Chapter 37 Inspiring Story

Celia and Roy wandered Stonebrim for a bit. Every once in a while, they would knock on the door of a random house, and thus would ask a random koopa or goomba if they recognized Singe from the photo. Every time that this happened, the person would always say no. They would always shake their head, say they were extremely sorry, then close the door in both of their faces. It got old and repetitive after a while, as well as frustrating.

Roy couldn't even begin to comprehend how frustrated he felt. It seemed like they were going on a wild goose chase. Actually, that probably wasn't even a one-to-one comparison, due to the fact that they currently didn't have a goose to chase. Perhaps a better comparison would be running around like chickens with their heads cut off? Yeah, that worked.

After around 2 o'clock, both parties began to grow extremely tired. They took a rest on the front stoop of an apartment, catching their breath and rubbing their eyes. Roy took off his sunglasses and bit his lip, not even one hundred percent sure if they should or even could continue their search.

"Celia," he said as he put his glasses back on. "Maybe it would be best if we call this a day."

Celia raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Well, we aren't making any progress and have absolutely no place where we can go. I know you want to find your dad, but...somethings just aren't meant to come to pass, you know?"

Celia bit her lip as her eyes grew watery. Roy felt a pang as he watched the tears accumulate. Any second now, he knew that they would surely pour out and flood her face. However, there was nothing he could do to stop it. He didn't want to lie to her and give her false hope; she had already experienced a lot of that in her life.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Really, I am."

Celia shed a tear and wiped it away with the sleeve of her hoodie. She took a deep breath before standing up. "I don't want to quit."

"I know." Roy also stood up. "But we've already gone as far as we can. If your grandfather doesn't know where SInge is...well, I don't think anyone will."

Celia's breath became labored. "We can ask Iggy some more questions."

"He already said he doesn't remember all the details."

Celia growled. "I don't care! I want to find my dad, Roy! I don't care how long it takes; I WILL find him!"

Roy leaned away from her. The anger she was experiencing was starting to become frightening. Without knowing what else to do, he put his hand on her shoulder.

"You can't find somebody if they don't want to be found."

The two stood in silence for a bit. Celia started shedding more tears; they flowed down her face one at a time. Roy didn't like seeing anyone cry, let alone a girl. But what choice did he have?

Finally, Celia sniffled. "I guess you're right."

Roy nodded. He couldn't smile, not even in a way that was meant to be reassuring. "Tell you what." He removed his hand from her shoulder. "I'll let you live in the castle. You will be treated with all the nicest services and have access to every room there is. You'll never worry about anything ever again, because everything will be provided for you."

Celia blinked. "You'd do that?"

This time, Roy was able to smile. "Of course."

Celia smiled too. "Thank you. You're a really good friend."

Roy felt his heart sink. That was like...what, the second time he was friend zoned by her? Kind of odd that she would say stuff like this after admitting that she liked him. Ah well. Probably best to not let it bother him, at least not too much.

"I try to be," he said, trying to make his smile not look pained.

Celia smiled back, and with that, both of them started making their way back to the castle. They walked slowly through the barren wasteland, not even talking. The silence was actually invigorating, at least for Roy. It wasn't awkward, painful, empty, or horrid. It was peaceful. The expression that Celia kept on her face cemented that fact. Roy beamed to himself. While this mission was ultimately an unsuccessful one, he was at the very least glad that he did it.

"Hey Roy?" Celia asked once they had gotten a good distance away from Stonebrim.

"What is it?"

"Why did you decide to help me?"

Roy blinked before chuckling. "Because it's the right thing to do."

"Really?"

"Well, yeah; duh! I mean…" he hesitated, suddenly feeling a weight weighing down on his heart. "I know what it's like to live without a parent."

Celia blinked. "You do?"

"Yeah. i'm adopted by Bowser, remember?"

Celia's face fell. "Ohhh…" she looked down at the ground. "It's amazing how you and your siblings managed to flourish like you did."

Roy shrugged. "Well, sure. I mean, we just experienced the luck of the draw." He giggled. "Our eggs were in the exact right place at the exact right time."

Celia nodded. "That's good." She sighed. "I wouldn't know what that's like. I was...:an accident."

Roy blinked. "An accident?"

"Well, yeah. My parents did not plan on having me." She shed another tear. "And in my opinion, I think I was a mistake."

Roy gasped. "No! That's not true."

"It is! I ruined so many lives just by coming into this world. Did you know that my mom wanted to go to college and become a doctor before she had me?"

Roy's heart sank. "I do recall her saying that, yes."

"So you know. You know I was not meant to be."

Roy felt anger grasp hold of his soul. "That's not true! You're just letting your grandmother's words get to you! You were meant to be!" He took a deep breath. "There is a reason and a purpose for every person."

Celia snorted. "How can you possibly believe that?"

"Because my circumstances didn't have to be the way they are. If something had been slightly different, I probably would have died before I hatched." Something occurred to him. "And Iggy said your organs are arranged in just the right way! The odds of them being like that are astronomically small, he said! That can't mean that you are here by accident. You were here for a purpose. A greater purpose."

Celia sighed. "And what purpose would that be?"

Roy stopped walking. He thought about this, chewing on the thought. "Well, I don't know the exact details…" he smiled. "But I do know that, if you meet the right person, your story could possibly inspire them. It could help them reach for something greater than themselves, and help them strive to be the best they can be." He put his hand on her shoulder again. "You are not a mistake, Celia."

Celia stared into his eyes with her ruby red ones. Her mouth slowly but surely curved into a smile. "My story can inspire people, huh?"

"Yep. Every thought you think, every action you take, every scar you gain; it's all meant to help others. That's what life is all about. Or at least…" he chuckled.. "I like to think that's what life is all about. I'm not an expert though."

Celia giggled. "You don't have to be an expert. I think it's a good way to look at life."

Roy beamed. "Well that's good." He puffed out his chest. "I done did good!"

Celia smiled at him, showing her teeth. They weren't perfect teeth; they were yellow, and it was obvious that she needed braces. Regardless, he still thought that they were beautiful. The flaws they had just made him all the more grateful for her beauty, made him all the more appreciative of her experiences.

"Yeah. You did." She turned around and started walking again. However, just as she did, she stopped and put her hand to her head. "Ohhh…."

"Celia?" Roy went up to her and provided her some support. She wobbled so much she looked like she was going to pass out. "Are you…"

A huge wave of fatigue hit the Koopaling. He rubbed his eyes as his vision grew fuzzy. He just started noticing that the air around them had grown a dark blue. He thought it was volcanic smog, but that didn't make sense. Volcanic smog wasn't blue.

"What's...going….on…?" With that, both of them collapsed to the ground. The last thing Roy remembered before passing out was someone approaching them.