Authoress' Notes: Sorry for the late update! I would've posted this around Thanksgiving, but my computer totally screwed things up for me. Anywho, it seems that someone in the Reviews misunderstood me and thought "BOA" was over:) Sorry bout that, but I'm glad to say it's not! I just think of things early like that. But there will be a sequel, so stay tuned! And consider this Chapter to be my Christmas present to all of you for reading this story and giving me so many reviews! It's one of the few things that really make my (COUGHboringCOUGH) life worth living. :)
Better Off Alone
Chapter 9: Bloodline
Koops opened his eyes to the soft tingling of the breakfast bell and the faint voices of Toads calling "Good morning!" and "Rise and shine!"
Slowly, he sat up and rubbed the lingering effects of sleep from his eyes. He squinted from the bright sunrise in the room and glanced at the clock; 7:34am, it read. Still yawning and smacking his lips, Koops opened the window. The breeze outside was cool, calm, and invigorating; just the kind of thing you needed to wake up your mind and body from a well-needed rest from a long night of confusion and misunderstanding.
Speaking of which, Koops started wondering about Vivian again...
About last night...
What exactly was she trying to do? What was she trying to imply? And had she really kissed him? The red, sticky remnants of her Fire Pop were solid proof she'd definitely come in contact with him...
Koops decided to shake it off and leave the speculation for later. He found it more difficult to ponder abut things when he was hungry, so maybe after getting a bite to eat, he could come up with at least some reasonable answers...
He rode the elevator downstairs and stood in the hushed lobby, clearing his mind and enjoying the quiet bubbling of the waterfall in the window. His train of thought was abruptly broken when he heard a soft sigh from the nearby sofa. Glancing to his right, Koops saw the blonde strands of Goombella's ponytail dangling off the couch's arm. She sat on one of the couch's pillows, content and relaxed, gazing outside the saturated sheet of glass. The translucent waterfall between the windows and the gold-studded frame reflected the morning sun's rays into faint streaks of rainbow that scattered across the room in a dazzling manner.
Koops leaned on the couch. "Nice touch to the lobby, huh?" he asked nonchalantly, not wanting to startle Goombella.
The Goomba turned around. Upon seeing him, she smiled. "Well, you're up early."
Koops yawned. "Yeah, well... I guess I'm just a... morning person... you know?"
Goombella peered at Koops, noticing something odd. "What's wrong? You sound a little down."
"Oh... No, it's nothing... You don't need to worry about it..." Koops trailed off.
Goombella turned around completely to face him. "I can tell when you act like that, something's up, so let's hear it."
Defeated, Koops sighed. It was a well-known fact that he was a terrible liar, as his docile nature made it difficult for him to purposely deceive others. He timidly rubbed the back of his head, trying to think of a way to put his situation into words. "...Well... It was really weird last night... When we were going back to our rooms, Vivian didn't get off on her floor. Did you notice that?"
Goombella thought for a moment. "Well, I figured she was probably on the first or second floor..."
"Vivian was on the fourth floor... or, at least... that's what she told me. She said was going downstairs to get some more Choco Cake, but then she came back to my room with Fire and Electro Pops and said that's all they had."
Goombella stared hard at Koops. "Fire and Electro Pops? They don't sell those here..."
"They don't?"
With a bewildered frown, Goombella shook her head. "No... The Choco Cake was the only thing they offered like that. I never saw either Fire or Electro Pops on the menu, since they only serve all this rich, aristocratic food."
Now Koops was really confused...
If the hotel didn't serve Fire or Electro Pops, then where did Vivian get them from? And why did she bring them to share with him? Why didn't she just get two Choco Cakes, or one and they both eat it together? And what was their significance? It wasn't like they were the food of romance or anything; the two lollipops were merely sugar-coated candy, invented only as a treat for the taste buds and nothing more...
"So, you're saying she went to go get some Choco Cake? Did you tell her to get you one?" asked Goombella.
"No," Koops shook his head. "She just said she was going to get some... I mean, I didn't think much of it, so I didn't ask her why."
"...That's a little odd, don'tcha think?" Goombella pondered. "...That Vivian would just do that out of nowhere... Did she try to do anything when she came back? You know, make any gestures? Say anything suggestive of something she wanted?"
"Yeah..." he said, absent-mindedly. "She had this... walk thing... when she left..."
Goombella frowned again. "Walk thing?" she repeated. "What? Like a waddle, or a strut?"
"More like a strut," Koops confirmed, the image starting to come back to him.
"Really?" Confusion was written all over Goombella's face. "Well... Maybe this is her way of saying she enjoys your company, but she might've misjudged her intentions a bit. I'm guessing Vivian hasn't experienced much time around anyone other than her sisters..." hypothesized the Goomba.
Goombella had a decent theory going. Vivian wasn't the outgoing type, mostly because she felt somehow... corrupted. She was also a little naïve and probably the most inexperienced partner out of Mario's party. Judging from Beldam's earlier hounding, Vivian didn't seem to have a decent role model for her to learn from, so she most likely never learned proper etiquette. She was capable, but not quite ready, as far as the means of maturing...
This realization made Koops' heart drop... Vivian was disrespected by her kind and she was disgraced by strangers... Who else could you possibly turn to when your family treated you like dirt...?
"...You and I know she meant no harm, right?" Goombella finished.
Koops snapped out of his thoughts. "Huh? ...Yeah... No harm..."
"Actually," Goombella continued on with her rambling assumptions. "I think Vivian and her sisters are the only ones of their kind. They're really a rare species."
Oh... "Really?" Koops halfheartedly asked. Great... Now that was another thing about Vivian to ponder over...
Goombella went on. "Koopas, Goombas, Bob-ombs, Yoshis; they're multiples of us, but only three Shadow Sirens exist and Vivian probably feels a little awkward because of that. I'm actually thinking of performing a study on her when this whole quest is over. She could very well be the key to exactly what happened prior to 1,000 years ago."
"Oh..." Koops quickly looked for something else to say. "What kind of a study?"
"Well," she thought for a second. "I could ask about her standard of living, her habitat, lifespan, food preferences... Things like that so we can get a clearer perception of her."
That was exactly what Koops wanted; a better understanding of Vivian's origins and her reason to exist alongside modern civilization, while she was such a misunderstood oddity...
"Oh... yeah, that'd be nice," replied the Koopa.
Silence.
"By the way..." Koops suddenly remembered. "Not that it's any of my business, but... what were you doing down here, anyway?"
Goombella seemed caught off-guard. "Oh, me? Nothing, really. All those morning calls from the Toads upstairs just got on my nerves, so I came down here to get away from them."
"Well, they should probably be gone by now. You think they've started serving breakfast yet?" Koops asked, as he and Goombella walked to the elevator together.
"I think they start at 5:00am and keep going until noon," Goombella responded.
"Okay." Koops pushed the respective buttons of his and Goombella's floors on the elevator's switch panel. "We've got another three hours or so until the Excess Express heads back to Rogueport, right?"
"Pretty much, yeah."
The elevator chimed as it reached the second floor, Koops' destination.
Disembarking, he turned back to the Goomba. "I guess I'll see you around three hours, then."
"We've got some spare time on our side, so you can do a little more sightseeing if you want. When you're done, go back to the lobby. We'll all meet up there before we leave," she clarified.
"Okay..." He paused. "And Goombella?"
"Huh?"
Koops' face reddened a little as he flashed a smile at her. "Thanks for the talk... Sometimes, I think you're the only one who ever really listens to me."
Goombella returned the smile with gusto. "Sure. What're friends for?"
The elevator doors closed and Koops went back to his room, feeling somewhat satisfied about the whole 'Vivian being shrouded in mystery' thought. Arriving in his cabin, Koops laid back down on his bed. He wasn't very hungry at the moment, not to mention the food tasted better on the train anyway. Maybe he'd wait and eat something on the Excess Express, since it'd be another three-day voyage back to Rogueport anyway. He spent the rest of his time staring at the ceiling, his eyes becoming heavy... and eventually, Koops began drifting off to sleep... a few minutes' rest wouldn't hurt, after all...
Koops remembered he had a dream... a strange one... He couldn't exactly recall what happened, but he had vague visions of him and Vivian in Shhwonk Fortress. And they were frolicking through the abundant mass of flowers inhabiting the area... It was so warm and fresh. It felt like he was really there. And not did he have the fear or tension like in his other dream... But it lasted only a short time before...
"Koops... wake up, it's time to go," Goombella suddenly spoke.
Drowsily, Koops rose and yawned, "...Huh?"
"It's 10:00. The train's leaving in 30 minutes."
"Oh... Already?" He hated it when that happened. When he was having a perfectly good dream, then someone would come along and wake him up, causing him to forget most of what just happened.
"I'm gonna go get Mario and a few of the others, and then we're off, okay? Everyone else is waiting down at the lobby for us," Goombella said, as she walked out the door, closing it behind her.
Koops rubbed his eyes and yawned again before also vacating the room and heading for the elevator. He was still a little groggy, though... Maybe he could continue his nap once aboard the Excess Express...
Downstairs, Koops sat along with Bobbery and Waffles, waiting for Goombella to come back with the others. It wasn't too long before the elevator door opened as Mario, Goombella, Flurrie, Vivian, and to everyone's surprise, Ms. Mowz stepped off.
"Okay!" Goombella announced. "I think we're all ready to go now. Are we missing anything?"
"Not really, since there wasn't that much we brought along with us in the first place," said Waffles.
"Oh, Mario?" Vivian lightly tapped his shoulder with one hand, holding the Power Jump badge in the other. "Here. This is for you. I thought maybe you could add it to your badge collection."
"Hey, where'd you get that from? Did you steal it from somebody?"
"No, I didn't steal it... I..." Vivian paused for a moment. "Well..."
Seeing she was having some trouble, Ms. Mowz decided to intrude. "Hmm! Does it really matter where she got it from? It may be possible that she just has a knack for finding gems amongst the junk, like yours truly."
"Yeah, more like dumb luck..." Waffles muttered.
"Anyway," Goombella overlooked Waffles' observations. "Everyone's here, we've got all our stuff, so let's go."
"Yes, if you ever find yourselves around these parts again, do stop by and visit. I'd be happy to take care of any favor you may need," Pennington advised.
After a few more farewells and good-byes, Mario and friends boarded the train, bound for Rogueport. Koops never did finish his nap, but instead spent the next three days admiring Vivian's behavior...He began to notice Vivian had changed so much... She was like one of the others now and they were all a big, happy circle of friends. Whenever they talked, she joined in and smiled... sometimes even laughed. She didn't shy away or look so horrified whenever one of them tried to talk to her; she joked and conversed right alongside the rest as if they were her own family. As the three days back to Rogueport slowly whittled away to nothing, Vivian's previously hidden attributes gradually became clearer. The Shadow Siren's personality appeared to be more of a perky, young girl, rather than a nervous, emotionally-tortured adolescent. She was also very affectionate, not just with Koops, but with anyone who she felt would accept it.
Reaching Rogueport, Mario and the rest went straight to the Thousand-Year Door and put the Garnet Crystal Star in its place. Vivian, of course, decided to stay away from the gargantuan doorway, watching the continuous display of glowing lights from the pedestal near a broken pillar. No one seemed to mind or care that she did this, but it bothered Koops as to why Vivian wouldn't come within 20 feet of the door. It was like... something was keeping her away from it... Like if she got too close, something awful would happen...
After some suggestions and a little enlightenment from Prof. Frankly about the X-Nauts and their fortress on the Moon, the team set off to find the hidden pipe that would lead them to their new goal: get to Fahr Outpost and use the local Bob-ombs' cannon to get reach the Moon.
Koops himself thought the idea was crazy. How in the world could they achieve such a feat, even if the Bob-ombs did let them use their cannon? How would they be able to survive and how would they get back? These thoughts and many more perplexed him as he pushed through the snow on the trail leading to Fahr Outpost.
Upon their arrival, they confronted the mayor, who refused to admit a cannon even existed there. It took Bobbery to convince him otherwise. Knowing the fate of the world was at stake, the mayor Bob-omb explained that only Goldbob and General White could operate the cannon. Grudgingly, the group went to search for the two, finding Goldbob first in Poshley Heights. Alas, even after looking in every town they'd previously visited, General White was nowhere to be found. Dejectedly, the group dragged themselves back to Fahr Outpost, only to realize General White was asleep in his house. After a few more negotiations and settlements, the mayor and General White both agreed to get the cannon back online for Mario and friends.
The mayor decided it would be better to wait until tomorrow before they fired off the cannon, fearing a speedy shoot-off might cause a few miscalculations. That and Mario thought it'd be best to let his companions rest as a repayment for their earlier efforts. Savoring in their reward, the partners spent the rest of the day playing in the snow and getting ready for their intergalactic trip to the moon.
While the others frolicked in the snow, Vivian withdrew to the outskirts of Fahr Outpost admiring the icy fluff. She couldn't remember the last she'd seen snow and it was so... beautiful and gentle... Her peaceful thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice.
"Vivian... we need to talk..." someone said.
"Huh?"
As if to answer her question, Beldam and Marilyn appeared out of the shadows and a frostbitten Doopliss reluctantly joined them, sneezing and coughing all the way.
Vivian bit her lip. Fahr Outpost had to be the worst place to run into Beldam, especially if she was mad. Being created from snow and ice, Beldam could wield the frost as she pleased, and on top of that, the elements of any ice or snow would adjust itself to match her feelings. It was apparent she had the advantage here...
Koops looked towards the sky. "It's starting to get nippy out here. Maybe we should call it a night."
Goombella shivered. "Yeah, I really don't wanna get pneumonia out here."
Then, Koops realized something. "Hey... do you know where Vivian is?"
"Oh, she's right over... not here..." Goombella puckered her lips in deep thought. "Now where'd she run off to?"
Koops shrugged. "Well, I saw her at the edge of town a few minutes ago... She might still be there."
"Well," said Goombella. "Let's go get her. It's not good to stay out this long anyway..."
"You think you're pretty smart, huh?" Beldam seethed at Vivian. As she did, the quiet calm of the snow suddenly turned into a strong gust of flurries. "Giving us a fake Crystal Star? I bet this was all your doing, wasn't it?"Vivian didn't make eye contact. "I had nothing to do with it..."
"Liar... If you didn't do it, then I'd like to know who did... Who'd possibly have the know-how of a Crystal Star like us? Who'd know enough about it to make a fake one so convincing that not even its own kindred could tell the difference? Who else would know which one we were after? Who, Vivian? WHO?"
"...I don't know..." the youngest sister replied, rubbing her arms to keep warm. "But I didn't do it... It was already there when we arrived, so I don't know..."
At that moment, Koops and Goombella arrived on the scene, Goombella suddenly perking up at something. "...Who's that?"Koops squinted. "I think that's... Beldam...?" he said, in surprise. "Marilyn and... Doopliss? What're they doing here?"
"And what are they doing, talking to Vivian?" whispered Goombella.
"Think we should tell Mario?" asked the Koopa.
Goombella ducked down low behind a nearby tree. "I don't know... Let's just keep quiet and see what happens."
Koops retreated behind the tree as well. "Okay."
"Hanging around with Mario must've made you think you can get away with anything..." Beldam badgered. Vivian shivered as hail began to aggressively pelt her sensitive skin. "There's no point in lying if he and his friends aren't here to back you up."
Vivian didn't say a word; she just glared at her older sister, a cold, expressionless glower on her face. From looks alone, it appeared she was mad or even fuming at her... Beldam glared back, assuming Vivian would soon start to tremble under her callous authority.
She didn't cringe for a second...
"You're so pathetic, Vivian..." the frustrated Beldam spat. "You've never been able to do anything right! You're actually helping Mario collect the Crystal Stars!"
"No, I'm no--"
"I'M SPEAKING!"
Vivian quickly silenced herself, a sudden blizzard angrily blasting the area. "...I... I'm sorry... I thought you didn't want me back anymore..."
"You'd think I'd let you off the leash that easily? It was just a put-on to fool those bumbling idiots into thinking we weren't a threat anymore. It's something I'd like to call 'divide and conquer'. But this..." she held up the fake Crystal Star and shattered it against a nearby tree. "...it's unacceptable... it's not funny... Do you think it's funny, Vivian?"
Still looking away, she nervously fingered her hat's rim. "No, I don't..."
Goombella made a face. "Divide and conquer?"
Koops looked at her. "What's she talking about?"
"And if that weren't enough..." Beldam lowered her hat and tone. "Not only have you been negligent of your responsibilities, but you've been showing off, playing around, procrastinating, and fraternizing with the enemy, instead of learning their weaknesses like you were instructed to do... Am I right in saying so?"
The fiery siren bit her lip even harder, feeling the pangs of guilt start to seep in and take effect.
She had been playing around...
She had been fraternizing with her so-called "enemy"...
And she was trying to flirt with Koops... but... she didn't mean to make it so noticeable...
She just wanted some attention...
...Maybe she was desperate for attention...
"Do you think this is a game?" Beldam continued. Her rim still covered the majority of her usual sneaky smirk, which, by now, had turned to a vexed frown.
"No..."
"Here we are... trying to get the Crystal Stars back from Mario... and you're wasting precious time by flirting with the enemy?"
"No, I..."
Goombella's expression turned to shock upon hearing Beldam's words. "So, it was all a plan... to steal the Crystal Stars?"
"...No, that can't be it..." Koops refused to believe it. "Vivian wouldn't do something like that..."
Once again, Vivian found herself backed into a corner with no hopes of escaping...
What was she thinking, trying to fool around with Koops? ...It was just in her nature; she was starved for attention and since no one was fulfilling her needs enough to satisfy her, she'd begun to feel distressed. Vivian always was the playful and cheery type, mostly thanks to Lillian's constant happy-go-lucky attitude. But after she died, the carefree influence Vivian had learned to adapt to so well perished along with her... and she never truly finished growing up...
...and she still wasn't finished and wouldn't be for several more decades or so. Everything around her just went too fast for her to comprehend, despite her slow maturing process...
...All she needed was a little more time...
"VIVIAN!"
"Huh?"
"Now you're daydreaming?" Beldam scowled.
She frantically struggled for an answer. "No... I just didn't-I didn't hear you... that's all..."
Beldam was becoming more and more cross by the second; Vivian could tell by her unusually calm demeanor...
"...Out of Mario and all his little pesky friends, you seem to have your eye on the Koopa the most..." the senior turned her back to the confused sister, leaving a sour sensation in the air. "Is there... any particular reason why?"
Koops perked up at the sound of 'Koopa', listening intently for the response. There was an odd hush as Vivian tried to come up with a believable answer; even the howling wind came to an eerie, muted halt. Goombella felt like her ears were clogged from the sudden hush of their conversation. Watching the snow fall so silently and add on to its surroundings seemed strange because of the setting's uncomfortable stillness. Even the sirens' hats, along with Doopliss,' were starting to become covered with a thin blanket of frost.
"...I... I don't know what you're talking about..." Vivian finally said.
Beldam disregarded her answer. "I mean, really, Vivian... A Koopa? How could you possibly be interested in such a worthless creature? If you're going to scam anyone, at least let it be someone with something of value..."
Koops' feelings were hurt to hear Beldam ridicule his kind like that, but he knew it wasn't true. Basic Koopas weren't the strongest of their class, but what they lacked in brawn, they made up in brains. They were commended for their longevity, peaceful resolving, and idealistic outlook on the world's issues and how to solve them. Sure, they were often mistaken by most to be Bowser's evil henchmen, but the King himself usually only recruited stronger Koopas, like Hammer Bros., Koopatrols, Magikoopas, and so on.
"I would understand if it a Boo or maybe even a higher rank of Koopa, like a Koopatrol... They happen to possess invaluable powers and rare items that could very well help us... But a Koopa?" she said their name with such disdain, that it hurt both Koops and Vivian to hear it.
"...They're really nice to me... I'm just trying to show them I'm grateful..." the younger meekly whispered.
"Shadow Sirens aren't supposed to be grateful! We're not supposed to be nice! ...But your simplicity impedes your view of the world, now doesn't it?"
Vivian lowered her head in shame. "I'm sorry..."
"Yes, you're always sorry aren't you?" Beldam mocked as she rolled her eyes. "This Koopa is obviously getting in your way of completing your mission. Maybe we should eliminate him before we set our sights on Mario..."
Without any warning or thought, Vivian suddenly snapped her head up, face angry and enraged. "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH HIM, OR I'LL..."
Goombella struggled behind the tree, trying not to make any hasty movements from the alarm of her sudden outburst.
Marilyn flinched and Doopliss' eyes widened, a stunned look on his face. Vivian's hands went straight to her mouth.
...Was that... Was that her... voice?
That... awful yelling...? No, it couldn't...
Slowly, Beldam turned back to face Vivian, her expression a mix between shock and surprise.
Vivian was speechless, open-mouthed in surprise. She didn't know how to explain her outburst and she couldn't deny it had happened. Her eyes quickly darted around the snow-covered surrounding and finally lay to rest on Marilyn. The middle siren sat in silence, a scared silence... Doopliss lacked in helping as well, as his eyes zipped back and forth uneasily between Vivian and Beldam.
For a moment... a split second, Vivian felt such an intense hatred burning inside her... Her fists were balled tightly in anger... no... In a rage...
From the safety behind the tree, Koops couldn't help but blush. Was Vivian having such a fit over him... or was she defending the others altogether? He couldn't be sure...
The shock on Beldam's face soon turned to anger; the falling snow promptly turning into a violent gust of flurries. "You actually think you can order me around like that?" she grabbed a lock of Vivian's hair. "Don't forget your place, you idiotic twit! I don't know what's gotten into you, Vivian, but for your sake, it'd best stop!"
Unexpectedly, Vivian yanked hard and out of Beldam's grasp. She turned back to see the elder still holding a large clump of curls in her hand. It didn't matter, though; it'd grow back very soon, not to mention the torn hair was from underneath layers of others, making it nearly impossible to notice. Seeing this irritated Koops a little...
"You've grown independent, haven't you?" Beldam sneered sarcastically, throwing the hair down, its loud hue quite the eye-catcher in the white show. "Think you don't need us around anymore, do you?"
"Leave Koops alone..." Vivian seethed. "He has nothing to do with this... If you want to punish me, then go ahead, but I'm not letting you hurt Koops... or... or any of my other friends!" she quickly added, her face starting to blush.
"...You're not going to let me?" repeated the leader. "Am I going to have to knock you down a few notches to show you who's boss?"
"...No..." Vivian sighed. "Just leave them alone... that's all I ask... It's not their problem..." She was cut off by a hard slap, jerking her head to the side.
Almost impulsively, Koops stood up, but Goombella knocked him over, angrily whispering, "What're you doing?"
"We can't just sit here and let Vivian take that! We need to help her!"
"Let's wait it out a little more, Koops. We can't take these guys on our own, you know!"
Koops sat back down behind the tree. Unfortunately, she was right; Interfering might've caused more harm to Vivian than good.
"...You disgust me..." Beldam muttered.
"...I don't care..." Vivian whispered bitterly, recoiling from the slap.
Beldam glared at Doopliss and Marilyn. "...Then I guess you don't care if I get rid of your so-called 'friends' for you..."
Vivian didn't move. She continued to stare off into the abyss, memories of her beatings flashing back through her mind... each one more painful than the last...
"It wouldn't be wise to try and rebel against me, you know. I have Grodus and his entire X-Naut regime on my side... They can besiege Mario and the others to get what they want, if at all necessary," the eldest said, her back turned once again.
"No..." came Vivian's trembling plea, fearing the worst. "Please, no... Don't... I-I'm sorry..."
"Vivian, you're coming back with us," Beldam curtly decided. "You're being distracted from your work, not to mention we've got a better plan anyway."
The siren of fire was silent, her gaze focused on the torn strands of pink hair still waving through the colorless snow...
Growing impatient with her lack of response, Beldam began to walk off, Doopliss and Marilyn looking on in uncertainty. "Come off it, Vivian. You know it wouldn't have worked out anyway. They're too different; you're too different... For all my efforts, you should be thanking me. I'm saving you a lot of trouble..."
"...I'm not going..."
Beldam stopped. "Come again...?"
"...I'm not coming back..." Vivian hesitantly repeated. "I've... I've made up my decision... that I'm leaving... I'm sorry, but Mario... Mario and his friends are the only ones who've ever been nice to me..."
No sooner had she finished, a sharp pain sliced through her chest, like a knife or a sword... Vivian's tail suddenly buckled from underneath her and she fell to the cold, unforgiving snow, twisted in agony. She trembled in unspeakable pain. Her body felt like it was frozen from the inside out...
It was one of Beldam's freezing spells... It had to be... The feeling...
It was so cold...
So cold...
"...You think about that, Vivian," came Beldam's voice. "Think about how idiotic you sound right now! And when they turn against you and strip you of what's left of your dignity, don't come crying back to us! Marilyn! Freak-sheet! Come on, we've got things to do..."
"Um, you know... it's Doopliss... Right? You know that right?" sniveled the cold Duplighost.
From his hiding place, Koops struggled with all his might not to leap out and punch Beldam right her long, ugly nose... All the while, Goombella kept scowling at him and making gestures for him to quiet down.
Marilyn went over to her injured sister, reaching out to check her condition. She knew how powerful Beldam's spells were and, out there in the snow, their strength was multiplied even further.
"Marilyn!"
She flinched.
"You weren't thinking of actually trying to help that little traitorous whelp, were you?" questioned the siren of ice.
Marilyn looked down at her inept sibling in the icy fluff. Her gaze was returned by her younger sister's bright, red eyes from beneath her lopsided hat and ruffled hair blowing in the wind.
Regrettably, the hefty sister shook her head.
"Good. Then I'd like you to come with us. Vivian's no longer our ally, you got that?"
Marilyn slowly nodded. With one last look of worry at Vivian, she turned to follow her older sister into the shadows, leaving Doopliss to worry.
"C'mon, guys! Seriously, stop! Aw... I hate it when you do that!" he sneezed and snorted, running off into the snow.
Vivian sat in the snow, numb and incapacitated. She couldn't do much of anything but wait for whatever was wrong with her to go away... The snow was falling quietly again, since Beldam was gone. But...
Something was wrong...
Very wrong...
With the sense of silence Beldam left behind, came a sudden hint of déjà vu... Vivian felt like this scene was somehow familiar to her... Sure, Beldam'd constantly beat her like this, and worse... but she felt like it was repeating something... It had the same plan, but with a different situation and purpose...
"Vivian!"
The siren looked up at the familiar voice calling her name. Through the snow, she could see two figures running to her... Calling out for her... was it...
"G-goombella? K-koops?"
As the two ran, slowly getting closer and closer, her vision began to fade and everything went dark...
Back in the inn, Goombella placed a warm cup of Koopa Tea on the nightstand. "Here. Drink some of this. It'll make you feel better."
Vivian slowly took the cup. "T-thank you..." she trembled, still recovering from Beldam's wintry assault. "Were you g-guys... w-watching...? The whole t-time?"
"Yeah, we heard everything..." answered Koops.
Vivian sat in a long, uncomfortable silence. They'd heard the entire plan... They knew what her true intent was...
Feeling obligated to say something, Goombella cleared her throat. "Listen... Those guys are total freaks, Vivian... Forget about them all right?"
Vivian buried her head in the blanket. "I f-feel so awful..."
"Don't be. You shouldn't be with them, anyway..."
"...W-why were you out there anyway?" she asked, her head turned away.
"We were worried something might happen to you. Out in the cold like that... and those Frost Piranhas are merciless, you know," Goombella shuddered at their undisputed strength.
"...Even after I was s-supposed to take the C-crystal Stars... you s-still trust m-me?"
"Of course we do. So, you made a mistake, big deal. You didn't mean any harm... It wasn't even your fault in the first place. And you think you're to blame for it?"
Vivian looked down at the cup. The Koopa Tea inside reflected her distressed face. "Well..."
"No one should have to go through this kind of punishment, especially you. Lying in the snow out in the cold... It's inhumane... You don't deserve it."
"I d-don't?"
"No... You deserve to come inside and be nice and warm with the rest of us," Goombella told the siren.
"But... I betrayed y-you..."
"And aren't you sorry?" Koops asked.
"Yes...but..."
"Then it's okay." Koops placed another blanket on her back. "We aren't going to hold a grudge against you over something stupid like this. If that were the case, Mario never would've let any of us join him to begin with."
"He does have a point," Goombella added.
"...You p-promise not to t-tell anyone else about t-this?" Vivian suddenly remarked.
"Huh? Why?"
"I just d-don't want anyone else t-to know..." Vivian whispered. "So, please d-don't tell..."
"Okay..." Koops finally spoke. "We won't tell, if it bothers you that much."
"T-thank you... for understanding..."
Koops looked at the Goomba. "Goombella? You promise not tell either, right?"
"Sure, if it'll make Vivian feel better, we'll keep our little secret."
Vivian didn't say another word for the rest of the night. She sat secluded in the far part of the inn with her Koopa Tea, facing the wall like she was on punishment. Mario, along with the others memebers of the party kept wanting to know if anything was wrong with Vivian. Goombella and Koops played it off and pretended they didn't know either, so everyone just assumed Vivian wanted to be left alone for personal reasons...
Vivian lay awake in bed that night, bothered by so many things...
For some reason... some strange, unknown reason... her body was telling her something... Like a warning, or omen. Ever since Beldam confronted her, she'd been having these... feelings... these tinglings inside her... Maybe it was an aftereffect of Beldam's spells... But the feeling didn't hurt. It was more of a tickle, not a pain. Not to mention a strangely recognizable déjà vu she had...
Irritated, she yanked the covers over her head and buried her face in the pillow. It wasn't long before the warmth of the heater and the wool covers soon calmed her. Regardless of her body's constant warnings and alerts, Vivian gradually faded into a soft slumber... She'd worry about everything tomorrow; Right now... it was too cozy not to fall asleep...
Ancient stories have risen and fallen in this past millennium... Myths and rumors, legends and tall tales... Most of which pertaining to the evil demon's four ruinous daughters... The demon knew its sprit was eternal, but not indestructible... And this is said to be the reason as to why she created the Shadow Sirens. They were supposedly direct interpretations of the demon; interpretations of an evil so great, they wished no less than to terrorize the world.
One of the sisters, known as 'Flora', was chosen as heir to the demon's throne following her birth. Despite her young age, Flora possessed traits her older siblings weren't fortunate enough to own. She was the slyest and most alluring of the three, with a reputation almost as infamous as her master. If the demon were ever to fall to a greater power, Flora would rise and exact revenge, taking over where the fiend left off in its supreme reign of torture.
Soon after Flora was born, the demon had another child, alias 'Ember', as spectators believed her cherry-colored hat and pink hair stood for the element of fire. Upon the presentation of this new sister, it seemed apparent the demon would continue to create daughters from nature's fiercest means of destruction.
Unfortunately, Flora met an untimely end not long afterwards; it was believed she'd been brutally murdered by someone seeking revenge for the assassination of their family or loved ones. Taken aback by this misfortune, the demon immediately crowned her youngest daughter as heir to her empire. Because of her age, the child was well-guarded and under total surveillance by every servant the fiend had. No one ever found the person responsible for Flora's death, as only a selected few knew how to truly kill a Shadow Siren; a stab to the heart, the weakest part of their body...
In olden times, the heart was said to bring the body purification and compassion for others... This is most likely why a Shadow Siren's heart was so vulnerable...
Because they were cold-blooded creatures with no sympathy or yearn for love...
A younger Vivian slept soundly in the transparent, lavender layer of her silky bed, blissfully unaware of the danger behind her...
A shadow loomed over her younger sibling, the dim light from outside glistening off a dagger she held tight in her hand...
She launched the blade, just missing Vivian, as she shifted to another position under the covers, and stabbed the pillow instead. She lifted the dagger and fingered the small tufts of Vivian's hair she managed to slice off.
"Just what do you think you're doing?" someone harshly whispered.
The shadow turned around, the moonlight eerily shifted over her face, revealing her to be Beldam. "Something that should've been done a long time ago... You and Marilyn are more than enough burden to me and I don't need another nuisance to get in my way!"
The moon then cast its gaze on the latter, exposing it to be Lillian, who frowned. "...I can't believe you'd do that... What's the matter with you? She's our own flesh and blood!"
"Flesh and blood have nothing to do with this! What do you think's going to happen when Vivian gets older? She'll take over your place as the throne's heir... Then, the Queen will have another child who'll eventually do the same thing, but she'll have more abilities than Vivian. And this'll keep happening until Her Highness gets the perfect creation of a daughter. You and Marilyn both outclass me and Vivian outclasses all of us. Don't you see what's going on here?"
"But... Beldam, you can't do that... She's just a baby! She's our sister and I don't care even if she does take over as heir! That's not the point!"
"That's the kind of attitude that makes you weak... If you're planning on taking over the throne for Her Highness, then you've got to learn to bend the rules a bit. It's survival of the fittest in this world, Lillian... and if you get the short end of the stick... then that's the way it is, I guess," sneered the corrupt sister.
Lillian gave her a dirty scowl; her emerald eyes glaring through the darkness from the far side of the room. "That's low... even for someone like you... The Queen won't be happy with this when she finds out."
"Now... you wouldn't think of turning me in, would you?" Beldam turned around, a hint of conspiracy in her voice. "I'm trying to do us all a favor... Ever since the little runt got here, you've spent more time playing games with her than you have fulfilling your duties. As heiress, it's your job to teach her how to defend herself, how to cast spells and make use of her powers... But all you're doing is spoiling her: giving her everything she wants and not making her work for it. Is she able to even do one spell of Emberositics?"
Lillian continued to glare, knowing this was true. "She's only a baby, Beldam... When she comes of age, then I'll teach her, but she can hardly even speak right now. Let her enjoy it while she's young... Before she has to grow up and taint herself with all the burdens of being a Shadow Siren... I know I did."
"And because of that, you're now rebellious and defiant in your orders. The Queen tells you to train with Vivian and you expose her to flower necklaces and sunlight? Who really is the enemy here? You or me? Think about it..."
Lillian refused to comment. Instead, she continued to stare Beldam down; the bitter glint in her eyes silently threatening her older sister to try and do her worst.
Smirking knowingly, Beldam took her up on her offer. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some business to take care of..."
Holding her arm out, Lillian snapped her fingers. On immediate command, a Piranha Plant rose from the ground. "Stop her! Grab that sword!"
Obediently, the Piranha charged for its intended target, drooling and snarling all the way.
Beldam turned and retaliated with an icy incantation of her own, freezing the Piranha Plant just as it was poised over her with its gaping, fang-filled mouth. Twisting her hand again, the frozen Piranha shattered into icy fragments and scattered across the floor.
"You just don't get it, do you?" she growled, enraged. "Best not to get in my way, else I swear you'll regret it!"
"What you're doing is wrong! You may be older, but as heiress, you're ordered to heed my commands and listen to what I say," Lillian stated.
"Like I said, sometimes you've got to bend the rules. But if it's a fight you want, then you've got one right here!" Beldam finished by throwing her arms up and conjuring a spell, unleashing a blizzard of icicles at the siren of flora.
Dodging the attack, Lillian sank into the shadows and reappeared next to the bed. Surprisingly, Vivian was still snoozing.
"Beldam, stop this before you wake her! I mean, this is silly! What are you trying to prove?"
"What am I trying to prove?" Beldam reiterated. "That's funny; I was about to ask you the same thing!"
She launched another blast of flurry of snow. Lillian quickly countered with a spell of her own. Her eyes glowed an intense green as countless roots and stems sprouted for the ground, providing as a blockade for their master.
"I'm not going to fight you, Beldam..." Lillian calmly said, the roots returning to the ground. "If we keep this up, somebody's gonna end up getting hurt!"
"And who're you to be worried over something like that...?" questioned the older.
Lillian stared at her disturbed sister. "...When it comes to terms like this... That's more to say than what you'd do!"
"What kind of a Shadow Siren are you? You're not supposed to back down from anything... ever. Show me, Lillian... Show me exactly how strong you are and fight..." Beldam challenged.
With an irritated grunt, Lillian commanded some roots to attack Beldam and hopefully knock some sense into her. Like before, Beldam used her special elements to freeze and destroy the roots. Knowing she was at a disadvantage, Lillian retreated to a dark region of the room. Her departure was followed by the snarling and growling of more Piranha Plants. They snapped at Beldam's hat and hand, only to be blown away by a chilly gust.
Upon her reappearance, Beldam grabbed Lillian and threw her against a wall, opening her palm and charging for another attack. Lillian disappeared into the floor as Beldam froze it solid. Emerging on the other side of the room, she summoned several more Frost and Putrid Piranhas. The carnivorous plants charged after the shady witch who, in turn, responded by blasting all but the Frost variety away. The remaining Piranhas bit and snapped at their opponent, but to no avail. Beldam used her other imprecations of size reduction to weaken and destroy them.
After a few more minutes of fighting and constant spell-casting, Beldam stopped. "Look, Lillian... I don't see what you're gaining from this pointless squabble. We're evenly matched, so why don't you just let me do my job and get this tedious task over with? Or, better yet, help me out and hold her down in case she wakes up."
She unleashed another freezing spell, barely missing Lillian who vanished into the floor once again. Seeing as their powers were practically the same in almost every way, Beldam decided now was the time to end this... The subtle sound of Lillian's emergence indicated she was directly behind her, most likely planning to take her down by brute force.
But that wouldn't be happening anytime soon... Not if she had anything to do with it...
In a flash, Beldam spun around, sword held high, and stabbed it hard above her head. Instead of slicing air, the blade snagged into something thick and a breathless gasp confirmed she'd hit her mark.
...Lillian's eyes grew wide as she felt the dagger sink through her upper body and straight through her heart. Coughing sharply, she slowly lowered her head to see the weapon plunged deep in her chest, streaks of blood dripping from it.
She fell to the ground, clutching the sword implanted in her body. Choking and wheezing, she huddled on the ground in dying pain. "Y-you..." she sputtered.
"You know... It's your own fault, Lillian," Beldam loomed over her wounded sister, half her perverse face in covered in the seeping poison of darkness. "I tried to tell to stay out of my way... but I guess your stubborn attitude finally got the best of you, didn't it?"
Lillian couldn't answer. She was too busy gurgling and gagging, trying to gasp for air one last time. Still holding the sword with a trembling fist, she staggered and fell backwards onto the ground. She gritted her teeth in agony, as her free hand clutched the bloody carpet in pain.
"What a shame... You look like you're hurt... Here, let me pull it out," With a wicked smirk, Beldam jerked the blade out of Lillian's chest, allowing the blood to spew forth and all over her hat and gloves.
"You... you'll regret... this..." hacked Lillian.
"...I'd like to think different..." Beldam replied, once again turning to Vivian's bed.
With the last of her strength, Lillian raised a shaky hand as she summoned one more Piranha Plant. Without a word, the voracious plant snuck up behind Beldam.
"Well, Lillian, I have to give you credit for trying, but it looks like I was right all along..."
Before she could finish, Lillian's Piranha Plant snatched the sword away and swallowed it, just as Beldam froze it and the remains shattered across the floor.
Weakly, Lillian smirked. "It's... it's like you said... We're... we're evenly... matched... right...?"
Beldam stood tall. "You see... that's where you're wrong... I clearly said that it's survival of the fittest... And you've gotten the short end of the stick... "
Lillian's expression darkened, realizing she was right...
"I've won the battle here, Lillian; there' no point in trying to deny it... Vivian got off lucky this time, but she'll get hers... That I promise you..." Without another word, she diapered into the shadows, the echoes of her quiet laughter sending chills up Lillian's back.
Forgetting about Beldam, she crawled over to Vivian's bed, quietly grunting in pain. She reached her hand out to gently grace her baby sister's face, leaving small traces of blood in her hair and on her cheeks. Vivian responded by grabbing her palm and snuggling it, unaware that she was slowly dying.
Lillian smiled faintly at Vivian's affection of her presence. "...Don't listen... to what she... to what she... says because..." she stopped to cough up blood. "...the joke's... on her..."
"We pway now?" Vivian asked, confused.
Lillian relaxed her head on the covers and let out a shaky sigh. "...No... no playing... It's... it's naptime now..."
Vivian looked so confused, then happy. "We sweep, THEN pway?"
"Yes... we will... we... will..." her whisper was barley audible.
"Can we pway hide and go seeking?" Vivian eagerly asked.
Silence...
"Wilwian?"
Silence...
"Wilwian? Are you sweeping?"
Silence...
In olden times, the heart was said to bring the body purification and compassion for others... This is most likely why a Shadow Siren's heart was so vulnerable...
Because they were cold-blooded creatures with no sympathy or yearn for love...
...But that's where the legend was wrong... And where's Lillian's sacrifice would not be in vain...
Authoress' Notes: FYI, Love Pudding can either make you Sleepy, Dodgy, or Electrified. And yes, this Chapter was a little lackluster, I KNOW! But the cool stuff will happen next time, I swear! I bet a lot of you people out there are going "What the hell is Emberositics?" Well, if you must know, it's the ancient art of summoning fire in the form of an attack or defense. (Pronounced EM-ber-o-SY-TICKS) Intriguing, huh:) On another note, I know it's common speculation that Vivian has a crush on Mario, which I totally agree with, but it's obviously hindered and eventually eradicated by the fact that he's already in love with Peach. Also, I just found out that the word 'beldam' actually means "Old woman, especially one who is considered evil or ugly." (Insert sweatdrop here) Is that not hilarious? And all this time, I thought it was a play on the word 'bedlam', which means chaos or madness. Meh. :P