Author's Note: Hello again, long time absolutely no see. I am BACK with your very own Christmas Miracle! The final chapter of Change of Heart!

Thank you so, so, so much for reading and loving this story. I admit that what I did in abandoning the story was not cool, especially considering how amazing you all are. I had the best readers I could have ever, ever imagined. So much has changed since I started this story; my writing, the readership, the Mario canon, my own life and interests- I'm writing this from an airport in Paris after living in France for almost a year! (I'm American, by the way, so that's pretty awesome). And I do have to admit, as I went off to college and left my Nintendo at home, I stopped having time to write or the ability to play video games. Slowly but surely, I lost my interest in writing Change of Heart. Fanfiction, as you all know, is free and merely a hobby. Still, I feel awful for having left you all hanging like this. I never once forgot you, I just could never get myself to write the last chapter. And you know, a part of me didn't want to, not because of lack of interest, but because that means this is over. Change of Heart was a huge part of my life for years. We had fanart and a TV Trope page and fanfiction FOR the fanfiction, I had five documents for planning and character analysis, countless times I'd drawn out characters or scenes, spent hours writing and planning and playing specific parts of specific video games just to get it right. And now, as I post this last chapter, that's all over.

But much more important than that is the fact that now you all are FREE! You can confidently say that this 52 chapter story longer than most classic novels you're going to be assigned in school is complete. And a lot of you can probably add you followed the dumb thing for eight (EIGHT!) years, never really expecting to get that "update" email.

Alright, I'm done waxing nostalgic. My plane is about to board and we all have lives to get along with. So let's see how it ends for Bowser and Peach, shall we? (of course, as always, I still don't own Nintendo characters.)

"Missing?!" Bowser bellowed, his voice so loud and furious, it lit on fire. Kammy wiped off her blackened glasses, acutely aware of how serious the situation was. This wasn't the time to yell at her boss and king.

"Yes, your vileness... I found the children in Ludwig's destroying orchestra room, but they all claimed no one had seen him since yesterday."

"Last time I saw him was when we were playing barber shop!" Wendy added, coughing out ash.

"And you tell me now? He's my son, you blubbering idiots!" Bowser roared, waving his hands.

"Sir," Kamek interjected, "Sir, I realize this isn't the best time, but...um...the Mushroom Kingdom?"

Bowser looked back to the screen, colors blinking and flashing. Then he looked back to the seven crispy koopalings and their failure of a nanny. "Who woke up this morning and said 'Hey, let's make Dad's life a living pile of goomba dung, huh? Whoever it was is grounded forever!" He snarled. "We are NOT done with this conversation...Kammy, clean these empty-headed dingbats up. They're going to talk to their mother."

All seven koopalings eyes went from staring at the floor in shame (and to avoid the sting of ash in the eyes) to staring at Bowser, wide and bright, with big smiles. "Mama Peach? Mama Peach is here? What's she doing here?!"

Kammy waved her wand over herself and the children, restoring them to an unburnt state. Then Kamek finished explaining for Bowser. "It's a video conference from the Mushroom Kingdom. Look your least ugly, because we haven't used this thing since it was installed..."

With an excited flourish, the security koopa pressed the "accept" button. The monitor let out an ungodly hiss of electronic noises and static before a pixellated image popped to life. It was a toad. Or rather, the back of one.

At the sound, the toad turned around in surprise- Toadsworth. "Oh! By George, someone actually picked up the bloomin' call! What a miracle!"

"Hey, mushroom breathe, if you're gonna be a sarcastic little twat we don't have to call you!" Bowser barked at the screen.

"Someone's there?!" a feminine voice asked, and with a flurry of feet, Toadette appeared on the screen. She beamed wide, waving, as if seeing her old friend. "Don't mind old Toadsworth, King Bowser. He's just a little nervous. He's never talked with you before."

Bowser furrowed his eyebrows, trying to recognize the little pink toad. "And you...have? I guess? Are you one of Peach's friends?"

"Yes, I am," Toadette answered simply. "More-so Mario's friend I would say, but all the more reason to meet you, don't you think?"

"King Bowser..." Toadsworth muttered, finally speaking up, "We didn't call to gossip and shoot the breeze. We are calling on a matter of international relations...are you available at the moment."

"No, I'm on my way to fix a go-kart and decided to stop by the old security room with my seven children and two advisors in tow just because. YES I'm available at the moment, you moldhead! Now get me your actual royalty who I WANT to see!

"So much for avoiding sarcasm," Toadsworth pouted. "With an attitude like that I'm not certain there is any need to fulfill such a bold request..."

Toadette was staring straight into the screen, past Bowser and at the kids, then back to the king. "No, Toadsworth, I think it's actually a good idea."

"Excuse me, wot?"

"Well yeah, we called them up for international relations, right? And they actually have their king there...You said His Majesty approved of the idea, and he doesn't have anything else pressing today...why not speak royalty to royalty?"

Bowser growled in addition, "Plus, I'm always right."

Toadsworth chose to ignore that. "Well...fine. Let me get King Toadstool." The toad hopped offscreen for a moment, returning after a few minutes of awkward silence with another toad. This one was more regal, with a purple cloak, black cap, brilliant crown, and...honestly, was someone Bowser had never seen before in his life.

He put his claws on the desk, leaning close to the screen and squinting. "Who the crud are you?"

The strange toad chuckled, pointing to himself. "I, sir, am the king!"

"No, I'm the king!" Bowser roared back. He backed up and also pointed to himself, nearly shoving his thumb claw into his chest. "I'm King Bowser! Ruler of all the Darklands and pretty much the whole world!"

"And I'm King Toadstool, ruler of the entire Mushroom Kingdom."

"You big ugly liar, Princess Peach is ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom!"

"Princess Peach is my daughter."

Bowser opened his mouth to keep retorting, but his face went pale. So much for a good first impression...although really, that ship had likely sailed years and years earlier. "Oh," he practically squeaked out.

Toadette giggled.

Bowser had forgotten his children were all in the room until Larry called out, "So that makes you our Grandpa!"

"I've always wanted a Grandpa!" Wendy added, "Old people are so cute!"

"Nu-uh," Roy argued, "You seen Kammy and Kamek? Old people smell funny and dey got all zos ugly faces and dey walk like dis..." he scrunched up his face and hobbled his shoulders, shuffling around to the uproarious laughter of all his siblings.

"Shut up!" Bowser roared, silencing them all.

"But King Dad, ya love my Kamek impression!"

"You're all making me look bad in front of King Toadstool, you foot-faced idiot bags!"

King Toadstool's mouth tightened until it hardly existed under his mustache. "I believe you're doing that yourself, King Bowser," he muttered cooly. "Perhaps my assistants were misinformed. I think that now is not a good time..."

"No!" Bowser begged, leaping back to the screen. He pushed his security koopa and Kamek out of the way. "Now is fine! I'm...uh...I'm s- sorry. Let me see the princess!"

"Oh, that's not why you were called," he said, shaking his head. "She's not even at the castle at the moment...so don't come looking for her."

"We understand that you miss her, though," Toadette piped up. Toadworth tapped his staff on her foot, earning a shriek in pain and surprise and her understood silence.

Bowser pulled back, clearly disappointed, but not surprised. "Oh, Kay. So she's still at that dumb Canal place, that's fine..."

King Toadstool looked to Toadsworth. "I don't believe that is public information, King Bowser...I demand you explain where you got your information."

"Geez, you don't gotta demand. I got it from Peach. She told me."

"...When?"

Bowser rolled his eyes, about to reply when he realized...wait, that whole week...was a secret. The King didn't know! Not yet, apparently. Peach hadn't told him, news hadn't gotten out.

And he had a decision to make. Bowser could tell him now. Maybe even put himself in good graces with his (potential, hopeful) future-father-in-law. He could tell the truth, which he was only just now learning how to do. Or...he could protect Peach's secret. If she hadn't told him yet, there was probably a reason. After all, King Toadstool was her dad or something, apparently.

So Bowser shut his mouth. He shrugged. "News gets out. People, uh, like to tell me when they see her...and stuff. Tourists. That's all." The king didn't look so sure, narrowing his eyes at Bowser. So he hastily added, "She's in a big, pink, fluffy dress in a town of little red shy guys that go up to her waist. She ain't exactly hidden! Geez!"

That seemed to placate him. King Toadsworth leaned back, smiling. "Then...would you like to move on to the purpose of the call?"

"So we're not gonna see Mama Peach?" Lemmy drawled, disappointed.

"Young koopa, my daughter is not your Mama. I refuse to hear you call her that, and I am most certainly not your Grandpa, so get that ludicrous idea out of your head."

"HEY!" Bowser snarled, turning on the screen again. "I'm the only one that gets to talk to my kids like that. You don't know them, fungus cap. I know you're King, and I know I gotta respect you or whatever, and I'm trying, actually trying, to be 'nice' to you or whatever. But those are my kids, and you don't know the kind of crap they're going through right now. It's really hard for them right now, okay? Especially that one. The one you yelled at? He isn't exactly a certified genius, alright? And your daughter is the only woman who is ever nice to that boy, including you, if you were a woman I mean. So back off! If the kid wants to call Peach his Mama, it isn't hurting anybody!"

Kamek gulped, tugging on Bowser's arm. "Um, Your Brusqueness, I'm not sure that we should be yelling at King Toadstool on the first day he's contacted the Darkl-"

"No, sir, he was not acting as King," Toadstool mumbled, cutting Kamek off. "Your king...was acting, I believe, as a father." He chuckled. "You know, I've never actually considered that Bowser is a father. I knew he had children...but always imagined he saw them more as...minions. Perhaps we can use this to our advantage."

"What, you think I'm some Lilly-livered softy just because I have kids? What kind of idiotic idea is that?!" Bowser demanded, slamming his hand down on the desk.

"No...I mean merely that you seem more...human isn't the word. But certainly more approachable. You see, King Bowser, I called today because a member of my council..." King Toadstool put a hand on Toadette's shoulder, the young toad beaming with pride, "has brought to my attention that our two kingdoms would both benefit from an increase in positive relations. We have been enemies for far too long, playing cat and mouse for well over twenty years. Frankly, it is a drain on both our economies and all our citizens. I realize diplomacy cannot be met over one internet conversation, but perhaps we can agree to...work towards something together?"

Bowser was stunned. He sat down in shock, effectively squishing the security koopa still in the chair. "You wanna...be allies?" Frankly, this was something Bowser always knew he should do. He had always, in the back of his mind, hoped they could be, too. It would definitely make wooing Peach easier...and if it was all going to change because he looked like a good dad...then that was fine with him.

"Allies is a strong word to throw around so early," King Toadstool said with a chuckle. "I want to...talk first. See if there is a possible future between our two countries. One that doesn't involve kidnapping my daughter every month?"

"Does Peach know about this?"

"No; as you know, she's on vacation from her civic duties. I'll be speaking to her and can mention it tonight, but I intend to keep her uninvolved until she returns to the kingdom."

Bowser's eyes lit up. "You're gonna talk to her tonight? You're gonna call her?" He couldn't hold back a smile, standing up again to get closer to the screen. The security koopa took a deep breath of air. And Toadette shot Toadsworth a "I told you so" look. "Can you...can you tell her I said 'hi'? Just, um, just hi. For now. Don't say that part! Don't say the 'for now', just say 'Bowser said hi'."

"And Roy!"

"And Wendy! Wendy O!"

"And Larry and Lemmy!"

"And Morton, Morton said it too, that's me, Morton Junior!"

"And Iggy!"

"You can feel free to add Ludwig to the list as well, sire."

Bowser chuckled. "Idiot kids shouldn't interrupt, but they're excited..." King Toadstool, to his benefit, looked more amused and touched than disgusted this time around. The children seemed honestly so excited, the way people act around friends- not royalty or hostages.

"And Junior would probably say hi, if he was here," Iggy added, raising a claw in the air. "And not missing and all."

Kammy smacked Iggy on the head with her wand, but it was too late. The smile faded from Toadstool's face, replaced by confused concern. "Missing? King Bowser, your son is missing?"

"Uh, he's, uh, he does this all the time, it's like hide-and-seek. Don't worry about it, I'm TOTALLY a responsible king and we should DEFINITELY be allies and stuff with our countries. Gotta form those bonds and stuff! But, um, we have to go now. We have to win hide-and-seek. Yeah. So. I'm just going to leave now and take all my obnoxious kids and you can talk to the smelly old people about when we can meet next." He flashed a big grin, adding, "You're not as handsome as me, but you're not an ugly guy, King Peach's Dad. I can tell where she gets her good looks from. Bwahaha!" He pushed his kids out of the room, each of them stealing looks at the toads over their shoulders.

Finally, he got them all out and shut the door loudly behind them. That left Kammy, Kamek, and the out-of-breathe security koopa tending to the screen alone. "Iggy, you got spoiled rat meat for brains or something?" Bowser shouted. "King Peach's Dad was only nice because he's a dad! He's Peach's dad! He already hates me, and now you're gonna make him think I'm a loser dad who loses his kids, too?"

Bowser growled angrily, walking around Iggy in a circle. The other six koopalings backed up, watching in nervous terror. "I mean, he shouldn't be one to talk, dude's only got ONE kid and she goes 'missing' pretty often when she hangs with us. And still he's all 'oooh, I'm Father of the Year. I have one daughter and I lose her every month and didn't even know where she was all last week.' I have seven of you little twerps, raise you without a Mama around very often, and I almost never lose anybody!"

Larry spoke up, "I got stuck in a box in the basement for three days last month and nobody-"

"Shut up Larry, I'm not talking to you. I'm a great dad! I said 'Almost' and that's better than Computer-Face in there can say. Yeah! I'm the best dad in the whole world! Bwahaha! You chumps are so lucky, your dad doesn't miss a-" he froze, looking at Iggy, all alone and waiting nervously for punishment. "What happened to your hair?"

Wendy sighed loudly. "I told you, Daddy, we were, like, playing Barbershop when Junior went missing."

"Well yeah, if I saw my brother's hair turn into a stupid green fountain, I'd go missing, too." Bowser shrugged. Clearly satisfied, he gave one last look at the door. In there, they were deciding if and when he would talk to the Mushroom Kingdom again. In good terms, for political peace... Bowser gave a shudder. And then he walked on. This, he admitted to himself, was probably the only way to see Peach again.

Xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

She was entirely aware of how ridiculous this was- just a few days ago, Peach had packed this suitcase. Hours later, she'd unpacked it and put everything away in a proper place. And here she was, just days later, putting every item back in the bag.

And she hadn't been this excited to pack in over a week.

"...and then if they still don't believe me, I'll take off my shell! I'll do it! I'll go totally naked in the airport for everybody to see and I'll show that unbelieving little jerk-man my birthmark. You know, the one shaped like Dad's face? And I'll-"

Peach looked up from folding her gloves. "You have a birthmark the shape of your father's face?!"

Junior blinked and paused. Apparently he hadn't realized anyone was listening to his tirade. He had started telling Peach his plan for getting them to the Darklands the moment she opened her suitcase and hadn't stopped since. "Well, uh...yeah. We all have birthmarks like that. Morton's is on his face, so that one is duh, obvious. Everybody else's is under the shell. Ludwig has a music clef or whatever it's called. Lemmy's is this really cool monster with a face like this-" Junior snarled as wide as he could, squeezing his eyes shut. "Wendy's is this dumb shape that she says means 'girl' or something, I don't know, and mine looks like Dad's face. It's how you know Iiiii'm the heir."

"Or his clone," Daisy muttered without ever looking up from her handheld game.

Junior pouted. Peach just waved Daisy's words away, saying, "Junior, finish your plan. Don't mind her."

"Right. Okay. Well, once the jerk-man believes me, he has to let us into the super secret cargo plane. It's international law. Number J7-488 Section F3C2K...oh wait no, F3C2P. Yeah. Wanna know how I remember that? It's Number, and then 'Jumping Seven, dash for eighty-eight!' Section, and then 'Fly three cats to parakoopas'!" Junior sat up proudly, nodded and added, "It's a pneumonic device. Ludwig taught me how to do those."

Peach laughed. She reached over to ruffle Junior's ponytail. "And here I thought Morton was the talkative one. Do you have an off switch? Is it here?" She tickled his belly, making Junior squeal in laughter. "Or here? Or here or here or here?" Peach was tickling Junior so much, his laughter pealing so loudly, she nearly missed her phone.

In fact, if Daisy hadn't shouted at her that the phone was ringing, she probably would have missed it. Hurrying to the last right, Peach picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Peach!"

"Daddy...!" Peach replied, her voice catching in her throat. It was her dad! He was on the phone with her! But also...it was her dad. And she was literally in the middle of packing to tell his biggest political enemy that she was in love with him.

Daisy looked up from her game, the same shock in her eyes. "You have to tell him," she mouthed. Peach swallowed hard, but she nodded.

"Did you get the flowers Toadsworth and I sent you?"

"I...I did! Thank you so much. That was so kind and thoughtful."

"Toadette helped pick them out," he replied, pride in his voice. "They're all here with me, actually! Toadsworth, Toadette...and me, of course!"

"We miss you, poppet!" Toadsworth piped up. "Hence the flowers."

"I wanted to just let you know that we're thinking about you, dear. We do miss you terribly. It will be nice for the entire kingdom when you get home...but have a wonderful, wonderful week at the Canal with Mario and Daisy and Luigi. Alright? Rest up, Peach!"

Wait, was that it? Was he hanging up and back to work? "Dad, Your majesty, Dad, wait!"

"...I haven't gone anywhere, Peach."

Right. "Sorry. I. Um. I owe you an explanation."

"...for?"

"Where I've been." Oh wow, this conversation was going nothing like she had hoped. Peach swallowed hard. "Dad, I was...in the...Darklands."

Her father was silent on the other end. Toadette gasped, Toadsworth was blubbering out practically nonsense words, but her dad...had nothing to say. So Peach just kept talking. "I wasn't kidnapped. I went out on my own to have a private week, no distractions, no press, no obligations. I just sort of...ended up there. Sort of like a happy accident. It's a little more complicated than that, but Dad, that's not what I want to focus on. It's very important to me that you understand I was not kidnapped. I could have left at any time I wanted. Any time! And I told Bowser that since I was going to be-"

"Bowser was involved?" Her father asked. The name was repeated by each toad in the room.

"That bloomin' traitor, that evil lizard, that monster! I ought to pop him in the mug with a round of one-two, and then give him the ole' fire-in-the-hole, and-"

"Toadsworth, please calm down," Peach asked. Badly. This was going badly. "Like I said, since I told him I was going to be away for the week, I decided that I would stay for a week. To build diplomacy."

Toadette squeaked. Peach could nearly hear her father turn to her and ask, "Toadette, did you know about this?!"

"No! No!" she said. "I had no idea, I swear! It's all just ironic, just a coincidence, just...great minds think alike! Diplomacy, yay!"

Silence. Then her father. "Go on..."

Peach took a deep breathe. "Okay. So. I spent a week in the Darklands, at Bowser's Palace. As his guest. It's a very, very different experience when you're not kidnapped, by the way. It was his birthday week, so everybody was really busy, and...um, that's not the point. The point is that it was a really nice time. Dad, I really enjoyed it. Everyone there was really actually nice and inviting. The culture is different, so they come off as brash, rude, and mean. But if you were there, I think you'd understand. They live in a volcano for heaven's sake! Nothing grows there. You have to be brash and mean...I think it's just embedded in the koopa heritage."

Junior spoke up. "You mean being awesome is embedded in the koopa heritage!" Peach whirled on him, shushing him with just her eyes...so effectively that he shrunk into his shell and whispered, "sorry!".

"Who was that?" King Toadstool asked.

"I'll explain in a moment, Dad. I have to tell you something. It's something big and serious so I need you to listen."

"I've been listening."

Peach steadied herself, but the words wouldn't come out. With her eyes shut, she didn't see Daisy cross the room until suddenly, her hand was being squeezed. Eyes open, and there was her cousin and best friend. Daisy's big eyes were sparkling and her smile was honest- she knew the truth. And after all that, Daisy still loved her. "I learned a lot that week. About diplomacy, yes, but a lot about the Koopas, about Bowser, and about...myself.

"Yesterday, Toadette asked me if I was in love with Mario." Toadette squeaked again, and it sounded like Toadsworth had begun to lecture her before the King shut him up. "I know clearly that I would have spent my entire life saying that yes, I did. Like Toadette said, the public opinion is that I love him. I expected to be engaged to him by today. But father...I don't. I can confidently say that I do not love Mario."

"Oh my mushroom!" Toadette shrieked. "Wow, I was right, oh my mushroom!"

"Toadette, please," the king sighed. "I'm trying to listen to my daughter."

Peach felt herself flush with pride at that sentence. It made saying the hardest part...a little easier. "And through the course of that week I began to, without brainwashing or illegal or mean activities of any kind, fall...fall for King Bowser."

Junior popped his head right out of his shell. His eyes went wide and on his mouth was the biggest smile Peach had ever seen the boy have. She giggled, realizing she hadn't told Junior yet. What a surprise for all his siblings, really!

And then she heard the other side of the phone.

Toadsworth was livid. He was spouting actual profanities laced with words of shock and horror and confusion. Toadette kept repeating that she "didn't know, I swear! I swear I didn't know! I really didn't, I swear!". And King Toadstool said...nothing.

"Dad?"

"I'm still here, Peach."

"Do you...um...have anything to say about that?"

More clatter and insanity from the assistants. And finally, "How long has this been going on and I haven't noticed?"

"Oh, Dad, it all just sort of happened this week. Nobody noticed. Nobody knew. I didn't even really know how serious it was until yesterday."

"So this isn't some part of you that I've just completely missed by being an awful father? It's not like how you wanted to go on a service mission for your eighth birthday, not get a pony...or not like how you went four years being actually afraid of green beans...or when you cut your hair without me there, as I'm quite sure you have at least once in the past fifteen years...or that you like to bake? I didn't realize that for years, even when you were the one staffing our kitchen."

Peach sighed. "No, Dad. This isn't like that. And...you're not an awful father."

He didn't answer, which meant Peach could hear exactly what was going on in the same room. "PRINCESS PEACH THIS IS POPPYCOCK, AND I DEMAND YOU EXPLAIN! There's no way you could love that bloomin fat lizard, he's a monster, it just isn't impossible, and you are a beam of radiant innocent sunshine! Don't let yourself believ-mmmph! Toadette, do not smother my mouth, you ungrateful gel!"

"I can't pretend that I understand, Peach. But honestly, I learn more about you from our press releases than I know first hand. So I expect to understand completely when you two go to the public with this. I may not be an awful father, but...Peach, I saw how that...the koopa that you like, Bowser, I saw how he reacted when I spoke coldly to his mentally-challenged son."

"Wait, what? When did you speak to Bowser?!"

"I'll explain in a moment, Princess. The point is that he reacted with more love and more protection than I have ever offered you. I saw in that moment that Bowser is not the soulless creature Toadsworth claims him to be-"

"-Excuse me, your majesty!"

"-and I saw some of the goodness that I think has drawn you in. You're right, he doesn't exactly have Mushroom Kingdom standards of politeness. It's something we will have to work on, as I cannot present you in a royal couple with someone who I cannot present to the Mushroom Kingdom. I'm sure you understand that. But even now, unpolished, he can offer you love. Which is something I have not offered, Mario apparently has not as well, and that I always swore I would let you find on your own. You say he's a good creature?"

"He's very good, Father," Peach answered, nearly laughing in relief.

"And he won't hurt you?"

"He would never dare."

"I'm going to insist on bodyguards and public safety. The Mushroom Kingdom is, since this morning, in the process of becoming diplomatically peaceful with the Darkland Empire and I will bring this to the top priority of our first meeting. That's why I was speaking with King Bowser today, over the video conference. I suppose it explains why he and his entire brood of children wanted to say 'hi' to you. Well, minus the one that's missing."

Peach looked down at Bowser Junior, raising an eyebrow. "Missing, huh?"

"Our current plan is to meet over the video conference in three days time, but I think it best if I encourage a quick meeting in between, in order to-"

"Dad, wait, I haven't told him yet!"

This time, everyone on the other end of the phone went silent. And Toadsworth was the one to break the silence. "Wait, you're off your bloomin' rocker and think you've fallen for the lad, and he doesn't even know? How does that work? Wouldn't he know?!"

"She hasn't told him yet, it's romantic!" Toadette replied. "It's true love, not forced, Toadsworth. And he's always loved her. So of course he hasn't realized that now the feeling is mutual!"

"Your Highness, I'm not buying all this fish oil!" Toadsworth called out.

"I wouldn't expect you to, Toadsworth," Peach replied. "I'm going to talk to you about it when I get home...but first, I have to go to the Darklands and tell him myself.

"I don't have a guard for you!" King Toadstool interjected.

"Don't worry, Dad," Peach replied. She scratched behind Junior's horn. "I've got that covered. You know the missing koopaling? He's my ticket to safety."

"I...um...I appreciate the sentimental aspect, Peach, but that does nothing to alleviate any danger, should the Darklandians be the one to pose the threat. I demand you wait until Shor T. or Migh T. can accompany you."

"...wait?"

Toadette spoke up. "King Toadstool, your majesty, from a woman's perspective, I don't think waiting is the best idea for the Princess. Perhaps you have someone already there who can attend with her."

"Mario?"

"Um, that might be a little awkward, Your Majesty. To have Mario drop off his ex-girlfriend at her new boyfriend's palace."

Daisy squeezed Peach's hand. "What about me?"

"Excuse me?" Peach asked. "Daisy...you would have a security threat as well!"

"Oh, please. I've only been kidnapped twice in my life- less than Mario himself, mind you- and I just helped him and Luigi save the world. I've mastered every class at the Domo in Toadtown, I can roundhouse kick a koopa flat on his back in one try...Peach, I'm the body guard nobody will suspect."

Peach put her glove over the receiver, looking hard at her cousin. "Daisy...Grand Canal. Your week with Luigi. You guys deserve this together."

"So I'll come back when your dad either ships out the real guys or makes you come home. Luigi and I can come back here. Trust me, my choices are either accompany my best friend to finally be with someone she loves, then spend a few days in a kingdom I've never been to being waited on at a bombing awesome palace with lava and stuff...or stay here with my boyfriend and his just-barely-dumped brother, either dealing with Mario following us around every time we do something romantic, or me following them around to do brother-plumber stuff. Which they do...a lot."

Peach chewed her lip. "Well...Dad? Do you think that'd be okay? Can Daisy be my chaperone? I already lasted a week there without anybody knowing..."

"I...suppose it does put forth good trust and a sign of high expectations for our new diplomacy. Good trust is crucial in these kind of political relationships." Daisy and Peach grinned, holding each other's hands, when her father said the words Peach had been waiting to hear. "Alright, you both can go. Tell him what you need to tell him...but please, Peach. Don't make this public until I have all the politics in some semblance of order. Now really, I must be going. I have meetings to attend to."

Apparently, King Toadstool handed the phone off to Toadsworth, because Peach's ear was immediately assaulted with yelling, screaming, and all sorts of demands for explanation and sanity. "Toadsworth, listen to me!" Peach yelled.

Finally, he stopped for a moment. Very clearly, she said, "I am doing this. This is what I want. This is safe. I am an adult. And as much as I love you, I have to do this- for me. I'll see you soon." And then she hung up.

Peach sighed loudly, a big smile on her face. So not the way she had planned it, but better than she had expected. "Junior! Are you ready to get three of us on this super-secret, super-hard-to-find flight?"

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

One manicured claw holding the door open with the other on the light-switch, Wendy watched a brother race down the hall. "Psst! Psst, Roy! Roy, get in here!"

Roy snapped to see where his sister was and ran to her without a second thought. "Wendy, whatchu doin?"

"Hiding, duh. I don't wanna spend my whole day looking for Junior!"

"Isn't he yo partner? You should be the one lookin, I wud think."

"He is my partner and he's not an idiot. He'll come home. But Kammy's giving everybody welts that she sees who isn't Junior, and I do not want one."

"Yeah, me neither."

"Then shut up and don't let her know we're here," she hissed.

The two sat in silence for a moment, Wendy's ear pressed to the door. If she heard another koopaling to save, she was all for it. Sibling togetherness wasn't all that bad if they did it in the name of upsetting Kammy.

But then, a loud noise broke between them. Electronic static and feedback screamed through the broom closet, just a little quieter than Wendy's yelling.

"What the crap is that noise, Roy?!"

"Shut up, Wendy, I'm tryina turn it off! Holdja hoases, willya?"

"What is it?!"

"It's my radio fer cheeks sake! With Rocco, aight?"

"Why the pits is that on, numbskull?!"

"I didn't ezakly plan on being in a cone of silence in a broom closet!" Roy finally fished the radio out, his thumb claw hovering over the 'off' button, when it spoke back to them.

"Rocco to koopalings, come in koopalings, urgent Peach news!"

Wendy and Roy froze. Wendy gave one worried look at the door, then hissed, "Don't turn it off, idiot, let the spy speak!"

Roy rolled his eyes at Wendy, then pushed the 'talk' button. "Roy to Rocco, present. What's the sitch, Rocco?"

"I'm sure you guys already know this, but Peach is headed, with escorts, to the airport right now. I'm entering as well, but once they get past security, I'll have to sign off. Over."

"The airport?!" Wendy shrieked. "But she's supposed to be there for a whole week! Like, what happened? Over."

"She's been in her private hotel room all day. She left late last night, rode on a gondola alone, and...now here we are. I just wanted to make sure you all knew I can't follow her now. Over."

"Ey, Rocco, yo story's got some holes. Who's with her? What was up about the gondola? What'd she do in the hotel? Over."

"...You should already have that information, shouldn't you? Over."

"Rocco, like, why would we know? You're our spy, numbnuts. Ov- oh, shy guy, shhhhh!" Wendy stood stock still with Roy, her back pressed against the broom closet door. There were footsteps on the other end. Kammy's footsteps.

In the silence, as Kammy's steps started to get quieter, the radio blared to life again. "What's going on? Over?"

"What the beans, Rocco?! Wendy said to shh!" Of course, Roy's yelling did nothing to help, and soon Kammy was prying the door open.

"What are you doing on the floor of the broom closet, you two?!" she demanded. "Get up, get off the floor! Help me look, you idiots!"

"We, like, had to get somewhere quiet, Kammy!" Wendy lied. She picked up the offending radio and waved it in Kammy's face. "We had to make sure, like, our outside eyes and ears hadn't seen him! We're, like, doing our job plus extra!"

"...Outside eyes and ears?"

"Uh, chyeah," Roy added, catching on quickly. "Rocco's out lookin' for the prodigal son too. So that way we's got him covered on all ends. Twerp can't get nowhere."

This time, Rocco stayed silent on his end. So Kammy narrowed her eyes, suspicious. She summoned the radio right into her hand, growling into it, "Is that true, Rocco? What did these little liars hire you for?"

Rocco cleared his throat. He wasn't an idiot- he knew if he ever wanted to safely return home with a job and all his limbs, he couldn't lie to Kammy. "I'm, uh, I'm, uh, keeping an eye on the group. Over."

That was suspiciously vague. "What group?"

Wendy and Roy looked at each other, biting their lips. Rocco nervously answered, "You know...Peach and Bowser Junior and, uh, Daisy?"

"What?!" Wendy, Roy, and Kammy asked in unison.

"Bowser Junior?!" Wendy yelled out.

"You found him?" Kammy asked.

Rocco's voice was more confident. "Yeah. Yes, yes I did. I found him! And he's approaching the airport with the two princesses. Over."

"Why didn't you say so earlier, you useless lump of lard?" Kammy shrieked. "We've been canvassing the Palace! And this whole time, you were babysitting him!"

"Um...does this mean I get paid double?"

"Oh, for the love of Lord Bowser," Kammy groaned, throwing the radio at Roy's chest. She pointed her wand at the koopalings. "Make sure that idiot brother of yours gets home. Don't let your pet spy off the hook until Bowser Junior is in his room and grounded for the rest of his life!"

"Or until he comes home with Mama Peach and Daddy gets so proud he just gives him a later bedtime for a month," Wendy suggested, shrugging, "like last time."

Kammy scrunched up her face in anger, knowing that Wendy was right. With a poof, she disappeared, leaving Roy and Wendy shocked...but with no clue what to do.

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

After an hour of packing, three of navigating the airport (including only 10 minutes to convince the seedy-looking Koopa working the travel agency desk that yes, Bowser Junior WAS Bowser Junior and had clearance), one hour being interviewed and inspected by Darklandian security, and then nine hours on a (misleadingly labelled for air-mail) plane, Daisy woke up Peach. "Look out the window," she whispered.

Peach moaned, but slowly woke up. She thought for a moment that she'd never quite seen this view before- the first time Peach landed at the Darklands, she was completely unconscious. So it was nice that Daisy woke her up this time...even if all she could see was an approaching sea of smog. "That must be it! That's all the smoke from the volcano...and the pollution from the city. That must be the Darklands!"

"Real chipper-looking place, isn't it?" Daisy joked. She craned her head as much as she could, trying to get a view other than smoke. "Didn't you say they have normal lands, too? Fields, deserts, stuff like that?"

"Well, sure, but we're heading to Volcanopalace City. Plus, Bowser told me that the smoke helps hide the mainland from the sky." As soon as the plane dipped into and past the smoke, the view was different. Daisy gasped- they were just a few hundred feet away from the tops of skyscrapers! And there, impossible to miss in the skyline, was an incredible volcano, smoke billowing from its top and rolling along the sky above them.

"Aren't we a little...uh...close to these buildings?" Daisy asked, nervously. She turned to look at Bowser Junior, but the koopaling was still fast asleep. Obviously, he wasn't worried about the descent.

And the decent came quickly! Without a word of warning, the plane began to nose-dive. Peach and Daisy screamed, grabbing the seats in front of them, but the pilot knew what he was doing. Flying extremely low and passing under a giant bridge, and then another, and then another, the plane slowed to a stop. "Do they not have room for a normal airport or something?!" Peach asked, horrified.

"Mama Peach, why did you have to scream? Jeez. I was having a good dream and everything," Junior complained. He rubbed his eyes and smacked his sleepy mouth, looking around. "Oh, good, we landed already!"

Daisy's face was pale. She grabbed Junior's shoulder. "WHAT...was THAT. Is your pilot trying to kill us?!"

"No...that's just how the airport is, Auntie. Saves a lot of space. Besides, everybody uses clown-copters here. These big planes are just for people who get stuck outside the kingdom, like you guys, y'know? Why else would it just be waiting at Grand Canal airport?"

"It was waiting for me?" Peach asked, surprise on her face.

"Not you, Mama Peach! Just anybody! We have like a gazillion Darklandian citizens who live aaaaaaall over the place. They gotta stay secret, though." He stood up, apparently not wanting to explain much more. "Come on, let's go home. I'm hungry, and I gotta show Wendy that I brought you home!"

Peach stood up, shrugging at Daisy. Her cousin was still catching her breath. "Well, on the bright side...that definitely woke me up."

"You're putting a normal airport in this place, Peach," Daisy said, ignoring Peach's optimistic comment. "Now I know what to expect, whatever, I could really get a hang of it. But I couldn't get Luigi on a ride like that in my entire life."

Peach laughed, helping Daisy off the plane and onto the skybridge. "You've got a deal, Daisy."

The three were quickly joined by a wiggler, one of each of Peach's bags on its humps, and Daisy's lone suitcase on his hind end. The wiggler followed Bowser Junior and the princesses to the taxi area, dropping off the bags as if the three were just normal customers before leaving immediately. The first taxi that pulled up, however, was not as easy to deal with.

A koopa leaned out his window, looking at the three of them like they were insane. "Who the underwhere are you guys s'posed to be? A buncha clowns? Cause-play's over!"

"Hey, bucko, we're not here to chat!" Junior snarled. "We need a ride."

"You movin' or sometin'?" he asked, gesturing to the mound of bags behind them. "I ain't takin anybody outside city limits. My lunch break is comin' up. And you guys especially, lookin' like a buncha clowns. Hey, yellow Peach. Who you supposed to be? Peach ain't yellow!"

Daisy looked down at her dress, then back at the koopa. "Excuse you, but I am Princess Daisy. I'm not Peach at all!"

"Princess Daisy? Well excuuuuuse me, you're highness," he said in mock respect. "Is you the one paying, or is this short guy doin' it? Dis Peach impersonator ain't said a word since I got here, so I figgure she's too stupid to pay.

"Don't you dare talk to my Mama that way!" Bowser Junior screeched, hopping up and down in anger. "She is smart and beautiful and you're a stupid idiot man!"

"Uh, guys," Peach interrupted, as the koopa looked ready to leave his taxi and pick a fight. "Let's just...let's just take that one." She pointed to a taxi-van behind them, a whomp at the wheel. Peach wasn't exactly sure how he had gotten into the van, or planned on getting out, but from the way he was rolling his eyes, he was less likely to pick a fight with them.

"Can't we teach this guy a lesson?" Daisy asked, almost begging.

Peach laughed. "Dayz, you'll have PLENTY of chances to have shouting matches while you're here. I'm in a little bit of a hurry, you know?"

Sighing, Daisy agreed and began pulling bags with Peach towards the van.

"Yeah!" Bowser Junior yelled, pointing a claw at the now-abandoned taxi driver. "We're bringing our service elsewhere, dummy!"

"I don't want a bunch of stale cause-play clowns in my car anyway! Freaks!"

The Whomp at the head of the van just sighed slowly and lowly. Peach chuckled. She caught his eye and said, "That's how I feel, too."

Finally, they after much effort and Junior underestimating the weight of Peach's bags enough times to fall over, the three had the taxi all packed. Each passenger slipped into a seat. Peach was vibrating with excitement, staring out the window as if the taxi lot was scenic, not just cement barriers dripping with oil and condensation.

Bowser Junior looked over at her, flashing a toothy grin. "You do, Mama Peach, doncha?"

She smiled curiously at him, rubbing the scales on Junior's neck. "I do what, Junior?"

"You love Papa!"

She grinned right back, leaning down to push her forehead against his. Peach's tiara lightly tinked his horns. "I really do," she whispered back.

"Where to?" The whomp grumbled.

"VolcanoPalace," Peach answered, speaking up.

Without another word, the whomp pulled out of his parking spot and slowly up the ramp that brought them out of the sunken airport and into the city.

"That first taxi driver was awful," Daisy grumbled. "And our busboy wasn't exactly friendly, either."

"Welcome to the Darklands," Peach laughed. "I love the people but they're not exactly friendly to strangers.

"You see how they live, in this crowded city with no sun at all. And the entire world considers them the bad guys; the royalty has stopped using that as a bad thing and now claim it as part of their identity. So it becomes patriotic to look evil or be mean."

"But I really AM mean," Bowser Junior interrupted, poking Daisy to emphasize his point. "It's not just cause it's cool."

"I'm sorry Peach, I just can't imagine you...loving that environment! You're sunshine itself."

"That's why I do love it, Daisy," Peach said with a wink. "It's like...a very dark cave. It seems to have nothing but darkness inside. But then you bring in the light, and the darkness clears away. You see all the amazing gems in the cave. Gems and crystals that reflect the light right back at you."

"Alright, I do know a thing or two about beating darkness!" Daisy agreed, sitting up proudly. "Junior, kiddo, remind me to tell you that story. And how your auntie is a total butt-kicker."

Junior looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Then he shrugged. "Fine, okay. You gotta be worthy to be an aunt of somebody as cool as me anyway. All my aunts that I have already are big, strong, awesome superkoopas like me and Papa." He made a face at Daisy. "Hard to beat our genes."

Peach gently shushed Bowser Junior with an adjustment of his handkerchief. And then, as the taxi finally came above ground, her attention was pulled the other direction.

Volcanopalace City glowed on one side, lit by a river of flowing lava that more than made up for the smog-blanketed sky. Peach was glued to the window with good reason now, watching all the Darklandians going about their day in the busy, dirty, smelly, wonderful city. She recognized streets they turned down, pointing them out one by one to Daisy. Nearly every one she recognized tied to a story she's already told, and when they passed the clock tower, Daisy was the one to squeal in delight.

That also meant they were close. The taxi bumped and swerved around a little more, then began winding up a path. Big signs directing them towards Volcanopalace led the way, as if the enormous mountain itself did not. From here, Peach could see some of the incredible carvings. Ancient superkoopas, shy guys, wigglers, and even creatures Peach didn't recognize from life, experience, or her history books. Heroes and villains and centuries of history crawled up the rock.

The taxi slowed to a stop in a giant parking lot, right next to a tiny wooden building. No one said a thing, until the whomp spoke up. "23.50," he demanded.

"Hey, what? No way dude, we're not there!"

"Volcanopalace tourism office. 23.50."

"No! We have to go INSIDE. It's like an hour walk to get inside, and we got bags and stuff!"

"I don't have clearance to go inside," the whomp said, grumpily. "The tours all have shuttles. But no bags."

"Well..." Peach offered, "what about the Volcanopalace subway? We could just ride into it."

"Mamaaaa, I hate the subway," Junior whined.

"And Peach, I love you, but your bags...?" Daisy added, agreeing.

Peach pouted. "Fine, We'll figure something out here."

"They have a subway stop too, if you want," the whomp suggested. Then one final time, he said, "23.50."

Peach opened her purse and pulled out 30 coins, happy to generously tip. Bowser Junior was grumbling, but the three climbed out anyway and pulled all the luggage with. Thankfully, it didn't take too long to get it all to the "help" desk inside, where a hammer bro was watching, silently judging and doing nothing to actually help.

At last, the three approached him. "Hey, we gotta get in," Junior said. "And not on the dumb tour, and not to the theme park, and not to the gross old-people smelly restaurant, and not to any of that. We gotta go see my Papa."

"If you're not looking for tourist access, you're in the wrong place. And the Palace has restricted access. You can't go in without a verified tour guide."

Daisy groaned. "Junior, just let us take the tour or something, as long as somebody takes these bags!"

"Your bags can't come in, miss," he said. Pointing at one of the five security signs before him, he recited, "no bags over the size of a goomba. One bag per tourist. Unless you have a shrink ray hidden in one of those suitcases, you will have to deposit that at your hotel."

"This IS her hotel, nimrod!" Junior growled. "This is my house! Let me in!"

The koopa at the desk chuckled. "You're convincing, the three of you...you not so much, what are you supposed to be anyway? A yellow Princess Peach?...but access is restricted."

"Can we take the subway?" Peach asked, starting to get nervous. She came all this way...were they really about to get stopped by red tape?

"Are you deaf?" He asked back. "Re. Strict. Ed. For Palace employees only."

"And are you BLIND?" Junior shouted, jumping up and down. "It's restricted so WE can go in, loser! I'm Bowser Junior! Crowded prince and heir of your ugly butt. And this is my Mama Peach and my Auntie Daisy! Let us in!"

"I've got a star in it for ya..." Daisy added slyly with a wink.

He just stared blankly back and ignored her. "Convincing costumes do not ID make," the desk hammer bro droned, lazily looking around. He was obviously tired of this conversation.

"ID! Of course! Peach, pull out your ID!" Daisy chirped. She hastily got out her clutch, Peach doing the same, while Bowser Junior just got angry.

He jumped up on the desk, taking two steps towards the attendant. Junior grabbed him by the shell and pulled their faces together, growling low and threateningly. Squeaking in terror, the hammer bro pushed a button under his desk as Junior started speaking. "Alright, ugly, this is what's up. I really AM the crowned prince Bowser Junior. They're probably looking for me up at the palace because I'm awesome and they miss me. I'm RIGHT HERE, and I can't get into my own house because you're too stupid! See this lady, she really IS Princess Peach, my mama, and it is legally punishable by death by chain chomp for anyone but my Papa and my brothers and sisters to kidnap her. Which is kind of what you're doing! And that there is Princess Auntie whatever-her-name-is, who Mama Peach obviously likes, so she's important too. And basically, you're gonna get beaten so hard and dead so fast and you won't even let us IN!" Junior finished his tirade with a blast of flame to the hammer bro's face, then hopped off the desk.

"My star haven..." The attendant said when he finally caught his breath. "You really ARE Bowser Junior." He swallowed the giant lump in his throat, wide eyes looking to Peach and Daisy. "And that makes you..."

The ladies held up their IDs, smiles matching the little cards. "In the flesh," Peach tittered.

Just then, the security finally arrived, running over. They caught sight of the three royals and with wide eyes, quickly fell to their knees in deep bows.

"Alriiiiight!" Daisy cheered. "Now maybe we can get some service up in here!"

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

Bowser stacked his toy towers a little higher before taking the rock block and toppling it down. He sighed a little, then started again. He was so bored.

Sure, he was supposed to be at a meeting right now (and technically, he was, just choosing to ignore every single word), but he just wanted to be with Peach. His Peach. Where was she now? How involved was she in the plan to start communication between their kingdoms? Was she with the ugly plumber, or had she knocked him into the ocean? Did she know his son was missing? She would be so worried...

He looked over at the five people in his meeting, arguing heatedly without paying Bowser or his toys any heed. What a boring, stupid day. At least when Junior got home he could punish him, but Bowser didn't even know when that would be.

The little koopa shell Bowser had been carrying around all day lit up, grabbing his attention. Green lights- green meant good. Good! "Hey you stinkers, shut up for a minute," Bowser yelled. They obeyed instantly, looking over at the king. He was trying to hide a smile as he showed off the shell. "I'm paging in Kammy...I think somebody found my idiot son!"

The committee cheered in delight. Bowser pushed down on the shell to summon his first in command, who arrived as if she was mid-run. Kammy fell flat on the floor, face-first, and quickly stood up. "Your hastiness!" She squeaked. "I, uh, I didn't expect you!"

"What the butt does that mean?" Bowser asked, furrowing his brows. "You told me SPECIFICALLY that when this dumb thing lights up, I should push it. Green meant you found him, red meant he's in trouble, blue means you know where he is but it's not here... And that I should push it so you can tell me. You said that, hag woman!"

"Well, yes, but..." Kammy stuttered, "well, alright. I suppose now is as good as ever." She took a deep breath. "Sire, I have something I'd like you to see."

Bowser stared at her, unimpressed. "Wow, I wonder if it's my son. Gee, I'm so curious." He dead panned sarcastically.

"Come on, sire. Gentlemen, ladies, if you'll excuse us..."

Kammy took Bowser by the claw, leading him through the hallways. They went down two, up an elevator, across another hallway, past a dance room, down a flight of half-stairs, and began to approach the main hall.

"Did the kid come in through the front door?" Bowser said, laughing. "I didn't know that thing even worked anymore."

Kammy didn't answer. And soon, he could hear a voice on the other side of the door. Someone he didn't recognize...oh, and yep! There was Bowser Junior. High-pitched and grating and definitely his son. Bowser sighed in relief, smiling and squeezing Kammy's hand. He would allow himself this before bringing the hammer of justice on the little punk for upsetting everyone like that. And whoever that random lady was.

Bowser put a hand on the door to push it open and-

"Wait!" Kammy squawked.

He stopped. Turned around. Glared, and said "what now?"

"I just...wanted to say that I'm proud of you, your vileness. I'm proud of you for making your dreams come true. And I am so happy for you. I know I haven't always been supportive, but sire, it's just because you mean the world to me. And I know now that what you want really IS what is be-"

"Can we hurry it up?" Bowser asked, waving his claw. "I'm going to ground my kid and knock some sense into him, not get the Peace Prize."

Kammy smiled sheepishly. "Of course, sire."

With that, Bowser pushed the doors wide open. "Junior, you idiot!" He roared into the open hall before even seeing him. And there he was, a giant bag three times his size in his arms. "Put down that stupid thing and come get what you deserve!" He started walking over to Junior when he saw a yellow dress out of the corner of his eye, just coming from around a corner. "Who the- wait... Princess Daisy?"

He stared at her, confused, then looked at Junior the same way. "Junior, you kidnapped Princess Dasiy? And brought here here?"

"Uh, actually..."

A third voice echoed around the hall, coming from behind Daisy. "I've got that one put away, so I'm ready for my ne...Bowser!"

Bowser looked. He couldn't believe his eyes, no matter how many times he blinked. That...was Princess Peach. His Peach. In his Palace. Again.

Peach didn't hesitate. She broke out at a run, clutching her dress high off the ground. She ran straight at Bowser and when close enough, leapt up to throw her arms around him. Then promptly, she put her lips directly on his.

That is how Bowser knew she was really there. As much as he had imagined and remembered her lips, this felt like that, but in the flesh. And stronger! She had her arms wrapped around his neck, one hand desperately clinging onto Bowser's mane. He wrapped his own arms around her as well, kissing back the millisecond he understood. She was REAL and kissing him again!

After a few moments, Peach started to pull away. Bowser couldn't let her go again, bringing a hand to her soft blonde hair and holding her in place. She laughed against his mouth and he smiled against hers, kissing one more time. Then Peach softly purred "Bowser, Bowser wait."

Immediately, he held off, letting her pull away to look at him. They locked eyes; Peach's were shining and her entire countenance was glowing. "I have to tell you something," she said, sliding a hand over his face softly.

He tilted his head into the touch, eyelids fluttering in ecstasy. "Anything."

"I love you."

Bowser's eyes opened again, meeting hers. They held that same joy and light, this time her smile grounded in conviction. Bowser suddenly couldn't see clearly as happy tears welled up. "You do?" He asked in a broken voice. As soft as possible, Bowser held on to her shoulders.

Peach laughed lightly, nodding. "I do. I love you!"

"I love you, too," Bowser said. He moved towards her and Peach lifted herself up again to kiss him again. She kissed him four times, letting the warmth of his mouth get familiar before she fell back to the balls of her feet. Peach snuggled immediately against the chest of Bowser and inhaled his scent. He wasn't wearing the cologne from his birthday, it was just smoke, must, and Bowser. "I love you," she purred a third time.

And Bowser, with a grin pressed into Peach's perfect blonde hair, said, "I know."

THE END
xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

xxxx0o0o0o0o0o0o0xxxx

EPILOGUE

"Life, after that crazy day in the Darklands, changed completely for our friends. Peach stayed for a few days in the Volcanopalace, of course, and I did too. It's a good thing because honestly, I don't think Bowser and Peach would have been really very productive if I hadn't been there! They were...wow, they were so happy. She was singing everywhere she went. Or laughing at whatever Bowser had to say.

"And actually, after two and a half days of doing nothing but making googly-eyes at each other, they got a lot done with peace treaties. By the time Peach got back to the Mushroom Kingdom, she had her press review completely prepared about the peace, their relationship...the whole thing! Even had the plans for improving interkingdom transportation, starting with a proper airport just outside city limits. That one was my idea.

"And you guys know, but the kingdoms didn't combine. That was a huge, huge thing for those first few years. I mean even now people talk about it, but could you imagine trying to combine them? It's oil and water! Maybe it works for Bowser and Peach as individuals, but not for millions of people with generations of culture. No, they just work as co-kingdoms. And when it comes time, Bowser has an heir and, of course, so does Peach.

"Her father always a little concerned with how serious she took it right away. I mean, you tell the entire world about your relationship and change global policies entirely, that couple sure better stick around! But you know, she was right. I mean obviously, it's eleven years later now. Some people are still pretty shocked, but by now, at least for me, I can't imagine anything else could have happened.

"The koopalings...wow, they just really turned into their own with a mama around. Peach started spending half her time in the Darklands within six months largely so she could be with them. And she'd bring all eight to the Mushroom Kingdom for holidays and special weekends. They blossomed with someone looking after them and loving them out loud. Not saying Bowser wasn't doing great on his own, but...she really is the Mama they were looking for.

"Ludwig kept composing, he's a handsome young Koopa now, head of all state music affairs. But I think his favorite thing is conducting the Mushroom Kingdom symphonic orchestra. Iggy started looking into science for the state and he's the one who revolutionized our energy reserves, combining lava with star power. Incredible...and wouldn't have been possible without the two kingdoms together! He's on the fast track to be head of that department one day.

"Roy...well actually, he ended up in jail, but he got out three years ago, ten years early, suspiciously. So he's back to being the richest koopa outside of the Palace, running a casino in Los Vegos that he swears is totally legal. Has a beautiful wife, too. Morton put his talents to use too and became a radio heckler. You would think there's no money or success in that, but he is the happiest I ever saw him. He's dating around right now. I swear, I don't know how anyone finds him...dateable...but that's not the point.

"Wendy, obviously, is just as out there with the boys. She's actually become quite the little fashion designer! She will be opening her new line of shell dress combinations next year- Peach helped her design all that. Larry, too, is a stud for his age. He has so, so many boys and girls chasing after him...but Peach is too protective of that boy, I swear. Besides that, he's getting really involved in politics. Shadowing Bowser at meetings, learning the ins and outs.

"Lemmy seems content to stay around the Palace and doesn't have plans otherwise after he graduates. Peach found out that he has quite the aptitude for baking, so he spends a lot of time with her and cookoopa. And Bowser Junior, obviously, is still working on learning to be exactly like his dad. But you guys know that.

"Kammy and Kamek started telling people that they were a thing a little while after, during all the hustle and bustle of Bowser and Peach's new relationship. That way people hardly even noticed...I think that's what they wanted. I mean, the koopalings obviously did. Gave them no end to mocking for months! I remember Peach and I kept a list of all the things those magikoopas would turn the punks into. Bowser thought it was hilarious.

"Bowser was talking about marriage really soon into their relationship, and believe it or not, he's the one who encouraged Luigi to get a move on. 'If you love your Princess half as much as I do, you wouldn't risk a day without the entire world knowing you're eachother's forever.' That's what he told him...maybe not quite that poetic, but that's how Luigi told me. So the point is, he proposed about three months after all this- that's a story on its own. We got married exactly a year later and it was freaking awesome!

"And Mario got along just fine, by the way. Like we thought. He and Luigi never stopped plumbing, or saving the world, for a moment. News got out about the darkness thing and it's like Bowser was only blocking the way for other Big Bads. So he is just as busy and happy as ever, just with more variation in relationships. Including, actually, Toadette! Go Toadette, am I right?

"Actually, I bet you don't know this. He was best man at Bowser and Peach's wedding. I'm serious! I mean Bowser didn't have groomsmen, just seven different Best Mans, with his brother Borvis as The Coolest Best Man, official title and everything. But it was still a shock to everyone. They did mellow out against each other really soon, so it shouldn't have been as much of a shock as it was. The five of us were go-karting and playing sports more than ever once the bad blood was gone.

"I bet you're curious about that wedding though, huh? Seven hundred people attended from every country. A few from other planets, other dimensions...by the time the guest list was set, seven hundred ended up being a really exclusive party! And I, of course, was maid of honor.

"They looked gorgeous and the ceremony was incredible. Got married right in Princess Peach's castle...you'd think it wouldn't be big enough, but Kammy and Kamek worked overtime to make it work. It was Peach's dream wedding...totally stunning. Wedding of the century. And Bowser somehow managed to wait two whole years after that first time Peach said 'I love you', so it was perfect for him, too.

"They officially honeymooned for three whole weeks, but whenever someone tries to make Bowser do something he doesn't want to, he still says he's on his honeymoon and can't."

"He said that to me two yesterdays ago!" A little girl interrupted, her golden curls bouncing as she folded her arms and pouted.

Daisy made a face and shrugged. "Hey, Clara, he's your dad, not mine. But now you know what it means, so stick it to him next time he tries to make an excuse."

"But Mom," a tiny little boy with dark, dark hair whined, "that story was so, so, so, SO, so long and you still didn't answer the question."

"Which question was that, Tony?"

"How did Aunt Peach and Uncle Bowser MEET."

Daisy's eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh, THAT was your question?"

Clara started giggling hysterically and hid her face with the blanket Bowser Junior gave her when she was a baby. She nodded while her cousin pouted.

Daisy laughed, exhausted. "I'm sorry, little chick. Maybe Aunt Peach can tell you that story herself...tomorrow. It's late."

"Or I can," Clara said proudly. "Daddy tells me the story all the time. And my story's aren't as long as Aunt Daisy's either."

"Hey! I can't leave anything out!"

"You just didn't want to leave your your part, Mom," Tony argued.

Daisy stuck her tongue out and tightened the covers around the two children. "Alright. Go to sleep now, little ones. We have a big day with all the cousins tomorrow." She gave them each a kiss and turned off the light.

Peach was waiting outside the door, Bowser's hand in hers. "We heard the whole thing," Peach whispered to Daisy, love in her eyes.

"Wouldn't have stayed for such a freaking long story if it wasn't ours. Our story rocks," Bowser added in a whisper.

"I like telling it," Daisy said with a shrug. "I feel bad it was the wrong story, but..."

"It's Clara's favorite anyway," Bowser said with a wave of his hand. "So just know you did our kid a favor or something."

Daisy chuckled, walking away from Tony's bedroom with Bowser and Peach. "That little magic miracle gets a lot of favors," she said.

"She's the darling of the two kingdoms, that's not my fault!" Peach said quietly, smiling nonetheless.

"Actually sweetheart," Bowser said, pulling Peach into his side and kissing the top of her head, "it totally is."

"Oh, get a room," Daisy teased. She smiled at her two friends. They were each a bit older, dressing different, more politically involved, and more mature. Friends had come and gone, children had grown up, and although life had changed completely since that smoggy day in the Darklands, their love hadn't changed too much over eleven years. And as she watched them hand-in-claw walk together to do just what Daisy suggested, sh knew it wouldn't ever. There was no need, as they had already had their change of heart.

End Note:

Thank you. Thank you for patience, thank you for reading, thank you for opinions, thank you for encouragement, and thank you to Cathy for staying on my butt about getting this done- and getting the badgering emails out of her personal email account!

I have loved you all and will always hold this experience close to my heart. Thank you all for turning something I started on a day where I felt creative and our internet went out to the fanfiction effort of a lifetime.

I will not be writing any more to this story. It is finished, and SHOULD I ever (do nooooot hold your horses, I'm much more interested in art now) foray back into this relationship, it will be another way.

If you'd like to get in touch with me outside of story comments, you can find all my contact information at . It has been a pleasure. Thank you, I'm sorry, and once more- Merry Christmas.

~Razzi