AN: Alright, just to get this out of the way, yes this is a slash fic, yes it is Mario=Bowser, yes I used an equal sign and yes this is rated M for a reason. If you don't like any of the above don't bother reading or commenting.

Now with that out of the way, enjoy the story

Prologue: The Potion

Deep within Bowser's Castle, in the dark and dreary corridors of the castle cellar, the senior Magikoopa, Kamek, was busy working in his laboratory on Bowser's latest scheme. His spectacled eyes were fully concentrated on a flask, sitting over an intensely hot flame; its contents, a bluish liquid, bubbling away under his intense gaze.

Turning from the flask, he looked around his lab space for the ingredients he needed to add to the concoction. Gazing over the assorted scientific paraphernalia he kept in his lab, his eyes came to rest on a couple of golden leaves that had just recently arrived from the Creepy Steeple precisely for this little experiment. Grabbing the leaves, he placed them in a mixing bowl, and taking a clay rod, began grinding the leaves into a fine powder.

His eyes wandered back to the flask, still bubbling away in anticipation for what was to come next. A small smile creped over Kamek's face, pleased that everything seemed to be going well so far. Breaking his gaze from the flask, he glanced down at the mixing bowl. The once whole leaves were now little more then a fine golden powder.

Deciding that the leaves had been pulverized enough and taking the mixing bowl in one hand and a funnel in the other, Kamek slowly emptied its contents into the flask. As soon as the powder touched the liquid, the bubbling slowed down as the mixture began changing from a bluish tint to a darkish green color. Putting both the funnel and mixing bowl aside, Kamek grabbed a glass stirring rod and began stirring the contents of the flask.

Reaching over to his right, Kamek began feeling for the test tube he needed for this particular phase of the experiment. 'Let's see… no, that's extract of mushroom… no, that's a goomba blood sample… where is that… blast it, where is that tube!?'

Deciding that feeling around for it was no good, Kamek let out an annoyed grunt and turned his eyes from the mixture he was currently stirring to see where the test tube was. Scanning the test tube rack, his old eyes finally caught site of what he needed. Grasping the test tube, he removed it from the rack and glanced at its contents, a gold colored liquid. He glanced at the label to make sure it was the right one. 'Nectar of Amazy Dayzee, yes, that's it.'

Satisfied, he turned his attention back to the flask. The golden leaf powder had finally dissolved completely turning the color of the mixture into a lightish green. Removing the stirring rod from the mix, he popped the stopper off the tube he was holding and slowly tilted the tube, as he only needed a drop for this mixture, too much and the concoction would be ruined.

Kamek's eyes narrowed as he watched the golden liquid slowly creep towards the edge of the tube. Gently, carefully tilting it more, the liquid continued its slow advance. Kamek could feel his brow getting sweaty as he licked his lips in anxious anticipation for that one, sweet drop of nectar that would bring his potion one step closer to completion. The liquid stopped at the edge of the tube and slowly, a drop began to form. Kamek took a deep breath in as he waited for that one drop to fall. After a few more stress inducing seconds, the drop finally fell from the tube and into the mixture, immediately dissolving into the liquid.

Letting out a long sigh, Kamek stopped up the tube again and placed it back on the rack. Grabbing the stirring rod, he began stirring the greenish liquid and it soon began boiling again.

After a few seconds, Kamek removed the stirring rod and put out the flame under the flask. Taking a pair of tongs, Kamek grasped the neck of the flask and moved the glass container off of its stand. Kamek stared into the garish liquid, a smile crossing his weathered face, pleased with the results so far. It was too early for him to celebrate, however, as he was still missing one last ingredient.

Raising and shaking his left arm, the sleeve of his robe moved down revealing a watch underneath. Checking the time, he realized his guest was five minutes late. Kamek sighed, 'Now where could he b-'

The door to Kamek's lab suddenly burst open, the door crashing against the wall. Startled out of his wits, Kamek yelped and sent the flask up into the air. Eyes widening in terror as he watched an hours worth of careful work about to come crashing down on the floor below, Kamek did the only thing his panicked mind could think to do. He quickly dove to the ground and caught the flask just inches before it hit the ground.

Kamek's relief soon turned to pain as he quickly found out that grabbing a flask he had just taken off the fire a few seconds ago with his bare hands was not a wise idea. Burning pain seared through Kamek's hands as the old koopa bit down on his lower lip to keep himself from screaming, least he accidently let go of the flask.

"You're pretty fast for an old koopa," said an amused voice from near the laboratory entrance.

Kamek slowly, painfully got back up to his feet, flask still firmly in his hands. He quickly placed the flask on the table, and looked down at his hands. A whimper escaped the withered koopa as he looked at his burned and blistered hands. He was breathing hard, both from the exertion and the pain of his newly charred hands. Eyes watering from the pain, he slowly turned to face his guest.

Standing in the doorway was none other than his lord and master, King Bowser, looking as imposing as ever. He had been expecting his master's arrival, but, glancing at his hands, he wished his lord could've been a bit quieter when he entered. Still, staring at his lord, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride well up in him, knowing that the baby he had raised had grown up into such a fine koopa and that it was all due to his servitude. Though, he often wished his lord were a bit more mature as he still had random temper tantrums and was a tad too self-centered. Perhaps he had spoiled his lord a bit too much.

Realizing he was still biting down on his lip, Kamek slowly opened his mouth, "lucky for me, sire."

As his lord strolled into the room, Kamek looked over at the ice box near his work station that housed some of his frozen samples. Striding quickly over to the box, he lifted the lid off and stared into the cool environment of his freezer. Without a second thought, Kamke plunged both hands into the ice. Sweet, cold relief started spreading through Kamek's hands as the old koopa let out a long, content sigh as the burning pain in his hands subsided.

"Is this it?"

Kamek glanced over his shoulder and saw his lord inspecting the potion with his eyes. "Yes, that's it my lord. Be careful not to touch it, it's quite hot," he said, casting a quick glance back to his burnt, ice encrusted hands.

"So what did you need me for? Is it ready?" Bowser said, glancing over at Kamek.

"Not quite, your nastiness. It just needs one last ingredient." Turning his attention back to his hands, Kamek removed them from the freezer. "Just give me a minute, sire," he said as he ran over to the medicine cabinet. Opening it, he quickly grabbed a roll of bandages and wrapped his hands up. He also grabbed a band-aid and a sterile lancet knowing he'd need them later. Walking back to the freezer, he plunged his hands back into the ice, allowing the bandages to soak up the cold, ice water.

"Well, are you finished?!"

Kamek turned to see his lord leaning against his work station, claws drumming on the table top as he stared with narrowed eyes at him, impatiently waiting for him to get back to work.

His lord's impatience was also a flaw Kamek regretted he did not correct while his lordship was still young. Kamek knew better then to keep his lord waiting too long. Removing his soaked, bandaged hands from the freezer, he walked over to his king. "Yes, I'm quite done now, your gruesomeness."

An irritated sigh escaped Bowser's cavernous mouth, "whatever, just tell me why I need to be here? What do you still need for this potion?"

Kamek's answer was short, simple and to the point, "your blood."

Kamek couldn't help but smile at the wide eyed expression his lord had after this particular message processed through his brain. "I don't need a lot, your viciousness, I just need a drop."

Bowser visibly relaxed, "alright, you'll get your drop," he said as he was about to prick his index finger with his thumb claw.

Kamek quickly placed his hands on his lords, "no, no, my lord, you might contaminate it! I don't want you messing up my work!"

Bowser emitted a low growl, his eyes narrowing, "what?"

Kamek quickly back peddled, "um, not that you would mean to ruin it, your nastiness. I just want to make sure everything is perfect for this potion. This is very delicate work."

Bowser shook his head, eyes to the ceiling, "fine, you do it then," he said, holding his hand out over the flask.

Sterilizing one of Bowser's fingers, Kamek opened the small pack containing the lancet. Holding his lord's finger with one hand and the lancet in the other, Kamek stabbed the lancet into Bowser's finger, drawing blood. Kamek squeezed his lord's finger until a single drop fell into the flask. Letting go of his master's hand and moving it away from the potion, Kamek immediately stirred the mixture until the blood dissolved into the liquid.

A pleased smile crossed Kamek's face, "yes, yes, perfect. That should do it."

Bowser was busily sucking his wound, "great, now why don't you get me a-" he was cut off when Kamek held up a band-aid for him to use. Narrowing his eyes, Bowser snatched the band-aid from Kamek's hand. "Smartass," he muttered, as he put the band-aid on his finger.

Kamek was still eyeing the potion, "great, now I just need to add the last two ingredients."

Bowser raised one of his eye brows, "I thought you said it was finished?"

"Well, yes, but it needs flavor now. This would taste pretty nasty without it," he said, glancing at Bowser, a withered smile on his face.

Smoke bellowed out from Bowser's nostrils. He was far from amused by his underling's actions. "Kamek, I'm getting angry!"

Not at all phased by his master's temper, but all too aware that he should stop trying his patience, Kamek grabbed a lemon and a lime, fresh from Dry Dry Desert, and crushed the two fruits together over the flask. Their juices mixed as they fell into the potion. Once Kamek was convinced he had squeezed as mush juice out of the two fruits, he threw them aside, and stirred the mixture for what he hoped was the final time.

After a few seconds of careful stirring, he turned his eyes to his lord. "There, now it's done."

Bowser grabbed the potion from the table and examined it. "Great, so now we'll… uh," he was at a loss for words. He glanced at Kamek, "what came next?"

An amused smile crossed Kamek's face, "Now, we deliver this potion to Princess Peach, without her knowing who sent it of course. Once she drinks the potion, she'll be under your spell, your evilness. She'll be hopelessly in love with you. You'll finally have her all to yourself."

Bowser turned his eyes back to the potion he held in his hand, a wicked smile crossing his face. "So simple, so easy, I really should've thought of it sooner." Holding the potion up over his head, he exclaimed, "finally, once and for all Peach will be mine!" His expression darkened as his thoughts turned to the one man who could ruin everything, "and this time, Mario won't be able to save her." Bowser threw his head back and let out a hearty, evil laugh that echoed all throughout the castle cellar.

AN: Well, there you go the start to a hopefully decent story. Also, if anyone is wondering why I'm using Kamek and not Kammy, the simple answer is I just like Kamek more then Kammy. Hope you stick around for the next chapter.