Enjoy!
Chapter Forty-Five
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Mario or its franchise; it belongs to
Nintendo and their affiliates. I just am really grateful to its creators for giving
me such a wonderful game and media series to write about!
I also don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all that belongs to J.K. Rowling,
but thanks go to her as well because, using her wonderful work, I can expand this
story to make it more interesting.
I also don't own anything related to Naruto if you see me throw a little of that, too
The closer we got to leaving, the more detached Daisy started to get. She would wake up and give me a kiss and get dressed and leave for training with Zair and I wouldn't see her again all day. She trained later and later into the night, too, so I only got to see her right before our mornings started. Even getting up earlier didn't guarantee we'd spend much time together. Now I know we're about to go on a mission and we're supposed to be focused and all, but I was feeling the sting of her increasing absence. Not just physically, either. She was getting into this cold mindset where all she wanted to talk about was the impending trip. She was obsessing over it.
Now it was the day ten and we were about to leave. I was standing right next to her and it felt like she was thousands of miles away. She looked a bit different because she'd abandoned her cute dresses and stylish jeans and shorts for a black outfit that looked similar to the military workout uniforms: baggy black pants, close-cut black shirt and a trim black jacket with no buttons or zippers. Her hair was pulled up in a tight high ponytail like a visual manifestation of her tense demeanor and her expression was mostly neutral. On the steps of the palace we stood, watching the troops file in from the eastern direction. My troops all resembled each other in that they wore clothes slightly like the Princess's, with a few additions. Of course they wore plain black uniforms and modified combat boots, but over that they each had light body armor, a shield that was strapped to their forearms, various weapons hitched on their waistbands, a black cap on their heads for the coming heat, and a rucksack on their backs. The sack held everything from food and water and blankets to flashlights and matches and medicines. And more weapons. Because you could never have too many of those.
The emergency preparedness session was definitely worth it, I recalled, thinking back to the time Zair had me out in the woods. Being in the Badlands almost assuredly meant we'd find ourselves in some forest or the other. There was one right in the old king's backyard so it was a necessary area to touch on with the troops.
Like my fiancée the troops were serious and silent and, once they arranged themselves in a neat set of rows in front of me, they looked to me for further instruction. I looked to Daisy. She stopped glaring into space for a moment and glanced at me.
"Ready?" She asked, trying to soften the anger out of her features.
I nodded and helped her with that by rubbing her furrowed brow with my thumb. She smiled and swatted my hand away and it felt good to see her break that frown.
Someone came up behind us and I recognized him by two things; the long shadow his tall frame cast and the sudden scowl his daughter donned.
The violet-haired young woman narrowed her dark eyes and said, "Ugh. Please tell me he's not coming with us, Commander."
Her father answered her with a dull, "No, Portia. I won't be."
General Zair looked down at me and Daisy and I thought he was going to say something but he just stared at us. He had a mite of worry in his usually blank features. Daisy nodded at him and he did the same for her, though his was longer. Zair looked at me, glanced at his obtuse daughter, and back at me with a pointed flare of his brow. I smiled nervously and nodded back.
If that girl dies I am not coming back here, I decided right then and there.
"Alright, let's go." Daisy said.
She bounded down the steps and had two things in her hands, the first of which she brought up over her head. It was a black cap like mine and she pulled the tail of her hair through the back of it. Ahead of my troops she strode and I was by her side. I looked down at the other thing in her hand with some measure of apprehension. I don't know why but that map just didn't sit right with me. It reminded me of like…a Ouija board. Which was crazy because it was relatively harmless and incredibly helpful.
Maybe because it's tied to the Dark King, I reasoned.
Daisy opened as we walked from the palace downhill. While she studied it I studied her face for any trace of the happy and buoyant girl I first met. She was there, under the hard, killer exterior. Yeah, Daisy reminded me of a femme assassin or something right then. It was definitely attractive but it worried me.
She'll probably bounce back after all this is over with, I assumed.
I looked from her hands and the map to where her jacket was open and the chain around her neck was moving when she walked. It was the locket her cousin gave her. I was so glad she brought it along. I hoped it'd act as an anchor for her during this mission because I had a feeling she was in danger of letting this consume her and bring out some…darker parts of her personality.
I adjusted the brim of my hat because the sun was starting to beam down hard. It was nearly noon and the city was bustling. Well, as much as it could bustle by Chai's orderly standards. There were people out and they stopped what they were doing to watch us pass. It might have been tradition or something. Or maybe they were staring because my troops were kind of unique. I looked behind me.
Some of the troops were glancing to the side every now and again so I knew they saw the odd looks they were getting. For the most part they looked like normal soldiers what with their coordinated uniforms and armor and such, but it was hard to miss the varying factors like Deanna's candy bright pink skin and fiery red hair. I didn't know what to do to disguise that since it'd be downright sadistic to make her and the others with bold skin colors wear long sleeved shirts. Besides, that wasn't the only thing that made them stand out. I'd made peace with my misfit army and though stealth might be a problem, it was something I was sure we could work around.
We got to the gates of Chai and saddled up and, just to cover my bases, I took roll and got on an armored horse of my own. Now Chai had these vehicles that were somewhat like tanks, but they weren't very practical. I had a feeling we'd be going on goose-hunt style chases after Bowser so we'd have to be able to travel as quickly as possible. This was our best bet.
"Where to?" I asked Daisy.
She mounted her horse in a fluid movement that made me feel like a clumsy oaf and then checked the map. As if she needed to. She'd been staring at it the whole time. She scanned over it, though, and tilted her head.
"He's been in the Badlands for a while." She told me. "Let's start there."
It looked like the trio just couldn't catch a break because, while leaving the funeral, they were stopped by the new rulers of Arid Kingdom. The Elders blocked their path and Roy was so tempted to just mow them down with his magic or his fists or both.
"Ariana."
"Ariadne." Said blonde corrected, wringing her hands.
"Yes." The main Elder said errantly, "We've arranged for you to live with your relatives in Bogarty."
Ariadne paled and whispered, "W-What?"
"We'll have a few enforcers escort you in the morning." The Elder promised, looking over to the unnamed agents.
Ariadne looked at them, too, and her honey-colored eyes widened. She stared back at the group of elders, panicking. The sight of them made her choke up with fear and gave the impression that she would be compliant with the decision.
So the Elder said, "I advise you ready your things."
And they walked off. Roy frowned and led the girls the rest of the way to his room where he slammed the already broken door shut behind him.
"Fuck!" He ran his hands through his hair, so long it'd gotten, and scowled hard.
He was so frustrated and felt so powerless. He knew this was another slight against him, taking Ari away. He was just so mad that he couldn't do anything about it.
Eriana went over to the closet and started to take off her dress. She didn't care that her friends were there, she started to change into a pair of black pants and one of Roy's shirts. Ariadne was too fretful to notice or care. She was shaking near the door and the young man's pacing was only making it worse.
"Did you hear that?" Ari asked the other two. She came and sank down on the bed and said, "They're not just sending me away. It's worse than that."
"How could it be worse?" Roy stopped and stared down at her, exasperated.
Ari said, "Did you see the agents they were talking about? The ones supposed to 'escort' me in the morning?" Ari nearly wailed when she said, "The only place they're taking me is to the grave. I don't even know of any relatives in Bogarty."
Eriana came out of the closet in a pair of shorts and a cropped maroon shirt, her hair free and bouncing as she hurried over to the bed. She sat next to Ari and embraced the blonde.
With a sniff she said, "Of course! They're probably just trying to get you out of the way!"
"They're going to kill me!" Ariadne despaired. "They're going to finish what they started the other night."
"Stop it!" Roy shouted, startling both of them.
He didn't mean to yell but this was overwhelming him. It was bad enough he had the entire government against him, he didn't feel like indulging in any pity parties or mope sessions. He ran his hand over his face and stood in front of the two older young women.
"Look," He said wearily, "Ain't nobody gonna' kill you. Neither of you. Not while I'm around."
"What can you do?" Ari asked, trying not to sound as hopeless as she felt. She reminded him, "They're getting rid of me and they'll probably take Eri from you. They're knocking off all your allies."
"I know," Roy snapped, "But there's gotta' be something I can still do."
Eriana glanced at her two friends and suggested quietly, "We can run away. The three of us can just pack our things and run far away."
Ari nodded and said, "Yes, while we've still got the chance."
"No." Roy stated firmly.
He'd thought of that himself but he couldn't run away. Not only would his pride disallow him, but he couldn't live with himself if he left the kingdom in the hands of these murdering, yellow-bellied vermin. He felt bad enough that things had devolved into the state it was in now because he knew the king would roll in his grave if he could see this. No, Roy felt almost obligated to stay, to fight this system. He wasn't weak. He wouldn't cave. He didn't want to give them the satisfaction of seeing him crumble under their coercive tactics.
He made a place for himself between the girls and explained himself. First he turned to Eriana and held her chin.
"Eri," He said gently, "If we leave, what about all those girls and women back at the warehouse? Who's gonna' stand up for them?"
She looked away, feeling guilty. Roy then turned to Ari and laid a hand on her shoulder.
"Ari, do you really think your uncle would want us to bail on the country?" Roy asked her. "Now, of all times? Before he…before he died," Roy blinked his suddenly itchy eyes, "he was starting to come 'round. He was doing something about this fucked up kingdom and I think we all owe it to him to keep on doing things to help. At least I do." He ended his speech on a sad note.
The three were silent. They all agreed with what the teenager said, for he seemed so wise in that moment, much wiser than only eighteen. And brave. If not reckless.
But Ariadne said in agitation, "It doesn't make sense."
"What?" Roy glanced at her.
"My uncle had to have a will." She insisted, then asked, "Are you sure he didn't leave it with you?"
Roy shook his head and said, "Nah. All he gave me was that dumb watch. It doesn't even tell time. There's letters instead of numbers."
"Those letters stand for," Ari shook her head and said, "Never mind. May I see the watch again?"
Roy got up to go get it and Eriana stretched out on her side. While she lay exhausted, Ariadne sat with her body upright and rigid. Roy opened one of his dresser drawers and pulled the gold watch out, opening it and scrutinizing it himself before tossing it over to the blonde. She caught it deftly and ran her fingers over its glossy giant face.
"…There's letters on here," She murmured, squinting her eyes.
Roy said, "Yeah, Ari, I know that."
"No, not those."
She had to squint her eyes to make out the little engraved letters along the rim of gold circling the watch face. They were not only in another language, but backwards. Eriana sat up, curious, and tried to peer over the blonde's shoulder but Ari got up and walked over to the mirror. Roy and Eri shared an equally lost look before they both made their way over to the late king's niece. She didn't stay at the mirror too long, either, only long enough to hold the watch up to it at eye level and then she frowned.
"Ari, wait!" Roy called after her.
She'd blindly taken off without any sort of warning and her two friends had to run to keep up with her. She weaved in between the mourning servants and the lingering agents but when it came to that Roy wasn't so skilled. He bumped into one of them and they shoved him hard. He was ready to start a fight but Eri grabbed his arm and pulled him away.
"We've got to follow Ari," She told him strongly.
He nodded and then groaned because it was the library Ari had run to. He couldn't stand this place. Books were dull and reading made his head hurt. He much preferred to be taught orally or shown what to do rather than learn through wearing out his mind and eyeballs. However, he slowed down and poked through the aisles until he found the older but shorter blonde with a book in her hands. It was a moderately sized one with about a thousand thin pages and she was flipping through it quickly.
"What's goin' on?" Roy asked her.
She said distractedly, "The title was engraved on the watch. This book was one of my uncle's favorites."
"So?" Roy glanced at Eri and asked, "What does it have to do with anything?"
"I don't know." Ari said.
She gave a frustrated little huff and turn the book upside down. Shaking it, she smiled in brief delight when something came tumbling out. She tucked the book under her arm and bent to pick up the crumpled, ivory paper.
"What is that?" Roy asked for his and Eri's sake.
Ariadne's liquid gold eyes darted left and right as she read the parchment line by line. Soon she started to cry. That confused Roy because she also had a huge smile on her face. It only befuddled him more when Eriana started to do the same.
"That's it, isn't it?" Eri asked, and when Ari lowered the paper and nodded the two girls embraced each other in a sniffing, grinning show of joy and affection.
Roy stared at them, his face flat.
"Rex, it's his will!" Ari announced. "This is the king's will! He did leave it to you!" she held the paper to her waist and said, "I told you he loved you."
"What does it say?" Roy asked, his heart starting to beat faster.
The blonde reigned in her own excitement and said, "He's named you as his heir. The whole kingdom is yours. And he said that," Here she felt an incredible amount of gratitude, "He left me in your custody. So I don't have to move anywhere!"
"We have to tell the Elders!" Eri declared. "Before they can do anything worse to us or the country."
Roy nodded and took the paper from Ari. He skimmed over it as he and the girls left the library but, in the end, he decided he'd trust Ari's word for it. Suddenly Eri stopped in, after her true nature, she looked wide-eyed and panicked.
"Wait! What if they try and destroy it?" She asked, looking stricken. "After all, it is just a piece of paper."
"I won't let them have it." Roy said. "It's got the king's seal on it. That's all they need to see."
"But still," Ari protested. "It would be better if we had some sort of protection." She looked down and stroked her teal necklace before asking, "Rex, can't you do something magical?"
"Uh," Roy hesitated.
He could sometimes be heavy-handed when it came to his magic. He was used to using it for power moves and offensive attacks. He didn't want to accidentally burn his best chance at survival and success to smoldering ashes.
"Nah," He said at last. "I'll just keep it in my hands or something. I'll think of something."
Eri and Ari didn't look so happy anymore but the trailed the young man as he strode confidently towards the meeting room frequented by the oldest among them. He burst right in and wasn't the least bit shocked to see them cavorting with the Chief of the LEA and a few of his agents.
"What do you want, boy?" Anthony Carrow asked.
Thankfully his son wasn't in attendance. Roy asked for a moment alone with the elders, holding the will and his hands behind his back and was denied. He rolled his eyes.
Fine, he figured. It's probably better the lot of them hear this anyway.
He said, "I've got something I want you to see."
Over to them he walked with the girls in tow and held the paper in front of the main Elder. He glanced from it to Roy and tried to take it but Roy held it away.
"You don't need your hands to read it, yo."
Other than looking indignant, the Elder submitted to the young man's request to only look over it. Roy held it up there for a while but when the old man paled and his eyes bugged out the teenager snatched it away and distanced himself from the group. He headed for the door just to be near it but the Elder barked out an order.
"Don't let him leave this room!"
Roy stopped in the middle of the room, near the misshapen table, and the girls flanked him. He folded the paper and stuck it in his pants pocket.
"What was that?" The Carrow father asked, gazing at the boy like he was lower than a snake's belly.
Roy said, "He knew what it was, don't you, you old bastard?"
The Elder gritted his teeth and said, "You're not leaving this room."
"Wanna' bet?" Roy asked, a smirk growing. "I can just take Eri and Ari and disappear. I don't need to get to the door."
"And then what?" The Elder challenged. "We will find you and—"
"Not before I run around town showing this to everybody I see." Roy interrupted. "This has the king's seal, it's official." He asked, "Who do you think the people are gonna' side with? You saw how much they don't like what you're doing and you haven't even shown your true colors yet."
"It doesn't matter who they side with." The eldest Carrow denounced. "You have no power here."
"Apparently I do." Roy smirked, holding up the will. "I'm supposed to be king and, pretty soon, everybody's gonna' know it. I bet they might even help me take you down once they know the truth."
"What makes you think you can beat the law?" Anthony Carrow asked snidely. "We'll have you dead before you can speak a treasonous word to anybody."
"I doubt it." Roy shrugged. "If you can't catch me, you can't kill me and I doubt you can catch up with me."
"Perhaps not." The Elder acknowledged. "But would you leave these girls at our mercy?"
Roy glanced at the girls and said, "I can vanish and take them someplace safe, someplace you won't ever find them. Then I'll come back here and raise hell. Get the people to rebel against you or just take you motherfuckers out myself."
The Elders faltered. They exchanged glances with the Chief and said a few hushed words. Roy didn't care about the hateful looks everyone was giving him. He knew he was right about this and that they were all pure evil. It was so backwards but it was nothing he couldn't handle.
He turned and told Eri and Ari, "Hold onto me and don't let go."
They both nodded and each grabbed one of his arms. He held onto the king's will and waited, tensed to the max, for the others to react.
In a resigned tone the head Elder said. "Very well."
"What?" Roy blinked.
"You will be named king."
"Now." Roy demanded. "Go and call a mass meeting or something." The Elders frowned at him and he commanded, "Right now! DO IT!"
"Very well." The Elder said again, shuffling and rising from his seat. He told the Chief, "Go and assemble the masses, would you Anthony?"
It had to be killing the Carrow patriarch to have to inadvertently take orders from the eighteen year old but, with a stiff nod, he set off to do just that. Roy led the girls out behind him and heard the Elders slowly trailing him.
They got to the palace steps and it didn't take long for the area to fill with Arid City's denizens. They saw Roy, looking much healthier and stronger, and got excited. The Elders had to calm them down. His reluctance was obvious, the Head Elder's, as he took a moment to explain why they were all gathered there.
"It would seem there's been a mistake," He said slowly, glowering sideways at Roy.
The teen stood with a cocky smirk and his arms folded.
"King Reginald's last will and testament has been recovered," The Elder continued, and by this point the crowd waited with bated breath to hear the news.
Roy shot the old man a pointed look, urging him to continue.
If he says something crazy I'm bustin' out, the teenager vowed in his mind.
"Effective immediately, as per his request," The Elder announced with a disparaging frown, "Your Champion Rex will succeed King Reginald as ruler of Arid—"
A thunderous applause, coupled with shouts and cries of delight and approval, cut him off. Ari smiled and cried a little and Eriana kissed Roy's cheek. The people were ecstatic and in a few seconds they'd started chanting 'REX, REX, REX' over and over.
Roy lost his smirk at that. He stared out at the adoring crowd and got a hollow feeling in his gut for some reason. He stared from them to the baleful government officials and felt that this wasn't so much a victory as a possible death sentence. Now he had to stay. Now he had to fight. Probably until the day he either overcame this evil or it made a hanging fool out of him.
He was so blind back then. Young and stupid and blind. He couldn't even see that what he was walking into was a den of filth, not a winner's circle. The location was seedy enough; an old building that used to be an apothecary's shop. The League had their own headquarters but often used other places along the road of their travels as temporary squat shacks. They'd turned the shop over and kicked the owner out, forcing him to leave all his wares for the League's enjoyment. They had the place smoked out and smelling like a thousand different aromas, none of which were particularly pleasant. But he was so blind and he'd waded through the haze to get to his idol.
He vaguely remembered tripping over legs, some were intentionally jutted out, and he recalled seeing a lot of women there. Some were stark naked but he was fifteen. He was bound to see it sometime. He had to wave a hand in front of his face, one he could barely see in the dimly lit interior, and ended up coughing his way over to where the League's leader was.
He was so nervous and star-struck he almost lost his voice. Seeing the famed Callian in person, the sorcerer behind the tales, had him sweating. He wiped his forehead and swallowed, determined to play it cool. He didn't want to give off the impression that he was just some weak, sniveling little punk.
"Are you lost or something?"
His idol had spoken. Spoken to him. Ludwig swallowed again and shook his head. Callian's eyes were much more intense than he could have imagined; hard and narrowed as if they were shaking him upside down, robbing him of his wits. Ludwig ignored his pounding heart and shook his head.
"What do you want, then?" Callian asked impatiently.
He was gruff all around with a muscular frame, thick hairy arms, and a full head of wild black hair. Next to him was his opposite, his brother. He had longer, greasier hair and a leaner frame but his eyes were like his brother's: bright blue and sharp as tacks.
"I came to join the League." Ludwig announced.
Nikolai laughed but Callian wasn't amused. He scowled down at the teenager and sized him up.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you?" He said in a voice like brass, "The League doesn't take in outsiders."
Ludwig had heard that, of course, but he didn't want to believe it. He refused to. He stared stalwartly at the two older men and Nikolai's smirk grew.
"What's your name, kid?"
Ludwig told him and Nikolai's eyes widened in intrigue. He nudged his brother and said, "You hear that? He's Koopa's boy."
"Koopa?" Callian considered, his features still hard as granite. He asked, "Why aren't you with your father?"
"Because he's an asshole."
Callian actually cracked a smile. A small one.
Nikolai laughed and said, "Well you're not wrong."
"I left him to train under the Lord of Illusions." Ludwig furthered his reply.
Callian seemed to be viewing him in a new light. He asked almost fondly, "How is old King Boo?"
"He didn't want me to come here."
"You should have listened to your master." Callian advised. "We have no use for you here."
"Now wait a minute, Cal," Nikolai steadily grinned. He told Ludwig, "Give us a second, kid."
While they talked, Ludwig shoved his hands in his pockets and hoped for the best. He really didn't want King Boo to be right. He'd never wanted anything more in his young life than to be a part of the League. And that his father would drop dead of a massive heart attack someday soon.
"Alright, kid." Callian said, waving him back over. He said, "Now we don't usually do this, but for you we'll make an exception."
Ludwig tried to contain his enthusiasm.
"We'll let you in," Callian promised, "But only if you can prove yourself by completing 21 missions for us. You think you can handle that?"
"I can handle anything."
Idiot, Ludwig thought, glaring down at his lap.
A/N: Another chapter wrapped up. As you can see, Ludwig's doing some reflection, probably because he's about to die. You know what they say, what goes around comes around. He's had this coming for a while, do you agree?
Roy is in hot water, even after he's been crowned king. What's he gonna' do? He's still only a teenager. He doesn't have all the answers. Hopefully he'll think of something.
Luigi and Daisy are headed off. How will this new mission affect the dynamics of their relationship? Is this really changing her? Will she be the same once this blows over? Will it even?
Lol I'll stop with the telenovela-style questions.
See you guys next time!
~DG~