Bowsette - Beauty and Beast Pt. 04

The lava fields cast an eerie glow over the damaged Bowser's Castle, its jagged towers rising like skeletal fingers against the night sky. The gates of the imposing fortress now lay in ruin, the aftermath of a fierce battle that had left the courtyard scarred and smouldering. Broken bricks and shattered remnants of Bowser's minions littered the ground.

In the heart of the desolation, a congregation of Bowser's army had gathered. Koopas, Goombas, and various other creatures donned in spiked armour stood in formation. Their ranks, though battered, exuded a sense of excitement, as if the very ruins around them whispered tales of their resilience.

Atop a blackened balcony overlooking the courtyard, stood Bowser. The returned King was no longer in his enormous Giga form, but still stood as an imposing figure. Off to his side was a hanging iron cage which held Mario. The devastated hero slumped at the bottom of the cage, his head buried in his red cap, quietly sobbing.

The towering reptilian king surveyed the assembly of his loyal army, waiting for their chant of his name to die down. The firelight danced on his spiked shell as he clenched his fists, a low growl escaping his throat.

"The usurper has been abolished!" he roared over the gathering of minions. He turned and waved his hand at the crestfallen Mario, "And my greatest nemesis, who would sit my throne, has been defeated."

Many of his army cheered and raised their arms in reply.

"No one shall rule the Koopa Kingdom, but me. I have returned, as I always do. And I am stronger than ever. With their champion, Mario captured, the Mushroom Kingdom is vulnerable...and we are strong. Many centuries ago, we Koopas were exiled from the Mushroom Kingdom. They banished us to this desolate place of fire and brimstone. But we survived and thrived, we became stronger than they realized. And there arose a powerful king--Me, King Bowser!" He raised his thick arms and the crowd below cheered.

"It is time, my loyal minions, time for us to fulfill our destiny and take the Mushroom Kingdom back. And it will be the first of many worlds that we will conquer. Now begins the age of Koopa dominion!"

His army erupted in excited cheers again and resumed chanting his name.

The Koopaling, Larry watched the hulking tyrant give his speech from a dark corner of the balcony. He could see Kamek standing in the doorway several meters behind the King. The short, robed Magikoopa was making the same gestures as Bowser, mouthing the words he was speaking. The sight was disturbing to Larry. He slipped away, moving through a doorway and making his way down toward the lower levels of the massive castle.

He reached the spiraling stone staircase and descended to the lower levels of the castle dungeon. A dozen large stone pillars rose up in the large room. Along the grey stone floor, rows of ordered lava pits emitted their warm orange glow. The air was hot and had the distinct smell of sulfur.

Larry was not alone in the dungeon beneath Bowser's castle. He saw four of his five brothers waiting for him. The bulky brown bruiser, Morton Jar was sitting on a barrel with his arms crossed. Roy, with his distinctive pink shades was casually leaning against one of the stone pillars. The two youngest and craziest brothers, Iggy and Lemmy were messing about toward the rear of the room, with Lemmy rolling about on his ball and laughing as Iggy tried to pelt him with stones.

Larry stood at the bottom of the stairway and heard footsteps behind him as someone else walked down. He tensed, this is supposed to be a secret meeting and he didn't want to be discovered. He was relieved to see that it was Ludwig von Koopa, with his blue spiked shell and large parted tufts of blue hair.

"Brother, hope you are well," he said as he reached the bottom.

"I'm quite concerned with recent events. We have much to discuss," replied Larry.

"Indeed."

They walked further into the room and Morton and Roy got up as they approached. Iggy and Lemmy stopped messing about and came over until they were all standing in a loose circle. The Koopalings had begun their secret meeting, but there was one noticeable absence.

"Where's Wendy?" asked Lemmy.

"She went missing when Queen Bowsette left. I assumed they went together," said Larry. "Thank the flames she didn't return with the Queen. She's loyal to Bowsette, They might have killed her as well."

"No, not Wendy!" exclaimed Lemmy, his eyes widening in fear.

"She wouldn't be so stupid as to defy Bowser," said Morton.

"That's Junior!" said Larry, waving his arms. "Kamek grew him up, and now he's controlling him like a puppet. It's really Kamek who has taken the throne."

"So what if it is?" said Morton, "We Koopas follow power. And he has captured Mario and vanquished Bowsette. We have Bowser back."

"But the Bowser who took us all in, raised us up to be his generals, he became Bowsette. We swore an oath of loyalty to her and Mario. And we just stood by and did nothing as she was overthrown."

"Oh yeah, were you going to do something Larry?" said Morton, pointing a finger. "I didn't see you fighting with her against Giga Bowser."

Larry look flustered, "No...I would have been killed too, but..."

"Didn't you hear Bowser's speech?" Ludwig chimed in.

"Kamek's speech," Larry corrected.

"Yeah, well things are finally moving forward. We Koopas are strong right now. We are going to conquer the other worlds. And Kamek is going to need vassal lords to rule these conquered worlds. It will fall to us, I'm sure. And I have dibs on the Mushroom Kingdom."

"Oh, I'll take Sarasaland," said Morton.

"Eh, I'm not getting stuck with Snowfall Kingdom," said Iggy. "I hate the cold."

"Isn't there one kingdom made of candy?" said Lemmy excitedly.

Then Roy spoke up, "Bah...war, man. All the death and destruction...and responsibilities. I kinda liked Bowsette's plans for peace between our kingdoms."

"Peh, you sound like one of the mushroom-heads," growled Morton.

"Wendy would remind us that we swore an oath of loyalty to Bowsette and Mario," said Larry.

"So what?" said Ludwig. "If we try to free Mario, we would have to face Kamek and Bowser. And Bowsette is dead."

"Bowser had been defeated and died before," countered Larry.

"Yeah, and it was Kamek who brought him back. That's not happening now."

"But...maybe the Mushroom Kingdom can help her."

"That's sounding like traitorous talk to me," said Ludwig, pulling out his blue wand.

"I'm saying we are traitors for not helping them," said Larry, looking into his eyes and taking out his own wand.

"Forget it. I say we follow the new Bowser," growled Ludwig.

"Bowsette!" stated Larry.

"King Bowser," growled Morton, stepping over to stand with Ludwig with his wand drawn.

"For the Queen," said Roy, siding with Larry. "Where's your honor, Man?"

They all looked over at Iggy and Lemmy, who were looking blankly at each of their brothers. "Uh...are we supposed to be picking sides?" asked Iggy.

"Yes!" the other four all said together.

"Which one would Wendy be on?" asked Lemmy.

"Queen Bowsette's, of course," said Larry.

"Oh, that one then," said Lemmy, and Iggy nodded in agreement.

"Very bad choice," said Ludwig, raising his wand. "We are not going to allow you do anything."

Larry raised his own wand, "Don't do this!"

Lemmy then noticed that everyone was holding their wands. He fumbled as he got his own wand out and accidently fired it, a green blob of magic shooting out and rebounding off the stone floor with a reverberating sizzling sound. All of a sudden, chaos broke out in the dungeon blast of colorful magic erupted everywhere. Morton roared and charged forward. Brother fought against brother as the battle raged in the underground chamber.

Larry and Roy took cover behind a fallen pillar as magic blasts erupted all around them. Lemmy bounced around on his ball, laughing maniacally as shot out a series of random magic blobs. Larry turned to Roy and shouted, "We got to get out of here and find Lakitu, he will help us."

+++++

Hours later, in the Mushroom Kingdom, the squad of Toad guards patrolled the large steel barricade around the warp pipes. The large 'Restricted Area' sign loomed over the green warp pipe, which lead to the Koopa Kingdom. The sun hung overhead in the clear blue sky as the eight short mushroom-headed soldiers watched vigilantly over the magical portal.

Suddenly, there came the sound of three quick trills from the pipe, indicating that something was coming through.

"Alert!" cried out one of the toads as they all stood to attention, staring into the darkness of the huge round pipe. They cried out in alarm as they made out a figure running toward them. Larry ran out from the pipe looking disheveled and panicked. He was followed by his brother Roy and then Iggy and Lemmy.

"It's an attack!" cried out one of the toads from his guard post. He began pulling on the clapper of a hanging bell and its loud chimes rang out. Something flew out of the pipes behind the Koopalings. It was Lakitu flying in his small cloud. The small, goggled kopi was towing a big blackened skeleton with horns and a short tail, hanging from a line below his cloud.

Larry skidded to a halt as he saw the steel barricade and several toad guards standing defensively with their short sword drawn. "Sanctuary," he called out. "We mean no harm, but we're being chased."

A loud roar bellowed out from the warp pipe behind them. Long leaf-like limbs lashed out and grabbed the edges of the round pipe. The toad guards gasped as they saw a huge head emerge, it was mostly just a big gaping mouth full of white pointed teeth. The round eyeless head was framed with a mane of fiery red and yellow petals.

"It's Petey Piranha!" called out Larry. Roy turned and fired off his wand, a purple ring of power shooting out and dissipating as it hit the large round head. The plant monster roared as its smaller rounded body slipped out from the pipe, carried on thick vine-like legs. It held two heavy chains in its leafy appendages and lashed one of them out at Roy. The Koopaling dove out of the way as the chain came crashing down on the ground.

The clanging bell still rang out. The toad guards watched in awe at the intense fight that seemed to have spilled out from the Koopa Kingdom. The Koopalings scattered and were haphazardly firing off bolts of magic from their wands. The magic blasts had little effect on Petey Piranha, who was roaring and lashing his large chains about at the Koopalings. Lakitu had dropped the in-tact skeleton on the ground and rose up into the air. He began to lob spikey shells down at the roaring plant beast. He quickly banked and barely dodged a chain that slashed at him in the air. One of the toads stopped gawking and activated a fire flower power-up that inverted his colors. He lobbed some bouncing fireballs at Petey. They struck his plump green body and sizzled, making the monster roar louder. He lashed his chains down toward the toad and there was loud crash as he smashed part of the barricade.

The Koopalings and toad continued to battle the hulking plant monster in front of the warp pipe, doing little damage to its seemingly invulnerable mass. Then another form leaped high over the barricade and skidded on the ground.

"It's the Princess!" called out one of the Toad guards.

Princess Peach was mounted on top of Yoshi, wearing her form-fitting white and pink racing suit. She had a white satchel bag slung around her shoulder. She quickly surveyed chaotic scene in front of her. The green dinosaur beneath her snorted as he watched the monster swing its heavy chains down at the Koopalings.

"No Princess, it's dangerous!" called out another Toad.

Peach reached into her satchel. "Yoshi, here." She tossed a large red pepper into the air in front of them. Yoshi's tongue sprung out and snatched the pepper from the air. He pulled it back into his mouth and his face quickly turned red, steam rising out from his nostrils. Peach kicked her mount forward and he ran toward the beast. Yoshi opened his mouth and a stream of flames burst forward and engulfed the hulking plant monster.

Petey Piranha let out a roaring screech as the flames burned around him. He thrashed his chains about and Peach deftly ducked as they swung at her head. She clung to Yoshi tightly as he dodged the thrashing chains and continued to pelt the monster with bright orange flames. They were driving him back toward the pipe and the Koopalings took the opportunity to concentrate their wand fire on the snarling beast, a barrage of colorful magic blasts striking his bulky head.

They kept up their assault until Petey Piranha gave a final screech and retreated back into the warp pipe. The three quick trills came as he warped back to the Koopa Kingdom. Lemmy and the rest of the Koopalings slumped to the ground, catching their breath. The Toads cheered from the heavily damaged barricade. Yoshi closed his mouth and stopped spraying flames. Peach patted him on the head, feeling the heat. "Good job," she told him.

Princess Peach then turned Yoshi around and stared coldly at each of the Koopalings in turn. She snarled, "What are you doing here? Why did you bring that monster to my kingdom?"

Larry stepped forward, still breathing hard. "Sorry...Your Highness. We didn't mean to...it was after us." He pointed over to the skeleton sprawled on the ground, "We brought her."

Peach looked over at the skeleton, the blackened bones looked almost human, with horns and a tail, but she immediately recognized the green spiky shell. She let out a gasp, "My stars! That's..."

"Our Queen," said Larry sadly. "She was betrayed. Kamek brought Bowser back and overthrew her. He killed her."

Peach felt a surge of panic, "Mario! What about Mario?!"

"He was captured. They hold him prisoner."

Peach took in a deep breath as her heart thumped in her chest. This was terrible, but at least he was still alive. Those damn conniving Koopas.

Larry stepped over to Bowsette's remains and his brothers joined him, all looking at the Princess with pleading eyes. "Can you help her?"

Peach sat atop Yoshi with a strained look on her face.

Larry swallowed,"...Will you help her?"

+++++

It was the dead of night at the ghost house, as always. An eerie mist wafted around the old wooden mansion. The interior of the mysterious structure appeared to be much larger than the exterior would suggest, as though time and space was inexplicably warped.

Within the gloomy cavernous lobby, a grand staircase ascended to the upper levels. Many white spherical boos floated about with their menacing open mouths, black beady eyes and stubby arms. Some were floating about in formation, chuckling at each other as they drifted through the air.

The newest boo floated on its own above the staircase. It could remember very little about its life, and its death. It enjoyed the darkness of the ghost house, and the comfortable numbness of its existence. Though there was a feeling buried in its ghostly mind, a feeling that it might have longed for something, but couldn't remember what it was.

Then a sliver of light appeared in the air in the center of the room. The other boos cackled loudly and darted away from it, like a school of fish fleeing a predator. Boos did not like light. But there was something about it that was calling to the new boo. The light grew and so did the warmth that could be felt emanating from it. It was a feeling that seemed strangely familiar to the boo, and it found itself slowly drifting closer.

Suddenly a much larger boo materialized in front of the light. This huge boo wore a jeweled golden crown. "Come no closer," said King Boo in a commanding voice.

The newest boo stopped and looked at him.

"It is a trap. They call you back. You forget...You forget your death and that is a mercy. You were betrayed, your loved ones taken from you. There is nothing for you in life but misery and pain. You do not want to return to the living. Stay with us and you will have a peaceful existence, free from pain, desire, responsibility, all the things that inflict the living."

The boo stared at him for a moment and then saw through him to the light. It was calling, its warmth emanating out and feeling very inviting. The boo inched closer.

King Boo drew himself up, "No, you cannot go. I forbid it. I am your King!"

Then the boo remembered something--no king is above her. She floated forward and right through the large form of King Boo. The ghostly king cursed and postured as she moved closer, closer until she reached the light. The warm blissful feeling washed over her, penetrated her very being. Was this what she was longing for?

+++++

Bowsette's eyes suddenly fluttered open. She felt the hard slab beneath her body as she lay on her front. Her body. Her lungs filled with air and felt the beat of her heart. She jerked herself up and rolled onto her side as her eyes blinked rapidly, adjusting to the well-lit room.

"She lives!" exclaimed Toadette dramatically.

Bowsette looked around the room as she tried to shake off the disorientation. It was a bright, sterile room with smooth white paneled wall that seemed familiar to her. And she saw the princess, standing there in her long pink dress, her crown atop her blonde hair, her large blue eyes locked onto her.

"Peach," said Bowsette. The sight of her was comforting. Bowsette then looked down at herself, her large plump boobs hung freely, her bare skin exposed, she caught the sight of her patch of scarlet pubic hair. She was naked.

"How are you feeling, Bowsette?" asked Peach, her face not portraying any emotion.

"Alive." She raised herself up to sit on the edge of the smooth steel slab. Toadette blushed and turned away from her naked form. The Koopa Queen gave Peach a smile, but then it quickly fell away as she recalled her betrayal, her painful death. Her husband was captured and her son enslaved. A tear rolled down her cheek. She looked around again, "This is a star temple?"

Peach nodded. "Your remaining loyal subjects brought your remains to me. And I brought you here, to the 1up temple in the Mushroom Kingdom to be resurrected."

"Thank you." She slipped off the table and walked over to Peach, ready to give her a hug. But Peach held out her gloved hand, halting her.

"I did it for Mario," she said coldly. She nodded over to a pile of folded up black clothes on the table. "Get dressed, Bowsette. Meet us outside when you're ready." She abruptly turned and walked away, leaving through the arched doorway.

Bowsette began to get dressed. She was thankful that Peach had thought of it. And somehow she had got hold of clothes that not only fitted her well, the suited her style. It was very close to her usual long black dress, with black leggings that drew up to her thighs and heeled boots. The only thing missing was her spiked choker and arm bands.

She straightened up her dress and walked out of the room. She had been given another chance, and her mind turned to thoughts of going back to her Kingdom, to save Mario and her boy, to destroy Kamek for what shi had done.

Along a walkway, she saw a long smooth silvery wall. There was a series of large simple pictures that appeared to have been engraved into the hard surface. The first one was a star with a circle inside it, two bold lines were struck through it in a cross. The next picture showed a circle with three hearts equally spaced along its circumference. Then there was what appeared to be a simple spired temple and bold lines rising up from the top. And then mushrooms, lots of mushrooms in ordered rows and columns, there would be more than a hundred of them. Finally there was a picture of three crowns linked together.

Bowsette rubbed her head. She had no idea what any of it meant. Just ancient scribblings that probably held some significance to whoever had built the star temples. She continued to walk down the sterile silver hallway until she came to the exit.