Authoress' Notes: Well, the climax is over, so now it's time for the aftermath! The next three Chapters take place 1,000 years earlier, mind you. Surprises will come at you non-stop! Oh, and there's only 8 chapters left.
Better Off Alone
Chapter 22: Taboo (Part I)
In the fight against the evil demon, there were many rebellions. Many tried to stand up to her power, but were overwhelmed by her servants and monsters. All hope for ever conquering her was lost... Until the day the Four Heroes appeared.
Each hero was strong, cunning, and brave, willing to make any sacrifice for the good of the world. They fought hundreds of battles, prevailing over the demons underlings, one by one. They were a force to be reckoned with and their fame soon spread all throughout the land. Stories of their success was told over and over again, quickly becoming legend. With only courage did they go on, hoping to one day banish the demon to the darkness from whence it came.
It was just after dusk when he strolled back into this rural town, hidden by the nearby forest and its natural settings.
He was a Koopa; an ordinary, mundane sort that no one would normally pay the least bit of attention to. With an unruly tuft of dark brown hair and a scruffy beard to match, he sported his usual outfit of a black vest over a plain, white shirt. It was topped off with his lucky red handkerchief, given to him by his late father. He wore it with pride everywhere he went.
Countless scars marked his body, ranging from all sizes, shapes, and kinds. Big and small to long and short, ranging from Hooktail's claws to the whip of a thieving Bandit--He had them all.
Many called him "The Stalwart Koopa", due to his immense bravery and strength. In all reality, he wished they'd just call him Kevin; that was his real name. Short and sweet, it was one only his comrades knew him by. A blood-stained sword occupied his shoulder as he strolled into town, catching up with them for a good night's sleep.
It wasn't long before he arrived at the local inn, where they were laying low for a few days. No sooner had he opened the door and flopped on the couch, someone called out to him from nowhere.
"And where have you been since this morning?"
He ignored the voice, tossing his sword aside. "Not now, Teresa. I'm not in the mood..."
His disgruntled answer brought a Boo out of hiding. She glared at him with cold, black eyes under short, purple hair. A blue-and-white striped hat was her trademark in attire. She carried a mystical wooden staff, stabbing it firmly into the floor.
Her famous name was "The Boo Heroine", known for her beauty and vanity. Charming, swift, and magical, she had a lonely past of hatred and solitude. She'd come from the faraway Twilight Town with a heart as cold as ice. It was rumored she used to use her powers for evil, but upon meeting the brave Koopa, she softened and joined him in his cause. From that moment on, the two were rumored to have become lovers.
"Not in the mood for what? Being worried about?" She poked him with the crescent moon on top of her staff. "...I should turn you into a mindless Shy Guy for saying that."
In response, he snatched her staff. "Yeah, right. I still think you shoplifted this from somewhere."
She snatched it back. "...Where I got it is none of your business."
Before Kevin could retort, a Goomba appeared from the back room. "Oh, what are you two going on about now? Can't you see I'm trying to read?"
"Yes," the Koopa sarcastically mumbled. "Let all the world shut up, for the Great Goombertha can't read!"
Everyone called her "The Wise Goomba", 'wise' being an understatement. With a ponytail as orange as the setting sun, she glared at him though tiny reading glasses. A single pink ribbon tied into a bow around her neck was her only form of clothing. Regardless, she was young and very attractive. Countless Goombas had shown romantic interest, but she always turned them down, saying knowledge was her only love.
"I'd like to get some reading in on our down time, and you're really making it hard to concentrate."
"If that's the case, go outside. I swear, I can't sneeze without you coming in here and biting my head off..."
"I'd prefer to read inside, thank you. Besides, I think I'm close to making a breakthrough about the Crystal Stars--"
"Yeah, yeah. How long do we have to stay in this dump again?" Kevin interrupted, picking his nose.
She rolled her eyes. "Petalburg isn't a dump. It's a very beautiful place, much more natural than some other spots we've been to."
"Uh-huh. That's another way of saying it's boring."
"Just so you know... I used to live in this town..."
Kevin coughed loudly and stuttered, realizing the odd voice. It belonged to the fourth and final hero; "The Toad Hero" was his title.
Like Kevin, he'd seen his fair share of battles, but had no scars to show. Instead, a blood-red bandana was tied around his blue-dotted head, with two long straps dangling to the floor. It'd been a present from his town to bring strength and good luck. Donning a tattered, green vest over a black shirt, he appeared rougher than the average Toad. Although meek, his bravery more than made up for it.
"See, now look what you've done! You've offended Aaron!"
"It's something called a 'joke'. Maybe you oughta try looking it up in one of your stupid dictionaries."
She frowned. "It's something called 'insensitive'. You need to stop being such a loser!"
Aaron stood between them. "Aw, c'mon now. Don't fight like this again..."
"I'm not trying to fight; I just wanna know when we're leaving! Goombertha said she already knew the secret of the Crystal Stars, so why can't we go already?"
"I said I think I'm close to making a breakthrough. Even so, we can't just run in there without a plan! We'd be killed for sure!"
"Not to mention it's getting late," said Teresa, looking outside. "You know it's not safe to travel after dark. Let's leave in the morning."
"Oh, come on!" protested Kevin. "Like we haven't fought after dark before!"
Goombertha narrowed her eyes. "You obviously don't see the difference between optional and essential--"
She was rudely interrupted by the snorting of a pair of monstrous nostrils. Startled, she turned to face a smirking Yoshi.
Although he wasn't one of the Four Heroes, Nero had been Kevin's trusty steed for as long as anyone could remember. The two were more like brothers, rather than hero and sidekick. His skin was black as coal, having bright, yellow boots to contrast it. A large pair of white, feathery wings sprouted from the base of his saddle. He was also known for his odd ability to breathe fire, making him very rare on all three accounts. His attitude was somewhat tougher than the average happy-go-lucky Yoshi. For some reason, his brows were always frowning.
"Nero! That's very rude! You don't do that when other people are talking!" she scolded.
"He's probably hungry," said Teresa.
"Nero's always hungry," scoffed Kevin. "Just ignore it, like I've been telling you."'
The Yoshi frowned and snuffed loudly in disapproval, smoke coming from his nostrils.
"Anyway, why don't we go out and patrol a little? They say this dump gets pillaged every other week. It wouldn't hurt to do a little routine check, right?"
"Nice try, Kevin, but you'll have to do better than that. I'm not going out in the middle of the night like this." Goombertha paused before cutting her eyes at him. "...And stop calling it a dump."
Aaron nodded. "It's safer to stay here until morning. Fighting at night's no way to go..."
"He's right. Even though I can see out there, I still wouldn't take any chances on you guys," added Teresa.
Kevin could easily see it was 3 to 1, so he shrugged. "Alright. I guess you guys win. No point in being a leader when everyone overrules you, anyway..."
"Stop acting like a wuss and use your head for once. You can't always get your way," said Goombertha.
"No wonder; It's almost impossible under these conditions," he smugly responded, leaving for his room.
After a brief pause, Aaron asked. "...Think he's mad?"
"Oh, you know him," responded the Goomba. "He's always gotta make things difficult. Just let him go to bed; it's better that way."
Kevin's haughty attitude may've been a joke to them, but Teresa could tell when he felt troubled. He usually acted more aggressive in order to hide his problems. As Aaron and Goombertha looked on, she faded away into nothingness.
Teresa slowly reappeared in Kevin's room, expecting him to be asleep. Instead, he was laying on his bed, chucking daggers at a badly-drawn picture of Hooktail on the wall. He missed almost every throw, as Nero used his tongue to return them for another try.
"Kevin, what's the matter?" She joined him on the bed. "You seem uptight... more than usual."
"'Uptight' she says," he laughed. "We're facing the biggest enemy of our lives, where millions of people before us failed... Now it's our turn, and you guys are just as motionless as a bunch of legless Goombas."
She laughed. "Of course. I mean, what would the Four Heroes be without a leader?"
A dagger hit Hooktail's nose. "The Three Losers and some Dried Shrooms."
That joke always made him laugh, although the others never found it amusing. Nero rolled his eyes and blew a raspberry at his response. This earned him a pillow to the face from Kevin. As he eyed Teresa again, she began stroking her staff.
"It won't be long now. The final battle is fast approaching... Are you sure you're ready for it?"
"I've been ready longer than anyone I know."
"After we defeat the Shadow Queen, they'll be nothing left to do but disband."
"Disband?" he scoffed. "Only wimps disband. We're not gonna do that."
"Then what will we do, Mr. Hot Shot?"
"What else? We'll do what we've been doing for the last 10 years." He threw one last dagger at the dragon, hitting her right in the gut. "We'll be together."
"Dear Diary,
I can't remember the last time I wrote. I feel like it's been decades. Probably because I've been losing track of time. After a huge ambush last month, things've been pretty hectic. I counted 20 more rebels intrude just this morning. We killed most of them, but a few got away. It's just as well; they'll be back tomorrow and the servants will kill them like the ones before. Being who I am, I should enjoy this kind of thing... But should killing others like this actually be considered pleasure? It is to us, but I don't know. It's all so confusing."
She leaned over the edge of a large moat, watching the dreary darkness of earth above. The entire castle and city was underground in an endless shadow of darkness. Dark Boos flew about, haunting the place with their incessant giggling. Normally, that would make any of the inhabitants happy, but not her... She wasn't happy; she'd never really been happy with what the Shadow Queen did.
The water's reflection showed a Shadow Siren, her long, green hair cascading into the water. With a white lily on her green-and-white hat, she was known as the infamous Flora in hearsay. But everyone who was anyone knew her true title: Princess Lillian.
She looked at the dress she wore; it was beautiful, littered with emeralds and opals on its already overly-green surface. Roses decorated the collar, with daisies, blossoms, and tulips holding the hem of the dress together. Vines and stems were wrapped around her waist, keeping the structure intact. To top it all off, a golden tiara embedded with jade jewels sat atop her hat's rim. Such attire was beyond valuable, but Lillian could've cared less if she went bare.
Then again, things she used to love so much meant nothing to her lately. Day in and day out, everything was handed to her on a silver platter and she never had to lift a finger... As glamorous as it looked, being a Shadow Princess wasn't all it was cracked up to be. She was never allowed to do any sort of work, had to abide by strict rules, and couldn't leave the palace without an escort. Even then, she wasn't allowed to go far.
She heard the palace was once a wonderful city, freely above ground... until the Queen destroyed it. Now it was simply the midsection of the palace, splitting it up between Gloomtail's room and the deeper chambers that lead to Her Highness' throne. A pair of Chain Chomps guarded the moat, making sure no intruders made it past the bridges. The Riddle Tower was just as bleak as ever. It bothered her how it used to be an observatory, where people could actually admire the sky.
"Lillian? Lilly! Lilly!"
She looked up to see another Shadow Siren like herself. She wore a silky, green cloak, which sparkled a soft viridian in the dim light of the chamber. Her hair was a mess of aquamarine curls, one particularly long one serving as a ponytail. She wore the same hat as Lillian, except her flower was a cherry blossom. She was known as an advisor, one of the privileged few in charge of the princesses' well-being. She'd been responsible for Lillian's safety since youth. Even though there were at least 10 others, Kelly was seen as the most competent. Carefree and lighthearted, she was more of a friend to Lillian than anything.
"What are you doing? You should be in your room. You're totally exposed out here."
"Exposed?" she scoffed. "It's kinda hard to be exposed when you've got the entire palace looking out for you..."
"Oh, come on."
"'Come on', what?"
"You're the Queen's daughter, and you need to start acting like one. You've got jewels, money, a palace, and her as your mother. If that's not enough to be happy about, I don't know what is!"
"Maybe freedom?"
"Oh, yes," she sarcastically remarked. "I forgot all about that..."
"Kelly, I've never a thing on my own. I've never had to make my own food, wash my clothes, or do a single chore! My life is practically being lived for me!"
"But you're a princess. You're not supposed to have responsibilities like that."
"Then maybe I don't want to be a princess anymore..."
Kelly threw a rock across the moat. "I know you don't mean that. Go feed some prisoners to Gloomtail. That'll make you feel much better."
She groaned at the idea. "I never enjoyed doing that. It comes back to haunt me..."
"Haunt you?" She laughed. "They're prisoners. Who cares about them?"
"...You obviously don't get where I'm coming from."
"Well, as a princess, you're inclined to have anything you want. Why don't you ask Her Highness for this 'freedom' you long for?"
She looked at the murky water. "It's not that simple. Mother wouldn't give me a word in edgewise."
"Why's that?"
"She takes things too seriously now. All she cares about are those stupid Crystal Stars. She never lets them out of her sight, and we're always hurting someone with them. It's almost... unfair. Having them was nice at first, but is it worth killing people to be in charge?"
"Your sisters don't seem to mind, and neither does anyone else in the palace."
Letting out another sigh, she pet a passing Chain Chomp. "Well, I guess maybe I'm the one out of place..."
The advisor scratched her head, running through her countless mass of curls. This made her think of something. "Lillian, you weren't nearly as... estranged before Princess Vivian was born. Do you think she has anything to do with this?"
"Well..." She hesitated. "Maybe a little."
Kelly grinned. "If you ask me, I think she's made you a bit of a pansy."
Lillian continued stroking the Chomp's steel-like head. "Oh, be quiet. I'm just trying to be a good role model. She'd be horrified if she saw me feed Gloomtail..."
"I understand you're trying to be the good guy here, but she's gonna have to grow up eventually. You can't keep her sheltered forever."
"But she doesn't know a thing about what we do. All she knows is happiness, and she barely understands that."
"Yeah, but you were the same way, and now look. You're famous, respected--"
"Feared and loathed?"
"Well, maybe you don't get now for a reason. Maybe this is one of those things you have to grow into." She pat her back. "I'm sure you'll feel better about it sooner or later."
"...I suppose so," was the dubious reply.
Kelly began walking away, soon fading into the shadows and out of sight. Once again, Lillian was alone to sit and think about her unhappiness. She turned to face the moat and sighed. Kelly was wrong; this feeling of inadequacy wasn't just going to go away. Something had to be done... And she would have to do it herself.
Kevin woke up late, as usual. He claimed he was a hard sleeper, but everyone knew he was just lazy. After taking a quick bath, and getting into an all-out brawl with Nero over the last sandwich from breakfast, he went outside. Opening the door, he couldn't help but notice everyone loitering about, instead of getting ready to leave. Goombertha was reading one of her silly books, Aaron practiced his archery, and Teresa sat admiring the scenery of Petal Meadows. At his side, Nero snorted in disapproval.
He strolled over to Goombertha. "So... What do we have planned for today? Gonna raid the Shadow Palace, slash everything in sight, and--?"
"Go away, Kevin. We're not leaving until tomorrow."
"What?!"
"Don't take it out on me. Things aren't exactly going according to plan."
"What's that supposed to mean?! The fate of the world is at stake here, and you still don't know anything about the Crystal Stars?!"
"For the umpteenth time, we need a plan. If we're gonna do this, we're gonna do it right. We've already tried your idea, busting through the front door with a bunch of mindless rebels." She scowled. "Mind you, most of them are dead now."
He shrugged. "So we got caught off-guard by some stupid Dark Boos... We just need more firepower next time."
"Hopefully, there won't be a next time if we sneak in. Teresa can probably whip up an invisibility spell, but who knows how long it'll last...?"
He grabbed Aaron's extra bow and arrow, aiming at a bull's-eye on a tree. "We've been planning this for years, but now's the time where it all really counts! All I have to do is grab the Stars and she's done for!"
"Do you even know where they are?"
"Nero could sniff 'em out. Shouldn't be too hard, considering how bad the place smells."
His Yoshi stood triumphantly at this, his wings spread pompously and hands at his hips. Goombertha stifled a laugh, which made him growl.
"Why don't you make yourself useful and get us some supplies? We're gonna need it for the road ahead."
Ignoring her, Kevin launched the arrow, not only missing the bull's-eye completely, but piercing Teresa's hat to the ground.
She sighed and grabbed the arrow, brushing back her messy hat hair. "Kevin, the point of shooting something is to look at the target, not your fingers."
Aaron shot a perfect bull's-eye. "...Uh, yeah. I think you should stick to your sword..."
Nero huffed and scowled at Kevin, who gave him the same annoyed look. Apparently, no one wanted them around.
Disgruntled, he began to leave. "Since you guys are just lazing around here, I might as well go back to Central Harbor and actually make something out of myself."
"Yes, but don't stay there all day. You know what happens when we're separated--"
"Yeah, yeah, Teresa... we know; there's safety in numbers, don't trust strange, cloaked people, and watch out for Bandits. Don't worry, I got it."
Shoving his hands into his pockets, he grumbled to himself as he hopped onto Nero's saddle and flew off. Their departure left a hint of animosity in the air.
Goombertha slammed her book down. "That knucklehead... Why can't he stay put for more than a few seconds? I really don't know why we put up with him."
Teresa fingered the arrow. "Oh, let him go. What harm could he possibly do in Central Harbor?"
Aaron shuddered. "It's not what he can do to it, it's what it can do to him..."
That may've been true, but Teresa knew Kevin better than that. He didn't earn his arrogance and all those scars for nothing. He'd fought Chomps with his bare hands, survived a Bullet Bill barrage to the shell, and defeated two Atomic Boos with his eyes closed... You don't run across a Koopa like that every day.
It was morning, but it was impossible to tell from the Shadow Palace. Lillian only knew because the servants were up. She watched them through a single window in her room, which was in a hidden region of the palace. The only way in or out was going through the shadows. The interior was beyond bleak to the naked eye, but it suited her perfectly. What was a Shadow Siren if she couldn't see in absolute darkness?
Sitting before her golden-rimmed mirror on the dresser, she combed her hair with a diamond-studded brush. As a Shadow Princess, it was her duty to be up early, as well. Getting dressed was simple; the servants always had several dresses ready for her. Although, when it came to wearing jewelry, she found herself less than ecstatic. She had a countless array of rare trinkets overflowing from her jewelry box, but the mirror's reflection showed no happiness.
Grudgingly slipping on an opal bracelet, she turned to fetch her tiara from the satin sheets of her bed. They were emerald, of course, to match her natural affection with plants. Not surprisingly, bundles of flowers and vines decorated the poles of her canopy. It was possible she had nearly every flower ever known somewhere in her room. Once finished, she faded into the shadows, only to reappear in another room similar to hers.
Despite it being just as furnished, the room seemed tailored to a toddler. Stuffed toys littered the floor, while smiling stars had been painted on the walls. The inhabitant had a canopy just like Lillian's, aside from being pink and full of Yoshi dolls. Although there wasn't a soul in sight, giggling could be heard from the empty bed.
Smiling knowingly, Lillian approached and ripped off the sheets. "Gotcha!"
"Oh no! You found me!" squealed Vivian, as she appeared from the shadows with a Yoshi doll. "Good morning!"
She was already dressed, as it was the servants' duty to do so. Her dress was poofy and lacy, decorated in pink ribbons and rubies. It wasn't much compared to Lillian's, but she was still a baby, after all.
"Good morning. And how are you?"
"Hungwy!"
"No, no," she laughed. "You're supposed to say, 'I'm fine, and you?'."
"But I am hungwy."
Lillian picked her up. "Then how about some nice, yummy Mushrooms?"
Vivian nodded happily, squeezing the Yoshi doll enough to make it spew out its tongue with a cheerful ''Yoshi!".
With Vivian in hand, Lillian made her way through the palace's front section, passing servants, guards, advisors, and prisoners who were being hauled off somewhere. Each palace member greeted her with a gracious bow, whereas she acknowledged them. But deep down, she was tired of everyone doing that. Vivian was lucky they didn't do it to her. They treated her like a child, often complementing on how cute she was.
As she exited the second staircase, Kelly appeared. "Hi, Vivian!"
"Hi, Kelwy!"
That made her laugh. She never could say her name right.
"Kelly, have you seen Marilyn or Beldam lately?"
"Not since last week. Sorry."
"Typical... They always disappear like this..."
"You can't blame them. Since that ambush, everyone's been disappearing like crazy. Some come back, while others... don't."
"...You think anything's happened to them, do you?"
"Yeah, right. I know Marilyn's being taken care of, and Beldam's just a lost cause. She probably won't be back for the next century. You might as well sneak out with Vivian now. I'm sure you won't get caught."
She laughed. "Maybe later. We were actually getting breakfast, believe it or not."
Before Kelly could reply, a young servant appeared, her status distinctive by her plain, blue dress. "Uh, Princess Lillian?"
"Yes? What's wrong?"
"It's Her Highness. She demands to see you right away."
She eyed Kelly for an answer, but she only shrugged. "You don't think it could be for a punishment, do you?"
"Impossible," she whispered. "No one's ever caught me outside the palace walls..."
She handed her Vivian. "It's probably nothing... especially this early in the morning."
The servant played with one of her cyan pigtails. "She says it's about Princess Vivian."
Lillian frowned at that. This had to the eighth time in three days she wanted to talk about her. Regardless, she muttered a quick 'thank you', and disappeared.
The princess reappeared outside the throne room, as it was considered rude otherwise. If there was one thing she hated about visiting her mother, it was the presentation. A pair of servants opened the huge doors for her, after bowing, of course. Another pair of servants bowed upon her entrance. She ascended the staircase and approached the throne, where the Shadow Queen awaited her.
The Queen herself was the definition of darkness. Although she looked like a regular Shadow Siren, she was anything but. With a much taller, sleeker appearance, she was draped in a long, black cloak, concealing a dress of royal purple. Her long, lavender hair nearly touched the floor, complementing her darker attire. It was rumored to've been poisonous to touch. No one'd ever seen her eyes, many believing doing so would result in a horrible curse. Her most recognized feature was the prominent, ruby-encrusted crown she wore, never donning a standard hat. She once said Vivian would wear the same crown one day. Servants stood at her sides, ready to obey her every whim.
Lillian bowed. "You called for me, Mother?"
"Yes... I've been hearing some interesting things about you. Very interesting." She spoke with a calm, yet deadly tone that made her next move unpredictable.
"Interesting?"
"I fear I haven't been hearing much on Vivian, though. How is her progress coming along?"
Progress? Lillian could laugh at the word. She hadn't taught Vivian even a single spell.
"I'm sorry, Mother. There hasn't been much time to teach her adequately," she lied.
"Once again, you bring me another excuse? I'm finding this to be quite deplorable on your part. She's very capable, and as the new heir, quite valuable. I'm trusting you to bring out the best in her abilities."
"Yes, Mother, but don't you think she's a little... young?"
"Vivian may be young, but she's very powerful. Should I have to remind you why?"
Lillian lowered her head, already knowing. "No, Mother. I'm sure the Amethyst Star will... make her a fine queen."
"Yes, and she will have more than enough power to rule this pathetic existence. Regardless, I need you to help her get an early start." She stood, in order to assert her point. "No more excuses, Lillian. As my most trusted heir, I expect to uphold your duties at all times. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Mother."
"I should hope so." She resumed sitting, gesturing for a servant to bring her a chalice. "Oh, and Lillian?"
"Yes, Mother?"
"...Don't become a disappoint like your sisters. I really hoped you and Vivian would be... worthwhile."
"...Yes, Mother."
Kelly sat in the main entrance room, waiting for Lillian to return. Before her was the grand entrance to the palace, famous for how many came through, but never exited. Vivian wandered about in the spacious area, eventually coming across a local Dark Bones. It entertained her by falling apart and reassembling itself. The Shadow Palace homed many dark variants of different species, this one being no exception. It wasn't long before Lillian reappeared, looking annoyed. Kelly automatically sensed something was wrong.
"Uh, Lilly? What's the matter? What happened with Her Highness?"
She took Vivian. "Nothing. I'm going out now."
"What? This early in the morning?"
"But Wilwian, I'm still hungwy," whined Vivian.
"I know. We'll get you something on the way to the harbor."
Kelly panicked. "Harbor? You mean the Central Harbor? Lilly, I was just joking about earlier. You know we're not allowed anywhere near that place."
She neared the doorway. "Yeah, I know."
"Lilly, please don't tell me you're going to do what I think you are..."
"You've known me since I was a baby. You should already know."
"Lilly, this is crazy! You can't keep goofing off with Vivian this way. Her Highness is going to notice sooner or later!"
"I'll just have to take that chance. If Vivi's to become a cold-blooded ruler, it won't be because of me."
"But what if you're caught? You could be ratted out, for all we know."
The princess ignored her, exiting the gargantuan doors. "Tell Mother I've gone off to a heavily-populated area. She won't send anybody there unless there's trouble. Tell her that. Please?"
"...I can't keep lying for you. If you're caught, we're both in big trouble."
"I know." She inched out, whispering, "I'll be back late, but I promise I won't get caught."
Reluctantly, Kelly nodded. "I just hope you're right..."
"Dear Diary,
Mother told me to teach Vivi more spells again, but I still think she's too young. I was twice her age before Marilyn taught me my first spell. It's all because of that Amethyst Star, I know. If I had the power, I'd get rid of it and shove it back in her face... But there's only so much I can refuse to do. I decided to sneak out and play with her instead, like always. Everything seemed normal enough; I'd been there before countless times, but I never thought what would happen next would actually... happen."
Authoress' Notes: I've always liked the scarred Koopa the most, so it's only natural he be the overconfident leader. Plus, black Winged Yoshi FTW! Every great hero needs a steed, and I can think of none cooler. Try and guess where this " Central Harbor" is, why don'tcha?