[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/6W7bqko.png[/img]
[h2][color=FD0000]The Koopa Troop[/color][/h2]
[b][color=FD0000]wordcount:[/color][/b] 1,187 (+2) 
[b][color=FD0000]Bowser: Level 11 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=FD0000]//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color] (230/110)
[b][color=SpringGreen]Bowser Jr: Level 12 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=SpringGreen]////////[/color]//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// (7/120)
[b][color=DeepSkyBlue]Kamek: Level 12 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=DeepSkyBlue]//////[/color]////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// (6/120)
[b][color=Aqua]Rika: Level 6 [/color][/b] EXP: [color=Aqua]/////////////////////////////////////////////////[/color]/////////// (49/60)
[b][color=FD0000]Location:[/color][/b] The Under - The Colorless Wood
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The Melee fighters were, ironically given conventional wisdom about these things, overtaken by the mages in their charge after the knight. While the sword wielding warrior struck first, after that came a barrage of magics from the teleporting casters in the form of acid and a mighty spear, though all this was preceded by Kamek’s big punch, done at a much more comfortable range than his colleagues' up close and personal wizardry. Something he got a needling over from Rubick when he reappeared at the magikoopa’s side.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”My apologies for choosing a safe and reliable option”[/color] he replied, words full of vinegar, the mage not at all upset by this insult in the slightest [color=DeepSkyBlue]”I’ll be sure next time to simply annihilate the whole area indiscriminately with little concern for the lives of my friends and family”[/color] which was a thing he could do, although the charge time and setup of his most destructive spell was prohibitively long for most situations.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”Besides, his majesty has this in the bag I’m sure”[/color] the old Koopa insisted, as they both watched as the royals and shipgirl finally got into range on foot. 

Jr and Rika had overtaken the stamina burning Bowser by the time they had closed the gap, with the prince flying up and going for the face while Rika went to try and cripple the legs with her chainsaw bayonet and explosive punches. Together, they brought the queen’s head low right in time for Bowser to arrive. The king skidded to a halt right ahead of her, well, head, then pull back a fist in a massive wind-up, and then, finally, kinetic strike module blazing, slammed a rocket propelled punch directly into Silitha’s battered and bleeding mug, rendering into pulp with this final blow.

[color=FD0000]”Splat!”[/color] went the spider queen, who then swiftly dissolved into ash, leaving behind her brightly glowing spirit and, interestingly and unexpectedly enough, a fragment of a mask.

[color=SpringGreen]”Way to go papa!”[/color] Jr cheered from on high, before shouting [color=SpringGreen]”That’s right, run! Run you weenies! Run!”[/color] as the spider swarm panicked and broke in response to the death of their mistress-mother.

Rika, meanwhile, was more interested in what had been dropped, approaching the mask fragment and saying  [color=Aqua]”Ooo, is that one of the ones we are looking for?”[/color] before picking it up and recognizing its fragmented nature and adding, less confidently  [color=Aqua]”Or part of it?”[/color]

[color=FD0000]”I dunno, maybe?”[/color] Bowser replied as he held one claw on onto and rolled his shoulder, before giving a general order of [color=FD0000]”Grab some spirits and then let’s get out of here! I am done with this place.”[/color] 

The Knight likely had much the same feeling as that last, warning them that there were more spiders out there, which was not good news.

[color=SpringGreen]”Eh, we can take em”[/color] Jr replied to that, but to which Kamek countered with [color=DeepSkyBlue]”I’d really rather not. We need time to regain our mana and stamina before any more encounters like that young master”[/color] 

While they had been saying that, the knight had hopped off, insisting they come with him to his camp, but the Troop would be having none of that.

[color=FD0000]”Yeah nah no thanks. We are heading back that away”[/color] Bowser replied, jabbing a thumb over his shoulder back the way they had come, a way neatly lit up by the torches the troop had popped down as the party had ventured into the woods [color=FD0000]”and you can come if you like I guess”[/color] 

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”It has light, and has been scrubbed clean of webs, so comparatively to going that way it will be smooth sailing”[/color] Kamek agreed, to which Rika added [color=Aqua]”Literally”[/color] as she moved to skim off in that direction, gliding on the trail of goop also leading the way back alongside the lights.

[color=FD0000]”Besides, we have friends back that way who we need to link up with again. We’re already wandered way off track after all”[/color] Bowser added at last, which most likely put the matter to bed.

[color=Aqua]”Sorry about that”[/color] Rika called back sheepishly, her lost plane having been the cause of all this, but the king waved off her apology [color=FD0000]”Eh, turned out fine, and we got a pretty strong looking spirit out of it so don’t worry about it”[/color] and in so doing tacitly raised the question of the ownership of said powerful spirit.

Then, a few moments later, after they’d grabbed a couple of the fallen spiders for good measure and stuffed them away to try out with Sectonia’s funny hat (which they still did not know they were going to be being charged for yet, which was going to be a whole altercation that was for certain) they were off. Rika led the way, Kamek and Jr floated above, and Bowser’s spiky shell acted as their rearguard. Mimi stayed with her trainer, while her Mimies, however long they lasted, grappled themselves onto the backs of the accompanying hiveling to give them some tiny and adorable cavalry escorts, which gave Kamek an idea that he would be trying out later.

As they traveled, they were regaled with the knight (who went by Barnabee)’s tale of woe regarding the disposed Vespa and the wretched wasps who had stolen her land and her throne despite his best efforts to defend and/or reclaim it but, unfortunately, the kingdom conquering Troop wasn't exactly the best target for this sort of request. 

Or wouldn’t have been anyway, but fusion had had a few positive effects on some of them.

[color=DeepSkyBlue]”Saving a queen and kingdom”[/color] Kamek, not at all to be found among that number, replied before giving a sniff of a laugh and half explaining that [color=DeepSkyBlue]”That is not exactly our ballpark, so to speak. Quite the opposite, you might say”[/color] 

Rika and Jr shrugged at this whole thing. The former happy to go with the flow attitude wise and not particularly concerned with the plight of those who she did not know. The latter was not as invested in the whole villainous deal as his dad and caretaker were, yet also while playing the hero did sound like it could be fun, it also sounded like effort and a whole side thing they didn’t have time for.

Which left their response mostly in the hands of the King himself and, perhaps unexpectedly, he did not reject the quest outright .

[color=FD0000]”Ehhhh, maybe if we’re in the area?”[/color] which got him a pair of slightly surprised looks from the other two koopas, and which prompted to gruffly defend his (almost) kindness with [color=FD0000]”I mean, we gotta go all over looking for these masks anyway right? …. Plus, honey tastes good”[/color] which got a pair of nods of understanding, both of them much more used to the king following his stomach instead of his heart.

[color=FD0000]”Buuuut first we need to meet up with the rest of the troops, so we’ll get back to that egg temple thing, take a rest”[/color] the king was really needing one [color=FD0000]”And if they don’t come back for us, we’ll go looking for them”[/color] which was a plan that had his family’s approval at the very least.