//------------------------------// // 12: Fiery Truth, Part 1 // Story: Paper Mario: Elements & Stars // by ThePegaKris //------------------------------// 8:20AM Ponyville Station Thursday ”All aboard the Friendship Express!” The conductor yelled. ”It’s about time.” Bowser said. Among this group were Bowser, Spike, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie. According to the train routes, Manehattan is the last stop, and Ponhenge is just a couple stops before, which is where the group needed to go. Even though the place was written in tiny letters, it was listed under a place called Hollow Shades. ”It was a good thing y’all ate something before we got on, otherwise we’d be there for a while.” A.J mentioned. ”Pinkie, Bowser wasn’t kidding when he said your lemon frosted cupcakes were delicious!” Spike lauded. ”It’s sincere service...with a smile!” Pinkie winked. ”We’ll gobble on some more later once we get the job done, alright?” Bowser asked. “I wonder what my kids and troops are doing right now...” ”Ooh, you got kids?” Pinkie intrigued. “What do they like to do for fun?” ”Umm, what you call fun here, we don’t exactly have that same kind of fun in the Mushroom Kingdom. I don’t want to talk about it, thank you.” ”Hey, you guys see that up there?” Spike asked as he looked out the window of the train. ”Looks like some kind of airship.” A.J pointed out. “Maybe Air Pegasus has a new means of transportation!” ”I don’t exactly remember Pegasus ponies using an airship to deliver mail.” Spike suspected. ”I’m sure Mario will tell us about it later.” Bowser said. “So, who exactly are the Old Pillars of Equestria?” ”Once upon a time, in the magical land of...” ”Applejack, the short version.” Spike requested. ”Right, sorry! The Old Pillars of Equestria were actually the original Elements of Harmony. They were the ones who protected Equestria from all the evils for more than centuries, until that duty was passed on to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and eventually us. Star Swirl the Bearded is Sorcery, Mage Meadowbrook is Healing, Flash Magnus is Bravery, Mistmane is Beauty, Rockhoof is Strength, and Somnambula is Hope.” ”I’m guessing that together with Twilight, you’re now the Elements of Magic, Kindness, Loyalty, Generosity, Honesty, and Laughter, right?” Bowser asked. ”Right you are, partner.” A.J replied. “If them Old Pillars are unable to lend us their artifacts, maybe they can team up with us to overthrow Sombra’s shenanigans instead.” ”It’s like fighting fun with fun!” Pinkie exclaimed. ”I haven’t been the brightest bulb when it comes to stopping Mario, but I’ve easily dealt with more threatening pests before.” Bowser said. ”Yeah, what’s up with that?” Spike minded. “What exactly made you and Mario enemies with each other?” ”He’s always been thwarting my plans to kidnap Princess Peach. There’s a reason why I keep doing it, but even just thinking about it makes me uncomfortable. I don’t know if you ponies, or even Mario, want to hear it, though.” ”The truth always hurts, but I believe that you can move past this if you just be honest.” A.J reassured. ”Once this whole thing blows by, Bowser, you can talk to Mario about it if it helps.” Spike added. ”Nobody, not even Mario or Luigi, except me knows that Princess Peach actually has abusive parents.” ”WHAT???” Twilight’s friends gasped. ”It explains why Princess Peach stays mostly quiet all these years. She’s too scared and traumatized to do anything about it. So, I thought the only way to set her free from her abusive parents’ rule is doing the one thing I’ve been doing for so long. I really thought I could make Princess Peach happy and give her a new life away from the Mushroom Kingdom, but Mario doesn’t realize what she’s actually going through and goes after me instead.” ”Do you actually hate Mario?” Pinkie asked calmly. ”I... I don’t, but...” ”But you’re worried about things going even darker, right?” A.J thought. ”H-How did you know that?” Bowser quizzed. ”I can see the look in your eyes, sugarcube. Ya basically kept this whole thing a secret from Mario, and if it was all revealed, then you would probably fear that Princess Peach’s parents would start a revolution against your kingdom. I get it.” ”What’s that supposed to mean?” Bowser asked. ”I think you don’t hate Mario, but you’ve been putting him aside in order to confront who you thought were the real enemies.” Spike said. “There’s just so much that you’ve also been going through, is there Bowser?” ”Yeah, I’ve been going through a lot. I’m pretty sure that every time I invade the Mushroom Kingdom and grab the princess, her parents don’t even bother to save her and they just flee like the Toads who live there.” 8:25AM Inside Peach’s Mind Thursday ”B-Bowser... Is that...true?” ”Pipe down, will you?” Shadow Peach spit out. “I’m in charge here, and everything that comes out of your friends’ mouths will not be of any significance to me! I’m just going to pretend that I did not hear Bowser.” ”Mario and Luigi will definitely team up with him to stop your evil plans!” Peach exclaimed. “I know they’ll come for me!” ”Oh Princess, Princess, Princess...” Shadow Peach grinned. “When will you finally realize that hope and love will get you nowhere in life? There is only despair, hatred, fear, and sadness! They are what truly fuel the Shadow Empire’s existence, and NOTHING is going to bring it down!” ”You know, I used to be possessed and tortured once like you, Shadow Queen, but I was thankfully restored and brought back to normal by Mario! He will kindly do it again for me!” ”Hahaha!!! Now, THAT is a bet I’m willing to wager! Obviously, the odds are stacked in my favor as I see that Mario will have a zero percent chance of beating me this time. No Crystal Star or Element of Harmony...is even going to touch me!” ”I still beg to differ!” Peach defied. “Like I said, M-Mar... Wait, what are you...?” ”Shh, you’re getting sleepy, Princess... Like I said, Mario will not come for you whatsoever, as long as I’m in control... Your conscience will be safe, but...it’ll take a LOT of effort for Mario to restore yourself. I...am the real Peach...”