Why were they taking a commercial flight? Why the heck?

Peach had four suitcases, three of which Bowsette had to carry, and they had Mario and Goombella accompany them. Peach was the Royal Ruler of House Toadstool, Sovereign Queen of the Mushroom Kingdom, for Brighton’s sake! Bowsette was the Lordess of the Extreme Prophecy, Claw of Fate, for Brighton’s other sake!

“It’s a goodwill gesture,” Peach said, seemingly reading her, uh, Koopa friend’s mind. “Oil prices have skyrocketed thanks to... current events... and if we take my private plane it will look absolutely wretched to the public. So here we go. If we run into any trouble... well, that’s why you’re my bodyguard.

And that’s why Bowsette was dressed up like a human-sized Shy Guy with a black cloak and funny-looking mask over her head, to protect Peach? Not because if word got out about her reappearance it’d be an international diplomatic crisis?

“I can’t believe you won’t let me go down to the Outpost, claw up a few Mousers, and be done with it. It’s a mercy mission, really. They’re hoarding all their resources for themselves!”

“The Dry Dry Republic has been officially recognized as an independent nation now,” Peach said. “I gave them my word I would lay down my arms against them, and that I would respect their sovereignty. I can’t let you break that, even if it is hurting our own economy... quite a lot.” Peach held obvious contempt for the fact that they were having to walk through a crowded Funky Flights Airport and board a cramped commercial airplane.

“They did do one thing right,” Bowsette said. “Jonathan Jones is a hero. If there was anyone who could defend the coast with so little like he did, I have never heard of them. We should knight him ourselves, he’s so good.”

“We don’t have knighthood in the Mushroom Kingdom,” Peach said.

“And maybe that’s why my armies always defeated yours.”

Peach shrugged. They were almost to the plane, now, but then Peach suddenly stopped. “Wait, where are Mario and Goombella, anyway?

“Probably off smooching in the family restroom,” Bowsette said. She kept walking on past Peach, until she realized she was no longer moving. “Eh?”

She sighed. “Haha... You’re probably right... Maybe I shouldn’t have invited them to this party after all. It’s going to cause a lot of drama.” What, were they all teenage girls all of a sudden?

“I mean, you can’t have a Mario Party without Mario.”

“Well, maybe it should be a Peach party, because I’m always the one paying for them...”

Bowsette shrugged this time. “Well, come on. They’ll board the plane eventually. You don’t have to worry.”

“Yeah.”

Bowsette was dressed up like a fool, but she could still cheer Peach up a little bit, and that was what mattered.

They got on the plane and, eventually, it took off, headed straight for Isle Delfino.