The warm afternoon light bathed Princess Peach in a golden glow, but she hardly noticed. She sat in the royal garden, surrounded by the familiar scent of blooming flowers, yet her mind drifted elsewhere, anchored in the past. It was the same spot where Samus had once stood beside her, the woman's armor gleaming under the sunlight as they shared quiet moments of laughter and peace. Now that presence was gone, leaving behind an emptiness that Peach could not escape.
She took a deep breath, trying to push away the pain that tightened around her heart. But every inhale seemed to draw it closer, and every exhale felt like a reluctant admission of the reality she couldn't change. A soft crunch of footsteps pulled her back, and she looked up, startled to see Donkey Kong and Fox McCloud approaching.
Donkey Kong, massive and imposing, had a surprisingly gentle look on his face, while Fox's expression was focused, determined. Kong hesitated for a moment, almost as if searching for the right words, then finally spoke.
"Peach," he began quietly, his deep voice steady but soft. "I didn't know Samus all that well. Only met her after you came back to the castle. But from what I saw, she was someone who mattered to you—and that's what makes her important to all of us."
Peach blinked, sitting up straighter. "She did matter," Peach whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "She meant more to me than I realized… and now I don't know how to let her go."
Donkey Kong stepped closer and knelt beside her, his large hand resting gently on her shoulder. "You don't have to let her go," he said. "Not really. I know loss feels like it leaves this big, empty space inside you. But I think... people like Samus? They don't disappear just because they're not here. They stay with you, in everything you do moving forward."
He shifted his weight slightly, glancing down at the flowers as he continued. "Maybe it's not about saying goodbye. Maybe it's about finding a way to honor what she stood for, what she meant to you. We could hold a service—a memorial. It doesn't need to be about closure, just a way to remember her, to let everyone know what she meant to you, and to all of us who were lucky enough to fight alongside her, even for a short time."
Peach looked at him, her eyes filled with grief but also with the faintest hint of hope. "A memorial…" she echoed softly, considering the idea. "Maybe that would help. Maybe it would give me a way to say… thank you."
Donkey Kong gave her a small, reassuring smile. "It's worth a try. And you don't have to go through it alone, Peach. We're all here with you."
Peach let his words sink in, feeling a small measure of comfort bloom through the cracks of her grief. She nodded softly, her gaze drifting back toward the flowers around her. For the first time in days, her chest didn't feel quite as heavy. Donkey Kong had a way of making things seem simpler, even when everything felt impossibly hard.
She inhaled deeply, drawing strength from the support of her friends, and allowed herself a moment of silence to process what he had said. The garden was peaceful, a quiet place where memories of Samus lingered in the air like the sweet scent of the flowers.
It was in this moment of quiet reflection that Fox took a step forward, clearing his throat softly. "Actually… Slippy found something."
Peach's heart skipped a beat. "Something? From Samus?"
Fox nodded, pulling out a small, thin silver necklace from his jacket. The delicate locket at the center, shaped like a green mushroom, gleamed faintly in the dying light. He handed it to Peach with a reverence that made her heart ache.
"We found this in the wreckage of her ship," Fox said quietly. "We thought you might want to have it."
Peach's hands trembled as she took the necklace, her fingers tracing the familiar shape. With a shaky breath, she carefully opened the locket, revealing a tiny photograph inside. It was from a night she had almost forgotten—a celebration where she and Samus had stood side by side, their faces lit with unrestrained joy. Peach's eyes misted over, the memory crashing over her in waves.
"Thank you, Fox," she whispered, holding the locket close to her heart. "This means… more than you know."
He nodded, his eyes reflecting the unspoken understanding between them. "We'll hold the service in the morning, if that's okay with you."
"Yes," Peach replied, her voice steadying as she clutched the locket tighter. "I think that's for the best."
As they turned to leave, Donkey Kong paused, glancing back over his shoulder with an uncharacteristic softness in his eyes. "Peach… Samus knew."
Peach stared at him, her heart aching. "Knew? What do you mean?"
Kong nodded. "She knew how you felt. Always did. Just thought you should know."
And with that, he left her standing alone in the garden, the necklace still clutched tightly in her grasp. Peach looked down at the locket, her chest heavy with emotion, and for the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to smile. Samus had known. Somehow that knowledge made the grief a little more bearable.
The next morning, the field outside Peach's castle was transformed into a tranquil memorial site. A lone ancient tree stood proudly, its branches stretched out like welcoming arms. Beneath it, a sea of flowers spread out, a beautiful tapestry of colors carefully arranged by the Toads, the Kong family, and others who had come to pay their respects.
The gathering was small but intimate—Donkey Kong, Fox McCloud, Team Starfox, Zelda, Daisy, and a handful of Toads stood quietly in a circle around the tree. Each face reflected a deep respect for the woman they had come to honor.
Donkey Kong was the first to step forward, his powerful voice cutting through the stillness. "Samus was a fighter. Always was. But she was more than that. She was someone who stood by you when it mattered. We can't forget that." He glanced at Peach, his gaze filled with understanding. "We won't let her sacrifice be in vain."
Fox stepped up next, his voice quieter but no less determined. "Samus never gave up, no matter what she was facing. She taught us what it means to be brave." He paused, as if seeing her in his mind's eye. "We'll carry her spirit with us in every fight from here on out."
One by one, others nodded in agreement, their words brief but heartfelt. Each tribute added weight to Samus's legacy, but no one lingered too long in the past. Their memories of her weren't just a reflection of loss—they were fuel for the battles still to come.
Finally, Peach stepped forward. She hesitated for a moment, feeling the weight of every eye on her, but then her resolve hardened. She looked down at the locket she still held tightly in her hand, a tangible reminder of Samus's impact on her life.
"I don't think I can ever truly say goodbye to her," Peach began, her voice trembling but gaining strength. "Samus wasn't just a friend—she was someone who made me feel strong. She believed in me even when I didn't believe in myself." She paused, brushing her fingers over the locket. "But I know what she'd want me to do now. She'd want me to keep fighting."
Her eyes swept over her friends, taking in their shared determination. "So that's what I'm going to do. For her. For all of us."
The sun rose higher, casting a warm glow over the memorial as Peach stood there, feeling a deep sense of peace mingling with her sorrow. Though the pain of losing Samus would never truly fade, she knew now that she wasn't alone—and that the fight wasn't over.