3.

"I don't think people fully appreciated just how good of a boogeyman the Empire was. It's hard to believe now, but there used to be a time when the Mushroom Kingdom would never have contemplated trade deals with the Koopa Empire. Those who weren't afraid of the Empire fell into two categories: Made of sterner stuff or too young to understand what was happening. I must admit, though, I couldn't have predicted what would come that day Mario arrived in New Donk City."

Pauline Verducci, Prime Minister of the Mushroom Kingdom, The Great Reconciliation 1921

Mario awoke with a start and rubbed his eyes. The intercom announcement had interrupted what would have otherwise been a pleasant dream. He pushed up the brim of his cap and groaned softly at the intruding sunlight. He looked at his watch and smiled softly; the familiar skyline of New Donk City had come into view. Making sure his cap was fastened over his head, Mario stepped off the airship and breathed in the scent of the city itself.

There was a rustic charm to the city that he happened to enjoy. More importantly, no throngs of screaming fans hoping to glimpse the fabled Jumpman, Hero of the Mushroom Kingdom, or whatever titles the Kingdom had bestowed upon him. He wasn't Super Mario; he was just Mario Segale. Granted, he still had the reputation of chasing down a kong, but compared to the modern myth surrounding him over his triumphs over Bowser and now Smithy? The crazy plumber going after a kong was a welcome change.

Of course, it also helped that he changed his shirt and overalls for something different: a red button-down shirt, grey vest, black slacks, and black boots. His hat was almost certainly a dead giveaway to any intrepid reporter. Still, one small benefit to his fame was that his particular cap was popular in the Mushroom Kingdom. He didn't hate the fame, but he found the stories frustratingly exhausting. No one remembered the fact that his brother helped him quite a bit. No one bothered to remember people like Prince Mallow either.

Walking through the bustling streets, Mario smiled as he took in the newer additions to the city. One month after the Smithy attack, Mario nearly found himself at a loss at how different the city had seemed from when he had lived here. But in the five months after that visit? No one would have guessed that the Smithy Gang attacked the city. He spotted a neon sign advertising a club, and by the look of it, it was a new addition.

Reaching into his pocket, he tossed a crown to the paper boy on the corner. Stooping down, he grabbed a newspaper and tipped the brim of his cap to the paperboy before turning and striding down the city streets. A faint growl from his stomach caused Mario to smile faintly before he looked around for a place to eat. Luca's had always been his favorite, but the place wasn't open yet. However, Mario's eyes lit up as he spotted a restaurant called Vesuvio.

Crossing the street, he walked to the restaurant and stepped inside, breathing in the smell of the place. He scanned the dining area, noting that many patrons were wearing varying business attires or something approaching business casual; however, two individuals stood out. One was a young human woman with carmine-colored hair tied back in a messy ponytail. Seated across from her was a broad-shouldered, dark gray-scaled lizard-like being with silver hair and glowing blue eyes. The woman's burgundy eyes widened, and Mario momentarily thought that the woman would announce his presence very loudly; however, she leaned closer instead and began talking animatedly with her companion.

'Can't say I've seen too many kremlings here…' he noted mentally while the host led him to an empty table.

While waiting, Mario looked at his newspaper and found his eyebrows raising fractionally. The silence from the Empire hadn't been on the front page as it had a few months ago. Thinking back to his conversation with Peach two weeks ago, he wondered what Bowser was planning. None of this made any sense. Bowser had been quiet before, but he would have had numerous military parades and broadcasts of Imperial might by now. This silence, though…? This was something else.

"Are we ready to order, sir?" The waitress asked as she stepped up to him.

"Um… well, I've never really been here before," Mario admitted, "What would you recommend, if I may ask?"

The waitress smiled happily, "Well… between you and me, I'm fond of the crespelle. I get it with spinach, mushrooms, and ricotta cheese."

Mario nodded thoughtfully, "That sounds wonderful; I think I'll have that along with a cup of macchiato, please."

"Excellent choice, sir. We'll have that out to you momentarily!" She smiled and walked off.

Returning to the paper, Mario was greeted with an image of Princess Peach and a man dancing on the front page. He scanned the paper for the relevant article and found himself smiling faintly. If the paper was correct, then the man she was dancing with was Baron Oliver Kiramman. Keeping up with the nobility was never really his favorite pastime, but Luigi seemed impressed enough with the Baron of Duskhaven to commit the name to memory. Turning the page over, his smile had seamlessly transformed into a sneer.

'Duke Graemon of Ironpointe proves to be an instrumental voice in lobbying for Her Highness' New Society Programs…' If the conversation he had with Luigi just two weeks ago was right, then Graemon was angling for a way to rebuild his reputation. What had Lord Graemon done to ruin his reputation, though?

"Here we go!" The waitress had returned carrying both his plate and a cup of macchiato. She deftly laid out the plate and set down the cup before looking at him with a smile, "Is there anything else I can get for you, sir?"

"No, thank you. Everything looks wonderful!" He replied with a smile of his own.

The waitress stepped away, and Mario set the paper aside. Grabbing his fork, he cut into his food, but before he could take a bite, a light laugh caught his ear, "You know… I'm almost offended that you didn't drop by five months ago."

Mario looked up and almost immediately jumped to his feet, his eyes wide with shock, "P-Pauline…! I-I didn't know you were here!"

Pauline Verducci gave him an almost impish smile, "Clearly not. Otherwise, you'd be like everyone else, calling me 'Madame Mayor.'" She grinned and held up a finger, "But… it's just Pauline to you." She stepped forward and hugged Mario tightly. "I hope the city isn't dealing with a crazed gorilla again."

Mario rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish grin, "Guess I'm always going to be known for that." He chuckled weakly, "Still, it could be worse. Spending time in the capital has been… well… interesting, to say the least."

"I mean… you've been catapulted into the national spotlight, Mister Bigshot." Pauline smirked as she sat across from him, "And a new dress sense, too? Well… I can't say I miss the overalls."

He narrowed his eyes and wagged a finger at her, "Don't knock the classics!" He grinned.

The waitress returned and took Pauline's order before departing. Pauline just smiled faintly as she stared at Mario. In many ways, he felt like she was x-raying him; Mario brought the forkful of food to his mouth and chewed slowly as he met her gaze. The aftermath of that crazy kong's rampage had, among other things, caused them to drift apart. They may have been able to patch things up before he and Luigi moved to Portobello, but there had been many things said during their falling out that neither of them could ever really take back. Like he had told Luigi, whatever magic he and Pauline once had? It was gone.

"So…" Mario began, cringing at how awkward it felt, "How have you been?"

Pauline shook her head as a cup of macchiato and a plate of food were set down. Mario had to admit, it was about the most basic question to ask. Pauline sipped her drink and sighed, "Well, if you really want to know, I've been trying to get Gadd Science Incorporated to enhance the city's security. Nothing too crazy, but just some simple upgrades to our rail lines." Her shoulders slumped, "The city council has been stalling, claiming that they're concerned over the reputation of Professor Gadd, as well as the debates raging in the Senate over whether they would let him anywhere near the Kingdom's vital infrastructure. They'd probably want companies like TASCorp or the Harrington Consortium to get contracted, but my money says that His Majesty puts his foot down and gets Gadd into the program."

Sipping his own drink, Mario frowned thoughtfully. He had never met the professor, but the way others had talked about him, it seemed like a safe bet. There was something in Pauline's face, though, "I take it you're worried?" He asked.

Pauline chuckled, "Sometimes I forget how good we were at reading each other." She said while casting a glance around the restaurant. She casually gestured to the newspaper, "Unfortunately, this isn't something we should discuss in the open. Nothing bad, just…"

"Impolitic?" He finished with a smirk.

Her eyes widened before nodding, "Well, well… seems you got more than just a new dress sense living in Portobello."

Mario snorted in amusement, "You should see Luigi. I swear… he spends half his time looking at political trends with certain senators." He shook his head, "But… setting aside the politics, what else has been going on?"

Pauline shrugged, "To be honest, aside from dealing with that incident six months ago, the city has been pretty quiet. Well… until recently, anyway. She explained. "But the real challenge these days has been getting people to talk with me openly. Some people believe I practically walk on water because of my time as a prosecutor. But… just because I took down Scapelli shouldn't mean I'm viewed any differently, right?"

Mario's jaw dropped, and he shook his head in disbelief, "Wait a minute… you took down Anthony Scapelli, the same guy who put my brother and me out of business, that Scapelli?" He asked incredulously. He set his fork down at her nod, "Alright, you've got to tell me how you did it!"

Pauline grinned, "Well, around the time it happened, I believe you and Luigi were off in Sarasaland, so I'm not surprised you didn't hear about it." She began, "Long and short, an archaeological team suffered a cataclysmic accident. I was representing one of the families pursuing legal action against Scapelli Construction. They were the ones who funded the dig and provided the equipment.

Mario clicked his tongue and raised an eyebrow, "What was the dig about?" He asked.

The mayor shrugged, "From what notes I had read, the dig was based around that old legend about the Crystal Stars." She explained. "You must remember those old stories we heard when we were kids? An ancient demon supposedly created seven crystal stars to harness the power of Star Haven, only to be defeated by four legendary heroes." Pauline sipped her macchiato, "According to the notes that particular student took, the crystal stars were just imitations of some other creation. Unfortunately, the dig collapsed before they could uncover what it meant." She shook her head, "Sorry, I got off track. It turns out that Scapelli was involved in many shady business practices. Remember when he bought out your business?"

Mario's expression soured as he recalled that painful memory. He sipped his drink, "Not likely to forget it any time soon…" He grumbled. "A damn buyout clause if the business failed to produce certain profits and then…" He trailed off with a snarl.

Pauline smiled sadly, "Unfortunately, that was the least troubling thing about Scapelli." She said, tracing the rim of her cup with her thumb. "All of the equipment was reported to be up to the standards the Mushroom Kingdom required, but… a little digging and we discovered that he was importing substandard parts from the Emerald Republic. All in the name of trying to turn a profit, of course."

Mario gave an undignified snort, "Typical. But I seem to be missing how that qualifies as nailing him to the board."

Pauline grinned and raised a finger, "Ah, but that's only part of the trick!" Her grin became somewhat predatory, "The lying on the imports would have been enough to slap a fine onto the bastard's company that could have led to financial ruin." Pauline leaned forward and interlocked her fingers, "Lord Jeremiah Kiramman, Baron of Duskhaven, lost his oldest son, Alexander, in the collapse. You can imagine the outrage from the Kirammans."

Mario's eyes widened. Yes… that would have prompted extreme outrage from a noble family. The impish smile on Pauline's face, though… Mario's jaw dropped, "Don't tell me… there's more?"

"Oh yes…" Pauline replied, "You see. Lord Kiramman commissioned the Internal Security Bureau to investigate the matter. You know how the Bureau is; they left no stone unturned and discovered that Scapelli violated numerous labor laws and had some in-depth connections with various organized crime families, such as the Pianta syndicate. The result was that Scapelli found himself in Bargate learning what it's like to break big rocks into little rocks." Pauline shook her head, "Couldn't have happened to a nicer fellow if you ask me."

He chuckled softly, "No kidding."

Pauline leaned back, "You know…" She began thoughtfully, "You could reclaim your plumbing business now."

Mario shook his head, "It's tempting. But I've been out of the game for too long." He sipped his drink, "Besides, I've found that working around the house has been far more rewarding." He smiled faintly, "Besides, with all the treasures I found while journeying across all of Arne? I've been able to live comfortably."

"Oh? I'd have thought your time would've been spent with our fair princess?" Pauline suggested with a playful grin.

He sighed and shook his head, "Nah, not really. Since we got back and His Majesty named her Prime Minister, she's been… well, busy." He took a deep drink from his cup, hiding his face. As he exhaled quietly, he set the cup on the table and looked up at the frowning mayor, "What?"

She shook her head, "I know that look. So… what happened?"

Mario snorted. Of course, she would pick up on it. They had dated in high school all the way to their early twenties. Six years may have passed since they broke up, but Pauline still knew him better than anyone else, save for Luigi. Exhaling slowly, Mario found himself at a loss of how to adequately explain it, "Well… to be honest, I haven't been to the palace too much lately." He sighed. The expectant look on her face indicated she wanted more information, "Long story short? I made a complete ass out of myself."

"I see." She said quietly.

"I just…" Mario started before interrupting himself. "I… I thought there was something there, you know? Like there was a chance for us as a couple or something. A stupid part of me thought maybe it was because I was a commoner or because I'm from Crimino…"

"Yeah, that's definitely stupid on your part." Pauline agreed with a nod. "I haven't had the pleasure of talking with her much, but I never thought she was some elitist snob."

The corners of his mouth twitched. Pauline certainly wasn't one to mince words. Mario smiled faintly as it was just beginning to dawn on him how she had gotten elected as mayor. He raised his palms outward, "I know, I know. But… it still hurt like hell, you know? I was so sure she felt the same way about me that I didn't even consider that I'd be rejected." He laughed hollowly, "But after we defeated Smithy, I got a private moment with her and told her how I felt." Mario's smile faded, "She did her best to let me down gently. But… I just remember walking away from that conversation feeling like I made a mess of things."

Pauline pinched the bridge of her nose, "Please don't tell me you were a right bellend to her?"

Mario snorted in amusement, "No, I learned that lesson the hard way. No… I just stayed away for a bit. I needed to get my head right. It got so bad that Luigi moved out and got his own place. About a month later, I came here and just walked around the city, remembering some of the good old days." He shook his head bitterly, "Looking back six months, someone made a snide comment about how similar I was to Bowser, which irritated me. But now…? Now, I think they might've had a point."

"Yep, you're definitely an idiot if you believe that." Pauline chirped. "Seriously, you really believe that rubbish?"

Mario shrugged and began ticking off a list on his fingers, "Well, let's see… I've got a bit of a temper problem. I can be stubborn as a mule, and… well, if I had to be honest, I've been a little obsessed with a certain pretty blonde."

"Oh, hush. Let me explain what I mean." She groaned. "Imagine this scenario – what if you discovered the Princess was interested in someone else? Maybe it's with Bowser," Pauline raised a hand to stifle any protest of his and, with the same hand, gestured to his paper, "Or maybe it's Lord Kiramman. The point is, if she's truly happy with the other person, could you accept it?"

He snorted in amusement. Leave it to Pauline to ask the difficult questions. Leaning back in his seat, he ran a thumb over his bottom lip and hummed thoughtfully. Thinking about Bowser, or even Peach, objectively was difficult. Pauline stared at him expectantly while sipping her drink. Mario closed his eyes and turned the question over in his head. Could he accept it? Opening his eyes, Mario popped the last bites of his meal into his mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, he couldn't imagine a scenario like the one she had presented to him, but then again… that wasn't the question.

Swallowing, Mario sighed, "It would be… tough." He pressed down on the word like a thwomp crushing an annoying pest, "It'd hurt like hell…"

"But…?" Pauline prodded.

The corners of his mouth twitched, "If she were happy and made the choice herself? I'd accept it."

Pauline smiled, "And that's the difference right there." She said, "You'd be hurt and upset, but you'd want her to be happy, even if it isn't necessarily with you." Pauline then tapped the table with her index finger. "Reverse the situation, though, and I don't think the Emperor would be as considerate. Dare I say, he might kill whoever the Princess was interested in."

Mario winced at the thought. Would Bowser go as far as killing him if there had been a shot with Peach? That certainly wasn't a pleasant thought. Downing the last of his drink, he sighed, "You know…" He began slowly, "I might consider coming back here…"

"To the restaurant or the city?" Pauline grinned.

"Yes," Mario replied with a smirk.

"Um… e-excuse me… are you the Mario Segale?" A cheerful, if nervous voice called out.

Belle's patience was wearing thin as she twirled her fork through the crespelle on her plate. The food was enjoyable, but the past two days had been agonizingly slow work as they played the part of starry-eyed tourists. Belle was not self-conscious about her performance, but she wasn't fond of how unnatural the cheerful voice sounded to her ears. However, her gaze drifted over to a familiar-looking red cap she had seen in the documents they spent hours and days looking at in the Imperial records.

"Sir…!" She hissed, leaning forward and catching Vossak's attention, "He's here!"

Vossak's eyes darted toward where Belle was looking. He looked on as Mario walked towards an empty table before returning to his meal, "So he is…" He murmured.

Belle growled as her mood darkened. The Commodore's rock-solid composure made it almost infuriating to brood over an unexpected element. She frowned and glanced at the Pyreburner reading his paper. This was far too dangerous. They were just mere feet away from Mario. Belle sighed and looked at Vossak, "What do we do?" She hissed. "He wasn't supposed to be here!"

"Patience, Commander." Vossak chuckled indulgently, "This is a new challenge, certainly. But… let us observe for a few moments."

Belle groaned and took another bite of her food. The crespelle and strawberries were a good combination, but the tension of the situation caused the food to feel like ash in her mouth. They were observing, but what were they observing? The recruitment ads and the Ministry of Public Instruction and Enlightenment never discussed this side of military life. Long periods of routine and boredom were the frequent companions of military life. Intermittent challenges and danger certainly broke up the monotony, but this felt… different, somehow.

The appearance of a brown-haired woman wearing a red suit caused Belle's eyes to widen, "Oh, that's just perfect…" She grumbled, "We were supposed to approach Mario by himself!"

Vossak's expression was serene as he glanced toward the table, "Ah… that would be Mayor Verducci." He chuckled softly. "Our mission hasn't changed. Perhaps this will work to our advantage."

Belle scoffed, "And how do you figure we do that?" She asked.

Vossak smiled faintly, "We will simply go over and introduce ourselves." He said, "After all, two unarmed tourists wishing to meet the city mayor and a renowned hero?"

"I think you're being overly optimistic…" Belle grumbled, "They're just as likely to have the city watch after us."

The kremling glanced over and nodded, "It's time, Commander."

Belle's eyes darted over to the table in question, and she noted the lack of food on the plates. She snorted in amusement. Of course, the Commodore was trying to observe proper manners. As they approached the table, Belle made sure to move with the air of a starstruck tourist, but to her slight annoyance, Vossak exuded a quiet, regal elegance that came naturally to him. He gave a fractional nod, and Belle cleared her throat, "Um… e-excuse me… are you the Mario Segale?"

For once, the discomfort wasn't in the unnatural cheer of her voice. The Pyreburner blinked at them in confusion as he nodded, "Um… yes, I'm so sorry, but you have me at a terrible disadvantage here, Miss…?"

"Oh! Right, I'm uh… Belle Fontiere." She gestured to the kremling, "This is my partner Komodo Vossak." She and the Commodore argued over pseudonyms for most of their entire trip to the Vista Hill garrison, yet the Commodore had convinced her not to go down that path. "I'm so sorry, but may we join you?"

Vossak inclined his head, "Only if present company does not object. We do not wish imposition." He said in a heavily accented common tongue.

Belle ground her teeth in frustration. Wonderful. That was the charade that they were going with. Fantastic. The mayor and Mario merely stared at one another with raised eyebrows. Belle could tell there was something of a silent conversation going on. They both shrugged before the mayor extended her head and cleared her throat, "Please, take a seat."

Belle and Vossak took their seats, and Belle gave a smile, "Thank you, Madame Mayor." She began.

The mayor smiled amiably, "Please, just call me Pauline." She began, "I'm hoping you've been enjoying your stay in our city?"

"It has been…" Vossak hesitated and furrowed his brow. He turned to Belle, "Gruksen?"

Belle gave a wry smile. Her mastery of kremlok had been one of the reasons why she was assigned to Vossak as his interpreter during their academy days. The raised eyebrows of both Mario and Pauline only added to the hilarity, "Enlightening." She translated for him, "My partner is not quite as adept with the common tongue." A blatant lie, "As I'm able to speak kremlok, the Trade Guild paired us up."

Pauline's eyes lightened in comprehension, "Ah… you're from the Waffle Kingdom?" She asked, "How is King Challah?"

Vossak shifted, "His Majesty is… concerned."

Belle maintained her composure. The Waffle Kingdom wasn't a foe of the Mushroom Kingdom, but that didn't necessarily make the two nations allies. The Waffle Kingdom's inclination for non-interference and non-intervention meant it didn't possess the reputation of a country like the Beanbean Kingdom or the Bonneton Kingdom. Though he was politically inept, this was something that Vossak had emphasized.

Mario nodded with his eyebrows raised slightly, "I see. So… what can I do for you?" He asked.

Belle sighed, "The fact of the matter is… we need your assistance." She grumbled bitterly.

Mario's eyes darted to Pauline, and Belle noted their faces' bewilderment. Mario cleared his throat, "Don't get me wrong, Miss Fontiere. I'm more than willing to help if I can." He stated. "But… shouldn't you be petitioning His Majesty? I mean, I'm just an ordinary guy."

That wasn't the response that she had been expecting. Vossak raised his head, "Your King and ours… disagree." He stated. Belle spared a sideways glance toward him and frowned. Was he actually intrigued by the situation?

"Unfortunately, this is true." Belle agreed. "King Russet wouldn't offer us a brass nut, let alone any substantial assistance. In this case, we need help hunting down a notorious pirate queen."

Mario clicked his tongue, "A pirate queen?" He shrugged his shoulders, "Well… I've been asked to help with stranger things. What kind of information do you have on this pirate queen?"

Belle's eyes darted to Vossak. The Commodore was definitely intrigued by this interaction. The glimmer in his eyes made her wonder what he was trying to do. Turning to Pauline, Belle noted that the mayor was staring intently, contemplating the information. Belle sighed and gathered her courage, "We've been facing attacks from the infamous Captain Syrup of the Black Sugar Gang." She began, "The constant raids on our merchant fleets have disrupted our economy, and the navy hasn't been able to stop them. Politically, this is a win-win for King Russet. Your aid would help us solve our crisis, and His Majesty would be willing to give special dispensation concerning favorable trade with the Mushroom Kingdom."

The fact that Mario's gaze had chilled instead of looking intrigued by the idea unnerved Belle. Had she made a mistake? Vossak's relaxed posture did very little to reinforce her. Was he aware of how much of a tightrope they were walking on? Would Mario attack them? Inhaling, she ran over the facts: They were in a crowded restaurant, and there was a danger that Pauline would get caught in the crossfire, not to mention innocent bystanders. The lives of two Imperials may not have been his concern, but Belle was reasonably sure they weren't in that kind of danger. As she exhaled slowly, she felt the tension leave her shoulders.

Mario crossed his arms and lowered his head. Silence fell on the table as Pauline cleared her throat, "I'm certain King Russet would be open to a dialogue with envoys of the Waffle Kingdom." Her tone was light, but there was a slight edge to her tone that put Belle on her guard, "After all, we could certainly help you present your case to him."

Belle moved to answer; however, Vossak raised a forefinger to stop her, "They disagree on much. To a point, King Russet could not be seen to…" He paused momentarily, "…Give us aid."

Arching her eyebrow at the slip in his accent, Belle frowned. Was he purposely trying to fumble this? Pauline evidently caught the slip, too, as she lowered her eyebrows. But what alarmed her was the surprise bark of laughter from Mario. Belle turned to him, "Is there something funny?" she asked, feigning indignation.

Mario shook his head with a smile, "No, no… you gave a pretty good story." His eyes blazed intensely, "A really nice story, in fact. But… that's all it was, right?" His smile faded, "A story? I mean… let's be honest here."

"In the future? I suggest you choose your lies a little more carefully." Pauline sneered. "Captain Syrup's Black Sugar Gang hasn't been seen since the collapse of the Awabō ruins. So cut the act, who are you really?"

Belle glanced at Vossak, who smiled amusedly, "Very well…" She breathed a sigh of relief. She straightened in her seat and looked at Mario and Pauline, "We weren't lying about our names or our need for help."

Vossak tilted his head, "Indeed." He said, dropping his accent, "Lieutenant Commander Fontiere is my aide-de-camp. I am a Commodore in the Koopa Empire's Imperial Navy."

Mario's eyes widened, and Belle cursed herself for not insisting that they take their sidearms. Surprisingly, Pauline raised her hand, "I must admit, Commodore, we weren't expecting such esteemed visitors in our city." She began. "If I had known, I would've prepared a more suitable greeting. But, you find yourself surrounded by several witnesses, a city mayor, and Super Mario himself. Additionally, I can summon the city watch with a single word. The odds aren't looking food for you."

Vossak inclined his head, "Certainly not," he agreed, "But… would two unarmed tourists really be worth all the trouble?"

"Unarmed? What a crock of…" Mario snorted in derision. "You just told us that you're high-ranking officers in the Empire. Are we supposed to believe that neither of you has a sidearm?"

Belle felt that she had to agree with the plumber on that. She would have been equally suspicious of Mushroom Kingdom officers being unarmed if their roles were reversed. Mario's skepticism didn't phase Vossak, who merely inclined his head politely, "You hear two officers announcing His Majesty requires assistance, and you aren't curious as to why?"

Pauline leaped on that, "We're still waiting for an explanation, Commodore." She said patiently, "What on earth could be so important that the Emperor needed our assistance?"

Belle shook her head, "Not yours, Madame Mayor." She then turned to Mario, "Yours."

"You're crazy if you expect me to believe His Archmagnificency really needed my help." Mario sneered. "If it were so damned important, he'd come himself."

Belle snorted in reply. Mario's history with the Empire in general and the Emperor in particular only made it logical for him to dismiss the situation. But then, would the Emperor himself have been skeptical if Mario asked for help? She glanced at Vossak, his glowing eyes boring into Mario's, "Ordinarily, that would be the case." He spoke. "However, the circumstances that required him to seek your assistance also obligated him to stay in the Capital. Beyond that, I'm afraid I cannot say. But consider that the situation carries potential devastation not only for the Empire but also for the Mushroom Kingdom if not the whole continent."

Belle watched as Pauline seemed to register what the Commodore was saying. Mario, on the other hand, remained doubtful. Belle sighed, feeling her patience beginning to fray, "Look, Red, I get it. It's hard for His Majesty to ask for help, but as the Commodore said, this would potentially help out the Mushroom Kingdom too, not just the Empire."

Mario scoffed, "Right, I just agree to help Bowser, and everything will be peachy?" He shook his head, "You must think I'm stupid!"

"Haven't you been paying attention, Meatball?!" Belle snapped; her patience was finally gone. "His Majesty wouldn't ask for help if it weren't damned important! How many ambitious opportunists do you think—"

"Peace, Commander," Vossak interjected calmly, raising a forefinger to silence her. He paused momentarily to regard Mario and Pauline, "The final decision is yours, Mario. But I would think about what has been said. Ultimately, the final decision is yours."

Grinding her teeth in frustration, she watched Vossak rise and turn on his heel. Sparing one last look at Mario, she scoffed and stood up as well. Resisting the urge to snap at Vossak, she had only one thought: This entire mission was pointless. No… worse than that, it was a failure. What would happen if they returned empty-handed? This was an off-the-books mission, but it was still a mission. Did this mean the standard rules applied? Mentally, she began making notes of the events for her report…

"Wait."

Belle paused while taking a step and glanced over her shoulder to see Mario standing with his head lowered, the brim of his cap obscuring his eyes. To her own ears, it sounded like Mario had doubted that he even said a single word. She glanced at Vossak, who simply stood with his back to them. Evidently, Pauline was looking at Mario with curiosity, too. Belle turned and faced him with her arms crossed, "Alright, Red, we're waiting. What're we waiting for?" she asked as she tried to regain control over her temper.

Mario inclined his head and locked eyes with Belle, "I can't tell if you're full of crap or not…" He began slowly, "But… if the situation is as dire as you both claim, then perhaps I'd be willing to hear him out."

Belle could hardly keep the surprise off of her face. Pauline looked equally shocked, "What?" She exclaimed. "Mario… I've heard a lot of bad ideas, but this? I think this tops you chasing after a kong!"

The corners of Mario's mouth twitched; evidently, this was a joke between the two. Belle moved to speak; however, it seemed the Commodore slowly turned to face them, "In any other circumstance? With any other officer?" He began. "You may have been right to be concerned, Madame Mayor. His Majesty has decreed that Mario should be treated as his important guest. Any sort of deviation would incur the Emperor's wrath."

Mario only looked at Vossak impassively, "His Archmagnificency has never asked me directly for help, so I am a little curious." He shrugged absently as he turned to face Pauline, "That's the only reason I'm even considering it. Besides, if I buy the farm, I will go down swinging, and I'll take as many of them with me to the Underwhere that I can."

Belle rolled her eyes in exasperation. Was it hard to believe they weren't trying to lead him into a trap? She paused and thought on the matter. If the situation had been reversed, it was very likely she would have expected a trap, too. She glanced at Vossak, who gave a fraction of a nod. Maybe this report wouldn't be the grand disaster that she had feared it would be.

Pauline hugged Mario tightly, "I hope you know what you're doing…" She murmured.

"Hey, it's me." Mario grinned lightly. Belle watched his grin falter as he leaned closer and whispered something to Pauline. Whatever it was clearly alarmed her, but the expression on his face left no room for any argument, it seemed.

"Are you sure…?" She asked cautiously.

"I am." Mario nodded, "Let King Russet and Princess Peach both know, please." He then looked at Belle and Vossak. "Alright, folks, this is your show now. Lead on."

The awkward trio made their way out of the restaurant and into the city streets. Belle glanced at Mario, who kept his hands in his pockets. The uneasy silence that followed as they journeyed was tense. Belle sighed softly, "You know, Red..." She began slowly.

"Just so that we're crystal clear on the subject?" Mario interrupted his tone light. "If Bowser wants me to kidnap someone, he can forget it. I don't plan on doing that."

Vossak paused momentarily and glanced over his shoulder, "You needn't worry about that. His Majesty has assured us that this is not related to that."

Note from the Author:

This chapter was more challenging to revise than I had intended. I wanted to make the interaction between Mario and Pauline feel less formal and restricted. The idea here is that the two are ex-lovers, but Pauline can still cut through a lot of Mario's BS. I also wanted a chance to really connect something that I hadn't considered using, but what that something is will come up later, I do believe. Like I said in Chapter One, many games will be referenced even if they aren't canon to this story's timeline. Such is the case of the Thousand Year Door.

The revisions are necessary for me as I believe the dialogue needs to flow more naturally, and more importantly, I need to capture the "voices" of the characters as I write. For certain characters, it's easy, but then, for certain characters like Belle, I have to pause and try to imagine Jessica Fallico's voice when I read Belle's lines out.