I don't know, Scully. Let's find out.^^


As Bowser had contacts, prison life wasn't half as bad as he'd thought. But still it took two weeks from he called his contact until she actually showed up.

Bowser was pacing in his cell when he heard the gates to the ward being opened.

"What is it now?" He snarled through the prison bars. It was too early for dinner, and there was no mail on Sundays.

The person stepped out from the shadows the torches couldn't illuminate. Bowser backed away from the bars in fear.

"Oh, uh, He – hello, Lady Linh. It's… Good to see you."

"So," the Toad woman said as she stared at King Koopa in a way no Toad had done before. "It's 'Lady Linh' now, huh? I can only guess…" She sat down on the stool in front of Bowser's cell. "That there is something you want from me."

Bowser wrung his hands nervously. Reishi was a ticking Bob-Omb.

"There is, yes. You're the only one in the Mushroom Galaxy who can help me."

The Toad woman rose to her feet and wandered back and forth by the cell, staring at its posh décor with her ruthless eyes. "You've got a nice set-up here, Koopa. You're in prison, and still you enjoy luxuries I could only dream of before you rescued me."

"I know."

"So you understand that it's hard for me to feel sorry for you."

"I do."

Reishi unhinged her purse from the chair's back. "I'll give my regards to Kamek."

The sight of her back made Bowser desperate, and he charged against the wrought iron cage, shaking it furiously.

"Don't you dare leaving me, Toad girl; you owe me everything!" He roared and spat fireballs which were absorbed by the bars. "Come back here; I'm not done!"

Reishi stopped, and stood still for five long seconds. When she turned around, her pasty face was like marble. She approached King Koopa with one step.

"Bowser. I'm not the awkward Mushroom girl I once was. Since you've taught me everything I need to know on how to survive in the world, I've become so much more."

The series of appalling experiments conducted on her by Iggy Koopa also played a part. Her eyes were like blood in the torch light; sleep deprivation trials.

"So, it's gonna take more than a warm bath and a sandwich to motivate me." She sat back down and folded out the wrinkles in her moss green skirt.

Bowser deliberated. "OK. I realize that you deserve the biggest honey pot in my pantry. That's fine."

"Keeping in mind that I have enough Coins," Reishi interjected. "So that honey better be freaky tasty." She smiled viciously. "What are you waiting for, Your Plagueriddenness? Make me an offer."

"Uh, um…" Bowser thought long and hard; when did one have enough gold, and what could be better than an even bigger load and some glittering jewels? Then, he had an idea.

"Reishi, if you help me with this plan, I will find a neat county in the Mushroom Kingdom for you and make you the Countess," Bowser said. "It will be lush and full of natural resources, and… Uh, you'll have minions of your own to treat as doormats as you please. I won't disturb you ever again."

The Toad nanny considered his offer for a long time. Then, she reached out her ice cold hand.

"Agreed." They shook hands over it, before she suddenly pulled Bowser's claw out from behind the bars and bit his wrist so hard he felt a rush of panic. When she finally let go, he was bleeding.

"Consider it a down-payment on what I owe you," she said. As he licked his wound, Bowser could hear her evil laughter from outside the doors.