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Bombette stormed down the dirt path road going from Koopa Village into the nearby woods, the various local Koopas all cautiously stepping aside to make way for her, the sizzling of her fuse breaking the otherwise serene silence of the rural community.
”Why does he have to do that crap every single time he sees me?!” She internally growls, her nails digging into the palms of her synthetic skin as she balled them into tight fists. The party had just stopped by Koopa Village in order to do some favours for Koopa Koot after having defeated Huff n’ Puff. So why did she have to be so unlucky that while doing that, Bruce once again managed to seek out Bombette and tried to win her over? ”I’ve told that idiot that I’m not interested a million times already!! Why can’t he just find a hobby or something and leave me alone?!” The young woman continues to think to herself, her body temperature rapidly rising as she forced herself to keep herself from blowing up then and there.
Not long after that, the automaton finds a wide open space among the ocean of trees where she finally stops holding back and lets her tied back fuse burn down, resulting in a large explosion. Bombette screams as loudly as her body would let her, only barely drowned out by the ear splitting booms created by her exploding over and over again. After a few minutes, she was left exhausted, panting from all of the energy it took to create so many explosions. Yet, she didn’t feel that much better as she had hoped. Exploding that much in such a short period of time only left her dizzy, her head throbbing with a dull sort of pain.
Right as she was trying to decide whether to go back to the village right away or just mope there, a soft voice pierces the now silent forest. “Bombette-?” Slowly turning around, the young woman spotted Kooper out of the corner of her eye, who looked as if he was trying to catch his breath. His dark blue eyes were filled with worry and his honey blond hair seemed messier than usual — did he try to run after her?
Bombette was about to tell him to just leave her be, but right as she was about to, all that came out was coughing and sputtering. After all of that screaming, her throat was left horribly sore and hoarse. This only ended up provoking the young man to come over to her side. “Are… Are you ok..?” He quietly asks, to which Bombette just scoffs at him.
“Does it look like I’m ok?” She cooly replies, her voice barely louder than a whisper. The Bob-omb tried to turn away from the Koopa as he drew near, but still being so dizzy on her feet, it only caused her to fall. Fortunately, Kooper was close enough to dash over and catch her in his arms before she could hit the ground.
“Just take it easy. I got you.” The blond reassures her, offering a weak, but hopeful half smile. This caused Bombette’s stomach to start to feel like it was being swarmed by butterflies, the fuel in her body boiling up, but those feelings were quickly overshadowed by much darker emotions. Kooper went to assist Bombette in sitting down on the ground. “Let’s just take a minute for you to catch your breath so you don’t fall again, ok?” The young man gently suggests, but the pink and blonde haired automaton doesn’t react, her glossed over, dark grey eyes staring blankly into the distance as she slowly pulls her knees into her chest. For a solid moment, there was silence, save for the occasional distant bird’s call or a breeze rustling the trees above their heads.
After a moment, though, the blue shelled Koopa finally speaks up. “…Did you come here because of him? Bruce, that is.” He quietly asks, a rare look of sombreness on his face as he fidgeted his hands. Bombette lets out a slow, exhausted sigh.
“…Partially, yes.” She eventually answers, still not turning to look at him.
“Well, uh, I know I’m not good at understanding all of this complicated emotion stuff, or giving out advice, but if you wanted, I’d be willing to listen if you wanted to talk about it. Or if you don’t, I could just stay here with you. So long as it makes you feel better.” Kooper replies, the words coming out slowly but surely, as if he thought about each and every word as he said them. Bombette took a moment to think about the offer. However, during that time, a frown slowly grew onto his face.
“I could also leave you alone, if you really want..” Kooper quietly adds, moving to give his dear friend some space. However, before he could get too far away, she moves to gently grasp his hand with her own.
“No, it’s ok. I like having you here with me.” She reassures him, a dusting of pink appearing on Kooper’s face as her synthetic fingers slowly start to intertwine with his own, organic ones. “…Truth be told, I just feel like I’m a lot less valuable than everyone else in the party.” Bombette finally admits. “The rest of you guys all have some versatility with your abilities. I mean, you and Watt can inflict ailments on foes, Bow and Sushie can help keep Mario from taking too much damage, Lester and Karry can get rid of enemies from the battle, and Goombario can tell us about opponents and what they can do. All I can do is use large attacks, and even then, they take so much energy to do, that I just take up too much of our supply of restorative items…” She quietly explains, turning her head away out of shame, not wanting Kooper to see her as she tried to keep herself from sobbing. “Not to mention how everyone has a good reason to be here except me…”
“What do you mean?” The blue shelled Koopa asks with a slight head tilt.
“I mean, Goombario already looked up to Mario long before meeting him, you joining the party was foretold by Merlon as destiny, Karry joined us so we could help him find all of his missing letters, Bow joined us because of how Tubba Blubba affected her community and how she wanted to make sure it can’t ever happen again, Watt joined us because she didn’t have anywhere else to go or anyone else to look after her, Sushie joined us because she was touched by Mario’s story and because she wanted to protect her home, and Lester joined us because he wanted to become a better person and make up for how he worked for Huff n’ Puff before. Unlike the rest of you guys, I don’t have much of a reason for being on this adventure other than for the fame and glory and so that I don’t have to be stuck in this village with Bruce all the time. It feels like I’m just dead weight to everyone…” She mumbles, the tomboy’s strained voice nearly a whimper by the time she finished, biting her lip in a desperate attempt not to break down right then and there — no matter how much she felt like everything around her was falling apart. Yet, despite that, she couldn’t stop the tears welling up in her eyes and rolling down her cheeks. “Maybe I should just stay here, at least then you guys would have one less mouth to worry about feeding…”
As Bombette finishes speaking, though, she suddenly feels Kooper gently hug her from behind, still holding her hand within his own, while using his other to wipe away her tears. “Bombette, you’re so many things, but useless isn’t one of them.” He tells her, his voice soft but unwavering. “You’re so much more to me — to us — than just someone who blows up walls and enemies. You’re the reason why Mario, Goombario, and I didn’t wind up rotting away inside that prison cell in the Koopa Bros’ Fortress and were able to save Eldstar. Not to mention how you’re able to take down fiery enemies most of the team can’t even touch without hurting themselves. Plus, that’s all while taking out huge groups at a time.” Kooper points out. “But, I think the best part about you is how you’re the spark that always keeps us going. You’re the one who’s always there to hype us up when our spirits are low and the one to stand up for us when someone tries to kick us when we’re down and out. You never give up, no matter what life throws at you, and we love and admire you for that.”
Hearing all of this, a crooked smile begins to grow on Bombette’s face and she pulls Kooper into a tight hug. The reptilian young man beams as he quickly reciprocates this, nuzzling into the crook of her neck. “Oh, Kooper, thank you..” She whispers to him. “What did I do to deserve someone as kind as you in my life?”
“Well, I know that if I were in your shoes, you’d sit here until you reignited my spirit.” He points out.
“You know me well.” Bombette agrees with a slight giggle, pulling back a bit so that she was face to face with him. At that moment, an idea pops into Bombette’s mind that made her burn up once again. Yet, in a sudden fit of bravery ignited by their closeness, she closes the gap between them and gives Kooper a quick peck on the cheek. “Thank you, Kooper~” The kiss causes his face to turn to a brilliant shade of crimson, the heat practically radiating from his face.
“Wait, does that kiss mean that you really REALLY like me?!” Kooper asks, waiting for an answer with wide, hopeful eyes.
“Of course I do!!” The young woman chirps, quickly getting excited from the Koopa’s response thus far. Hearing this, Kooper, still holding onto Bombette, picks her up and spins her around, all while having the biggest, goofiest grin on his face.
“YEEESSSSS!!! BOMBETTE LIKES ME BACK!!” He cheers, shouting to the heavens above with glee. The automaton couldn’t help but laugh a little at just how overjoyed he was.
“You’re really cute when you’re excited~” Bombette giggles, to which Kooper’s short tail started wagging at the compliment.
“So, you feeling well enough to go back and rejoin the others now?” Kooper asks, finally setting Bombette down again.
“Mhm!” She hums, her hand once again reaching out for Kooper’s and gently taking hold of it.
“Let’s just hope that we don’t accidentally run into Bruce this time.” He says as he quickly returns her gesture, the two starting to walk back towards the entrance of the woods.
“Well, at least if we do, I get to be able to tell him that I’m now taken by my new, wonderful boyfriend~” She chimes, a smug grin on her face.