Chapter 18 Shadows Strike

Vivian retreated into the shadows, hidden from the light of the sun and the gaze of the Koopas. Pom Pom didn't blame her. The shadows of this haunted wood were seeming extremely appealing to her right about now. Perhaps she should retreat along with the former Shadow Siren. At least she wouldn't have to be subjected to the nonsense of the Koopalings.

"Was that necessary?" Morton asked as he directed his burning gaze toward Iggy. The tall, lanky genius didn't even bother answering. He just stared at the spot that Vivian had previously been in, steam shooting out of his nose with the speed of a rocket.

"Stupid shadow girl," he muttered under his breath. He uttered some other stuff, but Pom Pom didn't even hear what he said. Those words stayed in her mind like a splinter. Stupid shadow girl. Girl. Would Iggy be reacting like this if Vivian was a boy? The itch of the splinter spread through to the surrounding areas, causing her mind to become infected.

"How dare you."

Iggy turned her way. He stared at her, the glass in front of his eyes looking like it was just a few minutes away from cracking.

"What was that?"

Pom Pom felt a pang at his tone. It sounded eerily similar to her father.

"You can't just yell at Vivian! Weren't you aware of what your little outburst did to her! If you had just acted a different way, she might actually help us!"

Iggy glared at Pom Pom, his teeth gritted.

"Oh shut up! Just shut up!" he yelled.

Pom Pom felt stunned. With a glare aimed at Iggy, she started to walk off. She marched through the woods, plowing down grass and glaring at dead trees. She heard the party call out to her, the loudest two voices being Peach's and Wendy's. She didn't care.

Why did she think that being initiated into the Koopa Troop was a good idea? Seriously, what was she thinking? She knew very well that it was operated by men. For the first time in years, Pom Pom felt tears forming in her eyes. She was going to die. The darkness was closing in on them, and there was nothing that she could do about it. All thanks to Iggy; another typical guy.

Pom Pom stopped under a tree with withered, purple bark. She took a deep breath, trying to stop the tears. She couldn't cry. She wouldn't dare. She hadn't cried since she was five, and she wasn't about to restart now. She was stronger than this. Her training made sure of that.

"Pom Pom?" Pom Pom heard a voice call out. The cadet looked and saw the sole female Koopaling running toward her. She stifled a grumpy grunt.

"What do you want?"

Wendy stopped. Her eyes were filled with concern, which consequently made Pom Pom feel worse. She had to take all of the self control she had at her disposal to keep her eyes from being drowned in tears.

"You can't just yell at my brother. He has a point, you know."

Pom Pom scoffed. "Oh really? You're taking his side?" She shook her head. "I can't believe you."

The magenta skinned Koopa started to walk off again. However, Wendy placed her shoulder.

"Pom Pom…"

"Don't fricking touch me!" She yelled at the top of her voice. She faced Wendy, feeling her breath growing heavy and laborious. "You can't pretend to be so smart when you defend people like that!"

The ridges in Wendy's face started to deepen and crease up.

"What the World Eight are you talking about?" Pom Pom gripped her hand into a fist, doing her best to keep herself from punching the stupid girl in the face.

"He had no right to yell at Vivian! He thinks that he is so great because he is a guy who went to a prestigious college, or something along those lines. Yet here he is, yelling at girls like they are beneath him. So flipping typical."

Wendy looked shocked.

"Typical? Of Iggy? You don't even know him!"

"I know enough. And because of his stupidity, he effectively sealed our doom. There is nothing we can do now. So why bother trying?"

With that, Pom Pom walked into the forest, letting the shadows act as the perfect cover for her.

…

Wendy felt like crying as Pom Pom walked away. Her words echoed in her ears like they were canyons. She shook her head, trying to gather her thoughts. She wanted to yell at Pom Pom. Yell at her for categorizing her brother and blaming him for Vivian's refusal to help. But she couldn't, because deep down, she knew she was right.

Wendy's feet were practically stapled to the ground. She wiped a tear from her eye, not willing to accept that this was happening. But Pom Pom was right. Their doom was sealed. Whether any of them liked it or not.

So, Wendy sullenly made her way back to the party. She hung her head while her tail was tucked between her legs. When she got back to the group, the fact that she was coming back alone was ever more humiliating.

"Is she alright?" Peach said, her lapis blue eyes overflowing with concern.

Wendy shook her head. "No, she's not."

All of the party members looked taken aback. However, Iggy was easily the most surprised. He approached Wendy, and to her surprise, he sounded concerned when he spoke.

"Why not?" he asked. Wendy stared at him, hearing Pom Pom's words echo in her head.

"She says this is entirely your fault."

Iggy's mouth gawked open. "My fault?" When Wendy nodded, Iggy clenched his fist. "I am sorry, but Vivian refused on her own volition. I was just presenting my case to her!"

"But did you really have to call her a coward?" Wendy asked. Iggy's face started to soften a little bit.

"Okay, I'll admit that was stretching it a little bit…"

Wendy was about to speak up, but before she could she heard Mario let out a very loud scoff.

"A little bit? Try a metric ton!" He approached the bespectacled genius. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but Pom Pom was right. You were a massive jerk!"

Iggy shook his head.

"I guess I was…" he glared at Mario. "But you are the last person to be calling me a jerk, you jerk!"

Mario snickered. "Oh, now I'm the jerk!"

Wendy felt her stomach sink. She wanted to tell Iggy to not take the bait, to not get in a fight with the plumber. Unfortuantely, for whatever reason, she just couldn't bring herself to.

"Yes! You are a jerk!" Iggy screeched. "The biggest jerk on the face of the Mushroom World! How do you sleep with yourself at night, jerk?"

Iggy continued yelling at Mario, but Wendy's focus was on something else. There appeared to be some darkness creeping across the ground. Unfortunately, she was the only one who noticed it.

"Uh, guys?"

"Need I remind you that you attacked us in Fungi Village?" Iggy shouted.

"I was only trying to protect my kingdom!" Mario rebutted.

"If you really wanted to protect your kingdom, you would have left us on our way!"

"And if I had done that, none of you would be in Soda Jungle right now!"

Iggy scoffed. "Just because you're correct doesn't mean that you're right!"

Okay, now the darkness was creeping closer. The ground around the party was practically covered by it.

"Guys?" Wendy said. Unfortunately, she was ignored once again.

"You know," Mario said, "maybe I would have left you alone if you guys didn't kidnap the Princess every other week!"

"Well, maybe if you were more competent as her protector, we wouldn't be able to kidnap her in the first place!"

"GUYS!"

Iggy and Mario turned toward Wendy, who was pointing down at the ground with a shaking hand. They noticed the darkness wrapped around their feet.

"What the…?"

The darkness grabbed hold of them and started to drag them all away from the woods. Wendy screamed as she was dragged away.

"Pom Pom! Vivian! Help us!" The last thing she remembered before her world went dark was the sight of Vivian watching them be dragged away with fear in her eyes.