Chapter One:

Depresso's Panic


-Weeks ago, in a dark, secluded area-


He hummed in an optimistic manner, feeling content despite his name alluding to a state of sadness. Depresso chuckled as he gently scratched a rat's head, and a few more mice surrounded him. Neither of the rodents were bothered by the presence of the short red-nosed man, and he felt content to be around mice.

Despite being alone, despite his frustrations with Mario and the gang after being humiliated once, Depresso was at peace. He didn't need to be sad, or angry. He could be happy when it was right to be happy.

Just then, he heard a giggle in the darkness. Depresso dismissed it as his imagination, then he heard the laughter again. The rats scattered as he stood up, and the lonely little man put a gloved hand up to his ear. He walked slowly, strolling through the darkness in a careful manner, as the laughter echoed again.

With each step through the darkness that Depresso took, he made sure to walk slowly, right as he heard another bout of laugher. It sounded so eerie, and evil, as if someone has hatched a sinister plot.

"Oh, the delight."

Depresso's eyes widened, and he stopped moving. It was him, the one that people often called the TV Adware, or Mysterious TV Guy. And yet, he knew his real name: Mr. Puzzles. Mr. Puzzles had been operating from the shadows for years, often sending invitations to people, or manipulating events in order to put on a show.

He'd met Mr. Puzzles before, and that TV-headed fella was quite creepy. No one knew where he came from, no one knew who created him, and Depresso was reminded of Mr. Hal Monitor when he saw the TV man. If he didn't know better, one could say Mr. Puzzles' was Hal's long-thought dead father.

"What a show it will be." Depresso heard Mr. Puzzles say, "And with enough time having passed since that delightful War of The Fat Italians, I say SMG4 and his friends will soon be ready for their big performance. The day of the storm will be the perfect time to strike at their castle, and I know what I will do. It will finally be time to emerge from the darkness..."

He processed what he heard. And then, Depresso, despite his frustrations with the SMG4 gang, was filled with panic. Mr. Puzzles had told him about his designs when they talked before, and one never knew when the infamous TV Adware would strike. Now, just hearing him plan his next "show", it terrified Depresso to the point of nearly fainting.

Even in the time he'd known Mr. Puzzles, Depresso didn't think much of his shows, especially with what had happened to the likes of Oneshot Wren, the former Splatfest champion who'd inspired Meggy Spletzer.

Depresso backed away into the darkness, making sure that the TV Adware didn't hear him. And then, he made a run for it. Rats scurried, and Depresso bolted for the exit to the shadowy cavern. He burst through the door, grabbed a bike, and took off through the countryside, riding out into the night to parts unknown.

It hadn't been that long since the Casino Paisano debacle, and hearing Mr. Puzzles plot out his next move really terrified Depresso. He had to warn the SMG4 gang at some point, he had to tell someone, anyone. But perhaps it would be best to wait, and keep an eye on the Puzzlevision feeds for whenever Mr. Puzzles would make his move.


-Many days later-


He stood on the hill, watching the rain clouds roll in. Depresso looked at his phone, his heart pounding, and he checked the Puzzlevision app. He could see an update from Mr. Puzzles, and his eyes widened. Today was the day, the "show" would be starting in less than an hour. By now, SMG4 and his friends were in the castle, likely hanging out.

There was time, time to warn them.

Depresso got onto his bike, and he moved his legs as fast as he could, rolling down the hillside and racing through the forest towards the Showgrounds. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and rain began to pour. A second later, lightning was exploding in the sky above, and bolts began hitting the ground around the panicking bike rider.

"AH!" Depresso cried, swerving to avoid a lightning strike, "WHOA!"

Now, he was racing into the Showgrounds, and the castle was close. Depresso pedaled as fast as he could, holding back the urge to scream out for SMG4. He would wait until he was inside. He pedaled faster, and gripped the bars as hard as he could, while focusing on the road leading up to the castle.

BFT! A violent jolt shook the bike, and Depresso yelled as he tumbled off. Despite watching where he was pedaling, he'd hit a rock in the road. The clown gasped as he hit the ground, catching a glimpse of the deflated tire. And when he looked up, he saw he was a few feet from the castle.

Depresso raised an arm, and attempted to stand up. He could still make it in, he could still warn the gang. However, a bolt of lightning exploded from the sky above, hitting the spot where he lay. Depresso yelled as 1.21 gigawatts of electricity ran through his body, paralyzing his body in a second.

The lightning subsided, but he couldn't find the strength to stand. Depresso fainted on the ground, laying by the entrance to the SMG4 Castle. And he knew, by the time he woke up, it would be too late to warn everyone of what was to come...