Poor Toad was left alone for a week. This was much longer than his Princess intended to be gone. He knew something was wrong, but the Chancellor, who had temporarily filled her position, was in no place to go about starting wars with their life-long enemy.
So Toad sat and waited, sadly staring out across the Mushroom Kingdom from a palace window, occasionally taking a walk if the castle further depressed him. Everything reminded him of the Princess, whom he worried about day and night.
Seven days, and no one had heard from the Marios. The kingdom would be in an uproar if this kept up any longer. Sniffling, he sadly looked up and realized he had been nearing the city limits, with Desert World but a block away. Gasping, he started to back away, wanting nothing to do with that parched country.
Squinting against the dusky desert sky, however, he spotted something he had never seen in the desert. Something tall and funny shaped was coming closer to the city. He assumed it was some cross breed of the natural habitants of the dry land, but upon further staring he saw it was a person…carrying someone else.
Eyes growing wide in astonishment, he raced forward as fast as his stubby legs would carry him.
Mario saw the little mushroom charging towards him, and saw that he was only a few steps away from green, green grass. He wheezed a sigh of relief and fell forward to his knees. His unconscious brother rolled out of his arms and onto the grass. Toad had attracted quite a crowd with his shouting.
"Mario's back! Help me! Someone help me!"
He felt little mushroom hands on his head, his arms, and he shook them off, and they focused their attention on Luigi. In the entire bustle, someone handed the plumber a bucket, and he choked down the sweet, cold water.
Tossing the bucket aside, Mario leaned forward on his hands and knees, bowing his head and closing his eyes. His fingers, which had longed for that cool grass for days, clenched it mercilessly, fiercely. Sweat dripping off the ends of his dark hair, he opened his eyes, narrowed into vengeful slits. He shivered not from exhaustion, but from rage alone.
He will pay.
The next morning, Peach awoke to find a brown paper package at the foot of her bed. Frowning and rubbing her eyes, she sat up and investigated it. Nothing was written on it, no name, and no address. Peach gingerly unwrapped the paper, soft from years of use. It smelled of smoke and sulfur, and she tried to ignore it as she pulled away the last fold.
She gave a small gasp of surprise. It was a dress, simple in design and plain in texture. Its color was a deep, midnight blue, nothing else. Fingering the slightly puffed shoulders on the sleeves, Peach looked up in wonderment and saw Shelly watching her from the door, a shy smile on her face.
"Did…did you make this for me?"
The Troopa shuffled inside, still blushing. "Yes, your highness. I…I worked on it when you were sleeping. I know it's not much…" Peach picked it up gently and held it out in front of her, still in awe.
"No, Shelly. It's…it's beautiful." Peach smiled her thanks as the Troopa straightened her bedcovers.
"Lord Koopa wanted me to make it for you. I worked on it as fast as I could…"
"Koopa?" asked Peach, frowning a little.
"Yes, your highness. He thought you would be needing something new, since your dress is…rather…amiss."
The corner of Peach's mouth lifted slightly as her frown slowly melted away. "Did he, now?"
"Yes, your highness. He wanted me to get on it right away."
"Thank you so much." Peach was silent for a moment as she placed the garment in her lap, tracing her finger along the careful stitching.
"Do you sew all the time?"
"No, miss. Only when I…have the time."
"Well, what are your usual duties?"
Shelly looked almost alarmed. She gazed down at the floor, still balling up the paper. "My Lord would never…he…" Frozen, the Troopa's expression grew wistful. "He…he did."
"Why?" begged Peach. "Why would he hurt you? You are so dutiful and dependable…"
Shelly's face was deadpan now, still staring at the floor. Her bright green eyes blurred with tears. "But the others…the others…" She sighed blankly. "The others were not." She blinked, and a tear escaped her eye, falling to the floor. Shelly jumped, as if she heard the drop hit the rug and she shook herself, walking briskly to the far wall, tossing the paper ball into the fireplace. After a moment she turned and faced the Princess, smiling softly.
"I hope you like your gown, miss. I'll get some bathwater ready…" With those words, she left the room.
Peach watched her leave, still curious about the Troopa's past but willing to leave it be. Sighing softly, she looked back at the dress in her hands and folded it carefully, placing it on the chair next to her bed.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn't afford to be turned down again. Opening the door, he saw Peach, still in her pink dress, still gazing out the window but looked timidly pleased to see him.
"Hello," she said softly. Was that a small smile he saw on her face?
"Hello. Um…" He fought the urge to lower his head and rub his neck. "Supper is ready, if you would…join me."
Peach froze, gazing at him. After a moment of thought she shook her head sadly. "I…don't think I'm feeling up to getting out yet. Shelly keeps me under close watch," she added quickly, hoping to console him with a valid excuse.
He did not smile, yet he did not frown. She watched his expression sort of fall, but his back stayed straight and tall.
"M-maybe tomorrow," Peach chimed. Bowser nodded and backed out of the room.
"I'll have your meal delivered to you."
Peach felt relief and surprise all at once. So he wasn't going to let her starve after all. Watching the door long after he left, she pushed back the covers and slowly stood, regaining her shaky sense of balance. Shelly had left her with a wooden tub to bathe in, and she resigned herself to cleaning off weeks of dirt.
Once she was clean, she debated with herself about wearing the new gown or not. After all, her pink one was old and tattered, not to mention filthy. On the other hand, she did not want to give Bowser the satisfaction of seeing her in the dress he asked to be made for her. Still…her old one was so filthy…
Reasoning that she should be kept clean, she slid into the dark blue dress, watching herself in the mirror. It didn't matter what he thought, she would not be seen in her dirty old pink gown for a long time…
How long did he intend to keep her here? She had only just remembered she was his prisoner for eternity. Was escaping still an option? She forced herself to think of something else as she crept to the door and cracked it open carefully. A startled Troopa servant met her gaze. He struggled to carry a tray of food and Peach regarded him apologetically.
"Tell him I won't need this."
His anger was subdued by the fact that, try as he would to hide it from the world, he had feelings for her. He had hoped that she-no…no it would never be. She could never see him as anything but the marauding king of darkness he was. He couldn't blame her. He knew he was ugly, when compared to the soft skin and more shapely form of humans. He could see no reason why she would want to be seen with someone like him. Embarrassed and disheartened, he sat up from his chair, preparing to leave, when his eye caught something in the doorway.
It was her. Wearing that simple blue gown Shelly had so dutifully crafted. Looking sorry and scared but maybe a little hopeful. Once again, he was speechless.
He was speechless through most of the meal he shared, which added to his embarrassment. What could he do to entertain? What could he do to make her stay more enjoyable?
Her "stay?" Was that all it was now? She was still his prisoner…wasn't she? A frown crossed his face but he quickly wiped it away so she would not notice. He kept thinking about what more he could give her, but there was nothing here for a Princess. Nothing in this dreadful castle for something as lovely as her. True, he had given her a dress, but…it wasn't enough.
Why would he give her something, anyway? To impress her? To make her want to stay and feel needed? Or just because?
No, he would give because she deserved more. She deserved anything and everything that was beautiful in this world. The oceans, the flowers, the sun, the moon, the stars… Suddenly, he was struck with an idea. Getting up from the table he held out a hand. "I have to show you something."
Still wary but still trusting, she stood up and walked towards him. He turned before she was too close, and went to a nearby window that stretched from the ceiling to the floor. He opened it softly, taking notice of the tiny space of balcony outside and turned. She stood in front of him and looked up at him expectantly. She was so close…
Afraid to touch her, he beckoned with his hand to step outside. He watched her expression, still expectant, sort of fall at the dark night scene outside his dark, dark castle. Forcing back anxiety, he found he could only whisper. "Look up."
She did, and found herself looking at a sky full of stars. She gasped, surprised that they actually shone in Dark World.
They were so pretty, and they were everywhere. Every little twinkle was like a beautiful, exquisite diamond, suspended there in space. She stretched over the railing carefully to look at the ones hiding behind the tall face of the castle. When was the last time she had looked at the stars? She couldn't remember, exactly.
"Do you like them?" she heard Bowser nervously ask.
She nodded, starting to smile. "Yes."
"Good. Because they're all yours."
She stopped and looked at him curiously. "Mine?"
He nodded hesitantly. "I've giving them to you."
She smiled again, a little more sadly. No one had ever given her a sky full of stars before…
He didn't look at her and struggled for words. "They're a mirror. When you look up at them…you can see yourself."
To the untrained ear, such a statement would be meaningless. Peach, however, heard the true meaning behind those words.
And tears came to her eyes.
When Bowser saw her moist blue eyes, he was reminded again of the stars above before he thought of something comforting to say. When nothing came to him, he felt foolish again, and uncomfortably turned to watch the stars.
He heard her small voice murmur. "That's one of the…" She stopped and started over. "Thank you, Bowser."
He liked hearing those words. He liked hearing her say his name, not just call him "Koopa." He liked the fact that she appreciated, maybe even loved his gift to her. He liked standing with her in the dark night, looking at the night stars that so resembled her smile, her eyes, her personality, her everything.
He never wanted it to end.
His brother was so sick. But he would get better.
His body was still so exhausted. But he would not give up.
He would not give up until every mushroom citizen he could muster was by his side, aiding him in releasing their Princess…his Princess.
She was not Bowser's Princess, nor would she ever be. Mario's determination drove him on to Dark World, to his mission, his confrontation.
And it would be the final confrontation. He would see to that. He would kill Bowser himself.
He will pay.
You don't want to know what I was thinking when I wrote that whole Shelly thing. I'm not even sure myself... O_o
