Mario staggered towards the stricken metal parody that was the head of Super Dimentio, dreading what he would see behind the smoke. The sound of cracking stone and the gusts of wind as the air spiraled into the open maw of the Void.

The smoke parted. There was no sign of Dimentio but there was Luigi, face down and unconscious. Blood soaked his hair and clothes and his right hand was badly burned. In his left hand was held the still-living Floro Spout..

But the Void was still open and growing. The freezing wind nipped at Mario's face. He gasped in the thinning air.

"LUIGI!"

He grabbed his brothers head and held him tightly. His pulse was thin and erratic but he was still alive. But what now? Why is the Void still there?!

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! I have saved one last surprise!"

The Chaos Heart rose above the skull-like remains of Super Dimentio. It shimmered like an oil slick but seemed duller and sickly-looking.

Peach was the first to speak.

"Looks like Dimentio has left a shadow of himself to control the Chaos Heart!

"You mean this ain't over?!" Bowser shouted.

Peach sagged. It wasn't just the lack of air in the chamber but the pall of futility that fell over the heroes and the surviving Minions. All those who had died and Luigi's sacrifice was all in vain. All she could hear was the sighing of the wind and a strange undertone that sounded like ...soon.

"I can explain."

Count Bleck rose up and spoke in a quiet, authoritative voice.

Mario and Peach turned to face him as did everyone else.

"There isn't much time. Only those who started it can finish this. That knowledge was beyond Dimentio."

Peach caught Mimi's eye as Mimi mouthed What now?

"Tippi, do you still love me?"

The Minions, with O'Chunks carrying Nastasia in his arms, Mario and Bowser turned to face Count Bleck and Tippi.

"Blumiere, I love you. We are together now even though time is short."

"I love you too. Whatever happens, that will be true a hundred thousand years from now."

A nimbus of pale multicoloured light surrounded Count Bleck and Tippi. The wind dropped. A ripple of warm silence spread outwards as the Pure Hearts flew outwards from Tippi and Count Bleck.

"Tippi, you are connected to the Pure Hearts. Once they are at one with the Chaos Heart all of those connected will cease to exist, as will I once this is done. Tippi, will you take me to be my husband until all games end?"

"Blumiere, even if we only have one second together I do. I will be your wife until all games end."

The light bloomed and a wave of warmth flowed out. Peach whispered to Mario.

"Are those bells? They're beautiful!"

"Yeah, that's them!" Bowser hissed.

Mario nodded dully - then sat up with a jolt.

"Luigi?!"

"The bells...they're beautiful..."

"Bro!"

Mimi turned to O'Chunks.

"I can hear those bells! They've done it-"

CRACK!

All who were standing jumped. Count Bleck with Tippi at his side rose above the tumult as the Pure Hearts surrounded the Chaos Heart.

"The Hearts Unite but the Castle will Fall. Think of a place of safety! Now!"

"Wha?"

"Flipside!" Peach hissed at Bowser. She squeezed Mario's shoulder and hurried over to O'Chunks and Mimi.

"Listen, there is a place called Flipside - just keep that name in your head!"

A dazzling shower of rainbow light and a gush of warm air - then a feeling of falling and then - blackness.

Stony flags and a faint smell of sewage where the first things that Peach felt as she came to. This must be Flipside. And it's still there. She opened her eyes. There was the sky, lightly overcast - no Void.

"Hey it's Flipside!" Bowser confirmed.

She looked around. O'Chunks and Mimi with Nastasia. There was Bowser and the Bros. She went over to the brothers and took Luigi's pulse.

"Mario, here's still with us."

Mario nodded through his tears.

"Uhhhnn.."

O'Chunks sat up bolt upright.

"Great leaping bog monkeys! She draws breath again! Lads! It's a miracle. A miracle of miracles!"

Nastasia blinked. She sat up slowly looking disorientated.

"Nassy?"

She gasped and started to sob. O'Chunks looked down in dismay. Even Mimi looked distressed. Peach looked between the Brothers and O'Chunks and Mimi. Bowser just looked lost.

"I'm alive...How? Count Bleck...Tippi..Oh no." gasping between sobs

"I'm all alone! What am I to do?!"

O'Chunks held Nastasia as she sobbed.

"Ey...The Count and Tippi are together no! And if he was alive you wouldn't want to be shamin' him with yeh blubbing!"

"Oh O'Chunks...Mimi! How could I forget!"

Peach sat upright. Finally!

"Merlon?"

"Heroes! You've returned! I will get Saffron to fix a wonderful banquet for you all. With some company I see?" He looked again.

"Ah - I see we cannot celebrate yet - some of you need some medical attention."

"Damn I'm hungry!"

"BOWSER!"

Heroes and Minions alike made their way to Merlon's house. Flipside bore the scars of a panicked populace as the Void threatened to engulf the place. There were a few people cleaning up but other than that it was deserted.
Merlon was able to stabilize Luigi but with the warning that he needed more formal medical attention. Peach thanked him for his help but demurred on the Banquet since the state of the Mushroom Kingdom was on her mind.
Even Bowser had to admit that the Koopa Kingdom took priority over his empty stomach.

So Merlon, along with food parcels from Saffron sent the Heroes back from whence they came.
This left Mimi, Nastasia and O'Chunks.

"Merlon, this is kinda awkward 'k? Just...we're kinda not sure what do do?

Merlon looked at the three Minions askance.

"This puts me in an invidious position. I have no ill will to you, in fact I appreciate your roles in thwarting Dimentio and bringing the Void to a close. But there is a rumour mill here - it never stops grinding! So you can stay here awhile in the bunk house but if I where you, you will need to think about where you are going to go next. I have a feeling that Flipside might not be the safest place for you in the long term and I am not sure how long I can protect you."

"But where CAN we go?" Mimi piped up.

"That, alas I cannot help you with. But when you have made a decision, come to me and I can send you there."

Mario awoke in a daze. He was in an unfamiliar bed with a faint smell of disinfectant.

"Peach, Luigi?"

"Mario, you're awake?"

"Toadsworth?"

"Yes that's right. Peach sent me in her stead. She is unwell right now and it is important she gets rest now."

"What happened? How's Luigi?"

"Luigi is stable but unconscious. He has a nasty chest infection as do you. You fainted on the way to Merlon's House when you where carrying Luigi."

"Ummm, how did I get here?"

"O'Chunks carried you both to Merlon's house. Merlon made the note about your possible infection."

"Oh...Damn. Can I see him. Luigi?"

"Soon. But he needs an operation and you need your rest. It seems that the potions had been masking the infection but as soon as you stopped, you dropped - I mean got sick. But I would wait until he's had surgery, and that won't be until his fever has gone down."

"Uhh, so where are we?"

"This is the General Hospital in Mushroom City. It's got the best security - oh, don't worry about that! But it is best to get your rest. Now, I must return to the Princess while I'll hand you over to the capable hands of my brother Dr Toadsworth."

Mario sighed. Why did Toadsworth let slip about security.

Time passed in Flipside - Nastasia had sold some jewelry and O'Chunks had got some labouring work. Mimi picked up some casual work with Saffron in her kitchen. But there were unsettling incidents. Some graffiti that looked like Dimentio's mask or a single insane grin near Merlon's house. And there were times that Mimi and Nastasia felt that they were being followed. People pointing and whispering. And one two occasions, threatening notes posted through the door. Also this was making O'Chunks nervous and it was rather harder for him to hide in plain sight.

"Merlon's right, we can't stay here for long now. It isn't safe. Something bad will happen to one of us at least."

"Ey, and it'd be a bad place if I showed them Mr Fist and his wee pal Slappy - the mob would dogpile me like a bear and hounds."

Nastasia sat in deep thought. This had been in the back of her mind for some days now.

"I think there is a place we can go."

"Where? All I know is Castle Bleck - that's gone now..."

"We ask Merlon to send us to the Mushroom Kingdom"

"WHAT?! We'll be number 1 on the Wanted list! Have you lost your mind Nassy?"

Mimi sat in thought.

"It sounds crazy but where else can we go? Princess Peach might be um, merciful. It's...It's just after we fought and were holding onto a ledge she said I wouldn't die alone. She didn't have to help me - I hurt her, but she did. And I started to cry - then we fell and O'Chunks and Bowser were there. It's just we don't have a choice - if she puts us in jail we'll have to take the chance."

"That's actually what I was thinking 'k. Well spotted, Mimi. But we have to take our chance. We cannot hide from justice. And people will want justice.

"So what yeh saying is if we take our licks we can up sticks eh?"

"I guess so. But whatever happens - we will still be together. We are Team Bleck! We'll go to Merlon tomorrow."

They toasted this with their mugs of water and a muted cheer of 'Team Bleck'.