Delfino Plaza, Royalty Suite Penthouse, 1:00 P.M.
Mario paced his immaculate, luxurious room; despite his gilded surroundings Mario could do nothing but stare out in at the building directly across the street from him. The Delfino Convention Center in front of the Royalty Suites hotel was hosting this year's MushroomCon. And this year's theme was centered around the world's leaders and royalty; the sheer amount of Princess Peach cosplayers, all dressing as sexily and enticingly as the woman herself would, made Mario feel even more pent-up and agitated that he could not join Peach and the Toads.
"She should have just left me in jail if she was just gonna order me to stay here." Mario said aloud; only FLUDD was there to keep him company. "This certainly appears to be quite a predicament, Mario. Data analysis verifies that the island's inhabitants are indeed troubled by criminal activity and a failing justice system in general, but these two issues in themselves are not the main problem." She said, perhaps unable to read that Mario wasn't particularly listening to her as she spoke.
"You witnessed the explosion of the dragonplant at the airstrip, correct? If you noticed, a certain object escaped from this creature when it died. This object is a Shine Sprite; they are the source of power on Isle Delfino. They normally gather in great numbers at the Shine Gate, but the graffiti incidents, as well as the numerous deaths and fatal injuries the Delfino citizens suffered yesterday in such quick succession has caused them to disperse and scatter, each Sprite seeking refuge elsewhere in their own way. What is more, the Delfino Mafia's practices at this time of the year has further affected the morale of the citizens and tourists alike." Mario's fist shook, as he thought of Princess Peach just across the street from the hotel fraternizing with other men who were very likely convincing Luigi cosplayers. His blood boiled at the thought of how often Peach went out of her way to spend time with Luigi.
"It should be me she loves!" Mario said aloud, but FLUDD did not so much as miss a beat.
"-When Peach returns for the evening, we must do our best to resolve the situation." FLUDD ended, and on that sentiment alone Mario more than agreed.
"Oh, I fully plan to resolve this predicament." Mario said with a low, cunning chuckle.
MushroomCon Main Lobby, 1:30 P.M.
"Now, that's a really good Peach costume!" A young woman in the background said, and it was clearly directed at the Princess. Toadsworth was about to speak up, until Peach placed a hand on his shoulder and indicated to just play along for the time being.
"Yeah, you definitely could pass as Peach's butt double, for sure. Have you considered becoming a bikini model?" Her guy friend asked. Peach giggled at the handsome man's compliment. "Oh, I have. I most certainly have thought about that a time or three." She said flirtatiously. She thought back to quite a few of the photoshoots and pin-ups she had done, and how much fun it was to be just another one of the girls on set as opposed to Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. As she observed the veritable sea of young women who could convincingly pull-off a Princess Peach cosplay, she felt as though a great weight was lifted off her shoulders, if for just this moment.
"Say, I bet you even know how to twerk like Princess Peach does, too." Another young man, this time cosplaying as Prince Nectarine said. "Well, I do certainly like to shake my booty every so often." She continued to play along, as Toadsworth left her to it.
He knew he'd regret letting Peach out of his sight. Yes, she stood 6'1", had butt-length blonde-hair (though it was currently tied into a ponytail), full pink lips and was quite leggy and curvy (as pointed out by the amorous male youths at this convention). However, the sheer number of attractive young women at this convention who stood between 5'10" and 6'3" just spelled out to him that Peach wasn't even of unusual height in this setting. In fact, even as other princesses went, 'tall curvy blonde woman with nice legs and a wiggly behind' described at least three other royal women he regularly interacted with.
Toadsworth at times wondered why Mario was so obsessed with his goddaughter, more than anyone else. However, these times were ALSO the times Toadsworth forgot that there was so much more to his goddaughter than just a pretty face and cuddly-soft body. He observed that more and more people were quickly, if silently, figuring out that this particular Peach cosplayer was a cut above the rest, if they didn't outright figure out that this was the real woman altogether. Even as a toddler and then a little girl, Toadstool knew Peach was possessed of a natural charisma and magnetism that people gravitate towards. As a little girl, her impeccable manners and pious respectfulness towards even the lowest of the low made her God's gift to mankind. Unfortunately, Toadsworth was also a religious man in his mid-80s and well-read on his faith.
Meaning he knew EXACTLY how some evil men tended to treat God's gifts. First, he himself had been a young man, growing up right alongside Peach's grandmother. And then, he watched Queen Toadstool grow up. And now, Princess Peach was a woman of 21 and he had witnessed the exact same thing play out, each and every time. Before the guilt of that first time could return, however, he quickly jarred out of his thoughts when an announcer's voice sounded.
"All Princess Peach cosplayers, the Runway Contest is starting." He said. Toadsworth rolled his eyes, as he knew exactly what this Runway Contest would eventually entail. "I don't need this right now…" Toadsworth said as he got up and exited. He hated to think about the fact that his own granddaughter Toaddette had become an adult and had grown into a womanly figure. Though Peach was obviously not biologically related to him, but as if she were Toaddette Toadsworth just instinctively averted his eyes whenever Peach twerked or otherwise danced with her rear end in the air like she often did.
As soon as Toadsworth exited the building, however, he swore he saw a short-statured yet powerfully built man glaring down at the Convention Center from his vantage point on the Royal Suite Penthouse.
"Of course Master Mario would be staring oh-so-longingly from afar. Ah, to be under 30 again…" Toadsworth reminisced, until he remembered what he himself was like at this age. "Why the devil Queen Pressa saw fit to spare me all that I did…" Toadsworth sighed, as he realized just how much history was repeating itself with Mario and Peach. "Is perhaps the same reason Peach doesn't just do away with Master Mario." He told himself dejectedly, as he truly understood just how he might have been seen by others during his youth.
"Whatever is going to turn Mario's head for the better, I can only hope it happens sooner rather than later…"