Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Mario or its franchise; it belongs to
Nintendo and their affiliates. I just am really grateful to its creators for giving
me such a wonderful game and media series to write about!
I also don't own anything related to Harry Potter, all that belongs to J.K. Rowling,
but thanks go to her as well because, using her wonderful work, I can expand this
story to make it more interesting.
I also don't own anything related to Naruto if you see me throw a little of that, too.
Chapter Twenty-Two
What…happened?
"Good morning, beautiful."
"Lu…igi?"
What is going on?
"You fell and hit your head." Luigi told her, "Are you okay?"
Daisy sat up and saw that she was indeed on the ground and her head was aching, but it was aching from within it seemed. She frowned and sat up off the stone floor and looked around. She surrounded by shelves of books but this didn't look familiar at all.
"Where are we?"
"I think they call these places libraries."
Daisy smiled in spite of herself and said, "I know that, baby, but this…this doesn't look like the one in my palace."
"That's 'cause it's not."
"Then where are we?"
Luigi smiled at her, a dazzling smile she'd never seen on him before. His blue eyes, so clear and brilliant, shone with a hint of mischief and she blushed a little. He looked like, well, not like his usual humble, shy self.
"That's a surprise." He told her in quiet excitement.
He stood from where he'd been crouching beside her. His face, with his hair hanging down his cheeks, was the first thing she'd seen after waking up and it was the only thing she recognized. No, she was definitely not in her palace.
She took his proffered hand and he helped her up, then wrapped his arms round her and kissed her. Very gently. She blinked and wondered why it looked like he was holding back.
"What was that for?" She asked, smiling slowly.
He shrugged. His eyes were on her lips and his own were parted a bit to let out the shallow, warm breaths that were coming from his rising and falling chest. He met her eyes and stroked her cheek, then stepped back and appraised her. She did as well, wondering how her outfit had changed. Gone were her jeans and t-shirt and now she wore what could only pass as pajamas; small black shorts and a sleeveless red top that curled around her neck like a halter. Her hair felt heavy around her face and draped down her back.
I thought I pinned it up this morning?
"Come on." Luigi said, slipping his arm around her waist.
She put her arm around his back and walked with him to the door. She didn't know where he'd gotten the leather jacket from that he was wearing but it looked tailored to fit his body just right, and she could appreciate that.
He does have a nice body, she smiled to herself, running her hand over the supple material of the jacket. She also smoothed her hand over his more familiar white t-shirt and frowned when she couldn't feel her scar start to burn or tingle.
Maybe it comes and goes, she thought.
"What's on your mind?" He asked, looking down at her as they walked.
She didn't know why but she felt inclined to keep what was really on her mind to herself.
Lamely she said, "Oh, uh, just looking at all these books. Whoever's castle this is, they've got a huge library."
It was bigger than hers.
Luigi smirked and said, "They do, don't they? Can't see why they'd want all these useless piles of paper, though. It's not like books have saved anyone's life."
She looked up at him and noticed his smirking profile and swatted at his chest playfully.
"How could you say that?" She accused, "You told me you used to love to read when you were younger."
"Then I must've been a loser," He laughed.
She chuckled too but didn't really think it was as funny as he seemed to find it. But she did like his laugh. It was sweet. Well, usually.
Just now it sounded…different, she assessed as they left the library. Sexy, but different.
She noticed these halls were much wider, less perfunctory than the halls of Chai's palace. She strode with Luigi down the black marble floors between the hard granite walls. There were portraits along the walls but she couldn't stop and admire them. They looked to be of the same person though and all she could see as they walked were flashes of red. That was one of the palace's main colors. Where there wasn't black or grey there was jade and gold. They got to a giant foyer of sorts, it was as big as her ballroom and the floor was the same polished black marble like the hall. There was a symbol, in the floor, painted in shimmering gold, but she couldn't remember where she'd seen it.
"What is that?" She asked, hoping Luigi would know.
His black brows furrowed a second before he grinned and said, "I don't know but it looks cool, doesn't it?"
She didn't know if she agreed with that. The symbol made her stomach twist into knots. She knew that symbol but she just couldn't put her finger on why or from where.
"Where do you wanna' go from here?" Luigi asked her.
"So this is a tour?" She smiled softly, looking at him with a quirked brow.
He shrugged.
"But this isn't even your castle." She pointed out.
Or mine, for that matter
Luigi just shrugged and said, "I know who owns the place. He wouldn't mind me showing you around."
"Oh really?" She challenged, "And who owns this place?"
Again he kissed her, the corner of her mouth this time, and whispered, "I told you, that's a secret."
"You said it was a surprise," She argued, kissing him back on the jaw.
She heard his breath hitch and kissed him again. He pulled back and brought her in front of him by the waist, drumming his fingers on her hips. She laid her hands on his chest and smiled coyly up at him and only faltered when his eyes flickered for a flash of a second.
I thought I saw…no, my eyes are just playing tricks on me, she reasoned because surely his eyes hadn't flashed green just now. Had they?
"How 'bout we take the stairs?" He suggested.
She nodded absently and he led her that way. On the way they passed under the hugest crystal chandelier she'd ever seen and once again, her stomach knotted uncomfortably. She leaned in closer to Luigi and looked around. They were crossing the expansive room to get to a loosely winding white staircase, which clashed with the black floor and black railing on the second story. To the left of the stairs there were two enormous wooden doors, barred and with a strange, giant beast carved into them, and on either side of the doors there were more halls. The same was to the right of the stairs, except hanging on the wall there was a gargantuan portrait of a-
She looked away and rubbed her eyes.
It's like something is keeping me from looking at it, she frowned.
"Are you alright?" Luigi asked, guiding her up the staircase.
She nodded but didn't hide the furtive concentration from her face. Again she glanced at the picture but couldn't stare long. She consulted Luigi.
"Who is that?" She asked, pointing behind them.
He has to see it, too, it's impossible to miss!
Luigi looked and a slow grin appeared on his pale face. She grew excited and stopped at the top of the stairs.
"You can see it?"
"Of course I can," He nodded, "Can't you?"
She shook her head and he frowned, but it wasn't out of concern because he led her onto the second floor and made a remark that confused her.
"That's a shame 'cause that is one handsome motherfucker."
Since when does Luigi swear out of the blue?
She'd only heard him cuss when he was especially angry or upset, not just because. She wondered why he was doing it now because he didn't seem to be either of those at the moment.
Upstairs there were ivory floors and a lot more green accented along the walls and doors. They walked along the railing and then took a right down a long hall. One of the doors were open on the left and Luigi smiled down at her before leading her inside. He shut the door behind them and started to take off his jacket.
"Hot in here, isn't it?" he remarked.
She shook her head and responded lightly, "Not really."
"Well of course you aren't hot, look at what you're wearing." Luigi joked, coming over towards her.
She glanced down and made a face at the fact that she wasn't wearing any shoes, just those shorts and the red shirt.
Her attention then went to the dark wood bed. It was the main attraction in the room and it was a beautiful thing. It wasn't particularly big, but it had four strong posts and a sturdy frame. The canopy was sheer and light green and only mildly obstructed her view of the fluffy white sheets and green pillows atop the bed's surface. It looked like the most comfortable thing in the world.
"Cozy, isn't it?"
Daisy jumped and then laughed when she felt Luigi's arms encircle her waist from behind. She turned and wrapped hers around his neck and tilted her head. He bent his down and nipped at her neck and she flushed.
Well, he certainly is bold today, she noticed, I wonder why that is?
She couldn't think of any special reason and didn't think this was a special day. In fact, she couldn't recall much past waking up in the library. That bothered her, and she dissociated from the moment, trying to figure out how exactly she'd come to be in this strange palace in the first place.
"Luigi," She whispered, "Where are we?"
He didn't answer her because he was too busy kissing behind her ear. She broke away from him and saw his eyes reluctantly drag up to hers.
"How did we get here?" She asked him.
"We walked," He smirked wryly.
"From where?" She rolled her eyes, not in the mood for games.
"The library."
"Before that!"
"Hey, hey," Luigi soothed, rubbing her hips. "Why are you so upset?"
"I just don't understand where we are or how we got here or what we're even doing-"
"I don't get that, either." Luigi agreed, and she felt a bit of relief. But then he smirked deviously and said, "I mean, why are we standing here talking when we could be in that bed doing…other things? More enjoyable things?"
"Luigi," She started, but he hefted her up by the thighs and the next thing she knew she was on her back on what felt like a cloud.
Luigi was on top and his shirt was up and over his head in a second and she looked down at his torso in spite of herself. She frowned. Why did this feel…?
"Where are we?" She asked him one more time.
"Don't worry about that," He murmured, his voice husky.
She felt that heat Luigi was talking about earlier and followed his advice. She didn't worry about anything else, she kissed him and ran her fingers through his hair. He ran his hands down her cheeks and neck and shoulders and then slid them under her shirt and closed them over her breasts.
"Luigi!"
He corrected her, mumbled a name she knew she ought to know.
"What?"
"Nothing," He laughed softly, drawing her bottom lip between his teeth.
She closed her eyes and he brought his hands down over her thighs, rubbing the inside of them and prying them apart to make room for himself in between. She dragged her fingers down the back of his neck and hooked one of her legs around his middle and she heard…a growl…
"Stop"
He rocked his hips into hers and crept his hands back up under her shirt, flicking the peaks of her chest, rolling them around in his hands. He was rough, he was hurting her, and though it felt so, so good it wasn't his way. Luigi wasn't like this.
"Stop"
Down her stomach one hand went and dove between the fabric of her shorts and her body, seeking out the source of that heat inside her. He found it and she jolted.
Wrong, this is wrong
"STOP!"
He did.
He sat up, sat back on his heels.
She panted and closed her legs and turned onto her side but he descended on her again. She slapped at his hands and face and he pinned her elbows at her sides.
"Why are you fighting me?" He asked, innocently confounded. "Don't you wanna' fuck your boyfriend?"
She breathed heavily and gazed up at him, shaking her head.
"You're not my boyfriend." She said, "I don't have a boyfriend. I have a fiancé, and you're not him."
His eyes flickered again and he started to say her name in a placating way but she jerked under his hold and shouted, "Who are you?!"
He only smirked and that smirk scared the hell out of her.
Okay, let's not panic, she coaxed herself, shutting her eyes. I…I must be in a dream. Yeah. That's it. Just like old times. Now I just have to wake up.
She shut her eyes more tightly and willed herself to do so, and she felt lighter. And when she opened her eyes again, the imposter-Luigi was gone and she was in a totally different room.
But not her own.
She closed her eyes and thought, Okay let's try this again. Wake up. Wake up wake up wake up!
She was still in the same place.
"Wake up!" She yelled at herself.
No change.
"Alright," She acceded. "Maybe I've got to find a physical exit."
She rose from the mess of black satiny sheets and noticed that they came with her as she stood.
Wait, these aren't sheets, this is a dress!
She looked down and saw that she was lying on a plain white bed in and empty stone room with only one window, hidden behind black drapes. There was a black rug beneath the twin-sized bed and a mirror hung on the wall across from her. She flinched at what she saw and went over to get another look.
Cautiously her feet touched down onto the plush black rug and she made her way over to her curious reflection. Her feet were still bare, though she couldn't see them for how long the black dress was. It hung off her shoulders and clung to her arms and chest and there was a section of fine netted lace and diamonds that bound the fabric across the expanse of her tan collarbone. Through the sheer material she was still able to see the tops of her breasts and how they heaved with each quickened breath she took. The dress outlined her chest and waist and was cut like a corset without any of the unbearable tightness or stiffness. There was a breeze behind her and, turning, she saw the majority of her back was bare, as much as it could be without showing her backside. There were hints of forest green and gold throughout the several layers and she had to pick up her skirts to get out of that room fast enough.
What in the world is going on?
The mirror freaked her out only because it remained steady and thus made her question if she was really in a dream. She slid down the side of the wall across from the room and then blinked and looked to the side.
Is that…it can't be!
She saw the very same white staircase she'd climbed with imposter-Luigi moments ago. Now she stood hastily and glanced round as if expecting him to pop up and snatch her. But the only thing that surprised her was another painting behind her head. It was of her. Wait. No, it was a mirror.
She swallowed and saw her lips, painted burgundy, tremble strangely. Then she realized it was her doing that and she was close to tears. Her eyes were also made up with shades of black and grey and her lashes looked impossibly dark and longer. She wouldn't have this. She closed her eyes and concentrated on the image she was used to seeing every morning in the bathroom and willed it to be so right then. When she opened her eyes, she saw her own fresh face in the mirror, free of the dark, transformative makeup from before. Next she concentrated on changing her clothes and the dress was replaced with her usual night clothes; a t-shirt and shorts.
Not what I wanted, but better, she judged. She deduced that she did have some power in this…place, though not enough to wake herself up. Which was odd because she could always get out of her own dreams.
So is this not my dream? If not, then whose is it? And why am I here?
When she got to the staircase again the answer was plain to see, for she could now see very clearly that picture on the far wall. It was huge. It was tacky. It was him.
"Bowser." She hissed, her fear and unease turning to anger.
She still hadn't managed to will herself some shoes and stomped down the stairs, her bare soles slapping loudly against the smooth white steps.
"Where are you?!" She shouted as she walked. "Come out and show yourself! Or are you that much of a coward?"
She lingered on the bottom step, seeing if he would come out. The palace was eerily silent. She rolled her eyes and sighed disgustedly.
She scoffed. "Of course he is. He trapped me in a dream, for goodness sakes."
Daisy headed towards the entrance doors and grunted as she moved the huge wooden bar aside. She pulled at the doors and pulled and pulled, but they wouldn't budge.
"Figures!" She huffed loudly.
Daisy then turned and started walking down a random hall on the right side. She had nothing but irritation now. She didn't know what was going on, but she knew the Dark King was involved and she wanted out. She didn't care if she had to face him or not, she wanted to leave.
"What is this place, anyway?" She scoffed, glancing at yet another tacky painting of the redhead along the walls. "Some kind of egotistical wet dream?"
At her own joke she smirked and rubbed her arms. Even though she wasn't scared anymore, the emptiness of the place was downright creepy. She padded down the hall and looked to the left and the right in search of an exit. There were no rooms on this hall, just torches and granite walls. Well, there was a door at the end of it.
Bingo, she thought, breaking out in a run. I just hope it's open.
She tugged on the golden knob and it swung towards her and she could tell it wasn't an exit, it was another room. Disappointment reigned on her face, but then something caught her eyes.
Children.
A boy and a girl, sleeping in beds that were separated by a nightstand and a space of floor in the middle of the room. Daisy frowned, glanced over her shoulder, and approached the little girl. She saw the child appeared to be sleeping naturally with the white sheets tucked under her chin. Daisy pulled back the sheet gently and gasped. She was surprised by how much the child looked like her, same dark wavy hair and ruby lips. Her startled inhalation woke the little girl, whose jade eyes popped open.
"No." She whispered. "No freaking way."
"Mama?"
Daisy whirled around and saw the little boy sitting up, rubbing his eyes. Light eyes like hers set in a face that was nearly identical to Bowser Junior's.
"You are SICK, you know that?!" She yelled up at the ceiling. "You are out of your mind if you think I'd ever have kids with you!"
Well of course he's out of his mind, I already knew that much
Behind her, his laugh.
Daisy ran to the door, intent on confronting him. She was tired of this. She followed that laugh, that rush of red hair blindly. It led her upstairs again and from there she paid no mind to where she was going, only to where the next sighting of the cowardly king appeared to be.
His laugh was all around her now, it'd grown in volume and grew disembodied, as if there were hundreds of him all swarming around her head. It was maddening.
What the hell is so damn funny?
Then she had an abstract thought; when you're crazy, everything's a punch line. Psycho.
The calmness with which she mused was by no means equal to her outer emotional state. She was panting and sweating and tense and as she pushed open another door—how many had she opened?—she almost went hurtling over the edge of a balcony. That's when she realized that the cacophony of sound she thought was his laughter was actually coming from down below, from a huge crowd of people.
There's got to be…hundreds of thousands of people down there!
She couldn't help but marvel at the faces that seemed as innumerable as stars in the sky, for the masses went on for miles. They all stood cheering below the balcony and beyond the grass and rolling hills ahead, all the way to where the sun hung on the horizon. She shivered, and then she noticed the warmth around her middle.
Looking down, she saw two hands on her hips, hands that protruded from the sleeves of a leather jacket she'd seen before. Daisy whipped her body around, gripping the stone railing of the balcony behind her, but instead of the imposter-Luigi, she saw him. Him. But he was dressed like the imposter-Luigi so if she hadn't put two and two together before, it all made sense now.
"You vile bastard." She cursed. "This is how you get what you want?"
He looked far too pleased with himself than he should and foreign clothes were treating him well; the white t-shirt was plain but hinted at the muscular frame that lay beneath. He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against a wooden door she knew probably led to his bedroom. Or fictional bedroom.
I don't know how this place works, she frowned.
"How come you got rid of the dress?" He asked, "You looked breathtaking in it."
"I know a few ways to take your breath away." She spoke with a malicious, sweet smile.
He laughed and her stomach turned and he pushed himself off of the wooden door but didn't come near her. Instead he dropped his arms and gestured behind her. She narrowed her eyes and backed up to the side so that she could look at the crowd and the king without turning her back on either one of them.
"So suspicious."
"Fuck you."
That only brought a giant smile to his lips. He blinked slowly and tilted his head and before he could say something to twist her words, she spoke.
Glancing briefly at the crowds, she asked tersely, "What is this?"
"My empire." He answered, then amended that with, "It's a basic illustration of it, at least. I haven't worked out the details, you know? Like where I'll have my capital, how to arrange my armies, what color my sheets will be…our sheets, I should say."
"Get real." Daisy rolled her eyes. "And if I'm not mistaken, this," She tipped her head towards the crowd, then spread her arms, "and this isn't real."
"Don't you have any imagination, Precious?" He chided. "You've gotta' have dreams in order for them to come true."
"This will never happen." She stated assuredly. "You are going to die a sad, lonely little man."
He lifted a brow.
"But first," She continued, her fists clenching at her sides, "I am going to make sure you pay for what you did to me and everyone else in this world."
"Did you see the children?" He asked as if she hadn't said a word.
She chose to ignore him, too, and started walking towards the balcony. She had an idea.
If this doesn't work, I'm gonna' tear my hair out, She thought grimly, because I am not wasting valuable sleep with this moron.
"That won't work."
"We'll see." She gritted out, hoisting herself up onto the ledge.
She got one foot up there and was on her knees and was trying to stand. She ignored the king's soft chuckles behind her and figured he was bluffing. This had to work. Standing tall she shut her eyes and prepared to jump. Her knees bent, she coiled her leg muscles like a spring, and launched herself in the air. The fluttery sensation in her stomach let her know she was falling and she smiled.
I knew it would-
"I told you."
-work?
Daisy blinked, not understanding what just happened. She'd jumped! So how was she standing in the very same precarious spot on the ledge as if she hadn't?
"What did you do?" She accused venomously.
Bowser smirked and held up the whites of his palms innocuously.
"Don't get mad at me, I told you it wouldn't work." He spoke in amusement.
She swallowed and slowly lowered herself to sit on the ledge with her legs hanging off towards the balcony floor. Very primly she crossed them and folded her arms tightly.
In a bridled voice she clipped, "Okay. You win. Do what you want so I can get out of here already."
His jade eyes glittered and he bared his sharp teeth in a healthy smile. She remained poised and stoic and he approached her now, his smooth black pants billowing in the wind. It was picking up, the air was getting cold and it was getting dark. They both looked up at the abrupt scene change and Daisy wondered if that was because of her.
If so, maybe I can use that to my advantage, She calculated, then thought very hard of bad weather. She thought of a tornado ripping through the area and tearing his little make-believe castle to shreds, then thought of a flood to wash away the wreckage. She even thought of hail the size of gophers that would smash his sneering face in.
None of it happened.
Perhaps it was just chance…or perhaps I'm not trying hard enough-
"Don't touch me!" She snapped, slapping his hands away.
He was in front of her and trying to touch her shoulders but stopped at her command. But he still looked like she was the funniest thing on Earth. He ignored the chilling wind that kicked his thick, fiery red hair around and laid his hands on the ledge on either side of her crossed legs. From this close up, she barely noticed the cold either because his body seemed to exude heat.
"Daisy," He murmured.
Unaccustomed to hearing him use her name the girl shuddered and he offered her his hand. She looked down, looked up at him in disbelief, and then spit in it. He stared at her blankly and shook his hand in the wind, then wiped it on his pants.
"You know, you rude little girl," He spoke casually, "I only want to talk. That's why I brought you here."
"How did you bring me here?" She blurted, recalling something about a headache while she'd been awake.
He said, "I could tell you that and more if you come inside."
"No way."
"Just come with me."
"Why can't we talk out here?" She argued.
He told her, "It's freezing, Precious, we'll catch our deaths in the cold."
"It's a dream," Daisy countered obviously, "It doesn't matter if we die."
"Oh, but this isn't a dream," He told her cryptically, "Not really. And it does matter if we die. Well, if you do. Come on."
Daisy sat rigidly and forced her body not to shake from the relentless winds beating against her back. Her hair flew around her head and she bowed it, but she didn't move.
I don't care if I do die, I am not going in there with him. He's not cornering me like he used to.
A sigh, and then, she contradicted her thoughts by lifting her head, hopping from the ledge, and docilely slipping her hand into Bowser's while he led her through that wooden door.
"What are you doing to me?!" She shouted, the only part of her body that was under her own command being her voice and thoughts.
Bowser kissed her hand and said, "This is for your own good, silly woman. Can't have you-"
"STOP IT!" She yelled, but he didn't.
Her limbs were under his control, somehow, and he was forcing her to parade right over to her former prison, the bed. His bed. But he only had her sit at the foot of it with her legs crossed once more over the edge.
"See?" He said, releasing her and standing between her and a large vanity and dresser set.
"That wasn't so hard, was it?"
CRACK!
It didn't take long for the situation to devolve into one of violence. As soon as she was ruler over her body again she'd leapt up and slapped him across the face and bolted from the room. She should have known it'd been too easy to escape, for halfway down the hall she collapsed and it wasn't because her legs had given out.
Of course, if he did it once he'd do it again, she thought bitterly, feeling her body rise of its own accord and begin a death march towards her captor.
No! She frowned, shaking, I have some control here, too! I don't know where we are, but we're on equal footing. I've just got to…level the…playing field…
One of Bowser's legs was yanked up higher than he'd meant to bring it in his sauntering and he tripped and knocked his head against the marble floor. The spell over her body was broken and she was free to run back towards the bedroom. She was convinced that it was Bowser who'd prevented her from leaving. If she could just jump off the ledge without him stopping her, she could-
"Let go!" She screamed, but an injured Dark King was a dangerous one.
He'd grabbed her from behind, wrestled her to the floor, and held her shoulders to the ground. She gazed longingly at the door that led outside and glowered at the redhead above her. He was scary when he was mad, but now he didn't seem so angry. Then again, there were no cuts and no blood like there should have been after he tripped in the hall.
Magic, she surmised, struggling below him.
His handsome face hardened and he tried to force her to be good, to just be still for him. She fought whatever influence he was trying to push on her and they had a battle of wills before he eventually gave up, opting instead to use his weight to hold her down.
"Stop fighting me," He hissed irritably. "I told you I just want to talk."
"No, you want what you always want: to control me!" She yelled.
He blinked long and hard and sighed through his nose and when he opened those jade eyes again, his entire countenance had changed. He sat up off of her slowly, running his hands along the sides of her stomach and hips, and stood.
"You're right," He murmured. "I'm so sorry, precious. Let's start over."
She just stared at him, too wary to move just yet. He gazed down at her and wiped a hand over his face, regulating his breathing back to a normal rate.
"I shouldn't have tried to control you. That was…wrong." He admitted, his tone repentant. "Forgive me, love, and I promise I'll keep my distance."
"Take your promise and go to Hell." She whispered viciously.
He said, "Now that's not very nice. But I don't blame you. I came on a bit strong."
Daisy sat up and dug her fingers in the carpet on either side of herself, bracing for a run or sprint in either direction.
Running will get me nowhere, she decided, loosening her grip, my best out is to play this off. He says he wants to talk? Then I'll get him to talk. Maybe I can find out where he is and who's on his side. I can turn this around.
The girl then stood and walked collectedly over towards the bed, not sparing the king a look as she took up her former spot on the edge and crossed her legs one over the other, sitting with her back erect.
I am in control, she told herself.
"Had a change of heart?" She heard him ask.
"Something like that." She spoke evenly.
Bowser began to pace. He took long strides back and forth across the length of the bed, keeping his gold-flecked eyes on her. She refused to be intimidated and stared right back at him. Every time he turned she could see the red symbol on his back, the one she couldn't place earlier. It was his crest, that grinning caricature of his beastly form.
Not that he isn't beastly now, she thought, he just hides behind a seemingly gorgeous visage.
"Like I said," Bowser repeated once the room had gone quiet. "I came on a bit strong."
Daisy watched him bow his head and tap the tips of his fingers together as he paced. He glanced over at her and stopped.
"But it's only 'cause I missed you, Daisy." He told her smoothly. "You can understand that, right? I missed you."
"Stop using my name." She demanded. It was rubbing her the wrong way.
He stepped over towards the vanity and leaned back on his elbows against it. She was glad for that, because he was keeping his distance like he said. But for how long?
He's a liar, it's only a matter of time before something sets him off again, she predicted. Best to get right to it, then.
"How are you doing this?" She inquired.
Bowser didn't play around. He smiled at her almost civilly before answering in a curt and concise manner.
"I had help from a friend."
"Who?"
"A witch."
"Which one?"
"Which witch?"
So much for not playing around, she thought with a groan. She couldn't believe he was being this immature. But perhaps he just wanted her to lose her temper so he'd have an excuse to lose his.
Oh no, I am keeping my cool, Daisy vowed. She knew that the emotional one in the room was the weaker one in the room, and she didn't want that to be her.
Very calmly she smoothed her hands over her knees and Bowser's jade eyes followed the motion. She wished her mind or will or whatever would have listened to her and outfitted her in some jeans like she'd wanted.
"What is the witch's name?" She clarified.
Bowser snorted. "You really think I'm gonna' tell you that? Be reasonable now, precious."
"Where does the witch…that is, where is she now?" Daisy tried.
The Dark King ran a hand through his red mane and appeared to be getting bored.
He drawled, "If I were you, I'd be worrying less about the witch and more about that boy you're so enamored with."
"And why is that?" Daisy suddenly frowned.
"There's no room for him in my empire." Bowser said simply. "Or maybe…there could be."
"Stay away from him!" Daisy warned, gripping the sheets on the bed.
"He might make a good court jester." Bowser mused, gazing towards the door. "I mean, he's got me laughing. It's funny. Him and you. As if that would ever work out."
"What would you know about relationships?" Daisy retorted, her eyes growing cold and flinty. "You probably never loved anyone a day in your miserable life!"
"No, I haven't." Bowser spoke proudly.
He stalked towards the girl and bent down in front of her. She didn't say anything when he started rubbing his hot hands over her knees but she couldn't deny how her heart started racing.
"I've never loved anyone." Bowser confirmed. "Love is foolish. Love is blind. Love is a crutch for the weak and the poor and the will-less. Love gets you nowhere, serves no purpose other than to bind and enslave."
"That's not true." Daisy refuted. "Love is beautiful, it saves lives, gives people hope, lends meaning to life-"
"Who told you that, you naïve little girl?" Bowser asked, bending down to kiss one of her kneecaps.
She shivered and closed her legs and said, "I know because I have loved."
The king rolled his eyes and said, "Oh right, that boy."
"Yes, that boy." She snapped. "He's worth twenty of you!"
"Is that so?" Bowser smirked. "And why is that? What makes your charming Lorenzo better than me?"
"His name is Luigi." Daisy corrected, then stopped.
She froze and realized what was going on there.
He's distracted me! He's steering the conversation and getting information out of me instead of the other way around! This is what I get for taking the bait.
She pushed Bowser's hands off of her and scooted backwards towards the center of the bed. That wasn't the wisest thing to do since Bowser came out of his shoes and followed her. He crawled towards her and split her knees and she let him come between them because she wanted him to see.
"This," She said, keeping her hands on his chest to hold him at bay. "This is why he's better than you. Luigi would never do this to me."
"Why, he's too much of a wimp?"
"No, he's too much of a gentleman." She corrected.
Bowser looked down at her and found something wildly hilarious about that, for his lips spread over fanged teeth in a glorious grin and he dipped his head down towards her neck. She could feel her body turn to lead and tried to push back at his influence like last time, but last time he must have been going easy on her because now she couldn't fight it. She laid there and felt his teeth rake over the side of her throat and shivered.
"This is the only way you can get what you want," She whispered near his ear, "but this is no substitute for love, Bowser. I will never consent to this."
"Your body consents," He countered silkily, "I know it does. I can feel it responding to me."
He wasn't lying about that, unfortunately. He was alluring on a carnal level and a part of her was merely flesh, it didn't find anything wrong with the way he was biting and kissing her collarbone and the top of her chest. And the way he rubbed his hard body against hers; it felt good. If her flesh had its way, she would have given in to him long ago. But she was more than her flesh.
"Victory in this sense means nothing." She told him strongly. "Anyone can seduce the flesh."
Bowser sat up and stared at her, then lowered his head over her stomach. He dropped rough kisses there and tugged on the waistband of her shorts.
"I hate you."
She brought her knee up to hit him in the face but he caught it by the cap and forced it back down. But instead of mounting the girl, he laid beside her and she felt the feeling return to her body. Only a little of it, enough to move her fingers and turn her head away from him. Bowser pulled her on top of him and she had no choice but to move with him as he carried her towards the head of the bed. He dropped his head on the pillows and adjusted her on her side so that her head rested on his chest.
"Hate is better than love, you know." He spoke very casually.
He stroked her hair and gazed down at her contemplatively and, as she looked up at him to see if he was being serious, she noticed the lust had gone from his gold-flecked eyes.
"Maybe in your twisted mind it is." She replied.
His heart was beating in her ear, slow and steady. It was odd. This whole turn of events was strange. He wasn't being overtly lecherous anymore, he'd laced his fingers through one of her hands and was rubbing circles into the side of her hip with the other.
But this is still the Dark King, she reminded herself, glancing up for confirmation. He was staring straight ahead with a hazy film over his eyes.
"You say you never loved anyone, but I think you have." Daisy spoke languidly.
Bowser looked down at her and smirked. "Do you?"
She nodded and said, "You're very much in love with yourself, Dark King. You are the most selfish creature I have ever known."
"And that's why I'll get what I want." He boasted quietly. "I don't love myself, if I did, I wouldn't do half the shit I…I know what I have to do to achieve what I want, and if it makes me selfish to do whatever it takes to see my empire come to pass then so be it."
"And what do you have to do to see it come to pass?" She asked, trying to hide the anticipation from her voice.
This is my opening, she realized. She wanted to know what he was plotting.
Bowser tipped his head back and closed his eyes. His guard was down. His breaths came in slow and even and lifted her head with each inhalation. She felt the feeling come back in her arms and legs, but instead of moving away, she sidled up to Bowser even more. He draped his arm around her waist with his finger drumming against her backside.
"You know, precious, if there's something you wanna' ask me, just come out and ask it. Don't insult my intelligence by trying to manipulate me."
"Like how you manipulate everyone else?" She countered.
He cracked one eye open and said, "I've made peace with who I am."
"A monster?" She cocked a brow.
He chuckled and said, "You have so many names for me. I lie, but I'm honest about what I am. I don't hide behind the pretense of ethics and goodness like some people."
"Are you talking about Luigi?"
"Nah, his brother." Bowser closed his eyes and crossed his arms behind his head. "He goes around like he's some kind of hero when he was the one that killed half a million creatures in the Great War."
"You're one to talk," Daisy shot back, now able to sit up. "You killed even more!"
She sat on her heels and Bowser cut his eyes over to her but made no move to subjugate her again. He stared up at the ceiling.
"I'm not the one who claims to be so righteous and pure, though, am I?" He pointed out.
She said, "It doesn't matter. That was war. People die in wars. It's kill or be killed. That doesn't mean Mario's evil."
"Why not?" Bowser asked.
"Because he only killed whoever was going to kill him or his people." She defended the plumber. "He only defended himself against your forces."
"So what you're saying is, it's fine to be a killer if you've got the right intentions, hmm?" Bowser mocked, glancing at her sideways.
Daisy faltered, because that didn't really sound like what she meant to say.
"By that logic," Bowser continued, "Who's to say your intentions are actually good and not just good to you?"
Daisy blinked and glanced down. Bowser removed his arm from behind his head and lifted her chin so that they locked eyes once more.
"Do you see why I left ethics and morals to the wind?" He asked her gently. "It's too fucking cumbersome to sort out what's right and what isn't."
"So, what, do you just do whatever you want?" She pushed his hand from her chin.
He shrugged and said, "I do whatever I must to attain my goals in the easiest, most efficient way possible. Or I do whatever I want, yes. It's a great way to live."
"You are going to die alone." Daisy said gravely. "Horribly alone and never knowing love-"
"Back to that?" Bowser cut in with a scowl. "Love is useless, Daisy."
"According to you-"
"According to fucking everything!" He interjected passionately.
Bowser sat up and faced the girl animatedly.
He said, "Tell me, what does that boy even do for you?"
"We love each oth-"
"No no no no no," Bowser waved his hand and said, "I asked what it is he does for you."
"That's your problem right there," She stated. "You don't have to 'do' something for someone when you're in a loving relationship. Loving each other is enough. Either you love someone or you don't."
"How quaint." Bowser dripped disparagingly. "Fuck money, power, and achievements; love is the only thing that matters, right?"
"Right." Daisy affirmed. "Without love, those things don't even fulfill you."
"So if you had to choose between that boy, that little shit who can't do a thing for you, and someone who could offer you the world, you'd choose the one you love?" He droned tonelessly, as if he knew her answer.
Daisy frowned and said, "You can't offer me the world, Koopa. It's not yours to give."
"Might makes right, love. And I might be on my way to claiming this world very soon, so I believe it is mine to give, and I'd give it to you."
"So long as I do as you say, you mean?" She smiled bitterly.
"So long as you yield to your king and master." He nodded.
"That's not love, Bowser. Love doesn't enslave-"
"Yes it does, just look at you and the boy-"
"We're not slaves! We're free!" She rose her voice, "That's the thing. Love frees you from a life of misery or loneliness or emptiness."
"Bullshit." He rolled his eyes. "I've seen bastards send themselves to the grave out of the sole obligation to protect or preserve the ones they 'loved'. There's no greater liability than having someone you think you love. You'd do anything for them, even jump off a cliff or…sign over a kingdom."
Daisy saw him grow quiet and wondered what he was thinking.
He fixed her with a weary stare and said, "That's enough of this. If you're trying to sort out my mind or something, good luck little girl. Not even I understand what's going on up there."
"I don't want to understand you." Daisy said. "Cause then I might feel sorry for you."
"That'll be the fucking day." Bowser remarked, his features indecipherable.
They were both silent and Daisy wondered how things had taken such a turn. She dared say the king had actually been…human in those last few minutes. No, human was too gratuitous a term; perhaps a little more complex?
This doesn't change anything, I will still make him pay.
But his words disturbed her. She didn't know if he really believed what he was saying or if he was manipulating her…she couldn't let the matter go.
She just had to point out, "Your son loves you."
"What?"
"Junior." She told him.
"He idolizes me." Bowser spoke dismissively.
"No, it's more than that." She claimed. "He hates to be away from you. He's always talking about you and how great he thinks you are. He really does love you, and it's a shame because you don't deserve it."
"All that means is that you and others of like mind have corrupted my heir." Bowser stated. "Filled his head with that soft, sensitive drivel."
Daisy wished she would have just let the matter drop. The more she spoke with the king, the more she loathed him.
And what was I hoping to accomplish through this? His salvation? Redemption? He will never change.
"I think I'm finally starting to get it." She said, more to herself. "You are just…You're irrevocably insane."
"I see things clearly." Bowser replied.
He pulled a lock of her hair lightly and vowed, "I will have you at my side, no matter what it takes to get you there."
That's what you think, Daisy grimaced. But she'd been wanting to ask him something because she couldn't figure it out herself.
"Why do you want me so badly?"
He stared at her and dropped her hair and replied, "I don't think I know anymore. I've just got to have you."
Why am I not surprised?
"It's lust." She declared.
He shook his head and said, "If it was just lust, I'd turn to whores. You're more than a whore, precious. You're just like me, before I cut myself loose from…all my weaknesses."
He took her hands and brought them to her mouth, locking her gaze with his hypnotic jade eyes.
In a low voice he said, "I don't want your body only, I want your mind. Your soul."
"To own. To possess." She finished in a quiet, scathing tone.
Bowser didn't deny or confirm that. Instead he changed the subject.
"You know, lust is also better than love." He spoke aloofly. "Sexual lust, though not as lingering, is much more intense. And lust for power gets you places, especially when you're not concerned with being good. It feeds ambition and drives you right to the top."
Daisy shook her head. His reasoning and logic and rationale had more holes than swiss cheese. That's how she knew he was crazy. It must have all made sense to him, though, and who knew how long he'd been feeding himself this warped doctrine. But something intrigued and confused her.
"You know Koopa," She mentioned, "For someone who despises love, you seem to think you know an awful lot about how it works."
He said, "I've been around for a very long time."
And your days are numbered, Daisy thought.
She then felt a strange sensation, like she was being pulled by her veins in all directions. Alarmed, she glanced at Bowser to see if he was to blame but he looked just as stricken as her for a moment before slating his features once more.
"I'm afraid my time is up." He said, too quick in kissing her lips before she could stop him. "Thank you for the enlightening conversation, Daisy, and when we meet again, I hope, for your sake, that you make the right decision."
A/N: Whew, that was longer than I planned it to be, hope you enjoyed that little interlude between enemies.
As always, thanks for reading and reviewing! Until next time...
~DymondGold~