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KOOPALINGS : THE TEENAGE YEARS

by Foxy Boy

CHAPTER VI: UNJUSTIFIED

An hour and forty-five left until midnight, and by all accounts Iggy should have been snoozing. Wrapped tightly under layers of bedlinens, he was accustomed to being out well before the antique grandfather clock in the den struck ten.

To him it was a mystery why he lay awake at this hour, his eyes wide and nowhere close to feeling heavy. Nothing extraordinary had weighed on his mind thirty minutes prior, when he'd seen Ludwig follow the bride up the stairs before bedding down himself.

"In fact", he thought, "I feel more serene right now than I have in weeks. Perhaps it's how I've been trying to wean myself off of tireless hours in my lab, or maybe my subconscious is shutting out Roy's brush with disaster, or how it nagged at Ludwig when we were on the couch..."

Whatever the source, he knew that sleep would elude him, so he decided to do what he always had when insomnia bested him. He rose carefully to sit and then stand, knelt down and reached under his bed, producing a thin laptop. The desk on the room's other side held a large, powerful PC, but there was no need to boot that up. He only wanted a few minutes' browsing.

Quietly he flipped open the display, checked that the volume was low. Larry's room was next to his, and his last desire was to stir that ailing sibling. As the OS loaded, he put two fingers to his lips, pensive. In the three months he'd owned this notebook, it was used an average of five hours daily, his sole assistant in cataloguing lab data. Every component, experiment, theory, and the post-application assessments were all recorded on programs contained on its deceivingly small drive. Now that his time would be spent more with family than hobby, he was sure to find the motivation to delete most of it... The toy's cache only served to take up vast amounts of memory and slow the performance.

By the time all icons were loaded, he'd already returned to the bed, albeit on top of the covers with the notebook resting on his long silk pajamas. He moved the cursor to the "Internet" thumbnail, and clicked; up came the full-screen browser. Naturally his homepage was a science magazine-site named "Creative Chemistry" and as it auto-directed there he began a sift through the day's articles, mumbling headlines to himself.

"Astronomers assign proper name to newest element on the periodic table... Professor Jean-Claude Therault of the University of Greater Paris discovers new phenomenon in distant pulsar... Radium can have practical applications in your doghouse, according to study..."

He went on this way, scanning the first line of heading after heading when a small window popped up on the screen. An instant messenger client, asking if he'd like to accept a message from a user with the screen name "Mobius_Strip94". He knew the man behind it, and as he clicked "Accept" he promptly squinted to aid his eyes' adjusting to the painful coloured fonts that his buddy utilized.

"Hey, long time no talk"the first message read.

"Yes, well onto two months", Iggy typed up. "My fault."

"Were you busy?"

"Very. Until days ago, mountains of lab work, but that's been sidelined. My family's experiencing trials like you wouldn't believe."

"I see. Well, glad you're here, something's come up."

"About your new job, I assume?" He had known Barkley - the real name behind that handle - for half a decade, and in that time he'd gone through a job every two months from the day they graduated middle school. They different high schools, but had never lost touch so long as they both had a working computer.

"No, smart guy" Barkley shot back. "I'm still a reporter for Grand Koopa Tech's campus paper. Wrap your brain around this... Investigating for some unrelated stories I somehow found out that your Dad's advisor Kamek has, get this, a personal site and blog."

"Incredible. Oh, and while I've thought of it, how are classes currently?"

"Good, for those of us non-geniuses, but ignore that." Iggy couldn't help his grin as he read the last of that line. "Anyway", Barkley ticked out, "What I turned up is BIG. You might wanna sit down before I give the link."

"I'm laying down", Iggy typed, "So send away."

Barkley pasted and sent the URL. He didn't hesitate at all before adding on more text. "What you'll read in there blows the lid off of... Well, you'll see. Some of it's in code, but for the most part he's pretty loose-lipped, maybe because it's private-invite only. Thank my knack at hacking. Try not to explode when you see him brag."

"Yeah, yeah." Iggy was now feeling tired, and hesitant to accept that what this contained was anything of substance. "I'll rummage through it in a few hours, I'm fading fast."

"Read it now, I'm dead serious. Just from scanning through it, there's parts you should know yesterday. Doesn't even touch how bad it gets."

"Swell, I appreciate the heads up. I'll give you feedback later."

Iggy didn't wait to see a reply before closing out the window and signing off the service. He already pasted the URL to his browser but hadn't yet pressed Enter. Feeling sleep overtaking him, he started to close it and shut down the laptop when he heard Larry's painful moans seep through the wall.

"Rest would be delicious for the both of us," he thought, "But if this has a thing to do with Larry - or anyone close by - screw that unaffordable risk."

As possibilities won over physical need, he highlighted the URL and Enter was pushed. After brief loading, it brought up an amateurish webscrawl with a long, rambling text wall. The background was uglier than Barkley's font, in some swooping manuscript. It was so visually painful as to tempt that he close it, until he read the first few lines.

They were all he needed to see. His eyes, which only moments before had gone lax, flew open as he threw himself out the door, notebook in hand, dashing for the throne room.

**************************************

Meanwhile at the hall of Iggy's destination, his father weighed down the throne sidled by an entourage of Shyguys. Two stood next to him holding plates of exotic fruit; two more stood behind fanning his back with fern fronds; a larger palm leaf would've dried out his scales. Another was blessed enough to have a job that allowed sitting, as he was stationed in a small desk-chair combo yards away carrying out duties as, oddly enough, a stenographer. It was unheard of in many circles for a king to have record of every word spoken by, to and around his majesty, but for the Koopa King it proved useful. Should he ever hear someone speak and not be deadly-sure of the content, at any point he could order this scribe to read it back... Or if he wanted an excuse to lock the 'culprit' away or send them to the chopping block he could nudge the Skyguy into twisting their words and accuse them of insolence or treason. To date many hundreds had been doomed this way, guards and townsfolk that fell out of favour, and a few carloads worth of political opponents that had come him with good will from neighboring nations. Any public outcry that resulted met his iron fist, and how it gripped the press, the military and all businesses licensed, large or small. His power was absolute. Not one endowed with any sense besmirched him within reach of his forces.

He was silent, enjoying the attention and fruit snacks when the jewel-studded double doors swung open, revealing Ludwig. The six permanent guards alongside the carpet-trail well-knew him, and stayed in their Buckingham-esque stances as he ran to his father's throne. The monarch grunted; used his hands to push himself upright, and smiled at the punctuality of a favourite son.

"Ah, Ludwig, I see you got my message. I assume it reached you before the servant I sent, as I gave him strict orders to return with you."

"Yes, Larry called and told zat you vanted to see me. Zis is ze first I've heard of a messenger."

"So I gather. He had to pass you on the way though, so seeing how he failed me either way the stocks should warm his wrists a few days. Forget him... Please, sit down, my son."

Out of nowhere, two Shyguys pushed a chair up inches behind Ludwig's calves, and he gently took a seat. Bowser indulged a moment to scratch his cheek, and then a Shyguy took this job over. He continued.

"Surely you're aware of the predicament Roy put on me, and the backlash I'm just waiting for." He paused to make sure Ludwig locked attention, and the nod from his son was sufficient. "Well, it's remedied, and I'll let Roy explain how I took care of it before he leaves. But in any case-"

"-Leaves? Vat do you mean-"

"-Ludwig, you know it's not wise to interrupt your king." The classic prince, now consternated at the news, knew to play as if relaxed. Bowser, due to this, did the same. "Back to our matter... The last thing I need is further disaster while I'm seeking damage control over Mario's appearance and these clusterfucks of his. But I already have another problem testing me." He paused, reached down beside his throne to the plate of fruit, took it from a trembling, scared Shyguy and held it towards Ludwig. "Hungry?"

"Oh, no thank you", he replied sheepishly. "Esmerelda and I vere sitting down to a late dinner."

"Ah. In that case, I won't delay." Making a liar of himself, he slowly handed the plate to the Shyguy and waited for him to grab it, then continued. "After you went upstairs tonight, Wendy received company, a boy my 'network' tells me is named Morie. Did you know of this?"

"No, she didn't keep me in zat loop. I've never met him."

"... Never heard of him either, I presume." Ludwig gulped, but the King bypassed more details there. "That's what worries me." He looked down as these words left him, indicatative of stress. "The only way I even found out he lives was from him having to be buzzed in, through my loyalists. If your sister won't see fit to tell me she's got strangers calling, there are private motivations at play, if you understand."

"I do, but... I'm not quite ready to accuse her of sneaking around with boys. Inside ze palace, I mean..."

Bowser sighed; his yellow fist propped up his jawside. "My son, her finding a squeeze of any kind behind my back is not the point. Of course I would like a few more years before I'm a grandfather - maybe some peace for that, with a dead plumber - but it's something I could deal with. It's him I don't trust, and that's why I'm asking this favour."

Ludwig nodded, wise to what 'asking' really meant. He hadn't any idea what his father could have him do about his sister's crush.

"I've heard that you and Esmerelda plan to be at the opening of the new gallery in Bainbridge on the south side, next week. It would help me greatly if you invite Wendy to accompany you."

Ludwig's mouth gaped. "But, I c-... King Dad, Esmerelda's looked forward to zat for months! She vants it as something for ze two of us, and it vould break her heart if ve lost zat option."

Ludwig's strong objections didn't faize his father.

"You're a man of discretion. I'm sure it occurs to you that sacrifices happen for the good of many things. I need Wendy busy for a while so I can pick apart this 'Morie' character. He could be a spy for the Mushroomites, and I need time to research. I'll also need you to ask as many questions to Wendy about her 'man' as you can. No doubt she has valuable info that would aid my determining his agenda."

Ludwig bolted up from his chair in a controlled rage. "I vill not interrogate my own sister! "

Bowser matched his actions with substantially more anger. "YOU WILL DO WHAT I COMMAND, AND THAT IS FINAL!!"

His son sat harshly back down, realizing the folly of standing up to Bowser. The latter, seeing this outburst retracted, calmed somewhat as he also retook his seat. "I trust we've laid these objections to rest?", he manipulated. Ludwig knew there was but one answer, and he responded with a weak, sincere "Of course".

Bowser smiled and leaned back in his throne. "Excellent. You may go, if you've nothing to discuss with me."

Ludwig shook his head, knowing he could never say what he wanted to at that moment. "I would rather meet my vife and fill my stomach."

He stood, more steady this time, and two Shyguys rushed up to pull his chair away. "I empathize," Bowser remarked. "Enjoy your meal."

Ludwig bowed to his king before turning to leave. Halfway back to the doors, he was stopped as Wendy practically burst through them, passing him with a look so cold and furied it could freeze blood. Seeing her speed and anger, the guards that had so quickly ignored Ludwig when he entered turned to menace her, ready to take action should the unthinkable happen.

"You- You MONSTER!!", she practically screamed, completely ignoring the fact of whom she'd addressed. Bowser sprang to his clawed feet.

"HOW DARE YOU-"

"-HOW DARE YOU!!!", Wendy shot back, matching his ire absolutely. "YOU HEARTLESS EXCUSE FOR A FATHER!! HOW COULD YOU PUT MORE STOCK IN YOUR IMAGE THAN YOUR OWN SON'S LIFE!!?"

Bowser, seething from her outburst, was caught off guard as he gathered she'd alluded to Roy and hadn't, as he thought at first, discovered his plans for keeping her detoured. This 'correction' was the one thing that bade him allow her continue.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'D PUT ROY IN THE LINE OF FIRE JUST TO GET HIM OUT OF YOUR HAIR!! YOU, YOU CALLOUS BASTARD!!"

Her painted nails were inside tight fists. Bowser, now aware of her positions, took his seat unceremoniously, replying with a tone unspurned and nearly blank expression. He knew Wendy wanted nothing more right now than to hurt him, and it was easy as pie to deny her way.

"I take it Roy told you all. I might have known he would, the only time he opens up is when shit befalls him he can't handle. And you don't help his case by screaming at me."

"Case!?" Wendy's famous temper enriched upon those words, and her subsequent observing that the six guards astride the carpet-lines were now circled around, their spears uniformly pointed to her hairline. "Call them off", she growled, the red lips belligerent. Bowser obliged, impatient as he waved them back to their original posts.

"I will speak now." he threatened, "I'm positive that the kindle for Roy's fate flew over many heads, not only yours, so I'll enlighten you."

"Oh, please do," Wendy went cattily.

Her father cast a chilly glare, but did as stated. "I've never talked of this, so pay attention. When I was close to your age I befriended a man who did - no, abused - every crutch known to history. Next to him Roy's a puppy, but their ways are identical... Arrogant, foolhardy, fine to recruit those around him to his life's descent."

He stopped to pick a grape-bunch from the plate still served to him. To their bewilderment he swallowed it whole, stems included. "As I was (burp) saying, he was Roy, only worse. Most nights would have him up well past dawn's light. His bottles were large, his joints dipped in opium. Anything from the kitchen stove to a book to a toilet lid could be a freebasing platform. A slave to everything, as much done at once as he could. Three times I remember getting called from the hospital, informing me his then-girlfriend walked in from her third-shift job to see him slumped on the floor with no pulse and rushed him to emergency care. where they jabbed him with adrenaline, needles straight into his heart. I'd never believe he survived all three times if I hadn't seen him after all three."

Wendy's eyes fluttered. Bad as Roy's benders went, he'd never shook hands with death.

"But, the roof over his head was his parents', and after looking the other way and keeping up support they decided enough was too much. A week after the third close call, I had to suffer through his sobbing, stammering that his father told him he'd either enlist in the forces or be kicked out forever. This 'callous' choice, this drop of the bottom out from under him, saved his life. Through weeks of basic they pounded in the discipline like with any recruit. The times he rebelled, they came down harsh, until he acted out as seldom as he partook. Out from boot camp and onto the battlefield, he was a wroughtiron soldier worth anyone's respect. He served out his time, returned home, found steady work and never touched narcotics for the rest of his days."

He paused, for effect, but Wendy took this doorway to retort. "That sounds like the perfect story, save for one thing: The world's worst addicts started IN the army. You can't tell me that six weeks of running through tires and peeling potato skins cured his dependence. Either he's superkoopa, or you're the biggest liar this side of Pipe World."

Bowser's face turned a marvellous crimson, but his temper he forewent. This only gave her more spunk as she continued, and Ludwig, still at the place he'd been when she burst in, remained fixed on the unfolding drama.

"And besides that, I'll bet your 'friend' was never put on the front lines, penniless, like you're doing to your son. You're killing the biggest reason for him not to sneak and desert, which we both know would be a cinch for him. And if he doesn't, and we go to war, he's almost guaranteed to be killed. I have to hand it to you, lying six feet under is a pretty good cure for addiction."

From this snide ender, Bowser took it no longer, and his finger shot in the direction of the door. "GET OUT OF MY CHAMBERS, BEFORE I SEND YOU TO OUT TO JOIN HIM!!"

Wendy's own rabidity fought his. "WHY!!? WON'T IT BE EASIER TO JUST CALL YOUR GUARDS BACK OVER AND HAVE THEM ALL IMPALE ME AT ONCE!!? OR MAYBE YOU'D LIKE ME TO CLIMB THE CASTLE AND JUMP OFF!!! I'M SURE THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR FUCKING DAY!!"

Bowser was as keen as his daughter's siblings were that curses wouldn't often cross her lips, and once again surprise gained her the upper hand.

"YOU'VE NEVER LOVED ME OR ANY OF US!! YOU JUST KEEP US AROUND BECAUSE YOU'RE SO DAMN STOKED ABOUT YOUR PUBLIC IMAGE THAT YOU CAN'T BRING YOURSELF TO MURDER US LIKE YOU DO EVERYONE ELSE THAT WON'T AGREE WITH YOU TO HELL AND BACK!!!"

The reptilian king went so incredibly disturbed he couldn't even yell, and only replied in a low growl through gritted teeth. "Unless you want me to make an exception, I suggest you get scarce. Right. Now."

Wendy corked her further aggression, having lost the will to even think he existed, and turned to leave as quick as she'd entered, stomping out the double doors and leaving Ludwig as still witness of the whole thing. Nothing left his mouth as he watched the doors slam closed; though he turned to his father when the latter addressed him, the fires in his belly having left with its cause.

"She'll be the death of me one day, I know it. Don't listen to her harping, Ludwig, it's a wading-pool of a guilt trip to try and have Roy stay."

Ludwig nodded, being better than stupid. "I know. She may hate you, but your temper is hers."

Bowser sighed. "It hurts to agree. Why be that way, instead of... Why not sweet and peacible?"

Ludwig thought of only one reply. "Ze voman ve're thinking of, she never got to know."

His deadpan truth brought mist to Bowser's eyes. "You're my clarity, Ludwig. I'm sure had your mother lived and saw her to adulthood, she'd be very far from what we saw tonight." His tenderness was brief, and the tremble in his voice flattened, changing topics. "I'll deal with her later, constructively. Go and have a quiet eve with your wife, this fiasco has kept you long enough."

Ludwig bowed and went to leave, again, but hardly got any further when the doors flew open, this time to Iggy carrying his notebook. "Dad! ", he yelled, breathless as he passed his eldest brother, "You have to see something now. It's an emergency!"

"Ugh, how many times will I be barged in on tonight!?" Bowser's headspace deteriorated, but hearing Iggy call this an emergency the flare-up could wait. "Very well. But make it quick, whatever it is. My day's rest is dwindling."

Iggy nodded, and opened his notebook. "An acquaintance of mine in college contacted me with a link containing valuable information about a certain someone, in the form of his private blog. I only scanned the first few paragraphs of the latest entry, but there's indelible proof in that alone that your 'trusted advisor' deals in shadows, including plots to overthrow you."

A collective gasp, from among the surrounding servants. Bowser only shook his head. "Iggy, I thought better of you, but you've proved me wrong."

"Wh-what do you mean?", he asked weakly.

"What I mean," the reptilian king replied, "Is that you slander my most valuable ally. Whatever's on that confounded thing is a pack of lies, it's what you find on the internet to start with. Kamek has been in my camp long before you or your brethren were even thought of. He's a shield against shady dealings, in directives from me. I won't EVER have his name dragged through the mud, even by my own."

"But," Iggy fiercely contested as he flipped open the notebook's screen, "Everything on here was written by Kamek himself! He has pictures and info about himself that can't be contested, and-"

"ENOUGH!!" Bowser roared. "You know as well as I that you have no concrete proof. He's innocent and you're courting treason. If you don't go and take your lies with you, I'll throw you out myself! "

"Dad... I don't care. If you would only look-"

This, interrupted by yet another entrance. All looked to see who now dropped in; they were greeted by none other than a genial Kamek.

"I come bearing good news, your highness", he hissed. "I see you have company, so I'll wait, if you so desire."

Iggy's heart sank. There was no way to let the cat out of the bag now, and all hope now targeted if his father wouldn't mention what went down.

"Nothing doing," Bowser replied. "News from you takes precedence over all, and I'm sure whatever it is can be known by them as well."

Iggy saw the glare from his father, pronounced and brief. His own eyes reverted from the King back to Kamek, where he was immediately aware of the magikoopa's focus: on his computer. He looked down, and had he less courage he likely would have screamed.

He'd not flipped the screen back down after all this hubbub, and the blog was clear to view on the display. He knew that even if Bowser's advisor couldn't read from a distance, he'd certainly recognize the background. His horror was confirmed as the magikoopa grinned, too wide for something natural.

"Actually", Kamek continued, "It might be advisable to wait for slimmer company. I carry news somewhat... Confidential."

The way he accented the final word sent chills up Iggy's spine. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt; this enemy guessed everything.

Bowser, outside of this loop, had no qualms to Kamek's motivations. "As you wish." He turned to his sons. "I ask that you leave for now. If you wish to talk further, Ludwig, or if you find a better reason to request my ears, Iggy, you'll need to wait until this plays out. Am I clear?"

Iggy looked down, his spirit crushed. "Yes." he mumbled, and moped away. Ludwig said the same less-dejectedly, curious of Kamek's suggesting solace, and started out as well.

"One moment, Ludwig," Bowser wedged in, his eldest son stopping. "I have one thing for you before you may go."

He smiled as his son stood in wait for his reply. "You are my eldest and my heir, so I may as well voice this before the day comes that you're in my seat. There are two types of kings: Those who make popular decisions, and those who make effective rulers. I know you'll take to that, and do well." He lifted his hand lazily. "Dismissed."

"Yes, dad. Goodnight." He commenced exiting, hearing his father yell "Goodnight", before the chamber was finally behind him.

He headed back upstairs when he saw Iggy in his path, yards from where ejected. "Are you gonna stand zere and vait for zem?" he joked, elbowing Iggy in the ribs. The brother scowled and looked away.

"He didn't give me a chance." Iggy muttered. His scowl eroded as he turned to Ludwig. "It's all the truth. This find strips the masking tape from plots I never imagined, and not a bit of it Dad knows. The slightest fraction would change his tune."

Ludwig wore sincerity. "Iggy, I've never know you to fib. I'm sure you're in ze right, but you know how he is about Kamek. Zat link is above all else. You might as vell argue to a brick wall." He paused as Iggy dropped eyes; the right palm of the eldest prince went to the scientist's shoulder. "I'm interested in vat it says, if you're villing to show me."

Iggy flashed a brief smile; but it went melancholy as he looked to've made some snap-decision in the intervening change. "No, I think I'll tuck myself in. I can worry about what hell I've unleashed upon myself tomorrow."

Ludwig took his hand, and in his own swift decision, pulled it as he walked upstairs.

"Wait," Iggy protested as his brother's grip held firm, "Where are you taking me?"

"Up to ze loft.", Ludwig answered. "You've piqued my interest vith zat, and you don't fool me, you need for bodies to listen." Iggy no longer resisted, and as Ludwig slacked his grip the younger continued on with him.

"You're sure that Esmerelda won't mind my unannounced intrusion?"

"If she does, she'll hear from me zat it's urgent. I sort of need vords vith you anyvay."

"Well... As a matter of fact... I did notice that you seemed profoundly sanguine earlier, in the living room awaiting her. Does it involve that?"

"Somevat", Ludwig replied. "You'll know ze rest ven ve're situated. Just bring your stomach, you know how she is on cooking portions."

***************************************

"I can't BELIEVE he sank to this! "

Wendy felt the push to scream, more than she had in ages. Wished for emotional release, but also knew how daft it would be to yell from her diaphragm in the bow of a castle never empty. As she stomped through the causeways back to her room, hers was a goddess's restraint, stress kept to a low murmur.

"It's unheard of. Any grown man, let alone a king, knows that you can't punish a druggie by putting him in mortal danger. If he shakes the habits and goes through anything like Larry is right now, he'll be no use to a platoon, and God forbid he gets a hold of even some of the crap while he's on active duty. He's liable to make a gun-mistake and kill himself, or an accident with explosives that could wipe out tens of soldiers, hundreds. AND himself. It's the stupidest idea since disc golf."

She was still brewing when she reached her bedroom, turned the knob and flung it open.

The surprise waiting behind it calmed her almost fully; her face lit up as she said a single name.

"Haley!"

She'd been primping at Wendy's vanity - her own lip gloss and powder brush - and as the princess came in she giggled to view the reaction. She and the two met in plutonic embrace.

"Girl, what are you up to?", Wendy giggled as they mutually let go.

Haley twirled a lock of her hair playfully. "Jack squat, that's what. I was so bored tonight I wanted to sleep for twenty hours, but then I knew I hadn't seen you in a week, and thought 'why not stop over and bug you for a while?' " Her voice was petite to match her frame, infused with vaguely south-Cali' accent.

"It's about time!", Wendy nudged, and they both took a seat knees-together on the foot of the bed. "You're a godsend. I was flipping out after Daddy's... Being Daddy I guess."

"Oh, what happened?"

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Where do I start. Roy got in deep dookie in Deerfield when he was in his 'clouds', and Daddy's penance for him was to be an army grunt, unpaid, and stuck right where he's expendible. I went to confront him about it and he made this long, rambling speech about an old buddy that he got the idea from. Like that made it a good excuse."

Haley's jaw dropped in turn. "That's like, seriously screwed up. Does your Dad... No offense to who he is, but does he think much ahead about these things?"

"Yeah, that's the problem", Wendy sighed. "He thinks a whole lot, in terms of public relations. If he even starts to judge something bad for his image, whatever it is has to die, or change, or both. I'm afraid he won't change his mind. Roy will end up on the front lines..." She trailed out by the lump in her throat.

"Hey," Haley whispered, stroking Wendy's back to comfort her, "He'll snap out of it. It'll hit how stupid sending Roy away would be, he does have a brain."

Wendy shook her head. "Not Daddy. Not ever. Once he makes up his mind, you'd have to hypnotize him to even make a dent."

"Tch, join the club.", Haley commented, sweeping air with her fingers. "You know my pop's the same way."

"Not like this, though. And yours doesn't hold lives in the palm of his hands."

"Yeah, fair enough." She decided towards distraction. "Hey, are you okay with this new top? I got it at Runyan's for, like, seven dollars."

It was hot pink with white embroidery that read "Team Pitt." Wendy's eyebrow raised as she read it.

"Is that supposed to be a take on the 'Team Jolie' and 'Team Aniston' fad?"

"Yeah. This one's got it right, why choose? There's one thing that matters." She giggled as she turned to show Wendy the back. It was a pic of Brad ringed by roses.

Wendy shook her head as Haley turned back around. "Leave it to you, Haley."

Haley laughed briefly. "I have a goal, and it's to kidnap Angie and throw her off a bridge. I'll even raise their city of babies."

This made them both bust out in laughter, healthy and long. Wendy fell back on the bed in giggles. They regained their wit, and her smile tarried, but faded as the troubles did also.

"I wish I could be myself tonight," She went candidly, the point very evident to Haley. "But there's too much up in the air. I'll toss and turn all night."

"Oh...", Haley replied, conscious of how deeply she hurt. "It is a bad time, I can go back home and stop over in a day or two. This'll be cleared up by then." Her condfidence was strong as steel, invented or not.

Wendy's face, blank and thoughtful, now tightened up in the birth of weeping. She practically fell upwards and into Haley's arms, and the latter held her for minutes as she sobbed, shoulders pivoting to rout her pain.

"I'll... I'll be okay, it's just a family storm." She managed herself, sweeping hair aside as she leaned out of Haley's arms. "You're right and I'm glad."

"Yeah. Rest will do you good. Listen, we can get together for skating this weekend. My treat?"

"Maybe." Wendy's voice was climbing back to normalcy. "Hey, I almost forgot! Morie stopped by today."

Haley cringed at his name. "What did he want?"

Wendy laughed, drying the last tears. "Gee, tell me how you really feel."

Haley shook her head. "He's cute, but I'm not impressed."

"Well he was into me... You weren't impressed or pressed." Wendy's brutal jab at Haley won her a playful push back, and both chuckled. "Anyway", she continued, "We probably won't see more of him for a while. I think I scared him off."

"You've done that to every beau since Andrew. You should take it slower, ya fiend."

"Forget you!", Wendy shot back in jest. "If you must know, I wasn't even thinking about... That. I just showed him around here, and got a little carried away."

"You like, showed him the guest room, didn't you?" Haley grinned widely.

Wendy smiled and glanced away, stars in her wet eyes. "Someday I'll share it with a husband, and our kids can have this room."

"Then let's hope you have no more than two. Unless you come to hate them."

Wendy laughed. This was why Haley was her BFF; always good for support and the wackier fringe.

"Look at me", the princess remarked. "I say I'm tired but here I sit, goofy as you."

"Well," Haley submitted as she rose up, "I'll do the right thing, since if I don't I'll never get out of here."

Wendy followed suit, and the two hugged tightly. "Call me", Haley said as she secured the doorknob. "You totally should go this weekend, so this place can't get under your skin."

"Yeah, truer words..." Wendy agreed. "I still have your digits, unless they changed."

"Nope, the same." Haley opened the door and started to leave. "Don't forget", she added, stopping in the doorway, "You're always welcome at my house, if you, like, need a breather any sooner. Just tell me and you'll be there faster than you can say 'Daddy's cuckoo.'"

Wendy smiled. "I'll keep that open. Bye."

"Bye." Haley softballed, closing the door behind her.

Wendy stared emptily after for many breaths, then disembarked her bed to pull down the sheets. As she laid under them, fully clothed, lights on, she looked across the room at her vanity, and the lip gloss tube and phone sitting atop it. What had been forgotten, and why, meant the world to her.

*****************************************

For the future ruling couple's female half, nights were something of a rush as she hurried to prepare things how her husband most looked forward to... One day, when queen-consort, she'd still perish the thought of having others tend this. Tonight, however, was a madder scramble, as she'd started late from the show's ending well past dark. As she dashed from table to countertop, removed the roast from heat, set it up, arranged the silver and napkins, she hummed a tune, one her grandmother handed down before she even got her first hairbows. Soon, the ditty turned into an all-out sing, and words did wonders to ease the solo fracas. Sounds were sweet, somewhat reminiscent of Gaelic folk.

"O, father's in town, selling barley;

And mother is down with a cold;

My brother, he slumbers quite soundly;

And grandfather, well, he's just old."

A smile crossed her lips as the last line hit. In her youth, she never latched onto why her grandmother taught it, or why she always stopped there and then sang the rest; it only occured to her at the start of dating. A whimsical jab at her own grandfather, too funny to be cruel. Or, alternately, too on-the-nose to crack her up.

No sooner had she finished the arrangements when she heard a knock. She'd gone back to humming by the time she reached the door, but it stopped when she saw she had groom and company.

"I brought a squatter vith me", Ludwig quipped, Iggy behind him.

"Squatter's right, with no notice." She play-scolded as they marched in and her husband led his brother straight to dining room. "It's a good thing I didn't slip into duds more comfortable for you", she called out after Ludwig.

A few words, someincidental movement and they soon were all three seated at the table. The food lay steaming, but Iggy's notebook he opened straightaway and the start-up screen gave its noise cues.

"Pardon, but would someone mind informing me what's going on?", Esmerelda said, irked at this and Ludwig's lack of reaction. Seeing the savory meat perilously close to electronics, she didn't wait for her spouse's reply before grabbing mitts and moving the sizeable main course to the countertop.

"Love, I didn't have time to coerce you," Ludwig appealed, "But Iggy claims this as important, and Father vouldn't let him be heard, so I told him he could show us. If it's bad like he made it sound, I'd have an easier time convincing Dad zan Iggy vould, sorry to say."

"Yes, always the plan-favourite", Iggy joked. "And I'm sorry too, Esmerelda, I know I'm distant in the question of... A lot, but my time's held hostage. I mean to improve on that, and not just for the developments."

"Really?", Esmerelda put on a kind face. "Well to construct bonds starts here, where you eat. There's plenty to pass around."

"Oh, no thank you. I can't late at night, it feeds heartburn more than me. Smells marvelous, though."

"It's better zan zat," Ludwig interjected, all-smiles at his patient bride. "Everything from her I can't deserve. I pledged myself to a four-star chef."

She wore a look of 'Yeah, right', as Iggy turned the notebook to where both he and Ludwig could lay their eyes. "There", he stated victoriusly. "Look for yourself. Everything on here is his, and as far as I can spot no one else save for Barkley has accessed it. He's quite the talented hacker, he bypassed the encryption for this and it's not basic. Makes me wonder why Kamek bothered to create it if he never intended readership."

"Maybe he vants an outlet of some sort," Ludwig hypothesized as he scanned the title and menu. "Sometimes people are egotists behind glass valls, because it's an easy vay to keep a record of thoughts and such no one needs to see, and zere's some risk involved. A thrill, portioned out."

"... Intuitive, I hadn't thought of that. In any case, his problems are ours. Read the first entry out loud... My apologies again, Esmerelda."

She scowled a hair, but silently. Ludwig cleared his throat... She was still put off, but inquisitive, and leaned down to see what he would say. The content read as follows, and of course Ludwig lent his accent to the full recital.

September 4th, 1200 hours.

Today, Lord Bowser gave the order to locate Morton, inkeeping with his plan to reunify. Although I cannot imagine what reason he would have to find the son that left despising him and wanting to vanish, mine is not to question. Acquiring leads proved much easier than expected... Anyone that has seen a koopa with a huge star birthmark over his eye would recall the when and where.

"That doesn't come off so threatening," Ludwig observed. "Sounds like Dad vants ze same thing Larry vanted, or lied to Kamek so he vould help?"

"I think not. Why believe his are the same motives as Larry. He's more likely to want the feel of control."

"I think you assume too much", Ludwig cast doubt, defending their parent.

"I'd be in your camp if there weren't more. Read on." Ludwig did as he was told.

Within the hour, I located him outside 'Dushu', some manner of upscale youth-chic eatery on the south side. I didn't dare approach and be seen, but from my observation point at a tree across the street I saw him in the company of a tall male commoner, together at a patio table, enjoying drinks and talk of things I could guess, from the manner they leaned into one another.

Ludwig's brow furrowed. What Kamek insinuated was clear, and there were obvious things about Morton's private life he'd not exactly put to rest in meetings of late. If Ludwig had been close to stopping, he wasn't now, and Iggy smiled to know he'd have his moment. The heir-prince continued, wife still over his shoulder with equal interest.

I'm typing as I sit at my aforementioned vantage point. From here, it's a matter of tailing him back to where he resides. I can only wager that this muscled unknown rooms with him, but I shall soon know. I simply wish that his lordship could accompany me, as I am quite proud of my work and good fortune in this.

Ludwig leaned back in his chair, his jaw open slightly. "Zis is bad.", he admitted, as Iggy nodded. "It means Dad sees us in a way zat von't exclude meddling. I never thought I'd see ze day when my father vas one for such distrust."

"Not only that", Esmerelda added, "But his right-hand sorcerer plays right along. He sees no harm in what he's doing."

Iggy leaned up before interjecting. "True, whatever Dad's intentions are, they can't be good, but it doesn't touch the worst. Scroll down to the entry for August twenty-ninth. It's the part I told you we decoded."

"Why don't you?", Ludwig suggested. "You're ze computer viz."

The spectacled prince complied, sliding the laptop to where all three could read it. A mere few moments of scrolling before he found it, and he began the deciphering.

August 29th, 1900 hours

Tonight begins the Festival Of the Eight Seals, and my brethren have selected me to lead the celebration. One hour remains to the reading of The Sier, and I must be sharp to recite from its pages with clarity. I shudder to think of what befalls me should my tongue stumble. They would shed their loyalty and be upon me like mad dogs for desecrating the scripts.

Ludwig's eyes widened. "You said zat vas in code?"

Iggy nodded. " I think so. I've never heard of a sier, or a festival of the eight seals. I can't imagine what else it would be."

Esmerelda scowled. "Could be that it's a society, or... A cult. Kamek is a Magikoopa, it's common among them. Rituals connected to anything."

Iggy froze. "Oh my God... I hadn't gone this far-"

"Vat? Vat is it?"

"-If that and this are true, I just pieced out rest of that entry..." He quickly and purposefully finished reading the rest aloud.

But if I do well in the expectations laid down by the ancients, I have been promised the Obelisk, and its power. The only clause is how I must remove those standing in my way before potential is realized. I have already picked a date in which to accomplish this...

Iggy cut the last word short and looked up at Ludwig with an expression of great concern.

"That," Ludwig added, worried, "Sounds like... He plots the unspeakable..."

"And the Obelisk might be... But if he has to remove... Oh my God... Oh my God..." He clenched his head in hands. "We need this downstairs to Dad, now."

"... Pray zat Kamek's left by now... And zat he's unalert..." They both stood in unison, started for the door, forgetting the roast that still lay hot. As they neared the door Ludwig felt a tug on his arm.

"You're not going alone", his wife stated. "I saw every line you did, I'm a part of this the same as you. And if he turned Iggy away, how much help will it take to erode him."

Ludwig hesitated, but knew to give and bring her along as they left the lonely roast. Iggy's speech wafted pitch as feet pounded their descent to the throne room.

"I don't want to jinx us, but I hope you can take a blowup of dynamite proportions. Whether Kamek's there or not, I fear he knows what I've discovered."

"Perfect", Ludwig groaned. "Vy can't anything be easy vith our family?"

No more was said as they marched to Bowser's quarters, Ludwig leading and Esmerelda loyally behind, Iggy as caboose. Dinner was postponed, but it freshly didn't matter. They headed for what would amount to the mother of all showdowns.

To be continued...