"That giant Blooper was very kind to guide us to the pipe" Dante climbed down from a brown pipe

"Yes; but it was so big, viscous and sticky; I thought he would attack us.” She was relieved that she didn't have to touch him

"Hahaha" The blond couldn't help but laugh, even if it was silly.

"What's fun?"

"Where do I come from, your sentence is a reference to a joke" he was going to ignore the question in his head about how Goombas reproduce.

"Will you tell me?" Learning from another culture is part of being an archaeologist.

"Maybe later, look at that!" Dante pointed to the sky, where a giant red dragon roared as he headed for a castle in the distance.

"Incredible! It's the first time something so huge and we just saw that Blooper"

“And this is only the beginning”

"I think you're right, let's move on"

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

A little time and bandits later, they came to a town.

“Welcome to Petalburg, travelers” A Koopa gave them a warm welcome

"Thank you, do you have a place where we can spend the night?" Since this was not a video game, you should find a place to rest after dark.

"That's the inn" The tortoise pointed to the building in front with a bed sign.

"It's good that those bandits had money" Goomarina liked to sleep in a bed.

"You said it"

"It's been a long time since anyone came near this remote village... since the dragon, Gombaba, is on the loose" The Koopa sighed.

“It must be that gigantic monster, what a name, by the way, have you heard of the  crystal star?” The girl wasted no time.

"I've never heard it, but you can ask the mayor, he's the oldest and wisest in the place, he lives down this road in a pink house" He pointed to the other end of the village

"A pink house?"

"It bothers you?" Dante would have painted her…green.

"Not that it's the height of elegance"

"Thanks again for the information" The blondes said goodbye

……………………………………………………………………………………………

In order not to lose anything, they talked to the villagers they encountered before arriving with the mayor.

"Not counting the depressed Bob-omb, should we take the Toad who told us we don't look appetizing as an insult?"

"I don't know, but I don't want to talk to that guy with the pink afro anymore." She was tired of jerks asking her out on dates.

"In my town, there weren't many Goombas, but you must be very attractive if every guy we meet asks you out... will it be your rosy cheeks or the cute protruding fang?" He didn't remember this happening so often… or with species other than Goombas.

"Don't start too!" They were usually strangers in an attempt to attract her, those who flattered her

"Okay, I don't need this, we're already in a team" The duo entered the pink house, luckily they had an open door.

"Huh, who are you?" A highly wrinkled green-skinned Koopa with a bushy beard and eyebrows holding a cane was having tea.

"Excuse the intrusion mayor, you should close the door, we came to ask you about the crystals star " Dante offered him a handshake.

"You gave me a scare for a moment... where had I heard about that?... of course! Goombaba has it, the ferocious dragon" He said as if nothing had happened.

"Of course the dangerous dragon has it" The blonde shared glances with his partner

"Do you know him?"

“We could tell”

"That monster attacks the villages and it's giving me a lot of problems, you guys are reckless... I mean... very brave trying to get rid of that dragon" The old man coughed to hide it.

"Subtle" Goomarina rolled her eyes.

"What a fierce expression! I couldn't expect anything less from... What are their names?" He had no shame at all

"We are Dante and Goomarina" Maybe he was very young, but he did not remember this character like that

“Good names, Mante and Goomsandia”

"We are...!" the Goomba was going to protest, but her friend whispered

"Let's leave the old man, I don't think he'll change his mind"

She sighed resignedly.

“You are excellent people, Mante and Goomsandia…” The mayor proceeded to explain how to get to the castle and then they went to the hotel to rest… Dante didn't forget to pick tea leaves from the old man's garden.

………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Leaving the town and after stopping by the store to buy items, Dante smiles at skipping the whole stone statue part, being able to fly and having a sense of depth makes life easier.

“W-wait…” A call stopped the duo.

The blond was surprised, that didn't sound like the voice Koops should have.

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to bother you... but... I wanted to ask you something... this... I... I want to accompany you to Goombaba Castle!" She was a Koopa with the typical shell, but inside she wore pink sportswear, long eyelashes and orange hair tied in a ponytail; she seemed very nervous.

"Why do you want to go to such a dangerous place?" Didn't seem to want to explore and have adventures like she did.

"My father and my brother went to face the dragon a long time ago... but they haven't come back... I want to know what happened to them" In her eyes you could see the hope that they were alive.

Dante had finished processing the situation.

(I have to be careful with the changes... it was too easy, I hope it's the only one)

"Take me with you, please!" She used all her determination to express these words.

"I like his enthusiasm and he has a valid reason, we are a team, what do you think?"

"She doesn't seem like a bad person, we can always have members" Goomarina gave her approval and they both nodded.

"Welcome" Koops or not, he wasn't going to just turn her down.

"Really?... Thank you very much! I'll try my best!" Accepting that they weren't kidding, she formed a wide smile, almost looking like she was going to trip over in joy.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" The Goomba realized that her friend did not stop watching her.

"Huh? ...  I just thought you're not the only one they ask out on dates of the team" He wasn't going to tell her how strange it was that she didn't jump into her pocket right now and they moved as a trio.

"I'm Koopatricia, let's go to the castle quickly" The Koopa tried to hide her embarrassment for the compliment.

"Don't do it" Goomarina narrowed her eyes, she understood how shy she was the new member

"Don't do what?" He also couldn't get turned on by a tortoise...