The Koopalings...In School?!

Memories

I look up, and make eye contact with Ms.Anissa. "Wh...what?" I stutter, still half asleep. "Everyone's gone. Do you want me to contact your parent?" She asks. My parent? "No! I mean...no thanks, I'll just go home...walking.." I answer her, slightly nervous.

"You sure? And by the way...the boy you spoke to earlier, Spirit, said he apologized for the way he acted." She informs me. I nod. "Thanks, and I'm sure.." I stated.

After a while, I've been dismissed and I leave through the doors. But as I walk down the steps, I spot Melissa. "What are you doing here?" I ask.

"Waiting for ya silly. You weren't gonna go home alone, were ya?" She asks. Yeah, I actually kinda was. But I'd rather not. I shake my head in response. "Good. I'm going with you." She states.

"Wh-What?" I say unsurely. "I'm coming with you. Unless you want the ghosts in the woods to get ya!" She warns. "Th-The ghosts?!" I panic. She laughs. "I'm joking." She states.

I sigh in relief and walk down the steps. "Well..ok, but you gotta leave as soon as we get there. It's where King Koopa lives." I explain, as I start to walk forth.

She follows, then I hear her gasp. "King Koopa? Bowser?! He's your dad?!" She asks. "Well...sorta..." I mumble. "Sorta? Well...if he's a king, does that make ya prince?" She asks, curiously.

I think about it for a second. I'm not Bowser's child anymore...but I use to be....so I was originally heir to the throne...and I did live the life of a prince, until...yeah, until Junior....So...I'm not heir to the throne anymore, I still live the life of a prince, just won't ever get to be one. I think that's about right.

"Uhh...Sorta." I mumble. I watch as she frowns and roll her eyes. "Sorta ain't much of an answer buddy, you gotta be more descriptive." She says. "Well...I'm just not sure, ok?" I answer.

She sighs and nods. I take a glance around, and notice the day getting darker by the second. After a long walk, I've finally reached the castle, and spot Junior waiting on the steps.

I run up to him, and he glares at me. He probably got that look from King Da-I mean, Bowser. "What?" I ask. "What do ya mean, what?! I've been waiting here for ages! Get in before I decide to tell dad, and kick you myself on the way out!" He yells. Dude's got issues.

I quickly run inside, hoping he doesn't try anything on my way in, I look around, making sure Bowser isn't around, and then run into the attic, then I close the door behind me.

I turn on the flashlight and take a glance around the room. It's quiet. I hate the silence. I always have. It used to be better...Ludwig would make his loud horrible music, Wendy would talk on the phone all day, Morton and Roy constantly yelled at one another from their rooms, Larry made beats with his DJ set, and Iggy's plans and inventions always created lots of obnoxious noises.

And then there was me. I always listened from inside my room, while doing all my circus antics. Occasionally, you could hear my circus ball make a thump. But that was from all the bouncing, I can't do that much anymore.

I can still do my tricks, but in the silence. When I first got into this attic, I decided to explore it a bit. I found tons of stuff.

Like photo albums, and the green beach ball I use to have before my new yellow and orange stars one...I also found some of Peach's stuff. It surprises me that Bowser has kept those as memories.

There's a copy of her parasol I once found, as well as a picture that shows her being captured by Bowser...and one of her frying pans with a large bent piece. I guess Bowser must've gotten hit a lot.

I also found a few Smash trophies, and some items, like this fan....I think they used to whack people with it... I found lots of interesting things.

But something I wonder, is why, why is this place, the attic, his least favorite place? Maybe he's afraid to relive his past, or memories, or....Maybe Master Hand is hiding up here.... Ok, I have to admit, that last one was a bit off.

I take a glance around the room, and notice the window. I walk towards it, and look out. There's darkness, and many trees in the way of my view, but not enough to cover my view of the city, miles and miles away.

I want to go see my siblings, and hug them, and tell them how much I regret my decision, and how wrong I was.... but...I can't. I'm lost completely without them. I sigh, and drop myself into a beanbag.

I might be lost. But...a part of me is saying 'no you aren't'. It's that positive side again. It wants me to go find them.

If I go, I'll probably sweat from my eyes when I see them...and I'll hug them so tightly, their eyes could pop off, and their bones could become loose! But if I stay...perhaps they'll come back...and I won't get caught by Bowser...

Ah, I'll sleep on it.

I glance at the ceiling one last time, then I close my eyes. Every time I do so, I remember what Iggy had told me when we had to sleep in that Toad's attic.

'Just close your eyes and imagine you're back at home, in your room, with all the circus balls you own'. I hear his words echo in my mind.

Well...now home isn't so great...I open my eyes and turn to my right, as if he were there. But he's not.... I can't help but feel terrible on the inside. My eyes begin to get sweaty again..

I get up, put my orange blanket around myself, then head out the attic. I run down the hall, and past the living room...But then something catches my eye, and I step back.

I spot a photograph...But not just any photograph...It's a "family" photo...I remember that day like it was yesterday.

Bowser, Junior, and my siblings had gone to kidnap Peach on her birthday.

It wasn't just a pretty day, but also a pretty day for a picture. So as we'd reached Bowser's castle, Kamek took us all a picture with his handy dandy camera.

We even got Peach in it. She was terrified, but for us it was a memorable moment. Sadly, it wasn't long before Peach was rescued by Mario. But that doesn't matter, well it did to them, but I was just glad at the picture...

It was one of the only good moments we'd ever had. Aside from all of Bowser's failing plans... They weren't so good.

Then I wonder why Bowser hasn't taken the photo down yet, or broken it to the least...the glass is perfectly smooth, and clear, and the frame had no dust to the least.

I glance at the photo again, just before remembering how lonely this castle had been, ever since my siblings left... I look down, as I slowly begin to walk past the living room again.

I turn the lights on, and glance around the kitchen. Then I remember the stool I'd always used, it was under the cabinets.

Ever since I was a baby, I'd used that stool. I wasn't quite tall enough to reach the kitchen sink, and I'm still not. Before the stool, I'd usually ask everyone to carry me up, but then one day, Bowser got tired.

He'd often yell, "Why don't you grab a mushroom and grow up?!" Earning everyone's attention, and making me get laughed at. But I didn't care, I enjoyed the attention. And so, a stool was given to me. But even so, I gotta stand on my tippy toes.

I glance at the cabinets, and wonder if the stool's still there. I walk to them, and open them. I spot the old dusty stool still sitting there.

I smile dumbly. I can't help but get a small happy feeling inside me. That stool holds tons of memories. I take the stool out, stand on it, grab a cup and reach for the sink.

After filling it with water, I drink a bit. I've always wondered how water comes to this place, nearly all of the outside is filled with hot lava. But if anyone's gonna ask a logical question, they should ask Nintendo Logic.

I put the cup back in the sink, put the stool under the cabinet, and as I exit, I jump up in surprise.

I see Junior glaring at me. "What're you doing here?!" He whispers angrily. "I just came to drink water!" I say back to him. "Get back to the attic before-" But before Junior can finish his sentence, loud footsteps can be heard.

I feel my whole body beginning to shake in fear....The only one behind those steps...is... Bowser.