It all started with a dream. It was not a figment in his imagination, but a literal dream from when he was asleep. Or maybe it was both, Bowser wasn't sure. Sometimes his thoughts, memories and dreams connected together when he thought for too long.

Regardless of what it was, Bowser had to figure it out somehow. He didn't bother asking Kamek or Kammy, he had enough of the magikoopas' squawking useless nags to him. Not to mention, the details of his dream were personal, to say the least. And he knew the old coot would definitely have a heart attack.

He had dreamt of Luigi.

The specifics weren't clear. He knew they were kissing at some point-passionately, his small, human hands cupped around Bowser's cheek and jawline as they continued further into a warm, but loving touch. His imagination seemed to take a wilder turn after that, but that was all he could make sense of. It was like his mind had created all that he desired, his memories of spending time with Luigi, the brief letters they exchanged, and the recent discussion they had and created something...pleasant.

All of his fantasies, the months of actually being together with Luigi had come true.

But it was only that, a dream in his head, mocking him of what could never be. Nothing about it would ever come true. Yes, Luigi had forgiven him, but that would only go so far. Logically the Mushroom Kingdom would turn their noses away from him if they discovered the truth about his feelings. They would either laugh, or run in terror. Because someone like Bowser was not worthy of true forgiveness. Not that he could really blame them. He was a monster who had committed horrible crimes after all.

Not unless he changed for good. That was the key to earning the kingdom-and by proxy, everyone else's trust. It would be a difficult task. Being nice was hard enough, let alone being humble and kind like Luigi told him. Sure, he doted over his kids, but being nice to a bunch of wimpy Toads? It was a little nauseating to think about. It was even worse thinking about being nice to Mario.

Then he thought back to Luigi. It would be worth it for him at least.

It was as though he was being pulled by an invisible string. The tug of the string telling him to ignore the urge to change, to pull back. It would be betraying everything he had learnt since the day he hatched. He was supposed to be loathed, not admired.

Maybe he didn't have to be completely nice to everyone. Just...cordial. Like any ruler should. Surely that would make a suitable compromise.

He decided not to worry about that. Instead, he retreated to the deepest, darkest part of his castle; where his hoard was. His hoard was a special place. Everyone in his kingdom knew about it, but it was forbidden for just anyone to visit. It was where he kept his most prized gems, jewels, and possessions over the years, some were even passed down to him from previous generations of koopas.

And it was right where he was going to put away Luigi's letter. In a secret spot where nobody would dare find it.

In a way, it was perfect. Perhaps him staring at it last night was what made him dream of Luigi. If he didn't have it nearby, it wouldn't happen again. But it would still be hidden.

As he lowered the folded paper above a small mountain of crystals, a croaky voice spoke up.

"Admiring your hoard I see?"

"Rargh!" Bowser spun around and shoved the cave doors behind him. "Kamek! Stop doing that!" he hissed. "You're so creepy and annoying."

"Apologies, your jumpiness, I never meant to scare you."

"Scare me? Pah!" He scoffed. "That's a laugh. Nothing scares me!" Narrowing his eyes, he stared at Kamek suspiciously. "What are you doing down here anyway?"

"I came to check on you. You hardly ate today."

"I'm fine," He lied.

"It isn't my place to impose, but I do care about your wellbeing," he continued, softer this time. "If you need anything, I will always be here to advise you."

"You can't advise me on everything..." He grumbled.

"What could you possibly mean by-" Kamek stopped himself. "Oh no."

"Don't say it," Bowser gritted his teeth. "I already know. You already know too! I...was thinking about him."

"Ugh, I mean no disrespect to your flusteredness, but you think about him more than you ever did about Peach," He said. "And you act even more foolish."

Bowser glowered at him dangerously.

Kamek had grown used to this reaction by now, and chose not to address it. "And ...I hate to say it, but I do believe it will end the same way as Peach. You're the ruler of the Dark Lands. Your legacy is built upon being dastardly, while Luigi is...soft and gentle. Too gentle."

"That's what draws me to him," He said under his breath.

"You would have to throw that whole part of you away to be ..." Kamek cringed. "Nice and caring towards others. Besides we tried to bring him to you and you yelled at us for that!"

"Because you kidnapped him!" He snapped. "If it didn't work for Peach, obviously it wouldn't work for him. I want him to like me...for me. Not by force."

He dismissed Kamek at once afterwards and left his hoard be. With all these forces against him Bowser did not bother wasting his time dawdling in the castle, stressing and stomping in defiance wondering what to do. Instead he took a walk. The kids were cared for, and so were his subjects. He just needed fresh air.

His walk let him move around the Dark Kingdom, towards a nearby warp pipe. He had not realized he had walked farther than he thought, let alone inside said pipe, but he did not turn back. He kept moving. At some point, he ended up at the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Of all places..." He muttered to himself. It was odd that he was here just for visiting and not for an invasion. It was so quaint, cutesy and small, the antithesis of his perfect kingdom.

Toad Toad was to the right. He figured Luigi lived there, but he did not want to intrude. Mostly he didn't want to deal with Mario, who still annoyed him to no end. Not because he was actively fighting him, but because he jumped to conclusions and interrupted his conversation with Luigi. Had the red plumber simply listen for one second, they wouldn't have even had to fight on the night of the ball.

Not that he really helped matters. Bowser had defended himself since Mario came running with fireballs blasting in his direction, but that didn't really excuse any of his other crimes. Bowser hated to admit it, but he definitely looked suspicious standing next to Luigi by the castle. He probably assumed his brother was being abducted-which was only half true.

Redeeming himself would be hard work. Hard work that Bowser was definitely not looking forward to. Sure, he would do it for Luigi and Peach, but for everyone else? It was beyond exhausting trying to be nice. Not to mention, most of the residents of the Mushroom Kingdom wouldn't accept an apology from him. He had tried to marry Peach against her will and destroy their kingdom if she refused. He was irredeemable in their eyes.

And Peach...how could he have been so dumb to believe she would ever love him? For the longest time, he believed they would be the perfect pair. He was a handsome, smart, king, and she was a beautiful princess. Truly they were a match made in the Overthere. But were they? He had only pursued her as an added bonus, not because he truly appreciated her. It was selfish. It was hateful.

Which was why she deserved an apology too. There was a good chance she would accept it, and they could start over.

He couldn't keep going like this. He couldn't keep fighting himself, forcing himself to be the monster he was taught-no, expected to be.

He would do better. If not for himself, but for the kids. They needed a father who had some agency in his life.

His eyes flickered back to the castle. There was another chance she would scoff at him, or worse, not believe he was trying to change

"It might be worth a shot," He muttered.

With moonlight shining over a stream leading to the moat, Bowser took a deep breath and stepped towards it.

He had to find Peach.

Paperwork. That was all Peach could see in front of her. Pages and pages and pages of paperwork. And it wasn't even important! It was all trivial matters, nothing that benefited any of the kingdoms involved, let alone her own. But Toadsworth insisted it was important, so shortly after go karting with her friends, she was forced away to work on it.

She knew it would be a poor look as princess to ignore such work, so she did as she was told. Being a royal was less glamorous than most realized. With a swish of her pen, she dipped it into the ink pot and started writing certain agreements to documents. If she started small, she could finish it by the end of the evening.

That is if she could stop getting distracted. So far she had yet to write anything, and instead opted to fix her hair, stare at the clock, and huff loudly whenever she could.

To her luck-or not, the doors to her study burst open, and behind it was Toad, panting. He dragged himself forward, only to collapse dramatically.

"Toad!" She stood up, grateful for an interruption but worried for her friend. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, Princess, it's terrible! Dreadful! We're all gonna die! Maybe! I don't know!" Toad shrieked, his voice muffled from lying face flat on the floor.

Carefully she helped him to his feet. "Slow down. What's going on?"

"Give me a second, I ran up an entire flight of steps and karate chopped any guards in my way," He replied, still barely huffing. "Do you think I could have a drink of water?" Once she had given him his glass, he gulped it down. "Okay, now I'm ready..."

"I'm all yours. What's up?"

Now he was back into hysterics, screeching out, "Bowser is here!"

Peach looked alarmed. "Bowser?"

"He's standing outside with some guards. Waiting for you."

Already that did not sound good. She did know Luigi had confided in her that Bowser was attempting to change, however that did not mean she wasn't suspicious. After all, only a few months prior her kingdom was in peril because of the dangerous koopa king.

She had to tread carefully.

"Why is he here?"

"He asked to talk with you. Uh, actually it was actually more of a demand?"

"It better not be another proposal," She muttered to herself, picking up the closest weapon to her, a pink and silver spear. Though she knew by now it most likely wasn't, if her theory was true. "Is anyone else with him? His army?"

"No, we checked too. He just ...showed up like it was a completely normal thing to do. He isn't acting hostile either, but that could change at any moment! I don't know if the other Toads could handle him if he lost his temper."

"I know."

"Peach," He whispered, his dark eyes shining with fear. "What do we do?"

"I'm going to talk to him."

"WHAT?!"

"I need to see what he wants."

"Isn't he obvious? He's probably planning another attack or...or trying to kidnap you and force you to marry him! Why else would he come here at night?"

Peach opened the door. "If there's anything I know about Bowser, it's that he isn't subtle at all. If he was really planning something, he would make a whole dramatic show of it. Airships and armies..." She paused. "It's out of character."

Unless he was planning something else entirely. Or a surprise ambush.

'Be firm, but still trust Luigi. He might be right. Don't let your guard down.'

Toad scurried after her. "I'm still coming with you though. To protect you! Not that you aren't capable of course. And uh, Mario's a stronger fighter than me."

She smiled. Even if she was in danger and couldn't fight back, she knew Mario would be there in a heartbeat. But she could not deny how admirable Toad was.

"Just in case then," She patted his shoulder, and they shared a brave nod. "Thank you Toad."

He grinned. "No problem."

Several Toad guards were waiting for her. A Blue Toad with glasses stood up straight, ushering his fellow guards to calm themselves. "Princess! Thank goodness you're here. We were waiting for your call."

"Thank you Agaricus," she said. "Open the doors. I'm going to talk to him."

The toads protested loudly, yet they finally obliged with their weapons raised, letting the doors open with a slow creak. Hunched over, was Bowser, looking less threatening and more...apologetic. His flaming red hair was slick back, his eyebrows ruffled, and even his horns seemed to perk downwards. Her guards reacted accordingly by raising their weapons higher, but she held her hand up to stop them.

"Bowser..." She couldn't hide the coldness in her voice. She knew now Luigi had feelings for him, but that didn't mean those feelings were reciprocated. Bowser was still, by the Mushroom Kingdom's terms, a threat, and until he truly proved otherwise she would treat him as such.

"Peach," He replied curtly, equally as uncomfortable. "You look well."

She blinked, then raised an eyebrow. "Still not gonna marry you," she clarified, smirking slightly to let him know she was teasing.

"You made that clear enough. And I meant what I said when I ...you know..."

"When you surrendered?"

"Yeah," He rubbed the back of his neck. "See I'm trying this new thing where I try to not be a jerk? Or at least, less of one."

"Is that so?"

"Hmph!" Toad audible grunted, putting his hands on his hips. "Like that'll ever happen!"

"Listen here you little-" Bowser stopped, as though he was silently reminding himself to tone it down. "I mean...what I've been meaning to talk about is...ugh. Why is this so hard?"

"If you're truly here to talk, without any strings attached, you best say it now," Peach said.

"I'm here to apologize."

Everyone in the room gasped.

Peach's own sapphire eyes widened, and she gestured to her guards to back away. "Can you leave us be for a moment?" The Toads scattered, but remained visible in case. To Bowser, she said: "Did you say apologize?"

He nodded. "I'm sor..." pausing, he frowned. "sooh...sorry? Did I say that right?"

Peach couldn't help but laugh. "You did. Guess you don't apologize much."

"I don't, but I'm practicing!" Bowser defended himself. "Look, I shouldn't have forced you to marry me. Or tried to take over the world and your kingdom. But in my defense, I felt as though I was justified in world conquest."

"Juet a tip, you probably shouldn't justify your terrible actions in an apology," Peach said. "Go on though, this is entertaining."

"There's something else though."

"Oh?"

"I want to negotiate a peace treaty."

Peach looked at him in astonishment. "A peace treaty and an apology? Who are you and what have you done with Bowser?"

"Hey, I think it would benefit both our kingdoms! It wouldn't involve any battles, forced marriages or anything like that. I just want us to coexist in peace."

"No, I totally agree but...I have to ask why would you suggest this now? It seems odd you would do something like this, even after supposedly surrendering." She did not want to pry, but the curiosity was killing her.

"Is there any other reason you're doing this?"

"I do want to change." He said, his voice softer. "I do. But..."

"Is there someone else that makes you want to change?"

For a split second, she thought she saw him nod. "No." He finally said. "I just want to start anew. Do you...forgive me?"

"Perhaps we can discuss this further over tea sometime?" She suggested, not quite answering his question, but still ready to hear him out. "Or coffee if you prefer?"

He grinned. "Coffee sounds great, Peaches. I should get going. My kids are probably wondering where I am."

"You do that." She paused again, watching him leave to his clown car that had now appeared outside her castle. "Wait!"

"Hm?"

"Did you apologize to him too?" She hoped he knew what she meant.

He did not turn around. "Yes..." He croaked. "Yes I did."

"I'm here! I made it!" Mario tumbled into the castle, missing his hat and a shoe. "I heard that Bowser came and...and well, all the question blocks were empty of course so I had to run here without any power ups!"

"It's alright," Peach chuckled, leading him inside.

"I'll have to make a Warp Pipe that leads straight to your castle." He said, embarrassed. "Is it true? Did he come?"

She nodded. "He did. You just missed him."

"And? Did he hurt you? What did he do? I swear, the next time he shows up I'm gonna make ravioli outta him!"

"Mario, please. He just wanted to talk."

"Talk...?" He echoed. "What could he possibly want to talk about?"

"You wouldn't believe it if I told you," She replied, placing her hand on his. "He wanted to negotiate a peace treaty for both our kingdoms."

"I'm not sure I trust him, Princess."

"Which is why I'm waiting it out, and I'm not going to make any hasty decisions just yet."

"It's your call," Mario bit his lip. "I just don't want you, or anyone else getting hurt."

She pressed a light kiss to his cheek. "I promise it'll be alright. I won't let anything happen."