Introduction

The fragments of this fic are mostly told in the first person, and occasionally in the present tense. Though some will seem to read like one-shots in a non-chronological order, these fragments should be read in the order they're posted for them to make sense.

No knowledge of the fandom or any of my other fics is required to enjoy this one, but for Mario fans and/or those who liked my other fics 'Spirit from the Outer Realm' and 'Therapy', hopefully you'll find things in this one that will resonate.

Any OCs you may stumble across have minor roles only.

The structure of this fic, the first person POV, and occasional sections of present tense are new challenges for me. So I welcome any constructive criticism, and, well, any kind of review at all.

Fragment 1

They came back during the night. When my assistant woke me, he said they'd already been ushered across the drawbridge. I leapt from my bed like a youngster at the news and grabbed my eyeglasses before he'd even lit the lamp. My old bones would make me pay for that later, but right then, I didn't care. They were back, and I had to know if she was all right.

As I finished dressing, another servant knocked and entered with a pail of kindling wood for the fire. I picked up my pocket-watch from the night stand and attached it to my waistcoat. Still three hours before sunrise.

"Have you seen her yet?" My question wasn't directed at anyone in particular, but it was my assistant, Toadlon, who replied first.

"No, but I heard she's okay."

I glanced at him through the reflection in my mirror as I styled my moustache into its proper shape. He'd be a busy Toad, later. There'd be the Princess's homecoming address to prepare. The communications to the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom to send. The Toad Town reception to organise. By the look on his face, it seemed as if her coming home would be more stressful for him than the near disintegration of our land we'd faced during her absence.

"What's the problem, Toadlon? Not glad to have the Princess back?"

"It's not that," he said. "The servants who've seen them look worried. They won't say why."

I turned to look at him. In this dim light, the yellow spots on his head-cap looked so pale they made him look little more than a young Toadling.

"He's right," said the brown-spotted fire lighter, as he heaved himself up and stepped away from the flames in the grate. "I lit the fire for 'em in the red room. They didn't even want lights. Preferred it dark, they said. Somethin' don't seem right with them."

I took up my cane. "There is no reason to think that the great void didn't ravage the Koopa Kingdom, too. Princess Peach must have been through immense trials. They'll all be tired. Besides, it's the middle of the night! Nobody's at their best in the middle of the night. Toadlon, bring your pen. No doubt the Princess will want to recount her adventures. We'll need a scribe in the room."

Toadlon jumped ahead of me and opened the door. As we left my suite of rooms, the fire lighter piped up.

"Master Toadsworth! You want your office prepared, yet? Or should I wait 'til morning?"

"Now, please." These days, if I were to function at all, I needed my workplace to be warm.

The principal reception room was the grandest in the castle, and to me, the most alien. Fashioned after designs said to come from planet Earth, it hadn't changed much since Princess Peach's distant ancestors appeared in our world and built this castle. The crystal chandeliers, when lit, would scatter glittering light across the carved ceiling and blue painted walls, illuminating the ornate furniture and gilt-framed paintings of Earthly landscapes. Bizarre as it all looked, it suited the princess well, and had been the venue for many successful balls and parties over the years. Tomorrow, it would be full again with people from Toad Town, welcoming her back from the dark lands of the Koopa Kingdom.

We hurried through its shadows to the door leading to a small drawing room at the side. Decorated in deep red with plush furnishings, this room had a cosiness much more suited to a Toad's tastes. I knocked on the door, but in my anticipation, barely waited for a reply. Instead I pushed it open, and walked in on a scene that stopped me so abruptly, Toadlon ran straight into my back.

She looked tired, her usually pristine hair bedraggled. This was to be expected, of course, what with the time of night, and the adventures she'd no doubt been through. But unusually for her, she didn't raise her eyes to greet me. Instead, she stared at her hands in her lap. Mario perched on the side of the couch where she sat, one hand on her shoulder, the other resting on his knee, his red hat bunched up in his fist.

I drew breath to admonish him. He knew that laying a hand on her unnecessarily was forbidden. But the look in his eye suggested that if I dared challenge him, it would be at my peril.

In the flickering firelight, I almost missed Luigi. He sat on a foot-stool away from the others, in the darkest corner of the room, his hat still on his head, his face turned towards the wall. They all looked like statues in the dark; the platters of food and drink that had been brought to them lay untouched.

"Your Highness." I had to break the silence, somehow. "Are you well?"

She nodded.

"She is as well as she can be." Mario's usually strident voice barely broke a whisper.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Toadlon fumbling with his pen and writing pad. I shook my head at him. Whatever my princess had to say, would best be off the record for now. I was about to dismiss him, when she raised her head.

"I would like the Marios to stay until the morning. Have the guest quarters prepared for them."

My assistant nodded and slipped out of the room. As the door closed behind him, I climbed onto a chair opposite her. I knew that tremor in her voice. I had to ask her. I had to know what had happened.

She wouldn't answer my question, but at least she lifted her eyes to mine. "Did the void come here?"

So, wherever she'd been, she had seen it too. When I told her 'yes', I saw my princess glance at Mario; I saw him squeeze her shoulder with his fingers. That she didn't ask me to describe what happened to our kingdom, was a small mercy. The thought of that great, swirling, purple hole in the sky, encroaching upon our towns and people as it did, swallowing them all into its nothingness, was too much for me to talk about just then. Its unexpected recession had been a miracle; the void regurgitated our land almost unharmed, but the experience of watching everything disappear around us will be a terror that will live with us all for the rest of our lives.

"How have my people fared?" she asked.

"Most who disappeared with the land were returned with it. Others are... missing."

"How many?"

"Thousands, my princess. But..." I could see her already pale face turning a shade whiter - "...some have returned through pipes, since. So now there is hope that they're not dead, just displaced."

Princess Peach lowered her eyes again; I could see a tear glistening between her eyelashes.

"I've been in constant contact with Sarasaland and the Bean Bean Kingdom since the void left us. Their reports are the same. Thousands of their people are still missing, but they're returning, gradually." I hoped this would reassure her, but she didn't move a muscle. "I'll postpone your homecoming address." Even though I tried to make it sound more like a decision than a suggestion, I knew what her response would be.

"No, I will make the speech tomorrow. They'll expect it - they'll need it. Mario can give you the details." Peach stood up, smoothing down her grubby skirts, causing a surprised Mario to jump to his feet, too. "But the reception must be low-key. This is not a celebration. And..." she halted for a moment - "increase security. I think Bowser is planning to attack very soon."

I straightened up in surprise. Never before had she increased security directly on her return. King Bowser always needed time to rebuild his forces after facing Mario. But I couldn't protest. My job, among other things, is to protect her. "Of course, my princess. Are you retiring, now?"

She nodded, again. "Good night, Toadsworth. And I'm sorry..."

"I'm just thankful you're home and safe, Peach."

She gave an appreciative smile. "Good night, Mario," she said, and then turning to look at the shadow in the corner of the room, added, "Luigi."

Mario held the door open for her as she left, and then moved back towards the fire.

It would normally be at this point where I'd have thanked him profusely for returning our princess unharmed, but you can only repeat your gratitude so many times before it becomes a joke. And of course, he knew that. We sat in silence, and I could feel the unease my fire lighter had spoken about. Mario stared into the fire, now, and Luigi hadn't moved or spoken a word.

I tried again. "Why is the princess worried that Bowser will attack so soon?"

Mario paused, and scratched at the mess of brown hair on his head. "It was a big long journey. Different from anything we faced before. The princess, she had to fight and defend herself, sometimes."

"The princess? Fighting?" The thought of it was preposterous. I was about to ask him why she'd needed to defend herself without him, when he looked directly at me.

"Is your assistant waiting up? I can give him what he wants for the speech now. I cannot sleep, but Luigi is tired and..."

"Of course. Toadlon will be in his study," I said. "Go when you're ready. I'll leave you both now to rest."

It wasn't until I'd left the warmth of the red room, that I'd realised what he'd done. He'd avoided my question about Bowser by distracting me with some nonsense about Peach fighting, and then had me dismissing myself from the room. I cursed to myself. I wouldn't be getting anything out of Mario tonight. Instead I'd have wait and quiz the princess in the morning.