A/N: The good news is that I did fine on my latest exam which was taken online. The bad news is that I'm still not exempt from work. The only positive out of this is that my wage went up for the time being. But when I'm not working or studying, I try to get back to writing.
Thanks to you guys, Hotel Horror has now reached 80 favorites, 75 followers, and 25,000+ views! I'm thankful for all of your support. Now let's get moving as we resume our Boo scavenger hunt! Along the way, we'll encounter some more Portrait Ghosts!
Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Luigi's Mansion or the Mario characters.
Chapter 12: Boo-ting Gallery
Location: 3F – Hotel Shops
As he shifted his thoughts about Mario off to the side, Luigi paid attention to his Poltergust as he waited for a vibration from Gooigi. By the time he, Colombo, and Daisy exited the elevator, the Goo remained stationary. Not a single movement indicated that a Boo was hiding in the Elevator Hall. Even when he ambled near the restrooms, Gooigi didn't react whatsoever.
"If that Boo isn't in this area, he has to be in the shops," the man in green deduced.
"Or he could be hiding in the Security Office," Daisy proposed.
"That's true. Colombo, do you have any leads?"
Although the Polterpup can't detect Boos as well as the Goo, he started sniffing near the revolving door. His nose picked up some kind of scent, but Colombo couldn't figure out who or what was nearby. He let out a soft bark before heading towards the mall.
Daisy and Luigi promptly followed the ghost as they reached the west half of the floor. Immediately, they spotted Colombo inside the Boutique. He moseyed around the perimeter until he stopped at the back corner. Beside him was a tassel. He didn't recall seeing it there before. Then again, he and Gooigi were more focused on the key before it got stolen by the horde of Mini Goobs. Feeling suspicious, Colombo yapped at his owner.
"I think that's a cue for you to become Gooigi," Daisy assumed.
"Whatever he found, it could either be important or trivial. My only problem is that the vibration doesn't feel strong here."
"Might as well check at least."
Luigi nodded and pressed the green button on his vacuum. As Gooigi ejected out of the Poltergust, he entered inside and joined his pet. He got a hold of the tassel and walked back until he couldn't go any further. At the same time, Gooigi could've sworn he heard something behind the wall. Once he tugged on the rope, the barrier disappeared, revealing a secret changing room with a mirror. To their surprise, a ghost was inside.
It was a pale blue ghost with tiny, yellow eyes, plump cheeks, and a brown jacket. He was staring at his reflection, unaware of Gooigi and Colombo standing near him.
Suddenly, a scream echoed from the Virtual Boo's microphone. "Gah! Who's that?!"
Luigi's sleeping body didn't react whatsoever since he was controlling his gooey counterpart. However, he was able to hear Toad's shriek. "Did you have to scream that loud?!"
"Huh? Who's there?" the spirit turned to his left. "Bah! Excuse me! Can't a man have some privacy here?!" he shook a fist in the air.
"Why, that's Uncle Grimmly!" E. Gadd acknowledged. "I know he's a fan of mirrors and rooms with a variety of clothing, but even I didn't expect him to be here! Nonetheless, he's another Portrait Ghost that Hellen and his staff released from my collection!"
"I recognize that voice from anywhere. It's that nutty, old professor!" Grimmly's pupils narrowed.
"Did he just call me, 'nutty'?"
"He also called you, 'old'," Red Toad whispered.
"...You didn't have to mention that."
"Where is that rusty chap? How is he even talking when he's nowhere around you creeps?!"
"Hey, who are you calling a creep? There's a mirror right in front of you, in case you haven't noticed!" Daisy quipped.
Grimmly floated over to her without exiting the Boutique. He gave her a disapproving glare through the metal gate. "Aren't you supposed to be a princess with that crown on your head? I would expect better behavior and proper attire from a lady like you."
"My royal status may come first, but I've got more important things to deal with first. I'm here to help my friends escape from this haunted hotel! And ghosts like you are the reason why we're here to stop this madness!"
"What did I even do to disturb you?"
"We have to get you back into your painting with the others. If I could break into the store, I would suck you up without even batting my eyelids."
"Pfft! I'll believe that when a Goomba can grow arms! You don't intimidate me, missy. In fact, you should be frightened by my crankiness and hair-raising appearance! It's why I drift alone around these parts."
"Yeah, that's the reason why you're isolated."
"By gum, you have no manners!"
Daisy was about to retort again, but then she noticed Gooigi tiptoeing behind the ghost. Somehow, he wasn't able to hear the soft, sloshing sounds of his gooey boots. Gooigi silently charged the Strobulb. The orange princess chose to turn away and cover her eyes so she won't be blinded.
"Ha! You are afraid of me! Of course, no one knows that better than me. Now then- GAH!"
"That's where you're totally wrong. Daisy doesn't get scared of ghosts; I do! But that won't stop me from getting them out of the way!" Gooigi grunted as he began tugging on Grimmly's tail.
"Augh! That suction power is stronger than the old vacuum. This is not fair!" the ghost flailed his arms.
Gooigi struggled to keep his feet planted on the floor, so Colombo tugged on his leg without accidentally eating the Goo. Keeping him steady, he let Gooigi do the rest. The clone in green walloped Uncle Grimmly without breaking any of the tables and displays. The pale ghost escaped out of the hose after a few slams, but he instantly became fatigued. He wasn't as fast as he used to be. Grimmly tried to stay invisible so he could avoid the Poltergust. However, Colombo recognized his scent, eagerly sniffing with his nose. The dog realized he was heading outside of the Boutique, sneaking behind Daisy.
"Ruff! Ruff!"
The princess didn't understand until Grimmly reappeared with his hands in the air – as if he was trying to trap her. She emitted a weak flash of the Strobulb out of impulse. Even from that, Uncle Grimmly was immobile.
"Daisy! Now's your chance!" yelled Gooigi.
She got the message and used her Poltergust 5000 to suck Uncle Grimmly. The ghost screamed in agony as he couldn't get away.
"You'll regret this, I'll tell you! You better let me go!"
"In your dreams, Uncle Creepy!" Daisy snarled before slamming him into the bushes. By then, he was officially trapped inside her vacuum. Colombo rejoined her outside the Boutique, barking happily at her. Gooigi pressed the button twice on his vacuum to return inside the G-00. Luigi's body awoken as a result.
"Good job taking care of him. I thought I lost him for a second."
"Glad I could back you guys up!"
"It just goes to show that you exhibit amazing teamwork," E. Gadd praised. "I'm satisfied you were able to capture another ghost from the first mansion. All that's left is the Boo on this floor."
"I don't feel the Goo reacting down here. It has to be hiding upstairs somewhere," Luigi assumed.
"Might as well head on up there! I'll let you guys do your thing as always!"
Once the professor left the call, the trio rode the escalator to the upper level. They didn't perceive any vibrations when they reached the Gift Shop, the Accessories, or the Coffee Shop. The last place they haven't searched was the Security Office. True to their suspicions, the Goo reacted significantly when they re-entered Kruller's resting area. They checked the safe, the desk, and the security cameras, but the Boo didn't reveal himself in any of those spots.
"He might be hiding inside the Lost and Found. You and Colombo will have to take care of this one, too."
"You're probably right. Let's go, boy," Luigi said before falling asleep. Gooigi came out of the tank and squished through the bars. Colombo hopped through with ease as the two deliberately searched through the assorted mess. Their first instinct was to search inside the trash cans. When they had no luck, Daisy suggested checking underneath the boxes. Gooigi's body jiggled as he went to the southeast of the Lost and Found. Colombo tipped the cardboard box with his nose. Sure enough, the Boo in 3F came into view.
"Hi-yah! I'm Kung Boo! Bow to your sensei if you want to live!"
Neither Gooigi nor Colombo had any plans to surrender or obey the white ghost. They waited around as the former shined his Dark-Light Device. Daisy helped by shining her own through the metal gate. While she couldn't cover a large area, nor could she shine towards the back of the room, the princess didn't want to be left out. Luckily, she was able to pinpoint the Boo's location as she exposed him.
"Luigi! Er, I mean, Gooigi! He's right here!"
He heard Daisy's call and appreciated her help with a thumbs-up. Gooigi quickly ran over to Kung Boo and tugged on his tongue. Ten slams later, the Boo whined before making a scowl.
"Grr! That's no way to respect your teacher! You don't want to suffer a cruel fate with my martial arts skills, do you?"
"Since when do you know martial arts?" doubted Gooigi.
"You're underestimating me just because I'm a Boo, huh?"
"I never said that!" he raised his hands in defense.
Kung Boo growled before he disappeared. Gooigi ran around the Lost and Found as he felt his body vibrate again. Seconds later, he caught the Boo in the northwest corner with his Dark-Light. Grabbing his tongue once more, the green clone grunted every time he smashed the Boo onto the floor, causing the miscellaneous items to fly all over the place with the gold bars Kung Boo left.
"You conniving, jelly monster! If I had my samurai swords, I would easily cut your gooey head off your body!"
"That's a bit too graphic for my taste, but there's just one problem."
"And what's that?!"
Gooigi simply stared at the ghost, whose tongue was still stuck inside the hose. "Omae wa mou shindeiru."
Kung Boo's eyes shrunk in fear as he realized what he said.
"Nani?!" He squealed loudly when Gooigi sucked him inside the vacuum. After his quick battle, Gooigi reunited with Daisy and his dozing self before he went back into the container.
"Never in a million years would I expect you to say that line," Daisy smirked.
"Did I sound cringy when I mentioned it?" his shoulders slouched.
"We'll let the others decide that."
"Others?"
Daisy chuckled. "You're so funny, Luigi. Come on! Let's head back to the Great Stage!"
Luigi was still puzzled as he watched Daisy run ahead. He stared down at the Polterpup who simply panted next to his leg. Shrugging to himself, he and Colombo followed Daisy to the elevator. Before they could advance, they captured a pair of Purple Punchers that blocked their way. Unfortunately, the spirits were no match for the plumber, the princess, and the Polterpup.
Location: 4F – The Great Stage
Not too long ago, the ghostbusting trio was able to catch Melody and Amadeus in the floor's Auditorium. Luigi assumed the place would be peaceful and quiet, but another faint tune rang in his ears.
"That's odd. Who could be playing this time?"
"Can you recall any other ghost who can play the piano? Or do you think Red Toad decided to carelessly head back up here for an encore?"
"As far as I know, he doesn't play the piano. Nor can he drive a bus properly," he shuddered.
Going down the corridor again, Luigi was relieved that a Goob wasn't messing up the carpet like before. But the lights shining over the picture frames and instrument displays started blinking. He wasn't sure if some new ghosts were around the area or if the light bulbs were defective. He and the others returned to the Auditorium, pushing the giant, golden doors open. The empty spacing was the same as before since all of the chairs broke from Amadeus's fury. However, a new piano stood center stage as the keys moved up and down, creating a melodious yet ominous tune.
"Am I experiencing déjà vu or something?" Daisy raised an eyebrow. "Who exactly is playing if Amadeus and Melody are caught?"
Suddenly, a pair of tall ghosts materialized in the middle of the Auditorium. One was a woman with a long-sleeved green dress. The other was a male who wore a red jacket, a purple shirt, and a bowtie. They were known as the Floating Whirlindas, a.k.a. the Dancing Couple. Luigi once encountered this duo in the first mansion's Ballroom.
"I must say, this is a perfect place for us to waltz around, right, darling?" Mrs. Whirlinda batted her green eyes.
"Indeed," Mr. Whirlinda. This feels a lot more spacious to dance. I feel like I'm in my twenties again! How I miss dancing with you."
"I feel the same way, my wonderful, handsome hubby."
"And you're nothing but beautiful, my sweet green bean."
Luigi stuck out his tongue in disgust. "Bleh, I think I'm gonna be sick."
"What's wrong with dancing?"
"I'm not a dancer myself. But it's not just that. I'm more uncomfortable with the whole love talk."
"Well, someday you're gonna have to deal with my sweet nothings by the time I marry you," the princess grinned at him, her eyes half-lidded.
"Excuse me?!" Luigi's face flushed in red.
"Yeah! Then I'll force you to get on your feet and show everyone your cool moves on the dance floor!"
"D-Daisy! Do you even know what you're saying?!"
"I'm just kidding with you again, Luigi! I know we hang around often, but it's too early to talk about that. I'm just saying it hypothetically, you know?"
"O-Oh..." he scratched his head in embarrassment. "...I knew that."
"Sure you do," she snorted.
"Excuse us!" Mr. Whirlinda hollered, catching their attention. "We're having a moment with our dancing, and you are interrupting it!"
"Can't you buzz off and have your annoying conversation elsewhere?" Mrs. Whirlinda muttered.
"Wait a second," the husband got a closer look at the man in green. Luigi leaned back with his hands clenched at his hips. His teeth chattered as he failed to keep his composure. "Why, it's that green-hatted gent we saw a long time ago! He managed to figure out how to capture us and ruined our dance!"
Mrs. Whirlinda soon recognized his face, too. "I believe you're right! What are you even doing here?!"
"Well originally, we were supposed to-"
"Ah ah ah! I want an answer from this man, not you," Mr. Whirlinda demanded.
"Fine. Be that way," Daisy scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
"So, little man, what's your deal?"
"Um..." Luigi stuttered.
"Come on! Out with it!" Mrs. Whirlinda was losing patience.
"W-We were revisiting the floors of this hotel to find some B-Boos. We already found some in the levels below this one. N-Now we're here to find the Boo on this floor."
"Do you believe this man, darling?" the woman glanced at her significant other.
"No. No, I don't," her husband bluntly replied. "Now, please excuse us from our moment, would you? We don't need any more distractions."
"What happened to the music anyway?" Mrs. Whirlinda shifted her gaze to the stage.
By then, a different spirit emerged on top of the piano bench. It was an orange ghoul with an oversized noggin. A disgruntled sound came from the ghost as he stopped playing for the past few minutes. He was clearly bothered by the fact his guests were unfocused.
Luigi recognized him as the Poltergeist. During his Dark Moon quest, he initially encountered the ghost in the Gloomy Manor's library after E. Gadd detected some paranormal activity. More specifically, they heard piano music playing. It sort of made sense to him that the Poltergeist was the one playing the composition this time. Similar to the other Evershade ghosts, the Poltergeist wasn't able to speak English. Instead, he made some noises, asking if he could continue his piece.
"Yes, please do," Mr. Whirlinda nodded. "Now leave us alone. If you try to pull any dirty tricks on us, we will haunt you in your sleep!"
"Please. I've gone through scarier things in my nightmares," Daisy placed her hands on her hips.
"Don't influence them!" Luigi whined. "They're gonna make mine a living hell!"
Meanwhile, Colombo snuck past the Whirlindas and climbed onto the stage. He turned invisible so the Poltergeist wouldn't see him. Earlier, when Luigi and Daisy were arguing with the ghosts, he was the only one who noticed the Goo somewhat reacting. His initial thought was that the Boo was hiding somewhere in the stage or in Amadeus's dressing room. Staying quiet, the Polterpup hopped through the door.
The orange ghost returned to his musical piece as the Floating Whirlindas twirled around the Auditorium. Luigi recalled that these ghosts were vulnerable when they executed a dance pose. However, the Whirlindas became hidden so they wouldn't be exposed to the ghost hunters. He prompted Daisy to have their backs face them until they were visible again. Despite this, he had an uncanny feeling that another ghost was going to sneak up from behind and scare the crap out of him.
It's only happened... well, almost every time.
Luigi remained patient as he heard the notes echo in the large hall. He carefully took a peek over his shoulder as the ghosts waltzed from one side to the other. The Whirlindas conjoined hands with each other before they each leaned back from their move. That was when Luigi acted quickly and shined the Strobulb.
"D'oh!"
"Eek!"
Daisy heard the shrieks and joined Luigi's side. They each grabbed a tail into their vacuums. The princess got a hold of the wife while Luigi took care of the husband. They simultaneously slammed each of them on the ground until they were separated from each other.
"If you're gonna catch me, you better let my wife remain unharmed!" Mr. Whirlinda boomed furiously.
"Yeah, about that..." Daisy innocently remarked.
"Darling! She won't let me go!"
"You'll both pay for this!"
Luigi and Daisy trapped the spouses in their vacuums, officially ending their dance. When the Poltergeist realized the couple was gone, he was both disturbed and frustrated. Using his telekinesis powers, he sought revenge by levitating the sheet music from the piano stand. He dispersed them in different directions. Luigi yelped as one of them nearly gave him a paper cut on his cheek. Thankfully, he evaded the attack and vacuumed up the sheets. When that didn't work, he broke the piano keys and shot them at the ghost hunters. The plumber used his Burst to stop them from flying towards him and Daisy. The princess ran up to the stage and tried to flash him. She was unsuccessful when the Poltergeist grabbed a book and blocked the attack.
"Luigi! Help me out here!" she beckoned.
"If you can shoot a plunger at the book, that should make him vulnerable to your flashlights!" E. Gadd recommended.
The man followed his instructions and ran over to Daisy's side. Aiming with the Suction Shot, he was able to fire a plunger off the face of the hardcover. He tugged on the rope to get rid of the Poltergeist's shield.
"Thanks, Luigi! Now it's time for his curtain call!"
The big-brained spirit squawked from the flash as he got stuck in the Poltergust 5000. Once she got a full meter of power, Daisy thumped him against the piano, destroying the entire instrument. The Poltergeist growled in discontent as he was now stuck with the female dancer.
"I bet Mr. Whirlinda won't be happy that a different ghost is with his wife," Daisy joked.
"That'll be very awkward," Luigi commented before waving it off. "Now that we're finished with those ghosts, we have to find the Boo."
From within the Dressing Room, they heard Colombo bark loudly. The two rushed over in time as they spotted Colombo growling. The reason why floated in front of him.
"Ta-da! I'm Boogie! Ain't this hotel pretty swanky?! You better say 'yes' because it is, especially when our king is awaiting your imminent doom!"
"We'll see about that when we trap you and your fat, freaky ruler!" exclaimed Daisy.
"Hey, King Boo isn't fat! He's just... big. And spherical. Yeah, spherical!"
As Boogie went into hiding, Luigi and Daisy tried to track him down with the Dark-Light. To their benefit, they didn't have to cover a lot of ground unlike the Lost and Found. Luigi unveiled Boogie near the piano in the back corner. He slammed his body onto the carpet as gold coins spawned from the hits. Daisy didn't give Boogie a chance to escape as she also grabbed the tongue with her hose. Copying Luigi's actions, she caught Boogie bouncing off the nozzle before he got stuck.
"Reee! I failed you, Your Ghostliness!"
Daisy wiped her forehead once she was finished. "Man, I honestly think that's the easiest Boo we've caught so far."
"As long as we keep up this pace, catching all of them will be easier than I thought," Luigi noted with a grin. "And good job finding that Boo, Colombo!"
"Arf! Arf!" He gave his owner another lick on the cheek.
Location: 5F – RIP Suites
Minutes later, the trio reached the fifth floor once again as they searched for their sixth Boo in the Last Resort. Luigi opted to head down the hallway where his suite was, but the Goo didn't indicate anything near Rooms 501 through 503. They soon backtracked to the eastern hallway, but not before they took down some Golden Ghosts, Goobs, and Greenies that flooded the RIP Suites. Going past 504, 505, and 506, Luigi was running out of places to explore. That was until he stopped in front of 507, the unfinished flat. As the vacuum shook from the Goo inside, the plumber had an inkling he was finally on the right track.
Entering the room with Daisy and Colombo, they were surprised to see most of the construction equipment was pushed off to the side. In the corner was a female ghost. She had well-groomed blonde hair, a pink bathrobe, and lots of makeup. The spirit was known as Lydia, the Mirror Gazing Mother. But instead of seeing her reflection in a mirror, the ghost was peeking out the window while standing next to a crib.
"That's odd. I don't remember seeing that here," Luigi thought.
Simultaneously, Lydia was carrying something, or rather somebody, in her arms.
Luigi barely caught a glimpse of a baby's face. But it wasn't just any baby. It was Chauncey. This spoiled apparition threatened to kill the plumber with his toys after shrinking him inside his crib. He was known for having temper tantrums and being jealous of adults who were taller than him.
Even though he was just an infant, Chauncey gave the plumber nightmares. He was the reason why he never stepped foot near a rattle or a rocking horse.
Suddenly, another ghost emerged from the bathroom. Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo quickly hid behind the work table as they watched a male floated over to the woman. It was Neville, otherwise known as Lydia's husband and Chauncey's father. The tall, lean ghost wore a blue bathrobe and was carrying a novel in his hands. Luigi recalled that he was quite a bookworm.
"How's Chauncey doing?" Neville whispered to his spouse.
Lydia sighed. "He's finally asleep. It felt like an eternity since he wouldn't stop fussing."
"I mean, he can be restless. He's the youngest of our family after all."
"Which reminds me, where did Henry and Orville go?" Lydia referred to their twin boys.
"The last time I saw them, they were fooling around in the movie department on the eighth floor. They wanted to explore more of the hotel, so I let them go."
"You mean you left them unattended?!" she hissed.
"Excuse me, but don't pretend that I'm the irresponsible parent. Need I remind you that you lost the boys in the Hotel Shops because you were busy fantasizing about your hair growing longer!"
"Well, I had this new dress I got from the Boutique, and I thought it didn't look nice on me unless I grew more of my hair out. I have to keep it not just clean and beautiful, but also have it at the perfect length!"
"And that's a bigger priority than looking after our sons?"
"You know, I'm not the only one who's negligent. You are always in the middle of some cheap, fantasy book that no one cares about. Because you're so entranced, you also lose our children to go wandering off to who knows where!"
"Lydia, keep your voice down. You're gonna wake the baby," Neville enunciated.
"What about yourself? You tend to burst out loudly on numerous occasions."
"God, I know my parents can be strict, but I would hate to have them as my mother and father," Daisy spat in disgust.
Luigi felt the same way back when he and Mario were kids. Pushing that trivial thought aside, he continued to hear the parents quarrel. More importantly, the Goo in his vacuum juddered. It was impossible to search for the Boo without getting caught by either Lydia, Neville, or both. Rather than hide forever, Luigi went for a bold move. He took a nearby wrench from a toolbox and threw it towards the wardrobe. The clanging sound on the carpet caught their attention.
"What was that?" Neville set his book down on the dresser. Lydia carefully set Chauncey down in the crib to follow her husband. The male ghost leaned over and picked up the metal tool off the floor. "I don't remember seeing this here."
"Do you think that someone is trying to pull a prank on us?"
"If so, it's neither funny nor clever."
With their backs still facing them, Luigi quickly tiptoed over to the parents. He got his Strobulb ready to stun them. However, while he managed to frighten Lydia and Neville with the flashlight, it woke Chauncey up who started screaming.
Neville was displeased when he spotted the green plumber again. But he was more annoyed at the fact that his son was bawling.
"You meddlesome ghost hunter! I oughta-"
Luigi interrupted him by sucking up his tail. Colombo rushed over to pull back on his owner's leg again since Neville was making him struggle. Daisy went for Lydia who was still in the middle of her stunned state. She shrieked as her hair went flying in different directions, messing up her style.
"NO! My gorgeous, groomed hair! It took me hours to get it straightened out!"
"Please! I don't even take that long to do my own hair. I'm not self-obsessed like you!" Daisy grunted before slamming her onto the work table.
Luigi and Colombo were able to trap Neville by slamming him near the wardrobe. After thanking his pet, he shifted over to the crying baby who got out of his crib. His angry expression and loud cries made Luigi perturbed.
"It's you again! You were so mean to me when I just wanted to play! But you go ahead and abuse me like the meanie you are! You also got rid of my mommy and daddy!"
"You hit a baby, Luigi?" Daisy was shocked to hear such a thing.
"I never meant to hurt you on purpose, but you were trying to attack me with your teddy bears!" Luigi defended.
"Yet you whacked me in the face with my ball! This is why big people like you are annoying!" babbled Chauncey.
"Geez, Luigi. Do I have to report you for child abuse?"
"Daisy! As much as I seriously regretted my actions back then, this is not the time to talk about this!"
"Green Hat is right. It's time for me to get my revenge on you instead! Now stand still so I can freak the overalls off of you!"
"Yow!" Luigi got hit in the head with Chauncey's rattle multiple times. He fell backward near the tarp-covered wall, backing into a corner as the infant screamed in anger.
"Aw, is the widdle gween man scared of me? Don't be such a crybaby!"
How ironic that he asked that.
Luigi attempted to flash him with the Strobulb, but he couldn't stun him since he was blocking the light with his rattle. He didn't want to repeat his barbaric actions. But if Chauncey can be knocked out by one of his bouncing balls like before, he probably had to do it again. Looking around the unfinished suite, he barely spotted a ball near the bathroom door. He quickly got up on his feet and ran away from the crying toddler.
"Hey! Get back here, you old man!"
"Daisy, distract him for me!"
"I'm on it! What's up, Chance? You wanna play some Peek-a-Boo or Patty Cake?"
"My name's Chauncey! And I don't wanna play with you! You're just as stupid as that green man!"
Daisy was offended. "Okay, no more Mrs. Nice Princess. You wanna get sucked up again?"
"You don't scare me, hag! I'm better scaring people than any other person in the world!"
"Oh, that's it... Luigi! Hurry up!"
"S-Sorry! I'm coming!" he carried the ball with his hose. He aimed right at the baby's face and let it blow.
"Owie! You hurt me again!" Chauncey whined.
Daisy didn't bother to express sympathy as she started to drain his health. At the very least, she refrained from slamming him onto the ground since she didn't think that was the smart thing to do. Nevertheless, the princess wanted the baby to be out of sight.
"Are you okay, Daisy?"
"Yeah, I'm fine!" she called. "Just go search for the Boo!"
Luigi nodded as he ran inside the incomplete bathroom. Gooigi began to vibrate heavily when he stepped near a broken toilet. As Colombo sniffed near the broken tank, a Boo appeared in front of them, frightening Luigi.
"Arf! Arf! I'm not a Polterpup! I'm Boolldog! Watch out for my nasty bite because I'm off the chain! Ruff!"
Colombo didn't like his impersonation, so he tried to jump at the Boo. He ended up missing and landed inside the bathtub. Luigi shined his Dark-Light all over the cluttered mess until he was able to reveal Boolldog near the cracked mirror. After a few minutes of slamming, Boolldog growled at Luigi with his tongue inside the hose.
"Argh! This is no way to treat your pets!"
"Yeah, but you're not my pet, nor are you one in the first place!" Luigi countered as he trapped him inside the G-00.
Colombo was satisfied now that the Boo was gone. He and Luigi returned to the suite as they saw Daisy taking care of Chauncey's antics.
"Waah! I hate you! I hate all adults like you! You're nothing but annoyances!" he screamed before he got sucked into the 5000.
"Good lord. I never want to deal with babies like him again," Daisy groaned.
"Now do you understand what I had to do when I first met him?"
"In a way, yes. But I sure hope you don't hit any more infants with balls."
"I promise I won't. Either way, I'm sure karma is going to bite me in the butt."
Soon after, E. Gadd called Luigi on the Virtual Boo. With his face on the red display, he was pleased with the heroes' efforts.
"Fantastic job! Not only did you trap the Boos from B1 to 5F, but you've also managed to capture some more Portrait Ghosts from my collection! I can't thank you all enough!" the professor praised.
"Believe us, it was really tough to get rid of those ghosts. At least the Boos weren't too bad," Daisy commented.
"I would say your vacuums are filled to brim at this point! Why don't you head on down to the Lab and deposit them in my storage container? Then you'll be ready to take on a brand-new floor, posthaste!"
Luigi took out the '6' button from his pocket. He still kept it with him ever since he, Daisy, and Colombo caught Amadeus and Melody in the Great Stage. He figured he'll put in the elevator panel after they take a break. He wasn't too tired to go to sleep yet, but he was really exhausted from the ghostbusting – just like every other moment. Despite this, Luigi felt reassured that these Boos won't be a nuisance to him or his partners. Either way, he had more to catch while going up.
Location: 15F – Master Suite
Hellen Gravely temporarily left her Observation Room to blow off some steam. She threw another fit when Luigi captured more of her hotel staff as well as the Portrait Ghosts that roamed the lower levels of her hotel. Inside, Polterkitty laid on top of her chair, taking a quick nap. The spectral feline was still a bit salty that Hellen involuntarily hurt her. While she could've passed it off as an accident, this wasn't the first time the hotel owner showed disdain towards her.
Polterkitty reminisced about some moments in the past when Hellen was ticked off for a few reasons. She would chastise her staff for not building the hotel correctly, keeping everything clean and tidy, and most of all, not stopping Luigi and his friends. During those instances, Hellen occasionally took her anger out on her cat. Digging her nails against her body was one thing, but the purple-skinned female had broken or ruined some of her toys and valuables, such as her water bowl, feather wands, and scratching post.
Ever since she was adopted by the hotel owner, Polterkitty was at least grateful to have someone care for her. But for a while, her relationship with Hellen wasn't very... mutual, to say the least. Polterkitty has expressed her affections to Hellen, and the woman reciprocated those feelings. However, it wasn't the same ever since she was determined to please King Boo and capture Luigi. Hellen has spent too much time and attention to her ultimate task that the cat hardly received any love from her recently.
Just then, Polterkitty heard a low growl from behind. She opened one eye before lifting her head up from the chair. Peeking over the desk, she found King Boo with a nasty scowl on his face. He watched the security footage of Luigi, Daisy, and Colombo capturing his clan of Boos. Disgusted, another dissatisfied groan escaped his mouth.
"What good is that Hellen Gravely if she can't supervise or manage her hotel staff properly?! Not only are the ghosts incompetent against the Poltergust, but my Boos are dropping like flies! This is utterly humiliating!"
The king glanced down at the feline who meekly gawked at him. He retained his frown.
"The more progress that stupid plumber makes, the more ticked I am. Not only am I angry at him, but I'm also disappointed at your owner," he directed. "It's honestly pathetic that she's relying on other ghosts to trap my nemesis when she could do the work herself. If Hellen truly admires me for my work, the least she could do is capture him like I did to his brother easily! Three times, no less!"
Polterkitty was frankly petrified at King Boo's facial expressions. She had never seen him as appalled as he was right now.
"Let's keep this between you and me, shall we? Your owner will have a few more chances to get what I desire. If she fails, our temporary alliance will be history before she could say 'SHWEEERRPP-SHLOOOOP-WHOOORPP-SHLEEEOOORG!' And that's a promise!" he threatened before leaving the vault.
The feline couldn't tell what King Boo was saying or referencing, but she understood the message. He was losing his patience by the second. Unless Hellen does something about this, she could face his wrath.
The only problem was that Polterkitty didn't know if she could care less or not.
END OF CHAPTER
The chapter title is a reference to a Mario Party 8 minigame, so I did not come up with this. Also, Boogie and Kung Boo are some names that returned from the previous installments. Lastly, we got to see some more Portrait Ghosts from the first game (as well as Poltergeist from Dark Moon)! Hopefully, the minor battles were sufficient enough. Since this was a continuation to the Boo sidequest, I expect to upload the next chapter in a few days.
Next time on Hotel Horror, our heroes will make their way to 6F to retrieve the next button. But they'll have to watch out if they want to avoid their heads getting chopped off! Be sure to favorite/follow the story for future updates. Please review to let me know what you think of this one or if I made any errors. Until then, I hope you all stay safe out there. This is TGN, signing off.
