Authoress' Notes: We're almost done! Only 10 more to go! Also, this chapter is basically like the last one, so don't expect too much to happen.

Better Off Alone

Chapter 20: Passion

Koops awakened with a start the next morning. Like a child on his birthday, he jumped out of bed and looked outside. Was Vivian up? Where was she? He wanted to see her after her first night staying there!

Then again, it was early... way too early. About two hours too early, said the clock on his dresser.

He crept over to the end of the hallway and peered downstairs. Koopley walked by with coffee and the morning paper. He always got up first and went to the kitchen to read it. Vivian was nowhere in sight, as was expected. If that was the case, he'd just go back to bed...

"Good morning, Koops."

The sound of Koopie Koo's voice made him flinch. "Uh... good morning."

"You're up early today... Why's that?"

"You know I'm a morning person. I always wake up early."

"Not this early."

"I wanted to see if Vivian was up. Thought I heard her come by..."

"That was probably me. I think she's still asleep."

He yawned. "Okay, then I'm just going back to bed..."

The female Koopa laughed. "What? You never go back to bed. Once you're up, you're up."

That was true; Koops had a hard time going back to sleep after waking, but if Vivian wasn't awake, he'd sleep for as long as he had to just to see her.

"Yeah, but it is a little... early," he lied. "Give me a few more hours."

Koopie Koo raised an eyebrow at his sudden desire to leave, but shrugged it off. So Koops was acting strangely... Big deal; he was always a little weird. A nice, warm shower would purge her of such crazy ideas.

The Stars were angry and unhappy at what transpired 1,000 years ago. Two star-crossed lovers had bypassed the enemy lines of their species and fell in love with one another. Unfortunately, this was not to be, and the two were severely punished for their enduring relationship. A curse was set about on each lover, and until another love between their families was true and pure, never requited, the lover's souls would never rest...

An hour or two passed before Koops awakened again, this time from the smell of sausages. Vivian had to be up by now. He quickly changed into his usual attire and went down to the kitchen.

He came down and stopped the foot of the stairs, only to see the Shadow Siren coming from the kitchen with an egg-and-cheese sandwich. His tail started wagging.

"Good morning," she said. "Did you sleep well?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Actually, I did. The bed's really comfortable--"

"It must've been for you to sleep in so late," laughed Koopley from the table. "You do know she just got up, right?"

Koops ignored him. "That doesn't matter. You can sleep in as late as you want."

"I should've gone to bed earlier," said Vivian, rubbing her face. "I think that's why I was so sleepy."

A small shadow crept across the wall of the living room, its tail twitching. "Hmm, what they don't know won't hurt them. In fact, it will bring them together..."

The rug suddenly bundled up, just as Vivian left the kitchen. She tripped over the ruffles and fell with a shriek, as Koops came from around the corner of the stairs. She fell onto him hard, her face buried in his jacket.

Surprised, he flinched. "What was... that?"

"...I don't know. I was just coming in to sit down and I guess I... tripped."

Koops looked down. "No wonder, the carpet's uneven."

"Oh..." Vivian seemed stupefied, unsure of what happened.

After an awkward pause, they separated, laughing uneasily and sat on the couch.

"So, you liked it, then? The room's okay?"

She bit into her sandwich. "It's very small and cozy... Almost like it was made for me."

"Good," he replied. In all reality, it made him excited when she was the least bit happy.

"...Um, what do you usually do around here?"

"Nothing much. Run errands, pick up stuff, get things done. I work around town."

"Oh." She paused. "...Well, what do I do?"

"You could help me out... I know that sounds a little boring, but..."

"No, I'd be glad to. It's not boring at all."

"Well, that's good to hear!" came Koopley's voice. "I just remembered that Kroop called. Says he wants you to go over and pick up his orders of Cake Mix form to shop."

Koops groaned. "Dad, you know how much of that stuff he orders... It'll be nighttime before I get it all over there."

"First of all, he said to keep it here; he'll pick it up tomorrow. Second, your friend can help out. You were just talking about that, right?"

Vivian finished her breakfast. "Oh, sure. I could help you with that."

"Really? I mean, you don't have to..."

"I don't. It'd be... a pleasure... I guess," she finished with a giggle.

"Okay. Uh..." he stood, excited and nervous at the same time. "We can go now... right?"

Vivian also stood. "Yes, if you want to."

"Um... okay... I guess we'll be back soon, then..." he clumsily opened the door and let Vivian out first, closing it behind him.

Koopley shrugged, confused by his son's erratic behavior. "Sometimes I wonder about that boy..."

Outside was warm and moderate; a perfect day for a stroll. Koops made his way towards the shop, Vivian close behind. Seeing this, he slowed his pace, hoping she'd want to catch up. Unfortunately, she chose to follow, uncertain of where they were going.

Following Koops gave her a chance to admire the surroundings. The brook was so clear, she could see the bottom, and the butterflies came in all colors of the rainbow, while the dozing Bub-ulbs had adorable flower petals. For the first time since she arrived, she was beginning to feel comfortable outside. No one seemed repulsed by her, and they weren't staring her down... Maybe they didn't mind a Shadow Siren living in their town. Was such a thing even possible?

After a few minutes, they reached the shop near the edge of town. Koops held the door open and allowed Vivian through first. He made sure to do this as much as possible.

Inside, the little shop was quaint and small, consisting of some customers, supplies, and the Toad manager himself.

"Why, hello!" he greeted. "You look new around here. Can I interest you in a Fire Flower or two?"

Vivian was speechless. "Um..."

"She's with me," said Koops. "We came to get the order of Cake Mix for the mayor."

"Oh, I see. Hang on a minute. I'll get it from storage," he said, going into the back. Minutes later, he returned with two bags of Cake Mix and two Mushrooms. "Here you are; the mayor's order. Also, a free Mushroom for making you wait. We've got too many in stock anyway."

Koops grabbed a bag. "Thanks."

As Vivian took the second bag, the manager also gave her a Mushroom. "And here's one for you, ma'am. A reward for all your trouble."

A reward? ...She never got rewards for anything.

"Oh, I... Well..." She reluctantly took it. "Thank you."

"Well, thank you for helping out my favorite customer with all this back-breaking work of his!" He elbowed Koops, who laughed.

...No one ever thanked her, either.

On the way out, Koops was unable to catch the door, but a young Toad coming in held it open.

"Here, lady. Lemme get that for ya," he said, his eyes darting from her to some sort of video game.

Vivian carefully crept by, making sure he wouldn't slam it in her face like mean people would. But the youth proved her wrong, and didn't let go until she was outside.

...So other people could hold doors open? She didn't know that. They never did it before...

"Well, that wasn't so bad," said Koops, eating his Mushroom.

"No, it was actually... nice."

"You even got a free sample for helping. He doesn't usually do that, you know."

She looked at the Mushroom. "...Does that mean... I'm important?"

It really hurt Koops for her to ask such a question, but he answered the best way he could.

"Of course. You're very important."

"...If you say so."

Koops was shocked to see Vivian was actually strolling by his side, just as content as she could be. She happily nibbled on her reward and walked with a little skip in her step... If one could ever imagine her skipping, anyway.

There may've not been much to do in Petalburg, but as long as Vivian was around, Koops couldn't care less. After getting the mayor's Cake Mix, they both lazed around the house, inside and out. There were no other jobs at the moment, not to mention Koops was expecting some very important guests soon.

He stood at the sink, washing the dishes from breakfast that morning. Koopley was upstairs, and Koopie Koo was watering the garden. Vivian was watching her, last he knew. Placing the last glass on the dish rack, he checked the time and went upstairs to get ready for his visitors.

Not long after, Vivian entered, tired of listening to Koopie Koo's gardening tips. Koops wasn't around, so she sat on the couch, somewhat disappointed. There was an abandoned book on the arm, which she grabbed to read.

The novel was just beginning to get good when it was shattered by a loud knock at the door. The siren wasn't sure if she was allowed to answer it, remembering she was simply a guest. The knocking continued and since no one else was coming, she decided to get it.

Unable to see anyone outside, she cautiously peeked out, only to be startled by a sudden "Surprise!" from five familiar voices. Goombella, Waffles, Flurrie, Bobbery, and even Ms. Mowz stood before her, a smile on their faces.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up!" Goombella beamed. "Great to see you again after all this time!"

"Same here!" said the admiral. "It's nice to finally see you again!"

"Koops told us you were back, so we all decided to pay a visit!" added Waffles.

Vivian was stupefied. "...What're you doing here? Weren't you all busy somewhere?"

"Not me," said Goombella, as they came in. "The professor and I have done a lot of researching lately, so we're taking some time off."

Waffles plopped himself on the couch. "Glitz Pit fighters get one day off every other week, and it wasn't easy getting here, so be grateful I'm doing this!"

"We came ashore here for some supplies. Goombella informed me, so I decided to drop in."

"The staff just finished a performance in Poshley Heights. That's not too far away from here, you know," said Flurrie. Vivian noticed she was sporting a fancy satin dress, shiny diamond bracelets, and a new pearl necklace.

"Oh, I was just... around... and wanted to check up on things," said Ms. Mowz in a shady tone.

"You guys are here already?" said Koops, coming downstairs. "Wow, you're fast."

"You invited them over?" Vivian asked. "But why?"

"Why not? It's been a while since we've seen each other face-to-face, so I thought it'd be nice to get together again. And I think everyone wanted to see you, too."

"Me?" she questioned, as if it were a shock.

"Yeah, you!" Goombella laughed. "Who else?"

Bobbery made himself comfortable. "Where've you been all this time? It hasn't been the same without hearing from you."

"Yeah," said Waffles. "Why'd you go and disappear like that? I was almost worried about you."

"Maybe she just needed to get away from it all," said Flurrie. "I'm a little guilty for leaving myself."

"Asking questions may be good for you, but Vivian has a right to keep things to herself," voiced the white mouse.

"What? ...Okay, fine then. We might not wanna know..."

Goombella scoffed. "Waffles!"

"Well, we might not!"

Seeing the two argue like that made Vivian smile. Although a few of them looked different, not a thing had changed.

"'Like the moon of a cloudy sky, she reappears'," said Ms. Mowz. "'She comes and goes when she wants, but stay in our hearts'... I read that in a book somewhere. Thought it'd fit the mood."

"I... I haven't been gone that long, have I?"

"Well, you've been gone long enough to've acquired such a stunning necklace, I see."

Vivian was surprised to find she was blushing. "This? Well, it's...um..."

"Oh, you look so adorable in it!" exclaimed Flurrie. "I have to say you're handling it very well."

Bobbery squinted. "Hm, I didn't even notice. It looks very becoming of you."

"Y'know, I was just about to ask you about that," said Goombella. "I guess I never noticed Flurrie was missing it. I think it brings out your lips."

Waffles shrugged. "Meh, It's okay, I guess. Can't say too much, but it doesn't make you look as, y'know, dark..."

Despite Goombella giving him the evil eye, Vivian took his complement to heart. Koops could tell by her coyness she was happy.

The conversation was suddenly interrupted by Koopie Koo's entrance. Puzzled, she looked around and asked, "Koops, who're all these people?"

"They're my friends. The ones I told you about a few days ago?"

"Really? ...Hey!" She dashed over to the Cloud Spirit. "You're Madame Flurrie! Oh, I've heard so much about you returning to the stage! I absolutely loved you in 'Tears of a Dayzee'!"

"Ah, a true fan. Yes, that was a real blockbuster. One of the classics before I went on hiatus."

"And you!" she said, moving onto Waffles. "The Great Gonzales Jr.! I've been rooting for you ever since Sir Swoop dropped out of the fighting ranks!"

"Yeah. He couldn't keep his act together and left after I got there. It's a shame we never got to fight..."

She went to Goombella. "Oh, and you! You're that rising archeologist who said Yoshies used live all around the Mushroom Kingdom!"

"Well, it's just a theory, but..."

"And the Bob-omb who sails around with the ancient ghost, Cortez! And Ms. Mowz, the legendary badge thief! Gosh, I didn't know you were friends with such celebrities!"

"Uh, I told you about them earlier, you know..."

"Yeah, but I didn't think you actually meant these guys!"

"...Of course..." Koops sighed, frustrated at her lack of trust.

Excited, Koopie Koo clapped her hands together. "Say, I've got a great idea! Why don't all of you join us for dinner? I've wanted to cook up a big meal for some time now!"

Goombella perked up. "Free dinner?"

Bobbery nodded. "I'd say that sounds smashing!"

Waffles bounced up and down. "Oh, yeah! You can count me in!"

"I actually could go a night without caviar for once..." admitted Flurrie.

"I guess that means no leftovers tonight," laughed Ms. Mowz.

"...If that's the case, could you at least make some Choco Cake? I'm sure Kroop won't mind if we use some of his Cake Mix. Vi--I mean, we'd like it if you could..." Koops quickly corrected himself, looking around to see if anybody noticed. Fortunately, no one caught his mistake... at least, that's what he thought.

Vivian was the only one who realized his tongue slipped and was flattered. It wasn't every day people remembered things mentioned in idle chitchat...

Dinner that night was much less awkward than yesterday, with the attention mainly focused on the others. Koopley and Koopie Koo only made the gathering more comfortable with their silly questions. Amid the asking, answering, and Waffles' faulty demonstrations of strength at the table, Vivian felt a funny sense of connection between them all. Like the Crystal Stars, one would complement the other in a never-ending circle of friendship.

And Koops? He was the high point of everything, a lot different from the others. He was the one who called everybody and requested the dessert, especially for her. Being surrounded by so many caring friends made her feel special. Inviting them over was just the thing she needed.

After eating, goodbyes were said and phone numbers were exchanged. As much as they wanted to stay, everyone explained they had to get back to their daily schedules. Vivian would miss Goombella's sisterly love, but planned on visiting her in Rougeport. And everyone else was still somewhere in the Mushroom Kingdom...

She and Koops stood outside, waving goodbye to a chipper Waffles. The little Yoshi kept calling out farewells, begging for them to call if they heard from Mario. While the siren continued waving, the Koopa lost interest and stared off behind them. Watching the darkening sky, an idea began to form.

"Hey, Vivian... Have I ever shown you Shhwonk Fortress?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. What's that?"

"I guess you could say it's our claim to fame when it comes to the Crystal Stars. They say our ancestors built it long ago and hid there for protection against enemies."

She looked past the gate that kept residents from going any further. Outside, there was a dense forest leading into a strange-looking building. With the sun setting, its shadow seemed to loom over everything beyond the town's gate. She couldn't say she never noticed it before, but if there was something keeping them out, why bother?

"Is it safe? Doesn't look very... inviting."

"It couldn't be safer. Some Fuzzies live there, but... they won't bother you if you don't bother them."

Vivian adjusted her hat shyly. "...If you say so."

If there was one thing Koops loved about Shhwonk Fortress, it was its secrecy. It was the perfect place to take Vivian for a nice stroll. The mood was right, Koopie Koo was cleaning up after dinner, and Koopley was taking a nap. What better way to end a perfect day than to relax in such a beautiful place? He was supposed to be washing the dishes, but didn't have time for that now...

Koops led her past the two stone shelters that each held a guard Bristle and Cleft. He remembered they were put there to protect the fortress thousands of years ago. Even if someone managed to defeat them, they always came back. Fortunately, they only went after those foreign to Petalburg, so they wouldn't attack him or his guest. They simply sat on their respective pedestals, staring off into space until a trespasser came by.

Finally arriving at a grassy patch before the last shelter, Koops sat down on the grass, resting his head and body on its warm surface. Vivian looked down at him, confused.

"Sit here," he said, patting the spot beside him.

She obeyed, mimicking him and stretched out on the ground. Looking up into the sky, she could see the stars coming out. The sun set in the distance, lighting the clouds' undersides a bright orange, while the upcoming night colored their tops a soft purple.

"This is one of my favorite times of the day," said Koops. "And this is the perfect spot to enjoy it. It's kind of like in Twilight Town, so I thought you'd like to see it."

Vivian smirked. "You say that like it's a good thing. Trust me, perpetual darkness isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"Not even for you?"

"I guess I'm just sick of living there. It's the same thing over and over again... Not like this place."

"What's so different here?"

"Well, there're more people and the environment's very friendly and... I know I'm welcome. In Twilight Town, everyone's so dark and shifty; it's hard to tell who's being serious and who's not."

"How long have you lived there?"

Vivian looked at him, unsure of what to say. She certainly couldn't tell him that she'd been dwelling there since his grandparents' age. That'd only ruin the conversation.

"About five years," she quickly answered.

"Oh..." Koops knew it was a lie, but didn't pry any further. "I was born here, so this has always been my home."

"It's a great place to call home."

"Yeah. Hooktail was the only problem, though. With her around, everyone always thought this was the worst town to live in. It actually used to be more popular."

"That's a shame..." Vivian replied, suddenly feeling guilty.

"It's okay, though. Now that she's gone, more people started moving in. I even know some of them from years back."

That was nice to hear. Hooktail's fiery rampage wasn't even enough to dampen Koops' spirit. If there was one thing she liked about him, it was his optimism. Too bad she was the complete opposite, always expecting the worst of things. Still, it was nice to see him so content. If she was lucky, maybe some of his good fortune would rub off on her...

She kept thinking about this until a certain lining of stars caught her eye.

"Oh... Look at that," she pointed. "At those stars over there. They kind of look like a Yoshi. See the saddle?"

Koops laughed. She was right; a line of stars had arranged themselves to form the Yoshi's spine and saddle, a faded aura making out its body.

It wasn't long before he spotted another shape. "That one over there looks like a Boo. It even has teeth."

Vivian giggled. The stars that formed its teeth were especially bright. She could see its arms thrown up, as a faded cluster of stars resembled its tongue.

"And right next to it," she grinned. "It looks an awful lot like a heart--"

Both of their smiles disappeared, the formation tugging at their consciences. Deep down, seeing it in sky suddenly made each one feel a little embarrassed of being with the other.

Koops' eyes darted about. What're the chances of seeing that, of all things, in the sky?! He didn't want to start gushing like an idiot in front of her, but seeing it made him want to...

Vivian tapped her fingers on the grass. Why'd she have go and say that? It would've been much smoother if Koops noticed it first. She probably ruined the whole experience. She hated herself sometimes...

"...Well," Koops said, after a long silence, "I don't think I've ever seen so many things in the sky... Not before you came, anyway."

Vivian didn't look at him. "...Is that a bad thing?"

"No... I think it's some kind of omen. Like you were supposed to come... because you belong here."

"I don't belong here. I'm only staying for a bit. Once I get myself together, I'll leave."

Koops looked at her, panicked she was saying this. "You don't have to leave..."

She nodded. "I know, but I feel like I have to. Maybe not now, but soon."

Trying to persuade her was always a bad idea, so he gave in and returned to his stargazing. If she did end up leaving after all this time... then he'd just have to follow her.

He changed the subject. "I can't remember the last time I did this. Seems like forever since me and Dad sat out here on the weekends together."

Vivian smiled. "I used to do it with Lillian all the time..." she paused and looked at Koops uncertainly. "...Do you think she's up there?"

Koops softened at her remark, her deceased sister making him uncomfortable.

Not hearing a response, her voice saddened. "...I mean... 'Cause Beldam always said... she didn't deserve to go to the good place, so I'm not sure..."

The mentioning of Beldam made Koops annoyed. He couldn't stand that ugly, old witch, especially after all the mental damage she caused poor Vivian. What kind of a sick, twisted freak would say that about their own sister?! He decided to make it better...

"...Lillian is up there. And happy, too."

"Really?"

"I bet she was just as nice as you are, and if that's the case, she could looking down on us right now."

Vivian didn't say anything. Instead, she looked at Koops with hidden, but sentimental eyes. Of course, he couldn't tell until she said something.

"Koops, that was... so sweet. You really have a way with words."

"Oh, that was nothing. I was only thinking out loud..."

Even though he was truthful, he didn't think Vivian would find it as touching. He was simply repeating something Koopley told him not too long ago about his own mother. It was only fair that Vivian was treated to the same comfort.

She turned to the stars again. "Now, I know she's up there... and happy."

He smiled and continued looking across the darkening sky in time to see, if only for a second, a single star sparkle brighter than any other...

It was nearly midnight before the two went home, neither of them wanting to. Vivian walked alongside him, playing with her hands. She usually did that when she was nervous... Then again, he was nervous, too. He wasn't sure what to say. The walk home was quiet and awkward, but peaceful.

Once they arrived at the house, Koops opened the door and allowed her in first. He always made sure to do that; it was common courtesy, after all. No sooner had he locked the door, the lights clicked on. He thought it was Vivian, but was startled to realize she was nowhere near the light switch.

"Koops?"

He knew that voice and he knew that tone. It was Koopie Koo's, and she didn't sound too happy...

And almost on cue, the irate Koopa came from upstairs. "Koops, where have been?"

"Out..." he said, not turning around.

"What's that supposed to mean? 'Out'? Out where? Doing what?" She crossed her arms. "And why? At this time of the night?"

"I just went to Rogueport to get some extra Mushrooms..." he lied.

She sighed, exasperated. "But you've been gone for hours! Do you realize it's past midnight? I was starting to get worried!"

Vivian stood at the foot of the stairs as Koopie Koo continued scolding Koops. She felt sorry for him, seeing this so-called "friend" was making such a big deal of things. Perhaps he could've told her about leaving, but didn't deserve to be yelled at just because he forgot.

Koops shrugged for the umpteenth time. "Okay, I'm sorry..."

"Well, please don't do that anymore," she said, finished lecturing. "I just want you to be careful, that's all."

She pulled him into a loving hug, which made him squirm. He didn't feel comfortable in her arms, and had no intention of returning the favor. His conscience growled at him over and over to at least pretend to enjoy it, but his heart refused to show passion. In all reality, he couldn't stand to be hugged by anyone other than a certain shadow...

Unable to take it any longer, he pulled away. "Uh... Maybe we should be going to bed now..."

"All right," she said, nuzzling his chest. "But just so you know, I'm not mad, okay? I was only looking out for you."

"Yeah..." He nodded and inched away until he reached the stairs.

"I'll be up in a minute," Koopie Koo added, going to the kitchen. "After I get a glass of water."

Koops usually waited for her before leaving, but was more than ready to make an exception. Vivian seemed to know this and went ahead of him. This was a surprise, since she usually followed all the time. Then again, it was actually progress...

Just like last night, the two stopped at Vivian's room first. Koops racked his brain to think of something to say, but kept coming up empty. Despite this, he still had to try...

Arriving at the door, the siren turned and smiled. "I had a wonderful time today. The townspeople are so nice, and it was great seeing everybody again, not to mention Shhwonk Fortress was beautiful. I'm liking this place more and more all the time."

"Hey, uh... Maybe we can go somewhere tomorrow and... get out of the house a little. I know there's not too much to around here..." he trailed off, looking down at the floor.

"That'd be nice..." He heard Vivian unexpectedly say. "Where do you have in mind?"

"Uh, I don't know. Rogueport's not that bad of a place anymore, so why don't we try there again...?"

She agreed. It might've been a little unsightly, but the grungy town was improving every day. It looked almost livable when she was last there.

Koops was practically sweating bullets, looking at his feet. He'd never been this nervous around Vivian before, so why was he feeling like this now...? He was about to bid her an awkward farewell when he saw her lifting her hand.

With a smile, she took his balled-up fist squeezed it. Her downy gloves were soft and warm as she ran them over his sweat-drenched palm. It made him relax, but he was unsure of what to do afterwards... Nearly a minute passed before Vivian cleared her throat.

"It's already really late, so I'm going to bed now... if you don't mind."

"Oh, okay..." He meekly smiled. "Uh... sleep tight."

She giggled at his choice of words and closed the door. Koops could only shake his head in disgust of his stupidity and get ready for a long sleepless night...

Vivian leaned against the door, still smiling at what Koops'd said. It was obvious he was still trying to make a good impression. Ever since she got there, he'd been doing one nice thing after another. Inviting her to stay at his house was one thing, then it all went downhill from there. Unfortunately, the poor guy could never think of a thing to say when they were face-to-face.

Just then, a strange feeling came over her...

It was... odd. It just came out of nowhere... Like a cold chill traveling throughout her entire body. She had goose bumps all over, and her chest had a weird tingling sensation. She could feel her heart's rhythm suddenly quicken and her breath came in short gasps.

What was it? What was making her do this? Was it... Koops?

She looked back at the door and opened it, seeing Koops was no longer there. The door to his room was closed and a sudden hush had fallen over the entire hallway. She sighed and withdrew her head.

At the edge of the room, she quickly glanced at herself in a bureau's mirror. She looked normal on the outside, but the inside felt... conflicted. By what, she didn't know; or maybe she was naive to understand. Looking back into the mirror, the siren was shocked to realize she was... blushing. She covered a side of her face and turned away.

Blushing? Why? Over what?

Her body was telling her something, but her mind failed to recognize it... Certainly, Koops couldn't be the source of these sudden emotions. But if he wasn't, who was...?

It was vague at first, and she almost abandoned the idea, but now she was having second thoughts...

How did she feel about him? He wasn't just a friend, but what do you call someone who's more than that?

Could it be... a lover?

She shook her head. No, that didn't make sense... He didn't love her. All the stuff he did was only because she was a guest in his home. He wouldn't be acting the same if he were staying with her.

...Then she remembered falling over that morning, and Koops being there to catch her... In that moment, something clicked. She didn't know what it was or why it happened, but it did. In the briefness of their standstill, there was a sense of unity between the two. It was like the perfect match for the perfect duo. There was never another time she felt so complete. That feeling was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before. Not with Mario, her friends, or even Lillian.

And when they went to the shop together... Vivian was always used to traveling behind others, yet she stayed by Koops' side. She wanted to be near him at all times.

But why? Why did wanting to be with Koops make her happy? It should've made her afraid and terrified, like she had been all her life. But she trusted him so much... it was more than she first thought. If he said something, she believed it, no matter how crazy it may've seemed. Everything Koops did was right in her eyes. And even if he messed up, it was never his fault.

She removed her hat and necklace, placing them on the bedside table. Throwing back the bedspread, she made herself comfortable underneath the cool covers. Burying her head into the pillow, she sighed. All she could do was wait for something to happen, since her judgment was so clouded. It was possible that she may've been exaggerating a little…

Just because he happened to be there and happened catch her that morning didn't mean the whole thing was planned, right?

Right...?

A mysterious merchant sat in the middle of town, the noose hanging ominously behind her. She'd been sitting there for some time, brooding. No one though much about her; peddlers from all over came to Rogueport in order to sell of merchandise, but that wasn't the case for this one... For she knew the secret of the Amethyst Crystal Star.

With an old, tattered cape hiding her figure, she appeared small and hunched over in continuous plotting. A necklace of golden beads with a ruby jewel dangled around her neck, much like the useless junk she had displayed for sale. She had no use of any of it, but needed to look inconspicuous.

Bandits and Doogans were quick to avoid this strange figure. The air around her was so cold and ominous... It made most shiver just from walking by. This failed to faze her, as she needed the peace and quiet to think.

"The time is right," she muttered to herself. "Mario's gone and the Crystal Stars are mine for the taking. But first... Vivian will have to learn the consequences of her behavior... whether she wants to or not."

Authoress' Notes: Once again, Koopie Koo gets the short stick. :( She's gonna be pissed sooner or later, though. I bet you guys are getting sick of this boring Petalburg life, huh? Don't worry, that'll all change next chapter... Sorta.