Someone asked: Mario AU: Princess Peach as the villain (Queen Peach?), Mario in trouble, and Bowser as the hero

Echo: Ooh, this is a good one! Honestly, I have had this cross my mind before, but never really wrote anything down for it.

So thanks! It"s time to change that here and now! There will be two variations on this ask: the first will be the more traditional Mario story, where the characters have swapped roles, while the second will keep their usual roles, but with a different take on the Mario story. Enjoy!

Warning: This does include implications of a gay relationship between Bowser and Mario, since they're taking on Mario and Peach's relationship. (And it's totally shippable.) If you're not into that, please skip this chapter and move onto the next.

Variation 1 (Roles Shifted)

In the Mushroom Kingdom, a large Koopa made his way to the castle. Several Toads and smaller Koopas gawked at him, while others waved excitedly. He grinned and waved back as he entered the castle.

Strolling through, he wandered into the red and blue main halls and walked into the golden throne room. A man in a green uniform and dark blue cape turned and smiled at the Koopa.

"Hello, Bowser!"

"Hi there, Prince Luigi!" Bowser warmly greeted. "Hope you"re well, today."

"Yep, I"m doing pretty well," laughed Luigi. "But let"s get serious, you"re looking for my brother."

Lightly, Bowser blushed. "W-Well, I am, but he can wait—"

"Oh, don"t try being modest. He"s out in the back."

"Great. Thank you, Luigi!"

Hurriedly, Bowser made his way to the back of the Prince"s Castle and out into the gardens. Prince Mario stood by the fountain, his bright blue cape draped over his red uniform. At the stomping footsteps behind him, he whirled around and smiled as Bowser approached him.

"Ah, hello Bowser." The Koopa beamed at the elder prince. "It's lovely to see you today, and I'm glad you've come over to visit."

"Sure thing!" Bowser patted his chest with a fist. "I'm here whenever you need me, Prince Mario!"

"That is sweet of you to say." Mario stepped closer to Bowser and reached up to brush the Koopa's red hair. "This is always so messy."

"Guess it gives me an excuse to have you fix it," murmured Bowser as his cheeks flared up. Mario blushed as well, letting his hand drop to Bowser's arm. He rubbed it a bit and placed his hand over Bowser's claw before pulling away.

"How is your family?" Bowser jumped a bit at the question.

"Oh, they're…well, fine, thanks." The large Koopa folded his arms. "Kamek's still practicing magic spells and Junior still thinks he can chase after his papa."

Mario chuckled. "You should consider taking him on adventures with you; he might just learn something new." He paused before adding, "Provided that it's a safe journey, of course."

"Sure, I'm planning on it. Junior just keeps trying to tag along when he shouldn't." Bowser sighed. "Sometimes, I think he has too much energy, even for me."

"Sounds believable." Mario laughed while Bowser rolled his eyes. Stopping, the prince sighed. "I might like a son, someday. Or a daughter, one might be nice. Maybe both."

"You'll need to find yourself a princess!"

"Yes, maybe." Mario gazed into Bowser"s fiery red eyes with his deep blue ones. "But I suppose there are other ways to have children."

Clawing at the back of his head, Bowser"s face grew flushed again. "Ah, well, that's true. You could adopt a child or…marry someone who…has kids."

"Those are the options." Prince Mario picked at his mustache and blushed a bit as well. "Anyway, why don't we take a minute to organize the next party that I—"

Abruptly, the ground beneath them rumbled. Mario fell back slightly and Bowser hurried over to catch him. They glanced at one another and then gazed skyward to find a large, pink airship flying toward them. It fired cannonballs from the boat above, raining down and crashing against the land around the castle.

"Mama mia," murmured Mario. "It's her again."

Bowser pushed Mario behind him and defensively guarded him as the assault continued. They listened to panicked Toads and Koopas run out, shouting for help. Before either one could move, they heard a buzzing noise draw closer.

Glaring upward, the two watched as a woman in a dark purple and pink dress with messy blonde hair descended down from the sky. Above her was a parasol-like propeller, which flipped around and became a stage for her to stand on, while it continued to float in the air.

"Queen Peach!" Mario thundered. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! What else could be the meaning, Prince Mario?" She grinned evilly down at the prince and the Koopa. "I"m here to kidnap you and take control of your kingdom!"

Peach snapped her fingers and several Goombas swarmed from around the garden, surrounding Bowser and Mario.

"Traitors!" Prince Mario cried out.

"Please, like you would have ever given them fair treatment." Queen Peach clapped her hands and the Goombas jumped to snatch Mario, only to be punched away by Bowser. "Ugh! Bowser! You rotten Koopa freak, always getting in the way of my plans. But not anymore!"

The wicked queen pulled out a purple and silver scepter, which fired a dark spell out of it. Three pink rings wrapped around Bowser and locked him into place.

"No!"

Mario turned to help Bowser, but two more rings wrapped around him. Several Goombas surrounded the two, knocking Bowser away and bouncing Mario on top of their heads, pushing him onto Peach"s Parasol Platform.

"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! Prince Mario is mine!"

"Not so fast, Peach!"

Prince Luigi hurried out to the gardens, only to get knocked on the head by a brown Toad with dark robes around his body. Peach yawned as Bowser growled in frustration, struggling to break free from the bindings.

"Good work, Toadsworth." Peach stretched. "You prove to be the greatest traitor these kingdoms have ever known."

"Of course, my lady." The elderly Toad bowed. "Shall we take this one as well?"

"Hmm…I suppose it's better to kidnap both princes, instead of just the heir." Queen Peach clapped her hands and the Goombas threw Luigi onto the stage beside her.

"Luigi, no!" Mario tried to stand, but the magic bindings knocked him over. "You'll never get away with this, Peach!"

"Ha! That's what you think, little prince! But from where I stand, I've already won!" She lowered herself to the elder prince"s face as her icy blue eyes met his darker pair. "Perhaps…you"ll consider marrying me? You won"t be in charge, but it"s certainly better than rotting in the dungeons."

"Never! Not to a wicked woman like you!" Mario snapped. "You're practically a monster!"

"So claims the prince who practically dates an actual monster." Peach jabbed a thumb at Bowser, who rolled around to knock attacking Goombas away from him. "All right, that"s enough, troops! We have the princes! Now, let"s get this kidnapping started!"

She laughed viciously as her traitor Toad jumped aboard the platform beside her, which slowly flew back to her airship. The Goombas poured away from the castle and scurried off as the magic bindings broke off from Bowser.

"Bowser! Help!" Mario yelled as the Parasol Platform disappeared into the airship, which took off shortly after.

Growling, Bowser hurried from the castle to chase after Peach"s airship. Just as he reached the front gates, Kamek flew by on his broom, with Junior riding behind him.

"Papa, what happened?" The younger Koopa questioned.

"That wicked Queen Peach kidnapped the Mario brothers!" Bowser snarled. "We have to go after her!"

"Right. I'll scout ahead and see if I can procure items for you." Kamek began to fly off, but Junior jumped down.

"I'm coming with you, Papa!"

"Junior, it's too dangerous!"

"Aw, come on!"

"No, you need to stay here and help everyone at the castle!"

Annoyed, Junior pouted as Bowser charged off after Kamek. The little Koopa waited and watched a few Toads and Koopas brush themselves off, shaken, but not heavily harmed from the attack.

"Ah, they're fine." Junior pounded his fist into his hand. "You're not doing this alone, Papa!"

Quickly, the child raced after his father, off into the plains of the first area to free from the evil Queen Peach's forces.