"Another beer Garson."
Mario slurred, head lying sideways on Garson's counter-top.
"I told ya, Mr. Red-poster. We only serve milk."
"And I told you- red was my thing first but fine. Just get me drunk."
"Drunk on dairy products? You're already their man."
Garson turned his back to Mario and went towards the bar-shelf to pour another glass of milk. Mario swore as he tried to drink away his sorrows to no avail. Despite mimicking a drunken state, he could not get properly wasted on lactose alone. Garson had no qualms about helping him try though, the bartender's pockets were already fifty coins richer. Returning from the bar-shelf Garson dropped the glass of milk on the counter, and in turn, Mario placed another ten coins in his hand.
"You're pretty chill, for Red's imposter man. It makes me want to tell you a story."
"Please don't."
Mario groaned, taking another sip of his milk.
"Nah bro, I insist. It's on me. Now sit down and let me tell you a tale."
Mario slammed his head down on the counter and sighed.
"Now today's tale is called, 'The Ancients Playground'."
Garson pulled out a book from his other pocket, flipping the pages back towards the beginning. He looked down at the words and began to read the story.
The Ancients Playground
"So yeah, ever heard of The Ancients Playground? It's where the children of a tribe called the Ancients played! I'm one of them by the way although they left me behind cause I was a little slow! They had seven doors that led to seven different worlds filled with quests and challenges designed to help children develop critical thinking skills. I would hold off on sending your kids though. What was easy for 5-year-old, Ancient kids would likely get us both killed! Even the youngest children of the Ancients were miles beyond us in strength and intelligence, and entertainment for their young included among other things, facing off against a giant robot dragon that shot fire!"
Mario's head tilted up, genuinely curious now.
"Does the dragon still shoot fire?"
He mumbled, looking towards Garson.
"What? Are you asking if the dragon still shoots fire? How would I know?! It's been thousands of years since the Ancients were here. My guess is unless someone changed the coal reserves recently probably no. Anyway, why do you care? Aren't you a little old to play on the playground?"
Mario gave a bitter laugh.
"Probably, but two unappreciative assholes want me to find the real 'man in red' because I'm the only one who can cross the easiest playground world."
"Well, are you going to do it?"
Mario pushed his milk glass to the side.
"Of course, I am. It's what I do. I just… don't feel like going right now. My brother and lover are missing and… I don't know what to do."
Garson frowned.
"I thought the rumors said you were a hero who constantly saved people? Why can't you just save them now? "
Mario groaned.
"Ahh, it's complicated Garson, it… no one was really in danger most of the time. It's hard to-"
"Mario!"
The man in red turned around to see Tippi fly towards him.
"Please...look I.. we need your help!"
Mario sighed, giving one look at Garson before heading towards Tippi.
The newest minion of Count Bleck was sleeping soundly in his room just to hear the creak of a door. Having amnesia, he knew little about himself but being awoken so easily had at least informed him he was a light sleeper. Meanwhile, his head was pounding. Despite getting a good amount of rest his brain was still threatening to blow up and die. All the more torn between feigning sleep or not, he opted to remain still as several pairs of footsteps approached his bed.
"Blehem, I would like to introduce you to our fifth minion."
The voice he heard was quite distinct, clearly the Count's. The man spoke in a whisper, still believing that he was asleep. While he had not been at Castle Bleck for long, something about the Count's voice gave him a feeling of safety. It was odd as he barely knew the man but still, he found himself grateful.
"He look'z sh'amazing Count!"
He frowned as he didn't recognize the second voice. Perhaps this man was part of his new family? His accent was a lot different than the Count's. Was this man taken in as well? Either way, the new man sounded friendly enough. Surely they would get along all right once his head stopped searing like burning flames.
"I wanta name him Countie!"
If he wasn't feigning sleep, he would have raised an eyebrow. While he was quite content with being named by others, he had not expected a little girl to be part of the process. She was a little too 'junior' for that to say the least. A part of him even feared, he would be given a ridiculous name like 'Princess Periwinkle', or 'Sparkles'. Hopefully, the Count would veto anything truly outrageous though. He couldn't imagine being named like he was another one of the little girl's toys.
"How r'a bout Lewie'g?"
The man beside the Count piped in. Even with his thick accent, he could tell the man probably had said 'Lewie'. Honestly, it wasn't a bad name.
"Mmm, Count Bleck isn't so sure..."
For some reason, Count Bleck appeared nervous about the name but he wasn't sure why. Maybe he just didn't like it?
"Oh I know, I know!"
The little girl's voice rose a little. Count Bleck or the other man apparently noticed because he heard a loud 'shuuush' echo through the room.
"We should call him Lilly."
The words 'Nope' 'Nope' and 'Nope' played like a circus taking place inside his head. He was about to reveal his ruse for the sake of saving his dignity only to hear the Count and the other man both pipe in with a hard 'no'. Honestly, he was thankful that despite being mere strangers, two men in this castle already had his back.
"I'm sorry I was a bit rough with you during the warp, but you really shouldn't have called me weak much less refer to me as a bitch."
Mario shrugged, not wishing to say anything else that could cause conflict.
"Oh thank grambi, Tippi. I was worried we'd lost our chance of saving the world forever."
Merlon said, breathing a sigh of relief upon seeing Mario and Tippi return to him.
"Now let's try this again."
Merlon pulled out a heart-shaped object from his pocket. It's red hue shimmering brightly again, as it twirled in Merlon's palm.
"Mario, will you take this pure heart, and put it in the pillar, so a door opens for you to bring the hero of light to us so he can save the world?
Mario gave a nod, taking the pure heart from Merlon's hands.
"Great! Now run along and put that heart in the pillar. I have some errands to take care of and will be gone awhile but I should be back long after you inform Red, it's time to leave his home."
Merlon headed off into town leaving Mario and Tippi behind.
Dimentio solemnly tended to the cuts on his wrists, having awoken a few hours after the 'incident with the man in green. He was still a bit shaken, to say the least. The tortuous pain lining the inside of Mr. L's soul had been a bit more intense than anticipated. It was almost like someone threw a chainsaw right through his side.
Never again.
He sighed, as he applied shroom extracts to the cuts.
All things considered, Nastasia was likely suffering worse than he was, assuming she had lived.
While he had spent several millennia in physical and mental combat, Nastasia herself was a mere secretary. A brilliant one, but a secretary nevertheless. Even with her powers of hypnosis, she knew little of the realities of war on the mental plane.
His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door.
"Dimentio?"
Ahh, so she did survive the reckoning.
He called her into his room, slightly relieved she did not succumb to Luigi's mental agony.
Several years before~
"Grambi above why did you have to curse me?"
Nastasia spoke, as she cried on her bed. Even with Count Bleck's kindness allowing her to take a new form, she still failed to be rid of the abomination that marked her body.
She buried her head into her pillow.
The Count was such a kind man to provide her with the job of being his assistant, but she still did not understand why he would choose someone as flawed and inexperienced as her.
"He must pity me."
She whispered.
Sure, she had prepped piles upon piles of notes to guide her on her day to day responsibilities in the castle, neatly organizing them all swiftly into a binder. And for the whole day, she took in every word Count Bleck had said about how to perform her tasks. And while he seemed pleased with her willingness to learn, and thanked her for her help endlessly, she could not help but struggle to believe in herself.
Nastasia then raised her head, looking towards the window.
She knew Castle Bleck itself, was a land surrounded in physical darkness. A haven for those who had lost their way. A blessing for freaks and misfits who could never find solace in an increasingly judgmental world. He had promised her that in only a few years, they'd all be able to start again. She knew this time was coming soon, as the newest heir of the Dark Prognosticus had arrived today.
"But would he really accept her?"
Nastasia wondered just to hear a knock.
Hesitantly she wiped the tears out of her eyes and went to open the door.
"Ahh Nastasia, Count Bleck would like to introduce you to the heir of the Dark Prognosticus!"
She watched as a short man with a black and white mask floated forward.
"Pleased to meet you, my dear! Master of Dimension's strangler of crowds, I am Dimentio, the Dark Prognosticus's soon to be king!"
Count Bleck chuckled softly.
"K- Welcome to Castle Bleck Dimentio."
Nastasia adjusted her glasses attempting as best as she could to remain professional.
"As the Count's Assistant, if you have anything you need done-"
Before she could finish, Dimentio had motioned the Count away, casually closing the door and plopping himself on the bed in her room.
"Ahahaha, never have I been more relieved to finally be able to breathe!"
With shocked eyes, Nastasia watched as Dimentio casually threw his mask on her dresser. She blinked a few times, making sure the prescription made for her glasses was still right.
"I err- thought."
Nastasia stumbled on her words.
Dimentio smirked.
"You are correct my dear ahaha!"
Nastasia's eyes lit up in realization.
"So you do know?"
Dimentio chuckled.
"Forgive me darling, but I can be very observant. On all the small details, and especially the little things."
Nastasia quivered nervously.
"You can rest easy dear, I showed you my face because it's only fair. After all, like the north and south pole, we are one in ways one and the same."
Nastasia felt a breath of relief flow through her.
"Truly, you did quite well though. As well as anyone could in the world we live in. It's not like the flipsonians have any desire to help us pass in this world more easily ahaha. Especially when people like us are the minority."
Dimentio shrugged his shoulders.
"Alas, our reality is one we can never truly change."
Nastasia gave a soft nod.
"So you won't say a word?"
"Of course! As long as you promise to do the same."
"K- then."
She sighed, still not quite thrilled with this.
It wasn't exactly the worst thing in the world to happen to her but really, she didn't like to be reminded of the small things that couldn't be changed.
Still, Dimentio seemed peculiarly calm about the matter.
It was with a bizarre irony, for with him being the heir to the Dark Prognosticus, the man was very well putting himself at more risk than her.
This failed to stop him from laying back on her bed though, claiming it like it was his all along.
He seemed way too content.
~Grambi he looks so young~
Nastasia couldn't help but think as she watched him.
A part of her wondered if maybe he was.
Perhaps her time with the heir would go smoothly after all.
Present Day
"Are you ready Mario?"
Mario nodded, reaching for the door handle. He looked towards Tippi, glancing over at her fragile exterior.
"I'm sorry Tippi but I can't let you follow me."
Before Tippi could react Mario took a deep breath and blew hard with his lungs, a trick one of his old companions had taught him many years ago. Tippi flapped her wings but ultimately the air Mario blew out was strong and she was blown back, leaving the 2D world and reemerging in the third dimension. Mario rushed through the door soon after, slamming the entrance shut without another word.
Author's Note -
Redid the Dimentio and Nastasia scene after hearing a good critique. I looked it over again and realized it could have been written a lot better than it was.
I think the final product came out a lot better now as I realized there were a few things in the previous version I really should have explained better.
Still feel free to always let me know if something is problematic.
I have no problem with feedback. Not saying, I will agree with every criticism but I will definitely correct anything that is genuinely problematic. I have mild aspergers so the way I word things doesn't always come out the best, so help with that is always appreciated.