Of Sunshine and Mushrooms
Author's Note
This was mostly done for fun - something I typed offline to fight off insanity. I had to publish this on a short notice, before I could get an editor/proofreader how I intended, so there will be mistakes, but life is short and this might be the only time I can upload stories, so go easy on me and just enjoy.
What a World...
Princess Celestia looked down from her chariot onto the foreign land. This Mushroom Kingdom, as it was called, proved to be as bizarre as her scouts and ambassador had let on. Down below were towering pipes the size of tree trunks and levitating bricks scattered all about the landscape. Almost at level with the chariot were mushrooms that stood higher than her own castle back in Canterlot. Celestia had to blink several times to be sure what she was seeing was actually there.
Once the capital was in the sight of the royal escorts, they began a gradual decent. Now closer to the ground, Celestia could see out-of-place forts and towers here and there in the wilderness.
“I wonder if Discord’s been here before…” Celestia wondered. It wouldn’t surprise her at all.
It wasn’t long before, the chariot landed and hooves clopped against the ground in front of the castle of the princess.
Celestia spun around, taking in the beauty of the castle grounds. They were filled with gardens of exotic, colorful flowers and fields of hedges. It was so hard for her to believe that all of it was the work of the Mushroom Kingdom’s princess. Beyond the gardens were all these different areas for sports: A volley-ball net in the sand, a tennis court, a baseball field, a soccer field, golf fields, and even a go-kart track!
Princess Celestia suddenly considered that there might be a lot more to be desired from her own castle grounds. All she really had outside her own castles were the royal gardens and the animal sanctuary. They were very eye-catching, sure, but she should have something added for herself or at least as an attraction for ambassadors and tourists. Right? A swimming pool, maybe? If only she wasn’t expected to maintain an elegant, regal appearance at all times.
Celestia placed these thoughts aside when a guard who looked like a big, walking mushroom stepped out of the castle and guided her inside to the throne room. Celestia corrected her posture, standing up straight, lifting her head high as she walked in, her brass-armored escorts marching by her side.
There, at the opposite end of the throne room, was the princess of the Mushroom Kingdom, Princess Peach. She was a fairly tall, blonde woman. She had the brightest of smiles that reminded Celestia of Twilight Sparkle.
“Hi there!” Peach greeted with a gentle wave.
“Good day…” Celestia replied, giving a nod.
“Did you enjoy your trip?”
“Yes, yes. Thank you. Now, about opening up a railroad between our kingdoms…”
“Oh. That. There’ll be plenty of time for that later. You’ve had a long journey. You need to relax. This is your first time here.”
Celestia hesitated, blinking a few times.
“Really? ...We really should conduct business first–“
“I won’t take “no” for an answer.”
“But--”
“Come on… Have some fun! I was already baking a cake and boiling some tea just for you.”
Cake… It was Celestia’s one true weakness (aside from bananas, of course). She couldn’t really help herself against the temptation of cake. It would be rude to just refuse Peach’s kindness anyways, she thought.
“Oh, all right, if you insist… I guess I’ll take a stroll through the gardens.”
“Alright! I meet you outside later!”
Princess Celestia, followed by her guards, trotted through a maze of hedges. Celestia took frequent stops to smell an occasional flower (and take a small nibble out of a petal). After several minutes of strolling, Celestia was approached by one of her guards.
“Your highness…” he muttered looking at his hooves.
“Yes?”
The escort looked up. “The other guards and I were wondering… well… if we could play some golf over there.”
Celestia smiled.
“Go ahead. I’ll be here for a while.”
And with that, Celestia’s royal guards took off for the golf course like a bunch of grinning little colts. Celestia chuckled, shook her head, and continued her stroll. Little did she realize that above her, a flying ship loomed casting a shadow over the castle. Slowly, it descended. Inside the mushroom castle, Peach’s guards were running about, panicking.
The shadow soon stretched over Celestia and the garden. She looked up at the big, flying ship and didn’t really know what to make of it. Compared to giant spotted mushrooms, fields of floating bricks, a looming flying ship was a little suspicious, but it didn’t seem too unusual.
The ship landed, shaking the ground. Out from the deck stepped out someone (or something more like it) that looked like some sort of tortoise-dragon monster – like some kind of creation of Discord. It gave a small standing bow and shot the princess a menacing grin like Tirek.
“Good day, princess. Let me welcome you to the Mushroom Kingdom.”
“Uh… Thank you. Who might you be?”
“Me?... You’ve never heard of me?!” he roared. He swiftly rubbed his face, the anger left his face as if it was wiped off. “So you’ve never heard of me? Let me fill you in… I’m the one who really runs things around here.”
(“Oh, no one of these types…” Celestia thought.)
“Everyone around here pays me respect, ‘cause I’m Bowser! King Koopa! - And don’t you forget it!”
Bowser saw the apathetic, almost bored expression on Celestia face. It left him with strange mixed feelings of confusion, anger… and worry.
“So…” Celestia finally spoke. “I suppose you want something from me?”
“Yeah… People around here know to respect me because they know that I get what I want. If I want to take Peach – SHE’S MINE! You… You’re coming with me.”
Bowser, for one of the few times of in life, was actually stunned. Even as he dictated, someone was laughing in his face – a princess he was kidnapping, no less!
“I don’t think you know who I am, do you?” Celestia asked.
“Wha-? W-What do I care who you are?!”
“Oh, you should. You see, I am Princess Celestia. I’m the reason the sun rises and falls. I’ve fought demons and sealed away gods… including angry thug-kings like you. And I don’t just roll over and give in to people like you.”
Celestia, horn glowing, wings open, took a step forward.
…Bowser took a step back.
Peach and Celestia sat at a gazebo in the garden, sipping on tea and enjoying cake in the calm serenity of the day.
“Do you want more honey, Princess Celestia?”
“No thank you. Thanks for the tea.”
“My pleasure.”
All of a sudden, two plumbers appeared running towards the castle – one in red, courage and tenacity clear in his eyes, the other sporting green and more or less had the posture and demeanor of Fluttershy.
“Come on Luigi, we need to save Peach!”
“Oh, Mario…” Luigi said trembling a bit. “Sometimes I we could just skip to the cake-”
Mario and Luigi stopped in their tracks when they realized Peach was right next to them, safe and sound.
“Hi, Mario!” she said.
“Oh Peach! ...I saw Bowser’s ship land and…”
Mario looked over to his right to see the grounded ship. His eyes widened when he saw the team of koopas struggling to drag a groaning, out-cold, defeated Bowser onto his ship.
“Oh that.” Peach continued “Princess Celestia here from Equestria took care of it.”
Mario and Luigi, in their complete surprise of seeing Bowser already beaten and Peach in safety, didn’t even noticed the pony princess sitting across from Peach. They both faced her and gave her a bow.
“Do you want to join us for cake and tea?” Peach offered.
“Uh… Sure...” Mario answered. “I could use a break.”
“You sure can take care of yourself, Princess Celestia.” Luigi said.
Bowser lifted his head up. His eyes rolled around.
“I’ll say…”
