“...Bowsette? That’s what Boom Boom should call you?” Boom Boom asked.

He seemed confused, which was about normal. Bowser hadn’t been able to tell practically anyone about these weird feelings except for Peach in all this time and didn’t know if anyone would ever be able to understand. It was hard to process even for, uh, himself?

“It feels... better that way,” he tried to explain. “I don’t get it either but... It’s something I’ve been trying to understand for a while now.”

“Uh... Hmm.”

Peach raised a finger like she was going to explain further but Bowser pushed her hand down. This wasn’t her time for that.

By the way, Peach right now was looking smoking hot in a miniskirt and work boots. This was apparently her most casual, ready-to-do-battle outfit, and that was hilarious to think about.

“All I mean is that I think that Bowser, the giant Koopa King, doesn’t reflect who I... am on the inside. I think that Bowsette... does,” he said. “But... it’s complicated.”

“Boom Boom thinks he understands,” Boom Boom said. “You’re happier as Bowsette, and that’s what Boom Boom wants you to be, so Boom Boom will respect that.”

“Thanks.”

He felt a bit like crying, but managed to push that away.

Boom Boom thought further. “So is this what’s been troubling you all this time?” he asked.

Bowser shook his head. Or, Bowsette shook... her head... It was going to take getting used to, even for herself. “I don’t think so. I feel so down all the time because I feel like a complete failure at everything I ever do, and being Bowsette doesn’t change that.” Wow, she was being extremely honest right now.

“Therapy would help,” Boom Boom said.

“You mean the magic spell? I don’t have any magic powers anymore,” Bowsette said.

“No, Boom Boom means... Like, the guy Boom boom used to see, Doctor Sigmund Shrinkasaurus. He helped Boom Boom a lot through some times when he had, uh, shell shock from the revolution.”

“Shell shock? Like the party game where you fight with tanks?” Bowsette asked.

“No Boom Boom means, traumatic memories from-- Whatever. Get help.”

“We will get help,” Bowsette said. “When we get to Chaos Castle and free my children.”

Boom Boom didn’t respond.

Peach, though, stepped up close to Bowsette, putting her hand on her rugged, scaly, gross face. “I do have to tell you something, though,” she said.

“Yes?”

Slap.

“That’s for escaping from me when I was pardoning you!” Peach yelled.

“I was kidnapped! It’s not my fault!”

“That was hardly a kidnapping! You could have beaten them up!”

“I was in chains...”

“Oh, fair point,” Peach said.

Another slap.

“Ow! What was that for?”

“Now you know what being kidnapped feels like!”

Peach hugged Bowsette, and then rummaged through her pocket to pull out a new power-up

“Is that..”

“It’s not for Boom Boom, that’s for sure,” Peach said. “Try it on.”

Bowsette took the Super Crown and in a surge of light and electricity, transformed into a humanoid shape, her scales disappearing and skin replacing it. Her tail and horns receded, and a long black dress formed around her body.

Bowsette was now... well, she was still Bowsette. That part was on the inside. But now she felt... right.

She felt powerful.

Boom Boom bowed, as if Bowsette was a completely different leader than the one he had been gazing upon moments earlier.

“Kakakakakaka!” she laughed, a high-pitched shriek of victory. She held her head toward the sky and... Still no fire.

She really wanted to breathe fire again.

“I really want to breathe fire again,” Bowsette said.

“I’ve been looking into that,” Peach said. “There’s a way to restore your magic. But... we can’t get to that yet. We still have to save the Koopalings.”

“How do you know they are in Chaos Castle, anyway?” Boom Boom asked.

“A little birdy told me,” Peach answered with a wink.

“You are working with Valentia?” Bowsette asked.

“No, I mean... Whatever.”

She slapped Bowsette again for good measure.