Here's the next chapter! Don't have much to say other than that. Enjoy (hopefully)!
May 9, 1601
Early Morning
*BRRRRRIIIIIINNNNNG!*
Junior scrambled to his feet with a yelp, the noise thundering in his ears. He covered the sides of his head, blinking the stickiness out of his eyes. He turned a glare towards the thing that had disturbed his dream. The alarm clock was blaring away. "Shut up!" Junior snapped. "Stop!"
*BBBBRRRRRRIIIIIIIINNNNNG!*
"Stop making noise!"
*BBBBBBBBBBBBRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNG!*
Junior grabbed it and shook it. All that did was distort the ringing, and the sound was beginning to hurt his head. Junior screamed and pounded a fist into it. The noise faltered, and he repeated the action thrice. It hurt his hand, but the clock's face was crumbled, the alarm reduced to a coughing whimper of sound. It flickered out, and Junior snorted. Stupid thing.
*Bring*
Junior chucked it into the wall. The clock crumbled to pieces upon impact. He snorted, crossing his arms and turning his nose up to it. Serves you right! His ears rung from the volume. He yawned, his eyelids heavy. Why'd I get up this early…? He wracked his brain for a couple seconds, but came up with nothing. He crawled back under the covers, resting his feet on his pillow. He closed his eyes.
Mama's Day! Junior gasped and jolted to his feet, his sheets getting caught on his tiny horns. He unhooked them with a growl. He leaped off the bed, clapping his hands together. Today's Mama's Day! I'm gonna go see Mama Peach! Junior dropped to his stomach, reaching under his bed and grabbing the small backpack he'd hidden there the night before. Inside it, he'd packed a notebook, a container of cookies, and a water bottle. He had pencils (of the normal and coloured variety) and a flashlight in his hammerspace. He hoisted it over his shell, adjusting the straps so that it hugged his body tight.
Junior crept across the room and pressed his ear to the door. He took out the flashlight as he opened it. He switched it on and moved the beam across the hallway. No guards were in sight, and a quick sniff didn't give him anyone's scent.
Junior closed his door. He moved slowly, sticking close to the wall and keeping his toe-claws from clacking on the stone as best he could. He kept the flashlight's beam a few feet ahead, and his nose and ears were on high alert.
A steady clink of armoured footsteps sounded ahead. Junior switched off his flashlight, his breath catching in his throat. Through the darkness, he spotted a statue of his papa, and he darted for the extra shadows it offered near the base. He put the flashlight away and crouched low, pressing his belly to the ground. His heart thumped as the guard, a Koopatrol, walked into view. I'm not here!
The Koopatrol guard passed by, their gaze hard-set on the hallway in front of them. Junior stared after them, his eyes wide, until the sound of their footsteps had long past faded. He let out a sigh as he picked himself up, checking the coast before continuing on. He couldn't get caught. If anyone saw him, they'd likely question him. Then he'd get in trouble for attempting to sneak out. But it's not like his papa would let him go. He still remembered asking if he could go visit Peach once, a couple years ago, and his papa had refused.
"Junior, it's too dangerous. Mario'll thrash you if he sees you!"
He was older now. He could take care of himself. Besides, Peach would protect him. She wouldn't let him get hurt.
Junior rubbed his eyes as he reached the storage room. He rose to his tip-toes, pressing his claws to the sensory pad. A green light slid up and down the pad as it scanned his talons. Junior's tail flicked. Hurry up!
A chime rang out, followed by a sharp *click!* as the lock disengaged. Junior flinched, his heart lurching. He glanced over his shoulders, the budding tension in his body easing upon spotting nobody. He pushed open the door to the storage room, shutting it behind him with an exhale. He shone the flashlight's beam across the room, along the crates of Mechakoopas and inanimate Bob-ombs, the three-foot steel tanks of evergas, and the Clown Cars. He grinned upon the beam laying rest on his Junior Clown Car, which was parked in its holder next to his father's.
Junior scuttled towards it, hopping over a stray Mechakoopa as he went. He transferred the flashlight to his mouth as he climbed into the vehicle. He about-faced to access the dashboard. He stuck his claw in the small hole to the far right, and the Clown Car whirred to life. Its headlights activated, and Junior tucked his flashlight back into his shell. With a press of a button, the bars that held the car in place flicked up and back, leaving the Clown Car to hover on its own. Junior steered it out and up. He few for the room's back, where the teleport pad awaited.
He came to a stop above the large circle, which flickered on with a blue light. A blue-lined map of the castle appeared on small square screen of the Clown Car's dashboard, white dots marking the outs of the teleport pad. He pressed the one on the west lookout tower, and in a flash of blueish-white light, the scenery changed.
Junior now hovered in the centre of a small, circular room. There were four perpendicular exits, leading to a narrow balcony that wrapped around the tower. A ladder was on the wall to his forward-left, leading up through a small hole to the turret. Junior moved his Clown Car off the portal.
"Oh Klevar, really?"
Junior gasped, then he clapped his hands over his mouth. Using one hand, he slowly rotated the Clown Car, spotting a Lakitu pacing on his cloud. He had a pair of binoculars in his dangling hand, the other holding a phone up to his ear. His mouth fell open into a gasp of laugher. "Did she really? How'd that go?"
Junior let out a sigh. He's not paying attention. Phew. I gotta leave before he sees me! Junior placed his hands on the Clown Car's rim, his thumbs resting on the control joysticks. He turned the Clown Car and flew out the exit opposite to the Lakitu. He put the vehicle to top speed, making a straight shot away from the castle.
Once it was out of sight, Junior jerked the Clown Car to a halt. He turned back, a grin creeping onto his face. He pumped a fist into the air, giving a victory leap. "Yes!" He whipped around, his claws dancing across the screen as he set his ELNS to Peach's Castle. With a blip, the system took it and zoomed out on the map, two blinking dots noting his current position and destination.
Junior grinned, kicking the Clown Car back to full speed. His grip on the rim was tight, and he narrowed his eyes against the wind. "Mama Peach, here I come!"
—AMDG—
The flight to Peach's castle was more tiring that Junior thought it would be. He was fighting back drooping eyelids, and yawns occurred every other minute, the break between them rapidly shrinking. Luckily for him, his trip was almost over. He'd just crossed GrassLand's border, and his ETA was ten minutes. Junior powered through another yawn. Almost there… I'll get to see Mama Peach soon.
Three minutes later, he spotted the castle's outline.
Junior gasped, his fatigue leaving him as he hopped in place. His claws curled into the rim of the Clown Car, and his tail wagged. His chest swelled, and a smile was locked onto his face. Yes! YES YES YES! He'd get to see Peach soon! He'd get to see Peach soon! He yelped as his Clown Car rocked, and he halted his celebration to steady it. Gotta stay focused!
The castle came into greater clarity as he neared, and he glanced at the time. 7:26. She probably was still asleep. He frowned. I could surprise her with something! His face lit up. The cookies! He could give her the remaining cookies as a Mama's Day gift! They could be her breakfast-in-bed! He switched the Clown Car to auto-pilot, and he hoisted the backpack off his shell. He unzipped it and took out the cookie container, tucking it under his arm as he resumed control.
Junior flew over the still-sleeping Toad Town, his smile growing as he neared the castle. His heart pattered in his chest. Can't wait! Gonna see Mama Peach! He could just imagine what the look on her face would be when she saw him. She would be just as excited as him, and she would give him the best smile in the world. She'd give him a warm hug, and then he'd give her the cookies and explain his idea. She'd love it.
Junior banked around the castle, his eyes flicking from window to window, balcony to balcony— There! There was Peach's balcony, on the top floor. Junior bit back a shriek that pressed against his throat. He wanted to surprise Peach, not alert her before he arrived. He wanted her to wake up to see his face.
Junior landed the Clown Car on the balcony, switching it off with another twist of his claw in the ignition hole. He left his backpack and hopped out, tapping the ground on the back of his heels. He slowly opened the window-doors that lead to Peach's room.
He spotted her in bed, laying immersed up to her chest in the plush blankets. His tail perked up, and it took every ounce of self-control not to race across the room to greet her. He took a few heavy breaths. Gotta be good!
Junior re-adjusted the cookies under his arm. He scuttled across the room, hauling himself up on the end of her four-poster bed. She let out a small noise, shifting a little, and he froze. Peach rolled onto her other side, a small smile on her face. Her arm was positioned just right… Junior could curl up against her. A yawn overtook him, reminding him of his exhaustion. He set the cookies down on the ground and crawled towards her. Just for a little bit.
Junior peeled up the covers and ducked under them. He nosed under her arm, letting it drape over his neck. The mattress sank under his weight, the fuzzy blankets pleasant on his scales. He curled close to Peach's body, relaxing as her warmth flooded onto him. Just like Papa… He let out a soft sigh, his eyes drifting shut…
—AMDG—
A high-pitched, piercing sound was what woke him. It was right next to his ear, and a ring started to throb in his head. Junior groaned, rolling over. "Noooooo…" Don't wanna get up…
"J-J-Junior?"
Junior's eyes peeled open. He raised his head. "Mama Peach…?" What was she doing there? He didn't remember his Papa kidnapping her.
Mama's Day.
His plan.
Right. He was at Peach's Castle. He was with his mama. A grin split his face, and he scrambled to his feet, spinning to face her. "Mama Peach! Mama Peach!"
She was standing a few feet away from the bed, staring at him with wide eyes. She wore a knee-length pink nightdress, the sleeves short and puffy. Her fingers covered her mouth, and her chest rose and fell at a rapid pace. She must be excited to see me, too! Junior bounced towards her. He threw his arms out. "Surprise! Happy Mama's Day!"
Peach swallowed, lowering her hands down to her chest. "Wh-what?"
"It's Mama's Day!" Junior hopped off the bed, prancing around her. And I'm with you! "It's Mama's Day! We're gonna spend Mama's Day together, Mama Peach! I came to visit!"
"You… did?"
"Yeah!" Junior gasped, halting. "Oh! I brought you something!" He got the cookies from the foot of her bed, holding the container up to her. "Here you go! This is for being the best mama ever!"
After a few moments, Peach slowly took the container from his hands. His tail went faster than a propeller as she pried off the lid. She stared down at the cookies for a few moments. She met his eyes.
"Um… thank you, Junior. This is… sweet." She set the container down on the bed, taking out one of the chocolate-chip cookies. She took a small bite, smiling a little. "Mmm… Did you make these?" she asked after swallowing.
She'll be impressed if I say yes! "Yup!" Junior nodded, his smile huge. "All by myself! Do you like it?"
"Yes. It was very good." Peach set it down. "I'll finish it later, okay?" He nodded. She sucked in a breath, letting out a long sigh. "Junior… I appreciate that you came all the way here to see me, it was a sweet thing to do, really… but you really should go home."
"Home?" Junior's face collapsed. "Home?" But I snuck out to see you! He couldn't tell her that. If she knew he snuck out, then she'd make him go home no matter what he said. He'd have to convince her to let him stay. "But it's Mama's Day! You're my mama, so I wanna spend the day with you!"
"Junior…" Peach sat heavily on the edge of her bed. She folded her hands in her lap, directing her gaze to them. "No matter what your father tells you, I'm not your mother."
Junior's expression narrowed into the start of a glare. "Papa doesn't tell me anything. You're my mama because I want you to be."
"But he encourages it, and he put the idea in your head in the first place." Peach shook her head. "I don't mind treating you… like… a mother would now and then, but this is pushing it. I get you don't have a real mother, and I feel for you. Really, I do, but I can't be a substitute. I'm sorry, but you have to go home."
Tears stung Junior's eyes. "NO!" He stamped a foot. "I'm not going home! I wanna spend Mama's Day with you! I wanna stay here with you!"
"Junior, please!" Peach pleaded. "Just go!"
"NO!" Junior threw himself onto the ground. Tears exploded, and he let out a scream. He pounded his fists on the floor, kicking his feet. "I won't go home! I WON'T! I WOOOOON'T!" Peach couldn't do this to him! She couldn't make him leave! He wanted to spend a day with his mama, and he was going to do it!
"Junior, keep it down!" Peach waved her hands, glancing at the door. "Toads are trying to sleep!"
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOO! LEMME STAY! If you don't, I'm gonna take you to Papa! I'm gonna kidnap you or get someone to kidnap you for me!" Junior continued to kick and pound and scream. He wouldn't go home. He wouldn't. He was staying here. With Peach. He wanted a day with her. He was getting one, even if it meant that he would try and kidnap her himself. It couldn't be that hard, could it?
"Okay, Junior! Stop! You can stay!"
Junior stilled, sniffling as he wiped away his tears. He cracked a smile, turning his distorted vision up towards her. "Thanks, Mama Peach."
She kept her eyes to the side, her posture slouched and a frown prominent on her face. "Just promise to listen and behave, please."
"Yes, Mama Peach." Junior rose to his feet. He padded over to her. "I'll listen to you. I'll do what'cha want." He hugged her legs, leaning against her with a content sigh. "We'll have the very best Mama's Day ever."
"Junior… can I just ask you one favor?"
"Yes, Mama Peach?"
"Can you… tonight, go home without complaining? You can spend the day here, but I think it would be best for you to go back home after… dinner."
After dinner! That meant he had the whole day with Peach! The whole day! They could do so much together! "Okay." He'd kinda been hoping he could stay the night, but he wasn't going to push his luck. He could only go for so long without someone at the castle figuring out where he had gone. "Can we do stuff together? I have some stuff I wanna do."
"Yes, Junior. We can do things together." Peach sighed. "I'll just need to get ready."
"Okay." Junior scrambled onto the bed besides her. He snatched a cookie out of the container, munching on it as he kicked his feet.
"Junior, do you mind waiting in the hallway?" Peach asked, twiddling her fingers. "I would like to have some privacy."
"Um… why?" His papa never told him to leave whenever he got ready. He couldn't see why Peach wanted him to go.
Peach sighed. "Because… it's polite. I know your father doesn't really teach you that, but can you just wait outside? Please?" Her brow wrinkled a little, and she swallowed. "For… for me?"
For Mama… He nodded. "Okay. Don't take too long 'cuz then I'll get bored!" He gave her a quick hug and hopped off the bed. He skipped towards the door, leaving the room and making sure to shut it behind him. If Peach wanted some privacy (for whatever reason), he was gonna make sure nobody bothered her. Nobody else was allowed to be with her. She was his for the day.
Junior skipped and hopped around in the hall. He marched back and forth in front of Peach's door, pretending for a few moments to be a guard. He grew tired of it quickly, and he slumped onto his stomach in front of the door.
"Mama Peeeeeeaaach…" he moaned. "How much longer? You've been in there forever!"
She didn't reply.
"Mama Peach?" Junior opened the door, poking his head inside. He didn't spot her in the room, though light spilled out from the cracks of another door in the back. He padded towards it. "Mama?"
"Junior, please wait in the hall!" Peach's voice sounded from the other side. "I'll be out when I'm ready. Promise."
Junior's tail drooped. "You're taking forever…"
"I'll meet you in the hallway."
He sighed, turning and leaving the room. He closed the door and flopped onto his tail, leaning back against it. Hurry up, Mama Peach… He shut his eyes with a whine. His feet twitched. He wanted to start the day. He wanted to have fun. He wanted to have the best Mama's Day with the best mother in the world.
"Eeep!"
Junior cracked open an eye, lifting his head up to meet the wide eyes of a Toad. They stared at each other, blinking. The Toad screamed. He turned and fled, waving his arms like a maniac. "BOWSER'S HERE! BOWSER'S HEEEEEREE! PAAANIC! EVERYBODY PANIC! GET THE MARIO BROS!" the Toad shrieked.
Mario bros? Junior let out a half whine, half groan. Oh no…
Guess who's gonna show up next chapter?
Questions? Comments? Critiques? Let me know in a review or PM! I aim to improve with every word!