Peach Blossoms

Author: MarioLuigi4567890

Fandom: Super Mario World

Claim: Princess Peach

It had been a month since the defeat of Bowser, but I hadn't been feeling any better even after what had happened. I had still been useless during the fight, even though I had escaped once or twice, every single time I had been re captured, and even after the incident I still felt trapped.

It was hard not to considering how my life was normally, I was regularly under guard 24/7, and it had been only made worse after the defeat of Bowser. I couldn't see the new friends I made (The last time I had seen said friends were at Goombatty's party the day after Bowser's defeat.), I had also been barred from leaving my room except for royal announcements.

Psh, royal announcements eh? Am I just here to look pretty and prevent the Mushroom Kingdom from going into disarray from not having a ruler? Im just a figurehead, when I grew up, all I ever wanted to do was be a great ruler to this kingdom, but it doesn't even need one. In reality, all im good for is breaking bad news in a good way.

At least I have two friends that have stuck by me since I was a kid, Blaze and Ice; they snuck into the castle numerous times to play board games the guards used to play with me. It was the only thing I was good at in my opinion. I always seemed to win at them, though I did lose a few times, the toad twins had gotten better themselves over the years.

And sometimes they would read the books in my library with me, we had recently gotten a third of them read, maybe we'd finish half of them by the time I am 90? I have pretty much given up on reading them anyways; all they do is remind me of how I'd rather be anywhere but here.

I looked at the clock on the wall again, it's about time for them to show up…10…9…maybe I'd tell them I wanted to be alone today, I kinda need it, 5…4…maybe I should try and escape with them, but then again, last time I tried that ended in disaster, 2…1…0…huh? Where are they?

I heard a knock on the door, which was unusual; no one would bother me at this time. I slowly opened the door and was met with a short toad with a grey mustache, small black glasses, and a purple vest.

"Excuse me? Who are you?" It seemed like a reasonable question to ask at the time.

"Yes, the Princess of our kingdom should know my name before I tell you what is going on." The Elderly toad said with some sort of respect in his voice, I don't know why, Im not the kind of person that deserves any respect.

"I am Toadsworth, I am your new servant, I was originally your caretaker when you were a baby but I went into retirement soon after you turned 3, you may remember me…"

"Catch me on a day when I care." I said sharply before slamming the door in his face.

"P-Princess please just hear me out!" The old toad yelled as he slammed on the door, apprehensively, I opened the door.

I raised my eyebrow as he seemed to be worn out just from that action alone, nonetheless he started telling me what he had to say.

"You see, I thought it would be potent, for the success of our country…" "Yawn…" "As I was saying, if you were to go out and greet several smaller communities and up their morale as they say."

"Wait, you mean, actually travel to other places?" This had piqued my interest. "Go on, go on…"

"Yes, and I also thought it might raise our morale even more if you went with our country's newest hero, Mario himself!"

"WHAT? No way am I going with that sexist jerk!"

"But you must! Besides, I've been told by a very reliable source that you've wanted to get away from here for a long time…"

"And just who is this source?"

"Your two friends that have apparently been sneaking into the castle all this time." The old codger said raising a triumphant eyebrow.

I knew at that point I had been defeated, that old toad would be able to use them as a bargaining chip to make me go, and he had, as long as I went on these trips with that stuck up jerk, I would be allowed to continue seeing my friends.

"May I go pack a few things first?" I sighed.

"Suitcases have already been prepared with some books for you to read and some board games since I know how much you like those, and we have enough food in royal bus to last us a week, so let's go already! Tally-Ho!" The old guy said excitedly.

When I stepped onto the royal bus the first thing I saw, was Mario sitting near the front, but there was also a goomba wearing a brown cloth that seemed to be check marking off a list, I recognized this goomba as Goombatty, but what was he doing here?

"Er, hello Goombatty, what are you doing?" I said nervously.

"Oh, Im check marking off the supplies we will need for the parties at each place, having the Princess visit is a big thing you know." The party goomba said with his usual positive flair.

"Oh…I see…" I began to slowly walk backwards away from him, knowing full well he may begin to talk about parties non stop any second, he looked like he had been wanting an excuse to do so anyhow.

I looked around; everyone else on the bus was either someone who had joined Mario on his journey (most likely tricked) or officials that would help with the setting up. I also saw Blaze and Ice sitting on the middle of the right side, so I decided to sit on the other side of them.

But as soon as I sat down a voice spoke over the speaker of the bus, it was the last call for everyone to be seated, those who hadn't been seated quickly sat down, and the bus soon sped off its destination, it was then I realized I didn't even know where I was going. I was going to ask where we were going when I realized I actually liked this feeling, not knowing what's going to happen next, wondering where life will take you, she hadn't felt this way since…that incident.

Knowing I was in for a long week I decided to just look outside and take in the view of the countryside, it was wonderful, I had never seen anything so beautiful, eventually, I got tired of focusing on one thing and decided to close my eyes, and wait until we get there.

I think about 15 minutes passed before we came to a stop. I was surprised at how fast we reached our destination; the first town must not have been that far off. Everyone slowly got off, me and the sexist pig sharing a glare when we spotted each other.

The first thing I noticed about the town is that it looked a lot less grand than the one she saw out her window. But more important than that, there was a structure in the middle of town that has a podium on it, and a banner above it said "Royal Tour". Why not advertise it to the whole world why don't ya?

"Hmph, I guess your enjoying the attention?" Rang a voice I hated incredibly from besides me.

"Get bent." I snapped at the jerk.

"Princess, this way, we must discuss what we are going to be talking about." An old voice declared beside me.

"Yeah…sure." I was clearly not excited about it as I walked along, but he didn't seem to care.

People seemed to stare at me in awe as I walked past, was it really so unusual for a princess to be outside her castle? I wish they would stop staring, maybe going outside wasn't such a good idea.

My entire life all the announcements I made had been in front of a camera. The one other time I had been out in public everyone had been to preoccupied to pay attention to me. I suppose, I liked it better that way.

As I walked into the main building, the first thing I noticed was that Christy and Goombatty were already setting up, Christy seemed to keep on correcting what Goombatty was doing, while Goombatty was just wanting the place to be wild all over.

I decided to leave them alone; they seemed to be having a heated argument on what the party favors should be. I could swear I heard the word cupcakes being screamed over and over again.

It didn't take long to set things up. Though I must admit it was a pain having to work with that jerk, first we got into an argument, and then we started throwing glass plates at each other, over all it was very unproductive.

Once we finished cleaning up the mess, the old toad exclaimed something suddenly. "Oh dear me! Look at the time! We have to get up to the podium."

Oh no…what I was dreading most, speaking in front of all those people. It was easy when you were talking to a camera, but when you are talking to a whole bunch of people who can actually see you face to face, that's another story.

"Now remember princess, you are just to answer the questions asked to you by your audience, and if you have to break any bad news, be sure to look like everything will be all right." The old codger reminded me.

"Erm, yeah, I will…" I wasn't looking well though, as I walked outside to the podium with everyone else, I could feel my pulse racing, and I began sweating and shaking all over. I had never spoken in front of a group before, it felt unnatural for me.

The old toad came up to the podium and began the introductions. "As most of you know, the princess of our kingdom and the heroes who rescued her are going to be speaking throughout the towns of the mushroom kingdom, and not only that, but this will be broadcast throughout the entire world." At this I visibly blanched, I was beginning to feel faint.

"Now here's our first speaker! Princess Peach herself, feel free to ask her any questions you want!" I slowly walked up to the podium and for about a second and a half I thought this might be easy because all they were doing were staring at me, but then the questions came. All at once people asked me questions and I couldn't get a word in edgewise. I was being bombarded with more and more questions and I felt helpless, more helpless than I had ever felt in my life.

Not even when I was kidnapped by that reptile was I ever this helpless. I knew my way around the castle. I could escape on my own, it's staying escaped that's the hard part.

I tried to say something, anything. But words seemed to fail me, and all of a sudden everything became blurry, I was tired, and I wanted this to stop, and then I blacked out.

XXXXX

I was in blackness, I saw the image of a book, a book with a mysterious figure on it, it opened and many images swamped into my mind, the image of an escape I made, the image of some friends I made, the image of my father, and a doctor's office, and the funeral…so many images came flooding back and then a spot of red, where could it have come from?

That was the moment I woke up, and saw the red plumber sitting beside me, I was sitting in a polka dot bed, and it seemed everyone was waiting for me to wake up.

"What happened?" I said, though inside I knew what happened. I had messed it up somehow.

The red plumber remained silent; the party goomba was the first to speak up. "You were all pale and shaky, and you opened your mouth but no words came out, and then you sorta just slumped, and we were all really scared for you and, and, and…" But then before he went on he began crying. "I thought you were really hurt! We all did!"

"I, I am all right. I just have trouble with all the attention I guess…"

"I thought you enjoyed the attention? A princess like you would certainly-" The red plumber began, but I cut him off.

"SHUT UP! How could you understand, you don't know what I've gone through, and you never will! So just leave me alone!" I jumped out of bed and ran, ran as fast as I could, not caring to look where I was going, not that I could, with the tears covering my eyes.

When I finally stopped crying, I was in some kind of forest. I had apparently run out of the village. I had no idea where I was, I was scared, and hungry as well.

"Hello? Anyone there?" I cried out, but I knew it was a fruitless attempt, the entire place was quiet.

I continued walking along, trying to keep away from the darker part of the forests, suddenly I heard a voice. "Heh, how great is it that you've fallen into my hiding place?"

I whirled around to look at who had spoken. "Don't you remember me? Or are you really that stupid?" "Of course I remembered you, when I escaped from the castle the first time after the reptile had captured it, you were the one who came to catch me, and your name was Identlemen, was it not?"

"Indeed, and how lucky that after our rule was brought down, you of all people, would wonder into my hiding place. I still have a new weapon sphere, I think I will rough you up a bit, then I will use you as bait to take care of those fools once and for all!"

"…Oh crap." "Now how about I scare you a bit, maybe with this flame sword!" At that moment he changed the sphere into a flame sword, he used it to send flames behind me so I couldn't escape out into the forest.

"Now, princess, this way…" But I wasn't looking at him, I was looking at the chaos he was causing, how could anyone do this to the poor animals of the forest? They didn't know of what was going on, why should they be punished, I looked at the shape shifter with fury. I tried to launch a punch at him. But he quickly dodged and kneed me in the stomach.

He spat at me and tossed me aside. What was I thinking? I can't fight, Im not experienced at it at all. And not to mention I've pretty much been a pacifist all my life, it was just this one moment of fury that left me open. I could have been more focused; I could have found a way to escape…

I looked around at what inspired my fury, the fire steadily growing stronger. That's when I got an idea! If I could manage to get him trapped in his own fire, maybe just somehow, I could escape.

I slowly got to my feet. I knew this was all or nothing, I stepped forward with difficulty and began running around him. "Stand still! Or I'll fry you!" I heard him scream at me, however that's what I intended. From previous experience I knew he had bad aim, it wasn't long before the fire had nearly surrounded us. However I knew I only had one chance to escape, I ran for the only place that didn't have any fire, but no sooner did I reach it, than a fire erupted in front of me!

"I see what your plan was now…if this is your game, I will take us both down." He said with a very deadly tone in his voice. I knew it, nothing I ever do ends up working right; maybe I am safer just in the castle. The fire was slowly closing in, it was getting hotter and hotter and I was starting to sweat all over, I felt like I was dying, but my body just refused to give in, the smoke was beginning to make me cough, and all the while the shape shifting Koopa just had a maniacal smile on his face.

"Enjoying the heat?" "…" "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?" "…cough…" But at that moment a figure jumped over to beside me, grabbed me, and we flew over the flames, I looked over at who had grabbed me, and was surprised to see it was that red plumber I hated so much.

"WHAT? D-Damn you! Damn you all!" Were the last words I heard before I passed out.

XXXXX

"Wake up, wake up!" I heard the familiar voice call out to me; I slowly opened my eyes and found my self in a more colorful section of the forest. I looked closely and saw that the reason it was so colorful was because of some trees that were sprouting beautiful flowers…I could swear I've seen these in a book somewhere…

"You're amazed huh? These are called Peach Blossoms, and considering what you did today, it's the perfect metaphor for what you've proven to me."

"Proven, what exactly have I proven?"

"You've proven to me that even the most stubborn of flowers may soon bloom and find their purpose, when I first met you, I thought you were just the average damsel in distress, but you've proven to me that your capable of thinking on your feet, and even in the face of danger, you don't seem to be afraid, it's like you don't value your own life or something…"

I blushed at those words; he looked down at me with reassurance. "I didn't mean it like that, it's just-"

"No, you hit the nail on the head perfectly, until a few moments ago, I didn't know whether I even had a purpose in this world, but now, I think I do. It might take a little convincing on Toadworth's side though. Heh…"

"Hey, you laughed, that's a good start on feeling better, come on, let's get back to the village, I am sure they are worried."

"Right…" Somehow, I knew from then on, everything was going to be ok. No matter what troubles I may face, if I just remember his words, everything will be alright.

The end…