"Kamek, what's the agenda for today?"
Bowser had just woken up from a nice sleep and was preparing for the new day.
"Well sir, we have our regularly scheduled events for the day. Kidnaping, training the minions, leisure time, the list goes on and on."
"Okay, I guess I can at least get the kidnaping out of the way. Go ahead and fire up the air ships."
Before Bowser could send Kamek away, a little kid came running into the room.
"Dad, are you busy today? If not, do you think maybe we could do something together?"
Kamek decided to answer for the king.
"Actually Junior, Bowser has ordered we all go and kidnap the princess, so no, no playing today."
Bowser interjected.
"Actually Kamek, go ahead and schedule that for tomorrow. Come on Junior. We'll do whatever you want."
The father and son walked out of the room, leaving the magikoopa alone, in a fit of anger having to change plans around.
The two had been playing games and having fun for a few hours when Bowser spoke to his son.
"You know Junior, we don't get to really have fun like this a lot. Everytime we do, it always makes my day. I hope you know that, and know that even though I do bad things, I still love you."
"Dad, I know you do, and I love you too. I love hanging out with you and I would love to do it more often if we could."
The two embraced in a hug for a few seconds when a rumble caught them off guard. The castle shook for a good minute when a koopa guard came running into the room.
"Sir, we're under attack!"
"Junior, stay here. I'm going to go see what's going on.
Bowser left the room to see who dared attack his castle, leaving Junior in the care of the guard.
When Bowser walked out of the castle and into the outside air, he saw a small army of robots that looked to similar to an enemy he had fought before.
"Is that…..Fawful bots?"
"Close you awful turtle thing. It's not master Fawful who has fired upon the koopas castle, but instead, it is master Fawful's angry, revengeful bodyguard."
The person who was talking walked out into the open to show himself.
"Never thought I'd see your ugly, pig face again. How you been Midbus? Missing your master huh," Bowser sarcastically asked."
"Fawful is long-gone, by your hands. I will avenge Fawful and crush you and your castle where it stands."
Midbus raised his arm and motioned for his small army of past fawful-bots fire on the castle.
"If we're going to play like that, fine with me. Minions, fight back!"
Both sides began to fight eachother. Cannon fire and ground fighting was all anyone could hear for what seemed like forever. With all the fighting, Bowser and Midbus locked eyes and ran towards eachother, fists raised and ready to fight.
Junior, who was still up in the room, was watching the fight from the window. Since the begining, Midbus's army was quickly dwindling by the koopa defense. Junior was hooked on the action when he saw his dad and Midbus fighting off to the side. Both of them were exchanging punches, along with both of their special attacks, however, it was quickly showing Bowser was winning this fight, and that Midbus was soon going to fall. Junior was watching in awe at how well it was going, when he noticed Midbus pull out what looked like a remote. When he pressed it, he saw a bullet bill launcher point towards both of the fighters and fired a modified banzai bill at them both.
Bowser gave one quick punch to Midbus, who fell down to one knee by the blow.
"Do you want to give up now pig freak?"
"Actually Bowser, I've got a better idea."
Midbus soon pulled out a remote control and pushed the button on it. Bowser heard a bullet bill launcher fire it's contents, and when he looked up, he saw it come towards both of them.
"Goodbye mr. punch-a-lot."
Midbus quickly moved out of the way, and with him not in its way, the banzai bill directly hit bowser's body. However, instead of being sent flying away, the bullet exploded upon contact, leaving a crater where it hit. Inside said crater was an unconscious Bowser.
"Well, looks like I won. Fawful-bots, we're leaving."
The koopa army stopped fighting after witnessing what happened, letting Midbus leave with ease. After they were gone, the army headed to where their king was.
Junior, who had just witnessed what happened, ran as fast as he could down the many halls of the castle and out the castle door to see his dad. He slid down the crater wall and was standing alone with his dad.
"Dad, are you okay? Come on, get up and go after the pig guy."
Bowser didn't open his eyes or answer, so Junior tried rolling him over and pushing him awake. No answer.
"Dad, please get up. Let's go, come on."
Junior started to panic at this point.
Kamek flew down to where the koopas were.
"Kamek, he's not getting up! Help him please!"
Junior went back to trying to wake Bowser up, but kamek stopped him.
"Junior, I don't think he's going to get up."
Junior looked at Kamek with a scared look on his face.
"Please don't say that. Get him up. Please."
"Junior, your dad's game is over."
The new king began to cry.
Bowser woke up in a place he wasn't in before.
"Where am I?" What is this place?"
"Let me guess. You're new here," a small creature asked.
"I mean, I guess I am. What is this place?"
"You're in the underwhere. Oh, and don't laugh at the name. Queen Jaydes doesn't like people laughing in her domain," the creature said.
"Wait, the underwhere? You mean the place when…..?"
"Yep. Your game is over. Welcome friend."
"That can't be. I'm king Bowser Koopa! My game can't be over!"
"Well, if you think this is a mistake, you can go talk to the queen, but I don't know how well that'll go over."
"Alright, I'll go talk to her. Where is she?"
The creature pointed Bowser in the direction he should go and showed him off.
Queen Jaydes was busy ruling over the underwhere when a large creature came in her throne room, yelling all the way.
"What do you mean my game is over? I'm not supposed to be here! I should be back home, taking care of things."
Queen Jaydes jumped at the sudden loud barrage of griping.
"You know this is a small room? No need to yell."
Bowser huffed.
"Fine. Can you please tell me why I'm here?"
"Much better. First tell me who you are."
"King Bowser Koopa."
Jaydes's eyes widened at the name.
"I forgot all about you hero. I honestly thought you wouldn't be here until much later, but I guess I was wrong. Anyway, you're here because your game is over, oh, and also because you weren't that great a person when you were up there. That's why."
Bowser was confused.
"Wait, you said you didn't expect me until later. Does that mean I was coming here no matter what?"
"Exactly former koopa king."
"But why? I wasn't that bad."
"Think about all you've done. I think the only thing you did that was good was care about your minions and your son."
Bowser, in that moment, had a realization.
"Junior! Where is he?"
"You mean your son right? He's not here. He's still up top, and I'll say this, he's not doing very good right now."
"What do you mean by that?"
Jaydes opened up a door that showed what was going on with Junior. Bowser watched in sadness.
"Junior, I know you're sad right now, but we need to think about our next move. You're the new king and we need some guidance."
Junior wasn't even looking at Kamek, but instead was just staring down at some drawings he had made. They were of Bowser and himself, having fun and just being family.
"Kamek, I can't be king. I want my dad back. He can't be gone. I miss him."
Junior's face was flushed and his eyes were bloodshot red from his crying. It hadn't even been a day and everyone was throwing everything at him.
"Junior, I know how you feel, but we need direction."
"Kamek, please leave me alone. I just want to be by myself."
"Yes sir."
Kamek left the room, leaving Junior to his wish.
"Dad, why are you gone? I can't do this. Please don't be gone. I love you. You can't leave me alone."
Junior's tears started staining the paper under him.
Bowser was crying seeing how his son was in such emotional pain.
"Jaydes, please send me back. I need take care of this."
"Bowser, I understand how you feel, but I can't do that. It's against the rules. Besides, it truly was your time to go. There's nothing that can change that. I'm sorry."
Bowser sat down in defeat. He couldn't bare to see his son in such sadness. He thought about what he could do, and then an idea came to mind.
"What if you send me back, but just to say goodbye. I'll come back without a fight. I just want to say bye to my son. It would be closure for him."
Jaydes thought for a minute on this request.
"You may be evil, but your heart is pure.I'll send you back, but I can only give you fifteen minutes. After that, you can't ever go back. If you do this, you must say what you need too, because you won't get a second chance. Will you do this?"
Bowser didn't need to think but a second to answer.
"I'll do it."
With that, Jaydes surrounded Bowser in a white light and sent him to his son.
Junior was still crying while putting his pictures of him and his father in a box in the closet when a white light surrounded the room. A tall figure walked out of it, making Junior drop everything and stare.
"Dad!"
Junior ran up and gave Bowser a hug, with Bowser returning the hug.
"I knew you wouldn't be gone. Now that you're back, we can go play or do something else. Whatever you want."
Junior was so excited to see his dad, but Bowser knew it wouldn't last.
"Son, please, sit down. We need to talk."
Junior did what his dad said and was looking at him with a grin on his face.
"Okay, but let's hurry so we can go play. After that, maybe we can go after that pig guy."
Bowser had to swallow his depression to get through this conversation.
"Junior, we can't do that. I'm not staying long, and this most likely will be the last time we talk for a long time."
"What do you mean by that dad? You're here right now. We can go play now."
"No Junior, we can't. My game is over and the only reason why I'm here is just to tell you everything I can before leaving for good."
Junior was getting sad again at his father's words.
"But, why say that? You're here."
"Junior please listen to me. I only have fifteen minutes to explain everything. Please let me talk."
"Okay, go ahead dad."
"First off son, that banzai bill ended me. I can't come back and I'm somewhere else now. I know that's hard to understand, but you'll know better when you get older. Second, you're my son, so that means that you'll be the new king. I know you think you can't do it, but trust me, you can. Kamek can help you with all of it and the minions will do what they need to do. You'll make a fine king."
"But dad, your king. You've always been. I'm not."
"You are now son. You'll be the best king this kingdom has ever had. Now here's the last thing I need to say, and it's the most important. Son, I don't know if I ever said this enough, but I've always been proud of you. You are, and always will be my world. You are the best thing that ever had to me, and I would never do anything different if it meant that I wouldn't have had you in my life. I love you son."
Junior knew what Bowser was saying was true, and that he was going to go away for good. Hearing all of this made him cry hard, and seeing his son cry this way, made the once great koopa king cry as well.
"But dad, I don't want you to go. I love you too and I need you!"
"No you don't. Not anymore. You've got this. I promise you do."
Junior and his father had no more words to say, but they had motions. Both gave each other a hug and Bowser, who rarely ever did this, gave his son a kiss on the head.
Soon the bright, white light came back into the room, and Bowser knew what was coming.
"Junior, it's time for me to go."
Junior looked up at his dad.
"Please don't…...but I know you have too."
Both let go of and backed up from eachother. Bowser walked over to the light and was about to leave for good before Junior handed him a box.
"Please, take this with you dad.
It was the box of pictures Junior had drawn of eachother, and bowser happily took it.
"I will son. I love you."
"I love you too dad."
The light became so bright that Junior had to close his eyes. When he opened his eyes, his dad was gone. Junior sat down on the floor in defeat, knowing he won't see his dad again.
"Goodbye dad."
Bowser made his way back to the underwhere, holding the box junior had given him. Jaydes was standing off to the side, looking sad at knowing she just tore a family apart. She knew she had no other option, but she really hated it. At least she could allow Bowser to keep the box.
"I know how you feel, and I'm sorry for it. I wish I could've done more, but I can't. On the brighter side, we have prepared a nice room for you here. I guess I should finally welcome you to the underwhere."
Bowser nodded at the welcome, and when everyone was gone, he opened the box and saw a drawing of him with junior on his arms. He stared at this one drawing and smiled. He decided to put that to the side and kept looking through the box. He saw all of the art Junior had made of them both, and he felt a mix of happiness and sadness seeing it all. When he made it to his room, he hung up all the art on the walls, with the first one on the door, mainly so he could always see what used to be his life.
Throughout the years, Junior grew up to be a great king. He made peace with the mushroom kingdom and brought prosperity to the koopa kingdom. He was loved by all and considered the best king the koopas ever had. However, Junior always considered his dad the best king and had a statue made in his honor that was placed in front of his castle. Unbeknownst to Junior, Bowser always saw what junior did, and he was always proud of him. His love for his son never faded, and Junior's love for his dad never faded either, and in a way, they both knew it.