Chapter Thirty
"You know, your servants will only grow to hate you if you keep treating them so terribly," Princess Peach muttered from her end of the massive dining room table. She lifted another spoon of soup to her mouth with her shackled hand.
A poor little Goomba servant picked himself up off the floor and waddled back into the kitchen with pudding dripping from his head.
"The pudding tasted terrible and I figured that, if it wasn't fit to be eaten, maybe it was fit to be worn," Bowser smiled devilishly, his teeth glinting in the light of the golden chandelier hanging from the ceiling. "Take my advice, Princess. Fear is the greatest form of respect. As long as they fear you they will always do what you say."
Peach frowned at him, "That's a very lonely way to live."
Bowser bristled and puffed up his chest in angry pride. "I have the biggest, strongest, toughest Kingdom in the world, servants who do everything I say, parties every night with beautiful women from all around the world, and more money than I know what to do with! I have never known loneliness. Besides, only the weak feel lonely and I don't have a weak bone in my body."
"That sounds an awful lot like something a lonely person would say," Peach smirked as she took a sip from her cup. The words coming from her mouth mildly surprised her. She wasn't usually this taciturn. In fact, Peach was well known for being one of the most amiable and respectful women of her age. However, she didn't like the fact that Bowser and his children had started making a habit of kidnapping her. In fact, she didn't like thinking it but... she hated... yes, hated Bowser for taking her from home against her will again.
"So you think I am weak," Bowser snorted with a deep frown. Anger began to rise in his stomach. This little shrew had been on his nerves since the moment he took her from her castle.
"I never said that," Peach set her cup back down and looked at Bowser curiously. "Why don't your kids eat dinner with you?"
Bowser's eyebrows furrowed and he gave a low growl. "Those brats could eat in the dungeon for all I care, and you definitely could be eating there very soon if you don't learn to hold your tongue!"
"More threats," Peach thought to herself snidely. He always did that. Whenever anyone questioned his opinions or made him feel uncomfortable, he would lash out childishly. But those threats could only protect him for so long. How long could Bowser stay voluntarily ignorant of reason?
Bowser took a large bite from a leg of meat and smirked at Peach's silence. He was certain he had finally intimidated her enough to shut her up. But her silence didn't last long.
"You are very proud of who you are," Peach stated, looking at Bowser thoughtfully. As she expected, he didn't have any qualms answering this question.
"Of course! I am the best! Everything I am and have is what the entire world dreams of!" Bowser stated with pride. He would have continued, but Peach cut him off before he could go on a rant.
"You kids are practically a spitting image of you," Peach proceeded. At this, Bowser paused and looked at her quizzically. She could practically see the gears begin to turn in his mind as he thought over her statements.
"What are you getting at?" the Koopa King asked warily after a few moments pause.
"It only makes me wonder…" Peach muttered. For a second she stopped and thought over what she was about to say. It was definitely risky...
As she spoke, a Koopa servant came out of the kitchen and made his way to the pudding stained floor with a mop in his hands.
Peach continued after a moment of contemplation, "As similar as your children are to you, why aren't you more proud of them?"
The servant Koopa blanched, turned face, and walked back into the kitchen.
Bowser's face turned beet red and the utensils in his claws bent in his fists. Peach tried to keep her composure but she had obviously struck a very deep nerve. Deeper than she had originally thought. The King's eyes turned vicious and smoke began to roll from his nostrils.
"I t-think I have overstayed my welcome, excuse me," Peach said, forcing her voice to sound as polite and graceful as possible. Her hands shook as she put down her fork and stood from the table, giving Bowser a slightly unbalanced curtsy.
"Who do you think you are mocking me in MY CASTLE?!" Bowser roared furiously. He took hold of the table and threw it to the side. Peach fell back into her chair and cringed as the King stomped forward and took hold of the arms of her seat, pinning her to the spot. She flinched as she felt his scalding hot breath almost burn her skin.
"Bowser… I'm s…" the princess whimpered.
"I am King Bowser Koopa! KING! You will learn that or I'll…" Bowser snarled ferociously but he didn't get to finish his threats.
"Your Ferociousness! Mario's here in the castle! He has already destroyed the first-floor dungeon!" Kammy the Magikoopa shrieked as she burst through the dining room doors.
Bowser's grip loosened on the chair as he looked up at Kammy seriously. His face was still red with anger but his focus had been completely diverted. Using this distraction to her advantage, Peach slipped out from under his arms and ran for the open door that Kammy had left wide open.
"Princess!"
Peach could hear Bowser running after her. Panic coursed through her veins as she ran as fast as she could down the winding hallways. She paid no attention to what direction she went or which doors she opened. She just needed to get away from him.
"Princeeeess!" Bowser called again as he searched. "Damn her! Why can't she just listen to orders! This isn't the place to…"
*Thunk! Crunch!*
Bowser's sense of smell was suddenly overcome by the scent of blood.
"No."
He ran down the halls and turned several corners
"No…"
When he finally rounded the last corner, his eyes widened in horror.
Mario was kneeling on the floor with Peach draped in his arms.
"What have you done, Bowser?" Mario asked wretchedly. Bowser stood in stunned silence, looking at the bloodstained ax hanging from the doorframe and then at the unconscious princess who had a large laceration on her shoulder.
"What have you done?!" Mario yelled, bringing Bowser out of his stupor.
"It… was an accident. The traps… they were for you," Bowser choked as the scent of Peach's blood made him sick.
Mario scowled at him and picked Peach up as gently as he could. He winced as her wounded shoulder started to saturate his shirt with blood.
"Kamek!" Bowser called. The Magikoopa popped out of thin air.
"Yes, Your…."
"Send them home," Bowser ordered. Mario and Kamek looked up at the Koopa King in surprise.
"… But, Your Mercilessness, we have the best hospi…." Kamek began to argue.
"Send them back! NOW!"
"Yes, Your Odiousness…" Kamek answered sadly. With a wave of his wand, Mario and Peach were transported back to the Mushroom Kingdom.
Months went by before Bowser could sleep through the whole night without being woken by nightmares. Even then, the fear on Peach's face and the smell of her blood haunted him both day and night.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bowser stood awkwardly outside Peach's hospital room as he turned this memory over in his mind. The King grimaced and stared at the door. He didn't know why, but over the past three days, he would always find himself back at this spot. Memories from his past drew him to the princess, but he still couldn't quite understand what was so important about... this... her.
Before the day Peach had finally woken up, Kamek had told Bowser everything that had happened over the previous week. According to the Magikoopa, a subordinate had betrayed Bowser and ended up killing him. It was with Peach, Kamek, Kamella and Toadsworth's help that he had been brought back to life. However, he had somehow lost a fraction of his memory on the journey back. From what Kamek could tell, Bowser had lost more than five years of his memories and it would probably take him a few months of magical treatment before he could regain his memories.
"My wife is dead and I haven't remarried but I have been kidnapping a human woman and... my kids call her Mama," the King thought to himself. "Did I lose all sense of pride?"
"She isn't here right now, Your Malevolence." Bowser flinched turned his head.
"Damn it, Kamek!" Bowser glared at the old man. He had been so deep in his thoughts that he hadn't noticed the Magikoopa's presence. "…Where is she?"
Kamek hesitated momentarily, "Dr. Yoshi moved her temporarily so the floor in this room can be… repaired."
"I didn't ask why he moved her. I asked where," Bowser frowned impatiently.
"… to the last room down the hall," Kamek said with some reluctance.
"Tell Dr. Yoshi that I will be visiting Princess Toadstool shortly," Bowser grunted as walked down the hallway in the direction Kamek had pointed.
"Your Stubbornness, wouldn't it be best to let the princess rest?" Kamek nervously suggested. "She is probably sleeping. The sun has been down for hours…"
Bowser paused. He hated to admit it, but Kamek was probably ri...
A loud bout of laughter came from the other side of Peach's door as the Koopas stood in the hallway.
"That sounds like the Koopalings' laughter," he grumbled in irritation. The little punks were supposed to be banned from seeing the princess until she was healthy enough to withstand their meddling.
"That or the doctor went to check on her. He can be quite funny at times…" the old Magikoopa chuckled as convincingly as he could. Bowser ignored him and began to walk faster. Kamek quickly waddled after him as he made his way to Peach's door. "Wouldn't you rather talk to her tomorrow when she has had more rest? The pain medicine can be very influential on human minds!"
"Kamek!" Bowser growled, laying his hand on the doorknob. The Magikoopa stopped talking but still looked as if he was trying to muster up more excuses to stop the King from seeing Peach. When had this old man ever become so protective? "I am going in there whether you like it or not! I am the King of this castle so I can go wherever I want whenever I want! Now stop muttering and…"
Bowser stopped midsentence when he looked through the window on Peach's door. All of his children - all eight of them - were leaning on the sides of Peach's bed. There were bedtime story books strewn all across the floor, but Peach took a small and unimpressive looking picture book in her hands and began to read.
Half of the Koopalings were already asleep from the last story she had read while the rest tried to stay awake as best as they could. Even Bowser Jr., who had a terrible attention span, was using his thumbs and index fingers to part his eyelids so he could stay awake as Peach read. The little Koopaling looked bound and determined to stay awake.
The King stood in the window and watched silently, removing his hand from the doorknob. Kamek gave a silent sigh of relief.
"I should never have worried about her," Kamek smirked at his King whose eyes were transfixed on the moment unfolding before him. With a wave of his wand, Kamek disappeared, leaving them to have their moment.
"I remember this story…" Bowser thought to himself as Peach read through the little storybook in a singsong voice.
.
. . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bowser heard her voice as he walked past her open door. His eyebrows creased at this. It was very unlike the princess to leave her door open like this. Any other time, she would lock it and push a table in front of it so it would be harder for anyone to get in without her knowing.
The curious and mischievous part of Bowser wanted to peak through the open door and see what the princess was up to. The lazy side of him didn't want to bother. If she found out he was spying at her door, he would have to deal with an angry princess for the rest of the weekend until Mario came and 'rescued' her.
He shook his head. It wasn't worth it.
Just as he passed her door and made his way down to the end of the hallway, he heard a different voice coming from her room.
"Momma Peach?" a small voice whispered.
"Yes?" the princess answered quietly.
"C-can you read me... a bedtime story?" the little voice asked nervously.
Bowser's curiosity turned to anger. He had told those little runts to go to bed hours ago!
"I would love to."
His anger subsided slightly as he heard a genuine kindness in Peach's voice that he rarely heard. There was no edge, malice, or disdain in her tone as she spoke. Instead, she sounded positively happy to fulfill the Koopaling's request. He stepped nearer to the door and leaned his shoulder against the wall so he could listen closer.
The Lonely Little Star who danced in the sky,
Didn't know what to say when the Clouds rolled by.
So he huffed and he puffed to catch their eyes,
But the Clouds turned away, saying, "No one likes a huff and puff guy!"
.
The Lonely Little Star saw the Sun glow hot,
So he flamed and he flared to get a second shot,
The Sun shook its head and turned bright red,
saying, "No one likes a flame and flare Fred!"
.
The Lonely Little Star turned away from them all
Until he heard a voice from someone quite small.
There on the Earth was a pretty Blue Jay,
He perched in his nest and began to say,
.
"Oh, Sun in the sky, please grant me a wish!
There is someone far away who I truly miss."
The Sun nodded proudly and gave a large smile,
"I can brighten the sky so you can see for miles!"
.
The Sun began to grow making all things bright,
But the Blue Jay squawked and sadly cried,
"The light won't help me for I am blind,
But thank you very muchly for being so kind."
.
"Oh, Clouds in the sky, can you grant me a wish?
There is someone far away who I truly miss."
The Clouds swirled and curled around with glee,
"I can clear the air so you can fly safely!"
.
The Clouds quickly dispersed, hiding in the West,
But the Blue Jay groaned and solemnly expressed,
"My wings don't work so I stay in my nest,
But thank you very muchly for trying your best."
.
The Sun and Clouds couldn't believe what they heard,
Could no one help the poor little bird?
There had to be some way to grant his wish,
After all, there was someone he truly missed.
.
"Oh, Star in the sky, please grant me a wish,
There is someone far away who I truly miss."
The Lonely Little Star felt its heart crinkle,
saying, "All stars can do is wink and twinkle."
.
So the Lonely Little Star did just that,
It winked and it twinkled, fip-wip-skiddat!
"I might as well try, though I know they'll laugh,
If the bird does too, it won't matter a sclaff."
.
But no one laughed or snorted or giggled,
Instead, the Sun and Clouds seemed quite riddled.
For when the Star stopped, they all heard a whistle,
There she was! A whistling green-shelled turtle!
.
The Blue Jay smiled, he sang, and he hollered!
"There she is! You're finally here!" he called her.
"Oh, thank you little one! How lucky you are!
"From this day on you'll be my Lucky Star!"
.
From that time forth, the now Lucky Star
Became the most wished on by far!
No longer Lonely, no longer sad,
And loved by all who wishes had.
When Peach had finished reading, a long silence filled the warm atmosphere. Bowser's curiosity grew like a balloon in his chest.
Just one peak. That's all he wanted.
Bowser laid his hand flat against the wall to steady himself as he leaned forward on the balls of his feet. The moment his face poked around the corner he knew he had either made the best decision or worst mistake of his life.
There, in her bed lit by a small bedside candle, sat Princess Peach in a ruffly light-pink nightgown with her hair in a messy braid. In her arms laid a sleeping spiky-shelled Koopaling who had his red hair tied back in a ponytail and wore a white bandana around his neck with a mouth drawn on it.
Peach giggled softly and gently brushed some stray hairs off of Bowser Jr.'s face.
"Don't worry," she whispered to him and rested her cheek on his forehead as she hugged him to her chest. "Momma Peach will make sure you don't have anymore more nightmares tonight."
Bowser Jr. snuggled into her arms and gave a sigh of contentment as he slept.
The balloon of curiosity that had inflated in Bowser's chest popped and replaced itself with something much heavier and almost sickening as he stood in the doorway watching the women before him.
That was it. The King's mind was fixed. That night a silent vow was made...
To never not kidnap Princess Peach!
Dignity, be damned!
Pride, be shitted!
Self-respect, be f*****!
Horah for the Irremediable King! GWA HA HA