Book One: The Fellowship
Prologue
As a river flows on its pre-destined
path, never stopping, so does Time move ever onward, crossing the boundaries
and limits of mortals, c
arrying with it good times missed and
bad times despised. Friends come, friends go, lifelong pals become unknown,
and then they are your enemy. Unimpeded by branch or dam, Time flows ever
onward.
Grass sprouts on the edges of the river, forming fields, growing massive trees that form enchanting forests. Beasts, men, and other creatures inhabit the milieu by Divine Providence as Time flows ever onward.
Laws to govern all are set, ensuring justice and happiness. Rolling plains are conservatively tilled to yield crops, and trees are cut down sparsely, only when absolutely needed. Everything is peaceful, yet Time flows ever onward.
A darkened shadow starts as a diminutive urge, a desire to do harm. The feelings of hatred spread, enveloping the land in its malicious will. Life is corrupted, peace is shattered, and all seems lost… yet, Time flows ever onward.
A hero is born, a diamond in the rough, to conquer the shadow and bade it to return to the darkness. A sword of justice and a shield of purity he carries at his side, ready to protect and enforce the laws set by Nature. One hero, no matter how small or unassuming, can make the largest of differences… as Time flows ever onward.
Chapter One: The Dawn of a New Day
I woke up early on the morning that changed my life and laid out my destiny forever. Lying in my self-braided hammock, the cool breeze of the morning sifted over and under my green body. The feeling of the coolness forced one of my eyelids to open and then the other. As I caught a glint of the sun peeking over the sea’s horizon, I stretched my arms and scrambled out of bed. After brushing my morning tongue, I pushed open the door and stepped out to greet the dawn’s air.
Upon peeking my head out, I spotted a rather diminutive package smiling at me from the ground. It was wrapped in a crimson paper with a spotted bow that glistened in the morning sun. I carefully picked it up and placed my right ear hole to it, hearing nothing. After that, I shook it gently, but the resulting sound didn’t give me any hints as to what it was. So, I resolved to strip the paper off and pull off the box’s lid.
Inside, I discovered a piece of paper wrapped around some sort of solid object. I took off the paper, revealing an antique relic. It was a golden Yoshi figurine. I polished the age of shipping off and looked at it from all angles. Nothing unusual. Convinced that it was a present, I looked for a nametag, but found none.
That’s when I discovered that the wrapping paper was actually a letter enclosed with the figurine. I folded it out on my patio table and examined it. It went something like this:
Dear Ryan-oshi,
I call for your help from the island of Juat in the South Tropicine Isles, some ways north of your own Yoshi’s Island. In a dream, your name and address came to me. If you are receiving this now, you will know how strange and miraculous this is. My Yoster people are in grave danger, and my dream begs your assistance. I cannot write any longer, for the danger is that great.
Signed,
Gi-oshi
At this, I understandably sat down, trying to piece together the urgency in my mind. I was but a young Yoshi at the time, no older than 268, but I knew this call for help was serious. We are a noble species, never refusing help, and I knew, even if this Yoshi was simply confused, I had to try and help. I would not refuse such a call.
I immediately packed every necessity I could pack on my saddle, and I bought some new shoes, the best. It took me until that afternoon to get ready, and by that time, rumors of my leaving had pervaded the town like a fruit disease.
After leaving the shoe store, a familiar Yoshi walked up. His color was red, indicating that he was frustrated. This was one time when I was grateful for our weakness. “Hello Jua-oshi. What can I do for you today?”
He simply stared at me and tilted his head. Then, he rudely pointed to my shoes and pack. “Awful bunch’a packing for a trip to town, huh? Where ya going?”
I found his look and speaking tone disgusting, but I dared not let him on to anything. “I’m visiting a friend in the Mushroom Kingdom. One of my best friends lives on Yo'ster Isle, and it’s been fifty years since I’ve seen him. Anything else about my life you would care to know?”
Resulting from my carelessness, which I now regret, Jua-oshi stepped over and grabbed the letter out of my pack. I tried to retrieve it, but a crowd was forming, and he was surely already well through it. “Well, it seems that you’ve been called on a ‘mission’. Did you write this up yourself so you could play secret agent?”
I started to turn red, so I quickly snatched the letter back and scowled. “Be on your way, Bad Yosh. I’m busy, and I don’t care what you think. Maybe I am chasing a dream, but if there’s someone that needs helping, I’m going.”
Jua-oshi shook his head and rolled his eyes. “Whatever you say, it sounds crazy. I’ll leave you alone, though. I wouldn’t want to bother a crazy Yoshi.”
I ignored his childish comment and continued on my way, noticing that the gathered crowd was displaying mixed emotions. Some were laughing, some were confused, and a select few were actually glad that I was doing some good. I paid none of them any attention and walked towards the ferry. If I could make it to Donut Land by dark, I’d have a good early start the next morning to make it to the Donut Land Sea Port near the haunted house, which was now an inn, fortunately. A few brave Mushroomers had chased out the ghosts.
Later that afternoon, I passed by my humble house for what could have been the last time. I didn’t bother pausing to stare at it though; I didn’t want to change my already vacillating mind. If Yoshis could feel depression, it would have descended upon me then, but our happy programming forbids it. I thought about my beloved fruit and continued on.
As I turned from my house, I spotted a figure approaching rapidly in the distance. Upon closer inspection, I surmised it to be my best friend, Ki-oshi. We had known each other since we were hatchlings, and I loved him like my closest brother. His basic mood was happiness, meaning he was usually yellow. His spirited nature served as the perfect balance for my serious one. Returning his wave, I barely had time to withdraw my hand before he gave me the standard Yoster hug. “It’s good to see you too, Ki-oshi.”
He relinquished his bear grip. “I was so worried, Ryan-oshi. I heard from the grapevine that you were leaving on some adventure, and I just knew you didn’t want me to come cuz you feared for my life or something, but you should know I go wherever you go. I’ll protect you the best I can, and cheer you up when you’re blue.”
I hesitated immediately. “I… don’t know.”
He shook his head and crossed his arms with a sly look on his face. “Well, it doesn’t matter what you know, because I’m coming whether you like it or not, Ryan-oshi. I’m not going to leave my best friend all by his lonesome on the weary adventure trail, no way.”
Facing such an insistent plea for accompaniment, I conceded to let him come with me. I certainly regret ever considering not letting him come now, for he remained a constant companion and a loyal friend if there ever was one to be written of. Together, we embarked on our journey, walking into the unknown.
It was getting close to the setting of the sun when we came to the tollbooth near Iggy’s Castle. The bratty Koopaling was as greedy as his father and even more demented. Standing at the booth were two Terracotta holding spears and sporting mean looks. I cautioned Ki-oshi to be calm, but it was far too late for that. He stepped up and immediately started shouting. “What’s the meaning of this? This road is public, and just because Iggy’s gambled all of his allowance away doesn’t mean he can charge free-loving folks money that can be used for fruit. You two better let us pass, or you won’t be feeling too good in a few moments.”
The two guards looked at each other, shrugged, and one of them charged Ki-oshi with his spear leveled. He fluttered over the top and gulped down the guard from behind. After making an egg out of him, he threw the egg at the other one, knocking them both down a steep decline on the other side of the road. “Ki-oshi, I have plenty of money with me. My novels make more than enough to buy fruit with. Besides, none of the other Yoshis ever leave the village.”
He nodded his head, but he was still angry. “I know, pal, but it’s the principle of the thing. I hate being illegally ripped off, and I hate these Koopas. There’s not a creature more foul on Plit than a Koopa.”
I wasn’t so sure. After all, I’d never ventured far from any Yoshi paradise. There were many uncharted lands, including my destination, that could hold much more horrific surprises than a bunch of turtles. Still, the ferry was not six miles from where we were, and it was quickly getting dark. “Come on, Ki-oshi. We’ll have to step on it if we’re going to reach Donut Land by nightfall.”
After another fifteen minutes, we arrived at the boat and hopped aboard. The captain knew Ki-oshi and gave us a free ride. The boat was a good one, and we arrived at Donut Land quickly. I thanked the captain for his sailing skills and touched foot on the Land of the Rolling Plains just as the first star winked into existence on the clear, night sky. “Isn’t it beautiful, Ki-oshi?”
Ki-oshi would normally not have cared, but I would like to think that the glistening stars twinkling above us before our adventure really kicked off were enough to leave him dazzled. “Yes, it sure is, pal.” He stretched out his hands and rolled out his hammock, fixing it between two high rocks. “We’ve got a big day ahead of us. Let’s get some sleep.”
While Ki-oshi snored loudly in the backdrop, I stared at the heavenly sky for most of the night, letting the stars fuel me and guide me. I pulled a pendant from under my saddle and held it close. “I’ll miss you. If you’re up there, please watch over us.” A shooting star sailed across the sky and disappeared below the horizon. “Thanks.”
Chapter Two: Koopas, Kippers, and a King
I woke up early as usual the next morning, and I was sure the strength of the stars was coursing through my body. I sniffed the morning air, but I smelled of it too. I brushed Nature’s debris off of me and packed up my hammock. As was his habit, Ki-oshi was still asleep, but at least his snoring had placated. Taking advantage of my early rising, I went out from camp, searching for some ripe fruit to pick.
After walking for ten minutes, I came to a spring that led into the Donut Lake some ten miles from our camp. I lapped up the water from it greedily, for I hadn’t drank anything since I had left the Island. The sense of adventure filled me and I couldn’t think of anything else, but the flowing of the water and the stillness of the air quieted my thoughts.
Before I stopped my enjoyment of the river, my attention was diverted by a crack of a twig behind some bushes on the other side of the river. After that, there was nothing. Being curious, I hopped across some stones on the river and came to the other side without getting too wet. I cautiously approached the bushes and pulled back them back. Behind them was a small Goomba feasting on several berries. As soon as it spotted me, it hurriedly picked up the rest of the berries in its mouth and scurried off. I smiled at its behavior, but I soon began to sense the sweet aroma of berries entering my nose. It was one of my greatest joys. I grabbed a gathering bag out of my pack and picked berries for another hour. After deciding I had plenty, I started back, figuring that Ki-oshi would be almost ready to wake up.
That’s when I noticed two more Goombas running towards where the other one had escaped to. I followed them at a distance until I started hearing Koopa noises. Soon, I spotted a group of them. I crouched behind a bush, counting ten Goombas, two Koopas, and a Magikoopa giving orders. I heard his words quite clearly. “Ok, break’s over! King Morton wants us back by noon, and we still have to wait for the other two Koopas to get back. Where are those lazy… ah, there they are. And they seem to have caught something.”
I followed his gaze to a sight that filled me with terror. Approaching slowly were two Koopas carrying a struggling Ki-oshi. He had his hands tied behind his back, and he had a muzzle on. They’d caught him sleeping. The Magikoopa looked pleased. “Very good, troops. I guess this explains your tardiness. Morton will be glad we caught a Yoshi. They’re elusive.”
One of the Koopas seemed to be illiterate, and the other one wasn’t far more advanced. “We got ’em sleepin’ in a hammock. Twas two hammocks, so we thoughts there might be another one, but we couldn’t find ’em.”
The Magikoopa laughed and waved his wand around, causing some of the Goombas to cringe. I was growing furious, and I could tell Ki-oshi was mad. “This one is a stupid Yoshi then. The other one’s smart. Keep a look out, though. His friend’s bound to be looking for him. We don’t want Morton’s prize to be stolen.” He signaled the other Goombas off their feet. “Hop to it, beasts. We have a long march ahead of us. On the double, march!” With that, they walked off into the brush, leaving me in great distress.
I paced back and forth, knowing that if I didn’t act quick, Ki-oshi’s fate would be sealed. I also knew I couldn’t expect to tackle ten Goombas, four Koopas, and a Magikoopa all by myself. Yoshis are tough, but we’re not all-powerful. That’s when I remembered the Kipper Grotto up ahead. If I could lose them in there, and get out with my tail intact, I could save my friend. It was a risky plan, but time was of the essence, and Ki-oshi’s future was uncertain. I got to work forming a more detailed plan immediately.
I waited patiently, ducked behind some reeds sticking out of the shallow water. I could hear the Goombas faintly waddling in the distance, but now wasn’t the time to make my move. Soon though, a pesky fly decided to bother me. What started as an irritating buzz escalated to a filthy insect crawling over my sensitive nose. It was only a matter of time before… ah… ah…AHCHOO! I sneezed so hard that the villainous fly shot into the lake and the reeds blew over, bending horizontally. Even worse, fifteen of Morton’s finest soldiers stood battle-poised some ten meters in front of me.
I gulped and made a quick dash for the lake, looking back to see all of the Goombas, the Magikoopa, and two Koopas coming after me. I made a running dive into the lake and swam as fast as I could, using my large tail to propel me where my short arms could not. I looked around to see that the Magikoopa was the only one keeping up, and I knew his magic wand was running low from the water’s interference. Up ahead, I caught glimpse of a sort of system of caves and holes. It was the Kipper Grotto.
Mario discovered the Kipper Grotto when he came to our land, saving the imprisoned Yoshis from Bowser’s slimy clutches. It’s a vast array of several holes and small caves gathered it one area. Several burrowing fish originally formed the Grotto, but the Kippers, brought by Bowser to endanger our lives, brought the burrowing fishes’ population to extinction. Now the Kippers ruled their conquered territory with jaws of steel. It wouldn’t have been pleasant for one of them to get their teeth on my tail.
Just as I was about to make a dash for the surface, a slimy yellow arm wrapped around my throat. I immediately noticed the blue sleeve hanging from the arm: the Magikoopa! He must have used magic to entrap his words in a bubble, because I heard them clearly. “So, you’re the missing Yoshi. You’re not as smart as I thought you were. Now, you will have your entire life as slave for King Morton to think about it.”
As he was spelling out his words of doom, a massive shadow covered us. His arm slid off of my throat, and I frantically swam behind a rock, looking up. My mouth opened in utter amazement, for above us was the most prodigious Kipper Nature had ever spawned. It came down fast and hard, gulping up the then screaming Magikoopa and chasing several Koopas that had now appeared away. I sat there trembling for another few seconds before I realized that I had to breathe. After reaching the surface and gasping for air, I made a hasty retreat to the sweetness of dry land.
After I once again stepped on dry land, it was the work of a few seconds to dispose of the remaining two Koopas. Ki-oshi rocked back and forth with his eyes blindfolded, screaming against his muzzle. I freed him as quickly as possible. “It’s about time, Ryan-oshi! I’ve been waiting here with these nasty brutes trying to kill me. Why, it took them ten Goombas and a Chargin’ Chuck just to bring me down.”
I started laughing and helped him up. He looked ridiculous. “Are you sure you didn’t just oversleep and let two Koopas easily apprehend you?”
He looked surprised, but he eventually smiled. He wouldn’t lie to me two times. I told him that it was fine, and I was just glad we were ok. So, with that nasty predicament out of our way, we continued on, much of the day still before us.
Later that afternoon, we were but thirty minutes away from our destination, and the sun was still quite a ways from touching the horizon. We were merrier now, for things had been going our way, and the remaining hours of the day had held great luck. We’d picked up some lovely fruit from a kindly Mushroomer, and our path was straight and clear. It was enough to make any two respectable Yoshis break into song. We each took a line, and it went something like this:
O’er the fields and planted plains,
Under the colored sky,
Koopas and Goombas won’t stop us,
And our Yoster tongues don’t lie!
Marching on to adventure’s way,
Our fortunes seem quite good,
We’re friends now until the very end,
Singing as two Yoshis should!
It wasn’t terribly talented, but the afternoon sky made it sound like a symphony or something you would read about in a book. The next voice we heard wasn’t very pleasant though.
“Stop that cat-scratchin’, ya jerks! Sounds like ya been learnin’ the chalkboard!” We looked up to see Morton Jr. on a rock. He jumped down, obviously causing his knees some pain. His bald head and scar looked repulsive, and the magic wand he held didn’t make us feel any better. “You’se guys been causing my ranks some awful bad trouble, and I’m here to rectify da’ situation.” With that, he shot out two blasts of magic, aimed for both of us.
We both easily dodged, but his aim was sure to get better. “Let us pass Morton…”
“Dat’s KING Morton, you’se jerks! I’ll have your bulbous heads for dat insult o’ disrespect!”
The bulbous head crack was too much for Ki-oshi. In one instant, Morton was making fun of us. In the next, he was on the ground gasping for breath. Ki-oshi took up the wand and broke it in two. It was useless, and Morton was too. “That’ll teach you to make fun of a Yoshi.”
Morton wasn’t able to respond, but I agreed whole-heartedly.
It was close to night, what with all our interruptions, that we reached the port. Unfortunately, the port was closed for the night, so we were forced to take up at the old inn, formerly the haunted house. Ki-oshi was weary, but I didn’t believe in such things as bad karma. Still, Boos exist, and I wasn’t about to let my guard down. Little did I know how rough the night would be.
Chapter Three: Blackouts and Boos
And so, after accepting the port’s closure for the night, we resolved to stay at the inn situated shortly before the Donut Lake Bridge. The darkness of the sky was full upon us now, and the stars were popping up rapidly. Previous encounters with dangers ruled out hammocks. All of these things, and the appetizing aspect of a complimentary breakfast, is what ultimately brought us to the aforementioned decision.
Though the new owners had tried their hardest to make the old haunted house appear comfy and cozy, the looming fascade of terror still oozed from the old house’s exterior. It had to be even worse inside.
Upon reaching the huge double-doors that led into our nightmare, I immediately noticed Ki-oshi’s legs shaking and a slight white tint creeping into his body. I gently placed my hand on his shoulder to show him I wasn’t worried, but it was mostly a lie. With my hands trembling, I bravely rapped on the doors with my knuckles, hearing the sound echo for several seconds. After waiting several more for an answer that did not come, I pushed open the door, which creaked and moaned. This, combined with the pitch darkness that welcomed us, was enough to make Ki-oshi yelp in fear.
Still looking for something hopeful, I spotted a faint candle burning in the shadows, serving as a beacon of hope for our trembling spirits. I held my friend’s hand and led him towards the light. After the mind-numbing journey there, we were somewhat put at ease when we were greeted by the Mushroomer stationed at the welcome desk. He spoke with kindness and assuredness. “Ah, visitors! You are most welcome. I am only sorry that our inn has suffered an ephemeral blackout. It will be better by the morning. Fortunately, lighting is not a need of those seeking rest, eh? He gave a restrained chuckle.
I’m guessing he found Ki-oshi’s whiteness funny. I whispered into Ki-oshi’s ear hole. “See? The darkness is not ominous. It’s simply faulty wiring.”
He nodded, but he was obviously not convinced.He whispered back, his voice rising and lowering. “Let’s just get to our room and sleep this dreadful place away.”
“I’ll lead you right to it, sirs,” bellowed the Mushroomer.
Ki-oshi was too scared to notice, but I secretly wondered how the Mushroomer heard our whisperings. I thought surely he knew we would want our room by mental default.
After some rustling through a peg board of keys, our host found whichever one he was looking for and motioned us to follow him. He grabbed the candle.
After a few meters of walking behind him, we came to a set of stairs. I’ve already described the door, and let me add here that whatever haunting qualities it possessed, the stairs’ were much worse and multiplied considerably. Ki-oshi was still too numbed to experience any more fear. I’m sure he was thinking about Boos stealing his soul. I laughed, dragging the Mushroomer’s attention for only a moment.
After what seemed like an hour, we finally came to the second floor. I didn’t remember the house being that high. Our host suddenly was facing us, causing my heart to jump. “Here we are, sirs.” He opened a door that appeared as if it was just formed. I knew it was the shadows’ tricks that did it. “This is your room. You won’t miss the beds, so just get comfy. I’ll be waiting downstairs if you need anything.”
With that, he was off, and we were left to find our ways into bed. Being Yoshis, we simply preferred to stand up, so we did so. It was better to be on my guard anyway, I had figured.
Sometime during the night, a time of which I’m still not sure, I was awakened by the sound of a floor’s creaking. First one eye opened then the other. I immediately jumped due to the fact that I was now in a bed, especially since I vividly remember standing up. I looked around with my eyes only, for my head’s pivoting motion was strictured by absolute fear. Over to my right where the door should’ve been, I saw something moving in the distance. It was only a shadow, but I knew something was there. The deadly silence was making it all too much. I could hear my heart thumping, anticipating the continuation of the creaking. Thump. Thump. Thump. CREAK.
I heard no more thumping after that, but I saw the shadow converging on my resting place. It’s only a dream, I thought. Pay it no mind. My self-assuredness was not helpful, for the shadow continued on its way.Then, as if in a dream, it was gone. After another hour of trembling, the shadow did not return. So, with much difficulty, I slipped back off into unconsciousness.
Sometime later in the night, I was awoken again, but my vision was completely impaired. I struggled, rubbed my eyes, lifted my head, and felt around, but I could see or feel nothing. I knew I had heard something. It sounded like restrained chuckling.
Then it happened. In the blink of an eye, the lights turned on, and I saw our host floating over me, smiling and rubbing his hands. In the next instant, he was gone, and it was dark once again. I scrambled out of bed, my entire countenance deathly afraid. I rushed to feel the light switch, flipped it up, and light flooded the room. The blackout was over.
Next, my body was covered in fear again when I saw our host standing in a corner, his back facing me. He was completely silent, so I wandered over, only a feet away from him. Gently, trembling, I reached out and touched his back. I must’ve jumped back three feet when he turned around. Ki-oshi woke up and started to scream. His alarm was definitely understandable.
Our host, instead of bearing his usual facial expressions, now had blood-red eyes. His face was pale-white, and he had huge, crooked teeth that ended in canine points. He laughed hysterically, and he started to phase into… something else.
Ki-oshi and I were holding on to each other, shaking uncontrollably, on his bed as the morphing figure approached us. As it got closer, it was now fully transformed into its true self: a Boo! It wasn’t an ordinary Boo Buddie either; it was a full-fledged, Big Boo of the largest proportions. It didn’t even turn away and hide.
We both dashed for the door, but it wasn’t there. Ki-oshi resorted to screaming for help, but knowing that would do no good, I screamed at the hideous spirit. “What do you want from us? We will provide it!”
It laughed again, and then it spoke in a high, shrill voice. It’s mouth did not move. “You have stumbled into my domain. Now, death awaits you! DEATH!”
As it closed in, I threw a chair that was conveniently located in the room at the Boo. It did not harm our tormentor, but it did distract it momentarily. That was enough for us. I grabbed Ki-oshi and fluttered out our window, not looking down.
When I could bear fluttering no more, I urged Ki-oshi to take over, and he did. Slowly, safely, we reached the ground and ran for our dear Yoster lives. After running for several minutes, we came to the bridge of Donut Lake, our breaths rapid and short.
I held my breath once again, though, as the Boo appeared at the other end of the bridge. With some hedge clippers that it had gotten from how knows where, it cut one end of the bridge, sending us, hanging on to the bridge, slamming to the opposite wall. Below us were several Kippers, jumping for our flesh, and the Boo was floating towards us screaming, “DEATH!”
We both starting whimpering, and I hugged Ki-oshi close. Then, a miracle happened.
The sun rose upon Donut Land at that moment, bathing the countryside and the lake with its glory and brightness. It filled my teary eyes and bade me to look upon our ghostly attacker. It covered its eyes and screamed a horrible cry that pierced my ear holes. Shaking more than we had in the entire experience, it turned into stone and plummeted into the lake, where the Kippers surrounded it to investigate. I feel it important to add that they’ve been known to devour rocks and other inedible things.
So it was that we barely escaped the inn of Donut Land, still belonging to the Boos. Now, with that behind us, the port was opened, so we approached it with all due speed. Ki-oshi and I were still shaken up, but now we knew our journey had to succeed. We thought we had encountered the worst Plit had to offer, but we were wrong. We were horribly wrong.
Chapter Four: Revelations
Climbing on the boat we’d hired, we met our honorable captain. He was a Mushroomer, so he was considerably minute, but his atmosphere swelled with confidence. Although he didn’t have the usual paraphenelia associated with pirates (patch eye, peg leg, hand hook), his voice matched one’s perfectly. “Argh! You mateys be wantin’ I ride on ol’ Tom Jones’s ship, yes?”
He scrambled out from what appeared to be the cabin and shook hands with Ki-oshi. With both of his eyes, he examined my friend from top to bottom, looking for something earnestly. “You the one with the booty, yes?”
Ki-oshi narrowed his eyes. “I beg your pardon!?”
I stepped over and placed my hand on Ki-oshi. “I’m sorry. He’s just my traveling companion. I have the money.” I pulled out a small leather pouch from under my saddle. I dared not keep it in my pack. “How much will a trip be to the island of Juat?” He seemed to be confused. “I’ve heard it’s in the South Tropicine Isles.”
He nodded and pulled out a small map he had some difficulty finding. I had concluded that he had about ten different maps in his coat. The coat was old and musty, and it smelt of saltwater. It was blue with gold flecks that originally had lined it now scattered across it. It was probably worthless. “Ahh! Here we are. The South Tropicine Isles. Now, what be the name of that island you wish to visit, matey?”
“Juat.” I watched his eyes fall on the map.
“Yes, here it is. I’ve never heard of it before. That’s pretty strange, if ya know what I mean. Arrgh!” He put the map away and started for the main deck. As if forgetting something, he turned back towards us. “Oh, yeah. If you want to rest a spell, go into the cabin. Ya can’t miss ya rooms.”
Ki-oshi, as helpful as ever, called out, “Won’t you need help? I thought it took a crew to run a ship?”
The captain smiled and pointed up to the crow’s nest. “I got me crew!”
Ki-oshi and I followed his finger up to the crow’s nest. Standing up there, with a clamping scope attached to his head, was a Goomba with a red bandana on. He shook the scope off, and, by biting onto various ropes, he climbed down from his resting place. It was amazing. “This is my First Mate, and a darn good one at that. Meet Ned, the best possible ship ‘elper an ‘onest cap’n could wish for.”
The little Goomba smiled at his master, showing his teeth, and nodded to us. I said hello, but he ignored me and climbed back up to release the sails. “He don’t talk much, if ya know what I mean. I tell ‘em what I want, and he do it. ‘Tis as simple as that. Now, I’ve got to get this here voyage started, so if ya don’t mind, I’ll be leavin’ ya.”
I said that I didn’t mind, and that we would go to our cabins. Ki-oshi wished to stay, but when I reminded him of the food that would probably be available, he quickly followed.
***
Our room, unlike the rest of the ship, was clean and tidy. Wooden walls gave it a cabin sort of feeling, and several pieces of furniture littered the room. We quickly unpacked and sat down at one of the tables in the room. We’d been walking for two days, and it was nice to rest. “Ki-oshi, we’re finally on our way. It’ll be another few days until we reach Juat, so we might as well enjoy it.”
He nodded, but his full attention was concentrated on a complimentary fruit basket that he had found. I rolled my eyes and dug in before he ate them all up. After all, we were out in the middle of the ocean, as safe as ever.
***
The next day, our contentment was not as great. We’d eaten every single complimentary food item we’d received, and every question asked to our captain came back with, “Any day now.”
Finally, Ki-oshi exploded. “I’ve got cabin fever! I hate this trip. For two days-”
“One day,” I corrected.
“Well, for what has seemed like two days, we’ve been floating at sea with no land in sight. I want to race across the lands once more! Why couldn’t we just take a plane? I hate boats!” He sat down, breathing heavily.
“If you’ll remember, the only airport is near Cookie Mountain, and traveling there would have ultimately put us behind.” It wasn’t like I wasn’t upset either, though.
“At least it wouldn’t’ve put us under,” he grumbled.
“Now, now, we might as well make the best of it. Your problem is that you’ve been spending too much time in here watching me read. You need to go up on deck and help out. The sea air will do you good.”
He acknowledged my suggestion and left the room. I knew it was the best for both of us. There was no need for him to watch over me, and I could finally get some reading done. As of now, I was reading one of my favorite books, Ty-oshi. It was the recordings of the great thinker of old, Ty-oshi. Right then, I was reading a particularly interesting passage:
And moving on, over hill and over dale, the brave Uoshi came to his destination. After so many hardships, his journey now seemed to carry with it a great spirit. He saw his goal before him now, and so, he knew his journey had ended. Though he had saved many lives and accomplished what he had set out to do, the spirit of adventure would not go away. He tried to placate it by returning home and staying indoors for a month or two, but it would not go away. Finally, Uoshi, who had first been reluctant to leave his home, decided to make his life one of exploration. For once a Yoshi goes on his first adventure, he will never be able to go home again.
After reading that passage, I promptly closed the book, and then sneezed when the resulting dust collected around my face. I waved away my reading, knowing that my home would never become mundane to me. Sure, the excitement that comes along with going on an adventure is second to none, but after all, as I’d imagined would happen to me, the tiredness and risk of death would become too much. I thought someday, no matter how far away, a hero would have to run out of the same spirit and pep that’s always potrayed as being everlasting. Surely nothing is everlasting except the stars that grace the heavens above us.
I quickly put up the book, but before I could choose another one from my pack I caught a glimpse of myself in the cabin’s mirror. This was extremely strange, for my home, nay, Yoshi’s Island had very few mirrors. It had to have been at least a hundred years since I had looked upon myself. The cocky, young genius that loved to prove others wrong had dissipated from my countenance. I now looked into the face of a Yoshi with maturity. That’s not what frightened me.
My eyes were dull and full of tiredness. My skin color wasn’t as bright as it used to be. Instead, it had a simmered down shine, horrifically similar to the years I had spent reading. Could it be that my life as a scholar, a philosopher, and a general invalid (to a degree) had torn me apart? I pushed the thought away and turned back to my travelling library, but the thoughts and the mental picture of myself bombarded my feelings.
I gasped for air that was plentiful and ran towards the door. The next thing I knew, I was on the floor, groping for the doorknob. I couldn’t feel any oxygen coming to me, and my vision was getting blurry. My immediate calls for help came as silent wheezes and nothing more. The room started to spin; I passed out.
***
“Wake up, Ryan-oshi! Come forth and receive your message!”
Consciousness returned at the sound of these words, which rang with more clarity and power than any other. It lifted me and filled me with strength. “Who? Who calls me? What’s going on?”
The voice was coming from a bright light. There was no substance for me to judge. I only floated here in my own prison, listening for more words of encouragement. They came. “Ryan-oshi, dear, dear Ryan-oshi! You have spent your life preparing and pondering on what you were meant for. Do you think your genius was meant to grow in the shadows? Do you think it was meant to reach immortality and then rot and rust? Tell me!”
I closed my eyes, for with every new sentence, the light grew brighter. “No, good spirit. I definitely do not! Tell me! What do you wish of me, that I might fulfill my unknown destiny?”
I suddenly felt comforted. “Ryan-oshi, you need only to not doubt yourself. You try to convince yourself of something you don’t want and don’t need. Follow your instincts, and don’t dwell on the facts. You must have faith to suceed. You must rely on the air that you breathe and friends… not your books. They are to gently push you in the right direction, not to cradle you until the skies fall. Listen to my true words and act upon them. You are needed on deck.”
The next thing I knew, I was lying on my room’s floor, hearing screams from above.
I pushed the full force of my body up the cabin stairs, slamming the door open. Then, I saw Ki-oshi leaning over our captain, who was wounded by an arrow. Ned was rushing around the deck, looking for the attacker. “Ki-oshi, who did this?” I knew the question was stupid, but I was running on adrenaline.
“I don’t know. Suddenly, he was shot by an arrow. I don’t know which direction it came from. I couldn’t see which way he was standing, and he’s not able to talk.”
I walked over, letting Ned attend to the finding business for then. Ki-oshi had both of his yellow hands pressing against the captain’s wounds, and they were shaking. A slight hint of blue was creeping into Ki-oshi’s skin, now blood-stained. The captain’s breaths came slowly, then they were gone. I placed my hands on Ki-oshi’s shoulders. “He’s gone. Come on.”
He slowly got up, looked at me with the sadest eyes I’ve ever seen, and ran into the cabin.
***
The effect of his death on Ned was even worse. The Goomba broke into wails and started to throw himself off the ship, but I stopped him. “Ned, whoever has done it must still be on the ship. We have to find him.”
He nodded through teary eyes, still not talking to me. I nodded back nervously. He smiled, then, and gave me a cutlass. It must have been the captain’s, for his body was missing it. I held it firmly. “Thank you.” I was surprised that he was this trustworthy but, in the heat of the moment, feelings are expressed more easily, I had surmised.
With the sword in hand, I ran off to the end of the ship. I had a hunch I’d find who I was looking for. It was the only place Ned hadn’t checked yet.
I peered over the edge, seeing the front of the ship. No one was there. I slammed my hands against the railing and looked around anxiously. It was if a ghost had done it. “Not so far off, Ryan-oshi.”
I turned around, seeing a Magikoopa clad in black standing behind me with a magic wand pointed to my throat. He was grinning ferally, and on his back, he carried arrows. I smiled; I don’t know why, but I did. “You scum. You obviously don’t work for Bowser. How did you find us?”
He laughed now, and I hated him for it. “I work for a much higher authority. You have no idea how much danger you seek by undertaking such a mission. I knew exactly where you were; leaving your name with the Boo wasn’t a good idea. I controlled his essence, the only reason he didn’t turn and hide from you, and I’ve been monitoring the port since we first discovered you were coming.”
I was deeply confused. How could he know so much? “Magikoopas’ powers are not unlimited. How did you know I got the letter?”
This time, he tapped the wand with one of his claws, and my throat started to close in. “I bribed a local Yoshi. You’re not all so honorable.”
I regret it took me a moment to figure out who he was talking about, but it came all the same. “Jua-oshi! That traitor… AGGH!”
“Stop your ramblings. You will feel the comforting hand of death soon enough. And don’t hope on anyone saving you. Your friend is too weak to come to your rescue, and Goombas are nothing but trash, mainly used for an organic shield.”
Just as I felt my life coming out of me, the phantom grip vanished, and I opened my eyes. The Magikoopa fell limp to the ground, a sword poking through his cloak, surrounding by blood. The sword disappeared, and Ned stood grinning behind him. “Ned, you were late.”
The biggest surprise of the day came then. “Sorry, sir.”
Chapter Five: Tropacine Isles
It had been another few days since the horrible incident of our captain’s death. A proper burial had been given at sea. After Ned had saved me from the clutches of that mysterious Magikoopa and proven that he could talk, he gave an emotional and respectable eulogy. Ki-oshi found himself crying, but he did eventually get over any thoughts of it being his fault.
Now, with those events behind us and the South Tropicine Isles approaching rapidly, Ki-oshi and I discussed greater things. One of these discussions revolved around the identity of our attacker. It was clear the Magikoopa was connected with the note I had received. His pride inability to keep secrets gave us that, fortunately. The answers to who we were dealing with and what were their motives were still elusive. The latter one being all but improbable to consider at that time, we contemplated the former. “Hmm, we do know that they have nothing to do with Bowser. Besides, even the Magikoopas who have disbanded from Bowser’s army reside on the dormant side of Barrel Volcano back in the Mushroom Kingdom. The only Magikoopas remotely related to Bowser are those under the command of his sons and daughter. They only wear blue, so it definitely wasn’t them. What could the color of black mean?”
Ki-oshi had his eyes on a map of the South Tropicine Isles, mapping our current course. The Isles consisted of four major islands and a string of uncharted other ones. The four major islands were Juat, Kuat, Muat, and Herult. The first three were under the control of a democratic government while the island of Herult was under a monarchy with a good king, or so our current records said. They were slightly outdated, but only by five or ten years.
The Juat Trinity (consisting of the first three) was inhabited mostly by Mushroomers and the native people, who were Ulians. They had descriptions, but they varied so greatly I couldn’t be sure about them.
The island of Herult was a Koopa monarcy. The rulers would always remain Koopas, and almost all of the people under the king were Koopas. Goombas lived there as a working class, but some rose to higher statuses.
Any conflict between the four isles was unheard of, so we didn’t worry about coming upon a war.
The other part of the whole Tropicine Isles was the North Tropicine Isles, consisting of only two islands. The first one, Soshi, has a climate that’s practically unhabitable. Named Uliania, the second island was the home to several Ulians who had chosen to remain uncivilized like their Juat Trinity counterparts. The trouble wasn’t coming from the north, though, so we didn’t expect to learn that much about them.
“Huh? Oh, I don’t know, Ryan-oshi. Gosh, I wonder if there will be any tasty smoothies there. Should be good fun!”
I buried my head in my folded arms. My friend, right before what could be the greatest adventure we’ve ever had, was planning his restaurant stops. I had to admit, that sounded fun, but the spirit of adventure had already overturned my monstrous hunger pangs, which was a miraculous thing in of itself. Ki-oshi was still being a typical Yoshi, and that was fine. “Yes, it should be, Ki-oshi. I’m just worried we won’t have any time to enjoy ourselves if we’re trying to fight off a league of evil that considers itself more deadly than Bowser’s entire group. It doesn’t exactly sound like a picnic.”
As I was chastising him, our room’s door creaked open. The gruff voice of Ned sounded, “I’ve spotted land. The island of Muat is just ahead. From there, you should be able to take a plane to where ya need to go. You might want to get your packs ready though. We’ll be landin’ within the hour.”
We went right to work. I felt bad about leaving Ned, but I knew he’d find a first mate at the Muat harbor. Besides, Ki-oshi and I had more pressing matters to attend to.
***
In another hour and thirty minutes, Ki-oshi and I were hurrying through the busy section of the Muat Port. I’m sure it was one of many, but if this small port’s crowd size was any indication of the overall population, Muat must’ve been popular. It was easy to tell some were tourists, with their cameras and bright-colored shirts, but we were the most out of place, being nowhere close to the indigenous peoples.
I feel it important to describe the Ulians here since this widely-unknown variety of living beings is used throughout my tale, especially since their presence indicates much of the past of these islands.
To begin with, their skin tone was a light green. It was unsettling at first, but certainly tropical. Their bodies were very thin and bony, and they had a neck that extended a foot above their upper chest, finally ending in a circle head. The eyes, mouth, and all other facial features were very thin, and the ears popped out on either side as two curls. Their fingers were long and moved slowly. They wore long, draping clothes, but they didn’t touch the ground. I couldn’t see their legs, but I knew they must’ve matched the arms. All of their movements, like their fingers, were magnificently put across. They seemed to float while walking. Ki-oshi, being curious, walked over to one. “Why is your neck so big?”
Seeing that the alien-like creature was vexed, I grabbed my friend and dashed through the crowd. “Ki-oshi, don’t go around insulting people like that. You’re liable to get us killed!”
He said he was sorry, but his curiosity would get us into many troubles in our travels. I had the free map Ned had given us turned upside-down in my hands, telling you, Reader, how hectic it was. Finally, Ki-oshi pointed out a restaurant by the name of the Kiloni Kafe. I nodded and walked over with him.
The Kiloni Kafe matched the port’s open, tropical atmosphere perfectly. Instead of having a front door, the entire front face was open to the inside with a straw-made awning covering the entranceway. Shade began immediately, and the bar took up the right half of the establishment. All along it, patrons sat waving fans and sipping smoothies. The fruity smells almost drove me insane, so, with no resistance from Ki-oshi, we sat down at two empty stools. The bartender was a tall mushroomer, brawny and ruff-looking. He was cleaning a glass, but he came over. “Yoshis? I’ll go get the fruit carton. This is going to clean us out.”
As he left for what appeared to be the stocking room, we both giggled. He had obviously served Yoshis before. In fifteen more minutes, we both had prodigious glasses with all sorts of tropical fruit in them. It was maddeningly delicious. It was by pure chance that I heard a Mushroomer talking someways down the bar.
“Yeah, that’s what I got out of it too. I’m still wondering why folks would be payin’ all that money just to catch a couple of Yoshis. It’s unbelievable.”
His friend nodded. “I don’t care how outrageous it is as long as we get paid. So, where are we going to find two Yoshis on these islands?”
Hearing this, my heart raced. I grabbed Ki-oshi’s arm, with some resistance this time, and made a dash for the door.
Another Magikoopa dressed in black met us near the entrance, just as surprised as we were. I presume he was meeting the two Mushroomers to discuss payment and the like. Whatever the reason, he didn’t have any trouble recognizing us as the two Yoshis that were wanted. I didn’t know how he did, but I didn’t really care at that moment. Acting in desperation, I spun around, using my tail to knock him off his feet. Across the bar, the two Mushroomers were already crashing through the café’s various tables trying to reach us.
I signaled to Ki-oshi, letting him know that I meant for him to keep the two Mushroomers busy while I dealt with the Magikoopa, who was now pulling himself off of the floor. Knowing I wouldn’t have enough time to execute a kick, I opened my mouth and sent my tongue flying out. I was more than a little surprised when I didn’t feel the Magikoopa enter my stomach. I opened my eyes.
Just in time, he had used his wand to stop my tongue in midair. With a feral grin, he lifted his wand. My tongue zoomed back, hitting me hard under my mouth before rolling back in my mouth. I fell to the floor, wincing in pain.
After my vision came back into focus, I noticed one of the many fans on the ceiling shaking. It was coming loose! I rolled out of the way and ate it as it fell behind me. The surprised Magikoopa let out a yelp of pain as I spat the fan at him. He sailed over the buildings on the opposite side of the street.
Behind me, Ki-oshi was at the bar, drinking his smoothie. The two Mushroomers were on the ground, limp, near his stool. “Ki-oshi! Why didn’t you help me?”
He smiled and looked around for help. He giggled nervously and held up his glass. “Er... want a sip?”
I sighed, rolled my eyes, and sat down to finish my drink.
***
Ahead of us was the Eastern Lake of Muat. It was beautiful, and because of strict conservation rules, sparkling clean. The sunlight played against the water, performing a free dance recital. I took this time, especially since Ki-oshi was resting, to start a journal. Even though I had seen plenty of action in the days since my departure, the blood of a writer still flowed through me. I had to make sure to record the Ulians, too. “Maybe I’ll move here,” I whispered, shaking Ki-oshi’s shoulder.
And yet, I was worried that the Tropacine Islands were in more danger than its beauty was worth. What kind of organization can constantly keep up with two Yoshis? This also left me to wonder what new troubles we would face. After all, our journey had just begun.