Which Claimer? Dis Claimer
My lawyer, Mr Case, advised me to move away from Danganronpa fics to preserve my sanity, so here's a story about my favorite bosses from a video game series that doesn't make me mad.
Chapter 1
— Painting the Town —
The sea was calm and the sailors of Rogueport clamored about as a boat eased itself into the harbor. It slowly came to a stop beside the stone dock, lapping a few light splashes at its surface. A narrow bridge lowered from the boat's deck to rest upon the dock, and an individual ran down it with great haste, stopping abruptly once disembarked.
"Finally, we're here!" shouted Black Ninjakoopa. He tugged his bandana until it was taut and adjusted his green gloves until they were snug around his fingers. He took a deep breath, filling his lungs with the salty stench of the ocean and the raw odor of freshly caught fish. "Do you smell that, boys? That's the smell of adventure!" He carried a brown backpack, and he hefted it until it slung more comfortably around his shoulders. "Come on, let's get going!" he called up to the boat.
His brothers, Yellow Ninjakoopa and Green Ninjakoopa, appeared simultaneously from the deck and practically raced down the bridge. They shoved each other continuously, nearly slipping off multiple times, and their loud grunting quickly drowned out the sounds of the sea and the nearby sailors.
"Enough with that, boys!" Black yelled, tapping his foot impatiently as they finally reached the dock. "What if you fell and got our supplies wet? We have work to do, so stay focused!"
Green tugged on his own backpack and glanced around the harbor curiously, spying the various Toads and Bob-ombs roaming about; they shifted numerous crates and barrels and gabbed indistinguishably amongst themselves. "Gotta say, this wasn't the kind of place I imagined him coming to," he said.
"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Black as he scanned the harbor. "This place looks pretty lively, but I'm already getting the sense that something's… off."
"I mean, it is called Rogueport, dude," said Green. "I'd be surprised if things were all hunky-dory."
"This place looks so cool!" exclaimed Yellow with a big grin, looking about as if he were in a museum. "Look at all those Bob-omb workers! Brings back memories, doesn't it?"
"Not good ones, that's for sure," sighed Black. "You don't think the Bob-ombs from the Mushroom Kingdom talk to the ones here, do you?"
Green detected the worry in his tone. "It's a possibility, though unlikely," he replied. "It took a few days on the boat to get here. I doubt our reputation would've beaten us."
Black nodded, his woes put to rest for now. "Even still, let's try to keep a low profile. We're not looking for trouble."
"Ooh, I have an idea!" said Yellow, pointing at the various Toads nearby. "Maybe we can blend in if we transform into our Toad forms."
Black shook his head and lowered his brother's hand. "Don't point, Yellow! And it's too late to try that. We'd draw too much attention if we transformed out in the open, and I don't see a place to hide. If we were gonna do that, it should've been on the boat." He turned around and saw that the sea vessel had already left the harbor, becoming a silhouette as it shrunk into the horizon, likely heading back to the Mushroom Kingdom from whence it came. "We'll move forward as is. First, let's make sure we have everything." Black hefted his backpack once again. "I have all of our items in case we run into trouble. Green has our food—"
"Check," said Green with a thumbs up.
"—and Yellow has our money."
Yellow, the only one without a backpack, reached for a brown pouch tied at his waist. He shook it, and it produced a light jingling noise. "Copy!" he said with a salute.
"And everyone has their Ninjakoopalerts?" asked Black.
The three brothers simultaneously unstrapped a small device from their waists and held them aloft. In each of their hands was a hexagonal disc, about as tall as a grape and as wide as their palms. At the center of each laid a button emblazoned with the letters "KB". The devices were color-coded to their specific owner, and their glossy plastic exteriors shone beneath the sun, forming a triangle of obsidian, topaz, and emerald between them.
"Good, and I have Red's," said Black, absentmindedly grazing a second device strapped on the opposite side of his waist, which resonated with a brilliant crimson. "Be careful with them, and remember to only press them in an emergency. Alright, fists in." He strapped his alert back in its place and held his fist out, and his brothers followed suit, hands now forming a triangle of green leather. "We're looking for any leads on Red's whereabouts. Remember that time is of the essence, but don't rush or do anything stupid. Keep a low profile and keep each other safe."
"Got it!" said Yellow and Green, and the three brothers lowered their fists.
With a resolute nod, Black said, "Good, now let's head into town."
"Aren't we gonna talk to the guys in the harbor first?" asked Yellow. "One of them must've seen Red when he got here."
"No, we need to be careful with who we tell about our business," said Green. "People will target us if they think we're lost tourists. We should only talk to people that we're sure would know anything. None of these sailors look like they're in charge. Let's skip them for now."
"He's right," said Black. "Red must've visited some places in town while he was here. Let's find a place that looks promising."
The Koopa Bros began their stroll through the harbor, keeping their eyes forward and avoiding eye contact with the many sailors. They noticed some of them looking their way, either in curiosity or with a stinky eye, prompting the brothers to hasten their pace. They soon came across a flight of stone stairs leading away from the harbor, and they hurriedly climbed them, finding relief when they finally gazed into the town proper.
But said relief was short-lived for the sight that greeted them was less than welcoming. They were in the town square, and dead in its center, as if proudly on display, the first thing any newcomer would notice, lay a wooden platform with a noose hanging above it; it gently swayed in the breeze as if it were no more than a casual centerpiece. The three anxious Koopas looked to each other and gulped, their resolve quickly dissipating, the air starting to feel heavier.
"Welp, this is off to a great start," muttered Green. "How do we even approach anyone in a place like this?"
A fair amount of people strolled about the square—Goombas wearing funny-looking hats, Doogans pacing in every corner, Mousers scurrying from here to there. None of them were interacting with each other and none seemed fazed by the gallows sitting front and center. The brothers saw no other Koopas in sight, and the curious stares of the citizens made them aware that blending in was an impossibility. It would be clear to anyone that they were not from the area.
Black, standing between his brothers, grasped them both by the arm. "Don't panic, boys. Sure, this place is a little shady, but we're bad boys, too! We can take on anyone that messes with us! Let's just act like we belong here and maybe we'll be left alone."
"I think I see a store," said Yellow, squinting into the distance. "There, behind the creepy noose thingy." He pointed to a building behind the platform, the image of a Fire Flower hanging above its door, a familiar symbol that signified an item shop. "Red probably did some shopping while he was here. Maybe someone who works there saw him."
"Great idea, bro!" said Black optimistically. "We'll start there. Come on."
They made their way through the square, observing the shambling state of the town. Every building was old and tattered and constructed of identical dull brown bricks, with an occasional wooden plank crudely placed to cover up damages. The cobblestone ground faded into dirt in various places, as if the mason had been too lazy to see their job through. Anarchy ran rampant, graffiti defacing almost every surface and litter scattered about the ground, looking like it had been firmly stepped on numerous times. The fortress that the Koopa Bros previously inhabited had sometimes felt like a rundown hole, but they quickly learned that it barely held a candle to the town of Rogueport.
They were glad to finally reach their destination and hastily entered the store. The bright lights and colorful goods on display were a stark contrast to the dreary outdoors. A Toad stood at the far end of the store, sporting bright green dots upon his head and a thick mustache that covered half of his face.
"Hello there, and welcome to Toad Bros Bazaar!" he spoke in a deep voice. "Though my brother no longer works here, so you know. Ha ha! Quite a peculiar name now, don't you think?"
Black chuckled. "I guess it is. Check it out boys, his brother's gone, too."
"Yippee, we have so much in common," said Green sarcastically.
"My brother actually runs his own business on Keelhaul Key. I couldn't be happier for him!" said the Toad. "But onto business! My name is Plenn T, and I'm the owner here. How can I help you today?"
Black approached the man, sparing no attention for any of his products. "We need help finding our brother. Did a Koopa come by here within the past few weeks? He looks just like us except he's dressed in red."
Plenn T stroked his mustache. "Hmm, I can't say I've seen one. Koopas don't frequently come to Rogueport, so I would've remembered if someone dressed like you three came by."
"Well what about a Toad, then?" said Yellow. "Maybe a Toad with a black head and red dots?"
"Toads with black heads?" asked Plenn T with a quirk of his eyebrow. "In all my life, I've never seen a Toad with a black head before. Not around here. Are you three new in town, perhaps?"
"What gave it away?" said Green, casually leaning against the display counter. "We caught wind that our brother took a boat here, but as Black said, that was a few weeks ago. We only got here today."
Plenn T rubbed his chin. "I see. I'm sorry I can't help you. Most of my time is spent in this shop. I usually only meet people if they come in here, just like you three did. I don't have much time to get out."
Black sighed and lowered his head. "It's fine. I figured getting a lead on him wouldn't be easy. Come on, boys, let's look somewhere else."
The show owner held out his hand and hurriedly said, "Wait, before you go, why not browse my wares? It's always good to have supplies!"
Black tapped his backpack. "No thanks, we're good on—"
"Check it out! He's got a Fire Flower!" exclaimed Yellow, intensely eyeing the product. "We've gotta get one of these! They're so powerful!"
"Yes, my Fire Flowers are top notch!" said Plenn T, his tone dramatically shifting to that of a salesman. "And it's a bargain at only ten coins per flower! You won't find them anywhere else in Rogueport!"
Black averted his eyes from the Toad, not appreciating his sudden swing to business. "I don't know, Yellow. We've felt the brunt of Fire Flowers before. Sure they're strong, but they're also dangerous. We don't wanna accidentally burn something down."
"Maybe we should get just one," said Green, picking it up and checking it carefully. "We don't know what we're gonna encounter here, so it could come in handy."
Black grumbled. "Fine, but just one. Put it in my backpack."
"Yeah!" shouted Yellow as he reached into his pouch, pulling out ten golden coins and slamming them onto the counter, where they scattered haphazardly. He snatched the orange flower from Green and shoved it into Black's backpack.
"Err, yes, thank you," said Plenn T as he waltzed over to the counter and scooped the coins into his hand, looking none too pleased at Yellow's recklessness. "Do be careful out there. There are a lot of vagabonds in this town and newcomers like you are prime targets. Pleasure doing business with you. If you need more supplies, remember the Toad Bros Bazaar!"
"Well that's a bummer," whispered Green when the shop's door shut behind them. "It's an item shop in the middle of town! Figures Red would've stopped in, but he didn't! Now what do we do?"
"Red must've had everything he needed if he didn't visit the shop," said Black. "We'll just have to keep looking. Red would've had to come through this square to get anywhere in town. We might have to ask a random person, after all."
"What person?" asked Yellow.
"I don't know, someone that looks like they know something, or whatever," said Black.
"No, I mean what person?" said Yellow. "I don't see anyone here."
Black looked out into the plaza, and sure enough it was completely empty of anyone other than themselves. The bustling noises had disappeared, and a thick layer of clouds overcasted the sky and blanketed everything in shade. It was as if they were in a ghost town, the swaying noose nearby feeling all the more ominous.
"Where'd everyone go?" asked Black. "We were only in there for like two minutes."
"Wait, I think I see some people over there," said Green. He pointed to the far side of the square, where two creatures were making their way forward. They had a bird-like appearance, with brown feathers covering their bodies and large beaks protruding from their faces. They were identical to each other, perhaps twins, and each carried a tall, heavy-looking spear in their hand. "Are they the town guard or something? Maybe they'll know about Red. What d'you think, Black?"
"I'm not feeling good about it, to be honest," Black responded. "Everyone might be gone because they showed up. It might be best to avoid them."
"Alright, let's get dis over wit'!" cried a voice from behind the brothers. They turned to see two additional creatures stomping into the square from the west side of town, nearby from where they were standing. These two were even more bizarre than the birds; to start with, they were humongous, grand in both height and width, easily being twice the size of the brothers themselves. Their skin glowed a bright yellow even despite the lack of sunlight. Spiffy suit jackets and ties adorned their upper bodies, while their legs were completely wrapped in odd-looking grass skirts that made them appear much wider. They wore sunglasses and had a peculiar tiny tree that seemed to be growing on the tops of their heads. The Koopa Bros could not help themselves from staring in awe.
"Give da ring back right now!" said one of the yellow creatures. They came to a halt in the center of the plaza in front of the wooden platform, now face-to-face with the birds. The differences between the two groups only became more apparent, for while the yellow creatures were kempt and presentable, the birds were much more ragged by comparison, sporting attire that looked like it had been patched together from discarded scraps.
From the way they were shouting and glaring at each other, Black feared that something bad was about to happen. "We need to get out of here, boys." He noticed that the shop they were standing in front of was adjacent to a wide archway that led into a back alley. "Come on, down here."
Slowly and quietly, the brothers sidled against the walls until they were under the archway and hidden within the shadows. The four strange creatures continued to talk, and the brothers watched them in curiosity.
"Nyeh heh heh heh!" cackled one of the birds. "If you want it back, then answer a question! Why was your boss in our territory?"
"Dat's none a' yer business!" said one of the yellow creatures.
"What are you talking—? It's exactly our business!" said the same bird. "Your boss was on our turf! How do you think his ring got there, you idiots?!" In his free hand he waved around a large diamond ring, its band the size of a fist. The yellow one snapped his hand out to grab it, but the bird was too quick. "Ah ah ah, you still haven't answered me. I'm afraid we'll have to hold onto this. Maybe your boss should be more careful with his valuables."
"You Robbos are always pullin' this kind o' stuff!" shouted the other yellow creature, his arms flying through the air in a fury. "Yer just jealous cuz we got nicer things! Well let me tell ya, keepin' dat ring won' make you guys any fancier! Yer still just amateurs compared ta us!"
The other bird—the one without the ring—held his spear out. "Watch it, fat boy! Those are fighting words! Keep insulting us and Ishnail will have your head!"
"F-fat?! How dare you?! No one makes fun a' me like dat!" His body shook with rage. The other yellow creature placed a calming hand on his shoulder, and he soon composed himself. "I'll give you guys one last chance. Give da ring back! And if Ishnail wants a piece a' me, tell him ta get out here and fight his own battles instead a' sendin' his lackeys!"
The bird holding the ring smirked. "Bold words coming from idiots who blindly do their boss' dirty work!"
"That's it!" The angered yellow one launched his fist at the taunting bird, decking him square in the face. The bird recoiled and grasped his head, and his companion stabbed the big guy in the stomach with the blunt end of his spear. Soon all four of them were taking swings at each other. Fists flew everywhere, heads were bashed in, and then they were wrestling on the ground, indecipherable jeering spewing out endlessly. The Koopa Bros could only watch on in horror from the shadows of the archway.
"Please tell me we're not witnessing gang warfare," said Green with a gulp. "Of course this place has organized crime, because why not? Red, why did you have to come here?!"
"It sounds like those bird things stole something from the yellow guys," said Yellow, who was viewing the battle much more intensely than his brothers.
"Who cares about that?!" shouted Green.
"It's okay, boys, it's okay," said Black while hyperventilating, clutching his chest. "L-let's just keep calm and figure o-out a way to get out of here."
"There's nothing back here, dude!" said Green. "I just checked it out! It's a dead end! The only way out is where those guys are fighting!"
Black hurriedly looked every which way for any semblance of a safe route out, sadly coming up short. "We can't stay here forever! Who knows how long that fight'll last?! And they might see us!"
"Don't worry, I have an idea!" said Yellow as he reached into Black's backpack. He soon pulled out the Fire Flower and charged straight into the plaza.
"Yellow, no—!" his brothers called after him, but it was too late. Yellow was now standing before the four squabbling creatures, who all paused and looked up at him in confusion.
He pointed the Fire Flower at the two birds. "It's not nice to steal things! Take this!"
An eruption of fireballs spewed forth from the flower, striking the birds at point-blank range. Their agonizing screams soon filled the plaza, and they squirmed on the ground whilst covering their eyes. Their tattered clothes began to ignite, and they rolled around on the dirt to put out the flames.
"Holy crap!" cried one of the yellow creatures, his eyes glued to the scene.
As the fireballs continued their assault—mostly hitting the birds with a few going off into the distance—the one who held the ring soon dropped it. It clattered to the ground, the deadly orange orbs reflecting in its shining surface.
"Take your thingy and go!" shouted Yellow.
As soon as one of the big guys reached for the ring, Yellow suddenly felt his arms being tugged backwards. He turned and saw his brothers were pulling him away—but the Fire Flower was still going off in his hand, and the sudden jerking of his arms caused it to aim waywardly, sending an onslaught of fireballs directly at the two yellow ones. Muffled cries escaped their mouths as they tried to shield themselves, but one of their grass skirts immediately went ablaze.
A blood curdling scream, one far more intense than the birds could muster, and more terrifying than any the brothers had ever heard before, sounded from the one whose lower body was now engulfed in flames.
"No, Vinny!" shouted the other one, who scrambled to his partner's side and began to pat him down. "Ah, it's too hot!" he shrieked as he backed away and shook his hands.
The Fire Flower soon went out, and the brothers' eyes went wide as saucers at the sight before them. From the moment they had arrived in Rogueport it proved difficult to keep a low profile, and they had hoped to find information quickly so they could move on to their next destination, but any chance of maintaining the faintest hint of secrecy was now tossed out the window for they had just outright interfered with a conflict between gangs. To say they felt doomed at that moment would be a massive understatement.
Wasting no further time, Black and Green pulled Yellow all the way to the back of the alley behind the item shop, hiding once again in shadow, still keeping their eyes on the scene.
"Vinny, I'm sorry!" shouted Tony the Pianta as he trembled in panic. "Roll around or somethin'!"
Vinny struggled to flip himself over, and each successive attempt proved more difficult than the last, but still the flames persisted. His screams began to weaken into softer groans and his futile erratic movements slowed until he simply laid on the ground helplessly.
"Vinny!" cried Tony, clutching his head in despair.
"Don't worry, I've got him!" called a female voice. Tony looked up and saw a Toad with long pigtails running over, a heavy metal bucket in her hands. She stood over Vinny and dropped a large helping of water onto his waist, which immediately quenched the fire. The burned Pianta stopped moving entirely, his chest rising and falling rapidly as he stared into the sky. His grass skirt was nearly completely burned away, and singe marks could be seen on his exposed and blistered skin.
"Thank you, miss!" said Tony as he kneeled next to his brother.
"Yeah, thanks," Vinny said weakly, barely holding a thumbs up.
"Happy to help. I saw everything from upstairs," said the Toad woman. She hoisted the bucket onto her shoulder and smiled proudly. "Water courtesy of the leaky ceiling at Podley's Place! Do stop by sometime!" With a giggle, she took a bow and swiftly retreated back to the inn.
Tony saw Frankie's ring on the ground next to the motionless Craws. He grabbed it and put it in his pocket, then slowly helped his injured brother off the ground, wrapping an arm around him for support.
"Ugh, who… were those guys…?" grunted Vinny.
"I don' know, but we'll have ta find out later," said Tony. "We got da ring, so let's get outta here."
The two Piantas slowly hobbled out of the plaza back to the west side of town. The two Craws came to soon after, their heads spinning and their bodies aching. They grabbed their spears and leaned on them as they stood up, then dragged themselves back to the east side of town, groaning the whole way. The plaza was left barren once more.
From the shadows of the alley, the Koopa Bros practically held their breath as they watched the scene unfold, fearing that any noise they emitted, no matter how quiet, would give away their position. Once the four gangsters had cleared out of the plaza, they waited a few more tense moments before exhaling simultaneously.
Green then smacked Yellow on the head. "Why did you do that?! What's wrong with you?!"
Yellow nearly lost his balance from the impact and steadied himself on the wall. "So they could—OW!" He grasped his aching head. "So they could get their ring back."
Green grabbed Yellow by the shoulders and slammed him against the wall. "Who cares?! That wasn't our problem! We were supposed to keep a low profile! Now we've just pissed off gangsters!"
Yellow held up the wilted Fire Flower still clutched in his hands. "I thought it would end the fight sooner so we could get away. And I thought… maybe, you know… we could do some good for once."
Green snatched the flower from him and threw it on the ground, where he stomped on it and made it the newest addition to Rogueport's excessive litter. "That was your idea of doing good?! You're so stupid! We didn't come here to do good! We came here to find Red!"
"Why can't we do some good?!" exclaimed Yellow, shoving his brother away. "After all we've done to people, it's the least we can do!"
Green held his brother's intense gaze, seeing a mixture of determination and sadness in his eyes. He could hardly stomach it. Stepping a few paces away, he muttered, "Unbelievable."
"Come on boys, enough with this," chimed Black. "What's done is done. Stop shouting or else people will hear us." He firmly grasped Yellow's shoulder and gave him a hardened stare. "Yellow, you're insane. What you just did will make it much harder for us to complete our mission. Don't do that again, for all our sakes. Green is right to be upset." Black then smiled. "But… I'm glad your heart is in the right place."
"Until it's ripped out and thrown in the trash, along with ours," retorted Green, though his aggressive tone had lessened. "What a waste of a Fire Flower. That was not how it should've been used."
"I-I'm sorry, guys," said Yellow with a downcast look. "I thought… I just thought—"
"I understand, Yellow," said Black sympathetically. "But right now, we need to move on. It's probably a good idea to use our Toad forms to move about from now on. I don't see anyone else back here, so we can transf—" It was then that Black noticed something odd about his brother. "Hold on. Yellow, where's our money?"
The despondent Koopa examined his waist and saw that his pouch had vanished. He felt around himself just to be sure, hoping it had simply shifted during the scuffle, but he felt nothing.
Green hollered and kicked the wall. "This is just great! Now to top it off, we don't have any mon—Hold on, that's not all we're missing. Black, where's Red's Ninjakoopalert?"
It was Black's turn to look himself over and see that, indeed, the device in question was gone. His own was still attached to him, and he clutched it cautiously. "It's alright, don't panic. We, uh… we probably just dropped them in the confusion. Search for them."
The brothers sifted through the entire back alley, which proved an unpleasant experience given its filth and disorganization. Loose stones were scattered about, tipped over trash cans spilled their rancid contents everywhere, crates and barrels were piled high with seemingly no purpose, discolored splotches of red and green painted the cobblestone, and skull-shaped graffiti covered the walls and gawked at them from above. They hated every second of their investigation, but they were thorough, and no matter how long they looked, their missing items refused to turn up. They quickly glanced into the plaza, not daring to enter it properly, but they saw no trace of their belongings on the ground.
"I think we've been pickpocketed," said Green, looking around warily. "This place is called Rogueport after all. Just what we needed, another setback!"
"Don't panic, boys, don't panic! Backs against the walls!" Black pressed himself against one of the buildings, his brothers following his lead. "We'll figure something out. Come on, think!"
"Wait, if someone stole a Ninjakoopalert," said Yellow, "then we might be able to find it if we sound them!"
"But our own alerts will drown everything out," said Green. "We wouldn't know if we were hearing Red's or not."
Yellow shook his head. "I'll take all of our alerts and go somewhere far and turn them on. That way you two'll be able to hear Red's more clearly!"
"No, we can't do that," said Black. "I don't like the idea of sounding the alerts and drawing attention to ourselves, and we definitely shouldn't split up after we interrupted that fight. It's too dangerous."
"Alright, I have an idea, too," said Green. "We know this alley is a deadend, right? The only way out is through the plaza. Did we see anyone leave?" His brothers shook their heads. "That means the thief must still be here, right?"
Yellow shrugged his shoulders. "Uh, I guess? But we didn't see anyone back here."
Green smirked. "I found a door on one of the buildings. It's the only one back here. They might be inside."
"It's worth checking out," said Black. "Let's go!"
The door was only a short walk from where they stood, but for them it felt like a trek as they had to pass through the filth yet again. The door was tucked away in a corner, easily missable if one were only to give a casual glance of the alley.
"Let's make this quick. Get in, get out," ordered Black, his brothers nodding. He counted down to zero on his fingers, and then he ran up to the door and kicked it in. It flew open and slammed against the wall, and they all leapt inside in a hurry.
"HERE COME THE KOOPA BROS!"
They were greeted with a startled yelp. Standing in the center of the room was a Bandit, his masked face frozen in shock and his blue body tensed and rigid.
"It's a Bandit! Get 'em!" yelled Black.
Before the Bandit could react, Yellow and Green sprung forward, grabbed him by the arms and pinned him against the wall.
"W-who are you guys?!" shrieked the Bandit, barely attempting a struggle beneath their grasp.
"We just told you, we're the Koopa Bros!" said Yellow.
"Don't tell me you don't recognize us," said Black, slowly advancing on him. "I believe you have some things of ours."
"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" the Bandit said, his eyes darting around the room nervously, a string of sweat forming on his forehead.
"Don't play dumb with us! I bet you stashed it somewhere in this—"
It was only now that Black took note of the room they were in, becoming revolted by its cramped and horrid nature. Garbage strewed the floor haphazardly, wooden furniture laid in splintered heaps in a corner, the walls were smeared with dirt, and flies and roaches swarmed about. The smell was even worse than the alley outside, and Black felt ready to puke.
"Ugh, why did you come in here of all places?" he said, his face contorting in disgust.
"This is my hideout, man!" said the Bandit. "People would kill to have a place like this!"
Black plugged his nostrils. "I think people would be killed in a place like this!"
"Seriously, you call this a hideout?" said Green smugly, eyeing the room with a detestable look. "We had an entire fortress, dude! Now that's a hideout! And it was better maintained than this!"
Black turned his attention back to the Bandit. "Alright, you get one more chance. Give us our stuff back or else we'll get rough."
"I-I swear I don't have it!" the Bandit claimed, though his nervous smile gave away his poor attempt at deception.
"Suit yourself." Without hesitation, Black wound up his arm and punched the Bandit in the gut, and while he expected to feel a soft and fleshy texture, he instead felt his knuckles crunch down on multiple hard, small rounded edges. His hand trembled in pain, but from underneath the cloak there emitted an unmistakable jingling sound. "That money!" With his other hand, Black reached under the Bandit's cloak and pulled out a familiar-looking pouch of coins.
The Bandit frowned. "Okay, okay, you got me! Now leave me alone!" He began to struggle against Yellow and Green's grasp, but they held firm and pushed him back against the wall.
"Not so fast! Where are you hiding the other one?!" said Black, holding up his fist to intimidate him.
The Bandit cowered. "Wh-what other one?"
"I said to stop playing dumb!" Black turned and pointed to the Ninjakoopalert on his hip. "Where's the device that looks like this?!"
The Bandit struggled harder. "What?! I didn't steal anything like that! I only took your money, man!"
"Okay, so we're taking the difficult road again, then. Yellow, take this, and keep a close eye on it." Black passed the coin pouch to his brother. His hands now emptied, he reached for the Bandit and patted him down, revealing a surprisingly slender body underneath the comparatively wide robe.
"H-hey, that tickles!" the Bandit said, giggling and on the verge of tears. He was met with Black's unamused glare. "Sorry, sorry."
Black promptly finished his pat down, feeling nothing else unusual. With an indignant groan, he grabbed the Bandit by the scruffs and held him against the wall. "Yellow, Green, search the place."
Yellow grimaced. "Aw man, it's nasty, though."
"Just do it! I don't wanna be here any longer, either!" shouted Black.
Yellow and Green reluctantly made their way around the small room, kicking aside trash and looking underneath the broken furniture, holding their breath all the while and occasionally glancing distastefully at the Bandit. They swatted away the flies and avoided stepping on the roaches. There was an uncomfortable silence that was disturbed only by the unpleasant sounds of their rummaging.
With a dumb grin on his face, the Bandit said, "So what brings you guys to Roguepo—?"
"Don't make small talk with us! We're not your buddies, bud!" Black slammed him back against the wall, and he winced in pain.
"Black, we can't find anything," said Green. "I hate to say it, but I don't think he's lying."
"See, I told you! I didn't steal anything else!" The Bandit held up his hands defensively, but now clutched within one of them was Black's very own Ninjakoopalert.
"Hey, give that back!" yelled Black. "What was that about not stealing anything else?!"
The Bandit laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, man, I'm a Bandit. It's what I do." Green came back over and snatched the alert from his hands, giving him a nasty bonk on the head in the process. "Owwwwwww! Okay, okay, I swear I didn't take anything else! Someone else must've done it! I'm not the only thief around here! Now will you please leave me alone?!"
Black gritted his teeth and grasped the Bandit tighter. He sighed then said, "Fine, we'll worry about the alert later. It's more important that we find Red. Well then, Mr Bandit, as punishment for stealing from the Koopa Bros, you're gonna give us information."
"Oh come on, you already got your money back! Just go alre—" Green placed his hand over the Bandit's mouth, muffling his protests.
"Not so fast, bucko!" said Black. "Just answer our questions and we'll leave, got it? You see, we're new here and don't know our way around, but I guess you already figured that out. So tell me, have you seen a red Koopa here within the past couple weeks? One that looks like us? Maybe you tried to rob him, too."
Green lowered his hand, and the Bandit quickly shook his head. "No, I haven't seen anyone like that! You guys stick out like a sore thumb, man! I would've remembered stealing from someone like you!"
"Our failure to blend in is becoming a theme, apparently," said Green. "What about a Toad with a black head?"
The Bandit merely raised an eyebrow.
"Okay, this isn't going anywhere," sighed Black, loosening his grip on the Bandit but still pinning him against the wall. "Last question, then: who can we talk to for info? There's gotta be someone in this town who knows everything that goes down. And the answer better not be you or a gangster!"
"Alright, alright!" exclaimed the Bandit, forcefully pushing Black's arms off of him. "I don't know them personally, but I've heard of someone in town who's supposed to be really smart. And they're not a gangster."
Black smirked. "That's better. Now who is—?" It was at this point Black noticed one of his gloves was missing, and he quickly spotted it in the Bandit's hand. "Dude! Stop it!"
"Aaaaaand… finished!" Trembling with excitement, Goombella laid the final block in the diorama. She took a step back and admired her handiwork: a box filled with a flurry of fake miniature trees clumped together to resemble a thick forest. A replica volcano poked out from atop the trees, and tiny yellow blocks were arranged at the base to resemble a village. The sides of the box were painted varying shades of blue to resemble the ocean and sky, with a bright and cheery sun at its apex.
Professor Frankly stood beside her and studied the now completed diorama that sat upon his desk. "This is very impressive, Goombella. I'm sure he'll appreciate such a quality gift. Tomorrow should be an exciting day!"
"Thanks, Professor! I can't wait for him to see it!" Goombella bounced up and down in elation. "Now I have to find something to wrap it in." She glanced around the professor's study, but amidst the plethora of books amongst the shelves and select spots on the floor, she could find no spare boxes lying about. With a disappointed sigh, she said, "I guess I'll have to go out and find one."
"There are plenty of discarded boxes in town," said Frankly, now combing through a book on his desk with great fervor. "Why, I'm willing to bet there's one lying right outside! Ha ha!"
Goombella stuck her tongue out in disgust. "Eww, but they're probably all smelly. I'm not just gonna pick one up off the street. How do you think he'd react if I shoved a nasty box in his face? I'll find a proper one later." She trod over to the professor and peeked at his book. "What are you reading?"
Frankly looked up at her. "Oh, I'm brushing up on—"
All of a sudden, there was a loud and unpleasant cracking sound, and the old rickety front door of the study burst open and collided with the wall. Goombella and Frankly jumped back in shock as a group of people stumbled inside and collapsed into a heap on the floor.
"Jumpin' jehosha-WHAT?!" shouted Frankly.
The strange visitors were briefly obscured by a thick cloud of dust, a result of the many old and worn books that sat unused for ages. Goombella crept closer to them, their giant swollen polka-dotted heads revealing to her that they were a group of Toads—three of them to be exact.
But upon closer inspection, she spied a peculiarity about them. She had known most Toads to have white heads, yet these three were sporting ones of a darkish gray, each peppered with either black, yellow, or green dots. It was a rarity to see a Toad without a white head, the only deviations coming to Goombella's mind being the employees of the Excess Express and Riverside Station. But she could not fathom why any of them would turn up at Professor Frankly's study, and in such a panic, no less.
The three Toads soon scrambled off of each other, their backpacks shifting wildly and the sound of coins ringing in the air. They stood up and brushed themselves off, coughing and hacking from the dust.
"Uhhhhh hello…?" Goombella spoke softly, cautiously approaching the strange visitors.
The black-dotted Toad stopped coughing and wore a sheepish grin. "Uh, right, yeah…! Hi!" He seemed to be at a loss for words.
Frankly and Goombella exchanged a puzzled look, and the elderly Goomba stepped forward. "What is happening here? You three gave me quite the fright!" he said frantically. "Can we help you with something?"
"Oh, sorry about that," spoke the black Toad again. He swatted the other two on their arms. "I said to move quickly, not recklessly!"
"Look, I'm trying to stay out of sight as much as possible!" the green Toad replied with a sour tone. "Don't blame me if you guys can't keep up!"
"I got here first, anyway," proclaimed the yellow Toad proudly, placing his hands on his waist and puffing his chest out.
The black Toad shook his fists at them. "It wasn't supposed to be a race! We can't fly into a panic just because—"
"Do you guys need something?!" hollered Goombella, rapidly losing her patience with the strange visitors, who froze in place and eyed her fearfully.
The black Toad nervously scratched his head, his sheepish grin returning. "Uh, right, yeah. You see, the thing is, um…" He chuckled awkwardly.
"Spit it out, would ya?!" she said. The black Toad froze again and gulped.
The yellow Toad promptly stepped forward. "We're looking for a guy named Freakly."
"Frankly, Yellow," said the green Toad.
The yellow Toad gave him a befuddled look. "Frankly what?"
"Frankly, you're an idiot!" replied the green Toad as he slapped the yellow one across the head.
The black Toad stepped between them and pushed them apart. "Stay focused, boys! Chins up! And one of you shut the door! We're not unsophisticated Clubbas!"
"Last one here has to do it!" said the yellow Toad.
"That would be you, Black," the green one sneered.
The black one looked to his companions with irritation, and with a huff, he stomped over to the door and shut it. "Alright, drop the disguises," he said.
Goombella and Frankly watched as the three Toads held their hands before their chests, their fingers forming an unfamiliar gesture. Just then, a bright flash emitted from their bodies, momentarily blinding the two Goombas, and when their eyes reopened, they saw that the Toads had vanished, and in their places stood three young Koopas, each sporting an identical color scheme to their corresponding Toad.
Frankly recoiled in shock. "Hummina huffaly hoofala WHAT?!" He removed his glasses and wiped them off. Goombella herself stared in awe at the spectacle, her jaw nearly dropping.
The black Koopa stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Sorry for all the noise. As my brothers said, we're looking—"
"Did you guys just transform?!" Goombella rushed over to them and began examining their bodies, darting to and fro between them, any prior caution she held falling to the wayside as her curiosity took over.
"Uh, what's going on?" asked the yellow Koopa, a perplexed glance at the Goomba now poking about their legs.
"Goombella, give them some space!" said Frankly, walking over to his assistant and pulling her away from the discomforted Koopas. "I apologize for her behavior. But I must say, I'm just as curious as she is. Are you three Duplighosts, perchance?"
"What? No, we're Ninjakoopas!" the black one replied. "Those Toads are our own creations! We don't copy others' appearances like those poser Duplighosts!"
"Never heard of a Ninjakoopa before," mused Goombella, eyeing them critically and attempting to spot any notable differences—besides their wardrobes—between them and any garden-variety Koopa.
"That's because we're one-of-a-kind, baby!" the black one boasted, but his smirk immediately faltered. "Er, four-of-a-kind, I should say…? Yeah, I guess that's right." He shook his head. "Anyway, give it up for the Koopa Bros, the coolest of all Koopas!"
"HIYAH!" they cried out together and each gave a thumbs up. The same bright light as before emitted from the tips of their thumbs, though it was far less intense and spared the onlooking Goombas' eyes.
"Okay, enough chit chat," the black one resumed. "We're looking for someone named Frankly. Is that either of you? We were told this is where he lived."
"What do you mean 'Is that either of us?' Do I look like a guy to you?" Goombella replied sassily. The black Koopa narrowed his eyes at her in contempt, and she returned his gaze unwaveringly.
"Now now, Goombella, don't be rude," said Frankly, who hobbled over to the Koopas. "A pleasure to meet you, Koopa Bros. I'm Professor Frankly, and I apologize for all the mess in here. This isn't my actual home, mind you, I'm just renting this place while I conduct my research. My home is in far better condition, let me tell you."
"You don't have to," said the green Koopa, awkwardly attempting to lean against a bookshelf, but appearing irritated by the many books prodding him. "You said you're a professor? That makes sense why we were sent here, then."
"Yeah, he's just like Kolorado!" exclaimed the yellow Koopa, who sounded far more impressed than his green counterpart.
"You three know Kolorado?!" said Frankly joyfully, his mouth widening into a proud smile. "He was a student of mine! Top of his class! Very headstrong, that one!"
"No kidding, small world," mused the green Koopa, who opted to lean against the door, the only flat surface he could find. "We used to live in the same village as him, but I wouldn't say we know him too well. He was always away on some expedition or something."
"Yes, I remember his passion for archaeology as if it were yesterday," Frankly recalled fondly. "He was one of my finest students! Of course, so is Goombella here! Top of her own class, in fact!"
On hearing her name, Goombella blushed and became bashful. "Aww, you don't have to say that, Professor! Well, I guess I should introduce myself, too. I'm Goombella, Professor Frankly's assistant."
The black Koopa gave her a thumbs up—no bright light this time. "Nice to meetcha. I'm Black Ninjakoopa, and I'm... my older brother's assistant, I guess?" He looked to his companions for affirmation, but they both shrugged. "Anyway, these two are—"
"Yellow and Green Ninjakoopa, I take it?" She winked at him, causing Black to narrow his eyes at her again. "But didn't you say you guys were four-of-a-kind? Where's your other brother?"
Goombella was surprised by the stark change in their expressions; three sullen faces, eyes all turned to the floor, any prior bravado vanishing as quickly as their Toad forms had done. The gloom that now filled the confined study was so thick that Cortez would have a field day cutting through it.
"That's actually why we're here," said Black solemnly. "We need info, and we were told Frankly is the smartest person in town. Our brother went missing about a month ago and we found out he came here."
"Oh my, that's quite startling to hear!" Frankly stood motionless, his mouth hanging open. "I'm actually called the smartest person in town?"
"That's not the important part!" shouted Green, causing the elderly Goomba to scramble behind his desk.
"And did whoever told you this say anything about me?" Goombella asked anxiously.
"No, they didn't mention you," Black said with a shake of his head, and she could not hide her disappointment. "It was just some thug who pickpocketed us."
"Welcome to Rogueport," she replied dully. "You need to watch yourselves. I got jumped not long after getting here myself, though they weren't common thugs."
Black sighed and plugged his nostrils. "Yeah, we only got here an hour ago, and things are… not going great. We've already made some people mad."
"That doesn't surprise me," said Goombella with her usual sass. "You guys crashed in here like a bunch of bullet bills, so I'm guessing you have a knack for making eventful first impressions."
"She's got us pegged there," said Green. "None of the towns we're used to are this hostile. This place is very… colorful."
"Not as colorful as you three," Goombella teased and winked again, to which the three brothers provided different reactions—a smirk from Black, a blush from Yellow, and a roll of the eyes from Green. "But you guys said something about your brother going missing?"
"Right, yes, that!" said Black as he snapped to attention. "Have either of you seen another Koopa that looks just like us, only he wears red? Or even a red-dotted Toad with a black head? We think he came to Rogueport a few weeks ago."
"I'm afraid I haven't seen anyone like that," said Frankly almost immediately. "But much of my time is spent in my study, so I rarely meet visitors unless they're specifically looking for me, as you three were." He approached his assistant. "Goombella, maybe you've seen someone like that? You go out far more frequently than I do."
The Koopa Bros turned their attention to the feisty pink Goomba, their eyes large and reeking of desperation. She found it hard to concentrate beneath their stares, so she picked up a random book off the floor and opened it to hide her face, and began humming lowly to mask the growing silence. She reminisced on her activities over the past few weeks. Most of her time had been spent in Rogueport or the sewers below, poring over every crevice she may have missed before in the hope of uncovering even more history of the destroyed town that dwelled here prior. Occasionally she had visited other locations from her traveling days and engaged with familiar faces. But the only red Koopas that came to mind were the hostile ones that wore sunglasses, none that wore the brothers' distinguishable getup of bandanas and gloves.
She ceased her humming and closed the book in finality. "Sorry, I don't think I've seen your brother Red Ninjakoopa."
Yellow squinted at her. "Then how do you know his name?" he asked suspiciously.
"How do you think she knows his name?" Green huffed, beginning to pace impatiently around the small room. "Just great! Another dead end! Apparently no one's seen him! I'm starting to think he didn't even come here."
Black glared at his brother. "The boat captain remembered him, Green! He definitely came here! We don't need your negativity right now, so just shut up and let me handle this, both of you!"
"Now calm down, youngsters," said Frankly. "You won't find him with that attitude, that's for sure. Why don't you calm down. Take some deep breaths."
"Come on, Black, this is a waste of time," said Green as he headed for the door. "Clearly we're not going anywhere soon, so we might as well find a place to stay. I saw an inn back at the square."
Black's expression fell, but he refused to budge. "Come on Prof, there's gotta be something you know," he pleaded. "You two are the smartest people in town! You can't possibly have no info!"
"Aww, you didn't have to say that about me, Mr Black," she said cheerfully. "But I'm sorry, nothing's coming to mind. You three are pretty unique. I would've remembered seeing someone like you around."
"Third time we've heard that!" rattled Green. "Taking all bets for who says it next."
Goombella became saddened by their plight. They were desperate to find their comrade, and she realized that if any of the people she had traveled with on her journey had gone missing, she would do everything she could to find them, as well. And though she had only just met the brothers and found them rather annoying at first, and having yet to warm up to the green one, she still felt a desire to help them.
"Hey guys, check this out!" Yellow piped up with unusual excitement. He was standing at Frankly's desk and eyeing Goombella's diorama with interest. "This kinda looks like Lavalava Island!"
Black went over to the desk and examined it. "Oh hey, you're right. Check out the volcano! This looks pretty cool!"
Goombella beamed from their compliments. "Thanks, I made it myself! It's a gift for a friend of mine. Hey, you guys wouldn't happen to have a spare box, would you?"
"Yeah, we have an empty box," said Green, still at the door and with his arms crossed. "It's called Yellow's head."
"Hey!" the Koopa in question retorted, giving a dirty look to his brother.
Black gently poked the trees and the replica volcano. "I didn't think you guys would even know about Lavalava Island. The Mushroom Kingdom's kinda far from here."
Goombella smiled pridefully. "That doesn't pose a problem for us brilliant researchers! Right, Professor?"
"Indeed, my dear. Distance is no barrier for us!" said the elderly Goomba with equal verve. "Even if we can't visit a place directly, that doesn't mean we can't learn about it through books or from travelers. Speaking of travelers, have you three been to Lavalava Island, perchance?"
Black rubbed his chin. "Uhhh, only once, I think? That was years ago, though, so I don't remember much. We can't give you that much info about the place."
"I see, such a shame," sighed Frankly.
"I wonder if they know about Mario and Lava Piranha," said Yellow casually.
Goombella did a double take, not expecting to hear such sudden words from him, and it seemed neither Black nor Green expected that either for they staggered back with widened eyes. Black ran to his clumsy brother and covered his mouth. "Yellow, ixnay on the Mario-me and the Piranha-le!" he spoke hurriedly, then paused and scratched his head. "Er, wait… Whatever, just shush!"
"Good damage control there, bro," jeered Green. "I'm sure they suspect nothing."
Goombella exchanged a surprised look with Frankly. "Wait, did you guys just say Mario?" she asked, furiously encroaching on Black and Yellow's personal space. They laughed nervously and tried to brush her off with a dismissive wave, but Goombella would not have it. "No, I heard you loud and clear. Does Mario have some relation with Lavalava Island?"
Black avoided eye contact with the astounded Goomba. "Um, well, he may have gone there at one point and… done some stuff."
"You mean saved it from a bunch of bad guys, right?" She saw the two of them wince and swallow, but her desire for information made her think little of it. "Don't hold out on me! You guys are from the Mushroom Kingdom, right? Do you—do you actually know Mario, maybe?! Omigosh, this is incredible! Small world, right?!" She practically bounced around the entire study with stars in her eyes, no longer paying attention to the brothers' odd reactions. "Come on, tell me everything! I have to hear all about it!"
"We're not here to talk about Mario!" Green snapped, making Goombella shudder. "Why do you care about him, anyway? If you can't help us, then we have nothing more to talk about. What are we still doing here, Black?"
"I don't like your attitude, young man," said Frankly, his tone no longer jolly. "And for your information, Mario came here awhile back, and Goombella accompanied him for his entire journey! They saved us all from a great calamity! That's why she's curious about his other ventures."
The Koopa Bros' jaws quickly dropped to the floor, and they stood frozen in place. "Y-you're serious?" muttered Black after a moment. "Mario was here? He was seriously here?"
"Yep, and traveling with him was the greatest experience I've ever had in my life!" said Goombella somewhat defiantly.
"Wow… just... that was the last thing I expected to hear today," said Black, taking many light and panicked breaths. "Talk about deja vu. That guy really gets around. And he had another smart Goomba with him?"
"Aww, you don't have to say that about me, Mr Black," she repeated.
"But why did he come all the way out here?" asked Yellow.
"Princess Peach was kidnapped," she said matter-of-factly.
"Oh… yeah, that sounds about right." The disappointment in Yellow's voice could not have been clearer. "But wait, why did she come all the way out here?"
"Who cares, Yellow? All this reminiscing isn't helping us," said Green bitterly.
Goombella wanted to tune him out and not let his cross attitude dampen her spirits. It was clear to her that these three held a connection to Mario, but based on Green's outburst, it likely was not a positive one. She wanted to uncover more details, but before she could inquire further, a thought suddenly clicked in her mind, and in a high pitched tone, she said, "Oh, I just remembered something! Actually, this reminiscing was very helpful, Mr Green. I know someone who can help you find your brother!"
They were before her in an instant, nearly tripping over themselves and kicking up dust. "WHO?!" they shouted in unison, even Green dropping his grumpy appearance for the moment.
"Okay, back up, guys," she said, slowly stepping away to gain some space. "Beneath Rogueport is a shaman named Merluvlee. She has the power to locate certain things and tell you where to go. I'm sure she can find him for you!"
"Seriously?! That's incredible!" said Black, looking to his brothers with excitement. "We have another lead, boys!"
But Green's aggression came right back. "Don't get your hopes up, Black. This one could be a dead end, too." It was nice for the few seconds it lasted, Goombella thought.
Black lightly shoved him aside. "Oh stuff it, Green! Any lead we can get is good news. So where can we find her?"
"There's a pipe just outside that'll take you underground," said Goombella.
"I didn't know there was someone like that right beneath us," said Frankly.
"Yeah, talking about Mario jogged my memory!" said Goombella. "We visited her from time to time, and she showed us so many secrets! I'm sure she got rich just from us alone!"
Then Green's aggression heightened. "Oh, for the love of—! Of course Mario knows her!" He ground his teeth together, his trembling hands balled into fists.
Goombella ignored him, preferring to focus on the two Koopas who remained enthusiastic. "How about we make a little trade? Since you guys clearly know Mario, then in exchange for my little tidbit, you have to swap Mario stories with me sometime!"
Black groaned and glanced at his brothers with uncertainty. "Uh, well, that might be—"
Green then sprung forward. "Enough of this! I'm sick of hearing about Mario! We didn't come here so you could get your kicks!"
Black grabbed his outraged brother and pulled him back. "Oy, Green! Calm yourself! What's gotten into—?!"
"You wanna hear a story about Mario?! He humiliated us! That guy ruined our lives! I'd bet all our coins he's the reason Red is missing! And now we're in a bunch of crap in this town because of it! If I saw him right now, I'd—"
"Enough of this! We're leaving right now!" shouted Black, and he and Yellow lugged the still grumbling Green over to the door. Forcing a smile, he waved to the Goombas and said, "Thanks for the tidbit! See ya!" They opened the door and swiftly exited, Green kicking and screaming the whole time, then slammed it shut, leaving the two Goombas alone in the quiet study, left speechless by what had just unfolded.
"Very peculiar," was all Frankly managed to say.
"Koopa Bros, huh?" said Goombella.
As soon as he was released, Green stormed over to the rickety wooden fence across from Frankly's study, staring off into the open ocean with a great scowl.
"Dude, what was that?!" yelled Black as he approached him. "That's how you thank someone for helping us?!"
"It's over, Black!" stated Green, turning to face him. "This whole search is over! We need to get out of this town now!"
Black looked to Yellow, who only shrugged. Resting a hand on his irate brother's shoulder, he said, "What are you talking about, dude? We just got another lead. We're not leaving without finding the shaman."
Green swatted his hand away. "Don't you understand what this means, Black? Mario was here! They just said he saved everyone from some disaster! I bet this town is crawling with people who love him! Why would any of them wanna help us?!"
"Keep your voice down!" hollered Black with just as much volume. He scanned the area for any passersby, thankfully spying no one around. He huddled his brothers and whispered, "No one here knows who we are or our relation to Mario. We'll be fine as long as we don't talk about it."
"Dude, you don't get it!" huffed Green, motioning back to Frankly's study. "She knows about Lavalava Island! Who's to say she won't find out about us and broadcast it to the whole town?! He probably has even those gangsters on his side! We need to get out of here before they all thrash us!"
Black stomped the ground. "We are not leaving when we still have a lead on Red! It's out of the question, so stop suggesting it!"
"And what are you gonna do, force me to stay?" said Green, now hostile. "Don't act all high and mighty just because Red's gone! You don't order me around! You're not our leader!"
Yellow covered his mouth in horror, and a now infuriated Black grabbed Green by his backpack straps and violently shook him. "I'm the second-born!" he spat. "In Red's absence, I am the leader! We're staying, so get over it!"
Green stared daggers into his brother's eyes. "Take. Your hands. Off me!"
"Or what?" Black taunted, fire burning through his body.
"Uh, guys," Yellow piped up meekly. He subtly pointed to Frankly's study, and the brothers saw that the door was ajar, Goombella's head barely peeking out of it, her large eyes focused on them. When she became aware she had been spotted, she quickly retreated back in and shut the door.
"Great, just what we needed… We're done arguing." Black released Green and looked around, noticing a nearby pipe on the other side of the wooden fence. "We still need to stay off the streets. That's probably the pipe she told us about. Everyone in there now!"
Without hesitation, Yellow ran up to the pipe and swan dived straight in, his silhouette appearing inside briefly before vanishing below the surface. With one more glare and without another word, Green marched over to the pipe and hopped in. A cold wind enveloped Black beneath the cloudy sky, and he gazed at the ground solemnly, succumbing to a brief despair that their mission was folly. Barely able to swallow his doubts, he finally moved to the pipe and jumped in.
The trip downwards was fast, the green interior of the pipe passing by like a blur, and Black soon found himself in the dank underground of Rogueport. They appeared to be much further down than the short pipe ride would suggest, as there was no visible ceiling above them, only a frighteningly endless dark void. Surrounding them were thick concrete walls cracked and misshapen from centuries of pressure, and massive black chasms that stretched far into the distance. The only audible sound was the occasional drip of water falling to the floor.
Yellow and Green stood nearby the pipe. "This place looks horrible," the latter said bitterly. "We'll probably be pushed off this cliff once we get swarmed by a pro-Mario brigade."
"Dude, you need to cool it right now!" said Black. "You blowing your lid in front of Mario's former partner did nothing to help us!"
"I refuse to be buddy-buddy with his friends! That's a mask I'll never wear!"
Black's nostrils flared. "We might need help from his friends to find Red! You can't be this stubborn!"
"Come on guys, you gotta stop fighting!" interjected Yellow, moving to stand between them. "We're already in enough trouble. We can't make enemies out of each other."
"We're only in trouble because of you, Yellow," said Green, pointing an accusatory finger at him.
Yellow grunted. "Okay, fine, that's true, but at least we have each other. Red probably came here by himself. What if he also got into trouble but had no one to rely on? He could be in danger right now. Yes, maybe it would be smart to leave town, but I think we should go find this whoever-person first, even if they are Mario's friend. What's the point in leaving town if it turns out Red is still here?"
Green took a deep breath and carefully considered Yellow's words. Soon enough, his hardened expression began to smooth over, and he took several paces away.
"Green, I understand your anger," said Black, "but we can't blame Mario for everything. Maybe he is the reason Red left, maybe he isn't, but whatever it was, it was still Red's decision to leave. If he couldn't handle our defeat, then that's on him. The three of us were able to tough it out and stay together. I just want to find him and bring him home."
"You know, I was wondering why Red came to a dangerous place like this," said Yellow. "Do you think it's because Mario came here, too?"
"I guess it's possible," said Green, his tone now mellowed out. "But I wanna know what Red was planning to do here. Was he looking for Mario, or did he have something else in mind?"
"We won't know until we find him," said Black. "Time is even more of the essence now, so let's put this all behind us and find this Merluvlee. I know I said splitting up was a bad idea, but we should do it to cover more ground. Yellow, I see some buildings way in the back across that chasm. There's some pipes nearby, so find one that takes you back there and check them out. Green, I bet this place goes even lower, so search down there." Black then pointed behind himself to a large opening in the cavern wall. "I'm gonna go over there and check it out. Everyone understand?" When they both nodded, they all stuck out their fists. "Watch your backs and stay safe. Remember your Ninjakoopalerts, but only sound them if you're in danger; we don't want to carelessly draw attention to ourselves. Once you're done exploring, meet back here." Black started to lower his fist, but he quickly raised it back up. "And one more thing: I understand that our feelings toward Mario are… complicated. But now that we know he's a hero here, let's refrain from insulting him, or even speaking of him at all. Got it?" Yellow and Green nodded once more. "Alright, break!"
The three stalwart Koopa Bros departed in their separate directions in the deep dark underground of Rogueport, in search of the mysterious shaman known as Merluvlee.
Tony stumbled into the Pianta Syndicate with his injured brother Vinny, who collapsed to the floor and began gasping for air.
"What happened to you guys?!" shouted Frankie from across the room, stepping from behind his desk and rushing over to them.
Francesca too made her way over, staring in horror at the sight of them. "Oh, Vinny!" she cried.
"We… were attacked… boss," mumbled Vinny, each word struggling to escape his lips.
"What're these, burn marks?!" Frankie examined him closely, seeing that his normally vibrant yellow skin was now orange and blistered and puffy. The foul scent of charred skin wafted through the room and made him nauseous. "We need ta get him a Tasty Tonic and a Snow Bunny immediately!"
"I'll go get them!" Francesca blurted out.
"Honey bun, no! I don' want you going out there—!"
"He's injured, Frankie! I won't stay here and do nothing!" she protested, moving for the door and exiting in a hurry.
"This is all my fault fer droppin' my ring!" said Frankie, smacking the floor in frustration. "But I didn' expect the Robbos ta go this far!"
"It wasn't the Robbos, boss," said Tony. "Someone else interfered. We were able ta get yer ring back, but Vinny got hurt in the process." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the diamond ring.
Frankie took it from him and slipped it on his hand. "Uh, thanks, but I woulda preferred you left it behind than get hurt."
"Francesca woulda killed you if we did that!" said Tony.
"You leave her ta me! That's my concern! Come on, let's sit him down at the desk." They both lifted Vinny off the floor and lugged him over to the chair behind Frankie's desk, plopping him down in it. "Now then, I don' take kindly to those who hurt my men. Tell me who interfered! I wanna know everything that happened!"
Pinkie's Thoughts
I had a great time writing this, everypony! The premise was simple to imagine and the words flowed out naturally. The scene with Goombella and Frankly is the most important part of the chapter, and thus was difficult to write and went through numerous revisions, such as: 1) Originally being from the brothers' perspective rather than Goombella's, so when I made the switch the whole scene had to be rewritten; 2) The diorama being added so they could transition to talking about Mario, which was crucial; 3) Yellow originally having the outburst instead of Green; 4) Bantering about how badly the brothers smelled (since they dug through trash the scene prior) and using an Ice Storm to blow the stink away, but being scrapped since it was filler.
As the Koopa Bros have no distinguishable personalities in Paper Mario, I used the Ninja Turtles as inspiration since they're based on them anyway. See if you can guess who's a reflection of whom! Love you guys, and stay tuned for more!