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Dark Land
Meanwhile in a very different castle, in a very different kingdom, the King of Koopas was busy entertaining his precocious only child. His only birth child, that is. He had long since adopted the koopalings back when he believed he would never have a true heir. But here he was, his own little miracle, whom he loved so much as to name after himself. A not-so-subtle declaration of the line of succession. Junior was sitting on the arm of the throne as his father spun stories of his past adventures, some real, some made up in the moment.
"But how did you get the blargg to live in the castle's lava traps?" Junior asked, leaning too far back on his perch and fell with a startled squeak. Bowser scooped his hand behind Junior's shell and lifted him back to his seat like he weighed nothing at all.
"I wrestled them out of their magma pools, and when they refused to serve me I tickled them into submission!" Bowser declared with a wicked grin. "Oh, you don't believe your old man can wrestle such beasts?" He continued as Junior looked rather doubtful. "Let me demonstrate!" He gave a mock roar and began teasing Junior's sides and tummy, almost causing the boy to fall off again as he giggled. They were interrupted by a blue-shelled koopa-aid silently signaling for Bower's attention.
"My lord." He said when he caught the kings eyes. "It's Shadow Guy."
Bowser sighed. "Say, Champ, why don't you go practice your fire breathing for a while?" He said, gently setting his son on the carpeted stone floor.
"Aw Pops. I already did it toda-a-a-a-a-ay." Junior grumbled, crossing his arms across his bib. He sensed something interesting was about to happen and he didn't want to miss it. Pom Pom was standing to one side during all this. The nanny mentally prepared herself for a troublesome afternoon with a cranky Junior.
"Well then" Bowser pretended to scratch his chin thoughtfully "Why don't you go play your video game... machine... thing. You conquered that yet?"
"Naw, you keep limiting my play time." Junior replied with less of a pout now.
"How would you like some extra play time today? Think you can beat that game for daddy?" He poked Junior in the side again, teasing a smile from the boy now.
"Oh I don't know if more games would be good for him-" Pom Pom started to say, before Junior ran past her.
"Pops said I can play more!" He hollered over his shoulder before Bowser could have his mind changed. Not that that was ever going to happen anyway.
"I'll keep him occupied my lord." Pom Pom bowed and left in the direction Junior had fled, though Bowser barely noticed, having already dismissed her.
Shadow Guy approached the throne like, well, like a shadow. "Report!" Bowser grunted. "This better be something important or I'm deep frying that toad and eating it, then you for dessert." If the threat frightened Shadow Guy he didn't show it. Really unlike a shy guy if you thought about it, but Bowser was not one for deep contemplation. That's why he had advisors, of course.
"My sources say the princess has a new weapon. A magic crown. Potentially devastating in nature, especially if it was used against the Mushroom Kingdom. Such a device existing outside of your control is abominable, my lord. The powerless grasping to pull the strings of destiny from your iron grip, but with..." he went on at some length in that pseudo-poetic dialogue before finally pausing for dramatic effect.
"Get it for me." Bowser cut-in before Shadow Guy could launch into afresh diatribe. "BRING IT BEFORE THE- oh. He's gone. Hm." Bowser usually had to yell at his goons to get them into motion. Or so he told himself. In reality he just enjoyed yelling things at people.
"You bellowed, Lordship?" Kamek the magikoopa asked as he phased through the wall. He had been waiting on Bowser since he was a new baby, then took a parental role over the koopalings. Now he divided his servitude between the father and son duo.
"A new power item was discovered in the Mushroom Kingdom. A crown or something. I sent Shadow Guy to fetch it for me."
"A crown power-up…." Kamek mused aloud. Something about it sounded vaguely familiar. "Let me go check the archives…" He phased through the floor still talking to himself and left Bowser to his own thoughts.
Somewhat later on after night had fallen, Peach was ready to call it a day. Her mind set on climbing into her ornate and overly comfy bed. However, acting on a sudden and inexplicable whim she took a quick detour to the castle's treasury instead. The mystery crown was locked in a wooden chest with a few other odds and ends of low importance, but valuable enough to be stored securely. It didn't look particularly special or dangerous. However, appearances could be most deceiving. The mystery surrounding it and its power was as relevant as the havoc it could wreck, if Professor E. Gadd's suggestion were to be believed. Her ethics wouldn't allow her to test the magic of the crown on other people, but she still suffered from burning curiosity. What was the worst thing that could happen, really?
Feeling foolish in spite of herself, she lifted the crown and placed it on her head. There was a quick tingle throughout her body, but nothing more. She didn't know precisely what she expected to occur, but it was probably a dumb idea to be playing with it like this, alone. Or perhaps not so alone... She suddenly felt extremely self-conscious, as if she was being watched from some secret corner. She quickly removed the crown and briskly exited the room, slamming the heavy door behind her. "What are you skittish about?" She scolded herself, her hackles still raised for whatever reason. She was not superstitious as a rule, but perhaps the years of kidnappings was finally catching up with her and making her paranoid. Hating herself but unable to shake the creeping feeling, she pulled her robe tighter around her body and hurried to her private quarters. If she had bothered to look back she might have seen a shadow slither from the treasury room, and down the hall towards an open window, and the moonlit night beyond. Utilizing a network of select and lesser known warp pipes, Shadow Guy made his way back to the Dark Land in short order, and presented the stolen prize to the Koopa King.
The crown sat tiny and innocently on Bowser's massive palm. It looked more like a child's plaything than any type of weapon or artifact. How could this turn the tide of any battle? Why was the princess afraid someone would get it? There was only one way to find out. Darkly mirroring Peach's thought process earlier, Bowser was reluctant to test the power on any of his subjects. More out of fear they might become more powerful than himself, as opposed to the ethical morality. Further mirroring the princess earlier, Bowser slowly placed the crown on his own head. The effect was nearly instantaneous. Bowser's body was racked with pain so great he couldn't even gasp out, the exact changes happening to him were hidden by blinding light, forcing Shadow Guy to shield his eyes away from the mystic glow.
As the light faded away the biological alterations became stark obvious. His red mane had become flowing golden locks, his burning crimson eyes changed to cool dazzling azure. His dry scales had melted into perfect, pale and flawless skin. His flat, armored chest had become curvaceous and full, his sides narrowed at his flat stomach, his stubby legs were long and toned now. Bowser had taken on the form of a peak female human. Some aspects of his monstrous nature would not be subdued, however, regardless of biology-breaking magic. His proud horns remained, along with an altered, longer tail and a shell now greatly reduced in size. His spiked armbands had interestingly changed to fit his new size. Unfortunately those were the only stitches of clothing on his body. Rising slowly to shaky feet, Bowser took in his alterations with confusion and wonder. "What-" She started to say, shocked by the sound of her now feminine voice. "What the hell have you done to me!?" Bowser shrieked,
Shadow Guy had wisely chosen to ninja-vanish from the castle for the moment.
"What kind of power is this?" Bowser asked no one in particular.
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