Thank You and Goodnight!

Looks Like That Reality Check is Coming Too Little, Too Late

"Talent." BooHoo says, bored.

"Popular songs on the oboe." The Toad says.

"Weeee." BooHoo says flatly. "You're on at 9."

By the register, a Boo server asks, "Change?"

"Go to hell." Mario says as he smokes a cigar, without thinking, until he sees who it is. "Oh. Sorry about that. Singles or 5s?"

"Talent?" BooHoo asks a Shiverton Bear.

"Spoken word with props." The bear replies.

"10:45."

"Guess Ian was all too happy to let you come with, huh?" Destiny says as she walks into the Lantern with Amy.

"Are you kidding?" Amy shakes her head. "I'd come even if he didn't. This is huge, Des!"

"So I still have one clapper if I bomb?" Destiny asks hopefully.

"Not a chance. You bomb, you're dead to me." Amy jokes with a laugh.

Destiny approaches Mario with a big smile. "Hi! Remember me?"

"Can't say that I have." Mario's too pissed off to pay much attention.

"I'm the one who brings the lasagna?" Destiny tries to remind him.

"Doesn't ring a bell." Mario lies.

"Okay, so it was my husband that brought it." Destiny amends. "But he did it because I asked him to so I'd have a good slot. Whaddaya say to an IOU for one tasty lasagna and I get the prime spot?"

"Still no." Mario would give literally anything to end this conversation right now.

"Fine." Destiny shrugs, then turns on the charm, all flirty, "Hey, I never noticed that cap before. Is it new?"

"Don't even think about it." Mario warns, disgusted.

Now Destiny's clearly pissed. "Come on, just get me on the damn stage!"

"I would, but that's not my job anymore." Mario replies simply, shrugging. "You want a slot, talk to BooHoo. Over there." He points. "Don't think humans are his type, either."

"Thanks." Destiny says, Mario already forgotten as she walks towards the Boo.

"Hey there." She greets. "I'm a comic. Gimme a slot."

"You're too late." BooHoo replies. "Just filled in the last one."

"Can I stop by tonight in case someone's a no show?" Destiny asks, not about to give up.

"Are you stupid?" BooHoo demands.

"Fine, I'll come back tomorrow." Destiny promises. "And the day after that, and the day after that one too. You're gonna have to give me a slot eventually, and when you do, I'm gonna bring the fucking house down."

"I'd be shaking in my boots if I had any." BooHoo says sarcastically. "Last I checked you have free will. Come back, don't. I don't care."

"We're out of here, Amy." Destiny walks away.

"Don't know when to quit, do you?" Amy asks as she follows her to the exit.

"Luigi doesn't want me to!" Destiny says. "He believes in me as a comic. I didn't take it seriously, but now I'm gonna. For Luigi. Everything I do, it's all for him."

Mario hears every word as they finally leave, and all he can do is look at the stage and sigh, shaking his head.

"Weegee..."

"Dad?" Luigi calls as he walks into the apartment, maneuvering his way around his dad's desk and books.