A/N: I do not own Mario or any of the characters.

First fic! Please leave reviews, and any feedback would be appreciated. I'll continue this if enough people like the concept. Apologies in advance if my writing sucks because I'm not a writer, but a math major pretending to be one.

In the lowest room of the Palace of Shadow, months after the defeat of the Shadow Queen, a strange voice echoed off the walls. Its strange maniacal quality clashed with the room's grimness.

"This palace is Fawful's for the taking! Controlling the army had easiness like the taking of the army that was Bowser's! And next comes the Mushroom Kingdom, the home of the pair of Red and Green that I hate!"

Fawful was slightly unprepared for the shadowy form that rose from the coffin.

"Who has disturbed my sleep?" the Shadow Queen boomed in a horrifying, feminine voice.

"I have shock! This is a situation Fawful had not expected!"

"What is this nonsense you speak?"

"This is the palace of Fawful! And Fawful is not liking you! You are like the annoying worm that appears in the apple of Fawful's desires! You will be having the leaving!"

"This is MY palace. You will serve me, or perish."

Fawful simply shrugged, and fired the ray gun in his hand. A stream of stars hit the Queen directly in the face. "Fawful is not interested in doing the serving. Fawful is ruling the world!"

"AAAAAAAAIIYEEEEEEEEE!" she screamed as an intense pain shot all throughout her. She didn't wait for the second blast, and fled through the wall of the palace.

"Ugh… I forget how weak my defeat has made me. I had hoped to recover for a little longer…fortunately those foolish beings opened the palace door…" the Queen thought to herself as she flew away from the place she called home. "What was it he said? The Mushroom Kingdom?"

In the Mushroom Kingdom, Peach paced around in her room for perhaps the thousandth time. Her room had everything a royal room was expected to have in it: a closet, a dresser, several books, and the like, but nothing that could keep a princess entertained for days on end while a surly-looking Toad watched her like a hawk.

"Toadsworth, when will Mario come back from the Beanbean Kingdom?"

"Princess, that is the twenty-fifth time you have asked that. It will be about nine days. Mm, maybe you should find something else to do with your time."

Peach sighed. "What do you suggest, Toadsworth?"

"…Perhaps look through a couple of the older rooms of this castle?" That keeps her inside the castle. In the meantime, the outside will stay heavily patrolled, of course. We can't risk the Princess's safety with Mario away, Toadsworth thought.

"Why does Toadsworth insist on keeping me stuck inside this castle? Oh, at least here he won't be watching everything I do." Peach left for the opposite side of the castle.

I almost wish something interesting would happen. But that would probably end with the castle being carried away, or turned into a robot, or something terrible like that. Hmm, haven't seen this before, she thought as she spotted an old diary in the corner.

As she reached the diary, a cloud of darkness moved into the room and she saw the Shadow Queen appear, blocking the door.

The princess screamed loudly, but no one could hear her; she had closed the door and she chose a hallway few attendants ever frequented, to escape Toadsworth's watchful eye.

"Get…away from me…" She's here to possess me and try to kill Mario again…

Peach braced herself for the dreadful hands falling onto her body, but they never came.

"I am not here to harm you."

"Why ARE you here?"

"A strange being has taken my castle and is controlling my army."

"Who…who would that be?"

"A short, green foolish being calling himself Fawful. He spoke of conquering your kingdom next."

"Oh, dear… l-last time he was here he turned my castle into a giant robot," Peach stammered, trying to hold back her fear.

"GRRRRRRRRRRRR! He's not doing that to my castle, the little brat!"

"I need to do something, but… I can't stop Fawful by myself!" Rage temporarily overtook the fear as Peach remembered the damage Fawful had done to her castle on his last visit.

"I am here to offer you a proposal. You are a very comfortable vessel. My defeat has weakened me, but remember what I was able to do with you fighting my influence? If you instead add your power to mine, imagine our might. We can defeat this fool together."

"I don't know if I trust you."

"I may have been cruel, but have you known me to lie?"

"I suppose that IS true… Fine… come here." she huffed.

"Yesssssss..."

Two large hands descended and grabbed the princess. They then disappeared, leaving her in a dark purple dress with a grey corset, a cape, and a long collar rising above her head and ending in spikes. Her usual falling blond hair was cut short and her eyes burned blood red, devoid of any trace of the kindness they showed before. Topping it all off, a shadowy aura of pure evil enveloped the princess.

Peach felt the light leave her body as the Queen's darkness took it over. The light left the room as well, and the candles in the room flickered out and lit up again with black flames.

So Fawful's back… I guess Mario was wrong about him killing himself inside Bowser's gut. He must have survived that somehow. I wonder what he's doing this time, Peach thought.

He looks like the type of person who concocts elaborate plans before he acts, a voice spoke inside her mind.

Great…we can read each other's thoughts now.

Yes, I have been weakened enough that I cannot prevent you from reading my thoughts. You can even wrest control of your body from me.

That would be nice. If we're going to defeat Fawful, there's someone we need to pick up first.

After flying out of one of the windows, Peach glided down towards the Mario Bros. house. As usual, it was a tranquil and ordinary place, one Mario and Luigi could relax in when they weren't off saving the kingdom.

Wheeeeeeee!

Do you mind concentrating on giving me directions?

I didn't think flying was this fun! I wish I had time right now to enjoy it, let alone be the one actually in control of my body. Turn left here. All right, we're here. This is Mario's brother.

Who?

Mario, the one who defeated you.

…

You're not laying a hand on him. I can read your thoughts.

Luigi was a fairly happy man, as long as there were no scary monsters taking over the kingdom. He was hanging clothes outside the house when he heard the sweet sound of the princess's voice.

"Luigi! Fawful's taken the Shadow Queen's castle, and he's after the Mushroom Kingdom next!"

"Princess, I would…GAAAAAAH!"

Luigi turned to see the Princess's sweet smile and was instead met by a cruel grin and blood red eyes glaring at him. He ran in the other direction, screaming the loudest scream any Toad had ever heard, or would have, if they had been closer to the Mario Bros. house.

"Are you sure you're related to Mario?" The Queen rolled her eyes. "Why couldn't you have come instead of that pesky plumber? Then I could easily have conquered the world."

"Come back!" the Queen yelled as hands appeared from the shadows to grab Luigi's ankles, tripping him.

You're not much for persuasion, are you?

I think this is faster.

"Luigi?" Peach summoned up her most reassuring voice, for all the good it did.

"Heeeeeelp!"

"Luigi, I need your help to stop Fawful. Will you come with me?"

Luigi lay there, shuddering.

Maybe this will help. Peach's dress reverted back to pink, with the cape and collar now gone.

"Princess?"

"Luigi. I can explain. The Shadow Queen is inside me, and she's going to help us beat Fawful."

"Inside you? The one Mario told me about, who covered the world in darkness? She gives me the creeps…"

"Please, Luigi?"

"Well, Mario's gone, so it's just-a me, Luigi… Here I go… (gulp) Promise she won't try to kill me?"

…

Fine.

"Promise."

*sigh* How is this fool supposed to help us?

He might be a coward, but he's just as strong as Mario.

If you say so…

Peach's dress darkened, the cape and collar now back again. The duo left Toad Town and began their journey.