Vicissitude

by Cyndi

Bowser learns he is dying as Junior prepares for his wedding and his future. This is a story about life, death and legacies. (Sequel to Liminal Lacuna)

8. Chapter 8

Home wasn't a building. Buildings were places. People, memories and personal touches transfigured a building into a home. Junior found that out when he saw his new castle furnished and buzzing with people for the first time.

The Koopa-Toadstool Castle, colloquially known as the KTC, revealed the marvel of two kingdoms working together.

A spiky black lower bailey of Koopa design surrounded the bottom of the hill, while a rounded white marble upper bailey created by Toads encircled the keep.

Funny, they matched Wolfgang and Aretha's scales almost perfectly.

Poles set atop all the castle turrets flashed red and white lights for air traffic.

Junior liked the barbican because it was sculpted like his face. People entering had to pass through his toothed maw. It pointed due south.

Anyone silly enough to enter uninvited had to climb up three hundred feet of steep hill to reach the second wall surrounding the keep.

Of course, invited guests were privy to a warp pipe in the ground that took them straight to the castle entrance. They had to know where to look and have the password to get in, and temporary guests were granted a password that only worked as long as they stayed.

Bowser was no fool, he didn't leave the castle defenseless. Both baileys sported Piranha Plants, Chain-Chomps, Bullet Bills and Bullseye Bills. Tunnels and hidden passageways in the walls gave the troops access to outside if the need to fight arose.

The courtyard boasted a fountain housing stone replicas of Bowser and Peach's grave statues. They greeted visitors from atop a circular platform through which water poured out like a waterfall into the round basin below to create pleasant white noise.

Trees, shrubs, grass and flowers grew everywhere on the courtyard. Cherry asked for a hedge maze like she had at her childhood home, and she got it. The whole northeast side became a great hide-and-seek spot. In the spring, the hedges would sprout wild sour green crab apples for people to munch on.

Playground equipment dotted the courtyard. Slides, swings, seesaws, rocking chairs and spinners. Morton jumped on all of it. At nine hundred pounds, he was the heaviest member of Junior's family. If it could survive Morton crashing through, it could survive anything.

Cherry designed a training course almost identical to what she had at the Mushroom Castle. It emerged from a fake boulder pile instead of water, the 'catch' at the bottom opened like a giant foam funnel to return whoever missed to the start again, and reaching it required a trip through a clear warp pipe.

She wanted it safe, so it had easy, medium and hard settings that brought the floating pieces closer together or further apart.

Junior raced Cherry on it the first time they examined the castle. She reached the goal pole first. He stumbled on a donut block and leapt onto it a minute after she did.

"I'm coming in like a wrecking ball!" Junior screamed at the top of his lungs while Cherry laughed so hard she had to sit down.

The castle itself showed how two kingdoms combined. Gray and white bricks gave it a pleasantly mottled appearance. Junior insisted on the conical tower spires being green to match his shell and the flags fiery red like his hair and Cherry's brighter colored dresses.

Four turrets pointed in each cardinal direction. Toads, Hammer Brothers and Koopa Troopas stood as lookouts while Goombas patrolled the perimeters. Lakitu always kept watch from the skies.

The entrance faced south like the Mushroom Castle, something Junior had to get used to. His castle's entryway pointed east.

White marble steps denoted the main castle entrance. Contrasting black strips ran along their edges, making them more visible. Built beside the steps, like sculptures around them, ramps leading upward into the interior.

Grayish-white matching the smoke curling above the volcano covered the entire castle interior. Here and there, tinges of red, brown and green showed through.

When people walked in, the first thing they saw was an enormous gold-framed painting of Cherry and Junior holding hands as they said their wedding vows. No one could mistake the utter, endless love in their eyes.

On the ceiling in front of it, also framed in gold, a painted mural of Bowser and Mario shaking hands. Cherry suggested that as a symbolic way of showing their kingdoms uniting.

The west wall housed Bowser's paintings from the old castle. Junior made sure to keep the big one depicting him in a battle stance with his junk fully extended. People who didn't study Koopa culture were scandalized, and it cracked him up. Some called it pornography— but no, Koopa pornography looked entirely different than depictions of masculinity.

Two blank spots indicated where Junior's paintings would go once he commissioned them.

The east wall housed paintings of Peach from the Mushroom Castle archives. Her side also had two empty spaces for Cherry's future paintings.

Downstairs in the basement levels, the medical ward gleamed with cream-colored hallways and soft blue walls in the non-emergent patient rooms, each still smelling of fresh paint. The floors were glossy white tiles for easy cleaning.

Billie had her office all set up, brandishing her diplomas, her heart shaped desk lamp and her family photos.

The cath lab didn't have a mirrored ceiling. That was too much like the old place. Intensive Care was straight ahead down a long corridor rather than around a corner. Junior asked for the rooms there to be painted pale green, the only thing he liked about the old place. He left the rest to the medical staff to design.

Non-emergent exam rooms made up the east wing, the emergency area was on the western side and the operating rooms, therapy rooms and break rooms were in between. All the offices lived in a corridor to the left of the elevator.

Everything had large print and braille labels for Jack, since he still worked as a nursing consultant. People called him up about their medical issues and he told them whether they should treat it at home, go to a doctor or seek emergency care.

Junior went back upstairs after touring the new medical ward.

Several Toads and Goombas crossed his path with boxes of knick-knacks to go on shelves and bookcases. Roy and Cherry helped direct them.

Under the main entryway staircase leading towards the great hall, a sensory room. Lights on color and dimmer switches, stim toys, weighted blankets, nooks and crannies to curl up in and ear defenders of all sizes waited for neurodivergent visitors who needed a break. Lemmy and Wolfgang had a blast testing it out. Wolfgang played with the colorful fiber optic cables and Lemmy buried himself under a weighted red bean bag chair.

Every public-facing area sported braille signs on silver plaques outlined in white LED lights to guide blind visitors around the castle. Jack helped with the design process to ensure they were readable.

Flatscreen TVs explaining the history of both families and the design choices of the castle had closed captions. Ludwig and Black argued about the font for an entire day before agreeing on white block letters outlined in black was best.

Each staircase featured a ramp or elevator platform. Scott tested those to make sure they weren't too steep or inaccessible. The ramps were awesome. One elevator needed the buttons lowered, but that was easy to fix.

Boom-Boom personally installed several AED devices next to the fire alarm pulls on each level of the castle. They were foolproof, with instructions in pictures, print and braille to guide a user through applying the shock pads. The pads came in small, medium and large and the usage instructions showed which size to use on what kind of body. A toddler could operate it— Aretha and Wolfgang both were able to understand and follow the instructions.

Wolfgang sat by the main entrance, sucking his thumb and watching people trample by. He crawled into the huge brass urn Black left on its side on the floor. Black went to stand it upright and Wolfgang fell the rest of the way in, leaving his feet and tail flailing in the air.

"Uh oh!" Black said aloud, his low-pitched voice echoing off the wall. He upended the urn to help Wolfgang slide out.

Wolfgang shot him the most indignant look possible from a four year old, and his bushy white eyebrows sold it.

"Poop!" He signed dramatically, pulling his thumb out of his closed fist. "Poop! Poop!"

Or maybe he meant shit.

Junior remembered Ludwig teaching him that sign, and he cackled until he couldn't breathe.

Wolfgang put his thumb back into his mouth and scowled again.

"I'm sorry!" Black signed back. He turned away, spotted Junior's mirth and let out the loudest wheeze in history.

Junior had to go upstairs before his laughter created a Koopa pileup in the hallway.

The east wing of the castle was the living space and inaccessible to the public. It housed two living rooms, the dining room, kitchen, a full gym and access to the underground hangar where the Koopa Clown Car resided while not in use.

Junior and Cherry's bedroom was in the Don Jon tower on the northeast side. A door on the east side opened onto a fan-shaped balcony where they could sit in the stone chairs and enjoy the morning sunshine.

Cherry brought red and pink potted roses from Peach's garden. They added a beautiful splash of color and smelled amazing.

A white pipe under the balcony housed Peter, a Piranha Plant Junior named after his favorite childhood books. Peter 'barked' like a dog, snatched birds out of the sky and popped up over the railing occasionally to get petted. Being such a leafy plant, he provided a lot of tea for upset Koopa stomachs.

One of Junior's favorite features in the bedroom was its trap door entrance via the spiral staircase. Nothing looked cooler than coming up through the floor! The sliding hatch triggered metal banisters with a self-closing gate to rise around the opening, so nobody would fall through in the dark.

The enormous bedroom held the darkest gray marble to match the bed, the first thing anybody saw when entering. Cherry dressed it in red and gold and wound a fake vine around the horns. She made it beautiful.

Her wooden vanity dresser sat between two windows, where she had a ton of natural light for her makeup. Junior moved her nail polish around every time she turned her back until she caught him in the act and bonked him with a pillow.

Adjacent to her vanity, the bathroom with its stone shower, a bathtub, two toilets— one platform seat for Junior and a traditional toilet for Cherry— and two sinks. She insisted on an exhaust fan, so he got the quietest one he could find.

Junior put his desk by the west wall, right under a window.

One floor down, guest suites for Junior's siblings and other royalty like Mario or Luigi and Daisy to stay in if they visited longer than a day. The rooms were little studio apartments with all the necessary amenities. Junior thought it was hilarious to hang his siblings' baby paintings outside each corresponding door to their suites.

Cherry hung pictures of Peach, Mario, Luigi and Daisy outside the other four guest suites.

An elevator made the tower accessible on all levels to medical staff and Scott, and each door featured a bright red braille plaque for Jack.

Junior's siblings got private warp pipes leading straight to their rooms. His phone pinged anytime they arrived and alerted him if they left.

Gold domes housing CCTV cameras observed all the public areas. More were nestled above always and staircases in the private wings. Only Iggy's suite had cameras inside, but they stayed off unless he dropped in a tonic clonic seizure that triggered them to turn on while his app alerted anyone close by.

Servants jogged around, hanging up tapestries and adjusting furniture. Jack shorelined along a wall with his cane until he located the urns Black set up.

"Lost?" Junior called over the banister.

"Nope!" Jack waved, "I'm learning not to be."

He scanned with his eyes as he walked. His cane clanged against a metal urn as he located all the tactile landmarks to find his way through the castle.

"Watch out. Wolfgang might be hanging around on the floor." Junior called down.

Jack kept going, fingers brushing the braille sign pointing to the stairs. "Thanks for the warning."

Pom-Pom dashed by, putting silk flowers in all the empty vases. Roy snuck up behind her, tapped her shell and kissed her when she spun to face him with armfuls of fake flowers.

They smiled softly at each other and kissed again, slower.

Aretha and Wolfgang did somersaults on a gold and purple rug behind a pillar. Wolfgang kept tumbling over sideways.

"Uncle Ludwig!" Aretha waved as he passed through. "Can you do this?" She ran in front of him and somersaulted with all the clumsiness of a toddler.

"I don't know…whoa, uh, uh-oh!" Ludwig pretended to fall forward, caught himself at the last minute and performed a beautifully graceful somersault. He kept walking after, smirking over his shoulder.

Aretha pointed and laughed. She asked anybody who walked by if they could somersault. Everyone happily entertained her by doing one.

Sienna giggled through hers.

Lemmy performed three in a row.

Iggy went a step further. He stood on his head for a minute and pretended to be stuck that way before completing the forward roll.

Morton's somersault shook the floor. Aretha ran across his belly, laughing.

"It's been awhile since I did one, but…oof!" Roy almost hit the pillar. He laughed when his sunglasses fell off.

Larry did his backwards, just to wow the kids.

Wendy pirouetted before tucking forward into her roll. She curtseyed after.

Scott hopped off his wheelchair, twirled on his leg stumps and somersaulted twice.

Jack took his glasses off and started in a handstand.

Black performed a backflip and they somersaulted past each other in opposite directions.

Wolfgang continued attempting somersaults until he flipped himself properly head over heels. Aretha applauded him. He squealed and flapped his hands as he sat up.

"Lose something?" Cherry joined Junior in leaning on the banister.

"Nope." Junior enveloped her hand in his. "I found it."

She chuckled, pumping her hand in his fist. "Do you know where the chests with my shoes are?"

"I think Sienna had them, or maybe it was Larry. Don't worry, they'll turn up."

"Uncle Junior! Auntie Cherry! Can you somersault?"

Cherry eyed Junior and smiled. They dashed downstairs to do somersaults for Aretha. The purple and gold rug they did it on became The Somersault Rug from that day onward.

Moving was a fun, chaotic mess.

The spaces in the castle Junior marveled at the most were the combined great hall and throne room.

Bowser replicated the Mushroom Castle's great hall, but he did it with Koopa stone construction materials. The rosette window at the north end featured Junior and Cherry holding hands at the center of a colorful sunburst pattern. All the windows along the walls depicted fire flowers, vines, hearts and stars.

Junior's stone gray throne bore spikes like a Koopa shell, and Cherry's white marble one had three red mushrooms arranged in an ornate crown shape.

And the steps leading up to the dais housing both thrones? Clear crystal bricks with faceted edges. Lights at the back gave them a polychromatic glow as one approached. The two elevator platforms on each side were also faceted crystal, and they blended into the decor perfectly.

A gold plaque on the front of the top step marked where Bowser spat on the ground at the beginning of construction. Red aisle runners would cover it most of the time, but Cherry and Junior knew it was there.

The cloistered ceilings housed sculptures of Toads and Koopas frolicking.

A private study branched off the west side of the throne room. It doubled as a war room, a place to receive dignitaries and hold meetings.

But Junior's absolute favorite feature? The one thing he knew his dad left to remind him that he loved him?

Every cornerstone in the castle had a painted bass relief of a winged blue shell.

.o

A gruff, no-nonsense Toad introduced himself to Junior as the castle Chief of Security.

"My name is Otoado and I'm running this place," said the one known as Otoado. "And if you're staring at my eyes, I have a genetic mutation that runs in my family. I see fine."

Nobody could miss him— the vivid electric blue eyes made him stand out in a crowd of other Toads. His mushroom cap was dark brown with tan speckles, matching his dark brown vest, shoes and tan pants.

"Nice to meet you, Otoado," Junior knelt to shake his hand.

Otoado gave a firm handshake, even if all he grasped was the tip of his claw. "It's pronounced o-TOAD-o."

Junior slow-blinked. "Isn't that what I said?"

"The emphasis goes on the middle syllable."

"Right, uh, okay, got it. Otoado."

Nodding, Otoado pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. "Your majesty, do you care if I rearrange my setup to my liking?"

"Not at all. It's your office. Have at it."

"Thank you." Otoado bowed respectfully.

"Otoado, be nice to the king," said another Toad. She wore an outfit in varying shades of red and held her shoulders square in a way that showed her military experience.

Finally, Otoado's poker face cracked into the faintest, softest smile.

"Don't mind the constable over here. He's always like that." She bowed, extended a hand and smiled brilliantly, "I'm major Toadrys, your majesty. Otoado is the brains of the security and I'm the hands."

Junior clapped his hands together, accepted her fingertip handshake and grinned wolfishly. "Excellent! Great to meet you two."

All Toad security guards wore brown outfits similar to Otoado. They operated in pairs with Koopa Troopa castle guards to ensure everything remained safe.

Billie taking over as head of the medical ward meant more medical staff coming from her practice.

Junior needed the full staff, especially after some of his dad's nurses moved on.

Celine retired because of her advanced age and her painful knees. Josh took a job in Koopa Central Pediatric Hospital working with Larry. Elton got floated to Koopa Southern, a hospital desperately needing nurses. Freddie went wherever he was called to. Stevie and Judy stayed around, though they were getting on in years and planning their retirements.

Junior missed their familiar faces, yet he kept a stiff upper lip about it and didn't hesitate to meet the people BIllie brought along.

Like George and Michael, a mischievous pair of Fire Brothers. They were easy to tell apart— George hatched without a left eye and wore a white eye patch to cover the empty socket, and Michael's fangs poked out when he smiled.

Then came Peter and Gabriel, the Hammer Brother twins so identical that nearly everybody confused them for each other, even people who knew them for years. Gabriel's shell was slightly darker green than his brother's, but the difference only became noticeable if they stood together in a space. They made up for it by wearing name badges.

And Israel, the big, shy, soft-spoken Sumo Brother whose hands were as gentle as his demeanor. Junior watched him cradle Aretha while she got her vaccinations. She never cried once.

Even Wolfgang took to him on the first meeting, and Wolfgang used to flee from anybody medical. Israel comforted him through getting his shots. Wolfgang only screamed a little bit.

Cherry's eyes widened when she met the new group. "You guys were in the choir at Bowser's funeral!"

Junior was too embarrassed to admit he didn't remember them being there. In the haze of grief, only the familiar faces he knew since childhood stuck out to him.

George, Michael, Peter and Gabriel smiled at each other. Israel nodded his head. Michael gave a three count on his fingers.

They broke out into a barber shop quartet version of Landslide, with Israel quietly scatting between verses. Then they traded, giving Israel a chance to sing an absolutely beautiful rendition of Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

Cherry and Junior looked at each other and beamed.

"I like them!" She whispered.

"I used to sing for kids over at KCPH," said Israel.

"They loved us." George grinned, elbowing Michael.

Only one Toad worked on the medical staff so far. Junior met her later. Her name was Hathatoad. She barely stood four feet tall and she wasn't intimidated by all the much taller Koopas everywhere.

"What are you looking at?" Hathatoad remarked upon catching Junior studying her. "I worked for doctor Murphtoad, and he ran a tight floor. So do I."

He smiled. "I knew a nurse like you."

"Hmph."

Her abrasive demeanor didn't bother him. Watching her effect on others, however, cracked him up.

When people saw her white scrubs and red cap with white spots coming, they knew she meant business. If Celine had been a Toad, she would've been Hathatoad.

Still, promises were promises…

"Needle stick in three, two, one!"

Junior winced as Judy pushed the needle into his tail. Dark red blood dribbled into the wide vial in her other hand.

"So glad I trusted you with this." He relaxed his tail to help the blood flow better.

Judy smiled, tightening the yellow ribbon tied around her head. "I remember how you used to scream at needle pokes."

"I remember screaming. Everything is the worst thing ever when you're a kid." He grinned impishly, only half-serious, "Then you grow up and find out there's even worse things than needles in the tail."

"Hm. Indeed. Did you hear about Celine?"

"No, what happened?"

Judy placed a large cotton ball over the spot she poked, withdrew the needle and taped the cotton down. She squirted anticoagulant into the vial as she capped it.

"She had a stroke two days ago. It left her in bad shape."

"Oh, no!" Junior's heart sank into his stomach. "Where is she staying?"

"Koopa Southern."

"Thanks, Judy."

He left before Judy put his blood vial away in storage for his coronation ceremony next week.

.o

Celine was out of her shell. She looked so tiny and frail in the gray hospital bed with a pink gown covering her. The right side of her face sagged as if pulled by immense weight.

Junior sat on the floor by the bed because it was the only way a Koopa his size could get close to her.

Celine's eyes were open, but didn't focus or move.

Pat, who wore the gold heart shaped locket Celine was never seen without, dabbed at her eyes with a tissue.

"It was a huge ischemic stroke. They don't know if she understands anything we say, or if she's aware at all. I keep assuming she's in there and can't tell us yet." She came alongside Junior, her face expressing her exhaustion. "You're supposed to get ready for your coronation."

Junior swatted the air. "Pfft! Celine took care of my dad and I through the worst times of our lives. Prep can wait."

Celine's breathing sped up and slowed again.

He slipped his index finger under her left hand. "Hi, Celine. It's Junior."

No visible reaction. Similar to being around Wolfgang.

"You took care of my dad all the way to the grave, the least I can do is come see you." Junior stroked her fingers with his thumb. "You're a fighter, Celine. I know you can hear me."

Air puffed out of her nose and a small trickle of drool trailed from the corner of her mouth. Pat tenderly wiped it off with a tissue.

"Hey," Junior looked across the bed at Pat. "Don't worry about any cost. I'll cover it."

"Your majesty, you don't—"

"I want to." He smiled softly, laying Celine's hand on the pillow and reaching up to stroke the top of her head. "My dad would do it, and she's worth it."

Pat sniffled and pressed a tissue to her nose. "She'd have a conniption and say you're a fool."

Junior grinned. "I know. I hope it drives her nuts knowing how important she is."

He sobered, smoothing the blankets around Celine's tiny frame. "When my dad had his first heart attack, Celine was the one who explained what all the intensive care equipment did. She made it feel less scary."

Pat chuckled and crossed her arms, the wrinkles around her mouth deepening. "She used to say King Bowser was her most frustrating and fun patient. She considered it an honor to work for him."

"Maybe the royal collar should go on her neck instead of mine." Junior kidded.

Celine exhaled noisily, as if in protest. Or did she try to laugh?

"You could do the job, you're stubborn enough." Junior said to her, smirking. "Queen Celine has a nice ring to it, you know."

No response that time. Maybe she used up all her energy on making that single noise.

"It's okay. Don't worry about answering." He stroked her fingers again, whispering, "I'll let you rest up. Behave yourself."

Pat's gold shell glimmered as she walked him to the hospital room door. "Thank you for coming, your majesty, it means a lot."

"It's no problem." Junior knelt to embrace her. "Don't forget to rest yourself. I know how hard it is."

"I'll try." She nodded, tapered fingers clasping the locket around her neck.

He glanced past her at Celine amid the gray walls. The shiny metal rails on the tiny hospital bed were all too familiar. Tears stung in his eyes as he left the room.

Elton came down the hall wearing silver tinted glasses with gemstone wings sprouting off the frames.

"Prin— um— King J-Junior!" He bowed, flustered by the unscheduled visit, "Here to see Celine?"

"Mmhmm." Junior smiled at Elton stumbling over his title. "Did you just call me King Junior?"

"I-I'm sorry—"

"No. I like that. Call me that." Junior knelt to regard him. "And you don't have to bow. You took care of my dad, and you took care of me. We're family."

Elton's face brightened for a moment. "Now, I'm taking care of Celine."

"How is she doing, really?"

"Not good. The stroke damaged a fist sized area on the left side of her brain. She's eighty-one years old, sire. Pat has her full code, but I don't know if that's wise."

Junior inhaled through his nose. "Celine is a fighter. If she wants to go down fighting, give her that fight."

Elton leaned closer, whispering, "She had the stroke overnight, and Pat found her when she woke up in the morning. That's a long time for a stroke to do damage, and it's still cooking. I hate to say it, but she's not expected to make it to tomorrow."

Junior's heart sank at hearing that. "It's up to the universe now, I guess. But don't give up on her."

"Nope. I'll pump her chest myself if she codes. You have my word."

"Good."

Nurses brushed by, pushing carts of food.

Everyone visiting Celine's room came out with solemn faces, anticipating the worst.

The day wore on and faded into evening.

Night fell.

Morning came again.

When Junior went back to check in, Celine snatched her hand from his grasp and shook an admonishing finger at him for being there. The simple act tired her out enough to fall asleep, but she made her point.

Junior left the hospital with laughter in his heart because she ordered him to get out and focus on his coronation.

.o

The glowing white hands on the gold analog clock by the bed read four in the morning. Sheets of blowing rain beat the southeast windows amid brilliant lightning flashes.

Cherry woke up because of the howling wind. She almost laughed when Junior trudged to the double doors leading outside and tentatively moved the curtain to peer out.

He glistened iridescently thanks to the mud bath and oil treatment he got last night. Unlike Jack and Black, his muscles didn't show until he flexed them, but she felt every single one while oiling his scales. She couldn't believe how exquisite he looked after. It even turned his hair glossy and gave it a velvety texture. Now she knew how he got it that way for their wedding.

Cherry caught herself staring. She smiled to herself.

"Something wrong?"

"The weather is wild." Junior glanced over his shoulder. "It's raining so hard I can't see the bottom of the hill."

She yawned, rubbing her eyes. "It's just a thunderstorm. They hit these hills all the time. You're twenty-five and never been in one?"

He smiled. "Only in my dad's airship. I can count the thunderstorms I saw from inside the volcano on one hand."

"Scared?"

"Nah— EEP!" Junior startled at a loud thunderclap. He was adorable, trying to appear unruffled when she could tell his nerves stood on end as much as his messy reddish-orange hair.

CheRey giggled, beckoning him back to bed. "Are you nervous about the coronation ceremony?"

Junior slid between the sheets with her. "Nope." He nuzzled his snout against her neck. "I was more nervous about the wedding than this. I guess I'm missing dad, that's all."

She brushed her fingers through Junior's hair and kissed the end of his nose. The trauma of Bowser dying wasn't so raw for him anymore, yet the pain lingered. She understood his grief all too well. He had to grow around it, the landscape of his life reshaping itself like mountains rising and water carving canyons. It took as long as it took.

The move helped him, just like being dragged away to Sarasaland helped her as much as it hurt. He wasn't in a castle haunted by so many memories.

Cherry remembered taking a crowbar to the damaged stair that caused Peach's fatal fall. Did cutting the damaged tissue off Bowser's heart offer Junior the same catharsis?

"You're about to be crowned a queen," Junior rumbled in her ear.

"Mom and dad prepared me for it." Cherry played with his hair some more. "I'm not scared."

"What if we suck?"

"We won't. But, if we do, we'll suck together."

He laughed, flashing his sharp teeth. "I love you."

She smiled, caressing his cheek and gazing up into his russet eyes. "I love you more."

They embraced and sank back into pleasant slumber, untouched by the tantruming storm swirling outside.

.o

Wendy barged up the trapdoor at seven o'clock sharp.

"Nope! Ju-ju, you're not going anywhere looking like that."

"Like what?" Junior looked away from the bucolic view outside the open balcony door. It was cloudy, damp and cool, but no longer storming. Petrichor scents wafted on the breeze along with the sweet red and pink roses.

"Your horns? Your claws? Disasters. Sit, they're getting done. No arguments." Wendy set down her black bag and untied the pull cord holding it shut.

Shower-fresh Cherry came out of the bathroom to Wendy giving Junior a manicure, pedicure and filing his horns to smooth, sharp points.

Junior sat back on the bed and let her do it. She varnished his horns and claws with something that left a pellucid gold finish. The room smelled like sweet, hot cactus tea, since the varnish used similar ingredients.

"There." Wendy put her claw files, varnish, clippers and buffing cloths away one by one. "Now you'll look like a proper king when you walk out there later."

"Handsome!" Cherry whistled.

"I don't have to worry about you. You know how to fancy it up." Wendy winked.

She kissed Cherry's cheek, kissed Junior's cheek and descended through the trap door.

"She came here on a mission." Junior laughed, looking down at his glossy smooth claws.

They headed downstairs for breakfast in the communal kitchen. The coronation ceremony wasn't until noon, so they had plenty of time to relax.

His first sight of his family was Scott sitting on the floor in front of his wheelchair, impressing Aretha with a gold coin and sleight of hand tricks.

"There it is. Wait, oops, it was in your hair! Ah!"

Aretha's hair was sprayed with something glittery and styled into two cute little puffs held by soft gold rubber bands.

"You're silly!" Aretha screeched in laughter. "Hey, uncle Scott?"

"Yes, little princess?"

"Where's your legs?"

He chuckled, wiggling his stumps as he rolled the coin between his fingers. "Beats me. I hatched this way."

"Maybe a fish ate them."

"A fish?" Scott cackled and almost dropped the coin. Kids said the darndest things!

Sienna walked in with her hair styled like a spectacular coily black cloud blossoming around her head. Junior's jaw dropped because he never saw her without it braided before.

"Wow, your hair," He smiled, "It's beautiful!"

"Thanks." Sienna's cheeks darkened. "Wendy did it for me."

Morton stopped in the kitchen doorway and gazed softly at her as if she invented the sky. Total heart eyes. She caught him looking, grinned and pulled him in for a kiss.

"I ain't a looker, so sometimes I wonder what keeps you around."

Sienna nuzzled their cheeks together. "Don't say that, you goof, you're plenty handsome! Besides, I love you for your heart, Morton."

Junior snapped a photo of them smiling softly at each other. They were just as sappy as Black and Ludwig!

Morton threw an arm around Junior's shoulders and yanked him against his side. "Happy coronation day, stent bro."

"Ack!" Junior's head wobbled as he went along for the ride. "I'd say 'same', but you're not getting collared today."

Morton scoffed. "I don't think I'd want it. Too much paperwork."

They snickered, slapping hands.

"Ah! Sienna!" Cherry rushed across the room to hug her.

"Ow!" Jack stubbed his toe on the leg of a chair Cherry pulled out and walked away from. His cane missed it on the outward swing.

"Uh oh!" Sienna leaned out of the embrace.

Cherry pushed that chair in, sheepish. "That was my fault, I'm sorry. Are you okay?"

"I do that all the time at home." He laughed, turning his eyes towards her behind his thick red-framed glasses. "I'll take it as payback for tripping you at the carnival."

She hugged him, patting his shell. "I forgot about that. Still, sorry. I— hey, did you cut your ponytail off?"

"Nope." Jack turned his head to the side, revealing it coiled into a bun. "It'll look better with a helmet on."

Wendy appeared in the kitchen doorway, loudly clearing her throat.

"Presenting his royal highness, king Wolfgang!" She announced.

Everybody in the room tacitly turned to the door and bowed. Wolfgang sauntered in, head high while he clung to Ludwig's hand. His diaper had a gold satin cover that tied on the sides and above his tail. He wore his feathery white hair styled in a loose braid held with a gold rubber band at the tip.

"All hail king Wolfgang!" Junior announced.

Wolfgang squealed, flapped his hands and rubbed his claws up and down his plastron ridges.

"King!" He signed emphatically, gripping the collar Junior gave him.

"Yes you are!" Wendy bent to kiss the end of his snout. Wolfgang did not flinch away, he trusted her.

Ludwig grinned, taking photos. Black slipped in, knelt behind Wolfgang and photobombed his royal photoshoot. When Wolfgang noticed, he snuggled up to Black's chest.

"Aww!" Wendy cooed at them.

"Auntie Cherry!" Aretha latched onto Cherry's leg. "Auntie Wendy did my hair, too! She used edge gel and sprayed it with glitter!"

She bent her head forward to show off her glittery puffs.

"Wow! You look so pretty! A little queen!" Cherry bent to kiss her forehead.

Aretha giggled, let go of her and sprinted towards Wolfgang.

Black went around the room, squishing everyone in hugs. He hugged Junior for a long time, swaying him back and forth with tears in his eyes.

"You were shorter than Wolfgang yesterday," Black signed, sniffling. "Now you are married and announcing yourself as king. What happened?"

A lump tightened Junior's throat, too. He tapped his wrist as if pointing to a watch, signing, "Time."

Black wiped his eyes, signing, "Your dad wanted Ludwig and I to raise you if he died before you grew up. Ludwig asked if I was okay with that and I didn't hesitate to say yes. I always loved you like a son."

"Even when I was a brat?"

"Yes, especially then!"

Junior clasped Black's hands and embraced him again. He pulled back enough to make eye contact, and signed one-handed, "Now you have Wolfgang to love."

"I love both of you." Black gestured.

"I love both of you, too." Junior replied in a few quick motions. He kissed Black's cheek and stopped himself from ruffling his inky dark hair when he noticed it neatly slicked back with gel.

"How do you want your royal name signed?" Black asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Like dad's, but keep calling me Junior." Junior finger spelled it. "Use KJ."

"What about this?" Black stood back, finger spelled a K and moved the K hand-shape down and inward to form a letter J.

Junior widened his eyes, expressing his surprise. He pointed to him, gesturing emphatically. "That, that, that! I like that sign name! Perfect! Thank you. Do you have a sign for Cherry?"

Black grasped his pinkie finger near his head. He went on, "Her name, near the head where her crown will go."

Junior kissed his fist and pointed to him.

Black grinned, bowed and moved along to squeeze Cherry. He hugged her more gently compared to the hugs everyone else got from him.

She picked up on a lot of Koopa Sign by being around him and Ludwig— enough that they conversed without her asking for interpretation as much.

A tap prompted Junior to look left. Ludwig hopped over to his right. He smirked upon being found.

"Little brother!" His deaf accent rang hollowly in his throat. He switched to signing, "You're going to love the music."

"I'm excited to hear it!" Junior gestured, shiny claws clicking against each other.

He had to pause, once more hyper-aware of Ludwig's thin silver glasses frames and the gray streak running through his hair. In a few short years he would be twenty-eight, the age his eldest brother was when he conducted his first symphony.

"I wish dad was here," he signed wistfully.

"He is." Ludwig pointed to Junior's heart, fingers flicking, "He will always be here."

They embraced. Junior hugged him harder when he remembered what Black said.

Iggy's distinctive, screechy guffaw bellowed into the dining room.

"Good morning! I have a growth on my leg!" He walked clumsily with Aretha clinging to him.

Ludwig pointed and snickered.

"Uncle Iggy is funny!" Aretha giggled.

"You!" Iggy threw his arms open in Junior's direction. "The turtle of the day! C'mere!"

"Iggster!" Junior lifted Iggy and Aretha off the floor while embracing them. He grinned, playfully head butting his older brother. "Oof! You nerd."

"Tech-whizz, you mean?" Iggy winked an eye shut behind his glasses. "Watch it, or I'll make sure the webcams look down your nose."

"Oh, sure, show them my snot. Sexy."

"AHAHA!" Iggy gave Junior a playful smack upside the head and turned away to pick up Aretha.

He had a gray streak running up the back of his smaragdine hair plume. The corners of his mouth wrinkled more when he grinned at his playful niece.

Lemmy, who wore gold ear defenders as he played some kind of hand-slapping patty cake with Wolfgang, still didn't look a day over twenty-two. But Lemmy always aged weird. Hell, Wolfgang almost looked older than him!

Iggy and Lemmy just turned forty-two years old. A year behind Ludwig. They had angiograms recently and their coronary arteries showed the beginnings of sclerosis.

Billie already put them on meds to keep them flexible. They wouldn't interfere with Iggy's Depakote, but he needed to have his liver and kidneys checked on more often. Still, that wouldn't stop Junior from worrying.

"Pom-Pom!" Cherry burst across the room to embrace her.

Pom-Pom's hair was styled in a bun full of white baby's breath blossoms. She wrapped Cherry in a tight hug and spun her around.

"Good morning, lovely queen!"

Roy came bearing gifts of eggs ready to scramble and pancake mix to supplement the Bowser Bacon crackling on the stove. As the second-largest Koopa in the room, his footsteps vibrated the floor.

"The Koopa of the hour!" He folded Junior into a tight hug. "How're you doing, baby bro?"

"I'm great!" Junior smiled at Cherry admiring Pom-Pom's gold painted claws. "Geez, it's been a wild bunch of years, hasn't it?"

Junior rested his chin on his older brother's thick shoulder.

Roy liked to squeeze as much as Black. He said, "We went through hell and came out in one piece."

"Yeah…"

"You're gonna own this." Roy patted the sides of Junior's face. "Wherever dad is in the Great Beyond, he's dragging everybody over to look at you. You know he loved to brag."

"Oh, for sure!"

Off to the side, Sienna, Wendy, Pom-Pom and Cherry grouped together for selfies. Jack and Black photobombed them by flexing their muscles in the background. The women cracked up when they discovered the baltering intruders lurking behind them.

Wendy squeezed Jack's muscular arms and they kissed deeply. Sienna took a photo of them being lovebirds.

Not one to be outdone, Ludwig twirled Black, waltz-dipped him and laid one on him. Iggy hooted at their dramatics.

Also not to be outdone, Lemmy and Scott did a handstand together to kiss upside down. Many shrieks and whistles egged them on.

"I'm not competing with that." Roy chuckled, pulling his shades down on his nose to eye Pom-Pom. "But I'll gladly enjoy a smooch."

Pom-Pom grabbed his face and kissed him, giggling. "I love your kisses."

Sienna tapped Morton's shoulder. When he turned to look, she slipped her arms around his neck and pressed their lips together.

Junior beckoned Cherry over. She knew what was going on and approached with mischief in her eyes.

He scooped her up bridal style and kissed her like his life depended on it.

And that was the moment Larry walked in, looked around and asked, "Why is everybody making out? Is there some kind of kissy-kissy pollen going around?"

Aretha piped up, "Nope, they're being weird!"

"Hornier than shit is more like it," Iggy muttered, snickering.

Wolfgang laughed and patted the icons on his tablet, which Ludwig put on the table for him. "Scramble. Silly. Eggs. Hungry."

"Whoa, we're having scrambled eggs?" Larry's face lit up. "Where?"

"In your nose!" Aretha latched onto his tail.

"So my boogers are eggs?" He laughed, letting her climb up his spikes to sit on his shell.

"Yes! You're supposed to eat them!"

"Ew!" Lemmy bellowed.

Everybody cracked up and separated to prepare the meal. Together, they ate their first communal breakfast in the new castle.

Mario, Luigi and Daisy arrived late, citing a plumbing issue back at the Mushroom Castle. Larkspur and Amaryllis came along, and Junior could not believe how big those baby yoshis grew up to be. They were almost adults at seven years old!

Larkspur wanted to know about all the food, and Amaryllis schmoozed with the people. Wolfgang hid under the table, wary of the strangers. He came out after some gentle coaxing from Mario.

"See? I'm not-a so bad." Mario held Wolfgang's hand. "Oof! You're a big-a one, aren't you?"

Wolfgang grunted low in his throat and wiggled his tail.

"He doesn't talk cuz he's 'istic," Aretha chimed in.

"Autistic," Lemmy corrected her gently.

"Yeah!"

"Ah, like doctor Murphtoad," Mario nodded, his demeanor pleasantly unruffled. "He likes it when people are-a direct in what-a they say to him."

Wolfgang placed a piece of Bowser Bacon on Mario's palm and walked away to sit on the floor next to Black's chair. Mario looked at the bacon and ate it.

"It's the Wolf!" Iggy bent over to kiss the side of Wolfgang's face.

Daisy passed Cherry a small, glowing question mark box. They winked at each other like they exchanged a secret.

Roy fixed the latecomers plates of breakfast.

"Oh, how kind of you!" Daisy pulled up a chair next to Morton. "Hi, big fella, don't mind me."

"No problem, your majesty." He moved his elbows off the table to give her more room.

Aretha snuck a sausage into Luigi's pocket. He didn't find it until she already ducked beneath the table.

"Hey, who's-a sausage is this?"

After an hour of catching up, guffawing and eating, the family groups separated to prepare for the ceremony.

Lemmy caught up to Junior after everyone else bustled out.

"You're a good king."

"And you know that, how?" Junior teased him.

Lemmy crossed his arms, grinned and offered a rare moment of eye contact. "Because you're too much of a dickhead not to be!"

Junior scooped him up in a hug and they laughed until they wheezed.

.o

"Special delivery, my liege!" Lakitu rapped on the balcony door.

Junior pulled the door inward to receive the scroll sealed with Bowser's wax seal. "Thanks."

He set it aside as Cherry perched in front of her vanity wearing only a white robe with her lingerie underneath. Her makeup was impeccable— winged dark brown eyeliner, shimmery gold eyeshadow, soft pink blush and glossy red lipstick. Slightly more dramatic than she had it for her wedding.

"You look beautiful already," Junior said, admiring her via her reflection. He liked how her foundation didn't cover up her cute freckles. "What kind of braid do you want?"

Cherry smiled, "French."

Junior kissed her throat, took the brush she offered and began to divide her hair. The shampoo she used smelled like sweet cherry wine and gave it a texture similar to satin.

He ran the brush over her dark locks and crossed them over each other, adding strands as he went. The braid emerged a little at a time, with him taking meticulous care to ensure no loose hairs poked out. Her French braid came together like their lives, a woven marvel destined to grow stronger with time.

"I love everything about you," Junior murmured.

Cherry's cheeks flushed darker. "You flatterer. I love everything about you, too."

Junior kissed the top of her head, careful not to mess up her hair. He used a black hair band to tie the braid off, took the small gold barrette she gave him and snapped it shut over the band. The tall, oblong barrette had ruby cherries decorating the center.

"Okay, sexy, your turn." Cherry tapped the floor with her foot.

Junior turned to face her, one hand on his white bandanna. "First, can you take this off?"

Blinking, Cherry reached around his neck to untie it. Suddenly, the cloth fluttered loose into his hands, where he stared at it. The last vestige of his old life.

Cherry touched it. Junior met her eyes and held it out to her. After today, he wouldn't be the same person who wore the bandanna most of his life.

She took the bandanna off his palms, folded it into a neat, tiny triangle and laid it next to the white satin box on her vanity.

"Ready?"

Nodding, Junior doffed his shell so he could sit closer to her vanity chair without his spikes poking her.

"Three braids, right?"

"Mmhmm."

Cherry divided his hair accordingly using her silver rat tail comb and alligator clips.

Junior worked his claw under the wax seal and unrolled the scroll, revealing Bowser's impeccable calligraphy. As always, it smeared a little because he was a leftie and his hand brushed the page as he wrote.

Junior heard his dad's bass voice speak the words he read.

Dear King Bowser II…

That's a hell of a name, eh? Watch, you'll call yourself King Junior. I know you too well.

How's the new castle? Did you find the blue shells yet? I bet you did, but you didn't spot them all. There's one left that's a surprise. You'll know it when you see it, and I'll be there when you do.

Wow. Okay. Hi.

I'm writing this letter on the day I'm going to die. This is the last letter I'll write in my life. You don't think of the last times, do you? The last time you laugh, the last time you cry, the last time you use the toilet, the last time you eat, the last time you smile, the last time you kiss somebody, the last time you speak, the last time you breathe. Nobody thinks of doing those.

Everybody thinks of firsts. First steps, first words, first time a shell pops off, the first time you use a toilet, first teeth and the first time you kiss somebody. I remember all of your firsts. It was a privilege to be there, to be your dad. Every day, you made me proud.

I can't put into words how proud of you I am today. I hope you think of me as you walk out there for your coronation. Is it cloudy outside? Find a cloud, assume I'm sitting on it and telling everybody around me in the Great Beyond to come look at you. Look at my boy! Look at him! That's my son, the next king!

Did I tell you I love you yet? I love you! More than anything! More than life! I'm dead and buried, but I still love you now. I mean it, and I hope you feel it. Only the physical part goes, Junior. I hope I left the best parts of me with you, and I hope your heart appointment at twenty-five comes up looking good. Wait, are you reading this before or after that? Doesn't matter. I hope it's all good. The only thing that mattered to me in life after Peach died was making sure your heart never breaks like mine. That's what it means to be a dad, Junior.

I love you, and I know you love me.

Now, let's address the Bomber Bill in the room. I'm sorry I took so long to tell you I was dying. I have a couple regrets in life, and that's one of them. You were so happy at your wedding and the days following. The idea of ruining it tore me up inside. I didn't think the killer heart attack was going to come today, but it's coming. That's the way life goes, I guess. Pretty unfair and ironic, when you look at it cross eyed.

I'm going to treat my last day like a normal day until I can't anymore. Death has to chase me because I won't lay down and wait for it. I'm going to tell you when it's time, so you can decide whether to stay with me or not. Whatever you did that day, it's cool with me. I was fine with dying as soon as I saw you spinning around with Cherry in your arms at your wedding. That's when I knew my work was done.

I'll be long gone by the time you read this, but I hope my demise wasn't awful to watch if you stayed. I wish you didn't have to go through the pain of what happens after. You're hurting, and it sucks. I hate that for you, kiddo. If there was something I could do about it, I would. Nothing hurts worse than grief. Ask Cherry, she knows.

But I'm sorry for how shitty I was when I finally told you. I understand if you're mad. I understand if you're not ready to forgive me. Hell, I'll understand if you crumple this letter up right now and burn it. Emotions are messy. Grief is a bastard to go through. Feel all those feelings! It's all fine! Whatever you feel, feel it. I get it, and I won't hold it against you.

Okay, okay, yeah, I rambled enough, but I'm not done being mushy. Funny, even when you know you're going to die, you want to stall. I think I'm ready for what's coming. I'm at peace with my death. Are you at peace with your life where it is? I hope you said yes.

I'll say it again. I love you, and I'm proud of you, Junior. Endlessly, eternally proud! My youngest son, my baby boy, is all grown up. I'm choking up imagining you saying the vows I said. You and Cherry, you go out there and you show 'em all how incredible you two are. I'm cheering from the other side, always, always, always! Go get 'em!

This is it. My last goodbye.

Keep your eyes peeled for the final blue shell.

Love ya, brat!

—Dad

A lump clutched Junior's throat as he rolled up the scroll. He looked out the north window above the headboard of the bed as clouds raced east across the sky like a crowd rushing towards the mountains.

If Bowser sat on any of them, it was the iridescent ice crystal cloud flashing between the gloomy ones.

Junior eyed the scroll. For a split second he felt guilty about having it. Peach never got to prepare for her death, her life snuffed like a blown-out flame because of a wobbly stair step.

Gentle tugging tickled along his scalp. Behind him, Cherry wound his hair into three loose braids tied off by long, cylindrical gold beads. One for the present, one for the past, and one for the future.

The front of his hair stayed loose, so he wouldn't look bald. She used her curling iron to perfect how his bangs arched above his forehead.

"You look like a king." Cherry kissed his cheek. "What's that?"

Junior handed her the scroll. "Dad wrote to me."

She glanced at it and set it above his folded bandanna. "Oh, wow. I'll read it after the coronation. I don't want to cry and smear my makeup."

"Isn't it waterproof?"

"The mascara and eyeliner are, the foundation isn't, even though it claims to be. I'll look like a raccoon!"

Junior snickered at the mental image. He wiped tears off his face. "Good call, I'm smearing my makeup."

She swatted him playfully. "You aren't wearing any! Now scoot, I'm getting dressed."

Laughing, Junior wriggled back into his shell and stepped aside. Cherry crossed the room to unzip the enormous white bag. It held her wedding dress inside, sans the thick, lacy petticoats that went under the skirt to give it volume.

She slid her robe off, revealing her flesh-toned strapless bra, matching half-slip and gold stockings.

He tacitly held the dress open while she stepped into it and he buttoned the seventy tiny red buttons running up the back. Her olive shoulders looked ravishing against the red of the portrait collar.

"You're wearing your wedding dress to your coronation?"

"Ah. One moment."

Cherry elbowed the question mark box Daisy gave her. A Fire Flower popped out in a lurid flash of light. She punched it.

The ivory white parts of her dress turned glittery gold, while the red parts stayed red and the delicate white bobbin lace remained white with shiny gold threads mixed in. Her ball gown skirt didn't poof out as far without the petticoats, yet it was still voluminous, the bottom falling slightly wider than her shoulders.

"Auntie Daisy made sure this was Fire Flower reactive satin." Cherry winked and slid her feet into her red pumps.

Junior could only stare as she slid a gold bangle onto each wrist, put in tiny ruby teardrop earrings, fit her ruby choker around her neck and reached for the satin box set aside on the vanity.

Cherry hesitated, exhaled and lifted the lid. Peach's gold tiara lay on the pink velvet inside. Two sapphires, two rubies and tiny filigree patterns danced through its golden points. A simple comb on the front attached it to the hair so it wouldn't move.

"Mom," she whispered, gently caressing its side.

"She's so proud of you today," Junior murmured in her ear.

Cherry looked upward to avoid tears spilling out. She lifted the tiara with both hands, eased the comb into her hair just behind her heart-shaped bangs and settled it into place.

She looked so much like her mom, then. The tiara drew more attention to her prominent nose. He loved that about her. Such a fantastic profile.

"You okay?" Junior rubbed her back.

"Mmhmm." Cherry lifted her eyes towards the ceiling again to save her makeup.

She clasped his hands, kissed them and met his gaze. Her blue peering into his russet.

"I keep thinking about what happened to mom. That can be any of us."

Junior nodded, though he wasn't sure where she intended to take her statement. Her hands gripped his fingers tighter. They were chilly from the cool weather.

"Junior, if something happens to me—"

"Cherry…"

"Please. If I die young like mom, keep going. Live all the life I didn't get to."

The thought choked him up as much as watching Bower gasp his last breath. He embraced her, daring Death to look at him because he wasn't letting it take her away any time soon.

"Will you do the same if I go first? Because I might. I have Crash, too, and I—"

She touched his mouth, quieting him.

"Yes." Her fingertips lingered against his lips. "I promise."

His expression softened. "I promise, too."

Years ago, Bowser told Junior love was a promise. Now he understood what that meant.

Cherry laid her head on Junior's shoulder. He held her close, heartbeat to heartbeat. They embraced that way until Boom-Boom poked his head up above the trap door.

"Hey, lovebirds, it's almost time. Let's get you ready for the procession."

He looked them up and down, grinned and descended again, whistling.

"Dang, you kids, when did you grow up?"

.o

Footsteps tapped gently on the floor. Voices murmured. Fabric rustled and metal clanked. Faint wisps of petrichor wafted on the cool, humid air.

The procession lining up outside the great hall looked almost identical to Bowser's funeral, except now it included Toads carrying Cherry's royal regalia— the gold Mushroom crown encrusted with diamonds, rubies and sapphires atop its purple velvet cap, the gold and diamond scepter and its matching orb topped in a golden star.

Jack held Junior's unlit torch in one hand and his white cane in the other. Like the funeral, he wore sunglasses. Black had the gold goblet full of Junior's dark red blood. Both Sledge Brothers were arrayed in gold armbands and helmets adorned with the royal Koopa-Mushroom seal.

The royal torch was a stainless steel gold-plated cylinder that became an inverted cone towards the open tip, and the matching goblet had spikes all around its rim and base. They were meant to go together, the goblet fit over the tip of the torch like a large candle damper to turn it into a royal club.

Wolfgang stood patiently between Jack and Black, doggedly clutching the royal purple pillow. The collar on top was covered in a gold sheet, not to be revealed until the moment of collaring.

Wolfgang stubbornly insisted on doing that part of the ceremony, so Junior walked him through the whole process twice a day for the past week to help him understand what was required of him.

Lemmy gave him gold ear defenders to wear so the noise of the trumpets and cheering wouldn't overwhelm him, and Pom-Pom sewed him a little dark red cape to wear over his shell, matching his collar. His red chew tube added panache. With his braided hair and attire, he looked like a king!

Cherry didn't let go of Junior's hand when Otoado and Toadrys helped her slide on her royal mantle of white fur and red velvet. It clasped in front with a sapphire brooch. The train was ten feet long, similar to her wedding veil.

"It's heavier than I thought," she whispered to Junior.

He chuckled as Boom-Boom assisted him into his equivalent of a mantle, a gold armor plate fastened over his shell with holes strategically placed to show off his spikes. All across its surface, engravings of flames. Its scintillating brilliance brought out the gold sheen in the lacquer Wendy put on his claws and horns. A golden chainmail fringe dangled off its edges like a rippling cape.

Much preparation went into this joint coronation. Cherry would undergo the ceremony according to Mushroom customs, and Junior would do it according to Koopa customs, and at the end they were going to swear loyalty to each other. Like a wedding, except to the land and its people.

One thing they changed— they decided to process up the aisle side by side as equals.

Junior arranged his two side braids to fall in front of his shoulders and whipped the third backwards over his shell. The gold bead on the end hit the armor plating with an awkward clang.

Up ahead, Black farted. Probably due to nerves.

Cherry giggled. Junior took one look at her and started chuckling. Their combined merriment transformed into helpless guffawing. Some heads turned to check on them.

"What's going on?" A Toad asked.

"They always do that," whispered a Koopa Troopa guard.

"I needed to laugh today." Cherry sighed after their laughter calmed.

"Me, too." Junior looked at her.

Black farted again, oblivious to how loud it was.

Jack smacked his shoulder and signed one-handed, "Stop farting!"

Black signed against his palm, "It's noisy?"

"They're going to think you're the trumpet fanfare!" Jack replied, whacking his shoulder again.

"Sorry." Black grinned, fanning the air behind his rear end.

Junior blasted out a rumbling bass beast that put Black's rattling braps to shame. Everybody except Black jumped, and some heads turned.

Wolfgang screeched in mirth.

"Junior! You're a king!" Cherry shoved him, which only moved her backwards half a step.

"Yes, and I fart like one." He grinned proudly.

She smiled and crossed her arms. "Obviously."

They guffawed again, doubling forward and hugging each other.

That time, it was contagious. More mirth sparkled up among the guards. Boom-Boom folded. Black's wheezy laugh joined last. It broke through everybody's nerves and they simultaneously relaxed.

Boom-Boom touched his earpiece and muttered something into a mic on his wrist. He clapped his hands and signed while he spoke.

"Okay, everybody! Two minutes! If anybody else needs to fart, fart now."

They all stood straighter. Black looked over his shoulder. He caught Junior's eye, flashed his huge, unhinged smile and farted again.

A few people laughed.

Cherry had to stop Wolfgang from hitting him with the royal cushion. He bounced up and down, grunting.

"Your daddy is a stinky butt," she whispered to him.

Junior snorted in a very un-kingly way. This was going to be a hilarious story to tell later.

Trumpets serenaded in a rousing fanfare. The doors swung open and there was Ludwig on the mezzanine alcove at the front, his baton flashing as he directed the choir and orchestra arranged on both sides of the cloisters.

Toad guards and Koopa Troopas marched out first. Otoado and Toadrys carried Cherry's scepter and orb, and Toad held the royal Mushroom crown. Behind them, Jack and Black lifted up the royal torch and goblet. Jack gripped his cane by the shaft to shorten it so he wouldn't bump Toad's heels.

Ludwig's composition for the royal procession sounded like triumph rising towards the clouds. Sienna beat on the timpani. Scott's fingers fluttered across his green piccolo. Nearly everybody who was in the choir at Bowser's funeral sang for the coronation, and now there were speckled gold Toad caps amid the robed singers.

Pat's gilded shell glimmered in the pews. Next to her, seated regally in a padded transport wheelchair draped in red, was Celine. She wore a sling on her arm and a brace steadied her leg. Her gold locket was around her neck again. Half her mouth pulled into a smirk as Junior locked eyes with her. Of course she wouldn't miss this!

Nearby, Junior saw his siblings looking on excitedly. Wendy topped her hair with a feathery black fascinator covered in tiny rubies. She lifted her chin proudly. Aretha jumped onto Morton's shoulders to wave. Morton's eyes were teary. Iggy, Lemmy and Larry practically squeezed each other in excitement. Roy flashed a thumbs up. Pom-Pom curtseyed, smiling mischievously.

Beyond them, Junior swore he saw Bowser standing beside the two thrones with the biggest, smuggest smile plastered on his face. He blinked and nobody was there. A lump ached in his throat.

Cherry noticed his falter. She squeezed his hand reassuringly. He took a deep breath to steady himself.

Wolfgang got a little lost and paused mid-step. A gentle nudge from Cherry reminded him to go forward. He held the royal cushion high over his head because he knew he had an important role in the ceremony.

Mario, Luigi and Daisy wore formal royal attire. Daisy's dress was silver-gray silk matching her hair, with gold daisies embroidered around the hem and sleeves. and a diamond tiara full of stars glittered amid her braided updo.

Mario and Luigi donned matching brocaded white-tie tuxedos with coattails. Sequins formed borders around every edge of their coats and trousers. Luigi's sequins were green and Mario's shone red. In a hilarious breach of formality, they wore their old letter caps instead of crowns. Luigi leaned on a black cane with a maple Fritz handle painted green.

Cherry kissed the tip of Mario's round nose as she passed him.

Drumbeats vibrated in Junior's chest. Ludwig composed the triumphant march to reach its climax when Cherry and Junior ascended the crystal steps to stand in front of their thrones. The fanfare, drums and choral harmonies concluded with Junior and Cherry turning to face the gathering.

Attendants scurried behind Cherry to remove the red robe and replace it with a plain white overcoat that covered all but her skirt. She let go of Junior's hand while it was placed on her body and tied shut in the front with a simple silk ribbon.

Everyone holding regalia lifted it aloft. Wolfgang stood on his toes to be as high as possible.

Just like Bowser's funeral, flatscreen monitors behind the thrones and at the back of the hall delivered text for every spoken word.

Boom-Boom spread his hands and called out, "Does anyone present here object to the proceedings?"

The gathering shouted back, "We do not!"

Ludwig, Black and Wolfgang signed their answers. "No!"

Toad stepped forward, voice booming, "Do you accept King Bowser the Second and Queen Cherry as your king and queen?"

Junior flinched at being called by his dad's name.

The gathering shouted, "We do!"

Boom-Boom asked, "Do you swear loyalty to them?"

"We do!"

Toad asked, "Will you defend their lives with yours if such is called upon you?"

"We will!"

Boom-Boom gestured upward with his huge hands.

Simultaneously, he and Toad shouted, "All who are able, rise and kneel!"

Rumbling filled the great hall while the mass of bodies rearranged into various standing positions, followed by their kneeling. Those unable to kneel, like Scott, Luigi and Celine, respectfully bowed their heads instead.

After a moment, Boom-Boom and Toad gestured again, and rustling commenced while everyone in the pews settled back into their seats.

Gloomy clouds shifted off the sun, causing the stained glass windows around the great hall to glow in all their colorful glory.

Toad approached Cherry, who sank onto her knees. Her skirt billowed out beneath her and the overcoat rustled.

He unrolled a scroll to read from, his voice echoing through the great hall.

"Cherry Koopa-Toadstool, the named queen of the Koopa-Mushroom empire, do you accept the role of leadership and all of its sacrifices?"

"I do," Cherry said, taking a deep breath.

"Do you swear to serve all its people in the name of love, truth and justice?"

"I do."

"Are you willing to lay down your life for your people if such is called of you?"

"I am."

"Are you willing to fight for your people if such is called of you?"

"I am."

"Do you object to any of these oaths?"

"I do not."

Toad came forward, holding a fountain pen already wet with ink. "Sign your name to your oaths, and declare that you stand by them."

Cherry accepted the pen and wrote her curling signature across the line at the bottom.

"I, Cherry Koopa-Toadstool stand by the oaths I have taken."

Toad took the scroll, laid it open on a tray and walked the entire width of the dais, showing everyone and the watching news cameras proof that Cherry signed her name.

Up above, Ludwig directed a brief trumpet fanfare announcing the Rite of Signing was complete.

Two Toads helped Cherry remove the overcoat and replaced it with a purple robe more elaborate in its embroidery. The train was much longer, the Toads had to jump onto a little platform hidden on the back of her throne to drape it over the backing.

Among the gold filigree embroidered on the purple velvet, little mushrooms, flowers and shooting stars seemed to frolic around the white fur border.

Cherry rose onto her feet, took two careful backwards steps and lowered herself to sit on the purple velvet seat cushion. She practiced doing that in heels for two weeks, and nailed it!

Someone placed little silver steps in front of Cherry's throne, and she scooted them closer to her lap.

Otoado and Toadrys unfurled an embroidered silk shroud on silver poles, blocking her from view of the gathering. She lifted her heart-shaped bangs out of the way as Toad dipped a sprig of pine into a small bowl of scented oil and anointed her forehead in a star shape.

"I anoint you into the service of the land, the sea and the sky, may your reign be forever guarded by Heaven and those who dwell there."

"Mom," Cherry whispered.

"She's your biggest cheerleader today," Toad whispered back.

They smiled softly at each other.

Junior wasn't technically supposed to see that being done, so he only peeked a few times.

Cherry let her bangs fall back into place, slipped her tiara off in a single smooth motion and set it aside.

Toadrys and Otoado simultaneously rolled up the shroud with military precision by spinning the poles clockwise while walking towards each other. They placed the poles off to the side and returned to holding the royal cushions housing the scepter and orb.

Wolfgang shifted uneasily. Junior picked up a loop of his chew tube, nudged his snout with it and poked it into his mouth when he opened it. He squeezed the tip of his tail. Unlike Lemmy, Wolfgang liked that. His tense muscles relaxed as he munched placidly on his chew tube.

"You're doing great, Wolfgang," Junior whispered.

Over in the pew, Lemmy rolled his stimmy ball between his palms.

Toad lifted the royal Mushroom crown off its cushion and held it aloft. The gemstones scintillated like miniature rainbows in the light coming through the windows.

Mario and Luigi took their caps off and held them over their hearts. Daisy removed her tiara and covered it with a lacy white handkerchief.

The precious jewels on the Mushroom crown glittered for all to see.

"In the sight of all present, I crown you, Cherry Koopa-Toadstool, as queen of this land and all its people."

Toad lowered the crown onto her head, careful to center it. Cherry inhaled sharply from the weight of her new kingdom.

Ludwig pointed to the brass section and a short fanfare erupted.

Attendants whisked the steps away once Toad hopped off.

Wolfgang pulled his tail out of Junior's grasp and somehow managed to suck his thumb with the chew tube in his mouth. A casual observer would think he wasn't paying attention to the pageantry happening around him, but Junior knew he took everything in.

Otoado and Toadrys approached Cherry with the scepter and orb. They bowed before Toadrys offered up the orb.

"Receive the royal orb, a symbol of wisdom and courage," said Toad.

Cherry accepted it in her left hand. Its gems matched perfectly with her crown.

She declared, "I receive this orb and all it represents."

Toad nodded and spoke again, "Receive this royal scepter, a symbol of power and authority."

Otoado presented the scepter with a stiff salute.

Cherry accepted it in her right hand. It, too, matched her crown.

She declared again, "I receive this scepter and all it represents."

Mario smashed his cap against his face as huge tears trickled free, fogging his glasses. Daisy beamed, clasping her tiara against her chest. Luigi lifted his chin proudly.

Black got emotional, too. He sniffled, wiping his eyes.

Cherry stood up gracefully as everyone able to bow did so.

Toad descended the crystal steps and walked all the way to the back of the great hall. At the top of his voice, he shouted, "To the south, I declare our new queen. Queen Cherry Koopa-Toadstool!"

He returned to the front, repeating his declaration to the north. And again, to the east and west.

Then, at the center, he called out, "Long live the queen!"

The gathering shouted it back, even Black tried to. Wolfgang hollered wordlessly as loud as he could, which got a laugh from a few people.

Black turned to the KMDN camera and signed Cherry's name by grasping his pinkie finger near his head, showing her official name sign. Because of this, both Mushroom and Koopa Sign would sign her name the same way.

Ludwig spread his arms and the grandest fanfare of all thundered through the great hall to announce the new queen.

Wow, coronations were so different in the Mushroom Kingdom, Junior thought. He caught Cherry's eye and winked at her.

Toadrys, Otoado and four other Toad attendants carried the train of Cherry's purple robe while she processed a full circle around the great hall. Everyone got a chance to look at her, and she was radiant. Junior gazed in awe.

Cherry caught him staring as she returned to the front. She waggled her eyebrows. His expression softened. Her dress rustled when she passed him and Wolfgang to once more seat herself on her throne. The attendants turned with her robe. Toadrys and Otoado draped it over the backing again.

Junior bent to get Wolfgang's attention and pointed to a white paper triangle on the floor.

"Okay, Wolfgang, go stand on that triangle with daddy Black."

Wolfgang whined softly. He was a little overwhelmed by all the people, but this had been planned for. Junior led him into position, kissed the top of his head and returned to stand in front of his throne.

Once next to Black, Wolfgang remembered his purpose. He took his thumb out of his mouth and raised the royal cushion above his head.

Black grinned down at him, signing, "Good job!"

Toad bowed and joined Mario's family in the front pew. Boom-Boom heaved himself upright. Junior's stomach churned in anticipation.

At Boom-Boom's gesture, everyone able to stand rose.

"Citizens of the Koopa-Mushroom empire! Is King Bow—"

"Psst!" Junior interrupted him.

"Huh?"

"I'm breaking protocol, but I have to do it now. Call me whatever you want on paper," Junior placed a hand on his chest, "But I wish to be addressed as King Junior. Bowser was my dad, and I am not him. I want to be my own person."

Murmurs jumped through the gathering. Black turned to a nearby KMDN camera and demonstrated Junior's royal sign name, the finger spelled K moving through a J shape. Because of him, deaf Toads and Koopas would sign it the same way, the same as Cherry's royal name.

Boom-Boom's sharp teeth flashed when he smiled, "As you so desire, your majesty." He cleared his throat and started again, "Citizens of the Koopa-Mushroom empire! Is King Junior worthy to stand before you as your king?"

"He is worthy!" The gathering shouted back.

"Do you respect his authority as a leader?"

"We do!"

"Are you willing to lay your lives down in his name?"

"We are!"

Nodding, Boom-Boom twisted on his heel to look Junior in the eyes.

Koopa Troopas arrayed in red armor laid a black satin sheet on the floor at Junior's feet. Junior prostrated himself across it as a "humbling" sheet bearing a white Koopa-Mushroom emblem— a mushroom growing off a spiked Koopa shell— was draped over his back.

"As your new king, I am willing to lay down my blood, my flame and life in the service of you, the Koopa-Mushroom people."

"Go," Morton whispered to Aretha.

Aretha dashed up the dais steps and ran across Junior's back. The top sheet went with her, like it was supposed to. She carried it flapping like an extension of herself as she sprinted around the whole hall.

"My uncle is king!"

That wasn't part of the script, but it won laughter from the gathering.

Aretha returned to the front to whisper in Junior's ear, "Uncle Junior, I forgot where this goes."

"On my back," he murmured.

She draped it over his spikes again.

"Good job," he smiled, "You can go sit with Morton again."

She beamed and skipped back to Morton's side.

The armored Koopa Troopas swept the humbling sheet off his back and folded it into a triangle with the white emblem on top. They raised it over their heads.

Ludwig pointed to Sienna and the other drummers, and thundering drum beats blasted the great hall.

Junior lumbered into a kneeling position atop the black sheet left on the floor.

At Ludwig's cutoff gesture, the drumming ceased.

Boom-Boom raised both hands, fingers splayed. "The time has come for the collaring and oath-taking! All who are able, kneel."

Wolfgang bounced up and down because that was his cue. He approached Junior, turned and held the covered cushion over his head. All the Koopa Troopas able to do so stamped their feet. The thud boomed through the great hall.

"Ready?" Junior whispered, his heart thumping in his ears.

Wolfgang pulled his tablet out of a pocket on the bottom of the pillow. His pink eyes twinkled. He squeaked excitedly. Junior helped him turn it on and select the screen full of icons specific for the occasion. The volume was turned way up, so everybody would hear it.

Junior beamed at his nephew. He signed while he whispered to him. "Okay. Now uncover the collar."

Wolfgang put the cushion down and untied the loops holding the gold sheet in place. The collar underneath looked identical to Bowser's— black with silver spikes— until he picked it up to reveal the velvet white bandanna dangling off the bottom.

Wolfgang pressed himself cheek to cheek with Junior as he slipped the royal collar under his braids, onto his neck and snapped it together in the back.

"You're doing great. I love you."

Junior cupped Wolfgang's cheeks and touched their foreheads together. A part of him wondered if the jackasses who abused and abandoned this beautiful child watched him put the royal collar on their king, and he hoped they realized what a treasure they threw away.

Cherry smiled proudly from her throne.

Junior kissed Wolfgang's brow and pointed to the tablet. Wolfgang rubbed his claws against his plastron and pressed the GO arrow.

The speakers blasted loud enough to reverberate, "Wear this collar as a symbol of your authority."

"I will," Junior said.

Drum beats thudded over the great hall.

As the drums fell silent, he pointed to the tablet again, and Wolfgang swiped to the next set of icons.

"Rise, King, and show your status."

Junior rose onto his feet and lifted his head, showing off his royal collar.

Wolfgang tapped his knee, signing, "King. Same."

"You bet." Junior grinned. "You're king with me now."

Wolfgang took the cushion, slid his tablet into the pocket on the bottom and sat on the floor beside Junior's throne. Technically not what he was supposed to do, yet nobody bothered him. He performed his sacred duty in the ceremony to his satisfaction, Junior couldn't be happier for him.

Boom-Boom gestured at the gathering to sit.

Junior seated himself on his throne. He looked to the side at Cherry and caught her admiring him. Heat rushed into his cheeks. Hers darkened a lovely shade of pink.

Ludwig pointed his baton at Sienna. She beat her drums in a heartbeat rhythm.

Jack and Black turned simultaneously. The black sheet on the red rug helped Jack know where to stop and kneel.

Black offered up the goblet, signing one-handed. Boom-Boom voiced what he signed.

"Into your hands, I pass the royal goblet."

Junior looked into Black's dark eyes and swallowed past the lump in his throat. He accepted the goblet in his left hand.

Black pressed his fist against his chest, bowed and backed away. Wolfgang padded towards him and took hold of his hand.

Jack laid his white cane down and presented the unlit torch vertically, holding it by the top and bottom.

"Into your hands, I pass the royal torch."

Junior gazed at Jack's dark sunglasses while grasping the torch exactly in the middle. Tears stung in his eyes.

Jack held his fist to his chest, bowed and backed away, taking his cane with him.

Ludwig gestured. Drum beats began again, this time underneath Scott playing a fluttering piccolo solo. Deep, rumbling tubas picked up where he left off.

Wolfgang giggled, wiggling Black's hand and pointing upward to Ludwig. Ludwig spared a second to wave at him.

He ran this piece past Junior weeks ago, preparing him for this. At the song's height, Junior turned his head and puffed a small flame over the torch, lighting the oily wick tucked into the cylinder.

Armored Koopa Troopas whisked away the black satin sheet.

Koopa Paratroopas draped in gold flew circles above the gathering, twirling golden diamond-shaped thuribles of frankincense in elaborate lemniscate shapes. Somehow their thuribles never collided despite the speeds at which they spun, twirled, dove and looped.

Junior looked up in time to notice gold glasses shaped like horns, and buck teeth. That was Freddy and Elton!

A pleasant floral scent seeped down as the incense circulated. Smoke curled diaphanous filigree patterns through shafts of sunlight coming through the stained glass windows.

The song ended as Freddy and Elton finished their flight, handed off their thuribles and returned to the tenor section of the choir.

Iggy elbowed Lemmy, who flapped his hands gleefully. Mario sneezed on the incense.

Boom-Boom turned to Junior and unrolled a scroll.

"King Junior, do you swear to rule justly for as long as you hold this throne?"

"I do," Junior answered him.

"King Junior, are you willing to die for the people and the land?"

"I am."

"King Junior, do you swear to love and protect these people with the fire in your belly and the blood in your veins?"

He grinned. "I do!"

Wolfgang bounced next to Black.

Boom-Boom unrolled the scroll further.

"King Junior, do you swear to stand as a beacon and a guide for the people you vow to protect?"

"I swear."

"King Junior, do we have your word that you will adhere to your oaths as the ruler of this land?"

"Yes."

"Then sign your royal name as decreed."

Boom-Boom presented the scroll. He held the torch for a moment while Junior dipped the pen in the goblet of his blood and signed the dotted line at the bottom. King Bowser II.

Junior took the torch back while Boom-Boom crossed the dais, showing the signed scroll.

Turning towards Junior once more, he said,

"King Bowser Koopa-Toadstool Junior, son of Bowser Koopa, by the power vested in me, I declare you the king. Arise and announce your birthright!"

Junior snuffed the torch in the goblet of his blood, turning it into a club. He held it overhead as he leapt onto his feet with a triumphant roar. Blood dripped down the length of the torch, dribbling over his hand, onto the rug and sprinkling him in dark crimson droplets, his anointing.

When his lungs ran out of air to roar, he inhaled and spat an arc of flame overhead.

"Long live King Junior!" Boom-Boom shouted.

"Long live King Junior!" The gathering called back.

Black signed it, beaming. Wolfgang yelled without words, but the sentiment was there.

Aretha made several people laugh when she hollered, "Long live uncle Junior!"

Morton pumped his fists in the air. Wendy clapped louder than everyone else. Larry whistled through his fingers. Iggy howled-screeched. Lemmy bounced up and down. Roy cupped his hands around his snout to hoot at the top of his lungs. Pom-Pom howled. In the alcove above, Ludwig smiled and pivoted his hands in deaf applause.

Luigi held up his cane. Daisy clapped and cupped her hands over her mouth. Mario waved and blew kisses.

Behind Mario, Celine raised her functional arm, her hand closed in a defiant fist. Mario noticed her and inched aside so she could see the dais.

Junior cut off his flame. Long curls of smoke escaped his nostrils, forming an ephemeral wreath around his head.

For a moment he glimpsed Bowser cheering among his siblings.

"I did it, dad," he whispered.

It wasn't planned, but Junior knelt to present the royal club to Wolfgang. He wiped a blood droplet off his fingers and smeared it on his nephew's white snout.

"Now you're anointed in blood with me, little king."

Wolfgang bounced on his heels. He took the club and slid it home in the two rings on the side of Junior's throne. Nobody taught him that, he figured it out by osmosis while sitting in on rehearsals.

In the instant Wolfgang turned, Junior spotted something glimmering on the base of the goblet.

A sparkling blue shell made of sapphire with polychromatic diamond wings, a final parting gift as precious as the congratulatory letter.

Junior teared up. When he faced forward again, he saw Bowser's spiked shell departing up the aisle towards the entrance as if his work was complete.

He went, but his love stayed.

"Bye, dad," Junior murmured.

The grief wave hit without throwing him against the rocks. Bearable despite being painful.

He pulled wet wipes out of his shell and cleaned off the blood that dripped on him. This wasn't typical during a Koopa coronation, he did it out of respect for not staining Cherry's royal regalia. Plus, he got to surreptitiously dab the tears off his face.

Black stuck out his hand to take the wipes after use and cleaned off Wolfgang's hands. He left the smear on his snout alone.

Cherry passed her orb and scepter off to Toadrys and Otoado. They placed them on their royal cushions and stepped back. Attendants lifted her train for her when she stood. The heavy crown required her to keep her head upright.

A Koopa Troopa and a Toad set a cushioned kneeler in the center of the dais for Cherry. Junior approached and knelt on the floor, bringing them to eye level with each other.

"Hi, king," she whispered, smiling.

"Hi, queen," he whispered back, eyes softening.

Toad and Boom-Boom positioned themselves on either side of the kneeler.

Cherry held onto her crown as she bowed her head. Junior did the same. They straightened and clasped each others' hands, just like they did at their wedding.

"Queen Cherry," Toad said, "Do you swear loyalty to Junior's kingship?"

"I do."

"King Junior," Boom-Boom said next, "Do you swear loyalty to Cherry's queenship?"

"I do."

In a true merging of their ceremonies, Toad laid his hand on Junior's shoulder, and Boom-Boom placed his hand on Cherry's shoulder.

Together, they said in unison, "The rites of coronation are complete. May the skies, lands and seas recognize your authority. May those who went before smile down upon you. May your names represent enemies becoming friends and two lands becoming one."

They turned to the gathering and raised their hands. "Behold, the king and queen of the Koopa-Mushroom empire!"

Amid the cheering, trumpets and drums, Junior whispered to Cherry, "Did you see Peach in the crowd?"

Cherry smiled, squeezing his hands. "Mmhmm, in the corner of my eye. Did you see Bowser?"

He grinned. "Yup."

"They're with us." She kissed him. "Just like we're with each other."

"I love you." Junior's heart swelled.

Her eyes welled up. "I love you, too."

Everyone gradually quieted down. Junior looked up at Ludwig and nodded. He and Cherry both agreed to have the next piece as their recessional as a way to bridge the passing of leadership.

Scott switched his piccolo for a wooden recorder. Ludwig lifted his baton and pointed to someone in the choir.

"Ariadiamus late, ariadiamus da, ari a natus late adua…"

Pat did this solo last time, but she wasn't in the choir today.

Whoever sang this time had a haunting, ghostly voice that echoed warmly in the cloistered space. That wasn't a woman's voice.

Junior looked up and saw Israel singing countertenor. Judy joined in, her soft voice taking over the lower part of the harmony. Sienna beat the drums and Scott floated the recorder solo as beautifully as he did at Bowser's funeral.

Cherry and Junior stood at the same time. Toadrys, Otoado and a few Toad attendants came to pick the train of her robe up off the floor.

Hand in hand, the new king and queen processed up the aisle, followed by their families. They walked slow enough that everyone heard the whole song.

Ludwig added bells and cymbals to the ending, to give it a more triumphant, transcendent feel.

Wolfgang lifted the empty royal cushion over his head.

Outside the hall, Cherry swapped the long robe for a shorter one just as elaborate as the original, and replaced the royal crown with a lighter replica. Nobody would know the difference if they didn't see the swap. Attendants took the actual regalia away for safekeeping.

The same was happening inside the great hall, Koopa Troopas took the royal club to guard it.

Junior held Cherry's crown while she ducked into the waiting limousine. Otoado straightened out the robe and bustled it neatly behind her back for her comfort.

"Thank you!" Cherry beamed at him.

Junior put her crown on her head backwards. She fixed it, though he had no idea how she knew the back from the front, it all looked the same to him!

"I love that collar," Cherry rubbed the velvet bandanna. "It's so you. Do you still have the toothy one from when you were a kid?"

Junior touched the leather around his neck. "Yeah, that's in a box on the shelf in your closet. I think I labeled it before the move."

Their glistening white limo had gold spiral hubcaps and a convertible roof that raised or lowered at the push of a button. At the moment, it stayed shut. The hood ornament was a spiked circle. Its interior had royal purple upholstery like Cherry's robe. The fancy ride would take them through warp zones to visit Koopa City and Mushroom Central, letting the people see their new king and queen.

Mario, Luigi and Daisy ended up squished to one side between Morton and Roy. Aretha sat in Morton's lap, giggling. Otoado and Toadrys smooshed themselves amid Pom-Pom, Sienna and Wendy. Ludwig claimed the backwards-facing spot behind the driver's side. Iggy and Lemmy crawled into the limo beside him. Larry sat by Cherry and kissed her cheek. Junior settled into his spot in the rear driver's side, same as Bowser's funeral.

Black leaned into the open limo door and signed to Ludwig, "Wolfgang asked me to change his diaper. I'll be right back."

Ludwig passed him the diaper bag. Out loud to the others, he said, "Our son needs a moment."

Black took Wolfgang back inside. There was a one-person bathroom right off the entrance designed for exactly this purpose.

Jack's cane clicked against the ground. He stopped by the limo and stuck his thumb out like a hitchhiker.

"Get in here!" Wendy laughed.

"Hold on, I'm waiting for Scott." Jack grinned.

Scott came down the ramp next to the front steps. Jack helped him into the limo, folded his power chair, stashed it in the roomy trunk and heaved himself in.

Scott went right for Lemmy's lap, while Jack folded his cane and edged in between Wendy and Toadrys.

Ludwig's phone vibrated, so he checked it. His eyebrows shot upward. "Excuse me. Wolfgang is having a meltdown."

"Need help?" Junior leaned forward.

"Ah, no, more people will make it worse. He's signing for me." Ludwig scooted out of the vehicle and jogged for the castle's main entrance.

Boom-Boom hauled himself into the limo driver's seat this time.

"Hang on, Boom-Boom—"

"I know, your majesty, I heard the screaming. No rush."

People emerged outside and funneled towards the warp pipes near the fountain. They were one-time visitors, so their passwords expired as soon as they warped out.

Pat guided Celine's regal transport wheelchair down the ramp. Junior practically catapulted himself out of the car to meet them, with Cherry on his heels. Poor Otoado and Toadrys were left in the dust!

"Celine!" Junior dropped onto one knee next to her wheelchair. "You look beautiful. Pat, too."

"Thanks." Pat glanced down at her gold high heel boots. "I was worried these were too much."

"Never," Cherry flashed her red pumps, which made Pat smile.

Celine mumbled something, but it was unintelligible and she seemed aware of it because she swatted the air right after. Amusement danced in her eyes.

"Ah, I didn't get that. Sorry." Junior glanced up at Cherry. "Do it."

"Do what?" Cherry blinked.

"Put the crown on her."

"Ooh." Cherry smiled wickedly. "Yeah, she totally gets to wear it."

Celine didn't know it wasn't the real crown when Cherry placed it on her head. The mobile parts of her face shifted through a phantasmagoria of shock, horror, humor and pride.

Junior unclasped his royal collar and draped it over Celine's neck like a medallion. She gave him the stink-eye for it, and he laughed.

Cherry had to hold the crown in place to prevent it slipping down over Celine's eyes. She smiled while Pat took a photo on her phone.

"How are you doing?" Cherry asked her after donning the crown again.

Celine shrugged her movable shoulder. One-syllable words didn't pose as much of a problem for her. She said, "Hard."

"Oh, I'm sure. Recovery is a lot of work."

"No. Sick. Hard."

"She means it's hard to be a patient," Pat added. She kissed Celine's cheek. "Doctors and nurses, we are the worst at it."

Celine laughed, pointing at Junior. "His dad!"

"You're right." Junior snickered, sliding his collar back into place.

He fished in his shell for a gold bank card in a box and passed it to Pat, whispering, "Give this to the hospital when it's time to pay, and use it to pay for any therapy she asks for. The PIN number is dad's age with a zero in front of it."

Pat stashed it quickly in her purse, so nobody would see her with it. "How old was he?"

"Sixty-two."

She nodded, her eyes tearing up. Her glittery purple eyeshadow didn't crack or smear from the tears.

"Thank you, sire."

"You're welcome. It's what dad would do."

They embraced each other.

Junior knelt to hug Celine. She was exhausted, he didn't want to keep her any longer.

Cherry hugged her, too. "It was so wonderful to see you, Celine."

Celine held onto Cherry's hand a moment longer. She narrowed her eyes in concentration, pointed to Junior and blurted out, "Watch out for him."

Junior cackled, throwing his head back. "You're right!"

Cherry giggled and leaned in, "I'll make sure he behaves."

Half of Celine's mouth pulled up in a delighted smile. Her eyes drooped. She needed rest.

Junior and Cherry tacitly backed off to let Pat wheel her away.

Black jogged outside, waving until Junior made eye contact with him. He signed, "Wolfgang is having trouble calming down. He keeps showing us his 'unsafe' card. We're taking him up to our room and won't be joining you for the limo ride. I'm sorry."

Junior shook his head and patted Black's shoulder, gesturing, "It's fine. Don't put him through more chaos. I'm glad he was there to collar me. See you later?"

"Yes." Black smiled and bowed. He turned and trotted towards the castle entrance.

Cherry ducked back into the limo, leading Otoado and Toadrys to bustle up her robe again.

Junior followed behind, saying, "Ludwig and Black aren't coming. Wolfgang is too overwhelmed. They're taking him up to their room to relax."

"I know that feeling," Lemmy said. He rested his head on Scott's shoulder, and Scott scuffed his hand through his colorful Mohawk.

One of the armored Koopa-Troopas outside shoved the door shut.

As the limo eased into motion, Otoado's vivid electric blue eyes narrowed in thought.

"That little boy is the mysterious baby X from the news, isn't he?"

"His name is Wolfgang," Wendy replied, pinning him with her eyes, "And today, he collared a king."

"Perhaps, someday, he will sit on the throne." Toadrys looked askance at Otoado.

"Hmph." Otoado folded his arms.

Aretha giggled, clinging to Morton's thumbs as she leaned precariously backwards off his lap. "Can I be queen someday?"

"Absolutely!" Cherry's face lit up.

"Auntie Cherry, is that crown a pirate's treasure?"

Everybody in the limo laughed.

"No," Cherry touched the crown. Her smile turned mischievous. "At least, I don't think it is."

Daisy held her chin between thumb and forefinger, smiling. "Those gems are millions of years old. They were mined centuries ago, polished up and added to the crown."

Scott grinned, unzipping his gold orchestral robe. "Let's hope this limo doesn't end up in the ocean. Rocks like that are gonna send you straight to the bottom."

"It will if I drive," Jack smirked, waggling his eyebrows behind his sunglasses.

"Sheesh, at least let me jump-a out first," Luigi sniffed.

Mirth erupted again as the limo entered the warp pipe.

That day, two cities cheered for their new king and queen.

.o

Cherry wasn't sorry to shed the royal regalia and change out of her coronation gown. She donned a brocaded red dress, sewn with precious gold threads that gave it sparkle, and eased her mom's tiara back into her wavy hair after brushing out the braid.

The balcony doors were open to let in the cool breeze. A party brewed downstairs in the courtyard, judging by the chatter, laughter, and tables full of food.

Mario ran the training course. He did it perfectly, never slipping or missing a jump. Junior ran it after him, using his claws and tail for extra balance and traction. They compared their times and Junior almost knocked Mario over slapping his back.

Then Junior ran it again with Aretha sitting on his shoulders. Mario covered his eyes during his daring backflip over the goal pole. Aretha screeched in delight. That kid feared nothing!

Cherry opened the drawer to put her gold hair clip away. In the center, preserved on a cardboard card, was the pressed, dried out tulip Junior gave her when they were kids. Peach saved that for her.

Where might we be now if I didn't jump into that pipe after him? Cherry wondered, turning the card over in her hands.

Next to it, another card holding the pressed tulip Junior gave her on the morning of their wedding. She kept that one taped inside the card he gave her.

Peter, the Piranha Plant that lived underneath the balcony, snatched a pigeon off the railing. Not even a feather remained.

Cherry patted his speckled blossom when he poked it between the open doors. She made her way downstairs and outside to join the others.

Iggy scream-laughed as he sprinted by with Mario's red cap in his hand. Mario followed in hot pursuit, his loose bow tie flapping against his open shirt collar. He jumped and landed squarely on Iggy's spiked back, causing him to retreat into his shell. Smirking, he swiped his cap and put it on.

"You still got it!" Iggy cackled, popping his head out.

"Of course-a I do!" Mario smoothed his white mustache. "But I'm going to feel-a that later."

"Yeah, you're old!" Iggy emerged fully and kipped up.

"You'll get-a old too."

"Maybe! How old are you anyway?"

"Sixty-seven."

"HAHA! You old fart!"

Mario narrowed his eyes behind his glasses without any real venom.

Cherry snickered and hugged her dad. "Is Iggy causing you problems?"

"None that I can't solve." Mario grinned, expression soft. "I'm so-a proud of you, Cherry. Peach is smiling from the sun."

"No doubt about it. She's— oof!"

"Group hug!" Iggy squished both of them to his chest.

Somewhere, Aretha shrieked at the top of her lungs. "But I wanna be tall!"

"Well, sweetie pie, that takes time," Morton replied to her.

Cherry broke away from Iggy and Mario to investigate, and found Aretha tucked into her shell with Morton standing nearby. They were by the playground slide, which was shadowed by the castle.

"Is she okay?"

Morton twitched his tail, utterly calm. Humor flickered in his eyes. "Yup. Just having a little tantrum."

"Uh oh! What happened?"

"Two things. One, Junior didn't want to run the training course again, and two…" He leaned closer, muttering in her ear, "She's mad that she isn't tall."

Cherry giggled. Aretha was at that volatile age.

Mario caught wind of what Morton said and pointed to Cherry with his thumb. "This-a one was furious when she couldn't fit-a into my suspenders."

"Sheesh, how old was I?" She scratched the back of her head.

Mario's expression softened with affection. "Three. And Peach bought you some that fit-a, and you were happy."

"I will get taller!" Aretha snapped from inside her shell.

"I bet you will!" Cherry bent to regard her.

"I want it today!"

Cherry muttered to Morton, "You could give her a mushroom."

"She's allergic to them." He huffed under his breath. "Took one bite, said her mouth tingled and next thing we know she's choking. That wasn't a fun trip to the emergency room."

"Ooh. Got it."

She was glad Mario hated eating them, so Aretha didn't have to worry about surprise mushrooms in any of his dishes.

Iggy stopped by to check on Aretha and got screamed at.

"I wanna be tall!" She wailed.

Morton gestured at Iggy to move along, so he did, snickering.

Mario pointed to the castle. "I'm going to-a help get the food ready."

He kissed Cherry's cheek and hugged her tight. "I love you, my-a Cherry Blossom."

Cherry's dress rustled when she nuzzled her cheek against his forehead. "I love you, too, daddy."

Up ahead, Daisy helped Luigi ease himself to sit in one of the many comfortable wicker chairs throughout the courtyard. Larkspur brought him a glass of punch and Amaryllis propped his cane against the chair's arm.

Ludwig and Black perched together on the rim of the fountain, gazing fondly at each other. Wolfgang sat by their feet, contentedly lining up rows of rocks.

Sienna approached Morton, smiling, and Aretha popped out of her shell to hug her mom's leg. Morton's eyes softened.

Lemmy and Scott laid side by side in the grass, pointing at random clouds. They smiled, entwining their hands.

Larry laughed until he coughed at Iggy's impression of Toad.

Roy and Pom-Pom walked hand in hand along the edge of the hedge maze, chatting and grinning.

Wendy and Jack smoothed a red tablecloth over three picnic tables lined up end to end. They bumped hips, chuckled and kissed.

"Boo!"

"Ack!" Cherry spun to face Junior. A fireball escaped her hands since the Fire Flower power hadn't worn off yet. The blast hit the ground harmlessly. "You sneak!"

"Gotcha." He pulled her close and kissed her softly. Her wedding ring sparkled as she cupped his cheek. He took his braids down, so his wavy hair fell around his shoulders and back.

Mario came outside pushing a cart full of food, and everyone scrambled towards the tables as though pulled by magnets.

Cherry looked around at the Koopa-Toadstool family and marveled. Mario sat across from her. She caught his eye as she dished up her plate of spaghetti.

It's hard to believe…this family happened because my dad fell down a pipe and rescued my mom from Bowser.

They got down to eating. Everyone made approving noises. Ludwig cut the spaghetti noodles into shorter bits and fed a small forkful to Wolfgang, who frowned as he tasted it for the first time. After a moment, he slapped the table and opened his mouth for more.

"Oh, he likes it!" Mario smiled, "I'll take-a that as a compliment."

Ludwig slurped up a noodle. "Wolfgang is adventurous about food."

"Daddy," Cherry pointed to a spot under her nose, "You have sauce in your mustache."

"Oops." Mario paused to rub it with a napkin, making it worse. His mustache was half red! "Better?"

"It looks fabulous!" Junior replied.

Cherry eyed him and laughed.

"What's so funny?" Lemmy asked from the far end of the table.

Junior took a picture of Mario and texted it to everybody, including Mario. Mirth rippled through until the whole gathering erupted.

Daisy shot Junior a scowl of warning that he pretended not to see. Everybody at the table spammed Mario's phone with photos of his messy face.

"Mamma-mia," Mario sighed. He was a good sport, looking through the photos and laughing along with everyone else.

Lemmy tripped getting more spaghetti. One of his meatballs flew up and bopped Iggy in the nose.

"Oh, so that's how it is, huh, twin?" Iggy flicked the meatball back at Lemmy.

Roy tossed a piece of celery across Larry's plate.

"That's it." Larry picked up his plate full of sauce and planted it on Roy's bald head.

"Ugh, seriously?" Roy groaned.

"Food fight!" Iggy yelled.

"Uh oh." Junior grabbed Cherry's arm and whisked her away from the table as the mayhem exploded. Flying spaghetti, whipped cream and peas went everywhere. Nobody escaped unscathed— even Cherry and Junior found noodles stuck on them.

Ludwig took a dinner roll to his nose. Black flung his whole plate at Iggy, and nailed him in the face. Wendy ducked and ran, leaving Jack to get beaned by meatballs. Luigi avoided a whole bowl of spaghetti, only to get hit by the sauce bowl behind it. Daisy got the side-splatter. Sienna deflected flying peas. Morton caught another thrown roll and ate it whole. Pom-Pom had spaghetti sauce dripping off her chest. Scott lobbed meatballs until Larry dumped gravy over his head.

Junior recorded the mess on his phone. Cherry wiped sauce off her arms. They looked at each other, snickering.

"This is what we married into," Junior remarked.

"No regrets," Cherry said back.

Wolfgang and Aretha hid under the table. She fed him pieces of the dinner roll that hit Ludwig. They giggled while the adults made fools of themselves.

.o

Warm sunlight shone down without being oppressively hot.

The Koopa-Toadstool family gathered at the bottom of the valley far below the KTC hill. Aretha and Wolfgang held gardening trowels. Everybody else had shovels.

This verdant valley still had evidence of its canyon beginnings at its north and south ends, while the middle opened wide due to mountains rising and shifting away. Water and tectonic activity carved this marvel over millions of years. It stayed comfortably cool, and wet scents rising off three winding rivers carried pleasantly on the wind.

Sometime, perhaps a hundred years from now, citizens of a new empire would call it home.

Junior bit his shovel into the hard earth, flung the dirt aside and spat into the hole he made.

"For the future," he said, "This is where Valley City begins."

Aretha giggled, wagging her tail. "Why did you spit there, uncle Junior?"

"It brings good luck, and it means that whatever gets built here is gonna be awesome."

Scott almost toppled out of his wheelchair punching his shovel down. "I'm in."

Lemmy jumped on his shovel to embed it in the dirt and managed to scoop up a huge, jagged rock.

"Oof!" Iggy flung a powdery wad of earth over his shoulder onto Roy's head.

"Hey, watch it!" Roy flicked his dirt clump back. It landed squarely on Iggy's glasses, and they both laughed.

Pom-Pom shook her head. She and Roy dug parallel holes next to each other.

"It will be beautiful." Cherry pushed her shovel in beside Junior's spot before tipping the soil off it.

Larry twirled his shovel and beatboxed while patting his earth pile into a neat little hill.

Ludwig and Black grinned cheekily at each other as their shovels collided mid-scoop.

Morton and Sienna turned back to back, dug and deposited their dirt piles in the same place.

Aretha stabbed around a pebble with her trowel and ripped up old, dead grass roots.

Jack waited for Wendy to create her dent in the ground and embedded his shovel into the edge of the hole she made.

"I can always find your hole," he winked at her.

She snickered and elbowed his side.

Wolfgang shirked his trowel in favor of his claws, but his idea of spitting afterward was licking the dirt. Aretha pointed and laughed when he grimaced with his snout stained brown.

"Let's-a go!" Mario stomped his shovel into the earth beside Junior and flipped it over. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand.

Boom-Boom erected a Koopa-Mushroom flag over the dirt where they all left a mark, and Lakitu took photos from the sky for cartography purposes later.

Junior looked around at the towering, striated walls of the canyon that opened into a lush valley. Water carved it out the way time carved paths through the universe.

Valley City was about to begin here, a city he wouldn't be alive to see completed. He wondered if Bowser felt the same awe when he turned over the first bit of dirt for the KTC.

Once, Ludwig said, "Sometimes the choices that seem insignificant when we make them play the biggest role in our futures."

And he was right.

Junior laced his fingers with Cherry's. Their eyes met. They smiled. This happened because he used the Koopa Clown Car for a hide-and-seek hiding place, and it led to her bandaging his toe.

Whatever came next, for them and for the city not yet built, he hoped it would be beautiful.

.o

Time marched on, as it always did.

A coronation photo of Junior and Cherry replaced the wedding photo at the castle entrance. Mario captured it on his phone and it was better than most of the professional photos circulating the internet.

They were in profile, clasping each others' hands while taking their vows of loyalty to each other while wearing their regalia.

By mutual agreement, they moved the giant wedding picture to Cherry's family tree wall, right beside an official painting of her sitting on her throne in all her queenly glory.

Likewise, Junior's wall sported a copy of their wedding photo placed on his wall, along with his official royal portrait. He had to redo the blood ritual and hold the club overhead to get the anointing effect just so, but it came out fantastic. When he posed holding it aloft for the photo the artists used, he twisted sideways so the blue shell on the top of the club was visible as a thank you to his dad.

The artists, a Toad named Toadelly and a Koopa named Talalay, collaborated to create both royal paintings. Two talented women whose brush strokes captured life. It was an honor to have their art hanging in the KTC.

Two days after that, Junior scrolled through the Shell Times online newspaper. His stomach dropped when he found Celine's obituary.

She lived just long enough to see her fiftieth wedding anniversary to Pat. They celebrated it together, went to bed in each other's arms, and Pat woke up the next morning to find Celine slipped peacefully away while they slept.

Pat used the bank card to give her beloved wife the lavish funeral she deserved, ending in a traditional lava burial.

Junior couldn't attend due to his duties, so he sent a giant bouquet of white roses. The card said, Love you, Celine. Go chase my dad.

Her death was sad. He cried about it. Then he chose to celebrate her life.

Junior commissioned a gold plaque in Celine's honor and placed it by the elevator on the medical ward. Everyone walking out encountered it first. It stated her name, explained who she was and had a bas relief of her 'royal' photo because he knew it would drive her up the wall.

The medical ward became colloquially known as Celine's floor from that day onward.

.o

Junior burst into the kitchen where Cherry nibbled on breakfast.

"Hey, Cherry, who looks sexy in red?"

Cherry raised an eyebrow without pausing her chewing.

"Me!" He snickered when she frowned. "Aw, I'm just kidding, you're the one who's sexy in red."

She tossed her breakfast roll at his head, laughing. "I want a divorce! My husband doesn't like me anymore!"

"Okay." Junior caught the roll, pretended to pout and leave. He came back a moment later, eating it. "Still considering divorce?"

"Nope!" Cherry kissed his nose with buttery lips. "It's about time you got down here. Daddy's birthday party is this afternoon. You didn't forget, did you?"

The humor faded from Junior's face a little. No, he didn't forget, but that didn't stop him from messing with her.

"That's today?"

She shot him a long-suffering look and brandished another roll.

He laughed uproariously, waving his hands in a defensive gesture. "Nah! I'm kidding! Don't worry! I have his gift ready."

It only took two weeks of digging through the woods and finding what he sought covered in moss. Oh, he had a gift all right!

He wanted to test out his new warp pocket tech, and what better way than to get something big into the Mushroom Castle at just the right moment?

Bowser used to send Mario an obnoxious gift every year for his birthday. Junior figured it was time to pick the tradition up again.

"Can we stop on the way?"

"That's why I suggested we leave early. And we better get out of here before somebody drags us into a meeting." She tugged on the white velvet bandanna dangling off his royal collar, bringing him down for a kiss.

Against his lips, she said, "You know how much I hate those meetings."

"Right, me, too." He grinned at how her blue eyes sparkled. "Let me get the presents. You get the flowers."

Because his little wrench was a clever cover for the gag gift. She had no idea.

Ten minutes later, they were nestled in the Koopa Clown Car. They kissed, laughed and joked. Five and a half years of marriage deepened their relationship. Junior knew he could lean on Cherry if he needed strength, and she wasn't afraid to be vulnerable.

Billowy clouds dotted the azure sky, though they weren't thick enough to block the sun.

A soft breeze blew as Junior set the Koopa Clown Car down at the foot of the hill. He and Cherry made their way up together.

"Hey, dad. You're a little dusty today."

Junior pulled a rag from his shell and wiped the dust off Bowser's statue. He handed the rag to Cherry so she could wipe Peach off. Then he knelt to place his rose over Bowser's name.

"It's Mario's birthday. We're gonna go harass him." Dropping his voice to a whisper, he said, "I've got the perfect prank to piss him off, too. You'll love it, dad. You'll be laughing your way across the sky."

No answer, just the wind.

Recent rain softened the grassy earth and gave it a pleasant petrichor coolness. Junior twisted his claw into the mud and inserted a small stainless steel cylinder. Inside it, his white bandanna. A representation of who he was while his dad still lived.

He pushed the cylinder knuckle-deep into the mud, covered it up and patted the disturbed earth flat. Afterward, he wiped his muddy claws clean on the wet grass.

Being at Bowser's graveside still evoked images of his last gasps. The more frightening memories— the thrashing and roaring— still inflicted a sharp sting. Maybe they always would.

He didn't burst into uncontrollable tears as much, so he counted that as progress. Like Billie said, he got better at standing up to the waves when they crashed into him.

"The funny thing about history is you don't see it when you're making it," Junior whispered, tracing Bowser's name on the gold slanted name plate. "What will they say about us two hundred years from now?"

"Good things, hopefully." Cherry tapped his arm with her red rose before she placed it on Peach's name plate.

She rarely spoke to Peach's grave, choosing instead to think her words privately.

Bowser did a good job matching us up. I don't know if you're with him now or not, but if you are, I hope he's making you happy. Junior misses him a lot.

She smiled, blushing.

I think it's a good thing you and Bowser waited until you met in Heaven to get together. If he's as passionate as Junior…

Cherry let the thought trail off and glanced at her husband. "Ready to go?"

Junior traced Bowser's name with his thumb claw again. King Bowser Koopa I.

He turned to her and smiled, flashing his sharp teeth. "Yeah."

.o

An exhausted Mario closed the doors after his long birthday party. Goodness gracious, it was almost as big a party as Cherry's wedding reception! He received more gifts than he could open in one day, so everybody was coming back tomorrow to continue where the party left off.

The aged plumber wiped a hand down his face. He just wanted to sit on his throne and enjoy the silence for a few minutes.

But that was not to be.

When he entered his throne room and turned on the lights, there was a loud fwoosh and a flash. As the lambent brilliance faded, it left a wooden object balanced perfectly across his throne. Familiar, yet older, with new twigs and moss sprouting off it like hair. Somehow, that made it more vulgar.

Dangling from it was a banner that read, Do old men still get wood?

He gawked at the giant, crudely-carved phallus while wondering how on earth it managed to appear there.

Junior leapt out from behind the pillar and dashed towards the door, howling with uproarious mirth.

"Happy birthday, you old fart!"

"No! Stronzo! Testa di cazzo! You're a-worse than your-a father was!" Mario chased him out the door, shaking his fist in the air. His voice rose in pitch as he swore in Italian.

"I'll take that as a compliment, your majesty!" Junior jeered playfully.

Cherry waited with the Koopa Clown Car in hover mode above the drawbridge. Junior asked her to wait while he said a final good night to Mario.

He burst outside, jumped over the front steps, bounded forward and front-flipped into the Koopa Clown Car with Mario screaming behind him.

Mario didn't swear unless someone really set him off.

"Go!" Junior cackled.

"What did you do?" Cherry grabbed the controls and took off into the sky, leaving Mario in the dust.

Mario grabbed the garden hose. He turned it on full blast and sprayed water, though the stream fell short of its target

"Scram-a! Get-a outta here, brat!"

"Junior!" Cherry gritted her teeth.

"Nice try, Mario!" Junior grinned, pointing to him as Cherry sped the Koopa Clown Car away. "I'll call you when my toilet clogs again!"

The elderly plumber king's shouting faded into the distance until it was inaudible.

"Okay." Cherry stopped the aircraft and regarded Junior with a raised brow. "Start talking. What did you do?"

Junior explained it in full detail.

She blinked and burst into laughter. "Junior! Really? You know he's gonna give you hell tomorrow, right?"

"Yup. I hope he does!" He pretended to polish his claws on his plastron ridges. "Dad was right. Bothering Mario makes being alive fun."

Cherry swatted his chest. The blow had no real venom behind it. She turned as the breeze ruffled her dark heart shaped bangs.

"You're as obnoxious as Bowser."

Junior beamed, the wind blowing his topknot ponytail sideways. "Good. You're as cute as Peach."

"I sure hope so." She gazed softly at him. "You're ridiculous, but you're also my bestest, best, most ultra-sexy and lovable husband."

He kissed her forehead, losing himself in her eyes. "You're my most bestest, best, better-than-best, most mega-super-ultra-on-top-of-ultra-super-sexy and wonderful wife."

Cherry kissed the end of his nose and leaned on his chest. "Let's be that forever."

Their laughter echoed off the landscape as the Koopa Clown Car zoomed past Peach's and Bowser's graves. Its propeller blew the roses askew and they fell together like lovers between the gleaming name plates.

.o

.o