by KJ Harlow
“My… Scardino is outside the OOTM right now. Could you get Arlif to talk to her? Calm her down? There are some Labbies here, but they can’t keep her at bay for much longer.”
Yoshi picked up the save but didn’t comment. He was about to say, ‘My mom.’
“Yeah, no problem. What’s the quickest way to get there?”
“Go to The Dish, Slide #38. Once you get out of the landing pool, it’s straight ahead. Five-minute walk. Run, though. I gotta go. Call me once you’re outside.”
CLICK.
“I’m sorry sir, I can’t let you in.” The dark-haired police dog looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here.
“Yes you can,” Yoshi said, holding up his phone. “Mayor’s orders.” He handed her the phone.
“Yes, this is Labby #387. Yes.” Her eyes darted up to Yoshi. “Yes, he’s here. Him? Are you sure?”
“Hehe.”
“Quiet, Soph,” Yoshi berated
“OK sir, if you’re certain.” She handed the cellphone back to Yoshi before gesturing to her colleagues. “Open the gates.” She watched as Yoshi and his girlfriends ran through, onto the grass and straight into the courtyard. “Good luck.”
“Look, there she is!” Yoshi whispered.
Sure enough, the dino was pacing back and forth, 10 yards away from the western wall of the building. Watching her every move were half a dozen alert Labbies, standing along the perimeter. In the window, Yoshi could just see the green Mohawk of the new mayor of Sapphire.
“Lady Scardino!” Arlif said, running towards her in genuine delight.
The dino spun around, searching the trees. “Arlif? Is that you?” Her reptilian eyes widened in joy. “It is!”
They embraced in a moment of happiness, briefly forgetting the dire situation on their hands. Yoshi and his girlfriends stood watching on in the distance. You got this, Arlif.
“Arlif, what are you doing here?” the OP grass-type asked.
“I should be asking you the same thing.”
Scary pursed her lips and stood up. She glanced at the OOTM and the Labbies guarding it immediately stiffened up.
“I know everything already,” Arlif said slowly.
The dino drew away from her. “You do?”
“Why did you start attacking all those people?”
The stronger grass-type sighed. “Trev, my… my trainer. They said that he was being arrested. I had to protect him.”
“Those people were innocent, Lady Scardino. You might be locked away for a long time,” Arlif said softly. She turned around and waved Yoshi and the rest of her team over.
“Scary,” Yoshi said. The dino looked up at him. “Do you just want to talk to Trev?” She blinked back tears and nodded. “And Chester, your son. Do you want to see him too?”
The tears fell. “I do.”
Yoshi smiled at her. “Do you promise not to hurt any more people?”
She smiled sadly. “Yes.”
He pulled out his phone and hit redial. “Hey, it’s Yoshi. Your mom wants to see you and your dad.”
The doors opened. Chester came out first.
Scary’s breath caught in her throat. “That’s him? That’s… my boy?”
“Yep. He’s the new mayor of Sapphire. Congratulations,” Yoshi said.
There was no emotion on his face as Chester stared at Scardino. He shuffled aside as Trev stepped out.
Scary squeaked like a little girl. “Trev!” She started bounding towards him, then turned back to Yoshi, a hesitant look on her face. Yoshi nodded and she clapped her hands in elation.
Just as she was about to run towards her husband and son, bright lights burst forth from behind the OOTM, accompanied by mechanical, whirring gusts. Scary stopped in her tracks and shielded her face. A helicopter was rose higher and higher, floodlights at its base searching the floor for their target.
Yoshi looked up and squinted. The chopper had come forward and was now floating above the ex- and current mayor, its lights converged on Scary. Was it a hit squad ordered to take her out?
A ladder dropped down, rolling out right in front of Trev. A man climbed down a few rungs, holding on with one hand while he gripped something funnel-shaped in the other.
“Trev Arlington.” The man said, his voice booming over the megaphone. “Up the ladder, now. If anyone else comes, Sapphire will be no more.”
That voice… why did it sound so familiar? Yoshi couldn’t see him through the light.
Trev stared at the rungs in front of him and commenced climbing.
“My love, no!” Scary said, reaching a hand out helplessly while running towards him.
PSHEW!
The helicopter recoiled as a blue beam of light as thick as an arm blasted out, striking Scardino.
“Nooooooooo!” Trev yelled.
Scardino was suspended in the air for 10 seconds, back arched, body tense. Her mouth was open in a silent scream, eyes rolling in the back of her head. The beam dissipated and she fell back to the grass onto her hands and knees, smoke rising off her body.
With Trev still hanging from the ladder, the helicopter pulled up and away from the OOTM.
“Lady Scardino!” Arlif cried, falling to her knees beside her. “Are you O-?”
CRUNCH.
One moment Arlif was there, the next she was gone. In her place was Scary’s fist.
Arlif has fainted!
19
Never Walk Alone
“Surround her!” the senior Labby barked. “We need back-up at the OOTM, I repeat, back-up at the OOTM!” she said, speaking into a walkie talkie in her lapel.
In the blink of an eye, the half a dozen Labbies surrounded Scardino, snapping and snarling mere feet away.
Scardino used Thorn Claw!
Thorn Claw missed!
“Don’t hurt her!” Chester yelled.
“Team Rend!” the senior Labby commanded. On all fours, her and the other five police dogs took half a step back before launching themselves at the overpowered grass-type.
Scardino used Tail Crush!
Her powerful tail swung through the air, collecting three of the Labbies one after the other. They slammed into the Office of the Mayor with pained yelps.
Labby fainted!
Labby fainted!
Labby fainted!
“Tails up, girls,” the senior Labby warned. “Whatever she was shot with hasn’t weakened her but given her extra power.”
“Scardino!” Yoshi ran towards her. The dino was breathing heavily, body twitching involuntarily. He waved his arms and yelled. “Stop what you’re doing, you just knocked Arlif out! This isn’t you.”
She looked to the far fence where her Glasshouse girl’s motionless body lay. “I…” she clutched her head. “I have to find Trev.”
Scardino bent her knees and jumped. She soared over Yoshi, the Labbies and his remaining four girlfriends, landing 10 yards away before disappearing beyond the trees. Seconds later, there were more yelps and cries of pain by the gate.
“Sir, I know you want to help but I implore you, please find shelter. This is a state of emergency,” the senior Labby barked, then turned to Chester, bowing curtly. “You too, Mister Mayor.”
Chester watched the police dogs leave, then sighed while rubbing his temples. “I never signed up for this. Yoshi. He ran over to him. “I’m so sorry about your Lifee. I should never have dragged you into this.”
“Nothing a bit of pampering can’t fix,” Yoshi responded. “Who was that in the helicopter?”
Chester pursed his lips. “I’m not sure to be honest. My father and I we… aren’t on the best of terms.”
“Whoever it was, they knew that your father was here,” Starry said, walking up to her trainer’s side.
“Not necessarily,” Chester said quietly. “My father had friends in high places, literally. He could have sent out an SOS.”
“Well whoever it was, they also knew that Scary was going to come here and came prepared with that gun,” Flick said, joining the conversa
tion.
“What sort of weapon was that?” Yoshi asked. “It seemed to have made your mother even more overpowered than she already was.”
“I was about to ask you the same thing,” Chester murmured. “And she isn’t my mother. She might have given birth to me, but I’ve never known her.”
“So why did you not want those police dogs to hurt her before?” Soph asked, stepping forward.
Chester looked at her levelly before breaking eye contact. “You should withdraw Arlif and take her to the Mr. Pampers straight away. After that, you should go somewhere safe until this all blows over. There’s this place that a lot of people don’t know about, just take-”
“Not happening,” Yoshi said flatly. “We’re going to find Scardino and your dad and set things straight.”
“We are?” Flick asked, surprised.
Yoshi turned around. “Yes, we are.”
Chester raised an eyebrow. “‘Set things straight’. What do you mean by that?”
Yoshi opened his mouth and closed it again. His four girlfriends and the mayor were all looking at him expectantly. “I’m not sure, to be honest. All I know is that Scary will continue wreaking havoc until she finds Trev again. We catch up to her, help her find him and let them get closure.”
“‘Scary’?”
Yoshi nodded. “Yeah. She said that I could call her that the last time I…”
He froze. Abort process! Abort process! Do NOT tell the mayor and gym leader of Sapphire that you fucked his mom!
“She’s an intimidating girlfriend, Chester. My trainer means no offence,” Soph said smoothly. Yoshi raised an eyebrow at his bird-kin but didn’t otherwise flinch.
Chester glanced between the flying-type and Yoshi. “None taken. So you want to act as the peacemaker between my father and Scardino. Fine by me. Where are you going to find them?”
“Easy. She’s going to be in the Abandoned Glasshouse. That’s her home and all she’s known for the past several years,” Yoshi said. “That’s according to my friend, who saw her on a mission,” he added hastily.
Chester sighed. “Well alright.” He turned to the OOTM. “If you’ll excuse me, I have an epic mess to clean up.”
“Thanks for the save back there, by the way,” Yoshi said to Soph.
“Better believe it, dickhead,” she snapped.
Yoshi smiled sheepishly. Closest I’m going to get to a ‘you’re welcome’.
Wild Ila appeared!
The bark-skinned girlfriend stood up from a crouching position, dirt falling from her joints.
“Aww yiss!” Soph whooped. “Easy EXP!”
“Sorry, time is of the essence.” Yoshi said, shaking his head. He stepped out of the battle ring and ran.
Yoshi escaped safely!
“I promise we’ll battle and train after all this is over.”
“So what’s the point of having me out in the first place then?” she squawked.
“I felt lonely.” He stepped close to his feathered girlfriend.
“Don’t make me cut you.”
Soph used Dagger Wing!
“Alright, I kid,” Yoshi said. He threaded his finger into the fifth ring of his belt. “Arlif, come out.”
The grass-type came out, back to wearing her natural poncho and leafy skirt.
“You feeling better?” Yoshi asked.
“Mm.” She rubbed her arm absent-mindedly. “Lady Scardino would never hit me like that. The person who shot her has confused her.”
“I think you’re right,” Yoshi said. “And we’re going to un-confuse her. Think you’re up for it?”
The grass-type nodded. Yoshi, Arlif and Soph looked up. Once again, they were at the base of the trees that cradled Scardino’s cottage. Arlif set a foot onto the side of the tree. Once she secured her footing, she ran up.
“Show off,” Soph said under her breath.
“Only because someone can’t fly,” Yoshi quipped. “Ow! Your beak’s sharp!”
“Yah and next time I’m going for your eye,” the bird-kin said with a glint in her eye. The rope ladder rolled down, dangling in front of them. “Me first. No way I’m going to be looking up at your fat ass for the next five minutes.”
“Who you calling fat ass?” Yoshi growled, then chuckled to himself. I don’t mind looking at your ass for the next five minutes.
“Someone else is here,” Arlif whispered.
“What do you mean?” Yoshi said, trying to hide how out of breath he was. “Of course there are, all your Glasshouse g-”
“Ssssssh! I mean a man.”
Yoshi narrowed his eyes. “A man? A trainer?” Arlif shook her head and mouthed ‘I don’t know.’
“Alright, let’s be all sneaky beaky-like,” Soph said, settling into a walking crouch. They walked up the landing entered the large foyer, hugging the wall. Unlike the last time Yoshi came here, it was now completely devoid of Scardino’s helpers.
A male voice murmured, immediately followed by light-hearted laughter. The two voices lilted and danced through the room.
Arlif patted her trainer on the arm and pointed. Sure enough, Scardino was here, as Yoshi expected.
What he didn’t expect though was ex-Mayor Trev there with her. They were sitting by a fireplace on a comfy-looking couch. Their legs were criss-crossed over each other with the much larger Scardino doing her best to nestle her head into her husband’s shoulder.
Yoshi hummed. The helicopter must have flown him up here.
Yoshi and his girlfriends started tiptoeing towards them. As quiet as they were, their shadows that stretched along the sides of the wall gave them away.
“Who’s there?” Scardino said, leaping to her feet.
“S, it’s Yoshi,” he said, hands in front.
“Lady Scardino…” Arlif said tentatively, stepping forward. The dino immediately softened. She knelt to the ground and opened her arms. The Lifee ran forward and hugged her.
“I’m so sorry about hitting you before,” Scary said, smoothing the petite grass-type’s hair back. “I don’t know what came over me.”
“‘S’, huh?” Trev grunted, getting to his feet. A small metal box he had been tossing between his hands clattered to the floor. “Only I call her that,” he said dangerously while picking it up.
“Dearest, Yoshi is the one I was telling you about. The one who came to… keep me company.”
Oh Frank Almighty.
An array of emotions crossed the ex-Mayor’s face before he sighed deep and long. “Thank you for… keeping my wife company.”
Yoshi swallowed. “It’s quite alright, sir. Scardino was… excellent company.”
“How did you know to find us here, Yoshi?” the dino asked, resting her clawed hand on Arlif’s head.
He shrugged. “This is your home. I figured it would be a good place to start.”
She looked across to her husband, face filled with love. “I followed the helicopter through the sky. It flew through Sapphire and made its way over the Greenhouse. Trev instructed the pilot to fly here.”
A shadow passed over the ex-mayor’s face, or perhaps it was just the flames.
“Scardino, are you OK?” Yoshi asked. “What did that gunshot do to you?”
“I don’t know, but I’ve never felt better,” Scardino said. “A bit lightheaded before, but I feel like I’m level 100.”
“That’s because you are,” Trev said softly, gazing into the flames. “Or at least, you have the equivalent stats of a level 100 Scardino.”
“How’s that possible?” Yoshi asked. “What sort of gun makes girlfriends stronger?” He made eye contact with Trev. Who was in that helicopter? There was a world of guilt etched onto his face.
“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that Trev and I are back together.” Scary leaped back onto the couch, sending her husband a foot into the air. She giggled and snuggled up next to him again.
“That’s right, my love. I’ve hurt you all these years by putting Sapphire before you. Granted I didn’t
have much choice…” He trailed off. “You will not have to walk these gardens alone ever again. I’ve left your side once but now I’m back.”
Soph gagged and turned her face away. “Don’t make me withdraw you,” Yoshi hissed. “I told Chester that I would find you and play the peacemaker and help you find closure, though it looks like you didn’t need me at all.”
Scardino stepped up to the edge of the fireplace, picking a photo off the mantle. She smiled at it fondly and clutched it to her chest. “I’m so happy my Chester has grown up to be such a fine, young man.” She looked lovingly at Trev. “Just like my husband.”
Yoshi frowned, glancing at the large, topless man. This time, the ex-mayor completely avoided making eye contact. “It’s best you leave now. My wife and I have a lot of catching up to do.” The flames glinted off the metal box he spun between his thumb and middle finger.
Yoshi paused. “What do you want me to tell your son?”
Trev was quiet for a long time. “Tell him that I know he’s going to be a much better leader than I was.”
“Something smells fishy,” Soph murmured. “And it’s not Flick’s dirty panties.”
“Lady Scardino is happy but…” Arlif’s words faded. She stopped walking down the trunk, looking back up. A moaning wind blew through and the large trees swayed and sighed.
“She’s been reunited with her husband and trainer. She is happy,” Yoshi said, not quite believing his own words. “There’s not much more we could have done up there. Let’s just-”
KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Shockwaves rippled from the cottage and slammed into Yoshi and his two girlfriends.
“Aaaaaaaaiiiiiiiieeeeeee!” Arlif lost her footing and plummeted.
“Arlif!” Yoshi clung on to the wildly swinging rope ladder for dear life. He pointed his fist at her. “Get back!” The blue beam reached down faster than she was falling and pulled her back into her ring.
“Oh shiiiiiiiiiiit!” The rope ladder snapped. Soph and Yoshi them started free falling. He clawed in the air, grabbing onto his bird-kin’s legs.