"Olivia, stop it," Olly whispered, his voice filled with concern as he watched Olivia sitting on her bed, her gaze fixated on the ceiling with a distant expression.

The room was immaculately tidy, with top-notch bedding and bright lights overhead. It was quite spacious, larger than the average homes in Flipside and Flopside.

"Stop what?" she wearily asked, her voice slightly light and airy as she absentmindedly smoothed out the wrinkles in her dress.

"Being all depressed! That's my thing!" Olly exclaimed, feeling a mix of frustration and worry as he blew some of his hair out of his eye in a dramatic fashion.

The girl had been down the past few days. Ever since Merlon saw that Bob-Omb speaking to the siblings and decided to increase the security around their room. The window was barred and covered. There was only a small inch-wide crack in the bottom to allow better airflow.

Still, that didn't stop that young sailor from coming back and waiting every day, simply sitting down at the bottom of the tower with hopes of speaking to Olivia again. He'd even be glad to speak to Olly. He just wanted to know that they were okay. But of course, he never saw either of them, and they never saw him. Plus, if he spent too long down at the base of the tower, he ran the risk of being caught by Merlon, and he didn't want to risk causing any more conflicts.

"He's a sailor, Olivia," Olly stated with a bored tone, knowing exactly what she was thinking. "He's going to leave soon and sail away with all the other Bob-Ombs."

"I know, but he seemed nice. And he had that little bird," she breathed. "It sang so sweetly, don't you think? Oh, come on, Brother, we don't have any friends. We get no company besides each other."

"His little bird is dead," Olly huffed, remembering the quiet snapping sound. He shivered. "And he'll be too if he keeps coming around here. Merlon doesn't like Bob-Ombs. He thinks they're beneath us. Barely even human."

"They're still alive, though," Olivia exclaimed.

"Hardly," Olly replied. 

Deep down, he shared Olivia's sentiment, but he didn't want Merlon to overhear. So, he echoed what Merlon would likely expect him to say. Perhaps if he repeated it often, he could eventually convince himself it was true. "They're like machines, created to appear and behave identically. They're built, they explode, and then they're replaced. Like weapons."

He wasn't just a weapon, though. Olly and Olivia both knew that. Or, at least now they did. After all, Olivia and Olly had never seen a Bob-Omb before Bobby. They had heard of them, yes, but seeing him... he seemed so normal. He smiled, he waved, he was alive. He had feelings. He wasn't just some mindless machine like they had previously thought Bob-Ombs would be. He was much different than Merlon had described.

"I just wish he could visit," Olivia breathed. "If we can't go out, it would at least be nice if someone could get in."

Olly shook his head at his ridiculous sister. Who cared about meeting people and making friends? It wouldn't change anything in the end. Besides, Merlon didn't like them going around and talking to people. All seeing the Bob-Omb would do was earn them more punishment. It wasn't worth it.

Olivia had lost interest in her brother, turning her focus elsewhere as she crouched down and peered through the crack of her window, her attention captivated by something outside.

Peeking from behind the fountain, a familiar little Bob-Omb caught her eye, wearing a soft smile as he meekly waved at her. Olivia couldn't help but giggle in delight, returning the wave with a flutter of her fingers. 

She stepped back and began rifling through her drawers.

"Hey! What are you doing?!" Olly exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and concern as he saw her slipping a small key out of the crack at the bottom of her window, watching it fall onto the sidewalk below.

"Giving him a key," Olivia explained.

"Olivia, he's not even down there right now. For all you know, some madman could find it and break in!" Olly warned. "Do you WANT us to be murdered in our sleep?"

"Oh, hush," she breathed. "He's right over by the fountain. He'll find it. And when he does, maybe we can all get out of here! Together!"

"He's a sailor, remember?" Olly pointed out once again. "He'll be leaving soon."

"Even better," Olivia smiled. "We can leave with him!"

. . .

The room above Dimentio's pie shop was cleaned out and newly refurbished, now complete with a chair in the center of the room and a large chest in the corner for storage. Attached to the bottom of the staircase that led to Count Bleck's new place was a small bell. Count Bleck was inside, getting himself situated while Dimentio stood outside of his own shop, dusting off his sign.

"COINS! COINS FOR A MISERABLE WOMAN?!" the beggar woman from before cried out, grasping Dimentio's shoulder and holding her cup out to him. The jester rolled his eyes and quickly pushed her away, telling her to scram and get away from him. 

"Get lost! How many times have I told you? I will not have trash wandering about my establishment! Now go! Off with you!"

"No? Not a single coin? Oh, how about a pie?" the woman asked. "Yours are the pies that give stomach cramps to half the neighborhood, yes-"

"GO!" Dimentio hissed, waving her off. "Get out of here!" 

The woman did as she was told and started off, muttering to herself and trembling like crazy. Dimentio let out a breath of relief and dusted himself off as soon as she was gone. Then, he rang the bell at the bottom of the stairs and started making his way up to Bleck's new space. The count grew tense upon hearing the bell ring but relaxed when he saw it was just Dimentio. He supposed that all the years he spent away made him a little on edge at all times. He always had to watch his back. 

"Why hasn't Merlon come yet? He said he'd be here within the week," the count asked

"Oh, come on," Dimentio retorted, rolling his eyes. "It's barely been a couple of days. Relax."

Count Bleck shook his head, unable to find peace as he continued to pace restlessly. Dimentio couldn't help but question why he was going out of his way to assist this guy. They weren't particularly close before Blumiere's departure all those years ago, merely neighbors who exchanged occasional greetings. Maybe Dimentio was just longing for companionship, desperate for a friend. After all, no one ever ventured near his store. He craved attention and yearned for people to engage with him.

"Can't you think of anything else besides revenge?" Dimentio inquired, his tone filled with curiosity. "I mean, all this stuff happened ages ago. Isn't it time to let go-"

"Shut up," Count Bleck hissed, flinching as if he had just gotten burned.

His wife, his two children, everything was taken from him. Everything, and no one seemed to care. No one even remembered Blumiere anymore. How could he ever move past this? How could he move on? How could he learn to forgive when no one would help his poor Timpani when she was at her lowest? He couldn't bear to think of what was going on in her mind when she decided to poison herself. She must have been so lonely, so afraid. The Timpani he knew was happy, kind, and gentle. She'd never do something like that. Why would no one help her while he was gone?

"Mr. Bleck!!" Bobby suddenly gasped, ringing the bell and sprinting up the stairs. Count Bleck and Dimentio both flinched as the Bob-Omb rushed inside with a big grin. "I heard about your new business! Congratulations!"

Dimentio frowned, puzzled by how Count Bleck could possibly be acquainted with this seemingly random Bob-Omb. Count Bleck simply tipped his hat to show respect, despite being slightly annoyed by the sudden visit.

"Sorry for barging in. I just wanted to be one of the first people, or Bob-Ombs, to offer my congrats," Bobby exclaimed with enthusiasm. He then turned his gaze towards Dimentio, his curiosity piqued. "And who is this?"

"Dimentio," the jester answered, flashing a wide grin and extending his hand to shake the Bob-Omb's. "Say, you're a Bob-Omb sailor."

"That I am," Bobby smiled warmly. "Again, I apologize for bursting in. Not all businesses welcome the likes of me, but since my good friend Mr. Bleck is here, I figured it would be alright for me to stop by and-"

"Oh, don't worry, don't worry," Dimentio reassured Bobby with a friendly smile. "I hold no resentment for Bob-Ombs."

Bobby's eyes lit up at this as he let Dimentio's hand go and dusted himself off. 

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet such kind, open-minded people." Bobby's smile grew wider as he turned his attention back to Count Bleck. "Mr. Bleck! I have so much to tell you! I've met these two incredible siblings, and let me tell you, the girl is absolutely enchanting. Her smile is like a ray of sunshine, and her eyes sparkle like stars in the night sky. And guess what? She even gave me a name! Can you believe it? A Bob-Omb with a real name! It's Bobby, in case you were wondering. But that's not the important part. The real issue is that they're trapped, held captive by their tyrannical guardian. He won't let them out, won't let them speak to me. But this morning, something magical happened. A key fell from her window!"

Bobby eagerly rummaged through his pockets, his eyes lighting up as he retrieved the small key. The key gleamed with a brilliant silver hue. It almost glittered in the dim lighting of the small room. 

Bobby's face beamed with excitement as he held the key tightly in his hand. "This must be a sign, a clear indication that Miss Olivia is calling for my assistance in helping her and her brother escape!"

Count Bleck and Dimentio froze in place, their expressions turning solemn and serious.

Dimentio's voice trembled with concern as he uttered, "...Olivia?" 

Count Bleck's face drained of all color, his expression filled with disbelief.

Bobby eagerly nodded, then started rambling about this plan he was coming up with. He was going to wait until Merlon left, then find a way to sneak up the tower and rescue the two siblings. Then, all he'd need was a place to hide out until his ship left, and they could all escape! He had been watching, and he saw the way Merlon was raising them. It was cruel, and neither of them were happy. He just had to save them!

".... Bring them here, then," Count Bleck said after Bobby finished explaining his whole plan.

The Bob-Omb's eyes widened.

"Really?" he asked. "You'd let me do that, sir?"

Count Bleck nodded, though he didn't say another word.

Bobby's face lit up with a wide grin as he eagerly shook Count Bleck's hand. With a rush of excitement, he bid farewell and dashed off, expressing his overflowing enthusiasm about introducing Olivia and Olly to the count.

Once Bobby had slammed the door, Dimentio turned to Count Bleck. Neither of them said a word, but they both knew what the other was thinking.

Olivia and Olly. The two adopted children Blumiere and Timpani had. The kids had been too young when he was still around, they surely wouldn't remember him. But that didn't matter. He remembered them. He wanted them back. He NEEDED them back. 

Dimentio suddenly burst into laughter. He couldn't help but find the situation amusing. "Looks like everything fell into place perfectly," he chuckled. "Olivia and Olly will practically be handed right to you!"

"Yes, but only for a short while," Count Bleck hissed. "Then that filthy Bob-Omb sailor is going to take them away again!"

"There's an easy solution to that," Dimentio pointed out. "You've been so desperate to murder someone. Well, there you go! That's the fuse to light!"

Count Bleck took a moment to ponder the idea. Bobby's presence had been nothing short of vexing, a constant annoyance in Flopside. His excessive brightness, incessant chatter, and desperate need for friendship grated on Count Bleck's nerves. Perhaps eliminating him would bring relief not just to himself, but to others who had suffered Bobby's irritating presence. After all, who knew how many people shared Count Bleck's sentiments towards Bobby?

But then again, Bobby had a kind and gentle nature. He didn't deserve to meet such a grim fate for simply trying to protect Olivia and Olly from Merlon's clutches.

The world often showed little mercy to souls like him. He would soon come to realize that kindness rarely led to success. It was seen as a vulnerability, something that others could exploit.

Bob-Ombs never lasted long. They weren't meant to be kind. They weren't meant to be anything, actually. They were just weapons. Sooner or later, he'd blow up anyway. Bob-Ombs knew what they were built for. They were basically living sacrifices. He probably knew deep down that sooner or later his time would be up and he'd have to do what he was always built to do. Die. 

It was a harsh world, really. A harsh world for Bob-Ombs. A harsh world for people. A harsh world for everyone. 

But no, Count Bleck wasn't a monster. He wasn't a villain. He wasn't going to kill Bobby. He couldn't. Even if he had a new name, deep down he was still Blumiere. He still loved Timpani. He still wanted his happy ending. He wasn't going to kill Bobby. Not unless he had to. Timpani wouldn't have wanted him to kill just for the sake of killing. She would have wanted him to keep her in his heart and stay true to the person he once was.

Count Bleck had no intention of killing just for the sake of it. He wasn't driven by a desire to bring harm to others. His actions were motivated by love, not a thirst for destruction. He was going to kill Merlon for her. He was going to kill anyone who got in his way. But not anyone who didn't deserve it.

. . .

"Walk faster," Mario hissed, pushing Luigi forward toward Dimentio's pie shop. Once the two of them arrived in front of the metal staircase that led up to Count Bleck's new place, Mario cast Luigi a glare and commanded him to sit and wait. The brothers didn't often fight in public, but Mario blamed Luigi for the outcome of that competition. After he lost, not only did he lose some coins, but he also lost the crowd's respect and most of his customers.

Dimentio was still upstairs with Count Bleck when Mario rang the bell, making the two of them flinch. Hoping it was Merlon, Count Bleck quickly flew to his door and flung it open. 

His shoulders sagged slightly when he saw that it was just Mario and Luigi.

Mario plastered on a large grin, then took off his hat and bowed his head.

"Good morning, Mr. Bleck. You too, Dimentio," the man in red beamed.

Dimentio pushed past Count Bleck and quickly flew down the stairs to greet the two brothers. He quickly shook Mario's hand, then moved on to Luigi.

"Ah, come to check out the competition, have we?" Dimentio asked.

"Yes, I just have a little business I have to attend to with Mr. Bleck. Would you mind?" Mario asked politely.

"Wait, why did we come?" Luigi asked, frowning and tilting his head. It was obvious from the get-go that he was completely oblivious as to why they were there. He had a lost look in his eyes.

Mario quickly hushed his brother as Dimentio nodded and said he should get back to his pies. Mario agreed, then started up the stairs, leaving Luigi all on his own.

Dimentio frowned at the younger brother, then shrugged and waved for him to follow. "Here, why don't you come in?" Dimentio suggested. "You look like a walking disaster. I can get you some free pies. You have strong teeth, right?"

Luigi looked at the jester with a confused expression, then slowly nodded.

Dimentio grinned in return, then grabbed the man in green's hand and pulled him inside. "Come with me, then," he chuckled.

He quickly set a table up and patted one of the seats, signaling for Luigi to sit. Luigi did as he was told while Dimentio ran over to his counter to get some pies. He grabbed a tray, then quickly brought it over to Luigi and set it in front of him. Luigi, clearly starving, didn't hesitate before quickly digging in.

Meanwhile, Mario invited himself into Count Bleck's room. The man in red folded his arms behind his back and slowly paced around the place, getting a good look around.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Count Bleck asked, frowning at Mario's slightly strange behavior.

"Oh, call me Mario," Mario chuckled, turning to the count and holding his hand out. "I just came for my money back."

Count Bleck drew back slightly, then laughed and shook his head. Was that what this was seriously about? What, was Mario that much of a sore loser?

"Why?" Bleck chuckled.

"It'll hold me over until your customers start coming in," Mario shrugged.

Count Bleck slowly stopped laughing. His smile was replaced with a look of puzzlement.

"Then," Mario continued. "I'll be taking half your profits, paid to me every week on Friday. Does that sound alright to you, Blumiere?"

Count Bleck's breath caught in his chest, his heart skipping a beat. He fell silent, holding his breath as a wave of tension washed over him. His jaw tightened, his skin grew clammy, and his hands trembled with unease.

Had he misheard? Or had Mario misspoke, perhaps? It had to be that. There was no way this man recognized him. 

"Why..." Count Bleck whispered, trembling slightly. "Why do you call me that?"

"Oh? You don't remember me?" Mario asked with a small laugh. "No, I don't see why you would. My brother and I were just children when you were sent away for your fowl magic. We were plumbers, wouldn't you know? Cleaned out your sinks once. Your pretty wife gave us a mighty big tip. I remembered her smile well. It was a real shame, the way her smile disappeared along with you."

Count Bleck's head shook with worry. This situation had the potential to completely derail his plans. If Mario revealed his true identity to Merlon, it could mean being sent away once more, possibly forever. Count Bleck had already put everything on the line to escape and return to Flopside. The thought of going through that ordeal again was simply unbearable.

"So, do we have a deal, Mr. Bleck?" Mario asked, his grin turning more sinister by the minute. "Or do I have to run down to Flipside Tower and let Merlon know of your return?"

Count Bleck felt his pulse quicken. His breathing became shorter. He was on the verge of a breakdown. He couldn't go back. Not yet. He hadn't gotten his revenge. He hadn't even gotten to see Olivia or Olly again yet.

"Who else knows?" Count Bleck asked, attempting to sound calm.

"No one," Mario stated. "My idiot brother doesn't recognize you. No one recognizes you. To be fair, you do look quite different. Thinner. More... broken. More desperate. You think you're smart? You think you can just leave your old life behind while you've still got dark magic flowing through your veins?! No, I'm-"

Count Bleck suddenly took his staff and used the sharp tip of the gem to slice across Mario's throat in a smooth, quick manner.

"Shoot, Mario has an appointment with the tailor," Luigi gasped, taking a napkin and wiping his face off. He only seemed slightly phased by the pies' horrible taste. "He'll kill me if he's late!" 

Luigi swiftly got to his feet and dashed towards the exit, determined to find his brother. Dimentio nonchalantly shrugged and began tidying up the area as Luigi hurriedly ascended the stairs. 

"MARIO!" he called. "We're going to be late!"

Count Bleck gasped and looked over his shoulder when he heard the voice, then quickly looked around his room. There was that large chest in the corner. Perfect. The count grasped his staff tightly with both hands, then teleported Mario into it. Once the body was hidden, he rushed to the door and opened it, attempting to look calm.

"Mario," Luigi frantically breathed. "You told me to remind you that-"

"Your brother isn't here," Count Bleck stated. "He... ah... left."

Luigi frowned, then shook his head.

"Without me? Where did he go?!"

"He didn't say," Count Bleck shrugged. "It was down the street though. You'd better run after him-"

"Oh, no, no, sir. Knowing him, he'd get mad if I left without letting him know. I'd best wait for him right here."

The man in green sat down on the steps right in front of Count Bleck's door and waited while the count simply stood in the doorway awkwardly.

Seconds turned to minutes.

Minutes turned to more minutes.

Count Bleck eventually sighed and covered his face with his slightly bloody hand. Only then did he notice all the blood on his floor. He quickly grew tense, then slammed his door shut and sat down next to Luigi, hiding his hands in his cloak.

"So... Dimentio gave you a pie, did he?" Count Bleck anxiously asked.

"Oh, yes sir," Luigi nodded. "He's real kind. He gave me a whole tray. For free."

"A whole tray, hmm? That's wonderful. Say, you look hungry. Someone as hard-working as you probably has room for more."

Luigi quickly nodded. It had been a long time since he had a full meal. Mario usually ate first, so he was stuck with the leftovers, which was never enough. Not that he complained. After all, his brother was the star. The hero. The main attraction. He was just the little brother. The sidekick.

"Then why don't you go downstairs and wait for your brother there?!" Count Bleck eagerly suggested. "Dimentio can get you another pie."

"Really?" Luigi asked. "He'd do that?"

"Sure, tell him I sent you," Bleck shrugged, pushing him away. "Now go! Go!"

Luigi nodded, then quickly ran down the stairs and over to Dimentio's shop again. He explained that Bleck told him to get another pie. Dimentio, slightly confused as to why Bleck would suggest such a thing, gave him one anyway, then looked up at his ceiling. 

What was going on up there?