This is the one in which Rosalina is questioned by her guardian on why she's just casually letting Bowser come over at any time. A few friends help out her reasons.


"Rosalina! I know there are a few times that I may have subtly questioned your judgement, but this time, I feel like I MUST say something!" Polari said in a rushed panic as he flies around the tranquil Protector of the Cosmos, who was simply looking outward though her telescope, gazing at the stars. After a few moments of listening to her trusted advisor babble, she pulls back from her telescope and gazes at Polari with clasped hands.

"Hm? What is it, Polari...?"

"I truly, fully, definitely, certainly, absolutely, FULL-HEARTEDLY do NOT take comfort in the fact that you're letting KING BOWSER up into the Comet Observatory twice in a row!" Polari spoke quickly without taking much of a break for a few moments. Rosalina patiently waits for him to finish and catch his breath, exemplified by him lowering himself to the ground and lying on hy back, his eyes halfway lowered. "What I am saying, Rosalina...is that it might not be the best idea to allow Bowser onto the Comet Observatory so casually, despite knowing full well that he has a very incriminating violent streak. Why do you insist on giving him the benefit of the doubt...?"

"Because so far, ever since I began getting to know him more personally, he hasn't given me a reason not to." Rosalina said quietly as she turns towards the central area of the Comet Observatory. The portal has been accessed via Gateway Galaxy, and a few figures teleported into the area. Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, and Toadsworth, entered the fray. "They should be able to help me explain why I have made my decisions, if my own seems to make you nervous."

"W-What...how will they help me understand how you're doing...?" Polari asked quietly, with a bit of curiosity, feeling unfortunately lost.

"We've come here because Rosalina requested our presence. It was a bit important to her, and to us." Peach said with a soft sigh as she was the first to step forward, and the others soon followed her. "After the incident with Bowser out of the blue...Mario told me everything about what happened in the previous universe. While I understand why he would keep that from us, I do believe that was information we deserved to know."

"Yeah. I don't really take much comfort in the fact that I've been completely erased at one point..." Luigi said in a fit of paranoia while shivering at the mere thought of it.

"Eh, we're still around, so I'm not really making much of a big deal out of it." Yoshi said while sitting on his rear and looking around for the numerous colorful Lumas.

"Regardless, we too would like to know just why Rosalina is so willing to trust Bowser while he's in her home. We're pretty much trading ideas based on our thoughts on Bowser. We do have quite a few of them to share with Rosalina, and we'll she what she thinks of it." Toadsworth explained as Peach and mario walked up first. Rosalina nodded calmly as she turned towards Mario and Peach. "And who better to offer their inputs than these two, who have known Bowser the longest?"

"Ever since we were kids, really. Even when we were kids, we were always fighting with one another, mostly when he tries to bother Peach to an endangering extent." Mario admitted while rubbing the back of his neck. "He's a stubborn King. No matter how many times Peach kindly, peacefully turns down his affections for the romantic kind of love, he always goes ballistic and tries to take her by force. I'd usually step in, and I'd always stop him." Mario groaned. "And I mean stubborn as in STUBBORN. There are times when he was melted down to the bone...he became HARDER to defeat before magic grew it right back."

"He's not joking, either. Dry Bowser is a bit scarier than regular Bowser, because regular Bowser at least has immense but finite stamina. Dry Bowser can literally go on forever..." Luigi shivered ones again. And now Dry Bowser has become a separate entity with it's own Kingdom of Dry Bones...that might become a possible problem in the future.

"That pattern has been going on for years, now." Peach added with a soft sigh. "And each and every time he tries, he only gets more and more aggressive. And with that aggressiveness, he grows more and more competent when it comes to his planning, as well as how he fights. He grows more dangerous from each and every encounter, and it progressives to very dangerous levels at times." She lightly ran her gloved hand through her hair while sighing. Most of the time he's conquering and hurting so many people, always kidnapping me and fighting Mario, all so that I would love him. I DO love him...but not the way that he loves me."

"Hm..." Rosalina hummed softly while patiently listening to them.

"The three of us were such close friends once. The moment Bowser grew to be obsessed with me, I could tell that connection was greatly damaged. He refuses to give up, he refuses to stop, and he refuses to compromises any other solution at times...it's so difficult sometimes." Peach sighed while rubbing her hands. "I sincerely do not know why we cannot simply put our hostilities aside and be friendly with one another..."

"...There is still hope for that. There is still hope for Mushroom Kingdom and the Darklands to finally see eye to eye." Rosalina offered for a bit, much to the slight confusion of everyone else.

"How can that be?! You've seen how he is, how he acts! There's no reasoning with King Bowser!" Toadsworth exclaimed in a ramble, waving his arms around in a bit of a frenzy. Rosalina, Mario, and Peach weren't really bothered that much by the outburst, Yoshi sort of dozed off after a few minutes, and Polari and Luigi jumped up only slightly. Rosalina smiled softly while turning towards the heroes. Toadsworth blinked in confusion. "L...Lady Rosalina...?"

"You've seen it for yourselves, and Bowser told me a couple bits himself." Rosalina says softly. "There is no doubt that Bowser is egotistical, selfish, greedy, and blatanty rude...these are the excuses people use to paint him as an unrepentant beast who's sole interest is complete conquest. But it's nothing like that, is it...?"

"...No. Of course not." Mario slowly admitted. "Even though Bowser causes us a lot of headaches and usually follows through on his threats...he's nowhere near as bad as he tries to make himself out as. He's helped us save the world as many times as he tried to take over it. King K. Rool, Smithy, Fawful, Dark Bowser, Count Bleck, Dimentio, and Antasma...all of them have tried to do something that goes far beyond conquest, and that is a very quick friendship killer for him. Usually we team up so we can defeat some of them, while he completely betrayed Antasma before he would do the same. No one really saw that one coming." Mario explained. "Regardless of how bad he is, he's always standing up to those who are worse, whether for his own benefit or for others."

"Peach even made him a cake after he defeated Dark Bowser!" Yoshi woke up for a few moments to comment on this, shaking his head and yawning.

"And it's hard to admit...but every time we find ourselves in his kingdom, his subjects are always speaking positively of him." Luigi adds in with a raised hand. "He's not very tolerant of failure, but he shows mercy and forgiveness towards them and treats them very fairly. A lot of accessories in the kingdom appeal a lot to their needs and desires when he finds himself in a better mood than usual. They admire him for his conviction and his fair treatment of them. And not only that, but he shows respect for us despite being rivals. He even recently began calling me by name!" He jumped slightly. "He's been calling me green stache for years, so you have NO idea how good that felt. I'll take acknowledgement wherever I can get it!~"

"He shows kindness and respect to his people, just like I do." Peach said while opening her eyes with a sad smile. "I simply wish he would channel that leadership into a more positive dirtection...but he insist on conquest..."

Rosalina slowly smiled as she gently clasped her hands again. "There you have it, Polari. Bowser has many faults, but he has positives as well. He is a just ruler, if a bit mischeivous about it. He shows respect for his long-time enemies because of their history, not above throwing away his pride to work with them against a common enemy. He values the world he wishes to rule, and does not wish to see it destroyed. He is also not above admitting when he is wrong when there are particularly devastating consequences. Especially lying to Junior about his mother, and his failed attempt to conquering the entire universe resulted in it's premature destruction due to carelessness and greed. He's capable of showing genuine remorese for when he goes too far."

"Rosalina...?" Polari said quietly.

"And the only thing that makes him more furious than losing to Mario, more furious than losing at contests, even the smallest ones, more furious than other villains trying to take center stage due to his ego...all of them pale in comparison when someone or something harms his son. He may not be the most responsible parent, but based on what he's said and how he's acted about it, I will never say that he is a terrible parent." Rosalina says sincerely. "Without a doubt, being a genuinely caring father to Junior is his most redeeming trait."

"And...these things...were enough to convince you...?" Polari said while spinning in slight confusion.

"With all of those things in mind, I have already gained a mixed opinion of him, weighing more on the positive side. And considering that he's visited the Comet Observatory twice and has left it without causing a single bit of harm to it or anyone inside..." Rosalina smiled softly. "I can safely say...that I trust him."

Toadsworth and Polari's eyes widened comically. "Trust...?! TRUST...?! KING BOWSER?! Why in the world would you ever trust King Bowser?! Even after all he's done to you-!"

"Bowser is selfish, prideful, tempermental, hot-blooded, and occasionally immature...but he is not insane. It's why Mario defeating him only becomes more and more difficult. He will not cause unneccessary destruction unless he believes it will further his own purposes. Mindless, meaningless destruction simply for destruction's sake, is not something he enjoys. He has nothing to gain from me aside from knowing more about me. Attacking Comet Observatory will do nothing for him, so he will leave it be."

"And...you're seriously basing trust in Bowser on this sole fact, m'lady...?" Toadsworth blinked owlishly.

Rosalina turned towards them and says the following. "Bowser may see himself as an evil emperor, but he still has standards he never fails to follow. Be honest...would you really want to be around someone as incredibly powerful, gradually competent, and unrelentingly persistent as Bowser without his moral limitations?"

There was an extended, fearful silence at that question. That was all Rosalina needed.

"Bowser, even in acts of villainy, never goes any farther than necessary in order to achieve victory. And when he DOES go too far-like the aforementioned mother incident and universal destruction-he is very clearly remorseful for it, and may even apologize afterwards. He can't stand other villains who don't have standards, those who would choose complete destruction over ruling everything."

Another small silence follows. Peach and Mario eventually nodded in agreement. Luigi was a bit more hesitant, but agreed. Yoshi was the most casual about it. Toadsworth was still the most shaken, though he stayed neutral on the issue. As for Polari...

"Lady Rosalina...are these really all it takes for Bowser to be trusted by you...?"

"I will admit, some of these explanations may not provide the best reasons in the world to trust King Bowser." Rosalina turns towards Polari with an understanding nod. "However, I also believe in an old saying that people down in the Mushroom World tend to say. I believe it goes like this...'better than nothing'?" She finishes with a small and knowing smile, as she leaves the central hub to further prepare for Bowser's next visit.

...At that last statement, even Toadsworth and Polari agreed with her, to an extent.


The next chapter highlights the THIRD visit...and a bit of conflict. But not from a very expected place, nor from a very expected person, and for an even less expected reason.

Expect the unexpected, perhaps...?

Until next time!