"Papaya?"
"No."
"Mango?"
"Nope."
"Durian?"
"…I'm surprised you're familiar with that fruit, but, again, that's not it."
Roughly ten minutes had passed since the native and his guests started walking, and after only a short three of those ten minutes did the yellow capped Toad begin pestering the Yoshi to reveal his name. Unfortunately for Toad #3, the fruit-eater was firm in not giving in to the foreigner's wishes. The native did, however, relent a little by informing the curious visitor of the guidelines of traditional island Yoshi names, and thus, the guessing game began. When the barrage of prefixes attached to '-oshi' and peace related titles started to wear on the fruit-eater's nerves, he caved even more by narrowing the naming options down to fruit.
"Tangerine?"
"Nada."
"Persimmon?"
"Uh-uh."
"Lime?"
"Wrong again."
"Kiwi?"
"…a bit feminine don't you think?"
"Hey, you never know. I've met guys with girly names before and vice versa. Nothin' to be ashamed of."
"Eh, good point. But you're still way off."
"Aww…"
The green capped Toad chuckles lightly, amused by the exchange occurring just a few feet ahead of him. It was peculiar how the Yoshi could appear easily irritated one moment and have seemingly endless patience the next. Perhaps he too was entertained by the foreigner's persistence. Toad #2 turns to his side, wanting to gauge his orange capped friend's reaction to the guessing game, but is surprised to find no one there. He peers over his shoulder, discovering his companion trailing slightly behind, appearing to be lost in thought. The green visitor subtly slows his pace until he is at his comrade's side, adjusting to match the latter's stride.
"Everything okay?" He whispers quietly, yet loud enough to get the orange Toad's attention.
"Huh?" Toad #1 blinks, having not noticed his friend's presence. "Oh…I'm not sure to be honest. It's just…something feels…off."
Toad #2 keeps a neutral expression, but something flickers in his eyes that say he felt the same way. He tilts his head, encouraging the orange capped visitor to continue.
"That…target, with the spears sticking out of it…"
"The angles were all wrong." The green Toad finishes.
The orange Toad stares at his companion wide eyed.
"You noticed it too?"
Toad #2 nods, glancing back in the direction they came from.
"The spears were protruding from the top of the sand mound, like they had been thrust directly downward. If they had been thrown at the target, they would have been sticking out at different angles."
"Okay, so Yoshi was lying about that thing being a target, that much I get, but why? What could it be that it needed to be covered…" the orange Toad trails off. "…up…"
The foreigners gape at each other, horror scrunching up their features.
"A grave." They whisper in unison.
The green Toad pauses, considering another observation he had made. "There were other spears too, not around the mound, but a few yards away, toward the beach. The angle they were stuck in the sand leads me to believe they were thrown from the jungle's fringe, by someone other than our tour guide."
"That supports my first theory over his injury." The orange capped visitor mumbles, recalling his doubt over the native's story behind the wound. "But why would he lie about how he got hurt? What would make Yoshi hide the fact that he was attacked?"
"How do we know he was attacked? Maybe Yoshi was the attacker, and those weapons belonged to his victim. Or even victims." Toad #2 casts a suspicious glance toward the native oblivious to their argument. He suddenly finds himself wondering if healing the fruit-eater hadn't been such a good idea. "For all we know, he's plotting for us to suffer a similar fate."
Toad #1 pales considerably.
"You don't honestly think—"
"That Yoshi is thinking about killing us too?" The green capped foreigner interjects. "It's a distinct possibility. I can't be sure, but I think he may be working for Bowser."
The orange visitor shakes his head in disbelief.
"I don't know…I mean, sure he's a little weird, but…" He trails off, unsure how to continue his train of thought. "What about all that tourist trap garbage he greeted us with? That doesn't seem very…sinister. Annoying, yes, but evil? I wouldn't go that far."
"Not all malicious acts present themselves so obviously." Toad #2 elaborates. "Now that I look back on it, the jungle tour seems too good to be true."
The orange capped foreigner narrows his eyes at this confession, a sense of dread nestling in the pit of his stomach.
"What do you mean?"
The green visitor picks nervously at his vest, casting his companion a glance through his peripheral.
"We came to this island strictly because our source said Bowser would be here." He begins, gaze drifting downward. "You would think we would have been met with at least one squad from the Darkland army the moment our boat hit the beach, but instead…" Toad #2 frowns, peering up at their guide. "…instead, we're greeted by an overzealous Yoshi offering everything short of a timeshare!"
The pseudo leader says nothing, choosing to silently digest the words of his friend.
"This means we either got bad information," The green capped Toad continues. "or that our guide is not what he appears to be."
"In other words, the 'tour' is nothing more than a trap." Toad #1 murmurs, fully grasping his comrade's suspicions. "He's leading us into an ambush."
"Exactly."
The orange capped foreigner hated to admit it, but Bowser and his forces were surprisingly cunning to fabricate such a ploy. Usually the Darklandians were much more direct, so it was rather peculiar that they would bother with something so elaborate. The very thought causes the self-proclaimed leader to consider another, though equally unlikely, possibility.
"Hmm…How about we add a third option to that list?"
Toad #2 gives his friend a curious look.
"You've thought of another scenario?" He inquires.
"Sort of…" The orange Toad twiddles his thumbs nervously, suddenly not so confident in his new theory. "What if…what if Bowser is on the island, but Yoshi isn't involved with him? Or even knows he's here for that matter? Maybe our guide is exactly what we thought he was: a guide. Just one that's been lucky enough to stay under the Koopa King's radar."
The green visitor snorts at the suggestion.
"With as ruthless as that over grown turtle has been lately? I doubt it. Hell, I'm surprised this place isn't a blazing inferno! If Bowser really is here, Yoshi must have crossed paths with him once. Or at least one of his soldiers. I mean, how can someone not know that their island has been invaded by the showiest, most egotistical bastard in existence?"
"I…suppose that is a bit farfetched." The orange Toad admits, watching his yellow capped friend conversing with the tour guide in question. "But the guy seems so…genuine."
"The best villains are good at hiding their true nature." The green capped foreigner sighs sadly.
Toad #1 falls silent, processing his companion's revelation. The thought of a Yoshi working for Bowser just seemed plain bizarre. I mean, weren't they supposed to be peace loving creatures? Then again, the native did show quite a bit of aggression when he bucked the yellow Toad several yards. At the time he had found the display of power impressive, but with all these details coming to light, it put the trio's pseudo leader on edge. Was trusting this Yoshi to guide them safely to the volcano really worth the risk of a possible betrayal?
He couldn't say.
"You make some really good points," The orange foreigner eventually voices, having gathered his thoughts. "but what if we're just being paranoid? We don't have any proof that sandcastle-esque abomination is covering a grave, and for all we know Yoshi's supposed attackers were members of Bowser's army, not innocent victims."
Toad #2 shrugs.
"You're right, we don't have any proof, and it's a bit late to try and go back to search the mound now." The green capped visitor shudders, the idea of possibly uncovering bodies disturbing him greatly. "However, there's…something on Yoshi's saddle you should see. I noticed it not too long ago, but didn't really think anything of it until now."
The orange Toad quirks a brow, wondering how the native's saddle would shed any light on the situation, but takes this as his cue to study the object resting on the Yoshi's back. At first, he doesn't see anything unusual, only that the saddle was blue rather than the classic red, but when the guest squints he notices a design taking up the entire seat. The markings were tribal looking, like the tattoos on the fruit-eater's right arm. A stylized, emotionless mask lies in the center of a pair of crossed spears. Above the mask hovers a single feather, pointed sharply like the deadly weapons accenting the false face. The pattern looked eerily like a skull and cross bones, only wilder. The foreigner didn't know much of anything about tribal markings or their meanings, but it was clear what this image portrayed.
"Spear Guys." He breathes.
The green capped Toad looks to his friend with a nod.
"I don't know much about this island, but from what I gathered, Spear Guys are not exactly friendly."
The orange visitor tilts his head in acknowledgement, understanding what his companion was hinting. Why would the native carry such a symbol if he wasn't associated with the spear wielding goons? Or was at least one of their supporters. Either way, it didn't bode well.
"If that's not enough to convince you, think of it this way." The green capped visitor continues, further planting a seed of doubt in the mind of his friend. "If Yoshi had been attacked by Bowser's soldiers, why didn't he warn us? Better yet, why did he agree to taking us, 'tourists', to the very place they reside?"
Toad #1 was at a loss. Their brief time spent with the Yoshi had been quite an unusual interaction, he'll admit, but other than a few quirks, the native really didn't seem that bad of a guy. Even though his green capped friend pointed out the whole thing could be an act, he just didn't want to believe it. Here they were, finally getting help (unknown to the native mind you), and there was a good chance it was all a trap. The foreigner didn't know if he could take another blow to his morale.
"You know," The orange Toad chuckles half-heartedly. "Getting this guy to 'help' us was your idea."
"Yeah," Toad #2 grunts with a bitter laugh. "Don't remind me. I can't believe I didn't realize any of this sooner!" The green foreigner covers his face with a hand, emitting an angry hiss. "I'm an idiot, and we're all going to suffer for my stupid mistake."
The pseudo leader's eyes widen, shocked by the green Toad's reaction to his light teasing. Prodding his friend was instinctual, a coping mechanism. The two foreigners exchanged verbal jabs quite often, but the words were rarely ever harsh or meant to be taken seriously. For Toad #2 to not reply with a witty retort is one thing, but to actually agree with the insult?
It was unheard of.
"Hey, enough with the pity party alright?" The orange capped visitor groans, gaining his compatriot's attention. "I agreed with your idea, so this 'stupid mistake' is just as much as my fault as it is yours."
The green clad guest carefully regards his friend, surprised that the latter was so quick in sharing the blame. Upon seeing Toad #2's dumbfounded expression, the orange foreigner decides to try another approach.
"You once told me not to dwell on something that I couldn't control." The self-proclaimed leader paraphrases, waving a hand. "Well, I'm returning the favor. Besides," he sniffs lightly. "if I had thought to use the 'tour' to our advantage first, I would have suggested we do the same thing."
It's not your fault.
We would have done the same thing in your place.
"…wow." The green capped foreigner grins, raising a brow as he recalls similar words of assurance he and Toad #3 had given the pseudo leader just a few days ago. "Care to run that by me again with a little more originality?"
The orange Toad smirks, detecting the well hidden 'thank you' in his friend's remark.
"Hey, I changed enough of the words to make it my own." He shrugs nonchalantly. "Not to mention it was longer and a lot better than your crummy little pep talk."
"Look at you, making this into a contest." Toad #2 groans, rolling his eyes.
"For it to be a contest there would need to be competition."
"…I really hate you sometimes."
The banter's back.
Much better.
"So…" Toad #1 clears his throat, deciding to get back on topic. "What do w—"
"We're here!" The fruit-eater cries, cutting off the orange guest's question.
The two look up, surprised, having been so lost in their conversation they had not noticed the medium sized hut resting on the jungle's fringe just a few yards away. They didn't know what to expect when finally setting eyes on the native's home, but the structure looked very…for lack of a better word…traditional? Thatch roof, rectangular wooden frame raised slightly off the ground by stilts...
Yeah, traditional.
Yoshi approaches the steps of his abode, the yellow capped Toad hot on his heels, and turns to find his remaining guests still frozen in the same spot. The native smirks, tilting his head toward the hut.
"Don't worry; she's sturdier than she looks." The fruit-eater assures the visitors, misinterpreting their hesitance.
Toad #2 blinks, shaking his head as he holds up his hands.
"Oh! No! The hut's fine! We weren't worried about that we just…" His eyes dart around trying to come up with something, anything to say, when they land on his comrade's jacket. "…err…the zipper to Toad #1's jacket is stuck and he needs me to help him fix it. We'll be with you shortly!"
Best. Cover-up. Ever.
The weak excuse would have had the native narrowing his eyes in suspicion, that is, if the orange capped Toad's expression over being referred to as Toad #1 by his own friend wasn't so priceless. Yoshi can't help but enter a short sniggering fit and decides to let the matter slide.
For now.
"Alright, well…Toad #3 and I'll just sit here in the meantime. There's no rush." Upon saying this, the fruit-eater gently lays their luggage at the foot of the stairs and plops down on the first step, the yellow capped Toad swiftly joining him.
The green Toad has to muster up all his will power to not scowl in frustration. He was hoping the native would have gone inside so he could continue conversing with Toad #1 privately, but that clearly wasn't happening. Now he had to 'fix' his friend's zipper, lest he draw suspicion from their tour guide. Grumbling, he turns to the Toad in question and pretends to struggle with the jacket's fastening.
"…fix my friend's zipper?" The orange foreigner chides playfully, choosing to ignore the fact the green capped visitor had called him Toad #1.
"Shut up. I never claimed to be creative." Toad #2 growls quietly, painfully aware that the Yoshi was carefully watching their every move.
'It appears he's as suspicious of us as we are of him.' He silently muses.
"Now," The green Toad continues upon finishing that thought. "What were you saying before we were interrupted?"
"Oh…well…I was wondering what we should do about him?" The orange visitor tilts his head back to the fruit-eater, disguising the gesture with a subtle stretch.
Toad #2 feigns jerking the zipper, a crestfallen look crossing his face.
"I don't know. My plan got us into this mess in the first place." He sighs, eye lids drooping in defeat. "I'm afraid any more of my ideas will just make this worse."
The orange capped Toad gives his friend a sympathetic look.
"For once, I really hope my theories are incorrect." The green Toad eventually mutters.
"Well, I'd be lying if I said it would be my first time thinking that." Toad #1 smirks, earning a light chuckle from his companion. "Still, I think we should stick with Yoshi for now, like you originally wanted. If he's just a regular guide who just wants to take us on a tour through the jungle, we'll greatly benefit from it. If this is all an elaborate trap, on the other hand…"
The pseudo leader pauses, looking thoughtfully at the ground, before meeting the green capped Toad's eyes.
"I don't think bolting would be very wise. We'll play along and keep our guard up. Who knows," he shrugs. "maybe we can find a way to turn the tables on them. Hell, I dunno, but we aren't going to make any progress if we just sit around pondering over hypotheticals."
It seemed reckless. Okay, very reckless, but Toad #1 had a point. Planning out every possible scenario isn't, well, possible. Too much plotting leads to over thinking, which can be just as harmful as running in to a situation blind. It wasn't his usual way of approaching things, but perhaps 'winging it' will prove to be effective this time around.
The green capped foreigner offers a slight nod.
"Alright, let's give this a shot." He grins, finally 'fixing' the zipper, pulling it all the way down to reveal a dark grey t-shirt underneath.
"Hey you got it!" The orange Toad exclaims, loud enough for everyone to hear. He turns to face the native, hands on his hips. "Ahh…much better. I was starting to get a little warm."
Yoshi's eye lids lower to half mast, a slight frown gracing his features. If the Toad was so hot, why didn't he just take the damn jacket off? He shakes his head slightly, knowing full well the 'broken zipper' was just an excuse (a poor one at that) for the two Toads to chat privately with one another.
'Just what are you up to?' He silently asks his guests, before glancing at the yellow Toad seated at his side. (Whom was still spewing names of fruit, even though the native hadn't replied to the past several guesses.) 'Whatever it is, their friend here doesn't seem that involved.'
But that didn't mean he should be any less wary around the seemingly oblivious Toad.
"Ah! Good!" The Yoshi chirps, easily sliding back into his cheerful façade. "Wouldn't want you to get heat stroke!" He grabs the bags of his visitors, noting that the yellow Toad had reclaimed his own, before hoisting them up the steps. "Let's get down to business then shall we?"
The remaining Toads quickly follow the guide and their yellow capped friend up the stairs, a pang of guilt striking them both upon realizing that the native had been lugging around their supplies for the entirety of their walk to the hut. Suspect or not, the foreigners felt bad for allowing the Yoshi to take it upon himself to heft their baggage.
"Oh don't worry about it, I don't mind." The Yoshi assures the guests when they call attention to their guilt. "Besides," he smirks, placing a bag down to retrieve a set of keys from the lining of his saddle. "it's not like I plan to carry your stuff during the actual tour."
The native unlocks the door and gently eases it open, stepping aside so his guests may enter first. Acknowledging the gesture, the trio calmly files into the hut, wasting no time in studying its interior. It was a surprisingly spacious shelter, consisting of two bedrooms (They assumed, but couldn't be sure as the doors were shut.) and a living area adjoined to a kitchen. In the corner of the latter lay a sturdy looking wood stove, a pot and pan resting on its surface, ready for future use. Beyond that, the cooking area had whatever else the Toads would expect to find in a small apartment back home: cupboards, wall-lining countertops, a pantry, a sink (This place had running water? Awesome!), and a refrigerator (A small one mind you, bordering on mini, but a fridge none the less.) An island complete with bar stools separated the kitchen from the living room, which was pleasantly furnished with a couch and a couple of plush arm chairs arranged around a simple coffee table. A large window took up most of the wall adjacent to the sitting area, offering a breathtaking view of the beach and the ocean beyond. On both sides of the paned framework stood large, well-stocked bookcases, completing the rather cozy feel of the fruit-eater's home.
"Welcome," The Yoshi starts, seeing that the Toads seemed more or less finished with their visual sweep of his abode. "to casa de…" The trio perk at this, thinking their guide was about to slip and reveal his name. "…err…screw it. Make yourself at home while I go get the paperwork."
The foreigners visibly droop, though whether it was due to the native catching his near-mistake or the dread of filling out documents was anyone's guess.
The native places the luggage of his guests down just beyond the door's threshold before closing the door behind him. He then returns the keys to the lining of his saddle and swiftly making his way to one of the closed bedroom doors. The visitors watch silently as the Yoshi enters the room, leaving the door cracked in his wake. They shrug, choosing to accept the fruit-eater's offer and get comfortable.
Toad #1 plops down on the sofa, emitting a contented sigh as his body sinks into the furniture's plush cushions. The Yellow capped Toad begins randomly flitting about the room, curious eyes wide as he inspects every nook and cranny of the native's home. Toad #2 wanted to scold his friend, claiming that digging through other people's belongs was rather rude, but decides against it in favor of browsing the Yoshi's collection of literature. He's pleased to find it quite diverse; ranging from works of fiction of various genres to novels that sought to quench one's thirst for knowledge.
Surely someone of such taste wasn't one of Bowser's lackeys?
Then again, what kind of books was the guest expecting to find on these shelves? How to Poison your Foes? 101 Ways to be an Asshole? Torture for Dummies? If this Yoshi was an evil prick, he wasn't going to advertise it so freely.
Unless he was a cliché movie villain.
Or an idiot.
"NOOOO! IT CAN'T BE!"
The green capped Toad whirls around, the pseudo leader jolting into a sitting position in unison. Their eyes fall on the form of Toad #3, whom was curled over himself, wailing dramatically on the floor. The orange foreigner leaps from his comfortable seat and is by his friend in an instant, checking the latter's condition while spouting panicked questions.
'What happened?! Did he see something?!' Toad #2 cries internally, his shock keeping him from going to his companions and finding out for himself. "A stash of weapons? A flag with Bowser's insignia? A severed head in the freezer?! I knew it! This Yoshi is—'
"THERE'S NO TV!"
…you're shitting me.
"For the love of—that's what you're whining about?!" The orange Toad seethes, voicing what the green capped visitor was too stunned to say. "We're on a tropical paradise! Away from all the complexities of technology! Of course there's no—"
"Actually, I do have a television."
The orange and green duo jump, turning their gaze to a very amused looking Yoshi. (When did he walk in?) Toad #3 slowly rises from his slump on the floor, casting a hopeful look to the native.
"Y-you do?"
"Yep." The fruit-eater grins, gesturing to the blank wall parallel to the sitting arrangement with his head, as his hands were currently occupied with paper and writing utensils. "It's behind a panel in that wall. Look for a groove; there's a small, concave handle you can use to slide the panel back."
The yellow visitor wastes no time in following their guide's directions. A moment later, the surprisingly well hidden compartment is open, revealing a moderately sized television complete with DVD player. Toad #3 drops to the ground, offering the rectangular entertainment system a deep bow, earning groans and eye rolls from his comrades. As the yellow caped foreigner reaches for the remote shelved within the compartment, time seems to halt, a chill suddenly traveling down Toad #2's spine.
'Oh no…' He mentally gasps. 'I completely forgot!'
Clearly, the yellow and orange capped Toads had forgotten as well. When Bowser successfully took over their Kingdom, all regularly scheduled programs were quickly replaced by Darklandian propaganda. Most notably, the 'execution' video, the recording of which, the Toads had witnessed first-hand. Of course, Princess Peach had successfully stopped the horrible tragedy from occurring, but the Darkland army had heavily edited the footage, making it so it looked like the victim really had met his end at the jaws of a chain chomp. The trio and the invaders knew the truth, but the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom's citizens did not. They saw what 'happened' to those who resisted, and as a result, were too terrified to rise up and fight.
The 'example' had done its job.
As disgusting as what currently occupied the air was, the Toads could handle it. The green capped foreigner, however, had no idea what would happen if his companion flipped the TV on to the extremely dark programming. If the Yoshi was oblivious to the current disaster like they had originally hoped, then the sight of Bowser's invading forces flickering across the screen would obviously break the native's ignorance. The fruit-eater would panic. He would leave.
They would be alone again.
On the other hand, if the Yoshi really was working for the Koopa King, what then? Once they all saw what was being broadcasted, there would be no point in continuing the charade. The native couldn't pretend to be a tour guide, and the Toad's couldn't pretend to be tourists. After all, how can you be vacationing in a time of crisis? Without the plea of ignorance to protect them, the fruit-eater would drop the act and skip straight to fulfilling his orders.
What exactly those orders entailed, the green visitor didn't want to know.
Toad #2's breath hitches when his yellow capped friend firmly presses the 'on' button. The television flickers to life, causing the green capped foreigner to squint at the sudden brightness. An unpleasant hiss envelopes the room, the screen blanketed by snowy static.
"I have a TV," The Yoshi smirks, loving the confused looks of his guests. "but that doesn't mean I have cable or satellite."
Toad #2 breathes a quiet sigh of relief, before snickering at a sudden thought.
'Maybe this guy does have '101 Ways to be an Asshole'.'
"Aww, what's the point of even having a TV then?" Toad #3 whines.
The native chuckles, glancing at a spot on the wall.
"Check below the TV. Groove, concave handle, you know the drill."
The yellow guest does as he is told, revealing yet another hidden panel just below the television. Inside the compartment are shelves upon shelves of DVDs; from box sets, to collector's edition, to director's cuts, and all in whatever genre you could ever want (action/adventure seemed to be the most prevalent, however). Toad #3's eyes seem to grow in size, glistening with unshed tears as his hand shakily hovers over the surprisingly vast assortment of movies.
"It's…beautiful." He breathes, choking down a sob.
The green and orange capped visitors sigh at their companion's dramatics, but the fruit-eater merely smiles, pleased that someone seemed to appreciate films as much as himself.
"Thanks, I'm quite proud of my collection. You're welcome to see what I have while your friends and I get started on this." Yoshi gestures to the small stack of parchment in his hands, turning to walk to the island by the kitchen. "I'll call you over when you're needed."
Toad #3 barely responds, a dazed acknowledgement passing his lips, before picking out various cases and proceeding to read the content on the back. The orange and green duo exchange a look and quickly make their way over to the native. They manage to take a seat on the rather high bar stools with little difficulty, facing their host whom was standing opposite them as he spread out the necessary documents and writing utensils on the wooden countertop.
"How'd you get so many movies?" The orange Toad inquires, glancing back at his yellow capped friend, whom looked like he was in Star Haven as he continued to browse. The question wasn't out of suspicion, but genuine curiosity. From what the foreigner heard, LavaLava Island residents weren't very keen on technology, and as such, rarely accepted shipments of any kind of electronics. The exceptions usually involved simple comforts (AC units, Refrigerators, etc) or medical equipment, not entertainment.
"I stole 'em." Yoshi replies nonchalantly. When the native's guests gape at him in horror, he quickly corrects himself, laughing lightly. "Kidding! Geez, don't freak out on me." He dully inspects a pen, testing it on a scratch sheet of paper before handing it to the self-proclaimed leader. "A while back, a shipping vessel stopped by our island to restock on supplies. When the crew was paddling back to their ship, their dingy capsized when a rather large wave suddenly sent them crashing into the rocks lining the south side of our shores."
The fruit-eater tests another pen, cursing when his scribbling yields no result, and tosses it aside. He repeats this process until he finds one that works and hands it to the green capped Toad, then continues with his tale.
"I was out swimming at the time, and when I noticed the distressed crew members, I offered my assistance. Whoever couldn't swim or was too weighed down by supplies were quickly taken to shore, and after that I helped salvage whatever items that weren't lost or ruined in the accident." Yoshi peers past the Toads, gazing out the window offering the view of the ocean. "The captain was so grateful for what I did, he offered to give me something from their stock; his way of saying 'thank you'. I appreciated the gesture, but they were shipping cargo for an electronics company. I live on an island devoid of most modern conveniences. Very few homes here have electricity, and mine wasn't one of them at the time. Nothing they had would be of any use to me. After all, what am I gonna do, plug it into a tree?"
The native rolls his eyes with a smile, recalling the somewhat humorous dilemma.
"The captain, however, was stubborn. He refused to depart unless he repaid his 'debt'. To appease the man, I picked out a television set, a DVD player, and a couple DVDs. He didn't think my choice was enough, so I ended up with a crate full of movies." The native sighs, looking back at his guests. "I wasn't sure what the hell I was supposed to do with all that junk without power, but I accepted it anyway. Then, a week or so later, some guy shows up at my hut and the next thing I know my home is set up with the latest energy efficient generator. Turns out the ol' captain had a friend that owed him a favor, and he used that favor to bring power to my place."
Yoshi shakes his head, chuckling.
"Eccentric geezer. I know I saved him and his crew, but I think he went a tad overboard when expressing his gratitude. Surely he got in trouble for giving all that stuff away? I mean, I hope he didn't, but I still feel bad for getting so much just because I did something anyone else in my position would have done."
Toad #1 meets the eyes of his green capped companion, a silent conversation passing between them. The native was a hero? The story flowed so freely from the fruit-eater; if it had been a lie, shouldn't it feel…not so…genuine? Unless Yoshi was a really good liar (the reward did seem like a lot, but hey, some people are givers). It was a possibility, but that didn't seem to diminish the blow now dealt to the looming 'Bowser's Lackey' theory. Though suspecting this guy of being an evil prick was getting more and more difficult, it still didn't change one simple fact.
He was hiding something.
"Yoshi, you saved the man's life." Toad #2 states, surprised at how quickly he found himself trying to console the guide. "It's kind of hard to not want to try and repay that kind of debt, much less actually fulfill it. If the captain felt that what he gave you even made a dent in showing his appreciation, well, I don't think any repercussions on his end really mattered in his mind."
The orange Toad nods his approval, also having sudden urge to speak on the native's behalf.
"As for this 'anyone else would have done it' bullshit, no, they wouldn't have." The pseudo leader is unable to keep an edge of bitterness from his tone, but if the fruit-eater noticed, he makes no attempt to address it. "Or maybe they would have, but…couldn't." This came out sounding less bitter, but still held all the anger from the first dismissal. "The point is, you shouldn't make what you did seem so trivial. Those crew members were lucky you came to their aid."
The Yoshi blinks, giving his guests a curious look. Apparently he was just as surprised as the foreigners for the positive words.
"Yeah…I guess so." The native twirls a pen in his hand absent mindedly, not sure how to respond to the reassurance. "I suppose when you think about it, those guys were lucky I was even on that part of the island in the first place. Normally I swim along the shore further west, like where you guys showed up, but that day I—"
"Whoa! Hold up!" Toad #1 squawks, holding up a hand. "The west shore? We landed on the west shore of the island?"
"Err…yes? The native cocks his head, raising a brow. "Is that a problem?"
The color seems to drain a little from the orange Toad's face. He reaches into his jacket pocket and retrieves a map, carefully, yet swiftly unfolding it before spreading the parchment out over the already cluttered counter top.
"We're here," The self-proclaimed leader gestures vaguely to the west shore of the island. "not here?" This time the jacket bearing Toad points to the eastern shore.
Yoshi leans over, eyes narrowed as he inspects the wrinkled map.
"…again, yes." The guide clarifies. "But your map is—"
The orange capped foreigner tunes out everything after the confirmation, his mind whirling at this revelation. His group was supposed to land on the eastern shore, and yet they had somehow ended up on the other side of the island. How could they have made such a mistake? Even with the native's guidance, providing that he wasn't one of Bowser's goons, it would take far too long to get to the intended landing site. Sure, they could still find a way to the volcano from here, but the trio didn't have a detailed map for this side of the island. This wouldn't be a problem if they were certain of their guide's intentions, but, seeing as this was not the case, the orange foreigner didn't want to set one foot into that jungle with at least some other form of navigation. Now what were they going to do? Thanks to one horrible miscalculation, the small group was—
"What do you mean our map is inaccurate?!"
The green visitor's surprising (and rather loud) outburst is enough to shatter Toad #1's inner rambling. He looks between his frantic companion and the calmly poised Yoshi, blinking in bewilderment.
"What about our map?" The pseudo leader asks dully, clearly lost.
The foreigner and native cast a somewhat annoyed look to the self-proclaimed leader, realizing that the latter had not been paying attention.
"He said," Toad #2 begins, giving his friend a pointed glare. "that our map is inaccurate. It's incomplete. In other words, completely useless!"
The orange capped guest slowly shakes his head, eyes narrowing in disbelief.
"No…that's not possible." He mumbles, then, more clearly, "We snagged that thing from the most current atlas. There's no way that map can be wrong."
The fruit-eater tilts his head, unsure if he should be more surprised by the foreigner's certainty or that Toad Townies still used atlases (Sure he used them, but the Yoshi doesn't live in a technology embracing area like his guests).
"Well, I'm afraid it is." The native voices, looking back to the parchment in question. "At least, in regards to this part of the Island. The eastern portion is correct from what I can tell."
A curious gaze travels from the Yoshi to the map, carefully examining it.
"What's wrong with the western side of Island?" The green capped Toad inquires, brows knitting in confusion.
"Uh, only everything." The fruit-eater groans, covering his eyes with a hand. "I can't believe they still print this thing. We've tried to get this issue resolved but clearly nothing's changed."
Before the Toads can ask what the native meant, a neatly folded piece of paper is placed on the counter, drawing the former's attention. The Yoshi swiftly works to spread out the parchment, ignoring the foreigner's as they lean forward in interest. A moment later, another map finds itself splayed on the island's countertop, resting just next to the inaccurate version. The visitors are unable to mask their astonishment when they see the significant difference between the two.
While the visitor's map showed a small, mostly oval island, the fruit-eater's map portrayed a little…extra. The west side of the island extended quite a distance further, nearly three-fourths of the island's horizontal width further, in fact. A messy, somewhat vague concave crescent shape topped off the extension, complete with a few scattered markings indicating significantly sized rock formations.
The native wasn't kidding when he said their map was inaccurate.
"I…this is…" Toad #2 trails off, unsure what to say. "How in the world can professional cartographers make such a major mistake?"
The Yoshi sighs, tossing up his hands as if the visitor had asked the question of the century.
"That's because the cartographers that originally mapped out this island were complete and utter cowards."
The foreigners regard the fruit-eater with quizzical looks. Seeing their silent request for elaboration, he continues.
"LavaLava Island has its fair share of danger, most of which lurks in the jungle and volcano." The native motions to said locations on his map. "But the level of the threat varies within these areas. The eastern side of the island has been…thinned out a bit, due to the growing population of my kind and an increase in tourism. Over here, however," His finger trails to the western portion of the island. "there hasn't been much change at all. The jungle is just as thick and untamed as ever. It's the perfect place for the island's worst to reside."
The Yoshi pauses at the paling features of his guests. He raises his hands in an attempt at a calming gesture, hoping to put the Toads at ease.
"N-not that there's anything to worry about!" The native stammers. "You'll be fine as long as I'm with you." He clears his throat, deciding to continue when the visitors seem to relax a little. "The 'cartographers' on the other hand, weren't so lucky. They chose not to enlist a guide, and barreled into the unknown without a second thought. Sure enough the dips ran into trouble and fled west LavaLava Island faster than you can say…" The fruit-eater trails off, lost in thought. "…eh, something clever. Please excuse that, I don't have my best material with me today. You get the point." He waves his hand dismissively.
The Toads quirk a brow at their guide's stab at humor, but choose not to comment.
"Anywho, the cartography group was so rattled by their bad experience they never bothered to finish mapping out the island. Instead, they slapped on a neat little rounded edge to our home, making it look like a near perfect oval." The Yoshi snorts. "Irresponsible wusses."
"No kidding." The pseudo leader concurs. "Anyone that mistakenly ends up on the western side is up a creek without a paddle if all they have is this useless map." He pointedly glares at the inaccurate slip of navigation, realizing that would have been them had it not been for the native's assistance.
"That's why I'm here." Yoshi adds proudly, as if reading the orange capped foreigner's mind. "I was stationed on this part of the island to not only offer vacation plans, but to point the way for misdirected travelers."
The black vested Toad nods, looking contemplative, before another question decides to plague his mind.
"So…if the cartographers screwed up, where did the accurate map come from?" He voices, green spotted cap tilting slightly.
"It was a collaborative effort by some of the locals." The native smiles, giving the map an oddly fond look.
"Were you involved?" The orange Toad inquires, picking up on the Yoshi's expression.
"Nah, I can read a map but I certainly can't make one." He chuckles, gently shaking his head. "Though you could say I'm…close to the natives behind this project."
More befuddled looks greet the fruit-eater, but instead of probing the Yoshi for more information about what natives he may be referring to, yet another question is brought into the open.
"Wait, why didn't you just distribute copies of your map?" The self-proclaimed leader asks. "That seems to make more sense than keeping someone stationed in no man's land on the off chance a foreigner gets lost."
The fruit-eater visibly tenses at his visitor's words, though whether it was from anger or shock, they couldn't say.
"We tried." He eventually replies with an even tone. "Dozens of copies must have been sold in the past couple years, but I suppose none of 'em ever got to print like we had hoped."
Quiet tension descends upon the group, growing more and more uncomfortable by the second. The two foreigners couldn't help but wonder why an innocent question received such a peculiar response. Yoshi's words weren't what caused their unease, but the physical reaction and its accompanied hesitation.
Welcome back suspicion. Can't say it's a pleasure to see you again.
"I'm…sorry to hear that." Toad #2 mutters awkwardly, not quite sure what to do. "Not to seem rude by changing the topic so suddenly but uh…paperwork?" He smiles sheepishly, pointing to a document with the pen he was provided.
The native's eyes immediately light up, clearly not bothered at all by the subject change.
"Oh yes! That's right!" Yoshi cries, quickly, though not roughly, moving the maps to the counter's edge, allowing his guests more room to work. "Just read through those carefully, check any boxes of past or current ailments, and then sign the line at the bottom of page three."
A mischievous grin creeps up the orange capped Toad's face, eyebrow arching in unison.
"With the name you gave us or our real name?" He drawls.
The native rolls his eyes, masking his amusement.
"With your real name." He sighs, meeting the gaze of his guest. "I'm not up to taking heat over technicalities."
The foreigner shrugs, smirking, before returning his attention to the task at hand. The native glares at the pseudo leader for a moment, then, having remembered his third guest, turns to call for the absent visitor so he may also fill out the documents.
"Toad #3! We're—"
"Done."
The Yoshi jolts, finding the yellow capped Toad seated by his companions, paperwork in hand.
"…What?" The fruit-eater asks, the foreigner's statement finally registering.
"I said I'm done." Toad #3 clarifies, sliding his stack of documents toward the guide.
Yoshi narrows his eyes, baffled, before accepting the papers. He scans through them, finding the medical history section more or less blank (Though the 'other' box was checked; followed by a very blunt description of his 'abilities', which the native found very humorous.). On the third and final page the fruit-eater found his heart rate accelerating slightly. Though he was still miffed from the name incident, Yoshi couldn't deny that he was still curious of what his guests were really called. When he finally reaches the last line, it felt as though his chest was about to burst with the suspense. Then there it was, the moment of truth: a signature. A surprisingly pretty signature. With…a lot of loops…and scribbles.
Um…
The native turns the document in various angles, desperately trying to make heads or tails of the unnecessarily complex scrawling. After a lot of squinting, maneuvering the paper, and silent swearing, the Yoshi finally manages to decipher enough letters to create a name.
A very…weird name.
"You're name is…" The Yoshi trails off, feeling uncertain. "Twin-T?"
The yellow capped visitor nods enthusiastically, as if overjoyed that the fruit-eater had spoken his birth given title.
"Yep! That's it!" He beams, looking proud. "Neat huh?"
Neat was not the first word to come to mind.
The native recalled some of the traditional naming methods for Toads, one of them being a word ending with a 'tea' sound. As obnoxiously punny as they tended to be, the parents at least bestowed their child with a somewhat fitting label. Like 'Fice-T' for a particularly squirmy infant or 'Tayce-T' for…uh…yeesh. How do you explain choosing that name? Point is, 'Twin-T' just seemed kind of out there. What would possess a mother and father to name their child after a number (and spell it incorrectly, for that matter)?
Unless…
"For the love of all the stars in Star Haven…" Yoshi mutters, sounding horrified. "Please tell me you don't have nineteen other siblings."
Toad #3 tilts his head to the side, eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
"Uh…no…I just have a sister." He replies slowly. "Remember? From the story I told you? About the fortune teller and my crazy reality distorting biz that—"
"I remember!" The native interrupts, raising a hand in a silencing gesture. "Just because you didn't mention them in your little origin story doesn't mean they weren't around. I only wanted to make sure."
"Okay…" The yellow capped visitor straightens a little, expression remaining puzzled. "Well, why did you think I have that many brothers and sisters anyway?"
The fruit-eater gives his guest an incredulous look, like he couldn't believe the answer wasn't obvious.
"Your name is Twin-T." He retorts. "You know, like the number? I figured that meant your folks had nineteen other kids ahead of you."
A shudder runs down Yoshi's spine at the thought of having so many children. Forget the pleasant pitter patter of little feet, it would be more like a terrifying earthquake.
"I can see where you'd get that idea." Toad #3 acknowledges. "But my name is Twin-T, not Twen-T."
The pronunciation was so similar it didn't really seem to make a difference. At this, the native becomes even more flustered.
"Alright, Twin-T." He concedes, sounding agitated. "Would you mind telling me the story behind your name then?"
The native's request receives an eager nod.
"I'm called Twin-T because…" He trails off, creating unnecessary suspense. "My sister and I are twins."
Twin-T. Twin.
Duh.
"…you can't be serious." Yoshi deadpans, though the expression of the foreigner indicates no hidden joke. "What is your sister called then?"
"Twen-T."
There…are no words…to describe the fruit-eater's current feelings.
"Right. Of course." He grumbles.
The sound of a throat being cleared catches the islander's attention. He turns to the source of the noise, finding that it is the green capped Toad. Said guest silently hands his stack of papers to the native, desperately trying to hide his amused expression. Yoshi accepts the documents just as quietly, resisting the urge to glare at the visitor for finding humor in the prior exchange. His examination of Toad #2's paperwork is not as thorough, just a quick skim to ensure the necessities were completed, but the anticipation in learning the name of the green capped Toad is still as strong.
'This guy seems more or less normal.' The fruit-eater muses silently. 'Surely his name won't be so—' His thoughts come to an abrupt end when he finally reaches the signature.
…Really?
"Rye-T…"
The islander's expression is relatively blank, save for the slight arc of a brow, while the Toad in question looks downright embarrassed.
"Yeah…that's me." The green capped visitor chuckles humorlessly.
Yoshi stares quietly at his guest.
"So…"
"My parents are arrogant people." Toad #2 explains, sensing the unasked question. "They could do no wrong. So when they had me, they figured my name should reflect that. I'm Rye-T. Righty. I'm always right. Just like them."
Cue awkward silence.
"'Kaaay…" The native drawls, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
More awkward silence.
"So." Yoshi grins, thinking of a way to break the tension. "Do you have a brother named Leff-T?"
Toad #2 snorts, rolling his eyes at the lame joke, yet appreciating it all the same.
"Righty tighty lefty loosey." He sing-songs, laying his head down on the counter. "Har-de-har-har."
The fruit-eater gives an exaggerated bow, as if he had just received a standing ovation for putting on an amazing performance. When he returns to an upright position, Yoshi finds the third and final stack of papers placed neatly before him. The islander pokes at them, as if the parchment concealed something unpleasant, before turning to the trio's pseudo leader.
"Before I read this," He begins, looking apprehensive. "Do you have issues with your folks?"
The yellow and green capped visitors look to their host at the implication, like they couldn't fathom where he had got such an idea, while Toad #1 appears remarkably unbothered by the question.
"Nope!" He grins, puffing out his chest a little, hands on his hips. "I love my mom and dad. They're awesome!"
Yoshi nods imperceptibly, still looking a bit doubtful as he scoops up the documents from the countertop. The native shuffles the papers a few times, briefly looking over the contents, before carefully setting them down with the others. Expression blank, he gathers the paperwork of all three guests into a neat pile and moves to leave when the self-proclaimed leader stops him with an inquiry.
"Wait, aren't you going to ask me about my name?"
The islander turns to the orange capped foreigner, donning a flawless poker face.
"Hm? Why?"
This only serves to confuse Toad #1 even more.
"I…but…I mean you asked…" He trails off, trying to find the right words. "Because my name is…I'm…I'm…Hace-T?"
Yoshi grins, rather proud of the success of his set up.
"Yes. Yes you are."
The fruit-eater retreats to the bedroom from before, leaving a dumbstruck Toad and his snickering friends behind.
"Wha—? How can you make dumb jokes like that?!" He calls after the native. "You haven't even known me that long!"
"And yet," Toad #2 sniggers. "He hit the nail on the head."
The pseudo leader casts his supposed friends a glare before folding his arms and hunching over on his stool. He had a great relationship with his parents, but even Toad #1 wasn't fond of his name. Either of them, now that he thought about it. Birth name or nick name, he couldn't seem to catch a break.
A short moment later, the trio's guide re-emerges from the bedroom, looking satisfied now that the paperwork was complete and out of the way. He approaches the island, smirking at the still fuming orange capped guest, and plucks his map from the counter's edge, folding it gingerly. Once the parchment is returned to its compact state, the islander does something that surprises his guests (well, one of them anyways): he removes his saddle.
"Holy shit!" Toad #3 cries, nearly falling out of his seat. "That thing comes off?!"
The critical and disbelieving looks the yellow capped foreigner receives are fully justified.
"You're…you're screwing with me right?" The Yoshi ventures hopefully, not quite willing to believe the visitor was that dense.
"No! I mean…I've never seen a Yoshi take off their saddle before." The yellow Toad stares at the pillion in horror, as if the native had just casually removed his own limb. "I didn't think they could."
Twin-T's friends seem to shrink in their seats, completely mortified by these words. Each tries desperately to hide their face, as if doing so will mask their association with the yellow capped dip.
"How is that a reasonable conclusion?" The native gawks, tone inflecting slightly. "I've never seen a Toad take their shoes off, but I never thought that meant they were incapable of doing so!"
The peculiar guest looks to his own feet, eyes impossibly wide. His jaw works lamely, unable to form words but making a desperate attempt, as a hint of a strong epiphany crosses the young Toad's features. Before Toad #3 can speak, the fruit-eater cuts him off, unwilling to hear the upcoming revelation.
"Also, this," Yoshi gestures to the blue pillion. "isn't a saddle. Well, not anymore anyways. I modified it to work as a bag." He displays the well concealed pockets along the saddle's lining as well as a large zipper bordering the upper lip of the seat.
"Ooooo nifty." Twin-T claps, seeming to have forgotten the issue involving his shoes. "That explains why it felt so lumpy when I sat on it back on the beach."
Any guilt felt over the reminder of the 'rodeo' incident is won out by surprise. With the very short amount of time Toad #3 spent on the islander's back, he didn't think the foreigner would have noticed the difference.
"Err…yeah." The native murmurs. "The 'lumpiness' you felt was my supplies." As if to emphasize this, he dumps the contents of his blue pack onto the counter. It wasn't much (hence part of the reason they came to the Yoshi's hut in the first place), just a few scraps of paper, writing utensils, some herbs, an arrow head, the talon of a bird, and a…coconut.
Huh. Weird stash.
While the trio examines the spoils with puzzled looks (the green and orange capped Toad's curiosity apparently overcoming their embarrassment), the fruit-eater glares at his pile with narrowed eyes. He snatches up the pseudo saddle and storms off into the living room, grumbling something about misplacing his sunglasses. The three guests watch as their host scans his bookshelf, searching for a particular title. Yoshi retrieves a large, bland looking novel, and opens it, revealing the item to be something else entirely. What appeared to be a book was really just a cleverly disguised box, concealing possibly precious items from unwanted snoopers.
Like the quirky Toads, for example.
The islander removes what looks like a travel sized guide book from the container and stuffs it into his saddle. He moves to grab something else within the faux novel, but pauses as he peers over his shoulder, quirking a brow at the not-so-subtle stares. The native didn't really care if his visitors saw the contents of the box, but their intense focus on his every move was unnerving, not to mention annoying.
"Uh…You don't have to watch everything I do you know." He tilts his head toward the kitchen. "Why don't you restock some of your own supplies while you wait on me? Help yourself to whatever's in the pantry and fridge. I'll join you in a bit."
The Toads perk at being addressed and sheepishly cast their eyes elsewhere once they finally absorb the words of their guide. The yellow mushroom person is the first to leave his seat, quickly flitting to the kitchen pantry to take the native up on his offer. Wishing to escape the suddenly awkward tension, the remaining travelers leap from their seats and follow their companion's lead. The orange hooded pseudo leader joins his yellow capped friend at the pantry while the black vested foreigner chooses to investigate the refrigerator.
Toad #2 pauses before the rather small preserving device, noticing it to be of a very old design. He runs a hand along the slightly worn handle, a look of admiration donning his features. The green visitor gives his head a quick shake, snapping himself out of his brief daze. Rye-T adored old things, especially appliances, but this was no time to dive into the world of antiquities. Firmly gripping the handle, the vested Toad gives a gentle tug and peers past the door to see—
'...Oh my.'
Slowly resealing the fridge, Toad #2 turns away, pupils minutely dilated from shock. After a moment of silence, the foreigner regains composure and sends a questioning look to the Yoshi. The latter misses the prompt, his attention currently on something beneath the coffee table. A quiet sigh escapes the traveler's lips, but abruptly cuts off when his gaze redirects to his companions. The quirky duo were rather immaturely shoving each other back and forth, both trying to make a grab for the same item on a higher shelf. Rye-T's lids lower to half mast, unamused, but swiftly raise as an idea plants itself in the green capped Toad's mind. He looks from the fridge to his orange "leader" and back again, a devious smirk curling his lips.
"Hey Hace! C'mere!" The green Toad calls, addressing the former by actual name in hopes of adding further enticement. "You won't believe what kinda drinks this guy has!"
The self proclaimed leader turns at the sound of his title, leaving the yellow reality distorter an opening that the latter wastes no time in taking. Twin-T lunges for his prize and flits away with it, crying out in victory. Hace-T sends his competitor a sour glare before rounding on his distractor, angrily marching over to the fridge with tightly folded arms.
"This had better be worth it." He grumbles.
The vested Toad smiles, struggling to conceal his anticipation.
"Trust me," He calmly replies, gesturing to the refrigerator. "it is."
The orange capped visitor mumbles something unintelligible as he seizes the door's handle and roughly (much to the green Toad's irritation) yanks back. Finding no beverages on the first shelf he spies, Hace-T lowers his line of sight only to find—
Yoshi jerks up, hitting his head on the underside of the coffee table as a loud, surprisingly feminine shriek cuts through the relative silence. He clutches his skull, swearing furiously under his breath before turning a frantic eye to his guests. The initial blend of concern and fear swiftly warps to relief with a hint of embarrassment when the native finds the wailing orange Toad scrambling away from the now wide-open fridge. He groans, placing a hand over closed eyes.
"Ugh, I can't believe I forgot about that..."
Author's Notes:
What's in the fridge? A body part? Two percent milk?! Go on, guess. BD
Anyhoo, holy shnikies! What a monster of a chapter! And not a single break. D:
So. We learn a little more about our heroes-to-be. Shall we review? BD
1.) The Yoshi guide has a fruit related name and Toad #3 is determine to figure out what it is. If you like, feel free to offer your own guesses in a review and help the poor guy out. XD Hint: It is a combination of two fruit names. Example: Lygo (Lychee + Mango). Yoshi will give this very hint to our yellow spotted friend in an upcoming installment.
2.) Toad #1 and Toad #2 are hella contradictory. All their second guessing and over thinking is producing enough stress to turn their friggin' hair grey (Well, if they had any). Yoshi himself is just as suspicious of them, adding further tension which is going to blow up spectacularly fairly soon. :P
3.) We finally learn the names of all three Toads! 8D Too bad Yoshi won't be using them anytime in the near future. :/
I hope this chapter wasn't too terribly boring for you. Though some of the scenes/details included in this update may seem random or unnecessary, they all serve a purpose. If everything works out, it'll all come together as the tale unfolds. :) Now that all our characters are properly acquainted and supplied, next chapter we're going to skip ahead into the jungle and finally get this show on the road! :D