I've Got the Strangest Feeling This Isn't Our First Time Around

30

"Nice place you got here." Spike praises as he walks around Mario's house. "In a pathetic kind of way. Interested in a roommate?"

"Nope." Mario says cheerfully. "Now please be careful, alright? These floors can still be stained."

"Thank you, Snoozemore." Luigi says as he starts unpacking their surveillance gear.

"This is exactly what our budget is for." Pauline agrees. "Nice to see it in action." Then she turns to Spike. "Where do you want me?"

Spike only turns to stare at her, so Pauline backpedals, "Don't answer. I walked right into that one." And starts setting up the equipment herself.

"Hey! Why are you--" Mario scrambles to grab stuff. "Manners, people! Manners!"

"Food, please!" Luigi asks, to which Mario snaps, "Hey, this is a stakeout, not a dinner party."

"Okay, Mario?" Spike gets his attention. "We all get it, alright? You're still on edge with this whole thing. But that's not gonna solve anything. So go grab us some snacks."

"Don't hold your breath there." Luigi says as he helps set up the equipment. "He's been a nag all day."

"I have not!" Mario protests.

"Oh yes you have!" Pauline agrees, making Mario glare at her.

"You gotta learn to chill." Spike says. "Seriously, that stick goes any further up your ass, I suggest seeing a doctor."

"And we are a go!" Pauline cheers as the equipment turns on.

Several hours in, Luigi's watching the camera feed and narrating, "So this one Toad is painting his pet Chain Chomps in different colors."

"That's a thing." Mario says, unimpressed.

"And now another Toad just got a package from the mailman, and---" Luigi stops.

"Who-hoo!" Spike claps. "Guess even Toads need a little excitement."

"Okay, enough!" Mario snaps, standing up. "You do realize we're invading these Toads' privacy?"

Luigi looks up long enough to say, "This is part of our job."

"I know it is!" Mario defends. "But what these Toads do on their time is their business, not ours."

"Not if it means they end up petrified." Luigi's attention is back on the camera feed.

In the kitchen, Pauline flicks Spike's forehead as she grabs a bowl of nuts. "Oh lighten up already, would you?" she says. "Don't be mad."

"Just tell me why you don't..." Spike trails off.

"Want to do it again?" Pauline guesses, and at Spike's nod, continues, "It's nothing, really. I just really liked what we had at that given moment."

"I loved it." Spike tells her.

"As did I." Pauline nods. "And now it's died a hero's death."

"But it doesn't have to." Spike says.

"Yes it does." Pauline says as she eats a few nuts. "Why give it a chance to live long enough to become the villain?"

"Villains can turn good." Spike offers, but Pauline just shakes her head, right as Clark comes inside.

"Wow." Clark notes. "Almost reminds me of when it was my turn."

"Hi Clark." Luigi says, not looking up from the feed. "Any leads?"

"Nothing yet." Clark says. "Just an adventurous Toad. When he wasn't adventuring, he was at his house. Any luck here?"

"Some houses aren't worth looking at." Now Luigi does stop to look up. "But a lot don't have their lights on. Haven't seen the pink Toad or the couple in the park."