Angled Approach
While their days are lull and filled with predictability, Toadette attempts to spice it up with different conversations. Whether Iggy is willing to act civil, genuinely responding to her interactions or he chooses to act up and make her flustered is one she cannot outright predict.
Toadette can only prepare for it and brace for the inevitable impact of his words, combating them with her own snark. She supposes it's one way to prevent the monotony to getting to her. Unfortunately, it's at her expense and she isn't as gifted as him in the sarcasm department.
She learns quickly that Iggy's conversation skills are severely lacking without all the distractions and she would describe him as socially awkward if asked to describe his social skills in as few words as possible. He must not be used to having such a chatty and lively garage partner. Which makes sense since Roy doesn't seem to be much for conversations himself.
Iggy doesn't appear to care for the jarring change in his life either. His adaptation to diversity is admirable, but also a bit ominous when she thinks on it further. Does anything bother him?
She can never get a definite read on him and part of her is convinced that he purposefully chooses to be all over the place just to watch her trepidation. If only Toadette could guess how he'll act today after their previous encounter left her red-faced and fuming.
Either Iggy's too bored and focused to offer anything to the melting pot of topics she cooks up or he's too hyped up on caffeine and alternating between four different conversations or—her least favorite of his many moods—he's aggressively playful and pelting her with jokes while she stutters for responses. Whatever the case; Toadette's mind spins after every encounter.
Today, they work quietly, but efficiently and after the teasing yesterday; she's happy for the silence. Gentle music stirs from the radio, but Toadette's voice has yet to recover from her various sing-alongs and she keeps the music to a calming level to avoid ruining her vocal cords.
As she works, she's half-interested in her kart and more engulfed in her thoughts, slowly becoming unmotivated and bored. She's undeniably curious about something that's been bothering her for a while and it stirs her nerves into excitement: Bowser's leniency. After all, how far can you push civility until it becomes too familiar?
Bowser must have set some limits for his kids and minions, right? Toadette wonders if Princess Peach has set limits too, but knows Bowser isn't as… approachable or understanding as the princess.
If there are unspoken limits, then the princess would never scold anyone for making friends while Bowser… well, he gets upset whenever the snack machine is out of his favorite chips.
Why not ask Iggy?
She decides to broach the question without caution, seeing no need to be nervous about it. If it was a huge deal, Iggy would have vocalized Bowser's contempt by now.
This is just a passing thought, no need to get technical like a detective scouring for clues. While she sips from her water bottle and he's preoccupied with his tires, she decides it's the perfect time to ask.
"I'm surprised you still work here with me; Isn't fraternizing with the enemy bad or something?" Toadette inquires as she twists the cap back onto her water bottle.
She asks it like a fleeting question, acting completely casual. She pretends it's not a question that's been on her mind for days (because it's definitely not!) Out of the corner of her eyes, she notices Iggy momentarily pause, like he's thinking on it, before continuing his tire inspection. He doesn't directly answer her though, focused heavily on his kart.
Is he avoiding the question or is he too engrossed in his work? Is he stalling for an answer?
Toadette tosses her water bottle onto the seat of her kart, still waiting for a response. She knows the only reason they're sharing a garage is to prove to Princess Peach she can in fact put aside her dislike.
That, and she felt the tiniest bit bad at seeing him so drained, and felt she owed him something. Also… maybe she does need a bit of his help. Okay, so it's not the only reason, but it is the one she tells herself most often.
Iggy hums like he's signaling that he's indeed heard her, tightening a bolt on his tire. He looks up at her after he's finished, standing up, and twisting his body to face her. He cocks a brow inquisitively, a rare frown dampening his usually exuberant expressions.
"Do you think of me as a friend or something?"
She scoffs, folding her arms. "Absolutely not."
Iggy laughs cruelly at her rejection; but she swears she spots a flash of something unreadable on his face before it's gone just as quickly, replaced with his patented indifference.
She's imagining things. Iggy isn't capable of feeling anything besides nonchalance and arrogance.
"I'm not 'fraternizing' with the enemy," he repeats her words back, taking on a high-pitched voice like her own. She fixes him a glare; quickly realizing he's copying her. He grins wider.
"Especially since we aren't friends, but—" she dreads the sing-song shrill of his voice, hanging onto his last word as she stares down the cliff side she's careening off of and expecting to plummet below any minute now—"we are fellow inventors."
Toadette's beady eyes bulge out of her head. She hadn't expected that. Normally, coming from anyone else, she'd accept the compliment graciously, with a little bit of arrogance peppered into her expression. She'd happily boast about her skills to whoever laid on the flattery, soaking in the admiration from her peers to inflate her ego.
Instead, she sighs, playing absentmindedly with a pigtail, unable to look him in the eyes. "I'm not exactly an inventor, more like a glorified repair Toad. If something breaks in the castle; I'm usually the first one they call to fix it."
Iggy doesn't appear convinced, leaning on his clown kart, studying her and twirling his wrench between his fingers.
"But what about those Papercrafts you built? They defeated ours no problem—since they weren't made by yours truly—and you whipped them up pretty quickly for someone who claims they're not an inventor."
She bites her lip. "I guess…" she trails off, searching for a proper explanation. Her feelings of inadequacy aren't easy to overcome when one of the reasons for it is staring right at her. "But I'm not at your level or Professor E. Gadd's. It's just a hobby at this point. I don't think I can go very far with it. I am the Princess' retainer after all."
Although, she's not officially recognized as a retainer yet. She's still in training. Toadsworth and Princess Peach claim she's far too young to gain such a weighty title. While the gossiping castle guards whisper that the real reason is because she's too naïve and bratty.
She's younger than most of the Toads currently living inside the castle. With how they all treat her like a fragile and emotional creature quick to startle or when they tiptoe around their criticisms like she'll erupt into a tantrum at any given moment; it shows.
Toadette despises it. She's proven her worth plenty of times before. Regardless of her achievements, regardless of how high she holds her head, she's still treated like a helpless child.
"You can do both, y'know," Iggy states matter-of-factly. "I happen to be a general of the Koopa Troop and an amazing inventor."
Isn't he a higher rank than general? Her forehead creases, confused.
"Aren't you a prince?" she counters.
Iggy pauses, making a displeased face and wrinkles his snout. "Technically, yes. As one of Bowser's officially adopted kids; if something were to happen to Junior, Ludwig, Lemmy, and Roy then I'd have to take the throne. Though I'd give it to Wendy before anyone even tried to put a stupid crown on my head."
She laughs at the obvious disdain in his tone. "Not a fan of politics?"
Iggy snorts, swatting his wrench in the air. "Not a fan of anything involving royal affairs. It doesn't suit me at all. It's bad enough they address me as 'Master' whenever I pass by. I half-expect them to lick the ground I walk on. That would be pretty hilarious to see. Maybe I can—"
He halts his morbid idea, sighing wistfully. "When I was younger, we used to live in the forest not far from the Darklands' border. I kinda miss it there. We lived a quaint lifestyle until—"
Iggy face darkens. He halts his thoughts, shaking his head like he's discarding them elsewhere. "Then Bowser took us in, adopted us, and I had to get used to being treated like royalty."
Iggy's gesturing hands still, voice growing bitter. "I can't go anywhere without being recognized and Lord Bowser can be extremely pushy when he wants to be; I don't have many freedoms." He shrugs. "Not that it matters; I'm in my lab most of the time anyways and I get anything I need for my inventions without anyone asking questions."
Overprotective guardians is something Toadette greatly relates to. Toadsworth and Princess Peach don't give her enough room to breathe sometimes.
"Grandpa Toadsworth is too overprotective of me to let me do anything. I wasn't even allowed to join any races unless I had supervision." She sighs softly, recalling how Princess Peach vouched for her and her safety the first time she ever wanted to race.
The only way they managed to persuade Toadsworth was by partnering her up with Toad and promising she'd never be alone. Back then, despite her eager hands and newfound hobby with tinkering with machines, she wasn't allowed near the kart. Toad handled the mechanical issues himself. (He bribed a pit crew member with coins.)
Besides, she rarely experienced the thrill of getting behind the wheel. All Toadette did was throw the items and sometimes got to drive whenever the princess chose her as her partner.
Toadette grabs at a pigtail, unconsciously petting the smooth surface of her mushroom braids, suddenly anxious.
"When you guys kidnapped the princess during her party the second time; I had to sneak out in order to help Mario, Luigi, and Ala-Gold rescue her." Her voice unconsciously turns sour. "Toadsworth was so furious when we got back to the castle."
She can only imagine how upset Toadsworth would have been if Toad had spilled about the whole Wingo fiasco beforehand when they went treasure hunting. Luckily, Toad had kept his mouth shut after she threatened to tell the princess he had broken her favorite floral vase because he had thrown a huge party while she and Toadsworth were on vacation.
Toadette recalls her infectious elation at saving the princess and the many pats on the back she received from the Mario Bros. and Ala-Gold—or Goldie, as he prefers to be called by her.
She had bubbled with pride, ego swelling until she caught sight of Toadsworth's disapproving shake of his head complemented by his steely glare and tight frown.
Just like that, her bubble popped and reality swooped in to knock her off her feet. He fretted over her while berating her for being ambitiously naïve. He summoned a doctor to check for injuries she assured him she didn't have and he confined her to her room until she properly recovered from her miniscule injuries.
The princess put her foot down after two days, allowing Toadette a moment of relapse until she turned around and asked the same questions, concerned laced in her otherwise melodic voice. She, thankfully, wasn't so prodding.
Toadette is pulled out of her moping by a chuckle, staring at Iggy in confusion. She didn't say anything remotely hilarious.
"Maybe you need a vacation." Iggy says, spinning his wrench between his fingers a few times then taps the end against his muzzle.
He smudges black oil onto his face, but doesn't seem to mind or care. She blinks up at him, dazed and caught off guard. He laughs again at her display of bewilderment. He cocks his head, glancing down at her with mischief in his gaze and a lopsided smile on his lips.
"I'm sure I can convince Bowser to kidnap you or something," he extends arms out like he's imagining the scene before him. "It'll get you away from that stuffy castle and you'll get to spend some quality time with the Scaredy Rats in the dungeons."
Toadette's mouth goes slack. Terror seizes a hold of her. Was this his plan the entire time? She spares him a nervous glance. Idiot. She had been so foolish to think he—
The smirk on his face, the glint in his eyes made more devious by the overhead lights reflecting in his frames; he's obviously joking. Why did she think he was serious? When is he ever serious?
"Do they offer any special accommodations?" she inquires like an interested buyer, leaning in slightly like it's a secretive exchange. He leans in too, playing up the joke.
"Definitely, if you want a little spice in your meals; our world famous Koopa chef will spit in your food free of charge," he mockingly whispers.
She gasps like she just found out she won the lottery. "Free? You're kidding."
They share a few more jokes about accommodations and let loose a round of giggles. Then, a calm silence fills the garage as Iggy returns to his work while Toadette dissects their conversation.
Although she despises being treated like a little kid, she knows it's because Princess Peach and Toadsworth care. Underneath all the irritation she feels, there's a pulsating warmth in her chest whenever they hover around her or pester her with concerns over her health and well-being.
She feels like she belongs when other Toads look at her like she's different. Truthfully, she is different, but with Toad, Princess Peach, and Toadsworth; she feels loved by her makeshift little family.
Toadette smiles, tapping her kart affectionately and staring at her happy reflection on the chrome smooth surface yet to be painted.
"I know it's annoying how suffocating they can be, but I know they only do it because they love me." She sends Iggy a knowing glance. "I'm sure Bowser feels the same."
"Yeah, I guess," Iggy mutters.
Her face falls. Not one to show affection is he? He did share a glimpse into his past. A past he clearly dislikes talking about. The pause, the shadows casted on his face, something scarring happened to him. What could it possibly be?
He's one of Bowser's seven adopted children which means he had parents. Did he know them?
Toadette chooses to drop it. She won't get answers from him and she shouldn't be delving into the personal life of her enemy. She's afraid if he tells her anymore, she'll grow soft and compassionate. She's not sure if she's allowed to let that happen.
Again, the unanswered question returns to her mind: are they allowed to be this friendly with each other? She never received an answer, allowing herself to be pulled away from the topic without realizing it.
Though, Toadette feels a momentary surge of rebellion when she contemplates the idea a bit more and realizes something.
One thing Toadette is definitely certain of is: Toadsworth would not approve.
And that spark of insurgency in her chest decides the answer doesn't matter.
I haven't updated this since my birthday… Which is in April… What month are we in again? Truthfully, I lost motivation to continue writing this, but someone on Ao3 asked nicely for an update and I'm a sucker for pleasing people so thank that one person.
The next chapter is probably my favorite. It's pretty much done. Goodbye, friendship! Hello, Drama!
