Well, I was actually going to update only like...two or three days after the last chapter (Chapter 16, I mean...), because I had like 90% of the chapter written. But then I got a new game and just kept playing that, but now I've decided to update again!

Hmmm...where did everyone go? (thank you sarfinafilth for reviewing) Toyax? Eventyraven? You still reading? If so, I'd just like to know...so thanks! :D

Anyway, here's a very interesting chapter for you. Now...prepare yourself...for the epicness...

Chapter 17-A Deadly Surprise

"What the…there's no file here…" Mario remarked, a little annoyed. He hadn't particularly enjoyed walking all the way there…with Daisy.

"Well…" Daisy said, utterly baffled. She and Mario were walking around Detective Goom's living room, and there was no sight of a file, "Toadiko never actually said that it would just be waiting for us on a table or anything…maybe she just didn't tell us where Hamma said it was?"

Mario nodded slowly, walking into, what looked like to be, Detective Goom's dining room. He wasn't entirely sure where the file could have been – if it even existed – but he figured that it wouldn't hurt to take a few minutes to look around.

"Oooh…" Daisy said, drawing Mario's attention back into the living room. He looked at her curiously, and she motioned for him to stand by her. Stand by her? Oh yikes…

Mario complied, however. Maybe she had actually found the file? Doubtful, but possible. She might not have been as useless as Mario had thought, "Umm…it's a filing cabinet…"

"Exactly!" Daisy said, rather excitedly, "The file will probably be in here, right?"

Mario nodded, "Well, maybe…but I'll still check the dining room…" The red-capped plumber disappeared into the adjacent room, continuing his search for this ever-so-mysterious file. Maybe there wasn't even a file…could that be? Well, Toadiko had certainly been found telling lies before, so maybe this was just another?

"Wow, you wouldn't believe what Detective Goom has in these files…" Daisy remarked. Mario ignored her sudden outburst, not entirely wanting to know what she had been talking about…

"Hey…ummm…Daisy?" Mario asked after a short silence. She glanced up at him from one of the files she had been snooping through. Mario had sounded so…sincere all of the sudden. It wasn't like him…either something was wrong, or he wanted to tell her something that was really important.

"Yes?"

"Do you…smell something…?" Daisy glanced around awkwardly, and then stood up. She laid the file she was looking through on the table and walked around the room, trying to find out what Mario was talking about.

"Yeah…" She said suddenly, turning in disgust to Mario, "It smells like…I dunno…"

"Almost like someone was making something on the grill…"

"Yeah," Daisy pointed at him, nodding. Very peculiar…did Detective Goom even have a grill? And if so…why would someone be grilling something? This was getting all very confusing…and very strange…, "Umm…Mario?"

"Yeah?"

"D-did you hear that?"

Mario looked up at her with an ever-so-serious look in his eye. She was beginning to scare him…had she truly heard something that would cause her to stutter? But…how could a noise have been made? Was…there someone else in the house with them?

When that thought bounced its way into Mario's find, he became ever so silent and still. He felt as though he were taking part in a horror movie…or a 'slasher' movie. A slasher movie? Oh no…

"D-did you?!"

If someone really had been in the house with them, then Daisy's sudden outburst would have easily given them away. She definitely must not have been thinking straight…

"No. what did you hear?" Mario whispered quietly, hoping she would catch on to the whole 'be quiet' kind of deal.

"It sounded…like someone was outside…in the backyard…"

Mario glanced at her with a fearful look in his eyes. Just as he suspected: someone was there. He wasn't entirely sure where this person could have been…maybe still outside?

Daisy spoke up again, "Let's go see who it is…and…the smell, it's getting stronger…"

Mario noticed that too. At this point, it sounded like something had been burning. Burning?! "Daisy, we gotta get outta here!"

"Wait, wait!" Daisy demanded, surprised by Mario's sudden exclamation. Didn't he want to know who was outside? For all they knew, it could have been the murderer outside, and they'd be able to catch him!

"Daisy, now!" He began to pull her towards the door, but she was urgent to stay and gather more information. Had she really suspected nothing of the burning smell?! Didn't she realize that they'd…die?!

"Let go of me! Stop!" Daisy fired back, falling to the ground in her attempt to break free from Mario. He continued to urge her to come with him, however, and, to show it, he lifted her from the ground and practically forced her to the front door.

Again, though, she didn't plan to give up that easily. She broke free from Mario's grasp (she was sure a strong woman), and ran towards the back door. She was immensely surprised, however, when she saw a rapidly growing flame spreading quickly into and throughout the house. She could feel the scorching heat on her face…but, could only stand there and watch in awe as the once neat little home turned into a scalding palace of dancing flames.

She could here a faint call from Mario: "Get out of there!". It sounded so…faint, and very far away. She almost felt as though she were in her own little world…or maybe just some horrible state of shock?

Still, though, she just couldn't move. One might had guessed that she was hypnotized; by the way she merely stood there and stared in wonder. What did she plan to do?! Was she just going to…stand there?! No! Never! She just couldn't…she wouldn't…no, not Daisy…

Reality bounced back into her as she felt Mario begin to pull her away from the growing fire. She 'snapped out of it' and ran out through the front door, Mario at her side…

Mario had…saved her. Would she have truly just let the flames engulf her and burn her to a crisp? Had it really been Mario's braveness and desire to go back and save her? How…nice, she though…

Yes…very nice indeed…

Wow! A fire?! I bet Mario and Daisy didn't expect that...

And even better yet, Mario had to go back in and save Daisy! Maybe his dislike for her didn't exist as much as he thought?

Also, more questions have arisen...who lit the fire? What will happen to Detective Goom's house? Very, very interesting...obviously Mario and his vast brain of his has scared somebody...so much that they wanted him dead...

Well, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please review! Reviews get me more enticed to write, so the more reviews, the faster the chapter! :D

Bye for now! See you next chapter!