Chapter 4-The Secret of one Koopa’s Mind
“Goomberella, any clue what they are talking about?”
Goomberella shakes her head no. “Nope. Not a clue.”
The green one walks up a little. “Puh-leez girly! We all know you watched that guy go completely out of control and then collapse!” The red one steps up too. “Yeah, and not only that, but you even organized the group to talk about what to do next!”
Keenan looks down at Goomberella, who sighs. “Yeah so what? We are here, we are fighting, and we are going to win! Right Keenan?” She looks up at him. But he’s gone! She looks around, and notices the west arena door closing. “Keenan, wait!”
Goomberella follows. Jolene waits several minutes, and then “Well folks, it’s official. Whatever the Twins said to Killer, it got to him. He has been disqualified. He’s out. The winners by default, are the Iron Adonis Twins…” she says not very energetically.
The two Twins go back to their locker room, while we head back over to the Minors. Goomberella barges into the room. “Where is he?!” she yells. King B is there, and points over to the main bed. She walks over and notices Keenan lying face-down in the bed. “Keenan? Are you alright?”
He sniffs but obviously doesn’t want her to see him crying. “Yeah, I’m fine. I just thought you –sniff- wouldn’t keep anything from me. That’s all.” He sniffs again. He raises up, and looks over to Goomberella, who is looking downward. “Honestly Keenan, I wanted to tell you, but I also didn’t want to freak you out. Besides, I didn’t think you would believe it anyway.” Keenan sits up a little more straight. “Yeah, I probably wouldn’t believe ya, but after that, along with my open mind, I couldn’t just pass it up. I HAD to believe. I believe in ghosts after all, so, why deny the possibility of me being a psychic?”
Goomberella looks back up to him. “So… you are ok then?”
Keenan stands up now, still teary. “Yeah I am. Not only that, but I think I am ready for training as well.”
Goomberella seems puzzled. “Training? But we haven’t lost a single battle yet! Not one we fought anyway.” She says referring to the battle they just ran away from. But Keenan just goes right past her. She decides to follow him. King B, though, just stares at the door. “Huh. Odd little guy ain’t he?”
Bombster walks up to him. “Uh, dude, who exactly are you talking to?”
“Uh… Heh, I guess I just broke the fourth wall. Sorry.”
“Fourth Wall? What are you blabbering about now man?” Bombster watches King B as he goes over to the bed and rests. Bombster just shrugs. “He’s always been a little odd…”
Back with Keenan, in the storage room…
“But how are you going to do that?!”
“Easy. I have the power, now all I need to do, is figure out how to use it. Then, and only then, can we defeat the Twins. Remember, their defense if unknown, and only their own hides can hurt each other! So, if I can figure this out…” he says while focusing on a nearby crate. “…then we can…” he focuses harder. The crate shakes slightly. “…BEAT THEM!!!” He shoves his arms in front of him, and the crate suddenly is thrusted forward in the same direction right into the wall! “Yes! I think I figured out how to use it, now I just need to control it.” He focuses on another nearby crate.
“Sure. Whatever.” Goomberella says to him as he focuses. “It’ll help, but it seems to exhaust your own body.”
Keenan thrusted another crate, which didn’t move as far, and starts panting. He is completely exhausted now. “I see what you mean…” he pants. “Well, if we can manage to beat ten fighters in a row, I think I can endure this and figure it out.” He continues to focus on another crate to his left. This time, instead of thrusting forward, he moves his hands up as if lifting an invisible box. As he does this, the crate slowly rises as well! He continues until his arms are all the way above his head, and the crate stops with his motions. He acts like he throws the invisible box, and the crate is “thrown” from its floating place. It heads and goes through the nearby wall! He accidentally broke through into the champion’s room! “…oops…” is all Keenan can think to say.
Just then, the champion Wesley, pokes his head out into the open of the hole staring at the crate that hit the other wall in his room. He then turns around to poke his head through the hole and sees Keenan. “Oh. That explains it.”
“Oh, hi Wesley. Sorry about the wall.” Keenan says nervously.
“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’ll just say I was lifting weights and got too in the moment. I can pay for the damages. You just keep training. Those arms are a little skinny anyway…”
“Oh sorry Wesley, but I didn’t throw it with my body.”
“You didn’t? Then how did you throw it through my wall?”
Keenan points at his head and pokes it three times. “With my mind that’s how.”
“What? How… oh yeah. I remember now.” Wesley walks through the wall and approaches Keenan. “Nice toss then!”
“Thanks sir. By the way-“
“Nope sorry! No time to talk, that dumbass Rawk Hawk has challenged me again. Gotta get ready! I hear he has been training extensively as well as you! So get ready for an awesome title match! Here.” He hands Keenan a V.I.P. ticket to the title match! “This’ll get you the BEST seat in the arena! One that’s not on the arena itself!”
“Wow! Thanks a lot sir!”
“Man, I told you. Call me Wesley or my stage name Gonzales.”
“Oh. Right. Thanks Gonzales.”
He leaves through the hole in the wall and continues his training. Keenan, however, returns to his locker room. Goomberella is close behind him.
As soon as they return, Keenan decides to train in the locker room itself. “Hey, King B!”
He stirs in his sleep.
“KB, you here?”
He wakes up. “Whaddya want?”’ He says sleepily.
“Ya got anything really heavy I can train with?”
King B gets up and rubs his eyes. “Like what?”
“Like anything! Anything at all.”
He goes over to his locker, opens it, and starts to rummage. “Let’s see… how about this?”
He drags out a solid gold Koopa Shell. “This heavy enough?”
Keenan nods. King B yawns, goes back to the bed, and plops down. He immediately starts to snore.
Keenan focuses on the golden shell, and begins his training of lifting and lowering. On his first try, he can’t even move the shell! He struggles, but to no avail. He focuses harder and harder, and harder still, but still nothing. He grows angry. He tries one more time, and nothing at all. He grows furious and lashes out his arm towards the shell in his anger, and this motion moves the shell by about 3 feet! He notices this, and realizes, this new found power is somewhat powered by his own emotions. He calms down, and tries to shove the shell again. Nothing.
“I see now. I must have been extremely angry when I was fighting against King B in that match. That would explain it” he mumbles to himself. “It should be quite easy to take out the champion with this ability…” He whispers to himself.
Goomberella walks over. “Hey, Keenan, about hiding what happened from you…”
Keenan stops her by holding up one hand. “It’s alright. It was in the past. It doesn’t matter anymore. Besides, now that I know about it, it may be useful in battles and in other things too! Who knows what we could accomplish with this power!”
Keenan practices more until he can move the golden shell statue at will without straining himself. “I’m ready.” He says dramatically. He walks over to the monitor, hits START, and tells Jolene he’s ready for the rematch against the Twins. “That’s great Killer! They’ve been gloating non-stop since you ran away. They’re saying that they scared you off the stage! Now I want you to go in there, and scare them like they supposedly did to you!” Keenan nods.
Later, after Keenan is escorted to the outside of the arena door…
“Are you sure you are ready for this Keenan?” Goomberella asks him.
“Yes. I am. Better yet, to prove myself to myself, I want you to not go in with me.”
Goomberella’s jaw drops with a dong. “WHAT?!”
“You heard me. I need to prove to myself I am not a wimp like I’ve been told all my life. This is my first real chance to prove that I AM NOT a wimp!”
Goomberella notices his fierce determination. “I understand. You’re my friend, and I understand what you’re getting at. I’ll stay off the arena watching.”
Keenan hears Jolene introduce the Twins. He overhears them yelling out to the crowd “We’re ready! Bring out the coward!”
Keenan’s expression grows more fierce and he charges through the door without being introduced!
He marches up to the arena, climbs up the stairs, and point to the Twins. “Coward huh? Prove it then you big, ugly, awful-“
“We’ll stop you right there coward!” says the green shoe wearing one. The red one follows. “That’s right! We’ll prove that you’re the coward, not us! We’ll ground you to a pulp! Bring it on Koopa the Kid!”
The gong sounds without anything else being said. Immediately the Twins charge in. Keenan Shell Tosses between the two, who skid to a halt just at the edge of the arena. Keenan holds out one hand as if telling the Twins to halt.
The red Twin charges in. The green one though, stays put yelling “I think it’s some kind of a trap!” but he doesn’t listen to his brother. He continues charging. Keenan shuts his eyes, and everything seems to slow down. Then he starts to rise into the air! The red one stops in mid-charge, and watches Keenan rise up higher and higher. Keenan’s eyes flash open, eyes blazing hot white, and he takes the hand that he had out toward the Twin, and makes a rising motion. The Twin rises with it. Keenan smiles almost evilly and chuckles lowly. He makes a twisting motion with his wrist, and the Twin starts twirling around. He finally makes a quick spinning motion, along with the Twin doing the same motion, and then he starts to squeeze his hand into a fist. The Twin starts to wince in pain. Then Keenan makes a downward toss and the Twin goes flying down like a meteor towards the arena and hits the ground so hard, it makes the entire floating city shake! Keenan, still in the air, simply shoot a glance at the other Twin, who runs off the stage screaming like a little girl! Keenan gently floats downward, approaches the Twin he threw down, and asks “are you alright? Nothing broken or seriously injured?”
The Twin just gasps in awe. Keenan repeats his question. The Twin just says “Um… I don’t know why you would care, with a power like that, but yeah. I’m fine. I got defeated, but this body is harder than you think! I’ll be perfectly fine. That is, after I get unstuck.”
Keenan realizes that the Twin can’t get up because his spikes are stuck in the arena. Keenan lifts him up using his power, and gently lowers him back down to the ground. “That better?”
The Twin just sighs. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks pal.” He smiles on pal. Keenan smiles back. “Do you think you could tell your bro about what happened after he ran? I don’t want any nasty rumors or anything going around.”
The Twin chuckles and says he will. He walks away toward the east side arena door. Keenan goes to the center of the stage, and Jolene starts her speech.
“And there you have it folks! Extremely powerful, but still caring for his foes health! He put the beat down on the Iron Adonis Twins, but checked on them afterwards! Let’s give it up for Killer Keenan!”
The crowd screams in excitement. Then, the chanting begins. “KILLER! KILLER! KILLER!”
Later, back at the Minor League locker room…
Keenan enters the locker room and is greeted by fierce applause and hoots. Everyone is cheering for him.
King B approaches him and tells them that they all saw his little performance. “YOU, my friend, will become a LEGEND! I’ve heard that the champion is even getting a bit worried to fight against you! You are going all the way man, I can feel it!”
Bombster walks over to him too. “I’ve even heard that Rawk Hawk is-“
Keenan interrupts him. “Wait, when is the title match today?”
King B says in about ten minutes and asks why.
“I’ll be late!” Keenan rushes back through the door and disappears. Goomberella follows him. “Wait for me!”
“What was that about?” King B asks himself. Bombster looks at him. “WHO are you talking to man? This would be the second time today!”
Back with Keenan…
Keenan bursts through the main crowd door on the top floor and shows the ticket man his V.I.P. pass for two. He tells him that his “two” will arrive shortly.
“Well, your other person better show up quickly, or it’ll be match time and you won’t be able to share the excitement with that person.”
Goomberella runs through the door at that exact moment. “Keenan! I said wait up!”
“There’s my ‘two’. Now may we go in?” Keenan asks the man.
The man takes the ticket, puts it into his little box deal for holding tickets, and moves to the side to allow them passage. Keenan moves ahead and notices the V.I.P. carpet with a sign saying “reserved for Killer” on it. It’s moved out of the way for the two to be allowed entry.
The carpet leads to a box like in baseball games. They will have a perfect view of the fight from here! Keenan is so excited he actually squeals! Goomberella shoots a “what the hell?!” look at him, and he quickly clears his throat acting like it never happened.
“Well the match should begin soon, let’s take our seats.” They both sit down and anticipate the upcoming match.
Soon, the gong sounds and Jolene can be seen on the arena. There are intercom-like speakers in the box so they can hear everything crystal clearly! It’s even in surround sound! “Alright fans! Are you ready for our next title match?” The crowd screams. “Good! And here comes our challenger! Rawk Hawk!” The majority of the crowd boos while a little bit of the crowd hoots and hollers. Rawk Hawk climbs the stairs on the east side of the arena and stops just about a third of the way on the stage. Jolene walks up to him. “So, Rawk Hawk, how are you feeling about the match? Scared? Excited? Just want to run away now?”
She hands the microphone up to Rawk Hawk. “Yeah I’ll tell you how I feel. I feel pumped up and ready to Rawk the socks off Gonzales! GET HIM IN HERE!!!”
“I see. Very enthusiastic words mister Hawk. And speaking of Gonzales, he should be here real soon!” Just as she finished this sentence, the west side arena door burst open with such force, it made a slight gust of wind to move Rawk Hawk’s hair back. Gonzales II slowly approaches the arena, keeping the audience in suspense, and finally gets on stage via a single jump! He approaches the center stage, and Jolene asks him the same question she did to Rawk Hawk.
“Well Jolene, I must admit, I didn’t want to fight this guy again.”
“Because you are afraid you might get beat!” Rawk yells aloud.
“Actually,” Gonzales II continues, “it’s because your too easy to beat! That’s why! So bring it on ya chicken!”
Rawk Hawk bursts forward toward Gonzales II as soon as the gong rings. Gonzales II jumps to dodge and prepares to ground pound just like the last match. But Rawk Hawk manages to dodge and sees an opportunity to deal some damage. He leaps into the air, jumps off the ceiling, and comes screaming down towards Gonzales II! It was a direct hit! This move did serious damage to Gonzales II, so bad in fact, that he collapses! Jolene and the audience grows silent. You could hear a pin drop it was so quiet.
Gonzales doesn’t move. Rawk Hawk approaches the body slowly. He pokes him a few times, and he says “I don’t believe it… I-I won… I won. I won! I WON!!!”
The crowd is still silent. All except for that one Rawk Hawk fan that didn’t boo at him. He’s just hootin’ and a hollerin’ he’s so happy. Jolene finally holds the mic up to her mouth. “Well… folks… it seems to be true… The Great Gonzales II is down. And he’s not getting back up. Is there a doctor in the house? Medic!”
A nurse toad comes in through the west door and checks the body of Gonzales II. “He’ll be fine, he just got caught off guard that’s all. But, he did get knocked out.”
“Well folks, it’s true. The champion has been defeated by Rawk Hawk. Rawk is now our new champion. Hoorah.” Says Jolene, obviously quite upset.
Rawk runs over, and takes the belt off of Gonzales, and holds it high.
“I TOLD YOU ALL! YOU MESS WITH THE HAWK, YOU GET RAAAAWKED!!!”
“I don’t believe it!” Keenan yells. “How could he have been defeated in a single move by Rawk?!”
“It seems impossible, I know, but we watched it with our own eyes. I don’t know how he could have possibly cheated like that. I didn’t see any way he could have!” Goomberella says calmly. A tear shows in her eye though.
“Well, a loss is a loss. We have made it to the Majors, so we should see him there. Come on. Let’s go Goomberella.”
She nods and turns to leave with Keenan. She looks back down at the arena and sees Rawk Hawk literally dancing with joy. She shakes her head and leaves the V.I.P. box.
Later, in the Majors locker room…
Keenan walks through the door and notices that this room is quite a considerable bit better than the Minors. The décor is nicer, the room smells a bit better, and the people look tougher. He looks around and sees Gonzales II in a corner bed asleep. He starts to walk over and is stopped by a dark colored Koopa in a spiky shell.
“I don’t think so Killer. You may be tough, but I cannot allow you to talk to an ex-champ after their losing match. It’s not honorable to your reputation.”
“I don’t care about my reputation! Now let me through!” Keenan tries to go through but the Koopa stops him again. “I simply cannot allow that. It’ll harm not only yours, but his honor as well.”
“I said, let me through. Now.”
The Koopa doesn’t even move. It seems like he isn’t even breathing he is so still.
Keenan grows angry and moves the Koopa to the side with his mind. The dark colored Koopa seems startled and looks around for any wires or moving panels.
“Oh, don’t bother looking. I did it with my mind.” Keenan tells him.
“That’s impossible! I’ve been trying to unlock that power by meditating for years and nothing has come of it!”
“Well, I don’t know how I got it, I just did.” Keenan continues towards Gonzales II. Keenan taps his shoulder. He turns to see who did it.
“Oh, Killer. Hi. Sorry you had to see that terrible event out there.”
“Don’t worry Gonzales. I can whup him for ya if you want.” Keenan says in a calming voice.
“If you can then yeah, please do.” Gonzales II returns to his previous position. “Now if you don’t mind, I would like to get some rest.” Keenan nods and backs away. He goes over to the dark colored Koopa, and helps him up. “I don’t think I have introduced myself. I’m Keenan. Killer Keenan. Who are you?”
The Koopa dusts himself off and says “I’m the Koopinator. Say, allow me to introduce you to the Majors around here. Since you’re new, I’ll cut you some slack. Normally nobody ever bothers me or what I say. Normally, they just do what I say or don’t bother me whatsoever. Well, I do believe you know me, so here’s the rest. That there is Spike.” He points to a red spiny Buzzy Beetle. “Sup” it says. “And this guy over here is Hamma.” A hammer bro walks up. “Hey man” is all he says.
“That’s pretty much everyone here. Of course the ex-champ as well, but I believe you already know him. Now, to make things easier for Jolene, the way you reserve matches here is the exact same as in the Minors. You go up, press START, and wait for a response.”
Keenan nods and walks over to it. Jolene soon appears.
“Hello Killer! Let’s see… your next opponent will be Spike Storm. They’re a group of three. A Lakitu and two Spinies. Good luck!”
Jolene disappears from the screen. Soon a guard comes in and asks for Killer. Keenan and Goomberella both follow the guard to the west door and they head on in.
Meanwhile, with Gonzales II…
Gonzales II finally wakes up and stretches his arms upward. He grunts, scratches his back, and gets up. He then twists his body in both directions thus popping his bone joints. He grunts again once he gets his back back into position. He looks around. “Hey Koopinator. Come here.”
He walks up to the ex-champ. “Yes sir? What is it?”
“Any idea where Killer is? I believe he is a new Major Leaguer around here.”
“Yeah. He just left for his first Major League match against Spike Storm. Why?”
“No specific reason; just curious.”
Gonzales II walks over to the door and exits. He turns right and disappears into the hallway.
Much later…
“Way to go Killer, here’s your fight money.”
Jolene hands Keenan 15 coins.
“Nice fight by the way, you really pounded those red chomps easily didn’t ya?”
Keenan nods. Goomberella rolls her eyes. “Any other reason why you’re still here Miss Jolene?” she asks sarcastically.
Jolene shoots a sharp glance at her and then turns to leave. She goes through the door, and as she does, Gonzales II walks in. “Good afternoon Mr. Gonzales.” Jolene says to him before walking back to her office.
He nods and walks into the locker room. He walks over to Keenan. “Hey Killer, I got ya something for your fight against Rawk Hawk. Here.”
He hands him some kind of a bottle with an odd orange colored liquid inside. “What is this?” he asks.
“It’s an interesting potion. It’ll beef ya up quite a bit in power! I took it from the lab at the X-Naut Fortress. It’ll make your power go up by 500%!”
“Wow! Thanks man, but I don’t think I’ll need it though…”
Gonzales II flinches in shock. “What?! Why not? I worked my BUTT off to get you that thing, and you tell me you probably won’t even use it?!”
Keenan gets all shy and nervous. “Well… actually… I need to get my self-esteem up and using this to help me, that won’t help my esteem at all! I need to defeat them without this kind of help.”
“Fine. Suit yourself.”
“I will use it though.” Keenan says after a few long moments. He walks over to the panel and gets Jolene to come up. “Hi Killer! Your next opponent is the ex-champ Gonzales II! You’re going to need all the power, luck, and skill you have to beat this guy! Good luck!” She hangs up. Keenan shoots a cocky glance at Gonzales II, wiggles the potion in his hands, and waits for the guard to come. When he does arrive, he asks for both of them. Once they are both outside, the guard tells Gonzales II to go to the east door. “Killer, you come this way. Follow me.”
Later, after Keenan has arrived at the door, he awaits for the introductions.
“Ladies and Gentlemen! Up next is a semi-title match! This match well tell us if the last title match was a fluke or not! That’s right folks, this next match is of Gonzales II…”
The crowd screams loudly. He must have just entered the ring.
“…and his opponent, our newest rising star, who has beaten every record that The Great Gonzales I had set, that’s right, the very same Killer! Come on in Killer Keenan!” The west door opens up to show Keenan and Goomberella at the doorway’s entrance. Keenan slowly walks in, and stops just a few feet pass the doorway. He goes back, calls a guard, and says something. Jolene and Gonzales II seem confused. “Oh! Now I remember! He was going to-“
Then, music begins to play. Keenan starts walking very slowly to the ring deliberately. The song is “The Final Countdown”. Jolene continues. “Killer requested his own theme song for this match. Is this acceptable to you Gonzales II?”
He nods. “As long as I get to fight, I’ll be fine.”
Keenan finally reaches the stage and the music fades away. He approaches Jolene, now walking at normal speed, and asks for the fight to begin. She points to a nearby toad who holds onto a large brass tipped baton, and he hits the gong hard.
Keenan retreats to his side of the arena, drinks the potion, and tosses the bottle away. “Bring it on Great Gonzales II, or should I say, The Great Geek?”
That’s it. That’s what did it. Gonzales II went in charging towards Keenan, who hides in his shell to block the attack! After the attack is blocked, Keenan goes in with a shell toss attack, which is dodged and countered by a ground pound! This did significant damage to Keenan, flipped him over, but he immediately got back up!
“How? That’s impossible! Nobody has ever survived my ground pound without being defeated!”
Keenan snickers, quickly lances a glare at Wesley, and starts to spin inside his shell. A small hurricane is created, and it shoots toward the black Yoshi! The shell stays put while the gale-force winds hit Wesley dead on! It sends him flying up to the iron barring at the top of the arena! However, Wesley was able to grab this railing with his tounge, swing around it, and land on top of it perfectly. “Nice move Killer, but try to handle this one!” He gets eggs out, like all Yoshis do, and starts tossing them at an incredible speed!
Keenan dodges the first three, then notices that Wesley has an entire barrage waiting! He is making more eggs than he’s tossing! He starts to throw the eggs even faster, making them harder to avoid. Keenan keeps dodging, but ends up getting cornered at the far left corner of the arena!
Wesley picks up a huge egg and says “Hasta la Vista, Killer” and chucks the huge egg at him! But when Keenan thinks that it’s all over, that he’ll lose, he remembers something. He holds out his hands to stop the egg, Wesley laughs, and says loudly “You think you can stop this one? Ha!” and stops laughing once the egg stops in mid-air. Wesley just stares, unblinking and speechless, at what he is witnessing. The huge egg, about the size of Keenan himself, has stopped completely and is turning slowly. Keenan chuckles. “Actually, I believe this egg belongs to you.” The egg stops turning, and the top part of it is pointing straight towards Wesley. “By the way, Wesley, I have something to say to ya.”
Wesley, still staring in awe, says “yeah? What is it?”
Keenan chuckles again, a little louder, then says “I’m allergic to eggs. Do you want mine?” and then thrusts his arms forward. The egg is launched toward Wesley like as if it came out of a cannon! It hits him dead-on between the eyes, he falls, and tries to get up. He manages to stand up, take a single step, and then collapse. Keenan has beat The Great Gonzales II.
“Folks, we have ourselves a winner! Let’s all give a great big round of applause to Killer, the new 1st rank fighter of the Glitz Pit!” Jolene says as the crowd gradually grows louder and louder.
But, unbeknownst to all in the arena, Rawk Hawk is on the sidelines behind the east door watching the spectacle. He has seen the entire fight, and has just left as Keenan climbs down the steps to the west door. “He may be a problem. I don’t wanna give up my champ’s belt just yet, and probably never will, but he has got to go!” He retreats back to the champ’s room.
Later, in the Majors locker room…
The Koopinator walks into the locker room all steamed. As everyone there knows, excluding Keenan, to stay out of his way when he gets that upset or angry. He heads right over to the bed where Keenan is resting from his match with Wesley. He sits up and sees an angry Koopinator staring right at him. “Move” he says. Keenan only says “eh” and lays back down. The Koopinator picks up Keenan to make him sit back up. Keenan is shocked by this sudden gesture.
Keenan stares deep into the Koopinators crimson-blood red eyes. “Now look, since you’re new here Killer, let me tell you. When I’m angry, I get physical when I don’t want to, and people that are in my way, or in a spot where I want to be, they get hurt. I don’t want to hurt anybody outside the ring, since it is dishonorable, so please move out of the way. It’s nothing personall, it’s just so I don’t hit you.”
Keenan scoffs. “Dude, you couldn’t hurt me even if you tried, so don’t give me that BS alright? Now I’ll move, since it’s for your honor, but don’t ever challenge me, alright? I’ve beaten GGII so I think I can take you again. Remember our last fight?”
The Koopinator looks upwards and has a quick flashback of their fight. Koopinator, soon as the gong rang, shell tossed right for Keenan, who in response, used his phsycic powers to make the shell toss go out of the ring. Technical win for Keenan. Back with the present time, Koopinator just glares at Keenan. “Look, you took care of me that time, but I wasn’t using a good strategy. I could take you again.”
“Sure you could. Now, you wanted me to move out of the way, right?”
The Koopinator nods. “Yes, I did.”
“Then, mind putting me down now?”
The Koopinator sets Keenan back down onto the bed, who gets up, and moves over to a corner of the room. Keenan goes inside his shell to rest. The Koopinator lays down on the bed and shuts his eyes.
Keenan slowly peeks his head out and sees that the Dark Koopatrol is asleep. He comes out of his shell completely, and walks over to Hamma.
“Hey Hamma, what’s the deal with Koopinator anyway? What’s his deal?”
Hamma sits down on a nearby bench. “Sit down. You’re going to need to. It’s a long story.”
Keenan sits on the bench next to Hamma.
“Alright, now, you know how he’s all grumpy sometimes and thinks almost only about his honor?”
Keenan nods. “Yeah.”
“Well, you see, he used to be a normal Koopatrol. I mean, an ordinary, perfectly normal, Koopatrol for Bowser. The kinds that are guarding his castle kind of ordinary. Anyway, I was working with Bowser at the time, so I know this is right. We would eat our lunch breaks together, have breaks at the same time and hang out, we were the best of buddies. We were pretty much inseparable back then. This was almost thirty years ago you know! This happened before Mario saved Rougeport and the surrounding towns and cities from the Shadow Queen.”
“Yeah, I figured that.” Keenan says.
“Well anyway, we were the best of friends, like I said, but one day, Bowser needed two new bodyguards. Obviously, both of us signed up. Once the day came to prove ourselves, well, to make a long story short he got the job and some other Koopatrol did instead of me. So, I hoped this wouldn’t change our friendship none, and sure enough, it didn’t. We still were able to hang out on lunch break, but he didn’t get any normal breaks anymore. He had to bo on job the entire shift. So, I had to spend my breaks alone. Some breaks I didn’t even take. I missed him too much. Anyway, to continue on, later that year, it was time for him to prove himself to Lord Bowser. He was ordered to guard his Royal Fatness past Rougeport via the Clown Car. Basically, he was the good guy lookout. As they were passing over Rougeport to their destination, he fell out of the Clown Car, fell down a tall pipe in the west area of Rougeport, and he found himself in the Pit of 100 Trials. Now, I only know this since he told me. I don’t exactly remember what happened down there, but that’s where he became a Dark Koopatrol. But he did-“
“I did what Hamma?”
They both turn around and Koopinator is standing right there in front of them. “I can tell you what happened if you wish Killer. You too Hamma.”
Keenan immediately nods. Hamma reluctantly nods too.
“Well, after I fell into the Pit, I found out that the only way to exit was either by a pipe or a Mover, whatever that was, or to beat all 100 trials. I said to myself, well, if I want to get out of here, then I had better get going down. Little had I known that I wasn’t the luckiest Koopa alive. I fought my way down over 80 floors, and still no Movers or pipes to take me back to the surface. By the time I made it to floor 90, I had given up on the pipes and the Movers. I decided to take my chances and fight all the way through the pit. I fought all the way through the last ten floors, and when I reached the bottom, I met a giant dragon made of bones.”
“You mean Bonetail, older brother of Gloomtail who is the older sister of Hooktail?” Keenan interrupts.
Koopinator just stares at him with patience. “If that is it’s name, then yes. As I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted…”
Keenan sulks slightly.
“…I was about to fight it off, when I saw a pipe leading upwards. First thought I had was freedom. I ignored the treasure that was down there, shot passed Bonetail’s legs, and climbed up the pipe. Next think I knew, I was back in Rougeport Sewers near the civilization down there. I first noticed my colors changed when I went back to Lord Bowser’s castle and tried to take my rightful place by his side. But when I got there, the guards at the door refused to let me pass. I asked them, do you know who I am? But they simply ignored me and told me to leave the premises. I asked them why, they said because I wasn’t a member of Bowser’s army, and I told them my name, they all gasped. They asked me how I survived, and I replied that I fell from the Clown Car, and fell into the Pit of 100 Trials, and fought my way through. They looked at each other, apologized, and allowed me passage. They then escorted me passed all of Bowser’s newest recruits, followed by his stronger recruits, and finally his best. It’s like his S.W.A.T. team group. I used to be a member of it. They escorted me straight to Lord Bowser himself. It was such an honor to talk with him, I was speechless. That is, until, he told me to speak. I asked for permission to speak, and he said granted since I just told you to, and I explained my story to him. He gasped when I told him my name at
the end. Wait, YOU are him? He asked me. I told him that yes I was, and he started to think. After several minutes passed by, I asked Lord Bowser, is everything alright? He replied I’m sorry, but I don’t really want any Koopatrol on my team, even if it is you. That’s when I first realized I was a Dark Koopatrol. That is my story, from start to finish, so any other questions, either of you?”
Koopinator, during his rambling, had closed his eyes to speak. When he asked if there were any questions, he opened his eyes, and he saw Keenan sleeping. Hamma, however, was trying to wake him up. Koopinator gestured for Hamma to move, and he did, then Koopinator started to shake Keenan. “Yoohoo, Killer, time to wake up, my story is over.” Keenan woke up slowly, first fluttering eyes, then the yawning, and finally, the back scratching. “Man, that was a good nap. Oh hey Koopinator, what’s up?”
Koopinator glared at Keenan. You fell asleep during my story, and now, you act as if it’s perfectly fine? You dare to do this to me, when I am explaining my life’s story to you, and still you do this to me?!”
Keenan just lays back, keeping himself up with his arms, and says “so what if it’s true? I heard your whole story, and besides, I’ve already told you, you can’t beat me.”
Koopinator snaps when he hears this. He goes for a quick punch that Hamma didn’t even see him prepare, and Keenan stops it without even flinching. He caught the punch with his own hand! “Like I said, you can’t beat me. I’m too good. I may be even better than Bowser himself. So there.” Keenan gets up, still holding onto Koopinators punch, then picks up Koopinator. “Now listen. I have had a rough day. Alright? So, after my last match against Gonzales II, I decided to rest since it exhausted me. Then, you barge in here, and demand for me to move, which I gladly do. I can just rest inside my shell in the corner. I did that for about an hour, and then I asked Hamma about your history. He tells me most of it, then, without warning, you barge into a conversation and bore us with you monotone voice. Now I can understand you pain of being separated from your idol, the struggles it took to fight your way through the pit, and even the trauma that may have been caused by what Bowser told you, but you need to live in the moment rather than dwell in the past! Heck your best friend in your entire LIFE has been here, and have you ever even said hi or what’s up to him? Not while I’ve been here you haven’t, and I don’t think you have at all! Now, I’m going to let go of your hand, and when I do, I expect you to buck up and get on with your life. Alright bud?” Keenan lets go of Koopinators hand. He looks up at Keenan, nods, and he exits the room.
Later…
“Hey Hamma, you seen Goomberella lately?”
Keenan is in the locker room with Hamma, Spike, and the Koopinator.
“No Killer I haven’t. Sorry man.”
Keenan is worried now. He has looked all over for Goomberella, and he hasn’t even seen a hair or anything of her anywhere! “Man, where could she possibly be?!” He yells accidentally.
At that exact moment, a Glitz Pit guard walks in, and asks if anyone has lost an ESi. Keenan raises his hand. “Yeah I have” he says. The guard hands the ESi back to him, and once the guard leaves, the ESi goes off. The sender of the e-mail is shown as “X”. Keenan opens the message.
“Dear receiver,
I have your girlfriend, and these are the ransoms. I want you to forfeit the title match you have coming up and want to meet you back behind the Glitz Pit. If you agree to this, then meet me there and let me know via reply message. Thanks for listening!
Sincerely,
X”
Keenan can’t believe it. He shows the message to the others, and Hamma is the first to respond. “Well obviously you should go! Who cares about a match that can always be redone? Go rescue your girlfriend dude!”
“She is not my girlfriend.” Keenan says quietly.
“I agree with Hamma! Go get her back Killer, your girlfriend needs ya!” says Spike.
“I said she is not my girlfriend.” Says Keenan getting a little angry.
“Killer.”
Keenan looks towards the Koopinator. “Yeah what?”
“You must rescue her. It’s the honorable thing to do.”
Keenan nods. “Yeah of course I am going to rescue her. Why wouldn’t I? For a belt with a fake crystallized star on it? No way!” He runs out the door at about mach 6.
“He really likes her huh?” says Hamma.
“Yeah, that boy has got to be a good bf to that goomba gal.” says Spike.
Keenan dashes back through the door. “I SAID SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!!!” And he runs back through the door again.
Later, outside the Glitz Pit…
Keenan is standing behind the Glitz Pit, looking around for this X character, and notices something familiar.
-sniff sniff- “Alright Rawk Hawk, come out. I know you’re here.”
Several long moments later, Rawk Hawk shows himself. “How’d you know I was here?”
“You’re hairgel has a certain fragrance. And you use a lot of it.”
Rawk Hawk smiles nervously. “Either way, what are you doing here? You can’t possibly be here because of that X person, could you?”
“Why X, did you get one too? You send a message to yourself to come here as well?”
Rawk Hawk giggles. “Actually, I was hoping to fool ya. Guess it didn’t work.”
Keenan starts slowly walking towards Rawk Hawk. “Where, is, Goomberella? Tell me NOW!”
Rawk Hawk begins to shake. Keenan can’t tell if it’s of fear or not. “Alright. Fine. Hang on.” He walks behind a nearby dumpster. Keenan notices that the place is very similar to a back alley. Just a little darker. Rawk Hawk returns holding a sack that’s shaking.
“Now, listen to me very carefully Killer. You forfeit your match against me, and I’ll let her go. Deal?”
Keenan notices a major flaw in his plan, and agrees to the terms. “Agreed Rawk.”
Rawk Hawk lets go of the sack, and Goomberella, still pretty dizzy, starts to shake off her dizziness. After that, she immediately runs over to Keenan who hugs her to comfort her. “Are you alright?” he asks.
“Yeah I’m fine. Thanks.” She responds.
Keenan looks up to Rawk Hawk, lets go of Goomberella, and slowly starts to walk towards the big bird. “You. I have a few things to settle with you.”
Rawk Hawk stands perfectly still. “Yeah, and what would they be?”
Keenan continues to slowly approach him. “Well, first off, you kidnapped a kid that was only four years of age. Second, you thought she was my girlfriend. And third, you rigged your match against Gonzales II, didn’t you?” Keenan has reached Rawk now, who chuckles.
“Heh. Okay, now look, one, I didn’t know she was that young, second, I don’t care whether she is your gf or not, and lastly, I did rig the match. So what? What you gonna do about it? You’re just a little kid.”
Keenan grows angry by this point. He holds out a single hand and closes his eyes. Rawk Hawk laughs. “What’s this? You want to shake hands? Alright then!” He grabs Keenan’s hand and shakes it. Keenan grows even more furious. As soon as Rawk let’s go of his hand, he makes a fist and lifts his arm. Rawk rises with the motion. He doesn’t notice this until he opens his eyes. He shut them when he turned around to leave. He sees that he isn’t moving forward, but upward. “What the?”
Keenan uses his power to toss Rawk against a nearby dumpster, then into the wall of the Pit, and lastly right into the ground. He lets go of Rawk. He walks over, looks him right into the eye, leans down, and says, “listen to me. You EVER threaten one of my friends again, including me, you may not live to see the light of the next day. Got it?”
He nods.
“Good. Now leave us.” He makes a shoo motion.
Rawk Hawk gets up and books back around the corner back to the champ’s room. Goomberella just watches Keenan. As he walks back past her, she asks “but wasn’t that a little dark? Even for you?”
Keenan seems to ignore her and keeps walking all the way to the Major locker room.
Later, back in the locker room…
“Well hello Killer! You want to reserve a match? Alright then.” Jolene is talking to Keenan in the locker room for the majors. Goomberella has been keeping her distance ever since the alley incident. “Congratulations Killer! Your next match is against the current champion Rawk Hawk! I’ll contact him right away.” Jolene disappears from the screen. Keenan walks over to the bench and sits down in the center. Hamma walks over.
“Hey man, what happened out there? Who was that X person? How did you get her back?”
Keenan just looks downward and ignores him. Goomberella walks over. “Uh, Hamma? I’ll tell ya. Come here.” They walk over to the lockers. Koopinator’s curiosity lulls him over to hear what happened as well.
A few seconds pass and a guard arrives. “Killer, your match is ready. Follow me bub.” Keenan rises up and goes with the guard. Goomberella doesn’t notice this until it’s too late and she can’t enter the arena.
Up on the stage, Jolene introduces Keenan.
“Okay now folks, this is it! Our main event has arrived! The title match! Our rising star, probably champion-bound, Killer Keenan!”
Keenan enters the arena through the stage west door. He looks a little angry. Jolene continues as the crowd screams like fangirls at the world premiere of Twilight: New Moon. “And his opponent, the current champion of the Glitz Pit, the big bad birdy himself, Rawk Hawk!” As he enters the arena through the east door, the crowd completely hushes. Not a single whoohoo or anything. Rawk walks up to the arena and up the stairs.
Jolene approaches Rawk Hawk. “So, champ, any last words before the match starts?” Rawk Hawk puts a finger to his chin and thinks. “Well Jolene, I must say, that this rising star of yours, is about to get RAAAAWKED! He can’t escape the inevitable forever! So I say, bring on the pipsqueak!”
Jolene walks over to Keenan. “And how about you Killer? Any words before the match?”
Keenan looks over to Rawk Hawk, then at Jolene, and says “Actually yeah. I have one thing to say. This match will be dedicated to The Great Gonzales II and the orignil Gonzales. This one’s for ya’ll. Bring on the big bad chicken!” The gong sounds.
Rawk Hawk burst forward with such incredible speed it knocks Keenan dizzy from the hit! He bounces off the wall outside the arena, hides in his shell, and steers ahead to stop on the arena floor. He continues to bounce around off the walls, the ceiling, and even off of a poor toad’s head in the audience! The toad goes unconscious. He finally stops on his side of the ring and pops out of his shell. “That’s it. Your dead meat bird boy!” He spins around in his shell and creates a gust so strong it knocks nearby lakitus completely out of their clouds! The gust heads right for Rawk Hawk who doesn’t get budged besides his hair! “Ha ha ha! That it? That’s your spinning gust move? That weak little breeze? Ha!” He lunges towards Keena and grabs him by the neck. “Any last words to your adoring fans?”
Keenan struggles to break free but can’t. He can’t even talk.
“Aw, that’s too bad. See ya Killer!” He tosses Keenan through the roof straight up and makes a skylight in the ring! Rawk Hawk turns towards the fans and bows. A few people cheer, but not many or very loudly. Then, a screeching can be heard like a bomb dropping. Rawk Hawk looks up and sees a fiery object coming straight down like a meteor! It’s so fast he can’t block it as it hits him dead on! The object was a blue and white striped shell that ricochets off Rawk’s head and onto the arena floor! It spins around a few times, and Keenan pops out, waving at the crowd, which screams even louder than before! He turns to Rawk Hawk. “You little son of a-“
“Now now Rawky, don’t you dare curse in front of MY fans, alright?” Keenan taunts.
Rawk Hawk dashes right for Keenan who hides in his shell. Rawk Hawk picks up the shell, tosses up softly, and jump spin kicks it all the way through the roof! This time, it hits a satellite and explodes!
the end!
“I warned ya! You were gonna get rawked! But no, don’t listen to me, oh no…”
Rawk Hawk continues monolauging as Keenan climbs down slowly fron the girders above the ring. He grabs a spare shell from his backpack, puts it on, and whistles. Rawk Hawk turns, and screams.
“But how did-you were-how are you-“
“I backed out of my shell from the rear as you picked it up genius. Now it’s my turn for a finishing move.” He shuts his eyes, and quickly does some kung fu like trainging moves. These moves, similar to an airbender’s moves, make Rawk Hawk rise up quickly into the air, spin around several times very quickly, and then slam down onto the arena floor. Keenan approaches, puts one hand facing Rawk Hawk, palm open, and says “hasta la vista…” as his palm begins glowin a bright blue-ish color. It morphs into a spherical shape. It becomes a solid orb shape in about two seconds. Keenan finishes the sentence here. “…chicken.” As Keenan launches the orb, it hits Hawk so hard, it actually explodes with phsycic energy. The explosion causes Keenan to shield himself inside his shel. This boom also causes some of the closer audience actually have to shield their eyes! Even the Koopa Troopas who always wear their sunglasses! After the light dims down until it’s completely gone, Jolene looks toward the ring area where Rawk Hawk was laying, and notices he passed out completely. She walks towards the center of the ring. “Well folks, I think we have a winner. Killer Keenan, allow me to formally do this.”
Keenan walks over to Jolene, who holds his right hand up, and yells into the microphone “Killer Keenan is the new champion! Congratulations!” Jolene takes the belt off of Rawk Hawk, gives it to Keenan, who tries it on. It’s a little bit big, slides down a little, but it’ll stay on. He raises his hands to the crowd, who in unison and in synch, screams with him. In other words, when he makes a turning motion with both hands raised, the crowd does a screaming wave. When he raises on arm on his left, then the left side of the arena screams louder as his hand goes higher. And etc.
Later, back in the Majors…
“Way to go Killer!” Keenan is surrounded by the other Major Leaguers. Even Koopinator is smiling and cheering. As impossible as it seems.
Koopinator shakes Keenan’s hand. “Nice going man. You must have so much honor now. Don’t mind sharing some of it with me, so ya? I’m kidding!”
Keenan looks around. He is surrounded by his Majors friends. But he notices someone is missing.
Keenan raises his arms to hush everyone. “Hey everbody, any idea where Goomberella is?”
Everyone’s smiles disappear, and they seem to be very nervous and upset. Hamma approaches Keenan and places a hand on his left shoulder. “I’m sorry man, but she’s gone.”
“Gone? What do you mean gone?”
“I mean, she is gone. It’s as simple as that.”
“Koopinator, mind helping me understand what he means here?”
Koopinator walks over and places a hand on his right shoulder. “He means, that she is gone. More specifically, she left. She left the Pit while you were fighting.”
Keenan slowly walks away from the people surrounding him. “But, but why would she leave? Did I do something wrong?”
Hamma walks over to Keenan. “I don’t know bro, but she did leave you this before she left.” He holds up a letter and envelope. It’s says:
To: Killer Keenan
From: Goomberella
Kenan opens the letter and reads it aloud.
“Dear Killer,
Please listen to this. I have noticed your publicity with the popular crowd, your new friends, and your victory against that big brute of a bird Rawk Hawk. I am sincerely grateful for you saving me from him, but, I don’t know how to say this, so I have to write it out as it feels. Here goes.
Now you know that we’re friends, very good friends that is, but we have been through an awful lot together. But a few things prevent me from staying with you. Please understand. First, I miss my parents. Second, I want to go home. I’m homesick. And lastly, I know you can continue on without my help. Please go on without me. (When Keenan reads this part aloud he begins to tear) You must understand that I do have feelings for you, but I’m too young for this complicated stuff. I know you will be able to do great things without me, and that I would only slow you down most of the way. With you saving me, helping me, and everything, I figured that you’re adventure would be easier if I wasn’t with you the entire time. I’m very very very sorry, but I’m leaving to go back home. I miss my mommy and daddy. I hope you’ll do good! Please continue.
P.S.: I have a new ESi so you can contact me anytime. I’ll e-mail you soon so you’ll have my e-mail, so we can still talk to each other, so don’t worry.
Sincerely, your friend,
Goomberella”
Keenan is almost crying out loud by this point. Hamma, Spike, and even Koopinator are tearing up as well. Hamma grabs ahold of Keenan’s left shoulder.
“Don’t worry man. (sniff) She’ll be alright.”
Keenan looks at the others and they all nod. Koopinator walks up to Keenan. “You know, life is like a river or creek. Although it is tough to be in at some times, you must keep going, and soon enough, you’ll come to easier currents.”
Keenan sniffs and smiles. “Thanks Koopinator. That really does help.”
Spike waddles over. “You know Killer, if she is right, then you oughta keep going on your adventure without her. I’m sure that’s what she would want you to do.”
“Yeah, thanks a bunch Spike. I will.” Keenan says as he sits down on the bench.
Keenan sits on that bench for what seems like hours. Soon, Gonzales II walks in and sees Keenan grieving on the bench quietly. He asks what’s wrong with him to Hamma, and he points out the letter. After he reads it, he gasps softly, looks over to Keenan, and walks over. “You know Killer, you have proven to me that just because I lost to Rawky, doesn’t mean I should quit. I am going with you. Would that help you any?”
Keenan looks up at him, smiles slightly, and nods slowly. “Maybe a little bit.”
Wesley nods and tells him that they oughta get going then. Keenan gets up, gets his stuff packed up, and heads out the door after Wesley. Wesley leads the way to the blimp, shows the fish their pass, and they ride the blimp back to Rougeport. They approach the conductor of the train, who sees Keenan, and goes “oh, I see you managed to get the Yoshi guy to come with you! Nice going! So, I take it you want to ride?”
Keenan looks over to him. He’s sitting on the roof of the first passenger car. “Yeah I do. Is the engine fixed?”
“It sure is! Go on ahead and get on board if you’re riding. But first I’ll need to see yer passes.”
Wesley flashes his pass to the conductor.
“Okay then! All aboard!”
The two get inside the train and are shown to their cabin. It’s cabin 5. The train starts whistling, begins to move, and whistles one more time loudly.
“Well, this is it! I’m finally on the train. This is what I’ve been aiming for!” Keenan yells to himself.
END OF CHAPTER
