Count Bleck walked down the corridors of Castle Bleck, his thoughts drifting from place to place.
After three straight days, Mario had already gotten three of the Pure Hearts. Neither O'Chunks, Mimi, nor Dimentio could out do him in combat, no matter hard they fought or how well of an advantage they held. It was as if Mario knew their weakness even before the battle begun. But after these straight days of constant fighting, there was a moment of peace. For the last two days, Mario had been quiet, no dimensional traveling what so ever. Relieved to have a moment of peace, Count Bleck instructed his minions to train as hard and as long as they could.
But maybe having Mario quiet would only make things worse.
Count Bleck walked outside to the small courtyard, where all his minions were training. Mimi was paired up with Mr. L, Dimentio with O'Chunks. Mr. L and Mimi were fighting close combat, Mr. L trying to punch or kick her while Mimi used her rubees to defend herself. Dimentio made clones of himself as he circled O'Chunks, who was trying to catch them.
Mimi created a sword like rubee and swung underneath Mr. L's feet. Mr. L quickly dogged, though the edge of the rubee scratched his leg a bit. Mimi smirked, pleased with herself. Mr. L smirked back.
"I wouldn't get so over confident if I were you."
Faster than the speed of light, Mr. L ran behind Mimi caught her from behind. He held her arms behind her back, restraining her. Mimi growled.
"Let me go, Mr. L!"
Mr. L laughed.
"Not until you say that I, Mr. L the Green Thunder, is the greatest warrior ever."
Mimi laughed playfully.
"No! I will never say it!"
"Okay then."
Mr. L let her go and swung his foot under her, causing Mimi to fall to the ground. Dimentio saw the scene out of the corner of his eye.
"Was that really necessary, Mr. L?" he questioned.
Mr. L put his foot on top of Mimi's back, as she tried to get away.
"What? I was only kidding," Mr. L commented. "Besides, she was asking for it. I can't get myself beaten by a girl who's over her head."
"Uh, excuse me!" Mimi exclaimed with a grunt. "I've been going easy on you all this time! Have you seen me train with Dimentio or O'Chunks? I can beat you blindfolded if I wanted to!"
"Uh...if I recall right, Miss I'm-Better-Than-You, didn't you lose to Mario not too long ago?"
Mimi's face darkened.
"Well...I...I at least I have fought Mario! Unlike you, armature."
"Say that again?"
Mr. L put some pressure on her back, making Mimi cringe a bit. Dimentio glared at Mr. L, as he dogged a punch from O'Chunks.
"Mr. L, I think you're over doing it."
"And what is it to you?" Mr. L questioned, a bit annoyed. "Its just training. Its not like I'm actually hurting her."
Dimentio was about to make a reply, when O'Chunks threw a huge boulder at him. It was a direct hit, causing Dimentio to fall to the ground. Mr. L laughed and Mimi gasped. O'Chunks slowly approached Dimentio and lifted the boulder off of him.
"Err...sorry Dimentio," O'Chunks said apologetic.
Dimentio stood up slowly. Mimi then threw Mr. L off of her back and ran up to Dimentio.
"Dimentio, are you okay? Oh my God, that must have hurt!"
Dimentio chuckled slowly, his eyes on Mimi.
"I'm fine, Mimi. I'm fine..."
He gave her a warm smile. Mr. L rolled his eyes at the scene.
"And now I know why you failed at fighting Mario, Dimentio. It was because you get distracted so easily."
Dimentio turned his gaze to him, clutching his fists. He slowly walked up to Mr. L, his laugh having a threatening tone to it.
"Aha ha ha, Mr. L. You really like to get one's bad side, don't you?"
Mr. L backed away as Dimentio stepped closer.
"Look, I don't know what your problem is," Mr. L snapped, his voice cracking with fear. "But you've been threatening me ever since I got here! And, frankly, I don't like it."
Dimentio continued to laugh, his voice growing louder and louder.
"And yet you continue to anger me. I gave you a warning for when you first got here, and you ignored it. And I'm losing patience with you."
Mr. L soon backed up into a wall, having nowhere left to run. Dimentio blocked any sort of escape, his smile growing.
"You told Mimi to tell you that you were the best," he said, his voice so soft and low. "Well now, prove it. Fight me."
Mr. L's face paled, as if he knew that dueling Dimentio would likely mean his doom.
"I...would like to, Dimentio, but why not we go somewhere with more space?"
"No. Right here and right now. In front of everyone, so they can all see your glory."
Cold sweat went down Mr. L's neck. Dimentio smiled, summoning an electric sphere. Mimi saw this, and ran over to them. She put herself between Mr. L and Dimentio.
"Dimentio," Mimi said, her voice shaking a bit. "Don't you think you're being a bit over dramatic?"
"Oh, not at all," Dimentio replied calmly. "Now, please step aside Mimi."
Mimi shook her head. "No, I won't."
Anger flashed in Dimentio's eyes.
"Mimi, I won't repeat myself again. Get out of the way."
"No."
"Now Mimi."
"No!"
"Move!"
"No!"
Dimentio and Mimi glared at each other for a long moment. Mimi gave a fearful look. For Dimentio couldn't hide the anger, and even the jealousy, that burned within his eyes. Within his heart.
Dimentio growled, his sphere vanishing.
"Fine. Protect this arrogant bastard. You will only delay his demise. Like a panther in the night, I will strike down my prey. Just you wait."
Without another word, Dimentio teleported away. When he was gone, Mimi looked back at Mr. L, who had a petrified look on his face.
"You okay?" Mimi asked.
Mr. L nodded his head slowly.
"...Yeah," he answered, his voice shaking uncontrollably. "I...need a cold shower. A very cold shower."
Mr. L stormed off, muttering to himself and rubbing his forehead.
Count Bleck watched the whole moment from a distance. He frowned, as he knew tension like this between his minions would only give Mario an advantage as they tore each other apart. Though, it felt like he had seen this before. Dimentio...the way he was acting, the way he tried to hide his jealousy and use subtle threats...
Count Bleck's eyes widened.
No...that is impossible! Dimentio couldn't possibly be the same Dimentio Timpani knew. I saw him die, I saw him burn to death!
He then slowly walked away, his thoughts drifting to his past.
When Dimentio teleported into his room, he let out a loud cry of rage. He threw electric spheres at the wall over and over again, doing anything to get his out of control anger out. The wall would crack on impact of the spheres, large amount of paint chipping off. Impact after impact, the cracks of the wall making the sound like a human's skull being crushed.
Nothing calmed him down, it was as if Dimentio had fully lost his mind.
Eventually, he finally tired out. Dimentio fell to his knees, clutching his fists and closing his eyes tightly. It...was happening again.
Again, he was losing control.
Again, he was facing a battle he would lose.
Again, he was losing the girl that he...
That he...
No!
Dimentio threw another sphere at the wall.
"No! I told myself I wouldn't allow this to happen again! I thought I had perfected myself! I thought I have become the perfect being, so calm and unfeeling. I thought...I thought..."
He threw another sphere. Dimentio cried and laughed, laughing as loud as he never laughed before. A laugh so mad, and twisted that it hurt his own ears.
"Mimi, we need to talk."
Mimi turned around, as she was on her way to dinner, to see Mr. L behind her. She gave an arrogant smile, as she was about to say something clever. But then, she saw the complete solemn look on Mr. L's face, which made her keep her mouth shut.
"What's wrong, Mr. L?" she finally asked.
"I think I should be the one asking you that," Mr. L said, a bit of anger in his voice. "I want to know what's between you and Dimentio."
"Between me and Dimentio?"
Mimi narrowed her eyes.
"Why would you want to know something like that? That isn't your business."
"At this point, I think it is."
Mr. L glared down at Mimi.
"Ever since I got here, Dimentio has been watching me closely. Every time we are in the same room, he would study every move I make. His eyes never left me, as if he was waiting for me to do something. And do you know what makes this experience even scarier?"
Mimi shook her head.
"What's scarier than a creepy-as-hell jester watching you is when that creep-as-hell jester thinks your stealing his girlfriend!"
Mimi's eyes widened.
"'Girlfriend?' You think I'm Dimentio's girlfriend?"
"Are you not?" Mr. L asked. "Have you not notice the death glares he gives me when I'm around you? Even if I just say hi to you, he looks like he wants to strangle me for it! And you make it even worse, Mimi! You know those tiny winks and girly giggles you give me when he's around? It makes it more suspicious. So, what is the deal? What are you using me for, what are you trying to accomplish?"
Mimi blinked, completely shocked at what she had just heard.
"You mean...he is jealously?"
"No, he's just irritated that I'm giving you attention instead of him. ...Of course he is, Mimi! Did you not listen to what I just said? Are you that blind and deaf?"
Mimi didn't answer, her eyes on the ground.
"...I couldn't tell, honestly. I mean, I had hope me being with you would make him a bit jealous..."
"What?"
Mr. L grabbed Mimi's shoulders and started to shake her.
"Are you insane? You wanted that madman to get angry with me, with you? What on God's green earth possessed you to do that?"
Mimi pushed Mr. L off of her.
"Will you calm down!" Mimi shouted irritated. "First off, Dimentio isn't a madman. He's different, yes, but not crazy. Secondly, Dimentio and I, when you showed up, were having a bit of difficulties. Long story short, I wanted to get him jealous, because I wasn't sure how he felt about me. I never meant to put you in any harm, honestly. I just…got frustrated and wanted some answers."
"What made you uncertain about it?" Mr. L questioned puzzled. "Didn't he give you any signs?"
"Well, he would flirt with me sometimes. But when I flirt back, he would try to get away from me. Though, he did give me a nickname and he calls me it all the time… Actually, ever since you came, he has called me by it more and has been, until this afternoon, a bit nicer to me now that I think about it…"
Mr. L gave an irritated growl, looking like he wanted to slap Mimi across the face.
"And what is that nickname, if I may ask?"
"Bellezza. It's an Italian word."
Mr. L's eyes widened.
"Bellezza. Dimentio is calling you bellezza?"
"Yes, do you know what that means?"
"And you don't know what it means either?"
"No, Dimentio never told me."
Mr. L put his hand to his forehead, chuckling a bit. He started to pace, talking and laughing to himself.
"Mimi, oh dear God, Mimi! You…Dimentio…"
He turned to face her.
"I think I finally understand what's going on. Mimi, has Dimentio told you anything about his past, specifically, his love life?"
Mimi paused for a minute.
"A tiny bit, but he likes to be secretive," she finally said. "Though, I don't see what you are trying to say."
"I'm saying that I think Dimentio has had some issues in the past," Mr. L explained. "I think he's been hurt so badly he is afraid to get hurt again. From what I've seen and from what you told me, Dimentio likes you, but is afraid of acting on it."
He gave a sympathetic smile.
"If you want your relationship with Dimentio to go to the next level, you, Mimi, are going to be the one who takes the first step. If you can get Dimentio comfortable around you, he will surely open up. It may take time, but you just need to be patient."
"Wait…are you suggesting I ask him on a date?"
"If you want to get close to him, then yes."
Mimi's eyes widened.
"But…it's the guy that asks the girl, not the other way around!"
"I'm afraid that's not going to happen, Mimi."
"But it isn't proper!"
"Oh for the love of God!"
Mr. L went passed her and looked inside the dining room.
"Okay, Dimentio isn't at dinner, so he must be in his room. Now is your chance."
He turned to Mimi and started to push her towards the stairs.
"Now, go ask Dimentio on that date! I don't care if it doesn't fit your childish fantasies, just do it for my sake! For if you don't do something soon, I'm sure Dimentio will kill me! Now go!"
He shoved Mimi forward. Mimi glared down at Mr. L but said nothing. With a heavy sigh, she made her way up the stairs. It was her fault for making Dimentio so jealous to the point of hurting Mr. L, and she needed to solve it. Even if she was so nervous to the point of shaking and the fact she didn't know how to ask someone out.
Oh God, how am I going to get Dimentio comfortable around me if I'm as scared of messing up as he is?
Finally, Mimi reached Dimentio's bedroom door. She stared at the door, hesitating on what to do when she saw him. But she didn't have to wait long, as Dimentio opened his door. He gave a surprised look, but it quickly disappeared.
"I didn't expect to see you here, Mimi," he said his voice icy cold and tired. "I thought you would be with Mr. L. After all, you are very fond of him, aren't you?"
Mimi flinched back a little.
"I...well, I noticed that you weren't at dinner, so I came to get you. I was...concerned if something was wrong."
"'Wrong?' Oh my dear bellezza, there isn't anything wrong."
A hint of madness was in his voice, a hint of spite and sarcasm.
"Now, unless you have something important to say to me," Dimentio said. "I wished to remain alone."
He shoved his way passed Mimi, avoiding eye contact. She gave a sad look.
"...Dimentio, wait."
Dimentio stopped all movement. He then reluctantly turned around to face her. "Yes?"
"I..."
Mimi looked down at the ground.
"I...wanted to say...I am sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you."
"'Hurt me?' What are you talking about?"
"You know what I am talking about."
There was an awkward silence.
Why is this so difficult!
Dimentio stared at Mimi, waiting for her to continue. Mimi didn't dare make eye contact, for she was afraid of what she may see.
"...And so, to make it up to you, I thought maybe we could spend tomorrow night together. Just you and me, without Mr. L."
A huge blush appeared on Mimi's face. Again, she kept her head low, waiting for Dimentio to speak.
There was a long silence.
"...Mimi, look at me."
With hesitation, Mimi obeyed him. She looked into Dimentio's eyes, which had regain their usual calm look. He smiled at her.
"If you want to go out tomorrow night, then we shall."
He moved closer to her.
"And I'll choose the perfect place to go. After all, there is bound to be something interesting happening in some other dimension. I'll meet you at the garden at seven, when everyone else is at dinner. Make sure you don't tell anyone what we are doing either, alright?"
"...Why not?" Mimi asked puzzled. "Why keep it a secret?"
"Just trust me."
"But, Dimentio-"
"Hush."
Dimentio his finger over her lips.
"I have my reasons. I'll even explain them to you when we are alone. I'll see you down stairs, my bellezza."
He put a lot of inference on the word 'my' before he made his way downstairs. Mimi smiled happily as she watched him go. Everything was good again between them.
Or so she thought, as nothing could be resolved so simply.