Chapter 2

The Adventure Begins

It was now three thirty in the morning. Josh had been pacing back and forth in his hut for two hours. The cold stone floor was spotless. Goomba had nothing better to do than clean. He couldn't fall asleep. Two things were on his mind, war and Valerie. War was on thing he did not want to think about, but he had to. He hated running on lasts resorts, but the king left him no choice; he refused to make fair terms, therefore it was time. Josh felt the action of war adulterated his image as a peaceful, and sensible Goomba. "This is crazy," he thought. "I'm searching for a race that is only rumored to exist, and planning to fight the most violent war in the history of the Mushroom Kingdom. Even if I am considered a hero what will I really be? This fighting is all against my morals." He pondered more, but the more he pondered the more Valerie got into his head. "I can't be thinking about her right now," he began. "I've only had one decent conversation with the girl, and that was four and a half hours ago. Sure she seemed to have interest in me but I can't say if that's just for the reputation I've given myself or if maybe really… forget it Josh forget it, there are more important things at hand."

He checked the clock hanging above the fireplace: three thirty one. Josh could have sworn it was three thirty an hour ago. Time seemed to move like an obese slug. Josh kept thinking of where to start to find the Koopas. "Well definitely not here, Yoshi Island, or Yoshi Valley, they'd never go there," he thought. They'd never go anywhere other than a deserted area where there were no inhabitants. That only leaves the desert. Josh pulled out his map. In order to get to the desert they would have to successfully make it through Shy Guy Mountain. Shy Guy's were very defensive of there territory, and were dangerous warriors. They were armed with spears that could easily take a Goomba down. The masks and hoods they wore did ruin their peripheral vision making them vulnerable to flanks on the sides of their lines. That was the only obstacle. Josh pulled out another map to check where the lowest population density of Shy Guy's was on the mountain: the fewer Shy Guys' to deal with the safer the passage.

"The less danger I there is the better the chance I come back home again, and see Val…" he began, "no, no, no stop thinking about her right now there are more important things to do. He checked the clock again: three forty. "Are you kidding me!" he said aloud. "Oh crap," he thought to himself as he began to hurriedly but quietly put all the maps away, and headed to his bed. He laid down put his cover over his head and began to thrash violently acting as if he was having a nightmare. "If sheriff Todd comes in he'll just think I'm having a nightmare," he thought. All of a sudden his door was busted down, it was sheriff Todd a normal looking everyday toadstool a white umbrella topped head with blue spots, and General Toadsworth the most respected toadstool in the land, his top was a beige color, with brown spots.

"Good golly!" exclaimed Toadsworth, "the poor guy is just having a horrific nightmare." At this Josh pretended to wake up shocked, confused, and scared letting out a yelp.

"It's okay Josh," Todd said comfortingly, "we aren't here to arrest you now that we know you were just having a nightmare."

"What was it about?" Toadsworth asked slightly concerned.

Josh pretended to be catching his breath, and he was good at it too. He was quite the actor. "I was being chased by a Cheep-Cheep it was pretty scary," replied Josh half scared out of his wits.

At this Toadsworth laughed, "That's plenty to scare the wits out of anyone, especially those who can't swim. In my opinion it is worse than a Chain Chomp. We will leave you be now. You look scared to death though, here, I'll turn the light on for you because it doesn't look like you'll be falling asleep anytime soon."

"Thank you," replied Josh.

"No problem boy," said Toadsworth assertively. Both Todd, and Toadsworth exited closing the door behind them.

"That was a close one," he thought to himself, checking the time once more: three forty-five. "I'd bite my thumb at you if I had thumbs to bite," Josh whispered to the clock.

The more time went on, the more Josh thought about Valerie. He finally decided to do write a letter, a good-bye note if you will. "Might as well leave her a goodbye I suppose," he thought, "I'll just slide it under her door when I pass her hut on my way to the barn. What do I say, the truth? Would that be too sudden? Maybe a note that tells the truth, but not the whole truth. I'm not good at dodging the truth though. I'll just do what comes to my head I suppose. He put the pen to paper, and began to write neatly.

5/5
Dear Valerie,
I figured I'd leave you a goodbye note before I commence the journey. It is true that my "fortitude"
(if you will) has served me well over the past five years, however this journey is beyond what fortitude
can save me from. This is all going to rely on luck, and how pliable we can be to come to terms with
allies. I will miss home, but I will enjoy writing you when I can. There is so much I'd like to say to
you before I depart from here, however my time is short, and my journey long. We must cross the Shy
Guy Mountains to get to the desert region. I figure it is the only deserted place left where the Koopas
could stay in peace. Hopefully the journey is not vain. I will miss you greatly. I suppose I should tell
you as much as I love you dearly, and hope to return to you soon.

Yours truly,

Josh W. Goomba.

Josh grabbed a white envelope, folded the paper into thirds neatly and put the letter inside the envelope. He grabbed a sticker that resembled a fire flower to seal the envelope. Looking at the clock one more time he saw: three fifty. "Close enough," he thought. He quietly opened the door, and stepped out, closing the door as quietly as he had opened it. He then proceeded to walk down the dirt road that would lead him to Valerie's house. He looked up at the night sky. All of a sudden he saw a bright light falling from the sky. It was too bright for him to look at. Then it landed on the ground right in front of him. Josh gradually opened his eyes.

"A power star," he thought in amazement at the brightly shining yellow star. He then grabbed a black sack and put it over the star to keep it from being seen, and to keep him from being seen. "This could prove to be useful on the adventure," he thought to himself. He then continued to walk towards Valerie's hut. Finally he had arrived.

"I guess I just go up to the door, and slide this underneath," he thought. He couldn't do it though, his heart was beating fast, his nerve weakened, his fear augmented. Josh felt light headed, and began to sweat viciously. There was a large lump in his throat that he could not get rid of. Out of fear he turned and ran. "So much for my fortitude," he thought. He stuffed the letter in the bag as he ran for the barn.

Josh arrived at the barn at four fifty-five. Everyone else was there early as well. "That's a nice way for our "fearless" leader to enter," began Larry (another Goomba) jokingly, "running like a little pansy from something that scared him."

"Now come on bro that's not fair," stated Gerard.

"Oh come now," Larry began, "I was just "JOSHING" him, get it," he said laughing inexorably at his puny pun.

"As crickets chirp in the distance," stated Josh. "I was just running late that's all, besides look what I found," he said pulling the star out of the sack. Upon taking the star out the letter came out as well. Josh tried to pick it up, but Larry got to it first.

"Oh a letter to Ms. Valerie Goombetta," stated Larry aloud. "I saw the way you two were talking in the evening. Somebody's in love," taunted Larry.

"Grow up will you," began Grace (Gerard's wife), "I think its rather cute the two of them." She then took the letter from Larry, and gave it back to Josh. "One thing I do want to know is why you didn't give that to her before you came here?"

"That's what the pansy was running from," stated Larry.

"If I hear one more out of line statement from your mouth you will be sorry," stated Grace.

"Now that I have everybody's attention," Josh began, "I found this power star that might help us with negotiations with the Koopas. They'd do anything for one of these. Also I believe we need to go to the desert to find them, since it is the only place that is deserted for them, in order to do that we must take a risky journey over Shy Guy Mountain, and if we make it from there the challenge should be over until we get to negotiations. If anyone wishes to back down now do so." Everybody remained standing. "Good then we head out, you follow my orders or we will not be successful in achieving our goal. We must begin." All Goombas nodded accordingly.

"The ten Goombas headed out marching east towards the mountain range. All Josh could think to himself despite the danger of the mission was, "Why couldn't I have delivered this letter, it would have saved me from more embarrassment in the end." He sighed and continued to lead his companions until they reached the base of the mountain.