04-05-2016, 05:00 PM
Morning arrived with little incident. Zack felt well rested without Miranda raising hell in the barracks this time, with her unique methods of waking the old team. He certainly needed a full night’s sleep after the events that lead him here. Now that he was up, moving, and felt refreshed, he walked right into the room that Stone had told him to be at, with a mug of coffee in his left hand. He entered the room and looked at the people all around it, taking a careful sip from the cup as he did. On one hand, he was careful not to burn his tongue with the hot liquid, but more importantly, he was making sure he didn’t stab himself with one of the unnecessary spikes decorating the mug.
Zack spotted Lieutenant Stone and began to move his way. Surprisingly, Stone’s odd anatomy didn’t actually make him stand out from the diversity of the Koopas. Zack found that to be amusing, but decided against commenting on it. Instead, he just stopped beside Stone, and a little bit forward so the Thwomp could see him, as he imagined turning wasn’t one of the creature’s sharpest skills.
“Morning,” Stone said, though it sounded like less of a greeting and more of a statement about the time of day it was.
Zack nodded in response, and took another sip of his coffee. He looked around the room at the others, curiously. He recognized a few species, but there were a few he didn’t think he had seen before. What really stood out, however, was a human man with shoulder length blonde hair, and a spear strung across his back.
“Who’s that guy?” Zack asked, gesturing to the man that didn’t see him, yet.
“The competition,” Stone replied.
“What?”
“Welcome!” a voice said, preventing Stone from answering or Zack from pressing him further.
The two instead looked over to see a Magikoopa greeting them. The blonde man and a Goomba stood nearby, while all the others continued about their business. It made sense, since this room was obviously a rally point for many different groups and operations.
“You two have been chosen to compete for the title of honorary member of the Koopa Troop,” the Magikoopa explained. “You have both proven yourself to be competent and powerful warriors in your own regard, but there is more to the Koopa Kingdom than brawn. You will undertake a challenge that will pit you against each other in a way that will test your skills, as well as immerse you in our culture.”
Zack crossed his arms as he listened, a frown beginning to form on his face.
“This event will be somewhat more intense than we normally do, and you will have some time to prepare yourselves, train, and get used to your team,” The Magikoopa continued. “Learn to work with them, for they are the squad you will operate with during your missions, should you succeed and join our ranks. Your recruiters have the rest of the details. Good luck.”
Zack turned to the Thwomp as the Magikoopa departed. His apparent adversary and Goomba companion also walked away, talking about something in a hushed tone that Zack couldn’t quite hear. He wasn’t terribly concerned with that, at the moment, though.
“Can I speak with you over by the statue of Bowser?” Zack asked in a dissatisfied voice.
“Which one?” Stone’s question was appropriate, considering that there were hundreds in this room.
Zack shook his head, realizing they had enough space now that the conversation would be private enough.
“You’re a recruiter?” Zack quickly asked. “I thought this was a friendship thing.”
“It is a ‘friendship thing,’” Stone responded. “You are proving your worth and we will reward you with admittance into our nation, should you succeed.”
“I told you, Stone, I’m not looking to join another army,” Zack shook his head as he replied. “Last time I did, it ended with me dead in a pool of my own blood. That would have been the end of it if I hadn’t been whisked away to this wonderful place.”
Stone didn’t seem to detect the sarcasm at the end of Zack’s statement, so he responded plainly. “I do not know your world, but it is not this one. That army is not here.” He paused and contemplated the depth of that statement. “Probably not here.”
Zack crossed his arms and turned to the side as he pondered. He was strongly considering walking out of this castle right now and having that be the end of it. “I’ve dealt with a lot of recruiters in my life, Stone. I know the things they’ll say in order to get another body on the frontlines. I’m not going to be one of them.”
Stone studied Zack for a moment, thinking before he spoke. “Just because I am a recruiter, does not mean I don’t have the interests of my people at heart. Having you on my squad is the best case, having you as a friend of my squad, willing to help us in times of need…that is also acceptable. Just because I know how to work our system does not mean I am any worse of a person for it.”
Zack tapped his foot on the ground as he thought. The Thwomp made a fair point, but Zack was very hesitant to get caught up with the wrong group once more. It couldn't hurt to give them a chance, in theory. After thinking about it, he looked over to Stone. “Just friends?”
“We will assist you when you need help, and we will respond to your calls for assistance,” Stone confirmed. “That is the meaning of our honorary Koopa Troop status.”
“Alright,” Zack finally agreed. “I’m in.”
“Excellent,” Stone still didn’t smile and his tone didn’t change, but he seemed to be speaking positively. “We should go meet your team for this challenge. You will need to practice hard if you are to win this game of bombsketball.”
“Excuse me, what?” Zack immediately interrupted the Thwomp and turned to fully face him again. “What did you say we’re playing?”
“Bombsketball. It is a popular sport in the Koopa Kingdom,” Stone explained, not seeing any issue with his words.
“Like…basketball with bombs?” Zack continued to press this issue. He wanted every drop of detail he could get.
“I suppose basketball is a derivative of bombsketball,” Stone conceded. He would have nonchalantly shrugged, had his anatomy allowed him.
“I’m pretty sure basketball came first,” Zack was quick to correct his stone companion.
“It really doesn’t matter,” Stone was finally showing an emotion. Frustration.
“It kind of does, to me,” Zack interjected.
“Regardless,” Stone took a loud, commanding tone. “You will be playing bombsketball, and I will guide you and your team to victory. We should go now, so that we can get to work that much sooner. We only have a few days to train.”
Zack nodded to confirm, then immediately shook his head in disbelief. “Alright. I won’t say it sounds good, but it sounds like a…” ‘Plan’ probably wasn’t the best word, either. “…thing.”
“Excellent,” Lieutenant Stone said, levitating upwards and causing Zack to take a few steps backwards. “Come with me! Our training begins immediately!”
Zack watched as the Thwomp made a powerful slam that inched him closer to the door. Zack took a few steps to catch up, and waited for stone to repeat the process. “Immediately” probably wasn’t the most accurate descriptor, but at least it gave him a little more time to wonder what he’d gotten himself into.
Zack spotted Lieutenant Stone and began to move his way. Surprisingly, Stone’s odd anatomy didn’t actually make him stand out from the diversity of the Koopas. Zack found that to be amusing, but decided against commenting on it. Instead, he just stopped beside Stone, and a little bit forward so the Thwomp could see him, as he imagined turning wasn’t one of the creature’s sharpest skills.
“Morning,” Stone said, though it sounded like less of a greeting and more of a statement about the time of day it was.
Zack nodded in response, and took another sip of his coffee. He looked around the room at the others, curiously. He recognized a few species, but there were a few he didn’t think he had seen before. What really stood out, however, was a human man with shoulder length blonde hair, and a spear strung across his back.
“Who’s that guy?” Zack asked, gesturing to the man that didn’t see him, yet.
“The competition,” Stone replied.
“What?”
“Welcome!” a voice said, preventing Stone from answering or Zack from pressing him further.
The two instead looked over to see a Magikoopa greeting them. The blonde man and a Goomba stood nearby, while all the others continued about their business. It made sense, since this room was obviously a rally point for many different groups and operations.
“You two have been chosen to compete for the title of honorary member of the Koopa Troop,” the Magikoopa explained. “You have both proven yourself to be competent and powerful warriors in your own regard, but there is more to the Koopa Kingdom than brawn. You will undertake a challenge that will pit you against each other in a way that will test your skills, as well as immerse you in our culture.”
Zack crossed his arms as he listened, a frown beginning to form on his face.
“This event will be somewhat more intense than we normally do, and you will have some time to prepare yourselves, train, and get used to your team,” The Magikoopa continued. “Learn to work with them, for they are the squad you will operate with during your missions, should you succeed and join our ranks. Your recruiters have the rest of the details. Good luck.”
Zack turned to the Thwomp as the Magikoopa departed. His apparent adversary and Goomba companion also walked away, talking about something in a hushed tone that Zack couldn’t quite hear. He wasn’t terribly concerned with that, at the moment, though.
“Can I speak with you over by the statue of Bowser?” Zack asked in a dissatisfied voice.
“Which one?” Stone’s question was appropriate, considering that there were hundreds in this room.
Zack shook his head, realizing they had enough space now that the conversation would be private enough.
“You’re a recruiter?” Zack quickly asked. “I thought this was a friendship thing.”
“It is a ‘friendship thing,’” Stone responded. “You are proving your worth and we will reward you with admittance into our nation, should you succeed.”
“I told you, Stone, I’m not looking to join another army,” Zack shook his head as he replied. “Last time I did, it ended with me dead in a pool of my own blood. That would have been the end of it if I hadn’t been whisked away to this wonderful place.”
Stone didn’t seem to detect the sarcasm at the end of Zack’s statement, so he responded plainly. “I do not know your world, but it is not this one. That army is not here.” He paused and contemplated the depth of that statement. “Probably not here.”
Zack crossed his arms and turned to the side as he pondered. He was strongly considering walking out of this castle right now and having that be the end of it. “I’ve dealt with a lot of recruiters in my life, Stone. I know the things they’ll say in order to get another body on the frontlines. I’m not going to be one of them.”
Stone studied Zack for a moment, thinking before he spoke. “Just because I am a recruiter, does not mean I don’t have the interests of my people at heart. Having you on my squad is the best case, having you as a friend of my squad, willing to help us in times of need…that is also acceptable. Just because I know how to work our system does not mean I am any worse of a person for it.”
Zack tapped his foot on the ground as he thought. The Thwomp made a fair point, but Zack was very hesitant to get caught up with the wrong group once more. It couldn't hurt to give them a chance, in theory. After thinking about it, he looked over to Stone. “Just friends?”
“We will assist you when you need help, and we will respond to your calls for assistance,” Stone confirmed. “That is the meaning of our honorary Koopa Troop status.”
“Alright,” Zack finally agreed. “I’m in.”
“Excellent,” Stone still didn’t smile and his tone didn’t change, but he seemed to be speaking positively. “We should go meet your team for this challenge. You will need to practice hard if you are to win this game of bombsketball.”
“Excuse me, what?” Zack immediately interrupted the Thwomp and turned to fully face him again. “What did you say we’re playing?”
“Bombsketball. It is a popular sport in the Koopa Kingdom,” Stone explained, not seeing any issue with his words.
“Like…basketball with bombs?” Zack continued to press this issue. He wanted every drop of detail he could get.
“I suppose basketball is a derivative of bombsketball,” Stone conceded. He would have nonchalantly shrugged, had his anatomy allowed him.
“I’m pretty sure basketball came first,” Zack was quick to correct his stone companion.
“It really doesn’t matter,” Stone was finally showing an emotion. Frustration.
“It kind of does, to me,” Zack interjected.
“Regardless,” Stone took a loud, commanding tone. “You will be playing bombsketball, and I will guide you and your team to victory. We should go now, so that we can get to work that much sooner. We only have a few days to train.”
Zack nodded to confirm, then immediately shook his head in disbelief. “Alright. I won’t say it sounds good, but it sounds like a…” ‘Plan’ probably wasn’t the best word, either. “…thing.”
“Excellent,” Lieutenant Stone said, levitating upwards and causing Zack to take a few steps backwards. “Come with me! Our training begins immediately!”
Zack watched as the Thwomp made a powerful slam that inched him closer to the door. Zack took a few steps to catch up, and waited for stone to repeat the process. “Immediately” probably wasn’t the most accurate descriptor, but at least it gave him a little more time to wonder what he’d gotten himself into.