1521
« on: July 27, 2001, 05:25:06 PM »
Luigi started out on this "quest" of his, this quest that seemed a most normal, simple, mundane, routine, run-of-the-mill-type quest; he quested to understand the words of the great purple monkey and to divine from them the reason why he hadn't been on any true adventures for all of two decades. Little did he know exactly what was in store for him when he set out that fateful friday morn...
He knew where to go for information of this sort: The Great Mushroom Library. He set out at once, taking nothing but his plumbing uniform and an optomistic outlook.
He soon reached the library's whereabouts: the crossroads of Knowledge Road and One Way. Unfortunately, what he saw was not reassuring.
It was a small mushroom shack, with a crude sign that said "Books hear" and an open counter, manned by a rather close-to-earth looking toad.
"Hey.." started Luigi, "is this, uh.. the Mushroom library?"
"Well ahl be!" Beplied the fungus, "'taint you that Mahryo fellah's brother? 'Lu-jii' or sump'tn?"
"Yeah, that's-a me, Luigi.. But isn't the Library supposed to be-a here? At Knowledge Road and One Way?"
"Aw dan'g!" The toad replied, "you's be-a wantin' that there thing across the street! I don' give th' books, I jus' listen'm!"
"Across the...?"
But Luigi didn't finish, as he beheld the great monolith of the Great Mushroom Library as he turned about!
"Mama-mia!" Luigi exclaimed, "how'd I miss a thing like that?"
The building was immense and impressive. The masterful architect, Craff T., managed to create a wonderful fusion of ancient Goomba and Koopa architecture. It stood gloriously, six stories of carefully chisled stone pillars and buttresses, as a wonderful cache of all that can ever be known by the mushroom people. It took several moments before Luigi actually realized he was just standing there and walked into the building.
The inside was no less impressive than the outside. Luigi walked up to the lobby's desk to the scholarly-looking toad behind it.
"I-a need ta find a book." Luigi prompted, "Could you-a help me look for it?"
"What book did you have in mind?" The toad asked, peering at Luigi from over his bifocal glasses.
"A big purple monkey said something," Luigi explained, "and I'd-a like to find out what he said, and what it-a means."
"Ah!" the toad said, hopping off his chair, "You'll want a language book, then. Follow me." And with that he darted towards one of the stairwells, Luigi trotting quickly behind.
The toad led him through rows of various history books. Luigi noted a neighbor of his, Russ T., rifiling through the titles, but didn't stop to chat, lest he lose sight of his guide.
He was led up to a reading level, and noted several Goombas, seemingly caught in the stories, amongst the toads here.
"I wonder how they turn pages," Luigi mused, "without any hands.."
Up again, up a wonderful spiralling starcase, past more and more books. Luigi didn't realise how large the library really was.
And then down another staircase, past the front desk, and across the hall to some more shelves.
And up again, through rows of various history books. Luigi noted a neighbor of his, Russ T., rifiling through the titles, but didn't stop to chat, lest he lose sight of his guide.
"Whoa, hold it!" Luigi said to the toad in front of him. "We've-a been here! Why are you-a goin' 'round in circles?"
"Truthfully, the toad said, leaning close to Luigi, "I think we're being followed."
Luigi followed the direction of the toad's hand to see a dark figure, looming silently closer. As it neared him, Luigi saw that it was none other than....
Go Moon!