Hello, everyone! This is the Totaka Tavern, Chapter 2! Now, this actually takes place around the first Chapter, I'd say. I won't spoil anything, though!

The Totaka Tavern

Chapter 2: The Count and his Crew

For the Totaka Tavern, there is no real closing time. It's only technically closing time when repairs need to be made, or if someone gets particularly rowdy and causes a massive bar fight, making Luigi get involved.

Either way, the Tavern has no real closing time, and thus, the party continues to go on, from dusk till dawn. Luigi, however, takes care of almost everything- he doesn't mind, of course. He likes being helpful, he likes being thanked- instead of being pushed aside by others when his brother is around.

Why mention this? Well, you'll see.

It was the same night that Luigi had gotten Vivian's phone number, and he felt wonderful, even if he was taking out the stinky, disgusting garbage. He felt like he was on top of the world!

...until he heard the sounds of a struggle.

It was faint, but it was there. It sounded like it came from another alleyway, near the Totaka Tavern. Seedy area of the city or not, he couldn't stand around and do nothing! So, with his cloak covering his body nicely, he stepped out of the darkness, and headed towards the struggle, which became louder, and more clear, as he got closer, slowing his walk, to attract less noise, hearing voices.

"Awwh, look at the poor wittle buttewwly, twying to protect her wuv." The first voice said, clearly a mocking, male tone clearly heard, as a few other voices chuckled with him... peeking onto the scene, Luigi saw a group of thugs, a combination of Goombas and Koopas, with a Koopa leading them- the shells of the Koopas were painting black with some weird, stupid symbol on them- most likely a gang...

Luigi growled to himself, as he looked to the victim... only to stop, in shock... to anyone else, the victim would look like a normalish woman, with butterfly wings... however, Luigi knew those wings- they were rainbow-colored, and they were way too angular to be normal wings. And, looking behind the woman, Luigi saw who she was protecting.

It was a group of people- a massive man with a big, brown beard, wearing blackish-brown leather armor, torn in some areas, with red cuffs on his wrists... he had a massive chest, and large arms, but short legs and feet. Next to the man was a woman, with blue skin, and magenta hair tied up in a bun... the woman looked to be wearing a business uniform, while also having a pair of red, horn-rimmed glasses near her, on the ground.

Near those two, there was a green-skinned girl, looking no older than 14, with her hair up in an odango hair-style... she looked to be wearing a yellow dress with white polka-dots on it, with a red bow on her neck. And, next to the girl, was... what looked to be a jester?

The jester was obviously male, wearing a cap and cape with purple and light-yellow stripes, with the purple striped portions of the cap containing jingle bells on each end. At his sides were two hands, covered with black gloves, separated from the man's body, with two black, pointed shoes. The jester was also wearing a theatrical mask, being black on one side and white on the other... or, he would be, if it weren't half-off of his face, revealing one of his eyes- said eye being an amber-colored eye. The last noticeable thing was that the jester's mouth was red... also, the fact that said jester looked to be covering the girl next to him, as if to protect her.

The last one of the group was a man, wearing a white top hat and coat, with a white cape (fading to blue at the bottom) covering his body. From the parts of the inside of the cape that were visible, it looked to be a dark blue, and starry-looking, inside. He also had a large red brooch, like Princess Peach's blue jewel, he wore gloves (with no visible trace of arms), and a jewel-topped scepter was near one of his hands...

...the man also had a glowing light blue mouth, with a cracked monocle covering his left eye.

Unfortunately, all of these people were unconscious, and bruised, looking beat-up, with their clothes also being dirty... except for the woman in front of them.

The woman in front of them was also bruised and beat-up, but was still conscious and standing. She was wearing a dirty white dress, reaching down to her ankles, fading into a rainbow hue, at the bottom. She had a pair of beautiful, rainbow, angular butterfly wings, on her back, with rectangular/diamond shaped holes in her wings, which looked VERY natural... either way, the woman had soft, delicate features, with bright, rainbow-colored eyes, fading into each color of the rainbow, every half second... and, the woman had flowing white hair, with a rainbow bow on the back of her head, shaped like her wings.

The woman was standing up, shakily, in a fighting stance, growling as she looked at the thugs in front of her... Luigi knew who these people were. How could he not? He helped his brother defeat most of them, to keep them from destroying all worlds, and helped his brother reunite the woman with the man she was currently protecting.

Either way, the Cloaked Man in Green quickly formulated a plan... it was a terrible plan, but, might as well give it a shot.

The Man in Green then stepped out from the corner, and, with a charge of green lightning in his hands, thrust his hands out, shocking the thugs, catching the woman off guard, as she stepped back in surprise.

The Koopa Thug growled, as the lightning stopped, half of his fellow thugs already on the ground, before he turned to the cloaked Man in Green (whose face was currently not visible, thanks to his cloak) and said "Ey! Who the hell do ya thinks you are!? This is our turf!", making Luigi growl and said, his voice a bit deeper and more electrifying, distorting his voice enough for him to not be recognized, "And how does that give you the right to attack these people in such a dangerous part of the city?"

The Koopa Thug smirked and said "We run this part of the city, bud, we do whatever we want. Nobody ain't ever gonna stop us! And neither are you!", before the Koopa turned to the currently conscious thugs and said "Get'em, boys!", making them all lunge and charge at Luigi.

Luigi merely smiled, his hands coursing with green thunder, as he said "Bring it on.", before he charged at the thugs, shocking and electrifying them with his thunder, knocking them out one by one, or by making his thunder hop from thug to thug, like a chain-reaction...

Quickly, the Koopa Thug was the only conscious thug left, but he didn't give up... instead, he retreated into his shell, dashing at the cloaked Man in Green… only for the Man in Green to dodge, and grab the Koopa by his tail.

With a smirk, Luigi began to spin around, in place, the Koopa still in his grasp, before Luigi yelled "So long, Thug!", before letting go, aiming up, sending the Koopa flying out of his hands and into an alleyway, several blocks away, the Koopa screaming the entire time.

Luigi smiled, seeing this, before he turned to the woman, and asked "...are you alright, ma'am?", the woman nodded, slowly, dumbfounded by what she saw... only for the woman to ask "...who are you? And... how did you do that?"

Luigi merely chuckled, as he lifted his gloved hands up, pulling the hood of his cloak off, the woman's eyes widening in shock and surprise, as she said "L...Luigi!?", to which the man said, his voice no-longer distorted, "In the flesh... good to see you again, Tippi. Or, would you prefer "Lady Timpani"?", chuckling at the woman's, Timpani's, shock.

Timpani shook her head, to clear her confusion, before she said, relieved, "Timpani is fine... and, I'm alright... but, the others... they're unconscious, and they may need medical attention. We arrived in the city a few hours ago, and have been keeping a low profile... we... don't have a home yet, though.", to which Luigi thought for a moment... only to then say "I know a place you and the others can stay at, if you want."

Timpani nodded rapidly, and said "Yes, please! We'll take anything!", making Luigi smile and say "C'mon, then. I'll pick up O'Chunks, Nastasia, and Mimi... but, I'd like an explanation for Dimentio's return.", to which she nodded and said "Of course."

Soon, Luigi was leading Timpani to the alleyway he was in, previously, with O'Chunks, Nastasia, and Mimi on his back (he refused to reveal HOW he was carrying them all on his back), while Timpani carried Dimentio and Count Bleck/Lord Blumiere.

When they reached the entrance of the Totaka Tavern, Luigi opened the door, revealing the entrance, and walked inside, with Timpani following him... but, they continued down the hall to the Tavern itself, as the door closed behind them.

Upon entering the bar itself, everyone looked ready to cheer, only to stop in shock, seeing Luigi carrying the three former villains... Timpani soon entered, with Bleck/Blumiere and Dimentio on her back, as the two then began to put their unconscious friends down, a few Magikoopas soon coming over, followed by a purple, old Magikoopa... it was Kammy Koopa, Bowser's second in command... or at least, his former second in command- blame Kamek.

Either way, Kammy and a few of the Magikoopas came over, being the only medical professionals present, and they soon began to carry the unconscious group to another part of the bar, to take care of them properly... Luigi, meanwhile, sighed and said "Sorry about the surprise, everyone. I was just as surprised when I encountered them.", the other members of the bar being quick to say that it was fine.

Luigi smiled at this, and said, turning to Timpani, "Get yourself seated at the bar. I'll whip up a drink for you, to calm your nerves.", as he got his cloak off, revealing his barman outfit, as he then went behind the bar, Timpani soon sitting down at the seat in front of him, a drink quickly being slid to her.

Timpani looked like she was going to say something, only for Luigi to shake his head and say "Later. Relax, and calm down. We can talk about it later, alright?", to which she slowly nodded, before she began to sip from the drink in front of her.

Luigi smiled at this, before he went to the others, talking and serving drinks to them, while Timpani looked around, in awe at the Totaka Tavern... not only at how many people were inside it, but also the fact that LUIGI was the one in charge of the Tavern...

...something to ask later, then. For now, she needed to sooth her nerves.

Just a bit of filler for later, because I need to come up with some other ideas.

And before anyone asks, this was made because I was inspired by a certain YouTuber, named "Man on the Internet", and his lyrics to the song "The Ultimate Show" from Super Paper Mario. Love that guy and his songs/lyrics.

Either way, Displacer out, and see you all soon, hopefully!