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It was a day like any other for General White. Wake up, sigh, stand outside… He would lay in bed all day if Petalburg wasn't so beautiful. That was the reason he came here, after all. This place was the polar opposite of the frigid tundra he called home. He thought maybe it would help take his mind off things.
Anyway, he was about to go to sleep. Not that it was dark out yet, but he figured 5 PM was close enough.
"Hi! How are you?"
General White looked up to see… Ugh, not him. It was that Koopa who showed up in town after that dragon was defeated. His name was…Koopley, right? General White couldn't be bothered to remember it.
The Bob-omb turned his head back towards the ground, hoping Koopley would walk away. Everyone annoyed him, but Koopley was exceptionally obnoxious.
"The weather's nice today, isn't it?"
Seriously? Is Koopley that clueless? Actually, that does make sense given the things General White overheard about him.
"What do you want? Please make it quick."
"Well, I've been catching up with everyone in town, and you’re the only one I haven't talked to yet!"
"This must be a misunderstanding. I don't live here."
"You seem like a friendly fellow who needs some cheering up, though."
That stupid smile on his face. Just seeing it made General White's own mouth hurt… Or rather, it would if he had a mouth. Regardless, he spoke up.
"How are you happy?"
"Huh?"
"How are you happy? You were stuck in a dragon for, how long?"
"10 years."
"10 years. Hut?!"
"But I'm out now!"
"And? You spent the last 10 years of your life living in abject misery."
"It wasn't that bad…"
General White just stared at him.
"OK, it was. But like I said, it's over now, so everything's fine and dandy!"
"Tell that to your son."
"I…did?"
The smile faded from Koopley's face. Finally. There was no way this guy was actually happy.
"He's grown into so much more than I ever could've imagined. I'm so proud of him!"
The grin was back. All General White could do was sigh.
"I suppose you should be happy you still have a purpose in life."
A purpose purposely threw away, unlike Big Bob. So, of course, Koopley gets his happy ending and not General White.
But does he have that purpose anymore if his son is grown up? Maybe Koopley was more than just a father.
...
Was White more than just a general?
"Sooo… What about you? What's got you down?"
Koopley spoke, interrupting General White’s train of thought.
...Wait, why was he still talking to this guy?
"It is a secret only Bob-ombs can know. Now, if you would excuse me… Hut!"
General White quickly walked away, leaving Koopley behind.
"I thought misery liked company."