In the days leading up to the visit, Peach was thankful for King Boo revealing the date of it to her ahead of time so she could prepare for it both mentally and physically. She had to write a personal letter to each of the Mario brothers as everyone wears masks, and Peach felt the need to say goodbye to them in ways deeper than was appropriate than seeing them face to face with everyone else. She had to say goodbye to Mario especially, as her feelings were changing, and she was becoming determined to keep her end of the peace keeping agreement even if there was…at least a ten percent chance at this point that he wasn't going to be fair on his end of the deal.
She wasn't stupid, she knew King Boo had an original plan that most likely involved using her…(knowing him as he was before he started being sweeter with her) against the Mario Brothers. But it was most likely backfiring in some way. Whether it was because he seemed to be genuinely falling for her or some other reason entirely she couldn't say. However, KaBoom had been forthright about the tensions in the mansion lately during their warm up card games, as most Boos weren't happy about the sudden change in plans to stop the initial invasion of the Mushroom Kingdom. Thus, it made her wonder if King Boo had originally planned to continue the invasion at some point, but only after she had 'fallen madly in love with him' enough to protect him from her own friends who would oppose his plans.
That was what Bowser initially tried to do before he genuinely fell in love with her, and even when he was openly admitting that fact to her face, his evil King side took priority over her. She was sure the same was going for King Boo…only she was melting the ice in his…probably nonexistent heart, quicker than even he thought.
Still the tension in the mansion from the Boos that didn't agree with her presence had her slightly worried, as it definitely explained why she was picked on so fervently when she first arrived up until fairly recently. Peach decided to write King Boo a letter as well, in case something happened that misunderstandings would occur to cause a break in the peace agreement. A slight twist in her sense of humor decided to write the beginning part of it like a will. "I, Princess Peach Toadstool of sound mind and body… "
Suddenly an explosion sounded from somewhere, shaking the whole mansion, but she ignored it, thinking it was another of KaBoom's prank explosions…until the ground started shaking and simply didn't stop. Then an elevator feeling of going up occurred despite the nonstop tremors, Peach hadn't felt a sensation like this in years. Not since the Star Festival the first time, and when Bowser stole the Star Rod many years before that. She half wondered if that was what was happening now as Bowser had certainly taken his sweet time of his promise to kidnap her. It would be like him to have taken so long just to pull an elaborate stunt like he usually does.
"Peach, my dear! Are you alright?" King Boo knocked on her door suddenly with plenty of concern in his voice.
She tried to secure her unfinished letter, but ultimately gave up for now as she answered him as she rushed to open the door. "Yes, I'm fine, but what's happening?"
"A certain Koopa King that you know all too well has finally figured out that you're all the way out here. Bootiful, Boojiboo, and Boofoon are on their way to help keep you safe here." He told her quickly, but at the sight of her thoughtful eyes and pert lips, he wondered something aloud. "Unless you wanted to come with me to spit in his face or something..." He couldn't help the wicked grin.
Peach snickered as she replied, "Tempting, but no, I'm sure you and your Boos can handle him despite any warnings that I could give that you should never underestimate him." Then she decided to give him an option. "And as an absolute last resort I offer the Mario Brothers support should you need it, but know that if we do have to ask for them, it has to be from both of us in person."
He tilted his head at her curiously, "And in the off chance that I have to ask them by myself?" The mansion stopped shaking here.
She gave him a wry smile as she slowly replied, "You might have to bow as if you were on hands and knees, if you had any, to show sincerity."
King Boo rolled his eyes. "Duly noted, but I thank you for your vote of confidence from earlier." And gave her a little bow.
Peach nodded and watched as he let Bootiful, Boojiboo, and Boofoon pass by their King. Boofoon was carrying a small old fashioned tv with rabbit ear antennas. King Boo hesitated just to look back at the telly in confusion.
"Booscaster is keeping all of us updated from out there, and managed to figure out how to broadcast to the random old televisions all around the mansions in the valley." Boofoon explained.
"Ah, carry on then, and stay safe please!" King Boo called out as he turned to leave.
"You as well!" They all called back.
Boofoon finally got the TV up and running and Booscaster came on the screen doing a field report.
"And it appears that Bowser has indeed lifted the entire mansion into the sky, basement and all, and we're now sitting on his new flying castle, most likely conjured by a wish as we can clearly see a new entity floating next to the Koopa King." The camera turned towards Bowser in his clown copter, Kamek was on his broom on Bowser's right, and on Bowser's left was a golden octopus-like figure floating but sitting criss-cross applesauce.
Only to those that knew of Mario and Luigi's half of the adventure of Fawful's take over would recognize that the figure looked similar to the Star Sage, Chakron, who Bowser only knew as a weird voice that let him teleport all over both his Kingdom and the Mushroom Kingdom.
"One can only assume it is a Djinn of the Lamp, as they are well known, and extremely rare to come across, wish granters. It certainly helps that Lord Bowser appears to be holding an old oil lamp of desert region origins." Booscaster continued off camera, then the camera caught sight of King Boo. "Oh, there's his glorious majesty now, updates when the battle is over, Booscaster signing off." The camera shortly went back to the news casting Boo before cutting the feed and somehow the Mario Brother Plumbing commercial came on.
"Huh, that's an old ad, how'd we even get that all the way out here anyway?" Boofoon asked rhetorically, the others just gave noises of equal confusion and shrugs. Boofoon turned the tv off just in case.
"Booscaster must be joining his Majesty to help power his magic." Boojiboo offered.
"I wonder where Bowser got a Djinn from?" Peach mused allowed.
"If I had to shoot a guess in the dark, I would like to assume his treasure room, from back when he did conquests before the Mario brothers stopped him for the very first time, but with him, who knows honestly." Bootiful supplied for the sake of it.
"Can't believe how short that broadcast was though." Boofoon sighed in defeat, floating upside down again. Peach would've remarked that it was nice to see the brothers again even if it was an extremely old advertisement from before they ended up in the Mushroom Kingdom, however...
Suddenly a loud glass-like crash sounded from down the hall.
"The window! Quick, hide Peach, I'll be the distraction if anyone comes in." Boofoon whispered as he floated over Peach's bed.
Bootiful and Boojiboo didn't have to be told twice as they both collectively turned Peach invisible after giving her the quick rundown of how the invisibility worked. So long as she didn't move, she couldn't be seen nor felt if they got close and happened to walk through them.
"MAMA PEACH!"
"Lord Junior, please!" Ludwig tried to shush in a harsh whisper. "This is a recon mission in completely unfamiliar enemy territory, we don't know how many Boos he's sparing to keep her safe from kidnapping so we need to be quiet!"
"Ugh, fine but you're not really being quiet either, Ludwig." Bowser Jr. complained.
"Why you…" Ludwig practically gasped in offense.
"Let it go, Ludo."Larry consoled his eldest sibling, before addressing Bowser Jr. "Hey, Lord Junior, just try to sniff her out like your dad does, okay?"
"Oh my stars, I know what to do already, get off my shell will ya?!" Junior whined loudly.
Of course the whole conversation was loud actually, even Ludwig's harsh whispers. Which in turn bought Peach more time to hide, as the pinkish Boo sisters decided to warp her to a random couch that King Boo had decided would look good in this one specific hallway on the ground floor of the mansion, and promptly turned her invisible again.
Meanwhile King Boo had his nubby hands full dealing with Bowser…diplomatically at the moment.
"BOO! YOU GOT SOME NERVE KIDNAPPING PEACH FROM UNDER MY NOSE!" Bowser roared more for the sake of the distance than anger, but he was still pretty angry.
"Au contraire! She came willingly as per our agreement which she's honoring as we speak! The entire fact that you have any interest in our dear princess at all is entirely a coincidence!" King Boo countered smugly.
"You blackmailed her, you marshmallow jerk! That's something I would have done!" Bowser shot back.
"Ah, but you didn't! Also kindly remove your eyesore of a castle from underneath my mansion, I'd hate to actually have to call upon the Mario Brothers for the plumbing problems you've just undoubtedly caused!"
"Funny! Since you've been avoiding them like the plague! They might end up making their way here once they hear of my presence in the area! You might as well give her up while you have the chance, Boo!"
"While you hide behind your new plaything? I think not." King Boo chastised with a click of his tongue. "Now I'll ask nicely one more time before doing something about it myself: Please undo your wish of a new castle or I'll have it blown up!"
"Not unless you give her to me, Boo!" Bowser retorted.
"Then we are at an impasse! One in which by action alone you have already declared war! So be it!" King Boo declared, and would have war cried a charge if not for the very sneaky tactic he let one of his Boos be known for, instead of 'charge' he yelled, "KABOOM!"
Bowser's already cold blood turned to ice as a Boo in a cowboy hat and vest appeared with a TNT box switch. KaBoom was the name of a Boo they had no choice but to transfer out of the army due to the little fella playing with the Bob-ombs too much, and causing more damage than was necessary. Bowser forgot that he let King Boo have him back when they were still politically friends.
KaBoom the Boo pressed down on his switch and the sound of explosions from the far back of the ranks behind Bowser sounded. He didn't dare turn around as it slowly got closer. The wicked smiles on all the enemy Boos in front of him told him everything, reading King Boo's lips congratulating KaBoom with a "Good show!"
"I knew we should have kept him on!" Kamek berated himself, most likely over the cowboy's explosive tactic prowess. Sometimes folks are just built differently, he guessed, and whatever they were really good at really could be used for greatness.
Then King Boo twinged at something, and glanced at the mansion. Uh-oh, the jig might be up on that round too, must've sensed that the Koopalings and his son were all up in the mansion looking for Peach. Bowser watched as King Boo's face contorted dangerously, delirious even as he slowly turned back to face the Koopa King.
"How DARE YOU!" King Boo roared, storm clouds picking up with lightning clashing suddenly around them. "CHARGE!" Firing a blue fire ball out of his mouth, Bowser retaliated by spitting out a fireball of his own making the blue and red fireballs clash.
Bowser didn't bring the Boo Corps of his army, he knew of King Boo's power being stronger with the presence of more Boos. And an Atomic Boo was on King Boo's side, Bowser couldn't help but wonder if a Boo tactician could've helped any, but he mostly took paratroopas of various shell types and magikoopas. The explosions were still happening and getting closer, and Bowser's patience in getting Peach was getting thin.
"ATTACK IF YOU'RE ABLE! FALL BACK IF YOU CAN'T!" Bowser roared to his troops, before calling to Kamek who cast a spell at the both of them so as far as anyone could tell right away, the Koopa King and his head mage and advisor were still fighting in the battle.
However KaBoom noticed movement below him as he didn't charge as fast as he was technically ordered to. He was already glad that he did fall back to catch the sneakiness of his former king who had gone invisible with Kamek while copied images fought in the battle for them up above.
"No ya don't, ya varmint." KaBoom whispered to himself as he pulled out a slingshot with potent little firework bullets. He fired a small round of about three in one shot, and it found purchase at the duo's backs startling them nearly out of their shells.
Bowser swore under his breath, Kamek was more surprised that they had been spotted at all, finding it completely ironic that it was the very Boo they let out of their ranks. Kamek whispered to his king to continue his search for the princess while he held the bomb wielding Boo at bay. Bowser did not need to be told twice as he ditched his clown car and crashed into the mansion.
KaBoom swore under his nonexistent breath as he remembered that Lord Bowser was capable of finding Peach no matter where she hid because he could smell her perfume from miles away. He needed to get past the head Magikoopa.
"I humbly apologize for not utilizing your abilities with explosives while you were in our army." Kamek started, trying to distract and stall for time.
"I 'ppreciate the sentiment, but I never always agreed with how y'all treated her at times anyway, so honestly it was fer the best! Besides, at least she's finally settling down with a King." KaBoom replied, the last sentence said rather cheekily.
"Be grateful you're dealing with me and not Lord Bowser!" Kamek warned sternly as he finally decided to lob a typical attack spell at the cowboy Boo.
"Well aware!" KaBoom shrilled in a war cry as he brought out a bomb from his hammer space and lobbed it at the spell, bringing out another one to lob it at him directly as he passed by the Magikoopa to follow the Koopa King.
The second bomb hit the broom more than Kamek himself, sturdy as Kamek's trusty broom was, it was no match against a bomb at such close range. Thankfully he was well versed in many spells and a simple spell of a levitation variant kept him from completely careening to the top of the wish made Bowser's Castle head.
Bowser inhaled through his nose deeply, easily picking up on Peach's scent throughout the mansion, it was fainter in most places and from where he was it was mostly centered around one room in particular, must be her room in this place. He started there with a quick pace knowing that he was still being followed.
Huh, her room was the first on the right of the atrium stairs, poor thing must've been too scared to pick any place else. He knew to not expect her to be there, they would've teleported her somewhere safer entirely, but he certainly didn't expect a Boo floating upside down hovering over her bed.
The Boo turned to him with a typical spooky Boo jumpscare face, but because it wasn't already facing him when he opened the door, it just didn't have the desired effect. So Bowser looked at the Boo with a deadpan expression.
"Eh, worth a shot. Here, she wanted you to have this." The Boo suddenly held up a letter with his name on it. Bowser took it, but the weird upside-down floating Boo continued, "I'd tell you to open it now but if those explosions out there mean KaBoom's on your tail, well…good luck!"
"Thanks." Bowser replied in his usual gruffness, and tucked the letter into his shell and ventured back off down the hall and down the stairs following other scents that seemed more recent.
He only tripped after feeling more quakes from explosions and hearing various Koopalings shriek as they seemed to be blown out windows from outer hallways. Of course that little cowboy Boo rigged up the whole mansion, minor enough to not do any property damage but effective enough to boot out intruders in case of an emergency.
Bowser focused on her fruity, flowery perfume, a favorite of his, if only because it was what he identified her with, he would never admit that he hated when she was forced to change it up over the years because the brand canceled that particular scent. Regardless, it led him to a hallway with a random but elegant looking couch. Her scent was all over it, and there wasn't an exit trail further down this hallway, she was here.
"There you are~." He practically sang with a sigh of relief. He reached a claw out to magically grab where she was (to be able to grab her since Boo magic was tricky like that), but then she leaped out of the couch followed by two pinkish and definitely girly Boos wearing bracelets on mirrored arms.
"Sorry but I'm staying!" She yelled over her shoulder and darted down the hallway that her scent wasn't down (from Bowser's perspective).
"Too bad! The whole mansion's surrounded by my new castle and minions, toots!" Bowser roared after her, giving her a five second head start before bounding after her in his thunderous steps. His momentum making him run and bump into the walls of the hallways as she kept making turns.
"Master, if I may…" came a voice that Bowser physically ignored but vocally acknowledged.
"If you have the gall to try and tell me to give up the chase just 'cause we have the whole place surrounded, you got another thing comin', Jin!"
"Right…terribly sorry, Master, forget I said anything, and carry on then!" Jin the Djinn wished him luck and went back into the lamp.
Bowser huffed smoke out his nostrils in exasperation as he continued his chase, beginning to catch up as she ran out of steam.
"NO YA DON'T, MAJESTY!" Suddenly belted a cowboy Boo with a jack in the box popped out a thick boxing glove, right into Bowser's kisser.
It certainly bopped him back a bit because of the physics of his momentum and how strong the sudden punch was to knock Bowser back.
Peach breathed a sigh of slight relief as she heard KaBoom's voice, and Bowser yelped along with his thunderous thud of impact with the ground. Bootiful and Boojiboo thought it was best to finally try and teleport Peach again, somewhere a little farther away, like say the attic in a random safari room, where exotic animal pelts, and rugs and taxidermy sculptures resided amongst 1930s looking furniture. Peach lay on the couch there, all too happy to finally catch her breath.
For now at least, she wasn't the only one who needed to gather her bearings.