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

47

"We came to offer our condolences about your cousin." Mario tells Nick when they arrive.

"Thanks." Nick says. "How did you know him?"

"Through her work." Luigi says vaguely, eyes drifting to behind Nick, where the kitchen is a wreck.

Nick follows Luigi's gaze, then apologizes, "Oh, wow, look at me, being so rude. I haven't cleaned anything since I found out about Danny's accident."

"Oh yeah, that's right." Luigi recalls suddenly. "You make your own hot dogs, don't you? Danny talked about it all the time."

"He did?" Nick sounds surprised. "I thought he was too wrapped up in himself to care."

"Oh no, trust me, he did." Luigi nods, hoping Nick will believe it.

"Thanks for coming." Nick says. "Danny didn't get out much, that's how much this top-secret project meant to him."

"With Nastasia?" Luigi asks.

"He was ecstatic." Nick confirms. "He'd come home stressed most days, but I could tell he loved it. Sounded like it was taking a serious turn for a hot second, but no matter what I did, he wouldn't tell me anything. My guess? He thought I was too stupid to comprehend any of it. My parents always gushed about him when I still lived with them. I'm just the guy with pipe dreams any idiot down the street could have."

"Actually, you're right. I thought he was pretty stressed too." Luigi agrees. "You sure it was just work related?"

"Danny's whole life is work related." Nick corrects. "He's let everything else fall by the wayside for it more than once."

"Okay, I like." Mario praises as they walk through the research lab's lobby. "Sure, the Dream Lab gives it a run for its money, but come on!"

"Danny's whole life was about work." Luigi says. "To the point of obsession. I understand that way more than I should."

"Ease up, Weeg." Mario says playfully, but Luigi stops him to point.

"She was in Danny's dreams too." Luigi points, then doesn't bother waiting as he walks right up to her. "Uh hello! Do you know where Danny is?"

"Who's asking?" She looks at them suspiciously.

"We had an appointment with him and Nastasia." Luigi covers quickly.

"No one told you, did they?" she says.

"Told us what?" Mario asks.

"Danny was attacked in a freak train car accident last night." She explains.

"What?" Mario feigns shock. "Oh gosh, yikes. That's...horrible. No clue until you said."

"Could we still talk to Nastasia?" Luigi pushes, to which she laughs.

"Nastasia is out of the office for the day. Authorities wanted to question her about Danny." She hands them a business card. "Reach out in a week or two. You know, when she's had time to process what happened to her assistant." Then walks away in a huff.

Mario and Luigi start to walk away, but yet again, Luigi stops Mario to point out, "She lied to us. That's Nastasia right there." Then walks right up again to say, "Scuse me, Nastasia?"

"Leave." Nastasia snaps, but Luigi won't, instead calling out to her retreating back, "I just wanted to offer my condolences about Danny."

Thankfully that does get her to stop, as she comes back over. "You know him?"

Luigi nods, "I do." Then adds, "He promised he could help me."

"With what?" Nastasia asks suspiciously.

"With my brain disorder." Luigi seriously can't believe he's never thought to use it before, and at Nastasia's smile, Luigi knows they have an in.

They walk into the lab, where the chair with the intracranial helmet is in plain view.

"You weren't kidding." Mario whispers to Luigi, joking, "Remind me to never get highlights."

"Pardon?" Nastasia asks behind them, so Mario covers, "Nothing! Just--" he gestures to the chair. "Couldn't help but notice that."

"You mean our cognitive corrector?" Nastasia says, then points. "Please, have a seat."

They all do, and Nastasia begins, "Honestly, Danny's the one that deserves the credit for it. How long have you known him?"

"Not long at all." Luigi says. "Just met him, actually."

"Danny's always had a soft heart." Nastasia notes. "But perhaps I can pay his kindness forward. Georgia?"

The woman from before comes forward with a clipboard, as Nastasia focuses on Luigi, "Tell me about you."

"What do you want to know?" Luigi asks.

"How did your condition happen?"

"When I was a toddler." Luigi replies. "I was told some kind of accident happened."

"Was it only you that got hurt?"

"That I know of. My parents left me with a foster parent shortly after."

"That's horrible." Nastasia says sympathetically. "And how does your condition affect you currently?"

"Memory loss and distortion of reality. I don't remember anything from before my parents dumped me with my foster mom, and I can never know for sure if I'm awake or dreaming."

"Does that affect your ability to retain new information?" Nastasia asks.

"Not as far as I know." Luigi answers.

"Sorry, but is all this necessary?" Mario leans forward, but Nastasia tells him firmly, "If I'm going to help him, I need to know everything he's willing to tell me."

"He's right." Luigi looks at Mario, then back to Nastasia. "I've been told regularly my bluntness is gonna get me in trouble one day, and because I don't ever know if I'm awake or dreaming, I can't always express the right emotion needed for any given situation."

"You know him better." Now Nastasia turns to Mario. "Is he telling me the truth?"

Mario nods, "Unfortunately yes."

Nastasia seems to mull over something, then says, "Well, we're still only doing trials, but Danny was convinced we were right around the corner to a breakthrough. Can I interest you in a session?"

"Are you kidding? Yes!" Luigi says without thinking. "Thank you so much, Nastasia."

"Any friend of Danny's is a friend of mine." Nastasia assures him. "Georgia? Set up an appointment for tomorrow."

They get the welcome wagon when Mario and Luigi arrive back in the Dream Lab.

"You guys respond fast." Mario says.

"Of course we do!" Spike protests. "Particularly when someone comes with an idea as stupid and crazy as this one!"

"We need to see Danny's life up close." Luigi argues. "And that chair, that lab, was all that mattered to him. It's our only shot."

"So the doctor finding out you were making it up doesn't worry you at all?" Pauline points out.

"Nope." Luigi replies. "Before he was petrified, he confronted Nastasia about something wrong with their study Something she was willing to petrify him over. A private session with Nastasia is the only way we're gonna get it. Or have you been hiding something else from me?"

"Mm, yes." Snoozemore says. "You may go. On one condition."