Chapter Fifty-Eight

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 in, too

As much as she was starting to hate him, Daisy was glad for Callian's presence at her second meeting with the Dark King. It was night now and the snake had insisted this one be held in his room. Of course he'd nested himself in one of the biggest ones in the palace, and though it was a beautiful bedroom no doubt, Daisy couldn't help but think of it as a prison or warzone. Would she end up here sometime again in the near future? By choice or otherwise?

"Are you listening, precious?"

"I told you not to call me that." Daisy snapped, glancing from the tall, tall window covered partly by gold drapes and looking at the Dark King.

He stood in front of her and Callian off to the side, blocking the door. She hated him for that, she hated feeling locked up. Caged in with no way out. It made her antsy, restless.

"Take off the cloak." Callian ordered.

"No."

"You should listen to him," Bowser advised, crossing his arms. "Otherwise he'll have to keep searching you throughout the day and…that's just cumbersome, don't you think, princess?"

Daisy glared at him but she did agree with that, thinking, I better not make waves. I don't know how long Boo's magic will last over my weapons so the less Callian comes into contact with them, the better.

Slowly the girl unhooked the cloak under her chin and peeled the fabric off, shoulder by shoulder. She folded the black garment in half and set it on the bed next to where she sat, then crossed her arms and one leg over the other.

"Satisfied?" she snapped, cutting her eyes over to Callian.

He was so disgusted with her it kinda' made her laugh. The most Daisy did was smirk, though. He saw this and glanced away from the girl before he lost his temper and did something that put him out of favor with the Dark King.

"Tell me why you're really here."

The demand came from Bowser and it came with his undivided attention. Those jade eyes hooked her and made Daisy feel like he already knew why she was here.

No, she amended, he just thinks he does. He probably thinks I came here for him. Arrogant ass.

"I told you." Daisy answered coolly. "I came here to ensure you don't come near my country or my people."

"I gave you my word I would do as you say," Bowser began to pace, smirking and pointing out, "You don't have to stay here."

"You think I trust you?"

Bowser stopped.

She asked him, "What are you trying to prove? You think I want to be around you, you—don't touch me!"

Daisy rose quickly from the bed and moved to the side when Bowser advanced towards her with his hand out. Her heart was jackhammering a mile a minute and her hand was itching to reach for the 'invisible' gun.

"Don't touch her," Callian surprised the girl when he told Bowser that.

Bowser stepped back, Daisy eyed him distrustfully and then looked at Callian. She didn't expect any sympathy but she also didn't expect the scathing look he sent her.

The sorcerer told the king, "You'd be better off not touching her. She might seduce you."

Daisy snorted.

"And by no means should you sleep with her."

"Like that would ever happen!" Daisy spat, casting a derisive glower at both the sorcerer and the laughing king to her left.

"Cal's right," Bowser stated, gazing in want at the young woman. He stepped back again and said, "So don't worry. I won't touch you. I promise."

"Your promises don't mean shit to me." Daisy frowned.

Something about being around this menace just brought out the worst in her. She didn't plan on letting all this out, it was just hard to control her temper around him.

Bowser smirked and said, "Watch your mouth, little girl. I'm gonna' be Emperor soon and if you, my queen, don't listen to me, who will?"

Daisy kept her mouth shut. If she didn't, she'd be going back and forth with the redhead and that was just a waste of time and energy.

Not to mention I'd be giving him what he wants, she added irritably.

Callian said, "That's right. You mind the way you speak to him, girl." To Bowser he said, "If you must have her around, you ought not let her out of your sight. I'll have the League monitor her every move."

Daisy rolled her eyes but saw Bowser watching Callian intently; he was listening very closely. For once.

"All meals should be taken together," The sorcerer went on. "And if she's to be alone, have a guard at her door."

"No way," Daisy refused. "I didn't come here as a prisoner. No guards."

Bowser stared at her and eventually nodded. That just burned Callian up but the redhead shrugged and pointed out that she was his Empress and was technically above the League.

So his delusions can come in handy, the girl thought. Who knew? She then frowned because the extent of Callian's influence over the snake would definitely make manipulating him so much harder.

Hours and hours had passed since I left the gardens and last heard from Daisy. In that time I managed to make it back to the warehouse without anything happening. But Daisy was right; the League was everywhere. They mingled with the uniformed agents of Arid City and, though they didn't look my way, I could tell they might become a problem later on. For now though I just ducked off into the partially burnt and ashy building my troops were at, informed them that we'd be laying low for a while and their princess was fine, and then set up my sleeping bag along the balcony upstairs.

It wasn't very comfortable, but it would do. I laid with my bag under my head and I could see the moon through the gaps in the roof of the warehouse. The white crescent was on its way to becoming full soon. It was while I was laying there, trying to fall asleep, that I felt my scar start to tingle and burn.

Daisy, I thought, becoming lucid. I rolled around and saw my troops all spread out on the ground floor. Most of them were resting, too. I rooted around in my pockets for the mirror and then sat up so that I could see it clearly under the natural white light. I got a thrill when I saw Daisy's beautiful face staring back at me. She smiled when she saw me and it just made every other aggravation fade away.

"Hey." I whispered.

"Hey." She whispered back, her smile so warm it was like the heat was going right to my heart.

She had more light on her end, an orange glow behind her that illuminated a small portion of a room behind her head. Her hair was down and covering most of the mirror's view. I watched her smile fade as she grew serious.

"We're leaving out in the morning."

"Where are you going?" I asked, stricken by the news.

I guess I expected Bowser to just stay put like last time but then again, he did say something about building an empire.

"I don't know where we're going." Daisy replied. She said, "It's gonna' be me, him, Callian, some of the League, and Roy."

"Why is Roy going?"

I got a bad feeling about that because I could think of a few reasons why Bowser would want his second oldest tagging along.

Daisy told me honestly, "I asked him but he didn't say. Of course. Well I've got to go, but you can use the map to follow us tomorrow."

"Alright." I said. "Be careful."

"You, too, sweetie," Daisy murmured. She kissed her fingertips and pressed them to the mirror and told me, "I love you. Goodnight."

"Night," I said, staring at the mirror long after she'd shut it.

Apparently being the worst waste of carbon, fire, and humanoid components took a lot out of you because the Dark King had yet to rise. It was nearly after noon and he'd yet to come out of his room.

He's either sleeping or talking to Callian, Daisy had first reasoned, but then—after an hour of standing and walking around the halls—she'd had the misfortune of running into said League leader. So the main one who told everyone to be up early was still in bed.

Figures. Lazy slob, she thought bitterly, tapping her foot impatiently.

In front of her door she stood, arms crossed and fully dressed in the same clothes she had on before. She couldn't help but get a trill of reckless excitement when she looked down at her hip and saw the metal gun exposed but undetectable. Callian had stared right at her and hadn't noticed a thing.

Magic, she marveled, dropping her arms and tracing her fingers over the cool black weapon. She looked up when she heard footsteps but it was just the League. Again. She was so close to going to Bowser's door and pounding on it but she didn't want to do that. She didn't want to go near his bedroom again if she could help it. Instead, she started walking and hoped her memory would serve her well.

Daisy took a rubber band from her pocket and tied her hair up as she walked, arranging it in a high ponytail. By the time she finished, she was at someone's door, hopefully the one she had in mind. She brought her hand up and knocked and, after a few seconds, a young woman answered.

"Oh," Daisy said, eyeing the girl.

She wasn't very tall but she was slim and tawny-skinned and was so obviously, exotically beautiful. The girl looked at Daisy, her dark eyes widening in surprise, and then glanced behind her.

"Rex!" She called, then turned and asked Daisy, "You're looking for him, aren't you?"

"Yeah." Daisy frowned, unsure of why the girl was calling him that.

Roy came sauntering towards the door and Daisy despaired because he was yawning and clearly not ready either, just like his father. He wasn't even dressed yet.

"Yo." Roy greeted her, asking, "So you're staying here now?"

Daisy shrugged.

Roy rubbed his face and stretched. He was still muscular, tall like his brother, and unlike some of his siblings he didn't don any disguises.

"You needed something?" Roy asked her.

Behind him another young woman, this one blonde and not much taller than the other girl, handed Roy a shirt. He took it without looking back and pulled it over his head and the girl handed him a pair of pants, too.

"No, that's alright." Daisy said, backing away from the teenager's room.

She was going to ask him what time his father planned on leaving but Roy probably didn't know. She resigned herself to going back to her temporary room and waiting for 'sleeping beauty' to wake up.

"I thought you said you were leaving out this morning?"

"I know. The snake slept late but he's up now."

I frowned, glad that was the reason for the delay. When I'd gotten up and readied the troops and saw that the dot was still in Arid City, I'd figured maybe we were a little early. But then hours passed and then it was nearly noon and I started to panic; I thought the map was broken or something. I was about to come down there to the palace and investigate.

Screw this mission, if I get a bad feeling, I'm acting on it, I decided.

Daisy rubbed her temples in the mirror and said, "I should probably go now. You know what to do: just use the map and be sure to lay low. I think a good chunk of the League is coming with us."

"Yeah, alright." I told her.

She disconnected first and I put the mirror away and turned to my soldiers. They were already ready, just waiting on my command.

"I hear you, but I don't know what you're talking about."

That was what Bowser said, but it pretty much summed up how Daisy was feeling at the moment. She walked as close as she could behind the Dark King and the leader of the League of Immortals, hoping to hear what they were talking about, but was so far unsuccessful. Maybe it was the fact that they were both walking so fast down the hall, towards the palace entrance. All their words were getting tossed between the two of them and then lost in the breeze of their brusque pace. She wasn't as tall as them, or even Roy or the other boy who walked beside her on her left and right respectively, so she was having a hard time keeping up.

That's probably deliberate on their part, she then realized, frowning. She didn't put it past Callian to employ his height against her. In fact, she went so far as to guess the gruff man was using magic to distort their speech so that she could only understand bits and pieces. No, forget that; she couldn't even understand what they were arguing about.

She could detect some things about the conversation based on their body language but not much. Callian looked very angry and he kept shaking his head but that's how he always was. And as for the Dark King, well, he was smiling faintly and giving more of his attention to some kind of chocolate wrapped in gold paper than his ally.

Daisy gave up on reading them and turned to Roy. Of course they were all surrounded by the League, but Arid City's Champion had his own entourage: the two young women she'd seen before and heavy man in a smart white suit. She couldn't hear what they were talking about, either, but if she could she wouldn't really understand.

The man, Roy's retainer, was only worried. He dabbed at his face and neck and blinked several times.

"Are you sure you should be trusting this man, Rex?" The sweating individual asked.

Roy just shrugged. He hadn't talked much all morning, much to the dismay of the other three present. His retainer got the message and let him be, but the girls tried a little harder to get through to him.

Eriana never left his side and she had her arm linked around his. She was trying in vain to get in front of him.

"Rex, he's right." She told her protector and friend. "You can't just go away with him, you don't even know him!"

Ariadne nodded and said, "She's right. Do you even know where you're going?"

Roy shrugged.

The girls shared a look behind his back. It was obvious the boy wasn't listening and was set on doing what he wanted to do so they left him. Ari let go first and stood there, watching him stride off, tired and nonchalant. Eri looked back and bit her lip, wanting to hold on a little longer, but then Ari gave her a pointed look and the tawny-skinned girl too fell off and made her way over to her blonde friend.

"I hope he comes back," Eri murmured, joining hands with Ari.

The late king's niece was the stronger one as she said confidently, "He will. He just needs somebody to look up to right now. I think."

Eri frowned at the tall redhead's back and muttered, "I wish he wouldn't have picked someone like that."

Ariadne looked at the Dark King as well and whispered, "Yes. I know."

While they headed back to Roy's room, the group ahead reached the outside and went around the palace where there were horses wrangled near the part of the city where the civilized buildings and paved grounds gave way to sandy wilderness.

So wherever we're going, Daisy thought, it must be a good distance away. She saw the horses, black as guilt, stamping their hoofed feet impatiently. Several of the League stood with them, holding the reins of these white-eyed beasts. Daisy knew something right away: these weren't ordinary horses.

She jerked away hard when the Dark King took her hand and tried to guide her over towards one of them. He looked down at her patiently and she crossed her arms.

"I'm not riding with you."

Bowser smirked and said, "You don't have to, precious. You don't even have to be here. You could just go home." He looked to the side, and mused, "of course then I might feel compelled to follow you…"

Smoothly spoken and voiced as an afterword, Daisy knew those words were a threat. She frowned and saw the rest of their party mounting up. It looked like only a small fraction of the League was actually going with them, maybe fifteen members or so. She saw Callian and that boy with the long dark hair get on their steeds and then saw Roy climb onto his and knew she was holding everyone up. She also knew there was only one other horse left.

So he planned this, Daisy glared harder at the Dark King.

He crossed his arms, a mimicry of her position, and smirked in challenge at the girl. She thought about taking the knife at her hip and—

The girl caught herself and glanced in a panic at Callian. He was nagging the long-haired boy about something while the boy rolled his eyes.

Good, he didn't catch that, Daisy thought, relieved. She didn't want to accidentally give away her failsafe. She looked down and saw the gun there and felt a little better.

"Fine." She spat.

Daisy sneered in a way that made little lines appear on the sides of her ruby mouth and narrowed her light eyes. She dropped her arms and walked past him both primly and angrily.

"Don't touch me!" She snapped when he came up behind her.

"I just wanna help," He told her, lowering his head and his voice and bringing his hands down onto her hips.

She pushed her elbows back into his stomach and chest and turned, shoving him while he laughed softly.

"I mean it!" She hissed, her temper and heart rate rising and making her flush. "I don't want you touching me and I don't want you behind me."

Bowser looked down at her and blinked slowly, then stepped forward. She tensed but he just said, "Alright," and climbed onto the horse first.

She swallowed, reminding herself of her weapons without lingering on the thoughts, and hopped onto the animal with the ease that came with being raised around them. Again Daisy was aware of how different these beasts were. They didn't even feel like horses, their bodies were hard and lean like they'd been through taxidermy and they burned her skin slightly through her pants. It was as if they were made of fire and brimstone, like hell horses.

Bowser looked back and told her, "You should probably hold onto me."

"You should probably shut the fuck up." Daisy muttered, but knew that logically, he was right.

She should hold onto something if she didn't want to fall off, and the only available option was sitting right in front of her. The horse's fur was so slick and matted it may as well have been painted on and the reins were in the fallen king's hands.

"Well?" Callian called out, ready to go.

He looked to Daisy, blaming her for the holdup, and she bristled. Moving as far as she could from the Dark King without falling off, she laid her hands on his shoulders gingerly.

At least he's wearing a shirt, she thought, swallowing a gag. Technically it was a black jacket he had on, one with his insignia in bright crimson emblazoned on the back. She frowned at his cartoonish, grinning visage and scooted back a half inch more. In response the horse flicked its tail and snorted.

Bowser flicked the reins and their horse trotted up to the front of the group, close to where Callian was. Daisy saw that boy again, trying to slide down from where he sat but one look from the League leader had the long-haired teenager rolling his eyes and straightening up.

"Alright, let's roll out." Bowser announced.

Daisy didn't have time to put her hands over her ears from his loud voice because the redhead whipped the reins and they were off.

I could see that Daisy and the rest of them were moving now, the dot was moving, too. It was best to wait until it stopped and then just catch up to them because I had no idea where they were going. Hopefully it wouldn't take too long or, if they stopped for a break, Daisy could clue me in on their final destination. For now the troops and I had to sit tight.

Just like the horses, this was no ordinary journey. For one they were traveling at break-neck speed, which meant Daisy's sitting position wasn't just uncomfortable, it was hazardous. She couldn't maintain so much space between her body and the fallen king's unless she wanted to end up rolling in the dirt.

Ugh, she thought and cringed as she slid her hands reluctantly, unwillingly over the front of his shoulders. She moved too slowly; the horse jumped over something and when it landed a good two seconds later, she was jostled so hard instinct had her grabbing for something solid. Of course that was him. Daisy curled her fingers tightly around the jacket's fabric at Bowser's shoulders and, having noticed her close call, the redhead shifted the reins to one hand and laid the other on top of her right one.

Daisy frowned and moved her hands to pull at the back of his jacket instead of the shoulders. She was gritting her teeth not just because she was mad at him but because of the ride; this was the worst experience with a horse she'd ever had.

And that's counting that time I got thrown off of one, she winced, recalling her broken arm.

That wasn't even the strangest part of the journey. Over Bowser's shoulder she looked as Callian stretched one arm forward and cast a line of electric blue light forward. It met the horizon and expanded like one of Roy's portals, only this one was pitch black like a glimpse of the galaxy.

No, there's trees there, and houses, Daisy saw, growing fearful the closer they got to the portal.

"Wait, we're going into that?!" Daisy exclaimed.

Bowser must not have heard her, which was hard to believe because she'd shouted right near his ear. To her shock they were indeed heading right for it, her and Callian and Roy and the League. But then Daisy's fear turned to inspiration.

It's so dark, I won't be able to see my hand in front of my face, she thought, but that means Callian and the others won't be able to see either…

The wheels were turning in the young woman's mind and she knew what she wanted to do. As soon as she and Bowser passed through the portal, she gave her eyes a second to adjust to the poor lighting and then wrapped her arms around the redhead's neck.

"What the—"

He couldn't get out another word because Daisy clenched her wrist and tightened her arm around his throat. Bowser gripped her hands and tried to sling her off of him but she wrapped her legs around his waist next. The horse they rode on must've decided it didn't appreciate all the disruption because it pulled up short and reared back with a loud neigh that pierced the air. The sound was much louder than that of the other horses' hooves thundering against the grass and so the rest of the group stopped to see what was going on. By that point Daisy and the king were on the ground.

Daisy fell with him on top of her but she changed that quickly by straddling the snake and reaching for her gun. She was able to fire twice before an unseen force cinched around her waist and yanked her away.

That was Callian pulling her off the king but what neither of them knew was that he saved her life. Those bullets hit a shield, a force-field, and had bounced back and would have lodged themselves somewhere in her heart or stomach had the League leader not rag-dolled her to the side.

Daisy coughed at the impact of landing on her back and rolled onto her side. The air was silent again save for the sound of Callian's incoming footsteps. She saw him advancing and drew in her knees sharply, just missing the shot of acidic magic he'd sent her way; it was currently eating away at the grass where her legs had been.

"Now do you see?!" Callian shouted, his attention away from her.

Bowser was coming over and rubbing his throat. He looked over at her, it was too dark to see what expression he wore, but he didn't come any closer. Likewise, the League members stayed mounted and kept their distance. All of them heard the shots ring out.

"For this you die, little tramp," Callian sneered, turning towards Daisy and stretching out his hand.

The girl's eyes widened and she hated how much relief she felt when Bowser knocked his ally's hand away.

"I told you not to use magic against her—"

"She tried to kill you!" Callian bellowed again. "Do you want my protection or not?"

The redhead took him to the side and it was unclear at the moment if Callian was angrier with the Dark King or his would-be murderer.

"You know I have the shields up," Bowser reminded him, glancing again at Daisy. He told his ally, "She wouldn't have been able to kill me."

"So it doesn't bother you that she just shot at you?" Callian frowned, then asked, "Where the hell did she get a gun from, anyway? I checked her the other day."

"You must have overlooked it." Bowser shrugged. When Callian gave him a look he said, "Or maybe there was one laying around the palace—"

"Oh, that's real smart," Callian jeered and earned a look of his own from the slighted Dark King.

Far from them, Daisy rubbed her arms and wondered if she'd gone too far. She didn't think Bowser would let Callian kill her, not after he just stopped him a few moments ago, but that was a blatant attempt on his life. She couldn't disguise that. And she wasn't sorry.

I told Luigi if I got an opening I'd take it, she thought. And I knew the snake had protection but still…it was worth a try.

She watched Bowser and Callian argue for the second time that day. Or night. The girl glanced around from her seat on the ground and considered it quite amazing and effective that they'd traveled so quickly. She'd heard rumors about the League and about their leader's power but this was just…

No wonder they say when you get snatched by the League there's no going back, Daisy remembered the old adage. If Callian could cross countries in a matter of minutes, someone could get taken and hauled all the way around the world and not even know it. Bounty hunting really was the right profession for him and his 'organization'. It wasn't like there was a trail or anything for any pursuers to follow. She was glad, then, that Luigi had the map because there'd be no way for her to relay where they were going and no hard trace for her fiancé to pick up on.

Someone stuck out a hand for her and Daisy flinched, then saw that this hand wasn't connected to someone who'd at any time tried to kill her. It was that boy, the one with the long hair and the sweet green eyes. He was trying to help her up.

Daisy stared at him, his skin light enough to make out in the night, and wiped her hands on her pants. She then realized she'd lost the gun. It had to have happened when Callian jerked her off of the snake.

Damn, that was the best weapon I had, Daisy now felt foolish for risking it. But she'd just been so mad and when the idea hit her she hadn't even thought twice before acting on it.

The princess took the young man's hand and he was stronger than he looked because it was mostly his strength she relied on to rise from the grass. Once she stood she dusted herself off and thanked him. Or she was about to. Something in his face stopped her. It caught her off guard how much he appeared to be scrutinizing her, like he was looking for something. She hadn't expected that from him.

He didn't expect her actions either, those of a few moments ago, that is. He was trying to discern whether he'd truly seen what he thought he did.

"Munson!" Callian barked, jerking his head to the side.

The boy didn't tear his oceanic eyes away from her and Daisy wondered again who he could be. He always seemed to follow orders from Callian, so she pegged him as a League member.

No, she thought, he's always right there with Callian…he couldn't be his..no, he couldn't be Callian's son, he looks nothing like the man.

Even in the setting of the night she could see the boy was all soft features and his lean build was so unlike his supposed father's hardness and brawn.

"What's goin' on, yo?"

It was amazing how Roy had such a proclivity for remaining in an almost constant state of cluelessness. Ignorance really could be bliss sometimes and, as he was up ahead the whole time, he'd missed all the action. He stared from Daisy to Callian and then to his approaching father. Bowser smiled and came over to stand between Daisy and Roy.

"Nothing, son." The Dark King claimed.

"What was all that noise?" Roy frowned.

Callian looked pointedly at the fallen king and Bowser just rubbed his throat lightly and grinned.

He looked down at Daisy as he said, "Some of us just got confused. Got to the other side, saw all the darkness, and panicked."

Daisy stared at Bowser strangely while Callian shook his head and muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?" Bowser asked.

Callian scowled across from him and remarked, "I said whatever game you and the tramp are playing at, leave me the hell out of it."

Bowser rolled his eyes and had to take him off to the side yet again. Daisy stood with Roy and the other teenager. Roy looked confused, like he was trying to figure things out, but then he shrugged and dug his hands into his pockets. He was dressed like one of Luigi's soldiers, something Daisy noted with a hint of wistfulness. The only difference was that, although he had the black pants, sleeveless shirt, and short-brimmed hat, Roy wasn't armed at all.

"Come on, boy!" Callian called.

Bowser waved over either Roy or Daisy or the both of them. Both of them came and the League members encircled the small group. Bowser gazed at Daisy and then motioned for Roy to take up rank at his left, which put Daisy in between the snake and Callian with Munson on the other end. Bowser glanced at her, started to say something, then decided against it and just walked ahead.