Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Ch1

Once upon a time, in the Koopa Kingdom, King Bowser attempted to clone Princess Peach. If she refused him, why not mold her DNA into an obedient queen? One better than Peach herself. Yes, he would consult the experts—Koopalings and Kamek alike—and by consult, of course, he meant force them to cooperate. But those were silly details, right?

The head magician, Kamek, adjusted his glasses, his voice laced with unease as he reminded his king, “You need to be present when she emerges. She’ll imprint on the first being she sees, like a duck. We should wait behind the stage while she assesses her surroundings.”

Bowser had kidnapped the princess once again, so time was of essence to act before the plumber inevitably arrived to retrieve her. Peach’s drinking cup and strands of hair were already gathered, essential ingredients for the ritual. Once everything was prepared, his role would be simple—toss in the DNA to activate the spell. Soon, Bowser Jr. would finally have a mother.

“Bowsy…” he thought fondly.

The little rascal had picked up bracelet braiding from the Koopas who babysat him. With pride, he had woven a fire-toned bracelet from their own hair: the kid’s thinner than his father’s, tying it around Bowser’s wrist. It was a bit loose for now, but he’d find a way to secure it.

“Now, Your Majesty…” Kamek smoothed his robes. “When you’re ready, simply activate the cauldron and stir. The moment you toss in the DNA, the reaction will begin. Shall we take cover?”

Before Bowser could respond, a panicked Koopa guard burst into the chamber.

“Y-Your Majesty! MARIO IS HERE!”

Bowser’s eyes flared. “MAKE HIM SLOW DOWN! HE CAN’T FIND OUT ABOUT THIS—EVER! ACT NORMAL SO HE DOESN’T SUSPECT A THING! I’LL FINISH THIS QUICKLY—AND YOU!” He jabbed a claw at the unfortunate rookie messenger, likely sent as punishment for losing a bet.

Even if Bowser was proud of his loyal subjects, he couldn’t afford to show weakness. His orders had to be firm, commanding. “TELL THE OTHERS TO STALL HIM! THE USUAL STRATEGY! A TROOP WILL HEAD FOR PEACH!” He smoothed back his hair, irritated. “I’LL FINISH THIS MYSELF—AND ALL OF YOU—” he pointed at the magicians, “HIDE! PEACH 2.0 WILL BE MINE!”

The room erupted into frantic motion as everyone rushed to their posts. Bowser, now pressed for time, hastily dumped the ingredients into the cauldron, stirring with wild energy—perhaps too much energy.

Amidst the chanting of hidden magicians, disaster struck. His bracelet, still loosely tied around his wrist, slipped and fell into the mix ...along with a few drops of blood, evidence of a minor injury sustained in the chaos.

“NO!” he roared.

Sparks erupted from the cauldron. Had the formula been altered too much? Would it explode? A surge of blinding light engulfed the room, forcing Bowser to take cover behind the nearest piece of furniture.

And then—

There, a woman in her late teens, or early twenties, stood.

She looked like Peach, but… not entirely. Her hair, tied in a medium-length ponytail, fell in soft strawberry-blonde locks. Like Bowser, she had a shell, horns, and a tail. One eye was blue, the other red, strikingly contrasting against her fair skin—skin that would likely tan slightly in the summer.

Was she part Koopa? How had this happened?

Then he remembered.

The hair from his bracelet, his blood. His DNA, mixing with Peach’s.

This new young woman wasn’t just some artificial creation.

She was practically his daughter.
“Papa?” she whispered.

“Oh, no,” he sighed.
------

Months later, Bowser never attempted the spell again, second-guessing himself for ever thinking he could replace Peach in the first place. Still, he kept Bowsette—his daughter—as part of his life. And Bowser Jr. adored her.

"I always wanted a sibling, Papa! Thank you!" the boy had cried, hugging the king tightly.

At first, it had been difficult. Bowser had hoped that Peach might feel some sort of connection to Bowsette, that she would acknowledge her as their child. But the princess refused to see it that way.

Bowsette, for all her sharp wit and rebellious temper—one that rivaled even Bowser’s—was still, in many ways, a teenager at heart. During those first months, she barely managed to act her physical age, her naivety often betraying her. Even now, though she was more mature, a hint of teenage stubbornness remained—something Bowser found both frustrating and endearing.

And what could he do? He loved his spoiled little princess. She knew she had him wrapped around her little finger—maybe even more than Bowsy did. Not that he played favorites… or at least, he tried not to.

For his part, Bowser Jr. didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he was more focused on proving himself as the older sibling.

"You're biologically younger than me, kiddo, so nope—I’m the elder sister!" Bowsette would tease, laughing as her little brother argued against her.

Though they bickered frequently, the two siblings were close. The boy reveled in his sister's admiration, just as much as he did his father's.

—-----
Over the following months—eventually turning into a year or three—Bowsette kept herself busy. She devoured novels, mostly romance, trained with the soldiers (how could Bowser say no to that adorable pout when she asked to learn how to fight?), and balanced her time between playing around and keeping up with her princess education.

She was as smart as she was stubborn and managed to catch up on nearly everything she needed to know within a year.

Observant by nature, she studied her father closely, wanting to be just as cool as him. She had spent countless hours watching from the shadows as that cute guy—what was his name again? Ah, yes! Mario—overcame every obstacle her father threw at him to rescue Peach.

He was so romantic! Just like the knights in shining armor from her novels! She really liked him… She would die to have a devoted, brave man of her own one day. Her punk/goth style didn’t change the fact that she was still royalty—a princess, just like in the books.

Peach, though, was a different story.

She never really responded to Bowser’s advances. And the fact that she was, unofficially, Bowsette’s mother—something both of them preferred to ignore—only made things more complicated. Her father was always chasing after Peach, but Bowsette… she didn’t like her. Not even a little.

She couldn’t quite pinpoint why, but it didn’t matter.

"I’m also prettier," she scoffed, watching as her crush pulled Peach from her cell.

One day, her opportunity would come. And just like her papa, she wouldn’t let it slip away.

Chapter Text

Chapter 2
One day, Bowser had to travel abroad for a business arrangement that required his presence.

For a few weeks, he left Bowsette in charge as the eldest. As much as he loved Bowser Jr., the boy was still too tender for the hardships of ruling a kingdom.

Bowsette, on the other hand, was more like him—she saw shadows where her brother, in his childlike innocence, did not. She would move heaven and earth to protect him.

Bowser Jr. didn’t mind. If anything, he was relieved. He could just be a normal kid for a while.

Despite her temporary leadership role, Bowsette refused to part with her petite gold and pink crown—she loved it too much.

And now… now was the perfect time to strike. If she wanted to win over Mario, this was her chance. Her father would never approve otherwise.

But where to start? How could she lure him here without making it seem too suspicious?

Then, an idea struck her.

"I’m a genius!" she chuckled to herself.
She’d do what always worked—use Peach as part of her scheme. And along the way, she’d convince Mario that she was so much better than that boring, cliché princess.
How could she have doubted it? The answer had been obvious all along.
After all, it always worked for her papa.
---------

Weeks turned into months, but Bowsette didn’t mind. She handled her duties well, and the Koopas liked her—some even found her more approachable than her father.

"She’s got a bright spark," one Koopa had said once. That liveliness made her easy to talk to, yet she still commanded respect. After all, she had inherited Bowser’s temper when needed.

Meanwhile…
Mario was exhausted.

Bowser had been kidnapping Peach more often than usual, yet he didn’t even have the guts to face him anymore!

Reaching the dungeons—by now as routine as breathing—he let out an exasperated sigh and demanded, “Make your leader show his face if he’s going to keep this up!”

Lately, more and more people saw him as a pushover. He had been bending over backward for everyone, especially Peach.
He liked her, Really liked her, But she only seemed to see him as a friend.

Still, he kept trying, hoping she would realize how good a match they could be. But ever since she had officially friend-zoned him that afternoon, he hadn’t dared to bring it up again. He valued her friendship too much. If he confessed again and she pulled away, he might lose her for good.

So he would wait.

She had called him cute before, hadn’t she? That had to mean something. And she didn’t mind touching him—sometimes she held his hand, sometimes she hugged him. That was a good sign… right?
Yes. He would keep proving himself. Someday, she would see his devotion, his bravery. She would realize how much he cared.

That was the plan, at least—until his train of thought was completely derailed.
Because standing before him was someone he never expected to see in this castle.

She wasn’t Bowser, yet she had Koopa traits—flaming red hair(though it was more a strawberry blonde), horns, a tail, and a shell. She looked like Peach, yet… not quite. Her figure was curvier, her outfit bold and striking, a stark contrast to the pastel-colored princess. Her eyes didn’t match—one red, one blue—but somehow, they fit her perfectly. Even the small pink crown atop her head looked right against her darker, edgier style.

"Hello, handsome!" she winked.

Mario blinked, startled. "Who are you? Where’s Bowser?" He blushed. She had called him handsome? So what? That meant nothing. She was probably just some lackey trying to distract him from his goal.

A very regal-looking lackey…
The way she moved, the confidence in her stride—it was sharp, stormy, yet elegant. She carried herself like she owned the place, which Bowser definitely wouldn’t like.

"Bowser isn’t available right now," she said smoothly. "I’m in charge until he returns, darling." She winked. "Bowsette, at your service." She bowed theatrically, extending one arm.

Mario frowned. Who was she to have this much authority?

Then, a thought crossed his mind.
"Wait… are you his wife?"

"What?! Ewwww!" She made a gagging motion. "That’s my papa, silly! No way!"

"He has a daughter?" Mario gasped. How had he never heard about this before? Especially someone so… visible?
(Objectively speaking, of course. His heart belonged to Peach.)

"Yup," Bowsette said, inspecting her manicured nails with a casual shrug. "And I’ve been in charge since he left."

"Then you kidnapped Peach?!" Mario asked, arching an eyebrow. "Why?"

Bowsette sighed, smiling. "All these years, I've been keeping to myself, Hard to tell why the hell we kept on putting her in that cell…"

"You were part of the schemes?!" he glared.

"No, silly! If anything, I don't want Peach anywhere near me." She waved a dismissive hand.

"Then why—?"

"Because I have a crush on you. Isn’t it obvious?" She grinned.

Mario blinked. She had to be mocking him. There was no way she was serious.
"Even if that were true… I like someone else, madam," he said curtly.

Bowsette pouted theatrically. "I'm done with being in the shadows. Boy, I missed you after every farewell,But now I'm out of this shell, I'm finally out of my shell." She repeated for emphasis.

Mario sighed, unimpressed. "Whatever. Where’s Peach?"

She shrugged, adjusting her spiked bracelet. "I'm sorry, but she's in another castle. And she won't even care for you, I fear.

As he approached the challenge, her hand stopped him."You don’t have to power up to solve that puzzle."

Mario crossed his arms. "Now ah_that’s just rude, lady."

Bowsette smirked. "She’s out there, but I’m here!"

Mario studied her more closely. "Oh. You’re serious?" His confusion deepened. "You’re not mocking me?"

"Of course I'm not, silly!" she scoffed, pretending to be offended. "She’s oh-so-busy with her fancy hustle.
She’d rather be with some prince than with you, my dear.
Your princess might be in another castle…
But I'm still here."

In the end, Mario retrieved Peach, but that lady left him thinking.

What was her deal?

Why was she after him if they had never met before?

It was too much for a first encounter, but he would ask next time she kidnapped Peach....Whatever she’s planning must be a joke, he decided. She must be far crueler than her father—I almost believed her.

Peach waved him goodbye, handing him a small pastry as a thank-you. "You're a friend of gold, Mario," she cheered.

If only she knew… If only she realized how much more he could be.

Mario sighed, lamenting his fate once more.

Chapter Text

Chapter 3

And so it went.

Every time, Mario would ask Bowsette what her deal was, and every time, she would insist it was just a crush.
The cycle repeated itself like clockwork:
He took Bowsette down.
Set the princess free.
Got one more cake.
Peach threw a party in the town.
And yet, he could only lie awake.

As he sipped from his cup at yet another one of these celebrations, his thoughts drifted elsewhere—to his challenger.
"Can’t move a muscle on my face…
Crashed from the toes to the mustache."

Each time, he found himself having more and more fun.

Bowsette made everything more challenging than her father ever had, adding twists and unpredictability to each encounter. Meanwhile, Bowser remained tied up in endless treaties abroad, delaying his return indefinitely.

A small part of Mario was relieved.

It meant he could see the Koopa princess over and over again, outsmart her obstacles, solve her challenges, and, of course, rescue the blonde.

It wasn’t even about a hostage situation anymore.

At this point, it felt more like a game of capture the flag.

Bowsette, though a bit arrogant, never actually wanted to hurt anyone. Mario realized this over time—she was just playing around.

One day, he would ask her outright why she went to such extremes just to get his attention. Couldn’t she just send him a letter or something? His postal code wasn’t exactly a state secret. "On the inside, I was embraced By the deadly lava and her passion,"
he found himself musing one day.
----------

At yet another one of Peach’s crowded parties, Toad suddenly ran up to him, weeping.

“Help! Peach has disappeared!”

Mario’s breath hitched. His heart raced.

"This is my chance. I’ll face her."
Unconsciously, his body tensed in anticipation.

If someone had told him a while ago that Peach’s kidnapping would bring him relief rather than stress, he wouldn’t have believed them.

Yet here he was.

He sighed, already bracing himself for the chase Bowsette would inevitably put him through.

------------
Bowsette was bored. Her tanned skin lighter from her lack of outdoor activities at the moment, pale as the day she popped into existence.

Mario hadn’t come around in ages—Peach had been out of town for two weeks visiting a nearby kingdom. Why are all the royals traveling so much these days? she grumbled to herself.

Without the blonde, she had no good excuse to lure Mario over.

Kidnapping Luigi had briefly crossed her mind, but that seemed like too much if she really just wanted Mario’s attention. Besides, the green-clad man was probably harder to trap than Peach. And even worse, if Princess Daisy found out...
Bowsette shuddered.
"She’s probably more dangerous than Mario."

To pass the time, she had been reading every romance novel she could get her hands on—classics, modern love stories, everything.

She even gave the latest dark romance a try, since all the girls seemed to be squeeing over it.

But... it wasn’t her thing.

Sure, some of the stories were decent, but the most popular ones? Those weren’t romance at all—they were just glorified horror.

The male leads didn’t play fair. Their “games” weren’t mutual fun; they were manipulative, cruel. And instead of truly earning the heroine’s love, they just took what they wanted, disregarding her feelings entirely.

She wasn’t judging the fans, of course, but that wasn’t the kind of romance she wanted.

Bowsette was more of a swoony, slow-burn, touch-your-hand-and-blush kind of girl. She adored cheesy love declarations, grand gestures of devotion—the yearning before the kiss. When it came to romance, she preferred things to be sweet and dreamy, not raw and brutal.

She rolled her eyes.
"And just because I don’t dress in pink, people assume I’d be into that sort of thing."
-----------

The moment Peach returned, Bowsette wasted no time—she picked her up. Again.
“Again, Bowsette?” the princess sighed, already resigned to her fate. “Get a hobby. I’m a busy woman!”

“You’re not my mother!” Bowsette retorted, then paused. “…Well, technically, kinda, but—ew, no. I refuse to acknowledge that.”
Both women shuddered.

“Yes, please don’t,” Peach agreed. “At most, we could be cousins, but me, your mother? We’re practically the same age! No, thank you.”

“Nothing personal,” Bowsette shrugged, “I just need Mario to come over.”

Peach exhaled in frustration. “Then just tell him.”

“I can’t,” Bowsette mumbled, suddenly shy. “He wouldn’t come…”
Once again, she found herself unsure of how to approach him beyond her usual shallow flirting. Why would he come, if he had no reason to?
"All this was about you and no one else All this age of invasions and inanimation spells."

—---------

And then—there he was.

The moment she spotted Mario, her mood brightened.

“Boy, I missed your brave look… and that lovely sewage smell,” she teased with a giggle. “Shall we?” She shot him a challenging glare, a grin tugging at her lips.

Mario smirked, mirroring her expression. “Well… ah—guess I must.”

From her dangling cage, Peach rolled her eyes.
“These two really need to learn how to communicate,” she muttered.

—---

Chapter Text

Chapter 4

Again and again, the punk princess taunted him.

“Tell me, has she ever asked you on a date? Even once? Spent a single night with you in forty years?”

It stung—because she was right. But he wouldn’t admit it. He was a one-woman man.

"Your princess might be in another castle… but I'm still here."

Time and time again, he ran after her, through obstacles and traps, through fire and fury. And yet, a thought gnawed at him.
"So I'm running nonstop now, with no hesitation...
Heart wants what it wants—so why resist temptation?"

Had he been lying to himself all along? Had he actually started to like this annoying woman?
"While all those princesses keep acting pretentious, Locking themselves away in their self-built castles for generations..."

He sighed, exhaustion creeping into his bones.
"I'm tired of pretending, these chains binding me tighter...
Lies burnt to the ground in this flaming desire.
Cuz she's tougher than iron and hotter than fire."

And just like that, it settled in his heart.
Peach would never love him back.
It was time to move on.
------
Lately, Peach had been a little colder toward Mario. It hurt, but it was for the best. If he ever confessed his feelings again, their friendship would crumble, and that was something she wasn’t willing to lose.

Still, she saw potential in Bowsette. Whether they realized it or not, they liked each other. So, at some point, Peach decided to play along—to help Mario transition toward something new. "Come on," she thought. "Almost there."

In the meantime, she and Bowsette found common ground in literature. Surprisingly, they had similar tastes—except when it came to dark romance.

Peach knew it was toxic, but she couldn’t deny it had become her guilty pleasure.
Bowsette, on the other hand, wasn’t mean, just a little confused—probably thanks to her less-than-ideal role models. So if playing the villainess was what it took to help her friends find happiness, Peach would gladly take on the role.

She hoped that, one day, Bowsette could even be friends with her and Daisy.
That, however, would take time. Amusingly, she had discovered that Bowsette—fierce and fearless as she was—actually feared Daisy.

And honestly? Peach couldn’t blame her.
-------

After Mario dodged the barrels—borrowed, as a favor, from her monkey associate—he and Bowsette stood face to face once again.

She smirked, crossing her arms. Here we go again.
"I'm sorry, but she's in another castle,
And she won't even care for you, I fear.
You don’t have to power up to solve that puzzle.
She's out there… want me to repeat it?"

He shook his head, slightly amused.
"She's oh so busy with her fancy hustle,
She'd be with some prince rather than with you, my dear.
Your princess might be in another castle,
But I'm still here…"

"I know," he admitted.

Without hesitation, he walked past her toward Peach’s cage,hidden from plain view if you did not look well enough, and unlocked it. But instead of leaving immediately, he turned back toward the Koopa princess—determined.

Bowsette stiffened. Was this a trick? Her heart couldn’t handle such jokes.
"If you’re pretending, I swear—" she began, glaring.

"I'm not!" he interrupted. "Really… As annoying, loud, temperamental, and chaotic as you can be, I realized—I like you! You’re not just pretty, but kind of fun to be around!"

Her mind filtered through his words, ignoring everything except "cute" and "fun."
"So you do like me?" she twisted once more, tilting her head with a teasing grin.

Mario took another step closer and nodded. "I do, Bowsette."

A delighted squeal escaped her lips before she grabbed him—effortlessly lifting his smaller frame off the ground—and spun him around in circles.
Startled at first, he barely had time to react before she smooched him.
It took him a second to process what had just happened. But then—hesitantly—he kissed back.

"Finally," Peach clapped her hands together. "Don’t mind me, I’ll see myself out—I know the way!" she announced, waving them off before striding toward the exit.

Neither of them even noticed her leave.
—---

Chapter Text

Epilogue

Not long after they started dating, and Bowsette began spending more time with Peach and Daisy. Surprisingly, she got along well with the auburn-haired princess—perhaps even better than with Peach, who remained cordial but less enthusiastic about her antics. The three of them would have tea together, exercise, and even started a weekly literature club.

Eventually, Bowsette confessed the reasoning behind her chaotic approach to winning Mario over. The princesses listened patiently, then burst into laughter.
"Next time, just send an invitation like a normal person!" Daisy teased, shaking her head.

"Seriously, you could've saved yourself so much trouble!" Peach added, chuckling at the elaborate schemes Bowsette had crafted.

The Koopa princess fidgeted with her claws, embarrassed. "Oh… I never really thought about that."

But it was all water under the bridge. Over time, they had come to understand her true nature, and in the end, Bowsette had become a friend—albeit an eccentric one.

Meanwhile, Mario found himself apologizing to Peach. Thanks to Bowsette, he had finally realized how frustrating it must have been for her to deal with his persistence over the years.

"So… was I really that annoying?" he asked sheepishly. Luigi kept his own tea nearby, waiting for it to cool down as he went munching a pastry next to him.

"Oh, absolutely," Peach replied, sipping her tea. "But hey, at least you got a taste of your own medicine." She smirked playfully, nudging Bowsette, who grinned in agreement.

Mario sighed in defeat, but deep down, he was just grateful they could remain friends. If anything, Bowsette had been his karma—a lesson in persistence taken too far.

Sometimes, Bowser Jr. would tag along during their gatherings, having a blast playing with Toad and Yoshi. He warmed up to the idea of his sister’s new social life, though he still found it weird that Mario of all people was her boyfriend.

Eventually, King Bowser returned from his diplomatic ventures. Needless to say, he was not thrilled about Bowsette’s choice of partner.
"Of all the people in the entire kingdom, him?!" he grumbled.
But Bowsette stood her ground. "I love him, Papa. That’s not changing."

Bowser sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "This is my karma, isn’t it?"
His children embraced him, reassuring him that they were whole even without a mother—that he didn’t need to force a new queen into their lives just for their sake.

"If it happens, cool," Bowser Jr. shrugged. "If not, don’t stress over it."

Bowser huffed, but their words softened him. He was still skeptical about Mario, but for now… he would allow it.

He wasn't ready to give up on Peach, but Bowsette's protective roar would be deafening if he even hinted at her new friend. For now, discretion was the best approach.

The End.