Epolgue: A bright future, indeed

-Sarsaland-

-5 YEARS LATER-

Bowser didn't know how to react when Daisy requested an audience with him, in her own kingdom of all places. He was never really invited anywhere. But in her letter, the new queen insisted that it was of great importance. He couldn't pass it up; he hadn't seen the flower princess in years. Actually, nobody had seen her in years.

After the death of her king, Daisy had disappeared completely. Nobody knew where she went; it was like she vanished in thin air. Leaving Sarsaland without any real ruler for years, but she knew that Bowser and Mario would take care of it…and they did. He never thought that he and Mario would make such a good team.

But now she came back and yet she still was in secret and nobody could get her to make a public appearance outside of the castle, let alone explain where she had gone. But now she is giving him what he hoped to be answers.

So here he is, in the great hall of Sarsaland. Admiring the all white room which had breathtaking works of art decorating the large stone pillars, the ceiling was rounded, but it looked like it was made out of pure blue glass and several decorated pots held the exotic plants that only Sarsaland could offer. The thrones themselves were also carved out of stone and wood, decorated by vibrant cushions and other means of padding. Bowser knew that Sarsaland is the oldest kingdom from around here, but he didn't know how ancient it truly was. It was a shame that Daisy isn't the kind of person who would host elaborate balls like Peach. But by the looks of things, he figured that these halls have seen several in its days.

"Bowser…" the koopa king turned to see Daisy silently approached him, and it was clear that Daisy was no longer a princess. Daisy was a queen, not because the way she was dressed, but by the way she had held herself. Bowser couldn't help but to think what Luigi would've looked like as a king, though he knew that he would have proudly stood by her side.

Bower quickly bowed "Daisy, it is wonderful to see you" he straightened up no wanting to beat around the bush "I assumed that when you invite me over, you'll explain why you have been missing for the past five years…?"

Daisy was silent for a moment, before gently taking him by the hand, leading him out of the great hall "you assumed right, my friend…I have a lot of explaining to do…"

They finally walked down a large hallway, before Daisy stopped at a door. She turned to Bowser "when Luigi died… it destroyed me. I didn't want to leave but… I knew I had to… but for different reasons…"

Bowser raised an eyebrow "for what?" Daisy took a minute, before taking a deep breath "I was pregnant…"

The koopa was silent for a moment; before it sunk into his mind "wait…you and Luigi…" she nodded, smiling at a distant memory, back when she was happy, and Daisy continued "I didn't want to bring a child into a world where entire kingdoms were mourning Luigi. I don't want all that extra attention on myself and my baby… but now since things had quiet down…" Grabbing the doorknob she gently pushed it open.

"Bowser, there is someone I want you to meet…"

The room was decent size, cozy. Bowser realized that it was decorated to host a little girl. Another thing that he noticed that Mario was there, he felt a little hurt that Mario was informed first, but he figured that it would be more appropriate that Mario would be. After all it is his brothers' child.

Looking down he saw that a small girl sat on Mario's lap, and the koopa realized that she was being read to. The girl was about five, he figured, and she looked like a carbon copy of her mother. But you could tell that she definitely belonged to Luigi. She had his hair, his eyes and that smile. On top of her head sat a small tiara and she was dressed in a simple, very light blue dress.

Bowser glanced back at Daisy and smiled "she's beautiful…what's her name?" Daisy smiled back "I wanted her to know where she came from… so I thought of something that Luigi would probably pick out… Tonia."

Tonia looked up when she heard her name and Mario stopped reading, he smiled at Bowser. The koopa king knew that Mario and the little princess are going to get along just fine. Since Mario has children of his own now. Bowser flashed back to when his kids were at that age and part of him wished that he was still able to read to them. But he knew that by the looks of it, Tonia would give him plenty of chances to read to her.

She wiggled off of Mario's lap and bravely walked up to the much larger koopa, her bare feet making hardly any noise on the carpet.

Looking up at him with more curiosity than worry, he couldn't help but to smile at her. She certainly took after her mother. Bowser got on one knee to see her "hello Tonia…it's nice to meet you" now face to face with the girl, he could defiantly see her father in her and it melted his heart. If Luigi was here she would definitely have been a daddy's girl. The girl stared at him for a minute, before giving him a huge smile "hi…"

The koopa king was caught off guard when the girl leaned in to him and gave him a hug. She must've heard about him from Daisy, and she probably knew that he was friends with her father. Bowser hugged back, just happy to see that this child even exists; and he knew that he is holding just a small glimpse into their future. Not just for Sarsaland, but for everything. Bowser picked her up, the girl wrapping her legs around him and he could tell that she definitely had some height to her.

He smiled back at Daisy and Mario, and it almost felt like Luigi was there, smiling with them...

The End