Misunderstanding

Finding the Perfect Solution

"Because the representatives from the Mushroom Kingdom have arrived," Kamek responded. "You need to meet with them now."

"Can I sleep after that?" Bowser mumbled, wiping his eyes. He had been having the best dream this morning, and now it was like a living nightmare.

Kamek let out a sigh before stopping at his king's glare. "Yes, Your Maliciousness. You can rest after that."

"Good," Bowser mumbled again, this time standing up. "Let's get this over with."

The two walked out of the meeting room, walking down two more hallways to a room strictly used for speaking with those in direct connection with other kingdoms. Bowser raised a brow, looking at the phone in the room surrounded by mushroom people suspiciously.

"I thought you said there were representatives here," Bowser hissed at Kamek, who smiled in return.

"I guess they're representing the phone call," he replied with a smirk. "They want you to speak with the king, but he can't be here presently."

"Why not?" Bowser sneered. "Am I not good enough for that pompous fungus brain?"

"No, he's gone on a peace mission with his wife. They're not sure how they're going to be gone, so they've set up this meeting now. They think it's the most convenient option."

"The most 'convenient' option would have been seeing me in person," Bowser grumbled. "Tell them I'm not going to see them until they can meet with me face to face. I'm not wasting my precious time with some mush-headed losers who can't even face me because they're being goody-goody politicians."

Kamek nodded, then floated over to the representatives to tell them the short of what Bowser had said, leaving the offensive bits out. Bowser walked away as the magikoopa did this, waiting by the corner near the council room. Kamek floated out and over to his king.

"What'd they say?" Bowser asked, not looking directly at his advisor.

"They said that the King and Queen were disappointed, but they also understood. They promised to set up a time and place as soon as they got back."

Bowser snorted, a small bit of smoke drifting from his nostrils. "I bet they will."

He began to walk away, throwing an "I'm going back to bed" over his shoulder at Kamek, who shook his head. As Bowser made the agonizingly long walk back to his chambers, he thought about the Mushroom Kingdom. Kamek had been right, they had resources that the Darklands needed desperately. That little park debacle at his previous meeting was a big sign of that. The pollution from the volcano's smoke was making breathing in the Darklands for those who weren't koopas more and more difficult every year.

Not to mention the extreme lack of land that the Darklands had, considering its population. Millions and millions of Shy-Guys, Boos, Koopas, and Goombas lived in the Darklands, and more and more were becoming homeless because of the lack of land. Bowser couldn't get land through another kingdom's pure kindness, he and his ancestors had made enemies with pretty much everyone, and many of those kingdoms had either fallen, died out, or held a tough grudge.

Bowser ran a clawed hand through his red hair, stopping in his tracks. He should have taken that call, but now it was too late. He heard a plane start and fly off, and the engine wasn't bulky or loud, like his. It had to be the Mushroom people. He growled, and walked again, the destination this time to his gardens. This part of his castle always helped him think.

As he stepped through the threshold, he was almost instantaneously calmed by the mangled vines and the vicious piranha plants that had hefty muzzles strapped on. He walked about, circling the large area, mulling the situation over. Normally, he would push it aside and find the quickest solution, but clearly that wasn't going to work now. Not with the population growing faster than ever.

No, he needed a fix that would last long-term. Something with the Mushroom Kingdom would be preferred, since it had land that stretched from the moon to the sun, easily. Not to mention the plant life Kamek had mentioned, as well as the clean water.

"Wait..." Bowser mumbled to himself. "...isn't there a princess?"

He grinned, a plan forming in his mind as his circling turned to pacing, and that pacing increasing in speed. His teeth bared and his eyebrows furrowed, he pumped his fist in the air and laughed manicly. He ran out of the room, and into a room he had installed for some reason he couldn't remember, and was suddenly remembering.

"Kamek!" He shouted. "Get in here!"

A flash of blue smoke puffed before the king, then an old magikoopa. "Yes, Your Most Hatedness?"

"I want you to bring me a chair, the best ropes we have, and set it up so the chair is tied to that pulley-thing-" he pointed up to a pulley-system that sat above a faintly-carved circle. "-and make the chair big enough to fit in that circle, but not small enough to see it."

"What are you planning on doing with this room, sire?" Kamek asked, writing down the information as quickly as Bowser ordered it.

"Something that's going to help the Darklands," Bowser replied proudly, already forming the finishing touches of his plan in his mind.

Kamek nodded, unsure of what his king was talking about but pretending to know so Bowser's new found pride wouldn't be hindered by some confusion. He poofed out of the room, heading out to look for the requested items. Meanwhile, Bowser got one of his ships ready to leave for the Mushroom Kingdom.

It was time to take drastic measures.

~*~*~

She was easy prey, just sitting in her garden, obviously distracted in her thoughts. It would be too simple to take her then, so he prepared the ship, getting closer. He tensed his body, bracing for the jump off to grab her. Then he saw a tiny man in red come out and talk to the princess. Growling in frustration and impatience, he forced himself to wait for the little man to leave. This wait didn't last long.

He jumped down and grabbed the princess and yanked her up into the air, feeling her head bump against the hard rim of his shell a little too hard and he threw her over his shoulder. He laughed loudly at the little man's screams to put her down.

"If you want her, come and get her, Shorty!" Bowser shouted down as he gripped onto the ladder of the airship. "Just try it!"

He climbed up and kept her over his shoulder, suddenly aware that she was unconscious. Well, that made this much easier. As they made the long travel back to Bowser's main castle, he sat her on the floor, her back leaning against one of the shorter walls of the airship. He leaned down and observed her. Her hair was brownish-red, and long. Messy, too. But it looked soft, and clean.

Her head was about the size of his fist, and she could easily sit on his arm. He smirked at how strong he was, strong enough to lift her over his shoulder, but in reality, she was just tiny. He stood up straight again, picking her up so she wouldn't slam her head even more as they landed. This time, he didn't let her head hit his shell by holding the back of her head and settling it gently. But he still couldn't help it as it thunked against the rim as he walked.

As he walked through the entrance farther back, he found it easier to find the room he planned to keep her in than before. He sat her in the chair, and called for Kamek again. As the old magikoopa entered the room, he gasped in surprise at their new "guest" and the huge red spot on her forehead.

"Sire, is this Princess Peach Toadstool from the-" he began, his voice showing a slightly intimidating mix of surprise, irritation, and a bit of fear.

"Yep," Bowser interrupted proudly.

"Excuse me, sire, but what were you thinking?!" Kamek shrieked.

"I was thinking that without Peach, we could easily take over the Mushroom Kingdom. It's helpless over there without a ruler, and they barely have an army to stop us with. It's the perfect plan, Kamek!" He grinned again, more than happy with himself and his plan.

The older koopa choked back a sigh - he was full of them today - and poofed away with a "I'm sure it is, Your Evilness."

Bowser just waited for her to wake up, his grin never fading.

End of Chapter