The Return of Dimentio

by sue-sylvester-shuffle

Dimentio is back, with Mr L and Mr M. Among the chaos is a Toad boy named Peptoad whose best friend, Fawful, has been kidnapped. And what's with this Magikoopa girl who seems to know everything about the plan? Who will save the day... and can it be saved?

Mario knocked on Luigi's door late one night.

After a few moments, Luigi came to the door, yawning and rubbing his eyes.

"What is it?" asked Luigi grumpily. "And why couldn't it have waited 'till morning, bro?"

"I wanted to ask you a question." said Mario.

"Well, what is it?"

"Were you really Mr. L?" asked Mario curiously.

"Mr. L?" Luigi repeated. His voice turned stony. "No, of course not, bro. And even if I was, would I really tell you?" The green-swathed bro slammed the door in Mario's face before Mario could do anything.

Mario cocked his head. It was strange. To his memory, Luigi hadn't known he was actually Mr. L for so long. Mario had only realized that now. And Luigi had seemed short and cold with him. Something was off, and Mario wasn't sure what, but it was… weird. Something was wrong with Luigi.

Meanwhile, Luigi waited until he heard Mario's footsteps disappear down the hall before he jumped off the bed and grabbed what seemed to be a small dark cell phone.

Luigi typed in a few words. And then he clicked send and set it down on the table.

He lay back on the bed and tried to get back to sleep, but he was trembling all over and his heart was beating fast in hard in nervous guilt.

He read the message over in his mind:

To Dimentio:

Mario suspects. Cannot hold disguise for much longer.

From Mr. L

Meanwhile, Dimentio had just gotten the message.

And he was less than pleased, but even more less surprised.

Dimentio knew that Mr. L was not the most competent of minions. So that's why he sent him out with less than high hopes. It was eventual that Mr. L would fail. So Dimentio wrote back:

To Mr. L:

Come back here. Try not to attract attention and you'll be alright.

From Dimentio

Fine, thought Dimentio. That would do it for now. He hoped Mr. L would get back soon and not alert Mario to the fact that he was still alive and, ultimately, still evil.

Mr. L received the message.

Getting out of his old Luigi clothes and into his Mr. L ones, he pulled on his mask and grinned maliciously for good measure. Then, slipping his cell into his pocket, he exited his room.

As he crept soundlessly down the stairs, Mr. L found that he was not alone.

Mario was at the dinner table, eating a piece of pizza pie. He had taken to hiding at the door to stop Luigi in case Luigi had been brainwashed or something. And then he had gotten hungry and began to eat an entire pizza, unknowing that it added to his innocent figure, making him look like a guy who just got hungry in the night. It made him look unknowing and naive. But not to Mr. L.

However, Mr. L still honed some of Luigi's old traits, and so when Mr. L was faced with the threatening sight of Mario eating pizza-no, Mario standing guard- his blood ran cold.

"Ah… M-Mario, bro!" Mr. L stammered, trying to regain his composure.

"Luigi?" Mario said. "Where are you going? And you're wearing a… Oh, no."

Mario had just realized. It was Mr. L.

Mario backed away, not out of fear, but out of objection to do anything to his precious brother. But it had the wrong effect on Mr. L, who, at the sight of Mario's supposed cowardice, recovered from his misguided fear.

"Scared, are you?" teased Mr. L.

"Don't you try anything." warned Mario.

Mr. L crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. "Move away from the door, and I won't use the full extent of my powers on you."

Mario hadn't realized it, but, probably out of intuition, he had pressed himself against the door. Mario admired his intuition. "No. Never. Now tell me: Why are you here?"

"I needed something from you." Mr. L said. "Something I couldn't steal. But now I've got it, and my master will be excited to have it."

Mario knew that Mr. L's old master was Count Bleck, but he knew that Bleck was with Tippi now, and also 'excited' was not an adjective he would usually place with the somber old count.

Mario ran the word over in his mind. Excited. Fawful? Dimentio, possibly?

"What was it you wanted from me?" Mario asked, slowly and carefully.

"Your trust." Mr. L replied.

"Why?" asked Mario. Out of all the things the villains would have wanted from him-death, Princess Peach, the Kingdom, the Kingdom and Princess Peach, and maybe the world- trust was not one of them.

"So that I could implant the Floro Sprout on you." Mr. L gave a twisted smile. "Say goodbye to Mario, bro. Say hello to Mr. M!"

He pressed a button on a remote he held. Mario seized up like he was getting electrocuted, and then he loosened up, with an evil grin.

"Mr. L," he greeted. "Where's my mask?"

Down in the Mushroom Kingdom lived a young Toad boy, about twelve or thirteen years old, with a minty-green Toad cap. His name was Peptoad.

Peptoad was a strange Toad boy. He was once friends with Fawful. Overall, Peptoad was not your average Toad.

At the moment, Peptoad was on the street, riding his bicycle. He was just swerving past the Mario bros house when he saw two masked figures swathed in dark clothing exiting the house.

"Burglars!" Peptoad whispered furiously to himself, placing his bike carefully by the road and sneaking over to Mr. L and Mr. M.

Mr. M saw him first. The brainwashed Mario raised his gloved hand and slapped Peptoad cleanly in the face just as Peptoad came close.

Peptoad fell back with a characteristic Toad 'yeeek!' He scrambled to his feet, glaring even though his cheeks stung.

"You're going to pay for robbing the Mario bros!" he shouted.

Mr. L grabbed Mr. M just as the latter was about to slap Peptoad again. "Come on, bro." said Mr. L. "Leave this baby alone."

"Baby? Baby!" Peptoad yelled. "I'm no baby, you… you baby!" It was the lamest comeback he had ever uttered. But it had to do.

Mr. L and Mr. M frowned. Mr. M slapped Peptoad again. "Stop babbling, you'll attract attention." Mr. L hissed.

Just then, something landed beside Peptoad, who was nursing his cheek. Peptoad had to shield his eyes, for whatever it was exuded a beam of bright red light.

When Peptoad could see, he recognized who it was. Fawful, complete in a flaming headgear. Peptoad had always thought Fawful was eccentric and a bit insane, but he had never been so happy to see his friend.

"Fawful…" Peptoad gasped.

"Fawful tells these two rude misters to leave my friend Peptoad alone." Fawful snapped. And then he recognized Mr. L and Mr. M, because behind the mask, were the two moustached men who had wronged him so long ago.

"You! Moustaches!" Fawful shouted. "You are the bane of Fawful's existence, you are!" He grabbed Peptoad's arm and flew into the air.

Poor Peptoad was left hanging by only his arm, held in Fawful's surprisingly ironlike grasp. And then he realized that the headgear had a mechanical hand that was holding him. He had always thought Fawful's mechanics were excessive, but now he was glad of it.

"Fawful wonders why Peptoad is picking with moustaches?" asked Fawful.

"They were robbing the Mario bros house…" Peptoad mumbled.

"Mario bros." repeated Fawful. The grip on Peptoad's arm loosened imperceptibly.

"Yeah."

"Fawful hates the Mario bros." said Fawful. "Why is Peptoad trying to help them?"

"Everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom respects them…" babbled Peptoad.

The grip on Peptoad ceased completely. Peptoad began to fall, somersaulting through the air. They were so high up that Peptoad didn't even want to think about landing.

"No! Fawful! Please! Yeeeeek!" Peptoad screamed, his voice nearly drowned out by the wind created by him falling so quickly.

Fawful's mechanical hand shot down and grabbed Peptoad by the middle just before he hit the ground. Peptoad felt nauseous. He still felt unsafe so high in the air, although Fawful had a better grip on him now.

As Peptoad was lifted back up to fly beside Fawful, Fawful said, "Fawful is sorry. Fawful was overtaken by his fury for a moment."

"N-No, that's… That's okay, Fawful." Peptoad gulped, still staring down at the ground so many meters under his feet. But then a sudden thought struck him.

"Where are we going?" asked Peptoad. "We, um, passed my house a while ago…"

"Fawful is not going to Peptoad's house." Fawful replied.

"Where to, then?"

Fawful opened his mouth to speak, but just then, a fireball came from the ground and hit Fawful's headgear.

Smoke poured out of the now sparking machine, but it was soon drawn away by the wind. And then, just like two stones in a river: Fawful and Peptoad fell.

It was the same sensation Peptoad had just felt, but much, much worse, because now he had no one to save him. Fawful was free-falling as well. And as the two neared the ground, Peptoad saw that the fireball had come from Mr. L and Mr. M, who were simply waiting for them to fall right at their feet.

But just before the two hit the ground, Mr. L caught Peptoad, while Mr. M caught Fawful. Peptoad noticed that Fawful was out cold, and Mr. M laid him on the ground carelessly.

"What do you want with us?" asked Peptoad as Mr. L sat him down beside Fawful roughly.

"We want to brainwash your friend, Fawful." Mr. L explained.

"You what!" gasped Peptoad.

"He'll become a valued edition to our growing army." added Mr. M.

Peptoad was about to say something, when she realized that they hadn't said anything about what they wanted with him.

"What about me?" gulped the Toad boy, part of him not wanting to know.

"You? You can go." said Mr. L. "Just get out of here, and if you tell anyone, we'll-"

"Moustache!" Peptoad yelled.

Part of him was going to interject. The other part of him didn't want to hear what they would do to him if he told. Overall, he had to cut in. But he hadn't known what to say, so 'moustache!' had just escaped him.

"What…?"

"I said, moustache." Peptoad babbled. "And I want my friend Fawful back! You aren't taking him!"

"Oh yeah?" said Mr. M, amused. "You and whose army, boy?"

"My army!" Peptoad said. And then he felt ashamed. So many lame comebacks, it hurt.

Mr. L turned to Mr. M. "He seems weak of body, but strong of mind."

"Yes," said Mr. M. "Strong-mindedness is a virtue in our army. If he is physically weak, we can fix that, but we can't change what he thinks, just his alliances."

The two turned to Peptoad, who now was very scared.

"You're coming with your beany little buddy, isn't that nice." Mr. M said.

And without a word in edgewise, a sack was pulled over Peptoad's head and closed him in.

While Mr. L and Mr. M had been talking to Peptoad, Bowser Jr. had been watching.

The young Koopa was interested. If two burglars had been mugging the Toad boy and the weird greeny, then the boy and the greeny would have something good to give. Simple Koopa logic.

So Bowser Jr. followed Mr. L and Mr. M as they dropped Peptoad's bag momentarily beside the unconscious Fawful to message Dimentio.

(To Dimentio:

Mario has been brainwashed. His name is Mr. M. I also have the insane mastermind Fawful. And a young Toad boy intent on sticking with Fawful. I will brainwash him later. He seems strong of mind.

From Mr. L)

While Mr. L was typing and Mr. M was watching intently, Bowser Jr. grabbed the lip of the sack, slashed it open with his claws, and let Peptoad out.

"Who are-" Peptoad started.

Bowser Jr. put his finger to his lips and scowled. He grabbed the hem of Fawful's cloak and began to drag him away. He beckoned to Peptoad, who, out of friendship with Fawful, was given no choice but to follow.

Bowser had to struggle backward, dragging Fawful. Once the three were out of earshot of the two brainwashed Mario bros, Peptoad hissed, "Who are you and why are you saving us?"

Bowser Jr. cackled. "I'm not saving you, Toad boy! I'm mugging you, so give me all your gold! I'll handle Greeny here."

"I don't have any gold…" Peptoad mumbled.

Bowser Jr. grabbed Fawful roughly by the leg and stomped over to a cliff a few paces away.

"Give me your gold, or Greeny falls!" Bowser Jr. threatened.

Peptoad gasped. He emptied out his pockets. All that came out was an empty bubble gum wrapper and about twenty-five cents worth of gold.

Bowser Jr. scowled and dropped Fawful onto the ground beside them. But his clawed hand was still gripping Fawful's cloak.

"Don't try anything." growled Peptoad, grabbing Fawful's arm.

Bowser Jr. pulled, but, miraculously, Peptoad pulled harder. Fawful came crashing into Peptoad, who fell over.

Bowser Jr. lost his balance, fell backward, and nearly fell off the cliff. He only managed to save himself by grabbing a vine that was hanging over.

Bowser Jr. looked down and saw the drop beneath him. He squawked in terror and tried to wiggle himself back up. He couldn't, and ended up shaking the vine loose.

"H-H-Help!" he wailed.

Peptoad looked down into Bowser Jr.'s scared, beetle-black eyes. Usually, Peptoad would never ignore someone in danger, but he was looking at someone who had tried to mug him and drop Fawful off a cliff.

But Bowser Jr. looked desperate, and Peptoad never wanted to be responsible for a death (especially since he was only thirteen years old.) So he grabbed Bowser Jr.'s arm.

Just as Peptoad was about to drag him up, he saw Mr. L and Mr. M nearing them in the distance. The sight unsettled Peptoad, and for one terrible moment, he swayed toward the edge of the cliff.

But he steeled himself, and pulled the young Koopa upward. Both of them flopped to the ground, hearts beating with fright. Bowser Jr. kissed the ground and jumped to his feet. "Thanks, Toad boy!"

And then he tried to run.

Peptoad grabbed Bowser Jr.'s tail. "Oh, no you don't." he said. "Do you want me to throw you back off that cliff, you ungrateful brat?"

Peptoad wouldn't have really thrown Bowser Jr. off the cliff, but it had the desired effect. Bowser Jr. stopped struggling, so Peptoad let go of his tail.

"You're mean." Bowser Jr. told him. "What do you want with me, huh?"

"You have to help us escape from those guys." Peptoad said, pointing at Mr. L and Mr. M, who were not twenty meters away.

Bowser Jr. sniffed in disgust. "Those guys look like Mario and Luigi."

"Yeah, they kinda do." noted Peptoad. "Anyway, just… do something. I know you're Bowser's son. Breathe fire or something. Use your claws."

Bowser Jr. crossed his arms, and when the two Mr.'s came by, he blew a stream of fire in their direction.

The two masked men jumped over the fire and grabbed Fawful.

Peptoad and Bowser Jr. both made to grab Fawful, but Mr. L and Mr. M had disappeared. With Fawful.

Disappeared. Not run away. Literally disappeared. In a bright square of light.

Not that either Peptoad or Bowser Jr. knew it, but they had been Flipped out.

"Good work, minions." praised Dimentio, staring down at the prone form of Fawful.

Mr. L and Mr. M both nodded.

"One last thing," said Dimentio, "How was it that this 'Fawful' has come to be out of it like this?"

"He's not dead." Mr. M said quickly.

"Yes, I know that. I'm asking how was Fawful knocked out?"

"He was electrocuted, I think, when his headgear was hit by our fireball." Mr. L explained. "We found him like this."

"Alright." Dimentio replied. "You are dismissed."

The two brainwashed bros left. That left Dimentio and Fawful.

Dimentio raised his hands and closed his eyes in concentration. As his shut eyes twitched gently with the exertion, a spiky, swirling ball of dark purplish magic slowly formed between his palms.

And then, all of a sudden, Dimentio's eyes snapped open. He let the ball of darkness go. It hit Fawful, and spread. Soon Fawful's entire body was covered in an inch of the darkness.

The misty, surging substance slowly seeped into Fawful, and there was a bright flash of dark light.

When it faded, Fawful's circular white glasses were gone, replaced by red ones. His warm, and tattered-with-time red cape was gone, replaced by a billowing purple one. He was clothed in a dark blue jumpsuit with a black star tasselled in the centre. There was a tall, pointy white collar around the back of Fawful's head.

Fawful had successfully been brainwashed.

"Now what do we do?" asked Bowser Jr.

Bowser's youngest son had taken a shine to Peptoad. Many would wonder why, and Bowser Jr. wouldn't have an answer for them anyway.

"We find those burglar guys and get Fawful!" Peptoad replied exclamatorily.

"How?" asked Bowser Jr.

"I don't know." admitted Peptoad, shuffling his feet.

"Well, what about I get the Koopa Troop to help?" asked Bowser Jr. "A friend of mine is a friend of King Dad's. Which means the Koopa Troop has to help."

"The Koopa Troop?" repeated Peptoad. "Your dad's army?"

Bowser Jr. nodded.

"Well…" Peptoad considered it. "Um, if you can promise me they won't, er, trample me."

"They won't. You're with me." Bowser Jr. promised.

And so Bowser Jr. led the way toward Bowser's Castle.

"King Dad! I'm home!" Bowser Jr. screamed when he got through the door.

Peptoad cringed. He was hiding behind Bowser Jr. and had gotten a few strange glances from the guarding Koopas outside of the door. And the place had gotten scarier and scarier: from the fresh, flowery nighttime fields near Toad Town, to the fiery, mountainy rocks of Dark Land, and then to the dusty, foul, and equally fiery Bowser's Castle. A young, clean Toad like Peptoad was not meant for such harsh surroundings.

After what seemed like no time to prepare to Peptoad, but what was really a couple of minutes, King Bowser himself came down the hall.

Bowser's dark reddish eyes fixed on Peptoad with a menacing stare, and the latter nearly fainted.

"Is this a prisoner of yours, Jr.?" asked Bowser.

"No, King Dad, this is my friend, um…" Bowser Jr. didn't know Peptoad's name.

"Your friend and you don't know his name?"

"What's your name, Toad boy?" hissed Bowser Jr.

"P-P-Peptoad!"

"Wet Toad?"

"Peptoad!"

"Oh. My friend Peptoad, King Dad. His friend was kidnapped, and I'm going to help him get his friend back!" Bowser Jr. said.

"Who's your friend, Peppy? Is his name Wet Toad?" Bowser laughed at his own joke.

"N-N-No King B-Bowser, his name's Fawful…" Peptoad mumbled.

Bowser's smile faded. He bared his teeth, and then gave a mighty roar. Peptoad squealed and did faint. But he was awoken a few moments later by Bowser Jr.

"Did you say Fawful, you stupid Toad?" Bowser roared.

Peptoad was dizzy now as well as panicked. "Um… Er… Y-Yes…"

"Please, King Dad, it's not his fault that he's friends with Fawful, King Dad. He probably didn't even know what Fawful's done." Bowser Jr. pleaded.

"W-What Fawful's… d-d-done?" stammered Peptoad, confused. He knew Fawful was strange and, furthermore, a little off his rocker, but Fawful would never do anything.

"You actually don't know what Fawful did to me?" Bowser said.

Peptoad shook his head, feeling faint.

"He used us as tools to take over the Mushroom Kingdom! He made me inhale everyone." Bowser explained. "It was horrible. And you really didn't know this?"

"I swear, I swear!" Peptoad was starting to calm down.

"I understand that you're innocent." Bowser said. "But no matter what you say, I'm not allowing any of my Koopa Troop to help you two juniors rescue Fawful."

"What about the rest of the Koopalings?" asked Bowser Jr.

"If they want to help you, they can. But no one else." Bowser agreed.

"Let's go find my siblings, then, Peptoad." Bowser Jr. said.

So…

"No." said Iggy.

"No." said Morton.

"No." said Wendy.

"No." said Larry.

"No." said Roy.

"No." said Lemmy.

"Excuse me, I must go and practice one of my songs." said Ludwig. And he left.

"Aw, come on, please?" Bowser Jr. pleaded. "We really need your help, guys!"

"Your little friend is a cutie!" Wendy said, looking at Peptoad, who shuffled his feet nervously.

"Come on, Wendy!" Bowser Jr. said.

"No, I don't wanna." Wendy said.

"Let's go, Lemmy!" said Larry, and the two ran away, giggling.

Roy and Morton left, too. Wendy followed, dabbing at her makeup.

"Well, this stinks…" grumbled Bowser Jr. He led Peptoad out of the castle.

On their way out, they saw Ludwig leaving not far ahead of them.

"Where's he going? I thought he wanted to play piano…" Peptoad asked.

"Oh, his piano's out there." said Bowser Jr., pointing at a long, shiny, black object amidst some rare trees. "He likes his silence while playing."

Ludwig sat at the piano and began to play. Immediately the sweet, high sounds of piano drifted through the air. Peptoad was surprised that someone with such claws and scales could make such a sweet melody.

The melody reminded Peptoad of something he had once composed; Peptoad played piano, and though not as good as Ludwig could, he still played well. Perhaps the minty-capped Toad could use his piano profession to convince Ludwig to help?

Peptoad hopped over to Ludwig and sat on the piano bench beside the Koopa.

"Hi, I'm Peptoad, and-"

"Do you play?" was all Ludwig asked.

"Er, yes." said Peptoad.

"Do you know Fur Elise?" asked Ludwig.

"I think so." said Peptoad. "I can try."

The Toad boy put his hands on the keys, as did the Koopa boy. The two counted down mentally… 3, 2, 1… and then they both started to play.

Bowser Jr. watched in amazement as the two played Beethoven's Fur Elise together.

When they had finished, Ludwig looked right at Peptoad and said, "You're good."

"So are you." Peptoad smiled. "So… you still won't help us, right? Or…"

"I never said I wouldn't help, Peptoad. I only said I was going to go play piano." Ludwig explained. "So yes, I'll help. I love a good adventure."

Peptoad grinned. "Thanks a lot, Ludwig."

The Toad boy gave Bowser Jr. the thumbs up sign. "Ready to go, Jr.!"

Dark Fawful, who had been out cold lying in a bed, had just woken up.

He was dizzy, after being knocked out by electrocution for a whole day, but he was much better. In fact, he felt stronger than ever before.

"I… HAVE… FURY!" screamed Fawful.

He jumped out of the bed, sporting his evil, maniacal grin.

It was then that he realized that Dimentio was standing in the doorway.

"Feeling better, Fawful?" asked the jester.

"Fawful says yes, Lord Dimentio!" Fawful said excitedly. "What is Fawful's mission? What is Lord Dimentio's bidding?"

"Well…" Dimentio replied, pensively rubbing his chin with his fingers. "Maybe as a first job, Fawful, you want to take over the Mushroom Kingdom? Oh, and bring me the Toad and Bowser's son."

"Your wish is Fawful's command!" And with that, Fawful tried to leave, but Dimentio barred his way.

"I have something of yours that I think you might want." Dimentio handed Fawful his headgear.

Fawful stared at it. What had once been broken, fizzling with dangerous electricity, was now fixed. It looked no longer broken down, with scorches from the fireballs. It was no longer the scratched, unpainted metallic colour it had once been. It was now a shiny, sleek onyx colour. No longer were the two jets on the side solely for lift. They now sported adjoined jets that changed aim on Fawful's command, perfect for shooting the black fireballs that Dimentio had perfected as ammunition.

Fawful slipped the headgear onto his head and immediately felt even more power than he had when he had woken up as Dark.

"Fawful says thank you for upgrading his humble machine!" Fawful gushed. "Fawful shall be going to destroy the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom now, and he will rename it the Jester Kingdom!"

Dimentio cackled with laughter as he watched Fawful boost his jets and fly out the window. So far, his plan was impeccable. Perfect.

Soon he would rule the Kingdom. And then the worlds, one by one, all the way to the day when he would rule Dark Land and King Bowser's castle with it. And when he ruled the entire world, he would turn it into a land of such evil.

Dimentio cackled again. Some days, he thought, it felt great to be him.

"So do you have any idea where those masked guys went?" asked Bowser Jr. "They just kind of disappeared, didn't they? It was hard to tell in the dark."

"Well, you did say they looked like the Mario bros, right?" Peptoad asked uncertainly. He only had one possible lead and he was desperate to see if it could be of any help.

It was a stupid question, in any way. Peptoad had seen them too, and they had looked a heck of a lot like a masked Mario and Luigi, with darker clothes and looking a lot more malicious than the two gentle bros.

"Yeah. By the light of the moon, I could clearly see them." Bowser Jr. said.

"I heard a story that Mario gained the ability to so-called Flip from an old man called Bestovius… who lived in an alternate dimension…" Peptoad mumbled. The more he said, the more stupid it sounded.

"You're saying, you think these masked marauders Flipped their way out when you tried to grab Fawful?" asked Ludwig curiously. Ludwig had heard the story of Peptoad and Bowser Jr.'s quote-on-quote 'adventures' from the two kids and he was not one to forget a detail.

"Well… maybe." Peptoad said. "It's possible… because they did come out of the Mario bros house but not stealing anything… That's right… They have to be the Mario bros! They just have to!"

"What Peptoad is saying seems logical." Ludwig told Bowser Jr.

Bowser Jr. agreed too. "So Mario Flipped away, with Luigi, and Fawful?" he asked, trying to stay on the same page as the older-and generally smarter- two. "So that means we have to Flip, too, if we want to follow 'em? Makes no sense! We can't Flip… Can we?"

"No, Bowser Jr., we can't." Peptoad said.

"Wish we could." Bowser Jr. sounded a bit put out.

"Me too." Peptoad agreed. He hated to think that Fawful could be held captive at this very moment, and they couldn't do a thing.

"Hey… You two, what's that?" Ludwig pointed up to the sky.

Bowser Jr. and Peptoad both turned and looked to where Ludwig was pointing at.

"Oh… my… gosh…! That's Fawful!" Peptoad gasped.

He started jumping up and down, waving his arms frantically. "Hey! Hey! Fawful! Come on down here! You escaped!"

But there was a darkness that swathed Fawful that made Ludwig put his hand on Peptoad's shoulder.

"Stop it." he whispered.

Just as Peptoad was about to be subdued, Fawful shot a few dark fireballs out of his adjoined jets.

"Yikes!" Peptoad leaped out of the way. Bowser Jr. shot a few of his own fireballs. They hit Fawful's and made tiny explosions when they met.

"This is bad!" Ludwig said between bursts of his own fire. "We can't keep this up forever, and will Fawful stop?"

Just then there was a shot of bright white light. It sparkled and shimmered. Fawful managed to dodge.

"What was that?" gasped Peptoad, gazing upward.

But the two Koopa kids were too immersed in trying to collectively hit all of Fawful's fireballs. Neither of them noticed Peptoad.

Neither of them noticed a small figure wearing bright green robes and insane round glasses slipping out from behind a house. It was a Magikoopa… a young one, but in its hand was a Magikoopa wand topped with a red magic jewel.

"Hey, cutie." the Magikoopa giggled, and Peptoad decided that it was a girl. At least, he hoped.

"Who are you?" Peptoad asked the green-robed Magikoopa.

"Magikoopa Morgan's the name." said the Magikoopa. "I see you've got problems, Peppy."

"How'd you know my name?" Peptoad wondered out loud. "Er, not my name, my, um, nickname?"

"I don't have time for questions, Peppy. Actually, it's you that hasn't time. So do you want my help or don't you?" Morgan asked.

Peptoad opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"Are you a fish or aren't you?" Morgan snapped.

"Um. No, I'm not a fish. And yes, I would like your help." Peptoad said.

"Okay. Then listen and do it good, okay? You'll be wanting to go into this house here." Morgan tapped the door of the house behind them. "When you're in there, just go to the back of the room. You'll find this big swirly portal. If you and your Koopa friends get in that portal, you'll go to the alternate dimension the masked marauders, Mr. L and Mr. M, go to when they Flip. Do you get it or don't you?"

Peptoad nodded. "I get it… but if Bowser Jr. and Ludwig stop their fire, then Fawful's will hit us!"

"I can stall 'em for a while, Peppy. You guys get in and I'll come right after. Capiche?" Morgan told him.

Peptoad jumped into action. He distracted Bowser Jr. and Ludwig from their firing.

"Come on, quick!" he exclaimed. "In here, while Morgan can still hold them off!"

"Morgan?" Ludwig echoed, confused, but the two Koopas followed anyway.

Peptoad went to the door and pulled at the knob.

"It's locked!" he shouted at Morgan.

Right on time, Morgan missed one of Fawful's fireballs, and it smashed the door.

"Oopsie!" Morgan giggled. "Sorry, cutie!"

"Cutie?" sniggered Bowser Jr.

Peptoad went red.

By the time the three had gotten inside, they were all shocked by the portal. It was swirling and whirling like a tornado, and was alight with a periwinkle sheen.

"We have to jump in there?" gulped Ludwig. Bowser Jr. pushed his eldest sibling. Ludwig fell headfirst into the portal… and vanished.

Bowser Jr. dove in as well. Peptoad was left, alone, rocking back and forth on his heels nervously. He didn't actually want to jump in.

At that moment, Morgan ran in.

"Get in, Peppy! Quick!" The Magikoopa shoved him from behind.

As both Peptoad and Morgan tumbled in, the world was swept away from beneath their feet as they were sucked into the alternate dimension.

Merlon of Flipside was having a nice day.

He was simply enjoying a cup of coffee and thinking about what Tippi would be up to with Count Bleck at this very moment, when there was a crash and four figures fell through his roof.

Merlon was surprised, and he nearly fell off his chair. It was strange, just like the separate arrivals of Mario and Tippi, except these four had just fallen through his roof.

Merlon sighed. He would have to get some roof repairmen.

But in the meantime, he thought, he would help these poor lost souls.

"Hello?" he said quietly, gently shaking them. "Wake up!"

Morgan was the first to wake. She blinked, sat up, and adjusted her fogged round glasses, which had nearly fallen off her face.

"Um… Hi, there." she said.

"Hello, my dear. Are you and your friends lost?"

Morgan shook her head. "No, mister. We're looking for Castle Bleck?"

Merlon was shocked. "Why would you, girl? The place is empty now. Cleared out when Count Bleck left with Tippi. His minions are gone too."

"Yes, except one, mister. Dimentio. He's leading a troop of brainwashed minions of all kinds there."

Merlon gasped. "How do you even know this, my dear girl?"

"I escaped. I was one of his minions, but I escaped the brainwashing." Morgan explained.

"You're a brave one, dearie. Tell you what: when your friends wake up, I'll bring you all to Castle Bleck." Merlon promised.

"Really, mister? Thanks!" Morgan smiled. "I don't know where it is, because I lost my brainwashing when I was out of the castle. I don't even remember any of my time there!"

"Perhaps that's for the better." Merlon replied gravely. Then he perked up. "Ah, one of your friends is awakening!"

It was true. Peptoad was sitting up groggily.

"Peppy!" Morgan exclaimed. "We did it! We're in the alternate dimension, which is called Flipside."

"Spot on, my dear." Merlon cheered.

"We made it? We made it!" Peptoad laughed with relief.

Bowser Jr. and Ludwig woke up just moments later, too, so Peptoad decided to have Morgan introduce herself.

"Guys, this is Morgan." Peptoad said. "She's going to help us get out of here, and save Fawful!"

"Hi." said Ludwig.

"When are we going?" Bowser Jr. asked, fired up.

"Um, I was thinking now, but maybe you wanted to rest first… I mean, running over a castle that big will take you a bit of time and a lot of energy. It's afternoon, so I don't mean rest as in sleep, but maybe you guys wanted to just accustom yourselves to Flipside first, and then get something to eat, and by then it'll be late, so you can spend the night here and trounce people in the morning?" Merlon said.

Before they had seen Fawful, Peptoad would have politely declined Merlon's offer, because he would have hated standing around while Fawful could have been getting tortured. But now he saw the Fawful was okay, and a day off wouldn't hurt them.

"Alright." Peptoad said. "I'm going out for lunch. Who's with me?"

"I am." Ludwig agreed.

"Me too!" Bowser Jr. exclaimed.

"I guess I'll go." said Morgan.

And so, the four adventurers left… to have lunch. How epic.

"Mmm, Saffron makes amaaaazing soup!" Morgan grinned, after polishing off a bowl of Saffron's Spicy Soup.

The other three nodded and finished their soup as well.

"So… Morgan. You never told us how you knew all that stuff." Ludwig said, after giving his bowl back to Saffron. "Like you knew Peptoad's name. And how we wanted to get to the alternate dimension. How did you know? It couldn't have been simple logic."

"Well, no." Morgan admitted. "Actually, it was because I was told all of that stuff… because I used to be one of Dimentio's brainwashed minions, too. Just like Fawful and the Mario bros."

"No way!" Bowser Jr. gasped.

"I escaped." Morgan continued, "I can't remember how I did it. I can't remember much of anything. All I can remember is being lifted from my brainwashed state with the information about you guys. I don't even know how that's possible. But it was, and I was glad I could help."

"Do you remember anything about whatever or whoever stopped the brainwashing?" asked Peptoad.

"Only two things." sighed Morgan. "A big white top hat… and a rainbow."

Count Bleck was angry.

No. Not angry. Livid.

He had just found out that Dimentio was trying to take over the world again. It just made him so angry to think that Dimentio had once been his minion. And now he was trying to take over the world?

"I'm going to stop him, Timpani." he told Tippi.

"Blumiere, no. Please don't. You know how dangerous Dimentio is. We both know." Tippi pleaded.

"Then don't come with me." Bleck replied smoothly.

They had ended up heading to Castle Bleck together. Tippi was grudging, but she wanted to make sure Count Bleck was safe. So she followed him.

"Why do you even care that Dimentio's back?" the rainbow butterfly Pixl asked. "You don't have to stop him, you know. Mario will. Or someone."

Count Bleck stopped in his tracks, glaring at Tippi's small-mindedness.

"Timpani, think about that girl." he snapped. "The Magikoopa girl. A girl so young… seriously, she must not have been more than ten or eleven! If there are more like her, more brainwashed children, we can't just do nothing if we know about it!"

"Blumiere, we reversed the brainwashing on the girl. She's fine."

"I'm not just talking about her." Bleck growled. "There are probably others. Children. Just like her."

He started walking again. Tippi sighed and followed him.

Just as he was about to demand to be let inside, he saw four small figures approaching the castle from the direction of Saffron's place.

One of them was a Toad. Bleck chuckled. He hadn't seen a Toad since he had brought Bowser and Peach back from Bowser's castle-Count Bleck did not like to think of his 'dark days'- and he realized that this Toad must have come a long way.

Two of the others were Koopas. They both had a striking resemblance to Bowser himself, so Count Bleck decided that they must be Bowser's sons.

The fourth Count Bleck recognized immediately, and with a jolt. It was the Magikoopa girl they had saved.

They were heading back to Castle Bleck, so… had she crawled back to Dimentio, or had she been kidnapped? Or brainwashed again?

So many questions, thought Count Bleck. The best thing to do was ask.

Morgan was shocked when Count Bleck approached them. Not because it was a blue dude with a multicoloured cape, no legs, and a bug on his head. No, it was because this duo was so obviously her saviours.

Count Bleck had the big white top hat. And Tippi was the rainbow.

"You're the one who saved me." Morgan said.

Count Bleck nodded. "I thought you might have been brainwashed again, but if you still remember that we reversed the brainwashing, then you're not. But… why are you going back?"

"His friend's been kidnapped." Morgan gestured to Peptoad. "We're going to rescue him."

"But…" Count Bleck stammered, "You're kids… all four of you."

"I'm not a kid." Ludwig replied.

"Are you over eighteen?"

"Almost…"

"Well then you are a kid!" Count Bleck exclaimed. And then added, "Ranted Count Bleck with fury…"

"Fury…" repeated Peptoad. And then he remembered. "Listen, Mr. Top Hat or whatever your name is, my friend has been brainwashed and we could really use you and your rainbow buggy's help to save him…?"

"Rainbow buggy!" scoffed Tippi.

Count Bleck silenced her with a warning look. "Alright. We'll help you."

Morgan smiled up at Count Bleck. "Thanks, Mr. Top Hat."

Count Bleck didn't bother to tell them that his name was actually Bleck. He just went along with them toward Castle Bleck.

Four had become six, but could six save the day?

Fawful had returned to Castle Bleck, where Dimentio was waiting with high hopes.

"Have you destroyed them?" asked Dimentio.

"They escaped." Fawful said, but he was grinning widely. "Into Flipside, and they are coming here!"

Dimentio clapped. "Yessss… The real ultimate show is coming up…"

And then he turned to Fawful. "Aren't I the most powerful master you've ever had, Fawful? Better than that hag, Cackletta?"

Fawful blinked. Something had clicked in his brain.

"Cackletta…" he repeated under his breath.

And then he remembered her. His precious mistress. Who he had cherished… until stupid Mario and Luigi had… had…

Killed her.

Memories started pouring into his brain so fast that Fawful felt like he was drowning in them. He remembered everything.

The brainwashing had been annulled.

Fawful was a genius at facial expressions, so he was able to keep a very straight face when inside, he was bursting with fury at Dimentio.

"So?" Dimentio asked. "Aren't I better than her?"

"Yes." Fawful managed through gritted teeth.

"Ahaha! That old witch was weaker than a bag of Goombas!" Dimentio purred.

But as soon as his words reached Fawful's ears, Fawful snapped.

"CACKLETTA WAS NOT A HAG! MY MISTRESS WAS AMAZING!" Fawful screamed in Dimentio's face.

Dimentio blinked, his smile faltering. "Ah. I see that the mention of your old master has brought you out of your trance. How are you, then? How do you feel?"

"Full of FURY!"

And Dimentio readied a ball of darkness in his gloved hands. Fawful grinned and called, "Fawful bets that you are regretting giving him the headgear of darkness and evilness now!"

But as soon as his words were out of his mouth, Dimentio fired the ball. It didn't come close to Fawful. Instead, it broke down the door and continued on its way.

"Hah! Miss!" Fawful cackled. "Missed me, missed me, now you've got to kiss- uh, nothing!"

"I wasn't aiming for you." Dimentio laughed softly.

"Wha?" Fawful looked through the door and saw, just outside of the castle, and saw Peptoad and the group.

"Oh, no." Fawful muttered.

The group had nearly gotten into the castle when the ball of darkness whizzed up to them.

With various yells and screams, the group dove out of its path. But the darkness hit the ground, and…

Crack.

Before any of them could do anything, the earth split into two. And four of them fell inside.

Bowser Jr. and Ludwig did not fall in.

"We'll get help." Ludwig hissed, and the two of them ran away.

Meanwhile, the other four were falling. Tippi went inside Count Bleck's hat, knowing he could float, but gravity was hard on him and he could not.

Morgan was wishing she had brought her broom. She couldn't fly without it.

Peptoad was just falling, with the same sickening sensation as he had felt when Fawful had dropped him. But worse, because this time, there was no Fawful to save him, and it was a much harder, longer drop…

All of a sudden, the floor was nearing, and Morgan yelled, "Oh, of course!" She grabbed her wand, and yelled a spell.

A huge web appeared at the bottom of the chasm. When the four heroes fell onto it, they stuck fast.

"Well, that was close." grinned Morgan.

"Okay… yeah, it was." Peptoad sighed. "Now what? How do we get out?"

"Blumiere can fly us out!" Tippi had come out of Bleck's hat.

"Really, Mr. Top Hat?" asked Morgan excitedly.

"Not really. I'm stuck to the web!" Count Bleck groaned.

Morgan made the web disappear. The four fell the few inches to the ground.

"Oh. Thanks." Count Bleck replied.

He put Tippi back in his hat, and grabbed both Peptoad and Morgan by the backs of their shirts.

"Up we go!" he yelled, and he flew upward.

Fawful had been watching them fall in with some regret. He badly wanted to go help, but Dimentio was watching him intently, waiting for the Beanish boy to make a move.

He knew it was a long drop down to the bottom of the chasm, into the Toad Town Tunnels. To his mind, Peptoad and Peptoad's friends must have been dead. Which brought him grief and even more fury.

"Ahahaha." Dimentio laughed.

But then, Count Bleck burst from the crack. Morgan and Peptoad jumped out of his grasp.

Peptoad noticed Fawful. But he didn't call out, knowing that Fawful had been brainwashed.

"Peptoad! It's me!" Fawful called, recognizing the look on Peptoad's face.

Peptoad brightened immediately. "You're back!"

He, Morgan, and Count Bleck rushed inside.

"Ahaha. The ultimate show is here…" Dimentio grinned.

He raised his hands high above his head and yelled, "Cackletta! COME!"

There was a sudden windstorm that whirled around the room. It made Count Bleck's hat come off, Tippi inside. The Count rushed after the fleeing hat, leaving Peptoad, Morgan, and Fawful to watch as the spirit of Cackletta formed above Dimentio's head.

Fawful dropped to the ground. He felt lightheaded. His mistress was back. Her spirit was alive. But it was being controlled by Dimentio.

"What is your bidding, master?" Cackletta asked, and hearing her familiar voice again made Fawful call up, "Mistress Cackletta! Your toady Fawful has missed you so!"

"Who is this bean?" asked Cackletta snappishly.

The realization that he was so close to his mistress again, but she no longer knew him, made Fawful burst into tears.

Peptoad stood in front of the weeping Fawful protectively, although, he knew, even a crying Fawful was ten times more powerful than him.

"Destroy these fools!" Dimentio yowled.

Cackletta sent bolts of black electricity at the three.

Morgan hurriedly sent bursts of magic at the bolts, but Cackletta's projectiles simply swallowed up Morgan's.

Just as the two were about to be hit, two bolts of the same energy came from behind the heroes.

The two bolts collided, and exploded into tiny shards of blackness.

Count Bleck floated up above Peptoad and Morgan's heads.

"I'll handle the hag." he growled.

"No." Fawful said, standing up and readjusting his glasses. "Fawful will handle his old mistress. Because Fawful knows Mistress Cackletta is gone for good. She will never come back, and that is the way it has to be!"

And without a second thought, or another word in edgewise, Fawful pressed a button on his headset.

"What are you doing?" snapped Dimentio.

A large mouth atop what seemed like a periscope came out of the top of Fawful's headgear. He pushed another button, and…

…the headgear started to suck up Cackletta's soul.

"No!" Cackletta and Dimentio screamed at the same time.

But Fawful's machine was quicker: it sucked up the soul, leaving Dimentio to stand alone.

"Ahaha." Dimentio growled.

"You betrayed me!" Count Bleck yelled. "And… for that…"

He held out his jewel-topped sceptre and shot out a beam of dark light.

Dimentio did nothing to stop him. Perhaps he was just too slow. But the beam hit him, and he disappeared.

But not after firing one last sphere of dark energy.

The energy hit the headgear, blasting it right off of Fawful's head. It hit the wall and smashed to smithereens.

And the soul of Cackletta seeped out.

Fawful stood back, wide-eyed, as Cackletta straightened up, looked right at him, and spoke.

"Fawful." she said.

Fawful blinked. And then he raced to her. "Mistress Cackletta!" he cried.

"There, there." Cackletta smiled, patting him with her ghostly hand.

"Mistress Cackletta! I am your toady again! I will be here, ready, to obey your every command!" he screamed, forgetting his opinion that Cackletta should stay in the Underwhere.

"Oh, but Fawful, I have to go." Cackletta replied.

"B-But… you remember me! You know who you are! We can take over kingdoms again! Okay, maybe not, since we're good now. But… why don't you stay? Please?"

"Fawful, I can't stay."

"Y-Y-Yes, you can!" Fawful's eyes were wet again. "I'll miss you!"

"Fawful, remember what I told you that day when you were young." she replied gently.

"It always gets better." Fawful said doubtfully.

Cackletta looked at him expectantly.

"Oh." Fawful said.

"It will get better, Fawful. You'll be fine , I promise."

"I'll be alone."

"You're among friends right now." Cackletta reminded him, smiling.

And she disappeared.

Count Bleck was watching with some holding back emotion. He knew exactly how Fawful felt.

Peptoad and Morgan both had perfect O mouths, kind of comically.

"Wow." Peptoad said finally. "That was… really sweet."

Just then, Mario and Luigi, finally free of their brainwashing, came in.

"Oh, look, Luigi!" Mario exclaimed. "It's Count Bleck! And Tippi… and Fawful."

"Hey, what are we, dead meat?" asked Morgan.

"Way to ruin a great reunion." Peptoad said, elbowing her.

"Oops." Morgan grinned.

Just then, Bowser Jr. and Ludwig ran in.

"What did we miss?" asked Ludwig.

"I have chortles!" Fawful smiled.

A few days later, everyone was at home, safe and sound. It was a sunny day. The Bros were busy at home, eating lots of pizza and spaghetti. The Koopas were grounded by Bowser for ten thousand years (rather illogically) and Peptoad was teaching Fawful some basic piano.

"I will write a song called, 'Cackletta!'" Fawful exclaimed.

Peptoad grinned. The life of adventure was not for him. But sometimes, once and a while, it was pretty fun, as long as he was with his friends.

En