DISCLAIMER- I do not own any Mario characters...I wish I did though.

Lost, but not forgotten

"Papa?"

BJ couldn't find his dad anywhere. This happened every year. Bowser would disappear for a day and come back the next day and act as if nothing happened. With nothing fun to do in the castle this particular day, BJ decided to look for his papa.

"Papa!"

Nothing. Not even the sound of Bowser's thundering footsteps. BJ was about to give up and go back to his room, when something caught his eye. There was a note on the table that was addressed to Kamek, Bowser's advisor. Without thinking, BJ tore open the letter and mentally read it:

Kamek,

It's that time of year again so, try not to say anything to my son. I don't want him to worry. I'll tell him everything when I think he's ready.

King Bowser

'Tell me what?' thought Junior.

Just then, a soft thundering noise could be heard...Bowser's footsteps! BJ quickly followed the footsteps until he came around a corner and saw him. Bowser was standing in front of a wall pushing in the bricks. BJ noted the bricks he pushed in and stared in amazment as the wall opened up. Once Bowser had gone through though, the wall closed and it looked like any other dead end. Cautiously, BJ approached the wall and started pushing in the bricks his dad had pushed in. When he pushed the last brick, the wall opened and revealed a long, dark hallway.

"It's times like these when I wish I could breath fire like papa." sighed Junior.

He heard the wall close behind him as he walked down the secret passage. After a few minutes, BJ came to a large clearing and saw fire flowers everywhere. There was also a river of lava running through the center of the room. And standing in the middle of the room was...

"PAPA!!"

Bowser spun around so fast, the fire flowers swayed in the short breeze.

"Junior?! What- how-...what are you doing here?!"

BJ slowly walked up to his father, not sure if he was angry or very suprised.

"I-I followed you in here. I wanted to see where you went when you disappear every year."

Bowser sighed and his face softed into a small smile. He picked up his son and started to explain everything.

"Your mother...was a beautifiul,caring woman. I loved her deeply. One day though, she got sick with a rare disease known as 'Koopliosis'. Kamek told me that she was going to die soon...he just didn't know when. She was pregnant with you at the time and I thought that she might live long enough to see you. But-" Bowser paused for a while before finishing,"she died when you were born."

BJ's eye's were watery now and he was on the verge of crying at any moment.

"Although," continued Bowser,"I instructed Kamek to make a statue of her. Would you like to see it?"

BJ's eye's widened and he slowly nodded. Bowser put his son down and gestured for him to follow. The two of them walked to the side of the room where a thick, velvet cutain was. Bowser pulled the rope that was on the side and the curtain spread out, revealing a beautiful koopa with long, rainbow hair and a raindow colored shell. Her long nails were colored pink and her smile was sweet and warm.

"Her name was Clawdia. She always hated it when I tried to take over the Mushroom Kingdom. That just proves how much she cared for my safety."

BJ smiled and stared up at his mother. She was the most beautiful koopa he had ever seen. Then a thought hit him.

"Why did you want Princess Peach to be my mama?"

Bowser looked down at his feet and then said,

"After your mother died, I-,I sort of went mad. I was depressed and angry. I guess...I thought mabey...mabey Peach could be your mother. I'm sorry I lied to you."

BJ looked up at his dad and hugged him.

"It's okay papa. Mama mabey lost, but she's not forgotten."

THE END

My comments: I think I did pretty good for my first story. Please, feel free to comment and tell me how I did!

-RulerofFire