Prologue: One year before Karma met Ludwig
The time was night, and it was a full moon.
Earlier that day Mario had thromped through Cookie Mountain, upsetting the balance of everything. Mario had beaten Ludwig badly, and was now heading into the Forest of Illusions. As he went deeper he found Lakitus, Wigglers, and Bob-ombs. So many enemies, so little time to rescue the princess. He finally ventured into the ghost house, and it seemed like nothing new to him. This was where the problems started.
When the ghosts failed to stop Mario, they decided to speak to the "Secret Boo". This Secret Boo is just like a normal Big Boo, but it's purple, has glowing green fangs, and has a story behind it. To make the story short, it will bite the one who finds it. This Secret Boo only comes out every one billion years, and its bite can be deadly if done correctly. Onlyone with a pure heart and filled with curiousity will find this cleverly hidden ghost. It's not a truly wonderful fate to be bitten by this ghost, but the one whose fate resides with it will be led there.
"Is he the one, Milord?" one small Boo said as he entered the Secrets Boo's cavern. The entrence to this cavern was hidden beneath the bricked floor. There was no switch, and the only way to open it was if you were a good jumper, or if you were heavy...
"Hhhhh... Nooooo," the Secret Boo said, moaning heavily. Mario was there for a quest, not out of curiosity.
"Mmhhhh... Alright. We shall go change the traps forthe 'Chosen One'," the small Boo said as it went with all the other ghost house creeps.
About five hours later. 11:10 P.M.
A lone Yoshi had wandered into the
ghost house.
Chapter 1: Nice to Meet You Too
“Another day in this boring old castle, and I think I’m going to die!” Karma Koopa stood poised by a window as she complained. The area around her was known as Kastle Koopa, King Koopa’s turf. Better yet, it was also called Dark Land, and Bowser was King Koopa.
“What are you complaining about now?” Larry Koopa, the youngest of Bowser’s seven kids, walked right past her; he didn’t even bother to listen to her reply.
“It’s just- Never mind…” Karma turned back to the window as she then thought about going to see Wendy. Wendy always has something to do, Karma thought eagerly to herself, If she’s in a good enough mood…
Karma walked past the statues of Koopa Troopas, pictures of Boos on the walls, and even a few places where Roy Koopa had left behind a Chocola Cola. It was an ordinary-looking castle, and the bricks were a normal and very ordinary gray color. Karma sighed as she came to a pink door that defied its surroundings with its… pinkness. She put her hand on the door, turned the knob, and walked in to see Wendy reading a book. Wow, I’ve never actually seen her read a book before, Karma thought, finding it funny, though she managed to keep a straight expression.
“HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF KNOCKING? AND WHAT’RE YOU DOING IN HERE?” Wendy scowled at Karma snottily as Karma just tapped her foot on the ground.
“I just wanted to know if you wanted to spend time together But seing as how you’re learning to read…” Karma watched Wendy’s face get all red with anger, “I guess I’ll be leaving.”
“Yeah, that’s right. You’re not good enough, or even near cool enough, to spend time with me!” Wendy got up off her bed and walked to the closet, as she seemed to be taking inventory on all her bows. Karma walked out of the room and shut her door behind her.
Well, that didn’t go well. Are people here ever kind? Karma thought for a moment before heading back to the window she had been previously staring from. Her heart was filled with so much sorrow at the moment, and her parents' faces kept constantly flooding her mind. Her mind was like a child’s room: once you clean it up, it will get messy as soon as you walk away again. Karma’s eyes glistened with moist for a moment as she leaned her head against the window in order to be staring out at the ground outside. As she looked up, she saw a shooting star, and she managed an easy smile. I guess I should make a wish… why not?
“I wish…” Karma didn’t know exactly how to word it. Doesn’t have to be perfect… I just have to know what I mean. It’s not like I have to explain this to someone other than myself… “ I wish there was at least one person… One person who accepted me for who I am and not for what I am,” Karma said in barely a shallow whisper as the star shot through Plit’s atmosphere, seeming so close, but really nowhere near Plit.
She concentrated a little, before something suddenly brushed passed her in a fury. This something had almost run right into her, and Karma was now rocking back and forth as she watched the guards coming up after the racing creature.
“STOP HER!” one of the guards seemed to yell to Karma, but he was actually yelling to one of the guards that were down the corridor further ahead.
Karma stood, trying to sort what was going on because something had just run past her and she couldn’t help but wonder. It was happening all too fast for her somewhat-vacationing mind. She looked to see a figure standing there, shaking like crazy. The figure was slim and of average height, and had blue hair with purple tips, and two gleaming fangs. It was a Yoshi, no doubt that, but… she looked odd.
“I’ve got her!” Another guard tried to leap at the Yoshi that was apparently being taken prisoner. The Yoshi dodged out of the way only to be grabbed by another guard from behind.
“LET ME GO!!!” the Yoshi yelled fiercely as she struggled to escape. Karma just stared upon the Yoshi, her mind finally wanting to do some work besides staring out the window all night. Karma felt pity for the creature because this Yoshi had probably never done anything to deserve to get handled like this. There were three guards, all Hammer Bros, and they handled her like a sack of potatoes.
“Let her go…” Karma spoke softly at first as the guards turned to her. “Let her go!”
“Excuse me?” The second guard stared at Karma with a skeptical look on his face as the third guard seemed almost bewildered. At that exact moment, Ludwig was casually walking down the hall, no doubt heading for his bedroom, and eating his after-dinner-and-dessert snack. He looked around from one guard to the other three, then to the Yoshi who was still struggling, and finally to Karma. His expression seemed like his mind was lost in something...
“What’s going on here?” Ludwig Koopa asked. He was the oldest of Bowser’s sons, and heir to the throne.
“We found this girl… Yoshi scum… sleeping behind one of the statues! Now this girl seems to be demanding we let her go!” one of the guards barked, motioning towards Karma. Ludwig seemed to be pondering the story as he looked to Karma, thinking of all the possibilities.
“Is she one of your… em… friends?” Ludwig decided that seemed to be a reasonable explanation, but seriously hard to believe because it was Karma he was talking about. Karma Koopa was also heir to the throne; he was supposed to be Ludwig’s unwanted wife. It wasn’t, of course, by their choice. It was sort of a thing called neither a blessing nor a curse; it was called a Metbond. The Metbond is a natural instinct that bonds two Koopas together by a link of spirits, and it is said to be unbreakable.
“Maybe…” Karma knew she wasn’t exactly lying because it was a possibility this could be her wish come true. Ludwig thought for a moment, and figured that perhaps Karma would be a little nicer to him if he were to be kind back. Although, whenever Karma said maybe, it always meant no…
“Let the creature go,” Ludwig demanded as the Yoshi just stared at him and then at Karma. She had stopped struggling as soon as the talking began, and now one of the Hammer Bro. guards was placing her on the ground.
“Follow me,” Karma said. The Yoshi looked as if she was about to object, but she obeyed and started to follow Karma, who led her towards the stairs. The Yoshi stared at the decorations in the castle; they weren’t very interesting or anything, but she had to admit that she had never even been in Princess Peach’s castle, or any castle for that matter. The pictures especially caught her attention. The way the eyes seemed to move on the boos seriously fascinated her because it was something she’d never seen before. The Yoshi looked around and tried not to take more than a quick glance at every statue. Karma led her down the first set of staircases, and then another, before they reached the main entrance room. She led the Yoshi out onto the Kastle Koopa steps as the night air blew around them, whispering eerie messages that the moon seemed to make no reply to. There was a twitter of a Buzzy Beetle somewhere in the distance, and yet something around the area made it all seem uneasy and unresting.
“Thank you…” the Yoshi said as she fidgeted in discomfort from not really knowing what else to say to Karma. Ludwig poked his head out from the door, and marched right over to the Yoshi.
“What were you doing here?” he asked a little more politely than how the guards had been talking.
“Sleeping,” the Yoshi replied with an almost-bored tone. She yawned as Karma just stared at her.
“I know that. But… why in blazes in this… dreary dark place?” Karma seemed bewildered by how anyone could even call this home a home.
“Who cares?” the Yoshi asked as she turned and started to walk away. Karma ran in front of her and the Yoshi stopped. Ludwig sat down on the cold stone steps and shuttered as the wind blew again.
“We do…” Karma said with wasted effort.
“Yeah… This is sort of the funniest thing we’ve ever heard,” Ludwig gave a small laugh as Karma seemed to be trying to hold it in. “A Yoshi falling asleep ON PURPOSE in Kastle Koopa… That is sort of funny.”
“If it weren’t for us, you’d most likely be dead by sunrise tomorrow.” Karma gave a deadened look at the Yoshi, who shrugged.
“It doesn’t matter anyway,” the Yoshi gave another small reply that all seemed to be rolling into an I-DON’T-CARE-ABOUT-MY-LIFE-ANYMORE mess.
“You don’t care if you trespass?” Karma asked as Ludwig looked up into the star-filled sky.
“I’m sorry if I caused any harm, but I’m quite sure I didn’t. There is nothing to really say anymore. I got into your castle, felt fatigued of sleep, and I toppled down behind your statues to be rudely awakened by somebody dragging me out by my tail. That was painful. AND I SHOULD BE THE ONE APOLOGIZING?” The Yoshi started to get a bit annoyed with the way these people were treating her. All my life I’ve been toppled around and almost killed by being misunderstood or blamed for something I’ve not done. If it weren’t for all that, I’d not be here now… the Yoshi thought to her as she looked at Karma. This girl seems nice, but why in blazes is she here?
“It doesn’t sound wrong that you intruded into our home? THAT DOESN’T SOUND WRONG TO YOU?” Ludwig felt a bit perturbed at how someone could say that about this situation.
“IT DOESN’T SOUND WRONG THAT I GOT TIRED AND FELL ASLEEP ONLY TO HAVE MY TAIL YANKED VERY PAINFULLY?” The Yoshi seemed to hate being yelled at. The louder Ludwig got, the louder she seemed to get.
“Look, just because you got tired-“ Karma started to say but the Yoshi seemed to be very ticked now.
“WHEN YOUR PARENTS DIE, AND YOU HAVE WALKED FOR DAYS WITHOUT SLEEP, THEN YOU’LL KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE! WALK A MILE IN THE OTHER PERSON’S SHOES BEFORE YOU START CRITICIZING! AT LEAST YOU HAVE A HOME TO CALL A HOME! I WAS THROWN OUT OF MINE!” the Yoshi screamed as she started to cry a raging river of tears.
“Y-your parents are dead…” Karma seemed to be thinking over the situation. “Dead?”
“Yes…” The Yoshi sniffled as Ludwig got up and opened the door to go inside. Either he’s had enough - I find that hilarious and, not to mention, hard to believe - or something else… Karma thought as she looked back to the Yoshi.
“Well… I’ve been separated from my parents as well,” Karma stated almost as if she were triumphant about it.
“I find that hard to believe since you live here.” The Yoshi looked up at Karma with her angry and yet so depressed look of raging emotion. The moonlight glinted as the door opened and closed. Ludwig brought a few napkins and the Yoshi took one. Karma stared in awe at the Yoshi’s fangs because she had never seen anything like a fanged Yoshi. Karma grabbed a napkin herself as her eyes became moist. Her parents had been on her mind non-stop lately, and she couldn’t help but try to resist. Karma stood there, still trying to be tough, as the tears just kept rolling on and on from the Yoshi. Finally, Karma broke down and started to cry as well. She sat down and Ludwig just stared at them both.
“They are alive, though…” Ludwig clarified as Karma didn’t even look up at him.
“No… I don’t know… I’ve told you, Ludwig, I was separated from them during the Cookie Mountain Incident…” The Yoshi girl seemed to take notice of this. She looked across at Karma, and wondered.
“You mean… when Mario and Luigi came through? About a year ago?”
“Yes…” Karma looked at the Yoshi, who had stopped crying.
“I’m from… the Illusion Forest.”
“Wow… That’s far away,” Ludwig muttered as he continued to listen.
“Oh… Mario came through there too, I heard. How did it affect you guys?” Karma seemed interested as she crumpled up the paper towel in her claw.
“Nothing much, really. It just happened on the worst day of my life.”
“Worst day of your life?” Ludwig asked, as he looked the Yoshi straight in the eyes. Her eyes were a sparkling blue, and her fangs were sparkling as the moonlight hit them. I hate Yoshis… very, very much… Ludwig thought to himself, though not really wanting to make the Yoshi cry anymore.
“Yeah… I’d prefer not to talk about it. There are two days of the year which I hate most, and I really prefer to not remember them…”
“All right, I guess we don’t want to know…” Karma replied as she yawned sleepily.
“Can I leave now?” The Yoshi seemed unimpressed, but she really did want to leave this place as soon as possible because it seemed like all her sorrow existed in one truly tormenting problem here.
“One more thing.” Karma smiled though the Yoshi took no noting. “What’s your name?” The Yoshi turned and smiled back at her.
“It’s Teela. Teela Yoshi.” The Yoshi then got up and started to walk away.
“You know something?” Ludwig asked as Karma started up the stairs.
“What?”
“She reminds me of a kinder you…” Ludwig joked as Karma lunged at him playfully.
“And you remind me of a Chain Chomp.” Karma chased him into the house. I wonder if what Ludwig just said was a compliment. Though, I doubt it…
Before shutting the Kastle Koopa main door, Karma looked out to where Teela had been walking away; she was already gone… and only moonlight seemed to have left traces of her in some form or another…
_
The next morning, Karma lay in bed thinking and recollecting a lot of memories. She was mainly thinking, however, about what had happened the night before. She had made a wish, and now she was debating over whether it had come true. True, Teela had come and gone, but at least Teela never made any smart remark on how Karma was a hybrid of a Yoshi and a Koopa. Teela didn’t make one remark about how a Yoshi could mate itself with a creature as stupid as a Koopa, as some people had said to her. She didn’t make any remark about any Koopas or Yoshis at all! Karma did wonder about the two bad days of the year that Teela was speaking of. Karma couldn’t help but think it had, perhaps, something to do with Teela’s freaky fangs.
Karma checked out the clock as she sat
up in her bed, and stretched. It was about 11 'o clock. Almost lunch,
Karma thought as she pushed herself out of her bed and decided to go wander
outside for a bit. Who knows? Karma thought for a quick second.
Maybe
I’ll find Teela again…
Chapter Two: A Family Photo
The next morning seemed to come too quickly. Karma woke up, got breakfast, and got teased by Larry. The usual. Then around lunch, she watched Iggy and Lemmy get beat up by Roy. That day flew by. By now it was two o' clock. It was shining as bright as it could get for the end of Autumn. It might even snow later that night. For some odd reason, when Karma looked up at the sky, the moon seemed to be visible. It's only two o' clock, Karma thought to herself as she questioned herself about different things.
"Why did Teela wanta sleep here?" Karma suddenly heard a bush rustle near by. She grabbed a stick that was laying on the ground and held it above her head. She moved closer, and a tiny Goomba came racing out at lightning speed.
"Yyyyyeeaaahhooowwwww!" Karma yelled as she jumped. She may have been part Yoshi, but when it came to jumping she wasn't very good. She was now wondering why that Goomba was running away so fast. She moved the bush a little to reveal a leaf-made bag. "Teela," Karma said, getting a bit nosey as she opened the bag. She saw a few little things, not much. An orange bracelet, a Goomba tie, and twenty coins.
What really grabbed her attention was
a picture. It was a bit water damaged, but clearly visible. It was what
appeared to be a young Teela Yoshi.
There was also a male Yoshi with green hair that was very messy. He was
purple. There was also a female that had long blue hair that seemed to
sparkle. Teela had one strand of hair that was sticking up, but the rest
of it was long and sparckly just like what appeared to be her mother. Teela
looked more like her mother because her mother was also blue and had long
blue hair.
Teela got the purple hair from her
dad's purple fur. She had grown out of the one strand of hair sticking
up phase. Karma could tell because now Teela's hair was just long and flat.
It sparkled less though. Perhaps out of sorrow.
The names were scribbled above each figures head. " Teel (her dad), Leeta (her mom), and Teela," Karma said as she wrapped the bag back up, and re-hid it. What was weird was that Teela didn't have fangs in this picture.
Karma decided to go see Kamek later for detail. For now she'd have to wait until dark when he was't busy. As Karma went in she looked at the clock. Five already? Karma thought to herself as Lemmy came down the hall riding his ball. It was surprisingly the same one he had earlier when Roy beat him up. Roy usually popped it. "Hey Lemmy," Karma said. Lemmy was shocked this "hybrid" was speaking to him.
"Yeah," Lemmy said as he rolled on down the hall heading towards his room.
"Bye," Karma said as she decided to
go get a sandwich. As she walked by the window she heard a faint low
singing voice that seemed to be coming
from the forest. Karma was too curious about the beautiful voice. She followed
the voice deep into the forest until the cramps started bugging her. She
sat there listening for about five minutes, and suddenly the voice seemed
like two instead of one. She finally was positively sure it
was two voices that seemed to be coming
closer to her. At first it was coming from one place. Then it seemed to
be surrounding her.
"Little red corvet!!! Chieeerrp
Chiro Chirp," the two voices said as Karma realized one sounded like a
bird.
The other she had no idea. Her first
guess was that they were just a flock of birds because nobody could sing
that heavenly. Yet the one voice didn't sound like that of a bird. Pure,
yes, but not that of a bird. No.
The bird was flying straight for Karma, and it landed on her head. "Heeyyy!" Karma said as she swatted at the bird.
"Relax, it's just Chirpy. I found it here in the forest," Teela said as she just came walking after the startled bird.
"What type of bird is it?" Karma said as she wondered why she had never seen one like it before.
"Dunno. One that's out of the ordinary I suppose," Teela said as she was pleased to see her new bird happy again. " I found it when it was hurt. It told me it was attacked by the other birds because it was different," Teela said as Chirpy looked at Karma in a gentle nature. Chirpy was a red bird with long flowing pink hair and beautiful pink long tail feathers. It had a blue beak, and a white circle on its underside.
"It told you?" Karma said as she looked at Teela likeshe was crazy.
"Yeah! Can't you understand it too?" Teela said. She thought it was normal.
"No. All I understand is 'Chirp'." Karma said as she still looked at Teela like she was crazy. "Was that you singing?" Karma really couldn't believe it was her.
"Oh. That old song? Yeah! Sorry if it sounded like a dieing animal," Teela said. Karma couldn't believe Teela thought she sounded like a dieing animal.
"Dieing animal? No! Like an angel!" Karma said as she looked at Teela in shock.
"Yeah. Whatever," Teela said as Karma was still looking bewildered.
"Anyhoo. you best get your belongings out from behind that bush," Karma said as Teela was a bit shocked from somebody actually finding her stuff. She thought she had hid it well.
"Yeah. Hey, if by any chance you ever need me, just grab a nearby hollow stick, and blow. Here," Teela said, handing Karma a flute-like stick that was hollow.
"Er... thanks." Karma said, wondering why in the world she'd ever need Teela.
"Chirp!" Chirpy said as Karma got a puzzled look on her face because she didn't understand the little bird.
"It said bye," Teela said as she waved goodbye to Karma and walked off. Karma decided to head back.
"Hmmmm..." Karma said as she decided to head down to Kamek's dungeon.
"Hello, Karma," Kamek said as he was mixing a few powders." What do you seek?"
"I... uh... wanted to know about a creature with fangs," Karma said as Kamek kind of stared at her.
"Fangs? Like full moon fangs?" Kamek said. Karma had no idea what he was talking about.
"I don't know. Just say a... Yoshi, for example had not had fangs when it was little, and now it did. How did it get fangs?" Karma said. She liked to learn about these types of things.
"Well, there is only one way. It's called
the Full Moon Death. One who wanders into the ghost house has to have great
curiosity. They call the person the "Chosen One". You know, I believe just
last year was the Full Moon Death. That's what they call it. You know,
if the Chosen One survives being bitten, which is quite rare, they gain
extrordinary powers. The fangs do take over you after two years, or earlier...
Nobody knows the
symptoms. We just know the facts. Hovering
is one thing the fanged one can specialize in. Being biten by the "Death
Boo", also called "Secret Boo", also can possibly make you part ghost,
but that's only if you were bitten on the arm. This Boo always aims for
one's neck though." Kamek seemed to know enough, but he only knew what
the books said. He lent Karma a book on the subject. Karma loved to learn.
Chapter 3: Answers?
Karma had been reading in the library when she heard a loud THUMP!!! "What was that?!" Karma said while walking out into the corridor. She saw Roy with a hammer, and Iggy was tied up. Lemmy was trying to get the hammer from Roy. "Oh well," Karma knew Roy was going to be in the dungeon. A week at the least.
"Shhhh!!!" the librarian Koopa hissed, giving Karma an annoyed look.
"Sorry," Karma whispered as she continued reading Kamek's book.
The fangs drain the life of the victim until they have to start taking others'. The fangs of death turn the victim into a blood-sucking monster, and eventually symptoms of a virus called "Ghostinara" kick in. We only know the first two symptoms.
1. One starts to seem invisible,
not seen.
2. One starts to have weird sparks
of intense power. Eyes light up when this happens.
This is all we know of the symptoms. If you ever meet someone that meets these descriptions there is no use helping them. They will later end up dieing a horribly painful death. The rest of this tale is a mystery, but it's true.
"This book sounds like one of Luigi's do it yourself volumes. Crazy!" Karma threw the book down and decided to go take a walk. Karma wanted to ask Teela a few questions. She hadn't walked far before she remembered an easier way to find her. She picked up the hollow stick and blew into. No noise. At least Karma didn't hear a thing.
"Hiiiiyyyaaa!!!" Teela just jumped right out of thin air, or so it seemed.
"Woah!" Karma had backed up in surprise.
"Ha! So you can be scared easily!" Teela laughed as Karma was wondering why in the world she'd want to scare people half to death.
"No. It's just when you jump out of thin air, and you're unexpected, like so, it's gonna cause a fright." Karma's heart was still racing as she started to suspect that something was wrong about Teela besides the fact she had fangs.
"Oh... I was just playing. It gets boring around here. Especially when you gotta spend half your time being bored." Teela sighed as she looked up at the moon. The full moon was shining brightly as Karma felt a little awkward because such as innocent person had to be so misunderstood. She didn't know what to say to Teela.
"Well. You know. I don't know what to say to that. I came to get some answers from you, but then again how am I supposed to get answers when I don't have any questions?" Karma watched Teela pull her bag out of a hole in a tree. She pulled Chirpy out of the bag. The bird seemed to be sleeping innocently.
"Poor bird. It really is scared half to death." Teela stroked the sleeping bird's head.
"Why?" Karma was wondering what in the world a care-free bird could be scared of.
"It's afraid to fall asleep. Because everytime it used to sleep, it'd be attacked. It's shaking in its sleep. That's how I can tell." Teela stared at the puzzled look on Karma's face.
"Are you sure it's afraid?" Karma thought the little red bird might just be cold. It was the end of Autumn.
"It's afraid. When you spend more then half your life running and being afraid, it's kind of hard to get used to peace."
Teela saw Chirpy wake up. "Chirp." The little bird flew up onto Teela's head.
"Why would it be chased?" Karma never knew a bird's life could become so hard.
"It's different. It wasn't accepted. Misunderstood," Teela said as she watched the bird jump off her head and onto Karma's.
"Oh. I see." Karma blinked as she pet the bird. It started to flap its wings lightly to wake up a little bit.
"Yeah. You know, everyone in that castle is a Koopa. You're a Yoshi. Yet, then again, you look like a Koopa also. Cool!" Teela had never seen such an oddicy. She thought it was cool anyhow. No one had ever accepted Karma.
"You don't think I'm a freak?" Karma said as she was still petting Chirpy.
"I'd be criticizing myself! We're both a bit far on the weird side, you know." Teela put Chirpy back in her leaf-made bag. It jumped back out.
"Yeah. I guess so," Karma said. She was happy she didn't have to explain her situation. She never knew someone would ever except her. "You like me for who I am, and not for what I am." Teela looked at Karma silently.
"Friends?" Teela asked as Karma realized she hadn't had a friend since... a long time... what seemed forever...
"Friends." Karma watched Chirpy flap its wings in glee. It seemed that even in the darkest of places, happiness can be found.
"Let's differ the subject?" Karma thought Teela said that in a weird way.
"Sure." Karma was wondering what to talk about.
"So. Uh... Do you have any pets of your own?" Teela was curious. She thought Karma would, seeing how she lived in a huge castle such as this.
"You know, I used to have a blue-shelled pet named Jumper. Do you think you've seen any small blue-shelled creatures?" Karma said. Teela decided to show Karma the place where she thought they would find these creatures.
"Yeah. A cave nearby. I saw them coming out earlier this morning," Teela said as she led Karma to the cave.
As they went in the cave, Chirpy was still sleeping innocently. forgotten by Teela. It was dreaming innocently, and memories raced through its head. "Don't worry, little bird. I won't let anything happen to you. Nothing at all," Teela said to Chirpy as the bird had been hurt severly, worried Teela was going to finish it off. "I promise." Teela picked the bird up, and carried it off into the forest to find it a place to rest.
Teela and Karma had reached the cave.
Chapter Four: Reunited Friends
As they entered the dark cave, neither of them had flashlights. Teela walked into the cave after Karma. As they went into the darkness, it began to seem like some type of ink was surrounding them. The deeper they went the more they heard some type of rushing water, or perhaps it was some type of monster?
Karma had been leading the way, when she suddenly fell. "AAhhhh!!! Teela!!!" Karma yelled. Teela hadn't expected this. They truly needed a flashlight. Karma had fallen headfirst. She hit her head on the ground, and the noise was echoing even further on.
"Karma? Come on! You gotta get up!" Teela said as panic rushed through her mind. She was tremendously afraid of the dark because ghosts reside there. Now she thought she was alone. Teela wasn't sure if Karma was knocked out. If so she had to go find water. Teela finally decided what to do. This was the only way to get Karma to awaken. Teela had to find that rushing noise.
As she progressed further into the cave, she realized it was getting even darker. It was now worse than ink. It was like a black cape was wrapped around her face. At first she had been able to see the shapes of rocks and other things. Now she couldn't see anything...
She then remembered something that had happened to her a year ago. Two days after Teela had gone into a haunted house and come home with fangs, she had hovered while having a horrible nightmare. Her eyes had lit up in the dark after her dad scared her when they were just playing. She had only done each of these freaky things once. Every time she'd tried to do them again afterwards, she failed.
Teela figured she'd have to be scared. She decided to concentrate on one of her fears. She knew she was afraid of the dead, but her dad had told her she should be more afraid of the living, for somebody could just do who-knows-what to her. Yet she really proved him wrong when she told them how she got fangs. Ever since then she only was afraid of a few things. She then concentrated on her greatest fear, Magikoopas. She felt her eyes get a little warm, and then she realized it was working! The only thing she was worried about was that she could die from her eyes melting, or something similar to this.
As soon as her eyes were giving off light, she started to think the light wasn't coming from her because she didn't feel a thing. She finally decided it was her, and this was how it was supposed to be.
"T...Teela?" Karma sat up, remembering the memories. She had seen memories from the past. Her parents smiling faces. One of the many of her fights with Ludwig. Teela was her friend...
This is the one that had waken her up. She had seen herself fall, and then she just jolted awake. She looked around for Teela. There was no one there. She knew Teela wouldn't just leave her. She may not have known everything about Teela, but then again even the closest of friends that have been through it all together have kept at least one secret away from the other. Karma felt the ground. A soft feather was barely visible. She took the feather by the entrance of the cave, and saw it was red. She immediately remembered Chirpy. It had a lot of feathers, and obviously they fell out from time to time. Karma untied her hair ribbon and ran her claws through it. As she guessed, there were red feathers in her hair too.
Teela walked back into the darkness
of the cave. She had decided to go see the world when she was outta here.
She was trying to think what Karma would say. Teela knew she couldn't stay.
No matter what she did. As she rounded another corner, she not only heard
but saw the raging water. Her eyes let the light get brighter and brighter
as she got closer. There was something about the water... perhaps it was
mythical
spring water. Teela knew that as she
got farther from the water her energy would start to be drained. She knew
it was because of the glowing eyes. Everything is powered by some type
of energy. Teela knew she also needed something to eat, but that would
have to wait.
Karma had been following feathers down the path. Some were close together. Others Karma had to really search for. Karma knew Teela wasn't too far ahead because the feathers were becoming farther and farther apart. She rounded the corner to find something round that was glowing on the other side of the river. She watched it move around as she felt stunned that something like this was in this cave. Then it occured to her that perhaps it was friendly? Karma was able to see, although she wasn't seen by the lighted creature. She jumped across the river, and as soon as the creature turned around she punched it. Karma felt the fur, and something pointy. The creature had bit her lightly on the hand.
"OWW!!!" Karma rubbed her hand in pain.
"Karma?" Teela was the one that got punched. Karma looked at the bite marks on her hand, and the bruise that would form on Teela's face. "You give a hard and quick punch!" Teela was rubbing her wound in pain also. Both knew that the wounds didn't really hurt that badly. They knew they would heal.
"Nice to see you again too..." Karma grumbled, not at all expecting Teela's fangs to be that sharp, although Karma's punches weren't much of a joy either.
"Yeah. I was getting this bucket," Teela said as she pointed to a rusty bucket that was hanging on the wall.
"Oh. I would have woken up. Now let's go." Karma followed Teela this time. Teela led them through the winding halls of the cave. Teela thought about where the water went after it disappeared into the cave wall. Karma wanted to see if Jumper was here. Teela also wanted to explore the cave.
Although this area of the cave seemed habited, there were no creatures. The cave walls had pictures on them as Teela stopped to observe. "Spears? Shells? Perhaps these are traps?" Teela looked at Karma to see if she had an answer.
"No. Shy Guys have spears. They have lots of battle weapons. The shells in this picture are blue. Buzzy Beetles." Karma had explained Shy Guys to Teela, but she still didn't know what a Buzzy Beetle was.
"Buzzy what?" Teela had never heard of these creatures before.
"Buzzy Beetle. Creatures that are almost harmless. They have blue shells, usually walk rather than run, and I had one for a pet," Karma was starting to explain things like Ludwig.
"Oh... Yeah. They live in this cave somewhere." Teela pointed further into the cave. She suspected that Karma was scared of her or something because every time Teela turned around, Karma sort of backed away,
"So. Where did your parents used to live?" Karma asked Teela. Teela kept silent for a long time. Her least favorite word was "parents". She didn't like to think about hers, although at night she dreamed about them often. She saw their smiling faces, and then one minute they'd be there, the next they'd be gone. Teela finally got the heart to speak.
"We lived in a town just outside the Forest of Illusions until I got fangs. The entire town thought I was a blood-sucking monster because a few creatures and people had gone missing and their bodies were found in the lake near our house. The Mayor, his name was Gambo. Mayor Gambo was going to have me killed when the sun set that day. The whole town was going to get to watch. Even the other children! So we fled in the moonlight the night before. My parents built a house deep inside the forest, but the only reason I had fangs was because of the ghost house. Then a year after living in the forest with my fangs, which even my father didn't really accept, they were going out for their annivesery. They got into a taxi that had run into another driver. The driver had been to a bar earlier, and was now running from the cops because he didn't pay the eighty dollars he owed them. The taxi driver had been paying extra close attention, but even that didn't stop the death of my parents. The taxi driver stopped at a stop light... and... *sniffle*... was hit into a city wall by the driver in the other car." Teela had spoken a lot, but Karma had heard more out of Morton. Teela was now on her knees as Karma crouched down beside her.
"Look. I'm going to say this. It's a little harsh, but I'm going to say it anyway. The past is the past. There is nothing we can do about it. There will come a time farther in your life where you'll see them again. For now you have to get on with life. Make the best of it as you can. You can't change the past, but you can change the future. Grow up to be all that you can be. You know what? Some day the world will see that you are not a blood-sucking monster! You're a Plitian, or whatever they call us. You're a citizen. You have rights too. Some day is if you don't grow up crying yourself to sleep! You've got to stop this now, or pay for it later. Okay?" Karma had been hard enough on Teela so that she'd listen, but soft enough so that she'd understand.
"Yes. You are right, Karma. I should not be this way. Fate will deal the cards, and I'm the one who plays them. I can't blame someone if they get better cards than me. I'll have to learn to play them in the right way. I will get on with my life." Teela was on her feet now, her eyes glowing very brightly.
"I guess if that's how you wanna look at it. That's good. Just don't forget what I told you." Karma decided to lead the way this time. She led Teela further on down the path.
As they walked into the cavern it was
like a war! There were Shy Guys and Buzzy Beetles fighting everywhere.
Teela looked at Karma. Karma knew that Shy Guys and Buzzy Beetles were
supposed to be friends, but it seemed right now that these ones were fighting
over something. Karma saw something blue at her feet. Teela backed away
as she saw this blue thing had a ribbon in its mouth.
"Jumper? JUMPER!!!" Karma yelled as
everybody in the cave stopped to look. Jumper ran towards Karma and jumped
into her arms. All the Shy Guys looked at the Buzzy Beetles. Teela came
back over to Karma and smiled.
"I'm going to settle this argument while you and Jumper get reacquainted." Teela walked over to the Buzzies and the Shy Guys to see what was going on. She didn't speak Shy Guy, but she did speak a language called ANIMAL.
They looked at her like she had blood all over her face. She pointed to the Buzzy Beetles, and one of the Shy Guys walked up to her. It pointed to itself, to the Buzzies, and then to the cave floor.
"Fighting over territory," Teela sighed. She then took some of the spears and shells on the ground and began to construct a line. The Buzzies knew what she was doing, but the Shy Guys watched in amazement. As Teela finished her line, she walked back over to Karma. "Leaving now?"
"I believe so. Thank you, Teela. If it weren't for you..."
"Think nothing of it." Teela cut her off because she didn't really mind helping a friend.
Chapter Five: Moonlight Shadow
As they ran out of the cave they realized the forest had been set on fire.
"OH NO!!!! CHIRPY!" Teela yelled as she ran to the tree, happy it had not been set aflame.
"What about the castle?" Karma looked over at the castle and began to run. Teela ran after her. As they made their way across the courtyard, Karma did not see anyone. Teela still followed. She heard cries of help as Chirpy awakened and was panicing. Teela headed for the cries of help to find eight Koopas standing over a cliff at end of the forest. Karma soon heard the yelling also. She got there just after Teela did. The Koopa Clan didn't even notice them.
"Teela. Can you hover?" Karma wanted her to go see what was on the edge of the cliff.
"I... uh.... yeah?!" Karma couldn't tell that Teela had a questioning tone in her voice. Teela decided rather than scare herself into floating, she'd do something she was good at. Being happy, perhaps? She used to get hyper when she was happy. She brought up the memory of every time her parents told her they were having dinner from a place called "PIZZA! DON'T FORGET THE PASTA!" Teela love their spaghetti. She especially liked the sauce. She also loved their meatball sandwiches. She remembered the time she invented her "meatball pasta dance".
Teela was hovering right off the ground, so high it seemed as if she could fly. Perhaps if she practiced her powers she would be able to some day. She hovered high enough so that none of the Koopas could see her. She saw a huge Koopa hanging onto the cliff by a claw. Teela felt sorry for him only because she didn't know this was Bowser. Ever since she was little she had a desire to be some type of hero. Now was her chance, but she'd need some help.
"Karma!" Teela called out as the Koopalings and Clawdia looked up. They were all shocked that some type of Yoshi was hovering above them.
"Yeah?" Karma crossed her arms, not wanting to help Ludwig's hateful father.
"Come on! HELP ME!" Teela said as she held out her paw. Teela was going to attempt to throw Karma over the edge, then she would speed over the edge to throw Karma back up to headbutt Bowser's shell. This would send him flying back up onto the cliff. Karma didn't know what she was planning.
"What are you planning to do?" Karma gave Teela her "I'm not going to coorparate, and you can't make me" look.
"The spinning shell!" Teela named the attack after Bowser's shell.
"THE WHAT?" Karma yelled as Teela went back over to her.
"Headbutt that Koopa's shell when I throw you over the edge of the cliff!" Teela said. Karma was about to knock some sense into to Teela, but before she could refuse Teela grabbed her claw and threw her over the edge. Karma was falling feetfirst just as Teela had planned. Teela dove head first past Karma.
"YYYEEEHHHH!" Karma was screaming as Teela held out her paws. Karma suddenly realized what attack she was going to attempt. Karma put one foot up and was prepared to spring jump. Karma put one foot out onto Teela's paws and jumped while Teela applied more force. Karma was sent flying forwards towards Bowser as she took her head and aimed for the middle of his shell. This part of his shell had no spikes. Karma's head made contact with Bowser's shell as Karma was thrown backwards, and Bowser was flung on top of the cliff with his family.
Teela was ready to snatch Karma out of thin air. Karma had just fallen a few inches, and Teela put out her paw. Karma grabbed it as Teela realized Karma's shell was going to be some weight. Teela was able to carry her over to the ledge Bowser had previously been standing on. Now Bowser was safe, but Teela and Karma weren't...
"Teela?" Karma looked at the exhausted look on Teela's face.
"Y...yeah?" Teela was breathing heavily.
"Now how do we get back up?" Karma looked at the narrow ledge. It wouldn't hold them for much longer. Teela was actually surprised that it held Bowser's weight.
Suddenly, without hesitation for the two friends, the cliff cracked.
"HELP!!!" Karma screamed as Ludwig grabbed her hand. He pulled her up as Teela continued falling towards the rocks below.
"HRRRRooaarr!" Teela yelled as Karma was watching, hoping her friend had enough energy. Teela had hovered a little bit, and then started grabbing rocks to push herself a little higher. "Th...this... taakes... a lot of... energy!" Teela was breathing like there was no more air. It felt like a thousand needles had stung her lungs, but worse.
Teela was almost there. She knew she wouldn't make it. She was just about there! She got to Karma, but then her energy was used up. She started to fall. "Gotcha!" Karma said as she pulled Teela up.
"Th...thanks..." Teela was now completely tired.
"NOW! YOU DIDN'T LISTEN TO ME! DID YOU STOP TO THINK IF I'D LIKE TO BE TOSSED OVER A CLIFF, POSSIBLY ENDING MY ALREADY TERRIBLE LIFE?!" Karma yelled as Teela smiled.
"Yep," Teela was at least been able to breath. All of the Koopas were silent, some of them enjoying this fight.
"Oh..." Karma was shocked that Teela had enough attitude.
"Thanks," Teela said as Karma just looked at her. She had a lot of scratches. Karma then looked at herself. She had scraped knees, and her mind was still racing from being tossed over a cliff.
"Uh... What are friends for?" Teela had an answer to this.
"For tossing each other off cliffs, possibly ending the other's life?" Teela said as they both laughed.
"Now. Who are you?" Bowser would have been a bit meaner, but since how the two had rescued him...
"Uh... Jack in the box?" Teela said as she wanted to see what Bowser would do. Jumper had been sleeping on the ground, not really caring what happened around it.
"Not funny," Bowser said as everybody else, Koopa and Yoshi, were laughing. "Okay, maybe it is funny, but tell us your name."
"Teela Yoshi." Teela had to once again say her name. She kind of hated her name though. She wanted "Karma" for a name. Karma liked her name. At least it was a word with meaning to it.
"Okay...Teela. Thanks. Not much I can do for you, but spare you," Bowser said as Teela offerred a respectful look at him.
"Uh... thanks?" Teela looked at Karma.
"Now what?" Karma asked as Teela got the nerve to ask Bowser something.
"You think I can visit once in a while?" Teela asked. King Koopa saw no harm in the idea. Yet, then again, he didn't like Yoshis.
"Grr... Yeah... Whatever. There are rules. You are to knock. You do not expect to have dinner here. Yoshis are known to eat A LOT. And if I think of any more I'll let you know later," Bowser said. Karma was happy her friend could at least visit and not get killed. Chirpy had been sitting in Teela's leaf bag. It was afraid of Jumper...
"Okay. So... I guess I'll get going off your property..." Teela picked up her bag.
"Where are you going to go? Won't you freeze?" Karma didn't want Teela to leave. She knew her life would be the same after that. Boring...
"I won't freeze. I have my ways. I'm going to go where the wind blows. And...uh... Big Koopa Dude..." Teela was cut off by Bowser.
"IT'S BOWSER..." Bowser didn't like being called "Big" Koopa Dude.
"Well, anyhoo, I won't be back for awhile. So is there some type of pass you can give me so I don't nearly lose an arm to your guards?" Teela and Karma remembered how the guards had only let Teela go when Ludwig told them to. What a crazy night that was.
"Yeah. Sure." One of the guards had brought over some type of elaminated claw picture paper.
"Thanks..." Teela was ready to go. Jumper had that hollow stick in its mouth. "Remember, Karma..." Teela gave Karma a high-Paw-Claw. Then she waved goodbye as she walked off into the sun, going only where fate would put her.
"Now what?" Karma asked as she looked at everyone else.
"I'll put out the fire!" Larry said as no one had noticed that the fire had just dissapeared.
"You think it was her?" Ludwig asked Karma.
"I don't know. This world is full of surprises. I think I just nicknamed my friend!" Karma said. Ludwig could think of a million freak names for Teela. "Moonlight Shadow..."
As they all went into the castle, the rising wind and the morning sun seemed no different. Everything was back to normal. Later that day, Karma would realize that friends come and go, but you have to keep them in your heart. Don't ever forget who your real friends are...
The End
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