Chapter Fifty Two: Starlight Love Part Seven: Mario

"Peach?" the voice asked again. Peach and the others looked up to see an eighteen year old looking boy with blue jeans on and a red shirt. He had brown hair and a red cap on. He had blue eyes, two shades lighter than Peach's.

Next to him was another eighteen year old looking boy with blue jeans and a green shirt on. He had on a green cap and the same color hair as the first one. His eyes were black, but seemed to show tranquility.

"M-Mario?" Peach asked, shocked. "I-Is that you?"

"Yeah, kid." The red clad boy said, grinning. "It's-a me, Mario."

Peach giggled at this, having loved this as a kid. She got up and hugged Mario and the other boy, who was most likely Luigi.

"I'm so glad you're both safe." She said, smiling.

"Us too." Mario said. "So, how have you been?"

"I've been fine." Peach said. "I made some wonderful friends."

"That them there?" Mario asked, pointing at Bowser and the Koopalings.

"Yes." Peach said, smiling. "That's Bowser and the Koopalings: Ludwig, Iggy, Morton, Roy, Larry, Wendy, Lemmy, and Junior."

"That's nice.' Mario said. "Now, let's go home?"

"Home?" Peach asked, confused. "But, I thought…'

"My mom found a new home." Mario said. "And she wants us to live there."

"I" Peach said, struggling internally. "I don't know. I don't want to leave my friends."

"Well" Mario said. "Your mother said she really wanted to see you again."

Peach's eyes widened, her pupils the size of periods. She let go of Mario, taking a few steps back.

"Wh-what?" She asked, the fear completely evident in her voice.

"Your mother." Mario said, not quite understanding Peach's tone shift. "She said she wanted to see you. WE're gonna take you back."

"N-no." Peach said, her voice much quieter now as she began to back away from Mario, falling on her rear.

"What's wrong?" Mario asked, now picking up on Peach's fear. "Don't you want to see your mother?"

"N-no." Peach said, continuing to back away. At this point she was all the way back to where the Koopalings were, the Koopalings and Bowser all trying to calm her down.

"Uh, Mario." Luigi said, thinking. "I think there's a reason she doesn't want to go back."

"Hold on, Luigi.' Mario said, acknowledging his brother. "I want to figure this out for myself, okay?"

"Alright." Luigi said, rolling his eyes, used to this.

"Come on, Peach." Mario said, taking a step closer. "What's wrong? You can tell me anything."

"P-please" Peach said, crying at this point, curled up into a ball. "Please don't make me go back."

"Why not?" Mario asked. "Please tell me."

Peach shook her head, ruffling her hair.

"Peach." Mario said, taking one more step forward before the Koopalings all stood up, Bowser rubbing Peach's back comfortingly, Peach leaning on him.

"Hey!" Ludwig said, showing his teeth. "You're not taking our friend anywhere if she doesn't want to go. It's clear she has no desire to go with you to your destination. Now, you can either leave or join us, but you're not taking her with you. If you refuse to comply, we WILL make you leave."

"Are you threatening me?" Mario asked, not in a challenging way.

"Since you're curious" Larry said, pulling out his racket. "Yes, he is. And we're gonna take you down if you take one more step towards her."

"Fine then." Mario said, sighing. "I'll have to take her myself then."

"Uh, Mario" Luigi said, stepping around them, sitting next to Peach, the Koopalings seeing he had no intention of taking her. "I think she has a good reason for not wanting to go back."

Neither Mario nor the Koopalings heard Luigi, due to the fight breaking out.

Junior pulled out a paintbrush, painting a small ten foot circle around Mario. When Mario stepped over the paint, he was pulsed backwards into the center of the circle.

Ludwig jumped up, shooting a barrage of fireballs at Mario, Mario crossing his arms in front of his face to block them.

Wendy held out her hand, magic rings coming out of it, encircling Mario, preventing him from moving. Larry then leapt up, Ludwig shooting fireballs up at him. Larry swung his racket, striking the fireballs at Mario, each of them hitting (if you want a good visual reference, think of or look up Fire Bros. from Mario and Luigi: Superstar Saga) Mario.

The rings and the paint circle disappeared, the casters resting to regain their power. Mario then rushed forward, drop kicking Junior, putting him down for the count. Wendy took two punches and a powerful throw into Larry to knock out. Larry was almost knocked out by the impact of Wendy, but, he stayed down to subtly charge an attack.

Ludwig spit more fireballs, but Mario, without anything to keep him encircled, dodged them all with ease. Roy and Morton both charged him, but Mario slammed both of their heads together, dazing them. He landed three punches on Ludwig, injuring him. Iggy and Lemmy joined in, both of them grabbing one of Mario's arms. Roy and Morton had recovered by this point, punching Mario in the gut.

Mario swung his feet up, catching both of them and knocking them out.

Peach looked at this, gasping in horror.

"I" she said. "I didn't want this…I didn't want you all to get hurt…because of me."

"It's okay." Bowser said, patting her back. "They love you. They're gonna fight to keep you happy. Speaking of which…"

Bowser stood up, catching Lemmy, who went flying over to him.

"Thanks." Lemmy said. "HE's tough."

"My turn." Bowser said, growling as he took a deep breath and stepped toward Mario, spewing a huge wall of flames at him. Mario dodged, rushing for Bowser, punching him in the gut. Bowser countered with a face punch, the two of them slugging it out, anger blazing in both of their eyes.

Peach curled tighter into her ball, Luigi speaking softly to her.

"Don't worry." He said. "You don't have to go back there. I know you didn't have the best life there. I won't let him take you. And, neither will your friends."

"HE's hurting my friends." Peach said, shakily standing up. "I won't let him."

She walked over to where they were, the two of them still going at it.

"Stop it." She said, them not hearing it.

"Stop it.' She said a little louder, them still not hearing.

"STOP IT!" she shouted, rushing in between them and pulsing out her magic, a pink field extending several yards. Mario was pulsed back while Bowser, Luigi, and the Koopalings were unaffected.

"What was that?" Bowser asked.

"I'm sorry.' Peach said, wrapping her arms around Bowser and sobbing into his shoulder. "This is all my fault."

"Hey" Bowser said, wrapping his arms around her and rubbing her back. "No, it's not. We won't let you go anywhere you don't want to. It's all his fault. None of it's yours."

"B-but" Peach said, sniffling.

"But, nothing." Bowser said, shaking his head. "WE're here for you, Peach. Now, let's get your cousin and the Koopalings patched up and we can talk this over like normal people."

"Okay." Peach said, sniffling one more time before she helped Bowser, Luigi, and the other conscious Koopalings pick up the unconscious ones and carry them to the healing room.


So, there's something dark in Peach's past. WEll, no matter, for now, the issue is seeing to the injured. I wonder what'll happen. Find out soon.