"Notchy's running away?"
Everyone was gathered in the minion orientation room. The couple were holding each others' hands, looking worried. L's cap was pulled down over his eyes, clearly brooding. Raven, X, Xena and Bolt were conversing in low, animal noises. Nastasia kept fidgeting. O'Chunks kept clenching and unclenching his fists. Mimi was whimpering. And Dimentio, bringer of the bad news, was hovering a few inches off the ground, fighting to stay calm.
Mario was back at Peach's Castle, trying to stem the flow of destruction. Peach and Daisy, the latter staying at the Kingdom for a holiday, were safe, and were trying to track Herobrine. Mimi, who had broken the silence, looked down at the ground and blinked back tears as Dimentio nodded.
"I trapped him with magic, like a spider is trapped under a glass cup and over a piece of paper," murmured Dimentio.
"D'ya know anyt'in 'bout deh... demon t'ing?" asked O'Chunks.
"He seems to scare Notch," mused Dimentio.
"Oh dear," muttered Timpani. "I have a bad feeling about this..."
"Dimentio," said Count Blumiere loudly, "how did you feel when L and Raven described the demon to you?"
Surprised, Dimentio took a while to reply. Then...
"Evil."
"Evil, you say?"
"Yes."
"The Ex," said L quietly, making everyone stare at him.
"Uh, pardon, L?" said Nastasia.
"The Ex are behind this," explained the masked man. "They gotta be."
"Who're deh Ex?" frowned O'Chunks.
"A race," muttered Mr. L, "of evil. Shadow beasts, Subrideres, D-Mon, twisted spirits, the undead, Phantoms, rotten ghosts, dark elves, Chimaeras, evil animals, shadow dragons... if it glories in despair and fear, it's probably one of the Ex."
"How d'you know about these... mega-meanies?" whispered Mimi.
"They attacked us," said Raven unexpectedly. "L, Dimentio and I. We were... younger... when it happened. They attacked us, killed our families, tortured our friends. We managed to drive them away, but we've always feared..."
"That they'd come back," supplied Dimentio dully.
"We were there, with L, when it happened," added Bolt.
"Scariest thing I'd ever seen in my life," drawled Xena.
"I was with Raven," said X. "I almost died trying to protect her."
The Count looked, alarmed, at the three minions. He had never known, never bothered to find out...
"Is that why you're a, well, forest girl?" Nastasia asked Raven.
"Yeah," said Raven.
"And... you guys?" asked Mimi, looking at Mr. L and Dimentio.
"We ran away," explained L.
"We were... cowards, back then," added Dimentio.
"You aren't a coward, Dimmy!" exclaimed Mimi.
"Neither are you, L," assured O'Chunks.
"Nor you, Raven," added Nastasia.
"None of you are cowards," said Timpani.
"Yes," agreed Blumiere, "you are probably the bravest people we've ever met."
"That's comforting," muttered Raven.
"Remember Eevill?" asked Mimi. "Is he, y'know, one of the Ex?"
"Yeah," said L. "He's a mutation of an eel, a fish, and a bird. Kinda scary."
Dimentio shook his head. "It does not matter. What matters is that we get information out of Notch."
"We shouldn't all go, advised Count Blumiere. Who are the three most persuading people here?"
Everyone looked pointedly at L, Raven and Dimentio.
Looking wildly around, Raven frowned as she transformed back into a human. Nudging her, Mr. L spoke in an undertone. "Uh, I think he means us."
"We shall do our duty as best as we can," smirked Dimentio.
"Thank Grambi," muttered Raven, before Dimentio teleported them to Notch's room. "No similes."
"You want information."
It was not a question. It was a statement.
"Well," said Mr. L, "yeah."
Notch sighed, then pressed his hands against the magical barrier that held him. Then, head hanging down, he explained.
"Herobrine Vyn is my brother. We were having an argument, the day I met you guys. It was a... serious argument. It really hurt Brine's feelings, and he left. I told myself that he'd come back, that he'd've probably have gone to the Nether. I crafted a portal to the Nether and waited outside it, after destroying the other one. But he never came back. He was accused of being a monster. From what I gathered, Luigi has been shunned. It's most likely that they've been controlled by... someone."
"The Ex," chorused the other three.
"Yeah," said Notch, and he smiled grimly. "I wish I could help him. I wish I could destroy the bastards and bitches that did this to my brother. But I can't do it alone, without help. Mario could help me. I'm sure he feels the same way. And..."
His grimace grew wider.
"...I'm sure you three could help as well."
"Sure we could!" grinned Raven, before L and Dimentio could open their mouths.
"If the Count allows," said Mr. L, shrugging. "I can't say no to adventure."
"I'll stick with my friends, thank you very much," muttered Dimentio.
"Sweet of ya," smirked Raven, punching Dimentio on the shoulder gently.
"That hurt," snapped Dimentio.
Notch laughed and clapped his hands together. "So! First thing's first. Could you please get this freaking barrier outta my face?"
Mr. L and Raven laughed. Dimentio smirked and clicked his fingers, so the shimmering barrier disappeared.
Stepping outside, Notch drew his sword. "So," he said, "where to first?"
"To the minion orientation room," said L, holding the door open, "to ask the Count's permission."
"Afterwards, if Count says yes, we'll go to Peach's and get Mario," added Raven.
"Do we have to?" sighed L.
"Yes," snapped Dimentio.
Notch laughed, savouring the moment. It would be some time before he laughed again.
