Jacq continued pacing back and forth. He had spent almost a whole day now searching for Dimentio. Or Mr. L. It didn't matter who he found first. But he had searched everywhere! It's like they just disappeared. Eventually, he got tired and sat just outside Flipside Tower, next to a window.

Shadoo: "I can't believe you ruined our chance to get your brother. I need that heart!"

Jacq: "What?"

Shadoo: "Uh, I said, 'it would warm my heart!' You know, to see my friend get reunited with his brother."

Jacq threw his hands up in frustration.

Jacq: "I'm sorry! I-I freaked out! It won't happen again!"

Shadoo: "Yeah, it won't. Because we probably won't even get the chance, you idiot!"

Jacq sat down and rested his elbows on his knees. This was stressful and frustrating, to say the least.

Jacq: "Okay, if I were Dimentio, and I just got threatened by a family member, where would I go...."

He patiently waited, thinking, when he got it. He suddenly perked up.

Shadoo: "What? What is it??"

Jacq smiled and ran his hand through his hair.

Jacq: "I know where he is! I-I KNOW WHERE HE IS!"

He quickly stood up, before his energy levels dropped.

Jacq: "Wait a minute.... but I attacked him. He's not gonna agree to come back to me."

Shadoo: "Hmm, well, maybe you just need something to convince him...."

Jacq: "Convince him? What do you mean? Should I buy him a present? Perhaps a greeting card that says, 'I'm sorry for slicing you open with an epic shadow sword.' Do they even make those?"

Shadoo laughed.

Shadoo: "No, no-no. That won't work. You'll need something that is for sure going to convince him to go back to you."

She began to think.

Shadoo: "Can you.... tell me some more about your dear old brother?"

He nodded and sat down, a somewhat eager look on his face.

Jacq: " Of course!! Well, Dimentio has his nerd boyfriend, as you know... He's also got this best friend. Her name is Timpani. I'm not sure about now, but back when we were both alive he'd basically do ANYTHING for her."

Shadoo nodded, when a small amount of light shone through the window, indicating someone was in that room. Jacq ducked down below the window so he was out of sight, and listened in to the conversation inside.

Dio: "Nastasia, how long until mommy and daddy are back?"

Jacq had a confused expression on his face. That sounded like.... a child's voice.

Nastasia: "Um, Timpani and Blumiere should be back soon. Don't worry about it, I'll take care of you until they're back. K?"

Dio: "Oh. Okay. Did they take Dimmy with them?"

Nastasia: "Yeah. That's what Luigi said."

Dio: "You mean Mr. L?"

Nastasia: "No. I mean Luigi."

Jacq raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but feel a little angry at the mention of Mr. L's name.

Dio: "Oh. Okay! Is Mr. L gonna help you tuck me in?"

Nastasia: "Mr. L's not here. He went out with Timpani, Blumiere, and Dimentio."

Jacq suddenly gasped, before covering his mouth. Lucky for him, no one heard that.

Dio: "Oh. Well, can you find me Dimmy's mask? I think I lost it somewhere when the lights went out."

Nastasia leaned down and kissed his forehead.

Nastasia: "Alright. I'll keep an eye out for it. You get some sleep. K?"

Dio: "Okay! Thank you, Nastasia!"

Jacq could hear footsteps, and a door close right after the candlelight was blown out.

Jacq smiled and excitedly whispered to Shadoo.

Jacq: "Did you hear?? Mr. L is with Dimentio! If I find one of them, the other won't be far! I can rip him apart, AND get my brother back at the same time!!!"

He sounded way too happy about that, but Shadoo almost didn't hear. She was too focused on the other information she got from that conversation.

Shadoo: "This child.... is Timpani's child."

Jacq: "Yeah! It's- huh? What does that have to do with anything?"

Shadoo: "Well.... you said your brother would do ANYTHING for Timpani, right?"

Jacq slowly nodded, a little nervous now.

Jacq: "Uh-huh..... where are you going with this?"

Shadoo: "If we take her child, we'll have leverage. He'll be sure to comply. All we have to do is say we won't hurt Timpani's child if he agrees to happily come to us! Since he'd do anything for her, he'd have to agree!"

Jacq's face suddenly went pale.

Jacq: "Wait, are you suggesting we steal this child??"

Shadoo: "Well, yes! But don't worry, we won't actually hurt him! Unless we have to. It's all to get your brother back. You'd do anything to get him back, right?"

Jacq sat there and thought about it for a second.

He won't get hurt.

It's not that big a deal.

Dimentio won't just willingly come back to you now. You have to do this.

It's just a random kid.

Do it!

Come on, it'll be okay!

It's all part of the adventure.

Jacq: ".....okay! Fine, but we aren't gonna hurt him."

He looked up to the sky. Fireworks were still booming since it was night, in an attempt to bring light to the still-lasting blackout. He slowly picked up a rock and tossed it from hand to hand, waiting for a big firework to make a loud booming sound.

Then, a large flame whizzed into the air and exploded. Right as the firework exploded, he smashed the window with the rock, the sound of the firework covering up the sound of the glass breaking.

Dio quickly jerked up as Jacq swiftly jumped in.

Dio: "Hello? Anybody there?"

It was nearly pitch black in here. Jacq swiftly got behind the child, and covered his mouth so he wouldn't cry out.

Jacq: "Shh, don't worry. Everything's okay. You want to see your mom, right?"

Dio began to shake a little bit but reluctantly nodded.

Jacq: "G-good. I can take you to her, okay? But you gotta be quiet..."

He slowly picked up the child, and carefully got out the window, trying not to make a sound.

Shadoo: "Okay, you said you knew where Dimentio was, right?"

Jacq: "Yes. He's home. There's an interdimensional train that can take us there."

Dio looked up at him, a confused look on his face.

Dio: "Who are you talking to?"

Jacq looked down at him, then grabbed his hand.

Jacq: "Just my friend. Come on, I'll take you to your mom."

______

Nastasia came down the stairs. Mimi and O'Chunks were still outside, just like last night, lighting up the night sky, so the house was empty, besides Luigi, who was sleeping on the couch.

Nastasia snapped her fingers, waking him up.

Nastasia: "Luigi? LUIGI! Get up!"

He jerked up and fell off the couch, making a small yelping noise.

Luigi: "Yes? What? What happened?? Is everyone back?!"

She shook her head no and folded her hands in front of her.

Nastasia: "Um, no. I'm afraid not. Have you seen Dimentio's mask? Dio was looking for it. He seems to have misplaced it in the blackout."

Luigi groaned and picked up a small candle.

Luigi: "I haven't seen it, but I guess I can look..."

She nodded, then sat down herself.

Nastasia: "Thank you."

She began to rest her eyes. She hasn't really gotten a good night's sleep since Dimentio came back. Something about him kept making her nervous, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. Something felt wrong...

Luigi looked around the tower, when he found the mask on the floor in the hallway. Dio must have just dropped it. He picked it up and knocked on Dio's door to give it back.

Luigi: "Dio? I found the mask. Can I come in?"

There was no response, but that wasn't unusual. Dio was usually asleep by now, so Luigi didn't think anything of it. He slowly opened the door, the candlelight illuminating the room.

He suddenly gasped, and dropped the candle, causing it to go out, leaving him in the pitch dark. But before the darkness filled his sight, he could see a shattered window, broken glass all over the floor, and an empty bed.

Luigi: "N-N-N...NASTASIA!!!!!"

He sprinted back over to her and violently shook her awake.

Luigi: "NASTASIA! THERE'S BEEN- UH, THE WINDOW! IT WAS- AND THERE WAS- HE'S GONE! SOMEONE TOOK HIM! SOMEONE BROKE IN AND TOOK HIM! YOU CAN TELL THAT SOMEONE BROKE IN BECAUSE THE WINDOW WAS SMASHED INWARD AND THE GLASS WAS INSIDE! HE'S GONE! DIO WASN'T THERE! HE'S GONE!"

Nastasia yawned and reached for her glasses, not processing what he said.

Nastasia: "You wha-"

Luigi: "DIO'S GONE! SOMEONE TOOK HIM!!!"

She suddenly snapped awake. A pit grew in he stomach as she jerked up, shoving him aside, and running up to Dio's room, grabbing a candle so she could see.

To her horror, Luigi was right! There was broken glass on the ground, and Dio's bed was empty. She began to breathe heavily.

Nastasia: "No.... No no no No NO NO!!!"

She began frantically searching the room, tearing everything apart.

Nastasia: "DIO?? DIO, COME OUT! OH PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE COME OUT! DIO!?!?"

Tears began to stream down her cheeks. She was left here in charge of him. She was supposed to watch him and keep him safe! She had failed.

Luigi ran up behind her, only to see her as she began to have a panic attack.

Luigi: "U-uh... I'm gonna get help! I'm gonna find Mimi and O'Chunks!"

He sprinted away and ran to get them as Nastasia broke into loud sobs.

Nastasia: "No.... please no...."

______

She never wanted all this. She loved it all, but when she declared her loyalty to Blumiere, she didn't think it would be like this. The best she could do was always be there to help him with whatever he asked of her. But she failed.

Failure

Failure

Failure

- Music Start -

She looked at the broken glass, then out to the night sky. It was cold and dark outside. She could only hope that Dio was still okay. He was probably cold, afraid, maybe even hurt. It was scary. 

She had no idea if Dio would be alright. He was lost, and it was her fault. She was supposed to be protecting him.

She suddenly plopped down on his little bed and hugged his pillow to her chest, sobbing into it.

She had no idea what to do. No schedule, no plan, no nothing!

Dio was the most important thing in the world to all of them, and she lost him. She just wanted to disappear to a better place. To go to sleep, and remain in her dreams.

Forever.

All her life ever was, was a service to Blumiere, and she had failed at that now. She was nothing. 

Nothing.

She held Dio's pillow tightly to her chest and opened her eyes, looking up at the ceiling, eyes glassy.

She was happy with life now, but a part of her really missed back when Blumiere was Count Bleck, and everything was always so organized and planned out.

It was just so much easier.

Nastasia: "Rolling girl, remaining in her dreams
She only wants to stay it seems,
All the noise, slicing layers in her head
Has her screaming away, has her screaming away...."

______

Luigi quickly sprinted into town and found where Mimi and O'Chunks were setting off fireworks. He let out a sigh of relief as soon as he saw them, then quickly grabbed ahold of them and took off.

Luigi: "Come quick, there's an emergency!!"

______

Nastasia: "'No Problem,' she tells herself today
But what she says, repeats in the grey...
Oh, fail again, failing again! 
Fussing over mistakes she thinks would remain
But then she starts all over again!!!"

She stood up and looked out the broken window to the night sky, a cool breeze blowing in.

Nastasia: "'Just once more! Just once more!
I will roll again, today I know for sure!'
Oh, that girl said, what she said!
Playing every world, and playing to pretend!

'Are you better now?'
'NO, I DON'T KNOW HOW!
What's the point of living if pain's never-ending?
Please just let me stop my breath
Right now!'"

______

Luigi, Mimi, and O'Chunks ran across the town, back to flipside tower.

Mimi: "So Dio's gone?! Is Nassy alright??"

Luigi: "I don't know. She seemed to be having a panic attack! Hurry!"

O'Chunks: "Ay, lad! We're goin' as fast as we can!"

_____

Nastasia took a deep breath and picked up a small photo of Timpani holding Dio, smiling ever so slightly.

Nastasia: "Rolling girl, is taunted by her gaze.
She can't recall the hue she's erased...
Voices scream, blending all around her head.
Blending over again, blending over again...

'No problem,' She breathes another lie
The pain and guilt she feels amplifies, oh
'You'll be fine' is what they all say
Even when they see me on my way towards my fate...
They'd watch me roll again!!!"

She dropped to her knees, and held up a hand, as Mimi, O'Chunks, and Luigi arrived and stood in the doorway, watching her.

Nastasia: "Just once more, Just once more.
'Rolling down a hill, just like I did before'
Oh, that girl said, what she said.
Repeating every word and hiding every meaning."

O'Chunks and Mimi suddenly ran in and scooped her up into a hug.

Mimi: "Are you better now??"

Nastasia: "NO, I DON'T KNOW HOW!
Maybe someday you'll see how well I'm improving!
Please, just let me stop my breath"

O'Chunks: "Not now!"

Nastasia: "'Just once more, just once more!
I will roll again, today, I know for sure!' Oh,
That girl said, what she said!
Playing every word and playing to pretend!!

Just once more?"

O'Chunks and Mimi: "NO, No more!"

O'Chunks: "Take my hand and come with me!"

Mimi: "Tell me your story!"

O'Chunks and Mimi: "Please just let us hold your breath
For now!"

- Music Stop -

She continued to sob as O'Chunks and Mimi hugged her tightly.

Mimi: "Nassy, it's not you're fault."

She slowly wrapped her arms around her friends and cried into their shoulders.

Nastasia: "I lost him. I lost Dio. He's gone."

O'Chunks: "Hush, lass. Iz gunna be okay. Just breath. We'll find 'im."