Hi Everyone... I appreciate all the reviews so far... I never expected so many.

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone in the Darklands. Their ideas/views/opinions are own by Nintendo.

Day 91-

It's been a little over a week since I asked my king whether he'd permit me to wander the halls of his keep and he hasn't given me his decision yet. I haven't asked again since that day though. Personally, I wanted to show my king the proper respect for consideration. What are the chances he'll grant my request if I continuously hound him? The fact that he's taking this long to decide means that he is seriously considering my request.

I guess I can't be too surprised it's taking so long if he's worried I'll be hurt out there on my own. Can you believe it? I mean I'm still trying to comprehend it myself. King Koopa, my KING, worries about me! A footstool! I can't harass him if he believes he's protecting me.

That's why after our breakfast of Yoshi dipped toast and sausage, I nearly choked on my last bite when he growled from the door, "Are you coming footstool?" He smirked as I struggled to clear my throat. "I've been waiting to get you back since you asked me about being a tyrant!"

Laughing caused the chunk of meat to finally dislodge from my airway. "A dastardly plan, my lord." It started as a joke but then he left me wondering. 'How many other grudges may my king be holding on to?'

I didn't dwell on it though as I placed our empty plates on Princess Toadstool's tray. "I'm coming sire," I answered discombobulated.

"Put on your weighted clothes," King Koopa ordered.

I scrambled into my clothing. Let's see it's been 41 days since my king altered them so my new weight is around 2 tons. Truthfully I stopped keeping count. They felt heavier for some reason knowing the exact number.

Rushing to my king, I stood excitedly as he opened the door leading into the hall.

"Loki," I exclaimed excitedly when King Koopa circled behind me to lock his bedroom door.

"That's Master Loki, footstool," his face looked angrily at me.

It made sense. I did just use his first name casually in front of my king (Who seemed not to hear it. Phew). "I'm sorry Master Loki," I bowed my head submissively. "But if it isn't too much to ask, this slave prefers to be called maggot or bug."

Loki couldn't maintain his stern face any longer breaking into a broad smile and then laughter. His head shifted to King Koopa, "Would that be okay sire?"

"That is acceptable Loki," his majesty replied.

"Hello maggot I'm happy to see you again," Loki grinned at me. "Shall we go?"

"Yes, sir," I smiled back.

"Hold on footstool. I want to go over the ground rules," King Koopa spoke authoritatively. I knew these rules were not to be taken lightly. "First you are my footstool. No one is allowed to use your cushion other than me."

I nodded, "Yes sire."

"Second Loki is your guide. I don't want you wandering anywhere without his permission," King Koopa ordered. I nodded in unison along with Loki. "Third, you are a slave and not allowed to leave the castle grounds."

I thought a moment and asked, "Is the coliseum considered castle grounds?"

"Yes," King Koopa smirked. "Are you planning to fight allot?"

Truthfully, 'Yes' One of the reasons, I asked permission to leave his room was to find Morton. "Just wondering where I can go."

My king smiled. I guess he could see my "tell" this time but he let it go. "Don't worry. Loki knows every corner of the castle grounds. He'll show you where you can go."

"Yes, my king."

"Lastly you are to be back here by 5. Loki will allow you in my room," King Koopa's attention shifted to Loki. "Then you may go home for the night." His attention focused back to me. "This routine will continue until I decide you don't need a guide anymore."

I couldn't help smiling. I'm going to get to see my friend every day until further notice! How AWESOME IS THAT!? "Thank you my king. You spoil this slave."

"And don't you forget it," he shot back before turning to Loki. "Loki, I am trusting you with my footstool. Don't break it."

"Yes sire."

"Also, if you come across a situation you can't handle come find me," King Koopa disappeared down the hall when Loki saluted.

"How are you doing Tom," Loki asked happily.

I laughed, "Awesome. King Koopa is a terrific master. You were right. I was really lucky." My voice turned serious. "Listen Loki, I'm sorry I didn't answer you back on my 7th day."
I saw him about to protest so I cut him off. "I just felt bad about it."

Loki nodded. "What did you want to see?"

"All of it," I answered. "I want to be able to navigate the entire castle in case of a crisis."

"Well that'll take a few days to accomplish," Loki held his hand to his chin. "Bowser's keep is enormous. Is there anywhere you want to see first?"

I shook my head. "I'll follow you anywhere you want to lead Master Loki."

"Then come along, maggot," he laughed flying the opposite direction of the king.

Following my blue shelled friend, we trekked the carpet running throughout the castle all the way to the front door without saying a word. We passed dozens of Goombas, Koopa Troopas, Boos, plus a dinosaur (cool) with an oval face that shot an egg at my head. It missed but the message was loud and clear. I'm not a very popular person and that vibe came from all of them.

"We'll start here maggot," Loki ordered at the center of the hall. "Do you recognize it?"

"This is where we came in that first day."

"Correct. Now, King Koopa's keep is basically a never ending labyrinth that branches out in every direction," Loki informed me. "There are warp zones, secret passages, pipes, trap doors, pitfalls, and in your case, enemies throughout the castle.
"So just because we go in the right door," the turtle pointed back to the door we came then continued "doesn't mean we'll stay on the right side of the castle. We may end up re-entering this room from the far left quadrant at any moment.
"I'm going to show you a few of the secret passages I know but the Kooplings are the ones who know where the majority are," Loki finished.

"What's a Koopling," I asked.

Loki laughed, "King Koopa's kids. Watch out for them, they're pretty bad sometimes."

"I'm counting on it," I cracked my knuckles making the turtle laugh out loud again. His humor brought jeers from all the Darklandians in the threshold. "I'm sorry Master Loki."

The reptile settled down when he saw my eyes darting from Darklander to Darklander. "Don't worry maggot. Most Darklandians won't do more than stare at you. You're still King Koopa's property."

"I'm not worried about me, Master Loki," I was more upset because their glares were directed at Loki instead of me.

"Don't worry about me either," Loki smiled pouching his yellow belly shell. "Turtles are tough, remember?"

I recalled our first conversation. "You're not a turtle; you're a paratroopa." We both laughed at our inside joke drawing more stares. My enjoyment subsided first.

"Don't worry Tom," Loki whispered in my ear. "I knew the risks when I volunteered to show you around."

Volunteered? Loki chose to be branded a traitor for me? My eyes started misting. He really was my friend. "Thank you, Loki," I whispered back.

"Let's begin the tour," Loki pulled back. "Oh by the way, maggot, you are not allowed out the front door. The buildings in the courtyard on your way into the castle are the guard barracks. Since they're outside the castle walls, they are considered outside the castle grounds.
"The reason the coliseum counts is because the whole arena is within the four walls," Loki said. He pointed, "Let's go back the way we came for today."

For as large a structure King Koopa's castle is, there just seems to be a lot of wasted or redundant (maybe a better word) space. We passed dozens of exercise rooms, living or common areas, and dining rooms in the first half of this corridor alone. Granted the rooms were occupied by what looked like guards and servants alike.

The variety of people were either exercising, eating, or napping peacefully with each other. However I noticed that the guards were only training with other guards and the servants only with the other servants.

I wonder if it was one of the king's rules. 'Probably' I told myself recalling that Loki and I weren't allowed to speak to each other either. I know King Koopa said there wasn't violence in the Darklands but what would happen if they had to fight one another after becoming friends? I don't think I could fight Loki not even if I have too.

After Loki and I exited the 13th dining, I couldn't help think it was ironic that King Koopa would have so many dining rooms when nobody will dine with him. I sighed feeling sad for my king.

'You know what? I'm not going to be selfish anymore. I'll make sure King Koopa will have dinner with at least one of his kids,' I decided to make it my personal mission.

The time flew by and it was almost 5 o'clock which stunk since we only toured half of this area. Loki tapped a few blocks causing a wall to shift revealing a secret passage. Following my friend, we emerged in the desolate hallway of my king.

"Thank you, Loki, for showing me around today," I smiled when Loki unlocked the bedroom door.

"You're welcome Tom," Loki responded motioning to open the door.

"Wait," I shouted surprising both the turtle and myself. "I don't think you're allowed in the king's room, Master Loki."

"Sure I am. How else am I to make sure you got in safely," Loki pushed the door.

ZAP! The turtle retracted into his shell bouncing backward. I did my best to catch him but the momentum careened both of us into the wall opposite the door. Luckily my shell absorbed the majority of the impact leaving Loki unscathed and me winded. It only took about a minute before he fully recovered.

"Are you okay Master Loki," I watched him stand up.

"Yeah," he extended his hand to me.

"Wow, turtles are tough," I accepted his hand.

"I'm not a turtle. I'm a paratroopa and you're," Loki grunted pulling me to my feet, "extremely heavy. Have you gained weight?"

I smiled, "Only a couple of tons." Loki gasped so I continued with a laugh, "All part of the meal plan rooming with the king."

"Whew. Well stay healthy. I don't think I'd be able you to carry you if you need help anymore," Loki joked.

"That's alright. I need to get stronger anyway," I looked at the door. "I guess that means you're not allowed in the king's room."

"Guess not," Loki responded then turned to me. "What's King Koopa's room like?"

I had to think about my response before answering. If my king doesn't allow people in his room then there's a good chance he doesn't want people to know what's in there. What to start with?

Unable to come up with anything to say, "Awesome," I started. "He has his own library of books."

"Is it as impressive as the castle's library?"

"The castle has a library," I questioned.

Loki smiled. "We'll add that to the tour tomorrow."

"Can you add the kitchen too," I grabbed my stomach remembering the meals so far. "I want to thank the chef."

Loki nodded. "What else does the king have?"

"A record player," I decided to omit the tapestry. "But there isn't a T.V."

"I doubt that," Loki laughed. "You probably just have to find it."

"Probably," I held my fingers to my chin. "The record player was hidden in one of the walls."

Loki laughed again. Continuing my report of the marvels in my king's room, I thought it best not to tell Loki about the balcony. I'm worried he may try entry from above. I didn't want my friend getting in trouble or worse hitting another invisible barrier and end up in the lava pit below.

"He's, also, got a bed almost 1000 feet long and 1000 feet wide," I tried demonstrating the size stretching my arms as wide apart as possible but it fell in comparison.

"Whoa. I bet I'd look like a mini goomba in it," Loki joked.

"Even King Koopa disappears when he climbs into it," I whispered for some reason.

"Wow. Is it soft?"

"I don't know. I'm not allowed on the bed." That was a partial lie. King Koopa never officially said "No". He only agreed with me when I said I wasn't allowed. I've been kind of self enforcing that one. "I usually sleep on the floor."

Loki frowned. "I'd have thought King Koopa would have given you a cushion or something to sleep on."

I shrugged. "I don't mind. I'm a slave after all. I'm lucky to have a floor at all. Plus thanks to you, I've got my shell," I ended with a laugh.

"What's your favorite part about his room?"

"The bathroom," I answered surprisingly quickly. "It's self cleaning. I bet that little fungus would be so jealous of King Koopa's self cleaning bathroom since he's been cleaning the guards' bath-."

"He's not cleaning the guards' bathroom."

I paused a moment. "Oh, Jimmy isn't on latrine duty anymore?"

"He is," Loki raised one of his fingers to his chin and looked away shyly. "Um… Latrine duty isn't cleaning toilets."

"Then what-," I stopped myself seeing Loki flushed with embarrassment. "Well… um… Back on Earth that stuff helps mushrooms grow." I suddenly felt very sorry for Jimmy. He's been the latrine for almost three months.

King Koopa appeared hurrying down the hall. "Footstool it's 7! Why are you out here?"

"Sorry my king-."

"Forgive me sire," Loki interrupted kneeling between me and the king. "I wanted to see inside your room and tried entering. I was knocked into the maggot and I've kept him talking in the hall making sure he was okay."

I wondered why Loki told the king. I worried he'd get yelled at unless it was a test.

"What were you talking about," King Koopa asked.

"What was inside your room," Loki said.

My king eyed me suspiciously. "What did my footstool tell you?"

"You have books, a record player, an enormous bed, and a self cleaning bathroom," Loki rattled off the list. King Koopa appeared to smirk in my direction. I hope that was a good sign. "He changed the subject after mentioning the bathroom."

"Good. You may go home Loki. I know you have family obligations," King Koopa ordered.

"Thank you sire," Loki turned toward me and winked.

I smiled and laughed thinking, 'Oh boy. My king and his tests' then my brain switched to his comment to Loki and his "family obligations" I'm going to have to ask him about it tomorrow.

Inside his room, I removed my weighted clothes before taking my position in front of his chair. "You're home early tonight my king," I said.

"Yeah well, all my kids declined their invitations," his majesty emerged from behind the changing screen wearing his robe.

"I am honored you'll be gracing me with your presence again tonight," I smiled.

The king laughed as he ordered some Yoshi rib eye steaks and asked what I thought of the castle so far. I told him it was impressive but I needed to know why there were so many dining rooms.

"There are so many dining rooms in the event of a crisis," King Koopa explained. "This castle is large enough to accommodate every citizen of the Darklands incase the enemy pushes the war effort onto the city.
"They're there so the refugees have a place to rest and get a quick meal. Luckily the enemy never pushes past their borders. I think that's because of Princess Toadstool. She won't hurt anyone unnecessarily."

My king's so awesome and generous. How haven't any of the other kingdoms realized this yet? But then I think about Jimmy's situation and understand their point of view as well.

"Um… Sire? I heard about the mushroom's punishment," I started. The king chuckled to himself prompting me to continue, "Would you stop it, please?"

"Stop it? Why," King Koopa looked questioningly. "He tried to kill you."

"I think 90 days is long enough to learn his lesson," I said. "Besides he was really scared that day. Jimmy's not going to see your dream from where he is now."

"You're just like her," my king said. I hope that was a compliment. "What if he hasn't learned his lesson?"

I laughed, "Then he'll just be one more obstacle to avoid in the hall."

"I'll have to think about it," King Koopa checked by his bed. "Time for bed, footstool."

"Yes my king. Thank you."

After the fountain dimmed, I laid awake making mental notes to ask Loki about tomorrow including his obligations and the status of the other prisoners that became slaves with me that day.