Chapter Forty-Eight: The Ruler's Return
It was soft, very warm, and comforting. There was a pleasant smell, like fresh flowers, around the room, that seemed oddly familiar to her. The chirp of birds floated through the window.
She was somewhere new, that was to be sure. Since it had happened, she had occasionally caught glimpses of the world, when the sleep she'd been put into momentarily weakened. A darkened laboratory...strange men and woman in uniforms who would observe her...she knew nothing about them, or the place, or any of it. Regardless, that had disappeared eventually. Leaving the lab had seemed to weaken her sleep (was it a magic spell? Drugs being pumped into her system? She wasn't sure), giving her a better look at where she was. It was a chaotic landscape...there were ships, ships which looked like Bowser's ships, and fighting, lots of fighting, lights and explosions and fire. And now she was here...and it felt both peaceful and familiar.
Princess Peach opened her eyes. She stared up at a ceiling of pink-and-white checkers, with a golden chandelier off to her right, unlit. The princess blinked. Walls, covered with a bright and cheerful pattern of clouds, pink carpets, pink blankets, pink pillows...this was her room, wasn't it? She...she was home!
And then she saw him, seated by the side of her bed. Luigi sat up straight, a caring, respectful look on his face. While he'd never had the rugged charm and hot-headed optimism of his brother that she'd loved so much, he'd always been the more gentlemanly of the two, somebody who thrived on the dance floor during the annual Mushroom Ball while Mario preferred to stick next to the spaghetti. Mario...
"P...princess." Luigi said, slowly and carefully. "Y...you're awake."
Princess Peach turned over on her side to better look at him. She still felt exhausted. "Luigi." she breathed. "Where...what..."
Luigi uncomfortably scratched his head, his moustache quivering. "Y...you're in your own castle, princess." Luigi said, looking around the room. "We've fixed it up for you, of course...I hope you like the room."
Memories of her castle burning flashed through Peach's mind. Bowser...he'd destroyed everything! He'd killed the man she loved, crushed her kingdom, and tormented her people! What had happened to the kingdom in her absence? What had happened to the world?
"T...tell me, Luigi." Peach said. "The Toads...everyone...are they all right?"
Luigi smiled. "Always thinking of others, huh, princess?" he laughed. "It's been tough, but the Mushroom Kingdom is free...for now. There are lots of stuff happening. The Koopalings...they're fighting each other. We're hoping to take advantage of it all to end Bowser's empire for good, but we're still outnumbered. We've won lots of fights, though. I...I think Mario would be proud of us."
Peach smiled sadly, remember her husband's heroism in the many, many fights against the Koopa King. She had watched him die, a sight that would be scarred into her mind for life. She and a few of her retainers had fled the castle when it became apparent that despite all of their strength, the Mario brothers and their allies would be unable to fend off the invading army. However, Bowser's armies had swarmed around them, forcing Peach to use the combat skills she had honed in situations like the adventures on Vibe Island and the Sprixie Kingdom to escape. From just out of the town outskirts, she'd watched the Bullet Bills blow Mario to smithereens. She'd wanted to kill Bowser in that moment, hit him with all her might, even though she knew that it would come to nothing. She really would've tried, though...if he hadn't have shown up.
"What happened, princess?" Luigi asked, leaning in closer. "You disappeared for twenty years, and then suddenly you appeared, right in the middle of a huge battle! Where did you go?" his face suddenly fell. "Sorry...this might be too soon..."
"No, Luigi." Peach sighed, sitting up in her bed and brushing back her thick blonde hair. She looked out of the window, over the multi-coloured roofs of the Toad Houses and a new addition to the view...an ugly wall that seemed to be made of debris, on which was perched several Bill Blasters. "If I can help, I need to." she finished, looking back at Luigi.
"Ok." Luigi said quietly. "A...at your own pace, Peach."
Peach recalled that terrible night once more, shuddering. "There...there isn't much, really. After Mario...well, I wanted to hurt Bowser, Luigi, really hurt him."
Luigi nodded, understanding.
"It was like something came over me, and I started running back towards town, even though there was fire everywhere and I knew I'd be captured. I'd barely went three steps into the town, though, before I was pulled by this...force, like some sort of magnet, into one of the abandoned Toad Houses. In this house, Luigi, there was this...strange Koopa."
"One of Bowser's minions?" Luigi questioned.
Peach shook her head. "No, no, I don't think so." she responded. "Most Koopas don't wear much more than their shells. This was was very well-dressed...he had an old-fashioned white suit and a white hat on his head."
Luigi's eyes widened. "No...no way!" he exclaimed. "Cobal...he's a friend of mine...met somebody who looked just like that! A super-strong Koopa who didn't seem to be working for Bowser!"
"I don't know what kind of role he plays in all of this." Peach admitted, "But's it's quite serious. The Koopa...he was quite polite, really. He apologized for getting in the way of my plans...and he mentioned something about a Grand Star needing me, I didn't quite understand that. And then his right eye glowed, he made some sort of hand gesture...and I blacked out."
Luigi hung on to the edge of his seat, waiting for more, and when Peach didn't continue her story, he pressed her, "Is that all?"
"He put some kind of sleeping spell on me." Peach admitted, "Although I did get flashes of where I was, from time to time. I think they had me in a lab, I don't know where. There were lots of people watching me, all wearing uniforms. Then they stuck me above the ocean, and well..."
Peach sighed. She'd never felt more tired then she did now. Twenty years had passed? She wondered if she had aged in her sleep. A twinge of sadness clutched her heart. She should've been a mother by now, her children nearly ready to leave home and begin their adult lives! Why had Bowser been so cruel?
"It's okay, princess." Luigi said kindly, sensing her sadness. "We're all here for you. Even Toadsworth is...I think he held out in Bowser's prison just for this moment."
"Toadsworth?!" Peach exclaimed, suddenly jerking up. Surely her old butler had died! He was already nearly seventy by the time of her wedding with Mario, and in prison... "I have to see him." Peach decided, getting out of bed. She wobbled on her feet, but Luigi caught her arm and steadied her.
"Take it easy." Luigi said gently. "Your body's still weak."
Peach closed her eyes. Yes, Luigi was right. She had to build up her strength again. "How did we get here?" Peach asked him. "We were above the ocean, and then..."
"Around the time Cobal freed you, Bowser showed up." Luigi said grimly. "Thankfully, because of Ludwig's fleet...he's fighting his father, by the way...Bowser was distracted. We fled as fast as we could, back to here."
"Home." Peach breathed, looking around the room once again. Bright rays of sunlight shone through the window. Holding onto Luigi's shoulder for support, Peach began to walk away from her bed. There were so many happy memories contained within this castle...and so many more to be made.
Luigi opened the door to the antechamber. There was more than twenty people squished into the small sitting room, Toads, Koopas, Yoshis...
"Princess!" cried an aged voice, and with speed surprising for his age, Toadsworth crossed the room and flung his tiny arms around her.
"Toadsworth." Peach smiled, hugging the brown mushroom cap close towards her. A tear dripped down from her eye. All would be well.
The hologram of the Mushroom World lightning up the table, Koopa High Command once again met to discuss the war. Out of the twenty seats, only twelve were filled. General Koops, General Crushell, and King Boo had deflected to the Neo Empire at the start of the war, of course, but many other members of High Command had lost their lives during the hostilities. Additionally, General Flame had mysteriously disappeared, the words of his adjutant Corporal Blueshell being that he planned to leave the Koopa Troop and become involved in organized crime. Still, there was a surprisingly hopeful atmosphere surrounding the table, despite how grim the situation was. Looking over the table there was a balcony, with nine thrones for the Koopa Emperor and his children. For the first time since the conquest of the world, the centre throne, decorated with ornate golden spikes, was filled.
Bowser sat upright, with one leg crossed against the other and his head resting against his fist, his elbow propped up against the armrest. It was a pose he liked quite well, because it gave the feeling that he was so in command, he didn't even need to take things seriously. Bowser hadn't taken anything seriously for twenty years, nor had he gotten enjoyment out of anything. But now he was filled with a rage that seemed to burn within him. He had a second chance at life, and he'd do anything to get it back.
Grand General Shelldon looked upward from his seat at the head of the table. "Emperor Bowser, we've gone over this." he said. "Sector Two, Sector Four, and Sector Six have been conquered by Ludwig's forces. That leaves Koopa Central and Sector Eight the only districts of the empire that are still under our control. Furthermore, the Mushroom Kingdom resistance have succeeded in taking back the majority of their kingdom, which effectively means that Sector Eight now only consists of the Koopa Kingdom and the Beanbean Kingdom. The armies that were under the command of Morton, Iggy, and Lemmy have almost been completely destroyed, while Bowser Jr's army has been split down to about half, thanks to our enemy's deception in destroying our invasion fleet. Even with the Koopa Central Elite force, we are still drastically outnumbered."
"Speed up the building of the new airships!" Bowser roared, smashing his fist against the throne. "I want to lead an attack on Ludwig's castle, right now! I'll give that stupid son of mine a talking too, you bet I will!"
The face the supreme commander of the Koopa Troop wore was one of concern and nervousness. "Emperor Bowser..." Shelldon said slowly. "If we were to do that, we would certainly be destroyed. We don't know what kind of weapons Ludwig has yet to show us. If we were to draw all forces to here in Koopa Central, we can set up the ultimate defence. Fight Ludwig on our home turf. If we can capture him, the war will be over."
"Defence!?" Bowser exclaimed in disgust. "Defence is for sissies! Let me roast em' with my fire breath!" How did this idiotic Hammer Bro get to be the Grand General, anyway? What kind of a strategy was this?
Bowser Jr's voice suddenly interrupted Bowser's thoughts. "Dad." his son said, looking up at him with his red eyes. There was affection in them, and fear. Bowser hated the thought. He was the Koopa Emperor, for goodness sake, not a baby! What was there to fear? "Shelldon's right." Bowser Junior continued. "Listen to him, Dad! Do you really want to let Ludwig win! He'll tell stories about how stupid you were, charging right into his army and letting yourself be beaten! You're better than that! You're Bowser!"
Bowser leaned back in his throne and clenched his fist, growling. "Fine." he sulked. "Let Ludwig come. We'll give him a welcome he'll never forget!"
Larry felt alone as he stood in the centre of Ludwig's vast throne room. He stood on the hard marble floor, on a design made of sapphire depicting Ludwig's insignia, while before him, on a golden throne on a raised dais, Ludwig sat, glaring at him contemptuously. Thunder rumbled outside, sending a white flash through the ornate hall.
"You stupid little brother!" Ludwig hissed, his claws digging in to his golden armrest. Roy, Wendy, King Boo, and the Neo Empire's other generals looked around nervously. Larry felt uncomfortable. He wasn't in control of this situation, and he was always in control. "I gave you that fleet because I thought you had more sense than Roy. It seems I was wrong. Not only did you let Princess Peach get away, you retreated as soon as our father showed his ugly head. Were you scared of him, Larry? Are you a coward!?"
Larry sighed, closing his eyes. "Big Bro, Dad had, like, one hundred new battleships, plus some gigantic one that I assume was his. We were outnumbered, Lud. We would've been blown to smithereens."
"No technology made by my father can surpass my new Airship Mk. IIIs!" Ludwig exclaimed, his voice booming throughout the hall. "Once my flagship, the Symphony of Destruction, is finished, Father's fleet will be no match for me! The old empire is finished! We could've won the war yesterday if not for your incompetence!"
Larry sighed. Things weren't going well. He'd always been well-liked by Ludwig, but once his brother got this angry, it could be ages before he loosened up. He'd have to start thinking of a strategy around this fast.
"Ludwig." Roy grunted from his place beside the throne. "Come on, let me at em'! I'm tougher than Larry. I'll crush both Luigi and Dad, and make there there's no resistance to boot!"
"Shut up, Roy." Ludwig silenced him with a contemptuous wave of his hand. "You don't interest me."
"Then let me do it!" Wendy insisted in her high-pitched voice. "I guarantee, my troops are top-notch. I-"
"No." Ludwig said decisively, getting up from his throne. "I will command our next attack personally. It's time I stop leaving my empire in the hands of imbeciles. Very soon, we will march on Koopa Central and end this. And...Larry, Roy, Wendy...we will do it my way."
The council room of Seven Stars was dark, save for one monitor which bathed Antonio in a beam of orange light. The Grand Star sat alone in silence, brooding on that events that had happened. Everything was going according to plan. It mattered not who had managed to secure Princess Peach. The end of the legendary conflict that had been going on for decades was near. Very soon, the Starfall would begin. Antonio had waited his entire life for this moment. Nothing would stop him now.
The door to the council chamber slid open without a sound and his brother Giovanni walked in. Due to the dim lightning throughout Seven Stars' headquarters, the open door did little to light up the council room.
"We've begun the process, Antonio." Giovanni reported. "We are waking Mario up, right now."
Antonio smiled. "Soon, my beautiful Red Star will once again grace this world." he said, leaning back on his chair. "Everything is going according to plan, Giovanni. Very soon our ambitions will be realized."
Giovanni nodded. "What news from our ally, Antonio?"
Antonio leaned forward and clasped his hands together, resting them on the glass table. "Nothing has changed in our plan, Giovanni. Even my lesser son's meddling has not set it back. Do not worry, Giovanni." Antonio's eyes seemed to shine in the dark orange light. "The Mushroom World will soon be no more."
