Bella's bedroom seemed to be covered in a gray filter. Peach and Mario sat over their daughter who lay still on her bed. She hadn't moved since they'd found her, which made it impossible for the king and queen to leave her side. Toadette also found herself glued to the room, constantly worrying about her best friend.

The Castles doctor toad had come in as soon as she was brought upstairs and examined her, finding bruises on her arms but nothing Major. He'd said that she was perfectly healthy and should wake up within the next 24 hours. It was still a waiting game for the royal family.

The silence in the bedroom was broken by the door creaking open, to reveal Toadsworth.

"Anything?" He questioned simply, gaining no immediate response. Peach began to tear up, as she realized that there had been no sign of their daughter waking up soon.

"Nothing at all." Mario answered, in the same manner. He lightly wrapped an arm around his wife who was trying to hide tears. His other hand had been covering Bella's hand, hoping that she'd squeeze his back if only for a second. Toadsworth sighed, before continuing to hobble inside the princess' room.

"As it turns out, Benito managed to break his thumb last night." He explained, not really surprising anyone. The hit Ben gave Aspen was enough to break his entire hand. Toadette and Mario seemed to sigh at this information.

"He's alright, however?" Mario asked, concerned for him. Toadsworth rolled his eyes, a light smile over his face. "That kid is made of metal I tell you. The amount of bones he's broken doing things like this is ridiculous."

This raised a light chuckle out of Mario and Toadette, and even one from Peach as she sniffled and wiped her teary eyes. "And what about Luigi and Daisy? They know everything that happened?" Peach asked, finally turning away from her daughter to look at her adviser.

"Well, Benito is telling them his account of the story, even though it doesn't cover anything as he had only been there for a single minute," He began, as everyone listened to his words. "I decided to let the princess tell us the story, so we can know exactly what happened."

This made sense to everyone. Last thing they needed was false information spreading round the castle. "And the guests at the party? Have we told them anything?" Mario asked.

Toadsworth paused for a moment, as if to consider how to choose his wording. "We... told them everything that was necessary. It was controlled and everything was taken care of, and that any talk of the Darklands family would ultimately result in them returning."

Mario and Peach didn't seem satisfied with this answer, but it was better than nothing. "Thank you very much, Toadsworth. You've been a big help through all of this." Peach said, looking at her adviser with sincere eyes. He noticed this, and nodded to her with a soft blink.

Annabelle began stirring, whimpering lightly before opening her eyes with a stuttering blink. "Wha.." She began, looking around and suddenly noticing the familiar surrounding of her bedroom.

"Annabelle! Oh thank heavens you're alright!" Peach exclaimed, scooting closer to the princess and embracing her in a warm hug. Mario smiled, obviously sharing his wife's enthusiasm. Toadette let out a sigh of relief before a smile crossed her face as well.

"W-what happened? Is the ball over?" She asked groggily, sitting up, trying to remember the events of last night. "Do you remember.. anything?" Mario asked, setting a gentle hand on her arm. She turned her head and stared blankly at the comforter that cradled her legs.

"I...I remember talking to a server- Terrance- I asked him about our cloaked guards," She said. The name struck a familiar cord with Toadsworth, as he silently facepalmed. Terrance wasn't the most graceful servant at the castle, as he'd just been employed. He couldn't have thought of a worse first impression.

Everyone knew who she'd been talking about when she'd said 'cloaked guards,' even though they were never agreed to be called guards. They waited attentively for her to continue.

"And on my way to greet them, Aspen-" She began, eyes suddenly going wide at the mention of his name. She immediately remembered what he'd done to her. Her throat tightened, she could feel the tears welling in her eyes. She could still feel his firm grasp on her wrists, and how forcefully he'd kissed her. Silent tears leaked from her eyes, as she gripped her comforter tightly.

"What did he do to you, Annabelle?" Mario asked in a stern voice.

The princess opened her mouth to speak, yet nothing came out. Peach's eyes began to leak tears at the sight of her daughters obvious internal struggle to talk about the events.

"H-He grabbed my arms and...Shoved me into a wall-" She began. Toadette's teeth clenched at the Princess's re-telling of the story. She should have been there to help her friend. She was her adviser, after all... She'd failed her best friend.

Mario could feel his blood beginning to boil, as his brow slowly began to furrow.

"He started to... kiss me, and... touch me-" She finished, breaking into sobs at the thought. Peach immediately held on to her daughter, as she began to cry herself. "You're safe, darling. He'll never hurt you again, I swear it." Peach promised. Bellas tears didn't cease. It broke the hearts of everyone in the room to hear what had happened to her. It took the king all the strength he had to not order the military to get Aspens head.

"I told him to stop," She cried, clinging to Peach for dear life. "I told him to stop, mama!" She sobbed, slightly catching Peach off guard. She'd never heard Bella call her 'mama'. It tickled at her heart if only for a second. "I know, dear. I know." Peach said through tears of her own.

Toadette could feel tears falling down her cheeks as well. Toadsworth held a somber gaze, as he watched the scene before him. A few moments passed, as Bellas tears eventually ceased. She sniffled and wiped her eye once more, as Peach cautiously let go of the hug they shared. There was a moment of silence that swept through the room. Annabelle tucked a lock of hair behind her right ear as she blinked softly, trying to think of what to say next.

"One of the cloaked guards saved me," She began, confirming that Bella hadn't seen juniors actual face. They all seemed to let out silent sighs of relief. "Everything went black after that... What happened?" Bella asked, hoping that she could get some answers herself. Mario looked at her as he thought of how to word an explanation. The rest of the room stared at him as well, also waiting.

"The... guard in question did quite a number on him." He said vaguely. Obviously too vague, as the princess cocked her head to the side a bit, wanting him to explain further. "Black eyes, bloody nose, bruises and cuts-" He said, listing off the treatment Aspen had received. Bellas brow furrowed, which wasn't the reaction anyone was expecting.

"Good." She said in a low hum. Peach and Mario both seemed to weakly smile, as it was clear that she'd finally moved on from this dangerous man. Toadette let out a smile herself, as she was also proud of her best friend.

"Where is he now?" the princess asked, looking to her father with curious eyes. "Aspen? Banished. He'll never-" he began, before being cut off.

"No. The guard who protected me. I wish to speak to him." She said, causing everyone in the room to tense up. They couldn't let her see Junior- she'd remember everything.

"You cant." Peach said, eyes wide with fear at the thought of her daughters memory being refreshed. She couldn't bear to loose her again. "I cant?" Bella questioned, unsure if she'd heard her mother correctly. Why wasn't she allowed to see him? He'd saved her after all.

She seemed to stammer, not really having an answer she could give her daughter. She anxiously looked to her husband, who seemed just as lost as she was.

"They're very busy, Annabelle." He answered. She rose a brow, obviously not buying their story. Mario quickly tried to think of more reasons as to why they couldn't greet her.

"They cant reveal their identities to anyone. They work in secret." He answered yet again.

She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "In secret? They wear burlap capes and hoods. How seriously do they take their jobs?" She asked sarcastically to her father, who flashed a joking smile to avoid more questions. "Very seriously." He replied.

The princess turned her head and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Can I have some time alone?" She asked. Everyone in the room seemed surprised.

"Is... everything okay, Bella?" Toadette asked from behind Toadsworth, making her presence known. Annabelles ears perked up at the sound of her best friends voice. She hadn't known that she'd been there the whole time. "Y-yes! Everything is... fine.." She said halfheartedly, not wanting anyone to worry. She really just wanted to think about what she was going to do. The lonely aching feeling crept its way back into her heart, making her throat tighten once more.

"I... I just need to think about some things." She said to nobody in particular. Nobody really knew what she meant by this. They were all hesitant to leave, but they all eventually listened to her request.

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

I didn't know how, but my alone time had ended up with me in my art room. It provided comfort when when was lost, and now was the perfect time to get absorbed.

My family had always confused me- little things they said and how they said those little things. I just brushed it off, but now it was starting to irk me. Why wouldn't my parents allow me to meet the guard who saved me? 'He's Busy'? What kind of sense did that make? He served my family.

I groaned to myself as I chose another color to add to the canvas I continued to work on. It was finally almost done. The months of working were going to pay off soon, even though I still couldn't really put my fingers on what It was I was painting.

I squeezed some blue on to my painters tray, and swirled it in with some white that had been there previously. They slowly swirled into the perfect light blue.

I bit my lip and stared upwards at my canvas, gently striking the brush against its surface. Months of dried paint had already coated the canvas, being nearly erased by the clarity of the fresh new strokes. It was an extremely satisfying moment for me. It was as if with every line of light blue paint, I was covering over the negative feelings in my heart.

"How'd I know I'd find you here?"

My anger ceased immediately as I recognized the voice coming from the doorway. I turned quickly, to see Benito leaning on the door frame with a smirk on his face.

"Benny!" I said with a smile, as I dropped my brush on my easel and ran to my cousin. I threw my arms around him, causing him to wince. I backed away quickly, unsure of what was wrong.

"Oh, Sorry!" I apologized, before knowing what I'd done. Benito gently grabbed his arm, which was covered in a cast. How did that happen to him?

"W-what happened to you?!" I blurted, investigating the cast he wore. Benito seemed to chuckle at my curiosity. "I knocked that douche bag out." He said with a smile, obviously proud of himself. My expression fell, as I immediately remembered who he was talking about. He'd punched Aspen?

"Benito..." I croaked, noticing how much damage had been done to him.I'd never wanted to see anything like this happen to anyone, let alone my cousin. His smile faded a little, as if he noticed I was upset. He stared at me with sincerity in his eyes. "Hey... It's no big deal." He said, trying to re-assure me that he'd done the right thing. I still wasn't convinced.

"Was it really worth it though?" I mumbled softly, yet loud enough for him to hear. His brow furrowed as If I'd asked him a stupid question.

"Worth it? You may be a ding dong, but you're also my little cousin. I'm not letting anyone hurt you."

My heart felt warm, as Benito's words really touched me. It was so nice to have a family member who was as sincere and true as Benito was.

"Thank you," I said with a smile, finally giving in. I was really happy to have him back.

o0o0o0o0o

The heavy tick of a grandfather clock filled the silence in the dining hall of the Darklands castle. Most of the Koopalings sat at the table, including Bowser who was mulling over the events of the previous night.

"Well... Looks like we're public enemy number one again." Wendy said with a sigh, causing everyone else to silently do the same. Junior kept replaying the sight of Bella's unconscious body in his mind. He couldn't believe he'd done that to her. Although the group was indeed together, Junior felt more isolated than ever before.

"Is there anything we can even do at this point?" Iggy asked, causing Roy to shift his posture. He'd still had mixed feelings about everything. He'd finally believed his brother, and now he finds out that Junior beat Annabelles boyfriend to a bloody pulp? He groaned at himself quietly.

"It was a close call. But there's no use dwelling on it." Bowser said gruffly, obviously feeling his sons frustration for the situation. Junior however could do nothing but dwell on the situation at hand. He'd hurt Bella. He'd actually physically hurt the love of his life. His heart slammed into his rib cage, throbbing into his ears as he continued to think about it.

"He did what was right." Ludwig said, ignoring his fathers suggestion. Everyone's ears and eyes seemed to perk up, waiting for their eldest brother to continue. "If he'd have done nothing then the princess would have been..." He began, causing everyone's eyes to fall. They'd all heard what happened in great detail, and seemed to wince unanimously.

Junior knew what he'd done was right, even if he had gone a bit overboard. This thought however didn't change his mood. The sight of her unconscious body flashed yet again.

"Why isn't any of this left up for Annabelle to decide?" Roy scowled, catching the groups attention. Nobody really knew what he meant by this, but he continued anyway. "Why are her folks so against her remembering? Wouldn't she be happier?" He asked. Everyone mulled over this themselves.

"Well her parents seem to be convinced otherwise." Ludwig added with a somber gaze. "They're convinced that she'll want to go back to Rosalina if she remembers."

"I wouldn't blame her. Being lied to by her own mom and dad? What kind of twisted shit is that?" Morton spoke up, seemingly for everyone in the room.

"Bella wouldn't do that," Junior spoke, his voice cracking lightly. "She's aware of our kingdoms pasts. Rosalina apparently had books that told the stories of how Mario would rescue the Princess and save the day. She's loved them her whole life,"

Everyone seemed to understand what he meant, even though his words didn't really prove anything.

"She was raised by Rosalina, though. Not Peach, or her hero." Iggy said, involuntarily scowling when he referenced Mario. Juniors fists tightened. He didn't like people protesting his facts, especially when he was confident in them.

Bowser seemed to furrow his brow, being reminded of his past and how he'd ruined any relationship Bella would have had with her parents. He wondered briefly if these feelings of guilt would ever leave him.

Junior knew Annabelle, and he knew shed make the right choice had she been given the option. But the other koopalings at the table were absolutely right. Would it really prove anything to talk about it? Actions spoke louder than words after all. It was inconvenient that the actions seemed to be silenced.

"You're convinced that's what this meeting tonight is about?" Wendy asked with sincere eyes, staring at Junior. The tension in his fists subsided, as he thought about the meeting they'd been invited to that night. Junior didn't know what to expect honestly. Only that it was going to definitely be about Bella and her memories.

"Not so sure of anything anymore." He replied, casting an even more somber mood over the group. They were witnessing the downfall of their youngest brother, and even though they'd all had shaky pasts it still hurt them all inside to see him so torn up.

"All we can do is wait." Bowser said, trying to ease the tension that was in the room. Juniors saddened stare didn't change, however. He hoped that the meeting wasn't going to go the way his mind was telling him.

o0o0o0o0o

Dark gray clouds seemed to follow the Darklands family while on their way to the Mushroom Kingdom. They rolled to the sound of thunder that was off in the distance, but obviously making its way towards the castle. They drowned out any ray of sunshine which otherwise would have filled the grassy fields.

Junior had stopped questioning Ludwigs presence at these meetings, especially at the one that was about to unfold. Bowser walked behind cautiously, not wanting to seem like he was overstepping bounds. The sinking feeling in Juniors chest was only growing stronger as he awaited the inevitable. He didn't have a good feeling about this meeting.

The Castle doors shut behind them, as they were once again met with the nostalgic front entrance room. It was eerily silent, other than the sharp tap of Toadsworths cane as he walked in front of the trio, leading them inside. The walls still wore their red velvet drapes, and the flooring was still the black and white checkered pattern. It looked brand new, even though it was the same flooring the castle had always had. Red velvet carpets lined the grand staircase and the center of the room.

"The king and queen will see you shortly." Toadsworth said less than enthusiastically. It was obvious that he'd still held sour feelings towards Bowser and his son for the past. As Peach's adviser, it was often his responsibility to keep an eye on her and Bowser obviously complicated that. He turned to face the three, though he didn't look at any of them.

Being perfectly on time, the light tapping of heals was heard from the top of the staircase. Queen Peach stood with a solemn stare, while Mario made his way beside her. His gaze was similar, but something about Peach's stare sent chills down Juniors spine. It was clear that she was having an internal struggle.

Daisy and Luigi walked into the ballroom as well, still uneasy around the 3 members of the darklands.

"I hope you don't mind, but The King and Queen of Sarasaland will be joining us." Mario said with certainty. It wasn't as if anything would have happened if they had minded their company. They all knew it would be better if they'd been there first hand to take place in the meeting. They made their way to the bottom of the stairs, facing the three hooded members of the Darklands. There was a moment of silence, as it seemed nobody knew exactly where to begin. Peach's fierce gaze never faltered.

"What are your intentions with our daughter?" Mario asked, staring straight into Juniors hood. He blinked as he thought about it. What did he mean by that? Intentions? He wasn't even entirely sure himself. Everyone in the room stared at him, seeming to wait for an answer.

"To look after her. Protect her..." He answered confidently, certain that what he was saying was true. He'd given up his life for her before, and he wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Peach's gaze seemed to loose its composition for a moment after hearing his answer. She tried to shake it off and look intimidating yet again, even through the tears that were beginning to well in her eyes.

"You understand that you cant protect her from everything, correct?" Mario asked, yet again confusing Junior. What was he talking about? Was this in reference to the fight last night? Sure, it probably didn't have to be escalated that far but something had to be done. Nobody else was doing anything to help her.

"It doesn't mean I wont try." He said back boldly. Junior didn't mean to sound so defiant, but he was unsure as to why they were still so against him. He was trying his best to show them his true feelings but they didn't seem to see past his past.

"There are sometimes that you shouldn't." He answered back rather coldly. Neither Daisy or Luigi seemed to disagree with which didn't sit well with the three cloaked members of the meeting. Peach remained silent, even though the tears in her eyes were becoming more and more visible.

"Are you saying he shouldn't have protected Annabelle last night?" Ludwig interrupted. Everyone's eyes turned to him even though they couldn't see him.

"Don't twist his words." Luigi said back coldly, making Mario and Peach uneasy. The last thing they wanted was a fight. Ludwig could sense this, as he bit his tongue.

"We appreciate what you did for our daughter. We thank you from the bottoms of our hearts. However, you were extremely careless." Mario said with closed eyes. He had truly appreciated the actions Junior took. In fact, the king couldn't say he wouldn't have done the same thing himself. However, it put them all in a difficult predicament.

"You almost revealed your identity to her, and undid everything we've worked towards."

Bowser and Ludwig bit their tongues, knowing it was Juniors fight at this point. As much as they would have loved to input their opinions, they both knew it wouldn't improve the situation.

"We can no longer support you being around Annabelle." Peach said boldly, tears now streaming down her face. Her posture still didn't falter, even though her face showed her sadness clearly.

Juniors heart sank. No... Not this. Anything but this.

His breathing became more rapid as tears filled his invisible eyes.

"We cant risk loosing her. Not again," She explained, no longer trying to hide her tears. "We advise that you... move on." She said, ending her sentence looking at Junior with sympathetic eyes. He recognized those eyes from all the times she'd comfort him as child. She'd always been on his side before, however.

"I'm so... irrevocably in love with her." Junior said through a broken voice, causing Peach to look to the ground with squinted eyes, as she tried to avoid breaking into sobs. She didn't want to have to do this, but it was between this or her daughter.

Mario, Luigi and Daisy seemed to loose their fierce gazes at Juniors pleading words, feeling the sincerity behind them.

"Hey, you there!"

Everyone knew who the voice belonged to. Bella stood at the top of the staircase with a wide smile, as Benito and Toadette cautiously entered the room. They had no Idea there was a meeting going on, let alone in the front entrance room. Who thought that would be a good Idea?

Peach's squinted eyes shot open, as she began to fear the worst. How could she hide Junior from her now?

The rest of the group, including the cloaked figures looked up to the princess, who began dashing down the staircase.

"Im glad I caught you-" She began.

"Bella." Mario said loudly, turning around to face his daughter with a stern stare. She paused, and stared down at him with shock. Nobody said anything for a moment.

"Go to your room." He ordered, with no hint of sympathy in his words. Bella blinked in confusion. What was this about?

"Daddy I-" She protested, before being cut off yet again

"No. I gave you an order and that's final."

The room was rather shocked to see this side of Mario. He was always rather soft hearted and only ever bold when fighting Bowser.

Annabelle felt tears in her eyes, as she couldn't understand why everyone was being so cold about this situation. This cloaked figure saved her, and she couldn't even Thank him?

There was a moment of silence that filled the room with an awkward aura.

"Why cant she see that.. guard?" Benito said, trying to force the inevitable. Luigi and Daisy looked to their son with faces of Pure shock. "Zip it!" Luigi shouted up to him. Benito didn't like going against his family, but he'd remembered the meeting he'd had with Junior. The koopa didn't seem to deserve any of this.

Bellas eyes were still focused on her fathers, who's showed no signs of cracking. She sharply inhaled, feeling her tears begin to fall down her cheek.

"Let her talk to him. He's not busy now!" Toadette said, as she noticed her best friends tears. She couldn't continue to promote this behavior any longer.

"Toadette!" Toadsworth scowled as he smacked his can against the tiled flooring, silencing the room once more.

Tears streamed down Juniors invisible face, as he thought about how this would be the last time he'd see his princess.

The princess seemed to accept defeat, as she'd turned around and began to walk to the top of the staircase. Mario, Luigi, Daisy, and Toadsworth seemed to let a small sigh of relief escape their chests. That was, until Annabelle paused.

She turned around swiftly, Staring at the medium sized cloaked figure. Silence still filled the area, as Bella was trying to figure out what to say.

"I know you, don't I?"

Everyone seemed to hold their breath, including Ludwig and Bowser.

Junior stared up at her, wanting to remind her of who he was. He didn't have a right to do that however.

"I'm not sure what you've done to make my family so cold hearted, but I need to thank you." She said, her posture faltering slightly as she continued to think. The royal families felt their faces heat up with light shame, as they were aware of their poor decisions. They didn't know what else to do. The cloaked figures all stared up at her. Juniors heart was in his throat.

"I-If... It hadn't been for you saving me last night I-" She began, as tears fell yet again from her cheeks as she thought of Aspen. Junior wanted to rush up to her and hug her- to tell her that everything was going to be okay, even though he wasn't sure himself.

"I would have been..." She tried to continue, her voice cracking as she began to break into sobs. She assumed it was best left unsaid. It hurt everyone to hear her so broken. Peach's unseen face leaked tears of her own, as her daugters words pierced her heart.

Benito and Toadette stared at their friend, angered that they couldn't do anything for her.

"And I need to say thank you!" She sobbed. Her cries echoed into the otherwise silent entry hall.

"I'm so unbelievably sorry that I cant remember you," She continued, with sniffles as she tried to make sure her words weren't being muffled out by her sobs. "But I know that I will never forget you."

The princess had stopped sobbing, but her tears were still rushing down her cheeks silently. She stared deeply into Juniors hood, internally begging to see his face. If only she could remember.

Junior continued to stare at her as tears fell from his eyes. He took to heart what she said, as it was probably the last time she'd ever speak to him. He hated that that was going to be his last memory of her.

She quickly turned around and walked up the stairs and back to the hallway where Benito stood. Toadettes head followed the Princess as she walked past, a protest at the tip of her tongue.

"Bella-" Bentio said softly to her as she approached the doorway he stood near. "Forget it. They don't care." Bella said through clenched teeth as she simply brushed him off. Toadette approached Benitos side cautiously, unsure of how the Prince would react to his cousins rejection. The two stared down the hallway and watched as she less than gracefully ran away from the grand room, and down another hallway.

"What the hell is wrong with you guys?!" Benito said rather loudly, catching everyone's attention. They were all shocked at his outburst, even if they knew where he was coming from. Bowser scowled under his cloak in agreeance with the boy.

"Don't you dare pull a stunt like that again, Benito!" Luigi hissed to his son, who still wore a look of enraged confusion. Toadette stared to the family below in disappointment. She bit her tongue, even though she wanted to follow in Benitos brave footsteps. Daisy placed a hand against her face as she let out a sigh. She hated when the two argued.

For the first time, it seemed as if Benito bit his tongue as well. He stared down to his family with a similar look to Toadette. He couldn't believe what he was hearing yet decided it would be pointless to beat a dead horse. He needed to make sure his cousin was alright. He turned quickly and began jogging to the Princess' art study- the one place he knew she'd be at a time like this.

Toadette turned to follow, seeming to cast another cloud of shame on to the royal family below. Silence filled the entrance hall yet again, even though thoughts rang loud in everyones heads.

Peach raised her head to face Junior, revealing her tear soaked eyes. It hurt Junior to see her so torn up, even though what made her happiest made him miserable.

"I'm sorry." She said plainly, confirming that she still held true to her proposal.

Juniors was happy his face was hidden at this point. Nobody was able to see him sobbing. The group of three silently seemed to turn around and leave with no further explanation. Bowser was the last of the three to turn, being persistent. It was devastating to him- the outcome of this night. He never wanted to see his son suffer like this. What would become of him now?

o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Bella threw open the door to her art room, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Argh!" She shouted, throwing her hands out, not knowing who or what to take her frustration out on. Her situation both made more and less sense to her now. It was now obvious that the cloaked figure who saved her was that important someone she'd been missing. There was no doubt in the Princess' mind of this. But why would her parents want to keep him a secret?

Bella dug her fingers into her chest as she tried to grab the hurt from her heart and pull it out. What reason would her own family have to lie to her about something that meant so much to her? Were they really trustworthy?

The princess could feel her chest falling and rising with sobs as she slowly brought her gloved hands to her eyes to wipe her tears. She began to sniffle as the moments passed, trying to regain her sanity that seemed to be slipping through her fingers. Could she take this any more? Could she really continue to be a part of this family who was so obviously hiding things from her?

The longing feeling crept its way back to her chest. There was no way she could live without the mystery person in her life. It was eating her up inside- both the curiosity and the longing.

She blinked a few lone tears from her eyes, as something caught her eye. She looked into a mirror in front of her, being fooled for a moment that it had been someone else. She stared at herself. Her eyes were bright red, and her cheeks were stained wet with tears. The Gown she wore wasn't anything special, but she'd usually feel more attractive in such attire.

The outfit suddenly felt so unappealing to Annabelle. The first time she'd remembered glancing at a ballgown she couldn't take her eyes off of it. Now she was searching for things in the reflection behind her to take her mind off of the dress and the royal family that insisted she wore it.

She stared at her paints that were shifted from frequent use. Balanced on an easel, the painting Bella had been working on for months sat, seeming to beg for Bella's attention. She'd never looked at the Piece from so far away- It made her head hurt, but for an unknown reason. Her eyes were still drawn to it however, as it was now far more clear what was being painted.

It was a set of shoulders that had long platinum hair draped over them. Earrings of long twinkling stars seemed to sparkle, as well as the glittery aqua fabric that fell from the bodice of a dress.

Bella felt herself collapse to the floor with immense pain shooting itself to her head. This ache felt familiar, but she didn't know what from. She let out a scream in pain, as she covered her head in a failed attempt to make it stop. Her vision blurred, as it was almost as if she'd passed out. She seemed to be unconscious, though her eyes were open and she was indeed awake.

The princess suddenly saw an image of her younger self, playing with stars in what looked to be space. Space? That sounded so familiar to her. Images continued to fly into her head.

One of a twinkling purple sword, which was held in her hand. Another of a sandy beach on a tiny planet. Another of a library that made Bella feel calm, even through the immense pain she suffered.

Suddenly, a woman stood before her with a blurred face that was slowly making itself clear. She was the woman in the painting, wasn't she? There was no mistaking that platinum hair and aqua dress. Who was this woman?

"Bellatrix," She said, striking an incredibly familiar tone with Bella. Was that her name in another life? Why was it so familiar?

The blurry face finally cleared, revealing the face of someone who Annabelle recognized immediately. She felt a pop in her head, followed by the pain being completely erased.

"You will always be my little princess." The voice called again, as Bella seemed to fade back into reality. She exhaled sharply, memories coming back to her now all at once.

"Rosalina..Mama..." She said under her breath. The name filled The princess with satisfaction. "My memory... is back.." She muttered yet again, staring at the floor as if she was mulling over everything that just happened. The door to her art room slammed open, revealing a frantic Benito and Toadette. "Bella!" They seemed to say in unison as they rushed to the collapsed princess. She didn't break her stare with the floor however.

"We heard your scream, are you okay?!" Bentio said, placing a hand over hers, telepathicly asking her to look at him. Benito had lied to her as well. So did Toadette. Her heart hurt for a moment but was quickly swept away by other feelings that were rushing through her. The pestering longing feeling was gone, and in its place was a memory. A memory of the love of her life.

"Junior..." She muttered, eyes slowly widening. Toadette gasped, as Benito stared at her with certain eyes. He didnt question how she'd gotten her memories back, but he knew she'd just said Juniors name.

"Annabelle!" Mario shouted, catching his breath as he rushed into her art room. The rest of her family followed, panting as well. "Are you okay?"

Toadette and Benito stared at the Princess, who began to place her palms on the tiled floor, preparing to stand. The prince seemed to scowl at their familys attempt to pretend as if they hadn't just scolded her.

"Junior..." She said once more, this time louder so all ears could hear. She stood up to face her family who stared back at her with sudden looks of uncertainty.

There was a tense moment of silence, as Mario, Peach, Daisy, and Luigi knew that Bella had regained her memories. "No..." Peach whimpered under her breath, fearing the worst.

"Junior!" She shouted, remembering that he was just in the castle moments ago. She ran as fast as her legs would carry her, blowing past her family who stuck their arms out in protest. They stared at her as she sprinted down the hallway. None of them stopped her this time, yet they all ran after her.

Her heels clicked against the tile before she finally kicked them off, not caring where they ended up. The bright light of the ballroom filled her eyes as she frantically made her way down the staircase. "Junior!" She shouted once more, knowing he wasn't in the room anymore, but hoping he'd somehow hear her.

"Bella, we can explain!" Toadette called on the princess' deaf ears. The frantic group hurried after the princess, but seemed to not be fast enough to catch up to her. They watched her reach the bottom of the stairs, as she stumbled, nearly falling. "Bella!" Mario called again. Peach stayed silent, aware that there was nothing she could do to change the mind of her daughter.

Annabelle threw herself into the double doors that marked the castles entrance. It was night time, and the lights that illuminated the castles bridge shone bright. There were three cloaked figures walking away from the castle, towards the end of the bridge. Toads with spears watched them carefully, but suddenly turned to the princess at the sight of her.

"Junior!"

All three figures stopped at once.

It seemed that the three of them were all dumbfounded- This was definitely the voice of the Princess. Had she really just called out for Junior? Wouldnt that have meant she had her memories back. Ludwig was the first to turn around, followed by Bowser and lastly Junior. Their ears hadn't failed them- the source of the voice was indeed Princess Annabelle.

Their hearts seemed to stop, especially Juniors. She stared into his eyes, even though his hood was still up. Her chest rose and fell rapidly, proving that she'd just ran as quick as she could to catch up with the trio. Her eyes began to well and leak tears that pricked at Juniors heart.

Junior felt a wet tap on his face, followed by the gentle sound of heavy raindrops hitting the stoned bridge below his feet. The rumble of thunder made itself heard overhead, as it was now clear that rain was beginning to fall. Mario, Peach, Luigi, Daisy, Toadette and who Junior remembered to be Benito made themselves visable from the light in the doorway. They all had come outside, though they didnt dare get closer to Bella. They all knew they'd done wrong, and the unknown consiquences for their actions seemed to be eating them up.

"I know its you..." She said, voice cracking.

This was Juniors Ideal situation. The girl he'd loved was standing in front of him, talking to him, remembering him, after having amnesia for months. What was holding him back from running up to her?

Ludwig and Bowser didnt question why Junior hadnt revealed himself yet. Putting themselves in his shoes, they couldnt say they wouldnt have done it either.

Junior looked at Mario and Peach, who both looked defeated. Peach had been crying for the past half hour, and Mario was begining to have visable tears that snuck out of his eyes. It hurt Junior to see them like that. There wasnt ever a time where he'd seen Mario actually cry. He thought back to how his younger self would have loved the sight, though this older version of him despised it. Times really had changed.

Through his tears, Mario made eye contact with Junior, and nodded his head with a soft blink as he held on to Peachs hands. His companionship always made the queen feel better, even if it was only a little bit.

Junior brought up both of his hands and grabbed both sides of the hood on his head, and threw it back, revealing himself for the first time in months to the princess. It felt so wonderful to him. His heart was beating a thousand miles a minute.

She laughed happily, as the tears that fell from sadness turned into tears of happiness. She soaked in his features, and was so satisfied to finally remember. The rain was now begining to fall heavily, begining to soak the princess's dress and hair. Juniors cloak grew heavier and colder.

"Junior.." She said with another laugh, as she ran up to him, her bare feet tapping the now wet stone.

She threw her arms around his neck, feeling him against her for the first time in what felt like forever. He timidly wrapped his arms around her. Feeling her warmth against him, he held her tight. He'd missed this. He'd missed her.

She began to sob, along with Junior, who seemed to be sharing the same emotions.

It was a very different moment for the two royal families, as they watched their children who were set in stone to be sworn enemies, together, now collapsed to the floor in their emotions. Bowser let out a smile, as he could only imagine the happiness that his son was to have with the girl of his dreams. He was going to live the life that the koopa king had only dreamed of. He couldn't have been more proud.

Bellas family seemed to all be shedding tears of their own, including Daisy and Luigi who'd seemed to be so against this when they first came in contact with Junior.

Bella lifted her head from Juniors shoulder, and looked up to the other cloaked figures behind him. They both slowly pulled their hoods back, revealing their faces and identitys to the Princess. They both looked at her silently, as she stared back to both of them. She didnt recognize the one with the dark blue hair, but she could recognize Bowser from a mile away. Her heart stopped at the sight of him, as she remembered the fear he'd innitally shot into her heart. He looked at her with completley different eyes. Filled with apology and sincerity- and even what looked to be some type of love. Bellas tears welled even more as she thought about the fight they'd all been through. She buried her face into Juniors chest once more, as he placed a hand on the back of her head, comforting her.

"It's okay," He said through tears of his own. "I'm here. I've got you," He said in a protective voice which calmed Bellas Nerves instantly. She inhaled his scent, and began to feel warm even through the cold rain that was now pouring down. She felt to tired to stand back up, and didn't really want to. She could have stayed like that forever with him.

When they were together on the planet, they'd never been romantic towards one another- Junior seemed to detest it in Bellas mind. She smiled through the last few tears that fell from her face. She loved being with him like this. Junior loved it just as much, if not more.


This isnt the last chapter! There will be one more chapter for this fic!

Based on reader opinion, I was going to try and make another fic with these same characters? Oneshots about Junior and Bella, and them getting used to their new lives and such? Ive been thinking about it for a while now.