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Author's Note:

Second Chapter of the week.

Enjoy :)

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Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the story idea and any OCs.

Chapter 37:
The Jester Behind the Count

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"Luigi, Count...Look out!"

There was only time for a warning. Nastasia used her own body to shield Luigi and the Count from a sphere attack. Upon impact, she fell unconscious to the ground from the fatal blow.

"Nastasia!" Both the Count and Luigi yelled both out of shock and fear.

"Silly assistant! Absorbing my attack to protect him? What an adorably hopeless gesture."

Everyone looked up to see Dimentio causally floating toward them until he stop above the Chaos Heart.

"I was about to give him the everlasting peace he so desperately wants!"

"Dimentio!" Luigi exclaimed in anger.

"You're... alive?!" said Tippi

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Of course. This is my moment." said the jester. "Even if the count dies, the Chaos Heart won't disappear if I continue to control it! But I needed the power of the Pure Hearts to beat him...I couldn't do that on my own. So I had you do all of the sweaty labor for me. And you even used your Pure Heart to defeat Count Bleck! If they make greeting cards to thank people for helping with evil plans, I owe you one."

"What are you saying?!" said Tippi.

"I'm saying that you no longer have value to me, so I'm ending your games." He smirked. "They're all yours, Mr. L!"

The magician snapped his fingers and Luigi jumped. Without him realizing it, he started walking towards the Chaos Heart.

"Huh?!" He said confusingly. He didn't know what he was doing. "Uh...Oh... AAAACK! Why am I flapping my arms! Oh, this...This isn't good!"

Dimentio snapped his finger again and a floro spout appeared on top of Luigi's head. Seconds later, Luigi's bright color clothes started to melt away, revealing a familiar darker theme underneath. His bright green shirt and dark blue overalls turn out to really be a pure black jumpsuit with two gold buttons and a brown belt. His white gloves was actually grey as well as his brown shoes. His light green cap turned into a dark green color with a black background and a reversed 'L'. To finish off the transformation, a matching dark green bandanna appeared around his neck and a black mask covered over his eyes, hiding his identity as effectively as it did before.

"I AM MR.L!" Even though the voice sounded confidence, you can still see the fear and unwillingness in Luigi's frighten eyes. "Master Dimentio...what is your bidding?"

"When...did this happen?!" Bowser asked. Even though he expected Luigi to be a spy, he never guessed that the Green Wonder was actually the Green Thunder in disguise. None of the heroes did.

"When I sent Luigi here," Dimentio explained. "I planted a seed in the fertile soil of his unconscious...And now that seed has sprouted spectacularly!"

"Dimentio," Mario stepped up. "you let my brother go right now!"

The jester simply laughed at his demand. "Sorry, man in red, but the man in green is the key to destruction of all worlds."

"What!?" The jester can't be telling the truth. Luigi couldn't possible destroy all worlds… could he?

"Don't believe me? Then allow me to demonstrate." Dimentio held up the Chaos Heart. "Mr. L...Run along now and get ready for your big entrance."

Luigi, now being called Mr. L, nodded and walked away. Count Bleck painfully reached out to his passing son but he was too weak to help him.

"Now...Ladies and gentlemen...Get ready for the greatest magic show you'll ever see!"

Dimentio tossed the Chaos Heart into the air where it created a large black hole. To everyone's horror, Luigi jumped right into it with the Chaos Heart in tow. From the combination of both Luigi and the Chaos Heart, something was made from it.

This... thing that was created was quite large. It had a white collar, Dimentio's jester-styled clothing, and Luigi's boots and gloves. To make matters worse, this fiendish creation also had Luigi's head.

"GREEEEEEN!"

"LUIGI?!" The others said shock and afraid of what had just become of their friend.

"The Dark Prognosticus says he's the ideal host for the power of the Chaos Heart." Dimentio explained. "And now I'm going to add my own power to this spicy little concoction."

"No...Stop!" Bleck struggled. His son...He was in danger. He had to save him!

But before he could anything, Dimentio used his magic to teleport him, Tippi, and Nastasia away. "Count Bleck! You looked so tattered and pathetic, I nearly forgot about you. I'll squeeze the life out of you later. Just wait over in that dimension, OK? Great."

Dimentio floated over to the creature's head. It opened its mouth and swallow Dimentio. There was a quick flash and the creature smiled.

"Now the chaos Heart is mine!" said Dimentio. He was controlling the creature from within. "I will use this to destroy all worlds...and create perfect new ones! So, shall we get started? Now I have all I need...to become the king of all worlds!"

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And thus the real battle begins. Super Dimentio had the first move by extending his large hand to flatten the heroes. Mario and friends avoided the attack by separating into two. Peach and Bowser moved to the right while Mario moved to the left. Besides from Super Dimentio, they also had to evade the secondary attacks made from the smiling platform moving back and forth.

"Mario..." Peach cried out from the other side. "We have to stop him!"

"But...Luigi," The red man hesitated.

"I know; I don't want hurt him too."

"I do," Bowser puffed but Peach simply ignored him.

"But we have to stop Dimentio." She continued. "Besides, I don't think Luigi would want to be use this way."

Mario clenched his fist and look away. He was extremely hesitant to attack Super Dimentio in fear of hurting Luigi, but the Princess was right. If they don't do something soon, Dimentio will destroy all the worlds.

Mario~" said a voice from within him. "Mario~"

He jumped. He could hear him...He could hear his brother voice.

"Luigi...?" He searched around, he sounded close. However, there was no sign of Luigi anywhere. His blue gaze landed on Super Dimentio who was busy attacking the others.

Mario blinked before realizing what was going on. Luigi was using their bond to communicate with him from within Super Dimentio. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate strictly on their link.

~ Luigi ~ He replies back. ~ What's wrong, little brother? ~

~Dimentio~ Mario could sense he was struggling. He was trying to fight back. ~He's too strong…I can't stop him alone ~

~You don't have to~ Mario replies bravely ~ Just tell me what I have to do ~

~You have to fight him~ He replies. ~Please, it's the only way~

Mario hesitated. ~I…don't want to hurt you ~

~I know~ Luigi replies softly ~And you won't…I promise I'll be alright… Just stop Dimentio~

~…Okay, I will ~

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Somehow, Peach and Bowser had found themselves with their backs up against the wall. Super Dimentio was towered over them, ready to end their games once and for all. No surprising, Bowser was standing right in front of Peach in an effort to protect her from the clown-like puppet monster.

Super Dimentio bent his knees and jump into the air, much like Luigi's Super Jump. Before Bowser and Peach could do anything, they were suddenly grab and disappeared just seconds before they could be squash. They reappear on the other side, saved by Mario and his flip ability.

"You guys okay," He asked them.

"I'm fine," "I'll live," They reply.

Mario nodded and turned back to their opponent. "Alright guys, get ready,"

Bowser puffed. "You sure you want to hurt Greenie?"

Mario gave him a glance and smirk. "Luigi will be fine; we just have to worry about Dimentio."

The koopa king shrugged. "Works for me,"

Without much of a word, Bowser charged at Dimentio. Mario went after him, followed by Peach. Mario climbed up the smiling moving platforms, avoiding the beams they were tossing at him. Once he made it to the top, he aimed his jump on Super Dimentio only to get push back by a force field.

"What the…" Mario said in surprise. However, he quickly remembered what had happened last time. "Oh, that's right. The Chaos Heart is protecting him."

The other tried their luck on the creature but it was no use. None of their attack where getting through. Dimentio laugh at their feeble attempts.

"Ah ha ha ha. I am now invincible! There is nothing you can do! And now it is time for the destruction to begin…Let it begin ith you, as you wallow in helplessness like upside-down turtles! L – Power!"

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Back in Flopside, on top of Flopside Tower, Merlon and Nolren stood in front of the big black door that leads to Castle Bleck. As they stood, all of Flopside started to shake.

"The worlds tremble…" said Merlon "Has the end finally come?"

Nolren commented. "…How unfortunate."

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Count Bleck, Tippi, and an unconscious Nastasia were all being held in Dimension D, where Dimentio had sent them to be dealt with later. Count Bleck was checking on Nastasia while Tippi flustered impatiently. They knew that the worlds were ending, and she desperately wanted to escape so she could help the others.

"We have to do something!" said Tippi. "We have to save Mario and the others!"

Count bleck turn to her. "We cannot." He said hopelessly. "Without the Pure Hearts, there is no way to counter the Chaos Heart. All we can do is give up…"

"What are you SAYING?! You promised we would find happiness together! Was that all just a lie?!"

He shook his head. "It was no lie...But without the Pure Hearts, all worlds are doomed. What can we do?"

Tippi fluttered over to him and push him as hard as she could. "Blumiere! Snap out of it! How can you think it would end here, after all we have suffered without each other? We found each other again because we stayed alive...How can you admit defeat?! I will not! I will not give up! You promise we'd find happiness. You PROMISED!"

"That's right Count!"

Count look up just as Mimi and O'Chunks appeared in the dimension with them. "My minions...How did you find us here?"

"Gosh, I could follow your big smile anywhere, Count!" said Mimi

"Ah, she lies like a wee rug, this lass!" said Chunks "Nastasia told us, Count! She said you'd come 'ere...Or...She said she FELT you'd be here...or somethin' along those lines."

Count Bleck turned to the unconscious Nastasia. "Nastasia..."

"Talk about goin' the extra mile! She even sacrificed 'erself the save yeh! Lissen, Count, I promised me life as well, an' I'm ot afraid teh live up the it! So...Yeh gotta let me 'elp!"

"Yeah! I mean, there's no WAY Dimentio's getting away with this!" Mimi said upset. "He pulled a really dirty trick on you, but we'll always stick by your side!"

Count Bleck tilted his hat over his eyes. "My...My loyal minions..."

Sudden the eight darken pure hearts appeared above them and return to their original colors.

"Hmm...What's this?" said Bleck "Pure...Heart?! But why?"

"Isn't it obvious, Blumiere?" said Tippi. "Pure Hearts are the very feelings of our souls. As long as we feel love, they live on!" She flew in the center of the Pure Hearts. "I will take these to Mario!"

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Back with the battle against Super Dimentio, Mario and friends were at their wit end. With the Chaos Heart protecting him, they cannot harm Dimentio in any sort of way. However, even with the odds of success against them, they refuse to give up.

"Hmph…Let's stop wasting time and finish this, shall we?" said Dimentio. "Ciao!"

Suddenly there was a flash. "What?! What's going on?!"

The Pure Hearts appeared around him. "NO! The Pure Hearts?! I thought you wasted them all fighting Count Bleck!"

There was a flash and his invinciblity disappeared. "What's...happening?! I'm not invincible anymore..."

~Luigi…what's going on?~ Mario asked through their bond.

~Dimentio's strength…it's weakening~ Luigi replies. ~The Pure Hearts…They counteract with the Chaos Heart~

There was another flash and suddenly the heroes had fully recovered from their injuries.

"Now's our chance..." said Tippi who appeared behind them. "The Pure Hearts have given us power! Let's get him!"

"Tippi! You might be right." said Bowser. "C'mon, let's jump him!"

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Ending Note:

Results from question:

Before - 3

After - 4

Undecided - 3

My answer to my question - After doing some thinking, I have decided that Dimentio planted the Floro Sprout after he fought with Luigi. It makes more sense that he killed him first to get rid of Nastasia's influence then put the seed on him while he was unconscious. (The game didn't really make it all that clear in my opinion.)

Anyway, thanks everyone for your reviews.

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Countdown to the End - 3

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Review Please :)