A Friend in the Undead: Tv Tropes: Heartwarming

This is a story about a Yoshi that encounters death, but even so, that doesn't stop the Yoshis from spreading their contagious happiness across the pages. Even a Spooky Yoshi story can have its cheerful moments, and a lot of 'em.

Chapter 1:

· The start of the story as a whole. We get to see Kaleb's character, who is nothing short of what a Yoshi is: cheerful, loving and full of energy. The story opens with him having happy dreams about what he's going to do with his friends when Fruit Fest starts during the night, and even the preparations before then. As soon as Yoshi and his friends knock on his door, he's up and at 'em, ready to go! The first part of the day is nothing but another adventure with three of his best friends!

o Of course, this sets the story up for its more tearjerker parts later on, starting with chapter 2.

· When Kaleb starts to get down on himself about how he didn't collect enough fruits, the others are quick to try and cheer him up. This of course sets the stage to show in this moment as well as the near future how much they care for him. Since he is the youngest of his ten friends, it only makes since that they treat him like a precious little brother.

o That fact in itself drives in more tearjerker and heartwarming moments later on in the story.

Chapter 3

· Kaleb is on the brink of death, and it seems that no one will find him in time. However, a hero comes to him in the form of someone named Olly, a developing scientist who absolutely adores Yoshis. The story already describes him as an innocent young child who's occasionally made fun of for his love of the dinos, but when he sees Kaleb in his poisoned state, he immediately jumps into action, making a beeline for the forest exit, all while begging Kaleb not to leave. When it becomes apparent that he can't seem to find the way out, Kaleb, knowing full well his good intentions, uses all the strength he has left to point the way out for him. By the time they're out of there, Kaleb absolutely knows that he can trust his knew human friend and hero.

Chapter 4

· When Olly takes Kaleb to his home, he tells his parents that he needs to save Kaleb before it's too late. Following an argument in which they tell him that he might not be ready for this, they retract their statements in an apology and announce their full faith in their son. Olly then heroically walks his patient into the lab.

o Kaleb gives his parents a little wave as they go downstairs.

· Ever since the previous chapter, Kaleb has grown to like Olly more and more. At this point, he wants to hold onto life, so that he can introduce him to his friends! And this is after Olly promised him a lot of fruit too. D 'aww…

· As Kaleb is waiting for the medicine to take effect, he begins to tell Olly of how much like a Yoshi he is. Olly himself blushes at this, being rather humble in not thinking that he's that close to one.

· When the antidote appears to heal Kaleb fully, he's back to his happy and eccentric self, and hugs his doctor as a sign of thanks. Olly is beside himself in disbelief that he actually did it.

o Sadly, it only seems to work for a moment or so before Kaleb falls back down to a state near death.

Chapter 5

· As Olly frantically searches for a cure to rescue his dying new friend, he comes to the cruel realization that it's too late. As he begins to sob in defeat, Kaleb has a few final words for his doctor that double as this and tearjerker.

o "I-It's… okay. I don't want- you- to think that y-you're a f-f-ailure for this. Y-You w-w-were brave enough to t-try…"

o Kaleb is certainly afraid of dying, especially at an age so young, but for the sake of his friend, he'll go out with a smile, forgiving his friend and telling him not to feel guilty for seemingly failing.

· Kaleb's immediate plan of action to rescue Olly from the villain's clutches. He could care less of what he looks like at the moment. To him, Olly is the most important.

· The Yoshis' plan to not only save their friend despite the danger, but also to stop Fruit Fest preparations for his sake. They're not afraid to jump into peril, and they're not afraid of harm coming to them. They're more concerned and worried for Kaleb.

Chapter 6

· So, Kaleb has just seen his new appearance (as well as used one of his many new powers for the first time), and is hence planning to live out the rest of his undead existence in the forest, alone and without friends. But said friends won't have ANY of that. They find him as he stops by the entrance, causing him to run off in fear that they won't love him anymore. Wondering why their friend has run away from them instead, they try to track him down, not intending to leave him behind despite their growing exhaustion through the search. The story outright says that they know that it would be shameful to just leave him behind.

· When Yoshi finally finds their lost friend, Kaleb is desperately begging Yoshi to leave before he sees his new face. Yoshi, however, won't, stating that Kaleb is his friend no matter what. When Kaleb gives up and gives his friend one last chance to leave, asking him what he thinks he'll see if he looks at his face (a line straight from Kylo Ren/Ben Solo in Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Yoshi replies with an equivalent of Han Solo's line.

o "I KNOW I'll see the face of my dear friend! The friend I had ever since we were little toddlers!"

· When Kaleb has a magical outburst on Yoshi for trying to comfort him, he expects to look up from the ground and see no one, as he thought to have scared his friends off forever. Instead, he finds them all circling around him, ready for him to cry into their shoulders. He's absolutely stunned that they're still here, wondering why they would be friends with a freak like him. They all voice their encouraging words to him.

o "You are a kind and loving soul who cares for his friends and family," Tom assured him.
"You are part of our clan!" Parker informed him.
"You're amazing to be with!" Cameron cheered.
"You make Yoshi's Island a better place to live in!" Xavier told him.
"You care about everyone's needs before yours!" Dave proudly stated.
"Most of all… you're our friend and brother," Ralph stated with compassion.

o Yoshi sums it up by saying a point mentioned earlier in this page; that the scariest thing possible would be losing Kaleb forever, and that since he's still here, this is the happiest day of their lives. The group then hugs for a long while.

o The author notes a couple times that this story takes place a few months after the German Yoshi's Story comic, which touched on diversity. Seems like the Yoshis have improved a lot, seeing the good heart that Kaleb has, and not paying any mind to his appearance.

· Following Kaleb telling his tragedy to everyone, they all feel like they failed at being good friends for him. Kaleb, however, doesn't want them to feel at fault for this, repeating to them as they first told him that he's still alive and with them all. He then speaks a mantra that he goes by to this day.

o "No matter how I might change on the outside, you reminded me that on the inside, I am a happy and cheerful Yoshi who won't let even death keep him down!"How sweet… It really shows signs of returning.

o His eyes have turned yellow in happiness too for the first time.

§ It's not that easy though, as seen in the next chapter.

· When Kaleb recalls that the villain is still out there in the woods, poisoning the forest, the others are quick to join his cause, Yoshi saying that this ordeal never was his problem in the first place. Kaleb smiles, knowing that he has his friends to fall back on.

Chapter 7

· The Yoshis cheering Kaleb on as he leads the way. As if that wasn't enough, when Kaleb starts slipping back into self-deprecation again, they're quick to reassure him that no matter what powers he may have or what he looks like, he is a friend and brother to them.

o Kaleb starting to take a position of leadership in general can qualify. Even after what's happened, he's still willing to contribute to the adventure.

Chapter 8

· You can already tell by the familiar egg scene referenced from the Yoshi's Story comic that Kaleb is coming back to help his friends. He might be frightened out of his mind right now, what with having transformed and all, but to him, losing his friends would hurt more than even death.

· Kaleb's curb stomping the Koopa Troop. In the moment, he looks like he's having a BLAST defending his friends. He's even playing fair and giving the enemies multiple chances to back out.

o Kaleb saving his friends gets a tearful thank you from them all. Kaleb gives a confident nod before leading them into the rest of the battle.

· Following the battle, Kaleb is left in complete shock at his new capabilities, all while his friends are busy congratulating him. He might not see it, but his friends do: He's not a freak. He's AMAZING!

· The true reunion scene. Enough said. Kaleb finds the belief that he's a monster valid now. As he tells his friends that he must go, he begins to depart until they break down in tears. Kaleb then begins to remember some good times with them. Realizing that he cannot leave them even if he wanted to, he rushes back to them in tears, telling them that he's, "not brave enough to leave them." They instead tell him of how he's brave enough to stay with them, and that his powers are a reflection of himself. Still doubting, Kaleb listens to Tom concluding that the spell that drove him off earlier was from Kamek instead, which he eventually comes to agree with. Ralph then begs their wonderful friend to come back.

o "Kaleb, please… We want our FRIEND back... We MISS our optimistic and kind soul."

· The line above sells it to Kaleb that regardless of the tragedy that changed his appearance, he has worth to them as a friend and brother. They care about him.

o Kaleb then dances happily with everyone before they all start to head home.

· But then, Kaleb begins to turn a new color: pink. As he rises up into the air, afraid of what might happen, everyone begins to notice liquid rising up into the air along with their friend. They know what this means: Pink is the color that Kaleb projects when he's absolutely happy, and that he's using said happiness and love to cleanse the forest.

· And when Kaleb touches back down? Even he finally sees who he truly is: a hero and a friend.

o "I'm ready, guys! I KNOW that everything will be okay!"

§ This is said while his eyes are still glowing pink.

· As everyone begins walking back home to start Fruit Fest, Mikey asks Kaleb where he sent the Koopa Troop when he pulled them into the void. Kaleb, with a childish giggle, tells them all that he spared them all out of kindness. The act of a Yoshi indeed.

Chapter 9

· As Kaleb's friends begin to fully understand how terrified their friend must be feeling, even if he managed to save the forest like this, they begin profusely thanking him. Kaleb's answer?

o "Losing you is what scares me the most, and because you've taught me that, I can't thank YOU enough. If it wasn't for you, I would have withdrawn into the forest where I would spend all of my time believing myself to be an enemy. But now, I can rest easy knowing that I know who I am, and that's who I always WAS."

· Kaleb's reunion with the rest of the Yoshis. He's understandably nervous of how they too will react at first, but those fears are immediately extinguished when they, just like his nine closest friends, bawl in tears that they're just glad he's back. They even acknowledge themselves that Kaleb sacrificed himself for all of them. Kaleb then gets the cheerful tossing treatment before Fruit Fest begins.

· Kaleb gives a tearful and heartfelt message of thanks to the Yoshis for bringing him back as his Fruit Fest speech. Of course, he doesn't forget the other hero out there who helped him stay alive: Olly. He voices his fear that Olly might be in danger, and they all hope with all their hearts that he's okay.

· Just when it looks like the festivities are about to begin, though, a band of white-cloaked Shy Guys appears. Turns out, they're the same ones who abducted Kaleb's friends earlier. Only now (and after Kaleb teases them a bit through some spooking), they reveal that thanks to Kaleb scaring them witless, they've turned over a new leaf, ala Octolings in the Splatoon series. To prove it, they go find more fruit for their new friends before the celebration begins and everyone enjoys themselves for the next few days. A nice start of the epilogue indeed.

Chapter 10

· This chapter opens up with the narrator telling everyone that Kaleb has been doing better than well in the past few days. It's been nothing but the sunshine and rainbows that Yoshis are known for. Kaleb still lives, inside and out. From here to the end of the story and beyond, we get to see his adorably playful side pop in often.

· The Yoshis' and Shy Guys' discovery of Craft Island is a nice moment of accomplishment for them. They're absolutely elated with the prospect of having found a new land that just… represents them in such a beautiful way.

· Then comes the time when more Yoshis start to change in a manner similar to Kaleb. Of course, this means that they now look to him to guide them in discovering their new abilities, and Kaleb couldn't feel more included and happy. It brings tears of joy to his eyes when he starts helping them discover said new abilities.

Chapter 11

· Though things look bleak in Kamek's plan to cause the extinction of the Yoshis, Kaleb, in his last moments before being turned into five bundles of wool, is confident that his friends will save him.

· And save him and the others that were captured they do. Yoshi and Mikey get the honor of bringing back Kaleb personally, and the three of them couldn't be more overjoyed. Following this, Kaleb joins the team, and even helps Yoshi through the final push towards Bowser's castle.

· During said trek, Kamek attempts to impede their progress and turn them both into yarn bundles. This time however, Kaleb saves the day again by taking Kamek's ability to turn them into yarn bundles away. Kamek, enraged by this, attempts to ram Kaleb off the edge of the platform he and Yoshi are standing on, only for Yoshi to dive and get him out of the way, but at the cost of them falling off anyways. However, they grow wings since this is a time of crisis for them before Kaleb angrily ground pounds Kamek.

· During the final battle, when it looks like Yoshi and Mikey might lose against a giant Baby Bowser, Kaleb and the other saved Yoshis all grow wings and fly up to help and encourage their two friends by distracting the final boss and cheering them on. This gives them the strength they need to heal back up to full (as well as grow wings themselves) and finish off Baby Bowser.

· The reunion between Kaleb, Yoshi, Mikey and the other seven friends is this. The others are regretful for being used as tools for Baby Bowser, to which Kaleb assures them that it wasn't their fault.

· They then go on to save some Shy Guys imprisoned in the castle. After some apologies and more forgiveness, they then go on to save the rest of their kinds. No one is left behind, and within a week, everyone is saved.

· Just as it looks like the adventure's over and done with though, they all get one last surprise. The nest in the middle of the central plaza? It's been housing a sentient egg that has a message for them. It tells them that Craft Island was a world made by the Star Spirits out of their thanks for their countless kind acts throughout the years since their creation. Following an apology of allowing the evil of Kamek and Bowser to enter this world, it decides to make it up to the Yoshis and Shy Guys through one final trek through the Wonderful World of Wool as well as a Boss Rush. Following the completion of these, the Yoshis and Shy Guys are rewarded four more Yoshis, each of a new type. They are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum Yoshis, newborns that the Yoshis couldn't be happier to have in their family.

Chapter 12

· Kaleb starts off this chapter with a dream-turned nightmare flashback which depicts him looking down onto the river's reflection to see his new appearance, except he sees how he used to look.

o The symbolism behind this? He's afraid of seeing a monster on the other side, but instead, he sees what he truly is: a loving, playful and caring Yoshi.

· Yoshi then appears behind him, and when it becomes clear to the green dino that his friend's in distress again, he doesn't hesitate to remind him that he is a wonderful brother to all of them, and that he was there at the tragic scene of the poisoning that day, that he wouldn't have hesitated to defend him from what became his sacrifice for the Yoshi population. Everyone else, Yoshis and Shy Guys alike, then comes along and begins cheering Kaleb's name over and over while lifting him into a circle again.

· And when Kaleb wakes up, the first thing he does is hug his worried friends. He thanks them for being in his dreams, where he thought he wouldn't be safe from the nightmares. The others are, in turn, touched to know that he is following their words of assurance in case he needs them.

· When it's discovered that Kaleb had that dream last night because of an annual event that's going to happen today (in where some children are coming to visit Craft Island for the first time as they have done with Yoshi's Island every time before), his friends assure him that if they think of him as a monster, then they will do everything they can to show them otherwise.

o As the children are welcomed to the island and begin to marvel at it and the new Yoshis, Kaleb has withdrawn into the center of the crowd, still worried over what might happen. Some friends pull him over and give him some encouragement that he CAN show them that Kaleb is still alive.

· Of course, as it happens, Kaleb's new appearance ends up scaring the children, but his friends, true to their words, are quick to defend him from any prejudice and accusations, revealing to them that this is indeed Kaleb, the one who would always be one of the first Yoshis to greet them every time they came. After some more tears, they're good friends with the Spooky Yoshi again.

· When it's discovered that someone named Dan has gone missing, Kaleb, despite knowing that it was because of his appearance that he did so, doesn't hesitate to start a search for the missing boy. Even after all of the hurtful words directed at him, all he's going to do next is save one of their own. Now THAT'S a hero.

· When Kaleb detects the missing child, one of the Yoshis wants to go help him save Dan, but another Yoshi stops him, telling him that if Kaleb saves the boy alone, then he'll have no reason to believe that he's a monster. The Yoshis in the haunted lands watch proudly as one of their own goes to singlehandedly save a human child from danger. They know that Kaleb can do it.

· As you would guess, the rescue is a complete success, and as a bonus, even more Shy Guys are turned from their evil ways. As Kaleb approaches Dan, the child backs off in fear until realizing and having it confirmed to him that Kaleb is the one who saved him. Kaleb gladly forgives him for running away and carries him back to safety, where everyone else is waiting for them.

· As soon as they reach their friends, everyone's cheering for Kaleb's victory and Dan's return. Dan doesn't hesitate to tout Kaleb's amazing powers, which causes the latter to blush with magenta eyes. They all walk home happy that night.

· Following a tragic story relived by Kaleb, the undead dinosaur tells them that they shouldn't dwell on the past, that he's thankful to still be alive, and that it's time to have fun. As he's giving the children rides, he becomes so happy that he grows wings and his eyes turn pink. This is indeed Kaleb at his brightest. He's just so playful and joyous, even after what's happened to him.

o The other Yoshis and Shy Guys are even happy for him too, considering how he has sometimes fallen into fear and depression. To them, it's like watching a little sibling happily playing.

· After that, and when everyone's going to bed, Dan spots Kaleb looking off into the sky. Kaleb, in tears, tells him that he misses Olly and blames himself for not saving him. Of course, this is met with the comforting from not only Dan, but all of his friends as they voice their beliefs that Olly is surely alive out there wherever he is. Following this gathering, Kaleb vows to protect the forest, not only to drive out evil, but so he can find his friend one day. He knows that he'll come to the forest to find him. And when he does, Kaleb will be ready with open arms.

Chapter 13

· Kaleb, since the end of the last chapter, has kept to his promise of being a forest guardian, and has woken up early and stayed up late to watch over the forest and search for Olly. No matter how tired he may get, he has been dedicated in his goals.

· When he wakes up later than he would have liked on one particular day, he's distraught to find out that he missed the goodbye to some new friends of the Yoshis, the Heroes of the Four Sword in particular. His friends point out that they let him sleep in because they're worried about the lack of sleep he's been getting.

o And even after they try to convince him to let someone else take over that day, Kaleb refuses and elects to guard the forest anyways… at the price of letting the others do it for the next week for his sake.

· A few hours into the job that day, he finds some enemy Shy Guys harassing Red Link and Blue Link, two Heroes of the Four Sword. Leaping into action, he scares the enemies off (and the heroes by accident for a moment). Once the two (Yoshified) brothers calm down, Kaleb introduces himself to them, amazing them with his appearance, powers and kindness. Within less than a few minutes, Kaleb has already made a couple of friends in the form of two human-turned-Yoshis, who are absolutely blown away by what he can do. Kaleb must feel honored to have saved and befriended two legendary heroes.

· Oh, right. He gets to meet their three brothers, who are themselves Yoshis at the time. The rest of the evening is spent with laughs and a bunch of storytelling.

· This fanfiction as a whole is not only heartwarming, but it teaches its readers not to judge anyone by how they look. Basically, a few months after Yoshis have begun accepting diversity more, they're put to the test when the youngest of them is killed and turned into a sentient zombie. Instead of shunning him, they accept him, knowing full well that he is their Kaleb, and in a returning act of kindness, Kaleb saves them all. To this day, they still play games and have fun with each other, none excluding Kaleb because he's different now. If anything, they are AMAZED by what he can do now.

o It's heartwarming on Kaleb's side too. He was lucky enough to meet a human who cared so much for him, and did all he could to save him, which he did. Said human ended up saving the entire population of Yoshis through Kaleb too. What a dynamic duo. To this day, Kaleb is bent on returning the favor to try and find his new best human friend so that they can finally have all the fun envisioned by them.

o More so on Kaleb's side, it must have been a beautiful tearjerker to find out how much you meant to your friends, even in an undead state. To him, his friends ARE his power.

· So, if you happen to see the hero, how about you add on to this page of heartwarming moments, and tell him that he is such a lovable creature of happiness who saves those he loves. Accept him for who he is, inside and out, and I'm sure one day, he'll return the favor.

· And accept others into your life. They might be different on the outside, but look at who they are on the inside. They might be just like you…