A/N: Thanks to Francisco Galvan Lopez, AeroJester203, GhostOfBluman, NightShark774, BadOrk11, MagmaCrater, and everyone else who has been reading, Hotel Horror is now at 70 favorites and followers, as well as over 20,000 views! I appreciate all of the support so far. Now that we're a week into March, let's keep the story running with a new chapter!


Disclaimer: You all know by now that I don't own Nintendo or any of their games/property.


Chapter 10: Face the Music

With the new button in his hand, Luigi called the elevator and stepped inside with his friends. He let the '4' button twist into place before he nodded in satisfaction. He glanced over at the elevator tracker with a map and the level name above.

"Hmm... The Great Stage," Daisy read. "I wonder what we'll find up there."

E. Gadd took a moment to call Luigi with the VB goggles. After the plumber placed them over his eyes, his face appeared on the red screen. "Hey, Luigi! I forgot to mention something. If you or Daisy find yourself needing to return to the lab quickly, I've got the perfect solution! I've streamlined a transfer system just for you! All you have to do is access the VB and select 'Lab'. Sort of like the Pixelator, we'll be face-to-face in an instant!"

"Is my body going to break apart into blocks again? Because I still feel awkward and disoriented every time you make me use it," Luigi moaned.

"Not to worry, lad! A giant television is set up for you to walk on through like a portal! No pixels, no hassle, and no worries about your body falling apart!"

"Whatever you say."

"Additionally, the system goes both ways, too! When you're ready to get back to your adventures, the system will return you to the same place you left! Pretty convenient, am I right?"

"I guess so."

"Anyway, I just wanted you to keep that in mind while you're out there exploring! Good luck on the next floor!" E. Gadd signed off.

Luigi put away the VB before he went over to push the button. The sudden jolt of the elevator made him jump a little, but he knew this was a normal occurrence. As long as it didn't break down, his claustrophobic levels wouldn't keep him on edge.

However, his phasmophobia was doing that job for him.


Location: 4F – The Great Stage

A treble clef represented the dial above the elevator as it stopped on the sixth tick mark. With the doors opening, Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo slowly stepped out into the lobby. They didn't even take two steps before they heard a noise.

"Huh? Do you hear something, Daisy?" Luigi held a hand behind his ear.

"Yeah, you're not the only one. It's pretty faint from here, but I think it might be a piano."

"I think you're right." He paused to shudder. "I've had a few experiences with ghosts playing some melodies. Although I can't deny their talent, it still sends chills down my spine."

"I mean, it could be way worse. You could be Mario and run into a freaking killer piano with teeth!"

"Oh, don't remind me!" Luigi recalled that memory in Big Boo's Haunt.

"Sorry. Anyway, let's continue, shall we?"

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo was on board. The floor wasn't too dark as a few spotlights illuminated various souvenirs, art pieces, and musical instruments. They stared at a large poster with a piano drawn as the display. There was also a large sousaphone to their left. Just before they went down the hallway, Luigi jumped when he saw a large cymbal rolling around before it landed flat in front of their feet.

"Um, I hate to be Captain Obvious, but I think it's safe to say that we're definitely not alone in this hallway," Daisy exhaled.

Around the corner was the Concession Stand with some bags of popcorn and cups of soda sitting on the countertop. As they headed further down, Colombo spotted a Goob wearing a bellhop hat and a bowtie, flopping the red carpet. The jocular ghost was trying to make the humans trip and fall. Luigi figured that he needed to evade the humps by using the Burst. Every time a carpet wave came close to him, he expelled some air to hop over the obstacles. Once he was close, the man flashed the ghost, surprising him. Luigi growled as he struggled to keep him stuck in the hose. After a while, he was able to slam him into the podium.

"Good work! With that out of the way, I can hear the music playing from in there," the princess pointed at the large double doors.

Luigi followed her to the Auditorium entrance, pushing the doors aside. Colombo hopped through before they closed. The first thing that caught their attention was the piano in the center of the stage with the lights down on it. Ignoring the creepy music that was playing, they saw several rows of chairs with red cushions, statue decorations on the side, and a few sitting balconies on the top level. Lastly, a spotlight shone on a framed picture that stood against a partition. To their surprise, it was a Toad.

"Look at that!" E. Gadd whispered through the Virtual Boo's microphone. "It's one of your friends who joined your vacation! All you have to do is shine your Dark-Light Device on the portrait to free him!"

"That's easier said than done, Professor," Luigi grumbled. "Do you not notice the piano music in the background?"

"We can't let some more ghosts be a distraction for us. We've already captured tens of them by now!" Daisy told him. "We got to save that Toad and get the next elevator button!"

"You're right. Standing here isn't going to do anything."

"Don't worry, fellers. I'll cheer for you from my lab," encouraged E. Gadd.

Luigi led the group down the aisle as he reached the small stairway that led up to the stage. The eerie piano music continued to play. With the keys moving up and down on their own, more shivers traveled down his spine. Of course, he knew the piano wasn't haunted.

It was the ghost performing a rendition of Moonlight Sonata, or some similar piece.

Creeping closer to the portrait, Luigi stopped when a figure emerged on the bench. He instantly recognized her; it was Melody Pianissima. She was a blonde ghost with a long, maroon dress. Then, a second ghost appeared as well. To Melody's right was a new face that Luigi had never seen before. It was a male ghost with purple skin, silver hair, and a white dress shirt with a purple jacket.

"You have to keep up with the tempo, Melody," the taller musician chastised her. "I can't tolerate anyone, including ghosts, who can't keep their rhythm flowing."

"Excuse me, Amadeus Wolfgeist," Melody fired back as she pulled her hands away from the keys. "I believe my tempo is fine. Haven't you learned by now that I have learned to play the piano for several years?"

That urged Amadeus to stop playing, too. "Hmph. Impressive, yes. But I have more experience than you, Missy. I've been a master at the ebony and ivory keys for decades."

"Uh, no surprise. You died at an older age compared to me."

"Age is but a number. Regardless, I'm more poised and professional than you will ever be."

"Says the ghost who decked a random guest for having squeaky shoes."

Amadeus's hair started to fire up. "Hey! He messed up the biggest recital in my entire life! As soon as that scoundrel walked into the Auditorium, he made me lose focus and I played the wrong notes! You could hear him squeak from across the continent! The audience mocked me before I could finish, and I'll never forgive him!"

"It was your high school talent show, for heaven's sake," Melody gave him a funny look.

His right eye twitched. "You don't know that," he whispered in denial.

"You're so overdramatic that it's funny how people think I have the worst temper. At least I'm more respectful towards strangers. You, on the other hand, like outsiders only when they praise you. It's like you always want to hog the spotlight for yourself."

"Don't you sass at me. Why am I even playing next to you in the first place?"

"Because when I discovered this piano, I couldn't resist playing. You heard me from your dressing room and found me. At first, you doubted my talents, and I've been here for the last hour or so to prove you wrong. Yet every time, you have to interrupt because you accuse me of not getting the tempo right, that I don't have a sense of rhythm, or that I don't play with enough passion. Well, sorry, Mr. Musical Mentor. I prefer to play the piano in my own way. Or maybe you're just jealous that I'm a better pianist," Melody smirked.

"Ugh. As if," Amadeus scoffed.

Luigi took another step closer to Toad until the wooden floors made a creaking sound. Disturbed, Amadeus turned around and detected the apprehensive plumber.

"Now what? Who dares to interfere with my musical presence this time?"

Melody shifted over and saw who he was talking about. "Oh, why if it isn't Luigi!"

"You know this mustached man?" he asked with a quizzical look.

"Of course I do! He was kind enough to listen to a few of my favorite sonatas before he sucked me into his vacuum."

"You've been captured by this buffoon? Hmm... I'd expect you would put up a decent fight against some pathetic carpenter... or whatever he is."

"Hey, get your professions right! He's a plumber, mind you!" Daisy jeered.

"Oh, great. Just what I desired. Some more guests to distract me from my music. Listen here, delinquents. I'm only here to provide quality entertainment to a massive crowd of people who will appreciate my piano skills. Instead, I get a sassy tomboy, an overenthusiastic pooch, and a dirty, old man who can't keep his legs still."

Luigi gulped as his knees temporarily stopped buckling. Colombo softly growled at the narcissistic musician.

"Don't take it too personally," Melody said to the protagonists. "He's quite a hotheaded man based on what I've perceived."

"Hotheaded?" Amadeus glared. "I'll show you hotheaded! If you can't manage to outdo this highly-strung Italian, I'll teach you all a lesson on how a proper fight should take place! Then I can go back to my sheet music in peace."

Amadeus tugged the ends of his sleeves before rapidly tapping the keys in a malevolent manner. He scared Luigi off the stage, and the staircase disappeared. Typically, it wouldn't hurt to get back onto the dais by climbing. However, a force field emanated across the edge of the stage. Case in point, Luigi tested to see if he could reach Toad, but the paranormal wall shocked his fingers.

"Yow! That stings!" he shook his hand.

"Ha ha ha!" Wolfgeist chuckled. "Prepare for a performance that will make you rise up from your seat. That is, if you could find one..."

"What are you insinuating?" Melody wondered as she watched him play.

Suddenly, the top-left row of chairs floated in the air, spooking Luigi. A few more rows rose from their spots before they started spinning around. Before Luigi or the others could tell what was going on, the first set of chairs plunged towards the green plumber. He didn't react in time and got knocked down by the unexpected move.

"Luigi!" Daisy cried out. She was about to head over to help him, but she saw the other seats home in on her. The princess rushed off to the side while Colombo turned invisible to avoid the third set.

By the time they smashed onto the floor, more of the chairs flew several feet in the air. The process repeated as Amadeus eagerly ran his hands over the piano keys. As he sped up the tempo, the chairs soared very quickly at the heroes. Luckily for Luigi, he got up in time and ran away from the crashes. The purple pianist tried to trick them by slowing the melody for a few seconds. Moments later, he swiped his hands from side to side as the remaining seats went in various directions to fool Luigi and his friends.

Melody spectated everything from her side of the bench. Admittedly, she didn't think Luigi was a bad person, especially when he fought her in the Conservatory of the first mansion. It wasn't like they were good acquaintances though. She merely shrugged and decided to join Amadeus who was in the middle of his chair attack.

Once all of the chairs were gone, the Auditorium was bare aside from the bags of popcorn, soda cups, and piles of broken planks, cushions, and dust. Luigi took a breather as he wiped some sweat off his forehead. Daisy went over to check on him.

"You okay?" she sounded concerned. Colombo approached them as well, cringing at the bruise he saw on his owner's left cheek.

"Augh... It felt like my jaw snapped or something."

"You even have a mark on there," Daisy caressed the spot, causing him to flinch. "Ooh, sorry."

"No, it's okay," he gently rubbed it.

"Bah, you're still alive?" Wolfgeist groaned in disapproval. He stretched his arms forward and cracked his fingers. "No matter. Time for my second act of the night. Maybe you'll get a kick out of the show. Or maybe I'll kick you out of my stage."

"What does that supposed to mean?" murmured Daisy.

Amadeus didn't answer her question as he began playing a new piece.

"Ah, yes. Time for the ballet recital," Melody noticed a few ghosts hiding behind the curtain. "Well, there's no need for me to join because it's all about the high-pitched notes. The stage is yours, Mr. Wolfgeist."

"Such a condescending tone. Were you trying to be sarcastic?"

"Maybe. Maybe not," she gawked at her nails.

Amadeus, despite not having any pupils, rolled his eyes as he continued. From the sides, there was a Goob with an eye mask and a tutu around his waist. He twirled around on stage while a Greenie appeared on the other side, sporting the same attire. The ghosts did some pirouettes and a couple of grand jetés. Eventually, they glided away from the piano, passing the permeable barrier.

"Those ghosts won't be blinded by the light if they have those masks on," E. Gadd commented. "You can either suck them up or do a Burst when you're nearby!"

"It's almost like them wearing sunglasses, so it's nothing new. We just have to keep an eye on our surroundings so nothing will creep us from behind," Daisy gripped the hose of the Poltergust 5000.

As they got closer, Luigi used a Burst to get rid of their masks. With their eyes unveiled, he and Daisy were able to shine their Strobulbs on the enemies. Luigi caught the Goob while Daisy focused on the Greenie. Colombo barked and jumped repeatedly to cheer for them. Simultaneously, Amadeus sped up the music whenever they started draining the ghosts' health. A couple slams onto the floor were sufficient to trap them in their Poltergusts.

By then, a new set of ghosts gyrated onto the stage. They were Ghost Guys, some Shy Guy-like ghosts who also wore masks to conceal their faces for obvious reasons.

"We'll have to suck off the masks if we want to shine the light on them," explained Luigi. "I hate to invade their privacy, but that's the only way we can defeat them."

"I wonder if these guys have faces like the normal Shy Guys."

"Trust me. You don't want to see what they look like from behind," he recalled the one time he saw his true appearance during a tennis tournament.

Colombo panted happily as he decided to join the Ghost Guys in their dance. But secretly, he wanted to get them closer to the humans so they can get in range of their masks. Hopping on his hind legs, he coaxed one of them towards Daisy. She saw what the Polterpup was doing and chose to stand around casually. By the time the Ghost Guy was a few feet in front of her, she took out the hose and dragged the disguise off his cloak. The poor soul was distraught and tried to hide his face with his stubby hands but to no avail. Daisy got a hold of the Ghost Guy before slamming him repeatedly onto the floor. Colombo did the same procedure with Luigi as he took down an orange Ghost Guy. The more ghosts they defeated, the more frustrated Amadeus became. He didn't say a word because he didn't want to stop the music. Yet it was difficult to keep a straight face when Luigi and Daisy were ruining his show.

After all of the dancers were trapped, Amadeus turned to the humans in disgust. "Why?! Why are you still here?!"

"Hey, it's not our fault the ghosts were harmless ballerinas," Daisy countered. "Besides we needed to clear the area so it's not infested!"

"The only ones infesting my stage are you inhumane rascals!" Wolfgeist banged his fists against the keys. The loud, discordant sound made everyone jump. Additionally, his hair and aura turned into an inferno as his temper boiled.

"My goodness, Amadeus. Keep yourself in control," Melody tried to calm him down.

"I don't need your input!" he pointed a finger at her. "I think it's time for these fools to face the music – literally!"

Slamming the ivory keys once more, Amadeus furiously opened the lid and flew inside the grand instrument. At this point, Melody thought he was turning into a loose cannon.

"What are you doing?" Amadeus peeked his head at her.

"I should be asking you that question!"

"I'm going to possess my piano and turn it into a coffin for those ghost-catching freaks! Are you going to join me or not?"

"What makes you think that I want to help you?"

Amadeus thought for a few seconds. "I'll give you some unique lessons to become one of the greatest piano masters of the world."

"Really? That's the best you have to offer?" Melody crossed her arms. Then, she formed a devious smirk. "Tell you what. I'll be your fighting partner... if you admit that I'm just as talented as you are."

"What?"

"Or rather, I'm more poised and professional at the piano than you."

"Excuse me?!" his hair started burning again.

"That's all I want to hear. Of course, you don't have to say it. But if you're going against Luigi and his friends by yourself, I can foresee a fate that's worse than a month of detention for knocking a stranger senseless."

"My detention lasted for three weeks!" Wolfgeist angrily corrected.

"I rest my case."

A gruff sigh escaped his lips as he couldn't believe that Melody was embarrassingly taunting him. He never felt this humiliated before, but he considered this situation just as repulsive now that he was a ghost.

"You, Melody Pianissima, are a more poised and professional musician compared to me," he choked on the last few words.

"Was that so hard to say? Actually, don't answer that. I'll engage in your battle. I expect this to be more invigorating than my flying sheet music!"

Amadeus smirked as he watched Melody fly into the interior. The possessed piano started shaking violently before it started banging the floor loudly. Luigi and Daisy had to cover their ears from the inharmonious notes. Then, two lights flashed above the keys, representing a pair of pupils that stared menacingly at the ghost hunters. Either take it metaphorically or literally, the piano roared inside the Auditorium, eager to bite or pounce on anyone who approached it.

"Mamma Mia! Now this feels like Big Boo's Haunt all over again!" Luigi chattered his teeth.

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo barked when the piano leaped high into the air. Amadeus and Melody guided the piano to where they stood.

"RUN!" Daisy screamed.

Everyone split up as the bosses went to various spots on the floor. They narrowly evaded the face that crashed into the ground. The only easy way to know where they would land was the spotlight that was following the possessed instrument. After several hops, the piano landed in the center and caused a massive shockwave. Daisy didn't have the Burst move with the Poltergust 5000, so Colombo rushed over and touched her with his paw to turn invisible. Luigi was able to soar over the attack.

The piano bounced back onto the stage and rumbled in its spot. Suddenly, Melody and Amadeus lifted the lid and threw multiple bombs at their opponents.

"Geez! If there was a real audience to witness this performance, they wouldn't make it out of this concert alive!" Daisy yelled as she ran to the side.

"Maybe we can use these bombs to retaliate! I've done this a few times before!"

"So what do we do?"

Luigi noticed the open lid of the piano. "Suck the bombs into the nozzle and shoot them in the piano! That might get those two out of there!"

Daisy understood and used the suction to hold one of the bombs. Luigi took one that was blinking in red since there weren't any others in his range. He was trying to get rid of it before it detonated on himself. He aligned the bomb at the cover and shot the explosive weapon. Daisy had more than enough time since hers didn't blink repeatedly. Thanks to her technical skills, she shot the bomb immediately after Luigi's. The two landed in the lid, exploding the entire instrument. Some ghostly shrieks came from inside the lid as the piano landed on its side.

"Gah! That burns!" Amadeus yelled in pain.

"No kidding! I think I'm regretting my decision now," Melody muttered.

"What does that supposed to mean?!"

Before she could answer, Luigi ran to the edge of the platform and noticed a circular mark on the underside. Since the piano was leaning past the paranormal wall, he was able to use a Suction Shot. Luigi somehow yanked it off the stage despite its heavy weight. The slam forced the ghosts out of the lid. Melody became dazed as her head spun; on the other hand, Amadeus yelled in frustration with his hair sticking out in various directions like snakes on Medusa's head.

At least no one turned into stone for staring at his face.

"Daisy, you go for Melody. I'll take care of Amadeus!"

She winked at her partner. "You got it!"

Amadeus was frozen when Luigi attacked with the Strobulb. He put up a strong fight as the plumber struggled to keep his balance. Colombo helped his owner by tugging on the leg of his overalls, giving Luigi some leverage to keep Wolfgeist within his grasp. Once the meter was charged, the musician was slammed repeatedly until he could finally get away from the G-00. Daisy was able to tire out Melody for a while until she escaped, too. They repossessed the piano as another discordant tune shattered their eardrums.

"I think I'm going to be deaf by the time we finish this fight!" Daisy complained.

"More like you're going to be dead like us! Might as well cross over into the afterlife!" Amadeus growled from inside the piano.

Several black and white keys floated from the keyboard before they launched in different directions. Daisy and Colombo evaded the projectiles, but a black key hit Luigi in the nose.

"Owie! Come on! What's with my luck?"

The killer piano maneuvered in the same way where Amadeus and Melody attempted to land on either Luigi or Daisy. Much to the former's chagrin, they were unharmed throughout the second phase. The piano hopped onto the stage again and released more bombs at the heroes. Additionally, some burning music notes bounced around as extra traps.

"Wash, rinse, and repeat," Daisy chanted to herself, sucking up one of the explosives. She aimed it perfectly at the lid to tilt the piano on the side. It was Luigi's turn to do some action as he utilized another Suction Shot and jerked the plunger as the piano collapsed a second time.

"Grrr! This is exactly why I despise strangers! They always ruin my performance no matter what they do!" Wolfgeist grunted, curling his fingers into tight fists. He planned to clout Luigi in the eye, but the man in green beat him to the punch, no pun intended.

Amadeus got caught in the G-00's nozzle again. This time, he had more difficulty escaping the suction power as Luigi kept his grip. Melody also got stuck in Daisy's vacuum before she started a chain of slams. Her health depleted faster than she expected.

"It seems like I'll have to take my final bow!" she realized her fate. In a few seconds, the female spirit was trapped in the 5000.

"That's one down!"

"Good job, Daisy!" Luigi called from the other side of the room.

That left Amadeus Wolfgeist who couldn't care less about Melody's loss. "Just because she's not here anymore doesn't mean that I'm at a disadvantage! I'll get my revenge on you, Green 'Stache!"

"Really? First Bowser, and now you call me that?"

"Prepare for your last act!"

Instead of controlling his piano a third time, he grabbed some more bombs from the lid and hurled them at the plumber. Colombo jumped in front and deflected a few with his paws. When that didn't work, he propelled some streaks of fire from his aura so he could burn Luigi. As he solely focused on him, Amadeus failed to notice that Daisy was sneaking behind with one of the bombs attached to her vacuum. She didn't hold back as she fired the weapon at his head.

"GAH!"

Smirking, Daisy ran up to him and flashed the Strobulb. Luigi went over to assist her as they both tugged on his tail and dress shirt. They collaborated with multiple double slams until Amadeus lost his energy to escape. Half of his body was stuck in the G-00.

"Drat! I'll never forgive you for this!" Despite his resentment, he gave a formal bow before allowing himself to get sucked inside. As Luigi's vacuum shook, a new elevator button extracted out of the hose and landed in the middle of the Auditorium.

"Oh, bravo!" Luigi picked up the collectible. It shined brightly with a '6' marked on it.

"Great job catching that egomaniac, Luigi," the princess patted him on the shoulder. "Not gonna lie, I was getting tired of his antics."

He tucked the button in his pocket. "Thanks, Daisy. You did a good job, too! Although, I think Melody deserved better since she wasn't as evil or angry as Amadeus."

"I guess so, but it's better safe than sorry that she also won't cause any mayhem."

"You have a point."

"Ruff!" Colombo was over at the edge of the platform. Since Amadeus and Melody were gone, the shocking wall dissipated. The Polterpup reactivated the stairs by kicking the wall and opening the compartment.

"Cool! Now we can go rescue Toad!"

Luigi and Daisy walked onto the stage without any hazards in their way. The former shined the Dark-Light onto the portrait for a few seconds until Toad emerged out of his prison.

"Wah!" the mushroom retainer squealed while landing on his head. "Ow! That's the second time I've landed like that. At least my head acts as a cushion."

"Are you okay, Toad?" Luigi leaned over to check on him.

"Huh? Hey, Luigi! You saved me!" he jumped into his arms with glee.

"Oh!" the man caught him, nearly falling backward. Daisy chuckled at the sight. "Y-You're welcome, Toad. Good to see that you're fine," he set his friend down.

"I sure am, thanks to you!" He then looked over to where the Sarasaland princess stood. "Whoa, Daisy! I didn't expect to see you here. Now that I mention that, why are you here in The Last Resort?"

"It's a long story, but I'll explain it to you later."

"Well, the important thing is that I'm free! You won't believe how much I missed you, Luigi. When King Boo crept into our hotel room, I saw Blue and Yellow stuck in paintings. Wait... Oh no! What happened to them?! And what about Mario and Princess Peach?!"

"C-Calm down, Red. To say the least, everyone has been kidnapped except for me. You're the first one we've found so far in the hotel."

"Oh, boy. That's both good and bad news. It's good that I'm alive, but I'm worried about our other friends."

"Yeah, I'm with you. I'm more concerned about Mario though." Daisy rubbed his shoulder in remorse while Colombo frowned.

Another notification sound rang from the VB's microphone. "I'm confident you'll find the others in no time, Luigi," E. Gadd reassured. "For now, one of the Toads has been rescued. It's probably best for him to stay with me in my lab."

"I'm okay with that. After all, I'm not a huge fan of haunted places, especially when they're swarming with ghosts!"

"How do you think I feel?" Luigi raised an eyebrow.

"At least you're braver than me. Take that as a major compliment!" said Toad.

"Might as well head for the elevator then. I also want you guys to stop by the lab for a minute or two. I'd like to explain something else that should be very important in your adventure."

"You got it, Professor!" Daisy told him. "Is everyone else ready?"

"I am!" Toad gave a thumbs-up.

"Ruff!" added Colombo.

Luigi smiled and gave a silent nod as he led everyone out of the Auditorium. Thankfully, there weren't any hidden ghosts to frighten the party, most notably Luigi and Red Toad. The four reached the lift and entered inside. Before they left for the Basement, a security camera zoomed in at the elevator, pointing directly at Luigi before he disappeared from the closing doors.


Location: 15F – Master Suite

Inside her room, Hellen Gravely was sitting in front of her display of monitors, observing the confident smile on her VIP's face. She didn't mirror his expression. It was the complete opposite.

A Goob and a Greenie wearing hotel hats were floating on the other side of her desk. Although they couldn't see her, they could tell from her body language that she was enraged. They made a couple sounds to each other before they got interrupted by their boss.

"I can hear you, so you better stop," she ordered indignantly. "I've told you and the other ghosts to keep my target from progressing further up in my hotel. Yet you incompetent pests can't do anything! Not even the Portrait Ghosts are contributing. They were too busy playing a stupid ballerina recital, for heaven's sake! I am not a patient woman, so I will tell you to spread the message again. Stop Luigi now or get yourself stuck in his wretched vacuum because I won't bother to save any of you. Now go!"

The ghosts immediately understood as they nervously exited her vault.

Hellen's fingers curled that her nails were scratching her Polterkitty a bit too hard. The feline flinched for a second, yet she remained in her owner's lap.

"Hrrgh... I'm sick of that dirty plumber and his overzealous princess sucking up my staff members. If this continues to be a trend, I'm going to lose it. I want that man to suffer!" she dug her nails through her pet.

"MEOW!" Polterkitty screeched. Even though she was a ghost, the cat felt as though she received some scratch marks on her transparent skin. Polterkitty was a bit irritated that Hellen didn't acknowledge the fact that she unintentionally hurt her. Shaking her head, she hopped off her lap and went over to her bowl, drinking some milk. Glancing back at the purple ghost, Hellen was still transfixed on her televisions. The cat stared in disapproval before she rested on a separate chair.

"I'll never receive King Boo's praise if my workers can't meet my expectations. I can only imagine the disgusted look on his face right now."

Little did Hellen know that her idol was behind her, completely invisible. He hovered in the corner of the Observation Room. Indeed, he was not pleased with her or the ghosts that failed to stop his green-clad nemesis. He refrained from making any noise or else Hellen would know he was spying on her. King Boo quietly departed through the wall in dissatisfaction.

"Is she really up to the task of capturing Luigi?" he asked himself. "I'm starting to have my doubts. I'll give her some more chances, but I won't be easy on her if she's consistently fruitless."

King Boo used his magical crown to summon a valuable object. It was the painting that had Mario trapped inside. His frown soon curved up into a malicious smile.

"At least I still have you. It's satisfying to know that I can handle your shenanigans better than the Koopa tyrant. All I need now is your cowardly brother."

END OF CHAPTER


So, one suggestion that has been asked by a few people is to add some lore to the Boss Ghosts since we don't know too much about their history. I gave out a few details regarding Amadeus Wolfgeist, whom I characterized as a stubborn, self-centered musician with a lack of patience. Eventually, I'll dedicate a chapter to thoroughly explain the past of all the ghosts Luigi and Daisy have captured. Unfortunately, it won't happen until much later.

Secondly, Melody made a lot of sense to use for a dual battle on this floor. However, this won't be the only time Luigi and Daisy will have a fight in The Great Stage. The reason why will be revealed in the next chapter. Anyway, I hope I didn't write her out of character.

That will conclude Ch. 10 of Hotel Horror. Although Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo have rescued a Toad and retrieved another elevator button, they won't head to 6F yet. E. Gadd has something in mind before they can progress. Until then, you'll see what he has to say in the next one. Let me know how this one went, and leave a favorite/follow to catch up on future updates. This is TGN, signing off.