Bittersweet

Chapter One: Hidden in Plain Sight

It was late at night in the 8-Bit Tavern. It was Friday, which meant that the place was jam-packed with customers, many of them having their shifts as guards in the Koopa Castle had ended about four hours ago. This was a good way to hear what was going on in Bowser's domain. A couple voices could be heard over the clamour.

"And so I said to him, 'You can't do that! You'll need a Fire Flower and a Floro Sprout to make it work!' Heh... True story!" said a laughing gray-robed magikoopa.

"No way!" replied an astonished cloud-less Lakitu.

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"Ugh, I am so glad that I don't have the Graveyard shift... If I had to work at this hour..."

"Augh! Koopatio! You know that my uncle's a Drybone!" the irritated Koopatrol shouted to her Clubba friend.

"Oops. Uh... I forgot, sorry."

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"You want me to top you off, hun?" a sweet voice inquired.

"Eh?" This speaker was sitting at the bar. He looked a great deal like a teenage human, but his skin had a decidedly greenish tint to it, was almost completely bald. and wore a red sweatshirt and black pants.

"Do you want some more?" the waitress asked again.

"Ah. No, I'm good."

She smiled as she took the empty glass away. "Its been a pleasure having you around... You don't get into fights, which would lead up to more of the furnature breaking... You always buy drinks... But you are so quiet all the time... Is everything okay, Gerako?"

"Things are fine, Koopabella. I... appreciate your concern, but you have nothing to worry about."

She nodded as her nightly customer stood up. "You just get home safely, hun."

"Of course I will. I always do, after all." And with that, Gerako had walked out of the building.

A bit of a walk later, he began to talk to himself.

"Another fruitless night... Ah well, at least I know that the King of Fools is plotting to abduct Princess Peach tomorrow. I could use this to my advantage... I could search her castle while everyone is chasing after the Koopa Cruiser... Eeeyah ha ha ha ha!" As he spoke, he had a rather maniacal grin on his face.

He looked around to make sure that he was alone and not being watched and then uttered one short magical word. "Exigo."

And with that, 'Gerako' turned into a Beanish whose small form was hidden by a red cloak with a golden clasp.

"Eeeyah ha ha ha ha! I will be having the avenging of the one who is you, oh Great Cackletta! The Brothers of Finkratedness wil be tasting the poisonous dish that is being my revenge!"

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This was inspired by a dream I had regarding Fawful. In it, Fawful had taken on a form similar to the one in the story. And could cast very powerful lightening spells. Reason why he wasn't talking as he usually did while in his 'human' form was because the spell alters even his speech pattern.

Exigo is Latin for finish or complete. Well, I think it is. If you know otherwise, please do not hesitate to say it.

And this will be a multiple chapter story. LE GASP!