"WHAT?!" Mario exclaimed as he fell on the stairs, hurting his tail bone in the process. "But...but...!"
"Quit the stammering," Jocelyn said with a giggle as she held out a hand to him. "It's not becoming of a gentleman."
"But," He began as he took her hand was helped up, "Peach's mom died years ago! Before she turned 12!"
"You act like you haven't seen a ghost before, hun," The woman declared with another giggle. "I don't have to say, though, it's so nice to finally meet you, Master Mario." Mario grinned nervously, expecting her to just poof away. But she wasn't. She was just standing there, smiling at him with gratitude and with a welcoming spirit in her eyes. But there was still some kind of serious nature to her posture.
"But I'm afraid I'm not here for a visit," She spoke. "I'm here to help find Luigi."
"But...what if...?"
"No what-if's, darling," She said. "For I know he's alive."
(SONG: "All Is Found" – Frozen II) [Lyric change]
"What?" Mario asked with surprise and relief.
JOCELYN: Where the night sky/meets the dark moon/there's a mansion/full of memory./Come, my darling/safe and sound./For in this mansion/all is found./Behind her walls/deep and true/lie the answers/and the path for him./Dive down deep into history/but not too far/or you'll be just a dream./Yes, she will sing to those who hear/and in her song/the magic flows./But can you brave what you most fear?/Can you face/what the mansion knows?
Jocelyn then handed Mario the book, making him look at it as he hesitantly took it from her hands.
JOCELYN: Where the night sky/meets the dark moon/there's a Zia/full of memory./Come, my darling/homeward bound./When all is lost...then all is found.
(End of the song)
Mario looked at the book for a moment, turning it over so the cover was facing him. "'The History of the Dark Moon'? What is-?" He looked up from it, only to see that she was gone now. "Oh, she poofs away now?!" He sighed as he looked at the book again...until it clicked.
"Evershade Valley," He said, a smile forming on his face. "Hang in there, Luigi. I'm coming."
OOOOOO
COUNT GREEN
Episode 3: A Mother's Song
OOOOOO
"No," Vanessa said as she threw another book behind her, making Grace sidestep out of the way.
"Did I come at a bad time?" The ghost asked with worry as Luigi was just reading through a book he found.
"No," Peach said with a giggle, as well as seeing what Luigi was reading. It wasn't a history book or anything helpful to change him back, but a book of fiction. She just rolled her eyes as she grabbed a magazine and hit him upside the head. He yelped as he grabbed his head and closed the book.
"Hey!" He yelled. "What was that for?!"
"I'm sorry, but we're trying to change you back!" Peach yelled. "So quick reading for fun and start looking for something helpful!"
"Are you sure this is the only library here, Luigi?!" Vanessa called from the piano, making Luigi roll his eyes.
"Yeah, Zia Nessa! I told you nothing here was helpful!" He exclaimed as he crossed his arms over his black vest covered chest. Peach had just noticed his style had changed from the blue overalls to black denim jeans and a black vest. Why he changed to that she didn't know, but she had to admit he looked good like that. Especially without the hat.
"We'll have to look some-" Peach began when...
"Ah-ah-ahahah," A voice sang out to her, making her stop her sentence and look around.
"Somewhere else?" Luigi finished. "Peach, you okay?"
"Didn't you hear that?" She asked while looking at Luigi. "It sounded like someone singing."
"I didn't hear anything," Vanessa stated, still looking through another book.
"No, I haven't, ma'am," Grace returned.
"You're probably just hearing things," Luigi said as he was going to go back to his novel when he stopped himself and grabbed a history book about vampires.
How was I the only one who heard it? Peach thought as she stood up from the ground. She dusted off her pink skirt and magenta top before slipping her new black flats back on. "I'm going to see if I can find any other bookshelves in any of the rooms. Maybe Elvin's old lab?"
"Maybe," Luigi returned. "But be careful. The greenies like to play pranks."
"Okay," Peach giggled as she walked out of the door and closed it behind her.
She started to breathe heavily as she looked at her hand, seeing a black fireball appear in her palm. She made it disappear before holding her hands to her chest and leaning her back against the door she just went through.
"I used to have nicer magic," She said, sighing while her eyes closed. "Pink was always my color. What's going on with me?"
(SONG: "Into The Unknown" – Frozen II) [Lyric change]
VOICE: Ah-ah-ahahah...ah-ah-ahahah/ah-ah-ahahah...
PEACH: I can hear you/but I won't./Some look for trouble/while others don't./There's a thousand reasons/I should go about my day/and ignore your whispers/which I wish would go away./Oh-oh-oh.
VOICE: Ah-ah-ahahah.../(PEACH: Oh-oh)/Ah-ah-ahahah...
PEACH: You're not a voice/you're just a ringing in my ear/and if I heard you/which I don't/I'm spoken for/I fear./Yes, that man I've always loved is here within these walls./I'm sorry secret siren/but I'm blocking out your calls!/I'm on my adventure/I don't something new./I'm afraid of what I'm risking if I follow you/into the unknown!/Into the unknown!/Into the UNKNO-OH-OH-OWN!
Peach started walking down the hall toward the foyer, opening the door and walking in. She looked around as she walked further in, stopping at the staircase.
PEACH: What do you want?/Cause now you're keeping me awake./Are you here to distract me/so I make a big mistake? (Idea comes to her as she leans against the railing) Or are you someone out there/who knows all the answers?/Are you someone who/can stop all this danger?/Everyday's a little harder/as all my powers grow/don't you know there's part of me that longs to go/into the unknown!/Into the unknown!/Into the UNKNO-OH-OH-OWN! (Pushes herself off the railing and runs into the hall with the knights.) Are you out there?/Do you know me?/Can you feel me?/Can you show me?! (Runs through this hall and comes out to the front door entrance hall; she looks around with worry.) Where are you going?/Don't leave me alone!/How do I/follow YOU/INTO THE UNKNOWN!
(End of the song)
A knock on the door made Peach yelp out of fear and look over. Instantly, she wished she hadn't. She saw a glimpse of red in the frosted window on the door, making her eyes widen in fear.
"Great. Just what we need," She said quietly to herself. "Mario showing up when we're busy."
"Luigi?! You in there?!" Mario called through the door. He sounded pretty worried. "Please be in there! I need to know you're okay!"
Peach sighed in defeat as she looked towards the way that led to Luigi. He wouldn't like her answering the door for Mario since he didn't know this was where she came a day ago at this point. But if she didn't, he would just keep going to the other mansions. And only God knew who was living in those. So she took a deep breath and turned back to the front door.
She walked up to it and pulled open both of them with so much power, she didn't even know she had. "Hey, Mario!" She exclaimed as loud as she could. Hopefully, with Luigi's new super hearing, he'd hear her and run for cover.
"Peach?! What the hell are you doing here?!" Mario asked with surprise.
"Oh, just came to visit the Professor! But it turns out he left for his hotel again!" Peach lied, keeping her volume up. Maybe even Vanessa would hear her and get Luigi out of here.
"That makes sense, considering he lives down the block," Mario reasoned. He went to say something else when he noticed Peach's bandaged wrist. "What happened?!" He asked as he took it into his free hand.
"Oh! I've been such a clutz lately!" She exclaimed. "I cut myself on one of those stupid knights! You know how their swords fall when you run past them!"
"Yeah, I remember," Mario seemed suspicious now, looking her over before looking back at the bandage. He set the book down on the table near him and traced over the white material. Peach was a little nervous that he would feel the bite mark, but she didn't dare move her arm out of his grasp. He'd suspect something even fishier than he was now.
Mario went over where the wound was a couple of times until he felt something like a hole in her skin. His shoulders tensed up as he felt again and found another one. He sighed out with anger as he looked at Peach.
"Then why does it feel like you were bitten?" He asked, his lips stiff with anger. Peach was at a loss for words. She was going to say something, but couldn't find the right way to say it. It was hard to come up with an explanation of how you have two sharp teeth holes in your wrist.
"Uh," She tried. "The Knights' weapons! They have two blades that look like teeth!"
"Peach, I know you're lying!" Mario yelled as he tossed her hand back, making her yelp out as she grabbed it. Immediately, Mario felt bad. "Sorry." He said.
"It wasn't you," She said. "It stings every once in a while."
Mario sighed as he grabbed the book and looked at Peach. "What's going on, Peach?" He finally asked dully, making the blond princess look at him. She would have said something, but her vision was getting blurry again, and the room was spinning.
Not now, She thought.
"Peach?" Mario asked again. "You okay?"
"Uh-" She went to say something when she felt herself falling. But thankfully, she was caught in strong but gentle arms. She looked up with her blurry vision as she was being held up by someone. She couldn't tell what was happening since the room was strangely quiet now. But something told her it wasn't a pretty sight.
"Luigi?" Mario spoke up with surprise, which made Peach shake her head and her vision was back. She looked over and indeed, it was Luigi who caught her. His gaze was on Mario now.
"Hey, bro," He said with a grin. He helped Peach stand up and sat her down on a nearby chair for a moment.
"Luigi!" Mario ran up to him and gave him a hug, which Luigi was caught off guard by. He was surprised, to say the least. "I was so worried about you."
"Uh," Luigi said as his breathing was getting heavier. "Mario...stand back," Mario let go of Luigi and took a few steps back out of confusion. Luigi had grabbed the table near Peach, who had grabbed his arm out of worry.
"Luigi?" She asked.
"I'm fine...just getting hungry again," He said as he gave her a reassuring grin.
"What's going on?!" Mario exclaimed. "You disappear for a month and don't give any clues as to where you are! And right after our latest adventure to save Peach!"
"I-I had to, Mario!" Luigi yelled as he looked at his brother, his red eyes glowing a bit now. "I didn't want to hurt you!"
"Why would you hurt me?! If anything you saved me from Kamek's spell! What even happened with that?!" Mario yelled. "Doesn't matter! I should be thanking you for that, but right now, I'm-!"
"Mario, STOP!" Luigi screamed as his black electricity shot through the air and hit the wall. Thankfully, it was away from the others. "If you can't see what's right in front of your face then you're blind!"
"What are you-?!" Mario began before Luigi fell to the floor, weak.
"Luigi!" Peach stood and knelt before him, seeing sweat forming on his forehead. She looked at her wrist with the bandage and tore it off quickly. The bite had scabbed over now and looked to have been healing already. But they would have to be re-opened. She was willing to let him feed on her wrist again when Grace ran in.
"Here," She said as she handed him his wine glass from earlier. It still had some fresh blood in it for him. He gratefully took it and drank some of it. Not a lot, just enough to replenish himself.
"Thanks, Grace," He said as his breathing was getting slower and more rhythmic.
"What just happened?!" Mario yelled. "And I knew that was a bite mark!"
"Mario, calm down," Peach said as she stood up. "Be glad you didn't have to see him feed on my wrist!"
"Feed?! What are you-?!" It then clicked in his brain, making his eyes widen before looking at Luigi who was now sitting in the chair. "No." He said, causing Luigi to look at him again. "That spell didn't turn you into a bloodthirsty monster."
Luigi grinned sarcastically. "Took you long enough to figure that out, huh?" He said before going back to his drink. He took another sip and sighed with relief.
"But...how...what...?!"
"Yeah, I had the same reaction," Peach said. "It was hard to swallow at first, but I promised to be there for him."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" Mario asked a little hurt.
"I didn't want you to judge me for what I am now, Mario," Luigi answered, standing up and placing the glass on the table. "I just couldn't face you knowing that I might lose control and bite you without consent."
"Oh, but Peach is fine?!"
"Mario," Peach reprimanded. "Don't go there! Besides...I let him!"
"You-"
"She knew I needed help, Mario," Luigi sighed. "But if you can't understand what's happened, maybe you should just go."
"But-"
"GO!" Luigi yelled, an echo to his voice to strike fear in Mario. But Mario's face showed that he was unfazed by it.
"Luigi, I deal with Bowser daily. The echo in your voice isn't going to scare me away," He said. Luigi groaned as he plopped back down on the chair.
"Just, please! I hate having you see me like this!"
Mario sighed as he looked at the book in his hands and set it down on the table next to Luigi's drink. "I'm not going anywhere." He said quietly, making the trio look at him with surprise. "You're my brother. Whatever I can do to help...I'm here."
Luigi stared surprised for a moment, not knowing how to process this news. But he found himself smiling at his brother before standing up and hugging him. Mario returned it without any hesitation. "Thanks, bro," He said.
"Sure thing, Weegie," Mario said in return.
"Told you he'd help!" Vanessa exclaimed as the twin brothers pulled away from their hug and looked over at the woman walking in from the hall.
"Zia Nessa?" Mario asked, confused at first when Jocelyn's words came back to her. "Where the night sky meets the dark moon, there's a Zia full of memory." Peach perked up at this phrase, making her heart flutter a bit. "Now that phrase makes sense."
"My mother always sang that to me as a little girl," Peach returned as she placed a hand to her heart.
"How'd it go?" Grace asked with enthusiasm.
"Now is not the time for old motherly songs," Vanessa exclaimed before noticing Peach's surprised face. "But I take it it's important?"
"The words...I just realized," Peach began, "they were a message."
"What message?" Mario asked, confused since he just heard it.
"Think about it," Peach said. "Where the night sky meets the dark moon, there's a mansion full of memory."
"Okay," Luigi said slowly, trying to keep up with it.
"Behind her walls, deep and true, lie the answers, and a path for him," Peach continued. "Dive down deep into history, but not too far, or you'll be just a dream."
"History? That sounds like-"
"The Treacherous Mansion," Mario interrupted Luigi with surprise. "That's where your final battle with King Boo happened in 2013!"
"Yeah! But what does 'there's a Zia full of memory' mean?" Luigi asked. "I mean it could mean Zia Nessa has the answers."
"But I don't know anything about vampires, Luigi," Vanessa said. "Just dragons."
"But then, that means..." Grace began as she looked at Peach, who was now shocked beyond all belief.
"My mom had a sister," The blond princess said as she looked up at the other four people there.
"A Zia full of memory must be your aunt then, Peach!" Mario exclaimed. "She must know how to reverse this curse on Luigi!"
"Peach?" Vanessa asked, causing the said princess to look at her. "Why'd you ask about Aurore Walter's last name?" Peach gulped down the nerves that were bubbling in her stomach as she took deep breaths.
"Because," She began, trying to keep her sanity, "that was my mother's maiden name."
