Hello Everyone and I apologize profusely for the delay. I have not honorable reason for the delay. However, I did not give up working on this story at least not in its entirety.

I did have allot of trouble convincing myself whether I liked the direction the next couple of chapters went/will go. Unfortunately, it did take almost 3 years to proceed and it wasn't until I reread all my previous stories the last two weeks & the 1st 3 seasons of Bleach on Netflix...

I am working on completing this one and have most of it handwritten but not typed up. At the very least I plan to bring this story to a close. I understand if most if not all of the readership fell off. It's a long time to go between updates

I know it maybe meaningless but everyone waiting for this long overdue update... T-T Gomen'nasai...

Day 681-

King Koopa did not return to his room last night. I guess getting in touch with Mrs. Loki took allot longer than he expected. Reasoning that Mrs. Loki may have been asleep considering how late our conversation ran yesterday, I began wondering whether the Mushroom Kingdom had time zones. I don't remember reading about or learning about them in Koopa School but if so why wouldn't King Koopa return his room and wait for a more reasonable time?

Speaking of which… Oh SCHOOL! I've been awake all night in anticipation and the reason I know my king hasn't returned last night. Sometimes I hate the insecurities running marathons through my mind while trying to get a good night's sleep. I know it's only been a few months since I went to class but in all honesty it felt like I haven't been to the academy in years.

How will the Kooplings react? Excited? Indifferent? Angry? Maybe Annoyed? It may seem like a ridiculous thought process but truth be told… I didn't like how I left things with them when I broke. They were indifferent at the time and left me alone but my meekness around them may have led to resentment or animosity.

Months working toward earning their trust, respect, friendship, and dare I say, brotherhood, shattered overnight by a simple act of fear. Some relationships end when people can see how easily bonds can break. That lingering memory of mistrust may negatively build anticipation of another collapse. I know because it's happened to me… Is happening to me! However…

'I didn't believe Morton when he told me Footstool was broken,' King Koopa's voice entered my head.

At the minimum, Morton cares enough about my well being to tell his father and each time my mind reverted back to my negative thoughts flashes of good memories flooded my brain drowning the bad ones.
Images like Bowser Jr. asking when it was my turn in Magic Class, Wendy saying 'like you're not a footstool like you're one of us' or Roy volunteering to serve detention with me. Finally the whole Koopa clan trying to pull me to safety from the side of the go kart track. That last memory is what empowered me this morning. It told me I didn't need sleep last night or to worry about my pending reunion.

Genuine excitement propelled me from King Koopa's room into the keep's corridors. Regardless of what may happen, I couldn't wait to see the Kooplings again hat in hand if required. I ran at full speed, jumping over guards and servants alike as well as under Thwomps. However, I was unable to expel any of my excess energy.
Everyone and everything in the castle appeared as tall as me… Smaller even. There was no fear anymore I even took the scenic route waving and wishing anyone a "Good Morning" or "Hello" while leaping over them.

Despite taking the longer path, I still arrived first. At least I thought I was until Jimmy appeared from behind the Magical Arts Koopa statue. I don't know how I missed the fungus considering there wasn't any dissipating blue smoke but his sudden appearance replaced some enthusiasm with suspicion.

'Could Jimmy have teleported here on his own,' my head thought since I didn't see Master Kamek with the fungus. It only increased my concern. 'You have been out of commission for over 3 months, Baldo,' my brain said as if responding independently. My hand instinctively found my sword's hilt reliving our last encounter like it was just yesterday.

"Relax Footstool," the mushroom's eyes followed my hand. "I've embraced the hands of time." He directed at his own hands before grinning slyly and hugging himself. "Together we came up with another way to win the king." A devious glint from his eyes joined his smile.

'Win the king? What does that mean?' I thought finding it even more difficult to relax. However as much as I wanted to question the mushroom further, the Kooplings began filing in one at a time.

Each one froze in the doorway, saying my name (Baldo not Footstool) before grinning ear to ear and entering. Both Roy and Morton gave me a high 5. (Morton's smack was so hard my hand stung the whole class). It was clear Morton continued training while I was broken. Ironically the most surprising reaction to my return came from Bowser Jr. The youngest Koopling actually hugged me earning a collective gasp from his siblings. It was good to be back.

"Hi guys," I smiled. "What did I miss?"

"Like us," Wendy said first with a smirk and a wink. "Like duh Baldo."

I laughed hearing the other 6 turtles agree. "I sure did," smiling even wider now that my voice was free of the nervousness it held only a few months ago. "I even missed Master Kamek."

"Ugh, Bawdy" Morton grumbled rolling his eyes. "Yo' wassaint ta onwe won out fo' ta month."

"Really, what happened," I asked engaging the conversation.

"Kamek like went back to like teaching the old way," Wendy said with a sigh.

I could hardly believe it. Why would the wizard go back to multiple subjects at once? 'Maybe the teacher didn't want you falling too far behind?' My brain suggested. "Sorry guys. Was it really that bad?"

"Ta whole cwass got borwing," Morton said shaking his head disapprovingly.

"Yeah," Iggy spoke up. "We were all falling asleep. Even Kamek fell asleep while in the middle teaching."

I wanted to laugh but stopped when Roy lowered his shades. "It was bad, Baldo," his voice was so genuine that even my eyes felt heavy. "I almost stopped coming again."

Before I could inquire further why Master Kamek would revert to his old teaching method, a plume of blue smoke appeared at the front of the room. I couldn't help thinking how much I missed that blue cloud signaling everyone to their seats for the start of class. Despite everything that happened, the puff of smoke made the previous few months a distant memory and signaled the return of normalcy.

"Now class, take your seats," Kamek's voice permeated the plume unenthusiastically until the haze cleared. Master Kamek's mouth was frozen open similar to my classmates. Clearly the turtle was poised to say something prior to seeing me.
The stupor slowly crept into a smirk (dare I say a smile) on the wizard's beak. Although I was unsure whether I saw it because in the time it took to blink his smile vanished. However, his voice failed to hide his enthusiasm.

"Footstool, welcome back," Kamek happily growled. I nearly fell out of my seat. His greeting was genuine. "I take it that King Koopa feels you are repaired."

"Yes, Master Kamek," I answered equally excited. I could barely believe it. The lie I told King Koopa about finally establishing a positive relationship with the wizard was true. Maybe all the resentment and ill-will I thought between us was just in my head after all. "King Koopa fixed me." I suddenly felt every eye fall on me. It made me nervous.

"He WHAT!" Kamek exclaimed disbelievingly. "Personally?"

"Yes," I answered without thinking. I watched as the wizard's face drained of its yellow hue. Oh me and my big mouth. My eyes shifted finding the same pale color on the Kooplings' faces as well.
I forgot how unbelievably rare King Koopa's kindness is. 'Brain, I blame you for this,' I thought realizing how his kindness may come across as weakness. Clearing my throat, I tried elaborating. "Well of course he did. He's King."

"How," Kamek pushed.

I swallowed. If King Koopa repairing me invoked this kind of response, what kind of damage would revealing our pillow talk cause to his reputation?

"Because he's king," I answered.

"But how," the teacher repeated. His complexion return to its normal yellow but didn't stop. It continued until his face was green. Unfortunately, it wasn't the sickly shade.

"Doesn't matter. He's king so he gets the credit," I recalled part of our back and forth regarding how King Koopa resolved disputes.

Sighing in defeat, the wizard began his lesson. Relieved the turtle didn't inquire further, I exhaled my own breath as I didn't know how long I'd have been able to withstand his interrogation. My eyes shifted to my classmates releasing another weighted breath since they were listening to Master Kamek's lesson.

Midway through today's lesson, my brain struggled keeping up with Master Kamek's lesson. Reasoning that it was probably because I missed so many classes but for some reason I couldn't convince myself since Master Kamek reverted to his old teaching method. Wouldn't all 7 of us be at the same place?

My head started hurting when Master Kamek explained the power behind music boxes during health class. It's a tool that lulls person's (well Darklandians) to sleep. Apparently, the Mario Bros. use the item to sneak behind enemy lines when King Koopa kidnaps Princess Toadstool. I wonder if that means Mario's immune to its effect and if so, are all humans. If it's like magic, maybe I am too.

"Some Koopas even use the trinket to help them sleep," Kamek explained. "It's most useful when someone's sick and can't sleep."

Hmm. That's interesting. Do turtles get sick? The obvious answer is yes but if so… "Master Kamek," I interrupted. "Won't a mushroom cure a Darklandian if they're sick?"

"Only if consumed within 3 days," he answered. I know this rule recalling Lieutenant Kol, Ed, and Bain from Loki's funeral and the scar on my abdomen. Kamek continued, "However, mushrooms are not always around and are too expensive for some Darklandians to buy."

I didn't know that! King Koopa's always shared his mushrooms without a second thought. My king's even granted me permission to eat them anytime I'm hurt. My mouth moved on its own. "Doesn't King Koopa provide them?"

"He would if asked," Kamek answered. "However his reputation does precede him even in the Darklands. Not many citizens are brave enough to approach him. Although…
"Since you've arrived King Koopa's been allot more approachable," the wizard's finger scratched his beak.

Did Master Kamek just compliment me? No… Not really but it's the same thing Master Jinx said isn't it. Is King Koopa really changing because of me? I fell silent for the rest of the morning's courses as nervous thoughts prevent me from focusing on the wizard's words.

Am I going to cause his empire to collapse? King Koopa had told me if a ruler undermines their own authority it leads to the ruin of the kingdom. He prided himself on never letting his decisions waiver but he has undermined his authority a few times for me. The go kart race. Hearing me speak. Listening to the story of my family. The numerous times I called Loki by name with or without a title.
These were all situations that I was forbidden to do. He openly instructed and denied permission. These were all things I disobeyed and followed through with anyway and without punishment. They maybe trivial but how long can the kingdom last if I continue causing King Koopa to question his own authority?

I was thankful when the plate of Yoshi ribs appeared on my desk. The smell forced the runner in my head to stop and address the loud cries of my stomach. Unfortunately, the distance runner only caught its breath long enough for me to eat the first rib.

"Bawdy, do yo' whant ta twain today," Morton distracted me.

Before I could answer, a tiny goomba appeared out of nowhere. Standing around 3 feet tall, its reddish brown head accounted for almost 2 feet. A pair of fangs extended from its lower jaw lining directly under its green eyes as if pointing them out. Its appearance silenced Wendy and Roy's conversation.

"Footstool," the impish mushroom started then paused to take a deep breath. The lapse between words and breath drew everyone's attention. "King Koopa requests your presence at dinner tonight."

Each Koopling smirked approvingly with Morton and Bowser Jr. smiling the most excitedly. Both had open mouth grins. However the request wasn't as well received by my instructor or his assistant. Master Kamek's face filled with disbelief while Jimmy's lips curled in repulsion. Both stares filled me with a bit of concern. I anticipated that any positive relationship I had established with the wizard had just gone up in smoke like he usually does but he simply remained silent. The mushroom just looked like he was going to kill me.

What do I do? My brain instantly went back to the marathon it was running before lunch. Only this time, it was moving at full speed instead of pacing itself. The last time I accepted my king's invitation was the day I broke. Now if I accept…
Wait! Will Master Kamek allow me to accept? If so, will he try to break me? What if I say the wrong thing and King Koopa breaks me again? Would he be kind enough to repair me again?

I was waiting for some kind of signal from the wizard an approval or denial. Why wasn't he speaking up? Why isn't he yelling or throwing a tantrum? How come he hasn't teleported reporting his disapproval directly to King Koopa like when I first enrolled in Koopa School?
Instead the turtle remained quiet. His face only portrayed futility or maybe longing. Perhaps Master Kamek has been hoping for this invitation his whole life of service and now a servant (a slave) earned the invitation in under 2 years of servitude.

Suddenly my side begun to hurt again, it prompted my eyes to shut. Unexpectedly, Loki's voice entered my head. 'I don't think so. I think given enough time you'll be the most powerful piece of furniture in the land.'
And then 'There's change in the air,' Master Jinx's voice followed. 'Maybe King Koopa will free you during dinner. How would you know if you don't go? I think you should go.' Both their voices calmed my mind.

"Footstool, King Koopa requests your presence at dinner tonight," the goomba repeated sounding annoyed.

My eyes opened and I said with a smile, "I accep-."

"Wait Footstool," Kamek interrupted. "Y-You have allot of homework… and… make up assignments…" He sounded like he was trying to convince himself. "To make up."
I stared at the turtle with a bit of surprise. However his tone wasn't filled with anger or malice. It sounded more like desperation. Maybe it was his last stitch effort at keeping his reality pure. His dream intact. "If you don't do it," Kamek continued still trying to believe his own words. "I'll have to give you a zero."

Despite knowing the score will be zero anyway, it'll still be valuable information (at least I think so in theory anyway). Seriously how much work could I have missed if the entire class fell into the previous rut?

"I understand Master Kamek," I sighed deciding to give the turtle his victory today. My attention shifted to the goomba. "I respectfully decline my king's invitation tonight but I look forward to his return."

"I will inform the king," the goomba replied in a surprised tone.

"Thank you sir," I smiled causing the goomba to do a double take before leaving.

Shortly following his departure, class resumed becoming woodshop. Today's assignment was to construct our own music boxes. Any good will I may have earned with Master Kamek vanished when the dinner invitation arrived. Naturally, I failed the assignment since I'm still not allowed to use tools. Life between us seems to have returned to the relationship before I broke.

At the end of class, the instructor dropped a stack of paper with easily a hundred mini assignments (101 if you include the latest shop project). I was bit surprised that the wizard would have the class construct an item that would lull the citizens to sleep.

Oh well, I guess it doesn't matter as long as I have all of the assignment turned in tomorrow. Reviewing the first few pages of the makeup work, it turned out being a bunch of basic and remedial work. Mostly recapping all the information we had learned since the start of the year. None of it was overly important and I was able to complete it all tonight so I should be able to accept King Koopa's invitation to dinner if it comes again tomorrow.

However all that busy work, still drained my energy and perhaps it was also my body trying to readjust to the schedule or maybe the lack of sleep last night was catching up to me. I barely kept my eyes open long enough to clean up before my head pressed against my shell and everything went dark.

Day 690-

DINNER WITH MY KING! What was I thinking? Every time my king sent Turrok (the little goomba's name) to invite me to one of his dinners Master Kamek would drop a new stack of "Make Up" assignments on me. I ended up having decline each night just to get the assignments done.
I think pride is the reason why. Or is it foolishness? How's the saying go? Only a fool repeats the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. I think the saying goes something like that right?
Truthfully, I didn't want to get a zero on it. Although the turtle gave me a zero whether my answers were right or wrong anyway. I know this because one night I even had Ludwig review my answers and he confirmed their accuracy. However despite that Kamek argued emphatically that my answers were incorrect and reassign the material when each new invitation arrived.
Clearly the wizard did not want this line between master and slave crossed. Worst part was Master Kamek appeared no matter when Turrok appeared. During class, after class, and even on the weekend whenever the goomba began his routine "POOF" Kamek appeared out of nowhere dropping a new stack of paper.
My hope was that doing the assignments again and again would eventually earn the wizard's respect again. Unfortunately, it only seemed to empower Kamek's resolve. Oh the price of kindness. I should have known better.
Each night, I wanted to tell my king that I'd accept his invitation the next day so that Master Kamek wouldn't know but I fall asleep after I complete the assignments. Maybe it's the repetitive question and answers or maybe my mind's not fully repaired from being broken.
For some reason, I cannot get on the same schedule as my king. I keep missing his return and I'm annoyed since he isn't sure whether he wants to use me anymore. I know he returns to the room at night because I normally fall asleep on the floor but when I wake up I'm in King Koopa's bed alone.
If he doesn't want me as his footstool anymore then fine but… He needs to say it. I feel like I'm being pushed away and that King Koopa is avoiding me. Is he insulted that I decline his dinner invitations? Maybe it's a test. He won't grace me with his presence until I accept his invitation. I hope not. If that's the case then he's just being juvenile.