"So, the person behind all of this," Peach mused, twirling her hair thoughtlessly. "What do you think drove them to do all this?"

"No idea," Mario sighed. "Whoever this 'King' is, I'm betting that this person is working for them. Or, is the King."

"I doubt the king would order this for all of us."

"Maybe he's sadistic?"

"True," Mario laughed. "Y'know, I wonder if one of us is the person behind all of this."

"Would someone do that?" Peach stopped her giggling, looking at Mario seriously. "Oh my gosh. Mario, you just figured it out!"

"What the hell did I just figure out?"

"It's got to be one of us!" Peach exclaimed. "Someone who would do this! Right? Maybe? I'm not sure. It would make sense, though!"

"Kaira, Birdo, Toadette, Rubi, Waluigi, Sarah, and us..." Mario mused. "Obviously not us. So who would do this...?"

Peach looked at him anxiously.

"Don't they all have motives now?"

"What?"

"Kaira told us about her shit," Peach explained. "She's going to prison if she gets out. Birdo is just... she's just a bitch. Toadette wouldn't have any more movies awaiting her. Rubi... actually, I don't know. Waluigi lost his brother and friends, and Sarah... I'm not too sure either. We don't know them well enough."

"So, looks like you're going to have to do the digging."

"What!? Why me?"

"Why me?" Mario pointed out. "They're much more likely to click with you. You're pretty, rich-"

"Not so sure about the last part anymore."

"-you're pretty, formerly rich, a girl-"

"Why can't they have guy friends?" Peach crossed her arms. "You're my friend that's a guy."

"I don't want to do it," Mario rolled his eyes. "So you should!"

"Any reason why?"

"I hate socializing," Mario told her, slightly embarrassed. "With people I know, it's fine. Everyone always looks up to me because I'm a hero, and I don't really feel as if I deserve it."

"Alright, you've proved your point," Peach giggled softly. "Do you mind trying to talk to Waluigi then?"

"Why?" Mario furrowed his brows in confusion.

"We both need to gather information," Peach told him. "I'd have made you do Kaira, Toadette, and Birdo too, but because of what you just said, I'll talk to them as well. Waluigi's more likely to open up to you because of your... similar circumstances."

"Right," It had been awhile since Mario had thought about Luigi, and he felt guilty. "I'll talk to him."

"Good! I'll see you later, then. Goodbye!"

"Bye."

<><><>

"How are you feeling, Waluigi?" Mario asked awkwardly. The purple clothed man stared at him, confused as to why they were even talking.

"Do ya need something?" Waluigi looked at him suspiciously.

"I'm just curious. We've both lost our brothers."

"You treated yours horribly," Waluigi scowled. "I don't understand why you're saying we're similar-"

"I never said that," Mario pointed out. "I'm just saying that I know this can be hard. If you want someone to talk to, I'm here."

"I don't want to talk to you."

"Well, can you at least tell me a reason as to why you'd want to get out of this hell?"

"I don't have nothin' waiting for me," Waluigi reminded him gruffly. "Why the hell would I-"

"Exactly," Mario told him. "Can I ask you another question?"

"Will you leave?"

"Sure. If you answer. Why the hell did you set this place up?"

Waluigi just stared at him in utter confusion.

"You're fuckin' toying with me now? Do you think I'd want to be here? Scram!"

"Alright, alright, I'm leaving. Thanks."

<><><>

"Hey, Peach!" Sarah smiled politely. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good, well, at least I am now," Peach replied. "Can I ask you a couple questions?"

"Sure, go for it! But if it's about the royal blood running through me, you're wrong," Sarah giggled. "Those were my great, great, great, great, great... well, you get the point. My ancestors."

"What'd you do before you came here?"

"Well, I was a singer," Sarah told her. "I still am, I mean. I like to sing a lot of songs. Recently, I've been getting into really sad songs that reflect how I feel. Erm, not that I feel sad or anything, I don't have much to feel sad about. But like, I sang, and people really enjoyed it. They used to stop and stare. Really. They enjoyed my singing a lot. I'm rambling, aren't I?"

"No, you're doing great."

"That's really all there is to this," Sarah shrugged. "I like to sing. People enjoyed my singing. Maybe a lot more than I expected, but I love to sing. The only times I've really felt sad in my whole life was when people didn't like my singing when I was younger. Now, they all love it. There's no other choice!"

"Sounds... fun."

<><><>

"Can I ask you a couple questions?" Peach asked the pink haired toad.

"For fucks sake, if you really want, although I'm telling you, there's no more movies coming out."

"Alright," Peach giggled slightly. "What was your past like?"

"Filled with action," Toadette shrugged. "I was always doing something. I liked it like that. It was fun. New movies, new scandals, new awards. It was really interesting. But honestly, I was getting angry. People kept making bad scandals about me. So... never mind."

<><><>

"Hey, Rubi, how are you?" Peach asked, sitting next to the blonde girl who eyed her suspiciously.

"I'm fine... you're not going to try to murder me, are you?" Rubi narrowed her eyes, holding onto her racket tightly. "Because I can use this to-"

"Whoa whoa, I wasn't planning on hurting you. Can I ask you a couple questions?"

"I guess."

"What was your life like before all this?"

"I played badminton," Rubi responded slowly. "I got angry at people because they wouldn't let me play in tournaments. I never really had a dark moment in my life besides that. People just always underestimated me because of my height...I didn't have a sad moment, perhaps just an angry moment. that's why I was so mean at the beginning, I just wanted people to understand the despair I was feeling at people underestimating me..."

"I get that."

"Do you really?" Rubi challenged, staring at her with her pale blue eyes. "Or are you just saying that?"

<><><>

"Hey, Kaira."

"Wow, it's finally someone who isn't calling me Satsuki," The girl responded grumpily, holding onto her katana, which Peach was quick to note. "Do you want something?"

"Answers," Peach didn't waste time with the redhead. She wanted to know how the girl would respond to accusing her outright, even though Peach still had no idea who the mastermind was. "Please. Why would you put us in here?"

"The hell are you talking about? Do you think I want to be here? I hate these trials."

"You like death."

"Get the hell out of here," Kaira snarled, unsheathing her blade. "My parents were killed cause they were abusive. You're going to accuse me of trying to murder everyone just because of that?"

<><><>

"Birdo, how are you doing?" Peach greeted, attempting to resume her happy demeanor. Her encounter with Kaira had freaked her out slightly.

"I'm fucking great, everyone around me is dying!" Birdo growled. "Oh, and I could be next."

"Well, I'm not here to murder you," Peach attempted to joke. "Can I ask you a couple questions?"

"Why the hell not."

"Alright, well, did something bad ever happen to you that would make you... hate everyone?"

"Are you asking if I put us all in here?" Birdo laughed slightly. "Look. The worst thing that happened to me was when someone thought I was a man. I really don't give a shit about everyone else. They can all suffer, they can all live. I don't care."

"Well, thanks. Remind me not to get in a life or death situation with you."

"You're welcome."

Hey everyone! Hope you're enjoying. We're getting closer to the end...

How much have you figured out? How many more chapters do you want till it's all revealed? Who do you think the mastermind is now?

Thanks for reading!