Bowsette: A New Life
Chapter 24
Discussion
"Where did you take the Princess!?" The Chancellor growled at Bowsette. Bowsette, the Mario Brothers, Daisy, and the royal officials all gathered in the meeting room at about noon. "You heard the brothers. I haven't taken Princess Peach." Bowsette yawned. "Oh you'd like us all to think that wouldn't you?" Toadsworth grumbled. "I don't know what kind of game you're playing Bowsette, first kidnapping Peach, then giving her back, then the peace treaty, and now this!"
"Game? Since when have I ever bothered with games?" Bowsette grunted. "I've always been up front about my kidnappings and invasions. I've never had to or wanted to hide what I've been doing. These… things are something new." Bowsette sounded disturbed. Her thoughts kept returning to the Bowser among them and the evil Mario. "Kamek would be able to figure out what's going on, but he's down for the count. Maybe for…" Bowsette's words get caught in her throat.
"This is-a getting us nowhere." Luigi said. His arm would be in a cast for at least a couple days before the healers' magic could fix it completely. "I believe her, Bowsette isn't behind this one." Luigi noted. "Question is, what-a do we do now?" Mario asked. "That-a uh… other me could've taken Peach anywhere. How we-a find…"
Mario started as a lightbulb went off in his head. "Merlon!" Everybody turned to look at Mario. "Merlon? What're you talking about you portly plumber?" Bowsette asked. Mario sighed, he hated how she insulted people so casually. "Merlon is a fortuneteller. He can find anything anywhere and he's always correct." Mario explained. "He's how I found the Star Spirits back when Bowsette took the Star Rod."
Bowsette grunted. "Oh really? I'll… we'll definitely have to pay him a visit then." She tried to cover. 'This Merlon is going to be a problem to anything I plan. I'll need to check him out at least.' Bowsette gave a toothy smile. "I'll-a go see him. By myself." Mario wasn't fooled for a moment. "Oh no you don't! Who is going to er… watch your back with your useless brother laid out?" Subtle Bowsette was not.
"Hey!" Luigi growled. "I'm just pulling your arm Green Stache! Ooh! Better watch which one!" Bowsette cackled. "Bro! Tell-a your new girlfriend to knock it off!" Luigi began. "She's not my girlfriend Luigi!" Mario said flustered. "Bowsette, leave-a him alone!" Bowsette just grins maliciously as the two argue. It's small, but Bowsette took enjoyment in sowing the most discord among the two of them that she pretty much ever had.
"Anyway, I've already sent word to my forces to prepare to be attacked at any time." Bowsette said. That morning Bowsette had sent out several letters. Junior would be in charge until she got back. "My kingdom can handle itself, so I'm going to go find Peach. Nobody kidnaps her but me!" Bowsette snarled. "Whatever these fakes are, they chose the wrong Koopa to mess with." Bowsette swipes a claw into the air. The Toad guards grab their spears and point them at her. "Oh knock it off it you worthless mushroom heads! If I wanted to start slicing Toads up there's only one here that could even try to stop me and you know it."
Grudgingly, the Toad guards lowered their weapons. "She's right." Toadsworth said. "But we're still going to have someone keeping an eye on you." He noted. "Fine then, besides I've already got someone." Bowsette gestures to Mario with a finger. "Very well. Master Mario, see to this Merlon. It's the only lead we've got." Toadsworth admitted. "Now you're finally talking sense old man." Bowsette yawned. "Let's get going Pasta Freak." She gets up from her seat and makes for the door without waiting for any acknowledgement. "Stop calling me-a that…" Mario gets up to follow her with the Toad guards shaking in their boots as they follow closely behind the plumber.
***
The two archrivals soon exit the castle. "Wow, Toads don't know how to sneak around do they?" As Bowsette had easily noticed, despite the agreement Toadsworth had some soldiers following the two around. At least they seem to be keeping their distance for the time being. "They're just-a there to report back on-a us probably." Mario tried to soothe the savage Koopa. "Fine, as long they don't get in our way." Bowsette grunted.
The two left through the main gate. Mario looked to the right of the gate for the familiar house with the spinning roof, but it was gone, replaced with a standard Toad House. "Merlon was-a here during the Star Rod business." Mario said. "Looks like-a he moved out." Bowsette groaned. "Now we have to go looking for the guy who will tell us where to go looking?" Bowsette pouted. "What a waste of time!"
To Mario's surprise, rather than fly into a rage or a rant Bowsette simply shrugged and looked around. The town residents, mostly made up of Toads were looking at the two warily, but Bowsette took no notice or just didn't care. "If we're going to that, first thing's first. Come on Pasta Freak." Bowsette brazenly walked toward several shops in the distance without thought to anything that was in her way. Toads hurriedly scurried out of the way, they'd probably be screaming in terror if it weren't for Mario's presence, but even still they didn't want to be anywhere near the She-Koopa.
Bowsette apparently spotted what she was looking for and stopped near some sort of jewelry store. Suddenly she grabs Mario's arm and drags him into a nearby alley next to it. "Wha?" Mario was too surprised to react. "Listen up plumber." Bowsette idly picked at a gem on her dress as she spoke. The dress was in tatters after recent events, barely managing to preserve the woman's modesty at this point. "I want you to go in there and have the jeweler appraise these." Bowsette tears off one of the many small black gems sewn into her dress, then tears off another.
"Uh?" Mario looks at the woman confused. "Why?" Mario took the half dozen gems Bowsette handed him. "Well duh! I need coins. Don't let those guys take you for a ride either. Each one of those is worth at least 100 coins a pop." Mario looks at Bowsette puzzled. "Why don't-a you just go in there and do it yourself?" Mario asked.
Bowsette gives Mario a casual smack on the head. "Because…" Bowsette rolls her eyes. "They'd probably wouldn't be willing to buy these at all if I were to do it. Even if they did they'd probably be too scared out of their shrooms to do anything less than just give me exorbitant amounts of coins just so I'd go away." Mario was surprised, it was pretty considerate of the Koopa woman. "And why do you-a need the coins?" He asked.
"In case you were too fucking blind to notice, I need a new dress." Bowsette growled. "Unless you're just hoping I tear this thing some more and give you a show?" Teasingly Bowsette rips a bit of her dress almost exposing her breasts. It had the intended effect, making Mario flustered. "N…No I-a don't. Wha-what kinda man do you-a think I-I am?" Mario managed to stammer out. "The same as any other man that likes girls." Bowsette snarked.
"I could-a just buy you a new dress you know." Mario offered. "No way Pasta Freak. I'm K… Queen of the Koopas, I'm royalty! I have my pride. I'm not gonna freeload off you. I may be evil but treating you like a walking ATM? That's just cruel." Bowsette sounded offended enough to make Mario step back. "Okie dokie." Mario turned away from the woman. "Don't-a go anywhere." Bowsette simply waved dismissively and leaned against a wall. "Our shadows would come running for you if I did. Now get going."