Chapter 27 Toad Town

Keeping the interactions she had with the Toads front and center in her mind helped the rest of Peach's journey go smoothly. It also helped that there wasn't much danger here in the Mushroom Kingdom. It mostly consisted of a nice, grassy field, filled with shining grass and fragrant flowers. The number of hostile enemies was significantly toned down in comparison to, say, World 5. As such, Peach's stress levels were significantly lower.

She didn't discard the opportunity to take in the scenery either. Again, the Mushroom Kingdom consisted of meadows and plants, and… well, Peach will always be a patriot. If asked, she would always say that the Beanbean Kingdom was the most beautiful place in the entire world. But the Mushroom Kingdom? Eh… it was a close second. The grass, as it swayed in the wind, looked like jewels. It was too vibrant to be even an emerald or a jade, so it was in a class all its own. And of course, the flowers. Oh man, these flowers caught the eye and refused to let it go. Their colors were unlike anything the queen had ever seen. They were more vibrant than even the most colorful of candies.

As beautiful as they were though, Peach couldn't let their sight distract her. She was on a mission. Sure, the first encounter with the Toads made her confidence levels in it going well even stronger, but she shouldn't let her guard down. She shouldn't forget the road that led her to this kingdom. She shouldn't forget the lives that were either lost or in need of saving.

So, the queen continued on her journey. The wind whipped through her golden hair, and the sunlight kissed her green cheeks. It was almost like nature itself wanted to give her the warmest welcome possible. These lovely conditions made the journey to Toad Town even easier. Each step had some sort of oomph to it, and each breath was accompanied by a smile.

And of course, Peach actually seeing Toad Town in the distance made her heart rate pick up. Like… there it was. Resting just a few miles ahead was her goal, her destination. It sat there as if it was anticipating her and as if it was ready to accept her into its borders. Honestly, Peach felt like crying when she saw that. All the strife and suffering she had endured while on her way here would soon be worth it. Well… okay, probably not all of it, as no amount of goodness or relief could make up for the loss of Peach's brother. But even still, she felt better looking upon Toad Town. When she crossed the border, getting to President Mario would be much easier. Getting the help that her kingdom needed would be much easier too, almost ridiculously so.

So, Peach picked up the pace. The closer she got to the ever so important and significant Toad Town, the more her senes were delighted. For one thing, the buildings were pretty colorful. Most of them consisted of Mushroom houses, and most of those Mushroom houses came in a variety of different colors. Green, purple, blue, red, orange… it was like a rainbow. Not only that, but there was a scent to Toad Town. It smelled of cut grass; a quaint smell all things considered, but one that was still as welcoming and beautiful. On some level, it scratched a nostalgic itch Peach had in the back of her mind. It brought her back to her childhood, the time of simplicity and joy.

These factors made Peach enter Toad Town with a smile. When she entered the town, she was immediately greeted by the sound of Toads talking. Unlike the last town, they weren't speaking to her specifically, but still. Their voices blended together like a symphony, a symphony with some of the most dynamic and varied instruments the queen had ever heard. She smiled as she walked through the town. She imagined she would get a chance to talk to some of these Toads before she had to head back home, and if that was the case… well, Peach was certainly excited about that.

"Excuse me?"

Peach blinked and looked to the right. She gasped when she saw a human man. The first thing that was brought to Peach's attention was his mustache; it was so neatly cut and so well kept. The man obviously took great pride in his facial hair. But of course, that wasn't the only thing that caught Peach's attention. Well-kept brown hair, an impressive height, and a suit that didn't have a single speck of unwelcomed dust… on some level, he looked like royalty. Of course, there wasn't royalty in this kingdom, which meant this man had to be…

"President Mario?"

The man laughed. "Oh no. I'm not the president. But you were pretty close." The man stepped forward and extended his hand. "I am Luigi Mario, the president's advisor. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." His eyes glittered as he smiled. "Queen Peach."

Relief and joy filled Peach. "I see that you guys got Toadsworth's letter." She took his hand and gave it a shake. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

"You as well, Your Highness."

Peach smiled as she shook this man's hand. There was something about him, something so confident while being humble and friendly.

"Wait. Your last name is Mario?"

"Yes," said Luigi. He chuckled. "On top of being the advisor to the president, I also happen to be the president's brother."

"Oh!" Peach beamed. "That's pretty nice!" Of course, the mentioning of familial relations made Peach think about her own brother, which… no, no, she shouldn't dwell on that right now. "I imagine that you two make a great team."

"Oh we do." The sparkle in Luigi's eyes didn't go away as he removed his hand from the queen's grip. "Anyway, I will take you to the castle. My brother did indeed get your letter and is waiting for your arrival."

Peach nodded, and with that, Luigi began leading the way. The deeper that the two of them got into Toad Town, the more entranced Peach was by it. It was so simple and charming, especially or the capital of a nation. Usually, Peach would expect a nation's capital to be a sprawling metropolis, one so big that it covered a good chunk of the kingdom itself. That wasn't the case with Toad Town. It was just a humble little town with humble little people. Everyone looked and seemed happy in this village. Somehow, that was way more impressive to the queen than any bustling city could ever be.

Of course, the fact that she was going to see the president wasn't lost on her. As she followed Luigi, Peach tried her best to form a picture of President Mario in her mind. What was he like? Based on all the stuff she had heard about him over the course of her journey, he seemed like a nice man. Perhaps he was as humble and as welcoming as the town where his office was. Perhaps he bore a resemblance to Luigi; he was his brother, after all.

In fact… now that she thought about it… "Luigi, if you don't mind me asking, what is your brother like?"

Luigi chuckled. "As a brother or as a ruler?"

"Either is fine."

Luigi came to a stop for a second, the shine in his eyes taking on an entirely new quality. Peach couldn't help but stare at them, and her heart pumped as she waited for the advisor to answer the question.

"He's… amazing." Luigi scratched his head. "He and I were always close growing up. When the situation called for him to come to my aid, he always did. He… he has a lot of guts. Always has, and always will."

"Nice." Peach paused for a minute. "I wonder how well that translates when it comes to ruling a kingdom."

"From what I've seen, it translates pretty well, actually. The general populace loves my brother." Luigi resumed walking, and Peach did as well. "I mean, I don't blame them. In fact, it makes sense; he did serve as their hero when King George and Queen Rosemary were still ruling."

Peach nodded. George and Rosemary; she remembered seeing their names in the history books. Although, they didn't receive nearly as much attention as the president himself.

"I have been told through secondhand sources that he was a hero."

"Not 'was.' There's nothing past tense about it; he IS a hero." Luigi chuckled. "Of course, there is the possibility I might be saying that just because I'm bias."

Peach laughed. "I highly doubt that; he seems like a very nice man."

Luigi beamed, and they continued on their way to the castle. As they walked through the town, Peach saw several Toads along the way. Most of them just went on their merry way, living their lives as if there was nothing unusual or special about this day. However, some of them spotted the queen and the advisor, and as such, came to reverent stops. Some even bowed as the two important figures passed them, a sight that made Peach feel strange. They weren't her people, and yet they still treated her with respect and adoration.

"It is a pleasure to see you, sir Luigi," one said.

"I see you have a beanish person with you," said another they passed.

Luigi's face turned pink. "Y… yes. I do." He cleared his throat. "Everyone! This is Queen Peach of the Beanbean Kingdom. I am taking her to the castle so that she may acquire help from the President."

The Toad's faces lit up. "Ooh! That's really cool!" said one, a particularly young-looking one.

"I hope she is able to find what she needs!" said another Toad, this one far more elderly looking.

Peach smiled. Seriously, where were Toads her whole life? How come she never got to interact with such a kind species? She almost wished she was the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom instead of the Beanbean Kingdom; she would love to serve and protect these adorable ladies and gentlemen.

She even voiced as such to Luigi as they made their way away from the Toads. "You know, Toads are really friendly."

"That they are!" said Luigi. He chuckled. "Nice and friendly are pretty much their default settings. You won't find a kinder race in the entirety of the Mushroom World."

"I can believe that," Peach said. She chuckled. "I imagine that you and Mario love serving them."

"We do! We really do! They treat us with such a high level of respect, and they always feel comfortable around us. They aren't afraid to treat us casually when the circumstances demand it." Luigi chuckled some more. "Honestly, I would take that over nonstop reverence any day."

Peach chuckled. "As would I." She stopped to reflect on her own home life. "Honestly, my people kind of fall into the 'nonstop reverence' trap. I don't entirely mind that, but I can see what you mean when it comes to your people being comfortable around you. It would certainly be nice to just talk with people without having to deal with so many formalities."

Luigi glanced at her. "Maybe you should come and visit the Mushroom Kingdom sometime? We would love to have you here."

"You really mean it?"

"Yeah! When we get that witch out of your Kingdom and restore your people, you will always be welcomed back here."

Peach's face grew warm. "Thanks. I really appreciate that."

"No problem." Luigi smiled. "We Mushroomers always like making new friends."

Peach's face remained warm during the remainder of the trip to the castle. And as for the castle itself… when she saw it, she wasn't afraid to admit that she gasped a little bit. It was so pretty! White walls with red ceilings… it was quaint like most of the things in Toad Town, but it was also incredibly appealing. Seeing it made Peach wish that the castle she resided in back home resembled this.

"Okay." Luigi turned to her. "Shall I take you to the president?"

A warm feeling overcame Peach. "That would be…"

"QUEEN PEACH!"

Peach gasped. She turned, wide eyed, to see who had called out to her. She felt sick to her stomach when she saw who it was.

"Cackletta!"