Rosalina closed her eyes and inhaled the scent of the Earth. Its soil, grass, flowers- everything sent feelings back into her that she hadn't felt in decades. It was just enough to calm her nerves.
She knew Bella's memory spell had been broken. She could feel it as it happened. A sharp pain in her own head- as if the two were linked in some way. Rosalina knew she needed to show herself now- though she wasn't aware of how Bella would react. Would she be hostile? She had every right to be. She let out a sigh. It did no good to worry about something she couldn't change.
The sound of a creaking door made itself known behind her, followed by the shrill squeak of a luma who had sent itself in earlier. Rosalina turned around with closed eyes, as if to give herself one last moment of insured peace.
Her eyes opened finally, as oxygen filled her lungs again. A deep red dress twinkled in her eyes, along with golden brown hair and ocean blue eyes which were all so familiar to her. A smile uncontrollably made itself present on Bella's face, in turn causing Rosalina to smile as well. The Luma hovered over Annabelle's shoulder.
Other figures began to focus in Rosalina's vision. First was the fiery red hair and saurian face of Junior, who looked at Rosalina with a happy smile. She looked at both Bella and Junior and felt a warmness in her heart. She loved Annabelle with all her heart, and seeing the two of them together as an official couple sparked some kind of parental pride inside of her. She considered for a brief moment if it was undeserved.
A small pink toad girl walked from behind Bella, and looked at Rosalina with curious eyes. Others made their ways around Annabelle, catching glances of Rosalina. There was an obvious tension in the air, as crickets began to sound outside and the stars began to appear above. Annabelle was oblivious to the tension at this point, as if suddenly being surrounded by stars made her feel more at home.
Luigi, Daisy, and Benito peaked from the shadows behind the group, Benito being the most prominent. Rosalina swallowed hard, hoping to not be chewed out yet again though she knew she deserved it. The Sarasaland Prince smiled at Rosalina, which caught her off guard for a second. He didn't look at her with hate or malice as his parents once had. She felt slight relief.
Benito shifted in the group, as he handed Annabelle a large thin canvas. It was turned away from Rosalina, and nobody else seemed confused as to why Benito handed it to her. Annabelle looked to her cousin and thanked him before turning back to Rosalina.
The long drawn out silence had seemed to hold everyone's throats tight. Nobody spoke.
Bella looked to Junior who gave her a confident 'you can do it' smile in return. She gripped the canvas lightly, before walking forward to greet the woman who had raised her.
Her golden locks seemed even more weightless then when she was in space- flowing behind her, casting twinkles in the moonlight. It was still very weird for Rosalina to see Annabelle in such an environment. Her smile never faltered. The Royal family watched anxiously as they could do nothing but watch.
The light taps of Annabelle's footsteps against the cobblestone ceased, as she was now standing right in front of Rosalina. A million unsaid words were begging to be spoken, but where would either of them begin?
"Hi," Annabelle began with an almost nervous laugh. Rosalina smiled back with softening eyes. Even with a glittering crown atop Bella's head, she was definitely not a storybook princess. She took a gloved hand and tucked some hair behind her ear as she looked down in thought before continuing.
"I'm so sorry, Annabelle." Rosalina said softly, interrupting the young princess' thoughts. Bella had never heard her call her by that name. She looked up to her sincerely.
"It's alright, really-"
"No, it's not alright," She said again, insisting that she apologize before Annabelle spoke. She took note of this and accepted defeat.
"I've... I've done something completely irrevocable to you... To your family." She said, motioning towards the group behind her who all wore anxious expressions. "I thought that... erasing your memory would be for the best. I didn't want you to remember anything," She continued before looking downward.
"I didn't want you to remember me."
Bella blinked softly as her heart sank into her stomach. It was devastating to hear her talk like that. Even if she did lie, she didn't have bad intentions.
"And why not?" Bella asked, causing Rosalina to look up. "Why shouldn't I remember you?" She asked, still not gaining a response.
"You've been focused on all the bad things that happened. But what about all the great things that happened ?" She continued softly, walking forward to take Rosalina's hands in her own.
"You might not be my mother, but you raised me. You taught me everything I know. To be blunt, you're the reason I'm alive right now." Annabelle continued, causing a light smile to appear on Rosalina's face. She didn't feel deserving of such a kind treatment.
"I suppose I cant stop thinking about the bad..." She spoke sadly, smile fading slowly.
"Being in isolation can do that to a person," Annabelle theorized, squeezing Rosalina's hands lightly. "But you're here now. You don't have to be alone anymore. You have all of us." She continued, looking over her shoulder to the group who still continued to stare at the duo. Junior locked eyes with her, giving her encouragement. She giggled lightly, before turning back to face Rosalina.
"You mean.. You don't want me gone?" Rosalina asked, still shocked that Bella didn't absolutely despise her. The princess blinked in confusion as the sinking feeling returned to her heart. "No... I've never wanted that..." She said with soft eyes. "I want you in my life always. You're very important to me."
Rosalina stared at the face of the young woman she raised. She was so grown up and mature. It felt as though only mere days had past since she'd been arguing with her about lessons and studies. Her eyes began to well with tears as she thought about it.
"Can I give you a hug?" Rosalina asked meekly, feeling weird for asking such a question.
Bella almost felt tears prickling in her eyes, as she quickly embraced Rosalina in a hug.
"I love you, mama" She whispered softly, causing Rosalina's heart to grow warm. She knew that would probably be the last time she'd hear Annabelle call her mama. Rosalina squeezed Annabelle tightly, as if to be saying goodbye to their past and hello to a new beginning.
"I love you too, Annabelle." Rosalina responded, as the two separated. They shared a peaceful moment of silence before Annabelle remembered something.
"Oh!" Bella said quickly, as she bent slightly to pick up the canvas in front of her. "This is actually... what caused my amnesia to disappear. I thought you should have it," She began, flipping the canvas over slowly. Rosalina's eyes went wide, as she couldn't believe what she saw.
It was a painting of her, from the chin down. She remembered an earlier version of this that Annabelle had been working on that looked so amateur when compared to the piece in front of her. Her mouth seemed to involuntarily hang for a second or two, casing a wide smile to cross Annabelle's face. It was obvious that she took pride in her work, and was happy Rosalina obviously enjoyed this piece.
"Its... Incredible." The queen said lightly, reaching out a hand for the canvas eager to feel the texture of the paints. Bella tilted it towards her, allowing Rosalina to gently drag her fingertips across its surface. She could feel smooth strokes being covered by rough and choppy ones which were covered yet again by smooth ones. It was as if she could feel Bella's frustration working on the piece, causing her strokes to become more ragged and jittery. You wouldn't be able to tell by simply looking at the canvas however. "I love it." She complimented, finally holding it with her own two hands.
Annabelle blinked happily with a light giggle. "I'm glad."
"Say," Rosalina began, looking over Bella's shoulder to face her eager family once more. "How about we all find a place for this? On the observatory?"
Annabelle's eyes widened as excitement made itself known on her face. Her smile faded quickly, as if she wasn't allowed to be happy by Rosalina's question. "What do you mean we all? Everyone?" She asked, motioning to her family behind her. Rosalina simply nodded. "Of course. If...That's okay." She continued. Annabelle wondered for a moment if her parents would approve. It would probably be awkward, but she really did want to see the observatory again. There was so much she missed about the stars.
A smile spread on her face as she turned around to face her family. "Hey!" She shouted ungracefully, waving her hand as if to motion the group towards her. They all seemed to exchange glances, still uneasy. Benito smiled with a chuckle as he walked forward, turning around to face the group. He continued to walk backwards, smile still wide on his face.
"See you nerds later!" he said Jokingly, causing Bowser and Junior to laugh under their breath while Daisy, Peach, Mario, and Ludwig smiled at his joke.
"Master Benito!" Toadsworth and Luigi called from behind Toadette, as if to try and call him back. However their calls fell on deaf ears as everyone else began to follow him silently. They both fell behind the group and exchanged unsure glances before exhaling sighs. They couldn't stop the inevitable.
"Bout time!" Bella joked, placing her hands on her hips as Benito made his way up to the Princess. Junior followed shortly behind, with Toadette by his side. The rest of the group made their way to join the others, which included the unfamiliar Rosalina. Though the comparison between Annabelle and Rosalina wasn't even comparable to that of Annabelle and Peach, Neither Junior , Bowser, or Ludwig could deny the similarities. Even the way Rosalina stood idle- doe eyed and curious, yet a smile wide on her face- was nearly Identical to Annabelle.
Benito hunched himself over, pretending to be Toadsworth yet again- mocking his slowness. Nobody understood the joke other than Annabelle and Benito, as they both burst into laughter.
As their laughter faded, an awkward silence filled the group as Annabelle seemed to suddenly be stuck in this thick air. She cleared her throat, and straightened her back as if to appear more professional. Benito still wore a smile, even through the tension.
"Rosalina would like us to visit the observatory with her," She explained, causing her families faces to grow cold. "To hang up this painting," She added, followed by nervous laughter, trying to ease her parents mind. They all seemed to smile. Mario placed his hand silently over Peach's, calming her nerves.
Junior was proud of Annabelle for dealing with this in such an up front way. He couldn't have sworn he'd be courageous enough to do the same.
"Shall you do the honors?" Rose said with a smile, holding her hand out to the empty space besides the group. Annabelle blinked, doe eyed. It was obvious she had no Idea what Rosalina was talking about. "Pardon?" she asked.
The queen rolled her eyes with a smile. "A staircase," she spoke, causing Bella's eyes to grow slightly wider.
"Oh! Right!" She said, as if suddenly remembering she had powers that could conjure magic force fields.
Junior held his hands out to Annabelle, silently offering to carry the canvas for her as she conjured her magic. She smiled and obliged.
Taking in a deep breath, she could feel all eyes on her. She lifted her hand up delicately, and imagined a grand staircase that led to a place she once called home. A purple glow began to illuminate, as twinkling stardust made itself present. It formed the shape of steps, lined by regal railings which twinkled brightly- especially at the dusk that was currently setting in. Even though the magic was coming from her hand, it seemed to emanate from her body as a whole; twinkling stardust lifting her golden curls, causing her to glow.
Junior admired her striking beauty in this very moment. He could feel the determination and focus she was emanating.
"Woah..." Toadette said in a hushed voice, though everyone heard her. She stared with wonder filled eyes at the forming staircase in front of her that was now towering above even Bowser. The luma who had accompanied Rosalina squeaked loudly, signalling its approval of the path Annabelle was making.
As if by a gravitational pull, the observatory suddenly made itself visible, inching closer and closer to the top of Bella's staircase. The young Princess felt a swell in her heart as she recognized her previous home.
She lowered her hand, and turned around to see everyone's expressions which were mostly of awe. She blushed madly as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. Finally she looked at Rosalina, as if to ask 'did I do it right?'. Rosalina smiled with pride as she nodded silently.
Bella smiled back, as she turned to her parents who were still feeling nervous. She reached out a gloved hand to her mother, who cautiously accepted. The began taking a few steps, until they finally set foot on the twinkling staircase. This type of Magic was very familiar to Mario, having had been surrounded by it for a long period of time. Peach however was obviously still unfamiliar. Bella squeezed her hand in re-assurance, giving her the confidence to take another few steps.
The rest of the group began to follow the trio on to the staircase, admiring all the details Annabelle had created. Even Rosalina was amazed at her craftsmanship.
"You better not make this thing disappear mid climb, ding dong" Benito Joked, causing Luigi to grow genuinely nervous as he looked down through the translucent staircase. He seemed to freeze in place, causing Daisy to groan. "Oh come on you goof," She said with a smile, tugging her husbands arm. Benito laughed at his fathers reaction, enjoying messing with him.
Bella and Mario seemed to laugh as well. "Wouldn't dream of it," she re-assured.
Finally at the top, a glowing palace made itself visible. Lumas floated around, going about their days. Star bunnies followed in pursuit, keeping themselves busy. The grassy floor of the gardens was littered with stardust, twinkling in its own glow. Its atmosphere seemed to cause a warm sense of nostalgia to wrap itself around Bella's heart. Her feet were the first to touch the observatory, as her focus faded from her family to her past home. Peach stared at both Mario and Annabelle, who seemed in their own minds.
Even Luigi remembered the observatory, feeling safe in its atmosphere. He knew no harm would come to him here. Toadette was amazed at the sight, while Toadsworth tried to kick the bad memories of this place from his head.
Bowser, Junior, and Ludwig were the last ones to reach the floor. They all stared in awe, never having had set foot on the observatory before. Junior and Bowser had seen it from afar, but never had they been this close. Ludwig's eyes were wide as ever, clearly fascinated by the star creatures.
A luma suddenly stopped in its tracks, being the first to notice the arrival of those on the ship. It first was drawn to the light Rosalina gave off, which was very comforting and unique. However, the light was also in Annabelle as well, who was quickly spotted as well.
The little yellow luma gasped excitedly, catching the attention of those around him. They all looked at the same group who had just landed. "Mama and sister are home!" some chanted, not recognizing Mario. The ones who did remember their retired hero motioned towards him excitedly as well.
Junior smiled at the scene. Bella giggled in return, as the Lumas swirled around her, covering her with stardust and making her hair float slightly.
"Master Mario is here too! We've heard so much about you!" they called, swarming around Mario as well, squealing happily.
The first luma to notice Annabelle nudged itself against her nose, showing its appreciation to her. She smiled, and cradled him in response. The luma turned its head to the rest of the group, and immediately saw Bowser. It quickly flew behind Annabelle, quivering in the small of her back. Bowser visibly sighed, understanding of this reaction. The rest were quick to follow the first luma, crowding behind The young princess.
Rosalina smiled and laughed lightly. "They mean you no harm, children."
They all seemed to inch away from behind the princess slowly. Junior tried to hold back a laugh at the scene. Bella and the Lumas were very similar in some ways.
They all still seemed a bit uneasy, looking to Annabelle as if to verify that they were no longer the enemy.
"Look," She said with a smile, walking to Junior and hugging his bicep. She nuzzled her head against him, causing Junior to blush madly at this random display of affection.
"Good guys," she said with a smile. All the lumas erupted with laughter as the stress they were feeling was relieved. Excited to see their 'sister' yet again, they began to swarm around her once more, eventually separating Bella from the group behind her.
"Lets go play, Bellatrix!" "Come on, lets do trust fall!" "Oh, Trust fall! lets play trust fall! Trust fall!"
Annabelle let go of Juniors arm, and began walking towards the group of luma who were pulling her away, laughing. "You gotta catch me first!" Bella shouted, kicking off the high heels she was wearing and breaking into a full sprint towards the ledge of the observatory.
"Bella, Wait!" Peach shouted, concerned about her daughters well being in a foreign place. Her hand which was extended out fell gently with a sigh. Mario wrapped his arm around his wife, understanding her fear and frustration. "She's safe here." Mario re-assured softly enough so nobody else could hear.
Minus Bella and Mario, the rest of the group felt uneasy in their new environment. Junior stared at Annabelle who was still in a full sprint, silently hoping she'd come back and make everything less awkward for him. His posture was painfully straight as he didn't want to look disrespectful. Both Bowser and Ludwig stood with halted breath.
"Please," Rosalina said calmly with a wide smile, turning away from Annabelle to face the group. "Make yourselves comfortable."
Mario alongside Peach were the first ones to separate from the group, walking forward towards the center of the observatory. Luigi and Daisy followed behind, while Benito continued to stare in Bella's direction. "I'm gonna go chase after ding dong," He said with a laugh, before running towards where Annabelle went. Rosalina laughed under her breath.
Ludwig began walking forward, approaching a cluster of stars, quickly taking out a drawing tablet and beginning to write down notes as he studied them.
Bowser chuckled at his sons enthusiasm, before placing a gentle arm on Juniors shoulder. He jumped slightly at the touch. "Deer in the headlights, huh?" he joked, making Junior roll his eyes with a nervous smile before walking forward.
"If I may," Rosalina said, catching the attention of the remaining royalties who stood close by. Mario, Peach, Luigi, Daisy, and even Toadsworth and Toadette seemed attentive.
"I have something special I'd like to show you," She continued, staring at Peach directly. "You all are free to come as well."
Intreagued, the group of six followed Rosalina to the Library.
O0O0O0O0O
Upon reaching the ledge of the observatory, Bella yelled out with joy as she threw herself off the side. The Rest of the group following her gasped in shock.
"Bella!" Junior shouted, breaking away from his fathers shoulder and tearing into a full sprint to the ledge, nearly causing Benito to fall over. He threw himself off of the ledge the same way she did, preparing to give up his life yet again to save her.
He felt a strong gust of wind blow up at his face, followed by the giggles and laughter of Bella, who was now nearly five whole feet above him as he continued falling.
A cluster of lumas immediately flew down to rescue him in the same way they did Bella, using all their strength to carry the significantly heavier being.
Annabelle still seemed to be oblivious to everything, still laying on a cloud of Lumas. She rolled over to her stomach and looked down, and began to giggle at the scene. Junior was being pulled upwards by his legs, hanging upside down. Bella raised a finger, and used her magic to help them lift him up, so his face was level with hers.
"You know, we're supposed to go one at a time." She said with a giggle. Junior frowned playfully, his red hair hanging and flowing in the light atmosphere the observatory had.
She rolled over on her cloud of Lumas so that she was laying on her back. She dangled her head off of the cloud, as her hair hung in the same way as his. Now she looked at him right side up, even though he was still upside down.
"You're cute when you're hanging upside down," she said with a giggle, her eyes lighting up. Juniors heart seemed to melt yet again as any frustration he'd had immediately flew out the window. A smile spread on his face, before Annabelle scooted herself forward and kissed him gently.
o0o0o0o
The door to the library opened up slowly, as the scent of old books and cinnamon candles filled everyone's noses. Mario's nostalgia took over, as he admired the small collection of books with a warmness in his heart. He remembered Rosalina's storybook and how it had touched him when she'd read it many years ago. Peach and Daisy seemed unimpressed by the library, being that both of their castles held libraries nearly quadrupled in size, though they still admired how clean and up-kept it was. Luigi felt uneasy as it reminded him of a mansion he'd been gifted a long while ago. Toadsworth and Toadette followed behind curiously.
Rosalina walked to a shelf to her right, and pulled out a very thick book. It might have been one of the thickest books the library contained. It was lined with gold, and had a gold star in each corner.
"These are all of Bella through the years. I made sure to document as much as I could." She said nervously, handing the book to Peach, who's eyes grew wide with excitement.
Peach seemed to blink silently, reaching a gloved hand out for the book gently. There was a moment of silence before Peach actually gripped the book in her hands, gently pulling it from Rosalina. Mario Pulled over a chair for his wife, as he eagerly stood over her shoulder, excited to see the pictures as well.
The Queen rolled a gloved thumb over the edge of the books cover, flipping it to the left anxiously. Immediately on the right were a series of images that made Peach and Mario's hearts swell.
Annabelle appeared to be no older than two, sitting upright and staring towards the camera. Her eyes were crystal blue, and her hair was fluffed to frame her face. Her expression was curious- Both Mario and Peach could recognize the similar expression in a the faces she made currently. She had a white simple dress on which was stained in pieces in the front.
Peach's vision started to blur as tears began rolling down her cheeks. She laughed happily, before reaching a hand up and wiping away tears. Mario rest his hand on her shoulder, comforting her as he was getting choked up as well. "Its our little baby," she said softly and rather inelegantly through happy tears. "Our little princess," Mario said with a smile, causing Peach to laugh lightly followed by another set of sniffles.
Below the image was another which was asumed to have been taken shortly after the first one. The outfit Bella wore was the same, though she also wore a happy smile. She had chubby cheeks which squinted her still crystal blue eyes.
Luigi and Daisy curiously walked closer to the couple, who noticed and tilted the book their way so they could see. Toadette and Toadsworth couldn't help but peak as well.
"She looked just like you," Toadsworth spoke, motioning to Peach who giggled through tears at his observation.
Flipping the page several times revealed her at an older age. Bella's hair was now to the middle of her back. She wore a white dress and clung to a stuffed animal star bunny. Her eyes were wide with curiosity, almost as if she was caught off guard. In black ink, "age 6" was written below the picture.
Tears continued trickling down the queens face as she continued to search through the photo book. Mario wiped tears from his eyes as well, admiring getting a look into his daughters life. Rosalina smiled and watched happily. She was glad she kept everything.
Suddenly and ungracefully, the door opened abruptly as Benito stumbled inside the Library. "Did you guys know this place has controlled gravity? Its the craziest stuff. I've jumped off the side of this place three times and each time ive been alright!" He said, catching eyes with his parents excitedly. Luigi and Daisy looked at him with eyes that told him he was interrupting something. Bella and Junior Made their way into the library with wide smiles and fingers interlocked. Bowser followed behind, along with a still curious Ludwig.
"Wait, whats going on in here?" Benito asked softly, noticing Peach and Mario with tear stained faces. Bella's eyes caught the glimmering star on the side of the book, and immediately realized what it was that they were looking at. Her face grew warm, as she felt embarrassment fill her chest. Her best friend, aunt, uncle, and mothers adviser were all looking at her dorky ungraceful baby photos. Her hand tightened on Juniors as she remembered that he would now obviously be interested in seeing them as well.
She quickly ran up to her mother, who sat in a rocking chair in the corner of the room, and gently closed the book and pulled it to her own chest.
"N-nothing!" Annabelle stammered, turning around quickly to see everyone's suspicion. Much to her dismay, all eyes were on her with looks of confusion. "Just an old dusty book," She continued, locking eyes with Junior who knew she was hiding something. He smirked playfully at her.
"Its your baby pictures, Annabelle. They're very crucial to the history records for the Mushroom kingdom!" Toadsworth announced, being completely oblivious to Annabelle's obvious embarrassment to the subject. Her face turned nearly as red as the dress she wore.
Bowser, Ludwig and Junior all wore curious expressions, while Benito laughed out loud. "Oh I've got to see this!" he said, walking towards Bella who turned to the side to the book would be harder for him to grasp. Peach started wiping tears from her face, having a moment to herself.
"No! its just a dictionary!" She said through a nervous laugh. Benito's hands were now on the book, pulling it out of her grasp. It slipped her gloved fingers, as the book fell to the floor open to a page somewhere in the middle. A large image showed Annabelle wearing a mock outfit similar to her father, with a red cap and overalls dress. Junior couldn't help but smile at the sight, even though Bella was racing to pick up the book.
"This one's a keeper!" Benito teased, picking up the book.
"Hey, cut it out!" Daisy said with a smile, finally standing up in an attempt to stop her son from terrorizing his cousin. Annabelle managed to get the book again, and though her face was red as ever, she still managed to feel happy. Her family was all truly together at last, and she no longer felt as though something was missing. Everything she could have ever wanted, was all right in the library.
o0o0o0o0o0o
Bellas bare feet surfed along the top of warm sand, as she walked quickly to a very familiar place. The planet she stood on seemed so small now, its curvature more plain in sight. She wondered for a moment if it had eroded, or if she really had grown that much in 16 years. The size difference only amplified when she turned back to look at Junior, who was nearly double her size. He followed behind Bella happily, swimming in a pool of his own memories as well. Some more current than others. His heart raced, looking at Annabelle's silhouette outlined in golden sunshine as she headed to their special place. He remembered his fathers words moments earlier.
"Well, where do you both intend to go?" Bowser asked his youngest son, Not looking directly at him. The Library had just recently cleared out, and Bella had gone to briefly accompany Peach and Mario with some more digging into older photo albums. Junior wondered for a moment if his father hadn't set up, to get him alone.
Their newfound bonding still made Junior uneasy, even though he enjoyed his fathers interest and compassion. Ludwig sat close by, still reviewing notes he'd taken previously.
"I don't... know. I forgot what its like to live a normal life," He answered, not fully understanding what Bowser meant. He noticed this and chuckled softly before re-phrasing his question.
"I mean... With your relationship with Annabelle."
Juniors heart never ceased to thud when her name was said. He stared at his feet, thinking for a moment.
"Well, what even is the next step? We...We love each other. We both have for years." He answered. Bowser bit the inside of his cheek, getting slightly frustrated at his sons abandonment of his point.
"So, marriage is on the line soon?" He asked bluntly. Juniors heart froze. He'd... never thought he'd marry Annabelle. He was definitely not opposed, however he'd never thought she'd ever actually agree to it. It would be too cliche for her, wouldn't it? Although she would be marrying a koopa, which is anything but cliche.
"I'd... Love to marry her," Junior spoke softly, almost regretting opening up so clearly. "I'm not sure if she'd want to marry me." He continued with a sigh.
"And why not?" Bowser asked with a smile, knowing full well that Annabelle would say yes in a heartbeat. He remembered the way She looked at his son; her eyes were full of joy and love. Eyes which Peach always gave Mario.
"Lets be fair here, she's completely out of my league," Junior answered, remembering in his mind all of her features. How her hair shone in the sun, her smile and crystal blue eyes; Her skin so soft and inviting. He could feel himself start to daydream.
"She would kind of be an idiot to say yes to someone like me." He finished.
Bowser understood full well where his son was coming from. He'd always felt the same way when dealing with Peach, however, this scenario couldn't be more different.
"I dont know, She really seems to be in love with you. And everyone knows that marrying young is beneficial for members of royalty. You'll be King and Queen and have a long life of bossing people around and making them do stuff for you. Eventually you can pop out a couple of kids and-"
"Dad," Junior said shoving his father playfully as a red blush heated his face. He laughed.
"What? It's true. The Darklands is going to need successors too." Bowser finished with another chuckle. Junior almost couldn't believe what his father had just said. Was he expecting Junior to become the new King of the Darklands? Wasn't Ludwig the king? How could he say that so loudly when Ludwig was sitting no more than two feet away?
"I'm... ruling the Darklands in this scenario? What about Ludwig? Or anyone else in the family?"
Ludwig didn't even look up from his notes before speaking.
"I Dont want to be the king anymore, Its far too much stress on myself. I've had more than enough of a taste at power," He began, finally looking over to Junior and his father.
"I want to travel; see the sights, view some orchestrated productions, learn a few things and begin my own. Music is truly the thing that makes me happiest. Not sitting in a dusty castle," He finished. Bowser's brows furrowed as he stared at his eldest son, who's words he feared would change his youngest sons mind.
Ludwig blinked widely.
"B-but, that is not to say it cant be fun! E-e-especially if you have someone to share it with,"
Junior smirked, knowing his fathers famous death stare all to well. He leaned back and thought to himself again. He imagined ruling the darklands alongside Annabelle. Would she even like the darklands?
"What about the Mushroom Kingdom? She'd be abandoning them as their successor." He asked to his father and now brother, who had joined himself into the conversation.
"Maybe, I've had a talk with her old man, about possibly... Merging the Kingdoms officially. The Darklands will become another Province."
Junior blinked in shock. His father had what?! He talked to Mario about marriage? I mean, of course Junior wanted to marry her, but... His cheeks flushed with embarrassment, trying to imagine the conversation.
"I dont even have a ring, so its not like I could do it anyway,"
"Well, I suppose you're lucky I'm one step ahead of you," Bowser replied quickly,pulling out a very small velvet box from behind him. Junior felt his heart stop. Was he.. really about to do this? What was stopping him?
Junior stared at the box, almost unsure of if he should take it or not. He knew in his heart he wanted to be with Annabelle for the rest of his life. Waking up to her every day would bring him such bliss- a bliss he considered for a moment was undeserved.
"I... I don't want to force you into anything. I just... Don't want you to be held back by my past. It's not fair to you." Bowser said to Junior, eyes softening as he remembered the speech Annabelle gave him earlier that day. Junior stared at the box once more, before feeling the blind courage to reach out a hand and take the velvet box from his father. Opening it, a very small ring was inside. A red gem sparkled on the top, glowing like crackling embers. The base of the ring shone in gold, and was intricately spotted with sparkling diamonds. This wasn't a ring meant for Peach, that Bowser had hand-me-downed. This was something specifically for Annabelle, and he could tell.
"How did... where-" Junior began, unsure of the right question to ask first.
"Think of it as a placeholder. You'll get to design her actual ring at the wedding," He said, easing Juniors mind for a moment, but still not answering the question he had in mind. "How did you find time to get all this planned?"
"That talk I had, with Mario, We discussed a lot of different things." Bowser began with a sly grin. "Trade routes, Treaty forms, a Royal wedding in the Princesses favorite month, which also conveniently happens to be during the star festival next year, Paper signings, ya' know.. Basic stuff." He answered, smile still on his face. Junior didn't even think about how perfect things would align if he proposed soon.
"Isn't it too quick though? I mean.. she just got her memory back, I don't want to stress her out," Junior protested, caring deeply about Annabelle's current mental state.
"Back to what? Being in love with you for nearly a decade?" He said with a chuckle.
He was right. They had known each other nearly their whole lives. If anything, a proposal would be late.
Junior closed the box in his hand, and held on to it tight.
"Where is Mario?"
"Good thing it wasn't a race, i'd feel bad for getting her so far ahead of you." Annabelle laughed, feet finally planting themselves in a very familiar place. Behind her was the log that she'd first met Junior on. He walked behind her, heart racing faster than he'd ever felt. He caught his balance on the log, continuing to admire her from a short distance.
She turned to face him, face immediately filled with concern when she saw his current state. It must have been obvious that he was anxious.
"Are you okay?" She spoke sweetly, making her way up to Junior, extending her hands towards him, offering to help him catch his balance.
"Who me? I-I'm fine, just really out of shape, ha.." He laughed nervously. It seemed to calm Bella's nerves as she laughed as well. They both sat on the log, staring at the sun which shone in the distance. It was dusk, and there were visible stars in the sky, even though the sun was still warming the couple with its rays. The waters waves softly caressed their ears. Bella's eyes fell shut, as she rest her head on Juniors shoulder. He rest his head on hers, making her feel safe if even only for a moment.
Junior imagined Bella and Himself being married. His heart began to swell, as blind courage seemed to sweep over him.
"Hey, Bella," He began, getting caught off guard by Annabelle Jumping up from her spot on the log to the sandy patch in front of him. The suns rays disappeared from his face, and seemed to make him colder. He wondered for a moment if it was the sun, or if it was the lack of the Princess by his side.
"Wait- what do you say we have one last duel? For old times sake?"She said, smiling devilishly at him. Juniors courage shrank, as he knew he couldn't say no to that. He smiled and rose from the log, and walked over to a sandy bank. His sword still stood, shoved into the sand. He lifted it up, feeling familiarity sweep over his body. Light twinkling could be heard, as she formed her sword. It looked far more regal than any sword she'd made in the past.
He stared at her with loving eyes, getting lost in her beauty in this moment yet again.
Junior pulled back the curtain to the observatory's bedroom. It was roomy yet very cozy. Even though it had been some time since Annabelle was staying in on the observatory, there were still two beds. He could clearly tell which one was Annabelles by the wall hangings and stuffed animals that littered the mattress. He wondered for a brief second if those had been old toys Rosalina brought out for the occasion, or if thats how Bella had left it. Neither option seemed to far out of the realm of possibility.
Standing next to Annabelles Bed were Mario and Peach. Everyone else had gone to the kitchen for seconds on desert, Minus the King and Queen. Bowser didn't follow Junior into the room, though he waited on the opposite side of the curtain, trying to eavesdrop.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," Junior spoke, catching Mario and Peach slightly off guard. They were both very emotional, discovering all of their daughters creations since she'd been gone.
"I have something I need to talk to you both about. Its very important." He spoke again, seriously. They both shared a look of concern and slight confusion, almost assuming Bella was hurt in some way. They both sat at the foot of the bed, ready to hear Juniors words.
"What is it?" Peach asked softly, in a way that always eased Juniors mind.
"I don't mean to be forward. I don't want to overstep bounds and I certainly don't want to do anything that would cross either of you," He began, still leaving the royal couple confused.
"I know my family has done something completely irrevocable to yours. I don't even deserve your patience or kindness you have all shown me, and especially my father. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.I don't know if there will ever be any way to repay any of you-" He continued being cut off by Mario.
"Please, there's no need for-"
"But there is." Junior interrupted sternly, catching Mario off guard. Peach was stunned to see him take such initiative. She knew that whatever was on his mind, he was serious about.
"I'm in love with Annabelle. There hasn't been a second that has gone by that I have doubted that emotion even once. I am so in love with her," He continued, feeling slightly embarrassed for gushing over her.
"Shes everything I never thought I could ever have. She fills in places that I always thought were missing. She even fills places I never knew were missing until I'd met her. I've never met anyone quite like her, and I don't want to wait any longer to show her how I truly feel." He finished, pulling out the velvet box. Mario smiled proudly, and Peach's eyes grew wide. The velvet box opened, revealing the ring. Junior felt that it was probably too modest for royalty.
Peach reached out to hold the box, which Junior gently handed to her. "She'll absolutely love it.." She said, tears welling in her eyes yet again.
A wave of relief crossed over Juniors chest.
"You have our blessing." Mario said, Placing a hand on Peach's arm, who was currently returning the ring to Junior.
"Hope you're not too out of shape for a duel," Bella said with ironically pure intentions while holding a sword. Junior inhaled deeply, pushing away his fears in order to have another true duel. "You don't need to worry about me!" He said loudly, lunging forward. Bella laughed as she very easily dodged his move. She quickly brought her sword up, slamming it into his. Stardust scattered atop the already glittering sand.
Back on the observatory, Everyone else sat on its edge, watching the couple duel. Toadette and Benito seemed the most interested in the current battle, while the others were whispering gossip about the proposal which was sure to happen soon.
"Look at how fast she is!" Toadette said, admiring her best friends ability to make such quick choices. "Perhaps you should tease her so much. She might charge towards you next time, Master Benito." Toadsworth said, ironically making a joke that everyone thought was funny. Even Bowser and Ludwig managed to chuckle. "Hey she can come at me with a magical sword, its pretty cool stuff." He said, accepting the joke.
Rosalina overheard the plans of Juniors Proposal, and was nearly tearing up herself while watching the two of them duel on their special planet below. She was truly watching her grow.
Bella wound back, spinning nearly entirely to hit Juniors sword. He could hear her counting under her baited breath. He tried to counter them, though his skill seemed to be leaving narrow holes, which Bella could see very clearly. She nailed every one of them.
What could He say? He'd trained her well.
With one last spin, she'd knocked him off of his feet. He felt the warm sand cradle him as he accepted his fate.
"Yes! I've still got it!" Bella said with a squeal and a laugh. She turned around as if to brag to the fake audience behind her. "Thank you all for coming out, it's been a real pleasure!"
Everyone on the observatory seemed to break out into light cheers after seeing how good Bella did. They were far enough so that their cheers fell on to seemingly deaf ears.
"What would you like to say to your fans back home?" Bella asked herself in a mock newscaster voice. "Well, I cant accept all the credit, I just have a natural talent," She began, turning around with shut eyes.
"If it hadn't been for my partner Bowser Junior I would have never seen any true-" She began, eyes slowly opening to see Junior in front of her in the sand, on one knee with the velvet box placed in his hand. She couldn't finish her sentence.
"Whats going on?" She asked with a faint breath, unaware of what he was doing. He stared at her with eyes that made her heart melt.
The group on the observatory all stared at the couple with baited breath.
"Annabelle Maurizia Toadstool, I'm irrevocably in love with you." He said softly, and gently. The light crashing of the ocean waves could be heard, as the smell of the saltwater filled their noses. Neither Junior or Bella payed it any mind. Annabelle felt tears prickling at her eyes at his heartfelt words.
"You mean... absolutely everything to me, and I never want you to be alone. Not a single day." He continued. Tears fell from her eyes, still unaware of why she was crying. "I want to protect you from anything and everything. I want to be there for you when you're hurt, or when you feel like you cant do it alone. I want you to never have those fears. I want to be with you forever, Annabelle." He said words spilling out of his mouth.
"I do too," She said through tears, with a little laugh. Junior fought the urge to rush up to her and hug her. He couldn't ruin such a precious moment for her.
He delicately lifted the lid to the velvet box, revealing a ring which seemed to shock her. All the air left her lungs as she admired the piece of Jewelry in the box. It sparkled in the suns final rays, twinkling back into her eyes.
"Will you marry me?" He said, voice full of emotion. She blinked and shook her head for a moment.
"No, I-I cant," She said lifting her hands up.
The group on the observatory all gasped, noticing Annabelle's obvious 'no' to his proposal. Bowser's heart nearly broke inside its chest, as he'd told him he'd be fine. 'I-I dont understand.." Peach said softly, also sure that she'd marry him. Toadette wondered for a moment if everything was okay with her best friend.
Junior felt his heart crack, tears almost welling in his eyes at the rejection. "Wha.." He began, his tightening throat cutting him off. Bella noticed his reaction, and then fell to her knees in front of him in an effort to comfort him.
"No no no! The ring is beautiful, Junior. I just... I cant accept such a beautiful gift from you. Not after everything you've sacrificed for me." She explained, everything making perfect sense in her mind. Silent tears rolled down Juniors face, as he grew confused. "W-what?" He asked again.
She wiped her tears away before rolling her eyes playfully. "I only need you, Junior. I don't need gifts," She continued. He seemed to raise an eyebrow.
Rosalina finally understood what was happening as she lightly placed a hand on her face. "oh stars..." She muttered, catching the attention of everyone else. "I don't think Annabelle even knows what Marriage is."
They all groaned and seemed to mimic Rosalina's reaction.
"No.. N-no Annabelle- I'm asking you to marry me," Junior explained, truly hoping it was just a misunderstanding.
"Marry?" She questioned, head tilted to the side. Junior could have face-palmed himself if she handnt been holding his hands. A wave of ease washed over him.
"It's the next step," He began, trying to think of how to explain marriage. "When two people love each other very much, and they want to spend the rest of their lives together they... They get married to one another." He finished. She smiled wildly, heart racing at the idea. She nodded her head repeatedly, as more tears began to fall. "Of course I'll marry you, you goofball." She threw herself on to him, catching him off balance. He laughed as his heart swelled upon hearing her response. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, never wanting to let her go.
Cheers rang out on the observatory, upon seeing the "yes". Almost loud enough for Bella to hear. Junior looked up to see his father nearly jumping up and down with excitement.
Bella picked herself up a bit before she kissed Junior passionately, more forceful than she ever had before. He enjoyed every moment of it.
The sun was finally gone, as stars were now lighting up the night sky.
After a moment, the two separated. Junior pulled the ring out of the box, and motioned for her hand. She hesitated.
"Now come on, this is part of it." He said with a laugh. He couldn't help but think her protesting was adorable. She put her hand out, and Junior slid the ring on her finger. It had fit perfectly. It went very well with her dress- the red shine matching the silk that covered her legs.
"So, we're married now?" Bella said with a curious smile.
"Engaged to be married," Junior corrected with another smile. She really didn't understand how this went, did she? "Well when do we get married?" She asked, hands squeezing on to his. "Well... Apparently weddings take a long time to plan." He answered, not really sure himself about wedding planning. He remembered what his father said about next years star festival.
"What is there to plan?" She asked with a laugh, almost thinking he was joking. "Well, its a big event. Lots of people, food, decorations, music-" He began listing off things.
"Like a big party?!" Bella said excitedly. Junior nodded and laughed. "Yes, a celebration." Bella smiled at him with soft eyes. " I hope there's cake,"
Junior smirked at her. "There will definitely be cake."
Bella seemed very satisfied by his response as she hugged him once more. A light twinkling could be heard scattering around her. It was the sound of falling star bits.
Annabelle was never really allowed on planets after the sun had set, but star bits would always fall. She admired them from a distance, not wanting to leave her fiances arms.
"We should have gotten engaged a long time ago."
SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG (AGAIN)
I'm actually working on a THIRD addition to this- ive been so invested i honestly forgot that I never published the final chapter. So here it is ! 3
