Author's Note
This is the small taste of what I can do, with better resources. ESC↩️ was the beta test, and somehow it broken my expectations, and now these future stories will be improved by better resources at my disposal.
Side note: even though it's totally finished on my document, ~~but as of right now chapters 1-3 doesn't have yet the fancy things I made, meaning that as of right now, you readers only get text format, and not all the bells and whistles that I made for these chapters. But don't worry, just give me a couple of days and chapters 1-3 will have all the bells and whistles that it supposed to have.~~
Chapters 1-3
Chapter 1: The Predictability of Peach
The Mushroom Kingdom was bathed in the warm glow of a setting sun. Inside Peach's Castle, however, the mood was anything but serene. Princess Peach, clad in her usual pink gown, sat at her vanity table, a bored expression on her face. In her hand, she held a small, leather-bound notebook, a checklist neatly printed on the first page.
"Let's see," she muttered, ticking off items with a bored flourish. "Emergency tiara repair kit? Check. Pre-written ransom note (with grammatical corrections)? Check. 'Oh, Mario, thank you for saving me!' speech rehearsed? Check."
Peach glanced at her ornate clock. "5:47 PM. Right on schedule."
As if on cue, a thunderous crash echoed through the castle. Dust rained from the ceiling as a gaping hole appeared in the wall, revealing a familiar figure wreathed in smoke and flames.
"Bwahahaha!" Bowser roared, his voice echoing through the shattered room. "Princess Peach, you're mine now!"
Peach sighed dramatically. "Actually, Bowser, it's 'you're my prisoner now.' Honestly, your villainous one-liners are getting so predictable."
Bowser sputtered, momentarily thrown off balance. "W-what? How did you—?"
"Oh, please," Peach interrupted, rolling her eyes. "You always say the same thing. 'Princess Peach, I've kidnapped you again!' 'You'll never escape my clutches!' 'Mario will never find you!' It's all so… tedious."
Bowser's jaw dropped. "Tedious? But I… I'm the Koopa King! I'm fearsome! I'm—"
"Boring," Peach finished, stifling a yawn. "You're utterly, completely, mind-numbingly boring."
Bowser deflated like a punctured balloon. Peach, meanwhile, was having an epiphany. "Wait a minute… I'm bored."
The realization hit her like a thunderbolt. She wasn't scared, she wasn't angry, she was bored. Bored of the kidnappings, bored of Mario's predictable rescues, bored of the whole tiresome routine.
"That's it!" Peach declared, a spark of determination igniting in her eyes. "I'm done with this! I'm taking a vacation! A vacation where there's no Bowser, no Mario, no predictable kidnappings!"
A memory flickered in her mind – a hidden room, filled with shimmering mirrors, each one a portal to another world. The mirror room. Her escape.
"This time," Peach muttered, a mischievous grin spreading across her face, "I'm rescuing myself."
Feigning a swoon, Peach crumpled to the floor. Bowser, momentarily distracted, rushed to her side. "Princess Peach! What's wrong?"
"Oh, Bowser," Peach whimpered, clutching her head dramatically. "I feel faint… Everything's so… so…"
"So what?" Bowser asked, leaning closer.
"So predictable!" Peach shouted, shoving him aside with surprising strength. She sprinted past the bewildered Koopa King, leaving a trail of glitter and a stunned silence in her wake.
Peach raced through the familiar corridors of Bowser's castle, her heart pounding with a newfound sense of purpose. She knew exactly where she was going. The mirror room. Her ticket to freedom, to adventure, to a life where she could finally be more than just "Princess Peach."
She reached a hidden door, concealed behind a tapestry depicting Bowser's less-than-flattering family portrait. With a triumphant grin, she pushed the door open, revealing a chamber bathed in an ethereal glow. Mirrors of all shapes and sizes lined the walls, each one shimmering with an otherworldly light.
Peach's eyes fell upon a mirror shaped like an upside-down horseshoe, its surface rippling with an iridescent sheen. "Yep," she said, a confident smile gracing her lips. "This is the one."
Taking a deep breath, Peach stepped towards the mirror. As she reached out to touch its surface, a surge of energy pulsed through her. The world around her dissolved into a kaleidoscope of colors and swirling lights. Then, everything went black.
When Peach opened her eyes, she found herself in a brightly lit hallway, the air buzzing with an unfamiliar energy. She was no longer in Bowser's castle. She was somewhere else. Somewhere new. Somewhere… different.
Her vacation had begun.
Chapter 2: Mirror, Mirror, Slightly Shorter Me
Peach blinked, trying to adjust to the sudden change in scenery. Gone was the lava-filled gloom of Bowser's castle; in its place was a brightly lit hallway, bustling with teenagers. They wore… strange clothes. Jeans that were ripped in strategic places, shirts with odd symbols, and shoes that looked more like sneakers than anything she'd ever seen.
"Where… where am I?" she murmured, her voice sounding… different. Lighter. Younger.
Peach glanced down at herself. Her familiar pink gown was still there, but it seemed… less grand. More… vintage. It was a simpler design, reminiscent of portraits of herself as a younger princess.
"What in the Mushroom Kingdom…?" she muttered, a flicker of panic rising in her chest. She felt… shorter. Definitely shorter.
She cautiously took a step, then another. The floor felt solid beneath her feet, the air smelled of… popcorn? And something vaguely fruity. This wasn't the Mushroom Kingdom. This wasn't even close.
"Hello?" she called out, her voice echoing slightly in the hallway. It definitely sounded younger. Teenage, even.
Suddenly, a figure emerged from the crowd of students. She was tall and slender, with vibrant purple hair and an air of… well, a certain flair. She wore a stylish outfit that shimmered and sparkled, and her expression was a mix of amusement and mild critique.
"Well, hello there, darling," the purple-haired girl said, her voice dripping with theatricality. "That's a rather… interesting interpretation of Princess Peach. Vintage, even. Though, I must say, the hemline is a tad too long, and the fabric… well, let's just say it lacks the panache of the real royal silk."
Peach blinked, taken aback by the girl's directness. "I… I am Princess Peach," she stammered, trying to maintain her composure.
The girl chuckled, a tinkling sound that echoed through the hallway. "Oh, you're really getting into character! The accent, the regal posture… you've clearly done your research."
"But I am Princess Peach!" Peach insisted, her voice rising in frustration. "From the Mushroom Kingdom! I… I came through a mirror!"
The girl raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. "A mirror, you say? How… dramatic. Tell me, darling, what's your favorite Mario game? Extra points if you can name all the Koopalings."
Peach stared at her, completely bewildered. "Koopa… what now? Look, I'm the real Princess Peach! I can prove it!"
"Oh, really?" the girl said, a hint of challenge in her voice. "Then tell me, what's the most unique detail about your tiara? Something only a real princess would know."
Peach hesitated for a moment, then a specific memory surfaced. "There's a tiny, almost invisible scratch on the left side," she said, her voice gaining confidence. "Near the base of the center jewel. It happened when I was… younger."
The purple-haired girl gasped, her eyes widening in surprise. She leaned closer, peering at Peach's tiara with an intensity that made Peach slightly uncomfortable.
"By the stars…" she whispered. "It's… it's true! That scratch! Only the real Princess Peach would know about that!"
The girl's demeanor changed instantly. Her theatrical amusement was replaced by a flurry of apologies and curtsies.
"Your Majesty! I… I had no idea! The real Princess Peach! Forgive my fashion faux pas! And my… my presumption!"
Peach, still slightly disoriented, managed a small smile. "It's… it's quite alright," she said, though she was still trying to process the strange turn of events.
"But… how?" the girl asked, her eyes wide with curiosity. "How did you… get here?"
Peach sighed. "It's a long story," she said. "And it involves a very boring Koopa King, a very predictable hero, and a room full of very unusual mirrors."
The girl's eyes lit up. "Mirrors, you say? Intriguing! Tell me everything!"
And so, in the middle of a bustling high school hallway, Princess Peach began to recount her story to the purple-haired girl, who introduced herself as Rarity. Little did Peach know, her "vacation" was just beginning, and it was going to be far more complicated – and far more fashionable – than she could have ever imagined.
Chapter 3: From Princess to… Freshman?
Rarity, ever the drama queen, was utterly captivated by Peach's tale. "Darling, a room full of mirrors leading to other dimensions? Simply divine! Though, I must say, escaping a Koopa King out of sheer boredom? That's a level of nonchalance I can only aspire to."
"It was… a long time coming," Peach admitted, still slightly dazed by her arrival in this strange new world.
"Well, darling, you've come to the right place for a change of pace," Rarity declared, linking her arm through Peach's. "Canterlot High is the perfect place to reinvent yourself! And I, Rarity, shall be your royal consultant on all things teenage!"
Rarity proceeded to give Peach a whirlwind tour of the school, explaining the complex social dynamics, the ever-changing fashion trends, and the baffling slang that the students seemed to speak fluently. Peach, used to the clear-cut hierarchy of her kingdom, found the whole thing utterly bewildering.
"So," Rarity said, pausing in front of a large poster advertising the Fall Formal, "this is the perfect opportunity for you to truly make your mark! The Fall Formal Princess crowning! It's a tradition, a spectacle, a chance for you, a real princess, to shine!"
Peach frowned. "A… Fall Formal Princess? What's that?"
"Oh, darling," Rarity gasped dramatically. "Only the most important social event of the year! And Sunset Shimmer has been dominating it for three years! It's time for a change, wouldn't you say?"
Rarity's enthusiasm was infectious, but Peach hesitated. "I'm not sure," she said. "I'm rather enjoying being… just Peach."
"Nonsense!" Rarity exclaimed. "A princess should embrace her destiny! And besides," she added with a wink, "the winner gets to wear the crown!"
The mention of the crown caught Peach's attention. She had almost forgotten about it. "You're right," she said. "I do need to get my crown back."
"Exactly!" Rarity beamed. "Now, let's get you enrolled!"
Rarity dragged Peach to the principal's office, where they met Principal Celestia, a kind woman with a warm smile. Peach tried to explain her situation, emphasizing her age and her royal status. However, her claims were met with polite smiles and raised eyebrows.
"My dear," Principal Celestia said gently, "I understand you have a vivid imagination, but we'll need some standard enrollment information. Name? Age? Previous school?"
Peach sighed. It seemed the mirror had done more than just transport her; it had de-aged her too. "Peach… and I'm… sixteen," she reluctantly replied.
"Excellent!" Celestia chirped. "Welcome to Canterlot High, Peach! I'm sure you'll fit right in."
As Peach filled out the enrollment forms, a mixture of emotions swirled within her. She was disappointed that no one believed her, but also… relieved. She could be just Peach here. No kidnappings, no royal duties, just… normal high school life.
Later, after a somewhat awkward first class (where she accidentally curtsied to the teacher), Peach returned to Principal Celestia's office to inquire about her tiara.
"Ah, yes," Celestia said, smiling. "Our dress code is quite relaxed here, Peach. As long as your outfit isn't too revealing, or anything that would warrant an arrest, you're free to express yourself! However," she added, her smile softening, "school policy dictates that crowns are only permitted to be worn by the current Fall Formal Princess or at the Fall Formal dance itself. You can have your crown back after the Fall Formal."
Peach's heart sank. "So, I can't wear my crown?"
"Not until after the Fall Formal, I'm afraid," Celestia confirmed. "It's a long-standing tradition."
Peach sighed. It seemed her "normal" high school life was going to have a few more bumps in the road than she anticipated. But she was determined. She would win back her crown, and she would do it as… just Peach. For now, at least.
