Bowser sat on his throne after Takanyar had left. He was thinking - yes, that's unusual for Bowser. He called in the old hag.
"Kammy Koopa! GET IN HERE NOW!!!"
The old Magikoopa in purple robes scurried into the throne room. "Your Impatientness! What is your wish?"
"I want Peach. NOW. You and one of those wimpy guards go get her. But you'll have to do it like this." Bowser whispered into Kammy's ear. She nodded, a sneaky smile plastered over her face.
"Yes, Your Brilliantness. An excellent plan! I will carry it out immediately!" She waved her wand, and a broomstick appeared out of thin air. Hopping onto the broomstick, Kammy sped out of the throne room.
"And NO SLACKING!!!" Bowser bellowed after her. He sat back on his throne, talking to himself. "That stupid Takoonshmar or whatever his name is wants Peach for himself. For all I know he won't give her back to me once he gets her! I'm gonna make sure I get the Princess MYSELF!"
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"Atten-TION!" Russ barked. The dozen guards in the red-carpeted hall outside Peach's rooms snapped to attention.
"Excellent. Let no one past except the Princess herself." Russ took his place at the head of the line and shouted, "Right-FACE!" He and his men turned to the right, backs to the wall, forming a line of Toads against the wall beside the door to the Princess's rooms.
The Princess came around the corner toward her rooms. "Thanks, Russ," she called to him as she entered her door.
"Not a problem," he returned easily. The door closed behind the Princess.
Peach walked to the nightstand beside the bed and picked up the pink telephone, dialing the kitchen intercom. Tace T. picked up at the other end. "Tace T., kitchen crew."
"Tace? Did Wario finish off the sixth pizza or did you have to refrigerate it? I'm craving one last cold slice."
"He finished it, I'm afraid, and what a sight it was, too!" Tace chuckled.
Peach giggled. "That Wario. Thanks, Tess." She hung up and walked across the room to her wall-length closet. Pushing back the sliding door, she pulled out her pink nightgown and started to close the door again. As she turned around, she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head. Instantly everything went black.
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"Good work, Kammy!" Bowser congratulated her as she flew back into the throne room bearing her prize. "Now let's take the Princess to the lab and do what should have been done before! Then take you-know-who back to the castle quickly, before anyone discovers she's missing!"
"Yes, Your Grunginess," Kammy replied. Bowser picked up the kicking, struggling Princess and carried her out of his throne room, chuckling to himself over his brilliantly wicked plan.
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After waiting outside Peach's door for an hour, waiting for her to get dressed, Mario finally decided to call for her. "Peach?" He rapped on her door. "You in there?"
"Yes," came the muffled reply through the intricately-engraved oak door. "I'm ready."
"She's ready for you," Mario told Russ.
"Good. Men, let's go." Russ led his men into the Princess's pink-and-blue themed room. Peach was sitting in her large pink-sheeted bed with the blankets already over her. Mario helped Russ position the dozen guards around Peach's bed. Luigi went outside and took up his post by the window as Mario and Russ finished their job.
"No one could get past these guys," Mario commented as he stepped back and surveyed the menacing appearance of the dozen Toad guards in their polished steel armor, each grasping a sword in his hand.
"No one would want to try," Russ added with a chuckle. "I think she'll be safe tonight."
"Thanks, Russ. You too, Mario," Peach called after them as they left the room, shutting the door behind them. Mario stationed himself in front of the door, and Russ went back to his guard post elsewhere in the castle.
The hours ticked slowly by. The moon, now a bright crescent, rose over the castle as the stars slowly turned their circular courses through the night sky. All was quiet. Not a thing threatened the safety of the Princess... So the hours passed. And the dawn came.