Chapter 10: Reshaped Reflection

It took much longer than they had thought. A day for Bowsette to recuperate, much to her distaste, as well as to gather supplies. Despite being in Peach's castle, the two females never quite took the stink eye from each other's sights. And yet, she somehow managed to behave herself enough to where nothing was destroyed. She reiterated the "stay put and behave" message to Junior despite his complaints. Daisy was ready with golf club in hand should anything get hairy, though her friend's interference prevented any manner of 'hole-in-one's with the Koopa Queen's head. Once all had been clarified, the youngling was left in the capable hands of the Sarasaland Princess, granted she was more than a bit confused as to what to do after the trio parted. She had been quite reluctant to take Junior in, but under a promise of Peach being in her debt, she ultimately agreed. Her confusion grew when she found Junior rummaging through his removed shell just moments after they had left.

With the princess being their power-up carrier, Peach, Bowsette, and Mario set off on their quest. Though their journey was made significantly shorter with the help of Peach's carriage, the muddy grounds and hard rain left any manner of covered transport out of commission. Mario ultimately led them through a series of underground pipe shortcuts to keep the trio dry. Both Peach and Bowsette stumbled behind along the way. Even such a maze was beginning to accumulate water. A number of passages had since flooded with Mario growing increasingly tense. Bowsette clutched his hand tightly. Her red eyes soothing his nerves. Even Peach was clinging onto the She-Koopa's hand by the time they arrived at their exit. A stormy night with the occasional thunder shook the three to the core outside, though something about being in each others' company, regardless of who they were, made the situation that much less frightful. Bowsette's bare clawed feet slapped at every puddle, shattering every reflection they came across. Not once did she let their hands go.

After a short while, their posse came across an outpost of inescapable foes. They had set up camp on an old abandoned fort rendered inert after Bowser's many raids. With so many guards running amok however, the squad had little choice but to engage. Not a minute after Peach began laying down a plan did Bowsette plow into the small tower's wall like a freight train, only to emerge on the other side with the enemies being left to gawk in horror. Even Peach and Mario looked on in disbelief as the outpost slowly toppled over with its men doing little to escape. Their faces still caked in unwanted surprise while everything crumbled to dust. Peach looked to Mario, shrugged, and floated over the remaining rubble. The plumber performed a long jump seconds later.

At another point, the trio downed an entire row of Shy Guys with only one left to defeat. Realizing it was alone, the henchman squeaked in a panic and, though Mario and Peach saw it retreating, Bowsette inhaled a deep breath and fired with all her strength. The enemy stood no chance, making that all too familiar "Ba-Dip!" sound when struck. Not long after, their rainy path was clear. Steaming with dying flames and a massive crater, but clear.

"Uh...Bowsette-?"

"Poor loser was gonna get fired anyway. Oh, and Peach? Hit me with another Health-Shroom, will ya?" she stomped forward.

Peach grimaced at the Koopa Queen's merciless act. "So, this is your girlfriend, hmm?" she gestured to Mario.

He winced, continuing on without saying a word. The She-Koopa raced for a nearby flagpole, grabbing it with both hands and shaking roughly until it broke from its post. Afterwards, she proceeded to rip its mushroom flag off and shove it in her overalls' pocket. "Free 1up, right?"

Mario shook his head. "That, uh, only happens if you've-a climbed the top-of-a the pole-"

A jingle emanated from her followed by a momentary glow. The plumber was forced to eat his words. With that, she tucked them both under her arms and ran off the main path.

Hours later, the three finally arrived at the newly renovated, and heavily fortified Bowser's Castle. It took plenty of sneaking, but the three managed to make it just close enough to the back entrance. Their only cover being the thick walls and a hope none of the lookouts would bother checking over the edges. Expecting to be greeted by the all too recognizable ephagies of Bowser's face, they were instead met with stone carved visage of the mad 8-bit king himself. Moreover, her road's theme had been altered to some completely different melody, as if his very presence was altering the order in which notes played resulting in some distorted abomination posing as the castle's theme song.

"My orchestra!" screamed Bowsette. "That miserable mucus-head's butchering my-!"

Peach was quick to throw a palm over her mouth. The commotion lured a group of Snifits over. Another gaggle of guards watched them from afar. A moment after they had disappeared from sight, one of them came back out, signaling to the onlookers an 'all clear'. The other guards went back to their usual routine as the Snifit waddled over with his two significantly larger partners. One in pink heels, and another barefoot, both with the tarp barely covering just under their knees. Despite their awkward stride, most guards simply stared at the slender legs marching under the red cloaks. Particularly, the one with a third appendage dragging behind. Whether this was due to a laziness at interference or mere captivation was not immediately clear.

The three did their best to avoid contact with the rest of Wart's henchmen until they arrived at a wooden door at the bottom of the castle. After a bit of tinkering with her claws, Bowsette managed to pry open their entrance, leading the others inside. From there, she pulled them down a short, albeit musty maze that would eventually reach one of the hallways. Much to their relief, it remained relatively empty with only the stench of unkempt rot. Peach took the opportunity to rip off the Snifit mask with a loud shudder. Her skin broke into shivering goosebumps. "I neverwanna see a maskless Snifit again."

Water dripped from above. A sure signal the rains had yet to cease their onslaught on her precious castle. The three pressed on until Bowsette led them to a rectangular wall. Cobwebs and dust powdered around them as she slowly pushed it aside. They were behind a large decorative painting of the great Koopa King himself. Outside stretched one of Bowser Castle's long hallways. Bowsette was the second to touch down after Mario with Peach dropping seconds after. With that, the Koopa Queen slowly pushed their exit closed.

"What are you doing?"

All three quickly shifted to see a lone Ninji who watched the entire thing unfold. One small stumpy hand scratched at its head in curiosity. Peach was just about to say something when Bowsette quickly intercepted with a fist. The single enemy was reduced to a bobbing accordion before toppling over and bursting into a coin. She then grasped her helper's hands and sprinted down the gold and red carpet.

For every new batch of foes they encountered from then on, Bowsette slowed down, yanking her unwilling partners in crime to her side in the most unsuspecting manner. It took every ounce of willpower to keep herself from bursting into a frenzy. This was especially the case when she saw batches upon batches of her own forces either being walked like prisoners or rolled in turquoise spheres. She wanted vengeance for Wart's actions. With each step, she thought back to the old days when she and the old frog had worked in unity. Was this her past coming back to haunt her? Even as Bowser, he never did make proper amends with his old business partner, always choosing to blow him off and take the credit entirely over things they both accomplished together. Was that the reason for his outburst? Was he already seeking to bring her down whether or not she agreed? There was no reason for Wart to feel so neglected. There was no reason for him to feel anything at all. Villains were cold, unfeeling monsters. Unless he truly felt resentment for all of Bowser's tenacity and sought to dethrone him in a fit of envy.

Up various flights of stairs and down multiple morphing hallways. They merely had to go a tad further. Much of the decorative trinkets lining the walls signaled the end to their maddening journey. Wearing the Snifit mask proved to be a blinding inhibition though, forcing Bowsette to constantly swivel her head too and fro regardless in a struggle to readjust it. Nonetheless, the three powered on. Finally, they arrived at the main entrance to her throne room. Massive, monolithic red doors lined with hints of gold stood between them and their final foe. Being the size she was now, Bowsette truly began to appreciate the grand stature of her home. At the base of the door was yet another group of enemies. These were Spear-Guys armed to the bone. No way of fighting them without risking significant exhaustion. Or worse.

"Hold it, hold it." a guard cut in. "What business do you all have with his majesty?"

Peach turned to him. "We're informing him of a potential weakness in the castle's eastern wall. It is of great importance we speak to him at once!"

One of the Spear-Guys walked up to her. A curiosity oozed behind the inky black eye holes of his mask. He noticed the bump around Peach's waist. "Whatcha got there?"

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"The bag, Snifit number 3-4! What's inside it?"

The trio tensed up. Up until now, they had remained all but inconspicuous. Begrudgingly, Peach pulled her purse from under her robe, presenting it before her.

"It's FP." uttered Bowsette. "The uh, last we could find."

The Spear-Guy made a grab for the bag with Peach being quick to keep it from reach. The silk from her robe made gripping a tad difficult however.

"You know the rules!" scolded the Spear-Guy. "FP goes in the storage room!"

"We knew that!" Mario piped up nervously.

The other minions were quick to encircle them, demanding they hand over the bag. The three could theoretically have fought them then and there, but with a need to save strength, they were left with little wiggle room. Without warning, another henchman successfully stole the bag out of Peach's arms. The others were quick to block her path.

"Alright. Proceed."

A disheartened Princess could only watch as the minion walked away. Every Spear-Guy stood their ground, waiting for them to open the door to the throne room. There was no turning back now. Bowsette's fingers stroked the glistening knob shaped in Bowser's insignia. Slowly, gently, the massive door squealed open, then shut with an echoing thud.

Mario walked ahead. His nose poked over one of the steps. There was nothing there but an empty throne with a Kamek inside some glowing orb of sorts sitting in the middle. A lone Birdo fumbled with a chain. Connected to it was his beloved Yoshi trapped in a bird cage. He glared at the pink lizard.

"Drat!" Peach scowled silently. "I didn't think they'd notice the bag!"

Bowsette huffed. "Can't you just buy a new one?"

"Wha-? You idiot! All our supplies was in that bag!" she hissed. "We literally just lost all our power-ups to fight Wart!"

The She-Koopa blinked, then smirked. "As if." She reached into her overalls' pocket, pulling out the banner from earlier that poofed into a single 1up mushroom.

Peach let out a sigh of relief. "Well, at least it's something." But the moment she reached for it, Bowsette quickly pulled it away.

"Whaddaya think you're doing?"

The Princess blinked. "W-What do you mean what am I doing? Aren't you gonna share that?"

"Huh? Of course not! This is my 1up, get your own!"

A flabbergasted Peach continued to argue. Their voices becoming louder. "You selfish oaf! You'rethe one who dragged us into this mess! I say you owe us a powerup!"

"Are you out of your mind woman?! Kamek can't resurrect me now! If I go this time, I'll go for good!"

Mario quickly scurried over. His ears had picked up every bit of the conversation. Needless to say he was significantly upset at the Koopa Queen's actions. "Bowsette, what-are you doing?!"

She whispered. "We've already gone over this! I'm evil, get it?!"

The three began arguing back and forth, ultimately failing to reach a fair agreement. The circumstances were critical and Bowsette's selfishness could jeopardize things in the long run. He turned to the Princess. "Maybe it's-a best if you head-a back, Peach! You've-a got a kingdom to go home-a to!"

"Excuse me?! I'mmy own woman! I'll protect you!" she boasted.

Bowsette scoffed. "A little late to start having second thoughts, darling."

"Can you stopcalling him 'darling' like you're his wife?!" growled Peach as she took a stand.

The Koopa Queen followed suit. "At least I wouldn't turn him down unlike someinsensitive princess-!"

Mario yanked them both behind their hiding spot. After some huffing and puffing, the three eased in a bit closer to Bowser's throne. The sound of rattling chains and a creaking metal broke the silence. Bowsette peered from their hiding spot to see her loyal advisor stuck in the same manner as she remembered. To her surprise, not only was Yoshi out of his cage, but conversing with Birdo as if the circumstances were completely and utterly normal. He was not panicked, scared, nothing. What they were talking about, Mario and Peach could not understand. Their chirps and honks made it sound as if the green one was pitying the pink one.

"Ouch. I've never heard her sound this distraught."

Peach and Mario turned to Bowsette. She also looked confused, although not to their extent. Her face slowly went to disbelief. "Is...Is that what mymen think of me?"

"You can understand them?" Peach inquired raising a brow.

"Of course I can, what stupid question is that?" She seemed quite perturbed at Peach's remark. Upon noticing their audience, Yoshi quickly darted back into his cage, flinging the door shut the moment he was inside. Birdo too realized they were being watched. The three rapidly hid. Her eyes initially went wide, but she seemed to slowly calm down. Mario, Peach, and Bowsette all held their breaths, hoping for the best. Moments after, the squeak of rusted hinges was followed by a feminine voice. "Come on Yoshi. They got us." The green dinosaur made some noises, then she piped up again. "You three can come out now. I won't bite...I can'tbite."

Slowly, Bowsette poked her head out from their makeshift hiding spot. Mario followed, then Peach. Birdo watched as the three gradually approached. Their defenses at the ready.

"Yoshi?" asked Mario. "You're in on-a this too?"

Yoshi furrowed his eyelids. Birdo shook her head. "Nah. He was just in the right place at the wrong time."

"Kamek!" Bowsette cried as she grasped the glowing sphere in her hand. It was indeed her fallen comrade, frozen in an eternally unfinished lecture. She clawed at the container, squeezed it, even dug her teeth into it to no avail. The jiggly spell was too strong for mere brute force to break.

Birdo sighed. "Sorry babe. The big man himself is the only one who can break. Trust me, I've tried. Same with the 'forever rain' spell."

Peach looked from one to the other in confusion. She waved her hands in front of her face. "Okay, wait. What's going on? Bowser, what was she saying just now?"

"Woman, are you deaf or something?!" she exclaimed. Her teeth still gnawed at the orb. "Ewen Mawio heard her wow'd and queer!"

"Ehh…" Mario nervously rubbed the back of his head.

The pink dinosaur rolled her eyes. "Smooth skins, I tell ya. Look, I told Yoshi about my life's story, I totes don't wanna be here. I just came for the dough."

Peach and Mario looked at each other even more lost than ever. "W-wait, don't you hate us? Aren't you gonna try to stop us from beating your boss?!"

"Like, chill Peach!" Birdo gestured with her hand. The other adjusted her bow. "Don't you see me and some of the boys are done being bad guys? I mean, yeah, we had our fun, and I still envy you and your good looks, but those days are done! Why do you think Yoshi's not an actualprisoner?"

"You...You're-a not-a keeping him-against his will?" asked Mario.

Birdo scoffed. "Duh."

"Woah woah woah, time out!" cried Peach. "What is going on?! Why aren't you bad?! And what-?!"

"Shh!" Birdo quickly put a hand over the princess and Mario's mouths. The air about them silent for a moment before she proceeded. "Look, I dunno about you three, but I'm retired from this whole 'being a henchman' thing. Wart's offered us our old jobs back, and some of us really needed the money, so we complied. I'd almost forgotten how much of a hothead he was, and now I'm stuck being his minion. Most of us are, except those who actuallywant in on the whole thing. Me? I could totally care less."

The three blinked in surprise. "So...you're-a not-a gonna stop-us?"

"Sorry. Not feeling it." Birdo muttered. She then turned back to Yoshi. "Besides, there's someone who taught me there's more to life than being a villain."

Yoshi moaned slightly. A hint of red on his face. Mario gasped. "Yoshi!" The green dinosaur chirped in a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

Peach slowly smiled. "So, you'll help us then?"

Birdo stared. Surely if she could grin, it would be spread across her lips. "No."

"Wah-?" asked Bowsette. "W-Why not?!"

She shrugged. "Listen hon, I'm a party animal racer, not a fighter. Besides, if I help you, Wart's gonna deduct what he's already-"

Before she could finish her sentence, the doors to the throne room flung open. In plodded a massive green form, mumbling incoherently to himself as he locked the door behind him. A small green hat hung from his fingers. Some clear knock-off of Mario's, complete with a "K" where the "M" was meant to be. His rambling continued until he got to the foot of his throne.

"Incompetent fools refusing to cooperate. Maybe I'll just test it on Bowser's little-"

He stopped dead in his tracks upon seeing the new intruders. They too locked eyes with him. The air became thick, nearly unbreathable despite the massive size of the throne room. For a moment, no one said a word. Birdo broke the silence. She threw her hand on her head in a most dramatic fashion. "Oh no! Curse you, Mario, Peach, and Bowsette! Your prowess and unyielding strength has thwarted me and freed Yoshi!" She quickly grabbed the confused green dinosaur's hand. "And with that, I leave you in the capable hands of the all mighty Wart who will totally defeat you! Goodbye, world 8-8!" With that, she bolted at one of the stain glass windows, fired an egg from her snout, and leapt out into the rain without saying another word. More awkward silence. Bowsette wondered if the ex-henchman had forgotten the room was on the third floor.

After the initial shock, Mario snapped out of his trance, pulling himself into a fighting stance. Bowsette did the same seconds after, along with Peach. Now up close and personal, the princess truly took a moment to gaze upon the slimy build that was their opponent. She had almost forgotten how horrid he was to look at. "Holy cannoli, Slippy sure let himself go." she grimaced in disgust. The other two snickered. Bowsette had the hardest time containing her laughter.

The massive frog howled in a rage. "It's Wart! Wart! You ignorant fools!" He hopped about angrily. Each bounce came with an earth shattering thud. Wart's hands began to glow. "You will know my name!"

The trio managed to leap out of the way just in time. Mario's hands began crackling with fire upon landing. Peach pulled out her signature parasol Perry. Bowsette bared her claws. Wart's scowl forced itself into a smile. "At long last. At long last I've got your attention!" he cackled. The edges of his fingers sparking with energy bolts. All three circled him, waiting for his next move. Though the air about them was fierce, it could go unsaid that everyone was tense.

The plumber grimaced. His fiery cobalt eyes glowing with determination. "So, you're-a the one trying to flood the Kingdom?"

Wart sneered. Just as he opened his mouth to speak however, Bowsette cut him off with her own phrase. "Well, it wouldn't be the first time he'd do something this mind-numbingly stupid. Or utterly unoriginal!"

The frog whisked to face her. He was fuming with anger and, as far as Bowsette could tell, some form of hurt. "What'd I do to deserve your disrespect?!" he yelled. "I, who taught you destructive spells. I, who befriended you when you had nothing! And yet, even when you rose to power, you never once thought to thank me!"

Bowsette frowned, tucking Kamek under her arm. "Okay, seriously buddy, you broke into my home and tried to kill me."

"I mean before that!" he cried. "I thought we were chums! You could care less for crushing the inferior, and all of a sudden you've teamed up with the likes of a lowly plumber and a misguided princess?! Thought you'd at least come back to pledge your allegiance to me!"

Bowsette turned to face the plumber. "What can I say?" A smile crossed her lips. "That mustachioed meatball's my hero too."

Mario could not help but flush a bit. His heart fluttered for a moment upon hearing her words. She shifted back to Wart. "Besides, if anyone's punching his lights out for good, it's gonna be me! And me alone, ya hear?"

The plumber's grin faded. His teeth gritted in unease. "Nice-a to see that's-a never gonna change." he muttered. During the entire exchange, Peach had begun phasing her fingers into the stone. Her hands sparkled like diamonds, swirling in clouds of pink until she finally summoned what she was looking for. Mario smirked, signaling to Bowsette to keep the enemy talking.

"Ohh, is that how it's gonna be?!" bellowed Wart. "Fine! Maybe it's best we end our friendship once and for all!"

"Does that mean you'll give me back my throne and admit you're a loser?" she taunted.

"I am not a loser!" he cried.

"I mean, come on, flooding the Mushroom Kingdom?" she continued. "Newsflash buddy, those ain't the Toads you're thinking of."

"You just wanna do things your way like the stubborn fool you are! You've failed at overtaking the Mushroom Kingdom time and time again! So who's the loser?! Me or you?!"

"Are you done rambling? 'Cause at this point I'd rather marry Mario than be subjected to anymore blubbering from the world's most blatant Frogger rip-off!"

Wart's jaw dropped. His knuckles clenched tightly as his screams echoed throughout the castle. Peach seized her opportunity with Mario foot stooling her into the air as she tossed a pair of turnips into the frog's awaiting mouth. Her aim served her well. Wart gripped his throat, but it was far too late. Two large bulges slithered down his neck. His eyes went wide in unwanted surprise. The princess landed with such grace, turning back to the frog king now slowly beginning to keel over. He gagged for breath desperately, choking for a moment before drawing in a final breath. The three heroes beamed in victory.

Wart did not topple over however. After some hacking and wheezing, he slowly raised his head up high. An obligatory clichéd chuckle escaped his lips. "Fools. Did you really expect it to be that easy?!" He locked eyes with the trio. His hands shot up, leaving them little time to react. By the end of it, Peach's dress had a charred hole from which a bolt narrowly struck. She looked up in horror at the frog king as he chortled with delight. "It'll take more than a pair of turnips to defeat me!" In an instant, he fired a flurry of magic bolts in Peach's direction. Her parasol deployed in defense. Mario leapt out from behind, unleashing his own array of fiery blasts. Wart countered with a safety bubble, deflecting his attack before leaping backwards. Flames cascaded all around, forcing the heroes to run for cover.

Mario flipped his cape, pushing away any nearby blaze. Bowsette huffed. "Please tell me it takes a moment."

"Don't you see?!" the frog laughed. "I've fortified myself from the last time we met! You really think a couple of vegetables is gonna do it?!" Without another word, he charged a water cannon and fired at the She-Koopa. She was struck directly with the sudden impact causing her to drop Kamek's sphere. Mario got the jump on Wart not long after, only to be caught by a spell that froze him mid flight. The fiend swatted him away, then shot his tongue out to pull him back. The end result looked like Mario was a ball with Wart as a punching paddle until he was flicked to the side. Peach made a jump for the open mouth only for her opponent to quickly close his maw. The turnip bounced off Wart's nose as he readied a bubble beam. Peach held her parasol up, but the sheer force shoved her back with a yelp.

Bowsette watched the scene unfold from the ground. With the two distracting him, she rushed for the trapped Kamek. The moment he saw her, he unleashed a bolt of chain lightning in Bowsette's direction. On instinct, she held up Kamek's sphere in defense. After bursting upon impact, she skidded to the floor with her advisor clutched tightly in her arms. When she opened her eyes, she noticed the orb had shrunk, exposing little more than the Magikoopa's head, toes, and fingers.

"-Graves, you foolish amateur of a-! Huh? Peach and Mario?!"

"Kamek!" Bowsette hugged the ball tightly. The Magikoopa turned to face his elated leader.

"Your majesty? My! You're alive!"

Immediately, she felt a hard tug. Wart's tongue latched onto Kamek with the intent of prying him away. Bowsette dug her nails into the slimy sphere and pulled just as much. In the wake of it all, Mario ran towards their foe. Turnip in hand, he slid under the hulking amphibian's form and deposited his round, making Wart gag. Bowsette simultaneously lost her grip on Kamek and, with the large frog's tongue whiplashing back into his mouth, sent his subordinate flying across the throne room. He bounced from obstacle to obstacle, ultimately coming to rest at the far edge of the throne room. Though dazed, Kamek quickly went to work trying to stand himself up. "C-Come on. Where's the Kadabra on this thing?"

The fight continued with Mario being tossed asunder. Wart and Bowsette locked hands again in a mighty power struggle. This time, with Peach sliding between the She-Koopa's legs to land a kick to her opponent's stomach. Her heels must have brought a significant amount of pain as Wart's eyes popped from his head like a cymbal monkey, making him lose his grip just enough for Bowsette to follow up with a flurry of punches. The last one threw him to the ground with a sickening crack. He looked up to see the Koopa Queen just narrowly miss his head with a blazing fire stream. His hands lit up, shooting out a bright blue bolt in retaliation. The first ones missed, but the last two found their mark with a loud boom. Peach tumbled to the ground while Bowsette careened into a wall. Both their clothes tattered.

"Let's test the regenerative powers of Princess Toadstool, shall we?!" His mouth began to glow as a water beam gurgled somewhere inside his throat. Bowsette looked up from her wounds. Peach was still down and barely getting up. With mere seconds before Wart let rip, she quickly tackled the Princess to the side. At the same time, Mario landed a fiery kick into the monster's back, causing him to deploy in a different direction.

Both girls tumbled to a standstill. The She-Koopa loomed over the one she had just rescued. Peach gazed up at her savior. Their eyes locked.

"You...you okay?" Bowsette asked.

"Y-Yes." answered Peach. Her face slowly turning red.

Bowsette took her time analyzing the princess over. She smirked. "For the record, I've always wanted to do this."

Peach growled, tossing the dark princess aside before getting to work summoning another batch of vegetables. The She-Koopa rose just in time to see Wart facing off against Mario. His movements were just like she always remembered; leaping from one attack and countering with another. Wart would fire a bolt, Mario would deflect it with a spin attack. The frog hopped into the air, the plumber jumped to prolong his combo. And that face. Mario was no longer holding back. Finally. Every bottled up emotion, every last ounce of pent up frustration had an excuse to be unleashed. And unleash it he did. Every punch he delivered streamed fire, forcing Wart to counter with ice attacks that did little to impede the plumber's strikes. It was a side Bowsette had not seen in quite a while. His warrior's spirit, despite how irksome it could be at times, was something that she always did admire about him from the very start. Even as Bowser, he recognized the plumber was an unyielding protector. One she could no longer deny she wanted to herself.

Another mighty jab struck the injured frog's face, sending him tumbling on a crash course into Bowser's throne. He groaned. Small stars danced around his head. Wart saw his oncoming attacker flaring up both his hands. He could practically feel the scorching heat from where he was. Whatever came next would surely put him in a world of hurt. In an instant, the frog dropped to his knees, hiding his head under his hands in a bowing position. "H-Hold on!" he cried. "Please stop! I only did all of this out of jealousy! Have mercy, almighty Mario!"

Mario halted abruptly. Such a pathetic position to suddenly take. Low and behold, he even heard what sounded like a faint whimpering. Moreover, there was the slightest tremble in the frog's form. They must have really struck fear into his heart to have him kneel in this manner. Still, the plumber hesitantly inched forward. His fists still crackled with fury. Eyes squinted in suspicion.

Wart began to sniffle. "Please, I beg of you! I don't mean to be evil, I just am! I'm no different from Bowser over there! I don't really wanna hurt anyone! Give me a chance! I promise I'll cause chaos 'No-Mo'!"

Displeasure overtook Mario's face. His breathing heavy. His guard dropped for a moment. "You're really sorry? Look-at-a this!" He raised his arms. The room around them had been scorched, broken, and ultimately disheveled. Shattered glassware here, remnants of valuables there. His panting refused to cease. "You've-a made-a mess! Your-a plan could-a taken hundreds of-a lives! What-do-you have-a to say for yourself?!"

The momentary silence was only disturbed by the pelting rainwater outside. The fiend still trembled at Mario's feet. Wart slowly raised his head, opening his eyes.

"Nokonoko."

A barrage of reds hit the plumber like a battering ram, hurtling him across the room like a rag doll. Bowsette and Peach gawked as the Mushroom Kingdom's greatest hero violently struck the far wall. Every brick in his wake bore either an indentation or a large crack. What took mere seconds felt like unending hours as his body then slid off before dropping into a pile of Wart's turquoise spheres. The tumble so loud with a figure that landed so limp that his life force was undoubtedly extinguished.

"Mario!" shrieked Bowsette.

A maniacal Wart shifted directions. His sights set on the injured Bowsette. "And now to finish you!" But before he could prepare another attack, Peach struck with a mighty swoop of her crown, knocking the sorcerer to his knees. Bowsette wanted little more than to dissect the fat frog right then and there, yet her legs instead carried her to the downed Mario. What was she doing? Her aim was to destroy Wart! She did not care about her arch nemesis one little bit, right? Then why would her legs not stop?

By the time she got to his side, his fingers had stopped twitching. His breathing had ceased and his eyes had rolled to the back of his skull.

"Mario?! Mario! Wake up you block headed buffoon!"

Her screams went unanswered. She shook his head, trying her best to wake him up. Nothing worked. That was the end. He had just run out of lives. Without thinking, Bowsette reached in her pocket and pulled out their last 1-up mushroom. No second thoughts. No hesitation. She shoved it into his mouth, holding his jaw closed.

"Come on, you idiot!" she cried. Her eyes grew watery. "Chew...chew!"

Silence. Mario remained unresponsive as she held him in her arms. Had the circumstances been any different, it would have looked as if he had fallen asleep peacefully. Suddenly a familiar jingle played with a momentary glow that restored the color on Mario's face. His eyes fluttered open.

"Ugh...what-a just happened?"

Bowsette lit up and, without realizing it, planted a long, hard kiss upon Mario's cheek. She then pulled him up to her own. Their noses plastered against each other. Both sights met. "Don't you ever do that again! You mumbling imbecile!"

Mario's groggy eyes went wide. "P-Peach?"

She gasped, repeatedly shaking him at the overalls. "No you idiot, it's me!"

"No! Peach!"

She shifted focus. The princess barely held her own. Wart was truly proving his might, even against the magics of Peach herself. An unseen swipe tore her parasol from her hands as she too skid to the ground. Though stunned, she was mostly uninjured. A shadow slowly overcast her frail form as she watched Wart's slimy build drop on top of her. She made a grab for what she thought was a weapon only to instead grab a useless green hat.

Thud!

That lone sound sent a shockwave across the entire kingdom. Mario screamed. Bowsette gasped. Both their hearts dropped. A psychotic Wart laughed with glee. There was no sign of life under his rotund physique. No sign that under those oversized legs once stood a beautiful woman. There was no denying it. He just squashed the great Mushroom Princess like an insignificant bug. His gaping maw bared a terrible grin. "I'll turn you to paper. I'll turn you all into paper!"

The plumber's lips trembled for a moment, then closed. His eyes ablaze with anger. The Koopa Queen's ignited just as well. Her fists balled so hard her knuckles turned white. It was clear how real this all was. This barbaric monster had not a single ounce of mercy in his frozen heart. To think this was an individual Bowsette once looked to as a friend only served to make her stomach churn. Not even as Bowser would she have the gauze to end Peach's life in such a manner. Her nostrils flared. Mario's teeth grinded in anticipation. This would end now.

The moment they prepared to tag team their menace however, Wart's body wobbled involuntarily. His eyes bore a hint of surprise. His laughter ceased altogether when another wobble disturbed his focus. He suddenly started lifting off the ground. As if propelled by an unseen force, the screaming frog was thrown asunder until he impacted an old Koopatrol armor set. It crashed down in an ear piercing series of clanging.

When the pair of heroes looked back, to their shock, there stood a completely new female. A green dress replaced a pink one, red hair replaced blonde, all wrapped together with a green spiny shell, stumpy horns, and large, beastly hands. A green hat atop her head replaced what would have been a golden crown.

"Stupid...bulbous...toad…" she panted. Though the appearance was unrecognizable, the voice was certainly not.

"Princess-a Peach?!" cried Mario.

The girl turned around. "What?" she exhaled as she parted the hair over her face. Panic set in the moment she noticed her hands. "Ahh! What happened to me?!"

Off to the corner, the disheveled Wart slowly began climbing to his feet. Bowsette saw the opportunity and shouted. "Peach! Roar at Wart!"

"What?!" she cried, still trying to comprehend what was going on. "Why would I do that?"

"Roar darn you!"

"But Bowser-!"

"ROAR!"

"Fus Ro-Dah!"

A blazing fireball shot out of her mouth. By the time Wart realized what was coming, there was no way to dodge it. The room burst into a burning blaze that saw the frog careening backwards. His face charred with the rest of his body covered in soot. He gritted his teeth, opening his eyes just in time to see the three lunging at him again.

"As-a one!"

Peach whacked her opponent across the face with her crown. Mario followed up with an uppercut. Bowsette flew in with a gut busting punch. Instead of striking individually, their blows found their mark in a much more sequential manner. For the first time, the three managed to pull off a cohesive combo of attacks without much issue. Jab from a parasol here, burst of flame there, all neatly wrapped together by a bludgeoning punch. Fire surrounded the four from every angle now. Their struggle finally shifting in favor of the heroes. In that moment, Bowsette felt the strongest connection to her newfound comrades. Neither was fighting for their own gain or glory. All of them had one common goal in mind: to beat the snot out of Wart and stop him from destroying their homes.

The impact of elbow on bare stomach echoed like a war drum. Wart careened backwards. His back struck a wall. Neither fighter was giving him any room to breathe. He would need to resupply his FP soon. All the spells left him all but bankrupt. With waning strength and desperation however, he threw out one more powerful attack. A restriction spell that froze the attacking trio in the air. Despite his bruises, Wart still made the vaguest attempt at an evil laugh. His fingers twitched, sending bolts of electricity through his enemies' bodies. They screamed at the top of their lungs as he relished in their agony.

"That's it!" he screamed. "I'm through playing on level one! How about we amp this up to level nine?!" The electrical bolts fired again, sending wave upon wave of pain surging through Peach, Bowsette, and Mario's weakened forms. Neither of them could move. Though they were frozen in place, Wart had complete control over what punishment he could bestow upon them. He truly had been toying with them the entire time and now was prepared to pull the finishing blow. Peach looked to Mario. Mario looked to Bowsette. Bowsette looked to them both. Another surge threatened to squeeze the life out of them for good. To think they had come so close to their goal only to now realize what they were really up against. There was never any hope against Wart. He had grown much too powerful.

"Hey you big King K. Rool ripoff!"

The torture stopped. Wart arched a brow, but continued to hold his hostages in place. He glanced over his shoulder to find a small Koopa glaring at him under bushy brows. His beady eyes alive with righteous fury.

"J-Junior!" coughed Bowsette.

The little youngling's defiance was almost comical. The final hope for the heroes was thistiny creature? Wart could not help but utter a bellowing, gurgling laugh. "Would you look at this?! I do believe you're going to beat me!" His massive legs stomped him over to face the Koopaling. Wart absolutely towered over Junior. Most of his hulking form was covered in an inky black shadow that flickered with the light of nearby flames. His large white teeth gleamed with malice.

"You let my dad and the losers go this instant you big bully!"

Wart howled in laughter. "Oho, what in the world do you think you're gonna do to me, boy?! You don't even have your precious little brush to paint me a picture!" He leaned in close. His face inches away from the Koopaling. "Come to rescue daddy?"

Junior grimaced at the sight of Bowsette. She in turn, through her pain, was giving him the meanest stink eye a parent could give their offspring. He was having none of it however. The youngling took in a deep breath and held it. His cheeks swelled up in response.

The frog king grew impatient. "Go to your spears and rocks, boy. Unless you wish to end up like your father."

After a solid five seconds, Junior opened his mouth. Out shot a blinding stream of red hot flames that instantly engulfed the unexpecting villain. He yelled incoherently, losing his focus enough to drop the restriction spell on the three heroes. In his panic, he ran into a rolling Kamek, knocking the fleeing Magikoopa from his small feet onto his round makeshift prison. Once the fires were extinguished, Wart quickly charged up the biggest bubble beam he could summon. The sphere quickly grew to size in his mouth.

Instinctively, Bowsette reached for her head, dislodging a bobby pin along with her hair tie. Two fingers held the ladder apart while she loaded the pin into a makeshift slingshot and fired. The bubble burst the moment it was meant to deploy, sending Wart tumbling backwards. In the confusion, he spotted Peach and Mario throwing another pair of turnips into his wide open mouth. By the time he closed his mouth, it was too late. He unknowingly swallowed. His eyes shed their lids as they began to water. His face began to swell. The limit of his fortification had finally been reached. Peach came up from under him, clasping her hands together before bringing them down on her opponent's head. He bounced about like a beach ball as Bowsette followed up with a double kick into the air. Wart's watery eyes fluttered open just in time to see the final fiery blow from Mario as he thrust his fist into the 8-bit leader's abdomen. The sheer force alone propelled him across the room, striking pillar after pillar until hitting the far wall. Its entire face nearly shattered upon impact. A full thirty seconds passed with no response. Then sixty. Only after a full two minutes passed did they finally see it fit to drop their guard. Exhausted, dirty, but triumphant. All of them were breathing heavily with the exception of Junior who was busy cheering their amazing heroics. Bowsette however looked significantly displeased.

"What are you doing here kid?! I thought I told you to stay with Daisy!"

"I couldn't let you go it alone, papa!" protested Junior.

"That was a very dangerous idea!" she continued. "And all I have to say is…!" Bowsette picked up the Koopaling in her arms. Her hug tight and comforting. "Thank you for saving us, kiddo."

Junior hugged her back just as excitedly. "Oh, dad! Not in front of them!" Peach looked to Mario. He simply grinned wearily.

"You really are growing up, aren't you kiddo?" Bowsette said softly.

The Koopaling giggled. "It took you long enough to notice, Queen-Dad."

The two eventually released their embrace. Bowsette looked to the beastly Peach with morbid curiosity. "So...guess my Koopa Cap works after all, heh? How funny is that?"

"Right, funny." taunted Peach. Her eyes scanned up and down her new visage. Two bloated fingers tugged on her dress. She frowned. "Ugh, though green is sonot my color."

Mario chuckled, rubbing at his injuries. "So, what-are you calling-a this?"

She prodded the lone tooth sticking out of her overbite. A smile slowly came to her lips. "Well, seeing as it's a hybrid of my good looks and Bowser's brawn...why not 'Peacher'?"

Mario beamed through his wounds. Bowsette however looked less than impressed. "That's the stupidest name I've ever heard!"

Peach, or 'Peacher', gasped. Her fists balled at her side. "Oh! As if 'Bowsette's sounds like it's any better?!"

Bowsette crossed her arms. "Think of it as a compliment, at least the name's as dumb as you now."

"At least my outfit's whole and not screaming 'I'm desperate for attention'!" argued Peach.

Mario simply shook his head. It was then that he realized the rains outside had not yet stopped. Ignoring the duo of arguing princesses, he slowly made his way to the defeated Wart. His torn gloves still balled in fists. The others soon followed him over. Wart looked an absolute mess. Covered in soot, caked in bruises, and now, bloated like never before. Even his cape, once an elegant shining silk, had been reduced to a tattered mess. He shuddered as his foes approached. The plumber was the first to pipe up. "How do you stop-a the rain?"

A devious smirk crawled up to the frog king's lips. "It's my spell." he groaned. "And I'm the only one who can put it to rest."

"Then stop it." Peach demanded. "Stop it before we decide to polish you off!"

Wart made the faintest attempt to laugh. His voice hoarse compared to what it once was. "A-Admit it. I was more than you could handle. Not even the great Bowser could stand up to the likes of me." He turned to face the Koopa Queen.

She snarled through her unkempt composure. "If we beat you, everything returns to normal, right?"

"You would give away the ending, wouldn't you, Bowser?" Wart growled. "To think we were such great buddies back in the day. You're nothing like the beast I used to know."

Bowsette huffed. "Only buddies when it's convenient for you. That's a difference between being a king and being a tyrant…" She stopped. Did she really just hear that come out her own mouth? For the slightest moment, her ruby red eyes gave off a sky blue glimmer. "Maybe...just maybe, that's why it's so hard for anyone to like me." Her head hung at her shoulders.

"Oh, come off it!" scoffed Wart. "W-What's anyone ever gained from being civil?!"

At that moment, Mario stepped forward to grasp Bowsette's hand. He smiled up at her as her uneasy breathing relaxed with his gaze. Then Peach grabbed for Mario's other hand. She too grinned despite her single showing tooth. Finally, Junior grabbed Bowsette's other hand. His gaze too bright. All four looked at the fallen Wart. Mario took a breath before uttering the phrase "More than-a you know."

A lone figure waddled over from behind, clasping at Junior's hand. "May I remind you I was part of this too, sire?"

"Huh? Oh, right. Thanks for staying alive, Kamek." Bowsette grinned. Her attention remained on Mario. Kamek frowned as the others slowly withdrew their hands. Peach plucked one final item from the ground without looking down at it. She grinned devilishly. "And now for the finishing blow!"

Bowsette and Mario's eyes quickly went wide. "Wait, Peach, that's not a vegetable-!"

Thoom!

The massive explosion not only broke a section of the castle wall clean off, but it sent all of them flying out into the storm. Peach's screams echoed into the night. Her green hat blew off in the process, restoring her default appearance.

Fwip!

"Phew." Peach opened Perry the Parasol just in time. Her descent immediately slowed. Soon, Mario's fast approaching screams cut through the air. In a flash, she stuck out her hand just enough to grasp his. A successful catch. Then another high pitched cry sped towards them. In a matter of seconds, Bowsette managed to clutch Mario's foot while clinging to Junior in her other hand, almost missing by a hair. In all the commotion, her crown's bobby pins at long last lost their grip, releasing the Super Crown from her head. An all too familiar "Poof!" and her transformation had dissipated. The Koopa King squeezed Mario's shoe while fruitlessly gazing upon his falling power up. Its shape faded into gold dust before disappearing.

"No! My crown!" he cried.

Perry cut in. "P-Princess I-I think I'm gonna-! I'm gonna-!"

Fwip!

The parasol turned inside-out and quicker than rocks the four of them fell, screaming witlessly all the way down. Bowser struck his own fountain first, unwillingly becoming a fluffy sack for the others to bounce safely. Junior climbed back onto the fallen behemoth's stomach, pulling out a random baseball glove to catch the incoming Kamek successfully. Much to the Magikoopa's luck, the sphere that had served as his mobile prison for so long was already melting away. Peach gracefully floated to safety somewhere in the nearby courtyard. Her heels gently tapped the concrete as she tended to her broken companion.

"P-Princess Peach...was I...of...service?" Perry uttered before collapsing.

"Oh, Perry!" Her gentle hands slowly did their best to repair the damage.

Mario had landed headfirst in a mound of dirt in the garden. His legs flailed around frantically until he finally managed to pop himself out. He shook his weary head only to witness a small posse of Wart's minions closing in on them. Droplets pelted their angry faces as they prepared to attack. Then, as soon as they readied to pounce, the harsh rainfall gradually began to diminish. Rain clouds above quickly evaporated, letting in a bright, glimmering sunlight. Soon, it was as if there were barely any clouds in the sky. Mario wiped at his lip as the enemies looked on in horror. Apparently not being able to handle the defeat of their leader, most of them were quick to scramble. Those who stayed stared at the plumber for a moment before skittering away. Around them, a number of Bowser's encapsulated men had begun to awaken from their slumber. Their orbs melted into the dirt as confusion set in. It was over. It was all finally over. Mario's gaze eventually fell on Bowser. He too had already been staring in his direction. The expected anger was absent now. Bowser's eyes were unbelievably soft. One could even say they appeared grateful. Neither said a word. All the Koopa did was nod. A smile. Mario aptly nodded back.