Chapter Three: Unexpected Encounter

Daisy was always a spunky, fun-loving type. Despite not being able to always be able to talk about how she felt, she did enjoy shopping. However, this time it wasn't with Peach. It was with Toadette. Why? Why wasn't she with her best friend in the whole world? Because, despite them being best friends...that didn't mean that they liked everything about each other. But that'll come in later. For now, Daisy and Toadette had drove up to the Shine Sprite Mall at the edge of the Girabuto Region. It was a massive white structure with giant pillars on each side and a Shine Sprite at the top for representation.

Hopping out of her car with her purse, Daisy looked over at Toadette. "You ready?"

The little girl jumped out with a purse of her own with her symbol on it. "Ready!"

They started walking into the massive mall, and came face to face with a huge plethora of Toads, Mousers, Goombas, Koopas, and all types of species walking around the huge shopping center. In the middle of the bottom floor was a massive fountain with Daisy herself on it. "Ugh…" the real version said, "Can they not plaster my face every flippin' where?"

Toadette looked ahead, and saw the statue. "Yeah...shouldn't their money be focused on more important things?"

"Dunno, but my, ugh…" she raised both hands, making air quotes, " 'subjects'-man I hate that word, are free to do what they want." She started walking deeper into the store, "So where to, Toadette?"

"Uh-do you even need to ask? The clothing store, duh!" Toadette grinned, and started running ahead...far ahead. So far that the pink mushroom girl was straight gone.

"Hey wai-!" Daisy was about to call after her, when she noticed someone with a spiked shell enter the game store. "...Toadette, uh...I'll catch up!" She shouted loud enough for her friend to hear, and made a left. "Spiky shell….who was that?" She knew that the only ones with spiked shells worked under Bowser, and that meant trouble. And Daisy wasn't havin' any of that. No way, baby.

The ginger princess snuck around into the game store. It was a place that she hadn't been before, and was just now entering for the first time. "...Woah...the heck is all this?" She started wandering around, wondering exactly what the consoles and stuff were, when she bumped into someone small. "...Oof! Ow, sorry I was-" her eyes went wide as she saw who it way.

"Ow! Hey, watch it, lady!" The raspy voice of a male koopa sounded. He turned around to face who bumped him, and realized who it was: Princess Daisy. "...Ohhh…."

"Well well…." Daisy smirked as she picked the koopa up by his long blue mohawk, "What're you doing here, sweetie? Trying to rob the place?"

The koopa kid squirmed in pain. "Ow ow! Stop. Please!" His appearance was different than the average Koopa. His shell was sky blue, and covered in spikes, he wore no shoes, had eyes that matched the color of his shell, a long blue mohawk protruding from his head, spiked bands on his wrists, and a deep blue star birthmark on the left side of his face. "L-look, m-ma'am we aren't here to cause trouble."

"Oh? We? As in, there's more than just you?" Daisy smirked darkly at the Koopaling, "Why don't you tell me where they are, hm?"

The Koopa began sweating, "N-no, it's just me and Roy. I swear! We're just here to pick up some games. Honest!"

"Uh-huh…" Daisy raised an inquisitive eyebrow, "You know what I did to your boss when he was in my way? Slapped his butt clear across the Mushroom Kingdom. I wonder how far I could punt your little behind…"

"Let me explain, please!" He showed her a sack of coins, "This is our own, NOT-STOLEN, money that we got from Bowser. Please, can you let me go now?"

"Hm…." the flower princess decided to let him go. "Ok Mr...what's your name again?"

"Larry. Larry Koopa." He rubbed his hair, "Ugh, you have some rough hands for a princess…"

"Pff, yeah. So tell me, what are you doing here?"

Another koopa, bald pink head, pink shell, pink shades, and twice as big as Larry started making his way back to find his brother. "Yo, Larry, where are you-" he stopped mid-sentence as he saw Daisy and turned around. "Aw, heck naw. That woman's crazy man, you're on your own."

"Roy, come on!" his younger brother shouted, "She's not that bad!"

Roy walked back over. "...Wow, I'm surprised she isn't punching you into the sky."

Daisy slapped her hand against her forehead. "What are you boys even doing here? If you're not robbing the place then what?"

Larry spoke up. "Mainly 'cuz we're banned from the stores in Peach's kingdom and can't go. And Bowser's kingdom doesn't exactly get sent any video games. So we...sorta had no choice but to come here…"

Roy decided to take the floor of speaking. "And we know how tough you are and stuff. So we don't exactly plan on stealing anything….for now."

"...Riiight." Daisy said with narrowed eyes.

"We mean it. Like...Peach expects Mario to do everything for her. But you...you'd come down and handle a problem yourself!" Larry proclaimed, "That's...phenomenal."

"Wait wha….?"

"You think we enjoy capturing Peach all the time? HA!" Roy laughed, "That's reaaaaal funny." He put on a very bad impression of Peach with a high-pitched voice. "Oh look at me, I'm Princess Peach, come kidnap me, Bowser, and so Mario can save me." He then spoke normally, "For Kamek's sake it's old, boring, repetitive, and just a pure insult to how we operate!"

Larry just folded his arms. "What he said. Ugh, but hey, Bowser likes Peach for who she is. Who are we, his minions to disagree. I mean, she's kinda nice and cute...I guess, but...ugh. Every freaking time we just capture her, capture her capture her. I would rather eat Kammy's terrible cooking." he brought his claw to his face, and slapped his forehead.

"...Huh. You guys have a point." Daisy replied, "Peach and I are besties but….I dunno it seems like her decisions are just so…"

"Dumb?" Roy commented.

"..." Normally, Daisy would've punched someone in the jaw for saying anything about Peach was dumb. But this time….she didn't. "...Yeah…it kinda is…"

"..." Larry checked his watch. "...I don't think Darkland has frozen over. Whatchu just say?"

"...That Peach's ideas are so...dumb. The way she handles her kingdom...how she does things...it just…." Daisy trailed off, shaking her head. This clearly wasn't comfortable to talk about.

"Pff, makes me wonder what you see in her as a best friend." Larry said bluntly.

"..." That seemed to have frozen Daisy for a moment, as everything around her seemed to slow down...rethinking her best friend...and what she saw in Peach. It wasn't easy to think about, let alone discuss. "...I'll see you boys later. And...thanks." she left the game store, leaving Larry and Roy alone.

Larry blinked. "...She said she'll see us later?"

Roy blinked. "...And thanked us?"

They both spoke in unison. "What the frick?"