Super Mario Bros. 3 - The Subspace Emissary

Chapter 68: An Old Debt

The Flower Kingdom, Universe-1001 - 13 years ago...

In the land neighboring the Mushroom Kingdom, the Flower Kingdom was fast asleep. Only a few rooms in the once-great castle were illuminated.

A young Rohan and Peach were sound asleep in their bedroom. Suddenly, Rohan was awoken by the sound of his parents' voices. He got up from his bed and slowly opened the door.

It was his parents, King Stephen, and Queen Carol, walking through the hallway and having a light argument about something political. Carol sighed and said, "I don't trust that beast, Stephen. He killed my brother."

"But...this could mean things for the kingdom," Stephen said. "Bowser...I don't know what to say..."

"Mom? Dad?" Rohan asked.

The two royals heard their son and Stephen said, "Oh, Son! I...You have to go back to bed. We're...uh..."

"It's King Bowser again, isn't it?" there was no sugarcoating it for the young prince.

"Aunt Carol...Uncle Stephen...Please don't go." Peach whispered.

"Oh, dear..." Carol uttered. She put her hands to her face and took a long sigh. She then lifted her hands from her face and looked at her son and niece. "...I'm so sorry that we have to do this. I...I don't know if we're going to agree with King Koopa's peace treaty."

"Mom..." Rohan clenched his mother's hands. "...I want to be a good ruler like you. I'll make you proud a-and I'll..."

"Oh, Rohan, don't you see? I am proud. Me and your father are proud." Carol had tears in her eyes and she clenched his hands tighter. "I want you to promise us, Rohan, that you will always stand up to those who are cruel and unjust. Always."

"Mom...I..."

Suddenly, the four heard a roar and Rohan figured it was Bowser. Stephen started to worry and uttered, "Carol..."

"Please. Promise us." Carol said to Rohan.

"I promise, Mom," Rohan said.

Carol shuddered and she and Stephen walked off. Rohan and Peach were sad and Rohan looked at his cousin. "C'mon, Peach. Let's head back to bed..."

Gate to Tabuu's Domain, the Subspace - Present Day

Rohan and King Rohan faced each other and King Rohan clenched his sword's handle. "...You still won't accept that you're me, won't you?"

"I am not you..." Rohan clenched his staff. He knew that he lost his shotgun during the fight against Rayquaza but at least he still had his staff. "...you...are a murderer...and a tyrant..."

"And you KNOW why I did what I did."

"You had EVERYTHING! You had friends! You had a family! You...You were the Prince of the Mushroom Kingdom..."

"Yeah! That was all I was ever going to be! The second-rate 'Prince of the Mushroom Kingdom' after Miss Pretty Pink Princess Peach. I was so sick of living in the shadow of Mario and Peach. When Mario killed Bowser, I should have been the one to do it. I wanted the spotlight for myself just for once!"

"So you had to kill your last family members?"

"How else was I supposed to win instead of waiting for 150 goddamn years when Peach kicks the bucket? Hehe...And I won by killing her instead of playing the long game."

Rohan shuddered and his grip came to the point of almost crushing the iron of his staff. "You...You're a murderer and it's time we settled this." he got into a fighting position. "You'll never know how people like me grow."