With the Glacial Gates back to their former glory, the Frigid Metropolis became a hub of activity once again. The penguins worked tirelessly to rebuild their homes and businesses, determined to make their kingdom even stronger than before. The calm aura that surrounded the castle seemed to infuse everyone with a sense of peace and contentment.
Trade with the Shiverians flourished, as both kingdoms benefited from each other's resources and expertise. The penguins were grateful for the support they had received during their time of need, and they made sure to show their appreciation by sending gifts and supplies to their allies.
The children of the kingdom were especially happy to be back in school and playing in the ice rinks. They laughed and chirped as they skated around, enjoying the freedom that came with being young and carefree. Their parents watched on with pride, knowing that their nestlings were safe and happy in this peaceful land. As true night fell over the Cool, Cool Castle, the Power Star's light shone brightly from its sanctuary. And no one could be more grateful for this than King Boreas. At last, he has escaped the clutches of stress and can finally enjoy his life with his family.
The Penguin King glided through the icy halls; his daughters gathered around him. Their cheerful talking sounded like music to his ears. Guinevere was regaling him with how her lessons are going, while Iclyn added the occasional piece of gossip. Boreas listened intently, gently ushering them through the halls with his wings. He looked through the window, watching the snowy slopes of cabins and igloos teeming with life. A sigh of relief escaped his beak.
King Boreas was grateful for this moment of peace and happiness. As the ruler of the penguin kingdom, he often had to deal with difficult decisions and conflicts among his subjects. But at this moment, surrounded by his beloved daughters, he felt a sense of contentment that he had not experienced for quite some time.
The father and his daughters arrived at their living quarters and departed for the night. After bidding his beloved children goodbye, Boreas headed in the other direction; he wanted to check up on Janara, as she was reviewing some documents. As he approached the door, Boreas could hear the sound of Janara's voice, and he smiled to himself. He loved listening to her talk about her work, even if he didn't always understand it. As he entered the room, Janara looked up from her papers and smiled at him.
"Hello, my love," she said.
"Hello," Boreas replied, walking over to her and nuzzling against her. "How was your day?"
Janara sighed and shook her head. "Busy as usual. But I think we're making progress on this project."
Boreas nodded, taking a seat in one of the chairs across from Janara's desk. He watched as she shuffled through some papers before turning back to him. "Have the girls gone to bed?"
"Yes, I just sent them all to bed," replied the king.
"Did you ensure that Tuxie went to sleep? We don't want her wandering off again."
. . .
King Boreas put on a false smile on his face. "Yes, my love. Our youngest is safely tucked into her nest," he lied.
Queen Janara did not see through his deception. She stacked some papers, tapping the desk. "Wonderful! I'll soon retire to bed myself once I finish here," she said. Boreas nodded (perhaps a little too rapidly) before exiting her room as casually as he could. Once the door closed behind him, he broke into a run.
He slid through the icy halls on his stomach, something unbecoming of a king but it was a necessity! Tuxie has already wandered off three times this week! And with the enemy army still in their lands, it was even more concerning. A guard glanced at him as he ran by, "Your Highness, is something wrong?" he asked.
"IZOTZ! Have you seen Tuxie?!"
Izotz stopped a moment to think, scratching his chin. Then he perked up, "I last saw the young princess in the courtyard," he answered.
"After that?!"
"..."
Boreas flapped his wings in distress. "Ready the retrieval team! She has wandered off once again!" he squawked. Izotz didn't even look surprised. Honestly, this has become such a common occurrence that nobody except the King and Queen gets so distressed.
"And get the Super Brothers involved! I want my daughter to be found now!"
Izotz saluted and raced towards the barracks, leaving Boreas to his own devices. The king nervously adjusted his crown, looking at the snowy landscape outside.
[XXX]
Luigi could tell he was making progress. Their moments of silence were far and few in between; and, to his mild surprise, he wasn't as intimidated speaking to Bowser anymore. It would seem his brain has adjusted to the fact he's having an amicable time with a war criminal. Plus, Bowser turned out to be a rather fascinating person.
One shocking fact Luigi learned about King Bowser was that he had pets. A lot of dangerous pets. After a little coaxing, he revealed he has a garden full of Pirahna plants; he even proudly boasted how he gathered the specimens himself and even displayed the scars to prove it. Additionally, he also had these creatures called "Chain Chomps" in their own courtyard where they could run around freely. Luigi hasn't seen one of those yet but by the way Bowser described how he trained them, they must be large and vicious creatures. And it was apparent the royal had a thing for deadly pets considering his large collection.
Luigi couldn't help but wonder if that class of animal companion was Bowser's form of a hoard. He did have some draconic features and tendencies, so it makes sense he would have a collection of something he deeply cherishes. Plus, the thought made him less scary in his eyes. He could just imagine Bowser standing before a large Pirahna plant, unfazed by its fangs, and looking at it like it was a puppy, similar to how people see "big and aggressive" dog breeds as nothing but large babies.
And, when it was Luigi's turn to speak, Bowser reciprocated the enthusiasm. He listened intently, his ruby-red eyes fully dilated, giving him a more peaceful appearance. The king would only interrupt Luigi to remind him to breathe when he got carried away. It was a surprising turn of events for Luigi, who had always heard and seen Bowser through a lens of negativity until recently. But as they talked, he realized that there was more to the king than meets the eye. He was intelligent and strategic; he did have a mischievous streak, making a playful jab at Luigi now and then, but it was just that. Playful.
And just like that, they used up the day. There were some things left untouched. Neither mentioned the current politics, lest they ruin the amicable atmosphere. Luigi didn't ask more personal questions and neither did Bowser. Just a simple, getting-to-know-each-other chat-
"Ah, shit..."
And there it goes.
Bowser stood up and opened the door; the outside sky seemed darker than usual... Luigi jumped so quickly, he banged his knee on the desk. However, not even the pain stopped his frightened mind. What time was it?! Mario was going to kill him! The human walked awkwardly out of the office, clutching his knee. "I have to go! My brother must be worried sick!" he exclaimed.
Bowser snorted at the mention of Mario. "Yeah, you're right. Plus, I've gotta get everyone ready for takeoff."
He furrowed his eyebrows, his gaze down at the snowy landscape. Luigi adjusted his hat, raising an eyebrow. Is he... upset? He thought. He couldn't blame him, Luigi sort of didn't want to leave just yet. There was just so much to learn about him and the Darklands! Like, what were they like? The real version of the nation, explained by someone who actually lives there. Luigi wanted to know about its history, its culture, and traditions. Whatever happened to Junior's mother?
He wants to know Bowser.
See who he truly was, outside of his malicious reputation.
Bowser cleared his throat, then tilted his head towards the Frigid Metropolis. Luigi fiddled with his gloves, "I'll see you in Sarasaland?"
The Koopa King smirked, "You kinda have to," he said.
Luigi almost retorted that he was genuinely looking forward to speaking to him again, outside his duties as his parole guard, but then he realized Bowser was joking. Another one of his playful tricks. The Italian stepped towards the exit, "Guess I'll see ya later," he said. He walked backward, smiling nervously as he finger-gunned before awkwardly turning around and running away.
[XXX]
Bowser blinked, watching the human pull down his cap and run for the city. After that awkward farewell, the king set out to find his son, anxious to get the hell out of there. This place has given him enough headaches and he has more of those to come. Seeing his searching gaze, Idaten flew to his side, "Looking for Junior?" they asked.
"Yeah, it's time for take-off."
"Last saw him by the supply caches."
The king grunted thanks, bumping his colleague's fist before moving on. Bowser walked forward, ordering everyone to double-check that everything was packed up and to get onto the airships. He looked at the gleaming gate beside him; one could faintly hear the sounds of his life behind. The knot of guilt in his chest tightened, causing his breath to hitch. Bowser took a shaky breath, letting the ache ebb on its own instead of forcing it.
Once he's calmed down, Bowser set off to find his son again... He lifted his gaze from the ground at the sound of a roar. His feet moved on their own accord, weaving between people. Someone called out to him, but he ignored them; his son was his main focus right now. He reached the supply cache, shoving aside empty boxes, "JUNIOR!" his voice boomed.
He held back another frightened roar when he saw the scene before him. Junior was running circles around a crate as a blue penguin chased him; the two were giggling. However, they stopped their game once they saw him. Junior chirped and rushed to him, "Dad!"
Bowser picked him up. "Hey, big man. What's going on here?" he asked.
The draconic Koopa looked at the young penguin, his expression neutral. The nestling looked up, up, up at him, trying to look him in the eye; they ended up falling on their back. Junior tugged on his horn. "Dad, this is my new friend, Tuxie!" he said, tail wagging.
Bowser snorted, "Hello."
"Tall..." whispered Tuxie.
Junior wiggled out of his grasp and climbed onto his shoulders. He jumped onto his head, accidentally digging his claws into Bowser's scalp, "Ow."
"I'm going to get big and strong just like him!" exclaimed Junior.
Tuxie stood up, "Cool."
Bowser raised an eyebrow, prying his son's hands from his head. The little penguin seemed more amazed than scared and the king found a sense of relief in that; it meant one less person against him in the world. Furthermore, Junior made a friend! His son hasn't been able to play with others his age for a while; the two seemed to be getting along perfectly, despite everything. Perhaps Bowser could use them as an example. Maybe if he could encourage more interactions like this between his people and the other kingdoms, there would be less animosity and conflict. He made a mental note to himself. It wouldn't be easy, (he internally cringed at the thought of rubbing elbows with the other rulers), but it could make his life easier. After all, estranging himself from the other kingdoms was partially the cause of all this.
The king kneeled and placed his hand flat on the ground. Tuxie raised an eyebrow at the gesture. Bowser quietly beckoned her over; the cloaked penguin approached him and jumped on his hand, holding onto his thumb for safety. Junior sat on his shoulder, "What're you doing, Dad?" he asked.
"I'm helping her get back to Frigid Metropolis; we're leaving, and I can't leave her out here,"
Junior frowned. "Already?"
"Yes, Junior."
With that said, Bowser headed towards the main gates. On the other hand, Junior was disappointed that they were leaving so soon. He had been looking forward to exploring more of the icy terrain and maybe even finding some new friends to play with. However, he knew to respect his father's decision. The children glanced at each other, saddened, but they didn't say anything. After a short walk, Bowser stopped in front of the Glacial Gates and looked up at the newly installed watch towers. With one hand, he shielded his eyes as he searched for the guards.
"HEY!"
A penguin heard his yell. They looked down the tower, using a spyglass. Their expression immediately soured at the sight of him. They leaned over the railing, "What do you want?! Leave already!" they shouted. Bowser's eyes constricted, black smoke trails exited his nostrils. However, he shoved it aside; he had children in his presence. He cupped a hand by his mouth, "You locked someone out!"
"Your deceit will not work on me, Koopa!" they hissed.
"Oh for stars' sake- OPEN-"
Bowser got caught himself. Probably roaring at them to open the gates wasn't the best idea, lest he gives them traumatic flashbacks. He lifted Tuxie, holding her up. "Look, I found this kid out here. Are you gonna let 'em freeze?!" he yelled. The guard shifted the spyglass to the cloak-wearing penguin, who chirped, unbothered by the fact she was being held by her kingdom's enemy. The adult let out a distressed shriek and ran, yelling out something in a different language.
The Koopa King furrowed his brows, getting slightly nervous. He looked at Junior, who just shrugged, then at Tuxie, who stared blankly at him. Why do I have the awful feeling I just fucked up... he thought to himself.
[XXX]
The second Luigi stepped foot in the frosty castle, he heard shouting. He took off his hood and headed towards the source of conflict. Luigi passed the throne room and up the floating stairs leading to the living quarters. Guards passed him, entering and exiting rooms. They were all shouting in their native language, so Luigi had no idea what was going on. They were distressed and frantic like they were looking for something.
"Luigi!"
The Italian looked down the hall and caught sight of his brother. Mario ran down the hall, his ice cleats clicking loudly; Izotz followed by his side with a grim expression. Luigi approached them, "What's going on?" he asked, heart starting to race.
Mario put a hand on his shoulder. "Fratello, there you are! Have you seen Tuxie?" he asked.
"T-Tuxie? No, I haven't seen her."
Mario visibly clenched his teeth and rubbed his hands on his face. Izotz "pinched" his beak in exasperation, "Why. Why today, of all days, does she decide to wander again?" he asked himself.
Luigi extended his arms. "Can somebody tell me what's going on already?!"
"Tuxie's missing."
Luigi froze. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. Tuxie, the youngest princess of the Snow Kingdom, was missing? How could this happen? Luigi's mind raced as he tried to think of all the possible scenarios that could have led to Tuxie's disappearance. Izotz mentioned the young princess tended to wander off, which did very little to calm him down. Tuxie could be anywhere! And if she somehow made it outside the Glacial Gates, stars know what could happen to her!
Mario nervously tapped his foot and ran his hands through his hair. "We need to find her," he said firmly. "We'll search the metropolis! Izotz, keep searching the castle. She could be hiding somewhere in here."
Izotz nodded in agreement and took off down the hall. As Luigi followed Mario, he couldn't help but feel a sense of dread wash over him. What if they couldn't find Tuxie? The Penguin Family would be beyond devastated- Luigi pushed down the negative thoughts. Forget the what-ifs, just keep searching, he thought to himself. The two bolted out of the castle. As they searched every nook and cranny of the city
Luigi fought back the anxiety bubbling within him. He knew that time was of the essence, and they needed to find Tuxie before it was too late. The longer they searched, the more his mind raced with all the possible scenarios of what could have happened to the little penguin. He couldn't bear to see the Penguin Family suffer any more than they already had. They were just starting to stabilize after the attack...
Suddenly shouting caught the Super brothers' attention. They looked up, just in time to see a group of armed guards as well as the Penguin King sprint by. Startled citizens ran to their homes. The twins exited the business they were investigating and followed suit. Mario and Luigi skidded to a halt in the main square, noticing the tense stand-off.
Bowser stood before them, Junior on his head, and... Princess Tuxie sat on his arm, unharmed. Luigi's blood went cold. Mario made a move like he was going to sprint on him; however, his brother grabbed him. Something about this was different... He was oddly calm, despite all the armed guards present, and he was holding Tuxie with an uncanny gentleness.
"I have not come to fight. I just want this little one returned home," said the Koopa King.
Luigi exhaled, relieved to hear those words. Bowser, the notorious villain who had caused them so much trouble in the past, was now standing before them with a peaceful request. Mario looked at his brother, unsure of what to do next. They had been prepared for a battle, but now they were faced with a different kind of challenge.
Princess Tuxie looked up at Bowser with wide eyes, seemingly unafraid of the giant creature holding her. She reached out and touched his arm gently as if trying to comfort him. It was an odd sight to see the usually fierce Bowser being so gentle with a small creature.
King Boreas finally spoke up, "Why should we trust you? You've caused us nothing but trouble in the past."
Bowser sighed heavily and lowered his head. "I know I have not been kind to you in the past, but I promise you that I mean no harm today. I just want to return this little one to her home,"
The Penguin King stared at him for a moment. His eyes glanced at his totally calm daughter, then to the young prince that climbed around Bowser's shoulders, making Tuxie laugh. As Boreas' gaze softened, he raised his wing. The guards, although reluctant, lowered their weapons. Relief visibly appeared on Bowser's features as the guards obeyed their order to stand down. He knew his... reputation precedes him, but he truly meant no harm to the Penguin King or his daughter. He just wanted to do the right thing and return the young home. For once, in a long time, Bowser wants to build bridges rather than burn them.
As Boreas lowered his wing, Bowser stepped forward and gently placed the young princess on the ground. The little one looked up at him with wide eyes, and Bowser couldn't help but smile ever so slightly at her innocence. Junior quickly jumped off of him and gave his friend a farewell hug; the two promptly separated and ran back to their respective fathers. The Koopa King held his son in his arm, "I hope you can forgive me for my actions," Bowser said, addressing both Boreas and his daughter. "I know I have caused you pain, but I promise to make it up to you in any way I can."
Boreas nodded slowly, still eyeing Bowser warily. "We will consider your offer," he said finally. "But know that we will be watching you closely."
The two kings nodded in understanding at each other; meanwhile, Mario and Luigi watched from the sidelines, their presence totally unnoticed. The plumber in green's eyes darted to Bowser, silently hoping he would spare him a glance. And he did. Those ruby eyes of his looked at him for a moment before flitting away. Bowser fixed his hold on Junior before turning his heel and walking for the Glacial Gates, his footsteps softly thudding against the tundra earth. They all watched his retreating form cross the kingdom's threshold and head toward the distant airships.
"It would seem the community service is taking its effects," suddenly said the king.
The brothers yelped at the sound of King Boreas' voice. He pulled Tuxie close to his side with his wing, seemingly aging before them; paternal adrenaline was one hell of an aging factor. Poor penguin's feathers were going to start bleaching early if Tuxie kept this up. Mario rubbed his arms for warmth. "It certainly seems that way..." he whispered.
"I never foresaw him admitting fault or even apologizing... He didn't do so at the trial," said Boreas while closing his eyes. "But it appears I was mistaken; all that was needed was time for guilt to bring him to his senses."
Luigi's chest filled with joy and pride. His plan was working! Bit by bit, Bowser was realizing the consequences of his actions and tried to mend his ways. He looked at his brother and smiled; Mario patted his back and smiled back at him. Boreas sighed, "I think that is enough excitement for the day," he said. "Come along, Tuxie. You have caused enough mischief for today."
Tuxie flapped her wings. "I made a friend, Baba!"
"I saw that..."
He seemed to have a distant look on his face for a moment before it was replaced by fatigue. Boreas spoke to his daughter in his native tongue and ushered her toward the castle. The Super Brothers followed them from afar. Mario wrapped an arm around his shoulder, "Your plan's working, Weege!" he whispered. All Luigi could do was grin. Overjoyed by the fact he was contributing to a new era with the use of kindness.
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Author's Note
If anyone's curious about the story, my asks are open on Tumblr creativesnek!