[center][img]https://www.mariowiki.com/images/thumb/b/b2/Koopa_Troop_artwork.png/658px-Koopa_Troop_artwork.png[/img]
[h2][color=FD0000]The Koopa Troop[/color][/h2]
[b][color=FD0000]wordcount:[/color][/b] 1,018(+2) 
[b][color=FD0000]Bowser: Level 6 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=FD0000]/////////////////[/color]//////////////////////////////////////////// (17/60)
Stress: 45/100
[b][color=SpringGreen]Bowser Jr: Level 5 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=SpringGreen]////////[/color]//////////////////////////////////////// (8/50)
Stress: 88/100
[b][color=DeepSkyBlue]Kamek: Level 5 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=DeepSkyBlue]//////////////[/color]/////////////////////////////////////(14/50)
Stress: 85/100
[b][color=FD0000]Location:[/color][/b] Ancestral Farmstead, the Land of Adventure
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The troop where mostly quiet throughout the journey back to town, Bowser and Kamek both loath to awaken the sleeping jr. There were two exceptions to this self imposed restful silence. The first was Bowser’s repeated summoning of Heel the Rabbit supporter striker to heal both himself and anyone else who still had lingering injuries. While Heel was not the most potent of healers the party had ever had by summoning the Rabbid every time they recharged Bowser was able to patch up everyone over the course of the ride without them using more healing items. 

The other was Kamek quietly telling the Ace cadet how to get monster parts after the hunter had complained about their quarry turning to dust upon death. [color=DeepSkyBlue]”You need to be much more surgical in your attacks if you want to get pieces off of them before they disintegrate. One of the quests we did earlier today involved carving meat from far less dangerous beasts even that required such skill and precision that we had to hire a huntress to do that part of the quest for us. In a fight like that one we just had trying to kill it in such a way as to be able to retrieve its parts could have been detrimental to our ability to actual win to potentially a disastrous degree, or so I believe.[/color] he explained. 

Eventually the team rolled into town and received a subdued hero’s welcome from the locals after they dismounted. The king and mage briefly shook of their fatigue as they marched through the crowds with straight backs and false confidence while Jr continued to dozen in Bowser’s reacquired hat. 

[color=FD0000]”YEAH WELL THAT’S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM THE BEST!”[/color] Bowser boasted with forced bravado when the Houndmaster expressed amazement at their success. Later in their room at the in however, after jr had been tucked in, Kamek confronted the unspoken truth to his King.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”That was far too close. We almost died.”[/color] he admitted as the two elder koopas prepared to camp down for the night. [color=DeepSkyBlue]”And it wasn't even our confrontation the area’s guardian.”[/color]

[color=FD0000]”Eh...”[/color] Bowser began doubtfully before he processed the second half of his royal advisor’s statement [color=FD0000]”Wait. What? It wasn't?”[/color] 

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”I do not believe so. You described to me a healing pulse that purified all in Peach’s castle, including myself and the young master, when your doppelganger was defeated. There was no such pulse after that battle.”[/color] Kamek replied

[color=FD0000]”Gah. Well if it’s not that then what is it?”[/color] Bowser grumbled quietly.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”I do not know. That’s something to be investigated in the morning. What I do know is that we need to be stronger before we face it, whatever it may be. And this strange world has a way of gaining power, we just need to take the leap and start using it to its fullest potential.”[/color]

Bowser grumbled skeptically as he brought up one of the jars filled with husk spirits and shook the contents about a bit. [color=FD0000]”I mean yeah. Maybe. But I have taste. And these weirdos aren't it.”[/color] he said, sticking his tongue out in disgust as he caught sight of the Thing from Beyond the Stars spirit floating among the rest.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”Well maybe not those. I suspect that might be detrimental or even dangerous to our mental states. But it could be worth keeping an eye out for strong creatures in this land and seeking them out specifically to gain their powers. A touch of preparation now could make all the difference down the line”[/color] Kamek suggested. 

Bowser was unwilling to commit to more monster hunting, but Jr, who had been woken by his guardians discussion despite their care and had listened to the rest of it while pretending to be asleep, was far more receptive to the idea. 

[hr]

The trio slept through the night with only the brief interruption by bad dreams about being the COO of a videogame company and other such stress induced terrors and awoke the next day as ready to face the day as they could hope to be after such a harrowing evening. After wandering over to Mina’s restaurant for a hearty breakfast (paid for with rupees this time) which improved their moods somewhat. After explaining to a few of the townsfolk where the land of the dead was and how a bunch of people had gotten from there to here via the glowing machine on the back of the Bowser mobile the troop headed for the guild hall. 

There they found the Guildmaster talking with Peach and attempting to wrangle his way out of paying them their well earned quest reward. His attitude had taken quite a turn around from the cheerful one of the previous day, but rather than worry about the whys of this shift in attitude Bowser simply saw an opportunity to show off in front of the Princess.

[color=FD0000]”WELL THEN WHAT DO YOU CALL THIS THEN!”[/color] Bowser interjected triumphantly as he plonked a jar full of spirits onto the counter. After a few moments of Bowser standing there smugly jr pointed out that it wasn't at all clear that the Brachydios was in the spirit stuffed jar. In response Bowser assured everyone that it was before picked up the jar, going over to a table and then dumped all of the spirits from the jar onto it. Then after a few moments searching he dumped the other jars of spirits onto it as well, producing a convenient pile for anyone on the team to pick sprites from later. After a few moments of searching by the troop the Brachydios sprite was retrieved by Kamek and presented for the Guild Master to see. 

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”I should think this is proof enough.”[/color] Kamek stated calmly while Bowser insisted that [color=FD0000]”YEAH SEE. TOLD YOU IT WAS IN THERE!”[/color]

While the others bothered the Guild master and Peach Jr plonked himself on a stool by the spirits and stared hateful at the dead things while flitting between thinking about what he could do/hunt to get stronger and dismissing his schemes as hopeless endeavors that would never get him anywhere.