Disclaimer: I don't own Mario.
"So, Princess, this-a place issa where your adventures all a-happened?"
Mario gazed at the Sparkle Theatre. The moon in the sky lit up the grand building he was stood outside of. He'd been brought there by Peach, who had wanted to show him around the place she's just saved from the wicked Madame Grape and the Sour Bunch.
"That's right, Mario," Peach answered, smiling softly. "This is where I've been spending a lot of my recent time. I really wanted you to see it."
"I a-see." Mario smiled at the princess. "It must-a be very different to be here instead of inside-a the walls of Mushroom Palace - or Bowser's Castle, come to a-that!"
Peach giggled, not offended in the least by Mario's lighthearted teasing towards her.
"Well, thanks to this place, I got to break out of my usual role as a damsel in distress. It was at this theatre I got to be things other than a princess getting captured and waiting to be rescued."
"Issa that so?" Mario chuckled. "I thought-a that was the role you were born-a to play, Princess!"
"No typecasting happened for me here!" Peach pointed to the wall of the theatre. "See for yourself, Mario."
Mario directed his attention to where Peach was pointing - and instantly stopped laughing, his jaw dropping in amazement over what he saw.
Pinned to the wall was a long row of posters, all of which featured Peach.
Not one of them, however, made her look like the princess she was. Each of them showed her in a different costume, portraying her as the many roles she'd assumed the plays she'd taken part in at the Sparkle Theatre.
Mario ran his twinkling, astonished eyes from one poster to the other. He was awed to see Peach in such a versatile variety of costumes. A cowgirl, an ice skater, a detective, a martial arts expert, a sci-fi superhero, even a mermaid! So many different outfits for Peach - and Mario thought she looked wonderful in all of them.
Peach giggled, amused by Mario's stunned reaction to seeing her in such a diverse mixture of appearances.
"That's the parts I got to play in this theatre," she said. "There was no way I could let this place fall into Madame Grape's hands."
Mario turned to the princess, his face still filled with awe. He was proud of her for managing to save this place that clearly meant a lot to her without having to rely on him.
"So, Mario…" Peach gestured to the posters displaying her assortments of outfits. "Which of my costumes do you like me wearing most? Is there any in particular form of mine you like best?"
Shaking his head, Mario took Peach's hands gently in his, bringing a surprised squeak out of the princess.
"It does no matter-a to me what form you take on, Princess," he said sincerely. "You're beautiful just-a the way you are - inside-a as well as outside-a!"
Peach's blue eyes widened. Her cheeks turned as pink as her dress. Her heart raced inside her chest. It was overflowing with warmth from the touching works the Italian had said to her.
"Mario…"
Beaming broadly at his princess, Mario tenderly rubbed her hands with his thumbs.
"You'll always be-a my superstar, Princess…"
With her sweet, blushing face filling with a bright smile, Peach wrapped her arms around Mario, gazing at him adoringly.
"And you'll always be my hero, Mario…"
Mario barely had time to react to Peach's comment about him when she removed his cap from his head - where she softly pressed her lips. The plumber's body went rigid as his face turned as red as his hat. He was moved that a beautiful princess like herself could show such affection to a humble plumber like himself.
As she kissed her hero outside the Soarkle Theatre, Peach decided she was going to take on another role to play once she returned to Mushroom Palace.
She was going to become a baker - so as to make a cake for her precious hero.
It was the least she could do to show Mario how much she appreciated him - and how much she loved him.
THE END