Dimentio floated silently through the darkness, chasing after the other fandoms. He was hanging at the back of the group, to distance himself from Mr. L, who was leading the way. Fawful and Luigi, quick and light-footed as they were, were closely following. Kamek, though he had previously been keeping pace with Luigi, now slowed to follow beside Dimentio.
"Hey… are you alright?" Kamek asked bluntly.
"Fine." Dimentio said, stifling a growl.
"…No, you're not… don't lie to me, Dimentio…" Kamek said, eyes narrowing.
Dimentio snarled at the Magikoopa. "Well, what do you think, after the beating I just took, hm? I can't believe I let him best me like that… Had it not been for you, I might have gotten a rather painful game over…"
"You're welcome…" Kamek said, smiling slightly.
Dimentio rolled his eyes. "What are you up to, eh, Kamek? What is my well-being to you? None of the others care a bit about me… why should you be so determined to help me out?"
Kamek shook his head. "It's not like that. I don't care a bit about you… but, the fact is, until Livi finally releases us, we're all stuck in this together… you've seen what can happen when we fight—so we might as well get along… if Livi's happy, maybe she can get us out of this mess…"
"Who cares about a stupid fangirl?" Dimentio sneered, his nose in the air.
"Good question… but, one would think some would hold her at high value… should she be able to serve as a… savior, perhaps?" Kamek suggested, smiling smugly.
Dimentio stopped dead in his tracks, staring stunned at Kamek. The Magikoopa also paused a few feet ahead, turning around to face the jester. "Look… I know what's going on with you—this whole curse deal… I'm fairly certain all of us do at this point… but, the thing is… you can't get out of this mess without Livi—so you might as well keep her happy."
That being said, Kamek turned and chased after the others, who were long-gone by this point, dropping the matter entirely. Dimentio felt himself sinking down until his feet touched the cold, stone floor. The thing was… Kamek was right. Dimentio hated that. Of course, to get what he wanted, he would have to give the fangirl what she wanted. Unfortunately, that included getting on peaceful terms with Luigi and Mr. L.
Luigi's been nothing but cruel to me since I've been shanghaied into this… Dimentio thought bitterly, floating off to catch up with the others. And getting Mr. L's forgiveness certainly isn't going to be easy… or perhaps even possible at this point…
Oh, Jaydes help me… What am I going to do now?
The five fandoms found themselves gathered outside a large opening in the tunnels, framed with thick sheets of ice similar to the opening Mr. L had previously found. This opening, however, let out to the ground, and was a doorway of sorts leading into the cavern.
This was the very heart of the passages. The gateway to Bonechill's Prison.
In a corner of the room slept the giant beast himself, curled up in a ball before a large, ice-carved door. This door, no doubt, lead down to the millions of individual hells the worst of the worst were locked away in. Dimentio recalled with a heavy shudder the day he had been dragged down there himself, locked away for months and months before Jaydes came to let him out.
The most peculiar thing in the chamber, however, was the walls. Upon closer inspection, the millions that were bad enough for the Prison, but not bad enough for their own personal hell, were frozen into the wall. One of these bodies on the far side of the room had particularly caught the fandoms' attention…
"Is that…" Fawful stammered. "Is th-that… being…"
Dimentio looked sick to his stomach. "No… it can't be… she couldn't have—"
"Oh, yeah, she did…" Mr. L said, nodding grimly. "We're too late…"
"You saw?" Luigi asked, his expression similar to Dimentio's.
"Yeah, I saw 'im chasin' her around…" Mr. L said. "He musta caught her when I went to get you guys."
"Why didn't you help her, then?" Luigi hissed.
"Like I didn't wanna! I was way up there!" Mr. L leaned out of the passage a bit to gesture to one of the few openings in the bright, glittering walls. "There wan'nt no way down to her 'cept for a five hundred foot drop!"
Luigi groaned and turned back to Livi. "Do you think she's still alive?"
"Depends on how long she's been there…" Kamek said, shaking his head. "If she's got any chance, we need to figure out a way to get her out—quick."
"Am I to assume you have a plan?" Dimentio asked Mr. L, at the risk of angering him again. "Or would like me to come up with one?"
"No thanks… I'd rather not get game-overed again…" Mr. L snarled, shooting him a nasty glare.
Kamek clapped him in the back of the head. "Could you two stop it for five minutes, please? This is kind of serious!"
"Alright, alright, Mr. Mommy…" Mr. L sneered. "You guys follow me…" Before anyone could argue, Mr. L took off, expertly skating across the sleek ice.
"Are you possessing insanity?" Fawful hissed, hesitantly following after him.
"Seriously, Mr. L, even you have to have more sense than that!" Luigi agreed, casting an anxious glance in Bonechill's direction.
Dimentio, being able to float faster than Mr. L could skate, popped up beside him, whispering to him sweetly. "How would like me to assist, Mr. L?"
"Buzz off, clown-face…" Mr. L snapped.
"Clown-face? That's a new one… how long did it take you to come up with that?" Dimentio mocked, smirking. "Anyway, I'm not here to pick fights—I honestly want to help…"
"Lessee, where have I heard that one before?" Mr. L sarcastically mumbled.
"Oh, come on… we made quite the team, didn't we?" Dimentio asked hopefully.
"Yeah, until you stabbed me in the back!" Mr. L hissed, screeching to a halt. "What does it take to get rid of you, huh? Why won't you just leave me alone?"
"Why can't you doofus-heads just leave me alone?" The little green girl shrieked, tears streaming down her face.
"Leave you alone?" Dimentio laughed through his ecstatic grin. "And what fun would that be for us, my dear?"
"That's not funny!" Mimi shrieked. "Give it back already!"
Mr. L started to flip through the pages of the little pink book. It was the furry one—that said 'MIMI' in lovely cursive, and had rainbows and hearts all over it. "C'mon, Mims, you know this isn't the first time we've had your Diary…"
Mimi blushed with rage. "I'm gonna tell Nassy on you two!"
"Oh, that's a threat, eh, Mr. L?" Dimentio chuckled, elbowing his companion.
"Aw, yeah, I'm real scared now, Mims…" Mr. L said, sarcastically rolling his eyes as he flipped to the last entry.
"I'm warning you, doofus!" Mimi shrieked. "Don't you dare read it!"
Mr. L cleared his throat, and started to read, "'Dear Diary… omigosh, Dimmy was just so sweet today! He totally told me I looked cute! Like, omigosh, can you, like, believe it? Squee! Omigosh omigosh, I swear, sometimes I think I'm in love!' Aw, how cute!"
Mimi was crying now, glaring up at them from behind bitter tears. "STOP THAT!"
"Why, Mimi!" Dimentio gasped in fake pleasure. "I had no idea you felt that way about me!" Mr. L couldn't read anymore for cracking up as soon as it was out of Dimentio's mouth.
"No, I don't!" Mimi shrieked, stomping her foot. "That's totally not what it says!"
"Yeah, it does!" Mr. L said, showing the book to Dimentio. "See? Says so right there!"
"Ah, yes, I see, I see…" Dimentio said with a smile, although that particular passage had absolutely nothing to do with the jester. "You wrote it yourself, Mimi—I can't believe you wouldn't remember such a thing!"
"No! Stoppit!" Mimi wailed. "Give it back to me!"
"If you want it so bad, why don't you come and get it, huh?" Mr. L sneered, waving the book back and forth.
"…Fine! I will!" With that, Mimi threw her head to one side, and exploded into her monstrous form. Within seconds she was scurrying up the walls towards the banisters where the troublesome two were hiding from her.
"Oh, shit!" Mr. L screamed, jumping to his feet.
Dimentio smacked the back of his head. "What the hell did you say that for, huh? Now, we're really in for it!"
Mr. L and Dimentio stood there for what seemed like ages, simply staring each other down. Neither looked angry, and neither looked frightened as they previously had. They were both thinking—remembering, rather—the unforgettable memories of their idiotic antics clouding each of their minds.
Dimentio's lips slightly twitched into a smile. "…are you going to, ah, answer my question?"
Mr. L stared at him a moment, then bowed his head to the floor and mumbled something.
"What was that?" Dimentio said, smiling wider. "We were a good team, weren't we?"
"Yeah, we were…" Mr. L growled, pushing past him. "…not anymore… I won't let you trick me twice…"
Dimentio's smile fell as he hung his head, slowly following the Green Thunder. "Whatever you say… Mr. L…"
The fandoms silently gathered around Livi's crystal coffin, Mr. L running his gloved hands delicately over the sleek ice. "So… this is the fangirl, huh? Livi, right?"
Luigi nodded, resting a hand on the ice. "Yeah, this is her… only she could get herself into a mess like this…"
"Heh… I believe ya…" Mr. L said, smirking to himself.
"Shhh… guys, keep quiet!" Kamek hissed, glancing anxiously towards Bonechill. "With our dumb luck, he'll wake up in a matter of minutes… how are we supposed to get Livi out?"
Mr. L sighed, whispering, "Well… the only thing I can think of is for me and Weegee could pull a thunder-punch… it'd be more than enough to shatter the ice, but if that's the case, it'd be pretty freakin' loud…"
Dimentio raised a hand, taking back his sarcastic grin. "Question, L?"
"What?" Mr. L quietly snapped, glaring at him.
"Couldn't I just teleport her out?" The jester whispered, pointing a finger in the fangirl's direction.
Kamek shook his head. "That's too risky… it isn't like slipping her out of the moat… she's become part of the ice—and if you try to separate them, there's no telling what would happen."
"Alright then…" Dimentio snapped his fingers, allowing colored lights to dance on his fingertips. "Might I request permission to blow it up then? You know I am quite skilled… with magic!"
"Uh, no." Mr. L said, leaning against the ice. "Weegee and I know how to control crap like this… You blow up the wall, you're gonna blow her up with it…"
"Ah…" Dimentio said, vanishing his magic and looking a tad dejected. "Point taken…"
"And what are the rest of us to have doing of?" Fawful inquired, glancing between the others.
"Just… keep watch…" Mr. L said, waving him off. "Make sure nuthin happens that ain't s'posed to…"
"I am thinking you will be noticing if that possesses awakeness." Fawful snapped, pointing at Bonechill.
"Oh, will you just shut up and watch?" Mr. L hissed. He then stepped back from the ice, balling up a fist. "Ready, Weegee?"
Luigi charged up a small ball of electricity in the palm of his hand. "As I'll ever be… are you sure this is going to work?"
"Not a clue…" Mr. L shrugged, drawing his fist back. Before his counterpart could argue, he shouted out, "Ready, aim, FIRE!"
Simultaneously, Mr. L's fist and Luigi's blast of lightning collided with the wall, shattering the thick ice into millions of sparkling fragments that flew across the floor. With the shards, Livi fell out, collapsing to the ground among the glittering mist where she lay, completely unmoving.
Kamek knelt down next to Livi and gently rolled her over onto her back. Her cheeks, nose, and fingers were tinged with a pale blue, and the rest of her skin was a deathly pale shade of white. Kamek placed his hand lightly on her chest, then moved to press his fingers to her throat and finally to her wrist.
"…She's alive…" He breathed at last. "Her pulse is extremely faint, but it is still there…"
A sigh of relief seemed to echo around the remaining four fandoms. Luigi came over and knelt next to Kamek, gently brushing Livi's bangs out of her still, lifeless face. "Do you think she'll live?"
Kamek slowly shook his head. "Impossible to tell at this point… We'll have to get her out of this cave, then I might be able to help her… but, it's too cold for her down here—we'll have to get her out quickly."
"If we can get out of here, that is…" Mr. L murmured, staring stunned into the distance.
"Oh my…" Dimentio sighed, following Mr. L's gaze. "It would seem, like a chorus of singing birds—oblivious to the hunting cat, we've obsessed over Livi—"
"And not noticed Bonechill…" Luigi finished.
All five fandoms looked on in fear as Bonechill slowly rose up to his full height, then spun around to face them and release a loud, menacing roar.
"Wh-what are we to be d-do-doing?" Fawful stammered.
Luigi jumped up, taking on a fighting stance. "I've fought him before… I can take him again…"
"Not with Livi in here!" Kamek pointed out. "She's a dead-weight in this condition! It's too dangerous!"
Mr. L watched them argue a moment, then yelled, "Alright, that's enough! We don't have time for this shit!" He snatched up Livi's limp form, slinging her over his shoulder, saying, "I'll take the fangirl, alright? You said yourself she can't stay here much longer. Without her in the way, you might have a chance on Bonechill, but I'll need you to distract him so I can get her outta here!"
Luigi nodded hastily. "Alright, can you get out on your own?"
Mr. L rolled his eyes. "Please, I've been following Luvbi around for the past few months. If I can get in this much trouble, believe me, I know how to get outta it…"
Just as he was starting to run off towards the exit, Dimentio caught his free arm, forcing him to stop. "Wait! You can't do that! It was enough trouble finding the two of you the first time around!"
"Look, idiot, we ain't got time for this, a'right?" Mr. L yelled. "You wanna save 'er, doncha?"
"Of course I do!" Dimentio snapped. "But, I—"
"Look, I know what I'm doing here! Let me handle this!" Mr. L retorted.
Just as Dimentio opened his mouth to say something else, a shower of icicles rained down from the ceiling, forcing the two of them apart. The other fandoms scurried out of the way, starting up the fight with Bonechill. As soon as Dimentio's head cleared and he came back to his senses, he saw Mr. L headed back towards the tunnel, still clutching the fangirl.
"Mr. L!" Dimentio called after him.
The Green Thunder whipped around at his name. "Trust me, Dimentio!"
Dimentio gasped aloud. He couldn't think of a single thing to say to that.
"Dimentio, please, I'm beggin' ya…" Mr. L pleaded, anxious to get out. "I know what I'm doing! Trust me!"
Dimentio shook his head. "N-no…" He choked out. "You don't have a clue what you're doing!"
"Trust me anyway!" Mr. L yelled, looking a little angry now. "I trusted you all that time… Even when I didn't have a clue what you were doing… even when I knew you were going to stab me in the back… I always trusted you…"
"…why?" Dimentio asked.
"Because…" Mr. L looked away. "…because I… you were…" He gulped. "Because you were my best friend. That's what friends do—they trust each other… through everything."
Dimentio was stunned for a very long time. Finally, he bowed his head and flicked his wrist towards the tunnels. "Alright then… I trust you… go ahead, and take care of her for me…"
Mr. L smiled, looking relieved. With that, he dashed out of the chamber into the dark tunnels.
As he disappeared, Dimentio sighed heavily, then turned back to the fight. Bonechill was being well-distracted, his anger growing by the second. Watching the beast desperately fight off his attackers, the jester's thoughts drifted back into his memories of his little hell. He remembered desperately pleading with the merciless master of the Prison, and he remembered how Bonechill had only laughed at the sorrowed shrieks of his victims.
Dimentio smiled, snapping his fingers. A small orb of glittering, colored light flared up in each of his gloved hands. He completely ignored the stabbing sensation of his curse, realizing it had been much, much too long since he'd had a fight.
I warned you, Bonechill… the jester thought, a malicious grin creeping across his mask. One has never known true torture… until one has known of revenge…