Moments before Iggy and Parakarry's battle, Kooper conversed with Bombette inside his house at Koopa Village. She married Bruce a while back, who is listening to them as he sits on the hammock, somehow feeding their twin Bob-omb babies.

-o-

A Dream that will Never Be

...

Location: Koopa Village, inside Kooper's House

"So, rumors about a new railroad to Desert Hill were true?"

Bombette chuckles.

"Oh, Kooper! That got started about three months ago! Just last week, we barely made it to Desert Hill. Once there, both Bruce and I began clearing the way for a new railroad that would have connected all of Desert Hill, but only got up to a Spade Casino that belonged to some guy named Bago. Daily protests at that exact spot got on my nerves, and honestly, made it almost impossible to work on the railroad. We both grew tired of all the fuss, so Bruce and I decided to come back, and settle down for a bit. Glad that's over with, but we may have to go back, hopefully not soon."

The pink Bob-omb sighs deeply. "So, with that out of my chest, how you've been? Doing anything interesting?"

Kooper inhales deeply and closes his eyes while exhaling. The blue-shelled Koopa slowly grins as he begins to shake his fists until he couldn't contain his excitement. "I'm in!"

"So you weren't joking, eh? You really got accepted into the University of Goom to study archaeology? Awesome! I'd totally clap right now if I could!"

"I know, right?" he replies ecstatically, "My mom left a while ago, but she was thrilled when she heard the news! As was I." Kooper chuckles. "I honestly thought I wasn't going to make it in, with all of the competition from the rest of the world and all."

"Not make it?!" Bombette scoffs. "Don't be modest! After traveling with Mario and Kolorado, you could bet your bottom blue coin that you were in for sure!"

Kooper looks down while blushing. "But, it's true! The competition, especially the doogans, had high marks in all of their results. I barely edged them out. But yeah, if it wasn't for both Mario and Kolorado, I wouldn't be making this new, life changing journey." He smiles again, quietly pondering about his future.

Bombette leans in closely as she gingerly whispers to her former traveling companion, "Guess you'll be leaving the village again, eh, Kooper?"

"Guess so. U. Goom is so far away from home..." He looks pensively at the ceiling. "This college part of my life... it's really beginning. And, there is so much to discover... I'll do my best to hone my skills so that one day, I become the best archaeologist of this generation and make a positive change on the world."

"You can do it, Captain Platitude," jokes Bombette. Bruce chuckles as well.

Kooper snorts. "That was kind of messed up, Bombette. But anyway, I'll probably be away for a very long time, so, I need a favor from you both, if you don't mind. Seriously, you guys came at the right moment…"

Kooper bites his lower lip, melancholic as he stares at the floor. The cheerful atmosphere suddenly becomes tense that even Bruce looks up from his present duty. Bombette silently looks back at her Koopa friend.

"Somebody needs to watch over my house, and you are friends I can trust. So, uh, can you guys watch my house while I'm... gone?"

Both Bob-ombs look at each other, then back at the blue-shelled Koopa. Because they had traveled back to Koopa Village via the warp pipe next to Koopa Koot's house, they didn't get petrified like the rest of the Bob-ombs of the world. Although slightly dismayed because of the poignant reminder of the current predicament, Bombette sighs as she musters up the courage to reply.

"Don't worry about a thing, Kooper. It will be a privilege to once again inhabit you house, especially now that we have a family." She tenderly looks back at Bruce and their kids. "Koopa Village is a safe haven where they can grow healthy and strong."

"Oh no, no. The pleasure if mine. I just… I apologize for asking…"

Bruce interjects sarcastically, "Tsk, tsk. You Koopas are such worrywarts! Instead of fussing about our friends, the real problem is that you let four explosive individuals under your roof. Just putting it out there... Your insurance does cover damage by Bob-ombs, right?"

After an awkward silence, all three shared a much needed laugh. The pink Bob-omb shakes her head, and smiles as she tries to reassure her friend.

"Kooper, there's no need to apologize at all. If anything, we should be thanking you for putting all of our petrified friends out of harms way. Don't let your feelings stop you. Go on and follow your dream, and we'll wait for the day you return. You better have a diploma when you return, 'kay?"

"Thanks, guys. And will do, Bombette." He looks at digital clock in his boom box. "Look at that, time to mosey on out of here. Koot's a bit of a grouch, so no 'loud discussions', please."

After Kooper collects his belongings, he bids his friends farewell. As he exits his residence, he sees the rest of the village waiting for him outside his house, some teary eyed, some jumping with joy. Kolorado's wife wipes some tears from her eyes as she gives Kooper a plastic coffee mug complete with a lid, full of her special Koopa tea as a parting gift.

"I would've wished my husband was here, but he is on his way to Subcon to research some of its history. I'm sure he would've wanted to see you off to college. He would have been proud."

Touched by her words, Kooper embraces her, making the entire village cheer. She then lets go to fix the blue-shelled Koopa's red handkerchief. Soon after, the cheering stops; the village elder, Koopa Koot, walks forward and rests the tip of his cane on Kooper's shoulder.

He says in his quivering and frail voice, "Kooper, sonny, can you do this old Koopa one favor?"

Kooper gulps as the village waits for a response. Tension rises as the awkward silence draws out.

The elderly Koopa comes closer, and utters through his senile wheezing, "Can you... make… this village proud?"

Kooper suddenly smiles and gives thumbs up. "You can count on me!"

The villagers cheer again, escorting him to the outskirts of the Village toward Pleasant Path. Koopa Koot and Kolorado's wife stay back and watch him go his way. For once, the elder let go of his cankerous personality and bid a genuine farewell.

The villagers stay back, as Kooper is waving back and saying his final farewells. The blue shelled Koopa set forth toward Toad Town to wait in front of the post office for Goombario, who was also accepted to the University of Goom. The sun is beginning to set as Kooper walks on Pleasant Path.

…

Location: Along the creek next to Pleasant Path

As the sun sets and Kooper walks along Pleasant Path, he is immersed in thought...

'Can't wait to see Parakarry again; it's been a while. He said he was escorting us to college for free, but mom said that it wasn't right, since he is taking time from his Postmaster duties to take us, so I sent him a canister of... That tea… What was it called again? Chai tea, or something. She said that supposedly it could cure status ailments. I hope he got it intact from that loser working at the post office. Paraklam, or was it Paraklutz? Whatever… Good thing my mom had her vacation at Sarasaland before visiting me.'

Far-away explosions interrupt Kooper's thoughts. He looks up toward the distance and sees what seems to be a fire works show, green flashing lights popping randomly above Toad Town. He shakes his head as he chortles.

'Those Toads are getting crazier by the minute. Next thing you know, they'll be blasting Parakarry to a crisp. Won't be a shocker, actually.'

He stops walking and ponders for a bit, not noticing a large shadowy lump a few steps ahead of him. The sun has finally set at this moment.

Kooper whispers to himself as he clasps his chin, "Hmm… Since I'll practically have no life soon, I think I'll join the ruckus at Toad Town before heading out. As the Toads have been saying, much to my annoyance, YOLO!'

Kooper continues again and finally bumps into the mysterious road block. He backs off as he inspects it. 'What the heck! I'm pretty sure this thing wasn't here yesterday!'

Kooper slowly approaches it, and suddenly that thing flips over, and rests its head on its arm. The blue-shelled Koopa finally recognizes the thing as Roy. He lay in the middle of the road by a nearby bush, lazily picking his teeth and nose while scratching his crotch. Roy, still wearing his shades, sees the much smaller Koopa in front of him; he flicks the booger on his claw elsewhere and lazily stands, facing his opponent as he cracks his back.

"Ya sure took yo' sweet ol' time ta get here. Saves me the trouble of findin' ya." Roy punches his right hand and cracks his knuckles.

Kooper sighs and tries to plea with the Koopaling. "Please, not now. I am in a hurry. I really need to go somewhere…"

Roy laughs heartily with an obvious hint of sarcasm. "Yeah, right. Dis foo'…" Roy begins mocking Kooper by prancing flamboyantly. "Oh, lookie me in a hurry to dance like a sissy at the Toad dump..."

Kooper stares back. "Look, stop embarrassing yourself. What are you, in first grade? I have things to do, places to see, so why don't you just let me through, and you find yourself another bloke to mess with?"

"A'ight, shorty," replies Roy, as he shows the way by extending his right arm and grins. "You the boss."

The manly pink Koopaling was never courteous and enjoyed bullying and mocking weaker creatures than himself as evidenced by his weird display. At least, that was what Kooper had always heard about Roy. As surprised as that left him, he thinks nothing of it and takes a couple of steps forward, when Roy snatches Kooper's blue shell off.

"Psyche! I ain't letting a loser like ya go away easy just like that."

Ever since the fuzzy incident, Kooper had lost all shame in walking around as a beach Koopa, but he isn't wasting time on Roy, so he just slaps the pink Koopaling's face. Roy just stands dumbfounded as he drops Kooper's shell, who then picks it up, puts it on, and continues toward Toad Town.

"Did you just…? Aw heeeyyyll naw! Dis homeboy just slap me!" He turns to focus on Kooper, who is ignoring Roy's rant. The Koopaling squats angrily. "Boy, you is gonna get it!"

Roy squats and jumps very high, ground pounding the area right behind Kooper. The tremors stop Kooper in his tracks, and the shock waves violently rattle every bone in his body. A nearby tree gets uprooted because of the quakes, and is about to crush both Koopas under it, when Roy swings his right brawny forearm at the tree and hits it a distance ahead of Kooper, destroying the bridge leading into Toad Town.

Kooper slowly falls on a knee shaking while closing an eye. He finally falls on his hands. 'It feels like I've been on a jackhammer since was born. My entire body aches.'

Roy grabs the smaller blue shelled Koopa by the shoulders and chucks him aside, almost throwing him into the nearby creek next to Pleasant Path. "What's the matta, foo'? Ya ain't off the hook!"

Kooper slowly gets up, but can't stop shaking. He drops his belongings, and retracts into his deep blue shell. He does a Shell Toss in place, shooting the roads stones like bullets at Roy; his shell also went up in flames in preparation for his Fire Shell move. The pink headed Koopaling just scoffs.

"Ya puny squirt! My sistah Wendy can hit harder than ya."

Roy pulls out his magic scepter, and summons his personal Bullet Bill launcher as well as two P-Wings. Despite the debris hitting his face, Roy aims, and counters with a few, well placed Bullet Bills. The explosion negates Kooper's counter attack, extinguishing the fire completely, though some of the fire does burn Kooper's shoes and few bits of his shell.

"That's right, boy! You ain't all that in a bag of chips!"

Kooper tries to stand again, even in his weakened state, but is barely holding it together on his hands and knees. While he catches his breath on his hands and knees, he didn't see Roy use both P-Wings, sprouting four wings.

Kooper then faces his enemy, who suddenly disappears in a twinkling of an eye. Some dust flies into the air, but Roy is nowhere to be seen. With blinding speed, Roy reappears directly in front of Kooper and punches the smaller Koopa firmly in the gut, and follows with and equally powerful upper cut as he yells, "BOO YA!"

Kooper flies back a few feet as some blood trickles from his beak. He tries to yell but the wind got knocked out of him, and attempts yet again to run or fight, but his body will not respond and is glued on the ground. He is slowly blacking out as the moon brightly illuminates the road, and the last thing he sees is Roy walking over to his beaten body. The burly Koopaling throws Kooper over his shoulder.

A mob is rushing from Koopa Village to see what had happened at Pleasant Path. Roy smirks as he sees Kooper's belongings strewn all around the dark path, and the path itself is also a mess.

"This is whack, yo! Dem foo's just keep comin'! Time t' dip." He jumps once more and flies toward Shooting Star Summit.

-o-

Before you ask, yes, I am terrible at slang and similar lingo... Anyway, Kooper is down. Next time: Larry Koopa and Goombario play by Larry's rules! This shan't be pretty…