"Here's your pizza, sir," said the skinny man with the glasses.
"Thanks, Ed," replied Mario, grinning from ear to ear. "Pepperoni's my favorite. Extra cheese, right?"
"Yes sir, we put all the cheese we could just find. Seats are over there." He motioned toward the corner of the restaurant where several chairs were positioned at a window. Mario figured his friend had enough conversation for the afternoon, so he sat down at the green table at the window. He glanced at his watch; could it be night already? The sun had just set; the moon was out, and he'd known all the pizzerias in town would be empty. Aside from the four janitors and staff, only two other customers sat at the other end of the room.
Mario was surprised when Ed came over to the table. Hadn't he just directed him away from the counter? The two had been friends for four years, and it was clear Mario was the more enthusiastic one. Ed wasn't so much shy as he was simply calm. Mario had helped Ed get the job at Pizza One last July, and it had taken considerable effort trying to get Ed to take the drive downtown and wait half the day for his interview. (There had been a slight misunderstanding regarding the time of the interview.)
"Hey Mario, we gotta talk."
"Well sure, Ed, of course I'll talk. When haven't I?"
Ed managed a wry laugh before sitting down and putting his arm around his plump companion.
"You know I'd never say anything to hurt you, right?"
"Absolutely, I know."
"This wasn't my decision, let me tell you that. I'd never try to –"
"Just tell me! It's not the end of the world."
"Luigi told me that you need to report to the World Three Castle. As in, tomorrow morning."
Luigi, Mario's brother, was also friends with Ed, although they'd only known each other for a few months. Luigi was a little taller than Mario, but the two shared many traits and interests. Like eating pizza. Good pizza.
"Well, tell me more about this. Tomorrow morning, I have to be somewhere?"