EDIT from 4/15/2020: Made some edits to make the chapter flow better and also added some stuff around the middle of the chapter to bridge a gap in the game plot.
Chapter 13: Reset
Dimentio went downstairs that morning, trying to clear his head. He still wondered about Mr. L, who lost consciousness yesterday during lunch. Something inside him knew that it was because he told him the truth. What did this mean moving forward? Was he going to be alright? He jumped when he saw him sitting on the couch, reading a book. "L?"
Mr. L looked up, then went back to his book. "Oh. Hey, Dimentio. What's up?" He didn't seem offended or angry. In fact, it was like they never fought at all.
Dimentio sat down next to him. "You passed out yesterday. I was wondering if you're feeling alright."
The mechanic's eyes widened. He put down his book and stared at Dimentio with traces of both shock and confusion. "I passed out?" The jester nodded. Mr. L rubbed his head, getting a concentrated look on his face. Finally, he said, "I mean, I don't really remember that much about it, but if I'm feeling okay now, then it couldn't have been too awful..."
The magician grinned. 'Well, that's good."
The man in green shrugged. "Yeah. I guess. Why do you care?" His tone was still neutral.
Dimentio sat down on the couch with him. "I was just wanting to make sure my dear friend is alright."
Mr. L laughed. "I'd say we're more acquaintances, but okie-dokie. Whatever you say, Dimentio."
Dimentio chuckled. Acquaintances. "Ahaha! You're so amusing. Say, you aren't still mad, are you?"
"About what?"
"Our fight the other day."
Mr. L shrugged. "Same with what I said about passing out, I suppose. You couldn't have said anything too hurtful. We're still friends."
"Ha-ha. Very, very funny! You mean to tell me you can't remember anything that what was said?"
The mechanic opened his book back up and returned his attention to reading. "No. Not really."
The magician froze, staring at Mr. L. The man in green spoke as if they were acquaintances or even new friends at best. Even worse than that, he didn't appear to resent Dimentio at all. As if he didn't remember what was said. "You're serious?" He asked. Mr. L nodded. Dimentio felt his eyes grow wide. "Mr. L..."
He looked up. "Hmm? What is it?"
Slowly, he asked, "Have you met with Nastasia recently?"
"Well, yeah. Last night. I had a bad dream."
It was true then. Dimentio bit his lip, watching his former love with a pained expression. "Oh, L..."
The man in green finally seemed to notice that something was wrong. He blinked. Setting his book back down, he whispered, "Dimentio? You okay?"
The jester stared. No. No, he couldn't accept this. He moved even closer to Mr. L and took his hand. The man in green gasped and looked down their hands with wide eyes. That made the other man's heart swoon. Maybe he would love Luigi if he met him. Maybe he wouldn't. After all, Luigi could never capture what Mr. L alone seemed to have. Dimentio grabbed his shirt collar and gave him a kiss on the mouth.
This version of Mr. L put up with it for a few seconds before pushing Dimentio away. He stared with shock and surprise, cheeks burning a light shade of red. "D-Dimentio, w-what are you doing?"
The magician was silent, sweat trailing down the side of his face. That was more or less the same reaction that Mr. L had the first time, although he was even more surprised than before. He knew in his heart that he could take the same actions, say the same words, and get the same outcome. The difference would be that Dimentio meant it this time.
There were only two major problems. First, everyone would look at Mr. L funny if he went and repeated his reactions to Dimentio's confession. Second, they didn't have nearly as much time as they did before. The magician doubted he could get the man in green back to that complacent, curious state and persuade him to betray the Count. Maybe he could tell him who he really was right here and now?
No...There was only one choice now. One chance to try and make their twisted romance work.
Dimentio took a deep breath and made a decision, forcing himself to laugh. "I-I was just pulling a prank! Ahaha!"
"Dimentio?"
"It's funny! It's a joke!"
Mr. L was confused at first, but he smiled. "Dimentio. If you're gay, I don't care. You don't have to lie to me." He blushed. "I'm actually not straight either. I haven't told anyone yet, but I identify as bisexual. Although I prefer girls over guys..."
Dimentio shook his head. "No, no! I don't love you! I-I was just acting on a dare! I only did it because I was curious!"
His smile faded. The mechanic crossed his arms, staring at his feet. "Oh."
"Yes, but I won't tell anyone your sexuality!" The magician blurted out. Everyone knows, you fool! Thanks to you. His smile grew a bit too wide.
The man in green rolled his eyes. "Well, you could've just asked." He smirked. "Of course...If you really do have a crush on me, then you have my applause. And a nomination for Most Comedic Confession." He laughed, shaking his head.
Dimentio felt his cheeks growing hot. "Uh..." He pointed at the ceiling. "A distraction!"
Mr. L looked up. "Huh?"
With that, the magician snapped his fingers and disappeared. The man in green looked around, noticing his friend was gone. He sighed and returned to reading his book. "I'll never understand that guy..."
Two days later, Dimentio walked around the back of the castle in his true form. The night sky and chilly air wrapped around him, making him feel a bit more focused. He sighed, chewing his nails. He noticed one of his fingers bleeding and licked the blood.
He knew he was supposed to be asleep, but he couldn't stay that way for long. During most of his stay at Castle Bleck, Dimentio had a path and he followed it without fail. Now that Mr. L won his heart, he wasn't sure what to do.
It didn't help that the man in green's personality and relationships reset. According to Mimi, he didn't talk to her much. He greeted her once, but he called her by her real name, as if they never grew close enough for her to have any strange nickname. He also didn't joke with her like before. Needless to say, she felt offended.
Mr. L went back to joking and sparing with O'Chunks, much to the latter's delight. "Between ye and me, I was startin' teh wonder what I was so mad at 'im about..." O'Chunks whispered. "He's a funny lad, though his ego does get a bit inflated. Now that he's talkin' te me again, I feel good. Maybe I can have another shot with 'im..."
Though he never saw this himself, Dimentio was sure how Nastasia fared. She must have given the Count a report about what Mr. L said and how she changed him back into an obedient, perfect minion. He clenched his fists. "Although, I'm sure you neglected to mention that he doesn't remember a thing of our previous relationship..." Dimentio whispered bitterly.
He forced himself to calm down, sighing and stretching. "Then again, he doesn't remember my plan either. Maybe it's for the best. After all, who would ever truly want me anyway?" Dimentio turned, noticing a light on in the garage.
When he went inside, he heard loud snoring. Looking around, he noticed Mr. L asleep at the bottom of his machine's feet. The magician scanned the machine and admitted that Mr. L's progress was admirable. Brobot L-Type was nearly complete, now with hands and small boots of his own. Maybe there was a method to his rapid work schedule after all.
Mr. L shivered, turning over. In a small voice, he whispered, "F-Fratello, n-not yet. We're not ready..."
Dimentio blinked. Why was Mr. L speaking in an Italian accent? Then he remembered. Dimentio walked up to him, stroking his hair. Although he was in the default suit Mimi designed for him, he didn't have his cap or mask in sight. Dimentio also noticed purple bags under his eyes. He stoked his cheek. "I'm sorry. I may not know the real you, but...I love you, my dear Mr. L..."
Next, he picked him up and teleported them to his bedroom. He moved the blankets aside and set him down on his bed gently. Mr. L turned over, muttering to himself. Dimentio chuckled. Who knew what he was dreaming about? He covered him with blankets and kissed him on the forehead.
Mario lead the others through town when they heard a loud rumble. The townspeople stopped what they were doing to look up at the sky. The Void slowly grew wider. Next, the townspeople whispered among themselves with worry. "The Void..." Tippi whispered. "It looks as though it's gotten bigger. We need to open the door to the next world quickly. Let's hurry..."
They passed by Merlon's house. The elderly wizard stood outside his door, noticing them approach. "Oh ho. You're back!" Merlon greeted. "Have you seen the sky lately? The Void continues to grow larger. I imagine that some worlds have already started to decay. I wonder how long our dear Flipside will be spared?"
Tippi gasped. "The Light Prognosticus doesn't say anything about how long we have?"
Merlon sighed. "The Light Prognosticus was only written to counteract the dark one. As such, it's not truly prophetic, so it's hard to say how long we really have. And yet...I feel confident in saying that we do not have much time at all."
The rainbow Pixl looked among Mario and the others. "Well, we can only go forward now. We can't just wait for all worlds to end, can we?"
"Of course you're right, my dear!" Merlon agreed. "I received a message from Norlem recently..It seems that someone on the outskirts of Flopside has spotted a Heart Pillar. As you're no doubt seeking the next Heart Pillar, that is a good place to start. I will go back to the Light Prognosticus to look for clues." Merlon went inside his house.
Bowser sighed. "Great. We gotta find another Heart Pillar. Should we go to the fortune telling lady again?"
"I don't think so. After all, if Flopside is just Flipside switched around, then it has to be somewhere we've already been!" Peach said.
"Either way, let's get going. We've spent too much time here as it is," Mario told them. With that, Tippi and the three heroes continued on their quest to save the world.
It had been difficult to get any work done on Brobot L-Type lately. Mr. L wasn't sure who to blame for this: Nastasia or O'Chunks. Maybe it was the both of them. Maybe everyone was jealous of him for being the best minion and wanted his claim to the title. He knew that last thought was paranoia talking, but if he had to hear O'Chunks sing that dumb song one more time-
Raise your chunks in the air,
As the most debonair of men strides into the room!
Mr. L groaned and set down his screwdriver, looking for something soft to cover his ears. A pillow maybe. However, since he was in the garage, he found no such luck. He knew from past experience that he could only press his hands against his ears so hard.
Springing forth from his lair as his foes all despair,
For Bleck be the name of their doom!
Whooa-OH! That's our Bleck!
Blecky, Bleckity DOOO!
The man in green groaned and left the garage. He went outside to the field in the back of the castle, where he and the ex-general did some sparring from time to time. He found O'Chunks pacing the area. He had stopped singing, now mumbling and stroking his chin. "Now, what teh do fer that last part?"
Mr. L glared. It was only a matter of time before he picked up the song again. "Hey, O'Chunks!" The Scottsman jumped and turned to look at him. The man in green clenched his fists. "Shut the hell up, will you!? How am I supposed to get any work done on Brobot L-Type if you're constantly singing that dumb song!?"
O'Chunks blinked a few times. There were a few seconds of peaceful silence before he tilted his head. "What's Hell?"
The man in green groaned and stomped away from the field. He went back to the garage and shut the door behind him, sighing. He slid his back against the door before he sat on the floor, holding his knees close. Just as he thought O'Chunks would give it a rest, the song came back. Maybe even louder than before.
Mr. L sighed. Maybe he wasn't able to work during the day. But who needed sleep anyway? Sleep was for lying, Light Prognosticus-serving charlatans. Not for the great Green Thunder. With a little extra coffee and some will power, he would be able to push through it. If he had to endure a sleep-deprived haze, body aches, and some irritation, then so be it.
He loved Count Bleck. He loved Nastasia and Mimi and O'Chunks. And even if Dimentio was acting strange and questioning his sexuality for whatever reason, he cared about him too. But there was one person that none of them could replace.
The man in green would do anything to meet the sweet brother of his dreams.
Unfortunately, Mr. L hadn't gotten to see much of Count Bleck. He had been studying the Dark Prognosticus more often and talking to the others less as a result. Still, he eagerly awaited the next meeting when he would get to speak with him again. After getting some more work done during the night, one of the lower class minions told him that Nastasia had finally scheduled a meeting at 2:30 in the afternoon. Once he heard the announcement, the man in green pulled out all the stops to finish Brobot L-Type in time. And yet...It still wasn't enough.
Mr. L took off his helmet, sweating. He grabbed his washcloth and let it fall against his head. Smiling, he checked his watch. "I think we're finished, bro. Only got..." He frowned. It was 2:35. "Wait. The meeting started 5 minutes ago." Mr. L shrugged and leaned back against Brobot L-Type's feet. It took a few seconds for the panic to set in. "5 MINUTES! Oh, Jaydes!" Standing up, the man in green dusted himself off and left the garage.
He ran down the hall, where not many people were for once. He opened the door and stepped inside the meeting room, panting. No one seemed to notice him. Frowning, he cupped his hands around his mouth. "HEY, COUNT!?" With that, he did his super jump, landing calmly on his platform. He didn't see the Count anywhere, but Nastasia stood on her platform, punctual as usual.
He grinned. "My destructive little friend is all gassed up and itching to get back in action." His grin grew when he added, "Yes, Brobot is begging me to take him out! Say the word, and I'll roll out!"
Nastasia stared at him. "Yeah, great enthusiasm, but let's shelve the robot action plan for now, 'kay? The thing is, the Count kinda left specific orders for us to stand by. Got that?"
Mr. L frowned, but didn't say anything. Mimi pouted. "No way! We're just supposed to wait here for that big, mean hero to come get us?"
Apathetic, Mr. L added, "So...The Count doesn't need my services?" He sighed. "Excellent. I'll just be off, then."
Nastasia gasped. "YOU GO NOWHERE! We wait! It's the count's direct order! His word is absolute! Be a good little minion and DO NOT MOVE UNTIL TOLD!" She said with a stomp of her heels. Calmly, she added, "...'Kay? Thanks." With that, she left the meeting room.
Mimi groaned. "But I'm boooooooooored."
The man in green narrowed his eyes, turning to face her. "And Brobot craves his daily smash! I can't just loiter here! There's no action!"
Suddenly, they both heard laughter. "Hard to stay still when you pine for sweet vengeance, isn't it?" That was when Dimentio appeared on his platform.
At the same time, Mr. L and Mimi said his name. "Dimentio!"
"The Count's orders are all absolute, completely without exception, yes?" He stroked his chin, adding, "We shouldn't even dare to think about a secret sneak attack. Perish the thought! Defeating the hero would please the Count greatly, but we MUST follow orders!"
The two other minions looked to one another. Mimi grinned and said sweetly, "Oopsie! I just remembered something real important that I gotta do! Back in a jiffy! Bye!" She teleported out of the room.
Mr. L blinked, turning back to Dimentio. "Yeeaaah. Yeah. I've, uh, got to go deflavorize the Brobot's...uh...Flavorizer." He looked up, noticing that O'Chunks seemed exhausted and wouldn't report anything. Turning back to the magician, Mr. L added, "I'll return once everything's up to code. L-ater, Dimentio!" Next, he left the room. Mr. L looked out at the hall, blinking. He sighed. "Oh, Mimi! Where'd you go?"
That was when she appeared right next to him, smiling brightly. "Hey, L!"
The mechanic smirked, crossing his arms. "So, what's the plan?"
Mimi thought for a moment. "Hmm...I say you use your giant robot to blast him into smithereens! If he really is ready, that is."
"Perfect!" The man in green turned away, thinking. "So...What was that quote in the Light Prognosticus again? At the Duel of the Hundred..."
"HEY!" Mimi interrupted. "What about me?"
"What about you?" Mr. L asked, turning back to face her.
The spider gasped, offended. "Like I said the other day, I haven't had any action in months! You go after me!"
He blinked. "You mean you wanna risk being destroyed into oblivion?"
"I'll only serve as a distraction! I have the power to flip in between dimensions, you know. You can go right after. You know, just in case the heroes survive after the world's been blown up or whatever."
Mr. L sighed. "Okay. That seems fair."
Mimi stepped away from him, looking around. "You think Nassy's heard us?"
He shrugged. "I don't think so. If she did, she'd put us in our rooms, like a mom."
She giggled. "Or lecture us like a school teacher!"
That was when they heard his laughter again. "How terrific!" With that, he made himself visible. Mr. L stared, not at all surprised, as if he had seen this a million times. "Hey, Dimentio."
Mimi jumped. She placed her hands on her hips, frowning. "Dimmy! What the heck!?"
"You two are using similes almost as well as me! Also, can I join in on your mischievous plans?"
The spider stroked her chin. "Hmm...Let me think."
She winked at her fellow minion. At the same time, Mr. L and Mimi said, "No!"
Dimentio snapped his fingers, defeated. "Figures. Well, I'll amuse myself for the time being." He crossed his fingers. "I'm crossing my fingers for you both! I'd bet on you two like an underdog horse entering the race at the last minute!" The two looked to one another and shrugged. After that, they left, talking with one another about their plan.
Dimentio watched them leave. As soon as they were gone, he allowed his fake smile to drop. Sighing, he created a petite ball of flame. He let it stay in his hand for a bit before putting it out. "This will hurt us both a lot, but it's for your own good. Prepare to meet your older brother, my dear..."
I thought about having an edgy breakdown as a response to L breaking up with Dimentio, but I decided that would slow the story down. So, instead of hitting rock bottom for his breaking point, Mr. L reset to factory settings. He could build his relationships with the others again, but that part would take time. Time that Dimentio could not afford. Not that L will forget their relationship entirely by the end of this. ;)
-Colorful and Free
