[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] 880 (+2) [b][color=FD0000]Bowser: Level 10 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=FD0000]////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (107/100) [b][color=SpringGreen]Bowser Jr: Level 8 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=SpringGreen]///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (120/80) [b][color=DeepSkyBlue]Kamek: Level 9 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=DeepSkyBlue]//////////////////////////////////////////////[/color]////////////////////////////////////////////(47/90) [b][color=FD0000]Location:[/color][/b] Bottomless Sea – Carcass Isle Feat: Rika [/center] As the body of the beached beast began to decay and the least threat was dealt with, it was time to start covering their slain flows into power and resources for use on the road ahead. Jr scooped up one of the mundane murlocs and raised it up above his head, calling a swarm of their spirits into the first and taking them all on as another striker mob for his growing legions. Kamek meanwhile took 4 of the luminous ones and crushed them for materials, fishing for magic trinkets, useful do-dads and tricks he could fit up his sleeves while Rika did the same with a pair of the diseased ones. Then, finally, once the others were done scavenging the body of Scylla and it had rotted into ash, Bowser stomped into the fading soot of the titan’s body and then crouched down to pick up her glowing spirit. [color=FD0000]”You might have been a stupid monster, fighting me when I tried to help, but you where strong, so you get the honer of fighting for me”[/color] he told it simply, before then turning and moving on from another failure. He was, after all, incredibly used to them. [color=SpringGreen]”Then just don't cast magic on him then. Whatever it's his loss”[/color] Jr was saying to Kamek when the king rejoined the rest of the troop. [color=DeepSkyBlue]”But I just don't understand what the problem is?” [/color] Kamek replied, finding himself more frustrated than he felt like he should be about being more or less unable to help Ace anymore, at least directly. Frustrated enough to talk about it to the unsympathetic ear that was Jr anyway. Rika at least tried to answer the question, suggesting that “Saying a bunch of words and then suddenly having a big Bowser is kinda unnatural tho, right? Maybe he just finds it spooky” [color=DeepSkyBlue]”It’s not unnatural! It’s magic, there's nothing more natural than magic. It's a part of everything and everyone”[/color] the mage replied, doing the inconsiderate thing and making this about him not Ace. [color=FD0000]”Can it Kamek”[/color] Bowser told him, before pointing all of their attention towards the Hat wearing kid was pointing down the well [color=FD0000]”you can complain after we get out of this rain”[/color] he said, the king just assuming that there was more stuff down there than just a water source, as if it was a warp pipe to an underground area. Sure enough, one look down found them a rickety ladder leading into some kind of cavern system, though out of all of them only Rika had to use the ladder, which involved removing her gun gauntlets and strapping them to her back so she could actually handle the descent properly. As she climbed own in the middle of the group (so she wouldn’t be left vulnerable while taking the gauntlets on r off at either top or bottom side) Kamek and Jr simply hovered down into the underground, while Bowser took one look at the ladder and flicked on a lucky bell, before cat claw sliding down the inside of the well. The underground they found was no 1-2. Instead it was just as dank and wretched as the rest of the island had been but [color=FD0000]”Hey, at least we’re out of the rain”[/color] Most of everyone was more than happy to take advantage of that. Kamek shook off his bedraggled robes and then gratefully accepted a close brush with Bowser’s firebreath if it meant warming up and drying off a bit, after which Rika and anyone else who wanted to take turns did so as well. Jr meanwhile took a moment to upend his clown car in-order to tip the pool of water that had formed at his feet out of it. They all felt a bit better after that, and Kamek found his frustration with Ace dropping away as he warmed up and dried out. He was still confused, but he now remembered that now wasn't the time or the place for dealing with whatever that guy’s deal was. Once everyone was ready the troop moved on once more, skimming on or above the shallow water that was apparently inescapable in this place. After a bit of marching they suddenly exited the natural cave and instead entered a more artificial place akin to the rotting village above, just buried underground. Most of it was just dank and dreary, but the massive pit below the structures held another lovely horror, or rather a multitude of them, namely piles and piles of sea slugs and some humanoid looking ones that certainly went no [url=https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/mario/images/6/60/Female_Bublainian.JPG]Bubblainian[/url]. Blazermate wanted to, of all things, go down and zombify them all. [color=FD0000]”If you wanna be stuck here all day, then sure, we can do that. But I don't know about you, but I’m sick of this place”[/color] Bowser replied [color=FD0000]”And sick of hauling this busted airship around too”[/color] [color=DeepSkyBlue]”If they are useful in a fight then I would not want to tangling with all of them at all to be honest”[/color] Kamek pointed out, before sending the three non lantern carrying toadies and his clones forwards to see if they where, and also to give the branching paths a bit of a scout to see if any where faster, safer or more interesting than the rest. “Do you think you could get that dispenser thing out for a bit while we work out how we are getting around? I’d like to stock up on ammo if we’re getting close to the big nasty of this place” Rika asked Blazermate as Kamek’s expendable minions checked the place out for them, the ship girl sending out her pair of scout planes to do the same after she remembered she had them.