The Airship

He was late.

Larry frantically races out the tower, a stained handkerchief wrapped around his neck. He had slept in late due to an all-nighter of watching movies. Nothing really goes on in the countryside. No uprisings or invading armies. And the citizens do their duties without having to be ordered. So, Larry had been living it up. This morning, he had only woken up due to the smell of food and forced himself out of bed.

Soon he was enjoying a freshly cooked steak as he gazed out the window, realizing it was afternoon. Larry shrugged off his bad sleep habits until one of his servants reminded him what today was. The young lad ran out so fast he flipped the table. Now his legs were hurting but he kept running.

"I can't mess this up!"

King Koopa had given him a new assignment as 'administrator' of the recently conquered Mushroom Kingdom. It was his job to keep the toads in line and report any misbehavior from them. Today he was to oversee the delivery of the Mushroom Kingdom's tribute. And he was supposed to have departed with the load this morning. He is behind schedule. Larry groans out loud as he closes in on his parked airship. Strangely, it was not Bowser's wrath Larry was afraid of incurring.

"Your late." Peach gently admonishes as Larry stops to catch his breath. She was surrounded by toads. "We loaded the tribute on the airship hours ago!"

She then points at his handkerchief.

"You're not even cleaned up, mister."

"Give me a break, Princess Peach!" Larry complains while pulling off the handkerchief. "And I'm in charge here!"

Peach folds her arms as Larry combs through his blue hair.

"I told you staying up late is not healthy."

Larry mumbles under his breath about how she is not his mother. Finally, he throws his claws in the air.

"So, everyone is present? Excellent. I just need to check the goods."

With a huff, Peach hands him a clip board. "I did the count already. Everything meets the standards."

Larry snatches the board and runs onto the airship. "No way! I'm counting! You may not even have all …" He is confronted with endless crates containing watermelons. There is no way he is counting this.

"Forget it. We're late as it is." Larry shrugs with a chuckle. He calls out to the captain to have the anchors lifted and the sails released. Soon, the airship floats into the air as the powerful propellors spin rapidly. Peach and Larry wave to the toads below.

"Have a safe trip! We'll be waiting for you!" Vert calls out.

"Don't worry, we won't be long!" Larry calls out before Peach can answer. Peach turns towards Larry and smiles. Even though he infuriates her with his habit of running from his duties, she has gotten used to his presence. In fact, his laxed nature has benefited Mushroom Kingdom. From what she had heard, some of the other administrators were much harsher to the kingdoms they oversaw.

Captain Toad hung out in the crow's nest of the ship, taking in the sights below. Mushroom Kingdom was no longer in view. This will be the furthest he has ever gone. A storm of thoughts fills his head, what will happen once they reach the Darklands? Will Bowser go back on his word and execute them once they arrive?

Toad was so deep in thought he did not notice Larry swinging himself into the crow's nest. The thump Larry made from landing caught Toad's attention. He was eating a slice of watermelon. Captain Toad becomes indignant, and he tries to seize the half-eaten food away.

"That's for the castle! Bowser's orders were clear! If even one slice is missing …!"

Larry laughs while holding Toad back. "Relax! Bowser has a temper, but he isn't that crazy."

Captain Toad pauses, noticing Larry say Bowser's name with fondness. It was different compared to the other subordinates that said the King's name. Larry most likely is related to him.

"Speaking of Bowser …" Larry grabs a pair of binoculars, looking at an encroaching object. He shouts below. "Princess! The King is here for a visit!"

Peach looked up worried and ran to the side of the ship. A larger airship was approaching. She was supposed to meet him at his castle. Did she do something wrong? Eventually, the ship was parallel with theirs.

Bowser was on the balcony, his foot propped up on it. Next to him stood a tall purple being.

"I told you I would catch up! Larry barely left the border! Bwa ha ha!" Bowser says turning to the being. Peach's anxiety heightens realizing who was with Bowser. Antasma. The man bat looks down at Peach and smiles. He lightly bows his head.

Bowser points at Antasma. "I'm going with Larry; you keep moving towards the Darklands."

"Of course. I won't deviate from the path, Sire." Antasma replies. Peach recognizes the thick accent; it was indeed him. Bowser growls silently and motions that he is watching Antasma. The king then leaps off his ship and lands on Larry's. The ship sways on its side from the impact. Sailors grab the railings to prevent themselves from falling off the ship. Larry and Toad tumble out of the crow's nest, screaming. Fortunately, their fall is cushioned by a crate of watermelons.

"Larry! Toad!" Peach cries out. Peach aims an angry glare as Bowser laughs at their predicament.

"They'll live. It'll toughen them up."

"So, what are you doing here?" Peach challenged.

Bowser chuckles at her usual boldness. "Had to make sure my new favorite vassal didn't get lost."

Peach folds her arms and spins on her heels to avoid his smug smile, her attention now on the other ship moving ahead. Antasma gives her a brief wave before disappearing out of sight.

I hope to talk to him once we reach the other continent.

Covered in fruit, Toad paces up to Peach with a frown. "I'm ready to return home."

Peach gives sympathetic pat on the shoulder as she wipes his face. Bowser shakes his head as Larry approaches.

"This is nice surprise, King Dad! Anything I can get for you?"

"Feed me and we're good, Larry."

Larry taps his chin remembering the menu for today. "I think we're having beef stew for dinner."

Bowser smirks pleased with the response. Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.

"There better not be any carrots in it!"

Larry stared sheepishly to the side remembering he requested large chunks of carrots.

"UHHH…."

As the two went back and forth, Peach stood confused. She was so used to seeing and hearing how power-hungry Bowser was. It seems to be everything to him. But to now observe Bowser discussing something as simple as dinner was odd.

Suddenly, the wind picks up catching Larry's attention.

"We'll be approaching Windmill Kingdom in about three hours."

Bowser growls under his breath.

"Windmill Kingdom, huh? Get the cannons ready, I want to bullet bill that place into the ground. Their queen looked at me funny last month."

"And the madman is back." Peach mumbles.

Larry rubs his head spotting Peach's displeasure. "You want to do that with her here?"

Bowser snorts and glares at Peach. "Larry, does it look like I care what this tree hugger thinks?"

"You're a monster!" Peach shouts indignantly at Bowser's careless disregard for others. Before Bowser can threaten her, a koopa passes through holding a baby koopa.

"We have to adjust the sails, men!" He shouts while rocking his son. Bowser's eyes bug out of their sockets.

"Captain Koopa!? What is that baby doing here!?"

The koopa stops to answer his king. As he does so, the storm picks up rocking the ship. Peach and Toad grab onto a beam, both feeling sick from the rough motions.

"Apologies, Your Magnificence! My wife was sick with mushroom flu back at the tower. I couldn't leave the child at the koopa daycare because that room filled with water."

Peach gasps in horror. Captain Koopa waves his free hand at her.

"Don't worry, no kids were there at the time."

"That's why the showers weren't working today." Larry says with a giggle.

Bowser balls his fists and bends his neck to glare at the captain of the ship.

"You couldn't get the measly toads to watch the brat?"

"My King, with all due respect, I wouldn't dare leave my children with those toads!" The man shivers while clutching his child.

Bowser was reaching the end of his patience. He had wanted to intimidate Peach with his airships. Bowser especially wanted to see Peach's reaction when she sees the Darklands. But this child was making his ship look like a daycare center! Will she think he is a pushover? Bowser looks for Peach's reaction as he points at Captain Koopa.

"He's not going to instantly turn in a peace loving fungus if that's what your…. Hey are you listening!?"

"Please be patient, Sire! I need to go and heat up some milk."

Bowser's face is now turning red. "If this ship crashes because you were … Larry, why did you let this happen?"

Larry throws up his hands. "I'm just finding out about this!"

Peach moves towards the ship's captain. "You need to focus on getting everyone to safety. I'll watch your son. Besides he can't stay up here on deck! Look how upset he is."

The ship's captain hugs his baby, afraid to leave him with Peach due to his prejudices. But the ship's rocking increases and the baby cries. Bowser holds his ears. Peach gently takes the child, hugs it, and speaks soothingly to it. The baby leads into her shoulder responding to her affection. Captain Koopa turns to Larry who simply shrugs.

"Better with her then with me."

"Good point. The milk must be scolding hot!" Captain Koopa calls out before returning to his duties. Peach nods and goes below deck.

All sailors ran around at the captain's orders doing everything to keep on course. While helping Larry move a sail, Toad notices Bowser go below deck. No doubt he intended to bully Peach, but Toad told himself she could handle him.

Bowser found Peach and the baby in the small kitchen. The chef and staff had left to help above deck. She was rubbing the baby's soft-shelled back as it cried. Its cheeks were red from sobbing so much.

"The ship stopped rocking. I know. I know, sweetie. Its been a rough day for you. With all the scary wind. And having to hear that mean man yell at your father." Peach gently whispers to the child. Soon he calms down, his cries now replaced with gurgles. Nearby, a milk bottle was heating up in a pot. Bowser marches up to the pot as Peach frowns.

Bowser turns the flames down. "Trying to burn the ship down eh Peaches? Is this your idea of assassinating me?"

Caught off guard by the nickname, Peach's face flushes.

"Are you serious? I'm not plotting … Please don't touch that!"

Peach rushes up to stop him but Bowser shakes his head at her. "For your information, I've raised several infants on my own. I know how this goes."

Peach rolls her eyes. "Sorry, I thought this would be beneath you."

Bowser tests the temperature of the bottle. "It is. I'm not babysitting for my minions. I just want this brat to stop crying."

He slipped a glove on her hand.

"I wouldn't want you to injure yourself."

Peach mumbles thanks and takes hold of the bottle. She takes a seat on the far side of the kitchen, presenting the milk to the infant. He eagerly drinks the hot substance earning a giggle from Peach. She suddenly feels the King's stare on her. Nervous she looks up and Bowser turns, pretending to be looking at the fridge. Antasma's words echo in the back of her head about Bowser having a crush on her. Despite the way he acts, the koopa seems to make excuses to be around her.

"So, you have raised children. How many do you have?" she asks, hoping to break the awkward silence between them.

Bowser looks out the corner of his eye. "Just a son. A few nephews and a niece. You already met one the nephews, Larry."

"Nephew. Didn't he …"

"I raised him, so I let him call me whatever he wants."

"You need to get on him about his sleeping habits." Peach scolds. Bowser laughs quietly in response.

"It gets old having vassals cower before me. You're a breath of fresh air, Peach." Bowser utters with a smirk. Peach turns her attention back to the infant. The room fills with silence again as Bowser looks intently at Peach. Bowser enjoys the misery he brings to others. But for some reason he also loves to observe Peach's gentleness. It always brought up a warm feeling he enjoyed. He doesn't even notice Larry entering.

"King Dad, we're over Windmill Kingdom! Are we still doing the thing?"

Bowser comes out of his trance and looks at Larry absent mindedly. "Huh?"

"We're bombing that Kingdom remember?"

Peach waits for his confirmation only to notice Bowser's gaze was on her again.

"Forget it. I'll do it later or whatever." Bowser waves him off.

Larry promptly slides out of the room to leave them alone. Peach's face flushes again. Obviously, the king was too distracted with her to worry about tormenting a rebel. After some time had passed, it looked like Bowser wanted to say something to the princess. Then silence was broken with the baby crying.

Groaning, Bowser moves over to pick the child up. His hand is so huge the infant lays comfortably in it. "You're getting a diaper change and you're going to sleep, Mr. Distraction!"

Peach gets up worriedly. Bowser holds the baby up in the air and Peach starts beating on his chest.

"Put him down this instant!"

"Relax, I got him! Unless you want to help?"

"I'm not leaving him alone in your care!"

Bowser chuckles as she retrieves the child. "He's a future soldier of my empire. You're going to turn him into a softie."

Peach frowns wishing she knew the infant's name to use in her retort. "He needs to know he is loved. It meant the world to me when the toads soothed me when I was scared."

Bowser frowns and thinks for a bit. "Do you ever think of your home?"

"Home?"

"Your old home."

Peach contemplates his question. She looks up, noticing Bowser waiting impatiently for a response. "I think of it a lot. Of what it looked like. What my … parents looked like."

"If you knew how, would you go back? To live among the humans?"

Peach notices a shift in his demeanor. Why was he asking all these questions?

"I'm not sure."

A part of Bowser always wondered if she would eventually seek out other humans. The idea of her leaving him caused a sharp pain of jealousy in his heart. A flare involuntarily escaped his mouth.

I shouldn't be mad over that. My concern is her enriching my empire. She can't do that if she leaves. Yeah, that's it.

To mask his feelings Bowser walks over to the fridge. He opens it frowning over the contents of the prepared stew the chefs had stored for dinner.

"Larry!"

"All you have to do is separate the stuff you don't like." Peach chides while approaching him. Bowser turns and lightly pokes the now sleeping infant's cheek in her arms.

"I'll just have him eat it."

Peach shakes her head and smiles causing Bowser's face to light up. He meets her gaze with an earnest look.

Maybe Bowser is not fully aware of it or unwilling to accept it, but he wants my approval. It's obvious now.

Peach doesn't know what to do with this information. She isn't familiar with romantic love, nor does she want to explore it with a tyrant. But for now, Peach is glad Bowser is focused on her instead of any terror activities he had planned for the trip.