"You think you're ready Koop?" The Goomba said, cradling something.
"No of course not, it never gets easier Ba." Koop replied, tipping down his hat.
"I know... how will we cut this to his family?" Ba asked, his eyes drooping if only a little.
"The way we always do." Koop told Ba/
"So break their hearts?"
"Yep." Koop replied though he whispered something almost inaudible.1"Though maybe something will change this time."
"You know, Gloom despite how sad he was, he was a good man. Shame he died to that Mushroonian bastard of a plumber." Ba said walking towards a simple house. "He was such a hard worker. And he was finally able to pay off his family's debt too." Ba continued.
"Yeah, he was a good drinking body. Remember what you did at the bar during his first time out? " Koop said.
"Ha, yeah..." Ba reminiscenced.2It was in a small but cozy bar staffed by a few koopas and shy guys. I could be seen dancing backwards on his head while playing beer ping pong with no hands with a crowd cheering while Gloom was laughing along (albeit shyly) with the others. "Good times." I thought.
There was silence if only for a few seconds. The air was heavy and dreary. No one dared to break the silence. Koop looked down at the floor for a second.
A whisper in the silent wind could be heard. A constant whisper he heard.3Koop, why do you continue? The voice echoed in his head. Just stop doing this job and retire, you making the bad news even worse. You'll never be enough.
"Koop, why do we keep sending our comrades to death towards that bastard?" Ba asked as looked towards the sky.
"I don't know. I don't even know why Bowser is so adamant at killing that bastard." Koop told Ba. "Hey, be careful with that." Koop said pointing towards the jar Ba was cradling with his mind.
"Oh sorry, I was just so focused on the conversation." Ba apologized.
"No, no it's okay" Koop said. "I wish we could go back to the old times." Koop said.
"You mean before all of the kidnapping and revenge plots Bowser concocted?" Ba responded.
"Yeah. Before we were declared ash bringers and bearer of bad news. I wanted to live in peace and played sports, party, and racing games with my friends. But now, I just want to see no more comrades and loved ones die." Koop said trying to smile.
"Yeah... Koop do you remember what you asked earlier? About why Bowser is so adamant at killing Mario? He's mad, mad at Mario, mad at the cold war between his and the Mushroom Kingdom. Mario killed his children, his life long friends, and even him after all. Again and again if it weren't for the grand magician's dark arts. I get that, because I'm mad too. Because..." Ba said through clenched teeth. 4It was horrible. Blood filled the battleground as I saw my loved all die. I still wake up sweating.
"Your parents... your children died too?" Koop asked. 5If only I could do better.
"Yes." Ba gritted his teeth in anger, in rage. Shaking and increasing his grip slowly breaking the jar. 6Lets... go with that...
"I'm sorry. You know, I lost my parents too. I remember them, their happiness when I first walked, when they first convinced me out of my shell, when they enlisted me to army... they, they were good parents." Koop told Ba trying to comfort him as he slowly tried to take away the jar from Ba. 7If only you could do more. A voice in his head told me.
"Stop it. It's MY responsibility, it's the least I could do for them." Ba said calming down.
"... I get it, I really do." Koop said trying to keep some form of hope.
...
The rest of the trip continued in silence. As they walked the imminent dread came closer and closer. It never got easier, the weight never got lighter. In a way it was hell for Koop and a duty to fulfill for Ba. They took a breath then exhaled. Ba took a knock on the door. And it opened revealing to old Goombas. Their once sharp teeth dulled and their furrowed eyebrows weary and low.
"Yes? How may we help you?" Asked the mother.
"Sir we have bad news about your son." Koop shook his head, his eyes closed in pain.
"No it couldn't." The mother said.
"What is it dear." Asked the other elder.
"I believe it's best if both of you were here." Told Koop.
"No, no it couldn't, it couldn't! You're lying, lying!" The mother hysterically yelled. Koop looked away with only Ba looking directly at her.
"What did you do to her!?" The father asked. Koop continued to look away ashamed and sad.
"Your, your son Gloom. He died." Ba said.
There was silence. Then for a moment, somebody spoke angry yet sad.
"Leave." The father said resolute.
"Wait bu-" Koop turned around and looked at the father before getting interrupted.
"Leave." The father stated. The crying of the mother could be heard.
"Wait, before we leave I figure we should at least give this to you." Ba said cutting off whatever retort Koop would have. He gave a jar, a urn to the father. "This is the remains of your son. He died after Mario stomped him before burning him. He... he was a good man." Ba looked away and walked with Koop soon following carrying a burden of worthlessness on his heart. The weeping still continued loud and clear soon followed by another much deeper weeping voice. 8Why!? Why!? Why!? Why, did you have to die?! Gloom! Gloom!
Death...
How sick it made me.
