It's been forever, Peach thought. Is Mario taking his time or did Bowser just go all out?

The Princess sighed as she sat in the dungeon, feeling restless. Her dress was ruffled and her hair unkempt. Her impatience spurred her frustration. The temperature was uncomfortably cool, but if she were in the cage above the lava, the little makeup she had on would run.

But, this all just reminded her of why she likes this so much. This, scenario, if you would. The scene set up for the kingdom to witness. This is what gave her the chance to be imperfect, improper, and definitely wild. . . With a safe way back.

Her small smile grew slightly. It didn't start like this, of course. How could it? Bowser was a monster, a brute at the start... but he grew into a likable, more fun to be around kind of guy, who just happened to have a competitive streak.

And Mario. Sweeter, more traditional, and someone who definitely understood her. He gently brought her back to the Mushroom Kingdom when her detachment from her royal duties with Bowser was too much.

The Princess gave a small sigh of content as she thought of the two. The best of both worlds. The one who whisked her away to freedom and the one who was her anchor in her fantasy. Not a bad deal at all.

It helped that they also got along, for the most part. As long as they could keep up this normalcy, nothing would go wrong.

Though satisfied with her train of thought, the Princess gave another sigh after a few minutes of silence.

If only they would hurry up with their own 'battle.'

Mario was annoyed.

Very much so.

He was well on his way into his journey. He was close, he could almost see Bowser's Keep if he squinted. He could swear he could feel the heat of the lava.

The Troops seemed more well trained. Bowser seemed more than intent on getting all the time he could alone with the princess. Mario chuckled. He'd have to try more than that if he wanted to keep the Princess out of his reach.

But that wasn't what annoyed him. In fact, that only had gotten him more pumped for the battle.

"Hey, Brooo! Mario!" Luigi called out, waving to him and jogging over.

It wasn't Luigi either, how could he blame his dear brother?

"Wait up!" Toad called out to him.

There we go. That's the one.

"Guys?" he asked in genuine surprise, "What are. . . How did you catch up?"

Luigi had his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath while smiling and explaining. "Well, Toad here. . . he convinced me that you doing all this by yourself each time was. . . huff huff. . . really dangrous!" The green brother stood up now. "And well, yeah, I do know this is pressuring. The whole defeat Bowser thing. But I don't want to let you forget that you aren't alone, Bro!"

Mario's blank smile went from Luigi to Toad. "Is that so? You shouldn't have."

Toad gave a knowing glance back. "Nothing too big for a friend, Mario! Especially you! I'll definitely be a help!"

Deciding how to go about this, Mario turned back to Luigi. "Are you sure, Bro? The enemies are tougher. I'm worried for you.."

Luigi gave a determined grin and nod. "I'm no coward anymore, Mario! You can count on me, I won't get in the way."

"Yeah! Ditto, Mario!" Toad chimed in. "We'll beat every enemy! Bring Bowser down!"

Did he know something? . . .For sure, he definitely knew how to give a winning pep talk to Luigi.

Mario stifled a sigh. There had to be a change of plans then. He had to alert Bowser and Peach before making it to the keep. It was hardly any fun, communicating with them. It broke character, and...

He brushed off those thoughts, and gave a smile for his Brother and Toad. "Absolutely! I need all the help I can get! Thanks Bro!"

The plumber purposely didn't acknowledge the little mushroom.

Late that night, when it was dark and he was sure the other two had fallen to the depths of their slumber, Mario wrote a brief, hasty letter under the light of the stars.

Change of plans.

Luigi and Toad joined me.

Tell the Princess that I think he might be onto us.

Maybe we should stop for some time.

I'm not happy either, Bowser. But better safe than sorry.

-M

Pleased with the simple note, he folded it up and scratched a few times in the dirt. And then he gave the ground a soft 'thwap' with his hand.

A few seconds later, a Monty Mole poked his head up above ground.

"There's nothing new today, Mario. I'm sorry." he shook his head, a bit of dirt falling from his ears.

"It's actually something I want to send." the plumber whispered back. "Here." he held out the note.

"Oh." the Monty Mole said in surprise, taking it in his claws and nodding. "Certainly. I'll- Ah!"

He retreated underground, paper gripped tight as the pain in his head was sudden.

Mario recoiled back, startled.

"Are you okay Mario?" Toad asked in surprise.

The plumber scowled at the Mushroom. "What are you-?!"

"Guys?' Luigi sat up, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"Sorry Luigi! I just woke up and there was a Monty Mole next to Mario. I got rid of it though. Before it did a sneak attack."

"Are you okay Mario?"

"Yeah." Mario answered. He almost lost his temper, and that would have been bad. "Yeah, I was just confused because that woke me up suddenly." Then reluctantly. "Thanks Toad."

"No problem. I'll always keep an eye out."

That seemed to be the issue.

"Your Majesties, a message from Mario."

Bowser sat upon his throne, and turned toward the Mole with a loud "Huh?" His attention fully diverted.

Peach wasn't offended, in fact, she was just as surprised. She held a hand to her mouth. "Mario, you say?"

"Yes, my Lady." He walked forward, delivering the folded paper. "I don't know the details, as I was forced to flee."

"Okay, get out of here already. Private Business!"

"Thank you so much, sir."

The Monty Mole gave a fearful, respectful nod and scurried out.

"He doesn't usually send us messages," The Princess spoke what they were both thinking. She opened up the letter and began to read it aloud for herself and Bowser. "Change of plans. Luigi and Toad joined me. Tell the Princess I think he might be onto us? Maybe we should time for some time. I'm-"

"WHAT." Bowser roared. "Never! That's a horrible idea!"

"Please stop yelling," Peach told him, then finished up. "I'm not happy either, Bowser. But better safe than sorry. Mario." She gave a sigh. "I'm afraid he has a point, Bowser."

"For how long? And why again! They'll just get suspicious again and we have to start the whole thing over again!"

Peach said sadly. "That's just the way things have to be, Bowser." She leaned over the armrest of the throne and pecked a kiss on Bowser's cheek.

"Yeah, well it's lame and it sucks." he griped, crossing his arms. "I don't even get to see him that often either. This was gonna be just us three!"

"Well. . ." she considered a way to prolong this time, but shook her head. "I don't want to hurt Luigi or Toad."

"Blagh."

"Bowser!" Peach scolded.

He shrugged and refused to apologize. "If we're gonna cut this short then fine." he said. "But I'm gonna end things my way."

Peach's eyelids dropped, and she gave a suggestive smile. "Your way, huh? I don't know, Mario is on his way. I think he''l be the one to..."

Bowser turned to her, and smiled wickedly.

The next morning, Mario glumly led the way. They were just some leagues away from Bowser's place now. Ugh. With no hope in sight. For sure, Bowser and Peach decided to have some hasty fun last night, but he'd have to wait until who knows what other time to be able to enjoy himself.

Luigi and Toad chattered away behind him, but he ignored them. Really, he just wanted to fake-defeat Bowser and go home already. With Princess Peach.

They'd have a discussion on what to do. And then, somehow relay it to Bowser. Then he would have some argument against some little detail in the letter, but the response would take a long time. Then, he would get restless and decide that enough time has passed, come up with some scheme, and then invade.

Mario sighed and kicked at a stone in particular. Would this be all they can do?

"Hey Bro. You okay?" Luigi spoke up. "You've been awfully quiet."

"Nothing. Just wondering when Bowser will quit," he forced a smile.

"I wonder that too." Toad nodded. "But he has so much help."

"Well, here we are." Luigi looked up to the impressive stone castle. The lava moat burned brilliantly. It made the sky seemed dark and their eyes dry. "Just across the bridge."

Mario took the risk and let a laugh out. "If you're just a bit too intimidated, Luigi, I won't hold it against you!" He patted his back reassuredly. "I think the world of you!"

The younger brother stuttered, hand to his chin and highly considering the way out. But before he could answer.

"No way!" Toad yelled. "We've gotten this far! We'll see it through to the end!"

"Y-yeah!" Luigi cheered, pumping his fist up. "Let's-a go, Bro!"

". . .Just what I expected to hear!" Mario said a bit too cheerfully. "You're right! Let's end this!"

He rushed to the bridge, with the two others in tow. But halfway there, he heard Luigi cry out in concern. "Bro!"

Mario stopped and turned. A piece he stepped on a few steps ago had fallen. Behind him and in front of Luigi and Toad. A few more pieces fell. Perfect! But Dangerous!

"Ju-! No! Go back! Be careful!" Mario cried out. Feeling a piece of the bridge shake with his weight. He stepped back and it fell to the lava below. "I'll go on ahead! Just wait for me!"

Luigi nodded, albeit with disappointment. "I will!" he called out as he ran back to safety. Toad followed him, but watched with growing unease and displeasure as Mario ran into the castle.

"Watch it next time, you hear me?" Mario said, nearly breathless but good-natured. "I'll call everything off if my Brother gets hurt."

"Blah, Blah. You and Peach both." Bowser mocked. "You guys can't resist me!" he bragged, flexing not so discreetly.

"Oh, I can. Bet on that, Koopa. Give up the princess."

"Take her from me if you can, Plumber."

Mario smiled, and the two closed the distance between them.

"We have to do something." Toad paced back and forth, looking at the castle every so often.

"Like what?" Luigi said idly, hugging his knees to his chest. "I think Mario will be fine."

"Yeah. He'll be picture perfect like every time." Toad said sarcastically.

Luigi looked up, confused at that. Bitter tone? What? "What's... wrong with that? What do you mean?"

Toad didn't answer right away, not sure if Luigi would accept his theory. "Isn't weird to you how Bowser always gets Peach, and Mario always beats him soundly?"

Luigi shrugged. "Same as always. No."

"See! Right there! Always," Toad emphasized. "Why is this cycle non ending?"

"Because Bowser is too dumb to quit or win." Luigi deadpanned.

"I don't think you'll understand." Toad said, and looked to the castle across the gap. "But I have to get in there."

"What were you trying to get at, Toad?" Luigi said, refusing to give up on that topic. "You had an edge about Mario. And you convinced me to come. . .a-and trying to sprout some questions to me? You've been thinking about something a a lot. What is it?"

Toad kept staring at the castle. "I think Mario is working for Bowser in secret."

"WHAT?" Luigi choked. "You WHAT?"

"I think he's a mole for him."

"When we came, the Princess was already kidnapped. Do you think he came here before I did and came back and, whatever?!" he said angrily.

"No. I don't know when it would have happened." Toad admitted. "But lately there's been weird things. He's going alone most often." he stared to list.

"I don't always want to tag along." Luigi countered.

"When you do, isn't it always easy to defeat him? Why does he have an axe to drop him into lava? He can withstand high temperatures! That shouldn't stop him!"

"And? That's how Mario beats him easily!"

"And then, and then! Just yesterday! There was a literal mole talking to him! I didn't hear what they were saying, but I heard whispers. That's why I attacked him."

Luigi frowned.

"And he tried to get us to go home," Toad continued. He almost had him. "And then talks with the mole. And then today? Tries to get us to leave, and the whoops! The bridge is out, conveniently after he gets to the other side!"

"What's your point to all this?!" Luigi asked mad.

"I just want the Princess to be safe and happy!" Toad blurted. "If all this is going on, Mario working for Bowser for whatever reason. Then the poor Princess is caught in the middle of it. And that's just not fair to her!"

"What would Mario even be working for Bowser for, Toad?!"

"I don't know! But I bet you, that if we go in there! They'll just be hanging out like best friends, scheming! Plotting! Doing who knows what! I can't and won't allow that to continue!"

The Green Brother clenched his fist. "Then fine. Let's get in there. They're just fighting. I know it."

They were not.

Not at the moment at least. The had been a few seconds ago. Mario loved the thrill of jumping, avoiding. Fighting a monster. But then Bowser had grabbed him and hurled him to the floor.

"oof!" he let out. Bowser grabbed his arms with his claws.

"What are you gonna do now?" the Koopa King grinned. "I've got you defeated."

Mario let a smirk on his face, not that it was really visible with his mustache. But still. "You've been getting better. Same for your troops. Been doubling down on their training?"

"Anything for you," Bowser flirted back.

Mario struggled a little more, but the beast picked him up, letting his snout bump against his face.

It was an awkward sort of kiss. With snouts and big noses, and lizard tongue and fangs and a mustache in the way. The sexual tension of coming all this way and fighting for the princess. It was the thrill they loved. Especially the fact that all three would have to stop for a while. And it was a familiar sense of awkward for them. Nice, even.

But it was a horrifying kind of awkward to the two who walked in.

"MARIO!" Luigi yelped, both hands covering his mouth right away.

Toad wanted to give an 'I knew it!' but not even he suspected this. "T-t-traitor. . .!" was all he could manage.

Mario jolted back into reality, shocked. In disbelief. Nothing came to mind to defend himself. He never stopped to think about what really could happen, he supposed. "Luigi, I. . . Uh."

Bowser stomped forward. "Ahhh, shut it! He's no traitor! He's been loyal to you all these years hasn't he?!"

"You don't get to talk! You're our main threat!" Toad shot back.

Bowser growled, looking back at Mario, who all but shut down. He turned back. "So what?! If you think everything else was fake you're mistaken!"

Luigi was only thunderstruck. He couldn't even move. "Bowser and Mario. . .?" he muttered. "What about the Princess. . . . ?"

And thus back to the original scene.

While the quartet in the other room spoke and argued and stayed quiet, the Princess sat impatiently for several more minutes.

She stood, with a sigh. Did Luigi and Toad end up coming and they were fighting for real? Brushing herself off and fixing her hair as best as she could. Stepping to the wall, Peach pressed on a loose brick and patted the inner wall for. . there we go! A key.

The key to the cell, to be more exact. Walking over to the locked bars, she unlocked the mere time consuming obstacle. She walked through the castle, knowing it like her very own.

As she approached the main hall, she heard distinct voices as she neared the entrance. Oh, Toad was here. . . and sounded angry?

"Oh dear." she whispered to herself, stepping toward the door and peeking through.

Bowser stood with menace, trying to threaten the other two. Mario sat behind him, looking small. Toad was throwing accusations at Bowser. Luigi. . . was just in the background, looking distressed, to say the least.

Princess Peach weighed her options, debated all she could do, and then finally walked through the door.

"What, is the meaning of this?"

"Princess!" Toad exclaimed, and jabbed a finger in the direction of the couple. "Mario's a traitor! I had my suspicions, but. . . I caught them in the act! They were. . ." he paused. "They're, involved." he stated blankly now, the fact sinking in.

She froze. So they had found out. That explains Mario's state. Arguably, he had been the one to have the most to lose, but for sure he was the one most concerned with being found out.

"I. . ." Peach started. She was unsure of what to say.

Bowser growled again. "Stop calling him a traitor! You little shroom freak!"

"B-Bowser!" Peach scolded him in worry.

He stopped but turned to glower at her. "You still gonna keep it a secret?! Look around you! It's time!" he shot back.

"A secret?" Luigi spoke up, "Another one?" he joked dryly.

Princess Peach frowned and looked at the ground. Maybe it was time to grow up. This was always fun, but.

"Fine. I apologize to all of you involved. Luigi, Toad. Bowser, Mario. . ." she started with a breath.

"Princess!" Toad exclaimed. "Don't feel pressured to lie to cover up! I know how you about-!"

"Toad, let me speak." She commanded. The Mushroom quieted down. She sighed. "Whether you believe me or not, I was the one who started all of this. But it wasn't always like this, alright? Bowser was a monster at first. A big, brutish jerk who was power hungry and cruel."

Bowser would have blushed if he were able.

"Mario came and saved me, you all know that. And all was right as it should be. The next few times Bowser kidnapped me, it felt like he had more of a fixation on Mario than me. I noticed it was his obsession to beat the one who beat him.

"As a result, I subtly approached Bowser about it. It made him think about the ordeal. After that time, he took a hiatus from being a villain. Meanwhile, with Mario, he seemed not at all bothered at the fact that he had to go through obstacles and life threatening adventures. I was flattered and took that as him being he is, but..." Peach glanced at Mario.

He stared back, barely nodding his head in a yes. They were too far in to go back now.

"When I chatted with him about topics like these, he would go on and on about his love of thrill. Toad, Mario is not a traitor. And Luigi, he is still your brother. He was definitely worried about this arrangement when I first brought it up."

Both of them looked down, stunned.

Peach nodded and continued. "I brought it up to Mario first, and then sent a letter to Bowser in secret, to discuss things. It may have been risky, but I brought Mario along just in case. And we talked. Talked for hours to make sure this was an ideal fixture for all of us. It was mutually beneficial. Bowser became a more fair ruler, Mario was able to be himself in secret. And I. I wanted this to work because, it's an escape for me as well. I need a break from my royalties. It sounds selfish, but. . . I don't care." Peach gave a 'humph.' "I love the both of them."

The world seemed to freeze.

Peach turned red, but upkept her pride. "That's the real secret here." she stated, "and fine, it got out. But. as a Trio, we'll make things work. I won't be a little princess who has secrets anymore." she was determined.

Mario and Bowser glanced at each other with slight worry. Once the Princess has decided something, nothing would change her mind.

The Mushroom Kingdom and the Darklands will never be the same again.

Author's Note: Happy belated Valentine's Day! But I will only ever update on days ending with a five. Why? Just because. I saw that pattern and now I have to keep at it.

Anyway! Valentine's theme. Could I have made this into multiple chapters rather than several short scenes? Maybe, but I didn't want to. I already have a multi-chapter fic ongoing, and I really made this on a whim. Besides, it might be a bit of a controversial fic? Idk how people will react to this.

Anyway, I'm surprised this Trio isn't more popular. It's always just Mario/Peach, Peach/Bowser, and on occasion, Mario/Bowser. Ship them all together, you cowards! Hahahaha, but really. It's just an interesting dynamic to me. Drop some reviews! Tell me what you like. Obviously not set in my Personification series, but now it's interesting... Nah.

MAYBE I'll do a follow up for more details and the epilogue. But it's a maybe.