Today is a nice day... Today I will go home and my kingdom will welcome me back. It will be just as grand as the first time I was rescued...

A knock at the door awoke the princess from her daydreams. Or rather, at one of many bars seperating her from the freedom she wanted so desperately. Sure, they were spaced far too far to keep her in, but she would be caught easily and thrown back in... She looked up from her staring contest with the floor to see that certain familiar face. Yeah, yeah. Absolutely terrifying. But she noticed something was different about him. His posture was horrible, as usual. His hair probably hadn't been brushed in a few years. What could it be? His gaze wasn't the usual, greedy stare he gave her. Under his eyes rested rings of a dark color, something she hardly saw him with. It wasn't just his eyes. He seemed exhausted, as if...

"There's something I've been thinking about, Peachy." He said. She raised an eyebrow.

Yes, thinking definitely seems like the sort of thing that would exhaust him.

"I want..."

You want what? Oh yeah. Everything.

"...I want to m-make... a deal... with you."

Gee, wonder what that would involve. I'm pretty sure it would have to do with...

"...Your kingdom." He began, obviously horrible at thinking up correct sentences. Whatever those are. "Your kingdom, as we all know, is something mine will never be..." Obviously. She hesitated, then nodded. "So, I... I... I know I've asked you so many times, but... will... will you..."

"Where are you taking this, Bowser?" Questioned the princess, finally having gained the interest to say anything. She knew those words from anywhere.

"Will you... will you... willyouwillyou... willyoumarryme?"

Peach sighed. When she'd first heard that question from him, she'd had nightmares for a week. Now it just seemed tiresome, or even like part of a completely casual conversation. 'Oh, good morning Peachy. Why are you so miserable? Have you seen Junior lately? Will you marry me? Need anything to eat? Is there a wish that I can grant for you? How about one not involving Mario? Why are you crying?' What was amazing, though (or perhaps just annoying), was that the question never wore out for him. Every time he asked, he seemed so nervous that his eyebrows would drop off. Instead of starting unneeded arguments, Peach remained silent.

"Please? Remember... I... l-love you...?"

"What does this have to do with our kingdoms?"

"I was thinking... the err... the union of our kingdoms..." He stopped and cleared his throat. "Think about it, Peachy. The union of our kingdoms. Together, we would form the most powerful, plentiful land in hundreds, maybe thousands of years."

"Bowser... that's..." Incredible... He was finally thinking about kimself and his subjects. He must have really been thinking to come up with something so... so... "What's the catch?"

He shook his head, the infamous red mane waving wildly. "No catch. We get married. Our kingdoms merge. This may be our only chance to live a happy life."

"It wouldn't work. We couldn't live together, Bowser. All it takes is one screw-up, and we've got not one, but two kingdoms worth of... chaos."

"It would work. It could! I will make it work!"

"If there isn't peace between us, there cannot be peace between our kingdoms."

"But there's plenty of peace between us, Peachy..."

"Bowser, you don't get it, do you? I can't... love you..."

"I get it." He said, his voice suddenly taking on the quality of a growl.

"You... do?"

"It's him. It's Mario. You prefer that... that nobody to me!" His nervous expression was instantly replaced with one of anger.

"This again...?" Unknowing whether to be terrified or just more annoyed than usual, Peach almost was able to stop herself from adding one more comment. Almost. "Bowser, you stupid, stubborn Koopa... we all know the answer to that! I do love Mario, and he's far more caring than you will ever be!" Realizing what she said far too late, she covered her mouth with her hands.

"My being stupid is just another excuse, isn't it?" Bowser snarled. "Well, you're far more heartless than I am, princess. Turning down one who faithfully loves you. Treating me like trash. And why? Because I'm not Mario. Because I'm not loving, according to you. Because I'm not... human."

Peach snapped, to say the least. "No, you don't care! The moment you have me in your greedy, selfish claws, I'm locked in a smelly, cold dungeon for weeks on end! You have purposely tormented me and my kingdom for the last twenty-three years, then complain that I'm not patient or forgiving enough... This is the last time I ever speak to you, you damned... monster!"

The sickly sound of metal bending and breaking, made her jump. A wretched sob escaped the king, badly disguised as a sort of growl. He lowered his gaze, staring past the floor. "So I am the heartless, selfish, impatient monster. But remember: You made me like this. You say I have worn your patience, but you never gave me a chance in the first place! If I am such a monster I would have killed you already, you heartless little bitch." He turned his gaze to her, grinning. A hand went to the door, gripping it. "Well, I could always show you how much of a monster I can be!" And with that, he tore the door out of the way with a roar, seemingly as easy as it had simply been paper.