#in defense of princess peach

[willowisapillow]

👑🍑 Why Peach Is One Of My Favorite Comfort Characters 🍑👑

It’s Princess Peach Month, babes, and as a fangirl, I’m obligated to make a post like this become a reality. Feels quite sinful that I wasn’t able to jack for the month last year (aside from reposting some cringy fanart), but this year I’ll try and bring my A game this year. Was also inspired to make this post after reading some articles that are in defense of characters that are in a similar vein to Peach, like Daphne Blake and the Disney Princesses (specifically the classic ones like Snow White, Cinderella and Aurora).

Last year, I made a post where I partially went in defense of the pink diplomat, but for this post, I’m gonna go in full defense of her, and also why she’s personally special to me.

Now, where do I even begin? Imo, Peach has been one of the most unnecessarily lambasted, maligned, overhated but also misunderstood characters in not just Super Mario, video games, but also fiction as a whole.

One of the most talked about criticisms I hear about her is, “ShE’s UsElEsS, aNd Is aLwAyS bEiNg KiDnApPeD LiKe EvErY dAy”. While it kinda has become somewhat of a running gag in the series, I am willing to admit that she’s not always able to defend herself. However, I’m still here to say that’s she’s far from useless or weak, girlie clearly can defend herself, like- are y’all really forgetting the many times where she can be strong like in SM3DW, Mario + Rabbids, SMB2, SMBW, SMRPG, and so many other titles? Hell, are we really forgetting about the movie that literally just came out a year ago where she’s being a strong, dutiful leader, AND the fact that she has two solo starring games where it was her turn to save the day all by herself? Let’s also not forget the Smash Bros. series where she’s one of the highest ranked characters in three of the entries. And also, it’s not, “every day”, some of y’all need to stop exaggerating that 💀

Even when in captivity, she still manages to help out Mario by sneaking 1-Ups like in Mario Galaxy. It irks me with how stuff like this is often ignored in order to pigeonhole her into the damsel role, when she is strong in her own right. She doesn’t always get captured, and more people could understand this if they stopped degrading her for Bowser and Daisy’s actions.

Speaking of Daisy, another criticism that I hear about her is, “ShE’s A bAd FrIeNd To DaIsY, aNd BeTrAyEd HeR fOr RoSaLiNa.” Jesus H. Christ, this one genuinely makes my blood boil. Daisy is another one of my favorite characters in the series that is special to me, and it makes me upset with how her and Peach’s friendship is often portrayed in the fandom. Like, show me proof. Show me factual evidence that Peach “betrayed” Daisy that isn’t from fanart, fanfiction, animations, or anything else fanmade. This is giving the same vibes as, “Mario is a bad/abusive brother to Luigi” rumor that MatPat popularized and I hate it sm. And while we’re at it, can we not throw Rosalina under the bus, she herself gets an unnecessary and unneeded amount of hate already :/

Peach and Daisy are canonically BFFLs, and I hate hate hate how they’re usually portrayed as enemies. I remember seeing so much fanart back in the day where Daisy is bullying, fighting, or being straight up toxic towards Peach. I do see Daisy playfully teasing Peach and being competitive, but being toxic? No, honey, no 😣

And now moving on to my next criticism which is, “ShE’s ToO sTuPiD aNd GiRlY”. Aah yes, the whole, “being hyper feminine/girly is bad” trope, oh how I have not missed you. First of all, Peach is not stupid. Naive? Yes. But she’s no dumb blonde, or airhead, or ditz, or bimbo, or whatever the hell type of pejorative, misogynistic, blonde stereotype-based word you wanna throw at her. She’s clever, and has been able to use her smarts to outwit her captors. And newsflash, there's absolutely nothing wrong with loving traditionally feminine things like baking cakes, or fashion, or liking the color pink. It kinda rubs me the wrong way with how people remove the feminine aspects about Peach and the other things that make her special in order to have her be taken seriously. They just end up making her a Daisy clone. You can be both girly and badass too, y’know!

And here’s my final criticism that I hear about her, “ShE’s A sPoIlEd, StUcK uP bRaT wHo DoEsN’t CaRe AbOuT mArIo”. Look, just because she’s filthy stinking rich, doesn’t mean she’s a spoiled brat. This is yet another thing I see her being portrayed in fanmade stuff; spoiled, bratty, entitled, and bitchy, and I’m just here like, “Did y’all mistake her for Wendy, or?”. Peach is one of the sweetest, empathetic, selfless, and most wholesome characters in the series, and would never act like that.

But nope, pink = girliness, and girliness = bad, so that means we gotta make her a complete Karen/s

I get alternative character interpretations exists, but I feel like people use that as an excuse to deliberately demonize and flanderize characters for the sake of it -_-

As for Mario, have you guys even played any of the games? She clearly does love and care about him and is grateful for what he’s done for her. She thanks him for helping her, giving him kisses, baking cakes for him, and inviting him to fun places. If she “didn’t care about him”, then she wouldn’t be doing all the above mentioned stuff for him. And something I also forgot to mention in my Y2K Peach post is how people assume she has Stockholm Syndrome- which she doesn’t. She clearly doesn’t like Bowser, wants nothing to do with him, and shows 0 romantic interest in him, so how could she have Stockholm Syndrome lmao

Phew, glad I got all of that off my chest. Stuff like this has been bugging me for so long, so I’m glad to finally let it all out. Now I’m gonna explain why I find Peach to be one of my favorite comfort characters.

Ever since I was a small tot, I’ve always admired Peach. She was pretty, pink, super girly and ruled a whole damn kingdom. While she isn’t always strong, there are still times where she’s able to put her foot down and stand up for her friends and herself. She puts her subjects' needs before her own needs, and is basically a gentle soul. She’s also a jack of all trades, she’s not just a baker, but also a golfer, tennis player, kart racer, equestrian, and so much more. She’s also able to be patient with others, and sees the good in even the wickedest of people.

I especially loved playing as her in the Smash Bros. games, I’ve been a Peach main ever since the Brawl days. Her inclusion in the series just shows me that, even if you love doing unapologetically feminine things like wearing dresses, painting your nails, shopping, or cooking, you still matter. You’re still capable and strong in your own way, and you can still save the day. Embrace who you are. To this day, I still find this to be an empowering message that not just young girls, but anyone can resonate with. This is why Peach has always been a special character to me <3

Apologies if I kinda went into, “I’m 14 and this is deep” territory, but that’s just what I truly feel about Peach. She’s no damsel in distress, or a pretty face, or a walking talking prize, she’s much much more than that. She’s one of the best characters, and deserves better not just in the games, but in the fandom as well.

I’m probably gonna get crucified and clowned on for this, but Idc, I spoke my truth 😤

Before I leave, if you still dislike Peach after reading this post, that’s perfectly fine, just make sure to keep the comments respectful and please don’t start any flame wars. Thank you 💕

Thank you all for reading my needlessly long and unhinged defense of one of my favorite Princess characters, and I hope you all have a good day or night, and make sure to stay safe out there ✌️

👑 🍑 👑

[zootopiathingz]

Y’all seem to be ignoring the fact game Peach would absolutely adore movie Peach

Proof:

[marioromanceblog]

Peach busts Mario's balls

That will teach him to respect women some more.

[enchantingmirage]

In Defense of Princess Peach (Super Mario Movie Spoilers)

Check out my latest post, where I state my opinion on some negative comments people made about Princess Peach.

Note: This post contains spoilers for The Super Mario Bros. Movie. If you wish to avoid spoilers if you haven’t seen the movie, then I would advise that you skip this post. Princess Peach has to be one of my favorite fictional characters; I’ve been into the Mario franchise since I was young, and I’ve always adored her design. I’d also always play as her (other times I play another female…

[froggyfroo]

I saw the Mario Movie with my brother today and I can't believe it was tailor made for me specifically 🥹

Absolutely loved it to bits, there were so many references crammed into every frame of this film, Mario and Luigi's relationship was so lovely (honestly it's the perfect movie to go see with your sibling/s) and the animation (especially in the well choreographed action scenes) was excellent. Is it prestige cinema? No. Is it full of fanservice? Yes, if you know your Mario (Mario has been a special interest of mine my whole life so I Very Much Do) but I don't think it's too gratuitous. If you go into the film meeting it where it's at, it's a very enjoyable experience, and it's instantly become my comfort movie, I am buying it as soon as I'm able so I can watch it whenever I feel rubbish. Basically if you still have whimsy in your heart and especially if you know Mario games very well I highly recommend this movie, I would happily go and see it again tomorrow.

(still not thrilled about Chris Pratt (or Anya Taylor Joy tbh) being cast over the OG voice talent, especially when characters voiced by Charles Martinet spoke and reminded me of what we could have had, but honestly I just forgot about it and was absorbed into the experience after the first few minutes, so if ur worried about it it's rly not as bad as feared.)

[catdia]

Sevika with a Chubby S/o pt.2

Sevika is a very jealous and prideful individual. she doesn’t take kindly to others that try to take you away from her

when Finn tried to get you close to him, she killed half his goons as a warning

teaches you basic self defense, how to use your body as an advantage in combat

ended with both of you making out on the practice mats

gave you a knife and handgun as a birthday present

all your clothing is automatically hers as well. loves wearing your shirts and hoodies when running errands

Sevika has MASSIVE hips, she doesn’t like them that much because pants never fit her waist right. but you love them!

and you also don’t like when pants highlight your underbelly. if she sees your belly in any capacity she’s grabbing that thing like a vice

uses your stuff before you ever get to. that new Piltovan skin care you got? Sevika gives it 10/10

eats all your snacks, even the healthy ones that taste “like cardboard”

the scar on her temple gets sensitive with the cold, uses your tummy as a heating pad when cuddling

one of Sevika’s love languages is bringing you fresh vegetables and fruit she smuggled from overseas

seeing your eyes sparkle in delight as you eat the sweet fruits makes her love her shitty job a little more

she got your nickname “peach” because of your love of fruit (and your fat ass)

if there is a place on earth that can be considered hell is when your periods sync up. Both in pain and grumpy.

when it’s just you, she gives you princess treatment (more than usual). even going as far as making homemade soup

i believe Sevika doesn’t get her period as frequently as she used to. mainly thanks to the amount of Shimmer she uses

Shimmer is the reason you almost had a terrible fall out. it was doing your woman more harm than good. making her extremely aggressive to the point where she threw and broke the matching clay mugs you gave her as an anniversary present. you spent almost two months making them

all of this because you threw away her last Shimmer supply. you just couldn’t she her like that anymore

you sobbed as you collected the pieces of the floor. so preciously putting them on your lap as she just watched in horror. Sevika had never seen you so broken. What had she done?

Sevika kneeled in front of you trying to make everything right. picking up little colorful shards of the floor. but you pushed her onto her feet. you pointed at the door.

“Get out…”

“Peach, please I—“

“Get the fuck out Sevika!”

she spend the next few weeks crashing in Silco’s office. drinking her sorrows away. while going cold turkey of Shimmer

remembering your soft cheeks stained with tears and trembling shoulders. she never had seen you so angry

once she had the courage (and by that I mean Silco and Jinx kicking her out for beign love sick) to come back home, she didn’t grasp how much she actually needed your love

it was a positive sign that you let her in. like a silent “prove me wrong”

you made her sleep on the couch for weeks. ignoring all Sevika’s attempts of affection. walking away when she got too close, not drinking the coffee she made for you in the mornings, covering your body quickly whenever she walked into the bathroom after your showers

Janna, did she miss having your body on hers. having you cuddle her to sleep. now she is stuck in this ratty couch. she missed how you moaned, what you tasted like. Sevika was unbelievably horny

but she needed to wait for you to make the first move out of respect for the pain she caused

when she was sleeping on the sofa you woke her up by grinding your cunt on her thigh. only wearing your night robe. open in the middle, nipples hard and belly creasing on your pelvis. you placed her mechanical arm on your temple. cradling her metal palm with your lips

“Fuck me like you mean it, ‘vika! Make me your woman again.”

Sevika saw the fire in your eyes, and the burn was a prize she was willing to take

you kissed each other hard, clawing at clothing and skin. teeth clashing. every touch was personal. sensual. like a withered plant in water

even if the sun never warmed the underground it didn’t matter to her. because the sun couldn’t ever bring her life like you did

Sevika had never made love before. only saw sex as carnal lust. but having you vulnerable in front of her and having given her forgiveness was the best gift she could have asked for. the gift of hope and chance. she touched you like a lover, a soulmate.

you laid naked on her chest, blissed out in pleasure. in the afterglow of sex. Sevika groping the flesh of your ass. as she blew cigarette smoke into the air. you were going to complain about the smell in the morning.

“I quit Shimmer.”

you smiled into her exposed skin. Sevika was a blunt woman, and you appreciated that part of her.

“Good.”

“Love you, doll.”

“Mmmm — me too Sevika.”

and you definitely made her go to one of those pottery couples classes to replace the mugs she broke

Sevika wasn’t getting off thaaattt easy

[katlyntheartist]

Peach and Daisy in a sword fight?

I headcanon that in the movie, Peach learned most of her fighting skills from Daisy. The Toads were looking for someone to train the princess so she could defend her self, since they were mostly peaceful and only knew basic self defense. And since Sarasaland was already good friends with the Mushroom Kingdom, King Totomesu offered his daughter to help train Peach because she was one of the best fighters in his kingdom.

[pianokantzart]

How delusional do you think Bowser is in the Mario Movie? He genuinely thought Mario was in love with Peach the moment they met but in reality, they’re just friends. He thought Peach found Mario attractive, even though they only knew each other for a few days. Hell, he even thought it was okay to straight up massacre all his prisoners as a “wedding gift” for Peach and assume it was fine. He genuinely thought she’d be cool with murder and a forced wedding despite knowing that she hates him. Bowser thought that Peach cared a little bit about him, but not at all. So what’s your opinion on Bowser’s delusions? You think Mario would be able to smack some sense into the lizard’s tiny brain?

I think he's semi-delusional. He's delusional to the extent that he lets his emotions and pride cloud his thoughts and judgement, but he's not completely off his rocker. From an outsider's perspective, Bowser did have reason to worry about Mario winning Peach's affections. For the longest time she was one of (if not the) only one of her kind in that dimension. Then, suddenly, out of the blue comes a human guy around her same age that she immediately takes under her tutelage? Given the little Bowser knows, feeling defensive and jealous isn't all that irrational.

What is irrational is how jealous Bowser got. He sent his most respected and powerful general to kill Mario, and when that general straight up killed himself up to complete his mission all Bowser could do was celebrate that Mario was... as far as he knew... out of the picture.

Then there was the way Bowser made Mario the scapegoat for his wedding's failure despite the fact that Peach's defiance had wrecked the ceremony long before Mario crashed it.

Speaking of the wedding...

I don't think Bowser believed Peach would be okay with the sacrifices. In fact, the entire thing seems to be out of spite for his bride-to-be's earlier attempts to foil him, but his mistake was thinking that he had already won. Bowser had The Mushroom Kingdom under siege and had captured the princess' allies, so now he felt free to do whatever he wanted without pushback or consequence, forgetting just how determined and resourceful the princess was.

Bowser's feelings for Peach are complicated. He knows that she hates him, and part of him likes that she hates him and enjoys their feud, but I think the part of him that craves romantic affection believes that if he chips away at her long enough she'll eventually come around and love him for his "true self."

That's never going to happen of course, not while his "true self" is the way that it is, but beyond knowing she is a beautiful and capable fighter Bowser doesn't really seem to know Peach at all despite being so smitten.

And his delusions are nuanced and based in enough reality that no beatdown in the world is going to set him straight.

[marinerainbow]

Do you have any more information on that when’s were peach fell in love with bowser eyes 👀 it interest me a lot

Powser is my favorite Mario ship... So yes, I do >:3

Let us renember; in my headcannon, Peach is SEVEN FOOT THREE! Imagine how huge Bowser is if he can grab her up like this!?!?

This post shall also be done in dot points for my sanity XD also, this will be referring to the Powser Timeline of my Mario's Galexy.

In this cycle, Mario and Luigi showed up much later, so they aren't around for a good while. So when it came to maintaining the peace of The Strangelands, it fell on our beloved princess' shoulders. In fact, in this timeline, Bowser doesn't get to kidnap her because she approached him first for peace between their nations.

Bowser had been planning to take over the Mushroom Kingdom for the same reasons I stated in my Mario AU post. So you can imagine how surprised he was when he received an invitation to the very palace he was planning on conquering in the first place. He took this as a chance for a surprise take-over, and told his men to prepare as such.

... The thing is, though, he expected to come face to face with a sentient mushroom ruler. Not the beautiful, kind-hearted, and collected Princess Peach we know and love to greet him at the edge of her city. He actually thought she was a passing human, but no. The toads flanking her sides introduced her as their princess. And when Peach approached Bowser with a sweet smile and took one of his clawed fingers in both of her hands, he fell in love instantly... Which was quite the show when his koopa troops surrounded the princess and her toad guards as was the original plan 😅 Bowser had to quickly call them off, and come up with an excuse on the spot as to why his koopas would point their spears at her.

Peach: Wh-What is this!?

Bowser: No! No! It, uh... Y-You see, my princess *totally not squealing on the inside for getting to say that* uh... My people, we uh...

The Koopas: 😶😶🤨🤨🤨🤨

Bowser: We aren't used to uh... Friendly people, such as you.

Peach: Really?

Bowser: Yeah, yeah! It uh... We were expecting an attack, actually-

Koopa: But my lord, you said-

Bowser: *gives him the 'shut the shell up!' Look*

Peach: Oh, you poor koopas! 🥺 don't worry. You will find nothing but acceptance and peace among the toads. And with our alliance, we'll be sure to offer your people the prosperity you deserve ^^

Bowser: *definitly not wondering what Peaches ring size is already* Right, that's why we're here! For peace! Haha...

(Eventually, after they get married, Bowser tells Peach the truth of what happened. To which she surprises him by confessing she already knew, but decided to give him a chance since he called off his troops, and she's glad she did. My Peach may be a pacifist, but she's not blind.)

Anyways, they went inside her kingdom, and Bowser not only got to see a side of The Strangelands he never did get to see in The Darklands, but was also shocked at how peacefully they were able to work together. Peach never spoke down to him or his people, and made sure neither side would be treated unfairly in their kingdoms union. He was honestly amazed, having never seen anything political being taken care of through non-violent means. It made him reflect on his own laws and Kingdom, too. But he wanted to leave a good impression on Peach, so he tried to paint his kingdom and ruling in a positive light... Which failed miserably 😅😅😅 but at least it encouraged Peach to renain in contact with him and help bring his people into a new, kinder era, so... He considers it a win.

There was a lot of work to be done. Imagine if all of the main Mario games focused on Peach and Bowser teaming up and fixing various issues between their kingdoms. That's how much time passed between them after that first meeting (I actually wanna see that 🤔 Bowser being able to use force and offense when Peach's negotiations and defense fail, and vice versa. Kinda like Bigby and Snow from The Wolf Among Us). But it only made Bowser fall for her harder, and eventually Peach started to fall in love with Bowser, too. And since their kingdoms were already united, it seemed like the most natural course of action ^^

Their love and marriage lasted for the rest of their lives. Raising the koopalings and Junior, and changing all of the Strangelands for the better. However, it all ended on the star festival, as it always does with each cycle; Bowser, Peach and their children were all enjoying a night of fun and collecting star bits, and forming the final grand star before their timeline ends with the galexy resetting itself... Unfortunately, Bowser and Peach don't fall in love in the next cycle, but they at least had their happy ending while they had it...

I hope this timeline makes sense 😅 but! Time for headcannons/tid-bits of the Powser Galexy Cycle!

As you can see, Bowser is still a bit of a goof in this timeline. In fact, he's able to show that side of himself more in this cycle than in previous cycles. That's because there's no need for him to be so tyrannical, and because his precious wife encourages him to let this side of him out ^^

Even so, he still knows how to lay down the law. Peach, she is a good and benevolent ruler. However, there were plenty of times when people tried to take advantage of that. Whether it be neighboring kingdoms during negotiations, enemies trying to take over her kingdom, or even their own people trying to get out of paying for a crime they committed. In that case, Bowser is always there to make sure nobody tries to pull the wool over Peach's eyes. He's kind of like her guard dog, standing behind her with his arms crossed and ready to roast somebody if they hurt or try to fool Peach... Needless to say, this does make people think twice about trying to harm the princess.

Though on the flip side, Peach is able to get Bowser to realize when aggression is unnecessary and whether or not a punishment for a criminal is just or too extreme. It's not uncommon in the kingdom to see Peach by Bowsers' side, holding his claw and keeping him calm enough to see reason and keep things smooth during meetings. If Bowser is her guard dog, then Peach would be his emotional support kitty.

Sometimes, just to tease Peach or because he needs he close in that moment, Bowser will pick up Peach just like in the gif above to give her a kiss, whisper something in her ear, or even during meetings and he and Peach need to talk without anyone else listening in. Sometimes, Peach will hop up onto his shoulder to peck his cheek and see him turn red ^^

In my previous post, I said that Ludwig was the first to be adopted, followed shortly by Iggy. They were actually brought in by Bowser before he and Peach were married. Even though they weren't a couple, however, Peach fell in love with them instantly and would constantly ask Bowser how he and his sons are doing. And he even trusted her enough to send them to her palace whenever necessary! 🥺🥺🥺 Peach treated them like her own, and when they came back, the first thing Iggy asked his dad was why aren't he and mama Peach married yet? This was actually what encouraged Bowser to finally confess his love to her ^^ (Ludwig was in his emo phase at this point, so he was just like "Yeah, she's alright." // "Shut up, Luddy, you still have the violin Peach got you." // "SHUT UP!-")

As such, Ludwig and Iggy are the only koopa kids who remember having only Bowser as a parent. The other koopa kids, even though lived under the rule of Peach and Bowser, were adopted after they got together.

After they were married, they built their own palace on the borders of both of their kingdoms. Peaches' original castle is the families' summer vacation home, and Bowsers Castle is their winter vacation home.

The Mario Bros come to The Strangelands during Bowser and Peach's wedding planning, actually XD when they were due to be married within a week, in fact. Larry found them first and showed them to his parents like they were cool bugs or stones he found XD "Mama, look! They look like you, but very small!" They were able to fix some plumbing issues in the castle that would have potentially interferred with the wedding, so Peach and Bowser promised to help them find their way back home for their help ^^ (I like to think Mario may have developed a mini crush on Peach, but since she was getting married, it obviously went nowhere.)

When it comes to parenting, Peach is the more firm parent. Bowser loves his kids, and he can discipline them. But... He's weak. He can't do it unless it's something serious. And we know he spoils his kids 😅😅😅 Peach loves them to peices as well! But she knows where to draw the line with them and makes sure Bowser doesn't go too far with spoiling them or letting their antics slide. As such, they actually grow up less bratty and not so "we just love being mean!" Then they do when it's just Bowser raising them. Imagine Peach being like Mary Poppins with them, making sure they behave without being aggressive about it. Except she's their mother, not their nanny. Daisy though, is their cool aunt.

When it comes to Junior, Bowser still made him on his own. Even though he and Peach wanted to try for kids, their drastic size and biology differences did make them hesitate. So, to stay on the safe side, Bowser incubated Juniors egg all on his own. Though this time, he had Peach tp take care of him through the draining process and take care of their kids ^^ (and that's how, in the current timeline, Bowser Jr. Still has buried memories of a past life with Peach as his mother. Just not by blood.)

A kinda funny thing though, is that when the palace is under attack, Bowser will go face the threat and the koopalings will surround Peach in their own version of a kill circle XD even though she's their mama, it's no secret that she's the most delicate family member (koopa babies, while still being fragile compared to adult koopas, are still pretty tough compared to humans. I mean, Lemmy and Junior, the youngest kids, already have sharp spikes on their shells 😬). So even though Peach will stand between her babies and any threat, her kids really are the next line of defense if, for whatever reason, Bowser fails.

Though, Peach is still a mama. And any mother worth their salt would break a man in two for touching her baby... That is actually what people find out in this timeline, after the one and only time Peach was actually kidnapped in this cycle. She had Junior with her, so he was taken too. Bowser pulled up with his battleships, ready to destroy the whole galexy to get his wife and son back... Only for him to find his darling, wouldn't-hurt-a-fly wife having tossed her vow of pacifism out the window and curb stomping her and her sons' kidnapper the second she broke out of the cage. That was just more proof to Bowser he found the perfect woman. (He still set fire to the guy when Peach was done with him. The koopa kids all think their mom is even cooler now.)

Oh yeah. Bowser still writes Peach love songs. And Peach writes him so many lovey dovey letters- yes, even after they're married- and bakes him many cakes. They love each other so much 💕

So yeah. They are a pretty dynamic duo with running kingdoms and raising families in this timeline ^^ Thank you for sending this in! I hope you enjoy reading this ^^

[lucyav13]

Mr. L

He is a major antagonist and eventually becomes the game's final boss, Super Dimentio by fusing with Dimentio and the Chaos Heart. Before turning evil, Luigi tries to stop Count Bleck from using the Chaos Heart; however, after being trapped in Castle Bleck, Luigi gets brainwashed by Nastasia, ultimately turning him into Mr. L.

Mr. L is very cocky and is always praising up himself, a stark contrast to the chicken-hearted, reluctantly brave Luigi. He thinks highly of himself and is not slow to reveal it, often trying to openly annoy other in-game characters. He has a belief in his often-boasted-of abilities, as he is very shocked at his failures as their series begins. He is very daring, and as such reveals an attraction to Princess Peach and jealousy of Mario's jumping ability. (But if he jumps better than Mario)

Mr. L has two catchphrases: "L-ater," which he continuously proclaims when exiting , and "Have at you!", his battle cry.

He also has a knack for nicknaming, referring to Mario as "Mr. Jumpsallthetime," Peach as "Ms. Alwaysgetskidnapped," or Bowser as "Mr. Getsfoiledallthetimebytheredguywiththemoustache" during their first confrontation; this may imply that he still retains some of his memory from when he was Luigi, as he subconsciously recognizes who Mario, Peach, and Bowser are. He also nicknames himself "the Green Thunder".

However, Mr. L has some skills that Luigi does not, or merely has not yet shown, namely his inventiveness. Though Luigi has been known that he used his abilities in previous games, his mechanical skills haven't been consistently shown to match that of Mr. L. Mr. L has the intelligence to build, upgrade, and pilot his own robot, which he calls Brobot, throughout the course of the story pioneering the art he refers to as brobotics.

Mr. L strongly resembles Luigi, though he is dressed in a black jumpsuit that strangely retains his former overalls' large buttons. He also wears a green bandana around his neck. His cap has a black background and reversed "L" instead of the normal white background and normal "L". Over his face is a black mask which seems to effectively hide his identity; this mask makes his eyes and eyebrows appear white. His gloves and shoes are dark gray. Mr. L, unlike standard Luigi, is shown to have a belt.

It is implied several times that Luigi is the "man in green", referenced in both the Light Prognosticus and the Dark Prognosticus. Both of these two books state that this man in green and his affiliations will determine which prophecy is true. As such, it can be taken that, if Luigi were to have stayed Mr. L throughout the course of the game, the Dark Prognosticus would have been fulfilled and all worlds would be destroyed, making the end of Luigi's hypnotizing and evil ways integral to Super Paper Mario. Dimentio additionally states that the Dark Prognosticus mentions Luigi as the ideal host for the Chaos Heart.

In the final battle, with help from Count Bleck and his minions, the heroes are able to summon the to destroy Dimentio and the Chaos Heart, bring back Luigi and finally erasing his hypnosis and brainwashing.

Additional information:

Catch card:

HP Max: 40

Attack: 3

Defense:

Score: 200

Card description: So...who's this mysterious Mr. L character? Is this what the Prognosticus foretold?

Tattle: That's Mr. L. This new hire of Count Bleck's a real mystery man... Max HP is 40. Attack is 3. He uses his high jump as a weapon... And that powered-up super jump is quite...super... He has no other outstanding features of note. And why does he remind me so much of Mario...?

Quotes:

"Oh, me? Just one of Count Bleck's more promising minions. The Green Thunder... MR. L!"

"Just because you're in red doesn't mean you're strong. Have at you!"

"Ooh, the evil king of all charlatans! Do I look scared? Have at you!"

"No one's coming to save you this time, dearest princess! Have at you!"

"Hey, Mr. Jumpsallthetime! NOW we'll see who's the better jumper!"

"Hey, Mr. Getsfoiledallthetimebytheredguywiththemustache! I'll foil your FACE!"

"Hey, Ms. Pink n' Frilly! Try not to get kidnapped before I defeat you! Have at you!"

"Hey, Ms. Alwayskidnapped! I'll kidnap your FACE!"

"I uh... got to go deflavorize the Brobot's uh... Flavorizer."

"Hey there, butterball!"

"Hey, King Incompetent! I'm gonna hatch an evil plan on your FACE! Have at you!"

"I was just scouting him, dear. Next time, he will be mine!"

"But Brobot craves his daily smash! I can't just loiter here! There's no action!"

"L-ater!" - Mr. L

"Looks like your Pure Heart thing got broken. I guess Pure Hearts can't handle the end of the world. Heh. Whatever, I'll swipe it just for kicks."

"Meet my new friend... BROBOT L-TYPE!"

"Not a funny joke, Dimentio... If I wanted to laugh, your face is inspiration enough!"

"Dimentio... No..."

Fun facts about him:

Mr. L's mustache as black whereas Luigi's artwork gives him a brown mustache. In game, however, both forms' mustaches are brown.

Mr. L shares many similarities with Lord Crump from Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door, in that both of them are arrogant underlings of their games' primary antagonists, both command massive mechanical creations as well as updated versions of them, and both of them don disguises that are fairly easy to see through by the player, so much so that Mario's partners often lampshade it.

Mr. L's self-given nickname could be a reference to Luigi's Thunderhand ability from Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga.

Shadoo's first form (Dark Luigi) looks identical to Mr. L instead of normal Luigi.

(A/N): I don't have any theories about him, although of course I would accept some suggestions =)

[mefiman]

Consider this:

New Super Mario Bros. U beginning but Bowuigi

The Mario Bros having a dainty tea party with Princess Peach and her Toads in her Castle.

Suddenly, there was an explosion along with quaking. One of the Toads jumped from their seat to check outside what was going on from the window. They panicked.

It informed that Bowser and the Koopalings had arrived in their Airships. The biggest ship, Bowser's, sprung out a giant mechanical hand resembling the Koopa King's hand, burst into the palace from the roof. Mario and Luigi got into a defensive stance to protect the princess.

However, before they could strike back, the Hand suddenly picked up Luigi by his back overalls and put him aside a distance away first before doing the same for Princess Peach who was sitting.

Luigi: (Adorably confused face)

Peach: Huh?

Once both were safely out of the way, the Hand smashed and threw Mario and the Toads out from the castle. They crashed into an Acorn Tree. As soon as they fell off the tree, Mario and the Toads ran back to the castle, only to find the Koopa ships gone and the Princess standing there, unharmed.

"Where is a-Luigi?" Mario asked, looking around.

"He's... He's..." Peach stammered.

"He's a-what, Principessa?" Mario prompted, concerned.

"He's taken by Bowser." She let out at last.

"He's a-WHAT?!!"

Meanwhile, Luigi enjoys a happy reunion with his Koopa boyfriend and kids. He does chide Bowser on manhandling Mario and the Toads.

Yeah, that's that. If anyone wants to add to the story by reblogging or commenting, be my guest! ^^

[wordy-little-witch]

Self indulgent ideas for a one piece au-

CoraBug because I am WEAK to clown on clown loving.

Transfem Buggy as well because the blue jester bean is not cis, look me in the eye and tell me that's a cis man, you can't-

Okay now seriously onto the stuff

• Buggy comes out pretty early on in her life, still on the Oro Jackson. The Rogers are all aggressively supportive (some arguably too much so), but Buggy is free, authentic and relatively happy with herself.

• Roger and Garp often have play dates disguised as Good Vs Evil Brawls, which just means they fight for a few days straight then suddenly decide they're done and have a party and feast.

• Rosinante is with Garp for one of these "apprehension attempts", and is frankly just... bamboozled at best. When Sengoku told him to be ready for chaos, he hadn't anticipated this. He's rolling with the punches though!

• until, that is, during the party, he catches sight of this blue haired person alongside the redheaded boy he'd fought briefly the first day before each side's respective leaders went a little too ham on the fighting. Rosi is intrigued. Rosi is also slightly flushed. In his defense, blue hair over there is really cute.

• both cabin kids gravitate to their captain, uncaring of Garp sitting across the fire. Red plops beside the mustached man while Blue moves to step around just to yelp as a large arm lashes out and yanks her into the Pirate captain's lap.

"Garp!! Have you met my brats yet!! Redhead is Shanks, my oldest little nugget, he's pretty damn handy with a sword. And this lass here is my lil' pirate princess, Buggy! Ain't she a peach? Smartest gal I ever met bwahaha!!!"

Garp just arches a brow, looking the kids over before nodding. "Red's a lost cause, but I bet the little miss there has what it takes to be a damn good Marine."

The girl bristles. "As if, you damned geezer!!"

• Rosi is simply Staring Respectfully.

• that's the first meeting. It is not the last.

• by the time of Roger's execution, Rosi, Buggy and Shanks have grown arguably close. The latter two are still soul mates, two sides of a coin, and Rosi love and respects that. He and Shanks have an understanding, that while the love they each have for Buggy is different, it is equally compelling. There is no choosing one over the other. Even if there was, Rosi is sure he wouldn't stand a chance.

• Bug and Rosi both wind up courting.

• a few years down the line, they make things official in a small, private ceremony. It's bright and happy and loud and secretive on a small uninhabited island attended only by their most trusted friends or family.

• Sengoku doesn't approve, but he's willing to let it slide because he really DOES like Buggy, he just hates admitting he's fond of a pirate in any capacity.

• A few more years down the line, Rosi is given the task to infiltrate his family. Buggy by that point is a relatively low level pirate, not exactly infamous but not unknown either. She specializes in information, manipulation and subterfuge. By and large, most consider her a nuisance at best, an idiot at worst. Those who know, however, know she is so much more than that. If there's a cookie jar in any of the Blues or even select places along the Grandline, her hands are in there. It's a good cover.

• they go in as a married couple.

• Rosi still finds Law, and still gets attached. Buggy also takes to this kid like a flower to water, it's her quick thinking that leads to a new facet in their multistage plan. After all, it's not uncommon for couples to adopt, right? And Law needs medical attention, Buggy has contacts and favors but little in ways of getting what they need. Doflamingo is boldly and visibly expansive, so to keep her ruse, she and her husband could arguably look for ways of helping Law without blowing covers.

• Doffy.... buys it. Mostly. He doesn't trust, but he'll allow this to run it's course, he has back up plans.

• only the big flip flop never comes.

• medical intervention isn't available. Doffy has by this point himself grown rather fond of this little spitfire that is his nephew. He's also grown to respect Buggy as well, and he's delighted to have his baby brother back with him. It's predominantly business obviously, but he has caught a few pesky Emotions in the way of this small family. Truly inconvenient.

• he then considers the Ope Ope no Mi. The original idea was for Rosinante to eat it. Rosi already HAS a Devil Fruit, though. It could be fatal to consume two. Buggy also has a fruit, as does he himself. Law, however...

• two birds, one stone.

• Law is much too young for the eternal youth operation (and frankly, Doffy doesn't exactly want his nephew to, ya know, die). And the Ope Ope no mi is the only one they are readily and currently aware of the location of. And Law... is not doing well at all.

• Doffy is watching as Buggy comforts Law one evening from the pains of his ALD, and he makes a decision.

• the eternal youth operation is a bust. They'll figure something else out. They have time. Law does not have time. So Doffy and Rosi both encourage Law to eat this tiny little fruit, both against the wishes of those around them while Buggy holds Law in her lap.

• Doflamingo decides he made the correct choice when he sees Law, some weeks later, running the streets and actually acting almost like a child; he is decisive of it when Law cautiously asks to call him uncle; he is completely certain when Buggy hugs him late one evening and thanks him for saving her baby.

• Law started as a linchpin in a mission, and he became a permanent staple in the lives around them.

• Corazon lives, Buggy's mind playing a huge part in it thanks to her risk-reward reasoning. Law gets two parents and an unhinged uncle. Buggy still gets to fly under the radar. Everyone is happy. They even adopt more kids along the way.

• when Shanks calls Buggy up a little over a year later like "heyyyy I adopted a kiiiid" Buggy sighs and waves Law over with a "fine fine, tell me about my nephew and tell your nephews about their cousin".

"My what now"

"Surprise, bitch. Now start talking."

• they all keep in touch, Buggy establishing a connection to Makino to talk to her nephew and so Luffy can know Law and the others, she also strong arms Shanks into revising his promise so he can still, you know, interact with his boy, all the while complaining about men and their stupidity. Makino then helps facilitate it all when Garp moves Luffy up the mountain, and Buggy actually swings by once she can and meets all three of the ASL trio. She and Dadan get on like a house on fire, Law is trying and failing to understand how these feral jungle kids are alive while also facing the mortifying ordeal of their special brand of D Craziness bringing out his own subtle unhinged energy.

• the Buggy pirates double as a circus event under the radar and visit Dawn once or twice a year officially.

• Luffy, Ace and Sabo have a bigger support system, and so when Sabo is taken, instead of curling up and raging quietly, Ace and Lu make the trek to Makino's and call Auntie Bug for help.

• Auntie Bug and Uncle Rosi both show up. Uncle Doffy is also on call to pull some strings, pun unintended, because he's too far out to get there quickly. Law gets left with the two other Ds under Dadan's tentative watch. Yes, it's a hot mess. Yes, someone may have been threatened with lethal action. And yes, Sabo is essentially bought from his parents. The game was to retrieve him however they had to, so for Rosi... well, pulling the Donquixote Card was an option. They wanted to minimize the casualties or need to look for him.

• Garp returns to Fushia to a message from Makino and Dadan to meet someone a few islands east ward. Buggy, Rosi, Shanks and Doffy are all there, and they all give him quite the dressing down. A Marine, a Warlord, and two pirates give the vice admiral quite the lecture while the kids play happily a safe distance away. Buggy requests (ie, demands) custody of the boys. Not as the Pirate Buggy the Clown, but as a Marine's wife, as Bellelatrix D. Begonia.

• Buggy now has an entire army of children and she's vibrating (/pos AND /neg).

• Luffy, Ace and Sabo have a family, Buggy gets asked the age old "what if Gold Roger had a son" and she point blank cackles, to ASL's confusion. She just shrugs in response. "Then I'd have even more reason to punch him on the Dutchman. Like seriously, if Captain had a son and didn't think to TELL US, I'd be so angry. He knows Shanks and I would have loved that kid like our own little sibling.... I guess, in a way, Roger already had a son and a daughter, not counting your little 'hypothetical', freckles."

• Buggy just about breaks when Ace eventually asks her if he deserved to live. She just crushes him in a hug and tells him that he absolutely deserved to live, that anyone who says otherwise is an idiot and undeserving of the air they breathe. She makes a point to tell all the kids stories of her time under Roger, the good one and the bad, because she refuses to let them out into the world with a black and white view of the universe. It's all shades of gray. They need to make their OWN opinions, not hear them from others and take them to heart.

• she also debates hunting down Garp for sport because this kid's self hatred levels are alarming at best. These don't just happen overnight. She's clawing at the bars of her cage.

• speaking of bars and cages, Doffy is fucking DELIGHTED because he has new nephews to spoil, sorry to interact with - eh, yeah no he's shameless he's gonna spoil them.

• it's all a very delicate balancing act from there on.

• up to Canon time, they've managed to keep most things underwraps. Thing progress relatively the same up until orangetown, where Luffy just goes "Oh hiya, auntie!!"

Buggy just sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Gumdrop, look, the point of a test is to be impartial-"

"Don't care, haven't seen you in forever! Also I knocked out the mayor :))"

"Why would you-?!"

"Didn't know it was you. Wanted to keep him safe :D"

"Ugh. Fine. Fine! You pass, I guess. Good job for trying to keep innocent people safe."

"Yay!!"

Zoro and Nami are just watching this like a tennis match.

• Luffy goes on to kick ass and take names, and Buggy follows him just as she follows her other kids. Sabo has grown to follow the revolutionary army, Ace was a captain for a while before joining whitebeard (and wowza if that hadn't sent her into hysterics), Law and his brothers went on to form the Heart Pirates, it's a good time all around! Then she meets Alvida.

• mean girls squad. Buggy takes one look at this adult woman thirsting after her nephew and goes "haha no. Not happening. Get some help. He's 17."

• she also gets arrested by the Marines and sent to Impel Down. Nobody liked that. Especially not her husband, brother and brother in law. Nor, interestingly enough, Garp.

• Ace also gets arrested. Marineford events occur. Buggy finds Luffy, has several attacks of an interesting variety, and goes a little bit feral. On the way to Marineford, her past is outted, which leads to a deep dive on her history and her civilia identity is compromised as well as Rosi's, so at this point she decides to roll with it and stop holding back. They know now. Might as well profit.

• Ace is saved because Doffy was ordered there to help with fighting off Whitebeard, not informed WHO exactly was being executed, so when he heard it was his nephew?? Oh, haha, no. No way. Not happening. Come on. Give him a break, you can't be THAT stupid ♡

• the War is bloody and vast and Buggy in it all makes a wild fucking plan and spreads it. It works. Doffy keeps his warlord status through subterfuge as opposed to outright disobedience á la Hancock, Ace survives, Whitebeard survives by the skin of his teeth, and Shanks gets there in the nick of time to wrap it up all nice and neat with a bow. Law takes his cousins for medical treatment, and upon hearing from Ace that whitebeard is his pops now and that crew is family, offers his services there too. He gives Whitebeard a little extension on his lifespan, but not much. Dude's pushed too hard for too long to fully save him.

• Buggy gets named a Warlord and proceeds to explode. Rosi and Doffy find it hilarious. She DID pick Bellatrix as a surname after all. The irony is funny.

• Rosi is declared a traitor and pirate due to his marriage, but with Buggy being a warlord, he has not been issued a bounty. ((Yes Sengoku helped with that)). That only happens once Buggy is named an Emperor.

• Doffy finds it fucking hysterical, and makes a big show of bowing or giving a curtsy whenever she walks into a room. She's going to strangle him one of these days. Rosi makes a point if wondering if being married to an Emperor/Empress makes him an Emperor by proxy or like a Duke or something, to which she DOES actually strangle him. It's a hot mess.

• Cross Guild is now being formed, and Crocodile and Mihawk show up thinking "Ah yes easy pickings" until fucking DOFFY shows up like "ayooo- Oh hey croccy baby!!! And Hawky, good to see you, sugartits!!! Rosi, Bugababy, why didn't you TELL me there were hotties here???"

"Sorry, Doffypoo, you didn't ask," Buggy teases back, all relaxed lines and easy smiles. And Crocodile is SPIRALLING now bc WHAT

Mihawk is just staring consideringly because hmmm this is unexpected but interesting....

• anyway hot mess AU that makes me giggle, kicking my feet, twirling my hair-

[snakeeyesdraws]

Overly Analyzing the Super Mario 3D World story intro

So I've been playing Super Mario 3D World a lot, and since I haven't seen many people talk about the opening cutscene, I wanted to do that since it contains a lot of very cute animations!

This will kinda be a scene by scene analysis with me just pointing out things I like, but if you'd like to see the full cutscene in better quality than my screenshots, you can watch it here!

The scene starts off with all of the main playable characters going for a walk under a starry sky filled with fireworks. I know blue/yellow Toads have been staples of Mario games now, since they colour code the main characters and Mario is obviously red, but its does delight me that Blue Toad is just invited on this little walk with them.

(Also if you listen closely, you can hear Mario say "Ah Princess, what a beautiful evening!" and I thought that was cute)

Their walk is interrupted by Toad noticing something offscreen, and they run ahead to see a broken pipe in the middle of the path! Mario and Luigi closely examine it, and then we get...

ACTUAL PLUMBING FROM THE SUPER MARIO BROS!

Real talk, the more the series goes on the less relevant their status as plumbers often becomes, so anything that references it or shows them actually using their plumbing skills makes me so happy. And their tools are colour coordinated!

A bunch of power ups and the green Sprixie Princess pop out, and we get some classic 2d artwork, which I absolutely adore. More of this in every 3d game, please.

The ground and pipe start rumbling, and this is where I really wanna focus on the character animation of the main four here. All four of them start looking around for the source of the tremors, and we see both Peach and Luigi lifting their hands up, Luigi looking more anxious.

Bowser suddenly pops out of the pipe and roars, startling all four main characters. We can see very different reactions from all of them.

Toad and Peach jump before covering their ears, very clearly intimidated by Bowser's roar.

Luigi is the only one to fall over completely from Bowser's appearance. He stays on the ground and holds one hand up in front of his face, flinching when Bowser roars. Dude is clearly terrified by Bowser.

Mario does jump in surprise when Bowser pops up, but he's the only one who doesn't cower when Bowser roars. Instead, he immediately gets into a confrontational pose, with one hand held out protectively towards Peach. This isn't his first time dealing with Bowser, obviously, and his instincts are to prepare for a fight and to protect Peach.

However, Bowser's target this time isn't Peach, but instead the green Sprixie Princess. A lot of people poke fun at the set up for this game - "if Princess Peach isn't in danger, why do any of them care?" - but I always like when Mario & Luigi and the others try to rescue others simply because it's the right thing to do.

Bowser turns to glare at Peach and Mario, taunting them to react. Peach and Mario are both upset by the capture of the Sprixie Princess, but neither react too strongly to Bowser. Both of them have interacted with him enough to know what he's like.

Conversely, both Luigi and Blue Toad react much more when Bowser turns to them. Blue Toad stumbles onto one foot, while Luigi cowers back further, keeping his hand raised defensively, which seems to be a common mannerism of his when he's frightened. Bowser seems to be grinning a bit more in this pose, as if he knows he can get a bigger reaction out of these two.

When Bowser disappears down the pipe, all four of them regain their bearings and jump back up, reaching out for the green Sprixie Princess.

Peach is the first one to rush forward to the pipe. She sort of flounders on the edge of the pipe before she slips down it - yeah, I don't think she had a game plan there outside of trying to rescue the green Sprixie Princess. But proactive Peach being included on the adventure is always a win!

Before Luigi even lands his startled jump, Mario is already rushing forward to follow Peach down the pipe, and Toad is right behind him. I'd say it's out of mostly courage on Mario's end, and mostly out of loyalty to the princess on Toad's.

Then we get to my favourite animation of this scene (can you tell I'm biased?)

While Mario and Toad follow Peach down the pipe, Luigi pulls himself together and slaps his cheeks twice to hype himself up. It's one of my favourite quirks for characters to do, and it's doubly endearing on characters who are timid in nature. Luigi was arguably the most started and scared by Bowser's appearance, but he knows he has to do something! Totally adopting this as a common mannerism of his

Luigi then follows the others down the pipe, and they travel to the first world of the game, bringing the opening cutscene to a close.

Fun fact; since I've only ever played this game solo, and since I main Luigi, I assumed that his animation of landing on his stomach outside of the pipe was unique to him, since he's established as quite clumsy.

But in 4 player mode, you can see all of them coming out of the pipe together, and Mario lands on his stomach too. Just thought that was a cute detail.

So that's the opening cutscene of Super Mario 3D World! It's not terribly complex, but I've always adored it for showcasing a lot of personality with the main characters, and since I didn't really see any discussions on it, I wanted to highlight it!

I do recommend you watch the cutscene since a lot of the nuances and details can't be shown in screenshots - or better yet, play the game yourself! It's a ton of fun ^^

[marioromanceblog]

Karate SenseiPrincess Peach

“come at me Bowser!”

[likeadog]

in defense of the illumination princess peach: do you know how hard itd be for them to dodge the horniness fans would make in response. bowser is the eye candy here. not peach

[myusuchaa]

Moonflower - Rafayel x AFAB

༄ wc: 1048

༄ third person pov | no spoilers | based on Abysswalker myth and Abysswalker Journey Seeker card

༄ content warnings: princess/royalty roleplay, flirty banter, outdoor suggested intimacy, romance, fluff

༄ a/n: this is the part 2 to the mini abysswalker fic series! you can read part 1 here. hehe i had fun writing this one too, actually i struggled to keep it short, i knew i wanted a quick fic but i felt like i could just keep on going!! there's just something about him in his e-boy all leather look ahhh.... ૮⸝⸝> ̫ <⸝⸝ ა im still thinking about making a part 3?? hope yall enjoy! (creative format posted as pictures under text below)

moonflower

The next evening, Rafayel arrived at the palace just as the blue sky lazily gave way to hints of peach and orange, allowing reprieve from the glaring heat. He let her know of his presence by using his tall figure to cast a shadow against the pond outside her balcony, a sight she had been anticipating all day. His dark outline on the water’s surface seemed to calm the ripples, as if the very thought of him allowed her to float endlessly. 

She hurriedly gathered her belongings and ran down the spiral staircase that led into the garden where he waited. 

“You really came for me,” she said breathlessly. Whether it was from leaping down the staircase or out of pure surprise, he could not tell where her exasperation came from. But the air in her delicate voice ignited a small ember deep within him. 

“We must leave now, we have quite a trek outside of the city tonight. Do you have everything?”

“Yes, I think so…are we actually going to stay out overnight? I’m a bit worried th-”

“Don’t be. I want you to trust that I’ll ensure your safety. Can you do that for me?” 

She paused for a moment, recalling the shadow she had just seen. It seemed to come from within him, as if it wasn’t cast from merely blocking the setting sun. 

Curious, she replied, “I’ll trust you more if you can answer some questions for me.” 

Grabbing her wrist gently as he walked in front, he glanced back and smiled coyly. “I may have the answers, it depends how you ask.” 

That alluring, inviting smile. She moved her gaze from his dark, gemstone eyes to that gorgeous smile. Almost immediately she then looked away, feeling the apples of her cheeks turn red. She wished he had his mask on today. 

By the time they reached their stopping point for the night, the sky had long passed its golden hue. The horizon glowed a deep red, resembling a ruby held up in front of a flame. This warmth was chased by a lush indigo and purple, with the smallest of stars beginning to twinkle at the highest points. Staring at the sky and then back at him, she couldn’t help but find the same colors of the setting sun within his eyes. They were far enough from the main city that if one were to search for them from atop the guarded gates, their bodies would blend seamlessly with the sand dunes. Still, if she held her breath, faint drum beats and flute whistles could be heard, no doubt carried on the wind from the city nightlife. 

“I understand you may not be used to this, uh, this set up.” He gestured to the woven tapestry that was pitched as a makeshift tent, barely thick enough to keep sand out of their eyes.

“Oh, I don’t mind it. Honestly, any change of scenery is very much welcomed.”

“Is that so? Your Highness doesn't mind getting a little rough and dirty outside the city borders?”

“What…what do you mean by that?”

He moved his eyes downward, following her neckline to her waist. It looked provocative, but he merely replied, “You have a bunch of dirt and scratches on your clothes already.” He scoffed. 

Looking down, she could see he was right. Come to think of it, she hasn’t thought of her appearance at all, being too focused on the mystery of his being. She suddenly felt a bit flustered. 

“Useless aesthetics,” she said defensively. “Really, I mean inside the palace, all they care about is for me to be the lovely, pretty princess for the people to fawn over. It’s tiresome.” 

“I suppose they’re just trying to protect their precious flower.” His voice lowered. “Though, I’d like to think I do a better job.” Almost whispering, he approached her. 

The sky filled with more stars, and the shy new moon hid behind low clouds, emitting a dim and feeble light. They sat next to each other now, the cool, desert breeze carrying his warmth and scent. In one graceful movement, sparks danced along his fingertips and landed on some coal he had placed earlier. They smoldered with a strange intensity, similar to the expression on his face. 

“Are you still cold?” he asked, almost apologetically. 

“Not at all, not anymore,” she felt warm in many ways. “How did you even notice I was cold when I’m completely covered in this?” She pointed to her traveler’s outfit, equipped with long sleeves and pants to ward off the eternal sun. 

His sunset eyes darkened to dusk. “I know you because I’m always watching you. I have been, for a long time now. Even if,” he paused for a breath, “even if you don’t remember. It’s my duty to protect you.” 

He sounded pained as he spoke. He wasn’t lying, but he was hiding a terrible truth from her. More than his objective, he was hiding the longing he felt for her. How he wanted to reach out and grab her to make sure she was his. To feel her soft skin under his worn hands. To caress every inch of her. 

“Rafayel…” the heroine felt a shift in his persona. 

“Princess, do you know the meaning of the moonflower?” He moved closer to her, slowly and deliberately. She instinctively lowered onto her elbows, peering up at him as he leaned in. His hair lightly shielded his pleading eyes.

“I, I may have heard of it,” she hoped her eyes returned the impression.

“Ah, did you? Then you must know of its glowing beauty.” 

He covered her completely, her lying all the way down on the blanket and him towering over her, one hand reaching for her cheek, his fingers playing with her eyelashes. The heat from him was so overpowering, she thought he may have been using his flames to embrace her. He brushed his lips against her neck and up to her earlobe. She felt a small bite.

“You must also know that it blooms at night.” His breath became tantalizing as he slid his other hand to her waist belt, undoing it by the time the last word left his lips.

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

Somewhere in an ocean of sand, a flower bloomed near a radiant flame.

©myusuchaa 2024 do not steal