I decided that this is the last update for "The Curiosity Factor." It would have been a drag if it was four chapters. I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

Disclaimer: Anything related to SSBB belongs to their rightful owners

The Curiosity Factor – Chapter 3

Curiosity Nearly Doomed the Puffball

What was one plushie anyway? She had dozens more in her stash of Meta Knight products. No one would be able to tell it was hers. Nothing to worry about. With that in mind, Jigglypuff snuck back into her room without anyone noticing her. The door closed, drowning out the voice from the plushie that most likely was downstairs in the cafeteria. Why of all the plushies she had to take out of her storage, have the unfortunate ability to talk?

Jigglypuff folded her arms, deep in thought. Believing nothing was safe, she decided never to let the other plushies or anything else leave her hiding place ever again. If she wanted her obsession to stay a secret that is.

"Where exactly was Meta Knight anyway? Does he know about the plushie? I hope not...He's the last one who I ever want to know about this. He'd hate me. He'd end my life on the spot."

Jigglypuff wanted to believe that he was training. Again. She really hoped so. Though she believed he worked himself too hard lately, at least he would be far away from the cafeteria. But how would she stop him from knowing about it at all?

What she needed the most at the moment was a diversion. A distraction. Jigglypuff did not know how she would pull it off without getting into some form of trouble. It took a lot to shift the attention of over thirty other Smashers.

"It's impossible," Jigglypuff thought with sudden defeat. "I need to pretend I know nothing of this. Everything will be fine." Just as her heart rate started to slow down, she could hear multiple voices outside the door.

"Aw, you said you found that outside? Why didn't you tell us?"

"I didn't know who is belonged to...Do you know?"

"No, but I wouldn't mind having it. It's so cute!"

"I agree. I always thought Meta Knight was cute," came another voice. "But he's too isolated from us unfortunately."

Jigglypuff's heard thundered within her body. The plushie was outside the door. There had to be some kind of method that would work. With that in mind, she opened the door.

"What is everyone talking about?" she asked.

"This cute plushie, that's what! Do you know who it belongs to?"

Jigglypuff smiled. "As a matter of fact, yes I do. I will return to its rightful owner."

Peach sighed. "Aw, I thought I was going to get one."

"Just look on E-bay. There's a lot of Meta Knight items there," Jigglypuff said over her shoulder as she headed downstairs.

Peach grinned. "Why didn't I think of that? I'm going on E-bay! I'm getting some of this stuff!"

"How did Jigglypuff know about that? Do you think she was the one who...?" Lucas began.

"Nonsense. Everyone goes on E-bay to find Smash Brothers stuff! I knew it all along!"

Jigglypuff closed the door behind her, smiling in victory. She got her plushie back. All seemed to be going well.

"Victory is my destiny," Jigglypuff whispered as the plushie began to talk again. "But where is the off button on this thing? I can't find it anywhere. I don't exactly want this thing talking when Meta Knight returns. What to do, what to do..."

She turned it over, hoping to find some sort of power button or the battery at least. Nothing of the sort was evident during her five minute search. Having no other option, she stuffed it in her dresser under a load of her wardrobe. Hopefully the material would drown out its voice. Because of it, she was nearly found out. Talking plushies were nothing but a pain. Even with her wardrobe she could hear the voice still.

She pulled out a chainsaw from under the bed and looked around for a plug. Using an extension cord, she plugged it into the socket beside the door. With an ear-splitting start up, the blades began to turn and spin. Jigglypuff proceeded to split the plushie in half and eventually into microscopic bits. So far, not a bad plan. Not counting the fact she seemed to blow a fuse as a result, everything went according to plan.

Jigglypuff pulled out the cord, sparks flying out from the socket nearing missing the puffball. Smiling, she swept the plushie remains and tossed them into the nearest bedroom then walked off back to her own room.

"What in the name of General Hospital happened?" Ike shouted from downstairs, finally shifting his attention from his favourite and overplayed television show. "It sounded like murder up there!"

"Perhaps so. We should inform the Master Hand," Meta Knight replied. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"No need. I heard that awful sound for myself. Does anyone know who that was?" the Master Hand asked, somehow appearing in the room.

"Jigglypuff," Ganondorf replied, covered in plushie remains. "That marshmallow broke into my room and covered me in this...garbage."

"So no one died after all? That's good. Nothing to worry about," Ike said about to resume watching his show. The Master Hand snapped his fingers and the TV suddenly turned off. Ike glared at the disembodied hand.

"What gives?"

Peach gasped. "Someone did die! Jigglypuff murdered the Meta Knight plushie! How could she do something so horrible to such a cute thing?"

"Pardon me?" Meta Knight spoke up. "She had a plushie of...myself?"

"A talking one! She took it from me and said she would return it to its owner."

"I don't think it's 'owner' would be happy to find it in bits."

"The owner doesn't care. She is its owner," Ike said. "I saw her carry all these boxes to her room the other day."

"Why didn't you tell us that before?" Peach asked. "I wouldn't have had to order some Meta Knight plushies from E-bay."

"Do you know where they are Ike?" Meta Knight asked, the tiniest bit of worry in his voice.

"I was too busy watching General Hospital to notice."

"You are too addicted to that show!" came many voices from all over the room.

"Am not!" Ike objected, standing up, hands on his hips. "I happen to like that show. A lot."

"That's beside the point," the Master Hand said. "Right now, we need to find Jigglypuff. Because of her, some of our power has been lost. I don't know how she keeps getting into trouble."

"There has to be a logical explanation for her unusual behaviour," Meta Knight replied, eyes glowing a deep shade of green. "I worries me so."

"She likes you," Ike teased, playfully elbowing Meta Knight. He felt his face warm up behind the mask.

"Jigglypuff does not feel that way, I assure you. I will speak with her. It will be all right." His eyes flashed purple for a split second before he proceeded to disappear using his dimensional cape.

"Do you think it will be okay?" Link asked. "Jigglypuff was acting very odd when I last saw her."

"Who knows?"

Meta Knight could see evidence of Jigglypuff's actions. A blown fuse, a dead chainsaw and plushie remains scattered all over the floor. "Why would she do something like that? I do not understand what could have caused that behaviour."

He gently opened the door which was surprisingly unlocked. Jigglypuff was not in the room as he expected (and hoped). "Jigglypuff, where are you?" he asked in a hesitant whisper.

No one responded to his call. As he was about to leave, he heard a faint creaking noise. Meta Knight froze in place, looking up at the ceiling. Something was wrong with it. An outline was in the form of a square; like part of it had been cut out and put back into place.

He saw it weaken as if a significant amount of weight was forced upon it. "Who would hide anything above a ceiling? This is very strange."

A crack rang out in the room, uncertainty preventing him from moving anywhere else. The small portion of the ceiling split perfectly in two pieces. The floor began to rumble as the ceiling cut out landed on Meta Knight. Every hidden product spilled out from the opening in an avalanche, burying him completely. He groaned, trying to free his body of the hoard of merchandise.

As soon as he freed one arm, he tossed away the all the other products that prevented him from escaping. He gasped from disbelief. So many products of him...was Jigglypuff out of her mind? Why would she have this many?

"She likes you," repeated Ike's voice in his mind.

"What if she does? What will I do? I cannot give up my pride that easily." A couple that would stand out completely amidst the crowd. We don't belong together in such an extended relationship. Jigglypuff has to realize this before it's too late."

He pulled himself out of the chaotic mess and collapsed on the windowsill. "I can't break her heart though, never to see her smile so beautifully again. I like...her smile a lot."

Meta Knight sighed. Where exactly was Jigglypuff anyway?

Jigglypuff trembled in the darkness of Ganondorf's room. Why did she come here of all possible places to hide? She heard the ceiling blockage break and reveal her obsession. Would she have the dignity to face Meta Knight again? She knew he was there, shocked that she never told him how she felt.

"I am a coward," Jigglypuff muttered. "To let my obsession control me so badly. I should have told him the truth...I...love him so much. I need to tell him right away."

Jigglypuff quietly slipped out of Ganondorf's room and opened the door to her own. Her products completely covered the floor and various parts of the furniture. Her heart skipped a beat seeing Meta Knight lay so peacefully on the spacious windowsill. She puffed up and hovered over to his side.

When he didn't respond to her presence, she lightly poked him on the side. He opened his eyes, surprised to see her. "Jigglypuff...why..."

"I got a little carried away," she replied, face red. "Completely on accident."

"You did not have to hide all of that from me," he said.

"All that hard work for nothing," Jigglypuff muttered.. "I didn't have to hide all of that all along... At least I didn't waste any money though. I used your credit card by mistake."

He fell silent. "You did what?"

She mentally uttered a plea for mercy. "Oh nothing. Nothing at all."

He eyed her suspiciously. "Nothing?"

"That's right. Nothing."

"I think you are a liar Jigglypuff. I wish to see the receipt please," Meta Knight said quietly.

"Um...o-okay," Jigglypuff replied, pulling it out from her dresser. With quick reflexes, he took it from her hand.

"Do you know how much you spent during your obsession?" Meta Knight asked, voice restraining an extreme degree of anger. She gulped and hid her face against her pillow.

"How much?"

"The receipt says you spent over thousand coins on all the items. That dept is my responsibility now because you were careless. Did you not look to see if the credit card was yours before using it?"

"You never leave yours out! How was I supposed to know?"

"I would have expected you to recognize your own credit card by now. I am truly appalled."

"I'm sorry Meta Knight. I really am. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

Meta Knight thought for a moment. "As a matter of fact, there is. Follow me."

"GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Jigglypuff shouted, banging on the training room door. "Have mercy! I'm begging you!"

"You are allowed to leave in three more hours. Your time out is not up yet. Have fun Jigglypuff," Meta Knight said, smiling. Training with Marth and Ike seemed like the perfect consequence, having been spying not too long ago. He had some business to attend to anyway. He didn't want Jigglypuff spying on him during the process.

E-bay was the perfect site. Meta Knight smiled, eying the products of Jigglypuff with amazement. He always knew she was beautiful, even when they first met. A Jigglypuff plushie was on the chair with him as he browsed through E-bay, enjoying himself.

"Obsessed Jigglypuff Syndrome...that is unusual but hopefully it will pass soon." He didn't care how long it had been since he had been looking for new products but it did not matter.

From outside the window, Ike was laughing to himself, walking away with a camera full of new pictures to put on the internet. His mission was only beginning.