Suspects: Mario, Luigi, Waluigi, Wario, Peach, Yoshi, and Birdo

Victims: 1 Toad, Bowser, Daisy, Rosalina

Killer:

This kill felt different. It didn't have the spice of life like those of past.

She didn't fight, she didn't beg, she didn't even scream with true fear. She was ready for me.

My one satisfaction was when she looked me in the eyes and said, "You..."

Now, staring at her, I am determined to make sure that a kill like this never happens again. Rosalina was the only one who listened to me. And out of everyone here, I cared about her the most. Ah, but work is work, and it must be done. Then again... who says I can't have more than a little fun? Perhaps I could toy with them a little more, make them afraid.

I smile as I draw the knife through Rosalina's stomach. I said I would frame her. I intend to do just that.

I can hear the frightened shouts of the rest of the group and I project my voice to echo the rest of them. I still play the part of innocence. I must continue to possess it.

Projecting my voice gives me an idea as I continue to prepare Rosalina's body, now opening her body cavity.

Perhaps, in this echoey place, my voice could be masked... Especially if I copied the voices of those who were killed...

Making a final cut, I begin to paint with my scarlet dye, barely smudging onto the hickory wood with the blade of my knife, even cutting it in places. Anything to leave a permanent mark for them to find.

Satisfied, I turn to the darkness and begin to wander around the area, listening to the baited sounds of their breathing. They are terrified.

Excellent. As they should be.

I begin to speak, throwing my voice around the area.

Bowser's growling laughter echoes off of the walls and even I am shocked by my own impression.

The room goes silent as they all hear the sound.

I begin, a game plan already formulating in my mind.

"So," I rumble in Bowser's deep baritone, "you've all made it this far? Lots of people left to play my game, I see."

I continue to meander around, listening to their heartbeats, their frantic breaths, their sheer horror.

"This is how it's gonna work."

Now I swap vocals, lifting into a high phrase tinged with slight confidence.

"You've wasted so much time by just being yourselves, so I'm going to help you cheat a little."

Daisy's voice rings in the area.

"Now, don't take this to mean that I want to be discovered. Because I don't." Bowser takes over.

"This is your deal, losers. I have locked the courthouse door and have hidden the key. However, I have unlocked every area within the courthouse. Which means that you have free wandering rights, but are unable to leave. Understand?"

Daisy returns:

"I will give you three minutes to come up with your own game plan. I'll be coming up with mine. At the end of three minutes..." I pause, letting the tension sink in.

"I hunt."

Murmuring from some of the members ensue.

"You are allowed to speak to anyone, discuss anything, do whatever you wish, but I offer one tidbit of advice."

Bowser roars with laughter.

"Be careful of what you say, players, because you must remember..."

I now take on a new voice. High, lilting, and a tone that I will never forget. Rosalina's voice echoes in the room.

"I am listening. I am planning. And I am one of you."

I pause for a few more moments, listening to the silent shock of my victims.Finally, after relishing their fear for a few moments, I continue in Rosalina's voice

"The lights are about to come on. One of you is close to the switch, trying to catch me in my act. I warn you, it could be me, or it could be an innocent. Judge carefully. You could end up doing my job for me. Now would that be kind of you? Thank you in advance. Good Luck players. You shall need it. And one other thing," I say as if remembering something sudden,

"Your time starts now."

With that, the lights flick on and I watch my shocked victims blink, blinded by the sudden light.

They are all dead people walking.

Tick tock, tick tock.

Three down, six left behind. And one of them is already the color I want them to be. It'll only take a few moments to turn him into a wonderful masterpiece.

Four, three, two.

I'm coming after all of you.

Wario:

Shielding his eyes with his hand, Wario looked around to see who had caused the lights to suddenly come to life.

It didn't take long to investigate. A shaking Luigi had his glove over the switch.

"I_I'm s_sorry." He stuttered, staring at everyone with slightly wild eyes, "I just got really, really scared all of a sudden."

Wario snorted. Figured that Luigi would be the one to turn on the lights. Carefully, Luigi crept towards the rest of the group, wringing his hands.

"So, we have three minutes?" Peach said, placing a hand on Mario's shoulder.

"Yes, it appears so." Mario nodded.

Wario frowned and crossed his arms.

"Right, what happened to me being the detective again?"

"Playtime is over." Mario snarled at him. Wario was taken back by Mario's sudden rage. Peach stepped away as Mario began to pace, much more rigid than before.

"Three minutes to formulate a game plan. Three minutes until the next strike." Mario paced in a circle around the group.

"Any ideas?"

"Yeah," Wario said, stepping in front of Mario to confront him. Mario straightened and lifted his chin.

Wario was not intimidated.

"You can stop acting like you know everything and let people like me who know what to do in a situation like this handle the situation!"

The next moment, Wario was on the floor.

He sat up to see Mario standing above him, fists clenched and in a battle stance. There was fresh blood on his gloves, covering the old brown stains of Daisy's.

A sharp jabbing pain bolted through Wario's jaw.

Wario got onto one knee, spitting on the tile. Both saliva and bold blood were obvious.

"You want another one?" Mario hissed, not taking his eyes off of Wario, "Because if you do, I would be happy. No, ecstatic to give you another taste."

"You wouldn't dare!" Wario spat, standing again and throwing a punch of his own.

Mario twisted out of the way at the last moment, tweaking Wario's arm and retaliating with another blow.

Again, Wario hit the tile, knocking the breath out of him. Mario loomed over him, eyes unforgiving.

"I am done with your impudence. Done!"

Mario snatched Wario by the purple straps of his suspenders and lifted him so that Wario could see the murderous glint in the red brother's eyes.

"If you so much as look at me the wrong way, or test my leadership again, I will smackdown you into the next year." Mario hissed softly.

"Mario! Stop it! What are you doing?" Someone shook Mario, making him release Wario.

"Cool it, Luigi. I'm putting the clown in his place." Mario brushed himself off as Wario staggered to his feet, shamed by his beatdown.

"Was that really necessary? With what little time we have?" Luigi was frantic, trying to reason with his brother with panicked movements.

"Darlio, while it is true that that Wario fellow did deserve it, I think that Cutieigi is right. We cannot waste any more time." Birdo said, walking towards the Mario brothers.

"Right. Typical of you to side with the Christmas Bros." Wario said, turning away and rubbing his jaw.

Waluigi snickered.

"Tell us, Birdo, is Yoshi the only one you have the hots for?" Waluigi egged on.

Once again, Mario's hackles raised and he glared at Wario and Waluigi with ice daggers.

He wasn't alone.

Birdo was even pinker than usual and Luigi stood by Mario, saying nothing, yet he crossed his arms and set his jaw.

"You have three seconds to apologize." Luigi said coldly.

Wario snorted.

"Do I now?"

Luigi narrowed his eyes.

"Three..."

"You don't intimidate us, Green Bean." Wario said as he pulled Waluigi closer to him.

"Two..."

"Wario, I don't think he's joking." Waluigi whispered

Luigi took a step forward menacingly.

"One..."

Suddenly, Peach was right next to Luigi, trying to hold him back.

"Stop! Please!" She cried, looking between the two rival parties, "Can't you see? We're all going to die if we don't cooperate! Look!" Peach pointed towards the witness stand.

Wario, and the rest of the group for that matter, looked the direction the white silk glove pointed.

To find another bloody mess.

"Oh my..." Mario had taken his attention away from Wario completely and was now running towards the body.

Rosalina.

Wario also ran, keeping in a clip alongside Mario for once. This was his concern as well.

Waluigi beat both of them to the scene, already beginning to brush Rosalina's blonde hair away from her face.

Eyeless sockets greeted them all.

Once again, the killer followed its pattern, gouging the victim's eyes out and stealing a trinket. Rosalina's lightning bolt earrings were both gone.

Peach came up behind the group. Upon seeing the torn Queen, she turned away and buried her

face in her hands.

"Rosa..." Wario heard her whisper.

"Rosa..." Waluigi murmured as he lifted Rosalina's chin.

The killer had gone all out on Rosalina, not offering her a bit of mercy. Like the toad, the killer must have taken its sweet time preparing for the image presented to the group.

Rosalina had been, in no uncertain terms, dissected.

Like the toad, the killer had slashed a score through Rosalina's cheeks. Combined with her pale complexion, platinum red blonde hair, and eyeless stare, the killer had given her the appearance of a demented jester.

Another gash was placed at Rosalina's throat and a similar one just above her hipbone. One final slice connected the two cuts, allowing Rosalina's dress and the skin beneath it to fall open.

The interior of Rosalina's body cavity was empty.

Wario hesitated to look down, for now he felt the different texture of the floor beneath him.

Without tipping his chin, Wario's eyes averted to the floor.

Rosalina lay all over it.

Trying his best to stave off the queasiness, he turned to Mario, keeping his jaw clenched. It ached in complaint, but Wario ignored it.

"Round two of "What did I have to eat?"" He asked.

Mario didn't even turn to Wario, only giving a minuscule nod.

"Yep." Mario said softly.

"Um, M_Mario? There's something written here too." Luigi said, snapping both Wario and Mario out of their sickened trance.

Luigi was pointing above Rosalina's head with a shaking finger.

"Seriously Luigi? Do you have palsy or something? Knock it off with the twitching." The words came out of Wario's mouth before he had a chance to register the thought.

Luigi didn't even look upset, only looking at Wario with genuine fear in his eyes.

"J_just look, ok?" Luigi turned back to said writing.

Wario looked to the writing as well.

"'Smile'?" Wario squinted at the red words, "'Laugh'? What is that supposed to mean?"

Waluigi cleared his throat.

"That's what she told me to do..." He trailed off, slowly meeting eyes with Wario.

Wario turned away from his brother, now facing Mario.

"You pack a hard punch, little man. Let's see if you can come up with an equally potent plan."

Waluigi snickered.

"Nice rhyme."

Wario growled. He hadn't even intended to rhyme, but it had been good, hadn't it?

Despite the situation, Mario gave a small, yet sharp and loud laugh. It echoed off of the high ceiling and reverberated around the room.

Finally, Mario pulled it together.

"Why should I tell you a plan? What plans do we have left?!" Mario slumped, laughing. It appeared as if he was going into hysterics.

"We're all going to die! Don't you get it?" Wario watched as Mario left the murder scene, tracking scarlet footprints all the way to the center of the room. They matched his shirt's color almost completely hue for hue. It was terrifying.

"This whole night has been a battle! We're just on the losing side! The only question left to ask is who's gonna die next!"

Mario sat down in the center of the room.

"It's game over, ladies and gents. Good night." Mario laid on his back and pulled his hat over his eyes. "Rosa, Bowser, and Daisy are all dead, there is no escape, no place to hide that won't get found eventually in the time we have, and the killer is just working too quickly. That's the end of the game, folks." Mario had quieted down, putting his arms behind his head and crossing his legs. He looked incredibly relaxed despite the statement he had just announced to the whole group.

"Oh, and by the way," Mario said, lifting his cap and looking at the party.

"It's been the end of three minutes. Good luck, all."

As if on cue, there was a snap and the party was plunged into yet another blackout.

Mario:

Laying on the tile, Mario didn't care what would happen.

'It's been Game Over for a while now.' Mario tugged his hat over his eyes again, only increasing the darkness already obscuring his vision, 'What else to do?'

Mario heard whispers echoing around him, as well as the soft 'tmp' of footsteps.

Mario heard them stop.

The mysterious persona was standing by his head.

"Oh, go on and kill someone else, why don't you? I can take care of myself." Mario whispered to the seemingly obvious killer.

Mario didn't receive a response, only feeling the character gently lift Mario's hat away.

Mario saw shining blue eyes above him.

And the glinting blade.

But it wasn't the sight of the weapon, or even the prospect of dying that frightened Mario.

It was the killer's identity.

Mario attempted to roll to the side to dodge the attacker, but a lightning quick strike implanted the blade inches from Mario's face.

There were several sounds of clicking around Mario and his attacker.

"They've all gone to hide. It's just you and me, Mario."

The words flowed effortlessly off of the killer's tongue and Mario was shocked by the relaxed tone in which the murderer was speaking.

"How could you have_" Mario began, but before he could finish his sentence, the killer had the blade pointed between Mario's eyes.

"No questions from the paparazzi. I'm here only for results."

The blade flashed again and Mario felt a sting across his left cheek.

Letting out a yelp, Mario brought a hand up to the smarting wound.

Again, the blade struck, and this time across Mario's right side.

"There..." The killer crooned, "don't you just look happy?"

Mario didn't have to guess what the killer had just accomplished. He could feel the hot streams running down his chin and into his shirt.

"Would you look at that..." The killer tipped its head in mock wonder, "It matches your color shade for shade, doesn't it? I guess you chose your signature hue well..."

Ignoring the slicing pain, Mario forced himself to speak.

"Why...? Why are you doing this?"

The killer chuckled softly.

"How naïf." Its eyes sparkled with dark amusement. "I suspect you already know..."

Mario did know.

"But why? After all we've been through?"

The killer's eyes narrowed.

"We've been through nothing. I've had to tolerate you."

Mario began to prop himself up slowly, placing one hand beneath him and the other still staunching his wound. The killer stiffened, but did nothing to counteract Mario's movement.

"You know that's not true. You know how I've always felt." Mario shook his head and he could have sworn that he saw the murderer's eyes soften for a moment. As if it was really contemplating Mario's words.

Mario staggered to his feet.

"We can still change this." Mario was near pleading. "You can come back. After the trial clears up, I..." Mario paused. The killer was now looking at the ground, blade at its side. Mario gently reached towards the murderer's hand.

"I can help you. Like you've helped me countless times before..."

Mario was touching the hilt.

"Just drop the knife. Alright?" He whispered softly, beginning to ease the blade out of the killer's hand.

Just like that, the blue eyes snapped to Mario's own. They glittered with the melancholy sadness no more.

They gleamed with madness.

"That's the difference between you and I, Mario..."

Mario stopped in his tracks, the blade hanging between the two.

"I don't want to go home."

The blade moved so quickly, Mario hardly noticed it.

But he did notice the searing blunt pain across his face as the killer made a strike.

Mario hit the ground, landing on his shoulder.

He lay there for a few moments, in shock. Breathing heavily, a new stream of blood going down his lip, Mario risked a glance up to see the killer standing where it was once before, unchanged in posture, and flashing white teeth in a half smile.

"My god, do you ever learn? No wonder Bowser was always an issue to you."

"You're going to get found out. You've been gone for so long, the others will get suspicious."

The killer laughed again, this time a full, fleshed out sigh of pain, madness, ecstasy, and victory. The sound echoed around the room, filling every corner, space, and moonlit window.

"They're not here, Mario! They've gone to investigate the arena! Clever scouting if you ask me. It'll be alright, though. I do love a good chase. You know that better than anyone."

Mario was now beginning to ease himself up again. He ached everywhere. The sudden drop to the floor had not been easy.

"You're mad." Mario forced himself to say.

"Of course I am!"

Without a moment to respond, the killer was suddenly at Mario's side, looking down at him with slight amusement.

"Ha. I wish I could have done this sooner. I never realized how much of an entertainment you would be!"

"Am I a toy to you?" Mario shouted indignantly, causing the slits in his cheeks to begin to bleed once again.

The killer made no reaction, only tipping its head and grinning.

"Oh yes, Mario. My favorite toy as of now. Yes, we should probably keep you from moving if I'm gonna play with you, shouldn't we?"

Mario attempted to scamper backwards, but a quick slash stopped him in his tracks.

He could feel the burning sensation as the environment filled the newly opened wound, felt the warm trickling down into his boots, and could feel himself finally collapsing to the floor, his heart pounding in his ears.

He screamed.

Full of terror, agony, sadness. Mario couldn't move, only feeling the vibrations of the killer moving about him.

"There. That should take care of your urge to run away. You don't have to be scared of me, Mario."

Mario watched out of the corner of his eye as the killer paced over to another scarlet spot on the floor. The killer picked it up and came back to Mario, holding the item.

Mario's hat.

"I think you dropped something." It said as it turned the hat over in its hands. Finally, the killer put it on, giving Mario his own trademark smirk.

"I think red suits me, don't you think?"

Mario was silent, only feeling the stinging sensation from the killer's most recent strike.

"What did you do?" Mario whispered, trying to sit up again. His legs screamed in agony and Mario fell to the floor again.

"Oh, just a quick swipe across the achilles, you know. Maiming, not killing. At least... not yet." The killer shrugged, nonchalant, before pacing around the prone Mario.

"What to do... What to do..." the killer snapped its fingers, "Ah! I know."

It knelt down next to Mario and ran its fingers through Mario's wild, dark sorrel hair.

Feeling the killer doing such a careless act made Mario sick, and he lurched backwards, trying to head-butt his antagonist.

The killer chuckled at Mario and it laid pressure on Mario's neck.

"That'll be enough. I can tell you're anxious, but be patient, my little toy."

"What are you going to do?" Mario was shaking again, a combined sensation of fear and sudden chill.

There was a pause. Mario heard the combined breaths of the psychopath beside him and his own terrified breathing. At last, the killer made a sound. As if it were sighing.

"I think I know what to do here... You're going to have to cooperate with me, though. Otherwise, it'll just hurt more..."

"What are you doing?" Mario whispered, ignoring the sickening touch of the hand running though his hair.

"Well, you've certainly put on a show for the rest of them. You've been so flux with your emotions. Your anger, your seemingly crushing depression at Daisy's death..."

Mario almost saw where this was going, and he thrashed about, trying to knock the killer away. A pinch on the nerve in his neck caused Mario to yelp.

"Enough!" The killer hissed, "And here I was, thinking you're the brave one."

The pressure increased and Mario hissed at the tightening in his muscle.

"I've never tried a suicide scene before... New experiences are always fun. Aren't they, Mario?"

Mario heard a clink as the killer placed the knife on the tile. Moments later, he felt a pressure on his shoulder, the killer placing him on his back.

"Setup should be easy enough... Oh, and imagining the look everyone will have when..." The killer hesitated, "well, if they find you. Hmm, especially little Luigi. The sheer horror everyone will feel. I can just imagine the scene now..."

The killer was now beginning to straddle Mario, holding him down.

"Don't get too confident. They'll find you. Even if I can't be there in person, I'm sure I'll see you burning in where you're going." Mario hissed, ignoring the throbbing in his head and heart.

"Oh, you are just clueless, aren't you? The whole point is not to get caught. And I daresay I've been doing a fine job of it. Not even you knew it!"

"I had my suspicions." Mario retaliated, bucking upwards.

The killer snatched Mario by his hair and slammed his head into the ground. A shooting pain went though his skull and the world faded in and out of focus as Mario struggled to remain conscious.

"I told you to cease in your struggling. You're only making it more difficult for yourself."

Stunned, Mario went limp. The killer took the opportunity to snatch one of Mario's arms, lifting it so his wrist faced upwards. With its other hand, the killer gingerly lifted the blade, bringing it to Mario's exposed vein.

Mario could feel the cold razor barely scraping his skin. He went shock still.

"See? Now you don't struggle. What happened to fighting Mario? This is downright depressing."

Mario mumbled a few inaudible words and the killer leaned forward, closer to its indignant prey.

"Pardon?" It asked, with a leering smile.

Mario turned his head to the side, ignoring the persona.

"Let me ask you again..." The killer increased the pressure of the blade on Mario's wrist. Mario's eyes widened.

"Pardon?" It asked.

Mario could feel a trickle of something on his wrist. Not his own.

'Rosa...'

Setting his face with purpose, Mario turned to face the mocking sapphire eyes.

Without missing a beat, Mario spat.

He had always had a good aim.

With a shout, the killer dropped the blade and brought its hand to its face. Mario heard the clink of the blade as it clattered into silence. Mario felt a rush of pleasure at shaming the killer, but the achievement turned sour as the killer recovered suddenly.

"Such impudence. And you thought that they were bad enough. They've got nothing compared to you."

The killer snatched the blade from the ground and pressed it to Mario's wrist once again, this time using the rest of its arm to press Mario into a chokehold.

"Well, Mario. I guess playtime truly is over. I've still got work to do, and you are only hampering me from it." The killer was barely panting.

"Good luck catching them all. You just don't have it in you." Mario choked out.

"Oh, I have it in me," the killer grinned once again, "I'm not standing still, I'm lying in wait. And when they all fall, I'll be one happy winner, won't I?"

"So that's it? Why am I still alive?" Mario bared his teeth.

"Ah, parting is such sweet sorrow. I wanted it to be remembered for the rest of time. When they write stories about you, I want them to remember how the great Mario left this world. Suicide. How delectable. I want them to know how Luigi reacted. I want them to know how you made your sudden decent into madness." The killer crooned softly, eyes never leaving Mario.

"They'll tell your story of madness too," Mario whispered, "History never forgets."

"Ah, they'll forget. History obliterates. And it paints many in all of their mistakes. I should love to see you written in that fashion." The killer blinked, as if to make a point.

"And I suppose there is one other reason I've kept you alive..."

"And?" Mario hissed.

"I wanted to say goodbye to you myself."

Mario watched the killer as it appraised him with a cautious eye.

"You were a boatload of fun, to be sure. But all great stories must come to an end, Mario. Including your own. And even mine... Eventually."

The two looked at each other for a moment longer. Mario made no move, his breath barely audible. The killer had now finished its spiel, only gazing at the broken hero with frighteningly gentle awe.

"Goodbye, Mario. Sleep soundly tonight."

Before Mario had a moment to react, the killer leaned in, kissing Mario gently between the eyes.

In the same moment, Mario felt the knife move.

This time it was his own blood which he felt drip down his shirtsleeve.

Almost immediately, Mario felt weak. He was bleeding out. Bleeding out far too quickly.

The killer released its hold on Mario's wrist, and Mario felt the sharp impact as his hand hit the tile. Felt the warm vermillion seep into his gloves. Watched as the killer began to stroke Mario's rogue bangs away from his face, the killer's gentle misty blue eyes fading.

The eyes of one that Mario had prayed could never have been.

And then the killer did the unimaginable.

Releasing his straddle on Mario, the killer picked Mario up, leaning him against its chest.

Words ensued, and Mario could barely make them out, what little blood remaining in him pounding in his ears.

It was a lullaby.

A lullaby he remembered. A lullaby sung years ago on nights too dark to remember.

Mario crumpled into the killer, closing his eyes as the melodic berceuse echoed within the courtroom.

Mario exhaled, and took in no breath anew, imagining the same hands which now gently caressed him consoling him all those nights before. Nights now long gone.

...

End of Part Four

Til we meet again, Keep Rockin'

-Shamrockin13