Yoshi Legacy: Heroes of the Mushroom Continent - Chapter 5

And just like that, he left. He went and snatched that backpack from my hand, and bolted for the door. For some reason, it was very sad to see him leave like that. Maybe it's just that I'm often lonely out here, far away from civilization for such a long time, but I doubt it was even that. There was just something so interesting about that ragged kid that washed up from the sea. Who knows where he came from, or where he planned on going out there alone? I mean, he barely knew things that I considered common knowledge, yet he was clearly well-spoken enough to seem intelligent. I mean, it's not every day you run into someone who's never even heard of girls before.

I closed the front door, and took a seat at the dining room table. My eyes began to scour the room, looking for something that may be interesting, but behind my vision, my mind was stressed. That kid was just braving the world and its troubles all by his lonesome, and for what? To search for his family and save his homeland, which apparently had ruin brought upon it. What a noble cause, and here I was, just watching this small cottage for my stepfather. Just thinking of the fact that I had a stepfather brings up questions about myself as well. Who was my real father? How did I end up here? The questions persisted.

Minutes later after constant thinking, I became filled with a painful sensation. It was almost like there was something in my chest pushing outward, and I couldn't let it out. I couldn't sit still at all in my chair. All of a sudden, I had this wild thought of running out there and following that kid. "No, no. Your stepfather is going to arrive in a few hours, so there's no way you'd get away with that." "Why would you think you'd find him? He's probably already very far away, maybe lost." "Maybe lost." "Lost."

What happened next was easily beyond my control. I was all of a sudden on the path, bounding at top speed in the direction he had left in. "No, no, no! You'll be in so much trouble!". "What if he was lying and he's doing this on purpose to make you feel this way?". "He couldn't have been lying. He was so sincere!" Constantly, these sort of thoughts flowed through my brain as I bolted down the road, following the footsteps he had left behind.

In all this commotion stuck inside of my mind, I hadn't realized it was almost dark out until I was miles away from home. The only reason this came to me was because I saw his figure, exhausted, yet still pushing forward full force in the distance. I started to close the gab between him and I. Moments before I was within arm's reach of him, he collapsed onto the dirt from fatigue. I heard him murmur, "No... no... Have to keep moving...", accompanied by heavy panting.

I could feel myself hyperventilating as well. He obviously heard me panting, and he rolled around on the ground to investigate its source, his eyes falling upon mine. What was a despaired look originally of pain and exhaustion morphed into a surprised one on his face. The look on his face made me fall over as well, and as I caught myself on my arms, my head peered up and saw his face. He quickly asked me, "Wh-what? Why are you following me?". 

"I couldn't bear... to see you leave alone, kid.", I returned.

"But didn't you say that your stepfather was about to return? He'd be heartbroken to see you gone!", he reminded me.

As soon as he said that, guilt and worry filled my entire body. He was right, I had thrown that thought completely away in my blind rush to seek him. What was I going to say to reply? I sat there for several moments, my lungs tearing my train of thought to pieces. 

As we sat there together, on the ground, our pain mutual, calm swept between both of us. It hit me all of a sudden. I didn't even know his name. Immediately, I sought to remedy this issue.

"You know, kid. I never did catch your name, of all things. Who are you, even?"
He didn't respond immediately. Perhaps it was because he seemed shy about that, but he finally told me, "Edward. My name is Edward."

"My name is Pengy.", I replied with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Edward."

He smiled back. Immediately after my reply, he asked me, "So, why exactly did you follow me? Did I forget something there or-".

I cut him off. "No, nothing of the sort. I... I just...", I stopped and sighed. "I just wanted to join you."

A look of intrigue appeared on his face. "Are you sure, Pengy? I have a feeling that my journey's going to be a long one. I wouldn't want your stepfather to worry about you."

Again about the stepfather thing. But when he confronted me with that inquiry this time, I had no regrets leaving home any more. "He'll be fine. I think he didn't really even pay much attention to me, anyways.", I replied.

"...Really? Your father didn't pay much attention to you, either? My dad-", he began, but yet again, I cut him off.

"-didn't care much about you either. I know, Edward. You told me already.", I said with a smile. "What's your dad's name, anyways?"

"Yoshius. King Yoshius the fourth."

King? So... Edward is a prince? Really, I thought to myself. Why would he be a prince? He's ruggedly garbed in rags and has messy hair. How could he be of royalty? 

"But you don't look anything like a prince, Edward. Are you sure your Father is a King?"

"I don't look like a prince? What do princes look like? And... I don't even know if my father is a King. That's just what my dad's friend, Marcellus, told me to call him."

I didn't know whether to believe Edward or not on this one, but one thing was for certain: I was going with him, prince or not. I had flown past the point of no return, since by now, my stepfather was probably home already. I decided to end the conversation by standing up and offering Edward my hand.

"Come on, let's go, Edward." I said.

"O-okay." he replied, and gave me his hand.

After helping him up, Edward and I began to walk, ever slowly, down the path. Although a part of me still made me think about whether I made the right choice or not following Edward, I knew already the answer.

The door slammed shut with a hollow bang behind me. As soon as I got to the nearest window, I slung my candle and its holder out of it. How dare that Burnie go and say that? Now the plans that I had set up were completely ruined! Shadow Yoshi is now destined to fall, and fall alone to that dastard and his king. My fists balled up in rage, and I slammed them upon the walls of the hallway, but to no avail other than self injury. "The commanders are weak alone. They were meant to work together!", I said out loud. But it was too late changing anything. I took heavy steps toward the end of the hallway when I heard the noise of a door opening from behind me, on the far other end of the hall. Curious as to whom that could have been, I turned around to look. It was none other than the stocky figure of our fourth elemental commander, Rick. He stumbled a few times before finally catching up to me, and immediately began to beg for my forgiveness.

"CLAY! Wait up... I'm so sorry!"

"Hmph. If you wish to know, the other commanders have already left for their assignment."

"Nooooo! I can't believe I missed my first assignment!", Rick whimpered.

This was completely disgraceful. I inserted my boot into his chest, which knocked the unbalanced lard lump in front of me onto his back.

"Shut up, you. The last thing I need is someone to whine at me. Especially you.", I said.

"B-but... what am I supposed to do?"

I sighed, coaxing myself not to spurn him again. I grit my teeth and growled to him, "Why not just ask Shadow Yoshi yourself? I mean, you DID go through ALL THE TROUBLE to get here, right? Might as well TALK TO HIM YOURSELF, hm?", I growled.

"Whoa, Clay. Why are you so mad? What happened?", he asked, which only furthered my rage.

"Just go! You don't need to know, you pathetic excuse of a Yoshi!", I lashed out.

With a look of shock, he leapt off the ground with surprising agility and scrambled for Shadow Yoshi's Throne Room door. Heh, heh... the things fear can do to an individual. Amusing. In fact, I was inclined to listen in on what Shadow Yoshi had to say about Rick's absence from the meeting. I pressed my ear to the door as soon as Rick closed it.

"Your majesty, your majesty! I am here, your majesty!", I heard the fool say loudly.

No response came up to his shout. He shouted the same phrase again, but this time, to a reaction.

"Hm? Is there something here? I don't sense any significant forms of life in this room other than my own." Shadow Yoshi's reply actually got me to chuckle.

"H-hey, come on, Shadow Yoshi, your majesty.", Rick complained.

"Hello, Rick.", Shadow said with a groan. "What exactly do you want?"

"I-I'm here for my assignment. Sorry I'm... late.", he replied.

"Bah. Indeed you are, Rick. But in fact, I don't really even see enough worth in you to care about your absence. I didn't even notice you weren't here.", Shadow Yoshi responded.

"I know I'm not my younger brother, but come on, Shadow Yoshi. Have at least a LITTLE faith in me!", he pleaded.

"Are you sure you still wish to complete your mission for me?", Shadow inquired.

"Yes! Y-Yes! Of course!", Rick stammered.

"Very well. Your mission is to retrieve the Earth Elemental Gem out on the Mushroom Continent. Do not fail me.", Shadow said.

I heard a surge of energy, akin to that of which was heard when the other commanders had been teleported away. Rick was off, away on his mission. Heh. Probably doomed to fail just as the others, just simply more easily and quickly doomed to die. I chuckled to myself of the thought, but that was stifled by my self reminder that my plans were ruined, ruined, ruined. My metal boot made a clang on the wall as it slammed against it, and I left the room hall in a huff.