Ahh… yeah. Somewhat shorter chapter today… somewhat mediocre ending to it, too. Sheesh, sorry 'bout that. It happens, I guess.

There was something I wanted to say a few chapters ago, but it keeps slipping my mind… man what was it?

…

Chapter six: The chapter in which the engine is having completion.

It had taken weeks of hard work, but the engine was done. Of course, now that the hard work was done, it should be easy to finish up… but the crane was broken and he couldn't find a single person willing to help him heft the heavy thing into the ship.

Stupid Koopas. Stupid, lazy, not-order-taking Koopas.

He hated this place. He'd take smelly Moleville any day over this.

But the prospect of promotion, the allure of having unlimited access to whatever technology he wanted… he just couldn't seem to turn away.

Maybe he had sold his soul to the Koopa troop.

But he kept telling himself it would be worth it in the end… he'd make her proud, he'd make all her dreams come true…

… if only he could find someone to help him with this stupid engine!

He threw open the door to Kamek's office.

"Kamek!"

Kamek was leisurely reading a book, leaning back in his chair with his feet on his desk. He flipped a page. "Yes? Finished with that engine yet?"

"I would be having completion," Fawful said, "Except your toadies are being ignoring of my orders! Have following of me!"

"What for?" Kamek asked, taking his feet off the desk and sitting up.

"Just be following!" Fawful stormed off.

Kamek got up and followed the little bean. They arrived in the hangar, where the massive new engine was sitting on a dolly. Fawful pointed to it. "I demand that you are using your magic to have lifting that into the ship!"

"How heavy is that?" Kamek groaned.

"Two."

"Two what?"

"Tons, stupid."

Kamek groaned. "What makes you think I can lift that, even with magic?"

"I was being under the impressions that you were having greatness as the best Magikoopa," Fawful said slyly.

"I am," Kamek frowned, "But magic isn't perfect."

"You knowing," Fawful said, rocking on his heels, "I have not actually had seeing you casting magic. I have wondering if maybe you are having fraudulency."

Kamek narrowed his eyes behind his glasses. "What do you mean by that?"

"I am of the thought that maybe the greatest Magikoopa is having greatness in naming only?"

"I am the best, I assure you!" Kamek stomped his foot. He wasn't the sort that enjoyed having his skill questioned.

"Then you should be having none of the trouble lifting. After the all, matter under mind, yes?" Said Fawful.

Kamek sighed. He couldn't get out of this one without looking like a MagiWeenie. He materialized his wand out of thin air. "Step back. I've got to focus."

Fawful stepped back obediently, smiling with accomplishment.

Kamek hesitated for a moment, doing some stretches that even the magically-inept Fawful knew were pointless before finally he pointed his wand at the engine and, moving the wand in a circular motion, he began to chant.

Little triangles, squares, and circles floated about the air as he worked his magic, but nothing seemed to be happening. He tried harder. He furrowed his brow in intense concentration, and the engine lifted an inch or two over the ground. It stayed like that for a while, and then Kamek sped up his wand-spinning and chanted louder. The engine lifted higher.

The little magical shapes floating about were all over the place now. Fawful struggled, unsuccessfully, to avoid contact with them. He hated those things. They tingled in a weird way which, when you let too many touch you, hurt like crazy.

Kamek was practically screaming his chants by the time he got the engine into the ship. He released it and it fell into place with a CLUNK, and he fell over. Fawful stood over him.

"I hate you," said Kamek between gasps for air.

Fawful smiled. "I have gratitude! I will be remembering this for the next time I am needing heavy lifting to be done!"

Kamek groaned. "I really hate you."

Fawful laughed cruelly and climbed into the engine compartment to bolt everything down and connect the engine to everything else in the ship.

It was a while before Kamek's head appeared over the compartment hatch, looking at Fawful as he worked in the oil-covered darkness.

"And the budget?" He asked, still sounding exhausted.

"On the table there is being a receipt," Fawful said, not bothering to look up.

Kamek moved out of view, then came back a moment later. "Impressive."

"When Cackletta was having me build things, we were not having the large budgets," Fawful explained, wiping some oil from his glasses. "I have resourcefulness."

Kamek disappeared for another moment, then came back. "You know, I had to give a budget report yesterday. I told them you had used all of the money we gave you."

Fawful had his head under the engine, looking for the next bolt. "Yes?"

"Yes."

Fawful paused, thought about it, and took his head out from under the engine. He looked up at Kamek. "So you are meaning… if I was taking the moneys for me, no one would have noticing?"

"Well, as long as you destroy that receipt," Kamek shrugged.

"And if I am to be using those moneys to, say, re-rebuild the headgear that I am so desperately wanting, it is to be okay?"

"As long as no one notices where the money came from."

Fawful nodded, understanding.

Maybe this wasn't so bad after all…