Chapter 2: Welcome Home

While there was no holiday or birthday celebration today, that didn't stop the Toads from decorating the main entrance of the castle for the return of their Princess.

Streamers hung around the walls, snacks of mushrooms prepared in various styles were spread out, a few Toads were playing calm music with a piano and violin, and every inch of the room was cleared of dust and other filth.

"I miss her too, but don't you think this is going overboard?" Mario asks one of the Toads as he examines a mushroom dipped in maple syrup.

"Don't worry, Mario." the Toad said to the hero. "Princess Peach always appreciate our efforts to make her happy."

"She even helps to clean afterwards. Always insists." Another toad spoke as he carried a chair away.

"Please and thank you, I can handle it, you should see a doctor, you name it she said it." A third toad came, bringing in more mushroom food such as the Maple Shroom Mario looked at, and a few others such as a Mushroom prepared as a steak and even cake ….. That also has a mushroom on it."

Mario shook his head at all the mushroom themed food. "Peach really needs more in her diet." He said to himself before turning back to the toad. "Never realized how much of a sweetheart she is."

"That would make a lot of sense." Then our main Toad came back with Luigi holding a yellow mushroom in his hand. "When you met her; she was all heroic, brave, and fight-y!" Toad punched the air. "When was the last time you two hung out without the drama?"

Mario thought back about the field of Fire Flowers, after the final battle, and a few times while they were free. "Not much actually."

"Well don't sweat it, Bro." Luigi as he took a bite out of the yellow mushroom. "She won't be back talking with our world leaders for a while." Luigi walked next to Mario. "Sure she'll be busy with her Kingdom stuff, but we're all free on weekends. We can hang out, chat, and even play some sports like she mentioned." Luigi was about to pat Mario's back. "I still didn't try that obstacle cou-"

ZAP

Right when Luigi toughed Mario, somehow Mario felt a jolt of electricity in his body.

"Mario!" Luigi yelped as Mario jumped back. "What hap-" As Luigi touched Mario again, the older brother was shocked again."

"Hold it right there, Luigi!" Toad examined the shroom in Luigi's hand. "That's your problem."

Luigi looked at the mushroom he was eating as Mario shook his head.

"Huh." Luigi sheepishly smiled. "I guess that's why it has 'volt' in its name." Luigi stepped back and held out his hand. "Thunder!"

In a panic, Mario rushed to the nearest mirror to look at himself. "Mamma Mia!" Was all he could say after seeing himself.

Hair sticking up, check.

Smoke coming out of his ears, check.

Doesn't look good for Peach's arrival, double check.

"I can't have Peach seeing me like this!" He quickly glanced around. "Where's the nearest bathroom?"

"No time!" Spoke a Toad coming through the main door. "I just saw her coming out of the pipe, she's on her way!"

After a quick rundown of everything, everyone quickly hid as a Toad shut the lights out, despite Mario trying to make himself look presentable.

"Shhhh, she'll think it's fine." Luigi whispered as he tried brushing Mario's mustache right before the lights shut off.

The guests waited patiently as they heard mumbling from the other side of the door. As soon as the door swung open, the lights turned on and everyone jumped out!

"Welcome home, Princess Pe-"

But upon seeing the lovely princess, they see that they're not greeting a cheerful and sweet girl. Instead what they saw before them was a sleep deprived, mess of a hair, red-shot eyes, stressed Princess.

"Those …. Those stupid, cowardly, corrupt!" Peach nearly yelled out as she marched toward the building. "I was this close, THIS CLOSE to complimenting Bowser!" Peach stopped and looked around the decorated room. "Why can't those fools be as sweet as all you!? Look at this!" She marched to the prepared food. "You all did this from the bottom of your hearts. But apparently all the Earth leaders want is just coins and votes. What kind of votes? Whatever makes them look good!"

She took a bite out of a shroom. "Delicious!"

She made her way to the brothers. "You….."

Mario and Luigi gulped.

"You ….. Wonderful heroes!" While still stressed beyond belief, she pulled the two in for a hug. "I had no idea how miraculous it was for me to suggest you move into my Kingdom! Who knows when that blue-fire breathing dinosaur will destroy your city!"

"Uhhhh?"

"That might have been a metaphor for something, I don't know!" Peach walked away from Mario and Luigi and climbed up the stairs. "And to not waste all this. I hereby order you all to enjoy yourselves while I fall asleep early. Goodnight!"

She marched out of the room, leaving her faithful subjects silent.

"I'm sorry you all had to hear that." Then the General Toad came in. "Master Mario, when you informed the Princess of how 'difficult' it would be with the rulers of your world, she didn't take it as seriously as she would have Cranky Kong or Bowser.

Speaking of.

"You know, if you let me out, I'll enslave all those that annoyed her." shouted the high-pitched voice of Boswer from somewhere down the hall.

"Well don't you all worry." Toad said to the general. "Our hero Mario will calm our Princess's mind, right?"

"Nope."

"See, he'll …. What?!" Toad and the others glanced at the brothers who both seemed calm.

"Believe us, we want her happy too." Luigi said as he finished Mario's looks. "But our mother taught us about this."

After the finishing touches, Mario spoke up. "Men and women can handle stress differently. When it comes to something like that."

Then both brothers spoke in union. "Don't touch the stove while it's hot."

"Interesting." Toad pondered. "But what if she gets both angry and sad?"

"That's complicated." Luigi said. "I'm sure our mother would know what to say, but thankfully Peach is just mad mad."

Mario picked up a Mushroom steak. "I say we do as she said. Celebrate and eat this food as quietly as possible." Mario took a bite out of the Mushroom steak. "I think this is better?"

And so the Toads followed and had a pleasant and peaceful time eating food and enjoying the calm and relaxing music.

After the celebration, the Marios contributed in cleaning up and making sure there were leftovers for Peach.

As the two brothers walked home, Luigi spoke to his brother. "So you think the Princess will be alright?"

Mario rubbed his head. "When it comes with politics, I'm clueless. Who knows what they were talking about." Mario glanced around the night sky shining down on Toad Town, where only a few citizens walked around as the light of the houses turned off one by one. "We might be getting a lot of bigshot visitors."

"That's why we're setting up the big pipe." Luigi smiled. "Along with the tourist center, hotel, and the guard house. But boy would those tickets sell out."

The General didn't reveal everything to the brothers for confidential reasons, but he did shed light upon how many visitors the Kingdom can have, at what seasons, the works.

"At least our family and friends get a free trip as long as they're with us." Mario and Luigi reached their home. "They've only been here once to help move in."

Mario opened the door and the two walked in and rewind. "We can plan a day for visits, heck. Even invite Peach to one of our family dinners."

Luigi was excited about the idea. "The second she tastes mom's cooking, she'll want nothing else."

"And even show her around Brooklyn." Mario scratched his chin. "With bodyguards."

Luigi laughed as he lounged on their sofa. "What can be worse than that Bowser?" Luigi made himself comfortable. "But for now, we'll wait till the stove's cool." He then took out a book and started reading.

"Wait a minute." Mario glanced at the cover. "Dracula? Never seen you reading horror." He said with a proud smile.

"Things change." Luigi smiled, feeling a bit proud of himself as well. "Besides, Peach says this world has ghosts called Boos. If turtle skeletons can walk, I'll believe that."

Mario stretched his back. "I'm going to bed, good night, Luigi."

"Night Mario."

And so the Marios settled in for the night. Joining in on the Mushroom Kingdom for a peaceful sleep.

But not everyone had fallen asleep just yet.

Back at the castle, our Princess was still awake, staring at the quiet town from her bedroom window. Reflecting on everything. She walked away from the window and looked in her mirror to see her drained face. Then to a copy of the newspaper article of the day they saved Brooklyn.

As she looked upon it, a smile slowly showed itself.

"I know just what to do tomorrow."

She placed the photo back and turned her lights off to finally get the good night sleep she deserves and await for the next day.

End of Chapter

A/N: Was planning on making this chapter longer, but decide to save the later for the next chapter.

I want to get this out of the way, I want to make this as close to the movie as possible. I will be adding some familiar faces later, but I don't plan on adding anyone from spinoffs like the RPGs, but that doesn't mean I can't reference them.

Though I have to say this, I'm not planning on adding Toadsworth in. And Yoshi will have no true introduction. You'll see our favorite dino from time to time.