The next few weeks went by in a blur. Between the various meetings, events, and arrangements needed for the alliance, as well as now adding wedding plans on top of those, Bowser found he had almost no time to spend with his fiance. He was quite thankful, though, that he wasn't handling the workload alone.

Merely days after he'd proposed to Peach, one of his oldest and most trusted mages had suddenly shown up at the front gates. Bowser was honestly quite shocked to find Kammy was alive and well after all these years, but he certainly wasn't going to question it; he needed all the help he could get. Reorganizing the Darklands was proving to be quite the task.

Bowser had really only been paying half-attention to her rather wordy explanation of why she was just now revealing herself. It wasn't exactly important to him, and he didn't really care one way or another why she decided to come back, he was just glad she did. He remembered her to be a very hardworking and loyal Magikoopa, and that was what he needed. Kamek was great, but he couldn't do everything.

With Kammy and Kamek handling most of the internal politics, it was left to Bowser to work out the details of the alliance with the Mushroom Kingdom, as well as the bigger decisions regarding his wedding. It was easy to decide which he preferred working on.

He sat at his desk, pouring over a long and particularly dry draft of the treaty, and fiddled with his fountain pen as he struggled to concentrate. Even though Peach was back at the Mushroom Kingdom, taking care of her own subjects, it was difficult to keep his mind from wandering to her.

He sighed and began doodling aimlessly as he read:

In addition to a fair exchange of resources (detailed above in Section Four, Sub-section Two), the allied Mushroom Kingdom and the Darklands are required to come to one another's aid in times of war. This must be in the case of a direct declaration of war against either allied kingdom, or a direct request for aid from either allied kingdom. A breach in this contract would nullify any further requirements of the alliance. Furthermore, should the cause of war be determined to be an unjust cause…

"Your Surliness!" Kammy's voice interrupted, along with a rapid knock at his door.

Bowser startled as he was snapped back to the present. "Yes?!"

The doors to his study glowed purple as Kammy opened them with her magic. She entered with a rather serious swagger in her hobbled steps. Bowser raised a brow at her as she reached his desk.

"My apologies for disturbing your… work, sire," she started, quickly glancing at the document on Bowser's desk with an odd look.

Bowser followed her gaze and saw that he'd doodled a rather crude rendition of Princess Peach in a wedding dress across the draft of the treaty. He scrambled to cover it with his arm as he cleared his throat.

"W-What, what is it?" he demanded.

"Ahem, uh… messengers from the Mushroom Kingdom have arrived, Lord Bowser. They are at the front gates and have requested your presence," Kammy announced.

Bowser's eyes lit up. "You could've started with that, haggy!" he told her, reverting to Kammy's old (and undesirable) nickname. He stood, no longer caring if Kammy saw his accidental drawing, and hurried past her and all the way outside.

As he came to the front gates of the castle, a dozen or so Toads were there to greet him. They stood in two even rows, each bearing a brass horn adorned with the flag of the Mushroom Kingdom.

They began to play their melodious national anthem as Bowser reached them. Another Toad, blue spotted and wearing a tidy bow-tie and glasses stepped forward. He unfurled a thick scroll and cleared his throat as the music died down.

"Ahem. King Bowser Koopa of the Darklands, it is with great pleasure that the grand steward of the Mushroom Kingdom invites you to a royal ball commemorating your and Princess Peach Toadstool's engagement, which shall take place fifteen days hence from today's date," he paused and inhaled deeply after such a long sentence. "He invites you to come as soon as possible– as a welcome guest– and enjoy the many pleasantries the Kingdom has to offer while awaiting the day of the ball.

"The grand steward also invites the King's children to join their father– separately– a week prior to the ball. Finally, he wishes you all safe travel and desires to bestow his blessing upon this most auspicious impending royal marriage. Sincerely, Grand Steward Toadsworth," the blue Toad finished with a flourishing bow.

Bowser crossed his arms across his chest. "Is that all?" he asked the messenger flatly.

The blue Toad straightened up, flustered by the King's reaction. "U-Uh, yes King Bowser."

"Well then… be sure to tell old Toadsworth to expect me tomorrow!" Bowser broke out into a large grin.

The Toad sighed with relief. "In that case, here is your official invitation to the ball." He procured a square of parchment, stamped with the Mushroom Kingdom's seal in red wax. Scrawling gold print across the front addressed it to Bowser.

"I'll put this with the other belongings you'll need to bring with you to the Mushroom Kingdom, sire," Kammy offered. Bowser nodded and let her take the invitation from the messenger.

"Thanks blue," Bowser told him as he shot off a two-fingered mock-salute. "You're dismissed or whatever I say to send you on your way."

"Y-Yes, King Bowser, I shall relay your reply at once." The messenger bowed once more and took his leave, the musicians following close behind.

Bowser watched as they disappeared from view. When they finally did, he whooped and pumped his fist in the air, startling Kammy so badly she nearly dropped the invitation.

"Here, gimme that, haggy," Bowser said as he eagerly grabbed it from her. He paused as he noticed the seal was already broken. "Kammy, did you..?"

"I check all your mail for possible dangers, sire– even from our future ally," came her cool reply. Bowser rolled his eyes but let the moment go as he pulled out the invitation to scan it over himself.

The missive was simple and direct. It really was nothing more than a standard invitation, though the ink script sparkled like liquid gold, and the parchment felt substantial enough to withstand the test of a thousand years time. Bowser grinned to himself, his mind already flashing ahead two weeks to the ball. He could just imagine it; the lavish setting, the opulent guests looking on with adoration, his beautiful fiance in his arms as they twirled across the dance floor. The past couple weeks may have been trying, but Bowser had a feeling things were going to be smooth sailing from here on out.

"Now then, shall we start preparations for your journey, Your Jovialness?" Kammy inquired, popping Bowser's thought bubble.

"Why? Are you in a hurry to get rid of me?" Bowser glanced down at her incredulously.

Kammy flushed. "N-not at all, sire, I merely meant–"

Bowser interrupted her with a laugh. "Relax, I know you're just excited! Although, I can guarantee I'm definitely way more excited. Let's get packing, I gotta tell the Koopalings the good news!" Bowser was already walking back into the castle, an uncharacteristic spring in his step.

Kammy trailed behind him a few steps, her hands tucked neatly into her floppy purple sleeves. "Yes… very exciting," she murmured, scowling at Bowser's spiky backside. While the invitation itself wasn't overly concerning, the small note of pink paper included inside the envelope had been. She discreetly crumpled it up in her fist, the action concealed inside her robe. The princess's additional missive was one she could not allow Bowser to see.


Early the following morning, a grand farewell party assembled to send Bowser off to the Mushroom Kingdom. In addition to the large crowd of Koopas and other Darklandian citizens gathered to wish Bowser luck, the Koopalings had (reluctantly) forgone sleeping in as they usually did and were also there to show their support. Of course, they might not have been able to sleep in anyways, as the masses created quite a din as Bowser strutted out of the front gates and to where his glorious mechanized chariot awaited.

Bowser enthusiastically waved and pointed at his subjects as he passed them by, unabashedly basking in their praise. He was putting a lot of work into being their king again, so he felt there was nothing wrong with accepting their gratitude. All seven of his adoptive children were waiting for him at the end, silly grins painted on their faces.

"Enjoying yourself, King Dad?" Ludwig, his oldest, said smugly as he approached. Bowser shrugged.

"Gotta play into the part, kiddo. Their awesome king has returned from nothingness, and they have expectations, you know," Bowser replied as he reached down and rumpled his hair.

"My coiffure, King Dad, please!" Ludwig whined and pushed his hand away. Behind him, his younger siblings snickered.

"We're, like, happy that you're happy, King Dad," Wendy said. "These past few weeks have been, like, the best!"

"But you gotta promise to take us all around the eight worlds as soon as you get back!" Morton Jr. added. "There's so much stuff to see, but we haven't had time to see it yet! This alliance stuff is always keeping you and Mama Peach busy."

Bowser smiled at Morton's use of Peach's alternate title. "I will, but this 'alliance stuff' is very important. It has to go well so I can marry her– and so you kids can grow up in a time of peace."

"We believe in you, King Dad!" Larry exclaimed. "Tell Mama Peach we said 'hi!'"

"We're gonna be seeing her in less than a week, too, y'know," Roy told him.

"A week is a long time to wait, Roy," Larry countered with a pout.

Roy rolled his eyes, and Bowser had to restrain the urge to copy him. "Anyways, guys, I want you to be on your best behavior while I'm gone– and while you're at the Mushroom Kingdom. Actually… we should all just try to be better behaved in general. We aren't living in an isolated castle anymore, and things are a little different in the outside world."

"We read you loud and clear, King Dad," Iggy agreed with a double thumbs up. "Don't worry, while you're gone, we'll take care of everything!"

Bowser knelt and scooped all seven Koopalings into a great bear hug. This trip was important for many reasons, but it was also going to be the longest time he'd ever been separated from them. He hoped they wouldn't miss him too much. "I'll see you guys in a week, ok? We're gonna have so much fun together with Peach, so just keep looking forward to that."

"C-can't we just go with you now?" Morton asked, his voice strained from being wrapped up in the tight hug.

Bowser released them and shook his head. "I wish you could, but that's not what the message asked. Plus, Peach and I are probably just going to be working on boring alliance stuff."

"You've gotta meet all her friends, too, right? I'm sure everyone important and their grandma was invited to the ball," Wendy chimed in. She looked eager at the prospect of meeting other royals.

"Probably, but we'll see," Bowser said with a shrug. He stood and faced the crowd one last time.

"What I do know for sure," he started, much louder so the crowd could hear. "Is that I will do everything in my power to make sure the union between our kingdoms is beneficial for everyone! It's gonna rock!" he raised his hands in the typical rock-and-roll sign and bopped his head zealously.

The onlookers cheered and whistled as he stepped back into the metallic black and flame-decorated metal carriage. There was nothing attached to the front to pull it, as it ran on an engine fueled by magic; when Bowser closed the door with a dramatic slam, the engine roared to life.

"Ready to go, Your Jovialness?" Kamek said from the seat across. Bowser jumped and unceremoniously banged his head on the ceiling of the carriage.

"K-Kamek, what in the shell are you doing here? Who's watching the Koopalings?!" Bowser stammered as he rubbed his sore head. Kamek shot him an odd look.

"Whatever do you mean? Obviously, I'm here to accompany you on your journey. And I volunteered Kammy to take over my duties. After all, it's only fair after I put up with them for ten years," he replied, smoothing the front of his blue robe.

"Ok, I get that, but why?" Bowser pressed. "Peach will make sure I'm taken care of and everything, if that's what you're worried about."

Kamek sighed as the carriage began to roll out. "Sire, I'm certain she will, but I'm afraid not everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom will share the same sentiment."

"Hold on, one second." Bowser poked his head out the carriage window and waved one last time to everyone gathered. "See ya later, brat-pack!" he called out as the carriage started to disappear from the castle's line of sight. The Koopalings waved in return, then almost immediately turned their backs on him and faced the citizens instead.

"ALRIGHT, ARE YOU GUYS READY TO PARTY?!" Roy shouted to them. Bowser felt his stomach drop almost as fast as his smile.

"Oh Stars… good luck Kammy," he muttered. So much for the Koopalings missing him. Pinching his snout, he sat back down to face Kamek. "Sorry, what were you saying?"

"Lord Bowser, though I am enthusiastic about this alliance and your engagement, I believe you ought to take this invitation with a grain of salt," Kamek continued.

"What're you talking about? You don't seriously think Peach has some ulterior motive for inviting me to a ball celebrating our engagement, do you?"

"Sire, it was not Princess Peach who invited you, it was the grand steward. Toadsworth specifically asked you to come a good time before the ball, and alone at that. I sense he has a reason for doing so."

"Well, what reason would he have, then? He just wants me to get familiar with the Mushroom Kingdom and stuff. 'A welcome guest' is what he called me, remember?"

Kamek licked his lips hesitantly. "Your Obliviousness, I do not mean to overstep my bounds, but you are only beginning your official reign as king. You spent a decade isolated away from any real political conflicts, so you do not have much real experience in dealing with them."

"Your point?" Bowser narrowed his eyes.

A sudden bump on the path jostled the pair harshly. Bowser supported himself with his forearm against the inner carriage door, shaking his head.

"We really need to get the warp pipe system up and running again," he mumbled. He glanced out the window impatiently. "Hey, are we there yet?"

"… No, sire. Please, listen to me." Kamek adjusted his crooked glasses and sat upright once more. "The grand steward is Peach's guardian, is he not?"

"Yeah…"

"And he cares very much for her, like his own daughter, does he not?"

"I guess, I haven't really met the guy more than once."

"And he invited you, her fiance."

"Stop speaking in riddles, Kamek! What's this got to do with the ball?"

Kamek face-palmed himself. "Sire, it is clear that grand steward Toadsworth wishes to meet with you personally, to assess whether or not you are worthy of Princess Peach's hand– and by extension– an alliance!"

Bowser opened his mouth to speak, then paused. He thought over Kamek's words for a long moment. "… Are you sure?"

"Your Brashness, it is precisely what I'd do for you, if I was not already assured of Princess Peach's good character."

Bowser furrowed his brow. "So you're saying I've got to win over old Toadsworth, is that it?"

Kamek nodded slowly. "Yes… and likely the majority of the Mushroom Kingdom's citizens as well. I've heard many rumors circulating, none of them very favorable."

Bowser groaned and leaned his head back. "Didn't we already convince the Toads we weren't gonna hurt them? I seem to recall a rather inspiring speech right before Peach and I kissed."

"I'm afraid that speech before a small population does not speak nearly as loud as the horrid memories the rest of them have of you, sire," Kamek said sadly.

Bowser sighed deeply, running his claws through his hair. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"You were so preoccupied with arranging the alliance, as well as your wedding, that I did not wish to overwhelm you."

Bowser grunted at the reasonable explanation. "Well, at least it should be an easy fix, right? Just convince the little Toadies that I'm an awesome king."

Kamek hummed and fiddled with the edge of his sleeve. "I suppose so."

"Anyways, are we there yet?"

"No, sire, we are not."

"… Did you even look outside before you answered?"

"I didn't have to, Your Impatientness. You only asked me five minutes ago."

Bowser sighed again, his growing boredom apparent. He began to drum his claws on the carriage window sill, the sound sharp and harsh as it cut through the heavy silence that fell over the passengers. The scenery slowly shifted from lava flats to dry, dead woods, and then to more green pastures. The drumming continued, much to Kamek's dismay.

"… Are we there yet?" Bowser repeated some time (but not too long) later.

"No, sire, we are not."

Bowser turned away from the window and started tapping his foot on the floor, sighing once more. Across from him, Kamek's eye twitched.

"Hey Kamek, there's still a good chance that Toadsworth just wants to meet me properly, right? I mean, I doubt he actually thinks I'm a 'questionable suitor' or something…" Bowser trailed off into thought.

"… I cannot say for certain, Lord Bowser," was all Kamek said in reply.

"Hey, are we there yet?"

"No, Your Restlessness, we are, unfortunately, still not at our destination."

Bowser flopped back across his seat and started making popping noises with his mouth. Kamek stiffened and inhaled sharply. The noise continued for several, very long minutes.

"Like, everyone knows how great Peach is, and how much we love each other," Bowser continued after another long pause. "Winning the citizens' approval won't be hard. This isn't a big deal. No sweat…"

Kamek did not bother to answer.

"Yeah, yeah, this is going to be just fine. I'm gonna get to be with my fiance, see her world, and we're gonna have a fantastic time!" Bowser clenched his fist with determination.

"Sire."

"I don't care what you say, Kamek, I'm tryna stay optimistic here!"

"Sire, please."

"Y'know what? I don't wanna hear it. Just tell me when we get there."

"Sire, we are here!" Kamek said, relief flooding his voice.

Bowser bolted upright from his lounging position. "W-we are?"

"Yes!" Kamek motioned for him to look out the window.

Compared to the dark and barren rock-and-lava landscape of the Darklands, most any place would look more vibrant. The Mushroom Kingdom, however, still took Bowser's breath away.

He wasn't exactly a fan of "cutesy" things (unless they were Peach-related), but the Mushroom Kingdom was just so bizarre with its small, almost cartoony buildings, the vibrant flags and cloth overhangs, and the unblinking black eyes that stared at him from every hillside and treetop. Though the Darklands had its own form of sorcery and spells, this place just felt downright magical. No wonder Peach loved living there, it was like the two were made for each other.

As the carriage was magically guided to Peach's castle, Bowser peered down at the Toads out of the corner of his eye. They mostly walked on foot, wandering from place to place, or chatted with their compatriots on the side of the road. They all stopped and fell silent as Bowser's vehicle passed them by.

Bowser cleared his throat and attempted to look composed as he could feel their small, beady eyes probing him, even through the tinted glass windows.

Don't care about what they think, Bowser thought to himself. They're probably just curious, and you're here for Peach, not them.

As the carriage ascended the winding hills up to the castle (it wasn't as efficient as taking a warp pipe, but Bowser dare not get out and attempt to fit down one), they began to draw a crowd. A small herd of Toads simply stopped what they were doing and trailed behind them as they continued to climb. Bowser tried to take it as a good sign that the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom were, in fact, excited about his visit.

Finally, they reached the courtyard of Peach's castle, where a welcoming party no doubt awaited. Bowser felt a flutter deep in his gut, but he quickly attributed it to the excitement of seeing Peach again. Everything was going to be just fine.

A very large gathering of Toads was the first thing Bowser spotted. The sea of white and multicolored dots almost made him dizzy as they pulled up to the front. Then, Bowser was able to see the top of Peach's blonde head, adorned with her small golden tiara, and his heart rate picked up.

The carriage slowly came to a stop, the magical guidance having completed its route. The engine shut down, and the murmur of the crowd filtered into the cabin. Kamek shared a look with Bowser, but the latter didn't know what to make of it.

"Well… this is it," Bowser said.

"This is it," Kamek repeated.

The green-spotted top of a Toad's cap could be seen as it came to the carriage door to open it. Bowser squinted as the bright sunlight of the Mushroom Kingdom filtered in and assaulted his eyes.

As he shielded his face and started to get up, three things happened at once. First, the green Toad unfurled a short scroll and said in a surprisingly booming voice:

"Announcing the arrival of our beloved Princess Peach Toadstool's fiance, His Royal Highness, King Bowser Koopa of the Darklands!"

Second, as Bowser stepped down onto the plush red carpet laid out for his arrival, any noise the crowd had been making suddenly went dead silent. Bowser straightened and quickly glanced around. The Toads only looked back at him soundlessly. A trickle of sweat tickled the back of Bowser's neck as he tried to focus ahead instead.

Peach, of course, was there. She looked radiant as always, a soft smile tugging at the corners of her pink lips as her blue eyes met his. Bowser felt a slight relief at seeing her. You're here for her, not them, he reminded himself.

Thirdly, however, Bowser also connected gazes with the being standing on Peach's right. His brown spotted cap looked just as wrinkled and musty as Bowser remembered, and his bushy white mustache was pulled downwards by his fierce scowl. Bowser felt an involuntary watery smile spread across his muzzle as he met Toadsworth's extremely disapproving glare.

Oh fireballs– he'd definitely be getting an "I told you so" from Kamek.