The day that ended an era began like any other.

Mario dashed through the lush open field of green on the outskirts of Toad Town one warm summer's day. It was the beginning of a quest the plumber had embarked upon nearly a hundred times before; a quest to save Princess Peach from the clutches of the evil King Bowser Koopa. Mario had arrived at the princess's castle a moment too late that morning, as Bowser was already long gone with his damsel in tow. But that hardly mattered. Mario knew the route to the Koopa Kingdom like the back of his glove by now.

Luigi, Yoshi, and Toad weren't far behind him. Yoshi was trotting close to Mario; carrying Toad on his back and leaving Luigi to bring up the rear. Being the timid coward of the group that Luigi was though, this was the position he was most comfortable with. It was the paranoia of a much distraught Toadsworth which had prompted Mario to bring his friends along in the first place. For some reason, the elder Toad was worried that this particular encounter with Bowser was going to end differently than all the other ones before it. When asked to elaborate on his suspicions, Toadsworth could only explain it as something he "could feel rattling in his bones." So, he urged the plumber to exercise a greater degree of caution this time around. Toadsworth's suspicions made it all the more difficult to convince Luigi to tag along, but Mario himself wasn't so sure that this particular journey was going to amount to anything out of the ordinary.

Despite the sheer distance, the journey didn't feel as long as it used to for Mario. The route was quite familiar and routine by now; borderline boring in fact. The group dove inside warp pipes, vaulted over hilltops, sprinted across dusty deserts, and swam through treacherous waters until at last, they closed in on their destination. Mario had made this trip so many times that he'd since developed shortcuts, which got them here in half the time.

"I wonder what lousy scheme Bowser's planning this time," Toad wondered aloud. Mario and Yoshi looked at one another and shrugged

"Whatever it is, it bad medicine for princess," Yoshi guessed.

"It'll be bad medicine for the whole kingdom if we don't put a stop to it," Luigi corrected. Even though no one in the group had the faintest idea what exactly they were going to encounter in the heart of the fiery molten canyon just ahead, that was hardly a call for concern. At least, that was how Mario looked at it. After all these years of conflict, Bowser had yet to throw something too insurmountable or impossible for Mario to ultimately overcome. In fact, with the added assistance of his friends, this job had potential to be even easier than usual.

The group hopped across a small chasm and entered the treacherous borders of Inferno Canyon; the domain of the dreaded Koopa Kingdom. They had no intention of slowing down until a small creature dove into their path out of nowhere. Their boots grinded against the soot-coated gravel as they came to a screeching halt. The creature now standing in front of them was a just a bit shorter than Mario; its entire body was cloaked under a teal blue robe and hood, resembling a monk or a priest of some kind. Making out the creature's identity was made even more difficult thanks to an eerie, white expressionless Shy Guy mask where a face should've been. This creature appeared to be too large to be a typical Shy Guy. So why was it dawning a signature mask of the species?

"You are…Mario, are you not?" the creature spoke in a deep, male voice. Staring blankly at the mysterious man, Mario nodded. The man kneeled before him in response to this confirmation. "It is an honor make your acquaintance. You may call me…Contemno. I have heard a great deal about you.

"Yeah well, it's nice to meet you too, mister. But we're…kinda in a hurry here," Toad interjected.

"Ah, forgive me," Contemno replied. "You are going to confront King Bowser, the scourge of your kingdom, yes?"

"That's right," Toad affirmed. "So if you could just step aside, that'd be great."

"Rest assured, my intention is not to impede your progress. Quite the opposite, actually. You see, I have journeyed a great distance with the hopes that I might…accompany you on your journey to Bowser's castle." Mario and Luigi exchanged confused, yet curious glances. Toad rolled his eyes and kicked at Yoshi's thighs; urging him to start moving. To his dismay, the dinosaur was just as curious to hear their new acquaintance out.

"…Why Contemno want go there? It dangerous!" said Yoshi.

"Let's just say that the terrible monster known as Bowser stole something from me. I have traveled far from the land I call home; seeking to reclaim it from him."

"Oh!" Mario responded as his face lit up slightly. The plumber could never turn down helping those who had been wronged by his nemesis. But it was rare for Mario to come across someone who actively wanted to get back at the Koopa King directly. Usually, they just asked Mario to do it for them.

"It would be an honor if you would permit me to join your entourage," said Contemno.

"Gee…I dunno," Luigi inserted as he looked to Mario with skeptical eyes. "Our little party's kinda full as it is…"

"Rest assured, I will not stand in your way. In fact, I may even be of some assistance to you in the battle that awaits." Despite some lingering doubts, Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi were admittedly growing more and more curious as the conversation progressed. Toad on the other hand, was losing his mind.

"Nope. Sorry. I'm agreeing with Luigi on this one. Party's full, pal. Come back next adventure," Toad denied. "Oof!" he uttered as Yoshi roughly nudged him in the chest with his elbow.

"There no need to be rude, Toad!"

"You see, I am a mage; gifted in the enchanted arts," Contemno continued. He waved one gloved hand in front of the group and a trail of purple stardust followed it through the air. "Our goals are alike, but I will not be a burden to you. Of that, you have my word." The man concluded his proposition with a bow. Mario, Luigi, and Yoshi exchanged nods and grins.

"Okey-dokey!" Mario agreed.

"Excellent! Then let us make haste," Contemno declared. With their new friend in tow, Mario and company continued their quest.

Deep in the heart of the castle, on one end of the narrow stone bridge overlooking the pit of lava, stood Bowser. He shot a glare at Mario's group, who was positioned on the opposite end of the bridge. The heroes exchanged determined glances, collectively nodded, and sprung into action. Bowser snorted smoke, then steeled himself for the fight at hand.

Taking a deep breath, Bowser launched a series of fire balls from his mouth. Yoshi leaped into the air and managed to catch one with his tongue. While the dinosaur was still airborne, Toad abandoned his ride and flew straight over the Koopa King's head. To his luck, Bowser was completely enthralled with keeping the others at bay and failed to notice the maneuver. Capitalizing on this moment, Toad hurried up the staircase of the tower ahead where Peach was being imprisoned.

When Yoshi landed on the bridge, he spat the shot of fire back towards its original owner. Bowser narrowly evaded the shot in time. Suddenly, he was greeted by Mario, who was charging straight toward him. The two rivals clashed at the bridge's center. They each threw punch after punch in rapid succession. However, both were also ducking out of the way and blocking, so neither combatant was able to land a direct hit. Still, they were equally persistent. Mario and Bowser's hand-to-hand confrontation shook the bridge beneath their feet. The structure started to tremor and small pieces of it slowly broke off as the battle raged on. Yoshi and Luigi were struggling to keep their balance as they tried to cross over towards Bowser's end.

The Koopa King attempted to stomp on Mario, but the plumber stepped back in response. The sheer power in Bowser's foot sent a stronger quake across the entire bridge. Yoshi was caught off-guard by this development as it bucked him off the bridge. Contemno stepped forward in the nick of time and casted a levitation spell to try and rescue the dinosaur before he met a fiery end. He was successful as Yoshi was engulfed by a purple aura that carried him back onto solid ground.

Just before Mario and Bowser had depleted the last of their stamina, the former smirked confidently. The Koopa King took notice of this and was puzzled by it.

"What're you smiling about, plumber?" Bowser asked. "This fight's not over yet!"

"Actually, it is," Contemno corrected. He pointed a gloved finger and directed Bowser to look behind him. Confused, the Koopa King turned his head in time to witness Luigi grab the axe, which had been positioned at the edge of the bridge behind him. Before Bowser could process when Luigi had managed to sneak past him, the younger plumber swung the weapon like a golf club and slashed through the chains that were suspending the bridge in mid-air. The structure began to crumble and gradually sprinkle itself into the lava below. Luigi jumped high into the air. Mario met his brother halfway in his landing as he caught Luigi's feet, then pushed him back up into the air so the plumber could make it the rest of the way across the bridge. He landed next to Contemno.

"Hustle, bro! Hustle!" Luigi exclaimed.

Mario attempted to outrun the collapsing bridge, but it was too fast and the ground caved in directly below him. Yoshi managed to wrap his tongue around Mario's wrist and reeled him safely back up towards him and onto his back. He carried Mario over to stable ground where Luigi and Contemno waited. Bowser wasn't fortunate enough to have any friends coming to his own aid though. In a last ditch effort to save himself, he reached out and managed to grab one of the chains that was still attached to the cliff. The Koopa King was now dangling for dear life, but he was safe for the moment. He gritted his teeth as he watched the last of the bridge drop into the lava.

"Hey!" a sweet, feminine voice chirped from above.

Once the heroes managed to catch their breath, they looked up in time to see Peach and Toad gliding safely down towards them with the princess's parasol. They shared a celebratory group hug when she landed; thrilled that Peach was safe from harm. The princess distributed a smile to each of her close friends, then took notice of the lone unfamiliar face in the group.

"Oh! I don't believe we've met before. Who are you?" she asked. Contemno faced her and bowed.

"Forgive my silence, your highness. I am Contemno," the mage replied.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Are you from the Mushroom Kingdom?"

"Actually, I have traveled a great distance from a faraway kingdom of my own. I came with intentions of aiding Mario in your rescue."

"My, how noble of you! You have my sincerest gratitude," said Peach as she curtsied elegantly. "But, how do you know Mario, if you don't mind my asking?"

"His feats are quite extraordinary. Word of his heroism and courage has traveled far. Although, I must say, I wasn't surprised to see for myself that the stories are true. Mario is certainly a treasure, and you are very fortunate to have him," Contemno praised. She couldn't see it behind the mask, but somehow Peach was confident that he was smiling as he said that. The princess smiled warmly herself. Mario blushed and rubbed his neck when he noticed Peach observing him.

"Yes, we certainly are," she agreed. "Since you've traveled all this way, would you like to return to my castle with us? The least I can do is invite you to partake in our celebration and offer you a place to rest for the night."

"I'm afraid not, m'lady," the mage denied. "In fact if I may be so bold, I believe there is a more pressing matter for us to tend to instead." Everyone else's face grew puzzled at this.

Contemno turned away from his acquaintances. They followed the gaze of his mask, where they saw Bowser clawing his way back up onto the ledge at the other end of the chasm. Contemno quickly lunged one step forward and thrusted his palms outward in front of him. Suddenly, two purple chains shot out from an aura engulfing his hands and raced across the space between the cliffs. The chains swiftly constricted around Bowser's body like serpents and tied his arms to his sides. Contemno then took a step back and sharply retracted the chains. They pulled Bowser in tow high through the air and over towards the group. The Koopa King landed with a thud in front of them. Mario and his friends took a step back.

"Contemno…w-what are you doing?" Peach asked nervously.

"Something I cannot believe your kingdom has gone this long without doing," Contemno replied rather harshly all of a sudden. Bowser came to and sat up. He struggled a bit, but couldn't break free of the chains. Just what were they made of?

"Hey!" Bowser barked. "What the heck's going on here!?" He glared at Contemno. "Who's this freak?"

"Contemno…wait!" Peach exclaimed. "What are you thinking!?" Contemno flicked his wrists. The chains shuffled up Bowser's body and tightened their grip around the Koopa King's neck. Sounds of choking and painful coughing erupted from Bowser's gaping mouth. He clutched and tugged at the chains with his claws, but couldn't loosen them.

"It's quite simple, princess! I will slay this beast by squeezing out every last breath of his! It is what he deserves for all of his misdeeds! Justice is at-hand!" Contemno declared manically.

"Hold on a second!" Toad interjected in a panic. "We all know Bowser's a bad guy, but that doesn't mean he deserves…this! Let him go!"

"Toad's right!" Peach exclaimed. "I don't know what Bowser did to make you hate him so much, but please! This isn't the answer!" Bowser continued to choke and gasp for air. His eyes were gradually bulging out of his head, and his face was steadily turning blue.

"This tyrant stole my kingdom from me! So now I must take his life in return!"

"That no fair at all!" Yoshi cried. Mario had seen more than enough. He straightened his cap and rushed over towards Contemno. The mage anticipated his approach. Out of nowhere, a towering wall of purple aura appeared and separated Mario from Contemno. The plumber punched the wall as hard as he could, but couldn't break through it.

"Are you all really so content with Bowser constantly throwing your kingdom into chaos!?" Contemno shouted. "The only way this charade will end, is to him!" Bowser keeled over onto his shell as his coughing and gurgling grew fainter. His time was rapidly running out by the second.

"We'll figure out some other kind of punishment!" Peach offered.

"Y-yeah! She's right!" Luigi agreed hysterically. "J-just stop already! Let him go!" Hesitating slightly, but without uttering another word, Contemno dropped his arms to his sides as the chains and barrier vanished into thin air. Bowser inhaled deeply with full intention of sucking up the entire planet's supply of oxygen at once. His face returned to its normal color, and he laid there on the ground to steady his breathing. Several minutes of silence passed. The group was too horrified by what they had just seen to say anything.

"Contemno…we understand what you're saying," Peach spoke at last. "We'll do something about Bowser. But please, leave the matter of his punishment to us." Contemno stood frozen. His mask peered off into the distance, but he remained silent. The group was collectively on edge about what Contemno would do next.

"Princess Toadstool…," the mage spoke at last. "If you truly love your kingdom, then do what is best for it. Ensure that this beast will never harm you or anyone else ever again." He lifted his hand slowly. Mario and the others flinched and prepared themselves for some sort of attack. But nothing came. Instead, a standard, metallic chain suddenly materialized in Contemno's hand. He approached Bowser and connected one end of the chain to the spiked collar around Bowser's neck. The Koopa King was too weak at that moment to retaliate. He simply sat there on his hands and knees and wheezed as Contemno chained him up like a dog. Then, he tossed the other end of the chain on the ground in front of Peach and walked away without another word. In one final flash of purple aura, Contemno disappeared.

Mario picked up the chain and stared at Peach; a certain unease in his eyes. Her's weren't inspiring any more confidence. Luigi, Toad, and Yoshi approached them cautiously.

"Who was that guy…?" Toad asked. Peach shook her head, but she persistently eyeballed the place where Contemno last stood a moment ago.

"I don't know. But I don't think we should wait for another opportunity to find out…," she declared.

"So…what do we do now then, princess?" Luigi inquired.

Peach looked over at Bowser. His claws were twitching and his entire body trembled. His breathing had slowed down to normal, but Bowser was now mumbling something hysterically; although she couldn't make out what he was trying to say. The Koopa King's bloodshot eyes were filled with a sinister, primitive fear. He resembled a wild, wounded animal who was ready to strike; his mind locked in fight-or-flight mode. She had never seen him look so distressed. Mario and the others gathered around their princess as they waited for her direction, but she hesitated to speak. As Contemno's ambitions and final words engraved themselves into her memory, she knew what she had to do next. But she took no pleasure in it, even if it was for the best.

Prince Bowser Jr. sat alone peacefully at his desk. He kicked his feet gleefully and his tiny claw guided a blue crayon as it raced frantically across the paper and filled in the sky of his drawing. The picture was nearly finished, but the little Koopa still felt compelled to hurry. The end of the school day was drawing near, and he knew his dad would be here any minute to pick him up. Junior looked up for a moment and examined the cubby area by the door where his book bag was resting. He was thankful that he had remembered to pack up his things immediately after lunch so he could work on his drawing right up until the last bell.

Unfortunately, the time came just a moment before Junior could put in the finishing touches. As the school bell chimed and echoed through the halls of the school, the little Koopa hopped out of his chair and stuffed the drawing into his book bag to finish later as he walked out the door. As he made his way to the designated pick-up curb, Junior was surprised to spot not his father, but instead Larry and Roy Koopa seated in a Clown Car and waiting for him.

"…Larry?" Junior called out.

"Oh…hey, small fry! Over here!" the blue-haired Koopaling exclaimed cheerfully as he waved his hand in the air to signal the Koopa Prince over. Junior climbed into the vehicle and set his bag down on the floor near his feet.

Something seemed…off about Larry.

Junior noticed Larry's claw trembling as the latter twisted the key and started up the aircraft. "D-did you have a good day at school?" Larry asked. He could feel beads of sweat slowly rolling down the side of his head.

"What're you guys doing here?" Junior asked. "Where's my dad?"

"He uhh….asked us to come get you instead," Larry answered.

"…Why?"

"Why? Well….uhh…why not? I mean, we're practically your brothers, right? Can't we do something nice for you for a change?"

Something was definitely wrong, but Junior wasn't exactly sure what it was. He folded his arms across his chest.

"Larry, what's goin' on? What's my dad doing that's so important that he couldn't come get me? And why are you acting all weird?" Roy stretched out in the backseat, put his feet up on the rim of the air craft, and folded his arms behind his head to relax.

"I told ya he'd know somethin' was up, Larry," Roy commented. "Just tell Junior before we get there. He oughta know 'bout this more than any of us." Larry turned his neck and glared at Roy.

"…Know about what?" Junior interjected. All of this vague talk was starting to make him nervous. He looked down over the edge of the Clown Car at the kingdom below. It was then that Junior realized that it wasn't taking them back to Bowser's castle. In fact, he didn't recognize this route. The little Koopa sharply turned back to Roy. "Know about what, Roy!? What's going on!? Where are we going!?" Larry finally glanced over at Junior. His face looked pale.

"Something happened to your dad…," Larry answered at last. "We're on our way to go check on him." The color practically drained from Junior's face and he could feel his stomach growing upset. The little Koopa was worried his lunch was about to come back up as he wracked his brain and tried to guess what could've happened.

The entire rest of the trip was a blur. He didn't understand why the Clown Car was landing outside of Princess Peach's castle. Why would they come here of all places if Bowser was in some kind of danger? Junior said nothing as Larry and Roy led him inside. He barely noticed the Toads guarding the doors, who miraculously allowed them to just pass through and enter. Was he dreaming? He had to be dreaming. They'd never come within 50 feet of this castle before without some kind of armed battleship. Yet here they were waltzing through the front door now; almost as if the trio were being expected. Junior's heartbeat accelerated and his breaths grew shorter with every step. By this point, he was practically trembling from head to toe. The sunlight that was shining through the windows was blinding. The castle around him was fading in and out of focus and starting to spin around him. He couldn't process anything that was happening in that moment. Junior wanted to scream, but he was worried no one would hear him.

The trio hastily ascended the staircase and burst through a set of double doors on the second floor. Inside, several individuals were seated around a large, sprawling wooden table. But Junior was drowning too deeply in his anxiety to make out who these individuals were. Mario was standing against the wall nearby with his arms crossed. To Junior's surprise, the plumber barely moved when he saw them enter. It was as if he and…everyone in the castle for that matter…had been waiting for them.

"ALRIGHT, WHERE IS HE!?" Roy shouted. The occupants of the table's many chairs all glanced over to acknowledge the outburst, but no one said anything. Junior gripped Larry's hand tightly. He didn't understand why he was so frightened and on the brink of fainting, but having a familiar hand to cling on to helped ever so slightly. "ANSWER ME, YOU DIRTBAGS!" The Koopaling gritted his teeth. "WHERE'S OUR KING!?"

"Follow me," a voice spoke from behind. Junior, Larry, and Roy turned around to find Peach standing in the doorway behind them. Her entire body was draped in remorse. Junior glanced up at the princess's troubled face and swore that she was on the verge of vomiting. "I'll take you to him."

Peach led the trio down into a dungeon deep in the heart of the castle's underground basement. The cobblestone floor was damp and freezing under their bare, padded feet. The series of torches attached to the wall provided just enough light to see the narrow corridor ahead. None of them ever knew this castle even had a dungeon. Due to the princess's sweet and tender-hearted nature, she must've never had a reason to use it. At least, up until now anyway.

As she descended the stairs, Peach's mind replayed the ordeal that had brought her to this point.

Bowser jerked and struggled as Mario pulled on the chain leash. Luigi, Yoshi and Toad stepped in to give Mario support. Bowser roared and discharged streams of fire wildly as he tried to shake the trio loose.

"NO! YOU'RE NOT TAKING ME ANYWHERE!" the Koopa King screamed. "LET GO! LET GO! LET GO!" Peach stood off to the side and watched in horror as Bowser was engulfed by his most primitive animal instincts.

Eventually, the tunnel-like hallway expanded into a much larger room. Half of the room was completely blocked off by a row of tall iron bars that stretched from the floor to the ceiling and stood closely next to one another. It was too dark to tell what was waiting inside the cage.

Bowser dug his claws deep into the ground as he was dragged through the forest. The group was growing exhausted, but they willed themselves to journey on. Surely, even a powerhouse like Bowser would run out of steam eventually. Mario and crew simply had to outlast him.

"WHEN I…GET OUT OF THIS…YOU'RE ALL DEAD MEAT!" Bowser huffed. "DEAD. MEAT. YOU HEAR ME!?"

Junior gripped Larry's hand tighter, but now Larry himself was appreciating the intimate contact as his own nerves started to flounder. If Junior's anxiety weren't running so rampant at that moment, he might've felt inclined to ask why Morton, Wendy, Iggy, Lemmy, and Ludwig von Koopa were all standing around the room silently. Kammy Koopa was also standing with them, and she looked as though she were dying to say something to Junior, but couldn't for some reason.

Using the last of their strength, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and Yoshi shoved Bowser into the prison cell and slammed the door shut before he could stand up and retaliate. The Koopa King furiously punched at everything he could see. The bars, the walls, the ceiling, the floor. He punched and kicked and rammed his shoulder against every surface; praying something would eventually give. He accumulated bruise after bruise; scratch after scratch. Bowser wiped the blood away and blew as much fire as he could. The flames bounced off and occasionally burned him. The Koopa King roared and wheezed as he resumed his fruitless attacks.

"YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY WITH THIS!" Bowser exclaimed. "MY TROOPS…WILL COME LOOKING FOR ME! ALL OF THEM! YOU'LL BE SORRY!" Mario and the others reluctantly ignored Bowser's threats as they exited the room. "YOU…WANNA BE THE ONES TO TELL JUNIOR…WHERE HIS DAD IS!? BE MY GUEST! BUT WHEN I GET OUT OF HERE….NONE OF YOU WILL SURVIVE! NONE OF YOU! YOU'LL ALL PAY! YOU HEAR ME!? YOU'LL…ALL…PAAAAYY!" The Koopa King's tantrum radiated through the corridor and up to the higher levels of the castle. The inhabitants sat silently as they listened to a muffled echo of Bowser's screams and shouts coming from the dungeon below. The wait that ensued next was bound to be the longest and most painful one that any of them had ever endured.

Peach didn't say anything, nor did she move a muscle. She simply stood off to the side near the wall, and the shame in her eyes explained why she refused to look at any of the Koopas in the room. Roy wasn't sure what was supposed to happen next since their guide wasn't doing anything. Were they supposed to approach the prison cell? Was this a trap designed to kill off the three of them too? Junior was most likely assuming the worst by now. Would such fears be realized by looking through the bars?

"He's in there…," Peach spoke at last as she pointed towards the cage in front of them.

"Is he…?" Larry started. He gulped and found himself too horrified to finish his question. To his and Roy's surprise, it was Junior who approached the cage first. The little Koopa gripped the bars in his claws and peered into the void on the other side.

"…Dad?" Junior muttered. The jingling of chains echoed within the shadows ahead, followed by heavy pounding. Whatever was dwelling in the darkness was moving; responding to Junior's voice. A large silhouette stumbled into view. When it finally reached the light from the wall torches, Junior's heart froze.

"Junior…," the prisoner spoke in a broken, raspy tone.

It was Bowser, but he was a mere shell of his usual self.

He was battered, bruised, and covered in dust and dried blood. Bowser's red hair was in shambles and his eyelids drooped low over his soulless eyes. The Koopa King looked like a zombie; as though he had been suffering in this cage for weeks. Junior's eyes flooded with tears upon seeing his father in such a terrible state.

"DAD!" Junior cried. He pressed his whole body tightly against the bars and wept as he reached through them with all his might; desperate to feel Bowser's touch. Bowser tenderly grasped Junior's tiny claws in his own and stepped closer. He then patted Junior's head gingerly and held him as closely to his chest as the bars would allow.

"Hey…hey...easy now. Easy…," Bowser cooed softly. "Everything's fine, Junior. I'm okay…" Roy gritted his teeth once more.

"…WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO HIM!?" Roy exclaimed.

"He put up a struggle on the way here. But that's all," Peach answered. "We didn't harm him in any way. You have my word."

"AND YOU EXPECT US TO BELIEVE THAT CRAP!?" the pink-headed Koopaling objected. "THIS IS LOW, PRINCESS! REAL LOW! I GUESS ALL THAT DAINTY DAMSEL IN DISTRESS STUFF WAS JUST AN ACT, HUH!?" Peach's eyes wandered away from him and she folded her arms as if to shield herself from the verbal onslaught. Larry was shocked that none of his siblings were echoing Roy's sentiment through outbursts of their own right now. What had happened moments earlier? What did Peach tell them that had made them all so calm? What did they know that Junior, Roy, and he himself did not? Why was it keeping them quiet like this?

"Dad…w-what's going on!?" Junior wept. "W-why are they doing this t-to you!? I don't….I don't understand, Dad!" Bowser continued to caress his child's face, but he knew that this would do little to calm Junior down unless he spoke up once more. However, his throat ached from shouting so much earlier, and it pained him to speak. Damn it all. There was so much he wanted to tell Junior at that moment that he physically couldn't. He'd worn himself out.

"I never wanted it to come to this…," Peach spoke softly. "Believe me. I wish there had been another way. But I just didn't have a choice."

"What do you mean?" Larry asked.

"Please…try to understand; all of you," she began. "This has to stop. I can't let Bowser kidnap me anymore. I'm a princess. I have to do what's best for my people; for my kingdom…" Peach placed her hands over her heart. "…and for myself as well." Junior left his father's side and glared at the princess.

"W-why can't you j-just say 'yes', then!?" he exclaimed. "W-why...why can't you just marry my dad!? T-then we wouldn't have to…to keep kidnapping you!" The little Koopa clenched his fists as his tears continued to pour from his eyes like bath water. It took everything he had to control his trembling. "T-then…then we could finally be happy!" Peach approached Junior slowly and kneeled down to his level. She wrapped her arms around him and lovingly pulled him in towards her chest as he sobbed. Her hug felt warm, and her perfume smelt pleasantly of lavender. The little Koopa tried desperately to cling on to his resentment towards Peach. But her affectionate gesture was winning him over. He tugged slightly to break free, but the nurturing softness of her hug was too strong; too overpowering. It didn't help either that his broken heart had already been draining him of the strength to resist.

"Junior…," she whispered soothingly. "I swear to you that I will not harm your father. He's going to be alright. I'm going to need him to stay here for a little while. But you can come visit him whenever you want; every day if you'd like." She let Junior go so he could step back and let her words sink in. He wiped away the snot from his nose with his arm. His eyes were still glistening with tears and the little Koopa was persistently sniffing away his sadness. But the hug had pacified him ever so slightly.

"You mean…you're not going to…," Larry swallowed his fear as he forced himself to complete his thought this time. "…execute him?"

"Heavens no," Peach denied. "I could never live with myself if I did something terrible like that." Junior and the Koopalings all looked at her. "I want to help Bowser. I just know there's good inside of him. That's why, if you would all allow it…I'd like to keep Bowser here and…try to reform him." The group hesitated. No one had an immediate response. None of them were entirely certain if Peach was requesting this or enforcing it. "With any luck, I want to help him change into a better person, so we can all live together peacefully. If he's willing to cooperate, then I can overlook the past and we can start over; all of us, as friends." Junior looked back at Bowser, who was now slumped against the wall of his cell. His bloodshot eyes looked incredibly far away, and his entire body was undoubtedly exhausted from this entire ordeal.

"You'll…take good care of him…right?" Lemmy inquired nervously.

"Of course. We'll start slow. I'll give him as much time and space as he needs, and I'll personally work with him until he feels comfortable and safe here. I don't want him to feel like a prisoner. If he starts to come around, he'll be moved out of this dusty old dungeon and he may even get his own room here in the castle," Peach explained. "In the meantime, you are all more than welcome to come here and visit Bowser. In fact, that might be good for him if you do. Having all of you around, you especially Junior, might help him feel less lonely." Kammy Koopa surveyed the room.

"Well, what do you think, gang? Should we give this a try?" Each of the Koopalings gave a hesitant, but ultimately trusting nod of approval to the proposal. Junior however, refused to give any sort of answer. He folded his arms and kicked at the dust on the ground. As far as he was concerned, this was never going to work.

Author's Note:

Long time, no see! It's been over a year since I completed my last story: The Promise. But I'm proud to announce that I'm finally back with a brand new project titled "Son of Bowser"! This will be a sequel set 10 years into the future after the conclusion of the previous story. As you can tell, the chapters will be considerably longer in length than before. So, it'll take me a bit more time to get each one done. But I hope you are all looking forward to what's coming next. I have an ambitious tale that I can't wait to share!