Chapter Text
Dark.
That’s all that SMG4 saw when he opened his eyes. Or at least... he thought he did.
There was something off about it.
Not pitch black like a cave or a void.
This darkness had weight. Soft. Controlled. Like a cloth over his face.
He tried to stand, only for something to yank him back down.
Rope bit into his wrists and ankles, binding him tightly to what felt like a plastic chair.
Okay. Talking, then.
He had felt the words forming in his throat, but nothing came out.
Okay. This situation somehow became even worse.
Suddenly, somewhere nearby, he heard a faint hum.
Like that faint hum was a tripewire, the world around him started to become more clear.
He could hear movement around him now.
Soft footsteps on carpet, not concrete. A drawer opening somewhere. Paper shifting.
Wait.
Paper?
No. No, that’s not important right now.
Probably some kind of villain prep. Evil paperwork. Evil… admin stuff. Whatever.
SMG4 tugged the ropes in some sort of attempt to loosen it.
Instead, the ropes tightened.
Huh.
What kind of trap does that?...
Unless...
He felt a hot pressure rise in his chest.
He needed to get out of this place immediately.
He needed to find his friends.
He needed to get out.
He jerked against the ropes again and again, each attempt making the ropes tighten their grip on him further.
Nothing worked.
Again.
Again.
Again.
SMG4 felt that familiar hot feeling prick his eyes.
Every attempt proved to be futile.
Shit. He thought.
Shit
Shit
SHIT
SHIT
SHIT
”Es em gee four? Are you having a seizure?” A faint but familiar voice called.
SMG4 stopped thrashing around in his chair.
Was that who he thinks it is?
”M-Mario?…” Oh. He can talk again now.
Weird.
”Yeah, it’s-a me, Mario!” The voice confirmed.
SMG4 breathed in a sigh of relief. “I’m actually so glad to see- hear from you for once, Mario.”
”What’s that supposed to mean?!” SMG4 could practically see his confused and angry face through whatever was covering his eyes-
Oh right!
”Uh you mind helping me out of these ropes?” SMG4 asked.
”Not until you apologize! Mario knows that even if he didn’t understand what you said that whatever you said was mean!” Mario spoke.
”Why did you say the same thing twice?”
Mario just huffed, and faced the opposite direction of SMG4.
"Uh, you gonna answer me?"
Mario looked away from him even more, (Which SMG4 didn't even know was possible-) avoiding eye contact at all costs.
"Seriously? The silent treatment?" SMG4 muttered with a unimpressed tone.
Damn Mario’s stubbornness, the meme man thought.
”Sorry Mario..." SMG4 eventually said after a moment.
Mario didn’t say anything for a second, making SMG4 hold his breath until at last the fat italian responded.
”Okie dokie!”
SMG4 let go of his breath.
And then immediately started holding it again once he heard the shing of a pocket knife.
”Uh… Mario, buddy,” SMG4 nervously laughed. "What are you doing?…”
Mario meant to wave him off but instead, he accidentally smacked him in the face. “Don't worry your big head off Es em gee four! This is a safe emotional environment. Mario’s got this covered!”
A safe emotional environment?...
What the fuck did he mean by that.
Before he could even ask, the tension around SMG4 suddenly loosened, and SMG4 found that he had the ability to move his arms around again.
SMG4 blinked. "Huh."
”Well, Mario thinks he deserves a thank you and another apology for saving you!” Mario smugly declared, tucking the pocket knife inside his pocket.
"Sure, Mario." SMG4 then brought his hands up to his face to take off this stupid thing that was blocking his view.
The moment the mask came off, SMG4’s mouth dropped to the floor.
Mario slowly pushed it back up. "There! Now no flies can get in!"
“Where are we?!” SMG4 shouted in confusion.
”Psychiatrist's office.” Mario replied with no hesitation.
SMG4 went dead silent.
”I’m sorry, could you repeat that again?”
“The brain doctor place.” Mario clarified.
“Wha- how!?” SMG4 swore he was gonna get a heart attack from how many times he'd panicked today.
”Oh, that’s pretty easy. Mario snuck into the castle and kidnapped you while you were asleep and brought you here!” Mario explained casually, not noticing SMG4’s glare.
SMG4 took in a sharp intake of air. “Why, exactly?”
”Uh, why not?” Mario answered like it was completely normal to kidnap your friend and bring them to a psychiatrist's office. (It is guys, trust)
”So,” SMG4 began.
”You’re meaning to tell me, that you broke into my house-“
”Not breaking in,” Mario corrected. “You did say that Mario and friends could come over any-a time they wanted.”
”Did I say that?”
”Mhm.”
”Well uh, you have to let me know first.”
”That wasn’t a rule before!”
”It is now!”
”Aw man…”
”Anyways,” SMG4 continued.
“You broke into my home, kidnapped me while I was asleep, and brought me to a psychiatrist's office? For what reason exactly!?”
”Well…” Mario began. “Mario noticed that Es em gee four looked-a really sad and emo-“
”What.”
”And Mario thought maybe he would feel better if he had someone to-a talk to!”
SMG4 just stared at his best friend with a blank look on his face. "You've got to be kidding me."
“Nope!” Mario replied, emphasizing the p.
SMG4 stared at him for a long moment before turning toward the exit.
"I'm out of here."
Mario quickly darted in front of the exit and blocked the door with himself.
"Give it a chance! Mario promises it won't be as-a bad as you think!"
"Mario, move out of my way!" SMG4 snapped, trying to get past Mario so he could get out of this damn place.
"C'mon Es em gee four, don't be-a so grumpy! Mario even brought all of the friends here!"
"Look Mario, I dont care what-"
SMG4 stopped dead in his tracks. "Wait."
SMG4 looked Mario dead in the eyes.
Mario gulped.
"I'm sorry, but could you repeat that?"
"Mario brought all of his-a friends here?..." Mario said more slowly, sweating a bit now.
All this time?
"Have they been here... this entire time?" SMG4 asked, trying his best to remain calm and keep his composure.
"Yes? Is that a bad thing?" Mario answered.
"No Mario, it isn't!" SMG4 spoke.
"So if it isn't a bad-a thing, why are you calling Mario out on this?!"
"I was being sarcastic!" SMG4 groaned.
"Ohhhhhhh." Mario muttered, finally understanding.
The two didn't say anything for a bit before Mario suddenly asked:
"Does that mean Mario has to untie them now?"
"YES." SMG4 practically shouted.
"Fine." Mario huffed, pulling out the pocket knife again.
"...You-a guys are still going to talk to the psychiatrist."
"No we're not." SMG4 hissed.
"Yes you are." Mario responsed.
"No."
"Yes!"
"No."
"Yes!"
"No."
"No!"
"Yes- DAMNIT!"
SMG4 let out an exhausted groan, rubbing his face with both hands. "This is insane.”
Mario’s expression softened slightly. “Maybe,” he admitted. “But Mario still thinks you guys need-a help.”
“...”
“You really noticed?” SMG4 asked before he could stop himself.
Mario fidgeted with the pocket knife in his gloved hands. “You-a guys haven't smiled a lot lately.”
Neither said anything for a moment.
"You better get to untying the crew before they break out themselves and kick your ass." SMG4 stated.
Mario's eyes widened. "Oh right!"
SMG4 watched as Mario dashed around the corner, and as a chorus of muffled shouting immediately followed.
SMG4 took a deep breath to compose himself as he processed everything that had happened in the past twenty minutes.
This was lunacy.
Mario had kidnapped everyone.
JUST for therapy.
"He's gone even madder." SMG4 sighed.
But despite it all, something in his face softened.
That idiot cared.