The Sword of Mushrooms

Chapter IV - The Messenger

As soon as the following afternoon arrived, Mario popped over to Toad Town and headed straight for the castle. He had been able to convince Luigi on skipping the picnic, so it would just be himself and Peach. He was both excited and nervous at the same time. Reuniting with Peach the other day had made him realize he no longer wanted to keep his feelings about her bottled up. Today was the day he was finally going to try and pursue something with her.

The blue gates of Castle Toadstool were just ahead. Suddenly, a shadow passed over Mario. He looked up and saw a Magikoopa flying on a broomstick. It was heading directly for the castle. Mario felt something ominous. Magikoopas had a very notorious reputation for their affiliation with the evil group of Koopas known as the Koopa Troop. Why would one be going to the castle? Mario hurried and passed through the gates. The Magikoopa was standing just outside the castle doors. He crossed the tiny bridge over the moat and stood next to him. The Magikoopa was rather old. Mario guessed he was around the same age as Toadsworth. He wore thick glasses, a blue robe and a pointy hat, and he carried a magic scepter. His flying broomstick hovered on his right.

"Hello," Mario said in a somewhat friendly tone. He had to remember that not all Magikoopas were bad. "Are you here to see the princess?"

"That's none of your business," the Magikoopa replied coldly, and he banged his scepter on the doors for what appeared to be the second time.

Crabby old geezer, Mario thought as he frowned. It wasn't enough to go on, but still he suspected.

Toadsworth finally answered the doors. A younger-looking Toad was standing next to him. He wore a blue vest with gold trim and his cap was white with red spots.

"Ah, Master Mario, long time, no see," Toadsworth greeted. "I take it you're here for your picnic date with the princess?"

Mario nodded with a smile.

"Not so fast!" said the Magikoopa as he suddenly cut in front of Mario with his scepter. The younger Toad hid behind Toadsworth. "I was here first! I'm here on official business and it's important that I speak with the princess right away."

"Watch where you're pointing that thing, four-eyes," said Mario, "before you poke someone's eye out!"

"Keep pestering me, big nose, and I'll do more than that!"

Toadsworth tapped the floor with the end of his walking stick. Mario and the Magikoopa fell silent. "That's quite enough. I will not have the two of you quarreling like children in front the castle. Now come inside and behave yourselves."

Mario and the Magikoopa, still scowling at each other, entered the castle's main hall. It was a huge and spacious room with a checkered black and white floor and blue walls with white clouds. It generated a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere. And at the end of the hall was a wide stairway that lead to a pair of doors at the top.

"Toad, my boy," Toadsworth said to the young Toad, "be a lad and go and inform the princess of Master Mario's arrival."

"Right away, sir," the Toad said obediently and hurried up the stairs.

"I took him on as my apprentice just this morning," Toadsworth said to Mario. "Wonderful lad, always eager to please. Would you believe his name is simply Toad? How imaginative his parents must've been to have bestowed him with that moniker, I must say." He then cleared his throat and turned his attention to the Magikoopa. "Now then, Mr...?"

"You don't need to know my name," the Magikoopa said curtly.

"Very well then," Toadsworth said, frowning like Mario had earlier and regarding him with the same level of suspicion. "What business do you have with the princess?"

"You don't need to know that, either. Now look, I'm just a messenger, so let me deliver my message, and I'll be on my way."

The sooner the better, Mario thought.

Before long, the doors at the top opened and Toad and Peach came down the stairs.

"Hi, Mario," she said. "Everything's all prepared for our picnic."

"Before you leave, princess, we have a guest here who says he must speak with you," said Toadsworth.

The Magikoopa rudely moved Toadsworth aside with his scepter, then bowed to Peach. "Princess Peach, it is an honor to meet your acquaintance."

At least he's showing her some respect,Mario thought.

"What is your name, good sir?" Peach asked.

"Before I get into that, princess, would it be all right if we spoke privately?"

Peach nodded and turned to Mario and the others, "Would the three of you like to wait on the second floor?"

"Certainly, princess," said Toadsworth. "Come along, you two."

Mario was not pleased with this. He gave the Magikoopa one last glower before following Toadsworth and Toad up the stairs. The second floor of the castle was nearly identical to the main hall. But instead of one stairway, it had two on either side, both leading up to a large pair of doors. There were also several smaller doors that lead to other parts of the castle. While Toadsworth and Toad were content on just standing around until Peach and the Magikoopa were finished, Mario left the doors opened just enough so he could see and hear them talking. He was just able to make out what they were saying.

"My name is Kamek," said the Magikoopa. "And I serve under Lord Bowser of Dark Land."

Mario almost let out an audible gasp. I knew it! he thought. Toadsworth and Toad were listening now, too, and were just as shocked.

"Why have you come here?" Peach asked, a slight hesitation in her voice.

"I'm here on my master's behalf," Kamek replied. "He has a message for you."

"A message?"

Kamek nodded. "He wishes to meet with you, to discuss a term of peace."

The three eavesdroppers looked at each other in utter disbelief. Total hogwash! Mario thought sharply. There was no way Peach was going to buy that. Not after all the attacks the Mushroom Kingdom had suffered at the hands of those Koopas.

"Really?" Peach blinked, but her tone was more of surprise than skeptic.

"I realize how out of the blue this must all sound," said Kamek, turning away with his hands behind his back. "Your kingdom and ours haven't exactly seen eye-to-eye since the days of the Great War."

"That's putting it a bit mildly," Peach said bluntly. "You guys were the ones who started the Great War in the first place. Even after it had ended, you never stopped trying to take over the Mushroom Kingdom."

"I won't deny that we have done a lot of terrible things in the past, but Lord Bowser has had enough. After the disappearance of your king, he's had a lot of time to think. He wants the fighting to stop. But more importantly," — he turned around to face Peach again — "he wants to make up for all the mistakes he and his predecessors had made and to repair all of the damage that's been done to the reputation of Koopas everywhere."

"I see," Peach said with a modicum of empathy. "And where exactly does Bowser wish to meet with me?"

Now Kamek was the one who hesitated. "At his castle, in Dark Land."

One could've heard a pin drop on the second floor. Mario's head nearly exploded. He, Toadsworth, and Toad could not believe their ears. Princess Peach traveling to Dark Land, the most dreadful place on Mushroom World, to see Bowser, leader of the Koopa Troop? The very idea was beyond absurd. Mario was ready to burst through the doors with a resounding no and give Kamek the boot, but held back to hear what Peach had to say first.

"I hardly think that's a good idea, crazy even," she said.

"Are you sure, princess?" Kamek asked. "Lord Bowser really wants to make this happen, more than anything."

"I'm sorry, but that particular request is simply out of the question," Peach said firmly. "If Bowser truly wishes to atone for his past crimes, then he can come here to make his case. I will be more than willing to listen to him then."

"You will?" Kamek asked. There was something genuine in his tone.

Peach nodded and gave a little smile. "I pride myself on being a forgiving person and giving people second chances. Tell Lord Bowser he can meet me here at the castle tomorrow afternoon, and we will discuss this term of peace."

Kamek graciously bowed to her again. "I will tell Lord Bowser immediately upon my return, princess. I thank you for your time." He then turned back to the front doors and left, his broomstick trailing behind him.

"Okay, you guys," Peach said, looking up at the cracked doors. "I know you've been listening, so you can come down now."

"Princess, do you really think this is a good idea?" Mario asked as they descended the stairway. "I mean, you're talking about inviting Bowser of all people right into the castle, the very heart of the Mushroom Kingdom itself."

"I agree with Master Mario," said Toadsworth. "There is something highly dubious about this whole scenario."

"I understand your concern, guys, but what can I do? As princess, it is my royal duty to see to the safety and well-being of our kingdom. If Bowser really wants to make amends and make peace with us, however unlikely it may sound, what kind of ruler would I be to deny that?" Mario, Toadsworth, and Toad had nothing to say, but their faces still showed doubt. She really couldn't blame them, though. She had a little trouble believing it herself.

Suddenly, Toad spoke up. "But what if Bowser's telling the truth?" Mario, Toadsworth, and Peach blinked at him. "I mean, think about it. It's been almost a full year since we've last heard from them. What if he really has turned over a new leaf?"

That actually was something to think about. For all its greatness, the one thing the Mushroom Kingdom lacked was any offensive capability. King Giles and his legendary magic sword had been all that was needed to repel any attack made against the kingdom. Now that he was gone, the it had been left virtually defenseless. Even though it had only been a few months, Bowser could've taken over any time he wanted during that period. Yet he hadn't.

"For all we know, Bowser could've just been biding his time until he was ready to make his big move," said Mario. "What if this is it?"

"Well, either way, he's coming here," said Peach, "and there's nothing we can really do about it right now. All we can do for now is just hope for the best. I'll take full responsibility whatever the outcome. Toadsworth, can you start on the preparations? Inform the public so they could prepare themselves. We don't want Bowser's unexpected arrival to cause a panic."

"Will do, princess," Toadsworth said. "Come along, Toad, there's work to be done."

As Toadsworth and Toad headed back upstairs, Peach turned to Mario. "Now, shall you and I head on out into the forest for our picnic, or would you rather stay here and talk about Bowser some more?"

"Bowser who?" Mario joked, and followed Peach into the castle's kitchen, which was to the immediate right of the stairway.

The kitchen, while quaint, was almost the size of Mario and Luigi's entire downstairs. It had a paved floor and yellow walls with white clouds. The sink, shelves, and cabinets stood against the back wall on the right, a large counter stacked with other ingredients in the middle, and the oven on the left. A wooden table was in the center of the room and on it was a large picnic basket and a blanket.

"By the way, Mario, where is Luigi?" Peach asked, as Mario picked up and carried the basket.

"Oh, he's taking care of a plumbing job in town," Mario lied. "But he told us to go on without him and have fun."

"That's too bad. We should save him a little something when we're done."

"As you wish."

And out the door they went.