The Mushroom Kingdom Wars

Epilogue

Behind Peach's castle, the landscape was bathed in hues of orange and gold as the sun began its descent. Samus and Peach sat side by side on an old, wooden bench, the gentle rustling of leaves filling the silence between them. The weight of everything they had faced and the relief of having made it through together lingered in the air. They didn’t need words just yet—sometimes, being in each other’s presence was enough.

After a long pause, Peach broke the silence first, her voice soft and thoughtful. “Do you remember the day we first met?”

Samus let out a low chuckle, her eyes fixed on the horizon. “How could I forget? You were that bratty little princess who somehow wandered into a bounty hunter bar looking for karaoke.”

Peach laughed, a sound as light as the breeze that caressed their faces. “I wasn’t bratty. I was… curious.”

Samus arched an eyebrow, a smile tugging at her lips. “Curious, huh? You’re lucky you didn’t get thrown out on your royal behind.”

Peach shrugged, smirking playfully. “But I didn’t, did I? In fact, by the end of the night, I had the whole bar singing along.”

Samus rolled her eyes, but her tone softened with warmth. “That’s true. I’ll give you that.” She paused, turning serious. “You always had this way of… bringing people together. Even in the most unlikely places.”

Peach looked down, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “You make me sound more impressive than I am.”

“No,” Samus replied, shifting to face her, “I mean it. There’s something about you, Peach. You have this light… this warmth that makes everything and everyone around you better. Including me.”

Peach blinked, tears welling in her eyes. She smiled through them, her voice shaky with emotion. “You’ve always made me feel stronger, Samus. Like I could face anything as long as you were with me.” She took a deep breath, reaching into the pocket of her dress. “I have something for you.”

Peach’s heart fluttered as she reached into her pocket, her fingers brushing against the worn surface of the locket. It felt heavier now, not from its weight, but from the memories it carried—of the times she had thought Samus was truly gone. She hesitated for a moment, her thoughts flickering back to the battles they had fought, the close calls, and the unspoken connection that had formed between them.

With a small smile, Peach handed Samus the locket. “I think this belongs to you,” she said softly.

Samus stared at the locket, her chest tightening. She hadn’t seen it since the day her ship went down, the day she thought she’d never see Peach again. “You kept it all this time?”

Peach nodded, her fingers trembling as she placed the locket into Samus’s hand. “I didn’t want to believe you were gone. But when I thought you were… it felt like a part of me died too. I wanted to run, to hide from the pain, but… you wouldn’t let me.”

Samus placed her hand over Peach’s, their hands now cradling the locket together. “I’m here now,” she said softly. “And I’m not going anywhere.”

Peach looked up, their eyes meeting in the glow of the fading sun. In that moment, the world seemed to disappear, leaving only the two of them.

Bowser's Kingdom drifted in the emptiness of space, a broken relic of a once-mighty empire now isolated in a dark, uncharted corner of the universe. The flowing rivers of molten lava that had once lit up the kingdom were now frozen in place, dim and lifeless, leaving the castle shrouded in shadows. The eerie silence was interrupted only by the distant shuffling of Goombas and Koopa Troopas who wandered aimlessly, their eyes wide with fear and confusion. They whispered to one another, wondering when—if ever—their King would return to lead them.