Title: Forever Young

Character: Kamek

Description: Sitting alone in his home, Kamek reflects on his long, long life

(KAMEK'S POV)

I sit in my rocking chair, staring out the window of my home in Lil' Fungitown. I watch as the children run around outside, having the time of their lives playing tag. Well, when you get to my age, the simple things in life, like watching children play, entertains you.

Ever since I moved here, the people treated me with respect, which is something I never expected mushroom people to do to a Koopa, especially a Magikoopa.

I should know. I was around when the whole war between the Mushroom Kingdom and the Koopa Empire started.

Now, you're probably thinking that I'd be dead by now if I was around to remember all that. But you'd be surprised. Listen to my life story if you like, but I warn you, it's a long one.

You see, when I was born, the Mushroom Kingdom and the Koopas worked in harmony. However, that was such a long time ago that almost no one alive would remember.

Keep in mind that I said 'almost'.

My father, a great Magikoopa, was the founder of a group of Magikoopas called the 'Wizards Six'. Their job was to make sure that no enemies tried to break the remarkable friendship link the Mushroom citizens had with the Koopas. They each had different powers and abiities, and they all used them amazingly to fend off attackers from space or monsters from Sub-Con or even the Beanbean Kingdom.

However, this ended up being their downfall.

The Wizards Six were called to investigate a possible attack from an ancestor of the modern-day alien threat Tatanga. However, the alien lunatic had planned ahead and set up an ambush. Five of the six Wizards were killed, leaving only my father alive. He barely made it back in one piece, but even still, he was severely poisoned.

My father only had enough strength to get back to me and tell me to carry on the tradition of the Wizards Six, gathering up new allies to form the group. After I promised him I would do so, he collapsed, dead at my feet.

Although my heart was torn apart at my fathers death, I wanted to make sure that I kept my promise. As quick as I could, I gathered five of my friends: A Mushroom citizen, a Wiggler, a Shyguy, a Goomba and a Koopa. The six of us trained under the watchful eyes of my father's best friend. Eventually, we became good enough to don different robes, becoming the new 'Wizards Six'.

The six of us went on to defeat this alien invader and save the alliance between the Mushrooms and Koopas, and we were all praised as heroes. We continued on in the footsteps of the original Wizards Six, saving the friendship alliance several times.

We continued this for decades. Eventually, we became old. We knew that we wouldn't be able to continue like this, but luckily, we had learned a neat trick. Using our scepters, we cast some magic, making all of us look and feel young again. Whenever we grew old, we would do this so we would remain young and able to defend the alliance all the more.

However, disaster struck one day.

We were fighting a vile, snake-like madman whom was threatening the alliance. We defeated him, but before we did, he managed to cast a spell on my five friends. I was also a target, but I had looked away in time.

My five friends were now just as bent on destroying the alliance as the many enemies we defeated had been. Knowing that I would slow them down, they used their magic to try and kill me. With one blast from a scepter, I was sent out of our base of operations and was sent flying a long ways away until I came to rest in a village called 'Twilight Town'.

My former friends then used magic to warp the minds of everyone in both kingdoms, putting everyone under the influence that the Mushroom citizens and Koopas hated each other for years, maybe even decades.

After recovering in Twilight Town, I set off to attempt to snap my friends out of their hypnotized state and make everyone else realize that they were being toyed with.

However, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get through to anyone, the power of the mind-control was just far too powerful.

Realizing the situation was hopeless, I donned a blue robe to disguise myself and retreated to the castle of King Koopa, who was so impressed with my magic abilities that he assigned me the job as his right hand man. Although I hated working to help bring down the mushroom leader, I had no choice. The mind control was too tight on the Koopa king and if I refused his offer, he'd kill me, leaving the world with no hope whatsoever.

Eventually, while the king was out in battle, I had to look after his son, Bowser. Earlier, the king had heard that a stork was delivering a pair of babies, and I was to steal them. Although I hated myself for doing so, I rushed the stork and grabbed one of the babies, missing the other one on purpose. The second, older, baby was sent down to the island below, where it landed on a yoshi.

I don't have to tell you what happened by now. Those babies turned out to be Mario and Luigi, and I knew that they'd be the ones to help end this senseless war between mushrooms and Koopas. I made absolute certain that Yoshi and his friends could defeat whatever I threw at them without making it look like I staged it.

A few years passed. Once Bowser had grown old enough to not need a sitter anymore, I quietly excused myself from the castle. I could never forgive myself for helping the evil side. I know that the mushroom forces were the ones to help, yet I didn't realize what I was doing until it was too late. I couldn't believe my foolishness, and was determined to make it up somehow.

A few decades passed by. I had once again used the magic to make myself younger. I didn't want to die yet, because my five hypnotized friends might still be out there, using the magic as well. I was determined to save them, and I still am.

During these many years, I was a mere drifter, going all over the kingdom to help people and heal their wounded. After leaving Koopa's castle, I switched back to my white and red robe I had worn while I was a member of the Wizards Six. This doubled as a disguise so no Koopas would recognize me and label me as a defector. People admired me for my deeds and because of my peculiar methods, labeled me as 'Psycho Kamek'. Hey, it worked. I was fine with it.

Eventually, I found a more permanent home in Lil' Fungitown, where the villagers welcomed me, even though I was the lone Koopa in the entire town.

Not terribly long after I moved in, the Mario Bros, now fully-grown adults, visited the town with the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach. At first, I was slightly scared, but then I realized that neither of them could remember me, being so young when that whole incident happened.

Only a few short minutes after the two plumbers arrived, I had heard that Mario had gotten extremely sick, and the only known antidote was located in some ruins. Only Luigi could go to fetch it, but he was scared. No, beyond scared. He was so scared that I consider it a miracle he made it to my house without collapsing in fear.

Seeing a chance to repent, I cast some magic on Luigi, making him extremely brave. This, however, made him think that he was, in fact, Mario. It worked though, and Luigi quickly found the antidote.

That pretty much wraps up my story. All that's left to tell is what's in store for me in the future.

I have still not given up hope that my friends can be saved. I have a deep feeling that each of my five friends are scattered around at different parts of the kingdom, and I am the only one that has any chance of breaking the mind control. If I can break them free, this senseless war can finally come to an end. However, I can't do that until I have perfected my skills, because I will be the one-Koopa army going into battle, and my magic needs all the leveling up it can get.

Now, I am fully aware that, no matter how many times I use the magic to make me young, I can't last forever. That is why I have decided to let the legend of the Wizards Six continue with six youngsters I have personally selected: A Mushroom boy, A Snifit, a Parakoopa, a female Goomba, a Lakitu and a Boo. Once my time nears, I will train these six to fight and use magic skills to help protect this world from all danger that may come to it.

I sigh as I stand up from my rocking chair and stretch. In my old age, I have been getting tired quickly. I slowly walk towards my bed, getting ready for yet another night of slumber, dreaming about what could happen if I fail my mission.

As long as my friends are still under mind control, the Mushroom forces and the Koopa army will remain at war. I will not rest until this war ends, or I will die in the process.

So when you think about it, the future of this kingdom depends on me.

END