Chapter Three:

Rise to Maturity

Using my broom, I intercepted the stork in question and claimed the children. I returned triumphantly to the castle only to find that I had only one of the two brothers. Worse yet, it wasn't the so-called chosen child, but the brother. I sensed a mystical link between the brothers that I could not quell, and I feared that, should the other elude me, he would grow up and hunt down his brother. I could not bring myself to kill the one child, so I decided to try and locate the other first; I'd deal with them both after that. Of course, the child just had to wind up on Yoshi Island, the location of the princes' summer home (Did you actually think I would deprive them of sun forever because of some silly decree?). I hired the Shy Guy Guild to bring me the child, I had the troops out there, and I even sent my dedicated Toadies into the fray. Of course, I helped them whenever I could get the chance, mainly at the local forts and castles we places at random locations.

Unfortunately, the child somehow obtained the help of the local Yoshi population, and they were far more formidable than we had predicted. One by one, the fortresses and castles fell as the horde of multicolored reptilians swept through like a plague. They penetrated as far as Prince Bowser's estate when I intervened. The green Yoshi that carried the infant—a child in its own right—was far too slow to hit me, but yet too fast to be hit. It reached Bowser's nursery, where I awaited to do battle with it. Now, way before this, I had made a terrible father figure. I was so busy trying to secure their future; I just spoiled Boom-Boom and Bowser by giving them whatever they asked for. It made things much simpler for me now, but I would eventually learn my mistake…

As for that moment, Bowser was certainly acting like a spoiled brat. My argument with the infiltrating Yoshi had awakened the young master, and that was something that displeased him in the most… displeasing way. After throwing a fit, the prince used his already-tremendous girth to flatten and cast me aside. His rage turned to childlike fascination as he took a liking to the Yoshi. I recall him saying something to the effect of, "What kinda green donkey is that? Looks like fun!" Of course, just learning to speak, he probably mispronounced some of the words. But my amazement at his calmness soon vanished as his greed took over, and the selfish child hurled himself at the Yoshi, dislodging the child so he could ride it.

I felt it was my last chance to nab the infant, so I took flight on my broom towards it. It figures, however, that he was sealed in a bubble of star power. I couldn't breach it in time. Yoshi hurled the prince to the floor and reclaimed the child. Bowser was on the verge of another fit when I used my magic on him. Even though he grew to tremendous size, that pesky Yoshi still managed to defeat him. The stork and the infants were free to continue their mission, and I was forced to take Bowser and Boom-Boom away from that nasty place. I must admit, ever since that incident I've developed an acute Yoshi-phobia.

Somehow, Boom-Boom remained unselfish despite my lack of discipline. Bowser, however, became very spoiled and self-centered. The only trait of personality Boom-Boom and Bowser shared at all was an inherited stubbornness. This stubbornness led into a great deal of sibling rivalry, as well as a great many arguments between the brothers. In fact, Boom-Boom and Bowser became such polar opposites that, in order to claim honor he felt he would never get in the royal family, Boom-Boom abdicated his right to the throne at the age of 13. Bowser was only 10 at the time, and he already knew he would live to be King of the Koopa Clan. He wasn't in the least bit concerned about the two children destined to meet him in battle. Those two boys, who disappeared until Bowser's 21st birthday, grew up to be Mario and Luigi.

Going back to Bowser's adolescence, I noticed quite peculiar things. Officially crowned the Koopa King on his 16th birthday, he had a lot of power in his fingertips. At the request of his generals, Bowser granted large sums of coins towards the military portion of the Koopa Clan. He seemed to think that we needed a large military for some reason. It didn't matter to the people; they were so far off the edge of despair, they were just begging for a reason to fight. Bowser's generous donations to the military gave the Koopa Clan something to hope for—to take their minds off their dull lives—and dream of.

His disinterest in honor, however, turned me off immensely. As the years went by, he became more obsessed with material possessions and his own welfare than that of the Clan's well being. As his foster father, I tried my best to discipline him, but he was far too steeped in his own self to heed. Lacking both the political power and physical might to properly alter his opinion; I gave up on it entirely. I pledged full, unbending allegiance to him. Eventually, I regained a chance to have minor influence over him when, at age 18, I was appointed Royal Vizier. Bowser became a great leader in the fact that he could inspire his people very easily. I personally believe, however, that this gift only comes from his striking similarities to his father, Bronx. Though he lived far more luxuriously than previous kings, the people seemed content for reasons I cannot explain. Morale was at an unusual high; it didn't make any sense at all.

If that weren't strange enough, more gems of the past would come to haunt me. One day, when Bowser was 10 years old, he was vacationing at Yoshi Island—I advised against this, but Bowser was too overjoyed by his brother's abdication to care—for the summer. While napping on the beach, our little tyrant-to-be was confronted by another visitor to the island: one Peach Toadstool by name. She was the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, as could plainly be seen by her crown and her lavish pink dress, and she seemed to be able to tell young Bowser was a Koopa. Yet, she confronted him. I remember watching from the trees, awaiting the possible scenario of my intervention. Here is, to the best of my memory, what occurred that day.

She lightly tapped his sleepy head and awaited a response. His body twitched at the touch of her gloved hand, and he awoke calmly from his slumber. She bent over to even her gaze with his and greeted him with a, "Hi, there!"

Bowser gave a deep yawn, sat up, and said, "Hello." Peach sat down as well, though it threw off the evenness of their eye level. The two stared at each other for a few seconds, then he asked, "What's your name?"

"Peach Toadstool," she answered with a giddy smile. "And you?"

Trying to act tough, he puffed out his chest and told her in a tough-guy voice, "I'm Bowser Koopa, prince of the Koopa Clan." Hearing this, I slapped my forehead.

"He's already said too much," I whispered to myself.

"I'm the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom," she seemed thrilled to inform him. At this point, I was frightened. If the Mushroom Kingdom found out about this, they'd descend upon us like a swarm of locusts! This childlike conversation continued for an hour while I looked about nervously for any sign of other Mushroom citizens. At the end of it, though, I heard a shout.

"Peach!" it hollered. "Princess Peach!"

"Coming!" Peach shouted in response. She then turned to Bowser and said, "If they see us, they'll run you out of the kingdom! Let's meet again sometime!"

"Okay," Bowser agreed uneasily. Princess Peach nodded for a farewell and ran off in the direction of the voice.

Ever since, Bowser seemed to develop an obsession with the Mushroom Kingdom and its inhabitants. Especially Princess Peach.