[center][h3]Mr. Grimm[/h3]
[b]Location:[/b] Paved Wilderness[/center]

Groaning, Mr. Grimm picked up his head to look Linkle in the eye. Even now, while his life bled from his body, his gaze held such intensity. "...I ain't given up. Kuh. Kill you...in a minute." He lowered his gaze, clenched his teeth, and struggled to breath, the air rattling in his lungs. Meanwhile, more heroes appeared by the second. Tora and Poppi, aware that Grimm posed no threat anymore, arrived with weapons lowered and guard down. No small amount of consternation faced them, since until now everyone they'd faced had been either a hero to free, an animal or machine, or a threat whose continued existence meant others suffering. Having just one enemy left, surrounded, unable to fight back and more than a little pathetic, presented a problem that neither could readily solve.

To Peach, however, the answer seemed clear. Galeem's influence made people enemies, so for those not too far gone, defeat means friendship. Doing bad things didn't make one a monster. She planned to share with the man a piece of her heart, and give him a chance to redeem himself. The moment after she stepped forward, however, a more normal-sized Agoston leaped down from the monster truck. In a reckless display of theatricality and aplomb, he executed a massive elbow drop, striking Grimm's back from above. A gasp escaped Peach as she heard a sickening crack, and Grimm slumped over. Darkness overtook his vision, but with a herculean effort he forced his eyes open. Already his body was starting to turn to ash, shreds coming off and blowing away in the wasteland wind. "Damn," he choked out, "Sorry...dad." The princess heard his words, and something throbbed within her. Instinctively, she rushed over, knelt by his side, and took his ashen hand in her white glove. 

She didn't blame the Centurion or her other allies, since they were just doing their job. A part of her knew that sympathizing with an enemy was foolish, but the sudden and inexplicable notion of something somehow noble being lost filled her with pity. Mr. Grimm briefly met her gaze, recognizing a gentle soul in his final moments. He seemed to relax, accepting the end of his tale. From his chest, a great many spirits flew out, shooting up into the air and vanishing. An uncommonly keen eye could count eighty-seven of them, but only one remained behind, in Peach's hand. At its core a mirror image of his [url=https://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/twisted-metal/6/63/Mr_grimm.bmp]face[/url] lurked, grim and alone. Then the reaper lived no more.