Princess Peach sat comfortably upon her castle balcony as she observed the night sky; lost in her thoughts. She had been trying her hardest to enjoy the cake and tea celebration with Mario earlier in this afternoon for rescuing her, but she just couldn't ignore the nagging feeling inside that she had been feeling all day, which just wouldn't quit. Mario approached her from inside and looked at her; concern flickering in his eyes.

"Oh! I'm sorry, Mario," Peach apologized. "I didn't mean to make you worry again. I'm fine, really." Mario didn't say a word. He never did, but his silence spoke volumes. The plumber's sentiments never failed to convey themselves through his eyes. The look he was giving Peach indicated that he still believed something was bothering her, and that she wasn't doing a very good job of hiding it. The princess sighed. "It's that obvious, isn't it?" she asked. "I guess I'm just….worried about Bowser and Junior." Mario took a seat next to Peach and looked to the stars with her. "I know Bowser does all kinds of terrible things, but what happened to him….I would never wish that kind of fate upon anyone." Mario placed one gloved hand upon her own. He could tell that she was conflicted over what happened on that platform.

On one hand, Bowser was a tyrant. He did bad deeds all the time and had his punishment coming on so many occasions. Mario was undoubtedly growing tired of chasing after the princess and continuing to play this little game with Bowser so many times. Peach was certain that Mario was starting to wish it would end so they could live in peace. But still, that didn't mean he wanted Bowser to die. The plumber thought back to all the good times they had playing sports and racing go-karts together. The Koopa King wasn't always such a bad guy. Especially when he was willing to give his life if it meant protecting his child.

"I especially worry about Junior. He's only a child. He has his whole life ahead of him and it would be tragic to see it cut short so soon," said Peach. Mario wasn't too surprised to hear this confession from Peach. She was well-renowned in her kingdom for her kindness and compassion for everyone. If there was anyone who saw the good in people like Bowser and Junior, it was most definitely her. "Bowser has survived falling into lava so many times. Do you think this time was any different, Mario?" The plumber crossed his arms and shut his eyes to think.

"Hmmm…," he pondered. Somehow Peach had a feeling that even if Mario could actually give an answer, he wouldn't have one in this case.

"I am certainly in your debt as always for saving me. But I can't help but wonder if…had there been a chance for us to save Bowser and his son, should we have taken it? Is there anything we can do for them now?"

"Oh!" Mario spoke. He put his hands together, smiled, and his eyes met her's. Peach returned the joyful sentiment with a smile of her own.

"You're right," Peach agreed. She put her hands together as well. "We should pray to the stars for them." The two closed their eyes and focused. "Star Spirits high above. Please, hear our prayer," the princess began. "We wish for Bowser and Junior to be safe from harm, wherever under the sky they may be. Please, let not his many missteps overshadow the single selfless act of heroism he displayed before us. We urge you to grace Bowser with enough of your forgiveness so he may endure whatever suffering that has befallen him; and may you grant him the strength he needs to find his way home. Guide him and his child with your merciful light, so they may one day find peace within themselves as well as in the company of others. This is what we ask of you from the bottom of our hearts."

At the bottom of the cave, Bowser stirred awake once more from underneath the rocks. But why? Why was he still alive? Why couldn't his body just let go so he could escape this hell on earth? Bowser foolishly tugged and tried to pull himself out once more, but he didn't budge. Why did he bother? He was even weaker now than he was before. Air wasn't the only thing Bowser was running out of. His muscles were starting to weaken and die on him as well. The Koopa King drooped his head and rested it in the dirt as he wallowed in his never-ending despair.

"So, this is really how it ends for the great and terrible Bowser, huh?" said a voice. Bowser didn't bother to look up.

"Why can't you just leave me alone, old man?" Bowser asked.

"Because I'm not him." This got Bowser's attention. He opened his eyes and saw Celia standing before him once again. But, something looked…different about her this time. She wasn't quite as transparent or as ghostly as before. Tiny particles of light danced around her before they faded away. She looked….almost real.

"Celia…," Bowser started.

"Don't tell me you've started listening to him now after all this time." She no longer had an echo in her voice either. What was going on? Bowser grumbled. The Koopa Queen observed Bowser's predicament. "That looks like a pretty uncomfortable place to take a nap," she joked.

"Be serious…," Bowser replied.

"Why should I? You aren't taking this seriously either."

"I'm not?"

"No!" Celia argued. "You're sitting there, crying like a baby just because you're a little stuck and can't pull yourself out from under that rock."

"It's not just the rock, Celia…," said Bowser in a gruff tone. "Even if I could get out, what's the point? There's nothing left for me to live for."

"Not even Junior?"

"He hates me, and he has every reason to now. He thought he did a good thing by helping me with his wish. He just wanted me to be proud of him for once. I should've been. But I didn't tell him that…," Bowser described. "I let my stupid ego get in the way again; just like it always does. I've been trying so hard to teach him to be selfish and mean. But he just…isn't like that. It's not in his blood. He inherited one thing from you, Celia: your kindness. Being evil just isn't who he is."

"It's not who you really are either."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, I did try to teach you to be more confident. But I think you took it a little too far," his wife explained. "You swore to me that you wanted to become a better Koopa than your father. You thought you proved that by killing him. But part of you is still afraid of what he thinks, even though he's been dead all this time. All these years you've been mixing your fear in with the confidence I gave you. You come off just as bad as him."

"I know…," Bowser agreed as his tears flowed once more. "After you died…I lost sight of who I was. I didn't want to love anymore. I've done so many terrible things since then. You'd probably never forgive me…"

"Of course I would."

"But, I don't know if I can change back and be the Koopa you loved…"

"Bowser, you can't keep holding yourself up to my perception of you…," said Celia. "The truth is, I don't exist anymore. I can't stop you from being who you are now, and you shouldn't use me as a guilt trip."

"But the Koopa you loved…he isn't me anymore…"

"He'll always be you in my eyes," Celia corrected. No matter what you say or do; no matter how much you change or what you become, I will always love you, Bowser." Bowser didn't respond. He wanted to let that sink in for a moment. "I don't know if you can go back to your old ways or if it's even worth it to do so after all this time. That's something you're going to have to figure out on your own. But what I do know, is that it's not too late to stop the same thing from happening to our son."

"I already told you, he-"

"So you're not even going to try to make things right!?" Celia screamed. "Are you seriously telling me that you're fine wasting away in here while our little boy is probably scared, hurt and alone somewhere!?"

"I already broke my promise to you," Bowser argued. "I couldn't take care of him or protect him." Celia glared at the Koopa King. He was frozen by the ice in her eyes.

"Your promise is only broken if you give up on trying to keep it." Bowser didn't reply. "You're still here. You're still alive. So is he. That means you still have a chance to get out of here, find Junior, and make things right with him; no matter what it takes! If you can't do that, then that's when I consider your promise to be broken. But not a moment before." Bowser was silent as he processed Celia's words. "No matter what kind of monster you've become over the years in my absence, I know you don't want to do that to me, or Junior."

"Celia …you seem different somehow," said Bowser. "What's going on?" She smiled.

"Before, I only existed in your dreams and the projections from your mind. I was only ever saying things based on what you thought of me and what you remembered. But this time, I'm a little bit different." Celia walked over, kneeled down, and placed her hand on Bowser's. He gasped and his eyes widened. His hand winced like an electric current had been injected into his system.

Her touch felt real. Celia…..was real.

"H-hold on…what the heck is going on here!?" Bowser exclaimed. "Celia, sweetie….are you…?" She laughed a little. She leaned down even further and kissed Bowser's forehead. There was no question about it. This feeling was unbelievably familiar. Bowser's wife was as real as she appeared to be.

"That's right, Bowser. It's really me. "

"How!? I…" The queen gently stroked Bowser's cheek with her hand. How he missed the sweet sensation of her touch.

"Consider this to be….a gift from the stars. I don't know who, but someone out there made a wish for you to be okay. So the stars sent me to come help you out," she explained happily. Standing up, she placed one hand to the rock on top of Bowser. "Ready?" she asked. Instinctively, Bowser knew exactly what she meant. He nodded.

"Ready," Bowser confirmed. The Koopa King lifted the rock with his back using all the strength and drive he could muster. Celia's magical touch made the rock feel almost weightless. As it levitated, she waved her hand and tossed it off to the side. Bowser was free! He stumbled to his feet with her help. Wiping away his tears, Bowser smiled genuinely. He hadn't felt this happy in many years.

"See? Nothing to it," Celia commented cheerfully. Bowser immediately hugged her tightly without a single word more. His wife was right here in front of him again. He had to hold her in his arms for as long as the moment would allow. Their eyes met, and Bowser and Celia kissed passionately; the first time after many long, agonizing years apart.

"Come with me!" Bowser commanded. "We can pick up right where we left off! We can finally be together again!" Her eyes left his.

"I can't…," she denied. "I was only here to help you get back up on your feet again." She dusted Bowser's hair and rubbed the dirt off his face. "Somehow, I think it was pretty obvious you would need more than a hallucination to pull yourself out of this one!" Bowser's smile was ever persistent. As long as he looked at her, his happiness couldn't fade. Using her newfound magic powers, Celia faced the debris, waved her hand, and used the boulders to make a climbable path up to the exit above.

"I can't even begin to tell you how it feels to see you again…," said Bowser.

"I know," she agreed. "I've missed you too, dear." She looked up at the exit. There was light emanating from it so Bowser gathered it was a way out of the cave. But judging from the sky's color, the day was almost over. He had to climb up before he ran out of light. "Go," she directed. "Find our son so you two can go home together."

"I will," Bowser declared. "I'll keep our promise no matter what." Celia placed her hands over her heart.

"I know you will." With one final kiss, Bowser could feel his strength returning. His injuries weren't completely healed, but he was in good enough condition to get moving again. Bowser turned away from Celia and began to approach the rocks. She felt her arms wrap around his neck one last time. "Tell Junior how much I love and miss him. I'll always be with you both!" she promised. Bowser smiled, rubbed her hands delicately, then grabbed the rock with his claws, and hoisted himself on top.

His back was in pain, but he soldiered onwards and upward. Rock after rock, Bowser inched closer and closer to the light above. The dust brushed against his wounds and stung at his nerves, but Bowser endured, unflinching. He had found new determination; new strength. Finally, Bowser pulled himself up onto the top of the cliff. He could see the outside world again just inches away.

The Koopa King looked back one last time. Celia was still at the bottom floor. She smiled and waved as she was engulfed in the particles of light again. Her purpose had been served. Once she had disappeared completely, Bowser felt ready to move on and exit the cave.

He still had to find Junior. It was time to go home.