The way he said him sounded like it had far too many question marks attached.
As if the thought of trusting someone like Monkey D Luffy with the protection of a whole Kingdom seemed impossible to conceive.
And it wasn't like the princess was fully loaded with other options at this point
Though it wasn't as if the thought of her plan and her kingdom being put into ruins because she trusted the wrong individual with such an important mission of keeping her safe wasn't clouding her mind.
It kept her up all night last night, she was barely able to get so much of a wink last night because of how almost non-realistic it sounded.
Even now she was still questioning to a degree why she even made that decision to entrust something like this to someone like him.
And what was worse is that she still didn't have an answer to her question no matter how many times she asked it.
All she knew was that she didn't have any time to think of something else or to take it back now so she simply had to ride the waves and see what would happen.
"I understand where you're coming from," Peach said finally, her tone calm but firm, "Yesterday's announcement was quite..... unexpected to say at least.."
She let out a low sigh, brushing a stray strand of hair back under her crown. "But time isn't a luxury I have right now and that same goes for our options."
Toadminster's frown deepened, but before he could speak, Peach went on. "And don't think for a second I'm just letting him run wild. He'll be on a very short leash. As long as I keep my eyes on him, we'll be fine."
The Toadminister began thinking about all she had just said, and after hearing that.
And to be honest, he still felt a little worried about her journey despite what she had.
Told him, but at this point, there was no point in arguing with her about it.
She was going to do this regardless of what anyone thought about this plan.
And arguing with her will only prove to waste more time.
Which as they've stated before, didn't have much to waste.
She was making this decision whether they agreed with it or not.
He and the others had no intention of disrespecting her by questioning her command and competence.
The last thing he needed was her knowing the two most senior advisors in the Mushroom Kingdom had been quietly fretting over such… personal matters.
He exhaled dramatically and stood a bit taller, nodding in a more chipper rhythm now, smoothing out the anxious creases in his vest.
"Well then! Yes, quite right, Your Majesty! Splendid, splendid!" he said with a smile that was just a little too wide. "Let us not let idle speculation cloud the path of duty. The Mushroom Kingdom stands behind you with full faith."
Peach smiled faintly at that, just enough to show appreciation without cracking the more serious edge to her thoughts.
She desperately wished his optimism was contagious.
Especially during these extremely dark times.
Cause even with her people's support and this plan in motion… she knew things weren't going to be that simple.
Preparing for the journey was one thing.
Convincing the Kong Kingdom and Uniting all the other kingdoms against Bular?
That was a whole other battlefield.
One that she herself wasn't fully sure she was prepared for.
Nor was she sure if she would win or not.
Before she could respond to the Toadminister—
CLACK!
The thick white oak doors creaked open, groaning on their ancient hinges. A soft gust of cool castle air drifted in as one of the uniformed Toad guards stepped into the throne room.
He gave a short salute with his spear before stepping aside to allow entry to none other than—
"Toadsworth!"Peach straightened, her formal posture returning instinctively, one gloved hand resting lightly against her waist as the elder Toad approached.
"Good morning, my dear Princess," Toadsworth greeted, bowing low with the kind of flourish that belonged to centuries past. His monocle gleamed under the morning sun. "I trust the council briefing was enlightening, if not entirely pleasant?"
Peach nodded. "....Yes it was...Quite enlightening indeed. How's our… guest?"
Toadsworth's mustache twitched. "Ah yes, the straw-hatted one. He awoke some time ago and we fed him just as you instructed us to do, unfortunately, the result of doing so ended in the destruction of half the castle hallways and the complete devastation of the royal Dining room.
Peach pressed her hand to her forehead. "Oh Stars"
The ToadMinister placed his hand on his own chest and muttered, "Bless the staff, it'll take them half a day to clean that mess from the sound of it." as he walked away from the two of them to go and talk to two other Toad staff members.
Peach let out a slow, measured sigh, "Thank you, Toadsworth. And… apologies. I know he's.… spirited."
Toadsworth waved it off with a grandfatherly chuckle. "My dear, I've survived decades of cleaning up stars knows what comes into this castle every time disaster visits. One hungry pirate is hardly the worst of it....well maybe a medium percent of it but my point stands"
That earned a small laugh from Peach, but even so, her expression darkened slightly as she turned toward the window,"If only he was the only mess our kingdom had to worry about in these times."
Toadsworth, seeing the now darkened look on his highnesses face, stepped closer, lowering his voice in a supportive tone,"Princess, it is perfectly fine if you're worried about your mission. But you have to always remember to trust your judgment. And if this boy is evidence of said judgment, then it's worth the gamble.
Peach knew he was right, she couldn't afford to have any last minute doubts now.
She made this decision because she felt that it was the right thing to do and now it was time to follow through with it.
She was only going to stress herself out more if she didn't.
So with that, she cracked her neck slightly and began to recompose herself, brushing a stray strand of hair back into place,"All right. Looks like it's time to depart."
She turned to a nearby mirror, being held up by two blue toads who had walked up to her holding it, and gave herself a once-over.
Her peach-pink gown was still immaculate, the brooch at her collar centered perfectly. She fixed her crown, tilted ever so slightly, before dabbing her lips with a peach-colored gloss from a hidden pocket in her sleeve. Then, she neatly tucked the royal letter cards into the hidden seam of her skirt's side panel and checked her gloves one last time.
No smudges.
No flaws.
Just Princess Perfect.
Once she was finished, Peach quickly turned back to the direction of the doors and regained her royal posture by standing up straight .
Toadsworth chuckled to himself after seeing that before he then motions for her to follow him. "Right this way, Your Majesty."
The two then left walked out of the throne room, the click of Princess Peach's soft-heeled shoes echoed along the marbled halls as she and Toadsworth strode together, flanked by a pair of ceremonial guards.
Golden morning light shimmered through high stained-glass windows, different paintings on the walls depicting all types of different.Mountains, toads, locations that had beautiful landscapes.
Peach always loved to admire the artwork in the castle.
It was just something about its elegance that always caught her attention.
Especially since she painted a few of them herself based on any of the landscapes she'd seen whenever she and the royal guard left the kingdom.
One thing other kingdoms weren't aware of about the mushroom kingdom was the fact that a lot of the toads, OK how about this everyone's shocked that the bomber built being launched, herself included, were really talented when it came to art.
Peach loved to do it in her spare time whenever she wasn't swamped with royal duties.
It helped take her mind off of all the chaos that was happening around the world.
Because despite the stoic appearance she wore for her people, Peach's mind was already hard at work trying to figure out a solution to any of the kingdom's problems, including this one.
She adjusted the hem of her gown slightly and glanced sideways at her royal advisor, voice smooth but firm,"Let's start with what I didn't get in that last report," she said. "How bad was the actual damage to the kingdom?"
Toadsworth gave a light chuckle, always quick to shift from ancient scholar to walking archive,"Ah yes, indeed, Your Grace," he said, reaching behind with practiced ease and pulling a long scroll from beneath his robe like a stage magician performing an old trick. The parchment practically unrolled to the floor, trailing beside them like a ceremonial carpet.
He squinted at the fine print through his monocle. "According to the Royal Infrastructure Bureau Toads, and our very brave surveyor, Toadio, damage was mercifully light. The Chain Chomp was rather aggressive, yes, but the Straw-Hatted youth's, ahem, very spirited intervention ensured it didn't reach any densely populated areas."
Peach, hearing that, felt an ocean of relief hearing that.
Everything was happening so fast yesterday she barely had time to think about all the collateral damage that might have happened during the invasion.
She nodded her head to that, "That's good, we managed to stop that thing before it hit the heart of the city."
Toadsworth nodded back. "Indeed. Call it luck, instinct, divine madness, take your pick. But that boy drove it back within minutes, possibly seconds. Most of the structural impact was limited to outer areas of Toad Town. A few buildings, the one water fountain, and a produce stand were among the casualties."
Wow, Peach was actually surprised that they were able to contain it as well as they did, especially considering the size of that thing.
But peaches' stress wouldn't be out of the woods yet because before she could feel relief, another thought struck her like a shape blade.
Her voice dropped. "And were there… any casualties?"
The air turned momentarily somber.
Toadsworth continued in his steps, folding his hands over the scroll as his expression sobered. "OH no need to worry, there were no fatalities, Your Majesty. I made certain of this myself."
Peach inhaled deeply, resisting the secure urge of clutching at her chest, a subconscious gesture of gratitude and tension release.
The last thing she wished to worry about for the deaths of any of her subjects.
Their safety was like the entire world to her and the last thing she wanted was for their blood to be on her hands.
Toadsworth could sense the worry from her so he knew he had to do whatever he could to keep her spirits up for this adventure.
"And before you even think about worrying yourself about the reconstruction, it is already underway!" Toadsworth said proudly. "With only minimal damage to work through, rebuilding is progressing quite smoothly. Our estimate stands at 36% completed as of this morning, and we anticipate full repairs within the week."
"Even the front entrances?" she asked, knowing full well that the Chain Chomp fight left a good amount of damage near the entrance of the kingdom.
"The main entrance will be last, but the markets are untouched, and no homes were compromised. Thanks, again, to the bravery of our dear princess and her.....strange stretchy acquaintance", The old mushroom said, cheering for his highness in order to brighten up her mood for this upcoming adventure.
But before she could pivot away from the topic, a detail scratched at the back of her memory. Her eyes narrowed slightly,"There was a Toad…" she said slowly, "during the fight. I remember he was held at knifepoint by that eyepatch-wearing Koopa. What was his name? Trython?"
Toadsworth raised a fuzzy brow, thinking. "Ah, yes. I do recall seeing one with you during the aftermath. One moment…"He rifled through a side scroll pocket and eventually tapped a name,"Ah! Here we are. That was an explorer named Toad, short for Toadwin, go figure. He sustained a few minor injuries, cuts and bruises but his condition is stable. He was placed under the care of a local merchant after the attack. A Mister… Toad Bernson, though most of the locals know him as Bernie."
Peach tilted her head. "Bernie?"
Toadsworth nodded again. "Yes. An older Toad, Of course, not as old as myself, owns the convenience mart near Shroom Square. Apparently, he's the one who escorted young Master Straw Hat back to the castle after the chaos."
She stopped walking, blinking slowly."…He brought straw hat back for our aid back?"
Toadsworth turned to face her. "Indeed, Princess. It would appear that after we rejected his original plea for our help, our impulsive pirate had wandered off. Bernie was the one who found him, and insisted he return to help the kingdom from the Koopa Troop."
Peach's heart gave a subtle, confused but grateful twist.
It was good to hear that her subjects were willing to go to such lengths to protect their Kingdom.
And had it not been for this particular toad, their Kingdom would be reduced to ruins, and she would have to be forced to go along with those koopas to wherever they were going to take her.
It always raised her spirits when she knew how much her people believed in her and were willing to put their lives on the line to protect their Kingdom despite their small stature.
And this involved even trusting someone they had literally just met only a day ago with the safety of the whole Kingdom because of how much they believed in her.
And when she thought about that, that's when her mind had a sudden realization.
Her blue eyes glanced sidelong at Toadsworth, who was currently folding the last of his scrolls into his sleeve, hands clasped behind his back with his usual stately poise.
"…You know," Peach said casually, lips curling upward in a smirk, "I can't help but notice you've gone unusually quiet about trying to talk me out of bringing Straw Hat along."
Toadsworth blinked. "Hmm?"
She arched a brow at him playfully. "You haven't said a word about reconsidering. No dramatic gasps, no 'Princess, please think of your safety,' no ancient quotes from past rulers. You've completely given up about trying to convince me of other solutions in the last twelve ours. Care to explain to me why that is.?"
The elder Toad's mustache twitched, but that didn't last for long as his mood quickly relaxed."…Yes, well," he muttered, fiddling with the top of his cane. "It is true that I've… opted to withhold certain counsel, for now."
Toadsworth then paused as he. gave a low, theatrical sigh,"My Princess…" he began, his tone turning solemn. "Let it be said, for the record, that I still do not agree with entrusting a mission of such diplomatic gravity and wartime significance… to a reckless, hyperactive, banana-brained simpleton who eats like a Piranha Plant in heat."
Peach snorted as her hand flew to her mouth with wide eyes, shocked she actually let it slip out.
Toadsworth continued, voice even but sincere, "However… I trust your judgment on this matter?."
Peach's smile softened. She tilted her head, and for a moment, the playfulness faded, "You do?"
He looked at her squarely. "You chose this path with your heart and mind aligned. As my role as the Royal Advisor it is my job to make sure the Queen makes decisions that will prove in the best benefit of the Kingdom. And I refuse to be the advisor who undermines the ruler who's never given me a reason not to believe in her word. I will always trust that you are making your decisions with the good of our people in your heart. So long as those decisions do not, say, recklessly endanger your life, put your person in jeopardy, and put your life in the hands of someone like-".
BOOM.
Something slammed *no, splattered full force into the stained-glass wall on the opposite side of the corridor, right in front of them, with a loud squelchy thud that echoed like a pie hitting stone.
Both Peach and Toadsworth jumped back with a startled yelp, the princess instinctively grabbing the edge of her sash and Toadsworth clutching his chest like the world had just ended.
"Oh sweet ancestors of Sarasalan—MY HEART!" Toadsworth gasped, stumbling backward and nearly falling over his cane.
"Stars abov—! What in the world ?!" Peach gasped, taking a defensive step forward, her battle instincts kicking in for just a second.
Their shock quickly dissolved… as they recognized the figure flattened cartoonishly against the shimmering stained-glass mural of herself and the Royal Toad Guard.
Yep, they knew exactly who that was.
Monkey D. Luffy.
Face pancaked against the glass like a child's sticker, his arms splayed out like a starfish, red vest twisted around his neck, and one sandal hanging from his foot by the strap.
He mumbled something incomprehensible into the glass"Mmmhhhphm mm-mmmph mmmm-".
Neither Peach nor Toadsworth had the faintest idea what he said.
They both stood there… silently wide eyed
Peach let out a breath of relief, but it was just him and not another ambush, lowering her hand from her chest and sighing like a queen who'd just been told her war horse turned into a chocobo.
Toadsworth exhaled as well, adjusting his monocle with a visible tremor in his fingers.
Then, with a rubbery—POP!, Luffy peeled himself off the window like a suction cup toy, flipping backward midair before landing directly in front of them.
THWUMP!
He landed square on his feet… but his face remained completely squashed—his cheeks pancaked outward, nose flattened, eyes uneven.
"Mmmrrrrhhfff—!" he grumbled, blinking dumbly.
Then he brought two fingers to his nostrils, plugged them, and with a cartoonish inhale through his mouth—POOF!
His face reinflated back to normal like a balloon.
His nose popped back into shape.
His cheeks puffed out then snapped into place with a comic flap.
The only thing left askew was his straw hat, which now sat halfway down his face,"Ahhh, much better!" Luffy grinned. "Hehehe man, that floor was slippery."
Peach slowly blinked at him.
Toadsworth just blinked out of sync.
He hadn't even noticed that he had done that in front of them.
Peach cleared her throat sharply, just loud enough to be polite, but with an unmistakable,"Ahem", edge.
The sound echoed slightly down the corridor soft but firm, like a queen announcing her presence without needing to raise her voice.
Luffy blinked, eyes drifting lazily toward the sound of her voice.
He turned his head with that same carefree grin as if he hadn't just used his face to remodel her stained-glass window.
"Oh hey!" he said brightly, pointing a thumb at himself. "Sup, Princess? Sup, Old Mushroom Dude?"
Toadsworth flinched, "I beg your pardon?!"
He wasn't used to anyone, just blatantly speaking to him in such an informal manner, especially since he was in the position of the royal advisor.
Anyone who crossed paths needed to speak to him with some respect and dignity.
Yet this boy completely ignored any such means of greeting him?
And talk to him as if the two of them were friends or something.
And honestly, Peach was surprised that Toadsworth didn't hit Luffy with his cane.
Growing up and being raised by him and maintaining a royal composure as well as speaking with respect and dignity was top priority in becoming royalty, which meant everything to Toadsworth raising her.
So to watch someone blatantly ignore those rules, wasn't something he was used to.
Especially since she knew growing up he didn't find it acceptable in the tiniest bit.
Peach raised an eyebrow, folding her arms across her chest. She didn't say anything at first, just let the silence hang there long enough to make it awkward.
Then, with a subtle nod toward the glittering window, she asked with calm sarcasm, "Well, I see you're using my royal mural as a brake pad?"
Luffy tilted his head to the side with a lopsided smile, completely unfazed, "Oh, yeah, sorry!" he chirped.
He suddenly slapped his fist into his palm like he'd just remembered something super important,"The old mushroom told me to hurry up and get ready" Luffy began, launching into his story like a kid recounting recess,"I was halfway through the hallway and one of those mushroom guards just storms up all like—'Hurry up, lad, you're late for the Princess!' So I went and zoomed outta there."
He did a literal zooming hand motion, swiping his arm through the air with a whoosh.
And he continued, pacing dramatically now as he told the story, gesturing with his whole body,"And all of a sudden… The floors turned all slippery!"
He slid across the hallway to demonstrate, waving his arms around like he was mid-ice skate,"And then—WHOOSH! My foot flew out from under me—WHAM!"
He clapped his hands together like cymbals to mimic the sound of his body slamming the wall,"Face-first into the glass! And let me tell you…" he paused, rubbing his cheek for dramatic emphasis, "…that mural is way more durable than it looks. My face still kinda feels like a pancake."
He twisted his mouth to the side and crossed his eyes to prove his point.
The two royal figures stared at the pirate blankly.
And who could blame them?
They didn't even know what the hell he was talking about.
He was completely unpredictable.
And practically catastrophic.
Who knows what kind of damage he did around the castle that they weren't fully aware of.
Unfortunately, that would be Toadsworth's problem to deal with since Peach and this pirate were about to leave.
Toadsworth, ever the portrait of formal regality (albeit with his cane still slightly shaking), let out a long sigh.
He adjusted his monocle, cleared his throat, and gently tilted his head toward the boy now stretching out like a satisfied cat.
"Well, young Straw Hat," he began, dusting off his coat sleeves and trying his best to hold on to what little decorum remained, "I take it you have concluded your, ah… preparation?"
Luffy beamed like a toddler who'd just won a cake-eating contest. "Yep!" he replied with a grin that practically split his face.
Without warning, he smacked a hand proudly against his stomach with a loud smack,"I'm all fed and ready to go."
Both Peach and Toadsworth involuntarily flinched from the sound.
…And then blinked.
Because to their utter disbelief, he had a six-pack. A legit, cut-from-stone, fully-defined set of abs that shimmered slightly under his red vest.
For a boy who had consumed enough food to feed a banquet of Toads, it was frankly unholy.
Toadsworth coughed lightly into his fist, hiding his reaction like a true gentleman.
"Well… ahem. I'm pleased to see that you, at the very least, appreciated our royal culinary service," he muttered with reluctant dignity, offering the barest of nods as was customary to visiting guests, even the chaotic ones.
Peach stepped forward, trying to muster what little grace she could for this surreal interaction. She clasped her gloved hands together, her voice delicate, almost forced,"Ahem…Well, it is good to see that you've accepted our Kingdom's accommodations, Mr. Straw Hat."
She could barely recall the last time she'd given such an awkward greeting.
Not even Bowser made her feel this uneasy, and he was literally known for stalking her and her Kingdom.
Luffy, meanwhile, looked up casually from where he'd been checking the treads on his sandals and offered her a nonchalant thumbs up,"Oh yeah, Princess! Thanks for the grub by the way."
Just like that.
No bow.
No formal greeting.
Not even a "your highness."
Just: "oh yeah."
Peach stared for a beat too long, her mind rebooting slightly.
She didn't need to be worshipped, heavens no, but even common villagers bowed.
Everyone at least acknowledged her status.
Yet here was this boy, acting like she was someone he'd just bumped into at the market.
She couldn't tell whether or not she should be offended by this or not.
Still, her political instincts kicked in, and she smoothed her dress while offering a diplomatic smile, albeit one with a twinge of irritation at the edge.
"Well, I'm glad you're doing fine so far. I've just about completed all the preparations for our journey," she said, her tone now drifting into the formal cadence she used for high-level delegations. "I trust that you've completed your own preparations as well?"
Luffy gave her another thumbs-up so confidently it nearly knocked his own hat off,"Yup! I'm fed, fired up, and ready to go! Gonna find my friends, kick this Bular guy's ass, and then chow down again after!"
His words echoed across the corridor like a war cry shouted from atop a tavern table.
Peach's smile froze as if she were with an Ice flower.
Toadsworth's monocle almost popped off its chain.
There was a full beat of silence as the absurdity of Luffy's statement sank in.
And it was other than his lack of acknowledging his language around royalty, but something else.
Not the part about kicking...….ahem....."butt".
The name.
He'd said it out loud.
Bular the Butcher.
In the open.
Saying that monster's name was absolutely forbidden.
In her castle, much less her present.
This news about him completing his bridge was already terrorizing everyone enough, especially with the fact that it was complete.
Anytime a subject about him is brought up, it causes the environment to tense up in fear.
His own loan caused problems that she didn't have time to deal with.
Just as his name alone.
That's how bad the situation was.
Sure that he still wasn't getting the seriousness of the situation.
But she didn't have time to go and slam some more information about this monster into this boy's head.
It was time to go.
Peach's lips pressed into a tense line and took a deep breath..
Toadsworth looked like he might keel over from sheer anxiety.
Peach composed herself with regal swiftness.
She reminded herself that he didn't know about the situation fully because he wasn't from this world and didn't know the situation.
It was as simple as that so she shouldn't bother making a big deal out of this.
Thankfully Toadsworth was just as desperate as she was to end this little conversation because he soon cleared his throat again, this time more forcefully. "W-Well! That's… good to hear, my boy. Quite, quite good."
He adjusted his vest, looking ready to move on from this madness before the pirate said anything more that might cause a castle-wide panic,"Now, if we're all in agreement, shall we proceed to the front entrance?"
He didn't wait for either of them to respond.
With surprising speed for his age, the old advisor turned on his heel and began hobbling briskly down the hall with his cane click-clicking across the marble.
Luffy shrugged, popped the rest of his dumpling into his mouth, and casually began following, hands laced behind his head.
Peach stayed frozen for a moment longer, one elegant brow twitching.
Then she let out a breath and followed after them both.
Their footsteps echoed faintly across the polished floor as the trio moved forward.
Toadsworth walked ahead with surprising speed, his little cane tapping rhythmically with each step.
Behind him, Peach's heels clicked with each stride, her long pink dress flowing regally, while Luffy strolled with lazy ease, hands tucked behind his head, straw hat tilting back just enough for the sunlight to catch his carefree grin.
Luffy was humming softly to himself, off-key, seemingly thinking about meat.
Peach couldn't help but notice his simple, carefree, fearless attitude that he had.
Especially in a situation like this.
It piqued her curiosity, to say the least.
To be honest, she wanted to see why he was so calm even in the pressure this mission was pressing upon them.
She cleared her throat delicately before tilting her head slightly toward him,"Sooooooooooooo… Mr. Straw Hat," she said, dragging out the word like a reluctant hostess making conversation at a dinner she didn't want to host, "Are you nervous at all? You know… about our upcoming adventure?"
She raised an eyebrow, lips curling into a smirk of faux curiosity, just to test what kind of nonsense might spill out.
Luffy blinked once, looked over at her with his usual dopily content smile, and casually shook his head,"What? Nervous. No way."
Peach raised in our brow.In surprise of his answer.
He didn't even seem like he considered giving more of a thought or a doubt in his mind.
Like you had no reason to be afraid.
Even if he wasn't from this world, he sure should have realized the kind of danger they were about to embark on.
"...Really?" she asked, more incredulously this time.
"Yeah, I'm super excited.!" he replied, that same dopey grin stretching wider and much louder while pumping his first..
She narrowed her eyes trying to figure out what all this newfound excitement was for,"You do realize that this is going to be a life or death situation, with an entire Kingdom of almost indestructible monsters. I mean… this isn't going to be a sightseeing tour. We're traveling across hostile kingdoms, In order to gather an army powerful enough to fight against a massive army of Trolls, Koopas, Kremlings…and stars know whatever else", She clarified as she counted each of her fingers while saying this," Any one of them could try to exterminate us if they find out about our mission."
Luffy waved his hand lazily,"Yeah, yeah. I know. It's got me all sorts of pumped up!"
Peach nearly tripped over her own dress after hearing what just came out of his mouth because that was not the response she was expecting.
Not from someone being briefed on a potential suicide mission.
Her eyes widened as she turned toward him in disbelief, "So you feel excitement about potentially getting slaughtered by a kingdom of trolls?!"
Luffy's face lit up like a festival Hearing her question, "Heck yeah! This kinda stuff is my jam! I mean, what better way to go on an adventure? Danger, weird new kingdoms, mystery enemies, and food along the way?" He threw both fists into the air like he was declaring victory, " This is the kinda thing I live for!"
Peach was too stunned to even hide her reaction as her jaw hung slightly open, and her eyes almost twitched with disbelief.
Had Toadsworth explained the stakes properly to him?
Because if he did, he had done a poor job at it.
This boy clearly hadn't the slightest clue of the stakes that were high enough as it is in this situation.
However, this might have been a fault of her own for not spending enough time with him to explain the situation to him.
To his face, in fact.
However, it didn't seem like he was getting the message even if she left enough hints in the conversation.
Maybe she should ask, just to be sure, "I'm sorry," she said slowly, "but… do you not grasp what we're walking into?"
Luffy stared at her before goofily nodding his head."Of course I do," Luffy answered with a shrug. "That's what makes it more exciting for me"
Yep, Peach was definitely hearing that right, and she didn't even bother waiting to let him continue," Is there something you're not getting about me repeatedly saying life or death situation? Because I'm very certain I clarified that for you. Multiple times, in fact."
"Yeah, I know, Princess.," he clarified, waving his hand. "But that's all part of the adventure and makes it so fun."
Peach scoffed.
A sharp, unladylike snort burst from her nose before she could suppress it, a sound so utterly unbecoming of a royal that she immediately winced in embarrassment.
But the damage was done.
Luffy, of course, didn't notice or didn't care.
Like, at all.
Luffy, blissfully unaware of the princesses, disagreement, just kept walking down the sun-dappled cobblestone path, arms swinging, grinning ear to ear.
She couldn't believe this guy.
The two of them had barely left the castle grounds, and already he was talking like they were lifelong comrades destined for friendship bracelets and matching outfits.
Wolfie turned to see her expression, and it wasn't exactly one that was accepting of what he was saying about the best parts of an adventure.
So he figured he'd just explain it to her.
"I mean think about it!" he said with a chuckle, rubbing his nose with a thumb. "Kicking guys' asses, eating a bunch of meat, making friends along the way, who could ask for more?
He threw both arms wide, his straw hat catching the wind, and pointed back and forth between the two of them.
"I mean look at us! We're already halfway there!",He beamed at her.
CLICK
Peach's heels clicked to a stop.
She extended both arms abruptly, pressing them across Luffy's chest like a velvet barricade, forcing him to halt.
He blinked, confused, taking two more cheerful steps before realizing he was suddenly talking to open air.
He looked over his shoulder, blinking, as he also stopped in his tracks.
"Huh?" he turned, confused, eyes wide,"Hey what's up?"
She was standing still as stone. Her spine perfectly straight. Her entire frame exuded the stiff, composed grace of royalty but her face told another story.
Her expression looked like a porcelain mask, cracked at the corners. Something brittle was hiding just beneath the practiced calm.
Her voice came out softly at first,"…Friends?"
She repeated the word again, slower this time, as though trying it out on her tongue for the very first time,"Friends."
Her lip curled in distaste.
Her eyes narrowed with cold calculation.
Friends? she thought.
With him?
No. No no no no no.
Absolutely not.
She brought a single gloved finger to her chin, tapping it thoughtfully.
Then she walked slowly toward him, heels clicking, each step echoing like a ticking bomb.
Luffy blinked again, stepping backward cautiously as she advanced.
She stopped in front of him.
"Let me make something very clear for you," she said.
Her voice dropped into something quiet, dangerous, courtroom serious.
She raised her hand and held her index finger and pinky just barely apart, forming a sliver of space between them.
"This," she said, "is how close we are to being friends."
She dropped her hand.
"We. Are. Not. Friends," she said, enunciating each word like a sentence being carved into stone tablets. "We are not buddies. We are not partners. We're not even on a first-name basis. You are not my traveling companion. You are not my confidant. You are certainly not someone I intend to bond with on this mission."
Luffy's jaw slowly dropped. His eyes went from wide to confused to outright wounded.
"Huh? What're you talking about?" he asked, his voice rising in disbelief. "That's the whole point of this! We go on a big crazy adventure, I help you with the bad guys, you help me find my friends, and boom we're best buddies by the end!"
He threw his arms up like it was common sense,"That's just how it works!"
Luffy couldn't understand what she wasn't getting about this.
Like of course this was how it always went.
The greatest adventures are built off of these kinds of things.
This was only natural to go through those typical phases, everyone knew that.
Peach, however, didn't seem to be too knowledgeable of this, unfortunately.
And although it didn't make sense to Luffy, to her it made perfect sense.
She sighed sharply through her nose.
"That may be how it works in your world," she said, the bite in her tone enough to freeze the air,"But in this world, we operate with structure."
She gestured stiffly toward the horizon,"This is a royal diplomatic mission. You are the assigned escort a.k.a the muscle. And I am the diplomatic representative of the Mushroom Kingdom. That is all."
She turned on her heel and resumed walking with renewed stiffness.
But Luffy didn't see what her problem was.
Luffy scratched his head, frowning. "That's weird…"
He jogged forward, catching up beside her,"Why would we go on this whole epic trip and not become pals? That's just what happens! People bond when they fight side by side! Eat together! Crack jokes! Save each other from bad guys! Y'know, the good stuff! That's the whole point!"
Peach didn't even blink nor did she hesitate to respond, "It is the least important point."
Luffy waved his arms like a man trying to defend the laws of the universe,"But why not? After what we did to those turtle guys yesterday, we'd make an awesome team!"
Peach continued moving forward,"That was a matter of urgency," she said coldly. "We had no choice but to coordinate in order to protect my Toads and My kingdom."
She pointed out of the moving windows as they continued down the Halls, toward the smoking rooftops still being rebuilt,"Our temporary alliance was a necessity. Nothing more. And while I will admit your combat contributions were… effective..." she bit the word like it tasted foul "....this partnership will remain professional."
Luffy opened his mouth again but thought better of it.
He blinked once, then twice, then simply let out a short little hum and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
It was clear that she's one of those princesses.
It wasn't the first time he'd traveled with someone super duper uptight.
They usually started out like this.
Bossy.
Snobby.
Kinda scary.
But they always warmed up to him...….eventually.
He shoved his hands into his shorts' pockets, completely unbothered, as Peach walked a step ahead of him, her pace controlled, her posture regal, her eyes forward.
She inhaled slowly, trying to center herself, then, without turning, she said flatly, "And before we go any further, I think we should establish a few ground rules."
Luffy tilted his head in confusion, "Rules?"
Peach raised one elegant gloved hand like she was in a courtroom.
"Rule Number One," she declared. "You are not to wander off. Not for food. Not for fun. Not for any reason whatsoever."
She raised a second gloved finger,"Rule Number Two: You will not ask me any questions. Especially stupid ones."
Luffy scratched his chin, he was definitely curious about that one, "Like… how stupid are we tal—"
"Rule Number Three!" she snapped, voice cutting him off like a whip, "You do not talk to me unless it is absolutely necessary. Do I make myself clear?"
Luffy straightened up quickly and nodded his head, "Mhm!"
She raised a fourth finger.
"And Rule Number Four: You listen to everything I say. Down to the last letter. I lead. You follow."
Okay now Luffy was definitely a little afraid of her now.
Which she could obviously sense hence why she dropped her hand, glancing back at him with a stern tilt of her head,"Is. That. Clear?"
Luffy blinked.
This was the first time any princess he was with was ever this bossy.
Sure Vivi may have been a little mean when they first met and other princesses he was on adventures with.
He didn't know what school was like, but he figured Peach was probably worse than most teachers.
If teachers had words that could probably shatter bones.
Like seriously this woman was stricter than Nami, and Nami had literally hit him on more then a few occasions for way less.
Thankfully she hadn't punched him yet, which is something he definitely did not want to happen, and that was as good as any sign.
So he straightened his back, nodded earnestly, and gave a goofy salute,"Crystal clear!" he said, voice cheerful.
Peach narrowed her eyes at him, just to make sure that there wasn't any insincerity before she turned away quickly.
"Good," she said coolly. "Glad we have an understanding."
And just like that, she kept walking forward towards the entrance.
Luffy just stood there staring at her wide eye before once again carelessly shorting his shoulders as he himself moves forward following her.
They soon approached the grand front doors of the castle.
Massive and regal, the doors stood like silent sentinels, each one carved from rich, mahogany wood with inlaid golden filigree that shimmered in the morning light. The deep panels were bordered by embossed trim, their edges framed by ornate brass corner brackets and floral flourishes. Near the top and bottom, perfectly circular insets glinted like small golden shields, and a pair of heavy brass knockers rested at chest height, unused in years but polished to a mirror shine. Golden engravings formed delicate arcs and curling lines across the surface, sophisticated, elegant, and unmistakably royal.
The doors were set within a grand arched threshold, flanked by white marble columns and accented with polished rose-gold trim. The sunlight kissed the gold borders, sending faint reflections dancing across the floor like ripples on a fountain. Flowers bloomed above in ornate stone planters, their scent drifting faintly in the air. Light leaked through the faintest of seams where the two halves of the door met, and from beyond them came the low hum of a crowd, dozens, maybe hundreds of gathered Toad citizens awaiting a glimpse of their princess.
She paused in front of the doors, a feeling of anxiety creeping inside of her.
This was it.
The mission would truly begin the moment she stepped through those doors.
She exhaled slowly, letting her nerves settle.
The pressure was immense, not just as royalty, but as a symbol.
A leader walking into a multiversal crisis with only a pirate at her side.
Quickly, she did an internal scan: posture upright, shoulders set, chin poised in quiet confidence. She gave a subtle flick of her fingers to adjust her tiara, ensuring it caught the light just right. Her gloved hands smoothed the front of her pink gown, tugging the pleats straight and giving the skirt a small shake. A tiny dab to her cheek, a fluff of her collar, and then she drew up her most practiced smile, the one that had faced political councils, foreign monarchs, and terrifying sieges.
This was her armor now.
She was the Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom.
And she had to look the part.
Everything on her end was perfect.
Then… her eyes slid to the side.
And landed squarely on him.
Standing a foot behind her, utterly unbothered by the gravity of the moment, was Monkey D. Luffy.
He looked like he had just tumbled out of a tornado and possibly a trash bin.
His iconic red cardigan was slung off one shoulder, twisted and wrinkled, with flecks of syrup, jam, and what may have been scrambled egg clinging to the sleeves. His shorts were slightly askew, one sandal strapped loosely. His straw hat sat lopsided, tilted at a comedic angle as if it had been fighting a war with his unruly black hair, and lost. Said hair stuck up in three uneven spikes, like a hedgehog had tried to style it with a boxing glove. And to top it all off, he was casually picking his teeth with what might have been a cracker shard.
And the smell.
Dear Stars above, he reeked.
He smelled like he had lost a wrestling match with a stack of unwashed dishes, rolled in forest compost, and possibly bathed in whatever had been under the royal banquet table last night.
From several feet away, she could smell him clearly.
Peach's smile faltered.
"Oh no. No no no. You are not walking out there like this," she hissed through her teeth.
With the speed and focus of a war general charging the front lines, she marched straight toward him, her heels clicking with authority.
Before Luffy could even react, she seized both of his arms and spun him around.
"Wha—hey!" Luffy blinked, baffled. "What're you—"
"Hold still," she snapped, already brushing off his jacket with both gloved hands, swiping at the worst of the breakfast residue,"Just need to make you look more presentable ," she growled.
She ran her hand down the front of his shirt, knocking off bits of what looked like… burnt toast?
Maybe.
"We're about to embark on the most important diplomatic mission of our lives," she said, smacking his chest with the back of her hand for emphasis. "And you look like a halfway-seduced scarecrow."
Luffy frowned. "I like this look though."
Peach froze, slowly turning her head to glare at him.
"Just because you like something," she said tightly, "doesn't mean you can ignore basic hygiene."
She yanked the lapels of his shirt straight, snapping the fabric into place. "When we get to the other kingdoms, you are representing the Mushroom Kingdom, even if you're not from here." She fussed with his collar, tugging it so it sat flat. "And like it or not, you're my escort. Which means you can't look like you just lost a bet with a compost pile."
Luffy opened his mouth to retort, but she suddenly licked her thumb—"Hey, whoa—wait what are you—!"
She reached up and scrubbed down his hair with ruthless efficiency.
Luffy thrashed, squawking like a cornered chicken,"Hey—HEY! Are you trying to erase my brain!?"
"Hold. Still." She smoothed the last few rebellious spikes down and then shoved his straw hat forward to cover the pot mess," you're lucky I don't have hairspra—and There. Just barely passable."
Luffy stood there, stunned, hands half-raised like he wasn't sure whether to fight, flee, or sulk. "Do I really have to go this far just to get some other kingdoms to help?"
Peach didn't even glance at him as she dusted her gloves off. "Yes. Think of it as… playing pretend. Like a butler. Or a polite pirate."
He frowned deeply. "But I hate pretending. Especially when there's no fun in it!"
She stepped back and gave her sleeves a final adjustment. Her voice was calm, but firm. "Well if you want to save your friends… and find your way back home… then you're going to have to work through it."
Luffy sighed and crossed his arms, puzzled, "How does me looking nice help us do any of that?"
Peach turned to face him fully. For a moment, the royal mask dropped. Her voice softened, but her gaze was sharp.
"It doesn't. Not directly." She stepped closer, grasping his arms, not angrily this time, but with a grounded sense of urgency. "Our objective is simple. Get from point A to point B. Point A is here. Point B is the Kong Kingdom."
Luffy listened, lips pursed.
"We're attending a council meeting," she explained, "to convince the other kingdoms to unite against the Troll King's army. If we fail… then the Mushroom Kingdom falls. And after that, every other world."
Her voice dipped lower,"You saw what the Koopas did to us. Well that was just a taste of what's coming if we don't stop Bular."
Luffy blinked slowly, her words finally sinking past his carefree wall.
"So," Peach finished, locking eyes with him, "we stay on mission with no distractions or impulsive detours and we get to the Kongs without delay. Ok? "
Luffy nodded goofishly, quite literally bobbing his head up and down lick some sort of weird bobble head figure.
Peach gave a tight nod of approval, turned back toward the doors, and composed herself.
She straightened her spine, placed a hand over her heart for a breath, then lifted her chin and stood tall, every inch a queen in all but title.
She glanced to the side.
"Toadsworth," she said firmly.
The elderly steward, standing just to the right, gave a small bow and snapped his fingers.
At once, the two castle guards stationed at the golden doors saluted, turned, and gripped the massive handles.
The sound of grinding metal and shifting wood echoed through the entryway.
The grand double doors of Peach's Castle slowly creaked open with a deep, resonant groan that echoed throughout the courtyards. The soft clank of gold-trimmed hinges met the growing roar outside. A warm golden light flooded in from the outside world, momentarily casting long shadows across the marble floors of the throne room.
The grand double doors of Peach's Castle slowly creaked open with a deep, resonant groan that echoed throughout the courtyards. The soft clank of gold-trimmed hinges met the growing roar outside. A warm golden light flooded in from the outside world, momentarily casting long shadows across the marble floors of the throne room.
Princess Peach stood tall, framed perfectly in the doorway like a royal portrait come to life.
Beside her, noticeably slouched, grinning, and oblivious to the gravity of the moment, was Monkey D. Luffy.
And before them… was a sight so vibrant, so alive, that it made even Luffy's eyes widen for a moment in genuine awe.
A sea of Toads had gathered, filling every inch of the vast castle courtyard and spilling into the outer gardens. From above, it looked like the ground itself had become a living, breathing rainbow. Mushroom caps in every color, red, blue, yellow, green, and purple, bounced and bobbed as thousands of Toads chanted, cheered, and waved miniature flags stitched with the royal crest.
The entire Mushroom Kingdom had shown up to see them off.
Some Toads were sitting on others' shoulders, some blew party whistles with reckless abandon, while a few threw pastel confetti that twinkled like stardust in the morning sun. A string quartet of Royal Trumpeters stood on a raised stone pedestal to the left of the castle steps, their brass instruments gleaming. Silken white banners with the symbol of the Mushroom Crown fluttered from their horns, waiting for the moment to play the ceremonial fanfare.
Just below the steps, a formation of Toad guards stood at attention, shoulder plates gleaming, halberds upright, eyes forward. Their discipline provided a stark contrast to the colorful chaos of the crowd behind them.
Peach took a step forward onto the topmost stair, her pink heels clicking softly against the stone. She was a vision of composure, her royal gown pressed and flawless, a pink silk dress fluttering slightly in the breeze. Her golden crown glinted in the sunlight, and her hands were gently clasped in front of her, fingers intertwined with perfect poise. Gave a bright smile but just enough to show her royal elegance.
Her eyes, calm but stormy beneath the surface, scanned the crowd of her people—her citizens. Her family. For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then she turned her head slightly to Luffy without meeting his eyes,"They're all counting on us," she said in a low, even voice, her jaw just a bit tight. "So do me a favor and don't screw this up."
She took another breath, composing herself, but then paused mid-step. Her heels briefly hesitated against the marble before she leaned back again,"…No pressure or anything."
Luffy blinked slowly as he scratched the back of his head and tilted it, confused more by why she was so serious than what she said.
The atmosphere was thick with reverence and tension.
A thousand eyes were on them.
Peach exhaled quietly, without trying to reply, she began walking forward, her heels tapping lightly against the stone as she then descended the stairs with grace, every step light and deliberate, her guards immediately flanking her.
The moment her heel touched the plaza's main stone, the trumpeters finally struck their horns with thunderous harmony, sending a regal melody sailing across the courtyard.
The crowd erupted into cheers so loud it almost drowned out the music.
"Long live the Princess!"
"Good luck, Your Majesty!"
"Bring the Kongs back, Peach!"
"We love you!"
Some Toads waved bright pink signs with cartoonish drawings of Peach, others held up banners with Luffy's name scrawled in crayon.
The citizens parted like a tide around their ruler, guided gently by the Toad Guards who marched ahead, creating a path leading down the central boulevard, lined with symmetrical trees and flower beds.
Overhead, the sky was a clear, cloudless sapphire.
Luffy followed, but not with dignity.
He strolled while he waved lazily.
He spun in little circles once or twice and then flailed his arms like a noodle just to make a group of toads laugh.
One small Toad scurried up to him and extended a hand.
Luffy grinned wide and gave him the most intense fist bump in Mushroom Kingdom history, knocking the little guy back with comedic force.
Another group of teenage Toads began chanting:
"Luffy! Luffy! Luffy!"
To which he responded by throwing his arms up like a wrestler, flexing with dramatic flair, then tripping over his own sandal and face-planting into the grass, before bouncing up unbothered.
A nearby guard coughed into his hand, trying to hide his laughter.
Another cracked a small smirk.
"That's him?" one young Toad whispered to another.
"Yeah… the pirate who punched the Chain Chomp into orbit."
"He doesn't look like a hero."
"He doesn't act like one either."
Yet despite the confusion, the cheers continued.
Some toads just stared, wide-eyed, unsure what to make of him.
Others laughed at his antics.
A few even clapped rhythmically, starting a wave of chant-crowd energy all around him.
At one point, a Toad vendor tossed Luffy a Toad plush from across the crowd.
Luffy caught it in his mouth with his teeth, grinned, and flipped it into the air with a head toss before catching it again in his palm.
"That guy's insane."
"Yeah, but like... in a good way?"
Peach, meanwhile, remained a steady march of royalty.
As she approached the edge of the inner courtyard, she passed over a white marble bridge that crossed a koi-filled pond.
The tranquil water reflected the trees overhead and shimmered in pastel colors from the tossed confetti.
As she reached the far end, the path widened, revealing the last stage of their journey: a giant green warp pipe, at least three times the size of a normal one, glistening with magical energy.
The pipe pulsed faintly with a low hum, the magical aura around it distorting the air like heat off the desert ground. It had been polished to perfection, its surface gleaming under the sunlight.
The warp ring on top sparkled, ready for the jump.
Two Toad Guards were stationed here, lining both sides of the pipe like an honor guard. Their spear axes were planted in the earth, each one flying a small version of the Mushroom Kingdom banner.
Peach stepped onto the final platform before the pipe but did not yet descend. Instead, she turned to face her people.
Luffy strolled up beside her, late and nearly tripped on the last stair. He recovered with a spin, casually stuffing a mini flag someone gave him into his pocket.
He stood next to Peach with a lopsided grin, arms hanging relaxed, glancing at the crowd like a guy trying to decide which food stall to hit first.
Princess Peach paused at the center of the marble stage, the polished stone cool beneath her heels. The soft murmur of the crowd washed over her like a tide, thousands of tiny voices layered together into one living sound. She stood tall in her flowing royal gown, pink silk catching the sunlight as it shifted with the breeze, her gloved hands gently clasped before her.
Behind her, the green warp pipe gleamed like a silent sentinel, its surface catching highlights of emerald and gold. A nearby tree cast dappled shade across the platform, leaves rustling softly, as if the kingdom itself was holding its breath.
Peach inhaled deeply.
Then she raised both arms with elegant precision, palms open, motioning for silence.
It spread instantly.
Like a ripple through water, the courtyard fell quiet.
Princess Peach stepped forward, posture immaculate, chin high, voice clear and steady as it carried across the plaza,"My Toads…" she began, her tone gentle but resolute. "Our days of terror are almost over."
A wave of reaction swept the crowd, hopeful gasps, relieved murmurs, little hands clutching tiny flags tighter.
"Our plan is simple," she continued. "We will make our way to the Royal Council Summit, being held in the neighboring kingdom… Kong Island."
She took another measured step forward, the gold trim of her gown catching the sun like a crown of light,"There, I will work tirelessly to convince the rulers of the other kingdoms to join us in a unified alliance. One strong enough to push back against the terrifying troll forces that threaten not just us, but all realms. If we stand together… we may yet survive this war."
For a heartbeat, the crowd was silent before suddenl—
A short, red-spotted Toad near the front suddenly shot his hand into the air like a child in class.
"Wait!" he squeaked. "You're… you're leaving?!"
Peach blinked, caught just slightly off guard.
Before she could answer, a blue-spotted Toad waddled forward, wringing his hands nervously,"Who's gonna protect us while you're gone?!"
The crowd quickly shifted.
Murmurs rose again, fear creeping back in through the cracks.
Peach felt a familiar, weary sigh rise in her chest, though she didn't let it show.
Of course not everyone had known.
Between the Koopa invasion, the chaos of yesterday, and the looming threat of war, it was inevitable.
She raised her hand once more, calm but commanding.
"Everyone, please remain calm," she said,"This journey will only take a few days. While I am away, the kingdom will remain under the watchful care of my advisor, Toadsworth and the full strength of the Royal Guard."
At her side, Toadsworth stepped forward in full ceremonial robes, bowing deeply with practiced dignity. Several guards struck their spears against the marble in unison—CLANG, CLANG—a reassuring sound of order and protection.
That eased some of the tension.
But not all of it unfortunately.
A green-spotted Toad stepped forward hesitantly, eyes wide with worry. "But… Your Highness… is it really wise to travel beyond the kingdom's walls right now? What if you're attacked?"
Peach didn't hesitate to respond to the question.
"I am more than capable of defending myself against any threat we may encounter," she said firmly.
Then she turned slightly, gesturing with one gloved hand toward the straw-hatted pirate beside her "And I will not be traveling alone. I will be joined by the very champion who helped defeat the Chain Chomp and repel the Koopa invasion only yesterday. His strength and combat skill have already proven invaluable in defending our realm—"
so then stop mid sentence as she had seen the crowd's expressions… changed.
Thousands of faces all shifted into the same look confused, uncertain, faintly horrified. Toads leaned sideways, craning their necks to get a better view.
Peach followed their gaze to non other than Monkey D. Luffy.
Picking his nose with pinky-deep excavation, eyes unfocused as if he were daydreaming about meat.
The same hand he'd touched half the castle with. He pulled something out, squinted at it with scientific curiosity—
"…Huh—What?" he muttered, finally noticing the silence.
Peach's eye twitched just once before she closed her eyes.
And then she inhaled.....
And then she exhaled....
And then summoned every ounce of royal discipline she possessed.
"…and to ensure the continued safety of our kingdom," she finished smoothly, smile still firmly in place, voice only slightly strained.
The crowd gave a hesitant and quiet cheer, of a few toads, some of them still whispering awkwardly.
Several Toads exchanged looks that clearly said this guy??
A purple-spotted Toad raised their hand, cautious but respectful, "With all due respect, Your Highness… do you truly believe the other kingdoms will help us?"
Peach turned fully toward them, her long golden hair flowing like a banner in the wind. Her voice hardened, not with anger, but with conviction.
"Yes," she said. "Once they see the destruction these trolls have caused. Once they understand what is truly at stake. Once they realize that if we do not stand united… then none of us will stand at all."
The purple Toad slowly lowered their hand.
The doubt didn't vanish completely, but it bent beneath her certainty.
Peach straightened, the crowd watching her with renewed attention.
Beside her, Luffy scratched his head, completely oblivious to the political weight of the moment.
Princess Peach, after answering what she assumed was the final question, she allowed herself to lower her hands, breathing a quiet sigh of relief.
The courtyard remained restless, but the sharp edge of panic had dulled. Toads whispered among themselves in hushed clusters, some clutching their flags tighter, others nodding quietly as if convincing themselves to believe.
She waited a few more seconds until the last bit of chatter finally died down.
Satisfied, Peach turned her head ever so slightly to the right, toward the pirate in sandals who had been doing everything but acting like a diplomatic escort.
She arched a slender brow.
"Anything else you'd like to add to that…" she said coolly, "…Mister Straw Hat?"
Luffy, who had very much resumed his nose-picking expedition, froze mid-dig.
He blinked as he finally started to muster up some words,"Oh—uh."
He glanced around like someone who'd just been called on in class without realizing he was in one.
So slowly, casually, with absolutely no shame, he wiped his finger on his shorts.
It took him all of three seconds to decide he did, in fact, have something important to say.
So once he knew, he stepped forward with the kind of confidence radiating from a man who had never once questioned his own logic.
"Yeah," he said brightly. "Just one thing…"
The silence deepened into pure curiosity.
Then, because of course…
He threw both fists into the air like he was about to start a tavern brawl and shouted,"THANKS FOR THE FOOD, MUSHROOM GUYS! AND NOW…" he grinned wider than was probably legal,"...I'M GONNA GO KICK BULAR'S ASS!!!!!"
His declaration echoed across the courtyard.
For a few moments, there was just a collective, horrified stillness.
This was the first time anyone in the Mushroom Kingdom had spoken that name aloud in public
He didn't whisper it.
He didn't hint at it.
He didn't carefully dance around with euphemisms.
He spoke it loud and clear for all the Toad.
Boldly and casually like it was nothing.
The crowd stiffened as several Toads visibly flinched.
One purple-capped Toad crossed himself.
Another dropped his Mushroom Kingdom flag entirely.
The rule was unspoken, but everyone knew it.
You did not say that name.
It was believed to invite bad luck.
The kind of attention you did not want from a monster who had already brought entire kingdoms to ruin.
And here was this boy, this pirate, declaring he'd defeat Bular like he was talking about a bar fight.
Peach's internal composure exploded.
She could feel it, the spike of dread, the sudden swell of panic threatening to undo everything she'd just stabilized.
This was exactly what she'd been trying to avoid.
Words that carried weight he didn't even seem to feel.
She had to shut this down NOW.
Her head snapped toward him, eyes sharp, then just as quickly she turned back to the crowd, her expression resetting into flawless royal serenity like a mask snapping into place.
"Oh yes," she said sweetly, far too sweetly, "thank you, Mr. Straw Hat. I'm sure everyone appreciates your… enthusiasm and your contribution to the mission."
At the same time, her gloved hand shot back and firmly grabbed him by the collar and hauled him backward with a strength that surprised even him.
"And why don't we just, yes, put you right here," she continued, smiling brightly as she physically repositioned him behind her shoulder, "there we go, perfect, thank you so much."
Luffy stumbled slightly but didn't resist, blinking as he was parked out of sight like an unruly prop.
Peach held her smile despite her eternally screaming.
With the immediate disaster contained, Peach turned away from the people and stepped toward her royal advisor at the edge of the platform.
Toadsworth, dressed in his finest ceremonial robes, bowed deeply the moment she approached, cane held close, monocle gleaming in the sunlight.
Peach returned the bow, both deep and respectful, and leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper meant only for him,"…Keep them safe, old friend."
Toadsworth looked up, and for the briefest moment, his composure shattered.
His eyes glistened as he inhaled shakily, placing a gloved hand over his chest.
"My dear Princess," he said softly, "you've grown so strong… so brave. You make this old mushroom so proud."
Peach blinked hard, not expecting hims to get as emotional as she was.
For a heartbeat, she nearly hugged him.
Instead, she bowed again, in order to keep this as grateful for a departure as possible.
Toadsworth bowed as well, though his carried far more emotion than decorum.
Then…
Like a switch flipping…
His expression hardened as the sentiment vanished.
He turned sharply toward the straw-hatted pirate menace behind her,"And you," he snapped.
Luffy, currently balancing on one foot for absolutely no reason, looked over.
Toadsworth pointed his can at him and jabbed him with it, voice ringing with authority, "You are hereby charged with the protection of Her Majesty, Princess Peach. You will ensure no harm comes to her, under any circumstances. Do I make myself clear?"
Luffy blinked blankly at him before his usual iconic smile quickly replaced that blank expression,
He then tipped his hat as he re "Don't worry, old mushroom. I got it."
Toadsworth squinted, deeply unconvinced.
"…I suppose," he sighed, rubbing his temple, "it will have to do."
With that interaction out of the way, Peach turned.
She stepped toward the green warp pipe at the edge of the courtyard, its metallic rim shimmering softly, its low magical hum vibrating through the stone beneath her feet.
She paused before looking back once more, at her people, at her advisor, at the towering castle behind them.
Then, without hesitation..
She jumped inside the green pipe.
WOOOoooOOOOMP
The pipe chimed as Princess Peach vanished in a swirl of colorful sparkly light.
Luffy watched her go, then turned to the crowd, and waved with both hands,"Seeya later, mushroom dudes!"
He then laughed his goofy ass off,"YAHAHAHA!!", as he then he bent his knees, launched himself into the air with a wild somersault…
And cannonballed straight into the pipe.
Womp–Womp–Womp—WOOMPH!
Just like that…
The courtyard stood silent as the duo were now gone.
Straight into the green warp pipe they went to defeat that monster.
Toadsworth slowly pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed his brow,"…Stars help us all."
(End of chapter)
Hey everyone
I just wanted to come by here and let everyone here know that this chapter is dedicated to my late great-grandmother
Who earlier today passed away.
She was 94 years old and lived quite the life.
And she was quite the stubborn woman
She never had a single regret in her life
And she was quite the feisty woman I'll tell you
And one thing she always made sure to tell me and advised me is to always finish what I start no matter what
and I knew from the bottom of my heart that she meant that to apply to All Things even my stories.
Which though I know she definitely wouldn't understand the love of this fandom that I have I know that she would want me to continue my passion as long as it made me happy.
Which it does
So in the loving memory of Muddy Bulluck
Chapter 22 will always remain to be a reminder to me to never give up on my dreams and goals and to fight with all my power to make sure stories like this become a reality for all of us fanfiction lovers out there in the world.
And that is something I will hold dear to the rest of my life
So rest well grandmother knowing that your grandson will continue fighting to achieve all of his dreams
Till the day I can finally get the chance to rejoin you
So now with that out of the way
WE BACK BABY!!!!!!!!!!
And better than ever I might add
Because Now we are finally finished the first part of the dark land Arc
I know it was quite the long wait we're finally getting back to Luffy's story for the time being and where he's now currently at in this journey
I know the chapter took way too long to get out and believe me I would have gotten it out sooner
But I knew for a fact this was mainly going to be a filler chapter just to help transition into the new ark.
And I needed to make sure all the dialogue and character moments match with the characters which took quite some time.
Along with getting into college trying to pursue a directing careers so I can bring these ideas to the big screen.
My life has taken a lot of twists and turns these past few months and I don't regret a single one of them.
Let's just say fanfiction takes a lot longer than I originally thought when making it.
especially when it came to redoing the entire first chapter
which also took quite a while let me tell you.
I knew for a while that I needed to get on that and introduce the story in the proper way not just a rushed mess like the first one originally was.
and in my opinion I think it turned out pretty good.
and now whether or not I plan on redoing some other chapters.
well actually I do
Chapters two and three will the same treatment as chapter 1 giving a proper introduction to the story.
which may take some time so be prepared for the wait.
while we're in here now I also want to reveal upcoming project that's going to be posted alongside one piece the movie
as you already know I've introduced this story in the past
unfortunately I lack the mindset to realize that I should have properly introduced these stories in order
so without further ado
on the next update of One Piece the movie chapters 2 & 23
I introduced:
Iron Man: rise of the Mandarin
In this reimagining of the already popular characters Iron Man, meet a 25-year-old Genius billionaire playboy Philanthropist Tony Stark, aka The Invincible Iron Man, who inherits his dead father's company, creating some of the most advanced technology the world has ever seen.
In this story our reimagining of the Iron Man will be fighting alongside none other than the popular Disney character Queen / princess Elena of avalor.
Based off of both her TV show and a combination of the continuity of all the Iron Man Stories We step right into this reimagined story of both the characters as they share not only a beautiful childhood friendship but a blossoming Romance in a modern-day setting.
But don't worry I know some of you here expect Iron Man to do more than just being shipped with a princess.
That's why this story is also set to be action-packed Adventure as the duo and their friends team up to stop none other than the evil Mandarin, a very known arch nemesis of the Iron Man in both the TV shows and the comics.
And because I'm such a fair guy I will give you all a little teaser plot synopsis on the story
But be cautious because what you see here now is not the finalized version of the story so anything could change.
Red at your own risk my friends:
After 5 years of running the company and 3 years of not seeing her, Tony returns to a famous Kingdom and homeland of one of his only true closest friends since childhood, and old crush, Queen Elena Castillo Florez, ruler of Avalor, In order to promote the newly built and highly advanced starkland that would be opening in an Ancient area in China. Little did he know this production would cause the awakening of The Mandarin , an ancient warlord and sorcerer, after centuries of imprisonment from his tomb, who is seeking to reclaim his ten mystical rings, which grant him god-like power. To retrieve them, he summons four Elemental Demon Guardians-Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind-who will spread destruction across the world.Realizing the catastrophic threat, Iron Man (Tony Stark), Queen Elena Castillo Florez, and their allies embark on a global race against time to locate the rings before the Mandarin does. Along the way, they face the four Guardians, forcing Tony to upgrade his technology, Elena to harness her leadership and magic, and their team to push beyond their limits.
Will not only be a project that will be coming out alongside the one piece the movie fanfiction but it will be the start of an entirely new set amount of universe.
guess Iron Man can always be the one to start out with a bang huh.
not only will this be the start of a new universe but it will be the start of a full movie connected franchise.
you heard it here folks three other fanfiction stories which I've already revealed on all of my social platforms will be coming out right after Iron Man rise of the Mandarin
if you can guess which stories they will be and what order they will come out in.
well you won't actually get anything but you'll be really cool if you do
I enjoy watching all of you try and figure it out.
and now obviously we must talk about the elephant in the room
THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I haven't found any sort of words that can describe how excited I am for this upcoming project especially as a fan of both the games.
hopefully there's romance between Mario and Peach otherwise I'm going to flip out in that theater though let's all cross our fingers and hope that Nintendo doesn't let us down on this one.
now of course this all comes with questions
will one piece the movie be getting a sequel based off the one piece characters in the Mario Galaxy movie.
well if I'm going to be honest that has yet to be decided.
I have people who are working on me with this one piece the movie Project, who help give me ideas and make sure I keep the continuity together who we discuss how the stories events are going to go.
as of right now I do not plan on adapting it until I finish one piece the movie completely which hopefully I don't take too long to do
if however I decide to make that sequel it'll probably be in a phase 2 project which will help kick off phase two.
Just to be clear though one piece the movie is an introduction to my skill as a fanfiction artist it is not a part of the Cinematic Universe that I am building.
And so with that there goes all the updates I can tell you guys about for the time being.
obviously now I have to deal with some personal matters so production for the next chapter will be a little while
That does not mean this story is going to be halted or stopped in any way.
but I'm taking some personal time off to be with family at this time
Production for the next chapter will begin in late January at the earliest
That same applies to the chapter one of the Iron Man story
keep up with my other channels, such as the following:
YouTube: God of creativity Studios
https://www.youtube.com/@GodofCreativityStudios.218/featured
YouTube:It's ya boy Zahki
https://youtube.com/@itsyaboyzahki37?si=NdtMGIzEn-jRRi9W
Instagram: god.ofcreativity
https://www.instagram.com/god.ofcreativity/?hl=en
Instagram:guywilliszahki
https://www.instagram.com/guywilliszahki/?hl=en
Tik tok:@god.of.Creativity
https://www.tiktok.com/@god.of.creativity?_t=8gjnR8ikK9W&_r=1
Tik tok: Zahkiki
https://www.tiktok.com/@zahkiki6?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
X: @Godofcreativity24
https://x.com/CreativityGod24
Thank all of you for all of your love and support these last 3 years they have meant the world to me
oh and before I forget for all of you people who keep messaging me offering to do comic stories
if you want to go ahead and pursue that you can as of right now I do not have the funding to do so and I want to let this story gain more chapters before I think about giving it some visuals
so please stop with the messaging
till next time
Keep an eye out