Out of Sight, But in of Mind
–
I was always ever the pacifist, but I never really thought of myself that way. And to be able to imagine that I'd be out traveling through the world – no, universes – was the least to say rather frightening. Not because I was a very sheltered individual – because I am – but rather the thought of being all alone.
Granted, I was lucky and loved to have my beloved Mario stand by my side with undeserving loyalty. He had always rescued me from the clutches of Bowser and other countless villains, no doubt the err on my part for letting myself get kidnapped innumerable times. I was powerless. It's a feeble excuse, but I simply lacked the power to resist, to oppose my terrible foes. That was how I felt alone; I couldn't help, I couldn't repay him back in his times of need.
That was partly the main reason why I decided to accept this invitation to travel in the first place. An invitation that invited notable members of each particular universe – a wonderful honor indeed – along with instructions as to how to accept it, which included a path of self-enlightenment. And a journey to test the values of oneself through a variety of battles was very enticing. For once, I was granted the chance to learn how to defend myself, to learn how to be able to protect my loved ones directly out of my own power. I did not have to become a liability anymore. Little did I understand the long road that awaited me.
Traveling to a place where everyone supposedly had some experience in combat was no doubt intimidating to me. I couldn't know beforehand what I was getting into when I accepted the invitation, but I had a pretty good idea that I was going to be underhanded compared to the rest. Saying that I had a few worries was an understatement. Every single day I was running through my head what kind of battle tactics I could use, tactics that could be used when I was in a dress, as that was my usual attire.
This challenge to my brain brightened me up a bit. Thinking was definitely one of my stronger points, if not the strongest. Psychologically, I felt as though I was moderately prepared. But sometimes mental strength just wasn't enough. There would be others stronger than me, others that had battle-honed senses and reflexes that couldn't be countered by mental preparation, so even then I was outsourced.
But my resolve was strong, and I kept trying to think of ways where I could simply survive. I didn't have to kill – I never thought I'd use the word in that sense – my enemies; I just had to be able to hold my own against them, perhaps beat them to a pulp, and at least be able to make a hasty retreat if need be. Thankfully, the worry of killing was cleared up for me, as it stated in the invitation that all participating will have their lives protected indefinitely until the trials ended.
Simply enduring and retreating was the ideology I had spent the most time dwelling on, for it seemed as though to be the best type of tactic for me. It was a cowardly tactic, yes, but I felt as though it would get the job done. What others thought of me for following this tactic was irrelevant; as long as I had my secured my life and I was intact, I didn't think I'd care what others believed of me. I had already experienced enough prejudice, as I was acquainted with such a thing being in a position of power.
Learning from a mentor was definitely a thought that occurred to me more than once. How nice would it be if I could learn how to battle from someone considered to be prestigious in the gruesome art of battle. There was also the option of befriending someone, a kindred spirit perhaps if I was extremely lucky. That would make dealing with my insecurities a bit easier to handle. But I didn't keep my hopes up for either of these possibilities. After all, this was a journey that I had taken on myself, by my own free will. If I didn't obtain this power myself, I would always be at the mercy of the one who tutored me.
Still, it wouldn't hurt to have some sort of aid. To me, working together was always better than working alone. Mario had already pledged to support me in the best way he possibly could, even though I had politely tried to refuse. Doing such a thing was futile and was simply for the sake of courtesy; I knew that Mario would try and help me no matter what. Luigi too. If only I could repay them. I was rather unsure of the status of Bowser, but some of my spies have reported that he supposedly going on a trip at around the same time as us. Another worry was added to my plates, unfortunately, but I couldn't help but think that it would be the same for other worlds – and universes. Somewhere in the back of my mind wished that, since we were given this chance to participate in something rather grand together, Bowser and I could reconcile with each other, but I felt that in the end, trying to do so would have been a fruitless effort. Plus, I had more pressing matters to think about, such as where I was to be heading for this mysterious battle tournament.
When I saw the location I was to be sent to, I was glad to find myself in a rather welcoming place for a first foray into the world of battle. I can still clearly remember the finely woven words written in cursive inscribed on the letter as though I had opened up the letter just minutes before.
In fine, small print, the letter said that I was to head for the Midair Stadium, a coliseum of sorts located midway between universes as a form of travel entertainment. And to be a spectator, no less!
A/N: A bit out of character for happy-go-lucky Peach to think so meditatively like this, but it makes for a nice contrast between the fictional world and semi-reality, doesn't it?