Chapter Two: Bowser's Wish

Here is the next chapter for you all.

Maria blue overalls with the pants legs rolled up to her knees, Long sleeve red shirt the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, brown boots, white gloves, long brown hair pulled into high pony tail, red base ball cap with a white M on it, blue eyes.

I wanted to tell you all that I have posted a new story that is a crossover between The Mummy and Dance Central, it's called The Tag Along. It's not a very long story and it is completed so all I have to do is upload a chapter when I get a chance. : )

I hope you all enjoy have a Jesus filled day.

MMMMMMMMMMMMM

Bowser made his way through the streets looking at the card in his hand. His heart pounded in his chest. His mind was going a million miles an hour. He kept wondering if she was going to show up at all or if he was going to be late. Looking up at the clock tower he could see that he was going to make it in time so that only left if she was going to show up. He also couldn't help but think of the worst scenarios of how this conversation could go. He could have sworn he was going to go insane if he kept up this thought process. Said thought process was interrupted when he heard someone was looking for him around the corner. Going to the corner he listened before even thinking of showing himself. The last thing he wanted was it to be one of his enemies and they see him. "Have you seen King Koopa around?" Bowser already disliked how that was asked so he started to back away slowly but still listening.

"I have not. Do you have business with him?" The female mushroom asked curiously.

"My king wishes to speak to him about some matters."

Still not liking the tone of voice, Bowser sunk into the bushes and hid among the trees as he made his way to where he and Maria were to meet. However just before he could get too far another voice rung out getting his attention. This one sounded with much more cheer, "Excuse me sir, have you seen Maria around by any chance?"

Bowser could hear a paper moving as it was given to the person. "I know who she is and I'm sure I saw her near the down town area."

"I see, thank you for your help." As the searcher left the person gagged walking away.

The king raised an eyebrow looking in the direction where he was supposed to meet her and was met with seeing her silhouette sitting on a rock. Inwardly he was glad that the man was blind. Just as he was about to make his way over to her a paper flew into his face nearly knocking him over in his shock. Stabilizing himself he saw that it was the paper that had been given to the person that had been asked the question. On it was a recent picture of Maria gardening making Bowser want to kill the person who took the picture in her private time with Luigi, who had been obviously been cropped out of the photo. With a growl he made his way over to the dark haired beauty he could see was playing with the tip of her hair. As adorable as she looked doing this he could tell she looked nervous so he started to make his way out of the bushes but this caused her to go on the defensive. Freezing he waited for her to realize it was him. When she gave a sigh of relief he stood up to his full height. She spoke coming out of her defensive stance, "I thought you were someone else."

"No, forgive me for coming from this direction." Looking down the road he had been supposed to use he continued, "Came across one of the other kingdom's guards and they were showing my picture around."

"Did you want to have this conversation elsewhere?" His dark eyes watched as the Plummer asked pushing her hair behind her to her back. He was sure his brain would short circuit if weren't for the fact she continued talking. "I'm sure it will be safer than being so out in the open."

"Perhaps a little farther in the forest. I saw someone else showing your picture around too." Holding out the page, that nearly bested him, thus showing her the poster that was being passed around of her in her garden.

Taking it he could see she was slightly irritated by the fact of where the picture was taken. "I honestly can see that person being from the kingdom west." Her blue eyes looked up at him as she folded the paper and put it in her pocket, "However I'll warn you now, if this is another trick I will beat you senseless."

Bowser laughed amused and shook his head, "As I told you I have brought no one and I swear this is not a trick. I just want to talk things over because clearly trying to capture you works just as well as trying to keep Princess Peach in my hold." Despite her not showing it he could tell she was amused by his response as he led her further into the forest.

As the two walked further in Maria asked, "What kingdom guard was looking for you?"

"The east, don't know why though. There hasn't been an attack between us in two years. I've been focusing more on capturing Princess Peach or you during that time."

"Possible old grudge?"

"If I had to guess, it is highly possible." Koopa replied looking around, he could feel his stress melting away the further they got from the road. When they found a clearing he sat down with Maria sitting across from him. Looking at her he felt a little nervous as he tried to come up with the best way to start the conversation. He knew that this was going to be his one chance to really confess how he felt about her. However his words were failing at this current time and he couldn't feel more irritated at himself.

"So you…like me." Maria stated then bit her lip clearly not sure how to continue from where she started.

He nodded taking a calming breath before replying, "Yes, I have for a little while now to be honest." The reptile cleared his throat, "That was before I tried to capture you the first time." He felt like punching himself the moment those words came out of his mouth. 'Great, now she's going to think I'm a stalker. Good going Koopa.'

"You mean in Sock Hop Land?" The female asked to which the male nodded in reply not trusting his mouth at the moment, "Would it be weird if I asked why me?"

'Okay, so far so good. Let's see if I can keep her from running away from me.' King Koopa smiled amused by the question, "I… It's really simply why you caught my attention in the first place." He scratched the back of his head, he knew he was taking a big risk saying what he was about to say. "I was spying on a party that you were attending at Princess Peach's castle and saw you in your overall skirt." Maria looked both flustered and amused. Bowser was happy his face could not turn red like hers. "It was then I realized why I continued to try and capture Princess Peach." His eyes averted, "It was the one way I knew I could get your attention." Glancing back over he could see Maria's face get brighter as she looked down. As she was thinking Bowser couldn't help but look at her as she was thinking. It just seemed like she could pull off so many emotions and make them look good. Feeling like it was better he continued, "You're the first girl to stay up to par with me in a fight. If I get a girl she has to be able to fight. I don't do wimpy girls."

She looked like she had a question in mind but said instead, "It seems not a lot of girls can stand up to your standards."

"I actually don't go looking for girls. They just show up. My children's mother was like that. Showed up out of nowhere and…I was taken by her strength."

"So you're attracted to power." Maria stated looking up into his eyes.

"That the one that gets my attention but there are other factors that get my attention after." He shifted as he carefully considered his next words, "For example with you it was your unbound loyalty to Princess Peach and your protectiveness. No matter how many times I took her you would still come to save her and anytime one of your comrades was in danger you wouldn't hesitate to jump in the way to take the attack. For me all those sold it."

"You're…not looking to replace you past wife with me right?"

"No." Bowser scoffed at the very thought of that, "If I did then I would have picked a girl that to have fun with then let her go. After all that's all my ex-wife did to me. She gave me kids then felt we were holding her back so she left." 'She's not even worth replacing. I'd be better off with a whole different kind of girl than one like her.'

Bravely Maria placed her hand over his, "I'm sorry she did that. I can see why you didn't look for another girl after that."

Bowser looked at their hands touching as he shrugged, though he could feel butterflies in his stomach. "It's in the past. My kids don't even care for their mother. So it's not worth getting upset over." His eyes met hers and he couldn't help but think her blue eyes were some of the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. "I like the way you are though. To you family is very important. If you didn't feel like that you wouldn't try to protect your bother the way you do." He knew he had to ask this question now that he had a chance to. "Is he…older or younger than you?"

Maria smiled, "Younger by a year." She pulled her hand away making him wish she didn't. "I'd lay down my life for him. He's all I got left."

Hearing that surprised Bowser and before he could stop himself he was asking, "Really?"

"Yeah, before we got dragged here my parents died when I was…ten I think. And instead of one of the family taking us in they sent us to the orphanage and cut off all contact." She shrugged, "It's why we find it so easy to stay here instead of trying to find a way home. Nothing is there for us."

That pulled at his heart to hear that she had to go through such problems. "I'm sorry that happened, what they did was terrible."

"Nah, they just didn't like that we had our mother's blood line in us. Everyone on my father's side was against my dad marring her. And mom wasn't real close with any of her family so we never got into contact." Maria smiled seemingly amused by something, "Honestly, Luigi and I were close to moving to a different country when we go sucked in here."

And now he can see why she was so amused, "So, our world gave you two a free trip."

"Yep." The female's smile got brighter, "I really like it here. I don't ever want to go back."

"What's your favorite thing to do?" Bowser asked leaning back on his hands.

"Well, since Luigi and I live together I love doing gardening, cooking, and fighting or sparing if it is Luigi." The brunette looked at the King Koopa unfolding her legs and laying on the ground. Seeing her pony off to the side of her head made her look all that more appealing to Bowser. Just seeing her like that made him want to pull out the card he made that was in the pouch on his side. "So what do when you are not planning world domination?"

Bowser laughed amused, "Please, I hardly call that world domination. More like kingdom domination." Seeing her amused eyes made him chuckle, "I like to read and watch my children be themselves. They do some of the most entertaining things when left to their own devices." His mind filled with the funny things he had seen his children do even though they knew he was watching them.

"Sounds like it." Maria commented as he looked up to the sky above. "Exactly how many kids to you have? I seem to run into the same ones over and over again."

"Eight. Seven boys and one girl."

"Oh her name is Wendy right?"

"Yes. The others are Bowser Jr., Larry, Morton, Iggy, Roy, Lemmy, and Ludwig. My oldest is Ludwig." Bowser replied, "However despite him being the oldest I'm not sure if he's all that interested in taking over the kingdom like Jr. is."

"Wow, that's a lot of kids to take care of on your own."

"Tell me about it. Little pains in my butt when they feel like bothering me when I'm working. Jr. is the only one that will just show up and watches. The others either come to ask me something or complain." Koopa shook remembering when Larry ran in complaining about Roy bothering him.

"Sounds like they just want dad's attention."

"Ha! Yeah right, they just want to bother me and be little pains in my butt most days." Bowser shrugged amused by the statement despite it more than likely being true, "I'd do anything for them though. We look out for each other. Much like you and Luigi do." Shifting he moved to lay on his stomach letting his guard down not seeing much use of having it up. He felt at ease with Maria so there honestly was no reason why he should. A sudden thought had him looking over at her curiously. "You know I don't think I've ever seen you dress in anything other than those two outfits, why is that?" Seeing her initial reaction to his question nearly made him laugh.

"I'm not much of a girly girl so clothes are not my forte. The only reason I like my overall skirt is because I like overalls. They make me feel comfortable in my own skin." Maria replied, "Once Princess had me try on a dress and I felt like a clown." She gagged while Bowser covered his mouth at the thought of Maria wearing one of the princess's dresses. He shook his head; he defiantly would never make her wear a dress like that. It was just not a Maria look in his mind. "So that's why I got the skirt type I do now."

"I take you have more than one of the overall's and shirt?"

"Yes, I'd have other colors than red for my shirts…" Bowser raised an amused eyebrow, "…but red is sort of my signature."

"Very much so. I like you in red. Makes you stand out in the crowd of people, at least to me."

"Actually, that is the very reason I wear red." Maria said with smile as she Koopa turned to look at her, inwardly he was happy that his reason for liking her in red was the reason she wore it. "Back where I came from a lot of girls had my kind of hair and eye color so to stand out I wore red and overall's. Where I was people didn't really like overalls but they said I made it look good." Her blue eyes rolled, "Of course they were only saying that to say 'what I wanted to hear' when in reality they were happy I was wearing what many considered to be ugly clothes. I think they are all crazy."

"They are, you make overalls look like a style people that look like you should wear." Bowser paused as an image of the princess in the overalls entered his mind, "Except Peach, she'd look terrible."

Maria burst out laughing and her head dropped, her hand cushioning her fall. The feeling he got from making the Plummer laugh made his heart bloom with pride. He loved her laugh more than anything right now. Lifting up her head she giggled out, "You know she would smack you for that right?"

Bowser gave a smirk at the issued challenge, "I'd like to see her try without breaking her hand."

"You're underestimating her. She's stronger than she looks."

"Nah, not when compared to you." Bowser said causing Maria to blush lightly and looked down at her hands. As he looked at her he knew it was time to get to the real reason he wanted to talk to her in private. "Maria?"

"Yes?" Blue eyes peeked over at the male next to her.

"The real reason I brought you here instead of at my home…was so I could ask…" He drummed his fingers against the grass beneath him, "I want to ask if…you were okay with…perhaps trying to see if you and I were…" He could feel his heart wanting to jump out of his chest, "…compatible."

"You mean, date right?"

"Yes." Koopa replied his claws digging into the ground beneath as his thudding heart fluttered at the word. "That is if you were okay with it. I also, and this is not an ultimatum, during that time will not take Princess Peach. She's kind of boring to capture anyway, too easy compare to you."

Maria laughed lightly amused by his words, "She'd smack you for that too." Bowser laughed watching her as she bit her lip in thought, "I'm…not opposed to it." Koopa was feeling elated hearing her say that. "I just…don't have a lot of…dating experience. A lot of guys were put off by me being a Plummer."

"The only experience I have is my ex-wife and that really is nothing to go on so we are in the same boat." Koopa replied his eyes still on her and staying quiet to let her decide.

The brunette looked at the ground beneath her in thought. He knew that could cause an issue with the mushroom people and quite possibly Peach and Luigi but he knew he had at least try. Seeing her turn her body to face him she looked at Koopa in the eye, "I'll give it a shot so long as we meet on neutral grounds in the beginning."

'YES!' Inwardly yelled as he verbally said, "I agree with the idea. It wouldn't do for me to show up in mushroom kingdom. They would think I was attacking again." The reptile was elated with her response, "If we want to get together we send out letters to see if it is possible."

"I like it." Maria replied.

Both looked over when they heard foot steps and stayed quiet. When a voice spoke the two got to their feet, "Have you seen King Koopa?"

Maria looked around then took Bowser's hand leading him away before they could hear more. Just from the tone they could tell the guy was not friendly. The reptile stayed as ducked as he could as he allowed himself to be dragged away from the man looking for him. Reaching an abandoned cabin they went in and hid behind the kitchen counter when they heard another person asking for Maria. "Ma'am have you seen Lady Maria, my king is interested in talking to her."

Hearing a gagging sound, Bowser looked over at Maria. However he tensed hearing the woman's response, "No sir, I'm sorry I couldn't help." Letting out the breath he was holding the king relaxed.

"Thank you ma'am."

They could hear him walking away and when he was gone Maria looked at Koopa, "Lady Maria? Really? Who thinks I am any bit a 'lady'?"

"That means he wants to marry you." Koopa growled irritated, he was angry that someone else wanted Maria like he did.

"Ugh, don't worry. I don't want to be anywhere near him. Unlike when I was fighting you, he gives me the creeps. When I met him it took all my will power to not run away. I'm not surprised he's single still."

Koopa was in shock as he asked, "You've met him?"

"Yes, and he's an outright pervert." The brunette replied shivering, "He's one of the only people that scare me."

To say that the King Koopa was shocked was an understatement. To hear that she was afraid of the king of the west was not something he thought he'd ever hear. "Well, he's been unwelcome in my kingdom for years so you won't run across him there."

"So if he does find me, can I find refuge with you?" Maria asked causing Bowser to look at her his eyes wide unable to respond, "Even though Peach is also not fond of him her father is the one that invites him over. She makes sure to let me know so I go into hiding."

"I…have no problem with that." Oh he had absolutely no problem with that one bit. He'd take any chance just to get to know Maria. "I'll make sure you have a room. I'm sure Wendy would happily help the set up once she knows why." Koopa replied taking her hand in his larger one and making a mental note to talk to his children about his intentions for the female Plummer.

Maria laughed lightly, "I feel like a fugitive hiding like this."

Bowser laughed equally amused by the thought, "I do this every time I'm sneaking anywhere." He chuckled when he saw her amused expression. Having a sudden thought he asked "I know the best way to get back to the Mushroom Kingdom where you won't be spotted. Would you allow me to show you?" Maria nodded and got up following Bowser out of the building. However before they could get too far from the building Koopa stopped and pulled out the card that he had in the bag on his side holding it out. Once again his heart was beating in his chest in his nervousness. "Since today's…what to day is I was wondering if you'd also be my valentine."

"Yes. I'll be your valentine." Just seeing Maria smile and take the card made his day but hearing her say the words made him want to jump with glee.