CHAPTER ELEVEN: EXPOSED
Diddy's eye began to twitch. Deep, uncharacteristic giggles emanated from him. Wario backed away slowly.
"Diddy… what's going on?"
"AAAHHH!" Diddy shrieked as he ran across the room and grabbed onto what little neck Wario had.
"GACK! What – are –you DOING?!"
Nobody moved; they were fixated on Diddy's hands throttling Wario with fury. He was unable to control himself. Wario screamed for help; nobody did anything.
"WHAT IS – GACK – WRONG WITH ALL OF YOU?! GACK – GET HIM OFF OF ME!"
The killer was exposed. He could not contain his anger.
"I… I knew…" Mario said quietly, hardly daring to blink as the victim lost his life. Wario struggled to utter his last words.
"J… Jun… Junior…"
Bowser gasped and leaned in closer.
"He's… he's…"
Wario collapsed, dead. Diddy had strangled him. The killer looked over his shoulder guiltily, his hands still gripping his victim's neck. He suddenly became aware of what he had done. He looked at the body, horrified.

Junior had heard. He gasped; someone HAD heard his calls… Wario knew he was alive! He thumped against the door, yelling and screaming.
"SOMEONE! SOMEONE!" Please… I can't survive in here much longer! Please…"

"I knew it was you all along," said Mario, stepping toward Diddy bravely. "You are the killer. You've revealed yourself."
"But – no! NO!" Diddy screamed, almost in tears. "I'm not the killer!"
"LIAR!" Mario yelled. "YOU JUST KILLED WARIO! WE ALL SAW!"
"But… but…" Diddy broke down crying. "But I didn't mean to!"
Shy Guy scoffed. "Yeah, right. You're not saying you thought we wouldn't see you choking Wario?"
"You're guilty," said Mario. "You've exposed yourself."
Diddy sniffed. "But… but…" he struggled to speak, his lip quivering. "Please, I didn't mean to! You have to believe me!"
"You don't understand," said Mario, approaching the killer. "you KILLED someone in front of us."
"But –"
"NO!" Mario was fed up. "Everything makes perfect sense! You killed Toad after he broke up your fight with Junior because he stopped you from accomplishing your goal: to kill Junior, as revenge for killing Donkey Kong!" Diddy could think of no response. "With Toad out of the way, you killed Junior and hid the body! You murdered Wario, too, because he knew that you were behind it all! It fits!"
Diddy, in a fit of fear, grabbed onto Mario's leg and sobbed into it. "I didn't mean to! I swear!"
"Don't lie to me," said Mario. You are the killer. It doesn't matter if you won't admit it." Diddy cried even harder.

Later, Mario gathered everyone but Diddy and they all went inside the bedroom.
"Alright, so," Shy guy began, "how are we going to punish him?"
"There is only one punishment for murder," Bowser replied. "Death."
Peach and Yoshi were silent.
"Unfortunately, I can think of nothing else that is severe enough. He killed four people already. If he is kept alive, we are all in danger!"
"But how will we do it?" asked Shy Guy. "Poison?"
"Indeed, poison would be the most humane way," said Bowser. "He must die, but there is no reason to make him suffer. No need to stoop to his level."
"He killed your son, Bowser," replied Mario. "But I agree. It will be a peaceful death."

"You're going to punish me," Diddy said solemnly. "What are you going to do?" Nobody answered. A silent tear trickled down his face. Silence only meant one thing: they were going to put him to rest. His end was approaching. There was no longer any point in begging for mercy; he knew what he had done.
"I've committed murder… I've committed murder…"