A/N: Thank you for reading! Sorry for the long pause, I had some school things I needed to focus on and got distracted! I won't lie, this chapter was also a bit tedious to write/polish. Thank you for reading, regardless! I'm excited to upload more chapters since I have a lot ready to be posted. I also have a few ideas for other Bowser x Peach stories so I'm really excited to start working on other projects too!


Deep, dark water poured out of the haunting statue's eyes as if the marble woman were crying. The cold liquid rippled onto the room's floor in endless waterfalls, pooling towards the tips of Peach and King Koopa's feet in powerful puddles. The two tensed, as if too alarmed with the sudden crashes to even consider running or reacting to it, and instead stared at the hollow eyes seeping with water.

Peach stared curiously, distantly so, as something familiar ran through her, enamored with how the water even pumped out of the statue and why any of this was happening. But her eyes quickly fell to horror as she realized the severity of their situation by the way King Koopa's entire form froze in something she hardly saw outside of the pools of his eyes:

Fear.

The subtle change in his demeanor was enough for her curiosity to smother. She instead tried to reach out to him in worry, only pausing as she felt the chilling water seep into her shoes. Peach lowered her hand and stepped away from the water until her back pressed against the marble stone circle blocking their exit. But, in a matter of seconds, the trickling water crept to her again, sloshing against the wall with a gentle roar. Peach instinctively yelped at the cold water further pushing against her.

Peach's cry broke King Koopa out of his panicked trance, glancing over his shoulder at her with stern alertness. All of the fear that left him motionless was shoved wherever the rest of his unwanted emotions went and he instead turned back to the statue, hardly hesitating to rush towards it. He shoved his hands over the the marble woman's eyes, blocking the falling water with his palms, and grunted at the force of the water. Finally, the loud crashing of liquid paused for a few moments as only a trickle managed to push through his fingers. But, almost instantaneously, before either could sigh in relief, the water's pressure drastically increased and seeped between his claws in thick pulses, pushing him away, and continued pooling into the room even faster.

King Koopa angrily pulled his hands back to his side as soon as he realized he was unable to stop it. He shouted several curses that echoed through the room. In his frustration, he launched his fist at the marble statue with the intent of snapping its head off, but it was made out of the same material as the room: it was unbreakable to him. His foreign curses grew even louder, both out of pain and angered panic. For the first time, it seemed his temper wasn't the solution.

It didn't take long for the rising water to creep up to Peach's knees. The air became sickeningly-sweet from the dark water's humidity as it continued building up. She was frozen in fear, and quite literally frozen from the cold, and her whimpers echoed against the rising water. Before her lips even parted to scream in panic, King Koopa swooped his claws around her waist and snatched her to his side.

Was it out of care or desperation? A mixture of both? She didn't know and, quite frankly, she didn't care.

King Koopa stomped his way through the water, away from the statue, towards the large marble ball blocking their only exit. The water had already reached his knees and began slowing him down, but that only seemed to push his fear-fueled temper even further as he let out an angry roar as he slammed his fist against the stone, somehow expecting it to suddenly give into his rage.

Just like before, it didn't so much as splinter at his force. Instead, she felt his fingers trembling around her.


"You're sure he knows nothin'? Not even somethin' small?"

Pauline was too busy eyeing the messy papers scattered across his office's desk to bother returning Waluigi's intrigued glare. Had he really not cleaned up at all since the last time she had seen him? "Yes, I believe him. He seemed open to tell us everything he knew, but...there wasn't much of value besides sentimental stories. Though i'm assuming you'd rather not hear about his rambles about his love for his daughter."

Waluigi's pinky was deep in his ear as he mustered out small grunts, clearly losing interest the longer she talked. "Lousy father. Somethin's clearly off with that broad, but...eh, I'm not a parent–thank the lord–but I'd be spillin' at the seems if I knew anything that could get 'er back. Though, a decent parent doesn't exactly get his daughter thrown into a kidnapping in the most corrupt kingdom on the map, does he?"

Pauline sighed and crossed her arms. "That's the one thing that threw me off about our conversation. He's a kind old man...he lost his daughter adn everything, but...He mentioned leaving the Mushroom Kingdom because living got too expensive for the two...but...to take a girl who's known to get into trouble to a kingdom full of trouble is almost..."

Waluigi smirked, his interest returning. "Unbelievable? Stupid? Laughable?"

Pauline nervously stuttered over her words. "W-Well, in some ways, yes...but I don't think he would lie to us."

Waluigi's posture stiffened as he leaned towards her. "You don't think he would lie to ya? Let me guess, you don't think anyone would lie to you. 'Specially not some father who seems to love his daughter. Sweetheart, in this line of work, we don't focus on 'thinks'." That got Pauline to look at him, to which he glared back at her. "Forget think. What do you know after talkin' to 'em?"

Pauline curtly turned her nose away from him. "I know he would not lie to us," she corrected with a deep frown, though she was well aware her confidence was resinating from the need to spite him. "His daughter is on the line. We all make stupid choices, don't we? If he knew something, anything, he would tell us. I'm certain he isn't lying."

Oblivious to her stubbornness, her response pleased him. "Thatta girl. That's what I like to hear," the detective purred, bringing a quiet grunt of discomfort out of Pauline as her eyes shot back towards his desk. "I'll believe ya for now."

"Well, what of it, then?" She grunted. "What do we do now that we know we've hit another dead end? I'm assuming you have a plan."

"'Course I do. When have I not had a plan?"

Pauline clenched her jaws and spat through her teeth, "Ten years ago."

Waluigi's face furrowed in impatience, wafting his hand in disinterest at her fury. "Fine, you want a plan? Alright, sweetheart, but you probably won't swallow it well." He leaned towards her with a passionate fire, though angrily so. "Plan number one: We wait for my fella to head down there 'n identify the phantom. Give or take a few weeks. He dies, we find a new guy. That new guy dies? We move on to the next. We go through every god-damn idiot in this kingdom until we find out who this little phantom is. If we get every idiot killed...Well, looks like your dog is going down there as our last resort," Waluigi sourly added with a nod towards where Mario usually sat; he had to skip the meeting, Kamek requesting his help.

His eyes shot back towards Pauline. "Plan number two: In the mean time, or if all the tools I send down there all come up in bodybags, we wait. We wait for sightings, for rumors, for leads, anythin'. I don't exactly have much funding, or stupid men, to get the work done for me..." He leaned back into his chair with a disintrested shrug. "I need the paycheck...hell, I need this case. I'm not exactly paid hourly, alright? But...waitin' may be our only choice. 'Least till another idea pops up." He paused. "That sound passable for you, honey? You look like you've just tasted somethin' sour."

Pauline's eyes were daggers. "I am not your honey. And we are certainly not waiting any longer than we already have."

Waluigi shrugged and leaned back into his chair. "You pay me for my opinions, listen to 'em."

"We don't pay you at all."

"Even more reason for me to do as I please."

Pauline grinded her teeth together. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you're more interested in Peach's safety than the phantom's identity, seeing how serious you're taking this case. I've never seen you so cautious. You're practically tip-toeing on ice to make sure everything turns out perfect. I'd have thought you'd be throwing bodies down there carelessly by now...Or at least trying to squeeze some payments out of me. You and I are both well aware how many koopas are desperate enough to listen to a man like you to put food on their tables. Why haven't you taken the first move yet?"

Waluigi dabbed the tip of his cigar against the edge of his desk. "You and I both know that isn't true," he snickered. "Koopas're stupid but they aren't blind. This case is practically a looming tomb for anyone goin' down there. Your friend is a part of my payday, accordin' to the queen, but her safety is a matter of profit to me an' you know it. She'll have me set for life if I get the dirt she's askin' for. You're just a pawn to help me get there. You know that. You get your friend back, I get my paycheck. We both go home happy."

Pauline's face further soured.

He smirked. "Oh, what did I not tell ya? She's been more up my ass about that girl than the phantom recently. Promised me even more cash for the girl right nextta the phantom's head. I imagine every detective 'round here is pissed with her, havin' us pursue some wench over a legend. It started as a curiosity, askin' me to look into the girl when I can...but now...demands, threats, yadda yadda! I get it! You want the broad! Guessin' it's bad for her image, havin' a human outlive a legend that pushes her so-called fear agenda."

Fear agenda?

"Maybe she wants her head too, now that I think 'bout it...damn, I wish I knew," he groaned with an angry gesture of his hands. "You know how she is with humans, I'm assumin'," he darkly purred with a knowing glare towards his company.

Pauline gripped her purse and abruptly stood up. She turned towards the door. "I don't know what you're talking about," she shakily groaned through clenched teeth.

Her posture stiffened as Waluigi broke out into squeaky laughter as he hit the tip of his knee. He laughed as if her discomfort were the punchline of a clever joke, eyeing her in pure amusement. After her face turned red in what he assumed was anger and she stomped through the door, only then did he stand up, knocking back his chair with a satisfied, cheeky smirk, calling out to her, "oh, c'mon, sweetheart! You just 'gonna ignore everything we've been through together just like that?"


The air was sickeningly sweet: humid and sour, filling their lungs and coating every part of their body with a numbing flush, and the water was sharply-cold. Within a few minutes, the room was nearly filled, lifting King Koopa and Peach towards the ceiling with rough waves and crashes as they desperately kicked their feet, gasping for the small pocket of air they were left with. King Koopa's horns grazed the cavern's ceiling and Peach's cries and whimpers bounced off of the walls.

She gasped and flailed her legs, her body aching in fatigue and her lungs burning from the water. Her eyes had traced every part of the ceiling and walls, looking for an exit or any sign of more air, and he had slammed every part of his body into their prison, but the marble hardly flinched at his force; they were truly, in every way, trapped.

Her panic paused for a moment as she noticed the rage within the beast beside her had fallen to silence, replaced with only the slams of water against the room's walls. Perhaps it was frustration that brought his curses and rhythmic slams of his fists to a hault. Perhaps it was the reality of the situation finally breaking through his rage...perhaps he was simply exhausted. She couldn't tell. His eyes had glazed over and his head hung towards the ceiling, looking up at the stone as his soaked hair wove across his features.

Was he...defeated? Terrified? Worried? That was how she felt, but...did he truly feel the same? Was he capable of such emotions?

She hadn't realized it, but Peach had floated closer to him. Close enough to place her hand on his arm and look deep into his profile, both leaning into him to help stay afloat and to get a better look at him. In an instant, his glowing eyes shot towards her, but this time, she did not startle or even flinch. Even through the cold, his gaze brought a warmth through her.

"It's okay."

His eyes, only for a moment, softened at her hushed words.

"I...I know you're afraid." His eyes narrowed, but she continued. "You'll deny it, but I can see it." Instantly, his face soured and the rage in his eyes returned, contrasting the rare softness she had just seen distantly within him. She quietly laughed but quickly fell to silence as she heard her laughter echo against the water. She shook her head, forcing a small smile, as warm tears flushed her numb cheeks. "It's okay," she quietly repeated. Her voice shook as her hand gripped him tighter. "E-Everything will be okay. You know that, don't you? Because of you...because you're here, I know we'll be okay. Don't you feel it, too?"

...

Peach flinched as King Koopa cursed out in anger, his growl-like roar rippling the water around her. "God damn it!" He yelled before taking a deep breath and plunging into the black water, disappearing into the dark mass. The movement was swift and powerful, like a monster on its way to capture its prey, and propelled her away into the cavern's wall with a small bump. She gasped and clung against the wall.

It was only a matter of seconds before Peach began to panic, left alone after his silhouette sunk deeper and deeper. Her head shook from left to right as she desperately tried to trace the water and find any sign of him, but her concern for him fell to fear for herself, as she felt the tip of her head graze the ceiling, and her chest began to tighten from the water's seeping pressure. How much longer did she have? Minutes? Seconds? Did she even have that?

Is that why he left her? Was he out of time? No...No...why would he–

"Where are you! No—where did you–help!" She cried out shaky, panicked cries for him, anyone, but was only met with the eerie creaking and sloshing of water against the stone walls and her echoed breathing.

She cried out as she felt the familiar tight embrace around her chest as each breath became more labored against the pressuring water. She dragged her nails against the rock ceiling, coating her fingers in gravel and debris to no avail, hoping some exit would mysteriously appear. She pressed her hands against the walls, but just like the ceiling, it did not budge.

Instead, the water seeped up to her chin, and with no other choice, she took a long, deep breath before plunging her head into the dark liquid.

Peach clenched her eyes shut as her face smothered with the chilling water, burning her cheeks and making her ears ring. It crashed against her in waves and sloshes, filling her ears and nose with the rancid water. She couldn't feel her limbs or the tips of her fingers–in fact, she had lost all feeling in her body minutes ago–outside of her painful, rushing heartbeat that pulsed through her with stinging heat. She clamped her hands against her chest and locked her knees in front of her, instinctually sinking into a fetal position, too frozen by the claustrophobic water to do anything other than shut down.

Even so, her mind rattled with frustration, eager to do something–anything–other than wallowing in fear. No, no, Peach, stop being helpless for one moment in your life! You need to...I need to–

Light.

Peach's eyes snapped open as a deep maroon light shone through her eyelids and pulled her out of her panicked trance. A sparkling red aura seeped out around her, radiating from between her hands clamped against her chest, fighting and bursting through her fingers. Her eyes slowly trailed down towards the source of the odd light, seemingly radiating out of her core.

The royal gem.

The small jewel sat in the palms of her hands, glistening with a warm glow that projected a sparkling light through the water. The light was dim, as if whatever was producing it was distant and weak, but just bright enough for her to spread through the water and project its gem-like pattern against the stone walls. If not for the horror of her situation, and her depleting air, she would have paused to admire the beauty.

Though, for a moment, her mind rattled with questions: When had she grabbed it out of her purse? Why was it shining when there weren't any light sources left? Where was–

Boom.

Peach flinched as a ripple of vibration pushed her backwards. A loud crash, though muffled through the water, rumbled around her. Thankfully, her hand seemed frozen around the gem, her fingers petrified around its edges, and didn't flinch out of her grip. Once she collected herself, she instantly knew who was the source of such a boom; only one man was capable of such brute force.

Peach vigorously shook her head and began swimming deeper into the water. She shifted the gem around in her grip, flashing the light in different directions, hoping to somehow find King Koopa through the dark water. But, the more she looked, the more she was met with eerie darkness. While the light had pulled out some hope from deep within her, the gem's light was not bright enough to locate him or see anything other than the cavern's walls or sediment floating throughout the water.

Dizziness crept towards her and the king's crashes began to smother with her consciousness.

Peach shook her head and shoved her hands towards the marble wall, dragging the tips of her fingers against its smooth surface in hopes of finding a crack, a hole, anything that would bend under her slim, fading strength. Knowing the beast who had already exerted himself against that very wall, she knew it was hopeless to bother doing anything but hope. But, remembering the sudden emotion that fueled his last attempt at saving them both, she knew she had to do the same.

But...what could she possibly do without him? Where was he? Had he fainted? It had been a few seconds since his last boom, after all...Surely he needed more air than her...It was becoming harder and harder to think and her worries of him began to splinter into dizziness. Her fingers, too, beginning to feel like lead, began to falter against the stone. If not for her frozen hands locked around the gem, she would have dropped it long ago.

But, all in an instant, her awareness crashed back within her:

Peach gasped, quickly covering her mouth as she released a bit too much of her lingering air, as a wave of hope doubled her adrenaline. Her eyes shook as where her fingers had shakily grazed the marble, a trail of cracks shattered through the stone in deep chips and splinters; as if it were brittle and made of powder, the sediment fluttering towards the bottom of the cavern and through her fingers. This time not bothering to cover her mouth, another gasp of shock released a bubble out of her one more time as the wall continued sinking inward, creating a small crater where her fingers had been.

She snatched her hand away from the wall, stared at her palm in a moment of shocked deliberation, and slammed it back against the marble, buring her fingers further and further into the crumbling marble, melting and dissolving it to its core.


A/N: Thank you again for reading and waiting on the update. See you again soon!