Super Mario Bros. 2 - Across the Galaxy

Chapter 22: Are You Okay?

Inside Rohan's Inner Body

Peach groaned and rose from the ground. The world around her was black and empty. The wind was harsh and blowing hard. Peach kept her crown on and called out, "Rohan?! Rohan?!?"

She suddenly heard Rohan's cries and followed the noise. She recognized that voice more than anything. The wind was harsh and Peach cried out for Rohan's name even more. But he didn't listen and uttered, "I'm not good enough...I'm nothing, I need to prove myself."

He stood up and walked further away. Peach followed after him. "Rohan!" she kept calling out.

"You're useless." A giant sand formation of an elderly Toad suddenly formed in front of Peach and said in Rohan's voice. "All you do is make excuses!"

"You're unwise and won't make it in the world by yourself." A sand formation of a council Toad said.

"No one wants to be around you!" A sand formation of an elder shouted.

Suddenly, sand formations of numerous elder Toads and sages and even a formation of Mario appeared and surrounded Peach. They kept yelling insulting and discouraging things to her which she could decipher were for Rohan as they kept saying those things in his voice. Peach was able to get away from the formations but then a giant sand formation of herself appeared behind Rohan.

"I'm embarrassed to be your cousin! Ever since Aunt and Uncle died, you've been the lazy one while I had to sacrifice my dignity to be who I am today!" Sand Peach boomed. "You ruin everything. The only reason you're part of my boyfriend's crew is that you have NO PURPOSE!!!" Sand Peach then released a wave of sand from her mouth and it washed Peach aside. She shook it off and suddenly thought, I never said most of that...The insecurities must be corrupting what I said and are making Rohan feel worse. I need to fix this.

Meanwhile

Mario laid Peach down on his lap and stroked his hand through her hair. He heard small and barely audible breaths from her and he kept praying for her safety. Sonic sat down in a fetal position and uttered, "I'm sorry..."

"Sorry for what?" Mario asked.

"...That I have a dark side. It's something that I've had since I was born. Longclaw told me that I was meant for something more than chaos...but since Discordia said all that stuff about me at the cave, I feel like...my powers are a curse."

"Sonic, I'm sorry." Mario sighed. "Peach, Rohan, you, Rosalina, and Atlas have all suffered, and my biggest regret is that I was never there to help you guys. And I promise that I'll help you believe in yourself more and help you learn that you're born for more than chaos and destruction like Fleetway wanted."

"Why...Why do you wanna help? I'm scared, alright! I'm scared of what I could do...If I hurt you guys..."

"I told you, we're friends, and friends don't turn their backs on one another."

Back at Rohan's Inner Self

Peach managed to breach through Sand Peach's attacks and managed to get to Rohan. He still didn't pay attention to her and kept saying those insecurities that she was so tired of hearing. She knelt and wrapped Rohan in a hug. "I...I'm sorry....Rohan...I've never paid attention for the past two years...or what you were feeling all your life. I was...just finally happy to have Bowser out of my life and that we have people that we love again. Also, the popularity caught up to me and I secretly enjoyed it...It gave me a sense of belonging. But I should've given some of that popularity to you...Or better, I should've known how much you've sacrificed to become who you are today. I told you that I wanted to be a hero just like you..." Peach started crying and Rohan noticed the tears coming from her eyes. "I believe that you're right to be mad at me. You didn't deserve such bad treatment from those people in the past, and especially not from me."

Back in the Physical World

Peach gasped awake and everyone gasped in relief. Mario exclaimed, "Peach!!"

He hugged her and she asked, "Where's Rohan??"

Everyone suddenly noticed Rohan groaning awake. He rose and uttered, "Guys?" he then noticed Peach. "Peach..."

Peach's eyes were flooding with tears and she quickly tackled Rohan in a hug, making the two crash into the mud a second time. Rohan uttered again, "Peach..."

"I'm so sorry that I wasn't aware of your suffering!!" Peach sobbed. "I'm a terrible cousin! I guess...I guess...I un-*hic*-understand that you probably don't *sob* want to live or wish that you never existed...You have every right to be mad at me for not caring about you..."

Rohan's tears fell and he hugged her tighter. "The thing is...I don't wanna stay mad at you...and I forgive you. I simply can't imagine life without you or Daisy, cousin." he said. "We've been through so much together. That's why I felt happy when we all stood at the horizon after defeating Bowser and also...that's why I felt so, so bad when I've been harboring these feelings of death for so long. I didn't hold it against you because I love you so much."

"............" Peach gasped and her tears were pretty much waterfalls at this point. "I LOVE YOU TOO, DEAR!! YOU DESERVE SO MUCH!!! I PROMISE THAT I'LL BE A BETTER COUSIN FROM NOW ON!!"

Daisy sniffled and Rosalina smiled. Atlas and Audrey clenched hands and Mario said to Luigi with tears in his eyes, "I love you, Lu."

"I love you too, bro." Luigi smiled with his eyes sore from tears both from Peach and Rohan's reconciliation and how happy everything is going on right now.

Peach and Rohan finally sat up from the mud and the prince chuckled. "Man...Look at us. Arguing, crying, and sitting in the mud like idiots," he said.

"Yeah." Peach sighed. "We may look all high and mighty with our crowns, jewels, suits, dresses, and makeup...but even with all of that and our abilities, we could save every planet on the face of creation and those elders and those before us could still treat us the same way: Like kids..."

Rohan smiled. "The Little Prince and Princess..."

"That sounds like a very good children's book."

The two giggled and got out of the mud pile. Rosalina waved her wand over the two and they were clean again. The heroes smiled at Peach and Rohan finally getting their insecurities out and Toad said, "Let's head back to the Observatory."

"Yeah...." Audrey uttered. "The Emerald's not here."