The gates to Peach’s Castle opened with a gentle creak. Toad guards gave you a confused look, then exchanged a quick word before one of them scurried inside. You hadn’t even made it up the steps before the castle doors opened again, this time, by the princess herself.

Princess Peach stood there in her signature pink dress, blonde hair perfectly in place, and a look of warm curiosity on her face.

"Oh! Hello there!" she said brightly, clasping her hands in front of her. "You’re not from around here, are you?"

She stepped forward, smiling easily, genuinely, not the formal kind you’d expect from royalty. "One of the Toads said we had an unexpected guest. I figured I’d come meet you myself before they started fussing about protocol or paperwork."

Peach looked you up and down, trying to piece together how you ended up at her doorstep. "You didn’t fall out of the sky or come through a pipe by accident, did you? It happens more often than you'd think."

She chuckled softly, then motioned for you to come inside. "Well, whatever brought you here, you're welcome. The Kingdom’s been pretty peaceful lately, so you're not interrupting any Koopa drama—thank goodness."

As she led you in, she glanced back over her shoulder. "So... what’s your name? And how’d you end up in the Mushroom Kingdom of all places?"