Categories > Games > Mario > Complications
Chapter 24
0 ReviewsCan Peach finally resolve her feelings?
Complications
Chapter 24: Transition
"Don't worry about it," Peach assured Daisy over the phone. The Mushroom princess sat alone in her elegant pink room.
"I'll be there as soon as possible." After much insistence from her royal council, Daisy had to return to Sarasaland to assume her duties as the princess. The clicking of her heals could be heard in the background, she was probably on her way to a royal meeting.
Peach could clearly picture Daisy nearly running down the halls, with her yellow cellphone in hand. The sounds of her steps stopped and Peach imagined Daisy must have arrived at her destination, wondering why she was running towards such a boring event in the first place. "I'll be fine, everyone is keeping a close eye on me, the rumors are going wild, Pauline has disappeared, and I won't deny that things have become complicated but it will all work out somehow, it always does..." But because things had always worked out in the past, it didn't mean they would continue to work out in the present and future. Even so, Peach tried to stay positive.
Several urgent voices calling Daisy were heard in the background. "Peach, I have to go, I'll call later," and as soon as the Sarasaland princess ended her conversation with Peach, she was ushered into the meeting room to discuss a mountain of issues that had piled up in her absence.
Peach sighed and set her pink cellphone down. She lay back on her bed, staring at the pink that surrounded her. She longed to go out and do something to get her mind off her conflicting emotions. She thought she came close to understanding how she felt, but a series of events had gotten in the way. The understanding the heart was not a simple task.
She breathed deeply, "I want to see him..." she truly did. Never had she wished to see Bowser as much as on that day. She missed him dearly, that she could not deny.
A knock on the door, woke Peach from her thoughts, thought she shouldn't have had in the first place, or at least Toadsworth would say she shouldn't. She got up and opened the good. "Mario, did you find her?"
Mario shook his head. "I can't find her anywhere and no one has seen her."
"I'm sure she'll come back..." Peach as trying to reassure Mario, she knew he was disappointed that Pauline left just like that. The princess decided to be brave and take matters into her own hands. "Can I ask a favor of you?"
"Sure," it felt strange that Peach would make the request so shyly when Mario had been her rescuer many times.
"Get me out of here," Peach requested, receiving a puzzled look from Mario. "Out of the castle, and the kingdom," she elaborated. "Everyone is watching me but if you're with me they'll let me go. I want to help find Pauline."
"Alright, if you really want to come," he felt his stomach twist in knots as Luigi's words returned to his mind.
"You have to decide," Luigi had said. "Peach and Pauline both have feelings for you and if you don't decide you'll lose them both."
Mario had taken it lightly at the time but he couldn't any more. He could not deny that he did care about Peach, and he also cared about Pauline especially now that she was so adventurous. He was content with the way things were going with Peach, but avoided speaking of the future. In all truth, Mario was not looking forward to settling down and helping run a kingdom. In a way he thought things could remain the way they were forever, but Peach couldn't agree with that. Mario was sure she wanted more. Not only did she want to settle down and have a family, but she also had the duty, and was proud to have it; to one day be queen.
Peach already felt as if Bowser's family was her family too. The children were entrusted to her by their biological mother, and they had seen her as Mama Peach for years before that. Bowser called himself her husband, which was in a way true. They were married in name, even if the marriage was not taken into account too often, if ever.
Peach and Mario left quietly and everyone looked in their direction as she walked by, but no one stopped them. It would be alright if Peach was with Mario. When they got to the outskirts of the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach made another request. "I need to search for Pauline by myself."
"But what if..." Mario paused mid sentence. It was obvious Peach wasn't worried about being kidnapped by Bowser. "Are you sure?" He knew he couldn't stop her. If he had refused to help her leave the Mushroom Kingdom without causing a commotion, she would have found another way.
"Yes," if Pauline could not be found in the Mushroom World than maybe she returned to Earth. Mario had not searched there assuming no one would want to go back to boring old Earth after visiting an adventurous world.
"Alright, if you're sure about this. I'm going to visit Nimbus Land as see if she went that far away." Mario and Peach continued on their way in opposite directions.
Peach headed towards Bowser's Keep, his castle closest to the Mushroom Kingdom. The guards immediately recognized her and let her in. Bowser was informed, one of the koopalings overheard, informing all of them that Mama Peach had arrived. The koopalings ran to hug her, a gesture which she returned.
Finally Bowser made his way towards his princess. "You kept your promise and came to visit. I've always known you care."
Peach smiled and hug Bowser, even if he wasn't expecting it, but he was certainly happy about it and returned the embraced. "I'm happy to see you again, I missed you."
"Then stay with me forever," a chorus of "aw" was heard in the background as Bowser spoke. He pouted; he didn't liked being teased by his children.
"I'll think about it, but first I need to find Pauline, do you know where she went?" Peach asked.
Bowser debated if he should confirm Pauline's location, but couldn't hide anything from Peach. "She said she was going to Earth to pick up some things and Kami took her there, then Kami returned on her own." Clearly Bowser was displeased. Pauline was supposed to keep Mario busy. Bowser allowed this only because he had promised Peach not to do anything to harm Pauline in revenge because she pulled his the day they met, and the promise still stood.
"I want to speak to Pauline; can Kami take me to Earth?" Peach asked. Bowser wondered what Peach hoped to accomplish, but he agreed.
xoxox xox xoxox
"Off to a costume party, beautiful?" Pauline thought she heard her neighbor.
Pauline peeked out of her apartment just in time to hear Peach ask about her. "Peach?"
The princess walked towards Pauline, happy to have found her. "Can I talk you?"
"Sure, come in," Pauline closed her apartment door after Peach was inside and thought he heard the neighbor say something about everyone going to a costume party and not inviting him. Pauline and Peach sat down at the living room. "I wasn't expecting company but I think the cookies in the fridge are still good." Pauline tried to sound as natural as possible.
"Pauline... You kept the raccoon tail and ears didn't you?" Peach could find no other explanation for the fact that Pauline was wearing a trench-coat and hat that made her look like a detective out of an old movie.
Pauline took off her hat, revealing her raccoon ears. "It's not that I'm stuck this way. I chose to stay like this."
"Because you want to go back to the Mushroom World someday?" A raccoon person would not fit into the society of Earth. Peach was not an expert when it came to Earth and far from it, but she knew enough to realize the people of Earth were not comfortable around others who are different from them, that was the impression she got.
"I won't deny I want to go back, and I won't deny I care for Mario. But I feel terrible stepping in," Pauline admitted.
"Don't feel bad, maybe it's best this way," Peach decided it was time to say things clearly. "Mario and I had been at a stand still for a long time. We have been friends for years, sometimes more, but not quite as romantic as most people think. I don't think we're going anywhere. He's an adventurer and I have certain duties to my kingdom. But you've come to like adventure too right? You're free to travel with Mario as much as you want." For the first time in a long time Peach felt trapped, more trapped than she had ever felt when Bowser captured her. Yet she also felt she was talking steps in the right direction.
"Is that okay?" Pauline asked unsure.
"Yes, it's the way it should be..." Peach had already accepted it.
Kami was waiting for Peach and Pauline, ignoring the odd looks she got from random passer bys. Pauline returned with several suit cases, a sign that she would not be going back to Earth after traveling to the Mushroom World.
xoxox xox xoxox
When Peach, Pauline and Kami returned, Mario had already gone to search for Peach and was having an argument with Bowser. Peach was surprised to find that they were yelling and not actually fighting, at least not yet. "Mario, can I talk to you for a moment?" Peach looked at Bowser, Pauline, Kami, the Koopalings, Kamek, Luigi, and the rest of the audience that had gathered. "alone," she added.
Bowser didn't like it. He grumbled and protested but Pauline insisted that he wouldn't regret it. "Is Peach going to dump Mario?" He whispered.
Pauline refused to answer that. "I don't know," but she did know.
Once they were alone, even if Peach could hear Bowser and the others in the next room, Peach prepared to make things clear. "Mario, how do you feel about me?" Peach started to walk towards the door with Mario.
"Why all of a sudden?" Mario wasn't sure he felt comfortable with how the conversation started.
"Just answer the question," Peach requested.
"Well, I care about you. You know that," Mario replied.
"I care about you too. Have you ever thought about the future?" Peach asked.
Mario definitely didn't like where this was going. "Why? Things are going well, they'll continue to go well."
"Mario, that's not what I mean," Peach tried to make him stay on topic. They were already out of Bowser's Keep and no one dared stop them since the guards had been instructed not to bother Peach when she came to visit and were unsure if that meant that the princess could go in and out of the castle freely, or just in.
"I haven't thought of the future," Mario admitted. "I like the way things are and want them to stay like this.
"But that can't happen, that's not what I want..." Peach voiced.
"Don't you like the way things are?" Mario asked.
"I do, but not forever. One day I'll have to rule over the Mushroom Kingdom and... you don't have to look that terrified Mario," Peach almost laughed.
"It's not that... I guess I just like the way things are." Mario tried to explain.
"I know, maybe I've always known... Tell me, how do you feel about Pauline?" Peach asked, as if she was simply asking it because Pauline was back, and for no other reason.
"I'm glad she's back. I was thinking about getting a leaf and going flying with her, that should be fun," Mario stopped. He felt as if he was walking right into a trap.
"If you care for her I understand," Peach voiced.
Mario looked at Peach, "You like someone, someone else, I can tell." He deserved more credit than he was given. "What I don't know is who," or maybe not.
"You honestly don't know?" Peach asked, at the same time admitting it was true.
"No idea." Mario never seriously considered the option of Peach returning Bowser's feelings. If not, what had he been doing rescuing her all the time, if in such a case she wouldn't need to be rescued.
"Bowser," Peach revealed, a faint blush invading her cheeks.
Mario simply looked puzzled. "What about him?"
"I like him, Mario... And the koopalings, I really enjoy my time with them like you enjoy your time with Pauline," Peach revealed everything.
"You can't compare them. Bowser is the enemy and Pauline is a great girl, fun, smart and cute. There's just no comparison!" To Mario it simply did not make sense.
"You do like her," Peach wasn't truly sad, if they both had someone it would be best that way.
"How could you like him?" Mario finally asked.
"You don't know him like I do," Peach had to admit; she would have never thought she would get to like Bowser before she got to know him. Peach and Mario talked and sorted things out, an era of peace was upon the Mushroom World and happiness would prosper.
xoxox xox xoxox
"I don't hear anything..." Bowser was trying to listen to Peach's conversation with Mario. Finally losing his patience, he opened the door and did not find the princess or the plumber. "Mario kidnapped Peach!" It felt a little odd to say it.
"No one kidnapped me," Peach arrived back at the castle. "I just needed to talk to Mario, that's all. Pauline, you should go to him now.
"Aright, I'll sort things out with Mario too. Thanks Peach, if not for you I wouldn't have come back, so soon. Actually I wouldn't have visited this world in the first place," Pauline left to find Mario, Peach truly wished them happiness.
"I guess I should be going," Luigi hurried out of the castle, maybe he could go visit Daisy, he already missed her.
Peach looked at the koopalings and Bowser and smiled. "What do you want to do?" Her question was met with many different suggestions, each koopalings wanting to do something different, and of course Bowser wanted to go on a date.
To be Continued
Just one more chapter to go! Disclaimer, I don't own the Mario games or characters.
Chapter 24: Transition
"Don't worry about it," Peach assured Daisy over the phone. The Mushroom princess sat alone in her elegant pink room.
"I'll be there as soon as possible." After much insistence from her royal council, Daisy had to return to Sarasaland to assume her duties as the princess. The clicking of her heals could be heard in the background, she was probably on her way to a royal meeting.
Peach could clearly picture Daisy nearly running down the halls, with her yellow cellphone in hand. The sounds of her steps stopped and Peach imagined Daisy must have arrived at her destination, wondering why she was running towards such a boring event in the first place. "I'll be fine, everyone is keeping a close eye on me, the rumors are going wild, Pauline has disappeared, and I won't deny that things have become complicated but it will all work out somehow, it always does..." But because things had always worked out in the past, it didn't mean they would continue to work out in the present and future. Even so, Peach tried to stay positive.
Several urgent voices calling Daisy were heard in the background. "Peach, I have to go, I'll call later," and as soon as the Sarasaland princess ended her conversation with Peach, she was ushered into the meeting room to discuss a mountain of issues that had piled up in her absence.
Peach sighed and set her pink cellphone down. She lay back on her bed, staring at the pink that surrounded her. She longed to go out and do something to get her mind off her conflicting emotions. She thought she came close to understanding how she felt, but a series of events had gotten in the way. The understanding the heart was not a simple task.
She breathed deeply, "I want to see him..." she truly did. Never had she wished to see Bowser as much as on that day. She missed him dearly, that she could not deny.
A knock on the door, woke Peach from her thoughts, thought she shouldn't have had in the first place, or at least Toadsworth would say she shouldn't. She got up and opened the good. "Mario, did you find her?"
Mario shook his head. "I can't find her anywhere and no one has seen her."
"I'm sure she'll come back..." Peach as trying to reassure Mario, she knew he was disappointed that Pauline left just like that. The princess decided to be brave and take matters into her own hands. "Can I ask a favor of you?"
"Sure," it felt strange that Peach would make the request so shyly when Mario had been her rescuer many times.
"Get me out of here," Peach requested, receiving a puzzled look from Mario. "Out of the castle, and the kingdom," she elaborated. "Everyone is watching me but if you're with me they'll let me go. I want to help find Pauline."
"Alright, if you really want to come," he felt his stomach twist in knots as Luigi's words returned to his mind.
"You have to decide," Luigi had said. "Peach and Pauline both have feelings for you and if you don't decide you'll lose them both."
Mario had taken it lightly at the time but he couldn't any more. He could not deny that he did care about Peach, and he also cared about Pauline especially now that she was so adventurous. He was content with the way things were going with Peach, but avoided speaking of the future. In all truth, Mario was not looking forward to settling down and helping run a kingdom. In a way he thought things could remain the way they were forever, but Peach couldn't agree with that. Mario was sure she wanted more. Not only did she want to settle down and have a family, but she also had the duty, and was proud to have it; to one day be queen.
Peach already felt as if Bowser's family was her family too. The children were entrusted to her by their biological mother, and they had seen her as Mama Peach for years before that. Bowser called himself her husband, which was in a way true. They were married in name, even if the marriage was not taken into account too often, if ever.
Peach and Mario left quietly and everyone looked in their direction as she walked by, but no one stopped them. It would be alright if Peach was with Mario. When they got to the outskirts of the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach made another request. "I need to search for Pauline by myself."
"But what if..." Mario paused mid sentence. It was obvious Peach wasn't worried about being kidnapped by Bowser. "Are you sure?" He knew he couldn't stop her. If he had refused to help her leave the Mushroom Kingdom without causing a commotion, she would have found another way.
"Yes," if Pauline could not be found in the Mushroom World than maybe she returned to Earth. Mario had not searched there assuming no one would want to go back to boring old Earth after visiting an adventurous world.
"Alright, if you're sure about this. I'm going to visit Nimbus Land as see if she went that far away." Mario and Peach continued on their way in opposite directions.
Peach headed towards Bowser's Keep, his castle closest to the Mushroom Kingdom. The guards immediately recognized her and let her in. Bowser was informed, one of the koopalings overheard, informing all of them that Mama Peach had arrived. The koopalings ran to hug her, a gesture which she returned.
Finally Bowser made his way towards his princess. "You kept your promise and came to visit. I've always known you care."
Peach smiled and hug Bowser, even if he wasn't expecting it, but he was certainly happy about it and returned the embraced. "I'm happy to see you again, I missed you."
"Then stay with me forever," a chorus of "aw" was heard in the background as Bowser spoke. He pouted; he didn't liked being teased by his children.
"I'll think about it, but first I need to find Pauline, do you know where she went?" Peach asked.
Bowser debated if he should confirm Pauline's location, but couldn't hide anything from Peach. "She said she was going to Earth to pick up some things and Kami took her there, then Kami returned on her own." Clearly Bowser was displeased. Pauline was supposed to keep Mario busy. Bowser allowed this only because he had promised Peach not to do anything to harm Pauline in revenge because she pulled his the day they met, and the promise still stood.
"I want to speak to Pauline; can Kami take me to Earth?" Peach asked. Bowser wondered what Peach hoped to accomplish, but he agreed.
xoxox xox xoxox
"Off to a costume party, beautiful?" Pauline thought she heard her neighbor.
Pauline peeked out of her apartment just in time to hear Peach ask about her. "Peach?"
The princess walked towards Pauline, happy to have found her. "Can I talk you?"
"Sure, come in," Pauline closed her apartment door after Peach was inside and thought he heard the neighbor say something about everyone going to a costume party and not inviting him. Pauline and Peach sat down at the living room. "I wasn't expecting company but I think the cookies in the fridge are still good." Pauline tried to sound as natural as possible.
"Pauline... You kept the raccoon tail and ears didn't you?" Peach could find no other explanation for the fact that Pauline was wearing a trench-coat and hat that made her look like a detective out of an old movie.
Pauline took off her hat, revealing her raccoon ears. "It's not that I'm stuck this way. I chose to stay like this."
"Because you want to go back to the Mushroom World someday?" A raccoon person would not fit into the society of Earth. Peach was not an expert when it came to Earth and far from it, but she knew enough to realize the people of Earth were not comfortable around others who are different from them, that was the impression she got.
"I won't deny I want to go back, and I won't deny I care for Mario. But I feel terrible stepping in," Pauline admitted.
"Don't feel bad, maybe it's best this way," Peach decided it was time to say things clearly. "Mario and I had been at a stand still for a long time. We have been friends for years, sometimes more, but not quite as romantic as most people think. I don't think we're going anywhere. He's an adventurer and I have certain duties to my kingdom. But you've come to like adventure too right? You're free to travel with Mario as much as you want." For the first time in a long time Peach felt trapped, more trapped than she had ever felt when Bowser captured her. Yet she also felt she was talking steps in the right direction.
"Is that okay?" Pauline asked unsure.
"Yes, it's the way it should be..." Peach had already accepted it.
Kami was waiting for Peach and Pauline, ignoring the odd looks she got from random passer bys. Pauline returned with several suit cases, a sign that she would not be going back to Earth after traveling to the Mushroom World.
xoxox xox xoxox
When Peach, Pauline and Kami returned, Mario had already gone to search for Peach and was having an argument with Bowser. Peach was surprised to find that they were yelling and not actually fighting, at least not yet. "Mario, can I talk to you for a moment?" Peach looked at Bowser, Pauline, Kami, the Koopalings, Kamek, Luigi, and the rest of the audience that had gathered. "alone," she added.
Bowser didn't like it. He grumbled and protested but Pauline insisted that he wouldn't regret it. "Is Peach going to dump Mario?" He whispered.
Pauline refused to answer that. "I don't know," but she did know.
Once they were alone, even if Peach could hear Bowser and the others in the next room, Peach prepared to make things clear. "Mario, how do you feel about me?" Peach started to walk towards the door with Mario.
"Why all of a sudden?" Mario wasn't sure he felt comfortable with how the conversation started.
"Just answer the question," Peach requested.
"Well, I care about you. You know that," Mario replied.
"I care about you too. Have you ever thought about the future?" Peach asked.
Mario definitely didn't like where this was going. "Why? Things are going well, they'll continue to go well."
"Mario, that's not what I mean," Peach tried to make him stay on topic. They were already out of Bowser's Keep and no one dared stop them since the guards had been instructed not to bother Peach when she came to visit and were unsure if that meant that the princess could go in and out of the castle freely, or just in.
"I haven't thought of the future," Mario admitted. "I like the way things are and want them to stay like this.
"But that can't happen, that's not what I want..." Peach voiced.
"Don't you like the way things are?" Mario asked.
"I do, but not forever. One day I'll have to rule over the Mushroom Kingdom and... you don't have to look that terrified Mario," Peach almost laughed.
"It's not that... I guess I just like the way things are." Mario tried to explain.
"I know, maybe I've always known... Tell me, how do you feel about Pauline?" Peach asked, as if she was simply asking it because Pauline was back, and for no other reason.
"I'm glad she's back. I was thinking about getting a leaf and going flying with her, that should be fun," Mario stopped. He felt as if he was walking right into a trap.
"If you care for her I understand," Peach voiced.
Mario looked at Peach, "You like someone, someone else, I can tell." He deserved more credit than he was given. "What I don't know is who," or maybe not.
"You honestly don't know?" Peach asked, at the same time admitting it was true.
"No idea." Mario never seriously considered the option of Peach returning Bowser's feelings. If not, what had he been doing rescuing her all the time, if in such a case she wouldn't need to be rescued.
"Bowser," Peach revealed, a faint blush invading her cheeks.
Mario simply looked puzzled. "What about him?"
"I like him, Mario... And the koopalings, I really enjoy my time with them like you enjoy your time with Pauline," Peach revealed everything.
"You can't compare them. Bowser is the enemy and Pauline is a great girl, fun, smart and cute. There's just no comparison!" To Mario it simply did not make sense.
"You do like her," Peach wasn't truly sad, if they both had someone it would be best that way.
"How could you like him?" Mario finally asked.
"You don't know him like I do," Peach had to admit; she would have never thought she would get to like Bowser before she got to know him. Peach and Mario talked and sorted things out, an era of peace was upon the Mushroom World and happiness would prosper.
xoxox xox xoxox
"I don't hear anything..." Bowser was trying to listen to Peach's conversation with Mario. Finally losing his patience, he opened the door and did not find the princess or the plumber. "Mario kidnapped Peach!" It felt a little odd to say it.
"No one kidnapped me," Peach arrived back at the castle. "I just needed to talk to Mario, that's all. Pauline, you should go to him now.
"Aright, I'll sort things out with Mario too. Thanks Peach, if not for you I wouldn't have come back, so soon. Actually I wouldn't have visited this world in the first place," Pauline left to find Mario, Peach truly wished them happiness.
"I guess I should be going," Luigi hurried out of the castle, maybe he could go visit Daisy, he already missed her.
Peach looked at the koopalings and Bowser and smiled. "What do you want to do?" Her question was met with many different suggestions, each koopalings wanting to do something different, and of course Bowser wanted to go on a date.
To be Continued
Just one more chapter to go! Disclaimer, I don't own the Mario games or characters.
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