Chapter 12: Dance Party

"What?" Grodus angrily asked the messenger who was relaying what happened at Boggley Woods.

"It is true. Mario and his group completely broke through our defenses."

"The shadow sirens and Crump?"

"All defeated at the team's hands. They got the star before we did and chased us out of the great tree."

Grodus slammed his fist down in frustration.

"See?" The messenger asked as he turned on a monitor and showed them footage of Rolf beating up the Magnus van Grapple robot.

"You're dismissed." Grodus told his minion who quickly walked out of the room.

Grodus began watching the footage again. "I loathe you all."

"Ha! Beat ya!" Marie shouted at her unfortunate sister.

"Oh come on!" May shouted.

"Cough it up!" Marie shouted.

May slammed her cards on the metallic table and gave up her barrette to Marie.

"Lee, want to join us?" Marie asked.

"What are ya play'n?" Lee asked.

"Five card stud."

"Yeah, I'm in." Lee said, grabbing at seat.

"You cheated Marie!"

"No I didn't, May!"

"Come on, double or nothing!" May said, putting a ring of hers on bet.

"You're on!" Marie said, putting up the barrette and a scarf.

"Hm…" Lee placed her CD player on the bet.

"Okay, now deal the card."

"Shut up, May! I know what to do!"

"Yeah, and you cheat too. I'll deal the cards!"

"Hey girls." Lee said, pointing to Peach who sat alone on her bed. "Yo Peach! You want to play five card stud?"

"What's that?" Peach asked.

"Never mind." Lee said simply. "Are we the only ones in this dimension who know what cards even are?"

"Probably, now deal the cards already!" Marie complained.

Peach watched them play their game. She saw it as unusual and strange, like an alien ritual.

'I don't care about their little games. I need to know if Mario received my e-mail.'

"You know, I wonder…" Mare said as May dealt the cards. "Where did Eddy and Ed go? Double D wrote in his response that they where missing."

"What do you care? You know at least your boyfriend's safe!" May said sourly.

"Just a little concerned is all." Marie said. "I have every right to be, giving the circumstances."

"You're starting to sound like Double D. Now, take your cards!" May said.

"Y'know, she does make a good point. What did happen to Eddy? I'm worried." Lee asked.

"Ah, you know the Eds. They can perfectly well take care of themselves. Their good at making money, aren't they?" May said simply.

"No!" Lee said. "That's why I'm starting to get worried."

"Gee, I never thought of it that way." May finally confessed.

There was a quick mechanical whirring sound. They all turned and saw the door to their room open.

"TEC wants to see us again." Peach said, walking out the door.

Marie shrugged to May, as they walked out of the door. Lee waited for them both to leave before she secretly grabbed everything on the bet table and shoved in under her pillow. Then she ran to catch up.

"What is it, TEC?" Peach asked as they entered TEC's room.

The lights turned on, and the monitor responded. "Hello again, Princess Peach."

"What, and we're not even here?" Marie asked, arms folded.

"Peach, I heard you the other day. You said we wished to be dancing?"

"You eavesdropped TEC?" Peach asked, frowning.

"My job is to monitor your activity." TEC explained.

"…yeah, I said I wanted to be back at my castle. I said that I missed the ballroom and the dancing."

"Well, when you said you wanted to dance, you made me… well…"

"TEC?" Peach asked.

"Peach, I need to comprehend your desire so I can further research this love concept you spoke of. In order to do so, I must ask of you to dance with me."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! He's skipped a few stages!" Lee elbowed to May.

"TEC. You're a mainframe computer. How can I dance with you if your exist as a artificial intelligence?" Peach asked the monitor.

"True, I cannot do so, but would this be a suitable substitute?"

A hologram appeared before Peach.. One of herself.

"What the-?" Peach asked.

"Heh… I can't tell them apart!" Marie chuckled sarcastically because the hologram was transparent.

"So, you want me to dance with this?" Peach asked.

"What about us?" Lee asked.

"You may dance as well." TEC said.

"What? With no boys?" Marie asked.

Peach swore she could have heard TEC groan. Peach held onto her hologram. The lights dimmed and she began to slow dance. Almost immediately, Lee covered her ears.

"Eh, this song is so 50 years ago!"

"It is a classical number." TEC said.

"Here's some real music!" Lee said. She walked over to the monitor and took out a CD.

"Where's the CD drive on this thing?"

A drive popped out, and Lee inserted the disk. The classic song came to a halt and was replaced by dance music. Somehow, the lighting turned to dark and a spot light shone in the middle of the room.

"Now, I'll hit the dance floor and show you all what dancing is about!" Lee said.

She ran and started to do some break dancing that was responded with oos and aahs. He continued her interesting moves until Marie grabbed her from the spotlight and took her place. She tried to do a few of the same moves, but failed and slammed her face on the metallic floor. Everyone laughed, and Peach thought she somehow heard TEC laughing.

"Face it, Marie! You cannot beat the almighty Lee Kanker in a dance competition!" Lee smirked.

"Oh yeah, bring it!"

They both continued to dance, though Marie did significantly worse. May walked over to Peach.

"It almost makes you forget that we're stuck here." May said and Peach laughed.

TED allowed one small laugh as Marie slammed into the ground after totally screwing up a move.

May sarcastically applauded and laughed until Marie got up and gave her a slap.

"Ow!" May shouted.

"Care to dance?" TEC asked.

"I… guess. This is a tad unusual but…" She grabbed her transparent hologram and started to do intricate dances.

She spun the clone around and caught it in mid spin. The hologram did the same, though Peach was surprised to see a hologram able to make any sort of physical contact.

"Hey, check this out." May gestured to Lee.

They watched the quick moving dancing being performed by the two Peaches. The song finally came to an end. Being used to a ball, Peach bowed gracefully as the hologram vanished into the air.

"Hey, I think she's better then you!" May teased Marie, only to have another blow delivered to her face.

"Hm!" TEC said. "That was fun." TEC froze at that last statement. "Fun? Is what I just experienced the concept called fun?"

"Yes, indeed TEC. Now do you get it?" Peach asked.

"Partially. I will just analyze this data and be satisfied."

"Good. Now TEC, I have some favors to ask of you."

"Yes, Princess Peach?"

"First, did Mario receive his E-mail?" Peach asked.

"Why or course, Princess Peach." TEC assured.

"And secondly, I wish to send out another message."

"Yes, me too!" Marie shouted.

"Yes. Go on." TEC said, opening an email window.

Peach typed her message to Mario. She finished in a minute. However, because May and Lee's 'boyfriends' where missing, only Marie wrote. She pressed a button when she was done.

"Both messages sent. Thank you." TEC said.

"Finally!" Marie said. "Let's get back to the card game."

"Uh… yeah." Lee said reluctantly. The three Kanker sisters walked out.

"You're still a weird computer TEC." Peach said as she walked out.

"Good night, Princess Peach."