Authoress' Notes: Okay, compared to last chapter, this one's pretty straightforward. Luckily for you, all hell breaks lose in Chapter 28! Only 3 chapters left now.

Better Off Alone

Chapter 27: Truth

"Ms. Mowz! That can't be true! I mean, Dad! He never said..."

"Of course he didn't. People don't usually keep tabs on their ancestors from a thousand years ago," she replied, before adding, "Why, he and your father could be brothers."

"That's impossible!" Koops grabbed the painting, staring at it hard. "I can't be related to that guy! I'm nothing like him! He was strong, brave, cunning, and really popular! I'm not any of that stuff..."

"Of you are, only you're humble and sweet, while he was wild and rambunctious. There's nothing wrong with that. Your father has great strength just like the him, as does every male from his side of the family. You've also inherited this power."

"...I always thought it was all a myth, but I'm..."

"Living proof of his existence? Yes, you're part of the very tale you once refused to believe... How's that for irony?"

...He couldn't believe it. Him? Of all the big, powerful Koopas in the world who could've easily followed in the Stalwart Koopa's footsteps, being related to him had to be his honor?

"Here." Ms. Mowz placed a red handkerchief, a black vest, and a sword before him. "All of these items once belonged to Kevin. I advise you take them as a reminder of your proud bloodline."

"Who? The Stalwart Koopa? He actually has a name?"

"Why, yes. You don't actually think his mother called him that when he was born, do you? Oh, and here." She handed him a Yoshi doll. "When Vivian comes back, give her this and tell her it was from you."

He took the little green doll and, out of curiosity, squeezed it. Its tongue rolled out as it squealed a happy "Yoshi!".

"Did you buy this from somewhere? And why should I be taking credit for this?"

"I suppose candy and flowers would be too unoriginal, so you're going to flatter her in a different way. Trust me, she'll love it." She hopped off the chair and began to walk off. "Goodbye now."

"Wait, where're you going? We've gotta start looking for this Great Enemy guy you were talking about! You can't leave now!"

"Oh, I won't go far. If you really want to take action, you'll need to call everyone together again. Only then can we decide on what to do next." She bowed. "I hope you make the right decision."

"But--!"

Koops didn't get to finish, as Ms. Mowz dashed out of the kitchen and literally disappeared. He ran after her and looked around, but nothing remained. Turning back to the table, he saw the Secret Scroll was also missing when Ms. Mowz clearly didn't have it before darting off. The only thing that remain were the items of the Stalwart Koopa. He quickly glanced around if anyone was watching and cautiously approached his things. Ms. Mowz did say to keep them as a memento, but she never said he couldn't wear them. He began to wonder how well he could fit into Kevin's old wardrobe... He supposed it wouldn't hurt to try...

Letting his curiosity get the best of him once more, he tied the handkerchief around his neck. He tried not laugh at how silly he probably looked as he slipped off his blue jacket and tried on the black vest. Finally, he grabbed the sword, almost falling over from its tremendous weight. He couldn't believe it was so heavy! He clenched his teeth as he struggled to keep the hilt in his fleeting grip, the blade dragging him down as if it were made of lead. Maybe that was a sign he wasn't as strong as Ms. Mowz claimed...

Not wanting to arouse any questions, Koops lumbered up to his room, the dragging sword threatening to tear his arms off. The story of the Crystal Stars was too long-winded to tell his father at the time. He'd wait until they defeated this "Great Enemy" before anybody other than his friends learned about it. He finally got the sword into his room, pushing it under his bed for safekeeping. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he was about to return downstairs when he noticed the large mirror on his dresser. He looked down at himself and laughed, figuring he take a look to see how wacky he looked. He strolled over to the mirror, assuming he'd look like some dork much too old to go trick-or-treating.

...But what he saw what the complete opposite. He actually flinched upon seeing himself, his new appearance scaring him into thinking another Koopa was in his room. He did various things to make sure it really was him, but even when the Koopa in the mirror mimicked his every move, he still couldn't believe it. Koops had to actually touch the mirror to make sure it wasn't an... illusion. Scruffiness aside, he resembled the Stalwart Koopa in every way a guy could resemble someone. He looked even more like him than him, if that was possible...

He shook his head in an almost shivering manner and left. He couldn't stand to look at... whoever that was in the mirror any longer. It scared him beyond all reason. He decided to forget about it and turn his attention to Vivian's reaction. If she loved him now, she'd adore him once she saw how much potential he really had. It wasn't everyday you fell in love with the descendant of a superstar.

Vivian couldn't believe it; she was in love with the descendant of the Koopa who'd killed Lillian. Common sense told her what must be done, but... Koops was too sweet, too loving, too honest.

Should she... try and get revenge? No... then what would separate her from the Stalwart Koopa? Her throat became tight as she reflected on how much she loved both Koops and Lillian. It was like being forced to choose between what was right... and what she loved.

Even though such a tragedy had come to pass, she had no right to blame Koops. What would it bring her? Nothing... except more pain. She'd lose the few friends she had and gain even more enemies.

...It wasn't his fault. It was his ancestor she should be mad at, not him. She had to keep telling herself this to stop the tears from coming.

Animosity towards him for something the Stalwart Koopa did would be like him hating her for Hooktail killing his mother. After all, how Gloomtail and Bonetail once belonged to Marilyn and Beldam, Hooktail technically belonged to her. But because of her age and no more Crystal Stars to make another dragon, Vivian was never given one. Instead, she was promised authority of all three once she succeeded her mother. Lillian had no interest in destroying towns with the gargantuan dragon, so she passed Hooktail on to her. She could've made her stop attacking Petalburg if she'd been around...

She opened the door to the house, groceries dragging behind her. Koops was dozing on the couch and had just finished yawning when she walked in. But that's not what caught her eye...

...His clothes. What happened to his clothes?! They weren't his, they were... No, it couldn't be...

It was like he'd come back from the dead to finish his job...!

She rubbed her eyes hurriedly, thinking the tears and traumatized past were making her see things. ...Much to her dismay, her vision was working perfectly.

"Hey, Vivian. What took you so long? I was starting to get worried," said the Stalwart Koopa, his voice sounding like Koops'.

The Shadow Siren gave him a look he was all too familiar with; it was one full of fear and unfamiliarity. He suddenly bit his lip and winced, feeling a cold essence of frustrated anger emanate from her. It was like she suddenly couldn't stand being around him anymore... Almost like a soulless doll, she dropped the groceries at the door and sat on the couch, getting as far away from him as she could. As her hidden eyes stared blankly at the TV, Koops could tell something was indeed wrong.

"...Is something the matter?"

She slowly turned turned to him, the flickering TV revealing tearstains on her cheeks. "Koops... would you ever betray me?"

"No, I'd never do that. ...Why?"

"Someone told me something today..."

He laughed. "What a coincidence. Someone told me something today, too!"

"..."

Seeing she wasn't in the mood to laugh, he cut to the chase. "Uh, it was Ms. Mowz. She paid me a surprise visit today. She asked about you."

"..."

Feeling the moment had gone from bad to worse, Koops remembered the Yoshi doll. Now seemed like a good time to give it to her.

"Uh, here." He handed it to her with a smile. "A present... for being so sweet."

She gave the Yoshi the same blank stare until she blinked, mouthing, "...Mr. Yum-Yums...?"

"...Huh?"

Vivian took the doll and stared at it hard. She squeezed it and its tongue spit out as it exclaimed "Yoshi!" like Koops had done moments before. ...In that instant, she could see a younger self receiving it for the first time from Lillian, squeezing it like crazy to show her gratitude...

"...Where did you get this?"

"Oh, well... uh... I bought it from a traveling salesman some time ago." He lied. "It was originally for Koopie Koo, but..."

"I've been looking everywhere for this."

"Yeah, they don't make Yoshi dolls anymore..."

"No... I've had this since I was a toddler. I thought it'd been lost forever... It was the last toy Lillian gave me before she..."

Koops lowered his head. "Oh. I'm... I'm sorry..."

He couldn't believe it! Ms. Mowz lied! That doll didn't make Vivian happy! If anything, it only made her even sadder! Way to go, genius! Maybe he should've waited a little longer...

"...Your ancestor was the Stalwart Koopa, wasn't he?" she suddenly asked.

"Yeah..." He smiled sheepishly. "Did the getup give it away?"

"...No. Someone told me."

"Oh..." His eyes shifted around, as he felt she was talking about Ms. Mowz. "What else did they tell you?"

"That he killed Lillian."

...Koops felt a horrible, mind-numbing chill shoot through his body. He felt the wind had been knocked out him by a fierce, unrestrained blow that would make the pain linger forever, if not longer. He suddenly felt the urge to take every bit of Kevin's stuff, feed it to a pack of angry Red Chomps, then set them all on fire. Ms. Mowz didn't say any of that! Did she know?! She said Kevin loved Lillian! Could she've been... wrong?

Vivian shuffled uncomfortably, not sure of how to respond to Koops' silence. He wouldn't look at her and she was finding it sickening to look at him... or, rather, his clothes. She did notice he was taking off the Stalwart Koop's handkerchief and vest, throwing them on the couch's arm in disdain.

"I'm... really sorry. I... I didn't know." He stood with a disgusted groan at himself, a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. "I'll leave you alone now..."

Before he could get far, she quickly grabbed his wrist. He swallowed and nervously turned to her, expecting the worst. Instead of a glare of hatred and loathing, she looked up at him with moistening eyes. They pleaded with his, not longing for attention or buttering up... but for help.

"Stay with me... Please? I... I don't want to be alone anymore." She sniffled. "It... hurts so much..."

Koops did as he was asked and resumed sitting. She responded by gently nuzzling his chest, crying. He could only pull her close in a comforting hug, rubbing her back and trying to soothe her nerves. It wasn't much, but enough to show her he was really there.

He couldn't believe how things had been going so smoothly, only to end with her acting this way. And what about this "somebody"? What exactly did they say to her? And how did they know of something that happened over a millennium ago? The whole ordeal was shrouded in mystery, but a sudden idea struck. Was it possible that she...?

The moon had just became visible when a Koopa departed from his father's home, walking up the path to a house neighboring the mayor's. He rang the doorbell and waited for a response. Almost on cue, a female Koopa answered the door. She wore a smooth, green blouse and white skirt. In one hand, she had a large bowl with some batter and a wooden spoon in it, signifying she was in the middle of cooking.

"Oh... Koops." She spoke hesitantly, as if his appearance bothered her. "Hello... Uh, what brings you over here?"

Katherine was a friend of Koopie Koo's and her official fallback. If anyone in town knew where Koopie Koo had run off to, it'd be her. With a long amber ponytail, she was often recognized by the large, aquamarine bow she used to hold it together. Unlike her feminine friend, she was very even-tempered and was always in a good mood. She was a few years older than both Koops and Koopie Koo and currently lived on her own. Smart, reliable, and responsible, Koops admired her in every way a friend of a friend could.

"Do you know where Koopie Koo is? I haven't seen her around and wanted to see if she was over here."

"Well, yeah... She is."

He didn't like the way she said that. "And..."

"Uh, she's been pretty upset lately..." She looked back with uncertainty. "...She doesn't even want me talking to you right now. Did something happen between you two?"

"Um, yeah... Kinda..."

"What?"

"I can't tell you now, but... when you see her, tell her I'd like to talk to her later, okay?"

"Okay, but I doubt she'll be wanting to talk to you for a while. I've seen her mad before, but she's absolutely furious. I hope you've got tons of candy and flowers for her."

Koops didn't answer, somewhat annoyed at Koopie Koo. He couldn't say he was sorry their relationship didn't work out, but he wasn't going to throw himself on her mercy and beg for forgiveness. Okay, so maybe things could've gone a little smoother if her didn't just brush her off like that, but if Koopie Koo refused to accept an apology, wasn't she at fault, too? As much as he hated to admit it, a big part of him refused to show any sympathy.

"All right, I understand." He bid her a faint farewell. "Guess I'll see you later."

"See ya, Koops..." Katherine closed the door and continued stirring the batter. She walked over to the staircase and sighed.

Koopie Koo, there're plenty of other willing Koopas in town... she thought. What's stopping you from finding a new one? Why can't you just let bygones be bygones?

Unbeknownst to Koops, a pair of familiar green eyes followed him as he left Katherine's door and returned to Koopley's. As he made it back to the doorstop, he greeted a waiting Vivian with a hug. He then wrapped his arm around her and walked back into the house. Scowling, she turned away and yanked the curtains shut.

"I just don't see it. What could she possibly have over me? She's not even a Koopa! There has to be something more to this..."

"...Interesting. I heard from the grapevine that you two used to be a couple..." whispered a voice.

Startled, Koopie Koo whirled around to see a strange, cloaked figure at the edge of the bed. "Huh?! Wh-wh-who are you? How did you get in here?! What do you want with me?!"

"Don't be alarmed. I assure you, we're after the same thing."

"...The same thing?"

"Yes. The Koopa you watch from that very window. You have something against him, don't you?"

She scowled, realizing she meant Koops. "Don't bother. I don't even wanna talk about him anymore... If he'd rather hang around with a freak like Vivian, then why should I care?"

"But don't you find it odd how he would up and leave you like that? He seems like a faithful sort..."

With a groan, she flopped onto the bed. "Just... go away."

"...How unfortunate for you, as I happen to know all about the tricks that Vivian has up her sleeve..."

She raised her head. "What? Tricks?"

"Yes, tricks. It's Vivian's special ability. She sure isn't called a Shadow Siren for her looks."

"What do you mean?"

"Shadow Sirens are awful, nasty serpents of women who weave their way into families and drive their partners away. You're lucky you didn't have any kids in this relationship, or she would've killed them by now."

This made her sit straight up. "She kills children?!"

The cloak nodded. "Yes, and even other women if she has to. Shadow Sirens thrive by taking advantage of men and milking them for all they're worth. And when they have nothing left to offer, they kill them."

"That's... horrible."

"And it's exactly the reason they're almost extinct. You think people would tolerate that kind of barbaric behavior? This town must not have much on culture, otherwise they'd know Vivian was once a servant of the Shadow Queen."

"You're kidding!"

"I'm not. I tell you this because she's just recently broken up a family of Toads in another town. I see she's your next victim, and it's starting out the exact way it did with them..."

She stood, a determined look on her face. "You're right! How could I've possibly blamed Koops for this? It was all that Vivian's fault! I knew she was too good to be true! Thanks for warning me. I don't know what--"

But when she turned to face the mysterious cloak, she was already gone. She stared at the spot where she stood for a few moments, wondering where she could've disappeared to... Was she even there to begin with? Maybe it was her... conscience?

Beldam reappeared outside Koopie Koo's window, the cloak's hood off her head with a snicker. "What a fool. That was almost too easy! And I thought only Vivian was that gullible! Now for phase two..."

As she left Katherine's house and begin walking off into the night, she pulled out some paper and began to think of what she could write on it. Knowing Vivian, the ransom note had to be blunt for the little dunderhead to even understand...

Everything was going according to plan.

The next morning, Koops opened his eyes to the sound of the doorbell ringing. He saw nothing but pink as his vision came into focus. It was Vivian's hair; he'd fallen asleep in it again. The siren herself was resting peacefully against him, smiling in her sleep. Last night had been a little rough for her and she even went to bed without eating supper. But after a good night's sleep, he could tell she was feeling much better. It was a shame he had to be awakened from with such a harmonious slumber; he wanted to doze alongside her until she woke up, so he'd be the first to greet her. But the doorbell wouldn't stop ringing and Koopley could sleep through one of Hooktail's rampages...

He managed to get away from the nice, warm bed, throw a housecoat on over his pajamas, and drag himself downstairs. The doorbell had gone a ring every few seconds to a series of continuous, annoying chimes from whoever was at the door pushing it so many times.

"Yes, yes! I'm coming!" he called, a little annoyed. Opening the door, a bouquet of Fire Flowers was thrust into his face.

Behind it, Goombella laughed. "Well, hello there, Romeo! I heard a certain someone has expressed their passion to another certain someone. Any chance knowing who that might be?"

He blushed. "G-goombella! You know?"

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. Everyone on the team knows it. Your swooning's not exactly subtle, if you know what I mean."

That made him blush harder. "Yeah, well... w-what're you doing here?"

Waffles stepped out from behind her, guilty of being the nagging doorbell-ringer. "More like, 'What're you three doing here?' Plus, who said it was against the law to drop by and see old friends?"

"Three?" Before he could question any further, Ms. Mowz literally appeared on the scene. Koops could've sworn the empty spot next to Waffles didn't have her in it a second ago...

The rodent bowed. "It seems we're the only ones with free time on our hands at the moment, so why not have a little sit-down and some breakfast?"

"Uh..."

"Well, you heard her! C'mon, let us in already!" demanded Waffles. "I'm hungry!"

After Goombella shot him a glare, Koops complied and invited them in. He kept staring at Ms. Mowz the whole time, wondering what she had planned for him now. Out the corner off her eyes, she spotted his gaze and chuckled.

"Are you tired of me already, Koops?"

He flinched. "Wha? N-no, I just thought..."

"Don't worry. This is only to inform you of something interesting I discovered last night. They've no idea of what we discussed about the Crystal Stars."

"...Okay."

As the four sat down at the kitchen table, Koops fixed some Fresh Juice for himself and Goombella, while Waffles scarfed down a bowl of cereal. Like yesterday, Ms. Mowz helped herself to some Koopa Tea.

After taking a few sips, she spread a large painting across the table. In quality, it was similar to the one of the Stalwart Koopa she showed Koops yesterday. The only difference was that it featured all the Four Heroes and the Stalwart Koopa's Yoshi on it. It was another action shot where everyone busy fighting Dark Boos and Chain Chomps.

"Look here," she said. "I'm sure you're all familiar with the Four Heroes, right? I'd like to take this time to clarify a few things about them."

"Wow..." mouthed Goombella, intrigued. "What a beautiful painting! Where'd you get this from? It's in mint condition!"

"Ooh! Ooh!" Waffles bounced up and down. "Look at that! It's... it's him!"

Goombella frowned. "Huh? It's only a Winged Yoshi. I suppose a black one is super-rare, but--"

"No, not that! It's Nero!"

"Who?"

The little Yoshi groaned. "And I thought you were supposed to be smart... Nero! He's the most famous Yoshi of all Yoshies! He's got to be the coolest, fiercest, strongest Yoshi there ever was... Besides Gonzales, he's my hero!"

"But he wasn't one of the Four Heroes," mentioned Koops.

"So?! Nero is to all Yoshies as the Four Heroes are to Rogueport! He's a living legend to us! He proved to the world that we weren't just pack mules and ponies for riding! After all the times he got the Stalwart Koopa out of a jam, people began to respect us Yoshies more!"

"He's right," said Ms. Mowz. "Kevin wouldn't have become the Stalwart Koopa if Nero wasn't there for him. Rumor has it he took him in and raised him after Hooktail killed his parents."

"His name is Kevin?" asked Waffles. "Cool! I didn't know that!"

"Yes. All of the Four Heroes haves names. Goombertha, Aaron, Teresa, and Kevin. Very few people know this."

"Amazing!" Goombella exclaimed. "This is a big breakthrough in the history of the Crystal Stars! We gotta tell the others about this!"

She was about to hop off her chair when Ms. Mowz stopped her. "Uh, before you do, look very closely... Do either of you spot anything familiar in this painting?"

"What're you trying to pull? They're the Four Heroes," snorted Waffles. "Who do ya think they look like?"

"No, look closer. At the Goomba and Yoshi, specifically."

"Well..." Waffles squinted. "Goombertha does look a little like Goombella... She's got that whole 'everyone's-an-idiot-except-me' look going on."

Goombella was too busy studying the painting to retort. "Yeah... And Nero kinda looks likes Waffles. That face of his is almost a dead ringer."

"And what should facts like this conclude?"

Everyone in the room was silent, glancing around at one another for answer. Koops shrugged, Goombella turned her head in confusion, and Waffles idly picked his nose. When no one responded, Ms. Mowz laughed.

"Nero looks like Waffles because he is his ancestor. The same for you, Goombella."

The latter neared choked on her Fresh Juice. "What?! Me?!"

Koops looked at the picture again and was shocked to see the similarities. Goombertha looked liked an older Goombella with tiny spectacles and no explorer's helmet. She even had what looked like a Tattle Log with her. Nero had the same angry brow that Waffles did, his smug expression rivaling his little Yoshi's overconfidence. Even his skin color represented his descendant; black and white Yoshies were amongst the rarest in the species.

Waffles laughed. "Yeah, right! Quit pulling our legs! That painting's obviously a fake."

"Waffles, she's not joking! There's no way Nero can look that much like you and not be ancestor!" argued Goombella.

He blew a raspberry. "You can't be serious! I may be tough, but I ain't that tough! I bet Nero's descendants are all rich and stuff, with gold-encrusted saddles and diamond-studded shoes!"

"Not necessarily. Look at him, Waffles. Look at him hard. He looks just like you, except black with wings," said Ms. Mowz.

"So... you're serious? No foolin'?" Looking at the painting again, he struck the same pose, seeing they matched almost perfectly. "Hey! You're right! He... he does look like me! Uh, I mean... I look like him!"

"And Koops already knows this, but Kevin is his ancestor."

"Whoa! What're the odds?! It's almost unbelievable! To think, all my researching and prophesying habits came from the Wise Goomba! She was the very reason I went into archeology!"

"Yeah! And I've always had a knack for fighting! It must've come from Nero, 'cause he rocks that hard!" Waffles practically bounced across the table. "Wait 'til I get back to the Glitz Pit! I'm gonna become the champ for him and Gonzales! And I'm gonna rub this in Rawk Hawk's face for sure! Later, guys!"

"Waffles, you--! Oh, forget it," sighed Goombella. "I wonder if he even noticed that his ancestor was Koops' ancestor's steed."

"I didn't," said Koops, dumbfounded.

"I'm sure it'll be a shock when you tell him," added Ms. Mowz.

"Well, this'll be a big one for the professor, huh? Anyway, I guess I should be going, too... Just wanted to stop by and catch up a little, since I've been out of things to do lately. I'll probably be visiting a little more over the next few weeks."

The mouse saw her out. "I'm almost positive we'll be seeing you again very soon." She waved goodbye to Goombella, who acknowledged it with a nod, seeing as she was armless.

After a moment of silence, Koops asked, "Did you... invite them over here on purpose?"

Making sure Goombella was gone, she casually walked back into the kitchen. "Oh, you make it sound like a bad thing. I just thought it'd be nice if they knew of their ancestor's greatness. ...Speaking of which, where's Vivian? She sure is missing a lot for you two to be together..."

"She's asleep upstairs." He picked up the Fire Flower bouquet Goombella left and examined it, thinking it'd be a good present for his beloved.

"I see. And how did she react when you gave her the doll?"

"Well... I've been meaning to ask you about that... She recognized it, but she didn't seem too happy. I think it's because it reminded her of Lillian and... who killed her."

Ms. Mowz's ears and tail shot straight up. "...What?"

"Uh, yeah. She came home in tears last night, saying someone told her Kevin killed Lillian... I thought you said he loved her."

The rodent then donned a serious look, glaring at the floor. "...He did. Exactly who was this person?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. She didn't say. ...Is there something wrong with that?"

"No, it's just... strange. Whoever told her this is not of this town or time period..."

"What does that mean?"

Her fur suddenly ruffled. "Koops, I've got a bed feeling about this. We have even less time to defeat the Great Enemy than I first thought..."

He gulped. "H-how much are we talking?"

"...A week, if we're lucky." She looked back at him. "If the Great Enemy isn't defeated by then, Vivian will surely die."

Authoress Notes: Goombella is related to the Wise Goomba and Waffles is to Nero?! What an honor, huh? Teresa's descendant won't be revealed until much later, but see if you can guess who Aaron's is.

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It was snowing again... He hated snow. It didn't really bother him, but still...

The quiet slopes of Lunar Peak suddenly erupted with the making of a pair of Chain Chomps, something that annoyed him to no end. They were idiotic creatures with one-track minds. He hated them more than the snow.

He stood near the very top of Lunar Peak, something even the Lady in White could rarely accomplish. It was mostly do to her old age, but at least he could still stand lack of oxygen up there. He found it quite invigorating... Everything below him was nothing more than a bunch of dots darting around on the white terrain. He noticed one dot in particular running away from two others, with three more following those.

Emotionlessly, he watched them chase after their prey, knowing the outcome all too well. She told him not to interfere no matter what, and it was taking all his strength to stop himself from doing just that.