Chapter 36 All About Love

What was this feeling? As President Mario and the queen of the Beanbean Kingdom left the room, a strange sensation took over Bowser's entire being. He felt like he had just discovered ice cream after a lifetime of eating nothing but table salt. He felt like the sun had shown up and made flowers bloom after a decade of winter. It was a strange feeling, but Bowser would never deny that he ADORED it. Where was this feeling his whole life?

Where was PEACH his whole life. Just looking at that woman, with her lush blonde hair and emerald-green skin, made him feel glittery on the inside. He couldn't get her face out of his head. He kept imagining her voice, with how superb it was. That girl, that woman… oh man.

Smiling like he just learned how to, Bowser got up from his throne and started walking around his castle. Now, whenever he usually did a little walk around the castle, his presence would often have an interesting effect on the servants. They would quake and tremble, they would refuse to make eye contact with him. A troubling thing to have to deal with whenever Bowser wanted a simple round of exercise, but considering he weighed over one ton, it was at least understandable. He kinda expected the servants to react the same way now as they had been doing, but… they didn't. When they saw Bowser's smile, their faces lit up. They would look at him with sparkling eyes, and they seemed to share in his good mood. After blinking in confusion and doing a double take of course.

Was this what love did to people? Did it light up their lives, did it brighten their days? Did it make people feel as if all aspects of their horrible lives were finally starting to line up? Honestly, if this was what love did… Bowser had been sorely missing out! He had even dismissed love in the past, saying that as a great and mighty Koopa King, he didn't need it. It was beneath him. It was shallow and stupid.

Now, Bowser was starting to think HE was the shallow and stupid one. Why would he go out of his way to not take part in something so uplifting? That made no sense! Love was wonderful! It filled his stomach with butterflies, and beautiful butterflies at that. This… this was…

"Oh, Queen Peach of the Beanbean Kingdom, where have you been all my life?" Bowser put his hand to his heart. His burdens were now a smidge lighter. His life was just a smidge more pleasant.

"King Bowser?"

Bowser turned around to see Kamek, his magikoopa advisor. Honestly, Kamek was the person who King Bowser was closest to. He had no kids, and his parents died when he was still an infant, so it was Kamek who had stuck by him for most of his life. He had been there at the start to change Bowser's diapers, and he was still here now to advise him on life-or-death political matters. Bowser had denied having any interest in romantic love, but… he had a connection with Kamek. Sure, he'd only admit to that if he was VERY drunk, but he did.

"Oh Kamek." Bowser let out a dreamy sigh as his smile continued to expand. "You should've been in the throne room just now." Kamek raised an eyebrow as Bowser chuckled. "I just saw the most amazing girl in the history of the world in there."

Kamek gasped. "You… you…" he shook his head as he dropped his jaw. "Wait wait wait, let me get this straight. YOU have a romantic attraction to a girl? YOU feel starstruck because of a woman?"

Bowser giggled. "I know it's crazy, I never thought it would ever happen but… yeah. I do."

Kamek broke into a delighted if slightly shocked smile. "Well… good! That's incredible! After all that trouble we had with trying to find you a queen so you can produce an heir…" Kamek chuckled. "That's amazing, Bowser!"

"Isn't it?" Bowser laughed again. He had probably laughed more in the last fifteen minutes than he did over the course of the last fifteen years. "She's so amazing, Kamek! She's beautiful, she's fierce, she's sweet… I feel like I just met an angel!"

"Well, considering you finding love is the definition of a miracle, I wouldn't be surprised if she is!" Kamek stepped forward. "Does this angel have a name?"

Bowser's smile grew big enough to fill the room. "Yes! Her name is Peach! She's a queen!"

"A Queen?" Kamek blinked. "Queen of what exactly?"

"The Beanbean Kingdom! She's Queen Peach of the Beanbean Kingdom."

"Interesting…" Kamek wore a contemplative look. "And this queen of the Beanbean Kingdom was in your castle because…?"

"Oh, she wanted to form an alliance with me! The Beanbean Kingdom is currently in trouble, so me, her, and President Mario are going to work together to get it back!"

"Oh, that makes sense!" Kamek was right back to smiling. "So, I imagine you're gonna help her?"

"You bet your shell I am!" Bowser let out a fluttery giggle. "But before I do that, I wanna shmooze her!"

"Shmooze?" Kamek asked, his face falling again.

"It's slang for flirt with, you old geezer." Bowser giggled again before he gasped. "Wait, I can do more than just shmooze her! I need to go all out! This woman is the woman of my dreams!" Bowser started hustling in place. "I need to confess my love for her! I need to propose marriage and unite our kingdoms! I need to ensure that she will be the mother to little Bowser Jr! There's so much I need to do, I can't…!"

"Woah woah, Bowser, slow down!" Kamek held up his hands in protest. "I understand you have feelings for this girl, but you are going WAY too fast!" Kamek stepped forward again, staring down his king with a serious expression. "You need to do certain things before you can even think about that! There's a sequence of steps that you need to follow! There's a process, you know?"

Bowser frowned. "Hmm. A process…" Ugh, what an ugly word. Processes required labor, time, and patience, which were far from his forte. Why did he have to do a process that took five hours when he could do things his way and accomplish the task in one? It made little sense to him.

"I don't want to follow a stinky process! I love her, Kamek! She makes me… feel things."

"I know, and that is lovely. Very lovely. But let's think about this. She and her kingdom are in a period of desperation. She has a goal on her mind that she came here to accomplish. She needs to work on a ton of issues plaguing her mind. Romance doesn't fit into that."

Bowser considered those words before sighing in defeat. "You're right." He shook his head. "She needs help. Not marriage."

"Precisely." Kamek smiled again. "That's not to say that she will never want romance, she just… can't think about it right now."

"Right. Right!" And just like that, Bowser was right back to feeling cheerful. "Maybe we can focus on that AFTER we take back the Beanbean Kingdom! She'd be in much better spirits then!"

"Precisely!" Kamek beamed. "Anything is possible!"

"Yeah!" Bowser grinned the happiest grin in history. "I guess I have a plan now!" He turned and started making his way back to the throne room. "Thanks, Kamek!"

"Any time, My Lord!"

…

"And you sure you'll be alright by yourself?"

Peach ran her fingers through her hair as she got into the hotel bed. "Yes. I'll be fine. I mean…" Peach chuckled. "I slept on a jungle floor one night. I can sleep on anything."

"I'm-a sure you can." Peach blinked at him, making him chuckle. "Oh, sorry. I mainly grew up speaking Italian with English as a second language, so sometimes I slip back into the accent."

"Oh. Okay!" Peach smiled a beautiful smile as she pulled the covers over her legs. "Well, it's very charming."

Mario's face grew warm. "Grazie." He chuckled as Peach gave him a confused look. "That's Italian for thank you."

Peach chuckled. "Of course it is." She let out a breath. "Maybe I need to revisit the Italian language soon."

"I would highly recommend it; it's a beautiful tongue." Mario stood in place for a minute before turning toward the door. "Well, you have a good night, Peach. Luigi and I will be across the hall if you need us."

"Thank you. Or, should I say, Grazie."

Mario chuckled as he stepped out of the room. A warm smile spread across his face as he went across the hall, and it stayed on his face as he went into his room. Luigi, who was sitting up in bed, was quick to notice this.

"You look happy."

Mario scratched his head. "Well, I suppose I am." He snorted. "Why? Am I not allowed to be?"

"Oh no, you definitely are." Luigi laughed as Mario went over to his bed near the window. "I just find it interesting, is all."

"What do you mean?" Mario asked as he got in bed and pulled up the covers.

"Oh, come on, you can't be serious." Luigi giggled. "I mean… you had no interest for human women back in Brooklyn, but now you're getting all worked up over a beamish girl!"

Mario blinked. "Worked up? Am I getting worked up?"

"Well, okay, maybe that isn't the most accurate terminology. But come on, I see the signs! You're blushing, you take extra time to ensure Peach's quality of life. I mean, come on Mario; you're smitten!" Luigi grinned at him. "You're a smitten kitten!"

Mario chuckled. "I mean…" his face grew warmer. "I mean, she is pretty great. She made the long journey all the way to the Mushroom Kingdom. She lost her brother on the way, and yet she still kept going. That's… that's amazing."

"It really is." Luigi laid back, putting his arms behind his head. "She really is something special."

"Yes." Mario frowned. "Of course, we can't focus on that. She's in a tough position. She needs people's aid and she's got her hands full right now. Wouldn't forcing her to think of romance when her kingdom is currently plunged in darkness…?" Mario shook his head and leaned back. "I dunno; that wouldn't fit right with me. I don't think that'd be appropriate."

"Eh. Yeah, I get that." Luigi turned over to look at Mario. "There's always after though."

"That is true." Mario thought about this before letting out a breath. "Tell you what, Lou? Let's cross that bridge when we get to it. We all have a job to do and can't afford any distractions."

"Yeah. You're right." Luigi reached out, turned the lamp off, and rolled over in bed. "Have a good night, bro,"

"You too, Lou."