Venture Endless World

Chapter 1

"Ugh, I hate the water."

Yep, it was official: He finally completely hated the water. It wasn't just the fact that he couldn't swim which was embarrassing enough for him, but it was also the fact that no matter how much he attempted at avoiding his clumsy actions, he nevertheless continued to find himself conjuring up ways to be unintentionally clumsy.

He was always clumsy. From the second those blue eyes peeked out from that tiny shell, to the current present and time of him sitting at the long white bridge, stretching out from the kingdom's harbor with his red adventuring boots slightly moving away from the edge, he was clumsy.

He looked down at the crystal-blue waters making tiny waves, the smell of that sea salt filled his snout as he sniffed slightly, looking at the mushroom he once had in his hand slowly and gracefully sink down to the sand in the ocean. The mushroom then faded to a dark grey as his reflection soon forged back together from the calming ripples of the waves from that clumsily lost shroom.

"Dang it…" he grumbled in disappointment. He went through a plethora of troubles to get Zess T. to make that mushroom as delicious as it was. She was an incredibly grumpy and stubborn chef but… she was the only chef in the kingdom. But he understood why she is the way she is… she is from Rogueport after all…

The reflection stared back at him, as if it too was disappointed at the meal. He observed the reflection after noticing it, something he felt he hasn't done in quite a long time.

It was peaceful to him whenever he had the chance to self-reflect; when he allowed his mind to drift amongst his own world. He rarely ever had time for such moments in his life. He would think about everything that his mind would supply him with at the time. He felt at one with himself and everything around him: the waves of the ocean crashing quietly onto the walls of the harbor from below him, the faint sound of yelling from the Toads and Bob-Ombs in the far distance who would load and unload cargo all the time, the sudden sound of quick footsteps that were rushing up to him from behind-

"Pooka!" screamed a high-pitched voice from behind as the koopa felt a tap on his shelled shoulder.

"Aaagh!" he screamed in shock as he turned around but lost his balance and toppled over into the water.

"Oh my Overthere! I'm so sorry!" apologized the figure as Pooka frantically splashed his arms and feet around in the water, gasping for breath from the rising water.

"I-It's okay! Y-You didn't scare m-me!" exclaimed the flailing turtle as he tried his best not to look like he had the inability to swim in front of her.

"Here! Let me help!" the parakoopa offered as she grabbed ahold of one of his hands and, using her white-feathered wings, flapped violently to eventually pull him out of the water. Within a couple of seconds, his feet were re-acquainted with the white wooden bridge and she took a few steps back, observing him.

He was completely and utterly drenched in sea water.

He began to cough up the water, rub his eyes, and shiver a bit; the water was incredibly freezing. After his actions ceased, he glanced at her and then looked down at the even more drenched shroom he had in his hand.

Well, at least he managed to save the shroom…

"U-Um… thanks, Koopy. B-But I could've handled it on my o-own!" Pooka spoke, trying to sound confident but failing miserably. He knew he needed her help; and she knew as well.

Koopy tilted her head slightly and cracked a smile. "Heh… I… I know, Pooka. I know you could've handled it yourself." she lied, trying to make him feel more confident in himself.

He looked at her longer this time, gifting her back a small shy smile.

She was beautiful. An orange-yellow ponytail and a pink shell that looked much more clean and clear than Pooka's drenched shell. It was cracked a bit on the lower right side of her shell, but he found that to make it even more unique. Her boots, the same size as his, were a cute light pink and her eyes… He could never forget those eyes. An unforgettable grassy green. If he wasn't so embarrassed, he would have been staring at them for as long as he could.

She was incredibly kind… she tried her best to make him feel confident and heroic. She always supported him, and he couldn't be more grateful to have a friend like her in his life.

"U-Um…" he stuttered, "I-I have… well… I HAD a g-gift for you but…" he revealed his soggy meal that he had behind his back he once had prepared for her but was now an utter mistake. "I-It…"

Koopy giggled a bit and took two steps forward, holding out a Bland Meal.

Despite Bland Meals being, well… bland, it looked and smelled delectable.

"Heheh, it's okay! It's my fault for making you fall in the water like that." she admitted, looking away with a hint of embarrassment on her face, "I brought us another meal though! Zess T. taught me how to make a decent one."

She went up to him a bit closer and gave him half of it on another plate, returning to her bubble of space.

Pooka looked dumbfounded at her. How was she able to be so calm and collected like this?

"Th-Thank you." he spoke, happily taking the meal, "I promise I will pay you back!"

His stuttering… if only he could find a way to cure it and all its hindering of his speech.

Koopy smiled and spoke, "It's fine, Pooka." she suddenly remembered how drenched he was and she silently gasped, "You should go dry off. We can catch up later today!"

Pooka nodded and cracked a shy smile, "Y-Yeah! That would be wonderful!"

"Pookaaaaa!" shouted a young and high-pitched voice from afar.

Pooka gasped quietly and looked over his shoulder, "Th-That must be my brother. I-I should g-…" he turned back to face Koopy and she was suddenly gone. Not a single trace left behind. He didn't even hear any flapping of wings or running of footsteps. Just a gentle breeze of the wind.

Pooka wasn't surprised anymore as she always managed to leave without warning, leaving no clues of her exit. It was another characteristic about her that intrigued him even more.

He shook his head slightly and turned around to head back to the source of his younger sibling's voice, wondering where she goes and why she vanishes so suddenly. It zoomed in his mind relentlessly until he reached his brother.

"Hi, big brother!" Pooky exclaimed, poking his Bland Meal that Pooka realized he still had in his hands, "What's this? Who was that that you were talking to? Is she your girlfriend? Are you going on a date? Why are you all wet? Is it sweat from talking to your girlfriend?"

Pooka chuckled quietly, remembering how curious his sibling was and spoke as the two brothers walked back to their home in Toad Town, "S-She's just a friend, Pooky. Let's j-just head back to the house, I really n-need to dry off."

…

In a lonely house, just across the entrance path to Forever Forest…

"Did you tell him?"

She sighed quietly, silently closing the door behind her as she walked up to the cloaked figure cautiously yet nicely, "No, I didn't."

"You know you have to…"

"I know I do… but he's not ready. I can feel it… His energy and power… But it has not fully awakened and I refuse to begin it when he is not ready."

"You must know what is at stake here…"

"I do know and soon…" she looked down, closing her eyes, "The whole world will know…"