Merlon had an old cart out by his stone house. It was filled with straw, which made for an itchy, uncomfortable seat. They both agreed that nobody should see Dimentio captured, lest full-scale fighting break out over the perceived attack, so Dimentio would be hiding under the straw. He was not happy about this.

"It's for the best if you aren't seen," Merlon told Dimentio. "Some people are working with him to restore freedom to the world. I can't tell you who, just in case."

Merlon wasn't completely isolated from everyone. Just over the pass lived a red yoshi. Dimentio wasn't allowed to meet him, but the yoshi was happy to help them pull the cart. Dimentio settled in for a long, bumpy, uncomfortable ride without seeing the sights. As he rode, he pondered what he had seen.

The truth was, he was intrigued by this. He had dreamed long about his perfect world for over a thousand years as he waited for the time to awaken the Chaos Heart to arrive. And certainly, he had been unsettled to be thrown in here headfirst with no introduction, but now that he was leaving, he felt a certain reluctance. Was he really going to just up and leave after just under a day of wandering around aimlessly?

Immediately he tried to squish the thought out of his head. He tried to think of his meeting with Jaydes, of his failure as Super Dimentio and the crushing, agonizing months of pain and destitution that followed. But thinking of Super Dimentio made him remember just how very, very close he had been to victory.

And how very, very close he was now.

"How do we get in without being seen?" Dimentio whispered to Merlon as the old wizard paid the Yoshi for his service just outside the castle gates. "I suppose we'll have to sneak in?"

"It must feel odd to have to sneak into your own castle," Merlon observed.

Dimentio shook his head. "This is in no way my castle."

Merlon nodded. "I keep forgetting, you aren't the Dimentio I know."

"And I keep forgetting I'm not the Dimentio I was."

Merlon reached into his cloak and pulled out a notebook and a pen. He started writing on it. Dimentio leaned over his shoulder to read. "Do you really think that's going to work?"

"It' worth a try," said Merlon. He ripped the page out, tacked it up on the side of the cart, and then climbed in and covered himself and Dimentio again with hay. To everyone on the outside, it looked as if it were an abandoned hay cart with a sign reading, "Please bring hay cart inside. Love, Dimentio."

They waited for an uncomfortably long time. "This isn't going to work~" Dimentio trilled.

"Shh," whispered Merlon.

Eventually, Dimentio felt a bump as the front of the cart bounced up. Then it rolled unevenly across the stone path, thumped up the steps, one, two, three, thump thump thump, and rolled to a stop on smooth, marble floors. They stayed still until the footsteps disappeared. Then Merlon poked his head up out of the hay. Dimentio peeked up, too. They were in the entryway of the castle.

"Told you," said Merlon.

"People here are so trusting," Dimentio observed.

"They have to be. Everyone must be friendly and honest and open. Or else."

"Sounds perfect."

"Except for the 'or else.' Come on. Where did you cast the spell?"

"I'm not completely certain," said Dimentio. "However, this castle seems to be a parallel to Count Bleck's castle in my world, and I know I cast it in the game room in that dimension."

"If I go to the place where you cast it, I might be able to sense some residue left over to help me with the spell. Lead me to your game room."

Dimentio slid out of the cart and began began to waddle. "I'm not sure how you're so familiar with my unique physiology. How do you know how my floating limbs are attached and grounded, to keep these shackles on?"

"You're similar to some of my extended relatives. Are you by any chance a descendent of the ancients?"

"I might be. They do have a lot of descendents, after all."

They snuck through the castle, ducking in alcoves or behind statues whenever someone passed by, so as to avoid an awkward encounter. Dimentio's legs were bound together but they didn't keep him from walking, just floating. He took short baby steps and could move quite fast given the circumstances. Still, he would be happy to get out of them and out of this world.

They made it to the game room, which in this world was a portrait room. There were portraits that Dimentio didn't recognize all over the walls, and fancy chaise lounges to sit on and enjoy them from. It was classy, through and through.

"This must be it," said Merlon. "I can tell a spell was cast here recently." He held his hands together. "Be ready," he said, "I'm not sure how long this will take, but you need to go as soon as I summon it."

"Hello?" said a new voice.

Merlon and Dimentio both spun around to see a shy guy standing in the doorway. Dimentio shrugged his poncho down low so that it was covering his shackles. No need to get sucked into an uncomfortable question and answer situation he couldn't participate honestly in.

"Lord Dimentio?" the shy guy said, slightly panicked, "What is the Enemy to Perfection doing here? Do I need to summon the guards?"

"That won't be necessary," said Dimentio quickly. "This isn't Merlon. Its just an illusion I conjured."

"Oh." The shy guy didn't seem satisfied.

"Can I help you?" asked Dimentio politely.

"Uh, I guess not." The shy guy backed out, closing the door.

"Whew." Merlon wiped his brow. "Hopefully there won't be any more interruptions."

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion so powerful it knocked both Dimentio and Merlon off their feet. "WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!"

Dimentio was now flat on his back. He flailed around a bit, trying to stand up, but unfortunately with the shackles on he was a bit like a shelled koopa.

Merlon got up easily and opened the door a crack. "There's trouble," he said darkly.

"Work on the spell," said Dimentio. "But first help me up!"

Merlon slammed the door and jumped back, moments before the wall was blown away. "Don't move a muscle!" someone commanded from the dust. Dimentio immediately stopped flailing.

When the dust settled, they could see four different creatures standing in the gaping hole where the wall used to be. A target-headed toad, a shy guy with a normal mask, a blue-shelled koopa, and an amayzee dayzee, all striking various fighting poses like some kind of Mario-themed sentai squad.

"We are here in the name of our fallen brother, Milo Underbridge!" declared Toad.

"He will be the last casualty of your reign of terror!" said Koopa.

"For too many years we have slaved under your misguided idea of perfection," said dayzee.

"Today is the day we fight back," finished Shy Guy, a bit quieter and more reserved than the others.

Dimentio arched his back so he could look at the group upside-down. "Oh. Hello. You seem to have caught me at a bad time..."

"No excuses! Stand up and fight!" Toad pulled out a large mallet.

"Wait," said Merlon. "You don't understand-"

"Merlon!" Koopa shouted. "How came you here? Are you going to stand alongside your brothers in resistance and fight?"

"Yes," said Merlon, "but we cannot fight. I must conjure a portal to send him-"

"Your non-violent ways aren't working!" said Toad. "Don't you see? The only way to end this is to end him!"

"No!"

Everyone turned around to find the source of the shriek. Mimi, as the jester woman, came running into the room through the blasted wall, and threw herself over Dimentio. "No! You can't!" she begged. "Not my beloved!'

Dimentio squirmed. "No need to be so dramatic," he grunted. "Could you help me up, please?"

"I won't let you!" Mimi sobbed. "If you want to kill him, you'll have to kill me first!"

"I have no qualms about that," said Dayzee. "You must both be defeated."

"This is very unlike you," Dimentio said to Mimi. "What exactly did I do to you? Oh, that's right. You wouldn't remember..."

"Please listen to me," said Merlon.

"Just be quiet and cast the spell!" snapped Dimentio.

Koopa pulled himself into the shell. Toad jumped on top of it, sending it spinning towards Dimentio and Mimi. It struck them both hard, knocking Mimi across the room and causing Dimentio to flip over onto his stomach. Fortunately, he was able to stand up from this he stood up, his poncho slipped enough to see the shackles.

"What is this?" Dayzee stepped forward and grabbed his hand. "Dimentio is already imprisoned?"

"Then the battle is won!" crowed Toad.

Merlon threw the spell, and a black and purple void opened.

"What is that sorcery!" cried Shy Guy.

"It's a trap! Merlon has summoned the void to end this world! He was going to erase not only Dimentio, but the world he created!"

Merlon grabbed Dimentio around the middle. "Just go! I'll explain it to them, as soon as you're back to your old self." Merlon threw Dimentio.

Dimentio squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself. He landed feet first on the floor.

Dimentio opened his eyes. He was still in the portrait room.

"Your plan failed!" Toad said smugly. "Traitors never prosper!"

Merlon pulled the book with all his notes on it out of his robe. "I don't know what I did wrong."

Mimi stood up, shakily. Dayzee grabbed her arms and held them behind her back and sang into her ear, causing her to slump over asleep.

Toad charged Dimentio with his hammer. "I'll finish this!" Dimentio dodged aside, tripped, and flopped back down on the ground on his belly.

"Uncuff me!" he shouted.

"What?"

"I'll send myself back! And you'll still have this Dimentio at your mercy. The resistance will see to that." Dimentio struggled to his feet as he spoke.

"Don't listen to him!"

Shy Guy kicked Koopa to Merlon. "I hate to do this..."

Dimentio slammed himself into the shell, knocking it off course and himself back onto the ground. "Also, I would like to be able to stand up on my own!"

Merlon knelt down and uncuffed Dimentio's arms and legs.

"Ah ha ha ha ha... oh, I already missed being myself so much!" Dimentio said as he floated above his enemies.

"What have you done?"

Dimentio created a dazzling ball of magic in his hands. "Well, well, well," he laughed. "This situation amuses me."

"Dimentio, you promised," warned Merlon.

"If I recall, I never promised anything," said Dimentio.

"You just can't trust him!" said Koopa, peeking out of his shell. "He's made of lies!"

"Will this ball take me home? Or will it crush my enemies?" He asked the question as if he himself didn't know.

He looked down at his enemies, frozen momentarily in fear. He looked at Mimi, sleeping in the corner. And finally he cast his eyes down to Merlon, who was watching him with solemn worry.

Dimentio sighed. "As if my mind hadn't been made up long ago. I'm tempted to stay, I really am. But I'd only be fooling myself." He threw the dazzle ball against the wall, opening up his portal. "I don't know what you're about to see, but I wish you luck." Dimentio swooped down and slapped the shackles back on. "Merlon!"

"Dimentio?"

"Take care of Mimi."

"I will."

Dimentio jumped.

Dimentio was spread eagle on the ground. So at least he knew his hands were free. The ground was cold and the ceiling was dark. He felt a migraine just behind his eyes.

"Dimentio?"

Dimentio sat up slowly and looked behind him. Count Bleck was standing there, looking concerned.

"Are you all right?" The Count's voice was very soft.

Dimentio rubbed his head. "I think so," he said. "I assume I'm back home, yes?"

"Yes," said Count Bleck.

Suddenly, Dimentio was tackled from the other side. "Dimentio!" squealed Mimi. "Ohmygosh! I can't believe you're back! I'm so happy!" She squeezed him tightly. "I thought we'd never see you again!"

Dimentio squirmed, trying to get free. "You've never been happy to see me, don't start now!"

Count Bleck came over and put one hand on Mimi's shoulder, one hand on Dimentio's, and slowly separated them. Then he crouched down to look Dimentio in the eyes. "Are you sure everything's all right?"

"Yes," said Dimentio. "Why do you ask?"

"Because I know you've been through a lot recently."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," said Mimi. "We saw where you went, just like you meant for us to."

Dimentio felt his face get hot. He looked down at the ground, not sure if he was angry or embarrassed.

"I saw where you went," said Count Bleck, "and I assumed you wouldn't want to come back."

"Well, you were wrong," said Dimentio. "After all... I came back once before."

Thanks for joining me on this wild ride once again! See you next time- and yes, there will be a next time!