Authoress' Notes: Here's the next part, then it's back to modern day. Plus, I have to say this has the 3rd most shocking twist in the story! (If you can find it) The 2nd comes in Chapter 27 and the 1st is in Chapter 30. Only 5 chapters left now, but stay tuned for a small preview of "BOA2" from here on until the last chapter!
Better Off Alone
Chapter 25: Taboo (Part IV)
Lillian opened her eyes to an upside-down star statue. She felt dizzy and disoriented, having no idea how she got there or what day it was. Her eyes lazily shifted over to a dozing Kevin, who was wearing her hat for some reason. Boos giggled and drifted above, not paying the slightest bit of attention to the two, which was a blessing if anything. The two were sprawled out on the floor of the Creepy Steeple, a place she hadn't been to in ages. Surveying the familiar surroundings, memories of their earlier meeting surfaced. She bit her lip. They weren't good ones...
Something awful had transpired there, and she didn't mean to stay this long... And she especially didn't expect things to take such a turn. Deep down, she felt like she'd done something terribly wrong. She'd always been a little defiant, but their earlier rendezvous may've gone a little too far.
It was a well-known fact that princesses were supposed to be pure and innocent, but that was no longer the case for her...
She sighed, still hurting a little from the accident she'd learn to regret for the rest of her life. To make matters worse, everyone back at the palace was probably looking for her. She massaged her temples and stretched, shaking her snoozing partner.
"Get up."
"...What?" he grumbled, pulling her hat further over his eyes.
"Kevin, I'm serious. Get up."
"Come on... Five more minutes..."
She stood. "Kevin, I have to go. Mother'll be mad."
Hearing that, he sat up. "Huh? You're leaving now?"
"I didn't mean to stay out this late..." She took her hat off his head. "I'll see you later."
Kevin frowned. "Can't you stay a little longer?"
"Sorry, but I'm probably in big trouble already... I'll try and come back... Maybe."
"Maybe?"
"Yeah..." She looked down. Kevin could tell by the tone of her voice something was bothering her. She seemed depressed and upset, almost ashamed of herself.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
She shook her head. "Nothing. You wouldn't understand it."
"Look, you don't need to feel bad..." He scratched his head, trying to think of a nice way to put it. "I mean, it's not like anybody'll ever find out."
"I know... "
He stood and gave her a gentle hug, something he was known to despise doing. "Listen, maybe that wasn't supposed to happen, but at least it wasn't forced on you. It could've been a whole lot worse, believe me."
Lillian didn't really want to talk about it anymore, but she appreciated his optimism. Plus, he had a pretty good point. Given their current circumstances, both had pretty much gotten off scot-free. But that still didn't change the matter at hand...
After a tense silence, Kevin asked, "You okay?"
She pulled away from him. "Yes, but I gotta go."
"But you'll come back, right?"
She groaned. "Yes, yes! I'll come back!"
"Wanna meet up in Petalburg again? Maybe tomorrow?"
Tomorrow seemed a little soon, but who was she to disappoint? It wasn't like things could get any more awkward...
"Fine, if it'll get you off my back..." She kissed his nose, catching him off-guard. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"Uh, sure..."
He waved to her halfheartedly as she disappeared into nothingness, then frowned. He wasn't sure of what just happened, but something told him he'd crossed the line. He didn't know what line exactly, but he'd crossed it. Something about the empty feeling he had warned him of a great disturbance...
Something was wrong, something awful had been triggered, and worst of all, something was...
He shook his head wildly, thinking it was the Boos' doing. He glared daggers at the stupid little ghosts, causing several to flee in terror. This made him smile, for not even a Boo dared to mess with his famous strength. Plus, such a brave and heroic leader couldn't afford to believe in things like "sixth senses". No, that was for women, freaks, and fortune tellers, and he was none of the above.
"Yeah," he laughed to himself. "Women, freaks, and fortune tellers... That's exactly right, so what am I worried about?"
After a much unneeded ego boost, he finally left Creepy Steeple. He idly walked along the darkened path, finding himself to be shuffling his feet apathetically. He couldn't begin to count the times he sighed on his way back.
For the first time in his life, he was actually... lonely. Oh sure, it was nice being who he was, with all his cunning charm, good looks, and power... but without Lillian there, he felt like he'd lost a part of himself. Did he really feel for her that much? Was she so vital to him, that she'd become the foundation of his happiness? ...It sure felt like it.
He'd never felt as passionate over anything ever before. All the girls he'd been with in the past were nothing more than stepping stones. Maybe, in the same way they "loved" him for his fame, he only "loved" them for what they had to offer. In the end, it was all just an awful game of give and take that no one seemed to win...
Just as he reached the edge of the forest, a familiar figure appeared. Through the dusky settings behind her, he quickly realized it was Teresa.
She stabbed her staff into the ground. "And where have you been?"
He shrugged. "Nothing really. Just... manly stuff. Why?"
"...You're lying, for I must inform you that you've committed a deadly sin in the forest."
"What?"
"Did you really think you could slip anything past me? I am one of the greatest Boo mages in history, and I am not to be taken lightly. I let you slide at first, but now you've gone too far."
"I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." He walked by. "I mean, I didn't even do anything..."
"Princess Flora is guilty of this crime, as well," she said, not turning around. Kevin froze in his tracks. "Our intimate relationship is over, and you've broken it by moving on to another more... willing."
"Oh, yeah... Er, I guess we're old news." He laughed. "I'm a tumbleweed, y'know. Gotta keep on rollin'."
"Yes, I know and I've always known, but that's not what I'm worried about. If you love her that much, then heed my warning and keep your relations to a minimum until the Shadow Queen is defeated..."
"Yeah, right. You're just jealous because of the thing we've got going on between us."
She turned to face him. "I tell you not because of jealously, but because I still love you, despite your past actions. You and Lillian have only found love through lust, and the Stars are not happy with this."
"So what? It's not like I haven't done anything like this before."
Her face darkened. "...But this is different, for you have done it with a Stellar Being."
He rolled his eyes. "Oh, not that whole 'Stellar Being' bunk again..."
"You may not believe Goombertha's words, but they are true. Lillian was extracted from the Emerald Crystal Star, meaning that her celestial soul resides among the Stars above. Crossing certain boundaries with someone is bad enough, but indecencies with a Stellar Being yields many consequences for you both. Such imperfection won't sit well with them at all... "
"Teresa, you of all people should know that's not true. Goombertha isn't right about everything, y'know. If she can't prove the Amethyst Crystal Star exists, then who's to say she's right about this?"
"...I know. Your cocky hedonism continues to block your common sense, and it will be your undoing. I've already seen what it'll do to you, but there's nothing else I can say..." She faded into nothingness. "Goodbye."
Kevin scoffed at her disappearance, annoyed that she'd been invisibly spying on him and Lillian. And to make things worse, she actually tried to make him come back to her! The nerve! Besides, superstitions were her greatest weakness; the whole Stellar Being thing was far from true. And something that stupid wouldn't stop him from getting what he wanted. He continued on to Twilight Town, not giving Teresa or that dumb legend another thought.
Lillian snuck into the Shadow Palace, careful not to run into any of the sleeping guards or busy servants. She darted in and out of the shadows, occasionally running into some absentminded Dark Boos. Nearing her room, she was almost home free when she bumped into Kelly, who didn't look too happy to see her.
"What?" She hunched her shoulders in defense. "...What?!"
"Lilly, you've been out all night, that's what."
"It's not like it's the first time..."
"Yes, well, it'll be the last time for you." She tossed her dress in her face. "You're lucky Her Highness has been too busy to notice you've been out for so long. Now stop playing around and be a princess for once, not a rebel."
"Okay, okay." She slipped it on over her head, completing her outfit with the tiara. "I'll be good from now on."
"Yeah, that's what you said the last time, and the 25 times before that."
Lillian groaned. "Fine. What's it gonna take to prove that I'm telling the truth?"
She stepped aside, revealing an eager Vivian. "Handling your responsibilities?"
"Hi, Wilwian! I missed you this much!" She spread her arms wide as an example, accidentally dropping Mr. Yum-Yums. "You've been gone a wong time!"
"Yeah, I know." She stooped down to pick up the doll. "I'm sorry. You've probably been so bored out of your mind lately, huh?"
"Uh-unh! Mariwyn let ride on Hooktail! It was fun! Did you know she can fwy?"
"Why, no!" said Lillian, pretending to be shocked. "That's amazing! I bet you handled her like a pro, didn't you?"
Vivian beamed. "Yeah!"
As the two carried on their conversation, a strange scent suddenly triggered Kelly's olfactory senses. She held her head high, trying to decipher it, but was unsuccessful. The entire Shadow Palace had the faint, unmistakable smell of Shadow Sirens that most denizens would find familiar, but this one smelled more like... a Koopa. She looked at Lillian who, knowing the reason, mentally cursed.
It was Kevin! That idiot! She'd been around him so much, his smell was starting to rub off on her! No amount of flowers and fragrances would deter it from a fellow Shadow Siren! And last night extended stay didn't make things any better!
"Hey, Lillian? What's that smell?"
"What smell? I don't smell anything," she lied.
"Well, I do." She looked to the air again. "It... doesn't smell like you."
"Because it's not."
"...You sure?"
"Of course! Yeah! It's just... I've been out on terrain all night, and you know how Koopas are always camping out and stinking up the place." She laughed nervously.
"Well, okay..." She narrowed her eyes. "But how'd you know that's what I thought it smelled like?"
Lillian gritted her teeth, realizing her mistake. Out of reasonable lies, she was just about to confess when the young princess spouted, "Hey, Wilwian! Didja know Hooktail can do twicks, too?"
"Maybe that's Vivian," she quickly replied, cuddling her. "You know Koopas are Hooktail's favorite food and all..."
Kelly fingered her chin, the thought never crossing her mind. "Hmm, I guess that's true... Okay, nevermind then. Anyway, I've got some things to do, so do everyone a favor and stay put this time. Please?"
"Yes, okay. I got it. I won't go anywhere." She shooed her off. "Bye."
Kelly rolled her eyes. "Whatever," she laughed, disappearing into the shadows.
Lillian let out a relieved sigh. Boy, was Vivian a lifesaver! And never did she think Hooktail's odor would actually be good for something...
"Ooh, Wilwian!" said Vivian. "Didja know we set a house on fire, too?"
"Really? I had no idea!" She smiled. "Why don't you tell me the whole thing over breakfast?"
"Well, look who finally returned," said Goombertha, as Kevin closed the inn's door behind him.
"Don't even start it."
"Yeah, I know. 'When life kicks you in the shell, kick it right back in the groin!' Yes, your inspirational words of wisdom are still ringing in my ears..." she sarcastically remarked.
"Shut up. I'll have you know that I'm done with my hiatus, and I'll start being all 'devoted' again. I just needed a little break, that's all. I'm not gonna let tension mess me up like it did you."
Before she could retort, Nero appeared from the back room and attacked Kevin. He pounced on him happily, then headbutted him in anger. Kevin retaliated by jamming his fingers up his nose, whereas Nero drenched him in slobber with his adhesive tongue. The Yoshi's horseplay was a way saying "I'm happy to see you, but you could stand to be around more often."
Goombertha groaned at their childish antics as Kevin tossed Nero over his head and chased him out the door. At that moment, an annoyed Teresa appeared out of thin air.
"Hey, Teresa. Glad you're back. ...Is there something wrong?"
The Boo stared ahead into nothingness. Her expression was a mix of anger and horror as she began to receive visions of what was to become of Kevin. They were horrible, awful visions where his soul, along with Lillian's, would be plunged into darkness until something that would never happen in a million years came to pass.
"Teresa...?"
"...I'm fine," she finally said, floating off. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."
Along with the Boo, Aaron also walked in, covered in crow feathers. Goombertha raised an eyebrow.
"Heh heh... Uh, it's a little hard to practice with all these dumb birds in the way," he laughed sheepishly, heading for his room in the back.
The innkeeper shook his head and offered Goombertha more Koopa Tea. "Normal one of the group, I take it?"
"You don't know the half of it..."
It wasn't long before Lillian slipped away from the Shadow Palace to see Kevin again, and the two carried on as usual. As the days became weeks, which slowly turned into months, their meetings became more and more frequent. Their relationship had taken on a whole new meaning full of love and passion, while still retaining their pointless little scuffles. Teresa continued to warn Kevin about his debauchery, but he refused to listen.
Even with Lillian's frequent visits, the Four Heroes were starting to get back on track. If anything, they'd become even better than ever. Nothing put a spring Kevin's step more than knowing that Lillian would soon return so he could brag about all the enemies he killed, amongst other things...
On the downside, he eventually became obsessed with her. It wasn't long before he demanded that she came every day, not just whenever she could. Lillian obliged, but stated she could only come during the day, as Shadow Sirens were more active at night and she'd surely be caught by the guards. Again, Teresa warned Kevin that their activities were wrong, but he only brushed her off.
Their secret rendezvous went on for nearly a year before Lillian suddenly stopped coming. Kevin waited a whole week for her to show up, but she never did. Fights with the Shadow Sirens had slowed down in general, with battles against Hooktail and Gloomtail next to impossible. Tension between the Shadow Queen began to wear thin and enemies had become scarce. It was strange, almost unnerving for all the fighting to sudden stop like that.
Aaron wasn't too concerned and Kevin was too focused on Lillian, but Goombertha didn't like the looks of it. Unfortunately, Teresa knew exactly what was coming next...
One night, when the crickets in Petalburg had just began chirping, Kevin appeared before Nero. The Yoshi lifted his head from grazing on a bush full of berries, raising an eyebrow in a questioning manner. Surely he didn't think he'd be taking him anywhere soon. It was late, he was eating, and he didn't feel like it. He snorted and went back to eating.
Of course, Kevin had a plan in case this happened. He dropped a vat of Yoshi Cookies before the steed and smiled. "Now, you're not gonna let all these go to waste, are you?"
Nero salivated over the cookies and quickly scarfed them down. Then, satisfied with his offer, he allowed Kevin onto his saddle. With two flaps off his large wings, they were soon airborne and off in a direction they knew by heart.
Looking out the window, Teresa frowned as they took off. She knew where they were going, too...
"Where could he be off to at this hour?" asked Aaron.
Goombertha didn't look up from a book she was reading. "Hmph, who cares? He'll be back in the morning with a hangover, I'm sure."
"...Follow him," suddenly said Teresa.
Aaron scratched his head. "What? Why? I'm sure he'll be fine on his own..."
"You must follow him, for he's going to the Shadow Palace."
"What?!" Goombertha ran over to the window. "I thought I told him to hold back on that! The Shadow Queen hasn't been attacking lately, so why go now?"
"I'll explain later, but Aaron, you have to go along and make sure he isn't killed." Her face became grave, almost to the point where it frightened her teammates. "Kevin has already chosen his fate by committing a deadly sin, and now we must make sure he gets his just desserts..."
"...What do you mean by that?" breathed Goombertha. "What'd he do...?"
"There's no time for that now, but Aaron has to get going. Your arrows should prove useful if you run into any trouble."
The Toad looked ahead in time to see Kevin disappear and groaned. Sometimes he wished he wasn't his abilities weren't so reliable...
Lillian sighed. It'd been nearly a week since she last saw Kevin and she was beginning to miss his crude charm. Since they weren't working too well, the Shadow Queen decided to stop her reckless ambushes and try another mode of attack. All Shadow Sirens in the palace were under 24-hour surveillance until a new plan was put into action.
Despite this, she smiled, thinking about the last time they met. There'd been a small takeover by a gang of Ember Sirens in Fahr Outpost that required the Four Heroes' services. After chasing the misfits away with their battle prowess, she and Kevin ran off together. The others regrouped at an inn, not thinking twice about the roaming Koopa.
Unfortunately, being partially floral, Lillian couldn't stand the cold. She trembled and shivered the whole time. It was a good thing Kevin thought ahead for once and brought Nero. And after a few kicks to the jealous Yoshi's head, he persuaded him to make her a fire. He even let her bundle up with his vest and shirt, saying that the cold was "invigorating".
She was so enthralled in her thoughts, she barely realized Kelly until she touched her shoulder.
"Hello? Earth to Lilly? Can you hear me?"
Lillian blinked. "What? Huh? Oh... Yeah, I heard you..."
"Uh, Lilly? Are you feeling all right?"
"What? Yeah, of course I am. Why?"
"I don't know. You're just been acting really weird lately."
She looked away. "No, I haven't."
"Hey, wait a minute! Are you... blushing?"
She pulled her hat down in embarrassment. "Shut up, Kelly! I'm not!"
"Yes, you are!" She giggled, playfully punching her. "What'd you do? Something... scandalous?"
"No! Look, I'm telling you it was nothing!"
"But you can tell me! I'm your advisor!"
"That's not the point..."
"Promise! Cross my heart and hope to die! I won't tell! Pretty please? I mean, how bad can it be? Did you fall head over heels for a Koopa, or something?" She laughed until she noticed Lillian glaring. "...What?"
"...Let's just get off the subject now."
Suddenly, she noticed Kelly's confused expression turned into a horrified stare. Her eyes widened in fear as she whispered, "L-lilly! L-look behind you... I-it's him!"
"What?"
She turned to see what she was talking about, and was shocked and outraged to see Kevin and Nero inching from the corner behind them. The Koopa looked around for anything suspicious, but instead found Lillian. Once he spotted her, he happily trotted over.
"Kevin?!" she whispered through angry, clenched teeth. "What're you doing here?!"
He laughed. "Well, you haven't been showing up lately, so I came to make sure you weren't dead."
"Kevin?" Kelly's mouth dropped open. "Wait... You know his name?!"
"Kelly..."
"Her Highness has to know about this! He's not supposed to be--!"
Lillian slapped a hand over her mouth. "Shut up! I'll explain later!" She glared at Kevin, who smiled back.
"I couldn't keep my mind off you. And when I want something, I go get it. You should be flattered."
"More like I should be furious! What possessed you to slink your way in here?!" She angrily poked her finger on his chest. "How many times have I told you?! Don't ever come looking for me! I'll find you!"
"You should know by now that me and rules don't get along very well. Plus, you have the worst security guards... ever."
She pulled on her hair in frustration. "But that doesn't mean can just waltz in here whenever you feel like it!"
"Aw, c'mon. You know you missed me." He wrapped his arm around her waist, making her pull away. "You're glad to see me here, aren'tcha?"
Lillian could've easily knocked his block off, but didn't have the heart. As much as she hated to admit it, she really was happy to feel his sturdy grip around his delicate body once again. She never realized how much she longed for it until that moment.
She huffed. "Okay, maybe I am happy to see you... A little."
"Of course you are." He pulled her close. "Not a woman with her head on straight has ever resisted my charm."
Nero rolled his eyes, all the while knowing it was Kevin who didn't have his head on straight. That had to be the case for him to chase after every girl who merely winked at him.
"Lilly, don't tell me you're actually... with him? The Stalwart Koopa? Of the Four Heroes? Our sworn enemy?!"
The princess smirked and put a finger to her lips. "You promised not to tell, right? 'Cross my heart and hope to die'? So let's just keep this as our little secret."
"And don't worry. It's not like I can kill someone this hot," laughed Kevin. "I'm surprised she doesn't have a stick to beat all the guys off with."
Lillian blushed. "Stop it!"
Kelly could only gawk at the two, the irony of her earlier teasing haunting her. But as strange and against the rules it was, she did promise not to tell. And maybe that was for the best... She could tell they were close by the way they embraced and nuzzled one another, finishing with a long, passionate kiss. Who was she to ruin such an odd turn of events? ...Despite how bizarre they were...
In the deepest, darkest corner from where Kevin appeared, Aaron's bow and arrow trembled in nervous hands. To say he was horrified was an understatement.
So, this is what Teresa was talking about! Kevin had become infatuated over Princess Flora! That's why he'd been acting so strange for the past few months!
He had to shoot and he had to hit! If he missed, Princess Flora would probably kill him and Kevin! This wasn't target practice in the woods; this shot would determine whether the Four Heroes would lose their best two fighters... But with his keen eyesight and steady aim, he could hit a moving target from nearly a mile away. All he had to do was remain calm.
He steadied the arrow on his bow, aiming it at Lillian's back. He had to wait until Kevin was out of range, in fear the arrow would strike him.
Kelly was about to leave the mismatched duo when she saw the glint of something from the shadows. It looked a flickering candle, but since when did candles burn on the ground...? She frowned and squinted as the object inched from the wall, aiming at Lillian. Suddenly, she gasped in horror.
"Lilly, watch out! It's an ambush!"
The couple had just broken their kiss when Aaron released his arrow. It sliced through the air with ridiculous speed and before anyone could blink, had impaled Lillian's side. She threw back her head and let out an agonizing scream.
It bounced off the walls, traveling down the hallway and even into some rooms. Unbeknownst to the group, several guards were instantly alerted and followed it back up the corridor.
Kevin was stupefied. "Huh? Hey, what happened?!"
"What do you think happened?!" she hissed in pain, falling to the floor. "Someone just shot me!"
Kelly whipped around to the darkness before her, able to see Aaron as clear as day.
"Hey, you! Stop right there!" she demanded.
With a single snap of her fingers, a large Piranha Plant sprouted from the ground and headed for the Toad. Fortunately, he was much faster; he performed an amazing backflip, not only dodging the enemy altogether, but shooting it while he was upside down and in mid-air. With a squeal of pain, the monstrous plant disintegrated. Aaron finished his assault with a perfect landing, suddenly feeling he'd made a terrible mistake.
"Aaron?!" Kevin glared. "What're you doing here?"
Confusion was written all over his face. "It was Teresa... She said you were coming here and... you're with her?"
Nero lifted his head, his acute hearing picking up the sounds of incoming guards. He tugged on Kevin's sleeve to warn him. The Koopa looked into the dark, hearing their voices and clanking armor. He shot his teammate another glare.
"Aaron, get out of here!"
The Toad didn't need to be told twice. After a frantic scan of his surroundings, he bolted off into the darkness, almost as swiftly as his arrows.
Lillian moaned. "What's that guy's problem?! I didn't even do anything!"
Kevin scowled at the fleeing Aaron. "So, this was Teresa's doing... If that ain't jealously, I don't know what is."
"Did she tell him to attack me like that, too?"
"Probably..."
All of a sudden, Nero began tugging and pulling on Kevin more. The guards were getting closer.
"Kevin, you need to go now..."
He looked at her worriedly. "But what about you?"
She glanced down at the small pool of blood oozing from her wound. She struggled to stand, but the arrow was wedged deep in her side, making nearly every movement painful.
"I'll be fine. It's okay. Just go before they catch you."
"..."
"Just go already!"
"...Fine."
Jumping onto his steed, he took off, flying right over the approaching guards' heads.
"Look, it's the Stalwart Koopa! Get him!" cried one.
A beam of ice barely missed Nero, followed by a bolt of lightning, a barrage of fireballs, and the occasional volley of poisonous leaves. Lillian watched in anticipation as they swiftly maneuvered around the attacks. Nero flew with the greatest of ease, while diving fast and hard to take out several guards with his fiery breath. They soon neared the exit and it almost looked as if they would get away. Finally, a wayward spear thrown by a disgruntled guard managed to puncture Nero's wing. The sudden jolt of pain caused him to crash into a wall and plummet to the ground.
Several Flora Siren guards used their vines to tie him down upon impact. He torched their hats in retaliation, but a horde of their Piranha Plants quickly put a stop to that. Kevin darted from a Piranha Plant and unsheathed his sword. Blood spewed, guards squealed, and some even retreated. Unfortunately, for every siren he defeated, two more appeared. He fought valiantly, but was soon overpowered by the number of guards. Lillian could feel her heart sink as she watched Kevin and Nero dragged away in vines.
Kelly looked down. "Lilly, I don't know what to say..."
She laughed bitterly. "Of course. What could you say?"
"...I didn't expect something like this to happen. It's just one thing after another with you, isn't it?"
"I know. I thought the hard part was over with, but..."
"'But'?"
She stood groggily, still nursing the arrow in her side. "We'll have to break him out now, I guess."
"Lilly, you can't be serious! That's practically suicide!"
"I understand if you don't want to help. It's okay. You've done more than enough already."
"Well..." She sighed, massaging her head in frustration. "No, I can't let you do something this crazy on your own. ...You'll need some help, and I guess I'm your best bet."
"Thanks, Kelly." She smiled. "Where would I be without you?"
She rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Let's just get it over with before I change my mind..."
After giving Lillian a special treatment of Ultra Shrooms and bandages to heal her wound, Kelly found out from a guard that Kevin had been taken to Riddle Tower. This was where he would be tortured, beaten, and most likely killed. Fortunately, since the queen was currently busy, only a select few knew he'd been captured. If that was the case, they had to act fast before she found out. Lillian devised a clever, but risky plan and deduced to try her luck...
"You've got the plan down pat, right?" whispered Lillian.
Kelly tried not to smile. "Lilly, before we go through with this, I have to say you're the craziest girl I've ever met."
She laughed. "Thanks. That's a compliment."
As they neared the infamous Riddle Tower, only two guards stood in their way. Both young and inept, they struggled to keep their clunky, knight-like armor up and spears drawn. The duo consisted of a Lightning Siren clad in gold-plated armor and a Tundra Siren with her sapphire helmet on backwards.
"Halt!" commanded the Lightning Siren, waving her weapon about. "Uh, what business do you have here at uh... this place?"
"Riddle Tower," corrected the other, beneath her helmet.
"Yeah, that's what I meant!"
"Why, Princess Lillian has come to give the Stalwart Koopa the beating he's deserved for so long," Kelly responded. "Y'know, before Her Highness dismantles him herself."
"Oh, I heard about that! Princess Lillian, you must be extremely brave to take him on all by yourself!"
"Yeah, brave!" giggled the other. "I hope I can be as strong as you when I get older."
"Yes, yes... Now, if you please..." She motioned toward the Riddle Tower's door.
The Lightning Siren clumsily stepped aside. "Oh, please! Go right ahead! And get 'em once for me, will ya?"
"Yes," she mumbled. "I'll try and keep that in mind..."
Lillian had rarely been inside the "tower of torture", as some called it. It was an awful place where only the most hated prisoners were tossed and left to rot in. Their punishment was based on how much trouble they'd given the queen, and being part of the Four Heroes, Kevin surely wouldn't survive the night.
The princess ascended the swirling staircase in the tower's middle, cringing at all the moans, groans, and pleas for help coming from different rooms. She kept going until she reached the last room on the next-to-top floor, for it was the worst room in the place. If she was right, Kevin should be in there.
Slowly, she opened the door and proceeded in. Before she had a chance to close the door, Nero growled and flapped his wings violently in an effort to scare her off, but only exhausted himself. He had thick, heavy shackles around his neck, mouth, and waist holding him down. The wound in his wing had gone untreated, causing it to falter whenever he tried to fly.
Avoiding the angry Yoshi, she searched around the bone-covered floor for any remains of her beloved when she heard that all-too-familiar sarcastic voice of his.
"Lillian? You coming to kill me already, or is this the torture session?"
Perking up, she noticed the Koopa was still in one piece and shackled against the wall by his wrists. He had several bleeding gashes, a black eye, and his arm looked poisoned, but it wasn't too bad. It was a lot better than being dead...
"Look what they did to you," she plaintively whispered. "Those ingrates. I'm so sorry..."
"What? About this?" He laughed, which him wince. "I've seen worse."
"Well, I'm getting you out of here."
He scoffed. "Like I'll fall for that. You've just come to kill us, right?"
"Kevin, I'm serious. I'm getting you and Nero out of here."
"...After you kill us."
She tossed a Dry Bones skull at his head. "Shut up. I've got it under control."
She placed the rusty chains of his shackles in her teeth and bit down. In a matter of seconds, they hissed with acid and melted apart. She did this to every chain until both captors were freed.
"Say, that's a pretty good trick there. I didn't know you were so... poisonous," said Kevin, hissing out the last word.
"Stupid," she laughed. "All Flora Sirens can produce acid, but only the best are this potent."
"Well, now what?"
"First, take these for your wounds." She handed him two Ultra Shrooms, grabbed a reluctant Nero's hand, and wrapped her remaining arm around Kevin's waist.
"Hey," he laughed. "Look, I know I'm huggable, but can't you do this some other time?"
It took all her might not to clobber him with another Dry Bones skull, instead pulling him and the Yoshi into the darkness.
The three reappeared behind the Riddle Tower outside where Fluffy was patiently waiting for instructions. At Lillian's command, she lowered her gigantic head and opened her mouth. Kevin and Nero looked at each other and frowned.
"You don't expect us to ride in there, do you?"
"If you wanna live, you'd better. She won't swallow, I promise. I've trained her not to unless I say so." She petted the Naval Piranha, making her purr. "She's gonna take two back to Petalburg, you can heal yourselves, and it'll be like nothing ever happened."
"...If you say so."
She stopped him. "And Kevin?"
"Yea--?"
He was cut off by one of her infamous kisses, which made Nero gag. Kevin hated when she did that without warning. Her kisses always made him sound a dopey idiot...
As their lips parted, she smiled. "Do us both a favor and listen to what I say from now on, all right?"
"...I guess I can... uh, try."
"Good." She pushed him toward Fluffy. "But don't try, do."
"All right, all right, all right. You're so aggressive sometimes..."
Reluctantly, he and Nero sat on the Piranha's tongue and hoped for the best as she closed her mouth. Slowly, she sank into the moat, careful not disturb the water until she was out of sight. Making sure no one was around, Lillian faded into the shadows and quickly returned inside before she was caught. Unfortunately, she failed to glance behind the tower itself, as a pair of devious cobalt eyes had seen the whole thing.
"Didja smack 'em once for me?" asked the Lightning Siren.
"And me, too?" asked the other.
"But you didn't tell her to do it for you!"
She shrugged. "Still..."
"Don't worry, I'm sure I hit him hard enough for all four of us... and then some."
"Of course! I'd expect nothing less from an esteemed Shadow Princess! I bet you taught him a lesson he won't soon forget!" remarked Kelly, trying not to laugh at how ridiculous she sounded.
Despite being a terrible liar, it was good enough to fool the guards. With a bow to the princess and a salute to the advisor, they resumed "guarding" the Stalwart Koopa, as Kelly and Lillian left giggling.
"Did you really do it? Got them both free, right?"
"What? You didn't think I could do it?"
"No, I just can't believe you did it!" She looked to see if anyone was listening. "We're gonna get in so much trouble if they figure out the truth..."
"There's next to no proof. Not even the guards'll get punished; I melted the chains."
"Ooh, clever."
She sighed. "So, I'm guessing you want me to go back to my room, right?"
"Definitely. We've had more than enough of your escapades today... But maybe, if you're good, you can go and check up on your little boyfriend later."
Lillian blushed, never taking that name into consideration. "B-boyfriend?!"
"What else is he to you? And please don't say you two went and eloped, 'cause I'll have to slap you silly if you did," she joked.
She laughed. "No, we didn't do anything like that. But I guess you can say that really is a term of endearment..."
The moon was full and high in the sky as a silhouette made her way through a forest until she came to clearing. Waiting for her was another silhouette sitting on a tree stump. Upon seeing each other, they embraced and kissed.
"How're you feeling?" asked one.
"Good. That Ultra Shroom did the trick. What about you?"
"Better, but it still stings a little..."
"Yeah, that'll take some time to go away. Aaron shot me once by accident and it hurt like hell for almost a week."
"Speaking of which, do they know? About... us?"
"Nope. I told Aaron I'd break his arm if he told anybody, so he's the only one. I also gave Teresa a good talking to."
"And?"
He rubbed his cheek. "Who knew ghosts could slap a guy so hard?"
She laughed. "You'll get over it. And just so you know, everything worked out fine back at home. Mother got pretty mad when the guards told her that you escaped. I think she even had torch Gloomtail torch a town to let off some steam..."
"Oh, yeah. About that... Uh, what you did back there was pretty dangerous. You could've been caught..." He rocked back and forth on his heels, not used to expressing his feelings. "I was kinda... worried about you..."
"Really?"
"Well, it wouldn't have been my fault if you got caught!" He crossed his arms and turned away. "I couldn't even save you at that point, even if I wanted to!"
She kissed him, making him blush. "It's the thought that counts. Besides, we both escaped and we're both fine. That's all that matters, isn't it?"
"...Y'know, hearing you say that reminds of something I've been meaning to ask you."
"What?"
"Why don't you join us?"
"Huh?"
"You obviously don't wanna hang around in that smelly old castle anymore, so come with us. I'll put in a good word for you if you do."
She frowned. "...I don't know. Vivi still needs taking care of..."
"She's got like a bazillion servants at her disposal. She'll be fine."
"But I can't abandon her like that. I'm still her guardian and... we have a special bond. She'd hate me forever if I just walked out on her like this."
He rolled his eyes. "Aw, why do you have to be so dutiful all the time? When we defeat the Shadow Queen, you can be together again. How's that?"
"...Really?"
"Like anyone's gonna stop you?"
She'd never thought of that before. If the Shadow Queen was defeated, then there'd be no one to order her around, tell her what to wear, and kill every other Koopa in sight! She and Vivian would be free to do whatever they wanted, not to mention their dynasty would be a thing of the past! And maybe the Shadow Sirens would be more accepting of others without the queen breathing their necks. To have absolutely no restrictions like that had practically been her life-long dream...
"I take it that face you're making means yes?"
"Guess I've got no other choice."
"Good. Come bright and early tomorrow for the secret initiation. You have to eat a dozen of Nero's eggs before you can get in."
She giggled, knowing he wasn't serious. "Do I need to bring anything?"
"Just yourself and whatever you can carry on your back."
"Okay." She hugged him. "Thanks for being such a sweetheart."
He groaned and pushed her away. "Ugh, I am NOT a sweetheart! I just asked because I wanted you around more, sheesh!"
"Yeah, right..." She turned to leave. "Oh, and one more thing..."
"Yeah?"
She blew him a kiss he could've sworn he felt. "I love you."
His response used to be the hardest four words he'd ever said, but now he managed to speak them quietly, fluently, and lovingly as his lover faded into the night.
"...I love you, too."
"Dear Diary,
It's been forever since I wrote, but I've been going through a lot of stuff. I've finally made up my mind; I plan to leave with Kevin in the morning. He says I can join the Four Heroes and he'll make them change the name for me. It's flattering and hilarious at the same time.
My time here as a resident and princess here in the Shadow Palace has officially ended. Starting tomorrow, I'll live out the rest of my life as a rebel with Kevin, and maybe one day, we'll actually defeat Mother. Kevin said when that happens, Vivian, Marilyn, and I can live out our lives the way we want to. I just hope he's right, unlike his usual assumptions.
I never thought two natural enemies could actually complement one another in a relationship. I can't begin to count how many times I've told myself not to let it go to far, but this has to be true love. I feel for him in ways that can't be written in any amount of words. He's the only one around here who knows what I love..."
Authoress' Notes: Hmm, at the rate this story's going, "BOA2" may be your Christmas present. That should be good, since "SSBB" could be owning me until March, lol. Read on if you want the special preview, but it's just a teaser; the main plot still stands, but this exact writing may not be in the actual story.
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15,000 years... Had it really been that long?
Well, she thought it'd been. Give or take a few...
Regardless, she was the oldest of her kind; even the healthiest of her species rarely lived past 10,000... Give or take.
Her existence on Lunar Peak had become a commonly-told legend in the village of Bob-ombs she watched over. No one'd ever seen her, but it was rumored she brought blessings to those in need with her presence. Lost travelers were mysteriously returned home, missing items were somehow returned, and Frost Piranhas never attacked citizens. Some called her the Lady in White, while others claimed she was a ghost who'd dedicated herself to helping others.
But one day, a gang of beings ascended the mountain, wandering around aimlessly. She assumed they were hikers in need and watched from afar, but these hikers carried newfangled rifles and vicious Chain Chomps who were hungry for blood. She soon realized these trespassers were greedy strangers who wanted to kill her for bragging rights.
She found their behavior disgusting and refused to bless them, but they didn't care. Once their Chomps started charging through the snow, she was prey to them. Whether it was the Chomps or their leader, they met and fought nearly every other day.
In a more recent chase, she'd just reached the edge of Lunar Peak when she heard a gun click, and the deep, foreign accent of her pursuer from behind.
"Those tricks 'o y'rs won't save ya this time, Y'r Highness. Say 'ello to y'r subjects for me, will ya?"
As he pulled the trigger, residents of Fahr Outpost could've sworn one of their own had exploded on the mountain.