Shards of Love

Confrontations

Shards of Love: REDUX!

Shard I: Foundations

Chapter IV

Confrontations

The next morning, Peach wakes up with a content smile before letting out a yawn. Her wedding and reception went so smooth! Although, as odd as the fact seems, she couldn't remember the reception all too well. Perhaps the massive flood of relief of a job well done made her forget most of it? Or did the unbelief of being a newlywed factor in somehow?

Or, maybe she's on her honeymoon already? Those were supposed to be exciting enough to forget half the previous day. She fantasizes about Mario laying on the other side of the bed, in a coastal-front, five-star hotel in Water Land; the salty air and the merciless sun begging to leak into the elegant room.

Acting on these fantasies, she reaches her arm towards the other side of the bed. She couldn't feel Mario, only the bed's mattress. Confused, Peach sniffs the air. Rather than the salty, yet fresh aroma of Water Land, she only smells a faint odour of sulfur from lava pits and volcanoes. A smell that, although foreign, she somehow grew accustomed too.

That's when she realizes. Her eyes snap open, and a pink room greets her. Unlike other pink-painted rooms that bring comfort into her life, this rosy room only delivers feelings of horror and helplessness.

She must be in Bowser's castle. What a terrific place for her to be at the day after her wedding. It's not her number one dream vacation spot after all.

Oh well, Mario'll save her. The first time he'll save her as her husband!

But for now, maybe she'll sneak out of her room and confront that monster, Bowser.

With the thought in mind, she attempts to get out of bed before she realizes the dress she's wearing. He didn't even give her a normal dress to change into! He just kidnapped her in her wedding dress!

Dress and all, Peach paces towards the door, opens it and peeks out. During a typical kidnapping "trip", at least two koopatrol guards stand haste at her door for the entire day. However, this time, no signs of koopatrols or other baddies steadfast at her door. In fact, no guards patrol the hallway at all.

Taking the current situation to her advantage, she exits her room and strolls down the hallway. Although familiar with Bowser's castle, she never took the time to realize its décor. Unlike her red, pink and white-themed castle, his took on a more grey, brown and black ambience. Miniature spikes and Bowser statues contrast her hearts and stars. With the vast differences between the two, Peach can't understand why Bowser still kidnaps her and tries to keep her here. She's never been able to stand this place due to how foreign the setting appears.

Or, perhaps opposites do indeed attract? Naaaaah.

Peach tries her best to ignore the decorations she deems terrible; a more important task lies ahead of her: finding Bowser.

The door at the end of the hallway leads to Bowser's room; she knows from her previous kidnapping trips that Bowser enjoys setting her up in the room closest to his bedroom for reasons she's never figured out. There's no way any other guests would stay in Peach's room; nothing ever gets disturbed in there until she gets kidnapped.

Rather than doing the ladylike, princess act of knocking, Peach instead turns the knob and kicks open the door. A stunned Bowser greets Peach in the now-exposed room.