Chapter 42: Tiny Troopers

"WHAT is taking so long? Let's go!" Bowser's voice boomed over the hallways as his servants ran around in a hurry and panic. "WHERE is the girl? I've got Toad, but why is Toadette not with her?" A Koopa hurriedly ran up to his lord to answer him.

"Sir, I don't know for sure, but we've received reports that Pom Pom is out looking for her."

"Oh, so you're putting the blame on Pom Pom, now are you?" Bowser shot back, whirling around to face him. "Alright. Keep tabs on it and tell me about any new information, understand? I want her here!" he told the Koopa, who nodded spontaneously. Bowser stomped away down the hall, where sounds of fright could be heard as more servants dared to look at his menacing figure. Meanwhile, down in the cell, another underling descended into the lower deck to check on the captured fungus. The patter of his feet on the creaking stairs produced an eerie noise throughout the dungeon.

"Hey..." A timid voice echoed as the footsteps got closer.

"I'm still down here." Toad responded without even knowing who it was or looking any other direction but the back wall. "You can leave now."

"No, no..." the green-shelled Koopa responded quietly, creeping closer to the cell. "I just came to check on you."

"What on earth for?" Toad asked him softly. "I'm already dead anyway. Aren't you guys going to kill me in the morning?"

"Well... that's what we were going to do, yes-" The Koopa started, but Toad cut him off.

"Then that's it. I'm just your prisoner of war now, really. You kill me and the war is over. I don't understand why you don't just do it already." Toad shot back, huffing and still gazing at the back stone wall, counting the bricks to entertain himself.

"Actually, I take it back." The Koopa told him. "That's what Bowser was going to do. We were going to support him, but..." he trailed off. "He's just been too insane lately for any of us to care about his motives."

"Wait, huh?" This made Toad whirl around to look at the Koopa face to face. "You guys are... against him? Then why-"

"Bowser's threatened us all with death if we didn't. The army you're facing right now on this airship is almost a third of us. The other two-thirds are in the sprawling dungeon back home." The Koopa explained, forlorn. "Including my parents." He added on quickly.

"So... what are you trying to say to me?" Toad asked him matter-of-factly.

"Bowser is treating us like we're his servants. And, I mean, we are, but not like this. He treats us like we're disposable weapons, that we can die without any care in the world about what happens afterward, to our friends, to our families." The Koopa told him, gesturing with his tiny hands. He paced a few more steps towards Toad and turned around. "Look." He wedged his shell in between the bars of the cell. Toad crawled towards him to look. There were thick black markings toward the upper right of it, contrasting heavily with the verdant green.

"What's that?" Toad asked curiously but with a hint of fear in his voice.

"Claw markings. Bowser slashed me when I tripped up a few months ago. Good thing I hid in my shell, or else I was... I was a goner." He explained sadly, taking his shell out of the bars with a grunt of effort.

"I mean, I knew Bowser was insane already." Toad affirmed.

"So, if you want to hear our plan, I'll be glad to explain." The Koopa said.

"Wait, you guys have a plan? We don't have enough time for this. I'll be executed tomorrow!" Toad raised his voice but was met with a mighty shush by the Koopa. "Sorry." He whispered.

"Well, it's not really our plan. It's Bowser's seconds in command: Petey Piranha and Gooper Blooper. They made a peace treaty and are passing it around the ship as we speak. I already signed it." He explained.

"How is that going to help?" Toad asked. "How do we know that Bowser isn't going to just rip it up when he sees it?" He pressed.

"Yeah... that's the problem." the Koopa hung his head.

"See?" Toad threw his hands up in exasperation. "Even when you guys make plans, they're out of the blue and you're not even sure if they work." he told him.

"Do you have any better ideas?" The Koopa asked calmly, and for once Toad was speechless and provided no response. "Look... Sorry if that sounded harsh." He apologized, leaning in close. "But the reality is this is the only plan we got. And I don't know about you, but I'd rather try and save your damn life and all of ours than let Bowser have his way. Wouldn't you?" He asked, and Toad nodded his head slowly.

"I'll be back in the evening to let you know how it goes." The Koopa concluded, turning away and walking down the piped hall, while Toad ran to the bars.

"Hey, wait!" He called, and the Koopa turned around. "What's your name?"

"Just Koopa. Koopa Troopa. I know, generic. But hey, it's the only name I got." He shrugged, continuing to meander down the hall. "Stay safe!" He called in the distance before disappearing up the ladder, the pattering of his feet on the steel echoing through the corridor.

To be continued...