Better Off Alone
Chapter 7: Reminisce
...In the wake of its destruction, the demon built a dungeon near its palace and filled it with terrifying monsters. All those who fell into disfavor were thrown into this dungeon to rot... Countless bones and cadavers still litter the domain of this dungeon, under ruling of one of the demon's three dragon pets. She was known only as Hooktail, her very name infamous for the thousands of lives she robbed from so many victims.
Many a man claim it not coincidence her domain was built near the peaceful Petalburg. Most say it was merely fate, while others state it's because of her love for fresh meat... and Petalburg's sizeable number of residents.
The sky one day grew dark over the calm Petalburg, putting an abrupt end to all its happiness. The unfortunate town suffered Hooktail's wrath on a regularly basis for thousands of years. Nearly everyone who dared step foot outside was either killed or taken captive... buildings were set aflame and destroyed... bodies of the dead and dying slumped the streets... and the sky remained dark forever.
What was once a bustling community full of activity and life is now only a shell of its formal self. Its population dwindled rapidly and only a handful of citizens still live there, under the ever-looming shadow of Hooktail Castle...
Koops squinted and yawned, disturbed by the sun's bright rays pouring through the nearby window. It was pretty early in the morning, which happened to be his favorite time of the day. It promised not only a fresh, new start, but the clear sunrise outside made him feel so soothed and relaxed.
Letting go of his pillow, he moved his hand to rub the fatigue from his eyes, only to feel something warm next to him. Not moving his head from its buried position on the cushion, he continuously rubbed his hand over the strange object, trying to figure out what it was. His curiosity finally got the best of him as he looked down to see a weary Vivian, her head resting on the side of the bed with her arms folded in a comfortable position. The rest of her body was coiled together next to the bed, its flexibility keeping her from pain as she slept in a normally awkward posture.
It was a shock, but a pleasure to see her taking rest so close to him in such a devoted fashion. It was almost like she'd collapsed while watching him sleep...
But she couldn't have been doing that, could she?
After a few mumbles and mutters, she unknowingly nudged Koops' hand, the feeling of someone next to her being so rarely experienced. In her obviously happy sleep, she slid her upper body up onto the bed and grabbed his arm, clutching on as if her life depended on it.
This brought a grunt out of him; whether if it was one of unease or alarm was uncertain.
It wasn't long before she finally began to stir and yawn. Smacking her lips and clearing her throat, her hat turned to the side to see Koops. Then she looked down to see she was holding onto him.
"Koops! I-I'm so sorry! I mean, I... I didn't mean to... I'm sorry..." She leapt off the bed and cowered on the ground shamefully.
"It's okay, you were just dreaming..." Koops offered her a hand. "Come on, get up."
Vivian looked at his hand, then the floor, then back at his hand again. Slowly, she brought her hand to her mouth and started gnawing on it, looking up at Koops with hidden, but nervous eyes. She slowly pulled her hand away and placed it in his grasp as he helped her up, but as soon as she'd regained balance, she collapsed again.
"Are you all right? You seem a little wobbly today," Koops joked.
"Yeah... I feel fine..." Her voice was enervated and hesitant.
Koops helped her up again. "They're serving breakfast, if you want anything..."
"...Breakfast. Yes, that sounds good..."
Vivian yawned. She was tired, exhausted, and drained. She'd been up all night, thinking about what Ms. Mowz said, plagued with nightmares of what was to come. She stood over Koops' bed and watched him sleep, barely having a minute of rest... Just a night of self torment.
Upon reaching the dining room, a small group of other passengers had already assembled in a line to get food. The strong stimulating aroma of Fried Eggs, Maple Syrup, and sausages gently wafted in the air, gracing the train's corridors with its enticing scent. She could already taste the sweet pancakes in her mouth just from smelling them over on a Toad passenger's plate as he back to his room. Her stomach growled angrily from the desire to have those sweet pancakes and cherish their syrupy flavor, but she ignored it as always.
"Morning, guys," Goombella greeted, holding a plate of the succulent Omelette Meal in her mouth. She set it down and resumed speaking. "Sleep well last night?"
Koops smiled. "Yeah, really good. I almost forgot we've been on a train all this time."
"I didn't get much sleep last night..." Vivian mumbled.
"Had bad dreams?" Goombella smiled sadly.
"Yeah..." she lied. "Bad dreams..."
"Well, you can go back to sleep if you want," said Koops.
"...Really?"
"Yeah. We probably won't be doing much today, so you can rest."
"I've been sleeping too much lately," she joked, trying to change the subject.
"If you need it, then you're not. After all the stuff we did yesterday, I think we all deserve some rest."
"...Thank you..." came her tired reply. She slowly trudged back their cabin, sleeping the only thing on her mind.
It was nice to actually be able to rest when needed. Beldam always hit her when she asked for a nap, saying, "Sleep is for the weak! Deal with it!" She was used to being tired and hungry all the time. But slowly, all that was changing...
Hours later, Vivian squinted in her sleep. She slowly rose from bed, only to be greeted by the faint orange of the sky outside. The imminent dusk dabbed the sky with its usual hues of red and orange; the setting sun's afterglow beamed not far from the flight of steps behind their stop, the Riverside Station.
Still groggy, she stepped outside the door. It dawned on her that the train had stopped and she proceeded out the open door. Outside, she surveyed the scene and considered it awkward. The staff was busy fueling up the Excess Express for more traveling, Mario and the others were talking to a Toad who kept pointing to a raised drawbridge, and Pennington was lecturing the disguised Doopliss on how bad it was to blow up things, especially with yummy, sticky threats.
Pennington addressed the culprit for the umpteenth time. "Now, you uncouth hoodlum, I shall see that your coming punishment is very severe and lesson-teaching! Do you understand?"
"Pssft... I don't need this!" In a startling poof, 'Zip Toad' disappeared and Doopliss revealed his disgruntled true form.
The nearby conductor fell over. "GOOD GRAVY!"
"What's the meaning of this? Your peculiar transformation tricks won't save you now, if that's what you're thinking, you fiend!" Pennington shouted.
"Oh, yeah? Just try and stop me!" Doopliss taunted, bounding off.
The detective watched him run away with a mixture of confusion and shock. "Oh, well then..." he sighed, walking off. "I may always get my man, but keeping them's the hard part!"
Vivian decided to ignore Doopliss, since his yummy, sticky threat had been foiled. It must've happened while she slept. She went over to Mario and others, hovering beside Koops. Ms. Mowz was also with them for once, though it didn't seem like she had any memory of the talk they had last night.
"Here," said the conductor, handing Mario the key. "You can use this to get inside and see what's causing all this mess!"
"Why can't you go?" Waffles asked.
"Because as part of the working crew, I have to stay here and guard the train at all costs!" the Toad saluted.
"Why? It's not like it can go anywhere..." Goombella said, noting the lifted drawbridge.
"Look, you guys are the adventures! I'm just a train conductor!" he shooed them off towards the station.
"The old boy does have a point," Bobbery muttered, as they walked up the stairs.
"Oh, Vivian. I didn't know you were awake," Flurrie suddenly noticed.
Everyone turned to see the Shadow Siren was indeed following them.
"I just woke up," she said.
"Good," said Waffles. "You should be up and helping us out, not sleeping the day away."
Goombella rolled her eyes. "Oh, you're so inconsiderate!"
"What? She should!"
Mario ignored the two and opened the doors. Dust and sand scattered everywhere against the old interior of the old Riverside Station. The rundown train station was littered with rotten posters still flapping on the walls and trash cans filled with broken bottles and such. The dull rattling and squeaking of rusty gears in another room added an eerie clinking noise to the already unusual setting.
Goombella coughed. "Eww... I can barely breathe in here! You'd think at least someone would dust once in a while..."
Waffles covered his nose. "No kidding."
Once again, the endurance of Mario and his partners was put to the test. For about an hour, they walked around the deserted Riverside Station, finding locked doors, looking for the right keys to them and then finding new rooms with even more locked doors. Fortunately, unlike Keelhaul Key, there weren't many enemies to be dealt with or any major threats, making the search for the right key to the elevator in the front room much easier than first thought. The reward for their persistent work was not only the key to start the elevator and a badge or two, but an additional jumping ability for Mario with the brand new Ultra Boots he found in a hidden room.
Stepping out the elevator, Waffles looked around. "Okay, the switch should be around here and... What the heck?"
Flurrie grimaced. "Oh. my!"
"What are THOSE?" Goombella grunted in disgust. She gestured toward a large hoard of creepy, shapeless things bouncing around in a fury over something.
"SMORG! SMORG! SMORG! SMORG! SMORG! SMORG!" came the strange blathering of the mysterious black creatures.
Waffles squinted. Amidst the hopping darkness, he could see a large switch in the floor. "Hey, they're trying to hide the lever to the drawbridge!"
"Eww, someone get rid of those things! They're so disgusting!" Goombella complained.
Vivian's eyes went wide underneath her hat. She knew what those things were... The Smorgs were made from the same material she was, except their very beings were mainly shadows and not enhanced with the great power of the Crystal Stars.
She wasn't exactly sure of their purpose, but the Shadow Queen used to create them from dark venom to torture any captives or riots who dared go against her will. They didn't seem to be too smart, as they often went about doing things the wrong way or crashed themselves into walls. That's pretty much all the Smorgs were; a bunch of idiotic, poisonous blobs from the darkness of the evil queen's reign.
Vivian scowled, remembering how their constant chanting annoyed her to no end whenever they attacked someone in their putrid flood of brainless rage.
"Any of you chaps have an idea of how we can do away with these terrible things?" Bobbery asked.
"Maybe they'll leave if we give them Goombella," Ms. Mowz chuckled.
The Goomba shot her an angry look. "THAT'S NOT FUNNY!"
Being the audacious one he was, Mario grabbed his Hammer and attempted to pound on the Smorgs, only to have his mallet taken from him and used as a swinging threat.
Waffles looked on in amazement. "Wow, these guys don't mess around!"
Fed up with having to be in the same room with the Smorgs for so long, Goombella turned to the Cloud Spirit. "Flurrie, do you think you give us a hand and please get these things outta my sight?"
Flurrie nodded. "Certainly! I've have up to here with these scoundrels' bothersome babbling myself!"
Inhaling a quick gust, she blew out a strong wind towards the vaguely shaped critters. The Smorgs were easily blown away, thanks to their frail forms and fact they were unable to tell whether they were coming or going.
Like as Waffles said, the Smorgs revealed the pull lever to the drawbridge outside. Taking back his abandoned Hammer, Mario used it to whack the lever into switching back the other way. It was pretty much clear the switch was linked to the bridge after a small rumble from outside.
Goombella boarded the elevator. "Good, Now that that's done, we can finally get out of this creepy place!"
"Same here!" Bobbery added, also getting on.
"What a shame. Time to go already?" Ms. Mowz asked, boarding sadly.
"At least we had fun," Koops weakly chuckled to Vivian, who smiled.
"Yeah, we did..." she responded faintly.
Mario got on the elevator last and pushed the 'up' button. The doors closed and the pulley brought them back to the first floor, just in time to catch the train ready to go.
...Little did they know of the three ominous figures watching them from the stairs of Riverside Station's backside.
"Um, I don't think your plan worked..." Doopliss whispered.
Beldam folded her arms. "Of course it did, you idiot! Look there." She pointed to the Smorgs making their way to the caboose of the Excess Express. "Their job's not done yet. We only need them to slow Mario down. If we leave now, we can probably get to Poshley Heights in a few hours..."
Marilyn simply nodded, not wanted to get involved in anything.
Doopliss didn't seem too enthusiastic. "Whatever flots your boat..."
Night was fast approaching on the Excess Express. Mostly everyone seemed to be in high spirits from the success of Mario fixing the bridge. They celebrated by a having a small party in his honor. Unfortunately, Vivian didn't attend the carousing. She instead retreated to her room, like it was strictly forbidden for her to have fun.
Koops felt like her sorrow was his lament. If she wasn't happy, he wasn't either. He sat sadly in Mario's room, peering out the window. He could go and ask her what was wrong, but he knew her too well to even try. She'd just wave it off and say 'It was no big deal', or 'Don't worry about me'. He sighed. Was there any way to get through to her?
"Hello, Koops," someone said.
He turned in a panic. "W-what? Who's there?"
Ms. Mowz stepped forward and bowed. "Don't fret, it's only me."
"Oh..."
"Is there something wrong? You're not at the party."
"No, nothing's wrong. I'm feeling a little tired..."
"Tired, you say? Then why not have a lie down? I'll tuck you in."
Caught in his lie, Koops' eyes shifted around. "Okay, okay. I'm not really tired... Just a little sad."
"How come? We helped Mario save the day yet again and you're sad?"
"It's... complex. And stupid." He shook his head in shame. "You don't wanna hear it."
"Are you feeling uncomfortable talking about it?"
"No, it's not that... I just didn't think anyone would understand."
"Trust me... I understand all," she said, a hint of slyness in her voice.
"Then would you freak out if I told you... that I think I really like somebody?"
"No," the rodent answered, not at all surprised by this.
"Well, I think I am..." He stopped and looked down, overpowered by his own words.
"Does this have anything to do with Vivian?"
Koops smiled sheepishly upon hearing her name. "Kinda..."
"Is she the one... you really like?"
"Um... yeah..."
"Well, not that it's any of my business, but I thought Koopie Koo was your girlfriend."
"People think we're together, but... we're not..."
"You mean you don't like her?"
"It's a little one-sided. You see, Koopie Koo... Well, she changed..."
"Oh, reallynow?"
Koops glanced at her, looking hurt. "It's really hard to explain..."
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
"No, I feel like I need to get this off my chest..."
"Then, I'm listening."
"You see, my mom... She died a long time ago. Koopie Koo's parents knew my mom and dad, so we've always been childhood friends. But one day, Hooktail got her parents and she never saw them again. Mom felt bad for her, so she let her stay with us. And since we grew up in the same house, she knows how much of a wimp I am..."
"...and that's why you joined Mario? To show her how strong you could be, right?"
"I wanted to get stronger so I could earn more respect from her... So we can be equals, instead of her controlling my every move. Because, I've always loved her... despite how she treats me." Koops spoke more comfortably, although he was slightly frightened by Ms. Mowz's familiarity with his problem.
"Yes. Love is a most splendid thing."
He blushed and fiddled with his hands. "But when I saw Vivian, something just clicked. She's so cute and pretty... I feel like she needs someone to care for her. Her sisters are so cruel."
"That may be true, but Vivian left them and she's with us now."
"...But I don't want her to end up being afraid of everything that moves, like I am. She's too sweet for that. I really did want to be stronger and finally show Koopie Koo I wasn't a wimp, but I think I've found something new in Vivian..."
"And that is?"
"I think... I, uh..." Koops bit his lip. "Well..."
"Go on," she urged.
He sat in an upset silence staring at the floor. How could three little words be so hard to say? He thought. Why were they so difficult to just breathe out like the rest of his speech...? Why?
Because they're powerful, he answered himself. And you're afraid of what might happen. But being afraid all the time isn't going to help either you or Vivian if you don't confront your fears. If you can't do it for yourself... Do it for Vivian...
"I love her..." came the soft whisper.
Ms. Mowz's eye sparkled, satisfied at his confession. "You do?"
"I know we haven't known each for long, but I really can't stop thinking about her. Please, don't think I'm a stalker."
The mouse laughed. "No, Koops, that doesn't mean you're a stalker. It only means that you're very generous and caring to others."
"It does?"
"Why, if it weren't for you, Vivian would feel so left out. I think she knows you're trying to help, but it's hard for her to cope. Her trust's been broken so many times before."
"I know what you mean. I worry about her... But what if she doesn't like me?"
"I know she does. The thing about Vivian is, she's a lot like a flower; the better you treat her, the more elegant she'll become."
"Really?" Realization dawned on Koops' face. "But... how can I get her to notice me?"
"Well, not to be nosy here... but from what I heard, dear Vivian seems to have lost a loved one long ago. Am I right?"
The baffled Koopa looked appalled. "Yeah, her sister... But how did you--?"
"I know all, my sweet. Don't you worry about that," the mouse simply said.
Koops was beginning to get scared. How did she know all of this? Had she been spying on them for the past few days? Could she read minds? Or was it all just a lucky guess?
Seeing the edginess on Koops' face, Ms. Mowz quickly changed the subject. "Maybe you could share with her your pain."
"What are you talking about?"
"The passing of your mother, dear... I know it's a tender subject, but if you show Vivian she's not the only one who hurts, she might feel a little less inadequate."
"That might be true," Koops huffed, false belief in his voice.
"It's common sense, you see. When friends share their grief with one another, they may lament over their loss, but they savor their gain in companionship." She spoke with undoubted certainty.
"You think so?"
"Trust me, Koops; You have gotten stronger. In more ways than one."
He blushed again, trying not to smile. "Oh, well... um, thanks..."
In a flash, Ms. Mowz perched herself on a rafter. "Go on and tell her now... For there is no time like the present."
Koops stared at her in astonishment. This strange mouse knew everything about anything seemed to be pushing him in the direction of Vivian. She agreed with everything he said, reassured his thoughts, and even gave vague hints as to what he was supposed to do. It was like she wanted them to be together.
"...Who are you...?" he dimly asked.
"It's not who I am that's important, it's what I do that'll change you for the better," came her fading voice from the shadows.
The train then went through a tunnel, painting the room black for few seconds. When it emerged, allowing moonlight to flood the cabin again, Ms. Mowz was gone.
Koops' mouth fell agape at her disappearance...
A while later, her entered their room to see the Shadow Siren huddled up on the bed. She didn't notice him come in.
"Vivian?"
She looked up and instantly faked a smile. "Hi, Koops."
He sat next to her and smiled weakly. "What're you doing?"
"Just thinking about... some things."
"Oh..." He cleared his throat. "Um, Vivian? I need to tell you something..."
"What?"
"Something's been bugging me lately and I feel like talking to you about it... if that's all right with you."
Vivian began to shrink back, afraid of what was to come. "Okay..."
He sighed. "Well, it's kind of like this..."
It was just like yesterday, Koops could remember. The day his life changed in a flash... It was a beautiful morning A young Koops and Koopie Koo sat patiently in the kitchen of his parents' house reading the newspaper comics with his father, Koopley.
Koopley snorted at a comic. "Look at that one, Koops."
Koops read over it and joined his father in chortling. "That's so dumb!"
Koopie Koo peeked at the comic and scowled. "That's not very funny to me..."
"That's because only men can get this," Koops teased.
Koopie Koo pouted. "That's not fair! I get it, I just don't think it's funny!"
"Koops, be nice," said an older female Koopa walking into the room. "Matter of opinion is important, you know."
Koops let his shoes dangle rakishly from his seat. "Yes, mom."
Koops' mother, Koopana, had a very mesmerizing trace to her sweet beauty. Her pink hair flowed like cherry-coated rivers down her leaf green shell. Unlike most green or blue-eyed Koopas, hers were an unusually tender ruby. She possessed a smile that could warm any cold heart and give hope to the meek. Her wardrobe consisted of a delicate pink skirt with neat frills lined up along the bottom with snow white shoes.
Koops toddled over and pulled on her skirt. "Mom, can we go outside now? We did all the chores like you said."
"You did the dishes?"
"Uh huh!"
"Washed the clothes?"
"Uh huh!"
"Watered the flowers?"
"Yeah, mom! We did it all!" he chirped.
"Okay, but try and be careful. Don't go off and hurt yourself." She cupped a hand to his cheek.
Koops returned the smile, leaning into her warm palm. "Okay Mom, I won't get hurt. I promise I'll be extra careful!"
"
"Whaddya wanna do today?"
She looked around for a moment, then playfully shoved Koops. "TAG!" she proclaimed, running off.
"Hey, that's not fair! I wasn't ready!" Koops called out, running after her.
Koopie Koo dashed about and hid behind Kroops' Turtley Leaf patch, her green shell concealing her perfectly. Koops soon arrived on the scene and looked around, confused.
"Wow, she's fast," he thought aloud. "Where could she...?"
At that moment, Koopie Koo leapt out and shoved Koops again, pushing him over. "DOUBLE TAG!"
"OW!" Quickly regaining his composure, he sat up and pouted. He'd never been good at speed and Koopie Koo practically ran circles around him. She always won when they played tag.
Not wanting to play anymore, Koops ignored her and started doodling on the ground with a nearby twig. He drew a picture of a Mushroom with a Goomba chasing after it and Koopa chasing the Goomba. He snickered at this, finding it amusing.
Koopie Koo soon stopped running around when Koops lost interest in their game. What was the point in mocking his lingering nature if he wasn't going to even try chasing her? She found another twig and joined him on the ground.
Looming over the occupied Koops, she drew a silly dinosaur chasing after his Koopa. "That's a Yoshi! I can't get one right now, but when I do, it's gonna be super cute!"
Koops then added a Thwomp chasing the dopey-looking Yoshi. "Then the Shhwonk Fortress Thwomp of doom will eat it!" he joked.
Koopie Koo pursed her lips in thought. "Then, um... CRAZEE DAYZEE!" She drew a giant flower with sharp teeth after the Thwomp.
The sight of an evil flower after a Thwomp after a Yoshi after a Koopa after a Goomba after a Mushroom was more than enough to make the two laugh uncontrollably. How funny it would be if it actually happened!
Suddenly, Koopie Koo stopped laughing, as something caught her eye. "Hey... What's that?"
Koops ceased his laughter. "What's what?"
"Something's coming..." she said indistinctly, gazing behind him.
Koops joined her in looking at the sky. "I don't see..."
He stopped mid-sentence as the object Koopie Koo was talking about came into view. It was too far away to tell what it was exactly...
"...What is that?"
Koopie Koo continued to peer into the distance. "Dunno."
Koops then smiled, convinced he knew. "Maybe it's a balloon."
Koopie Koo made a face. "I don't think so..."
Amidst the clouds, Hooktail flew closer, her loud snorts echoing menacingly. Her lime-colored eyes quickly darted back and forth, scanning the area for prey. Her sharp, indigo claws dangled limply beneath her belly, stained with blood... dried and fresh. Her mouth hung open eagerly, revealing her blood-spattered teeth and thick tongue, as her nostrils flared in anticipation.
As she gradually drew near, Koops was able to make her out better. To him, it looked almost like a parade float, or like one of those silly piñata thingies that hung over tree branches for people to hit.
"Everybody, hide! It's Hooktail!" a Koopa shouted, running away. He was joined by a handful of other Koopas running back to their homes; the sound of doors slamming and locking one after another soon followed. In a matter of seconds, the town became barren and silent, while the "piñata" grew ever closer...
Koopana polished a glass clean and set it on table. "Koopley, I'm getting worried. Koops hasn't come back in yet. He usually does by this time..."
Koopley smiled. "Don't worry about him. He's just being a boy! Let him have some fun."
Koopie Koo looked around, scared. "Um, Koops? Maybe we should go inside..."
Hooktail was fast approaching them... Despite her large body and small wings, she flew like a jet, claws extended and ready to grab her prey. All of a sudden, Koops was pretty sure he didn't want this thing as a pet anymore.
"Yeah, let's go..." he whimpered, fear evident in his soft voice.
Before the two could even move, a frightening yelp came from a nearby bush as a Koopa in hiding panicked and jumped out. Like a flash, Hooktail struck. She slammed down onto an unfortunate Koopa, hastily tearing his arm off and eating it.
Koopie Koo let out a long and piercing squeal, traumatized by the gore. Lifting her head to the scream, Hooktail smiled deviously at the two.
"Well, well, well..." her forceful voice growled. "What do we have here? Even more fresh meat?"
With just three thunderous steps, she stomped over to the terrified Koopas; her humongous head hung low in observation of the pair. Koops shook like a leaf, Koopie Koo clutching on to him in fright.
Hooktail was well over 40 feet tall; a living deathtrap was the only word that could describe her at such a close view. Her red-orange scales glistened in the sunlight, the strange curls on her head bouncing around in the breeze. She slowly let down her gigantic nose and smelled them, the inhaling and exhaling wind from her nostrils paralyzing them with fear.
"Hmm," she relished in their scent. "Very good. VERY good..."
By this time, Koopie Koo had already made it back to the house, diving into a nearby couch the second she entered.
Koopana frowned. "Koopie dear, what's wrong? Where's Koops?"
"It was scary and big and ugly and smelly! Make it go away!" she bawled in a pillow.
Koopely stood up. "What was? What's going on out there?"
Koopie Koo raised her head. "A big, mean monster's outside! It's got big teeth it and smelled us!"
Koopana dropped a dish, it shattered on the ground. "Hooktail...?"
Koopely dashed to the door and outside. "Koops!"
Koopana followed, only to have a fleeing Koopa pull her back. She watched Koopely dart over to Hooktail. "Let me go! My son is out there!" she cried hysterically.
"You're mad!" the Koopa shouted. "There's nothing either of you can do now! Run out there like this and you'll both be killed!"
"I DON'T CARE!"
The dragon eyed him in irritation. "Don't disturb me while I'm eating!"
"Get away from Koops! Eat me if you want, just leave him alone!" Koopely shouted.
"No." Hooktail snorted. She demonstrated her implication by breathing forth blazing fire, just missing him.
"DAD!" Koops ran as fast he legs could carry him go over to his father, but Hooktail's claws scooped him away.
"Oh, no... I'm not done with you yet!" Hooktail bellowed.
A panicked Koopana watched helplessly as the dragon stomped along behind Koops, Koopely trying to recover from her attack. "LET ME GO!" she struggled again.
"Please don't do this! It's for your own good!" the Koopa growled.
Koops could already hear her frantic snarl and smell her hot, rancid breath on his back. A sopping wet tongue stroked his shell...
He grimaced. She licked him! She had actually licked him! ...Not only was Hooktail was trying to eat Koops, but she was toying with him! This awful realization triggered a sickening weakness in his legs, as they suddenly lost all feeling and he fell headfirst into the dirt. A gale force wind barreled past as Hooktail leapt over him, spreading her wings and becoming airborne again.
Koops slid along the ground and then sat up in horror. He yelped agonizingly as he clutched his face in pain. His eyes... something had gotten into his eyes, blinding him. He blinked several times to get the object out, but to no avail. He could feel the tiny particles of soil moving about under his torn eyelid, scratching the tender cornea and stinging the crevasses of his eyes.
Everything was starting to become blurry and unfocused. Koops feared he was losing his sight. He couldn't get them to focus... his vision now only projected blurs and nebulous shapes. Blood ran down a deep scrape on the top of his snout and down into his mouth, its sour taste tarnishing his lips. Regardless, he shakily stood and began to hurry back to his house, limping from his hard fall.
Hooktail turned in mid-air, diving towards the ground. "You think I'd actually let a tasty little morsel like you get away? HA!"
She made a beeline for Koops, opening and flexing the very tips of her claws. Turning her wings from flat and swift to wide and drifting, she flapped them outward to decelerate and close in for the kill. She was ready and waiting to crush his puny shell and gobble down the entrails for a tasty snack...
Something snapped. With a burst of motherly concern for Koops, Koopana yanked free of the Koopa's grasp and ran.
"MOM!" Koops continued to limp, seeing Koopana running to him. She could run much faster... Maybe she could carry him and Dad back to the house.
The piercing sound of Hooktail's dive sliced through their ears, followed by her snarl and the loud thud of her landing on the ground.
Everything went black...
...Koops opened his eyes to see only the darkness of his own shell...
He waited for Hooktail's teeth to come slicing through at any moment, ending his short life painfully and abruptly... but it never came. All was silent, eerily silent. Maybe Koopana somehow managed to grab him and get back into the house.
Convinced he was right, Koops slowly emerged from his shell only to realize was still outside, Koopana nowhere to be seen. Then Koopas and Toads alike stuck their heads out windows and doors and started shouting at something... something behind him... even an injured Koopley was yelling at it...
Why did he have to turn around? Why did his curiosity get the better of him? Why did his eyes have to be working well enough to see?
...He watched in unspeakable horror as his mother was being mutilated and eaten before his very eyes...
Hooktail was hunched over, her back to Koops, tearing her limb from limb like a rag doll... She seemed to be enjoying Koops' trauma, as she smiled in glee; her teeth stained with Koopana's blood...
...It was like a horrible nightmare with no end...
It replayed in his mind's eye over... and over...
Koopana's body there between Hooktail's claws...
Hooktail smiling that ugly smile of hers...
He sat in his room for what seemed like days after that...
He'd been changed...
He was no longer a peppy, young Koopa full of life and expectancies...
He stopped smiling at the all the pretty flowers spouting outside and around his window... He now found himself mumbling incoherently to other Koopas' when they tried to start conversations with him. He couldn't help but flinch at everything that moved... He just couldn't control it...
He would never be the same again... Ruined by the gruesome sight of his mother's death. Not only that, but Koops felt his incident was downcast by the world around him...
It was like nobody even cared...
The next day, in Shhwonk Fortress, there was a small memorial service held for his mother and two or three other residents who perished, but after that... nothing. Like it never even happened...
To make matters even worse, Koopley, the only one Koops felt still cared for him mysteriously disappeared a week later. Hooktail murdering Koopana was the final straw. He set off for Hooktail Castle to finally rid Petalburg of the troubling dragon once and for all. He left his son a note saying this and about how proud of him he was for braving through their loss so well, but Koops didn't care anymore.
He knew his father would never come back... and he was right...
Koops and Koopie Koo were now orphans, thanks to Hooktail. They stayed with Kroops in the meantime, in the unlikely event Koopley would return. Koops was considered lucky to recover from his injuries and regain his sight so quickly... but his left eye, which took the most damage from his fall, never fully healed, nor did the nasty scar strewn across his nose. He placed a bandage over it to at least try to keep it from marking up his face. There wasn't anything he could do for his ruined eye, but he was lucky he could still see...
Petalburg wasn't the same after that. Koops rarely went outside, unlike Koopie Koo. She may've lost her parents, but at least she didn't have to see one of them viciously murdered... Hooktail still attacked the town on a regularly basis, and everytime he saw her through the window, he secretly wished she would take him away to join his parents...
Koops heaved a shaky sigh, close to tears. It hurt him so much to tell that story... to Vivian, especially. But he felt better at the same time. Like a great weight was lifted from his shoulders for someone else to hear his sad tale...
He looked up to the sound of her soft sniveling. "What's wrong?"
She wiped away a tear. "Nothing. It's just... I feel so bad."
"Why?"
"Because..." she sniffed back a tear. "You lost your mother in... such an awful way. I don't know if I could bear living with that image in my head..."
"But, what about your sister?" Koops found himself out on a limb from asking such a stupid question.
Vivian smiled sadly, another tear trickling down her cheek. "...I guess that's another thing we have in common, huh?"
"Yeah..."
Vivian lifted her hat slightly to rub a few tears from her eyes. "Don't worry. I'm okay... just a little depressed..."
Koops winced. Great... Now Vivian was feeling bad. Maybe Ms. Mowz was wrong. Telling her this, it seemed, only made her pain worse. He felt inclined to leave and pretend none of this ever happened...
Before he had a chance to move off the bed, Vivian's hair graced his cheek ever so lightly, in hopes for a friendly hug. She didn't even seem to be crying anymore.
"Listen..." she broke the unusual silence. "I want to say thanks."
"For what?"
"Well, for lots of things. For being nice to me and... taking care of me when I was sick... and for being so sweet. I really appreciate everyone's help but you... You're different."
"Different?"
"Don't ask me why," she giggled. "There's really something special about you."
Koops didn't say anything, overwhelmed and confused by this new feeling. He didn't know how long they sat there in the darkness together... and it didn't matter, either. All he wanted was for Vivian to feel happy, and if that meant staying up all night to let her perch on him in consolation, then so be it.
"Well, it's getting late. I'm turning in for the night," Vivian stood up after what seemed like an hour later.
"Yeah, you're right," smiled Koops.
He rose from the bed, unaware of Vivian lingering hopefully behind him. She stood by the bed in shy calmness, watching him unfold the covers with a silent, but questioning plea.
Koops looked at her. "What's wrong?"
"Would it be okay if I could... sleep here tonight? It's a little cold sometimes..." she gently asked.
"Oh, sure. That's fine..." he started to get up, but she stopped him.
"No, I mean... We can share it together. That's okay, right?"
Koops went completely red in the face. Did he hear her correctly? Vivian wanted to share the blanket? Just that morning, she was practically terrified of holding his arm... But now, she actually looked like she wanted to be around him more.
Koops found himself stuttering. "Y-yeah... Sure, we can share it... I-if you want..."
Vivian flashed a smile, one of the biggest she'd ever shown.
Quietly, she slid her lithe body under the covers, her silky tail barely rubbing against Koops' leg. Pulling one edge of the blanket, she tossed the rest over Koops and tugged tightly on her side. Reluctantly, he grabbed his section and pulled it close to his chest. It was like déjà vu of how they spent the night on Keelhaul, but this time, there seemed to be a tender aura in the air... Koops couldn't exactly figure out what it was, nor did he want to.
Maybe Ms. Mowz was right after all. Vivian felt she was on his level now, instead of being dirt in comparison. Sharing his lament with her was the final wall between the two... Now that it was broken, Vivian trusted him completely. Koops wasn't sure how Lillian died and didn't intend on asking; If Vivian wanted to tell him, she would
Authoress' Notes: W00t for Ms. Mowz, the guru of love. Thank you. Goomba Pies.