Authoress' Notes: IMPORTANT NOTE! PLEASE READ! Have you guys seen Yoshi's Final Smash in SSBB? He grows feathery white wings and blows fire at his enemies! WTF?! As you may recall, Nero, the Yoshi in this story, can do the EXACT SAME THING! ...I swear on my DS I didn't get the idea from them. I just found out about it, and the chapter Nero first appeared in debuted nearly a week before it was revealed! ...Coincidence? I think not. Okay, I'm doing ranting now.
And forget what I said last time (again...). This chapter has the 2nd most shocking twist (and several others). On a side note, this chapter is probably the most confusing of them all, so read VERY CAREFULLY. You might miss something vital. Only 4 chapters left now.
Better Off Alone
Chapter 26: Secret
Ms. Mowz could only call herself a wonder of wonders for how conniving she was. She skipped, hopped, and jumped across the sunken remains in Pirate's Grotto as she searched for a certain ship. Lillian's diary had proved more than useful in her quest and she was one step closer to finding out about her fate, as well as Kevin's.
Embers and Lava Bubbles occasionally tried to attack, but she sent them running with a swift backflip kick to their faces. As she ventured on deeper and deeper into the cave, she eventually came across a certain sunken ship she found somewhat... familiar.
Inside was a Black Chest, one of four from the ancient legend. It'd already been opened, by Mario if the prophecy was correct, and its captor released. Unfortunately, that captor's soul still remained imprisoned, not physically, but spiritually. More snooping around confirmed her suspicions. The "demon" of this Black Chest was actually the soul of the Stalwart Koopa. She pulled his trademark handkerchief from some boxes, along with his black vest and trusty sword, all drenched in blood.
Yes, everything was falling into place. Lillian and Kevin's souls were still trapped in purgatory like she thought. If they'd gone on to the afterlife, not one of their items would've remained on this world... She was about to leave when her eyes spotted a message in a bottle the handkerchief was tied around. Pulling it out, she began to read it:
"Dear Lillian,
We finally did it, just like I said we would. We beat the Shadow Queen and the Shadow Sirens fled upon her defeat. But in the fight, the wench managed to curse us with the Crystal Stars. I got the blue one. Dunno if that means anything. If I let it stray too far from me, my soul gets trapped in a black box, or something. After that, we were forced to disband so we could hide these dumb things. We each chose a place to take ours and made a map to find them in case they were ever needed again, but I don't know where it is now... Not like I can use it.
In our last few hours together, Goombertha was in tears, Aaron barely said a word, and Teresa ignored me the whole time... I'm guessing they're already dead now, so at least they're at peace. I just wish I could've been able to say more than 'Don't lose the blasted things!' before we split up..."
Scanning over the rest of the letter, Ms. Mowz was shocked to see bloody smears where Kevin'd been writing. Chances were that it, along with the sword, handkerchief, and vest were soaked in his blood. She returned it to the bottle and grabbed the bloody items, returning through the way she came. She could only hope she'd be able to wash some of this stuff off before it reached a certain Koopa...
Koops and Vivian both found it hard to imagine life before meeting one another. It was like living in a house with no lights on. Ever since the night of his confession, the two had been practically inseparable. They went everywhere and did everything together, never spending a moment alone. With odd jobs down to a minimum, their days consisted of nothing but bonding and cavorting. Their times were full of happiness.
Koops savored each and every moment he was able to caress Vivian's soft face and kiss her sweet lips. Her slender physique had to be the smoothest he'd ever had the pleasure of touching. He could think of nothing better than cuddling in the fluffy warmth of her hair until he dozed off. And best of all, unlike Koopie Koo, she actually looked up to him! Koops felt like he was the manliest Koopa in town whenever she was nearby. She was like his own personal cheerleader, adulating him in almost everything he did. He should've told her how he felt sooner...
Vivian on the other hand, swooned over Koops. She adored and admired him for nearly everything he did, seeing him as a sort of idol or role model. He was sweet, loveable, gentle, kind, understanding, loyal, confident... The list of good qualities went on. She never understood why she didn't notice this about him before. Maybe because they were both so nervous around the other... But that didn't matter now. She sometimes she felt she fawned over him a little too much, contrasting his true love for her, but that didn't matter, right? Love was love, regardless of what form it came in. All said and done, everything had worked out perfectly...
On another note, Koops finally got around to telling his father about his sudden girlfriend swap. His reaction was shock, confusion, then acceptance. He decided to look on the bright side, saying that as long as his son was happy, so was he. Although, he did question Koopie Koo's whereabouts, but Koops could hold himself accountable for her actions anymore. Deep down, he really didn't care.
So that was it... The world had been saved, the Crystal Stars returned to the Thousand-Year Door, and he'd claimed his prize. He couldn't believe it was over already. It seemed like just yesterday he was shaking in his shell, following Mario and Goombella around in Hooktail Castle.
...But something was still bugging him.
Vivian dozed in his lap while he watched TV. He flipped through channels, playing with her hair while in deep thought.
Something still had to be done. He felt like there was one more thing that needed to be completed before everyone could relax, but what could it be? They'd saved the world, Peach was rescued, he told Vivian how he felt, and she was in a better place. He racked his brain to come up with a reason, but couldn't...
He flinched as Vivian stirred and rubbed against him affectionately. "Koops, what's wrong? You look a little pale..."
"It's nothing. I was just... daydreaming."
"Oh." She glanced at the clock on the wall and stood. "Ooh, it's getting pretty late. I guess I need to start cooking."
"Well, you don't have to. You can stay and I'll cook."
"That's nice, but since your father's not around, I'll do it this time... It's kinda in my nature." She smiled shyly, gingerly kissing his nose. "I'll be back soon. Dinner'll be a big surprise, okay?"
"...Okay."
He carefully took her hand, holding it lovingly in his, then gradually let go as she walked out the front door. He sighed, hating to see her leave. It made him feel so lonely and cold without her. Nothing good was on TV, so maybe he could help get dinner started.
Walking into the kitchen, he turned on the stove and placed several pots on pans on its surface. There were a few unwashed glasses in the sink, so he decided to wash them in the warm, soapy dishwater. He'd just finished the first glass when he noticed something small and white reflect of its clean surface. Before he could react, a soothing voice graced his hearing.
"Hello, Koops. It's been quite some time, hasn't it?"
He turned around to see Ms. Mowz casually sitting on the table. "Yeah, it sure has. I can't remember when I saw you last."
"Oh, come now. It hasn't been that long. Regardless, I've been very busy since then, so please excuse my absence."
"Of course. I understand."
"I don't want to jump the gun here, but where's Vivian? What's happened between the two of you lately?" she asked, as if she didn't already know.
Koops blushed. "Oh. Well, I... I finally mustered up the courage to tell her... about how I felt..."
"And?"
"She feels the same way!" He exclaimed, louder than he meant to. "Everything worked out perfectly and it couldn't have turned out any better. It's such a relief I finally got it all off my chest, you know?"
She nodded. "I see. But Koops, don't you find it a little... odd?"
"Odd?"
"Don't you have a feeling, or a little voice in the back of your head telling you something's not right?"
"Actually... I do," he replied, thinking about earlier. "It's been bothering me ever since I told Vivian I loved her... I've been hoping you'd show up so I could ask you about it."
"It's good to see you listen to your sixth sense. Yes, there is one last thing to be done before you two can truly enjoy one another's company."
"...And what's that?"
"What you must understand is that Vivian is in grave danger and if we don't act soon, she will be taken away from you."
He nearly dropped the cleaned glass upon hearing that. "...W-what?"
"If you're interested, I'll tell you the whole story over here."
She unrolled a scroll on the kitchen table as Koops hurriedly joined her. It was obviously an old one, judging from its worn condition and burnt edges.
"Let me start out slow. This ancient artifact is called the Secret Scroll and was constructed by archeologists preceding the Shadow Queen's original defeat. I guess you can call it a 'part two' to the Magical Map."
On the scroll were several things that caught Koops' eye. Many ancient creatures that were either extremely rare or extinct decorated the sides and corners of the scroll. Flying Yoshies, Amazee Dayzees, and Shadow Sirens were only to name a few. Amid the myriad of writing on the top and bottom, there was a diagram of the Crystal Stars in the middle.
"Koops, pay close attention, because I'm about to give you a crash course in the history of the Crystal Stars," she said, straightening her mask.
He frowned. "...This isn't gonna confuse me beyond all reason, is it?"
"It shouldn't, but try to stay with me just in case. Anyway, whether you knew this or not, each Star is capable of giving the one who holds it different capabilities. Mario demonstrated this many times. Unfortunately, because of certain restrictions, he was unable to use their powers to their fullest extent. It was just as well; he wouldn't have been able to control them if he did."
"Why? He looked like he knew what he was doing."
"Don't get ahead of yourself. I'll explain later." She pointed to the first Star. "Now, this is the Diamond Star. It grants its owner with great speed and flexibility. Next is Emerald, the Star of Grace. It gives the owner the ability to dodge nearly anything. Gold is the Star of Strength, and grants its user with enough power to crush a house. Ruby is the Star of Beauty, and can manipulate others into thinking whatever the user wants them to." She stopped and looked at him. "Are you with me so far?"
"Yeah..." he nodded, intrigued.
She continued. "Sapphire is the star of Fortitude. It gives its user enough stamina to endure the fiercest of storms. Garnet is the Star of Cunning, and allows the user to use their enemy's attacks against them. Finally, Crystal is the Star of Knowledge. Being the most powerful of the seven, it allows the user to read minds from nearby enemies and predict their every move."
Koops still found it strange that Mario could never tap into any of those powers, but he'd ask why later.
"The stars were made in the order we found them: Diamond, Emerald, Gold, Ruby, Sapphire, Garnet, and Crystal. Each one reacts to the one after it; Diamond to Emerald, Emerald to Gold, and so on."
Koops followed her finger as it scanned over the different-colored stars to clarify. She then moved her finger down to the row below it. Like the Crystal Stars, there were seven small silhouettes, three resembling dragons, and the rest appearing to be witches.
"After creating them, the Shadow Queen put the Crystal Stars to better use by creating seven loyal servants from them. She properly dubbed them as the Stellar Beings because of their heavenly heritage. All seven were made to be fierce and powerful, being of her kin and bred of dragons. They were as follows: Gloomtail, Lillian, Marilyn, Vivian, Beldam, Hooktail, and Bonetail."
The name "Bonetail" was the only one Koops was unfamiliar with. Legend had it the zombified dragon perished not long after the Shadow Queen was put away by the Four Heroes. Many said he was nothing but a pile of bones at the deepest, darkest part of Rogueport Sewers. The very thought of an undead dragon sleeping beneath people's feet always freaked him out, so he decided he'd rather not know. Then something hit him...
"...Wait, Vivian? Created by the Shadow Queen?! From a Crystal Star?! ...T-that can't be true, can it?!"
"Remember back when we fought the Shadow Queen? She referred to Vivian as her daughter, and for a very good reason. Don't tell me you forgot about that already."
"Yeah, I remember, but I thought it was a term of endearment... I didn't think she actually... I mean..." He blinked in disbelief. "So, she's...?"
"Vivian and her sisters are Shadow Sirens only because each was made from a Crystal Star and the queen's essence. Her blood runs through them, and they are her natural daughters. There's no two ways about it."
Koops was amazed and baffled that someone like himself would be attracted to not only one outside his species, but a daughter of an ancient demon bent on world destruction. It was a good thing he was already sitting down, as he could feel himself go weak in the knees. On top of that, she was a living, breathing reincarnation of one of the Crystal Stars! And if her mother really was the Shadow Queen, then that made her... a princess! He'd fallen in love with royalty?! It... it couldn't be! There had to be a mistake!
"...You sure all that stuff is true?" he asked, breathlessly.
"100 percent. I understand it was unexpected, but this doesn't change who she is... Oh, and one more thing."
He laughed unbelievingly. "What now? What else could there possibly be to this? Nothing can top what you've already told me."
"In monarchies, it's usually the oldest child gets the throne, but the queen despised her first two children, so she reversed it. And since she's has passed on... again... Vivian is now the new Shadow Queen." She laughed as Koops' jaw dropped. "Mind-blowing, isn't it?"
Vivian walked down the main road of Petalburg, coming back from the shop with bags full of Mushrooms, Honey Syrup, Turtley Leaves and Horsetails. She didn't know what dinner she'd make, but something told her it'd be a masterpiece.
"Hey, you! Weirdo!"
Such a crude remark yanked Vivian from her thoughts. She turned to the source of the voice to see an odd, little merchant of some sort huddled under an old cloak. The necklace of golden beads and ruby around its neck caught her attention, looking similar to her own jewelry. Its voice sounded like an older female, since its appearance failed to yield much more about it. Despite its obscurity, the siren felt like she'd seen this person before...
"...Are you talking to me?"
"I don't see any other weirdoes around here."
She frowned. "Excuse me, but I'm a Shadow Siren, thank you very much."
"A Shadow Siren? What's one of those doing in a humdrum place like this?"
"And what's wrong with that?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing. It's just that there's not another one of your kind for miles and miles. You must've got separated or something, because you stick out like a sore thumb here."
"I..." She looked away. "I have my reasons..."
"And those are...?"
"I'm staying with a friend."
"I'm assuming that friend isn't another Shadow Siren, right?"
"Well... yeah. He's a Koopa."
"You certainly you don't think of staying with him much longer, do you?"
"Yeah... Why not?"
"The fact that he's a Koopa isn't good enough for you? Different kinds should never mix, you know. It's a fact of life."
She shook her head and smiled. "Oh, no. He said that doesn't matter. It's what's on the inside that counts, not outside."
The figure laughed. "Wow, that's so sappy, he's got to be using you."
"...Huh?"
"You're young, so I understand if you don't mind being manipulated..." She began to walk off. "If that's the way you want to live, I won't stop you..."
Vivian ran after her. "Wait a minute! What did you say? I'm being manipulated?"
"I can't think of a better way to describe it. Shadow Sirens and Koopas could never live together peacefully, so that has to be what's going on."
"That's not true. Koops and I are in perfect harmony. It couldn't work out any better if I was a Koopa myself."
"...Or so you think."
"No, I-I know. Really, we do... because he said... um..." She turned her head in confusion. "I mean, I think so...?"
Ms. Mowz cleared her throat. "Picking up where I left off, every single friend we made with Mario is something called a Holder."
"What's that?"
"A Holder is someone who has a direct or natural linking to one of the Crystal Stars by their overall characteristics. Mind you, this list's in the same order of the Crystal Stars: You, Flurrie, Waffles, Vivian, Bobbery, me, and Goombella."
Koops counted the names, Stars, and attributes in his head, coming to the realization that everything matched up perfectly. He smiled at the irony of someone as pretty as Vivian coming from the Star of Beauty. Then he blushed, thinking about his own.
"If mine is the Star of Courage, that means... I'm courageous?"
Ms. Mowz laughed. "Yes, as much as it means I'm cunning by the Garnet Star!"
"And you said we're Holders, right? Does that mean we can control them?"
"According the scroll, 'Only when the time comes may the Holders raise their heads up high with the power of the Crystal Stars'. I haven't figured that part out yet..."
"And what about Mario? What'd he have to do with this?"
"Absolutely nothing. Mario already did his part by bringing us all together by looking for the Crystal Stars in the first place. Only with us could he defeat his enemies and rescue Peach. Now that he's gone, the rest is up to us."
"...What do you mean? We already defeated the Shadow Queen. What else is left for us to do?"
"That's the problem. The scroll says the Shadow Queen's return would be followed by another attempt at world domination by one of the Stellar Beings, but that's impossible. We've already defeated all that are living, while Vivian's on our side."
"And Bonetail?"
"Wherever he may be, he probably thinks the Shadow Queen is still alive, or he would've come after us by now. The scroll only says it's called the Great Enemy and shall gain all powers of the Crystal Stars upon its return."
Koops began reading an excerpt. "'...Like the poison of a venomous cobra, it shall spread and destroy the weak and helpless. Only can the light of the Holders destroy its reign and restore peace to the land. They must band together as one, combining their weaknesses and strengths to thwart the evil once and for all.' I see what you mean..."
"Yes, but let me try another approach." She pointed to the pictures of four familiar figures on the scroll. Koops instantly recognized them as the Four Heroes. "I'm sure you know their story. In their efforts to seal away the queen, she managed to curse the stars they were holding at the time..."
"And if they let go of them, a black box would appear to seal their souls..." he finished.
"Correct. The Stalwart Koopa was cursed with the Sapphire Star, the Boo Heroine with Ruby, Emerald for the Wise Goomba, and Diamond for the Toad Hero. As you've probably guessed, each attribute matched them perfectly. They were the first Holders of the Crystal Stars."
"But that's only four. Who're the other three?"
"I can't tell you that just yet, for they haven't revealed them to me..."
"So, what's that?" Koops pointed to a purple star in the middle of the ring of Crystal Stars. "You never said anything about this one."
"That..." she said, lowering her voice, "That is the Amethyst Crystal Star, a star so powerful, no one besides its creator can handle it."
"Where is it?"
"The Amethyst has no Holder, making it the black sheep of the Stars. It's nearly 10 times more powerful than the others put together, almost to the point where it was considered lethal. Because of this, many have tried to steal it and use its power, but have always been destroyed in the process. It's truly devastating..."
"That bad, huh?"
"Yes. So, to keep it safe from thieves and robbers, the Shadow Queen decided to hide the Amethyst Star in a place no one'd ever look."
"I hate to disagree, Ms. Mowz, but that's just a myth. There is no eighth Crystal Star. It's just some rumor, like the Dried Shroom we found in that box. Aside from rescuing Peach and stopping the Shadow Queen, the whole thing was a big hoax."
"Koops, you don't really think that was the treasure, do you? Even an Ultra Shroom doesn't deserve that kind of treatment."
"Then, what...?"
"It was the Amethyst Star that used to stay in that box. That's why we found it so close to the Shadow Queen's grave. Only she and her minions knew she'd removed the Star a long time ago, keeping the box close to fool enemies into thinking it was the actual thing."
"If that's the case... then where is the actual thing?"
"When the Shadow Queen created Vivian, she wanted her to be perfect. So, not long after she was born, she placed the Amethyst Star inside her heart. It now coincides with her body, mind, and spirit."
"...You can't be serious."
"I am. As long as Vivian is alive, even if she's hanging by a thread, the Star will revive her. It's smart enough to know that if Vivian dies, it will die. That's how she's been able to survive Beldam's onslaughts, among other things."
"And when we found her..."
"If it wasn't for the Star, Vivian would've been dead the next day."
That sure did explain a lot. Koops did find it strange how she managed to recover so quickly. Then again, he was so happy, he didn't care.
"Unfortunately, it should've been removed a long time ago by the Shadow Queen so Vivian could learn how to use it, but that never came to pass. Because of that, the Star had bonded with her, making her more powerful than usual. But that's nowhere near how powerful she'd be if she knew how to use it properly."
"Does she know about it?"
"Believe it or not, no. She's in the same boat you are, thinking it's only a myth. And remember when I said the Stars react to one another? That's why she was suffering back on the moon. The closer we got to the last Crystal Star, the more the Amethyst reacted, and the sicker she became."
"But it's the last one, so shouldn't it only be reacting to the Diamond Star?"
"The Amethyst Star reacts to all other Crystal Stars, but only when Vivian has no coordination with herself. This usually includes fear or extreme anxiety. Although she didn't look it, she was very nervous went we got there."
"So Vivian's holding the Amethyst Star?" That confused him. "I thought she held the Ruby Star."
"No, no. Vivian was made from the Ruby Star and is its Holder. The Amethyst Crystal exists within her, so it has nothing to do with this."
Koops thought to himself again and looked back at her. "Why is she both? Is that possible?"
"This is where it gets a little more confusing, for you see... There was another Holder for the Ruby Star."
"Another?"
"Yes, and I think you should brace yourself for this."
Koops held his breath and prepared for the worst, which was easier said than done because of Ms. Mowz's vagueness.
"The original Holder of the Ruby Crystal Star... was your mother."
The figure grinned maliciously as Vivian tried for the umpteenth time to come up with why and how she thought Koops was more than just another Koopa. She struggled to express her passion for him in the best way she could, but soon came to the shocking conclusion that feelings were a lot harder to show when you had to use them in words.
"...I can see I'm wasting my time with you, so I should get going."
"Listen, you've got it all wrong. Koops and I are a perfect match. I... I can't say how, but we are."
"And how do you know?"
"Because..." She finally decided not to sugarcoat her answer and told the truth. "Because I love him... and he loves me."
It almost appeared the figure was moved by her words until she laughed. "It's pretty sad that a Shadow Siren is actually being roped into this sort of thing. You're supposed to be doing it to him."
Offended, Vivian glowered. "I'm telling you it's true! I've got five other friends of all different species, and they've always been nice to me!"
"Uh, would those other friends happen to be a Goomba, a Cloud Spirit, a Yoshi, a Bob-omb, and a rodent of some sort?"
"Huh? Yeah... but how'd you...?"
"No wonder you're all by yourself; hanging around with that many different people would make you a hodgepodge for sure."
By now, Vivian was not only confused, but very angry. How dare this nobody come in out of nowhere and tell her how to live her life? The nerve! Then again, something began to tell her everything this nobody was saying could be true...
"Perhaps it's fine if you only traveled with them for a bit, but it's that Koopa you should really be worried about."
"...I don't understand why. He'd never try to hurt me in any way..."
"Nonsense. Koopas are your sworn enemies. They're the main reasons Shadow Sirens are so scarce. Actually..." She paused for a moment and looked around to see if anyone was listening. "There's a rumor going around about the murder of the legendary Princess Flora and I've a good mind to believe it's true..."
Vivian's eyes went wide and she nearly choked on her own breath. "P-princess Flora?! That's... That's Lillian! ...You mean... y-you know who... killed her?"
"M-mom... W-wha...? Y-you mean...?"
"As strange as it may sound, your mother was the original Holder of the Ruby Star, but due to her untimely passing, it'll stay with Vivian until another seven is chosen."
"But... what'd Mom have to do with this? Was she supposed to travel with Mario instead of me?"
"Why, of course." She hopped down from the table and began pacing. "You see, there's already a certain destiny that determines what happens to certain people in their existence. Collecting their power from the heavens, the Crystal Stars were purveyors of it. I won't go into any details, but their design was broken by a couple that existed a thousand years ago. Ironically, they were a 'mixed couple'; a Koopa who'd fallen for a Shadow Siren."
"...R-really?"
"Yes, but their acts together were forbidden. They crossed the line of taboo and loved one another only through lust. After their relationship went a bit too far, the Stars punished them by not only killing them off, but placing on curse on both lovers. The only way to break the curse was with the love of another couple just like theirs. The second couple had to be true, honest, and pure, never unfailing. ...Much like yours and Vivian's, I assume?"
He gushed. "...Yeah, I guess so... I mean, we're not... uh, well, maybe..."
"Then I'll just cut to the chase." She returned sitting in the chair. "You and Vivian? You're both supposed to be dead now."
"Huh?!"
"It's true. The taboo couple was the Stalwart Koopa of legend and Lillian, Vivian's deceased sister. Knowing how much she loved Vivian and the Stalwart Koopa, the Stars decided to make her loved ones pay the price before she succumbed to her original fate. As unfair as it may seem, they planed on killing Vivian when she was only a baby."
Koops scowled. "That's... that's not fair. Why's that? What'd she ever do to anyone?"
"Even though both lovers are at fault, it was Lillian who started it, so blame her if you must. Unfortunately, she sacrificed herself for Vivian, interfering with the Stars' plan and making things worse."
"...Worse?"
"Heartbroken, the Stalwart Koopa eventually died, which served as his punishment. But knowing Vivian was still alive, Lillian passed away peacefully. Thus, the balance was still broken. Lillian never had to suffer the grief of losing anyone, so the Stars were forced to turn on another Koopa."
Koops hung his head, grief-stricken. "...And that was Mom?"
"I'm afraid so. Your mother was already chosen to be the next Holder, but since Vivian didn't die, she had to pay the price so things could balance out. Either you and Vivian would survive, or Lillian and your mother would."
"...So that's why I was spared?"
It was so unnerving to find out it really was him Hooktail was after. He always thought it was luck when it'd actually been fate all along. He almost felt his heart skip a beat at that...
"Unfortunately, the Stars still need another sacrifice, and Vivian fits the bill perfectly."
Koops stood, slamming his hands on the table in anger. "But that's not fair! They already took Mom, so why would they need her?! I love Vivian, and I know she loves me, so why isn't the curse was broken?!"
"It's the Great Enemy. If there's one thing the Stars can't stand, it's being used for evil. You saw what happened to Grodus and the Shadow Queen, right? If we don't find out who it is and defeat it, Vivian will die."
"Why?!"
"Vivian was needed to help destroy the Shadow Queen, and since she's no longer a threat, the Crystal Stars still plan on taking her soul away. Two Koopas and two Shadow Sirens. That's not what was originally planned, but it's what will be."
"Well, it's just a rumor, but..."
Vivian grabbed her cloak. "If you're telling the truth, you've got to tell me who did it! Please!"
The figure snorted. "If it's that big of a deal, it was the famous Stalwart Koopa, but don't bother getting mad at him; he's already dead."
"...I should've seen it sooner..." Her hands suddenly went limp and she let go of the figure, who noticed she'd donned a thousand-yard stare of horrific proportions. She didn't think news like this would hit her so hard, but it seemed she was wrong.
"You don't seem to be taking this very lightly," said the cloak, noticing her eyes were beginning to water.
She collapsed to the ground, still staring off into space. "...It's because ...Lillian died for me. ...It happened so long ago, but I still remember... I think part of me died that day, too..."
"But there is a way to exact your revenge..."
"...No... I-it's too late... Nothing can be... I-I can't... It's..." She could barely get the words out of her mouth. It was like she'd completely forgotten how to function.
"Even though the Stalwart Koopa and his troublesome friends are gone, their descendants still live to this day. And I just happen to know the one of the Koopa who killed your sister..."
Vivian didn't even realize the cloak had somehow known the relation between her and Lillian. All the emotions, energy, and life had been practically sucked out of her. The sunny attitude she had a few moments ago was gone; now she just wanted to go home, throw up, and crawl into bed for a week or two. Saying she was traumatized was only the tip of the iceberg.
Ms. Mowz took a sip of some Koopa Tea and sighed. Telling and explaining such a long story had taken some time, but she was almost done. She was also relieved that Koops had managed to grasp it all in one setting, something that most kids his age could never do.
"...You know... I feel like we're out looking for the Crystal Stars all over again. I never knew there was such a deep backstory on them and the Four Heroes..."
"Yes, and this is just the abridged version. I shudder to think of the time it'd take to tell you everything... There's one last part of the puzzle missing, then I plan on going home to take a nice, long nap."
"I don't see what more you can add to such a crazy story. Lillian and the Stalwart Koopa, the Four Heroes, the Shadow Queen, us and Mario... Go on, surprise me. What's the last part?"
"Fine. This'll really scare the shell off you," she laughed, placing a picture on the table. "Do you see this?"
It was a black-and-white sketch of a young Koopa girl. She had dark, short hair, bright eyes, and a cheerful smile on her face.
Koops frowned. "Uh, yeah. I guess she's kinda pretty, but I don't see what this has to do with anything."
"Now look at this picture," said the mouse, handing him a painting.
From what he could tell, the other picture was much more worn out than the other, having beautiful details that almost made it look real. It was an action shot of the Stalwart Koopa riding a black Yoshi with wings. As the Yoshi blew hot flames from its mouth at two angry Naval Piranhas, Koops noticed the Koopa was heroically wielding a sword at their adversaries.
"...I'm sorry, you've lost me."
"The girl in the first picture is one of your great-grandmothers from around a thousand years ago. I'd take me forever to say all the 'great's. Her name was Kassidy, and she bears a slight semblance to you, don't you think?"
Knowing that, Koops took a better look at the picture. She did kind of smile like him, not to mention their facial features were nearly identical.
"From a thousand years ago? That means I came from a pretty long line of Koopas..." He grinned. "That's pretty cool. What'd she do?"
"Not a thing, for she was simply the daughter of this Koopa." She referred to the painting. "The Stalwart Koopa."
This confused Koops for a moment, as the relation between the Stalwart Koopa and this girl still had nothing to do with him. Then, he began to put two and two together. If the girl was related to him, and the Stalwart Koopa was her father, then...
Ms. Mowz slowly turned to him with the words, "Koops, the Stalwart Koopa was your ancestor."
Authoress' Notes: SHOCK! Bwahaha, I'm a genius. Betcha didn't see that comin', huh? Yoshi Cookies to anyone who catches the "Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga" reference!
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The Lady in White had escaped him again by disappearing into the shadows. The hunter pulled back his gun and cursed, angry at wasting such expensive ammo. Two of his trusty Chomps barked and bounced through the snow behind him, already following his prey's trail. With a smirk, he turned and jumped down the steep cliff after it. Alongside him was a Doogan laying in the snow, rifle aiming at the target. He fired and missed horribly, the shot bouncing off their own Chomp's steel hide. The leader scowled.
"Ralph, we're tryin' ta shoot the queen, not the blasted Chomp!"
The Doogan was a big, burly sort who wore a dark blue parka with sunglasses to see through the bright snow. Ralph wasn't very good at shooting things, let alone from a distance, so he often wondered why he took this job. Then again, he relied solely on his strength. He could take down a dozen Yoshies at once, but at the expense of being a decent sniper, apparently...
"Kaiser, you know I'm more of a fighter than a shooter. Plus, we're startin' to get near the alpine. There could be an avalanche if we keep shootin' like this!"
"Jus' shut up an' shoot!" he commanded, firing off into the distance. He missed his target, hitting and killing a Frost Piranha on impact.
"We've been chasin' this lady forever," grumbled Ralph. "Can't we just give it up and go back to huntin' Amazee Dayzees? People pay good money for those things, dead or alive."
"Shut up, Ralph. Y'r bellehachin's startin' ta get on my nerves. We'll hunt 'er until we kill 'er. Have many time 'ave I told 'ou that?"
As he said that, a Bandit wearing a golden robe appeared out of nowhere. He went by the name of Jasper and, living up to his species' love of stolen things, wore a multitude of precious gems and in the form of necklaces, bracelets, and rings. Mysterious and crafty, he spoke in a sleazy, quiet voice that made his sudden appearances somewhat disturbing.
"Ralph is right about one thing... Her den is located somewhere up the mountain and we keep following her so loudly, there's bound to be an avalanche. To kill us all in one swoop is what she wants. But we've finally got her now..."
"Eh?"
"Watch."
Kaiser did as he was told and looked off into the white distance. Almost immediately, he heard a trap clamp shut and a shrill scream. He frowned, confused. Jasper smirked and tossed him a Chomp Clamp, a steel trap made to look like a Chain Chomp.
"Works every time."
"I see!" he laughed. "We've been up 'ere for weeks, an' I neva thought those 'ould work! Good goin'!"
Ralph rolled his eyes. Since Jasper was the brains of the outfit, Kaiser always praised him for his work. It was enough to make him sick.
Kaiser tapped a Chomp with his rifle. "Go'n an' get 'er. Make sure 'ou chase 'er down the mountain, right?"
The Chomp barked and followed the other two off into the distance. It wasn't long before their hunting barks turned violent, complete with growls, snorts, and snapping. They soon flushed their target out of hiding and brutally attacked her. Although badly wounded, she used an icy blast to freeze one solid and scramble down the mountain.
Kaiser grinned and cocked his gun. The trail of blood would lead right to her.