Welp.

Bowsette pulled out her claws, snarled her fangs, and readied another few fireballs for attack. This was a terrible moment to note it, but she really should have equipped herself with new power-ups for eventualities like this. She didn’t even have a new Chain Chomp mace weapon to use...

Peach had traded her parasol for a frying pan, which meant they were pretty much screwed.

Because right in front of them, past the circle of flames Bowsette had summoned for themselves, was Morton Koopa, the undead Koopa King, along with his Royal Guard of sword-equipped Hammer Bros. Crystal King, for all it was worth, was also still there.

“My son,” Morton said. “You certainly have... changed your look.”

“Actually,” Bowsette corrected. “It’s Bowsette now, and I’m your daughter.”

Morton stared a few more moments and then said, “Very well. I will say, my daughter, that look is very befitting of you. Your ancestors would take great curiosity in taking the form of a human, our sworn enemy, and using that form against them. I had assumed that you were doing so as a means of infiltration. But using it to cement your very being, to give yourself an emotional edge in combat? Well, that is just the sort of tenacity you have made yourself famous for. That blood of yours must be sparking with a new vibrancy.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” Bowsette said. “My powers have doubled since the last time we met, Morton.”

“Good. Twice the pride, double the fall.”

This would have been the perfect moment to attack, either of them. But they were still caught in a sort of stand-off. She wasn’t sure why. Even though this shield of flames protected them against the Crystal King, it would hardly do a thing to Morton, nor any of his high-powered bodyguards.

They should have been dead already.

Peach turned to Bowsette. “Do you... have a way out of this?”

“Maybe. Stall for time,” Bowsette whispered.

She had to think... had to think....

Peach glared at the Crystal King and shouted, “You clod! Why would you betray us to him?”

Crystal King shrugged. “He contacted me with a better offer. I lead them to the bones in Snowflake Lake, I lead you to me, I spring a trap, and then he leaves me alone when he begins his world conquest.”

“And you can trust him? Wasn’t he the ruler of a thousand year darkness? The Lord of Pain, Master of the Fiery Elements?”

“Good title drop, Peach,” Bowsette whispered.

She figured it out. Shiver City and its outlying areas were just like the rest of the Mushroom Kingdom: well-tunneled. And that’s what she was going to do.

Long time no see, Bone Dragon buddy. Let’s hope you’re still kicking. Bowsette raised her hand into the air slightly, just enough to be inconspicuous, and cast the summoning spell. Wherever in the world the Bone Dragon was, their mental link activated and it would be coming this way... soon. Sometime soon.

“I don’t trust him, but what was I going to do? Fight him by myself?”

Morton laughed, his voice dry and raspy from the fact that he was literally just cobbled-together bones. “I’m not going to kill him or anything like I’m some pathetic B-list villain. I am, as you say, the ruler of a thousand year darkness. I uphold my ends of bargains. And now that we have come and retrieved what lay beneath Snowflake Lake, we are done here.”

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“Thank you, my Dark Lord,” Crystal King said. “For your great patience and understanding here. What do you wish for me to do with these two?”

At this, Morton turned his head to the Crystal King and blasted a fireball at him, incinerating him immediately.

He burst into laughter. “Did you see the look on his face when I said, ‘I uphold my ends of bargains’ and he just BELIEVED it? Was he even THERE when I ruled Dark Land? Oh man, and why in the world would I not take revenge against him for destroying my armies?”

Bowsette shook her head and turned to Peach. “He’s always been like this.”

Now, they were truly screwed.

“Now, who is this fine, gorgeous human lady?” Morton asked. “A betrothed of yours?”

“I’m her wife,” Peach said. “We got married yesterday.”

“Oh. Uh, congratulations,” Morton said. “Quite an odd time to get married all of a sudden, Bowsette. Are you sure you were... thinking this one through?”

“We have a long history. Don’t worry, we’ve been over this with each other. We’re good.”

“Alright then. Well, it’s too bad I’m going to have to break up your little honeymoon, then, because Bowsette, you’re coming with me.”

“If we go, we’re going together,” Peach said. “As a unit.”

“You realize I’m going to my doom, right?” Bowsette asked. “He’s trying to use me in a sacrificial ritual to resurrect himself.”

“I understand. I just--”

“Actually, you are no longer needed in this regard,” Morton said. “I have a much better plan now. Your escape gave me plenty of time to think, though, about the best way to use you. And in your current form... I can’t imagine anything better for you.”

“Care to explain?”

“No. You’ll see for yourself. Now that I have gotten what I came for at Snowflake Lake, my plan is just about complete. I don’t need you, but I have something for you that you will highly appreciate.”

Snowflake Lake, the city famous for its permafrost ice lake under which the skull of a former Dread Lord dragon was buried. That meant only one thing:

Morton was going to try to resurrect a Dread Lord.

Bowsette suddenly regretted summoning the Bone Dragon this way, even if it was the only option here.

“You look nervous, my daughter. Is anything wrong?”

“I’m just reminiscing. How many duels with you did I have before I finally killed you?” she asked.

“Six.”

“I wonder how many it’ll take before I kill you this time.”

“Do you want to settle it that way? I can't guarantee you’ll live through this one. It would be very disappointing if I had to use Roy or Larry in your stead... but if you will be dead, then it won’t matter, will it?”

“How dare you use my children in this... OUR children.” She took Peach’s hand as she said this. “Everything you’ve done, everything you’ve caused, you will pay for.”

“Just as will you.”

Bowsette was already paying for her actions. But at least she was trying to make up for them. That was the difference between Bowsette Toadstool and Morton Koopa. The Lordess and the Lord. Morton didn’t try to remedy his actions. He lived to inflict pain.

The Crystal Palace began to rumble.

“Is this...” Peach began.

“Yep.”

“Well, come on with me. We don’t have all day. Well, I guess we do. I don’t have any plans.” Morton began walking towards the airship, and so did the Hammer Bros. “Please, don’t make me do this forcefully. I don’t want to mistreat you right now. That comes later. You--” Morton finally realized that the entire castle was shaking. “What in darkness’s name...”

Suddenly, the Bone Dragon and all three of its heads crashed through the ground, roaring out at the enemies in front of it.

Bowsette took Peach into her arms and jumped on the back of the Bone Dragon. “Let’s go! Now!”

The Bone Dragon burrowed back underground, and Bowser launched as many fireballs as she could behind her, starting a massive fire in the hole behind them. The airship was too big to follow, and the Hammer Bros. wouldn’t be able to survive those kinds of flames.

Morton himself might have been following, but... it looked like he had left them alone.

Peach and Bowsette shared a quick kiss.

But Bowsette was not relieved.

This changed everything.