Author's Note: Well here it is. Chapter four. Wanted to end on a creepy note this time.

Disclaimer: I really don't know why I other with this part...


Chapter 4

The rest of the day passed without incident. No one else came down with the strange symptoms like Falco. Everyone was worried about him, but they carried on with their usual habits: Zelda and Link argued, Bowser threatened Mario, Luigi cowered, the usual. No one thought anything strange was going on.

Everyone, except Mewtwo. He sat alone, removed from the rest of the group. At one point he vanished, teleported to the roof to sulk. The rainstorm had passed, leaving everything with a glossy sheen. The Mansion's exterior was glistening, while the interior was rotting. He shook his head. Too much Watchmen; although that Rorschach was a pretty cool guy.

He knew something was wrong, he could sense it. But nothing seemed wrong, and everyone wanted nothing to be wrong. After all, one person – bird? – coming down with a virus was not anything to cause a panic over; and causing a panic where there might not be one would do more harm then good. For now, he was going to leave things the way they were.

But he would be waiting.


Down on the grassy fields outside the Mansion, a cool breeze swept through, giving a brief respite form the sun's heat. It was always hottest right after a rainstorm, but everyone was anxious to get out of the house; only Dr. Mario remained inside, looking after Falco.

A cloud passed in front of the sun, cooling the fields with well-received shade. Ike spoke up, and suggested a game of football, to which everyone readily agreed. Captains were chosen, players picked, and the game began. Ike threw the football to Snake, who he though was on his team, who ran it to the wrong end, only to be tackled by Bowser, who actually was on Snake's team. As it turns out, Snake was the other team Captain. The game quickly degraded into a series of passes, tackles and projectile weapons. The score was forgotten, rules abandoned, and teams melded together.

All in all, it was a good afternoon. Then Ness pointed out that Samus and Captain Falcon were missing. Zelda's pointy ears perked up at this declaration, and she turned to Peach. A moment later the two were overcome with a fit of giggles. The laughter spread to everyone (except Ness, Lucas, and Toon Link, who just didn't get it) and they decided to let them be and continue with their, albeit disorganized, game.

-

Mewtwo grew bored of watching everyone outside, and so teleported back inside. Just then Dr. Mario walked by. "Oh! Mama Mia, Mewtwo. You a-nearly scared me to death," the Italian doctor exclaimed.

"Sorry, I have that kind of… anyway, how's Falco?"

"Uh, not a-much better."

"How so?"

"Well, he has a very high a-fever. And the boils, they –don't seem to be reducing in size, in fact, I a-think they're getting bigger!" He sounded very nervous. "And a-none of the medical books have anything quite a-like this."

"Surely they must have something in them?" Mewtwo pressed.

"Well, yes, they have a-similar cases, but nothing a-just like this. I just tried something from a book with a case very similar to this. I'm a-hoping it works," he rubbed his chin.

"I guess that's all we can do right now is hope," Mewtwo placed a hand on his friends shoulder.

A bit later, the group retreated back to the cool interior of the Mansion. The sun had evidently come out again, and with even more heat. Cool drinks were passed around, and laughter once again filled the halls. Several questions were asked about Falco, and Dr. Mario did his best to be optimistic. The mood went somber, but quickly rose back up. No use acting sad if there's nothing we can do, right? They all nodded, but kept Falco at the front of their thoughts.

Dinner came and went, and night descended on the Mansion, and everyone shuffled off to bed for an uneasy sleep. Mewtwo stayed awake for a bit longer, meditating, long enough to see Samus and Captain Flacon attempt to sneak in a back door. They froze when they saw him, but he waved them on passively with a sigh.


Late that night, when everyone, even Mewtwo was fast asleep, a think shadow detached itself from the walls. It looked down at Falco, at how nice the body was. At how vulnerable it was. With a quiver, it loomed over his bed, and waited. Falco inhaled, exhaled. Inhaled. Exhaled. Then he shivered; the shadow gripped both sides of his head. Falco's beak opened in a soundless scream, and the shadow peered inside.

When the chill passed, the shadow was gone, and something was wiggling its way though Falco's belly.


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