Chapter Text
Bowser looked out standing on top of the desert hill. What a view! The ruins here indicate there definitely used to be civilization here in the past, but it seems to be long-abandoned. Shame, really.
As Bowser looked at the ruins, he saw something… or someone… sitting next to them and crying. A young Koopa with brown scales and a grey shell. He looked somewhat large, but his mannerisms were very child-like.
Bowser knew it was probably a dumb idea to talk to this random kid in the middle of nowhere… but he couldn’t just leave him alone and afraid. He headed down the hill and spoke to the boy.
“Hey, kid… are you okay?”
The large Koopa child sniffled and looked up to Bowser. He had tiny eyes and just three strands of hair.
“M… MORTON LOST… MORTON MAMA AND PAPA… LOST…”
So this kid speaks very simply. Luckily, Bowser was relatively simple-minded himself so he could understand.
“You lost your parents?”
Morton sniffled again. He was clearly upset.
“MORTON… WAIT HERE… ALL DAY ALL NIGHT… STILL NOT COME…”
Bowser’s heart ached when he heard that. This poor boy had been waiting for at least a full day for his parents to find him, but they didn’t. Did they get lost themselves? Did they abandon him? Something worse? It was impossible to tell.
“Morton… that’s your name, right? Do you have any idea where they might be?”
Bowser didn’t expect much, but literally anything would help.
“MORTON NOT KNOW… DESERT BIG…”
Figures. Bowser picked Morton up and carried him on the rim of his shell.
“We’ll have a look. If we can’t find them, I’ll take you with me for now. We’ll find them eventually either way.”
Morton sniffled and nodded.
Bowser decided to talk to Morton while they were searching to cheer him up.
“How old are you, Morton? You’re pretty big but you also seem young.”
“MORTON… MORTON SEVEN…”
Bowser’s face lit up with recognition.
“You’re just like me when I was your age. I was a big kid too. I bet your parents are about my size, huh?”
Morton nodded and laughed a little.
“PAPA MORTON… BIG…”
Bowser chuckled as well.
“What’s your dad’s name? I could call for him, see if that’ll help.”
“MORTON PAPA… ALSO MORTON.”
Bowser looked shocked for a second, and then burst into laughter.
“So you’re Morton Jr., huh? You know, I also named my son after myself. Ain’t that funny?”
Morton paused for a moment, seemingly thinking about it, and then he laughed when he finally understood.
The two searched the desert for Morton’s parents for the rest of the day, but couldn’t find them. There seemed to be no trace of them throughout the whole desert.
Morton started crying again. Bowser pulled him into a hug.
“It’s okay, we’ll find them some day… But not today. Come with me for now. I’ll get you something to eat, you must be starving.”
“OKAY…”