Chapter Text
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, a young Koopa King lived in a grand castle. Although the King was very powerful and had any material thing his heart desired, he was a cruel and selfish ruler. Until, on one cloudy night, a benign beggar-woman approached the King bearing a humble gift: a single fire flower. The King scoffed at the pitiful gift and turned the beggar away. The beggar warned the King that his cruelty would lead him to be alone and unloved, but he dismissed her again and threatened to punish her for her outburst. Suddenly, however, the beggar revealed herself to be none other than the guardian of the stars, Princess Rosalina! The King begged for her forgiveness, but it was too late. Rosalina used her powerful magic to place a spell on the King and his house, forever imprisoning them within the castle grounds and wiping their existence from the minds of all the realms. She told the King that her spell would remain in place until he could learn to love another, and earn her love in return. But as the years passed with many unsuccessful attempts to break the spell, the King fell into despair and lost all hope. For who could love a monster such as him?
Notes:
Some brief notes for this chapter:
-The fire flower mentioned in the prologue is similar to the rose in BatB, but it's not necessarily a countdown for the curse or anything. More on it later chapters, though
Chapter 2: Kingdom Life
Notes:
Constructive criticism is welcome, and please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“Good morning Princess!”
“Good morning!”
“Good morning to our most lovely Princess Toadstool!”
Princess Peach Toadstool waved politely to the small crowd of Toads greeting her and replied with a cheerful, “Good morning! How are my subjects faring today?”
“Wonderful, your Highness, thank you!” a green spotted Toad answered for the lot of them, “What are you up to today? Exciting adventures? Kart racing? An extreme sporting tournament?”
Peach giggled behind a gloved hand, “Oh, nothing like that today. I thought I’d start my day off by coming to the town and seeing all of you!”
“Well it’s always a pleasure to see you, Princess!” a purple Toad piped up, “We Toads are grateful to live in such a peaceful and prosperous Kingdom, especially ruled by you and protected by the Mario Bros.!”
The crowd of Toads hummed in agreement. Peach shook her head with a smile at their poorly hidden attempt at flattery.
“Don’t let Mario hear that, he already has a big enough head as it is,” Peach said with a playful wink. “It was lovely to see you all, but I shall be on my way now. I still have quite a bit of ground to cover this morning.”
“Alright Princess, a-and Good Morning!” the green Toad gushed, earning a smack to the back of his cap from his embarrassed orange-spotted friend.
Peach nodded and continued down the cobble path further into Toad Town. Colorful banners and street merchants’ stalls lined every corner and made the small village feel bright and lively. Peach hummed pleasantly as she made her way through the various sections of her kingdom’s capital, occasionally waving or stopping to greet a Toad who wished to get her attention.
Eventually she stopped at a larger shop featuring an oversized depiction of a cake across the front window, with a pastel pink and yellow striped overhang to match. Peach stepped in, noting the familiar jingle of the bell attached to the front door (to signal a customer’s entry) as she did.
“Princess! Now what brings you to little ol’ Tayce T.’s bakery?” a kindly looking yellow Toad with curly white hair said.
“Hello Tacye T., how are you doing these days?” Peach greeted warmly, knowing Tayce T.’s question was one they both already knew the answer to.
“Oh, just fine, just fine, dear. What is her Highness in the mood for today? Tayce T. has got a fresh batch of cupcakes that she thinks will suit the Princess just perfectly,” the small Toad made her way back to the kitchen before she even finished speaking, true to her busy self.
Tayce T. returned shortly with a plate of exquisite smelling cupcakes topped with a swirl of pastel green and pink frosting. Peach’s stomach growled approvingly.
“These look just wonderful, you know me so well Tacye T.” she smiled, reaching for a few coins to pay for the confections.
Tayce T. chuckled, “Well, I was only using one of the many recipes your Highness has shared with me, so I would hope they taste good! Stars know you’re the best baker in the whole Mushroom Kingdom, dear.”
Peach blushed slightly at the compliment, “Thank you, but I hardly have time for baking these days, and you’re a phenomenal baker and chef as well, so I am very glad that you’re around.” She handed Tayce T. a generous amount of coins and accepted the paper box that the baker had put the cupcakes in.
“What’s keeping you so busy these days, Princess? Mario seems to have plenty of free time, and he’s the one doing most of the dangerous work… no offense.”
Peach leaned forward on the counter separating them, propping herself up on her elbows. “None taken, it’s just that Mario’s main job is to do the dangerous tasks, so he deserves the rest more than anyone. Plus, all my work as a princess, while it does keep me busy, is actually quite enjoyable. So in all honesty, I can’t complain, even if my routine does get rather… dull. No offense.”
Tayce T. smiled, a twinkle in her eye. “Well, hopefully things will change soon, huh? I hear Mario is looking to court you officially, and I say it’s about time! The Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom and its Princess are a perfect pair!”
Peach felt herself blushing again. “If Mario is looking to advance our relationship, he hasn’t told me about it yet. And sometimes I feel like we… well… oh nevermind.”
“Take ol’ Tayce T.’s advice, and talk to your man before things between you get muddled up. Actually, I saw him walking home just a little before you arrived, so you should be able to catch him there,” she patted Peach’s hand encouragingly, missing the way the princess flinched at “your man.”
“Y-yes well, I’ll do that, thank you again for the cupcakes!” Peach hurriedly turned and exited the bakery while Tayce T. chuckled.
“Oh wait Princess! You overpaid me,”
Peach turned back and smiled graciously, “Just supporting my favorite local business.”
As she returned to the path that led to Mario’s humble house, she mused over Tayce T.’s words. She knew the old Toad meant well, but Peach was just as confused as to the kind of relationship she and Mario had as anyone else. Of course, she cared for Mario a great deal and knew him to be a nice guy, but aside from any adventures or formal gatherings with all their friends, they hadn’t spent much time together. At times, she felt she barely knew the red-clad plumber.
Her thoughts were interrupted as she heard a shrill voice cry, “Nice one, Mario!” Approaching Mario’s cottage, she saw Toad cheering Mario on as he threw fireballs (he was enhanced by a fire flower power-up, obviously) at practice dummies of various sizes and appearances. The remains of what looked to once be a Piranha plant cut-out smoldered a dozen feet away or so from the aforementioned hero.
“Princess! Good to-a see you,” Mario dusted off his hands and waved Peach over.
“Hello Mario, hello Toad, is practice going well?” Peach strolled over to where the boys stood.
“You bet! Mario is the best shot in the whole Kingdom! There’s no baddie he couldn’t beat!” Toad said enthusiastically, punching the air in front of him for effect.
Mario rubbed the back of his neck bashfully, but didn’t correct him. “So, what-a brings you here, Princess?”
“Ah well, I was in the neighborhood…” Peach trailed off. Suddenly she remembered the box of cupcakes she had in her hands. “Oh! Would you like one? Tayce T. made them fresh this morning.”
Mario’s eyes lit up as he nodded excitedly, passing a cupcake to Toad before taking a big bite out of his own.
Peach took one for herself, too. They were rich chocolate cupcakes, filled with chocolate mousse of some kind, and the green frosting on top had a light-yet- sweet minty note to it. All three hummed in approval and ate in silence.
Mario finished his cupcake first (as he usually did when it came to food), and connected eyes with Toad, giving him a meaningful look. Toad looked confused for a second but suddenly straightened up, nearly dropping the last bit of his cupcake.
“Oh! I uh- I just remembered! Toadette asked me to come over this morning, sooo I better get going. Bye you two!” He hurriedly explained, and rushed off in the opposite direction of Toadette’s house. He skidded to a stop, chuckled nervously, and began again in the right direction.
Peach quirked an eyebrow at Toad’s odd behavior, but didn’t have time to think about it further as Mario then said, “So Princess, since your-a here, there’s-a something I’d like to talk about.”
Peach nearly choked on the bite of cupcake she was chewing, but quickly swallowed and turned to face Mario with wide eyes.
Oh stars I don’t think I’m ready, I don’t want to hurt his feelings or make things weird between us, I like Mario but I think Tayce T. was right about him wanting to take things to the next stage and I’m not ready I-!, her brain screamed.
“Princess?”
“Oh! Yes, of course! What did you want to talk about?” Peach beamed, trying to look calm and comfortable.
Mario cleared his throat, and stood a little taller (although it didn’t add much height to his short frame). “Princess, since we first-a met, I have-a saved the Kingdom from-a many threats, and never have I been-a defeated! I want you to know-a that I do it not just for-a the Kingdom, but also for-a you. You are the most-a beautiful and kind ruler, and I want-a you to know that I want us to be-a more than friends.”
Peach felt her heart leap up into her throat and pound in her ears. Was this a declaration of love?
“I think that-a the Mushroom Kingdom needs the both-a of us, and that we work-a well together, don’t you-a agree Princess?” Mario continued.
Peach nodded weakly, unable to make her tongue work. Why was she so nervous? She liked Mario, and Mario was just trying to take their relationship further which is the next natural step, right? She had wanted to know him better, isn’t this how people do that?
“So, I think-a that we should-a make it official, no? The citizens already expect-a it of us, and-a I’m sure you’ve-a heard the rumors. I like you Princess, and I think I-a know how you feel,” Mario chuckled, though he didn’t sound nervous or shy. “We can-a do a lot of good for the Kingdom, especially once we’re married!”
“M-Married?” Peach stuttered, finding her voice. Did Mario really see them that way already? What was she missing that he saw?
Mario cocked his head to one side, like he was confused that she was confused. “Do you not-a want me to be the Mushroom King?”
“No! I mean, yes. I mean, I don’t really know that yet..?” Peach cringed at herself for her lack of decorum. She wrung her hands and started over. “Mario, I do agree that we can do a lot of good for this kingdom, and I do like you, but… not quite that way, and… marriage? I just… don’t think I’m ready yet… I don’t feel like I really know you well enough to be… something more .”
Mario’s face fell as she spoke, and he slumped a bit. “I thought-a that since I was the Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, you knew me enough. I know-a enough about you to feel ready. I-a just thought that you felt-a the same way I did.”
Guilt flooded her. Had she been too harsh? She hadn’t thought so.
“Oh Mario… please don’t be upset…”
Mario held up a hand, stopping her. "I don't-a really understand. We are-a perfect for one another, why can't-a you see that? We have-a been dancing around this for-a too long, no?"
Peach bit her lip. "I'm sorry Mario. I wish you could understand how I feel. I know you want a future together, but I'm not certain yet… and I don't want to feel pressured into something I'm not sure of."
Mario shook his head, and remained silent. Peach sighed.
"Goodbye Mario. I hope… I hope this doesn't change our friendship." she turned away, hugging herself. When Mario still said nothing she started back towards the heart of Toad Town.
Why does this feel so wrong? I feel so guilty. Is Mario right? Maybe I’m just being a coward and letting my fear cloud my judgment. But at the same time, I can’t even envision us being a true couple, I barely know the real him… Peach thought solemnly.
She decided to forgo the full route through Toad Town back to her castle, and opted to take a pipe there instead. It would mean less of a chance of her running into someone who would question why she looked so glum, and then force her to come up with an answer she didn’t fully have yet.
After making it back to her castle and up to her room confrontation-free, she sprawled out on her bed in a most unladylike manner, sighing loudly.
“Why does love have to be so difficult? I feel like I have so many expectations to live up to already, and now my love life has to get dragged into it? And Mario doesn’t seem to be bothered by it at all…” she closed her eyes, half-hoping that by speaking her problems out loud they’d somehow disappear. She wished she could escape this Kingdom life sometimes, and be free of the pressures and expectations that the people (and Mario) had for her.
***************
As the Princess walked away, Mario could feel heat rise up the back of his neck. His conversation with Peach went the opposite of how he had expected. His gaze snapped up as the faint sound of rustling bushes came from behind his house.
“You can-a come out now, Toad,” he sighed.
“Oh boy how did it go? I bet she was really excited and happy!” Toad bounded over, a goofy grin plastered on his face. He stopped in his tracks when he noticed Mario’s scowl. “Uhh, did I miss something?”
Mario crossed his arms, feeling slightly childish but too frustrated to care. “The Princess said that she’s-a ‘not ready.’” Toad gasped.
“No! Really? But you two are perfect for each other! And why, you’re the greatest hero in all the land!”
“I know, I have-a defeated Dimentio, Antasma, Fawful, The Shadow Queen, on and-a on! How can-a that not be enough for her? We play-a sports, go on adventures, what more does-a she want?!” Mario fumed, feeling his anger build. He had overcome every single obstacle he’d faced since arriving in this strange land, so why was his relationship with Peach so difficult?
“Golly Mario, she’s crazy for not wanting to be with you! She’ll come to her senses soon, I’m sure,” Toad patted Mario’s shoulder, but he swatted it away.
Mario flung a fireball at another cut-out, a koopa-shaped one this time. The fireball found its mark easily and incinerated it instantly.
“I will-a prove it to her, that-a we are meant to be! The Brave Hero and-a the Beautiful Princess!” Mario pumped his fist into the air as Toad applauded him.
Notes:
I hope you liked the first full chapter! Part of the reason I'm writing this is because I feel some versions of this story rely to closely on the source material and not the characters' original personalities. I hope you guys can see I tried not to make everyone too OOC, but nobody is perfect hehe.
Some brief notes for this chapter:
-Mario is generally more arrogant in this story because he has defeated every villain he's faced, and they haven't returned, like Bowser does in the games.
-Peach is a baker, like Belle is a bookworm
Next chapter coming soon! Kudos and comments would really make my day!
Chapter 3: Unhappy Travels
Notes:
Constructive criticism is welcome, and please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Peach wasn’t sure how long she lay there on her bed, trying to sort out her jumbled thoughts and feelings for Mario. Unfortunately, so far she only felt more confused than before. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was the problem here, and that maybe she had led Mario on with her minor shows of appreciation whenever he saved the kingdom.
A soft knocking on her door interrupted these musings.
“Come in,” Peach called, sitting upright and folding her gloved hands in her lap.
A short, brown and white spotted Toad sporting a bushy mustache entered and toddered up to the side of her bed.
“How are you faring, poppit? I thought you were out on a morning stroll through Toad Town,” he said.
Peach smoothed out some wrinkles on her silky pink skirt. “My trip just took a bit shorter than I thought, Toadsworth. I took a pipe back instead of walking,” she offered.
Toadsworth hummed and rubbed his mustache. “Is that all then? Because I heard from some of the Toadservants that you returned early, but then you headed straight for your room, dearie.”
“Oh no, did I worry them? I didn’t miss something on my schedule today, did I?” Peach fidgeted with the edge of her glove, hoping they’d move on from this part of the discussion.
“No, no, nothing like that. Well, I suppose I was a bit worried, though, poppit. Old Toadsworth here can sense that something happened during your walk, right?”
Peach flinched inwardly. As much as she didn’t want to talk about her conversation with Mario, perhaps Toadsworth might offer some good advice.
“Well, I met up with Mario. And we had a rather brief conversation about… us,” Peach began. She recounted the short story to Toadsworth, who only nodded or hummed on occasion as she told him.
“I’m afraid that I’ve been playing with Mario’s feelings, or that I’m the one holding us back when I really shouldn’t be,” she admitted at the end, feeling guilt bubble in her stomach (or maybe that was just the sugary cupcake from earlier).
Toadsworth clasped his stubby hands behind his back, rocking on his heels for a few moments before finally saying, “It sounds to me like you don’t really feel as strongly towards Mario as you think you do, dearie.”
“What?” Peach’s head snapped up. Of all the things she expected him to say, that was certainly on the bottom of the list, maybe not on the list at all.
“I know you very well, poppit. I raised you since your dear parents, rest their souls, passed on. You are a very naturally kind and affectionate person, even with people you don’t know that well.
“I don’t think you’ve been leading Mario on, dearie, at least not intentionally. It’s not as though he is the only one to receive your kind words or shows of appreciation from time to time, right?”
“No… but I still feel as though I’ve given him false hope, or that I’m making him wait on me for no reason.” Peach sighed.
Toadsworth took her hand and locked eyes with her. “Well poppit, do you want to get into a real relationship with Mario? I don’t mean right this moment, but can you see yourself doing that in a month? A year?”
Peach furrowed her brows. Was Toadsworth saying the reason she wanted to put off a relationship with Mario was because she truly didn’t want one at all? She took a moment to actually envision them together, going on dates, getting to know one another. Somehow, it didn’t feel like it was real at all.
“I don’t know Toadsworth,” she admitted. “It just feels like we’re supposed to be together, but at the same time I don’t see it happening, not really.
“Do you think Mario feels the same way I do, deep down? Like we’re being forced into this by people’s expectations? I like Mario, but the more I think about it, the more I think that my feelings for him aren’t ever going to grow past that.”
Toadsworth nodded, understanding. “I think you’re sorting out feelings for a man that has saved our kingdoms several times and has become a good friend and ally. But that doesn’t mean that it has to lead to romance, eh? I think Mario just needs to understand how you really feel. He might continue to think that there’s a shred of hope for a future relationship if you don’t firmly ‘friend-zone’ him, as the kids say.”
Peach cleared her throat, squeezing Toadsworth’s hand appreciatively. “I think you’re right. I was putting off a relationship because I didn’t want one in the first place, and I didn’t even realize it. I suppose part of me felt that since Mario is such a nice guy perhaps my feelings would eventually change to match what everyone expects from us… but they won’t. Thank you, Toadsworth.”
Toadsworth smiled, making the corners of his mustache curl upwards. “All part of my job as your steward, dearie. You feel things so profoundly that I know you can be easily overwhelmed by your emotions. Just be sure to tell Mario all this, too, once you’ve both had time to think further and cool down.”
Peach returned his smile, “I will. And thank you for not expecting me to love Mario like most everyone else does.”
“Well, honestly I was a bit shocked, but I figured this might be coming after all the time that’s passed. I suppose I am guilty of being one of those who assumed you’d be a couple, but your feelings come before the people’s expectations, dearie, so I am happy for you regardless.” He patted her hand and started to make his exit.
“Oh yes! That reminds me. I was originally coming in to tell you that we were invited to send a delegation to the Koopa territory to negotiate trade,” he announced proudly.
Peach stood, her eyes gleaming. “Really? This is wonderful news! The Koopa territories have been struggling without a formal system of leadership for so long, I’m so glad they’re finally willing to open up to other realms and help us help them,” she clapped her hands together.
“I knew you would be! I volunteered to be the head of the delegation, so you needn’t worry about a thing,” Toadsworth winked, and they both chuckled. “In fact, I am leaving this evening, so I shall begin preparations at once.”
Peach swooped in to hug the elderly Toad, “Good luck, Toadsworth. I know you’re going to do well.”
“Thank you, poppit. I shall return soon with good news if all goes well!”
Peach spent the latter half of her day helping Toadsworth make final preparations for his journey. A small escort would accompany him, although it was more for show than actual protection. The Koopa territories were the ones who had invited him, after all.
After a brief round of goodbyes Toadsworth was off. Peach waved as he rode out the front gates of the castle.
“Goodbye Princess! Remember what I told you!” he called.
“I will! Goodbye Toadsworth!”
***************
After hours of travel on Yoshi-back, Toadsworth was ready to throw in the towel, so to speak. His original plan had been to ride to the outskirts of Toad Town and then take a pipe the rest of the way to the Koopa Territories. However, what the Koopas (unintentionally) forgot to mention was that there were currently no pipes set up that would take one to their territories. Toadsworth’s escorts suggested that they turn around and start the journey again at daybreak, but Toadsworth brushed them off, claiming that it would be pointless to turn back now after all the preparations had been made and they were already well on their way. Now, however, he began to deeply regret his decision.
Their group was currently trying to seek out some sort of lodgings for the night, since they had not brought supplies to make camp. Unfortunately, however, there had been no signs of life for miles. And to make matters worse, a storm was coming in fast. Although there would likely be no rain, seeing as how the Koopa territories had a very hot atmosphere, there was certainly going to be dry lightning, and that itself posed a whole new set of challenges.
“Sir, we need to pick up the pace. We don’t want to be caught in the storm; it will spook the Yoshis for sure,” one of the blue Toads accompanying Toadsworth said. Toadsworth remembered his name to be Buckenberry.
“I agree good fellow, I don’t like the look of things, let’s be on then,” Toadsworth nodded, though his back ached from the long ride already and would have loved it if they could slow down instead.
Pressing ahead, the small party of Toads eventually came to a fork in the path. Although Taodsworth was fairly confident in Buckenberry’s navigational abilities, he still asked if they wouldn’t mind pulling over for a moment to consult a map. Reluctantly, they all dismounted their Yoshis and began rummaging through their small saddlebags for a map. Toadsworth took the opportunity to stretch and walk a few paces away to ease his cramping muscles.
Suddenly, however, a deafening clap of thunder beared down upon them, accompanied by a blinding flash of lightning. As Buckenberry predicted, the Yoshis all scattered, nearly trampling the Toads that were in their path.
Scrambling to regain his senses from the shock of this sudden turn of events, Toadsworth attempted to reach for his Yoshi’s reins to keep him from running off. The Yoshi, however, was much too fast and darted away, leaving Toadsworth to face-plant into the dusty path with an “oof.”
“Are you alright sir?” Buckenberry hurried to assist the old Toad to his feet. Toadsworth brushed himself off and shook his head as he saw the other Toads rushing about to catch their respective Yoshis.
“This is quite a fine mess, if I do say so myself,” he muttered, making his mustache quiver.
“Stay here sir, the other Toads and I shall round up the Yoshis soon!” Buckenberry’s statement was accompanied with another clap of thunder, causing the Yoshis to panic even more. “Well, soon enough.”
Buckenberry rushed over to assist his fellow Toads, leaving Toadsworth to stand and watch the scene play out before him. If it were not a serious matter, it might have been rather amusing to witness.
Toadsworth noticed a yellow Yoshi escape the Toads’ attention and gallop down the left path of the fork.
“Excuse me! Buckenberry! Buckenberry-?” Toadsworth called out, but failed to get Buckenberry or any Toad’s attention for that matter.
“No matter, I shall retrieve the Yoshi myself!” Toadsworth called out, realizing that it would be better to try and stop the yellow dinosaur himself rather than lose it while waiting for the other Toads to have a free hand.
He took off down the left path, which winded down at a rather steep angle. Up until that point, their path had been characterized by rather bland scenery. After crossing the boundary out of the lush Mushroom Kingdom, the landscape dramatically shifted to a dry, rocky one with the occasional shrub. Now, however, as Toadsworth continued to descend, the vegetation thickened exponentially and the temperature dropped dramatically. It was still dry, but now it was cold, scratchy all around and dry.
“Yoshi! Here boy!” Toadsworth called out, pushing through the tangled mess of dead plants covering the path. He could hear the faint sounds of the Yoshi somewhere ahead, but it was hard to locate the exact direction it was coming from.
Eventually the sounds stopped coming altogether, and Toadsworth began to worry. He turned around, only to find the path unfamiliar and covered with brush.
“No matter, I shall double-back and…” Toadsworth muttered to himself, only to turn and find yet another unfamiliar looking path.
Oh bother, I am definitely lost. Toadsworth thought.
He knew he was too far for any of the Toads to hear him, especially with the intermittent thunder that rumbled in the air. Toadsworth decided his best option was to press on, and hope that he would find the right path, or at least some confirmation that he was on the wrong one and should turn around.
After what felt like an hour or so of wandering, Toadsworth eventually stopped as his eye caught a flash of color, which stood out among the browns and grays of the landscape.
“Hello!” he called out, hoping it was one of his companions. Unfortunately, in his eagerness, Toadsworth lost his footing on the loose soil (caused by the excessive dryness, no doubt). With a loud yelp, he tumbled down the steep sided path and collided into a thorny bush. Head spinning and multiple new scratches burning, Toadsworth slowly rose and was met with an incredible sight.
Before him, where there seemed to be nothing before, was a massive castle. Cautiously, he slowly made his way closer, noting the fine architecture. The castle itself was constructed of large graystone bricks, and overall looked very sturdy. It stood at least a dozen stories higher than Princess Peach’s castle back in Toad Town, and was surrounded by a blazing moat of lava. The heat emanating from the moat was welcome, however, as the surrounding air was becoming bitterly cold.
As Toadsworth got even closer, smaller details began to pop out at him. For one, there were similar carvings on all the individual towers and gateways, each depicting the head of some creature he’d never seen before. It featured horns, fangs, and a large muzzle, so Toadsworth assumed it was a monster of some kind, meant to ward off possible intruders.
Aside from the constant churning of the moat of lava, the grounds were inexplicably still and so quiet that he couldn’t even hear the thunder anymore. In fact, looking up at the sky, there seemed to be no dark storm clouds anymore, just a gray and heavy overcast canopy. All in all, the grand castle looked ultimately abandoned.
“Hello? Is anyone there?” Toadsworth called out, just in case. A set of twin towers where there should have been guards posted were empty, and the drawbridge over the moat was firmly in place, and looked to have been that way for ages.
Perhaps I should rest here for a little while, and see if there’s a map of some kind that can direct me onto the right path back to Buckenberry and the others. Toadsworth thought, crossing the bridge and coming up to the large front doors. Finding one slightly ajar, he pushed it open with a great heave (he had to use all his strength, considering his age, stature and injured condition).
A cloud of dust swirled into the air as the door fully opened, ending with a loud thud. Peering into the dark hall, Toadsworth could barely make out the impressive interior. Heavy oversized furniture framed in precious metals, expensive looking tapestries, and jeweled accessories filled the large area and gave it a magnificent and classy appeal, although the entirety was blanketed in a fine layer of dust. Toadsworth took a few steps inward, glad to find that it was warm and dry inside the castle.
“Hello? I-I’m a traveler, I got lost and injured myself, is there anyone here?” Toadsworth called out, knowing there would almost certainly be no reply. His voice echoed in the grand hall eerily.
Shivering, he scanned the room for a light source, and found a wall torch near the entrance. Pulling it from its stand, he stepped outside for a moment and removed his monocle. Holding it up to a faint beam of light, then directing it towards the end of the torch, it ignited within a couple minutes.
“Aha! This old Toad’s still got it. Lucky thing my monocle was still intact, eh?” he said to himself, proud of his ingenuity.
He re-entered the castle with his new light source, and began to search for a library or study of some kind, hoping to locate a map. The flames danced and cast strange shadows across the dark walls. Although he tried to deny it at first, Toadsworth felt like he was being watched.
“Don’t be silly old boy, this place is clearly abandoned. And besides, you’re only here for a short spell. Gather directions, treat your injuries, and be on your merry way back to the Koopa Territories!” he told himself, trying to keep up a brave face. Despite the fact that the place looked deserted, there was always the chance that it was haunted by boos, a thought that Toadsworth tried to push down.
A myriad of hushed murmurs began floating through the halls. Toadsworth stiffened and picked up the pace. Coming upon a large set of doors, Toadsworth decided it was time to begin his search a bit more urgently.
These doors creaked and groaned as Toadsworth pushed them open. To his shock, the room he revealed was well lit and had a roaring fire going in the fireplace. To his horror, this room was also being occupied by whatever creature sat in the large armchair in front of said fireplace. Although he could only make out a vague silhouette, Toadsworth could tell whatever it was was big .
“I said I did not want to be disturbed,” a frighteningly deep and gravelly voice said.
Toadsworth yelped and dropped his torch straight onto the plush red carpet. The hot charred end splintered and spread coals all over the floor. Much to Toadsworth’s dismay, this caused the creature to stand to its full height and face him.
He towered over him a good two or three times his own height, and was built like a wall. Nearly identical to the carvings outside, he peered down at Toadsworth with blood-red eyes, a mouthful of fangs, and a ferocious snarl.
“Who in the SHELL are you?!” he roared, causing Toadsworth to fall on his rear end.
Toadsworth clutched his chest, feeling it pounding harder than a herd of stampeding Yoshis. He was shaking so badly that his monocle was beginning to slip off his face.
“P–p-please s-sir, I-I meant n-n-no harm! I g-got lost in the woods and I in-injured myself-”
“ SILENCE! ” The creature glared down at the pitiful thing before him, “You are not welcome here!”
Toadsworth could only stare, his tongue stuck to the roof of his completely dry mouth.
“What’re you looking at? Come to mock the once great King?”
“N-no! I-I-I’m sorry!I just n-needed a place to rest-”
“Oh, I’ll give you a place to rest, trespasser ,” the creature grabbed Toadsworth by the vest, carrying him away into the dark.
Notes:
Some brief notes for this chapter:
-Since Bowser, his servants, and his castle all disappeared and Rosalina made everyone forget they ever existed, the rest of the Dark Lands has basically become just a group of territories inhabited by Koopas (hence Koopa Territories)
-Buckenberry is the name of the Blue Toad based off a quick google search lol
-The voices whispering in the castle may or may not be the Koopalings hehe.
-No one is under a transformation curse in this story, fyi. But since the Dragon-Koopas (Bowser's sub-species) was erased, they look pretty darn terrifying to anyone who doesn't know them.
-I don't plan on using cuss words in my works, I personally find it more entertaining to use alternatives that have something to do with the characters or overall setting (example: Oh Stars; what the Shell?)Next chapter coming soon! Kudos and comments would really make my day!
Chapter 4: How to Kickstart Your Destiny
Notes:
Constructive criticism is welcome, and please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Peach was in her study the next day, writing out precisely what she wanted to tell Mario when Toadette suddenly burst in.
“Toadette, what’s the matter?” Peach asked, noting the Toad girl’s wide eyes and uneven breaths.
“It’s Toadsworth, your Highness! H-He’s gone missing!” she cried.
Peach felt her heart drop into her stomach. “Missing? Where? When?!” she rushed over and crouched in front of Toadette, holding her shoulders gently. Toadette took a shuddering breath and relayed the story as best as she could.
“Buckenberry and the other Toads arrived home this morning. He said that he ended up having to travel the long way to the Koopa Territories, a-and there was a storm, and the Yoshis scattered, and then Toadsworth just disappeared!”
“Wasn’t Buckenberry able to track him?” Peach pressed, still unable to believe that her dearest advisor and steward, whom she had talked to mere hours ago, was missing .
“He did for a while, but I guess Toadsworth went pretty far into the woods, and his trail disappeared!”
“You mean it went cold?”
“No, it literally disappeared! Buckenberry said he’s never seen anything like it,” Toadette wrung her stubby hands.
Peach squeezed her shoulders gently, trying to be strong for the both of them. She was their Princess after all, their leader. If she wasn’t able to face this, then why should they? She took a deep breath, and mimed for Toadette to copy her.
“We will find him, Toadette. Toadsworth is a resourceful fellow, and we have many resources here that we can use to find him. The worst thing we can do is panic, alright?” Peach gave her a small smile, though her words were for herself as much as they were for Toadette. Toadette inhaled and exhaled slowly.
“You’re right Princess. Here I am, trying to deliver awful news and do my best to comfort you, and now you’re the one comforting me,” Toadette blushed.
“It’s alright, I’m afraid too. Why don’t you take me to Buckenberry so I can get the details from him? We can help them organize a search party and seek help from the Koopa Territories.” Peach took Toadette’s hand and they walked together to the front courtyard, where Buckenberry was trying to assemble a team. Although Toadette was officially her handmaiden, they were more like close friends or sisters, so most taboos about servants and their superiors were broken between them.
As they entered the courtyard, where the royal gardens were currently in full bloom, Peach noticed Mario standing among the crowd of various Toads and officials wanting to get the update as well. Buckenberry noticed their entry, saluted, and filled the Princess in on the situation.
“In all honesty, there’s not much more to tell, Your Highness,” he began. “We assume Toadsworth went chasing after a Yoshi after they were spooked by the storm, and then got lost in the thick brush. I tracked him that far, but, as Toadette has probably already told you, his trail simply vanished. I really don’t know how else to explain it.” Buckenberry slumped in defeat.
“I appreciate all that you’re doing, what can I do to help?” Peach patted his shoulder.
‘Well, so far I’ve gotten enough volunteers for a decent sized search party. Mario even volunteered, but you likely guessed that,” he jerked a thumb towards where said plumber stood.
Peach noticed that Mario hadn’t even looked in her direction yet. She hated that there was this tension between them, and she knew what she wanted to tell him to fix it, but now was certainly not the time or place.
“At this point, what I need most is cooperation from the Koopa Territories to search their land, and for the citizens to remain calm. After all, Toadsworth is the most influential person in the kingdom, after Your Highness and Mario, of course,” Buckenberry continued.
Peach hummed thoughtfully, “I will send a letter to the Koopa Territories at once, and I’ll begin preparing an announcement for the Toads. I’ll update them on the situation and answer any questions they might have.”
“And I’ll help too!” Toadette piped in.
Buckenberry nodded. “Thank you. Hopefully, this will all be over soon and we can laugh about it, eh?”
Peach forced a small smile, worried about the possibility that Toadsworth was more than lost, “Yes, hopefully.”
***************
Three days, 15 hours, and roughly 34 minutes. That was how long it had been since Princess Peach heard the news of Toadsworth’s disappearance. Adding another 7 or so hours to that figure, and that was how long the old Toad had been missing. Updates came less and less frequently, and each with less and less hope in them. Toadette kept trying to remind her that “no news was good news,” and that as long as someone was still looking, Toadsworth had to be found eventually. That wasn’t what worried Peach, however. What scared her the most was in what condition they might find her dear steward.
Peach rubbed her temples and looked up from the letter she was currently writing. Her request sent to the Koopa Territories had been graciously approved, but she still wanted to keep up the correspondence with them, if only to assure them that regardless of the outcome of this crisis, trade negotiations would be completed.
With all the nervous energy she carried, she had tried to distract herself with her work and a marathon of baking. However, even after she had completed and even worked ahead on all her duties, and dozens of multi-tier cakes later, she was still restless.
Sighing and standing from her desk, she determined a walk through the castle might do her some good. The morning light shone through the various stained-glass windows in the halls, causing a kaleidoscope of color to bounce throughout them. Peach forced herself to take calm, even steps, and kindly greet any of the servants she ran into. The soft clicking of her heels across the marble flooring became a rhythm in her ears.
She hadn’t planned out a specific route, but when she found herself in front of the doors of the Royal Library, she decided it wouldn’t hurt to stop by and see if anything caught her eye. Perhaps on some slight chance she might even find something that would aid in the search for Toadsworth.
The librarian on duty, Toadbert, lit up as Peach entered. “How may I help you, Princess? Is there any particular subject you’re looking for?”
"Well, I was hoping there might be something on the Koopa Territories," Peach said. Toadbert hummed thoughtfully.
"I'm not certain there's anything left. Mario and the search crew came through and cleared out most of the books and maps we have on them."
"Could you please double check? I'd really appreciate it."
Toadbert nodded, "Of course Your Highness, I'll be right back." He disappeared into the labyrinth of tall bookshelves for a few minutes. He returned with a frown.
"I'm sorry Princess, I couldn't find anything."
"That's alright, thank you for checking," Peach said.
She was nearly out the doorway when Toadbert called, "Wait Your Highness! I thought of something. We store outdated books and worn out ones down in the back, perhaps there is something on the Koopa Territories there."
Peach smiled, "That sounds fine. May I join you?"
"Certainly, right this way." Toadbert waved her over and led her to an entry way behind the common area of the library.
As he unlocked the door, Peach felt a tingle run up her spine. For some reason, she had a very good feeling about this. As the heavy wooden door swung open, it revealed quite a few dusty shelves of disorganized books and various reading materials.
"If there's anything about the Koopa Territories, it's bound to be closer to the back. We haven't rotated new material on them in ages," Toadbert explained.
Peach nodded and followed him as they traveled to the back. The further they went, the fewer books there were on each shelf. Finally, they reached the back, where less than a dozen books were scattered across a duty shelf. Peach noticed they were all in pretty bleak condition.
"Let's see… no, not this one… no… certainly not that one…" Toadbert muttered to himself as he looked over the small collection. "Aha! I think we're in luck, Princess," he pulled down a thick, worn, brown leather-bound book. The front was covered in gold scrolling that read "A Beginner's Guide to Studying Koopa Inhabited Lands."
Toadbert carefully handed it to Peach, who accepted it gratefully. "This will do just fine, thank you again Toadbert."
Toadbert bowed deeply, his round glasses sliding down his face. "At your service, Princess. I hope it serves you well."
***************
Later that night, Peach reclined into an overstuffed pink armchair with her and Toadbert’s find settled in her lap. She admired the intricate design of the front cover a moment before carefully opening the old book. The pages, expectedly, were yellowed with age and crackled a bit more than they should’ve when Peach turned to the first chapter. The title of said chapter, unexpectedly, though, was “Darklands: The Kingdom Capital.” Peach furrowed her brow and flipped further along.
“Darklands? Royal family? Dragon Koopas? What is all this?” Peach murmured, the out of place words sticking out on paper like a sore thumb. Perhaps this was a book of legends or some Koopa fantasy novel. Surely it had to be, because the Koopa Territories were just that: territories. There was no monarchy, no capital, at least not that she knew of. Then again, maybe this was ancient history she hadn’t known about?
However, as she continued skimming the volume her eyes caught a flashing mention of the Mushroom Kingdom. Carefully turning back Peach found a paragraph detailing a (somewhat) secret warp pipe that connected the Mushroom Kingdom to the Darklands.
“Only the royal families of the two kingdoms know of their true location, but it has been rumored that the warp pipe connecting the Mushroom Kingdom and the Darklands is located in the palace gardens, disguised and only to be used in extreme political emergencies,” Peach read, her voice slow and uncertain. Surely, this was a mistake, just like the rest of this clearly obsolete piece of work.
She quickly shut the book, a bit louder than she intended, and decided that she would have a look at it with Toadbert tomorrow. This was too strange to handle tonight, especially alone. She wasn’t an expert, but that book seemed legitimate and non-fictional... But the information was so contrary to what she knew! Sighing, she set the book on an ornate side table and began preparing for bed.
That night as she tossed and turned, the thought of a secret warp pipe in the gardens connecting to the supposed Darklands would not leave her. She couldn’t explain it, but it kept nagging in the back of her mind. She’d walked the gardens countless times of course, the well-kept flower beds were her pride and joy, but now as she envisioned the path, all she could think of were places where a secret pipe could be hidden. Topiaries, fountains, ivy covered walls, the possibilities were endless!
Perhaps it was her fear for Toadsworth, or just instinct, but somehow she knew that that odd book was pointing out something important to her.
Peach bolted upright in bed. A raised bed of fiery red flowers, surrounding a short shrub draped in a thick layer of ivy-like vines. Except, it wasn’t a shrub… it was much too flat on the top. That had to be a warp pipe. Shakily, Peach flicked on a light, threw on a simple pink day dress and her standard jewelry she’d left on her dresser.
“Milady? Is everything alright?” Toadette’s voice came softly from the outside of her door. Peach jumped as she’d forgotten that her handmaid was still here.
“Yes Toadette, don’t worry. I’m just going for a quick walk in the gardens, you are free to retire for the evening,” Peach called as she finished sliding on her gloves. She knew she was only going out for a bit to confirm a silly suspicion she had, but as a princess it was a habit to go out looking proper no matter the hour.
“Alright, goodnight Princess,” Toadette replied, and Peach listened as her soft footfalls continued down the hall.
Peach tossed on a thin magenta cloak over her dress, knowing the night air would likely be damp and cooler. Making her way to the gardens, she nodded politely to all the guards posted, thankful none asked where she was going at such an hour. Finally, she made it outside, where the starry skies and quiet chirping of insects met her. She smiled at the tired looking guard standing at the arching topiary marking the entrance of the gardens.
“I’ll just be a few minutes, thank you for your service,” she told him. He nodded sleepily, but was grateful for his ruler’s kind acknowledgment.
Peach clung to the edges of her cloak, plodding towards the spot she had so suddenly recalled. The further she went, the more silly she felt. Surely this was something her mind conjured up to connect dots where there were none to begin with. She was very worried about Toadsworth, and she hadn’t gotten a decent night’s sleep since he disappeared, so she wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be nothing at all. As she came up to the spot, however, her heart beat faster. It was just like she recalled; the bright red flowers, the oddly shaped shrub. Normally, no one would have noticed it, especially compared to all the other wondrous flora the garden had to offer, but this particular shrub was too perfectly round and flat on the top, even with all the vines piled atop it.
Peach carefully stepped across the flowerbed to get to its center. She pushed aside the browning vines, and revealed a warp pipe, green but slightly discolored with age. She gasped. This meant the book had been right about a secret pipe in the gardens. The question now was, what else was it right about? Although this brought her no closer to Toadsworth, the warp pipe was a shocking (and slightly alarming) discovery nonetheless.
She leaned over it, checking to see if it was truly a warp pipe or just a decorative dud. She’d have to summon that guard over and make sure no one disturbed the pipe until it could be properly examined, but for now she could clearly see a faint swirling of light and colors further down the pipe. She smiled, because the inside of a warp pipe was always a beautiful sight. Suddenly, she felt something slip around her ankle and swiftly pull back. Her smile quickly faded as Peach lost her balance and fell forward into the warp pipe. She was whisked halfway across the kingdom before she could even scream.
Peach squeezed her eyes shut and prayed to the stars that she wouldn't end up spawning underwater or in the middle of a pack of piranha plants. How could she be so clumsy? She’d grown up around warp pipes all her life. Hopefully, this would just be a quick in and back out trip and she wouldn’t worry anyone.
As she saw the end of the tunnel approaching and emerged from the pipe, Peach was met with inky black darkness and a dry, cool breeze. She pulled her cloak closer about her and blinked to try to adjust to the drop in light. The brightness of the moon and twinkling stars was gone, replaced by a hazy overcast night. The ground beneath her was bare dirt and looked dry as a bone. Dead plant matter was scattered all around. Peach looked up and gasped. She was in what appeared to be the remains of a once spectacular garden; and behind that garden stood a massive stone castle.
“The Darklands?” she mused. Clearly, the secret warp pipe existed and so did its end destination. This discovery was monumental, and Peach would be remiss not to recognize that. However this came to be, Peach decided she wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.
She approached the back entrance of the castle, observing the strange and detailed architecture.
“If the Koopas really did have a monarchy at some point… they must have been very powerful,” Peach said to herself, mostly to fill the deafening silence. Everything about this place was peculiar; it was too still, haunted almost. She approached the open doorway, and called out.
“Hello!” her voice echoed loudly. She stood for a moment, and strained as she heard the faintest reply.
“Hello?” she took a few steps inward, startled to hear another voice.
“Help! Someone help me please!” the voice wailed, though to Peach’s ears it was a sudden revelation.
“Toadsworth?!” Peach took off in the direction of the voice without another thought. “Toadsworth, is that you? Answer me! Please!”
“Help me please! I’m locked up!” Toadsworth repeated, and Peach sprinted down the hall, heels clicking harshly against the stone floors. His voice was floating from down a stairwell, and if he was locked up, that must mean he’s in the dungeon.
It also means someone had to put him there. Peach thought briefly, but at this point all that mattered was finding her dear steward. She hurried down the stairs, thankful there were torchlights to guide her. Her skirts flew about her as she descended deeper, calling out for Toadsworth. Finally, she reached the bottom of the stairwell, and saw Toadsworth sitting behind locked bars, clutching them with a white-knuckled grip.
“P-Princess! Is that really you?” Toadworth sputtered, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
“Toadsworth! How did you get here? Are you alright? Oh, I was so worried!” she rushed to his side, kneeling and taking his frozen hands in her own. “We have to get you out of here, who did this?” the words tumbled out in a rush. She was so relieved to find him, alive and mostly well.
Toadsworth shook his head and blinked, tears spilling. “No, no, no. You shouldn’t have come. You need to leave me, leave this place right now!”
“Toadsworth, you know I won’t do that! Now, we just need to-”
Suddenly a gust of wind blew through the cell block, extinguishing all the light in the room apart from one singular beam of faint moonlight coming in through the high barred skylight.
“Who are you? What’re you doing here?” a deep and ominous voice said.
“Peach, run!” Toadsworth interjected.
“I-I am Princess Peach Toadstool, I’m here for my steward,” she stood, facing whatever thing was hiding in the dark. Her knees shook, but she managed to sound steady (mostly).
“You shouldn't be here. Your steward was trespassing, and now you are too,” the voice rumbled. Peach gripped her hands in front of her.
“Please, neither of us knew. My steward is sick here, he’s much too old to handle these conditions… Who are you? Please, if you let me speak to the master of the castle I'm sure we can arrange-”
“ I am the master of this castle. And there’s nothing to discuss. This old Toad is my prisoner. I suggest you leave and never return before I decide to make you one as well.”
Peach shook her head, looking back at Toadsworth, “What if… what if I stayed here in his stead? Would you let him go if I agreed to be your prisoner in his place?”
The voice scoffed. “You?” It was silent for a long pause, then grew softer, “You would… take his place?”
“Yes.”
“No Peach! You don’t know what you’re doing!” Toadsworth cried.
Peach flinched at his pleas but ignored him. If this was the only way to save him, then she would gladly accept this being’s terms.
“Very well,” the voice said, and then slowly stepped into the light.
To say Peach was shocked would be an understatement. The being towered over her, sported a scaly hide and a massive shell behind him, though it was draped in a deep purple cloak. His fiery red eyes bore down on her. Peach turned away, unable to stand the intensity of his gaze and ferociousness.
“Do you promise to stay here forever then? I promise I will release your Toad if you do,” he said, his tone unreadable one way or the other.
Peach turned back to him, with her eyes closed and head held high. “You have my word.”
“Done!” the being stalked past her, and tore open the locked door holding Toadsworth with his bare strength. Toadsworth stumbled out and grabbed Peach’s arm.
“Princess no! Listen to me, you’re much more important than I am, you can’t stay here!” Toadsworth begged.
“It is my duty as your Princess to take care of my subjects, and that includes you,” Peach replied softly. She leaned in closer, “and I trust you’ll show Mario where to come and rescue me,” she whispered. Toadsworth’s eyes widened, both from her statement and from the creature suddenly grabbing him and dragging him up the stairs.
“Wait! Wait, Toadsworth!” Peach exclaimed, but was ignored.
“W-wait! No, please!” Toadsworth shouted. “Please, let my Princess go! I’ll stay here, if you’ll only spare her!” he begged the creature.
“She’s no longer your concern,” he replied coldly, stomping out to the gardens and towards the now-exposed warp pipe. “Kamek!” he bellowed.
A blue-clothed magikoopa with thick rimmed glasses suddenly appeared out of a poof of purple smoke. “Yes, Your Loudness?” he said in a nasally voice.
“Once I send this Toad through, make sure you disable this warp pipe. I thought no one would have remembered it, but apparently that princess did. Oh yeah, and there’s a princess in our dungeon now, lock her up.”
Kamek gave him an odd look before replying, “... Yes, sire.”
The creature then dropped the old Toad down the pipe, who was protesting all the while.
Once he was safely gone, Kamek pulled a wand from his floppy sleeve and waved it around the pipe. It changed from green to yellow, signifying its inoperation.
The duo trudged back down to the dungeon, where they found the princess on her knees, with her face buried in her hands. Quiet sobs shook her shoulders. She looked up as she heard them approaching.
“You didn’t even let me say goodbye. I’ll never see him again, and I didn’t get to say goodbye…” she whimpered.
Notes:
Yay a longer chapter! Now that we're past the exposition, we'll get to the good stuff!
Some brief notes for this chapter:
-Toadbert is the name of a Toad with glasses who appears in some of the games. I don't know if he actually volunteers at the library, but he seemed like the type lol
-After the memories of the Koopa Kingdom were erased, people began writing down an "accurate" version of Koopa history, so only old books would hold the truth
-Did Peach really have a clumsy moment back at the pipe or was something else involved? *wink wink*
-The Darklands are basically hidden by a wall of crazy illusions, which is why people could only find it by using a super awesome secret warp pipe... or just completely accidentally wandering into it like Toadsworth
-The illusions also impact the weather, to an extent. It makes the sky look hazy and dreary all the time even if it is bright (hence why there can still be beams of light visible).
-How is Peach able to hear Toadsworth so far away? Why did he call out at that exact moment? All will be explained, I promise.If you have any questions, comments, or just want to say hi, I'd be happy to hear from you! That and kudos really make my day, and really encourage me to write!
Chapter 5: In Which Everyone is Having a Bad Day
Notes:
Constructive criticism is welcome, and please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Bowser was having a bad day. Although pretty much everyday since the curse had been a bad one, this one had to take the cake. He’d been trapped within his own castle grounds for countless days, weeks, years, with no one on the outside to turn to, and just now he was finally getting ready to accept his fate. But then fate turned around and was now cruelly dangling hope in front of him once again. When that old musty Toad fellow burst into his study (thank you so much for the warning, Kamek), Bowser had thought for a fleeting second that someone on the outside had broken the curse and found their lost kingdom. However, that hope was smashed to bits when the Toad cried out in horror at the sight of him. Bowser admits he may have been too harsh with the little guy, but the way he had looked at him, like he was a monster, put him over the edge. Then, as if Bowser hadn’t been on this emotional rollercoaster long enough, this girl comes after, willingly agrees to stay with him, but is now sobbing on the floor in a crumpled heap in front of him because of it.
He had been rather taken aback by her offer, though. Why would she want to sentence herself to living in a run down place like this, when she was so clearly afraid? He’d given her a chance to run, which was rather generous in his opinion, but she’d just traded herself in for that Toadsworth guy. Perhaps he’d been a little too eager to accept her proposal. Bowser scratched the back of his head, an uncomfortable feeling bubbling in his stomach. Guilt, his mind reminded him. Oh yes. And to add to that, Kamek kept looking at him expectantly, like he was supposed to say something to the girl. Bowser shrugged.
Kamek sighed and pulled him aside, “Listen, Your Obliviousness, I know you haven’t thought about breaking the curse in a long while-”
“Kamek, I know what you’re going to say,” Bowser said with a warning tone. “We’ve been over this. It won’t work; she’s not even a Koopa.”
“Even a buzzy beetle can recognize a flower’s beauty,” Kamek retorted.
“…What?”
“I’m saying that even though she’s a human, that doesn’t mean there can’t be attraction . She’s still quite lovely after all.”
“You think I haven’t noticed that? But you saw the way she looked at me. No one remembers the Dragon Koopas… I’m a monster in her eyes.”
“So you must change her mind, sire! If we can show her your… kinder qualities, maybe there’s a chance that she could-”
“I said no Kamek,” Bowser growled.
“What are you going to do with me?” a small voice said behind them. Bowser and Kamek spun around to where the girl- Peach was her name, he remembered- stood meekly, drying her eyes.
“Ah, His Majesty was just making arrangements with me for your new room! One of the finest in the castle. And I don’t mean that insincerely, dear lady.” Kamek smiled while Bowser gawked at him for scheming behind his back. Kamek nudged him with a bony elbow.
“And His Willingness has offered to give you a tour of the castle while I prepare it for you, isn’t that right, sire?”
“What?” Bowser glowered at his mentor. Kamek countered with a pleading look. “ Fine, yes. Whatever.”
“Excellent! I shall round up the Koopalings and we’ll have your suite ready in a jiffy!” Kamek poofed away, leaving Bowser to stand awkwardly alone with the princess. She looked at him with wide, uncertain eyes. Boy were they the prettiest shade of blue, though.
“Uhh, shall we?” he motioned towards the exit. When she made no move to follow him he snapped. “Would you rather stay here in the dungeon?”
“N-no.” she stuttered, and hesitantly came up beside him.
They made their way through the various torchlit hallways, with Peach trailing a good distance behind him. Bowser rolled his eyes.
“This is going to be your new home now, so you don’t need to be so… jumpy,” he said, breaking the heavy silence, and causing Peach to jump. “You’re allowed to go pretty much anywhere, except the study.”
“Why? What’s in the study?” she asked.
“It’s none of your business! And because I said so!” Bowser snapped. Peach had no more questions after that.
They briefly toured the common areas, library, dining hall, several ballrooms, and countless other places. Realizing Peach was probably going to get lost in his massive castle, Bowser made a mental note to have a map of the palace drawn out and brought to her. As they passed by dusty paintings and web-covered statues, Bowser felt a slight embarrassment at the state of the castle. Of course, most of the servants had given up hope of ever escaping and didn’t feel a pressing need to keep the castle in order, and Bowser certainly hadn’t corrected them. At least her room would be nice, if Kamek and the Koopalings had anything to say about it.
He could imagine them now, scrambling and pulling all sorts of magical tricks to create an environment that was suitable for a princess. Bowser rolled his eyes at the thought. Treating her like a guest instead of a prisoner was not going to change her mind about him, which he knew was their ultimate goal. He wasn’t going to stop them though, let them have their hope, it was better than wallowing in despair like he was. He just hoped they wouldn’t be too disappointed when their schemes all failed because of him.
“May I ask… what is your name?” Peach said quietly. Bowser flinched as he was yanked out of his dreary line of thought.
“Oh, it’s uh…” he turned to face her and crossed his arms in thought. He briefly considered going under some mysterious pseudonym, like “The Koopa” or “The King,” but decided it wouldn’t do anything but cause confusion. “It’s Bowser,” he finished.
Peach dipped a small curtsy, “Very well, King Bowser.”
“Just Bowser. I haven’t been a real king in ages,” Bowser held up his hands to stop her from curtsying again.
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?” Peach tilted her head to one side. Bowser blew out an exasperated breath.
“The castle, all the beings in it, we’ve all been trapped in here by a curse. No one can leave the castle grounds, no one can find it from the outside, and no one remembers it or us,” Bowser turned away, a heavy scowl on his face.
“But… I found it. And Toadsworth found it,” Peach argued.
“ You used a warp pipe, the only one that takes you directly to the castle, and I’ve made Kamek disable it. As for your Toad, that was pure chance and dumb luck. The illusions and magic surrounding this castle are so strong that no one even thinks to come in this direction. He probably fell in by accident,” Bowser shrugged. He didn’t see Peach pale considerably behind him.
“Y-You mean no one can find this place or remember where it is?” she squeaked.
Bowser bit back a wry smile, “So now you finally understand what you’ve gotten yourself into, princess. Welcome to the Lost Kingdom of the Koopas.” He spread his arms wide, indicating the bleak and empty nature of the castle.
“He won’t be able to find me,” Peach whispered, so softly that Bowser didn’t hear.
They wandered the halls a bit more, with Bowser occasionally pointing out something of interest. Peach, however, was stunned silent and followed him with a glazed expression fixed on her face. After some time Kamek appeared in a flash of purple smoke to announce proudly that accommodations for the princess were ready. Peach didn’t react and instead just followed them a few halls down to where her new room was to be.
They reached the door, which was painted a fresh coat of white and had pink accents and intricate gold molding (it clashed with the dark stone and iron metal materials of the hallway, but no one cared to notice). Bowser opened it wide and gestured for her to go in. Peach blinked and stood frozen in place. Bowser sighed and rolled his eyes.
“Look, don’t think of it as a prison. Think of it as a hotel you never leave because it’s hidden from the world by a curse and layers of heavy magical illusions, alright?” Bowser remarked.
“Isn’t there a way to break the curse?” she blurted, snapping out of her haze.
Bowser’s expression turned stormy and he grabbed her forearm and pulled her into her room. “No,” he growled. He slammed the door behind her, leaving Peach alone.
“Princess, the servants are to attend to you if you need anything!” Kamek called through the door a moment later, his voice muffled but still audible. “You can summon them with the enchanted bell I left on the nightstand! And someone will come to fetch you for mealtimes!” he added.
The only reply was the faint sound of Peach’s renewed sobbing.
***************
Mario was having a bad day. Although, his whole week so far hadn’t been going very well. His ego definitely still smarted from Peach’s whole “I don’t feel ready to have a relationship with you” conversation. The whole thing still baffled him. He was ready to propose, but she wasn’t even ready to start an official relationship? It was bad enough she had essentially rejected him, but her reasoning made no sense to him. Everyone saw what a good couple they made, and everyone knew what an amazing hero he was. Why couldn’t Peach see that?
Well, surely she’d come to her senses soon enough. After Toadsworth was found (and Mario was sure he’d be the one to do it), Peach would see that he truly had what it took to be the Mushroom King. Not that the title mattered so much to him, but it would certainly help him to affirm his position as the Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom.
For now, however, he was stuck in this slow-moving search party. Of course, he wanted Toadsworth to be found and returned home safely, but the process felt unnecessarily drawn-out to him. They’d been combing the same area for nearly three days, and wandering in the same pattern with no further clues as to where the old Toad had gone. Half the time the Toads who followed Toadsworth’s known path ended up returning with a blank and distant look on their face, as if they had gotten lost themselves. Mario did his best to keep up morale and take charge, but he could only do so much. He was used to fast-paced adventures, not search parties. Toad had noticed his frustration and tried to cheer him up.
“Just think of it, Mario! When Toadsworth is found, he and Peach will both be so grateful they’ll have to reward you somehow!” he’d said.
But after days of this lengthy search, Mario was getting equally worried for Toadsworth and discouraged for himself. He sighed and sat down on a dry gray boulder, taking off his cap and running a gloved hand through his messy dark brown locks. Toad sat down beside him.
“Gosh, it disturbs me to see you so down in the dumps, Mario,” he said in his typical squeaky voice. Mario shook his head.
“This whole week has-a been a bother,” Mario began, “not only are we stuck-a out here looking for Toadsworth- Stars be with him- but I am-a distracted by my relationship with Peach.”
“Don’t let it get to you, Mario. Peach will come around, especially after you save the day!” Toad noted.
“But if-a she doesn’t? She’s-a made it clear that I’m not heroic enough to be by her side. I am-a disgraced,” Mario lamely tossed his iconic red cap onto the dirt. Toad hurried to pick it up and dust it off.
“Who, you? Never!” Toad handed Mario his cap. “You’ve got to pull yourself together, Mario!”
“Why? What’s going on with Mario?” a green Toad asked as he came up to where the duo sat. He was accompanied by a small crowd of Toads who’d noticed Mario wasn’t among them searching.
“Mario here thinks he’s not good enough to be our hero!” Toad told the crowd.
“Whaaaat?” they all gasped in unison.
“Are you kidding? Mario’s the best!” the green Toad said. The other Toads nodded in agreement.
“You see, Mario? There’s no one as admired as you! Why, everyone here would love to be you, Mario!” Toad continued. A small smile tugged at the corners of Maeio’s mouth.
“Everyone here is inspired by you, and it’s not hard to see why!” Toad motioned for the crowd of Toads to join in.
“Who defeated Antasma in the dream world?” Toad asked.
“Mario!” the crowd answered enthusiastically.
“And who kicked King Wart’s froggy tail?”
“Mario!”
“And who saved Princess Peach from the clutches of the X-Nauts and the Shadow Queen?”
“Mario!”
“And what about Fawful, Cackletta, Dimentio, the Shroobs?”
“It was all Mario!”
“Hey, what about King Boo?” the green Toad added.
“Actually, I think that was Luigi–”
“See Mario? You’re unstoppable!” Toad interjected, giving Mario a hearty slap on the back. “No one’s as heroic as you!”
Mario sat up, putting his cap on firmly. “You are-a right, Toads. I can-a do this! I have-a saved the kingdom before; I’ll do it again!”
“That’s the spirit! And I’m sure Toadsworth will pop-up any minute now,” Toad grinned, happy to see his hero back to his normal self. The gallop of an approaching Yoshi all caught their attention.
“Mario! Mario!” the Toad riding the Yoshi called out. He was coming in at a breakneck speed. “Mario, Toadsworth is back at the castle!”
***************
The search party made good time getting back to Peach’s castle. Mario, although he was disappointed he hadn’t found Toadsworth himself, was glad the search was over and Toadsworth was back. The Toad who’d delivered the message told Mario that Toadsworth had asked to see him as soon as possible.
And so, Mario sprinted up to Toadsworth’s room, where he was resting and getting his minor injuries treated. He knocked twice before opening the door. Toadsworth was being examined by Nurse Toadly, but he was rambling on and on about something about “monsters” and “in danger.”
“Toadsworth, how-a are you feeling?” Mario approached, hoping that whatever Toadsworth had gone through wasn’t too traumatic.
“Mario! My good lad, thank the Stars you’re here! We must save her at once!” Toadsworth suddenly became very alert, and tried to get up off his bed, but Nurse Toadly restrained him by putting her hands on his shoulders.
“Slow down Toadsworth, explain to Mario exactly what is going on,” she shot Mario a meaningful look. Mario’s brow furrowed in confusion.
“Mario! Princess Peach is in danger! Please, we must go at once!” Toadsworth continued in a rapid-fire manner.
Nurse Toadly sighed, “Toadsworth appeared in the palace gardens this morning, seemingly out of nowhere.”
“Nonsense Nurse! I told you I came out from that warp pipe; he sent me there!” Toadsworth objected.
“Toadsworth, we checked that pipe- it’s completely decorative. It doesn’t work.” Nurse Toadly explained carefully.
“Wait, who-a sent you back here, Toadsworth?” Mario interrupted, disbelief in his voice. Perhaps this old Toad’s age was catching up to him.
“Him! The monster! He’s got Peach and we must go to rescue her!” Toadsworth’s hands began shaking.
“Mario, we don’t have all the details yet, but Princess Peach disappeared sometime last night, and Toadsworth showed up not too long after,” Nurse Toadly added, “But we have no evidence of a monster, though,” she patted Toadsworth’s hand comfortingly.
Mario felt his stomach drop. “Peach is-a missing?” Nurse Toadly pulled Mario aside.
“Listen, Mario, we’re trying not to cause a panic. While I don’t want to discredit Toadsworth, he showed up tired, injured, confused, and out of nowhere. It’s likely he may have just wandered all the way back home after getting lost. It’s true we haven’t been able to locate Peach since this morning, but plenty of people saw her last night. I believe Toadsworth created this monster story in his mind after hearing the terrible news.” she shook her head sadly.
“But Peach is-a missing?” Mario pressed, his hands balling into tight fists.
“Yes, unfortunately. We aren’t sure if Toadsworth’s reappearance is related or not.”
“Then what-a are we standing around for? I must-a save her!” Mario charged out of the room, leaving Nurse Toadly with a near-hysterical Toadsworth.
“Mario? What’s going on?” Toad came up to his side after seeing Mario come out.
“The Princess has-a gone missing, and Toadsworth is-a losing it,” Mario said matter-of-factly. Toad gasped.
“What’re you going to do about it?”
“I am going to-a save the day, that’s what!” Mario walked briskly out to the gardens, Toad in tow. There was a team of Toads scanning the gardens for any clue as to how Toadsworth appeared, or how the princess disappeared.
“Oh Mario! I’m so glad you’re here!” Toadette spotted them and rushed over, giving him a hug. Toad pouted and crossed his arms, feeling a little left out.
“Don’t-a worry Toadette, I will-a find the princess and save the day like-a I always do!” Mario unlatched himself from the Toad girl’s embrace and patted her cap assuringly.
Mario, for his part, was excited at the opportunity to redeem himself. Surely, after saving Peach she would see that he was a good match for her. Whatever baddie he had to face, he would win and Peach would see how heroic he was. Yes, things were coming together for the red-clad plumber. Although he didn’t wish for Peach to be in danger, if this was the only way for her to see things his way… he’d happily save her to do it.
“Hey everyone!” Toad called out to the Toads in the garden, “Let’s hear it for Mario! He’s going to save the princess and make things in the kingdom right again!”
“Hip-hip-hooray! You go Mario! You’re a superstar!” the Toads all shouted and applauded.
Mario felt his chest swell with pride. What was he so worried about before? He was Super Mario, and he was going to rescue the Princess wherever she was!
Notes:
I have to admit, I'm very happy with the way the first half of this chapter turned out! Can't say the same for the second half, I don't enjoy writing from Mario's POV as much, but I hope I portrayed him in a way that wasn't too OOC.
Some brief notes for this chapter:
-We're definitely going to see the Koopalings next chapter, so I'm super excited for that 👍
-I don't want to reveal too much, but Bowser is very angsty because he's tried to break the curse before and failed...
-Welp, there goes Peach's plan to have Mario find and save her
-If you can guess the Monster vs. Aliens reference in this chapter you will have my deep and utter respect
-Is Mario a jerk? I tried to make him seem like he was a nice guy who just has a big ego and a touch of entitlement. Oh, and he takes a LOT of pride in his status as a hero. I don't want him to be evil I swear... just not the right person for Peach in this story
-The Toads are great at boosting his ego, lol
-People want to believe Toadsworth, but the secret warp pipe thing that turned out not to work kind of ruined it for him. That, and he is kinda old and traumatized, sorry bud.If you have any questions, comments, or just want to say hi, I'd be happy to hear from you! That and kudos really make my day, and really encourage me to write!
Chapter 6: Meetings and Greetings
Notes:
Constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The moment the door slammed behind her, Peach stumbled over to her new bed and collapsed in a fit of tears. Part of her felt weak for giving into her emotions so easily, but the rest didn’t care. In a matter of minutes her entire life had been turned upside-down. Not only was she trapped in a strange place with no one she knew, but she was going to be stuck there indefinitely (probably forever); and the ruler of this castle did not seem friendly.
Peach had always tried to be open minded to others’ appearances; she lived in a world filled with Goombas and Thwomps after all, but Bowser chilled her to the bone. Perhaps she wouldn’t be so frightened of his appearance if he didn’t have such a foul temper. If he wanted, one swipe from his claws or a well-aimed fireball (she assumed he could breathe fire, based on the fact that small tendrils of smoke floated out of his nostrils whenever he was annoyed) would end her game. He was capable of imprisoning an innocent person for life over trespassing, so she wouldn’t put it past him.
All she knew was that she was at his mercy. No one was coming for her. Her only hope had been Mario (or anyone able) to rescue her. She felt pathetic admitting that, but it was true. She didn’t know how to fight, and she didn’t have any helpful skills she could use. All she had was a knack for baking and a touch of white magic, and even that was only good for healing or keeping herself fresh and tidy. She was useless, and that made her feel even more hopeless.
However, despite it all, she didn’t regret her decision. Even with a more accurate picture of her grim predicament, she was still more than willing to take Toadsworth’s place. If spending the rest of her life here meant that Toadsworth was safe and sound in the Mushroom Kingdom, so be it. She knew her absence would cause a dramatic shift in power, but Toadsworth had been a regent before when she was a child too young to rule. And unlike those days he had Mario to help him, and her cousin Daisy was also of age now and was able to assist wherever she could. Peach’s heart wrenched at the thought of never seeing any of those familiar faces of friends and family again.
Rapid knocking at her door startled her out of her reflections. She quickly dabbed the back of her glove at her eyes to get rid of any evidence of tears. She probably looked like a hot mess, even with the aid of her white magic.
“Who is it?” she asked, hoarse from her cry session. She dreaded who might answer her.
“It’s Wendy. Kamek, like, told us to come and check on you,” a young and irritated voice replied.
Before Peach could decline, her door swung open, revealing Wendy and six other young Dragon-Koopas of various sizes and colorations. They poured into her room, fighting to get past each other and through the doorway first. The dreary silence was shattered in an instant, as all seven of them began bickering and/or talking to her at once.
“Wow! I’ve never seen a human up close before!” a lean Koopaling with spiky green hair and goggles reached her first. He regarded her with curiosity and rubbed his chin in thought. As he was about to speak again, however, he was shoved aside by a stocky black-and-white Koopaling.
“What'd ya think of your room? I helped decorate a whole lot!” he gave her an open-mouthed smile and stared while he waited for her answer. He too, was pushed aside before Peach could speak.
“Outta the way, Big Mouth! I wanna talk to the princess here, kapeesh?” a muscular Koopaling sporting pink cat-eye sunglasses interrupted.
“Hey! I was here first, guys!” Wendy whined.
On and on the vicious cycle continued, with each Koopaling trying to shove their way in front of her, and all of them talking so loudly that Peach couldn’t make out what any of them was trying to say. She blinked rapidly and sat paralyzed at the chaotic (and slightly frightening) scene before her.
A small tug at her skirts caught her attention. She looked down and saw the shortest Koopa with a multi-colored mohawk; his eyes bore into her intensely and his face was expressionless.
“Y-Yes?” Peach acknowledged him.
“Hi,” was all he said.
“Alright, alright, ENOUGH !” one of the Koopalings shouted loud enough to make the windows rattle. The noise abruptly stopped and the Koopalings shuffled awkwardly. A Koopaling with eccentric blue hair and a snaggle-tooth parted the sea of rambunctious Koopalings and took Peach’s hand gently, bowing respectfully
“My deepest and most sincere apologies for my siblings, princess. As you surely know by now, they possess an insatiable curiosity, and you have certainly piqued it,” he said with a heavy and sophisticated accent. Peach cleared her throat and attempted to collect herself and match his politeness.
“That’s quite alright. Who might you be?” she glanced around her room and at each of the Koopalings, indicating she wanted all of their names.
“I, madam, am Ludwig Von Koopa, eldest of the Koopalings. My siblings are Lemmy, the small fellow at your feet… he doesn’t speak much, and Roy–”
“‘Sup,” Roy cut in. Ludwig continued without missing a beat, as though he were used to being interrupted.
“ – Iggy, Wendy, Morton Jr., and Larry,” Ludwig finished. Each Koopaling waved or nodded as their name was called.
“Kamek was right, she sure is hot! ” Morton blurted. Peach felt her face turn beet red.
“Oh my Stars , Morton,” Wendy muttered and pinched the bridge of her snout.
Ludwig slapped his forehead with his palm and dragged it down the side of his face. “Again, my deepest apologies for my siblings.”
“So, what brings you here?” Peach said quickly, eager to move the conversation along. She felt awkward, but the Koopalings seemed harmless enough.
“Kamek wanted us to make sure you liked your room, and if you knew how the facilities worked and stuff,” Roy crossed his arms as he explained. “So… you good?”
Peach felt a hysterical laugh bubble up in her throat. “I appreciate you asking. I haven’t had a chance to explore my gilded prison yet, but I can assure you I am not good.”
The Koopalings winced. Ludwig frowned seriously.
“I realize that you aren’t here under the best of circumstances, but that was a very brave thing you did, princess,” his gaze softened.
“Yeah, we all agree,” Larry chimed in.
Peach shook her head, “I’ve lost everything. My home, my family, my dreams…”
“I know that it’s like, sad, but I think this will all work out in the end,” Wendy said casually, examining her painted claws. Peach could tell she meant the words earnestly, even if her demeanor was that of an uncaring teenling.
“I know you probably don’t want to hear this, but maybe you should try to make the best of it… I mean, you chose to be here… and we didn’t.” Iggy added, afraid his statement came across the wrong way.
Peach sighed slowly. As much as she hated it, this was life now, for however long that may be. And it’s not like anyone in the castle had done anything to harm her, per say. The only thing she inherently disliked about this place was Bowser. Simultaneously, questions about the curse swirled in her mind. She wanted to ask the Koopalings, but decided now wasn’t the best time.
“Do you wanna check out your room at least? Kamek and us all worked real hard to make it pretty for ya,” Larry looked at Peach hopefully.
“Alright,” Peach relented, taking a deep breath. “Where should we start?” She looked around, realizing for the first time that her room was massive and had multiple doors leading to who knows where.
“Oh! You have to see the wardrobe I designed for you!” Wendy's eyes suddenly lit up. She rushed over and pulled Peach to her feet, then led her over to a door that revealed a massive dressing room and racks of dresses. The boys followed and looked in behind her, although they’d already seen it before.
“Oh my…” Peach trailed off. A crystal chandelier hung from the crown-molded ceiling, giving off warm light. A wall length mirror framed in gold reflected her awed expression as she took in the rows and rows of luxurious gowns and other clothes. Shelves of shoes and matching jewelry sets filled any space where there weren’t any garments hanging.
“I like, got the sense you wear pink a lot,” Wendy commented, “So I did have Kamek conjure up some pink stuff, but, I think you’ll adore these too,” she pulled a periwinkle gown off the rack. It had a more streamlined design with quarter sleeves and an embroidered neckline.
“This will, like, totally bring out the blue in your eyes,” she continued. Peach rubbed the fabric between her thumb and forefinger. It was silky and just as luxurious as anything she had back home, if not more so. In fact, everything she’d seen so far outdid the Mushroom Kingdom quality-wise.
“Everything was made and measured with magic, so it should totally fit like a glove.” Wendy replaced the gown in its place. “Feel free to check everything out later.”
“Later?” Peach echoed.
“Yeah, we have to finish showing you the stuff so you can get ready to have breakfast with King Dad.” Morton announced.
Three things went through Peach’s mind at that. One, it was already morning and she’d gone yet another night without sleep. Two, the Koopalings had a “King Dad,” which undoubtedly referred to Bowser (she had briefly wondered why there were unattended Dragon-Koopa kids going around the castle, and now she knew why). And three, she was to have breakfast with him , which was definitely on the bottom of her “things I want to do” list.
“Oh, thank you, but I think I’ll pass,” Peach held up her hands and gave a watery smile. The Koopalings all looked at her like she’d grown a second head.
“What? No, no! You can’t refuse King Dad!” Larry exclaimed.
“I agree unequivocally with Larry on this one, princess,” Ludwig wrung his hands.
Peach pressed her lips together into a firm line. “I’m sorry, Bowser’s just going to have to accept my answer.”
The Koopalings all looked at each other nervously.
“Who’s going to tell him?” Morton twiddled his thumbs. His siblings all turned on him, giving him a knowing look.
“Oh fireballs,” he muttered.
***************
Bowser sat at the head of the grand claw-footed dining table, waiting impatiently. He rapped his claws against the freshly polished stone and kept glancing at the door every few seconds. Kamek sat beside him on his left with a nervous smile, sweat trickling down the back of his neck.
“What’s taking so long?” Bowser growled.
“I’m sure she’s on her way, Your Surliness, you know how energetic the Koopalings can be.” Kamek continued to smile, though in his mind he had a nagging feeling that wasn’t truly the case.
“Ugh, I never should have agreed to this, I’m starving,” Bowser grumbled. After a beat or two of silence he added with a sniff, “I know you’re just setting us up to try and break the curse, by the way.”
Kamek looked affronted, “Me? Why, of course not! I simply thought it’d be nice to have Peach join us for breakfast. After all, I’m sure this sudden change has really scared her.”
“And you thought that having her eat with me was going to make her feel better?!” Bowser slammed his fists on the table.
“She just has to get used to you, Sire. You have to help her see past your exterior,” Kamek offered gently.
“Well, I don’t know how,” Bowser was torn. He thought he was ready to put this whole curse-breaking nonsense behind him, but even now he was letting Kamek string him along like this. Maybe some tiny part of him did want to think there was hope.
“For starters, you should take off that ratty old cloak,” Kamek crossed his arms with an accusing look.
“What’s wrong with my cape?” Bowser glanced back at the purple monstrosity draped over his shell. Admittedly, the ends were getting pretty ragged.
“Nothing, unless you want Peach to see ‘moody and dramatic teenling who spends all his days stalking the halls and staring off into the distance from his balcony’.” He mimed holding a cape in front of his face, just below the eyes.
“Okay, Kamek, ouch.” Bowser pouted. Sure, he did those things Kamek mentioned, but not all day … most of the time.
“On a more serious note, Sire, you just need to be kind to her. Be gentle, smile, give her compliments, you know,” Kamek waved his hand dismissively, as though his advice were easier done than said. “Just reign in your temper and I’m sure all will go smoothly.”
“Excuse me? My temper? ” Bowser narrowed his eyes. Kamek cleared his throat and began examining his silverware quite intently.
The doors suddenly opened, and Bowser looked up expectantly despite himself (Kamek’s pep-talks must be starting to get to him). However, it was Morton who shuffled in, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else.
“Well, where is she?” Bowser’s gaze pinned Morton in place.
“U-UH, Good morning, King Dad, nice weather we’re having..?” he tried.
“Cut the crap, Morton, is she coming or not?”
Morton rocked on his heels. “Well, you might say from a certain point of view that it’s possible that on this particular morning that… no.” he winced at the end.
“NO?!” Bowser abruptly stood, knocking his chair to the floor with a mighty crash. Kamek hurriedly stood and struggled to keep up with Bowser’s long-legged strides as he made his way to the door.
“Your Furiousness, let’s not be too hasty-” Kamek began.
“Don’t push it Kamek. I’m not going to put myself out there only to have her not show up,” Bowser stalked directly towards Peach’s room. All of a sudden he stopped and turned on a dime to face Kamek, pointing an accusatory claw in his face.
“This. Was your. Idea,” he said through gritted teeth. Kamek raised his hands, claiming innocence.
Bowser pounded on Peach’s door, making it rattle on its hinges. “Why aren’t you coming to breakfast?”
“... I’m not hungry,” came Peach’s reply soon after.
Bowser scoffed at the half-baked lie. “Oh-hoh, you’d better come out, or have you forgotten who’s in charge here?”
“I may be your prisoner, but I’m not your slave! Or are you going to make me come out?” her words were hot and angry. Bowser thought he might burst a blood vessel.
As he opened his mouth to make a snarky comeback, Kamek placed a hand on his wrist (that was as high as he could reach without resorting to magical levitation).
“Master, she’s frightened and she doesn’t know your intentions. Please, be gentle,” he said softly. Bowser clenched and unclenched his fists, once, twice.
“Princess, will you please come to breakfast with me?” he tried again, forcing a toothy smile as though she could somehow see it through the soundly shut door.
“No, thank you,” she repeated, firmer this time.
Bowser gestured to the door stiffly, looking at Kamek with wide eyes and tightly pressed lips. Kamek swallowed a deep sigh.
“She is being so difficult.” Bowser spat. Kamek inhaled and opened his mouth to speak, but Bowser cut him off, turning back to the door.
“You can’t stay in there forever!” he shouted.
“Maybe I can!” Peach raised her voice defiantly.
“F-fine then!” Bowser sputtered with rage. “Stay in there and starve for all I care!” he stormed off back towards the dining room to eat his cold breakfast.
“Unless she comes out on her own, she doesn’t eat,” he told Kamek, crossing his arms into an ‘x’ for emphasis.
Kamek stood alone in the too-quiet hallway. “Oh dear, that didn’t go very well at all.” he muttered under his breath.
“Hey Kamek?” Morton suddenly said behind him. Kamek yelped and jumped nearly a foot in the air.
“O-oh hello there Morton, I had forgotten you were here,” Kamek clutched his chest, his heart still racing dangerously fast for a Koopa of his age.
“Kamek, what’re we gonna do about the princess? If she doesn’t fall in love with King Dad, we won’t be able to…” he leaned in close next to Kamek’s ear and whispered, “you know, break the curse.”
Kamek massaged his temples, “I know, young master, neither the princess nor your father seems willing to reach out in peace. It looks like we’re going to have to take things into our own hands.”
“Should I get the others?” Morton asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“Yes. We’re going to have to disobey your father for this, but I think I have an idea. Kee-hee-hee!” Kamek rubbed his hands together, causing sparks of magic to fly.
“Bwa-ha-ha! I love disobeying King Dad!” Morton joined in with his maniacal laughter.
***************
Back in his room, Bowser paced angrily. There was already a well-worn rut in the red carpet, but he still kept going, grumbling to himself.
“I order her, I ask her nicely, but she still refuses. What does she want me to do, beg ?” smoke floated up from his nostrils to where it dispelled on the high ceiling. He stalked over to a cluttered table where a crystal globe about the size of his fist sat, and blew off the fine dust that coated it.
“Show me Princess Peach,” he spoke to it. It glowed orange, much like the lava moat outside, then faded into an image of Peach sitting on her bed, talking to Wendy.
“King Dad can be scary sometimes, but I promise he’s like, not that bad,” Wendy told her with a frown.
“I know he’s your father, but I’m his prisoner . I’m lucky he didn’t punish me for my outburst,” she shuddered.
Bowser groaned, did she really think he was going to hurt her? Kamek was right, he
did
need to get a handle on his temper. But she was the one disrespecting him first!
“Why don’t you give King Dad a chance? He’s totally chill once you get to know him,” Wendy continued.
“I don’t want to get to know him. I don’t want anything to do with him!” Peach cried.
Bowser had seen enough. He set the crystal ball down slowly, shaking his head.
“Who was I trying to fool? She’ll never see me as anything more than a monster… it’s hopeless,” he sighed dejectedly.
Notes:
Hey guys, honest question here. I tried to add some humor into this chapter, did it come across? I swear I sound funny in my own head-
Anyways, here are some brief notes for this chapter:
- Peach does, in fact, possess some white magic of her own in canon, it's a fascinating topic!
- Daisy is Peach's cousin in some material, some not. I just like the idea of them being related :)
- I made the Koopalings Bowser's adoptive children in this story, since they used to be his biological children before that was retconned, and again, I like the idea of them being related!
- Bowser wears a cape in some art for SMB3, and I thought it was neat since it paralleled how Beast wore a cape in BatB
- More Bowser angst, my favorite subject!Up next: Be Our Voluntary Prisoner Who for All Intents and Purposes is Treated Exceptionally Well
If you have any questions, comments, or just want to say hi, I'd be happy to hear from you! That and kudos really make my day, and really encourage me to write!
Chapter 7: Be Our Voluntary Prisoner Who For All Intents and Purposes is Treated Exceptionally Well
Notes:
Sooo, I'm back *awkward giggles* sorry. Real life was just keeping me so busy, but we should be back to normal weekly chapter uploads now! I hope you guys like this story as much as I do :D
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The Koopalings (apart from Morton, who’d reluctantly gone to inform Bowser of her refusal) had all tried their hand at convincing Peach to go out to Bowser, but she would have none of it. Eventually, they all trickled out one-by-one until Wendy was the only one remaining.
“Why don’t you give King Dad a chance? He’s totally chill once you get to know him,” Wendy said, eyes pleading.
“I don’t want to get to know him. I don’t want anything to do with him!” Peach felt her patience reaching its end. She just wanted to be a good little prisoner whose only request was to avoid mingling with her terrifying jailor. Was that too much to ask?
Wendy flinched at Peach’s tone. Peach sighed and began again.
“I’m sorry Wendy, I suppose I’m still trying to adjust to the idea of living here. You’re father… scares me.”
“Because of how he looks?” Wendy frowned.
“No, not really. I mean, his claws and fangs are sort of frightening, but that’s because he turns them on me when he’s angry! He is such a brute,” Peach explained with a huff.
“Well, I won’t argue with you on that one. King Dad has a pretty nasty temper when he gets worked up. But it’s only because he, like, blames himself.”
“Blames himself for what? The curse?” Peach perked up. Any information on the curse on this castle would be helpful to her.
“Oh, it’s not exactly my story to tell,” Wendy flushed, like she just realized she’d said too much. “King Dad would probably tell you if you asked nicely.”
“Nice try,” Peach resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Why did they want her and Bowser to interact so badly?
“Alright, alright,” Wendy pushed herself up off Peach’s bed (she’d settled there next to Peach to talk). “I’m gonna go now, but like, think about what I said. Please?”
Peach sighed, “Very well.”
“And try on that dress I showed you, yeah?” Wendy’s added with large and sparkly pleading eyes.
“Alright, alright! I was going to anyway,” Peach felt a small smile tug at the corner of her lips despite herself.
Wendy gave her a wink and twin finger guns before closing the door behind her.
The sudden shift back to silence was deafening in Peach’s ears. After a moment she got up, and retrieved the periwinkle dress Wendy was so proud of. Before changing, she decided to pick out some matching shoes and jewelry. As she examined the fine looking jewelry sets, she noticed a velvet lined shelf that was completely barren. It only took her a moment to realize that the indents in the velvet perfectly fit her crown and bulbous blue earrings.
She touched her crown, the symbol of her sovereignty, delicately. Clearly, it didn’t matter in a place like this, where she had no power or authority. Peach felt the slightest bit choked up as she removed her crown and gently placed it into the velvet-lined case. It gave her a sort of sense of finality; like her crown, she was going to have to settle into a new environment.
After thoroughly freshening up in her personal powder room, she loosely braided her damp golden locks and admired her reflection in the mirror as she twirled in her new ensemble. Admittedly, she felt much better after enjoying the facilities (which were, of course, extraordinarily luxurious) and cleaning herself up.
However, she quickly succumbed to boredom. There wasn’t much in the way of entertainment in her room– she wasn’t sure if that was intentional or not– and her stomach kept rumbling traitorously. There was a crystal pitcher and glass of water at her bedside, which magically refilled itself much to Peach’s wonder, but her body stubbornly wanted food. She glanced over at the enchanted bell Kamek had mentioned, but decided against using it. Bowser’s warning had been clear.
So, Peach caught up on some much needed sleep, then took to pacing the long stretch of pink carpeting that was her room. She conjured up many different ways she might try to escape, but they all fell flat either because of the curse on the castle, or its master. And then, there was the problem of where she’d go even if she managed to escape; she had no idea where the Darklands was in relation to anywhere (her memory wasn’t able to recall the map in the book back at her castle).
Sighing, she strode up to her bedroom door and gave the handle a tug, testing how strong the locks were. However, to her utter disbelief, the door opened smoothly with a soft clack.
“How in the…” Peach said under her breath. The hallway was empty, the only movement was the flicker of firelight coming from the wall torches.
Did the Koopalings forget to lock the door? No… they seemed smart enough to remember such a thing, especially if Bowser ordered it. So… has it been unlocked this entire time? What in the stars is going on here? she thought.
She craned her neck out the doorway, looking left and then right. Nobody. She held her breath and waited a minute, then two. Not a soul. She silently emerged and began to cautiously make her way down the hall. She wasn’t sure where she was going or what she was looking for– on second thought, food was something she wouldn’t mind finding– but she was just glad to be out of her room.
As she strode down the long, carpeted hallway, she briefly remembered Bowser’s warning not to enter his study, but figured the chance of doing so by accident was slim. As she turned the corner, however, she nearly collided into Kamek. She squeaked in surprise and nearly fell backwards as she lost her balance; Kamek screeched to a halt so quickly his glasses slid down his muzzle and nearly fell, too.
“Oh Stars above you startled me… b-but it’s splendid to see you, princess! I was just on my way to fetch you, in fact.” Kamek explained, adjusting his glasses into their correct position.
Peach tried to slow her racing heart, “Oh? Is something the matter?” She hoped she wasn’t in trouble for leaving her room, or worse, he wanted to see her.
“Not at all! Actually, there is something in the grand hall that I wanted to show you,” Kamek took her hand and led her down another hallway.
“Oh, I just wanted to stretch my legs a bit, I-I’ll be going back to my room now,” Peach pulled her hand away.
“Dear lady, there is no need to isolate yourself in there. You’re not a prisoner kept under lock and key. You’re free to explore the castle as you wish!” Kamek said.
Peach felt her face flush, “I appreciate that, but it doesn’t exactly feel that way.” Although that explained why her door was unlocked; she felt foolish for not noticing that fact sooner.
“Ah, you speak of Master Bowser. He was only throwing a fit because he gets grouchy on an empty stomach,” Kamek waved a hand dismissively (at this Peach quirked an eyebrow, thoroughly unconvinced). “I assure you, if there’s anything we can do to make your stay more comfortable…”
“Well, I am a little hungry,” Peach admitted, ignoring the gnawing in her stomach.
“What perfect timing! Come, come,” he took her hand again, and this time Peach let him lead her to a large set of doors so tall it would take nearly five of Peach’s height to reach their arch. Kamek let go and retrieved his wand, using it to open the doors with magic.
“Behold!” Kamek exclaimed with a flourishing wave of his arms.
Peach’s eyes widened as she took in the bright and busy inside of the grand hall. The castle overall was rather dimly lit despite the midday hour, but colorful floating lights and warm glowing strings of shroom lanterns dispelled the darkness in this place. Any unused pieces of furniture were draped in sheets, crudely painted to resemble the mushroom hills of her kingdom. Their poorly drawn-on black eyes made her giggle.
“Oh my, is this for me?” she looked down at Kamek, who smiled proudly.
“Indeed, I put the Koopalings to work on it not too long ago,” the Koopalings all waved at her from across the room. “And we all put our heads together to prepare some traditional Mushroom Kingdom fare for you to enjoy,” he led her over to an incredibly long table, lined with all sorts of tasty looking dishes and desserts.
“This is so sweet, I wasn’t expecting you all to do so much for me, especially after you put all that effort into making that lovely bedroom for me,” Peach gushed. Kamek and the Koopalings may be a bit… blunt, but they were proving to be genuinely kind to her.
“Well, we did have help from the servants to make it happen so quickly, but you are welcome nonetheless,” Kamek bowed.
“There are other servants here? I haven’t seen anyone else here besides you, the Koopalings, and Bowser,” Peach commented as she gazed across the table of food and settled on a particularly nice looking bowl of fruit. She briefly wondered how they were able to get such ingredients (it was magic, probably).
“Certainly, we have a full staff in the castle. They’ve just been keeping to themselves; they haven’t really been on a strict schedule lately, as I’m sure you can imagine,” Kamek explained.
“Oh, are they busy with other things at the moment? I want them to enjoy their hard work at least, there’s more than enough for me here,” Peach cocked her head to the side slightly.
“Ah, that’s very kind princess, but in all honesty, they chose not to come. They are a bit… intimidated by you.”
“Intimidated?” Peach repeated, “By me? ” she gestured to herself, petite and clad in a dress.
Kamek cackled. “Yes, it does seem strange, doesn’t it? But you must remember, many of them have not seen a human in quite some time, some never have.”
“Because of the curse,” Peach clarified, more a statement than a question.
“Correct; Wendy mentioned to me that you were curious about it. But I’m afraid that’s the one thing I cannot oblige you without Lord Bowser’s permission,” Kamek sighed.
“Alright, I won’t push any further,” Peach relented. Her gaze drifted back towards the fruit.
“Ah, where are my manners! Here we are, jabbering on when you wanted something to eat. Please, enjoy,” Kamek stood aside.
“Thank you, won’t you join me? The Koopalings too,” Peach nodded towards them, who had all been using their last bit of self restraint to not interrupt Kamek or raid the buffet.
“HECK YES ,” Morton Jr. was the first to bound forward and begin grabbing fistfuls of food (he felt he deserved it after being singled out by his siblings earlier). The other Koopalings followed soon after, letting Peach have her pick, but demolishing whatever was leftover.
Peach shook her head bemusedly, half-expecting their reaction. She grabbed her own plate full of tasty looking fruits, pastries, and tea sandwiches, then sat at the head of the table draped in a silky pink tablecloth (clearly, intended for her).
Those at the table munched quietly (some more quietly than others), apart from Kamek who had settled on a cup of tea to sip on.
“So,” Ludwig broke the silence, clearing his throat softly. “Do you find the music to your liking?”
Peach glanced over at him, wondering why he looked bashful for asking. “Yes, it’s such a lovely piece, though I must admit I’ve never heard it before.”
“That’s because he was the one to make it, ya know,” Roy jerked a thumb in Ludwig’s direction. “My room is across from his, so I got to hear it all the time,” he added with an eye roll.
Ludwig looked mortified. Peach smiled warmly at him. “I think it’s brilliant that you are able to compose, that’s something I could never do.”
“I-I’m glad you find it to be satisfactory,” Ludwig rubbed the back of his neck, unused to praise for his work from anyone other than family.
“What do you like to do?” Larry spoke up, a half of a bite of cake still in his mouth.
“Let’s see, well, I have… had a large garden that I liked to tend to, though my servants helped with it when I was busy or away,” Peach tapped her chin thoughtfully, trying not to look desperately homesick like she felt. “I also really enjoy painting, and playing sports like tennis, golf, go-kart racing–”
“What’s that? Go-kart racing?” Iggy interrupted, eyes wide with fascination.
“Hm? Oh, it’s when we take our vehicles, customize them, and race them around a track.”
“Do you use airships? ‘Cause I bet we’d cream everyone at go-kart racing once I was able to modify King Dad’s airship,” he rubbed his hands together, a look in his eyes that deeply reminded Peach of Professor E. Gadd.
“No Iggy, they don’t use airships in go- kart racing.” Kamek threw in.
“Aw, really?” Iggy looked to Peach for confirmation.
“Yes, only two or four wheels, I'm afraid. Although adding airships into the mix would certainly make things interesting.” she added when his face fell.
“Anyway, like, what else?” Wendy waved a hand, motioning for Peach to continue.
“Ah, I also like dancing, the Mushroom Kingdom throws the most exquisite balls–”
“I like balls,” Lemmy suddenly said, materializing next to her. Peach jolted.
“No, no, buddy, she means like a party where they dance n’ junk,” Roy clarified, “Your bouncy rubber balls ain’t the same thing.”
“Oh,” Lemmy ducked back under the table, the tablecloth obscuring him.
“Guys, can we please stop interrupting Princess Peach?” Wendy whined.
“It’s alright, I’ll answer any questions you have. And you don’t have to call me princess here, I forgot to mention before. Just Peach is fine,” Peach smiled patiently. She felt a bit odd offering to forgo her title, but it did feel more comfortable talking to the Koopalings when they already treated her like a person of equal status (more or less).
“We still call King Dad King, so we’re probably still gonna call you princess.” Larry said with a shrug.
“May I ask, why do you? He told me that he doesn’t like to be called a king,” Peach asked.
“Well, calling him ‘Dad’ just feels too informal,” Iggy replied as the others nodded in agreement.
“Informal? Aren’t you his children?” Peach’s voice had a hard edge to it. She hated the thought of Bowser demanding so much respect from his children that they refused to address him without his title. Kamek choked on his tea.
“It’s an adoptive relationship,” Ludwig said casually, “We’re family, of course, but we aren’t exactly close .”
‘But still…” Peach trailed off.
“It’s quite alright Peach, this is the way things have always been, and all parties involved are comfortable with it.” Ludwig waved a hand dismissively. “But back to you, is there anything else you fancy or enjoy partaking in?”
“There’s not much else… oh! I nearly forgot, baking has to be my favorite pastime,” Peach remarked. “It was one of the only things I could do inside the castle when I wasn’t allowed to leave, so I got quite good at it. Mario could happily attest to that.”
“Woah woah woah, two questions,” Wendy stood from her seat abruptly. Peach could hear Morton mumble something about “hypocrite… ‘stop interrupting’ my shell…”
“Yes, what are your questions?” Peach folded her hands and smiled graciously.
“Like, you weren’t allowed to leave your castle?” Wendy narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “...also, what’s a Mario?”
“I wasn’t allowed outside of my castle when we were under attack, which was quite often actually. The Mushroom Kingdom is a wealth of magic and resources, and lots of enemies wanted to exploit it. And, to answer your second question, Mario is a man, and he is the one who deals with all the baddies along with his brother, Luigi.” Peach replied, suddenly remembering all the things left unsaid to Mario before she was whisked away from her home.
“I had not realized the Mushroom Kingdom had a hero…” Kamek murmured behind his raised teacup.
“Sooo, do you know Mario pretty well, then?” Wendy pressed. Peach shifted in her seat, not liking Wendy's implying tone or the way this line of questioning was going.
“Yes, we’re friends. He and I enjoy doing the same sorts of activities, and we work… worked together quite a bit. We made a pretty good team, actually,” Peach continued. “And I don’t really know Luigi that well, but he’s a sweet man, and he’s courting my cousin, Daisy,” she added as an afterthought. She hadn’t seen Luigi in quite a while, even before this whole ordeal, since he’d decided to move to Sarasaland to be closer to Daisy. She hoped they were both well.
"Do you miss them?" Larry said quietly, almost sympathetically. Peach blinked back the moisture forming in her eyes, and cleared her throat.
"Yes, I do," she said simply. She didn't want to make them feel bad, they weren't the ones to blame for her situation after all. Bowser's image came to mind and she clenched her fists under the table.
Kamek set his teacup down with an exaggerated clink. "As long as you are here, Peach, we will be sure to treat you like our most honored guest, and we will try to accommodate you as much as we can. That I can promise you."
"Even if it means going against Bowser's orders?" Peach whispered.
Kamek swallowed, "Yes, as much as I reasonably can."
"Would you… let me leave?" Peach said even quieter, biting her lip. The Koopalings all shifted uncomfortably in their seats, while Kamek threaded his fingers together, twiddling his thumbs.
“I’m afraid I can’t,” he eventually said.
“Can’t or won’t?” Peach scrutinized him. Was he truly sympathetic to her situation, or did he just want her to make the most of it and accept it?
“ … Both,” Kamek hesitated, “I don’t want to disobey Lord Bowser in this matter, but unfortunately the spell I cast on the warp pipe you came in through is nearly impossible to break, too.”
Peach held her head in her hands, sighing deeply, “I appreciate your honesty– and I don't want to get anyone into trouble. But, I cannot lie, although I appreciate all you’ve done, this place… isn’t home.”
“I understand, and I am deeply regretful for the circumstances that have brought us together,” Kamek smiled sadly, “I do hope that we can help in whatever way we can, though, so that perhaps this place can be somewhere you want to be.”
Peach knew that she would never “ want to be” here, but she didn’t want to crush Kamek and the Koopalings’ hopes, especially after all they’d done for her. So, she simply nodded and held her tongue.
“Wow, you guys sure do talk a lot,” Morton yawned, elbow mashed in a half-eaten pastry resting on the table.
Wendy threw a wet looking fruit peel at him angrily, and it landed with a splat on the side of his cheek and slowly slid down. Morton gaped at her, too stunned to speak. Suddenly, Roy burst out laughing, and Morton’s face started to turn beet red.
“O-oh yeah? Well, take this! You dumb-dummy with your dumb-dummy face and your dumb-dummy sunglasses!” Morton scraped the pastry off his elbow and hurled it at Roy. Roy ducked, but unfortunately he was too slow and it just put his face directly in the pastry’s path. It splattered across his sunglasses, leaving them slightly crooked and very creamy.
“FOOD FIIIGGGHHHTTT!” Larry hollered, and scrambled onto the table, taking up two fistfuls of food. His siblings squealed and all began stocking up their arsenal of half-eaten food items. Peach’s eyes widened and she quickly took cover beneath the table. Kamek joined her, looking equal parts afraid and resigned.
“Are you going to try to stop them?” Peach whisper-shouted to him, as shouts, cries, and the sounds of food being thrown rang out above them.
“Ah, that would be a firm no. I’ve learned from experience that it’s best to let these things take their course and hope for survival.”
“Lovely.”
“Hi,” Lemmy said from behind them. Both jumped and bumped their heads on the underside of the table.
“Ow…” Peach rubbed her head, “I forgot you were here under the table, Lemmy, sorry.”
Lemmy said nothing, but happily munched on a buttered roll (it was round, nearly ball-shaped, Peach noticed).
“Aw, Roy, you got it in my hair, you imbecile!” Ludwig hollered.
“At least you have hair!” Roy retorted, chortling.
“I think now would be a good time to make a hasty retreat,” Kamek whispered in Peach’s ear.
“Agreed,” Peach nodded. She looked back at Lemmy, who merely waved and continued his meal. Kamek and Peach shrugged at each other, and proceeded on hand and knees to the end of the table closest to the exit.
Once the door was in sight, Kamek stopped her and said, “Ok, we make a run for it on the count of three, alright?”
“Alright,” Peach felt a rush of giddiness. The whole situation was ridiculous, and she loved it. Nothing like this ever happened back home.
“One,” Kamek made ready to sprint.
“Two,” he poked his head out from the tablecloth so they could see their exit path clearly.
“Thr–”
“SURPRISE EGG SUCKERS!” Morton’s head appeared upside down from the top of the table, along with two grubby hands full of mushed up leftovers.
“NO Morton don’t–!” Kamek begged, but was cut off by a helping of food-fight ammo smeared on his muzzle. Peach squealed and threw out her hands as her portion splattered across the front of her dress.
Morton paused, realizing he might have just made a terrible error. But Peach threw her head back and laughed, the sound light and bubbly, and Morton sighed with relief.
“Kamek! We need your help on the western front!” Iggy's head also appeared upside down, and he used his long arms to grab Kamek and drag him out from under the table.
“Wait, wait Iggy! No, no! Save yourself, Peach!” Kamek said in a rush as he was forced onto the luncheon battlefield. Peach shook her head, gasping in between fits of giggles. The fight continued above her, now accompanied by the sound of magic spells being cast and Kamek’s recognizable cackling.
She decided she’d make a break for the door while everyone was distracted with Kamek’s entry (she’d return once things were settled and she’d cleaned herself up). Peach held her breath as she dashed for the door. Fortunately, she went unnoticed and shut the door behind her securely.
“Sorry Kamek,” she giggled to herself. She exhaled, feeling better than she had any time in the past week. If she weren’t forced to be trapped here, she might even say it was more fun than being in the Mushroom Kingdom. It felt so refreshing to be treated respectfully without the boundaries of status or titles.
Peach began to make her way back to her room, lighter with the thought that her door wasn’t going to be locked behind her. Maybe Kamek and Wendy were right, and she could make the best out of this afterall. She would miss her old life dearly, but maybe this new one didn’t have to be miserable.
As she was about to turn the corner, a flicker of light caught her eye. She doubled back and peered down the hall. One of the doors was left slightly ajar, and a bright orangish light poured out from the crack.
Curiosity overtook her, and Peach wondered if she'd finally get to meet some of the servants Kamek had mentioned. She truly hoped they weren’t afraid of her. She approached the door, knocked softly twice, and hearing no reply she slowly creaked the door open.
Inside turned out to be a massive room filled with dark stone furniture, and clutter covering every surface. A grand fireplace rested on one wall, the source of the light. A wide open balcony stood at the end of the room, overlooking the castle grounds. In the middle of the room, however, was a desk, larger than for someone her size, and everything on it was neat and organized.
“Is this Bowser’s study?” Peach whispered to herself.
***************
Kamek attempted to brush off the frosting plastered to his front, but only resulted in smearing it further. He sighed and accepted his fate. He planted his hands on his hips, looking around the room where the Koopalings had all collapsed from exhaustion. Each one of them was covered in so much food Kamek could have served them as an entree. He clucked his tongue.
“You rascals know you’re going to have to clean this up, right?” he chided.
“Awww, c’mon Kamek! Make Wendy do it, she started it!” Larry whined. Wendy shot daggers at him.
“A lady does not start things, she finishes them.” she flicked her messy fingers at him, spraying small bits of food in his direction.
“You kids are lucky that Princess Peach was kind enough to go along with this. It’s incredible that she’s able to even tolerate you.”
“Hey, that just means it was meant to be, eh? We get along good, so that’s gotta be a good sign for us, right?” Roy commented.
“Sh-hh, Roy!” Wendy hissed.
“Relax, the princess ain’t here, dollface.” Roy took off his sunglasses, rubbing his elbow on the lens in an attempt to clean them.
“Wait, she’s not?” Kamek stiffened.
“Nah, I saw her leaving a few minutes ago. I don’t blame her, you guys all reek of food,” Roy breathed on his glasses, making them fog up, and continued his rubbing.
“Oh Stars,” Kamek paled.
Notes:
Here are some brief notes for this chapter:
-You know what really bothered me about the original Beauty and the Beast? That the servants/enchanted objects just went along with Beast keeping Belle prisoner like "cool, cool, we'll help you have a good time so we can be free of the curse" without a whole lot of concern for Belle's feelings. I hope I fixed that at least a little bit here with Kamek and the Koopalings.
-I wasn't going to try and recreate any musical numbers in this work, I find it a bit cheesy and not as fun as developing the story in other ways (in my opinion), and besides, how could I make a masterpiece like "Be Our Guest" work in my little story??
-Ah yes, food fights, my favorite kind of activity involving rambunctious children and edible ammunition.
-I think we all know where this is going, so I'll stop for now lol
Kudos and Comments really make my day and encourage me to write, so if you have any questions, notes, or just want to say Hi I'd be glad to hear from you!!
Chapter 8: Hurt and Healing
Notes:
Whaaat? Two chapters in one week? I got a sudden spurt of motivation to write, so I figured I make up for the late update by posting this chapter a few days early. I have to say, it's my favorite so far, so I hope you like it!
TW: Blood, injury, and violence in this chapter! Nothing too graphic, but you've been warned by this warning that I am warning you with.
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Peach stood in the doorway of Bowser’s study, unable to step forward or backwards. Her first instinct was to get the shell out of there, as fast as was humanly possible. This was the one place in the castle that Bowser had specifically forbidden her from going in. However, other thoughts swirling in her head prevented her from running away.
For one, if this place was so forbidden, why was the door so carelessly left open? Was she the only one barred from entering? Or maybe she was mistaken and this wasn’t Bowser’s study at all. But the furniture seemed far too large to be anyone else’s…
Peach bit her lip and tried to look into the room without actually stepping all the way into it. She didn’t want to anger Bowser, but she didn’t trust him, either. What if he was hiding something unsavory in here? What if there were other prisoners like her? She shuddered and decided that for her own safety (not curiosity, she insisted to herself) that she would have a quick look around and be gone before anyone missed her. No touching, no rummaging, just harmless looking. Nobody could be furious at her for that, right?
She tip-toed into the room, thankful her current shoes were flats and created far less noise than her typical heels. She made sure the door remained ever-so-slightly open behind her, and then began her search. Things in this room were in much more disarray than she first thought. Not only was there all sorts of papers and nick-nacks scattered on the floor, but the furniture too looked like it had seen better days. Many of them sported deep scratch marks and some even looked singed. Peach swallowed hard and continued around the room. She passed by a mirror, one that looked to have once hung on the wall, now shattered and reflected her apprehensive expression dozens of times back at her. She wondered what caused Bowser to go on such a rampage (as she assumed he was the cause of the destructive scene before her).
She tentatively made her way throughout the area, carefully sleeping over piles of clutter and stopping to look at anything of interest. She paused at a large portrait that hung over the fireplace; the center was shredded and obscured its subject. Peach came up to the side of the fireplace to avoid getting burned, and reached up to her full height to replace the limp piece of canvas back into the portrait so that she could see who it was. As she held it up, she found herself staring into the painted red eyes of Bowser. He looked nearly identical to how she remembered him currently, though the painting itself looked to be at least a couple years old. Her curiosity satisfied, she turned around and a flash of white and bright orange color caught her eye.
Peach approached the main desk, which was stacked high with untouched books and other stationary items. What caught her eye, however, was a singular fire flower, which sparkled unnaturally and was under an intricately engraved glass casing. While most of the objects in this room looked uncared for, this fire flower and its casing both appeared spotless and seemed very out of place. It thrummed with magic and she felt herself being drawn in like a moth to flame.
She reached out, despite her prior commitment to not touch anything, and slowly lifted the glass casing and set it aside. The fire flower practically glowed, its petals like embers. Peach wondered what would happen if she were to touch it; would she power-up, or would something more powerful happen?
Before she could find out, a heavy shadow fell over her. She gasped and whipped around, suddenly facing Bowser, who did not look happy. Peach scrambled back, bumping into the desk and making everything on it wobble.
“ Careful! ” Bowser growled and swiftly replaced the glass back over the fire flower. He turned on her, baring his fangs. Smoke rose out of his nostrils in thick plumes.
“I’m– I’m sorry,” Peach began, feeling all the blood drain from her face.
“I explicitly told you not to come in here!” he said with a raised voice.
Peach backed away, once or twice stumbling over something on the floor, “Please, I didn’t mean any harm-”
“Do you even realize what you were about to do?!” he roared, swiping a stack of clutter to the floor violently.
“S-stop, please!” she pleaded.
“Get out!” Bowser bellowed, continuing to thrash at any unfortunate objects in his way.
Peach feared she might be next. She yelped as a desk weight in the shape of a power star narrowly missed her shoulder.
“ GET OUT!” Bowser repeated, sounding more furious than Peach had ever imagined he could.
She immediately snapped out of her shock and took off in a sprint. Tears blurred her vision as her only thought was to get out of the Darklands as quickly as possible. Thankfully, her memory served her well and she came to the back entrance leading to the desolate gardens fairly easily. She burst out the doors and took off towards the warp pipe she’d originally come through.
However, as she approached the now-yellow pipe, she peered inside and saw nothing but shallow darkness. Kamek had been honest; but unfortunately that meant she had to escape another way. She took off into the forest behind the castle, hoping to find the boundary of the curse and perhaps break through it. After all, she hadn’t been cursed, there was a small chance she could make it out.
As she ducked and weaved throughout the twisted dry forest, she thought only of her home and seeing the faces of those who cared about her. Promise or no promise, she couldn’t stay here another minute.
The dry foliage around her rustled and crackled as she ran, and left small scratches on her person in her haste. As she continued deeper and deeper into the forest, she began to hear the ominous jingle of chains. Chain chomps?! Peach thought with a newfound sense of dread. She saw a flash of metallic black to her left, and then another on her right. Oh Stars, they were herding her .
Peach burst into a small clearing, and could now hear the chain chomps barking and howling as they closed in on her. Several came barreling through the underbrush, and Peach felt her legs turn to jelly. One immediately lunged for her, and she ducked with a scream. It crashed into the tree behind her, its eyes crossed as it collapsed in a daze.
Its companions barked ferociously, their rows of razor sharp teeth glinting in the dappled afternoon light. Foam dripped from their maws, and several pairs of beady black eyes watched her hungrily.
Oh Stars, is this how I’m going to die? Peach leaped just out of reach as another chain chomp charged, clipping the edge of her skirt with his jaws and tearing a long strip from its bottom hemline. The sudden force pulled her to the ground, and she collapsed in the dust with the wind knocked out of her. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she squeezed her eyes shut and prepared for the worst.
Just as she thought her game was going to come to a horrible end, she heard a fierce roar ring out across the forest. Peach hesitantly opened an eye for a peek, and to her surprise she saw a massive fireball colliding with the chain chomp nearest to her; it whimpered and retreated a good distance back. All of a sudden Bowser bounded into the clearing, and he let loose a stream of fire on the group of chain chomps, sending them scuttling away.
However, this only deterred them momentarily. Peach looked up as Bowser stood over her, taking a defensive position, and faced down the riled-up pack.
“Are you ok?” he asked in a gruff voice, not breaking his gaze on the chain chomps.
Peach found her voice would not work, nor her legs as she attempted to stand; an overwhelming sensation of fear and shock left her entirely paralyzed. Bowser glanced down at her when she did not answer, but it was at this unfortunate moment the chain chomps decided to converge on them.
Two came at them at once, and Bowser was only able to aim a fireball at one. It was blown backwards, but the second made it close enough to be within arm’s length. Bowser swiped at it with his left arm, his claws creating small sparks as the metallic beast was knocked over onto its side. Three more chain chomps made their advance simultaneously, with two coming from behind.
“Look out!” Peach cried as Bowser punted the one coming from the front with a swift kick between its eyes.
Bowser spun around, his tail dragging along the ground and kicking up a swirl of dust. He raised his forearm to shield his face. Ironically, his spiked shell would have been a much better defense, but that fact was likely forgotten in the panic of the moment.
The two chain chomps almost seemed to work in unison, as they both descended upon Bowser’s exposed forearm (though Bowser sported thick, spiked bracelets on each wrist, they did not provide much protection). Bowser stopped the first chain chomp with his right arm, shoving its face into the ground like a Chargin’ Chuck. However, the second decided to use its full strength and crush Bowser’s arm in its jaws as soon as it was in range.
Bowser roared in pain and shook the chain chomp off, tearing his scales and leaving a large and nasty wound. Red poured out in thick droplets and dripped onto the dust beneath him. Peach gasped and finally felt some of her senses regain at the sight of Bowser’s blood.
Bowser, however, was fueled by adrenaline and kept up his defense. The chain chomps, smelling their prey’s injury, focused their attack on that spot. Bowser managed to keep them at bay, however, countering with more fireballs and lethal swipes from his claws. He also remembered to keep his back to them when he could, which immensely helped him despite his being outnumbered.
Peach watched in horrified fascination as Bowser pummeled the chain chomps one-by-one. They were persistent, and kept up their attacks despite Bowser’s punishment. However, once Bowser was able to send one of their kind hurtling into a boulder, a loud stone-on-metal crack resounding through the clearing as it perished, the others finally acknowledged their defeat and slunk back into the underbrush, their chains dragging behind them.
Bowser was panting heavily and slumped to one side as he watched them retreat. His wound spurted red and his mangled arm hung limply at his side. The drops of blood were now forming a rather concerning puddle on the ground next to him. Peach crawled out from underneath him and shakily got to her knees. Bowser looked at her with glazed eyes and a sigh of relief.
“Y…You’re.. Ok?” he slurred. Peach nodded slowly, too stunned to speak. Bowser didn’t seem to see this though, as he immediately collapsed on the ground with a low groan.
“S..sorry about…” Bowser’s words were so heavily garbled Peach could barely make them out. His eyes fluttered closed and his breaths came out slow and shallow.
Peach looked around the clearing desperately. There was no one there besides herself and an unconscious (and likely dying) Bowser. If she wanted, she could easily make her escape to the Darklands border. She stood and looked over her shoulder, getting ready to run again. However, she looked back at Bowser, fallen and rendered helpless because of her. She bit her lip and without a second thought came over to his wounded side.
She took a deep, calming breath, attempting to steady her squeamish stomach at the sight of so much blood. If she didn’t do something, he would die. She placed her hands directly on the wound, and when he didn’t even stir she grew even more concerned. However, she hoped her white magic might be enough to heal him.
Peach closed her eyes and focused all her concentration on directing the flow of her white magic into the wound. Her magic was finicky, always dependent on emotion, so she had to remain calm if this was to work. After a long minute she finally felt the warm tingle of magic in her fingertips, and she envisioned the wound healing in her mind, trusting the white magic would follow suit. She continued to sit there, taking deep breaths that reeked of iron, and ignored the warm sticky sensation of blood on her hands as she worked. Eventually, she could feel his scales mending back together and the flow of blood starting to ebb.
By then she was getting very light headed, as using her magic in such a direct way drained her quickly. Her vision was getting bleary, too, but still she kept going. She strained to hear Bowser’s breath, which was getting stronger and more steady by the minute. Her eyelids felt like lead, but she couldn’t stop now.
Peach had lost track of time at that point, but the sun was beginning to set by the time Bowser finally began to stir. Her red-stained hands finally fell away, and she exhaled deeply. He was going to make it. Now all she wanted to do was sleep. It was funny, all of a sudden she thought she heard Kamek’s voice calling her name, or maybe it was Bowser’s; it was hard to tell over the intense ringing in her ears. Spots danced across her vision, but she could have sworn she saw purple smoke, too. It didn’t matter, she’d figure it out in the morning.
Peach slouched forward, fainting and unintentionally using Bowser’s stomach like a pillow. And this was exactly how a terribly panicked Kamek found them.
***************
Peach bolted upright in bed, sweat plastering her bangs to her forehead. It took her a long moment to remember that she was in Bowser’s castle and not in her own room. She looked down at herself, noting that she was now wearing a gauzy seashell-pink nightgown that she didn’t remember changing into.
Now that she thought about it, she didn’t even remember going to bed. The last thing she recalled was…
The memories of yesterday came flooding back to her in a rush. Her stomach churned as she reimagined Bowser’s unconscious form bleeding out and a pack of ravenous chain chomps surrounding them. She glanced over at her nightstand and took Kamek’s enchanted bell and rang it at once. It was dark outside, so she hoped she wasn’t awakening anyone, but she was very disoriented and still felt slightly feverish so hopefully someone would come.
Less than a second later Kamek appeared in a flash of purple smoke at her bedside, a relieved smile stretched on his muzzle.
“You’re awake, I’m glad that you’re feeling better, princess,” he said gently, turning on the soft warm light on her nightstand with a flick of his wand. Peach blinked to adjust to the sudden brightness, and shot him a concerned look.
“Kamek, what happened? Is Bowser alive?” she asked, balling up handfuls of blankets in her fists.
Kamek patted her hand assuredly. “Yes, thanks to you, he’s doing just fine. In fact, he’s resting in the drawing room as we speak, and he’s rather peeved at the situation,” he added with an amused chuckle.
“Kamek, he’s furious at me, I fail to see what’s so amusing,” Peach frowned.
“Hm? No, no, he’s vexed that he lost to those chain chomps and that he’s been relegated to bedrest,” Kamek grinned, but then took on a more serious tone. “He was so worried when I showed up in the forest– though you both certainly gave me quite a scare.
“Lord Bowser had just begun to wake up and he saw you lying unconscious and covered in blood– though it ended up being his own blood, of course– he feared the worst had happened to you.” Kamek finished softly.
“He was worried… about me?” Peach shot Kamek a sidelong look.
“Yes, in fact, he wished to speak to you as soon as you were feeling up to it,” Kamek nodded seriously. “He also wanted me to mention that he will not be offended if you choose not to.”
Peach shook her head in disbelief. Was this the same Bowser she’d run away from in fear just yesterday? Maybe he was insane and was trying to lure her into a false sense of security. Then again, why would he risk his life– and nearly lose it– to save her, if he meant her harm?
“... No, I’ll go to him, is he awake right now?” Peach asked.
Kamek nodded enthusiastically. “Oh yes, he’s pouting because I was about to clean his wound and change his bandages.”
“Did my healing not work?” Peach furrowed her brows.
“Quite the contrary, your white magic saved his life. The wound on his arm is just being a bother because Lord Bowser refuses to sit still and keeps reopening it. He is such a hatchling when it comes to doctor’s orders,” Kamek remarked with a cluck of his tongue.
“I’ll give you a hand,” Peach asserted as she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She grabbed the pink silken robe that hung on the top bed frame (the servants really did think of everything) and stepped into a plush pair of white slippers; she didn’t really want to waste time changing.
Kamek nodded and took her hand, then waved his wand to transport them directly to the drawing room.
“Why don’t you do that all the time?” Peach questioned, slightly disoriented from their sudden and undeclared departure.
“Don’t want to get out of shape,” Kamek shrugged. He knocked on the open doors twice to reveal their presence.
“Come in,” Bowser grunted. Peach couldn’t see his expression, as he was sitting in a tall cushioned chair facing away from them and towards yet another grand fireplace.
“Your Stubbornness, Peach is awake and has accompanied me to assist in changing your bandages,” Kamek announced.
“How are you feeling?” Peach said quietly, toying with a wavy piece of blonde hair (it was now released from the confines of a braid and flowed down her back with extra texture).
Bowser perked up at the sound of her voice and craned his neck to see her. Unfortunately, this movement put weight on his injured arm and he hissed in pain. Peach quickly stepped to his side, and knelt next to his wound. She couldn’t make herself look into his eyes. If she had, she would see they were wide with awe and gazed at her softly.
Kamek conjured up a bowl of warm water and some sterile rags onto the side table next to her. He watched them from a good distance back, hiding a smile behind his hand.
“Hold still, please,” Peach said as she began to unwrap his soiled bandages. She dipped her rag into the warm water and touched the wound lightly. Bowser yanked his arm back and growled.
“That hurts!” he exclaimed, snapping out of his unnoticed trance.
“It won’t hurt as much if you hold still!” Peach admonished, reaching for his arm again, and sighed with exasperation when he pulled back further.
“This wouldn’t have even happened in the first place if you hadn’t run away…” Bowser grumbled.
Peach felt her jaw go slack. He was blaming her ? “ Excuse me , but I would not have run away if you hadn’t frightened me! You told me to get out!” She straightened, looking Bowser square in the eye now. He narrowed his gaze at her.
“ You were the one who disobeyed me and went into my study!” he retorted.
Peach glared at him, “Yes, because I don’t trust you !”
Bowser gawked at her, “How can you not trust me?! I saved your life!”
“I know that! And I’m very grateful! That’s why I’m here right now!” Peach stood to her full height, her robe slipping off one shoulder in her haste. She looked down at Bowser, folding her hands in front of her and pressing her lips into a firm line. Bowser blinked rapidly, like he was trying to come up with a response that didn’t sound like he was an absolute heel.
He blew out a deep breath and settled back into his seat. “I’m sorry. I… shouldn’t have yelled at you. Not earlier, either.”
“You need to learn to control your temper,” Peach said flatly.
“ Yes, I know. I really am sorry,” Bowser mumbled, looking down at his feet shamefully.
Peach sat back down next to him with her rag. “Thank you, and thank you for saving my life,” she touched his hand gently. “And I’m sorry for going into your study when you told me not to.”
“Wow, even when you’re the one apologizing, I feel like a jerk,” he raked his good hand through his messy red locks. “I guess I deserve it, though. You saved my life too, after all… so, thank you… for that,” he shot her a sheepish grin, and relaxed a bit more when she returned it.
“You’re welcome,” she rinsed her rag and raised it, indicating she wanted to continue cleaning his wound. “Hold still, please?”
Bowser grit his teeth in anticipation for what was to come, “Yeah, go ahead. I don’t want it to get infected or nothing.” He tried his best not to flinch as Peach dressed his wound. She was gentle, of course, but it still stung.
“Would you… maybe like to have breakfast with me tomorrow?” Bowser said out of the blue. Peach looked up from her work tentatively. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to, I-I shouldn’t have tried to force you to before,” he added. “... I have a lot to apologize for, don’t I?”
Peach giggled, “I forgive you, and I would like that. We got off to a pretty awful start… but I’d like to start again, how about you?”
Bowser could barely contain his excitement. “Y-Yes, yeah, absolutely!” he cringed as he shifted too much and felt a sharp pain in his arm. Peach finished wrapping it with fresh bandages and scrutinized her handiwork.
“I think you should be good to go, rest is the best thing for you now. Let’s continue this conversation tomorrow at breakfast,” she stood, dusting her hands off. Bowser nodded.
“Yeah ok, you should get some rest too. Almost dying is exhausting, trust me,” Bowser gave her a goofy grin. Peach rolled her eyes.
“Goodnight, Bowser,” she adjusted her robe to cover her shoulders and gracefully made her exit.
Bowser didn’t even notice he was staring until Kamek cleared his throat when she had gone.
“Excellent work, Your Smoothness,” Kamek gave him a double thumbs-up. Bowser felt heat rush up the back of his neck.
“It’s not like anything happened. We’re just gonna have breakfast is all,” Bowser muttered, embarrassed by the sappy smile Kamek kept making at him.
“Keep telling yourself that, sire.”
Notes:
Here are some brief notes for this chapter:
-This has to be one of my favorite scenes in the whole movie, I hope I did it justice. It's also my first time writing a full action sequence, did it come through alright?
-Do I think Bowser could typically take on a pack of Chain Chomps and win easily? Yes. Do I also think at this specific point he was out of practice and perhaps a little... distracted? Also Yes.
-I always hated that Beast never directly apologized to Belle for his behavior (I even read the transcript to double check), so I definitely wanted to fix that here with Bowser and Peach.
-Kamek is Powser's #1 fan and he will die on that hill.
-There was actually so much more I wanted to add into this chapter, but after I wrote it I realized it was already so long, so I'll be adding it to future chapters XD
Kudos and Comments really make my day and encourage me to write, so if you have any questions, notes, or just want to say Hi I'd be so glad to hear from you!!
Chapter 9: Seasons Change, So Can Feelings
Notes:
We're really getting into the main story now! I hope you like this chapter!
TW: Blood and injury in this chapter! Nothing graphic, but you've been warned by this warning that I am warning you with.
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Mario sat across from Toad, his hands folded squarely on the table between them. Maps and various documents were spread out before them, but Mario could barely focus. It had been nearly a week since Peach had gone missing, and they’d had no luck in finding her. Mario had already investigated some of their more usual enemies for suspicious activity, and he had even asked Luigi if he could check up on King Boo, but neither had turned up anything useful.
“I think I need a break, Mario. My eyes are going crossed,” Toad complained, shaking his head. They had been looking over all the maps they had to make sure they’d searched everywhere for their lost princess.
“Me too, Toad. Lets-a grab some lunch, eh?” Mario stood, patting his gut to indicate his hunger. Toad nodded and joined him.
Eventually they settled on a restaurant serving hefty portions of pasta (it was Mario's choice, unsurprisingly). As the duo waited for their meals, Mario tapped the table with his index finger, shaking his head.
“This is-a starting to worry me, Toad. By now, usually I have-a clue as to where Peach is,” he declared. Toad hummed his agreement.
“This is not like the other times, true, but I just know you’ll find her and rescue her, Mario. Nobody would dare hurt the princess with you on the case,” Toad assured him.
“I feel like-a Toadworth does not agree. He is-a still going on about a monster in a castle. I even looked into it, but there’s-a nothing in the eight worlds that even-a matches his description,” Mario sighed, “I’m not-a gonna give up, but I’ll be glad when this is-a over.”
“Just keep your eye on the prize, Mario!” Toad encouraged.
“I know that-a the princess and Toadworth will be-a so grateful when-a I save the day, but I am-a worried that Peach is still not-a gonna return my feelings,” Mario lamented.
“ That’s what you’re worried about..? I mean– uh– I wouldn’t worry about that , Mario,” Toad said, hoping he covered up his blunder in time.
“I have-a been thinking, and it’s-a time we do something more to-a persuade Peach to marry me.”
“Oh?” Toad raised a brow at him.
“Yes, let’s-a go see Toadsworth after lunch, I have-a an idea,” Mario smirked.
A couple hours later, Mario and Toad sat by Toadsworth’s bedside. The poor old fellow looked haggard and more tired than Mario had ever seen him.
“Mario, have you found Peach yet?” Toadsworth asked, his voice thin and hoarse. Mario shook his head slowly.
“Toadsworth, I promise I am-a not gonna give up on her, but there’s-a something else we need-a to speak about,” Mario took off his cap, trying his best to look contrite.
Toadsworth leaned forward, listening intently. “Yes, my good lad?”
Mario straightened up, squared his shoulders, and inhaled before finally stating, “Toadsworth, we-a need to arrange a marriage between the princess and me.”
After a long pause of silence Toadsworth laughed weakly, “My dear boy, whatever for? We’re in the middle of a crisis!”
“That is-a exactly my point. When-a the princess is not here, you are in-a charge. But you and I both-a know that you cannot do this job forever. I want to be-a able to take care of this kingdom when Peach is unable to,” Mario leaned forward, his gaze softening, “I only want what is-a best for the people.”
Toad gasped softly behind him, astounded by Mario’s boldness. Toadsworth sputtered, making his mustache quiver.
“Why would there be a need for an arranged marriage, ol’ boy? You already take wonderful care of our kingdom. I was under the impression Peach was not ready for marriage in any capacity,” he remarked.
“I know Peach is-a not wanting marriage yet, and I am-a okay with that. What I am-a asking is that we just-a arrange one, so that I can-a officially act in her place when-a I need to,” Mario smiled gently.
“I don’t know if Peach would be alright with that…” Toadsworth trailed off, giving Mario a sidelong look.
“It’s-a only a temporary measure, until we can-a come up with a better solution, eh? We can-a cancel it anytime,” Mario assured him. Toadsworth still looked uncertain.
“I know you have the best intentions Mario… but this doesn’t feel right…” Toadsworth suddenly went into a coughing fit.
Mario waited until it subsided and patted Toadsworth’s hand, “You are-a sick and not-a feeling well without the princess-a being here, no? Let-a me take care of-a things, and you focus on-a getting better.”
Toadworth considered his words for a long minute. “This would only be temporary, correct? Just so you can have an official title as prince consort and take care of the kingdom in myself and Peach’s stead?”
“Absolutely,” Mario confirmed with a sharp nod. Toad wrung his stubby hands behind them, shaking his head.
“Alright my boy, I’ll do as you ask. But please… save Princess Peach from that monster as soon as possible,” Toadsworth teared up.
Mario gave him a small smile. “Of course, and I will-a put everything back to normal any day now.”
***************
Bowser thought he would never be able to fall asleep after talking with Peach, but he was soon out like a light. The next thing he knew, he was being awakened by a stampede of Koopalings converging on him and speaking a mile a minute.
“KING DAD!!” Morton was the first to reach him and hopped onto his lap roughly. Bowser felt the air whoosh out of his lungs as he was jerked into consciousness.
“WE THOUGHT YOU DIED,” Larry wailed, latching onto Bowser’s good arm.
“Kamek, like, wouldn’t let us see you,” Wendy pouted.
The Koopalings crowded around at their father’s feet, relaying all the fears and complaints they’d had in his absence.
“Why’d you scare Princess Peach away? She was just starting to like us!” Iggy chided. His siblings all voiced their agreement.
“Woah, woah, settle down brat-pack,” Bowser rubbed his temple with his good hand. “What time is it?”
“It’s morning time,” Larry stated matter-of-factly.
“It’s 7 o’ clock sharp, King Dad,” Roy corrected with a dramatic eye roll, though no one could see it through his sunglasses.
“Oh fireballs, I gotta get ready!” Bowser shooed Morton off his lap and stood, ignoring the ache in his arm.
“Ready for what, may I ask?” Ludwig held his hands behind his back and leaned forward curiously.
Bowser grinned from horn to horn. “I’m gonna eat breakfast with Princess Peach.”
The Koopalings gasped in unison.
“You mean she doesn’t hate us again?” Larry said as he hopped up and down excitedly, at the same time as Morton asked, “Can we come too?”
“Mmm, maybe next time, kiddos,” Bowser ruffled Larry’s hair, which was highly uncharacteristic of him.
Wendy gasped, “Did something happen between you two last night?”
Bowser scratched the back of his neck. “Well, not really, we just decided we want a fresh start, so I guess that’s a good first step, right?”
Wendy squealed, making her brothers all flinch back and look at her with concern. “This is like– great news! We’re gonna be curse-free in no time!”
Bowser shot her a withering look. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, kiddo. Nobody is gonna force her– or me– to do or feel anything she’s uncomfortable with, got it? We all know how that went the first time.”
Wendy kicked at the carpet, “Yeah, yeah, I know.”
“What made you change your mind, King Dad? About wanting to break the curse for real?” Iggy’s goggle-enhanced eyes blinked innocently.
Bowser paused. When had he started to take his chances with Peach seriously? Only a couple days ago he wanted nothing to do with her, then once Kamek got involved all Bowser did was to try and go along with his schemes to make him happy. But last night, that had all been himself. What had changed?
Flashbacks of the horrifying evening before came to mind. He was lying on the dirt floor somewhere in the forest, waking up to an intense pain in his left forearm. He pried his eyes open, the taste of metal thick on his tongue. His head pounded, but at least he knew he wasn’t dead.
Why was he out here again? Oh right, he’d seen the princess fleeing the castle from his balcony and gone after her, if to do nothing else but make sure she made her way across the border (he was fairly certain she could escape since she had not been cursed herself). It would have been better that way; they’d both be free of each other. But then he’d seen the chain chomps hot on her heels, and knew she wouldn’t stand a chance. He may be cruel, but nobody was that heartless. Of course he’d stepped in to save her. Now, he just hoped she’d been able to escape safely.
Bowser struggled to sit up in his injured state, though in all honesty he thought he felt a lot better than one would have expected to in his condition. He felt a small weight on his abdomen as he tried again to move, and he looked down in confusion. There, to his great dismay, lay Peach, unnaturally still and spattered in blood.
“Oh Great Stars above…” Bowser’s voice wavered. Had he been too late?
“Peach? Peach!” he shook her gently, as best as he could with one arm throbbing in pain. When she didn’t stir Bowser felt panic close off his airways.
“KAMEK!” he boomed, shaking the very branches above them. He waited a minute, then two, his heart racing as he looked down at Peach’s lifeless form. Why, why hadn’t she run when she had the chance?
Just as Bowser was about to call out for Kamek again, he appeared in his typical fashion. Bowser coughed as purple smoke wafted into his face. Kamek promptly dropped his wand as he saw the sight before him.
“Lord Bowser! Princess Peach!” he exclaimed hysterically and dropped to their sides.
“Kamek, Kamek, check on Peach, s-she’s not moving,” Bowser clenched his jaw in an attempt to keep his panic in check. Kamek’s eyes widened and he quickly scanned her with his wand. A moment later he sighed with relief.
“She is fine, sire. She appears to have fainted after draining herself of her white magic,” Kamek explained, then began his examination of Bowser.
Bowser didn’t fully understand Kamek’s answer, but he said she’s fine, so he let himself relax a little bit.
“What injuries do you have, Your Worriedness?” Kamek said as he looked him over.
“The worst is my arm, a chain chomp took a bite outta me,” Bowser winced as he tried to move the aforementioned arm.
“Chain chomps? I wondered what drove you two so far into the woods,” Kamek murmured as he focused on Bowser’s arm wound. Bowser didn’t feel like explaining the whole situation at the moment.
“Are you certain you weren’t exaggerating just a bit, sire? Your arm is injured, but it’s only a small tear,” Kamek scratched his hooded head.
“Huh? No, I felt that metal bugger get me good,” Bowser grunted.
“Well, how did… Ah, of course!” Kamek stood and brushed his cloak off. “Sire, I believe you owe Princess Peach your life.”
“Uhh, Kamek, did you not get the part when I saved her from the chain chomps?” Bowser asked incredulously.
“Yes, but after that I am certain she stayed behind to heal your wound. It explains why she has been drained of her white magic and why your injury is now next to nothing,” Kamek nodded conclusively.
Bowser shook his head as he struggled to process this information, “What’re you saying Kamek? She chose to stay behind and save me at her own expense?”
“Your Fortuitousness, that is precisely what I mean.”
“Daaaaadd, King Daaadddd,” Iggy’s voice echoed in his head. “King Dad, if you’re flashbacking, none of us can see it, you know!”
Bowser jolted as Iggy’s cry pulled him back to the present.
“Huh, what?” Bowser blinked. “Oh! I’m gonna be late, I gotta go brat-pack,” he mock-saluted them goodbye and rushed to his chambers to attempt to clean up and look presentable before breakfast.
“Wait, King Dad! You didn’t answer my question!” Iggy called after him.
***************
Peach stretched her arms over her head with a quiet yawn as she prepared to get out of bed. She’d slept surprisingly well, though that was probably just due to sheer emotional and physical exhaustion. Regardless, she felt ready to start her day and have breakfast with Bowser, which was a thought she never imagined she’d have.
But last night, he had just seemed so… different. He was gentle, hesitant, apologetic, even kind. And of course, he’d risked his life to save her own, which was something she previously didn’t think Bowser was capable of. But now she was dying to know, which was the true Bowser? The one she’d witnessed last night, or the one who bullied those around him and made her feel miserable? Based on her experiences last night and what Kamek and the Koopalings kept trying to convince her of, she greatly hoped it was the former.
Peach continued these musings as she went through her morning routine, picking out a lovely sage green dress with straight, slim sleeves and a small bustle to don for the day. She left her hair down, although she added a couple jeweled hair pins to match her silver-and-diamond earrings and thin necklace. Satisfied with her ensemble, she took a steadying breath and made her way to the dining hall.
The hallways were, quite shockingly, bustling with activity. Peach couldn’t help but stare as countless Koopa servants went about cleaning and organizing the castle. Most were so engrossed in their tasks that they didn’t even notice as she walked by, but some stopped to wave or greet her a good morning. The castle felt so much brighter and even cheery as the chattering voices of the servants floated throughout the halls while they worked. Peach craned her neck to watch a para-koopa soar overhead and dust a chandelier.
“It’s incredible what a small change can bring about, isn’t it?” Kamek commented as he came up beside her. Peach hummed her agreement.
“Did they all decide to do this after they heard about what happened last night?” Peach asked.
“Indeed. They were… inspired by you and Lord Bowser’s selfless acts,” Kamek said, and Peach decided not to point out his hesitation to answer. Kamek cleared his throat softly.
“Well, I am on Koopaling duty this morning, so I shall bid you adieu,” he bowed and teleported away before Peach could say a word. She was slightly confused by his behavior, but those thoughts all disappeared as she approached the dining hall. It was time to face Bowser and determine who he truly was once and for all.
As she opened the duel doors with a newfound determination, Bowser looked up at her from his seat with pensive red eyes. Peach dipped a small curtsy out of habit and made her way to the opposite end of the table where a place had been set for her. A Koopa servant in a tidy black suit was there to pull out her chair for her, and she nodded appreciatively as she took her seat.
“Good morning, milady, what may I interest you in for breakfast?” he said in an even and well-practiced manner. Peach smiled and tried to look as gentle as possible, remembering Kamek’s earlier words that many of the servants were afraid of her.
“Just a cup of hot tea and a small plate of whatever fresh fruit you have, please.”
The Koopa servant bowed and retreated back into the kitchen. Peach folded her hands in her lap and cautiously glanced up at Bowser, feeling shy all of a sudden. He, too, seemed to be at a loss for words.
“So, did you–” Bowser started.
“How is–” Peach began at the same time.
They both stopped abruptly as they realized they were talking over each other.
“Ah, sorry, you first,” Peach smiled timidly.
“Oh, uh, I was just going to ask if you saw any of the servants on your way here. I’m pretty impressed they got to work without me having to tell ‘em to,” Bowser leaned back in his chair casually.
“The castle looks so much nicer now,” Peach noted, taking a sip of the steaming tea that was just placed before her. Bowser ran a claw over the rim of his comically large mug of black coffee, appearing deep in thought.
“Oh yeah, what were you going to say?” Bowser’s eyes flicked back to her after a long pause of silence.
“Hm? Oh, I was going to ask how your arm is feeling,” Peach sat her cup down with a soft clink and thanked the waiter who placed a plate of sliced fruit and various berries before her.
Bowser rolled his left shoulder back a couple times, testing his arm, before answering, “It feels really good, actually. If I don’t push it too hard, I would’ve hardly even known it was hurt to begin with.”
Peach gave him a small smile. “I’m glad to hear that; I’ve never healed such a large injury before, so I was worried my white magic wasn't going to be strong enough,” she took her fork, pierced a bite sized piece of melon, and raised it to her lips.
“Really? I was actually pretty impressed with your magic, and so was Kamek, so that’s gotta say something,” Bowser seemed shocked by her statement.
“Honestly, I never really used my magic much back home, there wasn’t a need to,” Peach shrugged, slightly embarrassed by Bowser’s praise.
“Why’s that?”
“Mario– he takes care of my kingdom’s security– and Toadsworth hardly ever let me go out on ‘dangerous escapades’,” she replied, taking another sip of her tea.
Bowser snorted, “Well, if I had the power to heal as well as you did, I’d join all my expedition parties, even if my advisors told me not to.”
“That’s different though, you can take care of yourself. I’m… not very strong, as you probably figured out yesterday,” Peach felt a blush rise to her cheeks. She felt so silly explaining all this to Bowser.
“Just because you don’t fight doesn’t make you weak,” Bowser sniffed as an enormous plate of fried eggs and bacon was set before him. “Though I would teach you some self defense, if I was your advisor,” he shoveled a large bite into his open mouth.
Peach was startled by his sudden declaration (and his atrocious table manners). “That is… kind of you to say, but I don’t think I’m cut out for that kind of thing.”
Bowser swallowed and took a large swig of his coffee. “Are you kidding? Any being who did what you did yesterday has got the right stuff. I bet you’d be like– a secret weapon nobody saw coming.”
Peach giggled, “Oh my, could you imagine?”
“No, no, I’m serious. I guarantee you’d be a great warrior,” Bowser pointed his fork at her with a sincere look.
“I don’t know… Toadsworth always said I was too sensitive for fighting,” Peach shrugged, though Bowser’s encouragement did stir something in her heart. She was shocked at how easy it was to talk to him about this kind of thing. Maybe it was because he’d already seen her at her lowest and weakest.
“When I was learning how to fight, everyone always told me that it was important to feel emotions. Otherwise, we’d just be stone cold killers,” Bowser remarked, then took another large bite of his breakfast.
Peach considered his words while enjoying a sweet bite of some type of berry. She thought Bowser sometimes took those words too far and relied too much on his emotions. She didn’t point that out, however.
“I’ll consider it, then,” Peach said after she had finished her last bite of fruit.
“If you ever want to learn how to defend yourself then… I’d be happy to teach you,” Bowser offered after a long stretch of silence.
Before Peach could reply, Kamek burst through the doors. Lemmy was riding on top of his head, pulling Kamek’s hood over his eyes so the old Koopa was unable to see. He stumbled forward, followed by the rest of the Kooalings, and the atmosphere instantly changed to one of chaos.
“I’m sorry, Your Surliness! I held them at bay as long as I could!” Kamek cried as Lemmy fell off his head, laughing and flapping his hands.
The Koopalings all rushed over and gathered around Peach, asking her questions and making sure she was okay after last night.
“Traitors…” Bowser grumbled. Kamek came to his side, panting heavily.
“Apologies, sire, they were quite insistent that they check on Peach and make sure everything was ‘going good’ between you two,” he explained between breaths.
“Well, they were ,” Bowser crossed his arms, though he watched Peach interact with his adoptive children with great interest.
“Kamek said you got chased down by a pack of chain chomps!” Larry exclaimed. Peach nodded affirmatively.
“You know, those guys used to be guard dogs, but we turned em’ loose after the curse, ‘cause they weren’t guarding nothing,” Roy added. “They went wild after that. Probably went after ya ‘cause of that food Morton got on your dress,” he smacked the back of Morton’s head.
“Hey! We were in a food fight!” Morton defended.
Peach raised her hands to hint at them to calm down, “It’s quite alright, what happened was nobody’s fault. I’m just grateful your father was there to save me.”
“Well, you saved King Dad, too!” Larry added.
“I’d say we’re even then,” Bowser put in from across the table.
Peach shot him an appreciative glance, “Yes, I’d say we’re even, too.”
“Peach, are you done with breakfast yet? ‘Cause we all wanna show you our rooms! Kamek added all sorts of cool stuff in them; mine’s got this giiiiant whack-a-Monty-Mole table!” Morton grabbed Peach’s hand and attempted to pull her to her feet.
“Alright, alright,” Peach relented with a smile, “Unless your father wanted me to stay a bit longer…?”
“Nah, you go ahead. But, uh, would you maybe want to join me for dinner?” Bowser looked at her with hopeful eyes.
“Ahem,” Ludwig coughed into his fist, shooting Bowser an expectant look.
“Sorry, join me and the Koopalings for dinner?” he corrected.
Peach laughed lightly, “It’s a date, then.” She stood and continued chatting with the Koopalings, who led her out of the dining hall excitedly.
Her last words were still echoing in his head when they’d left.
“Another successful effort, Your Jovialness?” Kamek commented.
“Kamek.”
“Yes, sire?”
“I want to do something for her– something she’ll really like,” Bowser began to pace with his hands clutched behind him. “But what?”
“Ah, don’t you worry, Your Eagerness, the Koopalings and I spoke with her earlier and found out about her interests; shall we make a plan together?” Kamek grinned up at him, a hopeful feeling swelling in his chest.
Notes:
Here are some brief notes for this chapter:
-Mario: Does something morally questionable.
Toad: 🙀-Poor Toadsworth :(
-We stan respectful Bowser (he's had some time to learn his lesson at this point thanks to the curse)
-If you couldn't tell by now, my writing is scattered with completely random movie quotes and references.
-The servants appear! They finally sense that there's some hope for the curse to be broken (which Kamek can't fully explain to Peach yet)
-Let's. Make. Peach. CAPABLE. (In this version, she never really learned how to fight since Bowser wasn't a constant threat to her kingdom)
-Finally, let's have Bowser have some input into what Peach gets as a surprise gift, eh? It felt cheap in the original BatB that Lumiere basically just told Beast what to do.
Kudos and Comments really make my day and encourage me to write, so if you have any questions, notes, or just want to say Hi I'd be so glad to hear from you!!
I'd also really appreciate feedback since this is my first fanfiction ever! Have a good one guys!
Chapter 10: The Best Gift of All
Notes:
I actually has this chapter done a couple days ago, but I was so distracted by Easter weekend that I forgot to upload it 0-0 SORRY. I hope you like this one though!
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Bowser nibbled on his claws nervously. It was a bad habit, one that he hadn’t resorted to since he was a hatchling, but right now he was so tense he felt ready to gnaw his whole hand off.
“What if she doesn’t like it?” he muttered to himself.
“Your Preciseness, we have gone over this; there is no possible way Peach won’t like your gift, we went over every detail together,” Kamek said with an exasperated sigh.
“It has to show that I care about her. The last time we had a one-on-one conversation, I got… off topic.” He hadn’t had another chance to talk with her alone since that breakfast, because the Koopalings had been very insistent on joining them during meals (and Peach was happy to indulge them, much to his dismay). Bowser mentally slapped his past self for rambling on about fighting and self-defense. That wasn’t something to talk about with your potential love interest! Peach was probably only humoring him to be polite.
Bowser froze in his tracks as a horrible thought suddenly came to him. “Kamek… what if she’s only starting to act nice to me so I’ll let her go?”
At this, Kamek levitated up to Bowser’s head and smacked it with his wand.
“That, Your Mistrustfulness, is the most ridiculous notion I have ever heard! Princess Peach is a naturally and sincerely kind person. She has shown to genuinely care for myself, the Koopalings, and you ,” Kamek crossed his arms with an indignant huff.
Bowser rubbed his sore head with a scowl, “Ok, ok, sorry I asked.”
“You know, you have been using that word much more often ever since she showed up,” Kamek noted.
“What word?”
“‘Sorry.’ And you’ve been far more patient with the Koopalings, too.”
Bowser scowled, “Are you saying I’m going soft? ‘Cause there’s no way in shell that I’m goin’ soft.”
Kamek quickly corrected himself, “N-No, not at all Your Meanness, only that you’ve changed, and the Koopalings seem happier. It’s a good thing!”
Bowser scoffed, “Maybe.”
“If I may, Sire, I believe it’s these changes that have convinced Peach to stay here and make the best out of her situation. Now that she knows we mean her no harm, she stays because she gave you her word that she’d do so,” Kamek said.
Bowser crossed his arms, “If you say so.” Kamek’s words did tug at his conscience, though. She was staying here willingly, and she was rightfully his prisoner based on their agreement, so why did he feel this churning discomfort deep in his gut? He quickly shoved it down as he heard light footsteps coming from up the winding stone staircase.
“That’s her,” he said under his breath, shaking his head to clear his mind. “Alright, let’s do this. Kamek, would you mind…?”
“Not at all sire,” Kamek made ready to leave, but paused to quickly whisper, “Oh, sire! There’s one thing I forgot to mention; has Peach brought up a certain ‘Mario’ to you?”
“Hm? Only briefly. He’s her bodyguard or something right?”
“Find out more about him if you can, Your Surliness, there’s a chance he might prove to be an obstacle to our plans,”
“What do you mean? Does Peach–?”
The sound of Peach softly clearing her throat behind them abruptly stopped their secret exchange. “A servant told me there was something you wanted to show me?” she looked at them curiously.
Bowser immediately straightened up and tried his best to look cool. “Yes, thank you for coming,” he said, shooing Kamek away with a wave of his hand.
Kamek rolled his eyes good-naturedly and disappeared with a flick of his wand. Peach held her hands behind her back and tip-toed up to Bowser’s side, an inquisitive twinkle in her eye.
“Ok– so uh, close your eyes,” Bowser instructed. Peach obeyed, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Bowser waved his hand in front of her eyes, just to make sure she wasn’t peeking. Satisfied, he took her small hand and slowly pulled her forward to a set of doors reminiscent of the ones in her bedroom.
“Can I open them yet?” asked Peach, her tone playful.
“Not yet…” Bowser released her hand and pushed open the doors with a great heave. “And… now!”
Peach’s blue eyes widened as she took in wall-to-wall counters, gleaming metal kitchenware, and a massive set of ovens large enough to bake a Yoshi. Everything was created in soft light woods, golden metal accents, and of course pink was splashed in wherever it fit.
“I can’t believe it… is this really just for me?” she looked at Bowser with shining eyes and a bright smile.
“Of course! You really like it?” Bowser felt himself grinning like an idiot, but for some reason he found he was unable to stop.
“This is marvelous… how did you know I like to bake?” Peach crossed her arms and shot Bowser a coy look. Bowser chuckled and scratched the back of his neck.
“Oh, you know… a little para-koopa told me,” he said bashfully. He just couldn’t contain himself, not when she kept looking at him like that !
“Well, I appreciate both you and Kamek’s efforts,” Peach told him.
Bowser raised a bushy eyebrow, “Wait, how did you know..?”
“I’ve noticed how close you and Kamek are. It wasn’t hard to figure out,” Peach replied. She wandered into her new kitchen, running a hand over the smooth white stone countertops. Every shelf was stocked to the brim with all kinds of usual (and unusual) baking ingredients.
She turned back to Bowser, who had been watching her explore her kitchen with great anticipation. “Thank you, this is a lovely surprise,” she gushed.
Bowser felt a sudden flutter in his stomach as she smiled at him. He returned it with a crooked grin of his own. “You’re welcome.”
Peach continued her search, expressing her wonder with an occasional “oooh” as she discovered a fancy piece of equipment or a magical ingredient she hadn’t seen before. Bowser knew he shouldn’t stare so openly, but seeing Peach looking so happy and carefree (because of something he did!) was going to be forever ingrained in his memory.
“Bowser?” Peach looked at him oddly.
“Hm?”
“What were you and Kamek whispering about when I arrived? I don’t mean to be nosy, but I heard my name.”
Bowser sucked in a breath, suddenly remembering Kamek’s request. “Well… Kamek just wanted me to make sure… you weren’t missing the Mushroom Kingdom too much?” He figured this would be a good way to lead up to questions about this “Mario” guy, but a split second later he realized his mistake.
Peach’s smile faded faster than sunlight in a murky Darklandian sky. “I do miss my home. And my friends. But I made a promise,” she stated matter-of-factly, meeting Bowser’s eyes with a steely expression. It wasn’t an accusatory look, but it certainly wasn't sparking joy , either.
Bowser mentally kicked himself. Nice going, shell-for-brains , he thought. “I didn’t mean to–”
“It’s okay,” Peach interrupted. She smoothed the already-smooth front of her dress.
Bowser bit the inside of his cheek. Well, he had already ruined the mood, so he might as well try to get the answers he was looking for.
“I just– I would like to know more about you, I guess.” Bowser ran a hand through his messy hair, unable to look Peach in the eye. There was a long pause of near-insufferable silence.
“Would I be able to learn more about you and your family in return?” she asked, her tone taking on a new note of interest. Bowser glanced back at her; her gaze was pensive, hesitant. He knew this was the moment he had to prove that he was willing to be open with her and open to listening.
“Yes,” he said simply, though his mouth felt dry as the Koopahari desert. He really hoped her request didn’t end up revealing something they’d both regret.
Peach nodded, and she gestured for him to join her at the bar stools set up along one of the counters. Everything in this kitchen was Peach-sized, so Bowser ended up looking comedically out of place as he sat on one of the thin, pink-cushioned seats (thankfully, it still held his weight… barely). He clutched his claws in front of him, swallowing hard.
Peach sat with one empty bar stool between them, and crossed her ankles elegantly. She tapped her chin, regarding Bowser with a look that he was sure could only spell trouble.
“Let’s begin with one question each, and then we can only ask another if we can give a satisfactory answer, alright?” Peach looked at Bowser, daring him to defy her ground rules for this ask-and-answer session.
Bowser sighed, “Alright.”
“You may start.” Peach looked every bit the poised and composed princess, which only made Bowser feel even more anxious.
“Okay, um… what’s your favorite color?” he asked without thinking. Bowser, you Stars-crossed IDIOT, his inner voice admonished.
“Pink..?” she replied dubiously, like she knew that he knew that she knew his question was dumb. “What’s yours?”
“Black. I like the way it stands out against other colors,” Bowser said, relieved her question was easy.
“Hmm, alright. What’s your next question?”
Okay, think, think… don’t just blurt out whatever you– “What’s your favorite animal?” he asked– CURSES.
Peach pursed her lips. “I suppose I would say cats– they’re these cute little furry creatures that come from Brooklyn.”
“Where’s Brooklyn?” Bowser furrowed his brows.
“It’s where Mario and Luigi originally lived. It’s a human kingdom, essentially. But it wasn’t your turn again yet, so I’m going to ask two questions next.”
“Fine, fine,” Bowser grumbled. At least she’d mentioned Mario at last, he would have to ask about him next. Although he would rather ask more about her…
“My first question is, how old are you?”
Bowser suddenly felt very self-conscious. Did she think he was an old creep or something? It was probably hard to tell since he wasn’t human. “I’m 27,” he stated.
“Hmm, so only a couple years older than me, then,” she paused, apparently putting some thought into her second question (unlike him). “Bowser… how long have you and your people been under this curse?”
Bowser grit his teeth. “You know, that’s not exactly a question about me.”
Peach was unfazed. “I disagree, knowing how long you’ve been here would put some things into perspective for me. Plus , I might be able to answer some questions you might have about the outside world.”
Bowser blew out a smoky breath. “I ascended the throne when I was 18… so that makes it a little over 9 and a half years now.”
“You’ve been here for a decade? And wait, wait– how is the date of your ascension related to the curse?” Peach looked at him with a mix of sympathy and disbelief.
Bowser crossed his arms. “Nuh-uh, that’s a different question. My turn.”
Peach pouted (which Bowser would have found adorable at any other time), but waved him on to ask his next question. Bowser silenced his annoyingly unhelpful inner voices and finally decided on a question that he knew would show Peach what he really wanted to know.
“Peach, what kinds of things do you look for in a… in a friend?” Well, at least it was similar to the question he’d wanted to ask. For Piranha Pete’s sake, Bowser, WHY are you like this?!
Peach seemed caught unaware by his question and opened her mouth to speak, but stopped herself. She thought for a long moment before starting again.
“I want my friends to be people that I can trust. People that care about me, and about the things I care about,” she stated.
“That’s a little vague,” Bowser said with a sulky scowl.
Peach quirked an eyebrow. “Alright, then how about this? My friends are people that are kind to others and put their needs above their own. They’re people that aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty to do what’s right. They’re honest, keep their word and always have my back,” she explained. “ And , they better have a good sense of humor.”
As she spoke, Bowser felt his heart rate pick up. Surely, he could be all those things for her!
“Are you satisfied with my answer?”
“Yeah, it… I like that you know what you want,” Bowser twiddled his thumbs. “You deserve to have good people like that around you.”
“That is kind of you to say…” Peach murmured, looking lost in thought. She cleared her throat softly. “Are you ready for my next question?”
“That depends, is it about me or the curse?”
Peach sighed. “About you. At this point, I know you’re not going to tell me anything I don’t already know.” She tapped her chin in thought. “Ok, tell me this. Do you consider Kamek to be family?”
“Huh?” Bowser said smartly. Why was she bringing up Kamek? “What makes you ask that?”
“Like I said before, you two seem close. You… well, in a way, you remind me of Toadsworth and I,” Peach looked down at her folded hands.
An image of the brown mustached Toad suddenly appeared in Bowser’s mind. He had been her steward, he remembered. Aaand Bowser had also treated him horribly, which was not something he wanted Peach to remember about him. He felt bad about it, but it’s not like he could apologize to the old Toad now .
“How do Kamek and I remind you of you and Toadsworth?” Bowser asked.
“It’s not your turn yet,” Peach pointed out.
“I know, I know, but please humor me.”
“It’s just… Toadsworth has always looked out for me. He practically raised me. He’s, well, he’s like a father to me. Which is why I never hesitated to take his place,” Peach met Bowser’s gaze with a firm look. “I know you don’t really take kindly to strangers, but I can tell that you’ve known Kamek for a long time, and Kamek is definitely looking out for you.”
Bowser considered her statement. He’d never really thought of Kamek in that light. Sure, Kamek was always there for him, but he was his advisor, his high mage. He’d also raised him, but Bowser didn’t really remember his own father, so there wasn’t anything to compare him to in that respect. But after hearing Peach’s point of view…
“Kamek… he is like family to me,” Bowser said quietly. Peach’s gaze softened.
“He and the Koopalings are just darling. You’re very lucky to have them.”
Bowser shot her a sappy half-smile. “Yeah, I guess I am.”
“Do you have any more questions for me?”
Bowser shifted in his seat, making the legs creak in protest. “Besides Toadsworth, who’s your family?”
Peach seemed to take this question in a better stride than his last reference to her old life. She smiled fondly like she was remembering each person she was missing.
“The Toads, my people, are my family. Daisy is my cousin and best friend and a sister all rolled up into one. And of course, Mario and Luigi are like my family, too,” Peach rested her elbow on the counter, propping her head up in her hand.
Bowser could tell she was sad and trying to put on a brave face. He felt that uncomfortable feeling bubble up in him again and he desperately tried to ignore it.
“How do you feel about being here? About my family?” he asked hesitantly. Maybe her answer would make him feel less… whatever this feeling was (guilt).
Peach looked away, her expression unreadable. She didn’t speak for nearly a minute, and Bowser thought he might be sick. Just when things were starting to go well, too…
“It’s… nice,” she said. Bowser perked up and met her steady gaze. “I wish I wasn’t a prisoner, but there’s nothing I can complain about. You and your family take good care of me.”
“You… don’t hate it? Or us? O-or me?” Bowser felt a flutter of hope in his chest.
Peach’s head tilted ever so slightly to one side. “No, I don’t hate any of it, or any of you. I just wish we had met under better circumstances. The curse… I can’t imagine what it’s done to you all over all these years.”
Bowser winced. Did she think the curse was the reason things in his family were the way they were? He swallowed bile and tried to think of how to respond without revealing too much.
“The curse has changed certain things a lot… but I’ll tell you about it… someday,” he said.
“Truly? I thought you didn’t trust me.”
Bowser shook his head vigorously. “No, no, no. It’s just that…” he drummed his claws on the counter anxiously. “It’s not a pleasant story.”
Peach suddenly reached out and placed her hand on top of his own. He flinched at her touch, but saw her expression was radiating warmth and sympathy. “I’m sorry. I often forget that although I had to make a difficult decision to stay here, at least I had a choice. I wish I could help you break the curse, somehow, for all our sakes.”
Bowser’s heart pounded in his chest. She had no idea how badly he wanted to tell her everything at that moment. That, and her soft skin on top of his made his hand tingle.
Peach realized she was still touching him and pulled back abruptly, a deep blush blossoming across her cheeks.
“I-Is there anything else you’d like to ask me?” she asked, brushing her hair behind her ear.
“I think it’s your turn, actually,” Bowser replied, his voice coming out huskier than he intended it to.
“I’ll skip my turn,” she said, clearly flustered as she blinked rapidly.
Bowser felt the flutters in his stomach return in full force. “I just have one more question, then. Could we ever– would you ever want… to be friends?”
Peach looked up at him with wide eyes. Her flushed cheeks practically glowed. “You want to be friends?”
Now Bowser felt himself blushing. “Yeah, I would like to be friends,” he said with a sheepish grin. She returned it.
“Alright, let’s be friends.”
Notes:
Here are some brief notes for this chapter:
-"What if she's only being nice to me so I'll let her go?" Legit, why was this never addressed? That seems like a serious question to ask.
-C'mon Bowser embrace your soft, dorky side. We all adore it~
-Mario needs to be addressed, sire. Princesses might find him attractive.
-I want to make the whole captive situation as non-creepy as possible... is it working? ;-;
-Kamek is #BestDad/Advisor/Wingman
-Ah yes, bonding, friendship, and maybe something more?
That's all for now!
Kudos and Comments really make my day and encourage me to write, so if you have any questions, notes, or just want to say Hi I'd be so glad to hear from you!!
I'd also really appreciate feedback since this is my first fanfiction ever! Have a good one guys!
Chapter 11: Give a Little, Gain a Lot
Notes:
(Re-uploaded to fix some grammatical errors!) I'm really proud of how this chapter turned out! I hope you like it!
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Peach had never baked so furiously in her life. Used bowls and whisks covered in batter were left haphazardly on the countertops, along with half-opened bags of flour, sugar, and the like. Every oven in the vicinity was on, some with red-hot cakes or pies in them, others just left on in her haste. At least she could attribute her reddened cheeks to the heat of the kitchen.
An oven timer angrily beeped at her, and Peach rushed over and pulled out a tray of cookies. She set them next to dozens of other desserts that were left out to cool, then hurried onto the next bowl of batter she had been interrupted from mixing. She certainly could have used an electric mixer, but she grabbed a thick wooden spoon and took up the task herself.
She put all her energy and focus into blending the wet and dry ingredients used in her spiced vanilla cake together. Tiny beads of sweat formed on her brow, but she didn’t stop. If she did, her mind might begin to wander. Despite her best efforts, it did anyway.
Shortly after their mutual agreement to be friends, Bowser had left her under the guise of going to find Kamek and the Koopalings. Peach had then immediately thrown herself into baking, trying to erase the embarrassing memories she’d created for herself.
What had she been thinking, touching his hand like that? Bowser had just looked so miserable when he mentioned the story behind the curse, and she just… Gah! What was wrong with her? No wonder Mario thought she was seriously interested in him, she had no boundaries!
Peach groaned as another timer went off, and she saw the corresponding batch of cupcakes was severely burnt. She waved her hand in front of her face to dispel the smoke billowing out of the oven, and she couldn’t help but think the smell reminded her of…
“Ah!” Peach yelped as her exposed wrist grazed the oven door. She yanked her hands back, hurried over to the large dual sink and ripped her oven mitts off, then ran her wrist under cold water.
“Ow, ow, ow…” she winced as the singed skin turned a furious red. She muttered incoherently under her breath, frustrated with herself for being so careless; she’d been around ovens more times than she could count!
She touched the tender skin lightly, and suddenly remembered Bowser’s arm injury. More specifically, she remembered how she’d healed it with her white magic. She bit the inside of her cheek, contemplating if she could repeat that on herself. She figured it wouldn’t be difficult, since this was so minor compared to before, but that had been the first time she’d outright used her magic to heal.
Peach supposed it wouldn’t hurt to try, so she took her other hand and pressed it on the burn. She flinched at the pain, but focused instead on calming her mind and controlling her white magic. It took only a moment for the tingles to reach her wrist, and she immediately felt the skin begin to cool and mend. She slowly lifted her hand and saw her wrist was good as new. She grinned as she held up her arm, turning it around so she could check her work.
I was actually pretty impressed with your magic, Bowser’s words echoed in her mind. Peach abruptly let her arm fall back to her side, and she returned to the still-smoking oven. After she tossed the batch of ruined cupcakes and safely turned off the oven, she finally paused in her mad baking marathon and sat at the barstools once more. She swiped the perspiration off her forehead and leaned back onto the counter with her elbows.
Her mind circled back to her conversation with Bowser. She knew he had felt uncomfortable answering her questions, so she was happily surprised by the answers she’d gotten. The more she learned about Bowser, the more she felt that there was something about him that wasn’t there before.
True, Bowser wasn’t exactly a prince charming or a humble hero like Mario, but she saw there was genuine good in him. She desperately wished that the curse was broken so that his people could be free, and everyone (including herself) could remember who they were. It was difficult to speculate who the King of the Koopas truly was before he vanished, but Peach felt she was piecing that story together a little bit at a time on her own.
She glanced down at her wrist once more, and felt a rush of elation. Ever since she started this new chapter in her life, she had accomplished so much more than she thought she was capable of. She’d pushed herself, and proven she was brave and powerful in her own way. And Bowser, shockingly, had been one of her biggest supporters (and the catalyst for such events, but Peach firmly decided that was all in the past).
I guarantee you’d be a great warrior, she recalled his statement with a small smile. Back then, it had felt like flattery, but now she realized he had been genuine, and that she desperately wanted to believe him. Another timer went off and Peach pulled herself to her feet, then heaved several layers of chocolate cake out of the oven to cool. As she began the task of organizing and decorating the dozens of desserts she’d prepared, she found she still couldn’t get Bowser out of her mind.
Had his offer to train her in the art of self-defense been genuine, too? Back then, his proposition had been so quick to come (and then inconveniently interrupted by the Koopalings). She again felt that same stirring deep within her, an excitement to take him up on his offer. As silly as it sounded, Bowser believed in her, and that made her want to believe in herself.
That was how Peach found herself in front of the doors to Bowser’s study, a sturdy three-tier chocolate lava cake in her hands. She quickly knocked before she could change her mind and adjusted her grip on the tray holding the cake. A moment later, Bowser’s voice floated through the door.
“Yes?” he said gruffly.
Peach bit her lip, was she interrupting something? Did he not want her near his study again? “I-It’s Peach, I’ve baked a cake for you,” she said.
The frantic shuffling of papers and the sound of a chair scraping the floor could be heard. Bowser’s thunderous footsteps swiftly made their way to the door. A half-second later the door cracked open and Bowser’s head popped out.
“Peach?” he said, his tone full of disbelief.
“Hello,” she chirped. She probably would have given him a small wave, too, had it not been for the load she was carrying. They both stood there for a long, silent moment, neither of them moving (or blinking… or breathing).
“W-would you like to come in?” Bowser snapped out of his daze first, and swung the door open inwards with a flourishing wave of his arm. Peach nodded and stepped inside, glancing around for a place to put the cake.
Bowser noticed and reached out. “Here, let me. I know it’s still a mess in here, sorry.” He took the tray out of her hands, and Peach swore that she felt sparks jump across her skin when their hands brushed. Bowser shoved aside a stack of papers off his desk and plopped the cake down unceremoniously.
Peach stooped to pick up the fallen papers, and didn’t even realize Bowser was doing the same. They reached for the same document, and their hands touched again. Peach felt her cheeks burn and she abruptly pulled back. Bowser cleared his throat.
“Ahem. Well, uh, thank you for the cake. Is it chocolate? That’s my favorite,” he said as he placed the messy pile of papers back onto another corner of his desk.
“Really? I just picked chocolate because it’s my favorite,” Peach replied. She held her hands in front of her, hoping the strands of hair falling over her shoulders were hiding at least some of her blush. She avoided Bowser’s gaze and looked around the room.
Bowser was correct when he said it was still a mess, but it was a different sort of mess than before. The furniture was all back in its proper place, and it appeared to have undergone some magical refurbishment, as the claw marks and burnt sections were replaced and looked good as new. The clutter on the floor had been neatly stowed away, but what had not changed was the massive amount of papers and documents covering all the tables and desks. These papers, however, looked newer and Peach could make out some blueprints and schematics among them. The only things that stood out among them were a fist-sized crystal orb and of course, Bowser’s fire flower.
“Would you like a slice?” Bowser asked, forcing Peach to look back at him. He too, looked flustered, even– dare she say– shy.
Peach smiled politely and shook her head. “No, thank you. I’ve made more than enough sweets for the whole castle to enjoy. Actually… I came here to ask you something.”
“Oh?” Bowser perked up at this.
“Yes… I…” she trailed off, tightening her grip on her hands. Oh for Stars’ sake, just spit it out! “Were you serious when you offered to train me?”
Bowser’s eyebrows shot up. “Yeah, of course! Did you want to..?”
“Yes, I would like to learn how to defend myself.” She stood taller, a determined glint in her eye. Bowser smirked at her.
“Alright then, you’ve got yourself a deal.”
***************
The palace gardens were, unsurprisingly, a great place to set up a training course. Kamek was able to quickly conjure up a platform-style course, with automated piranha plants, swinging arms of fake fireballs, and a few inflatable bullet bills. Peach observed the course being put together with great interest. It was nearly identical to the ones she had back home, the ones Mario (and occasionally Luigi) used to practice.
She and Bowser stood side-by-side with crossed arms, watching as the pieces came together in a glowing purple blur. Kamek seemed to genuinely enjoy the task, adding several challenging obstacles that Peach was sure Toadsworth would have fretted over. Peach, however, was eager for the challenge and appreciated that neither Kamek nor Bowser was looking to hold back.
“I believe it’s finally ready,” Kamek said as he levitated down next to them, blowing off the tip of his wand.
“Alright Peach, you got this!” Wendy called from the makeshift bleachers behind them while the other Koopalings cheered and whooped. Peach giggled at their enthusiasm. The moment they had found out (via babysitter Kamek) what was going on, they had all rushed outside to root for her. Bowser chuckled too, and nudged Peach’s shoulder with his elbow.
“I guess that means you're up,” he leaned over and whispered in her ear. Peach felt her heart flutter, but she quickly accredited it to the nerves and pressure of running this course with everyone watching.
She exhaled a long, calming breath before stepping up to the beginning of the course. The moving obstacles seemed to crawl into slow motion as she took off in a quick sprint. She hadn’t bothered changing out of her dress and heels (though she sported some breathable leggings under her power-blue skirt just for comfort), so every step across the brick was accentuated with a sharp click.
Her path began with some simple parkour, and she easily flew over hurdles and used the side walls to hop off of and accelerate onto the next level. Now, she was higher up, and a misstep could definitely lead to some bruising. She clutched her skirt in hand and ducked as a sweeping arm of fake fireballs came at her. Then, she sidestepped an inflatable bullet bill as it soared past her. Her heart rate was picking up, and she found she was reacting on instinct and reflexes now as she came up to the next round of obstacles.
She focused her line of sight on the set of mechanical piranha plants coming up. She knew her timing had to be perfect, so she didn’t hesitate to vault herself up onto the first empty green pipe, then proceed down the line just as they would’ve come nipping at her heels. The end of this level was rapidly coming up, so she waited until the last piranha plant was about to pop up, then used its momentum to launch herself upwards once more.
“YES, GO PEACH, GO!” a loud voice cried. She couldn’t tell if it was Morton or Roy or it might have even been Bowser, but she couldn’t break her concentration to see which.
This next level was short, though Peach could see it wasn’t the end just yet. Suddenly, a half a dozen inflatable bullet bills came hurtling towards her, and Peach immediately recognized her new path. She hopped up off the brick walkway and lightly went from bullet to bullet, not once breaking her stride. She could see the final stretch now, the end marked with a pink flag. Peach narrowed her gaze and braced herself for the fall. She sprung off of the last bullet bill, then used her skirt like a make-shift parachute, gracefully floating towards the top of the flagpole. She landed with an acrobat-worthy pose, clutching the pink fabric in her hand.
And just like that, it was over. Peach gasped for breath as her adrenaline faded, and she propped her hands on her hips, a wide smile on her face. She turned to face her audience, who immediately broke out into thunderous applause.
“THAT WAS AMAZING!” Morton hollered. Iggy stuck his two pointer fingers in his mouth and whistled sharply.
Peach beamed from their praise. She had actually done it! She stepped off the level and floated down to the ground, where Bowser was there to meet her. He watched her land with a smug look.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say that you had been training long before this,” he remarked.
Peach smiled up at him playfully. “I said I didn’t know how to fight . I never said I wasn’t athletic. How else do you think I can play all those sports I’ve mentioned?”
Bowser threw his head back and laughed, “Alright, I’ll give you that, but you were amazing regardless! That wasn’t some beginner’s course, and you got it on your first try!”
Peach felt a swell of emotions in her chest. “You know, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you laugh before.”
Bowser threw her a crooked grin. “Well, now you have.”
“King Dad, can I have a turn?” Larry asked, bouncing excitedly in his seat. The other Koopalings then immediately launched into a fierce debate on who should go first on the training course.
“Woah, woah, cool your shells, brat-pack,” Bowser waved his arms in a downward motion. “You kids are way too young to be doing something like that.”
A collective round of “awwws” was their reply. Peach understood their disappointment. Although this set-up was for training, she found she had rather liked the challenge (and the feelings of pride and accomplishment that came with completing it). In all honesty, she still couldn’t believe that she had just done that, but by tapping into her athleticism and trusting her reflexes, the training had just come so naturally. Peach wished Toadsworth and Mario could have seen her.
“C’mon, don’t make those big Yoshi eyes at me!” Bowser pleaded. Peach saw the Koopalings all trying their best to win over their father with pleading looks. “Alright, look, I can’t let you onto that training course,” he said. The Koopalings all “awwwed” once more.
Bowser held up a pointer claw to silence them. “ But, there is something else we can all do. I was going to wait to tell you when it was finished…” Now, he had their full attention, Peach’s included. Bowser held his hands behind his back and straightened up, looking the part of a proud professional. “I have been designing a go-kart racing track that will go through the castle.”
The Koopalings, for once, were stunned silent (Peach and Bowser thought their slack-jawed expressions were priceless ). After a moment, however, Peach plugged her fingers in her ears as their excited screams pierced the midday air.
“NO WAY, go-kart racing? In the castle?” Iggy exclaimed.
“King Dad, you’re da best!” Roy nodded at his father.
“This is, like, the greatest idea you’ve ever had!” Wendy clapped her hands.
“I concur, this is indubitably the most exceptional concept you have ever put into motion,” Ludwig added.
Peach smiled at their exuberance. “I guess my talk of go-karting really interested them.”
“Well, who says it was for them? Maybe I wanted to do some go-karting again,” Bowser smirked. The Koopalings all protested vehemently. “ Relax brat-pack, I’m joking.”
‘Again?’ Peach thought. She had never heard of go-kart racing in the Koopa Territories. No, they’re technically the Darklands, she reminded herself, even if nobody but us remembers that. Perhaps go-kart racing had been a part of Koopa culture a decade ago?
“When will it be done, King Dad? Can I help?” Iggy offered, that mad inventor’s look in his eye again.
“Uhhh, I think I’ve got it covered, especially if we want this to stay safe, ” Bowser said, the tiniest measure of fear in his voice. Iggy crossed his arms and pouted. “The design is pretty much finished, anyways, buddy. All that’s left is to create it.”
“Well, can we help with that? ” Iggy pressed.
“Actually, I’ve got another task for you guys, and Princess Peach, too,” he glanced over at Peach with a small smile. “We’ve all got to make our own go-karts.”
“YES!” Lemmy suddenly shrieked. His siblings all looked at him in surprise at his unexpected enthusiasm, but they certainly couldn’t disagree with him.
“C’mon guys, we gotta get started right now!” Roy pumped his fist in the air, beckoning his siblings to join him. The Koopalings all rushed back into the castle, presumably to start their designs.
Kamek sighed. “I suppose that’s my queue to go and supervise their activity.” He bowed to both royals. “I bid you adieu, and congratulations again on your victory, Princess Peach.”
“Thank you,” Peach nodded as Kamek disappeared, leaving her and Bowser alone once more.
“I suppose I should get started on my go-kart, too, eh?” Peach said to him.
“Wait, wait, can I talk to you for a minute before you go?” Bowser reached out as she turned to leave and gently tugged on her dress sleeve.
“Of course, what did you want to talk about?”
A slow grin spread across his muzzle. “I told ya so.”
“Pardon?” Peach raised an eyebrow.
“You beat those levels without hardly breaking a sweat. You , my dear, are a natural-born fighter, and I told ya so.” Bowser crossed his arms and shot her a look that was equal parts proud and smug.
Peach felt her face grow warm again. “Oh please, that wasn’t fighting . That was just me running an obstacle course,” she looked away bashfully.
“Pssh, don’t be so modest! Sure, you didn’t do any hand-to-hand combat, but what you just did is what makes up more than half of my soldiers’ training regimen.” Bowser tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Of course, I’m sure you can do even better, and I’d also like to teach you how to master a weapon of your choice, but this is more than a great start.”
“Thank you,” Peach bowed her head. “I never really knew what I was capable of.”
“Well, I knew from the moment I saw you outrun those chain-chomps that you had potential; those metal buggers were only able to stop you once they had you cornered,” Bowser noted.
Peach shuddered at the memory. “A weapon would have been really nice in that situation.”
“Which is exactly why you need to learn how to use one. Have you ever thought about what you’d wield if you could?”
“Honestly? I have no idea. Mario has always been my secret weapon,” Peach said with a shrug.
Bowser’s muzzle crinkled up at the mention of Mario. “What’s that guy’s deal anyway? He sounds overbearing, always taking charge when you’re the princess. He shouldn’t let his status as a ‘hero’ go to his head.”
Peach rolled her eyes. “Mario’s not overbearing . Alright, he might be a little overconfident, but he’s just the most capable one when trouble heads towards the Mushroom Kingdom, and he is always willing to help me when I need him.”
“Sounds like you like him,” Bowser grumbled and crossed his arms once again.
Peach tilted her head to one side. “Sure, I like Mario, he’s a nice guy.”
“The way you describe him in action, I think I’d hate him if we ever met,” Bowser snarked.
Peach sighed. “I promise you he’s not a bad guy.”
“Oh, I believe you. I just think he needs to be taken down a peg or two so that you can shine.”
Peach couldn’t deny that she was flattered by Bowser’s statement, maybe even a little intrigued. “Well, enough about Mario, what weapon do you think I should train with? What do you like to use?”
Bowser shrugged. “I don’t really use weapons– I am a weapon.” Peach couldn’t deny that. “But, if you want my opinion, I think you should go for something small and discreet. A secret weapon, just like you.” He winked at her.
Peach giggled. “So, what? Something I could hide in my skirts?”
Bowser suddenly coughed on a thick plume of smoke and turned away. Peach watched him with concern and waited until he turned back. His eyes were watering, and he cleared his throat heavily. “N-no, nothing quite like that. I was thinking more like… a piece of jewelry that doubles as a weapon, or maybe something that you carry around a lot and could be disguised as one?”
Peach hummed and fiddled with a piece of blonde hair. “I didn’t have one with me when I came here, but I often bring a parasol with me when I go out.”
“A parasol? That might just be perfect.” Peach could see the gears turning in Bowser’s head. “I’ll get together with Kamek and brainstorm. We’ll make you a parasol so formidable that not even your little Mario could get past it.”
Peach smiled. “I look forward to it.”
Bowser stopped and scratched the back of his neck. “Well, I guess I’d better let you get to making your go-kart for the big race now.
“Oh, that was such a sweet idea. I thought the Koopalings were just going to explode from excitement right then and there!”
Bowser chuckled. “Yeah, they were pretty happy, weren’t they?”
“You know, you can be a real brute sometimes, but you’re still a good dad to them,” Peach remarked, looking at him softly.
Bowser shot her a saucy glance. “Well, you’re not so bad with them yourself. They never shut up about you nowadays. I almost feel like I’ve been replaced.”
“That could never happen, they really look up to you!” Peach insisted. Bowser faced her, and his eyes were so large and gentle that Peach felt her breath slip away.
“Well, they adore you,” he whispered hoarsely.
Peach found her tongue would not work, so she said nothing. Her heart, however, was thumping against her rib cage so loudly she wondered if Bowser could hear it. He smiled softly at her.
“I’ve got to work on my go-kart, too, so I’ll see you later,” he said.
Peach blinked rapidly. “Y-Yes, I’ll see you later.”
As he sauntered away, Peach wondered why she couldn’t get her heart to slow down. Or why she felt disappointed that he was gone.
Notes:
Here are some brief notes for this chapter:
-When Peach is overhwlemed, she bakes. It just seems like something she'd do, lol
-Awww she's thinking about Bowser in a good way!
-In case you couldn't tell, yes, I did see the new Mario Movie, and yes I ADORED IT. I will be adding some references here and there, but nothing spoiler-ish. Anything I directly reference has already been revealed in trailers, anyhow.
-Let's gooooo Peach is a kick-butt princessssss. In my defense, I had already had a training scene set up before seeing the trailers/movie, but I figured using references here would really tie it in closer to the Mario universe :)
-I ALREADY HAD A MARIO KART SCENE PLANNED OUT TOO, I SWEAR! Illumination be taking ideas out of my head.
-Bowser is so supportive of Peach we love it <3
-Bowser hates Mario already we love it <3
-Let Peach fight with a parasol like in SSB and Super Princess Peach? Yes PLEASE.
-Can you feeeeeel the feeeeeels toniiiight~
That's all for now!
Kudos and Comments really make my day and encourage me to write, so if you have any questions, notes, or just want to say Hi I'd be so glad to hear from you!!
I'd also really appreciate feedback since this is my first fanfiction ever! Have a good one guys!
Chapter 12: Well-Meaning Scheming
Notes:
We're getting closer to the climax! I hope you all enjoy!!
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The next few weeks at Bowser’s castle went by in a blur. Along with the construction of the much anticipated go-kart track, Bowser and Kamek were overseeing multiple renovations and restorations throughout the castle. Peach was invited to join in, and she happily chose to head a team of servants in charge of revamping the palace gardens. She found the task more than enjoyable, and it even allowed her to make some friends among the servants.
Despite their busy schedules, Bowser always found time to spend with her. Peach didn’t mind, as she found herself growing more and more curious about King Koopa and his past. Not just for information’s sake, but because she really wanted to know him. And as it seemed, Bowser was just as curious about her. They shared every meal together, many including the Koopalings, but in some cases the time was simply spent talking to one another.
This day, Bowser had decided to join her out in the gardens while she worked. Peach giggled as Bowser tried to handle the delicate unplanted bulbs with his claws. They sat on their knees, side-by-side, while Peach showed him how to properly tend the soil and prep the plants.
“Here, look, you need to feather the roots out a bit before you bury it, see?” Peach took the bulb from Bowser’s hand and demonstrated. Bowser hummed as he took it back, repeating the action (unintentionally) with far less gentleness. He sigh-growled as it crumbled in his grasp.
Suddenly, one of the servants out in the garden rushed behind them and accidentally stumbled on Bowser’s tail. The latter whipped around, glaring fiercely at the Koopa in the dirt.
“M-My d-deepest apologies, Lord Bowser!” he stammered, shakily standing and dusting himself off.
Bowser opened his mouth to chew him out, then glanced over at Peach, who was watching with wide eyes. He stopped, exhaled slowly, and began again. “It’s fine, accidents happen.”
The Koopa looked at his king with utter disbelief, as though he had somehow managed to escape death, then looked to Peach, and she nodded at him with a small smile. He scurried off after giving a brief bow to the both of them.
Bowser silently took up another bulb and began to sloppily mimic what Peach had shown him. Peach smiled to herself as she saw the smallest puff of smoke escape his nostrils. It was clear that he was frustrated and doing his best to keep his temper in check. Gently, Peach reached out and cupped his hands with her own.
“Let me help, Bowser. The trick is to massage the soil clumped between the roots…” she instructed as she guided his hands.
Above the gardens, on a balcony guarded by two Bowser-shaped statues, Kamek and the Koopalings watched the scene with great delight.
“Well, who’d have thought?” Kamek mused.
“Well who indeed?” Ludwig said.
“Like, who could’ve guessed it? They came together on their own!” Wendy gushed.
“This is weird. I’m not used to seeing King Dad so happy and mushy all the time,” Morton added.
“As long as it means the curse’ll be broke, I don’t gotta problem with it. Besides, it’s nice to see King Dad happy for once,” Roy countered.
“It’s nice to see all of you happy for once,” Kamek remarked. “I’m very glad that Princess Peach came along. You kids like her, don’t you?”
“Define ‘like,’” Iggy said.
“Well, I know that you all are hoping she can help break the curse, but have you kids stopped to think about what would happen afterwards?”
“Yeah! We’d finally get to see the outside world and cause some massive chaos!” Morton whooped. Iggy, Roy, and Larry all high-foured and cheered in agreement.
“I believe Kamek was referring to the fact that if Peach falls in love with King Dad she will likely marry him, and thus become our mother,” Ludwig corrected while Wendy rolled her eyes at her other brothers’ lack of intuition.
“Mama?” Lemmy asked innocently, his head tilted slightly to one side.
“Huh… I never thought about that,” Roy said. “So, we’d get freedom and a Mama Peach if they broke the curse?”
“If all goes well, then yes,” Kamek said as he calmly adjusted his glasses.
“WHAT’RE WE STANDING AROUND FOR? WE GOTTA GET THEM TOGETHER A.S.A.P!” Morton shouted, waving his arms frantically.
“ SSHHHH! ” all of Morton’s brothers hissed and tackled him to the ground. Wendy pinched the bridge of her snout.
“They could’ve heard you, shell-for-brains!” she snapped. “They’re just below us!”
Cautiously, the Koopalings all peeked over the stone railing of the balcony. To their great relief, Bowser and Peach were still occupied with their gardening. Peach appeared to laugh at something Bowser said, and Bowser was smiling so brightly that the Koopalings could hardly recognize their adoptive father.
“Young masters, I say we should wait and watch for a few days more, they seem to be getting along just fine on their own,” Kamek suggested.
“But Kamek, it's like, totally obvious there’s a spark between them! We have to, you know, fan it or whatever!” Wendy insisted. Her brothers all nodded enthusiastically. Morton opened his mouth to speak again, but Roy promptly put a hand over his muzzle.
“Inside voice, kapeesh? ” he warned. Morton glowered at him, but slowly nodded. Roy removed his hand and Morton inhaled obnoxiously.
“Guys, what if we just told Peach the truth? She’d fall in love with King Dad a lot faster if she knew it would be helping us, she’s nice like that!”
Roy gave a dramatic eye roll and quickly covered Morton’s mouth again. Morton grunted in annoyance.
“My endearingly obtuse little brother, there is a very good reason we have purposely not done that,” Ludwig said. “Peach and King Dad cannot merely feel any kind of ‘love’ for one another, as you might feel towards a friend or a pet. The curse stated it can only be broken by True Love . If Peach feels pressured in any way to feel anything towards King Dad, there is a very good chance those feelings will not be genuine.”
“Precisely, Ludwig,” Kamek agreed with a firm nod.
Morton shoved Roy away and groaned. “Why does this love stuff take so long? I can’t wait to be outside the castle grounds again!”
“You were a little kid when the curse first happened! You don’t even remember the outside world!” Roy admonished.
Morton crossed his arms with a huff. “My point still stands.”
“Alright, alright. I think we can all agree that we’re eager to see this curse broken, but the best thing we can do at this point is to let them fall in love naturally ,” Kamek said as he stood between Roy and Morton as peacemaker, though his words were intended for all the Koopalings.
The group glanced back down at the aforementioned couple. At some point, a watering can must have spilled because the duo was now working in thick mud, and Peach had playfully flung some at the side of Bowser’s face (her denim overalls and pink undershirt were already flecked with the stuff). Bowser touched the mud on his cheek in disbelief, then shot Peach a mischievous glance. He took up two massive armfuls of mud, and watched with wicked delight as she shrunk back from the dripping mass. He held it above his head, flicking his eyebrows up twice in a sassy manner. Suddenly, however, Peach leaned forward and flicked another bit of mud onto his snout. Bowser involuntarily flinched and his armloads of mud splattered unceremoniously onto his head.
After a moment of stunned silence, Peach burst out laughing, the sound bright and clear. Nearly all of the servants in the garden stopped and gawked at the scene before them; they weren’t sure if they should rush over to assist their king or flee from his impending wrath. However, Bowser’s deep and boisterous laughter joined in not a minute later, then the duo was doubled over in the mud while the servants looked on with concern.
Kamek smiled to himself as Peach, still giggling, took her right glove (the cleaner one) off and used it to delicately wipe away the mud around Bowser’s eyes and nostrils. Their collective laughter died down and Kamek watched as they silently gazed into one another’s eyes, sky blue meeting blood red in timid dance.
Yes, it’s best to let love come softly, Kamek thought to himself.
***************
The day of the big race had come at last. It had, to one’s surprise, become quite the event, with a grand banquet, music (composed by Ludwig, no less), and other small activities run by the servants. To the Koopalings, it felt like all seven of their birthdays rolled up into one jam-packed afternoon, and everyone in the castle couldn’t help but find their joy contagious.
Peach had volunteered to bake some treats for the banquet, and between that, her gardening, her meals with Bowser, and customizing her own vehicle for the race (she’d chosen to construct a sleek sports bike), she didn’t even have time to miss home. Still, at night when she lay in bed with the soft-but-still-unfamiliar blankets pulled up to her chin, her mind would wander back to her old life. The memories were no longer unbearably painful nor moved her to tears, but they still brought a dull ache to her heart.
She couldn’t help but fret over the state of her kingdom. The last anyone saw of her was Toadsworth on that fateful night, and he had likely assumed that Bowser meant to imprison her or cause her worse harm. Of course, that was far from the case now, but if that was the message Toadsworth had spread to her subjects, it would be absolute pandemonium. Mario was no doubt searching for her, but with the special warp pipe unusable and the heavy illusions around the castle, there was no way he could have found Bowser’s home without a hand directly leading him there. She only hoped he and the others would resolve the power vacuum she’d left behind and do what was best for the Toads. If only there was a way to tell them she was safe and well-taken care of…
A knock at the open kitchen door interrupted her musings. Peach looked up from the tray of cookies she was plating, and saw Bowser standing at the doorway awkwardly.
“Yes?” she said with a small smile, hoping to put him at ease.
“I was just uh… coming to see if you needed help with anything,” he said as he fidgeted with his claws, like he wasn’t sure what to do with himself.
Peach nodded, put the last cookies on the decorative plate and held it out. “I could use a hand carrying these out to the banquet? I’ve got two other trays this size.”
“Oh! Let me just grab some servants and–” Bowser stopped himself. “…you meant me, didn’t you.”
“ If you don’t mind,” Peach said. Bowser marched up to her side and took the plate out of her hands.
“Look at you, making me do servants’ work,” he said with mock disdain. “Just what kind of influence do you have on people to make them so weak-willed?”
“Kindness is not weakness , Lord Bowser,” she corrected playfully. “Especially if it is for a friend, and we are friends after all, are we not?”
Bowser smirked. “I might reconsider that fact if all you’re gonna do is make me slave away for you, Princess. First all that gardening, and now this?”
Peach crossed her arms across her chest. “If you don’t like it, then no one is forcing you to spend time with me.”
Bowser suddenly paled. “No, no! I like doing all that stuff with you, I just meant–”
“I was teasing, Bowser,” Peach interrupted with a giggle. He was always so sensitive!
“Right, right, I knew that,” Bowser adjusted his grip on the tray of cookies, the color flooding back to his cheeks (plus some extra). “I’m gonna take these out now… I’ll come back for the rest.”
“Thank you, Bowser,” Peach said sweetly. She watched him shuffle out of the kitchen and turn the corner before taking up her own plate of treats to follow.
“HOT FIREBALLS! ” Peach suddenly heard Bowser shout, accompanied by the sound of his tray crashing to the floor. She abruptly dropped her own tray back onto the counter and rushed out to see what was the matter.
“Bowser?!” she called, whipping her head around the kitchen doorway. Her eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Oh stars…”
An obnoxiously loud horn blared and echoed throughout the hall. Bowser hurriedly stumbled backwards into the kitchen, forcing Peach to back up as well to avoid being unintentionally impaled on one of his spikes. A massive go-kart (if it could be called that) with seven passengers came racing down the hall, tearing up the red runner carpet as it did. It screeched to a painful halt just at the doorway, lurching forward so hard it was fortunate that the seatbelts held up.
“What the shell were you kids thinking?!” Bowser fumed as the Kooalings barreled out of the kart. They looked at each other fearfully, as if they had just realized what they’d almost done (apart from Lemmy, who noticed the cookies that Bowser had dropped on the floor and immediately crammed one in his mouth).
“No, no, Lemmy…” Peach admonished, then crouched down and began collecting the cookies into her apron pockets.
Bowser pinched the bridge of his snout and tapped his foot impatiently. “Ok, now, for the sake of our sanity, I’m going to skip the question of why you drove that thing all the way down here, and simply ask you what is that thing?”
The Koopalings again exchanged nervous glances.
“Well?”
“It’s your go-kart, King Dad…” Larry said hesitantly. Bowser’s eyebrows shot up so far Peach thought they might have gone flying were they not attached.
“Wait, this is–” Bowser stepped up to the vehicle. It was certainly large enough to fit Bowser’s bulky frame, but it appeared to have gone under some major modifications. Its body was a standard sporting-vehicle style, and combined with monster-truck-like tires, it was quite the formidable go-kart. However, this fact was quickly overlooked once one’s eyes met the layers of metal spikes lining nearly every edge and rim, the dual heavy-metal speakers attached to the back frame (including extra seating for smaller, Koopaling-sized passengers), and the rather clashy paintjob of green, yellow, and red flames over metallic purple. Bowser only looked at the monstrosity with his hands on his hips, unable to say a word.
“Did you guys deck-out your father’s go-kart for him?” Peach prodded gently. The Koopalings nodded enthusiastically, glad that someone was able to recognize their intentions.
“Do… do you like it, King Dad?” Iggy asked, apparently moving right past the fact that they’d driven their creation through the castle halls (the undesignated ones) and had nearly run Bowser over with it.
Bowser’s jaw worked back and forth, and he glanced over at Peach for help. She raised her hands as if to say don’t look at me! He sighed and faced the Koopalings, folding his hands in an almost prayer-like fashion. He exhaled, and pointed his hands in their direction.
“So, you guys… you did this for me?”
“Yeah!” Morton said, grinning.
“You painted it and added extra spikes and some speakers all on your own?”
“Don’t forget the victory confetti launchers and the flamethrowers!” Iggy threw in.
Bowser was silent again for a long moment. “Uhh, thank you guys. This is… certainly unique,” he said eventually. Peach had to work hard to hold in her snickers.
“Oh, we almost forgot! We fixed your motorcycle, too, Peach!” Larry announced. Peach’s laughter died in her throat. Larry took her hand and led her to the back of Bowser’s monster machine, where her motorcycle– which had previously been a sleek design in white and pink– was attached to the back. It was a perfect match to Bowser’s kart.
“Oh my… how… special!” Peach said, plastering a smile on her face. Bowser coughed several times behind her to cover up his chuckles.
“Try it out! You too, King Dad! It’s time to start the race!” Larry hopped up and down excitedly.
“For the record, we let Iggy do most of the work,” Wendy whispered in Peach’s ear. “I would have, like, added much more glitter for sure.”
After Peach quickly changed into a white cyclist suit, the ninesome drove ( carefully , this time) to the starting line. The Koopalings’ karts were already set up, and each one was a perfect reflection of their owner. The colors and designs varied, but each used a Clown Car as its base. Before, Peach had only seen them in pictures, so to witness them transformed into go-karts was certainly a surprise. Seeing their designs, now she was certain the Koopalings had made her and Bowser’s karts as tacky as possible to highlight how they were matching.
Kamek appeared at the start, hovering above the karts and holding a stop light with his wand. His shoulders shook from restrained laughter as he saw Peach and Bowser’s vehicles, but he quickly cleared his throat and began announcing the rules.
“Welcome all!” He briefly addressed the crowds of servants seated in makeshift bleachers. “Before we begin, let us all give a round of applause to His Amazingness, King Bowser!”
The halls erupted with thunderous applause. Peach looked over at Bowser curiously. Apparently, Kamek had planned this on his own, as Bowser looked ready to retreat into his shell. Of course, outwardly he was confident, but Peach could see in his eyes just the sublest hint of shame. It was odd, she knew he was still convinced that he wasn’t a “real king” anymore, but the way he had led his people and planned all this was certainly very king-like. Plus, he seemed like the kind of guy who would normally sit and relish in the praise his subjects offered.
“Now then, the first thing I should mention is that there are no power-ups in this course,” Kamek continued. The Koopalings all looked at one another, and Peach knew they must all be thinking the same thing: No way, there are usually power-ups in go-kart racing?!
“Next, I have taken the liberty to magically safe-proof all of the obstacles and have strategically placed Lakitus around the track to ensure everyone’s safety. So, don’t worry about falling into lava or being crushed by a Thwomp, kee-hee-hee!”
Wait, did he say lava? Peach thought.
“Finally, and this is the most important rule.” Kamek shot a knowing look at the Koopalings. “ No cheating.” This earned him a collective round of “awws.”
“Good luck, you guys!” Peach called to them with a smile.
“Without further ado, your one-lap go-kart race around the castle grounds begins in five!”
Peach adjusted her helmet one last time and gripped her handlebars, taking extra care not to impale her hand on one of the many new spikes.
“Four!”
Each racer leaned forward, narrowing their gaze on the track ahead.
“Three-two-one!” Kamek finished quickly in an attempt to throw them all off.
The low hum of the running engines roared to life as each kart took off in a blaze.
Peach twisted the throttle and whooped as she flew down the track. After their initial takeoff, she found herself close to the lead, trailing just behind Wendy and Lemmy. They all easily maneuvered around the tight corner turns throughout the hallways (despite the occasional obstacle) and quickly came to the outside portion of the course.
Thankfully, they stayed far away from the gardens, and instead headed towards the lava moat. The orange glow was slightly tinged with purple, which surely must have been the magical protection Kamek had mentioned. The track narrowed considerably, making just enough room for two karts to fit side by side. Peach was forced a little further back, being passed by Ludwig and Roy. As they zoomed across the criss-cross bridge over the lava, fireballs began to rain down upon them.
Peach flinched and swerved out of the way, but was relieved to see that the fireballs dissipated as soon as they touched an object. Illusions, she realized. The distraction, however, gave her the opportunity to overtake Wendy and Ludwig. She glanced back in her rear-view mirror, and saw Bowser coming up fast. He easily passed Morton and Larry, then found himself stuck behind Wendy and Ludwig as they took up the width of the track. Peach turned back to the road, and slowed down a bit as the track began to ascend and twist around the base of the castle. Roy and Lemmy stayed firmly in the front of the pack, and Ludwig retook his position in third as they continued up the spiral.
“So, what do you think of the track?” Bowser suddenly came up beside her, shouting to be heard over the roar of the go-karts. Peach startled and glanced over at Bowser, who had the silliest grin on his face as his red hair flew widely in the wind.
“It’s great! But, uh, we’re a little busy right now!” She quickly returned her attention to the road. A thwomp stood at the edge of the track, and fell just as she spoke. It landed right in her path, so she abruptly braked to avoid a collision. Bowser, unexpectedly, braked too, though his path was clear. This allowed all the remaining racers to pass them easily.
“What are you doing?” Peach called, picking up speed again as they made their way to the end of the spiral up the castle. Bowser kept up at an exact pace with her, neither pulling ahead nor falling behind.
“Look, I was wondering–!” he began, but was cut off as they suddenly dropped off the ramp and landed on another section of the track. His kart swerved as his lack of attention made him forget to keep both hands firmly on the steering wheel. Peach kept glancing over at him with concern.
“Can this wait until after the race?” she shouted. The track now took a steep dip downwards, and Peach had to duck as a couple piranha plants lined up at the edge of the track (real ones, this time) chomped at the air around their heads.
“No, no, wait! I just wanted to ask–!” Bowser was again cut off as a piranha plant clipped the tall speakers on his kart, stopping his downhill momentum. After a moment he sped up and rejoined her side. By now, the Koopalings all were a good distance ahead, and Peach could barely make out their brake lights.
“What is it, Bowser?” she slowed down slightly to match his speed since he was so insistent on talking to her now.
“I was thinking, since it’s such a nice day, we should have a dance tonight!” he asked excitedly.
“What?” Peach cried, unsure if she misheard him.
“I said, do you want to have a dance tonight?!” he repeated, louder this time.
Peach looked at him with wide eyes and blinked rapidly. She veered back onto the track as she realized she was slowly drifting off, then looked back at Bowser. He kept glancing at her with hopeful eyes.
“Sure, alright!” she replied with a smile. Bowser gawked at her.
“Wait, really?!”
“Yes, why not!”
“O-Ok then! I look forward–” Bowser was cut off once more as they re-entered the castle for the last part of the race and suddenly had to make a tight turn. Peach giggled and pushed ahead while Bowser sharply made the late turn, his tires leaving dark skid marks behind him.
They had finally caught up to the Koopalings, who were all neck-and-neck with each other. The roar of the crowd could be heard once again as they reached the final stretch. Peach knew she wouldn’t be able to pass any of them, but she sped up just so she could finish closer to them. Kamek waved a massive checkered flag at the finish line, smiling broadly. The Koopalings all crowded dangerously close together, pushing their limits in order to gain the slightest edge and pass their siblings.
All of a sudden, Lemmy, who had been in the lead for the majority of the race, spun out as one of the other karts (it was impossible to see who) clipped his back tire. His kart jerked towards the sidelines, where it automatically stopped thanks to the magical safety barriers set up. Unfortunately, however, the momentum sent Lemmy flying out of his seat and into the air.
Peach gasped and charged the throttle on her bike, simultaneously speeding up and putting her motorcycle into a wheelie. The additional height gave her just enough reach to snatch Lemmy out of the air and pull him to safety. Heart pounding, she skidded to a halt over the finish line, clutching Lemmy (who had tucked himself into his shell) like a football. The crowd had gone silent from the shock of the sudden turn of events, but cheered twice as loud as Peach safely put Lemmy on the ground.
“Oh my stars! Lemmy, are you ok buddy?” Bowser barreled out of his kart and knelt next to Lemmy. The other Koopalings were hot on his heels, having just noticed the incident themselves since they had finished the race ahead of them.
Lemmy poked his head out of his shell and grinned up at them. “Again!” he cried.
Bowser sighed and slumped over with relief. The Koopalings all crowded around their brother, and Wendy started to cry.
“I-it’s, like, my fault! I got too close,” she sniffled. Bowser patted her pink shell gently.
“Hey, hey, it’s ok now. Nobody got hurt,” he soothed. He looked up at Peach with shining eyes. “Thank you.”
“Of course,” she murmured. Her heart was still racing. Lemmy looked at her with a happy smile.
“Forgive me, sire! The magical barrier I created did not account for inertia!” Kamek cried, levitating down to the growing crowd. He bowed deeply before his king, trembling ever so slightly.
Bowser nodded solemnly. “It’s ok, it’s ok. We both know his shell would’ve spared him most of the damage anyways. I’m still glad Peach was close enough to grab him, though.”
“Yeah, you were great!” Morton exclaimed, turning to her.
“Your heroics were indeed most impressive,” Ludwig added.
“Yeah! You were all like–” Larry zoomed away and began weaving between his siblings, mimicking how Peach had ridden her motorcycle. “–Then you did this cool thing–” He sprinted a few paces then leapt into the air, landing with a cool spin move. “–And wow! You were so awesome, Mama Peach!” he ended with a wide grin.
Peach looked at him in surprise. Those close enough to hear him also went dead silent. Larry’s grin slowly faded as he realized what he’d just said. “Oh, oh! No, I’m sorry, so sorry I–”
Peach waved him off. “No, no need to apologize, sweetheart,” she said. Then again, what else was she supposed to say? She’d had no idea that any of the Koopalings felt any maternal feelings towards her whatsoever. A heavy awkward silence fell over them.
“Why don’t we all enjoy the banquet now, hm? We’ve all had a very exciting day,” Kamek suggested as he clapped, breaking the trance. Everyone hurriedly agreed and began to make their way to the grand hall.
As they walked, Peach couldn’t help but repeat Larry’s words in her mind. The faintest smile tugged at her lips, and she found that she wouldn’t mind at all if he or the other Koopalings made that “mistake” again.
Notes:
Here are some brief notes for this chapter:
-If that scene in the garden looks familiar, it's supposed to :)
-I wanted to show here that Bowser hasn't become a perfectly nice and soft guy, but rather that he still has some issues handling his temper, and that Peach is helping him overcome them. Does that come across at all?
-SAY IT WITH ME FOLKS: THERE MAY BE SOMETHING THERE THAT WASN'T THERE BEFORE~
-Another thing I wanted to emphasize is that while Peach is okay living in the castle now, she's NOT okay being a prisoner. It's like, a very thin line that she tries not to cross? Idk lemme know your thoughts.
-Hehe Koopalings being mischievous is my favorite
-They get couple's matching go-karts! 😲
-How am I doing in writing action sequences? I don't write them very often...
-HE ASKED HER FOR A DANCE IT'S HAPPENING PEOPLE
-Mama Peach saves the day! I don't think anyone was upset about that lol
That's all for now!
Kudos and Comments really make my day and encourage me to write, so if you have any questions, notes, or just want to say Hi I'd be so glad to hear from you!!
I'd also really appreciate feedback since this is my first fanfiction ever! Have a good one guys!
Chapter 13: That Fateful Night
Notes:
The night of the dance arrives! I hope you all enjoy!
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Kamek plugged his fingers into his ears as he approached the door to Bowser’s room. The heavy-metal music coming from the other side was booming so loudly that it even made the thick door rattle on its hinges. Kamek muttered to himself about losing his hearing in his old age, then proceeded to knock as hard as he could. As expected, there was no reply. Kamek sighed and opened the door regardless, wincing as the music grew even louder without the door to soften it.
The first thing he spotted was Bowser’s monstrous go-kart sitting in the middle of the floor, its twin speakers thrumming with each deep note of whatever song Bowser had chosen. Kamek rolled his eyes at the sight, but at least the Koopalings’ creation was being used. The second thing he spotted was Bowser standing in front of his massive floor-length mirror, swaying to the beat and raking his claws through his hair in an attempt to tame it.
“Your Jovialness!” Kamek shouted over the music. Bowser didn’t seem to hear him, which honestly wasn’t all that surprising. Kamek whacked Bowser’s knee with his wand, which made the latter startle so badly he tripped on his tail and crashed to the floor.
“Kamek! When the shell did you get here?” he yelled, though Kamek could barely make him out.
“Turn down the music!” Kamek commanded. Bowser squinted at him in confusion.
“What’s that?”
“ Turn down the music! ” he repeated.
Bowser got up, shuffled over to the go-kart and reached in, then the thundering music finally stopped. Kamek shook his head as his ears rang, and shot Bowser an annoyed look.
“You shouldn’t play music that loud, you’ll go deaf, Your Stubbornness,” he warned.
Bowser shrugged, unconcerned. “Well, it’s my pump-up song, so it has to be loud.”
“Pumped-up? For what?”
Bowser shot him a sheepish grin. “I may or may not have asked Princess Peach to have a dance with me tonight.”
Kamek gasped. “Oh, oh! Sire, why didn’t you tell me sooner? We must begin preparations at once!”
“Well, to be honest, it was a spur of the moment thing– I didn’t think she’d actually say yes,” Bowser admitted.
“No matter, no matter! I’ll get right on it,” Kamek’s eyes lit up. “I’ll send Ludwig and Wendy in to you right away, too! Don’t you worry about a thing, sire, tonight will be perfect .”
“Thanks, Kamek. But what exactly are Ludwig and Wendy going to be doing..?” Bowser eyed his advisor with suspicion.
“Why, someone has to get you looking presentable for tonight, don’t they?”
Bowser opened his mouth to protest, but Kamek suddenly poofed away in a cloud of purple smoke. A surprisingly short time later he reappeared with the two aforementioned Koopalings, who looked at him with mischievous delight.
“Never fear, King Dad, I shall ensure your fiery red tresses are styled so impeccably that not even Morton could find fault with it!” Ludwig proclaimed.
“And I’m gonna make sure your outfit tonight is, like, so good. It’ll make all the other koopas look down at their outfits and gag ,” Wendy added.
Bowser backed away slowly as his two children approached him with eager eyes. “Uhh, Kamek, is this really necessary?”
“Yes,” he said. “Think about it, things only started going well between you and Peach after you got rid of your horrible purple cape, so by adding a little extra zing to your appearance, you’re sure to win her over!”
“You’re lucky I know you’re kidding,” Bowser grumbled. “But fine, yes, if you think adding some ‘zing’ will help me at all, I’ll trust you.”
“Excellent! I’ll begin getting things ready for the ball, enjoy your makeover,” Kamek cackled and teleported away.
“Ok kiddos, do your worst,” Bowser sat down in the stylist chair Ludwig had brought with him, and grit his teeth as Ludwig began teasing his hair.
“Alright King Dad, what kind of style are you looking for tonight? Something daring? Something charming? Something in between?” Ludwig chatted on as he continued to brush.
“I have no idea, bud. To be honest, I had no idea you even did hairstyling stuff,” Bowser chuckled.
Ludwig clucked his tongue. “How else do you think I am able to create such an impressive coiffure on myself without outside assistance?” He tossed his head of eccentric blue locks for effect.
“Alright, alright. Just… surprise me,” Bowser relented, hoping he wouldn’t regret his decision.
“King Dad, what do you think of this for tonight?” Wendy waved him down, and thrust a bright red suit into his arms.
Bowser cringed and handed it back. “What else do I have to pick from?”
“No, no, King Dad, you have to stand out! This red, like, totally brings out your eyes,” Wendy insisted.
“No offense kiddo, but I think it brings out a little too much,” Bowser countered.
Wendy sighed dramatically. “ Fine . I’ll, like, be right back.” She retreated back into Bowser’s closet.
Bowser winced as Ludwig caught a snag in his hair. “Sorry, King Dad, but when was the last time you actually utilized a comb? Your claws don’t count.”
Bowser muttered under his breath, “I shouldn’t have agreed to this…”
“King Dad, King Dad! How about this one?” Wendy reappeared, a sparkly forest green sequin suit draped over her arm on display for Bowser to see. Ludwig “oohed” in fascination.
“Wow, why do I even have that one?” was all Bowser said.
“Ugh, you have no taste in fashion,” Wendy rolled her eyes.
“Listen, listen, King Dad, you must endeavor to express your true feelings for Peach, tonight is the night!” Ludwig said, changing the subject.
Bowser felt his insides squirm at the thought of confessing his feelings to Peach. “I’m not sure I can do this.”
“Ludwig is right, you have to tell her the truth! You, like, care about her, don’t you?” Wendy pressed.
“Of course I do, but I just…” Bowser trailed off.
“Just what?” Ludwig and Wendy asked at the same time. They shot each other dirty looks for jinxing one another.
“It’s just… what if she doesn’t feel the same way? What if I make her uncomfortable or scare her away?” Bowser fretted.
“Hello, is this King Dad we’re talking to? You’re usually so determined when you know what you want! You have to, like, be bold and daring!” Wendy encouraged.
“This is different. I’m not the same Koopa I was before.”
“Thank the Stars for that,” Ludwig agreed. Bowser shot him a warning look. Ludwig chuckled nervously and returned to working on his hair with double the focus.
“ Anyways , what I was going to say is that I think you should be just fine, King Dad. This night will be, like, so romantic. Music, candlelight… it makes me giddy just thinking about it!” Wendy gushed. “There’s no way Peach won’t feel it, too.”
Before Bowser could reply, Wendy disappeared and returned shortly with another suit.
“Ok, how do you feel about this one?” she asked, her eyes shining hopefully.
“Wait, wait, King Dad, what do you think about your hairstyle?” Ludwig interrupted, shoving a mirror into Bowser’s hands.
Bowser looked between his reflection and the suit. “They’re both perfect,” he said, grinning from horn to horn. “It’s showtime!”
***************
Peach adjusted her tiara in the mirror. Not her usual one, which still sat in the closet, but a delicate swirling gold creation with a sapphire set into the middle of it. It perfectly matched her small teardrop earrings, which perfectly matched the brooch on the front of her dress, which all perfectly matched her eyes. She fidgeted with the edge of her white ballroom length gloves, and smoothed the front of her gown. She leaned in close to the mirror and inspected her light makeup. Twice.
Now, as a princess, she was fairly confident in her ability to dress herself for a ball (or a dance, or whatever Bowser wanted to call it), but tonight she felt the extra need to look pretty. She couldn’t quite explain why, but she felt like tonight had to be perfect . She briefly wondered what dancing with Bowser would be like. Was he rusty, or well-practiced? What kind of dances had he planned out? Peach blushed as she imagined herself swirling across a ballroom in Bowser’s arms, but she wasn’t really unnerved by the thought.
Exhaling slowly and taking one final glance in the mirror, she decided she was ready. The sun was just beginning to set (though it was always hard to tell here), so it was time to depart. An invitation had magically appeared (literally) on her pillow some time after she returned from the banquet, simply giving her the arranged time and a request to dress elegantly. She wasn’t sure where she was supposed to go, however.
That question was quickly answered as she opened her bedroom door and looked down to see a trail of peach-colored flower petals leading down the hall. Peach giggled and rolled her eyes at the cliche, but went along with it anyway. Goodness, it was like Bowser was trying to be romantic!
That thought put a serious pause in her stride. What if… Bowser had developed feelings for her? Recently, the way he had been acting around her certainly seemed different . She didn’t want to read too much into it, but Bowser treated her with such gentleness, and he seemed to constantly be seeking out her attention these days. Maybe that was just how he was with friends, but she honestly had no way to confirm that, since Bowser had no other friendships she could compare it to. If anything, he treated her more like family than a friend.
That thought made her feel warm and fuzzy inside. She hurried her pace as she followed the trail of petals. She kept expecting it to end as she approached one of the many ballrooms, but the path continued right past them. She found herself amused by the quest; just where was she going to end up?
Eventually, the petals stopped, and she found herself in front of the back doors leading to the palace gardens. Two Koopas dressed in formal attire bowed as she approached, and slowly opened the doors for her. What she saw on the other side stole her breath away.
She had been gifted surprises several times in this castle before– her bedroom, that Mushroom Kingdom style banquet, and her personal kitchen to name a few– but none of them came close to the dazzling and breathtaking display before her. The gardens, which had been a work in progress, now resembled an enchanted scene from a storybook. Floating lights suspended in the air by magic created a soft multi-color display. The flora, most of which had been seedlings just yesterday, were now in full bloom, and many varieties glowed with faint bioluminescence, which only added to the stunning lighting effects.
What Peach’s eyes settled on, however, was Bowser, standing halfway up the staircase with a hand extended towards her. He was dressed in a smart looking black suit with light green and orange flames embroidered along the sleeves and pant cuffs, and a green undershirt to match. His hair, too, had been styled differently, and swooped over to one side in a dapper way. His eyes were what drew her in the most, as they gazed at her with such tenderness she felt her heart do a backflip behind her ribs. She thought to herself that if Bowser had been acting differently recently, she definitely had been, too.
She graciously took Bowser’s hand and let him lead her down the stairs and to the stone courtyard, which was freshly sanded and smooth as a polished marble floor.
“You look quite dashing tonight, Bowser,” she said quietly, speaking as though she was afraid that by raising her voice, she’d break the spell over this enchanting moment.
“You… look absolutely stunning,” he replied, just as softly.
Peach blushed, though she had purposely chosen her gown knowing it looked good on her. It was a pastel pink (a color she had not worn in some time) with a pink bustle that draped all the way to the floor and matched the side paneling of her bodice. The paler pink in the middle sparkled, along with the gauzy outer layers that flowed over the skirt and pooled onto the ground like water. A modest off-the-shoulder cut with ruffled sleeves completed the look, along with the sapphire accessories she’d added earlier.
As they stepped onto the pavilion, soft music floated into her ears. It was classic yet dramatic, melodious and old and new all at the same time. Yes, it would be the perfect song to dance to.
“It is indeed a lovely night for a dance,” Peach commented, curtsying as Bowser bowed, then joining hands as they started off into a slow waltz.
“I’m happy you agree,” Bowser hummed, putting most of his focus into his dance steps.
It was a simple dance, and only required the partners to hold hands and sway to the melody. Peach was content, though, as just being here with him felt like a special evening. She wasn't afraid to admit that now that she was here.
"Do you dance often?" Peach asked politely. Bowser met her inquisitive gaze with a small nod.
"Yes and no. I don't really do a lot of traditional ballroom stuff, I only know the basics because of royal etiquette lessons. The kind of dancing I'm into isn't quite so… proper," he said with a smirk.
"Oh?" Peach curled an eyebrow suspiciously.
"Yep, I'm really into rock-and-roll," Bowser finished.
"Why does that not surprise me?" Peach laughed. "You'll have to show me sometime."
"Sure thing, but not tonight. Tonight's all about what you like."
"That's sweet, but you don't always have to go out of your way to make me happy."
"Oh, but I want to."
"Hm, and why's that?"
Bowser paused before answering. "Well… lots of reasons. You're so cool, and kind, and brave, and talented, and–"
"You really think so?" Peach interrupted, looking up at him with shining eyes. "I'm far from perfect, you know."
"–And modest too!" Bowser added with a cheeky grin. Peach playfully swatted at his arm.
The music became more upbeat just then, and Bowser started to adjust his position so that they would be in a more traditional waltzing formation. He hesitated to touch her though, so Peach guided his hand down to her waist then placed her own hand on his shoulder (or as high up his arm as she could reach, at least).
The music's rhythm quickened, and Bowser led her through a series of spins and gentle dips.
"For someone who doesn't do this often, you're quite good at it," Peach commented, her face flushed.
"What can I say? I'm a Koopa of many talents," Bowser purred.
As they twirled, the lights and glowing plants created a kaleidoscope of soft colors bouncing around them, and the atmosphere smelled heavily of the perfume of flowers; Peach could've sworn there was almost a dreamy haze surrounding them. Time seemed to slow down and speed up all at once, and she lost herself in the numerous dances and the weightlessness of being in Bowser’s arms. If he ever started to act shy at their contact, she’d gently hold him and flash him a reassuring smile.
Eventually, though, it had to end. Both weary dancers rested on the stone benches under the pavilion, which was draped with all manner of flowering vines. Small (harmless) bioluminescent spores floated in the air around them, creating an effect similar to stardust. Peach looked out at the gardens wistfully, wondering how such a desolate place had become so beautiful with only some tender care and attention.
“Peach?”
“Hm?” Peach turned back to Bowser. His eyes were bright and his cheeks were flushed. Peach was sure she looked the same.
“Are you happy here? With me?”
Peach glanced back out at the gardens before replying, “Yes.”
“You hesitated,” Bowser pointed out, his face falling.
Peach hurried to cover her slip. She hated seeing Bowser looking so crestfallen after all he’d done for her. “Oh, no, no! I’ve had such a lovely time, tonight was simply magnificent. The only thing that could’ve topped it would be if we were able to see the stars, but the plants here recreate it so wonderfully!” she waved a glove in the air, causing some of the spores to swirl and glow brighter around her.
“Would you like to see the stars?” Bowser asked, a new note of excitement in his voice.
“Well, sure, but I understand it’s not possi– Whoa!” Peach cried as Bowser suddenly swept her off her feet. Before she could protest, Bowser took off and began scaling the side of the castle walls, using one arm to hold her around the waist while the other he used to climb. Peach clutched onto his bicep for dear life as they quickly ascended the towers, only stopping once they’d reached the tallest point.
“Are you insane?” Peach gasped, more startled than angry, as he set her down on the slanted roof. She still clung to his hand, though.
Bowser grinned sheepishly. “Sorry, sorry. But you said you wanted to see the stars so…” he gestured at the sky with a grand flourish of his arm. Peach followed it and looked up into the sky, which was no longer a murky cloudy canvas as it always was, but rather a sparkling starlit work of art.
“Oh Stars… the stars!” she exclaimed, beaming.
“The illusions around the castle are much thinner up here, so you can see above the clouds,” Bowser explained. “But it’s a real pain in the shell to get up here, so that’s why we don’t do it often.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you take me up here just to see the stars,” Peach apologized.
“Don’t be, I wanted to,” Bowser said with a smile. “They are beautiful, aren’t they?”
“Yes…” Peach trailed off, staring off into the night sky. A cold breeze whipped her skirts around her legs, and she shivered.
“Ah, the other reason we don’t come up here often is because it’s so far from the lava moat– much too cold.” Bowser wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“W-what’re you doing?” Peach chattered.
“I’ve literally got a fire inside of me, I’m keeping us warm,” Bowser said. “U-Unless it’s making you uncomfortable!” He suddenly realized and pulled back.
“No, not at all. I appreciate it,” Peach replied, leaning into Bowser’s touch. She hoped the cold wind would be a good enough excuse for her red cheeks.
They stood there in silence, watching the stars twinkle and dance in the inky black expanse above. Peach wasn’t sure how much time passed like that, until Bowser suddenly whispered her name into the still air.
“Peach?”
She turned in his arms and looked up at him. “Yes, Bowser?” she whispered back.
“Why um… why did you hesitate earlier?”
Peach bit her lip, trying to think of how to best respond. “I truly am happy here, you and your family are wonderful to me. You treat me like I’m special, but not because I’m a princess. It’s all so… refreshing,” she began. “But…”
“But what?” Bowser’s eyes begged for an answer.
“If only I could return home, even if just for a day, to see Toadsworth. I miss him and the others so much… and I worry what state my kingdom is in,” she admitted. Bowser took in her answer silently.
“Peach,” he repeated softly, and suddenly he unwrapped his arm and knelt before her, so they could see each other eye-to-eye. He held her hand gently. “I know that things in this place are not always what they seem, and that you’ve been so gracious to look past that and have compassion on us. I think you are a wonderful person and I want to tell you…” he stopped, and opened his mouth to continue, but no words came out. His lips formed different words, and he seemed to change his sentence halfway several times. Peach could tell he was struggling to say what he wanted to say to her, and the silence was suspenseful.
After several moments of deep contemplation his eyes darkened seriously, but not because of her. “I want to tell you about the curse,” he stated. “You deserve to know.”
Peach found she did not know how to respond, so she simply nodded at him.
Bowser looked away, and Peach knew she saw a deep guilt riddled in his features. He took in a great, shuddering breath before he said, “The reason this place is cursed, why no one remembers it, why my kingdom is in shambles, why the sky is never clear, why my adoptive children are so estranged, why I keep that fire flower… it’s all because of me. It’s because…” he looked back at her, and his eyes were brimmed with tears. “It’s because I tried to invade the Mushroom Kingdom.”
Notes:
I wanted to quickly announce that I posted a quick one-shot detailing my headcanon for Bowser Jr., since we don't really see him in this work!! It's titled "The Strange and Fantastical Origins of Bowser Jr." Feel free to check it out if you're bored and desperate for Bowser Jr. origin stories LOL
Anyways, here are some brief notes for this chapter:
-Bowser is a die-hard rock-and-roll boi
-Ludwig and Wendy are here to make sure you ✨sparkle✨
-He really said "It's showtime" hehe
-I wanted Peach to wear a gown that was a pretty combination of her and Belle's gowns. I honestly never have any idea if my descriptions are accurate enough to paint the picture I have in my head.
-Bowser is such a cliche, and Kamek supports it behind the scenes in his planning 110%
-TALE AS OLD AS TIIIIMMMMME, SONG AS OLD AS RHYYYYMMMME~~
-He flirt, she flirt, they happy, we happy.
-Bowser is the kind of guy who either really shies away from personal boundaries, or just outright forgets they exists lol
-He really wanted to tell her how he felt... but instead dropped a mega plot twist! Did you guys like it? I've had it planned for so long, so I hope the next chapter explains it really well!!
That's all for now!
Kudos and Comments really make my day and encourage me to write, so if you have any questions, notes, or just want to say Hi I'd be so glad to hear from you!!
I'd also really appreciate feedback since this is my first fanfiction ever! Have a good one guys!
Chapter 14: Explanations Ensue
Notes:
Two chapters in one week? Wow, my brain hurts. Hopefully the pain was worth it! I hope you all like this chapter!
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
A decade ago, Bowser sat on his throne, drumming his claws on the stone armrest impatiently. It was the only sound in the room, aside from the faintest whir of flames coming from the wall torches. He was deep in thought, planning his next moves, when suddenly, the doors flung open and Kamek strode in, looking quite pleased with himself. Bowser leaned forward in his seat, clenching his hands into eager fists.
“Well?” he said.
“The first wave of troops has been successfully deployed, Your Surliness,” Kamek confirmed with a brisk nod.
“Excellent.” Bowser reclined back. “Once they begin to turn those pathetic little Toads to stone using my spell, I’ll swoop in and force their leader to surrender the Mushroom Kingdom to me!”
“A flawless plan, sire. It will be necessary to remove the princess from the situation as soon as possible, as her white magic could easily reverse the spells and ruin the invasion,” Kamek added.
“No sweat, I’m sure she’s a pushover just like the rest of her people,” Bowser waved a hand dismissively. “Let me know when the army arrives, then prepare my airship.”
“Yes, Your Brashness,” Kamek bowed and retreated backwards out of the throne room.
Bowser rubbed his hands together with wicked glee. As his first act as new king of the Darklands, a full-scale invasion on the Mushroom Kingdom was a bold move, but it would prove that he was worthy of his title. Nobody would dare mess with him, then. Plus, the additional land wouldn’t hurt, either. He briefly wondered what the princess would look like (assuming she was a Toad like the rest of them) so he knew who to target when he led the second wave along with Kamek. It didn’t really matter, he’d just nab the first thing he saw in the castle with a crown.
The doors burst open again, and Bowser jumped at the sudden intrusion.
“What?! What is it?” he growled. Surely Kamek wasn’t back already, but who else would’ve dared to disturb him?
A hooded figure approached him slowly, hunched over and taking slow, crooked steps closer.
“Who the shell are you?” Bowser stood, a plume of smoke puffing out of his nostrils. “Guards? Guards!”
“Please, I mean you no harm,” a hushed voice said. The hooded figure got on their knees before him. “I come on behalf of the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom, to beg for their safety and your mercy, King Koopa.”
Bowser narrowed his eyes at the figure suspiciously. “Who are you? Where do you come from? How do you know about my plans?” He took a step towards them, and they flinched back. Good.
“I am merely a humble observer from a distant place, and I speak for the Mushroom Kingdom because it is a land full of good people. Please, do not harm them,” they begged.
“Ha!” Bowser barked harshly. “Why should I listen to you? I am the mighty King of the Koopas! Nobody tells me what to do.”
The figure lifted their head slowly, and Bowser could barely make out one cerulean eye from beneath the hood. “You and I both know that the only motive you have for this invasion is greed, and a lust for power. Call off this unprovoked attack, King Koopa, show kindness instead of malice.”
Bowser scoffed. “What do you know of kindness or malice?”
“I know that you have an abundance of one and a severe lack of the other. I know that you were raised without the influence of your parents, and that you are now a parent yourself to seven koopalings who are not your own. I know that these things were not your choice,” the figure declared.
“How..? Who are you–”
“I am merely an observer from far away, King Koopa.”
Bowser gritted his teeth, “Or a spy. I order you to get out or–”
“Or what? Please trust me, your majesty, your actions will cause more harm than good,” the figure continued. “To prove my intentions are pure, I offer you this enchanted fire flower in return for your promise to call back your troops,” the figure said, and pulled the aforementioned fire flower from their sleeve. It glowed unnaturally and Bowser could feel the magic emanating from it. The figure extended the fire flower to him, a humble gesture.
Bowser threw his head back and laughed, and the hollow sound echoed throughout the hall. “What would I do with that? I already breathe fire,” he smirked at the figure, then spat a fireball not a foot away from where they knelt.
“Do you accept my offer or not? Will you stop your invasion?” the figure said plainly, apparently unfazed by the smoldering spot on the carpet next to them. The fire flower was still held out for him, a fiery beacon in the dim throne room.
“I’ll do you one better. How about I continue my invasion, then find you where you live and conquer it next!” Bowser bared his fangs and made ready to attack the figure and capture them for interrogations.
The doors burst open a third time, and Kamek, flanked by a squadron of koopa guards came flooding in. “Sire, look out! That person is–”
A flash of blinding light cut him off. Bowser shielded his eyes with his arm and growled furiously. As the light abated, Bowser beheld a beautiful woman clad in a flowing aqua dress hovering before him. Her cerulean eyes were hard and cold as starlight, and she wielded a thin silver wand in his direction.
“Attack!” Bowser ordered his troops. Kamek shot a purple fireball from his wand, but it froze a good distance from its intended target. The other koopas all froze likewise as soon as they got too close to the woman.
“King Bowser of the Darklands,” she began in a voice that was somehow quiet but booming at the same time, “I am Princess Rosalina of the Cosmos Observatory. I have found your heart to be devoid of all love and compassion.”
For the first time since ascending the throne, Bowser felt real fear creep up his spine. In desperation, he spat a fireball at her, but she easily redirected it with her wand and it collided with the wall, scorching it.
“Because you have shown to have no kindness within you, I hereby sentence you and your house to be imprisoned within these castle grounds, so that you will be unable to harm anyone ever again,” she held up her wand, and it glowed as she murmured a spell under her breath.
“K-Kamek, stop her!” Bowser pleaded with his advisor.
“I will also make it so that your existence and everyone’s within the castle will be forgotten across the eight worlds, and your scheme to invade the Mushroom Kingdom will never come to light!”
“Stop it! Don’t you know who I am?” Bowser roared.
“Everyone within these walls will remain here, forgotten, until you, King Bowser Koopa, can learn to truly love another, and earn her true love in return.”
“Stay back!” Bowser threatened as she leveled her wand at his heart.
Rosalina thrust her wand at him, sending a stream of silvery-yellow magic directly at his chest. Bowser threw up his arms to block it, but it passed harmlessly inside him. A magical aura rippled outwards with Bowser as its epicenter, and spread so far and fast that no one had time to react.
"What did you do..? What did you do?!" Bowser demanded. Rosalina said nothing, but shot him a pitying glance before waving her wand and sparkling away.
"Your Ragefulness!" Kamek exclaimed. He and the guards all unfroze and hurriedly rushed to their king's side.
"Out of the way!" Bowser shoved them aside and charged out the doors and down the hall. He hurried to the nearest balcony and looked out. The skies swirled with murky gray-brown clouds, covering every last bit of clear sky in the process.
"No, no, no, no! " Bowser stormed down the stairwell and out the front gates. He continued at that pace until he reached the border of the castle grounds at the edge of the dead forest. He abruptly stopped, though, as he collided with an invisible barrier, which felt more like a sturdy brick wall.
" NO!" Bowser roared, thrashing at the unseen force. He took a step back and unleashed a stream of his hottest fire at it, but it harmlessly dissipated on impact. " GRRRRAHHH! " he shouted into the sky.
Kamek suddenly appeared at his side in a flash of purple smoke. "Sire! What in the Stars is going on?" Bowser turned on him with a furious red glare.
"Undo the witch's spell immediately!" he ordered.
Kamek rolled up his sleeves in a hurry and flicked his wand at the barrier. Nothing. Kamek startled and attempted the same thing again, but nothing changed.
"What's taking so long?" Bowser demanded, tapping his foot impatiently.
"Y-Your Brashness, I… I d-do not think I c-can break the spell," Kamek stammered, shrinking into himself as he did.
" WHAT?!" Bowser seethed. He kicked the barrier, and the collision made him lose his balance and stumble backwards a step. "You're worthless! Why can't you break this blasted curse?"
"S-sire, Rosalina did give us a solution to break the curse," Kamek reminded him. "If she created the spell with one solution, I cannot undo it with anything else. It's a simple spell… but quite unbreakable."
"Just what are you saying?"
"You must actually fall in love and earn true love in return in order to break the spell, Your Coldness." Kamek whispered.
Bowser’s head spun. “No, no, that’s ridiculous. This can’t be happening. My plans… my invasion is ruined!”
“Sire, if I may–”
“We have to find another way now! ” Bowser punched the barrier. His fist ached from the impact, but he wouldn’t let the pain stop him. Nothing had stopped him before. This silly curse would be no different.
***************
Peach was silent. She listened to Bowser’s story without a single comment. She let him fill her in with every detail, only looking into his eyes as they reflected such a broad range of emotions during his retelling. There was mostly guilt and sorrow, but she also saw a measure of fear swimming in those blood red irises; but what was he afraid of?
“Peach… I don’t even know how to tell you how sorry I am for what I did. I’ve wanted to tell you for so long, but I just…” Bowser swallowed hard. “I just knew it would change the way you see me. I’m not that guy anymore, I swear it on the Stars above!”
Peach realized Bowser still held her hand. Her fingers felt numb.
“Kamek and I tried all sorts of ways to break the spell, but obviously none of them worked,” he continued. “We– I– have spent the past decade with nothing to do but reflect on our actions. In the beginning, the servants resented me for what I did, and I hated myself for the longest time. I didn’t even take the time to raise the Koopalings properly because of how much self-loathing I had.” He tightened his grip on her hand ever-so-slightly.
“But Peach, you changed that all . When you showed up, you treated us– treated me – with so much kindness it made me believe I could be different, be better. The night you saved my life, despite the fact I was your captor, made me feel like someone who was worthy of a second chance. I am different now, Peach, and it’s all thanks to you,” he paused, scanning her for any sort of reaction. A long heavy silence followed.
“Oh, I… I…” Peach found her voice would not work. She let her hand slip out of Bowser’s grasp and fall limply at her side. She looked down at the edge of her gown, which rippled like waves in the chilly breeze.
“Please, say something… anything,” Bowser pleaded, his voice raw with emotion. “It’s ok if you hate me now, I know I lied to you–”
“Bowser, I can see the change in you. I believe you… and I forgive you,” Peach looked back up at him, and her blue eyes were glassy. Bowser slumped over with relief, and reached for her hand again, but she pulled back. His eyes snapped up, looking at her with distress.
“Bowser, I have to know… were you using me?” she said softly, her tone laced with hurt.
Bowser shook his head desperately. “No, no, never! This is why I hesitated to tell you about the curse for so long, and why I want to tell you now! I never wanted you to feel like you were being used or manipulated.”
Peach hugged herself, struggling to process the whole story with this new context. She wanted so badly to give Bowser the benefit of the doubt, and he seemed so sincere, but the whole revelation was so overwhelming that her brain wasn’t sure what to do with all the information. She shivered again as a gust of wind blew across her bare shoulders.
“Let’s head back inside. I’m sure this is a lot…” Bowser offered her his arm. Peach took it and Bowser gently swooped her onto his shoulder, then carefully climbed back down, stopping at the balcony connected to Bowser’s study. He set her down gently and backed away, giving her a healthy amount of space.
“So, that is the enchanted fire flower?” Peach said after a little while, indicating the glass-encased power-up on his desk.
“Yeah, after I gave up on breaking the barrier and went back inside, I found it just lying there on the floor in my throne room. I keep it around… as a reminder,” Bowser crossed his arms, glancing at the fire flower with familiarity.
"What did you first think of me when I showed up? After I told you who I was?" Peach asked him, leaning against the railing on the balcony. Bowser flinched but answered honestly.
"It didn’t really matter to me, I just wanted to be left alone in my misery, and I didn't really care how that happened or who got hurt…" he admitted, looking out across the balcony. “I’m glad Kamek stepped in…” he trailed off, lost in thought. Peach thought he looked sad, but she wasn’t sure why, since she’d already forgiven him.
“And there’s nothing else the curse has done to you?” Peach pressed, wanting to be sure.
“It’s essentially been a decade of time-out, which turned out to be quite effective,” he said with a weak chuckle. “But no, no weird transformations or anything like that. I’m afraid I won’t be turning into some handsome human prince charming if the spell is ever broken.”
Peach shook her head. “That’s not exactly what I meant. But, for the record, I already think you’re handsome.” A blush blossomed across her cheeks, but she didn’t regret what she’d said.
“Thank you.” Bowser scratched the back of his neck shyly, like he wasn’t sure how to respond. They stood in that silence for a long while, each deep in thought.
Bowser, for his part, kept circling back to what she’d said earlier, when he’d asked if she was happy here. That sadness in her eyes when she’d mentioned her home… he knew it would never go away, regardless of how happy she was here. Bowser felt his throat close off as he realized it didn’t matter how well they treated her, it would never be fair to keep her here for his own happiness.
“Peach,” he said quietly. Peach glanced up at him with curious eyes, and Bowser had to muster all his strength not to lose himself in those blue pools and take back what he was about to say. “Peach, if you are really worried about your family back home… you should go to them.”
“What did you say?” Peach said in disbelief. Bowser felt his heart breaking, but he knew he had to do this.
“The curse may not be broken, but you’ve brought hope back to my family. I consider that to be more than enough payment to fulfill your promise. I release you… you’re no longer my prisoner.”
“You mean… I’m free?” Peach said with wide eyes.
“Yes,” Bowser said, looking away. He heard the soft click of her heels as she crossed the distance between them, and felt her hand rest gently on his forearm.
“Thank you,” she said softly. Some tiny, unrealistic part of him hoped she’d add ‘ but I’d rather stay here with you.’ She didn’t.
“I won’t ever forget you, and I promise once I get home and make sure everything is alright I will send aid from my kingdom,” she added.
“No, no, please don’t. We don’t need anything you can provide, and explaining the curse and my past will just get… messy. You’ve already done enough, so just worry about yourself, ok?” Bowser reached up and brushed her bangs behind her ear. “We’ll be fine.”
Peach bit her lip, unconvinced. “What about the Koopalings?”
“They’re tough kids, I’m sure they get it from me. In fact, it’s probably best that you leave without them knowing, it’ll make it easier on everyone,” Bowser plastered on a half-smile, which felt about as real as the illusions of clouds swirling overhead.
Peach closed her eyes and nodded slowly. “I think I’d better leave tonight, then.”
Bowser nodded along, even slower. “Very well. But… before you go, there’s two things I’d like to give to you.” He lumbered over to his desk, and opened the top drawer. Peach watched as he pulled out a fist-szed orb, which looked familiar, and a pink lace parasol, which did not look familiar.
“This is your weaponized parasol, it’s practically indestructible, and you can uncover the tip, which is sharper than a spiny’s shell,” he explained, handing it to her like some sacred sword. “And this is a crystal ball that allows you to see anyone or anything in real time. I want you to have it… so you can remember us. The moment you step outside the barrier, your memories of this place will get fuzzy,” he added solemnly.
“I don’t know what to say… thank you, Bowser.” Peach took the objects from him graciously. “How does this crystal ball work?”
“You just ask it to show you the person you want to see. Go ahead and try it out,” Bowser suggested.
“Alright… show me Princess Daisy, please,” Peach asked. The crystal ball glowed a warm orange in her hands, then faded into an image of Daisy sitting at a candlelit table across from Luigi. Peach’s eyebrows flew up in surprise.
“You look handsome as ever, sweetie,” Daisy cooed at him, making the green-clad plumber blush furiously. Luigi cleared his throat nervously.
“A-and you too, I-a mean you look-a beautiful!” he stuttered. Daisy giggled and leaned across the table, pursing her lips. Luigi, shyly, began to mimic the motion, and as they slowly came together–
“Ok I think it works!” Peach set the crystal ball down abruptly. Bowser, too, looked away and coughed into his fist.
“M-maybe just one more test wouldn’t hurt,” Bowser said. He definitely wasn’t trying to stretch out their last moments together. Nope, not at all.
“Please show me Toadsworth,” Peach requested. The image that appeared in the crystal ball was far less amusing than the previous one, however. Peach gasped as she beheld Toadsworth bedridden, looking so thin and haggard it made her heart wrench.
“Toadsworth! Bowser, I, I need to–”
Bowser felt his own heart drop into his stomach. “I know. Go to him, he needs you,” he said mournfully. “Do you need anything for the journey? The crystal ball can act as a guide back to the Mushroom Kingdom once you exit the magical barrier; just ask it to show you the way.”
“I will,” she said softly, “I don’t believe I’ll need anything else.”
“What about the things you had with you when you arrived? Your crown?”
“They’re not that important… besides, why don’t you keep my crown, to remember me by?” Peach said with a small, sad smile.
Bowser swallowed hard. “Ok,” was all he was able to say.
“Thank you again for understanding.” Peach reached up and briefly brushed his cheek. Bowser had to restrain himself from leaning into her touch. Then, she turned towards the doors without another word. Neither of them could find the right words for a proper goodbye.
***************
Kamek hummed a pleasant tune to himself as he made his way down the hall towards Bowser’s study. He hadn’t been spying on Bowser and Peach, per say, but he had seen their dance from the balcony of his personal office, which was just a lucky coincidence if anyone were to ask him. And, he had definitely seen the way they looked into each other's eyes, then gone off to the roof to watch the stars. Things appeared to be going swimmingly, and he couldn’t wait to ask Bowser for the details.
He reached to knock on the door, but found it was already open. “Sire?” Kamek poked his head in. He saw Bowser sitting at the edge of the balcony, but he couldn’t see his expression.
“Lord Bowser?” Kamek repeated in case he wasn’t heard the first time. “I just wanted to stop by and say what an excellent job you did tonight! Everything went perfectly, and I’m certain Peach will–”
“Kamek, I let her go,” Bowser said, unable to face his advisor.
“Oh yes, very good! I knew you– y-you WHAT ?” Kamek’s jaw dropped to the floor. He hurried over to Bowser’s side, looking up at him with astonishment. “Your Recklessness, why would you do that?”
Bowser looked down at him with such an expression so hollow and lifeless that it made Kamek’s mouth snap shut with an audible click. He’d never looked this forlorn, not even on his worst days when they’d given up on finding another solution to the spell.
“I told her the truth, Kamek.”
“You mean you told her about the curse? Sire…” Kamek slumped over against the balcony railing.
“I could never have built a relationship with that lie between us. I just…” Bowser slammed a fist on the railing.
“You what, sire?”
“I never realized I needed anybody in my life before she showed up. Now, it hurts so much… I’m sorry Kamek. I set her free, yet I couldn’t do the same for all of you.” Bowser hung his head shamefully. “But I had to do it.”
“Why, sire?” Kamek asked gently.
“Because I love her.”
Notes:
Here are some brief notes for this chapter:
-If Bowser's plan looks familiar, that's because it's based on the plot of the original Mario Bros. game! Plus, another excuse to tie in Peach's white magic
-Don't get on Rosalina's bad side SHEESH
-Peach asks some very good questions here I think
-Lots and lots o' references
-The reason I changed the order of events in the scene where Bowser frees Peach? Because he should let her go because he realizes it's the right thing to do, and her father-figure being sick shouldn't be the reason you realize that *glares at Beast*
-Peach gets her parasol, and the crystal ball... I wonder if those will be important HMMMM
-I just had to throw in Luigi x Daisy somewhere lol
-Bowser realized that he truly loves Peach... poor Bowser :(
That's all for now!
Kudos and Comments really make my day and encourage me to write, so if you have any questions, notes, or just want to say Hi I'd be so glad to hear from you!!
I'd also really appreciate feedback since this is my first fanfiction ever! Have a good one guys!
Chapter 15: Return to Start
Notes:
A quick shout-out to everyone who has left kudos and/or comments, it means so much, especially since this is my first fanfiction ever! MUCH LOVE TO YOU!!! 💖
WE ARE GETTING CLOSE TO THE END EEEEE!!!
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Peach didn’t look back. Not once. She clutched her parasol in one hand, the crystal ball in the other. She passed through the spell’s barrier so quickly and easily she didn’t even realize she was outside of it until she looked up and saw the stars twinkling overhead. Seeing the stars this way didn’t feel quite so magical as it had earlier, though.
The journey back to the Mushroom Kingdom was quiet and uneventful, which was fortunate for Peach, but also afforded her plenty of time alone with her thoughts. One question kept swirling in her mind as she walked the path back to Toad Town: would she ever be able to return to Bowser’s castle? The warp pipe in the gardens was out of the question, and she had no idea if she’d be able to find the border again with all the illusions. Even now, her memory of the path she’d taken out the barrier was becoming blurry.
She tried to focus instead on getting home to Toadsworth and the others. If she’d known what her absence would do to him, she would have tried to leave sooner. But then again, if she’d left, would she have been able to see Bowser transform from a brute into someone she cared about? Would she have grown as fond of the Koopalings?
It was dawn when Peach finally reached the edge of Toad Town. She assumed everyone was still asleep, as the square was deathly quiet. She passed by dark buildings and empty stalls, the heavy shadows casted by the early sunrise only adding to the feelings of eeriness. She knew it was just her nerves getting to her, but she had the feeling something horrible had happened while she was gone.
She took the warp pipe leading to the front gates of her castle. Once she emerged, she saw two Toad guards at the doors, the first sign of life she’d seen since returning. They looked at her for a moment, did a double take, then rushed up to her, asking her a line of rapid-fire questions and babbling on and checking her over to make sure she was alright.
“Princess Peach! Is it really you? Everyone was so worried! What happened, are you ok?” the first guard with yellow spots said in a rush. The blue toad next to him asked her similar questions, and tugged on her skirt to get her attention.
“We must let Lord Mario know right away!” he said, leading her into the castle.
Peach abruptly stopped. "Did you just say Lord Mario?"
The blue toad nodded. "A lot has happened since you disappeared, Princess. But don't worry, Mario is taking care of us!" They continued into the castle hurriedly. Peach rubbed her temples, the exhaustion from the journey catching up to her.
"Hold on, hold on. I really need to see Toadsworth. I promise I’ll see Mario and answer all your questions as soon as possible, but this is important,” she said urgently.
The toad guards nodded to each other solemnly and led her to Toadsworth’s room. When they reached the door, Peach handed them her parasol and crystal ball, and asked them to deliver them to her room. Once they left Peach knocked lightly on Toadsworth’s door, realizing it was still quite early and he might be sleeping, but she heard him rasp “come in” from the other side of the door. His voice sounded strange and painful in her ears.
She opened the door slowly. “Toadsworth? It’s me, it’s Peach,” she whispered. As she peered around the door, Toadsworth looked precisely how he had in the image shown by the crystal ball– thin, haggard, and exhausted. The moment he connected eyes with her, he bolted straight up in bed, but this sent him into a hacking coughing fit.
Peach hurried over to his side, kneeling and placing a hand on top of his. As his ragged coughs subsided, he clung to Peach’s hand like she might somehow vanish into thin air if he let go.
“Princess Peach? Is it really you..?” he murmured weakly, tears forming in the corners of his eyes.
“Yes, Toadsworth, I’m home. Oh, I missed you so much,” Peach said, enveloping Toadsworth in a warm hug and feeling the slightest bit choked up herself.
“I thought I’d never see you again… how did you escape from the monster?” Toadsworth squeezed her back, though Peach could hardly tell since he was so weakened.
“I didn’t escape, Toadsworth. Bowser let me go,” Peach explained.
Toadsworth pulled back and examined her. “What are you saying? Who’s Bowser… is he that monster?”
“Yes, well, sort of. Bowser’s not a monster, he’s changed since we first met him, Toadsworth! There’s so much I need to tell you–”
“Peach!” Mario suddenly burst into the room, his eyes alight with excitement. “You have-a returned! It is so good to-a see you safe and sound.” He came around and gave her a kiss on the back of her hand.
Peach blushed and pulled back. “Thank you, Mario.” She turned back to Toadsworth. “I’m safe now, so you just focus on getting better, ok? I need to talk to Mario, but I’ll be back to check in on you later.” She patted her steward’s hand reassuringly before standing to go. Toadsworth nodded and settled back against his pillow, finally looking relaxed.
She motioned for Mario to join her, and he took the lead as they walked down the hall to her throne room. Peach shot him a curious glance, wondering if he would be the first to bring up why he was now called “Lord Mario,” or if she’d have to do it herself.
As the doors to the throne room swung open, Peach gasped as she beheld not one, but two thrones. Hers, in pink, and another in red right next to it.
“Mario, what is going on?” she asked with a warning tone. Mario faced her with his hands folded behind his back, unabashed.
“Princess, I have-a taken the burden of running the kingdom while you were-a gone. To do that-a properly, Toadsworth and I have-a arranged you and-a I’s marriage,” he said, a hard glint in his eye that Peach hadn’t noticed before.
“ What? Mario, what did you do?” Peach gasped.
“Do not act-a so surprised, Peach! We both knew that-a we were going to get married someday, but now-a we can officially plan-a our wedding! I know this is-a sudden, but we were not-a going to get anywhere if I didn’t do something! Trust me, this-a is for the best,” Mario declared, reaching for Peach’s hand. She snatched it back and looked at him as though he were a stranger.
“Mario, stop this. This isn’t you! I’m going to call off the engagement and take back control of the kingdom; thank you for your… um… help, but I’m home now!”
Mario shook his head. “I do not-a think you understand, princess. Our marriage was the last thing Toadsworth arranged before he became-a too unwell to act as steward. As you-a probably saw, he is no condition to-a undo anything, and we must-a respect his wishes.”
Peach felt a chill run down her spine. “What are you saying? Toadsworth isn’t well right now, but he isn’t insane!”
“Oh, but I am-a afraid he is, Peach. He keeps on-a raving about a monster in a castle and a secret warp pipe in the garden!” Mario insisted.
“No, he’s telling the truth!” Peach stormed towards the doors. “And I can prove it!” As she shoved them open, she was greeted by a small crowd of Toads, led by Toad himself, all flocking around her and asking questions. She was effectively blocked from going to her room, though she tried to be gracious about it, since the Toads were obviously worried about her.
“We came as soon as we heard you were back, Princess!” Toadette said, pushing past Toad and coming in for a hug. Peach patted her cap affectionately.
“Oh, I’m so glad to see you all!” Peach greeted them. “I assure you, I’m doing perfectly fine, and everything will be back to normal soon.”
“We’re ok, too, Princess!” Toadette said. “Mario has been taking good care of us since Toadsworth isn’t able to work anymore.”
“That’s right, Mario’s the best! It’s too bad that Toadsworth is, well…” Toad added, trailing off. The crowd murmured their sad agreement.
Peach clenched her fists. “Listen, everyone, what Toadsworth was saying is true! Follow me, and I can prove it to you!” she glared at Mario as she finished, then turned on her heel and marched towards her room. The small crowd followed her, and only stopped at the doorway as she went in, then returned with the crystal ball. Mario met her gaze with suspicion.
“Show me Bowser!” she said, and the ball glowed fiery orange in her hands as she held it above her head so everyone could see. The crowd gasped as Bowser’s image appeared, looking forlorn but intimidating as ever. One of the toads shrieked and hid their eyes, and many others also cowered at the sight of the supposed monster.
“Eek! Toadsworth was right, a monster did kidnap you!” a purple Toad said. The crowd gasped again and began talking amongst themselves worriedly.
“Everyone, please! This isn’t a monster, this is Bowser. He’s actually very sweet, and kind… he’s my friend!” Peach insisted.
“But Princess, you went-a missing, and Toadsworth claims he-a saw the whole thing!” Mario countered. Peach looked at him in shock. Why wasn’t he listening to her? The Toads looked between her and Mario, seemingly undecided on who to believe.
Mario pushed his way through the crowd, and came face-to-face with Peach. “Princess, we want-a to believe you, but how can-a we without any proof? For all-a we know, this Bowser put a spell on you!”
Peach gaped at him. “Bowser would never do that! He’s the king of the Darklands, he and his people are trapped in their castle. We need to help them, not make them our enemies!”
Mario scoffed. “And where-a are the Darklands? I’ve never heard of them, have-a any of you?” he asked the Toads. They all shook their heads reluctantly.
After a moment of thought, Peach stormed back into her bedroom, and returned with the book she’d first learned about the warp pipe from. “Here, read all about it,” she fumed, handing Mario the book.
Mario quickly flipped through the pages, his eyes widening as he did. “Princess, this is-a serious!”
“Thank you, finally you listen–”
“Apparently, the Darklands and the Mushroom Kingdom have-a been sworn enemies for years! It’s-a clear that this is a threat that-a we need to stop!” Mario interrupted, turning towards the Toads.
“No, things are different now! Mario, please, listen to me. He is not a monster, he’s a father, and I care about him!” Peach pleaded with him.
Mario’s eyes narrowed at her last statement. “I think that-a you’ve been tricked into thinking that-a these monsters are to be pitied, when-a they are the ones that-a started this when they captured Toadsworth and then-a you!”
“They’re not the ones acting like monsters here, you are!” Peach accused him. She couldn’t believe that this was the same Mario who’d saved her kingdom and herself so many times before. When had he changed? She suspected it had something to do with all the praise he’d gotten for his heroics, in addition to the added stress of running the kingdom in her absence, but she didn’t really have time to ponder it now.
The Toads were stunned silent by her declaration. “How can you say that? Mario is a hero!” Toad threw in. “And he’s right, that Bowser did something to you!”
Mario suddenly grabbed Peach’s wrist and pulled her into her bedroom. He shut the doors behind them, then faced her with a look that froze her in her tracks.
“Peach, this-a is not the way things are-a supposed to go. You need-a me, and the kingdom needs-a me. We are meant-a for each other!” he said, taking a step closer to her. Peach backed up, holding her hands out.
“Mario, listen, I know you are a good man, this isn’t you—”
“You must-a forget your silly doubts and-a marry me! Whatever that monster did to you, I can-a fix it!”
“Stop calling him that! Bowser is not our enemy, Mario! You’re scaring the Toads, and you’re making them mistrustful of me!”
“But that is-a just it. We all-a saw how Toadsworth was when-a he returned, and now you are-a just as disturbed! I must-a defeat this Bowser, and prove to you what-a he is! Then together we can-a make the kingdom better!” Mario stalked towards the doors. “With that-a book, I will-a find his-a lost kingdom and put an end to it!”
Peach felt her heart drop into her stomach. “No, Mario!” She rushed for the doors, but Mario slammed them in her face. She heard the click of the lock being turned and she pulled on the handles desperately. "Let me out! Don't do this, Mario!"
“Toads, we-a have an important mission ahead of us!” Mario addressed them, his voice muffled to Peach’s ears through the door. “The evil king Bowser has-a tricked Princess Peach, and we cannot-a be sure she and all of us are-a safe until he is-a gone! I am-a going to go to his castle and-a defeat him, who is-a with me?”
"I'm with you, Mario!" Toad cried.
"We are, too!" a couple of the guards agreed.
"Do not-a be afraid. They are-a trapped in their castle, we can-a easily defeat the monster!" Mario encouraged them. Peach pounded on the doors with all her strength, but the Toads seemed far more intent on listening to “Lord” Mario.
"If Mario says it's ok, then we should all go, too!" a toad with orange spots declared. The crowd nodded and shouted in agreement. "We'll go with you, Lord Mario! Let's defeat the monster!"
"Alright, let's-a go! For the Mushroom Kingdom, and-a for Princess Peach!" Mario pumped his fist in the air. "Let's-a defeat the monster!"
" No!" Peach cried in vain.
***************
Bowser had watched her leave, her pink skirt swirling about her as she faded into the distance. He stood there for a long time after she was gone, not moving a muscle, barely blinking, trying to make his last glimpse of her last as long as possible. But now, despite his best efforts, she was already becoming a memory, just beyond his reach. And despite how sweet those memories may be, they would also be painful reminders of what he chose.
So, he’d just sat there, his melancholy growing with each minute that passed, until Kamek had shown up. Facing his advisor’s disappointment was almost as crushing as facing the rest of his life without her. He was sure the Koopalings’ reaction would be the final blow. Why he’d done it though, why he’d released her despite the devastating consequences, felt like the end of a journey, like the last stroke of an epic poem: He loved her, truly and forever. And because of that, he’d been transformed.
It wasn’t enough to break the spell, though. She may have cared for him… but she didn’t truly love him in return. Kamek understood this all very well, as after his initial shock he just sat next to Bowser, a conforming hand on his knee, while they both reminisced about their regrets and their fate.
“Do you think there’s a chance she’ll ever come back?” Kamek asked him, which felt ironic considering it was the same question Bowser was hopelessly considering himself. A distant rumble of thunder suddenly echoed in the clouds. It rarely stormed in the Darklands (and most of the time it only brought dry lighting) but it felt very appropriate that the sky chose this moment to open up.
“I don’t see how she could… I made you disable that warp pipe. Even if she wanted to, there’s no way she’ll be able to find us again,” Bowser said despairingly. The fat raindrops began falling like tears, and gusts of hot wind made the dusty ground swirl and kick up like fog.
Kamek was unsure how to reply without making the mood even darker, so he sat in silence, letting the rain soak his blue robes. Lightning occasionally flashed, along with the rumble of thunder to accompany it, but neither of them made a move to go inside.
“King Dad, Princess Peach? Are you in there?” Larry’s voice suddenly called. He peeked around the door, his eyes wide with fright. Six more pairs joined him a moment later.
“What’re you kids doing up? I thought you went to bed hours ago,” Bowser said wearily. The Koopalings padded into his study and stopped at the edge of the overhang connecting to the balcony. They looked hesitant to come out into the rain, then unanimously jumped as a nearby clap of thunder rattled the castle.
“T-the storm woke us up,” Larry offered with a stutter.
Bowser sighed heavily and stood, feeling the weight of what the next few minutes was going to bring. He couldn’t put off telling them the truth about Peach any longer.
“Come on, bring it in, brat-pack,” he said, stretching his arms wide for a group hug. The Koopalings immediately sensed something was wrong.
“King Dad, you’re like, soaking wet…” Wendy said. At this, Bowser stepped inside and shook himself off like a wet chain-chomp. The Koopalings squealed and threw up their hands to block the spray.
“How about now?” Bowser said with a cheeky grin that didn’t quite reach his eyes. The Koopalings all shared a look with one another that said they weren’t convinced.
“King Dad, what’s wrong? Did your night with Princess Peach not go so good?” Morton asked. Bowser swallowed hard, then knelt so he could see the Koopalings eye-to-eye. They gathered around him, fear in their eyes (and not just from the storm).
“Kiddos, there’s something I need to tell you, something about Princess Peach,” he began. “She–”
“LORD BOWSER!” Kamek interrupted. “Sire, I see someone coming!”
Bowser stood and rushed over to the balcony, getting soaked all over again. Was it her? But why would she be back so soon? And how? He saw a silhouette in the distance, obscured by the foggy-dusty air. His heart leapt into his throat and he was about to jump off the balcony and run to her. Except, a second later, this silhouette was joined by several, smaller others.
“Kamek..?” Bowser asked as he squinted into the distance. Kamek only shook his head, just as confused. The Koopalings all came up beside him, their curiosity overruling their hesitance to come out into the rain.
The first silhouette emerged from the smog, and Bowser glared as he saw a short stout human in red and denim overalls. Several Toads followed close behind, each with a weapon in their stubby hands and a cold look on their faces.
“Form up, Toads! We are-a almost at the castle!” the man shouted.
“We’re with you, Lord Mario! Let’s get the monster!” a Toad with red spots and a blue vest said in reply.
Bowser felt a growl rise in his throat as he clenched his fists. So this was the Mario he’d heard so much about? Where was Peach? Why had that Toad said…
“Attack!” Mario cried, then led the charge as they stormed the castle’s front gates.
Bowser’s eyes widened as he realized their intent. “Kamek! Alert all the servants and barricade the front doors!”
“What about us?” Iggy asked.
“You kids need to hide somewhere and lock the doors behind you, got it?” Bowser ordered them.
“No way, King Dad, let us help ya! We can fight!” Roy insisted.
“This isn’t up for debate, go now! ” Bowser growled.
“What about Princess Peach! We need to warn her at once!” Ludwig realized.
Bowser shoved them all out the doors. “She’s… she’s safe. Just get to a hiding place right now!”
“Wh-what about you, King Dad?” Iggy looked up at him with wide, worried eyes.
Bowser cracked his knuckles, a plume of smoke escaping his nostril. “I’m gonna teach that Mario a lesson he won’t soon forget.”
Notes:
As usual, here are some brief notes for this chapter:
-I hate making Mario the villain, I really tried just to make him a decent guy who's just way too egotistical and feels way too entitled. I hope he isn't too evil here lol
-The Toads find it hard to believe Peach since Bowser is so scary to them, and since they trust Mario too, they'd rather be told what they want to hear and listen to him. They aren't disloyal, just confused and frightened after all that's happened.
-Hey lookie lookie that bookie was important after all!
-Normally, most of the Toads wouldn't dare to fight, but since Mario is leading them, and they can easily retreat because of the magical barrier, they figure it's "safe" enough.
-Bowser angst has reached critical levels! But he can't go moping around like Beast did, he's got kids to think about! He can be sad and pummel Mario at the same time.
-Speaking of pummeling Mario, I think it's safe to assume that Bowser would automatically dislike him even with just the little information he has, combined with the fact that he's literally attacking his castle.
-"OUR BATTLE WILL BE LEGENDARY!"
That's all for now!
Do you guys have any questions or comments for me? Even if you just want to say Hi, I'd be happy to hear from you! Kudos and comments really make my day, and really encourage me to write!
Have a fabulous day and happy reading!
Chapter 16: Our Story Will Pass Into Legend (Finale, Part 1)
Notes:
Everyone, listen up! IzaroArt has made two beautiful pieces of artwork for this fanfiction, GO CHECK THEM OUT THE ART IS FANTABULOUS!! 👏🏽✨
Oh my, time sure does fly by! We're already at the finale! I decided to split it into two parts, one, because it was gonna end up being soooo long, and two, because I finished this part and didn't to make you all wait any longer lol.
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Toad had always looked up to Mario. Ever since he appeared out of that warp pipe, dazed and confused, Toad had known that Mario was the kind of guy to always look after others. It was clear in the way he cared about his brother, Princess Peach, and all of his friends. There was nothing Mario wouldn’t do for them, and he’d proven that time and time again as he battled every baddie known to Toad-kind and came out victorious. He was the kind of hero Toad longed to be, and Toad had never doubted him.
Until now, that is.
“Toad, aren’t you scared?” Toadette whispered next to him as they marched behind Mario, on their way to the monster’s castle.
Toad shook his head confidently, though on the inside he felt otherwise. “Nope! Mario’s gonna be with us the whole time, and like he said, the monsters are trapped in their castle, so we have a big advantage! Plus, we packed a bunch of power-ups,” Toad patted his stuffed backpack behind him.
“Hmm, I suppose so. But, what about Princess Peach? She didn’t seem to like Mario’s idea…” Toadette countered.
Toad swallowed hard. “I-I’m sure Mario was right when he said Peach was under a spell or something. She really wasn’t acting like herself when it came to that scary monster!”
Toadette shuddered. “That’s true. How could she speak about the thing that captured her and Toadsworth like that? We don’t have the full story, that’s for sure.”
“Yeah, we just gotta trust Mario on this one. Although, we’re probably still going to have to apologize to Princess Peach after this,” Toad said. “She always hates being left behind, even if it’s for her own safety.”
Toadette nodded sadly. “Poor Princess Peach, I hope she’ll understand when we get back.”
“Hold up! This is-a where the book says we should-a be!” Mario announced, bringing their group to a halt.
Toad looked around, seeing nothing but dead, barren branches and dry rocks. “Uhh, are you sure, Mario?”
Mario nodded affirmatively. “Yes, this is-a it. The map in the book says it’s-a right here.”
Toad looked in the direction Mario pointed. The longer he stared at the empty space, the more fuzzy his head began to feel. Maybe they should just turn back…
“Do not get-a distracted!” Mario said. “Toads, this is-a just a trick! Let’s-a go, follow me!”
Toad blinked hard and watched as Mario took a few confident steps forward… then completely disappeared from sight.
“Mario?!” Toadette cried. She grabbed Toad’s hand and hurried after him. Toad yelped and stumbled as he was pulled forward, then gasped as there was suddenly an enormous stone castle a few hundred feet away, the tops of the towers poking out from the smog obscuring the landscape.
“Ugh! What is this place?” Toad frowned as heavy rain began to soak him. He looked back and saw more and more Toads coming in after him with similar looks of confusion.
“Form up, Toads! We are-a almost at the castle!” Mario called back to them.
Toad tried to quickly push any of his previous doubts away and be the support Mario needed. “We’re with you, Lord Mario! Let’s get the monster!”
Several of the other Toads hurrahed in agreement, and Mario charged a fist in the direction of the front gates. “Attack!” he cried.
They all ran up to the front gates, where they saw that the drawbridge was (unsurprisingly) pulled up, revealing the bubbling lava moat below. Toad hurriedly pulled off his backpack, then began distributing power-ups to anyone who needed one. Mario took a Super Leaf for himself, and wasted no time in transforming into his Tanooki suit. Most of the Toads took standard mushrooms, fire flowers, or ice flowers, and in a matter of seconds they all shaped up to become quite the formidable force.
Mario hovered a good few feet above them, glaring up at the turret arching over the closed front gates. Toad followed his gaze and sucked in a sharp breath as he beheld a massive Koopa– Bowser, no doubt– glaring back down at them. He was terrifying , all sharp teeth and sharp claws (it didn’t help that the lava moat casted deep eerie shadows across his scowling face).
“How did you find this place?” Bowser demanded.
“It does-a not matter. Only we know how to-a find it,” Mario replied coldly.
“So you snuck into the Darklands without the Koopas knowing? That’s mighty low of you, Lord Mario. You knew they’d end up siding with me if they came along, didn’t you?” Bowser spat through gritted teeth, taking special care to mock Mario’s title. Toad felt a wave of discomfort wash over him; was that why Mario asked the Toads to come along instead of another ally? Surely, it couldn’t be…
“No one would-a side with you, monster! We are-a here to destroy this evil place!” Mario retorted as he clenched his fists, moving right past Bowser’s accusation.
“If you’re looking for a fight, you’ve come to the wrong place,” Bowser snarled. “We don’t want any trouble, so just turn back before things get ugly.”
“Looking at you, I’d say it’s-a too late for that,” Mario countered cheekily, to which Bowser growled. “You have-a kidnapped our Princess, and that is-a deed that cannot go unpunished!”
“I let her go, you mustachioed half-wit! Did you forget that fact before you dragged all your little gullible Toadies here?”
Toad licked his dry lips. This all felt wrong, especially after hearing Bowser speak, but how could it be when Mario was so determined? He watched in suspense as Mario pointed an accusatory finger and shouted, “You have-a done more than that! You have-a turned her against me– us, and you must-a pay!”
Bowser looked down and narrowed his eyes at them. “I can see he isn’t going to listen to reason, so I’m going to give you fungus-brains one last chance to head back home where you belong. Forget about this place, and never come back.”
“We are not-a going anywhere until we know our Princess is-a safe from you!” Mario interjected. Suddenly, he flew towards the chains holding the drawbridge in place and gave them a mighty whack with his Tanooki tail. The chains snapped like paper and the drawbridge slammed down dramatically. “Now, Toads!”
Toad didn’t have time to think about his options any longer, so he powered-up with an ice flower and joined the stampede towards the front gates. Above them, Bowser slammed his fist on the turret wall and swiftly retreated back into the castle.
“Where do you think-a you’re going? I am-a not finished with you yet, Bowser!” Mario cried, flying after him and disappearing from the Toads’ sight.
Toad joined the others in battering the front doors with their powers. The door was sturdy, and judging by the way it didn’t budge it was likely barricaded on the other side, but the Toads would make quick work of it.
“We’ve got to get in there!” Toad urged. He hoped whatever he found on the other side of these doors would give him the answers he needed.
***************
“I’ve got to get out of here!” Peach cried in frustration, failing once again to pick the lock on her bedroom doors. She held up a broken hairpin in disgust and flung it away, then took to pacing. It was clear she needed another escape route.
She had no clue how a match-up between Bowser and Mario would end, but she knew it wouldn’t be pretty. And as furious as she was at Mario, she still didn’t want him to get hurt, nor any of her Toads. The thought that scared her the most, however, was if Bowser or Kamek or one of the Koopalings got hurt because of what she’d done. She doubled back to the doors and tried again to force them open.
“Someone unlock these doors at once!” she yelled, unsure if there was even anyone around to hear her. Tears of frustration welled up in the corners of her eyes, but she refused to cry. She was sick and tired of being treated like she was just a princess in need of protection (and truly, it was more like coddling under the guise of protection). Bowser had shown her that she had far more value beyond what people expected of her, and that she was capable of much more than she ever thought.
She longed to see him again, and wipe away his sorrowful expression that she’d seen in the crystal ball. She wanted to simply watch the stars with him and be open and honest about each other, about everything. No matter what it took, she had to get to Bowser’s castle and stop Mario.
Turning away from the doors, she saw her gifted parasol sitting on top of her nightstand where the guard must have left it earlier. An idea suddenly popped into her mind, and she took the parasol in hand, holding up the tip to the morning light. Yes, if what Bowser had said was true, this would certainly do the trick.
Without another moment’s hesitation she wedged the tip of the parasol into the space between the doors where the locks met, and pushed down with all her might. With a metallic snap, the locks broke. Relief flooded her, and she kicked the doors open with little to no effort. The hallway was empty, but that was just as well. No one would stop her from getting to Bowser, now.
Her next obstacle was how she was going to find Bowser’s castle again. She knew the general way, but she wouldn’t be able to find it in time with all the illusions distorting the castle itself, especially since Mario already had a hefty head start. The warp pipe in the gardens was out, and the book Mario took from her was likely the only accurate map available. Peach rubbed her temples and tried to think of how she could find the one place in the eight worlds that was specifically enchanted to not be found.
“I wish someone could just show me the Darklands…” Peach trailed off. An orange glow flashed in the corner of her eye, and Peach whipped around to see the crystal ball was fading into an image of the path directly outside the castle grounds. “No way…”
Peach took the crystal ball into her hands. The side nearest to her still glowed orange. She turned, and the glow shifted to match. No matter how she moved, the crystal ball “pointed” in the same direction. It was exactly how she’d used the crystal ball to return to the Mushroom Kingdom. “It can’t be that easy,” Peach said, shaking her head in disbelief. But she wasn’t going to question it!
She took a brief minute to change into an appropriate riding outfit, sporting white pants, a ruffled pink overcoat, and knee-high leather boots. Then, she hooked her parasol onto her belt, swept her hair into a ponytail, and made a quick dash for the stables. She might have a chance to catch up to Mario if she rode on Yoshi-back. She would have preferred a motorbike, but there wasn’t time to create one now, and a Yoshi would also help her if things came down to a fight.
She sped down the hallway, thinking only of getting to Bowser. However, as she turned the corner, she nearly collided with Toadsworth.
“Princess! Where are you running off to? I was feeling a bit better after a nap, so I thought I’d come to see you,” Toadsworth said, oblivious to her urgency.
Peach gave him a quick peck on the forehead, then hurried past him. “I’m sorry Toadsworth, I have to go! Mario is going to kill Bowser if I don’t stop him!” she called over her shoulder as she continued down the hall.
She didn’t see Toadsworth’s jaw drop to the floor behind her, nor hear him when he called out, “P-Princess, wait! H-How are you going to stop Mario? What’s going on?!”
***************
“What’s going on?” Morton tried to peer over his siblings’ heads, shoving Iggy down in the process.
“Hey, watch it!” Iggy hissed. “I can’t see anything either!”
“Shhh-hh!” Wendy flapped a hand back at them as she peered through the peephole in the painting that covered the secret passageway they all crouched down in. “The servants are, like, bringing more furniture to barricade the doors, but it doesn’t look like it’s gonna hold those Toads back for long.”
“This is preposterous, we should be out there aiding them in their counter-defense,” Ludwig lamented.
“King Dad told us to hide, so we gotta listen to him and stay put, got it?” Roy retorted.
“Since when have we followed orders? Besides, this hiding place sucks , thanks a lot Larry,” Morton added.
“It seemed like a good hiding place at the time!” Larry grumbled as Morton’s foot smooshed his cheek as the latter tried to climb over him. “We used it to spy on Peach’s old Toad friend that one time, and he never saw us!”
“Yeah, well, back then he probably heard us, since even now you all won’t be quiet! ” Wendy whisper-shouted.
“I’ve gotta get out of here, this is suffocating,” Iggy tried to maneuver around his siblings to get to an exit.
Roy held out a beefy arm to block his path. “Nuh-uh. King Dad told us to hide.”
“It sounds like you’re just scared , Roy,” Iggy taunted, shooting his brother a dirty look.
“Am not!” Roy shoved Iggy back, sending him colliding into Morton, who both then collided into Ludwig.
“You oafish brutes, stop struggling and settle down!” Ludwig huffed.
“Hey, he started it!” Roy pointed at Iggy accusingly.
“How is this my fault–”
“You boys need to quiet down, like, right now–”
“Stop shoving me, Morton–!”
“Children, may I have your attention.”
The Koopalings abruptly stopped arguing and winced as a sudden bright light flooded the narrow passageway. As they blinked to adjust their eyes, they saw Kamek standing at the entryway, his hands folded behind his back seriously.
“Kamek..? What’re you doing here?” Larry asked.
“Well, two things. One, you chose a horrible hiding spot, everyone can hear you arguing,” Kamek began.
“Told you so,” Wendy quipped.
“Second, I’ve come to make you all a proposal.”
“Eww, none of us wanna marry you!” Morton gagged.
“Not that kind of proposal, Morton,” Kamek sighed, pinching the bridge of his snout. “Listen, as much as I want to protect you, I don’t think hiding you here is going to cut it. So, I’d like to ask you all, do you wish to fight against Mario?”
“Heck yes!” Iggy cried. The other Koopalings nodded to varying degrees of agreement.
“Well then, here is my proposal,” Kamek suddenly opened the outer layer of his robe, like a conman displaying his goods. The Koopalings gasped as seven wands, each with their own colored gems, were revealed. “I wanted to wait until you were older… but I suppose now is as good of a time as any.”
“Kamek, are those..?” Roy pointed, gaping in awe.
“Yes, young masters, these are your wands. Use them responsibly, ” Kamek confirmed, passing the wands out. “I need you to help us fend off the Toads, and magic is the only way we can overcome their power-ups.”
“Shell yeah!” Morton whooped, grabbing his wand set with a red gem.
“ Language, ” Kamek admonished. Morton snapped his mouth shut, but he didn’t exactly look apologetic. Kamek sighed. “Listen… I’m counting on all of you. I normally wouldn’t ask you children to put yourselves in harm's way… but this time…”
“You can count on us, Kamek!” Lary affirmed, raising his orange-capped wand triumphantly. His siblings all raised theirs too, and put them together as a sort of “all hands on deck” moment.
“Let’s do this, boys!” Wendy cheered, waving her purple wand with a dramatic flourish. “We’re gonna squash them!”
***************
“I’m-a gonna squash you!” Mario exclaimed, zooming around a tight corner and following Bowser deeper into the castle.
“Oh, I’ll bet you wish you could!” Bowser retorted, keeping just barely ahead as he charged straight towards his study, where he would lead Mario away from the others. As he came upon the double doors, he burst through them, and ducked as Mario flew overhead and attempted to divebomb him.
“What’s-a the matter? No where-a left to run?” Mario taunted, landing a few feet away with his back to the open balcony of the study. The rain continued to pour, and a flash of lightning lit up the room every once in a while.
“Nope, I guess we’re just gonna have to sort this out the ol’ fashioned way,” Bowser cracked his neck and snorted out a small black puff of smoke.
Mario grit his teeth. “I won’t-a stop fighting as long as I am-a standing!”
Bowser smirked. “I was kinda hoping you’d say that.”
Suddenly, Mario let out a fierce cry and launched himself at Bowser, fist first. Bowser was unprepared for the unexpected attack and raised his arms to shield himself. Mario collided and Bowser actually skidded back a few inches, though he didn’t break his form. Bowser immediately countered with a left hook, and Mario went straight to the floor, his Tanooki suit blinking away into nothingness.
This didn’t stop Mario, though. He got up and unleashed another volley of attacks, some of which Bowser was able to dodge, some he was not. Mairo was surprisingly quick on his feet, and though his blows weren’t that heavy, all the quick jabs and constant movement was quickly wearing Bowser out.
“When-a Peach showed us what you looked like, I-a thought you were going to-a be tougher,” Mario commented as he struck an uppercut to Bowser’s jaw.
Bowser grunted and felt a part of him deflate at the mention of Peach. “What’s she got to do with this? I let her go.”
“She is-a the reason I came here in the first place. She and-a I were getting along just-a fine until you came into the picture! You should not have-a turned my fiance against-a me!” Mario spat, landing another blow to his head.
Bowser shook his head, trying to clear the spots from his vision. This Mario guy sure packed a wallop, despite his size. “It sounds like you did that yourself. She was never into you, at least not seriously,” Bowser shot him a crooked sardonic grin, ignoring the aching in his jaw.
Mario's face turned beet red, then he landed a flying roundhouse kick onto Bowser’s shoulder. Bowser clumsily swung at him and missed, which gave Mario an opening to sock him in the stomach. Bowser felt the air whoosh out of his lungs and he staggered back onto the balcony. Rain drenched them as they continued their fight.
“What would-a you know? You-a kidnapped her and Toadsworth. She left you the minute that-a she could!” Mario raged.
Bowser’s heart wrenched at his words. Although Mario was missing a large portion of the story, he was right. Peach had left him. He clenched his jaw and tried to push down the despair he felt welling in his chest. He had to focus on the fight!
Mario seemed to gauge Bowser’s reaction and tilted his head to one side. “Did-a you actually love her? How sad . She would-a never return your feelings! Why would-a she when she has her hero right-a here?” Mario gestured to himself, taking slow, menacing steps towards Bowser.
Bowser slowly felt any remaining fight drain out of him. This was pointless. Why was Bowser fighting him if it was clear that Mario had already won the battle that mattered most? He had called Peach his fiance before. What chance did Bowser have against Mario now? Had he even had a chance in the first place?
Bowser saw the punch incoming, he knew he could have dodged it. Still, he flinched as Mario’s fist connected with the space between his eyes. He stumbled back several steps until he crashed up against the balcony railing. Mario shook his head, disappointed in his opponent.
“It’s-a over, Bowser. Peach is mine, like it’s-a supposed to be!” Mario bellowed, coming in for the final blow.
“No, Mario, stop!” a sweetly familiar voice called out. Bowser felt his heart skip a beat and he quickly turned around to look over the balcony, completely forgetting about Mario at that moment.
“Peach?” Bowser gasped hopefully.
Notes:
Your usual author's notes for this chapter:
-Toad POV anyone? I thought it'd be neat to see the invasion into the Darklands from his perspective.
-Toad and Toadette are besties, you can't change my mind!
-OH NO, MARIO WAS ACTUALLY BEING DEVIOUS AND TRICKED THE TOADS INTO FIGHTING FOR HIM? SHOCKING I KNOW.
-Princess Peach power move in progress.
-Ze crystal ball iz also a magical compass, eh?
-Don't worry, Bowser, she's coming!
-Koopaling shenanigans? Magic wands? This is gonna be fun.
-Angry Mario vs. Emotionally Distraught Bowser CAN'T end well, guys.
That's all for now! I hope you are looking forward to Part 2 as much as I am!
Do you guys have any questions or comments for me? Even if you just want to say Hi, I'd be happy to hear from you! Kudos and comments really make my day, and really encourage me to write!
Have a fabulous day and happy reading!
Chapter 17: Our Story Will Pass Into Legend (Finale, Part 2)
Notes:
Oh my gosh we're really at the end now! This has been such a journey for my first ever fanfction, thank you all SO MUCH for kudos, bookmarks, comments, etc. I hope you'll enjoy my future stories as well! :D
As always, constructive criticism is very welcome! Please keep your comments rated PG, as I am a sensitive person :)
All characters belong to Nintendo, and any story elements paralleling to Disney's Beauty and the Beast belong to Disney. This story, however, is my own original writing, so please ask for permission if you want to share or use it!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Peach had never ridden so hard in her life. She felt bad for the poor blue Yoshi, but time was of the essence, and lives were possibly at stake. The crystal ball faithfully showed her the way to Bowser’s castle; Peach had no choice but to trust it, as there was no possible way she could have found her way through the thick, dry underbrush, let alone through the illusions.
When she finally did make it, and the castle suddenly appeared before her, the first thing she saw was a group of Toads crowded at the front gates. She quickly dismounted her exhausted Yoshi, giving it a brief nuzzle on its snout in thanks, then hurried towards her subjects so that she might order them to stop.
However, as she approached, two things happened at once. One, the doors suddenly burst inwards, and the Toads charged in furiously. Chaos erupted as the servants inside fought back, and Peach knew there was no way she could get their attention now. Second, as she came closer, a flash of movement above caught her eye. She craned her neck towards the balcony connected to Bowser’s study, and gasped as she saw Bowser’s form slam up against the balcony railing. Mario appeared from the shadows a moment later, stalking closer with an uncharacteristic snarl on his face. His lips moved like he said something (Peach couldn’t make out what) and raised his fist.
“No, Mario, stop!” she cried. Both rivals heard, and momentarily stopped their struggling to look down at her.
“Peach?” Bowser called, disbelief painting the word. His red eyes looked so wide, so hopeful, that Peach couldn't help but smile up at him.
“Bowser! I’m coming!” Peach affirmed, then took off into the castle. Mario had seen her, so he would stop attacking now, right? He wasn’t thinking clearly, but once he actually listened to her and gave Bowser a chance to explain himself, he’d see that he was in the wrong.
Getting to Bowser, though, was going to be a lot harder than she originally thought. The foyer of the castle was absolute mayhem. Fireballs, iceballs, and the Toads themselves flew through the air with no particular aim, and the servants mostly hid behind furniture as they endured the attacks. Very few of the Koopas remaining in the castle were actually trained for combat, Peach remembered, since Bowser’s army had been outside when the curse took hold.
Peach unfurled her parasol and shielded herself as she entered the battlefield. She tried several times to ask the Toads around her to stand down, but most were either too occupied in keeping up their defense or too stunned to see her that they didn't actually process her words. In fact, when the Toads realized she was there, they only hindered her more by putting themselves between her and the Koopas.
Peach’s worry only doubled when she suddenly heard a ferocious battle cry consisting of seven separate voices. Out of the blue, the Koopalings (led by Kamek) joined in the fight, wielding magic wands Peach had never seen before. The tide of the battle quickly turned, and the Koopalings used magic to immobilize their Toad opponents (and nothing more, thankfully). The Koopas gained confidence with their newfound backup, and slowly began coming out from behind their cover to throw objects and aid the Koopalings however they could.
Peach was only slightly taken aback by the Koopalings magical abilities. It was clear they had talent, and she was already very much aware of their specialty for causing havoc. Each Koopaling had their own style of magic, too, that reflected their personality (that part was easy to figure out when she saw Lemmy summon large rubber balls to hurl at his opponents).
She tried getting their attention, but as before, everyone was much too occupied with the battle. Peach bit her lip and realized she was going to have to force her way through the Toads. She sheathed the sharp tip of her parasol, then held it out like a shield. Before she could change her mind, she hunched behind the parasol’s protection and sprinted forward, barrelling into any Toads that stood in her way.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” she repeated as she pushed forward. The Toads bounced harmlessly off the pink material, and Peach slowly but surely made her way to the front lines.
“P-Princess Peach? What’re you doing here?” Toad said as she passed him by. Peach paused, and turned to him with wide eyes.
“Toad! I need you to tell everyone to stand down, right away! I don’t have time to deescalate the situation right now, Mario must be stopped!” she explained hurriedly.
“What..? Princess, Mario is fighting the monster to protect you! Why should we…”
“Toad, listen, Mario thought that Bowser manipulated me, but he’s wrong! Bowser and the Koopas here haven’t done anything to harm me, you need to call off the attack at once!” Peach grabbed his shoulders seriously. “Mario’s trying to kill Bowser; you and I both know that isn’t like him.”
Toad considered her words for a long moment, then swallowed hard. “A-Alright Princess, I’ll see what I can do!”
Peach nodded briskly and continued forward. She yelped and ducked behind her parasol as a flying ring of magic came hurtling towards her.
“Woah, wait a second! Is that you, Princess Peach?” Wendy exclaimed, eyes wide.
“Wendy! What’s the quickest way to the study from here?” Peach pressed, wasting no time.
“It’s like, just up that left stairwell and to the right, but why–”
“Thank you! I know you all are busy here, so I’ll go help your father!” Peach called over her shoulder, bolting up the left staircase. “Tell your brothers not to hurt my Toads, please!” she added.
Peach took the stairs two at a time, very thankful that she wasn’t wearing a skirt at the moment. Her only thought was getting to Bowser, now. She turned the corner, now back within familiar castle territory, and bolted for the study. She could hear the scuffle before she saw it; apparently Mario had not given up.
The doors to the study were ajar, and the only light was the spontaneous flashes of lightning that shot across the sky outside. Peach entered at just the moment when a bolt cut across the stormy clouds, rattling the castle with thunder and casting Bowser and Mario as dark silhouettes. Mario was going in for a powerful knock-out shot, and Bowser was just getting to his feet, a claw outstretched to stop him.
“No, stop!” Peach gasped. Mario, however, followed through with his attack and came down on Bowser with all his strength. Bowser took the hit, falling back onto the rain-soaked balcony. Peach didn’t hesitate another second; she took her closed parasol, exposing the sharp tip, and dashed forward. Before Mario had a chance to dodge, she plunged it through his pant leg and into the stone below, effectively pinning him.
“What?! Princess, what-a is the meaning of this–” Mario sputtered angrily.
“Bowser!” Peach ran right past Mario and came to Bowser’s side.
“Peach, you came back…” Bowser murmured, pushing himself up to his feet.
Peach reached out and cupped his cheek, relief flooding her. “Of course I came back. I couldn’t let them hurt you or your family.”
Bowser brushed a stray bang from her forehead, his eyes soft and gentle. “Oh Peach… I–”
He was cut off as a blur of pink shot towards him and impaled itself into his chest. Peach screamed in horror and fell back as she saw her parasol stab him directly in the heart. Bowser roared in agony and collapsed, and all Peach could do was watch helplessly.
“I… must-a always defeat the monster,” Mario said behind her, his voice hollow and cold.
Peach whipped around to face him, fresh tears streaming down her cheeks. Mario wrenched the parasol out of Bowser’s chest and unceremoniously tossed it over the balcony. “Move out of-a the way, Peach, so I can-a finish him. So he cannot-a be in our way anymore.”
Peach felt something break inside her. “ No! ” she seethed.
Without another word, Mario grabbed Peach’s arm and yanked her to her feet, then shoved her backwards back into the main study. Peach collided into Bowser’s desk, rattling everything on it. Mario then stepped onto Bowser’s neck, pressing down with his shoe as the massive injured Koopa struggled for breath. Peach frantically looked around for anything she could use to stop Mario. A flash of fiery orange and white light sitting on the desk caught her eye.
“So long-a, Bowser,” Mario spat, ready to end his game. A split-second later, though, he felt a searing pain on his back and he was sent flying across the balcony.
Dazed and confused, he looked up, and beheld Peach standing before him, her clothes turned a pristine white and wreathed in magical flames (the raindrops hissed as they fell on her shoulders). Behind her, shattered glass was scattered on the floor by Bowser’s desk. She glowed like fire, but her eyes were blue chips of ice.
“ Get out ,” she said, her words dripping with venom. She wasn’t sure if she meant out of this room, out of this castle, or out of her life, but it didn’t really matter to her at the moment. Mario blinked up at her, too stunned to speak. Peach took his hesitation to leave as refusal, and she proceeded to launch another fireball at his head. The impact instantly knocked him unconscious.
A soft, wet hacking behind her drew her attention. Peach’s anger immediately dissipated as she rushed back to Bowser’s side, cradling his head in her lap.
“No, no, no… this is all my fault,” she sniffled.
“N-no, Peach,” Bowser murmured. “N-none of this is–” he stopped as a coughing fit hit him. Peach choked back a sob as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth to match the growing stain on his chest.
“Shhh-hh, hold still Bowser, I’m going to heal you.” Peach placed her hands over his heart, blinking back tears. Bowser reached over and grabbed her hands in his instead.
“Peach, a-as awesome as you are, I don’t think even you c-could fix this…” he gazed into her eyes sorrowfully. Peach felt her throat constrict.
“No, don’t talk like that. You’ll be alright– we’re together now! Everything… everything will be fine,” she said with a wavering voice. She tried to reach for Bowser’s wound again, only for Bowser to tighten his grip on her hands.
“It’s ok, Peach. I-I’m just glad… at least… I got to see you… one… last time…” Bowser’s eyelids fluttered closed.
Peach felt a wave of panic rise up in her as his grip slackened. She grabbed his hand and pulled it to her chest, unable to hold her tears back any longer.
“ No , Bowser! Please, please don’t leave me,” she sobbed.
They couldn’t part like this. Not when he’d done so much for her, cared so much for her. There was still so much she needed to do with him. She wanted to stand by his side and watch the Koopalings grow up. She wanted to show him how to garden, how to bake, how beautiful the outside world was. She wanted to dance with him under the stars, with no curses or expectations to hinder them. It just couldn’t end this way, not when…
“Please, Bowser… I love you,” she whispered, and leaned down to kiss his forehead.
She stayed bent over him, clinging to his limp hand, while quiet sobs shook her shoulders. She was so overcome by her grief that she didn’t even notice when the world began magically changing around her.
The enchanted barrier, starting at the very center in the sky, dissolved like stardust. The sparkles rained down, replacing the actual raindrops as the storm clouds melted away. A gust of fresh air wafted across the castle grounds, blowing away the smoke and fog like a sigh of relief. The fog from people’s minds, too, was cleared, and everyone– Toads, Koopas, and those beyond– all remembered what had been erased nearly a decade ago.
Peach finally noticed what was going on when a flood of memories suddenly hit her. It was like a piece she didn’t know she had been missing was clicked back into place: the Darklands, the Koopas, the whole history came back to her. Most of the information wasn’t overly jarring, since she’d learned about it from her time at Bowser’s castle, but it was a freeing feeling nonetheless. She looked up; the sky was clear and the stars twinkled peacefully overhead.
“Oh my Stars!” a deep feminine voice suddenly said behind her. Peach spun around, still clinging to Bowser’s hand, and connected eyes with an ethereal woman dressed in an aqua gown floating over them. She looked just as surprised as Peach to see what she saw.
Peach’s eyes widened as she realized who she must be. “Please, please– Rosalina, can you heal him? He’s… he’s…!”
Rosalina nodded in understanding and raised her slim silver wand. “I will try,” she said softly, her cerulean eyes set with determination.
Peach turned back to Bowser, her heart pounding as he began to shimmer with magic and levitate into the air. His hand slipped out of hers as he floated beyond her reach, and Peach watched in hopeful anticipation as his wounds mended and the light around him grew brighter. Peach had to shield her eyes as the light became unbearably bright. The few minutes it took for Rosalina to use her magic felt like an eternity.
Eventually, though, Bowser descended and gently rested on the ground once again. His wound was gone, and there was no longer any blood, but he was deathly still. Peach immediately grabbed his hand again, latching onto it like a lifeline.
“Bowser?” she said, kissing his knuckles.
Bowser’s eyes snapped open, and he sat up with a start. His eyes darted around confusedly for a second, before settling on Peach. “Peach..? What happened– oh no.” He noticed Rosalina floating behind her.
“No, no, Bowser, it’s ok, it’s all ok now!” Peach laughed, happy tears streaming down her face. “The curse is broken.”
Bowser’s eyebrows shot up, and he looked up at the clear sky in awe. “Does… does this mean..?”
“I love you , Bowser,” Peach said, gazing into his eyes tenderly. Bowser blinked at her, stunned silent.
“…I love you, too, Peach,” he said with a soft smile.
He enveloped her in his arms, pulling her in closer. Peach reciprocated by wrapping her arms around his neck. They both leaned in, eyes shining under the starlight, and kissed. Peach melted against him as he hugged her tighter and she felt all her doubts fade away. They loved each other, and that was all that mattered.
“Lord Bowser! The curse, the curse is–” Kamek suddenly appeared at their sides, stopping short when he noticed them.
Peach and Bowser pulled apart quickly, blushing profusely. “I know, Kamek,” Bowser told his advisor cheekily.
Kamek chuckled nervously. “S-sorry, your Jovialness– wait a moment– what is she doing here?” he glared at Rosalina.
Rosalina smiled shyly. “Well, I actually came as soon as I sensed my spell was broken… but I was not expecting such a… dramatic reunion. I’m just glad I was able to heal you, King Bowser.”
“Wait, wait, heal you ?” Kamek shook his head. “Whatever did I miss?”
“Mario fought back pretty hard, and he got a hold of Peach’s parasol… in hindsight I think we made it too sharp,” Bowser mumbled, rubbing the spot where he had been stabbed. Peach placed a hand over his sympathetically.
“Hmm, yes, and I see Peach put good use to your enchanted fire flower as well, sire.”
Bowser looked back at Peach and glanced at her shimmering white and red outfit once over, then looked back at his desk where the shattered glass lay. “Oh, oh. I hadn’t even noticed,” Bowser admitted. “I thought she just looked that hot with any old fire flower.”
Peach giggled. “Well, I’m just glad it actually worked like a normal power-up.” Her smile faded as her gaze traveled over to where Mario lay knocked out. “I don’t know how I would’ve stopped Mario without it.” Bowser growled and put an arm around her shoulders protectively while glaring at the fallen plumber.
“I shall take care of him,” Rosalina offered. “I believe this poor man has lost sight of who he truly is. I can see he has a good heart… perhaps he just needs to learn that for himself.”
Peach nodded briskly. “That’s probably the best option,” she agreed. Bowser, wisely, stayed silent.
“I will return him to his home world, then. I don’t often meddle in the affairs of the eight worlds, but for cases like his and yours I like to make exceptions,” Rosalina said.
“Like mine? ” Peach repeated incredulously. “How did you meddle in my life?”
Rosalina blushed as she though had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. “Ah, well… I noticed you were having trouble taking the first steps towards finding King Bowser… so I may have kickstarted your destiny… or tripped it with a vine, more accurately.”
“So you made me fall into the warp pipe!” Peach realized.
Rosalina nodded sheepishly. “I also may have made your steward sound louder than he actually was so you would hear him and go into the castle before turning right around…” Peach shot her a wary look. “B-but the rest was all you! I’m very happy you found true love,” she finished quickly.
“Guy, guys, guys, guys, guys!” Larry suddenly burst into the study, followed by his six older siblings. “Look, look! The Toads, they surrendered as soon as the curse broke, they’re all standing outside!”
Peach looked over the balcony, where the Toads had, in fact, gathered around fearfully. Bowser stood and joined her, peering down with curiosity.
“Ah! W-w-we’re so sorry, King Bowser Koopa! P-p-please don’t destroy us!” Toadette was the first to speak. She trembled and fell to her knees. Several of the Toads copied her.
“Peach, would you care to explain?” Bowser nudged her. “They’re more likely to believe it coming from you.”
Peach nodded, took a studying breath and raised her arms to get the Toads’ attention. “My Toads! After nearly a decade of being hidden away, the Koopa Kingdom has returned!” she began. “In that time, King Bowser has come to want peace between our kingdoms. I, for one, want this peace as well.” She shot Bowser a warm look, which he returned.
“The Koopas are not the enemies they once were. Though our newly restored memories seem to indicate otherwise, I can assure you that these things are firmly in the past. I know this because the time I spent here has taught me that they are thoughtful, inventive, spirited, and compassionate,” Peach continued. “Now that they have returned to the world, I would love nothing more than to extend our hand in friendship, and to secure an alliance between the Mushroom Kingdom and the Darklands.”
She reached out and took Bowser’s hand, and held them up together for all the Toads to see. “I want our lands to live in peace, together. What say you?” she looked to Bowser as she spoke the final lines of her speech.
“Here, here!” Bowser cheered, grinning from horn to horn. He looked back at his family for support.
“Here, here!” Kamek added proudly.
“Here, here!” the Koopalings joined in.
“Here, here!” Toad called from below.
“Here, here!” Toadette repeated.
“Here, here!” the rest of the Toads cried.
Peach smiled as her people applauded and the Koopa servants began coming out to join them. The joyful din echoed throughout the land, and even Rosalina showed her support by summoning some shooting stars to streak across the sky like glittering brushstrokes.
Not even this brilliant display could divert Peach or Bowser’s attention, however, as they gazed into each other’s eyes lovingly. Bowser gently reached over and tucked her hair behind her ear, and Peach felt her breath hitch in her throat as she tilted her head upwards to receive another tender kiss. As their lips met, they both knew that this was the moment their tales would forever be entwined.
***************
“And they lived happily ever after?” a sleepy voice murmured.
“Yes Jr., we did. Well, eventually , we did,” Bowser replied, tucking his son’s blanket under his chin. “Your Mama and I had a bigger cheep-cheep to fry after the curse was broken. Isn’t that right, love?”
“Oh yes, lots of boring politics,” Peach said as she planted a kiss on Jr.’s forehead. “And not everyone was so happy about the Darklands returning.”
Bowser chuckled. “ And it was quite the pain in the shell convincing Toadsworth to bless your Mama and I’s marriage.”
Peach stood from Jr’s bedside and smoothed the front of her nightgown. “Hmm, yes. But that , darling, is another story for another time.”
“Aww, but I’m not sleepy yet! Tell me the rest of the story!” Bowser Jr. whined while also holding in a yawn. “I wanna know when I join in the action!”
“You already know that one, buddy. We already told you about how the storks delivered you some time after the wedding, didn’t we?” Bowser also stood, stretching to relieve his stiff muscles.
“Well, then tell me about the wedding!” Jr. insisted, apparently willing to hear any story to get out of bedtime.
Peach sighed with a smile. “Oh, there’s not much to tell. It was a lovely ceremony, your Papa got all gussied up, Kamek was Papa’s best man and your Aunt Daisy was my maid of honor, and Mario even came to show his support–”
“Wait, Mario? ” Jr. interrupted, sitting up in bed.
Bowser nodded slowly. “Mhm. He got a nice time out back in his kingdom of Brooklyn. He learned his lesson, that’s for sure. Although I’d say his girlfriend Pauline played a big hand in that, too. Still, he sat in the back of the reception. The far back.”
“What about Lemmy and Morton and Wendy and–?”
“Your siblings really tried their best, they did,” Peach shook her head as she remembered. “But as your Papa and I danced after the ceremony, they got into a scuffle, and… let’s just say they spilled quite a lot of punch on us.”
Jr. cackled as he imagined the sight.
“Hmm, if I remember, the dance went something like this.” Bowser swooped Peach into his arms, swaying gently. Peach smiled and kissed his snout.
“Augh, ok, I do not need that much detail.” Jr. threw his blanket over his head to shield his eyes. “Goodnight!”
Bowser and Peach laughed quietly to themselves, flicked off the lights, then strode out of their son’s room arm in arm.
“Goodnight, Bowser Jr.”
*******THE END*******
Notes:
The author's notes for this final chapter *sniffle*:
-*Activate boss battle music*
-It's like, super hard to get people to stop and talk rationally when you're in the middle of a battle, apparently!
-The Koopalings save the day!
-Peach's parasol has many helpful uses!
-Peach's parasol also has some unhelpful uses! *sobbing*
-Is Mario borderline insane? Possibly. The best Disney villains are the ones that go absolutely bananas when they realize they're losing.
-OH OH OH THAT FIRE FLOWER I KNOW THAT ONE I KNOW THAT ONE! I hope you liked that little twist, I had it planned since the very beginning!:P
-The curse is brokennn yayyyyy!
-Rosalina is here to save Bowser too yayyyyyy!
-THEY CONFESSED AND KISSED YAYYYYY! (in the og, I don't think Belle or Beast actually heard each other's confessions at all, lol. Beast told the servants, and Belle told Beast when he was half dead and unconscious).
-Mario redemption sequel/spin off? Maybe?
-Rosalina has been pulling the strings all along hehe!
-Peach is good at speeches, but it also helps that the Toads are scared out of their wits of Bowser and really trust her now that Mario isn't planting seeds of doubt.
-Happy endings galore! Plus a sweet lil epilogue featuring Bowser Jr.
Well, that's it... I can't express how grateful I am for all the support I've gotten on my first ever story, it means so much, I mean it! Still, if you have any questions or comments, or even just want to say Hi, I'd love to hear from you!
...Would anyone be interested in a sequel detailing the struggles leading up to Bowser + Peach's wedding (loosely inspired by Shrek 2!)? I'd for sure do it if there's enough interest! Regardless, though, have a wonderful day/night everyone!
Chapter 18: The Princess and the Koopa Fanart (by me!)
Summary:
Just wanted to share a little piece of art I did. I am by NO means an artist, but I like to draw when I have writer's block. So I hope you enjoy this little piece I created, based on the scene where Bowser rescues Peach from the Chain Chomps! (Peach's outfit is NOT accurate, just trying out my style!)
Originally shared on my DeviantArt account, Duchess-Bianca.
Chapter Text
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LucysDuckCollection on Chapter 1 Mon 22 May 2023 01:43AM UTC
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