Here be part II, where things are explained...

The story kinda took on a life of its own here.

Rushing water roared. Screams rang out. Names were shouted, panic lacing their tones. Bowser pried open his eyes. Ugh… His throat was sore, almost numb, and his head throbbed. What…? He shifted his head, wincing at the frontward pain in his neck. He gazed over at his television, watching as the main cast; Zimmy the Goomba, Carlkoop the Koopa, Roskai the Lakitu, and Dirby the Monty Mole, struggled to fight the raging tide that swept them through Aquis' lair..

"I don't understand!" Carlkoop cried out, coughing as he was briefly forced underwater. "We put the gem back! Why is the temple sinking?!"

Bowser rubbed his head. He must've fallen asleep… No, that wasn't it… he'd just started the movie… His eyes snapped open. Oh, shit! Bowser jolted up, gasping. His head whipped around. He was in his room. Everything was as he had left it. It looked normal, smelled normal… He turned his attention down to himself. He was unmarked, woundless. He touched his leg, where they had injected the poison. Nothing out of the ordinary, not even any remnants of a puncture. The flip in his stomach died away. It was just a dream… He must've just… fallen asleep. It was weird, but he was okay. There weren't any humans, certainly no crystal room, and he definitely hadn't been strapped to a table. He rested a hand on his chest, heat seeping through his plastron. Thank the stars… His head hurt, but that wasn't too out of the ordinary. He scooped some popcorn in his mouth. He winced as he swallowed, his throat paining him. He touched it, his claws clinking against his spiked collar. Maybe he was coming down with something. He sighed, his shoulders slumping. That was just great. He called for Kamek. No words escaped his maw.

His body snapped rigid, ice slamming his stomach. What?

He tried again.

Nothing.

No sound.

Wh-what the hell? Bowser tried to say it aloud. His mouth and tongue were moving, but his throat didn't vibrate with his voice. No words or sound came from his jaws. He grabbed his neck, his breathing speeding up. No… no… no, no, no no no no!

Bowser scrambled to unclasp his collar, his fingers shaking. The female had been touching his throat… those humans… they couldn't of… His collar thumped his bed. He traced his fingers across his neck, finding a line that signified a slight dip in his throat…

He stumbled from his bed, smashing the floor. He clambered to his feet, rushing for his bathroom. His breathing and pulse rapid fired as he stood in front of the mirror, tilting his head back and to the side to expose his neck.

A light circle was traced around the entirety of his throat.

Bowser's knees buckled. He grabbed the sink, just managing to hold himself up. It wasn't a dream… those humans… no… this can't be true… They couldn't have… He tried to speak. He tried to growl, roar, snarl, hiss, and even whimper. None but the hiss worked. He attempted over and over, tears building in his eyes. He hit his throat, hoping to jump-start something.

Nothing.

He wasn't going to give up. His voice was there. He wasn't mute. He couldn't be mute. His voice was just stuck from whatever else they had done to him.

Minutes dragged by, leading into ten, fifteen. He hadn't gotten it to start yet.

Thirty minutes later, it was still futile.

Forty-eight; now he could hear the credits rolling, but he could not hear his own voice.

Four minutes after they started, the credits were over, and so were his hopes.

Those bastard humans had stolen his voice.

Bowser smashed his fist into the mirror. It shattered, a few bits sticking into his hand. He ripped the shards out, flinging them to the ground. He kicked the wall, slamming his foot into it over and over. A crack spiked on the stone, and tears blended the lines together. He stumbled out of the bathroom, a hand clasped around his neck.

He slumped onto his bed. He knocked the popcorn bowl down, spilling the remaining pieces on his sheets. He didn't care. He would never speak again. He couldn't laugh, he couldn't growl or snarl. How was he supposed to intimidate anyone? Many shook at the sound of his roar. Now the most threatening—and the only— noise he could make was a hiss. A freaking hiss. Of all his arsenal of aggressive sounds, he kept the weakest. His eyes burned. He pounded a fist on his bed. His mouth stretched open in a soundless scream. His hand hit the remote, and he flung it towards the door.

Kamek ducked with a gasp. The device smashed against the far wall of the corridor. "L-Lord Bowser!" he spluttered, "Hold your temper! I thought I told you not to finish that movie!"

You think it's that damn movie?! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!? The words were dead. His voice was dead. It was hopeless. He was hopeless. He shoved his face into his hands. He fought back tears.

"And you've hurt yourself, too. Lord Bowser…" Kamek sighed. "What's done is done. I'll heal you up, then I can fix the remote."

Bowser felt a small hand on his head. He peeked out, exposing his dripping eyes. Damn it, he was crying. He was actually crying. He wiped the tears away.

Kamek took his injured hand, gently touching his fingers with his wand. The wounds were bathed in a glittery green light. The blood withdrew, the skin and scales stitching themselves up. The cuts closed, the light faded, and Kamek turned his gaze up to Bowser. "I thought I told you to watch The Serpent's Heart."

Bowser swallowed, wincing at the jolt in his throat.

"Well, since you didn't listen… we can watch it now. I'm sure it'll cheer you up." Kamek shifted to get off the bed, but Bowser grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

Bowser pushed himself up, wiping his nose and eyes. He turned Kamek around to face him. There was no point in trying to speak. His voice was gone. He inhaled a shaky breath. He shut his eyes tight, tilting his chin up.

Kamek gasped. Bowser flinched as his fingers gently touched the scar. "Oh my… Lord Bowser… What in the world…? Where did you get this?"

Bowser drew back. He sniffed. He pointed to his mouth and shook his head. I can't talk anymore.

"What?"

Bowser repeated the action. I can't talk! A bunch of humans stole my voice after they kidnapped me from this world!

"My lord, I don't know what you're trying to say. How long has that been there?"

DAMMIT, KAMEK! Bowser shoved his face in his hands, letting out a sharp exhale.

"King Bowser… Why won't you tell…?" He gasped. "You can't tell me. You… did you lose your voice?"

Bowser tried to swallow the lump in his throat, nodding. It was stolen.

Kamek drew his wand. With a twirl, a piece of paper and a pencil— both suited for Bowser's size— popped next to him. "Tell me everything you know."

Bowser's hand was aching by the time he'd finished writing it out, taking up both sides. He wiped an eye, handing it over to Kamek. The Magikoopa read it over, the brim of his hat sagging as his brow creased. He looked back up to Bowser. "Oh… I'm so sorry."

Bowser bared his fangs. I'm going to murder them.

Kamek lowered the paper, fiddling with his sleeve. "These… humans who stole your voice… Lord Bowser…" his eyes trailed up to Bowser's, "do you think they had anything to do with…" he glanced behind them, lowering his voice to a whisper, "with Kammy's disappearance?"

Kammy… I miss her. He gave his head a tiny shake. The humans… could they have taken her? If they could remove Bowser's voice so seamlessly, could they all but erase Kammy from existence? He remembered sure, (and he'd told Kamek about her) but none of his minions did… Even they seemed to be constantly changing… Not to mention his son…

Bowser nodded. They probably have everything to do with it… with all of it. He bet they took her, and that she was locked away in their weird base. Or they killed her. Oh Stars, what if they killed her? He spread his hands, trying to communicate his theory that the humans were responsible for all the modifications in the world, but Kamek didn't seem to be paying him any attention.

The Magikoopa gasped. "Oh my Stars… Lord Bowser, what if those humans have been behind everything strange that happens here? The changing landscape… the dominance of the Toad race… the minions… and even your son and I? And now…" He set a hand on Bowser's. "Your voice…"

Bowser nodded, jabbing a finger towards himself. I thought that, too! Thank the Stars Kamek was on the same page…

Kamek's face darkened. "This… this isn't okay." He slid off Bowser's bed. "This is not okay." He began to pace. "If that's all true… then those humans are playing higher than the Star Spirits. They're shaping our very existence… but it seems you remember them. You remember things that others don't. You remember Kammy. You remember the first version of this world. Your complaints and questions are the only reason I know about this. I don't… I can't remember far back." He pinched his forehead. "You said so yourself, I didn't exist until not too long ago… very shortly after your adventure to stop the void, yet it's like we've known each other for decades."

Bowser nodded. As far as he was concerned, he, Mario, and Peach were the only ones who recalled such things. But what can we do about it? There was nothing… Hell, Bowser hadn't even put too much thought into the changes. He just… his brain didn't seem to care. Even now, it was trying to tug his attention elsewhere.

"I don't think we can stop them entirely… but we can find a way to get your voice back." Kamek halted, turning his eyes towards Bowser. "That's something they won't be able to keep away from you. We just have to find a way."

—ASG—

Kamek enchanted the paper to serve as a reusable communication device, in which Bowser could write with his claws and erase messages with a single swipe. The Magikoopa offered to do the information searching so Bowser could avoid having to interact with anyone.

Bowser tried to keep his mind off his lost voice by watching the sequel to The Serpent's Heart; The Alpha's Heir. It didn't work, as he wasn't able to laugh at the misfortunes of the protagonists like he usually did. He ended up curling up for a nap.

Kamek awoke him with a cheery face, a book in hand. He'd found what appeared to be an answer; the Sticker Comet. Appearing once a year, it would make land on their planet for a single day, collecting the wishes of the area's residents. According to legend (and various accounts), the first to cast a wish upon the Sticker Comet would get theirs granted. Its landfall was trackable, the next location being right where the present day Toad Town was. That explained Peach's sudden compulsion to hold a Sticker Festival.

'Wen landing' Bowser wrote with his claw, showing it to Kamek.

"Let's see…" Kamek mused back over the book. His face fell. "Oh my Stars… it's this evening."

Bowser's stomach dropped. He sprung from his bed, shoving the paper into his hammerspace. He slammed down his door, shrugging off the pain in his shoulder as he made a break for the closet he knew he'd stashed his Clown Car in. He fished it out of the back, speeding it through the nearest window and ignoring the glass that cut his muzzle. His heart raced in his chest as he wiped a bit of blood off his cheek. He had to make it. He had to get the first wish. He couldn't live the rest of his life without a voice.

—ASG—

Bowser made a near-crash-landing at the edge of Toad Town. He had seen an elaborate stage from his high vantage point, and he could hear the cheers of joyful Toads. He crept through the bushes, keeping down on all fours. He wouldn't have time to do anything but grab the Sticker Comet and make his wish. He couldn't come in with his problem written down; his handwriting sucked and none would be bothered to read it. Mario would be on top of him before he—anyone could say 'stop'.

He peeked between the leaves, his stomach flipping upon the sight of all the chattering Toads. They came in colours of red, blue, yellow, green, and purple, and none had a single physical difference between them. Bowser swallowed. This is bad… This can't be normal… Oh, Stars… He saw Mario mingling among them all, the human male a stark contrast to the living mushrooms surrounding him. Come to think of it… Mario was mute, too. He just always communicated everything, even the most bizarre things, through his eyes. No matter what. He never needed to talk; everyone knew exactly what he wanted to say. I wonder if that'll work for me, too.

"Welcome everyone!"

Bowser's tail perked up at the sound of Peach's voice, the softness of it a massage to his ears. He craned his head, spotting her standing at the front of the stage. Maybe I should kidnap her. He shook his head. I need the Sticker Comet. Not her right now. Just the Comet. I need to grab it, make my wish and get my voice back. After he could speak again, he'd explain the situation. Peach would understand. He needed it more than any of those Toads. He crept closer.

Peach held her hands up, inciting silence. "Thank you all for attending the Sticker Festival! This year, for the first time within two decades, the Sticker Comet will be gracing us with its presence. If you believe in legends, then you'll know that if you wish upon it, your wish is very likely to come true." She smiled, which lit up her face in the most beautiful way.

Bowser almost didn't want to rush out, wanting to preserve that expression. She never looked that way around him… He shook his head. Sticker Comet first, make Peach happy later. He could easily make her laugh after he got his voice back.

"But… this year, I want to honour our hero, Mario, by letting him be the first to send his wish to the Comet."

The Toads erupted into cheers, "Mar-i-o! Mar-i-o! Mar-i-o!"

Bowser gasped, his stomach twisting and tail curling around his leg. Mario! No, no, no! Mario couldn't steal his wish! He needed it! He didn't care if 'every wish' was going to come true, that was one legend. Another said that it was only the first. He couldn't risk it. He needed his voice. Mario could take the second wish, or he could go without. He slunk forward, towards the stage. He could perfectly view it from the side. All he'd need to do was pounce when the Sticker Comet arrived.

Peach turned her gaze skyward. She gasped. "Here it comes!"

Dozens of beady eyes shot upward. Bowser followed their gazes. A twinkle was spiraling down towards them; a multilayered, sparkling star. It had to be the Sticker Comet. Bowser's heart pounded. He leaned his weight on his haunches. When it touched down…

The Sticker Comet came to a rest in the centre of the stage, hovering just off the ground. Fifty sets of round Toad eyes gazed upon it, oos humming from the crowd. Peach beamed, turning and beckoning for… No, not Mario!

Bowser surged forward a leapt onto the stage. Screams erupted, and Peach gasped, covering her mouth and backing away. Bowser gave her a tiny wave, flashing what he hoped was an apologetic grin. I'm sorry for being a jerk this time. He spotted Mario, the human was pushing through now-panicking the crowd to get to him. You won't get my wish! He lunged for the Sticker Comet, seizing it in his claws. He hugged it close to his chest, and it vibrated in his grip. I wish I had—

He was blasted back. He twisted, his side smacking the stage. He gasped, gritting his fangs. What the hell? He shoved himself up, shaking his head. A trail of glitter was all that the Comet had left behind, and following it upward lead him to the Sticker Comet. It flashed bright, and Bowser slammed his eyes shut.

"Oh… oh my Stars…" Peach gasped. "Bowser, what did you do?"

Bowser tried to explain. His voice wasn't there. He attempted to communicate with his hands. Useless. He covered his head. I don't know! Why hadn't it worked? What had he done? He lowered his hands, staring down at his fingers. Was… was I not supposed to touch it? He turned his eyes up. Did he break some sacred rule that he wasn't even aware of? He squinted. A tiny glimmer hung in the sky, drifting down. The Sticker Comet? He waved his hands, trying to get Peach's attention, but she wouldn't take her eyes off it. He stomped a foot, but that only made her back away. He pointed to his throat, but she didn't seem to understand.

A gasp turned his eyes back up. A golden crown floated down, heading right for him. Is this the Sticker Comet? Maybe I'm supposed to make a wish with it on, and then I'll get my voice back. He ducked his head to give the crown an easy landing. He shut his eyes as the crown rested its weight between his horns, shifting down through his hair. I wish to have my voice back. I wish to have my voice back. I wish to have—

A spike surged down his body, electrifying every scale. He would have screamed, but his wish hadn't been granted. He tried to yank the crown off his head, but it seemed to be glued to his skull. He convulsed, hunching over and gasping. His tail jerked between his legs. A cold gale swept up, knocking the Toads off their feet and making the stands sway. A few buckled and collapsed. Peach and Mario leaned against it in order to stay grounded, but it hardly did more than tug at Bowser's mane.

"Bowser! What's going on?" Peach cried, shielding her face from the wind. Her blonde hair whipped about. Mario stood in front of her, his fists held at the ready and brows leveled in determination. The two of them blurred, their colours blending together.

Bowser staggered towards them. His arms dangled limp, and his breathing was at the point where he was hyperventilating. Help me… get this… off… He directed his eyes up towards the crown. Mario rushed towards him, springing up. His lids slipped closed. Boots smashed his snout. He was falling…

Soooooooo... yeah. Kind of a conspiracy theory based off the complaints of 'modern Paper Mario'. But is it the truth or just a theory? Hmm...

Well, a conspiracy theory for this story world. There's no way in all the chicken nuggets this is what's really going on. (ignore the chicken nuggets. I'm weird)