Chapter 6: Across the Sky
"That was close!"
Lemmy walked over and jumped on his ball. "Let's just be happy you thought of that!"
"You're right," Wendy agreed.
"Well, come on," Iggy butted in. "We should go."
"But we're safe now," Wendy said.
"Actually," Lemmy said, "he's right. Shiny-Eyes can just climb up the mountain and try again.
Wendy sighed. "Okay, let's go!"
* * *
The Koopas walked through Sky Land for hours. Two of them were freezing, colder than they were in Ice Land.
"It's f-freezing up here," Wendy shivered.
"What?" Lemmy seemed to be fine. "It's not that cold."
"Y-yes it is." Iggy took Wendy's side for once in his life.
"N-no wonder Roy always came and beat you up in Ice Land," Wendy said. "He's used to the c-cold."
"It's because we're above the Ozone Layer," Iggy said rather steadily.
"Iggy, you need to spend l-less time in the library."
"Well," Iggy sighed, his breath visible, "I c-can't go back now."
The Koopas argued about the weather for hours as they passed over clouds in the freezing weather.
"Look," Wendy tried to break up the argument, "it's weather. Why are we fighting over it?"
"Well," Iggy was formulating a plan, "if you don't want to hear us argue, then y-you should go ahead of us. That way you won't hear our bickering."
* * *
"Have you seen Wendy changing at all?"
"Yeah," Lemmy whispered back, "she's a lot nicer."
"That's good," Iggy replied. "I think she might f-finally stop being bratty."
"She has stopped lately," Lemmy informed. "It was smart of you to bring this up so long ago."
"You mean about t-two days ago?" Iggy joked.
"Yeah," Lemmy smiled. "It's a good thing you thought of her going ahead while we talk."
"Thanks," Iggy said. "Let's keep an eye on her attitude."
"Okay."
* * *
"Do you think he's coming?" Iggy asked.
"No," Wendy answered, "I don't think."
"How did you know he was coming last time?" Lemmy asked.
"I don't know," Wendy said. "It was kind of a dream in my mind. I just pictured him coming."
The siblings walked for a bit more, across the sky, Wendy and Iggy shivering.
"All we need is to put in a heater," Iggy joked, "and this would be the perfect spot to live. Right, Wendy?"
Wendy was silent. She stopped and looked as though she was listening to something.
"Wendy?"
"He's coming!" Wendy exclaimed.
"Are you sure?" Iggy asked nervously.
"I saw him bouncing on clouds," she said, "coming towards us. Even if it's just my imagination, we still can't take the chance."
The Koopas ran for their lives. Across the clouds they ran, only to be caught. Shiny-Eyes was bouncing on clouds, a much easier and faster way of travel, while the Koopa Kids were running, a much slower and tiring method.
"Freeze!"
The Koopalings stopped.
"It was a good effort," Shiny-Eyes bounced up to them, "but useless."
The siblings turned to face Shiny-Eyes. He was a few good yards away from him.
"What are we going to do?" Lemmy asked.
"Fight him," Wendy said bravely.
"What?!" the twins exclaimed in unison.
"There's no other option."
Wendy charged towards him. As she was a few feet away from Shiny-Eyes she jumped into the air. She was planning to kick the Koopa in the chest, but Shiny-Eyes had other plans. He grabbed Wendy's foot and threw her hard on the ground.
A great impact was heard. Wendy felt a fierce pain all over her body. And that was on clouds; if it was on solid ground she was sure she'd be dead.
She got up again. She went to punch him but, due to the cold, didn't throw it as hard as usual. Shiny-Eyes caught the punch and kneed her in the stomach.
Wendy fell to the ground. "It's no use," she said. "It's too cold to fight."
"Well," Shiny-Eyes took out his knife and put it near Wendy's neck. Iggy and Lemmy watched nervously. "You lose," he continued. "You tried but failed. Where did you go wrong? I'll tell you where, trying to fight me. No one can defeat me in combat. Maybe in using the surrounding environment to evade me, but not combat.
"I don't think anyone can save you. Do you?"
Wendy thought for a moment. She thought of everything that had happened in her adventure. "Yes," she stated, "Henry."
Her siblings caught the message immediately. They began to call out, "Henry! Help us!"
"It's useless," Shiny-Eyes stated, "you've lost."
He raised his arm to into the air, preparing to swing.
"Goodbye."
Just then, Henry the Boom Boom swooped in and tackled Shiny-Eyes.
"Henry!" Lemmy exclaimed. "You returned!"
"Just for you." He sounded like an old man.
Shiny-Eyes punched Henry in the face. Henry kicked him in the stomach. As he doubled over, Henry threw a punch. Shiny-Eyes stood up and grabbed the fist. Henry launched his other arm. Shiny-Eyes caught that as well. With Henry at a loss for arms, Shiny-Eyes started to headbutt Henry, and again, and again. Henry pushed him away with his foot. Henry then proceeded to grab Shiny-Eyes by the neck and throw him into the ground. He broke through the clouds and fell far down.
"You beat him!" Iggy cheered.
"I haven't seen you fight like that in a long time!" Lemmy exclaimed.
Henry couldn't say anything. He fell to the ground.
"Henry!" Wendy ran over to him along with the other Koopas.
"Are you okay?" Iggy asked as he looked over Henry for any bad bruises or cuts.
"No," he said. "I am too old to fight like that. I'm not going to make it."
The Koopa' were silent for a moment.
"Henry," Wendy said, "can I ask you a question?"
"Yes." He was talking very faint.
"Is the Koopa a relative of mine?"
He thought hard for a moment. "Yes," he spoke the word, and closed his eyes.
The siblings eyes filled with tears. Wendy hadn't known him that long, but he had saved her life twice.
The Koopas got up and walked on.