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James staggered slightly into the house, sighing with a chesty cough sputtering from his throat harshly as his chest fluttered beneath his shirt. Koopin guided him back towards the bed after closing the door behind him, his hand gently grasping James' wrist as the raptor muttered:

"Mmmmph fffffrickin' doctor-"

"Shhhh hun come here and lie down."

"I don't need any MORE sass about having this disease, like I got it okay THIS is punishment enough tha-"

"Shhhhhhhh...it's okay, I know, now let me just get that cream on you."

"Mmmmokay."

Carefully unbuttoning James' shirt as he sat down beside the raptor now laid in his bed, Koopin revealed the bare chest of his husband which started to form oddly strange pale fragments of his scales bleaching white against his brown. He almost thought they were sprouting chest hairs from the silvery stubble look they gave him in a flowering pattern up towards his neck.

"Wh-what the...what is this?!"

"Hmm, oh...that's normal, raptors start getting pale around some parts when they get older."

"But I...I never seen this, I-i-i never noticed! Gosh how did I not see this all those years we've been together?"

"Well you keep me in shirts all the time nowadays so how could you notice?"

"...well...perhaps now I have a reason to let you not wear them again."

"Mmmm is that so?"

"You look very...handsome. More mature than usual."

"Hhhhmhmhmhm, my little koopa boy still wanting some older men is that right?"

Koopin blushed sweetly as he rubbed his fingers back and forth, carefully applying the soothing chest rub along the firm hardening scales which bristled slightly against his touch, like hardened hairs almost. The soft cooling lotion made the raptor feel at ease gasping calmly at the cold touch, slowly warming against his skin.

"M-mmmmm...ohhhh Koopin...hhhhh thassit."

"That better hun?"

"Yes...ohhh god that feels great. You like the show?"

"I...it...does make you look a lot older than usual, the pale bits I mean."

"How much older?"

"...old enough to give me ideas."

"Mmmmmmm oh I like where this is going."

Carefully pulling his head close, James kissed his husband gently upon the lips as they closed their eyes halfway to smooch and suckle sweetly. Warmth flooded through his lips as he slightly bucked his hips, gasping as he felt an ache start returning to his loins with arms gently sweeping over Koopin's back to pull him in against his chest, his eyes closed fully.

"Hhhhhhmmmmmmhhhh god you're so sweet."

"Ahm glad you think so."

"H-huh?"

"But ahm pretty sure your husband would be jealous."

James felt his eyes open properly as he saw Roy's smirking visage staring down upon his face mere inches from his snout, which made him recoil weakly with a cringing sneer.

"Uuuuuuuugh gawwwwd Royyyyyy!"

"Hmhmhmhahahaha...you havin' a nice dream?"

"I was...where's Koopin?"

"He's down with the family, Charlie's with 'im too, ahm jus' here babysittin' you."

"I'm not a baby."

"Really cuz you sound lahk one."

"Fuuuuck youuuu."

He hit his head back against the pillow as he grinded his claws weakly into his face.

"He asked me to stay wit' you," continued Roy, "yanno just to keep check on you, though ah have to say you lookin' pretty good, at least better than usual."

"You better not kiss me."

"HAH, hell no. Besides, wouldn't be thuh first time."

"Yeah...I remember, you musclefag."

"Hhhmhmhmhm."

Roy went over to the kitchen to pour himself a drink, whilst also getting James a small glass of tonic that mixed honey, lemon and glycerin to soothe his friend's wounded throat. The taste was very mild and warm, soothing the scratchiness a little as the utahraptor sat down beside him.

"You definitely lookin' a lot better than usual."

"Sure...feel like it, mmmhh. Just sorta more tired but that's about it."

"Ah bet. Your colour's coming back too, lot less pale so it must be comin' outta your system."

"Yeah it's just a couple more weeks the doctor said, my immune system is definitely working it out."

"Yanno it IS pretty awesome or lucky that we don' get any diseases whilst out on thuh road."

"It's kinda weird huh?" mumbled James. "I never realised until this year but these nanos must have given us a real boost."

"Ah sure hope so," replied Roy, "ah read up on whut diseases this world has got an' luckily there ain't nuthin really worse out there than Booboos."

"Oh, great."

"So ah mean if you survive this then you got nuthin' to worry about!"

"That's...kinda reassuring I guess."

The two sat rather quietly, feeling all their topics dry out suddenly as Roy looked over towards James' cupboard.

"May I?"

"Huh?"

"Ah remember seein' sum stuff you had that looked kinda interestin'."

"Oh yeah sure, why not?"

He got up and perused through his friend's belongings, being careful not to handle anything that looked too valuable. Small trinkets from his adventures, as well as his old satchel being left on the shelf reminded Roy their past encounters both good and bad.

"Remember thuh Hopkins archive back in Ivalice?"

"How could I forget."

"That wuz sum crazy shit, ah can't believe we pulled that off. Even Cyrus thought it wuz crazy."

"Cyrus?"

"Mah chocobo...damn, ah hope he's okay."

"Navarro's taking care of him remember, she owns that stable in Lea Monde."

"Oh yeah righ', how is he?!"

"Good! I mean if he's with Navarro then he's in safe hands don't you worry......shit."

"Whut?" asked Roy.

"I forgot," groaned James, "mmmmnnnnnnthey don't even know you're alive."

"Wait whut?!"

"Yeah remember, last time I visited Ivalice was before you came back here awwwww shit, they got no idea what happened to you!"

"Are you serious?! ...fuck, now ah feel terrible."

"Soon as I get better, you and me? Road trip down to Ivalice and get back with the gang."

"Haha sure! Man that lahk totally slipped mah mind, how could ah forget that?!"

"You had a lot of things going on plus your life rebuilding and whatnot, I don't think anyone's gonna blame you."

"Yeaaaah ah guess. Alrigh' soon as you're okay, we go down to Ivalice an-ooooh whut's this?"

He spotted the box full of Playkoop magazines at the bottom of the closet.

"Weeeelllll now, that's sumthin'."

"Huh?"

"Looks lahk you still appreciate thuh women."

"Course I do. I may prefer guys more but I still got the need from time to time."

"Mmhmm..."

Carefully opening up one of the magazines, Roy was shocked to see a variety of creatures now familiar to him posing rather erotically on various objects. Softcore as it was, in fact softer than what he usually expected, the sight of yoshis, koopas and toads nearly baring all brought plenty to the imagination along with various helpful articles about intimate issues.

"You can borrow some if you want," replied James.

"H-huh?!" stuttered MacGregor.

"I mean since you're all into that you can take some if you want."

"Wh-whuh-really? A-ah dunno man a-a-ah wuz just lookin'."

"What you never had any magazines under your bed?"

"Wha-NO dude ah wuz raised Catholic, mah dad woulda never let me have any o' that!"

"Pfffft when's that ever stopped anyone, my first boyfriend was Muslim and he had some kinky fucking shit hiding away before he left house."

"Really?"

"Yeah, then he left and became a a Rastafari and well, he made me into this faggot you see before you."

"Can't be that much of one if you still droolin' over sum yoshi pussy.....okay this is kinda weird ahm gonna put these away."

"Take a couple if you want it's cool."

"Ahll have to think about it but...thanks."

"Soooo what you wanna talk about?" asked the raptor in bed.

"Well..."

Roy put the magazine back as his thoughts came back to him.

"Ah wuz askin' Koopin about whut went down with him whilst you were away. Then ah met this other dude from the uh KIB, who came round to check on thuh place whilst you an' Koopin were away?"

"Oh yeah, Fifty-seven? Wait, was he at the hospital today?"

"Yeah, he came with me but he left back to his work, you know him?"

"Yeah he's a nice guy but rather stiff. Koopin told me a lot about him, said they got a good relationship."

"He talked about sum freaky shit with this giant squid called Blooshan an' whut he called wuz sum kinda alien?"

"Oho yeah, THAT part. Still don't understand that bit like what the fuck?"

"Yeah right?!? So yeah that's whut he told me, you know anythin' after that?"

"I know the whole story...actually, the next part is pretty important but I'm sure Koopin won't mind me telling you. In fact..."

James took another drink from his tonic before shifting himself up to face towards Roy.

"I think he'd rather prefer that I tell you."

"Huh?"

"Have a seat."

The black raptor sat down curiously on the bed.

"So Koopin and Fifty-seven managed to escape that freaky ship with their lives and then it got erased. Basically the Koopa Kingdom lifted it out of the water with magic and airships before tossing everything into a volcano."

"Whut if that ship had been made of sum substance that wouldn't melt, ah mean it's a space ship fer god's sake."

"It's a VERY hot volcano, like they got one specially charged with super-heated magic to make sure that stuff melts, trust me it's gone. So anyways, Koopin gets back to the KIB's airship, they hand over the data to Blooshan who thanks them and gets all quiet and nervous about knowing where he comes from."

"Yeah, ah bet."

"But they had to put Fifty-seven in intensive care, he got really messed up. Koopin was really upset over the whole thing, I mean I can only imagine how he felt when he first saw that freakish monster. I guess now he knows how I felt when I first left our home world and saw these things."

"Ah hear that. It's not easy thuh first time."

"Thank god it was only the one time...but the things that would happen in his own world would affect him that much worse."

"Whuh? How could ANYTHIN' be worse than that damn thing?"

"Well, I'll tell you. But be warned...it's not gonna be pretty."

---

The Rising Fallen Star

Chapter 7: His Name Was...

"How is he?" asked Koopin.

"He's recovering," said the KIB doctor, "despite the complications."

"Is there really no way to remove his shell?"

"The monster crushed his shell lining into his ribs, we can't separate the bones well enough without damaging his ribcage."

"But he's still alive right? I-i mean, he can live his life still?"

"We're creating a hardened keratin plast over his fracture so it seals up to prevent infection but other than never removing his shell again he should be fine. He's lucky to be alive considering, had that monster crushed his ribs any further by at least seven inches he would most certainly be dead."

"Stars......wh-what...what's happening to this world?"

"I'm sorry."

The doctor simply patted his shoulder in practiced sympathy.

"I know that this side of the world is frightening to you. If you need someone to talk to, we have a therapist on call for these sort of things."

"...can I...talk to Fifty-seven? Please?"

"You can. I'll just let him know."

As soon as he was called, Koopin stepped into the airship's infirmary where 57 laid. The drone of machinery throughout the entire ship was strangely soothing both to visitor and patient, allowing their minds to almost hypnotically revert themselves to a lucid state of peace, or whatever little peace they could have in this time. The place was well-equipped with the finest medicinal equipment, a large bed with privacy curtains, good lighting and an IV drip shaped like a mushroom that was slowly pumping fluids into the patient's limb. Koopin had never seen him without clothes before, at least not in real life. The long deep scar that tore through his shell front resembled an ocean trench, thin but cavernous as he shuddered from empathy at how ragged 57's breathing was, every breath but a fleeting spasm of anguish from his tightened ribs.

"Are...are you alright?" asked the agent hoarsely.

"You're...y-you're asking me?" gasped Koopin. "After what happened to you?"

"I told you it was my job to protect you. That is first and foremost Koopin."

"I-i don't care, are YOU alright? Stars it looks...looks awful."

"You should see...what I did to the other one. Heh."

"Wh-wh-...you...really managed to beat it?"

"With my bare hands. Hammer. Same thing."

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

"For what?"

"For, a-all of this! What happened to you, th-that Blooshan should have told us!"

"It's no use getting angry, he can't have known."

"HE MUST HAVE! HE MUST HAVE KNOWN SOMETHING!"

"We're still alive, you want to be upset, then remember my colleagues who did not survive this."

"OF COURSE I REMEMBER THEM, THAT'S WHY I'M UPSET!"

"I know. You...realise this is our purpose, Koopin? We may not have to deal with such things as horrible as that usually, but the KIB must ensure that this world be kept safe from hostile influences otherworldly. I knew the risks when I took this line of work and so did my associates. My friends."

There came a moment of silence between them as 57 closed his eyes. Koopin bowed his head in respect feeling his friend's pain within his heart, despite the duty that he swore to his kingdom. He was tense, stiff from the pain constantly throbbing from his chest as the EKG beeped beside him gently. Koopin struggled to force the words that came next from his mouth.

"I...I need to tell you something."

"Hmm?"

"I...I've been having dreams. About you. About us being together. Intimately. ...I don't want to imagine this sort of thing and I'm sorry about this but the reason I was all weird around you before our mission was because I thought you were...f-f-falling in love with me. And I was turning desperate because it's been so long without a-anyone to hold me that I was e-even-"

"Please, stop."

He opened his eyes again as he struggled to turn his head.

"I fear that you misunderstood."

"Wha-huh?"

"What I said to you before...was not anything to do with love or intimacy. Not that sort of love specifically. I just wanted to be more, than a bodyguard to you...that's all."

"Y-you mean like...being a friend?"

"Yes. Exactly."

"Wh-why didn't you...say anything, ohhhh jeez I should have-UGH!"

Koopin flustered himself and paced around the room with hands clapping at his cheeks, his face turning red with frustrated shame at his own assumptions.

"I'm...I-i'm so sorry. I've just been struggling with all of this I-i-i must have made, I-i assumed-"

"It's my fault. I should have clarified, but it never occurred to me that you thought of me that way. Much...as I am flattered by your imagination, I cannot accept you like that."

"Good, m-me neither. I have a boyfriend."

"I know."

"I wouldn't want to do anything, at all, i-it's not me, I won't betray him."

"I wouldn't want anything either. Well, more rather I COULDN'T do anything with you."

"Well, yeah, I mean I assume you're straight."

"Actually it's more the fact that your mother wouldn't forgive me."

"Yeah she definitely wouldn-wait, what? What's my mom got to do with this?"

"Because she would never forgive me for seducing my nephew."

It took him a good thirty-three seconds to comprehend what he just said, the gears of his mind slowly screeching to a halt as everything turned silent. Not even the sound of the EKG could be heard from his blank staring eyes and sunken mouth in shock. His beak struggled to work gently opening and closing like a cheep cheep on dry land.

"Wh-............What?"

"I'm sorry. I was not allowed to tell you, my information is classified to all but considering what you just told me, I have to explain to you now."

"Are you...are you serious, or are you just...y-you're not making this up are you?"

"The first song she ever heard and loved was The Yoshi Island Suite by Koopi Kondo. That's not listed on any reports."

"N-no...tha-......h-h-how do you-...she never told me about an uncle."

"She doesn't remember. She was very young when I was sent away."

"Sent...away?"

"I was born eight years before she was. I was a terrible brat, regularly out of control, no reason apart from boredom. Our parents were somewhat strict but not cold, just frustrated. I had a small gang of kids with me in Dusty Dunes, I was the oldest so I had first say. We weren't poor, we didn't come from bad homes, we were just kids. We had fun pushing our limits, jumping over rooftops, stealing fruit and vegetables just to see what we could get away with. But then I went too far, when I broke into the mayor's house."

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

"Because it was fun. I wanted this really gorgeous solid gold figurine, was apparently excavated and given to the mayor as a gift. Encrusted with rubies and sapphires, I just wanted to see if I could steal it. I failed. That's the thing about me Koopin, the reason I enjoy all of this and never quarrel about consequences. I live for danger."

He slowly smiled with an eerie gentleness as his hand began to clench with a gentle shaking of excitement.

"It's what makes me feel alive the most, even when that monster was tearing into me, even when we fought that thing possessing Charlie, it gives me the greatest rush, the same thrill that people get when they go skydiving or compete in triathlons. Eventually the town had enough of me, and so the authorities and my parents sent me off to the juvenile correctional facility in His Majesty's kingdom."

"I've...I've heard about that, they put you in this military routine to try and discipline you, like a hardcore school."

"Yes, exactly like being in a practice military and those with good results and strong obedience can then be employed as soldiers in the royal army. Rehabilitation, not incarceration, and I was one of those students who learned the hard way. Through discipline and fitness I found myself strangely enjoying this new life and as part of Bowser's army I simply flourished. I became a soldier, reports were sent back to my parents about my upstanding evolvement from a miscreant into a dependable serviced warrior. They told me about my sister, how she was growing, how she became a flautist and other such things and I was happy that they were doing well without me. They weren't moving on without me, they knew I still existed and they were proud of me even if they couldn't tell me face to face. It's probable that Klair did not remember me enough to tell you about me, or you simply never asked, in fact none of my family even know what I do, they all just assume I'm still in the guard. She's never even met me. I've seen her in my own routines whilst with you as well as scouting but she has no idea what I look like. It's probably best that way, I have no reason to involve myself in her life."

"I...never knew......oh my stars, all this t-time I never knew that-...oh my STARS NO!"

He scrabbled at his face as if trying to pull out the lurid dreams he had imagined involving his uncle.

"GUUUUH!"

"Hmhmhmhmhm...sorry for the brain bleach, I never asked you to become intimate with me."

"I-i-i-i-i just, it's that, I-i-i just-"

"Calm down. You weren't to know, that's why I'm telling you now before your fantasies evolved any further. Hopefully."

"A-a-are you sure you're my uncle, or are you just telling me that?!"

"No, I'm certain. As certain as the fact your mother's favourite flute was a blue Goombrannen Brothers transverse."

"Ohhhhh my stars you really ARE-"

"Shhhhhh...that's not for anyone else to know but you, alright Koopin? Now please...calm down and don't embarrass yourself."

"R-r-right...s-sorry. Stars I...ohhh I need to sit."

He brought up a chair and sat himself next to his uncle, the larger hammer brother sweetly smiling at him which caused his nephew to blush.

"I feel so ashamed still...n-not because of what I know now but to even consider the idea of not being faithful-"

"You would never do such a thing," said 57 softly.

"How do you know?"

"Your eyes. You're too honest, too pure for that sort of thing. No matter what happens, even after facing that monster, you always kept a certain tenderness about you. You may try to vent your anger behind another face, but you will always be Koopin no matter how much people try to change you. That's why James loves you. That's why I know and he knows that you could never betray him."

"I...r-r-really?"

"Yes."

"......wow. Well...um if...if you say so, s-so you were a miscreant huh?"

"Mmhmm, a real undisciplined pain in the shell."

"Hah, I can't believe that, you're always so sweet and proper."

"I learned how to be better over the years, it happens Koopin. You get old, the fight starts to drain out of you and you learn to only use it when it's necessary like with that alien."

"Right...thank you."

"Hmm?"

Koopin leaned over to hug him gently by wrapping arms around his neck.

"Thank you for saving me...and for what you just said, I don't...I don't know what I would have done without you...uncle."

"Heh...just what I do, nephew."

He gave a soft kiss to his nephew's head, gently nuzzling his cheek until he let go to ask him:

"So...what is your name actually?"

"My name is Kalim. Kalim Shellahim. That's only for you to know and no one else, because I know I can trust you."

"R-right. Thank you, uncle Kalim. Wait...wait I just realised, now I remember, mom DID tell me I have a cousin in Bowser's army, does that mean he's your-"

"Son, yes. I meet him when off-duty, but he does not know what I do other than I am involved in special missions."

"Wait she DID mention an uncle, like someone that went away but I never thought it would be you, she barely mentions...it......I-i'm sorry."

"That's alright Koopin. My life is very apart from hers and that's the way it should be. I'm glad I met you."

He raised his hand gingerly with great effort until Koopin clasped it softly.

"You've made your uncle proud every day since I've known you."

"The operation was a failure," said James, "they couldn't remove the shell from his ribs and he was stuck like that basically forever."

"Damn", murmured Roy, "that sucks...probably painful too."

"Yeah sure sounds like it. They talked about a lot of things, like things even I don't know and Koopin never told me because it was private I guess. So I don't ask but Fifty-seven took a long time to recover properly."

"Ah dunno much about shells but ah know that if sumthin' fucked up your bones you gonna be outta action for a good bit."

"Right, so whilst he was recovering Koopin went back to work doing his regular routine but he had a problem with his friend Shybert."

"A problem? Whut kinda problem?"

Koopin did his best to not think about everything outside of the TGA's workplace, and was failing to do so easily. His mind turned over constantly with new startling revelations about the fragility of his universe, his very existence brought into some question by the horrifying entity found under the sea. Typing away with automatic rigour, his hands glided along the keyboards amidst the gentle quiet of oscillating fans and clacking keyboards until suddenly there came a loud thunk from his left.

"H-HHH!"

A fat wad of papers had been dumped on the floor next to his desk, with Shybert stomping away as Koopin asked panickedly:

"Sh-sh-shybert!?"

He stopped at the door briefly. He did not turn to look back and simply walked out fully as Koopin went over towards Lynn T. across the office floor.

"Hey uh Lynn?"

"Yeah?"

"Does...does Shybert seem different to you?"

"He uh...n-no, maybe quieter than usual, why?"

"He just dumped all those papers on the floor like it was nothing, that's not like him."

"Yeah that's...kinda weird."

"He hasn't talked all week," said Booris nearby. "That's pretty odd."

"Wait, not all week?"

"Yeah you never noticed?"

"It's hard to notice anything in this place sometimes. Yeah I guess there must be something up."

"You think he might be sick?"

"I'll go ask him."

Koopin volunteered to head off and find the supervisor, traipsing through the corridors as he caught a glimpse of the red short guy heading back into his office. The sight of him almost slamming the door completely on his face made him tentatively knock.

"Sh-shybert? Um...c-can I talk with you?"

"I don't know Koopin," he replied from within, "CAN you?"

"......what?"

"Can I HELP you with something hwoh?"

"I just wanted to know if you were alright, Booris and Lynn were worried about you."

"Oh, well I'm glad they were hmm."

"Are you alright, you...sound angry."

"Really? Well I'm glad you noticed THAT hwoh."

"What are you-can you just let me in?!"

"You didn't want to be seen with me OUTSIDE the office so why would you want to be seen with me HERE?!"

"I-i-i dunno what you're talking abou-"

"DON'T!"

The door violently jolted open a few inches showing a bilsteringly furious Shybert, his mask positively shaking with vile rage as he whispered with harsh tones.

"Don't even pretend you care about my feelings."

"Wha-what the...what?!"

"I SAW you, at Rogueport, which you SAID you weren't going to with ME, did I jog your memory hwoh?!"

He suddenly realised what Shybert meant and gasped with a heartbroken look of discomfort whilst rubbing his hands nervously. It was clear to see the guilt upon Koopin's face, as he tried to explain:

"Shybert, listen-"

"DON'T bother Koopin, or should I say Yorick TWO!?"

"Wha-don't you compare me to-"

"Why not?! YOU would rather just blow me off and have a ruddy good time by yourself without me, I THOUGHT you were my friend!"

"I AM YOUR FRIEND!"

"If you really were my friend you would have gone with me, do you know what I did after I came back from Rogueport?! I bought a STAPLER, LOOK!"

He brought out from his drawer a small black rectangle with teeth resembling a makeup box.

"I bought a stapler, through impulse buy because they told me this thing could staple through wood, I mean WHAT am I supposed to do with that sort of information Koopin?! Now I just carry it around with me and I don't want to bring it out because it looks like a lady's compact! THIS IS THE LIMITS I HAVE GONE TO, when I buy something that I'm too embarrased to even use!

"I'm SORRY I can explain!"

"I DON'T WANT AN EXPLANATION KOOPIN KENNIDON I JUST WANTED YOU TO NOT DITCH ME LIKE SOME CHEAP FAIRGROUND TOY!"

The silence in the office corridor was thick and palpable like treacle, as Koopin felt the eyes of various workers from both directions gently staring towards the supervisor. Unbeknownst to them, Koopin could hear Shybert's ragged breathing and what sounded like him struggling to choke back the most bitter of tears as he tried to form diplomacy,

"...can I...come inside so I can apologise to you directly?"

"Wh-wh-what?"

"I want to apologise. Please. Let me come in and let's settle this like businessmen. I'll let you file a grievance against me privately, is that okay?"

".........yes."

Carefully opening the door to allow his employee in, Shybert closed the door and struggled to drag his feet towards his own desk as he slumped down into the seat.

"First off," began Koopin, "I am deeply, deeply sorry about leaving you at the RPJ."

"Hmm."

"I have a reason for this. And I know this may not sound very believeable at first, but I can prove it. There's a reason I couldn't have come with you."

"And what...is that?"

"Because......I was already attending, but as one of the guests of...honour, not as one of the audience."

"What?"

"......I'm...I'm Koopa-Bloopa."

At first he cocked his head with a look of disbelief. Incredulous even with his transfixed poker face, Koopin could feel the essence of a sneer behind his mask.

"Are you...I sincerely hope you're joking."

"I'm not. I couldn't be with you at the concert because I was already there, on stage."

"Do you...do you honestly take me for some sort of fool Koopin?! The least you could do is apologise without this flippin' boast!"

"I'm not boasting anything, it's true!"

"And WHY should I believe you?!"

"Because it's the truth, I'm sorry Shybert but it is!"

"Well I am sorry but I don't think you're very credible at the moment, hwoh!"

"Look, I'll prove it to you. I'll prove to you that I'm not lying."

"Oh really. How?"

"Come to my house after work. My stuff's all there, I'll prove to you that I'm him."

"Why not prove it here?"

"Because I don't take my stuff to work, it's a different job being a DJ, what you want me to bring in my deck?!"

"......alright. I'll go to your house, we walk together but IF I find out you are lying to me then you can consider our friendship revoked good sir!"

"Done, promise."

Around four hours after their talk, Shybert found himself sitting gobsmacked on Koopin's sofa. His expression did not change but Koopa-Bloopa could tell that he had proved himself by the way that his arms stood transfixed whilst struggling to clap his mouth. Shybert stared upon the koopa now wearing his hoodie and signature neckerchief, standing before him with the same deck he performed with on stage as Bloopa exclaimed:

"Sup Shyboy, you ready to make some noise? Cuz lemme tell you righ' now, this beat ain't gonna drop 'til the needle drop on yo' head."

"Wh-wh-hwa-...h-hwa......o-oh my stars you really are-Y-YOU'RE Koopa-Bloopa?!"

"Heh, yeah, you wanna say that louder cuz I think the next island over didn't quite hear ya."

"I-i-i-i-i don't, th-this, th-th-th-this is just, h-HWOW, you...you......h-h-have you all this time, been......doing all THIS?"

"Yeppo."

"Hw-hw-hwow......you're...so you really were telling the truth. I can't believe, my own employee and friend is...a rising star in the electronic industry."

"Well to be fair I ain't like a superstar, I'm still underground but I'm getting there, I mean I got a high-profile invitation so I must be doin' something right."

"H-hwoh...I...don't know what to say."

"I think I know what to say."

Koopin removed his blooper kerchief with smile apologetic.

"I'm really sorry about not coming with you. I didn't want to ditch you, but I just had to keep my identity a secret."

"But why?! Why go through all of this, do you have any idea how well you're doing on the club circuit?! You could be public with this sort of thing!"

"No, I can't."

"Wh-why not, think of the fans Koopin! You're...y-y-you-"

He stood up fast with flustering excitement.

"You're the fourth biggest indie DJ to come breaching out of the woodwork, how can you not reveal yourself!?"

"Because I'm not the same person working in an office when I get behind the deck. It's......this entire thing, this whole getup, the only reason I've become this was so I could vent my problems out, all the things I couldn't tell people because I'm Koopin. I'm this sweet kind-hearted guy that everybody likes, the tour guide who's always helpful, the nice son, the good employee, I can't be that as well as the punk DJ who screams out into the void with his synthwave beats, you understand me? ...have you ever wanted to...just......"

Koopin slowly sat himself down onto the sofa with his head propped by his hands.

"You ever wanted to scream, or like say some stuff but you can't because you're you? Like the things you wanna say aren't what YOU would say, but what someone else inside of you wants to say, someone that came because of a hard time you've been having."

"I-i don't know," mumbled Shybert confused, "I mean I always managed to......no. You know what, I almost tell a lie because I know there are some things I cannot say."

"And then what happens? How do you deal with it? Because my way of handling it is through all of this and it just happened to work out great."

"I dont have one Koopin. I just have to cope. I just work, I know not many people appreciate it but I do my best. Losing myself in all these numbers and words, that must be how I cope with it."

"And is that working for you?"

"......I don't know. But I think...that I understand, a little bit."

There was a lost faraway look in Shybert's face, the way he softly cocked his mask towards the heavens until Koopin asked:

"Is there any way I can make this up to you? I don't want to lose you as a friend Shybert, I really like you. You've always been so helpful and so kind getting me back into the office I feel I should repay you."

"Hmmmmmmm......how about...next concert you go to, you get me free tickets?"

"Wait, what?"

Slowly his gaze went back towards the koopa.

"That's my offer, take it or leave it."

"Shybert, I don't handle the tickets, that's the job of the club not me."

"Oh...that, would, that makes sense um...wow I feel pretty awkward now trying to barter things I'm usually quite good at bartering-"

"How about this? You can be my groupie."

"Wh-what?! Koopin no I'm not interested in you that way-"

"I didn-...wait...what?! NO I mean being like a helper for me, we can say you're helping me sort out legal stuff or something and you get free pass into any place with me."

"OH, ohhhh I see oh good I was hoping it was that sorry...you want me to come with you?"

"Sure, you're my buddy! I mean I trust you with my secret and I really mean this Shybert."

Koopin approached him before kneeling down and grasping at his shoulders.

"You, CANNOT, tell, anyone about me. I do not want to be bothered, I do not want any hassle, just that me and Koopa-Bloopa are two totally different people, is that clear?"

"Yes. I understand."

"It maaaaay also be good for you to not wear that tie whilst out with me, yanno just in case anyone recognises you."

"OH, goodness you're right, that means I better adopt a news persona as it were!"

"Yeah we could totally make you a new identity...in fact...I got this uhhh SUPER big important thing I gotta do, but you don't have to do anything, you can just be part of the party and hang out."

"Oh, really? What sort of party hwoh?"

"Juuuuust somebody that turns out to be a real fan of mine, someone important."

"Reaaaally? Who?! Who is it then?!"

Shybert had travelled to most of the Mushroom Kingdom's regions, as long as there was a branch of the TGA to visit. But there was one place that he never had the fortune of reaching in his life, one he would have been perfectly fine without but there he stood. Trembling before the mighty gate of King Bowser's castle far within the very heart of the Koopa Kingdom amongst boiling lava pools. The grand old drawbridge and sheer-cliffed portcullis gave an atmosphere of almost feudal aggression, sending down deep shivers through both him and Koopa-Bloopa. The moist heat of the volcanic caldera did not ease matters as their heads craned up to the very top of the looming brobdignagian fortress.

"I always forget how big this place is," muttered Bloopa.

"Hw-h-hwow...it...it's much bigger than I always thought it'd be."

"Just play it cool. You know what to do right, it's just like any job."

"P-please Koopi-"

"EY-EY! KOOPA-Bloopa, or just K.B."

"Right...K.B., you're making it sound like Yoshin's Eleven and we're about to bust a heist or something!"

"It's just like being an actor, come on, you wanted to do this!"

"W-well, maybe the next party then!"

"Nooooo you wanted to come, I had to pull a lot of strings just to bring you along."

"From WHO, you don't even have a manager, you're your own free agent!"

"Exactly, do you know how difficult it is to be my own manager AND my own musician AND my own accountant AND my own legal team-"

"Alright alright, okay...I see what you mean now.

"Okay now let's rehearse while we wait. What are you doing here?"

"M-my name's...Shyman and I'm here to help with Koopa-Bloopa's legal necessities."

"And why does he need that?"

"B-because...I...phew it's ruddy hot."

He wiped his brow with his new tie which had very subdued purple notes within a sharp indigo convex.

"Because of musical...copyrights that we have to make certain are not being used improperly."

"Thaaat's the spirit, you got it."

"WHO GOES THERE?!"

A voice boomed out from above the gate.

"KOOPA-BLOOPA, YOUR BOSS HIRED ME FOR THE PARTY?!"

Hovering down from above were two parakoopas, flapping their wings resplendently like armoured cherubs.

"Hand us your proof of meeting."

Bloopa handed over the invite that had been sent to him, a strangely archaic letter that was untraceable through magic means.

"Alright, you're confirmed, LET 'EM THROUGH!"

The drawbridge shuddered down with an earth-churning creak that sent echoes throughout the caldera as they walked into the castle. Koopa-Bloopa only needed his deck within his backpack with everything else already set up in the main dining hall of his wrothful king, a splendid grand room that could easily fit around 400 people within. Tables had been placed with an open floor in the middle, as well as a large podium which straddled two sets of large speakers taller than a koopa would be. The throne of the DJ was being carefully managed by hammer brothers who were the castle's engineers as they worked with Koopa-Bloopa to set up the sound system making sure everything could be heard well with Shyman as the audience in various parts of the room. The hall had impressive acoustics despite its ancient stone walls, making Bloopa wonder how such a thing could be until realising that, when one was king they needed to make sure that everyone heard them from each and every part of the dining theatre. It would be another three hours until the party itself was ready as various VIPs and dignitaries of the kingdom came far and wide to regale in this place, a cornucopia of the king's sympathisers and loyal minions from each and every walk of life. The party would soon commence, as the DJ took his place and waited for the guest of honour to arrive with Shyman at his side.

"Do you um...need anything Koo-Bloopa?"

"Nah, you can get out and mingle, just remember who you are and where you at, got it buddy?"

"R-right...buddy-o."

The two brofisted awkwardly giving Bloopa a smirk beneath his rag as there came the sound of trumpets and courtiers from the far rear of the room.

"HEAR YE, HEAR YE! PRESENTING HIS MAJESTY, THE DEMON KING OF THE KOOPAS, LORD BOWSER AND HIS SON HEIR ADHERENT TO THE THRONE!"

Hushed awe covered the room as the red carpet rolled out a good 400 yards to hit the other end of the room with surprisingly practiced roll before the rulers entered. The king was the most fearsome creature in this world, a monstrous dragon rising to at least eight feet with spiked turtle shell fused to his body, along with thick muscular bulk and rippling orange muscles in his squat legs and powerful girth. His mane was burning red with horns dorning his snouted complexion, with spiked bangles on his arms glinting like daggers. Alongside him was a much smaller version of himself at around three-and-a-half feet, paler skin that more resembled a yellowing bronze with a single baby fang poking from his pudgy face. The only difference apart from size and age was that his bangles were simply leather on his wrists, his mane was tied up into a short fiery ponytail and his chest was adorned by a white cloth bib that had crudely drawn teeth in a red-lipped mouth. Shyman briefly tried to remember how certain species of butterflies mimicked larger predators to frighten off enemies, because he really needed to think about something soft and less frightening than the great terror of the Koopa Kingdom. The very sight of Bowser made his voice disappear from his consciousness until Koopa-Bloopa put a hand on his head to reassure him. There was a brief silence, until suddenly an explosion of confetti and streamers showered the entire room with a ginormous banner unfurling across the length of the ceiling.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY YOUR HIGHNESS!"

A mountain of presents were brought in by couriers before the young prince, his face turning into one of screeching excitement as he hopped on his little toes, but not before he saw the DJ at the podium and turned even more excited. That was his cue to start playing the music, one especially he had been told to play.

The lights started to dim, an odd voice began to babble within the song as the rising synth started to fill the room causing people to move their feet almost against their will, their tails slowly swishing from side to side as the king spread his arms wide with glorious approval. His son stood in front of him mimicking his posture, jumping up and down with beaming joy as he rabidly dove into the presents. Tearing into the wrapping he pulled out gift after gift, a brand new game, an expensive set of tools, a new mode of transportation specially designed for him with his own seal and everything. People drank and laughed, started talking and dancing as the king simply stood by his son smirking with pride. Koopa-Bloopa watched Shyman disappear into the crowd as the music intoxicated him, turning him frantic with social eagerness to regale in his friend's auditory synergy now permeating around the walls. He then turned his eye towards the prince, keeping his hands working the deck by an automatic sensation, occasionally looking down just to make sure everything was working properly. For some strange reason, even in the midst of his lord and master's home, he did not feel more stressed than usual. He looked at a nearby reflection of himself and knew why, for there was something about this blooper neckerchief that gave him strength. Power. He then realised how fitting it was that he would be at the young prince's party, seeing his own rag draped around his chest now currently getting stained with cupcakes and juice as he babbled and frantically talked with his father, words he couldn't hear but clearly were in good humour. The worst part of being a musician, like his mother before him, was that one could only choose to either be on the stage, or the dancefloor but never both. That did not apply to Shyman however who returned a good twenty-six minutres later looking surprisingly cheerful with ragged tie and a cup of root beer.

"HWOOOOOW WHAT A PARTY!"

"Is it goin' good?"

"IT'S AMAZIN' HWOW, I've just been speakin' to an a-COUNT-ant, pffffhweheheheheheh from some...place and we had a great many japes over some...fffffff, I have to shay the king has shum EXSHELLENT tashte in accountanshy."

"Are you...drunk?"

"Wot nooooooo no that wouldn't be right, it'sh the sh-shon' prinshe highnessh party why-"

"Let me taste that."

Koopa-Bloopa took a very careful sip of Shyman's drink, swilling gently in his cheeks.

"Wow okay this is just root beer you are like a serious lightweight."

"I'm like THREE FEET TALL Koopa wot you exshpect from me hwoh?!"

"You have a point, just take it easy okay cuz I think you're getting high off the bubbles."

"WILL DO, IN A WHILE DINO RHINO!"

"Wait what? Shyman-...ugh."

He shook his head wondering if it had been a good idea to bring him along or not, but decided that he would be sensible enough and at the very worst, the guards around the place would make certain nothing could upset the king and his son for this event. He looked back over towards the royal family, the son looking oddly quiet and unwilling to approach anyone despite his father's encouraging. In turn the boy tried to encourage him to the dance floor, of which he needed very little motivation before grabbed his son and swooped him up onto his head before walking out to the centre of the hall. Grabbing on his horns and smacking his thighs around his head, the little prince commanded his father into being his personal transport as the regal giant slowly spun on the dancefloor with his son squealing and cackling madly above everyone else. Koopa-Bloopa watched with a beaming smile as the music played on, ceaselessly drowning the world around them in a haze of synth and magnetic tones constantly. The party seemed to last forever, as time started to slip into the abyss of melodies that Koopa-Bloopa created with no one knowing when one song ended and another began. Eventually exhaustion soon began to set in as the people started leaving, with gratitudes and honour bestowed upon their king along with the little prince, who had danced his heart out and played frantically back and forth between his father and his toys. One minute he was spinning around on a new buggy, the next he was latching onto his father's head and dancing excitably. But all good things had to come to an end, as Bowser the king petted his son's head before walking back into the castle to deal with various royal duties. The DJ was putting his things away as he heard the sound of little feet pattering onto the stage.

"HEY!"

"Hmm, whuh?"

The son of the king beamed at him with a smile full of milk teeth.

"That wuz AWESOME, yer music is soooo cool I got all of yer songs!"

"Heheh, thanks, glad someone's got good taste."

"Hehee yeah! Yer music makes me wanna jus-...POW, WHAM, RIGHT IN THE KISSER!"

"I get that a lot, people get pretty feisty when my beats are playin'."

"Watcha gonna do now?!"

"I gotta take my stuff an' head on home. Glad you had a great party, happy birthday by the way."

"UH..."

A strange look came over the prince as he scrunched his fists whilst biting his lip. Koopa-Bloopa smirked beneath his kerchief.

"What, you want an autograph?"

"Y-yeah! UM...I-i don't got a thing, on me, I gotta go to my room an' get sumthin', you should come with me!"

"Huh? Why?"

"Cuz I'm the birthday boy, an' whut I say GOES, that's why!"

"Heh, your dad paid me to play at the party, that was it."

"NAH-UH, he paid you to PLAY! Not mention a party, that mean you hafta play with me if I say so!"

"......damn, you got a point. Uhhh alright then, sure, whut you got?"

"I got Splatoon! You ever play that, it's AWESOME!"

"Heheh nah I never played, how 'bout you show me the ropes then?"

"YEAAAH!"

Koopa-Bloopa knew better than to argue with the prince, as he called out to his assistant:

"HEY, Shyman look after my gear, I got a thing to do!"

"OKAY KOOPI-I-ER-UH-BLOOPIE!"

"Bloopie?!" said the prince confused.

"He's new," replied the DJ, "still kinda trainin' him."

"Pfffft yeah, my new babysitter's like that too!"

"You got a babysitter?"

"WHUH-UH-UM...N-NOOOO she just, she's my uh s-s-servant, YEAH she's a servant, cuz I'm the prince!"

"Right, gotcha."

He was worried about the prince's brattiness, hoping not to offend him by any further assumptions made. Dragged down the halls of the castle, the king's son soon pushed open a door leading to his room which very much reflected that of a child's carelessness. Huge splattered paint on every single wall, an easel covered in gaudy paint with eye-watering colours of utmost brightness amidst the collection of toys, games and cute plushie characters. Bloopa noticed some of the stuff was extremely well-made, or even not yet available to the public as Junior loaded up his game on a black shiny console the size of a tome, offering Bloopa a pad with a glass screen.

"You ever used this?!"

"Nah, I do decks, not pads."

"Okay I'll show ya, an' then, I'm gonna beat ya!"

"Heh, no mercy?"

"THERE IS NO MERCY FOR THE WEAK!"

What followed afterwards was a slaughter. Not one chance did he get against the terrifying young prince and his mastery of paint physics. Koopa-Bloopa learned quickly how to play, the game apparently some sort of territorial-control match where the one who marked the most territory with their ink-like paint was the winner. Bloopers walked on their tentacles like legs whilst wielding other tentacles of theirs like rifles to squirt and shoot, some of which had been oddly modified to become paint rollers or such. His Royal Highness gave no quarter, leaving the DJ only to marvel at the impressive memory that he had for each landscape, battleground and tactic utilised on him.

"BOOM, FOURTEEN IN A ROW!"

"Awwwww damn I nearly HAD that!"

"Nah-uh, you got wrecked!"

"Hahahaha, yeaaaah I'm a spinner not a shooter yanno?"

"You'll get good at it! Not as good as me but you can totally get better if ya keep trying."

"Hah, thanks. Course I'd have to buy one of these and the game."

"If ya buy one, you could add me on yer friends list and we play more!"

"Sure, I get pretty busy though so might not always have time."

"Whaaaa, whyyyyy?"

"Cuz yanno, adult stuff, just boring stuff."

"Ugh, laaaaame," whined Bowser Jr. "I gotta do boring stuff too."

"Yeah like what?" asked Bloopa.

"Like studyin' stuff alllll the tiiiiiime it's so uuuuuuuuaaaaagh."

"Hahahaha, you still gotta learn even if you're the prince?"

"YEAH!"

"What kinda stuff you learn?"

"Stuff like old history an' geography an'...politics like different kingdoms an' things?!?! Dad tells me it's all about gettin' ready to be a king one day so I learn all the good stuff."

"I bet he had to do it too, back when he was a kid. S'not easy being royal."

"Nah-uh it ain't, it's really haaaaard."

"But you at least got time to relax, play games with peeps."

"Nah...not with anyone really."

The boy gently fidgeted on the spot looking rather downcast.

"I got lotsa servants but none of 'em want to play with me, not like what we do. They all gotta just check up on me, change my bed, that sorta thing, not like any playdates!"

"Do you play with anyone then?"

"Sure my dad! When he's not busy."

"Well he danced with you a lot while at the party, he really wanted to make sure you had a great time."

"He's the BEST, he's like the coolest biggest baddest dad around, he's my hero!"

"I bet you wanna grow up to be like him huh?"

"TOTALLY!" squeaked the son.

"And I bet he knows that too," replied Koopa-Bloopa, "which is why he's got you studyin' all that boring junk."

"Wha-......wait, really?!?! Ya think so?!"

"Why else would he put you through all that dull stuff that he went through as a kid, so you could turn out as good as him. Listen I seen his face when he was partyin' out with you, he looked so damn proud and happy to be with you, I mean my dad was the same when we were having fun watching the wrestling."

"You like wrestling?!"

"Yeah dude, me an' my dad are big on it!"

"Cooool. Does your dad like your music?"

"Ehhhh, not as much, my mom loves it though, she's really cool, she actually taught me how to play music."

"That's cool! ......I wish I had a mom to teach me stuff."

The boy looked as if he were about to cry, kicking his tiny feet as a glumness started to settle in before the DJ added:

"Least you got a dad, yanno some kids out there don't got any parents."

"Yeaaaaaah...that must really suck if you were like, all alone in your house with nobody at ALL to play with."

"Yeah......just like me."

"Wha-huh?"

"I live in a house alone."

"Wha-...really, but...you said you had a mom an' dad!"

"They live like far away from my house. I go to visit them but yanno, I just get back home to my bed and...well I used to have somebody there but...they're now gone. Heh...that's why I started this whole thing."

"Whut thing?"

"All this, this DJ stuff, wearing this whole outfit. The reason I did this was because I was so angry about......you know what, this...this is probably boring you-"

"No no tell me!"

A spark of empathy hit the young prince's eyes as he sat up with intrigue at the musician's backstory.

"I wanna know, why did ya become a DJ? I thought it was just because you wanted to make music, but you sayin' it's not?!"

"Well it was more like......I lived with someone, my boyfriend who was very dear to me. We loved each other a lot, we'd been together for four years and then he had to leave."

"Why?!"

"Because he had to save his friends...and also himself. There were a lot of nasty people back where he used to live, and all his friends were in danger so he had to go help them. He also had some problems that he had to fix."

"When's he gonna come back?" asked Junior gently.

"I don't know," replied Koopin. "That's the problem. I'm just hoping he comes back soon because...I was so angry that he left, but I knew I had no right to be."

"Why not?! You should be angry, I bet he's angry too!"

"Huh?"

"All those bad people back wherever he is messin' up his buddies, makin' him gotta leave you, I bet he's real angry just as you! He wanted to be with you right? It's just not fair both of ya gotta be apart."

"Yeah...you're right, he should be angry too...heh, yeah I bet he's really angry right about now."

"YEAH so you don' gotta feel bad about bein' angry long as he feels it too...right?"

"Right! Heheh, you're a real sweet guy, you know that? I bet you'll one day make your dad really proud when you grow up to be king."

"I sure will! So all this stuff, bein' a DJ is just you bein' angry, that why all your music just...fhsssssshhhuuuuuu BAM BOOM FHSHSHSHSHHH like, that?!"

"Yeah, right exactly! You know here's something that nobody else knows about me. See this neckerchief?"

"Yeah?"

"I got that idea from you. You were my biggest inspiration."

The prince's eyes widened out with a look of genuine shock.

"Wh-wh-...whaaaaaaaaah?"

"Yep, saw you a couple years back on the news and I was like 'hey, that dude's real cool he got a neckerchief on to hide his identity when he wanna do sumthin' serious, like real crime stuff with his daddy.' So I got to thinkin', if I wanted to be someone serious, like get right on down with this DJ business, I oughta get myself one'a these."

He pointed at the bib, still snarling forevermore.

"And now look...turns out I'm your biggest fan in a way, right?"

"Woah......that is so COOOOOOOL I juss' TOTALLY inspired ya!"

"Hehehehyep, ya suuuure did."

"Wait...wait wait, h-h-hold up! Whut...whuf if yer boyfriend comes back?"

"Wha-huh?"

"I mean if he like...gets back an' you don't hafta live all alone anymore...doessat mean you won't be angry anymore, like you won't be doing any of this whole DJ stuff?"

Koopin pondered to himself, stroking his chin beneath the hooded beak cautiously as he considered the young prince's question for a moment.

"I mean...I GUESS I wouldn't need much reason to keep up with this if he came back...but I don't wanna give up the whole music thing entirely. Maybe once all of this gets back to normal, my life I mean, I might not wanna do this public stuff anymore and just stick on with music posted online."

"Issat whut you wanna do?"

"I think so...yeah, once my boyfriend comes back and I'm happy again, I'll stop doing this. Hope that's not a problem for ya."

"I-i-i mean...I'll like, miss you not doin' stuff, I bet all your fans will too."

"I'm not giving up entirely, I just...want a good life back, you know, without doing this to keep myself and stop the pain from building up in my heart. Just gotta let it out is all."

"So...i-if you go back to jus' doin' it online, w-will ya tell me?"

"......tell you what."

Slowly Koopin undid his neckerchief before the young prince, showing his true self as he laid out the blooper-faced cloth upon his hands in front of his fan.

"The day my boyfriend comes back, the day I'm finally happy again...I will send this to you."

"W-whaaaa...really?"

"I promise. When I send this cloth over to you, you'll know I'm happy...your highness."

"Pssssh don' call me that, jus' call me dude!"

"Heh, alright then, dude, so, we got a deal?"

"......deal!"

The two shook hands gladly as Koopin put back on his rag and reassumed his identity, smirking down at the prince who gripped his control pad stating:

"Best outta twenty-six?"

"Ohooo you're ON little league!"

As they set up another round of Splatoon where Koopa-Bloopa would get trounced once again, they were blissfully unaware of a large hulking form behind the prince's door. A royal's head cocked against the doorframe listening, before the huge spike-shelled form of the king walked away with satisfaction.

"Heheh...got more than my money's worth that's fer sure."

"I was surprised," continued James, "that Koopin would even get popular enough to play at the castle, but I guess in the end the king is still his king and whatever the king wants, the king gets."

"He musta gotten paid," murmured Roy. "Ah hope he got paid good."

"You know, I never even asked him about that. Anyway, things were starting to calm down and Koopin was ready to start getting back into the mystery of solving who this spirit was with the help of Shellina who had been recovering the past month."

"Oh so we finally gonna find out who it is?!"

"Yep we sure are, so first things first."

"How is Fifty-seven?" asked Koopin once again.

"Recovering," said Kammy Koopa. "He will be fine with us, do not worry mister Kennidon."

"Well it's hard not to worry after what I saw down in that ship, we were the only ones to survive-"

"I am well aware of that. Don't think I do not care about my own employees, you are still alive and so is Fifty-seven, that is what matters."

"And how's Blooshan? Is he...okay?"

"He thanked us for our patronage and gave us commisserations to our people, of which he shall make blessings for in the sea. He got what he wanted, even though it may not have been what he wanted in the first place."

"Right. So what are we gonna do now?"

"You are still tasked with hunting down our spirit's identity. Charlie is kept safe, and the entity has gone dormant. Gadd is keeping an eye on him, doing his job for once."

"That's good. What should I do then?"

"You will be glad to know that miss Shellina has recovered well and is now prepared to help you find our most eminent spectral host."

"When can we leave?"

"Now."

The cold-voiced koopa stood leaning against the doorframe of E. Gadd's bedroom, walking in with seemingly no injuries remaining on her person. Koopin had not seen her without her black cloak, noticing her slender musculature resembling that of a professional martial artist as well as the three diagonal stripes that marked her shell backing.

"Are you up to the task?" said the grand vizier.

"I am. I've been examining the scarf that Fifty-seven retrieved, it's a perfect conduit for the spirit's emotional tether to this world."

"Really?" asked Koopin. "What exactly do you mean by emotional tether?"

"Some objects become most sentimental to those they once belonged to. A photograph, a child's toy, a wedding ring, something that conveys a primary emotion to its former owner symbolic of a memory, for better or worse."

"So, the scarf we got is super important to this guy and it's gonna help us find who he was?"

"Precisely. With that knowledge we will then confront this Goombenedetta and perhaps find more information regarding his life."

"I feel really nervous about this...like what if we drag up some old wound, what if it ended badly between them?"

"What if they are not lovers but perhaps from the same family, adopted even? It doesn't matter, we will find out once we start to search."

"You have your objective," said Kammy firmly, "we shall send along a few agents, clandestine of course to monitor you for safety naturally. Good luck."

With hands swept behind her back, the koopa superior walked back towards E. Gadd's laboratory as both Koopin and Shellina made their way back towards the docks of Toad Town to ready for their trip.

"So let's recap," asked Koopin, "what do we have to do?"

"We find a safe place, then we initiate the tethering."

"Which is what exactly?"

"Using the scarf, we bond you to the emotional essence that was left behind by the spirit, which allows us to identify the specific spiritual strand left behind in his life."

"What do you mean by...strand?"

"It's hard to explain, it's much easier to show you then it is to tell."

"Right...you look really lovely today."

"Huh?"

"Just...I don't often see you without the cloak, you look really lovely without it."

"...tha-...thank you."

She cocked her head slightly confused by his words.

"Seems you and Boona agree."

"Oh, he said that too?"

"We get along well. Somehow, he's a very knowledgeable boo, studied the ways of his kind very intensely."

"I remember, the two of you were geeking out about stuff back in the tower. It's nice to have friends right?"

"He'll be my first."

"Wait, you never had any friends?"

"No one really wants to play with someone whose family surround themselves with the study of death, Koopin."

"Oh......well, I guess you got proven wrong with Boona...and me."

"Hmhmhmhm...will you visit me after all this?"

"Sure! I'll do my best anyways, we could always send letters, become pen pals!"

"That would be nice...you do know we have messengers now though."

"Yeaaaah but I like being traditional, I got quite a few pen pals around the place."

"KOOPIN KENNIDOOOOOOOON!"

A familar voice came quivering throughout the streets. Koopin dreaded it as he felt his muscles tense up all of a sudden.

"Ohhh jeez not again."

"_WE MEET AGAIN! NOW YOU SHALL FACE MY TRUE VENGEANCE! _"

Slowly Shellina turned to see a very frustrated-looking lakitu in the middle of a busy street, pointing his finger accusingly at them with his cloud matching his expression. People stood watching confused and briefly silent with awkward staring.

"...do you know him?"

"I don't," said Koopin, "but he knows me somehow."

"Why is he posturing like some idiot from a kung-fu movie?"

"Because he thinks he's in one. Let me handle this."

"Koopin-"

"No. Let me handle this."

He got up from his seat and walked towards Melvin, his self-made arch-rival in the making cracking his knuckles or at least trying his best to as he lectured the koopa fiercely.

"You managed to best me once, but lady luck won't be smiling on you TODAY!"

"Okay, stop, just...stop. You got a problem with me, then just spit it out and stop being cryptic."

"How can you forget what you DID, Koopin Kennidon?! You're a charlatan to the end, the day that changed my life was nothing to you?!?"

"You have literally told me nothing about what I did, you'd think I would have remembered by now."

"Then maybe my FISTS shall make you remember, now fight me!"

"No."

"WHAT?!"

Koopin crossed his arms in grave defiance.

"I'm not going to fight you Melvin. I'm done with fighting, if you want to teach me a lesson, then you can beat it out of me yourself."

"Wh-what, no! No you have to fight me, that's how it works!"

"Well I don't care, if you want to make me pay for whatever I did then you can just punch me 'til I'm out cold. Right in front of the six-dozen people in this street, like the real hero you wanna be as you pummel me into the dirt. So come on. Do it."

He swept his arms out with open invite.

"I'm all yours Melvin. Just give me what I deserve and get it out of your system."

"I......I-i-i-i...what are you DOING?! Are you TRYING to humiliate me?!"

"I'm giving you what you wanted, now just beat the scrap out of me and get this OVER WITH!"

".........g-g-grrrrraaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAA_AAAAAGH!_"

Furious at this mockery, the lakitu slammed his fists down into the ground as his cloud smooshed against the pavement. He floated with threatening grimace towards Koopin, clenching his fists until they shook, desperate to land a punch but somehow restraining himself. The people continued to watch, fearfully holding their breath as the pressure became worse on Melvin, feeling as if the world itself was judging him for his actions. He raised one of his fists. The crowd gently gasped as Koopin made not a single move.

".........you...y-y-you...why are you doing this?"

"Because I'm tired of fighting people. Either tell me what I did, so I know what I did wrong, or just beat my face into the dirt and get this over with, which is it Melvin? You wanna feel good about beating someone up, or you want them to know what they did?"

"......d-d-da-...d-dammit. Jus-...dammit."

He couldn't do it. His hand went back down with the sound of relief softly expiring from the crowd.

"You...you manage to defeat me without even throwing a single punch. How did you do it?"

"Because I know you're not a bad person. Listen, I'm sorry. Whatever I did to you, I am sorry. Please, tell me what I did."

"......you really can't remember?"

"No. Honest."

"...you......it all started three years ago. I was selling flowers, my wife grew them. We run a florist's but we came from Rose Town, travelling and selling what we grow to people for whatever they wanted. People who don't have gardens, people who want to confess their love to someone, or people who just like flowers. My wife grew the most beautiful flowers, always so perfect...so one day I come into town with a whole line of gorgeous dawn tulips. They capture the sun's rays so perfectly during dawn they're almost like lanterns when it happens, they were my wife's favourite. And then..."

His lip began to quiver, his eyes squinting his eyes to gently readjust his glasses.

"Y-y-you just...come waltzing through, with this awful look on your face, angry at the world everything, not even trying to be nice to your friend who just wanted to talk to you, AND YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID?! YOU...y-you just...sw-swung your bag through my tulips, you went and DECAPITATED THEM! MY WIFE'S TULIPS, YOU MURDERED MY WIFE'S TULIPS RIGHT BEFORE MY EYES!"

Grief finally overcame him as Melvin broke, wrenching his glasses off with sobbing tears staining his arm across his face.

"Sh-sh-she...grew them with such love and...I-i-i only wish she was here now, th-those tulips were the only th-thing that would ever compare to her beauty...o-o-oh stars I miss her."

"I......I-i-i'm so sorry."

"H-huh?"

Koopin gently pulled Melvin into an embrace.

"I am so...so sorry, I had no idea. But I'm ashamed of myself. I would never think to do such a thing but if you said I did then I won't argue against it. I'm sorry Melvin. I was a stupid selfish jerk back then and I never thought my actions would hurt anyone so badly. Is there anything I can do?"

"N-n-...no...no it's...fine, I just...I just miss my wife so much Koopin. I miss her."

"...I'm missing someone too."

"Wh-what?"

He broke the hug to stare at Melvin's tearstruck face.

"The reason I was so upset that day...my boyfriend...had to leave me."

"O-oh my...stars, r-really?"

"He had to go fight in a war...to save his friends, and had to leave me. Now I don't know when he's coming back...or if he's coming back."

"That...I'm so sorry. Oh jeez that must be awful."

"N-no, listen...you have your own grief to deal with, I'm really truly sorry about your wife and her tulips. Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"Um......n-no, actually I feel-"

"Meeeeeelviiiiiiiiin!"

The sound of a female voice carried down the street behind him. He turned with a sudden swell in his heart.

"Wh-wh-wha-...guh-...G-goombaline?"

Standing not more than 20 feet away was a goomba wearing a white straw hat with a pink poppy sticking out of it. Melvin was struck with joy overwhelming as he floated desperately towards her with sheer speed.

"G-GOOMBALINE! GOOMBALIIIINE!"

"MELVIIIIIN!"

He grabbed her tightly before lifting her in the air and nuzzling her with tears breaking out of his face, gasping sobs of relief that trickled down on her face.

"I-i-i-i thought...I'd never see you again!"

"Ohhhhh shush Melly, you're always so emotional."

"M-m-my sweet G-goombaline, ohhh! H-how...w-why are you here?!"

"Well you hadn't come home in ages and I got so worried, I thought you'd sold all of our flowers by now!"

"I...I-i-i was just um...busy with something."

"Is that...her?!" asked Koopin approaching.

"Y-yes...Koopin, this is my wife. Goombaline."

"Nice to meet you!" said the goomba charmed. "Are you friends with Melvin?"

"Um, more like acquaintances," replied Koopin oddly. "He was...just saying how much he missed you, was all."

"Ohhhh he can't STAND being away from me for more than a few months, but I told him we have to keep our business going, he's our courier after all!"

"Business?"

"Yes we run a florist, in Rose Town, here take a card from us!"

She handed him a business card stating indeed their address as the lakitu cuddled her dearly with gentle rocking.

"My Melvin can get so very emotional, when he's apart from me for more than three months, he just starts blubbering about how much he misses me."

"I-i just can't," muttered the lakitu, "y-you're the most wondrous thing in my life, I feel the clouds turning whenever you're not with me."

"I knoooow sweetie but you have to be strong! We may be apart but we're always WITH each other in spirit, we have to work together after all! I stay at home, keeping our hearts warm whilst you get out on the road and spread our love and joy."

"R-right...I know it's...just so hard, you know?"

"Awwwww sweetie."

She kissed him tenderly as Koopin continued to look with bemused expression. Melvin looked up at him with a bashful look and bowed to him with respect.

"Thank you, Koopin. I'm...I'm sorry for any trouble I caused."

"It's.....fine, no problem. I'm very sorry too and actually um...I may just ask your business for some orders in future, if that's okay."

"Oh, r-really?"

"Yeah I actually work for the TGA, so we might do well having a florist on call."

"OH, that'd be wonderful! S-sure I'll um, I hope you...w-we look forward to your patronage mister Kennidon."

"Yes gladly!" clamoured Goombaline. "Just try not to let Melvin get TOO emotional without me."

"I'll uh, do my best," muttered Koopin. "I have to get going, my ship's about to come in so uh...goodbye, take care!"

"Goodbye mister Kennidon, it was lovely to meet you! NOW, Melvin, what say you and I get back home and taste some of your delicious potato scones?"

"Ohhh that sounds wonderful! Whatever would I do without you?"

"Stars only knows sweetie."

As the lucky couple floated off into the distance, Koopin spread his arms with pure bewilderment at what all this had been about. He felt as if someone had wasted his time, or at least felt like he deserved a few hours back as the crowds went past now that the show was over. Walking up behind him was Shellina, also confused by what just happened.

"Is your life always like some tepid soap opera?"

"I really hope not," said Koopin, "because that was just...wow."

"You're going to have to explain to me who that was."

"Honestly, I don't even know who he was either. Man, for some guy who calls me his rival, I was hoping a lot more than just some lovesick sweetheart...kinda cute though, could be a whole lot worse."

"You call HIM your rival?"

"No, no he calls ME."

"Hah, oh good, we've crossed from soap opera into a martial arts movie."

"Last time we met it was like that. Right, SO...Rogueport then?"

"Let's."

Taking a ship across the sea to blend in with a crowd of travellers before circling through to the backstreets by the harbour. Koopin chose not to use his Koopa-Bloopa disguise to blend in more easily as just a nobody, both of them wearing backpacks whilst Shellina took his hand pretending to be his girlfriend.

"What you wanna do first honey?" she said with strangely warm candour.

"Ohhh um...g-gosh let's see how about we go to the gardens first, take some time to go and settle in."

"Sounds good to me! Is our room registered?"

"Yeah I took care of it, don't worry. Let's just enjoy the place for a bit."

Slowly skirting around towards the gentrified district of Rogueport, they walked into the gardens safely before diappearing through an old tight alley that lead into the back of the dock warehouses. It was an old obsolete path that lead to nowhere important, a place that no criminals would frequent since no victims would travel through such.

"That was really weird," muttered Koopin.

"It's easier to blend in together," replied Shellina, "if we have a reason to be together, then nobody suspects a couple."

"I guess...thanks for not kissing me."

"Hmhmhm, I only save those for special boys Koopin."

"Heeeeey, I'm special!"

"You are. Just not my sort of special."

"Heheheheh...alright, so how do we do this?"

"First you must wear the scarf. You should also sit down for this, I recommend."

He carefully pulled it from his backpack and wrapped it around his neck, being thankful that it was already clean as he sat himself down onto an overturned crate. The necromancer stood in front of him, bringing out her staff from her own pack as she gripped it tightly.

"Are you ready Koopin?"

"Yes...what...h-happens exactly?"

"I will tether your soul to the emotions of our spirit. This scarf, this precious keepsake, you will know and feel what life he has lived in this city through it, and so you must retrace his path in order to find out what his name is, as well as what he searches for. This means I will have to send you to the boundary between life and death, so you will technically not be alive for the duration of this search, but nor will you be deceased."

"How...can you even do that?"

"You said your mother plays the piano correct? Does she have a tuning fork?"

"Yeah?"

"Imagine when she taps it...the sound comes out and then she tries to mimic the same sound on her piano. Create a sense of harmony between two completely different objects, so that they both share the same frequency. Your soul is the piano, and this scarf is the tuning fork."

"Ahhhhh...I see...kinda."

"Just say when you are ready."

"......I'm...I'm ready. Do it."

She placed her staff upon Koopin's head, gently summoning her power through as he felt a strange listlessness start to overcome him. Her eyes began burning with an intense flame of deep crimson, darkening to blackest fire as she began to chant. Words that only the dead understood as Koopin felt his heart beat. Slower and slower it became as the world grinded down to a complete stop. Sounds faded. Colours silenced. His eyes grew vapid and glassy, his breath stifled in his throat as his soul carefully separated partly from his body. He understood Shellina's words at last.

SLEEP INTO DARKNESS...DREAM JUST OF ONE NIGHT, GENTLE SOUL...AND WALK...WITH ME

Koopin stood up. The world became grey with rolling fog out towards the sea as the sky turned into deepest black where stars could not reach him. Shellina stood in front of him, her body dressed in shades of blurry silver like a pencil sketch half-erased. Out of focus with his perception.

Can you hear me?

I...I-i-i can see you. Barely.

Do not look behind you. Just walk into the town, where I shall guide you.

What...why is everything so...dark?

You are now standing in the realm between life and death. You call it the Minus World.

Wh-wh-what?! THIS...this is the Minus World?

Yes. Your body is here and safe with me but do not look at it. The shock of seeing your body lifeless may cause further separation.

O-o-okay...I just...walk into town?

When you walk into the city square, you shall find many spirits passing through, memories and echoes of the past from those deceased. Do not let them distract you Koopin, for you are but a wanderer, and it's so very easy to become lost within spirit trails.

Alright. I'll keep my head. H-hoh jeez this feels so unreal, like some kind of dream.

Just imagine it's that then. But a dream, and nothing else.

He nodded and walked forwards, gently making his way towards the central front docks where most visitors would come and go. Spirits. Dozens upon dozens of silver shades tracing back and forth as he heard voices clamouring between the writhing hordes of past spectres.

I know I can make a fortune here.

You said that the last time we hitched off a dock!

Granpa are we goin' to Glitzville?!

All in good time mah boy, just you wait.

H-has anyone seen my wife?!?

Sir, please we're doing everything we can, we'll find her.

I swear you almost treat the sea like a second wife!

HAHAHA, ohhh you know she can never match up to you my dear.

Just try to come back without a scr, scr, ra-ha-ha-a-aaaaCHOO! Ohhh!

Goodness you mus' be catchin' a cold, best get you inside then dear, come on.

A-a-alright...promise you'll come back soon, it's...awfully cold this year.

I promise I'll return and keep you warm by my side, Scarlette. Now go on, get inside, I love you dearest.

I love you too Bobbery. Farewell.

He carefully avoided them as he made his way up towards the square. He almost expected the world to be more quiet, but the multitude of phantoms that passed through Rogueport's streets made it all the more crowded than the living world did. It wasn't until he saw the gallows however that the fact hit home much harder when he heard the shrieking horde of ghosts clustered around it.

HANG HIM BY HIS EYES!

HE BE A LIAR AND A THIEF NOW DROP THE FUNGUS-FACE ALREADY!

YOU MURDERED MY BOY YOU FILTHY FRUITSUCKER!

I HAVE A POT ROAST WAITING FOR ME AT HOME SO THIS BETTER BE QUICK!

Hayce T., you have been charged with theft and grand larceny, how do ye plead?

I DID YOU ALL A FAVOUR YOU WORTHLESS BEGGARS!

Yoshriel, How do ye plead?

P-PLEASE, I DIDN'T HURT HIM I SWEAR, PLEASE LISTEN TO MEEEE!

By the laws of our fair city, ye have been judged by your peers.

YOU NEVER DESERVED THOSE THINGS!

May the stars have mercy upon your voyage.

P-PLEAAAAASE NOOOOOOO!

KOOPIN! KOOPIN ANSWER ME!

WH-WHA?! WHO'S THERE?!

FOCUS KOOPIN, do not let these spirits distract you!

I-i-i just...oh...o-oh stars the...the gallows the-there's so many v-voices-

I know. It is a dangerous place, filled with malice and fear, a deep pit of sorrow.

That...I-i-i don't know what to think, I can hear him choking!

You must ignore them Koopin. Find the trail, the scarf shall lead you by its passage.

H-how do I know?!

You will know when you find the right trail of spirits. Just do not listen to the voices.

Struggling with all of his mental strength, he walked past the gallows as the sounds of bodies both innocent and guilty faded out from his hearing, etching into the streets as history forgotten evermore. He walked around the streets, trying to find the trail of this entity as he clutched his scarf tightly, hoping it would guide him forwards amidst the sea of grey and hopelessness. Most of the voices he tried to filter from his head were of despair, but there were some notes of happiness, bright spots in an endless ocean of night. The sky weighed down upon him like a cloak of mourning, and it wasn't until he neared the diner where Goombenedetta worked, that he felt a sudden pull in his neck.

I...I-i-i feel it! I feel...s-something!

What is it?

S-some sort of strange pulling sensation, I think the scarf's reacting!

Follow it then! I shall keep watch over you from what whispers inside your head.

He opened the door of the diner as colours returned to him, resembling that of a watercolour painting in its soft faded hue. Black and grey turned to blue and yellow, the counter glistening with inviting warmth as he began watching through somebody else's eyes.

Another night, cold and hungry. Seven weeks it had been like this and yet somehow he had not been in this diner before, but he hoped he could at least grab something before taking his chances out on the streets once again. The prices seemed affordable, even to one like him as he sat down close to the kitchen as he could for warmth, his hands huddled beneath his ragged brown coat. It was then that he saw her, young and fretful, a goomba waddling from the kitchen in her orange dress.

** "Uh, h-h-hi, can I...help you?"**

** "Um...y-y-yeah can I uh get some tea and some of those toasties?"**

** "Sure, I'll get it for ya."**

How he missed hot food and drink. He had never fully appreciated it until now, the way the tea almost splashed with spicy heat upon the inside of his cheeks, the filling thickness of a melted cheese and ham toasty swirling into his ravenous stomach. He wanted to eat more, but he knew it would be enough, careful not to eat too fast in wanting to savour each and every bite. Spread the warmth.

** "Ohhhh...stars that was good."**

** "Yeah, y-you like it?"**

** "That tea was so wonderful thank you."**

** "That'll be thirty coins then."**

** "......aw...a-aw no."**

** "Wh-what?"**

** "I-i-i only have twenty-six, dammit I miscounted!"**

** "OH...o-oh no, I'm...I'm sorry."**

** "No no it's my fault, I thought I had enough and now I just-ugh-"**

** "Hey, listen...just give me ten."**

** "H-huh?"**

** "I'll just take ten, I'll cover the rest...you can pay me next time if you ever come back."**

** "R-r-really? But I don't wanna get you in-"**

** "Just call it a discount. Next time you come back, we talk about it okay?"**

** "A-alright...thank you. Thank you so much, I'll definitely come back."**

** "G'bye, have a good night!"**

** "You too!"**

The sunlight shifted. Another nineteen days passed and so he sat again at the table closest to the kitchen to see her face. The light in the cafe seemed different more than usual, that somehow managed to capture her sweet gentle complexion. He felt warm inside even before he had any food every time he visited.

** "You want the usual?" she asked.**

** "Yeah, thank you."**

** "Any luck finding a job?"**

** "No, not yet. But I'll find something soon, don't you worry."**

** "You okay in getting by?"**

** "I do lots of...things that help me get some coins. Yanno, odd jobs and such."**

** "Mayyybe if I ever need a mover I can pay you?"**

** "Hahaha, s-sure, I mean if that's what you want, I can always do a bit of moving."**

** "Heheh, well...that might be a long ways yet but if I ever need to I'll call you."**

** "Why is that? You don't want to live in Rogueport?"**

** "No. I hate it."**

** "Why?"**

** "Because I can't leave. It's like a prison to me."**

** "Really? Like, not even get a ship?"**

** "If I ever leave, the mob will come for me. I owe them a debt."**

** "Ohh no," gasped the stranger. "You got in trouble with their loans? That sucks."**

** "No, not me," said the goomba. "My father. He got into gambling, and he had to sell the house back home just to get away from the people that he owed a debt to. We had to cross the ocean, but we knew they'd catch up with us. I had to leave my job, couldn't afford going back and forth so I end up just working here."**

** "Awww jeez, where did you work?"**

** "Tour guide association, couldn't afford going back and forth across the sea for it so I just end up working here. The Pianta Syndicate said they would take care of his debts, pay the people back but now we owe THEM a debt. He died, and I got stuck with the bill, literally. Until I pay off my father's debt, I can't leave this place. Ever."**

** "Well...if it makes you feel any better I can't leave too, not yet anyways, and I hate my dad as well so we got both things in common!"**

** "Yeah?! What'd he do?"**

** "Well-"**

** "OH, jeez sorry I have a customer, hey tell me about it next time alright?"**

** "S-sure...hey I uh, never asked for your name."**

** "Goombenedetta. Nice to meet you."**

Colours faded back to a trembling visage of monochrome as the world pulled itself away from Koopin. The door opened out towards the street as he felt something guiding him.

I think...I think I found it.

What?

This trail, it must be him, I-i saw his memory when he first met Goombenedetta!

So they are lovers? Or friends perhaps.

Something like that anyway, I got nothing on his name.

We need to follow this trail to the end regardless, keep after it.

Heading off into the streets, Koopin was led towards the richer side of Rogueport, into the western district. Gardens that resembled glass, pavements like elephant skin, houses bereft of bodies with lights and glistening white trails crisscrossing along the streets as the voices continued to pour into Koopin's ears. He focused upon the trail of the one he sought, leading him into one of the houses as he felt a trembling anger slowly overcome him.

** "How long have you been doing this?"**

** "Look...son, I-"**

** "HOW LONG, have you been doing this?!"**

His father stood before him, a koopa with a red shell with amber-shaded glasses as he stood within a splendid opulent room. Spangling emerald-tinted wallpaper, luxurious beds and the latest technology involving a hi-def television and a state-of-the-art player amidst a lush carpet. His amber-shaded glasses peered down at him in the midst of the living room with various suitcases being packed.

** "Twenty years."**

** "And you decide to tell me this...now?"**

** "I'm sorry son. I think it's time you knew the truth."**

** "What, because you finally get caught out?! Because you messed with the wrong people and now you have to leave!?"**

** "I made a mistake."**

** "All your damn life it seems!"**

** "DON'T talk back to me!"**

** "I don't have to listen to you, mom told me to never trust criminals, that's why she LEFT YOU!"**

Father sighed and walked over to the biggest case, packing his clothes away as patiently as he could before closing it.

** "I'm sorry. I know she left because of my activities, but you have to understand the only reason you are living this good life, in this part of the city is because what I made."**

** "So you're saying all of this is from dirty money?!"**

** "Money is just money."**

** "Then why didn't you get an honest job dad?! Why don't you tell me, if you want me to come with you, then you better tell me everything!"**

** "Alright alright, fine. Come sit."**

The koopa sat down, but his son refused still standing with arms crossed as his father simply shrugged.

** "I wanted the money. That was it, it started out as a side business whilst working at the bank, but then it got too lucrative. I couldn't resist, I paid off all our bills, and things just got even better with this house."**

** "So why did mom leave?"**

** "Because she found out, and she hated the fact that we were living off a dishonest living. She felt dirty, tainted and decided that her dignity was more important than having a life."**

** "I understand that...so where are you gonna go?"**

** "I can't tell you...you come with me, I promise things will be alright."**

** "No."**

His father stood up confused.

** "...what?"**

** "I'm not going with you. Look what happened, we had to leave home and you drove off mom with your criminal attachments, what's to say this won't happen again?"**

** "It's just money son."**

** "It's MORE than that, you are ruining people's lives, do you have any idea where that money is coming from?!"**

** "I never ask, that's the golden rule."**

** "It could be from anything, like drugs o-or kidnapping!"**

** "Never sweat the details, I'm just a manager."**

** "I DON'T CARE! I should have gone with mom and stayed away from you like she said, this is not the life I wanted!"**

** "Well why didn't you go with her then?!"**

** "BECAUSE YOU GOT CUSTODY OF ME IN THE DIVORCE! If all you cared about yourself, why even bother having me?!"**

** "I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A GOOD LIFE YOU LITTLE PUNK!"**

** "NO!" roared the son. "You care about looking good, YOU care about having possessions, look at ALL THIS!"**

** "You want to be poor then?!" shouted his father.**

** "NO, I JUST WANT TO LIVE A LIFE WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO LIVE LIKE A CRIMINAL!"**

** "YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANY OF THIS, I DO YOU STUPID BRAT! NOW, this is your last chance, you can either come with me, or you can stay here without anyone to help you! The Syndicate won't be going after you thankfully because I wrote a different name, we just have the same address."**

** "Good, that means I won't have to worry when I'm not going with you."**

** "You walk out that door without me and I will not be coming back for you, you understand me son? I can't come back to Rogueport."**

** "GOOD, I never want to see you again, I'll live a better life than you ever did, AND I WILL NOT BE A DAMN THIEF LIKE YOU!"**

The door slammed shut as he turned and left. It was the last time he ever saw his house.

Jeez...that takes a lot of guts.

So he became homeless through his own will. That's unusual. And possibly rather stupid.

I wouldn't say that. He wanted to make his own life and prove he could survive without resorting to crime.

It did not save him in the end.

But he tried! You saw the way he wanted to pay at that diner, he's not a thief at least!

You do not know that for certain, we have not yet seen his entire story.

You're...you're right. Let's just keep going.

The trail wove itself round towards the train station up far ahead. Koopin followed by a straight shot through the arches of the old streets. The sun was a blistering white circle on the pitch black horizon, a blind staring eye upon this land between the worlds of life and death. A platform stood before Koopin, the memories of souls tracing back and forth along the rails as people came and went. He struggled to focus through the deathless noise that phased through his mind like a sieve, clutching his head to desperately focus in tuning everyone else out. It took him a good five minutes, or at least felt like it in this place, before he found the koopa's thread, honing on its frequency sharply as the world returned to its colours once more.

** "Looks so beautiful," said the koopa.**

** "Yeah," she said beside him. "It almost looks like the ocean is there and not just behind us."**

** "I wonder if any places exist like that."**

** "Well, you got islands, that way the ocean's everywhere around you."**

** "You wanna go to an island someday?"**

** "Sure. Be nice to go to those places again."**

** "Huh? Again?"**

** "Yeah, don't you remember?"**

He turned towards Goombenedetta, her face half-cast with a sweet orange mirth.

** "I used to work in the TGA, I've been to a lot of places."**

** "Oh yeah...what kinda places, any you loved?"**

** "Oooooh the islands are best, just so wonderful and all the locals are really friendly. One time I almost...got into a threesome, like they're THAT friendly."**

** "Hahahah wow, jeez why didn't you?!"**

** "I was working! Not good if I end up conked out in somebody else's house the next day."**

** "Yeaaaah I guess so. I bet you were pretty good at your old job."**

** "I was okay. Not like amazing, but people liked me."**

** "I bet you brightened up anyplace you went to. Even the most dull and boring ruin would look a thousand times better if you were there."**

** "A-awwwwwww...really?"**

** "Course. That's why I love you. You're like the only reason I stayed in Rogueport."**

** "Wai-huh? What you mean?!"**

** "I mean like...I could have moved on, like taking a ship, like maybe hide on as a stowaway and try my luck elsewhere but I didn't want to leave you."**

** "Why?! Why would you not take that chance and get out of this starforsaken place!?"**

** "Because I can't leave. Not without you."**

Her eyes gently widened with a soft blush, her heart mixed between love and guilt as he clasped her cheeks with his soft worn hands. The sunset glinted off her eyes as there came a moment between them. He leaned in close, testing the water as she leaned closer in turn with eyes part-closed. He closed his as he felt her lips, tender and hot with their breaths dancing across each other's tongues through a brief waltz of divine passion. His feet tingled powerfully, his heart burst with adoration as he moaned sweetly, causing her to gasp and whimper in response. They soon parted once they felt the struggle to breathe come to them, left panting against each other's cheeks as she asked:

** "You...y-y-you honestly f-feel...that way about me?"**

** "I always have...since the day I first met you Goombenedetta. You're the only reason I would ever stay in Rogueport. I love you. I'll stay until your debts are paid, and then once you're done, we go off anywhere you want."**

** "A-are you serious? But that'll take years!"**

** "I wanna wait for you. I'll always be waiting, right here. I promise I won't leave without you."**

** "You...I...I don't know what to say, I don't know what I can do."**

** "I just wanna be with you. Is that too much?"**

** "No. No it isn't.........it's getting cold."**

** "Here. You need this more than me."**

He saw her gently shivering as he pulled off his scarf and wrapped it round her body, big enough to cover her small torso as she snuggled up to him. He wrapped his arm around her closely, as they stared into the sunset.

The sun bled back into the darkened sky as the world unpainted itself once again. The trail went behind Koopin down towards an alleyway. He recognised the street, Brittle Lane as the current headquarters of Rogueport's TGA branch. The building at the end of the cobbled street was somewhat different, a lot more rundown than when Koopin last remembered it. The sign above indicated it was actually a dry cleaners, of which the koopa's spirit trail flowed into like the east winds of prophecy that guided Koopin through. The alleyway turned at a sharp left angle towards the farthest reaches of the city, the old slum districts. He could smell something metallic and dusty. Laundry detergent.

Standing before the mirror in the employee's lounge, he smiled at himself. A sharp-dressed koopa wearing a smart but cheap tuxedo, despite his lack of a shell which only further accentuated his lean profile. His eyes glinted with a pale greyish-blue, straightening up his collar to make sure that it fit.

** "Hokay, that looks awesome!"**

** "This the one you want?"**

** "Mmhmm, yep, absolutely, it fits just great."**

** "Cool awesome! Alright I'll hang onto it for you then."**

** "Thanks man."**

He carefully took off his suit, turning away from the mirror as he unbuckled his pants and slipped them off before grabbing at his old brown ensemble as he looked up at the toad next to him.

** "You still wear them old things dude?"**

** "Well yeah, kinda don't got anything else."**

** "You have our work clothes!"**

** "I don't got a house to put stuff into, it's either on me or in my pockets, I'm not sleeping in my work clothes."**

** "Right right...so, what you got planned with your lovely girl?"**

** "Weeeellll we managed to get some time off and I wanna sneak her away to a nice day out down on the beach. Bought myself the train tickets, AND I got something really special."**

He pulled out from his brown jacket a smooth silver wrist bracelet with a bell attached to the bottom. The toad carefully hung up the koopa's tuxedo and placed it safely out of the way with a gasp at the jewellery.

** "Daaaaaaamn, how much did THAT cost?"**

** "More than the suit that's for sure."**

** "What's the special occasion?"**

** "I'm gonna ask her to marry me."**

** "...w-wait, what?"**

** "She can put it round her leg, like a wedding anklet. I'm gonna ask her when we're out on the beach, and even if she says no then she can still wear it like yanno a gift."**

** "Wow. How long you two been together?"**

** "Stars must be...about uh...three years?"**

** "You really sure about this?"**

** "I am dude. I just wanna be with her, I don't care how long it takes to pay off her debt, I just hope putting half my wages in might make it pass a little easier."**

** "Wait hold up you said you don't got a house, don't she have a place?"**

** "Have you SEEN how tiny her apartment is? It's freakin' tiny, maybe that's not such a problem for her but there's barely any space for me to live there, it's not fair on her. I got my haunts, know where to sleep safe."**

** "So I'll see you tomorrow then?" asked the toad.**

** "Yeah," replied the koopa, "big day's gonna be about a week from now, you hang onto that suit okay?"**

** "No prob, you can count on me."**

** "Night man!"**

He walked out of the place, moving through the back short hallways of the dry cleaners and out onto the street, waving off his coworkers as the cold night embraced him. Nobody was manning the counter as the place started to close down, the koopa clutching at jacket as he walked on towards the street corner, leaning against the wall as he tried to think on where to sleep.

** "Okay...Sanddock Lane, naaaah that's where the workers hang, I don't wanna hear them doin' it all night. Hillbend? It's kinda up there...naaaah they got some weird stuff goin' down, I don't wanna get near any of that. Ugh, might just go to the train station an' see if I can hide out under the platforms, it's cold but nobody else there-OOF HEY!"**

A sudden bump against his back knocked him down as a blur of dark orange rushed past him. A frightened-looking bandit stumbled and fell in front of him with gasping shock and a face stricken with pure fear.

** "What the SHELL dude, watch where you're going!"**

** "G-GET AWAY FROM ME, H-HE'S COMING!"**

** "Who?!"**

** "TH-THE THING, K-KILLER!"**

** "Wait, aren't you Benny the Bandit?!"**

** "N-NO I'M NOT SH-SHUT UP!"**

** "HEY!"**

The bandit ran as fast as he could, desperate and almost sobbing as his footsteps faded off into the distance. The koopa struggled to get up, groaning as he checked his pockets fearing he might have been robbed.

** "Ohhhh jeez he better not have...good, good, hokay that's all I got, just gotta make sure I-...nnnnnngh stars that hurt, what the shell is his problem I mean SERIOUSLY-GHURRHK!"**

Pain. Cold yet deep through his skin. His back felt like weighted lead, turning numb yet thick. His breath freed from his body as he stared down towards his chest. He felt empty, yet full, feeling his coat flutter outwards. It was there the sound of a bell rang faintly from within.

** ".........no."**

The long dark streets began to fade even further away from him, stretching out into the abyss as he saw a fluttering of something white. Spirited from his coat, he watched it spiral in a breeze towards his face before tumbling downwards like a dandelion seed. His eyes followed with it, struggling to notice the cruel steel that had birthed from his stomach.

** "...h-hoh god."**

It wasn't his voice that he heard whispering behind him, as he felt his world start escaping him. His mind could not even comprehend the pain, beyond anything his body knew. So heavy. And yet so weightless.

** "O-oh god no."**

The steel slowly retracted inside of him, pulling free from his back as he staggered forwards with one great heaving gasp of life. That one step felt as if someone had crushed his lungs with a solid boot. The second step he made had him fall onto his kenes as the bell tinkled sweetly from his left. He couldn't even hear it, his own ragged breaths turned a deafening volume inside his skull, his eyes transfixed in their blurring desperate need for the white paper in front of him. His hands grasped feebly for it, struggling to force words from his throat.

** "My...m-my ticket."**

** "Wh-wh-what...what...are you-"**

** "My ticket...p-please, h-h-help me...my ticket, please."**

** "I...I-i-i-i didn't...oh...oh god...oh god wh-what have I done?"**

He crawled onto his fingers, digging into the cracks between the paving stones now blissfully cold against his skin. The paper teases him, flying away from his grasp like a moth.

** "My...t-ticket...please."**

** "No...no no no god no wh-what have I done? Wh-what have I......it...it wasn't you. It wasn't you, it's not-"**

** "M-my ticket PLEASE!"**

He saw a foot plant itself in front of his fingers, the paper caught underneath as he grabbed it like bread to a starving fool, clutching it tightly to his chest. He tried to stand but his feet became lifeless. Dead before the rest of him as he stared into the blue jeans of his killer before him. The koopa began to rock back and forth, clutching his ticket as if cradling his child as he heard the killer's voice.

** "I'm...I'm sorry. I'm so s-sorry, h-hoh god I...I-i-i-i never wanted, I never meant to, I-i-i was chasing after...I didn't...I didn't know, I swear I didn't know, I thought you were-"**

** "M-my...beneh-...s-s-stars please not...h-help me."**

** "I'm...I'm sorry. I can't...I can't do this."**

** "P-p-please, help me...h-h-help, sh-she's waiting for me, sh-she wanted...I-i promised."**

The stranger did not listen, watching his victim grab at his leg with tearful beak, nuzzling against his leg with a tearful sob as he gasped with broken anguish. He struggled to look up, the tears of a stranger now dipped onto his face from green eyes and a purple snout, dark brown skin that blended into the bleary walls of the city behind him. The stranger backed away, leaving his victim to fall forwards onto the ground almost in prayer.

** "P-please...h-h-help-"**

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

He heard the footsteps disappear into the night. He was all alone, with nothing but the sound of his heart desperately beating fast. Every pulse against the inside of his chest felt like another eternity, a painful rebirth as a hot suffering sensation trickled down towards the pit of his stomach. He put one hand inside his coat, before finding it was empty. A cold dread shuddered through his chest.

** "B-b-bell...where...where is it? Wh-where is, I c-can't find it, wh-where is my bell?"**

Crawling weakly into a half circle, a small glint could be seen in the storm drain close to his feet. His arms became tightly wound muscles of dying spasms as he forced himself forwards with every second slipping from him. Every inch of numbness that crept through his body gave him fear, growing like a festering disease. He managed to pull himself into the storm drain within, hidden from sight. The bell bracelet glinted as he shot forth his hand with the last of his strength. But his fingers were too weak to grasp it fully as the silver slipped from his reach. He watched helplessly, as the light fell into the sewer. Lost within darkness forever like himself.

He curled himself up against the low walls of the storm drain as his thoughts became a vicious circle of grief and despair. He hoped to the stars this dream would end, to wake up and hope that this night had never come but he knew in the deepest parts of his drifting soul that he would never wake up from this. He would never wake up again.

** "Goom...bened-......I-i'm sorry...I'm so sorry...p-p-please...h-help......m-me........."**

He struggled to hold onto the last thing he had left on him. A train ticket with his full name still upon it before his last tears would wash away the ink. Kaelan.

"His name was Kaelan," said James. "Kaelan Shelltsman. I never knew it at the time...but after Koopin told me everything I realised the weight of what I'd done. I killed an innocent person, someone who had nothing but the clothes on his back, literally, and I killed him because I made a mistake. A stupid mistake."

"Holy...are you serious?"

"I have no one to blame but me. Every other murder you know about, that was down to him, that demon, but this Kaelan he died because of me. Not possession, not anything, just my own stupid desperation in trying to clean out a city of its scum, trying to turn this bloodlust I had into something good for the people. I never should have done it in the first place. I saw him in my nightmares, every time I dreamt in some other world, I always saw him someplace. I never forgot about him. I never could."

"Why...why didn't you help him?"

"Because I didn't want that...thing inside of me to then take his soul, I didn't want him to be...if he died in my presence, if anything died because of me when I'm nearby then that demon devours its soul, I didn't want that. I had to. I had to run. I know it was awful of me, and I was a coward for doing so. And I won't be cleared of that ever, that is my sin. I have to carry that sin for the rest of my life."

"Whut about Koopin?" asked Roy. "Whut did he think?"

"I already told him, after he first fought the demon and managed to survive somehow. I told him everything, I went down on my knees and begged him for forgiveness. He knew I had killed someone innocent, only one person but still it was an innocent homeless koopa. And you know what he said? He said 'I cannot forgive you for this. I love you, but I can't forgive you for this'. He never did, at least...not 'til I came back and I still don't know why he did."

"But he never knew about who Kaelan wuz until this happened?"

"No. Maybe it was because he saw the fear and shame in my eyes, or maybe he saw that when I came back how much I went through. I still don't know why he forgave me, I will never know."

"Because he loves you. Maybe it's because he understood, maybe because he realised that, even though whut you did wuz inexcusable, you weren't doing it out of cruelty. Plus...ah think he knew that you suffered plenty, at least enough to pay for whut you did."

"I certainly hope so. Can't imagine what he must have felt when he found out for the first time who was responsible for Kaelan's death, even though it was staring him in the face this whole time."

"It...it was him."

"Wh-what?" asked Shellina.

"It...was James, it was James that murdered him. I...I-i-i can't believe this."

Though his body and soul had reunited fully in the back alleys of Rogueport's docks, Koopin felt his mind become strangely detached and cold from the shock of seeing his lover once again. The last moments of Kaelan had become vivid like a dream, constantly replaying it in his head as he clutched himself. He felt sick, twisting and turning in his stomach as he shook with hot shiverings of both horror and contempt, giving Shellina cause for concern as she asked softly:

"A-...a-are you certain it was him?"

"YES I'M CERTAIN BECAUSE I JUST SAW HIM!"

"Alright, alright."

"I saw, in his vision and his last moments it...it was the one that James told me, he told me what he did! I KNEW ABOUT THIS, h-he told me himself that in Rogueport he tried to control his demon's urges, he t-tried to deal with mobsters and criminals, people who he said would be better off dead, clean up the place like s-some vigilante, but he killed an innocent by mistake! A stupid STUPID mistake that he told me, he begged me for forgiveness and I DIDN'T because this is all his FAULT, ALL OF IT! EVERYTHING WE'VE HAD HERE, IT WAS HIS OWN _STUPID FAULT! _"

Heaving with a sickness in his gut, Koopin clenched his arms tighter around himself as he forced bitter tears down his cheeks. He could not stop seeing his face, the raptor staring down upon his victim, the dreaded scissors glinting cruelly in the dark light of Rogueport as Shellina kneeled down before Koopin. She gently pulled him close into a hug, carefully soothing him as she gave no words of comfort. Not even knowing what to say as he broke down with shrieking rage muffled by her chest. He did not even know what he was angry for, which only further infuriated him. Was it because of Kaelan's unnecessary death? Was it because his own lover had condemned himself with such a ruthless act born from senseless vigilantism? Or was it because he felt Kaelan's pain, feeling as if James himself had murdered him in that brief instant of soulful empathy? Even though he found out the truth in the end, he could not blame Kaelan anymore for what happened. That was the truth of his anger, knowing it had been misplaced until now as he managed to calm down a few minutes later. Tears of fury stained the front of Shellina's body as Koopin gathered his strength to speak firmly.

"I......th-that is it...I have to make things right."

"How?"

"James is not here, and I have no idea if he'll even come back or not, so I have to do this. I faced down his demon before, and I can stop this, it's not Kaelan's fault either way, not any of this. I have to find his bracelet, Kaelan must be set free and I will not rest until I have helped him pass on."

"Do you know where it might be?"

"I...I recognised it somewhere. Can't recall. We need to get back and um...s-set up a plan, you coming?"

"Of course. I am sorry Koopin. I know this must be-"

"It's......fine, I can handle it. We're close, we just need to find that bracelet and somehow free Kaelan before I-D-DAMMIT!"

Koopin fumbled with his backpack through shaking hands of rage, struggling to contain himself as something fell out of a side pocket. A CD he had long forgotten about, tucked down into the recesses of his pack as he noticed that D-Mob was on the cover. He remembered when he gave this to him, but even more shocking was what he wore on his left arm amidst the heaving mountains of bling. A silver bell bracelet.

"Tha-...that's it. Hohhhhh stars he, that JERK!"

"What?"

"LOOK, look at this! That fake wideboy has Kaelan's stuff, he musta took it when it fell down the sewer!"

"What a gaudy collection. He makes music?"

"Yeah, barely, now I know where to find it but now how do I get it off him?! He's not gonna part with any of this, it's all about his image, he would NEVER give off his bling."

"Then we must find a way to take it from him by force."

"He runs half of Rogueport, the only people that got any means to stand against him are the Pianta Syndicate, and I don' thin-.....wait."

"Hmm?"

"I got an idea. I think......I have an idea, I'll tell you on the boat."

The very next day, Koopa-Bloopa arrived back in Rogueport with his greatest defence, now standing in a rather sublimely-decorated hallway with tropical plants framing the double doors in front of them, a green eloquent carpet to match the walls of austere influence. He stood awaiting to be called with his hoodie and blooper neckerchief whilst standing behind him was Shybert a.k.a Shyman looking around very nervously.

"Wh-what EXACTLY are you planning hwoh?"

"I need to deal with a problem, and I need your help."

"B-b-but, talking with the Pianta Syndicate, th-th-that's just asking for trouble, they're gangsters Koopa-Bloop!"

"Course dude, I mean you're my assistant here, can't go anywhere without you."

"W-well...that's very nice to say but I-i'm not sure how I can help."

"All I need you to do is take down notes. You got to act like the most cold-hearted professional assistant I ever had, like nothing fazes you."

"A-a-alright then. Hwoh. Just...let me get in the zone."

"Just pretend you have to meet with Yorick and you have to be absolutely professional, like suck in all your emotions until we're done."

"Right...just suck it all in, th-that's what I've been practically doing."

"Good."

The doors opened three minutes later as a pair of suited piantas stood in all black right up to their sunglasses, hands clasped firmly in front of them as they walked in. Sitting at his desk, brass and oak wreathed together in a fine melody of Delfinian design, was the boss himself. A tanned yellow female pianta in a surprisingly simple cloth shirt and a sun hat, of which her small palm tree protrusion sprouted through showing a budding pink flower crowned atop it. Her guests were surprised but they remained calm as she pressed her hands together, brandishing the large diamond wedding band upon her left hand.

"Weeeellll, come on in, siddown, take a load off your feet. You boys thirsty, I got some lemonade you'll wanna try, best in the whole city! PAULIE!"

"Y-YES BOSS?!"

"Bring our guests two glasses of the good stuff."

They sat upon the seats offered as one of the bodyguards ran off to get their drinks whilst she smiled quite warmly, the koopa offering his gratitude with a small curtsy.

"Thank you fer seein' us."

"No problem at all. Now my boys tell me that you came offerin' a solution to our uh...problem with tjis D-Mob guy right?"

"Right, exactly."

"Heehee...I gotta admit, I'm a mite suspicious of such an offer, 'specially when my boys seen youse enterin' an' leavin' his premises."

"That was just diplomacy. I'm sure you had to suffer the same, boss."

"Hmhmhm, yeaaaah that's true. That your assistant there?"

"Don' worry about him, he don't talk much. He just keeps note of all the things I gotta do, like samples an' meets."

Shyman said nothing, scribbling down any and all important details of this meet as the don's servant came with two glasses of lemonade that they drank dutifully. Pure and sweet, unspoilt as Bloopa felt the most wondrously citrus taste.

"Mmmm-MMMMM...that was real nice, thank you boss."

"Imported from Delifno Hills, best lemonade in the world. No exceptions. Now you said to my boys that you can take down D-Mob all by yourself?"

"Not exactly. I can take him down, and you'd never suffer any of the repercussions. I know that you can't fight him openly, he's got control of the social media, he knows how to spin it, make you look bad like real bad. But I'm not part of you, I can take the hit, and bring him down with a little help."

"An' whut kinda help does dat entail kiddo?"

"How would you like to sink his entire drug float?"

The pianta leaned back with a delightful glee in her expression, folding her hands sweetly.

"Dat sound like music to my ears, mistah DJ!"

"I plan to challenge D-Mob to a contest, something that will bring out all of his peeps into the open, away from their supply drops and warehouses. He can't resist having an audience, and I know exactly how to bring him out. Once he's out in the open, you can send down your best operatives to sabotage his entire operation. The only thing you ever needed was someone on the inside, and well, I'm your inside for this. Once we destroy his fuzzy-pushing and send his gang into chaos, it'll be easy to run him out of Rogueport and you'll never have to bother with him again."

"And why you say that?"

"Because the people that are supplying him the fuzzy seem like the kind of people who don't tolerate failure."

"Hoohoooooo...get the boy punished so he ain' never gonna be bad again? Well now that sound mighty interesting mister Bloopa. But what's gonna stop you from double-crossin' me, like I said you were seen in an' out of his club."

"I'll give you the power to destroy me. If I ever betray you."

"Huh?!"

He slowly undid the kerchief from his beak, showing his true face.

"My name is Koopin Shellacque Kennidon. I live in Koopamuir, number five Bell Lane, and I am a member of the Mushroom Kingdom Tour Guide Association. If I ever double-cross you, you'll know exactly where to go without getting any innocents in the crossfire. That good enough for you, boss?"

The don gave a courteous grin of impressed respect, rubbing her chin with intrigue.

"You give me the power to destroy you, like some bargaining chip? You either must be one gutsy little koopa or you really know whut you doin'!"

"I'm hoping it's the latter."

"Alrigh'. Since you so sure that you wanna put your life on the line, I gotta respect that. Tell me what your plan is, an' I'll organise it with my boys."

"Thank you. However...I got one request, in exchange for helping you take down D-Mob and getting him out of your city."

"Ohohohoho...heeere we go."

She locked her palms together and gently cracked them as she leaned forwards dominating the desk.

"I knew you wanted something. What is it? Money?"

"No. I want you to release someone from your service, a goomba that works at the cafe down by the main square called Goombenedetta Goombernoulli. I want her debt cleared and she be allowed to leave Rogueport without any hassle."

"Huh? What wait, you wan' us to free-...PAULIE!"

"YEAH BOSS?"

"Get me the file on Goombenedetta, an' make it snappy!"

It only took him a minute to rush to the records and back to bring out a folder placed on her desk. She carefully read over the report and grimaced slightly.

"You...realise that she owes a substantial amount due to her father's debt, right?"

"I do."

"An' you want us to just erase this debt, like that was nuthin'? Kid, we talkin' about thousands here, not small cash."

"I know, but think about the money you've lost from D-Mob wedging his way onto the scene, taking up businesses from you. I'm offering you a chance to take the whole city by yourself, that profit alone will make her debt nothing."

"So, lemme get this straight, you help me take down this mob-wannabe punk, an' I just wipe the slate clean on ol' Goombenedetta, that's it?! Why her?"

"She's important to me. I owe her a debt and this is my chance to repay it."

"Huh...too bad you don' have a few hundred-thousand coins or this would be easy."

"Then I hope this is the next best thing."

"Mister Koopin Kennidon...you got yourself a deal."

The don pianta offered her hand forwards to shake his as the plot began to take back the city. Koopa-Bloopa knew that this would be his second most dangerous mission yet, and even though he wasn't dealing with any monsters or supernatural entities this time around, he would soon be walking into the heart of an enemy's territory unarmed with nothing but his pride.

---

"So that's the big setup," said James, "and honestly I don't know what was going through Koopin's head throughout all this after he found out the true identity of Kaelan. I'm just honestly surprised how he went through this with a plan so quick, and it made me actually respect him a lot more than I ever thought I could."

"Yeah, same here," added Roy, "lahk damn ah would never imagine Koopin to be real baller enough to just waltz on up to a fuckin' mafia boss an' make an offer."

"That's why I love him. He's always full of surprises, and I once thought he was naive but he's a lot more savvy than I expect him to. Or maybe it's because of all he's gone through that maybe he grew up a little, like took more risks and become more experienced to parts of the world he never knew until now."

"You mean thuh crime side of it or thuh supernatural?"

"Both, basically. I don't know how he managed to forgive me even after all of this."

"He did?"

"Yeah, when I came back. He said he forgived me, I have no idea why."

"Well...you suffered a lot, let's be real, he musta saw all thuh shit you went through, an' then after you told him all thuh stuff that went on in your travels, ah think he realised you got punished enough."

"Maybe...I don't feel I did, not after what I did to Kaelan."

"Well whut happened to him then?! Ah mean you still got Charlie an' that goomba, whut else happened?"

"I think......yeah, you know what I think I need to lie down, I'm getting kinda tired."

"Oh...righ', of course you just been out of hospital. You wan' anything?"

"Nah dude you're fine, I'll be okay."

"Alrigh'. Koopin should be comin' back today so ahm jus' gonna sit an' watch sumthin' until he get back."

"Yeah, that's cool. Night Roy."

"Nigh' FG."

Feeling a little tired himself from such a long and draining story, Roy could not help but feel that James wanted to stop on account of his own guilt starting to well up inside of him. He said nothing as the raptor turned and went under the sheets, sighing deeply in an effort to forget the things he did. He made a mental note to himself for when he recovered as to a debt he owed. A debt that had been long overdue for several months as he drifted off to sleep, troubled but exhausted.