Hey everyone! If the summery didn't make it clear already, these are a bunch of one shots about the Mario and his partners and small exploits. But I don't have infinite ideas. I could use some help. Just let me know what you think the partners did during and even after their journey. You can even tell me some headcanons you guys have and we can make a story purely out of that!

Some headcannons I apply to my stories:

Koops had a hobby in break dancing and loves photography and filmography.

Goombella used to do gymnastics before going to school in archeology.

Koops and Goombella, because they were Mario's first partners, have a rapport.

Yeah, they're my favorite partners if you couldn't tell. But anyway, enjoy!

The watchtowers were silent as the grave. While Goombella was explaining everything she knew about the castle from the literature she read, Koops was recording their approach from a distance. The only thing that was keeping him confident. Things were simpler when he believed he was recording a movie, and not entering into a haunted castle with a fire-breathing, koopa-eating dragon that killed his father. He took a cinematic approach then traded cameras to get a shot of the inferior view of the towers.

"Koops!"

Koops jumped and nearly dropped his camera. "Y-yes?"

Goombella was glaring at him. "We're not tourists, Koops. We're here for the crystal star. Not for vacation."

"Sorry, it's just… no one has ever seen the castle this close up or even stepped inside since… my father. If we survive, and since Mario's here I know we will, I just want something for the folks at home to see so they don't have to think about it."

"And it has nothing to do about getting proof you actually went into the castle?" Goombella asked with a condescending tone.

"Well… I guess that's part of it too…," Koops scratched his head.

"Well, can you at least, keep up?" Goombella asked as she continued walking.

Mario was looking back and forth at the exchange but was more than willing to let Koops do what made him comfortable. But he also agreed they needed to pick up the pace. He bobbed his head sideways to signal Koops to run ahead of him and he did just that.

Inside was underwhelming but to Koops it was unnerving enough. Goombella hummed with a hint of disappointment. "You know, I was kind of expecting this to be a little more eerie. It's sort of weird having nothing out here."

Koops looked around and snapped a few pictures of her and Mario examining the space. "Well, maybe it's supposed to lure victims in. Make them think there's nothing in the castle and that the stories were wrong."

"Good theory, but the stories are what's keeping everyone away. Then again, it is just the outer wall. A castle's outer wall is for defense. So, what's inside?"

Mario stepped out first and Goombella and Koops followed. They got a good view of the castle that way. Goombella wolf whistled before remarking. "That's more like it. Points off for design though. The mote of a castle should be outside not inside the walls. Still, it gives me the creeps."

Koops looked up at the castle and got a few shots. "Wow, Hooktail Castle… This place is terrifying."

Mario examined the bridge and sighed as he scratched his head. Koops tried to go ahead, distracted by the castle starring down at them, but Mario pulled him back. "Mm mm." He shook his head.

Koops looked at the bridge. "Oh…right."

"Great," Gombella said looking at the drop. "How are we supposed to get across? I'm surprised people aren't coming back from here in disappointment, there's no way to cross this gap."

"There has to be some way," Koops said as he looked around, putting his camera away. "Maybe the bridge was recently destroyed by someone… just to keep them out." Koops shivered at another thought. "Or maybe… Hooktail destroyed it to keep his food in. at the time…"

Mario turned around to head back. Goombella followed but Koops kept staring at the castle. "Either way we're crossing."

Koops turned then jumped and followed so he wouldn't be left alone. Once back inside Mario and Goombella sat down. "Okay, team. Any ideas? Mario, you're pretty smart. Can you think of something?"

Koops sat down with them and took the chance to look over his photos. "Don't you know about castle structures? You studied archaeology."

Goombella sighed. "I studied lost treasures and mythology though, not medieval architecture. I don't know everything, Koops."

"You know more than I do, though. Maybe Koopie Koo was right, this was dumb. If I'd have known the thing that would stop us was a bridge, I'd never have asked to come along."

Goombella scoffed. "Yeah, well, we'd have never found the entrance if you didn't help. And you're here now. But yeah, I know what you mean. The bridge is a big bummer. Maybe we can make some kinda makeshift bridge. Do you see any loose planks?"

Koops looked around. "No, just bricks."

As they were talking, Mario stood up and started pacing around the room when he found a spring on the ground. He looked up and noticed another floor above them then hummed.

"Well, if we had something to hold them together that'd be useful… I don't know. We could shoot you across. Toss me. Mario can jump pretty high…"

"Can he jump that distance though? Are we really going to risk it? A-and… I don't really want to try getting shell shot across the mote."

"Yeah, and I don't think you boys can toss me that far either…"

*boing* "Wahoo!"

"What the heck!"

"Oh my gosh! What was that?…Mario?"

Mario was just gone. The two looked around when the both looked up and Mario was waving up at them. "Hey."

"Mario? How did you get up there?" Goombella asked. Mario pointed at the spring and jumped down on it to meet them on the ground. "Mario that's genius! Maybe there's a way to get across up there!"

Koops shook his head. But we didn't see any bridges up there when we were on the… bridge."

"Watch and learn," Goombella smiled, "You'll see."

She and Mario jumped up. And Koops watched them. "Uh… Is this too late to mention my fear of heights…?"

"It'll be fine, come on!" Goombella encouraged.

Koops sighed and jumped on the spring then landed on the platform. "Okay… that wasn't so bad."

When they stepped out of the other exit they were on a platform above the bridge. One that seemed useless by appearance. Goombella looked it over then looked at their height. "Well… this looks like it was for guards to yell across to each other. HELLO!" The echo rang through the interior of the wall and mote.

"Shh! Hooktail will hear!" Koops said in a urged hushed tone.

"That's what we want anyway. It'd spare us from having to find him. But it doesn't look like he heard us, so you don't have to panic. The acoustics are pretty good in here. Definitely meant for guards to exchange information tower to tower. And judging by the height… Mario, that curse might come in handy."

Mario agreed with a nod. Koops had taken a few pictures of the view but asked as soon as he heard it mentioned. "What curse?"

Mario jumped up and a border of white appeared around him. He spun folded and dropped to the ground as a paper airplane. Koops jumped back, a bit mortified, but Goombella was cheering him on. "Alright! Now will get over in no time!" She hopped and looked at Koops. "Hey, wanna give us a little air. Mario's waiting and he doesn't want to stay like this forever."

"Wh-what is this?" Koops asked examining Mario.

"It's supposed to be a curse but… it's pretty useful, I think. Anyway, he needs someone to help him get started. He'd have taken off on his own, but he's got two of us to lift now."

"Well, what do I do?" Koops asked.

"Just lift him above your head and jump off the side of the platform. We'll float right over. No sweat."

"F-float over?" Koops looked down. He gulped at the sight of the fall. It was a long way down. "Uh… are you…sure?"

Goombella rolled her eyes. "Look, you want to be brave? Like your father? Then you need to start acting like it. Your father found a way across this mote. He didn't have us to help him. You do. And for goodness sake you're on Mario's team! How many Koopas like you can say that?"

Koops gathered his courage and nodded. "Your right. Okay!" He lifted Mario over his head and took a deep breath. "Okay… on three! One… Two…" Koops winded back and moved forward to gain momentum.

"Three!" Goombella shouted. Koops was surprised, but he went with it, his brain screaming to just get it over with. He jumped over the side and screamed all the way over while Goombella was enjoying the ride. "Whoo hoo! This is great! Mario, you're the luckiest guy in the world. I'd kill for this kind of power but all you had to do was find a key!" Finally, they landed and Koops collapsed on his belly dragging a little from the momentum then balling up in a shivering mess. Goombella hopped off and giggled. "That was fun! I can't wait to do that again!"

"No! No. Never again!" Koops begged.

Mario changed back and smiled at him. Goombella bedside him, proud as can be. "Koops we made it. There's not time to stop now! Let's go!"

Mario extended his hand and Koops looked up. "M-m-m-maybe I'm not cut out for this. I-I should wait out here."

"Koops we need you," Goombella begged, "Think of Koopie Koo. Of Petalburg. That's who you're doing this for. No more Mr. timid Koopa pants. Today, your life changes for the better. It started with that bridge; you might as well go all the way. It's not like you can turn back without us."

Koops took a deep breath and gripped Mario's hand. "O-okay… I can do this… I can do this…"

"That's it, Koops, one step at a time," Goombella smiled. "You really are brave."

Mario pat Koops on the shell and agreed with a, "Ah huh."

Koops smiled and took one last deep breath. "You guys are right… Thanks for… letting me tag along."

"Thanks for tagging along with us," Goombella smiled, "We'll make a great team!"

Mario took the lead, Goombella behind him. Koops smiled to himself and looked back at the bridge. One obstacle down… next: the castle.