Chapter Three: Conspiring with the Devil
The princess wore a yellow dress. White flowers adorned her beautiful brown hair and she walked with careful ease. Her name was Daisy, and she was a few years older than her sister Peach. Often overlooked, she lived in the shadow of her younger and more attractive sister. Perhaps that is why she became attached to Luigi, for he was often overlooked. When they got to be together, they were never bothered. That is the way Daisy liked it. She would rather be happy with the man she loved, than in the public eye and constantly being coveted by manic koopas.
Princess Daisy walked slowly and cautiously out of the Mushroom Kingdom courtyard. She glided past the sunny gardens and gleaming fountains. Such a beautiful day shouldn't be spent indoors crying and feeling depressed. As she strolled down the path, she stopped abruptly and bent down to pick up a few daisies. She looked around to see the beautiful looking castle, and when she saw that nobody was watching her, she walked off the path and next to a pond nearby. She fixed her hair in the water's reflection and sat comfortably down. Still gazing at her reflection, she reached for her hair and removed a daisy.
The princess picked the petals of the daisy and, one by one, dropped the petals into the water. As the ripples grew larger and larger, the color of the pond began to change from a crystal blue to a black colored tar pit. Bubbles began to form from the tar pit and then the color changed again into a red lava. The temperature rose greatly and the lava pit started giving off steam.
"Mua-hahahahahahaha!" roared a voice that came from the lava pit.
"Good morning to you too." Daisy sang, still sitting calmly, as if nothing had just happened.
"Well, I am glad I am not the only one who is enthusiastic," the bellowing voice continued. "So how did it go last night, any problems?"
"Not really, no. I am just glad things went on as planned." the princess answered. "It was actually quite fast, no one suspects a thing."
"Good then, so what's the status of the second phase."
"All the plans are in order sir," replied Daisy, quite dully. "Give it a few hours for her to be ready and settled in."
"Oh great, my Peach is going to love her new place." replied the great voice from the lava pit.
"So have you thought about him. I mean, what are you going to do this time when that old plumber tries to rescue his princess again?" said a very monotone sounding Daisy.
"Well that's when you come in of course!" roared the voice.
"What ever do you mean?" said Daisy in a not-so-surprised voice.
"I want you to dispose of the hero, I know you can do it. He'll never expect it from you. And you won't have any objection from that Luigi friend of yours, he wouldn't hurt his lovely little Daisy, now. Would he?"
"I would surely think not" she mocked. "And then you won't have anyone stopping you from taking your lovely little Peach."
"Ok then it's settled." the voice said. "Oh and Daisy, one thing... make sure my Peach doesn't have a scratch on her." And with that, the bubbling pit of lava was gone. All that remained was a warm clear liquid.
"Yeah, I'll make sure your damn peachy girl is safe." muttered Daisy under her breath, in a voice that was not hers. She got up and fixed her hair once again in the reflection of the pond. Daisy looked up to see that the coast was clear and made her way to the edge of the castle. She, however, started to walk in the opposite direction, continuing on the path into a forest clearing. A sign posted she had passed read, 'Next stop: Mario and Luigi's house.'