Archive of Our Own ^beta

"Good evening, Ambassador," the peppy voice greeted. "How are doing this evening?"

The girl shoved silvery gold locks off of her face and took a deep, slow breath as she considered a response.

"That bad, huh?" the Spirit observed.

"N-no, not bad at all," she sputtered, swishing her hair around to make it as tidy as she could by hand before neatly folding her hands in front of her. The Star gave her a suspicious look and she felt her stomach lurch a bit. What was she supposed to say?

"It's all right, Ma'am, you can be honest. It's not easy adjusting to this kind of thing."

The woman walked past him, hand on her head in despair, and sunk onto the edge of the silk-laden bed.

"Especially someone in your situation," the Star added with an empathetic look. The two stared at each other for a moment of silence, exchanging concerns with their eyes. When she stared into his eyes, she saw her children, just as he saw his mother when he stared into hers.

"What can I do to help you, Ambassador?"

The woman's eyes drifted away from him, gazing into empty space for a moment before she remembered the shoes.

"I wish my shoes weren't so utterly unbearable," she whimpered, continuing to rub her temple.

"No problem," the Star cheerfully declared, clearly excited to assist. He whizzed over to the discarded shoes at the room's entrance and carried them back to the woman, dropping them at her feet. Perplexed, she bent down to scoop them up, only to realize that they were not the same shoes she had previously been wearing. The glassy turqoise hue remained, but their shape was now flat.

"Star Spirits around here are able to change the matter around them, thus 'granting wishes,'" explained the floating entity. "The ones you know are able to actually take on the forms of objects, creating matter out of themselves. I'm a Wishing Star Spirit, whereas those are Metamorph Star Spirits. But I believe you're the one who created the slang term for them: Lumas."

The woman, still staring at the shoes, nodded slowly. A small smile found its way across her face as she recalled the very first Luma Spirit she had met. Reflecting on her ancient memories with him, she decided that she had to let herself welcome in these new figures in her life. She was no longer adrift in a cosmos of children and loneliness.

"So," the Star chimed, "What else can I do for you today, Ambassador?"

She gently placed the shoes on the ground and shook her head slightly, raising her palm.

"Please, call me Rosalina. What might I call you, little one?"

The Star beamed as he proudly announced his title. "The name's Twinkle Amadeus Orion. Wishing Star Spirit, 3rd Class. But you can just call me Twink. That's what everyone else does."

She smirked at his enthusiasm and bowed her head slightly.

"Very well. Twink it is, then. Did Fredrick inform you of my assignment?"

Twink's jaw dropped slightly, baffled by the name. Rosalina giggled in spite of herself.

"I'm sorry, I'm still struggling with all of these formalities. The current EldStar. His name is Fredrick. We have a bit of a history," she explained with warm nostalgia, throwing Twink's young mind for a loop.

"Wow," he murmured. "I guess the rumors must be true."

As he pondered these possibilities to himself, Rosalina rose from the bed's end and entered a changing closet at the rear of the room.

"So who is looking after my Observatory while I'm gone?" she asked with a distant voice.

"The agent looking after your Observatory is a great man. His name is ♥♪!?, but that's hard to pronounce, so...He goes by the code name 'Geno.' He's one of the most well-respected Spirits in the Agency."

"Hm," Rosalina mused. "I think I might know this ♥♪!? gentleman, as well. 'Geno,' hm? Quite a strange name he's taken upon himself. But he always was a strange fellow."

Twink was taken aback by her flawless pronunciation of the ancient language.

"Wh-" He paused, brows furrowed. As she exited the closet, dressed in a flowing blue night gown, he pressed on. "How do you know him? He's quite old and that name is in the ancient Stellonic language..."

She stretched her feet out, lifting up and down on her toes. Rubbing at her wary eyes, she gave him a slow wink.

"I'm older than I look," she answered simply. "The rumors you've heard are likely true."

"I-I see," Twink mumbled, embarrassed by his ignorance. "W-well it's an honor and a priviledge to serve you, Ambass - I mean, Rosalina, Ma'am."

"And it's a pleasure to have the company of such an energetic young man to make this easier," she assured, her doubts having melted away at his presence. Perhaps it was his bouncy attitude, his childish demeanor, or perhaps it was just the company of a young Star Spirit...Whatever it was, it was working.

Rosalina scooped up her crystal suitcase and cracked it open, observing what she had brought with her to make sure she was ready for the day ahead. Her wand was nestled tightly in a strap, her change of clothes folded neatly, her folder tucked in, but what caught her eye was a small stuffed rabbit the Lumas had created for her and tucked in before she left. Its vacant stare, in her eyes, was a glowing smile.

She stuffed the confection into her mouth as quickly as she could. It was quite scrumptious, and it ignited her tongue in flames of wonder and excitement.

"Whah iff viff?" she managed through the food like a child, eager and in awe. Twink snickered at her hyperactivity.

"It's a donut," he explained through his laughter. "Maple frosting, and glazed, too. I'm guessing you like it?"

She nodded calmly, toning herself down in response to his laughter. This balance between formality and acting natural was going to be difficult. Back in the Observatory, there wasn't anything truly exciting to get worked up about. Certainly, she would pass by all kinds of places, but it was always her children that were leaving and exploring new lands, transforming themselves where they saw fit. Some would come back and tell her of what they saw if they were not yet ready to transform, but she rarely ever was there alongside them, experiencing the things they spoke of. How could she have lived so long and forgotten what it was like to explore these sensations?

"Ya know," Twink mused, "I'm sure some coffee would help that donut go down real nice. You want me to get you some, Ma'am?"

She managed to swallow the sugary pastry and her wide eyes fixated themselves on Twink.

"Coffee?" she murmured with intrigue. "Yes. Yes, please."

"What kind would you like?"

"Hoooooolumbian?" she managed, needing a moment to recall the name.

"Haha, all right. Comin' right up, Ma'am." And with that, he vanished in a puff of stardust.

She contained herself with as much poise as she could muster, and as the Spirit went to work summoning the necessary materials into existence (or taking them from somewhere else, for all she knew), she inspected herself in the large, vertical mirror across from the bed. She adjusted her seafoam green business attire as best she could. At least this outfit had slacks as opposed to that tight, infernal skirt that made her feel like a mermaid on land.

While she preferred to let some of her thick bangs hang over one eye, she knew this was not very formal, so she brushed her hair so that it all trailed along the back of her neck and shoulders, keeping her entire face visible. With impeccable timing, a small cloud of sparkling smoke materialized, bringing a Spirit with it, a large coffee cup levitating before him.

"And there-you-are," he announced, accentuating each syllable.

Rosalina took the cup from him with care, grasping it in both hands. Steam wafted from the thick, creamy liquid, and she sniffed at it with anticipation. She recalled nearly burning her tongue on it the night prior, so she decided to fix that this time.

She pulled her wand out of her suitcase and slightly swirled it around the top of her cup. The liquid shifted and spun, and the steam died down. Satisfied, she placed the wand back in her case and took a large gulp.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Twink muttered. "I didn't know you didn't like hot coffee."

"It's fine, dear," Rosalina assured, wiping coffee from her lip. "You're just trying to be considerate, and you're doing a commendable job." He blushed at the praise, then snapped his attention to the matter at hand.

"Oh, um, you probably need to get going soon!" he pointed out. "Wouldn't want to be late to the summit."

Her heart lurched at the thought of the meeting - the entire reason she was here. She drank more coffee as if it would keep her fears at bay.

Twink drifted to her suitcase and lifted her folder out of it without the need of hands. He left it floating before her patiently, and she had no choice but to set her coffee on the nightstand and accept it.

"So, is everything in order?"

Rosalina stared at the intricate gold emblem printed on the black folder and tried to swallow her fright.

"I think so," she timidly replied, clutching the folder tightly.

"You'll do fine, Ma'am," Twink assured, lightly bumping his body into her shoulder. "Good luck."

The frigid ice of fear began to encase her body, forcing her to melt it with the fires of determination. Thank goodness Twink had been there to wish her strict attire into something a little more comfortable. Slacks were much preferred to that constricting skirt she had arrived in.

Her flat-soled glass shoes clacked against the majestic marble floor, guards standing at attention at both sides her, all along the length of the hall. She reached the large red double doors and waited patiently while a pack of the pint-sized people pushed it open.

The room beyond was elaborately detailed and awe-inspiring with its high black ceiling, dotted with constellations, intricate emblems and shapes engraved into practically every object in the room, and a massive black marble table populated by a wide variety of faces. They all rose to attention at her presence, which shook her innards around a bit. The formality of the entire situation was stifling as she worked her way around the quiet table to an empty seat spaced between two women she was familiar with - one dressed in an elegant, layered pink dress of silk, the other in a simplified yellow-orange dress of satin. In her turqoise outfit she somehow felt in place beside these two.

The silence was finally broken by the woman in pink. She had a very proper demeanor in all of her actions. Everything she did was very deliberate, very reserved, very courteous. Rosalina was personally acquainted with this one due to some very odd circumstances - then again, things on this planet seemed to run as a matter of course through odd circumstances.

"Good morning," she firmly greeted, hands neatly folded in front of her. "While it is regretable that not everyone could make it today, I'm glad you could all attend and I hope our residents have ensured that you feel welcome in our land."

Rosalina, trying best not to turn her head, glanced to her left to the woman in yellow. Her arms were crossed around her chest, her index finger tapping impatiently on her arm.

"Without further interruption, let's get down to the business at hand. I'd like to introduce you all to the Ambassador from Star Road: Miss Rosalina."

Everyone gave Rosalina a respectful nod of the head at once. She nodded back to them. After this gesture was completed, Rosalina had to remind herself that the proper thing to do was to remain standing rather than sitting as everyone did, as she had the floor.

"Good morning," she began, her voice smoother and more relaxed than she would have figured. "I've been sent from Star Road as a representative on behalf of the Honorable Star Spirits. They have a proposal to make with the kingdoms of your world."

She took her black folder and laid it neatly on the table. She pulled her dainty wand from its strap on her waist and flicked it to the side. The folder popped open, revealing a set of thin, clear tablets printed with information. She levitated one before her, tapped at it with her wand, and flung it into the air. It expanded, revealing a diagram of neon light lines.

"As I'm certain you know," she presumed, "Star Road is responsible for maintaining many functions of the world below - keeping things afloat, fueling towns and cities..."

She changed her 'slides' and continued.

"Star Road also employs a very large number of agents to assist with all manner of tasks, from granting wishes to enabling heroes to save the day from time time...The capital city of Star Road, Star Haven, is an entire city dedicated specifically to caring after the residents of your kingdoms from afar."

Another slide was swapped in and she calmly went on, eyeballing the reactions of her varied audience, who seemed attentive enough.

"All of this requires a great deal of energy. And energy, of course, must come from a resource." This slide showed an image depicting a pair of metallic emblems: a star and a sun. "Certain sources of power, such as Power Stars or Shine Sprites, are highly effective sources of energy. Due to various circumstances, Star Road is in need of more of this precious resource."

She paused as she changed slides again, bracing herself for the inevitable protestation.

"As a result of this need, the Honorable Star Spirits feel they have," her pacing slowed down as she braced for the impact, "no choice but to raise the Wishful Thinking Tax, at least for the forseeable future."

A flurry of shocked outcries flooded the table, and the woman in pink rose her arms to quell their concerns.

"Please calm down," she requested with firm resolve. "Miss Rosalina is not finished yet."

"But Princess Toadstool," objected a pudgy man garbed in the clothing of desert folk, "This is outrageous. Where do they-"

"It's Peach, if you please," the woman corrected, her tart smile conveying irritation. "The ambassador is not finished. Please continue, Miss Rosalina."

Rosalina's eyes strayed from her audience as her insides rumbled with confusion. She was used to being in charge and commanding the situation, much less being at the mercy of a group of strangers. She slowly worked her way back into her thoughts, shifting her diagrams accordingly.

"The tax will have to see an increase of ten percent-"

"Ten perent?"

"-but the Honorable Spirits will be using these extra resources to better protect us all."

A green-faced man with shimmering blond hair and a flowing red cape scratched his chin with skepticism.

"How would the Wishful Thinking tax do such a thing?"

Rosalina nodded brisquely at his question, having expected it.

"Militaristic protection is highly effective for large-scale problems, and local law enforcement can assist with smaller crimes, but there are some times when neither is available for the immediate situation at hand."

She was met with puzzled expressions but pressed on.

"Sometimes, the only solution available in emergencies is having the right tools at the right time. This was reason why the Question Block was invented in the first place, wouldn't you agree?"

There were some nods of realization as the situation became more clear.

"Questions Blocks, as you know, are powered by the magic of wishes. There's often no telling what one will contain because what comes out will often be what is needed at that time and place."

The princess to her left in the yellow dress was drumming her fingers on the table impatiently, which Rosalina was beginning to find very distracting.

"Right," the prince with the blond hair slowly began. "So by increasing the amount of artifacts being used to power wishes you would in turn be increasing the power of Question Blocks to yield what might be required to avert a dire situation."

Rosalina pointed her wand at the man and nodded, recalling what she had researched on the flamboyant gentleman's identity.

"That is correct, Prince Peasley."

"Wait-wait-wait," grumbled the yellow princess, shaking her head. "Why do you guys feel the need to do that?"

Rosalina paused, her insides churning from the woman's hard stare. She had heard of this one: the moody and fierce princess of Sarasaland.

"W-Well, the Honorable Star Spirits have noticed an increase in criminal activity -"

"Shouldn't criminal activity be the responsibility of the people who have to deal with it?" the princess snapped with a sharp glare. Rosalina narrowed her eyes to counter the nonverbal attack.

"We are not seeking to usurp any kind of control, merely to increase the general welfare of all citizens of all kingdoms."

"I support this decision," Prince Peasley declared. "A small increase in the Wishful Thinking task would enable Star Road to greater assist our citizens in times of need when our officials are physically unable to do so." A number of figures nodded and hummed their agreement. Rosalina continued the rest of her brief presentation and felt confident that she had portrayed the arrangement in the manner she had been expected to. Princess Peach politely checked to see if Rosalina was finished, and when it was all concluded, she faced the table.

"It's time for us to make a vote on this arrangement. All in favor, say 'yea.'"

Most of the representatives present consented to the arrangement, while a few remained silent.

"Those not in favor, say 'nay.'"

A small handful expressed their "nay's," the Sarasaland princess louder than the rest.

"It should be made clear," Rosalina explained, "that this must be a unanimous decision. Energies passed into the planet from Star Road cannot be specifically distributed to particular regions."

The vote was re-cast with this knowledge, and Rosalina had to explain specific details to specific representatives to finally convince them, but one figure remained adamant, offering no genuine explanation for her decision.

Princess Peach finally decided to give the matter a temporary rest, as Rosalina pointed out that only a single member had yet to agree, and requested permission to be allowed a single day to attempt to present her argument more specifically to this member. A special rule for situations like this gave her this right, and also mandated that the stubborn princess in question was legally obligated to hear out Rosalina's argument and, if necessary, the two could make a specific arrangement. The next vote would make things final.

"As there is one representative that has not yet consented to the arrangement, we will adjurn for the day and come back to the matter once more when we meet to discuss the other matters scheduled for tomorrow."

The princess in the yellow dress drummed her fingers impatiently as the different members filtered out, her cheek planted in her opposing palm. Rosalina made her best effort to politely approach the woman.

"Shall we discuss this matter over-"

"Hi," the princess greeted between her teeth, clearly irritated. Her blue eyes burned with impatience, but her tone was unsettlingly cheerful. "I'm Daisy." So cheerful it was threatening.

"Um," Rosalina's grip on her wand tightened from the stress. "Hello, I'm-"

"Princess Rosalina, I know," Daisy growled. "What the hell makes you a princess, anyway? What kingdom do you watch over?"

Rosalina felt her head lurching into her neck, as if the woman's words were causing her to shrink despite the fact that Daisy was still sitting while she stood.

"Wh-I-I don't..." she stammared.

"A princess without a kingdom," Daisy sighed. "What a joke. These politics get more and more ridiculous every year."

The air was clean and dry, the sun's rays bright through the puffy cumulus clouds. Rosalina found clouds to be entirely fascinating, their shapes always different, their forms flowing through the sky. She didn't get to see them very often from this angle. She double checked the antiquated street signs to ensure she was in the right location. Twink had advised that she should just 'be natural' and 'play it cool' and everything would be fine. Rosalina was not sure about that accuracy of that hypothesis.

"Let's see: Chanterelle and Amanita...This should be the correct location."

Indeed, it was. And there was the woman she had been tasked with meeting, leaning casually against a lampost, arms crossed over her chest. Her yellow dress from earlier that day had been exchanged for a pair of black denim jeans, sneakers, and a yellow T-shirt with a flower printed on front. Her tiny crown remained perched upon her head, out of place with the dulled expression on her face.

Rosalina was unsure if her own attire was appropriate for the occasion. She had opted for turqoise slacks and matching loafers with a purple blouse. Hair was adjusted to what she felt was comfortable and reflective of herself: a thick curve of pale blonde bangs hung over one eye, while the rest of her hair cascaded over the back of her neck, a bit past her shoulders.

Rosalina had decided that the best approach would be to let Daisy decide the nature of their meeting. Perhaps if the woman was more comfortable she'd be more prone to agreeing to the arrangement. Daisy had instructed that Rosalina "dress casual" and "chill out." Rosalina was not completely sure what that meant under the circumstances, but was ready for the worst.

The two stared each other down for a moment after Rosalina had reached her. Daisy's icey eyes were cold and hostile, brows furrowed and stubborn.

"Let's just get this over with," the brunette princess muttered with nonchalance. She turned off of her lamppost and went to enter the building behind them. A wooden, rickety sign hung from above the door, reading, 'Banzai Bill's Bar and Grill' carved into the shape of a fat bullet with razor teeth. The doors to the restaurant were wooden, ridged double-doors that could be easily pushed in either direction. They were cut low enough where Rosalina could see the energetic acitivity within before she entered. Daisy shoved through the doors boldly, while Rosalina waited for them to slow down before gently easing herself between them.

The bright streets of Toad Town gave way to the cozy, crowded world of this wooden-walled restaurant with a cowboy theme set to it. Wooden cacti lined the walls and employees could be recognized by their large hats and bandanas around their necks. Rosalina found Daisy hunched over on a stool perched around the countertop island at the building's center. Various glasses and bottles of all colors and shapes lined the interior, and a canine creature with a fat head and an eyepatch was serving her a drink. Rosalina daintily placed herself in the seat beside Daisy, oberving her mood. Her eyes were like rusty knives, dulled but defensive.

"Joo got it, Sugar," the man at the bar replied to her request, grabbing a fat, frosted mug and loading it with a transluscent red liquid.

"Thanks, Benji," Daisy said flatly to the tender with the eyepatch as he slid a mug her way. Rosalina was shocked out of her state of contemplation when the tender called out to her from just a couple of feet away.

"What kin I doose ya fer?" he wondered. Is that was cowboys sounded like? Rosalina had a feeling it wasn't.

"Uh-I...W-well I'll have some, er...Coffee. Please."

"Cawfee? Joo want dat iced?"

Coffee? Iced? Cold coffee? It sounded bizarre. But while she was here, she was going to try anything new.

"Um, certainly, Sir."

"Joo picky 'bout joor cawfee?" the server checked as he whipped another broad mug from the counter.

"No," Rosalina decided with confidence. "Whatever you think is best, I'll give it a try."

"Ehhh, Daisy Doll," he said to the brunette as he clanked ice from a machine into Rosalina's glass. "Dis lady a friend, o' watt?"

"Co-worker," Daisy grumbled between chugs of her beverage. "So," she said plainly, twisting her neck to face Rosalina. "What do I have to do to get you to leave me alone?"

Rosalina sighed at her negativity and snapped her finger, retrieving a sheet of parchment in a puff of stardust.

"I have to convince you sign this form, which would mean you authorize the Saraland Kingdom's agreement to the Wishful Thinking proposal, signifying-"

"Cut that crap out," Daisy cut in sharply, taking another swig. "I had to put up with enough of that formal bullshit this morning. We came here to relax, let loose."

"But-but this is a business meeting," Rosalina protested quietly, vanishing the paper back to its place in her subspace files. Daisy shrugged and nodded her head to the side.

"Doesn't mean we have to act like it is," she advised.

"Joor cawfee, Dame," said Benji, passing Rosalina a frigid glass of brown with crushed ice stirred in.

"Thank you," Rosalina politely responded, grasping the large mug with both hands. She admired its cool, wet surface, and was refreshed by the strong flavor when she took a sip.

"Why should I agree to this stupid thing?" Daisy demanded with a grouchy huff.

"Well, it...It would be beneficial-" She stopped when she saw Daisy's eyes narrow at her formality. Her mind shook itself about and restructured the pieces. "If you agree to this, it will help your people, and it will help Star Road."

"Yea, see...I'm not really interested in helping Star Road," Daisy explained tartly. "And I can take care of my people on my own just fine."

"Why would you not want to help Star Road?" Rosalina asked, baffled. "They watch over everyone on this world."

"Exactly." Daisy tapped her index finger against her head before taking another drink. "They think they can just control everything on this planet like it's theirs. They can keep the sky for all I care, but this world is ours."

"Wh-?" Rosalina didn't know what to say at first and gulped a larger portion of her iced coffee down before proceeding. "It's not about controlling, it's about responsibility. Star Road is obligated to assist the residents of the planet that they reside around."

"Oh! Well, excuuuuse me, Princess," Daisy growled, "Didn't realize that us poh widdol whezidents couldn't take care of ourselves! Need Mommy and Daddy to change our diapers? Is that what you all think?"

"Me? I didn't...-"

"Puh-leez! They've got you wrapped around their damned finger."

Rosalina took much offense to that remark, as this was certainly not the case.

"Actually, Miss Daisy, that isn't correct. I'm here of my own free will."

"So you do think you're better than us, don't you?"

"Of course not! You're the one pretending to know everything."

"You know what they say happens when you assume. And I love making an ass of myself," Daisy cackled before she guzzled down the last third of her glass in one go. She sighed out in satisfaction and slammed her empty mug into the countertop.

"I-I don't think I follow," Rosalina murmured with uncertainty, having no idea what Daisy's previous comment had meant. "You're saying that you like to be mean?"

"Bah," laughed the brunette, wiping at her lips. "Hells yea, I am. I don't need anyone else tellin' me what to do with my kingdom." Those blue eyes had ignited with pride and indignation. Rosalina couldn't help but admire that courage and anger in a strange way, wishing that she, too, could be so adamant.

"Why do you believe you are fit to rule it?" Rosalina challenged, delicately slurping at her frozen beverage.

"Because I'm strong," Daisy declared, waving her hand to the bartender and jabbing her index finger at her empty glass. "Because I get shit done, and I don't care what anyone thinks."

"Even if it's not what's best for everyone?" Rosalina considered.

"It's a Chomp-Eat-Chomp world, girl. There is no 'best' for everyone." Benji took her mug away and replaced it with a fresh glass, which Daisy eagerly attacked. "Either I get what I want, or you get what you want."

"Or," Rosalina interjected thoughtfully, "We compromise, and we both do."

"Fuck that," Daisy disagreed vehemently through a hard swallow. "Compromise? A compromise is a loss for both sides. No one gets what they actually wanted, they just half-ass it around in the middle. No thanks!"

Rosalina was off-put by some of the words Daisy was using. She hadn't come across them in her research on the local culture. Whatever they meant, it sounded very negative based on the context.

"Fine," she conceded. "If a compromise is a half-win...Isn't half a victory better than a loss?"

"No!" Daisy sucked another gulp. "There is no half-winning. Half-assing maybe...But you win or you lose. That's all there is to it. And I?" She leaned her face toward Rosalina, teeth grit, eyes glowing with threat like embers. "I don't lose."

Rosalina's insides squirmed at her offensive attitude. For a moment she feared her own safety but acknowledged that perhaps whatever Daisy was drinking was possibly having an effect on her mood. She regretted letting the woman decide on where to meet. Apparently, for Daisy, being comfortable meant intoxicating oneself and yelling excessively. Rosalina did not approve.

"I didn't know this was a competition," Rosalina grumbled, her mood finally soured. She bitterly drank her iced coffee, refusing to give Daisy the priviledge of her sight.

"Goes to show juss how naive you are, then, duzzinit?"

Naive. Rosalina didn't care much for that word. It made her feel inadequate despite all she had done for so many years, and yet people seemed to enjoy slapping that label on her. The two sat silently for a while - probably ten minutes or so. Daisy went through another drink, waving and muttering greetings to passers-by. It was awkward and uncomfortable to be sitting there, ignoring and being ignored. Rosalina was not one bit pleased with this so-called 'princess' and her incorrigible actions. By the time she had wittled away at her iced coffee, Daisy was on a fourth mug.

"Lemme tell ya summin, Princess," Daisy sternly warned out of the blue, her face a bit flushed. "There's the haves, the have-nots, n' the have-nunna-your-bullshit. An' I'm the last one." She jabbed her finger into Rosalina's collarbone with each syllable in the next phrase. "Chomp. Eat. Chomp." She huffed through her nose and drank some more, finishing up her glass. "Das how iz," she proclaimed, smacking her sturdy glass into the table. If that's how it was, then maybe Rosalina needed to put a little more fight in her spirit. Maybe a little more spirit in Daisy's fight, hm?

"You sound a little intoxicated," Rosalina coyly taunted. "Are you feeling well?"

"Whaa?" Daisy gruffly bellowed. "No way. Nooo way. I've only had three." She stuck out her hand, spreading two fingers up. Rosalina giggled. For someone who acted very tough, this woman didn't seem to hold her liquor very well. While Rosalina herself chose not to consume spirits under most circumstances, many of her old friends from Star Road certainly didn't stray from this luxury of the world below.

"You've actually had four, my dear," she corrected with a smirk.

"Wrrr I'm not done yet!" Daisy protested. "Bennnji," she groaned, grabbing her mug and wobbling it around. "'Nother round, Benjerz." She chuckled maniacally.

Benji sighed and turned his gaze to Rosalina expectently.

"Joo takin' dis dame back witchjoo?"

"Er," Rosalina froze up, confused. "I...I suppose she's not in any condition to go anywhere on her own, is she?" she observed aloud.

"Every time," Benji complained, tossing his arm at her as he took her mug away. He went to fill it again, continuing his sentence. "Every time, Daisy Doll's like dis. Woman don' know how ta pace herself, right? Ain't no damned race."

He slid Daisy's mug back to her, making sure to get her attention before she took a sip.

"Dat's da last one for joose," he firmly stated, pointing a finger at her.

"Haha!" Daisy laughed sneakily with narrow eyes, sucking down some more. "Last one, down she comes!"

"Is she always like this?" Rosalina asked with concern. Benji rolled his eye and nodded.

"You don' know 'bout Daisy?" he inquired. "Princess o' Sarasaland? Ain't joose friends or whateva? She's a lil' bit famous?"

"No, I'm not from around here, and we're...We just met today," Rosalina explained. "She's...quite a character."

"Mm more karakter n' you'll ever be," Daisy declared with a vicious slam of her fist on the counter.

"Dat she is," Benji agreed to Rosalina's statement. "Now she's joor problem, haha!"

"Yea, haaaa," Daisy sighed happily. "Sheez a problimmm."

How could such an irresponsible and immature woman be in charge of making decisions for a whole nation? It was beyond Rosalina's comprehension.

"You can fix the problem," Rosalina carefully suggested, summoning her legal document again with a sly smirk. "By signing this paper."

"Whyyy?" Daisy growled irritably. Man, she was a moody drunk.

"Do you even care about your people?" Rosalina demanded solemnly. "Or are you just selfish?"

"Nnnoot shellfish," Daisy insisted, cocking an eyebrow. "I love my peepole. Love love my peepole. I love you." Rosalina had to choke on a laugh to maintain her seriousness. Fifteen minutes of drinking and the woman was this loopy?

"If you love your people, you should sign this," Rosalina pleaded, passing the sheet to her as she retrieved a pen from her pocket. "It will make them safer." She poked a finger at the line at the bottom of the sheet.

"Safe iz gooood, safe iz good," Daisy agreed, nodding her head repeatedly as she took the pen from Rosalina's hand and scribbled her signature onto the sheet. Her writing flashed bright white before the parchment rolled itself up and disappeared. "Whooaaa, haha," Daisy cooed at the sight.

"Then that takes care of our business, doesn't it?" Rosalina proudly declared, patting her on the shoulder eagerly. She left a hefty chunk of change to cover the cost of their drinks and tip generously. "Let's go celebrate." She hunched Daisy over her shoulder and the two gradually made their way out of the restaurant.

"Paaarty," Daisy roared. "Heehee. Sleep parties?"

"I wish Twink were here," Rosalina said loudly, glancing up to the bright midday skies.

"Then here I am!" Twink cried from behind them. He grinned wide. "Ah, hello, Miss Daisy!"

"Hiya~" Daisy cheered.

"See, Miss Rosalina? What did I tell you? You guys are friends already!"

Rosalina snickered and shook her head.

"I wish Princess Daisy was sober."

Twink shot Rosalina an accusatory glare to which she raised a palm defensively.

"I didn't do anything but drink coffee and ask her to sign my document."

Twink's gaze shifted to the red-cheeked brunette. He sucked in a gasp of air, then blew a cloud of stardust at her. She coughed and sputtered, waving her arms to bat the material away. When it settled, Twink had vanished and Daisy stood with the most perplexed look on her face. Her hand latched onto her head and she grimaced.

"Whoa," she groaned. "What...-?"

"Are you feeling fine, Princess Daisy?" Rosalina courteously checked with a smile. "You don't look so well."

Daisy's confused eyes turned into suspicious slits.

"What just happened?" she seethed. "Did you use some of your witch magic on me?"

Rosalina coyly shrugged.

"It's a Chomp-Eating-Chomp world, isn't it?"

"I see! Gaha. I confess, Rosalina, I'm a bit surprised that you'd approach the situation with such a tactic."

"I admit, it certainly wasn't what I had originally intended..." Rosalina didn't know whether she should be ashamed or proud of her actions. She had accomplished her goal but felt as if she'd been deceptive - like she'd cheated.

"Miss Rosalina," Frederick insisted, his visage flickering and transparent. "You look bothered. Do you have regrets?"

Rosalina sighed and shrugged disparagingly. She didn't honestly know one way or the other.

"Allow me to share some perspective with you," the Eldstar advised. "You did not act in any hostile way - in fact, you alleviated Princess Daisy's ills before you departed. That woman is often like a locomotive: fast, powerful, charging through all obstacles in her way. You did not oppose that train, you merely altered the course it traveled when its captain was incapacitated."

Even this sounded dishonest in some way but she conceded to his point: Daisy had been self-destructive and allowed herself to be in a position to be guided to do something she may not have otherwise.

"Besides," Frederick chuckled, "We're doing Sarasaland a favor. This will be beneficial to her people."

"But..." Rosalina was stricken with doubt by that statement. "Did we not go against the free will of their leader?"

"Rosalina," the Eldstar insisted, "Their leader is rash and rude and inconsiderate. She rules with pride rather than looking out for the best interests of the masses."

Rosalina was tempted to ask, 'But is that not her own choice to make?' but didn't want to cause further conflict with her superior and shrugged the matter off.

"You've done well, Ambassador," the Spirit concluded. "Take the day off tomorrow. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the Mushroom Kingdom."

"I think I shall," Rosalina agreed, her mind exploding with ideas.

The blaring trumpets and thundering drums assaulted her ears at first, but with some time she joined along in their exciting attack on her senses, welcoming the pounding energy, her pace eventually matching the driving rhythm. It was a hot afternoon, the sun beating down through clear skies. It was almost foreign, looking up and seeing this light blue hue swathed in large strokes of clouds rather than endless black speckled with white dots.

Flavors were teasing her from the myriad smells skipping through the busy air. Sugars, fruits, meats, breads...She wasn't familiar enough with most them to distinguish what was what, but she knew she wanted to try some of it out.

Stopping by a booth with no line, she took a cursory glance at the menu, full of words she associated no meaning to, almost like an alien language.

"How can I help you today?" the purple-spotted Toad girl asked, tweaking a metal ring embedded in her cap. Rosalina observed the thick black rings painted around her eyes, somewhat baffled, but regained her composure and stared at the board above the booth once again.

"Wh...What would you suggest?" Rosalina wondered with a shrug.

The girl, who sounded more polite than her spikes of blood red hair led on, shrugged and scratched her head for a moment.

"I'd guess I'd say you should try out the fried dough."

"Ah, yes," Rosalina mumbled, as if she had any idea what that was like. She found the words on the menu and observed their price with a nod. "Certainly. I'll try that." She placed the proper change on the counter and the attendant scooped it up and stuck it in her register with a glaring chakka-ching!

"Comin' right up," the girl assured, spinning around and beginning to prepare the food. The sizzles and cracks of the oil cooking the bread were pleasant in their own way, and the smell overwhelmed her nostrils. When it was done, the girl grinned and passed her a paper plate with a lump of bumpy brown material slapped onto it, powdered with white dust. "There ya go, Miss!"

"Thank you," Rosalina bid with courtesy, trailing around the crowd that had gathered at the podium where the band played. She tore into her 'fried dough,' its texture gooey, the heat and sugar splashing through her mouth like a tidal wave. Licking her fingers clean of powdered sugar, she felt her heart skip a beat when the sly smirk was suddenly there before her.

"Enjoyin' that there, huh, Rosie?"

Rosalina wiped her saliva-dampened hands across her turquoise slacks, befuddled by the passive-aggressive tone of Daisy, who stared her down, arms crossed, smug smirk on her face.

"It...It was very tasty," Rosalina admitted in a mumble, avoiding Daisy's gaze.

"I'll bet it was..."

Daisy calmly approached her, slapping an arm around her shoulder. Rosalina's body tensed and her eyes wandered to the crowd beside them.

"Hey, take it easy," Daisy insisted with a kind tone Rosalina had yet to hear come from her lips. She gave Rosalina a rough pat on the arm. "I'm just kiddin' with ya. Geez."

"Wh...-?"

"What're ya up to today? Busy?"

Rosalina nervously brushed thick bangs from her eyes, her brow raised with doubt as she carefully studied Daisy's playful grin.

"I don't...-"

"Hey, what's past is past," Daisy assured. "You got me fair and square. You proved your point. That earns my respect - it's not every day someone stands up to me like that, ya know?"

Still off-put by the so-called Princess' contradicting words, Rosalina tucked her bothersome bangs behind her ear and squirmed out of Daisy's grip.

"I don't understand," she repeated, managing to get the entire sentence out this time.

Daisy chuckled and rapidly waved her palms out at Rosalina in a 'slow down' motion.

"OK, OK. See, when we met? That was business. I hate that political bullshit. Gets me all tense and irritable. That's why I've gotta unwind." She slapped Rosalina in the back, causing the Ambassador to squeak out a whimper of pain. How could such skinny arms strike so hard like that?

"I want you to come hang out with me and my friends today. I think you'd fit right in."

The petrifying thought that Daisy had friends who were potentially even more rough than she was scared Rosalina, but the offer of social interaction was difficult to pass up. She didn't exactly have a social circle she belonged to and it was rare for beings not composed of stellar materials to actually express desire to spend time with her.

"Wh-what would that entail?" Rosalina wondered.

"Racing."

"Racing? With...cars?" Rosalina knew of these devices and saw them periodically but had no idea how to control one.

"Um, kinda. Go-karts."

"Go...karts?"

What in the universe's name was a go-kart?

"Yea. Go-Karts? You never heard of 'em? Man, you are not from around here at all. They're like...-" Daisy's eyes squinted and she moved her palms close together. "-tiny cars that zip around." She looped her index finger in quick circles. "They're for racing."

"Is it...dangerous?"

Daisy's eyes narrowed and a most disturbing grin crawled across her face. Rosalina could feel her gut tighten as seconds passed and no answer was given.

"That...That means it is dangerous. Doesn't it?" Rosalina sighed, pushing her gaze away from Daisy's unchanging smile of devilry.

"Anything worth doing in this world is," Daisy seethed with excitement, a positively mischievous twinkle in her eye.

VrrrrrooooOoOoOoOOOOOOMMMMMmMmMmmmmmm...

Rosalina's hands jumped to her head, keeping her hair from flailing about as the parade of vehicles dashed past. It was exhilarating just to watch it, being this close to the track, much less being a part of it.

"So are you ready to do this?" Daisy asked, tightening her driving gloves.

"Sh-shouldn't you give me a driving lesson first?" Rosalina muttered, fidgeting her hands together, the leather gloves feeling unnatural despite their snug fit.

"Nah, you'll learn faster when you're right there on the road, Rosie."

Rosalina's entire body felt like it was in a giant glove in this outfit that hugged at her hips, boots enveloping her feet and shins. It was somewhat uncomfortable, but Rosalina couldn't deny the practicality of such attire in this environment. The strange appeal of the roaring sounds emanating from the engines, the smell of fuel and rubber burnt into the pavement, the rush of the vehicles whizzing by...It was all exciting, fast, and overwhelming.

"So are you comin' or not?" Daisy wondered with a teasing smirk. "You can always back out if you're not woman enough to do it."

Rosalina huffed through her nose and tightened the gloves on her wrists.

"I'm ready."