Autumn is a Time for New Beginnings:

Bowser rushed to the front doors of his palace to answer the persistent early morning knocks. "Who in their right mind is knocking on my door at six in the morning?!" he grumbled. "It's still dark outside!" He got to the main level and ran into the vestibule, trying to think who could possibly be out there in his yard. Surprise overcame his face as he opened the doors to see Peach standing with a small, green duffel bag in her hands. She was by herself, her Royale kart parked in the driveway outside of the metal fence that served as the boundary for the palace yard.

"Hi," said Peach, jovial in her tone and mannerisms.

"Hello," Bowser responded, a little confused by her visit. "What brings you here?"

"May I come inside, please?" the princess asked.

Bowser rubbed one of his eyes, not moving at first but then eventually stepping aside to allow entrance. "Just be quiet. Everyone else is still asleep."

Bowser led Peach through the hallways of his palace and into the main dining room, a grand and spacious room with magnificent, fine decorations and an overall regal deign consistent with the rest of the building. A couple koopas were up, getting breakfast ready in the kitchen adjacent to the dining room. Smells of eggs and pancake batter were just beginning to fill the air.

Peach followed the Koopa King as he walked towards the dining room table and told her what the Kruna were up to last night. "We ate, we hung out for a little while, and then Daisy talked about everything that went down in her battle with Elkon..." He stopped walking and turned around, gesturing towards one of the chairs. "You may sit, if you like."

The princess proceeded to pull a chair out from the table, taking a seat and placing her duffel bag on her lap. "So Daisy's a great fighter, huh?" she asked.

"Well, yes, and no," replied Bowser, opting to remain standing. "Offensively, unstoppable. But when she can't land her attacks for whatever reason, very vulnerable. We've seen that happen a couple times, unfortunately. She's got more gaps than she realizes, but at the same time, she usually is able to pull something together at the end when it's most needed." He chuckled. "But then again, all of us on the team have our own strengths and weaknesses. That may just be what makes us all compliment each other so well; we always have one or two people that excel in certain situations that we can rely on."

"I would have never known," said Peach. "I'm starting to think Mario and Luigi should've taken her along on their quests and missions. She probably would've been a great help."

"She was the heart of our team," said Bowser. "That's for sure. She carried us."

"That's amazing," the princess remarked. "Truly."

You barely spoke to me before, but now you're holding down a conversation with me like we've been friends for years, Bowser mused, peering in the direction of the kitchen. I don't know what you're up to, princess. I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish, but I know that I'm through being the aggressor. He turned his gaze back to Peach. "Do you want something to eat while you're here?"

Peach smiled. "That would be lovely."

The two koopas came out from the kitchen ten minutes later with a platter of scrambled eggs, a short stack of pancakes, two sausages, and a cup of tea with a lemon wedge. They presented the food to the princess along with the necessary utensils. She thanked the koopas for the meal and ate as she continued listening to Bowser.

"She told us she wants to head out this afternoon," said the Kruna of Fire. "We kept urging for her to give herself more rest, but she insisted that she wants to get back out on the road – or rather, that she needs to. I don't know, it's hard to tell with her. Ramona and Andrew offered to go and retrieve my truck and her bike when they wake up so that Daisy'll have transport, but she declined even that. I guess it might be because she can't take it with her where she's heading. She didn't even say where she intends to go, but that's probably because she wants to make sure that she goes alone and that none of us end up following her. From my understanding, she wants to get there on foot, but it sounds like it'll be one helluva trip that way."

"Andrew," Peach murmured. "Wasn't he the one that was absent from your group last night? Did he make it here?"

"He came a little later after we arrived," Bowser answered. "So all seven of us are here." He paused for a split second. "Well, there was supposed to be eight of us..."

Peach swallowed a bite from her food, then frowned. "I'm so sorry to hear."

Bowser closed his eyes and sighed. "It's fine. Losses are always tough. This was one of those that stung a little more because of who he was, what his life meant. I think a little bit of each of us died with him when it happened. But the good thing is that his tormented soul can rest now."

Peach put her fork down and patted her mouth with a napkin. Her face began to appear sullen and somewhat dour.

"It was definitely a tough mission," the Kruna of Fire continued, reopening his eyes. "For all of us. I don't even have a single clue as to what day today is – it's been that kind of journey."

"Today's Sunday," Peach replied, her change in tone evident. "Today's Sunday..." She pushed her chair away from the table a little to unzip and dig into her duffel bag. "I'm glad that you're here now, that you've finished your journey. I owe you something...that I should have given you years ago."

Bowser's eyes widened as Peach pulled from her bag a set of items that he recognized right away; the crowns of his mother and father placed on top of his mother's cape. A letter rested in the former Koopa King's crown.

"Please," Peach begged, extending the items to Bowser for him to take. "They wanted you to have them. I didn't have the courage to give them to you in the past. They left you a letter that they insisted that you read."

After grabbing hold of his parents' crowns and cape, he pulled out a chair and set them down in the seat. He then grabbed the letter and sliced through the envelope in one fluid motion. As he took out the paper from within and unfolded it, his body began to tremor. There was no telling what was in store for him, what that paper would read, what it would mean, for he had absolutely no idea. The longer he waited to read, the more his imagination would try to play with his mind. Although absent the entire time that Peach was there that morning, that blank look that Bowser had been too accustomed to seeing from her was now on full display.

With a deep breath, Bowser began to read the letter aloud. "Dearest son; we're sorry that you had to be forced to the throne well before you were ready, but your father and I just couldn't return this time. With faith in your ability to uphold the Koopa Clan's virtues of honor, morality, and peace, we leave the way of the koopas in your hands. We are proud to have you as our son. Love forever and always, Mom and Dad." At the conclusion of his reading, Bowser's expression slowly faded into one of indignation.

"The downfall of the Mushroom Kingdom was imminent at the time," said Peach. "It was a very harsh period, and many of our citizens were losing their calm and their sanity as panic overtook the nation. We engaged in economic and diplomatic relations with the Koopa Clan to try and stage a recovery for us with mutual benefits for both sides."

Bowser folded up the letter and placed it back inside the envelope, placing that back on top of his parents' items. It was clear that he was disgruntled, but it was somehow muted and subdued.

Peach's hair shifted to cover her eyes. "I didn't mean for any violence. I was in charge of the talks with your parents for sharing of resources between the Mushroom Kingdom and the Koopa Clan, although, some of my associates had become very irritable and restless during one particular meeting. They sparked fights and started conflicts that turned ugly, despite my urging for calm and peace. When we returned to the kingdom that day, mass rallies were started to increase propaganda for overrunning the Koopa Clan. Our people were so terrified of collapse and failure that civil wars flared up. Everyone was trying to blame our horrible situation on someone else rather than trying to talk things out and reach a non-violent resolution. The movement for invasion of neighboring sovereign lands gained steam as a way of promoting the unity of our own people. To them, directing their aggression to other nations was a more favorable course of action than destroying each other, and a much more favorable course of action than trying to resolve our own issues."

At this point, the two koopas in the kitchen came back into the dining room. They had intended to check and see if Bowser or Peach wanted anything, but were troubled by the anguish that developed within both the princess and the Koopa King.

"In an act of self-preservation, our parliament instated Order 66 in what was an almost unanimous decision," Peach further explained. "I was the lone opposing vote, but if I didn't conform with the parliament's demands, they would've vetoed any word I made against them and they would've impeached me and relieved me from my title and duties as Princess of the Mushroom Kingdom. With weeks of civil unrest and our kingdom on the verge of utter collapse, I wasn't given much of a choice. So I gave in, and went along with their desires. Back then, all I cared about was keeping my position. Now, I wish I was removed from office. It wasn't fair. I hated every second of it. To this day, I have no idea how I am able to live with myself."

Bowser closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The tension on his face could not be hidden or disguised in any way.

"Your parents didn't make it, as you may or may not have been able to figure out by now," Peach said. "I cried every night for weeks with all the death that was caused. It wasn't fair, that I, the ruler of the Mushroom Kingdom and the one who should've had the final say in things, was overruled by my own people and parliament. I was very depressive over it, and unfortunately, it didn't stop there, because they would demand for two more invasions of other lands before the necessary changes were able to be made."

She was sitting right there. No Mario, no Luigi, no problem. A claw to her neck, a Tavado at point-blank range, a plasma beam through her heart, it was all possible, and nobody would be able to say or do a thing about it. If there was going to be a chance to slay the murderer of his parents, now was the time. The only problem was, Peach was not the murderer. Peach was not the cause of the genocide of the koopas. She was as much a victim as Bowser was, even if the two were always on opposite sides. I've learned too much from this journey...to regress, the Koopa King thought, opening his eyes as he thought about Kokoro, Grekka, Elkon, and Daisy.

Peach made a couple of sniffles. "Since then, our Kingdom has had a massive turnover and has gone through a period of revival and reform. Most if not all of the corruption from that period has been removed, and much of what was wrong with our system was righted. As the ruler of the land, I urged and enforced that we be a peaceful nation so that we can distance ourselves from our dismal past. But still, there's probably nothing I can do to make up for all the losses that you and others had to endure back then." Tears streamed down her face. "I'm so sorry, king."

"Sir, what do you want us to do?" asked one of the koopas, grimacing in utter seriousness.

The lighthearted atmosphere that initially existed in the room had vanished, and yet Bowser decided to cracked a faint smile. "Nothing. We're not going to do a thing. We're going to let the princess finish her meal. And I told you before, you don't have to call me 'sir' or 'king.' Just Bowser'll do."

Peach rubbed her eyes, trying to clear away the searing burn of her tears "What... Aren't you mad?"

"Yes. I am mad," Bowser admitted. "Well, I should be mad. I'm more upset rather. I should be shocked as well, but I'm not too much. I never knew, but in a way, I was expecting it...as if I did know, as if I had every reason to think it and was just awaiting some form of confirmation."

Instead of letting up, the flow of tears from Peach's eyes increased. The two koopas, full of uncertainty, exchanged looks.

"It's not your fault," the Kruna of Fire murmured. "Don't dwell on it. Please. I'm not going to hold it against you."

"It doesn't change the fact that it happened," Peach whimpered.

"Yeah, I know," Bowser replied, turning to head in the direction of the front doors. "But it can't be helped. We're both victims of the times we live in, unfortunately... If you'll excuse me, I need to go and take care of something. I have to step out. You can stay here if you want, but I need to go right now."

Peach started rubbing her eyes again, sniffling and sobbing. "I'm sure Toad has something for you should you need it," she offered as the Koopa King walked out of the room. "You're welcome into the castle any time." Bowser heard her, but moved at an increasing pace and did not respond to her.

The princess wiped her eyes with a new napkin and sat there in the chair for a while. She could feel her heart racing, her body getting anxious. Just drawing her attention to her distress made her start to tear up again.

"Please, finish your food, Princess Toadstool," one of the koopas urged.

"I'm sorry, you guys," Peach began. "Things didn't happen the way they should have and-"

"It's fine, princess," the other koopa assured. "It's absolutely fine. It wasn't your fault. Your food's going to get cold, you know."

In the very same room she had slept in the last time she was at Bowser's Palace, Daisy was sitting up in bed, rummaging through the backpack she had left behind. "I'm a little upset that I forgot my backpack here," she murmured to herself, still half-asleep. She pulled out a rolled-up world map. "This could've came in handy."

She unraveled the map and scanned it, keying her eyes in on one specific location on the far right side. I have to go there, she affirmed in her mind. I have to.

For a while, she wondered if she would be able to go back to sleep. She felt like the anticipation for her next destination would prevent her from getting the necessary rest that her body so desperately needed. But she knew she had to recuperate now. The quicker she recovered, even if only a small fraction of her full health and power, the faster she could get started on her next task.

Daisy peered out her window and saw that it was getting brighter outside, but not by a lot. It was still dark out, which meant she had some time. With a great big yawn, she threw her hands up to the ceiling. She then collapsed and sprawled out on the bed, falling back asleep without even realizing it. Her backpack stayed on the mattress, but her map fell to the floor right beside the bed.

Bowser arrived at The Forest Meadow as the sun started to cast its golden shine through the blue and red early morning sky, the Dimensional Mirror secured in his shoulder pocket. He stood in wait, expecting Rosalina to sense his presence and send an astral clone down for communication. It wasn't long before the Elder of the Cosmos teleported into the clearing, opting to appear and speak with the Kruna of Fire in person.

"You knew what happened to them all along," Bowser accused with a smirk. "You liar."

Rosalina shrugged and smiled; a very rare expression that was not often seen from the Elder of the Cosmos at all. "Yes. I guess you could say that."

Bowser crossed his arms. "Care to explain? Why didn't you tell me in the first place?"

"I knew all long what happened to your parents," Rosalina said. "But you had to go through this journey to liberate yourself and your spirit from the stranglehold that the invasion had on you for all these years. Had I told you before, you would've waged all-out war." She locked eye contact with the Kruna of Fire. "Instead of trying to bring back honor to the koopas through revenge, instead of waging a war on the Mushroom Kingdom, I wish you'd look past that and move towards diplomacy and sovereign peace, leading others by example in doing so."

Bowser thought back to the soul that attacked him in the Dimension of the Lost, and remembered what Warra had said to him in response to why the soul had attacked the Koopa King when it was already in purgatory. We're in a world where you can't even hope to understand another's reasons for their actions now, Warra had said that day.

"We're in a world where you can't even hope to understand another's reasons for their actions now," Bowser recited to Rosalina. "Warra had said this to me several days ago."

"The wisdom of water wielders, I see," Rosalina remarked.

"At the time, I didn't think too much of it, and thought it was just limited to that dimension," Bowser said. "But now I see, that sometimes that statement has validity in our world as well. And I also see, that that's what I've been basing a lot of my own rationale for my actions on. Why talk if nobody would understand, I always thought. It was my impression that the only thing people truly understood was action, and even then, people could very easily still misunderstand that. But who was I to try and get people to understand through fighting and war? Misunderstanding can so easily lead to conflict and then afterwards, pain, only to sprout hatred. War just leads to even more pain and more hatred. Nobody wins with war in the end, no matter the outcome..." He tilted his head up and looked into the dark sky mixed with bright streaks. The sun would be up in the air soon, bringing new light to the world. "I understand much more than I did before, much more." He paused, but when he spoke, he was absolute in his voice. "I am the Kruna of Fire! I will carry on the proud legacy of those koopas who have fallen, and the heart of the Koopa Clan will live on through my people and myself the way it was intended to!"

A swath of wind blew through the forest, blowing into Rosalina's back and into Bowser's face. It lasted a few moments before it died down. "That makes me proud, Koopa King," she said in praise. "More than you would believe."

Bowser took out the Dimensional Mirror from his pocket, handing it to the Cosmic Queen. "Here. It has served its purpose well. I believe I must return it to you."

Rosalina closed her eyes and waved off the Kruna of Fire's gesture. "I think it's in good hands. Let it be a souvenir, a memento of your great quest."

A strong sense of gratitude overcame Bowser as he retracted his arm and put away the mirror. He tried to say something, but stopped, at a loss for words. Instead, he bowed his head, saying, "Thank you, Grand Elder. Thank you for sending me on this journey."

"Don't thank me," Rosalina happily replied. "Thank the stars. Thank destiny."

Daisy and Warra stood on a hill overlooking Mushroom Kingdom's Castle Town. They decided to hang out there and take in the scenery for just a little while before Daisy departed. The mid-morning sun was up, filling the area with golden hues and bathing the chirping birds and squirrels. To Daisy, the calm breeze felt just the way it did when she and Bowser started their mission that one fateful night, and yet, everything was so different back then. There was no possible way that she could have anticipated what their quest was going to be like or just how far they would all be pushed. The calm that came with completing their mission felt strange and out of place. Even after all that happened, she couldn't just sit by and enjoy the ambience. Deep down, she knew they weren't done. No, this was just the beginning of many things to come...for everyone. She peered at Warra for a brief moment, her mouth drifting open as if she wanted to ask him something. He turned his head and caught her looking at him before she said anything.

"What?" he asked.

"Nothing," Daisy responded. "It's just that...your hair is really long for a guy."

Warra shrugged. "Personal preference really. I'm not trying to please anybody with it."

"No no, I'm not saying that it's bad," said Daisy, waving her hands. "It's unique. That's a good thing."

Her remark garnered a smile from the Kruna of Water, but he didn't say anything further on the subject. Ugh, that was stupid! Daisy yelled in her mind. Why did I have to mention his hair?! Who says that about someone's hair? I should ask Bowser about his spikes next time I see him while I'm at it.

"Aren't your friends here going to be upset to know that you're leaving again?" Warra asked.

"Well, no, not really," Daisy innocently replied. "I mean, Mario, Luigi, Peach, all the rest; they're my friends and all, but a lot of the time, I wonder why. They don't really include me in a lot of their plans, and they've definitely never included me in any of their missions or adventures. It's pretty annoying, really. I know that last night, I said I didn't mind it, but I think I actually do. I just wasn't trying to cause a scene so late when we were all so tired. It sorta feels like either they think I'm not able enough or they think I'm not important enough. To be honest, it feels like they all ignore me a lot."

"They don't know what they're missing, I'd say," Warra remarked.

Daisy perked up. "Really? You really think that?"

Warra chuckled a little. "C'mon, I don't need to answer that. You already know what I'm going to say."

"Thanks, Warra. Hearing that means a lot; more than you may know."

"I think I have a good idea."

Daisy sighed. "Okay, I wasn't paying attention to your hair. I wanna ask you something, and you can decline if you want."

His attention seemed to be geared towards something other, but he answered, "Sure. Ask away."

"Well," she began. "Remember in the very beginning, when you said that you and your family were all servants to the rulers of your land?"

Warra nodded. "Yeah. What about it?"

"That's just it," replied Daisy. "I wanted to know if you could give me some insight on-"

Suddenly, a violent boom became audible, paired with a violent convulsion of the ground. The two elemental wielders kept their balance during the unexplained event, trying to look for the source of the disturbance but without any luck.

"Kruna," A deep, brooding voice echoed throughout the landscape.

A shadow was cast over the entire land, prompting Daisy and Warra to turn and look up into the sky. Overhead was a godly figure, no distinct features able to be made out from his pitch black silhouette. With a simple wave of his arm, an omnidirectional swath of pure energy cut through the atmosphere. Sensing his absurd, deadly level of power, Daisy transformed into her Nova state and put her arms up in time to block the energy. Her vision was obscured, but she was able to withstand the blow thanks to her timely transformation. However, she was not ready for what she saw once she lowered her arms.

All that was in her vision was red. Blood red. The sky, the land, all of it was shaded in crimson, and all of it looked dead. Geysers of magma emerged, scattered everywhere and spewing molten rock all over the land. She turned to the side only to see the entire Mushroom Kingdom leveled and in ruin. And then she heard a screaming that shook her to her core. Right beside her, Warra was on his knees in a puddle of blood, half of his flesh searing off of his body. His voice died out as he collapsed and keeled over.

"Die...Kruna..." The massive deity bellowed. With no time to react to anything that had just happened, Daisy prepared her Seismic Wave and fired it off. The figure responded with an dark crimson energy beam of his own that clashed with Daisy's. For a moment, it looked like Daisy was going to press her attack and deal a devastating hit to the silhouette, but it would not be. The moment he started manically laughing, his beam swallowed Daisy's in its entirety and proceeded to overwhelm and consume her altogether. There was nothing she could do but try to withstand the pain of death.

You've met with a terrible fate, haven't you, my student? Terran's voice echoed.

And then Daisy woke up from her sleep. Her eyes drifted open, at which point she gasped. She shot up out of bed and looked around, taking note that everything was fine. The sun was shining outside and cast light through her window, unimpeded by the scattered clouds. Tranquility and serenity pervaded the atmosphere.

"Damn it," Daisy scowled, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "I slept in." She jumped out of bed, went to clean herself up, got her backpack and rushed out the room to leave the palace. She didn't use up any time trying to decipher what exactly went on in her dream or why. All she was concerned with was what lied ahead. Her map didn't cross her mind, and it remained in its spot partially underneath the bed.

It was an hour past noon when the Kruna all gathered in The Forest Meadow. Athelstan had pulled out three chunks of rock from the ground and shaped them into tombstones, engraving the names of Grekka, Terran, and Elkon into each one. Daisy bolted into the area, having gathered three bouquets of flowers on her way there. With the way the trees rose up into the sky, shining rays of sunlight scattered through the leaves and onto each of the tombstones and the areas directly in front of them. Everyone stood, calm, quiet, and serious, in a spread semi-circle several yards away from the stones.

"It's about time you got here," said Athelstan. "We were waiting on you."

"We thought about waking you up, but we decided you definitely needed the rest," Warra told the Kruna of Earth. "Before you got here, we each paid our respects. If you have anything you'd like to say, or not say, now's the time."

Daisy nodded, stern and somber. She walked over to the stones and set a bouquet by each one. After she finished, she knelt down in front of Terran's tombstone. Her fellow Kruna stayed quiet.

I did it, Master, Daisy proclaimed in thought. I did everything you said I could do and more, and I did it with honor and respect, just like you taught me to. Thank you for being the one person I could depend on at a time when I most needed it. She shifted her gaze to Grekka's and Elkon's stones in turn before standing up. Grekka's words resonated within her heart, words that she would never allow herself to forget. Elkon's words reverberated through her soul, words that would never leave her. Her interactions with both of them would forever be a part of her. You two will live on through me, and through everything that I do. All three of you will... All three of you went well before your time.

Daisy stepped back to stand with her team. "Rest in peace. All of you, and all who came and passed before."

"Let's give them one final moment of silence," said Warra.

The seven Kruna stood, bowing their heads without spoken word, barely making a sound. Daisy kept her head up, deep in thought. Bowser, Grekka, Terran, Elkon, you've all been through so much, she mused, peering at the Koopa King and the three tombstones in turn. She then looked to each of her other teammates. Warra...Athelstan...Marut...Ramona...Andrew...you're all here now, but what were your lives like before our mission? There's a reason we were all chosen as Kruna. I wonder how much you guys have had to experience. Collectively, you haven't said too much regarding where you came from. Could your lives have been as turbulent...or were they somehow worse? She redirected her gaze to the tombstones. I guess only time will tell...

Several more moments passed in silence, each of the Kruna lost in reflection. Daisy turned around to face the path that led out of The Forest Meadow. Her teammates caught sight of her movement and looked at her. The Kruna of Earth's gaze was fixed off into the distance, her eyes glistening with intense focus. Everyone could tell that she was ready to go.

"So you're leaving now?" asked Ramona.

"Yeah," Daisy said.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come along?" asked Andrew.

"I'm sure," Daisy replied, taking a handful of steps towards the path. "I need to go alone..."

"You know you have us if you need help," said Warra. "That won't change."

Daisy turned to Warra and smiled, probably one of the widest and truest smiles she ever gave. "Yeah... But this is something I need to take care of myself."

"We understand," Warra assured.

Daisy turned around to the Kruna of Fire. "Don't think I forgot, Bowser," she said with a wink and a thumbs-up.

"Daisy, don't worry about it," Bowser said, knowing full well what she was referring to. "I'm the King of the Koopas. They're my responsibility; their welfare is in my hands. It's not as daunting a task as what you're probably planning on doing."

"That doesn't mean I'm not gonna help," the Kruna of Earth asserted, turning around to start walking down the path in the direction of her destination. "I will see you all later."

"Yes you will," said Andrew.

"Go get 'em, Daisy," Marut said under his breath.

Ramona cupped her hands together. "We have the utmost confidence in you."

"Best of luck to ya!" Athelstan called out.

Bowser chuckled to himself. "Daisy Sarasa..."

The Kruna watched as Daisy walked into the distance. Without turning back around, she put up an arm and saluted to her friends with a lone, subtle wave as she continued moving away. After a couple minutes, she was out of sight.

"There she goes," Warra murmured. "Take care, Daisy."

Hundreds of thoughts raced through Daisy's head, and yet she somehow kept her focus on one singular task she knew she had to do. Her destination would yield a whole new challenge even tougher than the elemental odyssey of the Kruna. Her face was fierce, her steely resolve as determined as ever and her body simultaneously relaxed and tense. It's time, Daisy affirmed in her mind. Time to take care of something that I should've done a long time ago.