If you haven't already, double-check 7-2 for The Great Allie's Great Oopsie

EPISODE 7-3

Mr. L, meanwhile, was mad.

Angry, that is, although I wouldn't be suprised to hear he was starting to loose it as well. His heart wasn't really in this mission, driving a monster who they suspected to be Dooplis out of the steeple. Something his brother already did.

He had bolted, too, to the back narthex of the steeple. It was still musty and old here, but as soon as he entered the room, the threat of the monster disappeared. He was all set and ready to go out and fight again, but he suddenly felt a little lackluster. He didn't really want to go out and join his friends and fight. And it wasn't just because he forgot the Doppleganger Code again.

It wasn't fair! They used to be partners in everything, him and Mario. Now he was lucky if they could be seen together and have anybody remember his name, or even notice him without his smacking them upside the head. That's why he'd agreed to come back as Mr. L in the first place! Here, he was the Green Thunder, he wasn't in anyone's shadow. He was an equal part of the group! Then, all of a sudden, here he was, doing a job that they'd asked Mario to do, that he'd already done. Even if he succeeded, if anyone remembered it they would remember that Mario did it first, and probably better.

"Penny for your thoughts, Slick," said a voice from behind him.

Mr. L whirled around and saw a Duplighost with a blue bow and a matching party hat with orange stars. Doopliss, he presumed.

"You the one haunting this place?" he asked.

Doopliss shrugged. "I live here," he said. "Between tours, you know. I'm an actor now."

"Good for you."

"Yeah, I just finished touring with a production of 'My Fair Goomba.' Now that the secret of my name is out, I kinda like seeing it up there in lights, you know?" He laughed. "And the cast parties are pretty awesome, too."

"You don't want them to fix it up?" asked Mr. L, turning the subject back to business. "Creepy Steeple, that is?"

"Naw, it's not that," Doopliss explained. "I don't mind the heat and the snazzy electric lights. I can plug in my TV now instead of trapsing all over creation looking for batteries. It's those whiny emo townsfolk I don't like coming here all the time. Not to mention the new smell. So I've been making my own fun by playing a few pranks."

"Pranks?" Mr. L said with a hint of disgust. "You think what you've been doing are 'pranks'? That's horrible!"

"To each his own," said Dooplis with a shrug. "You have your sense of humor, I have mine, and I'll thank you to keep your nose outta my business. Know what I'm saying, Slick? Those whiny emos deserve everything I give 'em." He looked Mr. L up and down. "Come to think of it, you look a little emo yourself."

"I'm not angsting," said Mr. L. "I'm legitimately frustrated. Note the difference, Slick."

Doopliss gave a half-grin. "Whatever you say."

"Come on," said Mr. L. "If you don't mind, my boss would probably like to talk to you."

"No way," said Doopliss indignantly. "Talking is boring. Pranking is awesome."

Mr. L shrugged. "Whatever," he said.

"Aw, you're no fun," Doopliss whined. "I'm trying to start an argument for my own amusement."

"I don't feel like arguing," replied Mr. L.

"Fine, then, I'll talk to your stupid boss." Doopliss crossed his arms and grumbled, "Stupid, not letting me have any fun, it's stupid when you act so stupid..." as they walked out of the room.

Dimentio groaned and lifted his head. He hadn't been knocked out, although he sincerely wished he had. He most certainly had a concussion. His head was throbbing, and he felt dizzy and nauseous. Slowly, he checked his eyes and his reflexes. No imparement. Maybe he wasn't too concussed after all, although the nausea was starting to get to him.

Mimi passed the Doppleganger Test, he realized. Did that mean Mimi was working for anohter side? He didn't think she had it in her. More likely, the monster was more clever than he had given it credit for. Mimi certainly wasn't, that was for sure.

Dimentio pulled himself into a standing position. "Ah ha ha ha ha," he laughed weakly. "So the monster doesn't want me to beat it up... it has no idea who it's dealing with. I'll take care of it... with magic!"

Count Bleck, Tippi, and Mimi were standing back inside Creepy Steeple. Mimi had entered the room about the same time they did and they fell in step with each other- after passing the Doppleganger Test, of course. Then Mr. L brought them Doopliss. After a brief introduction, they got right down to business.

Doopliss didn't seem too against talking- he certainly wasn't trying to keep his presence a secret, and inside he sincerely hoped that Count Bleck could fix everything for him. The Count's reputation preceeded him, and if he really did fix things for people, Doopliss figured he could get those villagers out of his steeple.

"So," said Count Bleck, "Why are you doing these things? Care to share?"

"Getting rid of the townsfolk," replied Doopliss. "I sure ain't throwing a party here."

"I figured that," said Count Bleck. "Could you get a little more specific?"

"It was bad enough when they were in the village, wallowing in misery and driving me crazy. Now they want to do it here, that's too much."

"I see," said Count Bleck. "So your first instinct was to--"

"Prank 'em outta my sight," said Doopliss with a shrug. "It's what I do."

"Could you get more specific?"

"How much more specific do you want?"

Just then, the side door opened and O'Chunks entered with Nastasia. She wasn't clinging onto his arm anymore, but she was walking in stride next to him.

"Ah, O'Chunks, good to see you," said Count Bleck.

At the same time, everyone present except Doopliss said, "Etching."

"Good," said Count Bleck.

"So, what are yeh doin' 'ere, Count?" asked O'Chunks.

"Talking with a brick wall, it seems," replied Count Bleck.

"Wan't me teh 'persuade' 'im teh talk, then?"

"No, no, it's not like that," said Count Bleck. "Let Count Bleck handle this. I hear he's very good with this situation." He turned back to Doopliss.

"Hi," said Doopliss.

"Yes, I see you. Would you be so kind as to tell me what you did with the missing villagers?"

"What?" Doopliss looked suprised.

"The villagers that went missing while working on Creepy Steeple. What did you do with them?"

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes yeh do, yeh dirty rotton punk!" O'Chunks picked up Doopliss by the collar and shook a chunky fist in his face. "Now yer gonna answer me Count real quick-like or I'll take yeh'r sheet and tear it into handkerchiefs! An' then I'll blow me nose on 'em!"

"Help!" Doopliss cried out. "I'm being attacked by some sort of caveman!"

"O'Chunks, put him down, commanded Count Bleck."

O'Chunks paused, then put Doopliss down on the ground. Doopliss immediately took on the shape of O'Chunks.

"Ooh, look at me, I'm a big strong thug who solves his problems with his big meaty fists!" He poofed back into Doopliss. "Don't you ever do that to me again!"

"Knock it off, sheet-freak," Mimi snapped. "Golly, you're more annoying than a Bob-omb with the hiccups."

"Back on topic!" Count Bleck spread out his cape with such a flourish that it silenced everybody else. "The missing, villagers, Doopliss?"

"No idea," replied Doopliss.

"Interesting, mused Count Bleck. If what you say is the truth, then we have another monster here."

"Yeah," said Doopliss. "Why would I steal them? What would I do with them? Put them in the closet?"

Then Dimentio appeared in their midst. He wasn't hanging up in the air like he usually was, rather, he was standing on the ground.

"And thus I arrive," he said weakly, "like a... run-down city bus pulling up to it's next stop."

"Good one," said Mr. L.

"Thank you." Dimentio bowed. "I have come-- etching, by the way-- to tell you that our dear Mimi is not who she claims."

"I said etching, what more do you want?" Mimi demanded.

"Much, much more," said Dimentio. "For you see, I was recently assulted in the basement while making a business proposition to our dear friend Mimi."

Count Bleck looked over at Mimi. "Mimi, is that true?"

"No," replied Mimi. "Dimentio probably wandered into a pitfall and banged his head."

"I most certainly did not!" Dimentio said angrily.

"What are you insinuating! Mimimimimimimimi!"

"See? Right there!" Dimentio threw his arms out. "You can't tell me that Mimi's vocabulary includes words like 'insinuating!' The girl can hardly spell 'lip gloss!'"

Count Bleck thought for a minute. "Mimi, dear, I forget. What was the name of your pet Chain Chomp?"

Mimi paused. "It was Chomper, wasn't it?"

"No."

"Chompy?"

"No."

"...Reginald?"

Count Bleck shook his head. "Mimi wouldn't forget. You've been a Doppleganger this whole time."

"Hey!" Doopliss said angrily. "You've been making me look bad in front of the emos! Now they think I'm a dirty kidnapper... like Bowser!"

Mimi blinked. Then she grinned maliciously, and turned into a Duplighost.

"Oh, you got me!" she said maliciously.

"Cousin Jen?" Doopliss reacted in suprise.

"Hi, Cousin Doopliss," she said. "Sorry I didn't say 'hi' when I got here, but it's your turn to hold the family reuinion this time, and there was no way we could go through with it if these guys stayed here. And you certainly weren't doing anything decent to get rid of them!"

Doopliss glowered. "Come on, Cousin Jen, haven't you been going too far? I mean, kidnapping? Dragons?"

"Maybe I'm just better at getting what I want," said Cousin Jen, a bit too evil for their taste. "I mean, were you going to do anything about that smell? It's making me sick!"

"And dizzy?" asked Dimentio, suddenly at attention.

"Yeah," said Cousin Jen.

Dimentio thought about that.

"Now, if you aren't going to let me finish my job, I'll just have to finish it myself!" She turned into a huge, bulky Clubba. "Ready to roll!"

Dimentio turned to look at O'Chunks. "O'Chunks, is the smell getting to you?"

"Aye," replied O'Chunks. "I feel like I swallowed a whole bowl o' Grobblu Stew." He took a fighting stance against Cousin Jen. "Now, get ready to feel some damage, yeh Mimi Doppleganger!"

"Bring it, punk!"

They began to fight, Cousin Jen with her Clubba's spiked club, and O'Chunks by stomping her and trying to grab her.

"Wait a second," said Dimentio suddenly.

O'Chunks grabbed Cousin Jen by the ankles.

"I know that smell..."

O'Chunks began to spin around with her.

"O'Chunks, don't throw her!"

But he alredy had. She flew through the air.

"The smell! It's--"

The Cluba hit the ground and skidded, her club scraping across the stone.

"Natural gas!"

Sparks flew from the club as it scraped.

BOOM!