thoughts and nervous for the morning, Norah had drifted into unconsciousness. Possibly one of the last peaceful nights of sleep that she would have in a while.

...

"Norah! Wake up!" Luigi Whispered.

She jolted awake. What time was it? Why was there light coming through the crack in the trap door?

"Wha- what time is it?" She questioned.

"I don't know, but it's after six."

Could she really have slept that long? Why hadn't Luigi woken her? What if something had happened.

"Why did you wake me up! What if something happened?" She jeered, all of a sudden angry.

"I just got up a few minutes ago myself!"

Then, from outside came the sound. A sound that Norah had heard a million times before. It was the sound of multiple Koopa Shuttles approaching.

What! This can be. It's too early.

She gestured at Luigi to be quiet.

The sound of the shuttles stopped in a few minutes. All of a sudden it was very, very quiet. Then, the muffled sound of the entrance ramps descending.

"What's going on?"

"Shh! Do you really think I know."

Norah glanced over to Luigi, he really did look distraught. Well, at least now he knows how she had felt, and still felt some days. He could feel her pain. The pain he had partially put her through.

...

It had been at least another six hours in the bunker. There had been little to no communication between the two, for the most part, both of them had just sat there in silence. The shuttles still remained, it was unknown when they would leave and how long they would be down here.

The trap door started to move. Norah pulled her gun from her belt. She was ready to shoot.

"Norah! It's me, Kyle. Don't shoot!" A familiar voice called.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack, I almost shot you! Give me more warning next time." She responded as Kyle crawled through the trap door entrance.

He pulled it shut. Luigi sat quietly on his wheelchair in the corner.

"What's happening up there?"

"President Para sent a team out here to the forest to find him," he nodded at Luigi, "they checked his exploration base and found it had exploded, so they came here. They searched every building in the camp. It's a good thing this bunker isn't on any blueprints of this place."

"How long will they be here for?" Norah inquired.

"They have no plans of leaving anytime soon. The leader of the group said they would stay here just in case he's in the forest somewhere. They are also patrolling the forest so it'll be impossible to smuggle him out of here."

Norah looked to Luigi. She could see how tense he felt.

"Mario will come looking for me. I know it." Luigi piped in semi-confidently.

"What will he do when he sees the patrols then?" Kyle asked Luigi.

"I don't know, but he'll get me out of here, he always does." He protested angrily.

"Guys, none of that matters right now. Kyle you need to get us something to eat, we've been down here for at least sixteen hours."

"Right. Here you go," he handed some nutrition bars to Norah and Luigi along with water. "That's what I originally came here for..."

"Thank you," Luigi said quietly.

"I have to leave now, I was only supposed to be gone for a few minutes, I'll bring you some more food, blankets, and a change of clothes in a few hours."

"Alright. You better leave then."

"I'll be back soon," Kyle said as he crawled through the trap door.

Great. Now she was stuck down here with Luigi for a long time. This would be a fun next few days. But what would happen if Mario shows up? What would happen to her, or the Organization? She couldn't worry about that right now.