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Mario and crew had just received the fifth crystal star. Their next stop was the Excess Express.
Before that, though, Mario figured that it’d be a good idea to get some troubles at the Trouble Center out of the way. Just a few quick stops before the adventure continued.
The last one he decided to do was for some goomba named Goom Goom, who lived at Keelhaul Key. Going back there seemed tedious at first, but thankfully, the exact location of the guy was only a warp pipe and some jumps away.
Vivian, however, was secretly dreading finding him. Goom Goom’s trouble was that he was looking for a girlfriend. Goom Goom is a goomba, and one of the people traveling with Mario on this adventure, Goombella was also a goomba. Who just so happened to be a girl.
Anyone could solve the math problem there.
The thing was… Vivian liked Goombella. A lot. Mario and the others were great too, obviously. All of them accepting her as a part of the team, and supporting her when she got the courage to come out to them as transgender, made her the happiest she’s ever been.
Goombella, though… she was special case. It feels like they’ve grown a lot closer ever since she joined the team. She was funny, kind, really smart… she was the light that helped her shadow not fade.
It felt like it could any second, though, when the crew finally found Goom Goom.
And once the two of them started chatting up, it looked like she was leaning towards him. And then… he pulled out a Couple’s Cake.
It took Vivian everything had not to look away and gather attention. She hated this feeling. She wanted to be happy for Goombella, but instead, she was just being selfish…
Meanwhile, though, Goombella couldn’t have felt any more uncomfortable.
“…oh. Hmm. This is awkward,” the lady goomba said.
She did not want this. She had to think of something, quick.
She took a glance at her friends watching the events unfold.
Should I tell him I’m dating Mario? Goombella thought. Ugh, NO! A human and a goomba? That’s so unrealistic!
And then her eyes landed on Vivian.
Wait… perfect!
Quickly, she waddled over to the Shadow Siren and leaned herself close to her.
“Um… sorry. I’m already going out with Vivian here,” she told Goom Goom. “Bad luck, pal.”
Vivian froze, and she started blushing like crazy.
What?
WHAT?
She had to mentally slap herself. This was just acting. Nothing more.
“Y-yeah… sorry, bub,” she sputtered, placing a gloved hand on Goombella’s head. “She’s my… she’s my girl.”
Goom Goom dropped the cake, while Mario and the others stared at the two, surprised.
“What? You’re not into guys?” he said in disbelief. “Maaaaaaaan… I’ve had enough of this.”
He waddled past them, deciding it was best to give up.
“PEACE!!!” he blurted out before skedaddling away.
Once she made sure he was really gone, Goombella sighed in relief.
I’m into girls AND guys, but he doesn’t have to know that.
“Sorry to put you on the spot, Vivi. But that’s the fastest way to get rid of a guy like that,” she said to the shadow.
Trying to hide her blushing, Vivian let go of her head. “I-it’s not problem… happy to help…”
Goombella smiled at her, and waddled to the cake.
“Anyway… we still technically helped that guy with his ‘trouble,’ so let’s take this as a reward! Um… Mario, can you help me out here?”
Mario hummed and nodded, getting the cake off the ground for her.
Meanwhile, Yoshi elbowed Koops. “Yo, Koops. You don’t think…?”
Koops just looked at him, confused. “Do I think what?”
The baby dinosaur just tugged on his shorts, glanced at Goombella, and then back at Vivian, who was still a mess.
It took the koopa a few seconds to realize.
“Wh-?! Yoshi! Cut that out!” he hissed at him, with Yoshi only chuckling in response.
“But… yeah, it may be a possibility…”
-
Night had fallen.
After a quick mishap with Don Pianta, the crew had their train tickets, and had boarded the Excess Express. There was really nothing much to do but ride the train to Poshley Heights, where the sixth Crystal Star was lying.
Mario was resting in his room, which he was sharing with a sleeping Koops, when Goombella opened the door.
“Hey, uh, Mario? You got a minute?”
Surprised by her sudden entrance, Mario looked up at Koops, who was still asleep.
“…let’s-a-go outside,” Mario whispered.
Goombella nodded, and Mario quietly exited the room with her, gently shutting the door.
“Listen, um…” the goomba started, looking down. “Do you know which room Vivian is staying in? She’s been real quiet since we solved that weirdo’s problem a Keelhaul Key, and I never got to ask her…”
Mario’s eyebrows rose, and he rubbed his chin.
“Oh yeah! It was-a Room 6,” he remembered. “I did find it kind of weird that she didn’t-a want a roommate, though… why? Are you gonna be her company?”
“Well, that, and the other thing I mentioned,” she answered. Mario could just barely make out bits of red forming on her cheeks. “I feel kinda bad for using her like that…”
“Don’t-a be! I’m sure she was okay with it.” The plumber gave her a thumbs up. “And hey, I’m-a sure ‘Vivi’ can use a friend.”
A smile formed on Goombella’s face. “…thanks, Mario. Being in the same room as Yoshi and Ms. Mowz was kind of a nightmare anyway.”
With that, Goombella began to leave, while Mario waved her goodbye as he walked back into his room.
But then Goombella stopped.
“I’m-a sure ‘Vivi’ could use a friend.”
“…I am going to bite that man when he least expects it.”
-
Laying in the bottom of the bunk bed, Vivian heard a knock on her door.
“Yo, Vivian?” Goombella’s voice came through. “It’s Goombella. I wanna talk to you about that thing that happened at Keelhaul Key.”
The shadow shot up, surprised. How did she even knock on the door? Did she like, ram into it or-
…questions for later.
She got out of bed and opened the door for Goombella.
“…come inside,” she said meekly.
And the two of them sat in the bottom bunk. At that point, Goombella realized that Vivian had her hat off.
Wow, that is REALLY nice hair.
There was awkward silence for a few seconds, but Goombella found the courage to break it.
“Look… I feel like I should apologize for putting you on the spot like that,” she said sadly.
Vivian blinked behind her hair. “Oh? But… you already did.”
“I know, but it’s been lingering on me ever since. I would have gone for Mario, but that just didn’t seem believable at all. And I could tell that you were feeling uncomfortable with the whole thing…”
Vivian had to suppress a gasp. She had no idea that that wasn’t the case at all.
“A-and I get it! Shoving you in a situation like that without warning was a bit scummy of me. And I’m really sorry-“
“That’s not it!”
Both Goombella and Vivian flinched. Even Vivian herself was surprised by her sudden outburst.
“I… I know that I’ve seemed a bit… standoffish towards you since that happened. But I wasn’t uncomfortable! I was happy to help. I-I promise, I’m not upset towards you are anything…” the shadow stammered. “It’s just… I’m…”
Goombella just waited patiently.
Do I just tell her the truth? What if she hates me for it? What if she rejects me because I’m…? Vivian thought to herself.
I… I need to stop being pessimistic. This might be my last chance to tell her this for a while now…
“T-the thing is, well…” Vivian inhaled, trying to gain courage. “I wasn’t uncomfortable when you leaned on me back there, but I was actually… kinda happy.”
Goombella raised an eyebrow. “Whaddaya mean?”
Vivian gulped. There was no turning back now.
“To be honest, when I heard what that mission was, I was… scared. Scared that you’d actually go through with it. But when you came to me for help, it was… comforting. Relieving. And I know. I know that’s a selfish way of thinking, and I wish there was a way I could have just… stopped myself.”
Goombella’s irises shrunk. Is she saying that…?
“T-to put it in simpler terms…” Vivian tried. “…ugh, screw it! I like you! As in, like like you! You’re kind! You’re funny! You’re loyal! I’d go as far as to say you’re the smartest person out of all of us! When you leaned on me back there, it was taking everything I had not to freak out in front of everyone, because you’re just…! You’re just so damn cute!”
Realizing she was going way too fast, Vivian smacked her hands over her mouth, while Goombella just stared, mouth agape. She couldn’t even confess without looking like an idiot!
“Oh… oh no, I-I’m so sorry, I got too excited…” the shadow breathed shakily, burying her head in her hands. “You… if you feel like you want to leave, you can-“
“Vivian. Are you kidding?”
Vivian unhid her face, and the goomba was giving her a somewhat serious look, standing on the bed now.
“Hearing you say those things… that… that was actually really heartwarming,” Goombella blushed, smiling. “To be honest, I’d be lying if I said the feeling wasn’t mutual.”
Vivian put her hands over her mouth.
“It’s embarrassing to admit, but… but it was kind of a ‘love at first sight’ thing,” she confessed, hiding under her helmet. “Even when we encountered each other while you were working with your sisters, I thought you were really cute. I figured it was just jealousy at first, but… boy, was I wrong. This feeling especially heightened when you officially joined the team.”
Vivian was trying not to freak out all over again.
SHE LIKES ME??? HOLY SHIT, SHE ACTUALLY LIKES ME BACK. IS THIS A DREAM? IT HAS TO BE…
“V-vivian?!”
The shadow felt stinging in her eyes when Goombella called her out of her slight trance. …oh no. She didn’t mean to cry, but…
“I’m s-sorry… I’m sorry!” Vivian sniffled. “I’m… I’m just so happy th-that you like me back…”
A relieved smile washed over Goombella’s face. She scooted closer to her, and let herself lean onto her lap.
“I guess… that makes us girlfriends, then, huh?” the goomba muttered, like she couldn’t believe it. “I mean, if you really want to be…”
She knew the answer, but she just wanted to make sure.
“Um… are you sure you want that?” Vivian asked, her hand hovering over Goombella’s head. “I know you know this already, but I… you know… wasn’t born a girl, and-“
“Vivi. I couldn’t care less about that,” Goombella told her. “You being happy with who you are makes me happy. You say you’re a girl? Then you’re a girl. If anyone says otherwise, they’ve got me, and our other friends to answer to. So of course I want this.”
The shadow smiled widely, rubbing her eyes with her arm. “G-goombella… I… thank you.”
She went from wanting to rub her head to full on hugging her. And Goombella let herself sink into it.
Kinda sucks that I have no arms, but we can figure that part out later.
“Hey, um… can I take your helmet off?” Vivian suddenly asked.
“Oh, uh, yeah! No problem!”
Carefully, Vivian removed Goombella’s helmet and gently set it to the side.
“This is going to sound a bit weird… but I don’t think I’ve ever gotten a full look at your hair before,” Vivian realized, cupping Goombella’s cheeks.
“Same goes for you,” the goomba responded. Vivian could practically see her eyes sparkling.
Then both of them spoke at the same time.
“You’re so beautiful.”
The two of them blinked, faces turning red.
…and Goombella leapt herself onto Vivian, peppering her with kisses on her face, and her neck.
“AH! H-hold on! I’m… I’m ticklish!” Vivian tried.
The goomba just smirked before continuing. “Heh, sucks for you then!”
“G-GOOMBELLA!” Vivian laughed.
And for the next hour, the laughter and kisses from both girls could be heard coming from Room 6.