Counting Stars—Prologue

by taitofan

Rated PG-13 for eventually violent and sexual situations

Disclaimer: I don't own the Mario franchise, Paper Mario or otherwise.

Author's note: So, I've always wanted to write my own Paper Mario-esque adventure… This isn't quite like that, but it will be similar. I'm going to try to balance the eventual romance with the adventure plot… Let's see how I do! Also, the actual chapters will be longer than this, since right now I'm just establishing the cast for this fic. The journey will start next time!

If you have any CC, please share and I'll listen. Please read, review, and enjoy! Finished 01-16-14

Ludwig could remember a time, many years ago, when everything had been different. He and his six siblings had everything they could ever ask for, and their father did everything he could to make sure that happened. He, in particular, had it good; not only was he second-in-command to his father, but he was also the heir to the throne—crown prince Ludwig von Koopa. He had it all…

And then, almost overnight, everything went terribly wrong.

There had been no doubt that the screaming little bundle left at the castle doors was of royal blood, considering the hatchling was the splitting image of Bowser. Still, Kamek and Kammy had gone out of their way to make sure that the abandoned child was indeed Bowser's son. Of course, he was, and Ludwig had known it the moment he'd seen the child. He couldn't even bring himself to be surprised when it was formally announced that there was a new crown prince.

In the blink of an eye, Bowser Junior Koopa took everything away that Ludwig had spent years proving he was worthy enough to have.

He'd been angry at first. Not only did he lose so much, but now he had five brothers and one sister demanding to know why they hadn't known they were adopted. It hadn't been very fun explaining that yes, he'd known. After all, he old enough to remember life before Bowser took them in. It wasn't a lot, but it had been enough to earn their scorn for months until they realized that it wasn't the time for them to be divided.

Then his anger focused more on what his siblings lost more so than himself. If Junior hadn't come, they wouldn't have to watch as a baby suddenly became their superior. Even if they were still royalty, Junior was Bowser's son through blood, and with that not only came power, but also their father's favoritism. Ludwig wasn't sure Bowser even knew he was doing it sometimes, but Junior could get away with anything short of mutiny without even being reprimanded.

Every time he saw Junior get treated better than he or his siblings, the bitter feelings in his chest grew. Junior wasn't even terrible to them—no worse than Larry had been when he was the youngest at least—but it didn't change the fact that none of them were eager to include their new brother into their family. Add to the fact that Bowser started treating them more and more like soldiers than children…

"You're sure?"

Ludwig nodded, ignoring the shocked looks around him. He wasn't sure why they were all reacting that way. He'd had many years to come to terms with his position in life. Sure, he'd lost his clear shot to become the king, but he'd gained something that Junior would never truly have…

The freedom to choose how he would live his life.

"Yes, father. I wish to see more of what the world has to offer before I settle into anything. Your offer is most generous, but I am afraid I shall have to decline right now."

Bowser was obviously confused, but he didn't seem angry, as Ludwig was afraid he might be. He wouldn't even have been that surprised if Bowser had been offended, considering how generous his coming-of-age present was. A castle in any kingdom under Koopa reign that he wanted, full control over any troops in Bowser's army that he wanted, a large sum of the kingdom's treasury… He was probably foolish to pass it up, but he'd spent his whole life fighting the Mario brothers and the Mushroom Kingdom in general. He wanted to know what else there was out there for him before he continued to do the same thing for the rest of his life.

"So… What? You're gonna go on some kind of self-discovery road trip or something?" Ludwig nodded. He supposed that was one way of putting it, even if that wasn't exactly the wording he'd personally use. "Well, if that's what you think you gotta do… You better do it! Go make a name for yourself, and come back home with a ton of gold and a pretty wife! Heh, that's my boy! Make the world tremble when they hear the name Koopa!"

He sighed in relief as his father laughed with sadistic glee at the thought of the family name branching out. He didn't bother correcting any of Bowser's assumptions, instead allowing him to think that expanding their territory was exactly what he planned to do. In truth, he wasn't sure what he wanted, or how long he'd be gone. However, he did know that he would come back, eventually. As ridiculous as his family could be, he could never abandon them.

"I will make you proud father," he promised, even though he knew that no one would hear him over Bowser's laughter. "One way or another, I will show you I am worthy of the Koopa name…"

Vivian didn't like being alone.

Even as badly as she had been treated, she knew she couldn't have made it without her sisters. Traveling with Mario had certainly given her the confidence to be on her own now that they were on tour with Doopliss, but that didn't mean she liked it. She was far too used to always having someone there, and now that everyone was gone… She missed her family, she missed her friends, and she missed… She missed…

"I'm so stupid…"

Fighting the urge to sink into the shadows and never come out, Vivian rested against a post in the road. Atop it were signs helpfully pointing out several locations, including Toad Town, but Vivian didn't need the signs to know that. After all, that was the direction she'd just come from. It was also the direction she had no plans to ever travel again.

Vivian missed Mario, more than anyone else. She'd fallen in love with him, and absolutely everyone who saw her around him could tell. Except, of course, for Mario himself. That was fine, really it was. She accepted that he was already in love with Princess Peach, but it hurt so much that she'd forced herself to make the trip to see him, determined to finally tell him. Even knowing that she could never be with him, she thought she would feel better as long as he knew.

But Mario hadn't been home, and when his brother informed her that he was at the castle visiting Peach, she'd thanked him and left. She couldn't do it. Mario had someone already, and she just couldn't tell him. Especially when she…

"No," she reprimanded herself, forcing those thoughts out of her mind. "Goombella said I need to stop thinking like that… There's nothing wrong with me… Nothing…"

Sometimes she didn't believe her friend, but she tried. It was hard to forget all the taunts Beldam had dealt out over the years though, even if her older sister would finally call her sister these days. It was a start, but it hardly changed the past.

For several minutes, Vivian sat, focusing on the situation at hand. She wasn't going to see Mario, but she'd come all of that way… Nothing was waiting for her in Twilight Town… There was no reason to hurry back. Maybe there was another adventure out there waiting for her. Maybe there was another lonely person looking to have an adventure too! Maybe there was a person out there even better than Mario!

…Well, she wasn't so sure about that last part, but a girl could dream.

If nothing else, her spirits were brightened. She got up and set out again, not caring where she was going. If there was an adventure out there, she was going to find it. This was her life, and she was going to go out and live it!

…But she still hoped that she wouldn't have to do it all alone.

It was dark. Dark and cold, and everything hurt. Or, at least, he was pretty sure that everything hurt. He'd gone mostly numb a long while ago, but he could feel his skin tingle under his heavy shackles and chains, so he assumed he was in pain. It was very sure that it was dark though. Even if his vision was failing, he'd been to the Underwhere before, and it was always rather dark. There was no reason that it wouldn't be that way now as well.

It was also usually rather quiet, as he'd come to learn. Sometimes he'd hear guards whispering outside of his hellish cell, wondering why he hadn't turned into a Skellobit yet, though none of them dared be near him for too long. He thought they were idiots—he was much stronger than the normal deceased curs that ended up game-overing. It would be a long time before he'd let himself lose his very being. They hadn't broken him yet, and he didn't plan on letting that ever happen.

He was better than that. He'd show them. He was better than all of them.

His hearing was one of his senses that still worked well, and it wasn't hard to tell when an unfamiliar sound was coming his way. Sure enough, he could soon hear the door to his cell creak open, and judging by the power his visitor emitted, he could guess who was there… Though he could only hazard a guess as to why.

"Well, aren't you a sorry sight, Dimentio." He longed to make a sarcastic quip, but he'd lost his voice shortly after dying. All that screaming did a number to one's vocal chords. Luckily, Queen Jaydes didn't wait for a reply. "You've been very stubborn, keeping that form despite all of its deterioration. It's unfortunate… All of that power, and you abused it. I wonder what your ancestors would think… After all, your father made the Pixls, did he not?"

Had he been able to, Dimentio would have retaliated. He hated his family being brought into the conversation. His father… What a fool! He had the Dark Prognosticus and yet that was all he accomplished with it… He'd done that old fool a favor by stealing it and learning its secrets. It had made playing Count Bleck for a fool so easy. He'd gotten the man to believe he'd written the book in the first place! It was all so very amusing…

How tragic that he'd never get to see his hard work come to fruition.

"Well, regardless… I'm afraid I'm about to tell you something you probably won't like." He doubted very much there was anything she could say that he would like. "Something is happening in the Mushroom Universe, which threatens all worlds… And unfortunately for everyone involved, you possess the abilities to help stop it. So I have a deal for you… Either you can rot in that cell, or you can have one chance to tip the scales in your favor…"

As Dimentio listened to her terms, two things became very clear to him. One, she was a trusting fool. And two…

He was going to have fun.