Sorry for the late update! Internet AND computer issues. Enjoy!

"This is amazing!" Goombella raced ahead, her little ponytail bobbing behind her as she ran, followed closely by an excited tiny toad and his annoyed older brother.

"Ted! Wait!" Toad yelped as the little guy raced ahead, "It could be dangerous!"

"More like, dangerous for me." Nina said unhelpfully, her shoulders trembling as a cold breeze brushed her neck, "Little kids rarely die in horror movies. It's always the cute girls who go first."

Bombette rolled her eyes while Luigi frowned. He wasn't one to not take ghosts seriously. He had, after all, been trapped in a mansion with them several months back, so he found the girl's attitude a bit irritating.

Dan meanwhile was walking with a shaking Kady, glancing at her every so often as they walked. Soon they were standing in front of one of the abandoned buildings, in the middle of the street, and he spoke, "Kady?"

She looked at him, "What? Did you see anything?" She spoke quickly, eyes gazing about fearfully.

"No, no." He said, "I just wanted to see how you were doing."

"How do you think?" Kady snapped.

There was a moment of silence, and she glanced down at her feet in shame, "…Dan, I'm sorry."

Dan sighed softly, placing a hand on the back of her shell, giving her a reassuring smile, "Everything is going to be just fine Kady, don't worry." She felt her trembling cease as she stared into his eyes. He seemed to hold a promise in them, that everything was going to be all right…but was it?

"How do you know?" Kady whispered.

"I don't. We just have to stay calm. We can get through this together." Dan smiled, "There's nothing to be afraid of."

"If only I had that vacuum." Luigi mumbled to himself as he walked by. Kady couldn't help giving him an odd look, Dan laughing lightly. Luigi had yet to describe, in full, his adventures in haunted mansions.

"Wow, look at this!" An excited young toad squealed and everyone followed his voice.

They turned around a building to find the young toad looking up with wide eyes at something on the side of the building. Goombella was already standing by Ted's side, looking up with a calculative gaze. Kady rounded the building and stopped with wide eyes.

"What the heck?" Dan murmured.

It was a drawing. Done in what appeared to be white chalk.

"What is it?" Nina said, and the koopa frowned up at it.

Goombella tilted her head to the side, trying to figure out what these markings meant. There was a stick figure of some sort; with a half circle above its head, like an upside down half-moon facing the earth. Maybe it was implying that the stick figure was a toad? Around this 'toad' were four white diagonal marks, all spreading outwards.

"They're attached." Kady interrupted her train of thought, "Those lines, to his arms."

Goombella noticed that the lines faded a bit when they reached the stick figure's arms, possibly with time, "Maybe…I got it!" The goomba frowned up at the drawing, "The extra lines might actually be attached to the body; maybe this toad had really long arms and legs."

Bombette gave her a long look, "What? That's stupid."

"Well, what do you think then?" Goombella snapped, "Miss 'I didn't go to college, so I must know more than thou'?"

"For your information, I'm in my second year."

"I'm a graduate of an esteemed University." Goombella turned her nose up, figuratively speaking of course, "What did you attend? Community college?"

"I don't have to prove anything to you." Bombette snorted, turning her body away, fuse sparking.

"This is not the time guys!" Nina huffed, glaring up at the drawing, "We shouldn't spend what's left of our daylight standing in front of a dumb chalk drawing! I don't want to sleep in this creepy place again."

"Again?" Toad groaned, "We really are doomed."

"Not helping." Bombette told him with a sigh.

00oo00oo00oo00

Nina couldn't help sneezing as they stepped into the building. Clouds of dust shot up into the air as they walked forward. Kady smelled a musty odor and the remnants of gasoline.

"Wow, this place really is abandoned." Goombella said, as she gazed around at the interior of the auto shop.

"Why would they leave all this stuff behind?" Luigi asked, "A lot of this stuff is worth a pretty penny."

"Not just a plumber, huh Luigi?" Bombette teased and Luigi blushed slightly.

"Well…I used to work in a mechanic's shop back when I was a kid. Nothing big. I just had to take stock of everything and clean up."

"This place is in desperate need of a cleaning." Nina shivered as she wiped her nose on her sleeve again, "I feel like I'm breathing in dirt."

An assortment of tools hung from a nearby wall. Kady watched them from afar; her eyes concentrated on a hack saw that was moving slightly. She couldn't feel a breeze and when she realized this, the koopa couldn't help gasping out loud.

"What's wrong?" Nina squealed, spinning around, hitting Goombella in the face with her ponytail as she did so.

"Hey!" Goombella yelped.

Dan stepped next to Kady who stared at the saw with wide eyes. He looked to where she was staring, "What is it?"

"It's moving on its own, there's no breeze." Kady whispered.

"What is so interesting that we can't all hear it as a group?" Goombella asked.

"That saw." Kady soft quietly, "It's moving on its own."

Everyone grew silent and looked to where Kady was staring.

"That's…nice." Bombette said casually, "Can we go now?"

Toad looked at the bomb, "Why are you so calm? The saw is clearly moving on its own."

"Probably just the foundation." Bombette said with a yawn, "Things move by themselves in a building with a weak foundation."

"I've never heard of that." Goombella frowned, "You made that up."

"Did not." Bombette smiled with her eyes, "My grandmother told me."

"There are no facts to back that up." The goomba informed her, "So that could just be an 'old person myth' thing."

Bombette turned hot pink in anger, "Don't make fun of my grandma! I know myth from fact, you're just too stuck up to accept anyone else's opinion."

"Shut up!" Dan yelled, "You two are driving me crazy! Get a grip!"

"I agree." Toad said and flinched as both girls glared at him, having the misfortune of standing between them, "What?"

Kady was too busy staring with horror at the hack saw, that was currently rocking back and forth against the wall in erratic movements. She was too shocked and frightened to move as the saw fell loose from the wall and sped down towards her, the sound of metal ringing in the air as it snapped loose from the nail that had been holding it up.

"Kady!" Dan yelled and he ran forward.

Kady cried out as he slammed into her and the saw hit concrete floor with a loud clattering bang-where she had been standing only moments before.

"Are you ok?" Nina ran over to help them up.

"That was close." Toad stared with wide eyes at the saw on the ground.

"It…flew down." Goombella frowned deeply, staring at the tool, "That's impossible."

Bombette shook her head, "That's definitely not caused by building issues. That thing went crazy."

Dan reached his feet and looked at Kady who was trembling, staring at the tool lying nearby, "Kady? Are you okay?"

"No." Kady said softly, and tears fell free down her face, "I want to go home."

"Then we should get a move on." Goombella suggested, standing by the window, "The sun is pretty low in the sky. In a few hours it will be dark."

"What?" Nina cried, "Let's go then!"

"Where will the tires be stored?" Dan turned to Luigi, "Gas cans?"

"I…guess maybe in here." He looked around, frowning under his mustache, "I don't see anything though. Maybe there's a storage shed out back?"

"I'll check." Bombette volunteered, turning to leave before anyone could say anything in response.

They watched her leave, the old bell on the door making a soft noise as the door slipped shut. Dan wrapped an arm around Kady, "Kady, I'm right here if you need me."

"Thank you." Kady closed her eyes. She felt herself lean into his form and couldn't help smiling a little as she took in the smell of his cologne. She had always loved that smell; it was comforting in a way.

The bell chimed as the door opened. "Bad news." Bombette stepped into the room, her fuse bent down in a display of unhappiness, "Shed's locked."

"That's good news." Toad said, earning looks of confusion from everyone, "I mean, that there's a shed!" He blushed.

"The keys should be in here somewhere." Luigi said, eyes brightening, "Once we find them we should be able to get a tire for Dan's truck and gas for our own vehicle, and we'll be home free."

"We're not going on vacation then?" Bombette asked.

"I forgot that we were supposed to be on a fun trip." Toad groaned, "This is the worst vacation ever."

"Umm…Toad?" Everyone looked at Bombette, whose voice had rose in urgency.

"What?"

"…Where's Ted?"

00oo00oo00oo00

"This is so not happening!" Toad cried for the fourth time, "Why me? Why!?"

"Oh shut up! Stop being a big baby." Bombette rolled her eyes.

"You don't have to tell your mom that you lost your little brother!" Toad snapped in response, "I'm a dead man!"

"What makes you think we're going home anyways?" Nina asked him, "We could be stuck here forever."

"Gee, thanks for the positive note." Dan said sourly.

They were currently standing outside the shop. Everyone had lent their help in the search for Toad's little brother, searching the shop up and down. Unfortunately the tiny toad was nowhere in sight, nor were any keys to the shed.

"This is not good." Nina murmured as she looked upward. Bombette looked up with her.

"Oh cripes!" Bombette cried," I can see the moon." Sure enough the moon was showing its face through the clouds, a soft grey on white.

"He'll be all alone in the dark." Kady looked to Dan, her eyes widening in alarm, "Dan, we can't let that happen."

"I know, I know." Dan sighed heavily, staring at the ground, "We should split up and search all these buildings. He's probably out exploring."

"Split up?" Nina shook her head, "No, no and no. Do you even watch scary movies? Seriously?"

"Stop it Nina." Dan gave her a firm glare, the koopa glaring back in response, "You're going to have to cool it. Ranting about things is not helpful in the least."

"Kudos to that." Goombella agreed, earning a withering stare from Nina whom she ignored.

"Okay." Toad sighed, turning to Luigi, "I'm with Luigi. He's the hero's brother so he should have some immunity or something."

"Mama mia Toad!" Luigi groaned, "Will you stop putting me down?"

"What? What did I say?"

00oo00oo00oo00

"I didn't agree to this." Goombella grumbled as they stepped into the abandoned barn, the goomba looking back in distaste at her companion who seemed to enjoy taking her sweet time.

"I'm tired. How can you stand it?" Bombette moaned, "We both have short legs!"

Goombella smirked, "Well, I guess one of us just happens to be in better shape than the other."

"Hardy har har." Bombette snorted, with a flip of her fuse.

They had split up to search for Toad's little brother, but so far he was nowhere to be found. Bombette gazed around at the spooky darkness that surrounded them.

The barn was massive, and appeared to have housed moo moos at one time. The stables were wide set and dusty scattered remains of hay rested around them and under them as they walked.

"This place smells like mold." Bombette complained.

The bomb omb expected a retort of some sort from Goombella, but was surprised when she heard nothing. She looked up to find that the goomba was gone.

"Goombella?" Bombette squeaked, looking around quickly.

There was a noise up above and the bob omb shrieked as a pile of hay landed on her head, "GetItOff! GetItOff!"

There was mad laughter and Bombette shook the hay off angrily, glaring upwards at the goomba who was looking down at her from the loft, "That wasn't funny!"

"I thought it was." Goombella laughed, "Now hurry up and get up here."

Bombette murmured angrily under her breath, but moved to do as she said. She didn't feel like arguing anymore.

"Look what I found." Goombella said cheerfully, when Bombette reached the top. The goomba was standing next to a large wooden chest. A few old looking scattered papers were on the ground, some half hidden under dust and straw.

"It's an old chest, so what?" Bombette sighed.

"I wonder what's in it." Goombella stared at the chest with a sparkle in her eyes and the bob omb rolled her eyes. This was, after all, the treasure hunter that Mario had spoken so fondly of.

The goomba moved closer to the latch. She made a face and opened her mouth. Bombette watched as Goombella grabbed the chest latch's hanging part with her mouth. She then jumped up suddenly, and released the latch.

The chest's lid slammed back into the ground with a resounding thud, and Goombella moved to peer over the edge of the open chest.

She gasped at what she found there.

00oo00oo00oo00

"Wow!" Toad suddenly yelped and he ran by Luigi who had little time to turn before the toad had started towards a building.

"Wait Toad!" Luigi cried, "We're supposed to stick together."

Luigi quickly ran after the toad and caught up easily, his legs longer than the toads. He looked at the building that had Toad so fascinated and groaned, "You're kidding."

It was an old fashioned looking place that read, O'River's Fountain. Built of a dark wood, faded scarlet paneling at its top near a black wood roof. A beautiful building at one time, but without the proper care, it was shabbier than it should have been. Luigi glanced at the shattered window nearby, trying to see if he could see anything between bits of glass, but there was only darkness within.

"I love these places!" Toad practically squealed, "Did I ever tell you about-"
"About seventy times Toad." Luigi sighed.

Toad loved to collect old milkshake glasses. He also had drawers of vintage canning labels and old pipes. The toad had a love of older items and of some odd things as well. Luigi sometimes wondered if he had a poodle skirt hiding in his closet somewhere. Luigi swore he had glanced something poofy when he walked in on Toad one day, before the toad had quickly shut the door.

"I'm checking this out!" Toad cried happily, and before the plumber could reply, the toad was dashing inside the swinging doors.

Luigi hesitated, and then followed. He would rather not stay outside alone. Especially since it was starting to get dark.

00oo00oo00oo00

Bombette stared along with Goombella at the inside of the chest, "It's…dark."

Goombella frowned, the curve of a tooth biting the edge of her lip, "It's really deep…hmm." She jumped onto the edge and looked down with squinted eyes, "I can't see—"

There was a scream as Goombella lost her footing and tumbled into the chest. Bombette's fuse sparked in horror and surprise and she quickly moved to the chest's edge, "Goombella!"

The bob omb jumped from side to side, trying to contain the rising panic inside her when she heard a faint noise from within the chest, "Goombella?" She asked out loud.

"Ow." Goombella's voice replied with a slight echo, faint and somewhere way below, "The heck?"

"Goombella, are you ok?!" Bombette yelled.

"Yeah, this is so weird. It's like I'm in another room. It's dark down here but I think I see a light."

Bombette blinked in surprise at the thought. They were on a loft, how in the world could there be another room right below them, through a secret door in a chest of all things? It was baffling, "Should I come down?"

"No." Goombella told her, "I might need help getting out of here. I'll see what I can find, just wait for me."

"Okay, but what if you find a ghost?" Bombette asked, not really being serious, just curious to what Goombella would say in response.

"No biggie. Couldn't be as scary as the shadow queen."

Of course. Bombette sighed, "Well, I guess I'll just sit here then."

00oo00oo00oo00

It was dark, but Goombella still had her trusty 'adventuring' hat on, the little light built in flicking on with just a firm nod of her head and a command of, 'light on'. Goomba gear could usually be switched on or off with a voice command because of their inability to use hands like other folks.

She found that the room expanded around her, no walls in view yet. This place was huge. She whistled as she gazed about at the dark expanse and tapped her foot experimentally on the floor. Cold stone.

The goomba turned to where she saw light. She could see a faint yellow glow, not a warm sunny sort of glow, but a cold light. Goombella started in that direction easily, feeling brave with her cap lit up and adventurous with new territory to explore.

As she came closer, she found herself in a hall, walls at both sides and the light straight ahead. Soon she found a door, cracked open only a tiny bit to release some light. It wasn't much, but because of the darkness, the light seemed very bright from far off, but now she found it was quite dim.

Goombella kept cautious, hearing voices within, and gently moved the door open a little with her foot, peering in curiously.

She could barely hold back a gasp at what she found.

The room was set up like a church, with all seats facing towards the front. The seats were all taken up by white shapes all jabbering excitedly to one another. Goombella noted their species immediately, being well learned in all the species in the Mushroom Kingdom and beyond.

Boos.

"Ha, I knew it." She said to herself with a self-satisfied smirk.

There was a sudden hushing of voices as a huge white shape floated up from the side, onto the stage, floating up to a podium.

Goombella summoned her tattle log from her hammer space with another uttered voice command and pages flipped fast. Soon she found a clone image to the one in front of her, "Bingo."

King Boo, a main villain of the boo species who haunts the Mushroom Kingdom exclusively. Not part of any known royal lines but is the current leader of the main force of boos (see Page 103). Was once employed by Bowser (see Page 109) himself to stop the Mario brothers but cut ties after being defeated, though King Boo does send boos often at Bowser's request to keep friendly relations. On his own, however, King Boo is still quite dangerous and has his own unique cunning. Surprisingly, Mario (see Page 64) is unfit to go up against this creature for reasons unknown (ending up captured and at the mercy of the boo) and Luigi (65) is the one to take charge, with help from Professor Egad (see page 412). Has been defeated two times by Luigi and trapped in a painting. Information needs updated. Current whereabouts unknown.

"Known." Goombella corrected, under her breath, and the book disappeared in a small puff of air. She was a bit surprised at the novel's need for an update. Usually the book magically updated itself and she found this quite odd that it was lacking in information.

Oh well. She thought, At least I know who we're up against now; but just what is he doing here and what is he planning?

Goombella realized that the boo seemed to be giving a speech and quickly hushed her thoughts to try and tune into what was being said.

"Everything is falling into place as I had foretold." King Boo smiled a blue smile, the goomba noting the odd color of his mouth and the sharp fangs shining in the light, "Our guests have arrived and the eclipse his nigh. Soon we will have enough power to take this world and dethrone those arrogant goody goodies and their silly princess."

Goombella bristled up at the insult to Peach, having befriended her at the end of their adventure after defeating the shadow queen. This guy was so going down. She felt more than ready to try out her head bonking skills. It had been awhile since her last real battle.

The 'King' glanced around with approval as his fellow boos, applauded his words fervently, and he seemed to settle his eyes where she was, giving the Goomba a slight chill in her spine. Relax, he doesn't know you're here, Goombella told herself.

"My boos, it is time to continue your games and we shouldn't leave our quests waiting. The party is to begin soon and everything must be in place."

With this the boos dismissed themselves in a flurry of silver mist and shrill cackling. Soon it was just Goombella and the King Boo, who didn't seem in too big of a hurry to leave the stage just yet. He seemed to be deep in thought; his back turned away from her.

Suddenly he disappeared in a sudden puff of smoke, and the room was empty. Goombella blinked in surprise, on the tip of her toes, and then settled back down. Now she just had to find a way out of here and tell the others what she had seen.

The goomba was prepared to turn and head back to where Bombette was when she heard a choked sound and a 'whoosh' of air.

Goombella gasped as she found the huge spirit standing behind her, mouth wide open in a wicked smile, and a struggling Bombette in his grasp.

"You're early." He said smoothly, Goombella taking a step back as he floated closer.

"Goombella, run!" Bombette screamed as kicked, her fuse smoking, "Warn the others!"

"Let her go, you jerk!" Goombella yelled, ignoring the bob omb's request.

The boo merly cackled loudly, in that shrill boo way, and a multitude of boos appeared suddenly and surrounded them. Goombella stepped away from the ones behind her and found herself closer to the King Boo himself, turning her head around to try and find a way to escape. She was surrounded and that monster had Bombette! There was little she could do, she was helpless, and she hated it.

Bombette had tried to light her fuse before but the boo had this cold air around him like a cloak that snuffed out her fire, and even if she could light it, she wasn't sure an explosion could even harm a non-physical presence like a boo.

King Boo seemed to sense their thoughts and laughed, his tongue lolling out of his mouth, much to the disgust of Bombette who was still in his grip, "There is nothing you can do to stop us, it is too late. Just sit back and relax ladies, the party is going to start very very soon."

Uh oh! Trouble is a brewing.

Did you all see this coming? I don't think so :D This isn't as AU as some of you probably thought. Much more is coming up story wise, so stay tuned. Hope you all enjoyed this long and much needed update. Interesting turn of events… ^_^ Is this what Kady's mother was trying to warn her about? Or is there something more…? Tune in!

Reviews are appreciated, let me know if this chapter was good or not. :D Until next time…see ya!