The first chapter is very short but hopefully the next few won't be. This is also a sequel to my other story "A New Challenger" so if you want more context you might want to read that first, but I'll write this in a way that doesn't alienate new readers.

Enjoy.

The Mushroom Kingdom, a place of peace, love and a place were bricks float for no reason. That is one of the many ways people described the Mushroom Kingdom. It was odd and weird, but it also held home to many nice and friendly people. Sure, Bowser's soldiers roamed around, and the monster could be bothersome, but that never stopped the people from loving their home.

One of the best examples of this was Toad. Toad was a textbook definition of simple, but lovable. He loved talking to people and making their day a good one. But for today, he just wanted to relax and enjoy fishing on his own on a river near Peach's castle.

Toad loved the quiet stream since it was behind Peach's castle none of the townsfolk went here. And since Toad was one of Peach's close friends he could fish as he pleased.

Toad took in a deep breath and released it. It had been a crazy year, Bowser taking over Peach's castle, Peach nearly dying at the Smash Brothers Tournament, and apparently, these "red flames" were popping up over the Kingdom. And not just here but in other Kingdoms as well. The pressure was mostly on Peach, but Toad still took part in it and it could be exhausting.

Regardless he wasn't going to let it get to him, he was here to fish and that was it. No drama, no near-death experience and no new creatures that made him question the universe he lived in.

Just fishing.

Nothing more.

… He then saw a body floating in the river.

When Toad looked to his left, he blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't dreaming. When the body came closer Toad got a clearer look of what he was looking at. Whoever this was, they had a bug -like-body, with long black arms and legs. They had a mask covering their face and grey-blue cloak covering the rest of their head.

Toad started to panic, he had to save him quickly before any boss basses swallowed them. He? Her? He wasn't sure it was hard to tell. Toad dropped his fishing rod on the dock and jumped in the river. He quickly grabbed the body and swam back as fast as his little feet allowed him to. Once he was back on the dock, he began doing CPR on the stranger. It was somewhat difficult since the stranger's body was shell-like, so Toad did the next best thing, shake and scream.

"Hey!" Toad shouted. "Wake up!" Toad shook the stranger a few times before he heard the stranger groaned.

"P-Please… don't shout…" he said.

"Oh uh, sorry." Toad took his hands off the man's shoulders. "We need to get you inside quick." Toad gently put his head under the man's right arm and attempted to lift the man to the castle, but he more so dragged him.

"Oh hey, what's your name?" asked Toad as he dragged the man.

"Q-Quirrel…" he said.

"So, how's your mission going?" asked Peach.

"Oh, you know same garbage, different dumpster." Replied Samus.

Peach was in her room talking with Samus through a screen calling device Samus gave her. That way they could talk long distances no matter how far Samus was. Samus herself was busy on a mission dealing with evil aliens as usual but found some downtime to talk with her girlfriend Peach.

"Are you going to be gone for long? Or is this a short mission, in and out?" asked Peach with a grin, she was hoping it was short.

"I don't think so; Boba Fett said this one is going to take a while."

"Wait, Who's Boba?"

"Oh right, I forgot to introduce to him." Samus chuckled to herself. She moved her device, so it was facing Boba Fett, who was busy piloting Samus's ship. "Hey Boba, this is Peach, my girlfriend."

Boba turned in his seat to face Samus.

"Hello." He said and then went back to piloting.

"He doesn't talk much." Said Samus.

"That's okay, Commander Shepard is with you, he'll talk." Peach teased.

"True. Anyway, I need to get back to work so, I'll see you later."

"See you then, love you." Peach winked as she spoke. Samus blushed.

"Bye babe."

After the call ended Peach sat back into her chair, looking up at the ceiling. She was starting to feel lonely, whenever Samus left to go do her job Peach missed having her around. She liked talking to her and snuggling up in bed every night. She had Toadette, Mario and Luigi to talk to. So, she wasn't always bored, but Samus was someone Peach could to talk about private stuff. That and Mario and Luigi were off helping Sonic with Dr. Eggman, so they weren't available to talk to.

A knock came from her door. "Come in," she said. Toadette walked in.

"Hello, Peach. I have the newest reports." She walked up to Peach's desk and placed the folders she was carrying on it.

"Oh boy, paperwork." Peach said sarcastically.

She flipped through the multiple folders that came in, most of them were harmless, a chomp-chomp on the loose, a few boos taking over a pizza shop, basic stuff. However, one folder caught her eye.

"Another one?" she opened it up and read it to herself. "Great, another red flame with some crazy ghost using it as a weapon when someone comes near." Peach put her face into her hands.

"Where is it this time?" asked Toadette.

"Luigi's mansion. This is getting out of hand."

"Well, at least it can't- "

"Princess Peach!" a servant came running in, panting and sweaty.

"What is it?" asked Peach, startled.

"It's Toad… he… found a guy in the river." He said as he panted.

"Oh geez." Said Toadette.

"Well, I'm not bored at least." Said Peach as she got up an followed the servant.