Out of Place

Another World

With everyone he's ever loved gone, his brother, his mom, and his neighbors, Dimentio was left broken and bitter, the devastation fueling his powers. It didn't take him long to gain control over his magical abilities, and it took even less time for him to start the search for those responsible.

The story goes the same as always. A story of a lost book of prophecies. A tale of love. A tale of a heart that beat an unstable tune of destruction against a group of legendary heroes.  Friends were betrayed and lives were lost, but in the end, the world was saved.

Timpani and Blumiere? Missing.

Dimentio? Dead.

Mr. L? Dead.

Luigi? Never the same.

Nastasia? Heartbroken.

Mimi and O'Chunks? Just trying to get by.

Everyone had their ways of dealing with the scars the story gave them. Everyone was left feeling like they had lost a part of themselves along the way. They all couldn't help but feel so out of place now.

Nastasia was left feeling without a purpose, and Mimi and O'Chunks had no idea what to do with themselves without the Count around to lead them.

And Luigi... poor man, was still trying to process all that had happened to him and the people around him. He knew it wasn't his fault, but he couldn't help but feel partially responsible for Blumiere and Timpani's disappearance. He felt taken advantage of, and he couldn't see things the way he used to. 

Before he died, Dimentio had been so angry. So determined to get his way, Luigi couldn't help but wonder why. What made him that way? Everyone had to be fueled by something. Not everyone was JUST evil, right?

Well, that's what he used to think. Now, he wasn't so sure...

But it wasn't like he could talk to anyone about this. For months, Mario tried his best to pretend that nothing even happened. Whenever Luigi tried bringing anything related to the subject up, Mario would start a new conversation. He didn't want to even think about what had happened. It hurt too bad. He missed Tippi. He didn't want to deal with the bad memories. It was so much easier just to push them away.

And nothing changed. People continued to keep their thoughts and feelings to themselves. They continued to let themselves feel out of place. After all, what else could they do? The only thing left was to move on and try to forget what had happened. To grow up and live on. Even if something always felt wrong.

This is where this story ends. Yes, the heroes had won, but it was most definitely not a traditional happy ending.

______

. . .

Only...

What if there was another world with another ending?

What if there were infinite realities, consisting of the same characters? The same people, only different events and outcomes?

There are an infinite number of universes always being created, with an infinite number of outcomes. And just as fast there are an infinite number of universes being destroyed, disappearing forever.

Once upon a time... there was a world exactly the same as this one. Only, instead of young Dimentio's town getting found by a murderous tribesman... it never was. His home was safe and as happy as ever.

~ Many Years Ago, In Another World ~

Once upon a time... It was a nice day outside. An isolated village of half-bloods was just waking as the sun rose over the hillsides and onto their land. This was a place of safety. A place of security. A place where beings who were half ancient, half-human could live, hidden from the Tribe of Darkness. It was always hidden, for if the tribe found them, there would most definitely be dire consequences.