Galaxies Colide

Clouds and Companions

"Ah! That should do it, if I should say so myself!" Smiling proudly as she placed the final dish upon the table, Princess Peach had been bustling with her team of Toads all afternoon upon receiving a reply from she who'd been on the other end of the line just hours ago. From prepping the great hall by polishing the floors to clearing the courtyard by raking up rouge twigs, tradition stood strong in these preparations that were taken before the arrival of any important guest. Though she'd never admit it in public, Peach often rolled her princess eyes at the rather straining and tiring prep-work, often taking a harsh toll on her staff, which only increased her desire to help them along. Not only being obsolete and snobbish, these unnecessary precautions would likely receive an even bigger laugh and eyeroll from the castle's incoming guest, who often even expressed annoyance through having to even dress like a princess, much less walk and eat like one as well.

Having replied to Peach's causal invite text nearly instantly, the rate of travel of this familiar character from her homeland of Sarasaland to the Mushroom Kingdom alarmed even Peach herself and caused her staff to rush into preparations. Despite Peach's guest having to cross three time zones in the process, the trip required only ninety minutes of her time thanks to the supersonic jet she employed for rapid transport. Sure, she caused a lot of rush around here, but that didn't mean her arrival wouldn't still ring out joy and warmth for all residents of the Mushroom Kingdom.

"Your Highne-oh, I mean, Peach," Malcom called out from across the room as Peach turned to meet his gaze, "Your cousin's plane just landed not even a minute ago, you're probably looking at another ten minutes before she arrives." "Thanks, Malcom!" Peach replied, joy ringing in her voice as her face illuminated with hope. Making her way from the dining hall to prepare to greet her guest at the gates, Peach couldn't help but silently send out a mental thanks to her favourite cousin for rushing out here as she did. Though she hadn't gone into much detail in her text, Peach knew right away that the minute she explained her struggles to her cousin, that it wouldn't be long before a solution was discovered with her help. Just like when they were kids, many in the family complimented on how they completed each other; always lifting each other up to solve one another's problems. Whether that was as simple as boosting each other up to reach the cookie jar or as complicated as filling the royal duties of each other during absences, both of the royal cousins wouldn't ever doubt one another on anything that troubled them.

As of right now, Peach was absolutely blessed to have her cousin in her life; the struggles of her nightmares being not the only thing that troubled her right now. Her mind still ached as she attempted to source that magical female voice she'd heard after the explosion in Bowser's new galaxy. She'd known for a fact she'd never heard it before, and it sure didn't belong to anyone she'd seen during her time in captivity. Still recalling those dark times, Peach's mind now dragged with it the lingering thought that Mario had mentioned earlier. Could Bowser actually be watching her? Sure, he wasn't exactly the brightest blub in the box, yet he always seemed to be just one step behind her with his next master plan. Suddenly, as though all the blinds had been closed around her, the hallways seemed quite dark and empty of all energy that had floated there just moments ago. As if the shadow wasn't suspicious enough, the cheers and clatter of the bustling staff had faded from earshot as if the princess had wondered into another, oddly-similar dimension within her castle. Now seeming far too similar to her nightmare, the environment that Peach stood all alone in dragged rather horrific thoughts into her usually rather focused mind. "I guess the sun went behind a clou..." Taking her steps rather fast as she glanced to her sides, the princess's movements and speech were moments later halted by a rather plush object before her. Spinning her head forward with such momentum as to strain her neck, the scream-ready face of Princess Peach was craned upward as her eyes were locked onto the outline of the gigantic shape that rose before her. Ragged and fluid, the nearly ten-foot silhouette easily proved itself absolute nightmare fuel for the princess, as her peachy, quivering lips were now parted to unleash a shattering scream. The wind in her throat however was lost with her balance as her high-heeled shoes proved to be a terrible platform to maintain her stance. With the carpet-covered hardwood floor pounding itself against her backside, the towering shadow before her caused the princess to brace desperately, arms across her face as she prepared for the crushing impact of the monster that stood above her.