Chapter 8 - Koopa Cape

''Wake up!'' Bau said. ''We over slept!''
Shelly and Kev sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from their eyes and squinted into the bright light. The weather was hot and sticky, and the view of Koopa Cape on the horizon shimmered invitingly in the heat.


''How far have we got to go now?'' Shelly panted heavily as beads of sweat trickled down her grey fur.
''Another ten minutes if we keep this pace up.'' Kev said and took another swig of his water before offering the Panther some.
Shelly took a grateful mouthful of the water, enjoying the feel of the cool liquid running down her gullet. They carried on, following Bau who was floating ahead, more eager to get to the water park than anyone else.


Soon the large clifftop park that was Koopa Cape came into clear view, dominating the near horizon. The sound of rushing water almost blocked out every other sound as the three headed towards the main gates where they came across a green shelled Koopa stood inside a small booth.
She looked from Bau, Shelly then to Kev in silence.
''Ten coins for a full day pass, five for half a day.'' She said, wiping a small cloth across her forehead.
The three looked at each other.
''I have no coins!'' Bau said, panic edging his tone.
''I have enough to pay for both of us for half a day. What about you Kev?'' Said Shelly and she started rummaging about in her bag.
''I have enough.'' He said and handed the Koopa five coins.
Bau and Shelly paid and both had a coloured band wrapped around their wrists, as did Kev.

When they stepped through the main gates, they looked about themselves in awe.
''It's like an oasis.'' Shelly breathed.
Kev wasn't paying paying attention. His eyes were scanning the surroundings for a different reason.
''Do you hear that?'' He said and cocked his head.
''Hear what?'' Bau asked curiously.
''That... Tingling sound....''
The three stood still and listened carefully. Hidden beneath the layers of noise in the bustling water park, the faint sound of raw magic could be heard.

''It's close by...'' The grey and black Koopa said.
''Where abouts is it though?'' Shelly said.
''Somwhere up on that waterfall, I think.'' Kev said, pointing to the top of a near by water slide.
''Up there?'' Bau said and Kev nodded. ''Er, did I mention, I'm not so good with heights...''
''I ain't good with heights either. Fell out of a tree when I was little and ended up with twelve stitches in my head.'' Shelly, with a grin.
The nervouse Boo snorted a laugh and they followed Kev as he waded through an ankle deep stream that wound it's way throughout the park.

''There's a way up around the back of the water fall.'' Kev said. ''It's near the edge.''
''The edge? As in, right on the cliff?'' Shelly said as she hurried after the two.
''Great...'' Bau mumbled miserably.
''It's alright for you. You can just float up. We have to climb.'' Shelly grumbled as she scratched absenmindedly at a small scratch left by one of the Fuzzies.
''It's through here.'' Kev paused when the other two gave him a questioning look. ''What? I used to wrok here ages ago before it got taken over.'' He added innocently and carried on through a patch of bushes surrounded by trees at the waterfall's base.
Bau and Shelly followed him and snuck around the back of the false fall.

''This maintanence ladder goes all the way up on the outside. At the top there's a hatche that opens inwards onto the bank of the waterfall's slide top.'' Kev shouted over the noise of rushing water. ''The hatch at the top only openes from this side though, unless you have a key.''
''Do you have a key?'' Bau replied.
Kev paused a moment, holding onto the bottom rungs of the ladder. ''Er, no. All our keyes were taken off us when we were fired.''
''Then how're we gonna get down?'' Shelly asked, anxiouseness creeping into her voice.
''Well, it is a water slide. And the weather's hardly cold, is it?'' He said with a grin and carried on up the ladder.

Shelly rubbed her face. ''The weather's getting to my mind.'' She grumbled and reluctantly followed Kev up. ''C'mon Bau! You have our bags!'' Shelly called down, urging the ghost to follow.
Bau swallowed hard and started following them up the ladder.
They eventually reached the maintanence hatch at the top and followed Kev through the crawl space where they came out onto a thick patch of damp moss and grass at the top of the waterfall. The roar of water echoed through the waterfall tunnel, mixing with the screams and shouts of joy and excitement as every few seconds, someone was swept by in the current and disappeared over the edge of the fall.

''I swear, everyone around here's mad!'' Shelly said, gaping as a blue Shy Guy went over the edge.
Kev wasn't listening to what she was saying. He was listening to the tingling sound, now very close. Shelly turned her head to face the grey and black Koopa, instantly picking up the sound of raw magic.
''It seems to be comming from beneath that rockery...'' She said.
She crept towards it, following the sound, and pulled a few rocks out of the way. She tried moving a larger rock, but she couldn't do it by herself. She called to Kev and Bau to help and within a few seconds it rolled to one side, revealing a golden star, shining brightly.

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