Chapter 11: Fluffy the Sheep
"Good night my princess" Peach heard Bowser say. With her mixed emotions surfacing and flooding her thoughts it took her a moment to try to reply but no sound came as she was suddenly distracted by movement.
The egg she held was hatching! "It's hatching!" She said cheerfully. Bowser jumped out of bed and went to look even if his bed was right next to hers anyway.
A cute little sheep broke out from the eggshells. Its big eyes reflected childish innocence. "Baa" It said softly.
"Aw how cute" Peach removed the remaining eggshells and hugged the newborn gently. "Come little one mama Peach will get you clean up and give you some yummy milk and a nice warm blanket to keep you comfortable" The sheep looked happy as if she understood. Peach stood and headed towards the door. "Come on Bowser you can help me take care of her"
He followed the princess towards the home of Monster Mama who was all too happy to assist them even if it was a little late in the night. Everything appeared to be perfect. Peach was very happy with her new pet and Bowser was glad the gift turned out better then he expected. Little did he know that the egg wouldn't have hatched if it didn't sense love around it.
Bright and early the next day they headed to Bean Valley and from there to Nimbus Land getting up there faster than before thanks to Mokuka. It was in Nimbus Land where they were to meet Kamek. Mallow had invited them to be his guests of honor and of course they couldn't refuse. The people of Nimbus Land appeared happy that some of their heroes had come for a visit.
Peach was off somewhere in the castle having tea with Queen Nimbus who just had to hear more about that cute little sheep the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom had adopted. King Nimbus was unknown to Bowser searching for him around the palace to ask for his autograph and maybe a little 'demonstration' which the queen had prevented him from getting the first time they met. Prince Mallow was supposedly helping King Nimbus search but he was in fact leading his father in circles while he tried to convince him that asking Bowser to show him his fire breath was not a good idea no matter how cool it may look. King Nimbus was like a child sometimes.
While everyone was busy with their own activities, Kamek for a reason unknown to Bowser stayed quietly in the guestroom. Meanwhile Bowser visited the king's statue collection. He wondered why Kamek was so quiet. Surely by now he was used to the people of Nimbus Land recognizing him because he was a friend of one of their heroes.
Usually the section of the palace where the statues were kept was filled with people who came to see them but today Bowser arrived while it was empty. He knew that it would not last for soon people will come to see the statues even if they had seen them many times before. There was something about Garro's art that made it different from any other. He was truly a talented artist who created such lifelike statues as if they carried the emotions of the person they mirrored.
Upon entering the first statue seen is that of Mallow, prince of Nimbus Land in the center of four other statues. That's when you realize that there are in fact two other statues closer to your current position near the door. A statue of Mario is on the left and on of Geno on the right. Not the real Geno since his true form would possibly be hard to represent in anything other than a star. That statue was of Geno in the body he had while he was in this world.
Past the statue of Mallow in the two top corners of the room were two other statues. There was another door behind them leading to the next room but the statues were not close to that wall as were the two on the first door. Those statues were of Peach on the left and Bowser on the right. If you looked at the left side of the room you would see Mario and Peach standing next to each other and by looking straight ahead from the door you would see Peach and Bowser looking into each other's eyes. The statues were placed the same distance from each other with Mallow in the middle.
"Bowser? Hello" Garro had entered unexpectedly catching Bowser staring at the statue of Peach. The five of them were heroes in Nimbus Land so certainly the very artist who created those statues would not fear the Koopa King. The people of Nimbus Land didn't know too much of what happened in the world from bellow. It was after their prince was returned with new friends that they started to wonder what went on in the land bellow their kingdom in the skies. Not many left the clouds but some were stating to venture into that unknown world and many would fallow eventually. Nimbus Land, the kingdom in the clouds was starting to become a part of the world on land. "I hope you are pleased with the statues" The koopa King had not said anything about them before. He was anxious to continue their journey and had enough of family reunions.
"They are... very realistic" He said it because it was true. Garro had captured Peach's beauty almost to perfection. Almost because a statue could never match the real Peach but it came as close as it possibly could.
"What do you think of the layout?" Garoo asked. "I placed Prince Mallow in the middle since he is our prince. Mario and Geno go closest to door when you enter since they joined the journey near the beginning. Then you and Peach, Peach's statue is next to Mario's since they come from the same land" It appeared that Garro had thought about the statues layout more than Bowser had imagined. He looked to the statue of Peach then to the statue of Bowser. "Those two statues... There's something about them. Something I felt when I was making them. I felt something with each of them. I felt Mallow's child like innocence and his wish to be a good prince to our land, his happiness to meet his parents but there was something else. He must miss the family he had before he must be wishing to make it one but wondering how. Mario the hero and plumber, strength and determination he had his life figured out but there was something missing. Maybe something he left behind and didn't think he could find again" Garro said.
Bowser thought about the artist's words. Mallow must miss Frogfucious but didn't want to be away from his parents now that he had found them and they were finally catching up on their time apart. Mario... Maybe he missed Pauline, if only she would come into this world and keep Mario away from Peach. It wasn't looking likely for Bowser but he didn't know that Pauline had already come into their world.
"Geno, that one was different from any other. When making statues I try to get into character. I try to imagine myself in the shoes of the statue I'm making. Quite a mysterious being from another world that Geno is. Who knows he might be watching us right now from the Star Road waiting for a wish to come and grant it with the Star Road's magic now that's it's all fixed up again. I'm not certain I could capture his essence even if I saw him in his true form someday. A star wouldn't do. He's more than that I think" Garro said.
The Star Road where wishes were granted never granted Bowser's wish and even after helping to get it repaired, even if he was only doing it to recover his castle, it still didn't grant his wish. Peach, he wished for Peach but maybe it was true what they said that some things cannot be wished for. "Some things cannot be altered by magic" Kamek used to say. Maybe not even the magic of the Star Road could interfere in love.
"Princess Peach's statue and your statue... those statues are connected to each other as if their paths will cross. It's an odd feeling I had while making them. That's why I decided that I would have them gazing into each other's eyes. You see Mario and Geno's statue are facing each other because they both came into this world from another world and they have that in common. Then having Peach's statue facing yours was the final part of the layout. Everything fell into place" Garro was more talented than he knew. He could not only create beautiful lifelike statues but he could read people so easily as if he could sense their emotions.
Several people entered the room before Bowser could reply. One of them was Kamek who requested to speak with the koopa king right away. Apparently whatever had him so quiet couldn't wait any longer. Once in the guest room where no one could hear their conversation Kamek delivered the news. "The kingdom in which the fight took place years ago was where the volcano is today" He said in a direct answer to Bowser direct question of what was going on.
"That's no problem right? Even if there's a volcano there instead of a kingdom the spell will still work and Peach will be healed" Bowser half said half asked.
"Yes but entering the volcano will be troublesome" Kamek warned him.
"I've been in there before and so has Peach" They had indeed entered the volcano in search of a star piece. Deep within Barrel volcano lived Czar dragon whom they had to fight to pass and try to get the star. The star was then stolen by five of smithy's henchmen known as the Axem Rangers. Axem Red was their leader, then there were Axem Pink, their local healer. Axem Black who was kind of cocky. Axem Yellow who was always hungry and Axem Green who was thin as a stick. The five Axem Rangers complemented each other's abilities combining speed with strength and the skill they all had. But even with the help of their war ship Blade they couldn't win. The star piece was recovered and after that only one more was left, they one they recovered from Smithy at Bowser's castle. "There is another important detail. The ghost of a dragon haunts the volcano. A man by the name of Hinopio used to live there but even he left. The soul of that dragon will interfere with my spell unless it's put to rest" Kamek explained. The problem was he didn't know how to put it to rest especially since Bowser and Peach were both present when the dragon was slain. Seeing them again would only anger him. Czar dragon, the dragon of the volcano who refused to let them pass without a fight. They had to fight the creature or be killed by it. He returned as Zombone the dragon zombie stronger than before and now he was a ghost.
"Then we'll have to put him to rest somehow" Bowser said. No turning back now. Not when they were so close to reaching their goal.
To be Continued
Disclaimer, I do not own the Super Mario games or any Nintendo characters. There's only one more chapter left.