13: Deliberation Part 2

The young Toad functionary opened the door as soon as the clock finished chiming the hour.

"Attention! The judges are ready for the Deliberation."

Luigi turned towards Fleur and gave her a curt nod. She looked him in the eye and returned the nod. No time like the present, he thought.

The five judges filed into the room and assumed their positions behind the table. They were a mix of races, all experts in their field. There was a white-haired Toad with a neatly trimmed moustache and a deep purple cap; a Pianta of middle years with a luxuriant plant crest on the top of his head. Next to him was a Kokiri woman from Hyrule, which simultaneously surprised and alarmed Luigi. Hyrule was pretty much a closed country and its contact with the rest of the world was limited, hence his surprise as seeing a representative. Next to her sat a Koopa in a robe worn by some Sarasaland people and on his right, an elderly Beanish women dressed in a similar fashion to Lady Lima but with a brightly coloured wrap on her head.

The functionary continued and introduced the judges from right to left:

"Introducing Dr Mamek of the Beanbean Kingdom; Dr Tortuga of the Waffle Kingdom; Justice Robur from the Isle Delfino, Dr Talia of Hyrule and Professor Mycroft of the Mushroom Kingdom."

"There will be a break two hours from now for one hour before we reconvene. If everyone is ready to start I will leave."

The panel of judges, Luigi and Fleur nodded their assent. The functionary left with a click of the door.

The Toad man looked at Luigi and spoke in an authoritative but warm voice.

"I will introduce myself as current foreman of this Deliberation. My name is Professor Cep Mycroft  MP, former Chairman of the Privy Council. It is important that you see the ultimate aim of this Deliberation is to find the whole truth of the events which lead up to open the Void and how it was closed. If you can, forget the charges if any, which are against you and help us to find out the truth."

"Yes, sir."
Luigi said with more enthusiasm than he felt. He doesn't have a list on his charge sheet including  High Treason and Crimes against Lifekind.

Dr Talia spoke next.

"We shall start from the beginning. What were the events leading up to your visit to Bowser's Castle on the morning dated as Day One of the Crisis?

Luigi sighed. How long ago? It must be at least two months and a million years ago. He blinked just as Fleur spoke.

"Excuse us, judges but my client needs a little time to recall these events. Will you please be patient?"

"That will be reasonable." Dr Talia replied.

There was an expectant pause before Luigi spoke.

"I was with my brother in the kitchen. It was a weekend day and we hadn't seen Pea-Princess Peach for a while. Yeah, I remember she'd been really busy with paperwork and had hardly seen daylight, that's what my bro said..."

Luigi felt the weight of stares on him as he trailed off. He cleared his throat.

"So we decided to go to the Castle. But we'd didn't get out the door when Toad came running into our kitchen yelling that Princess Peach had been kidnapped! We assumed it had to be Bowser so we got in the car and headed straight to the Koopa Kingdom."

"So what evidence do you have that it was Lord Bowser who was responsible for Princess Peach's disappearance?" Dr Talia queried.

Luigi squirmed. He felt his face get hot.

"Um no not exactly. Now I remember, Toad had said that Peach had been stolen, but it has happened so much we kinda thought it was Bowser. It HAD to be Bowser. It's what he does when he's bored."

"So with no evidence that this was the case that Lord Bowser Koopa had kidnapped Princess Peach you took it upon yourselves to circumvent border controls and illegally enter the Koopa Kingdom?"

Luigi felt indignation join his embarrassment and his face redden some more.

"No! uh no I uh.., I'd actually bought a toll pass for the year. That way we could get in without using warp pipes. Mario was kinda annoyed with me for that."

"So you are saying you could cross the border in a legitimate fashion?"

"YES! I mean yes, we could."

Luigi struggled to control his patience. They were supposed to be finding out about what happened with the Chaos Heart and the creation of the Void and they were going on about border hopping?! What next, will they ask where they had breakfast?

"Very well, you say you had a valid visa, but you were not challenged at the border crossing? Other witnesses from the Koopa Kingdom say you are well known to security forces?"

Much to his surprise, Luigi felt a faint frisson almost of excitement. He recalled that this was the point when things started to get weird.

"No. No one challenged us at the toll plaza. There was no one there. We both thought that was kinda weird."

And so for the best part of an hour questions and answers flowed between Dr Talia and Luigi. Occasionally other members of the Deliberation interjected, and Fleur would clarify some of the points. Even so, they had only just got as far as the entrance of Bowser's Castle.

Justice Robur was the next to speak with a note of incredulity in his voice.

"So, what you are saying is you and your brother spend several hours driving in the Koopa Kingdom and were not challenged, once?"

"Yes, that is true, sir."

"And furthermore you were able to enter the Castle and indeed proceed into the Great Presence Chamber and see Bowser yourselves without being apprehended?"

"Yes, it was as if everyone in the army felt they had to be there. Mario and I stood at the back for what seemed like ages hearing Bowser's latest plan to invade the Mushroom Kingdom."

"That may be the case, but you must not forget you were present unlawfully and Lord Bowser would be well within his rights to detain you."

"Yes sir, I'm aware of that."   Can you stop going on about that already! Can't we move on? Luigi thought, trying to hide his irritation. Almost in response, Dr Tortuga spoke up.

"But you said there was no sign of Princess Peach? And Bowser hadn't mentioned kidnapping her?"

"Yes, actually I was wanting to get out of there. I whispered to Mario that if no-one noticed us coming if we went now we'd have the best chance of getting back to the Mushroom Kingdom and warning Princess Peach. But Mario wouldn't come. Then we got spotted by a single Goomba in the 'Troop, and all eyes were on us. So much for that."

Dr Tortuga had an irritable air about him, but now he seemed more lively.

"And then what happened?"

Luigi felt himself grow cold inside. He took a deep breath.

"Bowser-King Bowser saw us. I don't know what came over me but I shouted something like 'Quiet Bowser! I know you've got the Princess. Where is she?'"

Luigi continued, he was in full flow, even as he saw what looked like a stifled question on Dr Tortuga's face.

"Bowser then said he hadn't got the Princess and was planning a social call. Then the air started to shimmer near him. I thought it was one of the Magikoopas but Bowser looked surprised."

"Continue, we are listening" Professor Mycroft replied.

It seemed the tone of this meeting was changing. It was almost starting to feel like a collaboration. In a strange way, Luigi felt almost a sense of relief telling his story. At least these parts he could remember.

"There was Princess Peach, in mid-air but kneeling like she was in a box, and Bowser looking like he'd never seen her before. She could see us through at the back of the hall, bashing on the box, calling out for Mario."

Professor Mamek failed to hide the surprise in her voice.

"So you are implying that Bowser did NOT capture Princess Peach?"

"Yes, he didn't. 'Cause someone else admitted it next!" Luigi retorted, adrenaline riding high in his voice.

"My apologies. Please continue."

"Okay, well no sooner Princess Peach appeared the air shimmered next to her and there was this CRACK like lightning. It looked like a man in a white suit   and a cloak. It was Count Bleck! Then he started shouting about how he would take the Princess AND Bowser, and destroy all worlds. Many from the Koopa Troop ran but some milled around Bowser. Then Mario went for him..."

He shook his head. This was when Mario impulsively attacked Count Bleck only to be knocked out by magic before he'd even made contact. And the start of his long descent into hell. His shirt felt clammy against his back. Fleur looked at him with concern. 

Professor Mycroft spoke in a soft tone of voice.

"Luigi, we ask of you to finish this part of your account. We will be having a break shortly but your testimony is key to ensuring justice is done, and the more concise the better!"

Luigi took a sip of water and rubbed his face.

"Mario does go off on one, and he thought that Count Bleck wouldn't see him as his eyes were on Bowser. But he just waved his staff in Mario's direction and he fell, out cold. I ran over to get him, though we could get out, but then I remembered Princess Peach was still there -I didn't know what to do. I heard Bowser threaten the Count, but the Count just laughed at him. I didn't get everything he said but I heard the Count say' I'll take you too, the evil king of the Koopas!'"

Luigi paused and licked his lips.

"I was holding Mario, then the Count lifted his cloak and everything went sideways. I felt myself fall up and get spun around, along with some of the Koopa Troop, Bowser and Princess Peach. It was so fast I blacked out. The last thing I saw was Mario out cold on the ground."

Luigi slumped and said in a tone of voice that was almost inaudible "I failed. I failed the people in my life who I love." 
Professor Mamek looked at her fellow judges. "I think we have heard enough for now. There is a lot we must discuss."

Professor Mycroft nodded in reply. "Our time is up. We shall reconvene in one hour in this room. He nodded to Luigi and Fleur.

"You are encouraged to enter the drawing room where refreshments are served. We will see you in an hour.

Luigi sighed. How come this could be so tiring? And there would be more of this? Fleur interrupted that train of thought.

"You did well. That was difficult, but be warned, don't get caught by trivia, that is where they spot the parts in someone's story which doesn't add up."

"Thanks, Fleur. It's just how long is this gonna take? I'll be an old man before I'm out of here!"

"That may be, but it is important to be clear and concise in that even the wisest have only finite patience. Those judges will be interviewing all the key witnesses in turn. You will do well to remember that."

Luigi sat down. Perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as he feared. but then it was only the beginning, and he suspected like in real life it could only get worse.