The Surge [SPM Halloween Story!]

(10) Unfinished business [Pt.1]

All three of them - O'Chunks, Nastasia, and Mimi - sat there, their expressions firm. They had all said "No".

Shock quickly became evident in the jester's masked expression, too stunned to hide it. Dimentio gawked, bringing up a hand to fidget with his scarf as he stared, looking as if he was almost dazed. 

"W-what? No?" Dimentio questioned. "What do you mean 'No'?! I apologized!"

"Yeah, a quick apology doesn't cut it," Nastasia stated, crossing her arms. 

Luigi quickly stepped forward, intervening by holding out his hands before they said anything else.

"Guys, he's not here to fight! I already told you this!" Luigi exclaimed. 

"We know," Nastasia said.

The man in green arched an eyebrow in confusion, lowering his hands.

"Wait, what?" Luigi asked.

"Then why are the three of you so against this?" Mario questioned.

O'Chunks huffed, crossing his arms as he did.

"I ain't gonna be da one teh go against it jus' cuz. He has teh earn it, as far as I is concerned!" O'Chunks exclaimed in a slur of words.

"Like, what's gonna happen after we forgive him?" Mimi asked with a shrug. "You boys haven't given us any good reason to!"

The ghost jester looked at them in perplexion, tilting his head as he did.

"So... What are you all suggesting, then?" Dimentio questioned.

Nastasia sighed, shrugging a little as she readjusted her glasses on her face, looking Dimentio over.

"Trust you? Probably not. Feel bad for you because of this?" Nastasia gestured to the ghostly form floating in front of her. "Definitely. Forgive you? That's debatable."

Dimentio didn't know how he should feel. They didn't trust him, but they felt bad for him, and they would possibly forgive him..? Should he feel relieved or upset?

"I don't believe I fully understand..." Dimentio replied. "What could I possibly do to earn your forgiveness? I already feel Grambi-awful about all of this. What could I even do now that I'm DEAD?"

Nastasia, Mimi, and O'Chunks all exchanged glances, more or less shrugging as they did.

"I dunno," Mimi stated.

Dimentio narrowed his eyes, arching his masked eyebrows as he did.

"You don't know," Dimentio repeated. "I am on the fine line between being able to pass on and take my chances in the after-game, or simply fading away into nothingness as a Boo, and you don't KNOW?!"

The jester looked almost panicked as he finished speaking, surprising his former teammates. He wasn't one for being known to show his emotions, but they also knew that he was DEATHLY afraid of simply being left to rot without anyone remembering.

They could tell by him actually expressing a hint of fear that this was a real deal.

"Whadya mean 'fade inteh nothin'-ness as a Boo'?" O'Chunks questioned.

Mimi suddenly gasped, making O'Chunks flinch as she did.

"OOOOH!!! Do you mean like those cute little marshmallow ghost-y thingies?!" Mimi exclaimed, putting her hands on the table with a wide smile.

"I... I don't know how to answer that properly," Dimentio stated.

Nastasia leaned forward, putting her hands together and placing her fingers to her lips as she stared at Dimentio. She made it look as if this was some sort of business meeting and Dimentio had to pitch something to her.