[harumi]

For a long time the Black Market was known for being a place no normal person would want to go or even attempt to adventure to without proper rhyme or reason. Drug trades and illegal activity were rampant in the immediate area and so it was always wise to steer clear. Lately however, word got around of some sort of artifact was locked away in a old abandoned warehouse. Many tried to get inside to get this said artifact but no one had prevailed, and the only reason that could be found was that something was purposely halting all attempts. This little rumor was little more than a scare story to keep people from approaching it and eventually the rumor became more of a myth. That was until present day.

Nowadays, it wasn't known as an artifact but that of a trophy. A nearly priceless one too considering who it was of. There was still something guarding this artifact too, and it never rested, no matter what time of day a person came. In time an informant passed word along to a Toad in hopes of reaching the Peach of this world. The toad in question immediately went to find the princess and relay the news. "Princess Princess! I have urgent news!" The toad would squawk as he ran in circles in front of the princess, mostly freaked out by what he'd heard over anything. "We received word that a trophy heavily resembling you is in the Black Market district! There's an old run down facility that got abandoned and it's crumbling even now! What do we do!?" While the crumbling part was partially an exaggeration, there was some truth to it since there was chunks of the ceiling that had caved in and other pieces of the building that were lying around in there. 

Besides, why was there a trophy of the princess lying around in a place like that anyway? 

[Princess Toadstool]

A thought flashed through Peach's mind. ...Like her? She only knew of one doppelganger of herself on this planet. She had a rather striking visage that way. Hard to be mistaken for anyone else. Peach thought about it for a moment, gazing toward the painting portal leading to Busy Bee Lobby, a fast track back to the Life Sphere. The silent realization that the trophy could be there for a long time without anyone coming to rescue them wasn't lost on her, a feeling she was more than familiar with. It wasn't a fate she could leave a friend to, let alone... another version of herself. Her heart ached with loneliness and anxiety, as if she herself were left abandoned somewhere. “...I'll go. Please stay here and make sure anyone looking for me knows I've set out on a mission and will be back soon. And don't worry, okay?” Peach softly replied, offering a small smile and a reassuring pat upon the toad's head before she turned about and walked toward the painting, the rhythmic click of her heels heralding her exit moments before she leapt through the painting, leaving a silent castle in her wake.

She began a steady march to the abandoned facility, stopping only to get better directions from her quasi-loyal police toads following up on that lead.

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[harumi]

The toad watched the woman's expression curiously, her words turning that curiosity to instant-worry.  "Ah? But-" before he could get a word out of disapproval of her going alone, she gave him a gentle pat on the head. Something he melted at almost instantly. With her given instructions he saluted his princess and watched her leave before hurrying off to go relay the message but also because in doing so, everyone would know where she was if she went missing! Once the princess was through the portal and now having conversation with the police in the district, they gave a simple warning. 
legit 
"W-We don't really go near the building ourselves. The Black Market is very dangerous especially for our princess but if you insist, it's kinda hard to miss. Big old building falling apart on all sides but the entrance is still intact enough to enter! We've seen and heard that even crooks run for the hills when it comes to that place. I remember when it was just an artifact but now the story claims that another you is in there. How crazy is that?" Another one nodded in agreement.

"What if it was a trap made for the princess?" another questioned from the group of police toads. Whatever was the intention of the mysterious origins of that thing were lost on all of them. "If you do insist on going we only hope you'll be extra careful!" They would all offer to go with her but the lot of them had shaking knees syndrome, a totally real and legit sickness that would only get worse if they went into that building. That and they were also still abiding by their duties to keep the rest of Li safe as much as possible.

[Princess Toadstool]

...Crooks? Peach could feel a knot forming in her stomach as the police described this place that way. But it was odd for it to have such a powerful presence yet no names or organizations attached to it. She sure wouldn't expect anyone to describe Bowser's Castle without mentioning Bowser, after all, so perhaps there was something more going on here? ...She supposed if she got captured and kidnapped, or trophied--urgh--Mario would show up to save her ... eventually? She was sure of that much, delays or not. ...Well, it was a risk she was willing to take anyway. “No need to worry! I'm certain everything will turn out okay.” Peach gently reassured the police toads, not going so far as to say she wouldn't get captured--but she did want to give them what encouragement she could.

Without further ado, she set off for the black market. Best to keep moving at a power walking pace. She had no doubt she'd be harassed if not pre-emptively kidnapped if she lingered around too long. She wasn't expecting to run into trouble right away, but she knew better than to try her luck. Especially while she was wearing all this nice jewelery! Best to just keep on marching until she reached her destination. It'd give her time to try and tame her rapidly beating heart of its anxiety anyway.

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[harumi]

Right she was to keep moving because while she was idle, attention was drawn to her. It was kind of hard not to stick out like a sore thumb when you wore such vibrant shades of pink, that and the familiar blonde hair to go with the fact there was an active rumor about that same princess being in a building that was the very direction she was headed. It did catch attention and while some began stalking the woman, once she was close enough to the crumbling structure that used to be a semi-functioning building with two floors, most turned right back around. Any other suspicious figure that lingered only did so out of pure curiosity. The entrance was two rotted wooden doors that were somehow still attached to their hinges. Designs that used to be present on the door were absent now, the only proof of their existence being the lighter portion of said doors where they used to be. Some could even be seen in pieces near the corners of the little stairs that led up to it. The ground was cracked and there was a moldy scent wafting out from the building. A quick look inside would answer why it smelled like that. 

The signs of water damage were severe, some puddles were almost ankle deep if not more. A distinct 'drip, drip, drip, drip' was a reoccurring theme since there were literal holes in the ceiling from the structure of the roof giving out in some places which already compromised the safety of the building as a whole. Scattered about were empty forgotten little round bottles of a gray substance with a surprisingly fragrant(in a good way) scent. Some we even melted into the ground but by what was unknown. There were no lights within the strange place. There was old machinery off in corners along with rollers and parts of a no longer existing mezzanine. The rollers were dirty and well aged. Rust, grime and gunk forever rested on them but more importantly, it was up ahead that was the thing of interest/ Through an open arched entrance was a faint glow at the top of the stairs and there in the dark was a shadowy creature, staring at whoever may have been brave enough to get this far. It didn't speak but was definitely observing since its eyes tracked movement exceedingly well.

[Princess Toadstool]

“Hey Princess, I think someone's following us..!” Perry remarked from over Peach's shoulder. The princess blanched. She... kinda wished he just hadn't told her that honestly. “...Don't worry.” Peach softly reassured, before just continuing to move. She knew better than to believe anyone would be intimidated by a pretty princess trying to confront them. ...Well, unless they were big Sunshine Stadium fans anyway. ...Those people following Peach were doing terrible things to her anxiety though. Thankfully, she eventually lost them and the paranoia of trying to assure herself they weren't actually following her faded, leaving her with only her other anxiety about this house and who might be living in it. Regardless, she forced herself to keep marching. The steady click of her high heels heralded her arrival. Thankfully her heels were water resistant. They wouldn't keep her dry if water got in through the tops, but then which shoes would? Over her shoulder, Perry laid glancing at the damaged ceiling in anticipation of something falling so that he could shield the princess from harm, as well as watching her back.

As she got deeper into the building, she became aware of the odd bottles scattered around, delicately plucking one off the ground and giving it a good sniff before deciding to keep it, corking the bottle and delicately sliding it into one of the folds of her dress, where it promptly became lost in the sea of frills about her legs. Continuing further in, she kept a good eye out for any trophies as she explored the building. As she reached a particular stairwell she became distracted by the glow, a soft “...Uh?” escaping her as her gaze trailed up to the shadowy creature. Princess Peach froze up for a moment, staring back before announcing herself. “Oh--Hello... Do you live here..?” she hesitantly asked.

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[harumi]

The woman was met with no response from the creature. Just the molten orange hues tracking her movement. She was fortunate to have not drawn closer right away, as that was exactly what the unknown beast had expected and would have retaliated for. However, since she remained still it only stood up straighter and growled out something beastly but it came out a lot quieter so it wasn't as vicious. "You sure are brave coming this far."   It spoke in a tone that could only be seen as condescending or perhaps the creature was commending her for her bravery. As it went to speak further it paused when it took in more of her figure. His eyes had been gotten used to being in the dark more often than not but he'd had a bit of a nap not too long ago to recuperate his strength so he couldn't fully make out who it was until now. The familiarity in that figure hit him like a bag of bricks. "M-Mama Peach?" He croaked out in a truly broken voice.

He knew it wasn't his mama peach but she was still one of them, and his original mama always referred to that one as the original. He knew it wasn't another alternate by her scent alone. He could determine people's origins based on their scent and she had a very distinct smell that others from this world had. Like this world's Mario & Luigi, although he hadn't been able to smell them for a while, he still knew of their scents. His memory banks for scents were set up that way. The creature hurried down the stairs at break neck speeds to stand in front of the woman, scoping her out to make sure she wasn't compromised by someone into getting him away from his mama. He sniffed with fervor around her in circles even checking out her parasol. It really was just the princess. The relief hit him like the tide of an ocean. His fingers began to tremble and the years worth of stress and loneliness kicked in. The statue looked a bit taller than last time, but still easily able to be picked up. He hiccupped as the tears fell and he cried, and cried for a very long time. When he was finally reaching the end of his meltdown he spoke to her, hiccupping the whole way. "P-Please you have to help Mama. She won't wake up and I can't help her. I can't turn trophies back to normal! A a bunch of guys cornered her after she was just trying to protect her home, a-and she did everything she could to save the koopas there but they...."  He didn't even need to continue for it to be understood what they had done to her. They killed the other version of the princess.

He sniffled and continued on with the tale of what led to the disappearance of her known doppelganger. "Mama Peach told me to hide back then. I saw everything. I heard  everything. They took her here when the building was still useable and tried to sell her trophy form. I just...I remember getting so angry that I saw red and then...I've been here with her ever since, protecting her and ,making her peach cream to put on the trophy everyday. It never worked."  The young rose gold Prince looked away from the princess and up the stairs. He started walking back up them, hoping the princess would follow as he stopped at the top and amongst some rubble, the alternate princesses trophy base could be made out. It was extremely shiny from the peach cream that had been put on it daily. It was RG Bowser Jr who had made this base once known for illegal trading into the scary, broken down shell of what it used to be. He'd been scaring off the ones trying to avenge their fallen friends or attempt to take the base and the princess back. He was here fighting for years...by himself. "Please save mama. I just want to hear her voice again."  For the gruffness she'd heard when he first acknowledged her with a verbal response, this was little more than a whimper.

Tears were still falling from his face and the glowing orbs created an orange glow on the pristine trophy. Now, what would the princess do?

[Princess Toadstool]

...Well of course it was 'Mama Peach'! These hips didn't lie~! As for her scent--well... She did wear more than a spritz or two of peach perfume. This big bulky dress could get very warm at times and well--she was a bit self-conscious about smelling of sweat. So in all honesty, she wouldn't have been surprised if even a human could identify her by scent.

At the condescending voice, Peach's eyes widened slightly. Ah. This creature was here to stop her. She could tell by the way he was eyeing her up like a piece of meat--a gaze she'd felt and observed far more often than she cared to. She braced herself for battle, only to find that it wasn't necessary. To her shock, a familiar rose gold prince came running at her with tears in his eyes. Instinctively, she held out a hand to pat him on the head and lightly caress his cheek in a comforting manner, only to release him as he began sniffing her out? She just kinda stands there, not entirely sure what was going on but ... content to let whatever it was happen. Perry offers Jr. a curious expression followed by a smile, followed by a wince as Jr. resumed crying. Sensing she was needed, Peach turned about summoned a magical heart to encapsule Jr, briefly lifting him up and shifting him into her awaiting arm--the one not carrying Perry. She would've had a hard time picking him up without putting Perry down and well... Can't neglect one child for the other--might as well use magic. She then proceeded to cuddle him against her as best she could, and continued to do so as he spoke.

...Peach frowned at the story. It was... upsetting, to say the least. How could someone do something like that to such a pure hearted girl? The thought that it could've just as easily happened to her wasn't lost on her. ...No time to be scared. If she let her emotions control her now, Jr. and Perry would be the victims! They both needed her, Jr. because of well... the ongoing predicament, and Perry because she had no doubt this was a bit much for him. “...I came as soon as I heard--Don't worry. I'll do everything that I'm able to.” Peach softly reassured. “Princess? What does he mean by--..?” Perry began to ask rather uncomfortably. However, Peach decided to tactfully interrupt. “Terrible men have hurt the other princess and she needs our help, Perry.” Peach remarked, sort of deflecting the question in hopes he wouldn't think too hard about it. She then placed Rose Gold Bowser Jr. down so he could lead the way, lifting her skirt ever so slightly so she wouldn't trip on it and following along at a hurried pace.

As she got to the other peach's trophy, she looked at it for a long moment. “I will do my best.” Peach softly replied, considering her options. She could surmise that the reason the other Peach hadn't untrophied was because she'd been wounded so badly that untrophying presented an immediate risk of death. That or something was actively preventing it. Regardless, she only knew of one way she could heal someone. ...One way that didn't involve rare and powerful items anyway. She stepped up onto the base of the trophy, leaned in, and kissed her doppelganger, infusing her trophy with a powerful healing love vibe in an attempt to ressurect her!

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[harumi]

It had been a long time since he felt the comforting embrace of another person. One could wonder why he never decided to go run for help but anyone in this district would get why, because by the time he came back- she could've ended up long gone in the wrong hands. He was all his mama had against the unfavorable odds, and he made good on ensuring she remained safe under his watch for years. So being held and comforted when he cried made his whole heart melt. The princess was just as kind as his own mama but that wasn't the least bit surprising, the two were almost completely identical. His mama did have less space in most dresses however with her more prominent figure and slightly wider hips but she also had a specific scent to define her. One he was most accustomed to after being with her for so long. It was something he missed dearly. As he was set back down to guide the princess of the mushroom kingdom up the stairs to look over the trophied form of his mama.



He watched her with a worried expression, hoping and praying silently that she could somehow fix this. What he didn't expect was for her to lean down and kiss her like some sort of Sleeping Beauty situation. He was riddled S P E E C H L E S S. It was a bold move for sure and if his gaping maw wasn't immediately proof of his shock, he didn't know what was. He brought his shiny hand up to close his mouth at the light display that followed, even going as far as to shield his eyes. The trophy was encased in a pink light as it absorbed the healing magics and the peach cream all in one fell swoop. The light burst through the ceiling like a beam coming down from the heavens except- it was going up! The light faded after a few moments and laying idle in an outfit unlike the one showed in her trophy state became apparent.



The blonde was still for a long while before she began to stir, eyes squeezing further shut before they opened and she shot up with a start. Her hues of red faded into a calm blue as she looked around, unsure of where she was or what was happening.



"What is this? Where-" She noticed RG Bowser Jr. And the woman next to her which was herself. All of the memories from her past here on Li came flooding back and she had to take a moment to readjust and put pieces of the puzzle together. RG Bowser Jr. was simply staring in both relief and sorrow. He was upon the woman in seconds, hugging her so tight she thought she might pop like a balloon. Whether it was instincts or something else, she immediately wrapped her arms around the young prince. Finally reunited with her son, she pressed her cheek against his own and spoke. "It's alright little one, I'm here."

She looked to her other self as she coddled her son in her arms tightly against her chest. "How long was I out?" She asked just barely above a whisper. It would've made sense for it to be a few days or so but something compelled her to ask anyway. With how tightly Jr. was holding her as if she'd disappear if he didn't and the fact her other self was here meant something but she wasn't certain what. Not to mention she felt oddly rejuvenated for some reason, almost like a springy, nimble kid about to run their first race. She was completely in the dark on the fact she just absorbed years worth of peach cream and the healing magic from the original princess Peach. There couldn't be a more powerful revival spell out there to match. For now the warrior princess was just curious and still a bit confused. The building they were in wasn't familiar to her in the slightest.

Princess Peach Q

Damage: 0%

Status: Confused

[Princess Toadstool]

Indeed, a rather bold move in stark defiance of royal norms. What would her parents say if she knew she was out there kissing princesses instead of princes~? But then she was a bold princess with a heart full of love she simply had to share, especially with her sisters in arms. And so she wouldn't concern herself with such things, especially while her parents were still missing! What they don't know won't hurt them right~? Her Kingdom, her rules!

Peach sighed in relief as the other was successfully revived. She hadn't been a hundred percent sure that would work, but since the peach cream hadn't she'd felt... justified in skipping to the most powerful and cinematic resurrection method. She smiled fondly as the two re-united, cupping her hands before her and waiting patiently to let them have her moment. She'd have to be selfish to deny it to them. She then paused, thinking about her question. “I'm not sure exactly, but I believe it to be several years.” Peach hesitantly replied, having put a few pieces of the puzzle together on her own. The run down building, Jr. keeping things out, not having seen the other Peach in a long time. It sure seemed to her like they were talking years. Terrible as that thought was and much as she wished it weren't true.

...She then bent over and held out a hand in an offer to help the other stand up, offering to let her lean against her for support if she needed. “...I apologize dearly for not rescuing you sooner. I came as soon as I was able to find a lead.” she softly remarked. She was already thinking about ways she could make it up to the other, not necessarily because this was her fault but because it seemed like she would need a loving presence in her life to help her through this whole ordeal.

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[harumi]

Now it was her turn to be shocked. Several years? There was no way that could be correct, she was aware of the attackers just yester...day. She blinked profusely with furrowed blonde brows of disbelief. It couldn't be...right? She felt Jr move in her hold and she looked down at him as he pulled back some, nodding to confirm what her original self had said. "It's true Mama. You've been sleeping for almost five years. Another two months and it would've been."  Her eyes teared up, a promise to herself broken. She sucked air in through her teeth and looked down at the ground at her side as she processed the information. Sensing her saddened state, Jr. moved in to rest his head on her chest in an attempt to offer her great comfort, because she definitely needed it. She looked back to her other self to find a gloved hand in front of her waiting to be taken. She lifted her own ungloved hand and held firmly to it to be pulled up. She sniffled and gracefully wiped away her tears with a simple swipe of her thumb to her eyes, long lashes catching some remnants and making them appear like dew drops over such crestfallen eyes. A Peach sure could be beautiful no matter the expression. 

With one hand supporting Bowser Jr. she eventually released the hand of her other self to use both to support the young prince. Nearly five whole years...then didn't that mean they were coming upon the seasons to be jolly, and if so- why did it have to be that specific season that she awakened in. She didn't feel not a smidgen of jolly right now. Peach Q was grateful for being alive once more but there was no getting back all that time that went down the drain simply because she wasn't strong enough to fight off some bad guys. She could very vividly remember her death as well. It was cold and unforgiving, but given her rather ruthless fighting style in the face of evil, they likely were fed up with their allies falling to her so easily. She swallowed feeling her throat in the process without using her hands. It felt almost surreal now but she pushed that thought away in favor of focusing on the other Peach and her son. For five whole years.... "Then, have you been with the princess all this time Jr.?" 

The young prince shook his head and made an expression of guilt that made her heart skip a beat. "I-I saw what happened Mama. When they...got you I went after them. They took you here when this place was a lot better looking and they were gonna sell you so I um-"  He seemed reluctant to continue which only worried the recently awakened princess more. 

"It's alright my dear, there's no need to be afraid. Please, I must know what happened all those years ago."  Finally seeming to collect himself enough he looked to his mama with a determined expression and continued from before. 

"I don't remember them falling by my claws but after seeing them hurt you and handle you like that I-I saw red. When I was awake again they were all on the ground and they weren't moving. You were too heavy as a trophy for me to carry, and I couldn't leave you because they kept coming back. Day after day I fought to keep you safe but I couldn't ever revive you. I tried so many times!" 

Part of her was proud he held his own for this long but the other half of her was wounded that he did it alone for so long. He was too young to be taking lives...and she put that all on him. She silently cursed everything for putting her son through such a horrible time. A week? Sure that wouldn't be the end of the world but YEARS. Years he spent heartbroken over the fact he couldn't revive his mama, YEARS he spent fighting to keep unwanted insects from dirtying her trophy with their filthy hands. YEARS he spent wondering if she'd ever awaken again. It was too much- her emotions couldn't handle it. She breathed in and out as evenly as she could but it began to pick up into hyperventilation.


Not understanding what was happening to her right away she quickly held her son up to the other Peach to take before rushing down the stairs as that overwhelming feeling in her gut boiled over and she was down on her knees. Her vibe scepter was nowhere in sight, it must've been back at home somewhere because she couldn't put her emotions in check. "M-Mama?"  He called out in slight confusion and uncertainty.

The princess from another land was about to have a meltdown. Her hands drew into fists and it was such an unsightly thing for royalty that she was glad it was only her other self and her son to witness this shameless display. Her pink energy flared around her and as her ability to hold it all in cracked it all came loose. She screamed so loud the building shook. A gutteral, broken scream of pain and agony. Her energy weakened the remaining support for the already falling apart building. The ceiling began falling down as she cried, tears almost never ending but all of her emotions swirling into one, Despair, made any tear that fell from her face evaporate into thin air. The cinematics were...phenomenal to say the least. Her heart ached so much it made her nose get that funny feeling she always got when she knew she was about to cry, her eyes already doing their part throughout that sensation.


Her cry tapered into smaller cries that nearly sounded like laughing with how she screamed, the redness in her cheeks connecting over the bridge of her nose while she sang the dying sirens song of regret. Finally, she stopped and the energy dissipated almost immediately, the light show over as she breathed while the building began coming down around them. She blinked away tears and looked back at the Princess and Jr. who probably had come over by now, but hopefully not close enough to be directly affected by her release of despair. The entire building was quite literally coming down, the structure finally giving way after all this time. Reaching for her own parasol fashioned to her side since it was also part sword, she pulled it open hastily and ran over to the two to help shield them from the building as it collapsed. Pieces went everywhere and the sound was enough to draw attention but luckily amongst the smoke, they still weren't visible. They were fortunate for the defense of a princesses parasol. The three of them were fortunately unharmed. The princess looked around them and let out a sigh. "I deeply apologize for what you've just witnessed. I am still coming to terms with all of this. I may need more time. I don't think I'm ready to face the public yet. I-"  She looked to her son and a tired smile came to her lips.

"I'm not ready to return to our home. Would it be alright if we accompany you in secret to your home instead? I don't want to be seen like this." Jr.smiled up at the original Peach, a silent thank you for holding him while his own mama went through her breakdown. He reached out for his mama and she carefully collected him from the other with a thankful smile on her lips but it was still a tired one. This place now felt like little more than a tomb for who she used to be. This would be a landmark that was the staple for her rebirth. She also understood making such an outrageous request likely went against regulations so she quickly added, "I understand  if it is not possible, I-I could return to our home out there and try to recover with my son." Jr. on the other hand was mostly content with nuzzling his mother's neck to help her feel at ease.

While he didn't expect what happened not to long ago to happen as it did, he also knew he expected some sort of reaction from her. Not many could be revived after many years and not feel either sad or angry, or both. She truly was his mama that was for sure. Peach Q wondered if her Bowser was looking down at her now in disgust. She hoped he understood she was doing her best to raise their son but...he deserved so much better and she would do her best to provide that no matter what from here on out. She owed the young prince an apology but that would come at a later time. For now, they both needed to heal in the privacy of somewhere safe until she was ready to face the world again. 

Princess Peach Q

Damage: 0%

Status: Worn Out

[Princess Toadstool]

Peach quickly accepted Bowser Jr, not really needing a reason other than that her other needed her help and seemed to be having a bad day. Who wouldn't want to help her..? But she quickly found herself blanching and beginning to panic as Peach Q's temper began tearing the building apart, running back and forth while emitting a warbling noise in fright. Oh dear. Oh my--This building was much too heavy for Perry to protect her from. She knew he could only take so much abuse. Maybe she could use him to eat a chunk of the building that would've hit them, but that sounded like a one time trick to her and might wind up slowing her down in a counter-productive fashion even it worked. It seemed like staying light on her feet was her best shot. As she was working to try and position herself to not get hit by whatever part started collapsing first, she held Jr. close to her chest.

As Peach Q's crying died down to a more manageable level, Peach made a sort of hurried click click power walk over to her in an effort to talk to her about the imminent danger, only to be pulled under an umbrella and shielded! The thunderous crash of the building around them briefly shook her to her core. She'd never heard a noise that loud! And honestly, it scared her silly. She teared up a bit in fright, but a few moments after the chaos ended, she blinked and the tears vanished. So too did her trembling fade. She never released Jr, even when she thought she might meet an end. ...One that could've probably been solved by digging through the rubble for their trophies, but an awful and painful end regardless.

Only now that she wasn't hyperfixated on trying to protect herself and jr did she really have the time to... react to the noises she'd heard. The horrible sounds of pain resonated with her heart at a frequency few other than a doppelganger could understand. How could you not hear your own voice in that much pain without feeling some phantom echo of the feelings that caused it? She had always been empathetic, but this ...

Peach gently pat Jr on the head before returning him to Peach Q. She then listened to what Peach Q said with an expression of rather forward concern upon her face. Once Peach Q was done, Peach scooted over and wrapped both arms around the other, gently yet assertively pulling Peach Q against her and hugging the other princess close, guiding her to rest her head upon Peach's chest, her heartbeat softly audible if Peach Q allowed her head to rest there. Her other hand guided Jr to scoot over slightly onto both their laps so that they could both hold him more comfortably. And then she just... held Peach Q close in a loving fashion for a good long moment. Her heart was telling her that the other needed someone to fill that role of strength, protectiveness and support.

“...You and Jr. are more than welcome to stay with me at my castle for as long as you'd like.” she fondly replied. However, a moment later she chimed in with a rather pertinent question. “--Uhm... Did you perchance have a way to get out of here privately in mind? Normally I would take the magical painting in Busy Bee Lobby, but that's quite... public. I can think of one way if you didn't, but it would require us to be closer than we are now...” Peach asked, pondering the difficulty of getting out of here privately. If she'd had a portable warp pipe that would've been easy, but ... ironically, she did not. Still, if it were very important to Peach Q she supposed it couldn't hurt to offer methods of concealing her. They wouldn't conceal Peach herself, but that was a compromise she was fine with.

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[harumi]

The Princess wasn't expecting the hug she received from her original self but boy did she need it. If she weren't so emotionally drained from releasing all of that pent up emotion from earlier. she might've just started crying again as she listened to the calm heartbeat of the princess. She closed her eyes to take in the feeling and let out a shuddery sigh. "Thank you for coming to save me. I can't think of anyone I'd rather see in such a vulnerable time like this. It means the world to me, a-and of course for allowing us to stay with you."  Peach Q couldn't be anymore thankful and full of gratitude. As RG Bowser Jr. listened to the exchange after shifting so he wouldn't get squished with the original Peach's assistance, he spread his arms out to hug them both before his mama pulled away to answer the question presented. She put on a thinking face, her blue eyes dull and lack luster from her exhausted state. "There is one way I can think of. D-did you know you can pray to the elder stars to receive their blessings? They are still connected to us even here. Though not only that, our magic is only limited to our imagination and although I've expelled a lot of energy I can help you conjure up some love magic to either disguise us or fly us to our destination. Do you think you can do it? I've never seen another version of myself try it but you are my original, I believe in you."  She'd say with a small smile coming to her pink lips. 

It wouldn't hurt to try while the remaining cloud of dust still hid them from view for the time being but who knew how long that would last. RG Bowser Jr. wiggled around to climb onto his mama's back like he used to do when they traveled together in the past. "I think two mama peach's can accomplish anything! You can do it mama's!"  The young rose gold prince encouraged, still sounding energetic despite what he'd been through. Must've been the affect of that Rose Gold encasing him. What a truly remarkable thing. In the back of her mind, Peach Q wondered if it was actually possible to get through his invulnerability but decided she'd rather not think of such a possibility given all that's happened, she already had a lot on her mind as is. 

 Princess Peach Q: 


Status: Tired but optimistic.