Chapter Four
Dimentio
Dimentio pinched the bridge of his nose, willing the ache in his temple to go away.
This whole ordeal was proving to be much harder than he had previously thought. It was apparent that even after three years, he always fell apart because of… "Just because of a stupid-"
"Dimentio!" A voice rang out into the room, "Come to me...Count Bleck!"
He sighed, "It seems I'm being paged." The jester grabbed his mask and double checked the strings, before warping to the Count. "And so I arrive, like a sudden windstorm at a kindergarten picnic!"
Dimentio took note of O'chunks pouting on a nearby pedestal, "Oh you poor thing. I'll get to you soon enough."
The Count cleared his throat and Dimentio reluctantly turned his attention forward. "Bleh heh heh heh heh... You and Star would like some playtime, I imagine? So you shall have it, but do not disappoint Count Bleck. Dispatch this hero."
"Your wish is our command. Besides, this fool sounds like an amusing challenge. Now if there is nothing else, I'll just be on my way. Ciao, my count."
He went to Stars room and was surprised to find it empty. "Where…"
Her voice seeped through the thin walls, "Ow. Watch it Mimi!"
"Sorry, sorry."
Neither girl sounded happy. "I know you're upset but there's no reason to take it out on my hair."
Dimentio warped once again to find the two female minions on Mimi's bed. Star had rollers in her hair, and the shapeshifter was currently dragging a brush through another section. He laughed without meaning to, as Star's hair was ablaze despite it all.
Both of them looked up at the noise, "What do you want creep?" Mimi snapped.
"Who are you calling a-" He took a deep breath and started over, "Star and I have business to attend to."
Mimi gestured the mess on Stars head, "Can you give me twenty minutes to finish?"
"Fifteen." He warped back to his room to wait.
Star
Star let out a breath when Dimentio left the room.
"I'm guessing you don't like him." Mimi commented.
She shrugged, "He's alright when he wants to be. That's not very often but…" Dimentio had warmed up to her just a bit. He had at least found it in his heart to start bringing her to dinner.
"Yeah. I guess the only real issue I have is him stealing my diary all the time. Ah! Sorry I keep pulling it."
Star glanced back wearily at he new found friend. Despit their differences, the two girls managed to that meant Mimi also found it appropriate to use Star to vent. It had been a long sleepless night, but she just hoped Mimi would be willing to return the favour in the future. "After yanking on my scalp all morning, she'd better."
Despite Dimentios order, or perhaps simply in spite of it, Mimi spent another twenty five minutes preening Star. The green girl had gone to meet with Nastasia, leaving Star staring at her reflection in a large mirror on the wall. Large, buoyant curls hung around her face. Depending on the way she turned, they fell across her vision, "This is stupid. How am I supposed to fight with my hair in my face?"
Two sharp raps sounded behind her. She met Dimentios mask in the mirror, "Your hair looks nice."
Star hated how genuine the comment sounded. "Shut up." She ran her hand through the curls one last time before going to him.
"I mean it. The fire is a nice accent."
"You know what? Your right. Fire is a nice accessory and I'm sure it'll look perfect on you." She threw a ball of flames towards his chest.
Dimentio barely glanced at it, shooing it away with his hand. Star jumped forward and caught it before it singed Mimi's dress. "Hey, save it for our real enemies." He offered his hand, "Ready?"
She hesitated for a moment (it took everything out of her not to hand him the fire) before placing hers in his.
Star's hand looked ghostly in his onyx velvet gloves. She decided to focus on the jewel on his poncho, rather than their clasped hands (not that staring there was much better of an option). "Where are we going anyway?"
"There is a forest within the Bitlands. We're going to have a little play date with our heroes." He tugged her arm and she stumbled forward, colliding with his chest. As always, he warped before she could retaliate.
"That's a couple trees and a half." Star commented once she regained her balance.
A tree as wide as a bus stretched up in front of them. It's branches shadowed the area around them and Star had to crane her neck just to see the top.
Dimentio nodded, "I concur. It reaches the stars like a skyscraper."
Star grimaced a little as her said her name, despite it being indirectly. She pointed to light at the top branches, hoping he didn't notice. "Is that a door up there?"
Dimentio floated a little higher, "Yes, it would appear so."
"We should wait up there. They'll be tired from the climb once they get to us."
He smirked, "What, you don't think you can take them without a handicap?"
"Not necessarily. But we should take any advantage we can get."
"I suppose so." He took them to the top. Once inside he clicked his fingers and vines grew over the opening. "Can you dry them out a little?"
"Sure." Heat radiated from her hand as she dried the ivy.
They made their way up the inside of the dotwood tree, setting little traps as they went.
"That looks tedious." Star said looking back at their work.
"Very." Dimentio agreed.
When the two emerged from the the inside, Star walked to the edge of the branch, "Wow."
They had a view of the whole forest from up there. The ocean was in the distance and they could just make out an ivory castle ahead.
"Beautiful." Dimentio had walked up behind her, his breath warm on her neck.
Star sat down on the limb, hoping he didn't see her blush. Why was he so touchy today?
Dimentio settled next to her, "Why do you insist on playing with death?"
Star was surprised to hear his voice shake, "Are you alright?"
He took a slow breath, "I'm fine. I'm fine..." Star wasn't sure who he was trying to convince, her or himself. His eyes flicked to the ground for a moment and he visibly flinched.
After a moment, she looked up at him in disbelief, "You're afraid of the height?
Dimentio immediately warped away at her words
Star turned to find him at the base of the branch his back against the tree, "I don't mean to laugh but I'd never expect you of all people to be afraid of heights."
He continued to ignore her.
"I mean you can levitate. It just doesn't…" She laughed at the familiarity of it all. "Look, I'm sorry."
He still didn't move.
She sighed, "Come on Dimentio. Hey if it's any consolation, I'm afraid of spiders."
He smiled a little, "You who could kill it from fifty feet away with fire, is afraid of spiders." Then he broke into laughter.
"Wait… Wait…." He said between giggles, "So...Mimi…"
"She freaks me the hell out."
"You seemed pretty comfortable with her this moring.." He inched towards her again.
"I still like her, I just have to forget about the whole arachnid thing. Though I admit, she can be a bit much sometimes…"
He pulled at one of her curls and watched it spring back up, "I've noticed. Hey can we possibly move away from impending doom?"
Star let him lead her back to the trunk of the tree. "You're ridiculous." She yawned.
"Tired?"
"Mimi kept me up complaining about our heroes."
"Ah." Dimentios tone softened, "Why don't you sleep? It seems we may be up here for a while."
"Now?" She scoffed, "I'll pass."
His shoulders drooped a bit, "Come on, have a little faith in me."
"Who said it's because of-"
"I know you don't trust me. And quite frankly I haven't given you a reason to. But you'll be fine. I swear."
Star still refused.
Dimentio
Dimentio ran his fingers through the sleeping girls hair.
It had taken her no more than ten minutes to fall asleep, and another five for her head to slip into his lap.
"This is absolute torture." He murmured. The situation was bad enough without her being drawn to him...
Dimentio sighed and looked out into the forest. Where were the heroes of light? It had been more than an hour. Did he and Star miss them or had their opponents avoided the tree altogether?
Just as he was preparing to scope out the woods, voices came from within the bark of the giant tree.
"Speak of the devil..." He pulled Stars hair out of her face, "Pocahontas my dear."
Star let out a mewl and stretched. Her hair ignited as soon as their eyes met.
"Don't look at me, you're the one who decided to lay there." Dimentio said before she accused him of anything.
"Why didn't you move me?" Despite her complaints, Star made no action to sit up.
"Alright, enough of this." Dimentio gritted his teeth,"I didn't want to wake you. And if you have such an issue, then perhaps you should get your head off my c-"
"Okay okay!" Star jumped up and straightened out her dress.
Dimentio created platform a in the leaves above them, "They'll be here soon."
Star only nodded. It was obvious she was a bit peeved, but he couldn't afford to care. Without warning, he warped them to the platform. She dropped onto one knee and took a shaky breath. Dimentio shook his head and turned them transparent. He was surprised to see her flinch at the click of his fingers.
Feeling a bit bad, he offered to help her up. She ignored the hand and sat on the edge of the cube.
Just as he attempted to make amends, the door opened below them.
"I'll deal with this later." He thought, taking one last glance at Star.
"Ah ha ha. Finally, you arrive!" Mario, Peach, and Bowser searched for the source of the voice, "You don't wear tardiness well."
"You two again!" Mario exclaimed recognizing Blecks minions from before.
"We are humble servants of Count Bleck…" He spun around, "Master of dimensions... Pleaser of crowds... I am...Dimentio!"
Star jumped onto the floor landing just in front of the heroes. She drew her sword and curtsied, "And I am Star."
"It is truly enchanting to finally meet our hapless victims. I have prepared a special morsel of a treat for you!"
With a snap of his fingers they were no longer on the tree. The area around them seemed to fall apart brick by brick, only to be replaced with a sickly green enclosure.
"How about some...MAGIC!" Dimentio chuckled at Peach's gasp below, "And...voila. You are now in Dimension D, a dimension of my own creation. In this mind-bending rea-"
"Dimentio..."
"What?" He opened an eye, "Oh Grambi help me."
It seemed Bowser had been kind enough to catch Star before she hit the ground. The girl was out cold, slumped in his arms.
"Just…" He took Star and rested her on the platform, placing a cube around it.
He turned back to the heroes, "Now as I was saying. In this mind-bending realm, my attacks are 256 times more potent!" He spun again, "I am now far more powerful! I could obliterate you with a raise of an eyebrow! Now we must duel, like two gleaming banjos on a moonlit stoop!"
Dimentio tossed a starburst at the group. Peach threw up her parasol to shield her friends. As soon as Dimentio re-appeared, Mario ran in aiming for the Jesters head. He warped again and Mario landed hard where Dimentio once stood.
He teleported again, lolling in the air. "Oh come on," he jeered, "Are you even trying?"
Bowser growled, "You little..." He luned forward, striking Dimentio on his side and knocking him to his feet.
Dimentio gripped his midsection, his smile faltering for just a moment. "Better, better. But can you pierce this… illusion?" A second version of the jester appeared, mimicking his moves. Starbursts rained down, a few of them hitting their targets.
Dimentio cackled as they flipped dimensions. He followed and tapped Bowser on the shoulder. "Oh you can't truly be trying to take refuge from the master of dimensions like this, are you?"
They exchanged blows for a while, but it wasn't long until Dimentio collapsed.
He picked his head up a little as the hero's came closer. "Your blows are like miniature jackhammers wielded by tiny, angry road workers! How is this possible? This dimension makes me 256 times more powerful…"
"It would seem it makes us powerful as well." Peach said thoughtfully.
"...Aha...ha...ha." Dimentio floated into the air, "Of course! This was simply an amusement that played out exactly as I planned! Were you amused? That was just an hors d'oeuvre! The next time we meet, you will feast on a deadly eight-course meal!"
He used his magic to return them to the Dotwood tree. Scooping up Star he said his farewell, "And with that, my persistent foes, I must say... Ciao!"
He warped away and watched his adversary's scale the last of the tree from above.
"Mmm... A little more, perhaps? They are strong, but they must be stronger yet to defeat Bleck. I must make sure they can face him when the time comes around at last…" He inspected his companion who had yet to wake up, "But first…"
