Once again, Count Bleck and Nastasia were alone in the central chamber. They hadn’t exactly called a lot of castle-wide meetings lately, so it was usually just the two of them standing, looking out at nothing.
“So, yeah, we’ve got confirmation that they restored the Pure Heart,” Nastasia said. “They’ve only got one more to find.”
“They’ll never find it,” Bleck said, shaking his head. “We have had our forces searching that world for the last Heart ever since this started. No one has found it.”
“Sir… their Prophecy notwithstanding, don’t you… want them to find it, at this point?”
“Bleh hehehehehehe… whatever gave you that idea, Nastasia?”
“We’ve been letting the Resistance do whatever they want, haven’t sent out any minions to attack the heroes, aren’t calling meetings, and, um, you’ve been acting different, a lot.”
Count Bleck lowered his hat. “...There is some part of Bleck that wants a final showdown with the heroes, Bleck! Let them get as close to victory as they can and watch their success slip from their grasp…”
“Um, Count… you sure that’s it?”
“...I really shouldn’t have let Rarity push me,” Bleck sighed.
“I already knew. Did you think I didn’t?”
“No, no, of course not.” Bleck lowered his hat. “...Yes. I do want them to come here. At the end, they’ll know the pain I feel, and understand why this must be done.”
“I understand,” Nastasia said with a curt nod. “I’ll keep the minions busy running around with the Resistance, make them think they’re doing good work.”
“Thank you, Nastasia.”
Nastasia smiled softly. “Anytime, Count.” She jumped into the Void, going elsewhere.
Count Bleck was alone once again. Carefully, he flipped open the Dark Prognosticus, turning to the last page. “ ‘And the final Heart will complete the circle, banishing all love and hate.’ “ He shook his head. “It comes.”
“What comes, Count?”
Bleck shut the book in a hurry, looking down to see Dark Oak standing upon his pillar. “Bleh heh heh heh, Bleck! Bleck has not summoned you, Dark Oak!”
“I came on my own time,” Dark Oak said. “I have noticed a few… discrepancies.”
“Oh?”
“The Castle has begun trembling with the Void.”
“The Void grows large, Dark Oak. Its power is difficult to contain.”
“Yes. But not impossible?”
“Not at all. The Chaos Heart provides me with the capacity to protect all that I desire.”
“Desires are curious things,” Dark Oak folded his hands behind his back. “And I believe I understand yours.”
Count Bleck narrowed his eyes. “Do you really?”
“I am now certain of it. And I want you to know… I agree.”
Count Bleck’s jaw hung open for a few seconds before he returned to his mad laughter. “Bleh heheheheheheheh! Bleck! Lulu did well in bringing you to me, Dark Oak! Very well, you know your true purpose, so carry out your duties as you see fit!”
“There will be no change, Count. The worlds… will end.”
Honestly, this is a great strategy. Since the heroes have to do the worlds in order but Bleck's goons can go wherever they want, going to the last world to find the Heart means that they have a ton of time to find it, take it back to the castle, and lock the heroes out forever.
She really rattled him, huh? Remind me not to make Rarity mad...
You know, this is way more ambiguous than I would have expected...
Dark Oak has the devastatingly powerful ability to figure out the obvious! Uh... what is it that he's figuring out again?
We're so far off script these minion check-ins are completely unrecognizable. I like this a lot, showing how all the changes add up over time by having them start the same as the game and reach a point where they're completely different. Clever. Also Bleck is in a dark place, sucks to be him. Maybe he should find a girlfriend. Or boyfriend, I don't know him that well, whatever he's into.
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I'll give you a hint, Bleck's lack of a girlfriend is kinda the problem here.
But, you already knew that.