Chapter 5: Flee
Daisy left right after breakfast the next day. The attack had the Sarasaland royal council up in arms, and while Daisy argued that being with the Mario Bros. was the safest place for her, they insisted that she returned home. Birdo arrived shortly after Daisy's departure and spoke to Peach and the Mario Bros. about her time with Wart, all four of them trying to figure out what the sinister frog had planned. Bowser sat in on the meeting, but he didn't volunteer any of his info about Wart's plotting: it's not like he could tell them the whole story, after all, and the situation was too serious to risk confusing the issue with half-truths. He pretended to brainstorm and gave second opinions when asked, but for the most part he remained silent during the meeting and excused himself from lunch rather quickly afterwards.
Peach knew 'Whip' well enough to tell that something was on his mind, but her afternoon was packed with urgent business, and she didn't get a chance to hunt him down until it was almost suppertime. The servants told her he was in the garden, and that was where she found him, but what he was doing surprised her. "You use a sword?"
Bowser, Kammy and Kamek looked over as the princess came around the corner of the hedge. Bowser grinned and showily swished his sword around. "Yep. A… friend of mine taught me, but I haven't practiced in a while, so I figured I better shake the rust off." Of course, it was more like learn how to fight from scratch, seeing as he had gone from a hulking pillar of brute strength to a gangly human, and it was hard going, but he wasn't going to let Peach know that.
"Oh?" said Peach, walking forward, her head tilted in interest as she regarded the long, thin blade in Bowser's hand. He used to wield a broadsword, but in this form, that was out of the question, and he had Kammy conjure up a new, more manageable sword.
"Yeah," said Bowser. "If Wart's gonna be causing trouble, I want to be able to fight next time."
"Well, you were pretty helpful even without fighting," said Peach, blushing a little at the memory and hurrying on with her thoughts. "Besides, we have Mario here to protect us."
"But what if he doesn't come in time? It's important to be able defend yourself – to defend the people you care about…" Peach looked up from the flicking sword at that last comment, unsurprised to find those now-familiar red eyes staring right back at her. Bowser waited until Peach looked away before turning back to his sword, spinning it around and sliding it into its hammerspace scabbard, stowing the entire length of the blade into the compact box, which was only about the same length as the sword's handle. The scabbard hung from a loose belt draped lopsidedly across Bowser's waist and hips, overtop of his other clothes. He was just in his sleeveless leather outfit that day: it was warm out and he knew he was going to be active with his sword practicing, so he left his coat back in his room. "So it's dinner time, then?"
"Hm?" Peach knew she should really expect such abrupt changes in the mood and topic of the conversations with the ambassador by that point, but that gaze of his still tripped her up.
"That's why you're here, isn't it? To fetch me for dinner?"
"What makes you think I'm not just here to visit?" frowned Peach.
"Please, we all heard Toadsworth yapping on and on at lunch – I know you had a busy afternoon," shrugged Bowser. "It's understandable given what happened."
"Oh, yeah, I suppose it is," said Peach.
"So, shall we head off?" Bowser gestured back the way Peach came, angling his head invitingly.
"Why in such a rush?"
"I'm hungry."
"Oh…"
Bowser was very pleased with himself now: Peach wanted to spend time with him, and he was rebuffing her! It took every ounce of inner strength in him to do it, but he knew playing hard to get would only make her want him even more. Still, he wasn't going to be rude about it. "Sorry – I've been practicing for hours. It works up an appetite. Come on, you two."
With Kammy and Kamek falling in step behind him, Bowser started towards the gap in the hedge. Walking beside him, Peach studied his face a bit. He was only a couple inches taller than her, and at 33 (or so he told the inquisitive Daisy), he only had a couple years on her too, although his face bore more evidence of his age than Peach's, with lines already casting shadows around the eyes and brow. But while he might not have the perfect skin of a young adult, Peach actually liked the more mature look: he didn't look old, just a bit more rugged. Bowser looked over as Peach stared at him, snapping her out of her thoughts with a little jump.
The king smiled. He had always thought Peach was especially cute when she was flustered. "So, will Mario and Luigi be joining us?"
Peach shook her head. "No, but they'll be back tomorrow."
Bowser nodded, knowing better than to get excited. Lunch was the only meal that was really private: even if the plumbers weren't there, Kammy, Kamek, Toadsworth and many other Toads would be. Moving on, Bowser posed another question. "How are the repairs coming?"
"On the grand hall? Pretty fast, actually. Tryclyde didn't actually do much damage aside from smashing up a number of tables."
"A new coat of paint over the scorch marks and it'll be good to go?"
"And new curtains on the stage, but yes, essentially. Toadbert tells me it'll be done by Friday."
"Good," grinned Bowser. "We should have another dance to celebrate."
Peach smiled sadly, but shook her head. "With Wart potentially on the move again? It wouldn't be appropriate…"
"Sure it would be – do you let life grind to a halt when you're worried about Bowser invading?"
"But Bowser's always attacking us – we'd never get anything done or have any fun if we let the Koopa threat hang over us."
"So why's this any different? Koopa threat, frog threat, who cares? You've faced worse: Bowser's way tougher than stupid old Wart, isn't he? So don't sweat about it."
"But you're sweating about it – er, so to speak." What is wrong with me? Peach struggled to keep her mind's eye clean as she clarified her point. "W-with your sword training?"
"That's different," said Bowser, but Peach's latest deviation hadn't been lost on him and his face broke into an imperious grin as he continued. "Besides, we still gotta get you on the dance floor with some appropriate clothes."
"Why do I get the feeling that your idea of appropriate dancewear wouldn't be appropriate in anyone else's book?" smirked Peach, glad it was her turn to play it cool as she raised an eyebrow at Bowser.
"Gwa ha ha! Easy, now! What kind of person do you think I am?"
"Hgght-nudist-ghght," coughed Kamek behind the pair.
Bowser shot a dangerous glare over his shoulder, but Peach giggled. "He has a point."
"Sheesh, what is it with everyone and overdressing around here?" Bowser rolled his eyes. "You even wear too much to sleep."
"That's so we don't have to go streaking when something rouses us from our beds, mister!"
"Aw come on! Haven't you ever wanted to peel off all your clothes and just flop down onto the bed at the end of the day and lie there staring up at the ceiling with your legs spread-eagled and-"
"I'm not going to answer that question!" said Peach, both aghast and amused and unsure if 'Whip' was aware just how dirty his suggestion was coming out, or if he planned it that way.
"No answer means ye-es," teased Bowser. "Seriously, just try it: you'll never go back." He really did mean it, too: being able to lie on his back was one of the few major perks of being human. That was the one downside to having a shell: it stopped attacks, yes, but it made sleeping positions limited, and Peach didn't know how lucky she had it as she shook her head at his antics.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully, as did the day after, and by the third morning, the atmosphere in the castle had returned from high-alert to normal. Peach was even considering hosting another dance to mark the week anniversary of the ambassador's arrival, wondering if Daisy would be allowed to return to Mushroom Castle so soon. Mario and Luigi were visiting again the day before the dance would be held, passing the time with their friends by playing around in the back courtyards – complete with an appearance by the pink tank top and shorts Peach reserved for sports, much to Bowser's approval. However, she decided to sit out for a round after lunch, and lounged under an umbrella mulling over the dance idea while the others played a rather vicious game of volleyball.
He might not be in a position to try and destroy the Mario Bros. at the moment, but Bowser could still try to cream them at the various sports the four humans had been playing all day. So far the score was about even, and it looked like Bowser was about to manage another win despite being outnumbered by the bros., but just as he delivered the final spike, a Subcon door opened up in the sky above the court.
"Shit," he hissed, landing and glaring up at it. Mario and Luigi let the volleyball bounce away unheeded as they also looked skyward, and just as Peach stood up and moved out from under the umbrella shading the courtside chairs from the noonday sun, the door flung open and a wave of Shy Guys and Snifits came crashing out.
"AAAAAAAHHHH!" screamed the group in alarm.
"Don't-a worry, Peach! We'll-a stop them!" declared Mario, regaining his composure.
"Oh yeah!" nodded Luigi, dropping into a battle stance.
Bowser reached for his sword, but cursed again when he remembered he had taken off his clunky belt to play. All he wore now was a sleeveless T-shirt, shorts and running shoes. Not fighting clothes, but at least his belt was close enough to retrieve and he turned to run back to the table behind Peach, who was hurrying towards the bros. However, neither royal made it to their destination, for just as Peach and Bowser were about to pass each other, they were hit with a flash of light. The Koopa King was unaffected but Peach cried out and stumbled. Bowser called her name in alarm, lunging forward and catching her as she fell.
"Wh-Whip," stammered Peach weakly as her legs gave out. Bowser dropped to his knees with her, tearing his eyes from her face to glare up at the Subcon door, where Mouser now stood on some newly materialized stairs, cackling.
"Ya like that? It's King Wart's latest weapon – his strength-sapping magic in blaster form!" explained the vile mouse, holding up a large ray gun. "Still got a couple kinks to work out, but we figured you lot would make good guinea pigs."
"Grrr, HOW DARE YOU! How dare you do this to Peach!" roared Bowser, his face livid with rage. Peach looked up at him in surprise – she hadn't seen him lose his cool all week, and now here he was, as angry as a certain Dragon-Koopa she knew, and it was over her.
Mario and Luigi were pissed too, although they kept their usual cool external demeanor as they launched themselves at Mouser, their hands bright with fire and lightning. Mouser turned the gun on them, cursing when it wouldn't fire again, although he was still shielded from the plumbers by the multitudes of Shy Guys and Snifits scurrying past him and flowing down the steps. The bros. still would have made it up before too long, but Peach's scream redirected them to the courtyard, where she and Bowser were surrounded by the 8 Bit army of Subcon.
Bowser could have done without Peach screaming for Mario to save her, but as she clung to his chest in fear, letting him protectively encircle her in his arms as they stared at the advancing forces, he supposed it could be worse. And he had to admit that having the plumbers on his side was handy, as Mario and Luigi came crashing down on the Shy Guys and Snifits right in the nick of time.
"Go! Get-a Peach to safety!" ordered Mario as he and Luigi opened a path through the swarming baddies.
Bowser would have rather stayed and fought – his sword was behind enemy lines, but he still had his fists, after all. However, one look at Peach's blanched face and he knew he had no choice – if the Subcon swine got their hands on her, there was no telling what could happen to her. Kammy and Kamek's voices echoed in his ears too: they had not been happy about his stunt with Tryclyde and while they were off studying in the castle, he didn't feel like giving them more to whine about and relented.
"Mario, Luigi, take these," said Peach, reaching behind her back and pulling out a handful of Fire Flowers and Super Mushrooms for the bros. They nodded and took them, instantly powering up from the first item they touched and stowing the rest away. The enemies were closing in again, but they easily opened up the crowd once more with a barrage of fireballs. Knowing better than to dawdle, Bowser scooped up Peach like the old pro he was and dashed over the singed bodies of the 8 Bits.
Mario and Luigi hurried along behind him, continuing to fire at anything that jumped out at the princess and the man who carried her, but soon a fresh surge of enemies came raining down from a second open door. Peach screamed and tightened her grip around Bowser's neck as he leaned forward and charged through the cascade. Peach felt a lot heavier now that Bowser wasn't twice her size, but with adrenaline on his side, he managed to keep her aloft as he ran headlong through the throng, finally straightening back up when he cleared the swarm, but not slowing down. They were deep in the back acres of the castle, and it was a fair run before they would reach the building. Not that it'd offer much protection, as Bowser knew from experience, but he had to go somewhere.
Easier said than done, however, as new doors continued to appear and open all around them.
"We're not going to make it!" cried Peach as a platoon of Shy Guys spilt onto the path before them.
"That's quitter talk!" roared Bowser confidently. They may have taken his Koopa body, but they couldn't take his fighting spirit – not even a second blast from Wart's magic could stop him. Then he got an idea. "Hey, Peach, you have any more of those Fire Flowers?"
Hooking her one arm around his neck more securely, bringing their faces very close together, Peach reached back and pulled out another flower. Holding it up, she started to ask. "Why-"
But as soon as it was close enough, Bowser had thrust his head forward and snatched the flower in his teeth. Peach yelped in surprise, but as soon as Bowser had chomped the power-up, it worked its magic. Bowser gasped as warm energy flooded his system – no wonder Mario was always packing away the 'Shrooms. Peach started in wonder as Bowser's green shirt turned orange and his black shorts turned white, but the real surprise came when he sucked in a deep breath and sent a barrage of fireballs flying from his mouth.
"Bwa ha ha! That's what I'm talking about!" crowed Bowser as the Shy Guys scattered before him.
"How are you-"
"Instinct!" grinned Bowser before going back to clearing their way with the spinning, bouncing embers. He was telling the truth – the principle was the same between his natural firebreath and the fireballs, although these were clearly formed with borrowed power, and without a snout to properly direct the flames away from him, they felt a lot warmer. After a particularly large flurry of fireballs, Bowser turned his eyes on Peach, both their faces shining with sweat. "Hot enough for you, Peach?"
Peach felt her cheeks grow even warmer, but the moment passed as soon as it came when the bridge Bowser had been heading for exploded. Suddenly the air around them was filled with more explosions too: another door had opened and purple Subcon Bob-ombs were raining down on top of them.
"AAAAHHH!" they screamed. This was one enemy Bowser couldn't clear with his fireballs, and he strained to go faster.
"Whip!" shouted Peach in alarm as a gust of wind blew away the smoke and revealed the crumbling remains of the bridge ahead of them.
"We can make it!" he grinned confidently.
"We can't! And the moat's too far down: you'll lose your firepower in the fall, and then we'll be sitting ducks!"
"Well we can't stay on this side," said Bowser as Bob-ombs exploded all around the humans and the swarm of Shy Guys and Snifits hot on their heels. There was no way Bowser could fight everything off. "Use your parasol!" he added as he made his final approach.
"But-"
"NOW!" bellowed Bowser as he leapt off the edge of the crumbled bridge.
Squealing in fear, Peach released Bowser's neck, ripped her parasol out of her hammerspace and opened it above the heads of the two humans as Bowser seized her in a bearhug. She didn't need to support them for long, but it pushed her to her limit and as soon as Bowser's feet hit the far side of the bridge, she released her grip, sending the two tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs while the umbrella whipped away in the wind.
"Hah! Let's see you bastards follow us now!" jeered Bowser as he pushed himself off of Peach and rolled to the side, sneering at the Shy Guys lined on the opposite shore. But his smirk soon vanished as the sound of buzzing filled the air and a swarm of Beezos, Pidgits and Bob-omb wielding Albatosses appeared over the tops of the trees. "Shit, forgot about the flying ones!" he hissed, scrambling to his feet and hosting Peach into his arms again.
Fortunately, the castle wasn't much further, and he reached the walled courtyard before the flying forces were overhead. But just as he was making a mad dash for the closest door, a pulsating Bob-omb came hurling through the air and exploded against the ramparts of the castle. "AAAAHHHH!" screamed Bowser and Peach as rubble came crashing down, but Bowser managed to skid to a halt and scramble out of the way before it was too late.
"Ha ha ha! Nice try, wise guys!" chuckled Mouser, flying up on a Pidgit's magic carpet and tossing another bomb up and down in his hand. "You almost had me worried you were gonna get away, little guinea pigs. Who'd've thunk a naked ambassador would prove to be as big of a pain in the ass as the Mario Bros."
"Technically, I'm the Waffle Ambassador," smirked Bowser. Evidently, some of Tryclyde's minions had filled in the rest of the army about what happed during his attack.
"Whatever – either way, you two are coming with me."
Bowser's face darkened. "I don't think so."
"Yeah, well, you don't have a choice – King Wart's gonna want to see how the blaster step affected his spell."
"Wart's not gonna lay a single one of his slimy fingers on Peach," snarled Bowser, holding Peach closer as he glared at Mouser, murder in his eyes. "He'll have to go through me first!"
"Whip, no!" beseeched Peach. "You did your best, but if you fight him, you'll get hurt. Mario and Luigi will come and save us, you'll see."
Bowser shook his head. "Nuh-uh – I'm not gonna take that chance." He looked Peach in the eye. "I don't care what happens to me – no one hurts you and gets away with it, not while I'm standing. I'll fight this big ol' rat with my last breath! …Or should I say, firebreath?" with that, Bowser spat out a mouthful of fireballs, and while Mouser managed to dodge, it forced his troops to back up.
"Fine! If you wanna play it that way… Men! Kill the naked ambassador!"
Suddenly a new barrage of flames filled the air – this time coming from above the enemies, as Mario and Luigi swooped in on the scene on a pair of commandeered Pidgit carpets.
"What! Noooo!" screamed Mouser as the pile of Bob-ombs on his own carpet ignited and exploded, sending the charred rodent skyward.
"Bwa ha ha!" chuckled Bowser, adding his fireballs to Mario and Luigi's attack on the leaderless and disorganized Subcon troops. But just as Mouser's body fell back into the chaotic courtyard, a whole flock of Albatosses dived low and lit the place up with a wave of Bob-ombs. The explosion knocked all four humans to the ground and cancelled out the boys' fire forms. Peach had been mostly shielded by Bowser and was the first to push herself off the flagstones, choking as she looked around through the smoke. "M-Mario! Luigi! Whip!"
Bowser swiftly appeared through the haze. "Peach!" he called as he crawled over, unaffected by the smoke thanks to his volcano-dwelling background, but wincing at the burns he had sustained in the blast.
"Are you okay?" asked Peach, reaching out.
"I was going to ask you the same thing," he replied, his eyes widening as Peach leaned on him and started getting to her feet. He stood with her, just as Mario and Luigi came running over.
"All the-a enemies are gone!" explained Luigi, and sure enough, as the smoke and dust finally cleared, the foursome were the only ones in the ruined courtyard.
"Huh," grunted Bowser.
Mario turned to Peach. "Are you-a okay? Is-a your strength back?"
"I still feel pretty weak, but I think I can walk with some support," she said.
Bowser shook his head. "No, we shouldn't push it."
"Oh, and making me float us across the demolished bridge wasn't pushing it?" smirked Peach.
"You-a did WHAT?" exclaimed Mario, glaring at Bowser.
"I knew she could do it," he shrugged, grinning toothily at Peach. He almost looked like he was proud of her.
"How?" demanded Mario.
"Mario, relax, I'm fine." She turned back to Bowser, who still had a supportive hold on her arm. "But… How did you know?"
Bowser shrugged. "Well, I mean, the curse didn't take all of my strength. If it screwed up for me, it could have screwed up for you too. Besides, you're tough – you could still use your hammerspace, and I figured you just needed enough motivation to pull off some other tricks."
"You have strange rehabilitation strategies, Whip," smirked Peach, but she did appreciate what he had done for her. After the jump, she had felt even weaker, but now she thought it did help, since she started to gradually feel better and better after that initial low. Or it was the placebo effect – either way, if he hadn't made her do that, who knows what would have happened. "Strange… but effective. Thank you, you saved me. All of you did."
As concerned Toads began streaming around the corners of the ruined courtyard, filling the air with panicked chattering about the attack and the princess and the destruction and danger, Peach reached forward and pulled Mario close for a kiss on the nose, followed by a kiss on the forehead for Luigi. She then turned her face back to Bowser, and blushing ever so slightly, she gave him a grateful peck on the cheek before letting the fretting Toad nurses lead her away to the awaiting stretcher.