Author's Notes: All right. Let's get one thing straight. This is not a parody of the movie "Charlie's Angels." I watched half the movie and hated it. So try not to think of that piece of crap while you're reading this. They are not related. I just liked the title, okay?? Okay...glad we got that sorted out. And the plot thickens...Enjoy!
Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom had simply disappeared from the party. The Marios had never shown up at all. Toad was fretting his little mushroom cap off all the while and jumped up when the private telephone rang.
"Yes? Uh, this is Toad, the Princess'…oh…oh thank you thank you thank you thank you! ...yes…what…oh…oooooohh…" He flopped onto the stool next to him. "Oh no…"
A tall servant stepped into the throne room. Wiping all emotion from his face, he stepped forward.
"Your highness…"
"Goldthwaight, I was about to go to bed."
"I'm sorry for bothering her highness at such a later hour, but…it seems you have a visitor."
"Oh." Confusion crossed her face. "Who?"
"Princess Peach."
"Peach?" The girl stood up, alarmed. "Here?"
"She seems urgent to speak with you."
"Yes, let her in!"
Only seconds after the servant left, Peach arrived. She was bedraggled, distraught, and wet to the bone.
"Daisy…are they here?"
"Is who here?" asked the younger Princess, rushing forward to help Peach into a chair.
"The Marios…Luigi…Mario…"
"No, I've not seen Luigi since this afternoon, around five. Please sit down, you're soaked-"
"He was here?" Peach grasped Daisy's shoulders urgently. "What did he say? Did he act strange?"
"No, not at all. Peach, what is this about?"
She swallowed, hugging herself and sitting down. "They're gone."
"What?!"
"They're gone…left, disappeared, or…they're just gone."
"Did they leave?" asked Daisy with worry.
"No…I don't think so. I don't know. Their house, it was a mess. I came to see them and no one was home, things were everywhere, it's like they were…" She couldn't finish her sentence.
Daisy was simply frozen. Luigi hadn't said anything about leaving, he only spoke of the Mushroom Kingdom's dinner party. It was such a shock to get over…the heroes had simply disappeared?
Daisy shook herself, then straightened her back. "Let me get you a blanket…does Toad know you're here?"
"N-no," Peach shivered.
Daisy quickly made the call. "Yes, Toad? It's all right, calm down, she is here with me…you're welcome…now, be a dear and stay calm while I tell you this…" Daisy didn't notice Peach raise her head and shake it fiercely. "The Marios are missing." Peach groaned., holding her head in her hands as Daisy hung up the phone.
"I think he took it rather well."
"Daisy," Peach began, trying to keep her cool, "he wasn't supposed to know. What would a kingdom do when their noble heroes go missing? Parading around the town like, headless chickens!"
Daisy looked apologetic enough; Peach always felt the royal girl from Sarasaland to be a flake, but flakes had feelings too.
"I'm sorry, it's just…so sudden…they're gone."
"I wish you'd stop saying that."
"Well, they are, Daisy. They're gone!"
"But it's…it is scary to think about," she whispered
. "Worse to see," Peach quietly agreed. They sat in silence until Daisy cleared her throat.
"You can spend the night here."
"No, I couldn't. I'll just take a coach-"
"Don't be silly, it is hours away and we have plenty of rooms…just until we get this sorted out."
"Daisy."
"Peach…please." She could see that staying in Sarasalnd would benefit Daisy more than herself. The poor thing was looking more distraught by the minute.
"Thank you."
Next morning…
Peach marched past the sleeping guards and shoved open her palace doors. "Toad!"
"Princess! You're home!"
'"I haven't the time to chat, Toad. I need you to take care of things while I'm gone."
"What kind of things?" asked the little mushroom in shock. Looking after the castle was quite an honorary task. "Where are you going?"
"Just…don't tell anyone about the Marios."
"Too late," groaned Daisy as she looked out the window. It was always easy to tell when big news was passing through the Mushroom Kingdom; mouths pressed to ears, little mushroom feet scurried about a bit faster, and daily tasks were forgotten. "Do you think they know?" asked Daisy worriedly.
"Toad…"
"Princess you know I wouldn't say anything please I didn't tell a soul you have to believe me please please and DON'T HURT ME!"
"Relax, Toad. I know you wouldn't tell."
"Whew." The little mushroom's shoulders went lax.
"I just want you to make sure the rumor doesn't last." Peach grabbed Daisy's hand and they were off again.
"Wait, Princess! How am I supposed to stop it?"
"Just be creative!" she shouted over her shoulder. "We'll be back soon!"
"Back from where?!" Toad cried hopelessly. "What's going on?"
Bowser Koopa idly examined his sharp claws, thinking. He had heard about the rumor of the Mario's "disappearance," and it brought a grin to his scaly green face.
"Rumor indeed," he chuckled knowingly. Now that the Marios were finally gone, he could take a little rest and relaxation before he took Peach's place as ruler. Still, he couldn't help but wonder-
He was torn from his thoughts when the doors to his throne room crashed open, and two figures were silhouetted against the torchlight.
"King Koopa, I demand to have a word with you!"
A small Troopa entered behind them, panting. "I…tried to stop them…"
"No, Harold, you didn't. But let them stay. I've been dying to see some fresh faces around here."
Peach stepped forward and stood her ground, but Daisy looked a little nervous. Bowser grinned at her. "Fresh faces indeed."
"Where are the Marios?" demanded Peach brazenly.
"Cut to the chase, do we?" He yawned, sounding bored. "What makes you think I have them, your highness?"
"Well, let me think," Peach countered sarcastically. "If they've suddenly gone missing, without a word, without a trace, where else would they be?"
"Not here."
"You lie!"
"Awe, Princess, it makes me sad that you don't trust me."
"Where are they?" she growled.
"Maybe they took a vacation," he suggested.
"And left their house looking like a trash heap??" Peach shrieked.
"Maybe they were in a rush to pack."
"Argh!" Peach looked like she was ready to pop.
"I hear Honolulu is very nice this time of year."
"Stop messing around, Koopa," frowned Daisy.
"That's King Koopa to you, Rosie."
"It's Daisy!"
"Sure, whatever. Look, what do you want me to say here?"
"That you have the Marios and you'll relinquish them without a fight."
Bowser snorted. "Not a chance if I even had them. I don't have them, and I don't have time for pointless conversations."
"Then tell us where they are!" pressed Peach.
"You're trying my patience," growled Bowser, narrowing his reptilian eyes.
"And you're trying ours," sneered Peach. The Princesses and the giant turtle had a bit of a staring contest, until Bowser's scaly hand grasped a lever next to his throne.
"You're leaving now."
Daisy set her jaw. "Not until you tell us-" Her sentence was cut off by a scream as the floor swallowed them up and they plummeted into darkness.
"Good riddance," mumbled Bowser, putting two fingers to his temple. He had enough things to think about without fretting over two royal brats.
Still screaming, both Princesses were dispensed onto a sandy spot directly outside Bowser's Keep.
"Well," sighed Peach, standing up to brush off her gown. "That didn't work. Now what shall we do?"
"Can we do it again?" squealed Daisy. Peach gave her an odd look, then shook her head.
"Bowser's not talking. This means we need brute force."
"I thought we were the brute force."
"Not forceful enough, Daisy. We obviously need some help."
"But…who shall we ask? The Marios would have been my guess…"
"If they weren't the ones we were looking for," retorted Peach. "I've got an idea, but it's quite a risk."
"What's your idea?" Daisy asked bravely.
"We'll have to go to the Marios' world…up there," Peach gulped.
Daisy withered. "You mean in New York?"
"In Brooklyn, yes."
"Well, who is there that can help? I thought they didn't have any family…do they?"
"Not exactly," Peach said sadly.
"Then who?"
Peach found she couldn't answer. Her mind was elsewhere, drifting on some lost memory. She finally whispered, "Pauline."