AN: So I thought I'd have a go at writing Mario fanfiction. Didn't think my first piece would be one of those things you end up writing all night because you can't sleep. But here it is. It's un Beta'd and I'll probably look over it again some other time and fix it up a bit. But I'm putting it up before I loose my nerve again.

I warn you it is a bit grim. Also there's some Waluigi/Luigi hinted. There's so much more to this universe in my head.

I may do some more if people like it. So review if you want more or with helpful advice.

It's always going to be there, reminding him of a time when he stood on the other side of the divide to the hero in red, a continuous ache in his chest where once sat the Chaos Heart in all it's world devouring glory.

A reminder of when the hero... his brother? It was getting hard to remember, disturbingly more frequent as the days passed, who he was.

Another searing throb.

He tries to be the man his brother is. He wants nothing more than to share the glory, to be good. But the mean whispers, the snide remarks, they all want him to fail. They all want him to be nothing more than a shadow to the hero, to be the Jester to the tales of bravery.

He remembers a Jester. The mask that stares at him in his dreams, speaking of glorious things that he really shouldn't want. The world bowing at his feet. The whisperers to lay in their own waste as he shows them the monster that shadows can conceal.

I'm a monster.

That's the sad truth of it. The Chaos Heart will never truly be gone. It's influence coiled deep inside him, right to his core, where its poisonous power still lingers. So does the Jester, he's still there too, they'd become one being and his laughter and words still echo deep inside.

He has to stay strong and keep winning this battle against himself. He needs to prove to the Kingdom that he's worthy. That he's a hero, like his brother, not just a shadow. Because if he lets go and lets the shadow win...

...he will remember how much he enjoyed it all.

Mario isn't the one to notice the downward spiral of Luigi's mind. He doesn't notice the darkened rings surrounding the younger man's eyes or the silence that overtakes him when they're out in the Kingdom. He never notices the ever growing violence Luigi displays during the numerous tournaments and events that they take part in.

In fact not one of Luigi's "friends" notice. They prove they are no better than the disgusting whisperers that belittle him and feed the chaos within him.

It is Waluigi that notices. It's his so called rival that actually cares enough to see the pain he's concealing.

It's only once Waluigi is supporting Luigi and helping him calm the monster inside, that Mario takes notice. He bullies the lanky doppelgänger away with the support of his friends. He speaks of a poisonous influence on his younger brother by the man in purple and the idiotic, easily fooled Mushrooms believe him. They boo and throw things at Waluigi.

It infuriates the shadowy creature in Luigi. He lets his control slip. He lets his demon free.

First it's the Toads who heartlessly abused his good nature. They start to learn to fear him.

He takes delight in watching their life slowly slip away between his fingers. He makes sure they know who he is in their last moments. The brief moment they think he'll save them before the soul crushing realisation that he's their tormentor.

As he brings a knife to his prey of the night, a blue coloured Toad he'd caught and suspended from a tree to bleed dry, he is disturbed.

"Wha? Eyeballs?" a nasal voice stutters in shock.

He turns, ignoring the Toad's shrill cries, to face his only friend.

"You shouldn't be out here. There are monsters at night," he giggles.

Waluigi walks over to him slowly, eyeing the Toad.

"I'm not afraid of monsters."

The Toad is crying for Waluigi's help now. It was appealing to a man that it had mercilessly bullied and abused.

"Shush little Toad. It's rude to interrupt." he croons, reveling in the fear it brings.

He offers the taller man the knife. It's a show of trust in many ways. He will let Waluigi decide what happens next. Let the other man judge whether he has gone too far and end it all or to join the chaos.

Waluigi looks him dead in the eye, the knife held tightly in his gloved hand.

With a swift lunge, the blade finds it's way into flesh.

Blood drips to the floor and mixes with the dirt, creating a grim puddle.

Waluigi is still looking him in the eyes and there is nothing but silence. Blissful silence in the darkness.