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

78

Clark comes out of the pipe to the Dream Lab alone, going right to Snoozemore.

"You called?" She asks.

"Not me." Snoozemore moves to the side. "Him."

Prince Dreambert comes closer. "You know who I am?"

Clark nods. "Pleasure to meet the director's right-hand man."

Dreambert shakes his head, "All I do is keep things from being shut down. And knowing Luigi, he's already asking you to look into Molly Turner's murder."

"He is."

"Heed my warning: you shouldn't." Dreambert says.

"You admitted she was murdered." Clark reminds him.

"And that's for us to handle...amongst ourselves." Dreambert says slowly.

"Sorry, but that's not gonna cut it." Clark shakes her head.

"Clark, please." Now Dreambert looks more pleading. "Our work and Luigi's safety are too important. You know that."

At that, Clark looks back at Snoozemore, then back to Dreambert. "Is he not safe?"

"There are so many at large we don't even know the names of." Dreambert says. "Stay out of it."

Clark almost argues, but then just nods, "Whatever you say."

"Keep it up." Dreambert praises, but Clark just turns and leaves.

When she's gone, Snoozemore warns, "You know she's not going to listen."

"I never expected anything different." Dreambert replies, as the two of them watch her disappear through the pipe.

"Tell me something, Clark." Luigi says suddenly at dinner with Spike and Clark, which thankfully shuts Spike up for a second. "If you never married, why do you wear that ring?"

Clark looks down at the ring on her finger, as Spike says, "Yeah, come on, we don't judge."

"Sorry!" Mario exclaims as he plunks himself down next to Luigi.

"What's he doing here?" Clark demands pointedly at Luigi, which stuns the table silent for a second.

"Don't hold back on my account." Mario says awkwardly.

"I needed to talk to you alone." Clark continues like Mario's not there.

"They heard where you asked to meet up, asked if they could come." Luigi shrugs.

"Do you want us to leave?" Mario asks.

"Yes--"

"Okay, I need to go to the bathroom." Spike says loudly, standing up.

"Then go." Luigi says, still glaring at Clark.

"Nu uh. You too." Spike grabs his arm and pulls Luigi to his feet, adding, "Mario, do something to loosen that stick from her ass, please?", and dragging Luigi away.

"I'm sorry, did me and Spike invite ourselves to something private?" Mario asks.

"Huh?" Clark shakes her head. "No, not at all. I was just hoping to talk to Luigi about Molly Turner."

"What happened?" Mario asks immediately.

"Something I wanted to talk to Luigi about." Clark says testily.

"Jeez, Spike wasn't kidding. What's got you in such a chipper mood?" Mario mutters.

"Answer me something. What do you know about the director of the Dream Lab?" Clark changes the subject promptly.

"Other than no one's seen them in person, and Dreambert speaks on their behalf? Not a thing." Mario replies. "Why? What does that have to do with Molly?"

"What was that about?" Spike asks once they're in the bathroom. "Don't tell me you've moved on from Destiny with Clark, cause if you are, you are my new hero."

"I'm sorry, are you trying to get me to dish gossip?" Luigi demands.

"I mean come on, we all can see she's a goddess, but come on, only a few days since Destiny left?"

"So it's a good thing nothing's going on then, huh?" Luigi fires back.

"Then can I give some insight on turning down Destiny's proposal?" Spike offers.

"No you can't." Luigi replies.

"Tough." Spike retorts. "You did the right thing. Because, hey, if you'd said yes, you'd be putting me out on the streets. And another thing, what's the rush to get married anyway? If Clark's your rebound, enjoy it."

Luigi chuckles, so Spike goes on, "I mean it. We're both in our prime and way too--"

A loud bang cuts him off, and another makes them understand something's going on, so they both quickly leave the bathroom and make a run for their table, finding a waiter petrified and both Mario and Clark unconscious.

Luigi wastes no time kneeling down and smacking Mario's face.

"Mariooooo!"