Super Mario Bros.: A Force to Be Reckoned With

Chapter 2 - Baby Mama Drama

"So, now you know." Kamek nervously sipped at his hot cocoa. "Not that it's going to go anywhere, of course, it's purely casual. I'm not exactly her type."

"You really think so?" Vesper cocked her head and set her empty cup on the coffee table.

As Kamek opened his mouth to respond, there was frantic knocking on the tower door.

"I know so, my lady." Kamek handed Rose to Vesper and got up to answer the door. "She's far larger than me and I'm far older than her, though 150 is considered early middle aged by magikoopa standards."

"Really? You don't look a day over 125!" Vesper chuckled.

"I most definitely do, but thank you anyway." Kamek gave a nervous laugh.

He opened the door and was met with an unexpected surprise; rather than the guard captain standing in front of him, there was an egg, violet purple in hue, sitting at his feet with a note attached. Kamek hurriedly brought the egg inside and set it beside Vesper.

Kamek opened the note and skimmed it. He let out a gasp.

"What's going on?" Vesper stood, set Rose down in her place on the sofa and peered over his shoulder at the note.

"Lord Kamek Wizenheimer, I'm deeply saddened to inform you of Royal Guard Captain Phoebe Kama's passing. She fought valiantly against the Mario brothers, though she was overpowered by a wall of flames." Kamek read aloud.

"Phoebe is— no! No, no, no," Vesper gasped. "Kamek, I'm so sorry, I-I barely knew her but—"

Kamek silently moved a hand over his mouth. His eyes were squeezed shut, though a single tear fell down his cheek from under his glasses.

"— those monsters will pay for this!"

"I-It—It's alright, I've... seen my fair share of death," Kamek wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his robe and drew in a shaky breath. "a-and she knew what rushing into battle could cost her, though that makes this... no less difficult, I—"

Kamek sat down on the coffee table and held his head in his hands. The note crumpled against his forehead, but he hardly noticed.

"I-I'm sorry, I need to sit down." He muttered.

"No, no, please! I'm—" Vesper reached a hand out to him, but then drew it back and fiddled with one of her long blue curls. "I'm so sorry."

Overpowered by a wall of flames. Kamek thought. I spared your child's life, and this is how you repay me?

"Why was this on an egg?" Vesper spoke up, pointing to the egg on the sofa. Next to baby Rose, it appeared to be half her size. "Whose child is that?"

Kamek glanced at the egg, again noting its color. He focused on it so much, he didn't even notice Vesper had swiped the note from his hands.

That purple... Kamek observed. the eggs that protect our young as they develop typically take on the color of their hair, but Phoebe was blonde. Why would it be...

"Kamek?" Vesper tapped on his shoulder.

Absolutely not. There's no way.

"Kamek, you need to read the rest of this!" Vesper urged, waving the note in front of his face, though she again failed to catch his attention.

She would've told me. Right?

"Hello!" Vesper shouted into his ear, now successfully snapping him back to reality.

"My lady, I'm thinking." Kamek sniffled.

"Well stop thinking and listen to me!" Vesper waved the paper in front of his face. "According to this letter, that's your child!"