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

76

"Thanks for having me, Mr. Verducci." Spike says as he helps him clear the table.

"You're welcome." Mr. Verducci says warmly. "You're welcome anytime.", but at the sad look on Spike's face, Mr. Verducci asks, "What's wrong?"

Spike shakes his head, "I'm just...amazed. There's so much love in this house. I could never hope to have a family like this growing up, and to have you accept me despite your reservations..." he looks down at his outfit. "And I know I made a bad first impression with this outfit." Then back up at Mr. Verducci. "Thanks for not kicking me to the curb."

"You're a very caring man." Mr. Verducci says, making Spike smile and shrug awkwardly under the unexpected attention. "Perhaps even enough to consider marriage?"

Spike laughs nervously, "Oh I don't know if I'd ring out those bells just yet." He says honestly.

"Hey." Now Mr. Verducci looks at him seriously. "All I care about is that my daughter is happy."

"So do I." Spike's not even lying.

"Can you at least tell me if you're all in?" Mr. Verducci asks.

Spike sighs, shrugging. "As much as I can be."

Neither of them notice Pauline listening in, smiling.

Upon walking inside, they see exactly what Luigi described: Merlee attacking Merluminia.

Mario immediately tries to pull Merlee off, but she whips around and punches him in the throat, making him gasp for air.

"Mario!" Luigi exclaims in a panic, grabbing him.

"I'm fine." Mario says hoarsely.

"That's not Merlee!" Merluminia yells, pointing at her. "Mimi's a shapeshifter!"

At that, both Mario and Luigi stare at the fake Merlee as she poofs herself back into Mimi.

"This night was supposed to be all about me, and I'm still second rate to those hacks!" Mimi shrieks.

"So you tried to get Merlee fired?" Mario asks in understanding.

"Even Merlee's not above getting fired over workplace misconduct." Mimi tells them. "Merluminia knows that."

Just then, Luigi sees the flash from Merlee's dreams.

"She's gonna pay. Big time."

"Merlee knew what you were planning." Luigi realizes. "She wasn't telling on herself, she was telling on you ." He looks at Mario. "She saw spiders.", then back to Mimi. "She was trying to talk you out of it, wasn't she? You petrified Merlee."

In an instant, Mimi's neck snaps, her figure sprouts spidery legs as Mario jumps on her to stop her from completing the transformation.

Luigi freezes up as Mario holds her down, which thankfully is right when Clark shows up.

"My Spidey senses are tingling." She says with a grin.