Chapter 4: Bandit's Way
"Be careful princess" Mario said directing a deadly glare at Bowser. You better not hurt her"
"Clearly I'm the only one who can save her" Bowser said. Peach could sense the tension in the air.
"It's Kamek's magic that is needed not your presence" Mario clarified. Luigi looked back and forth from his brother to Peach to Bowser.
"Kamek will do as I say!" Bowser roared. The plumber with the red hat was stating to end his patience.
"That's enough you two" Peach said stepping between them. "Mario I know you want what's best for me and you only worry because you care. You, Luigi and Toad are my dearest friends. Please trust me. I know I need rescuing all the time but other than that I think I can take care of myself. After all I might have been trapped but I was never injured." She hopped that calmed the two plumbers.
Mario considered her words. She was asking him to trust her as a friend... "Princess I..."
"Pease" Peach said. "I'll be alright I promise."
Mario nodded as Luigi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Be careful" the younger plumber said. Peach hugged them both and sent them back to the Mushroom Kingdom. Now the journey would begin.
"Where are we going?" Peach asked after the Mario brothers were gone.
"To a place just below Nimbus Land," As he said this Kamek walked towards them. "Which Kamek will find the exact location of very soon."
The magikoopa took the hint. "I'm certain I'll be able to find it when we arrive." His magic had not been able to locate it but he would figure out why once they got there. It couldn't be anything too hard to solve.
"Alright then let's go" Peach said heading towards the door.
Kamek was about to say something but Bowser stopped him. "Is the sword capable of keeping her alive all the way if we walk?" He asked once Peach was too far to hear.
"Of course, we could walk there and back many times and it would still work. She is in no immediate danger as long as she has that sword but its power will ware off in a few months, approximately three months" Kamek said. He had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going.
"In that case what's the hurry it won't even take one months to get there and come back let alone thee. We'll be back in a few days" Bowser said. Why not enjoy a little time with Peach while they were on this journey? He saw no harm in it if she was out of danger. "You already have everything you need for the spell right?"
"The items are easy to find, I'll collect them as we go along. What makes the spell hard to perform is the amount of magic it requires which I already have. In fact why don't I go on ahead and get everything ready and the two of you can meet me in Nimbus Land?" Kamek asked. He would be better off getting ready alone with out someone asking questions about the spell constantly interrupting.
"Then it's agreed. Go on ahead and get everything ready. Peach and I will meet you in Nimbus Land" Bowser said. This was better than he thought.
"Are you two coming?" They heard Peach's voice call. Bowser hurried to keep up he could see she was already across the bridge past the open main door of the castle. Kamek's broom appeared floating in front of him. He jumped on it and took off full speed. With any luck he would have all he needed for the spell with enough time left to take a day off while Peach and Bowser arrive. This may be a big deal for any other magikoopa but for Kamek this spell would be easy. He only had to figure out why he couldn't track the exact location with his magic. It was probably nothing he couldn't handle.
Seeing Peach's puzzled look as she watched Kamek disappear in the horizon Bowser said, "Kamek is going to get some items needed for the spell. We'll meet in Nimbus Land."
"I see..." Peach said. They both continued walking silently. They passed Mario's Pad and the Mushroom Kingdom at a considerable distance taking a shortcut through Bandit's Way.
"Princess wait up" Bowser called. He didn't know the princess could run this fast. She didn't run often, it wouldn't be something that a princess would do.
"C'mon let's not stay here all day" Peach said. It was already morning and they left pretty quickly. With all that happened about the curse they had completely forgotten about breakfast. Peach's stomach soon reminded her of it. Wait that wasn't her stomach she heard. "I guess you're hungry too?"
Bowser nodded as he ran to her. "I knew I was forgetting something."
"When we pass by Tadpole Pond I want to talk to Frogfucious" Peach said. She disappeared past some bushes and Bowser was quick to follow. Mushroom Way was pretty safe but not Bandit's Way. Croco had returned and formed a new band of thieves there.
"Where are you going princess?" A voice called hidden in the bushes.
"Who's there?" Peach looked around for anyone near by. That voice sounded familiar where had she heard it before?
A purple crocodile wearing dark red crocodile skin shoes jumped from behind the bushes pushing Peach to the ground by surprise. Her crown, shoes, brooch and ring were scattered on the ground and Croco was quick to pick them up. "Adios amiga!" Croco said as he made his escape.
Peach felt her eyes begin to water but at least he didn't try to steal her sword she dropped those other items that were given to her with the dress but managed to hold on to the sword.. She sniffled and told herself his was no time to cry. Unlike her fluffy friend Mallow who wished to stop being a cry baby she had never been afraid to cry when she felt like it but perhaps it was better not to this time. It certainly wouldn't help get her items back. "Come back here Croco!" She screamed chasing after the purple reptile.
Bowser who had lost sight of her followed the sound of her voice. "Peach!" There was something missing. He could see only her head behind the tall bushes. She wasn't wearing her crown. Croco must have stolen it, he would pay for that. He had also tried to steal from his castle not too long ago.
"Catch him!" Peach yelled.
Croco zoomed by past Bowser. The koopa king jumped at him and grabbed his tail. "What did you steal from Peach?"
"Ouch! Ouch! Let me go I'll give it back!" Croco said in pain. "I'm telling the truth honestly!" Bowser let him go seeing that Peach was already standing behind him. Croco would have speed away if not because when he turned around he came face to face with an angry princess. He gulped and stepped back a little but Bowser was in the way. "Just like I said I'll return what I stole. If you give me that nice sword you have" Croco said pulling a bomb out of his bag.
Peach didn't look happy about this. Bowser saw a pink light surrounding her taking the shape of a heart and he knew very well what came next. He stepped away from the line of fire. Croco looked quite confused but before he could try to run away a rain of bombs was rapidly thrown at him by Peach. It was her strongest attack that she had learned during their journey to defeat Smithy. Croco coughed smoke and twitched. The smaller bomb he held was detonated by the other that made it look like nothing. "I'll take this" Peach said taking his back and searching for her stolen items.
"Princess, princess!" A guard from the Mushroom Kingdom who look a lot like Toad ran in their direction. "I heard an explosion are you alright?" The Mushroom boy was small as Toad but he carried a large bazooka.
"We're fine Peach said looking at the oversized bazooka.
"Croco came by the Mushroom Kingdom but this time I didn't leave my bazooka at home. This time I was going to stop him but I guess that won't be necessary after all." He picked up a stick poked Croco who twitched in pain. "Do you think I should use this just in case?" He said pointing to the bazooka he carried on his back.
Peach and Bowser fell back anime style as it had happened to Mallow and Mario long ago with the same mushroom guard on the occasion that he had forgotten his bazooka at his house. "I think he's been defeated. Here, take his bag with you and return the items to their rightful owners"
"Yes princess, right away!" The mushroom boy said. He spotted Bowser whom with all the excitement he hasn't seen before. "Bowser!" He aimed the bazooka at the koopa king but Peach stopped him.
"It's alright. Bowser and I are not enemies at this moment. We have a deal." She didn't go into the specifics because she didn't want to worry anyone.
The mushroom boy looked even more scared now than before. "Is Smithy coming back? Will Mack return as well and those horrible bouncing monsters?"
"No, no, it's not that. Smithy doesn't have to be the only reason for us to be allies" Peach said. "Don't worry ok? The Star Road is fine. You should return to the Mushroom Kingdom"
"Yes princess!" The mushroom boy said. Carrying his bazooka and Croco's bag he returned to the Mushroom Kingdom.
'The Star Road' Peach thought. Maybe she wouldn't have to make the journey after all. But she found it odd that a wish hasn't been granted already. She had wished for her parents to be healed years ago but the wish wasn't granted. She would have to have a word with Frogfucious about that when they arrived at Tadpole Pond. "Let's be on our way now" She told Bowser before continuing towards Kero Sewers.
"You appear to be in a good mood despite what's been happening so far" Bowser observed.
"I was thinking about our journey to defeat Smithy. I left the Mushroom Kingdom to join Mario, Geno, Mallow and you because I wanted to help. I knew a little extra help would be good specially since Luigi was away at Sarasaland and couldn't return on time." Luigi had missed the fight against Smithy but at least he was back on time for the parade and celebrations. "I didn't want to live in a world without wishes even if mine were not always granted. Wishing is something everyone needs. During the journey I must admit I had fun. I should go out of the castle more but being a princess keeps me very busy sometimes. I was remembering those times while we were traveling. I didn't think things would go back to being the same after that time. I thought they would change for the better and that the change would last. But after you repaired your castle you kidnapped me again" Peach said.
"It's not like you came by like you said" Bowser said.
Peach looked confused but curious to hear more. "Like I said?"
"It was after the parade while everyone was watching the fireworks. I invited you to come visit some time and you said you would but you didn't" Bowser said.
Peach remembered what she had said but then she was thrown back into the routine of her royal duties and it slipped out of her mind. "I guess I should have. But you could have invited me over instead again of kidnapping me."
"Would you have willingly come? The only reason you're here now is to break the curse not because you want to make this journey with me" Bowser said.
Peach thought about his words. "I..." She saw the pipe that marked the entrance to Kero Sewers. "We're here" she said changing the subject but she still thought about it.
To be Continued
Disclaimer, I do not own the Super Mario games or any Nintendo characters.