Chapter 4: The Cowardly Koopa
"Well, are we ready to head out?" Goombella asked.
"Not yet." Nazz said. "We just got to wait for Double D to be back."
Mario, Nazz and Goombella waited at the town square.
Double D was visibly coming up from the stairs to the center. In one hand, he held a long metal rod. On the rod was engraved 'SS Intelligence.'
"What are you doing with that stuff?" Nazz asked.
"I went back to the sailboat and extracted some supplies from it. This, um, rod I have is for battle." Double held it out to show them.
"But you hate violence." Nazz pointed out.
"I also hate the fact that our friends are missing, and a kingdom is in terrible danger. I have to do this, whether I like it or not." Double D said in resignation.
"Right, and without any more time to loose, we got to head for Petal meadows." Goombella reminded them.
They all nodded in response, then headed for the pipe leading underground.
"I know there's a pipe leading to the meadows down there." Goombella said.
"Right." Nazz said. Mario jumped into the pipe, with Goombella, Double D, and Nazz in the rear.
After a few minutes of searching through the underground chambers, they emerged from the pipe in a field. It was a field of grass surrounded by flowers and tall trees. There where hills beyond that, and over them was a castle in the far distance.
"In difference to Rougeport, this place is beautiful." Nazz said with a smile. "I bet Jimmy and Sarah would have loved to be here."
"Okay, we got to find that star." Goombella said, getting to the point. "We can gaze at the pretty field later."
They walked down a path.
Then quickly, without warning, Goombella forced all of them down to the grass underneath them.
"What is the meaning of this?" Double D asked.
"Look up… but don't scream." she said.
They looked up and saw a dragon ahead of them. It was red colored and had a long tail with a hook at the end of it, and even from a distance, it was apparent about just how enormous it was. A distant roar sent chills through their hearts. They all watched it fly farther and farther, until it disappeared behind the castle in the distance.
"What the heck was that!" Nazz asked when they realized they were safe.
"I have no idea!" Goombella shouted. "But I don't need a definition of that beast to know that this place probably isn't safe. We need to, like, get out of this area, and continue down the path."
Their walking became a running pace. As they ventured down the path, they saw some evil Goombas ahead of them. They easily took them out. They felt confident until they found another new creature, a turtle one, with shades and a red shell.
"Koopas." Goombella warned them.
"Man, these have a higher defense." Nazz said as her punch did less damage to it.
"You have to-a-jump on them." Mario said.
He jumped into the air and landed on it, knocking it on its back.
"In that state, it cannot get up and is susceptible to attack." Goombella stated.
"Right, then now I shall move." Double D said, adopting a determined look on his face. "You have to let your fear of getting hurt subside. There's too much at stake to be craven."
He ran to the Koopa with his rod and struck it. It called out in a bit of pain, and it ran away after forcing itself up at last.
"We did it." Goombella said. "Like, we got to keep going." she said. They agreed again and continued down the path.
They reached a fence and saw a gate leading into a town. It looked pleasant and calm, with nice looking houses.
"Hey there." A koopa said, walking towards them. "Welcome to Petalburg. I'm surprised to see you in this place. We haven't had much visitors nearby here since Hooktail appeared nearby this place."
"Hooktail?" Double D asked.
"A red dragon with a hook shaped tail." The koopa explained.
"We saw that on the way here. It passed over is its flight." Double D recalled.
"You are so lucky it didn't see you. Otherwise, it would have devoured you people." The koopa said.
"So anyway, have any of you heard about anything concerning a Crystal star?" Nazz asked.
"No, never heard of that thing. Maybe the mayor can help." The koopa suggested.
"Thank you for your cooperation." Mario said gratefully and offered his hand.
The koopa shook his hand and walked away.
"Okay, I think you guys deserve a break." Mario said, turning to the others.
"Hm?" Goombella asked.
"Well, you three did get a few hits from the fights on the way here." Mario said. He pointed to a house that said 'Inn' on it. "You three rest-a-here while I seek out the mayor."
"Thanks, Mario." Nazz said gratefully.
He left into the town while the others walked into the house.
"Welcome to the Inn. A quick rest here is 5 coins per group." The Innkeeper said.
"Here you are." Goombella handed her 5 coins.
"Enjoy your stay." The inn keeper said politely.
"I'm taking a nap." Nazz said, walking over to the bed.
"Go ahead, I have to try find some clues... This whole thing is a lot to take in, you know." Double D told her.
"Don't you want to rest?" Nazz asked.
"No. I have too much on my mind."
Nazz shrugged and left him be. Though he felt tired, nothing could let him sleep.
"This situation has gotten out of hand. I hope the others became as lucky as us."
"Nazz, wake up. We must go now. Mario found out where we must venture. The castle where Hooktail lives."
"What?" Nazz asked, opening her eyes and seeing Double D above her.
"Well, first we have to find a Moon stone and a Sun stone to open the way there." Double D explained.
Shaking her head, Nazz sat up on the bed and took a moment to stretch her limbs before following Double D out of the Inn. They walked out of the Inn after bidding the keeper goodbye, and proceeded until they reached a gate. The koopa guarding it opened the gate for them.
"Hey, wait!" A small voice called out.
They turned and saw a Koopa, this one dressed in a blue shirt and in dark blue pants. He had a band-aid on his nose, and a sad look on his face.
"Is there something we can help you with?" Goombella asked.
"I um… I wanted to ask…" He was having trouble speaking, as being very nervous about something. It seemed suddenly after that however he lost all of his confidence. "Forget it. Forget we even met. I'm so sorry to hold you up."
And with a face of despair and a tear running down his face, the koopa walked away solemnly.
"What was his problem?" Goombella asked. "Right, well then… we got to head out."
But Double D himself now felt depressed. It was in his nature to help others, and he hated to see anyone upset like that.
"You go ahead, I've got something to take care of." Double D said, walking away.
"What, you're leaving?" Nazz asked.
"Don't worry, I shall join you shortly. You venture forth." Double D said reassuringly before continuing his walk.
"Okay, but come back when you're done." Nazz called out after him.
"I promise I will." He said and waved them goodbye before then followed the Koopa in despair.
The Koopa walked into his house and shut the door behind him. Though he didn't want to eavesdrop, Double D wanted to help, and he placed an ear on the door. He could hear the poor Koopa crying within.
Double D heard enough about this. He knocked on the door.
The koopa answered it a second later, with a tear on his face.
"Um… I saw you with those other people who are going to storm Hooktail's castle." he noticed. "Why have you come here?"
"I wanted to know what you had to say." Double D said.
The Koopa gasped.
"You actually care about what I have to say?" He asked.
"Of course. I won't let you suffer like that. By the way, I'm Double D."
"Koops." He said back. "…. Okay, if you honestly care about my story, then please listen. All of my life, I've been called a weakling. I was bullied and made fun of because of my lack of confidence. …so, they treated me like an outcast."
"I know how you feel." Double D said sympathetically. "Where I come from, I was mostly that."
'But I have friends, this one doesn't.'
"Well, my real worries lately are Hooktail itself. You see, ten years from this very day, my father went to slay the dragon that was terrorizing this town. But he never returned from the castle. Now, after his disappearance, I have decided to finish what he tried to start. I feel it as a duty I must fulfill. I tried to ask you and your friends if I could help you by coming with you on your mission to go after the beast, but then I remembered how weak I am. I know I would be no use to you."
"Koops, that's a very emotional story." Double D said.
"But I want to get stronger. You see, there's this girl in town, named Koopie Koo, that I… seriously like. I want her to like me back, and I feel that the only way to do it is to save the town from the dragon." Koops said.
"Well then, I know now that you must come with me and my team." Double D offered.
"Seriously? You want me to help?" Koops asked with a hopeful look on his face.
"Of course. Coming with us can be your way to getting stronger." Double D said with a supporting smile.
"Well then, I accept. Thank you so much." Koops said gratefully.
"Hey, Double D!" Nazz's voice shouted.
Double D and Koops were about to head for the team when they had returned back the town.
"Sorry, I didn't meet you sooner. Did everything turn out all right?" Double D asked.
Nazz stood in a proud stance and held a moon shaped and a sun shaped stone.
"Now we can go to Hooktail's castle where the crystal star should be." Goombella said.
"Who's-a-that?" Mario asked, noticing Koops.
"Hello, I'm Koops." Koops said shyly.
"He shall be coming with us." Double D said.
"But Double D-" Nazz started.
"He's more than welcome to come with us." Double D quickly said.
Nazz didn't understand but nodded.
"Now then, I think we had best travel to this castle at once." Double D stated.