It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt, as he always says! Except usually that damage is directed at someone else, not him. Perhaps he should have expected this? But, no, ugly turtles don’t generally spit out balls of fire at you, so there’s always the chance to learn something new!
Not like this, though. Not like expecting the fire to not even damage him (he’s not blue, after all!) and then finding that, oh, look, he’s actually plummeting to the ground like some sort of movable object! The nerve of some creatures! The fall (and the resulting pain from it) causes him to prematurely change back to his original form, sitting up and rubbing his head as his initial look of glee turns into that of frustration. “Wow, you reaaally must hate yourself if you’re willing to set your lookalike on fire, eh? How’s about I give you a taste of your own medicine!?”
At this point, he’d make himself taller, more intimidating, maybe summon a few minions or lasers and what have you to utterly incapacitate (y’know, murder!) his adversary, but…
“… Huh.” Nothing’s happening. Absolutely nothing! He’d be so embarrassed right now if he had any actual feelings. Time for the Snatcher to improvise (even if this is slightly distressing news to uncover). “Guess turning into your ugly mug must’ve hindered me more than I thought. The absolute trauma of having to look like you done it. I hope you’re proud of yourself! Even if I can’t do what I’m normally capable of, at least I don’t have to go home and look at myself in the mirror at the end of the day.”
Why physically retaliate when he can keep verbally assaulting the person trying to hurt him? Smart move, Snatcher, that won’t come to bite you in the ass at all.
So, the blob wasn’t completely untouchable as it had liked to appear! No wonder it was perched so high, mocking him far and well away from Ludwig’s sharpened claws. The koopa smirked as he watched his double’s form fall with a thud, and he couldn’t even begin to tell you how it made him beam to see the shadow rise up with his smug look wiped from his face.
Swallowing the residual flames licking at his maw, Ludwig stepped forward and eyed the creature with newfound confidence, happily knowing that he could actually do some damage here. “I loathe imitators, but your mediocre attempt hardly fits even that.” The fact that the other is still even trying to put up a fight when he was just knocked off his high horse was laughable, though Ludwig had to halt himself as soon as another threat was made.
And only a threat it remained, it seemed. With a warning like that, Ludwig half expected the other to explode in a fountain of intimidating power, only to be met with undoubtedly unexpected results. Ludwig’s suspicions were only confirmed the moment the shadow started to make excuses, but even after failing at putting up any sort of defense for himself, cutting words still made Ludwig’s lip curl in irritation.
“Oh please, spare me the sob story! It’s clear to see that you’ve relied far too much on words and tricks to get your way,” he started, once again closing the distance between the two of them. Before the shadow could even think to slither away from him, Ludwig reached out and dug his claws hard into the fluff and whole of his neck.
“Now, do go on about whatever trauma my face induces, because this could be the very last you see of it before I figure out how to kill a writhing blob.” It’s clear that Ludwig isn’t joking, as he applied more and more pressure through his clawed grip with every word. “Do I even deign to ask for your name as well? It’s hardly worth the effort, I think.”
