RECAP:
With growing desperation, Iggy pressed Hariet for answers. She remained rebellious at first; believing she held power over Iggy by refusing to answer his questions. However, Iggy managed to turn the tables on her by mentioning the efforts that the others were undertaking to gather more information; which would soon make Hariet obsolete to their cause and leave her life directionless. Before long, Hariet abandoned her resolve – as well as her fake accent – and told Iggy everything she knew about the first phase of Contemno's plan.
Junior took a quick stop on his journey to Kamek's home and reminisced about the past and the future alike. He wasn't sure what would be waiting for him at his next destination, but he had no other choice than to press forward and find out.
Bowser and Mario accompanied Damian for breakfast on the morning of their first full day in Dammerel. The Koopa King remained conflicted as to whether or not their new acquaintance could be trusted, while Mario found himself suddenly worrying about Luigi. Damian asked the two what they wanted to do in Dammerel and explained that they had more potential and drive than most, which was needed to improve the sorry state of the town. In the end, Bowser couldn't give a straight answer and quickly found himself with similar conflicting thoughts as Mario.
Larry slumped back in his seat as the train lurched forward into a crawl out of the Toad Town station. He wasn't exactly pleased that he was forced to sit next to Roy, but it didn't seem worth it to him to make a scene over it by complaining. Over the rhythmic muffled roar of the engine, the Koopaling could partially hear Daisy and Diddy conversing in the seats across from him.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so pumped! I can't wait to see what kinds of freaks we're gonna fight in this tournament!" the princess exclaimed joyfully as she flexed.
"Hey, this ain't exactly a vacation, y'know! We gotta keep an eye out for Donkey Kong, remember?" Diddy reminded.
"Yeah, yeah. I know. We'll look for him and Luigi too, of course. But still! This tournament's gonna be so cool! I just know it! I wonder if I'll get to fight anyone I know..."
As his eyelids drooped low, Larry became deaf to the conversation. To him, it didn't really make a difference who or what he was about to see in this "Pleasure City" place. The goals remained the same. They were going there to learn more about Essence and to find DK and Luigi.
So was it even worth it to participate in this tournament at all?
There was no point in picking a bunch of fights if they weren't going to learn anything valuable in the process. It could just turn out to all be a colossal waste of their time and energy if they didn't think this through.
But on the other hand, registering for the tournament was probably the only valid excuse they could have in order for them to get close enough within this mysterious operation to find the answers they needed without immediately raising suspicion.
Regardless, there was no sense in stressing about it now. Larry was too tired to do so anyway. The aches of his injuries had kept him from getting much sleep the night before. Not long after, his head tilted downward and Larry quickly fell asleep.
Little did he realize, Roy was already fast asleep next to him.
The booming thunder nearly drowned out a modest knocking at the door one night at the Second Wind orphanage. A gentle sliver of light sliced through the darkness and poured out slowly onto the decaying wooden porch as the Mistress opened the door and invited a hooded figure inside. A short, young Roy shuffled closely behind at the Mistress's hip; both curious and intimidated by the orphanage's mysterious midnight visitor.
The Mistress stepped into her office and shut the door behind her as her guest took a seat and Roy stood silently and obediently near the desk that separated the two. The figured removed its hood. It was a female Koopa from the dragon branch with long, silky-smooth, light blue hair that gleamed in the dim light.
This revelation was of no surprise to the Mistress, however. She had seen several more like this one before already over the past few years.
Every recent visitor – either alone or with a partner and with only one exception – was a Koopa whom had come to this orphanage for the very same reason: to drop off a child.
The Mistress had already taken in six little Koopas by now, and this woman was surely about to present her with the seventh.
Even if the Mistress hadn't already arrived at this conclusion herself, her suspicions were quickly confirmed when she saw the woman put down a small wooden basket on the floor. Roy curiously eyeballed the tiny infant sleeping peacefully inside it; wrapped up in a blue blanket that matched the small, unkempt tuft of hair sticking out of the top of its head.
The baby Koopa yawned and stirred slightly in its cozy little bed, but didn't wake up; a pacifier pulsing between its small lips. The cloaked Koopa mother stared longingly at the baby for several minutes until the Mistress retrieved her attention. The Koopa introduced herself as Melody.
"Are you certain this is what you want?" the Mistress asked.
"N-No…of course not," Melody replied nervously. "I would never want this fate for my son. I can't imagine any mother would. But I-"
"You don't have any other choice," the Mistress finished for her. Melody seemed slightly shocked by this response.
"How did you know?"
"I've heard it before, my dear," the Mistress clarified. "You aren't the first parent to leave their child here due to perceived circumstances beyond their control, and you won't be the last."
"O-oh…are there a lot of children here then?" Melody asked.
"Less than you might imagine, actually. I'd say there's less a little than a dozen children residing here in total," the Mistress described. "Quite a large fraction of them however, are from other refugee families from the Koopa Kingdom nearby. With the state of decay that land has fallen into as of late, I anticipate the number of children whom will find themselves here is likely only to grow."
"Yes…well, I don't think any of us are exactly thrilled with where King Bowser's priorities have fallen as of late," Melody agreed. "Don't get me wrong, it's a tragedy that Queen Celia passed away as suddenly as she did. But prioritizing military strength above all else is the last thing our kingdom needs. After all, it's not like we're at war or anything. Even in this era of peace, the Koopa Kingdom has somehow turned into a radical dictatorship."
"You were wise to leave when you did. All of you were," the Mistress sympathized.
"Not all of us did leave though," Melody corrected. "My ex-husband remains loyal to the crown, and he couldn't enroll in the royal guard fast enough when the draft opened. I never wanted the military lifestyle myself, and I won't allow Lawrence to be part of such nonsense either."
"'Lawrence?'" the Mistress parroted.
"Oh…my son." The female Koopa gestured to the sleeping infant on the floor next to her. "Without his father in the picture, I'm sure you must be wondering why I'm not taking Lawrence on the road with me. But-"
"No need to explain," the Mistress stopped her as she raised a wrinkled palm. "Part of my philosophy here at Second Wind is I don't ask why the child is brought here. Regardless of the reason, the child deserves a safe place. Surely you believe that as well, or else you wouldn't be here now. That is all that matters to me."
"Well, that's very considerate of you. Thank you," said Melody. "Is there…anything else I need to do now?"
"I require nothing of you," the Mistress answered simply. All you should concern yourself with now is what you wish to do next. Meanwhile, I will raise your son and help him build a life for himself with the resources I have at hand. I must warn you though."
"W-warn me…?" Melody asked hesitantly? "Of what?"
"If you truly wish to continue on alone and leave Lawrence behind, you will miss out on seeing the person he will one day become. Are you okay with that?"
"W-well…"
"Please understand, my intention in saying such a thing is only to help paint the reality for you regarding the decision you are about to make this evening. I am not trying to sway you one way or the other," the Mistress explained. She pointed straight at the shut door behind them. The female Koopa's eyes followed her host's arm. "The front door is just out there in the foyer and to your right. You may choose to pass through it with or without your child. My desire is only for you to truly understand what you are deciding and to stand by it."
"I see…," Melody hesitated. "So…I'll never see Lawrence again if I leave him here?"
"That isn't for me to decide."
"What do you mean?"
"I won't pry into your affairs or pretend I know what you plan to do next. Only you will be able to decide if it's possible for you to ever be part of your son's life again. If you simply can't for whatever reason, then Lawrence will just have to learn to live without you. Even if you were to come back here years from now, an older Lawrence might not be so willing to allow you to just re-enter his life after the choice you made – assuming he hasn't already found another family to take him in by then. The shattered trust of a child is not so easily mended. If you can't stand the thought of Lawrence not being in your life or rejecting you as his mother for abandoning him, then I urge you to reconsider leaving him here in the first place."
"I…," Melody started nervously.
"You still have the chance to change your mind and walk out of here with Lawrence tonight. There's no shame in that. But if there's really no other choice, I will take him off your hands. The choice is your's, Melody."
The female Koopa dabbed at her cheeks with a handkerchief and sniffed; her glistening eyes locked on her offspring.
"Well?" the Mistress probed. Melody's puffy red eyes met her own.
"There's…no other choice. It has to be this way; no matter how much I wish it weren't so."
"I understand," the Mistress acquiesced; unfazed by Melody's response. "Then I'll show you out so you may be on your way." Melody nodded as the two adults stood up and headed for the door. "Roy, be a dear and take Lawrence upstairs to the vacant crib in the bedroom, will you? And please do it quietly so as not to wake the others."
"Y-yes, Ma'am," Roy squeaked. He carefully lifted the basket by the handle with two claws as though he were defusing a bomb. But Lawrence slept on.
After exchanging goodbyes, Melody looked back through the doorway one last time. Her trembling pupils followed Roy carrying the basket up the staircase inside.
It was difficult to tell if there were new tears were rolling down the mother's face, or if these were simply raindrops from the storm washing over her.
While Lawrence proved to be a rambunctious baby, he ultimately remained a happy one as long as Roy was around to care for him. By this point, Roy had gotten more than enough practice from raising three other infant Koopalings over the years and mentoring two others that looking after Lawrence was almost effortless. Feeding, bathing, burping and changing were all second nature by now to the eldest, care-giving Koopaling.
The Mistress trusted Roy enough that she never felt the need to intervene or provide any intimate care to any of the other children herself. Roy was fine with this unspoken arrangement though, as he never once expected her to do so.
After all, he knew the Mistress was far too busy doing everything else that needed to be done around the house in order to run the orphanage: cooking, cleaning, repairs, and overseeing the "business" side. She wasn't a mother herself, nor did she ever think of herself as cut out to be one. Motherhood was simply never in the cards for the Mistress. This was a fate she learned many years ago. She was simply never going to have a real family of her own. She could either let that ruin her life, or she could learn to live with it.
The Mistress chose the latter.
Even if she were to change her mind about motherhood, it would be simply impossible; especially now at her age. Looking after the children that society had cast aside would have to suffice.
As firm and somewhat distant of a guardian as the Mistress was, she was still very proud of Roy for taking on so much responsibility starting at the age of six; and she praised him as much and as often as she could. But Roy understood almost right away that while the Mistress was willing to serve as his guardian, she would never be his mother. The same would be true for all of the children who ended up at Second Wind.
A few years after his arrival, Roy made the executive decision to bestow upon Lawrence the nickname of "Larry."
The little Koopa seemed to approve of it even before he was old enough to speak. Larry stuck very close to Roy as he grew up. Once he did start talking, he would occasionally refer to Roy as his "dada." But Roy was always quick to correct Larry on this and remind him that they were siblings. Nothing more. Nothing less; just as was true for all the other Koopalings and young children whom had been raised by Roy.
As time passed however, a small rift began to grow between Roy and Larry.
Roy didn't think much of it. He wanted and expected Larry to eventually develop a sense of independence and not stay so attached to him forever, just as the others did. But what he didn't realize was that there was a shred of sorrow buried within Larry's solitude.
The young Koopaling would often choose to spend entire days by himself; sitting either on the back porch or in the front yard. Sometimes he would quietly play with one of his toy trucks. Other times he would sit utterly still and be absolutely fixated on the locked iron bar gate that separated Second Wind from the outside world.
All of the other kids at the orphanage assumed Larry was simply day-dreaming about being adopted one day so he could finally see the world beyond the front yard. After all, that was what any kid who lived at Second Wind wanted: a family and a place to belong.
Little did any of them know however, that Larry had actually become self-aware enough by then to wonder where the person who had cared for him before had gone.
Why was he left here? When was his original caretaker coming back for him? He vaguely recalled having one.
Were they ever coming back for him…?
Larry loved Roy and the rest of the family at the orphanage who had taken him in. Of that, there could be no mistake.
Even so, the Koopaling held a core memory of a female Koopa with long, straight blue hair; the same color as his. It was the earliest memory Larry had, and he couldn't seem to get rid of it. This mysterious woman must have had some significance to Larry since he kept seeing visions of her in his dreams and in the silent hours when Larry was alone.
Until Larry could learn who this mysterious caretaker was, a tiny hole would remain at the bottom of the little Koopaling's heart.
An hour or so later, Roy yawned and sat up in his seat. Larry and Diddy were still fast asleep, but Daisy was wide awake. She propped her head up on her fist and stared longingly out the window at the crystal clear sapphire ocean as the train tracks sped past her sight.
Roy gathered that she must have been too lost in thought to notice he'd woken up, as Daisy wore a profound sadness on her face; the kind most people only expose when they think no one else is watching. His suspicion was confirmed when her eyes zeroed in on Roy and her face hastily shifted back to a small, forced smile in response.
"Oh…morning, sunshine," she greeted playfully.
"Sup," Roy replied. "You get any rest?" Daisy frowned.
"No, but I'll be fine. Don't worry about me, she assured. "If anything, you should probably go back to sleep. You still need to build your strength back up after yesterday."
"I've got that Maple Ultra thing Goombella gave me for that," Roy reminded.
Silence grew between them, and Daisy thought that would be the end of their brief exchange.
"Can I ask you somethin'?" the Koopaling asked out of the blue.
"What is it?"
"Do you remember what you said when I found you frozen in that block of ice back at your castle in Sarasaland?"
Daisy paused to consider this. The memory flashed through both of their minds together at that moment.
"Well, well! Look who decided to finally show up! I told you it was just a matter of time before you'd come crawling back to me!"
Daisy nodded slowly. "Sorta…," the princess answered vaguely. "What about it?"
"You came outta there talkin' as if you were expectin' someone else to come to your rescue," Roy recounted.
"Did I?" Daisy continued playing ignorant.
"Don't play dumb, no matter how cute it makes you look! That won't work on me this time!"
"Yeah, you did," said Roy. Daisy tried her hardest to dismiss the scene from her mind, but it continued to play out on its own.
"Look, I'm willing to overlook our little misunderstanding, but ONLY if you'll admit you're just as crazy about me as I am for you. So just man up for once and say it, will ya?!"
Daisy visibly cringed and she was certain Roy had seen her reaction. Even if her attempt at feigning mild obliviousness had been working – which she was certain it wasn't - the act was surely over now.
"The person you were expectin' to be there instead of me. Was it Luigi?" Daisy's face fell and her head drooped low.
"Yeah…," she admitted with a heavy sigh. Roy's expression didn't change, so Daisy had no idea if that was what the Koopaling had been expecting to be the answer or not.
"Did you two have a fallin' out or somethin'?" The princess forced a sheepish smile.
"How'd you guess?"
"Well, I always got the impression you and him were close like Mario and Peach," Roy answered with a slight shrug. "So it sounded to me like you were expectin' Luigi to come crawlin' back to ya."
"Guess you got me pegged, Koopa boy," Daisy affirmed, shaking her head and blowing out a sharp breath. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to admit it, but…"
"Admit what?" Daisy lifted her head to meet Roy's line of sight.
"It was my fault."
"What was?"
"The falling out. See…you're not the only one who thinks Luigi and I are close like Peach and Mario. Pretty much everyone we know thinks that about us. The problem is…I don't think Luigi sees us that way."
"Why not?" Daisy shifted in her seat and prepared for a lengthy explanation. Roy invisibly braced himself.
"After Peach got married, I couldn't help but wondering…well….when it would be my turn," Daisy explained as her eyes fell by the wayside. "I mean, those two are just perfect for each other. They're so cute together. I guess…I just wanted that to be me."
"But you shouldn't-"
"I know, I know. It's pointless to compare yourself to others. But I just can't help it sometimes. I mean, Peach and I are so close. She's my best friend. We tell each other everything. I'm happy for her. Really, I am. But in spite of all that, I still couldn't help but get a little jealous whenever she would tell me how happy she felt once she was finally engaged and how romantic Mario could be; well, when the guy wanted to be, anyway."
"Luigi's never been like that for you?" Roy asked.
"No! He always treats me like a friend!"
"So? What's wrong with that?"
"Everything!" Daisy exclaimed, flabbergasted that Roy could even ask such a thing. "Aren't you listening?! I mean, imagine being a girl and getting friend-zoned! That's like, ten times more embarrassing than the other way around! I always thought Luigi was just afraid of ghosts. But lately, I've been starting to think it's much worse than that. I think he's afraid of commitment!"
"Have you tried talkin' to him about this?"
"Sure, but it doesn't really do much. He just shuts down and gets all ashamed."
"Well, you want what Peach has with Mario, right?" Daisy nodded. "Problem is, Luigi might be his brother, but at the end of the day, he's not Mario," said Roy. "I mean, to be fair, people might still get confused about that every now and then with the whole identical outfits thing. But it's still the truth."
"What's your point?" Daisy asked as she folded her arms.
"You ever ask Luigi what he wants outta the relationship?"
"Of course I have! But he doesn't tell me! Like I said, he just shuts down any time I wanna have a serious talk about what we are. It's like I'm suddenly speaking a foreign language to him."
"Maybe you two just aren't compatible, then," Roy concluded as he gripped his chin. Daisy's eyes widened and she gasped with all the same intensity as if she'd just been told she had a third eye her entire life and no one had informed her of this until just now.
"You're horrible! How can you say that?!"
"Simple. You're on different wavelengths," Roy replied, unfazed. "Maybe you want somethin' more, but he's happy with things the way they are now. Nothin' wrong with either of you. But if you're tryin' to force him to be more forward like you, then he might be shuttin' down because that goes against his nature. He doesn't want what you want, so he doesn't know how to satisfy you otherwise."
"B-but…that's…I…," Daisy hesitated. "No, you're wrong, Roy. You have to be! Luigi has to have feelings for me too! There has to be another explanation!" The Koopaling folded his arms.
"And why's that?" The princess's eyes glistened in the sunlight streaming in from the window. Her open hands were twitching and Daisy was now hunched over in her seat as if her entire life had just been ripped right out of her hands.
"B-because…if Luigi and I aren't meant to be…if Luigi isn't my Mario…or y'know, 'the one,'….then…."
"Then what?"
"Then…what if I don't have one…?" the princess wondered aloud as existential horror seemed to wash over her face. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she sobbed.
"Would that really be so bad?"
"Of course it would be bad!"
"Why?"
"B-because!" Daisy exclaimed through frustrated sobs.
"Because why?" Roy probed further.
"Because…! If I don't have someone…th-then…then…!"
"Then what?"
"Then I'd be all alone!"
"What's wrong with that?"
"Then I wouldn't have what Peach has! And…maybe I'd…I dunno…I guess I'd…finally see for myself what everyone has been saying about me for years…"
"What do you mean?" Daisy took a moment to steady her breath before continuing.
"People say…that I'm loud and obnoxious and headstrong and arrogant. People talk. They love to gossip. They think I don't hear them saying all this awful stuff about me behind my back. But I do. I'm a gossip too so I know all about it. I know what it's like to be on both sides. People feel bad that Luigi is stuck with someone like me. They say we're not compatible at all."
"That's rough, Daisy…," said Roy.
"Yeah, I know. People suck. But you know what I hate the most?"
"What?" Daisy's lip quivered. Even thought she kept her voice and breathing steady, tears rolled down her cheeks.
"I guess…deep down…I've been afraid they might be right." Roy stayed silent. Daisy pulled out a handkerchief. She dabbed at her eyes and blew her noes before continuing. "I didn't want to admit it. I didn't want to prove them right. I wanted to believe they were all wrong about us; wrong about me. So I've been shoving it all out of my mind. I convinced myself that Luigi and I were meant to be, so I guess I thought that if I just kept trying and kept…pushing, then I could somehow make Luigi love me more; enough to prove everyone wrong. But…maybe I've had it all wrong…all this time…"
"Do you even really love him?" Daisy sighed as she played with her glove and stared longingly out the window again.
"You know something? I don't even know anymore. I thought I did. I thought I was sure of it until now. But now…after talking with you…well, now I'm not so sure."
"Well, don't give up on love on account of me," said Roy.
"Oh don't worry, I don't intend to. People call me stubborn, pushy and annoying. Sure, that might hurt sometimes. But other times, it's a strength of mine. It means I don't give up on going after what I want. So if you're worried you just inadvertently broke me and Luigi up, don't. I still mean what I said before back at Merlon's place. Nothing about our mission has changed for me. I'm going to find Luigi no matter what."
"But why put your neck on the line for someone you're not even sure you love?"
"Well, I gotta know how I honestly feel about him. If we're not lovers, then what are we?"
"Friends?" Roy guessed woodenly.
Daisy still cringed as if she were about to vomit in her mouth; still clearly uncomfortable with the idea of being put in the "friend-zone."
"I guess…," she admitted with an audible groan. "If that's true, then he's a friend who needs my help."
"Sounds good enough to me," Roy replied with a smile.
"Maybe. We'll see. But…thanks for talking to me, Roy. You're surprisingly good at relationship stuff, you know that? I never would've guessed just from looking at you." The Koopaling's smile faded.
"Oh, trust me. I'm no expert at relationships…," he quickly denied as he scratched the side of his head with one claw.
"Oh c'mon, don't be so modest!" Daisy objected as she playfully slapped his knee. "After all, Peach told me all about how you helped push Goombella and Kooper closer together before. I think you've got a good head on your shoulders when it comes to love. I'm sure any girl would be lucky to have you." Roy's head drooped low.
"Dunno about that…," he muttered. Daisy eyeballed his sudden drop in demeanor with concern.
"Hey…you alright? Did I say something bad just now or…?"
"Don't worry about it. It's nothin'…"
"You sure?" she pressed.
"Yeah, don't sweat it. I'm fine."
"Oh…alright. If you say so."
Now Roy too was gazing longingly out the window at the open sea; desperately wishing the crystal waters could pull him down into a dark abyss and drown the veil of sorrow he'd just drooped over himself.
Roy may have said aloud that he was fine. But deep down, he hated that he was now thinking about her again.
Leanna was slumped down low in one of the booths. Her feet were perched up on the table. The base of her spine was beginning to grow sore from her sitting in an uncomfortable position for so long, but she ignored it; such pain was inconsequential compared to the turmoil stirring within Leanna's heart.
The woman's puffy, bloodshot eyes still stung with every slow blink from the lingering salt of her tears, even though she had stopped crying hours ago. She gazed emptily out the window and followed the rain drops as they slithered down the glass in sporadic intervals and directions. Her mind drifted back into focus before quickly departing again.
The glass beer bottle cradled in her fingers had long since lost its chill and now sat at room temperature, despite Leanna only taking a few small sips of it.
What was the point in going on? What did she have left?
Eris - the only living family she had left - was worlds apart from her; not to mention by choice.
Pauline – the only real friend she had - was imprisoned while Leanna was powerless to help her.
Mario and Bowser – the only other people left in her life whom she could maybe call friends - had abandoned her. Now she sat here alone in her empty diner inside a maniac's fantasy world.
What was it all for? Had it all been for nothing?
The more she dwelled on her reality, the more Leanna questioned the point of her existence. Why was she really here in this life? To make connections? Yeah right. People were black-hearted and untrustworthy; all of them. They only kept you around until they were done with you. At which point, you were quickly disposed of. At least, that's how Leanna's life had gone up until now.
Why was she really opposing Contemno anyway? Was it worth it?
She didn't give a damn about the world or what he was planning to do with it. Sure, he was a bad influence on Eris. But Eris was old enough to make her own choices. If this was really the path she wanted to follow, who was Leanna to object? Contemno may have been a power-hungry psychopath, but was the world really so innocent? It had done Leanna no favors. So why should she try to defend it? She had nothing in this world that was worth protecting.
One upon a time…she did. But these days? Not anymore.
Despite her best efforts over the years, Leanna simply could not dismiss a single core memory from her mind: the first boy she ever loved.
His name was Roy Koopa.
He was one of the older children living at Second Wind when she and Eris had drifted in so many years ago. During their travels, Leanna had only ever heard bad things about Koopas. Apparently, the king of the monarchy fell off the deep-end after his wife had passed away, and his totalitarianism drove the kingdom's people away. People either served in the royal guard or defected. There was no in-between. Roy was just one of many orphaned Koopa children who were abandoned by their parents for one reason or another during the political turmoil.
Leanna had heard rumblings from citizens of other neighboring cities - which she and Eris had simply been passing through - about how terrible Koopas were. They were selfish, blood-thirsty and arrogant. They took what they wanted with no concern for the damage or pain they would cause in their wake.
But Roy wasn't like that. None of the Koopa children at the orphanage were.
How could they be? They were just kids after all.
Maybe it was a blessing that they didn't grow up with their awful parents in such a toxic land. They grew up in the outside world and therefore had a chance to learn how to be better; to become something more.
Roy was a shining example of that. Leanna remembered how selfless, nurturing, and very mature for his age Roy was; albeit very reserved. His concept of love was questionable at best, but his loyalty to the people he considered his family was impossible to miss. When Eris became smitten with Kitsune, Roy had noticed Leanna's loneliness and came to her rescue; like a knight in shelled-armor coming to whisk her away from the shadowy, somber tower that was her isolation.
It had started slow, with Roy showing her small gestures of kindness; an extra blanket during the chilly winter nights or him scooping half of his share of the meal onto her plate even though food was scarce. Leanna just assumed that this was something Roy did for everyone at Second Wind, so she had to actively force herself not to look too deeply into it. But try as she might, the young girl simply couldn't help it.
Leanna had been utterly starved for acknowledgement after being abandoned by Eris. Acknowledgement, not attention. Leanna never wanted to be the center of attention. But to have just one other person out there who noticed that she existed, that felt nice. More than nice, actually. It was practically a drug.
The more Leanna gave positive reactions to Roy's gestures, the more he seemed to do them. Maybe he seemed to like being kind to Leanna just as much as she liked receiving his kindness. Regardless, what started as simple, one-sided charity grew into a transactional friendship in which Eris tried to pay Roy back for his kindness whenever she could. Within months, a full-on romance had blossomed between Leanna and Roy. If it was a dream, Leanna never wanted to wake up.
But one day, she did. She had been forced awake.
Leanna would never forget the day she learned that Roy was being adopted. That was the worst day of her life. She had finally found something valuable in her life to call her own, and it was snatched away from her in an instant. Roy had apologized profusely for having to leave, but Leanna refused to hear him out. The reason didn't matter. It wouldn't change how she felt; it would never erase the pain of losing him.
The two had had a loud, almost violent argument the night before he left. In the morning, Roy and the six other Koopa children staying at Second Wind were gone. An eerie dread was draped over the orphanage and lingered forevermore over the empty abode from that day on.
Eris approached Leanna about leaving the orphanage not long after. In retrospect, Leanna should have declined. Eris had betrayed her trust once before, and had done nothing to earn it back. Looking back on it now, Leanna was certain that the only reason her sister had invited her to run away together was simply so Eris wouldn't have to confront her own loneliness; opting to rely on her younger sister as an emotional crutch.
But it was a pointless waste of energy for Leanna to scold herself over her decision now. At the time, she had been excruciatingly vulnerable. With Roy gone, Leanna was drowning in her own sadness and would've latched onto any life boat she could have gotten her hands on. It just so happened that the boat she had chosen was full of holes and would sink on its own before long.
Roy was the only person Leanna ever really, deeply trusted. But he was long gone. So, she had resolved never to love or trust anyone that much ever again.
Mario and Bowser had come close to evoking something out of Leanna, but they had shown their true colors when their loyalty was put to the test, and Leanna was burned again as a result.
That meant the only person left in her life whom Leanna had any ties to whatsoever was Pauline.
The two had met when Leanna was spying on Contemno during one of his many trips to New Donk City. Pauline had quickly proven to be an interesting prisoner. Try as she might, Leanna simply couldn't figure out why Contemno had taken her captive.
If he had plans to experiment on her using that mysterious red liquid like he'd done to almost everyone else he'd captured, Contemno had yet to do so for some reason. Maybe it was because Pauline didn't seem to have any powers or fighting ability?
Contemno could not have been in love with Pauline either. He was seeing Eris, after all. But then again, Eris didn't have the best track record when it came to loyalty, and Contemno wasn't exactly the best role model for her either.
It would not be a surprise to Leanna if it turned out that Contemno had eyes for Pauline and was planning to cheat on Eris behind her back. But even if that were the case, why would Contemno then dump Pauline off into Tatanga's custody? No, Contemno had to have some other maniacal scheme for her in mind; one that didn't involve turning her into a mutant or seducing her. But what?
Out of nowhere, her eyes widened and Leanna sat up.
A newfound sense of urgency took over; it possessed her limbs and forced the woman onto her feet. A warm motivation ignited deep within the pit of her stomach. Leanna suddenly found it impossible to mope any longer.
It was time for action.
The past was the past. It could never be changed. But there was still the present – and by extension, the future.
Maybe Leanna would never feel true love or trust like she had felt for Roy ever again.
Maybe it was too late to heal the scars that had desecrated her heart.
Maybe it was too late for Leanna to save herself. But it wasn't too late to save Pauline. It couldn't be. She'd make sure of it.
Even if Leanna herself had nothing left to gain by continuing to fight, maybe she could keep fighting for Pauline.
Even if the world had no real use for Leanna, maybe it still had a use for Pauline. Maybe Leanna needed to save Pauline so that her friend could go on to make a difference.
It was worth a shot. Even if the odds were stacked against her, Leanna suddenly found herself ready to bet it all on her last remaining friend.
No more excuses. No more waiting. Pauline had suffered in confinement long enough. It was time to bust her out of New Donk City, no matter the cost.
Leanna quickly dressed in a black denim jacket with tall matching boots, and a long mahogany red skirt. Her long, curly black hair flowed down the back of her neck to the base of her spine. The Kagi symbol on the palm of her bare hand began to glow, and a portal materialized in the room seconds later.
Leanna snatched up her backpack and hopped inside before the portal disappeared.
Pauline sat perfectly still in her seat; her smooth, delicate hands folded neatly in her lap. The former mayor was staring intently at the plush, red carpet beneath her matching heels. There wasn't anything particularly noteworthy down there. But it was all Pauline could do to tune out the conversation taking place around her. She wanted no part of it and would distract herself by any means necessary.
In the center of the luxurious conference room sat a large, polished wooden table. Beneath the glowing, crystal chandelier, several guests were wrapping up their meeting; paying Pauline no mind whatsoever.
"Now den, da big day's comin' up fast. Is everybody ready?" Don Frankie asked.
"Yes, the preparations are nearly complete," Jolene replied flatly as she shuffled her stack of papers. "All of the roster slots have been filled and all fighters have been registered in the database. So the preliminaries can begin the day after tomorrow, as planned."
"Jolene, sweetie, I think what the Don is really askin' us is if we've got all our bets in," Grubba clarified with a belly chuckle and a pearly white grin.
Jolene shot her ex-boss yet another icy glare. Surely even someone with a one-track mind like Grubba could have picked up by now that Jolene still deeply resented him and was not at all satisfied with these arrangements. But Grubba did not seem bothered by her cold reception in the slightest. Even if he knew why he was getting it from her, he just didn't seem to care. His dark, circular sunglasses certainly did the job of masking any reaction his eyes might have uttered.
Still, this was the only expression Jolene was willing to give him ever since she learned that this "Contemno" gentleman had recruited Grubba to help "facilitate" the tournament in Pleasure City. She hadn't directly reported to Grubba since the Great Gonzalez had exposed his malicious use of a Crystal Star in the Glitz Pit many years ago, and she took no pleasure in having to work with him again now; even if they were supposed to be equals this time around.
Jolene was confident that the only thing Grubba knew how to "facilitate" was his work-out routine. The guy was only a step above the average brainless meathead that typically hung around fighting arenas such as these.
"No reason you can't both be right," said Omega. "We each have an important job to play in running this shindig, after all. So let's keep it friendly, alright?"
"Agreed," said Alpha. "Now then, Grubba, how does security detail look? We're expecting the park to run at full capacity starting tomorrow. Are you sure you have enough coverage?" Grubba flexed his biceps and kissed each one before replying.
"If I'm bein' straight as an arrow with ya, Alpha, I don't see why you assigned me these other chumps to work with. I'm more than enough muscle on my own to keep this whole dang can of sardines packed in tight like your boss wants."
"Even if that were true, we can't afford to take any risks," Alpha replied. "With so much Essence being concentrated in one place, the risk of some kind of accident taking place will be astronomically high. We practically expect something to go wrong at this point. If you're busy putting out one fire, we'll need someone else to step in and assist elsewhere."
"Yeah well, they ain't exactly the friendliest folks," said Grubba. "Any chance you can find me some more lively pals to chum around with out there?"
"Afraid not. Crusher's a…gorilla of very few words," Omega explained. "He prefers to let his fists do all the talking. As for L, well, he's got his own set of issues to sort out. Point is, they're reliable at cleaning up the icky jobs, but don't expect to become good friends with either of 'em."
"Well that's a darn shame. Ah well, guess I'll just have to settle for the company of my sweet and ever-feisty compadre Jolene," said Grubba as he bounced his eyebrow playfully in her direction. Jolene visibly grimaced at his advance.
"Don't even go there, you smug, sorry sack of-"
"AHEM! Annnyway," Don Frankie interrupted. "All I know is, dis whole thing better go off without a hitch, capiche? I invested good money in dis 'opportunity,' and I expect big returns."
"And you'll get them," Alpha assured him. "Trust me, Don. There's no better muscle you'd want in your corner than someone who has mastered the power of Essence, and this tournament will show us just who is up to the task. Any single one of the competitors would likely have Ishnail and all of his mindless thugs kissing the ground you stand on."
"Now dat is a mighty big helpin' of praise you're servin' up, Alpha. If dese combatants are really dat tough, den why ain't any of 'em sittin' at dis table right now?"
"Because someone's gotta be down there in front of the stands putting on a good show," said Omega. "Quality entertainment is what's goin' to put butts in those seats and coins back in your wallet. Unfortunately, there's an awful lot of rough buryin' all the diamonds. But diggin' 'em up is all part of the process."
"Right-o!" Grubba agreed as he raised a glass for a toast. "Here's hopin' ol' Frankie won't be the only one here to make a killin on this gravy train!" The others clinked their glasses in the center; some participants being more enthusiastic about the prospect than others.
Meanwhile, Pauline continued to sit silently in the back of the room; desperately wishing she could vanish into thin air at that moment.
A thin ray of sunshine beat down on Larry's eyes until they flickered open from the warmth. He squirmed back into consciousness and soon realized that a mildly irritating screech was crawling its way into his head. The Koopaling slowly sat up in his seat.
The train was coming to a stop. Roy, Daisy, and Diddy were all so fixated on their new surroundings just out the window that it seemed they hadn't even noticed he'd woken up.
They had arrived in Rogueport. They certainly weren't in the Mushroom Kingdom anymore. That much became evident almost immediately.
Stepping out onto the train's platform, the group's noses were immediately assaulted by an invisible, all-encompassing humidity mixed with the overpowering stench of rotten eggs and body odor. It was enough to make each of them sweaty and slightly nauseous within seconds. Despite Goombella insisting they temper their expectations, Larry still somehow found the city to be even more of a dump than he had been imagining.
As the group descended the stairs into the commotion of the bustling town, Roy's best efforts to watch his step proved meaningless. This was because the first step he took off the boarding platform had placed his foot squarely in the center of a sticky puddle formed from some horrible, unknown spilled liquid. The cobblestone streets were littered with trash, broken wooden chairs, dented trash cans, and grease stains as far as the eye could see. Each and every dilapidated building that lined the street was covered in colorful - albeit illegible - graffiti.
On nearly every street corner, an unsettling character was perched and staring right at the team as they walked by with eyes like daggers. Some thugs were taller and somehow even more muscular than Roy. While the smaller, more plump ones simply allowed their partially unsheathed knives and crooked scowls do all the talking.
With rogues all around, the city was certainly living up to its name and reputation. But even the abundant filth and gang members together were really only half the problem.
It seemed that for every one thug that loomed ominously nearby, Larry and the others were bombarded by three or four shady merchants getting up close and personal to sell them some overpriced merchandise or contract that positively reeked of a scam. Daisy in particular took the brunt of this onslaught as most of these con artists specialized in selling gaudy jewelry or mildly intriguing curios that admittedly tickled at Daisy's playful, adventurous side.
The cherry on top however, was the gallows in the town plaza; complete with a rope noose swinging gently back and forth in the breeze like a pendulum. Larry, Roy, Daisy, and Diddy all arrived at the same conclusion in their minds, even if they hadn't realized it.
Rogueport was a lawless, down-trodden, crime-infested slum unlike anywhere else in the world.
Despite his annoyance at their persistent pestering, Larry couldn't help but feel sorry for some of these people deep down. Most of them were dressed only in rags and looked as though they hadn't had a decent meal in weeks. Not to mention they smelled as if they hadn't had a bath in even longer than that. It reminded him vaguely of his childhood days at the orphanage. In a way, he could almost relate to the struggle of these people.
He knew what that felt like. He'd lived it firsthand for the first several years of his life.
Even at a young age and in the company of Roy and the other children, Larry hadn't been blind to the struggle with poverty that they all shared at the orphanage. Food was always scarce and the house was in a constant state of disrepair. A shortage of blankets made the winter nights almost unbearable, and an AC that broke down constantly made the summers just as miserable. Roy had done his best to shield all of this from Larry, but the youngest Koopaling was never fooled. He wasn't proud of the life he came from before Bowser had adopted him, but he wasn't blind to the reality of it either.
Prior to the group's departure from the Mushroom Kingdom, Goombella had described Rogueport as a "transition town" of sorts.
It was full of all kinds of people from all over the world; sailors, merchants, thieves, wanted criminals, entrepreneurs, and travelers. Most who came through Rogueport never stayed for very long. They were only passing through from one destination en route to the other. Not everyone you would meet in Rogueport was out to hurt or steal from you. Although, those kinds of people were definitely the minority. Still, most people found in Rogueport at any given time had places to be, while others just wanted to be left alone. The ones who actually stayed and lived in Rogueport full-time were merely drifters. They had nowhere else to go, so here they stayed until something chased them out; whether that was the alluring aroma of a treacherous treasure hunt on the high seas, or just a warrant for their arrest.
If it weren't for the trains, boats, and blimp driving foot traffic through the streets and keeping the town's economy afloat, Rogueport would have likely crumbled back into ruins by now; much like the now-extinct kingdom it had been built on top of thousands of years ago. Tourists and travelers were the sole demographic for the merchants of Rogueport. But only the truly foolish stayed in town for very long; lest they kiss those hefty bags of coins in their back pockets goodbye.
As the team crossed through the plaza towards the east side, Daisy suddenly collided head-on with someone whom had been briskly walking in the opposite direction. Each of them fell to the ground. Larry, Roy and Diddy all stopped and turned to take in what had just transpired.
"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! Are you okay?" Daisy exclaimed. The princess had run right into a handsome gentleman in a brown business suit with well-groomed sandy blonde hair and glasses; whom was now sprawled out on the disgusting street.
"Yes, yes. I'm alright," the man replied as he sat up and Roy helped the gentleman back up to his feet. "It's equally my fault. Truth be told, I wasn't at all looking where I was going."
Larry retrieved a briefcase the man had dropped in the incident while Diddy gathered the maps and loose papers that had been sent fluttering about in the incident.
"A friend of ours told us that's dangerous in a place like this," said Larry. "No better way to get robbed by a pickpocket."
"Your friend certainly sounds like they have the necessary street smarts," the man replied as he dusted himself off, retrieved his belongings, and adjusted his glasses. "Thankfully, I don't plan on staying here for very long."
"Still, I'm totally embarrassed I let that happen just now," said Daisy. "You sure you're okay? That looked like a nasty fall you just took."
"Please, don't trouble yourself," the man replied as he raised a palm, though still frowning. "I assure you I'm quite alright. I know I may not look it, but I promise you I don't break that easily." Daisy and the others all eyeballed the man together and weren't entirely convinced.
This guy definitely looked like the "bookworm" type. Despite his tall stature, he was incredibly slim and his skin was somewhat pale. The man didn't at all seem capable of holding his own in a fist fight, and it wasn't just because of his formal attire. If he was unfortunate enough to get into a conflict with any one of the shady characters looming around, he'd most certainly lose. If nothing else, his troubled frown and distant eyes didn't exude much self-confidence. This town would most certainly chew up and spit out a fragile demeanor like that.
"As a gentleman, I should be the one asking if you're okay, ma'am," the man continued.
"Huh? Me? Oh! Yeah! I'm just fine!" Daisy replied. "I can hold my own. But I guess I do just look like the helpless damsel on the outside though, huh?" she asked as she glanced down at her dress. The man gave her a quick glance from head to toe once more. Yet again, he continued to give her his obtuse, troubled frown.
"Perhaps. Anyway, where are my manners? I'm Flynn," the man introduced as he stuck out his hand. Daisy shook it and introduced herself and her companions in return.
"Nice to meet ya. Where are you headed?" Diddy asked.
"Me? I was just on my way to the docks. There's a boat I need to catch," Flynn answered.
"Ah, I getcha. Headed home?" Roy inquired. Flynn shook his head.
"Not quite. I'm heading out on an expedition down south. You see, I'm a researcher."
"Researcher, eh? Ever heard of Professor Kolorado?" asked Larry. Flynn pondered this for a second before answering.
"Sure, I've heard of him, but we've never met. The world of research is quite vast, after all. Not everyone in it necessarily knows each other. Might I assume you are acquainted with him though, seeing as how you brought his name up?"
"Yeah, we met up with him not too long ago," Daisy affirmed.
"How fortunate. Are…all of you on an expedition as well?" Flynn asked as he eyeballed them skeptically.
"You could say that," Roy answered cryptically for his comrades.
"I see. Then you must be on your way to see Professor Frankly," Flynn surmised.
"Huh? How'd you know that?" Larry asked.
"Call it a hunch. It's quite the obvious deduction if you are who you say. Professor Frankly is a world-renowned researcher living in Rogueport. All the brilliant minds seek out his guidance."
"Including your's?" Roy probed.
"If only I could be so lucky," Flynn replied; shaking his head humbly as he pressed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose using two of his fingers. "You see, I specialize in a…different kind of research; one that is likely outside the professor's field of expertise."
"And what would that be?" Larry inquired. Flynn examined his pocket watch.
"As much as I would love to tell you more about it, I'm afraid I really must be on my way. I'm already running late as it is," Flynn explained. "I don't mean to be impolite. But my boat will be departing soon, and I'd rather not have to stay in this town overnight to catch another one tomorrow if I can help it."
"Can't blame you," Daisy agreed with a shrug. "Don't let us hold you up."
"Before I depart however, I assume you're looking for Professor Frankly's house, correct? Do you know how to get there from here?"
"We'll find our way around," said Roy.
"Well, as a means of showing that there's no hard feelings about our 'encounter' today, perhaps I can offer you some assistance in that regard," said Flynn as he cleared his throat. "The professor's house is just down the street in the east district. You were actually headed in the correct direction already."
"Cool, thanks, Flynn," said Larry as the group began to walk away.
"Although, if I may, a word of caution," Flynn continued. Everyone stopped and looked back at him. "Perhaps you already know this, but Rogueport has been at the heart of a turf war for many years now."
"Turf war?" Daisy parroted. Flynn nodded.
"Tensions between two rivaling gangs have only escalated as time has gone by. One side has since managed to gain complete control over the city. But that has only made Rogueport even more treacherous for common folk like ourselves than it was ten years ago."
"What's your point?" Diddy replied.
"You're about to head directly into the center of Ishnail's territory," Flynn elaborated.
"Ishnail?" Larry repeated. "Who's that?"
"He's the leader of the crime syndicate in Rogueport," Flynn explained. "His victory over the Piantas in the turf war a few years ago has only made him even more ruthless with power. In turn, the east district of Rogueport has since become the most dangerous part of the city by far. All I'm saying is, please be very careful as you make your way to the professor's house. Keep your eyes open at all times. Don't stay there any longer than you have to. Otherwise, you might start to attract the unwanted attention of Ishnail's observants."
"Got it, we'll keep our guard up then. Thanks," said Larry. Flynn nodded, then turned and quickly strolled away without so much as a "goodbye."
As the group turned and prepared to set out once more, Roy couldn't help but look back and stare.
Yet, their new acquaintance seemed to have already vanished out of sight within the bustling crowd behind them in a matter of seconds.
"Hey, you alright…?" Larry probed.
"Hmm? Yeah…I'm good. C'mon, let's get movin'," said Roy; dismissing the small disquiet from his mind as he turned to follow the others.