We've Never Been Apart This Long

So Much Development, and The Bros Are Barely in Here!

"You want me to move back in?" Junior repeats numbly. "Why now?"

Bowser grins, "I finally married Princess Peach. You officially have a mama! But there's been a little hitch in the plan: your brothers and sister invited themselves to stay with me."

"So?" Junior doesn't get it.

"They keep claiming they have a way to ensure me and Peach stay married. "

"They're lying." Junior nods knowingly.

"I dunno." Bowser shrugs. "They may always lose, but up until then, they usually deliver on their plans."

"You got someone else, don't you?" Junior asks.

"The point is I'm not going to give into their tantrums. They're Mario's full-time problem now."

" That's why you want me to come home?" Junior demands. "You want me to get rid of them, and you think they'll listen to me ?"

"No." Bowser says, surprising him. "I want you to come home because I never should've taken this long to bring you home in the first place. And now you have the added bonus of a mama and getting to boss Mario around. How about it?"

"For how long?" Junior can't help but ask. "Until Mario finds another way to stop you again?"

"He's not going to stop me again." Bowser growls.

"He always stops you!" Junior corrects.

"Are you coming home or not?" Bowser asks again.

"No." Junior says stubbornly.

"I'm your dad, so you have to do what I say!"

"What's the point? I move back home, maybe I get rid of the Koopalings, maybe not. And then when things finally settle down, Mario's gonna find a way to take Peach from us, and I can't. Do it! "

"You belong with your family!"

"My family left me alone wandering the Darklands by myself because he disappeared to stars-knows-where, and I had no idea how to find him or get him back!" Junior cries. "And then, when all that was over, my family still didn't come to find me because he was already trying yet another scheme on Mario that nearly blew up in his face!"

"I admit it, I should never have done any of that before tracking you down first." Bowser says honestly. "But all of this was so I could give you a family."

"You don't even know what a family is!" Junior snaps.

"Because I don't want you to go through what I did!" Bowser roars.

"Mission accomplished." Junior says. "But I'm not coming back."

"Fine. You win." Bowser crosses his arms. "Happy now?"

"What did I win?" Junior demands.

"I need you at the castle." Bowser begs. "I wanna be a better father."

"The plan is falling apart and with me back home, you think we can find a way to stop that from happening." Junior corrects.

"If you don't help me, Peach isn't going to be my wife for much longer." Bowser finally admits. "Or your mama. If you wanted me to beg, it worked."

"I'll think about it." Junior concedes. "But it's gotta be better than before."

"So you're coming home?"

"Mario has to tend to my needs before anyone else." Junior starts. "No fun having him around otherwise."

"Done." Bowser says with a toothy grin. "So will you come home?"