Foreword: 17. That's the number of reviews I thought my story would have at the time Peach left for Grand Canal. I thought, if I managed to upload the entire finished story, I might scrape 23. Not 300 before Bowser's birthday was even that far...gosh. XD

Of course the 300 is because I got spammed again, which is very nice and very, very flattering, but please. Keep in mind this is a joint account and the 40-something review emails were not fun for the dear who started ebtwisty and is letting us use her personal email account for this. So I thought I'd tell you although I love reviews almost as much as I love writing the actual story (which is a great, great deal, mind you!), content, not quantity, is what pleases me most. If they're the exact same review (aka what I define spam as), I see it as the exact same review and nothing else.

Now that that's over with, lets get on to the story, eh?

This is the second chapter that spawned from weirdness...this one is kind of gross to me, actually. Not gross as in content, gross as in...people seem really ooc and I can't fix it and the writing and...stuff you guys may/may not notice but just scream at me without the ability to be fixed. D:

Disclaimer: The only mario stuff I own are a few video games and a yoshi plush. Not the characters, sorry.

Peach was putting in her bright, blue earrings as she heard the chatter in her bedroom get louder and louder. The koopalings had apparently decided that her guest bedroom was a suitable meeting place and all but Ludwig (who was in his orchestra hall practicing) were scattered throughout her room.

Wendy was rifling through Peach's jewelry, having decided she alone could help Peach choose suitable jewelry for her sundress. She gasped as she picked up a necklace, sapphires and diamonds scattered along the dangling strands of silver, forming a lovely inverted pyramid of glimmer. "Where'd you get this one, Peach?"

Peach stepped over to Wendy and looked down at the necklace. She picked it up and felt the cold jewels, a half smile forming as she tried to remember. "I think…I think this one came in the mail. Unnamed package…went through hours of searching for items of mass terror, but it was cleared." She examined the sparkling jewelry and her smile widened. "Never figured out who sent it…but I get unmarked packages all the time from people who like me. I usually only get something this good about once a year."

Wendy plucked the necklace out of Peach's hands and looked it over. "I, like, totally remember this necklace. Dad spent, like, forever picking it out."

"Dad?" Peach scrunched her eyebrows. "Are you saying Bowser sent this to me?"

Wendy looked up at Peach calmly, but soon her whole attitude changed. This is, like, the ultimate chance! Like, totally the time for match-making. She grinned as the thoughts spun in her head. Even Wendy's voice changed, a bit silkier and sweeter. "Yup, Daddy always like sends you pretty stuff on his birthday; he thinks if you're like happy, even if you don't know who, like, sent it, he can, like, be happy too."

Peach was still staring at the necklace in confusion. "But there was no note…Bowser wouldn't send stuff like this anonymously…"

"And you think it'd like make it past security if it, like, said 'Sent by Bowser with Love'? Like, never!"

Peach smiled- that made sense. "So he sent it to make me happy…to make him happy…?"

"Like, totally." Wendy grinned, Peach's face was glistening. The koopaling batted her eyelashes and put her claws behind her back. "It, like, totally matches your sundress too, Peachy."

Peach turned to the mirror, putting the diamond-and-sapphire necklace against her neck. "I suppose it does…" She smiled, thinking about Bowser picking out jewelry, and latched it gracefully. As she had many days before, she admired the look of the jewelry on her, shining as bright as her eyes. But for the first time, she imagined the tenderness Bowser had picked it out with, how he clearly knew it would be stunning with her eyes, her hair, her face shape, and Peach smiled. She turned to Wendy, still smiling. "We should probably get going."

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Kammy watched with an unwavering eye as the koopalings marched past her, her narrowed eyes narrowing even more as Peach walked by as well. She thrust out a cloaked arm and glared up at Peach. "Where do you think you're going?"

Brightly, Peach answered, "I was just going to sit with the koopalings until Bowser came to pick me up. He said he'd meet me here before we left for the first gifts."

"So you know the schedule?"

Peach nodded. "Valkoopy told me all about it yesterday. First we're going to visit those communities who won the raffle, they'll present their gifts right to Bowser, then we'll head back here for the birthday luncheon…then we'll-"

"Why do you insist on using that putrid pronoun?" Kammy hissed. As Peach opened her mouth to question, Kammy jumped up and down, hissing, "That pronoun! That pronoun! 'We'! What makes you think you'll be spending every moment of Bowser's birthday with him?"

A bit hurt at Kammy's tone, she answered, "I just assumed…he said he wanted to spend it with me, so I thought…"

"Bowser spends his birthday with no one but himself on most occasions. Sometimes his children join him, occasionally Kamek and myself…but never has he spent the entire day with someone else."

"Is that another koopa tradition?" Peach asked, brightening now that she assumed Kammy wasn't only mad at her.

Unfortunately, Kammy didn't, or rather, wouldn't read Peach's tone as a plea for forgiveness and friendship. "No, it's just the way things are. So you may want to hear the real schedule before you go off having hallucinations about a holiday with His Horidness."

"You're rather good at alliteration," Peach complimented. This was clearly not what Kammy wanted to hear. The magikoopa bristled, sparks spurting from the end of her wand as her eye twitched.

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Bowser was feeling his usual delightment at feeling his own face stare down at himself. He pompously pretended to ignore the thrilled workers as they wished him a happy birthday. Bowser felt his grin widening as he walked down the halls, banners and streamers declaring his fantasticness even more than his countless portraits and busts did. He was sure nothing could bring him down, his ego raising him high above any blues he could feel.

As he stepped into the hall he had arranged to meet his children and Peach in, however, he felt himself deflate just a bit. Amidst more banners, balloons, and streamers was Kammy and Peach, Kammy screeching something horrid at his princess, now on the verge of tears.

Anger, like a furious herd of flaming stallions, filled Bowser's heart as he saw his wonderful, beautiful, indescribable love being diminished before his eyes. "KAMMY!" Bowser bellowed, the magikoopa shuddering as she stopped mid-word, not daring to look at the honoree storming towards them.

"What the heck do you think you're doing? I don't think part of your job was to yell at our guest!"

Kammy took a deep breath and stared up at Bowser, still avoiding his burning eyes. "I'm sorry, sire. It won't happen again."

Sparks flew out of Bowser's mouth as he shook a deadly claw at Kammy. "You'd better hope it doesn't, bat-breath. Go count chain-chomps or something."

"Yessire." Kammy bowed low, knowing it wasn't worth it to tell Bowser she was responsible for the koopalings. He'd probably just incinerate her for her cheek.

Turning to Peach, Bowser saw her take a deep breath and blink fiercely. As softly and tenderly as a giant, monster of a koopa could muster, Bowser murmured, "Kammy's a bag of worthless magpies. And whatever anyone says that could make you sad is a lie. Unless it makes you sad to hear how wonderful I am. That is never a lie."

Peach smiled a bit to hide her familiar pain, looking up at Bowser's grin. "I'll keep that in mind," she said.

"And if my being amazing makes you sad," Bowser continued, "Then you've got to come to grips with the truth. Peach grinned up at Bowser, grinning back at her, flanked by hundreds of balloons with the same grinning face. "But really, Peach…what was hag-face saying to you?"

Peach shook her head. "Don't worry about it- it's nothing. I just…I'm not used to being…" Peach looked up at Bowser, biting her lip before finishing, "hated."

Bowser shrugged. "You get used to it after awhile. Learn to use their faces as dart practice. And hey, as long as you know there really shouldn't be a reason to be hated, you just realize they're all stupid. You don't want to be liked by stupid people anyway."

Peach was almost a bit surprised by the answer Bowser had on hand, but, she supposed, he must be used to dislike. Why, just a few days ago, she hated him for no real reason…other than that he was him. "That's one way to look at it."

"It's the only way to look at it," Bowser corrected pompously. "That's why I made it up." Peach giggled, avoiding Bowser's powerful gaze and watching the koopalings. "We need to get going…where's the hag in charge of keeping track of these brats?"

Peach looked back at Bowser, rolling her eyes. "You just sent her to count chain chomps."

"Well, what the heck is she doing that for? Kammy!"

Upon her summoning, Kammy appeared in a puff of purple smoke. She blinked at Bowser. "Yessire?"

"You're supposed to be watching the koopalings. Do you have fuzzies for brains? How can you watch the stupid koopalings from the chain chomp kennel? Me and Peach have to go, so get to work, fanny-face."

Peach thought Bowser sounded almost…it was hard to describe, but more like the brute she had thought was starting to leave his…and her…lives. She had clearly gotten all too used to the softer creature Bowser was becoming. "Bowser," she said with a tone of almost scolding, "watch yourself, Kammy doesn't deserve that…"

Bowser looked back at Peach and whispered (clearly unaware his horse whisper was just as loud as a normal person's talking voice), "Yeah she does! Peach, I already told you she has no place to make you upset. I thought we agreed she was stupid!"

Peach raised her eyebrows and recited "Though the world is cruel and mean, the royal should be honor'bly seen. If anyone acts in a way that is wrong, be the ruler you are and lead them along. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar, Bowser."

Bowser squeezed his bushy eyebrows together in obvious surprise, loudly whispering, "where did you learn that nansy-pansy rhyme? It sounds like it came out of a kiddy book!"

Peach laughed lightly at the irony. Smiling, she told him, "it did. 'The Book of Manners for Growing Royalty'. My mother used to read it to me every night before she left."

Bowser was about to reply when he heard Kammy impatiently draw breath. He spun on his heels, about to give her some guff for her attitude, but remembered Peach's counsel. He would rather have her approval than give Kammy what she deserved. "Kammy…uh…just watch the kids. We're gonna go…" He looked down at Peach with an eager look on his face and she mouthed 'please'. "We're gonna go please." He corrected, looking back at Peach's face even more eagerly. She laughed.

"No," she whispered softly, "Tell her to watch them please. She has no control over whether we leave or not…" to herself, she pondered what she just said. She remembered how adamant Kammy had been about her not spending the whole day with Bowser…it almost felt ironic to Peach.

"Okay," Bowser said eagerly still, not realizing Peach's internal conversation or recognizing her smug face. "Watch the kids please." Both women were obviously amused with the koopa king; even Bowser's children had stopped their commotion to watch him. Ignoring all this, he turned his radiant face to Peach who chuckled a bit. She told him that he did a good job and Bowser's beaming smile spread wider. "Can we go now?"

Peach smiled and nodded, putting out her hand to let Bowser take. He did so with surprising tenderness for the eagerness in his eyes. He led her out of the room, winking at his children who were beside themselves in pleasure, some even catcalling.

He looked back at Peach, looking a little distant, but a smile firmly planted on her painted lips. Bowser looked her up and down, from her crownless blonde hair to the bottom of her pale pink sundress. His eyes lingered on the dazzling necklace that complimented Peach's beauty perfectly. He took a deep breath, pumping out his chest, and proudly strode forward.

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A squat little Hammer Bro itched his growing mustache and cleared his throat. "Yo' majesty, weef got one mo' places te' go befo' we're done wif dese live-acceptances. Nex' one's anuffer town gift." His voice was surprisingly high for his girth, and it was obvious he didn't quite know what to think about being in such close proximity to his mighty king, especially several hundred feet in the air in a clowncar.

The Hammer Bro's fear wasn't very well placed, as Bowser was hardly even paying attention to his existence. All his eyes were on Peach as she stared down at the Darklands landscape, her blonde hair tousling just so in the wind. He waved his claw and murmured, "fine, fine, that's just fine," and returned to his Peach-watching.

As per tradition, the national raffle to see whose birthday gifts King Bowser Koopa would open live, in their presence, and on his birthday was a very large deal. Counties, cities, and even entire providences would often pool their money, hoping they could show off some large tribute to the Koopa King. Occasionally, however, filthy rich individuals would buy enough private raffle tickets to get themselves in the chosen ten as well.

Bowser assured Peach that the millions of coins and thousands of gold bars that came in from this sale was put to good use. This year, apparently, all the costs were going to be split equally in the children's hospitals throughout the Darklands. The previous year, Bowser had told her, the money was put towards a thermal-heat generator which could crank out electricity from the mere heat of lava rivers, unlike most Darklandian generators which used the lava itself. Bowser said that the single generator the money had bought had, in turn, saved the country fourteen times its cost.

This year, Bowser, with Peach in tow, had so far 'opened' nine gifts. The first three were all statues cast in varying metals, posing Bowser as a ferocious and powerful koopa. The fourth was the Darkland's largest paper-Mache creation; a statue of him built by the students and families of a very lucky elementary school. The fifth was actually a donated wiggler farm, the sixth a beautiful fountain of lava with Bowser, flaming his breath to the sky with real fire, right in the center. The seventh was a very rare, very large, black diamond, carved to look like Bowser's armband and ferocious claw from a very wealthy individual. The eighth was a donated troop of circus ukikis which Bowser didn't seem to think was all that great, but Peach had an excellent time watching. The ninth that they had just left was another statue of Bowser, apparently which an amusement park was going to be built around, the rollercoaster spinning 'round the thirty-times-larger-than-life Koopa King.

In truth, the Mushroom Princess was enjoying herself more than anyone expected her to. Bowser's sarcastic sense of humor and bright attitude (he was no doubt thrilled to see monuments of himself cropping up all over his kingdom) was something she greatly enjoyed. The crowds were just as thrilled to see her in their presence as they were Bowser, and Peach had even spent almost an hour signing Peach dolls at the elementary school before Bowser whisked her away.

Peach put a delicate hand on her stomach as she felt it grumble. "Bowser?" She spoke up, "When are we going to eat?"

"The big lunch-party-thing is after this last acceptance thingy. If you want, though, we can get some food at this next town…I think they've got famous bread or something stupid like that."

Peach smiled. "That'd be nice. What's the town we're going to?"

Since Bowser wouldn't, and didn't, know the answer, the Hammer Bro answered for her. "It's Wheatfield Heights, yo' 'ighness. And 'ees majesty's right, zair famous fo' their cheese bread." He turned the clowncar to the right and began its decent. Peach thought she could almost make out the loud music and cheering of the huge crowd below. In the midst of the Darklandians was a huge bulking shape, covered with several sheets and tied as tightly as the townspeople could manage.

"Look's like you got another statue!" Peach told Bowser excitedly.

"I don't know why you're so excited. I get statues all the time; you've been in my palace all week, you should know that. I'm easily the most recognizable face in the world to my people."

Peach bit her lip a bit before replying, "You should still be honored. Statues...carving…sculpting…it's a big deal, a big honor! To think, simple, unimportant rocks and boulders can be shaped and molded to form something beautiful and recognizable. It's a big honor to be that one thing that inspires people to bring the earth to life, Bowser, it really is."

Bowser smirked at Peach, but his eyes held such reverence and adoration. "I love you, Peach."

Peach smirked back. "I know." She stared at him for a while, not realizing her smile seemed stuck on her face as she met his eyes. Peach broke the connection as she asked, "so you're going to appreciate the gift?"

Bowser shrugged, but smiled. "If they're going to make a statue out of anything, might as well be me."

"Not conceited at all, are you?" Peach laughed.

Bowser earnestly shook his head. "No, I'm thinking for my people. What's better than turning some ugly rock into the most sexy and handsome koopa to grace the planet? It would be a service to both that poor town and the rock, give them some worth, some bettering."

"Oh, so that's why you have all those pictures and paintings and have all your furniture and walls in the shape of your face. It's for everyone else."

Bowser nodded. "Now you're thinking like a true ruler."

The clowncar touched down on the grassy knoll near the crowd of Darklandians and the huge covered mass. Peach could finally make out what some of the loud cheering consisted of. "It's him!" "He's here! He's actually here!" "Oh Jimmy dear, you'll never forget this day." "Look, Mama, look, that's his clowncar!" "Bowser!" "King Bowser!" "It's really him!"

Peach thought it odd that most of these calls and shouts were the exact same thing she expected to hear from her own people, the same exact things they always said when he touched down in their lands, albeit to kidnap Peach. The difference was that these cries were not in fear, were not in panic, but in love and adoration. They praised the day this koopa stepped on their town's soil; Peach had no question that the raffle results brought days and nights of joy and partying.

Bowser stood, allowing himself to be seen and the crowd certainly allowed themselves to be heard. He grinned at himself before bending down to help Peach out of the clowcar.

When Peach was made visible, the crowd seemed to have mixed reactions. On one end, it was quickly hushed. Many other members had no shock but only cheered louder. "It's clear who watches the news and not, isn't it?" Bowser grumbled in Peach's ear with a bit of a smile. "The ones that got all quiet had no clue you'd come too…the other ones took the time to find out that you'd attended the other nine freaking ceremonies we've had so far today."

The two of them walked towards the mayor, a tall and green shy guy, who eagerly gripped Bowser's claw and turned his mask towards the crowd as cameras flashed. "A pleasure to finally meet you, sire! You have no idea how much Wheatfield Heights have been looking forward to this day. And let me wish you a very Happy Birthday!" He shook Bowser's claw vigorously until Bowser's vice-like grip told him it was time to let go. The mayor bowed low to Bowser before rushing over to Peach, his robe flapping up as he ran.

"My dear Princess, what an honor to meet you, as well! I've heard much about you, is it true you're here on vacation? Taking a liking to the Darklands, yes?" Peach felt almost as if the mayor was planning on shaking her arm off, but still tried a smile. As it had been in the other cities she and Bowser had visited, lights flashed in her face the moment the smile graced it.

Bowser cleared his throat, making the mayor jump off of Peach as if she had a sparky in her palm. "Mayor whatever-your-name-is, can we get on with this? We've got a lunch to be at soon."

Peach was sure the mayor was smiling under his mask and he leapt from their side and gave a flourishing bow. "Of course, my liege! We understand, we understand. You're the busiest koopa there ever could be, the best koopa there ever could be, I'd be shocked if you weren't busy!"

Bowser waved a claw and him and grumbled, "just get on with it."

"Of course, of course! You just move a bit to the left…here, I'll help…oh, you come too, Princess! A nice group shot before we move on. Yes, yes, that'll do just fine. Oh, perhaps you should move a bit more, sire, there you go…" the mayor seemed more like an anxious flower arranger than a mayor as he shifted the royalty and himself for more pictures and 'a perfect view of the perfect gift for the perfect king!'. Finally, he seemed satisfied and raised his green hands for a drum roll.

A line of red shy guys latched on to the sheet as dozens more surrounded the cloaked statue, each firmly gripping a rope. On the mayor's signal, they all pulled and the sheet billowed off to the far right.

Bowser looked up at the statue, his normal face of indifference melting away as he stared up at the statue…or rather, the two statues.

In the finest of marble and three times larger than life, King Bowser looked different than he had in all the other portrayals Peach had seen that day. He looked almost gentle, his lips curved in a sweet smile and his stone eyes almost glistening. The rather un-Bowser-like expression followed through to his arms and claws, one of which was delicately holding a delicate shoulder from the statue marble-Bowser was gazing at, the other claw holding the other statue's equally delicate hand.

The other statue, also gazing into the eyes of its partner, was none other than Peach.

The princess in marble was almost as delicate as she was in reality, her hair billowing just slightly, her dress following suit. Her smile was close-lipped, but tender and continued through her stone eyes. Both her delicate hands were in marble-Bowser's strong claw and her form seemed to mesh with his in perfect balance and fit. It was obvious they had been carved together, for each other.

Peach's eyes were glistening with emotion and her heart swelled as she saw herself and Bowser in stone form…they had somehow captured the look she so loved to see in his face almost perfectly. They hadn't been able to encase the radiating love and happiness he always held, or the amusement that danced in his eyes just below the many layers of pure love. They hadn't been able to show his natural warmth or his gentle, yet firm touch…but it was still a beautiful statue that showed Peach most of what she loved to see in Bowser.

She looked over just to the side to see the king himself; his eyes were glued on the statues. He too looked almost on the verge of tears and obviously hadn't yet realized how weak he was being in front of his people and the television cameras. Bowser rubbed his own hands as if wishing to feel Peach in them; he gazed over his expression and smiled. Bowser looked over at Peach and, with a start, she almost forgot who she was staring at. If it wasn't for the radiating love and happiness in his expression and the amusement dancing in his eyes, Peach would have thought she was still staring at the statue.

He opened his mouth slightly, but Peach noticed that as his jaw quivered he couldn't quite form words. Her heart flopped as she watched him and looked into his face and whispered, "I know," an answer to his unspoken confession.

Although her shoes felt leaden and her dress sopping wet, Peach somehow managed to drag herself over to Bowser. He put a reassuring claw on her shoulder and she tipped her gloved hands into his free one. She gazed up at him with a closed, but full smile, saying so many things without a single word. His smile opened just slightly as he gazed back, telling her even more.

Cameras began to flash as they documented Bowser's most boast-free, most quiet, and obviously happiest acceptance of the day thus far. The cameramen had a heyday arranging the shot. Bowser and Peach had unknowingly arranged themselves as exact replicas of the statue they were in front of, posing.

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Peach was munching happily on some fresh Wheatfield Heights bread, pleasantly aware of, yet ignoring, Bowser's gaze. He smiled at her as she tore at the bread, watching his beautiful princess master and compromise grace and starvation. She pecked one last time at the loaf before tenderly wrapping it in the plastic it had come in. Peach turned to Bowser now that she was done and curiously said, "you were really different than I expected back there."

"What d'ye mean?"

"I mean…well, all day you were gloating about how powerful and mighty you looked in your statues you got. And the last one…well, it wasn't exactly a battle scene." Peach seemed to be blushing, but Bowser only grinned.

"Might as well have been. I've fought more battles for you than for my lands combined."

His remark almost seemed to hurt Peach as she avoided his gaze. "So that's all that was to you? Your winning standard? I mean, those people who built it…they didn't know about…they only know…they…" but she couldn't seem to bring herself to admit that she had grown closer to Bowser in just one week. She couldn't seem to bring herself to say any words, actually.

Bowser quickly shook his head. "No, Peach, you don't get it. A few of the other statues had me after I had just won something. That was a different kind of happy…a very different kind of happy. The kind of happy those wheat-people gave statue-me…I could only ever have that kind of happiness from one place, one person. Yeah, it wasn't a powerful me they showed, yeah, it wasn't threatening me, or mighty me, or even King me. But it was a happy me, the kind of me that those saps in Wheatfield Heights like imagining me as. Why do you think their bread is cheesy? It rubs off onto it.

"The kind of happiness I get from you is the happiest happy I ever know. It's a different kind of happy than everything else there could ever be in the world…and those sappy shy guys at that wheat place want me to be that kind of happy. They realize that can only come through one way, so they made that one way. Frankly, I'm glad they put you in it. You're the only thing that could improve a town after me- they chose well."

Peach sighed. Bowser's words hadn't turned her heart or emptied her stomach like they often did lately, but she got a feeling that was because she was pushing those feelings away. She couldn't let herself feel that way, not when she was confused. "But Bowser…you hate looking weak. And you …back there…well…"

Bowser avoided Peach's eyes and sighed, the wind tussling his red mane and breathing over his horns. "Yeah…but people always talk about love being the most important power in the world. Someone would have to be as strong and powerful as me to not get steamrolled with loving you. Everyone has a weakness, and since it's not like people are can stuff it in my face to get power, might as well let them know what it is."

"What…what is it then?"

Bowser looked over at her, raising a bushy eyebrow, surprised she even had to ask. "You, duh. I love you."

All the emotion Peach had held back in her confusion broke the dam and she felt a million pounds heavier and yet a million pounds lighter. Even in such a sarcastic manner, Bowser's words rung with such truth and clarity that Peach always needed so badly. That was why she loved that statue. That was why she couldn't tear her eyes off it, except to see the same expression in the flesh. She needed to know she was loved, she loved to know she was loved, and Bowser could give that to her without even trying.

Bowser saw her close her eyes and lean back, almost as if bathing in the sunlight. She was clearly considered his latest remark. "I know, Bowser, I know," she slurred, but smiled. She really did look to be bathing in an invisible bath, so much, in fact, that Bowser almost felt awkward, as if he was invading her privacy.

"Er, do you want me to go…or something?" He didn't know why he should, but she looked like she wanted the keep this peace that had suddenly overcome her. But Peach's smile turned to a frown at his question and she shook her head. Bowser's heart overflowed with adoration and happiness. She didn't want him to go! What a beautiful thought! Bowser smiled, his happiness spreading through his body as he realized Peach's state was due to him…maybe she loved him the way he'd been telling people all along.

He shuffled over to Peach, but awkwardly stood next to her as she breathed in the passing air. He loved her and wasn't stupid enough to ignore that something was growing in her for him, but pushing the envelope was the last thing he wanted to do. He had waited for years and years and years for her…he could wait a bit longer.

But she looked too tempting, sitting there, as if bathing. Bathing in him.

Bowser sat next to Peach, his eyes glued on her face, and placed a warm claw on her knee, splayed out to one side. He then closed his own eyes and leaned back next to her, smelling her sweet essence and feeling her kneecap just under the cotton sundress.

A flash of light reflected from the sun off of Peach's jewelry and encompassed them in a warm, blue glow. But neither saw the gem's magic light as their eyes were closed and their thoughts far, far from reality…and yet only an inch or two away.

Author's Note: So did you think it was weird too? Or am I imagining things:P I dunno. But at least the weirdness came with some fluff, eh?

Next chapter's fun. :) We get another side-story introduced (-hears moans in the distance- sorry, but I like 'em!) and it has some really fun moments. I enjoyed writing it. There's some fluff, but this chapter really took the romantic aspect more than next one...but there's plenty of koopalings in the next one, so...trade-off? I dunno. :P

-Razzi