RECAP:
Junior and his team managed to escape their Shy Guy and Piranha Plant pursuers in Sarasaland by seeking refuge at a nearby inn, which was occupied by Goombella and Kooper, a pair of assistants to the famous archaeologist Professor Kolorado. They told the group of their encounter with an ice monster within Daisy's palace and of Kooper's fatal shell injury, hoping to dissuade the group's desire to enter the palace. But this only seemed to strengthen the latter's resolve to take action.
As everyone settled in to rest for the evening, Junior was overtaken by a sudden violent ailment. Luckily, Peach managed to pacify him using her mysterious pink power and bring him back into consciousness. Despite the Koopalings' trust in Peach taking a blow, they steeled themselves for a more dangerous threat at-hand than they anticipated before.
Mario sipped at his coffee as Bowser finished retelling the events that had brought them back to Leanna's diner as well as everything their mysterious waitress had revealed to him.
"So, that's how it is, whether you believe it or not," Bowser concluded.
"Oh, I believe it," Mario affirmed. "After everything I've seen and done on my adventures over the years, I'll believe just about anything at this point." At that moment, Leanna entered the room, though her outfit was a far cry from the casual truck driver-esque ensemble the pair had met her in. Leanna was now dressed in a black sweater and slacks with matching combat boots. Her long hair was bunched up in a ponytail.
"Look who's finally awake. Had enough beauty rest?" Leanna teased.
"Plenty," Mario replied with a smile. "But seriously, thanks for your help, Leanna. Bowser told me what you did. We'd have probably been done for if it hadn't been for you."
"Don't mention it. Anybody Contemno's trying to kill is probably worth saving in my book."
"Huh, that's funny. I distinctly remember you telling me before how little we mattered to you," said Bowser. "After all, you made it pretty clear that we're barely partners at the moment."
"Don't twist my words, tubby," Leanna countered. "You gave Mario a pretty glowing recommendation. If even half the stuff you've told me about him is true, I might very well live to not regret sticking my neck out to save him. You on the other hand, have got an uphill battle ahead, my friend." Bowser rolled his eyes and dismissed the remark as he trudged upstairs to refill his mug.
Leanna finished examining Mario's injuries and declared he had miraculously made a full recovery. It was a blessing they all shared in given how eager they each were to get back to their missions. They sat down at a booth upstairs to discuss their plans. Leanna had locked the front door, flipped the sign hanging on it to "Closed," and shut all of the blinds to grant them privacy from any outside prying eyes.
"Alright, let's get down to business," she said as she slid into the seat cushion across from Mario and Bowser. "As I told Bowser before, the only way to get in or out of Contemno's heart kingdom is with a Kagi symbol."
"What is that exactly?" Mario inquired.
"It's a symbol that lets you perform a basic summoning spell. You create a portal that'll let you get back out to the real world. The power is limited in application, but not usage. In other words, you can use it to get in or out as many times as you want, but that's about all you can do with it."
"So…are we gonna need to get tattoos on our hands like you?" Bowser asked. She nodded and pulled something out of her back pocket. In her hand were two large white cards housing the same symbol Leanna carried on her hand.
"You'll transfer the Kagi symbol from these cards to your hands. Once that's done, you'll be free birds. But I'm only gonna warn you once. If for some reason you ever want to come back into Contemno's heart kingdom, use this thing sparingly, got that? Don't be careless about it."
"What do you mean?" Mario asked.
"From the real world, you'll enter the heart kingdom at a specific area every time called a destination point. For me, the destination point is this diner. For you two, there is no set destination point yet. Without one, you'll be dropped in at any random location. This means when you use your Kagi symbol to enter Contemno's heart kingdom, there's no way of knowing where in this place the portal will drop you. If you get careless, your portal could open up right in front of Contemno and his cronies if you're unlucky enough. Then you'll really be in hot water."
"How do we get a destination point then like your's?" Bowser chimed in.
"You need to know the lay of the land well enough. Right now, you boys don't know enough about the layout of Contemno's heart kingdom to be able to clearly visualize a specific spot to come in from when you use the Kagi symbol," Leanna explained. "Once you can clearly imagine a specific place you want to appear in within the heart kingdom, you'll be able to use it as a destination point, and your portal will open up there every time you come back as long as that's what you're thinking of."
"Can't we just think about the diner like you?" Mario asked. Leanna shook her head.
"It's not that easy," she denied. "It requires a degree of mental magic to get your destination point to work. Not to mention physical magic to get the Kagi symbol to activate from your hand in the first place."
"You can't be serious," Bowser complained. "I already told you, I don't do magic."
"And I already told you, tough," Leanna shot back. "You can't use a Kagi symbol without magic. It's just a useless marking on its own until you infuse it with your own energy to give it life."
"What!? But you told me before that the symbol was given to people who were physically incapable of doing magic! Now you're saying I need to be able to do it? Make up your mind!"
"Calm down. You're overreacting. You don't need to become a mage just to use a Kagi symbol. Look, I'm gonna tell you something the Forbearance Society doesn't want you to know."
"The what?"
"It's this dusty old group that discovered how to do magic a long time ago. Read a book about them if you really wanna learn more because we don't have time for me to give you a full history lesson. All you need to know is that these guys were hell-bent on keeping magic a secret from the world for a long time. They didn't want just anybody on the street casting spells. But the truth is, there are a lot more people out there who can do magic and don't even realize it. The Forbearance Society would rather keep it that way, but it's not reality. Long story short, even someone as stupid as you can do some basic magic if you quit complaining and just open your mind up to the possibility."
"C'mon, Bowser," Mario joined in. "How hard can it be?"
"I can teach you boys the bare minimum that you need to know in order to use the Kagi symbols and get out of here. But after that, it's up to you to decide how much magic you wanna learn." Bowser folded his arms and grumbled.
"Fiiiine. Let's get this over with," he agreed begrudgingly with a grunt. "Where do we start?" As if on cue, Leanna slid out from the booth and motioned for Mario and Bowser to join her.
"Follow me." She led the pair down a winding staircase at the back of the diner, which descended beyond even the basement and deep into the earth below the establishment. They arrived in an enormous gymnasium-esque facility.
"Where are we now?" Bowser asked.
"This is my secret training facility. I suggest you get comfortable, boys. Because until you can master enough of the basics of magic to use a Kagi symbol, this is gonna be your new home."
At dusk, the dusty town streets were deserted, save for the noisy local tavern; where drunken brawls could break out at any hour of the day and the beer flowed like a mighty river. As all the families huddled around their tables for supper in the comfort of their cramped cottage homes, there wasn't a soul around to spot Contemno as he passed through the town square. His pace was swift; his eyes never straying from the path ahead. Luckily, there was nothing in this dull, ordinary town to distract him.
He'd already seen what little meaning it had to offer long ago, and what he sought now was far enough away from it. This decrepit little settlement was merely a stepping stone on his path towards his grand ambitions. Perhaps to some, there was a certain charm to this village; a quaint and humble draw that was felt by uninitiated foreigners and travelers who passed through on the very same dirt road Contemno now walked. But despite what little value towns like this might've had in the grand scope of the world, they were already doomed to fade into obscurity. Worthless little farming and fishing towns like this had no place in Contemno's new world. The ideal world he sought would bury meaningless places like this forever under the rubble of the past.
Minutes later, Contemno reached the outskirts of the city and glanced back over his shoulder one last time to make certain he wasn't being followed. The coast was clear for now. If there were in fact any experts in tracking, disguise, or concealing their presence in broad day light around, the chances that Contemno would encounter such characters in a no-name town like this were exceedingly slim.
Before him stood a tall yet slender mountain of rocks and moss that stretched high into the sky. Climbing this structure the hard way would take anyone all night. But for Contemno, it could hardly classify as a test of his abilities. The mage bent over slightly, then rocketed high up into the air with a single leap. He landed gracefully atop the mountain within seconds. Just ahead at the center of the grassy summit sat a thin wooden table and two chairs. A figure was hunched over in one of them; patiently waiting for an opponent to join him so the game of chess that was sprawled out across the small table could finally begin. Contemno strolled over towards the table and stared at the figure.
"You're early," said a raspy male voice.
"Don't sound so surprised. I'd wager you already know why I'm here," said Contemno.
Seated at the table was a tall, lanky old man with elf ears and a long, pointed nose. He wore a formal carmine red business suit with blood red gloves and loafers, as well as a striking red tie to match. The man laughed as his dry, cracked lips twisted into a devilish smile and exposed his fang-like teeth.
"Ah, but as I've told you before, I'm not a mind-reader," the man said. "You're just that easy to read, my boy. I don't see why you bother wearing that silly mask when you broadcast your thoughts and feelings so openly. Frankly, you have a terrible poker face."
"Hmph, I've managed to keep certain truths hidden well enough thus far."
"Perhaps. But your secrets may not be your own for much longer." The man twisted his wrist and pointed to the open chair. "Sit. I sense that we have much to discuss. Lucky for you, I have nothing but time these days."
Contemno sat in the chair across from him. The man motioned for Contemno to make the first move. The mage blindly selected a piece and moved it forward on the board by one square. The man responded by moving a piece of his own, albeit with more thought in its selection.
"Tell me, Bastierge. This 'grand plan' that you have in store for me, does it involve my premature demise? The way things are progressing, I sense that everything I have worked towards will collapse in an instant. I need your guidance if I am ever to change this course." Contemno moved another piece carelessly.
"I chose you for a reason, my boy," Bastierge replied simply as he plucked up another piece and plopped it one space forward. "If you were really meant to fall so unceremoniously, I would have looked elsewhere. Believe me, I've had decades to select a worthy candidate. You show nothing but promise." Contemno shifted a piece diagonally. Bastierge approached it with a piece of his own.
"But how can that be? My followers have doubted me from the start and I suspect it's just a matter of time before they turn against me. The kingdoms they've conquered in my name may not be mine for much longer. Meanwhile my enemies continue to elude me. I am unraveling, Bastierge. I need much more than simple reassurance that failure is not in my future."
"What you need is patience, dear boy." Bastierge suddenly knocked over one of Contemno's pieces to capture it and removed it from the board. "You are letting fear and paranoia rule over you. Doing so will guarantee a premature end; one that I have not planned for you." Contemno grunted and shoved another piece on the board forward aggressively.
"And just how do you expect me to be patient? I need to take action, but I don't know what to do."
"Patience is not the same thing as indecisiveness," said Bastierge. "You already know deep down what you need to do next." Contemno saw the old man jerk his head slightly; the latter's pointy nose gesturing to a piece on the board. The mage immediately seized the opportunity and captured the chess piece for himself.
"But just how can you be so certain?" Bastierge moved his next piece.
"Because I have already given you all the tools you need to see this through to the end." Contemno moved his own.
"Explain." Bastierge's move followed. Then Contemno's.
"When I resurrected the people you sought for your army, I instilled in each of them a new kind of power." Another seemingly uneventful round followed.
"Yes, and it is that very power that they might use to turn against me." Contemno noticed Bastierge was covering less distance with his own pieces. At this rate, Contemno could capture several more of them. This couldn't be intentional, could it? Just what was the old fool's endgame here?
"They will, if your own power pales in comparison." Contemno flinched when he saw Bastierge snatch up a piece in his long, boney fingers and skip several squares across the board; capturing three of Contemno's pieces in one swoop.
"H-how did you-" the mage stammered.
"I got a good look at them when I brought them back from ruin. I know what their souls are like. Maybe even better than you. The only language your followers speak is power. You must communicate with them not with words, but using your own power. You must demonstrate to them that your's is not one to be questioned or challenged. You must command respect through action, my boy. No less. In other words, your will must be unbreakable."
Contemno shoved one of his remaining pieces forward. That last maneuver left one of Bastierge's most aggressive pieces wide open to be captured. He just needed to get close enough first.
"Dispel with your riddles, old man! Just tell me how to do this." Bastierge moved a piece, but Contemno slid his a step closer.
"It is no riddle. But in your current state of mind, the answer will be meaningless to you unless you discover it yourself," said Bastierge. The next turn repeated in identical fashion. Contemno's piece drew near. "It is not about how much power you have, but what you choose to do with it." Strangely, Bastierge opted to move a completely different piece on the other side of the board next; essentially sacrificing the other piece as Contemno would inevitably take it. Still, the mage remained cautious.
"And just what are you proposing I do with my power exactly in order to arrive at this answer?"
"Refine it. You do not need to overpower those who oppose you. But when met with adversity, your will must endure. You must have nothing left to hide. Only when you reveal the truest darkness of your heart will you be able to command true respect through fear and admiration alike." On his next move, Contemno captured Bastierge's piece. This gave him the confidence he needed to take the game within the next several turns.
"Please, teach me how to refine my power," Contemno said humbly. A wicked grin formed on Bastierge's wrinkled face.
"First, tell me something, boy. Have you ever heard of the gateways of clarity?"
The blizzard subsided and was replaced by a gentle snowfall. But, a thick layer of fog had since descended upon Sarasaland; continuing to discourage its townspeople from even thinking of setting foot outdoors for even longer.
Despite the group's collective sense of urgency to mount an invasion of the palace and rescue Daisy and Professor Kolorado, they ultimately decided to spend an entire day at the inn, planning and preparing instead. Iggy and Goombella reviewed her notes and sketches religiously and brainstormed a dozen variations of an infiltration route; refusing to settle on one due to too many ill-founded assumptions and unknown variables.
Junior slept most of the day and no one had given any thought to waking him. After his harrowing ordeal from the night before, they figured an additional day of rest would be good for him and would put him back in fighting shape both physically and mentally. After all, they would all need to be at their best if they were going to succeed against the impending threat.
Roy was perched on the sofa by the fireplace as he read one of the magic textbooks assigned to him by Merlon. He found it difficult to concentrate however, with the muffled racket of an argument unfolding in the other room between Goombella and Kooper. The Koopaling couldn't make out what was being said, but it didn't seem like it would end peacefully at this rate. Roy wasn't exactly the designated peacemaker of the group. His personal philosophy was to let others sort their own problems out unless those problems somehow found a way to loop him into the fold as well. To his surprise, this would be one such occasion.
Kooper stormed out of the kitchen in a huff. That is, as well as anyone on crutches could possibly storm away angrily. The Koopa stopped and glanced over at the fire; failing to notice Roy's presence entirely. Kooper then limped into a rhythmic pace back and forth across the room, mumbling to himself.
"Somethin' wrong?" Roy asked, not looking away from his book.
"Uggh! I can't stand this!"
"Me neither. It's so hard to read in a noisy house like this," Roy joked.
"I should just go out there right now myself! That would show her!" Kooper ranted aloud as he continued pacing.
"Like that? In the middle of a blizzard? Sure, sounds like a good idea as long as you're looking to get yourself killed."
"Grrr….I know. It's stupid. But what else can I do? This is not okay!" Roy closed his book, sat up, and gave Kooper his full attention. He gripped Kooper's arm to make him stop pacing and helped him into the chair nearby.
"Tell me what's goin' on," Roy instructed.
"It's Goombella. I can't talk her into letting me come with you guys to save Professor Kolorado."
"Well, can you blame her? You ain't exactly in the best condition right now, man."
"I know that! Of course I do. But still. How can I be okay with her going off to that dangerous place without me!?"
"Well, it's not like she'll be goin' in all alone. We'll be there to make sure nothin' happens to her."
"Yeah, yeah. I know that too. It's just that…I dunno. You wouldn't get it."
"What's there to get?"
"Goombella and I are really….close. Like…really close. Like, I would never forgive myself if I let her go to the palace without me and something bad did happen to her." Roy placed a claw to his chin and pondered this for a moment.
"You two are that much of a thing, huh?"
"Definitely. Well, at least I think so. I mean, she's like….all I really care about, y'know?"
"What about the professor? Ain't he like, you're idol?"
"Oh yeah! Of course, of course!" Kooper assured him quickly. "I love being an archaeologist and being just like the professor has been all I've ever dreamed about. Ever since I was a baby! But…I guess things sorta changed when I met Goombella. Now…it's like…I dunno. I just can't stop thinkin' about her, y'know?" Kooper took Roy's silence as an indication that he didn't.
"Yeah, I do actually," Roy surprised him. "I had someone like that too once. Years and years back. There was someone I really cared about a lot…in the same way as you….," the Koopaling explained. Kooper's eyes widened at this.
"Why the past tense? Where's this person now?" There was a subtle grimace in Roy's face. It was hurting him to remember something. Kooper was about to tell Roy he didn't have to answer when he got his response.
"She…drifted off somewhere. I had my own path to follow, and she had her's. I never saw her again…" Kooper placed a hand on Roy's shoulder.
"So you do get it then..."
"Yeah, I do. Look, if Goombella's really that special to ya…well…you gotta hold onto her. Don't let her get away, trust me. Don't make the same mistake I did."
"Of course not. That's why I have to go too. I have to protect her, whether she wants me to or not. But…" Kooper glanced over his shoulder solemnly at his injury. "When I'm banged up like this, how am I ever gonna do that?"
Roy cupped his chin in his hand to ponder this.
"There might be a way."
Peach continued practicing on her own to channel her mysterious pink power. After seeing the healing effect it had on Junior, she was confident this power could be incredibly useful. But, there was still so much she had yet to understand about it. She couldn't channel the power on command yet or even begin to figure out what triggered it.
The princess abandoned her fruitless efforts and turned in time to see Roy standing in the doorway; his arms crossed.
"Is there something I can do for you, Roy?" she said as she frowned to match his own.
"We need to talk," said Roy.
"About what?" Peach replied without hesitation, though she already had a pretty good idea of what he came here to say.
"What did you mean last night when you said you 'did what you had to do'? What exactly did you do to help Junior?" This time Peach didn't answer right away. Roy assumed she was taking a moment to fabricate a suitable explanation instead of just telling him the truth; and he was ready to call her bluff.
"It was my power again," Peach answered simply. This response seemed honest enough that Roy aborted his attempt to immediately press her with so much force.
"Your…what?"
"You remember. That power that saved me from Eris, and the one that teleported me away from Contemno when I first fought him. Whatever it was that I felt last night, it was familiar. I knew it had to be the same thing. I'd felt this power inside me before, so I recognized it when it came to me again." Roy adjusted his jaw slightly.
"So you're tellin' me that power is some kinda mcguffin, and it just magically shows up whenever ya need it?" Peach's eyes sank to her gloved hands as she sighed.
"I don't know what it is, Roy. I've never felt it until this whole mess started. But yes, it has conveniently appeared when I've needed it most thus far. I wish that wasn't the case. I wish I could summon it at-will. Maybe then I'd feel more useful to this group." Roy waited a moment before responding.
"I knew it…," the Koopaling said softly. Peach turned back to him.
"Knew what?"
"You really are only lookin' out for yourself, aren't ya?" Peach's eyebrows narrowed at this.
"What on earth are you talking about?"
"When Junior needed help, you coulda come and got us. You coulda relied on us. But you didn't."
"W-well…I just-"
"Why? What is it? Do you not trust us?"
"No, that's not-"
"You still think we're the same snot-nosed brats of Bowser's who used to kidnap ya, right?"
"Roy, I'm not-"
"Are you only sidin' with us cuz you think it'll somehow help you find Mario?"
"ENOUGH!" Peach exclaimed. Roy took a step back as a wave of pink aura blasted across the room and the princess's own pupils flashed pink for a second. She fell to her knees. Roy anticipated another blast of energy, but it didn't come. The Koopaling took a step forward towards her. "I get it. You're not the same people you used to be. I have certainly recognized that you've all changed. But…"
"But…what…?" Roy replied somewhat hesitantly.
"Maybe…I'm afraid that I'm the one who hasn't changed after all these years. I'm so tired of being viewed as helpless and weak. I've been tired of it for so long. But now that both Mario and Bowser are gone, and after being forced by Contemno to indirectly hurt Junior the way I did a decade ago, I…really didn't feel like I had any excuse anymore. So please excuse me for wanting to take matters into my own hands for once! Excuse me for wanting to make a difference with my own power for a change!"
"Princess…"
"You have no idea what it's like to feel so helpless, Roy. You especially, because you seem to be the strongest in your family aside from your father. You're so…solid and unshakable. You always know how to keep it together. So how could you possibly understand how it feels to be so weak and so…useless!?" Roy was silent, which was the exact response Peach wanted him to have. However, he found the words he needed much sooner than she expected.
"Well for starters, you're not useless. We wouldn't have made it this far without ya. But you honestly think I don't know what that feels like? Really? To feel weak or useless? Get real, princess," Roy replied as he clenched his fists. "Everyone knows what that feels like, no matter who they are or what kinda life they're livin'. Hell, I'd bet a heavy bag of coins even someone like Contemno knows what it's like to feel weak or helpless. That feelin' is enough to drive people to do the crazy things they do. Believe me, Peach. I'm no different."
"Perhaps. But still. I-"
"I'm not sayin' it ain't admirable for wantin' to go out and change yourself. In a normal world, I'd say go out there and do whatever you gotta do to feel better about yourself. But this ain't a normal world. Not anymore." Then Roy did something Peach never could have predicted. The Koopaling knelt down to her level and removed his sunglasses, revealing his stunning emerald green pupils.
"Roy…," Peach started.
"I don't know what the future looks like or if we're gonna make it through whatever comes next. But what I do know is that for now anyway, we're a team, princess. We're in this together. You can do all the growin' you want. But don't go thinkin' you need to save the whole dang world on your own to do it. You've got us with you now. Remember that. Use us. Ask us for help, 'specially when it comes to Junior." Roy re-adjusted his glasses back over his eyes. "That's all I'm sayin'."
Peach was stunned and left at a loss for words. Of course she understood what Roy was saying, but she also found it difficult to not dwell or comment on his rare, pristine eyes. She regained her composure in a deep breath.
"I know. You're right. I should've asked for your help when Junior was in trouble. I'm sorry. We are a team, and I'll work harder to remember that going forward. But in return, I need the rest of you to acknowledge my own desires, and to let me do all I can to grow on my own. I'm long overdue for this." Roy nodded.
"Fair enough. I can overlook this little incident. But there's somethin I need ya to do for me first."
"What's that?"
Junior emerged from the bedroom in the late afternoon and found his teammates all huddled around the dining room table. They seemed to be so lost in thought over the ocean of papers scatted across the table before them that they hardly noticed the Koopa Prince's approach.
"Hey…," Junior chirped groggily.
"Hey, squirt," Roy greeted. "How ya feelin'?"
"Better." He expected to be subjected to some sort of scolding, playful or otherwise, for sleeping most of the day away. But to his surprise, Junior was instead met with warm, silent smiles all around. Peach and Junior's eyes met, but she quickly looked away after a few seconds so as not to suggest that she was thinking anything about him in particular at that moment.
"That's good to hear," said Larry.
"Why didn't anyone wake me up? I thought we were supposed to head for the palace today."
"After last night, I think we all needed more rest than any of us realized," Iggy said as he pushed his glasses up and rubbed his eyes. Goombella passed him yet another cup of tea. "In fact, I could probably use another eight hours before we head out. I know it means Daisy and Kolorado have to wait another day to be rescued, but we won't do them any favors if we go about this mission anything less than professionally."
"Right, and I'd say it worked out for the best this way," Goombella agreed as she reclaimed her seat. "It took some time to get here, but I think we finally came up with a solid strategy to get into the palace as seamlessly as possible." Junior strolled up to his own spot near the table, folded his arms, and glanced down at the maps in front of him.
"Alright, let's hear it then. What's the plan?" Junior asked. Iggy cleared his throat.
"Well, from what Goombella and Kooper have told me, the palace is a lot more heavily guarded than we realized," the Koopaling explained. "It won't be as easy as waltzing right up to the doorstep like back at our castle. We should expect to meet quite a bit of resistance this time around."
"And how are we going to deal with this resistance exactly?" Peach asked.
"Goombella gathered some weather reports that suggest the on-going blizzard should subside slightly tomorrow, but there will still be a heavy fog spread across the entire capital for most of the day. This will give us the perfect cover we need to make our way up to the palace," Iggy continued. "We'll travel across the rooftops to avoid detection from the streets and stop here." He pointed to the end of the rooftops just before an open sliver of land dividing the city from the palace's outer wall.
"They've likely increased security after Kooper and I escaped to make sure nobody can just barge into the palace from the front entrance again," said Goombella.
"But it'll just be Piranha Plants and Shy Guys we're up against, right? I bet we can probably take them," Larry suggested.
"Maybe, but there's no point in risking it," said Iggy. "If we create a big commotion at the entrance, it'll just summon more guards from inside the palace. We might never get through at that point. Besides, we need to save our strength for the ice monster inside."
"That's why we're gonna sneak into the palace from above," Goombella added. "Using his physical magic, Roy will launch each of us one at a time from the rooftop across the open space and right on top of the outer palace wall. If we time it just right, the fog will hide us so the guards will never see us coming."
"The palace itself is barricaded inside this large outer perimeter that circles all the way around," Iggy continued as he traced a large circle on the map with his claw. "There are five patrol stations around the wall. Once we're across, we'll split up into teams of two and take control of each station. Once the stations are all secured, there are five courtyards directly below each of the stations, and each one has an entrance into the palace itself."
"Wait, so we're gonna split up? Isn't that kinda risky when we don't know the layout of the palace?" Larry asked.
"Without a more up-to-date map, there's no way for us to know exactly what to expect in the palace once we're inside," Iggy replied. "That's why we're moving in teams of two. We'll be more mobile if we split up than we would be moving as a group, and having a partner to watch our backs will reduce the chances of getting totally blindsided as much as possible."
"Based on what I remember, the interior of the palace itself isn't as heavily-guarded as the exterior," Goombella added. "You might still find some Shy Guys or Piranha Plants patrolling around inside, but I'm expecting most of the opposition will be concentrated at the front gate."
"All the rooms connected to the courtyards lead to a grand hallway that circles around the entire inner perimeter of the palace. All you have to do is get out into the hall from the rooms connected to the courtyards, and follow the hallway until you reach the throne room entrance. Once you're in the courtyard, just be careful and smart from then on. Use your best judgement and if you do get spotted, take the guard out before they can alert the others," Iggy instructed. "If all goes well, we'll meet up outside the throne room and head in to take on the ice monster together."
"When all is said and done, we'll kick some monster butt, find Princess Daisy and Professor Kolorado, and we'll have the palace back under control," Goombella added. "Hopefully getting rid of the monster will put an end to this blizzard once and for all too."
"I don't like the idea of us splitting up like this. Sounds like an easy way for any one of us to get cornered." Junior argued. "But, if this is the best plan we've got, I guess we might as well give it a shot." Peach pointed at each member of the room briefly as she did some math in her head.
"It seems we'll have three teams of two if I'm counting correctly," she commented.
"Four teams," Roy challenged.
"Huh? But there are only-"
"Remember that favor I mentioned earlier, princess? Time to pay up."
"What are you talking about, Roy?" Iggy asked.
"I'm gonna be acting as a team of one," Roy answered.
"Are you serious? That's nuts!" Junior objected.
"I've got enough physical strength to make up for the lack of a partner. Besides, Iggy already told me who the teams were gonna be. I'm supposed to be paired up with Goombella. Nothin' against her personally, but there's someone else here who wants to be with her more."
Everyone followed Roy's attention as he watched Kooper limp over to the table; still clutching his crutches tightly.
"What!? No way! I already told you 'no', Kooper!" Goombella objected.
"I don't care! I'm not letting you go back into that dangerous place alone!" Kooper declared.
"Well, how are you gonna leap across rooftops or take out guards when you can barely walk?" Larry asked. "No offense, but you'll just slow us down the way you are now."
"That's where Peach comes in," Roy interjected. The rest of the room split its attention; some still looking at Roy, while others now stared at Peach. "That power you told me you used to help Junior last night," the Koopaling reminded her. "I want you to use it again. But this time, to fix Kooper's shell." Goombella's eyes widened.
"Is…that actually possible?" she asked.
"I…I don't know," Peach admitted. "Roy, I already told you I can't exactly channel my power on-command yet. It might not even-"
"It helped Junior with whatever his condition was. I don't see any reason it can't help Kooper too," Roy argued.
"But it's not exactly a healing power. Even if I could make something happen, I don't know if it'll actually help him," said Peach.
"Well…it can't hurt to try, can it?" Larry inserted. All eyes were on her now. Peach wished the floor beneath her feet would swallow her up at that moment and save her from all of this mounting pressure. Kooper was looking at her with the most expectant, pleading eyes of them all. Peach took a sharp breath and unclenched her fists.
"Oh…alright. I'll try," she agreed at last. "But I'm not promising that this will actually work." She strolled around the table and motioned for the others to stand back while she approached Kooper.
Peach helped him lay flat on the floor on his chest, and carefully peeled away the bandages. She grimaced when she saw the large, ugly crack that arched across Kooper's shell, but steeled herself for the task at hand. The princess placed her hands over the injury, closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. Kooper closed his own eyes and relaxed his limbs as if doing so might somehow help Peach.
The inhabitants of the room waited and watched in still, silent anticipation. Several minutes passed, but nothing seemed to be happening. Even so, no one was brave enough to speak up out of a mutual fear that doing so might interrupt Peach's concentration at this critical moment.
Peach's entire face scrunched and she gritted her teeth. Sweat ran down the side of her head. She wasn't feeling anything. Peach distinctly remembered an almost painful vibrating sensation when she was using her power on Junior. But why was she not feeling it now? She held her position steadily and eased back into concentration.
Several more minutes passed, but still nothing happened. Peach was certain everyone else had given up waiting. She cracked open her eyes. The first thing she saw was Kooper slowly clenching his fists, followed by a faint whisper.
Please…I need to protect her…
The princess had no idea who said this. Was it Kooper? It hadn't come from her own mouth and because the room had been utterly silent up until now, she was confident it didn't come from anyone else. The voice was too faint and too soft for her to fully make out its owner. But she hardly had time to dwell on this.
Suddenly, a sharp pain surged through her wrists. Peach immediately shifted her gaze to her hands, which were now radiating with a pink light. The familiar feeling returned. This was it. The same thing that happened with Junior was happening again. She was sure of it. Peach forced the sensation from her wrists down into her palms and fingertips.
"No way…," she heard Junior mutter aloud.
"Cool…," commented Larry.
"Amazing…," said Goombella.
"Is that really…?" Iggy wondered.
"That's gotta be…," Roy surmised.
The pink light grew in its intensity. The radiance engulfed the room and forced the on-lookers to shield their eyes. Peach winced from the pain, but powered through it. She had to. She was compelled to succeed. She couldn't falter or let this moment pass her by. She had to be useful not just to herself, but to her friends as well. Only she could do this now. She was certain of this.
The princess lasted only another minute or so before collapsing. Luckily, Roy and Larry were there to catch her. Fighting to stay awake, Peach cracked open her eyes and found she was already the last to observe the fruits of her labor. Kooper climbed to his feet with ease; leaving the crutches abandoned on the floor. He turned, and Peach was able to see her handiwork.
The crack was gone. Kooper had made a full miraculous recovery instantly.
Iggy and Goombella were orbiting around him, utterly bewildered. Peach even caught a glimpse of Junior cracking a small, but still very evident smile.
"It worked! It worked! Yes, yes, yesssssss!" Kooper cheered as he bounced around gleefully.
"Astounding," said Iggy in disbelief as he adjusted his glasses. "It's like it was never there."
"That's totally insane! When did you learn to do that, princess!?" Goombella asked as she ran up to Peach.
"Well…I-" she started.
"This is perfect! Now I can come with you guys! Oh thank you, thank you, THANK YOU, Princess Peach!" Kooper exclaimed as he grabbed her wrists and shook her to her very core. If the exhaustion from using her power didn't make Peach faint, Kooper's over-the-top gratitude surely would.
"Well, I guess that settles it, then," Iggy declared. "As long as you're feeling up to it, you're welcome to join us on the mission, Kooper."
"This is gonna be so epic! I won't let you guys down! Promise!"
"What are the other teams, Iggy?" Junior asked, drawing everyone back around the table to return to the briefing. Kooper excitedly took a spot next to Goombella.
"Right, of course," Iggy replied, clearing his throat. "This new development means the teams will now be Roy on his own, Goombella and Kooper, Larry and myself, and Peach and Junior."
Larry nodded in approval, while Peach and Junior exchanged nervous glances. The princess could tell that Junior was dying to object, but he was forcing a blank expression to try and hide it. She assumed it was taking everything he had not to blurt it out, but she decided to accept his restraint instead of question it.
The group dispersed and spent the remainder of the day resting and finalizing preparations for the mission.
Mentally exhausted, Iggy was the first to turn in for the night, not that anyone blamed him. Meanwhile, Larry and Junior practiced their magic to improve the speed of their summoning powers. Larry was growing accustomed to switching between his shield and pistols on the fly, and Junior could now make his paint brush cycle among its transformations into a sword, a hammer, a scythe, an axe, a mace, and a whip with each swing of the weapon's base. The Koopa Prince discovered before long however, that he would need more practice adjusting to the different weights of each weapon on the fly. It didn't take long for Junior to lose control when switching from the heavy axe or mace to the much lighter scythe, sword, or whip. While there wasn't enough time for him to master the art now, getting in as much practice as possible with the time he had was ideal.
Roy was meditating by the fireplace and invited Kooper to join him when the latter was pacing around the house in excitement and inadvertently breaking Roy's concentration. Goombella watched them from afar. As Peach sipped at her tea and gradually recovered from using her power earlier, she didn't fail to notice the Goomba's troubled expression. This wasn't the first time she looked this way. In fact, Peach noticed Goombella had been glaring at Kooper constantly for the rest of the day ever since he had been healed, so she was certain he was the source of her concern. Feeling responsible for any unhappiness she might've caused, Peach steeled herself to try and resolve it.
"You'll have to pardon me for prying, but…," the princess began. "I thought you'd be more excited about Kooper being able to join us on the mission after all." Goombella snapped out of the trance she was in and looked back at Peach.
"Huh? Oh…yeah! I am! Totally!" Goombella assured, though unconvincingly.
"Your face says otherwise," Peach defended frankly. "Tell me what's bothering you."
"No, it's nothing…really."
"Goombella, if I did something today to upset you, I'd like to make up for it if I can. Please, talk to me." Goombella breathed sharply and hesitated in silence before coming to a decision.
"I'm not mad at you or anything. Honest. It really is great that Kooper is better now. It's just that…"
"Just what?"
"Well, when we were back in the palace trying to get away from that beast, I really thought I was gonna die. And when Kooper came to my rescue and I was safe, then I was afraid I was gonna lose him. This might sound really weird but…when I was carrying Kooper back to this inn, he was all I cared about. My own life didn't even matter to me anymore," Goombella explained.
"I see," said Peach.
"But like, that doesn't mean I wanted to die or anything. I was just…more worried about Kooper than myself. I don't know why. I just felt like watching him die would've been so much worse than dying myself. But I have no idea why I felt this at all. It's so nuts!"
"I know what you mean."
"You do?" Peach nodded and smiled humbly.
"You're in love with him, aren't you?" Peach guessed. She seemed to be right on the mark as Goombella's cheeks flooded with color.
"…Who m-me!? With Kooper!? No way! We're just good friends, that's all!" Goombella argued. Peach wasn't at all convinced.
"You saw just how far he was willing to go for you, and you just admitted you cared more about his life when it was in danger than your own. Just admit it, Goombella. You're in love with him. It's okay, there's no shame in it."
"And what makes you the expert on love then, huh?" Goombella asked in a tone that was more playful than accusatory. Peach's gaze wandered towards the window.
"Because I went through the exact same thing." Goombella's eyes lit up at this.
"Ohhh, you mean with…Mario?" Peach nodded.
"He proved to me time and time again just how far he was willing to go for me every time he rescued me. For a while, I thought he only did it for the fame or notoriety that came with being a hero. But then we spent so much time together; playing sports, racing go-karts, throwing parties, you name it," Peach explained. "As time went on, I guess I saw more and more of what was really in his heart. Looking back on it all now, we had been good friends for such a long time that I really shouldn't have been so surprised when he proposed to me, twice."
"But doesn't it bother you? Not being near him right now? How are you not worrying if he's in danger?" Peach's smile faded. If only Goombella knew just how hard she was hitting the nail on the head.
"Who says I'm not?" was all she could bring herself to respond with. The rest of the princess's strength was being used to fight back the urge to break down and cry at the very mention of Mario's name. Goombella took notice of her silence.
"Princess...? Are you okay?" Peach wiped at her eyes quickly before turning back to Goombella.
"Goombella, when you love someone, there's much more to it than just wanting to protect them."
"There is?" Peach nodded.
"It's about learning to trust them and…let them be their own person too. You can't keep them caged up just because you're afraid they'll get hurt. Think of Kooper like a bird. You have to let him spread his wings and take flight every now and then. You have to trust that his love for you will give him the strength he needs to come back to you safely."
"Hold on, I may…love Kooper. But I don't know if he feels that way about me." Peach looked over at Kooper, who was still meditating.
"He does," Peach assured.
"How do you know that?" As she continued to stare at the spot on his shell where the crack once was, she couldn't help but picture Mario sitting in his place.
"I just do. But trust me, you'll see it for yourself before long."
Eris's train of thought was shattered when Tatanga violently burst through the door and stormed into the room in a huff.
"What gives, Eris!?" He roared. "You tryin' to punk me or somethin'!?" Eris folded her arms and shut her eyes.
"What are you whining about now, Tatanga?" she replied calmly.
"My boys and I have been sittin' around on our butts for ages now! Where the hell is that signal I was promised?"
"You're talking about the one from Midbus, I take it?"
"Duhh! That's the only one Contemno told me to wait for. So why haven't I heard anything from pig boy, then?"
"What do I look like, his keeper? Why don't you head out to Sarasaland and find out yourself?"
"Because Contemno made it pretty damn clear we're supposed to wait for Midbus to give us the all-clear first before I move my troops in to storm the place and take up the mantle. The fact that we haven't heard a peep from him makes me think something's up. But I'm not about to waltz into any trap you laid if that's your angle, toots!"
"Why on earth would we go to the trouble of bringing you back to life if all we were gonna do was turn our backs on you? Quit being so paranoid. Seriously, you're almost as bad as Contemno. I don't know any more about this situation than you do," Eris explained. "All I know is Contemno sent Midbus to Sarasaland to secure the palace. Once that was done, Midbus was supposed to contact us so you could move in and trade places with him. But that's it. I don't know why we still haven't heard anything from him yet."
"Sounds to me like pig boy might've croaked then. I don't see anything other explanation."
"Maybe. If you're really that curious, go and check it out for yourself. You don't need my permission while Contemno's away."
"Hmph, I think I will!" Tatanga declared as he turned and began to strut back out of the room. "But if he is still alive, I hope ya don't mind if I carve up that big palooka into a pair of boots for keepin' me waiting so long."
Eris waved her hand casually as if to say "Do as you will."
Out in the hallway, Tatanga placed two of his fingers to his earpiece.
"Listen up, boys. I'm goin' on ahead to Sarasaland to see what the holdup is."
"I'll come with you," a voice responded.
"No," Tatanga denied. "You stay put and keep tabs on the others. I can handle this on my own."
"Even if Midbus was struck down? You really wanna be next?" Tatanga grinned at this.
"I've got more than enough firepower to plow through any chumps sorry enough to tango with ol' Tatanga. But I'll tell you what, compadre. Meet me at the usual spot and order me a tall one, yeah? Guaranteed I'll be back before the foam settles."