She knows the rules, but no one has ever bothered to scold her for breaking them. Except Ludwig, but who cares what he thinks? He's not the only girl surrounded by a bunch of boys.
How Wendy Breaks the Rule:
Wendy scours the busy streets of Toad Town's shopping district, a cute white scarf tied neatly around her neck, billowing in the crisp, autumn breeze. With an aggravated huff, she angrily adjusts her bow gone astray from the wind since it's ruining all the hard work and devoted time she put into her look today.
Though she quickly directs all that frustration towards herself with a resigned sigh. She's a bit ticked at herself for being late, but she hopes her shopping buddy understands the importance of looking your best before basking in the spotlight of the public.
She spots her shopping buddy waiting patiently by the first boutique they agreed to tackle first. Princess Peach smiles warmly in greeting, wearing an adorable grey pea coat and beret ensemble, trading in her twinking crown and bright pinks for neutral colors. Her blonde curls faintly flutter in the breezy wind, stirring up a spark of jealousy within Wendy.
She shoves past those feelings of inadequacy before it poisons the grin on her face. She hastily apologizes for being late for their shopping trip, flipping her white scarf to draw the princess' attention to her adorable and newly purchased pink and white striped wrap coat complimented by her matching bow and scarf.
Peach nods understandingly, not at all bothered, then gushes about Wendy's outfit causing Wendy to experience a pleasant rush of emotions. She can feel the heat on her cheeks as she exaggeratedly models it off causing Peach to giggle and clap her hands excitedly in response like she's witnessing a fashion show.
After exchanging compliments like gossiping high schoolers, they set off down the bustling shopping district of the Mushroom Kingdom like they're on a mission. Kicking up and crunching colorful piles of freshly falling leaves with the sharpness of their heels, Princess Peach and Wendy peek in every shop window, debating whether the store is worth their time or not before tackling the clothing racks head on.
Eventually, their empty hands slowly fill with handles of various bags and the clock tower signals the changing of another hour. Exhausted and over encumbered, the pair decide to rest their aching feet at the closest ice cream parlor, piles of bags at their feet.
Wendy admires the fiery colors of the changing leaves, a fond smile on her face at the sight. Soon, the chilly weather will rush in and everyone's craving for cold treats will shift to hot drinks and cinnamon and pumpkin spice laced desserts then jump straight to mint for the holiday season so Wendy indulges in what could be her last taste of Mushroom Kingdom made ice cream until spring.
Both of them choose their usual strawberry sundaes and chatter about their hectic schedules for the month. After all, they're very busy women with responsibilities to uphold; there's plenty to discuss.
Princess Peach runs an entire kingdom with little assistance from her cabinet and Wendy, as one of the only mature commanders (besides Ludwig), has to wrestle the more rowdy soldiers into obedience since most of her brothers don't carry the same amount of respect and authority she dangles over her troops' heads like a shiny trinket.
As Peach laughs at one of Wendy's stories about her brothers' current prank wars, she briefly thinks how strange this situation must appear to an outsider. She spares the Toads walking past a brief glance while she eats a spoon of ice cream, surprised to find none of them sending her hateful glares, absorbed in their own hectic lives.
Wendy supposes it's like some sort of exposure method to see her here every first Saturday of the month and they've finally grown comfortable with her presence. Wendy can't blame them; a Koopaling and the very princess her boss demands she capture out enjoying sweet treats isn't exactly normal.
Then again, Wendy hasn't told Bowser of their monthly shopping trips, afraid he'll ruin it somehow by dragging Wendy into one of his schemes. He'd burn down the bridge of trust she and the princess built together. It was tedious work for the princess to trust her enough to be alone with her without a Toad sidekick or Princess Daisy casting her the stink eye the entire trip.
As Wendy enjoys a spoonful of icy cold goodness, listening to Princess Peach talk about her not-so-hidden object of affection, she spots a group of timid Shy Guys and Toads gawking up at the Princess, practically ogling at her as they stroll leisurely, almost purposely, past.
The dormant storm of jealousy instantly rages and Wendy bites down on her spoon, wondering vaguely if her fangs are sharp enough to break through the metal. She rips the utensil out of her mouth, scooping up more ice cream to stuff her face with.
"You're making that face again," Peach points out, using her spoon to emphasize her inspection. Her eyes aren't accusatory as they stare into Wendy's, but concerned.
"What face?" Wendy pats a hand against her cheek, searching for any possible crumbs or signs of faults, pretending to not know what the princess actually means.
"Wendy, please don't compare yourself to me." Peach smiles brightly while Wendy feels like she's been stomped on the head for being so transparent. "You're beautiful. It hurts to see you so upset with yourself."
Wendy, instead of exposing any vulnerabilities, grows furious. It's a tactic she inherited from her older brothers; instead of talking about sore subjects, her sadness is quick to transform into irritation and her defenses fly into a panic as she builds walls around her heart. Vain weaknesses aren't something she can afford to carry when she's surrounded by nothing but burly men.
Still… she can't stop herself from moping about her average looks. With women in high society; it's always judging appearances first and learning personality later. Her make-up routine is a lengthy process and her lack of hair definitely raises many eyebrows. She doubts Princess Peach's natural beauty needs much touch up and her hair is a luxurious golden blonde.
"You wouldn't understand," Wendy grumbles sourly. "You have beautiful hair and everyone practically grovels at your feet. No one calls you a 'spoiled brat' or 'baldie.'"
She shoves her scoopful of dribbling ice cream into her mouth in the hopes the pep talk ends before it starts. Though, she regrets acting so childish as it painfully chills her sensitive fangs. She shivers, wincing at the aching pain, thinking she deserves the backlash Karma offers her.
Princess Peach sighs from a mixture of disappointment and resignation. She offers Wendy a reassuring smile, eyes gentle and full of understanding instead of annoyance or impatience like Wendy expects.
"When I was your age," Princess Peach's smile turns slightly sullen as her eyes unconsciously drift down to stare at her strawberry sundae, "I had a terrible case of acne. I would often get teased that my face could make constellations."
Wendy winces. "Yikes, that's brutal."
Peach nods solemnly. The painful expression she wears on her face shows she's still haunted by the bullies of her youth. Although she's a princess, and the cherished ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom, she isn't immune to insults. In fact, as many admirers as the princess has, she probably has double the amount of hostile enemies or jealous acquaintances.
Wendy remembered she had been one of them.
Envy is a nasty emotion, resentment can easily be built up, morphing it into seething and vengeful hatred. Wendy understands her jealousy made her overwhelmingly bitter whenever the princess so much as offered her a smile. She'd been so immature and bratty when the princess was simply being polite.
It took a while, Wendy had to peel back layers upon layers of spite, before she realized how alike she and the princess are. Not only are their tastes in fashion strikingly similar, but she understands the hardships of constantly being in the public's eye. Like any well-known figure, Princess Peach suffers from the confidence destroying rumors and petty gossip while being criticized for any move she makes.
Wendy knows the feeling too well, but most people are too terrified to open their mouths to spew insults because of the looming possibility of Bowser or her brothers getting involved. Any tear she's ever shed is met with panicked interrogations by her overprotective family members who are ready to throw hands with any possible bully, even Lemmy.
Unfortunately, the lovely princess of the Mushroom Kingdom didn't have intimidating family members or Wendy's gutsy personality growing up. She probably took the insults in stride, head high as she hid her sorrow with feigned disinterest while the aristocracy nitpicked every little thing she did; from her outfit to a misplaced hair on her head to her gender.
Wendy feels a wave of sympathy, expression softening out of guilt. She realizes she's doing it again. She needs to stop thinking Peach's problems don't match her own; her jealousy is turning her into a bigger pessimist than Roy and Iggy.
She quietly watches as Princess Peach stares far off at the towering mushrooms in the distance, her ice cream forgotten and melting. Suddenly Wendy's woes and self-esteem issues seem so small when compared to Peach's more heavy-loaded problems. Wendy isn't in charge of an entire kingdom and she doesn't live in the constant fear of getting kidnapped.
"You're also still growing," Peach says wistfully, interrupting Wendy's wandering thoughts. The princess' thoughtful gaze flickers to her, adorned with a pretty smile. "You never know what will happen in the future, but I know Past Me would have been extremely jealous of you."
Wait, did she just say—
Wendy raises a perfectly plucked eyebrow, unconvinced. "Why?"
"Because you're so put together," Princess Peach giggles almost shyly, leaning forward in her chair. "I wasn't confident in myself or my decisions as a monarch when I was your age, but you allude reassurance and you know your limits and how to wield your skills accordingly." She pauses to let out another nervous giggle followed by a meek little shrug. "It almost sounds as if I'm a tad envious now, doesn't it?"
Wendy's cheeks redden, and not because of her blush. She can see why many fall head over heels for the Mushroom Kingdom's princess. Her sweet words are as enchanting as her beauty and they're genuine compliments, never diluted by ill intentions.
Wendy grins as she realizes they both carry a little jealousy towards each other. At least they can find some solace and tread on common ground whenever they have one of their shopping trips. Wendy needs to stop moping, comparing scars because it'll only make her grow more bitter.
Also, this depressing topic is killing the atmosphere! They're supposed to be having fun, enjoying their day off! Wendy decides now is the perfect time to flip this tragic script.
"And you shouldn't be!" Wendy declares proudly, spoon held high. "I am amazing after all, but I'd argue you're just as amazing."
Wendy puckers her lips, placing a hand to her cheek, brandishing her collection of shiny rings. Delicately, she bats her eyelashes at her and Peach giggles accordingly at her over exaggerations.
"We're both very successful women," she preens, donning a more frumpy tone to lay on the joke.
Peach nods, letting out a laugh. She smiles sweetly, appearing touched by Wendy's sugary, but authentic words. "Yes, of course."
Women lifting up women. We love to see it. Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope owns my heart right now. (Rabbid Peach is my favorite ❤️) Oops. I did not plan this out.
Haha. I wonder if it's possible to extend the month of October? Probably not.