Past Lives Could Never Come Between Us

36

"So it turns out Stella isn't a Stella at all." Luigi tells Mario when he meets him at his house, sitting on the couch. "Her name's Kit T. And she was the head of the Sleepytime Lab's molecular biology program. Stella is another Toad who worked there."

"The one you talked to?" Mario asks. "After you left me hanging?"

"You mean while you were talking to the princess?" Luigi reminds him.

"Her name is Peach." Mario informs him. "She was reaching out about a bottle of truffle oil."

"Okay, regardless." Luigi moves on, not interested. "I think Kit T took Stella's name because despite her memory loss...Stella was important to her."

Luigi's phone goes off, so he pulls it out to answer. "Pauline?"

" I combed over every second of the footage from Northwinds. " Pauline tells him. " Used the exact time stamps you told me and everything. Only thing I'm seeing is Stella helping someone leave the store. No fluffy cloud bunny anywhere. "

"How is that possible?" Luigi demands. "It was in two different victims' dreams. Please check again?"

" Trust me, I did. " Pauline says.

"One more time, for me." Luigi insists. "I know it's in there.", then hangs up.

To Mario, "I'm not crazy. It was there.", right as his phone rings again.

"Hello?" he asks in confusion.

"You have my attention. Let's deal."

"Genius boy here told Nathan Kirk about the encryption code and offered a deal to hand it over." Mario tells the team, not even remotely happy.

"Hey, that's pretty smart." Clark praises. "If he actually offers up the money..."

"We can arrest him." Luigi finishes.

"Mm, no. Need I remind everyone they've already attacked someone with the intent of silencing them permanently?" Snoozemore asks.

"Not once, but twice!" Mario adds.

"And he's not stupid enough to hand money over unless he knows you gave him the actual code." Snoozemore says.

"Which we still don't actually know yet." Pauline pipes up.

"Is there a way to crack it?" Spike asks.

"We should all be counting our lucky stars we have a computer that can rule out half of the possibilities." Mario says. "But that still leaves a large number left."

"Think like Kit T." Spike says.

"There was music playing when Kit T was programming it." Luigi recalls.

"Do you know what the song was?" Spike asks.

"Maybe Oneiric Disorientasia can save the day again?" Pauline asks hopefully.

"Excuse me, it doesn't work like that anymore." Luigi says. "I can't just forget I'm awake and replay dreams."

"Can you tell me the genre?" Spike tries again.

"Synth-pop, I think?" Luigi shrugs.

"Okay, I can work with that." Spike picks up the tablet.

"What're you doing?" Pauline wonders.

"Looking up synth-pop songs known in Mount Pajamaja." Spike explains "Maybe Kit T. used that as the key. Looks like we got ourselves 5."

"Let's hear." Luigi says.

Spike starts one, but Luigi's already shaking his head. "Nuh uh."

Spike changes it, but again, Luigi shakes his head. "Nope."

Another change, but this time Luigi's nodding, "That's it."

"I'll upload it into the computer, reprogram it to turn the notes into numbers..." Pauline types away, and in seconds, they're hearing a beep. "And done. Encryption key, hot and ready."

"Now we can download it so I can give it to Nathan." Luigi says logically.

"You do recall that this is the only thing standing in the way of literal all-consuming water, right?" Mario says. "What if something happens?"

"Mm, yes. I agree." Snoozemore says. "If you won't be talked out of this, I can't let you go alone."

"You said our lab uses Mount Pajamaja water, right?" Luigi asks. "If Kit T was able to write up a new formula for it, why can't we do the same?"

"I like where this is going." Spike grins.

"Remind me again why I said okay to Luigi not wearing a wire?" Mario asks Clark, sitting at a table a safe distance away where they can see Luigi sitting by himself, waiting for Nathan.

"Because Nathan's gonna check him for one. He'd be stupid not to." Clark reminds him. "And we can see him. He's gonna be fine. Soon as he hands it off, he's back in our good graces."

"You're right, you're right." The anxious finger drumming gives Mario away, so he attempts to distract himself.

"Hey, Clark? Let's say there's a guy, and he's friends with another guy, and they're both in agreement there's nothing romantic going on--"

"Oh not you too." Clark groans.

Mario keeps going, "But the other guy doesn't know how he feels about me, and--"

"And you know it's not romantic, but there is something between you that you can't explain, and you want me to explain it." Clark summarizes, bored. "Am I getting close?"

"That's it." Mario nods.

"Spoiler alert: I can't." Clark informs him. "I'm not you, and you're not me. But here's something I can explain: you know it's not romantic. Lot of friendships get ruined because they realize that too late." She looks over at Luigi's table. "Now quit the pity party and keep an eye on Nathan. He's here."

Nathan promptly drops a phone on Luigi's table, listening as it beeps.

"You really think I'd risk wearing a bulky wire out in the open like this?" Luigi scoffs.

"Yes I do." Nathan says flatly, then sits across from him. "You'd be surprised what people will do to get their hands on secrets."

"No, I don't think I'd be surprised at all." Luigi snarks.

"So tell me. What are you doing with the encryption key?" Nathan demands.

"None of your business." Luigi huffs. "Do you want it or not?"

"Anything to give a nobody a real shot at living well." Nathan says coolly. "Give me the key."

"Give me my shot." Luigi retorts.

"We're going out back." Nathan declares. "More private."

Luigi looks around, then shakes his head, "No thanks."

"Then you've officially wasted my time." Nathan starts to get up. "Either you come with me right now, or the deal's off."

"Wait, what just happened?" Mario asks from where he and Clark are still watching. "Nathan didn't go for it."

"Hang on. Look." Clark says as Luigi stands up, silently signaling them to wait before he walks away with Nathan. "Okay, we'll give him 2 minutes. He's not stupid."

Mario looks in the direction Luigi disappeared with Nathan with worry, but just nods.