A/N: Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed the Mario Movie if you saw it today! I will update this story every Wednesday for as long as I can. I have about 5 chapters ready but I have a lot more to write. I may occasionally miss days or upload on another day depending on what I need to work on. I don't have as much free time so It may slow down eventually. But, I will finish it! Regardless, I hope you enjoy the story!
Peach gasped as her eyes abruptly opened and her awareness faded back to her all in a quick, dizzying instant as she woke up from what felt like an intense nightmare.
Her forehead was glazed over in a layer of cold sweat and her body shook under the thick blanket. Peach's mind buzzed and rang with confusion, contemplating if the terror that ran through her was genuine or fabricated from her dream. Though her body wasn't able to tell what had really happened, she knew whatever she dreamt of was enough to make her heart race with adrenalin.
The second she fully woke up, whatever haunted her slipped through her mind and she couldn't put together what she had dreamt of nor when she had decided to go to bed, but whatever her mind had thrown together was enough to make her feel sick to her stomach even after realizing it was all a dream.
She looked from left to right, eyes too hazy to anticipate where she was or what was happening, and looked for any reassuring sense of familiarity. Her body stiffened as she pulled the blankets up to her face, covering everything just below her eyes. She hid under her blanket as if it would shield her from whatever set her mind ablaze. She knew it wouldn't do any good, but it was something to fabricate a bit of comfort.
Where was he?
Peach's chest stung as she realized she was instinctively looking for him to come and save her from whatever was tormenting her mind. She gripped the blanket even tighter against her, somewhat bothered that he was her first choice for security. She didn't need him every time something worried her...she could easily carry her own! Though...as her mind continued wandering, she couldn't deny that she would feel better if she saw him.
Peach vigorously shook her head as she buried her head further under the blanket. What was she thinking? That would be so out of character for him to come see her at this hour!
Besides, it was just a nightmare!
Even so, her eyes darted around the room, looking for something, or someone, to calm her down.
The room was silent besides a few crackles of flames fighting against their inevitable exhaustion. Distant creaks and murmurs of wind cried throughout the labyrinth and sent shivers down her spine as every whisper seemed uncomfortably similar to footsteps throughout the tunnels; everything was the same.
No matter how long she remained trapped beneath the opera house, the chilling atmosphere of the king's domain was enough to keep her up every single night; she never felt alone.
And, perhaps, maybe she never was.
Only one small, melting candle managed to retain its dwindling flame. While the plethora of candles dotted around the room had faded to dimly-lit ashes, only one stood with a powerful red flame that didn't seem as vulnerable or exhausted as the others. It sat on the desk next to her room's door and lightened up the entrance with a small bubble of light, hardly enough for her to visualize, but enough for her to fixate on the area.
The subtle rays of light bounced off of something distantly reflective, only so much so for it to catch her attention for a moment before being sucked up by the darkness once again. Peach squinted her eyes as they fully adjusted to the darkness and gasped as she realized she was not alone.
She was finally able to recognize the source of the reflection: a familiar, metallic spike resting around a large beast's wrist.
King Koopa sat a few feet next to the dull circle of light, unmoving. He sat idly, unaware of her gaze, with his shell pressed against the wall. His arms were crossed and his head was lowered; he seemed to be unconscious, though that didn't stop Peach from shuddering at his powerful, unannounced company.
The distant light lit up the right side of his scowl, crawling through his scars and the engravings of his permanent frown. His violent spikes spotted across his shell reflected the light against the stone wall in dull patches. She couldn't make out anything besides his face and a bit of his hair, as his body remained a darkened silhouette that was absorbed by the room's lack of vision.
Peach's eyes hesitated away from him for a moment, embarrassed to find herself so intrigued by his change in demeanor: his vulnerability. She knew he was sleeping and that he wouldn't notice her...but even when he was not conscious, he was beyond intimidating.
She gasped, before quickly placing both her hands over her mouth, realizing she had never seen the phantom show any symptoms of fatigue or a need for rest. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she had never seen him eat or drink, let alone do something as vulnerable as sleeping. She hadn't been around him enough to see any signs of weakness, so she had no doubt he hid any signs of morality around others.
Did he possess the same needs as humans? As normal koopas?
Peach's heart sank, realizing how tired he must feel if he was truly as mortal as her.
Her mild worry for the creature did not last long, as she scoffed under her breath as she lowered her blanket from her chin. As much as he liked to act like some sort of god, he was just like her; he had a body that needed to refuel every now and then. He tried to convince her that he was above her but there he was, vulnerable in front of the woman he swore to never trust.
She tilted her head, wondering how often he needed rest. She didn't doubt that he fought off the urge to sleep until he collapsed from exhaustion. King Koopa didn't admit it, but she was positive he was too paranoid to let himself be so vulnerable around anyone, especially her.
Her intrigued glare fell to worry once again.
Why...here? Peach's heart ached at the idea that he felt responsible for her need to rest. Had he set up camp to make sure she didn't leave? A part of her knew this to be true.
She had never seen him look so peaceful. The king's stature was terrifying and surreal as he sat like a statue, but calm, as he rested without any sign of his temper. Even when sleeping, he was dark and frozen with signs of rage within his features. Even so, Peach stared at him in awe, intrigued by his lack of awareness.
Without thinking, Peach lowered her legs off of the bed and stood against the cold hardwood floor. A small shiver of discomfort ran up her spine at the chilling atmosphere of the room as it ran up her bare legs outside of the thick blanket.
She held her breath as she took a couple steps towards him, the floorboards cracking and crying beneath her through the thick silence. She cringed at the loud squeaks, but his lack of reaction reinforced her theory that he was completely unaware of her and his surroundings.
Peach froze as she finally stood a few feet in front of him, close enough to reach out and touch him if she wanted. Her heart raced as her mind called for her to further close the distance between them and give into her curiosities.
Standing in front of him as he sat, she was almost able to stare him directly in the face, as opposed to having to look upwards. Peach stood with hesitation, her hands pressed against her chest, ready to pull away the second his eyes inevitably opened and recognized the boundary she was crossing. Even in sleep, he was intimidating enough to make her question her sanity for even contemplating touching him.
Perhaps the fact that he was unable to pull away was what made her body shake. Why did it make her so nervous?
She was close enough to hear him breathe; to see every wrinkle of rage in his brow; to see every scar run deep through his skin, crossing and mixing through his body.
He was hypnotizingly haunting.
It was…a bit amusing to have a royal koopa defenseless before her.
She didn't know why, as he was anything but the sort to her, but seeing him sit without scowling at her made her realize that he was...somewhat mesmerizing when not acting brutish; he captivated her attention without any words or glances. His mere existence was enough for him to make every part of her focus on him.
He was terrifying, yet a part of her admired how he looked without trying to convince her he hated her. He was worn with age and battle, his face indented with signs of aggression, but just as his hardness scared her it also reassured her as she knew he would be there when she needed him.
Her face flushed as her mind wandered.
Peach clenched her teeth as she came to a silent, unconscious decision within a matter of seconds. She clenched the neckline of her dress in anticipation as her right hand slowly reached outward, creeping towards him. Her entire arm shook, flinching and pulling away at random intervals where she convinced herself he would stir.
He remained still.
Peach blushed as her palm reached far enough to hover over the top of his head, lingering only a few inches above his messy hair and horns. He radiated heat and energy, warming the tips of her cold fingers, which she reluctantly welcomed.
She held her breath, terrified of the amount of control she had.
Without much thought, Peach lowered her palm, allowing her index finger to gently brush against the rough tips of his hair. She shook, worried it would sting her with heat or venom, but it was...soft to the touch. The tips of her fingers only faintly brushed his mane before she pulled away almost instantly, expecting him to lunge at her or open his eyes.
He remained still.
Peach tried to hide her shaking breaths but they pushed out of her without any stealth; she whimpered out for air, overwhelmed with anticipation and thoughts of getting caught. Her chest tightened as her left hand increased its grip on the neckline of her dress, trying to still her beating heart as it tried to escape the idea of him waking up.
Even so, she couldn't stop.
She flinched as her hand once again lowered towards the top of his messy mane before gently dropping against it all in one rash movement. Her hand hardly touched him. She looked away and grinded her teeth, waiting for him to wake up, but kept her hand still.
She stared at her hand, her fingers wrapped and tangled in his unbrushed hair. The red strands fought against one another for her grasp, embracing her entire hand. The tips were singed and dark from a lack of awareness when it came to his fire. His hair was rough and unkempt, yet surprisingly soft and comfortable to the touch, ignoring the charred tips.
Peach held her breath as her hand lowered to the top of his head, fully making contact with him. She gasped at the amount of heat that seeped out of him, running through her fingers and up her arm. It wasn't enough to harm her but it was enough to catch her off guard.
Peach's fingers trailed up to the sides of his right horn, its surface slick yet covered in two large cracks that ran across it. Her index finger dragged along the split before poking the tip, enamored with his difference in anatomy from her; everything about him felt so strong.
Without thinking, her touch fell from his horns. The tip of Peach's fingers trailed to his brow, lingering through the thick, leather-like scars that crawled across him. Her hand traced his powerful features before continuing to fall towards his cheek, carefully cupping it.
She carefully caressed its surface, fascinated with everything about him.
To her surprise, her fear was almost gone, and her hand touched him with an infatuated confidence. She trailed her thumb against him as she cupped his cheek, carefully caressing the sleeping beast.
"I can't stop looking at you," she whispered under her breath, eyeing him longingly. She paused, looking down at her hands, her heart sinking. "You must have been so tired," she continued with a sigh. She carefully pulled her other hand towards him, cupping his other cheek. "...to fall asleep with me near you. I'm sorry."
A wave of guilt rushed over her as she held his face. Peach's hands shook against his terrifying features, not out of fear, but out of heavy pity for the monster.
"I…you know, I…I was meant to pretend to want to be around you. That was what I was going to do to escape, but…when I look at you, for some reason…well, I don't know why, but it's getting hard to pretend, because…I don't feel like I'm pretending anymore. That's odd, isn't it? You want nothing to do with me, but…" Her voice trailed off in insecurity. "It's strange how I always think of you when I'm scared now. You always come find me when I need you...without even realizing it. do you know what you're doing to me?"
What was she saying? Peach bit her lip and averted her eyes from him as she had zoned out and said too much, much of which she didn't even begin to understand or acknowledge. The only reason she could whisper something like that to him was because she was certain he could not hear her.
Peach opened her mouth to continue, something, someone, pushing for her to continue talking to him even though he wouldn't respond. Yet, her touch only lingered for a few moments before pulling away. She sighed and took a small step away from him, overwhelmed by her intrusive thoughts that pushed their way into her mind.
However, her conflicting emotions did not last long as Peach's eyes jolted towards the entrance, the hair on her body sticking up at the sound that clouded the nearly silent room: A soft, eerie creak chirped from her entrance, the door gently opening, and an intense light shining through the opening.
She froze in place, her hands clenching her chest in anticipation for whoever, or whatever, had wandered towards her bedroom at such an odd hour. She gazed towards the king, half expecting him to wake up and take care of it, but was terrified to find that he stood still, unaware of the intruder.
She cursed under her breath as she walked backwards away from the door, her eyes unflinching from the entrance as she tried to avoid whatever conflict was approaching her. Her hands stung from the chilling air, no longer enveloped in his warmth.
She finally paused as she bumped into the edge of her bed.
Without thinking, Peach got back into bed, curling under her blanket with her eyes peering across the top of it, as if that would protect her, and waited for the intruder to enter. She shook as the door was halfway opened, pulling her attention to the deep darkness that sucked any and all light away.
Peach shrieked as a small head popped its way into the room, looking from left to right until meeting Peach's horrified face.
"Oh!" A voice whispered with an apologetic, surprised gasp. "Whoops! Sorry!"
Daisy casually strolled into the room and closed the door behind her, making sure to be careful it shut with a soft click. She dusted off her hands and plopped down a large, fully-lit lantern on the table beside her. She turned back to face her terrified company.
"It's noon up there," she sighed with an apologetic smile, "I can never tell what time it is for you guys down here! Didn't realize you were gettin' ready to sleep. I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"
Peach's face creeped with color as her eyes flicked between the two unexpected guests, internally cringing at how the situation felt without context.
Daisy's eyes darted to her right with a suspicious frown, following Peach's horrified glances. Her eyes landed on the king, widening before turning back to Peach with a smug, subtle smile creeping across her features.
"I...get the feeling I did," she gasped as she glared between the two in bewilderment. She paused before continuing in a hushed whisper, though it was still characteristically loud. "I didn't realize you two were havin' a little sleepover!" She teased.
Peach vigorously shook her head.
"Don't get the wrong idea!" Peach whispered screamed. "I didn't ask him to spend the night with me! He practically terrified me!" She argued unconvincingly. "I...I woke up, and he was-"
Daisy snickered before continuing in her usual, up-beat tone.
"Don't bother whispering. He'll be knocked out for a handful of hours! Days, even, depending on how long he's been holding out," Daisy claimed with amused awe. "I hardly ever see him like this!"
Peach flinched at her change of volume, not at all confident in Daisy's claim of safety. She stared at her in doubt, well aware of the phantom's heightened senses.
"He won't hear us if we talk loudly?" Peach whispered with doubtful caution. "I...I find that very hard to believe. He didn't seem tired in the slightest."
"Nah," Daisy reassured with a disinterested shrug.
Daisy leaned to her side, stretching out her palm before roughly running it through the phantom's hair just as Peach had moments prior. Though, she did so like a mother greeting her son; without any hesitation or gentleness. She ran her fingers through the tangled mess with a satisfied grin, amused by how he was forced to put up with the contact.
Peach darted her eyes away, embarrassed that she had secretly done the same.
"You can do anything to him when he's like this." Daisy rubbed her palm against his hair a bit more before taking it off with a sigh. "I don't recommend getting caught, though...One time, he woke up when I was messin' with him. Not a memory I like to think about." She shuddered. "Poor guy stays up until he can't take it anymore. You should take it as a compliment that he let you see him like this."
Peach felt anything but flattered at the gesture.
"He wanted to make sure I don't leave bed until I've recovered," Peach mumbled with growing guilt. "I feel bad for keeping him here...I didn't know he was so exhausted."
Peach had grown to assume that she was beginning to skilfully decipher his hidden emotions. But, she furrowed her brow in confusion, as she hadn't been able to sense the slightest bit of exhaustion or fatigue in him. Had he truly grown to hide weakness that well? For whatever reason, he lived in a constant state of secrecy.
Daisy stared at Peach's face, easily reading her physical discomfort. She bit her tongue, fighting back her instinct to thump Bowser in the head, as her condition was surely due to his lack of care.
"Don't feel bad! I'm sure it's his fault that you're all beat up," she scolded with a knowing frown. "Trust me, you won't get an apology out of him. But, he'll go out of his way to make it up to you. I don't doubt that this is his way of saying 'I'm sorry for being an idiot.'" She gave a quick scowl towards the sleeping koopa. "Not that he'd ever admit it, though."
Peach gently laughed at Daisy's scolding.
She tried to hide it, but her face was covered in awe and respect for Daisy and her skillful reading of the beast. It was clear that the two were close, but she hadn't expected her to be able to read him like the back of her hand so fluidly.
"How long have you known him?" Peach asked. "You seem to know him very well."
Daisy scoffed at her comment.
"I've been pestering him ever since he got stuck down here," Daisy responded with a smug smile. She continued as her smile filled with annoyance. "He wouldn't be here without my help. It'd be nice if he acknowledged that," she groaned with a squint of her eyes towards his sleeping features.
Peach stared in amazement as she began to understand the depth of their relationship.
"Do you know...why he's down here?" Peach asked as she subtly leaned forward. She didn't bother hiding her curiosity.
Daisy opened her mouth to respond but quickly held herself back, staring at Peach with a shake of her head.
"I don't think you should be asking me questions. Plus, I don't have all the answers for you," she answered with a genuine shrug. "All I know is that I helped him when he needed it. That's all I can tell you."
Peach felt a bit of embarrassment run through her as she realized she had clearly overstepped her boundaries. Even though Daisy was on Peach's side when it came to her kidnapping, Daisy clearly respected the king and what little she knew of his past, so much so to deny Peach any answers.
She didn't blame her. Whether or not she admitted it, it was clear that Daisy and King Koopa were protective of one another.
Peach held her breath, wondering if Daisy was aware of the past she potentially had with the king. She hadn't meant to pry, after all, as she was just desperate for clarity. A part of her doubted that anyone knew outside of the king himself but...the rest of her wanted to confide in Daisy, hoping to find any answers that could guide her towards her memories.
Before Peach could ask about her past with him, Daisy ignored her curious eyes and started talking about what she had come to see her for.
"Everyone is talking about you," Daisy mumbled as she paced back and forth. "There are knights posted everywhere and everyone is just...wondering about everything. I tried to listen in on why the queen had so many knights posted around some entrances...but I don't think they even knew why they were doing it." Daisy paused for a confused sigh. "All I know is that you might...want to stay down here. I don't trust the queen's morals at all. I don't doubt that she's trying to get to you in order to get to…him."
She paused with a look towards the phantom.
"I don't think she's certain enough to storm down here with the public eye on this whole situation. But, I can't shake off the feeling that she's trying to find out what happened to him. Koopas are…well, she's very tactical. Won't jump down here until she has something, or someone, to reinforce what she's thinking. She'd be humiliated by her subjects if she tore up the opera house based on a hunch. The public opinion of her isn't exactly very good at the moment." She paused as she glanced over her shoulder at the sleeping king. She turned back to Peach, her face full of knowing warning. "I don't think she'd hesitate hurting you to find the answers."
Peach nervously nodded in agreement even though she could hardly keep up with so much information dumped on her at once. She bit her lip as she knew Daisy wasn't lying; she had seen the guards talking about her...she hadn't even begun to realize there were more than two guards after her! Was she truly so sought after? The queen herself wanted her?!
For what, to get closer to her missing husband?
Peach stared at her as she tried to control her racing heart. Why did the idea of the queen searching for her husband matter? Why did it make her feel so…so…
She shook her head and smothered the feeling as hearing Daisy's confident claim of the queen's worry made her brow furrow with an emotion she couldn't understand. Fear quickly took its place.
"I...I feel like I've been thrown in the middle of something so horrible," she whispered. Peach crossed her arms over her torso, feeling the wind slowly pouring out of her. "I heard some royal guards mention me the other day and I haven't stopped thinking about it."
Peach's skin crawled with an itching discomfort as she remembered how the guards had spoken about her so brutishly. She held her breath, terrified to find that her fears of the surface and what koopas were capable of were backed by Daisy's claims.
Daisy gently placed her hand over Peach's arm, trying her best to comfort her.
"Don't drop our plan, alright?" She said with a soft, forced smile, hoping to soften the blow. "Just...expect to be stuck with him for a little longer until people forget about you. I'll sneak you back to the Mushroom Kingdom if I have to. We won't let her get near you. You just can't throw yourself at her by running away or leaving anytime soon. Unless, you know, you do have a deathwish."
Peach looked over towards the slumbering phantom.
"Wouldn't it be unfair to leave King Koopa behind?" She asked with a saddened crack of her voice. "I…worry he'll be alone if I leave. I know I should be running away the second I have the chance but I don't think I'd be able to do it without worrying…" She paused as her words quietly trailed off. "I must sound ridiculous," she weakly whispered.
Daisy didn't seem to notice what Peach had quietly rambled about as she responded.
"He wouldn't be alone. I've got him covered, trust me!" Daisy reassured with a quick nod. She attempted to put out Peach's flame of doubt. "Humans aren't meant for this kinda lifestyle. He can manage. He always has."
Manage?
Peach's face paled at the word. What did it mean to manage? Did it mean to hide away in misery? To hardly survive? Peach's eyes fell to her lap, disheartened by the weight of the word.
Sure, the king would probably disappear with the legend of the phantom, forever locked within the tunnels of the Darklands. He would surely live the rest of his life without ever being found by whatever he was hiding from. His children, too, would fade with time. But, that was not the life she wanted for him or his children; it was not a life at all.
Peach's gaze flicked towards the king for a few moments, basking in his presence.
She knew he could manage through anything. War, battle, betrayal...but, Peach couldn't imagine what invisible scars enabled him to keep managing with such strength. Or, what weakness he refused to show.
Considering the countless wounds that patterned his body and the way he could destroy anyone that tried to get in his way, she knew that he was an impenetrable force that couldn't be stopped. He was capable of pushing through anything and anyone, but that didn't mean he had to 'manage' through misery. Did he really have to push through his condemned fate alone?
She didn't want him to manage; she wanted him to live. He deserved to exist without the fears that plagued him into limiting his existence.
She wanted him to live.
Even though every part of her wanted to argue for the king's safety as well, Peach nodded her head in agreement as she hid any sign of her disagreement with Daisy's attempt at reassurance. She smiled in understanding but her heart didn't stop aching at the idea of leaving the phantom to rot away.
Daisy, as always, seemed oblivious to the fakeness within Peach's expression. The smaller human released a small sigh of relief, thankful to hear that Peach was on board with her plan. She gave a small goodbye, promising to see her whenever she could find time to slip away, and dipped through the door, leaving the lantern for Peach as she claimed she could easily find her way back.
Though, the thump that echoed from the hallway, followed by a quick curse, proved otherwise.
When she finally left, Peach's smile fell to a lack of emotion as her eyes burned with a subtle passion. She had already set herself on a newfound stubborn determination.
She turned her glance back towards the unconscious phantom and whispered under her breath:
"I'll make sure you don't have to manage alone anymore. I promise."
A/N: Thank you so much for reading! Sorry this chapter rambled on a lot...I just really had fun writing. See you next week!