Foreword- I honestly don't know why this one took so long. One part was that I spent all of last weekend through today fiddling with this chapter and next, taking things out, adding things in, and I'm still not satisfied with either. I think you guys and all your expectations are making me crack. XD Don't worry, a lot of this is my own personal expectations, one of which is disappointed that we're still not even half way done with the ball.

This one is pretty interesting. I like it because we dabble with stuff I haven't really touched for awhile in this story, even though that means you have to look a bit harder for the fluff. Still, I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer gets a fun little breather today- I own "Bell" (which is actually not a horrible pun on 'Belle', it was a bit of an accident as I named her rather late at night and still liked it when I was awake the next day), but all the other characters are the property of those at Nintendo.

A tall, slender dragon-like koopa with billowing blue hair sat down next to Wendy. The koopaling was sitting with her chin in both claws, looking out with googly-eyes towards Peach and Bowser. She didn't even notice the koopa sit down.

"Are you watching your daddy?"

Wendy screamed and flailed wildly in surprise. Quickly, she composed herself. No one seemed to notice except for the koopa woman who had posed the startling question. "Yeesh! Like, don't creep up on me like that, Auntie Bell. You totally scared me!"

"I noticed, sugar," she sweetly said. "So, is this the famous Peach, then?"

"Yeah. She's tooootally falling for King dad…and it's all my doing."

"Really? You're the little cupid that put them together, eh, sugar?"

Wendy looked at her nails admiringly. "Mmhmm. Me and nobody else."

"Not even them? They didn't come together on their own at all?"

Wendy rolled her eyes. "Well, I'm sure they did a little, but I did all the hard work."

"Like what?"

"Like…" Wendy's eye twitched. "Like…er….like…well, examples don't matter. Like, why do you care anyway?"

"I hafta keep an eye on my brother, that's all," she winked. She and Wendy returned to watching them dance, and Peach pulled away to say something. Bowser nodded, and began to escort her to the table of refreshments. "Perfect," Bell whispered, gathering herself up to leave.

"Auntie Bell, like where are you going? We've got a totally killer view already, you like don't need to change a thing."

"Er…just going to say hello, that's all, sugar."

"Y'know, I don't really think that's like a good idea. King Dad is…" but Bell was already half way across the ballroom.

Bell swept her hair dramatically, rushing as fast as her slender dragon-koopa legs allowed. She reached Peach and Bowser, and as Peach put out her hand to accept the drink Bowser poured for her, Bell stuck her claw right in.

Bell grinned, her stunning white teeth a little frightening. "Lovely to meet you, Princess Peach. I'm Bell Koopa, sister of this handsome little king."

Bowser's mane stood on edge as he heard Bell's voice. He spun around and glared at his sister. "Bell, what are you doing here?"

Peach looked lightly at Bowser, ignoring his glare. "Bowser, you didn't tell me you had a sister!" She turned back to look at Bell and smiled sweetly. "It's my pleasure, Miss Koopa."

"Oh," Bell laughed, ignoring Bowser as well. Her right claw was still in Peach's hand, and she waved her free hand in front of Peach, showing off a dazzling rock of a ring. "It's Mrs. Koopa. Lenny and I decided to keep my name." She laughed again. Her laugh was exactly what you would expect it to be from her name; light, like a bell, and very unlike Bowser's.

"Bell," Bowser growled, "What are you-"

Bell pulled her hand out of Peach's and turned to Bowser. "My goodness, I never told you about my marriage, did I? Oh, he's just lovely, Bowser. It was all very sudden, actually. I met him at a work gathering and three months later we were in Los Vegos, being married by…well, actually, by a Bowser-impersonator, as ironic as that is." She laughed again, pressing forward to give Bowser no chance of interrupting. "So, even though you didn't even know your sweet little sister was getting married, 'you' were the one marrying us!"

"Bell, why are you here?"

Bell's laugh died; she looked from Bowser, frustrated and impatient, to Peach, curious and innocent. "Can't you let your own sister celebrate your birthday, Bowser?"

"If that was the only reason you were here, sure. But you haven't come to something like this without a real reason as long as I've known you. If you were me, that'd make sense. But you're just an annoying little woman who tries to pretend being my sister makes up for being a jerk."

"Bowser…" Peach muttered, looking over at him. But his eyes were focused completely on his sister, who was now fidgeting in place, although her white smile stayed firm.

The staring match continued for a bit until finally, Bell cracked. She put her fingers up to her forehead and began to rub. Her eyes were shut, exposing the spackled on layers of eyeshadow. "Okay, so I didn't just come to say 'Happy Birthday'. Lenny works for a tabloid stationed in the western half of Yurkoopakia, and I told him I could use my connections to find something out. Is that really that bad? That I'm trying to make my brother and husband happy at the same time?"

"Has Lenny seen your ring collection?" Bowser growled. Bell tried to interrupt, but he continued. "Would he be using you to his financial benefits if he knew that's all you're using him for? Do you really think that one little errand for this guy is going to cover you for the rest of your time with him? Or is that your exact plan- get close enough at the start to earn your keep, then disappoint him all out until he's the one filing divorce?"

"Lenny's different, okay?" Bell huffed. "He's not even that well-off…"

"Right, he's just got more power than anyone else in this country who isn't a politician or me. And how is he any different than your past…what is it…twenty husbands?"

"Seventeen, Bowser," Bell hissed, "He's only the seventeenth."

Bowser scoffed. "I'm a little surprised you can still count them all, actually. Or do you keep a checklist by your bed? Trying to make it to twenty before you stick with one long enough to have kids?"

Peach looked around, noticing four or five eaves-droppers. Everyone else seemed too engulfed in their own business to notice the koopa king's tantrum. Or maybe they were just used to it.

Bell glared at Bowser. "Well, gee. I'm sorry. I didn't realize that having children made up for a bad relationship with your spouse. But I guess that explains why you have eight of them."

Sparks were flicking out of Bowser's mouth as he roared, "What are you trying to say?"

Bell put her manicured hands on her hips, tapping her tail in anger. "I don't know, Bowser. Maybe you could tell me, since you apparently know everything about me. Well, you know what? You don't. You don't know anything about me, because you never cared. And you can't tell me I don't know what love is, Bowser, because I've lived my whole life looking for it. And what have you done? Nothing. You're the one who doesn't know what love is…you'll never understand it; not with Clawdia, not with your trophy human, not with anyone."

Bell's words hit Peach hard. This entire week, Bowser had shown her nothing but love, and for the first time, she had realized what being loved truly felt like. No one in their right mind could say that Bowser didn't know how to love…he may not have been as understanding about how to show it, but he had more of it in him than anyone Peach had ever met. And besides, Peach was not a 'trophy human'.

As Bowser's mouth flew open to retort, Peach's foot beat him to the impact. With lightning reflexes, she brought her heel down fast and hard on Bell's scaly foot. Peach's blue eyes burned like fire and she watched, emotionless, as Bell shrieked. Now, almost every eye in the ballroom was watching the row, as Bell hopped on one foot, hooting in pain, with Bowser staring down in awe at Peach, still shaking in anger.

Peach opened her mouth to talk, but no cohesive words came to her mind. Just outrage and disbelief. She turned on her heels towards Bowser and forcefully offered her elbow. Bowser grinned down at Peach and took it, reeling her away from Bell and towards a secluded table. He looked around at all the staring eyes, all surprised to see Peach's violent side…especially as it was sticking up for Bowser. Sure, they'd heard of her violent streaks, but since she never used them against her captor, they never believed in them. All Bowser did was smile, almost like he was proud of Peach.

Bowser sat down across from Peach, his eyes glowing in admiration.

Peach closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry about that…I'll have to apologize to your sister later. I just…sometimes people…I'm sorry."

Bowser reached across the table and gripped Peach's hand. "Don't apologize. That was the highlight of my birthday." Bowser grinned. "Actually, the whole day's been great. I love you so much."

"I know…that's why Bell annoyed me so much, I guess. Knowing you love me seems as obvious as knowing the sun rises everyday…but I guess vampires like to be in denial, don't they?" Bowser's eyes glazed over for a second. Peach raised an eyebrow, realizing he didn't get it. "You know…because vampires can't stand the sun…so they would probably prefer it not to rise. Just like Bell doesn't understand-" Peach trailed away, seeing Bowser was still confused, and now just satisfied watching Peach talk. "Never mind."

Bowser smiled again. "Do you know what you did to Bell is what I've wanted to do since she turned three? Actually…I've probably done that a bunch already, but still. She's been an idiot for her entire life. I guess all the stupid genes that I'm missing have to go somewhere, right?"

Peach giggled and nodded. "Of course, Bowser. Whatever you say." She looked over his shoulder and noticed Bell, chattering away with someone. She was rubbing her aching foot against her leg, but seemed to be retelling the commotion's story in a way that put her in a good light with the famous King and Princess.

"Did you know she missed our parents' funeral for a wedding? And its not like it was planned or something…she met the guy at the hospital they were admitted to. I think they must have a hotel room reserved just for her in Los Vegos."

Peach frowned. "Why would someone do that?"

Bowser shrugged. "Sometimes, I wished they were dead and I was off marrying you while they were being put in the ground forever. But that's just not the same."

"Actually, it sort of is, Bowser."

"No, no, nothing's the same for me." Bowser laughed. Then he grew quiet and serious. "I'd want Mom and Dad to go to our wedding anyway. See how happy you make me…how happy I want to make you. How wrong they were about the two of us, how happy we could be…" He looked at Peach with his dark, soulful eyes, and was happy to see hers smiling back. He cleared his throat a bit and continued.

"Bell only ever invited anyone to her first wedding, and since then even the tabloids haven't been able to keep up with her. I'm sure her sweet 'Lenny' or whatever his name is will have a heck of a time making an anti-Bell article after she divorces him."

"Bowser, how can you be so sure she's set on divorcing him?"

"Because she's been the same koopa her entire life. People don't change."

Peach felt stung by Bowser's snarling remark. She looked away from his eyes, unable to face those who she herself had imagined so much change in. "I think they do," she muttered. Suddenly, all her fire was extinguished. That which she had fought so hard for was…an imagination?

Bowser gulped, upset at himself for upsetting Peach. She picked at the table cloth, clearly trying to think of something so say. Why was she so upset, though? Because he had said people don't change? Had she perhaps hoped that they did…maybe that he had changed…? "Well," he muttered in response, "I guess sometimes they do. If they have a good enough reason."

Peach looked back at Bowser. "If I believed people didn't change…I couldn't let myself even be here right now."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Peach looked hard at Bowser, but laughed a bit as she realized what she meant. "I feel like you've changed since I knew you…before this week. You seem…better. If I didn't believe that was possible, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't go to a ball on the arm of someone I consider evil, now would I?"

Bowser's heart flipped, and he almost jumped out of his seat in joy. Peach had really, truly seen a change in him that she liked! That opened so many doors for him…he wasn't just imagining affection anymore…she was sitting right there, grinning at him, telling him that she trusted him. Closest thing to love he could ask, probably.

Although still high from Peach's chipper remark, Bowser put his elbow firmly on the table, leaning across to say to Peach, "Y'know, I'm still evil. I'll always be the most evil thing around, no matter how much I change. Taking the evil out of me is like taking the beauty out of you- stupid and impossible."

Peach giggled. "Do you realize that you manage to…" Peach's tongue swelled, preventing whatever word was going to come out. Quickly, she changed words to one that fit the situation much better, in her opinion. "You manage to flatter me even when you're just trying to flatter yourself?"

Bowser chortled. "I guess I do." He put his other elbow on the table and his face into his hands. "Can't really help it, Peach. You're too easy to praise and too hard to ignore."

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

Kammy looked up at the giant clock situated on the balcony in front of Ludwig's orchestra. Bowser's jaws held the brilliant timepiece in place, reading to Kammy that it was time to gather the koopalings. She frowned, knowing her responsibilities, but all the more willing to shirk them completely. After all, everyone here was dancing, laughing, talking, enjoying themselves. And Kammy, one of the most important people in the entire empire, got to be spending her holiday rounding up those annoying little monsters.

She turned on her heel towards a corner where Roy was just barely visible when her neck tingled. That keen sixth sense she had towards Bowser Junior kicked in as she spun again, her hand out and catching the youngest koopaling by the shell. "Where are you off to?"

Junior cringed, and quickly tried to fabricate a lie. He thrust his claw over in towards the kitchen and said, "going to get veggables." Kammy looked down at the grinning koopaling and raised an eyebrow. Junior frowned. "Yeah, that was a pretty stupid lie, wasn't it? Okay, I'm really going to…to get…cookies. Lots of cookies."

"In the kitchen? When we're in the middle of dessert buffet and all the cookies you could ever want are right here, where you're supposed to be?"

Junior grinned up at Kammy. "Mean, huh? I just love being-"

Kammy put her wand up to Junior's throat, cutting his voice off mid sentence. She smirked. "Anti-lie spell. You can't say anything but the truth, Junior. Now, where are you going?"

Junior licked his lips and smacked them shut. He watched with satisfaction as Kammy's eyes twitched. "I'm not Morton," he said, "I know how to work the silent treatment."

"Fine!" Kammy snapped, "Don't tell me! But you can't go wherever you were headed anyway…time to get in line for the end of the first half."

"That's not faaaaair!" Junior shrieked, "Mama Peach and Papa don't have to do thaaaaaat yeeeeeet!"

"It's completely fair," Kammy sneered, magically gluing Junior in place on the floor. She spun on her heel towards Roy. She quickly flipped back around, catching Junior as he puffed up his chest to release the worst scream yet. She pointed a wrinkled finger at him condescendingly. "Don't…even…think about it…" Kammy hissed.

Junior's chest was still puffed, his eyes as wide as koopa-coins. Satisfied, the magikoopa turned back to Roy's corner, thrilled to see that both Lemmy and Larry were with him; Larry crossing his arms and snarling something or other, Lemmy staring off into the various murals across the walls.

Kammy put a hand on Lemmy and Larry's shoulders, making them both jump. Roy's face hardened as she looked down on him and he grumbled to Larry, "Dis ain't ovah." Kammy disregarded the ominous remark and smeared a fake smile across her face.

"Boys, time to get in line for the end of the first half." Roy, surprisingly, nodded and was more than pleased to find his place in line. Just simply shaking hands goodbye with his various 'colleagues' was an impression worth making. Kammy smiled, glad she had at least one koopaling that wasn't going to skin her alive tonight. She wheeled the other two boys around, her hand still firmly on their shoulders.

Perhaps unnecessarily, she magically glued all three in their age-order place to match Junior's grumpy but stable position. Wendy was almost as easy to find, eagerly talking with an attractive koopa from a distant city. Wendy pulled with all her might against Kammy's grip and magic, determined to finish flirting with the koopa, his accent dripping through every word of flattery. Finally satisfied when he handed her a napkin with his number, Wendy accepted the magic's pull.

Just like letting go during tug-of-war, Kammy found her wand arm flailing madly after Wendy as she zoomed into place. Kammy face-planted right in front of the five koopalings; six, now that Morton had wandered over in curiosity. Junior, Larry, and Lemmy exploded into fits of laughter, Wendy giggling far quieter, but almost as obnoxiously. Morton buffah-ed, equally amused with Kammy's accidental bit of slapstick. She slowly lifted herself back up, cracking her back in a few places, her blood boiling. If these kids weren't Bowser's own blood and his pride and joys, she would get exact revenge. But so many years and so much pain would probably kill them all.

Kammy spun around, ceasing the laughter instantaneously. Morton looked like he was going to taunt something, but seemed to choke on his words. Kammy was just too intimidating when she was angry.

Apparently, she sent of waves of anger, as Iggy was quick to sneak into place. Although he had tried to move inconspicuously, his rainbow Mohawk was hard to miss. "Iggy," she snarled. He looked up, swallowed a lump in his throat, and adjusted his glasses in reply. "Thank you for joining us. Get in line." Kammy watched with an icy glare as Iggy adjusted himself to stand between his older and younger siblings.

Sometimes, Kammy could be even more frightening than the koopalings' father. Usually it was because of something stupid and mean they'd done directly to her, but occasionally, like today, it was no one's fault in particular. Probably the only person to blame for Kammy's sour mood was Peach…and no one would dare blame her.

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

His eyes had several circles under them by now, but Toadsworth was determined to keep them on the television. Just a few hours before he had told a reporter away, assuring him that Princess Peach was on a private vacation. He immediately regretted it.

Since that reporter left, more than happy with the scoop he had accidently been given, no less than five other news stations and companies had shown up at the castle doors. Where was Peach? Why was her vacation private? Where was Mario? Who was protecting her? Did this have to do with Bowser? Is this a cover-up? What was going on?

Time after time, Toadsworth had turned them away, often with physical assistance. But even as he assured them that Peach was just taking a break and explaining any more would be taking away her own goals of privacy, Toadsworth prayed he knew the real answers.

So far, the television hadn't mentioned Peach once. Okay, that was a lie…every fifth commercial mentioned something that Peach 'approved', including a few things Toadsworth personally knew she despised. But nothing that mattered was ever mentioned. That was good- the castle didn't need anymore stress of covering up Peach's 'vacation' than they already had. Of course, if someone knew something about Peach, it would be nice.

Toadsworth changed the channel again, listening to the clock tick over the musical tones on the television. After watching the screen flashing for hours on end, listening for any new news at all and at the same time dreaming against it, the clock was his little piece of sanity. That, at least, was never going to change.

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

The room was covered in daises.

Pristine, beautiful, white daisies.

A wind blew through the room, stirring up the daisies as well as her yellow dress, spinning the flowers in the air like fairies, dancing in the night air.

Music seeped through the flowers, sounding old and distant, like some kind of movie. The scene itself had a strange cold warmth, familiar foreignism, and a distant closeness.

The daisies continued to spin and stir in the air as she walked through them, moving towards the blurred room. Colors and shapes of unintelligible nature were not too far, but still too far for her to make out.

As she moved, the daisies flew faster and faster, blocking her view as they flew higher and higher. Until finally, the daisies hovered in place, forming amongst themselves a curtain. Her view was completely blocked…nothing but white, perfect daisies.

She stretched out a hand and, with her lace-cuff glove, pushed the curtain aside.

Music flooded her ears as the scene was suddenly more real than the daisies ever were. Daisy felt the warmth radiating all around her in this giant dance-hall, murals and pillars lining the circular chamber.

Koopas, goombas, penguins, ravens, and every other creature imaginable filled the room, adding their own unique voices to the music that echoed off every stone wall. Daisy looked around, trying to make sense of the occasion, and felt a hand on her shoulder.

Two bright, happy blue eyes stared into Daisy's. Peach smiled and hugged her cousin, pulling back and letting her blonde hair frame her face perfectly. "Daisy, I haven't seen you all night!"

"Oh Peach, I've missed you so much!" Daisy looked at her cousin, absolutely radiant in all her happiness. "Your dress is absolutely stunning!" It was true- after Peach's natural bliss and radiance, her dress was just as stunning. Jewels and shimmering diamonds were sewn right into Peach's fine pink fabric, gold and silver threads making it shine as bright as her eyes. The layers and bunchings were done in perfect skill and precision, yet the dress seemed to flow as naturally as water on Peach's body.

Peach's silken pale-pink gloves seemed to be alien in Daisy's normally impressive gloves. Her smile was full and pure as she said, "I'm just glad you came. I'm sure our guest of honor will be happy, too!"

Daisy smiled, it was hard not too, with Peach's expression, but asked, "Who?" Peach just laughed, as if the question was really a joke. "Where are we, anyway?"

Peach giggled, ready to reply with what she thought was an appropriate titter back, but her words were caught in her throat as she caught sight of something in the distance. Daisy quickly flipped her head around, looking to see what caught Peach's eye, and saw Bowser off in the distance, talking to someone else. He, luckily, hadn't seen Peach yet. "Peach," she muttered, "we've got to get you out of here, before-"

Daisy spun her head back to Peach, but her face lacked the terror Daisy expected. Instead, it was even more radiant than it ever was. Her mouth was inexplicitly trying to stop itself from grinning like a fool, and her eyes were alight with a glow Daisy had never seen in Peach's always bright blue eyes. "There he is!" she whispered, squeezing Daisy's hands a little harder. "He's finally back!"

Daisy turned back to make sure they were both looking at the same koopa king, and saw Bowser approaching. Daisy looked back at Peach, her mouth forming a questioning 'o', and then back to Bowser when she saw it had never changed.

"I'm…I'm gonna go now, Daisy. See you soon!" Without another word, Princess Peach pulled her hands out of Daisy's, grabbed her skirt, and took off running toward Bowser. Daisy watched curiously and utterly confused, as Bowser turned to see Peach and lit up like a Christmas tree. He put his arms out and Peach rushed right into them, tossing her arms about his neck and squeezing tight. She pulled back and said something, still happy and smiling, and Bowser laughed. He looked towards Daisy, grinned, and waved.

The "o" on Daisy's face from her confusion seemed to be permanent and she waved back. Bowser looked back at Peach, his dark eyes glowing as they stared into her crystalline ones, and said something. She nodded, grabbed his claw and let him lead her out to the dance floor. Then, the alien and bizarre course of events continued as they began to slow dance, Peach enthralled in whatever Bowser was saying, one hand on his shoulder and the other in his claw.

Daisy pushed her way through the crowd to watch Peach and Bowser closer, dancing as seemingly one person. Peach was so happy, she seemed to glow. Bowser was absolutely ecstatic, and looked completely willing to kiss Peach at any given moment. Daisy continued to push through the crowd, but she seemed to make no progress at all.

As she pushed, more people seemed to appear between herself and the dancing couple, keeping them perpetually distant. Slowly, the people behind her disappeared into daisies, swelling and filling the empty space between all the couples.

Less and less couples separated Daisy from Bowser and Peach, but more and more daisies took their place.

The daises formed piles and curtains. Mountains of daisies,

Pristine, beautiful, white Daisies,

until finally, Daisy was lost over her head in daisies.

She thrashed about; yelling for Peach and even Bowser, but no one seemed to hear her.

The sound was muffled, the visual was gone, and she saw nothing.

Nothing but daisies.

She shut her eyes tightly, and when she opened them, there were no daisies to be seen. The room was completely dark. And she was safe in her hotel bed.

After finally catching her breath, Daisy looked around. She faintly made out the sound of cars on the highway nearby and the light laughter and music from the main room of the inn. And there wasn't a single daisy anywhere nearby.

Author's Note: As an author whose been planning this story/ball for far too long, I'm already tired of the ball. So I assume you guys are too. I tried to speed it up next chapter but ended up failing, so we'll see how long it takes. But the chapter itself is fun so far, so that's always good. It even gets a bit T (as I rated the story long ago), but don't get your hopes too high- trust me. ;)

I'm thrilled with all the readers who've stuck it through as well as the beautiful people who found CoH recently. And I have something in plan because you guys are getting me up to half a G of reviews, and that's CRAZY. I'd tell you how crazy but I have to leave now and wanted you to have this by tonight, so trust me- its crazy.

-Razzi