A/N: I finished my online spring class! Now I have to see how summer and fall will go... Not to mention, I'm still busy at work. On the bright side, taking the time to sit back, unwind, and get some writing done feels satisfying. I want to thank everyone for checking out the last chapter! Based on my outline, we're about three-quarters of the way for completion. Speaking of which, Luigi and the others need to find the next elevator button in the Twisted Suites.

In other news, I created an AO3 account last month, so I'll be cross-posting this story and my other projects over there! But to be honest, I haven't uploaded much there, mostly because I'm lazy. Additionally, I never thought this story would blow up so much, but thanks to every one of you, Hotel Horror has 148 favorites, 125 followers, 400+ comments, and 70,000+ views as of this update! Like, my jaw has dropped to the ground. It means so much that you've been following HH since day one, and I can't thank you enough for your support! :D

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Mario or Luigi's Mansion.

Chapter 30: A Series of Unfortunate Tricks

After the ghost pets rejoined the humans, the group of five encountered another anomaly. Inside the False Bedroom, they were met with a queen-size bed floating several feet above their heads. Technically, it was placed above a large, cube-shaped, mirrored platform. The other accommodations featured some lamps, multiple picture frames, a painting of a man wearing a top hat, and a floating teapot with an artificial stream of tea pouring into a small cup.

As twisted as this level was, the heroes thought they've seen weirder displays that have deceived the naked eye. This did not include the fact an inhabitant was resting on the mattress. From Luigi's vantage point, it was somewhat hard to tell who was there. He barely perceived a ghost with white, bouffant hair. The plumber also heard some light snoring which sounded feminine.

"We better be careful not to wake her up," Luigi whispered. Colombo was about to yip in response, but his owner stopped him just in time by holding his hand over the dog's mouth.

"Where exactly do we go from here?" Peach mumbled.

"Well, definitely not straight ahead unless you want to jab your nose against the mirror," Daisy propounded. "Why is this thing even here in the first place?"

"I don't know. Fourth-wall problems?" Luigi shrugged.

"What does that supposed to mean?" the pink princess was confused. "Are you sure you don't mean, 'first world problems', Luigi?"

"To reiterate, I don't know. It's just a random thought, really."

"Maybe there is something that we're not exactly seeing clearly. Other than our reflections, there has to be something out of the ordinary to advance any further."

Luigi returned to the map on his Virtual Boo, scouting the rooms adjacent to their current spot. There was a bathroom on the other side of the mirrored block. However, there seemed to be a doorway that leads south into a hallway.

"Maybe those curtains are concealing a hidden door?" Luigi presumed.

"Possibly. Why don't you go check that bathroom in case there's a key or something important in there? Peach and I can suck these drapes."

Following Daisy's order, the plumber walked around the block, collecting some gold bars hidden from behind along the way. With Colombo following him, they investigated the Mirror Bathroom. There wasn't anything too prominent other than a yellow gem and some more money. With no sign of a key this time, the two returned to the False Bedroom. The princesses took down the drapery to unveil a new door. Ignoring the sleeping occupant, everyone went into the next hallway. For some reason, they felt an odd presence. Neither of them could explain why until a loud thud startled the group. To their surprise, three large top hats from above flopped down and trapped each of the humans inside.

"Ack! Mmph!"

"Oof! What just happened?!"

"I feel like there's a straitjacket binding my entire body!"

Polterkitty and Colombo witnessed them struggling and running amuck like headless chickens. Ironically, the animals couldn't see their heads or faces. Nothing but several pairs of legs going around the hallway until they fortuitously crash into a wall or bump into each other. Peach, Daisy, and Luigi all collided, the pets repulsed as they shifted their heads away.

"D'oh! Sorry!" groaned Luigi.

"How are we going to get these stupid hats off of us?!" complained Daisy, her voice muffled from underneath.

"Can Colombo and Polterkitty tug them off our bodies?" suggested Peach.

The Polterpup abided as he allowed the princess to tilt her head forward. He gripped the edge of the top hat and pulled as hard as he could. Unfortunately, the hat wouldn't budge nor slip off Peach's upper half. Colombo accidentally let go and started rolling all the way down the hall, knocking his head against the window. To say Polterkitty wasn't concerned in the slightest was an understatement. She rushed to his side and peered at the Polterpup, expressing a hint of sympathy that he got hurt. He shook his head rapidly, rattling off the pain. When he noticed Polterkitty was next to him, Colombo couldn't help but pant with a wide smile.

"I'm guessing he wasn't able to get it off you?" Luigi asked.

"Sadly, no," Peach sighed desperately.

"Isn't there another way to get these off?" Daisy was a little frustrated that they haven't escaped yet.

"Hold on a second! Daisy, Peach, are you two around or close to me?"

"Luigi, what kind of a question is that? I can't see jack!"

"Okay, just listen to my voice. Follow until your brim is touching mine."

"Are you listening to what you're saying, Luigi?"

"Daisy, you have to trust me!"

"Okay, okay!" she shut her mouth and inched her way over to her right.

Once she felt a slight bump, she paused and froze from where she stood. Peach copied her friend's moves, despite being unable to see anything other than the purple felt of the top hat. Luigi struggled to reach down as he didn't have any wiggle room for his arms. But soon, he gripped the triggers of his Poltergust G-00 and activated the Burst mechanic. The large blast of air was sufficient to remove the hats off their torsos, allowing them to respire.

"Ow!" Daisy coughed. "That was unpleasant."

Peach wiped some dust off her mini dress. "You're telling me. I remember when Bowser had me bound by ropes after Mario saved all the Star Spirits. Because I kept trying to escape my own castle, Bowser wasn't playing games from there. It was not fun at all!"

"Come on. We must keep going," urged Luigi.

Moving southbound, the next area was the Stage, a dimly lit room with a single light bulb and a multitude of orange candles. There was a lot of empty space in the center while some props were placed in the corners, including another stacked tower of cards, a desk sitting beside a larger mirror, a red chest full of swords, a set of rolled-up carpets, and a mattress slanting against the wall.

"No sign of the twins or those circus clowns here," Daisy inspected with her flashlight.

"I thought they were illusionists," Peach stared at her friend.

The tomboy mirrored her look and shrugged her shoulders. "You get my point."

"According to the map, there is one more room we haven't checked yet. It's the Wardrobe, the place I was able to peek from the Elevator Hall," informed Luigi.

"There is a good possibility the girls might have returned to the dressing room after we saw them in that strange, lopsided bedroom," mused Peach. "As for those mischievous boys, I haven't a clue as to where they're hiding."

"Nyeeeroom!"

"Yipe!"

"Arf!"

"Mrow!"

Luigi, Colombo, and Polterkitty jumped away in different directions when a random explosive fell in between them. The bomb set off and imploded on impact as it struck the wooden floorboards. The gang gaped at Orville flying on an airplane, chortling to himself.

"Rats! I almost got you, but you should've seen the look on your silly face when I dropped that bomb on you!"

"Where did you even come from?!" Daisy was flabbergasted.

"None of your business!"

"Vroom! Incoming!"

"Oh!" Peach squealed, stepping away in time before Henry could run her over in his toy car.

"Hey! Watch where you're going! You don't even have a license to drive!" Daisy remarked.

Henry honked his horn twice and spat a raspberry at her. "And you don't have glasses to see us clearly! Get your vision checked, old lady!"

"Why you little-"

"Daisy, get back!" Luigi shoved her into a corner when Orville released another explosive, mere inches away from where she stood. The two crashed into the rugs, nearly knocking them down from their position.

"Come on, Henry! Let's buzz on out of here!" cackled the red-vested kid.

"Later, losers!" the purple-vested twin sneered at the ghost hunters. Both vanished through the northern wall, towards the False Bedroom.

"Is it even worth chasing after them?" Daisy grunted as she was lifted by Luigi.

"Probably not. We might as well check the last room and hope we can confront those magical sisters. If we're lucky, we can grab the elevator button from their possession, and then take on the twins later when we bump into them again."

"I guess that's more ideal than backtracking through the rooms we've been in," Peach understood Luigi's reasoning.

"Yeah, and either way, we'll have to make our way to the elevator when we're done. The last thing we want is to be dazed and confused with a maze of suites."

"Arf! Arf!" Colombo was ready to head inside. With the remaining members following the ghost pup, they were startled by the colored top hats floating upside down. Seconds later, the prestidigitators mystically appeared behind their respective headwear.

"Ta-da! I see you ghost hunters have made it to our Wardrobe!" Nikki chuckled in the middle.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty, please?" urged Daisy. "Where's the next elevator button?"

"Hmm... Why don't we check our hats and find out ourselves?" Lindsey snickered.

"I don't like the sound of this," Peach murmured to her friends. Colombo and Polterkitty sat on the floor as they awaited their unexpected hat tricks.

"Abracadabra, zippity-zit! Out of my hat comes a cute, little rabbit!" Lindsey shouted her spell out loud. Raising her magic wand up high, a stuffed bunny appeared from her blue hat.

"Bravo, Lindsey! Bravo!" her little sister, Ginny, clapped.

"Yeah, that's okay at best. But watch this!" Nikki hogged the spotlight, slightly pushing the middle child away.

"Ow! Ugh, I hate her when she does that," Lindsey grunted to herself, folding her arms. She didn't even bother to face her older sibling or her magic trick.

"Alakazam! Bippity-boo! Show me what's in the hat, right on cue!" Without the use of a wand, Nikki pulled out a set of billiard balls, rotating around in midair.

"Another neat trick as always, Nikki! Now it's my turn!" Ginny rubbed her hands together in excitement. Pulling her personal wand from her tuxedo, she waved it in front of her red top hat. "Shama lama, rip, hoo, rah! Out of the hat is a treasure, voila!" Unexpectedly, the 'treasure' appearing in front of everyone's eyes was a familiar, green cap with an 'L' insignia on the front.

"Gross!" Nikki floated back.

"Ugh!" Lindsey cringed.

Ginny wondered why her older sisters reacted negatively until she turned towards Luigi's floating hat. "Oh, ew! Bleh!" she pinched her nose, blocking the stench.

From the revelation, Daisy, Peach, and the ghost pets shifted their heads at Luigi. Surprisingly enough, Luigi was hatless. Even the plumber was baffled until he reached at his hair, exposed in front of the crowd.

"Oh! Huh?!"

"How did we not see that happen?!" Daisy marveled, her eyes enlarged like popping kernels.

The humans leaned back as Lindsey and Nikki rushed over near the exit. Meanwhile, Ginny extended her arm out while carrying the cap.

"Have you ever considered a laundromat to dry clean your belongings?" teased Nikki.

"Hey, in his defense, he has been through a lot of stuff that his hat hasn't been properly washed!" Daisy justified.

"Whatever. It's still smelly and disgusting," Lindsey stuck her tongue out.

"Hey, Lucien! Hope you're good at frisbee! Hi-yah!" Ginny yelled before hurling it straight at the man's face. It slammed right against his nose like a car getting into a fender bender.

"Oof!"

"His name is Luigi!" corrected Peach.

"Oops, sorry! I always get people's names mixed up," the young apparition replied with a touch of sincerity.

"But do you know what else gets mixed up?" Nikki smirked. "Hit it, girls!"

The triplets swiveled their wands around before a large, purple aura brightened up the Wardrobe. Luigi, Daisy, and Peach shielded their eyes as the light was strong to withstand. Even the door lit up for a brief period before it faded away.

"Hee hee! Wasn't that a-maze-ing, lads?" Ginny giggled.

"Amazing in what way? What did you do?" Daisy demanded a response.

"You'll see for yourself! Out of the way, buckos!" Lindsey gave the heroes a cheeky grin.

"Not before I leave first!" Nikki yelled before twirling her way through the door.

"Grr! Stop getting in the way, you twerp!" the middle sister growled. She shoved Luigi to the side out of frustration.

"Ah!" he accidentally bumped into the pink princess.

"Hey!" Peach scoffed.

"S-Sorry about that."

"Oh no, I wasn't mad at you, Luigi. It was rude of her to push you without a warning."

"Have fun finding us!" Ginny waved her hand before following her older relatives.

"Ruff! Ruff!" Colombo tried to follow them, warping through the wall.

Daisy rolled her eyes. "You have got to be kidding me! Why are we playing hide-and-seek with two different groups of children?! Why can't we just get the button, make our way to the top, and end our stupid scavenger hunt with a lobster cocktail by the poolside?"

Suddenly, Ginny reappeared halfway through the wall. "The pool is up on Floor 13 in the Fitness Center. If you ever make it up there, watch out for some dodgeballs! Toodles!" she warned, albeit in an enthusiastic manner.

"Come on, guys! If they teleported to the Stage, we could easily corner them before they could escape into another room! Now let's get... going?"

Daisy paused herself when she opened the door and ran into the next room. Except, it wasn't the Stage as she mentioned before. In her eyesight, she noticed the large box that was sawed in half. Colombo was standing a few feet away from it; he was also perplexed why he was here in the first place. To Daisy's left was the giant wheel on the wall. It started to spin on its own before a multitude of swords hovered from the red chest in the corner. Before she could even question what was taking place in front of her dilated pupils, the swords zipped across the Bladed Bedroom and struck the revolving wheel. A bunch of metal clashes echoed in her ears. Then, a separate sword started to soar right towards her face. Completely petrified, she grabbed Colombo and ran back through the entrance where she came from, reuniting with Luigi, Peach, and Polterkitty in the dressing room. After slamming the door, she and the others recoiled when they all heard a loud thud. The orange princess huffed with her back pressed against it, trying to catch her breath.

"What was that, Daisy?" Peach implored.

"Did the girls try to attack you with their magic?" Luigi furrowed his eyebrows.

Polterkitty sauntered to Daisy's leg, gently clawing it as she was concerned at what happened.

The tomboy set the dog on the floor before replying, "I don't know if I'm dreaming, hallucinating, or seeing everything as it is, but I did not enter the Stage when I went through there. Plus, I nearly got pierced by a blade!"

"What do you mean?"

"It's probably easier to see for yourself than for me to explain the whole shebang."

Luigi gazed at Peach who mirrored his confused visage. Daisy and the animals gave him some space as he was about to open the door. As soon as he did, Luigi froze. He proceeded to close it and reopen the entryway. The plumber did it a third time to see if he was the delirious one. Peach was able to see a small portion of the Bladed Bedroom from where she stood.

"Do you see my point now?" Daisy emphasized.

"Wait, if exiting that doesn't lead us to the correct room, do you think it's because the girls enchanted the doors and rooms?" Peach wondered.

"Mrrrrow! Meow!" Polterkitty seemed to concur based on her reaction.

"I'm starting to think the word 'amazing' was intentionally used for this moment," Luigi sighed. "This is going to screw my brain up."

"Some kids may be kind and cute, but the magicians and those annoying boys are the antitheses of both! Not even one has been cooperative with us!" complained Daisy.

"Daisy, they probably don't know any better. After all, they're just children. Ghost children, to be exact," Peach murmured that last part.

"To be fair, most of the apparitions haven't been courteous or compliant, excluding Morty and Madame Clairvoya," reminded Luigi. "Heck, even Polterkitty wasn't the most well-behaved ghost around here, but she's changed ever since we got that crystal pendant off her body."

The violet feline was unsure whether the plumber was calling her out or not. Yes, she did not like Luigi in the first place, but part of the reason was to fulfill Helen's desires. After the ruckus in the Paranormal Productions, the beauty treatment with Daisy, and the deadly scare in the Boilerworks, Polterkitty has been a better ally with the ghost hunters rather than the opposite side of the spectrum. She was truly aware of the current scenario, as well as each of the heroes. Even the Polterpup had an inkling the kitten was facing her demons.

"Hey, we shouldn't stick here for so long. The ghosts already have a head start on us. Or rather, they're likely hiding in the Stage, but we need to find the path to get there," directed Peach.

Daisy exhaled a sigh, feeling flustered and irritated. "You're probably right. Somehow and some way, we'll work our way through this labyrinth."

Luigi nodded as he followed everyone into the Bladed Bedroom. The area started to fill up with a ton of purple fog. It was familiar to the man in green when he woke up in his suite after hearing Peach's scream. Although it was a few days ago, he felt as if it occurred just recently. Immediately, Colombo and Polterkitty felt a disturbance lurking in the fog. They already caught the Boo in this room, but they figured another ghost employee of Hellen's was hiding somewhere.

"Mrow?"

"Arf! Arf!"

Their intuition was apparently correct when they inspected the desk and found a blue Hider appearing out of the drawer. Three paranormal gates blocked each of the doors, denying them an escape route. The Hider snarled and furiously hurled an orange at the animals, forcing the two to split up. Peach was quick to react as she charged her flashlight and stunned the ghost. While she was dealing with the Hider, Luigi and Daisy heard a few grunts from behind. With the Dark-Light Device, they uncovered a Slammer and a Greenie wielding a sword. Luigi shrieked as the sharp point nearly poked his nose, but Daisy came to his rescue to stun the green ghoul. The plumber recovered and took on the Slammer before he could create a shockwave with his hands. With all three ghosts captured, the gates disappeared, and the lights lit up the Bladed Bedroom.

"Whew, good work, you two," complimented Peach.

"Same to you, bestie. But which way do we go from here?" Daisy tapped a finger on her chin.

"Hmm... I don't think it's wise if we split up. We don't know which door leads to what room because of the spell. Plus, if one of us gets lost, that won't help us navigate through the floor," Luigi reasoned.

"Bark!" his Polterpup agreed.

"Good idea. Plus, you never know if we might accidentally run into each other coming from different places," added Peach.

"Why don't we head up this way?" Daisy pointed at the north door.

"Meow!"

They went through the entryway, ending up in the hallway just north of the Stage. Although their target destination was just mere inches away from where the heroes stood, everyone was clearly aware going through the door they just entered would take them back to the Bladed Bedroom. By that logic, it was evident the door in front of them – which would normally take them to the False Bedroom – was going to transport them to another part of the Twisted Suites.

"I just had another epiphany," Luigi mumbled.

"What is it?" Peach glanced at him.

"The name of this floor is pretty fitting for how convoluted our search party is going. It's making me sick and twisted. OUCH!"

Daisy gasped when she heard him yell. "Luigi! What happened?!"

"Oh... a dice block hit me!"

"Ruff! Ruff! Grrr!" Colombo scowled at the mischievous ghosts at the end of the corridor. There was a cheeky Goob and a cackling Golden Ghost carelessly tossing objects at the heroes, including dice blocks, playing cards, and hardcover books. He lunged at the pair, wiping them out with his pointed tail.

"Good job, boy!" Luigi pumped his fist. He hurried over and stunned the ghosts with his Strobulb. The ghosts screamed as they got caught in the G-00. Soon, the paranormal fences in front of the doors were gone.

"Another party of ghosts taken down," Daisy smiled. "I have a hunch we'll be encountering some more in the maze."

Next, the heroes scoured into the Inverted Bedroom. Luigi still wasn't used to the abnormal placements of the furniture. He also wasn't a fan – no pun intended – of the ceiling fan being on the same plane they were standing on. In other words, it was on the freaking ground. Luigi also hated jump scares, yet he experienced another mini heart attack when more of Hellen's staff materialized near him. This time, it was a quintet, featuring an Oozer, a Sneaker, a Garbage Can Ghost, a slimy Creeper, and a Ceiling Surprise – the last of whom was actually on the ceiling.

Colombo and Polterkitty held their own to distract a few of the apparitions, giving the humans an open opportunity to activate their Strobulbs. Peach easily halted the Oozer while Daisy dazed the Garbage Can Ghost, preventing a trashy mess full of banana peels. Luigi wasn't so lucky on his end as the Sneaker roared behind his shoulder. The plumber was so startled that he fell forward, and the fan's blades nearly scraped the edge of his nose. Even worse, he got trapped by the Creeper who blended himself as a puddle in the fog.

Luigi remembered these gelatinous entities from his Dark Moon quest. Unfortunately for him, they behave similarly to Bogmire in the Boilerworks. He was stuck inside the Creeper's body and couldn't escape.

Because he saw the girls busy with the other ghosts, the man took a huge risk. His movements were limited, but he was somehow able to press the green button to release Gooigi.

"Owie. I can't believe I was able to slip through his body. I get really nervous whenever I suffocate, and I never want to go through that again!"

"Ruff!" Colombo caught the gooey plumber's attention.

"Oh, that's right! Don't worry, me! I'll save you!"

Gooigi charged his Strobulb and freaked out the Creeper. The sudden flash released the unconscious man as he tumbled onto the carpet. He held his breath when Luigi's body landed near the fan again.

"Okay, now! Get in my vacuum!" Gooigi grunted.

The Creeper squeaked and giggled even though his body was drifting towards his Poltergust G-00. Most of his body was sucked up, but the ghost left a few, tiny puddles on the floor. Some Mini Creepers formed and squirmed around the room. Because they were small and weak, Gooigi didn't charge his flashlight the whole way and simply pulled on the handle to trap them in the nozzle. Once he was finished, Peach and Daisy detained the Oozer and Garbage Can Ghost, respectively. The girls also imprisoned the Ceiling Surprise without any issues. There was still one more ghost to defeat.

"Mrow!" Polterkitty screeched when the Sneaker surprised her. She leaped towards Daisy, eliciting the princess to catch her in her arms. After the Sneaker chortled in satisfaction, he wiggled his fingers when he spotted Luigi dozing on the floor.

"Oh no you don't!" Gooigi shouted.

"I'll help you, Luigi!"

Gooigi didn't bother to correct her since he was focused on defeating the pink ghoul and clearing the room. Daisy remained in her spot while comforting the feline. Colombo barked twice in encouragement, cheering them on. Their teamwork was as smooth as butter, ending things with a double slam. Even better, they destroyed the fan on the final hit. Gooigi gave a thumbs-up to her before returning to the empty tank. Luigi awoke on the ground, letting out a loud sneeze.

"Achoo!"

"Ooh, bless you," Peach replied as she pulled him up on his feet.

"Grazie. We're finally done with this confusing bedroom. Which way do we go next?"

Daisy and Peach both thought about the northern door. As they went inside, they were trapped in the Water Tank Bathroom. A loud bang resonated from the glass container; several chains and locks collapsed onto the tiles. Luigi trembled when he noticed the face of a large Hammer ghost within the tank. Roaring loudly, the red blockhead shattered the glass. Polterkitty scrambled her way onto the sink, watching the water flood all over the bathroom floor. Most of it went down the drain, but everyone's shoes and socks were soaked.

Luigi and Daisy hurried around the large ghost while Peach stunned him with her flashlight. The duo grabbed onto his stubby tails and slammed him into the corner, avoiding their friends. They repeated this process a second time until the Hammer was trapped in Daisy's Poltergust 5000. With the lavatory cleared up, they passed through the door to their left and made their way to the Lounge.

"Hey, maybe the girls are hiding here instead! The curtains on the stage look suspicious to me," Peach got up close to the platform.

The princess did hear some giggling from behind, but she was frozen like an actor with stage fright... except she wasn't the one standing up there. Peach panicked when the curtains opened, revealing a Slinker, a Purple Puncher, a Blue Twirler, a Ghost Guy, and a pair of lavender and red Grabbing Ghosts. Meanwhile, a chubby Gobber was stationary behind the concession booth, snacking away on popcorn, chips, and soft drinks.

"Okay, I stand corrected."

"Arf!"

Colombo pushed Peach out of the way as the Purple Puncher charged his fist at her. As the ghost missed, Daisy growled and stunned him. Luigi took care of the Grabbing Ghosts as they tried to snatch him in their grasp. With his Burst, he blew the enemies off his body and struck them with the flashlight. The Polterpup swiped the mask off the Ghost Guy, allowing Peach to blind the red phantom. With four more ghosts out of the way, Polterkitty swiped her claws at the Blue Twirler when he tried to slam his fists at her. She caused the blue spirit to hop back in fear, right in front of Daisy who activated her Strobulb. Peach and Luigi dodged the Slinker, growling as he missed his chance to grab them with his hands. He was unlucky to stay alive since Luigi shined his Dark-Light Device to unveil him. The plumber and the princess sucked on a part of the Slinker's body before slamming him into a table.

"Huh? I thought that's everyone in this room. Why are the gates still in the way?" Luigi scratched his noggin.

"Meow!" he heard Polterkitty across the Lounge.

"Hey, Luigi! Peach! I could use some help against this gourmand!" pleaded Daisy.

"Bark! Bark!" Colombo jumped at the Gobber, but he ended up bouncing off his rotund stomach, landing flat on his own belly. The Gobber growled and spat out slime from his mouth.

"Oh, that's gross!" Peach winced.

"Yeah, I know. Believe me, we had to deal with one of these bozos in the hotel's restaurant!"

"Daisy, that was Mr. Luggs. We fought a Gobber in the Garden Suites."

"Oh, right... It was in the bathroom with all those watermelons."

"With all the what?" Peach blinked in confusion.

"Meooow!" Polterkitty knocked the heroes out of their funk. The Gobber had not stopped spewing out globs of goo.

After cleaning up the mess, the trio paid attention to the large monster while evading the new specks of slime falling onto the floor. Without the aid of a slam move, Luigi, Peach, and Daisy finally sucked up the Gobber out of the concession stand. Luigi accidentally slipped on a goo puddle, causing him to land on his bottom. On the bright side, the paranormal fences floated away.

"Hoo boy..." Luigi groaned. "Good work again, you guys. Same to you, Colombo and Polterkitty."

The feline was somewhat caught off guard by his comment, but she figured to meow softly as her response. Then again, it wasn't the first time Luigi appreciated her assistance.

With the team free to travel, they found themselves in the Gallery again. They didn't face a bunch of ghosts – just a pair of Goobs and one Bowling Ghost. Peach and Daisy nearly dodged a bomb in time before they were able to suck up the sporty specter. Subsequently, Luigi and the gang entered the False Bedroom a second time. Instead of seeing their reflections on the mirror cube, the front was concealed by a tarp with colored coins and gems drawn on it. Luigi glinted his flashlight up at the bed, but he couldn't find the person sleeping on it.

"So... what now?" Daisy placed her hands on her hips.

"Maybe we see what's behind this curtain?" suggested Peach.

"You do realize it's gonna be us in the mirror, right?"

"Meow..."

"Ruff!"

"I don't know at this point," Luigi looked clueless. "But we might as well do something."

He walked forward and grabbed the tarp with his Poltergust G-00. As he pulled it off the mirror, Luigi screamed. He saw a reflection of his shivering self, Peach, Daisy, Colombo, Polterkitty, and an elderly, angry woman right behind him. She was wearing a violet dress with a pair of pink, triangular earrings. Her poofy hair leaned near the plumber's cap.

"NYAH!"

"WAAAAH!" the plumber shrieked once more.

The female ghost scowled and floated back above the bed, glaring down at the heroes from her perspective. "You little rascals! You woke me up from my slumber! Can't an old woman have her beauty rest after a whole day of knitting sweaters and scarves?!"

"What is it with ghosts taking naps on this floor?" Daisy murmured as she recalled Sue Pea from earlier.

"Who is that?" Peach inquired.

Luigi coughed for a moment. "That's Nana, one of the ghosts from the first mansion."

"Nana? Is that short for 'inflated banana' based on her hairstyle?" Daisy quipped.

"How rude! You rotten kids from the younger generation are always picky and judgmental with us old folks! Just so you know, I have a sense of humor! I once put ice in Miss Petunia's bathtub and made her jump out before she could settle! Plus, I got to scare the heebie-jeebies out of Mr. Green Man not too long ago!"

"Well, that wasn't a funny joke!" whined Luigi.

"And neither was your pretty girl's remark about my hair! I like to see you try sucking me up with your vacuums when I'm up here! Not only that, but you don't have any yarn balls to hit me with, so have fun wasting your time!"

Peach and Daisy attempted to shine their Strobulbs at the elevated bed, but they couldn't stun Nana. Colombo and Polterkitty did not stop barking and meowing, respectively. Luigi remained helpless until he noticed something from the reflection. Hidden behind the purple fog, there was an electrical outlet placed on the bottom of the wall behind him. Narrowing his eyes, he approached the socket and flipped the metal switch that was built into it. His Poltergust G-00 was connected by an electrical beam, close to the one in the Tomb Suites.

"Daisy! Peach! Stand behind me!"

The princesses stopped their incessant flashes from their Strobulbs as they failed to reach Nana. As they followed the plumber's orders, the elderly woman snickered out loud.

"Pitiful! Unless you're able to climb up this platform, there's no way you'll catch me again!"

"None of us have to do that!" countered Luigi. "Get ready to be Super Suctioned!"

He pulled back on the G-00's handle, letting the vacuum do most of the work. Picture frames, books, and scraps of paper flew wildly around the room before going into the nozzle. The Super Suction was powerful enough to drag Nana closer into its range. Her hair was flailing in circles like a helicopter's blades rotating at hundreds of miles per hour.

"Eek! What are you doing?! How is this even possible?!" she held onto the bedpost for dear life.

"Hey, she's losing her grip! Keep it going, Luigi!" Daisy cheered.

"Arf! Arf!"

"Nyah! I... won't... let... GOOOO!"

As she shouted the last word, Nana's hands unironically slipped from the bed before falling off the tall mirror. Her body swiveled in motion, unable to escape like a star falling into a black hole. Once she was successfully captured, Peach ran over to the wall and flipped the switch, turning off the Super Suction power. Luigi took a moment to rebalance himself.

"Mamma Mia... I hope I wasn't too crazy with it."

"Are you kidding? I'm glad you discovered that in the first place!" Daisy beamed. "Because of you, the doors are clear again."

"Oh, yeah. I guess it did work out. Hopefully, we'll be closer to finding those kids."

Exploring the Twisted Suites was starting to take a toll on the heroes' legs. But they finally revisited the place where they needed to be, according to the map. Luigi walked onto the Stage with the others following from behind. The room remained very dim and eerie with the candles providing the only brightness in the room, aside from their flashlights.

"I gotta say, you fellers have explored far and wide to reach this area again," E. Gadd contacted Luigi from the microphone. "I'm genuinely shocked how those youngsters managed to hide out for this long."

"You and me, both, Professor."

"They have to be here somewhere," Peach shook her head, aiming her light at the slumping mattress. Suddenly, she saw it move. "Um, guys?"

"What is it, Peach?"

"Meow?"

"Aah!" Luigi panicked when a spotlight shined down on him. Four more appeared, gleaming right at Daisy, Peach, Colombo, and Polterkitty. They sluggishly moved in front of the heroes as they heard some creepy, background noises. By then, the show's main act had arrived.

The cast starred the three magician sisters with their special guests: none other than the twin boys – Henry and Orville.

"Surprise!" Nikki, Lindsey, and Ginny all shouted simultaneously.

"Guess what, nerds? You lost hide-and-seek again!" Henry guffawed.

"How does it feel to lose to some kids? You must be embarrassed and ashamed!" teased Orville.

"Is that what your parents say to you when you try to show them something interesting?"

The girls gasped at Daisy's retort. Even the boys were unhappy, narrowing their green, glowing eyes. Nikki and Lindsey were incensed while Ginny was a bit offended.

"Daisy, was that really necessary to say?" the blonde princess frowned.

"Peach, no offense, but worry about posing as the moral police later. We came here for one thing, and one thing only! Give us the elevator button now!"

"You really want the button badly, huh?" Nikki sneered, earning an echoing bark from Colombo. "Well then, you managed to solve your way through our maze. But can your eyes perceive this?!"

Lindsey and Ginny hid inside their colored top hats. Nikki copied their action and bumped into Luigi on purpose. Then, the other girls surrounded the group before spinning around on the floorboards. Henry and Orville hopped on a toy plane together and spiraled above their heads. Luigi became so dizzy and frightened by them, he crouched down and buried his face in his hands. By then, a large, red curtain and a ring of lights surrounded the Stage. As soon as Luigi opened his eyes, he peered down to realize the wooden floor turned into a purple arena. The curtains came down to reveal an unsettling expanse of shadows. The kids were gone temporarily, increasing his anxiety levels.

"W-W-Where did they g-g-go?"

"I'm not gonna lie... I was so dizzy that I lost track of them," admitted Daisy.

"Me, too. Where's an aspirin pill when you need one urgently?" Peach held a hand on her forehead.

"PEEK-A-BOO!"

"GAAAH!" Luigi screeched.

The five, young ghosts smirked evilly as they began to taunt them. Nikki, Lindsey, and Ginny spewed out playing cards at the ghost hunters, but Colombo saved them by catching them in his mouth. Polterkitty also utilized her claws to whack them back at the conjurors. On the other hand, Orville and Henry soared in their plane while hurling some more explosives.

"Oh!" Peach yelled. "Is there a way to avoid them?"

"These bombs don't set off when they hit the ground. We might have a small window to hold them with our Poltergusts and shoot back at them!" directed Luigi.

"You heard the professional! Let's give it a shot!" Daisy shouted with determination.

"Pfft! Even if you do that, you'll find a way to get covered in soot!" bellowed Henry.

"Next thing you know, your heads are gonna burst like a party balloon with too much air!" Orville prattled.

Daisy and Peach were lucky to each clasp a bomb by the nozzle. As the bombs blinked red, they aimed with precision and fired the weapons at the flying vehicle. Henry and Orville cried loudly as they got hit.

"Ack! Mayday! Mayday!" Orville flustered in the pilot's seat.

"I don't know where to hold on!" Henry's eyes enlarged in fright.

The twins landed roughly on the ground, leaving them invulnerable for the heroes.

"You two start draining their health!" Luigi demanded. "Colombo, Polterkitty, and I will hold off the girls!"

They both nodded and rushed over to stun them briefly. Peach was preventing Henry from escaping with the Poltergust 3000; Daisy used the 5000 to trap Orville. They each pulled off a series of successive slams to weaken the vested children.

"Now it's our turn to play some games!" Nikki cackled from the inside of her purple hat. "Follow me, sisters!"

"Ugh, why do you always get to be the ringleader?" Lindsey protested.

"C'mon, sis! I'll be right behind you," Ginny squealed with glee.

"Ugh, whatever."

The magicians encircled the outer stage while Luigi shivered, waiting for them to unexpectedly attack. As a backup, Colombo stood right by his legs. Polterkitty also kept her guard up as she watched the hats revolve. They moved onto the platform, nearly scraping Daisy and Peach in the process.

"Whoa! Hey, watch it!" Daisy shook her fist.

Colombo signaled to Luigi to perform the Burst as the magicians inched closer. His owner got the message as he pushed the triggers, flipping the top hats upside down.

"Ouch!"

A line of magic, colored scarves popped out of each hat. He requested his friends to each pull onto a handkerchief. As they tugged, Nikki, Lindsey, and Ginny were exposed onto the Stage.

"Yikes! Girls, run!" Ginny shrieked.

She and Lindsey were quick enough to float away from the platform, but Nikki was unable to evade Peach's Strobulb flash.

"Gotcha!"

"AAAHHHH! WAIT!"

"Nikki!" Ginny extended an arm out. She was about to rescue her, but Lindsey stopped her.

"Don't! Do you want to get caught as well?!"

"But Nikki-"

"At this point, she's a goner!"

"Oh, thanks for the support, Linds!" Nikki threw her sarcasm at her, struggling to stay alive. "I can't hold on for much longer! One of you, catch!" Nikki plucked a shiny, yellow object from her purple tuxedo and tossed it at her siblings. "Remember me always!" she cried before Peach slammed her into extinction.

Lindsey was the one to snatch the elevator button in the air. Ginny was on the verge of breaking down, but her other older sister reminded her that they were still alive.

"Listen, she may be a pain in the butt, but we need to avenge her! Keep yourself safe and watch your back!"

Ginny let out a sniffle before focusing on her goal. Meanwhile, Orville and Henry recovered themselves as they returned on their aircraft.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but those girls can pack a punch," Orville murmured to the magicians.

"You think?" Lindsey gave him a quizzical stare.

After a bomb nearly exploded in midair in front of the apparitions, they resumed their focus on the ghost hunters. The boys kept launching bombs on the platform, but Peach and Daisy were able to send them right back. The girls fired more cards as projectiles, yet they fell flat like pancakes courtesy of Luigi's Burst mechanic. Lindsey and Ginny orbited the Stage again before they tried to pierce their hats into the green plumber. Unfortunately for them, Luigi timed another Burst perfectly, incapacitating the tricksters.

"Ouch!"

"Come out, come out from underneath," Luigi grunted as he tugged on the rope of scarves from Lindsey's hat.

"Gah! You're so irritating!" the middle child growled. She didn't get to speak again as she was blinded by Luigi's flashlight. Throwing a tantrum, Lindsey got slapped onto the ground recurrently. Like Nikki's fate, Lindsey was about to meet her end.

"Lindsey, no!"

"Ginny, it's up to you!" the blue-clad prestidigitator hurled the button at her.

In a frenzied state, she juggled it in her hands before clutching it safely in her possession. Unsure of what to do next, Ginny remained outside the arena, spectating the heroes from a distance as they fought against Henry and Orville.

"Bark! Bark!" Colombo smacked a bomb with his tail.

"Mrow!" Polterkitty bumped another like she was setting up a volleyball.

"Time to spike this one!" Daisy smirked as she released a separate explosive at the airplane once more.

"Yow!" the children experienced a second, painful blast.

"Eat Polter-dust!"

"That's a stupid dad joke," Henry muttered.

Daisy shrugged at him. "Enjoy your last words, buddy!"

"AHHH!"

"This is the end for us, Henry!" Orville hollered as Peach caught him in her grasp.

"Ugh! I'm afraid... you're right..."

Within seconds, the royals captured the boys in each of their vacuums. The only one remaining was the youngest magician who hadn't moved from her spot since Lindsey was gone. Luigi and the gang turned over to her, but neither of them initiated a move as they noticed the melancholy expression on her face.

"Well, this is awkward," mumbled Peach.

"Are we going to stand here like statues or finish the job?" Daisy was getting a little impatient.

"Or should we let her go like Morty?" Luigi brought up.

"No..." Ginny interrupted the plumber. "You should capture me, too."

The hunters lowered their hoses from their grips. They were genuinely curious as to why Ginny looked so defeated. Polterkitty and Colombo tilted their heads in confusion as well.

"All I wanted in life was to enjoy the spotlight by showing off our magic tricks. But more importantly, I wanted to share the moment with my family – my older sisters: Nikki and Lindsey. Sure, they can butt heads very frequently, and I'm aware that they don't get along like peanut butter and jelly half the time. However, they've been my backbone, my support, my spark plugs for igniting my passion for performing magic... The list goes on and on. I wouldn't be myself without them. But now that you've caught them... I'm all alone."

Luigi wasn't happy with the fact that he has caught Sue Pea, Henry, and Orville a second time. Hell, he took down Chauncey the baby twice, too. To add Ginny's siblings to the mix, he never meant to be cruel to children, even if they were ghosts or if they willingly chose to attack him. Regardless, Luigi felt guilty. Not only that, but the others had the same sentiment. Even Daisy, who had thrown a few jokes here and there, wasn't proud of the words she spoke beforehand.

"Honestly, having a floor themed around magic and games is cool and all. Hellen may have gifted us a wonderful place to continue our love for illusions and tricks. At the end of the day though, my sisters mean the whole world to me considering they have taken care of me since I was born as the third child. It's not fun to be by yourself."

The Stage remained quiet once again; nothing but a period of eerie silence.

"Ginny?"

She peered up to find the plumber step forward towards her. "I understand your point. For me, King Boo has captured my older brother twice before all of this happened. Mario is my blood sibling, and I always counted on him to help me whenever I'm down. I can't imagine my life without him, just like how you can't think about life without your older sisters...

To be in a similar situation, I can't help but feel terrible that I treated your sisters like that. It's only because I want to save my friends from the trap we were pulled into. Plus, my brother whom I mentioned before is stuck in King Boo's clutches a third time, only Hellen Gravely was the one who devised the whole plot. If I don't rescue him, I'd be absolutely devastated. I'll think of myself as a total failure for not returning the favor. He's been a hero to me, and I want to mirror his actions so I could face my fears and prove I can be one, too. Even if it means I must face off against ghosts like you. However, I've never been keen on acting harshly to others on purpose. I'm only doing it for my friends and my family."

The red-suited magician took in his words and comprehended his dilemma. She was compassionate and empathetic to take in his explanation. Without a rebuttal, Ginny expressed a sad smile.

"You know what? I bet your brother is proud of you. It takes guts to brave through the dangers of this gargantuan hotel. That earns my respect."

"Really? Thanks..." Luigi scratched the back of his head. "Do you want to roam free around without us bothering you?"

The girl kindly shook her head, pulling out her magic wand. Twirling it a few times, she brought everyone back to the Stage as it was before. She also extinguished the spell of the scrambled rooms. "As I said, I'd be better if I'm with my sisters. But I appreciate the offer. And by all means," Ginny paused before holding out her hand, "take it. Go rescue your family."

Luigi remained still from his spot as he was unsure to take the elevator button from her. But after she gave him a sincere wink, he gently plucked it out of her fingers. The man looked up to the young illusionist. "Thank you."

Ginny removed her red top hat and gave a bow. "It's time for me to end my act. Make sure you let me see my sisters again!"

"I promise," Luigi nodded.

Satisfied, she allowed the plumber to activate his Poltergust G-00. Without fighting off the suction power, Ginny entered the vacuum.

The heroes took a moment to look at one another. No one bothered to speak out loud as it wasn't a fulfilling victory at the end. They may have gotten the prize they desired, but it was an indifferent feeling knowing how they defeated a group of children. Eventually, Luigi decided to head down to the Basement to deposit the magicians and the other spirits into E. Gadd's Ghost Container. As the princesses and pets agreed, they made their long trek back to the elevator hall.

For Luigi, he was grateful that Ginny was not a hostile ghost like most others. She was more interested in magic. Just like Morty and Madame Clairvoya, he made a vow to appreciate her for assisting him. Every little bit counted, and it meant a lot when he's another floor closer to finding Mario.

END OF CHAPTER

As I'm finishing this chapter, I will say that I'm taking two classes this summer, and the workload is already killing me when I just started. There is a very good chance I won't be able to update anytime soon, and that goes for all my works in progress. Until then, I want to thank everyone once more for being patient and taking the time to read this chapter. Up next, Luigi and the gang will make their way to 12F – The Spectral Catch. Hope you all take care! This is TGN, signing off.