Foreword: okay, so I'm actually not 100 percent done with 29...I have like 3 paragraphs left or something crazy like that. But I was really excited to get you guys this chapter so I just said "screw it, I'm publishing today!"

This one is quite fluffy. C: You get the answer to last chapter's "mystery" if any of you were mystified.

There's also a request put into this chapter, so that means Disclaimer at the end. Oh, I know, you're miserable. Here's a tissue.

"Oh, there he is," Peach muttered, watching the great giant koopa walk over, a slightly smaller koopa lady on his arm. They both had the same breeding looks of Bowser, the one who spoke looked just as Peach had described him…similar to Bowser, but bald. He also had a red head and shell, while the koopa on his arm was tan all over, from her stylish short hair to her toeclaws.

Bowser nudged Peach. "Is he the koopa who bought you the drinks?" Peach nodded, taking a generous gulp of the water Cookoopa had given her. Bowser sighed, turning to the great koopa as he approached. "Borvis, what were you doing poisoning Princess Peach? Do you want to end up in a dungeon somewhere?"

"Of course not!" Borvis answered, looking appalled. "I was trying to do you a favor. She ended up in your arms, didn't she? Besides, I wanted to show Layla how strong koopale really is."

Bowser stood up, glaring at the smirking koopa. Bowser was taller than the Borvis by only a few inches, and he leaned in close, growling, "Try your science experiments on someone else next time. But other than that…" Bowser's stern face broke into a grin, and he hugged the other koopa with a slap on the shoulder. "Glad you came, Borv."

Bowser turned to Peach, tipping his head towards the koopas. "Peach, this is my very favorite brother, Borvis, and his wife, Layla."

Borvis grinned and bowed to Peach, saying, "I believe we've met."

Layla smiled and shook the Princess's hand, adding, "and I apologize that you had to meet him in the first place."

Peach looked suspiciously up at Bowser, but saw him sincerely laughing. After another draught of water- anything to flush that awful stuff out of her system- she turned to meet Layla's eyes. They were bright, yet a bit exhausted from her husband. Apparently, this guy was as innocent in intentions as he seemed when they met. Peach finally smiled and waved her hand. "I don't even remember what happened after that first drink he gave me, but if Bowser's still talking to him, I'm sure I'm fine."

Layla smiled, looking from Peach to Bowser. "I guess that's one way to tell. Yeah, Bowser wouldn't let a fly touch you unless it had good intentions. But I'm afraid he's probably a bit biased towards my husband…they really go back."

"Try since hatching!" Borvis laughed, smacking his wife lightly on the arm and his brother not quite so lightly.

The Latin song ended, changing to a swing song. Borvis grinned. "Did you know, Princess Peach, that I've won more swing competitions than anyone in this room?"

"I didn't, actually." Peach laughed.

"Would you like to see how it paid off?" He asked, putting out a claw for Peach to take.

"Hey," Bowser grunted, "Peach is my date. You can't dance with her! Especially not after you practically poison her!"

"Then you can dance with Layla. You two are about bad at swing enough for each other," Borvis offered, pushing his wife towards his brother.

As willing as everyone seemed around Borvis, he still wasn't in Peach's good books. "Hey now, I don't know if I should even dance with you. You…gave me amnesia somehow."

Borvis's smile twinkled in response. "Exactly why you should dance with me. I'm very mysterious."

After a bit more teasing all around and some considerable warming up on Peach's half, the two new couples were dancing on the floor. Borvis was exactly right in his estimate- Layla and Bowser were almost hopeless as the experienced swing-dancing koopa and the light and lively human were stealing the spotlight.

"Sorry about using you in my little experiment, highness," Borvis apologized, instantly moving his feet in a lively swing-step.

"I…I guess I forgive you. I ended up okay…but why did you-"

"Oh come on, you can't really blame me for you getting yourself intoxicated on that stuff. Remember what I said when I came over?"

"I don't remember that much, to be honest," Peach admitted as Borvis tossed her from side-to-side.

"Please," Borvis smirked, "if anyone understands the full effects of koopale, it's me. You can still remember everything before those first drinks. I approached you, told you there was a delicious drink that, as a human, the bartender would be a bit racist against giving you-"

"And that was lie number one!" Peach noted, swinging from under Borvis's legs.

Borvis tsk'd Peach as he returned to the quick-step, correcting, "that was misleading truth number one. I don't lie to any pretty women except my realtor, employees, and occasionally my wife."

"I think telling me that my vision impairment was 'just from the fizz getting in my eyes' and completely unrelated to the light-headedness 'from drinking too fast' counts as a lie, buddy," Peach growled, flipping over his shoulders as easily as piece of cloth.

"Again, not quite. If you look at how the koopale affects the body, it's really a very separate ordeal. But, I guess the fizz and drinking-too-fast bits were kind of…lies. But frankly, highness, I'm impressed you remembered past your first glass!"

"Well, I don't remember how you got me to take more than one, if that makes you feel superior at all."

Borvis just grinned. Spinning Peach violently to the other side, he abruptly asked, "what do you think of my brother?"

"Guilty conscience, eh?" Peach asked, spinning back to Borvis's side. After a sigh, Peach began, "Well, I certainly think higher of him than I used to. He's surprisingly…charming," as she spread out her limbs during the lift.

"Has he told you he loves you yet?"

Peach laughed and rolled her eyes, waiting to be unspun before answering, "only about a thousand times every day."

"Sounds like him," Borvis laughed. They did some steps in place as he continued. "When we were growing up all he ever talked about was being king, you, and being king with you. He trusted me with everything he knew about you…I probably understand how much he loves you more than you do."

Borvis dipped Peach, then spun her lightly until he dipped her the other way. "That's why he wasn't too angry I drugged you up. He knows I wouldn't do anything to you, because that would be the biggest hurt he could ever have."

"That's sweet,"

"But Peach," Borvis growled, "I told you that so you understand what I'm saying now- don't you ever hurt my brother. You're the only one who could really do it, and if you break his heart, I'll break your face. Because you'll end up breaking the entire empire that way."

"Oh, come on now, Bowser's stronger than that."

"No, he's not." Borvis growled, tossing Peach into the air again. "So you watch it."

Peach was feeling a bit nervous now, being thrown around in dance with this threatening koopa. He was obviously unaffected by her attempts at guilting him for drugging her. Suddenly, his stoic expression broke into a grin. "But anyway, Peachy, what's it like living in the Darklands for a week?"

"Uh…what?"

Borvis reminded Peach a great deal of his brother. He was more than frightening in his image and words, but at the same time seemed more than willing to make a joke. In fact, he seemed much more light-hearted than Bowser. Perhaps that had something to do with Bowser's responsibilities and Borvis's lack there of. "The Darklands! How are you liking it all?"

"I guess I'm liking it…it's not bad or anything, I mean. I'm…I'm having fun, I mean."

"Have you seen the kingdom yet?"

"A little…I went out with Bowser to accept some of his birthday gifts, so…its surprising how…diverse, I guess, the kingdom is."

The song stopped and, after applause, changed to a much faster dance song. It didn't take Layla long to escape Bowser's equally horrible swing dancing and come up to Peach and Borvis. "As much as I hate to break up this dynamic duo, may I cut it?"

Peach took her hands out of Borvis's and smiled at Layla, presenting her husband to her. Layla shook her head. "Actually, Peach, I wanted to dance with you."

Bowser, who was standing just over her shoulder, threw his hands up in distress. "Do I ever get to dance with my Peach?" he roared in frustration.

Peach laughed. "Bowser, I'll just be with her for a bit. That way I can meet more of your friends…next slow song, I promise, I would love to dance with you."

Bowser grinned. "You'd love to?"

Softly, Peach replied, "Of course…"

Layla rolled her eyes and tugged Peach away. "Come on, lovebird. Let's go before the song's over."

"Lovebird?" Peach shrieked as Layla pulled her out to the dance floor.

Layla laughed, "You should see your face!" She quickly began to dance in place, but Peach was still just staring at her as if she had killed a puppy. "Liven up, highness! It was a joke."

Peach's toe was tapping to the music as she placed her hands on her hips. "It was a joke? You're sure?"

"Well…sort of." Layla raised a beautifully shaped eyebrow in teasing. "You do seem quite twitter-pated, highness."

"With…with Bowser?" Peach was now dancing, just not as enthusiastically as Bowser's sister-in-law.

"Mmhmm. Borvy and I were watching you when you were intoxicated with that koopale stuff."

"What did I do?"

Layla giggled. "Koopale tends to make your real intentions come out and completely wipe away inhibitions. As well as other things…"

Peach stopped dancing, fear clear on her face. "I didn't kiss him, did I?"

Layla's eyes widened and she grinned. "Apparently, fear also makes real intentions come out." She laughed, grabbing Peach on the shoulders and laughing into her dress. "No, you didn't kiss him. Do you want to?"

Peach squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "No, I don't. If I wanted to kiss Bowser, I already would have."

"What does that mean?" Layla laughed at Peach's frustrated face and put a claw back on her shoulder. Lightly, she said, "I'm just messing with you, highness. It's in my blood to love being mean."

"Shouldn't that be on Bowser's side of the family?"

"It's just a koopa thing, I guess." Layla grinned at Peach, continuing her outrageous dancing.

It seemed that every free moment she had, Layla would say something to tease Peach about her date. At first, it had purely embarrassed Peach. She had intended to avoid Bowser and thus prove anyone like Layla who was certain of their love wrong. But as the dance got on, it felt almost like Layla was mocking her for appreciating Bowser and mocking Bowser for loving her. Now, Peach was just angry.

The song ended, and Layla laughed, "I'm going to go find my husband now…you can go spend some time with your beloved, highness!"

Peach watched Layla wave goodbye before she skipped off towards her husband. Peach closed her eyes and took a deep breath, opening them and looking for Bowser. There he was, standing where Borvis was waiting for Layla, and looking very helpless. Like a lost puppy, looking for its owner.

Bowser caught sight of Peach and lit up, waving frantically. He started pointing furiously up at Ludwig's orchestra, trying to get Peach to realize, in case she hadn't, that it was a slow song.

Peach's anger seemed to melt as she watched Bowser's adorable face, full of child-like enthusiasm. She even giggled a bit, walking perhaps too fast towards him. When she was about half-way there, she picked up her skirt and took off towards him at a run.

When she was close enough, and she was sure Layla was watching, Peach launched herself into Bowser's arms, throwing her own around his neck and breathing in his heavy, musky scent. "I missed you," she murmured.

"I missed you more," Bowser muttered, running his claws through her hair. He certainly missed her for different reasons, but still, Borvis nudged Bowser in the arm, winking. Bowser looked over at his brother, grinning and mouthing 'thank you' to both Borvis and his wife.

Borvis and Layla comically bowed to Bowser, arm-in-arm walking off towards the dance floor. "Hun, you're really good," Borvis muttered to Layla as they left Peach's earshot.

"I know!" Layla laughed, her eyes sparkling. "To work a girl right, you gotta know how she's gonna think. I just had to get Peach to want to never see him again, then get her to never want to see me again, then want to prove me wrong by proving me right in a way I would never expect to be right and-"

Borvis put a claw over Layla's mouth and raised his eyebrows. "I believe you. You're good. You're sister-in-law of the year. Now can we just dance?"

Layla put her tan hands on Borvis's face, pulling him down to her height. She kissed him tenderly and whispered; "Now we can."

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

"So you're ready to dance then, Peach?"

Peach pulled out of Bowser's embrace, holding his hand as she looked around the dance floor. Every third couple was staring at them, including the ever-smirking Layla. "Actually…"Bowser sighed a bit, avoiding Peach's eyes. Of course, this was too good to be true. He bit his lip as he braced himself for Peach's inevitable response. "Can we dance somewhere more private?"

"Sure, I'll go tell Kammy you're ready to…go somewhere what?"

"What?"

"What did you say?"

"What were you saying?"

Bowser looked at Peach's confused yet amused expression, and started to laugh. "I thought…it doesn't matter. I know exactly where we can go." He started to lead Peach up the stairs, leading her towards a huge wall of windows. A few of these windows, apparently, were actually doors to a beautiful expansive porch.

After Bowser opened the door for Peach, she rushed out. With the door shut, the slow music eased enough for them to hear, but the rabble of the crowd was perfectly muted. Crickets, a few rushing vehicles, and night birds were all that they could hear. They were alone, the two of them and the millions of stars above.

Rather gentlemanly, Bowser approached Peach with his hand out. Peach placed her hand lightly in his, reaching up to hold his shoulder as he held her back lightly. She stared up at him and smiled. "This…is perfect."

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

The Darklands seemed to have perfect night-time weather. The natural heat from the VolcanoPalace and lava flowing below kept the air warm and pleasant, but a light breeze kept them both perfectly content. Content to sit beneath the stars, dance among the crickets, or laugh and talk in their own world completely, as Peach and Bowser had for over an hour now.

Bowser and Peach leaned over the banister on the porch. The city below them bustled with activity, the cars and noises far too distant to give anything but quiet ambience. The lights from buildings, advertisements, and lava rivers glittered in the pollutant haze just as the stars above did. It was as if the royals were suspended between two heavens, existing in their own heaven of far superiority.

"See over there?" Bowser asked, pointing over towards the huge clock tower that presided over the city. "That's a restaurant behind the clock face. I wanna take you there for lunch tomorrow."

"So you are taking me out for sure tomorrow? You didn't even talk to anyone about your meetings."

"Those darned meetings will be sitting around as long as I want. I only get you for a couple more days…"

Peach was quiet. Finally, she answered, "I almost wish I could stay longer-"

"You can!"

"-But everyone's expecting me, and we're going to Grand Canal. I'm really…I'm really excited." Peach sounded anything but. She could almost hear Bowser pouting behind her. Before he could manage to say something, she said, "Are you sure it's okay to skip more meetings? I mean, I could do something else tomorrow, if you want…"

"If I want?" Bowser stared at Peach as if she was crazy. "If I want?" He roared. You think I think you're a hassle? Peach!" Bowser started to laugh, grabbing Peach roughly by the arms. He looked into her wide eyes and softly laughed, "I love you! I want to spend every moment I live with you! I'd give up my entire kingdom to see your face whenever I wanted. I would never, ever, want to go to a meeting instead of being with you."

Peach smiled, blushing up at Bowser. "Sorry, I guess I just thought…I'm not used to…you."

Bowser chuckled, putting his claw on Peach's face. "I'm not used to you either."

"So, we're definitely going into town tomorrow, then?"

"Like it or not," Bowser growled flirtatiously.

In the silence that followed, Peach heard the music in the ballroom change to a slow song. "Listen!" She whispered, her eyes bright as she looked up at Bowser.

Bowser listened, hearing the music and chuckling. He put his other claw on Peach's other cheek and muttered, "You really love these dances, don't you?" Peach nodded, her head at home in Bowser's hands. "I do too…any excuse to hold you."

As Bowser lifted his hands off her face and placed them on her hips, Peach daintily put her hands on Bowser's shoulders. They danced in silence, Peach smiling at Bowser's internal fight to stop himself from kissing her. Peach opened her mouth to say something, but the patio door slammed open, the slow music blaring in comparison to the silence they had just lost.

Kara stood silhouetted in the doorway, she hissed, "You are not supposed to be out here."

"I can be wherever I want, lady face!" Bowser snarled, trying his best not to clench his claws on Peach's hips.

"You…" Kara pointed a clawed hand towards the ballroom, her extended arm shaking in anger, "are supposed…to be dancing…in…there."

"So what?" Bowser roared.

"So…go! In there! They're ready to open the doors for the ball's end!"

"What if I-" Peach lifted her hands off of Bowser's shoulders and wrenched his grip off of her hips. Bowser looked at her quizzically, readjusting herself away from dancing position. "What are you doing?"

Finally, Peach had freed herself, leaving Kara's arm extended and her expression confused, Bowser's claws still holding the air's hips, and his expression even more lost. "I'm going into the ballroom."

"…Why?"

"Because Kara said we should be in there, and she planned this whole thing. I think we'd better honor all her hard work best we can by following through."

Kara's hand flew from pointing at the ballroom to covering her smile, her glowing eyes giving her away anyway. "Thank you!" She squeaked, voice muffled from her hand.

Peach smiled at Kara and curtsied, and then she picked up her skirt and started into the ballroom. Bowser's mouth was still open in confusion, and then quickly he ran to keep up, brushing past Kara.

When he was finally caught up with Peach, heading down the stairs to the ballroom's main level, he muttered in her ear, "Why'd you leave?"

"I already told you. Kara's done so much to make this evening work, the least we could do is try and comply."

"But I thought you liked it out there!"

Peach stopped and looked up at Bowser. She dropped her skirt and put her hand on Bowser's face. "I did. But it's just as wonderful inside, as long as I have my dance partner with me."

Bowser grinned, saying, "You can have your dance partner any time you want him, Peachy." He moved her hand (as much as he loved it on his cheek) to his shoulders, adjusting themselves into their newfound favorite dancing pose, telling her as he worked, "I'm available all day, all night, twenty-four/seven. Just say the word and I'll come pick you up. We'll go to the moon together if we have to."

Peach giggled, swaying to the music with Bowser. "You keep telling yourself that," she teased, swallowing hard as if it could calm down her racing heart.

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

She was sitting by herself again, and that didn't please Kamek at all. He sighed, ordering two glasses of juice, and bringing the goblets over to the magikoopa sitting alone. Kamek's walk felt longer than usual, a bittersweet phenomenon. He was terrified by how wrong the next few moments could go, but enjoying watching her as well, playing with her silver hair and nudging her glasses.

All too soon, he was standing over her, suddenly forgetting what he was going to say. Instead, she glared at his presence. "Kamek, what are you planning on doing with that juice?"

"Give it to you. You looked lonely." He answered, snapping out of his momentary silence.

She glared at him and shook her head. "I'm not lonely. I'm not thirsty either."

"So you're just being a crotchety old hag for fun?" He asked, sincerely hoping his bitter teasing would get her realize how much of a hag she was, indeed, being. No matter how adorable she was cranky.

"Yes, Kamek. I came to the ball so I could sit around while everyone else dances like a dejected freak. I missed high school, y'see."

Kamek laughed. "I certainly don't miss that cursed place. I only survived by remembering I was one of those guys the girls would fight over years later."

"And how did that work out for you, Kamek?"

"Not as well as I'd have hoped," he answered with a forced smile. "Only have had one girl go for me, and that didn't end up working. Now I can't to even get an ugly old hag to dance."

"I can see why, if you call her that to her face," Kammy replied coldly, "besides, how is she supposed to dance if both your hands are occupied?"

Kamek then realized he had never given Kammy her juice, and began to blush. He set them down next to Kammy and stared down at her. "You know, they say the best way to get someone to ask for your hand in a dance is to dance with someone else. Inspire jealousy as they watch you flow in happiness with someone else, but just enough sorrow to inspire the coveter to try and cheer you up. I think that, maybe, that ugly hag would dance with me if she saw me dancing with you."

Kammy tried not to look confused. "I guess I'll try your little experiment, Kamek." She stood up, taking her place as Kamek's dancing partner, and he immediately swung them onto the dance floor. "So, if your ugly hag is out there, getting jealous, and I'm supposed to be the girl that she could beat if she wanted, what exactly would you call me?"

Kamek looked into her eyes, his face straight as he answered, "the ugliest, most fossilized, and haggiest in the room. Maybe even the whole kingdom."

Kammy looked at Kamek's eyes, shining in his backwards honesty. "I oughta blast you out through a window for that," she whispered, suddenly caught in his shining expression.

The silence didn't last long when a paratroopa, wings folded back to allow him to walk, tapped Kammy on the shoulder. Her eyes snapped from Kamek to the stranger, the dancing magikoopas stopping instantaneously. "If your husband doesn't mind," he began, glancing at Kamek.

"I'm not-"

"He's not-"

"We're not…not married," Kamek finally made out staring at the parakoopa.

His wings seemed to bristle, and the young man looked a bit uncomfortable. "Oh!" he squeaked, "well, then…if your…friend…wouldn't mind," he gulped and itched the back of his neck, clearly thinking this was so stupid as he finished, "may I cut in?"

"What did I tell you, Kammy?" Kamek said with another forced smile, letting her go as she stared at the parakoopa. "Works every time…"

Not being able to stand the awkward position he now found himself in, Kamek rushed over to the juice. He didn't dare look at Kammy or the parakoopa, deciding not to imagine what foul trick was going on. Instead, he grabbed his juiced and downed the glass. As he tried to consider what to do without watching Kammy dance, he heard Bowser approach, laughing.

The koopa king crashed onto the seat next to him, laughing still. "That was the funniest thing I've seen all night."

"Excuse me, sire?" Kamek asked, beginning his second glass.

"You!" Bowser laughed again, illustrating with his hands. "You went over to Kammy, somehow convinced the old hag to dance, and then were holding her like she was going to explode or something. Thirty seconds later, you let some random parakoopa making some bet with his friends whisk her away like nothing. And you! You just stood there like an idiot before you ran over here!" Laughing, Bowser hit his fist on the table, shaking the glasses. "Funniest thing ever."

"I'm sure it wasn't that funny, sire." Kamek hissed, feeling put out indeed.

Bowser chuckled, finally calming down. "Well, it was to me. No clue why you wanted to dance with Kammy the Kween of Krap, but still, that's part of why it's so funny."

"Sire, where's Princess Peach?" Kamek asked, trying desperately to change the subject.

"I was dancing with her, and…well…she's too nice. This guy came and she said they could dance for a song."

Kamek looked up at Bowser, his eyebrows raised high. "So…your dance got cut into just like mine even though you're the Koopa King and have the right to melt someone just for looking at Peach when you don't want them to but she left you for that random guy and you're laughing at me?"

Glaring, Bowser answered, "At least I was dancing for more of the song than you. Besides, we'd been dancing practically all night. I don't want Peach to get too much of a good thing."

"I would have thought you'd be more…upset…that you lost her."

"I didn't lose her, idiot!" Bowser roared, smacking Kamek over the head. "She…stays within me."

Kamek looked over at Bowser, his expression lost in thought. "What do you mean?"

"Stays forever…" He looked down at Kamek, growling his explanation, "Everything she does. Glancing around, breathing lightly…blowing out a candle or combing out her hair. Even when she leaves," Bowser tapped his claw to his chest, over his heart. His eyes left Kamek and looked out towards the dancers on the floor, dancing the few last songs. He continued, his voice softened. "She's still there."

Kamek nodded, sighing. "I understand, sire. Pretty women…silhouetted in my thoughts, stay within me. Even when I'm not thinking about…either of them…they stay within me, memories from years ago or just days past.

"Pretty women at their mirrors, in their gardens, letter-writing-"

"Flower-picking, weather-watching…" Bowser continued, his mind far away but his heart firmly centered on Peach. "They've really got control on us, don't they?" Bowser laughed.

Kamek nodded. "They think you're strong, they think I'm powerful…but you'd fall on your knees for your pretty Peach. And I…I'm probably just as weak. Especially with my heart weak from the first fiasco, this girl just….just…Pretty women…" The old magikoopa shook his head, at a rare loss for words. Kamek glanced at Bowser, pouting as he considered Peach's similar hold on him, the smile hidden on his lips a give-away of his silhouetted love. "How they make men sing!" Kamek laughed.

"Proof of heaven as you're living!" Bowser agreed, slapping his claws back onto the table, his face aglow as he cheered up.

Juice sloshed in his glass as Kamek raised it. "Here's to pretty women!" He offered, jovially.

Picking up a glass from nearby, Bowser clinked in agreement. "Pretty women!"

Kamek drank his juice as Bowser crushed the empty glass in his fist. After a satisfied smack of his lips, Kamek muttered, "Can't live with them…"

"…Can't live without them." Bowser shook his head, smirking. "Such a stupid line. But so true, when it comes to my dear Peachy. At least she's happy now…at least I'm more alive than dead since she's come."

Kamek smiled for his king, noticing Peach searching for a glance at Bowser. She caught his eye, mouthing miserably, "next dance, please!" Amused, he looked for his own lost dance partner.

Kammy, however, didn't have a glance to waste on the old magikoopa.

Author's Note: Next chapter is the last chapter in the ball. :) That's pretty exciting, guys. Also, next chapter is very, very fun. One of my favorites. :D AND it includes you request, Senom299, so don't worry. It just didn't fit this chapter.

Speaking of requests, here's our Disclaimer: I unfortunately own Kara, Borvis, and Layla, but all the good characters go to Nintendo. Also, a fair amount of words at the very end belong to the song "Pretty Women" from Sweeny Todd, as per request of Mistress of Weirdness.

Now I've really got to go to school...I'm a fool for posting here at this time, but oh well!

-Razzi