FSE

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Roy enjoyed his job more than anyone else could. A blisteringly perfect day that had become immensely dull and devoid of any action or crimes to attend to, which were the days he really preferred because that meant he was doing his job good if people were not encouraged to resort to such means. He sat up at the cafe in Toad Town's square basking in the sunlight, enjoying a hearty latte whilst in full town guard uniform of sleek chainmail and blue cloak with spear and shield placed carefully at his side. James was still at home recuperating and he planned to check on him after work, but for now he just enjoyed the peace and solitude of the Mushroom Kingdom. Toads, goombas, koopas and bob-ombs wandered back and forth dealing with their usual jobs carrying briefcases either by hand, mouth or magnetic clip. The only thing that he pondered on was the story he heard from Charlie the other day which ended rather abruptly. He almost did not hear the frenzied chaos from behind him as there came a sweeping cloud of dust.

"Hmm, lunch break's early."

A horde of goombas came rumbling down the way, at least three dozen across the square heading straight for the restaurant that specialised in goomnut delicacies, the waddling brown rock-shaped beasts causing the chairs and tables to rattle as Roy greeted them.

"Hey Goomill, hey Goomess, big Geeee whut is up, miss Goomamina, Goomrahim, Bob, Shybert-wait whut?"

Surfing on top of the goombas against his will was a red shy guy with a green-and-yellow tie flapping constantly against his face, bumping constantly against the gaggle of heads below him like a broken car's suspension.

"O-ow, ow, ow, OW, ow, o-o-ow, c-can you p-put me dow-own, please?! OW!"

Eventually one goomba realised and bonked him off the group, as the herd corralled into the restaurant leaving Shybert stranded on the midst of the paved street. The raptor looked down upon him smiling as he nodded.

"Afternoon."

"Hwoh...h-hello mister MacGregor, h-how are you?"

"Doin' good. Not much goin' on, got no crimes to report so that's good."

"That's wonderful, glad to know our city is being kept safe."

"You call this a city?"

"Well actually yes you're right, we once could not be considered a city unless we had a university hwoh. But we are a town because we have a market, but the legal definition has changed over the years and if a town has a sizeable enough population then we can legally be considered a city."

"And is this a city?"

"No, we don't have enough population to be called a city, plus Toad Town would be rather redundant wouldn't it?"

"Ah guess. Ahm surprised considering this is thuh very centre of your kingdom, ah expected it to be much larger."

"That's the good thing about our kingdom, every township has a purpose. We don't become a city with everything because otherwise other towns would have nothing to give, so everybody works to bring something for the community both here and aboard hwoh."

"Huh, very socialist of you. You wanna sit up with me, they got sum great lattes up here."

"Oh yes, thank you."

Shybert clambered up onto the seat and made his order whilst Roy simply relaxed. The sounds of the commonplace square with workers wandering to and fro allowed him to slip almost into a peaceful sleep. Not that he wanted because he was on duty but he felt that he could if he wanted to. He rested his head back for a moment savouring the sweet clean air full of the rich smells of cooking from pastries to hot drinks until his guest asked him:

"How long have you known James?"

"...mmm?"

He reared his head back up curiously towards the red-suited shy guy.

"I never really spoke much with you, and if I may be frank, never really knew much about James in general so I am quite fascinated in your background."

"We came from Dinosaur Land, but different parts of it. He left first, ahm not sure why, you'd have to ask him but ah left because ah had noplace else to go. Had no family, no friends, nobody, just wandered a good many years until ah found James, we became pals, eventually ah end up here."

"I wouldn't mind hearing about that sometime, I've never met anyone from Dinosaur Land if I'm quite being honest hwoh."

"Whut about you, how long you known Koopin?"

"Oh ever since he returned back to the office so really can't have been more than about twelve years, actually more like eleven and a half. I was his supervisor, have you heard that whole story?"

"Uhhhh...some of it, actually ah wuz wonderin' since we're here, chattin' an' stuff."

He put down his latte and carefully moved himself forwards to ask something that had been bugging him ever since he last stayed at the Kennidons' house.

"You know Charlie, their chomp righ'?"

"Oh, hohoho yes. How could I forget."

"Just that uhm...James, told me that sumthin' strange happened with Charlie involving sum weird professor guy, lahk Koopin wuz attendin' a party an-"

"OH! OH! Let me guess, you want to know what happened after?!"

"Actually, yes."

"OHHHH goodie! I've been waiting to tell you all about this, how much do you know?! Because this is QUITE a fascinating story if I do say myself, hwohohoh!"

"Just that part, ah know about Koopin gettin' back to the office and him wanting to be a DJ, then he met up with you, but...ah only got as far as Charlie...sumthin' happened."

"Well, I shall gladly tell all about this because I was actually pretty involved in this bit, let's see it must have been about what...ten or eleven years back? Where would you want me to start?"

"Just tell me whut happened from this professor's lab onwards, lahk Charlie wuz down there, he got involved in an experiment, an-"

"OH YES, yes I remember this, now let me tell you...about our story and what was to be a great, very odd adventure for me and Koopin, but for the sake of his good health and dare I say his sanity. And I will only say, that this involves especially not me, or Koopin...but of a different professor whom he had met sometime ago."

Roy folded his arms and listened intently to his new storyteller, wondering what his deal was as Shybert slowly lured him in to his most eager narrative.

---

The Rising Fallen Star

Chapter 4: Kolorado

Koopin awoke to find himself in a strange underground laboratory. At least that's what he suspected it had once been, judging from the smashed tables and spilt beakers with shattered glass completely littering the floor in front of him. A giant portal stood twelve feet tall on the other side of the room now rendered inert as his mind struggled to piece together the last few moments of consciousness he had previously. Professor Gadd was slowly sitting up against the wall blinking as he broke the silence first.

"Goodness...wh-what happened?"

"I...I don't know. Why am I here?"

"I...I-i-i don't know either, my memory is rather fuzzy though it would not be the first time if I were admitting. At least the spectral resonance chamber isn't damaged, I would be extremely frustrated to have to fix THAT again."

"Fix...I-i was here for something, my head...I came back from the mansion, after the party and I-...wait."

Koopin stumbled up onto his feet, forgetting he had his backpack on which sent him nearly hitting against the wall as his eyes blinked with panic.

"CH-CHARLIE?! CHARLIE! CHARLIE WHERE ARE YOU!? CH-CHARLIE, COME ON BOY! C-COME HERE BOY, IT'S...IT'S ALRIGHT NOW!"

"Wait...where is he?!"

"I DON'T KNOW, CHARLIE! CHARLIE COME ON, IT...IT'S TIME TO GO, CHARLIE! Charlie?!?"

"The last thing I remember was the...gate going supernova over something. Charlie! Chaaaaarlie come on now! That's enough uh...fun for one day."

But there was no sign of anything resembling Charlie. Throughout the subterranean home there was nothing. No sound could be heard but for crows singing raucous melodies faintly from the forest. Koopin became frantic, searching desperately beneath the couch, through the cupboards and outside screaming into the woods.

"CHARLIE!?! CHARLIIIIIIE! CHARLIE COME ON! WH-WHERE ARE YOU CHARLIE?! CHARLIIIIE!"

"K-koopin let me check the tapes!"

"What?!"

"The tapes, I have security cameras in my lab, well actually they're not for security but for recording experiments bu-"

"I DON'T CARE JUST SHOW ME!"

"Right, of course!"

Heading back down into E Gadd's house, the lone security monitor that was set up in his bedroom was well-protected from what seemed like every kind of interference. A pale yellow duvet covered his simple bed with lamp on a bedside table and a bathroom through a door opposite of the bed, to the right of the television itself. Professor Gadd switched the channel to the closed circuit camera, rewinding to what appeared to be an hour ago as they saw Charlie standing in front of the blinding bright portal. Koopin rushed onto the scene, shouting as Gadd tried to restrain him from interfering, politely as possible. There came a scream through the room as a resounding shockwave pummelled both of them into the wall, but Charlie stood fast barking furiously at the shrieking gate. Another blast sent Koopin and Gadd to unconsciousness before a piercing ball of light went shooting across the room. Charlie leapt to attack it before it could reach Koopin, and it was only then that the footage cut off into a screech of static. The tape resumed with a missing space of what seemed to be eight minutes passed showing no trace of the chain chomp anywhere.

"...no......n-no."

Sitting down on the bed made Koopin feel his legs begin turning weak. His hand rose to his face with warm shivering of fear.

"Th-th-this is not...this is not happening."

"I...I do not know what to say."

"He...wh-wh-what was that...thing, that scream, th-th-that THING that took...t-tell me, tell me that's not-"

"I'm...sorry Koopin. I fear that...something whatever that may be has spirited away your...uh, Charlie."

"......sorry?"

Koopin stood up as his voice turned deathly still.

"You're. Sorry."

"Y-yes. I-i-i mean-...I...I swear I did not know, what was going to happen. I thought it was simply a test, not this, I-i thought-"

" NOOOOOOOO!"

His screech almost burnt his throat as Gadd stepped back with flinching feet.

"YOU WERE SUPPOSED TO KEEP HIM SAFE! THE MOMENT I TURNED MY BACK YOU MAKE HIM AN EXPERIMENT?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!?"

"K-koopin let me explain, he was emitting some strange energy and I just HAD to figure out what it was and he was just-I-i couldn't let the chance escape, I didn't know-"

"YOU DIDN'T KNOW!? YOU'RE A SCIENTIST, YOU TELLING ME YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT THING WAS GOING TO DO?!"

"I-i may be a scientist but I will admit that science does not know everything-"

"_YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING YOU STUPID IDIOT! _"

The urge to rush him and punch the living hell out of the professor almost overwhelmed Koopin's senses. It was very hard to resist, but instead he managed to maintain his control by stomping all of his rage into his feet as he marched closer to the human.

"I...trusted you, to look after my Charlie. All I ask, is that people, GOOD people do exactly what I ask, I do everything people tell me to do, I do my job, I look after my chomp, I pay my bills, and all I want is when I ASK somebody to do something for me, they do it out of trust and respect. And YOU took advantage of my little chomp-"

"I-i-i was certain he would be safe-"

"_YOU THOUGHT WRONG! NOW YOU'RE DEAD! _"

His fist slammed past E. Gadd's cheek, pounding thickly into the wall as fury seeped into his being almost pouring through his tear-streaked pupils. Before he could even contemplate restraining where to put his hands upon the professor's body, the sound of propellers came from above causing them to look up at the ceiling.

"Wh-who is...what...what is that?!"

"Oh dear," murmured Gadd, "I fear that perhaps I may have become TOO indiscreet."

"Who...who is it, Gadd? WHAT did you do?"

"You'll soon find out. Rather I hoped that you didn't."

It all happened so quick. The bursting slam of the front open door, the sounds of ruthless feet coming down like an infantry upon them as soon the entire house was filled with koopas wearing smooth black suits, grey shells and sunglasses. Fire flowers, ice flowers, boomerangs and hammers lined up before them threatening as orders were shouted amongst mixed radio communications up top.

"GET DOWN, PUT YOUR HANDS UP!"

"Mother this is twenty-seven, we have visual I repeat, visual on suspects."

"Readings are high on anomalies, getting some mean F-waves up here!"

"I SAID GET DOWN, NOW!"

Gadd almost went to the floor automatically, doing precisely as they asked whilst Koopin was too flustered to react before he was pounced, not even able to hide inside his shell before he was manhandled swiftly. His backpack was taken from him and scanned before being emptied out to reveal his keyboard set and a few other miscellaneous items.

"No weapons confirmed, suspect two is clean!"

"WH-WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WHO ARE YOU!? WHAT THE SHELL IS THIS?!"

"Something that should not be," said an old female voice crooning from the stairs.

"Wh-wha, HUH!?"

"Bring them up. Let them see."

The intruders lifted Koopin and Gadd whilst binding their hands tightly behind them with cuffs made of solid steel as a shadow walked into the room. A robe of solid indigo, a witch's hat and horn-rimmed glasses balanced upon her crusted beak. The female that entered the room made Koopin gasp inwardly as he soon realised what trouble he was in as she walked closer with arms behind her back.

"Professor Elvin Gadd. How I wished we would not meet again."

"...hello, Klammy."

Koopin knew exactly who she was but seeing Gadd's face turn snarling with contempt made him all the more shocked he would ever take that tone with her. She simply smiled however with her cheeks pulling back like an aged bronze curtain.

"Hmhmhmhm...typical, resorting to schoolyard name-calling like any university dropout."

"I know why you are here, so please dispense with formalities."

"If you so knew, then why even bother doing this? I warned you what would happen if your experiments went up again, that little jaunt into dimension zero-six-six was NOT appreciated."

"I did research of beneficial interest, that mansion was a goldmine of spectral activity how could you possibly condemn me for such a thing still?!"

"Because you KNOW the rules about dimensional traffic, of which there should not BE any dimensional traffic whatsoever unless you are of a spectral nature roaming the farplanes."

"I was of a spectral nature when I travelled between worlds, technically!"

"There is no TECHNICALLY and I would hope that you learnt your lesson!"

"I did not leave this dimension in any form WHATsoever for the past six years I'll have you know!"

"Don't play innocent with me, you know very well why I'm here. Twenty-six!"

A koopa saluted from behind with boots clicking against each other, whilst holding a sophisticated device the size of a remote that shimmered with a dozen lights.

"Status!" she called.

"We have a class-three," said 26, "spectral anomaly, breach from minus-one."

"What power level?"

"Sixty."

"...my stars. You...are in so very...VERY deep trouble my dear Elvin."

The female koopa soon turned towards Koopin as if finally noticing he was in the same room as her whilst adjusting her glasses. She walked round to behind him noticing the shell pattern unique to him, showing two arrows pointing upwards as she nodded.

"You're awful far off the beaten path, aren't you mister Kennidon?"

"...you...know who I am?"

"Do you forget that we met before, when mister Campbell came to our castle after my lord and master rescued you? Besides, I know the name of every koopa in this kingdom by their shell markings alone. What I don't know is why you are associating with this imbecilic reprobate."

"I am NOT associated with him. But why are you here, what's with all these guys in shell suits?"

"We are the KIB. The Koopa Investigative Bureau."

"I...I never heard of it."

"Good citizens never do."

"Wait wait wait h-hold on."

Roy stopped Shybert in his mid-narrative to ask quite carefully.

"How come you know all of this, when you weren't even there?"

"Oh, I was filled in later when I became part of the...um, l-later events."

"Isn't this sum kinda big secret government thing? Lahk, you should not be able to know about this, in fact aren't you breaking thuh law by just tellin' me?"

"Nope, because Koopin told me that both you AND James were met by the KIB, so you have full disclosure on their very existence as well as the events that have occurred during James' absence, hwoh. That...that IS true right?"

Roy smiled politely at the foresight Koopin had shown with such an explanation, despite the fact that Shybert still seemed completely oblivious to the fact that both him and James were not even from this dimension at all. Need-to-know basis it seemed.

"Yeah, ah know of them. James and I are uh, special cases so we had to sign an official secrets act, but I am aware about this incident. Ah just don't know thuh specific details."

"OH, good, so I can continue without contempt of court or future imprisonment, that's good now let's continue."

"We are specifically an organisation who maintain and isolate dimensional interference, such as the one our mutual...friend here has been performing."

"Wh-wh-what?"

"We have time to explain later but what I want to ask you is, were you here at the time of this incident? And don't pretend because my subordinates know just from picking up the spectral readings from you that you were present."

"Then why even bother asking?"

"Procedure. I am sure you understand as someone who works in the TGA."

"But...look. I'm not part of his experiment, whatever it was, I am not involved with him."

"He's right," insisted Gadd, "not involved whatsoever-"

"SILENCE!" snapped Ms. Kammy. "You will speak when you are spoken to and nothing less, is that clear?!"

"Clearer than your eyes are...miss."

The witch responded by clicking her fingers which summoned her magic wand out of thin air, a grand golden staff that was at least half her height whilst tipped with a red glistening ruby as she brought it towards E. Gadd's face.

"I will gladly show you what it's like to have the eyes of a worm to match what you are, now...missssterrrrr Kennidon."

She twirled her staff like a baton as she strode back and forth like a drill instructor. The younger koopa before her was torn between fear, upset and outright fury struggling to maintain their decency before the elder sorceress.

"If you are not part of this experiment then why are you here?"

"I was at the party nearby," said Koopin, "up at...the mansion, but I couldn't get in because...I had a chain chomp, they...they weren't allowing pets so I...I know Gadd because he helped...James so he would...look after my Charlie. But he decided to use him as a test subject, and when I got back he...h-h-he was...s-something h-happened to Charlie and I d-don't know what and it's HIS...f-fault."

Tears came bitterly through and down his cheeks as Kammy nodded solemnly. Without even asking, she walked towards the TV still showing the footage from the lab only minutes previously. She rewound the tape showing what Koopin struggled to explain truthfully, the chain chomp disappearing but during the static break, she paused rather oddly upon its flickering snow with intrigue.

"Sixty-one, go decode this footage, there might be something in this break of interference."

"Yes ma'am."

The agent that was holding Koopin went to take the security tape and headed back upstairs whilst Kammy ordered the two residents to make their way back into the laboratory, which was being searched carefully by a small group of black-suited koopas with measuring devices. Koopin felt his raging upset slowly return to him as the shock began to waver from his mind whilst Kammy inspected the giant portal.

"This blasted resonance chamber you just simply can't get rid of, can't you Gadd?!"

"That was not the one from before, I made a new and improved one!"

"Clearly it did its job rather TOO well. I see you managed to overcome that catalyst converter problem from last time."

"Yes actually it was quite incredible, it all started one day whilst I was toasting peanut-buttered bread an-"

"This is not a science fair you dimwit this is your arrest warrant! Rest assured you will be toasting quite plenty in His Majesty's oubliette!"

"OHHH you're just jealous of my research admit it! Admit it you belligerent old cow!"

"HAH! Jealous, ME?! I am one of the great king Bowser's royal viziers, I command an entire ARMY, I have been at his side during the Star Rod fiasco when we almost COMPLETELY attained pure GODHOOD! What do I have to be jealous of from an INSECT such as you?!"

"The fact that I have far greater credibility in the scientific community than you ever will!"

"Says the buffoon who got expelled from university after exploding the boiler full of exothermic ectoplasm!"

"At least I still have my dignity. And my skin remains as smooth as a baby's bottom unlike your cragged face."

Ka-CHIK. The sound of her wand clicking to pulse fiercely against his face with a sheer intensity of a burning furnace as she glowered venomously.

"...this...illustrious complexion takes up to THREE HOURS A DAY to perfect, you miserable fleshface. You are under arrest, you WILL be fixing this mistake and so help me Bowser I will see you thrown into the darkest dungeon beneath my lord and master where you shall belong!"

"Ma'am!"

The voice of one of her agents called out as she walked over to see one of them sealing up a paper strip into a ziplock bag.

"Found something. Giving off some focal waves."

"Intensity?"

"Seven-point-three."

"Hmmmm, looks like a receipt of some sort, but...can't quite make it out, take it back to the lab and try to restore it."

"What about Charlie?"

She turned towards Koopin who found enough peace to speak his mind more openly.

"What...whatever that thing was, it...t-took Charlie away from me. Wh-what's going to happen, can you...find him miss?"

"We shall do everything we can mister Kennidon. For now we are just compiling some clues and the professor is going to help us."

"Wh-wh-what?! Why?!"

"Because he understands his own machines better than I do, also I have every right to force him to correct his mistake. Now, you have explained why you are here, would you like to explain how this came to be, Elvin?"

"Certainly," said Professor Gadd. "Now that someone finally allows me to-"

"Shut your blithering melonhead for just ONCE and tell me what you were doing, now."

"Alright alright don't...interrupt me for Peach's sake! When I was approached by Koopin, he asked me to look after his chomp and being that I was a friend of James, I thought it would be good to return the favour. But as he was staying at my place, he wandered into my lab where my equipment started picking up some strange spectral resonance."

"What sort of resonance?"

"Sub-focal, six-point-eight."

"......hmm. I see, carry on."

"So I thought perhaps it was a good purpose to use my spectral gate and see from what point this odd energy must have originated from, I swear I was not planning to do anything towards Charlie himself, but it was simply to explore the odd resonance that he must have picked up."

"And did you manage to find anything?"

"No, because whatever thing I must have dragged out from the Minus World was one very unhappy chappy."

"W-wait," stammered Koopin, "did you...did you just say minus world?"

"Yes, quite so."

"A-are...you...you're not talking about that......no. No that, th-that's just a myth, that's some old stupid goonie chase!"

"I can assure you that it's not."

"Sadly he is right," said Kammy reluctantly, "the Minus World is very real, it's just not what you think."

"But-" stuttered Koopin, "b-b-but...no, okay, no, NO THIS IS-...THIS IS NOT...HAPPENING!"

He stomped off towards the living room to find a place to sit but one of the agents blocked his way. He tried to get past but the burly arms of the bigger koopa forced him to stay still and reconsider his life options as Kammy said:

"Please, mister Kennidon. Do not try to make a struggle, I will not hurt you. You are not the one on trial here-"

"I JUST WANT TO SIT DOWN, IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK!?"

"Don't raise your voice at me-"

"NO, YOU KNOW WHAT, I AM DONE! _ I AM SICK OF BEING PUSHED AROUND LIKE SOME PAPER SHUFFLER WHEN MY CHARLIE IS OUT THERE LOST AND AFRAID, IF YOU WANT ME TO CALM DOWN THEN STOP TRYING TO ONE-UP EACH OTHER LIKE STUPID KIDS AND _HELP ME!"

His frustrations let out sent him heaving into a slight fit, gasping hotly as he slumped onto his knees and began to sob gently. His hands clasped to his face for a few minutes as the sound of tearful weeping filled the room. Gadd tried to walk towards him in an honest attempt at trying to comfort him, but it was not to be. Koopin felt his fists tighten before he screeched and hammered down his fists into the cold stony dirt, bruising his knuckles as he screamed and howled and wailed pitifully. He only accepted Professor Gadd's apologetic embrace for a few moments feeling the gentle pat-pat until he stood up and shoved him away.

"Don't, D-DON'T! YOU!"

He snarled with finger only inches away from the human's eye.

"If anything...ANYTHING happens to Charlie I will make you pay dearly for what you've done. You understand me? I will break you and then bury you in this crypt that you call a house."

"I will not fail you. I intend fully to correct my mistake, with or without anyone's assistance. I am not a heartless fool, I genuinely did not realise what would happen, and I will do everything to make amends, you have my word Koopin. I owe it at the very least to your beloved-"

"DON'T! Don't you ever talk about James like he's some kind of goonie round your neck, you owe a debt to ME, understood?!"

"Yes. I...hhhhhh I'm sorry Koopin. I truly am."

"You find Charlie and bring him back to me, THEN I will accept your apology cuz until then, I understand why all the boos wish you kept away from their stupid mansion. Okay, is there anything else, or am I stuck here in this place with all of you?"

"Let's take you someplace else," said Kammy politely, "out of this old musty crypt, as you so called it."

"Wh-wh-what? Where?"

"Don't be alarmed, it's just the airship we have, I'm not going to take you off to the castle, you are completely blameless of this whole incident, a victim as well as your chain chomp. Fifty-seven!"

"Ma'am?"

A bold-looking koopa came from outside the lab with the build of a hammer brother, thick burly arms rippling beneath his suit whilst his head glistened with shades and a black steel helmet almost at six feet seven. Even for a hammer brother he was exceptionally well-built.

"Take mister Kennidon with you up to the airship and give him some time to ease off, away from our 'esteemed' professor."

"Yes ma'am. Come with me Koopin, let's get your head all sorted."

"U-u-um...o-okay."

Feeling deflated and strangely empty after his outburst, Koopin let himself be dragged up towards the exterior of the shack, where a giant black airship kept itself hovering above the ground. It was definitely one of Bowser's ships, but the design was so much sleeker and aerodynamic than usual. He also noticed there was no insignia of the Koopa Kingdom like usual which struck him as being very odd as Number 57 guided him into a small cargo lift underneath the ship. The interior was of fire-hardened wood and steel girders for reinforcement, the sound of propeller engines not as loud as Koopin expected them to be. Workers flitted back and forth, all of them dressed mysteriously from goombas with shades to shy guys in full black attire as the agent hammer brother took his charge to the upper deck. Through the corridors they reached one room which seemed to be a waiting room of some sort with plush green sofas and television with strangely charming wallpaper that helped set him at ease. Barely. He sat down and did his best to gather his thoughts as Number 57 sat opposite him, his eyes watching calmly from beneath his sunglasses.

"You can sit here as long as you want, until we leave. Would you like someone to accompany you back home?"

Koopin said nothing, pressing his hands together and touching the curve of his beak with them as if praying silently. The droning dull hum of the propellers helped to soothe him as he lost himself briefly within his thoughts entangling with hateful sorrow, a strong yet bitter melody that made him want to plunge his fingers into his eye sockets as his hands spasm with frustration. 57 simply kept watch, not saying another word until Koopin was ready to speak. It wasn't until a good fifteen minutes after that the door opened with another agent.

"Number one's asking if he's okay."

"He is," said 57, "any news?"

"Not yet. I'm here to relieve you."

"I'll stay."

"Huh?"

"I don't need to be relieved, I'll keep watch on him."

"...alright then."

The door closed once again, and so silence passed for another seventeen minutes until Kammy Koopa herself came through the door as Koopin raised his head up towards her.

"We have finished our investigations. As of now, we are treating this incident as a search and rescue."

"......okay."

"We will find Charlie. Rest assured we have not lost a target, especially one of spectral origin."

"Do...do you know why it took him?"

"Taking Professor Gadd's story along with yours we believe that this spirit has latched onto your chomp for some odd reason, which then became exacerbated and pulled into our reality by means of his spectral gate."

"Wh-why? Why...why would a ghost want...Charlie?"

"Let me explain firstly that the Minus World is a real thing. It's what we call the boundary between life and death, a place where no soul should exist, but one that every mortal passes through once their time is well up. Even the boos do not know of its existence since it is merely a gap between, no more than you can see the very membranes between cells. But...some things fall into the gap, unable to fully cross over usually those concerning vengeful malice or torment stemming from say, unfinished business."

"But wait, I mean...I know ghosts exist, obviously, but...what makes this one different from just any other ghost, or a boo?"

"This one has been...torn apart by its own trauma. When one creature dies, the energy of whatever emotion they feel in that moment is intensified to such an extremity, that should it be a negative force of hatred or sorrow, it can quite literally rend apart a soul like a broken heart."

"Really?" asked Koopin somewhat blankly. "So uh...ghosts that aren't boos that inhabit...places are not suffering enough, even if they have unresolved business?"

"Precisely," added Kammy. "You have your average spirit milling about trying to resolve its needs before ascending to the higher plane of existence, and then you have those who have suffered so horribly that they cannot rest in peace. Until we find out the cause, like the difference between a hospital patient with a restless backache and cannot leave the hospital until it's cured, and the trauma patient who lies in a coma. Both are patients, both in pain, but one pain is far more extreme and life-threatening than the other. Do you understand?"

"I....think so, what are you going to do?"

"We have one possible lead that shall lead us to its plight, with the help of Gadd help along with our own spectral tracking equipment, we should manage to find the trail this fiend has left in the ether."

"How long...will it take?"

"The longest we ever...took was five years. The shortest was in a day. So it could really be any time measure between, we cannot say."

"Y-...y-y-years?! You...please, just...please tell me you'll find Charlie."

"I won't give up until I do. I assure you, as His Majesty Bowser of the Koopa Kingdom's grand vizier there is little I cannot accomplish! If I could take down the star spirits after a great MANY years of planning, do you really think that I will be outdone by one spectral petnapper?"

"R-right. How could I forget."

"Now, let's get you home. Do you require an escort, because we cannot take you by airship, security reasons you understand."

"I-i think...okay."

"Very well, fifty-seven?"

"Yes ma'am," replied the agent.

"Take Kennidon home in your civilian clothes."

"Understood."

They left the airship after 57 slipped into his regular shell, the back of which was obscured by a large backpack just the same as Koopin's was. A standard-looking hammer bro at least twenty years older than Koopin judging by the slightly cragged beak and grooves in his eye sockets, they were soon stopped just before entering the main branches of Forever Forest by a wispy little boo as 57 calmly reached for his back pocket just in case. One that Koopin recognised owing to the black scar searing down over one of his eyes.

"H-hey, Koopin hey!"

"O-oh...hey...Boona."

"I forgot to say, uh...oh, are you a friend of his?"

"A work acquaintance," said 57, "from the TGA, and you are?"

"I'm Boona, nice to meetcha! I just came by to ask, you know a guy called Booris?"

"Yeah?" asked Koopin.

"He left his phone here and I well, just I remember he works the same building as you so could you give it back to him next time you meet up?"

"Sure."

"Thanks! Yanno I never saw you at the party, where'd you go?!"

"I...was...just there, you must not have saw me."

"Oh, okay, I...you alright? You seem kinda down."

"Just really tired is...that's all."

"Well uh, alrighty then here. G'night then!"

"Night."

Boona gave him the phone as both koopas said goodbye and headed off back towards Koopamuir by way of Toad Town. The agent asked Koopin just before he headed inside:

"Do you need anything?"

"No."

"Would you like someone to check up on you, perhaps a bodyguard if you wish?"

"I can take care of myself."

"I understand Koopin, but as a victim of circumstance it is my duty to make certain you are safe."

"It should be your duty to make certain that Charlie is safe."

"He will be, when we find him. Here."

57 handed him a business card which appeared to be just an ordinary number for construction work.

"If you need anything, call me on this number."

"Um...o-okay. Good...goodnight."

"Goodnight Koopin."

"Koopin was inconsolable," said Shybert, "he never spoke a single word to anyone, even when Booris thanked him for getting back his phone but our conversations went to quite a standstill."

"God that's depressing," replied Roy, "lahk no offence but ah wuz sort of enjoying mah lunch break."

"O-oh, sorry but rest assured things get a bit more exciting later on don't you worry. I'll just skip through his whole ennui and tell you all about the big BIG event that was to be his defining moment of our office days, at least from a managerial point of view."

"Mmmhmm."

Roy remembered the explanation given to him by Kammy when he received his "official" status as a Rex from Dinosaur Land. As Shybert waffled on in his best to "skip" through the most depressing part of Koopin's struggle to not relapse, he started to reminisce the words that had been given to him in his whole new induction as a citizen of the Mushroom Kingdom. Surprisingly from the Koopa Kingdom's own fabrication of an "official licence" declaring him as such with all the legal tenacities wrapped up so no one ever knew that he was from the same place as James. Beyond this dimension.

"The KIB are solely responsible for the policing of our dimensional borders. You see, this world is rather strange in that it has what we call a 'hub transit location'. Many travellers across the rifts of space, have passed along our permeable walls of existence which seem to attract more than most dimensions would."

"Wait...seriously?"

"I'm nothing but mister MacGregor. This world is greatly connected to many others by an odd intangible relation to other places despite neither being aware of the other. We are not sure why, but the fact is that there is something of an energy our dimension emits that can attract others. That is why we monitor those such as you, to make certain that you do not cause any unwanted disturbances. James almost caused this with his little demon problem so I am keeping a close eye on you two so I can make sure that our kingdom, our very world is kept safe."

"Does thuh king know about this?"

"He knows...enough, that's all I can say."

"NOW," spouted Shybert with sudden vim, "let's get down to the big trip, of a great expedition that one koopa struggled his best to undertake. One mild morning he was called down towards our Personnel Manager's office who gave him something of a great offer to take his mind off of things."

"Are you well mister Kennidon?"

"Um...doing fine sir."

Booratio had seen a thousand faces sit before him in this very room, each one of them wrought deep with turmoil and stress that he always managed to coax from beneath their smiling masks. He was everyone's friend and yet nobody's partner, a voice that all knew and could never hate with his calm mournful sweetness as he clasped his fins before him.

"Is everything alright in the office?"

"Y-yes...everything's fine sir."

"I notice that you and mister Bobunov have become good acquaintances."

"Well...he's nice, I mean he always has time to listen and we talk about...yanno, stuff."

"I see. How is your home life?"

"It...i-i-it's fine."

"Is it? Remember why you are here in the first place, it is not good to keep certain issues pent up inside of you, makes you very unbalanced."

"I, n-n-nothing is wrong!"

"No, of course not. Whatever words are spoken here, shall not leave this room under any circumstances. Nothing is written down, no accusing, no judgements. Please Koopin...tell me what is hurting you."

"......my...m-m-my chain chomp...has gone missing."

"Ahhh. I see. I am sorry to hear that."

"He...h-h-he was, I...I don't know what happened, I...he's just gone and...I don't know what happened to him, s-someone took him."

"He was...kidnapped?"

"Y-yes. Yes he was."

Booratio's face took a turn for the serious, grave and piercing like a judge regretfully condemning his son to life imprisonment.

"This is...ohhh dear dear, this is very serious have you contacted the authorities?"

"Yes, yes th-they're all looking for him...I-i-i just don't know h-how long it's going to take, and I h-have to go back to my house and it's empty. It wasn't empty until Charlie was-......"

Koopin started weeping, the boo offering him a box of tissues he always kept full regardless of who he dealt with. He allowed him as much time as he wanted, quiet sobbing muffled by the tissues scrunched up in his hands until Koopin managed to recompose himself. Sniffling from his beak with eyes watered and red, he stared at Booratio's calm methodical smile.

"I am sure they will find him. In my experience chain chomps are most especially hardened beasts."

"H-h-he was so innocent. H-he...he's my baby, he's all I have left a-after James left us...he misses James too, I just...I feel everything is being taken away from me slowly and it h-hurts I can't DO anything about it!"

"I see. Perhaps I have a small...well, solution is not the best phrase but more of a means to stifle the pain in your heart."

"Wh-what?"

"You...boo not wish to go back to your house because it is empty, correct?"

"Y-...y-yes that's...that's it."

"Then I have a rather bold offer I want to present you. You are familiar with Sarasaland, correct?"

"Um...y-yes?"

"The royal kingdom are to retrieve their sacred relics that you along with Professor Kolorado unearthed back almost five years ago. Naturally they want as many of the original team to come over and invite them to learn about their culture as something of a social exchange. We would love to have you join the professor as our representative."

"Wh-wh-...what? You're offerin-...you...s-s-sending me to-...really?"

"Absolutely."

There was a part of Koopin that felt shocked and yet suddenly overwhelmed with excitement at the prospect of becoming a diplomat, an errant envoy of his people to a strange forgotten place. But the rest of him was still entrenched with a mourning sinking feeling concerning his beloved Charlie. The boo said nothing, simply letting Koopin take his time in his decision until asking softly:

"Why...me?"

"Firstly, you are part of the original expedition team which the royal kingdom would like to meet. Secondly, your family business is one of the few places of our kingdom to establish a trade deal with Sarasaland. But thirdly, and this I consider to be the most important...you will be far more useful to both yourself and your chomp, by not sitting in an empty house dwelling upon the worst. Trust me, I know."

"I...wh-what if he...comes back and I'm not there?"

"I am sure the authorities will keep him safe if they find him. If you would like me to send someone to keep watch on your home, I can."

"That...no. No I have a neighbour who can keep check on my house, that...that's fine, thank you."

"You boo not have to decide now, mister Kennidon, the deadline is the end of this month. You have until then to make a choice."

"But wait, I-um don't...I've been out of the field for a few months, wh-what if I need-"

"An assistant? I already have one in mind to join your expedition. All you have to boo, is say yes...or no. I await your decision."

"...no."

"I...pardon?"

"I...I'm sorry. I don't want to...I can't do this."

He walked away from Booratio with heavy sunken shoulders as he felt only one thing. Emptiness. That familiar feeling once again as the more he returned back to home after working, the more he hated it. His house became quiet, except for when the TV was on occasionally to help fill the void in his life. Two nights he wept into his bed, shivering and heaving before muffled screams. He didn't even move any of Charlie's things, leaving them where they had always been. The musty smell only made his heart ache, and soon it got to the point that Koopin could not even stand staying in his house after work by heading off to the bar drinking mild pints to ease his descent. He had no one to be responsible for, nobody to look after but himself. The days he managed to fall asleep in a half-drunken stupor were a sweet release.

He felt a weightlessness start to take him, dreaming once again of bloopers in the sea swimming around his body. His arms and legs began trembling almost at a cellular level, before splitting into many white tentacles beneath as he pushed himself through the depths of the great endless sea, a strange new world of purest blue that he had only barely scratched the surface of in his lifetime. Swirling, spinning and dancing through the deep amongst his fellow bloopers with their sweet blackened eyes smiling upon him. They played within the currents circling each other foolishly, bubbling laughter from their hidden mouths in a moment of primal peace, a simplistic happiness from the company of other creatures.

The vast canvas of the ocean deep gave free roam to his wild imagination of treasures to find, jewels to unearth and strange bewildering beasts to find. Sea urchins rolled along the sandy floor whilst red white-lipped fish flittered their wide fins carrying their children in their mouths safely. Sunken galleons could be seen from afar where eels swam through the windows of back and forth, nipping at each other's tails playfully in a constant raucous loop. Through this the bloopers went, seven of them all swimming in unison as they spiralled into a strange threaded pattern that Koopin understood by some deep intrinsic instinct he could not explain to himself. Their tentacles clasped as they passed in two rows, turning through a waltz within each other's grasp as they nuzzled and twirled around their partner in dance. Koopin felt his heart soar and sing with a tingling of warmth as he wrapped his tendril around another of his kind, cradling the cold smooth porous skin. He felt two tentacles around his body hold him tight, a slowing dance in the breeze of the currents. His eyes closed briefly until a trembling of the waters alerted him. Another blooper came rushing from afar, bubbling with excitement literally at something wondrous he found across the deep dunes of the sea. They all began to flock en masse following the lone explorer to see what he had discovered.

A strange ruined ship, different from the others they had seen where the eels had played that were made of wood. This one was pure steel, shaped like a gigantic fractured pale manta ray crowned by a hexagonal mirror that shone like the moon, its wing-like fins crippled horribly against the rocky bed it had landed upon as its grave. They swam closer to it, the more adventurous blooper peeling open one of the loosened frames of its hull as if inviting them to come in. The others were frightened, peering towards the darkness as they sensing an uncanny emanation from inside the wreck, a torrid stream of bitter unearthly scents. A few of them started to approach, curious amidst trepidation as the first blooper dove inside to make his investigation. The interior had odd metallic square imprints across all of the walls, rivers of thin green lines and white diodes patterning across the wall in darkest jade reflections. Broken halls like twisted emerald strata opened up before them as the bloopers began to follow their new and bold leader into the depths of the wreckage. The smell became stronger, cold like the musk of an ancient crypt as they floated through crushed doors and shattered glass tubing big enough to fit two bloopers into. They slowly began to disperse into various directions, whilst Koopin followed the first who had found the ship, keeping close to his new partner who danced with him. The three floated deeper in, finding a large square room which made their leader tremble with excitement, blithering happily about finding a whole new playground for his kind, a special place, better than the rotting filth of timber the eels took for their own as slowly Koopin's partner started to warm up to the idea. In turn he did too as he started wondering how deep the old remnants were, and so far away from other creatures it was a perfect place for bloopers to live without intrusion. He turned to his partner, who looked over towards him. Clasping warm tentacles as they gazed into each other's black-banded eyes welling up with raw instinctive emotion. They did not care to breed, to survive through the next generation. They only cared about each other. They knew that their lives would mean something only because they were now together. Before they could dance another waltz of passion, there came a sound throughout the ship. No, not a sound, to a blooper it felt like someone screamed through their senses. The hidden sixth sense that many sea creatures had in sensing something wrong from the sway of currents across the sea. Like the wings of a butterfly spreading across the world, the three bloopers felt a sudden change in the waters from the corridors beyond them. Thrashing, violent, someone fought in the next room as they slowly floated away in fearful anticipation. The leader soon steadied his resolve to swim close to the dark hall at the other side of the room. He peered into the darkness. The darkness murdered him.

Soon he writhed with spasms of ink, screeching a subdermal sound that only his species could hear as a long dark claw plunged through his body. They had never heard such a sound made by one of their own, the deep impaling length like a spear before they saw its teeth. Glistening white fangs hovering above the blooper before they sunk into his eyes, piercing, thick vitreous fluids bled as they popped before the sound of tearing flesh. They ran. They could do nothing but flee as the two lovers swam desperately pushing their bodies with all their might, tentacles snapping behind them with furious panicked desperation. All around them they could hear their brothers and sisters screaming. Feeling their pain through the undying currents as their last gasps and cries pushed deeply against their skin, their senses. Like needles just before the skin breaks. Severed white heads, half-chewed eyes, torn and severed tentacles flowed out of the tubes as they heard the most terrifying sound behind them. Hunger. Endless hunger.

They hurried back towards the exit point, but the steel hatch had closed in on itself as they pushed hard against the weakened hull. Forcing all of their strength combined, the two remaining bloopers struggled and whimpered with only the truest fear. The fear all creatures understood, the first and deepest emotion. They were too weak. The hull would not yield to their plea of escape as they heard the monster's breath. His lover went first, pushing himself forwards with tentacles open wide in desperate attack, begging Koopin to run. But he couldn't run. The creature stared at him with eyeless glimmering head and chitinous body of a deep black green. It watched him, burning its gaze into his mind as it slowly began to eat his lover. Tears drifted between their eyes as his beloved reached out to him. The white slender limb suddenly twitched and fell limp before him as the creature tossed the remains of his lover to one side with a wounded hissing sound. Koopin wished he could scream. He wished more than anything he could scream as the monster came closer to bend down its head towards him. It spoke with a voice that ripped his mind apart with but a deep whisper.

"Koopin struggled to sleep," said Shybert, "I have no idea what he dreamt about but throughout the length of those long weeks he slept miserably. Good thing I brought my sleep medication to help him hwoh."

"Really?" asked Roy. "You sure that wuz okay? Ah mean...no offence but he had been drinking as well."

"Oh no! I never gave him any during those weeks, I only gave him some when we were together on the voyage when he hadn't drunk anything. Not that I didn't trust him, I just worried that perhaps he might have a lapse in judgement considering all that's been happening around him."

"Mmmhmm. So, you not able to sleep good?"

"Only on long voyages. Not very good on ships, rather queasy with all the rocking about, it helps settle me. We shared some of my sleep medicine until we arrived at Sarasaland which was nothing short of magnificent, astounding, AMAZING!"

"Ah get thuh feeling you just wanted to tell me about your awesome vacation."

"What, noooooo! This has a purpose too about knowing what Koopin was feeling at the time, this is very important! Anyways, before we get to that part, Koopin had a visitor one day at his doorstop."

"Koopin? Are you there?"

The voice from behind the door was oddly familiar, but at first he couldn't quite place it as he cautiously peered around the jamb.

"May I come in please?"

His signature pith helmet was the first obvious clue, something the good professor was never seen without in his travels. A sallow black moustache stood primly upon his beak, as his old dusty-coloured shell barely glinted in the afternoon sun.

"Um...s-sure, come in mister Kolorado."

"Now now boy, it's professor. You know me well enough."

"I...sure."

He opened the door allowing the older astute koopa to walk in as his cane clonked with each step he took beside him. He could clearly see the state of malcontent and disregard Koopin had for himself, seeing with archaeological eyes the overfilled food bin, the tangled sheets, and a slight musk that came from Koopin's clothes hinting at an irregular shower routine.

"I came to ask you about our arrangement," said the professor, "as well as wanting to see how you were holding up what with all that's uh...you know, that sort of thing."

"I'm fine," said Koopin listlessly, "it's...just I've been so busy with things I don't think I can manage to come with you."

"Is that right my boy? Here I was thinking that you of all koopas would simply relish coming along with us to strange unexplored worlds what with your TGA expertise."

"They already hired a representative."

"Oh balderdash he's but an assistant, he's not part of the team he's just there for representation I don't want you along simply for that, you were part of us!"

"Well so was James and he's not here is he?! I don't see you asking where he is."

"I know very well the answer to that," said Kolorado, "he's not the only one that's not able to attend."

"I know," replied Koopin. "But that's my choice, I just don't want to be some burden when I'm already miserable."

"Listen to yourself. You really think I would come here if I thought you would burden us, you think anyone would have approached you, your employers could have asked anyone!"

"I'm sorry but I have problems, okay?! I know you're a professor and everything but this is my house and this is my life and I have a right to say when I DON'T want to go!"

"Are you saying that because YOU want to, or because something else is making you?"

"Wh-what do you mean?!"

"Koopin...let me ask you something. Do you know why I became an archaeologist?"

"N-...n-n-no?"

"......hah...hhhahaha...ohhhh silly of me. You know what my worst secret is? That I was searching for one thing, one relic I could never discover on my own, the one THING that led me to become this character before you and to find it had already been discovered by somebody else. Hmm."

He sat down upon the sofa, pressing his jaw against his hands which rested on his cane.

"To think I've worn this hat ever since the day I decided, wanting to understand him. I admired him for his bravery, his optimism, how he never ran from anything...not like I would. The truth is Koopin...I'm not strong or brave, never was. I'm absolutely terrified every time I venture into the great unknown with every possible worst case scenario running through my head even on this trip. Sometimes I have thought to myself, why keep doing this even? What's the point when I am not fit?"

"But...but you love archaeology. You're the most famous archaeologist today."

"Well of course I am! I love it, I still enjoy finding historical links and great connections between kingdoms that people have long yet to discover, that was something me and Koopmar shared greatly, a fond love of the great mysteries in life. Why are we here, why have we come to settle in this place, why were we born in the Mushroom Kingdom and not someplace else like this?"

"You mean your ancestors?"

"OUR ancestors, yes essentially. I understood Koopmar see, about his own darkness inside that caused him to go over the edge and well, you have seen the results clearly. But I understood. It just pains me that he couldn't contain his grief and try to sculpt it into something new like I did, a truer zest for life and strive for the best! Instead he fell backwards into the abyss. Instead of walking out like I did, he simply closed the door and went hiding back to his room like the lost little boy we both once were."

"That you both...once were?" asked Koopin cautiously.

"There is simply one treasure I have always wanted to seek...and that is something essentially I have always yearned to seek ever since I first wore this hat. Perhaps it is because I never knew what happened to him, that great mystery and curiosity that drove me to become this...that I did not become like that of Koopmar left wallowing in regret. You understand that yearning too, don't you Koopin?"

He turned softly towards the young Kennidon with his hands left upon the cane, the sun glinting off his cheek leaving the other half shaded in darkness.

"You have watched someone leave your front doorstep knowing that you can do naught but wait until he may return...watching your window. Is that right, my lad?"

Koopin shuddered clutching himself, his arms wrapped gently round himself as he felt a strange sense of unconscious empathy that led him to walk over and sit next to the professor. He struggled to ask his next question knowing what the answer would be.

"......did your...did...he ever return?"

"No."

"...wait what?"

"I waited, until I could not wait any more, so instead I searched for him. I went through all that he went through, studied up on his research, enrolled the same degrees as him, scoured across the earth trying to find the same footsteps as he but I never could. At first I did not enjoy the adventure for myself but more felt like it was a duty. To myself to find him, but as I began to uncover more things and find such wondrous secrets the world had never known I realised...that that was exactly what he felt. The more I travelled, the closer I became to him. Until the day I heard that someone had found him. Not me. But Mario."

"He...h-he did?"

"Yes."

The professor turned himself away fully from Koopin with one hand planted against his cheek, staring towards the front door wistfully.

"My father...his remains were in Hooktail Castle this entire time and no one ever knew. It was during the Thousand Year Door fiasco, which I'm sure as part of the TGA you must know quite well, that Mario discovered his remains. He told my old mentor, Professor Frankly who lives in Rogueport, once everything had settled afterwards, he made arrangements to contact me and so organise his funeral. He taught my father in turn, so he felt it but a sense of...duty to honour one of his greatest students. Greater than me."

"...I...I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. I learned something my dear boy, in all my adventures to and fro surrounding this great world that we live in. Do you know why people like me and my father exist? Because of legacy. The others...the great kings and empresses of our nations past..."

He turned back towards the sunset with hand sweeping across the horizon.

"They left a legacy upon this world, and it was then when I saw my father in a coffin, the very same pose I saw every noble, every commoner long deceased that I realised it's not what you discover that matters most, but what you leave behind that matters most."

The old professor turned back towards Koopin and put a hand round his shoulders to pull him close.

"You and I were left behind by adventurers, explorers so that one day we would speak of their legacy, of their greatness and foibles no matter what. Because there is something worse than death itself, my dear boy. And that is being forgotten, by everyone."

He then pulled him into an embrace. The strange mellow warmth forced him to start sobbing gently, his hands wrapped round Kolorado's waist as the professor simply patted him. He never shed a tear, for he had no reason to give anymore, waiting for Koopin to shed his completely until he was done within a minute and a half. As soon as he heard the tears stop, he raised his head to stare at his face.

"...do not forget him. Charlie or James, don't forget either of them, for you will find them. One day, I know that certainly."

"H-h-how did you-...know-"

"Your friend at the office, that supervisor blurted some whilst fussing about you. He's been very worried, but too afraid to intrude on your private space for fear of upsetting you."

"I....well...how, do you know I'll even find them, either of them? You...n-n ever even f-found your...f-father until it was-"

"Do you not understand me boy? My job is to search for fossils, discovering the long dead and those who had once been forgotten by history. I was forever searching for my father's tomb, knowing what I knew about his line of work. But you are not me, neither is James nor Charlie and that is why you must not search the same way I did. You must hope, you must believe, and above all you must not forget. Never. They will come back to you, and if you don't believe me...well, frankly I don't give a damn if you believe me or not, because I have seen what happens to young koopas who do not walk out the front door and step back into the world like I once did. You understand me Koopin?"

"...yes. I understand."

"Consider that a lesson...you could easily have become like him, if you chose to lock yourself in and never leave turning your house into a tomb."

"My...my house is empty now. Listen. Not a single sound here besides you or me."

"Only when you are not in it. Was it empty before all this, before you met James, I think not. Your house is your life, so please do not become what Koopmar became."

"And how do I do that?!" shouted Koopin. "What makes you think you know how to f-fix this burning frustration in my chest, when I feel everyone being taken away from me week by week!?"

"Because of Koopmar," said Kolorado emphatically. "He tried desperately to hide his true feelings but without any sense of outlet he became a broken shell of his former self. Learn from his mistakes Koopin, if anything for me, please do not hide yourself in your house and instead do what I did. Put on a new hat and step outside."

"Put on my...new hat, what? ......I think you lost me."

"It's a bloody metaphor Koopin, please, I'm trying my best."

"R-right. I understand what you're saying. And...thank you."

After two more weeks of ponderous nights mulling over what the professor had said to him, he soon found himself staring down into the water at his reflection. He briefly wondered on how cold and deep it was, thinking perhaps it might serve to carry off his sorrows until remembering that horrendous nightmare involving his spirit brethren down lurking beneath the depths. He heard some faint voices from far away wishing it was a delusion, that maybe all of this was one long dream as a fuller voice came from behind him from the drifting cool long sunset.

"Hey there."

The face of another koopa appeared next to his reflection with copper-toned cheeks and a red neckerchief.

"Not gonna come downstairs? It's getting pretty cold."

"I'll be fine. Thanks."

"Heh...big fan of sunsets right?"

"They're nice. Sorry, I'm...hhhhhh my head is just somewhere else, I'll be fine once we get there, don't worry."

"I won't. Yanno last time I was on a boat I was off to Lavalava Island back with Mario."

"Really? Nowhere else since then?"

"Nope. It's funny."

He turned to look at the other koopa who slowly turned to press his blue shell against the railings, now glistening with the sun's rays like a fresh water pond. The stern of a small cruise ship bellowing its horn did little to soothe his fears, nor did the crowd of locals who waved goodbye from the town docks.

"After all that...happened I just sorta didn't feel the wanderlust much as I used to, nowadays it's all just business to go travelling from place to place. I mean sure we got our adventures like the one we had but I mean...ehhhh it's hard to explain."

"No I understand," said Koopin, "you don't hate travelling, but you don't do it for the love of exploring as much, right?"

"What, no! Nooo no I love exploring! It's just that...nowadays it's more the destination rather than the journey whereas back with Mario, it more felt like the journey, rather than the destination know what I mean?"

"Yeah. I do, sorry I am listening it's just...mmmmph stuff that's justhappened and all."

"You know you can talk about it if you want, I mean I know you're from the TGA but you don't have to be professional around us, we're all koopas here. Well, I mean, you and me, obviously not your assistant but I meant we're all-you know what never mind I explained that real badly."

"Hhheh. Did...Mario bring you with him for your communication skills?"

"Psssht you kidding me?! Naaah that was Goombario's job, you should know that! Aren't you the guy that handles the Bob-omb Fortress?"

"I used to, but I went back to the office to cool off from the field, got a lot of stress."

"Ahhh it happens. I mean Kolorado's not young, we have to basically strap him to a bench everytime we go out someplace or else he just ends up collapsing from running around too much. I mean not gonna lie but I feel I'm more like his babysitter rather than assistant."

"Isn't that the same thing, Kooper?"

The blue-shelled koopa smirked before cracking up into a giggling fit briefly. Koopin simply sniggered, twice and no more but he couldn't prevent his smile from breaking through as Kooper peered over towards the pier of Toad Town's dock.

"...did that guy miss the boat?!"

"Huh?"

Koopin looked up to see someone desperately shouting and ranting at the end pier towards the boat as he cocked his ear.

"heeeeey! heeeeeeeeey!"

"What's he saying?!" asked Koopin.

"I think he's trying to say hey, HEEEEEEEEEEY! SORRY YOU MISSED THE BOAT!"

"heeeey youuuu! i'm gonna find youuuu!"

"HEEEY, HOPE YOU DO BUDDY!"

"not you! him! the green one!"

"DRAIN ONE!? YEAH SURE I WILL, I'LL POUR ONE OUT FOR YA!"

"tell him the next time i see him, i'll be ready for him! koopin kennidon's mine, you hear meee-wha-wha-whoa, waaaaaah!"

"UHHH...OH-KAYYYY! Do you know that guy?"

"No?" muttered Koopin. "Who?"

"Some guy shouting off the end of a pier, I think it was a lakitu. Or at least before he fell off and just bellyflopped into the sea."

"I dunno any lakitu, sorry."

"Ehhh well. Come on, let's head down and grab some beers, let's relax before we get to the big place. You'll wanna lose all that tension if we're gonna meet the big peeps."

"I guess. Yanno maybe that's not such a bad idea, shut my brain off for a while."

"That's the spirit let's go buddy!"

Kooper wrapped an arm around Koopin and guided him down into the cabins of the ship. It was a small passenger ship, usually hired to carry only one party of people from place to place which the TGA paid for with all expenses on behalf. Koopin admitted that he missed travelling on the sea, the calming breeze and the soothing gentle motions of the waves cradling him to sleep. He felt strangely more peaceful than he thought he would be, but that also was accounting for the sleeping pills Shybert had handed him, keeping sober whilst Kolorado regaled his fellow passengers with tales of wild daring do. The night passed by swiftly for Koopin Kennidon, of which he was thankful for as the sounds of the ocean lulled him to sleep almost perfectly. It almost felt like no time at all when he found himself in the great royal halls at the seat of Sarasaland's government.

"Your Highness, may I introduce Professor Kolorado along with sirs Kooper, Koopin, Karlos and Shybert."

He felt as if he had just woken up in that moment, finding himself now bowing before the princess of Sarasaland in her most esteemed royal palace. Briefly gazing all around him, the architecture was fascinating in the form of beautifully resplendent colours of red, green and yellow. The walls glistened like golden honey, the pillars and roof supporting a proud strong crimson and the floors but a sea of sleek virescent emerald. Upon a throne shimmering aureate three steps above them with plush velour seat, was a human smiling down upon them in a fair flaxen dress the same tint as that of butterscotch, her hair a chocolaty brown woven into a bun atop her pale face which was topped by a humble crown. On her immediate left was a pale ghoulish humanoid with grey skin, sunken eyes and deep robes of indigo that matched his tented hat. To his right he saw Kooper in his blue shell, Karlos with a swirled pattern on his own green shell, and lastly the professor himself. To his immediate left was Shybert wearing his tie like always patterned green and yellow against his red clothing as they slowly rose back onto their feet.

"I welcome you," said the princess, "to the great continent of Sarasaland my good sirs. May I say once again how very grateful I am to you for discovering the truth of our long-forsaken ancestral king of the Birabuto kingdom."

"The pleasure is ours your Highness," said Kolorado politely, "we are very glad to unearth a mystery hitherto long since unanswered in your land's history. That and it was a jolly good adventure for us too!"

"Hahaha, I suspect it was considering our pyramids can become most devious in all their ancient glory."

"Hahah...yes...indeed."

"I am sorry to hear that not all of your original expedition crew could attend. And again, my condolences to the loss of your friend Koopmar."

"Oh, please your Highness you honour me with such grace, I am not here to mourn I am simply here to return those treasures we found to its rightful heritage, nothing more."

"Again, I thank you. We have received the treasures from your cargo so I encourage you to please explore and enjoy yourself in our land. Pionshi."

"Yes, your Highness."

The strange pale man in robes hopped forwards, revealing his feet had been bound with rope as he handed each of them a special ID card with their names inscribed in a different language.

"Here you shall be recognised as diplomatic envoys of the Mushroom Kingdom, these identity cards will allow you greater passage through the four kingdoms of Sarasaland."

"What about our diplomatic permits?" asked Shybert.

"They allow access only through the port, but these cards will let you pass through within the borders of our homeland. The four kingdoms have different customs and not all may be aware of your arrival or who you represent unless you have those identity cards. I have also arranged for you a guide to accompany you during your stay."

"Who would that be?" asked Karlos.

"Someone who is very accustomed to the Mushroom Kingdom, in fact he put himself forwards for the offer, a well-experienced merchant and traveller from Birabuto."

"Oh that's good! Thank you for all of this."

"For now why not allow me to be your guide throughout the Chai Kingdom? Your guide will not be arriving until tomorrow, we have also made rooms of accommodation at one of our kingdom's illustrious hotels."

"We wouldn't want to be any trouble sir."

"Oh pish-posh!" said Kolorado cheerfully with cane swinging above him. "The man's offering it would be rude to refute it, we shall gladly have you guide us through your home Yongshi-"

"That's Pionshi, hahaha. Well, shall we excuse ourselves and start exploring?"

"Why not indeed, if that is alright with her Highness."

"Of course!" said the princess gladly. "Please, enjoy your time and stay in Sarasaland, if you need anything please do not hesitate to contact local authorities for anything."

"Thank you, your Highness."

Bowing all in unison, both Pionshi and Kolorado's entourage made their way out of the palace to start enjoying the sights of the grand mysterious Chai Kingdom, with backpacks and travel sacks jostling as they started their journey into the new place. An entire walled city surrounded by forests of thick bamboo which sprouted high upon mountains of jade green. The air was cool with white mist gently shimmering between the trees as Koopin walked down the great stone steps of the palace front between houses of humble wood with sleek emerald roofs. The people roamed back and forth in a multitude of strange creatures he had never seen before. Hopping ghouls like that of Pionshi; fire-breathing serpents that slithered between the streets; flowers that walked on their roots with tiny eyes in their stalks; black-shelled turtles as well as dull maroon-tinted cousins of the goomba race. The turtles, or rather nokobons as this race was called were especially intriguing for the fact that their shells did not have the same patterning as that of koopas, but rather just a pure jet black reminding Koopin of bob-ombs. Commerce was thriving within the kingdom as there laid several market stalls offering food and household wares from simple lanterns to well-honed cooking pots.

"The Chai Kingdom," began Pionshi, "is the most powerful of all kingdoms in Sarasaland politically. It is the very centre of our government, ruled by our fair and kind princess Daisy who has since brought our land to a golden age of prosperity."

"This place is so GREEN," said Kooper astonished, "jeez I bet Luigi would LOVE to come round here."

"Ha ha ha, it is funny you say that as sir Luigi does often frequent our kingdom as something of a de facto ambassador of your kingdom. He has become well-acquainted with our princess through various sporting tournaments."

"I heard about this, the princess is a professional athlete isn't she?"

"Oh yes indeed, we pride ourselves greatly upon our athletic prowess thanks to her eager emphasis on physical education. She has encouraged a new lease on our people to become more healthy by a series of sporting programmes and gymnasiums throughout the length of the continent. We have every sport available such as tennis, golf, swimming, and especially our martial arts."

"OH, Koopin! You're a martial artist yourself aren't you?"

"U-um...y-yes," stammered Koopin.

"Do you know anything about the styles they got in Sarasaland?"

"N-no actually I don't, what...what styles are there?"

"Oh several," said Pionshi proudly, "I myself am one of the head teachers of Chaiquan which was developed by my people the Pionpi. There is also Tonku the wrestling style developed in the Easton Kingdom, the Mudalama style of the Muda Kingdom, and lastly Birahtib of the Birabuto tribes."

"Wow. I've never heard of any of them. Not even my master mentioned them."

"Which style do you practice mister Koopin?"

"Toad-kwon-do."

"Hmm. That is one I do not know, perhaps you and I should have a cultural exchange."

"Wha-what do you mean, you mean like show each other our styles?"

"Yes why not, after all you are guests in our country so it would be good for us to learn about each other."

"I...I wouldn't want to be rude, please understand I'm not a person who enjoys fighting."

"That is good. No one should be, we are simply artists of the mind and body, we study to better ourselves and to protect each other, is that not correct?"

"......yes. You're right, we are."

Koopin smiled softly at such wisdom as Pionshi bowed before hopping further through the marketplace, whilst locals greeted him fondly as if he were family. The city was well laid-out in almost perfect symmetry of uniform housing, the only difference being the unique touch that every resident brought to their home in the form of wind chimes, door mats and personalised plates in Sarasalese as they soon noticed three other towering palace buildings against the walls of the city, not including the royal palace itself which stood an illustrious goldenrod colour in the very centre of the city.

"I say what are those other buildings?" asked Kolorado. "They seem rather grand to place at the city walls."

"We have five palaces," said Pionshi, "each of which represent the five elements of our world and is the very centre of our belief. To the east, we have the Azure Channel which blesses us with water never-ending; to the west, there lies the White Hospice which is where lives are born and saved in our life-giving facility; to the south, there is the Vermillion Foundry where iron and steel are moulded to become weapons and tools to protect us; and lastly, to the very north, lies the Black Charnel where all departed souls shall leave us to the great beyond."

"Hmmm...so that means you have water, fire, life and death as your main elements? What about earth and wind, thunder and ice?"

"Traditionally they were not in our scripture, all things are born from water and fire, all life and death comes from such. Fire purges a forest so that it may grow strengthened once again, as does water purify us...or wash away our homeland."

"I see...very dualistic I must say, so what does THAT palace represent? The one at the very centre, you said five elements."

"That represents Law. Law is absolute."

"What is that old boy?"

"Law is what makes lightning fall, what makes fire burn, what makes us become born and what makes us cease to exist upon the end of our natural lives. The very order of the universe, what we are governed by no matter what we must become."

"Ahhhhh...I see, it represents existence itself, the unbreakable laws of reality!"

"That is correct."

"You know I dare say I once read about this in a book I had detailing the different belief systems of various regions. I take it you understand ours?"

"Oh yes," replied the vizier, "I have read up on your customs concerning the star spirits and a foundation borne of utilitarianism through the power of hopes and dreams. I was most curious to ask about this."

"Ohhh?" asked the explorer.

"Well, before I do, why not have your protégés learn about our martial arts whilst we debate our theistic systems?"

"Why certainly old bean, what a splendid idea! Come now troops, let's not waste the day away ehhh what what!"

Eventually they soon reached what appeared to be just another ordinary building, like any other house they had seen. But then Koopin saw the tapestry that circled around the door representing various fighting styles from various creatures stitched upon it as they headed in. The inside was most definitely that of a dojo, with green padded floors that almost bounced underneath the visitors' boots with wall hangings surrounding the entire room in an expansive square. A small side room could be seen through one door that showed a table with a tea set placed upon it. A class was already in progress as Koopin watched a row of pionpis facing against each other, their feet remaining firmly planted whilst they spun and swooped their long flowing robed arms towards each other in practiced graceful strikes of the hand.

"CHAIII-HUP!"

Everyone stopped almost instantly whilst standing up straight, hands clasped in front of them as the head teacher of the dojo stood in front of the wall facing his newcomers with a wide grin above his black goatee.

"Ahhhh Zhuishay Pionshi! Kamtian jihuan dao niyie duomann meihaorak!"

"Wo arju xiwan wo akun bu huiana da duanqitie, Zhuishay Pionyang."

"Yidalaa doulatti bulaqa! Xueshemidhi, huanfadying rahamen dedarrib ladaynairen."

All sixteen pupils turned and bowed with smiles on their faces. The younger members of the pionpi differed only by the fact their eyes were nowhere near as sunken as their elders almost like freshly dead corpses. But they were friendly in their curiosity of Kolorado's party as Pionshi explained to his friend the reason for their visit in Sarasalese.

"That's funny," murmured Shybert, "this dojo looks a lot like the one in Monstro Town, same sort of padding and wall scrolls, hwoh."

"Maybe not a coincidence," said Karlos, "Monstro Town attracts all sorts, wouldn't be hard to imagine a Sarasalese immigrant at some point."

"That makes sense, must develop the same culture but this is a lovely city...even if I don't understand any of it."

"I thought you were reading the translation guide?"

"Well, yes but I only got up to 'hello', 'good morning' and 'that's a very nice tnetennba you're wearing today'."

"What in the stars is a tnetennba?"

"I don't know, I haven't got that far yet."

"I think it's a bag," said Kooper, "sounds like a bag."

"No it doesn't, what are you on about?"

"Wha-why doesn't it sound like a bag?"

"Because nobody says they're WEARING a bag, you wear a hat or a shirt or maybe a smashing blouse like miss Mushkin wore the other day-"

"You totally wear a bag, like a backpack for your back."

"You carry it, not wear it, it's not an article of clothing I think you'll find-"

"Um, scuse me."

Roy put up his finger as if he were in class.

"We don't need to know whut a tnetennba is, let's just keep on with thuh story."

"Oh, right of course, hw-hwoh, so, we arrived at the dojo and our guide Pionshi introduced us to his old friend who was rather curious about Koopin, but-"

"Lemme guess, Koopin wuz not up to it."

"Right. So we had to encourage him."

"Why? He got no reason to show off his arts."

"We didn't want to look standoffish in front of another people, we were somewhat worried that perhaps Koopin's behaviour might come off as being rather rude but eventually he realised and said-"

"I only want to my martial arts in self-defence. I appreciate that you're interested in seeing the style of my home kingdom, but...I don't want to appear aggressive, I'm here because I'm part of Professor Kolorado's envoy to return your kingdom's treasures. I hope you understand."

Pionshi nodded and translated this to the dojo master, who nodded also and gave his reply back through the royal vizier.

"Your reluctance is admirable and I respect your sense of humility. But please consider this as nothing more than a meeting of minds, a technical display by which we learn to understand each other through the age-old ways of fair and honest combat. With your mindset currently, I feel you would only become even more appreciative an opponent by having such clarity through your armistice. Please, I beg of you from one pupil to another to show me your skill."

"I...well, wh-when you put it like that I guess I...alright. I'll...show you what I do."

"Great! Wonderful now please, come with me to the centre of this room."

Koopin walked over as instructed with Pionyang hopping beside him as they both stood six paces from each other. The rest of Kolorado's group stood to the side whilst the students went over to the opposite side of the room, with Pionshi himself in the middle to orchestrate the fight. Koopin braced his fists, sweeping them to his side as he rose his back foot to plant squarely behind him when he brought his hands back to in front of him. Pionyang simply hopped before bending his knees apart and furling his arms out to each side of his body, as if balancing a sword behind his neck.

"Ready? Chaiiii-HUP!"

The student of toad-kwon-do carefully stepped forwards without breaking his stance, testing his opponent's reflexes with a solid jab of his leading left fist which Pionyang dodged by lurching his head sideways. He countered in the same movement with both arms thrusting to his right and clawing back towards Koopin who stepped back hastily. The Chaiquan instructor did not move a single step, his feet rooted together with bound ropes above his ankles as he waited for the next attack. Koopin thrust once again with a left hand jab but followed up with a knee strike to push into Pionyang's chest, but the ghoulish sensei leapt on the spot to push his knees against Koopin's own in a forceful block. The momentum of his jump pushed Koopin back in turn as the pionpi hopped again, leaping forwards with spinning strike of his long arms like a propeller to slap the koopa twice across the cheeks, which made him stagger slightly from surprise.

Steadying himself once more by a bending of his knees, Koopin slid his front foot forwards before a one-two punch and delivering a full axe kick from his back leg, rising it hard up as Pionyang dodged back fiercely by bending his body. But before he could counter back with a karate chop, Koopin snap-kicked him in the face to stun him briefly before sending a hammer fist down upon his head. He stepped back to give his opponent some space, playing more by tournament rules rather than full-on offensive as he allowed the pionpi to regain his composure. He hopped forwards twice before pirouetting on his third and swung out both his trapped legs with the force of a baseball bat before landing perfectly, the koopa dodging the flying dual kick as he countered with a sweeping low kick towards the master's knees. The pionpi simply hopped as if expecting such a tactic, but then jump a second time with sudden height to somersault forwards on the spot, sending both of his feet down towards the koopa's head in a vicious meteoric strike. Koopin swerved his entire body left just in time before elbow-striking fast towards the ghoul's face, who ducked down in a sudden squat to slam both his fists deep into Koopin's stomach.

Gasping harshly with the wind knocked out of his lungs, the koopa clutched himself briefly as he stepped back three paces. The master of the dojo soon took the offensive charge, hopping forwards with cleaving strikes of his open palms with the grace of a ballerina. First with the left, second with the right, third he spun a full circle and struck out with both hands before the fourth jump he struck downwards with a hammering fist. He ducked down with exceptional balance in his powerfully-bent knees before forcing himself to "stand" on the tips of his toes, spinning in his squat position for just a moment with outstretched hands slicing like razor blades towards Koopin's belly. The koopa was taken aback, the striking chop catching him off guard as the force of it slammed back towards the wall before he swiftly moved out of the way to give himself room. Pionyang stood back up before bending down once more, this time not as severely, his arms scooped on either side of him like holding a crescent moon inviting his opponent to come close. The toad-kwon-do student made a rushing charge, feinting with his leg raised as if about to slam it forwards like a police battering ram. But then he quickly changed tactics, slamming his boot down halfway and using the momentum of his charge to swing his back leg round into a turning kick, spinning on his heel to slam his other foot straight into the pionpi's face. The stunning strike made him smile as he laughed, impressed by the throbbing dull pain he experienced in his jawline before making several hops towards Koopin in succession. But the fourth hop he suddenly leapt with absurd strength straight over Koopin's head to land right behind him, spinning on his feet to deliver a chopping strike to the back of the koopa's head like slashing with a knife. Koopin swung round within barely but a second to block the hand, instantly grasping Pionyang's wrist to pull him forwards straight into the thrusting elbow from his other arm between them. The ghostly sensei blinked in staggering back from the throbbing of his face, yet simply smirked and jumped straight towards Koopin to strike with a downwards chop. Dodging left, Koopin was open to a thrusting palm strike that smacked hard on his forehead, before countering with a snapping forward kick followed by a thrusting knee into the pionpi's stomach. Pionyang dodged the kick, and managed to slap his hands down hard upon Koopin's knee to block his trajectory shouting:

"CHAI-HUP!"

Koopin stopped, gently putting down his knee to step back and bow with feet together and arms outward. In turn the pionpi clasped his hand over fist, and bowed respectfully.

"That was excellent!" cried Pionshi from the sidelines. "What a terrific display of styles!"

"Y-yeah?" asked Koopin softly.

"Oh yes indeed, that was wonderful to witness such technical display. Zhuishay!"

The two masters began to confer with each other in Sarasalese about the fight, whilst Koopin made his way back towards his companions feeling somewhat a little light-headed. He had to admit, the little sparring session did clear his head somewhat in giving him a brighter spirited look, if only briefly.

"Are you alright my lad?" asked Kolorado.

"Y-yeah, kinda...felt...pretty good actually, helped me get out a lot of stress."

"Well that's good, capital work my boy! Representing our people, now let's hope you impressed the natives!"

"I certainly was!" said Karlos smiling. "I've never seen toad-kwon-do been done before."

"Nor me!" replied Shybert. "Looks quite intense, glad to see none of your fitness went away in the office, hwohohoh!"

"Hhhehehe...thanks."

His humility came crawling back as Koopin simply blushed, whilst Pionshi returned with his fellow sensei to give their verdict.

"My friend says that you have a good sense of balance and focus, your stance work is exceptional. But he is somewhat surprised to see you do not block very often."

"That was my fault," said Koopin, "normally we are encouraged to block but I admit I have more of a tendency to dodge and evade."

"I see. That was your downfall in the midst of the fight, you became rather easy to predict on where you would avoid his attacks, but then the times you blocked, few as they were, that took my friend off-guard when you counter-struck."

"I hope you enjoyed my demonstration. I'm only a 4th level kup, so that puts me at intermediate, but not master."

"Still impressive. My friend thanks you for the sparring but now I think it is time to take you to your hotel."

Waving goodbye to the dojo's sensei and his students, the koopas along with Shybert made their way towards the hotel that had been booked for them. It was exquisitely lush, with imperial green and baby blue patterns to help lull the mind into sleep as well as the finest of local cuisine. The food was not as strange as Koopin expected it to be, after having known about Sarasalese crops for some time but his companions were not as keen. Especially not Shybert who found the concept of pickled vegetables to be rather strange with a disagreeable scent, but the same could not be said for Kooper and Kolorado who eagerly began wolfing down bowls of Luohan Chai. Koopin did his best to eat, practically forcing himself to eat bamboo shoots, bean curd, ginkgo nuts water chestnuts, black mushrooms and carrots whilst Karlos ate at a steady regular pace. Soon after they woke up the next day, Pionshi greeted them at the breakfast table where they sat down and conversed over some bok chai.

"How well did you sleep?" he asked his guests.

"Quite wonderfully thank you!" chirped Kolorado. "Beds were marvellous and the city is surprisingly peaceful at night."

"It is!" remarked Karlos. "I expected just as much bustle at night but it was so relaxing. Is there a curfew perhaps?"

"Oh no no," said Pionshi, "we simply close all of our businesses at 9pm on the dot, except of course the palaces."

"Really? What if you need food or some emergency rations?"

"Our people have developed a very particular structure of organisation, bred at an early age to always gather what is necessary."

"Sounds marvellous," replied Shybert, "could have done with a bit of organisation myself when I was a wee shy tot."

"Are you not enjoying the food mister Bobunov?"

"OH, n-no it's just-I have a rather...sensitive stomach, don't you worry about me."

"I see. So, you are planning to leave the city today, your guide shall be arriving within the morning do you have any plans before you leave?"

"Not especially," said Kolorado, "rambling around the various kingdoms and whatnot for the next odd week or two, OH I say, did you manage to get your artifacts back?"

"They are still being processed by the other authorities from neighbouring kingdoms but they will be. There is...one thing I can suggest to you, if you will allow me."

"Yes?"

"...as I have said, I offer my condolences upon hearing the loss of your colleague, Koopmar. If you so wish, perhaps we might offer a prayer to him and help ease his spirit into the next world by means of our own rituals."

"R-...really?"

"I would be honoured to. Please, before you leave this kingdom at least."

Bristling his moustache slightly, Kolorado was at first uncertain at the idea as a strange sense of guilt came over him briefly. But the more he thought on the idea the more he approved as he nodded softly.

"Hmm. That's um...yes. Very kind of you."

"Then let us go."

Standing to the north far from every other house in the city, the Black Charnel gave a lonesome presence at the end of a long solemn walk towards the great epitaph, lanterns on either side of the stone path flickering softly. A towering oblong tomb with grey stone doors that grinded into the earth, Pionshi walked in towards a grand hall of black and white, monochrome silence. No one spoke, not even footsteps dared echo to break the peace of spirits as Koopin saw a sculpture in the centre of the room. It looked like a pipe organ made out of wax, with hundreds of white candles softly lit as locals of the kingdom knelt in prayer. Kooper, Karlos and Kolorado stepped forth as Pionshi whispered instructions to them, a candle unlit before them as they were given a burning wick each. Slowly, they united their lights as one upon the same candle and closed their eyes in mutual prayer, the name of one koopa ringing out in their minds together as they made their peace. Shybert watched curiously alongside Koopin who gently rubbing his arms together out of growing discomfort, his breath caught in his throat as he waited for them to leave before making their way out towards the city entrance. Shybert however was curious to ask as they walked through the city:

"Koopin?"

"Um...yeah?"

"Can I ask...and, please excuse me if I um, you don't have to answer this but I'm curious...who were they all praying for?"

"A...a friend of theirs, someone that was very important to professor Kolorado."

"Who, if I may ask?"

"He uhm...one of his closest assistants, he was a linguist that was with us during our um, Weston Kingdom expedition."

"Oh. What happened to him?"

"I...it's complicated. It...it involves a lot of history to talk about and there's a lot of things that built up to how he...died."

"Oh...oh dear. Well I'm...I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's...fine, I'm not the one who's really grieving."

"Why is that?"

"...I can't tell you Shybert. I'm sorry."

As soon as they arrived at the city gate, Pionshi said farewell to them as he returned back to the palace to continue his duties as vizier. Standing at the grand almost eclipsing entrance through the city walls, was a familiar-looking face next to a smaller version of himself, in front of a rather sturdy sand-patterned carriage pulled by large long-necked birds with fluffy black-and-white bodies and tall strident legs.

"Ahhhh Koopin!"

"...wh-what the...m-mister Nokata?"

"Please, my friend, we are on first names do not be so modest!"

"You know this guy?" asked Kooper.

"Yeah," said Koopin astonished. "Um...everyone, this is uh, Noki Nokata. He trades with my father in Dusty Dunes."

"And to this day!"

The nokobon strode forwards with hand out in eagerly shaking every single one of Koopin's party, the black-shelled traveller wearing a yellow scarf and a satchel round his waist. The other shorter nokobon wore a purple scarf and also shook their hands.

"It is very good to meet you once again professor."

"Really?" asked Kolorado. "Have we met?"

"Of course, during your exhibition at Princess Peach's castle why do you not remember?!"

"...ohhhhh yeeees. How are you good sir?"

"Wondrous thank you, the skies are shimmering clearly today."

"Are you the guide?" asked Shybert.

"Why yes, yes indeed, I was most enthusiastic to offer my services to friends of mister Kennidon. I hope that is not a problem."

"OH, no not at all um, name's Shybert. Bobunov."

"I am very pleased to meet you, are you part of Kolorado's group?"

"No, actually I'm from the TGA same as Koopin, hwoh. Can I ask what your itinerary is?"

"My pardon? OH, yes, we have no schedule but simply to allow you a long and wondrous journey throughout our fair continent. I will gladly take you to the Birabuto Kingdom and back, for I know of course as adventurous scholars you are most eager to learn about my homeland!"

"Well yes," said Kolorado bluntly, "I have always wanted to explore this great land!"

"Me too!" added Kooper. "This place looks incredible I would love to see what other kingdoms are there."

"Well, I hope you do not miss the colour green for I fear the lands out beyond are less colourful as the Chai Kingdom. But every kingdom has something rich to offer. Speaking of, may I introduce my son, Nokayim."

The boy stepped forth, somewhere around his teenage years as he bowed and shook everyone's hand with a more clipped and thicker accent. Upon shaking Kolorado's hand however, his assistants noticed his shaking fingers and pursed beak as the youth introduced himself.

"Pleased, to meet you. I will be your guide, like, my father."

"Ah. Good, what a polite young boy you are, take after your father well I see."

"Yes! Let me take your bags, please."

Nokayim took everyone's backpacks carefully before tying them to the rest of the luggage on top of the carriage, binding it down with rope as his father signalled that they were all ready to cast off into the great unknown. Koopin at the behest of his guide, sat between Noki and Nokayim at the front, whilst the other four went to sit inside. The birds were given a flick of the reins as slowly they turned around to depart from the Chai Kingdom's main city. The purest green was overwhelming with forest-covered mountains atop the gloomy mist, amidst hordes of bamboo forests on either side of them. The road was long but well-imbedded, a stone path that wound itself through the woods like a granite serpent with lanterns in stone braziers to light the way for travellers to and fro. Koopin could not help but quietly marvel at such an odd world and change of scenery, despite his own shortcomings as his mind continued to torment him with wayward thoughts.

"You have met Zhuishay Pionshi then."

"Hmm wha?"

"He is a wonderful pionpi, he was very happy to accept my request to be your guide after I told him about the trade between me and your father."

"Is that um...still going well?"

"Oh yes, absolutely! Your father's business has made my produce flourish with many chefs starting to ask for a good deal of delicacies from this very place. My son has become most curious to visit your father one day."

"Really?"

"Yes!" piped up Nokayim. "I want to...visit, your kingdom and meet your father, Kennidon."

"Why?"

"I want...eh-eh-um...fuqab."

He leaned his head forwards turning towards his father.

"Niyf zenminuk shuo'an taqul 'shangyeumi'?"

"Business," corrected Noki.

"Yes! Biz-ness! To learn, a biz-ness to trade with, my father and yours."

"You want to do that? Well alright that's uh, that's cool!"

"Cool, yes cool!"

"How old are you? If I can ask."

"I am...fif-teen! I want, to...travel to other land, see biz-ness like ours, maybe one day, own my own shop, sell our crops to people like you!"

"Well I wish you all the best, absolutely."

"I am currently making it happen," replied Noki, "When we have set up a proper acumen, with your father and his associates, I will want to find a place for Nokayim to join as an assistant at first, so hopefully with hard work and a good sense on his shoulders, he will soon reach that dream."

"You're very supportive of...letting your son go to another continent just to be a shopkeep."

"That is what fathers do, is that not true Koopin? Surely your father allowed you to pursue your own dreams rather than force you elsewhere."

"No, he...he always wanted me to make my own way out, into the world instead of being at his shop. Maybe he'll really like to have your son around for help, I could talk to him about it for you."

"You would?! That is wonderful, please tell my son directly."

Koopin turned towards the younger Nokata who smiled eagerly from what little he had caught.

"I will talk to my father about you. If he wants an assistant, I will recommend you and see if he can get you a job."

"OH! Thank you Koopin! I hope he says yes!"

"Haha, I hope so too, he's really nice you'll love him."

"I cannot wait to see him! But, I will learn your language, better first."

"I think as long as you know 'hello', 'please' and 'thank you', you'll be fine Nokayim."

"Okay! Cool!"

He gave a thumbs up with excitement as Koopin could not help but feel cheerisome by giving a thumbs up in return, before the spirited young teenager hugged him tightly reminding Koopin so much of himself in his first days at the TGA. It felt so long ago, even though he was just barely reaching 30 that he suddenly felt a strange sense of honour and duty to make certain that Nokayim kept the same passion and enthusiasm for his future career, whatever that might be. Sometimes they passed by villages and small towns where they would park their carriage and sleep at the local inn, tasting more of the local cuisine as Noki began to tell them bits and pieces of the Chai Kingdom's history, along with his own stories of travel by his son who did his best to absorb the Mushroom Kingdom's language with darting eyes and wide grin of eagerness. It was their third night in the bamboo forest as they stopped in a small inn, with Kooper sousing himself in a few more cups of Chai sake encouraging Karlos to do the same, whilst Kolorado decided to head to bed early with Shybert instead, feeling too tired to espouse his great tales once again as Koopin decided to hang outside with Nokayim.

"What is Mushroom Kingdom like?"

"Well...it's got a lot of different places, all in one kingdom instead of four like you have. We've got grassy hills, a big central town, mountains, some sea cliffs, a huge dark forest and a big BIG desert that's where I came from."

"Desert? Like me?"

"Yeah, like you."

"HAH, desert brothers, cool!"

"Haha yeah."

Nokayim put up his hand expecting a good up high to which Koopin responded with a high-four slap.

"You have other kingdoms?"

"Just the Koopa Kingdom. It's dark and filled with flames, a huge sea of lava underneath, like an ocean of fire with this BIG terrifying castle where the king lives."

"Scary! Is king scary?"

"Yes. But he's nice to his people, he just keeps trying to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom. He's just pretty selfish really."

"We do not...ehhh, conquer anymore. That very long ago."

"Well I guess you guys learnt your lesson faster than him. So, what does your mom think about all this?"

"Mom? Mother?"

"Yeah, your mother, what does she think about you wanting to go be a shopkeeper someplace?"

"I don't have mother."

"Wh...what?"

"My father. Just me, and my father."

"Oh. I'm...I'm so sorry."

"No no, is cool! My father and I, we, love each other very much! He...um...zhema shi shaa zilimat? It...when he not...what you call when, your father did not...birth you?"

"A-...a-adopted?" questioned Koopin.

"Yes, adopted! My father adopted me."

"O-oh...oh gosh, I...didn't realise."

"My father never...married, but he wanted a son. So he found one in me, when I was little. He said, I was first one to grab his scarf, so he knew that I wanted."

"Wanted what?"

"Him. My father. Him as my father."

Koopin could only smile back as soon it was time for bed. It was not long before they reached the Easton Kingdom, a surprisingly vast world in its deep rolling hills that lead towards scrubland and jagged bushes. A somewhat mountainous region with little greenery, the region was filled with towering rocks like pillars carved from ancient times, some of which even moved with huge sloping noses and deep heavy foreheads upon their gargantuan heads, despite having no legs. Their arms were stubby but thick with brawn as they lumbered back and forth, along with other living rocks that only had a pair of eyes to indicate any sense of life within them. A few of the large-nosed rock men did have legs however, but they formed a special elite and were rarely ever seen. The towns and cities were simply sturdy huts or even towers of both solid stone and intricately carved granite, showing faces in the walls and pillars that scattered the great expanse. They also noted the fighting style Eastonku, a brutish wrestling style in some open-fielded gyms they passed in the form of a full crowd of burly legless brutes grappling each other with rock-crushing fingers. Males and females would lunge at each other, swinging wide punches whilst dressed in surprisingly colourful plumage of red, white and black from flint and sandstone. The most prestigious building however, was a magnificent ziggurat that stood in the very centre of the land, with a palace on top of it that looked strangely reminiscent of the Vermillion Foundry from the Chai Kingdom's capital.

"The Easton Kingdom," explained Noki Nokata, "was founded by the tokotoko clan, who lived peacefully alongside the ganchan. They were severely proud of their craftsmanship, sculpting the land with powerful arms to carve out their houses, despite having nothing else but stone to do so."

"Amazing carvings," said Kooper, "is there any significance?"

"Every house has belonged to the same family since that house was first created. Every significant event within that family is sculpted out here, and you can tell from the carvings who was born, who has died, who has left for greatness and marriage, and who was exiled."

"In full view of everyone?" asked Karlos. "That seems...odd, why show your family history on the side of your house?"

"The inhabitants of the Easton Kingdom are a very stoic race, they do not speak their emotions since it is very unbecoming in their culture. The ganchan and tokotoko have always practiced a very cool-headed approach to life, which is ironic considering their mastery of the forge and fire, as you can see from their palace up above."

"I thought that looked familiar! Is that not the same foundry from the capital?"

"Yes, an exact copy. That was intentional, for the four palaces represent each of the kingdoms and their importance in unifying Sarasaland as but one great nation, out of four sovereign kingdoms."

"Does Easton have a king?" asked Koopin gently.

"No, the only royal family is that of the Chai Kingdom of her highness Daisy. But that is their parliament of such, where the Easton inhabitants can debate on various matters concerning their people."

"Or just beat the scrap out of each other in these open gyms."

"Ahhh yes," said Noki, "Eastonku. It's more of a brawling street fight than a martial art but one they revere, for it is the only way they can vent their emotions truly. In times past, when a grievance was made, they would bring those who had a score to settle into a ring, and then attack each other. No one was declared the winner, but it was simply a means to release their fury and distress, for even they understood that bottling up emotions inside of them was not a good way to live."

"So what stops them from killing each other? There was a whole crowd going insane back there."

"There are guards and officials to cover the event, should anyone continue after they call an end to it, they shall be sentenced to prison briefly. It works surprisingly well in helping them live their lives daily without stress lasting too long inside their hearts of stone."

"Hmm."

The professor simply nodded with a quiet understanding. They were invited to the palace itself which, despite its less prestigious atmosphere compared to Princess Daisy's abode, was greatly awe-inspiring in its own way covering the history of the kingdom across every single patch of its rocky interior. To the koopas it more resembled some ancient temple rather than the seat of government, which was more than could be said for their inns and hotels. Nobody used sheets or blankets in the Easton Kingdom, so instead people slept on specially-heated rocks like lizards basking in the hot sun, which was not especially comfy but they would never freeze at least. During the night however just before they went to sleep, Koopin was approached by Karlos.

"Um, Koopin?"

"Yes?"

"Do you have a minute?"

"...okay, sure."

"I just...didn't want to ask my colleagues and as someone who was with us and yet technically not, part of us it makes you more understanding about everything."

"About what?"

"...have you noticed the professor acting odd lately?"

"Not...really no."

"When we were stopping at the inn, back in the Chai Kingdom, he went to bed early instead of telling us his big tales. And now he comes to see the great central government of the Easton Kingdom and doesn't even blink. Don't you find that odd?"

"That...kind of is, actually."

"I just wonder if...he was all fine and jubilant when we first came, but I feel it's because of our...send-off, for Koopmar that maybe changed his tone a bit."

"You think that he misses him?"

"I mean, of course he does. And yet..."

The swirl-shelled assistant sat down beside Koopin as he rubbed his brow.

"I've known Koopmar as long as I've known Kolorado. He was always a better assistant than I was, and I always...I don't know why but I kept trying to measure up to him for some reason, even though our duties were always different."

"Why?"

"I've always...admired their relationship, even though they were employer and assistant, they always seemed like such getalong friends it never felt like work with them. They made me feel much more welcome when I was just a grad student trying to find his place in life. I didn't know what I wanted to be, I don't even like travelling. It was Koopmar who convinced me to stay."

"So...what was he like?"

"He was very friendly. Always willing to help, not cheerful but always had a smile on him, if that makes any sense. It really wasn't until the last year of his life that he started to turn...distant. Not as eager, usually distracted by something. It all started after we explored the ruins on Mt. Shiver. Something happened to him. I remember he found this black pearl that he kept on him like a special charm, strange little scarred amethyst piece. It wasn't significant at all and archaeologically worthless but he kept it nonetheless."

"I...remember him telling me about it. During the events."

"Yes. Do you hate him?"

"What?" asked Koopin.

"Do you hate him?" repeated Karlos. "I understand if you do, what he put you through unbeknownst to any of us was terrible, it's just I noticed that you...didn't join us when we were lighting the candle."

"I-i just...felt, that I didn't have the right, he was part of you guys, not me."

"Still, you knew him. I don't mind if you do, I just...wanted to know, I'm not meaning to be confrontational, I just have to ask."

"I...I-i-i don't know."

"Really?"

Koopin sighed deeply as he clasped his fingers tightly.

"I...I'm just going through some things, personal stuff. I'm sorry if I look disrespectful, I didn't mean-"

"Oh no, that's not it! Not at all, I wasn't thinking that, I just wanted to-"

"I don't know. That's it, I don't know how I feel about Koopmar, it was long ago and I would just rather I forget the things that happened, for your sake."

"You can tell me Koopin. We don't have to tell the professor anything, I want to hear."

Seeing the look of worn sincerity and regretful apology on the face of the assistant only encouraged Koopin to be honest as he tried to compose his feelings. Difficult as they were.

"......I feel that, whenever I think of him I both pity him and also hate him. At first I start to hate him for what he did, and for manipulating people even Kolorado behind his back. But at the same time I...I met his sister. And once I understood his family and what sort of issues he had...I can't bring myself to hate him fully...so that goes away."

"He never got over his mother's death...I only learnt that in the last months with him when he let it slip whilst we were deepening our investigation into the Weston Kingdom, covering Totomesu's family lineage. I asked him about it but he refused, simply told me to shut up and never ask me that again. I do not blame him."

"Yeah...me neither, it's..."

"Complicated?"

"...sort of, yeah."

"Alright. Sorry, I...didn't mean to upset you."

"No it's...fine."

"Goodnight Koopin."

Heading off back to his stone bed, Karlos began to mull his thoughts as Koopin slept the best he could. They would soon appreciate the change of scenery in the form of the Muda Kingdom, which to them felt like discovering the secret cave behind the waterfall.

Rich flowing seas of purest crystal blue surrounded a long beach peninsula, of which the very streets of the main city stood floating upon by jewelled columns beneath the surface. Glittering with such fragile beauty it seemed mystifying to Koopin, the sky reflecting the water almost perfectly to mirror the entirety of the kingdom as he briefly felt a strange existential fear over which side was up. An exact copy of the streets laid beneath the water-drenched walkway that he stood on, accompanying both aquatic and terrestrial inhabitants. There was only one type of creature that stood on land, being short robots shaped like silver bullets that waddled back and forth, whilst the rest of the kingdom's denizens swam beneath the waters. Floating amorphous spheres, skeletal fish chattering to and fro, the occasional octopus along with carnivorous blue fish and lastly the seahorses that made up the majority of the population, at least from Koopin's perspective.

The roads sometimes dipped into sloping ramps that led into hallways coated with stained glass resembling spatters of white ink, watching the roaming seahorses flutter back and forth with shapely jagged fins and short slender tails. Some buildings were accessible in order to accommodate those who could not live underwater, the rest clearly the homes of the inhabitants. It was only when they saw an octopus couple breaking free through the glass without it shattering that they realised it wasn't actually glass, but some sort of osmotic permeable barrier that kept water out but allowed creatures to move freely between dry halls and open waters. They also saw open squares with magnificent statues of proud warriors and gentle musicians, parks of multicoloured coral reefs and in the very heart of it all, a magnificent cerulean tower also like that of the one in the Chai Kingdom.

"This kingdom," began Noki, "perhaps the most artistic of Sarasaland's people, have long since become fascinated with the arts and sciences. Balancing both beauty and efficiency, the Muda Kingdom started early in its scientific endeavours with these barriers you see before you. Observe."

The nokobon pushed his hand through the clear white barrier as it simply melded to his wrist, showing his hand in the depths of the sea shimmering before pulling it back to reveal it soaking wet. Kooper and Koopin could not help but do the same gasping with marvel at such technology, almost magical even.

"How does it...DO that?!" asked Kooper.

"Through a very fine coral," said their guide, "a semi-permeable naturally-occurring plant that looks like stained glass, but are actually a living organism that separates and rebinds itself to allow creatures through whilst keeping out the water."

"This...is naturally-occurring?"

"No, this coral was in fact modified through genetics since the original allowed water to pass through but not small organisms even through its little gaps. Reverse osmosis as they call it."

"Is that the palace?" asked Shybert.

"Yes, an exact copy of the Azure Channel, with the same water-purifying technology that the Muda Kingdom exhibits."

"But, wait," added Koopin, "what about that relic we found, the Fire of Muda? Why is it the Fire of Muda when this is an aquatic kingdom?"

"It was a gift," said Kolorado firmly, "the ancient ruler of this kingdom Zusaramasu, had a sculpted fire pendant able to imbue the wielder of it with pyrotechnic power."

"So these people were magicians as well as scientists?"

"Just as Koopmar once told me. Any sufficiently-advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

"...yeah. I guess he's right about that."

"Indeed."

A gentle sullenness came between them as Kolorado wandered off to see the local martial arts gym with his entourage following him. It almost looked like a gymnastics display team, watching the seahorses whose species were known as Yurarin as they slapped and hammered their fins straight into the other opponent's face with spinning strikes and whirling dive bomb attacks. Graceful yet deadly like blades falling through the ocean, the yurarin swerved and struck against hardened scales with the odd twist of each other's fins in a surprisingly sudden disarm move before using their tail to kick out like a thrusting leg deep into the stomach. Koopin watched with a deeper fascination than usual as the beauty of the Muda Kingdom helped take his mind off of things. But then he noticed Kolorado sitting by himself looking somewhat lost in thought.

"These gals are awesome," said Kooper behind him.

"They sure are...wow those fins are vicious."

"Tell me about it, wouldn't wanna be on the wrong end of those."

The blue-shelled koopa sat himself next to Koopin on the bench, watching the fight continue.

"You doing okay?"

"Ummm yeah. Much better thanks."

"You sure about that? Just you seemed kinda listless back over in the Easton Kingdom."

"Iiii just didn't really get into the fighting style over there."

"You know what I mean come on, don't be coy. You wanna talk?"

"...I'm...sorry, I just-I'm having a great time honestly-"

"Listen."

Kooper turned towards him fully.

"I'm not some tourist you have to babysit, you can talk to me. I know about your chomp, Shybert told me though he promised me not to tell you."

"Aaaaaand you're just...telling me."

"Because we're friends now. You were with us back on the Weston expedition and now you're here again, you're not just some TGA guy. Look, can I tell you a story? Just something I wanna say."

Gently sighing Koopin nodded and saw that Kooper's enthusiastic smile was earnest with genuine eyes of concern.

"Alright."

"So," he began, "you know the story of how me, Mario and Goombario went and found the Dry Dry Ruins, right?"

"R-right, I know the whole Star Rod adventure well."

"Well, we get into this old huge ruin and there are a lot of creeps in there like swoops and pokeys, but there's this one guy called Tutankoopa. He had a buncha chain chomps with him, and they were tough, REAL tough! Mario and me could barely knock 'em, and we're talking about Mario here, if he can't even take down a chain chomp without breaking a sweat, that means something. But then we figured out how to cut Tutankoopa down to size and he falls right into the mess of chomps he summoned, who all start attacking HIM! Turns out, he didn't take very good care of them, they were vicious and mean and the moment he was vulnerable they all just LUNGED at him and chased him out of his own place...well, maybe not his OWN place but-the point is...your chain chomp is gonna be fine."

"Wait, what?"

"Listen, not even Mario can take down a chain chomp without getting bit in the process, they take a HUGE amount of punishment, trust me I know, so if you're worried about yours being out there in the wilderness, nothing's gonna take him down! If Mario has problems fighting them, your little guy's gonna be alright. And I just know that he'll come running back to you one day, cuz you know why?"

"Why?"

"That Tutankoopa I told you about? His chomps chased him throughout the ENTIRE adventure, even way after Mario got the Star Rod back, I saw him! They are determined little guys, they did not stop chasing after him long LONG after it was done, because he mistreated them! Shybert told me how much you get on with your chomp, so I can tell you from personal experience that your Charlie is not only safe out there someplace, but there is NOTHING in this world that can stop him from coming back to you."

"...in this world, no not really."

"Right! Wait what?"

"N-never mind I...thanks. Thank you Kooper."

The older koopa smiled and hugged Koopin with a brotherly arm round his shoulders.

"No problem. ...don't worry about Kolorado by the way?"

"Huh?"

"He gets like that sometimes, he always bounces back within like a week."

"It must be something, being able to work for your idol."

"Oh yeah, totally! He's the best, guy's like a father to me by this point."

"How's your family doing?"

"Oh they're fine! I write to them, call them every once a while, they're all super proud of me for being Kolorado's assistant and after all that Weston stuff. What about you, what's your family like?"

"My mom plays piano sometimes for a musical group, but mostly she stays at home. Dad runs a grocery in my hometown, it's doing pretty well."

"That's good. OOOOH jeez did you see that slash!?"

"WOAH is that legal?!"

"I guess we know who just won the fight! Don't suppose you wanna go next?"

"You kidding me NO! I love swimming and fighting but not at the same time!"

"Hahahaha, hey it's good exercise, double it up, save half the time!"

"I-iiiiii don't think it works that way."

The two started laughing, enjoying the rest of their time in the Muda Kingdom before reaching the fourth and final place, the most ancient of kingdoms where all life began in Sarasaland.

The Birabuto Kingdom was a marvellous desert which made Koopin become rather homesick briefly, before remembering why he came as he started to scan across the horizon and see the great pyramids. Great and glorious architecture of limestone concrete, some bigger than others but the smallest pyramid was only a mere 90 feet. The biggest of them was the only pyramid that was not inhabited by the descendants of this land, a brobdignagian feat that almost blotted the sun out from their perspective. It was strange for the Mushroom Kingdom group to see pyramids still active as apartments for the locals but not nearly as strange as the one that stood directly upon the well-travelled road that all people took. Amidst nokobons, goombos and other travellers from the previous three kingdoms, they stood within a gigantic indoor marketplace that was practically its own department store. From the windows they could see the last mighty tower that mirrored the Chai Kingdom's hospital, a shining white pillar that glistened in the sun almost blinding. This time it was Nokayim who did his best to educate the newcomers.

"The Birabuto Kingdom was the FIRST, of all kingdoms in Sarasaland. It is the most ancient, and records have shown, the first people of this land lived here before moving to the...other kingdoms!"

"What's that enormous pyramid over there?" asked Shybert.

"That...is the home of King Totomesu I, our first ruler of ancient times. It stands at four-hundred...and fifty feet, and is the only pyramid we do not live in."

"Oh, why's that?"

"It is very sacred! Instead we now use it as our...uh...parl...parleymint? YES, parleyment, for improving our kingdom!"

Nokata struggled not to smirk as he watched his son do his utmost best with Koopin asking forth:

"What's the Birabuto Kingdom famous for? The Easton had industry, the Muda had science and art, what does this place have?"

"Money! Bizness! Commerce, all of which, is managed by us! This is the largest marketplace in all of Sarasaland, everything you can buy here and if not, you soon will be buying it here from electronics to sports to food! We call it the Grand Trading Hall, and high above us, entire floors are...dedicated to managing the...echo-nom-me, of the four kingdoms."

"So this place is the financial centre of the whole continent?"

"Yes! Cool, right?"

"Yeah. Very cool!"

Nokayim turned to his dad who gave him a hug and a smile, murmuring Sarasalese words of approval and good merit into his ear before he planted a kiss on his cheek. The son blushed sweetly, feeling proud as the two Nokatas guided them deep into the marketplace, showing a bewildering array of stuff to find from food to crockery, machine parts to sports equipment, even collectible cards and the odd piece of electronic hardware including radios, TVs and game consoles. Karlos bought himself some parts for a somewhat-obscure device he had been interested in, Kooper found some neat collectible cards he said would make a great gift for Goombario, Shybert bought Koopin a CD of classic early electronic music, and lastly Koopin bought Shybert a rather fancy-looking daily planner with Sarasalese inscriptions covering the borders of each page.

The professor did not buy anything for himself, instead wandering his way through off towards the veranda that stood on the upper floors of the pyramid. Koopin followed him out of curiosity along with some worry about his feelings as he saw the older sand-shelled koopa standing before a glistening burnt orange horizon. He had not realised how long they had spent in the grand bazaar as Kolorado's image stood imprinted against the deep crimson of the twilight desert.

"You know," said Kennidon, "Kooper looks up to you deeply."

"I know," replied the professor, "that boy has spirit."

"Just that I noticed...how you looked at Noki's son...Kooper and Karlos are already like sons to you."

"Of course they are. Are you assuming that I was jealous of Noki for having such a fine upstanding boy?"

"I...u-u-um-"

"I'm not envious he has a son. I'm envious that Nokayim has his father, you cracked that one the wrong way round dear boy."

A wry smirk escaped him as he shook his head, turning towards Koopin who blushed with embarrassment, before the old koopa slapped his hand upon his shoulder.

"WELL, now let's see what good bargains we can get before they close the store eh, see if you can't find something good for your mum and pop eh?"

"Y-y-yeah! Gosh they'd never forgive me if I came back without a souvenir!"

"INDEED let's make haste! I saw the most delightful haberdashery down below that might give me some interesting outfits for a uh...better formal occasion in future."

"Hahaha, normally we call that a date in my generation."

"Don't you sass me lad, I have forty years experience in this cane ahead of your noggin!"

The two roamed back into the department store heading down towards the men's clothing store that the researcher noted. At first it seemed to be rather for older distinguished gentlemen, which of course Kolorado relished in trying out new hats, suits and sporting jackets. Koopin in turn started trying some at the behest of his temporary employer who dressed him up in various garments ranging from sweeping capes and fine turbans to elaborate sash robes of flowering velvet. He felt rather silly but enjoyed it nonetheless, spending a good forty minutes inside the store alone as Kolorado handed him fabric after fabric.

"What say we try THIS my boy?!"

"Wha-no, it looks weird on me!"

"Come on now let's see!"

"It feels like...my head is two times too big."

"HAH! Quite the noggin that would have to be to fit that turban I daresay!"

"I'm just not really a hat person! Maybe something more like a scarf o-or some sort of-"

"Neckerchief? Let's see now um...ah, here, this is where all the kerchiefs are let's see which one gets your fancy."

"You really wanna let me choose something?"

"Of course come now Koopin just make your choice I'll buy something, whatever you like in this place! I've earned myself a tidy little piece here so why not get something for you eh wot wot?"

"Oh...kayyyy alright let me seeee..."

Amongst the rows of headscarves and kerchiefs were various tribal patterns in a most bewildering array of wild colours ranging from red to robin egg blue, seeing stars and stripes and everything else in-between. But it wasn't until Koopin spotted one particular item amongst the casings that something just clicked inside his head. A dark brown neckerchief with a pale blooper printed onto it, as he almost wondered if Kolorado really did mean what he said to him those many weeks ago. But regardless, he now knew what he had to do. What he had to become in order to save his sanity.

"I want...THIS one."

"Are you-really? Seems rather dull though I do appreciate the pallid print, is that what you want?"

"Yes. I know what to do...thanks to you."

"Whatever do you mean my dear boy?"

"I'm thinking of...let's just call it...putting on a new hat."

They both shared a grin as he completely understood.

---

"And that," said Shybert ending, "was how our journey to Sarasaland ended, when our friend Koopin found himself a new identity, fully realised in an old department haberdashery hwoh."

"Huh really?" replied Roy. "That's...uh...kinda sumthin', you know you could have just shown me lahk photos of your trip."

"OH, I have some actually, I just don't have them on me right now at the moment but this IS very important since it marks the beginning of the birth of Koopa-Bloopa."

"But ah thought he already had that name."

"He had the name yes, but not the identity, hwoh. You'll see what I mean once we-wait...what time is it?!"

"Uhhhh...about 1:38pm."

"WHA-HWOHHHH!"

With flustering step Shybert leapt off his chair and stumbled out onto the street.

"Lunch break's almost over, if I'm not back in twelve minutes they might scold me, maybe worse!"

"Ahm sure they're not gonna chew you out much-"

"NO, nonono, must get back before they realise thankyouRoygoodbye!"

Waddling off with desperate feet, the lone shy guy barged his way through the crowds of lunchtime citizens or at least tried to. He wasn't rude and simply struggled in long wait amidst the queues until a horde of goombas came from down the street, barrelling into Shybert and carrying him off amongst them in a non-consensual crowdsurfing. Roy decided that he would be fine by himself and simply drank up his coffee. He could not help but wonder however what Koopin's story was, having long known that the seemingly mild-mannered koopa had a mysterious past following James' absence. He decided to ask him finally the next time they met on what the truth of Koopa-Bloopa was, along with the still-unanswered question on Charlie's odd forsaken disappearance.