2005 September 19th
Flower Nation
A nation that feels similar to the Sarasaland Empire, but more on the modern Japanese setting as transports are being made after the Kongs' involvement in outsider technologies.
Although horses are dragging the carts, it's no secret that they have entertainment districts for their nation to thrive.
Leaving the hotel, Princess Peach Toadstool and her companion, Toad, are moving together as Peach carries her bike after appearing back in her pink dress and Toad is slowly driving his monster truck.
The market is nicer as Peach looks around with surprise.
Then, she found it.
A palace that is the prince's home, giving Peach the impression that this said prince is the one running this place.
"Let's go, Toad." Peach said with a nod.
"Okay." Toad hops down after parking his vehicle next to Peach and walks through the path that has a flower fountain in the centre.
With Peach and Toad seeing the flower garden that's been taken care of, Peach is surprised to see such a dazzling environment in this area.
"Oh! Peach!" A woman called as she approached Peach herself.
"Huh? Martha?" Peach exclaims after getting her hands grabbed by a maid.
"Oh, how I'm glad to see you! So, did you get into trouble?" Martha asked.
"Well… Only a little." Peach nervously chuckles.
"Wow. I didn't know you're the princess' friend. And I thought Mario and Luigi are the only ones who know her." Toad rubs his head, surprised to see Peach.
"Oh, yeah. Toad, this is Martha, Prince Haru's maid and one of the many people I rejected." Peach introduces Martha to Toad.
"What!? Even girls wanted to marry you!? I know you're popular, but around the world? I, uh… I guess Toadsworth is definitely worried about you, huh." Toad can see why Martha is clingy towards Peach.
"I mean… She's not royalty, that's for sure." Peach said.
As Peach, Toad and Martha talk together, footsteps approach as it stops Peach, and the two from continuing, only for Peach to gasp.
"It's been a while, Peach." Bowing, Prince Haru Spring has arrived after a long time.
"Hello to you too, Haru." Peach bows back after letting go of Martha.
"P- Prince Haru!? It's nice to meet you!" Toad quickly bows while respectfully greeting a prince.
"Oh please don't be formal, little toad, I'm okay with a little rudeness." Haru laughs while waving his hand and then turns towards Martha. "Martha, I need you to prepare dinner for us."
"Yes, Haru." Martha bows and then leaves towards the palace building.
"So, Peach. I heard that you're reshaping your kingdom this time, huh?"
"Yeah. That's one of the reasons why I'm here. The other one is a proposal." Peach said calmly, knowing that she and Haru are finally face to face with each other.
"A proposal you say? I'd like to hear it." Haru is curious to know Peach's proposal.
Before Peach says something, Toad tug Peach's dress and points at the human child that is crying.
Peach pat Toad's head as a gratitude, refusing to ignore what's going on, like how Mario usually does in his life.
"Hold that thought."
As Peach approached a little girl, she then went to her knees and patted the girl's head with a warm smile to her face.
"Excuse me, little girl, what happened?" Peach asks while placing her hand on the girl's shoulder.
"Hic! I- I can't find mommy… I don't know where she's gone." The girl sniffles.
Peach stops smiling and then stands up, only for Toad to nod and pull up his thumb, making sure that she's doing the right thing as a princess, leading Peach to nod.
"It's okay. Let's go and find your mother." Peach lowers back down and holds the girl's hands.
"Okay." The girl accepts and then holds Peach's hand.
As Peach and the girl leaves Haru and Toad, Haru is still looking at Peach as something's going on, leading Toad to gulp.
"S- So, Haru, um… I heard that you're also rejected. Haha, it sucks that the princess is borderline undateable." Toad laughs.
"Really? And what about the outsider?"
"Huh?"
"I heard Peach has chosen him out of all the people. Haah, how sad." Haru sighs as his fingers are on his head, frowning as he glares.
"Outsider? Well, I mean, she did say that she was Mario, Luigi and Pauline's childhood friend."
"Huh? Aren't I Peach's childhood friend? We even made a promise to marry each other." Haru's tone is slowly becoming bitter as he looks at Toad funny.
"For real!?" Toad is surprised about what Haru said earlier.
"You didn't know? I guess Peach is lacking what is meant to be done. Ignorant woman… I know there's plenty of women to marry, but I cannot stand those who lie and break one's promise." Haru growls.
In Toad's case, Haru is heartbroken by what Peach has done to him.
Even Toad is conflicted to believe if that's true or not as he looks at Peach with worry.
At the city nation, Peach is asking for directions as other people are unable to help as they have no identification of a girl's mother.
Before the kid weeps, Peach pat the girl's head to calm her down and then looks around.
"So what does your mother look like?" Peach asks.
"She has brown hair and is beautiful."
Brown hair and beautiful describes more people she sees in the streets as Peach is having a hard time finding a specific person.
"Okay. But what kind of hair does she have?"
"Long and soft."
"Long and soft, huh." Peach now gets into more detail as she can imagine a woman in her youthful looks, akin to what many see in Peach herself. "Okay. Let's keep finding her, shall we?"
"Okay." The girl nods, seeing a princess like her is doing something that no royal family has done for her fellow citizens.
As time has passed, a woman, who the girl described as long brown hair and beautiful, despite some attempts to bring the girl back.
"Rika!" A woman called as she rushed towards the child.
"Mommy!" The girl cries while hugging her mother.
"Rika! Where were you? I was so worried about you." The mother cries as she's glad to see her daughter. "Hm? You're Princess Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom. Thank you for bringing my daughter back." The mother bows as Peach is surprised that she's being complimented and praised.
This is rare for her to be rewarded.
"Y- You're welcome. Anything for a client." Peach pulls a positive smile while waving. "Hey, little one, if you behave for your mother, I'll show you the Mushroom Kingdom. It's brand new and exciting."
"Really!? Mommy! Can we go there!?" Rika asks with excitement.
"Alright, alright. Brand new you say. How long will it be finished?" The mother asked.
"I don't know, but I'll make sure the date is due." Peach answers.
Afterwards, both Rika and her mother leave as they're holding each other's hands, leading to Rika wave bye to Peach.
Peach is relieved to see a child no longer crying, but was hurt by the idea of other people having biological family while Peach has none.
Before Peach turns around, she can tell a toad guard from outside of her kingdom is watching her from behind.
"A little privacy would help, thank you very much." Peach sighs and then turns towards the same toad.
"Princess Peach, Prince Spring has ordered you to come over to his palace." The guard sounds serious, leading him to approach Peach and stand next to her.
Peach sighs, accepting as she follows a toad guard towards the same palace where she's been and was supposed to be in.
Haru's Palace
Inside a fancy place that even Peach and Toad are surprised about, Peach is walking through the corridor that is white with red carpet and is filled to the brim with flowers, leading Peach to march towards Haru.
"Haru. So why are you here to see me when I was the one who's here to tell you something?" Peach asked.
"Alright. Ask me now." Haru is curious to know what Peach was proposing earlier.
"As for a proposal, I need you to join us."
"Join you?" Haru halts.
"Yeah. Bowser is coming and he won't stop until we're his. That's why we need help."
"Please, Haru, you're our only hope." Toad begs as Peach pleads.
To Haru, Peach is now begging for assistance after being chased down by Bowser for a while.
He sighs.
"Join you in fighting against Bowser, huh? Sure. I'll arrange that."
"Really!?" Peach jolts with surprise.
"But on one condition." Haru raises his finger, giving Peach the impression that Haru is doing her a favour. "I need you to break up with the outsider."
"Huh?" Peach stops after hearing what Haru ordered. "Break up? Meaning we'll never date?"
"Hold on, Haru! Break up with Mario!? But they're not even dating yet and they even made a promise!" Toad exclaims.
"Then cut the promise from the outsider. It's obvious that you're not there for power, but playing with other people's minds." Haru said as he raised his arm with maids and toad guards appearing and surrounding Peach and Toad.
"Haru!?" Toad shouted.
"Haru… Why?" Peach gasped as she could see malice behind the man who she has known since childhood.
"When? When did you know those outsiders?" Haru asked.
Peach had realised that she's been hiding her experiences from him after returning from the outside world, causing Peach to bite her lips and lower her head.
"13 years ago. We were elementary school classmates. I… Had a crush on Mario."
"And why?" Haru growls.
"Because he's unlike any other man I meet. Mario is actually a good person at heart, he's a hero to all his classmates, especially his little brother, and he's difficult to read, even when he said that I'm difficult to read. It's like we're meant to be together." Peach holds her chest as she admits.
Toad is in awe, knowing how Peach is doing the best she could to protect Mario like he did for her.
"Huh!? Haven't we made a promise since childhood? We promised we'd marry each other and you even said yes." Haru is now under the impression that an outsider is someone unusual, but was closer to Bowser.
"We were children back then. Also I declined our marriage. We cannot be together." Peach explained.
"I see. It seems that you like to tug on other people's hearts and play with them, even someday, you'll be messing with this outsider's head. How disgusting." Haru pierces a glare at Peach as Toad raises his fists. "You too?"
"Yeah! If Peach wants an outsider, then let her have him!" Toad growls, causing Haru to snarl and bang his foot on the floor.
"Guards! Seize them! Don't let them escape!" Haru orders as his anger is coming to fruition.
As the guards are blocking Peach and Toad, both of them are powerless as their power ups are left in Toad's monster truck, leading Peach to grunt.
"Princess… Here's the truth about your kingdom. When I rejected it because it's too expensive, I didn't expect the Kongs to be involved with your construction workers."
"And yet you have an advanced society!? Such hypocrisy!" Peach finally calls Haru out on what he made his nation out to be.
"If you truly want to save your kingdom and face Bowser, then you'll have to marry me." Haru demanded.
"Huh?" Peach and Toad halts.
"That's right, marry me and have your kingdom cultivated and then we'll stop Bowser with our army."
This has Peach's eyes widening with shock and fear that he kingdom is about to end up being the lowest country of all.
"Cultivated by a cultivated!? That means we'll be the weakest kingdom! I can't do that!" Peach protested.
"Yeah! Not even Cranky and his pals approved of this!" Toad snapped.
"Tch! Then I guess you'll have to rot in the room until you accept my offer. Take Toad to the dungeons. I'll take Peach somewhere." Haru orders while pulling Peach up by the hair, only for Peach to shriek.
"Yes, your majesty." The guards and maids bow and drag Toad away from Peach.
"Peach! Peach!" Toad yells as he's unable to reach Peach, even Peach is doing the same.
"Toad! Let go of me!" Peach is now struggling as Haru drags her up the stairs towards the door.
"I'm only leaving you in the guest's room, only to teach you a lesson. You reap what you sow." Haru said while throwing Peach to a bed and then stood by the door.
"Haru… What happened to you? You were never like this!" Peach pleads as she wants to know what's going on.
"And you were never like this either!" Haru snapped. "Sorry, Peach, but I'll see you later."
As Haru closes the door, Peach hastily jumps off the bed and runs towards it, until the door slams and locks her in, leading Peach to slam his fists at the door.
"Haru! Haru! Please! Let me talk about it! Please! Let me out! Please!" Peach slams and begs as no one is coming over to get her which means Peach is now lonely, trapped and afraid of the future after seeing what's going on with her friend. "Haru… Please…"
Sliding down to her backside, Peach is now sitting in a foetal position as she cocoons herself after what happened earlier.
Now she's all alone.
"Mario… Please come back…"