Joker's Running Wild (Deltarune, Super Paper Mario, Kirby Super Star)

Chapter 21

Present

"....L?"

The person looked down at his hands. He was wearing his normal clothes. A black jumpsuit with two golden buttons, a green bandana, black mask, and his classic hat with the backwards L. His face was identical to Luigi's. He looked up at Dimentio, then stepped back.

"Dim?"

He didn't know what to think. Was he happy to be free, or afraid of that freedom. He looked over at Luigi. Was he his own person now? How'd that even happen? And why? No, this was bad. This meant he couldn't just hide in the back of Luigi's mind anymore. He couldn't hide anymore.

Dimentio looked at Queen Jades. "W-what is this?" She smiled. "I am allowing you all to return to the surface, including him, if he chooses."

Dimentio took another step forward and held his hand out. This couldn't be real. "L...I...." He looked at L's eyes. 

A beautiful shade of deep blue. They were the same eyes as Luigi's, yet they felt different. They weren't as soft or innocent. They looked stronger, more powerful..... and they had a hint of melancholy in them. That was new. Dimentio knew that he was the reasoning behind the hint of sadness.

Dimentio brought his hands to his masked face. He stopped even trying to control his emotions. He started sobbing into them.

"L, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry for everything-"

Mr. L watched as actual tears fell down Dimentio's mask.

Mr. L looked down to the side and clenched his fists. He pushed all the feelings away. "I thought I would never see you again. I wanted to never see you again."

Dimentio continued sobbing into his hands. "L, I'm sorry. I don't expect forgiveness. I don't deserve forgiveness."

Mr. L squeezed his eyes shut. "....It hurt. It still hurts." Mr. L opened his eyes and looked at Dimentio. He let out a small laugh.

"But, every time I look into those mismatched eyes, I still can't find it in me to hate you."

Dimentio looked up from his hands. Mr. L continued, "I hate that about myself. I'm such an idiot. I can't hate you, no matter how hard I try. Even though I know it'll just end up hurting more."

He squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't want it to hurt anymore. I want to stay here. Where it's safe."

Dimentio's eyes went wide. "What? L, no!" He couldn't allow this. He was fine if L was mad at him. Heck, it would be fine if L hated him for the rest of his life, but he could not let L stay down here. "L, please. I know I don't deserve you. Just come back. That would be enough."

Jevil helped Luigi up. Luigi then looked over at Dimentio and Mr. L. "I-I can't believe it. He's his own person, and he want to throw it away??" Jevil shook his head. "No. I refuse." He quickly ran over and tackled L to the ground. "Listen here, other Man in Green! Dimmy here didn't come all the way down here only to leave you behind. He loves you so much that he was willing to exchange his life for yours! He gave up his magic for you! So just return to the surface so you can get married and live happily ever after!"

Dimentio quickly ran over and pried Jevil off of L. "Jevil! What the heck?? Get off of him!!"

Mr. L's eyes went wide as Dimentio pried this random crazy man off of him. "Uhh, who is this? And what?" Dimentio quickly pushed Jevil aside. "No one! He's no one! And he didn't say anything." Jevil teleported himself behind Mr. L. "I'm the one who killed you!" He said almost to happily. This caused L to jump back. "W-what? You're the one who killed us?" Mr. L looked over at Luigi. Luigi nodded.