RECAP:
During his training under Merlon, Junior learned Nimbelai – a movement technique designed to aid him not only in magic control but also in physical combat. Unfortunately, the Koopa Prince was cursed with immense guilt over his failure to fully master the technique in a timely manner. Junior carried this regret with him as he led the group through the pitch black night as they were buffeted by the snowstorm. Just when hope seemed to have forsaken them, the group arrived in the capital city of Sarasaland.
Here, they were given an equally cold reception as Shy Guys and Piranha Plants surrounded them. Junior's regrets swirled in his mind and overwhelmed him at perhaps the most inopportune moment. With their leader in a weakened mental state, Peach and the Koopalings found themselves under attack once more.
It all came back to him in terrifying flash.
All of his fears.
All of his failures and regrets that brought him to this very moment.
The pendulums danced in a dangerous harmony before him.
Closer….closer…
Thump…thump…thump…The Koopa Prince's heart raced.
"You're almost 18 years old, Prince Junior! You're not a child anymore, and yet you insist on acting like one!"
"How about it then? Care to demonstrate just how far the apple truly falls from the tree?"
The moments of indecision. The moments he failed to face the dangers and his responsibilities head-on.
Junior's entire body went numb. All of the voices bounced around madly in his head.
"Junior…what's wrong? What is it?" Iggy asked.
The blades continued to swing. One after the other.
Closer….closer…
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
"Ludwig was right. You aren't ready. And you know what? I doubt you ever will be…"
"COWARD! I WILL UTTERLY ERADICATE YOU ONCE I SHATTER THIS CURSED SHELL OF YOUR'S!"
The Koopa Prince's breaths grew shallow and hoarse. The axe soared forward to meet him. Was it finally time for him to accept his punishment? His fate?
"Not….again….," Junior muttered as his voice trembled. He felt seconds away from keeling over from a heart attack.
Closer….closer…
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
He was afraid to face his bloody end. But maybe he deserved it. All of it.
"This form of hurt is born from intense feelings of dread and a strong desire for avoidance or escape."
"Huh?" said Peach. "Junior…what're you…?" Junior's head jerked violently left and right.
Closer….closer…
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
The time drew ever nearer.
"We put all this time and work into you and look where it got us. Kammy's dead now and it's all on you!"
"In the wake of a seemingly monumental change, we are afraid of that change when we lack knowledge or understanding of it. When change arrives before us and we do not fully understand the impact it will have on our lives, it is our first natural instinct to deny it or run away out of fear and cling on to what is familiar."
The axe was now inches away from granting Junior's snout a kiss of death; of swift release from his miserable existence. He'd be seeing Kammy soon. How much would it hurt? All that was left now was to embrace it.
"I…can't. I just can't!" Junior cried.
"Can't what? What are you talkin' about?" said Roy.
Closer….
THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!
"You will dodge them with Nimbelai. Perform it just as I have taught you, and you will not be harmed."
Maybe someone stronger could dodge them. Maybe someone more worthy could choose to defy such a fate.
Maybe Ludwig would've made a better king.
Or even a better son.
Thump…
He couldn't even feel or hear his own heart anymore. His very soul had abandoned his mortal coil.
"I TOLD YOU I JUST CAN'T DO IT, MERLON!" Junior exclaimed. The Koopa Prince immediately dropped to his knees. This sudden movement startled the Piranha Plants and Shy Guys; provoking them to attack.
Roy stopped one of the spear tips directly with his hand, but the razor edge dug deep into his palm. A single crimson strand leaked out from beneath the point of penetration. His eyes met with Larry's, and they immediately understood without saying a word. Roy's bicep bulged slightly underneath Larry's shell. The blue-haired Koopaling braced himself. Roy jerked his arm straight up and launched Larry high above the crowd.
Larry clapped and summoned his pistols. He took aim and shot at each of the Piranha Plants on his descent. This gave Peach a window of opportunity to bring out her own weapons.
She summoned her tennis rocket and golf club, and tossed the latter to Iggy. The princess smacked two Shy Guys in quick succession as they charged at her, then twirled and delivered a kick to a third one.
Iggy dashed forward and met one of the Shy Guys head-on as he swung the club before the Shy Guy could attack; sending his enemy several feet away. Roy slugged the Shy Guy he was duking it out with across the face with his free arm, then yanked the spear out of his other, bleeding hand.
Larry landed and continued blasting away at the Piranha Plants. They were stunned, but the damage seemed to be minimal as the plants sporadically popped in and out of the ground in seemingly random spots all around him.
Roy dashed over to help, clapped and buried his hands in the snow. In his mind, uprooting the Piranha Plants seemed to be their only means of getting rid of them for good. Unfortunately, nothing happened. Roy cursed under his breath. It really was just as he thought. He couldn't bend snow. It was too soft. Nothing solid for him to get a grip on to push or pull.
Larry found himself backed up against a house. The only other alternative to becoming plant food was to try and make a run for it somehow. Iggy rushed over and struck the Piranha Plants that had Larry cornered; creating a small opening. They sprinted and met up with Roy at the end of the street.
Peach saw Junior still hunched over in the snow and raced over to his side; grabbing his hand.
"Junior, c'mon! Get up! We need to make a run for it!" Peach exclaimed. Junior solemnly shook his head.
"I…," he started softly. The Piranha Plants and Shy Guys were regaining their bearings and preparing to give chase.
"Snap out of it! Let's go!" she urged him, but he refused to budge. Dismissing her weapon and allowing it to disappear, Peach yanked Junior up to his feet and pulled him along. He jogged, but was barely putting any effort into it; which left Peach to do most of the leg work. Their enemies weren't far behind.
After reuniting with Iggy, Larry, and Roy, the group sprinted up slippery incline into the heart of the city. The streets were narrow and resembled the corridors of Bowser's castle. There were seemingly endless decisions for streets and alleyways to cut through, but their pursuers were relentless. Endless arrays of lanterns illuminated the city in a soft golden glow. But it was all a blur as the group raced past them. They kept running through this golden brick maze; desperate to find either some way out or some means of losing their attackers within it at least. At the end of another road, they noticed the patch of snow had ended as well, leaving only a cobblestone street stretching the rest of the way ahead of them.
Iggy glanced back for a split second and noticed the Piranha Plants stopped in their tracks right where the snow ended. It seemed they could only move within the ground itself. Their roots wouldn't allow them to traverse across manufactured surfaces. That only left the Shy Guys to contend with.
An idea popped into Roy's head. He summoned a tall stone wall from the brick road as wide as the corridor itself. With one kick, Roy shoved the wall and sent it sliding back down the hill towards the Shy Guys; buying the others more time to escape. Everyone stopped to catch their breath.
"Did we…did we lose them?" Larry asked, gasping for air.
"Uhhh…," Peach muttered as she turned and pointed. The Shy Guys found another route past Roy's wall through a parallel street and were now charging towards them once again from the alleyway in front of them.
"There's your answer," said Iggy. Larry spotted a large set of crates suspended on a platform with rope above them. Thinking fast, the Koopaling summoned his shield and tossed it; slicing the ropes and causing the crates to come tumbling down and blocking the Shy Guys' path just as they drew near. Still, it wouldn't impede them for long.
Roy created some stone pillars to fill the other nearby gaps between buildings. Junior's drooping head perked up when he heard a small sound.
"Psst, over here!" a voice whispered. Everyone turned to find a small Goomba head poking out the door of the house behind them. "Quick, get inside! You'll be safe here!" she said a bit louder. Without thinking, Peach grabbed Junior's arm and led the way as the group raced into their miraculous salvation.
The house was small, but the wool carpeting and blazing fireplace offered more than enough comfort and warmth that the guests hardly noticed or minded. The inhabitants of the house remained completely still as if they were frozen in time; anticipating their pursuers to barge in. Moments later, a stampede of footsteps roared past them from outside and faded into the night. Safe at last.
"Well that was a close one," said the Goomba. Given her species, she was obviously quite short in stature. Her head was a light strawberry pink tone with slightly darker blush on her cheeks. She dawned a beige uniform and helmet with a striking red scarf wrapped around her neck. A blonde ponytail jetted out behind the helmet, which dawned a small light.
"Goombella!" Peach said cheerfully.
"Princess Peach…? Is that you? Talk about a sight for sore eyes!" said Goombella. Junior and the Koopalings stood awkwardly in the doorway and watched the pair embrace. "How long's it been?"
"Much too long, that's for sure," Peach replied warmly. "I haven't seen you since Rogueport, I believe."
"No kidding. Well anyway, come in! Come in, all of you! Make yourselves at home," said Goombella as she bobbed her head and motioned for the others to disperse around the living room.
"What are you doing all the way out here in Sarasaland?" Peach asked.
"Oh you know, archaeology, research. The usual," said Goombella nonchalantly. "But I should be the one asking you that. You're pretty far from the Mushroom Kingdom. And I thought you'd at least have Mario with you." The Goomba quickly surveyed the room. "Where is he anyway?" Peach frowned and her eyes began to drift towards the window as she folded her arms.
"He's…not with me at the moment. It's a long story."
"Ah, I getcha. Well, who are your friends here? Are they…Koopas?" The princess snapped back into the moment.
"Oh, right! Where are my manners?" Peach motioned for the Koopalings to get closer. "These are my companions: Larry, Iggy, Roy, and Junior."
"Sup," said Roy.
"Hiya," said Larry.
"Nice to meet you," said Iggy.
The introductions were slightly awkward, but not because of the fact that the Koopalings had to shake Goombella's foot given that the latter didn't have hands. They had been around Goombas in Bowser's army long enough to know the proper etiquette for interacting with the species.
Rather, they felt out-of-place in such a small space hosted by someone only Peach seemed to know. In spite of this, they all did their best to be cordial in their introductions to Goombella. That is, except for Junior, who had parked himself on an ottoman squarely in front of the fireplace and only gave a minor glance back at the group when his name was mentioned. Goombella seemed to take a particular interest in him.
"Hmmm…'Junior,' eh? That name and….judging by the resemblance…I'm guessing you're related to King Bowser somehow, right?" she gathered. Junior didn't respond.
"Hey, squirt, she asked you a question," said Roy.
"He's my dad…," Junior answered quietly at last.
"Huh, I never knew Bowser had a son. But I guess you definitely look the part," said Goombella as she snatched a book and pen off the table and began scribbling in it furiously.
Larry couldn't help but stare skeptically at the objects floating inches from Goombella's face. He'd always wondered how the species could hold anything without any arms, though he recalled Kammy mentioning something called "Goomba Magic" when he'd asked her about it once several years ago. All this time he'd thought she was just joking when she'd said it. But after seeing Goombas hold baseball bats and now a book and pen, coupled with everything Larry now understood about magic, the concept of Goomba Magic didn't seem so impossible anymore.
"Uhhh…what're you doing?" Larry asked.
"Hmm? Oh, sorry! I'm just making new entries in my log for all of you. I do this for every new face I come across; friend or foe. I know it sounds kind of creepy, but I promise it's just for research. I just like being an expert on this sort of thing. But you probably still think it's kinda creepy, right?"
"Eh, depends who you ask, I suppose," Iggy answered with a shrug.
"Hmmm…I could use more data," Goombella thought aloud. "So Junior's obviously from the same family line as Bowser, but what about the rest of you? What branch of the Koopa Clan do you all come from?"
"'Clan?'" Larry repeated, visibly puzzled.
"It's an ancient term that's part of our ancestry, Larry," Iggy explained. "In the days before the monarchy was established, we were referred to as the Koopa Clan instead of the Koopa Kingdom. But, that was centuries ago, and nobody really calls us that anymore."
"Very good!" Goombella praised. "It's not every day you meet someone from the clan who actually knows about their heritage." He turned back to Goombella.
"Well, I only know bits and pieces of our history from the research I've done. But to answer your question, I'm fairly certain we're from the dragon branch."
"Fascinating!" said Goombella excitedly as she continued writing furiously in her book. "I've taken a special interest in the father of that branch - Dragon King Roderick - but there isn't as much information left about him anymore as I'd hoped."
"Can't say I know much about him myself, I'm afraid. That's the first I've ever heard that name. But that's beside the point. You see, like Junior, we're actually also King Bowser's children. Although in our case, it's by adoption rather than blood."
Peach was pleasantly surprised by just how well Iggy and Goombella were hitting it off. They seemed to have much more in common than anyone could have realized. The princess hadn't failed to notice how out-of-place her comrades felt in the presence of someone only Peach herself was acquainted with. But she was relieved to see the issue seemed to be working itself out on its own this time. Her smile faded however, when she looked over and saw Junior still sulking in the corner by the fire. There were still bigger problems at hand, it seemed.
"Look, I hate to interrupt your little research-y pow-wow, but we've still got a major problem on our hands," said Roy. "How are we supposed to get to Daisy's palace if this place is swarming with Shy Guys and Piranha Plants?"
"Hold on, are you guys here to investigate the palace too?" Goombella asked.
"Yes, we came here looking for Princess Daisy and to get to the bottom of this strange weather," Peach answered. "Is that why you're all the way out here as well?" The Goomba nodded.
"Exactly. My partner and I came here with Professor Kolorado to investigate the phenomenon of winter in Sarasaland. The professor was under the impression that this is some kind of ancient civilization magic at work. But after seeing that palace for myself, I kinda think it's a lot more straightforward than that. Still, that doesn't make it any less dangerous."
"What have you found? What can you tell us about what's been going on?" Iggy probed. Goombella's head drooped.
"Not a whole lot, sadly. But from what I have managed to piece together from interviewing some of the townspeople and checking out the palace, some big ice monster just showed up out of the blue one day and decided to set up shop in Princess Daisy's palace. No rhyme or reason for it. It's totally bizarre! I have no data on who this guy is or what his connection to Princess Daisy might be; assuming he even has any."
"Well that's reassuring…," said Larry with deflated optimism.
"You think that's bad? Professor Frankly back in Rogueport has reason to believe that this is just the tip of the iceberg…uhh…no pun intended."
"Why's that?" Iggy asked, ignoring both the terrible pun and the fact he had no idea who this "Professor Frankly" person was.
"There are reports coming in from all of the other kingdoms of random baddies just waltzing in and taking over with the poor, clueless denizens being held captive," Goombella described. "It all seemed to happen simultaneously too; like it was a cosmic apocalypse or coordinated attack or something. But there are just too many unknown variables that I can't even begin to figure out what's going on."
"No…all those poor people. This is terrible…," said Peach.
"Yeah, no kidding. Even worse than the time the Shadow Queen nearly covered the whole world in darkness."
"...Huh?" Larry, Roy, and Iggy replied in unison.
"Oh…you had to be there, I guess," Goombella said woodenly. "Anyway, some people believe Bowser is responsible, though there haven't been any actual sightings of him to suggest that he's been to any of the impacted territories. Regardless, the entire world really just wants to know where the heck Mario is and why he isn't doing something about all of this. And to make matters worse, we may very well be stuck here in Sarasaland unless this storm ever lets up!"
"Well, we might be able to fill in at least some of those blanks for ya," said Roy.
"Huh? Whaddya mean?"
"The Star Spirits warned the Kingdom Council of a terrible danger that was coming, and it just so happens that we've had some encounters with the person who has likely been orchestrating all of these invasions," said Peach.
"Really!?" Goombella exclaimed; eyes wide. Iggy nodded and his expression hardened.
"He's named Contemno," the Koopaling added. "His identity and motives are largely still a mystery to all of us. But whatever his master plan is, it's likely that it's already well underway. All we can do now is gather our bearings and try to do what we can to fight back. It wouldn't surprise me if Contemno's had henchmen helping him pull off whatever crazy world-conquering scheme this is that he's been cooking up."
"These guys are no ordinary henchmen though," Goombella argued. "If what you're saying is true, I'm willing to bet this Contemno guy probably struck deals with a bunch of seriously dangerous people. He's letting them rule over their own kingdoms, after all. But if that's the case, the question is: what the heck is Contemno getting out of all this? It can't just be coins…"
"Only way we'll find out is if we press 'em for answers," Roy proposed. "I say we start with this ice monster you mentioned earlier. Let's take him down and find out what he knows about all of this."
"Easier said than done," Goombella warned. "The guy single-handedly turned an entire desert into an arctic tundra. And we've seen for ourselves what he can do up close."
"We don't doubt that this monster is strong. But as long as it's just one of him, we've got the advantage in numbers," said Larry.
"Yeah, because you'll have help…," a raspy voice spoke. Everyone turned to watch a blue-shelled Koopa Troopa limp into the room on crutches. He sported matching blue tennis shoes and a red bandanna and arm bands. Large bandages were wrapped all around his torso and his face looked slightly withered with large bags under his eyes as if he'd been sleep deprived or at the very least heavily-medicated.
The Koopa took one hesitant step, then slipped off his crutches and fell to his knees; cradling his chest. Goombella and Peach rushed over to help him.
"Kooper! What're you doing!? You're supposed to be resting!" the Goomba scolded.
"Heh…how's anyone supposed to get a wink of sleep around here with all this noise?" said Kooper with more sarcasm in his voice than annoyance.
"Whoops, sorry," said Larry, scratching the back of his neck.
"It's cool," said Kooper with a small smile. "My painkillers were wearing off anyway."
"Everyone, this is Kooper. He's my research partner," Goombella introduced.
"What happened to him? Why's he all banged up like that?" Roy asked.
"We were attacked by the ice monster you're all so eager to go pick a fight with," Goombella explained. "He nearly shattered Kooper's shell with sheer ice."
Larry and Iggy's eyes widened and Roy's jaw dropped. Even Junior gripped his forearms a bit tighter upon hearing this.
"What's wrong? Is that bad?" Peach asked.
"Of course it's bad! It's terrible!" Larry exclaimed.
"A shell is a Koopa's primary means of defense," Iggy explained. "Without it, a Koopa is ten times more vulnerable to fatal injuries and sicknesses."
Hearing this struck a particular chord with Junior, though he gave no physical indication of it. He was instantly reminded of the time Bowser's entire shell was buffeted by a river of lava, which left him with fatal injuries all over his back. If even a powerhouse like his father could become easily subjected to life-threatening injuries without his shell, it might as well have been a death sentence for any ordinary Koopa Troopa to lose their shell. But how'd this "Kooper" guy manage to survive?
"Ehh, it looks worse than it is," said Kooper, putting on his best brave face. "Besides, I can't just sit by and do nothing. Not when that monster still has Professor Kolorado. I'm coming with you guys."
"And what good will that do for him if you get killed in the process?" Goombella snapped back at him. "No, you're staying here and that's that. These guys can probably help us rescue Professor Kolorado." She turned back to look at them all. "You…will help us, right?"
"Of course we will," said Peach.
"Awesome, thanks! Of course, I'll be there to help out too so don't think I'm just thrusting our problems onto you."
"You sure that's a good idea?" said Roy. "I mean, no offense, but if the ice monster did a number like that on Kooper and…well, with you being a Goomba and all…"
"Yeah, maybe it would be better if you just let us handle this," Larry suggested.
"No way! Not happening!" Goombella argued. "I can't just sit by and do nothing while that ice monster does whatever he wants! Not while he still has our professor held hostage! Besides, I'm no ordinary Goomba. I helped Mario save the world once! No, I'm going with you and that's that!"
"Well, we can't just walk blindly into a fight with this creature," said Iggy. "If nothing else, we could at least use your expertise. Do you by chance have a map of Daisy's palace?"
"…A map? You're kidding, right? That palace is centuries old. They don't exactly sell comprehensive maps of the floor plan at the royal gift shop," said Goombella.
"But you've been in there before already," said Peach. "Please, just tell us as much about that place as you can. It's the only way we can prepare for the fight at hand." Goombella frowned and crossed the room to fetch a worn-out binder resting on the coffee table.
"I have a small collection of sketches of the place, but they're super old and totally outdated. I doubt they're reliable, but they're all we have to go on besides my memory."
"Well, as a princess myself, I can safely say you'd be surprised at how little castles change in layout over the years," Peach said with a smile. Iggy snatched up one of the pages and examined it.
"It's better than nothing," he said with a yawn. "Between these and Goombella's guidance, we should be able to come up with a decent infiltration route or an escape route in case we need it."
"Sure but, maybe you guys should get some rest first," Goombella suggested. "You look totally exhausted. We can strategize in a few hours."
"Sounds good to me," Larry said as he stretched and headed for the hallway. Roy and the others followed his lead while Goombella helped Kooper limp his way back to his own room. She glanced over at Junior for a brief second, but he was facing away from her. Goombella couldn't help but wonder if she might've said something to offend him, but tried not to dwell on it as she turned back and walked away.
Meanwhile, Junior grabbed a folded blanket off the shelf nearby, gathered a few pillows, and prepared a bed for himself on the couch. Peach hesitated and lingered in the room with him. Her eyes met Junior's for a moment, but he quickly turned away and laid down.
Being as prideful as he was, Junior most likely had been hoping they'd all forgotten what happened earlier that evening. But Peach certainly hadn't, and she was sure the others remembered it as well. Ignoring or disregarding it wouldn't help anyone. In spite of his mixed feelings towards her at the moment, Peach felt compelled to say something. She had to do it now, or she'd have no hope of sleeping peacefully tonight. The princess mustered up as much courage as she could from her ocean of fatigue.
"Junior…," she said. He didn't respond. "Junior."
"What?" he snapped at her. Peach frantically searched her mind for something to say. She was admittedly caught off-guard that he'd decided to respond at all to begin with. Truth be told, Peach hadn't actually thought ahead this far yet. It wasn't so much that her mind was blank. Rather, there was so much she wanted to ask him that she didn't know where to begin.
"What are you doing?" was what she ultimately settled on, though Peach regretted choosing it almost immediately. Surely there was something better she could've said. But still, she knew she couldn't come off as too desperate or forced. Her approach now had to be casual above all else.
"What does it look like? Getting some sleep," Junior answered.
"Wouldn't you rather…sleep in the other room? You know…with us…?" She was met with only silence at this. Junior rolled over to his other side. His shell was turned back to face her. "Junior…?" Peach knew he'd heard her. There was no way he was already asleep.
"I'm fine right here," he said.
They were both waiting for her to get on with it. Peach would have to start, and she knew it. Junior already knew what she was going to ask, but didn't dare invite her to say it.
"You want to talk about it?"
"About what?"
"About what happened out there, when we got ambushed."
"I don't know what you're talking about," he lied.
"Yes you do. None of us expected that…reaction from you. Back at your castle you seemed so different; so confident and so sure of yourself. But then out of nowhere, you just…"
"Fell apart. Yeah, I know. Don't rub it in."
"I'm not. Junior, I'm just concerned, is all."
"Don't be. I don't need your pathetic sympathy." Peach bit her tongue and swallowed the argumentative retort she was about to spew back at him. Fighting wouldn't help. It wasn't what he needed.
"I think you do," she said calmly.
"Whatever…"
"Have you even stopped to think about it at all?" A pause.
"…Think about what?"
"Just…about how much you've been through the past few days." Junior didn't say anything. He just shifted a bit under his blanket; still refusing to face Peach. "You know, Bowser once told me Koopas age much slower and live longer lives than humans. You're 18, right Junior?"
"Yeah," he affirmed.
"That might be the legal adult age for humans, but you're not a human. In fact, I'd venture to say you're still quite young for your species." Junior shot up in his bed and glared at her.
"Quit belittling me already! Don't you think I get enough of that from Eris as it is!?"
"I'm not belittling you, Junior. All I'm saying is, I think you're way too young to have gone through everything you have recently." He immediately fell silent. Peach didn't know if it was because he wanted to hear her out, or because he just didn't have an immediate comeback for that. Either way, she took his silence as an invitation to continue.
"Just say what you mean…," he invited at last.
"Your kingdom has put so much pressure on you to become the next king. Then Contemno shows up out of nowhere and takes Kammy away from you; someone you deeply loved and respected. To make matters worse, you were forced out of your home and had to team up with me, someone whom you have good reason to despise. Now you're suddenly being expected to become a master of magic in less than a week and rescue the world's leaders as well as your father. It's all such a heavy burden to carry. You've had to do so much growing up in such a short amount of time." Junior's eyes fell.
"What's your point?" he replied softly.
"I may not know exactly what's going through your mind right now, and you don't have to tell me what is," said Peach. "What I'm trying to say is, go easy on yourself. You're doing the best you can, and that's all anyone can expect of you."
"Peach…" She took a seat next to Junior on the couch and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You…I just…"
His mind raced. His instincts and memories and thoughts clashed all at once. A headache erupted in his skull.
Junior still wanted to hate Peach with every fiber of his being. But he couldn't help but remember his training with Merlon. The gateway of anger. He couldn't open it unless he learned to forgive Peach. He had to find a way to do that; his own way. Was this his chance to do it? Right here and now? Could he actually go through with it after all? Was he ready for this?
"Junior, it's all gonna be okay," Peach offered softly.
"No, it's not," the Koopa Prince argued, shaking his head. He gritted his teeth. Her heart softened at the sound of his cracking voice. He sounded on the verge of tears. "I can't just forgive or forget. I can't just let go of the past but…"
"I understand why you hate me, Junior. You have every right to after what I did to your father."
"No. You don't get it. I can't keep thinking about you like this anymore. I have to…to…" he trailed off. Peach looked back at him and her eyes widened.
"Junior…?" He gripped at his robe and started coughing and gasping for air. "Are you alright? What is it?"
His breaths grew short, raspy, and rapid. He was hyperventilating. He didn't answer her. He couldn't answer her.
Horror engrossed Peach's face. Whatever had happened to Junior earlier that evening was about to happen again. It was back in full force.
She couldn't let him suffer like this again. She had to stop it this time. She was the only one around right now who could.
Peach wrapped her arms tightly around Junior. He continued coughing and gasping for air; his whole body trembling.
"What is it!? What's wrong!?" Peach panicked. Junior continued to jerk around as he choked and wheezed uncontrollably; unable to speak.
Peach hugged him closely and tightly to her chest. Junior still couldn't answer her, but she couldn't expect him to. He was too busy drowning in the nightmare of the moment; desperate for air and for life. She wanted to help him with all her heart, but Peach didn't know what was wrong. All she could do now was hold him in her arms as if he were her own child. So she did.
No matter how much he jerked around and fought her or cried out or gagged or trembled. She had to hold onto him. He deserved this much from her after how much she'd left him to suffer for all these years.
There was no way to tell if Peach holding him like this was actually helping Junior or not. But what choice did she have? He couldn't tell her what was wrong or what to do. Maybe Junior didn't know himself. All Peach could do was hold him close to her; hold him and pray for his suffering to end.
Junior continued to hyperventilate. His hoarse, shallow breaths echoed eerily in her head at an accelerating pace. The Koopa Prince choked and gagged faster and faster; simultaneously weeping for some semblance of merciful release.
Frustrated, Peach dragged Junior off the couch and over to the fireplace by his hand. She forced him to sprawl out on the rug in front of it; rocking back and forth slightly on his shell.
The princess placed her ear close to Junior's rapidly bouncing chest. His heart was pounding at a horrific velocity. No organic creature - human or otherwise - could possibly survive this amount of physical stress. This would surely kill Junior outright if it kept up for much longer.
But why was this happening at all? Did Junior need some kind of medical attention? Peach was no medical expert. She couldn't possibly know what was happening to Junior's body. Tears glistened in her eyes.
Was he really about to die in her arms? She couldn't do anything herself. If only she had someone else around to help.
If only Mario were here. He was a doctor after all. He could…
No! Stop it! He's not here anymore! He's gone! You can't rely on him anymore! You need to figure this out on your own! She scolded herself. Think, think, think…
Iggy and Goombella were pretty knowledgeable. Maybe they could help somehow. They couldn't have fallen asleep yet. All Peach had to do was scream and someone would come running.
But they weren't exactly doctors, were they? What if Junior had some kind of medical complication that Peach never knew about and it was rearing its ugly head once more right now in front of her?
But what was it? Seizures? Panic attacks? Asthma?
Would Bowser have known what was happening to his son right now if he were here?
Would Iggy know what to do if she asked him right now? They were brothers after all and Iggy probably knew more about Koopas than anyone else here.
Would any of his siblings know for that matter what was wrong with Junior or what he needed right now?
Peach stood up and squatted back down in place several times. She scanned the room furiously for some kind of blind inspiration. Her own heart was pounding now. Her legs and mind wrestled furiously with one another; debating on whether or not she could dare leave Junior alone for a few seconds to fetch help.
If she didn't, he was done for. If she did, maybe she could still save him in time.
But how much time did he have? What if Junior died while she left?
No, she just couldn't do it. Peach couldn't risk that. She had to stay right here with him.
The only other thing she could do was cry out for help. That was the only other option now. It would be easy, but she had to do it now.
She just had to scream and someone would come end this nightmare for both her and Junior. Then she wouldn't have Junior's blood on her hands if he didn't make it through this. She could at least say she tried to help him.
Peach bit down hard on her lip almost to the point where it would bleed. She had to swallow her pride right now. She had to admit that there were some things even the new, independent Peach just couldn't do alone.
Giving up was the right thing to do. It had to be. Someone else could save Junior. But it wasn't her. She had to pass the burden to someone who could handle it. In order to do that, all Peach had to do right now was scream.
So do it already, she told herself. What are you waiting for? Scream already! Scream! Scream! Scream! Scream!
But...
She couldn't do it.
Peach opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Her throat was too dry. She forced out a silent breath. A lump had formed in her throat in the midst of her sorrow. Peach brought her arms to her head to cradle it, then immediately brought them to her face to cover her eyes as she sobbed. They just couldn't pick a position.
Peach had failed him. Junior was going to die now, and it was all because of her. Peach was about to lose him just like she lost Mario and Toadsworth. Her weakness left them all to die.
In her hurricane of terror, rage, and heartbreak, Peach threw her arms back down in frustration. One of her hands landed haphazardly on Junior's forehead. He was burning up. This didn't surprise her. He was already suffering so much. How much more harm could a fever do to him at this point?
That's when it happened.
Something caught her attention.
Peach saw her hand begin to glow in a pink aura almost immediately after making contact with Junior's forehead.
Peach ripped off her glove and chucked it aside; gazing at her bare hand, which was now encompassed in a radiant light. The princess pulled her hand towards her face to examine it closer. Suddenly, the glow started to fade.
Panicking, Peach immediately returned it back to Junior's forehead and the pink glow returned. Relief washed over her. She could feel a tingling sensation in her hand, as if all the blood in her body was rushing into it. The feeling was almost painful, as though she were being electrocuted.
Thinking quickly, Peach ripped off her other glove and joined her bare hand with the other on Junior's head.
The same reaction occurred as it too began to glow pink; energy coursing through her other arm as well.
The pain began to fade. The princess surmised it was because she was now dividing the energy a bit more equally instead of burdening one arm with all of the effort. She had no way to be sure, but at least now she was making…something happen.
Miraculously, Junior's body seemed to react to her mysterious energy. He stopped gagging and coughing and his body's violent spasms and trembling settled into a sporadic twitch. His breath was still short though, and the Koopa Prince still seemed unable to open his tear-stained eyes.
Peach had to concentrate. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The princess could feel a sense of universal control over herself at last as she pushed the vibrations through her arms and into her hands. She administered this invisible medicine in a steady, assertive stream. It didn't matter what it was. Peach didn't have to understand it yet. All she knew was that it was helping to steady Junior's condition somehow. That meant she had to give it everything she had in her.
Peach poured and poured her will, her heart, and her very soul into Junior. She was ready to give her entire life to him right then and there.
One life for another. An equivalent exchange. Junior deserved it. She owed it to him.
Her own breaths shortened. Her arms, calves, neck, and back all cramped up collectively. Peach opened her eyes. The room was spinning around her. The pink aura around her hands blinked, dimmed, and flickered.
"No…Not yet…!"
Her power was fading. Peach couldn't stop yet. Junior wasn't awake yet. Peach gave one final push. Then gravity strangled her as she collapsed to the floor next to Junior.
Peach stirred back to life slowly. This time it was Junior who was watching over her during her spell of vulnerability. The Koopa Prince was completely normal again. He was conscious, his breaths were steady, and his body sat still peacefully. Although, they weren't alone now. Larry, Iggy, Roy, and Goombella were all closely huddled around her too.
"Junior…you're okay…," Peach said softly. He gave her a small, humble smile. She sat up.
"Yeah…I guess so," said Junior.
"What happened?"
"We were hoping you could tell us that," said Goombella.
"Yeah, we heard what sounded like somebody choking…," said Larry.
"Then a loud thud, like a body hittin' the floor," Roy added.
"When we came running out here, we found you passed out in front of the fire, with Junior watching over you," Iggy finished.
"Junior…why didn't you tell them?" Peach asked. Confusion washed over the Koopa Prince's face as his smile faded.
"…Tell them what?" he replied.
"Tell them what was happening to you just now." Junior tilted and scratched his head.
"I don't know what you're talking about..." Now it was her turn to give a confused expression.
"Junior, this is nothing to be ashamed about. Put aside your pride and your ego for once and just tell them what happened. Just be honest."
"I am being honest. I really don't know what to say."
"…You mean, you don't remember anything that just happened? Nothing at all?" Junior shook his head.
"I remember sitting on the couch and talking to you. Then my chest grew heavy and I couldn't breathe. My heart was pounding, and then I just…shut down," Junior explained. "The next thing I remember is waking up, but you were passed out next to me."
"Can someone please just explain what's going on?" Iggy inserted impatiently.
"Well, I'm no doctor but it looked to me like you were having a panic attack," Peach surmised. Junior's eyebrows knitted together.
"Is that normal? Have you ever had those before?" Junior shook his head.
"No, not that I know of," he denied. Peach immediately turned to the others for guidance.
"Well? What about the rest of you? You're Junior's brothers, right? Do you know anything about this? Has this ever happened to him before?" Roy shrugged while Larry slowly shook his head.
"If he's ever had one, it was before we met him," Iggy offered. "We've never witnessed Junior having any sort of medical episode like that. Bowser would've surely mentioned something if he had some kind of history of it."
"I mean….it is possible to develop medical conditions later on in life," said Goombella. "Maybe something triggered it."
"Like what?" Junior asked.
"I dunno…a really traumatic event or even just a lot of stress, maybe? You'd be surprised what kind of terrible stuff happens to your body when you're under too much stress. I've read at least a dozen medical journals about it. Junior, if you're going through something like that, it's pretty serious."
"Well…life hasn't exactly been easy for any of us lately," said Larry.
"Everyone reacts to stress in different ways," Goombella clarified. "Some people can manage it better than others." Junior nearly jumped when he felt Roy place a hand on his shoulder. It seemed his nerves hadn't entirely settled just yet.
"Well? How about it? Is what she's saying true? How are you holdin' up anyway, squirt?" The Koopa Prince shrunk a bit when he surveyed the room and saw everyone was now staring directly at him.
"I…I mean…," he stammered. "W-who cares if it's true!? I'm fine, alright!? Will everyone quit worrying about me!?" He turned to walk away, but someone reached out and gripped his arm aggressively.
"No, you're not walking away from this. Not this time," a voice said. Junior turned and was surprised that it wasn't Roy who had grabbed him. It was Peach. There was an unsettling fire in her sapphire eyes.
"Let go of me. Right now," Junior said in a low voice.
"Did you think we would just forget about your outburst out there, or how you just fell apart like that?" Peach shot back. "That wasn't like you. That wasn't normal, neither was what I saw just now."
"I said I'm fine."
"I don't care what you say. I don't believe you." Junior's eyes narrowed.
"Well, who asked you!?"
"I'm not waiting for your invitation anymore. You need help, and you're getting it."
"NO I DON'T! JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" Junior exclaimed.
"NO! I'M NOT GOING AWAY! I'M NOT LETTING YOU SHRUG THIS OFF LIKE IT WAS NOTHING! YOU ALMOST DIED, JUNIOR!" Peach screamed as tears formed under her eyes. Horror descended upon the room as the others stared at them.
"Died!? You almost died just now!?" Larry exclaimed. "Junior, why the hell didn't you say anything to us when we came out here!?"
"I told you, I don't remember what happened!"
"That doesn't mean we should just sweep this under the rug and act like it didn't happen!" Peach interjected. "I was here with you, Junior! I know what I-"
"Peach, why didn't you cry out for help then!?" Roy cut her off. "You shoulda just screamed or something! We woulda come running sooner!"
Peach was shocked to find herself suddenly being thrust into the seat of interrogation despite her efforts to save Junior. Although, she knew she couldn't be mad at Roy or any of them for that matter for having their reaction since they were absent during the entire ordeal that unfolded moments ago. They had every right to be upset, given the implications of Junior's recent episode. If only they could realize that Peach herself hardly knew much more than them about what was going on.
"I-I wasn't thinking! I just…panicked, okay!? But I did what I had to do to save him!" Peach argued.
"But he's our bro so he's our responsibility! If you're gonna be part of this team, then you need to-"
"QUIET! ALL OF YOU!" Iggy roared over them all. He grunted and waited a moment to make sure everyone was listening before speaking again. "All of this shouting is doing nothing but stressing all of us out!" The Koopaling cleared his throat. "Now then, if what Peach is saying is true, then she's right. Junior, you can't walk away from this. Not if your health is in jeopardy."
"My health is my problem to worry about, not your's," Junior argued.
"Not if your life is in danger," Iggy countered. He removed his glasses and looked straight into Junior's defensive retinas as he adopted a softer, more sympathetic approach. "Junior, try to understand where we're coming from here. You're our leader, so if you were to suddenly go belly-up, I'd say that affects us quite a lot." He placed a hand on Junior's shoulder. "Not to mention the fact that you're our little brother. Maybe not by direct blood, but we all know that doesn't matter." Junior didn't have an immediate response to that. "You're health is just as important to us as it is to you. If there's something wrong with you, then you need to tell us so we can help you. That's what we're here for." The Koopa Prince's eyes fell.
"I know...," Junior admitted. "But..."
"C'mon, Junior. Talk to us. Tell us what's wrong. You used to come to us all the time when you were little," Larry reasoned.
"No, I came to you, Larry," Junior corrected. "But I didn't know any better back then. I was just a stupid little baby."
"Junior, I know how hard it can be for you to ask for help at times, given how you were raised," said Iggy. "But if you really want to be different from your father, then you need to let go of your pride this time. Because I can tell you with complete confidence that this is exactly how Bowser would react if he were in your situation."
"I mean…you did worry us back there," Larry added with a slight shrug. "When we were surrounded by the Shy Guys and Piranha Plants and you just…lost it."
"After all this weird stuff going on with your dreams, I wouldn't be surprised if you've developed other problems as well," Iggy theorized. "If that's the case, before we do anything drastic like storm a dangerous palace and confront a giant ice monster, we need to know exactly what you're going through."
"Iggy's right. Honestly, you've got us worried right now, pal. Talk to us. Tell us what's botherin' you. We just wanna help," said Roy.
"You can't help me though. None of you can…," Junior denied.
"Why not?" asked Larry.
"Because this is something I need to do by myself."
"What is? What's so special or important that you need to do without any help?" Iggy pressed.
"My training. I haven't mastered everything yet." The Koopalings and Peach exchanged confused glances.
"You mean the stuff you did with Merlon?" Roy probed. Junior nodded slowly, but his sibling scoffed at this. "Is that all? Pfft, listen, we all did some training with Merlon before we left, but I wouldn't say any of us 'mastered' the stuff he showed us. How could we? We didn't have enough time!"
"Roy has a point, Junior," Peach agreed. "Whatever you still need to learn, there's still time to do it. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself about not getting it right away."
"No, you guys don't get it! My training was different! I needed to finish it in order to master the actual magic stuff, and I just couldn't! Since I didn't master my magic stuff, how am I ever gonna stop Contemno or rescue Morton, Wendy, and Lemmy at the castle or find Dad or-" He started to hyperventilate again as his mouth ran a mile a minute.
"Tell us about it," Larry stopped him calmly as he gripped Junior's shoulders and forced their eyes to meet. "C'mon, small fry. Talk to us." Junior took a deep breath as his shoulders sunk. He waited until his breathing slowed. Larry motioned for him to take a seat on the couch as the others gathered around to listen.
Junior went on to explain his experience with opening the five gateways of clarity, although he carefully omitted any direct references to Peach in his description of the gateway of anger, given how intrinsically tied she was to it and how much of a tender subject it still was for him. He paid special attention to the gateway of foresight and his frustration with how little Junior understood about his dreams.
"So what do you need to do to open that gateway then?" Larry asked.
"I have to figure out what my dreams mean. But I hardly know where to start," said Junior.
"You don't have any clues to go off of? Nothing at all?" asked Iggy.
"Well…I think Ludwig might be able to help me figure out what they mean."
"Ludwig? Why him?" Roy probed.
"The first time I started having these dreams was the night before my magic exam. Ludwig gave me this special tea. He said he drinks it all the time to help him focus his powers and he thought it could do the same for me."
"But has Ludwig ever expressed having any strange dreams like you?" Peach inquired. The Koopa Prince shook his head.
"I don't think so. But he was my original magic teacher before Merlon so maybe he might know why this is happening to me. I need to find him so I can get his help." Iggy gripped his chin as a troubled expression lingered in his eyes.
"Well, that might be difficult since we don't know where he is right now."
"Yeah, what did happen to Ludwig anyway?" Larry asked as his eyes lit up in realization over their missing sibling. "Obviously he didn't make it out of the castle when Contemno attacked, otherwise he would've ended up with us."
"But he wasn't anywhere in the castle when we went back. All we found was Lemmy, Wendy, and Morton," Roy added. "So if Ludwig's not still at the castle, he's gotta be somewhere else then. Question is, where?"
"Well, I guess we're adding Ludwig to our ever-growing list of people to find," Iggy said with a sigh as he massaged his temples at the absurdity of it all. "Anyway, Peach is right, Junior. Please don't stress out about this so much right now. Everything will be fine. It sounds like Merlon's already given you everything you need to know in order to finish your training on your own. Besides, I'm sure we're bound to cross paths with Ludwig eventually and you'll get a chance to ask him whatever you want. But right now we've got a more pressing issue to deal with." Junior jerked his head up and glared at Iggy. He then scanned the room and distributed his disdain to the others.
"Easy for you to say…," he muttered.
"What?"
"It's so easy for all of you to stand there and tell me to 'not stress' or to 'get over it.' You think I want to feel this way!? I don't! But the truth is, I'm not gonna be much help to you here since I haven't mastered any of my skills!" Junior exclaimed.
"Junior, don't talk like that!" Larry argued. "What happened to the confident Junior who rescued us back at the castle and got us out of the blizzard tonight after the ship crashed? Where'd he go, huh?"
"How should I know!? He's not actually me!" Junior exclaimed. His shoulders bounced, and Peach was ready to leap into action when she believed he was about to go into another panic attack. But thankfully, that wasn't the case. Suddenly, tears rolled down his cheeks as Junior whimpered. His jaw vibrated, he gritted his teeth, and then proceeded to break down all at once.
"I thought I was him. But maybe deep down, I'm just…not and I never will be. Maybe I need to stop pretending like I'm someone great and just accept that I'll never be the son that Dad wanted, or the king you all expect me to be. I'll never be a great mage like Merlon thinks I am. I'm just…broken. I have been ever since Mom died and my whole life up until now has just been me lying to myself and pretending to be someone better."
"Junior…," said Larry.
"C'mon, squirt…," said Roy.
"You know that isn't true…," said Iggy. They were all dumbfounded by this revelation, but little words found their lips.
"Junior, I haven't known you for very long," Goombella spoke up as she approached him. "And maybe I can't even begin to understand anything about what you've been through. But if it helps you at all, here's what I do know." Junior's glistening eyes met the Goombas as he continued sobbing. "Nobody is born good at something, and nobody masters something overnight or even in a week. It takes time, and practice, and dedication, and patience above everything else to call yourself an expert or even a master at something."
"You're talking from experience, aren't you?" Peach surmised. Goombella smiled and blushed.
"Heh…maybe a little bit, yeah," she admitted. "People always told me I lived with my head in the clouds. How could I ever achieve anything when I was just a run-of-the-mill Goomba, and a girl at that? I mean, I don't even have arms for crying out loud! How could I ever achieve greatness?"
"Did you?" Junior asked, admitting his mild interest in her story. "Achieve greatness, I mean."
"I guess that depends on how you define it," Goombella answered. "All I know is, I didn't care what anyone said. I never let anything stop me. I knew what I wanted, and I went after it. Maybe I didn't have any inherent powers, but that's when I turned to books and with them, I found my own power: knowledge."
"…Knowledge?" the Koopa Prince repeated. Goombella nodded.
"I've read thousands of books on people, places, and events because I'm proud of my knowledge. It's my secret weapon; my power. But I didn't get that way overnight. I've dedicated my life to learning as much as I can. It's taken me years just to get this far. Heck, Kooper and I spent years at the university alone just studying to become archaeologists like Kolorado, and we're still only assistants. My point is, if you really want something enough, you'll get there; no matter how long it takes. But you have to know what you want, and you have to be patient about getting to it. You can't expect yourself to do it quickly or even all on your own. As they say, Rogueport wasn't built in a day!"
"She's right," Roy said as he smirked and crossed his arms. "Whatever you still gotta do to master your skills that Merlon taught ya, we know you'll get there. Once this is over, we'll go back to Merlon's and we'll train with ya. Every day if we have to. Until you start to feel like the king you're meant to be. It'll be just like before when we were gettin' you ready for your coronation. But for now, let's handle one crisis at a time."
"Warm sentiments aside, however," said Iggy. "Your attitude is everything, Junior. We're here to support you in whatever you need and you're always free to rely on us. But the truth is, it's going to be up to you to keep yourself steady when all is said and done. I know you've got a lot on your plate right now. We all know how much you've been through already and we know how hard you're working. But what I think you really need to work on right now the most is your confidence. You need to believe in yourself."
"You think I don't know that?" Junior replied as he sniffed and wiped at his eyes.
"I'm reminding you of this because you already do know that, Junior," Iggy countered playfully as a smile lit up his face. He pulled Junior in close for a hug. "After all, you're our smart, brave little prince. Besides, you're just as stubborn as your dad so it's just a matter of time before you take your seat on that throne. And we'll help get you there. No matter what it takes. So don't count yourself out just yet." Roy, Larry, and Peach joined in as they wrapped their arms around him as well. Junior's cheeks flooded with color.
"You guys…"
"I know we haven't always been the best bros to ya, squirt," Roy admitted. "But we've got your shell, no matter what. Now and forever."