“Shar, wake up… Wake up… Please…” said a sad mother’s voice as she woke up to an invasion. She started to cry as she held her Shy Guy son in her arms.
…
“Report to the King. Tell him the invasion is going smoothly,” said a warrior’s voice, tasting victory.
…
“All right, this was a sudden invasion so we need to act fast. Our lives, the lives of our families, and the lives of our civilization are at stake. LET’S MOVE!”
…
Many things happened that night.
The Great Mushroom War
Open Mind: Part 1
By Shadow Yoshi
Prologue, 6079 years ago…
“Mommy… Wh-where are y-you?” said Shar, a Shy Guy.
Shar’s mother answered, “Honey, I’m right here. I’ve been here.” Sharma was a kind woman, very quiet and reserved. She had her own ways of thinking, outwitting many of her kind.
Immediately a strange creature in warrior armor barged in through the door. “SHARMA!” he said.
“No, they’re here!” Sharma mumbled to herself. “All right. I’m coming,” she said aloud.
“You! You, you baby! Get over there and sit in the corner!”
Shar Guy started, “But, but—”
“NOW!” the warrior yelled as they took Sharma away.
Shar Guy, who wasn’t a baby but rather more of three years, sat in the corner and wept for his mother. That was the last anybody would see of her. For a very long time, if not forever.
…
“CHARGE!”
Shamo was a grown Shy Guy: ambitious, spontaneous, and ready to take action. His family had lived in the forest for many generations, Shamo knew every nook and cranny there was to know. He had a few rough times during his childhood, his father had been always off fighting and his mother gad been left to care for the five children. Shamo grew up with a lot of support from his two older siblings, as his mother had to work around the forest much of the time his father was absent.
This was Shar’s father, leading the defense against the invaders. Top priority was their leader, king of Shy Guy Forest, the Shy King; immediate shelter for him was traditionally a top priority during invasions and other catastrophic events. Having ruled over the Shy Guy Forest for thousands of years, his family line was highly respected among the civilization; no less was expected of him. Unfortunately they were no match for the threat ahead. The makeshift Shy Guy Forest Army was doing all they could to stop the invasion, but the threat was too big: an army of Koopas, known as Armakoopas, was leading the invasion. They had come in through Shy Guy Lake, adjacent to the forest.
The Shy Guys fell to the Armakoopas;
Shamo managed to escape and staggered back to his home, finding his son
in the corner and his wife gone. Having no time for emotions, Shamo took
Shar, traumatized, to the Shy King and led them both away. Sharma was nowhere
to be found.
“Shy Guy Forest is no more,” the King said as they ran away. They were now refugees.
“Shar, are you okay? Please, speak to me, Son!” Shamo said, sprinting with his child in his arms.
“Mommy… She’s gone,” Shar moaned.
“She’s wha— Oh… oh, my Sharma,” Shar’s father said as he realized what had happened. He stopped and began to weep for his beloved wife.
“Oh, Shamo, I’m so sorry,” the King said, trying as best he could to comfort him.
...
“HAHAHA! WE HAVE WON!” shouted the leader of the Armakoopas. They boarded their ships and set sail for home and for their leader, awaiting the praise they would receive for taking Shy Guy Forest.
But this was far from over. The Armakoopas were under the impression everybody in Shy Guy Forest was either dead or under close watch of the occupying Koopa soldiers.
Wrong.
Emperor Koopa was sitting on his throne, waiting patiently for the invaders to return successfully.
Evil, but patient.
Half an hour later, the invaders arrived at the docks by the emperor’s castle. They had been successful.
“Shy Guy Forest is now official property of the Koopa Reign,” said the leader as Emperor Koopa greeted them with a smile on his face.
“Good,” he said. “This was an important step in our process of conquering the Mushroom Planet. From there, we can conquer areas around there. It is all piecing together. I am very proud of you all. You deserve some well-earned rest.
“On second thought, Koopa!” he called; a servant hastily appeared in the throne room. “Please fetch me some water, I am very parched.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” said the servant. He brought the emperor some water, and Emperor Koopa smiled.
“Thank you.” He drank the water, and as he finished another servant hastily ran and bowed in front of his leader. “Messenger! What brings you here on this fine day of... conquership?” the emperor said happily.
“Your Highness, I have received a letter from the Mushroom Confederation in the east.”
“Interesting. Please read it to me.”
The messenger cleared his throat.
Emperor Koopa,
It has come to our understanding that you have directed your Armakoopas and taken Shy Guy Forest. We are close allies with the Forest and shall act on any destruction of their territory. We have taken the surviving residents into refuge in our Confederation. Your actions against the Forest have been taken as an act of great crime; as a result we have officially declared war on the Koopa Empire.
The Mushroom Confederation
“Hm…” the emperor said.
“Should we respond? Take action?” the messenger said.
“I’ll tell you when I make a decision. Don’t be alarmed, all you should worry about is delivering messages.”
“Understood, Your Honor.”
“Wonderful,” Emperor Koopa said with a smile.
Evil, but patient.
…
Shar, Shamo, and the King were walking down an empty dirt road when they found a shelter. They knocked on the door; two Toads and a Goomba were living there and a Toad answered.
“Hello,” said Shamo, “I am Shamo. We are former residents of Shy Guy Forest— well, this forest, but you’re on the outskirts, so—never mind. Shy Guy Forest is now property of the dreaded Koopa Reign and we need shelter. Would you be so kind as to—”
“Come right in,” said the Toad, a warm smile on his face.
“Thank you,” said Shamo.
“Yes, it is much appreciated,” said Shy King. “And this is Shar, he’s Shamo’s son.” Shar waved politely, trying to keep a smile despite the dried tears and emotional pain.
“I am Toadar Fungi,” said the Toad.
Another Toad walked in. “I am Toadora Toad. Welcome to our home,” she said.
The Goomba stood up on its stubby feet and said, “Hi! I am Goomboro. I am a close friend.”
“Make yourself at home,” Toadar said.
“Thank you so very much,” said the Shy King.
“I have made some Mushroom Tea. Would you care for any?” asked Toadora.
“Actually,” said Shamo, “I would love some. Thank you.”
“We heard about the invasion an hour ago. What happened?” asked Toadar.
“I’ll tell you,” said Shamo. “It all happened so fast…”
~
“Sharma, wake up. I heard something,” said Shamo.
“Oh, what is it now?” Sharma asked, waking up.
“I don’t know, but it sounded like... eh. You go by Shar’s room and make sure he’s okay. I am going to go out by the lake.”
Shamo went out to the lake, and saw something he’d only seen in his worst nightmares.
A mass of orange lights crept up Shamo’s line of sight like the flickering of a candle. He knew immediately the Forest was about to be under vicious attack. As the first fiery cannonball made its way to the lake Shamo, knew it could only be the Armakoopas.
“They must have come in through the river,” said Shamo as he started racing back to his home. He then rethought. “What if— no, why would I be a coward? We need to fight.”
He did just that. However, by the time he was finished the Armakoopas were onshore attacking the nearest village.
The leader of the Armakoopas approached Shamo and the makeshift army he’d put together. “I will make a deal,” the leader stated. “YOU!” He pointed to Shamo. “You shall give me your wife and all of your children, and we will occupy this Forest and not harm anybody who doesn’t go against us. Or, you can play the hard way and we will kill all you measly Shy Guys.”
“I’d rather die,” said Shamo.
“WAIT!” said a voice. It was Sharma. “Take me, but please don’t harm these villages or this forest.”
“Very well,” said the leader. “Go back to your house and we will take you when we are ready. GO!”
“Sharma, why…” said Shamo, not given much of any time to think. Hot tears began to run down his face.
“I’m doing this to protect us,” said Sharma intently, as if there was some sort of ulterior motive to doing such a thing.
This was when Shamo had enough. He ordered his army, and they attacked. They were no match.
Sharma said goodbye to her son, Shar.
Sharma and the Armakoopas were soon gone.
~
“That’s horrible. I am so sorry,” said Goomboro.
“Is there anything we can do for you?” Toadora asked.
“No, no…” Shamo said. “We’re all right.”
“We’d best be on our way. I presume we’ll be heading for the Mushroom Confederation to seek refuge,” the Shy King said.
“Well…” Shamo said, “it would be more prudent to take a different way. I’m sure Armakoopas are guarding the main way to the Mushroom Confederation, it would be better if we could go through Goomba Plains. It’s slightly longer, but it’s worth it compared to the almost definite doom we’d be facing traveling straight there.”
“I lived there,” chimed in Goomboro. “Wonderful place, Goombas are kind despite having left the Mushroom Confederation. I’m sure they’re not enemies.”
Not enemies yet. Not turned into the creatures one would know today, psychologically impaired as if their decisions are made for them. No, not yet.
…
To be continued.
2010-2012 Shadow Yoshi
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