And now, the conclusion of Chapter 1

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Previously, our heroes withstood a fortress full of devious tickle traps intended to doom them into being captured, but they escaped by the skin of their feet and are about to face off against the Koopa Bros themselves...

Finally, they were able to get on top of the fortress, where the Spirit of Mirth was most likely being held. Or rather, it was definitely being held there – Zashi couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he was absolutely sure that it was there.

Climbing up to the final bridge, however, they discovered that they were no longer undiscovered. The four Koopa Bros, Yellow, Black, Red, and Green, stood watching them.

"You getting past those traps was quite impressive!" Red said, grinning broadly, "but we'd been watching you the entire time. We're elite ninjas, after all."

"I'd say something corny like 'give us back the Spirit of Mirth and we'll let you go," Zashi said, smirking and waggling a finger at them, "But the truth of the matter is, you deserve a punishment anyways."

"Oh, I'm quaking in my sandals," Green said, sneering, "A yoshi and a rebel koopa. How terrifying."

"Alright guys... don't let them cross the bridge unscathed! Fire the Joker Joes!"

"Joker Joes?" was Kooper's questioning reaction.

Two cannons emerged from the ground, aimed at them. Before they could react, two large bullets emerged from them – goofy faces on the front – and flew towards them.

Kooper instinctively dodged into his shell, letting the bullet fly over him, but Zashi wasn't so fortunate – the Joker Joe grabbed onto his arms and, using its forward moment, forced him onto the ground on his back, pinning his arms down to the ground. Zashi watched with a mix of horror and amusement as several compartment opened up, revealing feather dusters – which immediately started brushing over his armpits, chest, and belly. Letting out a squeal of laughter, he wiggled about, trying to get out from under the bullet, but nothing he could do would move it. He even tried pressing his feet against it, but that ended up being a mistake – compartments opened up, grabbing onto his ankles, and brushing against his soles.

Kooper found himself watching, entranced, from in his shell. What a devilishly clever system... he shook his head, "Zashi needs my help!"

Kooper withdrew from his shell and shook his foot at the Joker Joe that held Zashi captive, "Hey Joe! Bet you can't catch me!

The Joker Joe took notice and immediately released Zashi, flying at Kooper. Thinking quickly, Kooper ran down the bridge, towards the Koopa Bros.

"Oh we're not falling for that one! In the fortress, Koopa Bros!" Red said, the four of them retreating into the final room and shutting the door.

"Crap," Kooper thought as he ducked into his shell just in time for the Joker Joe to hit the wall, getting dizzy. "That was close!"

Zashi walked up, a little wobbly, "Nice job, Kooper! Though uh, I noticed they have off buttons on the back..."

Kooper looked at the big red button on the back of the Joker Joe. "Oh."

"Well, we're finally here... let's get that Spirit of Mirth back!" Zashi said, wiggling his fingers eagerly. He hadn't had a chance to use his magic feather since the Feather Bros and he was eager to finally test its might on some worthy opponents.

"And get our revenge," Kooper said, brandishing the large feather he grabbed earlier.

Opening the door, they stepped inside to a room with a small bridge leading to a quartet of stone thrones – nothing fancy, but enough to convey authority. Sitting on them were the four Koopa Bros, sneering at them. On either side of the bridge they could see that the Koopa Bros did, indeed, have a spectacular view of the trap rooms that they went through. Zashi felt a little miffed that they were simply standing back and watching them instead of challenging them head-on, but he had to admit that this was rather clever of them.

Hopping down from their thrones, the Koopa Bros wiggled their fingers at the two of them.

"You're gonna wish you had failed in those trap rooms, 'cause we're master ticklers, ya know," Black said, grinning evilly.

"You need feathers? Bah, cowards." Yellow said, laughing at them.

"Hey, yoshi, that feather might be good for interrogation, but for outright combat, it's way too short to do you any good!" Red mocked.

"Come over here and I'll show you how good it is," Zashi said, cockily pounding his chest.

Kooper grinned as well, "We all know that I've bested you before, so you might as well surrender and let me have my shot at you!"

"Not a chance," Red said, "Koopa Bros, attack!"

The four ninjakoopas spun forward with blinding speed, taking even Zashi and Kooper by surprise.

"What the?" Zashi yelled.

"They weren't this fast before!" Kooper shouted in shock.

Immediately, the ninjakoopas set to work, brandishing their individual techniques against the unlucky duo.

"Shuddering Grip!" Black yelled, grabbing Kooper by the sides and kneading with a blinding speed, making Koopa shriek with laughter as his sides were tweaked faster than he could even feel.

"Thousand Finger Tickle!" yelled Red, his fingers moving at a blinding speed and poking and wiggling all over Zashi's torso, making him laugh aloud with no chance to counterattack, as his chest, belly, and pits all felt like they were being tickled by a thousand people.

"Dance of a Ticklish Foot!" yelled Yellow, getting his fingers under Kooper's sole and tickling it, forcing him to raise it up without letting him get a chance to get away as his fingers tickled with blinding speed from every angle. Kooper's foot helplessly pushed into the air as the fingers scratched over every surface, even getting between his toes.

"Magnetic Pull!" yelled Green as he started sweeping his fingers over Zashi's sole. To Zashi's surprise, he couldn't move his foot away... in fact, he was being pulled towards Green, who kept backing up, Zashi helplessly hopping on one foot which kept being pulled into Green's tickling fingers.

The Koopa Bros let up, allowing Zashi and Kooper to fall back, panting. They felt completely outmatched!

"Now do you see?" Red said, grinning, "We're clearly the masters here. Thanks to Bowser's new power, he gave us these magnificent abilities. You can't stop us."

Zashi stood up, as did Kooper,

"S-so..." Zashi said, bluffing a little, "That was a nice warm up. Now let's really go at it!"

Red growled, "Fine, if you want to see our ultimate technique... then prepare yourself!"

The four ninjakoopas assumed a formation, moving their arms in some strange, mystic way.

"Watch out, Zashi! This is what they used to subdue our village!" Kooper said.

Zashi stood confident, waiting to see what would happen.

"Special Ninjakoopa Tickle Technique – Ticklish Tornado!" they cried in unison and, diving into their shells, began to swirl about, spinning faster and faster, a tornado of white energy forming between them.

Zashi suddenly felt himself being lifted up in the air and, with a mix of horror and intrigue, get pulled towards the tornado feet-first. As his feet touched it, he instantly shrieked with laughter, as it felt like a thousand feathers were sweeping across his soles at mach speed. Furthermore, he was starting to get pulled into the tornado, the ticklish sensation starting to spread up his ankles.

"Hahaha!" Red said from inside his shell, "the moment you get pulled completely inside, you're doooomed!"

Kooper stood up and, taking a deep breath, knew he needed to act now. Diving into his shell, he spun around, as fast as he could, opposite to the Koopa Bros and launched himself into their spinning circle.

He got bounced all the way to the back, due to the anti-violence spell doing its job, but it worked – the four Koopa Bros had their spinning formation disrupted, and Zashi fell to the ground.

"What the!?" screamed Red as they were flung out in the four directions, then pulled into their own tornado feet-first. Ripping off their sandals, the tornado tickled the four ninjakoopas for a moment, their laughter filling the room, but then disappated.

"Phew," Red thought... moments before he realized that he and his fellows were about to fall off the bridge. "Oh no!"

And down they fell into their own trap rooms.

Zashi and Kooper watched with amusement.

Black had fallen into the first room and had become pinned in place by a cannon's net, which had wrapped around his body and was tickling him senseless, as judging by his laughter. Furthermore, his bare feet were now being assaulted by the "spotlights" which were starting to cluster around his soles – and thanks to the net, which had pinned him upright, he couldn't do anything to stop them from torturing his soles, as more and more nets fired at his, coccooning him in the ticklish substance.

Yellow had falling in the plant room and was wrapped up in ticklish nets, stuck in a sitting position as the nibbling plants nibbled and nipped at his vulnerable soles. His wiggling toes helpless, then made even more helpless when another net managed to catch them, pulling them back and rendering his soles taut, his laughter filling the room.

Green was faring better, crossing the monkey bars, but he go stuck between several tickle bars which swept over his torso, tickling his pits, belly, and chest with each sweep, while the tickle bar below him tortured at his feet. He only last a few seconds, laughing himself silly, before falling inot the goop below. Once he was good and stuck in it, the goop began to swirl over his soles and body, and judging by Green's laughter, it was quite ticklish. It certainly didn't help that the more he struggled, the faster and faster the goop swirled.

Red was nowhere to be seen, though.

- - -

Red climbed up to the bridge, panting with exhaustion, "I can still get you," he said, "even by myself!"

Meanwhile, the Joker Joe next to the door woke up and, locating a new target, locked onto him.

"Oh no," Red said, and watched as it flew towards him. He should've hopped in his shell, but seeing that face flying towards him, he hesitated.

The Joker Joe grabbed onto his arms, pinning him to the ground, and extended its several featherdusters.

"N-no!" Red said, as the feather dusters worked at his belly and sides. He tried kicking at it, even though he should've known that it would end badly, as it grabbed his ankles and began brushing over his soles.

"Hahahaha! No, please, stop!" he begged, though in some way, he was actually... having fun? He didn't know why.

Then the Joker Joe's silly voice piped up, "Target confirmed helpless – beginning final phase."

"Noohohohoho! Not final phase!" Red begged, but it was too late. The Joker Joe pulled his feet and hands inside itself and projected a large buffing brush onto his belly and chest, which began to spin, sending Red to new hysterics – and to make matters worse, two smaller buffing brushes inside began to spin against his trapped soles. With that, Joker Joe took off, flying Red off to the prison where it was programmed to take its prisoners... the prison designed to automatically torture its inmates.

...The scary part is, Red was actually kinda looking forward to it.

- - -

Zashi and Kooper watched the automated castle systems slowly drag the remaining Koopa Bros away by their nets. Black had some kind of laser shining ticklish energy on his feet, several plants hitched a ride with Yellow and continuously nibbled at his soles, and the goop was actually carrying Green somewhere.

"Feel like you got your revenge?" Zashi asked, grinning at Kooper.

"More than you'll ever realize," Kooper said, "It was perfectly poetic that they'd fall into their own traps. I just hope Red did."

Zash watched the Joker Joe fly by with Red attached "Looks like he met Joe."

"Oh good. I was hoping so."

Zashi stood up, satisfied with the show, and walked over to a chest located between two of the thrones. Taking a deep breath, he opened it.

Floating up out of the chest was definitely one of the Spirits of Mirth – this one resembled a joyful mask, with lined with yellow, happy-looking feathers.

"Thank you, Zashi, and Kooper! I am the Spirit of Mirth which represents the Joy that laughter can provide!" the joyful spirit said, "But right now, I feel the joy of being rescued, which is just as good!"

Zashi bowed reverently, as did Kooper, "We are happy to help!" they said, almost in unison.

"Now, Zashi, I will bestow a magical power on your feather. Your foes may have cause to fear your feather, but your friends should find joy in it – so I will grant you the power to rejuvenate your friends with it. And do not fear, this power can also be used on yourself!"

Zashi raised his eyebrow, "Wait, I thought tickling yourself was impossible."

The spirit grinned even wider, if that was possible, "With the power of my magic, it's indeed possible!"

Turning to Kooper, the spirit went back to its smile, "And for you, who also helped me, I shall unlock a hidden potential in you. Some Koopas have the abiity to summon shells to serve as shields – but your power shall serve as a restraint, and allow you to capture foes in a restrictive shell which leaves them open to attack."

Kooper felt the power unlock within himself, "Oh, cool! This is like what my pen pal Koops can do!"

"And with that, I must bid you farewell. Unfortunately, we must hide until all seven of us are present, for Bowser's power over us is too great. Good luck! And may many more allies join your cause!"

And with that, the Spirit of Joy flew off.

"So, I never got to use my feather on the Koopa Bros," Zashi said, frowning, "but... with that rejuvenation power..."

Kooper saw the grin and Zashi's face and, feigning a sigh, held his bare foot out, "Fine, I'll be your test subject."

Zashi concentrated, tugging on that power, his feather producing a gentle yellow glow. Sweeping the feather over Kooper's sole, he watched the koopa laugh as his toes wiggled, but rather than looking more fatigued, Kooper seemed to actually become more energetic. Zashi stopped tickling, and Kooper put his foot down.

"I feel great!" Kooper said, "it's like I got a good night's sleep or something!"

Zashi looked down at the feather, impressed. Concentrating again, he let the yellow glow cover it, and moved it up to his own armpit. To his surprise, it was as if his hand was moving automatically, sweeping the feather up and down his pit – and he burst into laughter, actually tickling himself!

He could feel his stamina returning to him, too, feeling just as good as he had at the start of the day.

"Wow, you're right!" he said, looking at the feather, "That really worked!"

Part of him was just happy he got to tickle himself, too. Not many people could say they did that, after all.

"Let's head back to the village, and plan our next move," Kooper said, "'cause I'm with you to the very end!"

"Thanks, Kooper" Zashi said, smiling happily, "Let's go!"

- - -

Bowser sat in a golden throne in what used to be the Golden Feather's Shrine, laughing as his two Elite Feather Bros swept their enchanted feathers over his massive soles with, their faces barely hiding their happiness at being allowed to serve their Lord in such a way.

"My loooooord," came Kapzak's flamboyant voice. Bowser dismissively waved his hand, and the two Elite Feather Bros stepped back, awaiting further orders from Bowser.

"Do you have good news, Kapzak?" Bowser said, chuckling a little.

"I'm afraid not," Kapzak said, yet a smile was on his face, "You see, the Koopa Bros failed... for the second time? Third time? And now they're stuck in their own dungeon, getting tickled by the automated systems they meant to use to trap that pink-haired yoshi."

"Eh," Bowser said, shrugging, "I had a feeling they'd fail for the third time. So tell me, how's the energy situation?"

Kapzak grinned, "Not only did we get quite a bit from the villagers, but now the Koopa Bros are lending us their energy, whether they realize it or not."

"Excellent," Bowser said, smirking, "By the way... do rescue the Koopa Bros after awhile, I may still have need of them, if nothing else as slaves."

"Oh my," Kapzak said, laughing flamboyantly, "I can't tell if that's mercy or cruelty!"

"Why not both?" Bowser grinned, "Go check on the desert situation. Make sure that my minions there are adequately prepared to stop the black yoshi and whoever he gets to tag along with him."

"Yes sir~" Kapzak said, flying off as Bowser signalled his Elite Feather Bros to resume their service.