He looked out over the crowd, thousands of teeming koopas, goombas and humans, all wondering what the new King's first address would entail. On his right stood his chief of staff, Edward Meechum, and on his left, Shadowcaster Renoit Harin. His bride-to-be, Tanya Welik, remained in their private quarters, telling him he needed to be the focus for this day's events.
It had been one week since the fall of the Empire. All that kept the Mushroom Kingdom at bay was a spell known as a Mage's Eye, a magical recording of Bowser speaking directly to the Mushroom King. In it, he told the other King that he had Princess Peach, and evidence that he had slain his own son. If he wanted to see his daughter again, and maintain his reputation, he would send none of his people against the Koopa Kingdom.
Bowser regretted sending the Mage's Eye, because his precise words left room for the Mushroom King to send a third party in his stead. He would have to be watchful in the coming weeks.
For now, however, he would take pride in himself and his people. Once the mutant child of the lowest class of citizen, he had become first an empire's greatest engineer. Then, an army's fiercest general. And now, on this day-
He stepped to the railing and held up his arms as Wunderweiss's amplifying spell centered on his mouth. "My people! I, am King Bowser Koopa!"
King Toadstool took several steps back as the pipe trembled and shivered, its magic vibrating in his ears. First came a deluge of water, in which floated several familiar tools, plumbing gear from the looks of it. Then from the pipe fell two men in workman's coveralls, one sporting a red undershirt and cap, the other in green. They fell a-jumble, the man in green tall and scrawny, while his friend was stout and solid. Both wore mustaches that looked like bristle brushes.
After grumbling at each other for a moment, the pair stood up, taking in the soldiers surrounding them in the chamber they'd arrived in. The tall one's eyes filled with abject terror, while the stout one, his brother judging from their facial similarities, just seemed to assess the situation cooly.
The King stepped forward, hands open, palms up to show friendliness. "Greetings, far travelers," he said. "I am King Toadstool, of Mushroom Kingdom. Who might you be, that we may call you friend?"
"I'm Mario," said the stout one. He hooked a thumb over his shoulder and said, "This is my brother Luigi."
-Fin