Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

ONCE UPON A TIME….

Angela, draped in her angelic long sleeved coat, floated across the vastness of the starry sky, her wings outstretched like an eagle. Majestic feathers whisked away onto the clouds only she could walk upon, illuminating them in a special light. She stared ahead with a bright smile. Well, as much as she could with those cascades of brown bangs blocking her vision.

Regardless, she kept a firm grip onto the scroll that was wrapped in a red band. Perhaps it was unbelievable that she still had it in her hands after all of the loops and arcs she had taken, but it wasn’t like the idea of “reality” held much merit in this world.

Today was the day she’d be assigned to the most important role in this world, perhaps even the universe. And of course, all of it resided in the grandiose palace that hung in the sky, home to many of her kind.

𝐒𝐊𝐘𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃!

At night, it matched the color of the clouds darkened by moonlight. By day, it matched the magic of the heavens. Either way, there wasn’t much of a difference to Angela. These days, it is better than ever.

She waved at each and every angel who spotted her passing by. The younger ones catched her feathers, their eyes glimmering with wonder.

She continued to soar straightforward until she eventually reached the grand temple above each and every structure, signified by the statue in the background that watched the entirety of this sky-ridden land, holding majestic wings that acted as a protector surrounding the temple. 

A statue of the one and only… Lady Palutena!

Fwp!

Deactivating the power of flight granted to her, she came to a stunning landing in front of the gate guarded by two members of the Icarus army. Since there was no need for registration, they bowed and moved to the side, making way for Karasa to enter.

Into the heavenly corridor!

Gaze upon the grand hall that shimmered with ethereal right, and its marble floors reflecting a cascade of endless colors spilling from the staircase hailing of radiance. Towering doors and gilded arches stood in solitude, torches of blue and red fire blazing, making way for the one basked in light.

𝐋𝐀𝐃𝐘 𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐔𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐀!

 “I’m home, Lady Palutena!” Angela announced with a salute, putting on a stern face.

The Goddess chuckled, arising from her seat. “You’re quite late.”

“Apologies, ma’am!” Angela shouted, bowing down with haste, then rising up again. “Also, ma’am! I am honored to finally commit to this amazing endeavor, ma’am!”

“Enough with the ma’ams, dear.” Palutena assured, a bit more serious this time, “You know I don’t like being referred to that way.”

“Yes, sorry ma’am!”

“......”

“I mean—sorry! My Lady!”

Palutena sighed, finally arriving before the young girl and getting a closer look at her. Angela bowed down in her presence, and Palutena could only smile. She had personally chosen her as her secondary royal servant, and considered making her a lieutenant. Of course, this test would prove her worth.

Palutena ordered for the scroll to be opened, and after a few seconds of messily taking the red band off, her eyes would finally gaze upon the wonderfully written words above simple, yet strong illustrations of the story being told.

Once upon a Power Star, the Mushroom Kingdom lived greatly under the rule of the mighty Princess Peach, daughter of Queen Marie Peach. 

However, all of that changed one day.

At the star festival, where the citizens of the Mushroom Kingdom admired the stars of the galaxy, Bowser’s airship brought terror upon the land. The princess, whose soldier hid behind with cowardice, stared up for her inevitable capture.

The hero, her husband, Mario, was blasted away into space… and Bowser’s Fury would begin, the Power Star which held the magic of the kingdom together being used for evil for all of eternity.

“So… this is… the future.” Angela noted, clutching the paper tightly.

“Yes.” Palutena nodded, a serious look dawning upon her face. “This is a page from the Book of Ever After, the cosmic manuscript that records all of the Fairy Tales of the Princess Web. This is the newest book, and there’s two red flags. Peach’s page is almost always number one, but this time, it’s page eighteen. And more importantly…”

“...Mario isn’t here this time around.” Angela noted; the weight of responsibility bringing her a nervous smile. 

“Mario?!”

A voice came from a door to the east, Angela grunting in anger as she turned towards its direction. Standing there, of course, was Palutena’s first loyal servant, and the older brother of Angela. 

𝐏𝐈𝐓!

“Aw man… I was really hopin’ I’d get the chance to see him again. Well, guess not.” He said, scratching his head with one arm and holding a scroll in another.

Palutena smiled. “Ah, I was just about to summon you, Pit!”

“Well, there’s no need to summon me, Lady Palutena!” Pit said, going over to Palutena and following with a salute and a bright smile. Thereafter, he bowed. “I’m always on time!”

Suddenly, he noticed that Angela was here as well, and their glares of dissatisfaction would finally meet.

Hm. So you’re here.

Thoughts in unison!

Taking a second to relieve himself of his sister’s gaze of jealousy, he’d take the time to take off the red seal to see what mission he had for today. And when he did, he was shocked to find out…

“Wha… No way!”

…That he had the exact same page as Angela's.

“Are you kidding me?!” - Both.

“Now now.” Palutena assured, “There’s no need to fret, okay?”

“But why did I get a copy?” Pit asked. He could tell it was a copy from the slightly darker shade of white of the paper. Angela giggled at the reaction of this revelation.

“Does it really matter?”

“Of course it does!” Pit exclaimed, dramatic tears dripping down from his eyes as he valiantly rose his fist into the sky. “C’mon, Lady Palutena! I’m your first loyal servant here! I’d expect the utmost form of respect even if it’s something as small as this! Waaaahhhh!”

Palutena merely shook her head. 

Does he always have to be this dramatic when it comes to things like this? She asked herself before rubbing her hand through his hair to soothe his move. Worked like a charm.

“Let’s cut to the chase, now.” Palutena said, the two standing up in unison, arms to the side and legs touching. “You two will be working together to fix the story of Peach Toadstool!”

“WHAT?!”

Unpleasant.

The two gritted their teeth and exchanged angered glances, a fire igniting between the two, waiting to erupt.

Palutena shook her head again, this time face palming. “I thought you’d be more excited about this.”

“I was!” Angela shouted, stomping her foot, “Until he had to get involved!”

“No, you were the one who butted in!” Pit snapped, “I’ve known Mario for a long time and he’s told me all about the Mushroom Kingdom! I was in the Subspace Story for crying out loud!”

“That doesn’t mean a thing! You’re always the one who shines when they don’t need to!”

“I admire your bravery, but this story is very important!”

“Yeah, I know that!”

“You sure? Trust me, you don’t wanna mess u—”

“Stop underestimating me!”

“Silence!”

Slam!

A heavy bang from the slamming of her staff made the two shut their mouths and stand down, ashamed of their mindlessness. 

Palutena exhaled, worried about their cooperation, but her eyes were still set on fate. “If we don’t fix this story, then every single soul in this book will die and we’ll have to wait another hundred years to restore what’s been lost. That may seem small for divine beings like us, but for those who will have no one to save in their story or the right person to look up to, it’s a ghastly eternity.” 

Her face bore a somber expression, clasping her hands closely to her chest. “The Book of Ever After is a wonderful book, and at the end of it all, the princesses have to band together. Whether it’s for something bad or something good, I do not know. But if we want the perfect ending, there’s no time for bickering. So pick yourselves up, and help this story come to life.”

Bling!

Palutena summoned two great weapons that descended to the palms of her servants, draped in a divine light. In truth, they were the same.

The dual bows of Lady Palutena!

A sense of empowerment washed over Angela as she balanced the bow in her palm. Was this truly reality? As for Pit, this was reality. He understood the weight and might of this bow, and thus, he stood up, ready to go.

“Pit, I’m sure you know the original story of Princess Peach, so you can tell Angela all about it on the way here.” Palutena said, “You just have to make sure Peach has a hero to rely on without being seen until the story is completed.”

“Right!” - Both.

Palutena pointed to the doorway up the multi-color stairs and behind the throw. The two placed the red band back onto the paper, placing it in a place where it would stay perfectly still and out of sight. With a single gesture from Palutena, the two parted paths, walking on opposite sides of the stairwells.

They were both looking for something.

I’m going to fly all by myself one day. - Pit.

I’m going to embrace my role as a guardian. - Angela.

The door opened, a heavenly light filling the two with determination. The clouds beneath shone in celestial radiance, speaking volumes as to what was below. Though soaring through the sky, they could never truly go below.

Their wings shone in a rainbow sparkle, and in unison, they turned, spreading their arms out wide, and going into a freefall.

Only for a moment, of course.

They opened their eyes, the world going from upside down to regular.

Angela took a while to find her balance, but she managed to straighten herself in the nick of time before touching the clouds. Pit soared past her, looking back with a smirk.

“Try and keep up!” He said, amping his speed!

Angela snarled, picking up speed as well. “I'll be saying the same exact thing soon!”

Palutena merely smiled as she watched her two servants—no, her son and daughter soar far off to where her eyes couldn’t hope to reach. There was hope, but not without the absence of worry.

“Watch over her, Pit.” She pleaded quietly. Thereafter, the door would finally shut.

𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇

At the top floor in the castle of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach had awoken from her twelve hour slumber. A lucky opportunity, but now, it was time to get up. She felt a surge of energy as she leapt from her red covers, and went over to her a circular mirror outlined in pink. Upon noticing her frizzy hair, she giggled. Eventually, the chaotic mess of hair settled into gentle waves under her smooth hands like the taming of a wild animal.

She stared for a moment, making sure she wasn’t much of a mess even without applying her lipstick… when—

—”Princess!”

A toad’s voice boomed from the outside of her room. “You have a visitor here! It’s Zelda!”

“Oh no!”

Her mind turned to high alert. She swapped out of her pajamas and hastily put on her pink dress. Thereafter, she slipped on her heels and gloves, taking a while to find her balance, all the while going back over to her mirror, opening her drawer, and ferociously brushing her hair. 

I can’t be late! That’ll ruin my streak!

Huh?

But something caught her attention from out of the window.

A sudden flash of light that zoomed through the clouds. It was so far and so dim that she couldn’t make out its shape, yet Peach couldn’t take her eyes off of it.

Something so small, yet so alluring…

Just how could that be?

“Princess!”

That knocked her back to her senses.

“Oh, I haven’t the time for this!”

Before she could burst out of the door, her eyes had caught something important. Just how could she forget?

Her Princess Emblem.

Her brooch made from diamond, shining with a light unmatched. A pink glint of magic trailed her gloves, then her dress entire, then her smile.

It felt... empowering!

“Hehe!”

Everything now perfect, she took a deep breath before opening the door, where Toad stood waiting for her. Now, despite every Toad looking practically the same, Peach made sure to know the names of each and everyone and spent all day and night memorizing the names of each one.

Such wasn’t necessary for this one, however, for his name was… just Toad.

He bowed before her. “Right this way, Princess.”

“Thank you, Toad.” She said, beginning their walk down the red tranquiline halls. “So, does Zelda look well? I haven’t heard from her in months.”

“Her hair is as beautiful as ever, Princess. And her face… and her eyes… and…”

“Toad!” 

“Oh, right!” He snapped back into reality, chuckling at his foolishness. “She’s well, Princess! Plus, I’ve been hearing she’s here for the upcoming Star Festival!”

“That’s wonderful!” Peach exclaimed, descending down the stairs. Suddenly, her expression changed as she soon realized. “Wait… the Star Festival! Oh my! Are… are the preparations for it ready yet? We begin at eight, right? I was so tired the other day, I had forgotten to check on the progress.”

“Don’t worry, Princess!” Toad said, giving her a thumbs up, “I got it all covered! All you need to do is follow this schedule! It’s only a few errands!”

Peach took the list Toad offered her, reading: 

• Prepare the cakes. 
• Sword Fight against Prince Snowfrost of the Frosted Glacier.
• Figure Skating with the Prince Snowfrost
• Magic Demonstration at the Mushroom Magic School. 
• Have Princess Soda Pop of the Grade Juice Kingdom provide their beverages.
• Complete the Pink Gold Statue.
• Speech at Star Festival.

It wasn’t much. The same old routine of most Star Festivals, but Peach couldn’t help but be excited to meet the leader of two kingdoms and embrace their culture once more. “I’m glad to see the Soda Jungle is thriving. Well, it’s actually the Grape Juice kingdom now.”

“You were the one who made it possible, after all.” Toad said, laid back, “You’re basically a walking fixer!”

“Peach Toadstool is just fine, Toad.”

“I’m the only one who can get away with calling you that, huh?”

“Only this time.”

“And five more times.”

"So, Toad... your sister? Toadette?"

"She's doing just fine! Still looking up to you, of course! She's working really hard for the preperations of the Star Frstival!

After a little bit more bickering, the two finally stepped onto the world beyond the castle. The natural world, where the sun shone brightly upon a graceful land, and the lake below illuminated from the sky’s reflection.

Standing across the bridge, seemingly conversing with a toad, was Princess Zelda (Smash Bros Ultimate design of course.) Her Princess Emblem was on her forehead. A single, red shiny gem.

Upon spotting Peach, a huge smile appeared on her face and she waved. “Princess!” She shouted, running excitedly towards her. Clack! Clack! Clack! The sound her heels made, the fabric of her dress still all throughout. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

The two fell into a hug. “It sure has, Zelda! It feels like it’s been years ever since we first met during the Gala years ago.”

“I know right? That was sooo fun!” Zelda replied, the hug coming to an end, “My face was filled with so much chocolate! My mom was super annoyed!”

“My mom was much more forgiving, wasn’t she? For both of us.” Peach mentioned, “I remember she was nice enough to get you a new dress right before the big dance began.”

“Good times.” Zelda said, breathing in an air of nostalgia, “So, apologies If I’m interrupting. My mother made a lot of arrangements for me to be here, so I wanted to say hello! I don’t want to interrupt anything if you’re busy!”

“No, no, it’s okay!” Peach assured with a dismissive gesture, “Actually, I wanted to see if we could hang out for a bit and thereafter, you could watch me run some errands. There’s still quite a bit of time left before the festival. Isn’t that right, Toad?”

He was too immersed in Zelda’s beauty.

“Well, Zelda?”

“I’d love to!” She agreed, shaking Peach’s hand, “My mother said she would be delighted to hear we’re having some fun. Thing is, she often assumes my conversations are a bunch of gossip.”

“Well, gossip can be fun.”

“Oh? You weren’t interested in such things when we were kids.”

“Times change, Zelda. I cherish foolishness more than ever.”

“Times do change, but your beauty hasn’t. So, I’m interested if this gossip involves any boys that have caught your eyes.”

“Oh, stop it, Zelda!”

“Haha! Apologies, your majesty!”

Eventually, the two came to an agreement to go over to the garden. So, they would begin going down the hill, following the path.

“So, this festival,” Zelda began, “My mother has told me so much about it, but I wonder… what is it truly like?”

“Well… It’s like the entire galaxy illuminates for only our world to see.” Peach explained, getting wrapped up in her experience as a child. “The stars make the night look as bright as day, and whatever greater forces out in that universe that causes those huge, amazing clusters of light, bless every ounce of this kingdom. As you walk down this smoldering beauty, you’re pelted on the heads with these candy-like figures that fall from the sky. Surprisingly, they’re delicious, but most of all, they’re absolutely beautiful. And this time, I’m the one who gets to see the excitement of everyone in full.”

“That sure does sound riveting.” Zelda said, “You’re really getting my hopes up for this festival. It sounds so… magical.” She ignited a flame in the palm between the two palms of her hand. 

“Speaking of magic, how was magic school?” Peach asked.

“Amazing.” Zelda replied, “I'm surprised there were so many young girls who wanted to practice magic this year. Seeing their innocent curiosity took me back to when I was learning magic from my mother. Those in Hyrule look up to her just as much as they do me.”

“Must be sweet.” Peach said, “Ah, hearing young girls say they want to be as beautiful as you are someday. It makes you feel like a monument.”

“It makes sense, considering it's you.”

“Zelda! Don't downplay yourself!” Peach snapped.

“Don't worry, I'm not!” Zelda assured, “But, you, you're…”

“HEY!”

“Huh?”

A yell from a distance caught their sudden attention.

Diverging from the path of the hill, two young girls seemed to be having a tug of war on a doll of none other than Princess Peach herself. The eyes of the doll were a little weird, but all in all, it seemed to be nearly picture perfect. One of the girls pulling on it wore a blue tunic and her hair held brown buns, while the other wore a pink tunic, and her hair consisted of a single bun.

Zelda wanted to approach the girl first, but Peach was already on the move.

“Wah! Princess Peach?!” The two girls asked in awe, loosening their grip on the poor doll. “Wow! She’s even prettier in person!”

“That’s me.” Peach confirmed with delight, “Now, girls, what seems to be the problem here?”

The girl in the pink tunic spoke, “She’s being jealous! Mom bought this for us, but it’s my turn to play!”

“No!” The girl in the blue tunic retorted, “Mom said we’d share! She’s been playing with it ever since we woke up! Please, Peach, tell her to give it back!”

“Now now,” Peach began, her voice calm, “Is it true that you’ve been playing with the doll ever since this morning.”

The girl in the pink tunic frowned, “...Yes.”

“Then it’s only fair that your sister gets a turn, too. Remember, sharing is caring.” Peach explained, firm, but smoothly.

The girl in the blue tunic cheered as the toy now fell into her hands. The frown of the other girl had grown ever wider.

Although the conflict had been resolved, Peach was still standing here, looking at the two. 

There was no way this conflict was resolved for good, and someone like Princess Peach couldn’t sit right with that. So, she stood here for a moment, thinking of what more she could do.

And unbeknownst to her, from what little, yet large clouds they were above, two angels had arrived.

“Looks like we’re just in time!” PIt said, nearly out of breath, zooming in with his telescope to the land below. “Oh, wow. This place hasn’t changed a bit.”

“...So this is the Mushroom Kingdom, huh?” Angela asked in awe of the kingdom’s beauty. But she couldn’t forget why she was here. 

She aimed her telescope at the one who was the main character of this story, Princess Peach.

Below, Princess Peach seemed to be forming something out of her finger. A mystical, pink energy that twirled around her hand like a ribbon, leaving the two sisters stunned.

“What’s she doing?” Asked Angela. “Shouldn’t she be doing some super important princess duties right now? Where’s that Mario guy?”

“Patience!” Pit said, his voice suddenly formal, “The story has to develop a little bit first. I’m pretty sure Mario comes in at the end, although it was different for the Subspace Emissary. From what I’m seeing, this Princess Peach already has her Princess Emblem.”

Angela raised a brow. “Princess Emblem?”

“It’s how they use their magic. Of course, they don’t know about the whole book thing yet, but they’re pretty special, too.” Pit answered.

Below, the ribbon of pink magic now held a white light, slowly transforming into…

Pop!

Another doll!

The girl in the pink tunic accepted it immediately. “Woah! No way!”

“Woah, you really can use magic!” Said the sister.

The magic whisked away, leaving behind a small, pink heart in remembrance. “Now that you both have the same doll…”

“We don’t have to share anymore!” The two sisters cheered in unison, “Yaaayyy!”

Peach rocked her finger back and forth, shaking her head. “Nah-ah-ah!” She warned, leaning down and placing a reassuring hand on both of their shoulders. The two girls were listening. “If one of you loses your doll or breaks it, what will one of you do?”

With a sigh, the girls would answer: “...We’ll shaaaare!”

“Exactly!”

“Thank you, Princess Peach!” The two girls said with a happy wave, clutching onto their dolls as if their lives depended on it.

Pit was flipping through the page of the book Palutena gave them both that went through the entire story they were in scene by scene. This was page ten. “Okay, okay, seems like everything is going fine. Even if this is kinda weird.”

“How’s it weird?” Angela asked.

“Well, for one, Zelda is here.” Pit answered, “As beautiful as she is, she’s usually in Hyrule and getting saved by the worst hero ever.”

“You cannot be this jealous of a fictional character.”

“They technically aren’t fictional!” Pit retorted. “We’re seeing it full time! Look!”

He pointed his finger down to Peach, who was now heading towards the garden. “Let’s get on the move! We’ll hide in that super tall tree!”

“Right!”

𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐇𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐃𝐎𝐌 𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐍

Peach and Zelda arrived at the garden, and Zelda was already gazing deeply at the beautiful flowers it had to offer. She grabbed a daisy and sniffed it, warmth brought to her heart from the smell. Meanwhile, Peach, despite being fully aware of the cascade of beautiful flowers and the smells they exuded, was staring out into the distance.

“My mother used to come to this place.” Peach said, catching the attention of Zelda. “We used to walk down here everyday because of my childish persistence and talk about the beauty of these flowers and how much effort it took to keep it all perfect. Strange. She’d used to reminisce on her experience with her mother.”

“...Peach?”

“The Star Festival is something this kingdom has only done with my mother. It’ll be the first time with the kingdom with me as the Princess.” 

Zelda placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Peach! I’m sure you’ll do great.” She assured, “You have your Princess Charm now and can use magic. You saw how those girls looked and treated you back there. You’re a hero to them. The most beautiful girl in the world!”

“Is that what you were going to say back there?” Peach asked.

Zelda paused for a moment. “Well, I’m not exactly a Princess of your stature, yet. There was a Zelda who came before me, after all. I have to make sure I live up to her Wisdom, as well, so… I’m attempting.”

“You are a smart and beautiful girl, Zelda.” Peach said with a soft smile, “But don’t worry. Even if I’m a Princess, like you said, I’m a hero to them as well. So no matter what, I have to have confidence in myself to overcome adversaries, no matter how big or small.”

A cloud hid the sun, but only for a moment. When it returned, it basked Peach in pure, unbridled radiance, as if she was the only one to catch its eye. “My mother was someone who defeated some of the most fierce beasts in the history of the Mushroom Kingdom, and won the hearts of every single ruler. Some of those rulers are here to meet me today, so… I won’t fail them!” A declaration. She raised her fist into the air, her Princess Emblem shining, “I, Princess Peach Toadstool of the Mushroom Kingdom, will become the perfect Princess!”

Zelda smiled at the bundle of light before her, not allowing herself to look away at its brightness. “You will, Princess.” She said, her Princess Emblem glowing. “I’ll be there to help you along the way!”

Piercing beyond a cascade of green, perfectly hidden…

Wow! They’re so… pretty! Angela thought, staring keenly at Peach and Zelda. “I can’t believe I’m gonna be the one to fix her story! What a great way to start!”

“We’re both doing it! Have some respect towards me!” Pit said, not bothering to acknowledge her, yet flipping through the pages frantically. “Oh, man…”

“Huh?”

“No, no…”

“What is it?”

Pit gulped, staring at Angela with a serious look. “Princess Peach isn’t supposed to have motivations like this. She has a strong sense of responsibility, but it’s not supposed to be stated by her or shown to this much capacity. Plus, didja hear what she said? Her mother was the one who brought down a… beast? It can’t be Bowser. I’m sure she would’ve mentioned it... Man, this story might need more fixing than we thought.”

“Hmm… Maybe we should skip a few pages and see if Bowser’s mentioned again.”

“I got a better idea.” Pit said, smiling.

With a swipe of his hand, a luminescent search bar showed up. 

“Huh?! What is that?!” Angela asked, eyes wide.

“We can see some of the scenes involving this story, whether it’s prior, after, or overall just connected. If there’s a scene with Bowser preluding this, then we can transfer there without interrupting this story.”

Eventually, Pit found something.

“There! Prologue to Princess Peach’s Story!” He pointed out.

“Alright, let’s go!”

𝐁𝐎𝐖𝐒𝐄𝐑’𝐒 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘!

“Entry?!” - Pit.

“He hasn’t attacked the Mushroom Kingdom, yet?!” - Angela.

The two were teleported before the great castle of Bowser from Super Mario Bros. Wii. As much as Pit wanted to fanboy about that story, there seemed to be a lot of commotion arousing in the castle. The two servants gave each other a nod before stealthy moving in (Well, as stealthy as they could)

Flying far above everything and taking a few secret pipes, undisturbed by Bowser’s army, they would reach the throne room, where a beast sat in the shadows, its eyes thing that gave it life. Beside him, of course, was his royal wizard, Kamek.

Angela felt a chill down her spine. “Woah! This is the guy?”

“Did you read anything from the book when we were flying?”

“I did!” Angela huffed, “I was just… flying too fast!”

“Whatever…” Pit sighed, “Just call him King Koopa if you don’t know his name.”

“Huh? Why?”

“A simple name from a… rather weird story with Peach.”

Step. 

Step.

Step.

Daunting steps echoed throughout the throne room from Koopas coated in armor. One red, one green.

“Sir!” The green one shouted, “We come with important news!”

“Better be important!” Kamek shouted, floating forward with his want. “The King has his hands quite full!”

“It’s the Mushroom Kingdom…”

“Oh?” Kamek tilted his head with interest, “This better be good.”

“The Star Festival will begin at night, approximately at 0830, sir!”

Kamek smirked, looking back at his kind’s reaction. Eyes narrowed, the king would take a stand, the shadows rumbling in his movement.

Stepping out of the darkness, the light of the lava below blessing him, was King Bowser.

Pit and Angela stood on their toes, ready for a big, evil speech.

However…

“So we know when the enemy will attack, now. Good.”

Things seemed to be… different.

Angela watched in worry as Pit frantically flipped through the pages of the prologue, only finding the complete opposite being said. “No! No! No! The only enemy of the Mushroom Kingdom is supposed to be Bowser!”

What in the world is happening? Angela thought.

“Sire,” Kamek said, “This is the perfect time to reclaim your worthiness to the Stars. For years, you have been disgraced by history, and forced to live in the shadows. Today begins a new era for you. For us!”

Bowser smirked, stretching his arms in a cross. 

It truly was… his time to shine. “Get our forces ready. Our best spies.” He commanded, “I want no awareness that we are inside of the kingdom until the enemy attacks. Kamek, we’ll discuss how your magic will be used, and how we can guarantee the princess’s safety, is that understood?”

“Yes sir!” Kamek + The Two Koopas.

“Then let’s begin! Mwahahahahahaha!”

As his laugh echoed throughout the castle, his minions would get to work. Above all, Kamek seemed to be the most delighted. Oh, what a dream come true this day was, and he was so close to seeing his great ruler reign supreme!

The castle would be thrown into work. Goombas gathering, ships prepared, Bullet Bills at the ready, and so on.

All the while, Pit and Angela could only stare at each other with eyes of bafflement.

“What?!” Angela shouted as low as she could, “Bowser’s gonna save Peach?! No way!”

“Exactly, no way!” Pit said, “The book said that Bowser’s the one who kidnaps her! There’s no knight in shining armor? Not even Toad? Well, that one makes sense. They don’t do much, after all.”

“So what do we d—waaahh!”

TRANSITION!

The prologue had ended, and so, the two had returned to the exact moment they once were. Peach and Zelda at the garden, while they watched from the tree.

While Angela was recovering from the shock of being transported without warning, Pit would devise a plan. “It looks like this story is going completely off the rails! First off, we need to make sure these two never come in contact with each other!”

“And just how would we do that?”

“Wait for the story to play out! Right when Bowser’s forces have shown signs of entering the Mushroom Kingdom! Even if they can’t find him, we’ll know immediately! Until then, we wait and see how the story progresses and note down any inconsistencies in both Peach and Zelda’s characters!” Pit explained, his tone serious. "There has be a hero somewhere in this story!"

Angela had seen him command his soldier in the exact same tone, but being struck with it herself filled her with an urgency like no other. She washed away the dizziness, and clenched her fist in determination. “Got it!”

Meanwhile, below, Peach and Zelda witnessed Toads running frantically towards the castle, leaving behind numerous posters that spoke of the Star Festival. Copies of it seemed to be running out, although the one responsible was working as hard as they could to keep it going. 

Peach let out an exhale, reassuring herself that everything would be alright.

Princess Peach, the one who brought happiness to boys and girls across the Mushroom Lands.

Princess Peach, the one soon to become a monument to the world, and perhaps beyond.

Princess Peach, the daughter of Princess Marie, who had laid out everything for her.

The Star Festival was where many princesses, including her mother, and grandmother, etched their names into history. Despite the wider scale, Peach knew she could accomplish it, too.

Right here, right now, the journey started. With the glint of her Princess Emblem, she too clenched her fist in determination, as would declare…

“It’s time to begin my true journey… as Princess Peach!”

And as for Angela… 

“It’s time for me… to ensure that the story of Princess Peach goes perfectly!”

And for PIt…

“It’s time that we make sure that Palutena can entrust this duty to us!”

And as Bowser began his journey through the skies on his airship, and towards the Mushroom Land, he would declare. “It’s about time… I became a hero myself! Mwahahahaha!”

Four goals. 

One destination for each.

And yet, this is only the beginning of the Book of Ever After.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Chapter Text

On the move!

Princess Peach and Zelda sat across from each other inside of the surprisingly spacious pink carriage, sitting on the tea that resided on the small, white circular table with a pink outline. The carriage, as stupid as it sounds, was being carried forward by two Toads on the brink of collapsing.  

Pit and Angela had to take to the skies once more, matching the speed of the carriage, which was exceptionally fast. Their feathers were lucky enough to land on the ground and dissipate before they could be spotted. 

“Just how in the heck are two Toads moving this thing so fast?!” Pit asked, staring at this page that reflected this scene. “They’re supposed to be like… the most useless helpers ever!”

“...Is that an inconsistency?” Angela asked, clipboard in one hand and her feather pen in the other. 

“...Not sure. New story, new things, and it’s pretty minor…” Pit mused, “Write it down just to be safe!”

“Make up your mind faster!” Angela demanded, jotting it down.

“It took no more than seven seconds!” Pit complained.

SCENE 1

Peach was focused on the beauty of the fields of green this beautiful Mushroom land contained.

Her beautiful Mushroom land. Gently, she lifted the tea cup to her lips. “You wouldn’t believe how long it took for me to pick a dress for occasion. I was unaware if I wanted it to be pink or a lighter pink.”

Zelda had her legs crossed, taking another sip of her tea, staring to where Peach’s gaze was directed. “And I’m guessing you choose… pink?”

“My one and only brand.” Peach said, her expression shifting suddenly, “Oh no! You don’t think people will be tired of it, do you?!”

“Calm down,” Zelda urged, closing her eyes momentarily. “It suits you. Besides, you bring a brightness to it that can be appreciated with both genders. The people in Hyrule aren’t as critical when it comes to color with royal gowns, but I, for one, never understood the insistence of such regal wear. If you wore something competent, then your people would relate to you more.”

“That reminds me…” Peach took her eyes off of the land, placing the teacup back onto the table and slowly, carefully tilting the teapot downwards towards it. “Have you ever tried on a sundress? After a long day of princessing, they feel so lively.”

Peach nudged the tea over to Zelda, and she would begin pouring her tea. “I could use a little lively, especially since I’m a guest here.” She chuckled, “Would you have any of those sundresses for me? Blue, specifically.”

Peach daintily hid her smile behind reserved fingertips, though it couldn’t stop a soft giggle from escaping. “It’s good to see your sense of humor is still with you after all these years. It feels like yesterday when we were just two little girls acting as princesses with our mothers.”

“Are we our mothers now, Peach?”

“I think such a question is up to them.” Peach answered, taking a small sip of her tea, “I definitely have her looks, minus the pink hair and blue dress. There’s the same face, makeup, heels… oh! Even eyes!”

“Lucky you. The only thing I really have in common with my mother is this tiara that weighs like ten entire tons of metal.” Zelda replied, “I commend it, though. It makes me look considerably more formal, and it’s a good way to communicate to Hyrule that I’m a princess.”

“A clever place to wear your Emblem.” Peach said, clapping softly three times. “The beauty of Hyrule’s gems is something I’ve always admired.”

“Yeah…”

Then, Zelda’s gaze would turn back to the fields of grass beyond the little world they were sitting in. Now, there were hills—all evenly spaced and seemingly connected; some were bigger than others, different in terms of color and number of spots, but all the same, were a treat to look at.

Out of the two princesses, Peach got the most of it.

“It feels good to be outside of the castle walls.” She said, her shoulders slightly relaxed inward, “Sometimes, they feel a bit suffocating.”

“The architecture of the castle makes me believe I would think otherwise.” She said, placing her teacup down, “The kingdom is far more advanced than ours as of now, putting aside that we were just as advanced, if not more, than yours.”

Peach tilted her head, “Is that shade?”

Zelda smirked, “...It’s not for you to catch.” She chuckled, “My wisdom can come in the form of sarcasm, too. It’s best to ignore.”

“But it’s the defining trait of your Princess Emblem, and…” Peach pointed to her own forehead, “It’s kind of hard to ignore when you’re carrying it like a crown.”

Zelda chuckled once more, taking another sip of her tea.

“Now we’re talking about shade.”

“Apologies,” Peach said, hair fluttering to a soft wind, “This feeling of freedom is making me lose my grace.”

“Be sure to not lose your balance, princess.” Zelda warned, her tone a bit more serious, “You don’t want to be caught off guard, now. I’m sure there are quite a number of mercenaries or kidnappers who would, as much as I hate to say it, wouldn’t think twice about taking you away if it involved their own self-interest.”

“The kidnapper will have to think twice about capturing someone of my stature, and yours. They can be reasoned with easily.” Peach said, a glint in her eye as she clenched her fist. Her Princess Emblem left a trail of colorful sparkles. “At the Festival, I’ll make sure to get rid of them if I haven’t already.”

Zelda leaned forward, resting her cheek on her fist, still smiling. “Are you sure that would make them go away?”

“I don’t see why not.” Peach said, matching her energy, “My mother ruled this kingdom with the belief that people can change.”

“That shouldn’t be your only shield, princess.” Zelda argued, “Throughout the history of Hyrule, I’ve seen what happens when potential evil goes unnoticed. That’s how beings like Ganon came into power. The evil in a prophecy that shouldn’t have existed.”

“Good point.” Peach acknowledged, “But for the slightest possibility that there was another option, would you take it?”

Zelda paused, her eyes expanded in face of the question. “...The Triforce of Wisdom grants me the ability to heal and peer into the minds of others.” She explained, clasping her hands together, igniting magical sparks, “I can guide them in the right direction.”

Peach leaned forward with a smirk, her eyes cold with a calming allure, “Would you do it?”

Without Zelda moving, her Princess Emblem of a red gemstone illuminated only for a second. After a moment of hesitation, she would answer: “I suppose so.”

“So that’s a win for me?”

A friendly smile reappeared on Zelda’s face as she gently placed two fingers inside of the handle of the teacup. “For now, yes. I suppose you hold more wisdom than me at times.” She admitted in humility, “...I didn’t know just how much you had grown, Princess Peach.”

“We both have, Princess Zelda.” Peach said, “Now, let’s return to girl talk, shall we?”

“Very well. I’ve been meaning to talk about your heels. I’m still struggling to run in mine even after all these years.”

“You don’t wanna turn that into a hobby as a princess, dear. Well… you could try sandals. Slipping into them is quite nice.”

“Hm. I’ll consider it.”

Meanwhile, from above.

“Hm. So it’s structured like a movie, going scene by scene instead of chapters.” Pit noticed; Angela jotting it down without instruction. “Okay, that was a pretty good reenactment of the scene.”

Angela, although she could hear Pit, was focused on the dialog between two princesses that echoed in the vast expanse of her mind. As a little angel, the stories she had heard about Princess Peach held little to no substance for her in terms of character outside of being a damsel in distress. Zelda’s case was a bit different, but seeing her here was a treat from a heart in the past. 

Man… This is so awesome!

Even more so that she would be the one to fix it.

And now, it was time for the next scene. Although the carriage could be seen underneath the blurry world of the clouds, above it was where the real action took place. Feathers come to a stop upon the sight of none other than Bowser’s Grand Airship!

“Woah!”

Pit and Angela’s eyes darted left to right, and there seemed to be one room to escape besides descending. Pit, of course, was not going to let this scene be forgotten. Grabbing Angela by the hand suddenly, he’d soar higher up into the skylines, where the size of clouds seemed more versatile.

“Hey! What are we doing?! We can’t move away from the—”

“Yeah! I know that!” Pit countered, taking a sudden turn to the right. Distance was growing between them and the Airship, and the sheer heat was practically blazing!

“We just gotta find a cloud that moves as fast as the airship. The book mentions “above the clouds” so by that logic, we just go above the clouds that they’re above!”

Angela shook her head, “You’re so dumb… it’s smart.”

“Leave out the first part and you’re pretty much right!”

To their next left was a distant hope, promising an area where an assortment of clouds formed together to make the perfect shield of defense against the false adversary’s ship, floating right above the clouds that were lacking life and dimming, allowing room for the world below.

The two landed onto it with haste, Angela almost falling. “Let me just follow you next time!” 

But Pit was already engrossed into the story, and soon, with a sigh, so would Angela.

SCENE 2

Below.

“Seems like they’re on the move pretty early.” Bowser said, glaring down at the carriage below while standing on the side. Kamek floated right beside him, his wand glowing. “Hah! Well, looks like that call to activate the invisible barrier was a smart one, Kamek, good news.”

Those words fluttered his ever beating heart. Any sense of professionalism was thrown out of the window, laying the groundwork for a smile that resembled a child. “Wh—why thank you! Boss! It is my pleasure.”

This is… the greatest day in my life!

“Paratroopas!” He called, looking up at his group of four Paratroopas, “How’s the area? Any trouble.”

“No trouble here!” The first three said, however, the fourth one had a look in their eye that Bowser couldn’t dent. When demanding an answer from the Paratroopa, he’d merely point a finger downward, and Kamek would commence a spell that gave Bowser a better look at what they spotted.

His eyes caught small beings with limbs akin to that of a human, but their skin was completely trumped by their purple jump suits and a mask that covered the entirety of their face. The only thing truly visible were their red eyes that shone in a red hue behind a yellow face mask. 

They were trailing the hills far, far away from the carriage of the two princesses.

“Any idea what that is, Kamek?” Bowser asked, looking concerned.

“They look unfamiliar to me, sire.” Kamek answered, squinting at their appearance, “But my magic is picking up a bad feeling about this. Should we intervene?”

Bowser paused for a moment.

If there was any chance to be a hero, it would be now.

But if they did this, they risked showing signs that they had invaded the Mushroom Kingdom. “Not yet.” He said with a growl, “We have to wait until the right moment. The perfect moment!”

“Bowser…” Pit grumbled, “This is such a weird version of the guy. He’s usually so big and scary!”

“He’s not scary at all.” Angela argued, “He’s literally just a turtle with spikes on his back.”

“And he can grow much bigger than this for all we know!”

“What’s next? He can breathe fire?”

“Exactly!” Pit said, Bowser’s airship fading as the next scene came into play. “Oh! Ssshhh! Next scene!”

The carriage was entering the land that bridged the gap between Toad Town and the Mushroom Kingdom.

SCENE 3

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑 𝐂𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐓!

Just around this was Sprinkling Waters, and Frosted Glacier. While, there was a shorter way to get there, which was through the Magic Carpet they kept locked up in the underground of the castle, Peach wanted to save its magical energy for the Star Festival; and also to show Zelda the Layer Cake Dessert.

They arrived, the Layer Cakes as tall as the hills a wonder to be a hold even for the tired Toads.

People dressed in robes of orange with white stripes with wide legged trousers and bandages wrapped around their heads stood outside of their wooden shops and homes to greet the two Princesses. The most common thing offered to them, of course, was cake.

In response to smelling a small slice of cake, Zelda could only say: “Woah! This smells like vanilla! As a matter of fact, this entire place does.”

As much as she desired to dig in, she decided to save her gluttony for the sweets at the festival.

The town was quite linear, bustling with children carrying scoops of ice cream with Layer Cake Dessert icing; some preferred carrying cabbages and assisting their store owners with selling them. Most adults were conversing inside of wooden restaurants, or outside.

“I need to come here more often.” Zelda said, the smell of cake overwhelming her soul, “I expected such when you said the seven lands looked delicious, but… I never expected this to be so… sweet!”

“Here, bakers eat their cakes on top of those giant pillars of stone.” Peach said, pointing towards a pillar of stone that stood amongst the sinking sand, completely stoic in expression. “When you eat the cake, they sink further into the sand. It’s supposed to symbolize earthly possessions leaving your body in turn for a higher transformation.”

Zelda pictured the idea so clearly, and couldn’t help but smile excitedly at it. “I wonder if I could fly! Well, I can, but flying from eating cake? It must feel… weird! I wonder if a Hylian can even do that.”

“It hasn’t been proven nor has it been disproven.” Peach giggled.

But as youthful banter passed, trouble was lurking.

Tmp.

Tmp.

Tmp.

“Huh?”

The chatter of the streets stopped for a moment, replaced with gasps that caught the two princesses off guard. Their Princess Emblems were glowing, which meant… danger was near.

Peach whipped her head to look outside of the carriage, and the sight before her urged every nerve in her body to act.

The Sour Bunch, the group Bowser's crew had spotted earlier, bursted out from a nearby crowd, throwing the town into a chaotic frenzy. Doors slammed shut, children hid behind whatever they could as the dust from the pounding footsteps clouded their vision.

The path they were taking—it was straight out of the city!

And what they carried inside of the barrels strapped to their backs were the single most important food in the history of the Layer Cake Dessert, used to show respect for foreign lands.

The Layer Cakes!

Peach and Zelda nodded, leaping out of the carriage, a miniature dustorm forming from the weight of their steps. The Sour Branch noticed them, and urged for a faster pace, but that wouldn’t stop the outcome. It was decided the moment the Princesses rode onto these lands.

“Stay here and aid the civilians, my toads.” Peach said, her demeanor unchanging, unlike her Princess Emblem, that radiated with a pink light that was screaming to be released. “We’ll take care of this.”

Zelda placed both hands onto Princess Emblem that shone valiantly, its might incomparable. The magical energy coursing through her veins eventually brought her mind to a conclusion. “Peach.”

She held up three fingers.

Peach knew all too well what that meant. Her hand soared towards the sky, her Princess Emblem unleashing an ever-twirling ribbon that wrapped around her body, dawning her as a being of pure light!

Before it could reach her face, however...

“PRINCESS POWER…” Spark! “...SPARKLE ON!”

Sparkle! Sparkle!

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍!

In a dark world with the potential of endless light!

The ribbon eventually stopped upon going into her dress without proof of penetration, and magic lifted her off of the ground. 

She twirled, giggling as threads of light lashing outward to lace around her waist. In turn for her crown, which dissolved smoothly out of the world, the radiant outline of a cowboy hat formed in its place, as newly formed boots stomp onto the sand beneath. From her hands, the threads of light circulated at a speed unable to be registered, yellow gloves being the endgame, creating with a dazzling spark.

She winked as she spun around once more, light seeping towards her neck. It came as natural as fabric, just considerably more sparkly; by the end of the fabric and magic’s interconnection, a red scarf poofed out of existence, residing firmly above her cowgirl suit that came with a burst of light. 

A single thread of light trailed away from her, but it had forgotten something. Angling itself back instantly, causing Peach’s hips to shift,

For the next, Peach would take on the role of the creator, bending over with the light in her hands, and layering that light on top of the light already forming to bring life to pants that just barely past the boundary of her legs’ width, and with a final touch of the finger, the brown boots completed the transformation.

Fwooooshhhh…

As the dust settled, reality revealed not a princess, but a girl with instincts out of this world, and muscles that were contained by wardrobe, luckily, but still held the might that could overthrow the world’s greatest castles. Spinning back onto the ground, Peach now stood with one hand to her hip, tilting her hat downward. Wink!

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐂𝐎𝐖𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇!

Alongside her, a white horse stood, loyal to her only. The saddle was ready and everything, the Toads wondering: “Why couldn’t she just do that earlier?”

No time to waste! The Sour Branch was still in sight! Peach leapt onto her horse, raising a fist as it roared to show the world its glory. “Neeeiiiigggghhh!”

And bam! The two blasted off, Zelda following behind just enough to keep them within their sights. 

Leaving town, they were in the more open area of the Layer Cake Desert; a vast expanse of sand where you could see the Moai statues in all of their glory. They weren’t alone, for jagged rocks that pierced the sand, as well as the cake shaped mountains that may or may not be edible by Layer Cake society standards, accompanied them. 

From afar, Peach could see the sand being disturbed, split asunder and rising upwards in the face of bustling footsteps. 

“Ha-cha!” She urged her horse to go to an even greater speed, and like a rocket, she blasted off! Approaching the adversaries, a moonlight flash made itself apparent as she threw her hand to the right as if she was grabbing something. The light shaped itself solely for her, revealing a lasso with a yellow of luminosity.

The Sour Branch ran as fast as their legs could carry them, but the burden their blessing put on their back was too great. Sweat began to run down their eyes and fingertips.

They weren’t going to make it in time… unless…

Whistle!

Suddenly, Peach and Zelda would hear a distant rumbling from the east. Peach didn’t bother to come to a halt, but was concerned at the sight of a hellstorm of sand hurdling towards her. “What is…”

THOOM! THOOM! THOOM!

Bulls draped in a purple that spoke of nothing but evil.

That’s what they were.

As the scene grew closer, Peach could tell that they were acting as aid for the purple coated villains.

So they have a plan. Commendable for some criminals.

Peach yielded for a moment, the rumbling of the ground beginning to throw her off balance. Skrrttt! Luckily, Zelda was there to prop her back up, even if her balance wasn’t that good. The bulls arrived, and a hellstorm of sweet snow separated the opposing worlds, allowing the one of evil to get a headstart.

But Peach wouldn’t falter. Zelda fanning the flame out with a beam of light, Peach’s horse charged even stronger this time! To avoid the sandstorm, Zelda had seemingly disappeared, leaving behind a magical shimmer of emerald green, an occurrence which Peach paid little attention to, and persisted anyway. 

Over the slope of land she went, twirling her lasso as she progressed. The Sour Branch enemies didn’t seem to be used to these slopes, and so half of them departed to the west, whether it was of their own accord or not. “Oh not you don’t!”

Yanking her horse west, it came bolting over numerous slopes, an uproar of sand trailing. Wind rushed past her face, stealing strands of her hair free as she leaned low over the horse's neck. The muscles of the animal stretched beneath her like coils of steel, every breath now a ragged gust.

The Sour Bunch’s bulls continued to strike uneven ground in an uneven place, the constant jolts nearly launching them off their saddles.

The thunderous hooves caused a force that nearly blinded their vision, but all they could do was persist forward. 

Peach clamped her knees tight, muscles tensing as she steadied the reins. “Almost there…” She whispered through gritted teeth.

Turning around, the distance between the first ground was staggering. She needed to wrap this up quickly.

Luckily, not only was she gaining on them, the thundering hooves of her horse matching the earthquake the bull’s generated, but Peach knew every inch of this land.

So, she yielded once more, smirking. The Sour Bunches were left confused, but capitalized on her hesitation.

Until—

BRAAK—KSSSHHH!!!

An uproar of sand sent their bodies rippling into the air, Peach looking on in glory. Of course, there were some areas in the land, specifically outdoors, where sand was considered… unstable.

The cakes were surprisingly durable, and so remained unfazed as they descended from the sandy sky. This is where Zelda made her reappearance, her Princess Emblem radiating with brilliance as she channeled a foreign energy into sputtering spears of light, each aimed at the assortment of cakes falling.

Plum!

Those spears of lights formed into baskets of wood, different in sizes.

Thank the Goddesses they landed all on the same side. 

Peach turned her horse around, giving Zelda a nod of approval. “Try and use your magic on me, Zelda. I have a feeling things are going to get… a bit rough from here on out.”

“Of course.” Zelda nodded, “I’ll be charging up a magic attack of my own whilst doing so, so be on the lookout. Before that, I’ll take these criminals to the authorities.”

“Right!” Peach agreed, “Now, let’s go!”

“NEEEIIIGGGGHHHH!”

Back to the path!

Reclaiming the distance with an iron fist, Peach readied her lasso once more, her hat hiding her eyes in a shadow. The Sour Branch could hear her even as if she seemed too far out of sight due to the slopes. 

Both parties were aware of the path ahead. Where the land ended, a seemingly endless assortment of bridges connected this land to the next, where the Layer Cakes stood bolder, and the Moai’s gazes all the more frightening. They were eyeing the Sour Branch crew with contempt.

The bridge was sturdy, but was also long and the journey below spoke only of death. Peach pushed her horse harder, momentarily losing the group due to the brunt of a larger slope. Her vision of them regained, she found that they had split up into groups of three amongst three bridges.

Peach grunted. “Oh! This is a toughie!” She admitted, and of course, she persisted anyway, taking the middle bridge. The world was finally free from the sand, despite the thundering sound of hooves still persisting. The sturdy bridge paid no mind to it, of course.

If they escape into the next land, it’ll be difficult to catch them. 

But no significant worry struck her heart. She could always trust in her fellow princess, after all!

Warp!

In a green twist of light, Zelda had appeared right in front of the structure that connected two different, yet similar worlds. A blazing aura surrounding her arms as she placed her hands on her Princess Emblem again. The world around her became black as she entered the depths of her mind, channeling every ounce of energy into one, singular point to be released from her hand. Beforehand, she had already marked the enemies as “red” (evil) and Peach as “green” (good), so the trajectory was already determined.

The veins on her forehead made themselves apparent, her entire body not tensed.

“PRINCESS POWER…” Crackle! “...DIN’S EMBER!”

Fwooosshhh!

A blazing red ripped through the air, discriminating only to Peach and the bridges. Peach yielded her horse, readying her lasso. A scorching radiance sent the bulls and the Sour Branch upwards to the skylines, along for them to plummet down.

The mighty lasso extended as Peach whipped it to the right, and twirled it in a beautiful arc before unleashing its might in full. The lasso was larger than life, and was able to tie each and every member of the Sour Bunch and their bulls into a single bundle. The lasso descended, leaving them to dangle at Peach’s mercy.

Peach stepped off of her horse, hand on hip as she looked disappointedly down at the Sour Branch group. She lifted them up back onto the bridge, slamming the lasso down onto the floor. “You're all in big, big trouble now. Do you know just how much trouble you caused for this amazing town?!” Peach scolded, reverting back to her original form with a pout and her arms crossed.

Zelda approached them, holding the same expression. Though, when they turned to each other, their smiles returned. “Nice job, keeping your dress completely unscathed." 

Zelda tilted her head, smiling. “I just didn’t put in all of the physical work like you did.” She said, “Even in transformation, your beauty remains.”

She then turned to the perpetrators. “Let’s take these fools to the authorities.”

“Right.” Peach agreed, “You'll be answering the Layer Cake Queen.”

The scene was so intriguing that Angela was reading alongside Pit, leaning at the expense of a comfort he didn’t care about.

“See how much better it is without Link?” Pit asked, raising a fist in hype.

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Angela sighed, her gaze fixated on the princesses. “I can’t believe I’m seeing this. These women are so beautiful, yet kick so much ass!”

"...Language."

Choosing to ignore Pit's comment, Angela clamped her hands together, positioning them to her heart with a warm smile brought from the depths of nostalgia. “...And I’m going to help them.”

“Snap outta it!” Pit said, tapping her shoulder and breaking her immersion. “We got another scene!”

"Oh, crap!"

SCENE 4

From above, Bowser had watched the entire scene, and his jaw had dropped to the floor along with his minions. “Wow… she’s… super strong!”

Kamek adjusted his glasses. “Seems so.”

“There is no ‘seems so’, Kamek!” Bowser corrected angrily, “She’s a warrior! And there’s that girl from Hyrule! Guess dear old Ganny doesn’t wanna mess with her anymore!”

“But sire, we registered this threat as something big enough for someone of your stature.” Kamek said, his voice wavering, “...If the Princess can handle it, then… is this necessary?”

Bowser’s eyes became bloodshot in light of that question. He took his gaze over to the clouds, fists clenched. “Back then, people could look at me a lot differently. Unfortunately, the Stars of this land have deemed me too dangerous.” He said, “I can’t come all the way out here without proving somethin’! ‘Cause even villains got hearts, Kamek! That being said…”

Competence returned to his eyes, and he stood at the center of his ship, automatically gaining the attention of his troops. “...Keep looking for more trouble throughout the Mushroom lands!” He commanded valiantly, making Kamek a bit more optimistic. “...No matter what, we’re going to save this kingdom!”

As the scene faded to darkness, Pit held a glimmer of hope in his eyes.

“Looks like his plan is going to end in embarrassment.” - Pit.

“...Probably.” - Angela.

BONUS INFO

• When the two were younger, Pit and Angela would always fight with the high quality dolls that reflected two archetypes from the Book of Ever After. Angela held a princess, and Pit held a warrior.
• Angela’s favorite colors are white and pink, and she enjoys chocolate very much, especially if it comes from soldiers.
• There’s a specific page in the Book of Ever After that Pit despises. Palutena burned all copies of the page except one that seemed to be immune. She keeps it locked up in her vault, and all by a single letter is visible to them. 

“Medusa.”

End of Chapter 2.

Chapter Text

“So what’s next?” Angela asked, watching as Pit flipped the page.

“...Oh, looks like we’re going straight to the Frosted Glacier.” Pit answered.

And thus, the scene would unfold.

The spires of the crystalline castle that reached the stars, which laid surprisingly low beneath the yellow moon, held a monument of the snow people.

The man, the myth, the legend.

The penguins who had plenty of land to slide around; the Snow Pokies who could walk freely or stay put, proud of the effort put into them, whether it came from a child or an adult; the cakes made out from the majestic icing that only the caves held; and of course, the stars for those who soared so, so high, all was because of one person.

𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐉𝐎𝐍 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘!

In his throne, two men holding in heavy ice armor and spears bowed before him as he stood up, his dark blue kimono swaying from the wintry air that blasted through a square section of the wall that was left without ice to spare. His eyes met the crystal walls, and only enhanced the light blue brilliance of his eyes. Bits of snow caught into the two large bangs of dark blue hair on the side of his face, but calmly, he shook it off.

His two guards stood at the ready, their spears pointing to the sky as the king’s bare feet touched the final step. 

When suddenly…

“Today is finally the day!”

A smile cleansed his face of seriousness!

The guards couldn’t help themselves from smiling.

As expected. They all thought.

“Think about it. On this very day, Princess Peach of the Mushroom Kingdom made us the biggest Frosted Cake ever!” Jon exclaimed, “And today, I not only get to taste the art of a patisserie of our caliber, but I am also granted with something far, far greater…”

His Prince Emblem, the ice wrapped around his wrist, glowed with the magic of a tiny, swirling blizzard. “I finally have the opportunity to test the might of my sword! Icebringer!” 

As his mind was stuck in his gallant reality, another royal soul stood unpleased. 

Her hair of black with the glitter of wintry framed her face perfectly, even extending to the lower half of her back. She too bore a kimono that was the same color of her hair, but had the decency to wear heels of ice. Black eyes of displeasure stared at her brother, and she shook her head, arms crossed. “Please soothe your enthusiasm, brother.” She said, “You don’t want to disturb the princess, or break your sword again.”

𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐀 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐘!

“Don’t talk like that, Alisa.” Sighed Jon, walking down the pathway. “The princess of the Mushroom Kingdom is the one who granted us the greatest cake in our land’s history. Just how could it be true? A foreigner with the ability to make cake better than the snow itself? Ah, how impossible!”

Alisa tilted her head to the side, “She isn’t all that great to me.” She said, “There are so many in this land who attempt to master the art of Ice skating, but only the best find joy in it. If she can’t do that… then is she really a Princess?”

Alisa’s Princess Emblem was a small amulet forged of ice—the ice itself holding a world of endless, beautiful colors. It sparkled, sprinkles raining down, fated to disappear on the ground. “Is there anything she can’t do?”

At the end of the pathway Jon walked, a secret passage of ice rested beneath. Coming to a stop the ground rumbled, and soon, transformed, those around bearing no signs of disturbance. As what was below began to ascend, a circle was outlined by the ice itself from where it would appear; that area would compress, water sinking into the depths below to make way for the ice pillar that held the one and only… 

𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑!

Jon touched it, his eyes luminescent. “The Ice flower is the only reason this land is able to exist, just as the Fire flower allows life in the Layer Cake Desert. It’s a great source of power granted by the Seven Stars themselves, destined to be wielded by those of royalty.” He explained, “Princess Marie is the only one to have been able to wield this power, and if there’s one thing about Princesses, it’s that they refuse their fate to be entrusted to some Prince.”

Crack! A magical force in his hand sent a web of fractures throughout the ice, patterns of swirling light floating down, their shine ending at the ground. Jon’s eyes furrowed with intensity as his hands forced the ice to succumb to his might. Crack!

And the Ice Flower floated by itself, by far the shiniest object in the room. When Jon touched it, an aura of ice danced around him effulgently, filling him with enchantment. It looped, looped, and looped around him, until the third time where it all culminated into his right hand.

And as fast as it went in, the faster and stronger it bursted out to reveal a mighty, double edged sword, the hilt laying downward. A scabbard strapped onto his waist, strapped from the tiny residuals of the magic.

𝐈𝐂𝐄𝐁𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑

“I’ll let the Princess decide… whether she’s destined or not.”

Alisa finally smiled, hiding it from her brother, of course. “Yeah, we will.” 

And then, the two would jump into a one horse open slay that was able to operate thanks to the help of the mighty penguins that were different from the rest. They had the ability to fly due to unknown magical properties, but of course, they needed a head start to keep this running.

And so, together, the two siblings would call for the one who could make it happen.

“TY-FOO!”

The creature who blended in with the clouds of snow. It manifested from the ground, inhaling…

And then…

“WOOOHOOOOOOO!”

An exhale that sent them flying happily into the sky!

The scene then faded to black.

Pit and Angela were sitting on an isolated rotating star that was angled perfectly towards the castle, and conveniently where they flew off to.

“A prince, huh?” Pit asked, scratching his head, “Reminds me of Marth… except, way, way cooler.”

“He’s nowhere near as handsome.” Angela frowned. 

“All that matters is that he’s not as handsome as me!”

“Uh, sure…”

The star below them suddenly disappeared as the two found themselves in another land. Here, the trees were abnormally huge, the giant leaves hiding the sky above.

 “Woah…” Angela looked around, flapping her wings obsessively to keep her balance, “Everything is so huge!” Sniff, sniff, “Hey… that smells like… Grape Juice?”

“Hm… must be the Soda Jungle.” Pit suggested, getting his confirmation as he opened the book. “Quick! Let’s get in that tree up ahead!”

“Right!”

Fwooosshh!

BELOW.

After years of being too poisonous for visitors, this jungle was finally cleansed of its impurity by the help of Princess Marie. So forth, with the upbringing of the new sovereign, this graceful land had nothing to worry about. With the disappearance of soda came Juice, as it was always meant to be. 

In the center of the forest resided the fruit that held it all together.

The Divine Grape.

The grand fruit strung together by the divine threads that were the vines that intersected from the trees that held them together. Even they struggled to hold its gargantuan weight and magic. The Wigglers, the Purple Piranha Plants, Bramballs, all of them lived because of this fruit.

The only thing above the importance of this fruit was the one who it was entrusted to.

Today, she walked through the giant forest with two bodyguards, both females with two, large purple buns on their heads. Their heavy, purple armor rumbled the ground beneath them, but their leader didn’t falter.

𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐀 𝐂𝐋𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐄

A girl with buggy, back eyes that stood emotionless, and held black hair with purple streaks that stood motionless no matter what she did. On her waist, she carried a blade with one edge, the hilt shaped into a form of four, angelic wings; the scabbard, colored in white, was strapped onto her back, her hand ready to release its fury at any moment. Subtle muscles were buried beneath the tight, black uniform that transitioned into a dress, her white cape fluttering along with the leaves.

Her princess Emblem was a metallic, purple bracelet wrapped around her wrist.

Step.

Step.

Step.

Her hips swayed slightly as she walked, a purple allure left behind.

Step.

Step.

She stopped before the Divine Grape, her purple lips curling into a smile.

“Ah, how beautiful it is.” Naia claimed, her voice lingering in delight. “To believe just years ago, this fruit was poisonous to our land.”

“Princess.” The first female bodyguard spoke, “We have only an hour unti—”

“Ssshhhh…”

Naia raised a finger to her lip, the guards obeying as she seemed to be on high alert. In silence, a distant slithering could be heard amongst the steep grass, moving closer to them by the second. Naia’s hand shot over to her scabbard, eyes to the east, where a giant bush blocked any form of sight.

TUSSLE..

The bodyguards raised their clubs, preparing their minds for the future.

TUSSLE…

TUSSLE…

The vines of the Divine Grape shifted, Naia’s eyes drawn in an intensity.

TUSSLE…

TUSSLE…

Then…

BOOM!

A Purple Piranha Plant—lashing out!

A loud screech was heard, signaling the right to attack for both. However, Naia kept her sword undrawn, her hand flopping down, only to raise back up as a gesture to hold her guards back. She stood unfazed—emotionlesss as the beast boasted its teeth and the deep abyss within.

But she didn’t move.

Instead…

Pat. Pat.

She patted it on the head, the suspense in the air lowering.

“Did you come to say hello, girl?” Naia asked.

This time, the Piranha Plant groaned, falling into the calmness of Naia’s hand. The two bodyguards slowly set their clubs down, exchanging glances of confusion.

“Was it those Boos again?” Naia inquired, butting heads with the plant, “Oh, don’t worry about them. I’ll take care of it shortly. For now, reserve your energy. You are purified, now. There’s no need to worry.”

And just like that, the Plant crept back into the bushes, going back to whence it came.

“Now,” Naia turned to her guards as if nothing had happened, “What were you saying?”

“Um…”

“There is only an hour before we are expected at Toad Town.” Answered the second bodyguard, “We have our beverages ready.”

“Good to know.” Naia answered.

The only thing that was left now was to create the barrier around the Divine Grape, and of course, only Naia could do such a thing. 

Even as the guardian of this forest, it felt that this Grape was too large—too sacred—for anyone to touch. Regardless, she found her hand moving closer, and closer to the divine fruit, until eventually, she touched it, setting her Princess Emblem ablaze. Like vines, purple, magical threads jutted out of her wrist, quickly latching onto the Divine Fruit.

A magical energy set her soul into bliss, her body in strain. But pain was meaningless in the joy it felt to protect.

I am of the greatest debt to the Mushroom Kingdom for purifying this land. Now, this forest is able to thrive, and has someone who will answer their prayers, no matter what. 

My job is yet complete, however. There is still a section of the forest that has been left untouched by my divine hand.

If this forest is to persist… then I need to lay the perfect foundation for the next Clementine.

The vines surrounding the Divine Grape, a distorted sound reverberating throughout the entire forest. She exerted more energy within the vines and her body, the veins of her muscles visible through her uniform. 

Princess Peach, after this Festival, you will become immortal.

So, I want the taste of my juice to live with you forever.

In a final push of magical energy, the juice of the vines hitting her face, a purple flash of light dignified the vicinity in an hopeful omen. The leaves, the animals, the guards; their eyes couldn’t turn away from the beautiful radiance of their one and only queen. 

In the end, when the light dissipated, the leaves finally at rest, a spherical barrier now surrounded the Divine Grape. The barrier itself was purple—extraordinary with intricate hexagon patterns and cackling lightning. Naia stepped away from the Divine Grape, still holding her look of impressionability. 

“Good.” She said, turning back to her bodyguards. Then, a simple command. “Before we go, however… I want to meet the Boo Queen.”

NEXT SCENE

Within the area of the jungle where the dark skies exuded the jagged colorings of a child, and a purple mist clouded abandoned castles, a single house stood—bigger in the inside. There, where Boos roamed freely, was a girl who they could look at without stopping.

She sat peacefully in the center of it all, despite the crashing of blocks everywhere. Her eyes were closed, but no one would suspect she could see anything with the cascade of black hair that covered her face like a spider. Beneath that held blood colored eyes.

Her skin was awfully pale, though most of it was hidden underneath her black uniform. The top was held together with golden buttons, and beneath that was a belt made of the same thing.

𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐋𝐄

“Why is it so… bright today?” She asked herself, “Am I… being blessed?”

Should I move this castle further away? The Star Festival will be visible from all over the kingdom. My precious Boos will be forced to hold their eyes shut for an entire day, and so will I. I should consider it. But something tells me that I can stand just fine. I can just retreat to the mirrors if the light is too great.

Her Princess Emblem resided in her heart, and now, her heart was throbbing harder than before.

I don’t like this feeling, she told herself, clenching her chest with wrinkled fingers, I’m having these thoughts of arriving to that wretched festival!

From a door that defied gravity—right above her—a voice spoke, stopping the sound of her Boos.

“Today is the day.”

Naia.

Wendelle’s head did a 360, bones crunching. “Another cure?” She asked, uninterested. 

“No.” Naia said, “Something far, far greater.”

“What could possibly be greater than resurrection?” Wendelle asked.

“It won’t be coming from me this time.” Waged Naia, “It’ll be from Princess Toadstool herself.”

“Porpostruous!” Wendelle beckoned, her eyes shooting wide open. “My Boos can’t live without their queen! I’m perfectly content with the darkness! Leave me be!”

“But think about it, Wen.” Naia said politely, a vein appearing over her brow. “You wanted to become a Princess, remember? You were born from royalty, but you died so soon. If the Princess can save you, this jungle can be even greater than what it is.”

“And who’s to say it won’t become poisonous again?”

“Me, and those who will come after.” Naia said, extending her hand, “Please, Wen. Peach can bring life back to you. You can finally live the way you wanted to.”

A ghost living forever wasn’t a good thing.

With life inevitably came regrets.

Wendelle’s head violently spun to the left, and life would seep into her eyes.

The only picture in this room of hers, adorned in a golden frame.

It depicted her with perfect skin, and the most dazzling dress of purple. Her daughters below outshined her, their innocent smiles the brightest thing within this place.

“Are you sure… we’re not normal the way we are?” Wendelle asked, her voice quivering. “Would she really help… a “queen” like me?”

Naia placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, kneeling down. “She’s the daughter of Marie.” She said, “Trust me, she will.”

“....”

Her Princess Emblem matched the redness of her blood.

“.....Okay.” She whispered, “I will. I just need some more clothing.”

END.

Limbo.

“There’s a bunch of Princesses lying around.” Pit noticed, “Most of ‘em weren’t even mentioned in any of Peach’s stories. As much as I hate to say it, I don’t think Bowser’s wish is gonna come true.”

“Really? Why’s that?” Angela asked.

“Peach will probably have to prove herself with these Princesses, so Bowser will come to the realization that he can’t save Peach, so someone else will… we just have to keep on the lookout for who, though.” Pit said.

“Can’t one of the princesses save her?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“That never happens to Peach.” Pit said, “Ever since the first Book of Ever After was published, she was always saved by Mario. And if not Mario, then his brother. And in some really weird cases, someone else. It’s always a guy.”

“But you yourself said something is wrong with this narrative.” Angela said, showing him the list of inconsistencies he wrote down. “These princesses aren’t supposed to exist, right? What are we supposed to do? If we don't do anything, then we run the risk of a princess saving... Peach…”

Pit flipped the page, taking Angela’s information into account. “We just have to wait for it to progress more…” He said, visibly concerned, “We have another princess up next, so let’s see if we have enough data back then.”

But he couldn’t deny this feeling of uneasiness he tried too deeply to hide.

I don’t get it…

Why is Peach… being given all of this?

This can’t be the same writer, right?

Man, this feeling is only getting worse...

NEXT SCENE!

𝐃𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐑𝐘 𝐏𝐀𝐒𝐒

Sitting right above the Margarine Clouds, a land full of cherry blossoms flourished.

The Blocksteppers marched across the pink coated fields, shouting commands in unison and obeying them without thought (it was mostly just marching back and forth). Some Cherry Blossoms went along with the wind, while the others remained where they were. 

The trees holding these cherry blossoms were most prominent where the land went into an upward slope to its highest point. If you walked this path, you would most certainly be too immersed to lose sight of it. Children passed here, though only half could go out to such a height.

At the end of this path was the highest point of the land, marked by a single, three story Japanese temple. On the top floor, tainted windows spoke of a bright day outside, the pink walls making it all the more colorful. Even the things that held a darkness shade, like the two gongs on the side that were built of a dark steel, but held a pinkish feel to them.

KRR-ASSSSHHH!

KABAM!

SKRRRSSHING!

Inside, a mighty woman’s hand laid waste to another pile of stone with monstrous hands, her muscles—which were comparable to that of ten men—bulging through her pink gi. She clenched her fist, unsatisfied with the result, and even more annoyed than a strand of the pink hair that framed her face. With a snarl, she kicked away the remains of the broken stone, the single braid that dignified her hair flipping to the side rapidly, making her even more annoyed.

𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐀 𝐑𝐎𝐒𝐄

She had been at it ever since the first sign of light appeared in the sky, and never once had she thought of sleeping

“I don’t understand… why can’t I master the beast’s style?”

A question with seemingly no answer. She had set out of this temple time and time again to analyze it once more; the drawing on the ground, stone wall that depicted the movements of a beast far too abnormal to be considered another Koopa. 

The Star Festival was today.

And all she could remember was Marie.

“Oh, Marie. If only there was another one of you.” She sighed, “You used to make me all the tools I needed to fight against any foe even when I was young. Now, all I have are these darn fists!”

Her Princess Emblem was an amulet made of many, magical crystals of pink, laying right in between her large pecs. 

And I don’t even want to be at the Star Festival.

All of the flashy and cutesy decorations make my eyes burn!

With a heavy exhale, she’d plump onto the floor, the hexagon floorboards quaking.

Time is ticking, and nothing is aligning with what I wanna do with it! C’mon! 

“Ma’am.”

Heading into the room was another her, although not exactly “her” per say. The Cherry item grew from the Cherry Blossoms, and while it was able to create a replica of someone and have their movements copied, they didn’t exactly uphold the values of the original. In fact, there were some cases where secrets you either didn’t know existed or things that borderline weren’t true to yourself were revealed by the doppelganger.

“If it’s tea, just leave.” Sara said, not bothering to acknowledge her, “I don’t want to make you disappear.”

“...You’re still not ready for the Festival.” The doppelganger said with a droopy face.

“I am ready.” Sara retorted.

The doppelganger sighed, taking a seat on the floor across from the original Sara. She sat knees first, hands on legs. “Sara… this is possibly the last chance to save your reputation. Nearly everyone in the Mushroom Kingdom, and even some of the habitants outside of this temple think you’re too scary to approach directly. You might want to consider wearing an actual dress, too.”

“Screw it.” Sara huffed, “I looked in the mirror today, and decided this is what I’m gonna wear.”

“As you always do.” Argued the doppelganger, “Don’t you know already? The fact that I’m still around like the others who share your mentality proves that a part of you knows this isn’t right. Marie was beautiful, and strong. Not borderline barbaric.”

“I don’t understand.” Sara said, clenching her fist tightly. “Who in the world decided that everything should be so sparkly? Marie was beautiful, yeah, but she was a warrior, too. I’m a warrior, and warriors don’t have to be pretty to get the job done.”

She took a deep breath and hopped onto her feet, immediately turning over to the tainted windows. Just barely, she could spot the girls and boys far, far down the mountain where rocks stood as the gateway between the sparkling water and land, practicing her stances while wearing her Gi.

“The princess can’t just be cute.” Sara said, “She has to be strong, too. That’s why I’m going, and I don’t care what anyone else thinks. I’m going to be her greatest adversary yet, so…”

She planted her fist to her hips, a bold smile emerging from her face. “...She better be ready to prove herself to me!”

SCENE END.

“She’s going to be fighting… a Princess?” Pit questioned, his worry increasing. “Crap! This is exactly what the page said, too! Didja note down the inconsistency?”

“Yep…” Angela said, keeping herself from fangirling. “So, what do we do?”

Pit entered a pondering pose.

We only need Princess Peach to join our cause, but there are so many princesses here that the ripple effect it would cause would be catastrophic for this world. Plus, there’s Zelda, too. She’s in the page right after Peach, but the worlds are conjoined.

If this was the Subspace story, no one would have a problem, but this is supposed to be about Peach.

And there’s no real hero in sight, and an unknown villain.

So, what now?

As of right now, Pit only saw one way.

“Alright, Angela,” His tone became serious, and then, “There’s a strong chance… we’ll have to intervene! And if not, then Peach has to be cut!”

“WHAT?!”

A shocking decision!

Chapter End

Chapter Text

“WHAT?!” 

A troubling declaration from Pit!

Pit sighed, “There’s a very rare regulation for things like this. A failsafe, basically.” He said, “If there’s even a hint for the characters that we’re here, the book will begin to include us. I’ve been thinking about it, and trying to find a hero for Peach is way too risky.”

“Who cares if it’s risky?!” Angela retorted, “We can’t just… leave her here! We came here to make sure she’s there for the ending.”

“...Yeah.”

“So what’re you talking about?!”

“Look,” Pit shook his head, his hand reaching into the belt that held his tunic together. Out of it, he pulled forth a book. A golden dust glittered off of its cover, revealing the pixelated illustration of Mario (1985) saving Princess Peach.

It was something that both of them knew very well. Especially Pit.

In fact, part of the reasons why Angela knew of Mario and Peach in the first place was because he rambled about it so often. 

“I got this from the Angel Archives.” Pit went on, the sorrow of nostalgia filling his tone, “There’s not a single person in this multiverse of characters that don’t know who Mario is. I read the first book right before it got adapted into a game and all.” … “The Subspace Story, or, the Brawl Story, was the first time I got to team up with the plumber in action. I mean, c’mon. Whether he’s a doctor, a fighter, a space adventurer, racer, or a frog, he always wins. It’s because of him I was able to win the fight against Hades in the story right after. We might be the ones fixing the story, but, let’s face it…”

He paused for a moment.

Could he really say those words after all Mario had said to him?

No.

He isn’t here anymore, after all.

“Without Mario, Princess Peach has no hope of being saved.”

Angela felt her heart ache, instinctively raising her hand to her chest. 

Beneath her divine birthright, was a child who loved fairy tales!

“Don’t make me laugh,” she began in a distorted whisper, eyes hidden beneath her hair, “This is why Link is ten times the hero you are!”

Fwooomm!

In a sudden burst of light, Angela zoomed far off into the distance, feathers enveloping a good chuck of Pit’s eyesight. He waved them away annoyingly, staring up in utter disbelief as Angela flew off.

“Fine! Be that way!” Pit shouted towards the tiny spark of light growing further, and further away from him. “I’m supposed to fly by myself anyway!”

But the thought of what Palutena would want forced him to attempt to grab ahold of the light so far away, even though—when his hand dropped—there was nothing. He let out an even deeper sigh, taking one good look at his childhood book before putting it away, and re-opening the current one. It didn’t matter how far Angela flew, they would be in the same area anyway.

But, as he felt the distance grow closer, he remembered the words Mario spoke. 

Everyone was there, even two who weren’t from Nintendo, standing in triumph over the cross of light that hung over the sea, and radiating everyone there.

“Well, Pit. If I somehow don’t show up in the next story… be sure to ensure that everyone else gets a happy ending, alright?”

Pit hesitated to flip the page.

How can we do that… when you’re not here?

Unbeknownst to him, there were two people within the void who enjoyed his suffering. One of them looked just like him, standing behind a pillar of a cloud too far from sight.

𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐏𝐈𝐓!

“Looks like they’re splitting up.” He said, flipping a page in a book of his own.

A dark pen was held in his right hand, a dark feather twinkling with an evilish aura above. “Gee, didn’t know he fell off this hard after Brawl. He's making me look terrible up there.”

“But that goes for anyone in that Subspace tragedy, does it not?”

Behind him, laying on the ground with one leg raised up, holding her cheek in her palm, was the one and only… 

𝐁𝐀𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐀! (BAYONETTA 2 VERSION!)

“We’re fresh blood, after all.” She said, “Well, what other anomalies should we put in the way of these feather brains? Best hurry up. Our deal is quite limited.”

Dark Pit smiled maliciously, tightening the grip on his pen, “I have the perfect thing.”

He began with the words…

“A green witch…”

Peach and Zelda arrived at the sand filled castle of the Layer Cake Desert. The air was dry and damp, but redemption was found in the polished, stone walls that were carved in the murals of ancient cooking contest, the most prominent being the one containing flickering torchlight that was far greater than the rest of its brethren: The Cake War against the Frosted Glacier.

Before them was what the polished crimson runner built up to. 

The sand throne. Behind it, a stained glass window depicting the princess in all her glory. A tan skinned woman with the might of a man, flexing her biceps that shone like gold. Below resided the woman it was based off of.

𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐍𝐀!

She wore an empire waist dress that was a multitude of hues of orange, muscle rippling underneath as she excitedly leapt out of her seat. Her hair was black, all wrapped up in a large bun. “Oh, I can’t thank you enough, princesses! I truly appreciate your efforts to catch those cake-stealers! Please, if there’s any way I can repay you two, please let me know!” She exclaimed, her bright black eyes sparkling. 

“There’s no need to do such a thing, your highness.” Peach said, elbows bent and hands resting on her dress. She then summoned her parasol, twisting and turning it. “We’re glad we could be of service to you.”

Zelda bowed, “Speaking of, your cakes seem to be quite delicious, your sweetness.”

“Sweetness?” Pana gasped, fingertips inches away from her lips, “Oh! No one’s ever called me that before.”

“Oh, sor—”

“No, no, baby! I love it!” Pana assured, “I’m gonna make everyone call me that from now on! And oh! Would you like some cake before you go?”

“Of course!” Zelda instantly answered.

They walked out of the castle with cake crumbs dripping off of their mouths. It merged perfectly with the sand below, no matter how deep it was. 

Peach summoned a napkin, and handed it over to Zelda; then another for herself.

“I’m such a glutton.” Zelda complained to herself, chuckling, “I hope I didn’t gain too much weight.”

“Having a small sweet tooth doesn’t hurt.” Peach said, wiping the bread crumbs off of her face gently to not wipe off her make up.

“There’s nothing elegant about being impatient for sweets!” Zelda said insistently, “No offense, of course, haha. I guess that’s my mother talking.”

“Now,” Peach’s hair waved in the wind as she nudged towards Zelda with a smug look. She placed one hand on her hip, “Are we our mothers, Zelda?”

It took a while for Zelda’s mind to comprehend what that meant—most likely due to the focus on the sweetness that still remained on her tongue—but when she realized it, she could only chuckle, covering her mouth. “Sassy today, are we?”

Peach did the exact same motion. It seemed as if they were sisters. “Feeling like a queen today.” She said, perching up her heart shaped bangs.

“Get that.”

Suddenly, a silence lingered between the two. Peach wanted to say something, but was waiting for a response from Zelda, which seemed to be held down by her nervousness. Twiddling fingers, abstract staring. Peach knew something was wrong.

“Nothing, um,” Zelda chuckled, “It’s just… There’s something I want to ask.”

“Go ahead.”

“I…” 

Zelda’s voice began to waiver.

“I……”

“...Yes?”

“I hate to make this about me since it’s your day and all, but,” She paused, the hot wind moving her hair, along with the magical sparkles that were eager to follow. Clasping her hands together, gaze still abstract, she would ask, “Everyday in Hyrule, I’m practically a doll. I’m told when to speak. I’m told when to eat. When I can speak to my mother, and so on. You’re the only one I really feel myself around so, um, I was wondering when this is over… I want to show you something. A treasure, if you will.”

Eyes filled with sincerity, Peach took a gentle hold of Zelda’s hand and brought it closer to her. “You can show me anything, dear.” She said, “We’re friends, after all.”

Zelda’s heart finally felt at ease, and she melted her hand into Peach’s hand. “Thank you.”

Arriving back to the town, things were back up to pace again. The carriage was still where it was, although now swarmed by the curious children who saw the Toads as weird little creatures. The smell of cakes seemed to be consuming the air at an even higher degree than before, making it difficult for Zelda to resist her urges.

“Hello~! Oh, hi~!” Peach waved at those who cheered for her name, even blowing kisses that cultivated small, floating pink hearts.

Now at the carriage, she was worried about her poor Toads that were on the ground, utterly defeated.

“Might want to get back, everyone.” Peach said, calmly, but it was a command to everyone else.

“I’ll heal him.” Zelda prosed, a green magical energy spewing out of her Princess Emblem.

Peach placed both hands on her brooch, and when removed slowly, a magical ribbon

“Princess power~!” She shouted, her hands rising while still crossed in a magical fury. “Sparkle… on~!”

𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

Skin turned into light as the world faded into dark, making her the brightest star in her own universe. Her body soared, moving to the rhythm of the light that carried her through it all. She embraced it without question, giggling like a child.

Fwooosh!

A magical swirl suddenly held her stationary. Thereafter, she’d spread out her arms for the ring of multi-colored magic to consume her. 

Gold.

Her heels turned gold.

Her dress turned gold.

Her glove turned gold.

And most of all, she turned gold.

 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍: 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐊 𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇!

Back into the real world, she dropped onto the floor, causing a rumble. Even though she couldn’t speak as clearly, she at least could knock out a task the moment she got there. Zelda carried the Toads in the carriage, despite them being eager to continue.

“Don’t worry,” Zelda said in response, “My friend has it handled.”

And of course she did.

Strapping the two ropes over her shoulder, she’d exhale a metallic breath, and then…

BWOOOSHHH!

KABAM!

She blasted off!

“Woah! Wo—wooah!”

Zelda struggled to keep her balance as the world became a blur. The Toads were far too tired to do anything.

And so, they all got their rest as Pink Gold Peach ran across the Mushroom Land!

Chapter End