The Mushroom Kingdom Wars

Chapter 1

Princess Peach sat beneath the sprawling cherry blossom tree in the royal garden, her golden hair flowing softly in the gentle breeze. The sun filtered through the branches, casting dappled shadows on the ground, yet her brow was furrowed with concern. Though the day was beautiful, her heart felt heavy, and her thoughts drifted far beyond the vibrant blossoms above.
Across from her, Princess Zelda sat cross-legged on the grass, blissfully unaware of the heaviness in Peach’s heart. Her laughter and stories about Hyrule filled the air, weaving an atmosphere of lightness that felt distant to Peach.
“Oh, Peach, I’ve just got to tell you about this adorable Korok I found in the Lost Woods last week!” Zelda exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. “He was the cutest little thing—he gave me a rock. A rock! I know it doesn’t sound like much, but it had such a nice texture, you know? So smooth, like… like a river pebble! I thought, ‘Well, this is just the sweetest gift ever!’ And then I realized I’ve been collecting rocks for weeks now, and I don’t know why. I’ve started organizing them by color. I might need a bigger shelf…”
Peach tried to listen, but her mind kept drifting back to Samus. It had been weeks since she’d last heard from the bounty hunter, and with each passing day, her anxiety deepened. Zelda’s animated chatter felt distant, muffled under the weight of her worry.
“Zelda…” Peach said, her voice trembling slightly. “Have you ever been scared of losing someone? Like, really scared? To the point where you can’t think of anything else?”
Zelda blinked, momentarily thrown off by the serious shift in tone. “Oh! Well… hmm…” She tapped her chin, considering. “I guess I was kind of scared when I lost my harp that one time? You know the one with the tiny Triforce engravings? But then I remembered I’d put it under my bed, so it was really more of a temporary loss!” She giggled. “But... wait, you’re not talking about harps, are you?”
Peach shook her head, a faint smile tugging at her lips despite the concern weighing heavily on her heart. “No, not harps, Zelda. I’m talking about… Samus.”
Zelda’s eyes widened in sudden realization. “Ohhh, Samus? Well, of course! You’re probably just worried because she’s on one of those super-dangerous missions again, right? It’s Samus! She’s, like, the best bounty hunter in the galaxy! I mean, remember when she fought that giant dragon thing? Or that creepy brain in a jar? She’s invincible, Peach! I bet she’s probably just busy blasting space pirates or something.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself…” Peach replied, her voice barely a whisper. “But it’s been so long. I haven’t heard from her in weeks. She’s never gone this long without contacting me before, and… I just can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong. I know she’s strong, but… she’s not invincible.”
Zelda, with her usual enthusiasm, reached over and patted Peach on the hand. “Oh, Peach, you’re such a worrier! She’s probably fine. I mean, have you seen the way she struts around in that armor of hers? I’m pretty sure she could take on an army with just a look!” She paused, her eyes twinkling. “I tried doing that once, you know, in Hyrule. Didn’t work, but Samus, now she could totally pull it off!”
Peach looked down at Zelda’s hand on hers, taking some comfort in her friend’s optimism but still unable to fully ease her heart. “I just wish I knew for sure. The waiting… it’s the hardest part.”
Before Zelda could respond, a small Toad came rushing into the garden, out of breath and looking frantic. He stumbled as he tried to catch his breath, clutching a piece of parchment in his tiny hand.
“Princess Peach! Princess Peach!” he called, his voice shaking with urgency.
Both Peach and Zelda stood quickly, their previous conversation forgotten. “Toad, what’s wrong?” Peach asked, her heart racing.
The Toad struggled to speak through his heavy breathing. “Your Majesty… a village… it’s been attacked! Near the southern border of the kingdom! We need your help—there’s been… so much damage!”
Peach’s eyes widened in alarm, her mind shifting from her worries about Samus to the immediate crisis at hand. “Show me. Now.”
Without hesitation, Peach began marching toward the castle gates, Zelda following close behind, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a look of genuine concern. “Oh, no! Attacked? Who would do such a thing? What kind of monster goes around attacking villages? Maybe it was those spooky skeletons from that one spooky swamp… or was it the goblins? No, wait, they’re nice now... hmmm.”
Peach didn’t respond, her mind racing. She led a group of Toad guards and villagers toward the site of the attack, moving swiftly through the forest until they reached the outskirts of the village. Smoke rose in the distance, and the once-quiet village was now in ruins. Several homes had been reduced to rubble, and the air was thick with the smell of charred wood and destruction.
Peach surveyed the damage with a grim expression, her fists clenched at her sides. “How did this happen?”
One of the Toad guards stepped forward, his helmet dented and his face smeared with dirt. “We don’t know, Princess. The attack happened so fast. It wasn’t Bowser’s usual forces—there were no Koopas or Goombas. It was… different. More organized. They took everything—food, supplies, even some of the villagers. We barely managed to drive them off.”
Zelda wandered around the destroyed village, inspecting the wreckage. Her expression was thoughtful, though her brows furrowed with concern. "This is… devastating," she murmured softly, her voice tinged with sadness. "Who could have done something like this?" She paused, her hand brushing over a broken beam. "I still want to believe… that whoever it was, maybe they didn’t know the harm they were causing." Her gaze lifted to Peach, eyes filled with quiet hope. "There has to be a way to stop this… without more destruction. There has to be something we’re not seeing."
Peach ignored Zelda’s musings, her eyes narrowing as she looked around the village. Something felt wrong. This didn’t feel like a random attack—it felt planned.
Then her gaze fell on something that stopped her cold.
At the center of the village, standing tall over the ruins, a flagpole rose from the ground. At the top, a flag fluttered in the wind. Peach’s eyes widened in shock as she recognized the emblem on the flag—a disturbing combination of Mario’s iconic “M” and Bowser’s ferocious insignia, merged into one.
Peach’s heart sank, “What… what is this?”
Zelda followed her gaze, squinting up at the flagpole. “That’s Mario’s logo! But… why’s it with Bowser’s? What does it mean?”
Peach stood frozen for a moment, unable to comprehend the reality in front of her. Mario—her Mario—had joined forces with Bowser? The thought sent a chill through her, more unsettling than anything she had faced before. Slowly, she shook her head, her mind reeling. "No," she whispered to herself, as if saying it aloud could undo the truth. A swell of conflicting emotions swarmed her body.
“Mario… what have you done?”