Unwritten: Diary of a Lean Green Plumber

The Rest is Still Unwritten

21 April 2019

Smash Mansion

Dear Diary,

The damage from Galeem and Dharkon's invasion had been repaired. All of the wounds we'd sustained in the fight to free the Smash World from them had been healed. Albeit we were still shaken from practically dying and them coming back to life, we resolved to fix our eyes and march from the darkness into the dawn of a new day.

Three days ago, Jas had called me, sounding excited. She told me that she'd seen her grandfather's spirit. He'd smiled, told her that everything was going to be all right and even held his great-grandchildren for the first and only time. Also, Josh's spirit had visited his widow, his son and his daughter-in-law, telling them about the adventure he'd had with me. Each of them thanked me for protecting Josh's spirit from Galeem and Dharkon. The one thing we could take away from this was that we all got to see Josh one more time and attain total closure over his passing. And with his spirit at peace, Josh could return to the hereafter and begin the next life with zero regrets.

With the tournament back in working condition, Master Hand rolled out the red carpet for Joker today. Joker was an easygoing fellow, and very handsome. Most of the ladies were fawning over him the second he walked onto the stage. Joker led a group known as the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, and their job was to "reform" the corrupt by, you guessed it, stealing their hearts. This was achieved by manifestations of their psyches, called "Personas". Joker's Persona was named Arsène, of the Fool Arcana, and though he looked intimidating with those bat wings, he was just as affable as Joker. That was good to know.

Joker fought well hand-to-hand, but he also had Arsène assisting him once his Rebellion Gauge was filled, and he relied on knifeplay, as well. His neutral special was similar to Bayonetta's Bullet Arts, his side special was called Eiha and had properties similar to PK Fire, his up special, Grappling Hook, easily knocked opponents out of the air and his down special was a counter move known as Rebel's Guard. All of his moves were fast and stealthy, befitting a professional thief who used his skills for good, rather than evil.

When we told Joker about what had happened with Galeem and Dharkon, he first expressed relief that we were okay and then mused that he would've avoided that mess by taking their hearts.

"I don't know if that would've done anything," I said. "They're the embodiments of light and darkness and intensely hate each other. We were their common enemy, and they still spent most of the final fight attacking each other. I'm just—glad you missed that."

Joker shuddered a bit. "Me, too."

In more important news, Falco and I are talking to each other again. I don't know if our friendship will be fully restored, but what we experienced on that cliffside reminded us that life was too short to hold grudges. In the days following our fight with Galeem and Dharkon, I'd played the grateful game, and I realized that what applied to my relationship with Mario applied to my other relationships as well. I shouldn't let quarrels and feuds flare out of control. If the other party tries to apologize, then while I don't have to accept the apology right away, I can at least hear them out. I remembered Jules's story about his school counselor, whose friend had passed away before they could make up after an argument, and how that inspired him to patch things up with a friend of his own. And after Mario had rescued me from the Mysterious Dimension, and I'd locked eyes with Falco, I took that story to heart and vowed to reach out to the avian. And eventually, that's exactly what I did.